The Black Tech Monopoly Corporation
Author: East Sea Boar Demon
Date: 2022-11-13T08:07:57.745000+00:00

1. The Weird Cube

Zhang Heng looked at the irregularly shaped cube that had at least 20 sides and was spinning slowly in midair. His first reaction was to look around, while his second reaction was to slowly walk up and poke the cube cautiously.

The cube didn't react at all.

Zhang Heng took the cube in his hand and traced the patterns on the cube before exerting force with both hands in the opposite direction. All of a sudden, the sound of gears snapping together was heard from the cube.

It wasn't the sound of metal or plastic, but a special tone that Zhang Heng had never heard before.

It was neither crisp nor thick, yet it felt as if it had seeped into his soul.

"What the hell?"

Zhang Heng was puzzled. The irregularly shaped cube had no distinguishing colors at all. It was metallic silver in color and countless cracks crisscrossed on every surface, dividing the cube into all manner of irregular chunks.

However, while the shapes were irregular, they seemed to have followed the theorem of a golden ratio, making them look very coordinated and not out of place at all.

If one were to say that none of that was miraculous enough, then the truly miraculous thing was that it was able to hover in midair…

Zhang Heng scanned his surroundings as soon as he saw the cube, but he found himself in his rented apartment, which was about a dozen square meters in area. Other than a bed, a table, and a cloth cabinet, there was nowhere else he could set up a prank.

As such, he ruled out the possibility that someone was behind all of that.

But then again, if the prank was ruled out, where did that cube come from?

Could he have conjured it out of thin air?

Zhang Heng felt even more conflicted, but he didn't just sit around doing nothing. He tried to turn the cube around with both hands, until the cube made a slight cracking sound.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze right away.

He saw that the cube had taken on a special shape while he was spinning it around without realizing it, and that shape just happened to reveal a hole about the thickness of a finger on the seamless cube's outer shell.

The cube's design was flawed.

Zhang Heng's eyebrows twitched. It wasn't that he had never played with a cube before, as the most common type of cube would usually be a cube of Level Three. That was to say, there were six sides to the cube, with each side having nine cubes.

The cube in his hand at the moment was hundreds, even thousands of times more complex than the usual Level Three Magic Cube that he had seen before. Logically speaking, such irregular shapes shouldn't be able to form the cube, as the first requirement of the cube was its pattern. If there was no pattern to the cube itself, then who would be able to piece it together?

That was something that no designer could do.

Zhang Heng spun a few times and found a loophole.

No, that's not a loophole…

Zhang Heng's eyes narrowed to a slit and he suddenly realized that the edges of the hole that appeared on the cube in his hand were very neat. It felt as if the cube itself had that kind of shape.

If that was all there was to it, then the inside of the hole was pitch-black. It would have been surprising if one couldn't see what was inside the hole, even if they were to follow the sunlight.

He raised the cube before his eyes and closed his left eye, peering into the hole with his right.

"What the f * * k is this…?" Zhang Heng exclaimed again. He seemed to have seen something vast in the hole.

Vast something?

Zhang Heng was stunned. He felt that this was definitely the first time he saw the substance in the hole, yet the substance gave him an indescribable sense of familiarity—it was an infinitely huge bubble, and it was definitely not just a bubble, but a vast, boundless world formed from countless bubbles.

There was no other way to describe Zhang Heng. Every single bubble was infinitely huge, but if they were infinitely huge, why would there be another bubble that was infinitely huge overlapping with them?

Logically speaking, it made no sense.

More importantly, those bubbles felt incredibly familiar to Zhang Heng, as if they were always around humans.

Every single one of those bubbles represented a universe.

That thought popped up in his mind all of a sudden. In the very next second, an unparalleled beam of light shot out from the nerves of his right eye, just like the moment when the Big Bang happened.

An indescribable pain was felt at the same time, traveling all the way to the depths of his brain through his optic nerves. It was as if a comet had crashed into the ocean, and the pain swept through his entire brain in an instant.

Zhang Heng was only able to scream before losing consciousness.

…

A cold electronic voice was heard throughout the room.

The air smelled of Formalin.

Zhang Heng recalled all the memories he had before he passed out the moment he opened his eyes. He was able to figure out what was happening in the next 0.1 seconds.

At the moment, he was lying on a bed in a ward of some hospital. There was a monitor, an electrocardiogram, a pacemaker, and several other equipment placed beside the bed. The electronic beeps were coming from the electrocardiogram.

On the north side of the room was a double glass door made entirely of frosted glass, which was placed against the wall. He could see the letters' ICU 'stuck to the outside of the glass door through the frosted glass.

It was obvious that he was in some hospital's intensive care unit.

Something felt off.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but blink as an inexplicable feeling of discomfort welled up in his mind. He clenched his fist subconsciously. He had no idea how long he had been in a coma and how little strength he had left in his arms, but he was still able to pull the needle out of his arm.

He threw the needle with the blood on it to the side of the bed and sat up immediately. He then pulled the other needles from his temple and was completely stunned.

For some reason, his vision felt somewhat different than usual. He was able to tell that something was off in just a few seconds after sitting up, and that was…

His right eye was blind.

He subconsciously reached out and touched his right eye.

The eyeball was completely unscathed, and the eyeball even felt sore when his finger touched it. However, the image of the room was projected from the intact crystal body, which was able to refract the image from the glass body without any hindrance, and the image was sent to the optic nerves again. The visual signal was cut off when the image was sent deep into the retina fissure.

Something seemed to have gone wrong deep in his brain.

At that moment, the electrocardiogram lost its connection with its host and mistakenly thought that the host's heart had stopped beating. As such, the monitor let out a deafening alarm. Two doctors and several nurses rushed into the room while Zhang Heng was still in a daze.

…

Zhang Heng walked out of the hospital with a deadpan look on his face under the cold gaze of all the doctors one day later. No one was there to greet him.

As a fourth-year student in the biology department, he was currently undergoing an internship as someone who had just stepped into society. As such, he didn't stay in school, but instead went to work in a pharmaceutical company in the city.

The landlord happened to hear his screams on the day he passed out, which was why he was sent to the hospital. Otherwise, he might have lost his life.

He bought a few kilograms of fruit by the side of the road and walked slowly back to his rented apartment. It was a three-story building that was built in a private residential area in the city. As a well-known Nail Village in the city, the environment there wasn't all that pleasant.

However, for someone like Zhang Heng who had just stepped into society, it was fine as long as he was able to make do with the environment. The pharmaceutical company he was working in only had about 3,000 yuan a month. Other than the rent and living expenses, there was hardly any money left that he could afford to pay. Furthermore, with the hospital emergency, the several thousand yuan that he had worked so hard to save up was completely wasted.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to agree to move out of his rented apartment at the end of the month after thanking the landlord, who would be willing to let someone who was suffering from some unknown disease stay in their place?

He had only sent her to the hospital the day before because he was afraid that something would happen to Zhang Heng if anything were to happen to him. As the owner of the apartment, he knew that he wouldn't be able to escape responsibility.

That was how society worked at the moment.

Zhang Heng lay on his bed feeling exhausted after returning to his room. He seemed to have thought of something and picked up his phone from the table. He saw over a dozen missed calls.

Three of them were from his superior, while the rest were from his family.

It was only when he saw the call from his family that he realized that he had indeed just taken a trip to the gates of hell. However, as someone who was involved in the whole thing, he didn't feel anything about it.

He wondered if he had been numbed by the mundane life that felt like death.

Zhang Heng shook his head and threw all those unrealistic thoughts out of his mind before calling his family.

"Hello, dad… I'm fine. I'm really fine. I lost my phone for the past few days, so I made a new card today. Umm… don't worry, you don't need to send any money. My salary this month is enough… Okay, I'll let you know if I need anything in the future…"

He breathed a sigh of relief and managed to escape his parents' interrogation. He then called his superior again.

"Hello, Team Leader. The day before yesterday, I… oh, alright, alright, I understand."

Zhang Heng's expression suddenly became very glum. As an intern, he had been out of work for three days without contacting anyone. It was obvious that he had been fired.

Seems like I need to look for a job again.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more bitter. However, no matter how much of a blow he suffered, was there anything worse than losing his right eye? It was fortunate that his parents and outsiders wouldn't be able to tell as long as he didn't say anything.

Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something at that thought and got up right away to search the room. He searched the bottom of the table and the bottom of the bed, but the room was only about 20 square meters in size. Despite searching everywhere, he was still unable to find what he was looking for.

The cube that had appeared out of nowhere back then was nowhere to be found.

Zhang Heng was able to confirm that the cube was anything but ordinary. While it was stated on his medical record that a stroke caused brain damage due to cerebral hemorrhage, causing permanent blindness to his right eye, he didn't think so.

He was sure that his current state had something to do with that mysterious cube.

However, that damned cube was nowhere to be found.

The first thing that came to his mind was that the landlord had taken it away. The second thing he thought of was to call the police.

That cube was anything but ordinary. It was capable of levitating in midair and was harmful to the human body. Anyone who saw it would know that it was no ordinary toy. As such, he was sure that the landlord would definitely not return it to him. As such, he had no choice but to call the police.

However, Zhang Heng was discouraged the very next second. So what if he called the police? Did he have to tell the police that he had lost a toy that defied gravity?

However, just when he was feeling conflicted about what to do next, the sound of mechanical clicks was heard from the empty room.

Zhang Heng's expression froze completely.

2. Dimensional Star

Crack, crack, crack…

Zhang Heng was the only one who was able to hear the clacking sounds ringing in his ears. The clacking sounds were neither crisp nor deep, and they were definitely not something that could be produced by any musical instrument. However, the clacking sounds seemed to be able to affect one's soul, making the entire scene sound very melodious.

That sound didn't come from the outside world, but from deep within his brain. The sound traveled through his cerebral cortex and vibrated his eardrums. Other than Zhang Heng himself, no one else was able to hear it.

"Host has been confirmed."

"Neurons are being tested. Neurons are connected."

"Begin scanning of brain environment. Brain environment normal."

"Initiating AI support program."

"AI support program initiated. Please wait…"

That piece of information flashed across his mind all of a sudden.

Strictly speaking, the message didn't appear in the form of words or voice messages, but a kind of consciousness signal. However, Zhang Heng was able to easily understand that signal, which was why the above messages appeared.

But that wasn't the point. Why was there such a weird piece of information floating in his brain?

Zhang Heng's facial muscles couldn't help but twitch for a bit. That was an instinctive physiological reaction caused by his nerves suffering from fright, shock, and other stimuli. He felt as if he had been frozen in place, his entire body stiffening, and even the air around him seemed to have frozen.

Zhang Heng felt as if the entire world was about to collapse in the dead silence. He had no idea what was happening, but he felt as if a storm was about to hit his head.

However, his mind was plunged into a dead silence after that piece of information was sent out, as if everything that happened before was just an illusion that came out of nowhere.

Am I seeing things? Or am I seeing things?

Zhang Heng forced himself to stand upright and stretch his legs for a bit, confirming that there was nothing wrong with him before letting out a sigh.

However, just when he thought that he was seeing things, the cracking sound was heard again.

"AI support program initiated. Virtual personality setting… Please select virtual personality—Virtual personality options: lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, absolute neutral, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, chaotic evil."

"Holy sh * *!" Zhang Heng leaped three feet into the air as if he had been electrocuted and fell flat on the bed. The bed creaked in displeasure, as if it couldn't take it anymore.

"Host's mental state is in a complete mess. The system determines random selection. Selection in progress…"

"Selection complete. Virtual personality confirmed chaotic evil."

"Please select virtual personality."

"Image generated automatically according to preferences found in the host's memory…"

"Generation complete."

"Welcome to 'Dimensional Star'. All remaining humans, good luck."

Zhang Heng was sweating profusely by then. His heart rate and breathing were both extremely high. Logically speaking, he shouldn't have been able to pick up even the slightest bit of information under such conditions. However, all of that information seemed to have been imprinted in his mind and he didn't miss a single word.

"Calm down, calm down!"

Zhang Heng took deep breaths and forced himself to calm down.

His hands trembled as he fished out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and put one in his mouth. He then lit the lighter with both hands, which were still shaking, until the spiciness spread to his lungs. The carbon monoxide and nicotine fused with the red blood cells through his alveoli, and he was finally able to calm himself down.

"Phew…" Zhang Heng fell into dead silence after exhaling a puff of smoke. He still felt as if he was unable to tell reality from illusion.

However, the messages that appeared out of nowhere in his mind were no different.

However, just when Zhang Heng thought that he would be able to rationalize what had just happened, he heard yet another girl's crisp voice in his mind.

"Uncle, did you set up a magic contract to summon Yurianne to this world?"

Zhang Heng's eyes went wide. He was sure that the voice was definitely not the same stream of data that he heard before, as it was a very real voice that echoed in his mind. He looked around and confirmed that there was definitely no one around him.

It was only then that he was able to confirm that there was indeed something unknown in his brain.

Could it be the cube that had disappeared without a trace?

Zhang Heng finally calmed down at that thought. He took a deep breath and asked, "Are you talking to me?"

"That's right. I'm the AI support system of the Dimensional Star that everyone loves—Yurianne!"

A 2D cartoon image of a little girl appeared right after the announcement was heard.

The little girl wore orthodox Lolita attire and had two pointed horns on her head. She had an arrow-like tail that was as thick as a finger on her butt, making her look like a little devil.

That wasn't all. A series of three-dimensional words that looked like some kind of hot-blooded anime played in his ears as the cartoonish little girl made her appearance. All of that, coupled with Zhang Heng's dumbfounded expression, made the scene look both eerie and out of place.

Zhang Heng was already feeling numb. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, but he found that the image of that little girl was still imprinted in his mind even when he closed his eyes.

That was because the other party was not appearing before his eyes, but on his retina. Furthermore, it was his right retina.

"Stop the background music for a bit…" The background music was very intense, making Zhang Heng's head ache. He couldn't help but rub his temples. He had completely given up at that moment.

"You're a system? And what's your relationship with that cube?" Zhang Heng asked after thinking for a bit.

"Well then, Yurianne shall be merciful and tell you the truth, since you've asked so sincerely!" The 2D little girl put on a condescending air and said in a tone that Zhang Heng found very familiar, "The cube that you speak of is actually the Dimensional Star, and Yurianne is the virtual personality created by the AI support system of the Dimensional Star."

"Wait, Dimensional Star? What is that thing? Why is it in my mind?" Zhang Heng asked immediately.

"Haha, you're asking the key questions so quickly?" Yurianne spun around and a microphone appeared in her hand. She said in the tone of a variety show host, "If you'd like to know the details, please look at the VCR."

The vision in Zhang Heng's right eye changed all of a sudden and a strange scene appeared.

The image showed a middle-aged man facing the camera. The man wore a pair of glasses and had a full beard. He supported himself with his elbows on the table and crossed his arms before his mouth, looking cold and sickly. The background behind the middle-aged man looked like a high-tech laboratory.

"Greetings to the person currently watching the recordings. I'm Ikari, the commander-in-chief of NERV."

"Pfft!" Zhang Heng lost his cool right away after hearing what she said. "Wait, who did you say you are?"

Ikariomoto was none other than the father of the male lead of the animated series' EVA ', which was played more than a decade ago. He was a scheming, cold-hearted man who was neither good nor evil.

"I'm afraid that I'll be dead by the time you see that video." It was obvious that the video was just an image and he had no way of communicating with Zhang Heng. As such, he continued, "As the X897th generation master of the Dimensional Star system, that video is the only thing I could leave for you after failing the mission."

"I don't know which plane the humans from which plane created the Dimensional Star, but the power it possesses far exceeds that of our plane. Even 'gods' are nothing before it. When I became the master of the system, I learned from the video left behind by my previous master that every human plane was attacked by some evil force…"

"No, calling it an evil force is a little too vague. We should say that… every single human plane is under attack by either natural or unnatural forces. It's like the laws of the universe are trying to wipe out humanity completely. All human planes are under some kind of curse…"

"Are you for real? Can you make it sound more mystical?" Zhang Heng gradually calmed down and picked up the unfinished popcorn on the table, eating as he grumbled.

"In order to resist the curse and the power of 'it', I activated 'that'…"

"Holy sh * *, could it be that 'that' you're talking about is the famous' Human Enhancement Plan '?" Zhang Heng was leaning back in his chair when he heard' that 'and his eyes widened.

"I thought that I could change the fate of humanity, but it was only at the very last moment that I realized, to my dismay, how utterly powerless I was against 'it'… Even 'that' was not enough to fight 'it'…"

"You made it sound so cool, but you still ended up dead in the end!" Zhang Heng slumped back into his chair and pointed his middle finger.

"As far as I know, the plane that I'm on is one of the few planes that haven't been destroyed out of countless trillions of human planes. When you read that passage, there were still several trillions of human planes destroyed by 'it' every second…"

"Trillions?" Zhang Heng's hand shook and the popcorn fell to the ground.

"Don't feel lucky. As you develop more of the Dimensional Star's abilities, you'll find out just how powerful the plane that created the Dimensional Star was. However, even a plane as powerful as that plane eventually disappeared into the vast universe when 'it' attacked."

"Also, as your predecessor, I have to remind you that the Dimensional Star's auxiliary system can't be trusted at times…"

"Last but not least, I'd like to offer it to all humans who are still alive. Good luck…"

The image flickered and disappeared completely at that point. Zhang Heng was stunned and asked, "That's it?"

"That's right. That's all the messages left by the previous host of the Dimensional Star." Yurianne appeared in Zhang Heng's mind again. "I assume that you're aware of the situation now, host dude?"

"Well then, why did you choose me?" Zhang Heng said in a self-depreciative manner, "I'm just an average college student. Why did you leave such a heavy burden to me?"

"That's because you're only an intern of the Dimensional Star right now, host. It won't be easy for you to become the host of the Dimensional Star." The little devil girl suddenly took out a flashlight from behind her and shone it on her face from below, looking very scary. "You'll need to complete the trial mission if you want to gain Yurianne's approval. Are you ready to take the trial, host dude?"

3. Beginning Of The Trial

"Trial? What trial?" The corner of Zhang Heng's eye twitched.

"Yurianne is not allowed to disclose the contents of the mission before you accept the trial, host dude." Yurianne winked and made "ding" sounds, as if she was trying to flirt.

Zhang Heng wiped the cold sweat from his brow and looked around, picking up a cup of instant noodles and a bottle of mineral water before taking out a black dagger from the drawer.

He was a boy after all, so it made sense for him to buy such a blade on Taobao. However, it was more decorative than practical.

Zhang Heng said uneasily, "Actually, there's nothing much to prepare. I don't have the money to prepare anything else. You can issue missions now."

"Okay!" Yurianne made another OK gesture and a robotic female voice was heard at the same time. "Trial Mission officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes. Begin searching nearby planes…"

"What? Acquire technological data from nearby planes?" Zhang Heng's expression changed drastically. "That's ridiculous. You want me to go to other planes for the trial?"

"Search complete." Unfortunately, due to Zhang Heng accepting the system's mission, the system didn't stop due to his doubts. "There are a total of four planes of value near the host plane."

"Plane A: Resident Evil plane. Depending on the host's combat capabilities, Danger Level: ★ ★"

"Plane B: Dead Space plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★"

"Plane C: Alien plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

"Plane D: Prototype plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

Zhang Heng wobbled for a bit and almost passed out. "Wait, you're telling me that I need to go to the world of movies and games and look for the technology there?"

"That's right!" The 2D little girl who called herself Yurianne spun around yet again, and her casual attire became that of a university PhD student. Black-rimmed glasses also appeared on her face, making her look very proper. "Now that you're ready for the mission, Yurianne shall begin explaining the rules of the mission."

Light-hearted background music played in Zhang Heng's mind as Yurianne played along with the music and explained, "The Dimensional Star is a four-dimensional construct designed to enable its host to travel through space. What is a four-dimensional construct? It's actually quite simple to understand."

"Everyone knows that zero-dimensional space is a single point. One-dimensional space is a straight line formed by countless points. Two-dimensional space is a plane formed by countless straight lines, while three-dimensional space is a three-dimensional space formed by countless planes superimposed over one another. As for four-dimensional space, it is formed by countless spaces."

"To put it simply, if it were a three-dimensional object, the length, width, and height of the object would be expressed in three straight lines perpendicular to each other. Or, to put it in terms of coordinates, coordinates of any location on Earth could be expressed in terms of longitude, latitude, and altitude. That would mean that we humans live in a three-dimensional world."

"What about the four-dimensional world? It's not that the four-dimensional world doesn't exist, it's just that humans are unable to sense it. In a four-dimensional world, apart from length, width, and height, there is also a line that connects both length, width, and height. The coordinates of a four-dimensional world require four data to express."

Zhang Heng nodded. "I understand all of that, but what does that have to do with the Dimensional Star?"

"Yurianne told me before that the Dimensional Star is a four-dimensional object." Yurianne adjusted her black-rimmed glasses and answered in a deadpan manner.

"But I can see the Dimensional Star. If I could see it, how could it be a four-dimensional object?" Zhang Heng frowned and asked.

"Are you sure you've seen the entirety of the Dimensional Star?" Yurianne asked mysteriously.

"You're saying…"

"That's right. If there were to be a group of two-dimensional beings, they would only be able to survive on paper. One day, you put a piece of rubber on the piece of paper. What would those two-dimensional beings see then?"

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit. "The eraser is flat to them as well. In fact, they could only see the bottom of the eraser, but not the entirety of the eraser."

"Bingo! That's correct!" Yurianne said excitedly. "Do you get it now? The eraser that they saw was nothing more than a projection of the real body of the eraser. The same goes for you, Uncle. The mysterious cube that you saw was nothing more than a projection of the Dimensional Star in a three-dimensional world."

"So much so that you think that the Dimensional Star is in your brain. That's just your imagination. It's just like how you drew a circle on that piece of paper and put an object in that circle. The two-dimensional beings would only be able to see that circle, but not what's inside."

"Perhaps the two-dimensional beings would be able to detect objects within the circle using some kind of unique technology after developing advanced technology, but they wouldn't be able to take out the objects inside without destroying the circle."

"However, things are different for us humans. We don't need to destroy the circle to retrieve the item from above. However, for creatures of two dimensions, the item within the circle, which is completely sealed without any gaps, has disappeared. That is a miracle, a supernatural phenomenon!"

Zhang Heng shuddered.

"You understand now, host dude?" Yurianne chuckled and continued, "The Dimensional Star isn't actually in your brain. To you, who could only live in a three-dimensional world, it might seem utterly inconceivable, but to the beings of a four-dimensional world, your countless planes are spread out like a piece of white paper, with no secrets to speak of."

"The reason why your eyes are blind is because you saw what the four-dimensional world looked like through the Dimensional Star. What you saw at that moment far exceeded the limits of information that your brain could process. That's why you suffered cerebral hemorrhage and your right eye became blind.

Zhang Heng nodded thoughtfully and said, "I see. Well then, tell me about the rules of the test."

Yurianne nodded and continued, "Actually, the Dimensional Star system does offer you some preferential treatment, which is to give you some planes to choose from and not make things too difficult for you. At the same time, according to your access, the cooling mechanism of the system's travel is 48 hours. That is to say that you would need to stay in the alternate plane for at least 48 hours before you could return. However, the cooling mechanism would gradually decrease as your access increases."

"Of course, there is a limit to how long you can stay in the other plane, and there is no limit to the number of times you can travel in the other plane. However, after completing a mission, the system will issue the next mission according to a certain time limit, and sometimes, urgent missions will be issued as well."

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and his brain began to work at high speeds. While the system named Yurianne made it sound so easy, he knew very well that if he were to carry out those missions, he would definitely have a very slim chance of survival. If he were to refuse to carry out those missions, his chances of survival would be even lower. If he were to be as sloppy as he was before, he probably wouldn't even know how he died.

"But…" Zhang Heng looked at the meager supplies in his hand and asked, "Could you give me some time to prepare?"

"No, you have to decide immediately after accepting the mission." Yurianne shook her head without hesitation.

Zhang Heng's expression was very glum, but there was nothing he could do about it given the situation he was in. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "If that's the case, then… I'll choose the Resident Evil plane!"

The Resident Evil franchise and the Alien franchise were both Hollywood movies, and there were probably not many people who hadn't heard of them. Zhang Heng wasn't a geek, and the most he knew about them was that he had a thing for girls. While he had heard of all four of those planes, he had only seen the Resident Evil movies. In actual fact, there were animations and games in Resident Evil, and none of that was something that he knew about.

As for 'Alien', he had only seen a few movies and knew very little about the world of that world. As for 'Dead Space' and 'Prototype' planes, they were both computer games, and it just so happened that he knew nothing about games.

Furthermore, of the four planes, Resident Evil was the only one with the lowest difficulty, with only two stars. As such, it was only natural that the Resident Evil plane would be selected.

"Oh, oh, oh. My brave uncle has selected his first mission. Yurianne shall now announce the commencement of the trial mission!" A hot-blooded anime background music was heard as her tone became more impassioned. The lights behind her shone like a stage, and Yurianne pointed at the sky as she chanted.

"From here on out, the line between life and death will no longer be obvious. Will I end up in hell, or will I become a hero? There are no miracles in the world. If I want to live, I'll have to charge, charge, and charge without a care!"

"Charge forward at the cost of your life!"

4. Resident Evil

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered Resident Evil plane. Begin scanning mission."

"Warning: Resident Evil plane mission begins. Main Quest: Acquire one complete copy of data regarding the Tyrant Virus and a sample."

"Optional Quest: Acquire one complete copy of data regarding the God Virus and a sample."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown."

"Quest Time: 72 hours. Failure Penalty: Abolish the host of the Dimensional Star and destroy the host."

"Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 48 hours."

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes as the robotic female voice announced his arrival.

All he saw was a wasteland.

He sighed softly. That was right. Everything that had happened to him was real. He had arrived in another world, a world where human civilization had completely disappeared.

Zhang Heng was standing in front of a dilapidated building at the moment, surrounded by skyscrapers that looked broken. Judging from the English letters on the rusted billboards by the side of the road, he was probably in some American or British city.

The tallest building in the building had a huge red and white umbrella logo with the letters' Umbrella 'written below. That meant that the building was a branch of the Umbrella Corporation, a huge company.

However, as the Umbrella Corporation was a super conglomerate, it had branches all over the world in major cities. As such, Zhang Heng had no idea which city that building belonged to.

There was no mistaking it. Most of the technologies found in the Resident Evil movies were about as advanced as the ones found in his plane. The only technologies that were of value to him were the so-called T-Virus and G-Virus.

According to Zhang Heng's calculations, the biotechnology of that plane was estimated to be about 100 years ahead of that of the real world, which was how the T-Virus and G-Virus were created.

But, then again, regular people would probably wonder what scientific value such a thing, which was only used to create zombies, had.

In actual fact, the T-Virus was known as' Tyrant '. Its true purpose was not to create zombies or destroy human civilization, but to develop biological weapons, which included dozens of cutting-edge technologies such as virology, genetics, biology, and so on, which were more than enough to lead the advancement of human technology. However, the T-Virus was leaked by accident, which eventually led to the destruction of the human world.

In other words, as long as he could get his hands on data regarding the T-Virus or the G-Virus, which was even more powerful than the T-Virus, he would be able to stand at the forefront of biochemical technology in his plane.

"I see. So, this is the Umbrella Corporation." Zhang Heng's heart was thumping hard, and he wasn't sure if he was feeling excited or nervous. It was his first time coming into contact with a power that surpassed nature, and he was feeling both shocked and excited.

Yes, excitement!

He had been living in that materialistic world where there were no miracles, no opportunities, and he had lived for over 20 years with all manner of rules and regulations laid out in the open and in the dark. He was utterly exhausted by then. He wanted to gain power, to gain power that would allow him to transcend the mundane world, breaking all those so-called rules, shackles, and shackles.

A glint flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes. It was a glint that had been suppressed by the mundane world. It was the unyielding and stubborn light of youth, the light of ambition.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and suppressed the restlessness in his heart. He knew that it wouldn't be that easy to change the world and make a name for himself. One would only be able to reap what one had sown, and what he was about to do was to take one wrong step and he would be in grave danger.

Zhang Heng scanned his surroundings and made sure that there was no danger before making his way slowly into the building. He contacted Yurianne telepathically as he walked.

"Can you confirm if there is any data regarding the T-Virus and the G-Virus found in the Umbrella Corporation? According to the usual procedures, if all personnel in the building were to evacuate, such top-secret data would be moved as well. If the data couldn't be moved, all the data would have been destroyed."

"Hehe, don't worry. All the personnel here were killed by the lickers before they could even begin to move." The little devil girl bared her fangs and brandished her claws, seemingly imitating the licker.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and he stopped in his tracks right after stepping into the building. "You're saying that there's a licker on this floor?"

"I can't tell you that, Yurianne." Yurianne spread out her simplified hand, looking innocent.

"Is it due to system restrictions?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze.

"Yurianne still can't say."

Zhang Heng smirked coldly and said, "I get it now. I assume that the Dimensional Star system isn't just looking for a rag-and-bone scavenger to collect plane technology. What you're looking for should be leaders capable of guiding the development of human technology. If you're just looking for a middleman, you'd be able to do it yourself."

"Aiyaya, I've been seen through!" Yurianne covered her face with her petite hands and several lines appeared on her face, making her look like a girl blushing in anime. Any otaku would have probably lost their minds seeing such a kawaii 2D little girl, but Zhang Heng didn't feel any joy from being complimented at all. All he felt was a chill.

Could he really survive the test of that damned system and lead that world?

Zhang Heng felt his heart sink all of a sudden, as if there was a mountain weighing down on his heart.

"Due to your exceptional performance, sir, Yurianne could add another piece of information to the list." The system spoke again all of a sudden. "The time period you're in right now is the world 12 years after the outbreak of the virus in Raccoon City. There are less than a million people in the world at the moment, and they're scattered all over the world, struggling to survive. You could say that human civilization has completely disappeared."

"What does that piece of information have to do with me?" Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before he realized something and asked, "You're saying that I could save other planes?"

"I'm not the one who said that. You guessed it yourself." Yurianne blinked and put her index finger up in a shushing gesture.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to smile wryly. "Forget it. If I'm going to wait for help, I'd have to wait until the plane I'm in becomes more powerful. The humans in the Resident Evil plane might have been wiped out by then." Despite what he said, Zhang Heng kept that thought to himself. He might be able to use the powers of the other planes to fight against the curse when it came.

All of that was communicated in Zhang Heng's mind with the system, and he made no sound at all. He walked slowly into the building and found the lobby on the first floor dark.

It was sunset and several beams of orange light shone in from the broken windows. Not only was the place devoid of any warmth, it made the place look even more desolate. The dust on the ground was about half an inch thick, which meant that no living beings had been living in the area all year round. In truth, Zhang Heng had no idea how the zombies were able to move about. Would the zombies starve to death if there was no food to be found in the past 12 years?

He came to the center of the lobby where an old display table stood. There was a map of the area of the building plastered on it. It was fortunate that Zhang Heng's English was at level six, or he would have been rendered completely helpless in such a situation.

Seems like the Huaxian education system isn't completely useless after all…

Zhang Heng blew away the dust and blew away all the parts that couldn't be seen clearly. It was only then that he realized that the company's laboratory was located on the 54th floor, and the data room was on the 53rd floor.

Zhang Heng cursed under his breath and turned around to look at the setting sun outside the window, not sure if he should go get the data right away or wait for the next day. He felt that day was safer in a building with unknown dangers after all.

With his current level of power, he would be doomed if he were to run into a licker at night or day.

Furthermore, the time limit for the system to transport him back to his plane was 48 hours. Logically speaking, it would be safer for him to find a safe place to hide for the time being and wait for 48 hours before carrying out the mission. It was a pity that the system gave him another 72 hours. If he were to fail to find the virus in the last 24 hours, he would be punished by the system.

That was to say that there were pros and cons to the 48 hours. If he were to run into danger that he couldn't evade within the 48 hours, he wouldn't be able to escape even if he were to complete the mission. However, if he were to not make use of the 48 hours and instead wait for the time to pass before carrying out the mission, he feared that he wouldn't have enough time.

Zhang Heng was caught in a dilemma.

"Forget it. Riches come only with risk. If I keep being so cowardly, I'll lose the courage to face difficulties one day." Zhang Heng sighed and a look of determination appeared in his eyes. "No need to wait for the 48 hours to pass. I'll head to the top floor to look for more data as soon as tomorrow morning comes."

Zhang Heng looked at the packet of instant noodles and the bottle of mineral water in his hand and couldn't help but smile bitterly. If he had known that things would turn out like this, he wouldn't have brought so little stuff with him to carry out his mission. As for finding food here? The world had been in ruins for 12 years. Even if there was still food to eat, it would have probably gone bad long ago. Even if there were a handful of special foods that hadn't gone bad, he would still need to be alive to look for them.

Zhang Heng shook his head and headed straight for the security room. The security room of the building was located on the left side of the lobby, which was also the room that the security guards used to observe personnel entering and exiting the building. The windows were reinforced glass, making them very sturdy. Furthermore, the security room had a very wide view, enabling him to see everything in the lobby.

The door of the security room was open, and there was no moldy smell that would usually come from not venting for years. There were only four pieces of furniture in the room—a desk that was over two meters long, an Apple-plate computer that was covered in dust, a wooden bed that had its mattress removed, and a steel cabinet that was over a meter tall.

Zhang Heng locked the door of the security room as soon as he walked in and put down all the blinds. The security room turned dark all of a sudden. He pulled the drawer of his desk out of the dim light and stacks of documents appeared before him.

Zhang Heng blew at the dust on the wooden bed and sat down slowly, flipping through the files one by one, trying to find some leads that would help him. However, the entire room turned completely dark after just a short while.

The night of Resident Evil finally came…

5. A Frightening Night

Despite being in the world of Resident Evil, Zhang Heng didn't feel too terrified for the time being. He hadn't seen a single piece of dead bodies, let alone zombies, since he arrived in that plane. He was still able to maintain his normal mentality, but he had no idea what would happen tomorrow.

He wasn't so naïve as to think that there wouldn't be a single zombie in such a huge building. The reason why there weren't any zombies in the lobby was because they were attracted by the noise outside the door, but he couldn't be sure about the ones upstairs.

He couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine at the thought of the dangers he would run into the next day. He didn't mind the zombies, as they were monsters that could only walk a little faster than regular humans. It wouldn't be difficult for him to shake them off. As long as he wasn't caught or bitten, he was confident that he would be able to shake them off easily.

What was truly frightening was the kind of licker that could climb walls, tear steel plates apart with its powerful claws, and move as fast as the wind in movies. If he were to run into such a monster, he would definitely die.

He couldn't help but feel frustrated at that thought. He took out half a pack of cigarettes from his bag and put one in his mouth. He fished around for quite a while before taking out a lighter.

Zhang Heng was a man with a masculine air about him. He could skip meals, but he had to smoke as well. It was just like how 'you can choose not to have a girlfriend, but you can't run away from LOL', a typical example of someone who wanted to stay single for the rest of his life. He had even spent over 30 yuan on Taobao to buy his' authentic Hong Kong Zorro kerosene lighter '. The ice-blue metallic color made it look very cool.

"Clack, clack…" The metallic kerosene lighter made a few tiny clicks. While the sound was so quiet that it was negligible under normal circumstances, it was exceptionally clear in the dead of night.

Zhang Heng frowned and lit the cigarette quickly before closing the lid carefully. He took a deep breath and the spicy scent rushed to his lungs. All the fatigue in his brain disappeared immediately.

However, just when Zhang Heng was puffing away to kill time, he heard a slight noise from the cabinet beside him all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng was stunned and turned around at lightning speed, looking at that steel cabinet in shock.

"Clang…"

There was no mistaking it!

Zhang Heng stood up suddenly and reached into the waistband of his pants with his right hand, slowly pulling out the American military knife strapped to his thigh. While the name of the knife sounded like something out of the ordinary, Zhang Heng knew very well that he had only bought the knife for tens of yuan on Taobao, and he had even given him a bottle of kerosene as a gift. Only the seller would know how good the product was.

Zhang Heng continued to stare at the cabinet with his heart in his mouth, forgetting all about the cigarette in his mouth. He only opened his mouth slowly and let the cigarette butt drop to the ground when the cigarette butt began to smell burnt.

Zhang Heng was able to tell from the sounds that the thing in the cabinet was definitely not some wild animal like a rat, but a zombie from head to toe. That was because not only did he hear the cabinet making noises, but he also heard a few soft moans, sounds that only humans could make.

He wondered who was it that locked a zombie in a steel cabinet when the crisis broke out and almost got him killed. That zombie must have heard the sound of a lighter and moved around in the cabinet for a bit. As long as it didn't make any noise, nothing else would happen, right?

Zhang Heng comforted himself like that, yet his heart continued to beat furiously. His hand, which was holding the dagger, was sweating profusely.

Time passed and Zhang Heng stopped making any noise. The movements in the cabinet became increasingly quiet. However, just when he thought that he would be able to successfully conceal the noise, a deep, distant howl was heard from the cabinet all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng's expression changed drastically.

At the same time, a pair of hands began to slam on the door of the cabinet, making it look like a demon from hell was banging on the door of the intersection of yin and yang with all its might, wanting to burst through the world and feast on blood.

He wondered how soundproof the security room was, if the soundproofing wasn't good enough.

"Damn it!" Zhang Heng's face turned pale right away. He lowered his head subconsciously and saw that burning cigarette butt emitting a weird burnt smell. He realized right away that it had to be that zombie inside who was able to tell that there was someone outside after smelling something that didn't belong to him.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

The hollow reverberations shook the cabinet and Zhang Heng's heart as well. Every single slap sent shivers down his spine, as if the zombie would rush out of the cabinet and pounce on him at any second.

I can't let him keep banging on that cabinet!

That was the only thought that came to Zhang Heng's mind. His entire body tensed up and adrenaline spiked through his system. He somehow found the courage to rush to the cabinet and open it right away.

A shriveled and rotten face appeared before his eyes right away, making him look like a demon from hell. Zhang Heng felt his mind go blank and he drew a cold arc with the pitch-black military knife in his hand without giving it any thought. He plunged the knife deep into the eye socket of that ugly face right before it was about to burst out of the cabinet.

The zombie's growls stopped and it slumped to the ground with a dull thud.

"Huff… huff!" Zhang Heng slumped to the ground, panting hard as if he was about to collapse. While it didn't take much of his stamina to do so, the adrenaline that had been secreted caused him to take deep breaths. His heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it would jump out of his chest at any moment.

That was the first time he killed a zombie, and he killed it in one swift, clean stroke.

"Roar…" However, before he was able to rejoice, he heard a low rumble from outside the door again. Several noisy footsteps were heard right after that, and all of them stopped outside the security room.

All of a sudden, Zhang Heng's heavy breathing stopped. His eyes were wide open as he struggled to keep his body from reacting. Time seemed to have stopped at that moment.

As expected, zombies were able to hear things. That noise probably traveled far and wide, or they wouldn't have attracted so many zombies right away. He wondered if those lickers were still living in that building.

He had no idea how much time passed. It felt like minutes, yet it also felt like a century. The footsteps outside the door gradually became more frequent as the dead silence continued, before finally disappearing altogether.

"Phew…" Zhang Heng let out a sigh of relief after confirming that there was no other sound outside the door. He gently pulled out the dagger that he had plunged into the zombie's eye socket and moved to the window. He pushed a corner of the blinds open with a finger and looked out of the window cautiously.

He saw seven or eight dark silhouettes loitering in the darkened lobby through the gaps between his fingers, seemingly looking for the source of the sound. It was fortunate that the zombies had no intelligence, or he would have been able to tell that something was wrong with the security room just by looking through the blinds.

Those zombies probably came from upstairs or out of the corridors. They dispersed after failing to locate the source of the noise.

Zhang Heng, who was almost discovered by the zombies, was no longer in the mood to smoke. He simply went to the cabinet where the zombies were kept and curled up. He was able to find a sense of security in that enclosed space.

6. Everyone Was Forced Out

Soft light seeped through the cracks in the cabinet's door early in the morning, lighting up his eyes.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes. He looked through the cabinet door and confirmed that the scene outside was the same as it was the day before and that there was no danger before he opened the cabinet door and climbed out.

He stretched his body, which had been curled up for the entire night, and looked at his feet. That dead zombie was still lying in a puddle of sticky blood.

Zhang Heng hesitated for a bit before rummaging through the man's body. It was a pity that he couldn't find anything of value other than a decayed wallet and a rubber stick that had no lethality.

Zhang Heng walked to the window and opened a small opening, finding several more zombies in the lobby. However, after a night of searching and finding nothing, the zombies decided to go back to sleep to conserve their energy, just like computers on standby.

Those zombies were sprawled on the ground, looking like they had been dead for years. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng seeing them moving about the previous day, he probably wouldn't have guessed that those mummy-like bodies were actually a bunch of zombies who were out to eat humans.

"Damn it."

Zhang Heng cursed under his breath. He had no idea what other organs those zombies relied on to capture humans apart from their sounds and scents. However, it was obvious that if he were to pass through the lobby, he would have to pass by those sleeping zombies. If he were to alert one of them, the entire zombie army would probably be waiting for him.

Zhang Heng felt troubled right away. Truth be told, he was just a regular person living in the 21st century. He was just a regular person in terms of power, power, and money. Other than having more knowledge than most people, he had no other advantage.

And now, that damned Dimensional Star was actually forcing him to fight zombies that could wipe out humans?

"I'll still end up dead if I keep hiding. I might as well go all out!" Zhang Heng gritted his teeth and decided to wipe the gooey blood off his body with the dead zombie. While the T-Virus did exist in the zombie's body, it was only transmitted through blood and bodily fluids. That meant that as long as the blood wasn't smeared on his wounds, there was no risk of infection.

Zhang Heng took off his clothes and smeared that puddle of congealed blood all over his body. It didn't take him long to turn himself into a bloodied man that reeked of a putrid stench.

According to Zhang Heng's analysis, zombies were able to tell the difference between humans through three senses: sight, smell, and hearing. There was no way they could have developed a sixth sense or something like that, or humans would have gone extinct long ago, and things wouldn't have dragged on for 12 years. Of those three senses, visual perception was very difficult to fathom. Zombies didn't eat their own kind, so how could they tell the difference between humans through visual perception?

As such, Zhang Heng speculated that when humans became zombies, they would emit a type of pheromone unique to zombies. It was through such pheromones that zombies were able to tell the difference between humans and food.

That was why Zhang Heng smeared zombie blood all over himself. He wanted to use the scent of zombie blood to mask his own scent.

Of course, he had never thought of using such a method to completely fool the zombies. All he needed to do was fool the zombies' sense of smell.

If it had been back when the Resident Evil broke out, Zhang Heng wouldn't have considered doing so at all. However, things were different at the moment, as humans were practically extinct and the zombies had no food to eat at all. All they could do was sleep to reduce their consumption. The only way the sleeping zombies could tell the difference between humans was through sound and scent, which was unlikely.

Zhang Heng was only able to do his best not to make any noise, but the scent on his body was enough to betray his presence. Due to the security room being rather closed off, he was lucky enough to conceal his scent, which was why he wasn't discovered by the zombies. Zombies were humans after all. Even if his sense of smell was higher than that of humans, it wouldn't be that much higher. There was no way he would be able to track the scent of humans and find survivors like dogs.

If he were to turn his scent into that of a zombie, then the only thing that a sleeping zombie could rely on would be its sense of hearing. As long as he was careful, there was still a chance of success.

Zhang Heng encouraged himself at that thought. It had to be said that humans were forced to do things their own way. To be able to force a regular human who had never even killed a chicken to challenge zombies in the face of the horrors of life and death, to complete a mission that was practically impossible, showed just how much potential humans had.

Zhang Heng gently opened the door of the security room when everything was ready. The door, which had been shut for years, creaked slightly.

The only barrier separating him from the zombies disappeared and his heart pounded furiously. He waited patiently for a bit every time he took a step, making sure that the zombies wouldn't wake up before continuing to move. It took him about four to five minutes to reach the first zombie.

Zhang Heng took another deep breath as he looked at the zombie sleeping on the ground. He gripped the military knife in his hand tightly and stabbed at it.

"Pfft!"

A slight noise was heard and Zhang Heng plunged the dagger into the zombie's eye socket, destroying its brain.

That was the entirety of Zhang Heng's plan. He was going to make sure that he was able to get rid of all the zombies he saw on the road without anyone noticing.

For most people, if they were able to figure out that applying zombie blood would enable them to avoid sleeping zombies, their first reaction would have been to sneak upstairs instead of killing every single one of them.

However, Zhang Heng was no ordinary person after all. The appearance of the Dimensional Star had forced him to face life and death head-on, and he had even begun to gradually get used to such roles. One could tell from that alone that his mental fortitude was very good. At the very least, regular people would definitely not have the guts that he currently had.

According to his plan, he would never resort to sneaking up the stairs. To him, doing so would be tantamount to committing suicide. If he were to wake up some zombie while he was climbing the stairs, all the zombies would be woken up. He would then be caught in a pincer attack and lose all hope of survival.

As such, he would rather use a more troublesome method to clear his way up. While that method might be tiring and troublesome, his chances of survival would be higher and it would be safer.

Zhang Heng finally saw a sliver of hope of completing the mission through that method.

(This chapter isn't worth 2,000 words, but the plot could be divided here. As such, the author would like to add some superfluous words.)

7. Licker

Sunlight shone into the building from the sea-blue glass windows, casting a blue glow in the corridors. Ravens infected by the T-Virus circled in the sky, cawing as they searched for anything that could fill their stomachs.

The entire city was dead silent. The zombies had fallen into a deep sleep many years ago, when humans were practically extinct, waiting for the day when some unlucky human would break into their forbidden zone.

Zhang Heng's eyes were filled with exhaustion. It had been eight hours and he had been on tenterhooks for the past eight hours, moving about without making a single sound. He was utterly exhausted.

He had climbed to the 30th floor by then and was less than halfway to the data room on the 53rd floor. The zombies behind him were all killed by a single slash and died in their sleep.

He had no idea how many zombies he had gotten rid of along the way. He counted them one by one at first, but as he killed over a hundred zombies, he was unable to keep counting.

And that was only after he cleared all the zombies in the corridors. If he were to clear all the offices on every floor as well, he estimated that he wouldn't be able to clear all of them in a week.

"Let's call it a day."

Zhang Heng shook his dizzy head and smeared some more black blood on his body, before making his way down the stairs with a putrid stench all over his body.

He had yet to run into any lickers so far, and it was possible that those huge creatures had left long ago. After all, their mobility far exceeded that of zombies, and they were more than capable of hunting everywhere. There was no need for them to be trapped in the building.

Zhang Heng climbed back into the cabinet after making it back to the security room safely. He then took out the cup noodles and mineral water that he had been reluctant to eat and wolfed them down. The flatbread was dry, so he ate it with the mineral water. It took only a little while before the flatbread was swallowed whole.

Zhang Heng looked at the half-full bottle of mineral water and the empty cup of noodles and swore to himself that he would bring enough food for his next mission before closing his eyes in exhaustion.

One night without dreams.

Zhang Heng woke up at eight in the morning the next day. Technically speaking, he was woken up by his hunger and his stomach kept growling. He had no choice but to light a cigarette. While he kept claiming that he could skip meals and never stop smoking, it was only when he got really hungry that he realized that cigarettes were not omnipotent at times.

Zhang Heng snuffed out the cigarette butt as soon as he finished smoking and began cleaning the Umbrella building again.

It was fortunate that the number of zombies became increasingly sparse as he went further up the stairs. It was only late afternoon when he arrived at the data room on the 53rd floor.

As a huge business empire, Zhang Heng had a feeling that the data room in Umbrella wouldn't be too small. However, he didn't expect that the data room would take up the entire floor. There was a three-layered combination lock made of numbers, fingerprints, and iris on the 53rd floor of the building. The top of the door was written in English, "Important area of the company, no unauthorized personnel allowed in."

"Holy sh * *! What do we do now?"

Zhang Heng was stunned. Despite all of his calculations, he was unable to tell that the data room was still locked. Furthermore, judging from the metal door that looked like a bank vault, he knew that the door wasn't something that could be opened with brute force.

"Yurianne, get out here right now!" Zhang Heng panicked and contacted the Dimensional Star's support system right away.

"Hey, how rude of you. Yurianne is still taking her nap!" A 2D little girl wearing a flowery pajamas and rubbing her sleepy eyes appeared on his retina.

"Sleep your a * *! Explain to me what's going on here!" Zhang Heng shouted in exasperation. If he couldn't open the door, how was he going to get the data regarding the T-Virus from the data room?

Yurianne shot Zhang Heng a look as if she was looking at an idiot before she said slowly, "Did Yurianne say that the quest objective is in the data room?"

"…F * * k!" Zhang Heng almost passed out when he heard that. Could it be that he had wasted two days doing nothing?

Calm down, calm down!

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and calmed himself down, feeling as if he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. He then thought about it and realized that it wasn't all for nothing. If he wanted a sample of the T-Virus, he would have to get it from the laboratory on the 54th floor. As such, he would still need to wipe out all the zombies in that building. That thought comforted him immediately. But then again… if the data room couldn't be opened, where else could he get the data regarding the T-Virus?

Oh right!

Zhang Heng suddenly thought of something. If the virus in the city were to suddenly erupt, what would the researchers do first?

It was impossible for them to just run away right away, as they were higher-ups in Umbrella. Ditching a company would be no different from throwing away a military base, and their superiors would definitely take their anger out on them. As such, the first thought that came to their minds when the crisis broke out was to run away with the most valuable data available.

As such, the data was most likely not in the data room.

Zhang Heng came up with a plan at that thought. He looked at the ceiling and headed straight for the 54th floor.

The higher he went, the fewer zombies there were. After all, the first thought that came to the minds of regular people after a crisis broke out was to run downstairs. As such, the number of zombies became increasingly sparse as he went higher. That was the truth, as he didn't run into a single zombie on the last few floors.

The path from the 53rd floor to the 54th floor should have been clean by rights.

However, he was shocked when he turned the corner and saw a pile of dead bodies that he couldn't make out clearly at the center of the stairs.

That pile of dead bodies had long been dried up beyond recognition. The bits of flesh and bones were mixed together and, after being dried for over a decade, turned into a pile of dried meat cakes. However, Zhang Heng felt his heart pounding hard when he saw that pile of dead bodies.

Regular zombies would at most be able to eat someone to a crisp, and there was no way they could crush someone to a pulp. Not even a bunch of zombies could do that.

The answer was self-evident.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and slowed down his footsteps again, making his way to the topmost floor cautiously.

The stairs were designed to be winding corridors, and he would be able to see the next floor at the turning point. His tense nerves eased slightly when he saw the open door of the laboratory.

It was fortunate that the laboratory on the 54th floor wasn't locked, or he wouldn't have known how to complete the mission.

However, when he made it two or three more steps, he felt his breath catch in his throat. A nightmarish figure was lying near the door of the laboratory, blocking his way.

Zhang Heng saw that the silhouette was about three meters long through the half-closed door. Sharp claws about a meter long extended from its forelimbs and its entire body was red. It looked like a beast that had been skinned, with no skin to be seen at all.

Only his well-developed muscles were exposed to the air, undulating as he breathed.

The creature's head had no eyes or nose, only a huge mouth on its face, making it look like a monster that would only appear in nightmares.

Licker!

Zhang Heng's heart raced uncontrollably. There was indeed a monster in that building that he least wanted to see.

If zombies were said to be some kind of animal that only had instincts, then lickers were the kings among animals. While both the lickers and the zombies were humans in the first place, their abilities were worlds apart—zombies were defective products that were born after humans were infected by viruses and died. The lickers, on the other hand, were biological weapons bred by humans who were injected with the T-Virus solution when they were still alive and put into breeding boxes.

Compared to those disgusting-looking zombies who were actually incapable of fighting, the lickers were undoubtedly hundreds of times more dangerous.

That licker was resting on its head at the moment, sleeping right before the door of the messy laboratory. As it was unable to find any humans to serve as food, it had no choice but to sleep like all the other zombies to reduce its energy consumption. Behind it was an equipment that looked like an incubator and a window that had been completely destroyed.

That box-like device was probably the room where it was being nurtured, and that hole was where it went to look for food.

Damn the Umbrella Corporation, how dare they breed lickers in the middle of the city. No wonder the entire human world was destroyed.

Zhang Heng stood at the door of the laboratory, feeling very frightened. He looked at the licker that was over a dozen meters away and was at a loss as to what to do. He looked at the dagger in his hand and then at the monster that would only appear in nightmares. He didn't believe that he could kill that monster with that cheap dagger that cost tens of yuan.

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up at that thought. He was right. While it was impossible to kill the licker, there was no need for him to go all out against it. He just needed to lure it away.

Zhang Heng immediately came up with a plan at that thought. He slowly made his way out of the 54th floor and returned to the 52nd floor. He didn't stay in the lobby of the 52nd floor this time. Instead, he randomly picked an office and walked in cautiously.

The office was in a mess. Large amounts of materials were piled on the desks, but there were no zombies around. He looked at the decorations on the desks and found four desktop computers on them.

It's you guys!

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and thought about his plan before opening the window and throwing the four computers out as quickly as he could.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Four shattering sounds, which were neither loud nor deep, were heard in quick succession, traveling far and wide in the dead silent city. Zhang Heng shut the window right away and hid behind the wall, peering outside cautiously.

About half a minute later, four or five zombies walked out of all the dark corners, limping towards the four shattered computers. More zombies came from further away, but there was still no sign of the licker.

Just when Zhang Heng thought that the licker hadn't heard anything, a black shadow suddenly streaked past outside the window, moving so fast that it was like a blur.

Zhang Heng almost shouted out loud. It just so happened that the licker ran right past the window where he was standing. It was fortunate that he knew that the licker could climb walls, which was why he shut the window right after making a scene. Otherwise, he would have been discovered in that split second.

Zhang Heng didn't hesitate after seeing that the licker had left the laboratory and headed straight for the top floor. As expected, the licker in the laboratory had disappeared. He began rummaging around in the laboratory, which was about 300 to 400 square meters in area.

8. You're Late!

Zhang Heng looked at the blue helix-shaped test tube in his hand and felt rather dazed.

While he had anticipated that, the shock he felt when the virus appeared before him was still beyond his expectation.

That was the T-Virus they were talking about. That tiny tube of liquid was enough to wipe out an entire civilization! Even a notorious nuclear bomb would look like child's play before it.

Zhang Heng had lured the licker out of the laboratory before and made his way to the lab as quickly as he could to find his target. However, he was still overwhelmed by excitement when he saw three rows of identical tubes of T-Virus solution on the table. He even found a compiled experimental data at the side with only a few words written on it—Tyr data.

He had searched high and low for her, only to find her so easily.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar was heard from the bottom of the building just when Zhang Heng was holding the T-Virus test tube in his shaking hand. The sound of glass and concrete breaking was heard at the same time. It was only when the noise got closer that Zhang Heng realized that the crawler seemed to have realized that it had been tricked.

Zhang Heng didn't bother arguing with her about how she found out. He took out three tubes of T-Virus solution with one hand and the data with the other and ran down the stairs, all the way to the 50th floor, before he hid in an office deep in the corridor.

"Yurianne, how long until the cooldown is over?" Zhang Heng asked anxiously.

"There are still four minutes and 13 seconds to go before the 48-hour cooldown begins. All the best, all the best. You just need to hold on for another four minutes and you'll be able to complete the trial!" Yurianne's voice was always so nonchalant, as if she didn't care if her host lived or died.

Four minutes!

Zhang Heng began to take deep breaths, as he remembered the data regarding the licker. Judging from the movies, the licker's hearing and sense of smell had been greatly enhanced due to losing its sight. Its sense of smell was probably only slightly weaker than that of dogs, while its sense of hearing was far superior to that of dogs.

The zombie blood on Zhang Heng's body had yet to dry and he was still able to mask his own scent. However, there was no way that his heartbeat could escape her ears.

As such, the only way to lower his heartbeat was to take deep breaths and suppress the intensity and speed of his heartbeat in order to conceal his location.

Zhang Heng's desire to live had been completely converted into the potential of life in that life-and-death situation. As he took deep breaths, his heart rate dropped at a rate that no regular person could compare with. At the same time, his labored breathing gradually became weaker, until it was barely noticeable.

If he were to have a regular person by his side at that moment, he would have been astonished to discover that Zhang Heng's presence had miraculously been reduced. If he hadn't been paying close attention, he wouldn't have been able to notice Zhang Heng even if the latter was standing right before him.

"Roar!"

However, when his heart rate gradually dropped below that of a regular person, the licker's furious roar was heard from the top of the building. Zhang Heng knew that the licker had climbed back up. He checked his watch and found that there were still three minutes before the cooldown was over.

Hurry up!

Zhang Heng felt himself getting sticky all over. Due to over-secretation of adrenaline, his entire body was covered in cold sweat. The blood that had almost dried up was soaked again, giving off a thick stench.

However, Zhang Heng didn't care about that anymore. He simply kept his eyes on the time in his hand, not daring to imagine just how long it would take for her to find him.

Boom!

One of the offices on the 52nd floor was blown open by the licker. Judging from the location, that was probably the office where Zhang Heng threw the computer at the licker. While he was covered in zombie blood, it seemed that the licker, which had a better sense of smell than a dog, was still far from being a match.

Loud ruckus was heard from the 52nd floor, as if the lickers were venting their rage on the tables and chairs because they were unable to find Zhang Heng. However, the ruckus quickly subsided.

Did he give up?

Zhang Heng simply switched to using his mouth to breathe, trying his best not to make a single sound. Every breath he took filled his lungs with air and he only managed to exhale after holding his breath for a short while.

Boom!

However, the door of one of the offices on the 51st floor shattered before he was able to exhale. It looked like the licker had finished searching the 52nd floor. Was it going to search the entire floor?

Zhang Heng panicked at that thought, and his heart raced again. He immediately adjusted his breathing. There were only two minutes left. Two minutes! Please, just two minutes!

Zhang Heng looked down at his watch from time to time. It was the first time he hated how time passed so slowly. It felt like a very long time had passed, yet his watch only moved a little bit.

The 51st floor gradually became silent…

Boom!

The silence was longer than the last time, but the sound of the wooden door breaking made Zhang Heng shudder all over, as that sound was only one wall away from his office.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and stopped suppressing the pounding of his heart. He stood up all of a sudden and ran to the window and pulled it open.

20 seconds to go.

A huge gust of wind blew into the room as soon as Zhang Heng opened the French window. The higher one went, the stronger the wind became. That was common knowledge to begin with, yet there seemed to be something else in the sound of the wind.

Is this… the desire to live?

Zhang Heng initially had a slight fear of heights, but when he looked down from a height of nearly 200 meters, he didn't feel any fear at all. Instead, he kept looking back at that fragile wooden door.

20 seconds… 10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds…

Zhang Heng saw the door burst open with a loud bang when there were only eight seconds left to go. Large amounts of debris flew to his face and body, but he didn't even bat an eye at that moment. He breathed a sigh of relief instead and pointed a middle finger at the ugly monster sticking its head into the door.

"You're late!"

He watched as the monster charged at him and leaped out of the window like a bird.

Six seconds!

Zhang Heng checked his watch the moment he leaped out of the window. There were only six seconds left.

To a normal person, six seconds was but an insignificant moment in their life. A slight lapse in concentration, a brief lapse in thought, and six seconds would pass away like running water.

However, at times, six seconds were enough to determine life and death.

That was more than enough!

Zhang Heng plummeted to the bottom of the building at the speed of freefall. He was about 200 meters tall and anyone who saw him would have thought that he was dead for sure. However, that common sense didn't apply to him at the moment.

Zhang Heng's plummeting body disappeared in a flash when he was only inches away from the ground.

9. Successful Return

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Resident Evil plane mission complete. Main Quest: Acquire one complete copy of data regarding the Tyrt Virus and a sample of the virus—Main Quest Completed. Optional Quest: Acquire one complete copy of data regarding the God Virus and a sample of the virus—Optional Quest Completed. Urgent Quest: Unknown—No urgent quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: Trial Mission Completed. Host access upgraded. Upgraded to official host. Current access: E."

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and found himself back in his rented apartment. He looked at the three identical tubes of T-Virus solution in his hand, then at the thick stack of custom-made materials in his other hand, wondering if he was dreaming.

However, that emotionless electronic voice in his mind continued to play.

"Access Upgrade: Dimensional Star Transportation Cooldown reduced to 36 hours."

"Access Upgrade: Research system unlocked. According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, host is given access to research and development, assisting host in developing technology."

"Access Upgrade: Access system unlocked. Current Level E Access Upgrade. Host can carry objects with a volume of 10 cubic meters to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited. Host can carry zero living beings to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited."

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before he realized that the power of a single individual would always be insignificant. The activation of the support research system and access system had undoubtedly made up for his lack of time and manpower.

As expected, there was no way the Dimensional Star would allow him to fight alone all the time.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but burst into laughter at that thought. The joy of life and the joy of victory were mixed together. Even someone like Zhang Heng, who had always been calm and collected, couldn't help but feel both elated and sad.

He looked at the priceless T-Virus in his hand after he finished laughing and his eyes were filled with excitement. With that, there was no need to worry about not being able to become stronger. There was no need to worry about not being able to rise to power in this world.

"Access Upgrade: Tactical System unlocked. Unlocking. Please wait."

The Dimensional Star's system continued to report and Zhang Heng was stunned. The research and access systems were still manageable, but what the hell was the tactical system?

However, before he was able to react, he felt a strange feeling coming from his right eye all of a sudden. His right eye's vision went from pitch-black to bright in the very next second. However, the vision of his right eye was different from that of regular people. The world that his right eye saw was actually black and white.

"This is…" Zhang Heng looked around, feeling rather surprised. While the vision of his right eye was black and white, it was several times clearer than that of his left eye. Furthermore, when he turned his gaze to the table behind him, the table seemed to have enlarged all of a sudden, allowing him to see the patterns and cracks between the materials on it clearly.

"Tactical system activated. Host received infrared vision, enhanced static vision, and dynamic vision from the Tactical System."

That was a pleasant surprise. Not only did he not expect his right eye to regain light, but it was also enhanced.

The so-called infrared vision was actually the ability to see in the dark. Regular people would only be able to see in the dark with weak moonlight and starlight. That was to say that human eyes could only see visible light, but not infrared or ultraviolet light, and so on. Having infrared vision meant that Zhang Heng would be able to see everything clearly even in pitch-black darkness.

Static vision, on the other hand, was even more precious. Everyone knew that hawks were able to see the movements of rabbits from 10 kilometers away, and that was something completely impossible for humans to do. It was just like how a human eye could see a fly several meters away, yet an ant was unable to see more than 10 meters away. The enhancement of static vision was like a telescope or magnifying glass, enabling one to see objects in the distance and tiny objects that were difficult to see with the naked eye.

Dynamic vision was even more useful. Dynamic vision referred to the ability of the eye to capture images, disintegrate, and detect moving target images while observing a moving target. Images would often appear when objects were moving at high speeds, as the image would only stay in the human retina for 0.1 seconds, which meant that the human's vision would be reduced to 0.1 seconds per frame. Of course, that was just a vague value. Some people had been trained to have dynamic vision that could reach 0.08 seconds or even 0.05 seconds. Some people would have their dynamic vision reduced to less than 0.15 seconds due to being in a stable period for extended periods.

The unlocking of the Tactical System was undoubtedly the most precious thing to Zhang Heng, and it was even more precious than the first two systems, as the enhancement of his vision directly enhanced his survivability.

Zhang Heng shook his head wearily after the excitement subsided. His tense nerves were suddenly relieved after completing the mission, which made him feel drowsy instead. However, the hunger in his stomach kept stimulating his nerves. He didn't care about anything else and hid the data and the T-Virus solution under his bed before going to the toilet to wash up for a bit. He changed his clothes and headed outside.

It was time for him to relax.

Zhang Heng felt rather sentimental when he saw the traffic and crowds on the streets. He recalled that the world of Resident Evil, which he had been to before, had once been like that as well. However, due to a virus, or rather, a curse aimed at humans, that glorious civilization was completely destroyed.

All of the passers-by wore anxious expressions on their faces. Did they ever think that their world would one day experience an epic calamity? Furthermore… that calamity wasn't far away.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of warning the government and the government, but he knew without a doubt that no one would believe him. If he were to tell anyone about all of that at that moment, he would probably be sent to a mental hospital as a lunatic.

Furthermore, he couldn't afford to let anyone else know about the Dimensional Star system in his mind. An innocent man would only end up getting into trouble because of his wealth. If the secret were to be exposed one day, death would become a luxury, with the greater possibility of his brain being sliced up bit by bit and being subjected to life worse than death.

Not only that, but he also felt a little selfish. Having the system that could change the world meant that he had a chance of survival. When the day came when humanity faced disaster, he could use the power of the system to protect those around him.

Zhang Heng knew very well that he wasn't the savior of the world. While he had to fulfill his duty as a savior, he knew that he had to act within his means.

"If I didn't have the power to save humanity, I would only have kept the spark of humanity alive, enabling the people around me to live a stable life," Zhang Heng thought to himself.

He went to the bank's AIM machine and took out 500 yuan, which was his scholarship, but he had no choice but to do so. He was penniless at the moment and was so tired that he didn't want to move a single finger. If he didn't eat soon, he would probably starve to death before he could save the world.

He didn't go out to eat and drink after getting the money. Instead, he bought a carton of instant noodles and a carton of mineral water before moving back to his rented apartment. He took a good nap after eating his fill.

It was almost evening when he woke up again. He took out the data regarding the T-Virus from under his bed. It would be very dangerous to leave all of that out there, as it would be very difficult to explain himself if someone were to find out about it. He simply took out the data and typed 50 words per minute into the computer bit by bit. It took him three whole days to finish typing all the data.

Zhang Heng moved out of his rented apartment after doing all of that, getting ready to work on the T-Virus solution he had on hand.

Of course, Zhang Heng definitely didn't have enough funds to purchase experimental equipment, but that wasn't a problem for him. He painstakingly took a scholarship of 10,000 yuan from his card and went to look for his professor in biology. The professor was very dedicated and gave him a laboratory for three months as soon as he received the money. It was only then that everything was finally ready.

The biology department of Haizhou University of Technology was one of the most renowned universities in the university. Many biologists graduated from that university before making a name for themselves. As such, the biology department of the University of Science and Technology was very prosperous.

The 12th academic building was the school's biological experiment building. There were dozens of top-notch laboratories in the school building, and even in the middle of the night, the laboratory building was still brightly lit.

No one would have thought that at the beginning of the new year, there would be a student conducting a viral research program that could change the world in a laboratory.

10. Modified T-virus

Two months passed in the blink of an eye and before anyone knew it, the entire Huaxia was celebrating the new year.

However, no one knew that a young man with disheveled hair and sunken eyes was still working hard on the snowy night of the new year, which was decorated with lanterns and colored banners.

The young man was watching the microscope intently.

Under the microscope, a lifeform that looked like an octopus with several tentacles was slowly moving. It was approaching a lifeform that was much larger than itself at the moment. That lifeform was translucent and spherical in shape, and one could clearly see the wriggling core of that transparent body.

It was obvious that the living being was a cell, and a very healthy one at that. The octopus-like creature slowly approached the unguarded cell, its claws extending and contracting in a very sinister manner.

That octopus-like lifeform was the new type of T-Virus that was modified after two months of experimentation.

The T-Virus was an RNA virus, which was also a mild-mannered type of virus. There was only a single bifocal RNA chain in it, while the outside was covered by a protein membrane. As for the eight tentacles, they were his spikes.

Zhang Heng fixed his gaze on the octopus-like T-Virus and clenched his fist, seemingly very nervous, yet the T-Virus continued to move forward slowly.

The T-Virus finally made it to somewhere near the cell. It was as if it had found its prey and began to accelerate. When it reached the cell, its eight tentacles latched onto the cell membrane.

"Parasitize, parasitize, parasitize!" Zhang Heng looked like a gambler who was about to go bankrupt. He panted and stared with his eyes wide open. His knuckles, which were resting on the table, were turning white due to all the force he exerted. He kept his eyes glued to the next step of the T-Virus.

The T-Virus penetrated the cell membrane bit by bit, first stabbing and then his body. It took about five to six minutes for the T-Virus to completely invade the insides of the cell.

The T-Virus then behaved like a vile thief, carefully dismantling the chromosomes inside the cell and assembling them into the same structure of the RNA chain. It then sneakily removed the protein molecules on the cell membrane and covered the surface of the processed RNA. Four or five T-Viruses of the same structure were quickly assembled and took over the cell.

At that moment, the T-Virus finally became the master of the virus. It was no longer as cautious as it had been before and began to wreak havoc all over the cell. It took only about 10 minutes for the unlucky cell to be completely torn apart and killed.

"Damn!"

Zhang Heng slammed the table hard. He had to admit that he had failed yet again. It was the 13th time in the past two months that he had failed. The first few times were still alright, as the T-Virus had simply replaced the center of the cell's nucleic acid with itself before controlling the cell to assemble the virus that looked exactly like him. While the cell eventually died, the cell survived for several hours.

But this time, the previously mild-mannered virus became something unique to the viruses. It took only 10 minutes for the T-Virus to absorb the cells and reach the disintegrating cells.

"Yurianne, you piece of sh * * * * * support research system! I fused the T-Virus with the H7N9 Avian Flu Virus according to your instructions, and the virus that came out of nowhere ended up in such a sorry state. Explain this to me!" Zhang Heng cursed.

"That shouldn't be the case…" Yurianne looked rather dazed as she bit on her finger, feeling wronged. "Yurianne gave us a plan according to what you told us to do, sir. It would negate the virus' infectious ability, reduce the virus' ability to multiply, and allow the human immune system to resist. That shouldn't be the case…"

"Did you just say that the combination of the T-Virus and the Avian Flu Virus would be able to negate the virus' infectious capabilities? I've long felt that it was unreliable. The Avian Flu Virus is a highly infectious virus to begin with. How did the combination of the T-Virus end up becoming a beneficial virus with no infectious capabilities?"

Zhang Heng continued hatefully, "By the way, no matter how hard I tried to calculate using formulas, I was unable to figure out why the virus' ability to multiply would decrease after combining the two viruses. Look at what happened now. The lukewarm virus became a potent one right away, and the infectious nature of the virus was reduced. That's because the virus would die within an hour after being infected. The infectious nature of the virus was reduced, of course!"

Yurianne's eyes became watery as she listened to Zhang Heng berate her, looking like she was about to cry. "The Dimensional Star's computational ability is definitely correct. As for why it became like this… By the way, why did you insist on using the cells of lab rats? Their cells are too fragile. Just use human cells instead."

"Human cells?" Zhang Heng was stunned and shook his head right away. "Who the hell are you trying to fool? The cells of lab rats can't even take it, so how would they dare to experiment with humans? Besides, who would dare to experiment with humans right now? You or me?"

Yurianne pouted. "Who told you to test it out yourself? Can't you use your own cells to test it out…"

Zhang Heng pondered for a bit before nodding again. "Alright, I'll trust you one more time then."

Zhang Heng knew that if he were to use his knowledge reserves to research the T-Virus, he might not be able to figure it out even after 30 to 40 years, much less improve the virus. The biological knowledge contained in the T-Virus far exceeded that of modern science, and the only thing he could rely on was the support research system provided by the Dimensional Star.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to comply with the system's instructions, given that the system had prompted him to experiment with human cells. The young man before him was a product of a civilization that even Ikari Gendo deemed to be unfathomable, which meant that the young man was definitely far more capable than a half-baked researcher like him.

Zhang Heng cut his finger and extracted a drop of his blood from the blood sample card and put it in a petri dish. He then took a drop of his blood and put it under the glass pane for further observation. The demonic T-Virus-like modification came back to his red blood cells very quickly.

Similar to before, the octopus-like virus quickly took over the cell membrane. However, the virus did not wreak havoc inside the cell. Instead, it dismantled the cell's DNA and replaced it with its own body, completely parasitizing the cell.

Zhang Heng held his breath and observed the cell without moving. It didn't take long before the modified DNA cell began to vibrate as if it had taken some kind of stimulant. Large amounts of nutrients were absorbed into the cell, and it didn't take long for the cell to split into two identical cells. The DNA of that new cell was also modified by the T-Virus.

The parasite was a success!

Zhang Heng was elated and took out several other types of viruses and bacteria from other petri dishes and dripped all of them into the petri dishes of the modified cells. Zhang Heng initially thought that the modified cells wouldn't be able to last long against such a huge army of bacteria and viruses. However, those parasitized cells were able to display unparalleled combat prowess and the viruses and bacteria were unable to penetrate the membrane of the modified cells.

Such powerful superhuman cells!

Zhang Heng was overjoyed. None of the viruses and bacteria that he dripped into the virus were small fry. There was the Avian Flu Virus, the SARS Virus, the tuberculosis virus, rabies virus, and even HIV! The bacteria included the tetanus bacillus, the Gram-positive bacteria, the Streptococcus pneumoniae, the Neisseria lymphoma, and many other renowned, powerful bacteria.

In other words, if all the cells in his body were to become cells that had been modified by the T-Virus, he would be completely immune to all diseases caused by viruses and bacteria.

But then again, there was no way Zhang Heng could just inject the modified T-Virus into the virus with just a few experiments. All experiments were conducted with extreme caution, and there was no way he could claim that he had succeeded without hundreds of experiments. He then turned his attention to the white blood cells.

11. Tyrant-0 Biopharmaceutical

The term "white blood cells" referred to cells related to the human immune system, which included lymphocytes, dendritic cells, monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, and mast cells.

Immune cells were commonly known as leukocytes. There were many types of immune cells, and all kinds of immune cells played an important role in the human body. What Zhang Heng was testing at the moment was the monocytes in his body.

However, the monocytes kept losing ground against the modified T-Virus. Eventually, they were parasitized by the virus and had their DNA altered, becoming a new type of monocyte.

That type of immune cell was very aggressive. Not only was it able to easily devour all manner of viruses and bacteria, but it was also able to detect many mutated cells that were initially indistinguishable from leukocytes, such as… cancer cells.

Furthermore, it was able to maintain a very high level of vitality after devouring the cells and not die, all the way until the cells reached the limit of their lifespan.

Zhang Heng was so excited that he was shaking all over as he read the data. The more he experimented with the data, the more astonished he became. The results that he had just achieved were things that countless scientists dreamed of researching.

It was obvious that the modified T-Virus no longer posed any threat to the human body. It had transformed into a 'gene drug' that could optimize human DNA and render humans immune to diseases.

Regular people might not understand just how precious the new type of T-Virus was, but if Zhang Heng were to release the virus at that moment, the entire scientific community would be thrown into chaos. The emergence of such a virus meant that many diseases would never be found on humans again, such as skin diseases caused by all manner of bacteria and fungi, SARS from over a decade ago, avian flu from several years ago, and even terminal diseases like AIDS and cancer.

Terminal diseases were a term that cast a shadow over the entire human civilization. However, all of them would eventually leave humanity as the new type of T-Virus was born, destined to disappear in the endless history of human civilization.

Zhang Heng also discovered that the cells modified by the new T-Virus multiplied three to four times faster than before, and their lifespans were five times longer than before. That meant that humans could very well live five times longer and metabolic four times faster due to the virus.

"Let's call this modified T-Virus the 'T-0 Biopharmaceutical'."

Zhang Heng recorded all of that data on his computer. He shook his dizzy head and checked the time. Another 18 hours had passed.

He had been in such a state of excitement that he had completely forgotten about the passage of time.

Zhang Heng had only been sleeping for four to five hours a day for the past two months. The prolonged period of exhaustion had reduced his physique considerably, but all of that was worth it. The research on the T-Virus was coming to an end, and all he needed to do at the moment was clinical testing.

However, the last part of the experiment put Zhang Heng in a difficult position. While clinical testing sounded good, it was actually just human experimentation. If there was nothing wrong with experimenting on the bodies of lab rats, he would have had the confidence to hire people to experiment on them. However, given that the bodies of lab rats were no longer able to withstand the modified T-Virus, how could he just go about experimenting on humans like that?

Furthermore, while the new type of T-Virus had lost the side effects of the T-Virus, it was still something that surpassed the current level of technology available to humans. Zhang Heng would be in endless trouble if the virus were to be exposed.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered experimenting with himself, but something that could turn humans into zombies was simply too dangerous. No one knew if it would have any side effects on humans. It would have been fine if he succeeded, but if he failed, he could very well become the first zombie in the entire plane.

"Relax, the Dimensional Star system won't go wrong."

Yurianne appeared again just when Zhang Heng was feeling very troubled. Hot-blooded background music was heard at the same time. "You have one more month before the second mission begins, sir! Host of Yurianne, are you ready?"

"What?" Zhang Heng shuddered and almost dropped the test tube in his hand to the ground. "That was fast?"

"That's right. The longest interval between missions is three months, host. If you don't hurry up, Yurianne will have to force you to teleport away."

"Damn it!" Zhang Heng's face turned pale. "We're running out of time. If you think that the virus won't do any harm to the human body, I'll just trust you for once…"

He then took out a syringe from the boiling disinfectant with a pair of tweezers and skillfully inhaled the modified T-0 Biopharmaceutical before injecting it into the vein on his arm.

"Haha, he did it! He really did it!" Yurianne was still as nonchalant as ever. She turned around and transformed into a hostess wearing a gown and holding a microphone. "Will the host dude be able to take the test of the new T-Virus? Please wait and see!"

Zhang Heng sat on the ground, feeling uneasy after injecting the virus into his body.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to leave it to fate then. I just hope that you don't pull any tricks this time around, or I'd be damned if I'd ever let you get away with it!" Zhang Heng said resentfully.

"Relax. To the people who created Yurianne, the T-Virus's technological prowess is only equal to that of human lighters. To primitives, lighters are like the creations of gods, but what do you think of the technological prowess of lighters, Uncle?" Yurianne asked with a grin.

"To a modern scientific society, a lighter doesn't require much technology," Zhang Heng answered.

"That's it then!" Yurianne snapped her fingers and continued, "To the people who created Yurianne, the T-Virus is as technologically advanced as the lighter in your hand."

Zhang Heng was only able to relax after hearing that. He stretched for a bit and lay on the floor of the laboratory, feeling rather exhausted.

"You know what? I've always dreamed of opening a company of my own and becoming a big boss. My father was just an employee of a company, and he worked hard for the company for over a decade, yet he was fired in the end because of a word from the manager. Our family began to run into financial difficulties…"

"I swore to myself from that day onwards that I would take my fate into my own hands in the future."

"I don't have any friends. I've always been a loner since I was a kid. Other than the teachers who think that I'm a good student, I don't have any friends that I could talk to. Due to my poor family background, I often had to work through the night when I was in school. My classmates probably thought that I was just an introverted, quiet student."

Zhang Heng began to tell his story slowly, as he knew that Yurianne wouldn't tell anyone else about what was on her mind. In truth, Yurianne wouldn't have responded to him when he talked about things that had nothing to do with the system or the mission, but he continued to talk about it in silence nonetheless.

He had no idea if Yurianne was listening, because when he began to talk about his family, Yurianne disappeared from his sight yet again. By the time he finished the conversation, Yurianne had said nothing more.

Zhang Heng went on, unable to stop himself from letting out a bitter laugh and closing his eyes slowly. It had to be said that there was a sense of loneliness beneath his cold exterior.

He was about to take a break when Yurianne's voice was heard all of a sudden. "Okay, fusion complete!"

"So soon?" Zhang Heng was shocked. He checked the time and found that only about 40 minutes had passed. He stood up right away and checked the time carefully, but there was nothing different about him.

Since there was no reaction from his body, he took out the blood picker again and pricked his finger. He squeezed out a drop of blood and put it on the slide, then put it under the electron microscope and began to observe it closely.

12. Body Enhancement

"Knock, knock ~ Can Yurianne come in?"

Yurianne's image appeared in his mind again, and she even knocked on the door in a rather playful manner, as if she couldn't remember ignoring Zhang Heng at all.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the little girl's anticlimactic antics and continued to observe the microscope without blinking. He said casually, "Come in."

Yurianne put her hands behind her back and blinked her watery eyes that took up most of her face. She said mysteriously, "Guess what I'm holding in my hand, dude?"

"Oh?" Zhang Heng replied casually.

"Haha, congratulations, host dude!" Yurianne suddenly extended her hand and it turned out to be a trumpet. She blew on the trumpet and ribbons were seen flying behind her. "Congratulations, host dude, for acquiring the T-Virus antibody. You will be immune to all diseases from now on!"

"It really worked?" Zhang Heng's eyes lit up, but his gaze was still focused on the microscope.

"That's for sure. Yurianne knows your condition better than you do yourself. No need to keep researching," Yurianne said, feeling rather displeased.

"I feel like it's more reliable to verify it myself." Zhang Heng shook his head. That was his nature, and he liked to verify everything himself.

Yurianne didn't mind at all. Technically speaking, it was just a program and she wouldn't take it to heart. She continued to encourage him and said, "Now, you can inject the complete version of the T-Virus solution, Uncle!"

Zhang Heng was stunned and looked up with a surprised expression. He asked in disbelief, "You're saying…"

"The reason why regular people turn into zombies is because their bodies are unable to withstand the transformation of the T-Virus. But you, an old man who was injected with the T-0 Biopharmaceutical, are different." Yurianne conjured a pointer and pointed at a human anatomy diagram behind her. It was unknown what she was pointing at, but she continued excitedly, "While the T-0 Biopharmaceutical has the effect of treating AIDS, cancer, and other diseases, those effects are just side effects of the T-0 Biopharmaceutical. The true purpose of the T-0 Biopharmaceutical is to make the human body develop antibodies against the T-Virus."

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and quickly dripped a drop of T-Virus solution onto the slide containing his blood. As expected, he found that his cells were completely able to withstand the attacks from the T-Virus, and his DNA continued to evolve under the transformation of the T-Virus.

"Hah!" Zhang Heng suppressed the shock in his heart, but his heart was still thumping hard. The shock he felt at that moment was even greater than when he first developed the T-0 Biopharmaceutical.

"But…" Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something and frowned again. "So you're saying that you didn't provide any modification methods according to my requirements?"

"I'm sorry." Yurianne stuck her tongue out, making her look like a little girl who was playing a prank. "Just this once. Just this once."

"Forget it." Zhang Heng had completely lost his temper. In truth, he was unable to throw a tantrum when faced with such a cartoonish image of a little girl. Furthermore, she was living in his brain and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't just dig his brain out and stomp on it, could he?

He stopped looking at the results at that thought. He grabbed the T-Virus solution and injected it into the syringe before injecting it into his vein again.

He had been given two injections in a single day. It was hard to tell what the average person would think if they were to see such a scene. If he were to die, the papers would probably be filled with words like 'University Student Lost His Right Eye', 'drug abuse', 'drug abuse', and 'fall'.

Zhang Heng shook his head and threw all that nonsense out of his mind. However, before he was able to get a clear feel for his body, he felt a sharp, stabbing pain shooting through his body.

"F * * k!" Zhang Heng cursed before his consciousness was drowned out by the intense pain.

…

It was noon the next day when Zhang Heng woke up again. His entire body was drenched, which was a phenomenon that could only happen when he was in a coma and had been subjected to painful torture.

Zhang Heng felt as if his vision had gotten a lot clearer. He was able to see minute cracks on the wall not far away with just a casual glance.

His mind was completely clear and he didn't feel dizzy like he did when he was in a coma. All the memories he had before he passed out replayed in his mind like a movie.

Zhang Heng stood up slowly and threw a punch. A gust of wind was heard and the punch appeared about half a meter away from him.

Speed and power are a lot higher than before I passed out! Zhang Heng was overjoyed. He realized that while he was able to clearly feel the speed of his punch accelerating, his eyes were still able to see his fist moving as if he had slowed down.

"That's what happens when the host gains a higher reaction speed." Yurianne appeared in his mind with a gleeful look on her face, as if she was the one who had become stronger. "When you combined your strength and dexterity, the force of your punch was initially 99 kilograms. Now that you've been enhanced by the T-0 gene drug, the force of your punch has reached 402 kilograms. With training, it could be raised by two to three times!"

"What? Four times stronger all of a sudden?" Zhang Heng asked in shock.

"Don't think that you've gained a lot." Yurianne wagged her finger and sighed. "The force of your punch comes from a multiplication of your strength and speed. If you were to just calculate your strength and speed, your strength would have only tripled, and your speed would have only tripled as well. Your current physique is about the same as that of a boxer."

"That's good enough." Zhang Heng smiled and said, "Even if my strength and agility aren't that exceptional, I'm sure that my reaction speed and muscle density are far above that of regular people, right?"

"Correct." Yurianne continued, "Due to the limitations of the human body, if one were to undergo comprehensive training, the most malleable aspect would be one's strength, followed by agility, then reflexes, and finally physical strength. That is to say that no matter how strong and nimble a person is, their reaction speed and physical toughness would hardly be able to surpass that of a regular person. Your reaction speed is 0.032 seconds, four times that of a regular person, and your muscle structure is three times that of a regular person. That is a level that far exceeds that of humans."

Zhang Heng was stunned. He had read similar reports before. A young man's reaction time was somewhere between 0.15 to 0.3 seconds. World-class athletes were able to reach 0.05 seconds. Scientists had calculated before that, based on the human nervous system, the fastest reaction time could reach 0.03 seconds. And that was only in theory. In reality, being able to reach 0.1 seconds was considered very impressive.

Zhang Heng's reaction speed of 0.032 seconds was very close to the human limit, which meant that he was even faster than a fly. While he was still far from being able to catch bullets with his bare hands, he was still able to catch darts with his bare hands.

Zhang Heng clenched his fist in excitement, which caused the air around him to explode as soon as he clenched his fist. One could easily tell just how powerful those hands were.

13. Schemes And Ambition

The demon-like T-Virus solution was laid out casually in the spacious laboratory. Large amounts of data regarding the T-Virus were thrown into a mess. It was more apt to call it a kennel than a laboratory.

A young man with sunken eyes was seen sitting on the floor in the middle of the laboratory, talking to himself with a cigarette in his mouth. It was obvious that he was exhausted.

No one knew that the young man was talking to a 2D little girl in his mind.

"Hmm… so you're saying that we should sell the T-0 Biopharmaceutical as a commodity instead of handing it over to the authorities?" Yurianne asked in a daze.

"That's right. The previous host chose to work with the government on his own, while he played the role of an assistant, allowing the government to lord over him. That was the main reason why he failed," Zhang Heng said casually.

The Dimensional Star system selected the spokesperson who would be able to bring all that technology to humanity and give humanity the power to protect themselves, instead of the messiah who was an individual hero. In actual fact, Zhang Heng had never thought of using his own power to fight against that curse. As such, there were only two ways he could deal with the T-Virus: hand it over to the government, let the government drive the development of human civilization, or use the power that he had established to drive the development of human civilization.

It was obvious that Zhang Heng chose the latter.

Zhang Heng continued, "The division of power caused the power to be divided as well. The human heart is far more terrifying than the virus. Despite the impending disaster, the people inside remained mixed. There was simply no way for them to work together to fight the disaster, which eventually led to his failure. If that's the case, why should I go down the same path as my predecessor?"

Zhang Heng's gaze was burning with passion, as if flames were dancing in his eyes. "What I want isn't to be some nanny-like figure, nurturing the various countries and having them serve as the main fighting force against the disaster. That's definitely not what I want. All the countries should just stay behind me, and if necessary, I'll allow them to contribute, but…"

"I'll never hand over the power to decide my fate to anyone else!"

Zhang Heng had changed from his usual calm demeanor to that of an ambitious man.

That was because he had seen what happened to his father, which made him realize that he was the one in charge. One could tell from how the Dimensional Star system had told him about the results of the experiment, and how he insisted on confirming it himself before letting the matter rest, and so on. He was an extremely independent person who would never be influenced by public opinion or even authority. He was someone who would act arbitrarily, and he believed in the principle of 'one should always look out for others'.

However, due to environmental factors, his thoughts had always been suppressed by society, which made it difficult for him to shine on a stage where he had no chance to shine. It was only when he gained the Dimensional Star system that his ambitious thoughts began to surface.

"No matter what you do, host, it has nothing to do with the Dimensional Star system." Yurianne waved her hand and winked. "After all, Yurianne is just a support system. But, host dude, you have no power or influence. How could you ensure that the fruits of your hard work wouldn't be taken away by others?"

"Taken away?" Zhang Heng frowned and realized what was going on right away. "I know just how much of an impact the T-0 Biopharmaceutical would have on society if it were to be made known to the public. The Food and Drug Administration is a very difficult case to begin with, and without connections, the T-0 could very well be acquired by the authorities… I'm still trying to figure out how to do that, but the way I see it, the best course of action would be to build a force to be reckoned with."

"Build a force? Are you going to build a nation, sir?" Yurianne asked in surprise.

"Who said that only the founding of a nation would be able to protect me?" Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "I'm now in possession of technology that transcends the times. Money won't be a problem for me in the future. Furthermore, the founding of a nation isn't that easy to build. My goal is just to build a company."

Zhang Heng's phone rang all of a sudden while he was chatting away. He picked up his phone, feeling rather surprised. It could be said that other than his parents, there was hardly anyone else who called him on his phone before the end of the month. Logically speaking, his parents shouldn't have called him.

The caller ID showed that it was an unknown number and Zhang Heng picked it up. "Hello?"

"Zhang Heng, I'm Li Yiru, class rep." A crisp female voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Good day, class rep." Zhang Heng returned to his casual manner and asked, "What the hell is going on with you, class rep? Why are you calling me?"

"…" The man on the other end ignored that line and continued, "Zhang Heng, we only have one semester left before we start college. The New Year has just passed and Liang Chao discussed with me for a bit before deciding to hold a gathering at the Coastal International Hotel at 8pm on Saturday. It would be a good opportunity for us to get together and get to know where our fellow students work. It would be easier for us to contact each other in the future."

"A class gathering?" Zhang Heng frowned. He was about to lose his life and there was no way he was going to attend a class gathering. He was just about to reject the offer when a thought came to his mind and he changed his mind. "Sure, I'll definitely be there. By the way, pretty class rep, how's your grandpa doing?"

"My grandpa's condition is still stable…" The man on the other end of the phone sounded rather sad, but he managed to calm himself down nonetheless.

"That's good. Say hi to the old man for me," Zhang Heng said with a faint smile.

"Thank you, I'll pass on the message," Li Yiru replied and hung up.

"Hehe." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly. He was a rather smart person to begin with. Ever since he fused with the T-Virus, his brain's thought processes had become even better than before. He was able to deduce the cause and effect of the whole thing just by deducing.

He had to start with Liang Chao and Li Yiru.

Li Yiru was the only daughter of the Li Pharmaceutical Group, which boasted billions of assets. She was a massive multinational pharmaceutical company in Haizhou, which mainly focused on developing projects like antitumor drugs, psychiatric drugs, and so on.

It could be said that whoever married Li Yiru would gain half of the Li Group's wealth.

Liang Chao, on the other hand, was the son of Liang Bufan, the vice mayor of Huaxia. Don't underestimate a mere vice mayor. The Li family wouldn't have cared much about a regular vice mayor, but Haizhou, the most developed administrative area in Huaxia, was a different story altogether.

While marriage alliances were no longer advocated in the modern era, that was only in the eyes of the average family. Their family was still rather feudal when it came to commercial corporations like the Li Group, which pursued profit. The Li Group wanted to consolidate their position in Haizhou. Furthermore, Liang Chao was greedy for the other party's assets and Li Yiru's beauty, which was why the parents of both families played matchmaker.

However, while Li Yiru was the daughter of a rich family and had grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth, she was still very repulsed by the system of arranged marriages. Furthermore, Liang Chao was a typical rich playboy, which was why Li Yiru had always looked down on him.

Liang Chao had been pursuing Li Yiru for the past four years in college, and he couldn't seem to get rid of her, not even when he was doing his internship in college.

One could easily tell that the gathering was an excuse Liang Chao came up with to get close to Li Yiru.

Given Zhang Heng's status and connections, no one would have informed him otherwise. However, Li Yiru had a sense of responsibility. As the former class rep, it was only right for her to inform all her classmates to attend the gathering.

Zhang Heng had neither a good nor bad impression of Li Yiru nor Liang Chao. They were people from two different worlds, and Zhang Heng wasn't the dashing, dashing, dashing type who would throw himself at any pretty girl he saw. As such, they hadn't interacted much in the four years that they were in college.

"Huh? You want to go to the party?" Yurianne tilted her head in confusion. According to her data, Zhang Heng wasn't the kind of person who liked to join in on the fun. Furthermore, the second mission would be taking place in a month.

"That's because Li Yiru's grandfather, who is also the boss behind the Li Group, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last year." Zhang Heng smirked and continued, "Ironic, isn't it? The founder of a company that specializes in developing antitumor drugs actually got cancer himself. If I were to have the support of the Li Group, I'd probably be able to grow quickly."

As a weakened version of the T-Virus, the T-0 didn't have the ability to make humans stronger. However, the root of the problem was that it was a drug that would allow humans to evolve and enhance their immune system. Despite that, the drug could still overturn the entire medical field and even the biological world if it were to be made known to the public. Zhang Heng's first goal was to make that epoch-making drug known.

Since he was weak, he might as well split some of the benefits for the time being.

It was obvious that the Li Group was the one who made the announcement regarding the T-0.

Of course, the effects of the T-0 were still too frightening at the moment. That was something that had been achieved for more than 40 to 50 years in modern medicine. Regardless of whether it was for public or private reasons, there was no way he could announce the full extent of the T-0's power.

While the T-0 was only a castrated version of the T-Virus, it would have to be castrated even more severely before it was announced.

As such, under the guidance of the Dimensional Star Research Support System, Zhang Heng spent another three days to castrate the T-0 Virus. The newly formed drug was named the T-1. The virus could only treat cancer, and the dosage had to be increased. The cost of production was also increased by hundreds of percent.

Even so, it was more than enough to shock a bunch of white-bearded biologists.

14. Joining The Party

Saturday night, Haizhou.

Haizhou was the financial center of Huaxia, a globalized city with a population of over 20 million.

Tens of thousands of people would come to the city with dreams and interests every day, working hard in the city that had endless opportunities, hoping for a better tomorrow.

When night came, it felt like heaven and hell. The rich would spend their days indulging in debauchery, while the working class would gather in their small apartment, hoping for the dawn of their lives.

This was a city where both opportunities and dangers coexisted. It was like a torrent of treasures, with everyone riding a wooden boat through it, hoping to get their hands on the buried treasure. However, if they were to take a single wrong step, the boat would be destroyed and they would all die.

The Coastal International Hotel was one of the more renowned five-star hotels in Haizhou, and it was synonymous with a money dump. All the guests that came and went were either rich or noble. At that moment, a yellow cab stopped before the door of the hotel. Zhang Heng opened the door lazily and handed the driver a 20-yuan bill with a wave of his hand. "No need to look for it."

"Dude, the fare is 25 yuan."

Zhang Heng reluctantly took out five yuan and headed for the door of the hotel.

Two receptionists stopped Zhang Heng when he got to the door and said, "Sir, our venue has been booked by Young Master Liang Chao, and we won't allow anyone who isn't fully dressed to enter for the time being."

Zhang Heng was stunned. He took a look at his casual attire and then at his classmates who were all dressed in suits and leather shoes. He immediately realized what was going on.

Zhang Heng had always kept a low profile when he was still in school, and he was from a regular family, so when had he ever attended such high-class gatherings? Furthermore, he had been so engrossed in researching the T-Virus that he hadn't thought of such a thing at all. As such, he felt rather awkward at the moment.

"Zhang Heng, what are you doing here?" A familiar voice was heard from behind him just when he was feeling troubled. He turned around and saw a young woman with shoulder-length hair and a pretty face looking at him with a stunned expression. She was none other than Li Yiru, who called him earlier.

"Pretty class rep?" Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin and continued, "Class rep, I'm not allowed in this hotel. Seems like I won't be able to attend this gathering."

Li Yiru took a look at Zhang Heng's attire and immediately knew what was going on. She turned to the hostess and said, "Miss, I owe your manager a favor. Could you…"

Before she could finish speaking, that receptionist quickly said, "Ah, it's Ms. Li. If you're a classmate of Ms. Li's, we'd definitely be willing to make an exception for you. Please come in…"

Zhang Heng was finally able to make his way into the Coastal International Hotel. It was only then that he realized that Liang Chao seemed to have booked the entire lobby of the hotel, and all of them were students from his class.

"Yiru!" A rather handsome man dressed in a black suit shouted at Li Yiru from the crowd before walking over with a glass of champagne in his hand and a lackey by his side.

That pretty boy was none other than Liang Chao, who had been pursuing Li Yiru for a very long time without any success. If one were to only look at his appearance and family background, he would definitely be considered a prince charming in the eyes of girls. However, Zhang Heng, who had been classmates for four years, knew very well that he was a typical rich playboy.

While he looked dashing on the surface, he was actually full of devious ideas. He had done countless girls in the past four years.

That wretched-looking lackey by his side was named Pan Bo, and he was Liang Chao's lackey. As the son of the vice mayor, there were bound to be people trying to curry favor with Liang Chao, and that lackey was the one who knew how to curry favor the most.

"Please call me by my name, Mr. Liang." Li Yiru evaded the man's intimate address without batting an eyelid, disgust flashing in her eyes.

"Class rep, you've been classmates with our Mr. Liang for quite a while now. Isn't it a little too weird to just call him by his full name?" Pan Bo, Liang Chao's lackey, grinned sheepishly before Liang Chao could say anything.

Liang Chao wore a faint smile on his face as well. He had been pursuing her for so many years to no avail. While he had yet to give up, he was able to get used to her cold demeanor. However, he frowned when he saw Zhang Heng walking in with Li Yiru. "Did you come with Zhang Heng?"

"No, we ran into each other at the door." Li Yiru shook her head. He was the son of the vice mayor, after all. While she didn't like him, she didn't want to get on his bad side, so she answered without thinking.

"Oh, I see." Liang Chao nodded and looked at Zhang Heng. "Little Zhang, I heard that you've been working in a rather famous pharmaceutical company. How's your work doing?"

"Yeah, not bad, I guess." Zhang Heng chuckled lightly, but he cursed under his breath. Who the hell were you to call him 'Little Zhang'?

"Impressive. If you run into any trouble, feel free to look for me!" Liang Chao waved and said pretentiously.

"Heh, heh." As the saying goes, the wise stop gossiping and the chit-chat comes to an end. Zhang Heng's nonchalant grin immediately shut Liang Chao up.

"Zhang Heng, I'd like to thank you." Li Yiru had no intention of chatting with Liang Chao and turned to look at Zhang Heng.

"Thank me?" Zhang Heng was stunned and felt rather baffled. He wondered if the girl was trying to get him into trouble.

"You're the only one among all of us who asked about my grandfather."

Zhang Heng didn't think much of it. While the two of them had never interacted with each other before, Li Yiru's parents were the ones in charge of the Li Group, and they were always busy with their work and hardly had time to take care of her. On the other hand, the old man of the Li Group, who had long retired from the scene, often played with Li Yiru, and the two of them had long been bonded.

Li Yiru felt that her grandfather's illness was a huge blow to her. As such, Zhang Heng, who was the only one among her classmates who had asked about her grandfather's condition, made her remember him deep down.

Zhang Heng knew that something bad was about to happen when he heard that. He sneaked a peek at Liang Chao, who was standing at the side, and found that the look on Liang Chao's face had indeed changed. How could he allow anyone else to get their hands on the woman that he fancied when it came to those rich playboys?

He would get jealous just by saying one thing, much less getting his hands on Liang Chao. Zhang Heng had seen Liang Chao's hypocritical temper very well over the past four years in college.

As a servant, Pan Bo definitely knew what was going on in his master's mind. He immediately said in a rather sarcastic manner, "Oh, so Little Zhang has always been so concerned about Li Yiru's grandfather. Could it be that he has other intentions?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Li Yiru frowned and regretted saying that to Liang Chao. It seemed like Zhang Heng was about to get into trouble. She felt rather sorry for Zhang Heng at that thought.

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes and thought to himself, 'Well, well, well, well, here we are.' If it had been him in the past, the best thing he could have done would have been to stay silent.

That had nothing to do with cowardice. After all, he had no power or status, and anyone could ruin his future with just a word from them. Zhang Heng had no choice but to compromise, even if it was for the sake of his parents and relatives, who had been watching him and putting in so much effort for him.

But!

Things were no longer the same at the moment. People of Liang Chao's caliber were like trash in his eyes. In fact, he had planned to offend Liang Chao in order to gain Li Yiru's sympathy, which was a very important part of his plan. Not only would he have to offend that rich playboy, but he would also have to completely enrage the other party into falling into his trap.

She didn't know if she was seeing things, but Li Yiru seemed to have seen a sinister smirk on Zhang Heng's face before it disappeared.

15. Conflict

Zhang Heng was only 175 centimeters tall and his physique was nowhere near that of a muscular man. However, he was still a far cry from Liang Chao and Pan Bo, the two of them who had been completely wasted in sex and drinking. Furthermore, he had just fused with the T-Virus, which meant that he would have to fight a special forces soldier to find out who was stronger.

Furthermore, what truly made Zhang Heng different from how he was in the past was not his power, but his perspective and attitude.

The way Pan Bo and Liang Chao were provoking him at the moment made him feel like he was some street thug who was threatening the leaders of the country with his words. Would the leaders of the country actually take a thug's words seriously?

However, not taking it to heart was one thing, and not fighting back was another.

"Pan Bo, I heard that Liang Chao asked his dad to assign you to an internship in the organization department. Isn't it time for the monkey to evolve and become a civil servant ape?" Zhang Heng chuckled and put his hand on Pan Bo's shoulder, looking like they were buddies. Pan Bo was only 160 centimeters tall and had a monkey-like appearance, making him look like a monkey that had gained sentience. Furthermore, Zhang Heng deliberately emphasized the word 'ape', making it obvious that he was making fun of Pan Bo.

"F * * k!" Pan Bo flew into a rage as soon as he heard that. Now that he had the son of the mayor on his side, he was still a cadre after all. No one among his classmates would dare to joke about his looks. He shrugged and was about to yell at Zhang Heng.

Li Yiru's favor for Zhang Heng had undoubtedly caused Liang Chao to burn with jealousy, but he still had to put up with it. He couldn't afford to lose his cool in front of his goddess, so he grabbed Pan Bo, who was about to explode, and said to Zhang Heng in a sarcastic manner, "Do you think you're something now, Little Zhang? I remember that you kept a low profile all the time."

"Not so bad * ss. It's just that some people look shabby and can't be driven away like flies," Zhang Heng retorted.

Liang Chao felt utterly humiliated after hearing that, and he glared at Zhang Heng with a sinister look.

The commotion in the lobby attracted the attention of quite a number of people, all of whom were Zhang Heng's substitute teachers and classmates. All of them gathered there without batting an eye. A man who looked to be in his thirties frowned after hearing what Zhang Heng said and put on the air of a teacher. "You need to learn how to behave in society, Little Zhang. I know very well that you're not a bad person, but the most important thing about you is your character. You can't just thrive in society with good grades."

The man's name was Zhou Lin, and he was the instructor for Zhang Heng's batch of students, who was also the teacher in charge of their class. He was a teacher in charge of some kind of role in high school. Despite being a teacher, he had given Liang Chao a lot of benefits while he was still in school, stopping others from getting scholarships and giving them to Liang Chao to curry favor.

"Hehe." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and said nothing.

"Zhang Heng, apologize to Liang Chao right away." Some of the classmates who had interacted with Zhang Heng before began to persuade him.

Li Yiru felt vindicated after seeing Zhang Heng making fun of Liang Chao, but seeing how everyone was speaking up for Liang Chao and ostracizing Zhang Heng made her feel even more guilty about what she had done to Zhang Heng. It was also the first time that she found the faces of those who had been classmates for four years to be so disgusting. She was afraid that Zhang Heng would be hurt, so she quickly changed the subject.

"Zhang Heng, I'm not feeling well. Let's take a seat over there."

"Okay, I'd be more than happy to have the beautiful class rep invite me." Zhang Heng smiled and gestured politely, completely ignoring the crowd's jeers and Liang Chao's murderous looks.

It was only when the two of them walked to a remote corner that Li Yiru looked worried. "Zhang Heng, thank you for taking my side, but you shouldn't have gotten on Liang Chao's bad side. Their family still has some influence."

"It's nothing. If it hadn't been for the fact that he was up to no good, I wouldn't have offended him for no good reason." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively and decided to get straight to the point, seeing that the time was ripe.

"Class rep, I've recently joined a civilian research team and developed a new drug that is effective against cancer. If you don't mind, could you give the old man a try?"

Zhang Heng didn't say anything that would kill him. Despite the advancement of science, cancer was still one of the most terminal diseases in the world, and it could only be delayed. Few people would be able to fully recover from cancer.

"Your team? New drug?" Li Yiru was stunned at first before she frowned and felt disappointed.

She realized that the reason why Zhang Heng went out of his way to get on her good side and show concern for her grandfather was probably due to that so-called team and the new drug. Zhang Heng wanted to make use of the Li Group's influence to publicize her. She completely ignored that line about 'having some effect on cancer'.

"Oh, so you're just trying to suck up to the Li Clan after all this time?" Pan Bo walked up to Zhang Heng at her master's behest while Li Yiru was still trying to figure out how to reject Zhang Heng. Pan Bo happened to hear what Zhang Heng just said and chuckled sarcastically.

"You really are a fly that I can't get rid of." Zhang Heng shook his head and paid no heed to how Li Yiru misunderstood him. He went on to emphasize, "Class rep, please don't think that I'm trying to get on the good side of the Li Family. The new drug that my team made has a very high chance of curing cancer, and I'm not just making things up. If you still can't believe me, then I'll leave right away."

Li Yiru looked at Zhang Heng with a rather surprised look on her face. Zhang Heng sounded very confident when he said that, as if he was stating a fact, which made her hesitate. "So… did your team get the drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration? Are there clinical tests?"

"No, my team developed the drug a few days ago." Zhang Heng shook his head.

"Hahahaha!" Pan Bo laughed out loud as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world, drawing the attention of the people around him once again. Liang Chao took the opportunity to walk over and asked, "Pan Bo, what's so funny?"

"Mr. Liang, Zhang Heng said that he developed a drug that could cure cancer!" Pan Bo shouted loudly, making sure that everyone in the lobby could hear him.

"Oh?" Liang Chao's eyes flashed with a sarcastic glint. "I didn't know you were so good, Little Zhang. Could it be that you developed that drug yourself?"

The entire lobby was filled with laughter all of a sudden. Everyone present was a top student in the field of biomedical medicine, and there was no one who didn't know just how costly it was to develop a new drug. Despite the fact that the Chinese market was always promoting new drugs and whatnot, they were all just old bottles of wine.

True drug development was something that no one would dare to touch without billions of yuan in capital.

Zhang Heng wasn't in a hurry. He looked at his classmates in the lobby who were laughing at him and waited for the laughter to die down before saying calmly, "You're right. Cancer is indeed very difficult to treat, but technology is always developing and people are always improving. Who says that there's no way we can't develop a cure for cancer?"

"There are only so many ways to treat cancer at the moment. Explain to us how your drug could treat cancer," someone among the crowd said with a smile.

"Simple. Healing cancer at the genetic level is the only way to eradicate cancer, no?"

"Hahaha…" The crowd laughed again.

"Little Zhang, have you had too much to drink?" Liang Chao raised the glass in his hand and laughed so hard that tears were about to roll out of his eyes. "If you were able to develop such a drug, you would have made international news a long time ago. Why would you want to attend our party? You would have gone to receive the Nobel Prize in Medicine a long time ago!"

Zhang Heng smirked and didn't say anything. He simply turned around and looked at the silent Li Yiru and said in a serious tone, "Class rep, if you really care about the old man's health, why not give it a shot? Shouldn't you seize the opportunity, even if it's only a one in a million chance?"

16. A Bet

"One of the Li Group's main businesses is to develop cancer-resistant drugs. You went up to the daughter of the company that developed cancer-resistant drugs and told her that your drug could cure cancer? Are you trying to show off or are you trying to humiliate yourself?" Someone in the crowd jeered.

"Yiru, just ignore that daydreaming idiot." Liang Chao reached out and pulled Li Yiru's arm, chuckling coldly. "I bet there's something wrong with that guy's head. The old man is going to get better."

Li Yiru bit her lip and seemed to have made up her mind about something. She pushed Liang Chao away and asked, "Zhang Heng, are you sure about this?"

"I wouldn't dare to say 100 percent, but I have a 50 percent chance of curing the old man's disease." Zhang Heng didn't want to make things sound too out of place. While he knew that the T-1 had a 100 percent chance of curing cancer, a 100 percent chance of curing cancer was still considered bragging given the current situation.

"Li Yiru! You actually believe the words of that conman?" Liang Chao was completely enraged after being pushed away. However, he had no way of getting angry at Li Yiru and could only glare at Zhang Heng. "Zhang Heng! You keep saying that whatever lousy drug you developed could cure cancer. Let me ask you, what would you do if it didn't work? You didn't even get the approval from the Food and Drug Administration. What if something were to happen to the old man after taking your drug? Could you afford to pay for it?"

"Let's make a bet then." Zhang Heng's expression turned completely cold. He looked around at the crowd and smirked at the so-called classmates before turning his attention back to Li Yiru. "Class rep, I believe that with the capabilities of your company, it shouldn't be a problem for you to look for some authorities to verify your claims if you don't want your grandfather to be in danger."

"No problem." Li Yiru looked at Zhang Heng's stern gaze and became serious.

"Very well then!" Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and said to his classmates around him, "I, a nobody, would like to make a bet with you today, Mr. Liang. Do you dare to take the bet?"

"Why wouldn't I dare to?" Liang Chao felt hot-headed and pointed at Zhang Heng impolitely and said, "Zhang Heng, I'll take the bet. If your drug is ineffective or even harmful to the human body, I want you to crawl under me and call me grandpa!"

"Sure!" Zhang Heng smirked and asked, "So what if my drug is real?"

"If your drug is real, then I'll do the same. Are you satisfied?" Liang Chao snorted coldly. He had actually thought about it before. So what if he were to lose? He was from a family of politicians, and the other party wouldn't dare to do anything to him even if they were given ten guts.

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly to himself. However, when he recalled the snail-like efficiency of verification performed by the Food and Drug Administration, he continued, "I'd rather not use any authorities to verify it. The old man's condition is very serious and he won't be able to delay it for long. Why don't we just start with clinical testing? I believe, with your influence, it wouldn't be difficult for you to find a few patients for clinical testing, would it? If anything were to happen to the patients in clinical testing, I, Zhang Heng, will take full responsibility for it!"

Zhang Heng felt a surge of pride welling up in his chest. Such confidence was something that he dared not even think about before, but things were different now. With the Dimensional Star system, he would eventually become somebody as long as he didn't die. If he were to face regular people with the mentality of someone above him, he wouldn't be able to waver in the face of all the insults from his classmates, let alone the jeers from his classmates.

Li Yiru looked at Zhang Heng with a dazed look on her face. She wasn't the only one who felt that way. Many of her classmates who knew Zhang Heng well could tell that he had changed. Zhang Heng had kept a very low profile in the past, and while he was stubborn, he was still considered a regular person.

However, at that moment, Zhang Heng exuded an air of arrogance from head to toe. That was right, arrogance! And it wasn't just any kind of arrogance. That kind of arrogance wasn't just for show, it wasn't for the likes of rich playboys, and it definitely wasn't because he was arrogant. It was a kind of confidence in himself, a confidence that defied all rules.

The gathering ended on a sour note after that, but everyone was still able to talk about it. The first thing Li Yiru did when she got home was to tell her father about what happened, as Li Jianguo was currently the head of the Li Group.

"What? Your classmate developed a new drug that could cure cancer?" Li Jianguo stood up all of a sudden. "Are you sure, Ru? Did he do any clinical testing? Any side effects?"

Li Yiru shook her head, feeling rather insecure. "His drug hasn't been approved yet. We don't know if clinical tests and side effects have been found yet, but he claims to have a 50 percent chance of curing cancer."

"Nonsense!" Li Jianguo was immediately disappointed. "You dare to use it on your grandpa when you don't even have clinical tests or certifications? And 50 percent cure rate? You actually believe such nonsense?"

"B-But…" Li Yiru tried to explain herself right away. "Zhang Heng said that we could look for volunteers for clinical trials, and he's my classmate. He definitely doesn't look like someone who would brag."

"The words of people who don't look like they're telling lies are the truth?" Li Jianguo's tone was stern. "None of the conglomerates look like they're braggarts, so are they telling the truth?"

"I know very well what kind of person my classmates are!" Li Yiru felt rather indignant. While she had no idea why she was so angry when she heard her father suspecting Zhang Heng, she still tried to explain herself. "There's no harm in trying. You know how my grandfather's condition is. Why not try it out instead of watching him suffer from chemotherapy? If it really works, my grandfather could be saved!"

Li Jianguo was stunned. He recalled how frail his father looked lying on the hospital bed and sighed. "Alright then, since you trust him so much, I'll give it a shot."

"Alright!" Li Yiru nodded hard and went back to her room with a gleeful look on her face. She was stunned when she realized what had happened and mumbled to herself, feeling puzzled, "I assume that Zhang Heng isn't lying to me. Why would I trust him so much?"

Li Jianguo was having a headache sitting in the living room at the moment. As a stern father, his daughter had always feared him, yet she dared to talk back to him over a classmate. Something was definitely wrong. Li Jianguo picked up his phone and dialed a number after thinking about his daughter's reaction. A friendly-looking elder in his fifties walked into the room slowly.

"Yes, sir?"

"Uncle Wu, regardless of the conditions, find a few patients with terminal cancer and sign contracts with them. We need to conduct a clinical trial in private. Also, help me look into someone named Zhang Heng. He's a classmate of Ru's and I want to know everything about him."

"Very well, young master. I'll be right there." The elder known as Uncle Wu left right away.

"It'd be best if you're not from some conglomerate." Li Jianguo's eyes flashed with a hint of ruthlessness. As the person in charge of a multinational corporation, Li Jianguo was definitely not someone to be trifled with. The power that he wielded could even affect the political scene. The air of someone in power that he had nurtured for many years was not inferior to that of leaders like the mayor. Once he got angry, he would be like an awakened lion, causing even Haizhou City to tremble under his roar.

17. Why Not Try It Out?

Zhang Heng received a call from Li Yiru three days later and brought the newly developed T-1 Biopharmaceutical with him to the headquarters of the Li Pharmaceutical Group in Haizhou.

Many people were already gathered in the lobby of the company when Zhang Heng arrived. Some of them were the shareholders of the company who heard the news, some were classmates who knew about the bet and came to join in the fun, and some were researchers who were there specifically for the drug testing. The person standing at the very front of the crowd was none other than Li Yiru's father, Li Jianguo. Li Yiru and Liang Chao were standing behind him.

"Zhang Heng, over here!" Li Yiru waved and Zhang Heng walked over with a relaxed expression on his face. Li Jianguo took a good look at the young man before him and found him to be of average appearance, with nothing out of the ordinary about him. Despite all that, he didn't show any signs of stage fright, as if he had everything under control.

Li Jianguo nodded to himself. At the very least, the young man was considered to have met the mark in terms of guts. Li Yiru said, "Let me introduce you to my father, Li Jianguo. Dad, this is my classmate, Zhang Heng."

To everyone's surprise, Li Jianguo was the first to extend his hand and said with a friendly smile, "Hehe, it's said that heroes come from the young. You've achieved so much at such a young age. It's only a matter of time before you surpass me."

"You flatter me. I'm nothing but a show-off in front of a master before a master, President." Zhang Heng shook his head. It was his first time coming into contact with such social situations despite being a man of few words, and he felt rather uncomfortable about it. However, he was impressed by how the president of the Li Group was able to lower himself before a junior.

"There's no need for you to address me as' President '. You're Yiru's classmate, so just call me Uncle Li," Li Jianguo continued.

"Sure, nice to meet you, Uncle Li. You can just call me Little Zhang." Zhang Heng went on to beat around the bush.

Li Jianguo invited everyone into the reception room and went straight to the point. "I heard that you've developed a new type of cancer drug, Little Zhang. I wonder if you've brought it with you today?"

"Here." Zhang Heng took out a test tube from his bag and handed it to the man.

Li Jianguo took a good look at the tube of blue liquid and wore a serious expression before handing it to the researcher behind him. "I heard that your drug hasn't undergone clinical testing yet, Little Zhang. We happen to have a few patients here. Would you mind letting me test them out?"

Zhang Heng sighed to himself at Li Jianguo's well-guarded explanation and labeled him as a wily old fox. However, he had no choice but to keep up appearances. He nodded and said with a smile, "Sure."

Li Jianguo gave the researchers behind him a look after getting Zhang Heng's approval and they poured the drug out of the test tube right away.

Zhang Heng wasn't afraid that the T-Virus would steal his drug. The T-Virus would only multiply and assimilate with the host when it entered the host's body. Once the fusion was successful, there would be no trace of the T-Virus found in the host's body. That was why the female lead in the movie wouldn't infect others despite having the T-Virus with her.

The reason why those zombies were able to infect humans was that their fusion had failed.

Zhang Heng had modified the reproduction conditions of the T-1 Biopharmaceutical according to Yurianne's research, which meant that the T-1 Biopharmaceutical could only be multiplied with a special culture solution. Only by acquiring the formula of the culture solution could the T-1 Biopharmaceutical be mass-produced.

"Th-this is a virus?" One of the researchers who had placed the T-1 under the electron microscope exclaimed all of a sudden. Everyone turned to look at Zhang Heng right away.

"That's right. It is indeed a virus." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "As I said before, my drug is a gene-based drug. Its purpose is to strengthen the human immune system at the genetic level, enabling the human immune system to kill cancer cells on its own."

"This is getting more ridiculous." Liang Chao, who was standing at the side, finally found an opportunity to make fun of Zhang Heng. "Let the human immune system kill the cancer cells on its own. Wouldn't that make the drug a panacea? Wouldn't leukemia and even AIDS be treatable as well?"

"Not yet." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued, "But our team is working on those functions."

Everyone laughed at that.

Ridiculous!

Li Jianguo looked rather glum. He had found out about Zhang Heng a long time ago, and judging from the data, Zhang Heng looked like a decent guy with no criminal record and no motive for conning others. As such, Li Jianguo had a sliver of hope that the drug could really cure his father's cancer. However, when he heard Zhang Heng's theories, he felt like he had been played for a fool.

Virus? Gene-based drug? Increase human immune system?

What a joke!

Even in today's technologically advanced era, gene-based medicine was still a laboratory research project that existed only in concepts. It was a conceptual academic that was still in the process of figuring things out.

If some renowned pharmaceutical expert in the United States were to announce that he had developed such a drug, Li Jianguo would be skeptical, let alone the average-looking young man in his early twenties.

Li Jianguo was a researcher in biopharmaceuticals himself and knew a thing or two about all kinds of biopharmaceuticals. Given the current level of technological advancement in modern medicine, it would have taken decades before he was able to develop a biopharmaceutical that could enhance human immunity at the genetic level.

Li Jianguo wasn't the only one who looked at Zhang Heng like he was some kind of conman. Everyone present, with the exception of Li Yiru, looked at him as if he was some kind of conman. Some of the older researchers even put down the drug and walked out of the lobby, not wanting to get involved in the prank.

Zhang Heng remained seated in his chair, the smile on his face unchanged. "Don't you guys find that ridiculous?"

"It's not absurd, it's just something out of a fairy tale," someone in the crowd said sarcastically.

"Let's try it out then."

Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the three thin and pale clinical patients before him. He could tell at a glance that the three of them were patients with terminal cancer and had undergone too much chemotherapy. He asked in a bewitching tone, "Hey, guys, why don't you guys give it a try?"

"Are you kidding me?" One of the middle-aged men turned around and walked out of the reception room, saying angrily as he walked, "The Li Group invited me here because they have a new drug developed for clinical testing, not to kill me! I'm going to sue all of you!"

The second person was a middle-aged woman. She frowned and didn't make any noise, but walked out in disappointment. She shook her head and said, "I'm not here to be a lab rat."

Both of them left, but there was still one man who stayed where he was.

The man looked to be in his thirties at first glance, and his skull-like features made him look rather sinister and terrifying. However, one could tell from his eyes that he was a young man in his twenties.

He wore a bitter grin and said, "Let's just give it a shot… I don't have much time left to live anyway. I'd rather take the risk than risk my parents' lives with their hard-earned money." As he said that, he actually took the initiative to lie down on the bed that had been prepared for him.

"You'll be grateful for the choice you've made." Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his brow without making a sound. If no one was willing to undergo clinical testing, he would be done for.

There was a saying that went, 'good wine needs no bush', but if one were to refuse to even give the wine a chance to smell good, no amount of good wine would be able to sell.

"Hold on, I think it's best to suspend the clinical testing for the time being." A bald man who looked to be part of the upper echelon of the company standing behind Li Jianguo stopped him all of a sudden. "The Li Group won't be able to shoulder the responsibility if your drug causes any side effects."

"Relax. I've tested it on myself. Even if it doesn't work, it definitely won't do any harm to the human body," Zhang Heng said as he took a syringe and took 20 milliliters of the T-1 drug, injecting it into his body in front of everyone.

The crowd gasped.

"Zhang Heng, you…" Li Yiru wanted to stop him, but he injected all the liquid into her body before she could finish.

"Can we continue with this clinical trial now?" Zhang Heng pulled out the needle and looked at Li Jianguo with a deadpan expression.

Li Jianguo looked rather glum, but seeing how Zhang Heng was still alive and kicking, he hesitated for quite a while before nodding.

18. I'm Hungry

"What's your name, sir?" Zhang Heng took a new injector from the researcher and asked as he injected the T-1 solution into the syringe.

"You look like you're in your twenties. Don't call me big brother. I'm only 23 years old this year." The young man wore a bitter grin and looked at the needle in Zhang Heng's hand with a rather frightened look. "My name is Fang Hao. Could you be gentler when you inject me later? I'm afraid of pain."

Zhang Heng chuckled and took a closer look at Fang Hao. Fang Hao wasn't actually that ugly. If it hadn't been for the torture of chemotherapy and the pain caused by his illness, he would have probably been the type that girls liked.

"Get ready, Fang Hao. I'm going in." Zhang Heng turned the injector up and pushed the air out of the syringe.

"Why do you sound so awkward when you put it that way…" Fang Hao mumbled, but Zhang Heng jabbed the needle into his arm before he could finish.

"Holy sh * *!" Fang Hao looked at the blue liquid being pushed into his vein with a rather frightened look on his face and almost jumped up to fight it out with Zhang Heng. That weird technique of his—throwing darts or injecting needles?

Zhang Heng pricked and pulled the tube out as quickly as he could. It took only the blink of an eye for the tube of liquid to enter his bloodstream.

"How many sessions is this drug of yours going to take?" Li Jianguo asked, feeling rather speechless after seeing that Zhang Heng was done with the injection. His attitude was nowhere near as friendly as before.

"I'm not sure yet." Zhang Heng turned around and paid no heed to the change in Li Jianguo's attitude, continuing with his usual polite manner. "I should be able to see the effects within an hour."

Li Jianguo's body shuddered and he was unable to control the urge to jump up and yell at Zhang Heng. 'How dare you inject a patient when you don't even know how effective the drug is?'

It was fortunate that he was shrewd enough to be able to control himself.

"Well then, since Zhang Heng has…" Li Jianguo's face twitched uncontrollably for a bit before he continued, "…the treatment is over. Let's all head to the banquet hall and wait for the results. I've set up a banquet for everyone who comes to visit the Li Group." He waved and left the room first.

"Dude, is your drug working or not?" Everyone turned around and walked out of the reception room as if they had just seen a farce. No one bothered with Zhang Heng anymore, only Fang Hao, who was still lying on the bed, asked pitifully.

Zhang Heng didn't mind at all and sat down on the edge of Fang Hao's bed. He joked, "Relax, dude. I'm here with One-Needle Zhang. I don't care if you're suffering from cancer or some other kind of disease. One shot would definitely cure all diseases!"

"Holy sh * *, I've heard of One-Needle Zhang before! And it's some kind of advertisement on a telephone pole, with a licensing advertisement attached to it… Could it be you?" Fang Hao felt like dying.

Everyone was gathered in the banquet hall and paid no heed to Zhang Heng, who was in the reception room. Zhang Heng was glad to have some time to himself as well. He was never the type who liked to join in on the fun, and he simply began chatting with Fang Hao, who was of the same age as him.

Zhang Heng learned from his conversation that Fang Hao's parents were the kind of people who went out of their way to earn a living in the country. Despite having some connections, they were still regular people and were nowhere near the upper echelons of society.

Fang Hao was diagnosed with stomach cancer when he was 21 years old. One of his shortcomings was that he liked to eat pickles, which was what the Chinese called pickles. The pickled food contained a lot of nitrite, which would cause a chemical reaction in the body and stomach acid to form nitrite, making it very easy for cancer to develop. As such, Fang Hao's family, which had been living rather well, went bankrupt due to his illness.

Fang Hao had been living a life worse than death for the past two years and his family had gone bankrupt due to his illness. Fang Hao's eyes were filled with tears when he said that. He said that he wanted to kill himself at times to save himself from dragging his parents down, but his family stopped him.

Having inherited his father's personality, Fang Hao was the sunny type as well. However, the pain and suffering from his illness over the past two years had worn away his sunny and cheerful personality quite a bit. Despite that, one could still see a tinge of determination in his eyes.

"It's been a while since I've talked to anyone like that." Fang Hao looked at Zhang Heng with a rather grateful look. "Even if your drug didn't work, I'd still have to thank you. I'd be able to die with no regrets having made a friend like you before I die."

"What the f * * k are you talking about?" Zhang Heng smacked Fang Hao and lit a cigarette. "Relax, my drug is definitely effective. From here on out, you won't be able to die even if you want to."

Fang Hao chuckled and didn't take it seriously. He looked around and, after confirming that there was no one else around, he asked suspiciously, "Zhang Heng, could I have one too?"

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes. "You're in such a state and you're still smoking?"

"Sigh, I was still considered a first-class smoker before I got sick. I'd have had about half a pack of cigarettes a day if I hadn't gotten rid of one. Who knew that I wouldn't get lung cancer, but stomach cancer instead."

Zhang Heng felt his heart ache for some reason when he saw Fang Hao putting on a dashing front. He hesitated for a bit before handing him a cigarette.

"Hehe, good for you, bro." Fang Hao took the cigarette from Zhang Heng's hand and took a big gulp of the Hong Kong authentic Zorro kerosene lighter, sighing in satisfaction.

"Delicious!"

However, he frowned all of a sudden at that moment. "I feel like… something's really happening."

"There's a reaction?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"Urrgghh!" Fang Hao's expression changed all of a sudden and he opened his mouth wide, vomiting black blood in huge mouthfuls. A putrid stench was felt from his lower body at the same time as he rolled around on the bed with his stomach in his arms.

"It hurts! I'm dying! I'm dying!"

"What happened? Why is this happening?" Zhang Heng held Fang Hao down and asked the Dimensional Star system at the same time.

"Don't worry, don't worry. That's only because his cells have completely fused with the T-1 Virus, and his immune system is beginning to reject cancer cells out of instinct." Yurianne appeared right away and said calmly.

"Why didn't something like that happen when I injected myself with the T-0 back then?" Zhang Heng was still worried, fearing that something bad might have happened.

"You're a normal person, dude. You're not sick or in trouble. You definitely wouldn't have such a strong reaction." Yurianne put her hands on her hips and grumbled.

It was only then that Zhang Heng realized what had happened. He had been thrown into a state of confusion after seeing Fang Hao's pained expression. It seemed like he was still unable to keep his cool.

At that moment, several medical staff who were waiting outside the door heard the commotion and finally came running in. One of the young nurses pointed at Zhang Heng and berated him, "Look what you've done! The patient is in such a state and you're still taking his medicine like that!" She then saw the cigarettes in their hands and became even more furious. "How dare you smoke at the patient? Are you trying to kill him?"

Zhang Heng was in the wrong to begin with, so he didn't say anything. He simply put his hands above his head and acted like he was surrendering.

The nurse glared at Zhang Heng for the last time, even though her weak expression and crisp voice didn't seem intimidating at all. She then ordered the crowd, "Get ready for emergency treatment. Xiaoli, get the brooch now!"

Just when the medical staff were about to push the bed to the emergency room in a flurry, Fang Hao slowly recovered. "Hold on!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing right there and then. Fang Hao leaped out of the bed and rubbed his stomach, which was gradually disappearing due to the pain, looking dazed.

"What's wrong? How do you feel?" That nurse asked right away.

"I feel so light," Fang Hao said in a daze. "I-I feel like I've fully recovered!"

"What?" Everyone was stunned. He couldn't be dying of old age, could he?

However, Fang Hao didn't pay any attention to the medical staff. He simply jumped and ran around the reception room, looking very surprised. "I feel fine now. My stomach doesn't hurt anymore!"

One of the nurses seemed to have recalled something and checked her watch right away. There were still about 10 minutes left before the hour was up, and she wore an incredulous look on her face. "Isn't that a little too quick?"

"What's going on?" The people who received the news in the banquet hall rushed in at that moment. Li Jianguo pushed his way through the crowd and his face turned ashen when he saw Zhang Heng covered in blood.

He was about to flare up when one of the medical staff whispered something into his ear. Li Jianguo's expression changed immediately and he looked at Fang Hao in surprise.

"President Li, and everyone else, haha!" Fang Hao waved at the crowd and said energetically, "I'm feeling hungry!"

19. Can You Afford It?

Li Jianguo ordered people to prepare light food for Fang Hao right away. He was a patient who had just recovered from a serious illness after all, and his stomach functions had deteriorated significantly, which meant that he needed time to recuperate.

Due to his stomach cancer, Fang Hao hadn't eaten for a very long time. He was barely able to walk due to the stitching, yet he was telling everyone that he was hungry, which shocked everyone.

Fang Hao then used X-rays, CT scans, ultrasonography, MRI scans, blood tests, and other equipment to do a thorough checkup while he was preparing the food. A researcher said in shock, "The tumor in the patient's stomach is gone! Only a small number of tumor disintegration pieces were found in the patient's esophagus and intestines."

"The tumor markers are gone too!" Another researcher's eyes were wide open, looking as if he had just seen a ghost. "The cancer matrix antigen index in the blood has dropped and it has become negative!"

Whoosh!

The crowd exploded when they heard that.

"Am I dreaming?" A researcher asked in disbelief.

"Oh my god, is cancer really cured?" Another researcher picked up the drug and began to observe it under the microscope like it was some kind of treasure.

"Honey, come out and see God!" One of Zhang Heng's classmates shouted.

"Impossible!" Liang Chao took two steps forward and grabbed Fang Hao by the collar at that moment. "How could cancer be cured so easily? Tell me, were you hired by Zhang Heng?"

"I'm a shill?" Fang Hao rolled his eyes at her. "You're the shill. Your whole family is shill!"

"F * * k!" Liang Chao flew into a rage and threw a punch at Fang Hao.

However, before that punch landed on Fang Hao's face, he felt his wrist being grabbed by a powerful hand all of a sudden. He struggled with all his might, but that hand was like a pair of steel pliers. The harder he struggled, the tighter the clamp became, and he ended up groaning in pain.

"Well done, Mr. Liang." Zhang Heng grabbed Liang Chao's arm and said casually.

"Get your hands off me!" Liang Chao gritted his teeth with a twisted expression. "How dare you lay your hands on me? Are you tired of living?"

Zhang Heng smiled without saying anything and turned to look at Li Jianguo, who was still in shock.

Li Jianguo looked rather glum at the moment, but he nonetheless reminded Liang Chao, "Dear Mr. Liang, our company is the one who found this patient."

Liang Chao felt as if he had just woken up from a dream. He had been so worked up that he had completely forgotten that Zhang Heng wasn't the one who hired Fang Hao. If he were to say that Fang Hao was a shill, that would be tantamount to slapping the Li Group in the face. No wonder Li Jianguo looked so glum.

"Uncle Li, I-I didn't mean that…" Liang Chao felt his face burning and apologized right away.

Li Jianguo shook his head and paid no further attention to Liang Chao. He turned to look at Zhang Heng and said, "I say, Little Zhang, do you have a name for this Biopharmaceutical?"

Everyone gradually quieted down as Li Jianguo began to speak. They looked at Zhang Heng solemnly, no longer taking him lightly.

While Zhang Heng no longer cared about what others thought of him, he didn't feel comfortable being looked down on by others. It was only when the drug was proven to be effective that he was able to hold his head high.

He smiled at the crowd and said, "Uncle Li, my drug is called… Tyr-1."

Those who were not fluent in English began to whisper among themselves, unable to comprehend what was being said.

"The word 'tyrant' is the word for 'ruler' in English, and in Chinese, it means' tyrant '!" Fang Hao reminded everyone, feeling like laughing at the situation.

"Wait…" Fang Hao was stunned and turned to look at Zhang Heng. "Tyrant? T-Virus?"

"You're right. I told you before that my drug is a virus." Zhang Heng shrugged innocently.

"Why does the name 'T-Virus' sound so familiar…" The crowd began to murmur among themselves again.

"Alright, whatever it is called, it's enough that everyone knows that the drug can treat cancer." Li Jianguo suppressed the murmurs from the crowd and gestured for Zhang Heng to go ahead. "Little Zhang, let's talk in the meeting room."

Zhang Heng knew what Li Jianguo wanted to talk about when he called him to the meeting room. He smiled and said, "Sure, please go ahead, Uncle Li."

Zhang Heng walked up to Liang Chao as he made his way through the crowd, wearing a sarcastic expression. "Don't forget that you owe me a bet now."

Liang Chao's pupils contracted and he said dejectedly, "What do you want…"

"We'll proceed with the bet as usual, no problem?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly. "I'll be waiting for you." The two of them walked past each other as they spoke.

The crowd became rowdy for the third time as they watched Zhang Heng walk away.

"Could it be that cancer will no longer be considered terminal from here on out?" That was someone who was slow to realize something.

"Didn't you hear what Zhang Heng said before? That biopharmaceutical is designed for the immune system of the human body. Cancer aside, if it were to be completely developed, it could even cure other terminal diseases!"

"Pfft, look at how intimate you sound. I wonder who was the one who said that Zhang Heng was just trying to make a scene."

No one paid any further attention to Liang Chao, who looked like he had lost all color in his face. They knew very well that a vice mayor was nothing. If the drug were to be made known to the public, Zhang Heng would be able to become the most powerful man on the Forbes Rich List.

"Zhang Heng…" Li Yiru looked at that petite silhouette in shock, not knowing what to feel.

However, Zhang Heng was unable to hear what the crowd was saying anymore.

Li Jianguo rubbed his hands in the meeting room, not knowing what to say for quite a while. Despite being a business tycoon, he still felt rather flustered when faced with such a drug that could change human history.

Zhang Heng didn't think much of it. He just sipped on the cup of Jin Junmei calmly and waited for her to speak.

Li Jianguo finally thought of what he was going to say after about 10 minutes. He said with a smile, "I say, Little Zhang, it's really… an honor for the medical community to have someone of your caliber at such a young age."

Zhang Heng waved his hand and said, "Uncle Li, I'm a straightforward person and I don't like beating around the bush and being polite. Please feel free to speak your mind."

"Very well then!" Li Jianguo nodded and became serious. "Have you ever thought of working for the Li Group? The Li Group develops all manner of medicines. If you'd like to join us, I'd be willing to give you 30 percent of the company's shares."

Zhang Heng grinned and thought to himself, "I'm sorry, Uncle Li, but you have to know that I have my own team. I wouldn't mind joining your company."

"Very well then. Young people should indeed be able to make a name for themselves." Li Jianguo seemed to have anticipated that Zhang Heng wouldn't lower himself to someone else, and he immediately came up with his second plan. "What about the patent for the Tyr-1 Biopharmaceutical? Our company would like to buy it as much as possible, and you can name the price." Li Jianguo thought for a bit and continued, "Of course, the name of the founder is still yours."

"Uncle Li, it's not that I'm rude." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "But do you really think that your company could afford such a drug?"

Li Jianguo was stunned for a bit before he wore a bitter grin on his face. While the Li Clan was considered an internationally renowned enterprise, their real estate property was only worth a little over a billion US dollars. Once such a drug was made known to the public, it was not something that could be done with a profit of tens of billions.

However, Li Jianguo wasn't about to give up. "We could be responsible for the costs, pharmaceuticals, promotion, and sales! How about we split the profit 50-50? You should know that what your team lacks the most right now is starting capital, right? We'd need to develop step by step when the time comes and it would take a lot of time. However, our company has mature manufacturing workshops and sales channels, which would allow your pharmaceuticals to spread to the rest of the world for a shorter period of time."

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly to himself. While those terms sounded tempting, he was actually at a significant disadvantage. As such, he continued, "Uncle Li, I have a few conditions that you could consider."

"Go ahead." Li Jianguo sat up straight. He wasn't afraid of the other party negotiating terms, but he was afraid that the other party wouldn't be able to. Regardless of what conditions Zhang Heng raised, he was determined to get the right to sell the drug.

20. Conditions

"First of all, your company will be given the sole manufacturing and sales right of the T-1." Zhang Heng's first sentence was enough to put Li Jianguo at ease. "My request isn't complicated. I'd like you to make use of your connections to advise the National Drug Administration to get the T-1 approved as soon as possible before it gets listed."

"I can do that. Our Li Group still has some influence in the company." Li Jianguo nodded decisively.

"Secondly, I'd like you to use your connections and set up an offshore company in the British Bermuda Islands under my name. Of course, I'd just like you to help me get rid of the procedures. I want a company that is completely my own from the inside out."

"Why not back home?"

"I have my own considerations. Please just tell me if it's okay, Uncle Li." Zhang Heng looked at him.

"Deal." Li Jianguo didn't bother arguing any further after hearing what Zhang Heng said. None of those two issues posed a problem to him.

"Thirdly, the release of such a new drug would definitely alarm the authorities. As such, I'd like you and your company to be the spokespersons for the new drug. I won't be bothering with any negotiations with the authorities. I can give you 60 percent of the shares. As for how much the authorities would like to invest in the new drug, I'll leave that to your company."

"You're only going to give me 60 percent of the sales?" Li Jianguo looked troubled. He knew very well that the government would definitely take part in the sales of such a drug. Furthermore, it wouldn't be as simple as just 23 percent. According to tradition, the government would take over 50 percent.

Of course, the government wouldn't allow him to lose out either. There would definitely be preferential treatment from the government in the future. However, if Zhang Heng were to only give him 60 percent, he would only be able to earn 10 percent after the government took 50 percent.

Why would the government be involved? That was because both Li Jianguo and Zhang Heng knew very well that the government would never allow such an epoch-making drug to remain in the hands of private hands, and they would definitely interfere.

Of course, there was no way the government would just give Zhang Heng a sum of money and take away all rights to the drug. No scientist would have dared to stay in Huaxia otherwise. The most likely outcome would have been to keep Zhang Heng's right to manufacture and sell the drug. However, taking away Zhang Heng's formula and acquiring a portion of the drug's shares would make the company a state-owned enterprise, which would ensure that the T-1 technology would not be leaked to any country outside of Huaxia.

That was to say that Zhang Heng needed to hand the T-1 culture formula to the Huaxian government.

Zhang Heng was well-prepared for that. That wasn't to say that he had changed his mind about handing everything he had to the government and becoming a nanny for himself, but that he needed to suffer for the time being.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to look for someone to back him up now that he no longer had the power to back him up. As mentioned before, there was no way the government would allow the T-1 to remain in the hands of private personnel. Furthermore, the only way Zhang Heng could make a profit from the T-1 and ensure that he wouldn't be swallowed whole by others was through the government.

However, that was the only time he would be able to do so. He would only be able to do as he pleased after getting his first starting capital.

That was also the reason why Zhang Heng didn't want to register a company in Huaxia. The Huaxian government was too headstrong due to its systemic problems. Only capitalism was the breeding ground for monopolistic businesses. Only by setting up an offshore company could his company truly become a massive entity in the future.

Furthermore, the reason why he went out of his way to show the Li Group the effects of the T-1 was that he was afraid that some high-ranking government officials would try to take the T-1 Virus away from him and silence him. If that were to happen, he wouldn't be able to cry at all. However, with the Li Group as a witness, there was no way those high-ranking officials would be able to silence the Li Group altogether.

In actual fact, there was a very small chance that he would be able to kill all of them. After all, anyone who was able to develop a T-1 would definitely be considered a treasure of the country. However, Zhang Heng had no choice but to be cautious, which was why he allowed the Li Group to come and take a piece of the pie.

"Alright, 60 percent it is then!" Li Jianguo gritted his teeth. While he would only get 10 percent of the proceeds in the end, that sum would definitely not be any less than what he had now. "But, Little Zhang, how are we going to split the sales right? Are we giving it to the government or not?"

"The sales rights to the T-1 definitely can't be given to the government. The most they could do would be internal sales. I'll leave the sales of the drug to you, sir." Zhang Heng shrugged and continued, "Anyways, you're in charge of the production, sales, and the like of the drug. I'm only responsible for collecting money."

Li Jianguo was finally relieved to see that both parties had reached a consensus. He chuckled and said, "Well, I guess you're just going to do nothing about it, Little Zhang. But I'm afraid that you and your team won't be able to rest easy after inventing such a drug."

Zhang Heng shook his head and wore a bitter grin. "By the way, I've thought of something else after hearing what you said. Please do your best to protect my privacy and add that to the terms when negotiating with the authorities. Do not leak the identities of me and my team of researchers, either intentionally or otherwise. It doesn't matter if there are staff from the World Health Organization, the Nobel Foundation, or whatever, who want to contact me in the future, or if you guys want to hold a press conference or something. Don't bother me. Uncle Li, you guys just take care of it yourselves."

"You're…" Li Jianguo's eyes widened. "You're telling me to keep this a secret? Then why did you guys develop such a drug?"

"Money."

…

The two of them then went on to talk about the various projects that they were working on. Li Jianguo would occasionally give Zhang Heng some details that he didn't understand, and Zhang Heng wasn't afraid that the other party would set him up. What he lacked at the moment was a starting point.

Once he had the capital to start his career, he would be able to make use of the Dimensional Star to acquire countless pieces of technology. Any piece of that technology would be enough to cause a huge commotion in the world, and the profits brought by the T-1 would only serve as an appetizer.

His goal was to build a monopoly company that could control global funding! That was the only way he could make use of all the technologies from the different planes to lead humanity through the coming catastrophe.

Zhang Heng handed the data regarding the T-1 Virus to the Li Group after signing the contract. Li Jianguo was the one who was given the job of patent application, reporting to the authorities, and other miscellaneous tasks. Li Jianguo, on the other hand, was feeling rather pleased with himself. He quickly labeled the data with an S-class confidential label and took the plane to Jingzhou himself.

However, no one would have guessed that the T-1 was just a cornerstone of the T-Virus. There was no way Zhang Heng would allow anyone to master the real T-Virus, and it was best to keep his abilities to himself.

Zhang Heng had other things to do at the moment, and that was to play games.

That's right, he was playing games! Yurianne, the Dimensional Star's system, told him that he needed to proceed with the next compulsory mission in three months, and there were only about 20 days before the next mission. Furthermore, he had obtained data regarding the T-Virus, which meant that the next mission would definitely be to acquire high-tech technology from other planes. According to his first experience, the next mission would most likely be to select a plane from the remaining three planes.

There were three remaining planes—the Dead Space plane, the Alien plane, and the Prototype plane. The Dead Space plane was the least difficult of the three, which was why Zhang Heng went to the Traveler's Star Network to download all the games listed in Dead Space plane 1, 2, and 3.

'Dead Space' was a world-renowned game released by the world-renowned interactive entertainment company 'Electronic Arts'. It even came with animation, comics, and novels, which made things difficult for Zhang Heng. He browsed the background data of 'Dead Space' while playing the game, reading novels and comics at the same time.

He even printed out all the data that he was able to find in order to ensure that he wouldn't be able to find any leads. He began to memorize all of the data when his hands got tired from playing with them.

Putting aside the impending disaster that would befall humanity in the future, he had to take all of that seriously in order to survive.

21. Dead Space

The main background of Dead Space was that human society was in turmoil in the late 21st century, conflicts between countries escalated, and a war broke out between the US and Russia, causing the entire world to feel uneasy. At the same time, global warming became increasingly intense, and the environment deteriorated to a point where it was beyond redemption.

Due to the pressure from both sides, humans were forced to undergo joint reorganization, forming the 'Human Government', a regime governed by all humans. The 'Earth Defense Force' was established as well, and the entire planet was divided into eight districts to be governed separately.

With the Earth in ruins, human society had decided to focus its efforts on space exploration. With the support of the government, a megacorporation known as the "Concordance Extraction Company" (C.E.C) was established. Many permanent colonies and extraction bases were established in the Solar System, and the human race was making its way further into outer space.

"Company?"

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up when he saw the word 'company'. While the name of that company wasn't as flashy as that of the Umbrella Corporation, its influence and technological prowess were far above that of the Umbrella Corporation back in Resident Evil. That company was a world-class commercial giant after all, and it was in the era of space technology hundreds of years later.

Zhang Heng had moved into a huge warehouse at the moment, which served as his temporary residence. The warehouse was located in the outskirts of Haizhou, and it was a piece of land that Li Jianguo had bought in the past. He initially planned to build a villa there, but after hearing that Zhang Heng wanted a huge warehouse to serve as a laboratory base for his team, he decided to give the place to Zhang Heng for free.

Of course, Li Jianguo had no idea that the team that Zhang Heng referred to was none other than him.

Zhang Heng continued reading. As the Earth became unified, human life gradually became more comfortable. As the saying goes, 'When one is satisfied with warmth, one desires to have sex'. The human government also became more suicidal, and in 2208 A.D., a pair of explorers formed by the authorities went on an expedition to the Hekzulub crater in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

"If you're capable of doing interstellar travel, why are you still going to explore your own backyard?" Zhang Heng shook his head and grumbled, "What a waste of time. Look, something happened in the end, right?"

While exploring, the explorers discovered a black, tower-like artificial building by accident and named it 'Black Marker'. A man named Michael Ultman speculated that the Black Marker was left behind by aliens, as it contained human DNA codes. Furthermore, the Black Marker was able to establish mental connections with humans, which Ultman found to be related to human evolution.

"Ultman Mike, aren't you an alien? You're from the M78 Nebula, aren't you?" Zhang Heng continued to complain as he thought about it. "By the way, your guess is way too accurate. You're practically cheating!"

All of the explorers went insane after establishing a mental link with the Black Marker. Only Ultman, who was not a human, remained unscathed. He then went on to say that 'the power that causes hallucinations and insanity comes from the human brain itself', instead of the Black Marker… He believed that the defense mechanism initiated by the human brain in order to resist the mental influence of the Black Marker rendered people irrational.

Zhang Heng was rendered completely speechless. That dude was definitely a transmigrator. All the main characters in science fiction novels had a protagonist's halo of 'traveling from the future to the day before the apocalypse', and it looked like that dude was one of them. Otherwise, how could he know everything so well?

In the end, those who went insane saw the Black Marker as a gift from God, and those who didn't go insane were all killed. However, the Black Marker was able to regenerate the cells of dead bodies, turning them into some kind of monster called 'necromorph'.

Ultman eventually sank the Black Marker, the culprit, to the bottom of the ocean, never to be found again. However, he did leave behind some data regarding the Black Marker.

In 2314, human technology became even more advanced. The government secretly copied the data regarding the Black Marker and made a copy of the Black Marker using reverse engineering. However, the color of the Black Marker was red, which was why it was named the 'Red Marker'. However, the government also realized how dangerous the Black Marker was, so they secretly sent the Red Marker to another small planet. However, a series of incidents still happened.

However, while neither the games nor the comics stated that human civilization was destroyed by the 'Markers', Zhang Heng knew very well that, given that the Dead Space plane had become one of his quest objectives, that meant that the civilization of the Dead Space plane had definitely been wiped out. It was just that the games called 'Dead Space' were produced one after another, and they had yet to reach the episode where human civilization was destroyed.

…

"Main Quest officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

"Search complete. There are four planes worth exploring near the final plane."

"Plane A: Resident Evil plane. (option unavailable)"

"Plane B: Dead Space plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

"Plane C: Alien plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★"

"Plane D: Prototype plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

"What?"

Zhang Heng's eyes were still wide open at the moment as he mumbled to himself, "My physique is already quite good, but to the system, the difficulty rating between the Dead Space plane and the Alien plane has only dropped by half a star. The difficulty of the Prototype plane hasn't dropped at all, and the Resident Evil plane is still considered a valuable plane?"

"That's right. Please make your choice right away, host dude!" Yurianne waved her hand and urged.

"But, if the Resident Evil plane still belongs to a plane of value, why can't I choose it this time? Could it be…" Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes as his mind raced.

He recalled what Yurianne said before and jerked his head up. "Yurianne, didn't you once say something like 'the duration of missions is limited, but the number of times you can travel between planes is limitless'?"

"Yeah, why?" Yurianne asked, feeling puzzled.

"I get it now…" Zhang Heng wore a grin on his face. "The time limit for two main missions is three months. I've had my doubts about that for quite a while now and I've finally confirmed it. That is to say that I still have the right to go to other planes and do whatever I want in the three months between two main missions?"

"Bingo, correct answer!" Large amounts of ribbons burst out from behind Yurianne, making it look like she would be rewarded if she answered correctly. "You've finally found something, sir. I thought it would take you a long time to find it!"

"What happens when all four planes are completed?" Zhang Heng asked curiously.

"Your access will be upgraded then, sir, and a new plane will be opened."

"Will those old planes be shut down?" Zhang Heng asked the key question.

"No, it won't. As long as it's not during the duration of the main mission, all planes that have been explored can come and go as they please."

"I'm glad to hear that." Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief. "Well then, I'll choose the Dead Space plane now."

Yurianne turned around as soon as Zhang Heng made his choice and took on the appearance of a host. She then shouted excitedly, "Haha, the most exciting moment has come. The host dude has made yet another crucial choice!"

Deafening background music was heard at the same time. The lights behind Yurianne flickered and formed the background of a stage. Yurianne was standing on the stage, pointing at the sky and chanting loudly.

"The Flower of Life has been utterly destroyed and trampled. Nothing will change if you just keep praying. The peace of livestock is only due to cowardice. Hungry wolves would die for freedom!"

"Go, arrow burning with red lotus!"

22. Mission Begins

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered Dead Space plane. Begin scanning mission."

"Warning: Dead Space plane mission initiated. Main Quest: Acquire the 'Marker' DNA evolution code and remain sane under the mental influence of the 'Marker' until the mission is completed."

"Optional Quest: Acquire a 'Marker' and acquire all kinds of high-tech data that Earth doesn't have. For example, acquire data regarding 'Stasis', 'Stimulation', 'Protective Suit', 'Pulse Rifle', 'Outer Space Travel', 'matured reverse-engineering technology', and so on.

"Urgent Quest: Unknown."

"Quest Time: 72 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 36 hours. Failure Penalty: Host access reduced by one level."

Zhang Heng heard the prompt from the Dimensional Star system the moment he opened his eyes.

"Holy sh * *!" Zhang Heng felt like cursing right there and then. "You want me to do something under the influence of the Marker?"

There were a total of 12 Markers in the game, and they were divided into black and red colors. The pirated Chinese games translated them as' Corona ', and both of them referred to the same thing.

He had learned from the data provided by 'Dead Space' that regular humans would most likely be infected if they were to enter the range of the Marker's influence. Such infections were even more terrifying than biological infections caused by the T-Virus, as the Marker was responsible for infecting humans mentally. Once infected, the front part of the human brain would undergo some kind of mutation, which would lead to mental breakdowns. The Marker would then become some kind of necromorph that was neither human nor ghost, or something called a mutated dead body.

Names didn't matter. They were monsters that were countless times more difficult to deal with than zombies, and their numbers were definitely no less than that of zombies.

Zombies were just some kind of dead bodies that had only their instincts left behind after their brains died and their bodies continued to move about. However, things were different with necromorphs, as they were monsters that had truly mutated human genes. Furthermore, there were all kinds of them, with ranged and melee types included, offensive types included, and auxiliary types included. Some of the more powerful monsters were so powerful that even the lickers, tyrants, and other renowned monsters from Resident Evil had to step aside.

It would have been a near-death experience to run into those monsters alone, yet he had to move about within the mental influence of the Marker at the moment. He felt like he was being driven to his grave.

However, there was nothing he could do about that. The missions issued by the system were non-negotiable.

However, the prompts from the system were not over yet. The system continued to notify him, "Warning! Warning! Quest support system is limited by unknown radiation and is unable to function normally. Host, please take note."

Zhang Heng was stunned. Quest support system? Could it be Yurianne? Unknown radiation? Could it be the Marker?

Zhang Heng tensed up and tried to call Yurianne, but there was no response.

Helpless, Zhang Heng began checking his surroundings and found himself in a room made of metal. There were a lot of technological constructs in the room that he couldn't even read, and there was even a computer that was connected to a metal table.

However, his eyes lit up when he saw a cabinet that looked like it was made of green light.

That thing was the supply depot in the game that could provide players with all manner of upgraded items for fighting monsters, which was also known as the 'stores'. However, the human civilization in that plane was indeed advanced. Despite the civilization being gone, the power of electricity remained constant.

But then again, there was no way that there would be such a thing as killing monsters and dropping bullets in real life. As such, it was just a supply depot. Zhang Heng went up and pressed the button, and a 3D image appeared right away.

One of those images was a human image, with the English word 'construct' written on it. Zhang Heng put the backpack he was carrying on the floor and pushed one of the buttons. The cabinet before him opened right away, revealing an embedded platform that was just big enough for one person to stand on.

Zhang Heng was elated and went up to the cabinet, feeling rather uneasy. The door of the cabinet closed and countless mechanical arms began to move about on his body.

Zhang Heng walked out again about a minute later. His entire body was covered by a thin layer of black metallic material and there was a green fluorescent strip with energy on his back. That was the suit that the protagonist of the game wore, and it was a very powerful Earth Government Security Suit.

Zhang Heng took a closer look at the suit and found that he was able to move about without feeling like he was in trouble. He knew that the suit was extremely durable and completely sealed off. There were also a lot of support systems installed inside, making it an exoskeleton armor. The technology contained within the suit far exceeded that of the legendary mechas.

According to Zhang Heng's understanding of the suit, the suit consisted of air-pressure balance technology (capable of moving in a vacuum), quantum-stagnation technology (the ability to stagnate in-game, which could alter the flow of time around living beings and non-biological beings), psychokinesis technology (the stress capacity in-game, which could amplify mental power to move objects), exoskeleton technology (making one's strength and agility greater than that of regular people after putting them on), and other technologies like gravitational and self-repair technology.

All of those technologies were worlds apart from his own. Any single one of them would be enough to drive the entire world insane.

However, that suit of armor was far from enough. Due to the lack of technology, humans were unable to absorb all that technology. Zhang Heng needed to find the relevant technological data in order to be able to replicate that technology.

Due to having learned so much about the world, Zhang Heng knew very well what the suit was capable of. He looked at a glass of water on the table before him and tried to use his mind. A buzzing sound was heard and the glass of water flew before his eyes at a speed that was almost imperceptible to the naked eye before coming to a standstill.

That was what 'stress' meant in the game.

Zhang Heng was elated when he saw that ability. He then looked at the other ability that came with the suit, a skill called 'Stasis'.

The function of that ability was to slow down the speed of a living creature or non-biological creature, making it look like it was moving in slow motion. The game had no answer to what kind of working principles it was, but Zhang Heng deemed it an application of quantum technology.

Zhang Heng walked up to the workbench and began to figure out how to use the computer bit by bit. It was fortunate that the operation of the computer was very simple. The more advanced technology became, the simpler the operation became. Zhang Heng was able to confirm his location in just a few minutes—a military base located in the Americas on Earth.

However, the computer wasn't a core computer, and it couldn't be connected to the internet either. There was still a date and time, and the date shown at the moment was… May 2512.

Zhang Heng recalled for a bit. If he remembered correctly, that was six months to a year after 'Dead Space 3' was completed. He frowned at that thought and had a bad feeling all of a sudden. He asked Yurianne, "Is my current location within the vicinity of the Marker?"

However, Yurianne didn't appear and didn't even react.

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before recalling that Yurianne was no longer allowed to appear there. The difficulty of the mission had indeed been raised considerably.

The system had transported him directly to the inner reaches of the Umbrella Corporation back in the Resident Evil plane, where the T-Virus was easily accessible. Despite that, Zhang Heng had to go through two life-and-death situations before he was able to barely make it through. However, the difficulty of the mission this time was several times greater.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and wore a bitter expression. "Seems like this mission isn't going to be easy after all…"

23. Corpse Transformation

He found the map of the military base on his computer and committed the map to memory before leaving the room.

His current goal was not to find the Marker, but to go to the armory and data room first.

The armory provided him with weapons that would enable him to survive, and the data room was one of the objectives of his trip. While it was an optional mission, Zhang Heng hadn't been able to get his hands on the data regarding the G-Virus during the Resident Evil. He didn't want to miss out on the optional mission.

However, just like what happened in the Resident Evil plane, both the data room and the armory were of the highest value. As such, both the armory and data room were located at the bottommost floor of the base.

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched when he saw the number of floors in the base. The base was built in a basement, with the bottommost floor being 200 floors underground. His current location was near the entrance of the military base.

Zhang Heng was actually in a security room at the moment, which explained why there were security suits installed.

Zhang Heng felt lucky at that thought. A good start was half the way to success. Having the suit meant that his chances of survival had been halved. His only regret was that he was unable to find any weapons that he could use.

However, he was unable to rejoice after leaving the room.

A cold and sinister aura shrouded him as soon as he walked out of the guard room. There was a winding corridor with no end in sight outside the door, with rows of doors stretching all the way to the ends of his vision on both sides.

There was a dim light above his head every four to five meters. However, due to the low voltage, the light was very dim and he was only able to see about 50 meters ahead.

Zhang Heng was walking in the silent metal corridor at the moment. Every step he took caused an echo to echo in the air, making the corridor look even more empty and eerie. There were dark brown bloodstains everywhere, making the place look like a typical scene from a horror movie.

The weirdest thing was that there were bloodstains all over the place, yet there wasn't a single dead body to be seen. It was as if someone had taken all the dead bodies away.

Zhang Heng walked for about 100 meters before he saw a pair of metal doors with hollow glass panes. He was able to see the light from the doors through the glass panes, which were far brighter than the corridors.

Zhang Heng walked up to the door subconsciously and realized that the glass was frosted. He was only able to see light from the outside and nothing else. However, he was still able to see dark brown stains on the other side of the glass, as if someone had splashed a lot of dirty water on the glass.

However, what stood out the most was the hand-shaped stain on the glass. He was only able to make out the fingers on the glass, while the hand was stretched so long that it looked like someone had put their hand on it before slowly pulling it down.

Zhang Heng knew what the stains meant, of course. He took a deep breath and took two more steps before slowly pushing the door open.

The furnishings inside the door were all messed up and messy pieces of paper were scattered all over the floor. Some of the papers were covered in dark brown bloodstains. There was a huge electronic platform embedded in the wall at the very front.

He was able to tell from the furnishings that the room looked like a command room. Zhang Heng picked up the data and scanned through it, finding all records regarding the behavior of the Unity Sect.

The unified religion was an organization formed by the mental powers of the Markers, with the goal of dismantling the Earth Government and spreading the power of the Markers throughout the world. They worshipped the Markers as sacred objects, believing that sacred objects would be able to find the truth about life and the universe and bring eternal life to themselves.

Judging from the background of the game, the Unity Church had long gained the power to fight against the Earth Government. Many senior executives of the Earth Government were believers of the Unity Church. They would never have thought that it was the sacred object that they worshipped that brought humanity to the point of no return.

Zhang Heng sighed. That wasn't all there was to it. That was how the human mind worked. Where there were humans, there would be strife, greed, and ambition. Zhang Heng was no exception.

It was just like the most common prophecy found in wuxia novels: where there were people, there was jianghu.

However, that thought didn't last long. Zhang Heng realized that there was nothing he wanted in the room and prepared to leave.

However, as soon as he stood up, the sound of electrical circuits short-circuiting was heard above his head all of a sudden. The lights flickered violently at the same time.

What happened?

Zhang Heng was shocked and saw the lights flickering non-stop, making screeching sounds. There seemed to be a chill lingering in the midst of the flickering lights. The lights went out with a loud crack and the entire room was plunged into darkness.

Zhang Heng found himself in the dark. It was fortunate that his right eye had been modified by the Dimensional Star and gained night vision, or he would have been rendered completely blind.

If he had fought the necromorphs right from the start, he probably wouldn't have been so flustered. However, he hadn't seen a single dead body since the very beginning, let alone a necromorph, let alone a living being. Not even Yurianne was able to communicate with him.

The eerie lighting, the silent darkness, and the empty room were all typical horror movies. All of those weird factors were like a nightmare that kept charging at Zhang Heng. If it hadn't been for the experience with the world of Resident Evil that made him more daring, he wouldn't have been able to keep moving.

Yurianne suddenly appeared in his mind while he was sweating profusely.

"Yurianne, what are you doing here?" Zhang Heng was rather surprised. "Didn't you say that you were unable to contact me due to interference from the Marker?"

"Leave… right now…" Yurianne's image showed no signs of expression or movement, just standing there quietly. Furthermore, the image seemed to have been affected by some kind of radiation, causing it to blur for a bit and become clear for a bit. Zhang Heng heard the warning in between stutterings.

"Leave? Because there's danger here?" Zhang Heng asked, feeling baffled.

"Leave… at once…" Yurianne continued to repeat that line, her voice sounding like a recording device running out of battery. Even the tone of her voice became weird.

Zhang Heng gasped and a chill ran down his spine. His hairs stood on end and his entire body felt numb. While the high-tech suit that he was wearing was able to maintain his body temperature, beads of cold sweat still dripped down his back.

He didn't know if he was seeing things, but he felt an inexplicable sense of danger looming over him.

A shuffling sound was heard from outside the door at that moment, as if something was crawling on the floor. Zhang Heng looked up and stared at the door without blinking.

"Could it be a necromorph?"

A tinge of panic flashed across Zhang Heng's heart and he slowly took a few steps back. He only felt more at ease when he was pressed against the wall. However, that shuffling sound came to the door at that moment and he seemed to have realized something, causing the sound to stop.

Zhang Heng gulped and clenched his fist, waiting for that voice to enter. After all, the enemy was out in the open while he was out in the dark. If he were to take the initiative to attack, he would be seen as out in the open while the enemy was out in the dark.

It was like a competition of patience. The voice at the door was unable to hold itself back any longer and the door was slowly pushed open with a creak. A monster with a humanoid upper body and a tail on its lower body climbed in.

That monster looked like the snake monster found in the 'Calabash Brothers' book, but its tail was much shorter and smaller, as it was something that had evolved from a human's spine after death. At the end of its tail grew a weapon that looked like a scorpion's barb.

"That's a necromorph after all!" Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief instead. Fear stemmed from the unknown, and he felt less afraid after finding out what he was up against. He was currently in the dark, and most people wouldn't be able to find him. However, he had no idea how necromorphs were able to differentiate between humans and their own kind, so he needed to verify his speculations.

However, it seemed that the necromorph didn't rely on its vision to observe Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng hid in the dark and didn't manage to distract the creature from finding him. The necromorph hissed and crawled quickly towards him.

Zhang Heng didn't see any signs of the monster being able to pose a threat to him judging from its movements. However, when it got near him, the monster pounced on him like a predator pouncing on its prey.

"Huh?" Zhang Heng kicked the ground without giving it any thought, leaping up before the other party could reach his feet, stomping down hard at the same time.

"Gravity Amplification!" Zhang Heng controlled the boots beneath his feet to amplify the gravitational pull while he was still in midair. That was one of the abilities of the suit, as the protagonist's stomp in the game would be a lethal weapon even with that ability.

"Pfft!"

Zhang Heng felt a tremendous weight on his feet and the monster's back was crushed as easily as mud. However, the monster didn't seem to feel any pain at all. Its tail, which had evolved from its lower spine, shook slightly and drew a blur in the air before stabbing at Zhang Heng.

24. Crisis

Crack!

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly. He was able to catch a dart with his 0.032-second reaction speed, not to mention a stinger like that. He grabbed hold of the monster's tail and twisted hard, snapping the tailbone and causing the monster to scream.

It wasn't a game after all. There were only three ways to attack monsters in-game—shooting, stomping, and punching. However, Zhang Heng had countless ways to kill the monster. Furthermore, with the aid of the suit that looked like an exoskeleton armor, his power was enhanced four to five times over.

Large amounts of dark yellow mucus dripped onto the gloves of the suit. The monster wailed and died right after its tail was snapped. Zhang Heng felt rather disgusted and wiped his hands on the wall before quickly leaving the dark room.

Zhang Heng walked out of the room and only let out a sigh of relief when he returned to the corridor. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he found the place to be far more stifling than the Resident Evil plane. Furthermore, he kept feeling like he was being watched.

Zhang Heng felt rather speechless. He was in the Dead Space plane, not the Curse plane. Why was he feeling so terrified? He turned around and was surprised to find that the lights in the command room were turned on again after he went out.

Holy sh * *!

Zhang Heng cursed under his breath and didn't head back to the data room. He ran as fast as he could instead. He needed to find the data he needed as soon as possible and leave that eerie place completely.

Zhang Heng ran all the way to a fork in the road and took a cautious look in that direction. There seemed to be a black shadow flashing by in the dark forks, but he didn't check it out. It was either a human or a necromorph, and the possibility of the latter was higher.

However, it seemed that the black silhouette had no intentions of letting Zhang Heng go. Zhang Heng heard loud screeching noises from above him as he ran.

What the hell?

Zhang Heng stood still all of a sudden. He had checked the map of the military base before and found that the base was over 900 meters underground. The entire base was ring-shaped and there was a huge space in the middle. That place was completely sealed, with the goal of simulating a space battlefield in zero gravity.

At the moment, he was at the very top of the military base. What else could be above him?

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and fixed it on the ceiling. He was stunned when he saw the metal duct. "A ventilation duct?"

Zhang Heng heard the sound of metal being torn apart as that thought crossed his mind. His vision blurred as a tentacle-like creature about half a meter in diameter burst through the ventilation ducts and charged at him.

So fast!

Zhang Heng lunged forward without thinking, barely dodging the tentacle. However, the metal flooring behind him was blown apart, revealing the space on the next floor.

Such power!

Zhang Heng gasped and turned around to run. He simply didn't have the courage to fight back against such devastating power.

"That thing could move at the speed of a finger, and… that power that could tear steel plates apart in an instant. I can't believe there's such a powerful monster in the Dead Space!" Zhang Heng thought to himself as he ran. However, before he was able to shake off the tentacle on his back, he heard the sound of something rubbing against the ventilation duct before him.

Another one?

Zhang Heng felt like his soul was about to leave his body. The ventilation tubes began to twist and deform, as if there was a huge python struggling inside, trying to break free.

Zhang Heng ran as tentacles kept tearing out of the ventilation ducts. He was able to evade the attacks with his reflexes that far exceeded that of regular people, but that messed up his plans. The map that he had memorized in his mind was completely messed up and he had forgotten where he was at the moment.

Zhang Heng's breathing gradually became labored. Despite having a physique that surpassed that of a regular person after fusing with the T-Virus and having the support of the suit's power systems, he was still unable to withstand a marathon-like sprint. He began panting after running for only half an hour.

"Seems like I'll need more training after completing this mission."

However, no matter how tired and exhausted Zhang Heng was, he never once threw away his backpack. The losses he suffered from his last mission made him realize that supplies were still very important.

The sound of metal twisting was heard from behind him. Zhang Heng panicked and made another turn, but he stopped right there and then.

A huge tentacle extended out of the ventilation ducts in front of him and wiggled like an octopus. The massive force of the tentacle deformed the walls and filled up the entire corridor before him, making it impossible for him to get through.

Is it over?

Unwillingness was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. He turned around and saw a tentacle extending out from the ventilation duct behind him. He was immediately attacked from both sides.

Hold on! Zhang Heng smacked his head and cursed at himself for being such a fool. His suit had a quantum technology called 'Stasis'. He raised his hand and triggered the energy on the suit. A beam of dark blue light shot out in the very next second and crashed into the tentacle before him.

Shua!

All of a sudden, the tentacle's entire body turned dark blue, as if it had been plunged into a quagmire, yet also as if it was moving in slow motion, losing all of its previous nimbleness.

What a miraculous ability! Zhang Heng was elated, but when he looked at the energy gauge on the suit, he saw that the energy gauge had been reduced by about a quarter.

He could only use it three more times.

Zhang Heng's face paled yet again. Reality was not a game after all. Killing small monsters in-game would not only allow him to drop ammunition, but he could also drop power crystals as well. However, such a thing was impossible in real life, and he didn't even have a weapon.

Zhang Heng suppressed the fear in his heart and made his way through the gaps between the tentacles. The tentacles were unable to keep up with Zhang Heng's movements and simply allowed him to pass through the net of defense. It was only when Zhang Heng ran dozens of meters away that the 'stop' effect on the tentacles gradually subsided.

The tentacles seemed to have realized something after Zhang Heng broke through the encirclement and slowly retracted back into the ventilation ducts. Zhang Heng ran for over a kilometer again, still feeling scared, before he stopped for the time being. He bent over and rested his hands on his knees, panting hard.

Zhang Heng was very grateful for his mental fortitude at the moment. Despite having reached such a stage, he was still able to keep himself from having a mental breakdown. While he felt like he was being overly cautious, his will was still far stronger than it had been before he obtained the Dimensional Star.

"I guess I'm no longer considered a regular person before I know it…" Zhang Heng took a deep breath and pulled his mask back, revealing his face. He then took out a box of new Furongwang cigarettes with shaking hands and lit one up. It was only then that he was able to calm himself down.

Zhang Heng was a huge smoker, and the more nervous he got, the more he liked to smoke to calm himself down.

"I-I'm sorry. May I know which department you're from?" A soft voice was heard from behind him all of a sudden, just when Zhang Heng was feeling rather shocked.

"Who is it?" Zhang Heng was stunned and turned around at lightning speed. He saw that the door of a room behind him had opened at some point and the face of a western woman peeked out.

25. An Uneasy Feeling

"Relax. We're from the Earth Defense Force. My serial number is 45462." The woman behind the door walked out slowly. She was wearing the same Earth Security Suit as Zhang Heng, and there were four western men wearing the same suit behind her.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and asked, feeling puzzled, "Are you guys from this military base?"

"That's right. Who are you?" The woman wasn't surprised to see Zhang Heng's Asian face.

"I'm just a civilian." Zhang Heng shook his head and looked as if he was slowly relaxing, but he was actually very cautious. "Can any of you tell me what's going on right now? Where are the others in the base?"

"It's the power of the Marker," the woman said dejectedly. "The corruption of the Marker has corrupted the entire base. Countless people killed each other and turned into terrifying necromorphs after they died. They then killed almost everyone. We're the only ones who are immune to mental corruption and survived."

"Then why not seek help from the outside world?" Zhang Heng asked, feeling puzzled. However, he regretted asking that question right away. The Dimensional Star would only transport him to planes where civilization was destroyed. It was obvious that the plane known as Dead Space had long since fallen.

"Asking for help from the outside?" The woman looked at Zhang Heng with a puzzled look. "The Earth Government was destroyed by the 'Blood Moon' a year ago. There are only a handful of uninfected survivors hiding all over the world. How could there be any help?"

"Noted." Zhang Heng nodded. It was obvious that the man took him for a survivor.

It was no doubt a form of psychological comfort to be able to meet someone of his own kind. However, Zhang Heng had a feeling that something was off, yet he had no idea what was wrong.

The two of them chatted for a bit longer before Zhang Heng learned that the so-called 'Blood Moon' referred to the lifeform that was as huge as a planet in the third installment of the game, which was made up of countless necromorphs. It was the Marker that turned all humans around the world into necromorphs by infecting them, before absorbing and fusing them with the Blood Moon, which led to the collapse of human civilization.

Furthermore, as the Blood Moon hovered in orbit around Earth, the powerful tidal force caused a huge disaster on Earth. The outside world had long turned into an ice age, and only military bases with nuclear power generators could barely survive.

The five of them were currently in the military base's food stores, which had enough food to last them for decades.

"The outside world isn't safe. Only the barrier of the food stores will be able to keep the necromorphs at bay." The woman continued, "Now that you've found your way here, why don't you join us? All the places in the world combined wouldn't be as safe as this place."

Zhang Heng was dazed for a bit after hearing that. He was truly shaken at that moment.

The cooling down period of the Dimensional Star's teleportation mechanism was 36 hours, which meant that he would need to stay in that damned place for a day and more than 12 hours regardless of whether he was able to complete the mission or not. In actual fact, he was not confident that he could survive for even a day, let alone a day and a half.

However, when he recalled that there was still only 72 hours before the mission was completed, he knew that he couldn't afford to run away from danger. The fact that the Dimensional Star had set the mission up for 72 hours meant that the mission wasn't something that could be completed in 24 hours. He had spent 48 hours to complete the mission when he first went on an adventure in the world of Resident Evil. That was more than enough to show that while the system had some leeway for the host, it definitely wouldn't be too lax. Zhang Heng could afford to waste a small amount of time, but he definitely couldn't afford to waste more than two days to take advantage of the loopholes.

Zhang Heng suppressed his urge to run away at that thought and rejected her offer without hesitation. "I'm sorry, but I have things to do."

Zhang Heng thought for a bit and asked again, "Since you guys are from the base, you should know about the Marker, right? Such as the DNA evolution code or something. Where do you keep all that stuff?"

"You're going to the Marker?" The woman couldn't help but look at Zhang Heng in surprise. "There is indeed a Marker in the base, but that's top-secret. Only General Floran knew where it was stored, and he took that secret to hell a long time ago."

Zhang Heng shook his head regretfully and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" The woman couldn't help but take two steps forward. "While 99 percent of all the necromorphs in the world have been absorbed by the Blood Moon, there are still remnants roaming about. There are hundreds of them in this base alone!"

"I have something I need to do." Zhang Heng didn't turn around and continued walking into the darkness.

"We'll go with you!" The sound of footsteps was heard from behind him, and the woman actually caught up with him quickly. He turned around in surprise and found that it wasn't just the woman, but the other four people had followed as well.

"Why are you guys following me?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze, feeling that something was off even more. However, when he thought about it, he found nothing.

"I'd rather go with you to the Marker instead of just hanging on to my last breath. I assume that you'd want to destroy the Marker, right? Only by destroying all the Markers in the world would we be able to be saved." The woman's expression was resolute as she extended her hand. "My name is Angelina. May I know your name?"

"Zhang Heng." Zhang Heng didn't tell her his true intentions. He simply shook hands with her casually and walked right at the front.

The lighting in the corridor was dim and eerie. The dark rooms at the side looked like the mouths of demons opening wide, as if they were about to eat someone up at any moment. However, with a companion by his side, Zhang Heng should have felt more at ease.

However, the truth was that not only did Zhang Heng not feel at ease, he became even more vigilant. For some reason, there was a lingering sense of unease in his heart, as if he had overlooked something very important, something that concerned his life and death.

The woman named Angelina was completely covered in exoskeleton armor. Despite that, her voluptuous figure was still very eye-catching. Coupled with the sexy face that was unique to western women, it was obvious that she was a typical western beauty.

Zhang Heng took a good look at the young man and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with him, which puzzled him. What had he overlooked?

"The emergency lift is right up ahead. It's capable of reaching deep underground as quickly as possible. The way I see it, something as secretive as the Marker should be at the bottom of the base," Angelina pointed at the door in front of them and said after walking for about half an hour.

Zhang Heng nodded. His mission was no different from that of the Resident Evil plane, where he went to look for relevant data in the data room. The data room and armory in the military base were both located at the bottommost floor of the base, which was no different from looking for the Marker.

However, just when he was about to enter the elevator, he paused and hesitated.

26. Breaking

"What's wrong?"

Angelina couldn't help but ask when she saw Zhang Heng standing at the door of the elevator in a daze.

"We can't take the elevator!" Zhang Heng frowned deeply.

"Why? Are you going to walk down the stairs instead of taking the elevator?" Angelina asked.

"We can't take the stairs either." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "There's too little room for maneuver in those two places. If we run into those octopus-like necromorphs, we're dead meat."

"But, if we don't get down from here, how are we supposed to get to the bottom of the base?"

"I remember the map of the military base. If I remember correctly, there should be a huge hole about a kilometer in diameter at the center of the base, right?"

"That's right. That's the simulated space combat training ground. The entire base is ring-shaped, designed to wrap around that training ground."

"Well then, how about we head straight to the deepest part of the base from the training ground?" Zhang Heng asked.

Angelina was unable to do anything to Zhang Heng in the end and had no choice but to take him to the training ground. It had to be said that the military base was simply too huge, making it look like a small city with a very complex structure. One could only see steel doors flying past them as they walked in, and every scene looked very similar, as if they had fallen into a maze.

One could see dried, dark-red bloodstains in the passageways all the time. The dark lighting made the scene look like a typical horror movie.

Zhang Heng kept his guard up throughout the entire journey, fearing that a necromorph would suddenly pop up out of nowhere. Not only that, but he also had to split some of his attention to keep an eye on Angelina, looking very wary.

Angelina's breathing became increasingly labored after about three to four hours. She wasn't the only one who felt tired, as did Zhang Heng. It was different from walking normally. Zhang Heng had to tense every inch of his muscles in such a perilous environment and put his guard up as high as possible. If he didn't do that, a necromorph might emerge from some corner and snap everyone's necks in the very next second.

However, he found it rather strange that he hadn't found a single necromorph in the past several hours, as if they had all disappeared without a trace.

"Shouldn't we get some rest?" Angelina sighed and said at that moment. "Maintaining sufficient energy is the number one priority in survival. If we were to keep going like this, we'd probably collapse from exhaustion before reaching the training ground. I assume you wouldn't be fighting necromorphs with your exhausted body, would you?"

"I agree." Zhang Heng nodded and pulled open the door of a nearby room without saying anything. The words' hostel 'were written in English on the door of the room, and the room was pitch-black inside.

Zhang Heng activated his night vision without making a sound. He was able to confirm the safety of the door as soon as he opened it. There were no necromorphs in the room, only a few pools of dried, blackened blood on the ground.

It was a soldier's dormitory.

It was estimated that no human had been able to enter the place after being infected by the Marker. The beds in the hostel gave off a damp, moldy smell. Some of the beds were not even folded and looked very messy, recounting the calamity that happened one year ago.

Zhang Heng checked his surroundings after entering the room. He went from the bottom of the bed to the drawers and found no signs of danger, yet he found no leads either.

Zhang Heng was feeling very tired at the moment. Not only was he physically exhausted, but he was also mentally exhausted as well. Dense stress over a prolonged period of time could easily lead to exhaustion. While his body had been modified by the T-Virus, he was still a regular human after all.

"Zhang Heng, you're really too tired. We'll be the ones keeping watch from here on out. Get some sleep." Angelina and the others followed him in and couldn't help but smile when they saw Zhang Heng resting on his bed.

"Alright, I'll leave the rest to you." Zhang Heng wore a wary expression as he walked to the bed closest to the center of the room and laid down before closing his eyes.

Zhang Heng had no intentions of just falling asleep right away. While Angelina was a human, there was no way he could prove that she wouldn't cut his neck while he was sleeping. While she had no intentions of attacking him, there was no way Zhang Heng would actually think that she had no ulterior motives. The fact that she was following him without any ulterior motives was more than enough to put him on guard.

Zhang Heng extended all of his senses the moment he closed his eyes. If someone were to approach him at that moment, he would be able to detect them immediately, even with his eyes closed.

He had acquired that ability after injecting himself with the T-Virus. The purpose of the T-Virus was to develop perfect creatures, which meant that it was necessary to enhance one's perception and premonition.

But… why did he keep feeling uneasy? What was it that he had overlooked?

Zhang Heng closed his eyes and thought about it, replaying everything that had happened since he came to the Dead Space plane. However, no matter how hard he searched, he was unable to find anything that he had overlooked.

He didn't know how much time passed, but he felt as if someone was approaching him in his dazed state. He opened his eyes all of a sudden and found Angelina sitting by his bed, looking rather dazed.

"Zhang Heng, do you think I'm pretty?" Angelina said something unexpected.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and didn't answer, only feeling even more wary.

"Don't bury your desires deep down. Human civilization has collapsed. Morals and ethics are no more. If you want, I can…"

Angelina pushed some button at that moment and the suit that she was wearing fell off quickly, revealing her flawless body.

Zhang Heng gasped and felt a fire burning in his chest at the same time. He scanned his surroundings without thinking and found no one around.

"No need to look. The four of them have given the place to us." Angelina chuckled and slowly lowered herself. Her shiny blonde hair was plastered on Zhang Heng's face, making his heart itch.

Perhaps, it wouldn't hurt to just let loose for once…

Zhang Heng's gaze wavered for a bit. He slowly raised his hand and reached for the topmost part of her body. However, he seemed to realize something all of a sudden and his expression changed drastically, pushing her to the ground.

"What happened to you, Zhang Heng?" Angelina's reddened face paled as she asked in disbelief.

Zhang Heng was stunned as well. He lowered his head and looked at his hands with a dazed look in his eyes. He felt his heart palpitate all of a sudden, as if something very bad was about to happen to him if he were to sink into his own desires. He shook his head without saying anything.

However, the weird thing was that Angelina didn't pursue the matter further. She simply stood up without making a sound and left the room, as if everything that happened before was just an illusion.

…

The night passed uneventfully and Zhang Heng rested for about 10 hours before continuing on his way. About a day had passed since he arrived at the Dead Space plane.

They walked for several more hours before a huge window made of reinforced glass took the place of the wall in front of them. When they looked out of the window, all they saw was darkness.

"This is the simulated space training ground, a huge hole about a kilometer in diameter. It's completely sealed, and it maintains a vacuum inside, just like how it is in space without gravity," Angelina introduced.

Zhang Heng walked up to her and looked at the bottomless darkness outside the window without responding.

He didn't know why, but he kept feeling as if he was in a dream after coming to this plane. He kept feeling like he had overlooked something, yet when he thought about it in detail, it felt like sand at the tip of his finger, making it impossible to grasp.

Wait, darkness?

A thought came to his mind all of a sudden and he stopped in his tracks right away, breaking out in cold sweat.

"What now?" Angelina asked with concern.

Zhang Heng didn't answer. He turned around slowly and found that the four western men who were supposed to be right behind him had disappeared without a trace.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted as if a bolt of lightning flashed in his mind and he was suddenly enlightened.

He immediately turned around and found that Angelina, who had been by his side, had disappeared without a trace as well.

So that's how it is!

27. Blood Moon Arrives

A look of realization flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes. He had felt a sense of unease the moment the two of them met. However, due to being influenced by the Marker, some details in his mind were sealed away by the Marker. As such, he was only able to sense that something was off, but he was unable to figure out what was wrong when he thought about it.

The weird thing that happened then was that… Angelina spoke Chinese.

That was what made Zhang Heng feel that something was off. Despite being a westerner, she was able to speak fluent Mandarin like a chinese. Furthermore, while she was fluent in Chinese, that didn't mean that the four people behind her knew how to speak Chinese as well.

However, Angelina had been the one communicating with Zhang Heng all along, yet the four behind her acted like puppets, not daring to raise any doubt. How was that possible?

As such, that was the greatest flaw of the Marker.

That flaw became even more apparent after that. Zhang Heng had no recollection of the four people behind him at all, as if they were background characters with no sense of presence at all. More importantly, he was unable to detect anything out of the ordinary with the four people behind him, as if he knew that the four of them didn't exist. It was only when he recalled that he had four other teammates and turned around to look that he realized that the four of them were standing quietly behind him.

However, while those flaws were easily detectable, due to the influence of the Marker, Zhang Heng was only able to instinctively sense that something was off, yet it felt like he was dreaming and he was unable to figure out what was going on with the logic of normal people.

It was just like how it was difficult for people to realize that they were dreaming when they were dreaming.

What truly woke him up was the greatest flaw of the Marker—his right eye had been modified by the Dimensional Star and had long gained the ability to see through darkness. However, when he looked through the glass at the training ground, all he saw was darkness. That was what made him truly understand—

He had been caught in the Marker's illusions ever since he entered the plane.

Zhang Heng felt his entire body go limp at that thought. The Marker had set up two traps for him in total. The first one was when he first encountered it. Angelina had told him that she had a shelter that would enable people to survive. Regular people would have probably agreed to such terms. After all, in a terrifying world filled with necromorphs, a place where there was no danger and no food to be found was like heaven.

It was a pity that the Marker had no idea that Zhang Heng was not a human from that plane. As such, the trap came to nothing.

Then came the second trap, which was called 'seduction'. It was fortunate that Zhang Heng was able to resist the seduction last night and kept his guard up against Angelina from the very beginning. Otherwise, he would have only fallen deeper into the illusions of the Marker, eventually leading to his mental breakdown, mental breakdown, and suicide.

If that was the case, then why did he run into so many necromorphs when he first entered the plane, yet all of them disappeared without a trace after running into Angelina? All of those questions were easily answered.

That was because Zhang Heng had only been dreaming from the very beginning. Be it the necromorph from before or the octopus that was able to get into the ventilation ducts, none of them existed.

Those necromorphs had long been absorbed by the Blood Moon. The entire planet had long been reduced to a dead, lifeless planet.

However, it was fortunate that while the Marker had the ability to induce hallucinations and even kill itself, its intelligence was definitely not as advanced as that of humans. While it was able to set traps for humans, it was unable to set up illusions completely flawless.

One could tell from Angelina that her design was indeed very lifelike. However, after designing Angelina, it was unable to deepen its influence on Zhang Heng and make the remaining four men look very lifelike. As such, the four western men looked like puppets without a trace of presence.

Zhang Heng looked at the training ground again after figuring everything out. He saw that it wasn't pitch-black inside the huge observation window, but bright as day.

A huge spherical plaza was seen outside the window, but the roof of the training ground was opened by some unknown force, making it completely weightless.

Sunlight shone through the skylight and shone into the deepest part of the training ground. The place was in ruins and there were even plants like weeds growing all over the place. There was a huge artificial construct about 20 meters tall and five meters in diameter standing proudly in the middle of the ruins.

The building had a very eerie design, consisting of two long, black strands that twisted and coiled around each other. Zhang Heng could see some kind of weird runes that he had never seen before on the black strands, which were definitely not writings from Earth.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but burst out laughing when he saw that eerie building. That building was the source of everything that happened in the Dead Space plot.

Black Marker!

It was no wonder that the space combat training ground that Zhang Heng saw was pitch-black when he was hallucinating. That was because the Marker was there in the first place. To protect him, it definitely couldn't allow Zhang Heng to discover its presence. However, the Marker probably never would have thought that such a move would allow Zhang Heng to see through the Marker's illusions and escape its mental control.

Zhang Heng was able to relax right away after figuring everything out. While the Marker had the ability to think, it had yet to reach the level of an intelligent lifeform. It was still too immature when compared to the complex humans. The illusions it designed relied entirely on suppressing the ability to think to achieve its objectives. Such illogical illusions might drive regular people to insanity or commit suicide due to being unable to withstand the illusions, but those with stronger willpower would be able to resist such illusions.

That was why the protagonist was able to maintain his sanity and destroy the Marker on his own in both the animation and games.

However, his plan to use the space combat training ground to reach the bottom of the military base was no doubt foiled. A skylight had been opened on the training ground, making it impossible to maintain weightlessness even if the base's energy system was still running. As such, he had no choice but to take the elevator or the stairs to reach the bottom of the base.

As such, he had no choice but to give up on the plan and return to the elevator he was in before. However, he suddenly frowned when he found the elevator that led to the bottom floor. The elevator he found didn't have access to floors below 100.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to press the button for the 100th floor below the bottom. All those who reached the 100th floor below the bottom required special access to proceed further.

The doors of the elevator slowly closed and an English voice was heard at the same time. The speaker was asking the passengers to stand properly before a sense of weightlessness was felt and the elevator descended at a speed of four to five meters per second.

Every floor of the military base was at least four to five meters tall, with the 100th floor being 500 meters deep. It would take about two minutes for the elevator to reach the 100th floor.

Zhang Heng took the opportunity to think about his mission again. He still found it rather strange. While the mission was fraught with dangers, the mission was still rather simple. Could it be that the mission given by the Dimensional Star system was really only dangerous due to illusions?

Zhang Heng quickly realized that he had made a grave mistake.

Just when he stepped out of the elevator, he heard thunderous rumbling from beneath his feet all of a sudden. A prolonged, ringing sound was heard from afar as well, which sounded rather out of place.

The humming sound gradually got closer and the vibration became stronger. Zhang Heng couldn't help but pick at his ears. He felt as if his ears were stuffed with something invisible, making him feel very uncomfortable.

"The atmospheric pressure is rising?" Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and thought about it for a few seconds. He seemed to have recalled something and looked up.

The ceiling above his head was made of alloy, so there was no way he could see anything. However, his expression was extremely glum at the moment. He cursed under his breath and changed his cautious attitude from before, dashing for the stairway like a madman.

Zhang Heng was wearing the security suit at the moment, which meant that his mobility far exceeded that of his usual agility. He was able to take more than a dozen steps in a single step, and with the buffer provided by the security suit, he was able to take over a dozen steps in a second and reach the next floor in just two seconds.

However, an earth-shattering rumble was heard before Zhang Heng made it to the hundreds or even tens of floors below. The entire military base began to shake right after that, as if an earthquake that was more than a dozen stories high had just happened.

The Blood Moon had to be the Blood Moon!

The so-called Blood Moon was an amalgamation of countless human lifeforms on Earth that relied on the Marker. Its diameter could reach hundreds of kilometers, making it look like a small planet. It was due to its massive mass that the tidal force from Earth was triggered, causing all lifeforms on Earth to go extinct.

Of course, the Blood Moon, which was as huge as the moon, would never come to Earth in person. They would at most hover in low-Earth orbit like satellites, and their attacks could be seen from the Dead Space 3 games. They would drop tentacles from space, flattening everything on the ground like moving mountains.

The atmospheric pressure generated before it even descended was enough to tear the atmosphere apart and cause the entire continental shelf to shake.

It was apparent that Zhang Heng took the elevator to get close to the Black Marker, which triggered the Black Marker's retaliation. In order to protect itself, the Black Marker even took control of the Blood Moon and attempted to kill the intruder in a suicidal manner.

28. Return

Just how destructive could a tentacle from the Blood Moon be?

Zhang Heng had no idea about that, but judging from the Blood Moon's size, a tentacle was at least tens of kilometers in diameter. A single tap on the ground would flatten the entire military base, turning it into a huge metal pancake.

Intense quakes were heard all over the place at that moment. Zhang Heng was unable to even stand still. The reinforced bulletproof glass that was tens of centimeters thick was shattered on the observation window outside the massive training ground.

Deafening sounds of metal twisting were heard from the top of the military base at the same time. Zhang Heng knew without thinking that the tentacle of the Blood Moon was probably within reach.

He made up his mind at that thought and decided not to look at the stairs of the safe passage any longer. Instead, he dashed and stabbed at the shattered window.

Zhang Heng kicked the ground as soon as he got to the window and shot out like an arrow, heading straight for the training ground of the space fighters.

Zhang Heng had only gotten to the 190th floor below ground level and was still 50 meters away from the bottom of the training ground.

Regular people would have been dead for sure if they were to jump from a height of over 50 meters. It was just that, given that Zhang Heng had been injected with the T-Virus solution before, and the exoskeleton armor that he was wearing, he wondered if he would be able to withstand a freefall of 50 meters.

Zhang Heng was able to calm himself down while he was still in midair. He even looked up and saw a huge crimson creature with an eyeball at the tip of its head covering the sun and moon, charging at the base like a pillar that held up the heavens. Countless alloys and steel were torn apart as soon as the creature made contact with the base.

First floor! Second floor! Third floor!

One floor after another was reduced to dust by the huge tentacle. Countless pieces of concrete and steel sprayed out of the window like cans being squeezed together, splattering all over Zhang Heng's head, creating an indescribably magnificent scene.

Zhang Heng's legs hit the ground hard in the very next second. The exoskeleton hydraulic pressure gauge at his joints made a painful, metallic sound as it twisted. He then put his hands on the ground and felt his body shudder, as if his entire body was about to fall apart. The floor beneath his feet cracked at the same time, revealing a narrow and deep crevice.

Zhang Heng resisted the intense pain from both his arms and legs and straightened himself right away. He didn't even bother looking at the Blood Moon Tentacle that was just inches away from him and accelerated to the front of the Marker.

"Right, time!" Zhang Heng recalled something extremely important the moment he arrived before the Black Marker. That was… 36 hours had passed since he arrived at the Dead Space plane.

According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, when Zhang Heng first entered the Resident Evil plane, the cooldown of the Dimensional Star was 48 hours. He was given internship access back then, and his access was upgraded to Level E. The cooldown of the Dimensional Star was reduced to 36 hours after completing the mission.

So, just how much time had passed?

Zhang Heng's face turned pale right away. He dared not imagine what would happen if the cooldown time for the teleportation was not up yet. There was simply no way he could leave this world.

Furthermore, while he was unable to find any data regarding the DNA evolution code, he was able to see the runes on the Black Marker. Did that count as having obtained the DNA evolution code?

How was he supposed to bring such a massive Marker into reality? Could it be that he would only need to touch it with his hand?

All those thoughts came to mind in an instant. Zhang Heng looked up again and saw that the tentacle of the Blood Moon that blotted out the sun had destroyed the floors above the 100th floor. Countless pieces of concrete and steel were falling from the huge hole above him. It would only take him a few seconds to be completely buried underground.

Zhang Heng gritted his teeth at that thought and looked indignant. He held onto the Black Marker with one hand and shouted at the same time,

"Dimensional Star, return!"

Zhang Heng's eyes were about to pop out of his skull. A huge piece of concrete came crashing down at the very next second, crashing into the spot where Zhang Heng was standing with a deafening rumble.

…

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Dead Space plane mission complete. Main Quest: Acquire the 'Marker' DNA evolution code and remain sane under the mental influence of the 'Marker' until the end. Main Quest complete."

"Optional Quest: Acquire a 'Marker'—Optional Quest Completed."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown—No Urgent Quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: Dead Space mission completed. Host access progress is now at Level E. Current access: E."

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes.

He was still in danger of being smashed into a meat pie a second ago, but he was back to reality in the very next second. The extreme differences made Zhang Heng's mind go blank.

In reality, he knew that he had survived the moment he heard the Dimensional Star's voice. He didn't die in that damned plane.

He turned around in a rather dazed manner and found himself sitting before a computer table in the warehouse. He had been in that position right before he was teleported.

That place was the huge warehouse given to him by Li Jianguo. Other than the suit that he was wearing becoming a security suit for the Earth Government, nothing else seemed to have changed. It was as if he had been sitting there the entire time without moving.

But then again, what was that wall beside him?

Zhang Heng couldn't help but look up and saw that the pitch-black wall was over 20 meters tall and was about to burst through the ceiling of the warehouse. Countless mysterious and baffling writings were carved on the wall. He came to his senses in the very next second and his expression changed drastically.

"Holy sh * *!"

What kind of wall was that? That was the Black Marker he brought back from the Dead Space plane!

It was fortunate that he had teleported inside the warehouse before he was teleported. If he had been in a rented apartment, the entire building would have probably been squashed by the Black Marker.

However, all of that was secondary. What truly frightened Zhang Heng was that the thing was a superweapon capable of destroying the world. If there were to be a dead body near the warehouse at that moment, the necromorphs found in Dead Space would have completely appeared in real life.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but break out in cold sweat. However, Yurianne's childlike voice was heard in his mind again in the very next second. "Deng, deng, deng! Yurianne is back again! I didn't expect you to actually complete the mission, host dude. I thought you'd be demoted or even killed, host dude."

The image of a 2D demon little girl appeared on Zhang Heng's right retina as soon as the voice was heard. Yurianne seemed very excited as she spun around and sprinkled flower petals above her head, looking very elated.

"It's you?" Zhang Heng frowned. "What happened before? Why did you disappear after entering the Dead Space plane?"

"It's the interference from the Marker's magnetic field." Yurianne waved her hand dismissively. "The Marker's magnetic field clashes with that of the Dimensional Star. While it's unable to do anything to the Dimensional Star, the combination of the two would cause irreparable damage to your brain. As such, according to the rules, the Dimensional Star shut Yurianne down. As such, Yurianne had no choice but to wait until the mission was completed before meeting you, sir!"

Zhang Heng nodded. That was what he thought as well, but he was still doubtful and asked, "What about now? The Marker is with me. Wouldn't that affect things?"

"The Marker has been shut down by the Dimensional Star." Yurianne chuckled and continued, "The Marker in a dormant state is nothing more than a sculpture. It would only be able to generate a magnetic field capable of affecting the human psyche when activated again."

Zhang Heng couldn't help but marvel at how powerful the Dimensional Star was. The Dead Space's historical background was recorded in the 26th century, and it was decades ahead of Earth's current technological advancement. Despite all that, it was still destroyed by the Marker. The fact that the Dimensional Star was able to shut down the Marker so easily was something that no one knew how many streets the Marker had traveled.

29. Meme Technology

Zhang Heng shook his head and didn't say anything else to Yurianne.

It was only then that he had the time to take a good look at the Marker. Zhang Heng placed his hand on the huge sculpture and felt that it was icy cold. The material of the Marker looked like metal, with two long, helix-shaped strands twisted around each other at 270 degrees, forming a sculpture in the shape of a mountain. The densely packed symbols on the sculpture looked like a mixture of cuneiform and hieroglyphic, making it look like a huge piece of artwork that was more than enough to shock the eyes.

The Marker was a wireless transmitter created by a high-end civilization and possessed the ability to affect biological psyche and DNA. The creator of the Marker had placed it on planets that could produce civilizations. If civilizations were to appear on those planets, the Marker would be discovered one day.

At the same time, the design of the Marker made it extremely easy to replicate, as every single fragment contained complete information. The illusion that the Marker was receiving energy would be deemed by the species on the planet to possess unlimited power, and they would begin to attempt to replicate the Marker. As such, there were 13 replicas made by humans.

The Marker was capable of affecting the minds of living beings. Humans would be subjected to such interference as showing signs of depression and other mental illnesses before eventually killing each other. Furthermore, after death, the Marker would also affect the cells to turn humans into monsters called necromorphs. The Marker would then begin to converge and assimilate at the appropriate time, forming a Blood Moon, waiting for the Creator to recycle resources.

That was the ultimate story behind the series of plots in the Dead Space, which was also the true purpose of the Marker.

Zhang Heng recalled all that data in detail and asked, feeling puzzled all of a sudden, "The Marker is indeed very powerful, but what's the point of the mission given by the Dimensional Star? Could it be that the Marker has other uses?"

"The Marker is actually a quantum computer, and the ability to create illusions is only its initial function. Its greatest function is to create virtual space technology, and at the same time, it relies on the runes on it. There is also a small amount of meme technology that could mess with the DNA of dead bodies by ignoring logic, reviving the dead and triggering genetic mutations."

A huge poster of the Marker appeared behind Yurianne out of nowhere. She then transformed into a researcher wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses and a white lab coat, pointing the pointer at the poster as she answered in a serious manner.

"Quantum computer?" Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. "So, the Marker could actually work for me?"

"Bingo, correct answer!" Yurianne chuckled and continued, "The Marker possesses an AI that is about 10 to 15 years old, and its computing power is billions of times higher than that of the world's most advanced computers. Its technology is hundreds of years above that of this world."

"I get it, but there's still something I don't get." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Why is the mission this time about getting the DNA evolution code on the Marker? Are the symbols on the Marker more important than the Marker itself?"

"Yurianne said so herself. The Marker also contains some of the more basic meme technology, which allows it to ignore logic and mess with the DNA of dead bodies. That is the most powerful function of the Marker. Compared to that function, computing, creating illusions, and so on are all trash."

"What is meme technology? Isn't the so-called meme the law of transmission? Why is there technology involved?" Zhang Heng was stunned. He had been overjoyed when he heard about the function of the Marker, but he didn't pay much attention to Yurianne's explanation afterward. It was only then that he realized that the so-called meme technology was the most valuable technology in the Marker.

"Meme technology is like biotechnology, electronic technology, mechanical technology, and so on. It's considered a part of science. However, the most different thing about meme technology is that it's counter-intuitive."

"Anti-logic?"

"You have to know that all technology has its own logic. Take biotechnology, for example. Creating a clone using biotechnology, causing two identical people to exist in the world, is there no logic to such a thing? No, that's something that could be done by science, so there is logic to it," Yurianne explained in detail, while urgent background music played in Zhang Heng's mind.

"Modine technology, on the other hand, has no logic to it. You have no idea why that string of symbols could alter the DNA of dead bodies, but you do know that it could. That is what meme technology is."

"But how would the ancients know that biotechnology could create clones? If we were to classify them in such a manner, wouldn't biotechnology become meme technology to the ancients?" Zhang Heng asked.

"No way." Yurianne waved her petite hand and took a deep breath before continuing, "Let's put it another way. Do you know anything about genes?" She continued before waiting for Zhang Heng to nod, "Memes and genes are similar, both spread through replication and mimicry. Memes are like some kind of information that could spread through all kinds of mediums, something that no other technology could achieve."

Yurianne couldn't help but sigh when she saw that Zhang Heng still looked like he had no idea what was going on. "Well then, Yurianne, give me an example."

"There was once a human plane that was destroyed and an archeological sculpture was dug out before it was destroyed. That sculpture looked rather abstract and no one could tell what era the sculpture was from. Furthermore, the time of its construction was unknown, its purpose unknown, and the author unknown."

"People didn't pay much attention to the sculpture at first. However, after the archeological team took the sculpture for themselves, the people from the archeological team began to talk about the sculpture, intentionally or otherwise. They discussed how the sculpture would work and how the sculpture would look so artistic and beautiful."

"However, as time passed, the minds of those people seemed to have been bewitched by the sculpture. Everyone went crazy and tried to describe the sculpture's appearance to others. As for the person who listened to the description, as long as they heard the sculpture's appearance, size, or data, they would be influenced by the sculpture and continue to describe the sculpture to others. Eventually, the entire plane was destroyed under such circumstances."

Zhang Heng was stunned by what he heard. "There's actually such a thing? Is this some kind of mental virus? It's like a computer being infected with some kind of virus, infecting other computers over again, before finally being done for?"

"If there was a medium that could spread matter and spread matter, it would be considered a mental virus. Virus transmission would definitely require the virus itself, air, blood, and all manner of other mediums to spread. But what about that sculpture? There's nothing there, no source of transmission, and no medium to spread. It's completely illogical." Yurianne chuckled evilly. "You get it now, dude?"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but fall into deep thought. So, that was the Meme? It wasn't that he didn't believe it, but the explanation of the Meme was something that went beyond scientific principles and reached the level of 'belief'.

"Of course, memes aren't necessarily capable of altering human DNA, destroying worlds, and other functions," Yurianne continued. "It's just like how there is no good or evil in a weapon, but the key is how the wielder is. The concept of 'memes' has begun to emerge in your world, but it's still in its most basic stage and you haven't truly understood the power of memes yet. It would take at least 500 years or more to reach the point where you could use memes."

"Well then, is there a way to solve the problem of meme attacks?" Zhang Heng's expression became very serious. If such an attack were to truly exist, then the likes of bacteria, viruses, and even nuclear weapons would be nothing compared to meme weapons.

There was no bloodshed or slaughter. All it took was a single piece of information to destroy human civilization. That was simply… the work of a god!

"There's definitely a solution to the memes," Yurianne answered affirmatively. "That would be to use the anti-memes to solve the problem easily. Take that sculpture for example. If someone from that plane were to develop another memes that would allow everyone to forget the data of that sculpture, wouldn't that phenomenon be resolved soon?"

"So, you're saying that only memes can be used against memes?" Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin. That was as good as saying nothing.

"No, meme isn't invincible. No matter how heaven-defying a meme is, it's still considered a form of science. There is philosophy above science. For example, the classification of causality in philosophy. If you were to use karmic weapons, you could even 'file', 'modify', and 'delete' your meme. The existence of meme in your meme would be like child's play to you."

"There are classifications to modes as well. In terms of functional usage, they are divided into 'modes with a solution' and 'modes without a solution'. Some modes would fail after being activated once, some would have limitations on what they affect, and some would not be able to affect humans at all. All of those are known as' modes with a solution '. Modes are further divided into' single modes', 'multiple modes', 'phenomenal modes', and so on, depending on how spread they are. Modes with a single module have no propagation capacity and can only affect a single material. As for the phenomenon modes, they are very powerful. The theoretical range of the phenomenon modes is limitless."

Huge amounts of knowledge that Zhang Heng had never heard of before came pouring out of Yurianne's mouth like a torrent of beans. Zhang Heng was utterly baffled, and eventually, he simply waved his hands and said, "Alright, alright. We'll talk about that later. Now, would you mind asking if I could change the programming of the Marker? At the very least, I'd be able to make use of the Marker."

"Of course. The Dimensional Star Research System is designed to assist the host in scientific research. Modifying a technological construct like the Marker would be no problem at all."

"What should I do then?" Zhang Heng was elated to hear Yurianne's confirmation.

"Given the current level of technological advancement in the host plane, the only way would be to customize special equipment. The tools required would be…" A huge amount of technical data was sent into Zhang Heng's brain through the Dimensional Star as he said that, and he realized what was happening right away.

So many materials were needed and a supercomputer was needed to serve as the Marker's information converter?

Zhang Heng was dumbfounded.

The phone on the computer table rang at that moment and Zhang Heng had no choice but to stop talking to Yurianne for the time being. He opened the phone and saw that it was a call from Li Jianguo, and it definitely wasn't his first time calling, as there were over a dozen missed calls from Li Jianguo on his phone.

There were so many missed calls that it felt like he was being pressed for time. He had no idea what was going on.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to answer the call.

30. Setting Up A Company

"Little Zhang, you finally picked up." Li Jianguo's anxious voice was heard from the other end of the phone as soon as he picked up the phone.

"Sorry, I had a little too much to drink last night and went to bed as soon as I got home. I just woke up." Zhang Heng coughed and came up with a random excuse.

"Young people, I get it." Li Jianguo was just asking casually and didn't bother to get to the bottom of things. He continued awkwardly, "Well… I'm here to tell you that the National Pharmaceutical and Academy of Sciences have contacted me officially. They value your T-1 a lot and would like to meet you and your team."

"Uncle Li, remember what we agreed on before?" Zhang Heng frowned right away. "I don't want to see anyone, not even the government. Please don't sell me out."

"Sure, sure, sure. It's fine if you don't want to see me." Li Jianguo chuckled awkwardly. He had anticipated such an outcome and decided not to dwell on it any further. "However, the authorities have expressed their willingness to pay five billion Huaxian Dollars to buy 50 percent of the T-1's shares. Well… while the value of the shares is still rather small compared to that of the T-1, the right to manufacture and sell the shares is still in our hands. Other than the conditions required to ensure that the formula is kept confidential, they're willing to compensate us with policies that lean toward the government and waive 70 percent of tax."

"That should do it." Zhang Heng nodded. "Uncle Li, I'll leave it at that."

"Alright, I'll get someone to transfer five billion to your account later."

"No, Uncle Li. According to the terms of the contract, I would take 40 percent and you would take 10 percent. As such, four billion would suffice." Zhang Heng wasn't a greedy person. He knew that Li Jianguo wouldn't say anything even if he were to take all five billion, but he knew just how much work the Li Group had put in. Selling a billion yuan for a favor wouldn't be a problem at all. After all, that was just his first income. If the T-1 were to be sold worldwide, tens of billions of US dollars wouldn't be enough.

"Alright then, I'll take your offer." Li Jianguo laughed and said, "By the way, the procedures for registering your company in the Bermuda Islands are almost done. All that's left is your signature and the name of the company."

"Alright, let's do it tomorrow then. I'll buy a plane ticket to the Bermuda district tomorrow." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and hung up after exchanging some pleasantries.

The warehouse was dead silent after he hung up. Zhang Heng thought about what he just said and slowly narrowed his eyes before taking a deep breath.

While he knew that his life would definitely be changed the moment he got his hands on the Dimensional Star, it was only when that huge sum of money went into his pocket that he felt like he was finally able to see the light of day.

His life would be completely different from now on.

Zhang Heng smirked at that thought.

The grin on Zhang Heng's face grew wider as if he was unable to stop it. He couldn't help but clench his fist and burst out laughing like a madman.

Had he finally taken the first step of his dream?

How long had it been?

How long had it been since he was disappointed in the world?

Just when he thought that he was about to step into society and accept those invisible shackles and rules, just when he thought that he would be able to live an ordinary life, God gave him such a huge opportunity.

Zhang Heng knew that he was walking on a path that no one had ever walked before. That path was no longer mundane, and it was no longer the path of all living beings. From then on out, he was going to experience the unknown as someone who was above all others.

The path ahead might be fraught with obstacles, with the first step being life and the second step being endless cliffs, but the scenery along that path… was infinitely beautiful.

Zhang Heng laughed maniacally, rocking back and forth from laughter until tears rolled down his cheeks.

There was never a lack of opportunities in the world. What he lacked was people who were able to grasp opportunities in their hands. Zhang Heng didn't want to be a part of the masses. He wanted to take his fate into his own hands. Even if he had to die, he would choose the way he wanted to die.

Money and power were definitely not Zhang Heng's objectives, but money and power were the most important means of achieving his goals.

Zhang Heng would no longer be an ordinary person from then on out. He would no longer be a quiet person. He had found the meaning of his life, and that meaning was definitely not that of a messiah or a savior.

His purpose was to not be bound by those so-called rules, and to be able to control his own fate.

Having the Dimensional Star meant that he had an unlimited future and endless challenges ahead of him.

…

Three days later, a company named Stellar Biotech Corporation was established in the British Bermuda Islands. As a special offshore company, it was able to circumvent many restrictions.

There were restrictions imposed by the government, such as the position of shareholder, legal representative, and board of directors, which meant that one person could take on all three roles and maximize power. There were also restrictions such as building a company in any country, which meant that the company would be considered a foreign-owned enterprise, and that the shareholders of the company would have absolute confidentiality.

The name "Stellar" came from the word "Heng" in Zhang Heng's name. The reason why his parents named him "Stellar" was none other than because they wanted their children to be able to persevere in whatever they did.

Zhang Heng, who knew what his parents wanted, simply named his company after translating 'Stellar' in English.

Not only that, but the Stellar also represented the Sun, the Light, and the Hope. The name of the Stellar did have some meaning behind it, which was to lead humanity through difficult times and break through the Cataclysm someday.

Zhang Heng only returned to Haizhou after registering his company. Haizhou was an international metropolitan city, and it was the starting line for his company's development.

However, the formula for the T-1 had been handed over to the authorities, as well as the right to manufacture and sell the drug to the Li Pharmaceutical Group. As such, Zhang Heng had no good plans regarding what the new company would be running. If he were to become stronger in the future, he planned to return to the Resident Evil plane and bring the data of that world's supercomputer out.

Other than biotechnology, the technologies of the Resident Evil plane were also far more advanced than those found on Earth. Their representative was the 'Red Queen' of the first series of 'Resident Evil', which was a supercomputer capable of projecting a holographic image of a little girl. While it remained inflexible, it was nonetheless closer to the level of AI than modern computers.

Furthermore, while the Red Queen's technology was advanced, it was only about 10 years more advanced than that of modern times. If Zhang Heng were to get his hands on it, his company would be able to reach the forefront of electronics in the world.

As for advanced technology, that was hardly considered modern technology. It was more apt to call it advanced technology.

The Black Marker, for example, was something that Zhang Heng didn't dare to reveal at all. The security suit from the Dead Space plane was still in his warehouse. The 'stress' and 'stagnation' abilities found in that suit even involved the use of advanced quantum science, which was hundreds of years ahead of those found in the real world.

However, Yurianne had given Zhang Heng a direction to develop himself in, which was to alter the programming of the Black Marker, enabling him to make use of the Black Marker. At the time, Yurianne inputted a whole bunch of materials into Zhang Heng's brain. Due to the fact that there were many technologies that could not be achieved in reality, Yurianne only input raw materials and design plans. What Zhang Heng needed to do was to gather the raw materials and make them into necessary equipment to support the Black Marker.

However, that kind of workload was no longer something that Zhang Heng could do on his own. As such, he contacted Li Jianguo and used his connections to contact more than a dozen manufacturers and electronics manufacturers. He spent over two billion yuan to finally set up everything.

"What the hell are you trying to do, kid? Isn't your team studying biomedical? How did you get involved with electronics again?" Li Jianguo sounded rather astonished over the phone. No, he was more astonished than astonished.

What a huge investment! He was actually willing to spend 300 million US dollars to customize the IBM supercomputer of the US, and that was only part of it. There were all manner of precision semiconductor components, precision laser transmission equipment, precision electronic components, and so on.

Even Li Jianguo, the president of the Li Group, was stunned by the order. There were also all manner of parts for the lathes that he had never heard of before. If it hadn't been for him using his connections overseas, he probably wouldn't have been able to gather all the materials he needed.

"That's a trade secret." Zhang Heng chuckled and changed the subject right away. "Uncle Li, please keep an eye on that batch of goods for me and have them speed up. I want the finished product within a month."

"Why the rush?" Li Jianguo was stunned.

"The sooner the better." Zhang Heng nodded. "By the way, Uncle Li, do you have any connections with the development area? I'd like to build a building in the development area."

"Build a building? There are so many office buildings in the New Development Zone of the South Third Loop, surely you don't need to build one?" Li Jianguo felt rather speechless.

"I'm not building a small company. I need at least hundreds of employees. Regular office buildings wouldn't be enough for me."

"If that's the case, you'd probably have to look for the Municipal Bureau of Commerce and the Land Bureau." Li Jianguo paused for a bit before continuing, "If you were to invest in a company in the Haizhou Development Zone as a foreign-owned enterprise, I don't think that would be a problem. But I say, Little Zhang, it's about time for you to set up your own team. It's not good for outsiders to get involved in such matters, so you'd better have your subordinates do it instead."

It was only then that Zhang Heng realized why he had been feeling increasingly busy recently. It was because he was short-staffed.

31. Buying A Car

Zhang Heng discussed with Li Jianguo for a bit before hanging up.

He was somehow reminded of his parents after seeing so many missed calls.

Did he miss home?

Zhang Heng shook his head, feeling rather speechless. He realized that he hadn't been home for half a year.

He had been very busy ever since he began his internship in his fourth year in college. He first found a job as an intern at a pharmaceutical company, but the incident with the Dimensional Star happened in less than three months. It was only when he gradually got used to his current life that he realized that it had been a long time since he went home.

The faces of his parents, who were gradually aging, appeared in his mind. Both of his parents were honest people. His father had worked in a company before and was fired afterward. As such, he had no choice but to start a small business and take care of the family under the sun.

His mother, on the other hand, had been doing her best to take care of both him and his sister. She had never been able to get a job, and the two of them had to put in a lot of hardships to send him to college, just so that he could make a name for himself and bring honor to his ancestors.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and had a sudden urge to share his joy with his family. He bought a plane ticket from Chongzhou without any hesitation and spent some time posting the company's recruitment notice online. He figured that he would be able to get a few applicants to sign up when he returned home in a week.

As the New Year was just over, the flight wasn't tight at all. Zhang Heng boarded the plane heading back to Chongzhou the very next day. After several hours of flight, he was finally able to breathe the familiar yet unfamiliar air of his hometown.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but smirk a little. Ever since he went to college, he felt a tinge of excitement and urgency every time he went on vacation and bought tickets to his hometown. He wanted to return to that warm home that had long been melted into his bones.

After going through so many ups and downs and going through life and death situations, he suddenly realized that his yearning for home had gotten even stronger.

But… was he just going to return empty-handed?

Zhang Heng still remembered how his family was considered a well-off family despite not being well-off back then. However, life became difficult after his father was fired and his father had to sell his beloved car before he was able to make a comeback.

However, Zhang Heng's family had been stuck at the poverty line ever since.

Zhang Heng's eyes softened at the thought of his father riding a motorcycle through the streets and alleys, basking in the sun. He made up his mind to buy his father a car.

Zhang Heng didn't head home right away. Instead, he hailed a cab to the biggest car dealership in the city.

Zhang Heng wasn't some kind of car junkie. In truth, there was hardly a car plate that he could recognize other than the BMW and Mercedes-Benz. He had no intention of picking the car from the brand, performance, price range, and so on. He wanted his parents to be able to hold their heads high in front of their relatives and neighbors, but he didn't want them to show off.

Zhang Heng cleared his throat at that thought and walked slowly into the car dealership.

However, a saleswoman who saw the customers off came up to Zhang Heng right after he walked in and asked with a friendly smile, "Good day, sir. Are you here to pick a car?"

"That's right. I'd like to see if there's a suitable car available. Do you have any recommendations?" Zhang Heng nodded and scanned the cars that were glittering under the lights.

The saleswoman frowned. The man had said that she was just looking around. According to her experience, the chances of a customer saying something like that buying a car were very, very small, to the point that it was practically negligible.

However, due to her professionalism, the saleswoman continued in a gentle tone, "May I know what kind of car you'd like to see? We have a variety of cars with regular prices, mid-range prices, and high-end models."

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit. He hadn't given any thought to the price yet. With his current assets, he could have easily bought 10 Bugatti Veyrons without batting an eye, but there was simply no need for that.

Most Chinese people didn't like to show off. Given how ridiculous the Bugatti Veyron looked, even if he were to buy it, he wouldn't be able to drive it out, much less his parents.

As such, Zhang Heng, who had no concept of cars, hesitated for a bit before saying, "Uh, no need to pay too much. A mid-range car would suffice."

"Alright, please follow me."

The saleswoman chuckled and led Zhang Heng to the center of the showroom. She pointed at the dozens of cars in the middle of the showroom and asked, "What kind of cars would you like to see? Business models, private models, or SUVs? Double or triple rows?"

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. All the cars looked shiny under the lights, making it difficult to tell if they looked good or not. He simply said, "Private cars would suffice. It would be even better if they were branded."

The saleswoman flashed a bitter grin and pointed at one of the cars, saying, "Please take a look, sir. This is a BMW 3 Series 320 with a four-cylinder engine. It's a classic both in terms of performance and design. The overall lines are smooth and the performance of the car would be considered a very good choice for a mid-range car."

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up and he tilted his head to look around the car before nodding. BMW was one of the cars that Zhang Heng had heard of the most. He still remembered that the one thing that left the deepest impression on him was a female show guest who said bluntly, "I'd rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a bicycle." It was only then that he remembered what BMW meant.

He figured that it would be a good idea to buy a BMW for his father, so he asked, "How much would that car cost?"

"As a mid-range car, this one would be considered very cheap. A single car costs 280 thousand yuan, and the entire set would cost less than 300 thousand yuan." The saleswoman was elated to see the look in Zhang Heng's eyes. Was he trying to buy the car?

While she felt that there might not be much hope before, it was only a possibility after all. Those who were able to get into the building were more or less inclined to buy things. Every single one of them was a potential client, and she had no choice but to be concerned about them.

"300 thousand? That's too cheap." Zhang Heng was stunned and shook his head.

The mid-range price that he referred to was at least several million yuan.

"How much would you like to buy the car then?" The saleswoman looked at Zhang Heng with a shocked expression, unable to figure out if he was there to make fun of her or if he really wanted to buy the car.

While many rich people kept a low profile these days and it was difficult to tell from their appearances, Zhang Heng looked like he was only in his twenties judging from his street clothes. He didn't look like a rich person at all.

"Anything above a million?"

Zhang Heng looked at the young man. As the saying goes, 'confidence comes with confidence'. There was no mistaking that saying. If Zhang Heng were still the old him, he probably wouldn't have been able to get into that car dealership. However, with his current status of billions and the fact that he had narrowly escaped death twice, Zhang Heng gradually began to exude a mysterious and noble air about him. He was able to convince people with just a few words.

"Th-that's a very high-end car. Are you sure you'd like to buy one of those?" The saleswoman looked rather flustered right away. Zhang Heng's eyes were purely black, making him look like he was in the dark of night, making it difficult for others to not be attracted to him. Looking into his eyes, she felt as if she was looking at some kind of boss, which made her, who had seen countless people, feel rather confused.

"Take me to see if you want to buy it or not." Zhang Heng could tell from the saleswoman's reaction that she was belittling him, but he didn't mind at all. Most people who were confident wouldn't care about what others thought of them.

The saleswoman frowned and hesitated for a bit before stomping her feet and following closely behind Zhang Heng. She couldn't afford to get into a conflict with him, regardless of whether he was willing to buy or not, as a decent job wasn't easy to find at the moment.

The deeper he went into the car dealership, the more expensive the cars on display became. Sports cars of all colors gradually appeared on the display tables as well. Zhang Heng couldn't help but marvel at the world-class cars that glittered under the lights, despite not being very interested in cars.

Zhang Heng eventually stopped in front of a black car. The car appeared in the showroom of the high-end car and was only of the most common design. However, the silver-framed design gave it a classy feel, making it look steady and unassuming, which barely met Zhang Heng's requirements.

"What's this car called?" Zhang Heng looked at the four rings on the front of the car and asked, feeling rather interested.

"Uh…" The saleswoman's eyes twitched. The man before her couldn't even recognize the brand? She wore a bitter smile and said in a practiced manner, "Audi A8L. This one is the highest-end one, with a 6.3L368kW engine and an eight-seater automatic. The price is 2.75 million yuan. The whole package costs about three million yuan. If you think it's too expensive, we have some regular ones here…"

"No need, just this one."

Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and said, "If I were to pay right now, would I be able to drive right away?"

"Huh?" The saleswoman was stunned and took a moment to realize what was going on. She shook her head and said, "That's impossible. The procedures would take hours and there's also insurance and licensing issues…"

Zhang Heng frowned right away. He had no idea what was going on and there was no need for him to. He simply said casually, "Half an hour. 100 thousand."

"What?" The saleswoman looked at Zhang Heng, puzzled.

"I don't care if you get your manager to come up with a solution or something, just find a way to help me solve all my problems in half an hour. That 100 thousand yuan is yours." Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze.

"But…" The saleswoman's jaw dropped as she mumbled to herself.

"200 thousand."

"I…"

"300 thousand." Zhang Heng cut her off calmly. He checked his watch and said in an unquestionable manner, "300 thousand is the highest price I could afford. I'd settle it in half an hour. I don't want to repeat myself."

The saleswoman took a deep breath and suppressed the surprise on her face. She nodded decisively and said, "Deal!"

32. Mom And Dad

Zhang Heng drove the black Audi with a temporary license plate out of the car dealership half an hour later. Despite spending an extra 300 thousand yuan, he didn't mind at all. With his current assets, 300 thousand yuan was no different from 30 yuan.

Zhang Heng was caught in a dilemma when he drove the car away. Other than the bicycle, he had never touched a motorcycle in his entire life. He didn't even know which was the accelerator and which was the brake. As such, he asked someone from the car dealership to drive the car home for him. After all, the car dealership had its own service.

He was sitting in the front passenger seat, but his peripheral vision was focused on the driver's movements. Due to the T-Virus's development of his body, it took him only a moment to figure out how to drive.

Zhang Heng's home was located in a very old residential area. He had been living in that area ever since he gained his memories.

The buildings of that era were all about five to six stories tall. There were no elevators, no electronic security doors, or anything like that. Compared to the high-end residential areas of the modern era, the buildings looked like slums.

Zhang Heng got out of the car, took the keys back, and gave the driver some tips before heading home excitedly. He couldn't wait to see his parents' surprised faces.

The people in the residential area were mostly elderly people. Zhang Heng saw a familiar figure as soon as he walked into the stairway. It was Uncle Liu, who had been his neighbor for over a decade.

"Uncle Liu, are you out playing mahjong again?" Zhang Heng greeted him.

"Huh, Little Heng?" The old man who was referred to as Uncle Liu was stunned for a bit before he chuckled and continued, "Boy, didn't you go to college in Haizhou? Why are you back so soon?"

"I'm homesick. Of course I'm coming back," Zhang Heng answered simply. "How have you been?"

"Well, well, well, well, well, it's just that I'm always short of one player. You've changed quite a bit after not seeing you for so long, kid." Uncle Liu took a look at Zhang Heng and felt rather surprised. However, he remembered that his mahjong buddies were still waiting for him, so he called out to Zhang Heng and rushed out of the stairway.

Zhang Heng didn't mind at all and climbed up to the third floor in just a few steps. He took a deep breath when he saw his familiar home and knocked on the door hard, shouting, "Mom, I'm home! Open the door!"

The sound of slippers stepping on the floor was heard from the other side of the door. Zhang Heng's father appeared at the door in just a few seconds, but his excitement was completely different from his father's. His father looked astonished.

"Little Heng, what brings you home?"

"Dad, I haven't been home for half a year. The New Year is just over. Can't I go home and take a look?" Zhang Heng chuckled and said sheepishly. He had grown up under his father's baton when he was little. While it had been years since his father 'educated' him, the ferocious tiger was old and still very intimidating. Zhang Heng couldn't help but feel rather nervous when his father questioned him.

"Did he get fired from his job?" As the saying goes, no one knows their son better than their father. Zhang Heng would know what kind of sh * * * he was up to even if he were to stick his butt out. His father looked at Zhang Heng suspiciously and couldn't help but nag at him, "Young people need to suffer more. How could you achieve great things without suffering?"

Zhang Heng's mother appeared at the door of the kitchen with an apron wrapped around her waist. She was elated to hear that her son was back, but when she heard Zhang Heng's father's voice, she said unhappily, "You old man, it's not easy for your son to come home. No matter what, you can't just say that."

"I'm fine, mom." Zhang Heng evaded his father's nagging and made his way to the kitchen.

The smile on Zhang Heng's face became even brighter when he saw the familiar dishes on the table. "Mom, looks like I'm back just in time."

"One look at you and I could tell that you haven't eaten yet. Seriously, you didn't even call to inform me before you came home. I could have made more dishes." Zhang Heng's mother felt her heart ache.

Compared to Zhang Heng's excitement, his parents' reactions were more or less normal. After all, his parents had no idea that their son had gone through life and death situations outside. That wasn't just an adjective, but a true life and death situation.

The missions that took place once every three months represented a trial of life and death. Zhang Heng might just end up dying there the next time he went on a mission. How could he not cherish the time he had with his parents when he was living such a life where he could barely keep himself alive?

The meal was soon over in a very lively manner.

Zhang Heng sat on the couch with his father after lunch and 'reported' everything that had happened in Haizhou to his father. But of course, all of that was fabricated just to reassure his parents.

"So, you're saying that you invented a drug that alerted the authorities and even gave you a reward of several hundred million yuan?" Zhang Heng's father wasn't shocked by what Zhang Heng said. He took a deep puff and looked at Zhang Heng with a puzzled expression.

"Yeah, it's all down to luck. If I hadn't been lucky enough to run into him, I probably wouldn't have been able to develop this drug," Zhang Heng shrugged sheepishly.

"Are you trying to make fun of your old man?" Zhang Heng's father glared at him.

"Dad, we'll know if I'm just making fun of you when we get downstairs." Zhang Heng chuckled and dragged his father out of the door.

"What's wrong? Could it be that you have some secret that you can't tell anyone?"

Zhang Heng sighed to himself. No matter how well-regarded he was when he was outside, he was still the same Zhang Heng when he got home, the same Zhang Heng who would cower at the sight of his stern father.

Zhang Heng's father scanned his surroundings when he got downstairs before looking at Zhang Heng. "What do you want me to see, kid?"

Zhang Heng didn't say anything and simply took out the car keys from his pocket and slapped them on his father's palm. "Dad, this car is for you!"

"A car? Well, that's very thoughtful of you, kid." Zhang Heng's father's heart softened. He didn't bother to look at the car and simply pressed the unlock button, causing the headlights of a black car with silver rims to flicker.

"Huh?"

His father was stunned when he saw that the car was right in front of him. He looked at the four rings at the front of the car and then at the leather seats in the car. He took a deep breath and asked in disbelief.

"I don't think that car… is cheap. Are you telling the truth?"

"So you never planned to believe me after all…" Zhang Heng was rendered speechless.

Zhang Heng's father was able to get a feel for the car after bragging about it for quite a while. While it had been a while since he last touched a car, he was still an experienced driver and was considered to be more skilled than Zhang Heng.

His father only went upstairs reluctantly when his mother called to rush him. He told his mother about his son buying a car as soon as he got home.

His mother asked in disbelief, "Is your dad telling the truth?"

Zhang Heng nodded and said, "Mom, you have a present too."

"Me too?" Zhang Heng's mother shook her head right away. "No need to buy me a car, I don't know how to drive either. Besides, it's not easy for you to earn money, so don't waste it. You still need to save it for your future wife."

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin right away. The older generation was known for being frugal. He wasn't surprised by his mother's answer and said right away, "I'd need to be able to spend all that money even if I wanted to. Don't think too much about it, mom. I'm going to set up a company and I'll be making a steady stream of money in the future. I've put 50 million yuan into your account. You and dad can go to the outskirts and buy a small villa when you have the time. We'll raise flowers and weed. You don't have to be so reluctant to buy anything, mom. Just buy whatever you want."

"Dad, stop setting up your stall. Take mom out for a ride when you have nothing better to do. The two of you could even travel all over the country. You'd also need to go to the hospital every six months for a checkup. There are some diseases that can't be cured by money these days."

Zhang Heng went on for quite a bit before finally saying what he had been wanting to say all along. He couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief after saying all that.

If there was anyone in the world that Zhang Heng was unable to let go of, it would be his parents and his sister. The reason why he took on the burden of taking on the next Dimensional Star was not only to try his best to save the world, but also to give his family a chance to live.

If he hadn't been the host of the Dimensional Star, there would have been no way his parents could have survived when the apocalypse hit, given their status as commoners.

The fact that he was able to say something like that meant that he was ready to take care of his funeral. However, having been through two life and death situations, Zhang Heng's mental fortitude had been greatly enhanced, far surpassing that of regular people. He was able to say all of that in a calm and collected manner, making it so that no one would be able to tell that something was off.

His parents remained silent for quite a while before Zhang Heng's father sighed all of a sudden and wore a relieved smile. "Heng, you've really grown up. An Audi A8, a bungalow in the outskirts. I'd never be able to earn so much in my entire life. It's so rare for you to be so successful. I'll be proud of you in the future."

Zhang Heng's mother was even more ridiculous. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at Zhang Heng's father after hearing what he said. "Do you really think your son is like you? You've been working so hard for over half of your life and you still haven't gotten a decent living. That's 50 million yuan! Even if I were to sell you off, you still wouldn't be able to earn that much. My son is the best…"

"What do you know, woman? If it hadn't been for me setting an example for my son, do you really think that kid would be so successful?"

"What else could you do other than educate me with a stick? Don't think I don't know…"

Zhang Heng smiled as he watched his parents bicker. His heart was filled with a warmth that he couldn't bear to part with. He encouraged himself at the same time.

Even if it wasn't for the sake of the world, he had to do his best to save the world for the sake of his parents' peaceful lives.

Zhang Heng swore to himself that for the sake of his family, he couldn't just die like that.

Zhang Heng was unable to persuade his parents to buy a small villa in the outskirts in the end. His parents felt that their lives were more than satisfactory by then. While they weren't very rich, their lives were peaceful and comfortable. Furthermore, his son had made a name for himself and was doing well in front of his neighbors and relatives. If he were to move, he wouldn't even have the chance to do so.

Zhang Heng was unable to change his parents' habits in the end.

However, since he was back, he planned to stay home for a few days.

He had been working non-stop since he began his internship in his fourth year of college. He was jittery when he first entered society three months ago. He had been very busy working at that pharmaceutical company for the past three months, and he didn't even take a day off.

The appearance of the Dimensional Star was followed by his first mission, which involved him going through life and death situations. He then spent two months developing the T-0 and T-1 before going on to his second mission.

Zhang Heng was utterly exhausted from all that he had to do to keep himself busy. He was finally able to take a good rest after all that work.

Zhang Heng went back to his room and fell into a deep sleep after lunch. He slept through the night and it was evening by the time he woke up.

33. Call From The Academy Of Sciences

Zhang Heng was woken up by his mother knocking on the door.

He went to the toilet to wash his face in a dazed manner and felt his mind clear all of a sudden. His parents were already setting up dinner in the living room when he walked out of the toilet.

Zhang Heng planned to continue sleeping after dinner, but his father knocked on his head with his chopsticks all of a sudden.

"What?"

Zhang Heng was shocked, thinking that he had done something wrong again and made his father unhappy.

"Did you tell Xin that you've made it big?" Zhang Heng's father glared at him and asked.

"Not yet." Zhang Heng shook his head with a confused look on his face. Zhang Heng's father was referring to his younger sister, Zhang Xin. Zhang Xin was four years younger than Zhang Heng and was in her third year of high school. She was studying at the Bashu Middle School and could only come home once a month.

The Chongzhou people's first reaction when they talked about Bashu Middle School was that trademark slogan, "I'm proud of Bashu today, and Bashu is proud of me tomorrow."

Other than that, the school that everyone knew as a 'prodigal school' would probably be mentioned.

Bashu Middle School was a prestigious school that was filled with countless rich people. However, it had a very studious culture and was ranked among the top five universities in Chongzhou. As such, many regular people would rather spend a lot of money to send their children to that school.

Zhang Heng's sister was no exception.

Zhang Xin failed to perform well in the middle school exams three years ago and was only able to get into a third-rate high school. As such, Zhang Heng's father made up his mind to take the entire family on a tight schedule and spend money to send Zhang Xin to Bashu Middle School, an elite school.

As such, Zhang Heng barely managed to gather enough college fees for that semester.

Boys should be raised in poverty, and girls should be raised in riches. That was the standard of living that Zhang Heng's father had always adhered to. However, it was Zhang Heng who suffered, and he was forced to develop a habit of being able to endure hardships and become independent.

However, Zhang Heng didn't find it unfair at all. If it hadn't been for his strong character, which he had developed since he was young, he wouldn't have been able to survive in the Resident Evil plane. He simply took on an extra job when it came to the problem of insufficient tuition fees and gritted his teeth and made it through.

As such, his father often felt sorry for Zhang Heng.

The reason why the family's finances were in such dire straits previously had something to do with Zhang Heng's sister's schooling in Bashu. Putting aside the tuition fees, just the 30 thousand yuan sponsorship fee alone was more than enough to make a regular family suffer.

"Go, drive your sister home. Let's go celebrate in a restaurant tomorrow." Zhang Heng's father said as he smoked a cigarette, seemingly having had a stroke somewhere.

"Right now?" Zhang Heng was stunned and checked the time on reflex.

"It's Friday and the school is on vacation." Zhang Heng's father waved his hand impatiently. "Hurry up and come back."

"Alright then." Zhang Heng was rendered speechless. The old man had been biased for more than a day or two and he was used to it. He simply picked up his car keys and left the house.

Zhang Heng didn't head straight for Bashu Middle School after getting out of the house. He checked the time and found that there were still three hours before his sister's evening self-study session. He knew that he wouldn't be able to get into the school at the moment, so he drove to the commercial street in the city center and spent half an hour getting himself dressed.

Zhang Heng's cheap clothes were completely out of place when he walked out of the commercial building. He wore a light blue woodpecker casual suit and a white shirt underneath. He wore a pair of Versace jeans and a pair of Iron Lion Tonic combat boots.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily when he saw how dashing he looked in the rearview mirror. He put on a pair of Armani sunglasses before driving back to Bashu Middle School and called his sister.

"Hello?" A soft, gentle voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Hey what? I'm your brother."

"Dude, what are you calling me for?" The voice on the other end sounded rather tense.

Zhang Heng felt that something was off with his sister's tone. He listened carefully and was able to make out the sounds of heavy metal music from the other end of the phone. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "Xin, where are you?"

"I…" The voice on the other end sounded rather flustered. "I'm studying in the self-study room. Oh my, the teacher is coming soon. I'm hanging up." A beeping sound was heard from the other end of the phone.

Zhang Heng snorted coldly, not believing in such a shoddy lie at all. He called the number again, only to hear a prompt stating 'the number you've dialed is unavailable' before the call was connected.

Zhang Heng felt a headache coming on right away. His sister was good in every way—she was pretty and had a tall, slender build. However, due to his father doting on her, she developed a habit of being unruly and playful.

Her good looks and playful personality meant that she was destined to suffer more shocks to her values than others in high school.

Zhang Heng had been through that chaotic period back in high school, and as such, he knew very well what it was like. Back in high school, the period was somewhere between adulthood and underage. Many people made mistakes there and went through their first time in countless lives.

His first time smoking, his first time drinking, his first time fighting, his first time skipping class, his first time falling in love, and even his first time having a taste of forbidden fruit…

It was precisely because he knew how chaotic high school was that he had warned his sister before, "If I were to find out that you've been secretly dating after going to Bashu Middle School instead of studying, I'd break both your boyfriend's legs!"

Of course, breaking his legs was just an exaggeration. Zhang Heng simply couldn't stand having his parents wake up early and work late at night, setting up their stall and doing business late into the night. All the money that he earned through sweat and tears was wasted away by his sister.

Zhang Heng's expression gradually turned cold at that thought. If he hadn't heard incorrectly, he had heard heavy metal music from his sister's phone, which only came from bars.

Zhang Heng called his sister's best friend at that thought. Her name was Yang Yang, and she lived in that old residential area just like his family. It was only because their home was near that the two of them became very close friends.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Heng found that Yang Yang's call was the same as his sister's. The call was hung up as soon as the call was made, as if she hung up immediately after seeing who was calling.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious. He was now 100 percent sure that his sister was hiding something from him. He sent a message to Yang Yang right away.

"I know that the two of you are in a bar right now. You and Xinxin need to take good care of yourselves. If anyone were to invite you to go anywhere, you must never agree to it! Even if that person is a classmate that you two are familiar with, got it? I'm taking Xinxin home right now. Could you tell me the address of the bar? I'll definitely… I'll definitely reward you handsomely!"

Zhang Heng took a deep breath after sending the message. He felt a sense of frustration that he couldn't suppress for some reason, as if something bad was about to happen.

Zhang Heng's phone rang all of a sudden and he picked it up without even looking at it. "Hello, is that Xin? You…"

"Hello, Mr. Zhang Heng. I'm the dean of the Chongzhou branch of the Academy of Sciences. My name is Li Lian." A middle-aged man's deep voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

Zhang Heng was stunned and swallowed whatever he was about to say. "Hello, may I know why you're looking for me?"

"I've looked through your data from the Ministry of Human Resources and found you to be quite something when it comes to viral biotechnology. Would you be interested in working at the Chongzhou branch of the Academy of Sciences?" That voice seemed to be used to giving orders and sounded rather stiff when he was trying to flatter someone. He didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"I'm sorry, but no." Since the other party was so straightforward, Zhang Heng didn't bother beating around the bush and rejected her outright before hanging up.

The man must have known that he was the inventor of the T-1, which was why he came to look for him. While Zhang Heng had warned Li Jianguo not to disclose his identity, he knew that he could only keep it a secret from regular people. He had no intention of hiding his identity from the authorities, as that was simply impossible.

However, his phone rang right after he hung up. Zhang Heng picked it up and saw that it was the same number from before.

"Hey, I have something very important to do right now. Please don't bother me if you can." Zhang Heng picked up the call impatiently and refused without waiting for the other party to say anything. He was worried about his sister's safety at the moment and had no time to talk terms with her.

"Mr. Zhang Heng, if you're unwilling to join us, we definitely won't force you to do so. However, I wonder if you could give us a copy of the data regarding the T-1? The Chongzhou branch would be willing to pay the price for it," the voice continued in a leisurely manner.

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit and was on high alert the very next second. "I don't know what you're talking about. What T-1? Did you call the wrong number?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way, Mr. Zhang Heng. We are indeed from the Academy of Sciences, but due to some internal reasons, we had to wait for a month before we were given access to the T-1, so…" The voice on the other end sounded rather awkward.

Zhang Heng shook his head in frustration and said bluntly, "I'm sorry, but I'm really busy right now. Let's talk when I'm free, okay?" He hung up after saying that.

At that moment, in a military base not far from the outskirts of Chongzhou, a middle-aged man wearing a dark green military uniform and wearing the insignia of a major general hung up the phone with a livid expression.

Beside him, a group of researchers with white hair and wearing white robes covered their mouths and chuckled, as if they were very happy to see the middle-aged man suffer.

"Hehe, kid, you were invited by the dean of a branch with the rank of major general, yet he didn't even bother paying attention to you. Seems like your status isn't going to work after all," an old man with a head full of white hair said sarcastically.

"Hmph, if he were my soldier, I'd have kidnapped him and brought him here a long time ago!" The middle-aged general who was referred to as Kid Li snorted and ordered the two young researchers at the side, feeling rather indignant. "Call him every day from now on. If he changes his mind, notify me immediately!"

"Understood!" The two of them saluted immediately.

34. Coming to Someone's Door

Zhang Heng received a text message the very next second after he hung up the phone without any hesitation.

Zhang Heng opened the message right away and was elated when he read it. It was indeed a reply from Yang Yang.

However, Zhang Heng's expression changed drastically after reading the contents of the message.

"Drunk and Dazed Bar, Xin is in danger. Get here right now!"

The three exclamation marks were like musical notes that were trying to kill him. He felt a chill running down his spine and stepped on the accelerator without giving it any thought, turning the car around and heading straight for the Drunk and Dazed Bar.

It was fortunate that he had heard of the Drunk and Dazed Bar before, as it was located not far away from Bashu Middle School and was only about half a street away from the school compound. He had been astonished at how powerful someone could be to be able to open a bar near the school. That person was truly daring.

Zhang Heng had been making calls and driving for quite a while, and it took him less than 10 minutes to reach the door of the Drunk and Dazed Bar after receiving the message.

"Chi!"

The brand new Audi A8 came to a screeching halt right in front of the bar's door at a speed that would have challenged the nerves of any pedestrian. The screeching sound of tires rubbing against each other was heard and every pedestrian on the street turned to look at the car in surprise.

Zhang Heng had no time to care about all that. He pushed the door open with all his might, pulled out the keys, and headed straight for the door of the bar while calling Yang Yang.

"Sorry, the number you've dialed is unavailable. Sorry…"

Zhang Heng's heart sank. Not only was he unable to contact his sister, but he was unable to contact Yang Yang as well. That meant that things had gotten out of the control of the two girls.

The other party needed help urgently.

However, two beefy-looking security guards in suits stopped Zhang Heng as he walked to the door of the bar. "Excuse me, sir. Do you have an appointment?"

The two bouncers fixed their eyes on Zhang Heng as soon as he got out of the car. They could tell from his anxious demeanor that he was up to no good coming into the bar. That was something the two of them had been doing for years.

However, after seeing the Audi A8 that Zhang Heng was driving and the brand new brand he was wearing, they decided to be polite instead of kicking him out right away.

It was a pity that Zhang Heng had no time to waste with the two bouncers. He asked with a glum look on his face, "Where are Zhang Xin and Yang Yang?"

The two bouncers in black looked at each other and nervousness flashed in their eyes. One of them quickly said with a polite smile, "I'm sorry, you…"

Bang!

Zhang Heng's gaze turned stern when he saw the panic in their eyes. He kicked without any hesitation.

The bouncer in black, who was still wearing a smile on his face, spun around like a ragdoll and crashed into the revolving door behind him.

A heavy thud was heard and the thick soundproofed door of the bar shattered like a million shooting stars, shattering into pieces by the bouncer in black.

The heavy metal music and screams of the customers and passers-by were heard all over the place at that moment.

"I'm asking you one last time, where are Zhang Xin and Yang Yang?"

Despite sending a 1.8-meter-tall man flying with a single kick, Zhang Heng's expression remained unchanged. He simply turned around and looked at the other bouncer in black, his eyes filled with a cold glint.

"I-I…" That bouncer was completely stunned. It wasn't like they were filming some kind of martial arts movie. No matter how strong a person's legs were, there was no way they could send someone flying with a single kick. What kind of joke was that?

"Y-yes, boss! The boss sent someone to tell me to get rid of anyone who comes to cause trouble. I don't know anything else!" The bouncer took two steps back and shouted. He was scared out of his wits by Zhang Heng's glare.

Even Zhang Heng himself didn't realize that after going through so much training in the Resident Evil plane, coupled with his confidence after acquiring the Dimensional Star, his entire demeanor had changed.

He was no longer the Amon of the past.

"Where is your boss right now?" Zhang Heng's expression became even colder after hearing the other man's explanation. He grabbed the other man's collar with one hand and hoisted him up like he was picking up a chicken.

The crowd outside the hotel was all over the place by then, and they were all stunned by what they saw.

"That guy doesn't look very strong, but he's actually able to lift someone who's taller and stronger than him with one hand. What terrifying brute force!"

"This bar is run by Yang Laowu, isn't it? That young man actually dared to cause trouble here. Sigh, young people sure are impulsive!"

"That's where you're wrong. Didn't you see that he drove that Audi A8? I took a look at the model and found that it was the most expensive one. That's a luxury car worth three million yuan! Would anyone who could drive such a car be a regular person? Would they be afraid of Yang Laowu?"

"Gasp… three million!" Everyone gasped as the excitement in their eyes grew even more pronounced.

Watching the show was a tradition that had been passed down since ancient times in Huaxia. However, Zhang Heng was in no mood to bother with the crowd at the moment. He simply grabbed her by the collar and walked into the bar in huge strides.

"Lead the way. Take me to your boss!"

Zhang Heng was feeling very anxious at the moment. The longer it took for him to find his sister, the higher the chances that his sister would be in danger. As such, he kicked one of the bouncers out of the room and caused a huge ruckus. That way, he might be able to buy his sister some time before she was killed.

Less than half a minute had passed since Zhang Heng got out of the car, kicked the bouncer away, and asked about the situation. The people in the bar had yet to realize what was happening and were unable to stop him in time. Zhang Heng went past the bar's reception desk and headed straight for the room that the bouncer pointed at.

"Stop him!"

It was only then that the four bouncers in the bar realized what was happening. Shocked, they rushed to surround Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng was burning with anxiety and paid no heed to the three people behind him. He dashed out of their encirclement and launched his left leg like a cannonball.

The bouncer who stopped Zhang Heng from advancing shouted in the very next second.

The crowd saw that the bouncer was sent flying backward as if he had been hit just when he was about to reach Zhang Heng. Cracking sounds of bones breaking were heard at the same time as his chest caved in from Zhang Heng's kick.

"Gasp!"

Everyone gasped yet again. If that bouncer were to be able to treat such an injury, he would have been rendered completely useless for the rest of his life.

The other three bouncers felt a chill run down their spines. The skinny young man before them looked like some kind of human-shaped weapon. If they were to run into him, they would definitely end up dead. They slowed down subconsciously and no longer dared to stand in his way.

Zhang Heng dragged that bouncer into the room right away. However, the door of a room next to Zhang Heng was kicked open all of a sudden and two men stormed out, looking furious.

One of them, a young man with a yellowed complexion and a dazed look on his face, rushed out and shouted as he walked, "What's all that noise outside? Where the hell are you people, Old Song?"

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks, as he saw that the bouncer he was carrying was pointing at the young man with a yellowed complexion. One look and he knew that the young man had been completely wasted.

The remaining three bouncers in the lobby shuddered at the same time, and their expressions became weird.

35. No More Descendants

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and looked past the young man to the door of the room that was opened.

Zhang Heng's heart sank when he saw what was happening in the room, before feeling relieved.

He saw his sister sleeping soundly on the couch in the room. It was fortunate that her clothes were still intact and she didn't look like she had been harmed in any way. Yang Yang, who had sent him a text message earlier, was sleeping soundly on the couch as well.

Zhang Heng realized that the two young men before him were probably the ones who had been forced to drink sleeping pills.

Other than the young man with a yellowed complexion, the other one was wearing the Bashu Middle School's uniform and looked to be a handsome young man who looked to be in his late teens. However, the arrogant look in his eyes made him look like a spoiled rich kid.

That young man with a yellowed complexion didn't notice Zhang Heng until he was done yelling. He was stunned for a bit and looked at the security guard who Zhang Heng was holding like a little chick. Not only was he not afraid, he shouted coldly, "Who the f * * k are you?"

"I'm your father!"

Bang!

Now that he had found his sister, Zhang Heng let go of all reservations and kicked the young man right away. The kick was even more vicious than the one he used to send the security guard flying, as it went straight for the young man's crotch.

The young man crashed into the wall behind him without making a single sound in the very next second. The sound of bones cracking was heard as his hip bone and internal organs were completely pulverized by Zhang Heng's kick.

All of a sudden, the heated atmosphere in the bar changed drastically. It was as if someone had grabbed hold of their necks, causing everyone to hold their breath and look at Zhang Heng with shocked expressions.

Someone was going to die!

Zhang Heng was stunned by the kick as well, thinking that something bad was about to happen. However, the thought of what had happened to his sister made him furious all over again. He turned around and looked at the other young man with a cold expression.

"N-No, it's none of my business. He's the one who did it. Don't kill me!" The young man who looked to be in his late teens was stunned at first, but he quickly realized what was going on when he saw Zhang Heng's murderous gaze. He quickly waved his hands and an indescribable fear was seen on his face.

"I'll give you 10 seconds to explain what's happening right now." Zhang Heng threw the bouncer away with one hand and looked at the handsome young man before him calmly. However, the calmer the ocean became, the more murderous the situation became.

It had to be said that compared to the young man with the yellowed complexion from before, the young man before him looked like a man of substance. He had chiseled features, fair skin, and a physique that was taller than Zhang Heng. If it hadn't been for the look of terror on his face, he would have been able to charm all the girls in the room.

However, the young man burst into tears after hearing what Zhang Heng said and dropped to his knees right at his feet.

"I'll talk, I'll talk! It was all Yang Feng's idea. Yang Feng said that he got himself some kind of drug that could make someone fall asleep immediately after taking it, and they wouldn't wake up no matter what he did to her…" That young man pointed at the young man who seemed to be dead or alive beside him and explained in tears, "I only lured Zhang Xin and Yang Yang here. I didn't do anything other than that. Yang Feng didn't do anything, really!"

All the bystanders came to a sudden realization after hearing the young man's incoherent defense. All of them looked at the young man with disgust and contempt, and some of them even recorded the scene before them.

"You're worse than animals!"

"Sigh, how do parents nowadays educate their children?"

"But that kid looks really familiar. Oh my, I remember now. He's the son of the vice chief of the Public Security Bureau!"

"Sh * t, I can't believe he's such a big shot. This kid is gonna be in trouble!"

"Kid, just stop. Don't do anything stupid!"

An old man with a kind face walked out of the crowd at that moment and advised Zhang Heng earnestly, "What you did before could have been to save someone in self-defense, but you've been deemed to have overstepped your boundaries. Now that you've saved that person, you'd better not go on with the killing!"

"That's right. My dad is the vice chief of the Public Security Bureau and I'm the son of the chief. You can't kill me, you can't kill me!" The young man shouted as if he had just found a life-saving straw. He then scrambled to get out of the place.

Everyone's expression changed after confirming the identity of the young man, and they looked at Zhang Heng with sympathy. Zhang Heng might have some background, but having offended the Public Security Bureau, even if he hadn't done anything wrong, it would still be difficult for him to get away with it.

"He's really the son of the vice chief of the Public Security Bureau? Who's that young man with a yellowed complexion?"

"That's Yang Laowu's son, a gangster who's been slacking off all day. I didn't expect him to do something like that in secret! Damn it!"

"Forget about Yang Laowu, but the son of the Director of the Public Security Bureau is not to be trifled with. If he were to do so, he would be openly going against the government!"

Everyone thought that Zhang Heng wouldn't do anything after seeing that the young man was about to escape. No one thought that Zhang Heng would be bold enough to go against the government after all.

However, a cold smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face at that moment as killing intent flickered in his eyes.

At the same time, Zhang Heng kicked out with his right leg and stomped hard between the young man's legs before he could get away.

"Ah!"

A heart-wrenching scream was heard, as if he had been subjected to the most intense pain in the world. The young man's entire body shuddered and twitched, almost passing out from the pain.

Everyone was stunned for a bit before screaming out loud. They looked at everything before them in horror, unable to believe what they were seeing.

That ugly-looking young man actually… actually made a move!

"I don't care who he is, be it the son of Yang Laowu or the son of the chief…"

Zhang Heng looked at the young man who was struggling under his feet and said calmly. However, his tone sent shivers down everyone's spines, as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

"Whoever you are, if you dare to lay a hand on my family, I'll have you—"

"Die. Son. Jue."

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and stomped down hard on the ground again. The young man's eyes went wide and he opened his mouth without making a sound, as if he was suffocating. The only sound that was heard was the sound of his throat being strangled.

He felt as if he was being subjected to unbelievable pain as countless blood vessels appeared in his eyes. His eyes bulged and turned blood-red in an instant, and he looked like he was about to cry tears of blood.

A stream of blood slowly flowed out from under Zhang Heng's feet through the pants of the young man's uniform. The stench of urine was present in the blood as well. That was a smell that could only be produced when the urine was mixed with the blood after the bladder burst.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines at that moment. That average-looking young man actually dared to make a move after finding out who that young man was.

Furthermore, his methods were so vicious that it could be said that he had ruined the young man's future, making him…

No more descendants!

Zhang Heng felt all the pent-up frustration in his heart dissipating after he was done with all of that. He paid no more attention to the two of them, who were still alive and kicking, and walked into the room right away. He only felt at ease after confirming that both his sister and Yang Yang were safe and sound and had only passed out due to the drug.

However, he heard sirens approaching from outside the door at that moment.

36. Whose Crisis?

In a residential area of the Public Security Bureau, a middle-aged man with a dashing appearance and a superior air picked up the phone quietly.

The middle-aged man didn't show any expression at first, but he was shocked all of a sudden and his expression changed drastically. His face turned pale and his expression became extremely ugly.

"What did you say? My son, he…"

"Which hospital are you in right now? How are you doing?"

"B * stard! Arrest him and make sure no one comes into contact with him. I'll interrogate him myself!"

The middle-aged man's expression looked rather sinister after hanging up the phone. His hands were shaking slightly and he wanted to call his wife, but he hesitated. He wasn't sure if his wife, who had heart disease, would be able to take the news.

The middle-aged man took a deep breath and walked out of the door without hesitation.

However, his background seemed to have gotten older…

…

Zhang Heng was sitting alone in a dark, small interrogation room with his hands in handcuffs. He was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, resting.

He was indeed a little impulsive this time around, but he didn't regret it. Everyone had to take responsibility for their own actions. Since the other party dared to set his sights on his sister, he figured that he would have been prepared for retaliation the moment he began to harbor ill intentions.

The assault could be said to be both light and serious at the same time. As long as Zhang Heng insisted that he was defending himself to save others, it would be difficult for the authorities to convict him. However, if someone in power were to interfere, things could get even more complicated.

Zhang Heng heard his parents arguing outside the door. He opened his eyes right away and put his ear against the wall. It was his parents.

His parents seemed to be arguing with the police officers on duty at the moment, arguing loudly with each other, and he could hear his sister crying. Zhang Heng's expression softened and he shook his head with a bitter smile. He hoped that his sister would grow up after going through all that danger.

That incident had nothing to do with his parents and his sister, of course. The three of them probably came to the police station just to see him.

However, it was obvious that such a reasonable request was rejected without hesitation.

"Why can't I see my son? My son barged into that shop to save people. If it hadn't been for my son, my daughter would have been defiled by those two animals!"

"That's right. Why should we lock our son up? We should have locked those two animals up instead!"

"Your son is suspected of being severely injured. The most severely injured among them is still being treated in the emergency room, and the son of our vice chief could be severely disabled. You want to see him after beating him up like that? In your dreams!"

"What are you saying, dude?"

…

Zhang Heng's parents seemed to have been making a scene at the police station for the entire night and eventually left after finding nothing. However, no one knew what they were up to.

Heavy footsteps were heard outside the interrogation room the next morning. The footsteps came closer and eventually stopped outside the interrogation room.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and saw a middle-aged man wearing a white police uniform standing outside the door with a deadpan expression, looking at him through the window.

"Open the door."

"Yes, sir."

The door of the interrogation room opened with a beep as soon as the middle-aged man spoke.

The middle-aged man's eyes were filled with resentment the moment he saw Zhang Heng. He made a slight gesture and the two police officers behind him retreated respectfully, closing the door of the interrogation room behind them.

"Do you know who I am?"

The middle-aged man walked around Zhang Heng for a bit before speaking.

A sarcastic smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face. He paid no heed to the other man's question and asked instead.

"Do you hate me a lot?"

"Huh?" That stunned the middle-aged man. He took a good look at Zhang Heng before replying solemnly, "Of course I hate you. I wish you could just die!"

"Very well then. What are you going to charge me with? Overprotective? Intentional assault? Attempted murder?" Zhang Heng raised his leg and put one foot on the table beside him.

"Seems like you know a lot about politics." The middle-aged man nodded and continued, "We'll be charging you with attempted murder. As long as you're convicted, you'll probably be spending the rest of your life behind bars."

A cold glint flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes. "Like father, like son."

"Hehe, I only have one son after all." The middle-aged man seemed to relish in Zhang Heng's resentment and reminisced about the past. "When I first became a police officer, I used to fantasize about being a good cop, punishing evil, advocating justice, and serving the people…"

"But, reality is always the best teacher. It teaches you what compromise is, what it means to look at the big picture, what it means to have interests and power."

The middle-aged man sighed and looked at Zhang Heng with a puzzled look. "Speaking of which, do you hate me as well?"

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit, feeling that the older the better. He initially thought that he had the upper hand in the conversation, but the other party managed to corner him with just a few sentences and even retaliated with a sarcastic question.

Zhang Heng was simply too naïve in front of her.

"That's not all." The middle-aged man's expression returned to normal and he continued casually, "I've looked into all the data regarding the three generations of your family. Your sister is about to take her college entrance exam soon, right? I wonder what you'd do if something were to happen to her on that day."

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and looked up with a murderous glint in his eyes.

"And then there's your parents. I assume your parents live off food stalls. If the city enforcement officers were to follow them wherever they set up their stall in the future, I wonder if they'd be able to keep doing their jobs." The middle-aged man grinned and continued, "Furthermore, those city enforcement officers aren't very well-mannered. I wonder if your parents would suffer if they were to get into a fight."

Zhang Heng's face turned completely glum and he chuckled coldly. "Seems like you're forcing my hand."

"What, you want to kill me right here?" The middle-aged man lowered his voice all of a sudden and said in a tone that sounded like he was pitying her, "Tsk, tsk, do you have the guts to do that? You'd better think it through. If you're unable to kill me here, your entire family would be in trouble…"

The middle-aged man bent down and looked at Zhang Heng with a provoking look. "I have a hundred ways to destroy your family and there's nothing you can do about it."

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and lowered his head, taking a peek at the pitch-black handle of the gun strapped to his waist. He seemed to have recalled something and burst out laughing all of a sudden.

"What are you laughing at?" The middle-aged man was stunned.

"So that's what you're planning."

Zhang Heng wore a sarcastic expression and said, "You're just trying to provoke me with your words and force me to take your gun. That way, you'll be able to shoot me righteously and avenge your eunuch son. Am I right, Mr. Vice Chief?"

The middle-aged man's expression froze and he said resentfully, "You're smart, aren't you? Well, if you're not going to fall for it, then prepare to spend the rest of your life in jail. And your family, they're going to meet with something even more tragic than this one day! And all of this is because of you. Remember, you're the one who buried your family with your own hands!"

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and licked his lips, revealing a bloodthirsty grin. "That's the funniest joke I've ever heard. It's just too bad that your eunuch son is still screaming in bed."

Both of them were using vicious words to attack the other man's mental state. However, it was obvious that the middle-aged man suffered a greater psychological trauma due to his son being crippled. He was unable to take Zhang Heng's insults and became exasperated.

"Do you really think that you're in the right? You're right, my son did have thoughts of doing something bad, but he didn't succeed in doing so. If that's the case, why did you have to go so far? Do you know that I only have one son?"

"You think I've gone too far?" Zhang Heng laughed maniacally after hearing that, his eyes filled with mockery.

"I'm sorry, but I've always liked to go to the extreme."

"Have you ever thought that if I hadn't called my sister in advance, she would have probably been killed by that animal of a son of yours? At that time, my sister would have been unable to take the blow and committed suicide. A good family like mine would have been destroyed by that animal of yours, your son, for his own selfish desires. Do you still think that your son is in the right?"

"By then, who would be able to uphold justice for me? Who would be able to save my sister's life?" Zhang Heng took a deep breath and chuckled. "Don't tell me that your son failed. You're right, he didn't succeed because I stopped him!"

"But then again, he already had intentions to harm others. The moment he took action, he was no longer fit to be a human, but a beast in human skin!"

"I'm just killing an animal that wants to harm my sister. An animal that doesn't deserve to be called a human and doesn't even have human rights. What's wrong with me crippling an animal like that?"

"I can't think straight without crippling that animal!"

"Nonsense!" The middle-aged man was so angry that he felt like his lungs were about to burst. He shouted, "My son is not an animal! He, he just took a wrong step!"

"He's an animal! No matter how much you kick up a fuss, it won't change the fact that your son is utterly devoid of conscience and doesn't want to be a son."

"You, you, you…" While the middle-aged man was able to do as he pleased in the political scene, he had no experience in the forums or online forums. He was no match for Zhang Heng when it came to throwing insults at others. His face was flushed red and his hands were shaking as he pointed at Zhang Heng. He was so angry that he was rendered speechless.

"Hmph, I'm not gonna argue with a loser like you who doesn't even have a family anymore!"

The middle-aged man finally came to his senses after a long while. He took a deep breath and suppressed the grief and indignation in his heart. "I'm not going to hit you or teach you a lesson, because there's no need for that. There will come a day when you'll regret what you've done today. For criminals like you who resort to such brutal means, the greatest punishment for you is mental torture."

The middle-aged man flung his hand away and walked out of the door.

"What time is it?" Zhang Heng asked when he saw that she was about to leave.

"Seven o'clock. What, you want breakfast?" The middle-aged man turned around and smirked.

"Seven in the morning? Time flies. The person who picked me up should be here soon." Zhang Heng wore a grin on his face as if he was waiting for something and simply closed his eyes.

However, for some reason, the middle-aged man felt a chill run down his spine the moment he saw Zhang Heng's grin. He shouted right away, "The person who came to pick you up? Drop that thought. Who would be able to pick you up? Not even the chief himself would be able to get past me!"

However, Zhang Heng didn't reply.

37. Laughter

"It's an illusion. It must be an illusion."

The first rays of the morning sun were somewhat chilly in the early spring morning. Wang Shouyi felt a chill running down his spine as he walked along the dark, dark corridors of the police station. All he could think of was that confident smirk on the man's face before he left.

Having been a police officer for most of his life, Wang Shouyi had a very good grasp of human psychology. He knew very well that he would only smile like that when he was feeling very confident.

"Damn it, is this really an illusion?" Wang Shouyi gritted his teeth. If it wasn't an illusion, it meant that the other party had some kind of trump card up his sleeve.

But then again, how could a commoner possess such power?

Furthermore, his son had been crippled on the spot. As long as he didn't want to make an enemy out of his son, even his immediate superior wouldn't want to make an enemy out of him.

Wang Shouyi was finally able to calm himself down at that thought. He even began to believe that he was seeing things.

"You're out so soon, Commissioner Wang?" A bald man in his forties popped up at the end of the corridor and asked anxiously.

"What's wrong?" Wang Shouyi lowered his voice and asked when he saw how flustered the man looked. "Chief Fan, where did that car of his come from? Have you found anything?"

If there was one thing that Wang Shouyi was unable to figure out about Zhang Heng, it was that Audi A8 that Zhang Heng had bought out of nowhere. According to the data, Zhang Heng's family was a typical family with regular income, and there was no way they could afford that kind of car.

As such, the importance of where that car came from could very well determine if he would be able to get his revenge.

"Got it." The bald man nodded with a greasy face, his features all squished together. "According to what I've found, he bought that car from the car dealership in the city yesterday noon. All the procedures are complete."

"What? Where did he get that money from?" Wang Shouyi's eyes were wide open. Did that guy just win the lottery?

"I can't find anything. There's no trace of him at all. It's like…" The bald man looked uneasy and looked at Wang Shouyi as if he was about to say something. He then continued with his speculations, "It's like everything that he did after he went to Haizhou was put under special protection…"

"Protect? Who's doing that?" Wang Shouyi was stunned.

"Maybe he really is the boss…" The bald man pointed at the sky with his index finger pointed upwards. That one gesture made Wang Shouyi feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Could it be that the other party really had someone backing him up, or was he some kind of secret mission officer from the government?

Wang Shouyi couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. Other than foreigners who had never lived in Huaxia, there was no way that the Public Security Bureau would be able to find out anything about those people. Most of them were people from important departments in the country.

Of course, that wasn't necessarily the case. There could also be other reasons, such as losing the data by accident or not having contact with the outside world for several years.

Such a situation was something that Wang Shouyi hated the most in his career. If he were to make a mistake, not only would the case fail, but it would also lead to conflicts between the upper echelons of the government. Typically, such incidents would have to be stopped immediately and reported to the authorities.

But then again, how could Wang Shouyi be willing to let his son go so easily after his son was crippled?

"It's a coincidence. It must be some kind of coincidence," Wang Shouyi thought to himself, trying to lie to himself.

His phone rang all of a sudden at that moment. Wang Shouyi shuddered and took out his phone, looking rather glum. His face turned pale when he saw who was calling.

The bald man who was referred to as Chief Fan looked as if he knew what was going on and even took two steps outside, trying to make it look like he wasn't that close with Wang Shouyi.

"Hello, Chief Yu. Are you looking for me?" Wang Shouyi took a deep breath. He had never expected that the person who called him would actually be the boss of the bureau.

Of course, that didn't mean that the two of them had to stay out of each other's lives forever. It was just that calling at such a time was too much of a coincidence.

That ominous feeling in Wang Shouyi's heart resurfaced all of a sudden.

"Chief Wang, have you gotten yourself into trouble with someone you shouldn't have gotten involved with recently?" Chief Yu's voice was heard from the other end of the phone, sounding rather anxious.

"N-No." The data regarding Zhang Heng flashed in Wang Shouyi's mind and he denied the possibility right away. Zhang Heng's background was completely clean and he looked like a regular person. Zhang Heng's father's older brother was the only one working in the Ministry of Finance, but he was just a small section chief. Furthermore, the two of them had completely cut ties over a decade ago.

All in all, there was no way it had anything to do with Zhang Heng.

"No? But one of the leaders at the institute called the city council and said that you're abusing your power for personal gain, taking revenge for private gain!"

"What? The institute? I-I don't know!" Wang Shouyi gasped, his heart thumping hard.

"What? Even I'm not telling the truth?" Chief Yu asked unhappily.

"No, Chief Yu, I really have no idea!" Wang Shouyi gritted his teeth and continued, "I have no idea what's going on either!"

"I was wondering why you were being so vague!" Chief Yu sighed in distress. "Well then, take care of yourself!" He hung up right away.

"Hello, Chief… hello! Hello!" Wang Shouyi's face was completely ashen. He didn't expect his superior to give up on him, and he didn't even realize that his phone had fallen to the ground.

The bald man by his side had run far away and was nowhere to be seen.

Wang Shouyi gritted his teeth, feeling rather dejected and indignant at the same time. He pondered about who he had offended and what he could do next. He had long forgotten about Zhang Heng.

However, the rumbling sounds of cars were heard from the bottom of the building at that moment. The rumbling sounds grew closer, as if a huge convoy was approaching at high speeds. Wang Shouyi looked down the building.

It would have been better if they hadn't seen it, but they were all stunned right away.

Cars were seen speeding into the compound of the police station. Wang Shouyi gasped when he saw the license plate numbers of those cars.

The car at the very front belonged to the boss of the city council and there were several other cars belonging to members of the standing committee and the discipline inspection committee behind them.

The boss of the city council and the discipline inspection committee came at the same time?

Wang Shouyi felt that things were not looking good and he ran to the first floor right away. No matter what, he had to go out and greet the people from the city council when they arrived.

"Secretary Yang, what brings you here?" Wang Shouyi saw the city council representative getting out of the car as soon as he walked out of the door. He went up to him and forced a smile.

However, what made Wang Shouyi's heart sink even more was that Secretary Yang only gave him a cold look and didn't bother responding to him. He simply moved aside and let another middle-aged man in military attire get out of the car.

Who was that person?

Wang Shouyi felt rather puzzled. He took a peek at the man's rank and found that he was actually a major general. Wang Shouyi was stunned and stood where he was, feeling at a loss.

"General Li, the man you're looking for should be inside." Secretary Yang gestured politely and the man in military attire walked into the police station. Wang Shouyi was about to follow when someone clapped on his shoulder.

Wang Shouyi was still feeling frustrated and turned around impatiently. He saw Liu, the discipline inspection committee member whom he knew very well, standing before him and forced a smile on his face. "Liu, what's wrong?"

"Chief Wang, I think you'd better call me that." The officer who was referred to as Old Liu acted like he was doing his job and flashed his ID in front of Wang Shouyi. "I've received a report that Chief Wang Shouyi of the Municipal Public Security Bureau is abusing his power for personal gain. Secretary Yang ordered you to assist us in the investigation. Chief Wang, please come with us."

"What?!" Wang Shouyi's vision went dark and he almost fell to the ground.

"The higher-ups have sent someone to oversee your case." Liu continued with a rather regretful tone, "We're only the vanguard. If you were to tell us what happened, we could still plead for leniency on your behalf and fight for leniency. If the higher-ups were to come…"

"I see." Wang Shouyi tried to argue further. "But what do you want me to tell you? I really don't know what I've done wrong."

"Well then, you might find out soon enough." Liu nodded and pointed at the door of the Public Security Bureau without saying anything else.

Secretary Yang and the soldier walked out about 10 minutes later. There were several police officers behind them who looked shocked. Wang Shouyi frowned, unable to figure out what he had done wrong.

"I say, Old Liu, what the hell…" Wang Shouyi turned around and looked at Old Liu.

"You still don't get it? Did you give the order to arrest someone named Zhang Heng?" Liu sighed and asked.

Zhang Heng? A very familiar name.

Wang Shouyi was stunned. How could he not know her? How could he not?

The owner of that name had crippled his only son and he wanted nothing more than to tear that son of his apart. He had even gotten into a fight with that man about 10 minutes ago and swore to tear that man's family apart.

Wang Shouyi felt like his eyes were about to pop out of his skull. He looked at the door of the police station again and saw the young man named Zhang Heng being escorted out by several police officers. His handcuffs had long been taken off.

The young man seemed to have sensed something when he looked at the young man and turned around to look at him with a smirk on his face.

The sun gradually rose and Zhang Heng stood with his back facing the rising sun. The golden silhouette of the sun pierced Wang Shouyi's eyes. Wang Shouyi had never realized that the morning sun was so glaring that he could hardly keep his eyes open.

"We meet again, Commissioner Wang. I told you that someone would pick me up."

Zhang Heng's cold voice seemed to have come from somewhere else, causing Wang Shouyi to shudder all over. His words were like a bolt from the blue, and everything became clear to him. Despair was written all over his face at that moment, and he slumped to the ground with a bitter grin on his face.

38. Returning To Haizhou

Zhang Heng returned home completely unscathed the next morning.

The news broke out in the city before noon. Wang Shouyi, the vice chief of the Chongzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, had been suspended and investigated by the Commission for Discipline Inspection due to severe violations. There were no other statements made.

It wasn't easy to explain things to her parents. Zhang Heng's mother wanted to ask more questions, but her father stopped her. From what he saw, his son had grown up and was no longer the young man who needed his protection. He could tell from what happened that day that his son was not as simple as he seemed.

Zhang Heng's father sighed to himself, but there was encouragement and pride in his eyes when he looked at Zhang Heng. The baby bird had grown up and would eventually fly away on its own. Keeping it by his side with kinship was a kind of restriction and selfishness.

The future that he had planned for his son in the past was no longer something that could contain his son's growing physique. As such, why not just let his son roam the world as he pleased, so that he could spread his wings and soar to greater heights?

The love of a father was boundless.

Zhang Heng was secretly grateful that his father didn't pursue the matter further. He didn't want to lie to his parents, but he had secrets that he couldn't afford to reveal. As such, silence was the best option.

The four of them were having lunch at home when the doorbell rang all of a sudden. Zhang Heng exchanged looks with his father and stood up to open the door. He saw Yang Yang and her parents standing outside with bags of all sizes in their hands. All three of them had reddened eyes.

"Thank you, Uncle and Auntie!" Yang Yang's parents walked up to Zhang Heng with reddened eyes before he was able to say anything. Their hands were shaking as they held onto Zhang Heng's hands. Zhang Heng didn't know whether he should hide or not and felt very awkward.

"Oh, come on, we're all neighbors here. Why are you guys being so formal? Come on in, come on in!" Zhang Heng's father tried to smooth things over and welcomed the three neighbors into the room before he was able to ease the awkwardness that he was feeling.

Zhang Heng wiped the cold sweat from his brow and took a look at his sister, who was busy eating. Zhang Xin was only excited for a bit after he got home, before falling silent again. She had done something wrong, after all. Zhang Xin cried throughout the entire night, feeling both remorse and fear, and only gradually calmed down after Zhang Heng got home safely.

Zhang Xin had mostly recovered by then. She made a face at Zhang Heng when she saw him and flashed him a fawning smile.

Zhang Heng responded to his sister with a look of feigned viciousness.

"I came to your place today specifically to thank Little Heng. If it hadn't been for him, I'm afraid our daughter would have…" Yang Yang's mother burst into tears after seeing Yang Yang's parents in the living room. Yang Yang, who was standing at the side, kept wiping her tears away, which frightened Zhang Heng's parents so much that they kept trying to comfort her.

"Actually, it's not you guys who should be thanking me. It's me who should be thanking you instead." Zhang Heng felt a headache coming on as he tried to change the subject, seeing that his parents were unable to console the two of them.

"Wait, why would you say that, Heng?" Yang Yang's parents stopped crying immediately and looked at Zhang Heng curiously.

"That's because, if it hadn't been for that text message from Yang Yang's sister, I wouldn't have known that something like that would happen and I wouldn't have been able to save the two of them. You could say that Yang Yang was the one who saved my sister." Zhang Heng nodded solemnly.

"Hey, Heng, stop trying to flatter that b * tch. I taught her a lesson as soon as I got home today. She went on to do whatever she wanted instead of studying, and she almost got Zhang Xin in trouble! If something were to happen to Zhang Xin, my wife and I wouldn't be able to face you two neighbors anymore!" Yang Yang's father explained in a frustrated tone.

"Uncle, I'm really grateful to Yang Yang." Zhang Heng didn't bother with pleasantries. That was what he was thinking deep down. If it hadn't been for that text message from Yang Yang, he wouldn't have been able to save his sister. So what if he were to take revenge for his sister in the future? So what if he were to kill Wang Shouyi and his family? An indelible trauma would have been left in his sister's heart, and that was something that Zhang Heng couldn't bear.

As such, he was very grateful to Yang Yang.

"Uncle Yang, did you say that Yang Yang's sister isn't doing very well in her studies?" Zhang Heng asked, suddenly having an idea.

"Sigh, this kid has been neglecting her studies ever since she was young. She's still like that even after joining Bashu Middle School. We don't know what to do anymore. I'm afraid that she won't even be able to get into a second-tier university after taking the college entrance exam." Yang Yang's father sounded as if he expected better from her. Yang Yang, who was standing at the side, lowered her head in embarrassment.

"Yang, don't blame your daughter. She's still the same, isn't she?" Zhang Heng's father comforted Yang Yang's father and glared at Zhang Xin. Zhang Xin was so frightened that she didn't dare to look up and just dug into her food.

"Well then, would Yang Yang be willing to go to Fudan University after taking the college entrance exam?" Zhang Heng suddenly turned around and flashed a warm smile at Yang Yang.

Everyone was stunned and turned to look at Zhang Heng right away. The room was eerily silent.

"Brother Zhang Heng, what do you mean?" Yang Yang took a moment to realize what Zhang Heng meant and her face flushed with excitement as she asked in disbelief.

"I happen to have some connections. If Yang Yang is willing to go to Fudan, I think I could help."

"Heng, when did you…" Zhang Heng's father's eyes were wide open, as if it was the first day he met his son. Yang Yang's parents were no exception. All of them were panting as they glared at Zhang Heng, trying to see if he was joking or not.

"Uncle Yang, while I don't know the principal of Fudan University, I do know a friend of mine who owes me a huge favor. One word from me and I can guarantee that there is no university in Haizhou that Yang Yang wouldn't be able to enroll in!" Zhang Heng had no choice but to pat Yang Yang's father on the shoulder and explain with a smile.

The friend that Zhang Heng was talking about was none other than Li Jianguo, the president of the Li Group, who had a lot of connections and influence. Li Jianguo's influence meant that, even if he didn't know who the principal of Fudan University was, it would still be a piece of cake for him to send someone to Fudan University. However, if Li Jianguo were to find out that Zhang Heng actually took him for a b * * * *, he wondered what he would think.

Everyone in the room was stunned at that moment. Yang Yang's parents looked at each other with excitement and joy written all over their faces. Yang Yang, on the other hand, was even more excited. She nodded hard and said loudly, "I'm willing! Brother Zhang Heng, I'm willing to go to Fudan University!"

"Hahahaha!" Zhang Heng's father burst out laughing right away. His laughter was filled with pride. His son had really done him proud.

"I want to go too, bro!" Zhang Xin, who was standing at the side, was exasperated right there and then. Her results were about the same as Yang Yang's, and both of them were people who could only score 400 to 500 points in the mock exams. Even if she were to get the best results, she would probably only be able to get into an average second-tier university. If she were to be unlucky, she would only be able to get into specialized schools. When she heard that her brother was able to get someone else to enroll in a prestigious school like Fudan, she was unable to sit still any longer. She hugged Zhang Heng's arm and began to whine.

"You?" Zhang Heng glared at Zhang Xin and said in a deliberately stern manner, "If you want to go to Fudan, you'd have to at least score 500 points or above for your exams. Otherwise, you'd only be embarrassing me if you were to go to Fudan instead."

"Dude, I'll definitely listen to you and your parents from now on, definitely, definitely!" Zhang Xin got anxious right away and extended her little finger, wanting to hook with Zhang Heng, which made everyone burst out laughing.

Yang Yang's parents brought Yang Yang out of Zhang Heng's place with beaming smiles after the fun. They thanked Zhang Heng profusely before they left, and Zhang Heng promised to keep Yang Yang's admission letter with him.

Zhang Heng only rested at home for a few days before taking the plane back to Haizhou in a hurry. It wasn't that he didn't want to continue resting, but the thought of the unknowns that humanity would have to face in the future made him feel a sense of crisis and urgency. It was as if the Sword of Damocles was hanging right above his head, preventing him from ever being able to completely relax.

Zhang Heng planned to put his plans on the agenda when he returned to Haizhou, which was to set up a company that would be able to take control of the world's forces and funds.

Of course, he still had a long way to go before he could achieve what he had dreamed of achieving. His first step would only be to successfully run the company.

39. Li Yiru

A week had passed since completing the Dead Space mission, and Zhang Heng was sitting in his warehouse, feeling troubled.

All corners of the warehouse were installed with the most advanced cameras, which were installed with infrared detection technology and were capable of spinning on their own. The alarms would go off whenever someone unfamiliar was found.

Furthermore, the doors of the warehouse were modified to have double-layered anti-theft locks. The locks on the doors were double locks with keys and fingerprints. All the windows were installed with alloy anti-theft grids and were electrified by the grids, which would cause alarms to go off if they were touched.

Zhang Heng was probably the first person in the entire country to have such a well-guarded warehouse. However, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Black Marker, which was capable of destroying the entire human race, was placed there. Furthermore, it wasn't that Zhang Heng was afraid that the Black Marker would do something to him, but that he was afraid of other external factors.

The Black Marker had been shut down by the Dimensional Star when Zhang Heng brought it to the real world. Since the Dimensional Star had guaranteed that there would be no problem, then there was no problem at all.

However, just because the Dimensional Star dared to guarantee something didn't mean that Zhang Heng dared to do so as well. As the saying goes, one could never be too careful. They were in the outskirts and there were very few people around. If some thief were to sneak into the warehouse and try to steal something, and ended up exposing the information regarding the Black Marker, Zhang Heng would be in deep trouble.

However, if it hadn't been for the fact that he was a fan of the Dead Space, he probably wouldn't have been able to tell what the Marker was. It looked like a sculpture of art when placed there. Even if fans were to be able to recognize it, they would probably only think that it was some kind of giant figurine. No matter how much thought they had, it was impossible for them to realize that something that looked like a work of art was actually the real thing.

However, it was one thing if the other party didn't believe him. It was another thing if Zhang Heng was scared out of his wits. No matter how careless he was, there was no way he would allow someone else to come into contact with such a weapon capable of destroying humanity. It was just like how a child would want to come into contact with a nuclear bomb. Even if adults knew that the child wouldn't be able to detonate the nuclear bomb no matter how hard they tried, they would still instinctively try to stop the child from touching it.

Several calls were made to Zhang Heng that morning. All of them were from people who had seen the hiring notice online and came to inquire about the company. However, most of them didn't get to the part about the interviews, as Zhang Heng himself had no idea how to proceed with the interviews. As such, the interviews were eventually dropped.

Zhang Heng, who was a layman, was completely at a loss when it came to starting a company. He had no choice but to look for Li Jianguo and get him to look for personnel to hire, finance, secretaries, and so on. Otherwise, the company wouldn't be able to continue operating.

Li Jianguo grumbled for a bit on the other end of the phone and eventually agreed. However, he only agreed to find Zhang Heng a helper and there was no need to talk about anything else. No matter how much Zhang Heng offered, he wouldn't agree to the terms.

Zhang Heng shook his head. One helper was enough. What he lacked the most was a starting point. The Stellar Biotech Corporation would snowball like a snowball as soon as he got started. Whether he would be able to become a global megacorporation would depend on himself.

Zhang Heng's phone rang several hours later. He looked at the screen lazily and raised his eyebrows. It was Li Yiru, whom he hadn't seen in over a month.

Other than Li Jianguo's support, the success of the T-1 experiment was also due to Li Yiru's efforts. If it hadn't been for the fact that she was willing to go against her father just to help him verify the T-1's effects, Zhang Heng would have had no choice but to hand the T-1 completely over to the government, gaining a small amount of profit and taking huge risks to expose himself. He wouldn't have been able to earn so much money without doing anything.

As such, Zhang Heng felt rather grateful to Li Yiru. He picked up the call and said with a smile, "Class Rep, Li? What brings you to my phone?"

"What? Can't I call you if there's nothing else?" Li Yiru's crisp, confident voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "I assume that my dad didn't tell you that my grandpa has recovered after being treated by the drug you developed."

"Really? Well, congratulations then." Zhang Heng chuckled and said. Despite saying that, he didn't sound surprised at all. But then again, if even the T-1 couldn't treat cancer, there really wouldn't be any medicine in the world that could.

"By the way, I heard from my dad that you've just opened a new company and you need manpower. How about… you take a look at me? I've been doing my internship at home for quite a while and I'm still doing my job." Li Yiru's voice sounded rather shy on the other end of the phone.

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before he narrowed his gaze and a beam of light shot out from his eyes. If anyone were to see Zhang Heng at that moment, they would probably be so intimidated by his piercing gaze that they wouldn't dare to look him in the eye.

Zhang Heng immediately thought of all kinds of conspiracies after hearing what Li Yiru said, such as the Li Group trying to take away his remaining shares and Li Jianguo asking his daughter to seduce him.

Zhang Heng stopped smiling and asked, "Didn't I hear that you're in charge of financial affairs in the Li Group? Why are you still coming to a small, unknown company like mine?"

"Why not?" Li Yiru was stunned for a bit and felt rather exasperated. She was born into a rich family, and while she didn't have the airs of a rich playboy, she still had the arrogance that she deserved. Now that she was willing to lower herself to help her old classmate, Zhang Heng didn't show any signs of being grateful at all. What Zhang Heng said almost made her explode.

"I'm willing to do it myself. Furthermore, your drug cured my grandpa. Can't I just thank you instead?" Li Yiru was exasperated.

Zhang Heng came to his senses at that moment. He thought for a bit and denied Li Yiru's motives.

In his eyes, Li Jianguo was a cunning, cautious old fox. He knew very well that he had potential and that there was little chance that he was up to no good. If he wasn't up to something, then it seemed like the girl had taken a liking to him.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows at that thought and said, "Alright, I guess I'm overthinking things. If you're really willing to work in my company, I'd definitely welcome you with open arms."

"That's more like it…" Li Yiru snorted and continued, "But I'm not the only one. There's someone else who would like to meet you as well. You'll know who that is soon enough." Li Yiru kept Zhang Heng in suspense and hung up before he could ask anything.

Zhang Heng shook his head and put his phone down quietly. He had always thought that he and Li Yiru were from two different worlds. Li Yiru was the daughter of a billionaire while he was a penniless, penniless kid who had never thought about anything else.

Despite all that, he still didn't feel anything for Li Yiru. While she was pretty, she wasn't so pretty that he wouldn't marry anyone other than her. There were plenty of pretty girls out there in real life, and if there was one advantage that Li Yiru had, it was that she had a rich father.

Not only was Li Yiru rich, but she was also capable and even somewhat overbearing. Everyone in school knew that.

Zhang Heng didn't like women who were headstrong. He was the headstrong type, after all, and if two headstrong people were to run into each other, the scene would be so beautiful that he didn't dare to look at it.

However, judging from Li Yiru's performance that day, it would have been either she was up to something or she had feelings for him. That didn't look good.

(Author's Note: Author's Note: Author's Note: Author's Note: Author's Note: Author's Note: This book is now officially in the recommended phase. Please throw your recommendations at me! In response to everyone's call, I'll begin to look at the situation from a different perspective. I'll be adding the first chapter at 12pm tonight, and you'll be able to read it tomorrow. The better the results, the more motivation I'll have, and the more I'll be adding! So, please let me be the hero!)

40. Joining

Zhang Heng wasn't some sentimental idiot. His IQ and EQ were actually higher than that of regular people, or he wouldn't have been able to survive two missions from the Dimensional Star.

Regardless of whether it was a conspiracy or a personal relationship, Zhang Heng had no qualms about her getting close to him. Even if the Li Group was up to something, he wasn't afraid of her. Furthermore, the possibility of her making a move on him wasn't high.

Zhang Heng saw a bright red sports car appearing on the surveillance video at the door about 10 minutes later. While he didn't recognize the brand, he could tell from the look of the car that it was far more expensive than the Audi A8L that he had just bought. The car parked quickly and Li Yiru and a skinny young man got out of the car and headed straight for the door of the warehouse.

Zhang Heng covered the Black Marker with a piece of cloth unhurriedly after seeing that the guard was already at the door. He then went to open the door.

Li Yiru, who was standing at the door, was dressed in black professional attire and wore sunglasses, which made her look like she was wearing expensive perfume. She didn't say anything when she saw Zhang Heng opening the door and simply crossed her arms as she looked at him coldly.

Zhang Heng felt a headache coming on when he saw Li Yiru looking at him with a displeased look on her face. He had no choice but to smile and say, "So, who are you getting angry with, Class Rep?"

"You're biting the hand that fed you, you ingrate." Li Yiru snorted and walked right through the door. The young man behind her followed right behind her, grabbing Zhang Heng's hands and shaking them. "Oh, savior, I've been looking all over for you. I finally got in touch with Ms. Li and found out that you live here."

"You're… Fang Hao?" Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before realizing that the pale-looking young man who looked like he had just recovered from a serious illness was none other than Fang Hao, the first patient that the T-1 treated a month ago.

When he first met Fang Hao, he was so skinny that he looked like a skeleton. He had lost all of his hair due to the chemotherapy. Things were a lot better now. While he still looked like a tuberculosis maniac, he was a lot stronger than he was back then.

"Oh, my lord savior, you still remember me? Hehe, sorry for taking the liberty to come today." Fang Hao clapped Zhang Heng on the shoulder as if they were very familiar with each other. He chuckled and went through the door, looking around the place.

The warehouse given to him by Li Jianguo was about 700 to 800 square meters in area, making it look like a miniature plaza. There was a roof constructed from steel and plastic plates above his head, which made the place look completely empty. There was only a bed, a computer table, and a huge pile of white cloth placed near the computer table.

"Where's your team?" Li Yiru took a quick glance and looked away. "Didn't you say that you have a research and development team? Why are you the only one here?"

"The team is on vacation. No good?" Zhang Heng rolled his eyes. While Li Yiru was indebted to him, he recalled that she never put on airs before. Due to his relationship with Li Jianguo, the distance between him and Li Yiru had gotten considerably shorter. However, why was it that the more they got along, the more she put on airs?

Just when Zhang Heng was feeling puzzled, Li Yiru continued, "I don't think it's the holidays. You're the only one in your team, aren't you?"

Li Yiru stood beside Zhang Heng and interrogated him. "Three months ago, you rented the No. 5 Laboratory in our school's Biopharmaceutical Building under the guise of an experiment and conducted an experiment that lasted for over two months. However, no one knew what the experiment was about. When the experiment was over, you announced at the party that your team developed a Biopharmaceutical called the T-1. If I'm not mistaken, you developed the T-1 yourself, right?"

Zhang Heng shrugged and didn't say anything. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep such a thing a secret for long. Under the investigation of someone with ulterior motives, it would have been impossible for a regular person like him to be able to keep any secrets. However, so what if he knew that he was alone? It would only serve to increase his value and wouldn't do anything to him.

"I didn't know that something as miraculous as the T-1 was actually developed by you, savior. I've never been impressed by anyone in my life. I'm impressed!" Fang Hao gave Zhang Heng a thumbs up when he heard that, completely oblivious to the tension between the two of them.

"Well then, tell me what you're here for today. If you're here to join my company, I'd welcome you with open arms. If you're here to persuade me to join the Li Group, I'd say no." Zhang Heng ignored Fang Hao and simply rolled his eyes, not bothering to argue with Li Yiru.

What a joke. How urgent was his time? The life-and-death mission that happened once every three months, as well as the calamity that would befall him in the near future, it could be said that Zhang Heng had been racing against time the entire time, and his chances of winning were so small that there was practically no chance of winning. Putting aside the fact that he was deeply in love with his parents, he had only spent a few days visiting his parents, not daring to waste any time.

Li Yiru's current behavior made her look like a little girl who was out to play house with him. Zhang Heng couldn't be bothered with her.

Li Yiru frowned when she heard that. Zhang Heng's words put her in a rather awkward position. She wanted to show her goodwill to Zhang Heng, yet she couldn't bring herself to do so. In the end, she had no choice but to open her mouth and force herself to say, "You're being very cautious. I told you that I'm here to join your company. Is this how you treat people who came to join you?"

"Alright then." Zhang Heng clapped his hands and thought to himself, That's it then. He needed Li Yiru's abilities and Li Yiru needed to develop a good impression of him. That was what it meant to be willing to take a beating and willing to take a beating.

Of course, he didn't dare to say that out loud, or she would have killed him. He sighed and said, "I'm more than happy to have you here, Ms. Li. Just be the head of the human resource department for now. Do you have any requests regarding your salary?"

"Your monthly salary is at least 10,000 yuan, and you need two days off from work. You'll need to pay overtime pay for working overtime." Li Yiru finally wore the smug look of a little girl after seeing Zhang Heng relenting.

"Deal!" Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. He trusted Li Yiru's abilities after all. She was the daughter of the boss of a huge corporation, and her experience in managing a company was hundreds of times better than his. If Li Yiru were to join the company, he would have nothing to worry about.

"Hey, hey, hey, me too." Fang Hao got anxious after seeing how the two of them agreed to the terms so easily. "Oh, savior of mine, I'm here to join you with all my heart. Ms. Li has given me a position as the head of the department, so I should get a position too, right?"

"What can you do?" Zhang Heng chuckled and asked in return.

"I… I could be your secretary. I could run errands for you, pour you tea or something." Fang Hao scratched his head and chuckled. "I don't need a lot of pay, just $18,000 would do."

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes and extended five fingers. "Five thousand a month. You don't need to run errands for me anymore. Just follow her. She just became a leader and she needs someone to take care of her, right?"

"Sure, sure. Just do what you need to do. I'll be sure to keep an eye on you, savior." Fang Hao didn't mind and chuckled.

Just like that, the first batch of staff from Zhang Heng's company was settled at a meeting where they didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

41. Modifying The Marker

Li Yiru took over Zhang Heng's human resource work for the time being and rented an office building in the city center, which served as a temporary office for the company. She then hired several accountants and staff in the field as the head of the human resource department. Zhang Heng didn't have high requirements in that area, as he only needed a college degree.

Li Yiru then brought those people to negotiate with the people from the Municipal Commerce Bureau. The purpose of the negotiation was Zhang Heng's request to build a company building in the Haizhou Development Zone. The negotiation went very smoothly due to the influence of Li Yiru's father. The contract was signed within a week.

Zhang Heng initially thought that things wouldn't be going too well after getting into a feud with the son of the vice mayor. He didn't expect that the vice mayor would be so magnanimous, or that the vice mayor would take advantage of Li Jianguo to ensure that no one would make things difficult for him.

He then went on to work on the purchasing plan and hired designers. He finally came up with a design plan for a building with a base area of 5,000 square meters and 55 floors. He planned to build the building at the end of the month, with an initial investment of 80 million yuan and a construction duration of 15 months.

However, Zhang Heng was very displeased after finding out about the time limit and revised the plan. Despite Li Yiru's strong protest against the idea being deemed too wasteful, Zhang Heng nonetheless suppressed all objections and eventually decided to invest an additional 50 million yuan to get the three construction teams to work together and try to finish the building in six months. That was a speed that was approaching that of Shenzhen, which had a floor every three days.

Li Yiru felt rather exasperated with Zhang Heng, who didn't care about money at all. It was a pity that he was the boss of the company after all, and she had no choice but to agree to his demands.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin as he watched Li Yiru leave the warehouse huffing and puffing. How would she know that what he lacked the most was time? Furthermore, he was definitely going to personally oversee the construction of the building. Not only that, but he had also spent millions of yuan to hire designers to design an underground building online, using an anonymous method. That was his ultimate goal—to build an underground laboratory that no one else knew about, where he would be able to conduct some shady experiments in the future.

A month passed as he went about his random preparations. One day, he received a call from a logistics company telling him to collect the goods.

Zhang Heng gave the location of the warehouse and several huge trucks were parked in the front yard of the warehouse in less than half an hour.

"Nice to meet you, sir. Are you Mr. Zhang? Here are your goods. Please take inventory," a middle-aged man said as he shook hands with Zhang Heng.

"That's right, I am. Please get your men to help me move those things into the warehouse." Zhang Heng pointed at the door behind him and continued, "I can't move all of those things alone."

"No problem. That's what our company is supposed to be doing." The middle-aged man gestured to the people behind him and used a forklift to transport the huge containers into the warehouse. He worked from morning to afternoon before he was finally done transporting the containers. Zhang Heng's warehouse was now mostly occupied.

He stuffed some high-end cigarettes into the middle-aged man's mouth and chatted with him for a bit before dismissing him.

He waited for all the unrelated personnel to leave before opening one of the containers, which was about the height of a grown man, with a crowbar in his hand. A huge silver-white electronic device was revealed right before his eyes.

"So, this is the supercomputer cabinet that was customized by IBM in the US?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and looked around before dragging the device that weighed hundreds of kilograms to the front of the Marker. Zhang Heng's current standards far exceeded that of regular people. While the equipment was heavy, it wasn't a problem for him.

Zhang Heng's custom-made commercial supercomputer had a total of 15 parallel cabinets, consisting of 5,000 nodes. Each of those nodes had three E52692 processors, a total of 915,000 computing cores with liquid nitrogen cooling systems installed. The computing speed of the supercomputer was 5 trillion times per second. While it was nowhere near that of world-class supercomputers, it was more than enough to serve as an auxiliary system for the Black Marker.

However, the power consumption of such computers was simply too high. As such, Zhang Heng bought three sets of silent generators, each with a power capacity of 2,000 kWh, a length of seven meters, and a height of three meters, making them look like three massive monsters.

Zhang Heng connected the supercomputer to the power generator according to the method given to him by the Dimensional Star and opened the other containers. He took out all manner of equipment and installed them that even he was unable to make sense of. Despite having been injected with the T-Virus before, Zhang Heng was still unable to take the strain. A full day passed by the time he was done.

Zhang Heng looked at the warehouse that was almost fully occupied at the moment and couldn't help but feel a sense of magnanimity. He turned on the power generators with the mindset of a pilgrim and turned on the supercomputer. The entire warehouse shook slightly all of a sudden.

There were three seven-meter-long power generators and supercomputers that were over 30 meters long lined up side by side. The engines of those supercomputers were rather impressive, but it was fortunate that Zhang Heng had bought a silencer. If it had been a regular power generator, the warehouse would have been completely devoid of people.

A 130-inch 8K LCD panel on the wall at the door of the warehouse lit up as the computer was turned on.

The Dimensional Star system in Zhang Heng's brain began to transmit data into his mind as the image lit up. What he needed to do was to input all those codes that he couldn't understand into the supercomputer, thereby altering the operation patterns of the supercomputer, enabling it to align with the programming of the Black Marker.

It was a massive project, just like programming. What Zhang Heng needed to do was to alter the programming of the supercomputer, enabling it to be compatible with the programming of the Black Marker, thereby achieving the goal of altering the programming of the Black Marker.

The supercomputer's programming was significantly modified as the commands were entered one after another. If a computer expert were to see what Zhang Heng was doing at the moment, they would have been completely stunned by what he was doing, as what he was doing at the moment was actually programming the code of the supercomputer.

All these years, computers had been invented using binary operation methods, which were the fruits of decades of hard work by countless people. However, what Zhang Heng was doing at the moment was actually attempting to modify the computers into another operation that was tens of thousands of times more complex than binary operation methods.

Time passed. Zhang Heng, who was a layman, had no idea how the commands that he was inputting would shock the world. He simply felt that the commands that the Dimensional Star asked him to input were seemingly endless. Eventually, he realized that the keyboard that the computer used was no longer enough for him to use. He felt more like he was typing several letters into the keyboard, which would form a code that looked like cuneiform and bone texts before entering the computer.

Days passed and Zhang Heng called for orders when he was hungry. He grabbed a bottle of mineral water to quench his thirst when he was thirsty and stayed like that for five days. He was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after inputting the last set of codes into the supercomputer on the evening of the fifth day and pressed the return button. It was only then that he realized that all ten of his fingers were completely swollen and his back was aching, making him look like a dog.

"That's it?" Zhang Heng stood up and stretched, asking the Dimensional Star in a rather uncertain manner.

"That should do it. That stupid machine is finally compatible with the Marker in terms of programming. With the aid of the information transmission machine, the Black Marker could be rebooted and the programming would be modified." Yurianne looked rather lethargic in his mind. Only the heavens knew why a program like that could be so tiring.

"Alright, I'll take a nap then. Don't wake me up no matter what happens," Zhang Heng grumbled for a bit before falling asleep on the bed.

…

Zhang Heng was woken up by his phone ringing. He picked up his phone in a daze and picked up the call without even looking at who it was. "Hello? Who's there?"

"Boss, it's me, Fang Hao!" A commotion was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Fang Hao?" Zhang Heng checked the time and found that it was late afternoon the next day. He woke up slightly and changed his posture comfortably. "What's wrong? Aren't you and Yiru hiring staff at the company?"

"Yeah, we've taken a liking to over a dozen capable people right now. Boss Li asked me to ask you if you'd like to come to the company and check things out."

"No need. You guys can decide for yourselves." Zhang Heng said impatiently, "Tell Ru that I'll leave everything in the company to her for the time being, as long as she can help me build my foundation."

"You're just throwing the job away…" Fang Hao grumbled in a low voice. "What about the groundbreaking ceremony of the Stellar Technology building? The groundbreaking ceremony is tomorrow. You're definitely coming, right?"

"The opening ceremony?" Zhang Heng's eyes darted around for a bit before he smacked his head. "I almost forgot about that. If that's the case, I'll be there tomorrow. By the way, did she order anything that I asked Ru to customize?"

"Are you talking about those tens of thousands of alloy steel plates? I've booked them. They'll be shipped over once the foundation is dug."

"Alright, that's it then. I'm hanging up." Zhang Heng hung up without waiting for the man to finish speaking before getting out of bed slowly. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked at the Black Marker with a burning gaze.

"Let's go!"

42. The Appearance Of Corona

Deep in the night, in the outskirts of Haizhou, an unknown warehouse was built on the side of the highway in a desolate manner. Cars would occasionally pass by on the highway, picking up a leaf before being captured and scanned by the high-tech cameras installed in the corners of the warehouse. The results would then be sent to the central equipment, where everything would be evaluated as normal.

Zhang Heng was once again immersed in the huge computer screen before him in the warehouse, inputting codes that the electronic engineers were unable to understand into the supercomputer, and tweaked the programming of the supercomputer.

There was an unknown complex piece of equipment at the end of the 30-meter-long body of the supercomputer. All of the circuits of the equipment were exposed to the air and pieces of parts were pieced together without any aesthetics. Anyone with a discerning eye would be able to tell that they were personal equipment.

However, the complex yet crude-looking piece of equipment continued to rumble as it operated. One end of the wiring was connected to a certain part of the supercomputer cabinet, while the other end was like a laser cannon, sending laser signals to the 20-meter-tall black sculpture.

That unknown piece of equipment was the most important photon exchanger to modify the programming of the Marker. The Marker had no socket and could only transmit data using photons.

Groups of dark red spots were seen on the Marker at the moment, making it obvious that it had been activated yet again. However, the Marker didn't emit any radiation that could affect the human psyche. Instead, it looked like a neon sign that was entirely dark red. The complex and mysterious inscriptions on the Marker lit up one after another, emitting a horrifying crimson color.

"Initialization of the Marker program…"

The messages from the Marker were also received by the supercomputer through the photon exchanger and were converted into voice messages, which were transmitted through the Strollers' S5000 audio equipment.

Zhang Heng, who had been busy for the whole night again, took a deep breath and slowly straightened his back. He looked at the humming Black Marker not far away with an excited look on his face and a tinge of passion was seen in his eyes.

"Initialization of the Marker program complete. Please name the Marker AI program." The deadpan mechanical voice was heard again.

"Corona." Zhang Heng answered without giving it any thought. Corona was the name of the Black Marker, so it was only right for it to be called the AI of the Black Marker.

"Naming complete. Please set up commander recognition access."

"Use biogenetic verification procedures, brainwave verification procedures, and voice verification procedures." Zhang Heng had learned about the operation mechanism of the Marker from the Dimensional Star a long time ago, so he continued casually, "In terms of access, activate the highest access and shut down the meme function at the same time. No one is to use the Marker without my orders."

"Setup complete. Highest access to commanding officer activated. Gene confirmed, brainwave confirmed, voice confirmed."

"Highest access activated at the request of the commander. Meme function locked."

"Well done, Corona." Zhang Heng couldn't help but snap his fingers. "Now set up your virtual image according to what I've pictured in my mind."

"Understood, Commander." The Black Marker took the data in Zhang Heng's mind right away and sent it into the supercomputer through the photon exchanger, which was then simulated within milliseconds by the processing program of the supercomputer before being converted to the huge LCD screen at the southern side of the warehouse.

What appeared on the LCD screen was a Japanese girl dressed in sailor attire.

That person existed in real life as well, and he was a member of the popular Japanese group AK47. His name was Chiliang or Lingnai or something else, something that Zhang Heng couldn't remember clearly. However, none of that mattered as he was just testing the Black Marker's abilities.

Zhang Heng was very satisfied with the results of the test. Looking at the Japanese girl on the screen who looked like a real person, he realized just how heaven-defying the Marker was. The number one supercomputer in the world, the Tianhe-2, was nothing compared to it.

The tests continued. "Corona, what is the extent and range of your ability to influence the mental field of humans?"

The mouth of the girl on the screen moved right away and said with a deadpan expression, "With the highest access, my mental field is able to mimic the thought patterns of highly-intelligent lifeforms to a hundred percent. The reality of the illusions created would be greatly enhanced and I could even create a virtual reality world."

"As for area of effect, according to the human conversion unit, my current mental magnetic field is capable of affecting the human psyche within a radius of one kilometer. That is the lowest power possible. If I were to activate the second state, the magnetic field would be able to reach a radius of 10 kilometers, while the third state would have a radius of 100 kilometers. The fourth state would be the highest access, which would be a linear scanning, which would be able to affect all targets within a million meters in a linear orbit."

"So, you're saying that you didn't unlock all of the highest access when you first met me?" Zhang Heng nodded in realization. No wonder that illusion back then didn't feel real. While it was already very heaven-defying, it still didn't match the Black Marker's reputation.

"By the way, Corona, could you try to look more human?" Zhang Heng recalled that Yurianne had mentioned before that the Marker had AIs that were comparable to humans, so he asked her about it.

"Hi!"

The girl on the screen was stunned for a bit after hearing what Zhang Heng said, before she nodded solemnly. Her black hair swayed as if she had a soul of her own. The corners of her lips turned up and her eyes curved into crescents.

Zhang Heng's heart skipped a beat at how lifelike the machine looked. It was so lifelike that it looked no different from a real person. It was indeed the legendary quantum supercomputer.

"What about power consumption?" Zhang Heng changed the subject right away. "How long could you last if you were to activate Level Four?"

"Power consumption?" The girl on the screen tilted her head and frowned slightly after hearing that. She then ran her hand through her hair and said, "Hmm… According to my internal data, Level Four is unavailable due to energy deficit. Level Three is three days, Level Two is six months, and Level One is 18 years."

"How are we going to replenish the power supply then?" Zhang Heng frowned. It seemed that the Black Marker had run out of power after activating the Blood Moon.

"Solar, electrical, radiation. Any kind of energy could be converted," the girl on the screen said with a smile.

Zhang Heng nodded. It looked like he would have to find a way to recharge the Marker in the future. However, given Corona's rate of power consumption, the power generated by the Three Gorges Dam would probably only be able to match that of Corona, who had access to Level Four access. That wasn't something that could be replenished with just a few power generators.

Zhang Heng put all those questions to the back of his mind and went on to do a functional test. He pondered for a bit and asked, "Are you able to affect the minds of regular people right now? How far could you go?"

"The command given by the commander is required to affect the mental field of humans. As for the degree of control and the number of controls, that would depend on energy consumption. Theoretically speaking, the maximum number of people required would be 100 million."

"That's more than enough." Zhang Heng nodded. "To what extent could you control humans?"

The Japanese girl on the screen frowned and thought for a bit before saying, "Unable to control one's thoughts. The most one could do is confuse and deceive. One could read the other person's memories and confuse the human mind, or create illusions."

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and asked, "What about the chances of it being broken? Just like how I broke your illusion back then."

"The reason why it was broken is usually because I wasn't able to activate it at full power. If I were to activate it at full power, the chances of humans being able to break the illusion designed by me would be one percent."

A bold thought came to Zhang Heng's mind all of a sudden. If the Black Marker was capable of causing hallucinations, could he construct a virtual setting that only existed in his consciousness? He could then project his consciousness into the virtual setting, enabling him to learn, work, and even communicate.

"It could be done, but it would consume a lot of energy. The more complex the virtual setting is, the more consciousness a person would have, and the more energy would be consumed."

He could do it!

Zhang Heng was elated right away. "Could you accelerate the thought process of a person's consciousness without any side effects?"

"Due to the mental fortitude of the human race, the mental acceleration of the average human would be limited to between 10 to 20 times. That would ensure that no brain damage would occur due to the acceleration of the brain."

"Well then, try to pull me in and speed up my thoughts." Zhang Heng took a deep breath and checked his watch before taking a seat.

43. Virtual Space

Zhang Heng felt his vision go dark and he found himself in a blank room in the very next second.

No, to say that the room was too narrow would be more accurate to say that it was a blank space. There was no end to that space. Other than himself, there was only pure white above his head and below his feet. There was no light source at all, or rather, there was light everywhere.

Zhang Heng lowered his head and raised his hands gently. The patterns and pores on his hands were clearly seen, making him look no different from the real world. It was indeed different from the illusions he had experienced back in the Dead Space plane. The simulation of reality under the highest access of the Marker had reached a terrifying level of near 100 percent.

What was the concept of infinitely approaching 100 percent?

When a person's consciousness was sucked into that space without them knowing, there was simply no way that a human could tell if that place was virtual or reality, which was more than enough to make a person lose their way forever. That was the power of a virtual space.

Of course, in the real world, there was no way to even invent a device that could detect signals from consciousness, let alone virtual space. The brainwaves of humans were simply too complex, after all. Virtual space was not something that modern technology could achieve at all. Humans would need hundreds of years to reach such a level.

Zhang Heng suppressed the shock in his heart and attempted to take a small step forward. Ripples that looked like water were seen on the pure white ground, which looked very mystical.

"Corona, what's my current thinking speed?" Zhang Heng asked suddenly and looked around.

"Your thought processes are accelerating at the moment. Your current thought speeds are at 5,000 percent, which is 50 times acceleration. Your brain detected no abnormalities and is continuing to accelerate." A crisp, gentle female voice was heard from behind Zhang Heng all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng turned around and saw Corona standing right behind him, looking like a Japanese actress. She had a tall build and her eyes were curved like crescent moons. Her hands were crossed in front of her as she chuckled quietly.

"Very well, continue accelerating." Zhang Heng took a closer look at the Black Marker. Despite knowing the Black Marker's abilities, he still felt as if he couldn't tell what was virtual reality when he saw the lifelike appearance of a human.

"6,000 percent, 8,000 percent, 10,000 percent."

"The temperature of your brain has been raised to 10,000 percent. There are signs of a slight increase in temperature. I'd advise against accelerating further," Corona said again.

"He's accelerated 100 times over?" Zhang Heng was elated. It seemed like his physique had been greatly enhanced after injecting himself with the T-Virus, and his brain's potential was even greater than that of regular humans.

All of those thoughts flashed through his mind and he seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden. He waved his hand lightly and the entire world around him changed. Everything changed from a patch of pure white to a vast grassland in the blink of an eye. The sky was blue and the grass was lush.

Zhang Heng blinked yet again and flocks of sheep appeared on the grassland. He could even see the traces of shepherd dogs.

That was what Zhang Heng was able to achieve as the commander of Corona—he was able to create anything in his mind, as long as he wanted to.

The tests continued and Zhang Heng waved his hand again. The grassland disappeared right away and the ground beneath his feet became a vast ocean without warning.

The sky was grey and the waves of the ocean were turbulent. The greyish-black waves from afar came crashing down one after another. Zhang Heng stood in the ocean like a lone boat that could be blown away by the waves at any given moment. Despite knowing that all of that was virtual, the 100-percent simulation made his heart thump hard.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and took a step forward all of a sudden. The ocean before him disappeared all of a sudden and he found himself stepping into deep space.

The rose-colored nebulae beneath his feet stretched all the way to the horizon, looking magnificent and majestic. In the distance, there was a huge red star that looked like a fireball, with corona after corona bursting out of it in a majestic and fiery manner.

Anyone with a fear of deep space would have probably passed out from shock seeing such a lifelike scene. However, Zhang Heng looked around with interest for a bit, feeling the peculiar feeling of weightlessness before taking a step back.

Zhang Heng found himself back in that pure white space again, just like he did with the spacetime transfer. Corona was still standing there quietly as she said softly, "Speed measurement complete."

"Return." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and found himself back in his chair in the very next second. He didn't even put his arm down and continued to look at the time.

As for the second hand on his watch, it had only moved two bars forward.

Surprise was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he gave the last order. "Corona, maintain Level One state from now on and make all humans who approach you ignore your existence."

"Understood."

…

Zhang Heng attended the Star Technology building's opening ceremony on time the next morning and read the speech before hundreds of people.

Some of those people were employees of Zhang Heng's company, while the rest were workers from the three construction teams. Zhang Heng knew from looking at the people before him that they would be his first batch of workers in the future.

As a foreign-owned enterprise that had invested over a billion yuan in the project, several leaders from the city's Ministry of Commerce personally came to attend the opening ceremony. Even Li Jianguo took the time to attend the event, so Zhang Heng had no choice but to thicken his skin and talk to the officials.

Zhang Heng and the other leaders cut the red cloth with scissors amidst the applause. Countless excavators and tractors began working furiously.

Zhang Heng asked Fang Hao to book a banquet at a five-star hotel and treat all of them to a meal before they went their separate ways. It was late afternoon by the time Zhang Heng sent them away. When he got back to the construction site, he found a crater about four to five meters deep.

That was fast. Zhang Heng looked at the busy construction site excitedly and gave the foreman some instructions before returning to the warehouse.

"Welcome back, Commander." The huge LCD screen on the wall lit up as soon as they returned to the warehouse. The young girl stood on the screen and greeted him with a smile.

"Get ready to carry out the daily training plan. Activate 100x acceleration of thought." Zhang Heng didn't even look at her and simply sat down on the chair.

"Understood. Daily training plan initiated immediately. Please secure your position. Counting down in three seconds. Three, two, one. Plan initiated."

Zhang Heng felt his vision go dark and he appeared in that white virtual space again in the very next second.

Zhang Heng had a plan all along. While the supercomputer, the power generators, and the other materials were being transported to the warehouse, he had his people pull over a network fiber fiber that was over 100 trillion in size outside the warehouse. He connected the network to the supercomputer after confirming that the Black Marker wouldn't go out of control. As such, the Black Marker was connected to the Internet and connected to the rest of the world.

He then gave Corona an order, which was to gather all the data regarding weapons and combat on the internet, including texts, images, videos, and so on, blending everything together to create an unprecedented killing technique that belonged solely to Zhang Heng.

It took only one night for Corona to compile all of the data in one go, taking all of the essence from the data and removing all of the impurities. With Corona's abilities, even if all of the world's top-notch experts were to spend their entire lives researching the data, they still wouldn't be able to reach Corona's level.

Of course, learning alone was not enough. Zhang Heng still needed to turn all of that into his body's instincts, which meant that the virtual space created by Corona was very important.

What kind of learning speed was the fastest? One would need to practice it right away, especially when it came to combat techniques. One would definitely be able to improve faster in life and death situations.

While Zhang Heng had a body that surpassed the limits of a human body, his combat experience wasn't all that impressive. After all, he had been a regular person his entire life, and it would have been difficult for him to even fight gangsters, let alone fight.

However, things were different at the moment. If he wanted to survive on the mission given by the Dimensional Star, there was no way he could continue wasting his time. He still needed to learn survival techniques and the ability to kill his enemies.

44. Combat Techniques

"Commander, you're here." The virtual figure generated by Corona stood before Zhang Heng when he opened his eyes. "I've summarized all combat techniques found on the internet, both in ancient times and in foreign times, according to your requirements. I've also compiled a training program suitable for your combat styles. Would you like to begin immediately?"

"Begin." Zhang Heng nodded.

Countless pieces of wood appeared out of nowhere in midair and, according to some kind of pattern, a huge room with a radius of over a kilometer was constructed in an instant. Zhang Heng was able to see his surroundings clearly in the blink of an eye and found himself in a huge Japanese-style training hall.

At the same time, Zhang Heng and Corona's attire changed as well, turning into something that looked like a loose-fitting, crescent moon suit. Both of them were barefoot, and the floor beneath their feet was made of smooth, clean wood.

Corona stopped smiling and bowed to Zhang Heng solemnly before saying, "I've designed three lessons for you, and each lesson is divided into three lessons, making nine lessons in total."

"In the first class of the first class, I'll be focusing on military combat. I'll be combining the specialties and advantages of all combat techniques, including Judo, Karate, Jeet Kune Do, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Tai Chi, Wing Chun, and so on. I've tailored the optimal combat techniques for you. You must learn them as quickly as possible."

"You'll be able to begin your second lesson after you've mastered it. During the second lesson, I'll be honing your defensive capabilities and enabling you to master all the combat techniques you've learned."

"In the third lesson, I will use all manner of combat techniques to fight you. There is only one thing you need to do from the very beginning, and that is to kill me. Regardless of what tools or methods you use, your goal is to kill me cleanly."

Corona's appearance was designed as a reference for the current popular Japanese idol. She looked pretty and frail, like a girl-next-door, yet the words that came out of her mouth made everyone who heard her blush with shame. She continued,

"In the second lesson, I'll be training you in all manner of firearm design abilities, as well as incorporating combat techniques to hone your combat prowess in combat against your own kind."

"The last lesson will be to train your combat ability against the xenomorphs, as well as your ability to survive in harsh environments, thereby increasing your chances of surviving the next mission."

Zhang Heng nodded. He was the one who specifically ordered Corona to do the third lesson. He was already prepared to select the Alien plane for his next mission on the Dimensional Star. As such, it was understandable for him to get used to fighting the Alien beforehand.

Corona smiled satisfactorily after seeing that Zhang Heng agreed. "Well then, the lesson begins. First of all, do you know what the main objective of combat is?"

"I guess combat focuses on lethality. The stronger the lethality, the better you'll be able to protect yourself," Zhang Heng answered after thinking for a bit.

"Correct and incorrect." Corona shook her head and continued, "There is only one main purpose to true life and death combat—do not use combat techniques in combat unless you have no other choice. What you need to do is to use all means available to kill your enemies and minimize your damage."

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. "So, what you're saying is that true combat is about resorting to unscrupulous means to kill your enemies and protect yourself?"

"That's right. This is true combat. There's no need for fairness, morality, despicableness, or openness. All of that is the best form of combat as long as you can kill your enemy." Corona's eyes lit up. "The combat techniques that I'm going to teach you next are definitely not combat techniques that would allow you to play cool in favorable circumstances, but the final move that you could make when you're in dire straits."

"You may think that such combat is against your worldview, but don't forget that you're definitely not fighting in a ring. Your combat style is fundamentally different from that of fighting in a ring. While it may not have the beauty and charm of other martial arts when used, it is definitely a lethal combat technique."

"I get it. The purpose of using force is not to fight for the sake of fighting, but to survive." Zhang Heng chuckled and nodded.

"That's right. I've looked up all kinds of concepts regarding combat on the internet, and there's only one human fighter who made it sound the best. 'To win against your opponent, you should fight with everything you've got. Fighting is to break or shatter your opponent's bones or skull, putting your life in your own hands.' Furthermore, in the data regarding military combat, it is commonly seen that soldiers would use shovels, ropes, helmets, and even their teeth as weapons to fight. While that doesn't look very classy, in a life and death situation, they could still ensure your survival."

Corona continued after seeing that Zhang Heng had completely accepted the concept of combat, "You should understand that the essence of combat is to use one's greatest power to strike the weakest part of the enemy in combat. As a warrior who is about to travel to other planes to fight, understanding the vital parts of the human body is of utmost importance. Be it for offense or defense, your learning will be of utmost benefit."

Corona then pointed at her delicate face with her slender, white fingers and continued, "The vital parts of the human body are divided into the front and the back. The front side consists of the eyes, the nose, the temples, the chin, the throat, the ribs, the stomach, the crotch, the tibia, and so on. The back side consists of the cervical spine, the spine, the kidneys, the tailbone, and so on. All of those parts are the parts that you could cause lethal damage to your opponent, and they are also the parts that you need to focus on defense, preventing your enemies from harming you."

"Next, I want you to attack those parts of me. I won't fight back. If you're able to hit me, I'll consider it your first lesson."

Zhang Heng was stunned. He didn't expect Corona to do something like that. However, he was someone who had been through two life and death situations after all. He quickly adjusted his state of mind and made up his mind. He suddenly extended his hand and jabbed at Corona's eyes with two fingers. His sudden burst of speed and strength far exceeded that of a regular person, and if he were to hit her, she would probably die immediately.

However, Corona didn't seem to be able to react in time and simply watched as Zhang Heng made his move. It was only when Zhang Heng's finger was less than a centimeter away from Corona that she asked, "Commander, why aren't you continuing your attack?"

"How am I supposed to attack if you're not going to dodge?" Zhang Heng felt rather exasperated. Corona's appearance made her look like a very lifelike and sweet girl. Zhang Heng had never killed anyone before after all, so he was unable to bring himself to attack her right away.

"It's not that I'm not evading, but you have no faith in defeating me." Corona shook her head.

"You're wrong about that." Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and clenched his left hand into a fist, shooting at Corona's stomach like a bullet.

However, Corona seemed to have anticipated it all along and twisted her hips slightly, appearing right beside Zhang Heng like a bolt of lightning. She was so fast that Zhang Heng was unable to react in time.

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit. His reflexes had reached 0.03 seconds. He exerted force with his left leg as soon as the other man got to his side and arched his right leg, ramming the other man's lower abdomen like a cannonball.

Crack!

Corona's frail-looking arms were somehow firmly planted on Zhang Heng's knee before he knew it. She borrowed the force from his legs and backed away from his attack range in an instant.

"So that's your attack? That's utterly childish. You could have just attacked my temple with your elbow from your angle, yet you didn't do so. What are you still worried about?"

Zhang Heng pulled his knee back, feeling rather troubled. "Corona, could you change your appearance and fight me with that appearance of yours? I keep feeling like I'm stuck."

"Is it your male hormones playing tricks on you?" However, Corona, who had always been an obedient girl, didn't comply with Zhang Heng's orders at that moment. She frowned instead and continued, "If you can't even get over such a mentality, then forget about learning any combat techniques. It would be better for you to just kill yourself when the mission comes. If not, I can guarantee that you'll die a painful death in the next mission."

45. Demon Training

Zhang Heng was stunned.

It was true that he had never realized that he had always been bound by the morals and ethics of humanity. If he were just an ordinary person, such an influence would have been harmless. However, he was about to go to all the planes to fight, and such moral constraints would only bring about his own doom. Corona was indeed worthy of being called Corona, as she was able to easily target his mental weaknesses.

Corona's expression softened a little when she saw that Zhang Heng was reflecting. She continued, "Seems like I'll need some outside help to change your perception."

"Outside help?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"That's right, outside help!" Corona took a step forward all of a sudden and went to Zhang Heng's side before he was able to react. She then swung her right hand at his neck like a knife.

Zhang Heng tensed up and quickly raised his right hand, wanting to grab hold of Corona's arm. However, Corona grabbed his arm instead and grabbed his elbow at lightning speed. Her long, smooth leg drew a frightening arc in the air and used his arm as a pivot to latch onto his shoulder.

Crack!

The sound of bones cracking and snapping was heard by Zhang Heng before the pain traveled to his brain. In the eyes of regular people, all of that happened so quickly that he was reduced to a blur. While Zhang Heng's dynamic vision was able to keep up, his movements were completely unable to keep up with Corona's rhythm. By the time he realized what was happening, he was pinned to the ground by Corona's legs and his right arm was in extreme pain.

"F*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" Zhang Heng watched as the woman snapped his arm like a fried dough twist, and some of her bones even managed to pierce through his muscles and skin, exposing him to the air. The double impact from both vision and touch made him scream in pain.

Corona clapped her hands in satisfaction and let go of Zhang Heng.

"You b * tch! That hurts! Hurry up and heal me!" Zhang Heng shouted as he lay on the ground like a dead dog, enduring the pain.

"Take care of yourself. I've designed a course for you to endure pain, so I'm unable to fulfill that requirement until you're completely incapacitated," Corona said with a warm smile.

"I order you to do so as a commander!" Zhang Heng refused to give up.

"I'm sorry, but His Excellency Yurianne has rejected your request and handed you a dog."

"What? What does that have to do with him?" Zhang Heng was truly astonished.

"According to the hierarchy of access, while you have the highest access, I only need to carry out Yurianne's orders when her orders come into conflict with yours." Corona tidied her bangs and answered casually.

"This stupid support system played a trick on me at such a crucial moment!" Zhang Heng gritted his teeth in frustration and had no choice but to use his left hand to prop himself up. While he was still standing, he felt yet another piercing pain from the movement of his right hand's muscles. Beads of sweat rolled down his face like water, a testament to how much pain he was in.

Zhang Heng's lips were turning pale due to the intense pain. He stood up and was about to say something, but Corona went to his left side without bothering to say anything. She then crossed her arms and grabbed his left arm.

"Again?" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and fear was written all over his face.

Crack!

"F * * k you!" Zhang Heng grunted. He was truly enraged at that moment and managed to resist the pain of having his left arm twisted into a fried dough twist. He lifted his right leg with indescribable rage and kicked hard at Corona's slender body.

"Go to hell!"

However, Corona didn't even bother to look at Zhang Heng's flying kick and went to his front instead, raising her knee, hooking her leg, and exerting all her strength at the same time, ramming her heel into his left thigh, which he was supporting with all his might.

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking was heard for the third time, and Zhang Heng's face turned completely pale. He then felt an indescribable pain at the base of his thigh, which caused him to fall to the ground and convulse from the pain.

"Maintaining balance is the most important guarantee of your survival. Please do not use your legs to attack the enemy unless you're very confident." Corona chuckled and continued, "I'm going to attack your spine this time. Please feel it for yourself." She raised her fist and stuck her middle finger out, punching Zhang Heng's spine mercilessly.

Zhang Heng shuddered and heard a snapping sound in his head. His entire body jerked and fell like a dead fish, completely losing all feeling in his body. His lungs were no longer able to contract, and all that was left of him was the air that came out and no air that came in.

Zhang Heng opened his mouth slightly but was unable to say anything. His pupils gradually dilated and all that was left in his eyes was a yearning for life.

"You're dead." Corona stood up and waved her hand lightly. Zhang Heng's gradually dilating pupils contracted again, and his shattered spine and arms were completely healed.

Zhang Heng felt as if he had been suffocated and was able to breathe again in the very next second. He gasped for air and only gradually recovered after quite a while. However, that shadow of death was deeply etched in his heart.

"What a lingering fear…" Zhang Heng struggled to his feet and wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He had been very close to death just moments ago. If he hadn't been in the virtual space, no one would have been able to recover from such injuries.

"Well then, you should be able to let go of your burden now, right?" Corona chuckled.

"I'm letting go. Don't doubt it. I'm really letting go." Zhang Heng chuckled dryly and backed away.

"There's no need to be afraid. I was just using the pain and near-death experience to speed up your mental adjustment process. I believe that your fists and beliefs won't hesitate after experiencing such an experience. Please attack me at your leisure from here on out."

…

Zhang Heng woke up from his chair in the warehouse with a pale face 10 hours later. He looked around at his surroundings in a daze and took quite a while to realize where he was.

Ten hours in the real world meant 1,000 hours in the virtual space. He had been training for over 40 days, and those 40 days of training felt like hell. It was fine at the beginning, but what Zhang Heng needed to train himself to do was to attack from all angles until he killed his opponent.

However, Corona, who possessed countless martial arts techniques and a mind that was so precise that she would never make any mistakes, was unable to even scratch her, let alone kill her. As a result, Corona would retaliate every 10 hours as punishment and motivation.

The outcome of his counterattack was self-evident. Zhang Heng had no choice but to resort to all sorts of ways to end up dead. His eyes were gouged out, his laryngeal cartilage was crushed, his spine was snapped, and his crotch was kicked to pieces.

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched hard. Compared to the way he died in the end, having his entire body reduced to dust and broken bones was more like a sign of conscience.

Zhang Heng exerted all of his potential after being subjected to what felt like the most brutal of punishments in the Qing Dynasty. He was able to make a breakthrough at the very last moment and used 'Strangle Kill' to take away one of Corona's HP before being released from the virtual space.

"Commander, are you satisfied with the training?" Corona appeared on the huge screen before Zhang Heng and asked with a smile.

"What do you think?" Zhang Heng wore a deadpan expression and waved his hand weakly. "I don't want to see your face. Disappear… right now, right now, right now!"

"Understood, Commander."

The LCD monitor shut down with a beep.

Zhang Heng stood up with a deadpan look on his face and took some frozen food out of the fridge and ate some of it. He then collapsed on the bed and went to sleep.

46. Underground Laboratory

Zhang Heng once thought that the first lesson of Corona's first class was hell, but it was only when he entered the second class that he realized what true hell truly was.

Corona had three lessons for the first lesson. The first lesson consisted of offense training, the second lesson consisted of defense training, and the third lesson consisted of actual combat training.

As the name suggested, defense training was a form of training where one could take a beating without being able to fight back. Zhang Heng needed to hold out for 30 minutes in Corona's barrage of attacks before he was considered to have passed.

If one were to say that the first lesson was still within Zhang Heng's tolerance range, the second lesson was truly a nightmare.

Crack!

Zhang Heng's neck was twisted 180 degrees.

"No good. Again." Corona waved her hand with a deadpan expression and Zhang Heng was fully recovered.

Crack!

Zhang Heng's temple caved in from Corona's elbow strike half a minute later.

"No good, keep going." Zhang Heng was fully recovered on the spot.

Boom!

Another minute passed and Zhang Heng's entire jaw was shattered by Corona's knee. He was deader than dead.

…

Ten hours passed and when Zhang Heng woke up in the virtual space, the first thing he did was to rush to the toilet as quickly as he could and vomit all over the place.

Countless deaths had caused his mental state to break down and his adrenaline levels to overshadow his body, causing him to experience all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms.

"You need to get used to it as soon as possible. There are 51 days and 20 hours before the next mission begins."

Corona appeared on the screen again.

"Get out of here! I don't have a sister like you!" Zhang Heng's mind was in such a mess that he began spouting nonsense and vomited again.

"Commander…"

"Get lost!"

…

Time passed as Zhang Heng continued to train in complete darkness. While he suffered from severe mental disorders due to being unaccustomed to the training at the beginning, his mental disorders were eventually shattered by a cruel reality as the training became increasingly intense.

It eventually became numbness and habit…

It was not until the fifth day of Zhang Heng's special training, which was half a year later in the virtual space, that he was finally able to last for over half an hour under Corona's barrage of attacks. He was so elated that he began to cry when Corona announced that he had passed the test.

That night was the best night he had ever slept.

Zhang Heng opened his eyes at 6 A.M. sharp the next morning. The T-Virus brought with it a physique that far exceeded that of regular humans, as well as a shocking level of brain power. Zhang Heng's biological clock was adjusted to an extremely precise degree, making it look like he was wearing a pocket watch. His grasp of time had even reached the level of minutes.

He brushed his teeth and washed his face as he usually did, before habitually running on the treadmill in the morning. That was a habit that Zhang Heng had developed over the past few days. According to Corona, training in the virtual space alone was not enough. The virtual space would only be able to train Zhang Heng's combat awareness and techniques, but it would not be able to enhance his basic physique.

Zhang Heng's potential could be described as having surpassed that of a normal human being after injecting himself with the T-Virus. However, he was actually only able to bring out the maximum potential of the human body, which was due to his lack of physical training. His current potential was more than enough to double his speed and power.

Unlike most people who used treadmills for jogging, Zhang Heng's treadmill was custom-made, with a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. He had tested it out before and found that he was able to sprint 500 meters at a maximum speed of 40 kilometers per hour, reaching an average speed of 11 meters per second.

The speed of the 100-meter sprint was 9.09 seconds, which was 0.49 seconds faster than the world record.

Zhang Heng first began jogging at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour for an hour before going through his sprinting training. He then took a shower after he was done with his work and it was about eight in the morning.

Zhang Heng was in a very good mood that day. No, he was no longer in a very good mood, but rather, he felt as if he had been freed from a very painful experience, as there was something more important than training to do that day.

Having something to do meant that he didn't need to train. Not having to train meant that he was temporarily freed from Corona's clutches.

The rumbling of a huge car engine was heard from outside the warehouse at about eight in the morning. Zhang Heng opened the door of the warehouse and saw over a dozen heavy trucks making their way to the clearing outside.

A man dressed as a foreman got out of the truck and shook hands with Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng didn't hold back and stuffed two cigarettes into the foreman's hand.

The foreman checked his watch after exchanging pleasantries for a bit. He then waved and 20 to 30 workers got out of the trucks one after another. Under the foreman's instructions, all the electronic equipment in the warehouse were dismantled and packed, before being loaded onto the trucks one by one.

"Be careful, everyone. These are all high precision equipment. No one would be able to afford to pay for damaging them."

"Take it easy!"

The foreman supervised the crowd as he shouted.

More people meant more power. The warehouse was basically cleared out around 10 A.M.

In the end, the foreman personally drove a crane to the warehouse. Everyone worked together to dismantle the roof of the warehouse before hanging a huge sculpture wrapped in a white cloth from the roof.

That huge sculpture was none other than the Black Marker. However, the Black Marker was currently in its active state, and due to the mental interference from the Black Marker, no one was able to get curious about the sculpture beneath the curtain.

That was why Zhang Heng dared to expose the Black Marker to everyone.

He loaded the last Marker onto the truck and the trucks lined up in a straight line, making their way to the Stellar Technology building construction site located in the development area.

Zhang Heng was still feeling rather uneasy, so he personally sat in the truck that was loaded with the Marker and followed the convoy to the construction site.

When he arrived at the site, he found that the foundation he found five days ago had changed drastically. It was now a huge crater that was over 10,000 square meters in area and 50 meters deep.

The bottom of the crater was brightly lit. If one were to take a closer look, one would find that the bottom of the crater was welded together by hundreds of huge steel plates.

There were hundreds of thick solid steel pillars standing on top of the steel plates. Only someone like Zhang Heng, who didn't care about money, would be able to afford something like that.

While none of that was considered weird, there was a round crater about five meters in diameter and over 20 meters deep at the very center of the foundation, making it look like a silo, which looked weird and ridiculous.

However, due to the location being located in the outskirts, no one noticed that the foundation of the building seemed to be a little too deep, which made it completely out of place.

"Boss!" Zhang Heng had just gotten out of the truck when a young man waved at him from afar and ran over.

"Boss, the foundation of our building is a little too deep, isn't it? And you're using special steel to stabilize the foundation? Boss Li is going to give you a piece of his mind." Fang Hao grumbled as soon as he got to the front.

Zhang Heng took a good look at Fang Hao and found that he looked even more energetic than the last time he saw him. His initially pale skin had actually tanned considerably due to having been working at the construction site all this time, and he looked even more muscular than before. While he was still as skinny as a noodle, he looked a lot better than before.

"Don't worry about it. Where's Yiru?" Zhang Heng waved, but he didn't see her anywhere.

"Boss Li isn't here today and the office building is still hiring." Fang Hao smiled awkwardly and reported, "Our company has hired over a dozen people, but all of them are in finance and planning. There's nothing to do at the moment, and Boss Li is taking them around to learn all manner of corporate knowledge all the time. We can't keep doing this."

"Don't worry, I'll have something to do soon." Zhang Heng nodded casually and asked the foreman to place the Black Marker in the crater at the center of the foundation with a crane. The Black Marker was placed in a seamless manner.

A group of smaller hangers then stacked steel plates of the same size on the scaffolding next to the steel pillars. A group of welders immediately followed and welded the steel plates tightly together. A loud noise was heard. If someone unrelated were to see this, they would probably think that they were building a bank vault.

However, none of the workers in the construction site showed any signs of doubt despite the building being so unconventional. There wasn't even a murmur among them. Everyone looked like they were doing what they were supposed to do, as if they were just constructing a normal building.

That was the power of the Marker. While the Marker was unable to control its thoughts, it was able to block certain memories. At that moment, the Marker was doing its best to cast mental interference on everyone present, making everyone instinctively overlook the abnormalities in the construction site.

Zhang Heng watched as the workers worked. The crater, which was 50 meters deep, rose quickly as pieces of special steel were laid out, and the layout was gradually seen.

According to Zhang Heng's design, the Stellar Technology building had a total of 55 floors, with a total height of 188 meters. The underground buildings were divided into secret and public buildings, with the public buildings being the garages of the first and second basement floors, which made the building eight meters tall. Below the garages were concrete and tectonic plates that were as thick as 10 meters, which served as the foundation to fool people.

Further down was the top-secret laboratory area, which was made entirely of high-pressure steel material with a thickness of 50 millimeters at the moment. Due to the fact that the foundation of the laboratory had to be larger than that of the building itself, Zhang Heng deliberately ordered that the bottom area of the laboratory area reach 10,000 square meters, with a total of seven floors.

Due to the potential requirement, the bottommost floor that Zhang Heng designed had a height of eight meters, the sixth floor had a height of five meters, and the fifth to the first floor had a height of about three meters.

According to Zhang Heng's design, the first floor of the underground building consisted of a supply area and a security area. All supplies would be stored there, and anyone who entered from the outside would only be able to enter the first floor. They would then take the independent elevator to go deeper.

The second floor was a living area where all manner of entertainment facilities and staff dormitories were set up.

Zhang Heng began constructing laboratories on the third floor according to the biosafety level standards set by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There were 50 basic laboratories of "Level One Biosafety Level" on the third floor.

The laboratories on the fourth floor were larger, with barriers and other complex protective equipment beginning to appear. There were a total of 30 basic laboratories of 'Level Two Biosafety Level'.

The laboratories on the fifth floor were even larger and more complex. Not only were there barriers, but there were also emergency destroyers such as toxic gas, high temperatures, liquid nitrogen, and so on. There were 20 level-three biosafety level security laboratories in total.

The sixth floor was a high-risk laboratory area. Anyone who wanted to get on that floor would have to be a high-ranking member of the company. That area would also be used for high-risk experiments. There were 20 top-security laboratories constructed strictly according to Level Four Biomedical Level, and the barriers of the laboratories were even three meters thick.

Finally, there was the seventh floor, which was located at the very bottom. There were only four laboratories on the seventh floor, which were scattered in four corners.

Why were there only four laboratories? That was because Zhang Heng's security measures on the seventh floor were 10 times stricter than the standards set by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each of the four laboratories had barriers that were over five meters thick, and all of them were constructed using solid steel. There was no ventilation system or energy system to be found on the seventh floor, as every single laboratory was self-sufficient. There would be oxygen circulators and large-scale power generators installed inside the laboratories, and there was no fear of him escaping even if he were to breed xenomorphs in the laboratories.

The seventh floor was a top-secret floor that only Zhang Heng and the core researchers would be able to access. They would only be able to find the underground crater that led to the Black Marker at the center of the seventh floor.

Zhang Heng had gone to a lot of trouble just to set up the Black Marker.

47. The Third Lesson Completed

The project was massive. Despite having hired three construction teams at the same time, it still took him 10 days to finish constructing the underground secret base.

He then covered the top of the base with a layer of cement and soil. By the time everything was back on track, half a month had passed.

Zhang Heng had been staying at the construction site for the past half a month to prevent any accidents from happening. He only ordered Corona, who was buried underground, to erase all memories regarding the underground base after the construction was completed. They even forgot to dig a 50-meter-deep crater.

He could finally say that nothing would go wrong.

Of course, Zhang Heng had to continue his hellish training after making all the necessary preparations. Zhang Heng was very troubled by all of that. He went on to talk terms and offer benefits, yet he was unable to get his way in the end. He had to continue with his training.

In order to conserve energy for the Black Marker, Zhang Heng had no choice but to rent a standard room in a small hotel about a kilometer away from the construction site. The room was located at the furthest point that Corona's Level One mental field could reach. Zhang Heng sat on a chair when morning came and he entered the virtual space again in the very next second.

The third lesson of the first class was also the last lesson of the lesson, which was to train Zhang Heng's combat prowess. In other words, there would be no more pure offense and defense. What Zhang Heng needed to face was a true life and death battle.

Zhang Heng had only managed to kill Corona once during his training in the virtual space for over half a year. It was only because Corona was only defending and evading, not retaliating, that he was able to get lucky.

However, things were completely different this time. It was a comprehensive battle, and Zhang Heng was prepared to be tortured and killed by Corona hundreds and thousands of times over. It was fortunate that Corona had the ability to send mental signals to him. Under her protection of his mental state, not only did Zhang Heng's will not be crushed by thousands of deaths, but his will was also honed and strengthened.

…

A young man with a crew cut who looked to be in his early twenties was walking slowly in a dark and narrow alley.

That alley was very common in the city. In the downtown area, the gaps between the two buildings formed countless dark, dirty corners.

Garbage that no one cared about, vomit from drunk people at night, and the occasional sight of homeless people. This was an area that not even sunlight could reach and was a breeding ground for crime.

Robbery, fighting, rape. Countless stories played out in all of those corners.

However, at that moment, the young man was looking around at his surroundings with a curious expression on his face. If someone who knew a thing or two about the world were to see him, they would realize that the young man before them was anything but ordinary. He had a pair of deep, dark eyes that never missed a single suspicious detail. He walked with his knees slightly bent, and every step he took would have his toes touching the ground, making him look like a cheetah ready to pounce at any moment.

That was something that only the professionals of the dark could do.

That young man was none other than Zhang Heng, who was doing his third lesson.

He had opened all the pores on his body at the moment, and not a single movement was able to escape his detection. He was able to sense that the enemy was watching him silently nearby, like a venomous snake waiting for him to make a mistake and deliver a clean, lethal blow.

When most people were in danger, they would most likely show signs of tension, sweat, heart rate acceleration, adrenaline over secreting, and so on. However, it was obvious that Zhang Heng was not among the majority.

Zhang Heng was not only unafraid at the moment, but he was also feeling rather excited for some reason. He knew that what he was about to face was a combat expert that surpassed all human standards, but the instincts of combat had long been etched deep into his bones and genes. He was able to face death with the calmest of minds.

Ding!

A faint sound was heard from behind Zhang Heng. That sound was something that would have been completely ignored by regular people, yet it was like a tsunami in Zhang Heng's ears. He turned around all of a sudden and put up his guard.

However, all he saw was a stone about the size of a grain of rice being ejected from the trash can behind him.

It was a trap!

Zhang Heng tensed up and turned around immediately, but it was too late. He felt a sudden burst of murderous intent. He swung his right arm out of reflex without thinking and exerted force on his legs and waist at the same time, shooting backward like an arrow being loosed from a bow.

Shua!

Zhang Heng retreated three meters away in the blink of an eye. However, he felt a searing pain on his throat as a wound that was about half an inch deep appeared on his neck.

It was obvious that if Zhang Heng's reaction had been just 0.01 seconds slower, his artery and windpipe would have been severed by that sudden attack.

Zhang Heng took a closer look and found Corona standing where he was moments ago. She was wearing a white t-shirt with the image of a kitty embroidered on it and a black miniskirt with her legs bare, looking at him with a grin.

If one were to say that none of that would have triggered any emotion in Zhang Heng, the thing that truly moved him was the razor blade clamped between her slender fingers.

An ordinary weapon might not even be as intimidating as a fruit knife, but that depended on who was wielding it. If that blade were to fall into the hands of a nonhuman with a terrifying combat prowess, then even Zhang Heng would have to take it seriously.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to draw his own weapon in the face of such an opponent. It was a pitch-black short blade with a rhombus-shaped cross-section. Few regular people would have been able to tell the name of that weapon, but if one had been in the military before, the weapon's name would have been known far and wide.

Fifth and Sixth Form triangular bayonets!

It was a nightmarish pocket-sized weapon, with a length of 38 centimeters and a blade length of 32 centimeters. The triangular blade's structure naturally gave the blade three blood grooves, which would form a three-dimensional wound when stabbed into the human body, causing massive damage to the internal organs.

Furthermore, the bayonet would cause air embolisms to form in the body after piercing into the human body, blocking the blood vessels. The bayonet would only need to stab eight centimeters into any part of the human body to cause the enemy to die quickly and it would be easy to pull the bayonet out.

Zhang Heng selected the weapon according to his own preferences. The bayonet had a frighteningly lethal power and was easy to conceal and carry. It was practically tailor-made for him.

Zhang Heng's fingers moved nimbly and the bayonet spun in his hand as if it had a soul of its own. It was a dazzling sight to behold. Zhang Heng took a step forward and held the bayonet in his hand, stabbing it at Corona's head like a bolt of lightning.

"Screech—"

The sound of metal rubbing against metal was heard, which made one's teeth ache. The two of them exchanged blows in an instant. Due to their speed being too fast, countless afterimages were seen as they crossed each other in the blink of an eye.

It was as if they were watching a movie. The first second was fast-forwarded, and the next second, everything became still. The two of them stood half a meter away from each other with their backs against each other.

Beads of cold sweat appeared on Zhang Heng's forehead as he lowered his head slightly. He saw a wound that was large enough to cut open his stomach on his abdomen, exposing his intestines to the air. The tendons on his right wrist were snapped and the bayonet dropped to the ground with a clang.

Corona, who was behind him, wore a relieved smile on her face. However, as soon as she moved her chest, a stream of bright red blood gushed out from her chest and sprayed three meters away.

"I've finally defeated you."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and a relieved look was seen on his calm face all of a sudden. He turned around and saw the frail-looking girl behind him falling to her knees and pouncing on him due to excessive blood loss, before finally losing all signs of life.

Victory and defeat were usually decided in the blink of an eye when it came to battles between true experts. There was no such thing as fighting for 300 rounds or anything like that. Even if there were, it would still be called feeding moves.

Zhang Heng's vision blurred at the very next second and he was pulled out of that scene, returning to the white space. His wounds healed quickly and disappeared as if they had never been there.

"That was brilliant." Corona appeared again and clapped her hands, looking elated. "Congratulations, Commander, for reaching the standards I set."

Zhang Heng shook his head and said, "I'm just taking him down with me. I wouldn't be able to last more than a few minutes under those kinds of injuries."

"That's more than enough. I've set my physique to be five times that of a regular person, and I also possess the most perfect combat techniques. The fact that you were able to kill me despite all of that shows that you've reached the limit of your potential for the time being." Corona chuckled and continued, "According to your current combat prowess, you'd definitely be tens of times stronger than before the special training."

Zhang Heng nodded and clenched his fist with a sigh.

He knew that what made him stronger was not his actual strength, but his mental state, will, and rich combat experience.

That kind of strengthening was what made him truly powerful. It was just as Corona had said—even if dozens of untrained Zhang Heng were to join forces, they would only be slaughtered by the current Zhang Heng.

That was the use of techniques and mental fortitude.

It took him eight days to clear the third class, with 1,000 hours per day, which was equivalent to nearly a year's worth of time. It was obvious just how difficult it was to defeat Corona.

It was fortunate that he was able to pull through.

48. Aioukai

He had died over 10,000 times and suffered hundreds of thousands of serious injuries. The combat experience that he had amassed was enough to scare the sh * t out of so-called kung fu experts. That hellish training had honed his reflexes considerably, and his current reflexes had reached a speed of 0.02 seconds.

What was 0.02 seconds?

Regular people's reflexes would be somewhere between 0.2 to 0.4 seconds. The speed of a handgun bullet was somewhere between 300 to 400 meters per second. Regular people wouldn't be able to see the bullet, but Zhang Heng's reflexes were 10 times that of regular people. In his eyes, the speed of a handgun bullet was equivalent to 30 meters per second. Such a speed was more than enough for him to see and evade the bullet that came out of the muzzle.

Zhang Heng was not only able to train his reflexes in the virtual space, but he was also able to train his will. The pain of having his bones broken was no longer enough to make him frown, even if his chest was cut open.

In real life, Zhang Heng didn't slack off either. His body, which had been modified by the T-Virus, had tremendous potential. He was able to increase his jogging speed every day, from 100 meters nine seconds to 8 seconds, which was far beyond the human limit.

Intelligent beings like humans were inherently lazy and could have done better, but due to exhaustion, fear, and other reasons, they were often unable to perform to their fullest potential.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was different. He had the strictest and most precise instructor in the world, and he was also driven by pain and death. As such, he had no choice but to push all of his potential to the limit before he was able to reach his current level.

As such, there was no way his training could be replicated.

Zhang Heng took a break for a few days after clearing the first class, before rushing to the second stage of his training.

Corona's second lesson was to familiarize herself with all manner of firearms. While Zhang Heng's speed and power were far above that of guns when it came to using bayonets, guns were still the most effective means of killing. If he were to use them well, he would be able to kill his opponents without expending any stamina.

The training of guns involved all manner of models of handguns, machine guns, rifles, and so on. Such training was far simpler than combat training. With the foundation of combat training and Zhang Heng's insane reflexes, it took him less than three days to completely meet Corona's requirements.

The training for the Alien plane came after that.

Zhang Heng was about to begin the third phase of his training when someone knocked on his door.

Zhang Heng didn't think too much about it and was about to open the door when Corona's warning was heard in his mind all of a sudden. "Commander, there are two men outside the door who are hostile to you."

Zhang Heng stopped what he was doing with the door handle and frowned. "Hostile? Who are they? Can you read their memories?"

"Memorized. The two of them came from Japan. One of them is named Miyamoto Tahara and the other is Endo Shino. The two of them are base personnel from the Aioukai, a branch of the Yamaguchi-Gumi in Haizhou. Suspected to be armed. Danger Level: Mild Danger."

Corona had the ability to read human memories and create illusions, which was why it was normal for her to do so. After having his program modified, Zhang Heng was given the highest clearance to use Corona's abilities.

Zhang Heng became even more curious after hearing Corona's report. He couldn't recall having any connections with the Japanese Mafia. He took a deep breath and focused at that thought.

Three distinct heartbeats were heard by Zhang Heng's sensitive ears right away. One of them was him and the other two were uninvited guests outside.

The T-Virus's modifications to the body were comprehensive, and his hearing was no exception. He was able to hear the steady heartbeats of the two people outside the door, which meant that they had no intentions of fighting right away. As such, he simply opened the door of the standard room of the hotel.

Two middle-aged men wearing black suits and ties stood outside the door. One of the older men flashed a friendly smile when he saw Zhang Heng opening the door and said in fluent Mandarin, "Good day, sir. Are you Mr. Zhang Heng, the legal representative of Stellar Biotech?"

"I am." Zhang Heng nodded. If it hadn't been for the fact that he knew the man's identity from their memories, he wouldn't have thought that the man who was able to speak Mandarin so fluently was actually a Japanese. "May I know why the two of you are looking for me?"

"Sorry to bother you. We're from the Huaguang Finance Company. Our boss would like to discuss some business matters with you. Would you be available?" That man took out a name card from his wallet and handed it to Zhang Heng with both hands, looking very humble.

"I'm sorry, but I don't recall having an appointment with your boss." Zhang Heng shook his head and didn't take the other man's name card. "Please leave if there's nothing else."

The two of them were not surprised by what Zhang Heng said and exchanged looks with each other. The older man flashed a gentlemanly grin and said, "I take it that you don't know what's going on here, Mr. Zhang Heng. I assume that you've never heard of the Huaguang Finance Company?"

"The Japanese Aioukai is a branch company in Haizhou, and its reputation precedes it." Zhang Heng cut her off and continued casually, "But I really don't think there's any connection between the two. This is Huaxia, not Japan."

Zhang Heng was no longer the man he used to be. He was able to remain unfazed even when the Japanese prime minister stood before him, much less when there were only a handful of members of the Mafia around. That was the confidence that came from deep down.

While Zhang Heng's status wasn't very impressive, he was nonetheless someone who knew how to kill. He had a sense of pride and confidence in himself. Due to the hellish training that he had undergone, he was able to take down a squad of fully armed special forces in three seconds.

The two of them suddenly felt their hearts skip a beat after hearing what Zhang Heng said. It was a very strange feeling, like the instinctive fear that a superior would have when facing someone of a lower status. The two of them looked at Zhang Heng in bewilderment and were rendered completely speechless.

"Alright, please don't interrupt my rest." Zhang Heng shut the door after seeing that the two of them were intimidated by his imposing manner.

Zhang Heng's expression darkened right after he shut the door. He ordered without hesitation, "Corona, keep an eye on those two. Use your Level Two and Level Three states at all costs. I want to know what they're going to do next!"

"Understood, Commander."

The two of them stood at Zhang Heng's door, looking at each other. The younger of the two frowned and said, "Mr. Tian Yuanjun, can you feel it?"

"That's right." The older of the two nodded and continued, "He reeked of blood, and the density of it was no less than that of the team leader."

"That's not all. My sixth sense tells me that if we were to do anything here, we'd probably be the ones at a disadvantage." The young man shook his head and continued, "I didn't expect someone who could develop anti-cancer drugs to be a dark professional. Seems like we need to take this kidnapping into consideration. I'll report to the team leader right away."

The two of them left the hotel in a hurry after exchanging brief words in Japanese. However, they didn't expect Zhang Heng to be able to hear everything they said clearly. Coupled with Corona's powerful computational ability, she was able to translate every single word into Chinese at the same time.

"So, the Aioukai is here for the T-1 after all." Zhang Heng paced before the window and watched the two of them rush out of the hotel in a cold, condescending manner. He only looked away after getting into a black car.

"Theoretically speaking, the government would have deemed the T-1 to be top-secret after handing it over to the authorities. They wouldn't have released any information regarding the T-1 before they were done researching it thoroughly. There hasn't been any news from the outside world at the moment, yet the Japanese Mafia actually found out about it and even found out that I was the one who developed it." Zhang Heng analyzed and continued, "In that case, the ones who leaked the information would either be my classmates or the upper echelons of the Li Group."

Zhang Heng began to regret letting so many people know about the existence of the T-1 back then. While the authorities had given orders to the people who witnessed the existence of the T-1 back then, it was obvious that there were simply too many people who knew about the existence of the T-1, and there was simply no way to ensure that the information was completely sealed.

However, if he didn't announce the existence of the T-1, there was no way he would be able to get into the Li Group's good graces, not to mention the starting capital of four billion yuan.

Zhang Heng no longer dwelled on who was the one who leaked the information regarding the T-1. He was mentally prepared for such trouble, but he never expected that the first to find him would be the Japanese Mafia.

"Corona, are you able to locate the boss of the Aioukai?" Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something and asked.

"Impossible. The location of the boss of the Aioukai is nowhere in their memories. Do you need me to search the internet?"

"You have my permission." Zhang Heng nodded. Corona was a quantum neural supercomputer and possessed data processing abilities far beyond that of the world's supercomputers. As long as there was a network, Corona would be able to go anywhere on the Internet. Even the firewalls of the US Security Agency, which claimed to be the safest place in the world, wouldn't be able to stop her. It would be a piece of cake for her to find someone online.

Corona answered him within three seconds. "Target found. The current president of the Aioukai is named Fujiwara Tsubasa, 49 years old and born in Kobe City. His current location is 476 Sannomiya Street in Kobe City, Japan. GPS tracking using communication satellites." Corona imprinted the image of a stern-looking middle-aged man with a mustache in Zhang Heng's mind.

"Could you check his phone records?"

"Sure. He received a call about an hour ago, and the number was XXXXX. The caller was from the Gaoqiao District of Haizhou and was confirmed to be the boss of the Aioukai's branch in Shanghai, Takegawa Mahiro. The call records show that Miyamoto Haruhara and Endo Shino contacted Takegawa Mahiro multiple times."

"Understood." Zhang Heng was relieved right away. "So, the one who gave the order is indeed the boss of the Aioukai. I wonder if it's the boss of the Aioukai or the higher-ups of the Yamaguchi-Gumi."

"Do you need me to search for communication records between the members of the Yamaguchi-Gumi and the boss of the Aioukai?" Corona asked again.

"Sure, but that would require a lot of information, right?"

"I'll be looking for communication records, email records, internet records, and so on between all the members of the Yamaguchi-Gumi and the boss of the Aioukai. I'll then filter them out. Due to physical limitations, it'll take about half an hour."

"Very well, take your time." Zhang Heng wore a cold smirk on his face. "Get me a passport and a plane ticket to Kobe, Japan, while you're at it. It's time for me to test the results of my training."

49. Flying To Osaka

Zhang Heng was no longer in the mood to stay in the hotel and train at the moment. He went out to buy a pair of gloves, a mask, and a cap before heading to the immigration office.

Typically speaking, it would take several days to get the passport and visa approved, but there was no need for that with Corona around. Zhang Heng walked out of the door of the immigration office in less than three minutes, holding a passport in his hand.

Zhang Heng then made a trip to the Japanese Embassy in Haizhou and the visa was sealed in five minutes.

Zhang Heng hailed a cab and headed straight for the Pudong Airport after doing all of that.

There was no direct flight between Haizhou and Kobe, so Zhang Heng chose to take a flight to Osaka, Japan, on the same day. He only needed to take the Limousine Bus to reach the Sannomiya area from Haizhou to Osaka.

Zhang Heng headed straight for the ticket machine after reaching the airport.

Generally speaking, international flights like that needed to be booked in advance, but Zhang Heng wasn't worried about that. With Corona around, there was no need to book plane tickets. That would be an insult to his ability as a neural quantum computer.

He swiped at the ticket machine and a flight ticket to Kobe was printed out.

Corona hacked into the management system of the airline before all of that happened. She erased someone's ticket booking information at random and replaced that unlucky passenger with Zhang Heng's identity.

That was not all. When Zhang Heng boarded the plane, Corona would return the data and erase all records regarding him.

At that moment, a stern-looking middle-aged man wearing a security uniform was standing before the security checkpoint, watching the passengers coming and going silently.

The middle-aged man's name was Wang Biao, and he was the head of the security team at the airport. Having retired from the national special forces, he had no other skills to speak of, so he had no choice but to take up security.

That was a job that was utterly boring. Wang Biao even began to miss the days when he was in the special forces, where he risked his life and limb. However, he found a special passenger today.

He was a young passenger who looked to be in his early twenties. He was about 175 centimeters tall and had a very average appearance. He didn't look anything special to the average person, but Wang Biao, who had been through life and death situations several times, was able to tell that there was something different about him the moment he saw him.

The passenger walked with his toes touching the ground first with every step he took, keeping his legs bent slightly. He looked relaxed, yet he seemed to be on high alert at all times. Furthermore, judging from his expression, it didn't look like he was doing it consciously. Instead, it looked like an instinct that had been ingrained into his bones.

Not only that, but there was also an extremely dangerous air about that man. Wang Biao felt his heart palpitate when he 'smelled' that air, as if he was dealing with international assassins and terrorists all those years ago.

Wang Biao's pupils contracted slightly, as if he was a hare that had detected the presence of a hunting dog. He instinctively put his guard up and pressed the baton at his waist.

Zhang Heng's lowered eyes narrowed as soon as Wang Biao became hostile, and he took a casual glance at Wang Biao.

However, Wang Biao felt a cold chill wrap around him right away, as if a knife was stuck to his skin. Cold sweat drenched his back right away.

"He's definitely a top-notch international assassin!" Wang Biao shouted in his mind. He was definitely not considered weak in the army and could easily take down three to five soldiers. Furthermore, he had killed seven people in several skirmishes at the border.

Despite that, he felt as if he was about to die when he faced the other party. Other than those top-notch experts in the world, who else would be able to emit such dangerous pheromones?

The knuckles that Wang Biao was holding onto were turning white due to his nervousness and his body was trembling slightly. He had every intention of stopping the other party and checking him out, but his survival instincts kept him at bay—he knew that if he were to expose the other party, he would definitely die, regardless of whether the other party would be captured or not.

Zhang Heng walked up to the expressway while Wang Biao was still trembling all over. He handed his passport and plane ticket to the security personnel at Wang Biao's side. The security personnel took a quick look at them before nodding and tearing off the ticket's pages, handing them back to Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng smiled and walked right past Wang Biao, who was drenched in cold sweat, without even looking at him.

"Hah…" Wang Biao's tensed body finally relaxed after Zhang Heng disappeared into the security checkpoint. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow, feeling lucky that he was still alive.

However, he heard a commotion behind him at that moment.

Wang Biao looked behind him with a numb expression and saw a bald middle-aged man arguing with the manager of his flight company.

"Why? I booked the ticket and paid for it. Why are you saying that I didn't buy the ticket?" That bald middle-aged man shouted in exasperation. "I'm going to Japan to talk business. If I don't make it there this time, my business is done for. Millions! Can your airline afford to pay for it? I'm going to complain!"

…

Zhang Heng walked into the airport without paying any attention to that unlucky b * stard behind him. A bus was parked at the door, waiting for the passengers to fill up before boarding the plane.

Zhang Heng was seated in the first class seat about 10 minutes later. Due to the fact that it was a short-range international flight, even the first class seats didn't look very luxurious. However, it was still better than the economy class seats.

It was a semi-sealed leather couch with a standalone television screen in front of it. Even the air hostesses looked prettier than those in economy class.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but stretch as he looked at the passengers and air stewardesses walking about before him. If it hadn't been for the Dimensional Star, how long would he have had to wait before he was able to get to where he was now? He was probably still earning a measly 3,000 yuan from the pharmaceutical company and living in a cheap rented apartment that cost 500 yuan per month.

Zhang Heng's phone vibrated all of a sudden. He picked up the phone without making a sound and heard Corona's voice from the other end.

"Commander, I've checked all communication records regarding the boss of the Aioukai and the upper echelons of the Yamaguchi-Gumi and found something very interesting."

"Interesting?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"That's right. According to my investigation, I found that the boss of the Aioukai in Haizhou, Takegawa Mahiro, contacted a thug named Liu Jianmin about 10 days ago. Liu Jianmin is the relative of a man named Pan Bo. I've found information regarding you in both Liu Jianmin and Pan Bo's' WeChat 'records."

"Pan Bo?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and a cold glint flashed across his eyes. "I see."

"I'm sorry, sir. The plane is about to take off. Please turn your phone to flight mode. Thank you for your cooperation."

A flight attendant who looked to be in her early twenties walked up to Zhang Heng at that moment and said politely to him.

"Sure." The cold glint in Zhang Heng's eyes disappeared and he looked up with a grin before hanging up without making a sound.

Zhang Heng had a very average appearance and looked like a child at best. However, the maturity and confidence of a successful man who was able to take control of everything that happened around him gave him a lethal allure to women. That smile of his was enough to make the air hostess who reminded Zhang Heng blush.

"Thank you for your cooperation." The young air hostess looked at Zhang Heng shyly and felt her heart thumping. She stood up right away and walked to the cubicle.

Since he couldn't even use his phone anymore, he turned on the television and picked a show to watch. The plane gradually took off and a centrifugal force was felt. Zhang Heng looked out of the window with a curious expression and saw Haizhou gradually shrink before his eyes. The busy traffic became like ants, eventually becoming clouds that obscured his vision.

"Ladies and gentlemen."

"Our plane has left Haizhou for Osaka. We'll be flying through the East China Sea to reach the Kansai International Airport along that route. We've prepared all manner of meals for you during that journey. We'll inform you on the radio when the meals are served."

The sound of a radio broadcast was heard from the plane. Zhang Heng put his feet on the table below the television and leaned back comfortably. It was time for him to take a break on his trip to Osaka.

Zhang Heng had been tense ever since he got his hands on the Dimensional Star. He hadn't been able to relax for five months. His life and death were at stake, and the fate of human civilization was at stake as well. It was like the Sword of Damocles hanging above his head. If it hadn't been for his innate psychological fortitude, he would have been crushed by that kind of pressure long ago.

However, Zhang Heng was no one else. Not only was he not crushed by the burden of having to shoulder the responsibilities of humanity, but he was actually living a better life. He would be able to take a break for the time being once the company was on the right track.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself. The young air hostess from before walked up to him at that moment, blushing as she placed two pieces of paper on the table before him.

"Hello, this is your access card. Please fill it out and keep it. You'll need these two cards to pass the customs after getting off the plane."

"Alright, thank you." Zhang Heng nodded and flipped through two cards in a rather bored manner after she left. A pale yellow slip of paper fell out of the cards all of a sudden. Zhang Heng was stunned and picked up the slip of paper out of curiosity. He saw that there was a phone number written on it.

Zhang Heng smirked and paid no heed to the flight attendant's antics. He filled up the admission card and put it with his visa before closing his eyes to rest.

50. Murder

The flight reached the Kansai International Airport after three and a half hours of flight. Zhang Heng exchanged some yen at the cash exchange in the airport lobby before taking the Limousine Bus.

It was evening by the time they reached the Sannomiya Station in Kobe City.

The cities in Japan were different from those in Huaxia. There were posters of AKBs and 2D advertisements everywhere, high school students wearing sailor suits walking about, and huge LED screens on the walls of buildings broadcasting real-time news all over the place. All of that made the city look very exotic.

It was rush hour at the moment, and the wide junction was filled with people. Countless white-collar workers were seen crowding at the red lights, with numb expressions on their faces. People were walking side by side and cars were seen everywhere.

Zhang Heng wore a cap and hid among the crowd. He felt as if he was in a trance as he looked at the people around him, who were in a hurry. He shook his head and picked up the vibrating phone, answering the call.

"Commander, the target is beginning to move toward Mount Rokko. You're about three kilometers away from the target."

"What a coincidence." Zhang Heng shook his head and boarded a cab with a deadpan expression. He talked to the driver in English for a bit before heading for Mount Rokko.

"You're two kilometers away from the target."

"Target has been stopped. It's confirmed to be the Nakanobo Ruiyuan Hotel in the Ma Onsen area. You're about a kilometer away from the target."

"You're 500 meters away from the target."

"You're 100 meters away from the target."

Corona's constant reminders were heard from the other end of the phone and Zhang Heng's gaze gradually turned cold.

The cab stopped right in front of the Ruiyuan Hotel in Nakanobo shortly. Zhang Heng headed straight for the door after paying the fare.

It was different from the modern hotels found in the city. The hotel was designed in the fashion of Edo, and the trees on both sides of the building were lush. However, the place felt like a remote mountain when night fell.

It was a dark, windy, and murderous night.

Zhang Heng put on his gloves silently and walked towards the door. He was greeted by hotel staff before he even got inside.

"What the f * * k are you waiting for? I'm Yadumi Maluca?"

Zhang Heng frowned. While he didn't understand what she was saying, he figured that she was probably asking if he needed to stay in the hotel. As such, he simply nodded and walked into the hotel while she nodded and bowed.

"May I know what room Fujiwara Tsubasa is staying in?" Zhang Heng asked in English before the smiling receptionist could say anything.

The receptionist was clearly stunned when she heard Zhang Heng speak English. She quickly bowed apologetically and called out to someone behind her. A fat man dressed like a manager of a hotel walked out.

"Good day, sir. May I know how may I help you?" The man wore a smile and asked in fluent English.

"I'm looking for Fujiwara Tsubasa." Zhang Heng stared into his eyes and continued, "Tell me which room he's in."

"You…" The fat man was stunned for a bit. He felt as if he was about to suffocate under Zhang Heng's cold gaze. He lowered his head quickly and evaded Zhang Heng's gaze before asking again, "Are you a guest invited by Mr. Fujiwara? If not, please forgive us for not being able to disclose any information regarding your guest."

Zhang Heng frowned and nodded unwillingly. "Yes, I'm a guest of Fujiwara Tsubasa."

"O-Okay. Please hold on for a moment." It was obvious that the fat man didn't buy his lie. Zhang Heng was wearing a cap and mask, covering his face completely. The fat man didn't dare to look into Zhang Heng's eyes and simply picked up the phone on the counter and dialed a number.

It was obvious that the man knew Fujiwara Tsubasa's sensitive status, which was why he kept his guard up against Zhang Heng.

"No need for that." Zhang Heng sighed when he realized that he had failed to get what he came for. He flipped his hand over and flipped himself inside the counter nimbly. He extended his hand in midair and chopped at the fat man's neck. The fat man rolled his eyes and fell to the ground.

The receptionist, who was unable to speak English, watched everything unfold in a daze. Zhang Heng appeared behind her before she could even react. The receptionist felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck and lost consciousness as well.

To be able to knock out two people within a second without making a single mistake was something that would have seemed unbelievable to regular people. Even Zhang Heng, who had never gotten his hands on the Dimensional Star before, found it unbelievable. However, he was able to do it so easily that he didn't even feel any emotional fluctuations.

Zhang Heng looked around the lobby after he was done. Due to the fact that it wasn't a holiday season, the lobby of the hotel was completely empty. The waiter who had escorted him in earlier went out to get more guests, which made things a lot easier for Zhang Heng. He picked up a room register and looked at the last seat.

It was obvious that Fujiwara Tsubasa's name was not listed on the room register. The last name listed on the register was Ozawa Ayato, who was staying in an outdoor hot spring room in the backyard of the hotel.

Zhang Heng flipped over the reception desk and headed straight for the backyard after getting his answer.

However, he saw four men standing with their hands behind their backs in front of a Japanese sliding door as soon as he entered the backyard. All four of them were wearing black uniforms and sunglasses, as if they were afraid that others wouldn't know that they were gangsters. Their waists were bulging, making it obvious that they were armed.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and headed straight for the four of them.

"Who the f * * k are you?" One of the men shouted when he saw Zhang Heng approaching. However, before he was able to finish his sentence, Zhang Heng stomped on the ground and accelerated, appearing before him like a bolt of lightning.

The man was stunned and quickly reached for his waist. However, Zhang Heng appeared before him before he could even reach for his weapon. The man felt his stomach churn all of a sudden and he felt weak all over. He was rendered unconscious in the very next second.

"Baka!" The other three men reacted at that moment and drew their guns. However, Zhang Heng was like a phantom, appearing before the second man right after taking down the first man.

"Crack!"

A deafening crack was heard from the bones of the man's arm, as if he was performing some kind of trick. The black pistol in the man's hand was already in Zhang Heng's hand.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Three gunshots were heard in quick succession. A bloody hole was seen in the center of the three men's eyebrows after the gunshots were heard. All three of them fell to the ground in disbelief.

"Arrgghhhh!" A woman's scream was heard from behind the door. Zhang Heng pushed the door open with a deadpan expression and saw a very pretty, naked woman screaming in the hot spring in the backyard.

Behind the woman was a fat middle-aged man with a mustache. That fat man was crawling out of the hot spring in a panic and running to his clothes.

"Bang!" Another gunshot was heard and a huge hole was seen in the man's leg. The man shrieked and lost his balance, falling to the ground.

"Who the f * * k are you?" The fat man shouted as he looked at Zhang Heng, crawling on the ground as if he was able to escape from the reaper before him.

"Target confirmed." Zhang Heng took a good look at the man's appearance and confirmed that he was the man in the photo sent to him by Corona. He tilted his head and put the muzzle of the gun on the man's forehead.

"I'm the boss of the Aioukai, a subsidiary of the Yamaguchi-Gumi. Why are you trying to kill me? If you kill me, you'll die as well. The Yamaguchi-Gumi won't let you get away with this…!" The man shouted, but his heart sank completely after seeing the man's masked face and cold eyes.

"Bang!"

Zhang Heng fired without hesitation before the man could finish speaking. Blood and brain matter sprayed from the back of the man's head, staining the hot spring red.

"Ah!"

The naked woman at the side backed away in fright, but her legs seemed to have gone limp and she was unable to stand up at all. She could only watch as Zhang Heng kept screaming like a pig being butchered.

"Shhh…" Zhang Heng put his index finger up and gestured for her to keep quiet. The woman immediately realized what was going on and covered her mouth with her hands. However, the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily after seeing how well the other man performed. It was only then that he looked down at the gun in his hand. It was a Beretta M9, a traditional detachable double-breasted magazine with a maximum capacity of 15 rounds. The gun was 217 millimeters long and weighed 1100 grams after being loaded. It had a starting velocity of 390 meters per second and an effective range of 50 meters.

All of that data flashed through Zhang Heng's mind quickly. Due to Corona's special training, there was practically no firearm in the world that he was unable to master. Such high-performance handguns were the focus of his training as well. While it was his first time coming into contact with firearms in real life, he was not unfamiliar with them at all. He was practically able to shoot with a raised gun.

Zhang Heng chuckled and threw the gun into the hot spring before turning around and making his way slowly out of the hotel.

Despite wearing gloves, there was still a certain chance that technology of the present day would be able to extract evidence such as cells being shed from a gun. As such, throwing the gun into the water to destroy all evidence was the best course of action.

It was only when Zhang Heng walked out of the hotel that the ruckus in the hotel gradually began to spread.

51. Shutting Them Up

Zhang Heng hated trouble.

He wasn't the type of person who liked to deal with trivial matters. He would always resort to the most direct and effective ways to solve any problem that came his way.

In his opinion, the best way to deal with the problem at hand was to solve the problem at its root.

As long as the boss of the Aioukai and a few other people who knew about the plan were to disappear from the face of the earth, the trouble would be over.

Zhang Heng walked around the town several times after leaving the hotel, making sure that no one would be able to catch up to him before throwing his outerwear into the river on a bridge. He then picked up a male outerwear from the yard of a residential building and put it on.

It was about 8 pm when he was done. He hailed a cab and headed for the Kansai International Airport.

Zhang Heng sat in the backseat of the cab and looked out of the window at the night scenery of the town of Maquan.

That was the first time Zhang Heng had killed anyone in his life. While he had killed countless people back in Corona's virtual space, the morals that he had developed over the past 20 years still felt rather uncomfortable when everything became real.

He realized that he had gained a power that no regular person could reach before he knew it. The power that he was talking about here didn't just refer to his physical form, but his overall power. Furthermore, his power would continue to grow as he gained more technology.

However, he had to ensure that he didn't end up dead.

Zhang Heng's eyes became dazed all of a sudden. Just what was it that he was fighting so hard for?

Was it wealth that normal people couldn't reach? Or power that mortals didn't have? Or was it power that the entire world had no say in?

No, none of that.

Zhang Heng shook his head. When one's wealth reached a certain level, money would be but a string of numbers, and power was not what he wanted.

What he truly yearned for in his heart was freedom that allowed him to transcend the rules.

Regardless of how far he could go, becoming the savior of humanity, or becoming a demon capable of destroying the world, it was all up to him. He had a life of endless choices and a power that could ignore all rules. That was what he truly wanted.

Zhang Heng smirked and slowly opened his hand, looking at the night scenery through the gaps between his fingers as if he wanted to take control of the world.

At the same time, a glint of ambition burst out of his dull, hazy eyes.

Endless choices, unlimited freedom. That was what he truly wanted…

…

Zhang Heng got off the plane at midnight the next day and returned to Haizhou without a hitch.

No regular person would have believed that someone could travel between two countries in just one night and kill three members of the Mafia and a president tens of thousands of kilometers away.

If it hadn't been for Corona's help, the visa procedures alone would have been enough to delay him for a week, not to mention the investigations from the government and retaliation from the Mafia.

However, things were different with Corona around. When Zhang Heng got off the plane, Corona had already hacked into the center of the plane and erased all records regarding Zhang Heng's flight. Even the surveillance footage was modified, burying the truth in the sands of time.

Zhang Heng returned to his rented hotel two hours later. He breathed a sigh of relief at first before giving his orders, "Corona, shut those three Japanese, Pan Bo, and Liu Jianmin up for good."

"Understood, Commander." Corona's voice was heard in Zhang Heng's mind. "What about that man named Liang Chao? While I haven't been able to access Pan Bo's memories, I'm able to tell from your memories that there's a high chance that Liang Chao was the one who ordered all of this. Do you want to get rid of him as well?"

Zhang Heng frowned and thought for a bit when he heard that. Eventually, he sighed with regret and said, "Not for the time being."

"Killing five people at once is a very serious case. More importantly, all five of them have something to do with me. Once the investigation begins, the fact that they set me up would definitely be exposed, and I would be implicated no matter what."

Zhang Heng continued, "Of course, the true prime suspect should be Liang Chao, the son of the vice mayor. He's the only one who could have killed all of them without making a sound. However, if the son of the vice mayor were to die as well, I'd have a very good chance of being suspected and watched, even without any evidence."

Corona was silent for a moment before she exclaimed, "Is this the wisdom of humans? While their thoughts are not as precise as mine, their complexity far exceeds mine."

Zhang Heng nodded. "Never underestimate the power of the government. Let Liang Chao live for a bit longer."

At the same time that Zhang Heng issued the order, Corona, which was sealed 50 meters below the ground at the construction site of Stellar Technology a kilometer away, suddenly emitted a burst of intense red light.

If anyone were to see it at that moment, they would have found that Corona's rock-like body had turned completely blood-red. Waves of mental magnetic fields that were completely undetectable by human technology spread out in a radius, covering every corner of Haizhou in an instant.

Corona was currently at Level Three.

At the same time, in an office building somewhere in Haizhou, Takegawa Mahiro, Miyamoto Tsubasa, and Endo Shino were in a sealed meeting room. One could tell from the shocked expressions on the faces of the three of them that they had found out about the assassination of their boss in Kobe, Japan.

However, Endo Shino seemed to have seen something extremely terrifying before the three of them were able to reach a consensus. He shouted and drew his gun at the same time, shooting at both Takegawa and Miyamoto without hesitation.

Amidst a series of deafening gunshots, the two of them were completely caught off-guard and turned into sieves. A thick, pungent stench of blood filled every corner of the room.

Endo Shino, who was still on the verge of breaking down, began to weep after he was done. He thumped himself hard on the chest and shouted in Japanese as he raised his gun again, pointed it at his temple, and pulled the trigger in despair.

At the same time, a car was seen speeding on a street not far away. A monkey-faced man was seen in the car, looking very pleased with himself. He was none other than Pan Bo, Zhang Heng's classmate at the party.

A shifty-looking young man was sitting in the driver's seat.

At that moment, that young man who looked like a hooligan was trying to curry favor with Pan Bo. "Brother Bo, were you satisfied with the girls from that nightclub last night? I've told you before that the girls from that nightclub all have very big chests and sweet songs. They're so hot in bed."

"Hahaha, kid, didn't you say all that just for that thing? Relax, I'll leave that to you, Brother Bo!" Pan Bo chuckled and continued, "By the way, Jianmin, you've done what I asked you to do, haven't you? That's something that Mr. Liang asked me to do. Don't mess it up."

"Relax. I, Liu Jianmin, am not good at anything but knowing a lot of friends. I'm just someone from the Yamaguchi-Gumi, aren't I? I've contacted them a long time ago." The man named Liu Jianmin thumped his chest and said firmly.

However, just when the car was about to reach the junction, Liu Jianmin's eyes went blank all of a sudden. He stepped on the accelerator and the car accelerated all of a sudden, charging through the red light at a very high speed and headed straight for a heavy truck that was speeding away.

"What are you doing?" Pan Bo was stunned and his expression changed drastically in the very next second. He instinctively grabbed the steering wheel from Liu Jianmin and spun it around.

A deafening screech was heard from the tires of the car and the entire car drifted away before crashing into the back of the truck.

Boom! Boom!

The truck screeched to a halt.

"Huff! Huff! Huff!" Pan Bo panted heavily after doing all of that. If it hadn't been for his quick reflexes, his car would have crashed right into the truck. The consequences would have been unthinkable given how fast the truck was traveling.

Pan Bo felt lucky at first, but that feeling quickly turned into deep rage. He glared at Liu Jianmin, who was still in the driver's seat, and shouted, "What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill yourself?"

However, before Pan Bo was able to finish venting his anger, the sound of metal rubbing against metal was heard from the truck all of a sudden. He looked up in shock and saw that the huge truck was loaded with steel beams that were about the thickness of a person's wrist. Due to the sudden stop and the impact from the car, all of the steel beams shifted positions. Dozens of steel beams snapped the ropes and headed straight for the car at the bottom of the truck.

In Pan Bo's last conscious thought, he saw countless swords raining down on him.

52. Final Lesson

When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a wasteland.

The sky was dark and gloomy, as if a grey curtain had covered the blue sky. Countless withered plants were scattered all over the ground. The glazed soil was covered with the ruins of all manner of buildings. A grey hurricane that looked like a sandstorm blew about recklessly, sending sand flying everywhere.

The surrounding temperatures were about -45 degrees Celsius. The radiation clouds from the nuclear war had obscured the atmosphere and sunlight, turning the place into a dead silent nuclear winter.

"Corona, are you sure that this is the Earth after the xenomorphs wreaked havoc?"

"The accuracy rate is above 80 percent." Corona appeared before Zhang Heng as he spoke. She twirled her black hair that was messed up by the wind and said softly, "Commander, according to my calculations, the xenomorph eggs were brought to Earth for some reason. The spread was small at first, but after the first queen appeared among the xenomorphs, the spread intensified and the first city suffered a devastating blow."

"The Earth Government then sent troops to fight the alien and ultimately failed. As such, they had no choice but to release nuclear bombs. However, none of that was able to stop the spread of the xenomorphs, as it wasn't only limited to humans. Any living creature of a certain size on Earth could be parasitized by the xenomorphs. The xenomorphs would spread through the ocean, land, and air in a manner that wasn't inferior to the T-Virus. There were even flying xenomorphs and deep-sea xenomorphs. In the end, humans had no choice but to give up on Earth and hole up on the moon or somewhere further away in the Mars colony. There would only be wastelands left on Earth."

"However, if that's all there is to it, I'm afraid that humanity wouldn't have been destroyed. That's because, in the Alien plane, humans were able to travel in space and colonize extraterrestrial planets. The destruction of Earth alone wouldn't have resulted in the destruction of humanity. As such, there are two possibilities for human civilization to be wiped out."

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched as he listened to Corona's narration. He was only thinking about the combat prowess of the xenomorphs, but he had never considered their ability to multiply. A chill ran down his spine after hearing Corona's explanation.

"What are the two possibilities?" Zhang Heng probed.

"The first possibility is that the appearance of the xenomorph eggs wasn't limited to Earth. The spread of xenomorphs appeared in all human colonies on the moon, Mars, and so on. That is the only possibility that could have caused the destruction of human civilization.

"How is that possible? The human government isn't some kind of freeloader. Forget about a handful of xenomorph eggs, even if there were hundreds or even thousands of them, the xenomorphs wouldn't be able to multiply once humans are alerted, right?" Zhang Heng speculated.

"That's right. The first possibility isn't very high, so there's only one possibility." Corona bit her lip and a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. "That is, the Alien plane eventually produced a space xenomorph capable of surviving and fighting in space."

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and a deep sense of fear came over him. He instinctively wanted to deny it, yet he was rendered speechless.

It was true that xenomorphs were capable of stealing countless types of excellent DNA to evolve. Their rate of evolution was simply too fast, and it was definitely not impossible for them to evolve into xenomorphs capable of traversing space.

If what Corona speculated was true, humanity would be doomed.

"Given the rate at which the xenomorphs are evolving on the internet, it is almost certain that they would be able to create xenomorphs that could survive in space. It is even possible that before humans were able to prepare themselves, a massive army of space xenomorphs was formed. They wreaked havoc in every corner of the Milky Way, collecting DNA from all manner of planetary lifeforms like nomads. It is not just carbon-based lifeforms, but silicon-based lifeforms as well. That would explain why they have silicon-based exoskeletons and unbelievably potent acidic blood."

Corona continued her analysis and said, "I've searched for all knowledge and settings regarding the xenomorphs on the internet, as well as all kinds of speculations and bugs made up by humans. Through all kinds of analysis, I was able to create the Earth environment of the xenomorph plane. What you need to do is to survive for 36 hours on the battlefield that I simulated."

"No problem. Let's begin then." Zhang Heng took a deep breath and nodded.

Corona disappeared in the next second and a cold, mechanical female voice was heard echoing in the sky.

"The enemy will reach the battlefield in 30 seconds."

"Crush them!"

Zhang Heng opened the package on his back immediately after hearing that. There were two Desert Eagles, eight magazines, two Type 56 bayonets, a few compressed biscuits, and two bottles of mineral water in the package. That was all he had.

He was wearing the security suit that he brought back from the Dead Space plane at the moment. He took out the triangular bayonet and stuck it on the outside of his thigh and checked the magazine with the Desert Eagle. He only inserted the magazine into the handle after seeing that the magazine was filled with yellowish-orange bullets. He pulled the bolt and the crisp sound of the loaded gun was heard.

Zhang Heng put his backpack on and looked around after he was done. He saw the ruins of a city in the distance, lying across the wasteland like the carcass of some huge beast. He headed in that direction without thinking.

He saw a black silhouette flashing past the ruins to his left before he got very far. Zhang Heng didn't choose to check it out and continued walking. However, he saw seven or eight black silhouettes gathering around him after walking for less than three minutes. Due to the dim lighting, visibility was very poor. He was only able to vaguely make out that the black silhouettes were about two meters long and slender messenger xenomorphs, the kind that were considered scouts among xenomorphs.

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and faced the sky with two guns in his hands. He closed his eyes at the same time and waited for the pack of cunning creatures to come to him.

A minute passed and the other party remained still. Just when Zhang Heng thought that the other party was truly patient, he heard a slight rubbing sound from behind him.

The pores all over Zhang Heng's body opened up as soon as the screeching sound was heard. He turned around at the speed of light and swung his right arm, locking onto his target at an unbelievable speed and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

A golden bullet spun at a high speed of 390 meters and shot out of the muzzle, tearing through the air and traversing tens of meters in an instant, leaving a huge bloody hole on the smooth forehead of the target, mincing the internal organs of the target into mush.

The Desert Eagle lived up to its reputation as the king of handguns. A bullet with a caliber of 0.5 would be able to reach 2,200 kilograms, enabling it to break through the tough skull of the xenomorph in an instant. If Zhang Heng were to use the Beretta M9 at the moment, the measly 450 kilograms of kinetic energy wouldn't even be able to penetrate the xenomorph's exoskeleton.

However, the shortcomings of the Desert Eagle were well known, as it had a problem with recoil and the capacity of its ammunition. As such, it was unable to get to the top of the hierarchy. However, that was no problem for Zhang Heng, who was four times stronger than most people. Furthermore, he was wearing the security suit from the Dead Space plane, which meant that the hydraulic support equipment installed inside would be able to completely ignore recoil from gunpowder weapons.

Zhang Heng was relieved to see that the Desert Eagle was indeed capable of killing the xenomorphs effectively. The killing of the messenger xenomorph in one shot was like a signal. Countless xenomorphs charged at Zhang Heng at speeds of 60 to 70 kilometers per hour as the xenomorph howled.

53. Complete Victory

Zhang Heng wore a grave expression on his face and his hands blurred as he pulled the triggers at unbelievable angles. The countless gun training sessions that he had undergone had allowed his guns to become instinctual. The two Desert Eagles were as precise as the Grim Reaper's weapons, and every single bullet would take away a xenomorph's life.

All 14 rounds were fired in five seconds, but Zhang Heng didn't stop at all. He quickly pressed the buttons on the magazines with both of his thumbs, and the two emptied magazines dropped to the ground. Two new magazines were loaded into the guns in the blink of an eye, and the Desert Eagle spat out flames of death in less than half a second.

The xenomorphs managed to break through Zhang Heng's range of firepower after losing over 20 of their companions. However, there were only about four or five of them left at the moment. Zhang Heng pointed with both hands and three more of his companions fell to the ground. However, the remaining two managed to break through his range of firepower. One of the xenomorphs kicked out with its hind legs, causing it to leap into the air and charge straight at Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng was able to kill the xenomorph in the air at such a high speed, but the impact of the attack would have caused the xenomorph to fall on top of him nonetheless. Regular people would have hesitated for a bit if they were to encounter such a choice, but Zhang Heng didn't stop at all. He simply bent down and kicked, appearing somewhere about half a meter away from the xenomorph, evading the attack by just a hair's breadth. At the same time, he pushed the Desert Eagle forward and pressed it against the xenomorph's head, making it look like the xenomorph was deliberately aiming at his head.

The last bullet was sent into the xenomorph's brain in the blink of an eye. He threw away the emptied gun in his left hand and pulled out the bayonet at the same time, throwing it behind him and piercing the last xenomorph's upper jaw.

The xenomorph let out a blood-curdling screech and its two-meter-long tail whipped at Zhang Heng like a whip.

The force of the xenomorph's tail-whip was tremendous, especially at the tip of the tail. It was able to move faster than the speed of sound with the snap of a finger and could easily penetrate alloy steel plates that were tens of millimeters thick. If the tail were to hit Zhang Heng, he would still suffer severe injuries despite having the protection of the security suit.

However, Zhang Heng seemed to have anticipated it all along. His reflexes, which were even faster than the xenomorph's, enabled him to take a step forward as soon as the xenomorph brandished its tail-whip. He threw the empty gun away with his right hand and drew a second bayonet, which he stabbed down hard from the top of the xenomorph's head. The tremendous force nailed the xenomorph to the ground.

It took him only 11 to 12 seconds to actually shoot the last xenomorph from the very first to the very last. To regular people, such a scene would have been described as a perilous situation, but to Zhang Heng, it was as simple as drinking cold water. If it hadn't been for the fact that close combat was too dangerous, he was confident that he could finish off all the xenomorphs with a bayonet alone.

Zhang Heng had won against over 30 xenomorphs.

Zhang Heng let out a sigh of relief when he was done and pulled out the bayonet from the xenomorph's body. The bayonet remained pitch-black and smooth, showing no signs of corrosion. He then nodded in satisfaction.

Zhang Heng had hired someone to make those two bayonets at a very high price, using the most advanced special alloy steel. He had also put a thick layer of high-density anti-corrosion coating on the bayonets at his behest, making each of them cost tens of thousands of yuan.

Zhang Heng realized just how difficult the Alien plane was after making it through the first stage. The first wave of attacks from the Alien plane had depleted half of his ammunition.

It was simply impossible to get through the 36 hours safely.

However, that was just a simulation after all. When the Dimensional Star truly sent him to the Alien plane, something else might happen. In short, the Dimensional Star would never send him to a place where he would definitely die. That was the fundamental rule of the Dimensional Star.

He knew that he couldn't stay there for long. The gunshots and the smell of the xenomorph's blood after they died would attract the attention of other xenomorphs. He had to leave before the arrival of the new xenomorphs.

Zhang Heng made it to the ruins of the city after wiping out yet another handful of xenomorphs.

The ruins seemed to belong to the United States or the United Kingdom. English words could be seen on the dilapidated walls, but it was obvious that this was the place with the highest radiation levels. At least four or five high-quality nuclear bombs were detonated here before human civilization was destroyed, creating a dead zone that even xenomorphs found difficult to enter.

Zhang Heng walked around the ruins out of boredom due to the advantage of the security suit. As expected, there were no signs of xenomorph activity in the area. He couldn't help but look up at the sky and saw dozens of black shadows circling a kilometer above him.

Those shadows were pitch-black and had wings like bats. It was obvious that they were flying xenomorphs that had never been seen in movies.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but shake his head. It was obvious that there was nothing he could do to them. Unless he had some kind of long-range weapon like the Remington sniper rifle, it would be impossible for him to destroy those 'eyes'.

He looked down at his watch and found that it was a mechanical watch that he had bought at a high price. It came with a compass, a timer, and a variety of other functions for surviving in the wild. Less than an hour had passed since then, and he was still 35 hours away from completing his mission.

Zhang Heng chose a low-rise building that had yet to collapse and checked his surroundings and possible escape routes before settling in.

Evening came very quickly. The sky was already covered in a thick layer of radiation dust, making the day look like dusk. By nightfall, it was pitch-black.

Zhang Heng's right eye combat module had night vision to begin with, and the high-tech suit he wore from the Dead Space plane had infrared, thermal imaging, and other night vision abilities. He wasn't afraid of attacks coming at night, and the only thing he needed to worry about was getting some sleep at night.

Despite having been modified by the T-Virus, Zhang Heng was not a superhuman. If it were any other time, he would have been able to stay awake for 72 hours, let alone 36 hours. However, he was currently in the base of the xenomorph and needed to be on high alert at all times. He would have to expend a lot of energy and stamina when he was tense. As such, it was very difficult for him to last for 36 hours.

His stamina would drop drastically after 24 hours, which would only serve to make things worse for the upcoming battle.

The faint light in the sky gradually dimmed and the darkness of the night shrouded the land like a huge sack. Zhang Heng sighed to himself in that dead silent world deep inside, feeling an indescribable sense of loneliness.

This was a plane where humans came to an end. Unlike a plane like the Resident Evil plane, there was no way there would be any survivors on Earth in the Alien plane. That meant that if he were to be found in that plane, he would probably be the only human left.

Zhang Heng felt an indescribable fear at that thought, so much so that he shuddered.

For the first time, Zhang Heng's belief wavered.

"If such a day were to come in the real world, would I really have the courage to abandon humanity? Would my parents and sister be able to withstand the pain of humanity being wiped out and my family being the only ones left alive?"

Zhang Heng felt as if there was something stuck in his chest. He couldn't help but open the mask on his suit and took out a pack of cigarettes from his backpack, taking a puff.

He felt a burning sensation in his lungs all of a sudden, clearing his dazed mind.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin. No matter how hard he trained his mental fortitude, there was no way he could ignore the destruction of his home.

Humans were social animals after all.

It was a dark, lonely night and there was not a single sound to be heard. The only thing that was visible in the entire world was a bean-sized piece of fire, and it looked as if it was the owner of the place at the moment.

Zhang Heng smoked one cigarette after another, forcing himself to stay awake. However, when he pulled out his eighth cigarette, his stomach twisted all of a sudden and he felt an unbearable nausea rush to his head. He immediately slumped against the window and vomited.

He vomited for quite a while, but all that came out was some acid. He wiped his mouth with a bitter grin and closed the mask of his suit, feeling somewhat better.

It was obvious that the radiation levels in that area far exceeded his expectations, possibly even above 10 Sieverts. That was a nuclear bomb from the future, after all, and it was definitely not something that could be found in the real world.

Regular people would have died within minutes after being exposed to radiation above six Sieverts. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, had been exposed to radiation above ten Sieverts for over half an hour. It was fortunate that his physique was astonishing, or his first simulation training would have ended immediately.

54. Entering The Alien Plane

The ground began to shake all of a sudden. Zhang Heng, who had just vomited, didn't have enough time to recover before he slumped to the ground and put his ear to the ground. He then heard rumbling noises.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and looked up at the source of the sound again. He saw that the black and white image was pitch-black in the distance, but the security suit's vision detection function took effect immediately, zoomed in on the scenery in the distance, and several huge creatures that looked like hills came into view.

The thermal imaging technology was ineffective against the xenomorphs in the dark. The thick silicate exoskeletal shells of the xenomorphs were capable of blocking the spread of heat, and only infrared technology was able to make out their presence. What Zhang Heng saw at that moment were tens of xenomorphs that looked like skyscrapers.

The xenomorphs landed on all fours and charged at the city ruins at a speed of 100 meters and seven seconds. Due to the influence of their host genes, they had given up on nimbleness and concealment, and what replaced them was the power of primordial beasts and an astonishing defensive power that not even the RPGs could kill.

Are the hosts the xenomorphs of elephants and rhinoceroses?

Zhang Heng felt his throat go dry. He picked up his backpack without a second thought and ran deeper into the ruins. While the radiation from the ruins was able to prevent regular xenomorphs from entering, it was unable to damage such huge xenomorphs. In front of such xenomorphs, they could even crash through a tall building and climb out of the ruins unscathed.

However, no matter how hard he tried to escape, the dozen or so flying xenomorphs above him would keep a close eye on him. Facing such intense surveillance, any attempt to escape would be pointless. He had no choice but to find a manhole cover that had yet to be buried by the dirt in the ruins of a building and jump in without a second thought.

However, he realized that he had made a grave mistake the moment he jumped into the sewers. The sewers that used to be as spacious as tunnels in the United States had long been covered by moist and tough xenomorph secretions. Countless miniature xenomorphs the size of rats, with no hind legs and only two front claws, were packed in a nest that was tens of square meters in size. The moment they saw Zhang Heng, they charged at him like a tidal wave.

Even rats couldn't escape the claws of the xenomorphs?

That was his only thought before losing consciousness.

Zhang Heng stood up from his chair all of a sudden and cold sweat dripped down his forehead. The feeling of having tens of thousands of snakes biting at his heart just a second ago was so intense that it took him quite a while to calm down.

"Commander, you've been living in the simulated Alien plane for three hours and five minutes. Would you like to continue?" Corona's voice was heard in Zhang Heng's mind.

"Give me a break." Zhang Heng rubbed his temple and pushed himself up to walk to his bed. He then laid down on the bed and lit a cigarette, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

It was the first time that he had considered his future plans in the simulated Alien plane. He had once thought that if the humans were truly beyond saving, he would be able to escape from the plane with his family and continue surviving in some low difficulty plane like the Resident Evil plane. It was only at that moment that he realized how naïve he had been.

If his world were to truly be destroyed, the psychological pressure that he would feel would be something that his parents and family would not be able to handle. His parents were just regular people, after all, and they were more dependent on the world than he was. If that day were to truly come, prolonged loneliness would be enough to drive anyone insane.

Zhang Heng felt the pressure in his heart intensify. His responsibilities were far greater than he had imagined.

However, Zhang Heng had no intention of telling the government about the Dimensional Star no matter what. An innocent man would only end up getting into trouble because of his wealth. If the government were to find out about the existence of the Dimensional Star, there was no way they would allow him to live in this world. What awaited him would only be an extremely tragic fate.

It wasn't just the government. He couldn't tell his biological parents, his future wife, or his children, either. That was a secret that only he knew.

…

Days passed and eventually, three months were over. It was time for the Dimensional Star to issue the next mission.

Zhang Heng received a package from the logistics company that day as well. It was a bronze sculpture that was about half the height of a grown man, with an eagle soaring in the sky carved on it. The craftsmanship was exquisite and one could tell at a glance that it was the work of a master craftsman.

Zhang Heng checked the sender's address and found that it was completely blank. However, it was obvious that he wasn't surprised at all. He simply moved the sculpture into the warehouse that he hadn't returned to for quite some time. The warehouse was completely empty again. Corona, the supercomputer, and other equipment were all moved into the secret laboratory base that was under construction.

Zhang Heng knocked on a certain part of the sculpture lightly when he got back to the warehouse. A barely noticeable crack appeared on the eagle's claw at the very next second. Zhang Heng held onto the eagle's claw and twisted it lightly. A 30 centimeters wide hole was immediately cut into the chest cavity of the eagle, which was completely seamless.

The complexity and precision of the contraptions was enough to make one gasp in amazement, yet Zhang Heng remained completely expressionless. He simply looked into the hole and found that there were 10 Type 56 Mitsubishi bayonets stuffed inside, as well as two silver Desert Eagles. There were also six magazines and hundreds of rounds installed next to the Desert Eagles.

Zhang Heng pulled out a triangular bayonet and felt around for the pitch-black anti-corrosion coating on the bayonet, as well as the razor-sharp blade that didn't emit a cold glint. He flipped his wrist and stabbed the bayonet straight at the wall of the warehouse.

"Pfft!"

A barely noticeable noise was heard as the entire bayonet was plunged into the wall, leaving only the handle exposed.

Zhang Heng nodded and pulled it out again. He took a look and found that the bayonet didn't look damaged at all, not even a layer of paint was torn off. He then nodded in satisfaction.

The bayonet was not bad. Zhang Heng took out another Desert Eagle and looked at the muzzle of the gun. He saw that the muzzle of the gun was shiny and new, completely unscathed. There was also a faint smell of engine oil on the gun, making it obvious that it was newly manufactured and had no signs of being used.

Zhang Heng had spent a lot of money to smuggle all of those weapons into the base from foreign arms dealers. He had spent nearly a million US dollars just to get that line cleared.

However, that was only a temporary strategy after all. He would build his own secret weapon factory after bringing back all the technologies from the other planes.

Zhang Heng put on the Earth Security Suit and stuck two bayonets into his thighs. He put the Desert Eagles and a lot of bullets into his backpack and put a few compressed biscuits and mineral water inside. He took a deep breath and said, "Yurianne, it's almost time. If you don't show up soon, I'm not going on a mission."

"Haha, is it time for the mission again?"

A soothing Japanese anime tune was heard in his mind as soon as he opened his mouth. Yurianne's high-pitched, childlike voice was heard at the same time. She was wearing black tights and was putting on a seductive pose. While it looked very out of place in the image of a three-headed, cartoonish, two-dimensional girl, it still did just that.

Zhang Heng almost spat out the water in his mouth. He coughed twice to cover up his loss of composure and said, "Ahem, ahem. Yurianne, you haven't been showing up much lately, have you?"

"That's because the magnetic field of Corona and the Dimensional Star repel each other. If the two of us were to contact you using our mental fields at the same time, I'm afraid your brain would go haywire." Yurianne pouted and continued, "Host dude, can you imagine what would happen if you were to run both the Golden Mountain Biopharmaceuticals and the 360 Biopharmaceuticals on an old computer?"

"I was just asking." Zhang Heng waved dismissively. Compared to Corona, Yurianne's virtual personality had a lot more personality. While the Dimensional Star, which was capable of traversing planes and had no energy problems, was more than capable of overtaking Corona in terms of overall functionality, it was nonetheless, in terms of practicality, Corona's ability to control the human psyche and her ability to infiltrate the internet were both impeccable. It could be said that Zhang Heng needed both at the moment.

"It's about time. In that case, let's begin the third mission." Yurianne made an OK gesture and a robotic female voice was heard at the same time. "Main mission officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

"Search complete. There are four planes of value nearby the host plane."

"Plane A: Resident Evil plane. (option unavailable)"

"Plane B: Dead Space plane. (option unavailable)"

"Plane C: Alien plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★"

"Plane D: Prototype plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

Zhang Heng's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the last two planes. "As expected, once I become stronger, the danger level will drop. I remember that when I first entered the Resident Evil plane, the difficulty level of the Alien plane was still at four stars. When I entered the Dead Space plane, the difficulty level of the Alien plane dropped by half a star, and now, it has dropped to three stars…"

Zhang Heng lowered his head and mumbled to himself, before he seemed to have recalled something and asked Yurianne again, "I've always been puzzled as to how the Dimensional Star system evaluates danger levels. If xenomorphs could even enter space, wouldn't that place be far more dangerous than the Prototype plane?"

"System restriction. Unable to answer." Yurianne answered before Zhang Heng could finish. "You'll need to figure all of that out yourself, host dude. Yurianne is just an AI support program of the Dimensional Star. She doesn't know any of those core questions."

"I'm just asking. I'm not looking forward to getting an answer from you." Zhang Heng nodded and took a deep breath. "I'll choose the Alien plane this time."

"Understood!" The soothing background music in his mind suddenly changed as soon as he made his choice. His blood began to boil again.

Yurianne transformed into a hostess wearing a black tuxedo and sunglasses at the same time. She extended her simplified hand and pointed at the sky under the stage lights, while singing in a melodious manner.

"The host dude has made yet another crucial choice in his life! Good luck, kid! One day, you'll realize just how powerful you are! One day, you'll realize that you can create miracles!"

"The beautiful angel is calling for you from afar. Brave young man, go and create a miracle!"

55. Killing At The Beginning

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered Alien plane. Begin scanning mission."

"Warning: Alien plane mission begins. Main Quest: Delay the time the chestbuster bursts out of its body and bring the chestbuster back to reality."

"Optional Quest: Acquire a med pod, or a copy of technology data from the Alien plane."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown."

"Quest Time: 36 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 36 hours. Failure Penalty: Host access reduced by one level."

It took only the blink of an eye for him to return to his senses and find himself in a place that no regular person would have dared to dream of.

That place seemed to be the interior of a spaceship, with greyish-black walls made of steel and a gothic structure that made the entire space feel stifling.

However, compared to the warm, wet, black unknown substances on the walls, anyone would probably prefer to endure that stifling feeling.

Zhang Heng's expression became very glum right away. It was only then that he realized that he had somehow been completely wrapped up by that warm, wet black substance, leaving only his head exposed. Not far away from him, there were several yellow creatures that looked like scorpions with eight legs and a long bony tail crawling about.

"Facehuggers!" Zhang Heng had a bad feeling about that. He lowered his head right away and found a dead facehugger lying on the ground below him. That bit of hope in his heart was completely snuffed out when he saw that facehugger and the prompt from the Dimensional Star system.

It turned out that he had been implanted by the facehugger ever since he came to the Alien plane.

However, it was fortunate that being implanted with the chestbuster didn't mean that he would definitely die. As long as he was able to operate on the chestbuster before it matured, he would be able to survive.

Zhang Heng's expression became a little better at that thought. He tried to move his body. With his arm strength and the hydraulic equipment provided by the security suit, it wouldn't be difficult for him to break free from that layer of xenomorph secretion.

However, before he was able to free himself, he took note of his surroundings and confirmed that there was no danger other than a few facehuggers around. He then moved his arms and broke the gel-like secretion covering his body.

He stretched his body for a bit and stomped on the dead body of the facehugger, feeling rather frustrated. He then turned off the facehugger and covered his face with it.

He raised his hand and checked the time. It was about three in the afternoon when he first entered the Alien plane. The time shown at the moment was nine in the evening, which meant that he was in a comatose state when he first came to the plane. He was then implanted with a facehugger and had been out for over six hours.

Zhang Heng cursed under his breath and rushed to leave the xenomorph lair.

Walking in the lair of the xenomorphs was like walking in the innards of living beings. The surroundings were hot and humid, unlike the cold, dry conditions found in the hold of spaceships.

Just when Zhang Heng was about to pass by those facehuggers, one of the facehuggers suddenly shot up and pounced at his face. However, Zhang Heng didn't even bother to look at the facehuggers. He simply drew his triangular bayonet with his right hand and slashed at them with lightning speed.

The facehugger was immediately cut in half by the razor-sharp bayonet. Large amounts of pale yellow blood sprayed out, splattering on the floor with a "chi chi chi" sound.

Zhang Heng frowned. He definitely couldn't afford to let such acidic blood get on his body. The security suit he was wearing wouldn't be able to withstand such torture. However, the current situation caught him off-guard. According to what he thought, the Dimensional Star should have placed him on Earth in the Alien plane instead of in such a sealed spaceship.

The first thing he needed to figure out at the moment was if he was really inside a spaceship. If that wasn't the case, was he in some kind of base or some other special setting? Furthermore, if the location was a spaceship, where would the spaceship be? Would it be parked on the surface, or would it be floating in the pitch-black outer space?

Zhang Heng lowered his head and fell into deep thought. However, at that moment, he felt a chill running down his spine all of a sudden. As someone who had died countless times, his instincts for danger had practically become an instinct. He rolled on the ground without a second thought. A pitch-black, bony tail pierced through the metal ground beneath his feet at lightning speed, making a screeching sound as it twisted.

Zhang Heng's heart thumped hard against his chest as he slowly stood up several meters away. He saw a pitch-black creature over two meters tall crouching where he was standing moments ago, baring its fangs and looking like it was about to pounce.

That black xenomorph had a spindle-shaped skull and a smooth forehead. It had long, slender limbs that were filled with explosive power. It had a hard exoskeleton made of silicate material on its body and a tail that looked like a long black whip was seen swinging about on its back. It looked like a monster from a nightmare.

"Pfft…"

The xenomorph locked onto Zhang Heng and hissed in a low voice. Transparent saliva dripped from its metal-colored teeth and white mist sprayed from its breath.

The palpitation in Zhang Heng's heart had almost reached its peak, and adrenaline began to seep through his body. He took deep breaths while shuddering and flung the bayonet at the xenomorph's head with all his might. The bayonet turned into a blur like a flying knife and headed straight for the xenomorph's head.

He pulled out the Desert Eagle from his backpack at the same time that he threw the bayonet at the xenomorph. He cocked the gun at the same time and fired a bullet out of the muzzle of the gun at a speed that exceeded his limit, heading straight for the xenomorph.

"Bang!"

The deafening sound of the gunshot made Zhang Heng's ears ring. He looked ahead instinctively, but all he saw was the handle of the bayonet that stabbed into the wall trembling slightly. The bullet only left a dent about half a finger deep on the metal wall.

That xenomorph disappeared.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and backed away without a second thought. However, he was too late. That tail, which contained enough power to split rocks, hit him hard in the chest and sent him tumbling backward.

Bang!

Zhang Heng crashed into the wall seven to eight meters away like a ragdoll.

Zhang Heng gasped and felt as if his ribs were about to be crushed. An indescribable pain filled his chest and his breath reeked of blood.

That was all thanks to the security suit, which was able to absorb over 80 percent kinetic damage. If it hadn't been for the suit protecting Zhang Heng's body, that attack would have been more than enough to shatter his chest.

Regular people would have their muscles cramping if they were to run into such intense tremors and pain, unable to move if they were lucky, or even suffocated if they were to pass out. However, none of that mattered much to Zhang Heng. The training in the virtual space enabled him to withstand massive amounts of pain, and the pain at the moment wouldn't affect his combat prowess at all. He simply raised his gun and fired at the xenomorph that had just landed after crashing into the wall behind him.

Bang, bang, bang!

The three gunshots seemed to have connected and the xenomorph, who was caught off-guard, was shot three fist-sized wounds on its head before it was able to evade the bullets.

"Arrgghh!" The xenomorph then let out a blood-curdling scream and fell to the ground while twitching.

"So, this is the true power of the xenomorphs?" Zhang Heng crawled to his feet with a pale face. Compared to the training in the virtual space, the true xenomorphs were undoubtedly more powerful. He could tell from the battle just now that the xenomorphs' reaction speed was definitely not inferior to his. Their power and speed were two to three times that of his. Compared to Corona's analysis, they were several times stronger.

Zhang Heng covered his chest and left the room at that thought. The xenomorphs usually appeared in groups. If another xenomorph were to appear at that moment, he would be in deep trouble.

The xenomorph secretions around him decreased as he chose a direction to run in. The xenomorph secretions on the walls around him disappeared completely in a short while, revealing a silver-grey metal passage. There were metal doors that were shut on both sides of the passage.

"So, you're saying that the path behind me leads to the xenomorph's lair?" Zhang Heng turned around and took a look at the dark, humid passage behind him. He committed that location to memory before leaving the place.

56. The Only Chance

Jennifer slowly opened her eyes. The blinding red light from the ceiling made her cry.

Her metabolism had almost completely stagnated after sleeping in low temperatures for such a long period of time. If it hadn't been for the fact that the sleep pod would regularly stimulate her muscles with weak electrical currents every day, she would have probably ended up in an awkward state of muscular atrophy.

Jennifer climbed out of the sleep pod with some difficulty wearing a flesh-colored bra and gradually recovered from her dazed state. It was only then that she heard the urgent alarms from the central computer ringing throughout the entire room.

"Father, how long have I been asleep?" Jennifer put a hand on her forehead, feeling rather dazed.

"Dear Captain Jennifer, you have been asleep for two years and three days. Today is December 24, 2309 A.D. We are 78 years and six months away from our destination, the Andromeda System." A synthesized voice without any emotion was heard from all sides of the warehouse as soon as Jennifer spoke.

"Why did you wake me up?" Jennifer was puzzled. "Is something urgent happening?"

"Yes, Captain Jennifer. Area seven is damaged, Area three is damaged, and Area nine is unstable. The engines are running at only 40 percent."

"What happened?" Jennifer's expression changed drastically, and the feeling of dizziness she felt disappeared without a trace.

"Unidentified flying object detected 300 light-seconds behind the ship. The ship was attacked by the unidentified flying object 20 minutes ago. The ship is damaged and needs emergency repairs."

Jennifer's face turned pale right away and she said in disbelief, "Draw the appearance of the unidentified flying thing right now. Right, right now!"

"Understood, Captain Jennifer." The electronically synthesized voice answered, and in the next second, a huge, spindle-shaped ship with a black outer shell that looked like an insect appeared before Jennifer through the holographic projection. The body of the ship was squirming every second. That was no ship, that was a huge space creature!

"The xenomorph!" Jennifer's face was ashen. All of her hopes had been dashed by the projection before her. She said in disbelief, "Impossible. The ship escaped from the Mars colony at lightspeed. It's been two years and it's long since flown out of the Kuiper belt. How could we have run into a xenomorph battleship?"

"Dear Captain Jennifer, I'm unable to comprehend your question. Please give the order immediately." The central computer of the spaceship paid no heed to what Jennifer said and simply replied in a deadpan manner.

The young woman who was referred to as the captain took a deep breath and ordered again, "Father, wake all the crew on the ship at once and fix the engines as quickly as possible. I'm going to accelerate again and shake off the biological battleship behind me!"

"I'm sorry, Captain Jennifer," the central computer of the ship called 'Father' replied regretfully. "All crew members have lost contact a month after the ship took off."

"What!?" Jennifer was shocked. "What the hell happened?"

"When we were escaping from the Mars colony, a xenomorph lifeform seemed to have crawled into the ship from some crevice. It attacked all crew members and took over the food stores in area eight," the central computer said. "That xenomorph was unusually smart. It managed to evade my surveillance of the ship and was only discovered when it attacked the sleep pods. All of the staff members have lost contact with it."

"…" A look of despair was seen in Jennifer's eyes. If that was the case, she was afraid that she would be doomed.

"However," the central computer spoke again. The anthropomorphic programming made it sound rather hesitant. "I actually found signs of human life in Area Eight just now…"

…

Zhang Heng looked at the cabin he found that had its door torn open by the xenomorph and found the situation rather eerie.

There were over a dozen objects that looked like coffins that had been violently destroyed in the hold. The lower half of the coffins were made of metal and were connected to the floor, while the upper half had a translucent reinforced glass cover.

Judging from the structure of the coffins, it looked like they could be opened and closed. However, the lids of the coffins were all broken, and dried bloodstains could be seen on some of them.

Those coffin-like objects should be the sleep pods found in the Alien plane. By injecting some kind of antifreeze-resistant solution into the human body, the sleep pod's temperature would be lowered to near zero degrees Celsius, enabling the sleep pod to achieve something similar to hibernation.

Zhang Heng knocked on the shattered reinforced glass lightly. It was obvious that there was a xenomorph who was knocking on that layer of shell while everyone was sleeping. The people in those sleep pods had probably become food or nursery for the xenomorphs.

However, now that he had found that room filled with sleep pods, he was able to confirm that he was indeed in a spaceship, a spaceship that was floating in deep space.

Just when Zhang Heng was deep in thought, beeps were heard from the door of the room all of a sudden without warning. The beeps, coupled with the silence that was supposed to have been completely empty, made the whole place look very jarring.

That beeping sound wasn't the sound of objects moving and colliding. It sounded more like the ringing of an incoming phone. Zhang Heng realized what was happening right away and hesitated for a bit before eventually pressing a flashing green button. A young woman's voice was heard from the speaker below the button.

"This is the ship's command center. Crewman, report your serial number immediately. I repeat, report your serial number immediately."

Zhang Heng was stunned. He had never thought that he would actually be able to hear the voices of humans. That was the first time he encountered humans from another plane during his mission with the Dimensional Star. Furthermore, there was nothing like the Marker in that plane that would cause people to hallucinate. That meant that the one who made that noise was a real human.

"Crewman, report your serial number immediately!" The young woman's voice continued.

It was only then that Zhang Heng realized what was going on. He thought for a bit and said, "My memory was damaged due to sleeping, so I'm unable to remember my serial number."

"Then tell me your name and take off your helmet." The young woman's voice was heard again, sounding very aggressive.

Zhang Heng frowned and said in a rather displeased manner, "I told you, my memory is damaged and I'm unable to remember who I am. Furthermore, I'm not taking off my helmet. Do you know how the facehuggers are able to parasitize the ship? It's very dangerous to take off a helmet on a ship that's being wrecked by xenomorphs, isn't it?"

The sound in the room disappeared immediately after hearing what Zhang Heng said, as if he was thinking about something. That voice was heard again after about half a minute. "Alright, you win. Regardless of who you are, at least you're definitely not a xenomorph. I have some very bad news for you. There are only two survivors left on the entire ship, and that is you and me. I'm currently in the control room of the ship. The xenomorphs won't be able to do anything to me for the time being, but you'll be in danger. The xenomorphs could attack you at any moment."

"It's obvious that you're trapped in here as well. If you work for me, I'll guarantee your survival. How about that?" That voice was heard again when Zhang Heng didn't answer.

"Oh?" Zhang Heng looked around and eventually found four black micro monitors in the four corners of the room. He asked, "Could you locate all the xenomorphs?"

"That's impossible. The xenomorphs mostly move about in the ventilation ducts, and there's no surveillance equipment in the ventilation ducts," the woman continued. "My ship is just a commercial spaceship after all, and I don't have any defensive weapons. You wouldn't have been able to board my ship so easily otherwise."

It was only then that Zhang Heng realized that the voice had taken him for some kind of thief or space pirate. It was no wonder that it didn't suspect him of appearing out of nowhere in the spaceship.

"The ship's engines are malfunctioning at the moment. Furthermore, there's a xenomorph battleship tailing us about 300 light-seconds away from the ship. Given its speed, it should be able to catch up to us in about 30 hours. Even if you're able to evade the attacks from the xenomorphs in the hold, would you be able to evade the ship's destruction?" The woman's voice was heard again. "You'll only have a chance of surviving if you work with me!"

Zhang Heng was stunned when he heard that. It was only then that he truly understood the difficulty of the Dimensional Star mission.

He initially thought that the xenomorph embryo in his body and the xenomorph lurking in the spaceship would be the obstacle in his mission, but he never expected that the real trump card would be the xenomorph battleship that was following outside the ship.

Regular people would have been utterly dejected and despaired after hearing such stringent conditions, but Zhang Heng took a deep breath and began thinking.

First of all, he had to ensure that the xenomorph inside him wouldn't burst out of his body within 30 hours. Secondly, he had to evade the xenomorphs on the ship, fix the ship's engines, and shake off the xenomorph battleship behind him. If he were to fail in any of those two tasks, he would be doomed.

Zhang Heng was able to sort out all the information at that thought. He suddenly pointed at his chest and shouted, "No, you might be mistaken. There's a chestbuster in my body. The chestbuster will burst out of my body in a few hours. Unless you can delay the chestbuster bursting out of my body, why should I help you before I die?"

"The chestbuster would usually mature and burst out of the host body within 24 hours after being implanted by the xenomorph. How long have you been implanted for?" The young woman asked quickly, seemingly having not anticipated such a result.

"Six hours."

"It's only six hours. You have plenty of time to fix the engines. I can provide you with a med pod and help you extract the chestbuster in your body. How about it? This is your only chance now," the woman said patiently.

"I'm unable to trust you, just like how you're unable to trust me." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "You definitely know of a way to delay the chestbuster from bursting. You have to tell me the way before I can consider working with you."

Zhang Heng needed to stay in the Alien plane for 36 hours. According to conventional experience, 36 hours was more than enough for the chestbuster to mature, and he would be dead by then. However, there was no way that the Dimensional Star would issue a mission to kill him, which meant that there had to be a way to delay the chestbuster from bursting.

It was obvious that the only way he could get his hands on that method was through that woman.

57. Trade

"Antifreeze." The woman spoke again after a long while.

"What's the antifreeze?" Zhang Heng was elated. As expected, the woman knew how to delay the chestbuster from bursting.

"You don't even know about antifreeze?" The young woman was stunned. "The full name of the antifreeze is' human cryogenic sleep antifreeze nanopharmaceutical '. It's a necessary drug for astronauts to use for cryogenic sleep. It's effective on the blood and water in the human body, preventing the water in the cells from freezing due to the temperature of the sleep pod being too low, and preventing ice crystals from harming them."

"However, right before the outbreak of the xenomorph disaster, the Weyland Company came to the conclusion that the antifreeze could greatly hinder the maturity of the chestbuster and delay the growth of the chestbuster. That is the only way I know of to delay the chestbuster from bursting."

"I see. Antifreeze?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze. Countless possibilities popped up in his mind in an instant. The fact that this woman knew about the Weyland Yutani Company's secret human experiment meant that she had to be someone very special.

However, Zhang Heng wasn't the type of person who was overly curious, so he threw all those thoughts out of his mind right away. "What about the side effects of the antifreeze?" he asked again.

"Delayed thought, splitting headache, nausea, and vomiting." The woman's voice over the speaker sounded hesitant, as if she had no idea why Zhang Heng didn't know about such common knowledge. However, in order to be able to work with Zhang Heng, she nonetheless answered his questions seriously, "I'd advise you not to use it before completing the mission, or your chances of completing the mission would be infinitely zero."

"What's the record of the fastest time the chestbuster burst out of its host?" Zhang Heng nodded and asked again, "According to what I know, the chestbuster burst out of its host at different times, right?"

"That's right. In the Weyland Company's human experiment, the fastest time the xenomorphs would break out of their bodies was four hours, and the slowest was 120 hours. The rules of the experiment are completely unknown due to too few experiments. However, I'd like to give you a suggestion: try to finish the mission I gave you within six hours and inject yourself with antifreeze for hypothermia sleep. I can control the med pod to extract the xenomorph embryo from your body."

"Alright, but I need to get the antifreeze first before I can go and fix the ship's engines according to your plan," Zhang Heng said in a firm manner. "I won't do anything for you before I get the antifreeze."

"Understood…" The woman's voice hesitated for a bit before she answered, "I understand. The antifreeze is equivalent to a down payment, but I only have one dose of the antifreeze left in my sleep pod, and I can't possibly give it to you. You need to head to Area Eight to look for the antifreeze stored there, which is where the lair of the xenomorphs is located. Are you sure you're able to get your hands on it?"

"That's none of my business." Zhang Heng shook his head and cocked his gun before heading in the direction he came from.

"Hold on. There is a motion detector in the room next to yours. I believe it could be of some use to you." The young woman seemed to hesitate for a bit before she said that.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows slightly and opened the door of the room next door at the same time. He found a palm-sized LCD device in a drawer according to the young woman's instructions.

A 3D radar interface appeared on the palm-sized LCD display as soon as the device was turned on. A tennis ball was seen on the interface and a fan-like structure was seen in the center of the sphere, slowly spinning around the inside of the sphere with the center as the apex.

"This detector is capable of detecting any moving target within a radius of 50 meters. However, if the target slows or goes still, it would be very difficult to detect. If the barrier is too thick, it would be impossible to detect," the young woman explained.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was overjoyed. With that detector, his chances of completing the mission would be increased by over 30 percent. Furthermore, it wasn't just for the mission this time. If he were to run into some kind of enclosed environment mission in the future, the equipment would be able to play a role that was as useful as a security suit.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and suppressed the excitement in his heart. However, just when he was about to make his move, he saw a red dot appearing at the 9 o'clock direction of the sphere on the device after a fan-like sweep, before gradually disappearing. The red dot was even closer to the center of the sphere after the fan-like sweep was done.

He knew without a doubt that the center of the circle was where he was.

The young woman's voice was heard as soon as Zhang Heng discovered the dot of light. "A xenomorph is not far to your left, about 40 meters away from where you are. If I were you, I'd run away immediately."

Zhang Heng shook his head and put up his index finger, gesturing for them to keep quiet. He backed away immediately and hid behind a sleep pod while pointing his gun at the door with the hole in it.

The atmosphere in the room became very tense all of a sudden. That young woman knew that she was in grave danger at the moment and didn't say anything else, leaving Zhang Heng to keep his eyes on the door. He was confident that he could make the xenomorph's head explode in 0.05 seconds if it were to show itself.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

Zhang Heng had a bad feeling all of a sudden, as if he was being stared at by some kind of gaze. He scanned the motion detector in his hand again and found that the red dot had disappeared.

Did he stop moving? Or…

Zhang Heng frowned. While his target was nowhere to be seen, the sense of fear he felt didn't lessen in the slightest. Just when that sense of fear was about to reach its peak, Zhang Heng seemed to have thought of something and his pupils contracted all of a sudden. He kicked off the ground and retreated without hesitation, pointing both Desert Eagles above him.

At the same time, a huge black shadow appeared out of nowhere and penetrated the ventilation ducts above Zhang Heng's head with tremendous force, heading straight for him.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!"

A loud gunshot was heard and the two thousand rounds of bullets from the Desert Eagle broke through the silicon-like outer shell of the xenomorph without any hesitation, leaving holes as thick as a finger on the xenomorph's body. Large amounts of acidic blood sprayed everywhere, and the smoke mixed with the pungent smell of corrosion emitted thick smoke that blocked one's vision.

The entire room seemed to be shaking as the xenomorph howled.

Jennifer's face was pale. She didn't expect the xenomorph to attack her target through the ventilation ducts, as if all obstacles were non-existent before the xenomorph's eyes. Smoke was everywhere in the surveillance footage at the moment, and the only sounds heard from the speakers were the xenomorph's roars and the angry roars of the Desert Eagle. She was unable to see what was happening at all.

The roars of the xenomorphs stopped immediately after the last few gunshots were heard. The smoke dissipated very quickly, revealing Zhang Heng and a xenomorph whose skull had been smashed to pieces at his feet. Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that.

"Thank goodness you didn't die bravely before completing your mission."

The young woman's praises were heard from the speaker and Zhang Heng was panting slightly as well. He was no longer in the mood to bicker with that detestable woman. If it hadn't been for him noticing it beforehand, he would have been the one lying on the ground right then.

The true terror of the xenomorphs lay in their innate preferences for ambushing. While they wouldn't lose out to any human when fighting them head-on, ambushing them seemed to have been part of their genes.

Furthermore, the xenomorphs were not able to differentiate their prey through sight, but through some kind of sixth sense perception that humans were unable to comprehend. It was due to such perception that humans were unable to hide in spaceships that were made of steel.

Zhang Heng checked the detection equipment in his hand again and only left the room after confirming that there was no other xenomorph around him, heading in the direction he came from.

He was running out of time.

58. Temptation

Zhang Heng hid in a corner covered in blood several hours later, panting hard.

The security suit he was wearing at the moment was riddled with holes, and even his mask had been penetrated by a xenomorph's high-pressure ejector.

If it hadn't been for the extremely tough mask protecting him back then, he would have been able to see through Zhang Heng's skull instead of the mask.

However, it was not as if the several hours of intense combat had been completely fruitless. At the very least, the number of xenomorphs killed by Zhang Heng had reached double digits, and he had successfully acquired the antifreeze.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin as he looked at the tube of fluorescence in his hand. The antifreeze was stored in the warehouse next to where the xenomorph queen was staying. The closer he got to the place, the more the xenomorphs mistook him for trying to harm the queen. As such, the resistance from the xenomorphs became increasingly intense.

The most dangerous thing that happened was that three xenomorphs attacked him at the same time.

While he was able to kill all three of the xenomorphs due to the protection provided by the security suit, he had to pay a heavy price nonetheless.

Zhang Heng's ribs were mostly broken at the moment. His left arm was fractured and his head suffered a mild concussion. 20 percent of his body was burnt and he was probably suffering from internal bleeding. His combat prowess had dropped by 60 percent and both of his Desert Eagles were rendered useless, with only one triangular bayonet remaining.

"You're very strong." Jennifer's astonished voice was heard from the cabin again. She continued in a tone of disbelief, "I've never seen a warrior as powerful as you are, and the weapon you're using is a traditional firearm. If you had a powerful electromagnetic or energy weapon in your possession, I believe that you'd be able to wipe out all the xenomorphs in the entire ship."

Zhang Heng shook his head and paid no heed to her praises. He simply said in a self-depreciative manner, "I'm practically incapacitated. If another xenomorph were to get near me, I'd be the one to die."

"Relax. I'm keeping an eye on the surveillance. All the remaining living xenomorphs have returned to the lair to protect the frightened queen. As long as you don't kill yourself and damage the eggshell, the queen won't attack you."

"That's good to hear." Zhang Heng nodded and a smirk was seen on his face. "Now that the xenomorphs aren't going to move around anymore, could you get out of that tortoise shell in your command center and fix that damned spaceship's engines?"

"What did you just say?" The voice from the speaker was suddenly raised by an octave. "Isn't that part of our deal? You said that you'd help me fix the ship's engines as soon as you got the antifreeze!"

"But I've changed my mind." Zhang Heng slumped to the ground, feeling rather exhausted. He took out a bottle of water and a biscuit from his backpack and began eating and drinking. "I've killed more than two digits worth of xenomorphs for you, fighting to the death. But what about you? You're just holing up in that pathetic shell of yours, giving orders. What else would you be doing?"

"You…" The young woman on the speaker seemed to be exasperated and shouted, "Don't forget that we have a xenomorph battleship chasing us. If you don't fix it, we'll still die."

"That's your problem then." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued without a care in the world, "I've done all that I needed to do. You're not thinking that I'd be willing to risk my life for you just by giving me a few pieces of information, are you? I'll give you two choices. One, you're not going to repair the ship and wait for that xenomorph battleship behind you to fish you out of your shell like a cat. Two, you're to walk out of the command center right now, fix the engines, accelerate, and escape from that xenomorph battleship. Your life or death is up to you."

"You despicable b * stard!" The voice on the speaker shouted. "I'm not leaving the command center. Don't even think about it!"

Zhang Heng shook his head and paid no further heed to the other man's insults.

He needed to stay in that plane for 36 hours. That meant that even if he were to fix the ship and allow it to escape the threat behind him, he wouldn't be able to rest easy. The xenomorphs on the ship could still kill him at any moment.

In that case, finding a safe location and injecting himself with the antifreeze would be the best course of action.

There was nowhere in the entire ship that was safer than the command center. That place was protected by thick barriers and was not connected to the ventilation ducts, making it difficult for even xenomorphs to break through.

Zhang Heng didn't trust her at all, let alone injecting her with antifreeze and having her operate on him. That would be no different from handing his life over to her.

As such, the second step of his plan after acquiring the antifreeze was to force the enemy to open the wall of the command center and then take the enemy hostage, ensuring that the enemy wouldn't pose any threat to him for the rest of his time. If the enemy dared to resist, he would kill the enemy without hesitation.

At that moment, Jennifer had no idea what Zhang Heng was up to, but her instincts told her to be on her guard right away. She knew very well that if she were to leave the protection of the command center, her safety would be at risk.

Jennifer gulped as she watched Zhang Heng feasting on the surveillance footage. While the command room was impregnable, there was no food left behind. She wouldn't be able to feel anything when she was asleep, but the moment she woke up, waves of hunger that could make one's heart race came crashing down on her.

"By the way, if you're afraid that I'd hurt you, you don't need to worry about that at all." Zhang Heng, who was watching from the surveillance footage, suddenly spoke again. He took a big gulp of water and wiped his mouth in satisfaction before continuing slowly, "You should know that I'm still counting on you to operate on me and extract the xenomorph from my body. I wouldn't do anything to you just because of that, no?"

Jennifer was stunned for a moment before she frowned and asked in a rather concerned manner, "But I've already agreed to operate on you. Why are you still forcing me to get out?"

"That's because I don't trust you." Zhang Heng pointed at his head and continued without any reservations, "Think about it for a bit. If you were me, would you have bet everything on someone who hasn't even seen you and only knows how to hide in their shell?"

Jennifer immediately fell silent.

"So, have you figured it out yet?" Zhang Heng continued to lead her on, "Unless I'm tired of living, harming you before you operate on me would be the same as harming myself. That would be the most effective way to protect you."

"Furthermore, I wouldn't have been able to put up any resistance when you were operating on me. If you were to harbor any ill intentions, the only thing awaiting me would be death. As such, I'd rather die with you than become your tool. If you want to live, there's only one option for you, and that is to fix the engines yourself and let me into the command center. All you have to bear is the risk of the xenomorphs attacking you."

Jennifer remained silent for quite a while, struggling internally.

She didn't want to die, so she had no choice but to go along with what Zhang Heng said. It was obvious that he had a favor to ask of her, and as such, he wouldn't have any intentions of harming her. She had also analyzed if there was some kind of trap in his words, but she was unable to think of any reason why he would want to harm her, no matter how hard she tried.

The speaker was silent for about half an hour. Zhang Heng rested and recovered while keeping an eye on the detector, as if the xenomorphs were truly frightened by him. No one came to attack him after such a long time.

Jennifer finally spoke after half an hour. Her voice was trembling slightly as she said, "I'll agree to your request, but on one condition."

Zhang Heng lowered his head and wore a cold smirk. "What terms?"

"You have to go with me to fix the engines. I'm afraid that some xenomorphs might come and attack me. You have to know that I have no combat power at all!"

"Deal."

(Author's Note: I'll compile a list of recommendations and tips at the end of the month. I'd like to thank all the readers who support me. I'm unable to truly express my gratitude, so I can only use my work to thank all of you for your support. Please continue to recommend me.)

59. Returning Peacefully

Zhang Heng saw the barrier of the command center slowly rising when he reached the door.

The barrier was about half a meter thick and was constructed entirely out of some kind of black alloy. There were also faint marks left behind by the xenomorphs on the barrier, but it was different from the other parts of the ship, which were several inches deep and had been completely penetrated. The marks on the barrier were very shallow, which was more than enough to show just how tough the wall was.

"This is a high-density armor. The main ingredient is isotope of aluminum. The isotope of aluminum like this is the latest artificial element developed by the Weyland Company. Large amounts of neutrons are filled in the aluminum molecules, causing the elemental structure to shift." The young woman's voice was heard from the cracks of the barrier before the barrier was completely raised.

"Due to the high imbalance in neutron content, it is extremely insensitive to energy conduction. Due to the fact that it does not transmit energy, it completely ignores thermal and fluctuating weapons. Furthermore, due to its massive mass, kinetic weapons do not have much of an effect. This is the sturdiest metal developed by humans."

The young woman's words were filled with admiration for the material used to insulate the wall. The wall was completely raised at that moment and what appeared before Zhang Heng was a young woman who looked to be in her thirties with blonde hair and blue eyes.

The blonde woman was wearing a light-colored suit and was staring at Zhang Heng with her arms crossed, looking like a career woman. Despite her calm demeanor, Zhang Heng was still able to see the flustered look in her eyes.

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth turned up slightly, ignoring the fact that he was covered in blood and looked like a mess. He extended his hand and said, "Nice to meet you. My name is Zhang Heng."

"My name is Jennifer, and I'm the captain of this ship." Jennifer's entire body tensed up when Zhang Heng got near her. She shook hands with him and took two steps back immediately. "I'm sorry, but we really don't have much time left at the moment. If it's possible, would you mind coming with me to fix the engines?"

"No problem, ma'am." Zhang Heng nodded and gestured for her to leave before he followed closely behind her.

Zhang Heng didn't dare to let his guard down throughout the entire journey. He kept his eyes on the detector to prevent any xenomorphs from attacking him. However, Jennifer suddenly asked, "Are you Chinese?"

"Oh, how did you know?" Zhang Heng asked absentmindedly.

"Because you're very cunning." Jennifer snorted and continued, "People from the East are known for being cunning, while people from the Huaxia are known for being the most cunning."

Zhang Heng smiled and shook his head. "Not cunning, smart."

It was fortunate that Zhang Heng seemed to have fulfilled the mission requirements of the Dimensional Star. No xenomorphs came out to interrupt their work when they were fixing the engines. The engines were completely repaired three hours later and the two of them returned to the command center as quickly as they could.

Jennifer wasn't the only one who felt relieved after seeing that the barrier gradually lowered and sealed off everything outside the door. Zhang Heng was relieved as well.

It was only then that Zhang Heng had the mood to take a look at what was inside the command center. The command center was located at the head of the ship, with a huge floor-to-ceiling window before his eyes. There was a vast, dark-colored starry sky outside, and he could even see the rose-colored nebulae in the distance, which looked like a piece of gemstone decorating the boundless sea of stars.

A pulsar about the size of a fingertip was slowly spinning at the bottom left corner, which looked like a spinning lighthouse that was constantly emitting astonishing light.

The design of the window was very simplistic and there was only a very gothic table in the room. There was a 3D projection of a spaceship floating above the table, and there were two sleep pods in the corner of the command room. There was no other equipment on the table.

"Seen enough?" Jennifer was watching Zhang Heng while he was silently observing the command room.

"Where's the med pod?" Zhang Heng frowned and asked, "How are you going to operate on me without a med pod?"

"My sleep pod is the med pod." Jennifer was secretly relieved when Zhang Heng asked about the med pod. "My sleep pod is the latest multi-functional sleep pod produced by the Weyland Company. Other than sleep navigation, it could also perform surgery, operate the ship, transport nutrients, and other functions. I'll be able to operate on you after the ship loses the xenomorph battleship."

Jennifer then continued, "Father, the engines are repaired. We'll begin a new round of acceleration immediately."

"Understood. A new round of acceleration is underway. Attention all personnel: Begin the 30-second countdown…" A mechanical voice was heard from all directions.

"30, 29, 28…"

"…Three, two, one, acceleration begins."

Zhang Heng felt a sudden recoil from the initially steady ship as the acceleration began. He took a few steps back before he was able to steady himself. However, he gasped when he looked out the window.

Colorful ribbons of light appeared outside the pitch-black porthole. The ribbons of light looked dreamlike and magnificent. The colors were eerie, changing from red to purple.

Such a phenomenon was a sign that the ship was approaching lightspeed.

He suppressed the shock he felt and the scenery outside the window returned to normal about five minutes later. Zhang Heng heard that voice again. "Dear Captain Jennifer, acceleration of the ship is complete. The xenomorph battleship has been left behind."

Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief at that moment. The panic on her face gradually calmed down and was replaced by a noble air that she was born with. She turned to look at Zhang Heng and said coldly, "I can operate on you now. First, you need to take off your equipment and get into the other sleep pod."

Zhang Heng nodded but didn't make a move. He simply sized her up with a deadpan expression.

"What are you waiting for?" Jennifer felt something was off and took a step back warily.

"I need you to do something for me before the operation begins." Zhang Heng suddenly flashed a bright smile and took two steps forward without any reservations. He walked up to Jennifer and looked at the panic in her eyes that she was trying her best to hide before continuing casually, "I need all the data regarding technology on your ship, especially the data regarding the sleep pod. Don't tell me you don't have any."

"W-What do you need all that data for?" Jennifer's face was ashen. She had thought that he was about to attack her when he got near her just then, and she quickly took out her only bargaining chip instead of answering his questions. "Don't forget that you wouldn't have been able to live past 24 hours if I hadn't operated on you."

Zhang Heng shook his head and his expression gradually turned impatient. "I don't want to repeat myself. Give me all the data regarding technology!"

"Okay, but please don't hurt me. Please." Jennifer's eyes were pleading as she said loudly, "Father, make a copy of all the data regarding technology on the ship. Now!"

"No problem, dear Captain Jennifer." The central computer of the ship didn't seem to feel the helplessness of its mistress at all. It simply carried out the orders mechanically. Zhang Heng then saw countless pieces of English data floating on the meeting table. The data quickly contracted and took the shape of a funnel, which was quickly and silently loaded into a USB-like device.

The 3D image on the table flickered and disappeared without a trace several minutes later.

"Data copy complete."

Surprise was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he walked up to the device that looked like a USB flash drive with all the data in it. "Is that a 3D printing function?"

"Yes, do you need me to operate on you right now?" Jennifer nodded and asked again, feeling rather eager. She had long planned to kill Zhang Heng with the surgical equipment as soon as he got into the sleep pod. She had had enough of having her life in the hands of others.

Zhang Heng smirked right away. "Since when did I say I needed you to operate on me?"

"What? But if you're not doing the operation…" Jennifer's jaw dropped and she wore a stunned expression.

Zhang Heng paid no further attention to her and simply checked his watch. 12 hours had passed since he entered the Alien plane, and he needed to wait another 24 hours before he could return. However, to be safe, he hesitated for a bit before he pulled out the protection of the antifreeze decisively, revealing the needle that was injected into his vein. He then inserted the needle into his vein right before Jennifer's astonished eyes.

An indescribable feeling of numbness and itchiness spread from his arm all of a sudden, traveling through his heart through his bloodstream before traveling all over his body and finally into his brain.

Zhang Heng frowned. The moment the antifreeze entered his brain, he felt a wave of nausea and dizziness wash over him. All he wanted to do was lie down and never get up again.

However, he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but the chestbuster that was rapidly developing seemed to have slowed down due to the drug, making it almost invisible.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath after doing all of that. He grabbed the sleep pod by his side and slowly sat down on the ground. He suppressed the urge to pass out and closed his eyes to rest.

"I don't need you to operate on me, and I don't trust you enough. Don't think of doing anything that would be detrimental to me, or I'll snap your neck in two seconds before you do anything," Zhang Heng said calmly to Jennifer with his eyes closed. Despite having his eyes closed, he spread out all of his senses. He was determined to kill her as soon as she made a move.

While the injection of the antifreeze caused a significant decrease in his thought processes and reflexes, he was still able to kill a woman who was utterly defenseless.

Zhang Heng was able to persevere for an entire day and night with his astonishing perseverance. Due to his severe injuries and the torture from the antifreeze, he had to stay awake for a bit to guard against Jennifer, who was an outsider. He even had to grab onto a corner of the sleep pod with one hand to ensure that he would be able to bring the sleep pod back to reality before he was transported back.

Zhang Heng didn't know how much time passed in the midst of all that suffering. Dizziness washed over him and the scenery before his eyes changed, becoming that of his warehouse.

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Alien plane mission complete. Main Quest: Delay the time the chestbuster bursts out of its body and bring the chestbuster back to reality. Main Quest complete."

"Optional Quest: Acquire a med pod, or a copy of any technology found in the Alien plane. Optional Quest complete."

"Final Judgement: Dead Space Mission Completed. Host access progress is now two-thirds of Level E. Current access: e."

"Warning, warning! Urgent mission!"

"Urgent Quest Begins: Extract the chestbuster from the pod before the chestbuster bursts out of the host. Destroy or contain the chestbuster."

"Prompt: Urgent quest completed. Host access progress increased by one-third. Failure Penalty: Death."

60. Urgent Quest

Zhang Heng's expression, which had just relaxed a little after hearing that it was an urgent mission, turned sour again.

He initially thought that the Dimensional Star would take the initiative to help him get rid of the chestbuster in his body. He didn't expect it to become an urgent mission instead.

Zhang Heng shook his dazed head. He had no idea how long the antifreeze would last, but he didn't dare to delay. While his body told him that he needed to go to sleep right away, he couldn't just fall asleep like that. The next time he woke up, the xenomorph might burst out of his body.

Zhang Heng struggled to his feet at that thought. There was an alloy coffin about two meters long and half a meter wide behind him. The cover of the coffin was made of opaque reinforced glass. The simplistic, pure white design made the coffin look futuristic.

While it was a futuristic piece of high-tech equipment, the more advanced it was, the simpler the design became. That was why Zhang Heng wasn't afraid of not knowing how to use the equipment.

He pressed a green button on the right side of the sleep pod and the cover of the sleep pod was opened without a sound, revealing a gap that was wide enough for someone to squeeze through. Zhang Heng forced himself to take off all of his clothes and got into the sleep pod naked. There was a white leather mattress inside and lying on it felt countless times more comfortable than a massage chair. At the same time, the reinforced glass shut without a sound.

The sleep pod immediately turned dark.

"Beep."

A deep blue 3D screen appeared out of nowhere in the darkness, a feature that enhanced reality.

In real life, the technology could only be realized with the aid of AR glasses and other equipment. However, in the Alien plane, such technology had matured a long time ago and became popular among thousands of families.

The entire interface was written in English. While Zhang Heng didn't have any problems with his choice of words, he nonetheless said something to be safe, "Translate everything into Huaxian."

The words on the screen changed immediately, becoming Huaxian script.

There were five options on the screen.

1. Cryogenic sleep function.

2. Vr game function.

3. Surgical operation function.

4. Support equipment control function.

5. Body maintenance, fitness function.

The first of the four functions was to apply the most extensive functions in spaceships, achieving something like hibernation through hypothermia. Theoretically, a person could sleep for over a hundred years without aging.

The second function was a function of gaming, learning, social interaction, and so on. In the Alien plane, humans had created a unified virtual space similar to Corona's virtual space function, enabling them to play 'fully immersed' games, learn, talk, and so on.

The third type of surgical function was what Zhang Heng needed at the moment. The fourth type of auxiliary equipment, such as controlling spaceships, was to connect the sleep pod to external equipment, such as spaceships, cars, and so on, then lie in the sleep pod to indirectly control the equipment and increase efficiency.

Zhang Heng extended his hand and tapped on the surgical function in the air. A prompt appeared right away.

"System prompt: No external power source detected. The backup power provided by the sleep pod could only last 13 hours. Surgical operation function confirmed?"

Zhang Heng clicked 'confirm' right away and several prompts appeared in the system.

"System prompt: Surgical operation module initiated. Please confirm if you wish to proceed with surgery without the help of medical personnel."

"Yes."

"System prompt: Disinfection function of the sleep pod is activated. Disinfection load remaining at 70 percent. Do you wish to be fully disinfected?"

"Yes."

Zhang Heng immediately felt streams of water running all over his body in the sleep pod. He smelled alcohol and felt a searing pain when the water touched his wounds.

Several types of disinfectants were sprayed all over Zhang Heng's body after the effects of the alcohol wore off. It was only then that he realized why the sleep pod needed a leather cushion.

The system only turned on the drying system after confirming that Zhang Heng's body was disinfected.

"System prompt: Please replenish the cause of the disease, or allow the system to determine the operation and procedures."

Zhang Heng chose the system to make the decision on its own and beams of x-ray and ct function shone on him from head to toe all at once. Several new prompts appeared at the same time.

"System prompt: Your left rib is broken, your left arm is broken, and your entire body is suffering from multiple tissue trauma. Suspected tumor-like matter has been detected in your chest cavity. System advises you to go to a formal hospital for a diagnosis."

Zhang Heng replied with an "No" and the system immediately continued.

"System prompt: If you insist on going your own way, please sign the Federal Protection Regulations and confirm that all the results caused by your operation have nothing to do with the Weyland Yutani Company."

"Yes."

"System prompt: Sleep pod anesthesia function activated. Pharmaceutical loaded. Do you wish to activate anesthesia function?"

"No."

Zhang Heng didn't choose to inject himself with anesthesia, as he knew that what he was about to extract wasn't some kind of tumor, but an extraterrestrial lifeform. If he were to fall asleep and something were to happen to him, it wouldn't be something that an AI like the sleep pod could handle.

"System prompt: Are you sure you're not using anesthesia?"

"Yes."

Zhang Heng followed the instructions and set it up one by one. He was finally done setting everything up after about 10 minutes. Two mechanical arms about the thickness of a finger emerged from the walls of the sleep pod and scanned Zhang Heng's chest quickly before pausing for a few seconds, seemingly considering where to start.

A mechanical arm about the thickness of a finger was extended a few seconds later and aimed at the gap between Zhang Heng's ribs. A beam of dark blue light shot out from the tip of the mechanical arm and shone on his chest.

"Gasp…" Zhang Heng gasped in pain. That beam of deep blue light disappeared as quickly as it came, yet he was able to see that a wound that was over 10 centimeters long had been cut open on his chest without making a sound.

Furthermore, he had no idea what kind of laser that blue beam of light was, as it sealed his blood vessels while cutting his body open without causing any blood to flow from his wounds.

The two mechanical arms from before split in the middle at the very next second, taking the shape of pliers before reaching into the wound and opening it up brutally.

Zhang Heng gritted his teeth. If it hadn't been for the fact that he had been trained by Corona to be able to withstand pain that no regular person could, he would have probably passed out from the pain.

Zhang Heng's entire body was completely pinned down at the moment. He could only watch as the mechanical arm that was capable of shooting dark blue laser beams shot out again and swiped at his ribs. One of his ribs was pulled out immediately, revealing a piece of wriggling, blood-red internal organs underneath.

Beads of sweat dripped from Zhang Heng's forehead. Two more mechanical arms reached out and began cutting at his diaphragm.

However, the precision with which the micrometers were cut was far beyond what humans could achieve. Zhang Heng could only feel the mechanical arms moving as smoothly as water, with every cut being precise.

About 20 minutes passed as he was subjected to the torture that felt like he was being cut into pieces. All of a sudden, he felt that his body was emptied. Two of the mechanical arms pulled upwards and pulled out a blob about the size of a fist from his chest. The blob of flesh was still squirming with blood all over it.

That blob of flesh was placed on a metal plate and the broken rib was placed back at the cut. A mechanical arm sprayed something called 'wound glue' at the cut and actually fixed the rib down.

Another round of mending took about five minutes before the wound was closed again. However, the wound was not mended. The wound was closed with something like glue and sprayed disinfectant all over again.

Zhang Heng realized that he hadn't lost a single drop of blood throughout the entire operation. It was no wonder that he was able to find high-tech surgical equipment.

The system prompt from the Dimensional Star was heard right after he was done.

"Urgent Quest: Extract the chestbuster from the pod before the chestbuster bursts out of the chestbuster and contain the chestbuster. Urgent Quest complete."

"Host access progress is now at three quarters of Level E. Access upgraded."

"Current Access: D."

"Access Upgrade: Dimensional Star Transportation Cooldown reduced to 24 hours."

"Access Upgrade: Research System Upgrade. According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, Access Upgrade Host to Research and Development. Support Host to Research and Technology."

"Access Upgrade: Access System Upgrade. Current [D] Class Access Upgrade. Host can carry objects with a volume of 50 cubic meters to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited. Host can carry 10 living beings to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited."

The system prompts from the Dimensional Star were heard all over the place and even Zhang Heng couldn't help but feel energized. However, it was not the time to be concerned about such things at the moment. He suppressed the pain all over his body and the joy he felt deep down and ordered the mechanical arm to mend his broken arm and ribs as if he was drawing a tiger.

Zhang Heng climbed out of the sleep pod shakily after the last round of disinfection was done. He didn't even have time to put on his clothes before he took out the blob from the trash in the sleep pod.

That blob of flesh was only about the size of a fist and there was a layer of translucent membrane covering something sticky and fuzzy inside. The key thing was that the sticky, gooey substance was still squirming. Zhang Heng looked in the direction of the light and was barely able to make out a creature that was about the thickness of a finger and was completely pale, looking like a coiled snake.

That was the embryo of the xenomorph.

Zhang Heng's heart thumped hard. The chestbuster looked incredibly weak at the moment, as if it could be squashed with a single hand. However, when the chestbuster reached adulthood, even fully armed special forces wouldn't be a match for it. That was what made the chestbuster so terrifying.

Furthermore, Zhang Heng believed that even if the chestbuster were to be extracted from the body beforehand, it would definitely not die. The chestbuster had a very high level of vitality and adaptability to the environment, enabling it to survive for a short period of time in a vacuum and several hundred degrees Celsius.

He felt rather reluctant to dispose of the chestbuster at that thought. He took a deep breath and his heart began to race.

"While it's dangerous, the research value of the xenomorphs is simply too high. If I could use them…" A glint of ambition flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes, and he took out the antifreeze that he had injected from his clothes.

There was still a small amount of liquid left in the antifreeze. He quickly opened the needle and injected all the remaining antifreeze into the chestbuster without hesitation.

He quickly put the chestbuster in the fridge and tied the door of the fridge with thick chains, freezing the chestbuster completely.

61. The Birth Of The T-1

Due to having been injected with the T-Virus, he had a physique that was far superior to that of regular humans. Coupled with his medical skills from the Alien plane, he was only able to rest for two days before his wounds began to scab and his bones began to heal.

The antifreeze, on the other hand, was expelled from his body bit by bit along with his urine and sweat over the past two days without causing any damage to the human body.

Zhang Heng hadn't been slacking off in the past two days. He had relied on the Dimensional Star's auxiliary research and development system to analyze all the technological data he brought back from the Alien plane, reducing them to hundreds of tB data.

All of that data was only a handful among the countless technological data found in the Alien plane, but it also included the core data of the Weyland Yutani Company.

These technological data were far more advanced than what was found in real life technology in the last 100 to 200 years, especially 'virtual reality' and 'enhanced reality'.

'Enhanced Reality' technology was translated into Augmented Realty, or Ar in short—meaning that virtual information could be applied to the real world through computer technology, where both real and virtual objects were superimposed into the same space.

Zhang Heng recalled that the Microsoft Corporation released an AR device called "Microsoftholens holographic glasses" about 2015 years ago. The wearer would be able to see a combination of reality and virtual reality after wearing the glasses, such as a screen appearing out of nowhere on the table before them, which displayed the weather conditions of that day, and so on. The table in front of him existed in the real world, while the screen on the table was virtual.

That was the marvel of Ar enhancing reality, enabling people to interact in both reality and virtual reality. That 'Microsoftholens holographic glasses' device was considered the most advanced ar equipment in reality, but it was only limited to a pair of glasses that weighed several kilograms. Only the wearer could see the superimposed effects of computer-generated technology.

Zhang Heng had a set of truly matured Ar-technology data in his possession. Unlike virtual glasses, the technology of the Alien plane was what truly enhanced reality. No one needed to wear glasses to be able to see the virtual images that appeared in midair. If they were to touch the virtual images with their hands, they would be able to interact with their hands as if they were real. That piece of equipment could even generate a comprehensive scene, making the user feel as if they were in an illusory world.

Furthermore, the Alien plane also had mature 'virtual reality' technology.

"Virtual Reality" technology was translated as "Virtual Reality", which meant that if one were to put their consciousness into a virtual world, what they heard, saw, heard, and touched would all be virtual.

However, it was a pity that the top piece of VR equipment in reality was only a head-to-toe display named 'Oculusrit'. That device was still a traditional type of keyboard manipulation, with only visual and auditory functions to be found. There was no 'touch' or even 'taste' experience to be found. It was a completely fake VR.

The real 'VR' would be something like Corona's virtual space, or some online gaming novel. Wearing a helmet or getting into a gaming pod would allow the brainwave of the helmet to work on people, enabling them to move about in the virtual world at will, enabling them to possess fake sensations of pain.

However, such technologies had long become widespread in the Alien plane. For example, the sleep pod that Zhang Heng used had such a function. The user could activate the VR module to connect with their own brainwaves, just like how online gaming novels played online games. While it was definitely not as real as the virtual space set up by Corona, it was still countless times better than the so-called top-notch graphic 3A games in real life.

Then again, technologies like Ar and Vr were common among the people in the Alien plane. Compared to that, Zhang Heng was more concerned about other types of technological data.

For example, the technical data regarding the sleep pods included the components and methods of production of antifreeze, the blueprints for automated surgical equipment, the manufacture of biochemists, clones, biochemical chip technology that controlled biological brain activity, nuclear, solar, biological, and other clean-energy technologies.

Any one of those technologies would have caused a huge commotion in the scientific community in real life if they were to be made known to the public. For example, the antifreeze was a fully developed application of human cryogenics, and the meaning that it represented was enough to drive all humans around the world crazy.

There was also the cloning technology. Once such a technology was used, it would be able to clone a huge number of human organs with high efficiency and low cost, as well as new data regarding antibiotics. The release of every single antibiotic would be enough to create a new pharmaceutical giant.

Looking at the high-tech technologies listed on the computer that could cause a person to have a heart attack, it could be said that the Alien plane was his first windfall in his mission, second only to the windfall of acquiring the Marker.

However, Zhang Heng found himself in a dilemma after the joy of being able to reap a bountiful harvest.

While those techniques were good, he still needed to be alive to release them. Take the T-Virus that he had acquired for example, he needed to be very, very careful. He had to castrate the T-Virus twice before he dared to take it out. Despite that, he was still almost targeted by the Mafia, not to mention those techniques that were more valuable than the T-Virus.

Zhang Heng shook his head, feeling vexed. He realized that he had once again found himself in a strange, unavoidable situation. He knew that it was impossible for him to make the cake as big as he wanted, unless he was able to divide the profits. However, the value of those profits was simply too great, and he dared not share them with anyone else.

At the end of the day, it was all due to his lack of ability. It would have been understandable if he had been a giant like the Hui Rui Group to begin with, but he was just a newly-established company after all. A company with a bit of influence would be more than enough to take down his company, let alone a country.

If only he had a way to make use of someone else's power without letting the other party take away too much of his benefits…

Zhang Heng shook his head and wore a bitter grin. Things were always difficult at the start. He needed time to develop his company, but would his opponent give him the time to do so?

Furthermore, would that cursed entity in the dark… give him time?

Zhang Heng lit a cigarette and took a deep puff, thinking about his future plans. However, no matter how he thought about it, none of that seemed to be going anywhere.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to open the webpage and take a break to ease his mind and improve his mood.

However, when he opened the webpage, he was greeted by several trending topics in bright red.

"With the Li Pharmaceutical Group taking down cancer, the next Hui Rui Group might be born!"

"Huaxia's official statement: Huaxia CDC has confirmed that cancer has been cured. Cancer may no longer be considered incurable."

"Good News from the medical community: Cancer has been conquered by Huaxia. New drug testing is underway."

"The Huaxian field of medicine developed biopharmaceuticals to remove cancer from the genetic level. Cancer might be expelled from human history."

Zhang Heng was stunned and clicked on it right away. The contents of the message listed the T-1 drug that he provided to the Li Group without any reservation: some legendary gene drug that could improve the constitution of humans at a genetic level, etc.

That was one thing, but things got increasingly out of hand as time went on, claiming that it was some miracle in the history of medicine, bragging about how awesome the Chinese Academy of Sciences was, how dedicated their researchers were, and even claiming that the T-1 was a product developed by both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Li Group…

Zhang Heng shook his head as he read all that crap and went straight to the comments section. As expected, the comments section was filled with even more talk.

"I've got cancer on the first floor. Is that true?"

Second floor: "Oh yeah, sofa!"

Third floor: "Smile on the second floor and shoot the fourth floor in the face!"

Fourth floor: "I'm dying of laughter. How could cancer be so easily taken down? Who the hell is calling the beasts to talk nonsense?"

Fifth floor: "Hehe, I bet that 50 cents would be an advertisement and the end product would definitely be a health supplement. Tell me, which floor would the advertisement be on?"

Sixth floor: "Trash Huaxia."

Seventh floor: "Sixth floor, why haven't you gone back to your American dad yet?"

…

Zhang Heng closed the page silently. The government was finally going to make the existence of the T-1 public. When the sales began, he would be able to earn 40 percent of the profit for every single batch of the drug he sold. That sum of money would probably allow him to earn a fortune that regular people would never be able to reach in their entire lives, but Zhang Heng didn't care about that anymore.

If he only wanted money, he could have gotten Corona to rob all the cash that was circulating on the internet. There were a lot of dark networks that regular people would not be able to access online, such as the Mafia using the internet to launder money, or the bank's daily transaction data being calculated tens of millions of times. There were enough loopholes in the data to enable Corona to extract countless amounts of money, but what was the point of doing so?

Zhang Heng not only needed money, but he also needed status and influence. Only with status and influence would he be able to lead humanity in the future, accelerating the evolution of humanity, and finally face the curse of fate.

However, just when he was about to close the browser out of boredom, the last message caught his attention.

"The CEO of the Hui Rui Group, a multinational corporation in the United States, is visiting China, or he's doing so because of Huaxia's new drug for cancer."

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up when he read the message. A crazy thought that he had never thought of before appeared in his mind.

Perhaps his company could develop in some other way…

62. Foundation-binding Project

He turned off the computer right away and stored all the technological data in a hard drive. He put the hard drive away and left the warehouse.

Zhang Heng took a cab back to the standard room of the hotel he rented and snapped his fingers. He returned to the virtual space set up by Corona in the very next second.

"Commander, you're back." Corona's gentle and cultured voice was heard from behind him. Zhang Heng turned around and saw Corona standing behind him with a sweet smile on her face.

Zhang Heng nodded and asked, "Corona, can you search the internet for the identities of the richest and most powerful people in the world?"

"I could give it a try. However, there are many secrets in this world that cannot be found online. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to find them." Corona put on a docile expression and answered the questions one by one.

"Sure, just give it a shot and register a non-public fund for me in Switzerland."

"Foundation?" Corona tilted her head.

"That's right. Regardless of the methods, such as modifying the procedures of the management of the register foundation or using other means, I need a foundation with legal procedures under my control. I'll name it… the Stellar Vitality Science Foundation."

"Understood. The unofficial fundraiser will require 20 million in capital injections and five or more members of the board of directors."

"I'll leave the money to you. I don't have any members of the Board for the time being. If I did, I'd just register in Switzerland. What would I need you for?" Zhang Heng rolled his eyes and said, feeling rather exasperated.

"Understood." Corona closed her eyes and hacked into the internet to carry out Zhang Heng's orders.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, had nothing else to do. He simply waved his hand and a red piece of paper appeared in midair, which he began to design in English.

Zhang Heng was the god who ruled over everything in Corona's virtual space. He didn't need any photoshopping or CAd-d blueprint software, as he was able to design a pattern with his imagination. He drew a sphere, which was divided into four irregular pieces by two blank arcs, with each color being red, yellow, blue, and green.

That was the logo of the Stellar Biotech Corporation that Zhang Heng founded. The sphere represented the stars of the planet, and the red in the sphere represented the present, the yellow represented the future, the blue represented technology, and the green represented life. The company's introduction had the meaning of 'leading the modern era and creating the future'.

The motto of the company was: Use technology to change life, use the present to create the future.

Zhang Heng had spent quite a bit of time and effort designing all those fancy gadgets back then, and he was finally able to come up with something that looked more like a corporate culture. He was able to incorporate the logo of the company into the design and write the words "Stellar Life Science Foundation" on the bottom of the logo.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily when he saw the logo of the foundation that he designed. He then opened the second page of the red piece of paper and wrote the word 'invitation'.

Zhang Heng still felt that it wasn't enough after he finished writing the three words, as if something was missing. He thought hard for quite a while and finally gritted his teeth and wrote decisively,

"Do you understand the meaning of life? Do you want to truly… live?"

…

In Zhang Heng's mind, having a company wasn't enough. He needed to set up a community of interests that would stand behind the company. A foundation that was in the dark would be the best choice. By sharing small amounts of profit, he could tie some tycoons with power and money to his interests. That way, the obstacles that would hinder the future development of his company would be significantly reduced.

That being said, the so-called sharing of benefits was definitely not about power or technical data. Zhang Heng would not allow others to interfere with his company, nor would he allow his technology to be made known to the public. The so-called sharing was just to provide the other party with a longer and better life.

To put it simply, he wanted those corporations to join the foundation and take advantage of their power. He also wanted them to spend a lot of money to buy time and lives that couldn't be seen.

He believed that those tycoons with decayed bodies who stood at the pinnacle of power and wealth would be more than willing to fork out that sum of money.

No one would mind being able to live longer, regardless of whether they were greedy or despicable. Furthermore, they had unlimited wealth and power to shake the world with a single stomp.

When the bodies of those people were so rotten that even a regular cold could kill them, when they began to suffer from illness, they realized that power and money were not all-powerful.

In order to pursue health, they, who had enjoyed all manner of delicacies in the world, had no choice but to go on a diet. However, they had no choice but to start abstaining from lust at the moment of beauty. They even began to train themselves day and night just so that they could take back a little bit of life from the Grim Reaper.

Zhang Heng appeared before them like a Redeemer at a time like this, telling them that all they needed to do was talk and spend a decent sum of money to live longer and have a healthier body, and no one would be able to resist him.

But then again, once they got into Zhang Heng's war chariot of profit and wanted to back out, they wouldn't be able to decide what to do then.

Zhang Heng never considered himself to be a gentleman who followed the rules. On the contrary, he was willing to do anything to achieve his goals.

He was ambitious and capable enough to execute all of that. While he knew just how risky it would be to work with hungry wolves like them, he had no choice but to do so in order to achieve the goal of controlling world funds and leading the development of human technology as soon as possible.

Zhang Heng called that plan the 'Foundation Binding Project'.

Zhang Heng left the virtual space after designing all of that. He walked out of the hotel and went to the construction site of the company building about a kilometer away to take a look.

The construction site was over a dozen meters tall at the moment. Compared to the usual construction of buildings, Zhang Heng's company was practically a rocket. What a joke. He was willing to spend nearly a thousand people and three construction workers working together, regardless of the cost. How could he not be fast?

Zhang Heng perfectly embodied the deeply moving philosophy of how money could do anything.

He had ordered Li Yiru to oversee the construction of the site, but it was obvious that Li Yiru went about her business as usual. Only Fang Hao and three other employees were sitting in the shade by the side of the site, smoking and playing cards.

"B-Boss!" Fang Hao didn't notice Zhang Heng's presence until he was right behind the four of them, probably because he didn't expect Zhang Heng to show up at such a time. The young man who looked about the same age as Zhang Heng was stunned and stood up right away.

"Boss." The other three seemed to have woken up from a dream after seeing what Fang Hao was doing. They quickly put out their cigarettes and stood up, their eyes filled with awkwardness.

Zhang Heng nodded with a deadpan expression on his face. As an employer, he was definitely not fond of his employees doing odd jobs, but he was able to understand why they would do so. That was how he came to be an employee. If he were to put himself in their shoes, he would be able to tell that no one would be willing to take on such an arduous task without a care in the world. After all, people were lazy.

Zhang Heng took a good look at the four of them. Fang Hao was the only one who looked his age among the four. Two of the remaining three looked to be in their mid-twenties, while the last one looked to be in his thirties and was tanned. He didn't mind the four of them making a scene and simply asked casually, "Are the three of you new to the company?"

"Yes, my name is Niu Xinping. I'm an editor at Xuan Ting Entertainment, Haizhou. My company's website was acquired by Tencent, and I quit my job." The tanned-looking man in his thirties said with a fawning smile, "That's Wangbing and that's Liu Jianshu. We were both recruited by Manager Li."

"Alright, thanks for your hard work… Work hard." Zhang Heng thought about it for quite a while but was unable to come up with any words of warning to encourage his employees. He simply said that and patted Niu Xinping on the shoulder awkwardly before turning around and heading back to the construction site.

The four of them breathed a sigh of relief after Zhang Heng turned around and left. The short guy, Wang Bing, wiped the non-existent sweat from his brow and winked at Fang Hao. "Fang Hao, is that really the boss of our company? He's so young."

"Not only is Zhang Heng my boss, but he's also my savior." Fang Hao nodded and a serious look flashed in his usually casual eyes. "If it hadn't been for him, I'd probably be dead by now."

"You keep saying that your boss is your savior, but how did he manage to save your life?" Niu Xinping stuffed a cigarette into Fang Hao's hand and asked.

"Well… I can't tell anyone about that." Fang Hao shook his head right away. He didn't dare to tell anyone that Zhang Heng was the inventor of the anticancer drug, as the government had prohibited him from doing so. He wouldn't dare to tell anyone about that, no matter how big of a mouth he had.

Zhang Heng walked around the construction site under the guidance of the foreman. Other than the bustling atmosphere, there was nothing else to inspect. He knew next to nothing about construction, let alone material selection. All he could do was see if the workers would make any mistakes and delay the progress of the project.

63. Playing With Fire

Corona's prompt was heard in his mind very quickly. Zhang Heng returned to his room in the hotel, sat down, closed his eyes, and entered the virtual space again.

"Commander, I've analyzed and filtered all kinds of information on the Internet countless times, and I've found over a thousand financial groups that are out in the open and in the dark all over the world. Would you like me to make a list for you?"

"No need. Just tell me about the distribution of power among those people." Zhang Heng shook his head and leaned back lightly. A comfortable leather couch appeared beneath him.

"Yes, sir." Corona nodded docilely and walked behind Zhang Heng, rubbing his shoulders as she said softly, "Generally speaking, those who have both power and wealth are the leaders of some financial groups."

"Family-style financial group?"

"That's right. The so-called 'family-oriented financial group' refers to a family-owned enterprise with massive wealth and the ability to get involved in politics either directly or indirectly. There are very few family-oriented enterprises in Huaxia that fit both of those criteria, and the Rong family is one of them. However, there are many who fit the first criteria. There are the Li, Ma, and so on in terms of networks, and there are also the Liang families in terms of real estate."

"However, the family-owned enterprises in Huaxia paled in comparison to those in the US and the US. The most terrifying of all in the US and the US were the top 10 financial groups that rose to power after World War II. Basically, the entire economy and financial lifeline of the US was governed by the top 10 financial groups. All of those financial groups have been entangled and collaborated for countless years, becoming entangled in a web of interests that would bring both good and bad together."

"One good and one bad?" Zhang Heng frowned and continued, "So, if I want to make a deal with them, I'd have to take things further?"

"That's right, Commander. I wouldn't advise you to work with them right now. They're more than capable of wiping us out."

"If the megacorporations in Europe and the US aren't good enough, what about the megacorporations in the new generation?" Zhang Heng asked.

"What do you mean?" Corona was stunned.

"I could choose not to work with those large organizations." Zhang Heng turned around and looked at Corona. "Diverge them, support our own forces, and even fight them. What do you think of that plan?"

"That's a very risky plan, but I guess I could give it a shot." Corona's eyes lit up, yet she was still feeling rather hesitant.

"Corona, you're still being too cautious. There has never been a plan that is 100 percent successful. As long as there is 300 percent profit to be made, even the most insane of plans would be worth implementing." Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "Don't forget that we're in a country like Huaxia. As long as we're here, no one would dare to lay a finger on us. Huaxia is the most powerful financial group to begin with."

"But we don't seem to be on Huaxia's side. Why would Huaxia help us?" Corona tilted her head and asked.

"If my plans in the US and Europe were to fail, I'd consider giving a portion of the profits to Huaxia. After all, I'm still a Huaxian, after all." Zhang Heng tapped his forehead with his finger and continued, "So, I really don't need to worry about anything."

"Corona, I order you to select 10 new European and American consortiums first. These consortiums must rise through their own power and not get too entangled with those established consortiums. Only such consortiums would be able to match the plans of my Stellar Technology overseas and take the first step in developing the European and American organizations."

…

While Huaxia, an ancient country that had existed for over five thousand years, was still in the early evening, somewhere on the other side of the Earth, near the Biscayne Bay in Miami, the US, a piece of private land was in the early morning.

He found himself in a private area that took up about 50 mu. The southern side of the area was a golden beach, and the northern side was a green garden that stretched as far as the eye could see. In the center of the garden stood a seaside villa that took up an area of 10,000 square meters. The villa was divided into over 20 bedrooms, a 30-meter-long living room and dining room, and an outdoor swimming pool, a golf course, a bowling alley, and so on.

However, there were only five official members living in that luxurious villa, with the rest being security guards and servants.

A series of intense coughs were heard from the room of the previous owner of the villa. The coughs sounded old and decayed as they made their way through the long and quiet corridors of the early morning, reaching his son's room.

"Father…" His son, who was over 50 years old, was no longer young, but he still got up right away and went to his old master's room. He looked at the dim table lamp in the room and sighed to himself.

"Did I wake you up, Joshua?" A hoarse voice was heard. An old man with no hair and a wrinkled face was lying on a wide oak bed. Despite the musk that had been lit in the room, it was still unable to dispel the old and decayed feeling that had plagued him throughout the night.

"Father, I'm just worried about your health." The middle-aged man named Joshua walked up and said softly.

"Relax, I'm not dead yet." The dying old man shook his skinny arms and coughed all of a sudden. The servant at the side put the oxygen mask in front of the old man and the old man grabbed hold of it. The sound of his breath was as deafening as a broken gong.

Joshua, the middle-aged man, wore a complicated expression on his face. No one would have expected that Joseph Williams, the financial tycoon who had started his career with only USD 50 and eventually became a legend in Wall Street after decades of hard work, would end up in such a pathetic and helpless state in his later years.

His father had always been in good health and didn't suffer from any major illnesses. However, his kidneys began to fail irreversibly due to his old age from last year onwards. It was as if his father was showing signs of aging. His father's body was like a domino. The slightest sign of any illness would cause his entire body to go haywire.

He knew that his father, who was nearing his nineties, probably wouldn't be able to last through the winter. No one could escape the punishment of time. Regardless of whether he was poor or rich, everyone would eventually return to the arms of the Lord.

His phone vibrated all of a sudden just as he was sighing to himself. He took out his reading glasses and turned on his phone, finding a letter in his family's inbox.

Joshua frowned immediately.

The family's internal mailbox was used for communication. No one would use that mailbox to send messages unless it was something extremely urgent.

Joshua left his father’s bedroom and went to an empty room. He locked the front door behind him before opening the email.

The source of the email was not from any member of the family, but from an organization called the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. Joshua felt his heart skip a beat after seeing that name. His first reaction was that one of the members of the family had been kidnapped.

64. Weird Invitation

One shouldn't be surprised by Joshua Williams' reaction. As a member of the Williams family, a new generation of the Wall Street financial group, it could be said that all of its wealth was created by his father, Old William. That family was simply too young, and they didn't have the resources of those top financial groups.

While there was once a high ranking member of the upper echelon of the Communist Party who valued William's abilities and extended an olive branch to him, he had to give up over 50 percent of his shares as a price. That price was too high, and after thinking about it for a bit, he eventually rejected the offer.

It was precisely because the family didn't have the backing of those top-notch financial groups that there were often thieves who coveted the family's wealth. While they were all taught a lesson by the old William in the end and ended up being dragged to the bottom of the ocean, there were still some who didn't know how powerful their family was and went against the rules again.

Joshua Williams was the only son of the old man, so he never had to worry about his assets. He had a wife and three mistresses, and all four of them gave birth to three sons and five daughters for him. All three of his sons were adults, with the oldest being 35 years old and becoming his right-hand man. The youngest was 22 years old and was currently studying at Yale University. He wasn't sure which of his children had been kidnapped.

He shook his head and threw those thoughts out of his mind. Now was not the time to dwell on such issues. He quickly opened the email sent to him by the foundation and a virtual invitation that had been meticulously designed appeared on his phone screen.

The first page of the invitation was the foundation's logo. It was a circle that was divided into four irregular shapes by two transparent arcs. The circle was divided into four colors, and below the logo was a line of slogans.

"What happened to me?"

The novel slogans stunned Joshua, who was in a very bad mood, for a bit. Did he realize the meaning of life? He didn't expect to see such a profound question on such an occasion.

He opened the second page and found the main text.

"Dear Joshua Williams: Nice to meet you. Please forgive me for bothering you, but I'm the chairman of a company called the 'Stellar Vitalities Foundation'. The foundation currently needs a venture capital to conduct some experiments regarding the field of life sciences. As for the experiments, they're all in the email attachment. I'm sorry, but I'd like you to take some time out of your busy schedule to take a look. I can guarantee that I won't disappoint you."

The Stellar Life Sciences Foundation was signed under its name.

He pulled the page to the bottom and, as expected, a video window appeared on the screen. For a moment, Joshua was unable to make up his mind. He wasn't sure if this was a threat shot by the kidnappers or a promotional video from the so-called foundation.

"If you were the one who kidnapped her, I swear that you'd definitely regret what you did." Joshua gritted his teeth and played the video. The duration of the video wasn't short—three hours.

In the beginning, what Joshua saw was a cold, white room that looked like it belonged to a hospital or research institute. Several men in white coats were seen walking past the cameras one after another.

It was only when he got closer that he saw an iron cage placed in a corner of the room. There was a black man in the cage. That man was naked and curled up in a corner of the cage, looking scared and helpless.

So, this is some kind of kidnapping organization after all? Joshua frowned. However, the men in white robes walking about seemed to be telling him otherwise.

"Get ready for the third clinical trial of the Alpha experiment." A man's voice was heard from the camera all of a sudden. Several tall, burly men walked to the side of the cage and lifted the black man out like he was lifting a chick, before securing him on a portable stretcher.

"No! No!" The only thing that could be heard in the video was the screams of the men in black, who looked like they were about to be butchered. However, none of them paid any heed to the screams. One of the men pushed a moving bed toward the steel door at the end of the room, and the man with the camera followed behind him without making a sound, recording everything that happened.

"Beep!"

The man in the lead took out a silver card and swiped it on the electronic lock beside the steel door. The red warning lights turned green immediately and the door opened with a bang. It was only then that Joshua saw on the screen that there was a disinfection room inside the door. Everyone took off all of their clothes in the disinfection room and cleaned themselves from all angles. They then put on their chemical defense attire before exiting the other door of the disinfection room.

It was obvious that their destination was a sterile laboratory. The laboratory was filled with all manner of equipment. There were some that he could make out—shadowless lamps, respirators, electrocardiograms, cardiac defibrillators, oxygen bottles, fully automatic stomach washing machines, and so on.

Joshua was only able to understand the equipment thanks to the equipment laid out before the bed of the old William, but he was unable to understand most of the equipment.

However, it was obvious that the black man was playing the role of a lab rat.

Joshua frowned. He was pretty sure that the so-called Stellar Life Sciences Foundation was some kind of secret, private human experiment organization.

As expected, the crowd placed the unlucky black man on a complicated folding chair and jammed his limbs and head. The man in charge of the video then placed a card before the camera. The card recorded the black man's photo, name, age, home address, and so on. The purpose of the card was probably to show the likes of Joshua.

"What's your name?" the cameraman asked suddenly.

"Help! Help! Don't kill me!" The black man shouted at the top of his lungs into the camera, still in a state of panic. His voice was so terrible that even Joshua felt like he was seeping.

The one who replied to the black man was the one who threw a barrage of punches at him. It was not until the black man began begging for mercy that the one who asked the question lowered his fist and asked again, "Damn you, Black Devil. Name yourself."

"John Smith…" The black man closed his eyes and answered in despair.

"Age."

"Twenty-three, please…"

"Where's your home address?"

"…"

"Hurry up and tell me!"

"282 Ustan Street, Detroit…"

The man pulled out the card in front of the camera and said calmly to the camera after a series of questions, "The third clinical trial of the Alpha Project, Experimental No.1, has been confirmed. Now, let's bring in the second one."

As he said that, the camera focused on the steel door that led into the room. It took only a few seconds for yet another man to be pushed into the room. However, that man was a Caucasian with a deadpan expression on his face, as if he had long understood his fate.

"Name yourself."

"Jack Garcia."

…

He asked some more questions and confirmed the identity of the second experimental subject. The man in the chemical defense suit then walked up to the camera and looked at it coldly. "Project Alpha, third clinical trial—begin!"

65. Alpha Immortality Project

The two test subjects were facing the camera so that Joshua, who was in front of the camera, could see the terrified expressions on their faces. The next thing he knew, they were under general anesthesia and both of them were completely unconscious, connected to electrocardiograms and other emergency equipment.

The other man took out a razor and began to shave their heads after he was done. The man's cutting skills seemed to be very precise and it took only a few minutes for him to shave both of them bald and disinfected them.

His assistant then set up a surgical frame that would only be used for craniotomies above the two of them and wrapped it around their heads, leaving only the top part of their heads exposed. He then put the surgical cloth over their heads and the two shiny skulls were exposed before everyone.

Joshua felt a chill running down his spine for some reason as he looked at the cold faces of the people on the screen. He couldn't help but lean back on the leather couch as the video captured his interest.

"Is this some kind of craniotomy? What's the purpose of it? What's the use of it?" That was what Joshua was most curious about. As for the fate of the two experimental bodies, it was obvious that he shouldn't be concerned about that.

Due to the fact that the surgical frame was made of special material, the surgical staff were only able to see the top of their heads, while Joshua was able to see the full-body states of the two experimental men before the camera. He was then able to see that the medical staff were indeed drawing lines on the heads of the two experimental subjects, deciding where the drilling holes would be.

One of the men made an 'okay' gesture after being busy for about 10 minutes. His assistant, who had been waiting by the side for quite a while, pushed an unknown device over.

The equipment consisted of some kind of mechanical arms that looked like hanging spiders. The assistant installed something on the arms and the mechanical arms began to move, measuring the size of the man's head at an extremely fast speed. Several mechanical arms extended out at the same time in the very next second, emitting a deep blue light. The arms circled the heads of the two experimental men at an extremely fast speed and were extinguished in an instant.

What is this, laser measurement?

Joshua was stunned, but what happened in the very next second almost made him fall off the couch.

Two assistants wearing chemical defense suits walked up to them after the mechanical arms were retracted. They carefully held the heads of the two Experimentals and lifted them up, revealing the white membrane below.

Joshua couldn't help but rub his eyes for a bit and even pulled the broadcasting strip back a little bit, confirming that there was no piece of interlocking equipment in the video before he stopped. If such precise laser-splitting was all it took to shock him, then the technology that followed would have truly shocked him.

Several assistants came up to the two test subjects after they revealed their cerebral membranes and did some data calculations. The mechanical arms then fired a row of lasers and scanned the entire brain several times.

"Scan complete. The incision layer is confirmed. Prepare to separate the brain from the brain below the cerebral stem. Prepare the nutrition pod." One of the assistants made an 'okay' gesture and the mechanical arms began to move again. Numerous lasers shone on the brain below the cerebral membrane at a rate of milliseconds. Even Joshua, who was part of the audience, couldn't help but feel nervous. He had a vague thought, but he couldn't believe that it was real.

"Impossible, impossible! How could such a surgery exist with the current level of technology…" Joshua mumbled under his breath, but his labored breathing exposed his unstable emotions.

"Prepare the hemostatic forceps. Stop the arteries and veins as soon as the cerebral stem is separated. Begin cutting. Three, two, one!"

The mechanical arm began to move at an even higher speed right away. Dark blue laser beams that were as thin as spiderwebs penetrated its brain, which was illuminated hundreds of times in an instant.

"Separation complete. Hurry!"

One of the assistants who were waiting at the side walked out immediately and peeled open the cerebral membrane with extremely light force. The brain of the experimental subject had long been cut off by the laser beam. The assistant picked up the brain without any hindrance and quickly placed it in a transparent container that looked like a huge beaker that had been prepared beforehand. There was a green solution that kept bubbling inside the container. The brain was suspended right after being placed inside, floating up and down inside the container.

Due to the fact that the artery had been severed, a lot of blood was seen oozing out of the two test subjects' skulls. The other assistants took out some hemostatic forceps and other tools to stop the bleeding.

"Blood pressure of the No.1 experimental body has been lowered. Prepare to inject the drug."

"No. 2 is normal. Be careful to maintain the activity and concentration of the brain cells that have been separated."

It was obvious that this was not the first time that such human experimentation had been carried out. Despite being busy, there was no sign of panic. Everything was carried out in an orderly manner and the person giving the orders was even more composed, taking care of everything in a very appropriate manner.

In the end, both of the Experimentals' cranial cavities were completely stopped from bleeding. The containers that the two of them kept in their brains were swapped with each other, and the voice continued to give commands in a very low voice.

"Get ready for the third step, brain reset." As he said that, Joshua saw the seats of the two Experimentals topple slightly backward. The two of them went from sitting position to lying down. Furthermore, the two beakers covered the heads of the two of them with the combined efforts of the mechanical arms and the artificial assistants. Large numbers of mechanical arms extended from the other side of the container, connecting the nerves of the brain directly in the green solution.

If the first few steps could be considered achievable by modern science, then the last step was something that no human could take part in—the last step was to connect the nerves of the brain, and the workload required was something that no human could accomplish except for machinery.

Joshua kept his gaze fixed on all of that. He was only able to see the mechanical arms moving about in the empty spaces between the severed brain and the Experimentals. The last step was also the most crucial one. It would have taken a lot of time for the mechanical arms to do all of that, and the entire video would have taken about half the time to replay that scene. However, Joshua resisted the urge to do so. He simply kept his gaze fixed on all of that, as his mind was already in turmoil.

A beep was heard from both instruments an hour and a half later, and the red light on both instruments turned green. It was only then that the voice continued, "Alright, the grafting of the cerebral nerves is complete. Get ready to test the extent of blood vessels being connected."

"Access rate of blood flow in the cerebral vessels of the No. 1 Experimental was 99 percent. Only a few capillaries showed signs of damage. Qualified."

"No. 2 Experiment Monster's cerebral vessels access rate is above 99 percent. Qualified."

"Alright, let's test the condition of the neural link. Prepare for radioactive testing…"

"Electrical discharge test approved. Prepare to empty the nutrition pods and perform artificial meningitis suturing."

Joshua finally sighed at that moment. He knew that there was no point in watching the rest. He shook his head with a bitter smile and pulled the progress bar back to the end.

The two of them slowly opened their eyes at the end. The black man named John looked around in a rather confused manner and even looked up. If it hadn't been for the visible wound on his head, he wouldn't have looked any different from before.

"Your name."

"Jack Garcia…"

The black man answered the same question fluently, but Joshua felt a chill running down his spine. He even had the urge to delete the video right there and then.

Could such terrifying technology really exist in this world?

Joshua didn't do so in the end. He simply made a call and ordered his butler to hire the most famous special effects master in the entire United States to verify the authenticity of the video.

…

"While what happened on the video was shocking, I have to say that I didn't find any signs of editing in the entire video…"

Several hours later, a man stood before Joshua with a rather astonished look on his face as he flailed about. "That's right. You didn't get me wrong. There's a 90 percent chance that the video is real! My God, I swear to God, this is unbelievable. This is a brain transplant. If all of this is real, would anyone still be afraid of aging and death…"

Joshua nodded expressionlessly and sent the special effects master away with a huge sum of money. The special effects master agreed to never leak the contents of the video after a series of threats and promises.

After doing all of that, Joshua fell into deep thought again. Other than being shocked by the Golden Foundation's exceptional technology, he also felt a sense of anticipation—if he were to get a new set of young bodies when he grew old, wouldn't it be something very pleasant?

He looked at the invitation letter from the Golden Foundation on his phone and a flash of greed appeared in his usually calm and rational eyes.

"Cough, cough, cough…"

The next second, his father's intense coughing pulled him out of his daydream and back to reality. It was only then that he realized that his father and the butler had arrived at the reception room at some point in time. He quickly stood up and greeted them softly, "Father…"

"No need to report. I know what happened. Are you inviting us to Huaxia and Haizhou? Joshua, you need to make a trip in the name of your family…"

Joshua nodded. He didn't find it strange that his father knew all of that. His father had always had his own ways of doing things. However, when he looked up at his father, he shuddered all of a sudden and almost shouted.

His father, who had always been in low spirits, had a wolf-like glint in his eyes at that moment. Those greedy eyes of his seemed to be filled with unparalleled savagery and lust, as if he could turn into an evil spirit at any moment, tearing at his targets' bodies and limbs, feasting on their blood.

It had been 20 years since he saw his father look like that after his father retired. However, he realized today that the mighty wolf from Wall Street had been released due to the intrusion of that unknown foundation.

66. The Choice Of Life

While the families of several financial groups in the United States were being turned upside down by a video, Zhang Heng was taking apart the sleep pods he took from the Alien Space in his warehouse, feeling bored.

Zhang Heng dismantled several functions of the sleep pod according to the Dimensional Star's support research system in his mind and reassembled each function into a new machine. As such, he purchased yet another set of mechanical equipment.

After several days of assembly and research, he was able to successfully dismantle a proper sleep pod into three types of equipment—cryogenic sleep pods, automated surgical instruments, massage instruments, and so on. He also purchased a lot of raw materials and successfully concocted antifreeze, cerebral culture medium fluid, and other medicines from the Alien plane.

As for advanced technologies, such as biochemists, clones, energy technology, and so on, none of that was something that Zhang Heng could create on his own at the moment. He had to wait until he had his own laboratory and hire enough relevant researchers before he was able to make the finished products bit by bit.

However, if there were some technologies that were so different from reality that one couldn't even understand the theory behind them, or if one couldn't even keep up with the hardware, then there was really nothing that could be done about it.

Zhang Heng had spent more than half of the four billion that Huaxia had given him. Furthermore, given Huaxia's efficiency, the T-1 was only in the public eye at the moment. It would probably take several months before it was completely mass-produced.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but shake his head. It seemed like he wouldn't be able to count on the profits that the T-1 would bring him for the time being. If he wanted money, he would have to get it from those families. He hoped that those families wouldn't let him down.

Zhang Heng had ordered Corona to create all those videos. He had neither his own laboratory nor his own researchers, so he had no choice but to have Corona create a fake video to fool her.

Of course, given Corona's abilities, even the most advanced special effectsists in modern times would not be able to detect any signs of fabrication.

However, those techniques were indeed real. For example, the automated surgical equipment that was separated from the sleep pod was the mechanical arm device that could perform precision operations like 'connecting cerebral neurons' in the video. The 'cerebral culture medium fluid' that he concocted was the light green solution that stored the brain cells and prevented them from dying in the video.

Zhang Heng's goal was to use 'extending his life' as bait to lure those families to Haizhou. He would be the one calling the shots when they got to his turf.

Some of those family consortiums were in the financial sector of the United States, some were in the oil industry in the UK, some were in the German automotive industry, and so on. The only thing that none of them had was the biomedical industry. While those people were greedy for their own technology, they didn't have to worry about Zhang Heng cutting off their path to wealth. As such, there was room for cooperation.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was able to spread his influence to many countries around the world through his connections, laying a solid foundation for his first product launch.

Zhang Heng's phone suddenly rang at that moment and he picked up the phone silently. The number was from Corona through the internet. "Commander, the Williams family has arrived in Haizhou. The visitor is the son of William II, the Wolf of Wall Street. He sent an email requesting to meet with the person in charge of the foundation."

"Reply to him and tell him to calm down. Tell him that I'm still waiting for other guests to arrive."

"Understood."

Zhang Heng hung up the phone quietly. He didn't expect the William family to move so quickly. But then again, that probably had something to do with the fact that the wolf from Wall Street was about to reach the end of its lifespan. He figured that the wolf probably couldn't wait any longer.

Zhang Heng stood up slowly at that thought and smirked coldly. Who in the world could resist the temptation of living?

…

"Damn it!"

Joshua Williams read the email on his phone and his expression turned sour.

He took a private plane to Huaxia's Haizhou as quickly as he could after receiving the email from the Stellar Foundation. It was fortunate that he had been to Huaxia, an ancient country, before his visa was due.

The reason why he was in such a hurry was because he remembered that the mysterious foundation definitely wouldn't just send him that video. There had to be other competitors rushing over from all over the world.

However, he didn't expect that the damned cunning Golden Foundation would refuse to see him. That would be an insult to his family! If anyone else dared to treat him in such a manner, Joshua's first reaction would have been to get up and leave, ignoring the despicable Golden Foundation. However, he couldn't do so this time.

Not only was he unable to do so, but he also had to humbly ask when he would be able to see her again. Furthermore, he might have to wave the cash in his hand and curry favor with her a few days later, or he might end up losing the opportunity to do so.

"Cunning, greedy, and despicable Easterners!"

No matter how much Joshua cursed Zhang Heng, he had to stay there and wait for Zhang Heng to summon him.

Zhang Heng walked out of his warehouse two days later. His eyes were filled with exhaustion, yet excitement was written all over his face. He had successfully made the T-2 Biopharmaceutical with the help of the Dimensional Star's research system.

Unlike the T-1, which could cure cancer, the T-2 function was an antioxidant and restorative gene sequence corrosion caused by free radicals. Simply put, it was a drug that would slow aging at the genetic level.

According to Yurianne, the ability of the T-2 to retain a tiny bit of the optimized gene of the T-Virus would allow a natural human to gain about 10 percent more constitution and lifespan.

Of course, compared to the T-Virus itself, which was a piece of advanced technology, the ability to castrate the T-2 was negligible. However, the emergence of the T-2 in the modern medical field was enough to set off an earthquake throughout the world.

"Commander, all the families who sent the invitations have arrived in Haizhou. None of them are missing." Corona called again at that moment.

"Alright, report the location of their accommodations and send them an email, telling them to be patient. I'll be in contact with them at 8 P.M. sharp."

Zhang Heng put the extracted T-2s into 10 helix test tubes after he was done setting up the place. He then walked to where the invited families were staying and hid the T-2s in secret. He then returned to his hotel and checked the time. There were still three minutes to eight at night.

"Corona, prepare to activate Level Three." Zhang Heng sat on the couch and slowly closed his eyes.

At that moment, at the company's construction site, which was about a kilometer away from Zhang Heng, the initially pitch-black Marker 50 meters below the ground suddenly began to glow with a crimson glow. That glow was only seen on the bumpy writing on the surface at first, but gradually, the red glow became stronger, dying the entire Marker in a blood-red color.

Under Zhang Heng's command, the Marker activated its Level Three state again. Rings of mental magnetic fields that no human technology could detect covered the entire Haizhou without making a sound.

The sound of a call was heard from all 10 invited family representatives at the same time. Joshua, who was in the presidential suite of the Haizhou International Hotel, turned on his phone excitedly and found that the entire interface on the phone had completely disappeared. There was only a blank dialog box on the screen.

"Do you understand the meaning of life? Do you want to truly… live?"

"Yes / No."

Joshua was stunned. What was that supposed to mean? Furthermore, his phone was custom-made. Viruses and carbines that could infect his phone were practically non-existent in the world. He didn't expect that the mysterious foundation would still be able to take it down.

He was unable to figure out what the Golden Foundation was thinking, but he figured that since they were going to meet, he would probably have to choose the 'yes' option, right? As such, he hesitated for a moment before pressing the confirmation option.

Joshua blacked out the moment he pressed the button and completely lost consciousness.

67. Round Table Conference

He shot up from the ground the moment he opened his eyes.

Due to his years of combat training, he was able to bounce as quickly as a regular person could. The Browning pistol appeared in his hand at the same time that he was doing so, and he pointed the gun at the figure before him.

"Your physique is impressive, Your Excellency William II. I'm very impressed by your skills." A skinny middle-aged man who was about two meters tall stood before Joshua. That man looked very average and wore a black windbreaker. He was looking at Joshua with a grin and clapping his hands.

Joshua was able to see that there was a thick ring on the man's right thumb, and the logo of the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation was seen on the ring.

"So your foundation likes to kidnap your own clients." Joshua looked around again and his heart sank. That was because he saw nine unconscious figures beside him. All of them were important members of a huge financial group in his own country.

"No, no, no. You might have misunderstood." The mysterious man in front of him shook his head right away. "I'm just inviting you guys to the party. As for what's happening right now, it's just a way of inviting you guys."

"Maybe." Joshua's expression darkened slightly. He pondered for a bit before putting his gun away wisely.

Since the other party was able to bypass his elite bodyguards and kidnap him here without making a sound, it was obvious that the other party wasn't someone that he could deal with with with just a small handgun. The fact that he was able to pull out a gun would only serve to show how weak he was.

Joshua was the first to wake up and two other middle-aged men quickly got up from the floor. They were used to all kinds of situations and quickly calmed down after being frightened for a bit. The two of them looked around cautiously for a bit before finding out what was happening under Joshua's explanation.

He found himself in a luxuriously-decorated meeting room. The expensive grapefruit floor was covered with intricate handmade carpets and the Stellar Foundation logo was embedded in the walls. There was a long table made of ancient Yisu in the center of the room. There were 11 seats on both sides of the table and a stack of documents was placed on each of the seats.

The rest of the people woke up very quickly. They gathered in groups of three to five and discussed among themselves in low voices. One moment, they were sizing up their surroundings and the next, they were coldly looking at the mysterious man.

"Please take a seat." The mysterious man gestured for everyone to take a seat after seeing that everyone had woken up. He then took the highest seat at the table.

"I can only say that your Golden Foundation is very unfriendly. Is this how you invite investors?" The crowd hesitated for a bit before taking their seats at the table one by one. A middle-aged man with a pot belly who looked to be in his fifties asked all of a sudden.

"Oh, dear John, you're being too formal with your words." The mysterious man spread his hands and said, "I can assure you, God, that our foundation has no intentions of threatening you. The current situation is just a way for us to invite you."

"Let's get straight to the point then. What would your Golden Foundation want?" The man named John Healer snorted and asked in return.

"First of all, have you seen the data in front of everyone? Why don't you open the data? All of our conversations today will begin with those data." The mysterious man pointed at the documents on the table.

Joshua took a peek at the crowd and saw that everyone's attention was on the data on the table. He then opened the data together with everyone else. However, on the first page of the data, Joshua was secretly shocked.

"God, this is unbelievable!"

"How did you do that?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Streams of shocking data appeared on the piece of paper as everyone opened up the data. The entire conference table was thrown into an uproar.

"Everyone, what you're looking at right now is the Project Alpha project system." The mysterious man stood up and clapped his hands. A white curtain dropped from the sky and the projector began to release photos of the experiments.

"The Stellar Life Sciences Foundation is dedicated to extending the lives of humans. As such, we've developed three serial plans.

"The first type is gene optimization fluid. As you can see from the data, this gene optimization fluid could extend the lifespan of humans on a genetic level. As everyone knows, our brains are actually able to live longer than our bodies, but due to the limitations of our bodies, our brains would have no choice but to die if our bodies were to collapse."

"According to our experiments, the scientific community discovered that the human brain could actually live for over 150 years. As such, coupled with the gene optimization solution developed by our foundation, we were able to extend the human brain's lifespan to the limit of theoretical values.

"Of course, just enhancing the brain's lifespan is of no use. Then, the second option of the Alpha Project is to perform brain transplant surgery."

"I believe that everyone came here after watching the video of our brain transplant experiment. I'm sure that all of you have verified the authenticity of the video before. I'd like to make another guarantee here: everything I've told you on the data and what I've told you is true. Your brains will definitely be able to develop a younger, healthier body after the brain transplant operation."

Joshua looked at the data in his hand silently and asked all of a sudden, "So, have you guys solved the postoperative organ rejection phenomenon?"

The mysterious man looked at Joshua right away and flashed an approving grin. "Good question. Indeed, the phenomenon of organ rejection is undoubtedly a huge problem in the field of medicine today. However, such a phenomenon would definitely not exist in our foundation. Why do you say that? Everyone, please take a look at the last page of the data. That is—cloning technology!"

Joshua flipped to the second page immediately. As expected, data regarding cloning parameters were listed on the second page, as well as the results of repeated experiments.

"Our foundation possesses the most advanced cloning technology in the world, and we are able to nurture perfect replicas for you within a month, depending on your cells. If your taste is somewhat special, we will also provide modification services for your facial features, body size, gender, and so on. We could even clone a peerless beauty whose genes match yours."

The crowd burst into laughter right away. However, a look of yearning was seen in everyone's eyes.

"All of that is just the second part of the Alpha Project. You have a lifespan of over 150 years after taking part in both of those projects. If you're not done living, don't worry. We have another form of cryogenic technology!"

"Body cryonics? Could it be something like the Alcohol Foundation?" one of the German car tycoons asked.

The mysterious man waved his hand and said with a smile, "No, no, no, please don't misunderstand. The cryogenic technology that I'm talking about isn't some scam-like organization like the 'Alcohol Foundation for Survival'. It's a truly effective cryogenic technology that could completely thaw and revive people."

"As a matter of fact, gene science will definitely mature in the next 100 years or so. By then, the ability of gene optimization fluid would have been able to extend your life by more than just a few decades. However, to be on the safe side, we'll still develop the third phase of the Alpha Project: cryogenic technology."

"Everyone probably knows that human cryogenic technology is limited by the damage caused by ice crystals and chemical damage caused by cooling. The cryogenic effects are prohibited and the only way to achieve that would be to freeze the dead. In actual fact, the dead are dead. You want to be resurrected? Hehe…"

"Our cryogenics is different. Please turn to page three…"

"The core of our cryogenic technology lies in a type of antifreeze. That drug is a nano-pharmaceutical that can only be injected into your body while you're still alive. The drug will then spread throughout your entire body as your blood flows. The drug will eventually be found in every water molecule in your cells."

"At that time, the water in your body would become some kind of hybrid. That hybrid would be able to maintain a liquid state even at liquid nitrogen temperatures of -195 ° C and below without freezing, perfectly avoiding the ice crystals and chemical damage found in cryogenics."

"If you are able to live to the limit of what technology could achieve, yet you are still unable to live long enough, you would be able to use cryogenic technology. You would be able to live for decades, even centuries, without realizing it when you are in cryogenic freezing. We would then be able to resurrect you when humans possessed technology that would allow them to live longer. We would then use new technology to extend your life."

The more the mysterious man talked, the more excited he became. He couldn't help but spread his arms wide and look at everyone with a fanatical expression. "Theoretically speaking, everyone here could…"

"Eternal Life!"

68. Frightening Conference

Everyone fell silent after hearing the explanation. Some looked moved, but most of them remained doubtful.

"Well… Mr. Chairman." A middle-aged man who hadn't spoken a single word from the beginning to the end suddenly said in a low voice, "We're willing to believe that you're a very talented salesperson, but how are we to believe that the technology you listed is real or fake?"

"That's right. While it would be difficult to fabricate such technologies based on data, we are only able to learn everything through videos after all. It is indeed imperative that you provide evidence to prove the authenticity of your experiment," Joshua added. Everyone nodded and hoped that the mysterious man would provide concrete evidence.

"It's only natural that everyone would have such doubts. After all, all of that technology is decades ahead of modern technology." The mysterious man paused for a bit and deliberately waited for everyone to look eager before continuing, "As for the evidence, I'll definitely provide it to everyone."

The mysterious man deliberately kept her in suspense and clapped his hands playfully. Five girls dressed in revealing clothes walked into the meeting room right away.

The five girls looked to be about 13 or 14 years old. Judging from their appearances, some of them were Asian, some were European, and some were even mixed-blood African. However, what they all had in common was that all five of them looked perfect, with slender bodies and flawless faces.

The five girls stood there, each holding a silver platter, with two blue helix-shaped test tubes placed on the plates.

"This is the gene optimization solution used in the Alpha Project." The mysterious man introduced after seeing that everyone had gotten their hands on a test tube. "All of you can go back and test it out. After confirming the authenticity of the drug, you can then decide if you'd like to join the Golden Foundation's board."

Everyone was secretly shocked and their initial doubts turned into complete belief.

According to the data, the gene optimization solution could enhance a person's physique and longevity by 10 percent. If that were true, then the value of the tube of gene optimization solution would be incalculable.

"Aren't you afraid that we'll be able to replicate your drug through research?" the fat man named John asked coldly.

"If you have the ability to do so, please do so." The mysterious man made an inviting gesture and continued in a rather sarcastic manner, "I didn't know that there was anyone in the world who could compare with the technology of our organization. Not even the National Academy of Sciences could do so."

"That drug looks familiar…" Joshua muttered to himself as he looked at the drug in his hand.

"Correct. The name of the drug is Tyrant-2 Biopharmaceutical. It also has a brother product called Tyrant-1." The mysterious man nodded.

"Tyrant-1? That's the latest anticancer drug!" Another Wall Street financial magnate, Moffitt, stood up in shock all of a sudden.

"That's right. The T-1 that caused such a huge commotion all over the world is the product of our foundation." The mysterious man nodded.

"What about the T-1's manufacturing method?" Mephitt shouted. "Give it to us. If you give it to Huaxia, why not the US?"

The mysterious man's friendly face fell immediately after hearing that. He asked rather unhappily, "Sir, I don't think it's up to the United States to decide who the products of our foundation would be sold to."

"What about the Society of the Commonwealth? Do you know that the Society of the Commonwealth controls the entire world? If we were to make an enemy out of the Society of the Commonwealth, we'd be making an enemy out of the entire world, no?" Mephit said in a threatening manner. "Also, you'd better hand over all of your technology to us. If we were to make a move, we could make your foundation a thing of the past."

The mysterious man narrowed his gaze and a sharp glint flashed across his eyes. "I'd like to see what the people from the Witch Cooperation Association would do to me if I were to kill you."

The mysterious man put his hand inside his clothes as he said that. However, before he could take anything out, he heard a gunshot.

The crowd was stunned to see the mysterious man's head explode like a watermelon. Black blood and brain matter splattered all over the snow-white wall behind him.

"Damn it!"

Joshua's expression changed drastically. He couldn't help but pull out his Browning and looked warily in the direction of the noise. He saw Moffett looking at the mysterious man's dead body with a gun in his hand that was smoking.

"Morphitt, you swine! No one is going to stop you if you want to die, but don't drag us down with you!"

Everyone began yelling at the man who was known as Moffett, not because of anything else, but because they were all in the Golden Foundation's territory at the moment and Moffett dared to shoot someone. No matter how capable they were, it would be difficult for them to leave alive today.

"I…" It was only then that Moffat looked flustered. He threw away the revolver in his hand and shouted, "He was the one who wanted to kill me first. Look, he's about to take out his gun!"

Joshua opened his mouth and sighed, feeling sorry for the mysterious man at the same time. The way he saw it, the mysterious man was probably trying to show off or something, only to end up being killed instead. He had been completely taken down by that pig named Moffett.

However, just when everyone was about to run away in a panic, the mysterious man's voice was heard again. "I say, who would like to give me a hand?"

Silence.

There was a pin-drop silence.

Everyone quieted down immediately when the mysterious man's voice was heard again.

Joshua was barely able to turn his stiff neck around. All he saw was the mysterious man slowly getting up from the ground. He rubbed his missing head and chuckled. "You think you can kill me just like that?"

Then, everyone saw that half of the mysterious man's head, which looked like a rotten watermelon, grew out at a speed visible to the naked eye with the sound of flesh wriggling. The white brain was first seen, followed by the membrane and skull on the outside of the brain, then muscles and skin…

In less than 30 seconds, the mysterious man appeared before everyone unscathed.

"Oh, my God…"

"F * * k, is he the devil incarnate?"

"This is unbelievable! This is impossible!"

Everyone began to panic. They wouldn't have been at such a loss even if the mysterious man were to just die like that. However, when such a scene that defied reality happened right before their eyes, their worldview and beliefs almost collapsed instantly.

"Morphitt, as a guest, I think you're being rude." The mysterious man turned to look at Morphitt, who looked like she was about to collapse, and said with a smile.

At that moment, everyone felt that the mysterious man's ordinary smile had turned sinister and eerie, making them feel rather cold inside.

"I don't believe it!" Mephit shouted. He raised his gun again and fired at the mysterious man. However, it was useless except for causing blood to spray all over the mysterious man's body.

The mysterious man only walked up to her slowly after she was done shooting. He took a good look at her panicky face and his expression turned cold all of a sudden. He twisted both of his hands and with a crack, she turned her head around at a 90-degree angle.

Everyone watched the scene unfold with fear written all over their faces, yet none of them had the guts to stop what was happening. None of them were able to decide if they should run or not. All they could do was stand where they were, trembling, waiting for the other party to decide what to do.

In the end, it was Joshua who took a step forward and asked tentatively, "Can we… continue working together?"

"Why not?" The mysterious man turned around and looked at the crowd calmly. "Well, if that's the case, I'll make it short." He took out a bloodstained handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands elegantly, as if he had just cleaned a bag of trash.

"When you've verified the effects of the T-2 in your hands, contact the Golden Foundation at all times. The doors of the Stellar Vitality Science Foundation will always be open for you. The meeting ends here. Meeting dismissed."

The mysterious man snapped his fingers and Joshua was stunned. He felt dizzy before he was able to do anything. He blacked out and lost consciousness again.

69. Murder His Father

"Ahhh!" Joshua sat up from the bed in shock.

Bang!

The door burst open and four bouncers standing guard in the living room rushed in. Two of them covered Joshua with their bodies while the other two stood at the door and swept every suspicious corner of the room with their guns.

"Phew…" Joshua let out a frustrated sigh before waving his hand weakly.

"I'm fine now. I just had a nightmare."

The four bouncers looked at each other and holstered their guns. Three of them bowed to Joshua before leaving the room. Only one of the older bouncers walked up to the table and poured a glass of water for Joshua.

Due to the lack of ventilation, the room felt rather hot and humid. Beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead.

Joshua unbuttoned the top button on his neck and fell into a trance again.

Was it really just a dream?

Joshua felt rather cold all of a sudden. It was almost summer, yet he was feeling very cold deep down.

Such a bizarre yet real dream felt as if it had just happened. He could even clearly recall the mysterious man's voice and smile, and he could even remember data from the data. If he were to just attribute all of that to a dream, it would be too arbitrary.

But then again… how could there be such a bizarre thing in the world? He wondered if what he thought about in the day was something that he dreamed about at night.

"Boss…"

Joshua's eyes looked rather dazed and he only returned to his senses when she brought the glass of water before him. He took the glass and seemed to have recalled something. He asked all of a sudden, "When did I fall asleep? How long did I sleep?"

"Boss, you'll be back in your room at 8: 00. It's… 8: 02," the bouncer said awkwardly.

"Huh?" Joshua was stunned and raised his hand in disbelief. He saw that the clock on his wrist was pointing at eight o'clock precisely. Even if he were to split the needle into two parts, he would only be able to walk two parts.

It looked like he was in a dream. He felt like 30 to 40 minutes had passed, yet not even two minutes had passed. Such a phenomenon would only occur in dreams.

It seemed like he had been overthinking things.

Joshua shook his head with a bitter smile and subconsciously reached into his pocket. However, his body froze all of a sudden when he found a hard object that looked like a long cylinder in his pocket, causing his expression to darken yet again.

Joshua slowly pulled the object out of his pocket, seemingly unwilling to give up. He gasped when he saw what was in his hand.

The object in his hand turned out to be a very sci-fi helix-shaped test tube with dozens of milliliters of dark blue drug in it.

"Barty, did anyone enter my room after I fell asleep?"

"Boss, that's impossible. We've been waiting outside the door the whole time and no one came in."

"What about the windows?"

"We've checked the windows. They're all locked."

Joshua interrogated all four of the bouncers and ordered them to search for the so-called secret passage in the room, only stopping when the entire room was turned upside down.

He then went to the manager and got someone to check the surveillance footage of the hotel. He gave up after confirming that there was no one else in his room for several hours.

Joshua felt as if his worldview had been impacted.

It wasn't just Joshua who was suffering from insomnia that night. Eight other key members of the European and American financial groups were suffering from the same insomnia as well. It was the first time they felt the mystery of the ancient East in this international coastal city.

…

Three days later.

Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA.

"We've received news that the fat pig, Moffett, crashed into a truck three nights ago when he was out looking for fun. He broke his neck right there and then." Joshua stood before the bed with a pale face and reported to the dying old man on the bed. "The family of Moffett have also investigated the matter. All of this was indeed an accident. There's nothing suspicious about it."

"That's not an important question." Old William's eyes were filled with greed as he sat on the huge, comfortable wooden bed. "I'm talking about the thing you took back. How was the drug test?"

Joshua seemed to hesitate for a bit before saying, "We injected about five milliliters of T-2 into an 80-year-old homeless person. After two days of observation, we've found very important data."

Two researchers in lab coats walked out of the door and pushed a cage that was about half the height of a grown man into the room. A man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies was hugging his knees and looking at the crowd in horror.

"Mr. Williams, I can only say that the drug you've just provided is very miraculous." One of the men in a white coat took out a data file and pointed at the man in the cage with a fanatical look on his face as he continued, "You may not know this, but two days ago, the man in the cage still had a head full of white hair. However, after we injected him with five milliliters of T-2, as you can see, very little of his hair turned from white to gray. Furthermore, his skin regained its elasticity and became shiny."

"The changes are visible to the naked eye, and there are some internal changes as well. For example, we conducted several bone-age tests on him before injecting him with the T-2. His bone-age was normal and could be locked at 80 years of age. However, when we injected him with the T-2 and checked his bone-age again, we found that he had aged five to over 10 years. There was also cell activity and DNA testing. The damage to his DNA was significantly repaired. It's a miracle in the history of medicine!"

The man in the white coat became more excited as he talked. He waved his hand excitedly and spat. "Oh my god, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed that he was an 80-year-old man! Look at him, he looks like he's only in his 60s or 70s. It's as if time has been reversed on him for over 10 years!"

"So, the effects of the T-2 are real then?" The old William stared at the old man under the bed with a greedy look on his face. He was just about to get up when his lungs were triggered and he began to cough violently.

Joshua quickly pulled the oxygen mask over Old William's face and put it on. Old William took several deep breaths before asking impatiently, "So, have you found the composition of the drug? Can you mass-produce it?"

"Uh… that drug is considered a gene-based drug. Forget mass-production, I wouldn't even be able to detect the composition of the drug. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about that." The man in the white coat looked embarrassed. "I'd say that the organization that invented that drug would have at least 10 years of advanced technology in terms of genetic and virology knowledge."

Disappointment was written all over old William's face at that moment. "I'm not surprised. I should have thought of that a long time ago. Now that I'm unable to replicate mass-production, bring the drug to me right now. Bring it all here!"

"Father, are you going to inject it?" Joshua looked troubled. "But we've only done one experiment. If there are any dangers or side effects…"

"No buts!" Old William shouted in a hoarse voice, his eyes looking like those of a ferocious wolf. "I can't wait much longer. Furthermore, five milliliters of the T-2 were wasted. I can't stand to see you guys wasting any more. I'm going to inject it right now. Now! Right now!"

"Yes…" Joshua nodded and walked out of the room right away. A code box appeared in his hand when he returned.

At John Senior's urging, Joshua personally opened the code box and loaded all the drugs into the Mit needleless injector.

"Come on, come on! Inject all of it. Don't even think about leaving a single drop behind, or I'll beat you up just like I did when you were little…" The old William looked at the syringe before him greedily and licked his lips excitedly.

"Father, please lower your head. I'll give you an intravenous injection." There was a complicated look in Joshua's eyes. It was the first time he saw his father being so weak and powerless.

His father had never been so flustered in the past, even when he was severely ill and on the verge of death. Perhaps time had worn away the courage he once had. While he had once lived under his father's shadow, that was all in the past.

His father was no longer the mighty wolf of Wall Street that he once was. He was just an old man who was at the end of his days and whose fire of life could go out at any moment.

Joshua pressed the syringe against the back of his neck, which was filled with disgusting wrinkles, and his expression became increasingly cold.

All of a sudden, he smirked and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Father. I think that you've lived long enough. Leave the family to me."

"What did you say?" The cloudy pupils of the old William contracted all of a sudden. He felt his neck go numb before he could even struggle.

Hiss…

The lethal sodium cyanide was injected into the needleless syringe, forming a small fluid stream that was 300 meters per second. It went straight through the old William's loose skin and into the sticky blood, finally flowing through his heart, quickly and effectively ending this frail and old life.

70. New Plan

The Golden Foundation's bondage plan was a chain of plans that Zhang Heng had planned all over the world. He planned to use 'immortality' to lure those financial groups with massive amounts of money and power, making them his own, reducing the obstacles that would prevent the companies from launching new technologies.

That plan was only the first step. The second step was to announce the existence of the "antifreeze" and gain recognition and patent approval from organizations like the FDA of the US Pharmaceutical Administration, which would then attract even more financial groups to join them, eventually forming a highly united and self-interested community.

To outsiders, the nine financial groups that joined the organization were the backers of the foundation. It was thanks to them that Zhang Heng dared to spread the news of the antifreeze to the rest of the world.

It was like a snowball rolling on the ground. As long as the plan didn't come to an early end, the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation would only become more powerful as time went on, eventually becoming a terrorist organization that was even more terrifying than the Commonwealth.

"Commander, of all the financial groups participating in the Alpha Conference, all of the financial groups, with the exception of the Mephitt family, have finished investing. Our foundation's account now has a starting capital of nine billion US dollars."

Corona's voice was suddenly heard in Zhang Heng's mind while he was doing his morning exercises. He snapped his fingers and said, "Very well. Keep in contact with those people and tell them that the 'Alpha Immortality Project' will need to expand its influence if it is to be implemented. They need to continue to exert their efforts and put pressure on the government to get the antifreeze approved by the FDA as soon as possible."

"Yes, but several financial groups sent us emails asking if we could invest in the foundation. Two other financial groups asked if we would be willing to sell the T-2 manufacturing technology as well as the instruments and technology of automatic surgical equipment," Corona added.

"Hmph." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued, "Tell them that it's fine if they want to invest in the company, but 10 billion US dollars would be enough to buy a thousandth of the company's shares. That price would only rise in the future and not drop. Furthermore, we won't be selling any of the technology available in the foundation. Tell them to give up on the idea as soon as possible."

"But…" Corona hesitated for a bit before continuing, "The Thompson family is threatening us. If we don't sell the data, they might expose our Alpha Forever Project."

"He wouldn't dare to." A murderous look was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. "Tell them that if the Alpha Centauri Project were to be exposed, it would just be putting our plans on hold. No one would be able to do anything to us with the foundation's capabilities, yet they would lose the opportunity to live forever."

"But…"

"No buts." Zhang Heng shook his head with a cold look on his face. "You have no choice but to use a tough stance against those jackals and force them to submit to you, turning them into dogs that you could use. Besides, who would be willing to make a mistake at a time like this, knowing that they would have endless lives to live?"

A cold smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face all of a sudden when he said that. "It'll be too late for them to regret their actions after the brain transplant."

"By the way." Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something and snapped his fingers before asking again, "Corona, I've sent you all the technical data regarding the cyborgs. Did you manage to replicate them?"

"I'm sorry, Commander, but due to the low level of current scientific technology, I'm only able to simulate their crude forms in the virtual space at best. I'm still far from being able to tell the details apart," Corona said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. A clever housewife wouldn't be able to cook without rice." Zhang Heng nodded. The data he had brought back from the Alien plane included data regarding cyborgs and clones. The technology of clones could be applied to the Alpha Immortality Project, but the field of cyborgs was difficult to achieve due to the huge difference in technology.

The cyborg was, after all, a cutting-edge piece of technology developed by the Weyland Yutani Company, and it seemed to be on the verge of creating new life.

It was just like handing over a blueprint of a bicycle to the ancients. The construction of the bicycle was not difficult, as the craftsmen of the ancients were able to understand the blueprint and were very interested in the technology presented in the blueprint. However, they were unable to manufacture the bicycle even if they wanted to. Due to limitations placed on the craftsmanship, material, and so on, they were unable to manufacture the parts needed for the bicycle.

Zhang Heng was very ambitious. He wanted to set up a massive monopoly that no superpower could do anything about, monopolize scientific technology, and monopolize global funding. Not only would he need pharmaceuticals, but he would also need to expand into other fields. As such, he would need a lot of labor in the future, and he might even need to own his own private armed forces.

As such, instead of spending massive amounts of money on labor, which was deemed to be unreliable, it would be better for him to nurture his own subordinates. As such, the cyborgs, who were loyal and never turned traitor, and whose intelligence and stamina far exceeded that of humans, were undoubtedly the best candidates.

However, due to technological limitations preventing him from achieving his goal of becoming a cyborg, the only way Zhang Heng could achieve his goal was to start with cloning.

"Seems like I need to carry out a new plan." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "The core purpose of this plan is to give me a huge supply of cheap labor and elite combat forces. I guess I'll just call this plan the 'Coronation Army'."

That was the second plan that Zhang Heng came up with after taking over the foundation's bondage plan. As for the so-called 'Alpha Immortality Project', it was just a bait to lure the other party into taking the bait.

Zhang Heng's Stellar Technology building was still under construction, so he needed a secret base to execute his second plan. It was simply too difficult to find a secret base in Huaxia, and he couldn't just rely on Corona for everything. After all, Corona was running out of power.

Corona had activated her Level-Three status twice so far. While the duration of each activation was very short, the amount of energy she had was reduced every time she used it. Zhang Heng was no longer prepared to use Corona's abilities in large quantities before he figured out how to replenish her energy.

As such, he turned his attention elsewhere.

There were two requirements to find a place overseas where clones could be developed in secret.

First, he needed to have sufficient technological support.

Zhang Heng might need to buy a lot of biological materials and medical precision instruments. If he were to buy them elsewhere, it would not only attract the attention of local people but also foreign buyers.

Secondly, there had to be a huge number of scientific research facilities there.

If Zhang Heng wanted to carry out the cloning operation, he would need to put up a front. As such, the location that he chose would require a large number of scientific research agencies, making it difficult for others to notice his presence.

Zhang Heng went back and forth between the two options and eventually chose the one known as' Silicon Valley in Asia ', the latitude one technology city.

The city of latitude was located in the Singapore Technology Corridor, a mega-economy project run by the government of Singapore in the early 20th century. The city of technology was named "latitude one", which meant that Singapore was located in the north latitude for a period of time, and the word "pronounced" was close to "the only", which made it sound rather meaningful.

The entire tech city's residential, commercial, advanced schools, research institutes, and recreational sports facilities were one and the same. The three main industries were the life sciences, information technology, environmental sciences, engineering, and digital creativity multimedia. If he were to set up a life sciences company here, he figured that it wouldn't attract much attention.

With that thought in mind, Zhang Heng decided not to do his morning exercises anymore. He ordered Corona to activate the virtual space and opened the webpage in the virtual space.

Corona connected to the 1000 gigabytes of fiber optic fiber that Zhang Heng had installed in the telecoms bureau. The theoretical download speed was 125mm / s. While it was unbearable to look at the inferior quality of the 1gbps broadband services available in the US, at least she didn't have to worry about the internet speed.

Furthermore, the greatest benefit of working in the virtual space was that he was able to save time and effort. Zhang Heng had only thought of acquiring data regarding the Biopharmaceutical Company of Yiwei University of Science and Technology. Countless pieces of data appeared before his eyes in the very next second, and he was able to save on the display.

Zhang Heng eventually set his sights on a small company called the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy after failing to develop a drug to treat arthritis.

The company was located in the Awakening Biopharmaceutical Garden in the tech city of Wei, and it had its own laboratory and office space. While it wasn't very large, it was more than enough for Zhang Heng to conduct some shady experiments.

Zhang Heng memorized the company's legal representative's number at that thought and exited the virtual space.

71. Li Yiru's Conflict

The first thing he did after exiting the virtual space was to call his subordinate.

The first installment of the 'Foundation Binding Project' alone had earned him nearly 10 billion US dollars worth of wealth. He was now considered a super-rich man with a net worth of 10 billion US dollars. Since he was a super-rich man, how could he do everything on his own?

As such, he called Li Yiru without any reservations. "Hello, Ru?"

"Hello, who are you?" Li Yiru's confused voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"I'm your boss…" The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched. He could tell from the voice on the other end that the young man was still in a dazed state and didn't seem to have gotten out of bed yet. It was clearly past eight in the morning. Could it be that the young man didn't go to work every day?

The veins on his forehead bulged at that thought.

A huff was heard from the other end of the phone, as if someone had taken a deep breath, before the voice became more serious. "Zhang Heng? What brings you here today?"

"I don't give a shit! I'd like to ask you something. It's not Sunday today, is it? Why are you sleeping at home and not working?" Zhang Heng asked in an unfriendly manner.

"Hehe, how dare you talk about me like that?" Li Yiru didn't look scared at all and instead became more self-righteous. "Other than the first day you came to the company for the ribbon-cutting ceremony after establishing Stellar Technology, did you ever come to the company even once? You just handed everything over to me and left it at that. Well, at least give me a direction. I've submitted so many developmental reports to you, yet you haven't responded at all!"

"In the end, I couldn't even reach you on the phone. I went to the warehouse to look for you, but you weren't there. If it hadn't been for Fang Hao seeing you at the construction site every now and then, I would have thought that you'd have fallen into the ocean and drowned."

The noise from the other end of the phone got louder. He couldn't help but move the phone away from his ear in the end, fearing that his eardrums would burst if the noise got any louder.

"Ahem, ahem…" Zhang Heng coughed awkwardly and continued, "Class rep, there's no need for that, is there? I've been doing some research. If you don't believe me, I'll bring you a prototype in the afternoon. Don't worry, there's definitely a business opportunity!"

"This is a business opportunity, not a business opportunity, okay?" The voice on the other end sounded like it was about to explode. "You said that you went to do some research, but you disappeared without a trace and you didn't even call me? Can't you just give me a call before doing some research and tell me where you're going? Do you know how worried I am about you?"

"Alright, alright, alright!" Zhang Heng shut his eyes and nodded hard, cutting her off right away. "I got it. I'll definitely call you if I need to leave in the future. Okay, is that all?" He hung up right away.

Zhang Heng smacked his head hard after hanging up the phone. He had to take note of everything that had happened after being bombarded by the other party, so he sent her a message instead. "Contact a number for me this afternoon. I need to acquire a pharmaceutical company in Singapore. If the other party is interested, you can meet with him and we can go to Singapore together."

Zhang Heng sighed with a bitter smile after sending that message. As his business grew, it was time for him to nurture the talents of his company.

Li Yiru was definitely one of the most capable and trustworthy candidates, while Fang Hao was the first one to be tested. If there was nothing wrong with Fang Hao's character and capabilities, Zhang Heng would consider grooming Fang Hao to become another high-ranking member of Stellar Technology.

Of course, the upper echelons of the company referred to the upper echelons who were in charge of the company's affairs on the surface. As for the candidates that were needed for the various plans to be carried out in the dark, Zhang Heng would need to take his time to decide.

Li Yiru was quite efficient. She contacted Zhang Heng at lunchtime and he gave her his current address. She arrived at his place in less than half an hour.

A knock was heard from the door of the hotel room and Zhang Heng opened the door right away. Li Yiru looked even more mature after not seeing her for several months. She was dressed in a black business suit and wore black silk stockings without any decorations on her legs. She wore black high heels on her feet, making her look like some kind of elite.

"You…" However, the glee on Li Yiru's face froze when she saw Zhang Heng and she was stunned.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Heng touched his face and asked, feeling puzzled.

"Your aura has changed a lot." Li Yiru came back to her senses and said with a complicated look on her face, "If I hadn't known that you were my old classmate, I would have thought that you went out to be a killer."

"A killer?"

"There's something cold and stifling about you, like you're suffocating." Li Yiru shook her head and walked into the room right away from Zhang Heng, chuckling as she said, "Maybe it's because you're my boss now."

Zhang Heng shook his head and thought to himself that women had very good instincts.

The two of them didn't talk much about that topic as they had a tacit understanding of each other. Zhang Heng closed the door and returned to his seat.

"Why are you staying here?" Li Yiru couldn't help but frown when she saw the shabby facilities in the hotel.

"This place is near the company building. You can inspect the construction site at any time," Zhang Heng said casually and pointed at the sofa at the side. "Look for a place to sit. Pour yourself some water if you'd like. How about it? Have you contacted the Kangbo Company?"

"Yes, I've managed to get in touch with him. He's very friendly and said that if you're interested in acquiring something, you could come to Singapore for a field trip."

Li Yiru straightened herself and put on a formal expression. "The Cambell Pharmaceutical Company was founded in '05, with a registered capital of 30 million USD. The company is located in the Qio Biopharmaceutical Garden in the Yi Science and Technology City of Singapore. It has a small sterile laboratory and a small factory with seven production lines. The development goal is to develop drug brands such as research and development, as well as manufacture arthritis. Currently, there are 108 workers in the company, with 69 professionals in medicine, pharmaceutical, and chemical engineering. However, due to not being able to find a risky investment, the research and development failed and the company was on the verge of bankruptcy."

"Very good. What's his price then?" Zhang Heng nodded calmly.

"US $50 million." Li Yiru frowned and continued, "He said that the price couldn't be lowered any further. That's the lowest price."

"Alright, just do as he says."

"Isn't that price a little too high?" Li Yiru was stunned for a bit. It wasn't like they were just playing house. How could they just decide to buy a company like that so easily? If not, what was with the inspection?

"Suit yourself, but I'm in a hurry. I need to buy that company as soon as possible." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively, unwilling to talk about the price. He wasn't a businessman after all, and what he sought was something more valuable than money.

Li Yiru was good at everything except having her own views. Zhang Heng preferred obedient subordinates, but he didn't say anything on account of her capabilities.

Li Yiru opened her mouth and was about to say something when she saw Zhang Heng's irritated expression and sighed.

She realized that she was no longer able to do as she pleased before Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng felt a sense of oppression from someone in a superior position, which was not something that was expressed on purpose, but something that could only be slowly nurtured through prolonged mastery of life and death.

It was obvious that Zhang Heng had experienced something while he was gone.

Li Yiru slowly buried the admiration and disappointment she felt deep down in her heart. She straightened her posture and asked again, "By the way, didn't you say that you were going to show me a product? Where is it? You should know that the employees have been feeding the sheep for the past few months. It would be too easy for them if I didn't get them jobs."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Zhang Heng recalled something at that moment and took out a test tube sealed at the top from the drawer. The test tube was only about 10 centimeters long and about a centimeter thick. There were about a dozen milliliters of sticky substance that were emitting a faint fluorescent light in the tube, making it look crystal-clear and dazzling.

"What's that?" Li Yiru's eyes were wide open when she saw the test tube. It was obvious that women were naturally immune to shiny objects.

"Antifreeze Nanopharmaceuticals." Zhang Heng finally wore a smile at that moment. "This is a new epoch-making product that I've just synthesized. It's a drug that could seep water molecules into every single human cell, making it so that the water in the body wouldn't freeze even if it was below zero."

"Huh?" Li Yiru was stunned and seemed to have yet to come to her senses. "What could this function be used for?"

"Human cryonics." Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "There are quite a number of cryonics out there these days. The most famous one would probably be the 'Alcohol Fund for Survival'. However, instead of calling them human cryonics, it would be more apt to call them cryonics conservation agencies. Without the cryonics technology required to thaw and revive, could they still be considered human cryonics?"

"However, the drug that I've synthesized is different. The most important part of the drug is that it could be cryogenic and had a 100 percent chance of revival. Do you think we could build an organization like the 'Alcohol Foundation for Survival' with that?"

72. To Singapore

While the antifreeze had been reported internationally and applied for certification and patent, it would still take several months for the drug to be approved. Zhang Heng couldn't afford to waste his time waiting.

Time was his life to him. Instead of waiting around with nothing better to do, he might as well prepare for the next step of the foundation-binding plan.

The second step of the 'Foundation Binding Project' was to set up an organization similar to the 'Alcohol Foundation for Survival'.

He had perfected cryogenic and thawing techniques, which was not something that the Alcohol Foundation's half-baked cryogenic body could compare with. Once the effects of the antifreeze were announced, thousands of people suffering from terminal illnesses and nearing the end of their lifespans would flock to him.

No one could resist the allure of being alive. That was the instinct of life.

Why was no one interested in the Alcohol Foundation? Why was it known as a fraud organization? That was because the Alcohol Foundation had no cryogenic technology at all. All they could do was freeze the dead, hoping to preserve their bodies and resurrect themselves using advanced technology.

The organization that Zhang Heng wanted to set up had developed technologies like antifreeze. As such, Zhang Heng was able to make a lot of profit from it, and that was only secondary.

More importantly, he could also choose some customers who had enough money and power to use the 'Alpha Immortality Project' as a decoy to recruit new members to expand the foundation's connections and influence.

As soon as the plan was carried out, Zhang Heng would be able to grab the necks of countless rich and powerful people and make use of their power to spread to the rest of the world, achieving his ultimate goal.

Of course, Zhang Heng didn't bother to explain the true meaning of the plan to Li Yiru. He simply explained the plan that was laid out on the surface—to set up a cryogenic research institute based on mature cryogenic technology, and then wait for the money to come in.

It was a project with unlimited business opportunities and was even more profitable than the T-1 project.

Li Yiru took a deep breath and took quite a while to calm down. "Are you sure you're not joking with me? Is this drug really able to prevent water from freezing the human body?"

"That's right. I've applied for verification from CfDA, FDA, and a number of other drug regulators. The verification process should take some time before it's approved. When that happens, Stellar Technology will be world-renowned."

Zhang Heng nodded. He planned to put the drug's reputation on the shoulders of the Stellar Biotech Corporation and announce to the world that the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation was a nonprofit organization established for the sake of the human cryogenic program. With so many rich and powerful people frozen in the research institute, the authorities would have to think twice before making a move against him.

"Well then, what do you mean by calling me here?" Li Yiru's expression changed drastically. She had completely lost the ability to think when faced with something that had transcended time.

"I've got a mission for you." Zhang Heng flashed a mischievous grin and continued, "You'll be able to prepare a construction plan for the cryogenic research institute after the inspection in Singapore is over. But not right now. I'm just giving you a heads up."

…

Li Yiru took a stack of data and left the hostel after a long conversation. Zhang Heng handed all the procedures to her to handle, as it was not a secret mission and there was no need for Corona to alter the data online.

Li Yiru was very efficient and managed to get her passport and visa approved in just four days.

The three of them boarded the international flight to Singapore on the 15th day after Zhang Heng returned from the Alien plane.

Zhang Heng was able to reach the Changi International Airport in Singapore after flying for only five hours and 40 minutes. He was able to see the city of Singapore, which was well-organized, with skyscrapers everywhere, as well as the huge and busy Yoshiba port. He was even able to make out the deep blue Singapore River flowing in the city.

Despite being a small country, that tiny country found a way to thrive on its own. Singapore was known for being one of the most international countries in the world, with stable political structures and clean, efficient governments.

The three of them entered Zhangyi Airport after the plane arrived and waited for inspection to begin. Li Yiru walked at the very front, Zhang Heng walked in the middle, and Fang Hao walked at the back lazily.

The immigration officer inspecting the window was a middle-aged Malay man with tanned skin. He had a neat mustache and looked very businesslike.

The Malay man took a look at Li Yiru's passport when the immigration officer was checking it and let her in without saying anything. However, when it was Zhang Heng's turn, the Malay man frowned for the first time.

"What are you doing in Singapore?" the immigration officer asked suddenly.

"Business," Zhang Heng said casually.

"You haven't graduated from college yet, have you?" The immigration officer looked doubtful.

"It's your business whether you believe me or not. It's none of my business." Zhang Heng looked into the man's eyes with a deadpan expression. The Malay man suddenly felt an indescribable chill running down his spine and goosebumps all over his body. He quickly averted his gaze.

While he had no idea what he was afraid of, he couldn't help but feel terrified when he saw the young man's eyes, as if he was a mouse that had run into a cat. It felt like the young man was about to pounce on him and tear him to pieces at any moment.

What a joke. Zhang Heng had been training in the virtual space for over 10 years, and every single training session was a life and death battle. It could be said that Zhang Heng's mentality was completely different from that of humans living in the real world.

If he was willing, he could enter a state of slaughter at any time. He was on guard against every single move made by those around him.

The flow of air, the heartbeats of people, the friction between his clothes, the movement of his muscles… Every single person who walked past him had their looks, build, movements, and demeanor analyzed by his subconscious. He analyzed every single person who would do something in the very next moment, and the chances of them attacking him in the very next second. All of that was summarized by his brain's analysis and experience.

As such, Zhang Heng's application of his aura and demeanor had reached the acme of perfection. A casual look from him would cause one to feel extremely threatened, and those with weaker mental fortitude might even faint from over secreting adrenaline.

According to the usual way of putting it, one look was enough to make the more timid pass out.

"Huff huff…" The Malay man only panted heavily when Zhang Heng walked past the security checkpoint. He no longer had any intentions of making things difficult for Zhang Heng, but there was also an indescribable rage deep within him.

Fang Hao, who was walking at the very back, looked at the Malay man with a puzzled look and handed the passport he was wearing to the man in a casual manner. That sullen Malay man felt as if he had been insulted after seeing what Fang Hao did.

"Are you out of your mind?" The Malay man vented all of his pent-up rage and glowered at the innocent-looking Fang Hao. He threw the passport back at Fang Hao and shouted, "Get back in line right now!"

Fang Hao was baffled. He looked at Li Yiru, who had stopped walking, and frowned after seeing her nod. He then walked to the back of the queue without saying a word and got back in line.

"There's nothing you can do about it. Don't be unreasonable. This isn't China. You can't do anything about it." Li Yiru took a look at Zhang Heng, who remained completely unfazed, and reminded him, "If things go wrong, you'll be sent back to your country. That would be troublesome."

Zhang Heng shook his head speechlessly and didn't say anything else.

Zhang Heng and the other two waited for about half an hour before it was finally Fang Hao's turn for the immigration inspection.

73. Killing Them All

"Go to the interrogation room and get further checked," the immigration officer said grumpily before he handed the passport to her.

"Why?"

"That's because when you were getting your visa in China, you said that you were here to talk about business. However, I couldn't tell that you were someone from the business world at all. I suspect that you have some ulterior motives for keeping this a secret." That man continued coldly, "If you don't want to be deported back to China, please cooperate with us immediately."

"F * * k! Work with your mother!" Fang Hao was completely enraged. He had never been subjected to such treatment in his entire life. However, he immediately regretted what he just said, as he saw three bouncers heading straight for him and looked like they were about to push him down.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself. Things had gotten to such a point that there was no way he could just let Fang Hao be deported. He took out his phone and called the number that Corona had set.

"Commander." Corona's voice was heard from the other end as soon as the call was connected.

"Call Joshua Williams immediately."

"Understood." That simple line of his was as simple and efficient as ever. Corona would never ask why, what happened, or any other questions.

At that moment, Joshua, who was far away in the US, was handling some affairs at his villa in Linhai. Due to the usurpation of power, the entire family was feeling rather unstable. However, they had been suppressed by his iron fist policies and would be able to return to normal in less than a month.

However, a number that he had never seen before appeared on his phone at that moment. He was slightly stunned and was about to reject the call, but something seemed to have gone wrong with the phone and he picked it up himself.

"Hello, this is Zhang Heng." A steady man's voice was heard from the other end of the phone. Judging from the tone of the voice, he didn't sound very old.

However, at that moment, Joshua was stunned. Zhang Heng was the name that he had seen the most in recent days. Due to the Stellar Vitality Science Foundation and logo, Joshua's family's intelligence department was able to easily trace the name to the Stellar Biotech Corporation. As the company's only legal representative and chairman, there was no way Zhang Heng would be able to escape being investigated.

The mysterious person in charge of the foundation was very straightforward in the email that followed, stating that Stellar Technology was a company under the foundation, and that Zhang Heng was the spokesperson of the foundation on the surface. His status in the foundation was no less than that of the members of the board.

As such, Joshua picked up the phone right away. "I'm Joshua Williams. Nice to hear your voice."

"Mr. Williams, I have a favor to ask of you." Zhang Heng didn't bother trying to be polite over the phone and went straight to the point. "A friend of mine was stopped by an immigration officer at Zhangi Airport and could very well be deported back home. As such, I need your help."

Joshua was stunned and his eyes narrowed immediately. The Williams family had a very deep influence in the political circles of Singapore. That was something that no one but a handful of people knew about, not even the locals of Singapore. He didn't expect them to be able to get to the bottom of this.

"No problem. I'll inform the relevant personnel to take care of it right away and get that immigration officer to pay the price he deserves." Williams didn't ask how the other party knew all that. At his level, he needed to think carefully before he was able to say anything. If he were to be careless, he could easily cause unnecessary trouble.

"Thank you."

The call ended.

Zhang Heng's phone call took less than 20 seconds. Fang Hao had just been detained by two security personnel and Fang Hao struggled with all his might. However, he was unable to fight against four people at once. Just when Fang Hao was about to be taken away, a fat bald man rushed out of the guard room.

"What the hell are you doing?!" The bald man was holding the phone in his hand, seemingly having just gotten through to them. He looked furious as he pointed at the security guard and the immigration officer and shouted, "What the hell are you doing? Is this how you treat your guests in Singapore?"

"Sir, there's something wrong with that guy's data…" That immigration officer pointed at Fang Hao and was stunned.

Typically speaking, he wouldn't appear unless something major happened, and he definitely wouldn't interfere with their inspection. Furthermore, while the other party was his superior, they were on very good terms in private. There was no way he would make things difficult for him at a time like this, unless…

That immigration officer seemed to have recalled something and looked around awkwardly at the crowd watching the show. He said to Fang Hao, who was put down by the security guard who was at a loss of what to do, "I'm sorry, but it's a technical problem. There's nothing wrong with this Mr. Fang Hao…"

"Get ready to write your resignation letters, the three of you." The bald man glared at the three of them before walking up to Fang Hao and personally escorted him out of the security checkpoint. "Dear Mr. Fang Hao, please don't mind. I'll give you a satisfactory answer from the three of them."

Fang Hao scratched his head and waved his hand dismissively. "No need. We don't need to deal with those three. They're just following the rules…"

Zhang Heng then patted Fang Hao's shoulder from behind and walked up to the man with a smile. "Thank you for helping us out. I believe that you'll do what you say."

"Yes, yes!" The bald man felt his heart skip a beat when he heard that. It was only then that he realized that the man before him was the real mastermind behind all of that. He nodded and bowed, saying, "Please rest assured that the three of them will definitely be fired and will never be hired."

Zhang Heng nodded before turning around and leaving under the astonished gazes of the crowd. The three people behind the bald man were utterly devastated, leaving only resentment and regret written all over their faces.

Discussions were heard from the crowd only after the three of them left. All of them were trying to guess who Zhang Heng and the other two were, to be able to dismiss an immigration officer who was deemed to have a lot of authority.

One had to know that foreigners would usually have to listen to the opinions of the local immigration officials when they went overseas. If the officials said that one could do it, one could do it. If the officials said that one could not do it, one could not do it either. There was simply no logic to it.

It was only when they walked out of the airport that Fang Hao said in a rather glum manner, "Boss, why are they giving you so much face?"

"I just happened to know a friend in the business, and that's all I need." Zhang Heng shook his head and refused to say anything else. Li Yiru took a good look at him from the side.

She was far more knowledgeable than Fang Hao, as she was the only one who knew just how powerful the influence of a friend from the National Immigration Bureau was. Not even her father could do something like that.

"But… boss, aren't we going too far?" Fang Hao opened his mouth and said, as if he had put in a lot of courage, "The other party is just doing his job. We could have just asked his boss to give him a lecture. There's no need to go to the extreme, is there?"

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. "Are you questioning my decision?"

"No, no…" Fang Hao felt his heart skip a beat for some reason. It was the first time he felt an invisible pressure from a boss who looked about his age. "I just feel like…"

Zhang Heng sighed to himself and his gaze softened yet again. Fang Hao could be said to be one of the people who had been with him for the longest time. Zhang Heng wouldn't reprimand Fang Hao just because he owed Fang Hao a favor. He simply said in a low voice, "All you see is how pitiful Fang Hao is. Have you thought about how pitiful others are?"

"The others?"

"If someone else were to run into something like what happened to you, and that person came to Singapore to see his seriously ill family for the last time, it would have been an extravagant hope for him to see his family for the last time because of the immigration officer. Tell me, is that immigration officer detestable?" Zhang Heng asked quietly.

"If you think about it that way, he is indeed detestable." Fang Hao's expression became more serious. "But those security guards…"

"Those bouncers are nothing but rats in a pack." Zhang Heng's tone left no room for doubt. "Those bouncers have been at the security checkpoint the entire time. How could they not have realized that the immigration officer was just trying to make things difficult for you? Yet, not only did they not stop the immigration officer, they even colluded with him. That's what they did."

"If you've done something bad, you need to be mentally prepared for the consequences. Do you understand? If you want to blame someone, blame yourself. If it hadn't been for him trying to interfere with us, why would we want to kill him?"

Fang Hao wanted to say something else, but Li Yiru stopped him and he had no choice but to shut up.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself, feeling utterly disappointed. He hadn't expected that the man who had been with him for the longest time would be such a brainless saint, thinking for his enemies. If she wasn't some brain-dead saint, then what was she? In Zhang Heng's mind, no matter how pitiful her enemies were, as long as they were his enemies, he would do everything he could to destroy them. Being kind to his enemies meant being cruel to himself.

What a joke. Fang Hao couldn't even see through such basic principles. How was he going to help him take control of the company in the future? There would definitely be a lot of shady dealings going on in his company in the future—human experimentation, smuggling of firearms, evidence of destruction, and so on. All of that would require someone to share the burden with him. However, given Fang Hao's brain-dead, saint-like personality, Zhang Heng didn't hesitate to dismiss him from his list of potential trainers.

Perhaps, only those Marvel superheroes who clamored to fight the evil forces while swearing never to kill would suit Fang Hao's personality. Every time he defeated his enemies, he would simply not kill them out of mercy, instead waiting for them to rise again and kill more people.

Zhang Heng almost laughed out loud every time he saw such a scene. Such pedantic kindness would only end up killing more innocent people.

There were times when Zhang Heng would laugh at his own status. He was just like all those superheroes, existing to save the world and humanity.

However, Zhang Heng would never be able to become a superhero, as he would never be as melodramatic and pedantic as those superheroes. On the contrary, he would only resort to the most effective methods to solve problems, even if he had to sacrifice a small number of people.

That was Zhang Heng, an average nobody who focused on his own interests.

74. Targeted

The atmosphere among the three became rather gloomy all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng paid no further attention to Fang Hao's thoughts and took the lead. He saw two black sedans parked not far away as soon as he got out of the airport, and there was a tall, skinny Chinese man wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and a grey suit standing beside the car.

"May I know if the three of you are from Stellar Technology?" The lanky man asked right away when he saw Zhang Heng and the other two.

"I'm Li Yiru, the one who contacted you. This is my boss, Zhang Heng, CEO Zhang." Li Yiru walked between the two of them and introduced them in a familiar manner according to the rules of the business world.

"Nice to meet you, President Zhang. I'm truly impressed. I didn't expect the boss of Stellar Technology to be so young. According to Huaxia, young people really are the heroes of the world." The tall, skinny man wore a look of surprise on his face and clapped Zhang Heng on the back without making a sound. "I'm Zhu Fugui, and my ancestors are Huaxians, Changxi of Huaxia."

"Not at all. I've long heard of the name of that entrepreneur, Zhu Fugui." Zhang Heng shook hands with the man and said casually, "There's still a lot that I need to learn. As an elite in the business world, you must definitely give me some pointers when you have the time."

"No, no, no. We should be giving each other pointers."

The two of them chatted for a bit before Zhu Fugui opened the door and invited Zhang Heng into the car, while Li Yiru and Fang Hao got into another car.

Zhu Fugui was the legal representative and boss of the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company. He had immigrated to Singapore when he was young and had worked hard for most of his life to finally set up a small company like the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company. He had initially thought that he would be able to thrive there and then, but he was simply too ambitious and went after the minefield of small companies—drug development.

As modern medicine became more advanced, the cost of developing new drugs and the technical requirements of the new drug became higher. The development of the drug became increasingly difficult. It was not something that a small company like the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company, which was worth tens of millions of US dollars, could afford.

The emergence of a new drug would not only require a lot of money, but it would also require corresponding talent and luck. The Hui Rui Group invested billions of US dollars in researching new drugs every year, yet they still ended up losing everything they had. One could tell from that alone just how difficult it was to develop new drugs in the world.

That was the reason why most pharmaceutical companies in the world had the ability to develop new drugs. However, the pharmaceutical industry was indeed a very lucrative one. Despite the difficulty of the research and development process, the profits would still be huge once a patent and new drug with massive value was developed.

For example, the anti-cancer drug, Gleeve, was a first-rate drug developed by the Novartis Pharmaceutical Company to treat leukemia, with an effective rate of 95%. It was also used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors and achieved definite results. Gleeve's market price in Huaxia was 23,500 yuan a box, and one box could be used for about a month. The annual cost of the drug was over 280,000 yuan. In actual fact, Gleeve's manufacturing cost was only a few US dollars per box, which was only 50 yuan.

The drug that cost 50 yuan was sold for over 20 thousand yuan in Huaxia. Other than the fact that half of the cost was due to the patent charged by Novartis, the rest of the profit was taken by the hospitals and dealers.

Huaxia's drug imports had to go through at least three rounds of sales before they were able to get to the hospital. The average premium on each floor was between 5% and 7%. Furthermore, due to the existence of the 'Medicine Support' system, Huaxia Hospital was still able to raise the actual price by 10 to 15%. All of these reasons overlapped with each other and eventually led to the existence of sky-high prices.

The reason for all of this was that Huaxian Pharmaceuticals didn't dare to develop new drugs on their own, and would rather spend a lot of patent fees to manufacture other people's drugs. No matter what, he was still earning money.

As such, after finding out that Zhu Fugui had actually taken the initiative to develop a new drug, Zhang Heng actually felt a lot of admiration for the young man. Regardless of how capable the young man was, at the very least, he dared to do something like that.

Zhu Fugui seemed to know that the man before him was definitely some kind of financial backer and was very polite to Zhang Heng. Not only did he come to the airport to receive the three of them, but he even booked three standard rooms in a five-star hotel and hosted a reception for Zhang Heng before visiting his company.

Zhang Heng asked Zhu Fugui to take him to the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company's laboratory right after dinner. The laboratory was located in the Qiao Biopharmaceutical Garden in the Weiwei Technology City. There was also a pharmaceutical workshop in the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company, but the location of the workshop was rather far away, on Jurong Island, which was located on the southwest coast of Singapore.

Jurong Island was a man-made island connected to Singapore by seafilling. It was about 10 kilometers away from the city and had a total area of 32 square kilometers. It was where the factories of Singapore were located and a huge number of chemical plants were gathered.

Zhang Heng got into the car and Zhu Fugui discussed for a bit before deciding that the first stop would be the laboratory. It was only after the tour of the laboratory was over that it was his turn to take a look at the pharmaceutical workshop.

The combination of a country and a city like Singapore gave people the unique impression that the place was neat and tidy. Be it the skyscrapers found in the city or the wide green roads, everything about the place gave people a sense of clarity and speed. Furthermore, Singapore was known as one of the cities with the best security in the world and the police were very efficient.

Zhang Heng sat in the car and looked outside. While it was true that the place was clean, it didn't seem to live up to its reputation of having good security. That was because he had discovered that there was a black Mercedes-Benz that had been following him from the moment he got off the plane.

The license plate of that car was indeed the Singapore license plate, but due to the refraction of light from the glass, he was unable to see what was happening inside the car. He was only able to see that the other party was hanging at the back of his car from two to three seats away and had been following him for several streets.

Zhang Heng turned around without batting an eyelid and continued exchanging pleasantries with Zhu Fugui. The car drove into the Biopharmaceutical Garden in less than half an hour.

"Chief Zhang, this is the building where my laboratory is located." Zhu Fugui got out of the car when the car pulled up in front of a pillar-like building. He pointed ahead and said, "The laboratories of dozens of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world are gathered in this biotechnology building. There are also quite a number of public laboratories available. If you were to acquire our company and you're not satisfied with our small-scale laboratories, you could also rent more advanced laboratory equipment. We have everything you need here."

"I hope so." Zhang Heng smiled and walked into the building under Zhu Fugui's guidance. However, he saw three or four bouncers standing on either side of the building as soon as he walked into the lobby. If outsiders wanted to get into the building, they would have to register and receive the bouncers. The security was very strict.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily after seeing how orderly the place was before taking the elevator with Zhu Fugui to the 32nd floor, where a metallic door was placed before him.

"This is our company's exclusive laboratory. We spent nearly 10 million USD to buy it back then, unlike how it is now. We wouldn't be able to buy it even if we had the money to buy it. We would only be able to rent it," Zhu Fugui said proudly.

Zhang Heng nodded to himself. It was precisely because he had his eye on that laboratory that he was willing to spend so much money to buy that company. Otherwise, a pharmaceutical company that had no reputation and was on the verge of bankruptcy wouldn't have been worth him spending 50 million USD to buy it.

He saw Zhu Fugui leaning against the window by the door and checking his iris and fingerprint with a serious look on his face. Very quickly, the red light on the door turned green with a beep and a crack was immediately seen on the seamless door.

"Please come in. As this is a sterile laboratory, please don't forget to put on your dust-proof suits." Zhu Fugui gestured politely.

Zhang Heng nodded and went straight to a changing room after entering. He changed into a dark yellow dustproof suit before entering the laboratory. The entire laboratory was divided into three rooms by reinforced glass walls. One of them was a testing room, while the other two were a synthetic room and a laboratory.

"All of those instruments are brand new and took less than half a year to operate, especially in the testing room. The machines in there have only been turned on a few times and were all imported from Europe and the US." Zhu Fugui pointed at those instruments and said.

Zhang Heng took a look around and found that the equipment looked shiny and new. It was true that none of the new equipment had been used before, but the level of advanced technology was questionable. If Zhang Heng wanted to nurture the first batch of clones here, he would need to purchase the equipment himself.

Zhang Heng lost all interest in visiting the place at that thought. He was only there to observe how top-secret the place was and the size of the space inside. It seemed that the security standards of the place had been met, just that the space wasn't that big. However, Zhang Heng knew that if he were to mass-produce clones, he wouldn't be able to solve the problem with just one laboratory. He would need an assembly line factory, which served as the first batch of clones.

Zhu Fugui took Zhang Heng to the pharmaceutical workshop after taking a tour of the laboratory. He could tell that Zhang Heng didn't think much of it, and he went on to talk about the advantages of his company as if he wasn't talking about a company that had gone bankrupt, but a company that was ranked in the top 500 in the world instead.

Zhang Heng kept a close eye on the car as he made his way there. As expected, the car was still following him, but he had no idea if the car was after Zhu Fugui or him.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself as soon as he reached Yulang Island. The pharmaceutical workshop of the Kangbo Pharmaceuticals was only about two acres in size, and it was located at a critical junction of traffic. There were large-scale chemical plants on both sides of the factory, with people coming and going all the time, making it impossible for them to be used as an assembly line manufacturer for clones.

Zhang Heng lost all interest in visiting the place after seeing that. He followed Zhu Fugui around for a bit before heading straight home, where he made an agreement with Zhu Fugui to sign the acquisition contract at noon the next day.

Zhu Fugui was very excited about the fact that both parties had come to an agreement on what to do and insisted on taking Zhang Heng out to have fun that night. However, Zhang Heng refused to do so.

It was evening by the time they got back to the hotel that Zhu Fugui booked for the three of them. Zhang Heng went back to his room after casually eating some of the Singapore-based delicacies and looked downstairs with narrowed eyes.

The Mercedes-Benz was still parked downstairs.

It seemed like the other party was indeed after him.

75. Stalking

The night in Singapore was filled with vibrant colors as far as the eye could see from the coastline, making the city look like a sea of stars.

The dreamy Bay Garden on the Coast and the resplendent Golden Sand Bay Hotel were both filled with an air of artistry, making it impossible for anyone to resist his charm. One could see the busy night scenery on both sides of the glittering Singapore River as well as the world's largest ferris wheel spinning slowly in the night sky, making it look like they were flying to the nine heavens.

However, none of that had anything to do with Zhang Heng.

He wore a cap, a disposable mask, and a pair of gloves before walking out of his room without making a sound.

"Target has left the room."

"It's 11 P.M. Where is he going?"

"I'm not concerned about where the target is going. All I care about is if we can keep an eye on him 24 / 7. You're about to lose him, Leddy."

"Relax, boss. I didn't lose him. The target is in the elevator."

"He's heading to the bottom of the building. Let Leddy stay in the hotel while the rest of you get in the car!"

A man and a woman, who looked like a couple, immediately called for the bouncers in the lobby of the hotel after the order was issued. They walked out of the hotel after paying the bill.

The man and woman were both European-looking and looked to be in their mid-twenties. The woman wore a red evening gown and her blonde hair was styled in waves, making her look very attractive.

The man looked rather average, and the only thing that stood out about him was that he had lost a lot of weight. The two of them slowly walked away from the crowd before getting into the black Mercedes Benz parked in a corner.

The interior of the car was filled with smoke and a beefy-looking middle-aged man with a buzz cut was biting on a cigar and staring at the door of the hotel. He didn't budge even when the two of them got into the car.

"Boss, Ella and I haven't finished our candle-lit meal yet." The skinny man shrugged and grumbled as soon as he got into the car.

"Come on, Anderson. This is the last time. Don't even think about making me act like a couple with you in the future. Your breath stinks so bad that I'm about to pass out," the blonde woman said with a disgusted look on her face.

"My dear Ella, there will come a day when you'll understand the gentleness of a gentleman." The skinny man sighed.

"Alright, stop fooling around. The target is about to appear. Keep a close eye on him." The middle-aged man looked like a gorilla with small eyes, a huge mouth, and a ferocious-looking face. However, the moment he opened his mouth, a cold, murderous air was felt.

It was obvious that the middle-aged man held a lot of prestige in the team. The two who had been so eager to fight immediately shut up after hearing his voice, not daring to say anything else.

The middle-aged man's name was Hades, and he was once a captain of the US Delta Force. He joined the Blackwater International Corporation after retiring in the 1990s and was frequently involved in American foreign wars.

Hades was looking at the door of the hotel through the window at the moment. That was the mission objective that he received—to tail a man from Huaxia and collect all suspicious leads.

That mission was an urgent mission issued by an important client of the Black Water International Group. If it hadn't been for the fact that his team happened to be on vacation in Singapore, he probably wouldn't have been able to receive such a rewarding mission.

While such a mission appeared to be a very simple one, Hades had no intentions of underestimating his enemy. Despite his massive build and ferocious appearance, only those who knew him well would know that he was incredibly meticulous.

He would never underestimate any opponent at all, as that was the guarantee that he would be able to survive countless battles.

"Ding!"

The elevator doors finally opened and a young man wearing a black cap and a disposable blue mask slowly made his way out of the elevator. His face was completely covered, and only his eyes were exposed. If it hadn't been for Lydie keeping an eye on him, it would have been difficult for even Hades to recognize his target from tens of meters away.

"He seems to be getting ready to make a move. His cap would be able to block the cameras from reaching him from high above, and his mask would be able to mask his identity as a passerby. I knew it. He looks like the boss of a company on the surface, but does he actually have some kind of secret that he can't reveal?" Ella mumbled excitedly.

"Boss, the elevator has reached the bottom floor. He's out." Leddy's voice was heard from the speaker again.

"We've seen it all, Leddy. Now that he's out of the hotel, head to his room right away and see if you can find any valuable leads." Hades suddenly had a thought and gave that order.

The mission this time was very baffling. The person who issued the mission didn't give any details and only said that he wanted to collect any leads on that person. That was simply too vague and didn't fit the usual difficulty of the mission.

"Understood, boss."

Lydie was behaving as she usually did on the phone, but for some reason, Hades felt uneasy all of a sudden.

Having been on the battlefield for over 30 years, Hades developed an almost bestial instinct, which enabled him to survive the barrage of cannon fire on the battlefield. As such, Hades suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Be careful, Leddy!"

"…Okay, I'll be careful."

Leddy seemed to be stunned for a bit before replying.

Hades took a huge bite of his cigar and narrowed his gaze at the silhouette of his target. That silhouette had just walked out of the door of the hotel, but it was completely different from what everyone expected. That silhouette didn't take any cabs at the door, nor did he pick up any unidentified vehicles as they had anticipated. That silhouette simply pulled up his collar and headed north along the sidewalk.

"What is he up to?" The thin Anderson asked out of curiosity.

"I don't know what he's up to, but why don't we follow him and take a look?" Hades looked at the disappearing figures that were about to blend into the crowd and ordered, "Ella, Anderson, you guys go down and catch up with him. I'll drive behind to provide support."

"Alright, looks like our vacation is over." Anderson stretched and got out of the car with the blonde woman, following closely behind.

The interior of the car was immediately filled with smoke and silence after the two of them left the car. Hades leaned back in his chair and puffed on his cigar until he was unable to see the two of them anymore before he started the car and hung right behind them.

"Don't tell me he's just running around at night."

There were occasional grumbles from Anderson in his earpiece, but Hades remained expressionless. He was patient enough to wait for the other party to make a mistake. He had even laid an ambush on a tree for three days and three nights during a battle in Vietnam just to blow up his opponent's head at the very last moment. It was also because of that that he was eventually given the nickname 'Lone Wolf'.

"Boss, we've finished searching the room. He has nothing of value other than a few coats," Lydie's voice was heard suddenly.

"Forget about it then. Something of value might be in his pocket at the moment." Hades nodded. He hadn't held much hope in the first place, and while the mission looked simple, there was something off about it, which made the cunning Hades even more cautious.

That figure seemed to be walking in circles for the next hour, taking Ella and Anderson on foot for an hour. It wasn't until late at night when the crowd on the streets gradually thinned out that the three of them began to realize that something was off.

76. Conflict

It was nearing midnight and even in Singapore, where Nightless City was located, the streets were no longer as crowded.

Ella, who was on a tracking mission at the moment, held onto Anderson's arm and acted as if they were a couple. She would whisper into his ear at times and charm would flash in her eyes at other times as she hung behind her target, which was about 20 to 30 meters away.

His acting was flawless, just like that of an Oscar-winning actor.

There was a Mercedes-Benz moving slowly along the road about 30 to 40 meters behind the two of them.

The Mercedes didn't turn on its headlights and simply hovered behind the two of them at an extremely slow speed. It was apparent that Hades was a frequent driver of that kind of thing, and his driving skills were extremely proficient. The Mercedes didn't make a single sound under his control, and it would have been difficult for anyone not to notice that the car was moving at all if they hadn't been paying close attention.

"Boss, there are too few pedestrians out there. If we were to keep following them, we could easily be detected."

All of a sudden, he heard Ella's voice from his earpiece and Hades, who was in the car, frowned.

It was true that the target that they were tracking kept picking places where there were few people, intentionally or otherwise, instead of going to places like pubs and dance halls to have fun.

In truth, the few of them would rather go to such places than just wander around aimlessly.

Hades thought about it for a bit before saying, "If that's the case, follow them for another 10 minutes. If there are still no abnormalities with the other party, get in the car for the time being and change your clothes before following them."

"Understood."

Ella and Anderson didn't complain. In actual fact, compared to being on the battlefield, tracking and adjustment missions were considered very relaxing. At the very least, the two of them didn't have to worry about having their heads smashed by bullets fired from the dark.

The two of them continued to follow while Hades kept looking around in the car.

That sense of unease welled up in Hades' heart again for some reason, and he couldn't help but look at the empty streets outside the window. The pedestrians were nowhere to be seen on the sidewalks, and even the streets were completely empty. Occasionally, a car would pass by in a hurry, yet it was unable to bring away the silence in the wind.

The silence made even the dim streetlights look eerie.

"Something's not right!" Hades was on high alert right away. He couldn't tell what was wrong, but having been on the battlefield for over 30 years, he had developed an instinct that made him feel like a wild animal. He could only sense that if things were to continue like this, he would definitely be exposed to danger.

"Ella, Anderson, come back here first," Hades said in a low voice. "Get ready for the tracking after changing."

"Alright, boss… eh? Where's the target?" Anderson's voice was heard from the earpiece. He was just about to say something when his voice was suddenly replaced by bewilderment.

"What did you just say?" Hades looked into the distance right away. As expected, there was no one there other than Ella and Anderson. It was as if their target had melted into the night and disappeared into thin air.

"He didn't just disappear. He went into a side alley. Get him!" Ella's voice was heard as well. Hades saw Ella grab Anderson's arm in the very next second and the two of them ran into a side alley with no streetlights in sight.

"Wait!" Hades shouted, "Be careful of the traps!"

"Boss, since we can't find anything out from tracking him, we'll have to force the truth out of him. The mission this time is worth three million US dollars!" Ella said as she ran. "If he were to get away, all of our efforts would have been in vain!"

Hades looked hesitant after hearing that.

Should he give chase or not?

Hades had a conflicted look on his face as he made his choice at that moment. If it hadn't been for his instincts telling him that there was some kind of danger involved in this operation, he probably would have rushed forward to tie the other party up without any hesitation and used countless cruel methods to force the other party to reveal all of his secrets.

"Pursue him!" Hades was unable to resist the temptation of money at the very end of his train of thought. The mission this time was not to be paid per day as per usual, but to pay three million US dollars in one go.

Three million!

According to his daily salary of over 1,000 USD, he would need to work for nearly 10 years without eating or drinking for three million USD.

Furthermore, the other party was just a regular Huaxian who had never been on the battlefield before. He had three people on his side. While both Ash and Anderson were not very strong, they were still considered top-notch mercenaries when compared to him. If they were regular soldiers, the two of them could easily kill over four to five people on their own.

Hades began to realize that he had been overthinking things at that thought. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes and he stepped on the accelerator. The Mercedes rumbled violently and the tires screeched as the entire car shot out like an arrow.

Hades yanked the wheel hard after flying for less than 50 meters. A deafening screech was heard as the car swerved beautifully and dashed into a dark and narrow alley on the right.

"Chi!"

The screeching of brakes was heard as Hades steadily blocked the entrance of the alley.

With the help of the headlights, he was able to see that their target was still standing where he was, as if he had been scared stiff.

Up ahead, Anderson and Ella were like cheetahs pouncing on their prey at a 100-meter sprint, catching their prey in the blink of an eye.

That was what Hades saw.

However, just when Anderson was about to reach him and grab hold of both of his hands, the latter suddenly moved.

The left hand of the target suddenly moved, striking Anderson's face with lightning speed and precision.

"Bam!"

The crisp sound of a whip hitting something was heard. Anderson, a Caucasian man with a height of 185 centimeters and a weight of 90 kilograms, leaped into the air and spun in midair before crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.

To be able to send a grown man weighing 90 kilograms flying with a single slap, just what kind of power was that?

Shock was seen in Ella's eyes, who was right behind him. However, she was unable to retreat in time and had no choice but to leap into the air as soon as she was in front of her opponent, locking her legs at his throat with her own inertia.

That was a move that would allow the weak to win against the strong in a free-for-all battle. It was also an extremely powerful move that relied on the flexibility and coordination of the user. The best of the best could even send their opponent flying three to four meters away, dealing double damage to both the enemy's body and throat.

It was obvious that Ella was one of the true experts among them. Most opponents would have been rendered completely flustered and unable to defend against such a move. It was a pity that Ella had chosen the wrong opponent.

"Chi…"

A slight rubbing sound was heard and his opponent realized what was happening right away. He slipped and appeared right beside Ella like a shadow. He raised his right elbow slightly and stabbed at Ella's stomach with the momentum of his opponent's body.

"Oh!"

Ella grunted in midair and fell hard to the ground. She struggled for a bit before she stopped moving altogether.

It took only two seconds for the two elite fighters, Anderson and Ella, to lose their fighting capacity in quick succession. Their speed and movements were so fast that even Hades felt as if he was seeing things.

77. Complete Annihilation

However, given that he was a special forces soldier who had been on the battlefield for over 30 years, such feelings of shock were quickly forgotten after circling around in Hades' mind for a bit. He had long gotten used to the feeling of being on the verge of death after years of fighting.

There was no time to hesitate on the battlefield as the danger level of the target was raised drastically. Hades took out the Glock 18 strapped to his waist and loaded, extended his arm, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

It was done in one go.

His movements were swift and decisive, making him look like a trump card.

If the special forces were to be described as the best of the best among the military, then Hades would be the best among the special forces. With a distance of less than 10 meters, even an ant like Hadison would be able to hit him 100 times over.

However, the man seemed to have been electrocuted as soon as he pulled the trigger. His entire body shuddered violently and he was able to shift himself about half a meter away from the man.

The bullet that should have been able to reach his chest went right past him.

Hades was stunned for a bit after failing to land a hit and pulled the trigger again without hesitation.

"Bang!"

However, Hades felt his heart thump as soon as he pulled the trigger. His second shot missed while he was still being watched by that eerie silhouette.

Damn it, how did he do that?

The bullet was fired at a speed of 380 meters per second, which was not something that humans could react to. There was no other way to evade the bullet other than to anticipate it beforehand.

Blackwater International had done a special "data-based evasion experiment" to evade bullets before. Generally speaking, from the time the gun was aimed at the target to the time it took for the gun to be fired, not only did one need to be able to react quickly, but one also needed muscle coordination between the hands and the eyes, as well as proficiency, and a variety of other factors. Regular people would need about 0.5 seconds, while gunmen would need about 0.3 seconds. Monsters like Hades, who trained their reaction speed and muscle coordination to the limit of humans, would need about 0.2 seconds.

0.2 seconds. Regular people wouldn't be able to react in time, much less evade.

In actual fact, it wasn't enough for him to react in time. He needed to add the time needed for his body to move, which meant that he needed more than 0.2 seconds, but more than 0.4 seconds.

In other words, it was impossible for regular people to calculate the trajectory of a bullet and evade it in front of someone who was good with a gun, unless their reaction speed was three times that of regular people.

Hades' shooting prowess was something that no regular gunman would be able to match. If he wanted to evade Hades' shots, he would have given his opponent no more than 0.2 seconds to evade. Even if his opponent's speed and reflexes were three times that of normal people, he still wouldn't be able to do so.

However, such an impossible feat actually happened at that very moment.

"Could it be a coincidence?"

Hades didn't dare to imagine what would happen. The sense of danger that he sensed in his mind had reached a very high level. If he was unable to hit his opponent with a single shot, he would just have to keep firing.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang…"

Hades turned on his combo mode right away and all he saw was the flames of bullets being fired and the sound of gunshots ringing in his ears.

The Glock 18 was a fully automatic handgun with a semi-automatic and fully automatic mode. All bullets would be emptied in two to three seconds after fully automatic, and its firepower was no less than that of a submachine gun. Once fired, the bullets would hit like a metal storm.

No matter how fast and reflexive his opponent was, there was simply no way he could evade such a barrage of bullets.

If he were to hit a vital spot, he would definitely be severely injured.

All twenty rounds were fired in less than two seconds and Hades felt his vision go blank. He quickly closed his eyes and tried to regain his vision.

Boom!

However, before Hades was able to regain his sight, he felt the front of the car sink all of a sudden. There was a dull thud and the windscreen on the car shattered as a huge hand grabbed at him at lightning speed.

"Ah!"

Hades was so enraged that he extended his arms to block the attack. However, that massive hand of his seemed to have been cast from steel as it forced his arms apart and grabbed his collar.

Boom!

Hades felt his entire body lighten at the very next second, as if he was riding on clouds. He was actually dragged out of the windshield and thrown into the air.

If anyone were to see what was happening right now, they would have been shocked to the core. A regular young man was able to throw a brawny man who was nearly two meters tall and weighed over 110 kilograms outside the car window with a single hand like he was picking up a chicken. The man was sent flying five to six meters away.

Despite feeling extremely shocked, Hades was able to instinctively maintain his balance while he was still in mid-air. He was only able to roll forward for a bit after crashing into the ground and managed to throw off the impact. However, his heart sank completely after leaving the car.

He had lost his companions, weapons, and transportation tools. Would he be able to escape from monsters capable of evading bullets?

The tallest of the three was about 175 centimeters tall and had a very thin build. His thighs were not even as thick as his arms. In his mind, the man was nothing more than a yellow-skinned monkey.

However, that frail-looking body of his had pushed him into a corner that he had never encountered before.

Hades stood before the car with a dazed look while his opponent stood on the hood of the car.

The blinding headlights obscured the man's appearance, yet Hades seemed to be able to see that pair of eyes that were so cold that they didn't look human at all.

What kind of eyes were those…

Hades had seen the eyes of countless enemies before—some were filled with yearning, some were filled with hatred, some were filled with resentment, and some were completely apathetic. However, none of those eyes were like that of that man before him, as if they were like cold, sharp blades that were able to pierce right into the most vulnerable part of his heart.

The way she looked at him was as if she was looking at a dead body. No, she wasn't even looking at her own kind. She was looking down on him from a position higher than that of humans.

"Let, let me go. I'll tell you who sent me."

Hades panted slightly as he pleaded in a rather feeble manner.

That was his only bargaining chip at the moment.

However, the only thing that answered him was the silhouette that was growing larger in his eyes.

The other party was so fast that he was able to squeeze himself into his line of sight with ease. Hades had only just gotten into a defensive stance when his stomach began to churn violently. He could even hear the crisp sound coming from his body.

Crack!

His opponent's fist didn't come into contact with his arm at all. Instead, the fist went through the cracks between his arms at an even faster speed, crushing his ribs.

"Ah!"

Blood dripped from the corner of Hades' mouth as he tried to grab his opponent like a madman, only to miss yet again. He felt another sharp pain from his right leg in the very next second and was unable to keep his balance any longer, falling flat on the ground.

He didn't realize that the other party had appeared by his side at some point and broke his joint with a single kick.

Hades grunted and wore a bitter, exasperated grin…

The difference in power was too great.

The speed and power that he was so proud of were as slow and powerless as babies before his opponent. Their combat prowess was on a completely different level.

He had never thought that there would be someone in the world who could possess such speed and power.

Did such monsters really exist in this world?

Hades passed out completely from shock…

…

The wind blew in Singapore at midnight.

The sea breeze brought with it a humid, salty smell. Zhang Heng pushed his cap down and saw three bodies lying before him.

He bent down slightly and searched the black bear-like, muscular American man for something. He was unable to find any evidence regarding the man's identity after searching for a bit.

He had no choice but to take out her phone and jot down the first 10 numbers on the call log.

Zhang Heng didn't hesitate after doing all of that. He kicked the ground and leaped up the wall of the alley like a monkey, disappearing into the dark night along the wall.

It was only when Zhang Heng disappeared that several passers-by who had heard the gunshots arrived. They quickly called for an ambulance and an alarm when they saw the scene.

Zhang Heng made use of the darkness of the night to return to the hotel where he was staying and took a meaningful look at the room next door. The last mercenary who was watching him had been scared out of his wits and fled the scene.

Zhang Heng went back to his room and gave Corona all 10 numbers he found on her phone. With Corona's abilities, there was nothing she couldn't find on the internet.

Zhang Heng soon got the answer he was looking for.

"Commander, according to the phone number you provided, I've found an assembly number that leads the Black Water International mission. The identity of the stalker should be the Black Water International Mercenary Group."

Corona's voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "I'm infiltrating the Blackwater International Mission Network right now. Please hold on for a moment… I've found out that the four people tailing you are a team of elite mercenaries. The leader of that team is Hades Hoffman, nicknamed Lone Wolf, an ace mercenary from the Blackwater International Mercenary Group who was once the captain of the Delta Force."

"He participated in battles involving the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, and the Iraq War. He killed a total of 82 enemies in those battles. He was proficient in dozens of types of firearms and vehicles, making him one of the trump cards of the Blackwater International."

"Hades Hoffman's current mission is to gather all information regarding you, Commander, including * * and so on. The person who issued the mission is…"

"Joshua Williams."

78. Personnel Transfer

Zhang Heng was not surprised by the identity of the person who issued the mission. Other than Joshua, no one else knew that Zhang Heng had arrived in Singapore, and it would have taken several hours before they received the news. There was no way they would have set their eyes on him right away.

However, Zhang Heng still used such a special method to obtain the answer in order to confirm his suspicions. While he was unable to do anything to the other party for the time being, he was still able to intimidate the other party a little.

As such, Zhang Heng asked Corona to send an email warning to Joshua, implying that if the other party were to hire more people to investigate the spokesperson of the foundation, he would be kicked out of the Foundation Board. The consequence of being kicked out would be that he would be unable to enjoy all the services provided by the Alpha-Origin Project.

Zhang Heng had no idea that the email had caused Joshua to break out in a cold sweat—getting rid of the Blackwater ace mercenary without making a sound in just a few hours and finding out who the mastermind behind the Blackwater International was, and even finding out who his employer was. In Joshua's opinion, the fact that he was able to do all of that seemed to confirm just how powerful the mastermind was, to the point that it was almost unbelievable.

After being thwarted by his little scheme, Joshua was finally able to put that thought out of his mind. While he dared not say that he wouldn't continue to play any tricks, he at least wouldn't resort to such cheap tricks like tracking.

Zhang Heng was finally able to get rid of a sore spot after getting rid of the little tail. While he wasn't afraid of being spied on, it was still something that made him feel uncomfortable to be targeted.

Zhang Heng successfully signed a company acquisition agreement with Zhu Fugui at the negotiating table with Li Yiru and Fang Hao the next day. The final price was 45 million USD.

That price was negotiated through Li Yiru's best efforts. She would have been able to lower the price even further if the deal had been delayed for a few more days, but Zhang Heng had no patience to waste any more time. Time was precious to him, and hundreds of millions of US dollars wouldn't be as important as just a few more days. He had countless technologies to cash in and countless plans to be carried out. How could he waste his precious time like that?

Zhang Heng had acquired such a company as a cover so that he could make use of cloning technology in secret. The efficiency of building a subsidiary company in Singapore was simply too slow. Acquiring a company in a straightforward manner was the easiest and most convenient way to do so, making it difficult for anyone to notice.

He asked Li Yiru to take Fang Hao to the Trade and Commerce department in Singapore to get the procedures done that afternoon after acquiring the company. Zhang Heng invited the researchers in the company to have a meeting to stabilize the morale of the company.

All of those people had contracts with the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company. While none of them were renowned scientists, they were still able to serve as researchers in a scientific research institute in the latitude one technology city.

Zhang Heng was dressed in a black suit and was standing in a high-class meeting room on the top floor of a rented office building. The design of the Weiwei Technology building was a testament to the 'man for all' aspect of the building. There were countless walkways connecting the offices. Even though the meeting rooms were not luxurious, they were nonetheless very advanced, concise, and practical.

A group of people walked into the meeting room one after another. All of them were researchers from the Kangbo Company that had been acquired. Some of them were dressed in formal attire, while others wore lab coats for research purposes. All of them took their seats and began to size up their future boss.

Most of them were surprised at Zhang Heng's age when they saw him, and some of them were even frowning and talking in low voices. To them, being the boss of a company that was too young clearly didn't mean anything good.

"It's about time." Zhang Heng looked at his watch with a deadpan expression. It was two in the afternoon, but there were still two or three people who hadn't arrived yet. Zhang Heng had no intention of waiting any longer and went straight to his seat. He rested his hands on the table and spoke into the microphone at the neck of the goose.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the company's internal staff meeting. I'm your new chairman, Zhang Heng."

"I'm sorry to say that the previous chairman of the company, Mr. Zhu Fugui, caused the company to be on the verge of bankruptcy due to poor management. However, all of that misfortune has passed. If nothing goes wrong, all of you will be serving me from today onwards. Any objections?"

Everyone shook their heads subconsciously.

Zhang Heng said satisfactorily, "Very good. I've seen the contracts that you've signed with the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company and I believe that all of you here are experts in the field of life sciences. Logically speaking, I've just acquired the company and I'm not very familiar with the internal workings of the company, so I shouldn't interfere with the reorganization of personnel right away. However… due to certain reasons, I still need to do so."

Everyone was stunned. So, they were going to be cutting people off? While all of them had some specialties in the field of life sciences, none of them stood out. Otherwise, they wouldn't be working in such a small company. It was precisely because of that that they didn't want to lose their jobs, or they might be forced to leave Singapore.

"Boss, allow me to say something first." One of the European men suddenly said, "We've signed an agreement with the Cambell Pharmaceutical Company. My employment duration is three years. If you fire me, you'll need to pay 300 thousand US dollars as compensation."

"That's right. While we haven't developed any new drugs yet, that doesn't mean that we're incapable. We just lack luck…" The crowd nodded and explained excitedly.

Zhang Heng clapped his hands to silence the crowd before continuing, "You've misunderstood, folks. I'm not asking for a layoff. The research and development of the new drug will continue. I'll allocate 30 million USD to continue your research and development. I'd like to announce something else."

Everyone looked somewhat better after hearing that.

"Other than developing new drugs to treat arthritis, I'll be setting up another research project. That project is the company's main focus."

Everyone was stunned and looked at each other in dismay. It was already very difficult for a small company like theirs to set up a research and development project. That new boss of theirs looked rather ambitious. Wasn't he afraid of losing everything?

"I'll invest 500 million yuan into this new project, and it's just an early investment." Zhang Heng extended his hand.

"Gasp…"

The crowd was in an uproar right away. 500 million US dollars was just an initial investment. What kind of project would require so much investment? Even the price of developing new antibiotics was about the same. Everyone began to ask questions right away.

"I'd like to keep the specifics of the new project a secret." Zhang Heng didn't answer and simply continued, "However, the reason I'm calling everyone here today is to ask if anyone would be willing to work in the company's new project department. I'll draft a new contract according to the original contract, with everyone's annual salary being tripled."

"What? Three times the annual salary?" Everyone was shocked yet again. Some of them even rubbed their hands together, wanting to agree right away.

"Don't be in such a hurry to say yes." Zhang Heng stressed all of a sudden. "There's no free lunch in the world. I'll need to sign a non-disclosure agreement with all of you if I want to work in the new department. Your personal freedom will be limited as well. In the future, you'll have to move your entire family overseas to work at the headquarters of your company."

"This isn't fair. This isn't in line with the Labor Act!" Most of the faces of the crowd turned glum after hearing what Zhang Heng said. It wasn't a big deal to sign a non-disclosure agreement, but limiting one's personal freedom made things difficult for the crowd. A middle-aged man wearing a black suit and gold-rimmed glasses voiced his objections right away.

"You guys can choose not to join. The company won't force you." Zhang Heng took a look at the man and committed him to memory.

Typically speaking, people like that, who talked about human rights all the time, were the ones who were prone to making mistakes. Most of them were greedy, selfish, and didn't like to be bound, unwilling to take responsibility. However, when other people who were responsible received corresponding rewards, they would always jump out and brag about not getting fair treatment.

To put it simply, the kind of people who were unwilling to give, yet hoped to receive the same kind of reward as those who gave, were the ones who were most likely to betray.

That man didn't expect Zhang Heng to put him on the blacklist just because of what he said. He retorted righteously, "Boss, I understand that the company won't force us, but you've forgotten one thing. We're all members of the company. Why should those who join a new project get three times the annual salary, while those who don't want to join won't get the same treatment? If that's the case, I might use the law to protect my rights."

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before bursting into laughter.

"You may be mistaken, Mr. Smith," Zhang Heng said. "The price paid and the reward paid will always be equal. Only when you've paid the price will there be a corresponding reward. If you're unwilling to have your freedom restricted, you could have chosen not to join the new project. However, if you were to join the new project, you'd be able to reap a handsome reward as well. There's an old saying in China that goes, 'One should be willing to give and one should be willing to give.' That's what it means."

"But, that would be too unfair to some of the conscientious and hardworking employees working for the company. Furthermore, you have no right to restrict anyone's personal freedom, no matter what. Such contracts are nullified!"

"Are you teaching me how to manage the company, my dear Mr. Lewis Smith?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze.

The middle-aged man named Smith was about to say something else, but Zhang Heng cut him off mercilessly. "I don't want to listen to your pointless theory about human rights. If you're so keen on talking about human rights, I could consider making you the first employee I fired. I'd like to see if your so-called human rights would be able to keep you from being fired."

His voice became so cold that Smith shuddered without warning.

Everyone was shocked when they felt how cold Zhang Heng was and they looked at him meaningfully.

That's right. No company in the world would be willing to spend 500 million USD without paying a price. Not even the world's leading medical giants could afford to do so. Furthermore, how could someone who could afford to spend 500 million USD so casually be clean and have a clean background? It was just that Zhang Heng was still too young, and everyone subconsciously underestimated him.

That man's face turned red after hearing what Zhang Heng said. He wanted to explain himself, but he dared not say anything out of fear of the threat in Zhang Heng's words. While he was greedy, he wasn't an idiot. Judging from Zhang Heng's unyielding attitude and deep pockets, the young Asian man before him was definitely capable of threatening him.

79. Nda

"Mr. Zhang, may I ask you a question?" An old man wearing a dirty white coat with a deadpan expression asked all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng nodded and said, "Mr. Thompson, I've heard a lot about your reputation in biomedical science. Please continue."

That old man named Thompson was a well-known figure in the field of biology that Zhu Fugui had hired with a lot of money. He was different from the other researchers who were only able to make it into a true scientist, and he was also the only researcher in the entire company who was capable of doing so.

"Could you tell me what kind of research the new project is about, and if there are any mature research plans?" Thompson asked calmly.

"I can only tell you that the new project has something to do with biochemistry." Zhang Heng thought for a bit before answering, "Furthermore, the new project has a comprehensive research plan and a mature and feasible plan. It could be said that the project would definitely be a success, and you're not the only one. I'll be hiring more scientists of your caliber to work on the project soon."

"Alright, got it." Thompson nodded and kept the shock in his eyes to himself. He never thought that the company's new project would be about biological cloning. No wonder they needed such a huge investment.

In actual fact, cloning technology was like a bottomless pit. No matter how much money one had, it wouldn't be enough to cover the costs. It was no wonder that they needed to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Such a project was not something that a small company that was worth tens of millions could afford.

In fact, there were less than a thousand companies in the world that were able to afford such a project. The ones that were truly able to develop were the state agencies that were ranked among the research institutes.

Everyone put away the greed in their hearts and began to ponder. There was no need for Zhang Heng to lie to them about such things, and the choice was of utmost importance.

On the one hand, he wanted to maintain his status quo. While he had freedom, he wanted to live a peaceful life.

On the other hand, if he were to take part in the company's new project, he would have to move his entire family. However, he would gain a lot of research funding and huge opportunities. No one knew if he should just stay where he was or take on new opportunities.

In the end, only three of the researchers expressed their willingness to join the new research team.

Thompson was one of them, and Smith, who had been clamoring about human rights and law, wanted to join as well, but he dared not say anything under Zhang Heng's cold gaze.

The reason why there were only three of them was because they had all sensed Zhang Heng's hint.

In actual fact, what Zhang Heng said to Smith wasn't just a threat, but also a hint to the crowd. Stellar Technology wasn't an ordinary private enterprise. If one didn't want to get too involved, one shouldn't join a new project. If one were to betray the company, the consequences would be unbearable.

There were many grey areas in the industry that were suspected of being involved in advanced technologies. While those researchers might not be very well-educated in the field of academics, they were all very knowledgeable in other areas. Zhang Heng's hint made everyone realize what was going on.

While the project looked like it would bring about a lot of benefits, it was definitely not going to be easy to join.

As such, the three people who joined the team either needed a lot of money or were very interested in cloning research. Furthermore, they were very brave, and the white-bearded old man, Thompson, was undoubtedly the second type.

There were two other Asian men among the three, with the exception of Thompson. One of them was a Japanese named Shouta Minamino and the other was a Chinese named Zhao Qin. Both of them were under 30 years of age, and it was probably due to their young age that they dared to join the project.

Zhang Heng brought the three of them to the company's laboratory located in the Biopharmaceutical Garden after the meeting was over. Zhang Heng took out three confidentiality agreements that he had prepared beforehand and asked the three of them to sign them before exchanging pleasantries.

"I hope that all of you will comply with the agreement. Also, please inform your families tonight, as I'm about to begin the first round of new projects tomorrow. Please get ready when you get back."

"Why the rush?" Thompson frowned. "Just the three of us?"

"No, me too." Zhang Heng pointed at himself and said with a smile, "I'm actually a researcher myself. I'll be conducting the experiment with you guys. The experiment might take over a week, so please inform your family and friends in advance."

"No problem." Shouta Minamino and Zhao Qing looked at each other and nodded excitedly. "By the way, Boss, since we've signed the agreement, could you tell us what the new scientific research project is?"

"I can't tell you yet." Zhang Heng wore a mysterious grin and continued, "But I believe that I'll surprise you guys tomorrow."

Zhao Qing nodded and didn't probe further, just to avoid arousing suspicion.

All three of them knew very well that the reason why the other party didn't tell them was because they didn't trust him. The so-called non-disclosure agreement was just like the 'proof of allegiance' in the past. It would have been fine if they didn't sign the agreement, but once they did, they would be bound to the interests of the company.

If someone were to leak the company's secrets, the person who would be waiting for that person wouldn't just be a court summons, but retaliation, intimidation, and even assassination from the dark forces behind the company.

However, all three of them were wrong this time…

…

The next morning.

As usual, Thompson stood before his wife after dinner. His wife wore a faint smile on her face and helped him put on his dark blue tie.

His wife, like Thompson, was no longer young. Her loose skin, deep fishtail stripes, and brown spots were all accusing him of the merciless passage of time.

However, for some reason, Thompson felt rather sentimental that day. He looked at his wife, who was still tidying up the creases on his suit, and wondered just how long it had been since he developed such a habit.

He wondered if it was due to his wife's hair color or her dazzling blonde hair.

Or was it when his wife's skin looked so fragile that she looked like the most beautiful angel in the world?

Or rather, he was penniless and his wife had to eat black bread with him every day…

Time passed like the most mischievous of streams, slipping past his fingertips without him realizing it. He still remembered how his wife looked when she was young and beautiful, but by the time he came to his senses, both of them had turned completely white.

Instinctively, Thompson touched his wife’s craggy face and kissed her deeply, before laughing out loud and leaving the door open under his wife’s stunned gaze and drove off in the direction of the lab.

"It's time to retire after finishing the company project." Thompson looked at himself in the rearview mirror and shook his head.

Time flies.

When he arrived at the laboratory, the young boss was already waiting at the door. The young man's energy was something that even Thompson was envious of.

"The three of you may stay in the laboratory for over a week due to the need for confidentiality. If you have yet to inform your relatives, please do so immediately. I will then confiscate your phones and all electronic devices. Are you ready?"

Zhang Heng clapped his hands after seeing that all three of them were present.

"No problem. I was ready last night."

"Me neither."

Shouta Minamino nodded and the three of them looked at Thompson.

"Me too. I may be getting on in years, but it's not a problem for me to stay in the laboratory for a week or two." Thompson nodded as he changed into his lab coat.

"Well done, Mr. Thompson, you look very old and well-built." Zhang Heng nodded with a smile and closed the door of the laboratory before the three of them and turned on all the protective equipment.

No one was allowed to enter or leave the laboratory at the moment, unless he personally gave the authorization.

For some reason, Thompson felt uneasy all of a sudden, as if something was off. He looked around subconsciously and found that the laboratory looked exactly the same as it had been before. If he had to point out the difference, it would be that… there was a piece of equipment that he had never seen before found in a sterile laboratory.

That piece of equipment looked like a chair, but unlike the other seats, the chair had a complicated steel frame, making it look like a torture device.

There was a complex and intricate set of machinery connected to the back of the chair. Dozens of slender mechanical arms hung from the top of the mechanical suit. The mechanical arms were small and exquisite, and they emitted a silvery-white glow all over, making them look very futuristic.

"What's that?" Thompson asked, pointing at the equipment in the sterile room through the reinforced glass.

"That's an automatic surgical device. It's capable of performing surgeries with a precision level of nano precision." Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "It was flown in from the headquarters yesterday."

"I don't find that joke funny." Thompson shook his head and didn't continue. Zhao Qin and Shouta Minamino looked at the strange yet technologically beautiful piece of equipment.

"Can we go in and take a look?" Zhao Qing asked with a burning gaze.

"Of course." Zhang Heng made an inviting gesture and led the three of them into the disinfection corridor of the sterile laboratory. He put on his chemical defense suit after disinfection and walked into the sterile laboratory.

Thompson was the first to enter the sterile laboratory. His passion for biology made him fall in love with the equipment right away. While the design of the equipment was utterly devoid of aesthetics, making it look like parts taken from other parts of the equipment were being reassembled, the exquisiteness of the mechanical arms alone made them look like something out of art. Thompson, who was used to precision instruments, was impressed.

"What is that device for?" Thompson asked again.

However, he heard two thuds on the ground.

Thompson couldn't help but turn around and saw that Zhao Qin and Shouta Minamino were both lying on the ground without a care for their own safety. There was an expressionless Zhang Heng standing before them.

"You…" Thompson opened his mouth, feeling rather stunned. However, he barely managed to utter a single word before Zhang Heng moved and appeared behind him like a ghost. He then extended his hand and chopped at the back of Thompson's neck.

Thompson felt his neck sink in the very next second, before he felt the world spinning around him and he completely lost consciousness.

80. Brain-controlling Biophone

"I'm sorry, but that might not be fair to you. However, I'll give you your freedom and compensation in the future," Zhang Heng said in a low voice as he looked at the three unconscious men before him.

He took out three translucent membranes about the size of a fingernail from his clothes in the very next moment. If one were to take a closer look, one would be able to see complex circuits installed on the membranes. He flicked his finger and the three membranes flew into the disinfectant that he had prepared for quite a while, as if they had eyes of their own.

Zhang Heng then took off Thompson's chemical defense suit and injected anesthesia into the suit for full-body anesthesia. He then fixed the suit on the chair with the mechanical arm before securing the suit's head.

If Joshua and the others were there, they would have realized right away that what Zhang Heng was doing at the moment was identical to the brain transplant surgery seen on the video. That device with dozens of tiny mechanical arms hanging upside down was none other than an automated surgical device.

Zhang Heng was the one who dismantled the sleep pod and put it together according to Yurianne's instructions. The precision of the piece of equipment was so high that even the nerves of the brain could be repaired. The three membrane-like objects were a piece of high-tech data from the Alien plane—brain-controlled biochemical chips.

The biochemical chip was developed by the biological department of the Weyland Yutani Company, and its ultimate purpose was to control both humans and extraterrestrial lifeforms. The chip was made of some kind of bionic plastic, so there was no need to damage the structure of the brain. All it needed to do was stick to the inside of the cerebral membrane and absorb the nutrients in the bloodstream to provide energy.

When the host wanted to do something, the electrodes on the chip would quickly receive signals from the nerves, analyzing the brain's nerves through data processing, and deciphering what people were thinking to achieve the goal of controlling the host's actions.

However, due to technical reasons, such microchips were unable to take the initiative to control the human host's consciousness. The only way to control the host's actions was to set certain values in the microchip beforehand—for example, certain tasks that the host needed to complete at a certain time, month, and day. If the host wanted to say something, the microchip would release weak electrical currents to stimulate the cerebral cortex, preventing the host from continuing to speak, and so on.

Due to the fact that the microchip was made of bionic materials and was extremely thin and lightweight, it was very difficult to detect the presence of a microchip in human testing methods like MRI and CT.

Furthermore, the chip had the ability to self-destruct. Once the chip received a specific signal, it would be able to initiate the self-destruct sequence, causing the electrical circuits to overload, resulting in a high temperature of over 300 degrees Celsius, resulting in the host's brain being damaged and dying.

Zhang Heng was only able to completely trust the scientists with the biochemical chip in his possession. If his technology were to be leaked in the future, what would be the point of killing all those who leaked the technology? He would still end up becoming the enemy of the entire world.

Zhang Heng went to the back of the surgical equipment and turned on the apparatus after securing Thompson. Several mechanical arms began to move right away. They drew a scanning beam and scanned Thompson's white-haired head for a bit before they began to remove the hair on the back of his head, which was done with precision and speed.

A huge chunk of hair was missing from the back of Thompson's head in just a few seconds, and the other mechanical arm began to wipe the hair with a disinfectant cotton ball. The apparatus scanned the area again after doing all that, confirming that the location was correct, and several other mechanical arms were extended out. Those mechanical arms were loaded with tiny laser launchers, and the dark blue laser drew a perfect circle about the size of a fingernail on the back of Thompson's head.

He then extended his other mechanical arm and pulled at that round area. That piece of skin and skull was pulled out immediately, revealing bright red flesh, pale bones, and the translucent cerebral membrane at the bottom.

The other mechanical arm then took out a piece of biomech that was as thin as a cicada's wing from the disinfectant and plunged it deep into the membrane of the wound. The implant was finished in just a few seconds, and the other mechanical arms that had been prepared beforehand began to inject glue into the wound and put the cut bones back in place.

The adhesive used for the wound was a kind of nano-medicine. Not only was the adhesive very firm, but it also had the function of anti-inflammatory bacteria to accelerate the healing of wounds. It could accelerate the healing rate of wounds that would take tens of days to heal by 10 times. Even injuries that damaged bones could be healed in two to three days.

The implantation of such a microchip was countless times simpler than brain transplant surgeries. There was no need for him to even use any life support equipment, as the operation was completed in less than three minutes. It would take at most two days for the wounds of those people to heal completely, leaving no trace behind.

According to the same procedure, Zhao Qin and Shouta Minamino were implanted with the biochemical chip 10 minutes later. Zhang Heng was finally able to use the three of them without any reservations, making them the first core force of his company.

…

The smell of disinfectant that was unique to the laboratory filled the air. It was dry and cold, making one's throat hurt from choking.

Thompson opened his eyes subconsciously and the fluorescent lights on the metallic ceiling were blinding. He turned around and found himself lying in the lounge.

Thompson felt dizzy as he sat up with his hand on the bed and patted his head subconsciously. He then saw the fresh water that he had prepared beforehand and felt better after drinking it.

It was only then that he realized that there were two other colleagues lying on the bed not far away from him. Both of them had woken up as soon as he woke up and were looking at each other in a confused manner.

"Everyone, you're finally awake." The young boss' voice was heard from the radio in the waiting room. "I know that the three of you have a lot of questions at the moment, but you'll get your answers soon enough. Now, please enjoy your lunch."

It was only after hearing what she said that Thompson realized that he was feeling very hungry, as if he hadn't eaten in a very long time. He turned his gaze to the table at the side and saw all manner of fruits and bread, as well as dairy products and other food supplies.

The three of them didn't say anything and just sat at the table silently, taking big gulps.

"Three days."

All of a sudden, the Chinese man, Zhao Qing, took a bite of the sausage and spoke while eating.

"What?" Thompson looked at the other man, puzzled.

"Time." Zhao Qing raised his wrist and saw that he was wearing a mechanical watch on his wrist. Other than time, the watch also had a date function on it.

Thompson adjusted his glasses and looked closer. He was surprised to find that he had been unconscious for three whole days.

"Stomach bradycardia, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Those are the side effects and side effects of intravenous injection of propofol." Shouta Minamino added, "We've been injected with propofol for the past three days. There might be other anesthesia…"

"We need an explanation." Thompson's expression became serious as well. No one would be happy to be knocked out for three days for no reason.

"This is just a subconscious test." Zhang Heng's voice was heard from the other end of the radio at that moment. "Due to the requirement of 100 percent loyal employees to carry out a high-precision experiment, we have no choice but to resort to such underhanded methods. I hope that you all will be magnanimous enough to forgive us."

"Subconsciousness testing?" Thompson frowned. "I've never heard of any kind of subconscious testing requiring general anesthesia."

"This kind of test would allow someone to check your brainwaves after they pass out. It would be like hypnosis, asking you all sorts of questions. In such a comatose state, the brain suppression mechanism would be rendered completely ineffective. As such, all you can do is tell the truth." The voice on the radio continued, "If you don't believe me, feel the back of your head. Is there a part of your head that has been shaved off? That is, stick the detector on the back of your head to detect brainwaves."

The three of them touched the back of their heads and found that there was indeed a huge chunk of hair missing.

"Why didn't you tell us in advance?" Thompson asked suspiciously.

"That's because, if I were to tell you guys in advance, you'd be on high alert, which would lead to errors in the testing. Alright, please don't dwell on this anymore. To express our apologies, every single one of you will receive a compensation of one million US dollars."

Thompson frowned right away. While he wanted to pursue the matter further, something seemed to be preventing him from doing so when he was about to fly into a rage, so much so that even his anger was suppressed.

"I accept."

"Me too."

What surprised Thompson even more was that the two men beside him agreed to the compensation without hesitation, as if they had known all along.

"Where's Mr. Thompson?" the damned voice asked again.

"I… accept it." Thompson sighed to himself. It seemed that he was really getting old. It was as if he had lost the edge that he had when he was young all of a sudden. Even if the other party were to do something so outrageous, would he only compromise…

It was as if he was no longer himself.

81. Embryo Birth

Zhang Heng looked at the hordes of embryonic stem cells under the microscope with excitement in his eyes.

A week had passed since Thompson and the others were implanted with the biochemical chip.

Zhang Heng spent tens of millions of US dollars purchasing a huge number of scientific equipment for cloning over the course of the week. All of them were top-notch equipment in the world.

On the other side, Zhang Heng ordered Li Yiru and Fang Hao to return to the country and apply for visas and passports for their trip to India. He asked the two of them to buy a huge pharmaceutical factory in the name of expanding production in India.

Li Yiru was very puzzled by Zhang Heng's decision. While India was a huge pharmaceutical company, most of its products were replicas and had nothing to do with drug research and development. It would have been child's play to think that they would act so recklessly just because they valued India's profit margin of one-third of the world.

While there was indeed a huge market in India, the connections within the market were complex as well. Without any local or government connections, it would be impossible to gain a foothold in the market, much less earn money. If that were to happen, it would be a miracle if the entire world were to be spared.

However, Li Yiru had no way of changing Zhang Heng's mind, and she had no way of knowing what his true intentions were. As his subordinate, she had no choice but to comply.

Zhang Heng then headed straight to the laboratory in the branch office in Singapore and worked on the clone experiment with three other employees day and night.

The stem cell system in the petri dish before him was the product of four people days.

"Boss, those stem cells are perfect. We can proceed with the second step now." Zhao Qing wiped the sweat from his brow and said in a relieved manner.

"Very well. Zhao Qing, continue to extract the nucleus from the stem cells and strive not to damage the structure of the nucleus. Nanno, go and select a healthy egg cell and extract the nucleus inside. Thompson, prepare to tweak the DNA code for the nucleus. I don't want the clone that eventually appears to look like me."

Zhang Heng continued to write lines of data on the paper as he gave orders. The data might not have been comprehensible to laymen, but only researchers would know just how precious those formulas were.

Actually, when the three of them found out that the cloning project that Zhang Heng invited them to participate in was to create clones, they were all shocked.

Since the emergence of the cloned Dolly in the 1970s, most countries began to prohibit the study of clones, as humans had been subject to sexual reproduction for hundreds and thousands of years. The emergence of clones would break genetic rules and traditional human reproduction patterns, causing ethical chaos and so on.

According to the 'No Clones Agreement', clones were deemed to be detrimental to human dignity and violate ethical principles of society. As such, clones were inhumane and unacceptable. That was the first legal document to prohibit clones among humans.

The World Health Organization has also passed its resolution that the use of sexless reproduction (cloning) technology in humans is against human dignity and ethics, and must be strictly prohibited.

It was precisely because of that that the three of them didn't realize that the so-called cloning experiment that Zhang Heng was talking about was actually a cloning experiment that was deemed a heinous crime by everyone. However, when Zhang Heng showed them the mature cloning technology data that he brought from the Alien plane, the three of them were even more astonished.

The data was not some kind of semi-finished clone like that found in modern times. It was a more concise and efficient form of matured cloning technology. The three of them were able to see several matured genetic technologies that only existed in theory, some that didn't even exist in theory.

The most shocking of all was the legendary 'thought implant technology' and 'DNA coding modification technology'.

Ideology implantation technology—inputting corresponding virtual memories into a blank brain, thereby creating an absolutely loyal personality. Other types of knowledge could be input, such as language, science, culture, and so on.

However, there was also a limitation to the technology, which was that it was only useful for brains that had yet to develop a personality. That was to say that mental implants could only be performed with a brain that was as white as a sheet of paper, like that of a fetus. However, such techniques were completely useless against brains that had developed a personality.

The DNA programming modifications would allow the embryo to have a stronger physique in the future, enabling it to develop the personality, thought patterns, emotions, and so on, by modifying the structure of the DNA programming slightly.

Both of those heaven-defying technologies were even more precious than cloning technology itself. It was a pity that both of them had their own flaws. The modification of the DNA coding technology was limited to being used when humans were still in their embryos, and it was impossible for infants or adults who were born to do so.

Under Zhang Heng's orders, Thompson quickly delivered the new clone embryo to him.

"This is a matured cloning embryo that was formed after combining the nucleus in your blood cells with the nucleus that was extracted from your blood cells. The DNA of the chromosome in the nucleus has been completely adjusted."

"With the DNA adjustment, I've set the appearance of the cloned fetus to be randomized. The height is set to be about 180 centimeters after adulthood, and the sex is set to be the male with the strongest physique. The cloned fetus will be able to develop and mature in the incubation pod for several days after that."

Thompson put the petri dish in front of Zhang Heng and reported the results of his work. Even he found the results of the data to be unbelievable.

If it hadn't been for the fact that he had personally adjusted the core of the embryo using surgical equipment, he wouldn't have believed that there was such advanced technology and equipment in the world.

Humans had been working on decoding their own DNA ever since the DNA was discovered in 1953. However, no one had ever been able to completely decode the DNA until today.

The DNA was like the most perfect lock in the world. While it provided humanity with a path to becoming a god, it also sealed humanity's dreams of soaring…

However, the modified DNA coding technology that he was currently working on had taken a huge step forward in the path of decoding DNA. While there was still a long way to go before he could completely decode DNA, it was still more than a hundred years more advanced than the current technology found on the market.

Additionally, the surgical machine was capable of operating at a precision that was so precise that it was practically nano-class, and modifying the structure of the DNA in the nucleus became an extremely simple task.

Thompson sighed and felt lucky. If he hadn't chosen to join the project, he probably wouldn't have known that there was such godlike technology in the world.

"Well done." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily. His eyes were burning with passion at the moment. That clone embryo was a clone created using his DNA as the prototype.

Zhang Heng knew that due to the optimization of the T-Virus solution, his DNA had a physique that was comparable to that of a lesser superhuman. It could be said that there was hardly anyone in the entire human race who had a physique that was stronger than his. As such, it was understandable for him to use his DNA to create a clone army.

Perhaps, to outsiders, the emergence of clones was both advantageous and detrimental at the same time. The downside was that the clones could very well replace their identities and take over the place.

Countless sci-fi movies were tirelessly writing similar stories.

However, Zhang Heng wasn't worried that the clone would betray him or even make a mistake by taking over the nest. That was because he was able to adjust the appearance and physique of the clone embryo through his coding techniques. By the time the clone was done nurturing the clone, there would be no resemblance between the two of them apart from their genes.

Furthermore, Zhang Heng was able to secrete all emotional hormones from clones on a genetic level. When that happened, the clones that were born would no longer have emotions, emotions, or fear of death.

All that was left was to comply with the one and only will, with Zhang Heng's orders serving as the highest rule.

Furthermore, Zhang Heng would implant biochips in the minds of all the clones as the second layer of insurance, enabling him to easily determine the life and death of every single clone.

That was the only way the clone army that Zhang Heng had built would be indestructible and invincible.

82. Adam

Cold and dry air pervaded every corner of the sealed laboratory, giving off a weird stench of alcohol and Formalin.

The lights on the ceiling were so bright that they were blinding. Under the glare of the lights, the laboratory felt dead yet eerie.

Zhang Heng and the other three stopped working and focused their attention on a thick pillar-shaped incubator about three meters tall.

The bottom and top of the incubator were made of metal, with thick reinforced glass at the center. The space inside the incubator was filled with a translucent green liquid that was bubbling nonstop. A humanoid creature with curled limbs was suspended in the middle of the liquid.

One could tell from the slightly blurred liquid that it was indeed the image of a young man.

That young man looked to be in his twenties. His eyes were closed and his limbs were curled up, with only his chest moving up and down. His mouth and nose were covered by a ventilator, which was used to prevent them from suffocating and dying.

All manner of tubes were plugged into that man's entire body. Those tubes extended from the top of the incubator and were connected to all manner of complex-looking equipment at the side. Some were as thick as a wrist, while others were only as thick as a finger.

Excitement was written all over Thompson's face as he continued to input commands into one of the instruments. He said as he inputted, "No. 1's heart rate is normal, blood pressure is normal, brainwaves are normal, muscles, bones, organs, brain, and all other organs are developing normally. Boss, we've really made it!"

Zhang Heng stood at the side quietly, unlike the other three, who were feeling very excited. He was the only one who knew that the technology used to nurture clones represented the highest level of technology available in the Alien plane, so there was no way he could fail.

"The No. 1 experimental body stopped growing two hours ago. His body was successfully maintained at the age of 20." Zhao Qing, who was standing at the side, was staring at the data displayed one after another with envy and jealousy in his eyes. "Furthermore, after testing, his physique is several times that of a regular person. Is this what happens after genetic optimization?"

"Alright, it's not up to you to tell me if the experiment was a success or not. Let the facts speak for themselves." Zhang Heng clapped his hands and turned around to look at the excited Thompson. "Awaken the consciousness of the experimental body and proceed with the consciousness detection and body detection."

"Understood."

Thompson's expression became serious as well. He pressed a button lightly and faint electrical currents were sent into the incubator through the ducts. The young man's body began to twitch in the very next second.

Zhang Heng took out a microphone and said, "I'm Zhang Heng. Can you hear me?"

The young man shuddered for a bit and slowly opened his eyes. A dazed look was seen in his eyes when he saw what was in the water before him.

"You should have memories of me in your memories. Do you know what your mission is then? Your mission and the meaning of your existence is to become my blade and cut off all obstacles for me!" Zhang Heng's eyes gleamed as he continued in a deep voice, "Give me your life. Are you ready?"

The young man shuddered and nodded decisively.

Zhang Heng handed the microphone to Zhao Qing, who took the hint right away. He walked up to the incubator and said with a smile, "Very good. We need to do a test on your body right now. Follow me."

"Hold out your right hand. Very well, turn it. Relax… turn your neck and stretch your body. Change your right leg now. Very well."

Thompson looked at the data on the device and nodded at Zhang Heng. "The data on the No. 1 experimental body is completely normal. There are no adverse reactions at all."

"Now, release the first experimental body."

"Well…" A hint of hesitation was seen in Thompson's eyes. "Will it be dangerous?"

Zhang Heng shook his head and didn't say anything. Thompson pressed the red button that stood out the most after seeing his determination.

"Chi…!"

The sound of air leaking was heard from the incubator and the green liquid's water level dropped rapidly.

Zhao Qing, who was standing at the side, continued after seeing that the pod was beginning to drain. "Listen up, we'll release you later. Don't try to stand, because you're unable to control your body for the time being. You'll need some time to get used to it before you can move as freely as we do."

The liquid was finally emptied, leaving the adult man curled up at the bottom of the pod. The glass walls of the pod then opened up, revealing a hole that would allow regular humans to enter and leave.

Zhao Qing stepped into the incubation pod and pried open the young man's eyelids. He shone his flashlight on the young man's pupils and measured his pulse. He then turned around and said to Zhang Heng, "All vital signs of the No. 1 Experimental are normal."

"Very well. Carry him out and prepare the liquid food. We'll proceed with the next step of testing when he gets used to his new body."

"Understood."

After that, Zhang Heng and the other three got Shouta Minamino to take care of the Experimentals on a stretcher.

About half an hour later, the No. 1 Experimental was able to control its arms with ease.

An hour later, the No. 1 Experimental was able to skillfully control every movement of its body without any signs of unfamiliarity.

Three hours later, the Experimentals learned how to walk and run. They were able to move as quickly as they could due to the laboratories being too small for testing, but their short-range burst power was almost on par with Zhang Heng's.

Five hours later, due to the implantation techniques he learned when he was still a baby, the No. 1 Experimental completely mastered every single pronunciation of English and was able to communicate normally.

"Height: 177cm, weight: 70kg. One-handed strength: 110kg, sprinting speed: 13m / s, maximum reaction speed: 0.04s. Very well, that's only the constitution before the training. If you were to undergo training, your constitution would be enhanced several times over."

Zhang Heng looked at the data of all the tests on the piece of paper and was satisfied when he saw that the test subject looked completely different from the one before him, despite being of a similar height and appearance.

"Everything is up to you, master," the experimenter replied with a deadpan, hoarse voice.

"You don't need to call me master. Just call me by my name. If you're on a mission, you can call me Commander," Zhang Heng reminded him.

"Understood, Mr. Zhang Heng." The Experimental nodded but hesitated for a bit, seemingly wanting to say something but not daring to.

"What is it? Just tell me if you have any questions." Zhang Heng frowned and said in a displeased manner, "While I'm the one who gave you your life, I can give you your freedom as long as you don't betray me."

"Mr. Zhang Heng, may I know… if I have a name as well?" The Experimental asked, "I have the same name as you, and not the so-called No. 1 Experimental."

Zhang Heng was stunned right away. He took a good look at the test subject that looked as pure as a baby before him and a warm look appeared on his face. "Well then, I'll call you Adam then."

"Adam…" The Experimental's pupils contracted as it mumbled to itself.

"Names aren't just code names. They also signify that we once existed in this world." Zhang Heng nodded. "I know what you're worried about. You're confused. You don't know the meaning of your life, and you definitely don't know the value of your existence, right?"

Adam’s expression shifted and he nodded, feeling confused.

"Relax, your existence is definitely not redundant. The meaning of your existence comes from my needs."

"Your needs?" Adam's eyes lit up.

"That's right. I need you." Zhang Heng looked Adam in the eye and nodded solemnly. "I've created you. You're a part of my life, an extension of my will. Help me. Use your power to help me achieve all of my dreams!"

"Help you…" Adam looked at Zhang Heng with a shocked expression. "You need help too?"

"Of course, I'm not an omnipotent god and I need help. That's why I created you, and that's why you exist."

"Adam represents the first human being in the world." Zhang Heng patted the young man's cheek and a smirk appeared on his solemn face. "You, on the other hand, represent the beginning of humanity."

Adam's eyes finally lit up and he nodded solemnly. "I understand now. I know the meaning of my existence, Mr. Zhang Heng. Thank you for creating me. I'll do everything in my power to repay you!"

Zhang Heng turned around with a grin on his face, but Adam didn't notice the apologetic look in his eyes.

Despite having the mental implantation technology, Zhang Heng still felt something stirring in his heart when faced with a clone that looked as innocent as a piece of paper. The clone's eyes were as pure as a baby's.

It was the first time that he realized that he was not creating a tool, but a living being.

"Maybe I'm really making a mistake here." Zhang Heng turned around and left, mumbling in a voice that only he could hear. "I'm sorry, but I had to lie to make use of you."

"But, I really need all of your power. If you, me, and the entire human race were to survive that disaster in the future, I would definitely return your freedom and complete feelings. However, the current me is not worthy of pity or hesitation."

Zhang Heng's eyes turned cold at that thought, and his steel-like willpower washed away that trace of guilt in his heart.

No matter how guilty he felt, it was all for himself, for his family, and for the sake of humanity.

He couldn't afford to hesitate.

That was because Adam's appearance was destined to be a new chapter in human history.

83. A Trip To Mumbai

A month had passed since Zhang Heng returned from the Alien plane.

Zhang Heng not only managed to scam nine European and American corporations in the past month, earning him a net profit of nine billion US dollars, but he also went to Singapore to acquire a small company and created the first clone, Adam.

He needed an assembly line factory capable of producing clones in the Project of the Clones. Unfortunately, the company he acquired was unable to meet his requirements. As such, he sent Li Yiru and Fang Hao to India to look for opportunities.

The situation in Singapore was completely different from that in Huaxia. If one were to say that the security in Huaxia was tight on the outside, making it difficult for them to carry out the cloning plan, then Singapore would have no room to maneuver. The only thing they could make use of would be sufficient technological environmental support and a large number of scientific research organizations.

With the technological environment in Singapore, Zhang Heng had more choices to make. As such, he turned his attention to India, which was said to have the most advanced technology in both the IT and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

It was well known that, given that the Indian government had given up on intellectual property protection of the drug compound, and that the government had a weird system, the drug provided a breeding ground for a large number of replicas of the drug in India. The replicas were identical in terms of dosage, safety, efficacy, function, quality, and adaptability compared to the patent medicines, but the average price was only 20 to 40 percent of the patent medicines. There was a 10-fold difference in the specific types.

The world's evaluation of Indian generic medicines is: the gospel of the poor, the archenemy of pharmaceutical companies.

Other than the pharmaceutical aspect, Zhang Heng also took note of the loose social structure of India. The weak state of the government department meant that the local powers were growing. Zhang Heng would only be able to showcase his plans in that mystical country.

For example, the emergence of hundreds of clones out of nowhere would have easily attracted the attention of the authorities in both China and Singapore, making it impossible for them to hide. But in India, having tens of thousands of clones was no problem at all.

Things went well. Li Yiru received good news shortly after Adam was born. She successfully found a medium-scale pharmaceutical company near bankruptcy in the outskirts of Mumbai and bought it for 200 million US dollars.

Zhang Heng had Thompson place an order of $500 million for the Singapore-based medical equipment factory after hearing the news. A huge batch of precision equipment related to medicine was packed and shipped to the harbor in Mumbai. He then led Thompson, Adam, and the other three to board the plane headed for Mumbai.

Of course, due to some well-known reasons, the flight from India was rejected by Thompson and the others. In the end, they chose Jet Airlines, which took them five and a half hours to reach Mumbai Airport.

The Jatrapatti Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai was the largest and busiest airport in India. It would be a huge mistake to assume that the airport was luxurious just because of that.

Zhang Heng was only able to see low buildings after getting off the plane. The airport buildings were not the usual shanty structures that were popular these days, but regular concrete structures. They were not even comparable to the better train stations in Huaxia.

After waiting in line for several hours, the five of them finally stumbled out of the airport and saw what was happening outside.

The plaza outside the airport was very small and packed with cars, most of which were square cars that looked like they belonged in the '80s. If they were to drive a Chirai QQ car, they would definitely be very eye-catching and would definitely look like luxurious cars.

Furthermore, there was a huge mass of slums just one wall away from the International Airport. The air was filled with the weird smell of curry and feces, which made the three of them, who had been living like pampered children, frown all the time, feeling like they didn't want to stay any longer.

"Boss, where are we going now? Do you want me to call for a cab?" Zhao Qin walked up to Zhang Heng and asked in a low voice.

Zhang Heng shook his head and said, "No need. We've contacted him before. Fang Hao will be here to pick us up. Call him again."

"Alright." Zhao Qing nodded and called again.

Zhang Heng and his entourage walked out of the plaza while Zhao Qing was making the call. However, the plaza was still packed with tricycles. None of the tricycles had a roof, and most of them looked worn out enough to be recycled back to the junkyard. Zhang Heng even saw a price tag on one of the tricycles.

The moment they saw Zhang Heng and the others, the three-wheel-drive Indians immediately went up to them and greeted them in their native English. Some of them even went to grab their bags with their dirty hands.

Zhang Heng dodged the attack without batting an eyelid and saw Fang Hao running towards him while waving.

"Boss!" Fang Hao shouted as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He then shooed away the crowd surrounding Zhang Heng in a very practiced manner before taking the package from Zhang Heng and saying, "Boss, follow me. Boss Li and I have prepared a car for you. It's just that the place is too crowded and the car can't drive in."

Zhang Heng waved his hand, indicating that it was alright, before he continued jokingly, "You look like you've gotten quite tanned in the past few days."

It would have been better if Zhang Heng hadn't said anything, but the moment he did, Fang Hao pulled a long face and said, "Boss, enough of that. You have no idea how hot this place is. It's early May and early summer right now. The highest temperatures during the day could reach 30 degrees Celsius, and sometimes even 40 degrees Celsius."

"I'll give you a raise when we get back. What do you think now?" Zhang Heng blocked the other man's complaints and changed the subject.

"Right now." Fang Hao's expression became serious and he answered as he walked. "Boss Li has discussed the price with that pharmaceutical company. It's 200 million US dollars and is located in the outskirts of Mumbai, near the Indian Ocean. There's a small independent pier and new equipment could be transported from the pier to the pharmaceutical company. There's no need to go by land."

"What about the surroundings?"

"The environment is passable. While it's said to be an industrial area, there are hardly any buildings or factories to be found. The nearest village is about 10 kilometers away and it could be said that there are very few people around. However, it's precisely because of that that traffic here is rather poor."

"Very good." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily. "You and Yiru did well this time."

"Boss, why did we set up the factory in a place where no one would be able to find it?" Fang Hao felt that something was off and asked without thinking. However, he regretted asking that question right away.

Zhang Heng looked at Fang Hao without batting an eyelid. Just when Fang Hao thought that Zhang Heng wouldn't answer, Zhang Heng continued, "That's because I want to set up a cryogenic center here."

The people around Zhang Heng were considered core members of the company, which was why he told everyone about the antifreeze. The name of the antifreeze was known as the "human cryogenic sleep antifreeze nanopharmaceutical." Several days ago, several families had sent Zhang Heng good news via email—the patent application and FDA application for the antifreeze in the United States were progressing very well. Some financial groups and venture capital companies were like sharks that had caught a whiff of something fishy. However, after finding out that the nine financial groups were behind the antifreeze, they had no choice but to hold back a little. However, the FDA had taken the antifreeze very seriously, and they were prepared to speed up the process of verification, hoping to finish verifying the antifreeze within the year.

That was why Zhang Heng asked Li Yiru to go to India. Not only did Zhang Heng want to take care of the site of the clone assembly line factory, but he also wanted to take care of the human cryogenic center.

The crowd chatted as they walked out of the airport. Two Mercedes-Benz S400s soon appeared before the crowd, with a young Indian man with a shiny head standing by his side.

"Boss, this is the company car that Boss Li bought recently. The two cars cost 26 million rupees in total." Fang Hao looked at Zhang Heng uneasily and smiled awkwardly.

"It's nothing. I'll just buy whatever I need. The company doesn't lack that bit of money after all." Zhang Heng nodded calmly. He had always given the company's financial authority to Li Yiru. As the saying goes, 'One should never doubt the people one uses.' Since he wanted to be the boss of the company, he shouldn't have bothered with such details.

Other than being a busybody, Li Yiru was actually quite capable. She was talented in everything from finance to division of labor in the company, from business relations to negotiation. If it hadn't been for her, Zhang Heng wouldn't have been able to have his day off.

Fang Hao breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Zhang Heng wasn't paying any attention to him. He then pointed at the young Indian man beside him and said, "This is Sanjay Gandhi, the new driver hired by the company. He speaks English. If you need anything, just tell him in English."

Zhang Heng took a good look at the young Indian man and saw that he was wearing a very dirty cartoon outfit, working pants, and a pair of slippers that he picked up somewhere. His hair was greasy and shiny, and he looked like he hadn't washed it in days.

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes to himself. The salary in the company was definitely not cheap, yet she was dressed in such a manner. It seemed like he needed to make sure that his employees looked presentable in the future, or else he would have been disgusted to death.

Zhang Heng had completely forgotten about how he was stopped by the hotel due to his clothes being in a mess. He walked up to the first car and Fang Hao opened the door for him before everyone got into their respective cars.

84. Questioning

The car headed straight for the company's base in the city of Mumbai, where Li Yiru had prepared a welcome banquet. Zhang Heng didn't turn her down. While his body didn't react much, the three of them, including Thompson and Zhao Qing, would have been worn out from the trip, and it was only right for them to rest for the night.

The car moved slowly along the bumpy road.

The outskirts of the city looked yellowish on both sides from the car window. There were only occasional shacks in the area and there were hardly any buildings or factories to be found. Buildings only gradually appeared when they were about to enter the city.

Zhang Heng only felt one thing after entering the city of Mumbai—dirty and messy.

There was no such thing as a right or left highway in the city. Bus, carts, tricycles, and motorcycles were all packed together, going wherever there was an opening. He even saw an ox cart on the road ahead of him.

Rows and rows of yellowish-green dung were scattered evenly all over the place where the oxcart passed, before being squashed flat by the carts one after another, making it look like a piece of grass pie stuck to the road.

A huge truck honked with a deafening honk before he was able to react, almost brushing past his Mercedes-Benz.

Everyone in the car gasped. Only Fang Hao, who was driving the car, wore a bitter grin and said, "Boss, that's the way things are in India. You'll get used to it if you hang out on the streets more often."

Zhang Heng rubbed his ears without batting an eyelid. He quickly rolled down the window and turned on the air conditioner, feeling somewhat better. At the very least, the place was no longer as noisy as it was outside, but the car was still able to proceed at a leisurely pace, with sheep blocking its path as it walked.

What was even more baffling was that he saw a bus modified from the WWII Allies' military vehicles, with even the steel bars on the windows still intact. That wasn't enough to shock him. What was even more astonishing was that the passengers on the bus didn't stop when they got to the bus stop. They simply jumped out of the window, and those who wanted to get on the bus jogged for a bit before leaping onto the bus.

Zhang Heng, Thompson, and the others were all stunned by what they saw along the way. The two cars stumbled and finally reached the city center about an hour later.

Compared to the peripheral areas of the city, the city center looked much more normal. The tall buildings and clean billboards made everyone feel as if they had returned from ancient times to modern times.

The company rented an office building in the city center to serve its customers. There was a three-star hotel next to the office building.

Li Yiru had set up a welcome banquet for convenience's sake.

Zhang Heng was stunned when he got out of the car at the entrance of the hotel. He knew that the outskirts of the city of India were filled with slums, but he didn't expect that things would get even more out of hand in Mumbai, where slums were packed with people in the city center.

Large amounts of plastic shacks were piled up at the sides of the hotel and on the side of the road where there were no buildings. The side of the hotel was filled with recycling, leather products, clay products, and other small workshops. The pungent smell of curry rice and sewers still lingered in the air.

"Zhang Heng, over here." Li Yiru's voice was heard from up ahead just when Zhang Heng was rendered speechless by what he saw. Zhang Heng turned around and saw that Li Yiru was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of light blue jeans underneath. She hadn't put on much makeup and was probably able to put a distance of over 10 streets between herself and the local women without putting on any makeup.

Zhang Heng waved at Li Yiru with a smile on his face and chatted for a bit before the crowd was escorted into the hotel by the waiters at the door.

The hotel in the city center was well-decorated, with a huge, luxurious revolving door, a clean-looking door, a luxurious red carpet, and a dazzling chandelier. The place looked like a completely different world from the dirty world outside.

"Have you gotten used to staying here for the past two weeks?" Zhang Heng was the first to take a seat when the three of them were ushered into the luxurious private room that had been booked a long time ago. Everyone took their seats one after another. Zhang Heng asked casually when he saw Li Yiru sitting naturally beside him.

"Not bad." Li Yiru rolled her eyes at Zhang Heng. "Other than feeling a little uncomfortable at the start, I've gotten used to it by now."

"Oh?" Zhang Heng looked at Li Yiru in surprise.

In actual fact, he had been feeling rather uncomfortable with the environment in India for the past few hours. He didn't expect that Li Yiru, who had been pampered all her life, would actually be able to adapt to such a messy country better than he did.

"Who is this? How come I've never seen you before?" Li Yiru asked in a hushed tone as she looked at Adam, who had remained silent throughout the entire conversation.

"That's the security guard I hired in Singapore. He'll be in charge of the pharmaceutical company's security issues in the future." Zhang Heng chuckled and went over.

The meal went by in a rush and no one was able to eat well, especially Zhang Heng, who realized for the first time that the world-renowned Indian cuisine was a complete joke.

When the Indians cooked, the curry was sweet, and so was the chicken, duck, and fish. The vegetables were still sweet. It was only when he finished eating and drinking tea that he realized that even the tea was sweet.

It was fortunate that he was in an Indian Hotel, or he would have thought that he was in the hometown of a sugar daddy.

Zhang Heng dismissed the crowd and told them to stay in the hotel for the time being while he drove to the pharmaceutical factory in the outskirts with Li Yiru, Fang Hao, and Adam.

Zhang Heng was able to see how majestic India was along the way. There were mansions and small buildings surrounded by walls. The grass and trees inside were lush and green, and the people in gorgeous clothes would occasionally come out for a walk, enjoying the sunlight lazily. However, what he saw most of all was how filthy and poor India was. It was a country where the differences between the rich and the poor were even greater than that of Huaxia.

When there are too many poor people, the entire country becomes poor.

In the end, the car drove into a place that looked like a wet market. Due to the fact that it was after work in the afternoon, the entire street was taken over by small stalls. Countless Indian women wearing the legendary "saris" were seen walking slowly in front of the car, and even honking on their horns wouldn't work.

The so-called 'chari' was actually a very long piece of cloth wrapped around the car from top to bottom, wrapping the car up and down. There was no need to wrap the stomach part of the cloth around the car, as the black and fat pieces of meat kept swinging in front of the car window.

It was one thing for Li Yiru and Adam to do so, but Li Yiru was a woman herself, and she didn't feel anything about such a scene. Furthermore, as a new clone, Adam had no concept of such things.

Only Zhang Heng and Fang Hao had no choice but to look away and close their eyes to rest at the same time.

Adam was completely unfazed by the scenery around him. It was as if he had been cut off from the rest of the world, and there was nothing in the world that could catch his attention. He simply kept his gaze forward with a deadpan expression.

However, a light knock on the window at that moment attracted Adam's attention.

An Indian girl who looked to be about seven or eight years old stood outside the window and knocked on the window gently.

The little girl had a yellowed complexion and wore a T-shirt that was so dirty that one couldn't tell the color of her clothes. She held a ceramic bowl that was missing a corner in her hand and looked at Adam with a dazed look on her face. There wasn't a hint of yearning for life in her lifeless eyes.

Adam's pupils contracted as he seemed to have thought of something. He lowered the glass window and took out a hundred-dollar bill from his bag before putting it into the girl's bowl.

He then went on to recommend an app that was comparable to the old version of a book chaser.

"I wouldn't do something like that if I were you." Li Yiru, who was sitting in the driver's seat, said suddenly.

Adam's hand trembled and he quickly shut the window again before looking straight ahead. His face remained completely expressionless throughout.

"Boss Li, why…" Fang Hao asked.

"Many women in India make a living by begging. Look at the roadside. If you give one of them to you, you won't be able to get out of here before your wallet is completely emptied." Li Yiru pointed at the hundreds of people begging on both sides of the road and said casually.

Fang Hao sighed and said nothing else.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and took in all of Adam's expressions before closing his eyes again.

Two hours passed and the sky was about to turn dark. The car finally drove out of the city and headed for the outskirts.

He hadn't realized it when he went to the city from the airport. It was only at that moment that he realized that the roads in the suburbs were unusually bad. He wondered how long it had been since the concrete roads in the suburbs were repaired. There were also piles of dirt and feces lying on the ground, stretching all the way to the end of the road.

The four of them finally arrived at the pharmaceutical company at about 8 P.M.

The laboratory and office buildings of the pharmaceutical factory were brightly lit, as if they knew that their boss was coming to inspect the place, and they didn't stop working even at night.

Li Yiru opened the car door and pointed at the lit research building before her and said, "The pharmaceutical company that I acquired has a specialized research center and a large laboratory with all the necessary equipment. The pharmaceutical company raised 100 researchers and 233 factory workers. I've counted all of their capabilities and found that, with the exception of four American researchers, the rest of them have barely reached the standard."

"The building on the left of you is the company's apartment. It could accommodate 300 people living in it. The huge blue steel steel building at the very front is the factory. There are five assembly line pharmaceutical workshops in total, with everything from production to packaging."

"So, what is this pharmaceutical company manufacturing?" Zhang Heng was curious.

"Anti-cancer replication drug Yirisa."

Zhang Heng was stunned. He didn't expect the pharmaceutical company he bought to be such a renowned drug manufacturer, but that wasn't all that surprising. The entire world was abuzz over the T-1 drug manufacturer at the moment. All of those anti-cancer pharmaceutical manufacturers would be facing a transitional halt when the T-1 was listed.

Li Yiru got out of the car and ran her hand through her black hair, which was blown by the cold wind, before she suddenly said, "Other than that 200 million US dollars, you've also spent 500 million US dollars to purchase a huge batch of precision equipment for medical treatment in Singapore. The money you've invested in India is enough to buy half of my family's company. I'm very curious about what you're up to."

"Human cryonics. I told you."

"No, I'm not asking about what's on the table. I'm asking about your true intentions." Li Yiru turned around and shot a glance at Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng frowned and wanted to sound tough, but he eventually sighed and said, "Of course, there are other reasons, but I can't tell you right now."

"Alright, I'll wait for the day you tell me," Li Yiru said.

"Wait until the day I think it's appropriate." Zhang Heng didn't avoid Li Yiru's gaze and said seriously.

He knew that he had let down Li Yiru, who had dedicated herself to him, but he had no choice but to be cautious when it came to his survival.

Furthermore, there was simply no way that he and Li Yiru would be together.

He would only be able to tell Li Yiru his true intentions if he were to implant a biochemical chip in her brain, but he was unwilling to do so.

Since he didn't want to hurt Li Yiru, he had no choice but to keep his plans a secret until the day his company became powerful enough to go against superpowers and even take control of the global financial system. By then, there would be no point in keeping his plans a secret.

85. Everything Is Ready

Li Yiru seemed to have realized something after that and never asked Zhang Heng any more questions.

Large batches of medical equipment ordered from Singapore arrived in less than three days. A group of factory workers took on the role of porters and came and went between the docks and the pharmaceutical companies.

Zhang Heng was, of course, worried about letting those unreliable Indians move the equipment that was worth 500 million US dollars. He brought Li Yiru, Thompson, and the others with him to keep an eye on the whole thing to prevent any damage or theft.

Theoretically speaking, the efficiency of the workers would be multiplied with more people around. However, it was obvious that he couldn't treat the workers with common sense. Zhang Heng was rendered speechless as he watched the workers slowly put the palm-sized equipment in the basket before putting the basket back on their heads leisurely. He then stood up and walked to the factory as if he was taking a stroll.

The group of people were all using some kind of Indian method that would have killed anyone to move the items. Zhang Heng felt like kicking all of them into the ocean.

Zhang Heng also realized that there was something wrong with the Indians, which was that they would drink tea while they were working. It was just past 10 in the morning when he suddenly realized that the entire group of people had disappeared after the trip. He rushed to the factory and saw that the workers were all gathered together, drinking tea and drinking tea. There was even a gazebo and boiler that served them tea in the factory.

In the end, Li Yiru came to the pharmaceutical company after hearing the news and berated the person in charge of the pharmaceutical company. She then told Zhang Heng in a hushed tone that the Indians were indeed like that. They were born lazy and didn't like to be punctual. The things that could be done in three days in Huaxia couldn't be done in half a month in India. Furthermore, they had to drink tea together every morning, at 10 am and three in the afternoon, regardless of their social status. That was their custom.

Zhang Heng was rendered completely speechless by this miraculous country.

It took two whole days and three trucks to transport all the equipment into the factory.

Zhang Heng had set up a research building specifically for those equipment and sealed all the windows of the building with steel plates from the inside while the doors were installed with several intricate electronic locks. The building was described as a highly enclosed scientific research building, but it was actually a place where clones were mass-produced.

Zhang Heng hired a team of construction workers to set up a special area to build a huge and sturdy factory area, which would serve as a human cryogenic freezer for the future.

Due to the fact that the entirety of the factory was constructed using special steel, construction was carried out very quickly and would only take several months to complete. However, the construction would require over a million tons of special steel, which was why the building was so expensive.

"What?" Li Yiru was shocked after hearing about the project.

"My dear boss, do you really have nowhere else to spend your money?" Li Yiru continued to object as usual. "Do you know how much steel it would take to build a three-story-tall steel building on the ground of 5,000 square meters? And how much money would that cost?"

Zhang Heng looked exasperated and said, "It's alright. I'm not short of money."

"Is this about money?" Li Yiru gasped and looked at Zhang Heng as if she was looking at an idiot. "More importantly, you could have built a brick-and-mortar factory with a price tag of tens of yuan, so why did you insist on building something so solid? Are you afraid that the Third World War will break out tomorrow?"

"The cryogenic chamber needs to be sturdier, of course. My goal is to make the cryogenic chamber able to withstand earthquakes above level-10, typhoons above level-12, and medium-range nuclear explosions." Zhang Heng tapped his forehead and thought for a bit. "Hmm… that's right. All of that could serve as publicity gimmicks, which would greatly increase the security of the customers."

"Furthermore, if the human cryogenic storage can't even protect against natural disasters, who would be willing to freeze their bodies and give their lives to us?"

Li Yiru pouted and retorted, "Things have yet to take a turn for the better. Who knows when your antifreeze would be approved by the FDA in the US? I'm not even sure if it would be approved. After all, there has never been a human antifreeze drug in history."

"Don't worry. If I say it's possible, it's definitely possible." Zhang Heng smirked and added, "The money we're spending now is investment. We'll be able to earn it back very soon."

Zhang Heng patted Li Yiru's face lightly before she was able to react and left without looking back, leaving her in a huff.

Zhang Heng then used construction as an excuse to give paid leave to everyone in the factory, leaving only four excellent researchers behind. He then anesthetized all four of them when they were alone and implanted biochemical chips in their brains, which was how he got them to join his team of clones.

Only a portion of the medical equipment that Zhang Heng bought in Singapore was needed for human cryogenics, and most of them were necessary equipment for the manufacture of clones. Now that he had the location, he was barely able to get all the equipment and manpower he needed. While the pharmaceutical company was still a pharmaceutical company in name, it had secretly become his base for clones.

…

Three days later, in a pharmaceutical company located in the outskirts of Mumbai in the Indian branch of the Stellar Biotech Corporation, several men in white robes were busy working in a building with its windows sealed with special steel.

"That's amazing. I can't believe there's actually such a terrifying technology like the implantation of ideas in the world. Why didn't I know of such a thing before?" The new member of the team, Johnson, couldn't help but exclaim as he watched Zhao Qing familiarize himself with all the equipment.

"If you were to find out, you'd probably cause a social panic. After all, this is a technology that shouldn't exist, just like cloning technology."

Zhao Qing choked on Johnson's words without turning around. He began to input the data that had been fixed into the device bit by bit. The data would be compiled and converted into information codes capable of altering synapses of the cerebral nerves before being implanted into the brain of the clone in the culture pod.

Neural synapses play a very important role in the formation of memory in the brain. Memories in the brain are formed when messages are sent to each other through neural synapses. The synapses are highly malleable, as long as the speed and intensity of the messages are changed by neural synapses, the memory data will be changed.

The formation of memories followed a very complex equation. As long as one was able to crack that brain equation, they would be able to precisely translate images and thoughts expression into memory data, which would then be implanted into the nerves of the brain to create new memories.

As such, that was the most difficult part about the implantation technology—solving the memory equation of the brain. Even in the Alien plane, that technology was considered the most cutting-edge technology.

The human brain was simply too complex. Even with the technology of the Alien plane, he was only able to create a simple personality that resembled that of a child, not a complex adult personality.

Furthermore, such methods were ineffective against the brain that had gained sentience and could only be applied to clones.

Creating an absolutely loyal clone warrior would be as simple as creating a child, but at the very least, it would reduce the amount of time they had to learn to speak, enabling them to communicate normally from birth.

Zhao Qing continued to translate all knowledge regarding Chinese and English, as well as knowledge regarding physics, chemistry, survival in the wild, combat, and so on into brain equations and input them into the rows of culture pods behind him.

Of course, the most important thing was still 'loyalty'. 'Loyalty to Zhang Heng, with all orders being paramount' was the first thing to be inputted. That was something that had to be firmly imprinted in the mind of the clone warrior, and even become instinctual.

Unlike the smaller laboratories in Singapore, the laboratories here took up the entire basement of the building, which was several thousand square meters in area. Rows of thick steel plates were installed on the top of the building, and even if the building were to collapse, it wouldn't be able to affect the entire place.

The laboratory was filled with the most cutting-edge medical equipment that Zhang Heng had spent hundreds of millions of yuan to purchase. Some of the equipment were custom-made, such as the rows of massive incubators behind Zhao Qing. There were three rows of them, with five of them in each row, enabling him to nurture 15 clones at once.

The combination of DNA coding modification technology and embryonic thought implantation technology were two advanced technologies that didn't belong to this era, which was why the clone army assembly line factory was created.

He was the only person in the entire world who was able to pull off something like that.

86. Security Level

"Corona, I'll leave the entire process of the cloning process to you." Zhang Heng finished grafting the network fiber in the clone laboratory in the outskirts of Mumbai and spoke into the microphone.

"No problem, Commander." On the big screen in the center of the laboratory, a pretty girl nodded energetically.

The supercomputer equipment in the laboratory began to vibrate all of a sudden. Images and messages were converted into data codes that the brain could accept, which were then sent to the clone in the culture pod.

Corona's information conversion speed was tens of billions of times faster than that of regular people. She was able to free everyone from the heavy work of data conversion with just a wave of her hand.

Thompson, Zhao Qing, and the others stood where they were, stunned as they watched streams of data that no regular person was able to read flash past on the monitor.

At that moment, they were looking at the monitor of the mental implant device at one moment, and then at the image of the girl in the center of the laboratory at the other, feeling as if they had seen a ghost.

"This… this is AI?"

Shouta Minamino asked in disbelief. He had a dazed look on his face as he looked at the image of Corona on the big screen. His expression was indescribably twisted, as if he was excited, fanatical, disappointed, and insane.

"No, I'd be insulting if I were to call her an AI. She was developed in secret by the company, and she possesses both emotional and intellectual abilities. She's definitely on par with a super AI with an IQ and EQ comparable to that of adults. She's a true AI." Zhang Heng smirked and looked at the incredulous looks on everyone's faces with satisfaction.

"Her name is Corona. From today onwards, she'll be in charge of managing the entire laboratory. All of you are only responsible for your research. If you have any problems with your research, just tell her. She could help you analyze and even answer some questions."

"Unbelievable. I initially thought that Japan would be at the forefront of all AI in the world. I didn't expect that you and your organization would have developed a true AI lifeform long ago…"

Shouta Minamino sighed sorrowfully, but his expression turned fanatical in the very next second. "Boss, can I use my spare time to study it?"

"You'll have to ask her yourself then." Zhang Heng waved dismissively and continued casually, "Don't call her 'it'. Her name is Corona, and like you and I, she's a true lifeform. Furthermore, her true form isn't here. The supercomputer here is just her converter. She can only communicate with you through the internet."

"I'm sorry for being rude." Shouta Minamino bowed to Zhang Heng and went up to the microphone to talk to Corona.

It was well known that the Japanese had always been very partial to things like robots, intelligent lifeforms, and so on. One could tell from the various mechas and animation cultures of the Japanese.

Shouta Minamino, a Japanese man, was no doubt enticed by Corona's appearance at the moment. Shouta Minamino probably wouldn't be able to bear to leave the laboratory at night anymore.

Of course, while Zhang Heng gave everyone the right to communicate with Corona, he didn't give them the right to use Corona's power. In order to differentiate between everyone's access, he set up a hierarchical system for the company and the foundation.

First of all, the members of both the company and the foundation had to be divided into the superficial world and the inner world. Members of the superficial world represented members on the surface, and such people had no idea about the secrets of the company and the foundation. They simply saw the company as a larger multinational company, with the members' serial numbers and letters starting with A.

Members of the watch world were divided into regular staff, chief (team leader), manager, general manager (boss), chairman (boss), and so on, just like how regular companies were ranked.

As the company was not an equity company, there was no such thing as a board meeting or anything else.

Zhang Heng handed the position of the general manager of the China area to Li Yiru in order to be the one to wash his hands off things. Li Yiru was promoted again from being the head of the human resource department to being the head of the company in Haizhou.

The manager of the company from India was given to Zhao Qing, as he was a native of Huaxia after all. Furthermore, Zhang Heng was able to tell that Zhao Qing was more obsessed with power and authority than with research. The position of general manager of the company would serve him better. As for the company in Singapore, Zhang Heng gave the position to a rather hard-working nobody, who would be the one to decide who would take over.

Unlike the members of the watch world, the members of the watch world were the ones who came into contact with the core members of the company. The serial number of the members of the watch world began with "B".

Members of the inner world, on the other hand, were a lot more complicated. Zhang Heng took reference from the design of the 'Scp Foundation' and divided the company's secrets into three levels, two levels, one level, and four levels of security according to the level of the data.

Furthermore, according to the company's designation, the members of the otherworld could take up positions as members of the otherworld. For example, Zhao Qin served as the general manager of the branch in India, yet the members of the otherworld couldn't take up positions as members of any otherworld.

The security level of the company's top-secret information was classified at Level Three: data regarding the 'Alpha Immortality Project', 'cloning technology', 'human cryogenic technology', and 'T-2's existence'.

Security Level: Level Two top-secret information: Clonal Corps Project, DNA coding modification technology, thought implant technology, existence of Corona, existence of the T-0, etc.

Security Level One top-secret information: The Foundation Binding Program, Virtual Space Technology, Biopharmaceutical Technology, the presence of other planes, the presence of the complete T-Virus, the presence of the xenomorph embryo.

Security Levels were classified information at the top of the hierarchy: Ultimate Plan: Protect Humans from Perdition. Information regarding the Dimensional Star, the location where Corona was stored, and other data.

Membership was divided into six security levels: one to six.

Grade B1—As members of the lowest ranking worlds, they had no right to come into contact with any secrets. They were usually researchers or acolytes working in secret laboratories.

Current number of B1 members: 0. Representative: None.

Level B2—The right to access some level-three secrets was usually reserved for beginner researchers.

Current number of Level B2 members: 0. Representative: None.

Level B3—Those with the right to access complete level-three secrets or some level-two secrets were usually intermediate researchers or members of the foundation's board of directors.

Current number of Level B3 members: 9 Representatives: Joshua and nine other members of the Board of Directors. (Warning: None of the nine have implanted biochemical chips in their brains. Please implant them as soon as possible to ensure that no secrets are leaked.)

Level B4—Those with the right to access complete level two secrets and some level one secrets were usually senior researchers or clones.

Current Level B4 members: 8 Representatives: Thompson, Zhao Qing, Shouta Minamino, Adam.

Level B5—The right to access complete top-secret and top-secret secrets was a level that only the person in charge of the laboratory and some clones could reach.

Current number of Level B5 members: 1. Representative: Corona.

Level B6 was a level that only one person could ever reach, and that was Zhang Heng himself. Other than him, no one else had the right to reach Level B6.

Note: Other than Corona and Zhang Heng, only members with biochemical chips implanted in their brains can be upgraded to members of the inner world.

Given the capabilities of Thompson, Zhao Qing, and the others, they would have been able to become B3 members at most. However, as they were the first to join the team, the level of confidentiality that they came into contact with was simply too high. As such, Zhang Heng had no choice but to set them as B4 members.

87. Amubu

The snake-headed Amub was a well-known human trafficker in Mumbai.

The 40-year-old Ah Mubu was in the prime of his life. His trademark attire consisted of a huge Indian mustache, which was tanned and shiny, making him look very manly. He wore a navy blue shirt all the time and didn't like to button his shirt, revealing his muscular, greasy chest and shoddy tattoos.

Amub was of a higher caste class and had taken on the job of human trafficking from his father a long time ago. As such, he was able to become a member of the upper echelons of the Indian society thanks to his career. He had a group of subordinates under him who took control of several civilian areas in Mumbai and made connections with the Maharashtra government.

However, the kind of personality that the Indians would have liked to live with, was hardly the right word for the man, who, according to his philosophy, had the ultimate goal of becoming a member of parliament or even a chief minister.

A few days ago, his subordinate, Jacob, reported to him that a Chinese boss from a foreign company came to Mumbai and spent 200 million US dollars to buy a huge factory in the outskirts. He also brought scientific equipment that was worth hundreds of millions of US dollars, and it was unclear what he was up to.

Hearing that, Amubu felt his heart itch.

Amubu had amassed quite a lot of rupees over the years, but all of that money was used to support those damned vampires from the government.

Those greedy politicians would never be satisfied with their positions and appetites, no matter how many rupees they had.

In order to further his career and allow his gang to gain more territory, Amubu decided to take a huge gamble and see if he could take away that batch of equipment worth hundreds of millions of US dollars and kidnap that rich Chinese businessman to blackmail him for ransom.

It was not the first time that Amubu had done something like that. As long as he was able to do it cleanly and without leaving any traces behind, he would be able to take care of everything afterward without getting into any trouble.

Of course, Amubu wasn't stupid enough to do all of that in his true form. He went out of his way to look into the matter and found out that the company belonged to Bermuda, which was a true foreign-owned enterprise. Furthermore, the boss of the company was a Chinese man, and any mishap could lead to a diplomatic incident. No amount of rupees would be able to save him then.

However, that didn't mean that there was no other way around it. At the very least, he had a way to prove himself time and again, and that was to impersonate a local armed force.

The presence of local armed forces in India was a constant source of pain to the government. There were about 20 armed forces that didn't belong to the government throughout the country, and they were found scattered throughout the uninhabited jungle. The government called them terrorists, while the people of India called them bandits, bandits, and so on.

He would be able to rest easy as long as he was able to get everything done cleanly and put the blame on the Resistance somewhere else.

With that thought in mind, Amubu began to gather his men in high spirits. He eventually spent three days to gather a team of over a hundred people. Other than some of them being his subordinates, the rest were mostly gangsters from the slums. Despite being a motley crew, they were still useful as cannon fodder.

Under the cover of night, Amubu led his men, who were dressed much better than the refugees, to the so-called foreign-owned factory.

That factory had been officially renamed 'Stellar Biotech Corporation' after it was acquired by that Chinese man. Amubu had done some research and found out that the company was just a regular, unknown company. It was definitely not some pharmaceutical giant with a powerful background.

Over the years, countless foreigners had set their sights on the lucrative industry of drug manufacture in India, and they all came to try and get a piece of the pie. However, none of them had ever thought that, without connections, how could an industry as deep as pharmaceuticals be run by just anyone?

Amubu himself had heard of countless rich businessmen coming to the city in high spirits, only to end up losing their entire fortune. Some of them had even lost their lives there.

More than a hundred people were parked outside the factory at the moment. Under the moonlight, one could only see seven to eight tall factories and a dense mass of factories. The entire factory looked like a huge, messy grave without any lights on.

"Jacob, are you sure that the boss of the factory is staying here even at night?" Amub asked with a serious expression.

It was already past midnight and he should have fallen asleep long ago, even if there were guards around. However, he still wanted to make sure that his efforts were not in vain.

"Don't worry, sir. My brother is an employee of that factory, and he knows the factory very well." Jacob dragged a tanned young man who looked to be about 16 or 17 years old from behind him.

The young man nodded fearfully and pointed at the tallest building in front of him, saying, "That building is where our boss and the foreign researchers are doing their research. That day, I went to the harbor to transport a lot of machines. Those machines were very intricate, and I've never seen anything so intricate. I wanted to steal some decorations, but the other party kept a close eye on them and I was unable to do so."

"So, you're saying that the boss and the goods are in that building?" Amub asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, that building was reinforced with steel and the windows were sealed shut. The door was very thick and even a gun wouldn't be able to penetrate through it." The young man looked at the AK47 in Amubu's hand as he spoke and gulped, feeling both fear and envy.

"Don't worry about it. There is no door in the world that can't be blown open by a kilogram of explosives. If there is, use two kilograms." Amub nodded satisfactorily and cast a ferocious look at the two brothers. "If we were to succeed this time, you and your brother will be the ones to lead the charge."

"We wouldn't dare. It's our duty to serve you, my lord." Surprise flashed across Jacob's eyes and he quickly bowed to show his humility.

"Alright, there's nothing to be afraid of." Amub chuckled and turned around to look at the people behind him. "Brothers, we've always been doing small and petty things. However, we're about to do a huge business this time. If we were to succeed, we'd definitely be able to eat and drink to our hearts' content. But if we were to fail, do you know what would happen?"

Everyone looked at Amubu in a daze. Only some of the people who had been with him for years realized what was happening. One of them shouted, "If you fail, we'll all go our separate ways. However, no one is allowed to leak Lord Amubu out. Be careful of your wife and daughter!"

Amubu looked approvingly at his clever lackey and said to the crowd, "That's right. All of you, remember that we went to kidnap that rich Chinese businessman using the name of the Resistance. That's all you need to remember. If anyone were to leak my name, not even Vishnu would be able to protect you!"

It was only then that the crowd realized what was going on and nodded in agreement. All of them were gangsters from the slums, and while they were able to fight bravely, none of them dared to do anything to a gang like Amubu.

One of his subordinates then handed the weapons to the crowd after receiving a signal from Amubu. The weapons were mostly cold weapons like machetes. True firearms, such as handguns and rifles, were something that only Amub and over 40 of his subordinates possessed.

The crowd then cut the barbed wire around the factory and swarmed into the factory, heading straight for the building in the distance.

However, none of them would have thought that their every move would have been seen by the other party the moment they entered the factory…

88. Massacre

A series of urgent alarms were heard from within the closed cloning laboratory building at the same time that Amub and his gang stepped into the area of the factory.

"Warning: Armed personnel have entered the factory. Currently in Level Three alert mode."

"Warning: The enemy is armed with firearms. All researchers are to enter the quarantine area. All security personnel are to assemble at the lobby immediately."

Alarms were heard throughout the entire laboratory building. Thompson, Zhao Qing, and seven others were currently training the second batch of clones in the building. The first batch of clones had been successfully born two days ago and were currently undergoing physical recovery training.

Zhang Heng was the first to walk into the lobby after hearing the alarms ringing in the building. He looked at the huge screen above him and picked up a microphone. "Corona, what happened?"

"Unidentified armed personnel are approaching the building. There are 113 of them. Forty-six of them are armed with firearms, while the rest are armed with cold weapons. Judging from the direction of their attacks, their target is none other than the clone's research and development building."

Corona's silhouette disappeared from the screen and turned into small squares. The squares were surveillance footage of a huge group of Indians armed with all manner of weapons charging at the building.

Those were the surveillance footage that Zhang Heng installed in every corner of the factory. All of those surveillance cameras were installed with ultra-high-definition automatic tracking cameras. Every single image of the surveillance cameras was under surveillance after Corona took over the main control system. Compared to the security personnel hired to watch the surveillance footage, the efficiency of those surveillance cameras was more than 10 times higher.

Humans were inherently lazy, and even the most professional of people would find it impossible to concentrate at all times. However, Corona, who was an intelligent being, had no such problem. Her computational ability far exceeded that of the most advanced supercomputer in modern times, and she was able to monitor hundreds of millions of images at once.

At that moment, Zhang Heng was able to see screenshots appearing on the screen one after another. A red square frame automatically appeared on the screen, which circled the faces and weapons of the people shown on the screen, before continuing to zoom in. There were lines of text flashing at the side, marking the type of weapon, performance, and other data.

"Can you confirm the other party's identity?"

"I can do that. I'm hacking into the Indian Government network… Please wait."

"According to the images sent by the surveillance cameras, I've compared them with the database of the government of India and confirmed the identities of the 75 people on the other side. The most important one among them is a high-ranking Indian named Amubu Shatili, who is involved in human trafficking and has multiple criminal records. He is currently the leader of a very powerful gang in Mumbai." Corona's voice continued.

"The others, on the other hand, are of no importance. Most of them are people from the slums, and there are no higher-ups found."

"What's the reason for attacking the factory?" Zhang Heng frowned. There was no such thing as love and hate without a reason in the world. There had to be some kind of motive behind her actions.

"There is a 97 percent chance that he's after the money, and the remaining 3 percent chance that he's under someone else's orders or something else." Corona continued, "I've checked the communication records of Amubu Shatili, but I didn't find any relevant leads. The probability of him being after the money continues to rise. The current probability is 99 percent."

"Wealth? I didn't expect security to be so chaotic in India. In that case, let's take the first batch of clones out for combat training."

Zhang Heng clapped his hands lightly and 16 men in camouflage attire walked out of the room and stood in a line before him, all of them looking straight ahead with calm expressions.

Surprise was still seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. The clones possessed physiques enhanced by the T-Virus. Their strength, agility, and reflexes were all on par with his former self. After erasing all emotions and implanted countless killing techniques into them, they became synonymous with killing machines.

Compared to regular soldiers, the clones in front of Zhang Heng possessed greater lethality due to their lack of emotions. They were more determined and would not hesitate to do as they were told. There was no hesitation or doubt in their actions, and they continued to charge forward without any hesitation, even if they knew that they were doomed.

He was a true warrior of steel and blood!

While it wasn't his first time seeing a clone warrior like that, he felt like he was facing a pack of wolves every time he stood before that group of clones.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and ordered the crowd, who had no expression on their faces at all, "Target: Kill or capture all intruders outside the building, and capture an Indian named 'Amubu Shatili' alive. All weapons are permitted."

"Now, let's go!"

There was no need for mobilization, no need for passionate slogans, and no need for reasons. Everything was done according to Zhang Heng's orders—that was his clone army.

The hidden door at the side of the building opened immediately after receiving the order and 16 figures rushed out, blending into the thick darkness of the night as if they had never been there.

…

The moon was shining brightly and the night sky was exceptionally clear that night. Due to the fact that they were located in the outskirts of the city, they were only able to see the twinkling stars of the night sky, which made it look like the stars were circling the full moon.

The ground was completely visible under the moonlight.

A sinister glint was seen in Amubu's eyes as he watched the crowd charge forward like a pack of wolves. At that moment, Amubu was seen taking a stroll among four of his subordinates, who were armed with AKs. He seemed to have seen Lupe and Dollar waving at him.

The four of them were his most trusted and capable subordinates, both his bodyguards and the supervisors. If any of them were to run away, their AK would be of use.

However, before he could think of a way to torture that rich Chinese businessman, he heard a faint scream.

"What is that noise? He made contact with the security guards so quickly?" Amubu looked into the distance, but due to the distance between them and the security guards, he was only able to see a grey blur and was unable to see what was happening in the distance.

"Pfff…"

However, the sound of a knife being plunged into flesh was heard right after that, followed by yet another scream. That scream was a lot more urgent than the one before, and Amubu was able to tell right away that it came from one of his subordinates.

"Hold on, something's not right!" Amubu suddenly narrowed his eyes and put up his guard like a fox. He raised his hand and gestured for the four people in front of him to stop moving. He then took out the telescope from his neck and shone it forward.

Bang, bang, bang!

A series of gunshots were heard all of a sudden and Amubu was startled. He heard a thud and a human body fell to the ground with a dull thud.

Another gust of wind was heard and the head of the other charging figure was thrown backward all of a sudden. The figure slumped to the ground and twitched for a bit before becoming completely still.

"Who is it?!" The team of over 100 people was thrown into a frenzy right away. Seven of them who were standing at the forefront took out their guns and fired into the darkness in the distance. Gunshots were heard all of a sudden and the flames lit up everyone's faces, lighting up where they were.

Whoosh!

Another air-piercing sound was heard, but those who were more attentive were able to tell that it wasn't just a single sound, but multiple sounds that were heard at the same time.

"Pfft!"

Five of the seven people who fired the shot fell to the ground, and one of the remaining two screamed. Everyone went up to take a look and gasped.

A pitch-black Mitsubishi bayonet that was only about a foot long appeared out of nowhere above the heads of the five men. The bayonets were nailed to the foreheads of the five men respectively, and the sharp bayonets penetrated their brains, leaving only half of the blade exposed.

"It's a concealed weapon! Be careful, everyone!"

One of the more knowledgeable middle-aged men shouted immediately. He pulled the bolt of his gun and dropped to the ground like a bolt of lightning. He raised the rifle in his hand and aimed at the dark shadow not far away.

Those bayonets came from the area behind the green belt of the factory in front.

Bang!

The middle-aged man saw a figure bending over and running far away after the shot was fired and fell to the ground all of a sudden. He chuckled coldly, but before the smirk on his face disappeared, he heard the sound of something tearing through the air. The middle-aged man felt light flash before his eyes and he lost consciousness immediately.

A bayonet was plunged into the eye that the middle-aged man was aiming at, piercing right through his brain.

"Run! There's an ambush!"

That middle-aged man seemed to be some kind of leader of some kind. Seeing that the middle-aged man was dead, everyone's morale dropped drastically. All of them, who were no different from a mob to begin with, quickly turned around and ran away.

89. Submission

Ya Yiru slowly emerged from the darkness without any expression on her face. She stepped on the dead middle-aged man's head and pulled the handle of the bayonet with her right hand. The bayonet with three blood grooves was pulled out without any resistance.

Adam jabbed the bayonet back into his ankle and flicked it with the tip of his foot. The rifle appeared in his hand nimbly.

More clones emerged from the darkness in the very next moment. All of them retracted their weapons and picked up the guns of their enemies before diving into the endless darkness around them as Adam gestured.

"Bang!"

"Bang! Bang!"

The clone squad was like a pack of hunters lurking in the dark, appearing before and behind the crowd like ghosts. A single pull of the trigger would have taken the life of one of them, causing blood to spray from the back of his head.

The clones who had acquired firearms were undoubtedly more terrifying than the ones who were armed with cold weapons. As gunshots were heard one after another, the fleeing crowd became the stepping stones of the clones' trial. They wailed, cursed, rolled, and fell to the ground one by one. The stench of blood filled the air in the night sky of the factory.

Even the moonlight couldn't bear to look at the devastation on the ground. A thin layer of clouds slowly drifted over, blocking the moon's vision.

The night in the outskirts of Mumbai seemed to have gotten windy…

In less than three minutes, over 30 to 40 of the 100-strong bandit legion fell to the ground and were unable to get up anymore.

He kicked the dead body under his feet over and took a good look at the man's face under the moonlight. Adam shook his head and found that the man was still not the one that Zhang Heng wanted to capture alive.

Adam didn't give up just like that. He continued to slaughter the defenseless Indian bandits. However, he seemed to have sensed something all of a sudden and looked up. He saw five people standing about 200 meters away, and one of them was looking in his direction.

Their eyes met.

"Gasp…!"

The moment their eyes met, Amubu's heart skipped a beat and the telescope in his hand slipped right away. He gasped and turned around to flee without a second thought.

At that moment, the four bodyguards wore murderous looks on their faces as they watched their comrades being pushed back. They were just about to issue a warning shot to force them back to the front lines when they realized that their boss had escaped as well.

What the hell is going on? My boss ran away when I wasn't paying attention?

The four of them looked at each other, dumbfounded.

The four of them exchanged looks with one another in the very next second and immediately understood what was going on. They turned around and ran right behind their boss without a second thought, looking like they were ready to protect him at all costs.

The gunshots continued to ring out behind them. What was even more devastating was that no matter how hard they tried to run, they were unable to shake off the enemy's relentless pursuit. Every shot represented the end of a life.

"What the hell is going on? How many people are there on the other side? Why are they all running away before the fight even begins?" It seemed like Amub was unable to make sense of the situation. Regardless, the sense of crisis that was constantly looming over him was unmistakable.

Most people who were able to become the boss of a gang had to be exceptional in some ways, and his exceptional traits were that he had a premonition that surpassed that of regular people. When he saw those eyes that didn't resemble those of humans, he had a vague feeling that he would only end up dead if he were to stay around any longer. As such, he ran away without a second thought, not even bothering to look after his subordinates.

"Bang!"

A gunshot was heard all of a sudden and a huge pile of dirt burst out from under his feet. He was so frightened that he jumped half a foot into the air. How could he not know that he was being watched?

"Damn it!" Amub spat and ran for his life, ignoring the fact that he was covered in dust and dirt. He was secretly glad that his car wasn't far away. He ran to the car as quickly as he could and got into the car as quickly as he could.

Amub took deep breaths after getting into the car. He was unable to calm himself down in time to realize that something bad was about to happen… that his car keys were still with the guards.

He looked out of the window right away and was shocked to find that all four of his personal guards had disappeared without him realizing it. Even the bulk of the escaping troops had been reduced by half.

"No, I can't just hide in the car!" Amub was scared out of his wits right there and then. He crawled out of the car from the other side of the door with his butt wet and crawled under the car, gripping the AK47 tightly in his hand, trying to use that method to evade the incoming attack.

"Please, wet nurse, don't find me, don't find me…"

At that moment, Amubu was filled with regret. He really shouldn't have listened to that Jacob's advice. If it hadn't been for him, why would he have set his sights on that factory? Why would he have gone out of his way to attack that place all of a sudden? Almost all of the subordinates that he had worked so hard to build up over the years were going to end up in that place. Not only that, but he was also in danger. Other than praying that the other party wouldn't find him, he was at his wit's end.

The battle outside gradually came to an end and the gunshots became increasingly sparse. Amubu tried his best to make out every sound around him, but he was unable to hear any footsteps. All he could see was endless darkness surrounding him, making him feel as helpless as an abandoned baby.

Amubu didn't know how much time passed. He didn't even dare to look out from under the car. It was as if just one look would allow the other party to follow his gaze and find him. Amidst the dead silence, only the sound of his heartbeat was heard clearly. Every second felt like torture.

"He might have already left…"

He had no idea how much time had passed before he was finally unable to take the torture anymore. He gritted his teeth and rolled out from under the car. However, before he was able to stand up, a pair of boots appeared before him.

Amub's heart sank right away. He looked up with his head shaking and saw seven or eight men in camouflage uniforms standing before him. The man in the leather boots before him was none other than the man who was looking at him through the telescope.

"I-I was just passing by…" Ah Mu's mouth was full of bitterness as he said that. However, before he was able to finish his sentence, the man's fist enlarged right before his eyes. He felt his vision go dark and he completely lost consciousness.

…

Amubu slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying on a bed.

He rubbed his head, which felt rather heavy, and sat up. It was only then that he realized that there was a layer of gauze wrapped around his head, and he felt a stabbing pain at the back of his head.

"You're awake." The door of the ward opened silently and a young Asian man walked in slowly, looking down at her.

"Who are you and where am I?" Amub asked in trembling English. Fear was written all over his face, yet his fox-like gaze kept scanning his surroundings, looking for any chance to escape.

"I am the owner of this factory and your master at the same time. You, on the other hand, are my most loyal servant." The absurd words that came out of the man's mouth made Amub want to laugh at him. However, he found, to his surprise, that he didn't feel any resistance to the man's words at all. It was as if what the man said… was the truth of the world.

"I'm your… servant?" A dazed look was seen in Amubu's eyes. He knew that he should have retorted, but the thought of resisting disappeared without a trace when his lips moved. He even felt that the other party's words were becoming increasingly friendly.

The Asian man's words seemed to have some kind of magical power to them. Amubu's face was constantly filled with a calm and ferocious expression, as if two different consciousnesses were fighting intensely.

"How is that possible? I'm definitely not anyone's servant. I'm Amubu. I would never submit to anyone!" Amubu muttered to himself. However, that rage dissipated in the very next second, as if a voice was saying, "Amubu, what are you hesitating for? Return to your master's arms. Only by following your master will you be able to have the best future, and you'll be able to go further."

The two voices almost drove Amubhub insane. He screamed and rolled about while holding his head, seemingly having fallen into some kind of computer shutdown state.

That Asian man was none other than Zhang Heng, of course. Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown at that moment. As expected, biochips were not omnipotent. The most difficult thing to grasp was the human mind. It was simply too difficult to control a person's thoughts. Amub, who was in such a state, would eventually end up being incinerated by the A.I. Chip when it found that it was unable to stop the other party's will. Amub would then have his brain damaged by the high temperatures generated when the A.I. Chip incinerated him, turning him into a retard at best and dying at worst.

"I'm willing to be your servant!" Just when Zhang Heng thought that he was about to fail, Amubu seemed to have made up his mind all of a sudden and shouted, "However, you have to pay the price. While I don't know what you've done to me, you have to pay the equivalent price no matter what, or I, Amubu, will never yield!"

The Asian man was stunned for a bit before breaking into a grin. "Of course there are benefits. Your dream is to become a congressman, right? I have an endless supply of money that could help you realize your dream."

Ah Mubu's eyes lit up right away. He gritted his teeth and seemed to have made up his mind to do something out of the ordinary. In the end, he steeled himself and shouted, "Deal!"

90. T-1 Listed

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily as he watched the rapidly subservient Amubu.

He knew from a long time ago that he was unfamiliar with the place, and it was imperative for him to have a local spokesperson if he wanted to set up a factory.

In India, money seemed to be the most important thing in the world, but there was still a set of rules that governed how things were done in secret. One would only end up as a fat sheep in the eyes of others if one were to just charge about recklessly with money, eventually being swallowed whole.

Furthermore, what Zhang Heng needed was definitely not as simple as just setting up a factory. He was about to set up the first real human cryogenic center in the world there. If he were to succeed, he could only imagine how much profit he would be able to generate in the future that would make anyone jealous.

As such, the only way Zhang Heng could get that new, unprecedented business to run smoothly was to reach an agreement with the local authorities.

However, the corruption and incompetence of the Indian government was well known throughout the world. No matter how insensitive Zhang Heng was, there was simply no way he could place all of his chips on the weak link between his interests. The only way to ensure that nothing went wrong was to plant his connections in the Indian government.

That was why everything that happened before happened.

As one of the most powerful forces in the underworld in Mumbai, the boss of the underworld, Amubu, was undoubtedly a good choice. He had connections in both the underworld and the underground world, and he was slowly becoming a clean slate, gradually becoming a political figure.

One shouldn't think that it would be difficult to transition from a gangster to a key government official. In actual fact, 30 percent of the members of Parliament in India had gang connections. With the financial backing of Zhang Heng, there was a good chance that Amub would be able to run for office and embark on a political path.

As such, Zhang Heng implanted a biochemical chip into Amubu's brain. While the chip might not be able to control a person's thoughts, it was nonetheless able to lead a person's thoughts and subconscious. That was why Amubu eventually chose to submit. Otherwise, Zhang Heng wouldn't have trusted her even if she were to surrender.

His phone rang at that moment.

"Commander, I have good news for you." Corona's crisp voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "Have you learned to keep people guessing, Corona? Let me guess then. Hmm… the so-called good news, could it be that the antifreeze was approved by the FDA in the US? That would be really good news."

"Commander, are you joking?" Corona bluntly exposed Zhang Heng. "You know how efficient the FDA auditing system in the United States is. No drug would be approved without at least 10 months. Even with the help of those consortiums, it would take at least three to six months. Don't even think about it before the end of the year."

"What's the good news then?" Zhang Heng asked.

"It's the T-1. The Huaxian CfDA officially announced the existence of the T-1 just moments ago and announced that the T-1 has passed all tests, including clinical ones. All the major hospitals in the country will be using the T-1 to treat cancer. The CfDA has classified the T-1 as a 'top-secret' form of prescription, which is in a state of permanent secrecy, just like 'Yunnan Baiyao' and 'Xuanzhou'. No leaks are to be made."

"Very well then. Seems like we really don't need to worry about money for the time being." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and continued, "Actually, now that I think about it, it was rather reckless of me to announce the existence of the T-1 back then. If the Li Group were to go all out to silence me and get the formula for the T-1, I wouldn't have been able to fight back at all. Even if I were to set up a few backup plans, I would have ended up dead. It's a good thing that none of that happened."

"It's alright. I can see that you're gradually maturing." Corona smiled like a caring elder sister and continued, "The current you would definitely not make such a low-level mistake. Furthermore, I would support you unconditionally. All you need to do is to continue moving forward, clearing all obstacles and getting rid of all obstacles that stand in your way."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and hung up the phone quietly. He turned around and looked at Amub, who was lying on the bed. "Now, I have a new mission for you."

"Please give me your orders." Amubu stood up right away and lowered his head to show his submission.

"Report your bank account number to Thompson and I'll give you 100 million US dollars. Set up a security company in your name and I'll be the one to decide the personnel. What you need to do is to apply for a gun license for them. Can you do that?"

Amubu was stunned and looked at Zhang Heng in disbelief. "Are you sure you're telling the truth? 100 million US dollars?"

Zhang Heng frowned and said impatiently, "That's right, US dollars. I wouldn't go so far as to make such a mistake."

A shudder ran through Amubu's body as shock was seen in his eyes. That was no small sum!

100 million US dollars was equivalent to six billion rupees. That was a sum that could allow an Indian to live a luxurious life for 10 lifetimes. He wondered if he could actually earn that much money.

"The location of the security company that you set up must be next to mine. All types of training facilities must be purchased as well. Of course, the most important thing is weapons. I'd like to apply for a gun license for the security personnel. I assume that you'd be able to do that, given your abilities?" Zhang Heng continued, ignoring the other party's shock.

"Well…" Amub hesitated for a bit before continuing, "We can talk about the firearms license of several people, but if there were to be hundreds of people, I doubt that it would be that easy…"

"100 million. I don't care how you bribe the higher-ups, I'll only give you 100 million." Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and a dangerous glint was seen in his eyes. "If you're able to get it done, it would mean that you have value that could be put to good use. You'd have a chance of becoming a member of the parliament in the future, or even a government personnel of higher levels. But if you can't even handle such a small thing…"

Amub shuddered involuntarily and only then was he able to recover from the shock of money. He nodded and said, "Don't worry, don't worry. I'll definitely complete the mission as requested."

"Alright, I'll see what you get then." Zhang Heng nodded and walked out of the room.

Zhang Heng was put on high alert after the attack.

While it was just a bunch of ragtag mobsters who could easily wipe them out, what about next time? What if some well-trained Resistance forces were to really come knocking on their doors?

While the government of India would not be overthrown anytime soon, there were all manner of riots. If one were to want to avoid harassment, a show of force was more effective than a show of force in the dark.

That's right. India wasn't Huaxia after all. The kind of strategy that Huaxia employed to conceal their capabilities and bide their time wasn't suitable for a country like India. India was a country that had the most guns among its own people, with the exception of the United States. It was permitted to carry guns in India, and due to poor security, there was a huge demand for security among the people of India.

As such, Zhang Heng considered registering a security company before getting Corona to hack into the Indian national system and assign a public identity to all clones, enabling all clones to become security personnel and appear in the factory openly.

A mercenary team that was armed to the teeth was definitely more intimidating than the clone army that was lurking in the dark.

91. Joshua Arrives

A week later.

Zhao Qing, Thompson, and several other clone fighters dressed as bodyguards stood before the door of the Jatrapathi Shivaji International Airport.

The image of the crowd was very eye-catching, especially when they were standing among a group of dirty and tanned Indians. One look and one could tell that they were rich businessmen from overseas. Furthermore, there were seven to eight Mercedes-Benz cars parked side by side behind the crowd, making them look very flashy and eye-catching.

All of a sudden, a commotion broke out in the airport and a group of European men dressed in suits walked out of the airport warily. All of them formed a circle around a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties.

That middle-aged man had a very handsome appearance and his gaze was as sharp as that of a hawk's. Having been in a high position for a long time, he had developed a unique air of authority about him. The commoners around him subconsciously moved to the side before he even got near, before looking around with fearful yet curious expressions.

Zhao Qing flashed a friendly grin when he saw the middle-aged man. He walked up to the middle-aged man and extended his right hand in a practiced manner, saying, "Mr. Williams, I'd like to welcome you on behalf of Stellar Technology!"

However, before he was able to reach the man, the other man's bodyguard stepped in front of Zhao Qing and said coldly, "Sir, please show me something to prove your identity."

Zhao Qing realized what was happening right away and quickly raised his left hand. There was a platinum ring about the size of a fingernail on his left thumb.

The main face of the ring was intricately carved and there was a round ball carved on it. The round ball was divided into four irregular pieces by two blank arcs, and each piece was a type of gem, which was red, yellow, blue, and green respectively.

Joshua nodded and showed her his ring as well, but his expression remained glum, as if he was in a bad mood.

No one would be happy to smell a mixture of curry and feces right after arriving in India.

"I'm Zhao Qing, the general manager of the Stellar Technology India branch, and I'm also a Level B4 member of the foundation. The person next to me is the chief surgeon of the 'Project Alpha' in the foundation, Professor Thompson." Zhao Qing didn't mind the other party's attitude. While he was a Level B4 when it came to confidentiality, and the other party was only a Level B3, he wasn't stupid. While he believed that the company would definitely be able to crush all those financial groups in the future, he was still just starting out at the moment and wasn't strong enough to fight them head-on.

However, after hearing Zhao Qing's introduction, Joshua was stunned. He looked at Thompson with a serious expression and said respectfully, "Good day, Professor Thompson. I didn't expect you to come and greet me personally."

Thompson nodded expressionlessly. That weird-tempered old man had been pulling a long face ever since he found out that he was going to accompany Zhao Qin to welcome outsiders. As a research maniac, he felt that such social interaction was a waste of his life.

Joshua couldn't help but feel rather awkward when he saw that he was being treated coldly. Zhao Qing chuckled dryly and changed the subject. "We've booked a presidential suite in the most luxurious hotel in Mumbai for your arrival. Would you like to take a break?"

"No, no need. I'd like to visit your company's laboratory right away if possible." Joshua shook his head right away. What a joke. He had invested one billion US dollars in the project. If it hadn't been for that damned Alpha Immortality Project, he wouldn't have spent so much money on a nameless foundation.

It was obvious that Joshua was there for the brain transplant operation.

He had had enough of his aging body. He was in his fifties and his bodily functions were deteriorating. His loose skin and declining energy told him that his life was slipping away like an hourglass.

Even training wouldn't be able to change that sad fact. At most, he would end up like his father, who relied on machine-like precision to rest and those advanced life support equipment to stay in bed for over a decade, only to be unable to escape the clutches of death.

It was only when that miraculous foundation appeared that he began to doubt at first, before becoming increasingly doubtful. It was only after taking the T-2 that his energy and stamina were greatly enhanced. He was finally convinced that there was indeed a technology in the world that could extend his life.

While the price would be higher, he could still earn more money, but his life would be reduced with every use. Now that the almighty Lord had given him such an opportunity, there was no way he wouldn't seize it. He wouldn't hesitate to add 10 billion to the deal, much less one billion.

Zhao Qing could tell from the anxious tone in Joshua's voice that he understood right away. "Understood. Please calm down. As a member of the board, you'll definitely be given the right to 'purify'."

The term 'purification' was a code used in the foundation, which was to use all manner of technological methods employed in the Alpha Immortality Project to extend one's life.

Joshua nodded and berated himself for losing his cool. It had been a long time since something like that had happened to someone who was the boss of a massive financial group with assets over 50 billion yuan.

Zhao Qing acted as if he didn't notice that the young man had lost his composure and invited the young man to get into his car with a very friendly manner before making his way to the industrial park in the outskirts of Mumbai.

The group reached the factory two hours later. Joshua got out of the car silently and was stunned when he looked inside.

There was a huge hemispherical building in the factory that took up as much space as a football field, with a height of about 20 meters. The building was welded with steel, and the surface of the building was filled with material that looked like solar panels.

It stood in the center of the factory, looking like a huge, shiny jewel embedded in the ground. It also looked like a building from the future, filled with technological beauty.

"Mr. Williams, this is where the 'Stellar Biotech Corporation' is located. What you're seeing right now is the only real human cryogenic chamber in the world."

Zhao Qing and Joshua walked in side by side and explained as they walked, "The base area of the cryogenic chamber is 5,000 square meters, with a height of 20 meters. The entire structure is welded with special steel, enabling it to withstand mid-range nuclear explosions. Other than a partition door that is five meters thick, there is no other way in or out."

"Furthermore, after the cryogenic freezer is opened for business, we will hire a large number of top-notch security personnel from all over the world. The security of this place would be on par with that of any military base and would be able to serve customers with the utmost security and ease."

Zhao Qing couldn't help but feel proud when he saw how moved Joshua looked. "The entire exterior of the building is embedded with solar panels made of monocrystalline silicon, which are capable of generating power entirely through solar power. The interior of the building is divided into three levels. Other than the cryogenic chambers where human cryogenic pods are stored, there are also normal dormitories, independent drinking water systems, and air systems. The building could hold over a thousand workers."

Zhao Qing explained the entire process in detail. He was the only one who knew just how unbelievable the freezer was. It was constructed using the most advanced equipment in the world, and the pharmaceutical workshops nearby were completely dismantled.

At that moment, the pharmaceutical company that was once a pharmaceutical company had changed completely and became a massive cryogenic facility.

"General Manager Zhao, I'm not here to take on human cryogenic services. I don't want to sleep in a cold coffin yet." Joshua cut Zhao Qing off politely. "I'm here to take on the 'purification' service. As such, I'd rather you explain more about this."

"I'm sorry, but of course." Zhao Qing nodded and pointed at a group of buildings beside the hemispherical building. "That's where our experiment area is, and where you'll be receiving 'purification'. Please follow me."

"Can I visit someone else's purification?" Joshua's eyes lit up.

"Sure, but we'll have to wait for the other members of the board to arrive as well. Our staff members have limited energy after all." Zhao Qing nodded.

Joshua was silent for a moment before nodding. "Alright, we'll talk about it when the others get here. However, I'd like to request a tour of the experiment area right now."

"Of course. Actually, there are still a lot of preparations to be made before I 'purify' you, such as extracting your tissue cells, nurturing your cloned body, and so on. All of those procedures are 100 percent transparent. If you're not satisfied, you can call for a halt at any time. The person-in-charge of Project Alpha of the Golden Foundation, Mr. Zhang Heng, is waiting for you inside."

Zhao Qing then led Joshua to the clone building.

92. Welfare

Joshua followed Zhao Qing to the front of the clone experiment building. Four expressionless bouncers were standing by the door at the moment. All of them were dressed in camouflage attire and carried pitch-black automatic rifles in their hands.

The eight Caucasian bouncers standing behind Joshua blinked at the same time when they saw the four of them, and their expressions became even more serious.

"The air of death around them is very thick. I can't sense any signs of living beings from them. They're as cold as dead people!" The most powerful of the eight bouncers took a deep breath and said in a low voice. That warning was heard through the microscope and was heard by Joshua and the other seven bouncers.

Joshua took a good look at the four of them. None of the four bouncers bothered to look at the crowd throughout the entire process, as they kept their eyes fixed straight ahead. However, Joshua had a feeling that if he were to make any threatening movements, a bullet would shoot right through his body.

Where did the Stellar Foundation find such men of sacrifice? Even the most elite special forces in Huaxia would find it difficult to achieve such a feat.

Joshua was impressed by how mysterious she was as he continued to walk through the door.

Joshua and the eight bouncers made it into the building without any mishaps from the security guards. There was a spacious lobby in the building, with metallic floors covering the entire floor. Large screens were set up all around the lobby, displaying data reports.

The metal door at the side of the lobby was suddenly opened and a young Asian man with average looks but eyes as dark as the night sky slowly walked out. He couldn't help but smile when he saw Joshua.

"We meet again, Mr. Williams." The young Asian man walked up to him and extended his right hand with a grin. The eight bodyguards behind Joshua didn't try to stop him at all.

Even Joshua himself was astonished. He shook the other man's hand without batting an eyelid, yet he couldn't help but look back. It was only then that all eight of the bouncers came to their senses and gasped at the same time, their eyes filled with shock.

The eight of them felt as if a huge pressure was crushing down on them from the moment the other party appeared. They were considered well-trained to be able to remain standing where they were, let alone stop the other party.

The shock that Joshua felt was even greater. Due to the foundation, he had looked into Zhang Heng's background before. The Zhang Heng listed in the data could be said to be a rising star, a commoner through. If he hadn't known Zhang Heng's true identity, the data would have been able to fool everyone.

However, it was only after seeing it with his own eyes that he realized that the mysteriousness of the Golden Foundation was not only reflected in its advanced technologies. Zhang Heng, who was known to be a big shot, was able to shock even him, who was used to seeing such big shots. Just how terrifying was the Golden Foundation itself?

"Mr. Zhang Heng, if I'm not mistaken, this should be our first time meeting." However, as the boss of the corporation, Joshua was able to regain his senses before the other bouncers did. His expression looked rather glum, but he forced a smile nonetheless.

"We haven't met before, but we've talked on the phone. According to the Chinese saying, we've known each other for a long time." Zhang Heng wore a smile on his face and deliberately concealed his aura.

Zhang Heng looked more like a young college student without the cold air around him. It wasn't just Joshua. Even Zhao Qing, who was standing at the side, couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. The two of them chatted as if nothing had happened as they made their way to the main laboratory.

The laboratory was located on the middle floor of the building and the stairs were just emergency access points. The usual traffic route was still an elevator and when Joshua walked out of the elevator, he found himself in a disinfection room.

Everyone disinfected themselves in the disinfection room for a bit before putting on the chemical defense suit that they had prepared beforehand and entering the laboratory.

Dozens of researchers were busy working in the laboratory, going back and forth. All of those researchers were created by Zhang Heng through cloning, but he didn't give them combat knowledge. He only gave them basic skills, making them the most basic researchers in the laboratory.

Joshua's gaze didn't linger on the clones as he looked at the several massive pillar-like containers before him. The containers looked like huge test tubes connected to the floor and ceiling. The insides of the containers were filled with translucent green solution that bubbled.

On both sides of the container were rows of supercomputers that looked like they were connected to each other. There were rows of huge LCD screens and all manner of unknown equipment at the side, constructing a futuristic world.

"This is the Hall of Clones. These huge culture pods are where your cloning body is being nurtured." Zhang Heng pointed at the huge containers and continued, "After cloning your body, we will modify the technology using DNA microdots, enabling your cloning body to achieve maximum optimization. We can also adjust your appearance and size at a genetic level, enabling you to have no regrets."

"After that, the 'purification' begins. We will be performing brain transplantation and transfer your brain to your cloned body. You'll feel like you're in a dream. When you wake up from the dream, you'll realize that your body has returned to its golden age of 20 years old. Isn't that wonderful?"

Joshua's eyes lit up when he heard that. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "If what you say is true, Mr. spokesperson, then what is the success rate of such a surgery?"

"No, you shouldn't be asking what the success rate is, but what the failure rate is."

Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and Zhao Qing took out a copy of data and handed it to Joshua right away. He then continued in a familiar manner, "According to the laws of mathematics and the probability of scientific accidents, combined with the precision of technology found in the laboratory, as well as more than 30 clinical tests, the probability of failure in brain transplantation is one in 30 billion, which is equivalent to winning two five-million awards in a day."

"Very good. I hope you're telling the truth, Mr. Zhang Heng." Joshua nodded and suppressed the excitement on his face. He handed the data in his hand to a bouncer behind him and said, "If you don't mind, I'd like to take this data back for reference."

"That's what I should do," Zhang Heng said nonchalantly. He then checked his watch and continued, "You may tour the place on your own from here on out. We'll collect your blood when we're done and then begin to nurture your clones. When all the other members of the board of directors arrive, we'll show you the entire 'purification process'. Whether or not you'll be able to accept the 'purification' immediately will be up to you."

Joshua took a deep breath and suppressed the shock in his heart. He realized that he was finding it increasingly difficult to see through the mysterious foundation.

All sorts of unbelievable things came one after another from that email he received more than a month ago, which completely changed his view of the world—precision surgeries that could change the brain, gene agents that could increase the lifespan of people, technology that could modify DNA, and now, there was even a true intelligent lifeform…

Any one of the technologies found here would be enough to start World War Three if the outside world were to find out about it. Even the most technologically advanced United States wouldn't be able to compare.

Who exactly is this foundation?

It was as if there was a veil shrouding the so-called Life Science Foundation, yet everything that it described was so wonderful that no one could resist it.

There were times when Joshua felt that he might have fallen into some elaborate trap, yet no one was able to resist the lure of that trap. After all, the name of that trap was—

Eternal life!

Joshua sighed to himself and wanted to ask more questions, but he gave up after seeing how frustrated she was. He changed the subject and asked, "How long can my brain survive after taking the T-2?"

"The human brain itself has a longer shelf life than the human body." Zhang Heng checked his watch again and continued casually, "According to scientific research, if the human body doesn't die, the brain could probably live for over 120 years. Additionally, the regular consumption of the T-2 optimized gene would be more than enough for your brain to live for 150 years."

"You're 55 years old this year, which means that your brain will be able to live for at least another eight or nine decades." Zhang Heng smirked and continued, "And decades from now, we'll definitely be able to develop a biopharmaceutical that is even more advanced than the T-2, which will continue to extend the life of your brain. Even if you were to reach some kind of bottleneck, we'd still be able to freeze you. As such, it's just like the Alpha Project. Technically speaking, you could live forever."

Zhang Heng looked at his watch for the last time after saying that. "Alright, forgive me for not being able to keep you company from here on out. You may choose to stay or leave at any time, and I need to get back to work."

"Please go ahead." Joshua nodded and watched Zhang Heng leave with a complicated look in his eyes.

Zhao Qing walked up to him and said with a smile, "Mr. Williams, I'll continue to show you around. Please come this way…"

It took Zhang Heng three whole days to get the nine big shots of the financial groups to the factory. With the arrival of the members of the board of directors, the first step of the foundation's bondage plan had come to an end.

93. Witnessing Success

It could be said that Zhao Qing had been working very hard to prepare for the arrival of the nine consortiums, but there was nothing he could do about it. Zhang Heng was too lazy to go, and he was the only one who held the highest position in the entire branch company, apart from Zhang Heng. Who asked him to take on the role of the general manager of the Indian region?

Of course, he alone wasn't enough. The chief surgeon, Thompson, had to come as well. In order to prevent that stubborn old man from getting angry, Zhang Heng had no choice but to promise that he would be the top researcher in the company's new projects in the future. That was how he was able to calm the other man down.

The remaining eight consortiums finally arrived on the fourth day after Joshua's arrival. Everyone was notified by the foundation very quickly and gathered in the clone experiment building.

Zhao Qing stood at the podium, his face flushed with excitement. It was his first time being the center of attention.

There were nine heads of financial groups below the stage. Every single one of them would cause a huge commotion in the business, financial, and political circles if their backgrounds were to be made known to the public. However, at that moment, all of them were gathered together, standing below the stage and listening to their own speech quietly.

"Members of the Golden Foundation, welcome to the Alpha Everlasting Project."

"A very, very long time ago, the Stellar Vitality Science Foundation began to develop this epoch-making plan. We've been through countless hardships and wasted countless hours, and it's only today that the plan is finally laid bare before everyone's eyes. All of you are the first outsiders to join the project."

"I believe that everyone is here for the same goal, which is to contribute to humanity's eternal life. In the future, everyone's name will definitely be written on the greatest page of human history!"

Everyone below the stage clapped and Zhao Qing wiped the sweat from his brow. Despite the central air conditioning of the laboratory building, he was still feeling rather excited and nervous facing so many big names.

However, all of that was worth it to him.

"As the saying goes, 'seeing is believing'. Today is the day that all of you will be able to witness the 'Alpha Forever Project'. Please follow me."

Zhao Qing knew when to stop. Every single one of those people was worth millions of yuan per second. If it hadn't been for the sake of eternal life, no one would have come to such a godforsaken place. He could have just said a few words, but if he were to go on, those people would probably kick him off the stage without a second thought.

"Dear members of the Board of Directors, please come in. Behind this door is the scene of the brain transplant operation. If you wish to enter and observe the operation with your own eyes, you'll need to proceed with the procedure of disinfection. Of course, if you're unwilling to do so, we've also prepared an observation window for you outside the operating theater. It's just that it's not as intuitive as watching it from a close distance."

Zhao Qing quickly explained when he saw that everyone was feeling rather reluctant. "Please be understanding, everyone. The procedures for the brain transplant operation are very strict, and not even a single bacteria could be found in the operation. I assume that none of you would want to have bacterial infections during the operation, right?"

The crowd was rendered speechless after hearing that. They eventually chose to enter the venue and observe from a close distance, lining up and waiting patiently.

Automated disinfection was done very quickly. A person could finish disinfection in less than two to three minutes. The staff members then helped them put on their chemical defense suits before they were allowed to enter the sterile operating theater.

There were nine leather seats placed in the sterile operating theater at the moment. The seats looked like the high-end sofas found in the movie theaters, and they looked very comfortable sitting on them. The nine seats circled the entire operating table in a circle.

The seats were placed higher than the operating table, making it easy for one to see the details of the entire operation from above. It was obvious that those seats were where the leaders of the nine financial groups were seated.

There were three chief surgeons who were dressed in the same chemical defense attire standing quietly at the operating table below. Everyone recognized the stubborn old man through the polyethylene mask, and the two people beside him were his assistants.

Thompson sighed and gestured to his assistant on his right after seeing that everyone was seated.

The assistant understood right away and said something into his ear-mic. The crowd then saw the door opposite the operating room being pushed open with a loud bang. Two men in chemical defense attire walked into the room in a swift and decisive manner. They escorted an Indian man in a hospital gown who kept screaming and begging for mercy.

That man was one of the people who attacked the pharmaceutical company a few days ago. Of the 100 or so people who attacked the pharmaceutical company, over 60 were killed on the spot and the remaining half were captured.

Zhang Heng didn't kill those people. Instead, he set up a prison for them to live in and fed them well. Those b * stards who only knew how to bully the weak in the slums, their only value was to contribute to Zhang Heng's experiments.

"Crack!"

The Indian man struggled and begged like a baby when faced with a clone warrior whose physique far exceeded that of regular humans. The clone warrior even slapped the Indian man's face and stifled his wails, thinking that he was being too noisy.

The poor thing's face bulged like a bun on a bun.

The Indian man finally shut his mouth obediently after seeing stars and feeling dizzy from the slap, but the fear in his eyes became even more intense.

The two cloned warriors secured the Indian to the operating table as if he were some kind of chicken. They saluted Thompson and left the room.

"Your name." A hint of sympathy was seen in the depths of Thompson's eyes. In actual fact, this was only his second time performing such an operation, as it was of no importance whether the chief surgeon was present or not. It could even be said that the automatic surgical equipment before him was more than capable of taking on the role of the chief surgeon, and Thompson's role was simply to issue a few commands and press a few buttons.

Thompson calmed down a little and saw that the young man was only looking around in fear and didn't pay any attention to what he said. He then asked again in English, "Tell me your name. I know you speak English."

"Jeff, Jeff Uhura," the Indian man who had just been slapped answered cautiously. He looked around at the crowd around him with a rather frightened expression and looked even more uneasy. "What are you guys planning to do with me?"

"It's just a minor operation." Thompson sighed to himself. If there was anyone to blame, it would be those people who were too greedy. While those people acted very pitifully, Thompson knew very well that they used to be a bunch of scumbags—rape, murder, and human trafficking. Those people committed all manner of evil, and the slums were their haven for crime.

Countless people had their families ruined by them.

Thompson's heart hardened at that thought. He paid no heed to the other man's pleas and turned around to gesture at one of his assistants.

His well-trained assistant picked up the Mit needleless injector from the operating table and injected the prepared propofol into his vein right before Ulla's despairing eyes.

The two cloned warriors who had just left walked in again after putting Wu La under anesthesia. However, things were different this time. They were pushing a multi-functional operation vehicle into the room. The vehicle was loaded with electrocardiograms and other life support equipment. In the center of the operation vehicle was an Indian man who looked exactly like Wu La but looked much younger. Even his skin looked smoother and fairer than Wu La's.

Everyone realized that the person who pushed the project was none other than the clone nurtured by the foundation.

It was just like the video programming that they had seen before. Joshua and the others watched with both joy and unease as the complete brain was extracted and quickly and efficiently placed into the cloning's skull cavity. The severed nerves of the brain were repaired using surgical equipment, and the clone, Ulla, appeared before everyone in one piece about an hour and a half later.

All the leaders of the financial groups couldn't help but cheer loudly the moment the new Uhura opened her eyes for the first time. They knew that this miracle that would have been written into the history of science was about to succeed with their own eyes.

94. Sister's College Entrance Examination

"Clap, clap, clap…"

Everyone clapped hard when she opened her eyes. While the success of the experiment depended on how well she recovered afterward, the fact that she was able to open her eyes at that moment was the best proof.

"The experimental subject shall undergo restorative treatment under everyone's supervision. If there are any signs of failure or sequelae, you'll be able to find it immediately. That would also put an end to the possibility of the foundation cheating."

Zhao Qing, who had been sitting with the others, breathed a sigh of relief. He had planned to explain the functions of all the instruments to the crowd during that one and a half hours, but what he saw left him completely stunned. He only came to his senses after the experiment was over, and he quickly went on to correct the lines.

"Very good. Your skills have won our trust." Joshua, who was sitting in his chair with an excited look on his face, nodded vigorously. He looked at the dazed Wu La and wished that he could just accept that miraculous operation right away.

"That's right. The Lawrence family believes in all of you." A certain tycoon from Germany nodded and looked at the Experimentals with a burning gaze.

"There's no need for all of you to stand on ceremony. We're all on the same side after all." Zhao Qing made a gentlemanly gesture and said loudly, "To express our gratitude, we've prepared a banquet. It's rare for all of you to get together today, so why not just party to your heart's content? You should know that you won't be able to drink 82-year-old red wine in India!"

…

Everyone was finally able to confirm the authenticity of the technology.

Everyone went into a frenzy after confirming that. They seemed to have seen their own future—a future where they could live a life that they could squander forever. From then on out, they would live longer than regular people, perhaps even forever.

The sterile operating theater became noisy all of a sudden. However, no one noticed that someone was watching their expressions from above.

The floor of the operating room was made of glass that was highly reflective of light. If a woman were to wear a dress on such a floor, the color of her underwear would probably be exposed in the very next second.

Just like the floor, the ceiling above their heads was made of the same material. However, one could only discover that the material of the ceiling was actually a special one-way mirror when looking at it from a close distance.

Zhang Heng was sitting in a dark room at the moment, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand as he looked down at the excited crowd below him with a deadpan expression. The one-way mirror enabled him to see every single movement of the crowd.

"Commander, your plan is about to succeed." A huge screen behind Zhang Heng lit up all of a sudden and a graceful silhouette appeared on the screen.

"What can I do for you?" Zhang Heng asked without turning around, taking a sip of his wine.

"I'm afraid you've forgotten what day it is today." Corona wrinkled her nose playfully. "Your sister is still waiting for your encouragement."

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit. His SIM card had been rendered completely useless ever since he came to India, and he had never thought of getting a SIM card from India. He had been in India for over a month and had relied on his subordinates to communicate with each other and report back to him.

It was only when Corona mentioned his sister that he realized that it had been quite some time since he last contacted his family. Furthermore, what day was it today?

Zhang Heng raised his right hand subconsciously and the high-end mechanical watch in his hand began to beep. A familiar number was displayed at the center of the timer—20170607.

Zhang Heng smacked his forehead, feeling rather speechless. So, today was the day of his sister's college entrance exam.

"It's 10: 30 in the morning in Huaxia, which is when the first test ends. Do you need to talk to your sister?" Corona reminded him.

"Okay, you win. Get my sister on the phone."

"Understood. Please wait."

The beeping sound of the phone being dialed was heard from the speaker in the room shortly after. A soft, gentle voice was heard after three rings.

"Hello?" A soft voice was heard from the speaker. Zhang Heng's sister's voice was very unique, with a soft, ethereal quality to it. Coupled with her innocent appearance, she could be considered a rare beauty.

"Xin, I'm your brother." That room was Zhang Heng's private room, and there was a loudspeaker installed in the room itself, which meant that he didn't need to hold a microphone to transmit his voice.

"Brother?" However, when she heard Zhang Heng's voice, she raised her voice by an octave and heard her younger sister chiding, "Brother, you still know how to call me? It's been over a month. If it hadn't been for your sister Li Yiru telling us that you were in India on a business trip, we would have thought that you were missing."

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless for a bit, as if he had never told his family that he was going overseas.

"By the way, I remember that you said four months ago that you were going to arrange for Yang Yang and me to go to Fudan University. Have you forgotten about that, brother?" His sister seemed to be full of complaints and continued to ramble on.

Zhang Heng shook his head with a bitter grin on his face. He had never found a way to deal with angry women before.

"Brother?"

His sister only slowed down when she didn't hear anything from the other end of the phone. She said cautiously, "Dude, you weren't just bragging, were you? Woah… we're done for. We're going to lose face among the neighbors…"

"Don't try to goad me!" Zhang Heng was rendered speechless and scolded her jokingly, "I'll take care of the arrangements for you and Yang Yang to get into Fudan University. Don't worry, but you'd better do your best. If I find out that you've done so poorly when I get back, I'll make sure that you don't have any pocket money for the rest of the summer."

"No! Would you rather have your money spent by some b * tch in the future than spend it on your dearest and cutest sister?" His sister whimpered right away. "Oh… you're so cruel, bro!"

"Alright, alright, stop pretending." Zhang Heng smiled and shook his head. "Even if you want to go to Fudan University, you should at least score better. There's no harm in learning more."

"Alright, I'll do my best then." His sister had no choice but to say that. She then changed her tone and said in a rather coquettish manner, "By the way, when are you coming back from India? My parents and I miss you."

"I'm afraid not for the time being." Zhang Heng sighed and his tone gradually softened. "Don't blame me, bro. After all, I want to earn enough money for my parents' retirement and your dowry."

Zhang Heng was able to relax and chat with his sister for a bit, which was a rare occasion, before hanging up when the next exam began.

"That's weird. Is that what humans are like?" Corona had been very quiet while Zhang Heng was chatting with his sister. She only spoke again after he hung up.

"Huh?"

"When you were chatting with your sister just now, every muscle in your body seemed to relax a little more than usual. Your heartbeat also eased a little and your blood pressure dropped." Corona's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "This is the first time I've seen you in such a happy state."

"Corona, when you come into contact with more people, you might come to understand such feelings one day."

Zhang Heng chuckled and shook his head, a tinge of tenderness flashing in his eyes. "That kind of relationship lasts longer than friendship, and it's more mellow than love. After all, it's the only relationship in the world that won't go bad…"

"Its name is—"

"Family."

95. Plans

Wu La was recovering well.

The Indian named Wu La was able to get out of bed and walk about in just three days after undergoing brain transplant surgery due to the adhesive effects of the wound.

While the new body had never exercised before, which resulted in poor coordination and flexibility, that was only a temporary problem. No one had found any irreversible side effects since the very beginning.

The healing ability of wound adhesion was even more astonishing. If the method to create such a wound adhesion could be sold to governments of all over the world, it would probably fetch a sky-high price of hundreds of billions of US dollars. It was a strategic weapon that could save the lives of countless soldiers on the battlefield.

But then again, Zhang Heng wasn't that stupid after all. The appearance of a single antifreeze was more than enough to make all the governments in the world turn their attention to him. If he were to take out the wound glue as well, the entire world would probably go crazy for him.

At the very least, Zhang Heng wouldn't be taking out any medical techniques for the time being.

On the other hand, the cloned bodies that the nine members of the board of directors needed were also growing rapidly. Some of them asked for modifications to their appearances, while others didn't require modifications to their appearances. All they needed to do was to make themselves look taller, and they had all manner of weird hobbies.

However, what was even more surprising was that one of the leaders of the British Financial Group, a man named Stani, actually requested to set the gender of his new body as a woman. Furthermore, he went on to alter his appearance drastically, turning his clone into a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, hot-bodied woman who was as pretty as the Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson.

All of a sudden, his weird fetish caused everyone to look at him with weird expressions.

A week later, Wu La was completely healed. Everyone gathered in the clone training room and took the physical report from Wu La, all of whom wore expressions of disbelief and joy.

Judging from the data, the cloned body not only had a physique that far exceeded that of regular humans, but it was also comparable to that of a soldier in terms of strength, quality, and other aspects. Once it was enhanced through systematic training, it could easily defeat a special elite.

"Everyone, that's a given. The technology of our foundation is more than enough to optimize the genes of your new body to the most perfect state. Enhancing your physique is just a side effect."

Zhao Qing stood in front of the crowd and explained. After days of training, he was able to stand with the world-class big shots and talk to them in a friendly manner.

"Well then, shall we proceed with brain transplant right away?" That Danny asked eagerly.

"Dear Mr. Stani, while the cloning process has been completed, we still need to do a small test. We can only operate on you after the test has met the requirements."

"It's… an organ rejection reaction test?" Joshua flipped the data in his hand to the next page and asked.

"That's right. As we all know, when different human organs come into contact with the body, even if they were to be transplanted together, there would still be a reaction of rejection. While we're using the cloned bodies of your cells, there's no need to be afraid of the worst. If the organs were to actually develop a reaction, things would be very bad."

"Not bad. What are you waiting for? Let's get started," said Lawrence from Germany as he turned around with a lecherous look on his face.

He was looking at a naked, blonde female clone floating in a culture pod. The female clone looked to be in her late teens and had her eyes shut tight. She looked very much like the Black Widow in the 'Double' series.

"You damned fool! If you dare to look at my body one more time, I'll tear your head off!" Stanny shouted in exasperation.

"Alright, old buddy. You're not her yet, are you?" Lawrence rolled his eyes and didn't seem afraid of her yelling at all.

"Stanny, how about you give us a good time after the brain transplant? I've admired Si Jiali for a long time…" The crowd began to laugh and joke.

The experiment of organ rejection was very simple after that. The experiment involved cutting off a piece of muscle from the bodies of the crowd and transplanting it into the bodies of the clones that had been nurtured. The surgeon would then be able to perform brain transplantation as long as there were no signs of rejection.

The final outcome went very smoothly. All the clones' bodies were completely compatible with the main body, and there was no sign of rejection. As such, everyone came to an agreement with Zhao Qing and the brain transplant operation officially began the next day.

That night, Joshua took a fancy car that Zhang Heng had prepared for him and left the pharmaceutical company, returning to the hotel.

However, things were different that day. Joshua's expression became increasingly serious as he continued to look at his watch. When the needle of the watch pointed at seven in the evening, he immediately gave a signal to the bodyguards who were always by his side.

The bouncers nodded solemnly and took out their metal detectors without making a sound. They began to scan the entire room, including the walls and ceiling. The bouncers would disassemble the detector as soon as it was activated to see if there were any surveillance cameras, bugs, or other electronic devices in the room.

"Boss, checkup complete. Everything looks normal." It took over 30 minutes for several bodyguards to scan the entire presidential suite.

"Very well." Joshua nodded and sent a few text messages on his phone before sitting down on the couch to rest.

Ding dong! The doorbell rang shortly after.

Joshua opened his eyes slightly and gave the bouncer a signal. The bouncer took out his phone and took quite a while to confirm before saying, "It's John Healer, Stanny, and the other eight gentlemen."

"Let them in." Joshua sat up and the door opened gently in the very next moment. A large group of people filed in.

"Why did you call us here, Joshua?" Lawrence sat down on the sofa in Germany and continued, "I've called myself a massage girl. Don't you think it's very artistic to have a foreign woman massage you in a magical country like India? You're wasting my life!"

"You can have a massage anytime, but what I'm about to tell you could very well affect our future." Joshua paid no heed to her complaints and went on to tell everyone.

Everyone's expression became serious at once. Lawrence said, "Joshua, have you found something?"

"No, but I have a very bad feeling about this," Joshua said solemnly. "Don't you guys think that things are going too well?"

"We've all been paid a billion US dollars each." John Healer wore a look of disdain and continued, "Furthermore, what good would it do if they were to attack us? Would killing us earn them our wealth? Impossible!"

"But, what if their goal is to control us?" Joshua retorted coldly. "For example, some kind of device that could control the brain. We could even be brainwashed and become his puppets!"

Everyone looked at each other in shock and said in disbelief, "That's impossible. The current level of science is still unable to control the brain. It's impossible to achieve that in decades or even centuries!"

"Other people might not be able to achieve it, but is this mysterious foundation something that can't be achieved?" Joshua asked.

That statement might have been a little too much, to the extent that it had completely made the Stellar Foundation look like something out of place. However, everyone was rendered completely speechless after hearing Joshua's question.

That's right, there were simply too many shocking things about that mysterious organization—gene optimization fluid, automated surgical instruments, mature DNA coding modification technology, and so on. Every single one of those things could overturn an entire field.

Even the Silicon Valley of the United States, which claimed to be the most cutting-edge technology on Earth, couldn't compare to the endless stream of advanced technologies found in the foundation.

That's right. While others might not be able to do so, what else was impossible with this mysterious foundation?

Just when everyone's minds were wavering, Joshua suddenly chuckled and a glint flashed across his eyes. "However, I've thought of a way to prevent us from being plotted against."

96. Zhang Heng's Countermeasure

"What way?" Everyone looked at one another.

"We can operate on patients in batches."

Joshua continued, "For example, before someone undergoes the operation, they would first discuss a code with the rest of the staff. After the operation is over, if that person is unable to match the code, then everyone would be able to confirm that that person was somehow controlled by the foundation, and that person's memories were even brainwashed and modified."

Everyone's eyes lit up and fell into deep thought.

"That's not all. Everyone has to keep an eye on the procedure throughout the entire operation. I assume that all of you have basically memorized the entire procedure of the operation, right? We'll be able to find out immediately if they were to do anything different."

"That's a good idea!" Everyone agreed and Lawrence said with a serious expression, "In that case, here comes the question. Which one of us is going to operate first tomorrow?"

"Can we hire someone else to do the experiment first?" Stanny asked. "Just do what Mr. Williams said and give them a signal."

"Anyone else would have been able to do the same," Lawrence retorted coldly before Joshua could answer.

Everyone stopped breathing and looked at each other, but no one said anything.

"Well then, let me be the first." Joshua looked around, looking rather troubled, but he eventually sighed and stood up.

Everyone turned to look at Joshua with stunned looks on their faces. Some of them looked relieved, while others were deep in thought. All of them realized at that moment that Joshua definitely had his own agenda, but it didn't conflict with their own interests. As such, no one objected to his proposal.

After the meeting ended and everyone left, Joshua chuckled coldly and snapped his fingers.

The captain of the bodyguards took out a cigar and handed it to Joshua before lighting it respectfully.

The captain of the bodyguards seemed to be worried about his boss' safety and said with some hesitation, "Boss, why are you doing the operation first? Aren't you putting your life on the line to pave the way for those cowards?"

"That's because this is my only chance." Joshua seemed to trust the bouncer very much and couldn't help but chuckle. "My previous speculations were actually only 50 percent accurate. There's also a 50 percent chance that the bouncer really didn't harbor any ill intentions and had allied with us just to expand his influence. As such, the risk to me is only 50 percent."

"But half of it is still very high."

"Of course, but you've forgotten one thing." Joshua puffed out a puff of smoke and shook his head. "That's because the only way we could catch them off-guard would be if we were to propose such terms all of a sudden."

"What do you mean?" The bouncer at the side was moved.

"I'm afraid that the Golden Foundation didn't expect us to make such an offer. Under the surveillance of everyone else, they wouldn't dare to do anything to my brain unless they were prepared. As such, it would be safer for me to be the first one to do the operation."

"So that's how it is. The Golden Foundation might be able to come up with some other plan after the first operation is over. By then, that plan would have been rendered completely ineffective." The bodyguard looked astonished, yet he was hesitant to speak.

"I know what else you're trying to say." Joshua didn't even turn around as he continued with a smile, "You must be wondering why I'd rather take such a huge risk to come to this experiment."

The bouncer lowered his head right away.

"The answer remains the same, as this is my only chance." Joshua sighed. "I'm already 55 years old. If I were to follow the course of history, I'd only have 20 to 30 years of life left at most. However, the possibility of the life extension drug appearing between 20 to 30 years is infinitely close to zero. As such, the Golden Foundation is my only hope."

"Well then, haven't you considered using other methods to get your hands on the foundation's technology?" The bouncer voiced his final doubts.

"If you had truly seen the level of technology that the other party possesses, you wouldn't have had such thoughts…"

Joshua sighed and looked deeply apprehensive. He couldn't help but recall that two months ago, when he was in a hotel, he was taken to a meeting room without any warning and then returned without any warning.

He felt as if he had spent nearly an hour in that meeting room, yet only two to three minutes had passed in reality.

That unbelievable, almost supernatural power alone was enough to intimidate Joshua. Furthermore, even if he were to leak the data regarding the Golden Foundation, no one would believe him.

Furthermore, even if the upper echelons of the government were to pay an astronomical price to destroy the foundation and acquire all of those technologies, the chances of him being able to use them were still very, very small. It was even possible that he would end up being killed by those jackals of the Communist Party simply because he knew too many secrets.

All in all, going against the Golden Foundation wouldn't bring about any benefits. While working with the Golden Foundation was risky, it was nothing compared to the allure of eternal life.

…

The next day, just when the brain transplant operation was about to begin, Zhao Qing knocked on the door of Zhang Heng's office.

"Please come in." Zhang Heng took a look at Zhao Qin, who was standing at the door, and continued to hold the mouse with one hand while typing something on the keyboard with the other.

"Sir, the members of the board of directors just made a request and I didn't dare to agree to it without permission, so I came to ask for your opinion." Zhao Qing walked into the office with a rather glum look on his face.

"What is it?" Zhang Heng frowned slightly and continued to stare at the screen without blinking.

"They, they said that they'd like to take turns operating on the patient. One of them will be operating on the patient every day, and the rest of you have to monitor the entire operation like you did yesterday."

"Crack!"

Zhang Heng frowned and slammed the table hard.

Zhao Qing was so frightened that he almost fell to the ground.

Ever since he became the subordinate of that young boss of his, he realized that he feared him more. Other than feeling that he was backed by some powerful force, there was another reason why he felt that Zhang Heng was becoming more powerful.

He was steady, calm, rational, and cold. There were times when he felt like he wasn't dealing with the chairman of a company but a national leader instead.

"Damn it, he's dead again…" However, Zhao Qing, who was feeling rather uneasy, heard the grumble in the very next second. He looked up at Zhang Heng's computer screen and realized that the other party had been manipulating a tiny human in a maroon suit that could fly and burrow underground.

Zhao Qing had played this computer game before. It was an antihero game developed in 2009 and was named 'Prototype'. It described a virus that was even more ridiculous than the T-Virus, and the protagonist was the mother of the virus.

Zhao Qing's breath caught in his throat and he shuddered violently.

"Don't worry about it. Just do as they say," Zhang Heng finally replied. He didn't even look up from the very beginning.

"Alright, got it!" Zhao Qing chuckled bitterly and walked out of the office.

Zhang Heng pressed the 'eSc' button after Zhao Qing left, putting the game to a halt. He rubbed his temples, feeling troubled.

"This game is way too scary, isn't it? The protagonist is some kind of monster that could soar into the sky and burrow into the ground, something that could even destroy planes and tanks in an instant. Even for me right now, I'd probably only be able to instakill that monster in a single move. I hope that the next plane mission isn't to make me fight that monster."

"Hehe, you never know."

Yurianne's voice was heard in his mind. "No need to pry any further from Yurianne. Yurianne is only a part of the Dimensional Star, and even Yurianne doesn't know what the Dimensional Star is truly thinking. Instead of worrying about the future, aren't you worried that your 'foundation-binding plan' would fail, dude?"

Zhang Heng chuckled nonchalantly when he heard that. "I do look down on them a little. They're legendary figures in the field of business, after all. Most of their IQs are probably higher than mine. It's just a pity that the data isn't on the same level. Their efforts would have been in vain."

"Do you really think that you'll be able to escape my elaborate trap just by doing that? You'd be too naïve then." Zhang Heng wore a sinister grin on his face. "They would never have guessed that the way I manipulated them was nothing more than a transparent chip about the size of a fingernail and the thickness of a piece of paper. Furthermore, I've embedded all of those biochemical chips into the artificial cerebral membrane a long time ago. Not even attending physicians would be able to detect them, much less laymen like them."

"Brain transplant surgery, destroying the cerebral membrane and replacing the artificial cerebral membrane is a necessary step. At that time, no matter what happens, the chips will be implanted in their brains. They might even have designed some kind of code to verify if they are still themselves, but how could they have known that the abilities of the chips would only limit their betrayal and leak information? That's all."

Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how cunning the other party was, he was unable to resist the allure of 'eternal life'.

When there was desire, there was need. No matter how smart a person was, they would eventually fall into the trap that he had meticulously designed due to greed…

After the operation was over, the nine consortiums would become his indestructible allies and be bound to his interests.

97. Get Lost

Time passed quickly. Half a month later, all the members of the board of directors completed the operation.

Everyone was happy after the operation was completed. They were given young, energetic bodies, and Zhang Heng was given what he deserved.

The managers of those financial groups didn't realize what was happening, but if they were to harbor any thoughts of harming the Golden Foundation and Zhang Heng, the microchip in their brains would generate weak electrical currents to suppress those thoughts and force them to change their minds. Other than that, the microchip wouldn't affect their daily lives.

Two and a half months had passed since the three-month deadline. There was only half a month left before the fourth plane mission.

Zhang Heng hadn't been slacking off either. He had been training hard every day. The enhancement caused by the T-Virus wasn't something that could be achieved overnight, as its greatest purpose was to enhance the human body's potential.

Zhang Heng's punching power had exceeded two tons after his training. Tyson's maximum strength back in the day was only 800 kilograms. Zhang Heng's speed had reached 100.7 seconds, and his reflexes, muscles, and bones were all far more powerful than those of humans.

Zhang Heng had just gotten off the plane and returned to Haizhou, where he had been living for four years. He took a deep breath as he looked at the city shrouded in smog before him.

After all, Haizhou was far more reliable than the city of India, which was filled with curry.

There were no slums, no shits, no rapes found everywhere, and the slogan of "Let the world remember Mumbai instead of Haizhou" was probably something that could only happen in dreams.

The reason why Zhang Heng came back at such a time was not only to prepare for the fourth mission that was about to come, but also because the school was about to graduate and every intern had to return to the school to complete the graduation procedures.

Zhang Heng didn't plan to go through with the procedures at first. What was the use of getting a college diploma? However, since he was about to begin preparing for his next plane mission, training in virtual space was a must. As such, he took the diploma and fulfilled one of his parents' wishes.

After all, in the eyes of the older generation, a degree was the most important thing.

There was also a 50-strong cloned legion that came back with Zhang Heng. Those people were able to easily get hold of the accounts of all countries in Southeast Asia with Corona's help. They were then able to travel to Haizhou through three legal routes, land, and air. They were eventually 'coincidentally' hired by Li Yiru and eventually became the company's security personnel.

There were only two people following Zhang Heng around. One of them was Adam, the clone who was born first, and the other was' Gu Zhan ', who was the strongest clone among all the other clones.

The name 'Gu Zhan' was something that Zhang Heng found a random name device in order to differentiate the clones from the rest. He then asked the clones to choose a name that they liked. Gu Zhan was the most powerful among the clones, and as such, he was the first to choose the most pleasing name.

Both of them were about 1.78 meters tall, which made them taller than Zhang Heng, who was about 175 centimeters tall. Coupled with their suits, sunglasses, and cold, expressionless faces, they looked utterly cool.

Zhang Heng got off the private plane under the protection of the two of them. Li Yiru and Fang Hao, who had returned to the country early, had been waiting for him for quite a while. They returned to Haizhou shortly after Zhang Heng arrived in India. What Zhang Heng was about to do couldn't be exposed, after all, and there was no way he would keep the two of them by his side, unaware of what was happening. He wasn't sure if Li Yiru would betray him after finding out the truth, but he wasn't about to take the risk, even if there was only a one in a million chance that she would.

"Boss!" Fang Hao waved at Zhang Heng as soon as he saw him. That joy was ingrained deep into his bones. Fang Hao was a very kind person and he had always remembered Zhang Heng's kindness. However, he had no idea that it was because of his kindness that Zhang Heng would never trust him.

"Thank you for your hard work." Zhang Heng walked up to the two of them and nodded slightly before glaring at Li Yiru, who glared back without any fear.

Fang Hao greeted Adam again, which caused a rather unnatural look to flash in Adam's eyes before he nodded almost imperceptibly. Gu Zhan, who was standing at the side, wore a cold expression the entire time and didn't react at all.

"Boss, who's this dude I've never seen around Adam?"

"This is my other personal bodyguard, Gu Zhan," Zhang Heng said casually before opening the car door and getting in.

"Brother, we'll be colleagues from here on out!" Fang Hao greeted Gu Zhan in private again, but Gu Zhan evaded Fang Hao in a flash and followed Zhang Heng into the car.

Fang Hao scratched his head awkwardly and watched as Adam opened the door on the other side of the car and sat down next to Zhang Heng. The two of them kept Zhang Heng safe before getting into the driver's seat dejectedly. The car headed for the school after Li Yiru got into the passenger's seat.

"Zhang Heng, are you sure you don't want to find a place to rest first and fill out the graduation register at night?" Li Yiru turned around and asked.

"No need. I'd like to be back soon. Are you guys planning to hold a graduation party tonight?" Zhang Heng asked sarcastically.

Li Yiru looked embarrassed and explained, "Liang Chao wasn't the one who hosted the graduation party this time, but the other classmates. Everyone will be flying all over the world after four years in college, and I'm afraid we'll never get to see each other again."

"There's no need for that." Zhang Heng's tone was very calm, yet there was no doubt about it. "You can go on your own if you want to. If you're late, I could give you a day off tomorrow. As for the last chance to meet you, do you really think I'd care?"

"You…" Li Yiru glared at Zhang Heng and turned around angrily, not saying another word to him.

"Boss, don't tell me that you don't have very good friends back in college?" Fang Hao didn't seem to have noticed the tension in the two's tone and looked at Zhang Heng in disbelief.

Zhang Heng was stunned and remained silent.

Friends? I don't think I've had any good friends before. I don't think I've had any friends since I was in college.

Zhang Heng shook his head and threw all those nonsensical thoughts out of his mind. At his level, there was really no need for him to make friends.

The SUV, which was worth over a million yuan, stopped at the entrance of Haizhou University of Technology. Zhang Heng got out of the car slowly. It was early July and the weather conditions in Haizhou were no better than those in India.

The scorching sun was so hot that it could almost burn a person to a crisp. The car turned into a microwave less than 20 minutes after being placed under the sun, and the food placed inside began to emit a delicious aroma.

The University of Science and Technology was at the end of its semester and most of its classes were suspended. Students were having fun in the school compound with nothing better to do. Couples were making out at the school gate, doing their best to cause psychological and physical harm to single people.

Zhang Heng looked at the sky for a bit, then looked around at the people around him who were staring at him and the others. He knew that he was becoming rather conspicuous at the moment, so he said to Adam and Gu Zhan, "The two of you, find a cooler place to wait. We'll be back soon."

The two of them nodded calmly. They knew very well that the so-called protection was only meant to fool regular people. Zhang Heng's true abilities far exceeded theirs. While their physiques were about the same as Zhang Heng's, in terms of combat experience, Zhang Heng, who had been trained by Corona, was more than capable of wiping out a hundred-man clone squad with ease.

The two of them were no longer as eye-catching when they walked into the school with Li Yiru. The two of them soon arrived at the office of the advisor for class three of the biology department.

Zhang Heng stood at the front and knocked on the door. According to the procedures, he only needed to fill out a graduation registration form and the officer would be able to give him the graduation certificate.

"Please come in!"

Zhang Heng heard the voice of his supervisor, Zhou Lin, from the other side of the door and pushed the door open. Zhou Lin was a middle-aged man who was in his thirties and was able to become an instructor in a department at such a young age. He was either very capable or had a very deep background. In Zhang Heng's eyes, Zhou Lin was clearly the latter.

"Zhang Heng, what are you doing here?" However, the officer, Zhou Lin, frowned the moment he saw Zhang Heng and said in a stern manner, "You've been expelled from the school. There's no use trying to reason with me. Get lost!"

Zhou Lin's first sentence made Zhang Heng's expression darken.

98. It's Him!

Zhang Heng's expression turned completely dark when he heard what she said.

"What's going on, Ms. Zhou?" Li Yiru, who was right behind Zhang Heng, suddenly appeared behind him and asked, feeling rather surprised, "Did Zhang Heng break any rules?"

"Yiru, what brings you here?" Zhou Lin panicked when he saw Li Yiru standing behind Zhang Heng. "This is the result of a discussion between the principal and the political office. I'm just carrying it out."

"Mr. Zhou, please tell me what happened first! Why didn't I receive any news despite being the class rep?" Li Yiru said righteously. Zhang Heng owned such a huge company and had a bright future ahead of him. The school had been trying their best to curry favor with him, so there was no way that Zhang Heng would be able to get his diploma and even get fired. Zhang Heng was practically offending her.

"Well…" Zhou Lin hesitated for a bit and stomped his feet. He walked up to Li Yiru and pulled her to the side. "Ru, please give Teacher Zhou some face and stay out of this, okay?"

"Teacher!" Li Yiru's expression turned completely cold. "It's not up to me to decide. Have you ever thought that your actions could ruin a student's life?"

"What are you talking about, Ru?" Zhou Lin's face turned red right away. He couldn't believe that the daughter of the Li Group would actually be able to protect a regular student like that. All of the plans that he had planned beforehand were thrown into disarray.

"That's enough. Get back here." Zhang Heng said suddenly.

Li Yiru looked conflicted when she heard what Zhang Heng said, but she seemed to have recalled something and eventually sighed before returning to his side with a disappointed look on her face.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and looked at Zhou Lin without saying anything.

"What are you looking at? What? Are you trying to threaten your teacher?" Zhou Lin felt a chill run down his spine from Zhang Heng's glare. He couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "Get out of here right now! Ru, come here. I'll explain to you in private."

"Reason?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and asked.

"Reason for expulsion? The reason is that you publicly conned the Li Group during your internship. It's fortunate that the Li Group didn't pursue the matter and didn't even report to the school when school reopened for the second semester. Does that count as a reason?" Zhou Lin shouted righteously.

"Fraud?" Zhang Heng shot a glance at Li Yiru, who seemed to have realized something.

The so-called fraud was probably what happened when Zhang Heng went to the party in his class and recommended himself. Only a handful of Zhang Heng's classmates knew that he was the one who invented the T-1, and he was given a gag order as well. As such, the way others saw it, Zhang Heng's act was a scam.

"Mr. Zhou, what if the Li Group is willing to protect Zhang Heng?" Li Yiru asked in a serious tone. There was no way she could explain the situation to him, and the identity of the inventor of the T-1 definitely couldn't be exposed, or else Zhang Heng would definitely be in trouble. As such, she didn't bother explaining and simply asked instead.

"Ru, why are you trying so hard to protect him?" Zhou Lin's expression became even uglier.

"Don't bother, Ru. Liang Chao is definitely the one who did this to Zhou Lin." Zhang Heng took a good look at Zhou Lin before turning around and walking out of the door. "We can go now, Ru."

"What did you just say? Don't you dare slander my teacher!" Zhou Lin saw that Zhang Heng was able to guess the reason right away, and for some reason, he felt angry.

He was just a poor student, yet he was able to afford to hire a daughter from a rich family like Li Yiru, which caused a lot of trouble for him. He was afraid that he would lose his job if he were to get himself involved in such a huge mess.

Such a poor student could have his diploma deducted if he wanted to and wouldn't give it to him if he didn't want to, and such poor people who had no power and influence were only fit to accept it. But now, he was actually able to get Li Yiru to help him? And he acted as if he didn't care? That was undoubtedly an insult to the arrogant Zhou Lin.

As such, Zhou Lin lost his cool and shouted in exasperation, "I've seen a lot of trashy students like you. Scumbags, scumbags, and scum of society! I'm talking about people like you who have neither parents nor children! I bet your parents aren't any better than the ones who were able to raise a student like you. It's already a blessing for you to be able to get into Haizhou Polytechnic in your current state, and you still want to get your diploma?"

"Pfft!"

The main reason why Zhou Lin did what he did was because he took the money from Liang Chao. Of course, there was no way that Zhou Lin would have known that the T-1 that appeared on the market was invented by Zhang Heng. The authorities had ordered him to keep his mouth shut back then, and he had no idea that Zhang Heng owned a company with assets of over one billion US dollars. If he had known all of that, Zhou Lin would have gone as far as he could and would rather die than offend Zhang Heng.

However, it was all too late. His fate was sealed the moment he decided to stand against Zhang Heng.

Other than his parents and sister, there was hardly anyone else that Zhang Heng cared about. While he valued relationships, he was also heartless.

Other than that, Zhang Heng was also someone who would take revenge for any mistakes he made. He would remember anyone who offended Zhang Heng in his heart. If it hadn't been for the fact that he was afraid of attracting the attention of the upper echelons when Corona silenced him, Liang Chao would have been killed long ago.

Surprise and indignation were seen in Li Yiru's eyes when she heard those words. However, when she recalled Zhang Heng's personality, her gaze toward Zhou Lin became one of sympathy. She was about to say something when she felt a chill run down her spine all of a sudden. Li Yiru shuddered subconsciously, but when she tried to sense what was happening, she realized that she was seeing things.

Zhang Heng's expression was extremely cold at the moment, and a murderous intent emanated from his body. Zhou Lingang wanted to continue, but when he sensed the murderous intent that seemed to have taken on a physical form from Zhang Hen, he opened his mouth right away. He was unable to utter any of those vicious insults.

"Everyone has to be responsible for their own actions. I hope that you won't regret your decision today." Zhang Heng suppressed the murderous intent in his heart. He wasn't afraid of being insulted by others. Truth be told, he had been subjected to countless insults and gossip from behind the scenes ever since he began attending school. Zhang Heng didn't care about all of that, but if the other party dared to say anything bad about his parents, he would definitely be the one to retaliate.

The temperature in the room seemed to have only risen after Zhang Heng left. Zhou Lin wiped the cold sweat from his brow and wore a shocked expression. He didn't dare to imagine that someone could actually threaten him with just one look. What was the point of talking then?

"Take care of yourself, Teacher Zhou." Li Yiru shook her head and walked out of the door with a disgusted look on her face.

"Hold on!" However, Zhou Lin stopped him out of nowhere and hesitated for a bit. "Could you tell me why you're willing to listen to Zhang Heng? You shouldn't like him given your family background."

There was even a pleading look in Zhou Lin's eyes. He was begging for an answer that he could accept. He wasn't afraid of Zhang Heng finding trouble with him, but he was afraid of the Li Group getting involved in this matter. If that were to happen, he and the principal might very well be implicated as well.

Li Yiru hesitated for a bit before saying, "I can't tell you anything else. All I can tell you is that Zhang Heng's net worth is over 10 times that of the Li Group, and I'm just working for him."

"You're saying…" Zhou Lin felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He seemed to have recalled something and wore a ferocious expression of disbelief. "That's impossible! That cancer drug developed by the Li Group and the Academy of Sciences, could it really be him…"

Zhou Lin would be an idiot if he didn't realize what was going on at the moment.

Back then, when Zhang Heng announced that he had developed an anticancer drug at the party, the authorities announced that the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Li Group were working together to develop an anticancer drug in just a few months. At that time, Zhou Lin wondered if the drug was actually developed by Zhang Heng. However, he quickly dismissed the possibility after thinking about it for a bit.

While it was a bit of a coincidence, given that a university student from the biology department was able to develop a drug that could cure terminal illnesses from the century, who would believe such a story?

However, after seeing Li Yiru's prompt and his initial suspicions, Zhou Lin finally realized that what he thought was the most impossible outcome was the truth.

All of a sudden, Zhou Lin felt as if he had been plunged into an ice cave. Resentment, anger, jealousy, and regret all came crashing down on him, rendering him completely speechless.

"Mr. Zhou, you… should get ready to find a new job."

Li Yiru sighed and walked out of the officer's office without looking back, leaving behind Zhou Lin, who had a look of despair on his face.

99. Killing Someone With A Blow

Zhang Heng left the school with a glum look on his face.

Adam and the others in the bubble tea shop at the school gate saw Zhang Heng walk out and threw over a dozen yuan to the boss, heading straight for him.

"Boss, Boss Li, I got you two milk tea. It's pineapple-flavored," Fang Hao shouted from afar, holding the cup of milk tea.

Li Yiru rolled her eyes at Fang Hao and shot him a look, but Fang Hao, who was a little slow at reading people, didn't seem to notice.

However, what really surprised Li Yiru was that Zhang Heng took the two cups of milk tea very naturally and handed one of them to her.

"Well…" Li Yiru looked as if she had just seen a ghost.

"What are you waiting for?" Zhang Heng looked at Li Yiru with a deadpan expression. Li Yiru took the cup of milk tea from him and picked up her cup, stuffing the straw into the plastic cup in a practiced manner before taking a puff.

Fang Hao felt even happier after seeing Zhang Heng drink his milk tea. He didn't care about the car that had been reduced to an oven over the summer and slipped into the driver's seat before turning on the heater.

"You're not angry?" Li Yiru asked in a low voice, feeling surprised that the temperature in the car hadn't dropped.

"Of course I'm angry," Zhang Heng said calmly. "I was indeed very angry when he insulted my parents back then, but what could I do when his mouth was all over someone else?"

"That doesn't sound like you at all." Li Yiru looked at Zhang Heng suspiciously. In her mind, it would have been a miracle if someone as petty as Zhang Heng was able to rise to such heights.

"Of course. Whatever he does, he'll have to bear the consequences." Zhang Heng smirked coldly. "I'm unable to control the mouths of others, but he has no right to make me give him a taste of his own medicine."

Li Yiru gasped at that. That was Zhang Heng, that petty, vindictive Zhang Heng.

If it were in the past, Li Yiru might have felt scared or even intimidated seeing Zhang Heng like that. However, after spending so much time with Zhang Heng, she found him to be rather friendly and sincere. At the very least, that meant that Zhang Heng was gradually trusting her. Otherwise, given his personality, there was no way he would have exposed his true self to her.

Li Yiru's eyes glinted.

The temperature in the car dropped very quickly. The crowd got back into the car and drove Zhang Heng to the small hotel that he had rented before, before the crowd dispersed.

The hotel was located in the outskirts of Haizhou, and its business wasn't doing very well. However, Zhang Heng's appearance in the hotel had given the place a boost of liveliness. The owner of the hotel was pleasantly surprised to find that Zhang Heng had returned after two months. Not only that, but he also brought two of his friends with him and asked for three suites at once.

"I might need to stay here for three months this time. I'll just pay for it all at once." Zhang Heng smiled at the boss and his words made the boss very happy.

Zhang Heng turned around and looked at Adam and Gu Zhan as the service staff brought the three of them to their respective rooms. "While this is the first time that you've been integrated into the human world, the corresponding knowledge has been stored in your brains. If there's anything that you don't understand, you can recite the word 'Corona' in your mind. Corona will come out to help you."

The two of them were stunned for a bit and went about experimenting according to what Zhang Heng said. In the very next second, both of them shuddered and fell into the virtual space created by Corona.

"Long time no see, Corona." Zhang Heng smiled when he saw that. He pulled a chair over and sat on it before entering the virtual space.

"Commander!"

When Zhang Heng opened his eyes, he found himself back in that endless world of pure white again. The only thing he saw was Corona standing before him with a graceful smile.

"How have you been?" Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and a huge, comfortable leather couch appeared beneath him. He took the opportunity to lean down and stretch.

"The Li Group has launched hundreds of assembly lines from several pharmaceutical manufacturers to manufacture the T-1 Biopharmaceutical. The final price of the drug is 80,000 Huaxian Dollars per dose, with a dose of 50 ml. Furthermore, the purchaser must have the cancer medical records provided by the provincial hospitals to prove that foreign patients would need to come to Haizhou and confirm their conditions before they could purchase the drug."

"Despite the stringent conditions, over the past two weeks, over 100,000 cancer patients have been completely cured. Huaxia alone has over 90,000 cancer patients."

"100,000 people? That would be eight billion Huaxia Dollars." Zhang Heng clicked his tongue and continued, "Furthermore, there are tens of millions of cancer patients all over the world. The pharmaceutical industry is indeed very profitable. Even if I were to increase the manufacturing costs, the cost of a 50 millilitre dose of the drug would only be about a hundred yuan. They were able to raise the cost by 800 times."

"According to the profit from your 40 percent share, you've earned three billion Huaxian Dollars in your account, and that's after-tax income."

Zhang Heng nodded nonchalantly. Truth be told, 500 million USD would have been more than enough to make him very excited if he had been able to earn that much money before the foundation's bondage operation began. However, that little bit of money was nothing to him at the moment. He had set up a back door for the managers of those financial groups, and if he wasn't afraid of being stuffed to death, he could have eaten all of those financial groups whole.

However, if he were to be so stupid as to do so, he would have to face the combined attacks of governments all over the world by the next day.

"Commander, you look troubled. Do you need me to take care of anything for you?" Corona looked at Zhang Heng curiously while he was still in a daze.

Zhang Heng was stunned and smacked his head. "By the way, Corona, go and gather all the information regarding the dean of the Haizhou University of Technology and a teacher named Zhou Lin. See if you can find out if he took bribes or something."

"Understood. Did they offend you?"

"That's right. I assume that they've accepted Liang Chao's bribe." A cold glint flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes. "Liang Chao leaked the information regarding my research into the T-1 to the Japanese Mafia back then. I haven't gotten even with him yet, yet he's come after me time again. I can't think straight without killing him."

"But, what you're saying just now is to find evidence that Liang Chao bribed your principal and teacher, as well as to kill Liang Chao. If Liang Chao were to die from an accident after targeting you, wouldn't you still be suspected?" Corona asked.

Zhang Heng shook his head and said, "You're right, that is indeed the case. However, there is still a way to get rid of him."

"You're saying…" Corona tilted her head and asked, "You're trying to get someone else to do the dirty work?"

Zhang Heng nodded and wore a cruel smirk on his face. "You're right. That's why I want you to look for them to take bribes. I'm not going to malign a good person, and I'm not going to let a…"

"Good people who are against me."

100. Bloody Party

It was still the Coastal International Hotel in Haizhou in the evening.

It was the same class and group of people as it had been at the gathering before. The only difference was that everyone looked rather emotional and sad.

Four years passed in a flash before he realized it. By the time he realized what had happened, his roommates and classmates whom he had known for years would have gone their separate ways and gone their separate ways.

There were some who were showing their true feelings at the graduation party, and there were also some who were putting on a show. The two of them huddled together, crying and talking about their friendship. In the center of the crowd was still the most dazzling couple—Liang Chao and Li Yiru.

"Mr. Liang, we've come to an agreement this time. We're going to hold a class gathering next year on the first anniversary of the New Year. After all, our relationship as classmates can never be broken."

"That's right, there's no way I'm going to just give up like that. We've been friends for four years! How could I just let things slide like that?"

Everyone crowded around Liang Chao, trying to curry favor with him. Ever since Pan Bo died in that car accident, everyone felt as if they had seen the light of day again. After all, they were rather fed up with all that boot-licking crap, but they still had to put on a show.

"You're all right, everyone!" Liang Chao raised his glass and said in high spirits, "Let's all get drunk tonight!"

"No going home until we're drunk!" The crowd immediately picked up their glasses and gulped down the contents in one go.

"Sigh, what a pity for Pan." Liang Chao glanced at Li Yiru, who was ignoring him, and said with a sigh, seemingly on purpose, "If only Pan were still alive, all of us would be here."

"Isn't there still one more Zhang Heng who isn't here yet?" One of the classmates who didn't know what was going on asked.

"Hmph, that guy doesn't deserve to be our classmate at all!" Another classmate who knew about the feud between Liang Chao and Zhang Heng said right away, looking like he was feeling very aggrieved. "Everyone in the class was there on the day of Pan Bo's funeral, and Zhang Heng was the only one who didn't show up. He didn't even show up for the funeral of his classmates whom he had known for four years. How could he deserve to be our classmate?"

"Not worthy!" Another person's eyes darted around for a bit and quickly added, "I heard that the principal fired that guy!"

"Really? Well done!"

The crowd went on, making fun of Zhang Heng. Li Yiru, who was standing at the side, listened with a frown on her face. Only a few of her classmates, who had witnessed the T-1 experiment, remained silent throughout the whole process. Due to the orders from the authorities, none of them dared to explain or try to explain themselves. In truth, Zhang Heng was no longer who he used to be.

Liang Chao, on the other hand, was different. He knew that Zhang Heng had invented the T-1, but he still made use of the fact that no one else knew about it, using his connections to detain Zhang Heng's diploma and creating rumors to smear Zhang Heng's reputation. Li Yiru had no way of defending herself against that.

Liang Chao shot a glance at Li Yiru, who was feeling rather displeased at the moment, and a look of glee and viciousness was seen in his eyes. He knew that it was no longer possible for him to woo Li Yiru, but seeing how Li Yiru and Zhang Heng were getting closer, he was still burning with jealousy. As such, he went out of his way to disgust the other party, even taking the risk of contacting the Japanese Yamaguchi-Gumi to get rid of Zhang Heng.

However, that incident was indeed rather bizarre. Pan Bo and the members of the Yamaguchi-Gumi died mysteriously in Haizhou overnight without any warning. Liang Chao was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and didn't dare to do anything for several months. It was only when he graduated that he gradually became more daring.

Liang Chao was prepared to make Zhang Heng look bad with his diploma first before making fun of him at the graduation party. However, he didn't expect Zhang Heng to not come to the party at all, which completely ruined Liang Chao's plans.

However, just when he was about to turn his attention to Li Yiru, a fat, staggering figure walked into the hotel from outside.

That man looked to be in his fifties, with a balding head and grey sideburns. One could only tell that he was a refined and handsome young man from his gold-rimmed glasses.

"P-Principal?" A classmate who was chatting not far away from the door walked past him all of a sudden. He looked up and saw a figure that he could never have imagined.

"Principal Duan!"

"Why is the principal here?"

"Holy sh * *, our class is really something. Even the principal is here!"

The crowd was astonished to see that it was none other than the principal of Haizhou University of Technology, Duan Changming.

However, Duan Changming, who usually took his image very seriously, looked different today. His eyes looked listless and his face was ashen. Even his balding head was disheveled, making him look like he had lost his soul.

"Principal Duan, what brings you here?" Liang Chao frowned slightly when he saw that, but he still went up to greet him with a smile on his face.

Duan Changming's eyes looked dazed as he shuffled about, as if he had lost his soul. It was only when he got to Liang Chao's side that Liang Chao realized that Liang Chao was mumbling something to himself.

"It's over, it's all over…"

"The sky is about to collapse. None of you will be able to escape…"

"It's over. All those years of hard work are over…"

Liang Chao felt a chill run down his spine as soon as he heard her mumbling. He forced a smile and asked, "Principal, are you feeling unwell? Do you need me to get someone to take you to the hospital?"

Duan Changming was stunned when he heard what Liang Chao said. He slowly raised his head and looked at Liang Chao in a daze.

Everyone crowded around Duan Changming at that moment. Even the slowest students realized that something was wrong with Duan Changming.

"It's you…" Duan Changming let out a bitter laugh. A tinge of hatred was seen in his lifeless eyes all of a sudden. The hatred spread and turned into indescribable resentment. He pointed a trembling finger at Liang Chao and shouted with an indescribable edge, "Liang Chao, you animal!"

Liang Chao shuddered. Being stared at like that by Duan Changming made him feel like he was facing a lunatic. He took two steps back and said with a troubled expression, "Principal Duan, you…"

Duan Changming suddenly let out a shrill scream before he was able to finish his sentence. He charged at Liang Chao with indescribable hatred, threw Liang Chao to the ground, and bit his face hard.

"Arrgghhhh!" Liang Chao shrieked and pushed Duan Changming backward with all his might. However, that fat body of his burst forth with an indescribable force. Liang Chao's strength was like that of a powerless baby, unable to stop the other's bite.

"Hurry up and help!"

A piece of flesh with blood on it was torn off Liang Chao's face. Duan Changming seemed to have transformed into a beast as he growled and swallowed that piece of flesh in two or three mouthfuls before biting Liang Chao's nose again.

Everyone was stunned. The people standing closest to the two of them backed away at the same time. They looked at everything before them in horror, afraid that the crazy Duan Changming would turn around and attack them. They wanted nothing more than to get as far away from him as possible, let alone stop him.

The girls shrieked and Li Yiru, who was standing not far away from them, covered her mouth as she watched everything unfold with her mouth agape. She suddenly recalled that cold smirk on Zhang Heng's face for some reason.

Liang Chao was able to struggle at first, but as pieces of flesh and blood were torn from his face, he finally collapsed.

He howled in pain and pummeled Duan Changming, who was still on top of him, with all his might. However, Duan Changming didn't seem to be a human at all. No matter how hard he tried, he was unable to stop Duan Changming from biting him.

He felt as if his lips had been torn out of his mouth and his screams were cut off. He was about to turn his head around when his opponent's bent right hand clamped down on his right eye. His right eye was only able to see a flash of golden light and there seemed to be a pop sound in his head at the same time. A sharp pain that went deep into his brain came from his eye socket.

"Call the police! Call the police!" Duan Changming swallowed the eyeball in his hand and let out a bloodthirsty grin as he pounced on Liang Chao again. It was only then that everyone seemed to have woken up from a dream. They shouted as they took out their phones and dialed the number with their shaking hands. However, no one dared to step forward and stop Duan Changming.

Liang Chao's screams gradually became fainter, until there was only Duan Changming left.

A weird chewing sound was heard.

101. Exoskeleton Armor

Liang Chao was dead.

He wasn't bitten to death. While those wounds were frightening, they weren't fatal. The real reason Liang Chao died was because he was scared to death.

According to the forensics report, Liang Chao seemed to have gone through a very terrifying experience before he died. His kidney was secreted in excess of hormones, and a lot of blood rushed to his heart, causing his heart fibers to tear and his cardiac arrest to lead to his death.

Duan Changming, the dean of the Haizhou University of Technology, was then taken away for investigation. He was diagnosed with sudden schizophrenia and was later found to have taken bribes from Duan Changming through various leads. Duan Changming was given a female student diploma and was forced to sleep with her.

The Haizhou Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection traced the clues and found several teachers who had been involved in the conspiracy, Zhou Lin included. All of those teachers had been suspended for investigation and were facing the penalty of being fired.

…

The ocean was pitch-black and turbulent.

The sky was filled with dark clouds and rumbling thunder.

The black sky and the black sea gave off a stifling, despairing feeling, as if they could destroy the entire world.

A huge island city stood at the point where the ocean met the sky. No, technically speaking, it was only a part of the city. Most of the city was cut off by the ocean, and there was not a single bridge that connected the two areas.

They looked at the island city from across the ocean. Despite only being in ruins, the city was still as tall as a forest. However, the bleakness and stifling atmosphere made the island city look like a ghost town.

That was the area where most of the skyscrapers in the world gathered. It was where the headquarters of most of the top 500 companies in the world were located, as well as the headquarters of the UN headquarters.

That place was once the most prosperous city in the world—New York. The isolated island that was seen across the ocean was the legendary Manhattan district of New York, the center of the world's economy and civilization.

However, only those seemingly endless ruins could bear witness to the glory of human civilization back then. The ruins of buildings that were over a hundred meters tall, Wall Street, the financial center that was once priceless but was now worthless, and the crossroads of civilization—Times Square—remained intact. All that remained of those buildings still exuded a strong air of civilization, making them recognizable.

At that moment, the world that had been corroded by seawater countless times and had been battered by the wind and rain was welcoming their new guests.

Ten figures were moving quickly through the wreckage. They looked very muscular, but their movements were very nimble, making them look like soldiers wearing heavy armor.

The zombies seemed to have no regard for them as they made their way to the base. The rotten monsters swarmed at them like a tidal wave, but none of them even needed to fire. All they needed to do was wave their weapons around and the zombies fell to the ground and died like weeds.

Not only that, but there would also be some powerful monsters that looked like lickers appearing from time to time. Monsters called 'Hunters' had powers that were on par with lickers, and even their bodies looked very similar.

There were even 'superhumans' who were even larger, with their bodies turning greyish-black and had two mouths on their heads. However, the moment they came into contact with such monsters, the leader of the team would raise a huge two-meter-long sniper rifle in his hand and fire a casual shot, which would explode like a bloody pulp.

It was only when he got a little closer that he realized that the 10 figures were wearing armor made of some kind of alloy. Their outer shells were painted a pitch-black color that did not reflect light, enshrouding every single one of them from head to toe. The plates of armor were interconnected, giving them a cold, sci-fi look.

There was a collar-like protective layer around the neck area of the armor, which was over five centimeters thick, protecting the head completely.

The helmet, on the other hand, had a triangular shape with the inside of the 'collar', forming a 45-degree angle of defense. There were no observation holes on the helmet, only two infrared light tracking systems replacing the vision, which were projected directly into the eyes of the armored soldiers.

That suit of armor weighed 300kg and was 2.5 meters tall when put on. It had a high-precision semmg signal sensor installed on the inside, as well as a mature electrical drive and shock absorption device. There was also a graphene super capacitor installed in the bulging armor on the back of the suit, which could provide the suit with power to operate for 48 hours straight.

The suit of armor was filled with a violent aesthetics in terms of its design. The suit of armor made of nano-porcelled carbon fiber composite material weighed only one-fifth of that of steel, yet its durability was five times that of steel, and it had excellent performance in heat-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and so on.

That was no longer an armor in the traditional sense, but an exoskeleton armor designed to enhance the combat capabilities of soldiers.

That exoskeleton suit was a replica of the security suit that Zhang Heng brought out from the Dead Space plane after dismantling it and using technology from Earth.

However, due to the limitations of technology and materials, the initially thin layer of exoskeleton became a heavy infantry armor that was over five centimeters tall and over 250 centimeters tall.

There was no such thing as' Stagnation ',' Stagnation ',' Gravity Creation ', or any other advanced technology, and there was no such thing as the lightweight and tight-fitting suit of the security suit either. Such exoskeleton armor could only compete with the security suit in terms of mobility and defense.

However, that was more than enough. The technology required to manufacture exoskeletal armor on Earth had matured. The only thing that was lacking was the software programming aspect. An AI program that could perfectly support the human body in controlling the armor was hundreds of times more difficult than developing a new operating system.

Even the United States, which had the most advanced technologies in the world, had yet to develop anything that was truly presentable since the millennium.

However, that was not something difficult for Corona. It took her only one day to come up with an intelligent program for the armor, something similar to the artificial fish group algorithm, which perfectly solved the problem of controlling the exoskeleton armor.

At that moment, the armored squad of 10 people broke through the zombie crowd and arrived at a destination. The leader of the squad made a gesture to signal for them to stop, and everyone stopped immediately. The efficiency of carrying out the order was almost uniform.

"According to the map, this is the central area of Manhattan. The commander might very well pass by here. Team Two, set up the traps right away. Team One, conceal yourselves and be on high alert. Protect Team Two within shooting range." The commander's orders were heard from the walkie-talkies in every single person.

"Team One understands."

"Team Two understands!"

Two emotionless voices answered and everyone dispersed. The man in the lead leaped and landed on the second floor of a nearby building with a backflip, landing on one knee in a very flashy manner.

As the saying goes, 'the layman watches the show', while the layman watches the show '. Any scientist back on Earth would have been so shocked that their eyes would have popped out of their sockets if they were to see something like that—a massive creature with armor weighing over four hundred kilograms was actually able to jump three to four meters high in such a nimble manner and was completely unscathed. The level of technical skill involved in such a feat was practically unheard of.

That was no longer skill, but art!

That kind of armor didn't contain a lot of technology and could be manufactured by most countries with advanced industrial development. However, the application of technology in that armor far exceeded that in the real world for generations to come.

The leader of the armored squad didn't stop after leaping up to the second floor. He continued running up the stairs instead, fully displaying the powerful mobility of the exoskeleton armor. He leaped two to three meters in height with a single step and grabbed the railing of the stairs with his right hand before making a sharp turn.

The sound of the railings being twisted and deformed was heard. The leader's entire body drew an arc in the air with his arm as the center and he quickly turned into a triangular stairway. It took him less than half a minute to reach the top floor of the building.

The building used to be a huge office building that was over 50 stories tall, but it had been cut in half by nuclear bombs, cloud bombs, and other powerful weapons at the moment. It was now only about 10 stories tall and less than 50 meters tall.

Adam stood at the top of the building, and there seemed to be some kind of emotion flashing in his eyes before disappearing without a trace in the very next second. He focused his gaze for a bit, and the scenery on the ground somewhere in the distance was magnified before his eyes, so much so that he was able to see every blade of grass and every tree clearly.

Adam seemed to find it rather difficult to find his target in such a manner. He willed the image before his eyes to flicker and turn into a thermal imaging image. The entire world turned blue, with only the scattered infected in the distance forming orange spots of light.

After confirming that there was nothing out of the ordinary within a radius of a kilometer, Adam slumped down on the roof and pulled out a fully installed NT-20 anti-materiel sniper rifle from his back, which he set up on the roof with practiced ease.

102. Pulse Rifle

Anti-materiel sniper rifles were rifles designed to destroy military equipment and supplies. Their destructive capabilities were higher than that of sniper rifles, and their main targets were the enemy's armored vehicles, planes, fortifications, bunkers, ships, and other high-value targets with certain defensive capabilities. As such, most of the bullets used were special bullets, such as armor-piercing rounds, burst rounds, high-explosive rounds, long-range sniper rounds, and so on.

The NT-20 in Adam's hand at the moment was a remarkable piece of anti-materiel rifles. The NT-20 weighed 31kg, had a total length of 2015mm, a caliber of 20mm, initial velocity of 720mm / s, and effective range of 1,800mm.

Of course, that was only data before the transformation.

Those guns had been modified with the liner technology left behind by the Weyland Tongkou Company, and were then powered by graphene super capacitors installed in heavy infantry armor, making them an extremely powerful electromagnetic weapon—a pulse rifle.

The new ntw-20 weighed 65kg, had a total length of 2,400 mm, a caliber of 50 mm, initial velocity of 7200 m / s, effective range of 25,000 mm, and kinetic capacity of 12 trillion joules. It was capable of shattering a three-story building with a single shot.

That set of data was something that made even Adam shudder with fear. It was none other than the gun that killed a super-hunting monster that was practically invulnerable to all weapons in the game. It would be more apt to call it an electromagnetic cannon than a sniper rifle. No one would have suspected that even the most advanced main battle tanks would be rendered completely useless after taking a single shot from it.

As for precision, the exoskeleton armor itself was equipped with high precision Auxiliary Devices, making it so that even newbies could reach the level of being proficient.

Just when Adam was looking around cautiously at everything within a kilometer radius, a faint orange light was seen flickering in the building far away. Adam's expression froze and he turned his gun around, pointing it at the source of the light.

Other than the monsters that had evolved from the DX-118 virus, the only ones that could emit heat were the targets of the mission. However, there were very few monsters that climbed up the stairs, as most of them were moving on the ground instead of cowering under the window.

Adam wore a very serious expression on his face. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was taking 'him' very seriously, not only because 'he' was his creator, but also because 'he' had the power to kill his entire team.

The orange light from the laser scope was still flickering in and out of the floor like a miniature sun, emitting a red glow. Adam frowned and said in a low voice, "An anomaly has been detected at coordinates 231, 124, and 143. Everyone stay alert!"

Adam gritted his teeth and aimed hard at the man after giving the order. Regardless of whether the man was a monster or 'he', regardless of whether 'he' was wearing heavy infantry armor or not, that single shot would have caused the entire building to collapse. If he was lucky, he could even end the combat training right away.

Excitement was seen in Adam's eyes at that thought. He pulled the bolt of his gun hard and aimed at the target on the floor far away. His breathing gradually became labored and that orange light seemed to have sensed something and kept flickering, as if it was considering if he should hide at the window.

This opportunity would never come again.

Adam didn't hesitate and pulled the trigger hard. The barrel of the entire gun let out a low hum and a white mist appeared at the tip of the gun.

A deafening shriek was heard as the sound of something breaking through the air was heard. The shriek grew increasingly deafening and disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.

Adam gripped the handle of the gun tightly and looked anxiously at the flickering orange light in the distance after he fired. A blinding white light was seen from that spot in the very next second, which looked like the eruption of a supernova and filled the entire field of vision in the blink of an eye.

"Boom!"

Deafening explosions were heard only five to six seconds after the shots were fired. Smoke and dust filled the air and the remaining half of the building was reduced to a flickering candle in the wind due to the massive impact, before it collapsed in the blink of an eye.

That orange glow disappeared as soon as the bullet hit it.

However, Adam showed no signs of joy after firing that shot. Instead, he frowned in confusion.

"Something's not right. If the commander is the target, we would have won the combat training. We should have left the scene, but we haven't…"

Adam mumbled to himself and was about to remind everyone to stay alert when a spot of white light flickered in a small building less than a kilometer away from him.

"Not good!"

Adam didn't even have time to change his expression at that moment. A bullet with a diameter of over five centimeters and a speed of 20 times the speed of sound crashed into Adam's face. The exoskeleton armor, which was so tough that it was unable to stop the bullet at all, went through the armor's face in an instant. Adam's skull was squashed and deformed like a tin can, with flesh and blood flying everywhere.

The bullet tore through Adam's spine in less than a millisecond and pulverized his body. His limbs were torn apart at a rate of 100 meters per second, turning him into minced meat.

Adam's body did nothing to lessen the kinetic power of the bullet. The bullet slammed into the wall and floor behind Adam in the very next instant after destroying his body. The entire building only began to rumble at that moment. Intense flames burst out before everyone's eyes and the entire building collapsed.

Zhang Heng put down the pulse sniper rifle in his hand, which was of the same model as Adam's, with a deadpan expression on his face, in the building that was bursting with flames at the moment and jumped out of the window behind him at a steady pace.

Countless bullets were fired at the window where Zhang Heng was shooting at the moment he left the building. The building was completely torn apart by the metal storm.

Zhang Heng performed a backflip and landed steadily on the ground. He lowered himself and ran through the ruins without a second thought, heading straight for where everyone was.

Due to the collapse of the floor that Adam was on, everyone's base was shrouded in dust and smoke. With Adam dead, Gu Zhan automatically became the new leader of the team.

"Report the casualties." Gu Zhan's eyes were calm and collected. Despite being on the battlefield and facing his creator, Zhang Heng, he remained completely unfazed. He simply continued to observe his surroundings with a very calm expression.

"No. 3 is doing fine."

"No. 4 is fine."

"Everything is fine on the 6th."

"Everything is fine on the 7th."

"I'm No. 8. My legs are being crushed in the rubble. Requesting help. Over."

"Everything is fine on the 9th."

"Everything is normal on the 10th. Suspicious targets disappeared. No suspicious targets found."

Gu Zhan nodded. Adam was number one while he was number two. In the report this time, other than Adam being dead, number eight being injured and trapped, there was still no movement from number five. He asked again, "Number five, please answer if you copy."

The channel remained silent.

Gu Zhan immediately turned around when he saw that. A radar-like interface flashed in the holographic image before his eyes, with eight lights flashing on the interface, marking the location of all his team members. Other than the number one represented by Adam disappearing from the image, both number five and number eight were behind him, corresponding to the collapsed building behind him.

"Everyone stay alert. No. 9, No. 10, follow me and go support No. 8."

"Understood!"

103. High-speed Electromagnetic Blades

Gu Zhan led the two of them to the collapsed ruins behind them. The three of them quickly found No. 8, who was half-buried in the rubble, according to the information given to them.

"Did you see number five?" Gu Zhan asked.

"Reporting, sir. He should be somewhere near me, but he's buried two to three meters below me." Number Eight's face was buried under the armor of his face, making it impossible to see his expression. Despite having his entire lower body smashed into mush, his voice remained steady, as if his injuries were more than enough to render him a cripple without causing any emotional upheaval.

That was the reason why Zhang Heng had given up on the love he had for the clone army. An army that had no love would be prohibited from doing what they were told to do. They were the most qualified killing machines.

"In that case, give up on No. 5. If I were to save you, how much combat power would you have left?" Gu Zhan's tone was cold.

"10 percent at most. I've lost a lot of blood and my eyes are temporarily blind. There's a 70 percent chance that I'll lose consciousness for the next 10 minutes and die within 30 minutes."

"Understood, No. 8. Both you and No. 5 are severely injured and the cost of rescuing them is too high. As such, we'd like to give up on both of you. Any objections?"

"No, sir!"

Gu Zhan nodded and didn't say anything else. He led No. 9 and No. 10 back to the battlefield before them. It was at that moment that the crowd suddenly issued a warning and fired at the same time. Countless sounds of air being torn apart were heard all at once, creating a world of bullets.

There were no explosive sounds from the pulse rifles, only the electric current and liquid nitrogen cooling systems on the guns emitted a faint humming sound, followed by the sound of the bullets piercing through the air.

"What happened?" Gu Zhan didn't dare to stay any longer and rushed to the forefront. However, he was only able to take a few steps before Number Four's chest exploded in a mist of blood.

Number Four's body shuddered slightly and the gun in her hand dropped to the ground without any strength left in it. She fell to her knees while trembling and began to convulse on the ground.

Number Four died.

The expression in Gu Zhan's eyes became even more serious. He saw a table pop up before his eyes all of a sudden. The avatars of No. 1, No. 4, and No. 5 on the table had all turned grey. No. 8, on the other hand, was crimson in color. The avatar of No. 8 kept flashing with red light while the avatar of No. 3 began to glow with a faint red color.

Gu Zhan raised his head and took a look at No. 3, only to find that No. 3's entire right arm had been torn off by a tremendous force, and the culprit was none other than the enemy that was still flickering with flames in the distance.

"No. 3 needs first aid, and No. 4 will replace No. 3 with fire suppression." Gu Zhan immediately gave the order and dragged No. 3 to hide behind a pile of rubble. He then took a roll of bandages from the backpack that he was carrying and wrapped it around No. 3's arm in a practiced manner.

Gu Zhan's expression became even more serious after he was done with all of that. He went to the forefront of the group and fired his pulse rifle at any possible route that the enemy might take.

He was able to turn the camera's vision completely into that of a thermal imaging vision. As his eyes went from being able to see directly to being able to receive the image directly, his current vision was now at 270 degrees. He was able to see part of what was behind him, which was rather miraculous.

He soon discovered the enemy who had attacked him. A slender and nimble figure flashed before his eyes and leaped into the ruins at the side. The speed was so fast that Gu Zhan missed all his bullets.

He wasn't wearing any exoskeleton armor!

Gu Zhan's expression shifted. If that was the case, the modified pulse rifles in his hands would have been able to kill the enemy with a shockwave, even if they were not as powerful as the pulse rifles.

However, right at that moment, a black, oval-shaped object suddenly flew out from the ruins and headed straight for where everyone was standing. Gu Zhan's expression became even more serious. "Attention everyone, the enemy has a concussion grenade!" He fired the pulse rifle in his hand into the air as he said that and blew up the grenade in the very next second.

Boom! Large amounts of fire spread in midair.

Such a level of marksmanship would have been considered unheard of in most teams, yet none of them showed any signs of surprise. To them, such a level of marksmanship could only be considered to be at a rather high level.

However, before the flames from the explosion subsided, several more grenades shot out from the rubble at lightning speed. Borrowing the scorching heat in the air, Gu Zhan was almost blinded for a split second.

"We've been set up!" That was the only thought that came to Gu Zhan's mind at the moment.

Several concussion grenades landed at the feet of the crowd in the very next second. Gu Zhan shouted, "Get down!" The crowd fell to the ground without a second thought, protecting their helmets tightly.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

Deafening noises were heard all over the place. However, it was fortunate that the exoskeleton had a shock absorption mechanism that allowed it to absorb massive amounts of kinetic energy, preventing the armor from being broken and the pilot inside from being severely injured.

Gu Zhan felt golden light flashing before his eyes as intense tremors kept assaulting him. Even his exoskeleton, which had shock reduction capabilities, was unable to withstand such intense tremors. He felt his head buzzing and his vision spinning as if he had suffered a severe concussion.

"System, inject me with the central stimulant!" Gu Zhan shook his head after a series of earth-shattering shocks and said all of a sudden. The suit of exoskeleton armor had a smart core that could assist the wearer in some ways, such as injecting military stimulants, painkillers, and so on.

He felt a chill run down his neck as soon as Gu Zhan gave the order, and a chill went straight to his brain from his vein. The dizziness in his head was immediately swept away.

Not only that, but his sense of sight, hearing, smell, and all other sensory organs had also become increasingly sensitive. That was a military-use stimulant synthesized from a mixture of biosamide, coffee, and many other types of central stimulants. It was a military ingredient that belonged to the Virandutani Company of the Alien plane, but it had certain side effects.

However, at this point in time, he would need to survive no matter how severe the side effects were. If he couldn't even survive, then the side effects wouldn't matter.

Gu Zhan staggered as he stood up. He was able to see through the smoke and saw that the ground beneath his feet had turned completely scorched. His avatars of 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 had all turned grey. Including himself, there were only 6, 7, and 9 remaining.

"Gather, everyone!" Gu Zhan's hoarse voice was heard through the radio to the earpieces of the remaining three. Three people with badly damaged armor appeared before Gu Zhan in the very next moment. Half of the armor covering No. 9 and the rest of his body had been shattered, leaving only a charred patch behind. That was the damage caused by an electromagnetic sniper rifle bullet brushing past his body, and he was only able to stand up with the aid of military stimulants.

"Get ready!" There was not a hint of emotion in Gu Zhan's eyes even at that moment. He simply stared coldly at the smoke that was constantly dissipating before him and raised the pulse rifle in his hand.

Footsteps were heard slowly amidst the smoke.

Gu Zhan's expression froze immediately. The AI core of the exoskeleton armor was able to determine the location of the other party through the sound. He ordered without hesitation, "Fire!"

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!"

The four electromagnetic pulse weapons poured out a massive amount of ammunition at the same time. While there were only four guns, the force of the projectiles was enough to move mountains and fill the ocean. Countless earth flowers burst out of the ground, creating a sharp, muffled sound as they pierced through the soil. In just a few seconds, the ground within a radius of 100 meters was plowed through.

"Abandon your guns and engage in melee combat!" Despite that, there was still no sign of relaxation in Gu Zhan's eyes. He threw away the gun in his hand all of a sudden and waved his hand lightly. A bayonet that was emitting a constant humming sound was ejected from the inside of the armor on his arm and slashed at the air before him.

An ear-piercing screech was heard as the blade sliced through the air.

Highweave Electromagnetic Blades!

High-range sonic waves referred to electromagnetic waves that had a frequency exceeding 100khz. The vibration rate of the blade was extremely high and the temperature was extremely high. The blade could slice through all matter in the world through high-frequency vibration.

Gu Zhan saw from the corner of his eye that a figure shot out of the smoke at that very moment, dodging the attack with ease. The pitch-black and slender bayonet in his hand drew a perfect arc in the air and stabbed into the weakest part of his armor.

A chill ran down Gu Zhan's spine at the very next second, followed by intense pain.

That figure's footsteps were extremely weird and there was simply no way for him to predict the trajectory of the other party. That figure took a step and appeared before Number Six in the very next moment. The bayonet in his hand stabbed into and pulled out again and Number Six was nailed to the ground as if he had cast a Fixed Body Art.

No. 7 and No. 9 looked as if they were about to face a formidable enemy. The two of them brandished their blades and charged right out. However, as they were wearing exoskeleton armor, their agility was completely unable to keep up with that silhouette despite having enhanced their defense. A shadow was seen beneath that silhouette's feet once again, which passed between the two of them at a tricky angle, and the bayonet in his hand stabbed right into their vital points.

It took less than three seconds from the moment the figure charged out to the moment it killed the four clone warriors wearing exoskeleton armor.

All ten-man teams lost!

104. Prototype

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and returned to the virtual plaza in the virtual space. At the same time, Adam, Gu Zhan, and the remaining eight members of his team appeared at the same time. However, all of them wore solemn expressions and looked at Zhang Heng with reverence.

Zhang Heng managed to take out 10 cloned warriors wearing heavy-duty infantry armor with just a pulse sniper rifle, several concussion grenades, and a bayonet, and he was completely unscathed.

"Unqualified. Continue training." Zhang Heng shook his head in dissatisfaction and gave Corona the order to continue training before leaving the virtual space.

Zhang Heng heard knocking on the door of his bedroom as soon as he walked out of the virtual space. He went to open the door and saw a woman wearing black-rimmed glasses and a white-collar outfit, looking very charming.

"Good day, sir! I'm Manager Li's new assistant. My name is Ma Rong. You may call me Xiao Rong," the girl said in a very friendly manner before Zhang Heng could say anything, wanting to get closer to him.

Ma Rong looked to be in her mid-twenties and could only be considered pretty in terms of appearance. However, her figure was far more voluptuous than Li Yiru's, especially with that air of a school belle about her. Coupled with that white-collar uniform of hers, she looked rather alluring.

However, he frowned subconsciously when he saw her. He sensed an indescribable, pungent smell rushing at him like an unstoppable torrent.

That was the scent of a strong, feminine perfume.

The smell was so thick that most people wouldn't be able to take it, not to mention Zhang Heng, who had a heightened sense of smell that far exceeded that of regular people. He was practically tearing up at the smell.

"What can I do for you?" Zhang Heng took two steps back and kept a distance of over a meter between him and Ma Rong.

"GM Li has reached an agreement with the legal personnel of this hotel. Our company is willing to buy all the buildings, including the land itself, for 8 million yuan. Here is the transfer contract." Ma Rong took two steps forward when she saw Zhang Heng backing away, wanting to get as close to him as possible.

Zhang Heng resisted the urge to back away and took the contract. He read it briefly and said casually, "Well done. Tell her that I'm going to continue purchasing land near the Stellar Technology building site to build a factory."

"Yes." Ma Rong nodded obediently and looked at Zhang Heng expectantly.

Zhang Heng felt rather irritated at the way Ma Rong was looking at him. He could tell from one look that she wasn't some decent person and he had always kept his distance from women like her. He asked impatiently, "Is there anything else? If there's nothing else, please leave."

"Alright…" Wang Fang was stunned and turned around with a dejected and aggrieved look on her face. She was very confident in her own abilities and couldn't understand why the other party would react in such a manner.

She gave Zhang Heng one last meaningful look before leaving the room, feeling indignant.

Zhang Heng was baffled by that last look, but he couldn't be bothered to care about what others thought. He had given Li Yiru an order to buy the hotel instead of spending money to stay in it. He wasn't the only one in the hotel at the moment. All 50 members of the clone army that he brought back from India had moved into the hotel, filling it up.

The 50 people underwent Corona's training every day, just like how Zhang Heng did back then. They then selected the 10 most powerful people to form a special operation force from another plane, known as the D. S.F., which consisted of 10 people, including Adam, Gu Zhan, and Zhang Heng. All of them would be entering that world with Zhang Heng when the next plane mission began.

The next scene was "Prototype" world.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath. While it looked like he had defeated everyone easily, there was no way he could erase the worry in his mind. The Prototype of the Slaughter Steppes would be the plane that he was about to experience the most difficult challenge to date.

Zhang Heng gradually began to figure out just how dangerous the plane was. First of all, the Prototype plane was like the Resident Evil plane, where there was no technology that surpassed that of modern times. If there was to be one thing that existed, it would be the virus known as DX-118.

The source of the virus had long been inaccessible. It was established in 1962 by the 'Advanced Planning Agency' of the US Department of Defense in secret as a special unit known as the 'Black Watch'. It was the Black Watch that discovered the DX-118 virus. Research had found that the virus was fused with DNA from primates, enabling it to enhance biological intelligence, strength, and other physical qualities at a genetic level.

The Black Watcher conducted a top-secret experiment called 'Blacklight' to test the virus.

The experiment was met with a series of failures after that, just like in the melodramatic plot, which eventually led to the end of the research by the Black Watch. It was only in 2008 that a research organization under the name of the Black Watch was established and the Black Watch was restarted in secret. However, the Black Watch found out that the lead researcher of the company, Alex, who was the 29-year-old protagonist of the company, fled the city with the virus.

When Alex tried to escape from the Pennsylvania Station, he found that the plain-clothed agents from the Black Watch had been lying in wait. Despair and rage filled his mind, and he shattered the virus test tube right before he died.

As such, the spread of the deadly virus triggered a disaster that would spread worldwide in the future.

However, no one would have thought that the highly concentrated viruses would be able to reconstruct Alex's body, turning his body into a breeding ground for viruses. Eventually, a new life that had lost all memories and was completely replaced by the viruses was born from Alex's body.

However, while he still looked human at the moment, he was definitely not Alex, but a monster made entirely of viruses.

That was the storyline of the 'Prototype', which described how the protagonist, Alex, lost all of his memories after becoming a 'Prototype' and fought the 'Black Watcher' to the very end while using all manner of superpowers to find his past.

In the end, he managed to defeat the Black Watch and threw the nuclear bombs that were meant to destroy the entirety of Manhattan into the Atlantic Ocean. The viruses in the city were completely wiped out due to his control over them. It was ironic that humans were saved by the viruses when they tried to destroy their own kind.

The motion picture company went on to release a second installment after that, and after stopping the nuclear explosion, Alex began to travel the world looking for his identity and location.

"If I were still a human… where would I be living now? How would I be able to return to being a human?"

However, unfortunately, Alex was only able to see the ugliness of humanity in the course of his journey, instead of justifying it for the sake of protecting humanity. As such, he was able to develop yet another massive infection, becoming the master of the virus once again. He was able to control all manner of living beings that had been formed by the virus to attack humans in a steady stream. Another black man named James gradually rose to prominence, becoming the main character of the second series and becoming Alex's greatest enemy.

"When I returned from the overseas battlefield, I realized that I had lost… everything."

"I fought my way to the end zone and killed hundreds of infected people.

"However, I'm actually bent on seeking death. However, someone seems to have other plans."

"As such, I learned a truth.

"To kill a monster, you need to become a monster first!"

"I'm Sergeant James, and I'm going to destroy Alex!"

That tragic yet determined speech became the core idea of the second book, enabling James to defeat Alex and devour him.

In Zhang Heng's opinion, the plot of the second movie was a complete failure. Alex, who was a superhero character with potential that rivaled that of Spiderman and Superman, ended up digging his own grave because he saw fit to do so. The protagonist of the new generation of black people, James, was neither pleasing in appearance nor personality. He was simply trying to curry favor with the newly re-elected president of the United States.

However, there was no doubt about it. At the end of the second plot, James devoured Alex and became the prototype of the new generation of viruses. He destroyed all the viruses on the island of Manhattan and completely destroyed the crisis that humanity faced. That was indeed a story with a perfect ending, but…

"Just what happened after that? Why hasn't human civilization been able to escape destruction?"

105. Preparations Before Entering

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and a scary thought came to his mind. However, before he could think any further, his phone in his pocket rang all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng picked up his phone and his eyes lit up when he saw the number on it.

"Mr. Lawrence, good news."

"Haha, dear Heng, I told you before that I'd definitely do what you asked for. Why don't you believe me?" The voice of a young man with a German accent was heard from the other end of the phone. "The nano-caliber carbon fiber material you asked for, the S sensor, and all manner of high-precision equipment and components made of graphene have all been ordered according to your specifications. They're being flown over to you right now. Are you sure there won't be any problems on your end? You have to know that I've taken a lot of risks. I've parked five car production lines just to rush the construction."

"Thank you very much. I guarantee that nothing will go wrong." Zhang Heng looked relieved. What a joke. With Corona around, no one would be able to detect smuggling nuclear bombs, much less smuggling electronic components. "But what about that one? You'd better not say that you didn't get your hands on it."

"Relax. It might be a little difficult, but I did manage to get my hands on it." There was a hint of fear in Lawrence's voice. "I spent a lot of effort to get that thing you're looking for. That thing could kill a million people with a single pin drop. Take it easy."

"One to two liters. I'll reward you handsomely," Zhang Heng said with a grin. "If you're able to smuggle the super precise lathes and production lines over, I'll give you a dose of 10 liters."

"Really? Well then, I'll make the arrangements tomorrow!" The person on the other end was elated and laughed.

"Thank you."

Zhang Heng hung up after exchanging pleasantries.

Lawrence was one of the members of the foundation's board of directors, and he was none other than the tycoon of the German car industry. While Zhang Heng wasn't able to completely control all of those people after they underwent brain transplant surgery, most requests made by Zhang Heng wouldn't be refused. There was definitely no problem with their loyalty.

As such, Zhang Heng simply dismantled and redesigned the security suit that he damaged back in the Alien plane, before designing the type of heavy infantry armor that Corona designed for combat.

In order to prevent technology from leaking, Corona dismantled the armor into thousands of modular components, drew the blueprint, and handed it to the Lawrence family, the most developed financial group in the heavy industry, to manufacture.

Due to the fact that every single module was separated and that there was only a blueprint for the parts and no blueprint for the parts to be assembled, no one knew what those parts were. It didn't matter even if they knew, as the parts for the exoskeleton armor were secondary, as the most important part was the AI core. Without any programming to drive it, it would only be a piece of scrap metal that could only be seen and not touched after the parts were assembled.

As long as he was able to complete the modules and transport them back to Haizhou, Zhang Heng would be able to assemble all of the components like a piece of wood to make the heavy infantry armor that was extremely fearsome in virtual space. A piece of heavy infantry armor that could be worn would be born after entering the program.

That night, Corona activated Level Three again after confirming the arrival time of the plane. Adam led the clones to collect three trucks worth of goods at the customs, all of which were containers with a diameter of two to three meters.

The clone transported the three trucks back to the backyard of the small hotel and began assembling the complex parts one by one according to the blueprints.

Despite having the blueprints, the parts were still extremely complex and not as simple as he had imagined them to be. Without the blueprints, even the most professional engineers wouldn't be able to assemble the parts.

The 50 cloned legion warriors were only able to assemble a single set of heavy infantry armor in a single night.

Zhang Heng took out a disc and plugged it into the drive behind the armor. That disc was the AI core program written by Corona herself. When he stuffed the disc into the armor, the entire armor emitted faint electrical currents.

The entire process was just like how the new computer installed the Nos system. About 10 minutes passed and the indicator light representing the completion of program loading flickered slightly, indicating that the AI core program was loaded.

The Heavy Infantry Armor was completely activated and Heng put it on himself to test its performance.

The suit of exoskeleton armor was divided into six parts after it was assembled—the helmet part, the arms part, the legs part, and the torso part. The torso part would be drilled into the hole at the bottom of the suit, before being put into the legs and arms with the help of others. There would then be a special mechanism to hold the suit shut, and the entire suit would be completely sealed after the suit was put on.

Zhang Heng felt his vision go black for a bit after putting on the helmet, as there were no observation holes at all on the part of the helmet. However, his eyes lit up right after, as the visual projection equipment projected the optical tracking camera on the outside of the helmet into his retina.

"System initiation. Begin self-examination…" An electronic female voice was heard.

"Autopsy complete. Program found no mistakes."

"Verifying the user's identity…"

"Identity confirmed. Dear Commander, good day. You have the highest access set up for the AI core."

"Remaining power: 99.9 percent. The current power source available would enable heavy infantry to operate for about 48 hours. If the power source is below 10 percent, the system will warn you."

"No weapon module detected. Warning, please install the weapon module as soon as possible."

"Pharmaceutical capacity: 0%. Warning! For the sake of your safety, please fill in all kinds of supplementary drugs as soon as possible."

All of that information was heard right next to Zhang Heng's ear. Not only that, lines of text appeared before his eyes as well. The information was very intuitive, just like an operating system, and he was even able to make some simplified, personalized settings.

Zhang Heng attempted to lift his leg after the system's self-examination was completed. However, as soon as his nerves came up with the idea of lifting his leg, his muscles contracted. The high-precision muscle signal sensor detected electrical currents in his leg muscles within 0.1 milliseconds and transmitted the signal to the AI core at the same time. The AI core was able to analyze the correct data within 0.3 milliseconds after a series of data processing and eliminating all errors in its predictions. It was also able to control the Heavy Infantry Armor to perform the same actions. Furthermore, the amplitude of its movements was exactly the same as Zhang Heng's. There was no mistake at all.

Zhang Heng then went on to test the other functions of the armor, especially the high-caliber electromagnetic blade. The entire suit of armor was able to last for 10 hours after being activated, but the high-caliber electromagnetic blade could only be used in close combat, as no one would be able to activate it for 10 hours straight.

Zhang Heng took out the dozen or so guns that Lawrence had sent to him with a satisfied look on his face. All of those guns were custom-made, and they were larger than regular firearms by over a size. Not only that, but their barrels were also designed to be disassembled.

Zhang Heng opened one of the rifle barrels and pulled out a helix-shaped carbon fiber steel tube from another container. The inner wall of the tube had circular grooves in the shape of lines and there was nothing else out of place about it.

Zhang Heng handed the carbon fiber steel tube to Adam, who was standing at the side, and poured a boiling, blackish-red liquid substance that he had prepared beforehand into the tube. Zhang Heng then fished the material out of the tube with another extremely thin metal tube after the material cooled and solidified, leaving only the residue in the groove.

Adam then checked the tube thoroughly and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with it. He then injected some kind of lubricant-like substance into the tube. The black liquid-like substance was completely solidified after the lubricant was cleaned. It was as hard as steel and seemed to have fused with the tube.

Adam handed the steel tube to Zhang Heng after he was done. Zhang Heng took a good look at it before putting it on the gun. If anyone were to see it at that moment, they would realize that the high-intensity carbon fiber steel tube that had been processed multiple times was actually part of the gun.

That technology was none other than the Weyland Yutani Company's rifling modification technology. That blackish-red substance was actually some kind of artificial compound that had been synthesized through complex procedures. It was a cryogenic superconductor.

The term "cryogenic superconductors" would have caused a huge stir in the world if it were to be found in modern society. The superconducting physics that humans had researched so far was nothing more than some matter that could generate superconductivity at a temperature below -200 degrees Celsius, and anything that could generate superconductivity at cryogenic temperatures was practically a fantasy to human technology.

However, among all the technologies that Zhang Heng brought out from the Alien plane, there was a kind of rifling modification that required the use of superconducting materials to achieve.

The superconducting material would form a coil-like pattern in the barrel. The zero electrical resistance and Messina effect would drastically increase the current injected into the barrel, enabling the massive bullet with a diameter of several centimeters to shoot at a sonic speed of 20 times that of normal.

That was the true face of the pulse rifle, the powerful superconducting electromagnetic cannon.

106. Entering Torture

Three days later, layers of barriers were set up in the backyard of the hotel.

The plastic used to insulate the tents was a world-class standard control material for the epidemic, sealing them from the outside. The only way out was through a disinfection room, where multi-agent disinfection and ultraviolet disinfection could be carried out.

After all, he was headed to a world called 'Prototype', where the DX-118 Virus, which was even more terrifying than the T-Virus, was located. If he were to leak even the slightest bit of the virus when he returned from that world, the real world would be doomed.

However, just when Zhang Heng finished setting up the tent with the 10 members of the Special Forces from the other planes, he seemed to have recalled something and his expression changed all of a sudden.

"Biopharmaceuticals… Why didn't I think of that back then…"

Zhang Heng's expression became very glum right there and then. He sat on the ground with a bitter grin on his face and took a puff from a cigarette before gradually regaining his composure.

He suddenly recalled that the first plane mission he went through was the Resident Evil plane. He was the one who plunged all the zombie blood into the sewers back then.

In other words, it was highly possible that the T-Virus had hacked into Haizhou's sewers several months ago, causing microbiological contamination…

"Corona, activate Level Three again and scan Haizhou thoroughly for me, especially the sewers system in Haizhou. Let me know immediately if there are any abnormalities." Zhang Heng smoked hard and frowned.

"Understood, Commander," Corona answered immediately. A few seconds later, she continued, "Commander, I didn't find anything out of place in Haizhou."

"Are there no abnormalities in the sewers?" Zhang Heng took a deep breath and continued, "For example, zombie rats, zombie cockroaches, some kind of parasite mutation, or some kind of special infectious disease found in urban hospitals?"

"It's a pity, Commander," Corona replied, enunciating each word carefully. "The phenomena that you mentioned do not exist. Furthermore, the ability to observe microorganisms is not within my capabilities. I am only able to scan and affect intelligent beings with complex thoughts, and I have no ability to interfere with low-level beings like rats."

"You're right. After all, you're just a weapon created for humans." Zhang Heng let out a sigh of relief and continued, "I was overthinking things. The T-Virus can only be transmitted through bodily fluids or through air when it's extremely concentrated. It usually lives in the air for less than a second. While it could survive in water for a few more seconds, it's still extremely limited. If not for that, the surface of the Resident Evil plane would have been filled with fish-type zombies long ago, and there wouldn't have been a ship sailing in the ocean."

At that thought, Zhang Heng was secretly glad that the T-Virus in his blood had died a long time ago after the zombie blood in his body dried up over a long period of time. That was probably why the sewers in Haizhou hadn't been contaminated. The Dimensional Star might have killed all the remaining viruses when it was teleported back. If not, given how infectious the T-Virus was, the Earth would have been filled with zombies by then and the world would have been in chaos.

He was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief and stood up after finishing his cigarette. It was inevitable that something like that would happen. After all, he was just a regular person. No one would have thought that he would have to go on a mission in another plane after meeting with the Dimensional Star. He had been under a lot of pressure during that time, and he was barely able to take care of his own life. There was no way that he would have considered the possibility of going on a mission in another plane.

However, a mistake was a mistake, and Zhang Heng simply committed that oversight to memory. He was confident that he would never make such a mistake again, and that he would learn from his mistakes.

…

"Main Quest officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

The voice of the Dimensional Star was heard in his mind all of a sudden at that moment. Zhang Heng's expression turned serious. Finally, the time limit of three months was reached yet again. However, it was fortunate that he had made all the necessary preparations as well. He took out his walkie-talkie and said, "Members of the Special Forces of the Alternate plane, please take note. Everyone is to put on all equipment within five minutes and assemble in the containment tent."

"I repeat. Attention, members of the D.S.F. Everyone…"

Zhang Heng quickly left the quarantine room after emphasizing that one more time. He quickly put on his Heavy Infantry armor in the equipment storage room, and by the time he returned to the quarantine tent, the 10 D.S.F members, including Adam Koo, were all ready to go.

"Search complete. There are five planes of value near the host plane."

"Plane A: Deep Space Amnesia plane. Danger Level: ★"

"Plane B: Radiation plane. Danger Level: ★"

"Plane C: Prototype plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

"Plane D: Terminator plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

"Plane E: Blackhole surface plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★"

The search for the Dimensional Star in his mind came to an end at the same time. However, what shocked Zhang Heng the most was that he initially thought that there was only one option left to him—to kill the original plane. He had even made countless preparations and targeted training for the mission, yet the results left him dumbfounded.

"Hahahaha, what do you think of Yurianne's surprise? Did you get scared, host dude?" Yurianne's child-like voice was heard all of a sudden. A hot-blooded anime played in the background at the same time, and Yurianne appeared before Zhang Heng while dancing some kind of demonic dance amidst the deafening, metallic rock music.

"Hello, host dude! Long time no see!" Yurianne looked like a child who had scored full marks in an exam and was very pleased with herself in front of her parents. Yurianne laughed as if she was taking credit for something. "I haven't seen you in a while. Did you miss me, host dude?"

"Cut the crap. What's the meaning of this?" Zhang Heng cut her off mercilessly. Anyone who had been preparing for months to no avail would look glum if they were to miss a single punch. If he had known that there were so many options available to him, he definitely wouldn't have staked everything on the Prototype plane.

"Are you saying that there's a problem with the choice of planes, host dude?" Yurianne chuckled without a care in the world. "That's because your access has been upgraded, host dude. Every time your access is upgraded, you'll automatically search for new planes for your choice. Furthermore, the difficulty of the search would depend entirely on randomness. You're lucky to find planes with amnesia and radiation in deep space."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and suppressed the raging fire in his chest. He didn't dwell on the issue any longer and simply asked, "What about the old planes that I've been to? Can I still use my spare time to go back?"

"No problem. Any plane that host dude has been to before would be able to enter and exit when the Dimensional Star's transmission mechanism cools down. However, the Dimensional Star wouldn't be of any help to you then, host dude. In other words, host could very well be transported to very dangerous places, like Earth in the Alien plane, Blood Moon in the Dead Space plane, and so on."

"So, what you're saying is that it's best not to take risks in high-difficulty planes, unless you're strong enough to protect yourself in those planes?" Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Well then, if you were to travel in and out of a plane multiple times, would your destination be the same after each trip? Or would it be random?"

"The first time is random, but the next time you're teleported, you'll be back where you left off last time." Yurianne grew impatient. "Alright, alright. Time's up. Have you decided which plane to choose, host dude?"

Zhang Heng was silent for a bit, but eventually said with a bitter smile, "While I'd really like to choose that plane with deep space amnesia, I really don't know much about that plane. I remember that 'Radiation' is a game, right? I don't know anything about that either. I'd rather choose the Prototype plane with a better chance of survival than choose those two planes to take on unknown dangers."

"Understood!" Yurianne shouted at the top of her lungs. At the same time, Yurianne, who had her own BGM, began to sing in a deafening, hot-blooded manner yet again. She transformed into a stage star with the background music playing in her background and began to sing into the microphone.

"The host dude has made yet another choice in life! Are you serious?"

"Let's go. The best time has come. Get ready to face greater danger. No matter how many times you fall, you'll still be able to stand tall."

"Wait for Hero!"

107. Grand Escape

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered Prototype plane. Mission complete."

"Warning: Begin the Prototype plane mission. Main Quest: Escape the pursuit of the prototype Alex and bring the 'Prototype Virus' back to reality."

"Optional quest, none."

"Urgent quest, unknown."

"Quest Time: 24 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 24 hours. Failure Penalty: Host access reduced by one level."

Zhang Heng opened his eyes in a trance and was greeted by the sight of a piece of land that was charred and glazed.

He was lying on the ground at the moment. The sky was overcast and there seemed to be countless clouds of dust in the air. Black dust that was about the size of goose feathers drifted down like rain, accumulating on the ground as if mold had grown on the ground.

He stood up slowly. The environmental detection mechanism of the Heavy Infantry armor sensed changes in the environment outside and began operating automatically. Large amounts of data flashed before his eyes all of a sudden: Air composition, temperature, air pressure, altitude, dry humidity, radiation, and so on.

The outcome was no surprise to Zhang Heng. The air was filled with massive amounts of radiation and smoke, making it as dry as the Sahara Desert, with temperatures of -15 degrees Celsius.

That was the standard nuclear winter environment.

If all of that wasn't considered a big deal, there was no one who would have overlooked a huge mushroom cloud that took up a quarter of the world tens of kilometers away.

The mushroom cloud spanned heaven and earth, and the spectacular yet devastating scene was more than enough to shock anyone.

The mushroom cloud was milky white in color and looked like a huge pillar that connected heaven and earth. There was a huge umbrella at the top of the mushroom cloud that blocked out the sun. The only thing that could be heard was the continuous stream of hot air that scorched the armor on everyone's bodies, making crackling sounds as heat and cold mixed together.

The shockwave ploughed through the ground, flattening all obstacles in its path. The only thing that remained was the flat, glass-like ground that continued to glow with a dying light under the dark sky.

The entire plane was like a beast struggling on its deathbed, doing its best to hold its breath, unwilling to swallow, unwilling to accept the fate of death.

While Zhang Heng was still reeling from the shock, he heard a buzzing sound above his head all of a sudden and saw a flash of blue light. At the same time, a test tube that he had never seen before appeared out of thin air and quickly dropped to the ground.

Zhang Heng's expression changed and the mechanical arm on his suit extended immediately, grabbing the tube with precision.

The test tube looked like an electric baton, with a light tube in the middle and metal structures on both sides. However, the tube was only about the length of a palm and the tube in the middle was transparent. There were also several red buttons with unknown functions.

None of that mattered, but what made Zhang Heng shudder was that there was a wriggling red flesh bug about the thickness of a finger inside the tube.

Zhang Heng felt his hair stand on end the moment he laid eyes on that blob of flesh. His pupils contracted as an indescribable sense of crisis washed over him.

The blob of flesh was only about 10 centimeters in length and there was nothing like a membrane covering its body, making it look like a mucus instead. It was so much so that it lacked a fixed shape, turning into a rhombus one moment and curling up the next.

It took him quite a while to realize that it wasn't some kind of insect, but a piece of flesh belonging to a living creature. However, the sense of danger that came from that piece of flesh was so intense that it was even more intense than when he was facing an adult xenomorph.

Zhang Heng gasped when he realized what was going on. Could that lump of flesh be…

"Commander." Zhang Heng looked at the test tube in front of him in a daze. Adam, Guzhan, and the others behind him had long understood what was going on. They took some time to get used to the situation before walking up to Zhang Heng and waiting for his orders.

"Did you guys hear the mission?" Zhang Heng turned around and asked.

"No, Commander." Adam shook his head.

It seemed that even if he were to bring all of them into the Alternate plane, the system would only recognize him as its host, while the rest of them would only serve as support. Zhang Heng felt relieved at that thought. The more he thought about it, the less likely it was that the Dimensional Star would have a new owner.

Zhang Heng composed himself and explained to the crowd, "I'm sure everyone is curious about where we are. What I can tell you is that our current location is no longer in our original universe, but in another plane that is extremely similar to our universe. I'll be doing a similar mission every three months."

"You may have heard of those planes before, and you may not have heard of them before. However, you have to remember that the environment of those planes is extremely harsh. All of them are planes where human civilization has been wiped out, and there are dangers that you can't even begin to imagine."

"That is the meaning behind the creation of the D.S.F., the true force of the Special Forces of the other planes, the most elite special forces in history. Your enemies, including but not limited to humans, are most likely all kinds of supernatural powers capable of destroying the world."

Zhang Heng said to the crowd. While the clones were devoid of emotions, they were nonetheless real people, and he didn't want them to die without knowing why.

"This plane is known as the Prototype plane. All of our training in the virtual space was for this trip to the plane. Our mission this time is to escape the pursuit of that nonhuman named Alex. I'd like to emphasize again that as long as there's a chance of survival, don't try to kill him. Just like in the virtual space, you can imagine Alex to be invincible like Corona…"

Zhang Heng told everyone about what happened with Alex and the Prototype plane in secret. However, when he mentioned Corona, the pupils of all the emotionless clones contracted. It was obvious that they were instinctively terrified of Corona's hellish training, and that fear had even transcended biological feelings.

But then again, was his opponent that monster Alex?

Zhang Heng frowned. He was the protagonist of Alex's first game, and he eventually died in the second. Why would his name appear in the system prompts? Also, why would Alex want to kill me? Could it have something to do with the Prototype Virus? "

Alex was known as the 'prototype', and he had also devoured the original virus creator, Elizabeth Green. As such, he was able to replace Elizabeth and become the true prototype of the virus. As such, the so-called prototype of the virus was actually a part of Alex's body.

Zhang Heng gasped and realized that the piece of meat in the test tube was none other than the prototype of Alex's flesh. No wonder he was being hunted down.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin and the last bit of hope he had was completely gone. He took another look at the tube and found that the flesh inside the tube was moving even more violently than before, as if something was urging it to keep banging against the inner wall of the tube. Countless red tentacles grew out of the flesh, which then converged and fused together, eventually forming a pitch-black battering ram.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted.

There was no way Zhang Heng wouldn't understand what was happening. Alex was able to transform his body into all manner of weapons through the use of countless red tentacles. The power of those red tentacles was so great that they could easily slice through the armor of tanks or resist direct attacks from missiles.

Zhang Heng confirmed that the piece of flesh was a part of the prototype Alex was in.

Dong!

A low rumble was heard from the inside of the test tube. The mechanical arm was equipped with sensor equipment, and Zhang Heng felt a tremendous force from it. The force of the impact was on par with the force of a bullet being fired. If it had been an ordinary test tube, it would have probably been completely shattered by that one shot. However, that test tube merely shuddered for a bit and didn't even crack.

Such a powerful force, and the test tube was extraordinary as well.

Zhang Heng had a complicated look on his face as he sighed to himself. That was the first time the Dimensional Star system had provided him with a prop. It seemed like the system knew that there was probably nothing else that could contain that piece of meat other than those high-tech test tubes.

Zhang Heng felt a deep sense of helplessness at that thought. As expected of a four-star mission, it was one star higher than the last mission he had to complete in the Alien plane—escaping the pursuit of the virus prototype Alex. The difficulty of the mission was at least 10 times higher than killing hundreds of xenomorphs.

One had to know that if such a pulse rifle was able to acquire the mission from the Alien plane, the difficulty of the Alien plane would be reduced by at least two stars. If one were to enter the Resident Evil plane, the difficulty of the plane could be reduced to the simplest of half a star. However, none of that would be able to reduce the difficulty of the Prototype plane by half a star.

It was quite clear that the main difficulty lay with Alex.

The man who was able to withstand direct attacks from heavy tanks and treat the Apache helicopter like a toy, was unafraid of nuclear bombs, and was able to destroy cities with a single blow. It could be said that he had become an unparalleled existence in the world. Even if the entire Avengers, not the anime, were to be mobilized, they would only end up being smashed into pieces.

That piece of flesh struggled even harder after just a short while. At the same time, Zhang Heng felt his heart skip a beat. He looked in the direction where the mushroom cloud was coming from and found that it was somewhere there that made him feel as if he was being stabbed.

108. Understanding Weakness

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and looked at the center of the nuclear explosion far away. He sensed danger from that direction.

That meant that the mushroom cloud was most likely created to attack Alex. The outcome was obvious. Alex had indeed been injured by the explosion, or the Dimensional Star wouldn't have taken out a test tube with a piece of flesh in it. However, even the system knew that the nuclear bomb would only be able to render him immobile for a short period of time. When the nuclear bomb's power was completely depleted, Alex would be resurrected as if he had been burned alive.

There was no way that Zhang Heng didn't realize that it would be time for Alex to kill him after the nuclear bomb was finished.

"All teams, heed my command. Everyone, follow me at full speed!"

Zhang Heng gave the order without any hesitation at that thought. He exerted some force on his legs at the same time, and the electromagnetic device automatically detected his bodily reactions. He then drove the Heavy Infantry suit and shot off into the distance like an arrow leaving a bow.

The electromagnetic pulses caused the radio to become a little out of place, producing a constant rustling sound. However, none of them complained and all of them began to run after Zhang Heng, even if they knew just how difficult the mission was.

The Heavy Infantry Armor looked like some kind of savage giant. It didn't look clumsy at all and instead looked as nimble as an athlete. Every step it took was over 30 meters and its speed was over 100 kilometers per hour.

However, he sensed that something was off after running for about 10 minutes. He was in a barren wasteland and the ruins of a building would occasionally appear in the wasteland. However, due to the damage caused to the building being too severe, there was simply no way he could find any valuable information. Furthermore, the sky was grey and there was no indication that he could tell where he was. Even the compass was rendered useless due to magnetic interference.

Due to the arrival of nuclear winter, the climate on Earth was completely changed. Zhang Heng was unable to use his current knowledge to determine his current location.

"This is the Great Plains of the United States. We're heading north now. The Mississippi River and St. Louis up ahead are the ones in Missouri!" Adam, who seemed to have sensed that the team was in trouble, suddenly spoke.

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and looked at Adam with a puzzled look. Adam quickly lowered his head and kept quiet.

"How did you know that?" Zhang Heng asked through the radio.

"That's because…" Adam hesitated for a bit, but then he recalled how powerful that monster in the virtual space was and continued, "When I was transported to this plane, I observed the soil for a bit. The soil consisted of shale, limestone, and sandstone. Due to the fact that it was a semi-drought continental climate, the air was also very dry. There were also grassland-like plants that had yet to be destroyed from time to time. There was no other place in the entire world that was suitable for such conditions other than the American Plain."

Zhang Heng nodded and said in a low voice, "Well done." He then continued to walk forward and ran at the forefront of the crowd.

Now that he knew the location, his destination was clearly Canada.

Corona once analyzed that cold and water were the two greatest weaknesses of the DX-118 Virus, as the prototype could withstand bombings without dying. That meant that the DX-118 Virus could withstand extremely high temperatures without being killed. In that case, there was a high chance that the virus would be even more afraid of cold than regular viruses. It was very likely that the virus would go into hibernation at a temperature of 30 to 40 degrees below zero and be unable to spread. After all, the upper limit would be lower, and there was no such thing as perfection in the world. That was the law of the universe.

Furthermore, according to the plot, the virus only erupted on the island of Manhattan, while New York, which was separated by a river of water, remained completely unscathed. While there was a reason why the virus was sealed, it was also confirmed that water was the most powerful barrier preventing the spread of the virus.

As such, the further north he went to Earth, the weaker his forces would become. If his speculations were correct, there should still be human governments on this plane, and their locations could very well be in the safest Antarctic and Arctic parts of the world.

The speed at which they were running was like that of a car running at high speeds. Furthermore, it was a car that looked like a cross-country model. Regardless of whether it was the hills or the streams, they were able to traverse them in no more than two hours. Everyone was able to see the ruins of the city in the distance, which were filled with ruins.

That was where the University of Washington in St. Louis was located.

However, a series of animalistic roars were heard from behind them when they reached the ruins of the city. Everyone looked behind them instinctively and saw a group of creatures that looked like a combination of wolves and bears appearing on the hills thousands of meters away, their bodies glowing red like magma.

Those monsters were all on all fours, with shoulders that were about two meters tall and bodies that were over three meters long. They had bodies that were as rough and tough as rocks, with razor-sharp teeth growing on the outside, making them look incredibly sharp. There were also razor-sharp claws on all four of their limbs, making them look like a combination of a black bear and a wild wolf when they ran, giving them a visual impact.

Hunter! Or rather, a combat beast.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted. That was the most commonly seen boss-level monster among all the original versions of the creature. While it wasn't very powerful, that was only true for the other monsters in the plane. None of those monsters were weaker than the messenger xenomorphs.

"Everyone, don't stop! Keep moving as fast as you can!" Zhang Heng shouted as he picked up the two-meter-long NT-20 sniper rifle on his back and kept his legs running. However, he turned his upper body around and blue lightning was seen shooting out of the sniper rifle in his hand.

Dozens of hunters ran down the hill at the same time and rushed at the crowd like a tidal wave. However, before they were able to take more than a few steps, the head of one of the hunters at the forefront of the pack exploded without warning. It was as if a slight movement would cause a huge commotion. Three to four other hunters behind that hunter exploded as well, causing blood to splatter all over the ground.

The pulse sniper rifle was no less powerful than a missile.

All the hunters stopped what they were doing right away.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, didn't seem to be in the mood for fighting. He simply attacked and ran, not pausing for a second as he followed closely behind the crowd.

"Roar!" A roar that didn't resemble a human's was heard from somewhere far away, just when the hunters were feeling intimidated. It was as if there was an entity that saw Zhang Heng and the others gradually walking away and became very displeased with the hunters' behavior, becoming enraged.

One of the hunters let out a furious howl all of a sudden due to being influenced by that roar. He threw his head back and howled like a wolf. All of the other hunters seemed to have been encouraged and let out deafening roars as well. They then took another step forward and rushed down the hill like a tidal wave.

The hunter legion continued their pursuit.

Buzz!

Zhang Heng had no choice but to turn around again. The electromagnetic sniper rifle fired a blue bolt of lightning and a sonic boom was heard as the air was torn apart. A huge mist appeared at the muzzle of the rifle and two more hunters were reduced to pieces.

Not enough!

Zhang Heng seemed to have been completely enraged. He realized that while he kept firing, he was no longer able to stop the other party from advancing. The hunters were able to climb skyscrapers with ease, and their running speed was over 150 kilometers per hour. They were even faster than Zhang Heng, who was wearing his exoskeleton armor. It took only a few minutes for the army of hunters to get behind the crowd.

"Gu Zhan!" Zhang Heng suddenly called out at that moment.

Gu Zhan, who was carrying the modified pulse-gatling cannon strapped to his back, spun around almost at the same time. The Vulcan cannon in his hand, which looked like the king of all guns, was aimed at the swarm of hunters with all its might. The cannon exploded at Zhang Heng's command, firing a metal storm capable of tearing through the deck of a battleship at a rate of 100 rounds per second.

All of a sudden, the hunters who were about to catch up with the crowd felt as if they were being bombarded by a train. Blood-red fireworks exploded all of a sudden and fireworks appeared out of nowhere. Large amounts of blood jades were seen flying in all directions, making the scene look like a huge festival celebration. All of the hunters who were hit felt as if they were being crushed by paper and turned into minced meat in the blink of an eye.

More than half of the hunters were reduced to pieces in just a few seconds. Only a handful of them managed to get past the range of the cannon's fire and charged at the crowd fearlessly.

A blood-red sun shone through the radiation clouds, casting the dusky sunlight over the horizon, lighting up the sky with a blood-red setting sun.

109. Search For Chance

Countless hunters were reduced to pieces after the barrage of the Fire God Cannons. Only a few dozen hunters managed to break through the defenses of the cannons and continued to charge at the crowd. However, the remaining cloned warriors also opened fire one after another. When the smoke and dust cleared, there was only flesh and blood scattered on the ground behind the crowd. No living beings were left alive.

"Keep moving!" Zhang Heng gave the order right away. The hundreds of hunters only made everyone pause for a few seconds, which was negligible. However, Zhang Heng was unable to rejoice at all, as he realized that more than one-tenth of his ammunition had been consumed in that single round of shooting. It would not be easy to last 24 hours.

Hunter was only a boss among the DX-118 Viruses. While he wasn't any weaker than the lickers found in Resident Evil, he was nowhere near as powerful as the Blacklight Virus.

What truly worried Zhang Heng was not the miscellaneous monsters, but the viruses that possessed greater power and greater speed. Those monsters didn't even have a unified name, but that was of no importance, as they possessed indescribable destructive power. Even those nameless monsters would be able to easily wipe out Zhang Heng's team, let alone the prototype Alex.

Just when Zhang Heng was feeling very troubled, his heart palpitated all of a sudden. He was unable to tell what that feeling was, as if he had just woken up in the middle of the night and found a female ghost with disheveled hair standing next to him.

He took a look at the crowd, and just as he expected, there was a similar emotion in their eyes as well. That mysterious feeling had saved Zhang Heng's life multiple times, and he couldn't afford to overlook it.

Zhang Heng turned on the motion detector that came with the suit of armor. It was something that he had brought with him from the Alien plane, and he had another name—the 'life detector'. However, the mechanism of the device was to detect the weak flow of air caused by the movement of life, as well as changes in temperature and so on.

A fan-shaped interface appeared before his eyes right away. However, there was no sign of movement on the interface other than the 10 lights representing his companions.

With that, Zhang Heng was able to confirm that there were no other monsters within a radius of several hundred meters. However, the device was of little use to him, as it could only be put to good use in more enclosed spaces, such as the spaceships. However, due to the spaceships being too sealed off, awkward situations where the barriers were too thick would result in him being unable to detect enemies within a wall.

There was no response from the life signature detector at the moment, but Zhang Heng didn't relax at all. He kept his eyes fixed on the interface. If the enemy were to attack, there was no way they would be able to escape the vibrations of the air. As long as there was airflow, the detector would be able to detect it and expose it before his eyes.

Just as he expected, a crimson beam of light appeared quietly right after he turned his attention to the detector. Judging from the location of the beam, it appeared to be right below everyone's feet.

"Disperse!"

Zhang Heng immediately realized what the enemy was and gave the order right away. He kicked the ground and retreated at a speed that was faster than running.

A tentacle with blood-red veins all over its body burst out of the ground at the same time that Zhang Heng retreated. The tentacle brandished its two sharp forelimbs like scissors and a clone soldier who was just one step too slow was whipped by the huge tentacle in the very next second, landing hard on the armor of the clone soldier.

The clone warrior was reduced to a pile of mush as he was sent flying in all directions.

All of that happened in the blink of an eye. Zhang Heng wore a ferocious expression when he saw that the clone warrior was nowhere to be found. His pulse rifle rained down on that thick tentacle like a thunderstorm. It took only a few seconds for the tentacle to be reduced to pieces. The remaining parts of the tentacle shrank back into the soil.

"Adam, grab the 7th piece of ammunition and let's move on!" Zhang Heng ordered with a stern look on his face.

Adam felt his heart skip a beat. He had never seen such an expression on Zhang Heng's face before. He ran to pick up the dead clone warrior's weapon and looked rather dejected. They were comrades who had been training together for a long time after all. It was just that he didn't expect that the heavy infantry armor, which was so tough that it could withstand a rocket launcher, would be unable to withstand a single strike from that tentacle.

Such monsters were the ubiquitous Underground Hydra that existed everywhere in the game. It was unknown what mutated them, or if they were some kind of new species created by the virus itself. Their entire bodies were tentacles with bifurcations. They were everywhere and would always emerge from the soil at crucial moments. They were exceptionally powerful, capable of throwing cars hundreds of meters into the air to attack helicopters, or even sending tanks flying.

Suppressing the fear in his heart, Zhang Heng led the remaining nine people on their way. However, everyone began to be on guard against any movement under their feet. Despite several more Hydra attacking them from underground, none of them caused any more casualties to Zhang Heng's team.

However, if that was all there was to it, Zhang Heng would have never thought that he would be able to escape Alex's pursuit so easily. If the mission was really that simple, then it wouldn't be a four-star mission. The mission would be one star higher than the Alien plane mission that he had been to before, and there were three dangers waiting for him in the Alien plane. As such, the difficulty of the mission would be several times higher than that of the Alien plane.

"There is at least one chance of survival in every mission. The chance of survival in the Resident Evil plane is one of the countless rooms in that building that I could hide in. The chance of survival in the Dead Space plane is due to the interference of the Marker, and the chance of survival in the Alien plane is Jennifer. In that case, there has to be a chance of survival that I didn't discover in this mission."

Zhang Heng pondered as he ran. His brain, which had been enhanced by the T-Virus, was working at high speeds. He analyzed and summarized everything that had happened during the mission. It took only a few minutes for his eyes to light up and he turned around to look at the mushroom cloud that was about to disappear hundreds of kilometers away.

So, this was life!

The fact that there was a nuclear bomb going off meant that humans would still be able to maintain a well-established military presence. However, in order to limit or even eradicate the virus, humans went on to attack the entire planet indiscriminately, turning the planet into a nuclear winter, yet they were still unable to completely eradicate the Blacklight Virus.

Zhang Heng immediately ordered, "Everyone, turn on your radios and adjust all channels to see if you can find any remaining human government channels. If you do, our chances of survival will be much higher!"

Zhang Heng was very glad that he had been able to inject a lot of knowledge into the memories of those cloned warriors back then. One of them was the ability that enabled him to decode wireless communication technology, which proved to be of use at the moment.

The radio communication window would be set up for a period of time after the nuclear explosion. However, by the time nearly three days had passed, everyone had advanced over 300 kilometers, and the effects of the nuclear explosion on radio communication were already very weak. It took only about 10 minutes for one of the cloned warriors to report without any emotional fluctuations, "Commander, I've located and decrypted the military radio wave segment. The other party is using a jump radio. We've successfully locked and established a connection."

"Very well. Tell them that we are human reinforcements from the Alternate World. Our objective is to provide them with the technology needed to fight the virus. The virus prototype already knows of our plan and is after us. We need their help!" Zhang Heng said without hesitation. Adam and the others looked at Zhang Heng with strange looks in their eyes.

"I've been wondering for a long time if I could support planes with survivors and treat them like our backyard. This attempt would serve as a very good opportunity," Zhang Heng said to himself. It was only then that a sinister grin appeared on his face.

Adam shuddered for some reason when he saw Zhang Heng's trademark smirk and turned around, not daring to look at him again.

…

110. Schemes Boiled

Over a dozen middle-aged and elderly men were gathered in a sealed meeting room in the Human Government headquarters located far away in the North Pole. The geothermal system in the meeting room kept emitting a suitable temperature that dispelled the chill in the North Pole.

However, the dozen or so middle-aged and elderly men, who were all in their fifties, were frowning and smoking away. The room was filled with smoke.

All of those people were leaders of their respective countries and stood at the pinnacle of power and influence. Under normal circumstances, a casual word from them would have been enough to determine the fate of tens or even hundreds of millions of people. However, at that moment, they seemed to have run into some kind of problem that they were unable to solve and were hesitating and pondering about it.

"Human reinforcements from the Alternate World? What do you think the odds of that being true are?" A black man with wise eyes broke the silence in the end. He lit a cigarette and took a deep breath before sighing. "To be honest, I'd rather believe that they're from the future, just like what 'The Terminator' portrays."

"Regardless of where the enemy is from, we have indeed witnessed their technology," a cold-looking Russian man added. "At the very least, I can guarantee that there is no exoskeletal armor in our world that could allow a person to fly at high speeds for over 100 kilometers after putting it on. There is also no single one that could kill a 'hunter' with a single shot."

The others looked at each other for a bit and nodded. New York was the first place that suffered serious damage after the virus prototype released the virus on its own. When the virus spread all over the United States of America, the US government finally decided to give up their homeland and mobilized the navy and air forces to transport tens of millions of people to the North Pole. It was only due to the massive strategic evacuation that they were able to temporarily escape from the Grim Reaper.

However, even if the United States were to cut their losses, the impact of the DX-118 virus on the United States was still too great. Hundreds of millions of people were killed and countless assets were given up. The former world's most powerful ruler had been reduced to being on equal footing with Russia and Huaxia.

The reason why Huaxia was able to retain such power was due to their system's superiority. Huaxia was able to execute their plans at a speed and efficiency that no other country would be able to achieve in times of emergency. Furthermore, due to the wisdom and foresight of the leaders of Huaxia, Huaxia was practically the first country in the world to retreat to the North Pole. If it hadn't been for the fact that Huaxia was far away from the North Pole, Huaxia would have been able to retain most of its power and become the most powerful force in human civilization.

Russia, on the other hand, suffered the least losses, as the DX-118 virus feared the cold and would lose its activity at -40 degrees Celsius. As such, the spread of the virus in Russia was extremely slow and Russia was only able to escape with less than half of its losses.

All the countries were divided into two parts at the moment. One was curled up in the North Pole, while the other was curled up in the South Pole. Due to the fact that the virus was afraid of water, there was no fear of the virus spreading through the ocean. Furthermore, due to the low temperatures in the North and South Poles, the spread of the virus was completely stopped. The North Pole and the South Pole had become the places where humans hid and bided their time, living in pain.

However, the former overlord of the Earth had been reduced to a corner, barely surviving. That was something that no human could tolerate.

In order to eradicate the virus, the three countries—China, the US, and Russia—began to use nuclear weapons on a large scale, practically plowing through the entire planet. Despite all of that, they were still unable to completely eradicate the virus.

However, the humans didn't give up yet. The military satellites above their heads kept a close eye on every movement of the virus prototype Alex made. Whenever they found an opportunity, they would launch nuclear bombs at it, hoping to wipe Alex out completely.

They knew very well that, without Alex, all those viral creatures on Earth would be rendered completely useless, and Earth would eventually be taken back.

However, the specifics of the situation disappointed everyone. Nuclear bombs were fired one after another, yet the enemy was always able to escape from the center of the nuclear explosion as soon as possible. If they were unable to escape, they would be dragged deep underground by tentacle monsters like the Hydra. Every time everyone thought that Alex was dead, the enemy would still appear alive and kicking several days later.

Furthermore, as Alex learned of their tactics, he began to minimize his activities in the open areas as much as possible. As such, the military satellites were unable to locate him, and he was unable to use nuclear bombs to attack.

The nuclear explosion was just a routine human attack.

However, that day, the encrypted military radio in the human colonies at the North Pole received a strange message. The communications department was shocked when they received the message and immediately reported it. That message appeared on the desks of the top leaders of the various nations in less than half an hour.

As such, the current situation unfolded.

The middle-aged man with the yellowish complexion, who had been keeping his mouth shut all this while, said, "That's right, I agree with Vladimir. Regardless, the other party seems to possess technology far beyond our time. If we were to get our hands on those technologies, we might even be able to defeat the Moses Virus and take back everything we've lost. As such, we definitely can't just let those people die at the hands of the virus!"

"That's right. If they were to die, they would die in the North Pole," the Russian man named Vladimir added.

He then went on to recommend an app that was comparable to the old version of a book chaser.

Everyone had a meaningful look on their faces when they heard that. One of them, Number One from Canada, asked, "So, what is the other party's request?"

"Continuous nuclear attacks," the elegant man said casually. "One million-ton nuclear bomb in half an hour. It has to be detonated at the location they specify. The goal is to stop the viral prototype—Alex Moses."

"Agreed. The Earth doesn't lack the influence of those nuclear bombs after all," Canada's Number One said with a bitter smile.

"Seconded."

"Seconded."

"…"

Everyone expressed their views and the results of the discussions were surprisingly unanimous. In actual fact, everyone knew that the leaders of the North Pole were the nuclear powers such as the United States, Russia, Huaxia, the United Kingdom, and France. Even the developed countries such as Japan, Germany, and so on were reduced to subservient states after losing their home and economy.

"If that's the case, how do we account for all the resources that we've consumed?" the American leader asked suddenly.

"Just like before, the five parties will each provide the same number of nuclear weapons. The results will be shared among the three countries, and it will be fair and just," the British prime minister said.

The faces of the leaders of those small countries darkened right away. Some of them looked angry, but no matter how displeased they were, none of them dared to refute what the prime minister said.

After all, nuclear weapons were one of the most influential periods in the world, and having nuclear weapons meant having the right to speak.

"Agreed." The stern-looking man from Russia thought for a bit and nodded decisively.

"Seconded."

… ()

111. Perfect Plan

While the leaders of the various countries were having their discussions, Zhang Heng and the D.S.F team ran for over a hundred kilometers. Virus monsters kept blocking their way, but the only ones who could pose a real threat and were fast enough were the hunters, the leaders of the hunters, and the others. However, even the leaders of the hunters were rendered helpless before the pulse rifles.

However, the deeper he went, the more intense the sense of danger he felt deep down became. The sense of crisis kept coming, making him feel like he was watching a horror movie where the BGM became more terrifying. While he didn't see any ghosts, just hearing the BGM made his hair stand on end, and he knew that the ghosts were right before him.

Zhang Heng kept counting the time. It had to be said that even at the end of the world, the government's execution was still rather slow. An hour had passed, yet there was no response from the radio.

"The longer we delay, the closer Alex will get to us. Three hours have passed in total. According to my calculations, it's very likely that Alex has fully recovered and is now heading in our direction. If even the hunters are traveling at 150 kilometers per hour, then Alex could be traveling at 200 to 300 kilometers per hour. He could catch up to us in half an hour."

"If I were to catch up to him, I would definitely die!"

Zhang Heng's expression became even more unsightly. While his armor remained warm, cold sweat was still dripping from his forehead, drenching his hair and eyelashes.

"Sha sha sha…" A signal with a special pattern was heard from the radio encryption channel. That clone warrior who was proficient in radio communication reported suddenly, "Commander, the other party is asking if we have any evidence to prove that we're from another world, and if we have any evidence to prove that we have technology far exceeding that of this era."

"Tell them that the armor we're wearing and the weapons we have are the evidence. I believe that they've seen everything that we're doing through the spy satellites." Zhang Heng snorted and continued, "Tell them right away that no matter where they fire from, I want a million-ton nuclear bomb to explode right where we are 20 minutes from now. If they're unable to do so, they'll never be able to get any technological data after we die in battle."

"Understood!" That clone warrior answered loudly. While the two of them were talking, everyone encountered the hydra monster that emerged from the ground yet again. However, due to being prepared, they were able to kill the hydra in just a few seconds.

…

The radio reception team of the General Staff located far away in the North Pole was constantly converting information regarding Zhang Heng's team. Leaders from all over the world had even come personally to oversee the operation, showing just how important the operation was to them.

"Reporting, the other party said that the virus prototype is right behind them!" A staff member reported to a general behind him.

That general looked to be in his fifties with thick eyebrows and a furious look on his face. When he heard the report, he immediately gave the order, "Where's the spy satellite? Go take a look and see if the virus prototype is behind them."

The huge screen in the lobby was filled with black backgrounds all of a sudden. One could barely make out yellow soil behind the black fog.

"General, due to the change in direction of the wind, the clouds have thickened all of a sudden and we are unable to locate the target for the time being."

"Damn it!" The general cursed and turned around to look at the elegant man who stood at the command center without saying a word.

"Agreed." The elegant man nodded.

The general took a deep breath, turned around, and said, "Order the Calamity Type 094 nuclear submarine, DF-54, to be on standby. The nuclear code is…" The adjutant at the side quickly took out a black metal box and opened it, handing it to the elegant man.

The elegant man put on a pair of eyes without panicking. A string of beeps was heard and a password over 10 digits was entered.

The general nodded and keyed in another set of codes as well. A piece of unknown data was seen flashing in the black box. The general narrowed his eyes and said again, "The nuclear codes have been synthesized and confirmed. Tell the Calamity to receive them."

"Yes!"

Despite the fact that humans had been holed up in the Arctic, the influence of being once the overlord of the Earth hadn't diminished in the slightest. Once the state engines were activated, they would be unstoppable like a torrent. No one would have known that somewhere in the icy ocean, a nuclear bomb weighing over a million tons was once again on standby.

The general received the signal that the nuclear arsenal was ready within minutes.

"Very well. The launch duration is 16: 44: 35, as per the other party's request. Can you confirm that?" the general asked again.

"Confirming."

"Confirmation complete. The other party has no objections."

"Countdown to launch of the Dongfeng-41, countdown timer: 3 minutes."

"Countdown, one minute!"

"Countdown, 10 seconds! Nine, eight, seven…"

"Three, two, one!"

"Missile launch successful. Access to predetermined trajectory. Data normal. Estimated arrival time in 7 minutes 32 seconds."

…

Time passed as Zhang Heng and the D.S.F team ran at a speed of over 100 kilometers per hour. It was fortunate that the exoskeleton armor took up 90 percent of their stamina, and with their exceptional physiques, they were only able to catch their breaths after running for over three hours.

Eighteen minutes had passed since the 20 minute mark, and everyone had run 30 kilometers. Even if the nuclear bombs were to detonate right now, they wouldn't be able to harm anyone.

As long as the virus prototype was behind everyone, the nuclear bomb would be able to slow him down no matter what. If he was lucky, he could even be exposed to nuclear attacks, and he would be able to rest easy on the plane mission.

A series of alarms were heard from the AI core of the heavy-duty infantry armor at that moment. "Warning! Warning! High-energy response detected 30 kilometers away, suspected to be a solid-fueled intercontinental missile. Target unknown. Search for cover immediately!"

That warning was heard from everyone's armor at the same time. Everyone looked up into the sky at the same time and saw a missile with a flaming tail approaching from the horizon. The missile was so fast that it appeared above everyone's heads in an instant.

"Warning: High-energy reaction approaching. Speed: 23-25 Mach!"

25 Mach, which meant that he was able to travel about eight kilometers per second, almost reaching the speed of the First Cosmos. In just a few blinks of the eye, the beam of fire passed over everyone's heads and headed in the direction that they came from.

Zhang Heng and the others watched the fire disappear into the horizon at the same time. Four seconds later, a dot of light appeared in the distance. It was like the sun rising from the horizon, lighting up the sky in an instant.

If it hadn't been for the fact that everyone was watching from the cameras, such intense light would have probably damaged their eyes.

"Alright, let's move on."

Zhang Heng reminded him before the mushroom cloud rose, "The enemy is moving very fast. We don't have time to take a break. That nuclear bomb could only delay them for half an hour."

The crowd then proceeded on their way without making a sound. Zhang Heng didn't realize that the urgency in his tone had disappeared without a trace, as that sense of unease deep down in his heart disappeared right after the nuclear bomb exploded. While it didn't completely disappear, it did fade considerably. He wondered if he was seeing things.

…

"Second round, drop two nuclear bombs side by side, further delaying the enemy from catching up to us." Zhang Heng continued to give orders along the way, and the humans of this world were very cooperative. They would drop one or two nuclear bombs behind them every hour or so, which was why none of them encountered that terrifying virus prototype—Alex—the entire time.

112. Untitled

Nuclear bombs were the general term for weapons created using fusion fission reactions such as nuclear bombs and hydrogen bombs.

The lethality and damage of atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs were measured in yields, with a yield of one kilogram of explosive power equivalent to one ton of TNT.

Typically speaking, hydrogen bombs were more lethal, which meant that hydrogen bombs could achieve a greater yield. However, there was a possibility that the yield of an atomic bomb exceeded that of a hydrogen bomb.

The greatest yield of hydrogen bombs in the world was manufactured and tested by the former Soviet Union, which was said to have a yield of 30 million yuan, which was tested on a small island in the Pacific Ocean and was successfully erased from the map.

Energy released when a nuclear bomb explodes (air blasts) is converted to lethality in the following ratio: 50% shockwave, 35% radiation, 5% penetration, 10% radioactive contamination.

All manner of factors responsible for killing exposed personnel on the ground at different levels of nuclear bombs would result in immediate death or incapacitation of combat effectiveness. The radius table (with a unit of kilometers) said:

Grade-1 tons: 0.18 kilometers nuclear blast, 0.16 kilometers photon radiation, 0.71 kilometers penetration radiation.

0.45 nuclear blast, 0.57 light radiation, 1.00 penetration radiation

100,000 tonnes: 1,15 nuclear shockwave: 1,87 light radiation: 1,48 penetration radiation:

Type 1 million tons: 2.87 nuclear blast, 5.60 light radiation, 1.98 penetration radiation

Calculating experiments showed that when a million-ton nuclear bomb exploded on the ground, the shockwave caused damage to the underground facilities by a radius of 4.8 kilometers.

As such, the penetration radiation of a low-power nuclear bomb was the most lethal, while radiation from a high-power nuclear bomb was the most powerful.

All of those different lethal effects were applied to the human body at the same time, so the comprehensive killing radius of nuclear bombs was slightly larger than listed above. The data regarding the killing radius of people in different states were as follows:

1,000-ton: 0.85; 10,000-ton: 1.5;

Tons Level: 3.1; Tons Level: 6.3;

Tons Level: 12

The power and damage radius of a nuclear bomb were not boosted proportionally. However, the pattern of the nuclear bomb's power increase could be found on the table. The damage radius of a nuclear bomb would be doubled for every additional order of magnitude (x10). That was to say that the damage radius of a 10-million-ton nuclear bomb was only four times that of a 100-thousand-ton nuclear bomb, and the damage area was only 16 times that of a nuclear bomb.

113. Plotting Against Alex

Time passed quickly and by the time the sun rose the next day, 20 hours had passed. Despite having a strong physique and advanced exoskeleton armor, everyone was beginning to feel exhausted after a night of running.

"I took less than a day to travel across more than half of the United States?" Zhang Heng and the others stopped completely at that moment. They turned on their masks and began to replenish their food and water. Zhang Heng looked at Lake Winnipeg not far away and felt rather sentimental.

Canada had long been reduced to a snow-white icy plain due to nuclear winter. Countless amounts of radiation dust and glass-like scorched earth were covered in snow. The dark sky made it feel like one was walking in the middle of nowhere.

"Commander, the other party sent another message. Their fleet is preparing to head to Hudson Bay to pick us up. He wants us to head southeast."

"Impossible!" Zhang Heng frowned and said, "Tell them that the other party could catch up to us at any moment. Changing directions now would only lead to death. If they want technology, show them some sincerity!"

"Oh right, tell them to clear the way for us. We don't have much ammunition left," Zhang Heng added after thinking for a bit.

All of them had killed hundreds of monsters throughout the night, but they were also severely depleted and had little ammunition left.

"Understood." The clone warrior's voice remained calm and he continued after a while, "The other party has agreed to our request. They will send two teams of the Ah-64 military helicopters and three teams of the Ac-130 to open a path for us and provide fire support. Support will arrive in two hours."

Zhang Heng nodded and smirked. It took more than two hours to get from the North Pole to Canada. It seemed like the human governments of this world had long taken their so-called technology for granted and sent their fleets to make preparations after contacting Zhang Heng yesterday.

However, since someone else was willing to spend so much time and effort to help him, Zhang Heng wouldn't turn them down. While the sky wasn't entirely human territory at the moment, humans still had a significant advantage in the air compared to the strange birds that were infected with the virus.

However, at that moment, Zhang Heng felt a sense of extreme danger approaching him all of a sudden. He leaped to his feet and couldn't help but look around. Everyone looked wary and uneasy at the same time. All of them picked up their weapons and formed a circle.

"It's above us!" someone shouted all of a sudden. Everyone looked up and saw a black dot falling to the ground at an extremely ferocious speed. The black dot was heading straight for them.

"Flee!" Zhang Heng shouted and kicked off the ground, appearing seven to eight meters away in a flash. The heavy-duty infantry armor gave everyone an explosive burst, and everyone scattered like springs.

"Boom!" A loud rumble was heard from behind Zhang Heng when he was about a dozen meters away. It was as if a solid iron ball with a diameter of several meters had dropped from a height of over 10,000 meters, and the energy generated was no less than that of a beam bomb.

The massive force of the impact sent Zhang Heng flying tens of meters away yet again. It took only the blink of an eye for everyone to run 100 meters away.

Despite having put some distance between them, the palpitation in Zhang Heng's heart didn't decrease in the slightest. He felt as if there was a voice wailing in his mind, "Run, run, don't ever look back!"

Zhang Heng turned his head around with a stiff expression on his face and a deep sense of fear was seen in his eyes. He looked through the smoke and dust flying everywhere and looked at the spot where the black silhouette landed.

A humanoid figure was seen contracting its massive wings in a crater that was three to four meters deep and nearly 50 meters wide. The humanoid figure then slowly stood up.

All the cells in Zhang Heng's body couldn't help but shudder when he saw that silhouette, just like how rats would when they run into their natural enemy. That was a suppression on steroids, a suppression on the level of life.

As soon as he sensed the pheromones, his instincts warned him that there was no way he could fight against that creature.

The figure was wearing a white shirt with a grey hood at the center and a black and red leather jacket with patterns on the outermost layer. He looked like a young man dressed in hip-hop attire with the hood over his head. The cold, stern face and unique aura that was hidden in the shadows seemed to have a mysterious air about him.

There was no mistaking it. That was the protagonist who killed the protagonist in his true form, the most powerful being in that seat, the prototype of the virus—Alex Moses.

So, Alex had evolved enough to fly?

Zhang Heng's heart was filled with anguish. As expected, the game would never be real, and reality would never play according to the rules of the game. For example, back in the game, Sergeant James killed Alex, but that was just an illogical plot that had been modified. The real plot of the game was that Alex devoured James effortlessly and defended the throne of the food chain terminal.

"I smell something unfamiliar and familiar. All of you, just like me."

Alex's voice was heard slowly, with some kind of magnetism to it. Regular people might not have been able to tell that there was something wrong with his voice, but only Zhang Heng and the other cloning warriors were able to tell just how powerful that voice was. They were able to confirm that if he were to shout at full force, he would be able to create a shockwave that would tear through their armor.

All of the cloned warriors had gathered before Zhang Heng at that moment, using their bodies to protect him, even though they knew that such a level of protection was practically useless against that monster.

"Commander, please leave at once. We'll hold him off for you." Gu Zhan suddenly spoke from the other end of the radio. It had to be said that the emotionless clone warriors were actually even calmer than Zhang Heng. While they knew that staying behind would only lead to their deaths, they had no fear of death due to the loss of their emotions. Their only thought was to protect Zhang Heng.

"That's right, Mr. Zhang Heng. Please leave this place to us!" Adam said at the same time. However, there was a slight tremor in Adam's voice compared to Gu Zhan's calm and even cold tone, as if he was trying very hard to suppress the fear in his heart.

Zhang Heng took a good look at Adam and shook his head with a cold look on his face. "It's no use. Not to mention all of you, even tens of thousands of people wouldn't be able to stop him."

Alex paid no heed to the crowd's silence and continued, "Who are you people? Where are you from?… No, that's not important anymore. I just need to devour your memories and I'll be able to…"

Before he was able to finish his sentence, Alex suddenly bent over like a bolt of lightning and plunged his right hand into the ground.

Earth Spike!

"That was a sneak attack!" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted as he felt a chill running down his spine. He backed away at top speed without a second thought and a spike about half a meter thick shot out from beneath his feet at the same time that he backed away.

If Zhang Heng had hesitated for just 0.1 seconds, he would have been completely impaled by that spike in the very next second.

However, while Zhang Heng was able to evade the attack, that didn't mean that others were able to do the same. Zhang Heng saw that three of the cloned warriors were unable to evade the spikes that were heading straight for them. The spikes punctured their exoskeletal armor like they were made of butter and strung all three of them up, leaving only the sound of armor being torn and flesh being torn apart.

The serial numbers that represented the three of them on the screen turned grey in an instant.

Zhang Heng had no time to react at all. In the blink of an eye, Alex appeared before the other clone warrior as if he had teleported. Alex's height of 1.79 meters was nothing compared to that of the 2.5-meter-tall heavy infantry armor, but the two of them were worlds apart in terms of power.

"Come on then, come and absorb me if you dare!" However, the clone warrior did something unexpected at that moment. He opened the mask on his armor and challenged in fluent English, "Hurry up and absorb me, you b * stard!"

"Crack!" A flash of rage appeared in Alex's eyes. He sliced through the Clone Warrior's carbon fiber armor like cutting through butter in the very next second and plunged his razor-sharp hands into the Clone Warrior's body. Large amounts of blood vessels burst out of the Clone Warrior's body at the same time and stabbed right into it. The Clone Warrior's body was reduced to a pile of mush in the blink of an eye and melted into Alex's body.

"This is… evolution?" Alex was stunned for a bit after absorbing the clone warrior, and he was elated to find that his genes had evolved again after absorbing the clone warrior.

He had reached a bottleneck in his evolution after absorbing Sergeant James. There was no creature on Earth whose DNA was better than his. As such, he continued to release viruses, creating new monsters to absorb, just like how he created James.

However, his DNA, which had long stopped evolving, was evolving yet again. While the DNA in the other party's body was not as good as his, it was still far more balanced than his, which was just enough to alleviate the viruses' fear of cold.

At that thought, Alex looked at the rest of the crowd as if he were looking at a plate of delicious food.

However, just when he was about to absorb everyone in the room, Alex's expression changed drastically all of a sudden, and an indescribable pain spread throughout his entire body. He couldn't help but bend over and throw up, but all that he vomited was blood and bits of flesh.

"What the hell is that?" A pained expression appeared on Alex's face, and he suddenly took a step forward, wanting to get closer to the crowd. However, he was only able to take a single step when his entire body began to bleed profusely. Large amounts of tissue from his body began to decompose and fall off, revealing the bloodstains under his skin.

Alex was no longer human, and the necrotic muscle tissue continued to fall and regenerate, making him look like a pool of blood, like a demon from the abyss.

Zhang Heng's stern expression finally relaxed and he smirked. "Polonium 210, 0.1 grams would be enough to kill a million people. What do you think, Mr. Moses?"

"Damn it!" A frustrated look was seen on Alex's face. A huge tentacle suddenly emerged from the ground and wrapped itself around Alex, dragging him underground. Alex glared at Zhang Heng as soon as he was dragged underground. "Do you really think you can kill me like that? I'll tear all of you to pieces when I get back!"

He disappeared into the hole as he spoke.

114. Returning From The Dead

Polonium-210, a radioactive metal element, was silvery-white in color and capable of glowing in the dark. It was discovered in 1898 by a renowned scientist named Madame Curie and was one of the most toxic substances in the world.

Alex possessed an extremely potent life force, and his control over his body was at the level of a cell. He was able to expel all types of lethal chemical weapons, nerve gases, and bacterial weapons with precision, and the only thing he was unable to expel was radioactive toxic substances.

Polonium 210 would release large amounts of alpha particles during the decay process (two protons and two neutrons). After the victim was swallowed, inhaled, or injected into the bloodstream, Polonium's alpha beams would disintegrate organic matter and dehydrate it, triggering a series of severe biological effects in the organisms. 0.1 grams would be enough to kill millions of people.

That was the reason why Zhang Heng was able to get 0.1 grams of polonium from those resourceful organizations before entering the torture chamber. Each of them would be given one-tenth of the dosage. If he were to really go against Alex or James, there was a very high chance that they would develop an interest in the T-Virus in their bodies and try to absorb them.

As long as he injected polonium into his body through the injection function of the drug that was carried by the armor before he absorbed the drug, the radioactive substance would be completely undetectable and would only react when it was absorbed into his body. That would serve as a lesson that would leave a deep impression on him.

As expected, Zhang Heng won the bet.

The toxicity of Polonium 210 was simply too terrifying. Even if Alex were to survive the attack, he probably wouldn't be able to resist it for some time. By the time he expelled the radioactive material from his body, Zhang Heng and the others would have long since left the plane.

However, in order to prevent Zhang Heng and the others from escaping, Alex sent out even more lifeforms that had been mutated by the virus to keep them at bay. Countless viral lifeforms came at them one after another, and Zhang Heng and the others were soon running out of bullets. As such, they had no choice but to use their high-voltage electromagnetic blades as weapons to carve a path for themselves.

More than an hour passed before the air force from the human government arrived. More than a hundred Lockheed Ac-130 mechas were seen flying over the heads of the humans. Additionally, if there were viral lifeforms anywhere, the Bofors launchers loaded with the Ac-130 would send out massive amounts of fire, turning that area into a sea of fire.

More than 30 AH-64 fighter jets followed suit. They were also known as Apache Wuzhi, and they were loaded with the AGM-114 Anti-Tank Hellfire missiles. All 30 of them hovered above the crowd, and any hunter who attempted to approach them would be overwhelmed by countless autocannons and missiles.

That was not only a form of protection, but also a form of deterrence by force.

In the end, there were two Chinook 47's that looked like huge beasts in the air flying over from the horizon. They slowly descended while being escorted by many Apache fighters. Large numbers of soldiers wearing chemical defense suits and carrying M4s rushed out, pointing their guns at the crowd as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

Finally, a general walked up to them in huge strides and shouted into a loudspeaker in the midst of all the noise, "Gentlemen, we are the 78th American Regiment of the Human Government…"

"We're running out of time. Alex could be back at any moment. Let's board the plane first." Zhang Heng waved his hand and stopped the other man from saying anything else. He didn't need the other man to force him to board the plane. The five cloned warriors behind him didn't put up any resistance either. They simply surrounded Zhang Heng cautiously and climbed onto the transport plane.

The general was stunned by how cleanly Zhang Heng handled the situation before him. He smirked coldly and waved his hand, sending his soldiers back to the helicopter with Zhang Heng, half protecting and half holding them hostage.

He looked out of the window of the sloop and saw that there seemed to be a sliver of golden light shining through the cracks in the endless black clouds, shining into the world that was isolated by the radiation clouds and bringing in a sliver of light.

Zhang Heng stood before the window, watching everything unfold before him with a dazed look on his face. He then took a look at the remaining five people behind him, and a tinge of sadness was seen on his face, which was quickly suppressed.

Sacrifices were unavoidable no matter what he did. That was something that Zhang Heng had long understood. He was not about to give up on his path just because of a small sacrifice. Even if he had to fight his way through all obstacles, even if there were countless dead bodies lying behind him, he would continue to walk down that path with an unwavering determination.

Time passed slowly and Zhang Heng stood before the window, looking at everything outside in a daze. All of a sudden, his vision became hazy and he blinked a little. When he was able to see his surroundings clearly again, he found himself back in the containment tent.

The mission to destroy the original plane was a success.

…

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Torture of the Prototype plane is complete. Main Quest: Escape the pursuit of the prototype Alex and bring the 'Prototype Virus' back to reality. Main Quest complete."

"Optional Quest: None."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown—No Urgent Quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: Protective Kills Quest complete. Host access progress is now at one-third of Level D. Current access level: D."

Zhang Heng opened his eyes and found himself in a room that was emitting a hazy white light. That was the reason why sunlight shone in through the plastic barrier. Due to having gotten used to the dim lighting of the slaughter plane, Zhang Heng and everyone else couldn't help but squint when they saw the blinding sunlight.

However, he couldn't help but feel elated.

"DSF, heed my order. Go to the quarantine room and disinfect your body before drawing blood for testing."

"Yes, sir!"

Zhang Heng and the others proceeded to disinfect the suit of armor and the rest of the body in all ways. They then went to another tent that was under pressure and underwent blood tests. They only left the tent after confirming that no one had been infected with the virus. The tent would be disinfected multiple times before being taken away and destroyed when there was no chance of failure.

The first thing he did when he walked out of the tent was to go back to his room and sleep right away. It was already night when he woke up.

"Commander, welcome back. The underground laboratory that you requested for has been completed. Would you like to store the prototype strain in the underground laboratory now?" Corona's voice was heard in Zhang Heng's mind right after he opened his eyes, as he was back in the 1000-meter range of Corona's mental field.

"Done?" Zhang Heng was stunned. The underground laboratory was a place for him to conduct his research in the future. To fool people, he had set up the laboratory under his building, which consisted of seven floors, with each floor being over 10,000 square meters.

Due to the massive amount of work involved, even with Corona's hypnosis and the three construction teams that Zhang Heng hired, the entire basement was only completed by the end of the day. The 55th floor of the underground laboratory was almost completed as well.

"Yes, Commander," Corona answered patiently. "The underground laboratory has deployed five 3,000kw large diesel generators, and all power sources, water sources, and power equipment have been installed. High-definition cameras cover all angles, and listening devices cover all angles. The central control system controls the underground laboratory 100 percent."

"Vevrgo!" Zhang Heng couldn't help but snap his fingers. "If that's the case, I'll be able to launch more research projects. However, recruiting new personnel is also a problem. Corona, I'll be counting on you for this."

115. Laser Channel

"No problem, Commander," Corona replied. "Do you need me to select suitable candidates from all over the world?"

"Yes, invite as many people as you can. Be it electronics, physics, or biology, I'd want anything that could be bought with money. It's just a pity that people of that caliber aren't people that money can move at times…" Zhang Heng tapped his forehead and added. He seemed to have thought of something and asked again, "By the way, how's the production of the clone army in India?"

"A total of 363 people have been born at the moment," Corona said. "Other than 45 who were killed in Huaxia and five who were killed, the remaining 313 people have all joined the 'Galaxy International Technology Service'. The legal representative of the company is Amubu Shatili. He has applied for a gun license for over 200 of them and is currently running for the next city councilor."

"Tell him to hurry up." Zhang Heng frowned. "He still hasn't finished such a simple mission. Did he grow up eating sh * *?"

Zhang Heng continued, "Choose five of the strongest clone fighters to join the D.S.F team. The remaining 35 will be split into two teams. One team will have 20 people to serve as security guards for the company, while the other team will have 15 people to go to Chongzhou to protect my parents. Inform Thompson from India to clone a group of female clones as soon as possible. My sister, Zhang Xin, is about to go to college. I need to place some female clones to protect her."

"Alright, but another batch of agents from the National Security Agency came by while you were away. They've been appearing very frequently recently and they seem to have sensed that you're in contact with the financial groups in the US and Europe. Do you need to be on guard against them?"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he heard that. He lit a cigarette and pondered for a bit before saying, "Ignore them for now. They won't be able to find anything anyway. My files are completely clean. The most important thing right now is to quickly convert the technology I acquired from the Alien plane and the Abominable Killer plane into power. But luckily, the underground laboratory is complete, or I'd have to go overseas again."

"I guess you won't be able to get out of here anymore." Corona flashed a mischievous grin and continued, "I've found some confidential documents regarding you online. You've been assigned as a third-rate national security personnel. A group of department heads have been punished for not being able to stop you when you went overseas last time. If you still want to go overseas openly, there will be agents coming to stop you immediately."

Zhang Heng frowned. "So, it's because I took out the T-1?"

"That's right. Your files and all that information were placed on the desks of several senior officials who specialize in scientific research after the authorities found out about your research on the T-1. However, they had no intention of doing anything to you, as they were only keeping your contact with foreign countries from leaking the data on the T-1."

"Have they analyzed how I developed the T-1?" Zhang Heng smirked.

"It's a coincidence," Corona answered. "Most of them think that's the only answer. After all, it's a very common occurrence throughout history—a group of binoculars that were invented by children who were playing with lenses in a bespectacled workshop. The cat reared by the chemist Kurtwa found iodine in a bottle of concentrated sulfuric acid. When Fleming was nurturing bacteria in the petri dish, the green mold coincidentally fell into the petri dish, which was discovered by Fleming and gave birth to antibiotics that could save countless people."

"It is countless coincidences that have driven the history of humanity. You yourself are a university student in the field of biology. As such, while it is surprising that you developed the T-1, it is not impossible."

"Just as I expected. Looks like I'll have to sneak out of the country in the future." Zhang Heng nodded, but he suddenly recalled something and his heart tensed up. "The government's regard for me has exceeded my expectations. Are my parents being harassed?"

"Don't worry, Commander. They've been investigating in secret and your parents and sister are completely unaware of it," Corona replied.

"That's good to hear." Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief, but he continued to frown. "Seems like I need to get my parents to Haizhou as soon as possible. I'll only be able to rest easy with your protection."

Zhang Heng stood up and felt for the tube containing the prototype strain in his pocket before making his way to the Stellar Technology building.

It was late at night and the streetlamps in the outskirts of Haizhou were turning yellow. A gust of wind blew past, cooling the scorching heat of midsummer. The only thing that could be seen in the distance was the silhouette of tall buildings. That was the Stellar Technology building, which was basically the only thing that had been built and decorated.

Zhang Heng walked up to the construction site and saw a wall before him, with the words' No unauthorized personnel allowed to enter the construction site 'written in red on the wall. Such a wall was naturally unable to stop Zhang Heng. He exerted some force with his feet and flipped himself over the wall.

However, Zhang Heng sensed something right after he jumped in. He turned his head slightly and saw a dog lying outside a kennel not far away, sticking its tongue out and laughing. It was stunned for a bit after seeing Zhang Heng suddenly appear.

"Arrgghh!" A ferocious expression was seen on the dog's face in the very next second. It bared its teeth and was about to roar when Zhang Heng's expression froze and he released a cold, stern aura.

All of a sudden, the dog felt an indescribable pressure bearing down on it, making it feel as if the human before it had turned into a ferocious beast that was about to devour its prey.

"Waah…" The dog howled in pain and clamped its tail between its legs. It turned around and ran back to its nest, leaving only its bottom trembling.

Animals were more sensitive than humans, and they were able to scare the dogs away with just a look before Zhang Heng made his way to the inside of the building. There were several workers guarding the tools along the way, but none of them were able to see Zhang Heng under Corona's control, allowing him to walk past them as he pleased.

The door of the Stellar Technology building was a huge passageway that was over seven meters tall and 20 meters wide. The passageway led to a huge, empty lobby that was over a thousand square meters in area. There were 10 elevators on both sides of the lobby, with five on each side.

Those elevators were just regular ones, with a maximum range of activity ranging from the second floor to the 55th floor of the top floor. The security stairs were located at the end of the lobby, but there were two more elevators that were rather well-hidden and one would need to take a turn into a small corridor to be able to see them. There would be security guards guarding the small corridors after the building opened in the future, and only those with sufficient status would be allowed to take those two elevators.

If the two elevators were to be viewed from the outside, they would look no different from the other elevators. The buttons inside were identical as well. However, Corona was in charge of the two elevators, and she was the only one who was allowed to take the elevator underground after confirming the identities of the passengers. Furthermore, the passengers were required to enter the underground laboratory.

Zhang Heng walked up to the two elevators and the doors opened on their own. He stepped into the elevator and closed the doors again without having to do anything before descending to the ground.

If anyone were to see this, they would probably think that the place was haunted.

Zhang Heng made it to the first floor of the underground laboratory in less than half a minute.

"Ding!"

The doors of the elevator opened with a ding, but it was pitch-black outside. Zhang Heng stepped out without any hesitation and an energy-saving light lit up above him in the very next second, followed by a second, then a third… The lobby of the first floor was lit up in just a few blinks.

It was as if he had entered a world of steel from there on out. The walls of the lobby were made of single-use steel plates that were double-layered and five centimeters thick. The steel plates were made of high-intensity special steel that even a bazooka wouldn't be able to penetrate. There were four security control rooms on both sides of the lobby, and at the end of the lobby was an alloy electronic door that was even more durable and thick.

There was a pathway behind the alloy door. Both sides of the pathway were made of extremely durable 'super-white organic polymerized metallic reinforced glass'. Behind the wall were thousands of kilowatt-grade Arion laser generators capable of generating tens of thousands of degrees of high temperatures in an instant. Combined with the beams constructed from those super-white glass beams, the beams could be used to form all manner of shapes and sizes, cutting through all lifeforms that were trying to break in without any blind spots.

All manner of defense equipment would be installed after the passage. The only way to get to the second floor underground would be through that passage, and it would be the path of death for every enemy who attempted to sneak in.

116. Honeycomb

Zhang Heng looked at the empty hall on the first floor with a rather excited look on his face before making his way to the laser passageway. The half-a-meter thick barrier door was lifted with a beep and the glass walls on both sides of the barrier emitted a cold, white light. He was able to see everything clearly even if a fly were to fly in.

Zhang Heng walked into the corridor without hesitation and came to the end of the corridor. The surveillance cameras at the end of the corridor automatically scanned his iris, facial features, brainwaves, and other ways of verifying his identity. The green light was turned on right away and a cold, mechanical voice of a woman was heard. "Dear Commander, highest access officer of the B6 class. Good day. Welcome to the underground laboratory."

Zhang Heng was stunned. "Who is that voice?"

"This is an AI created by me," Corona answered. "Due to the fact that there will be people in the underground laboratory who do not have the access to know of my existence, I cannot afford to expose myself to those people. As such, an AI is of utmost importance. It will oversee the operation of the entire underground laboratory on the surface. Only you and a handful of high-ranking personnel in the company would know of my existence."

"You're right." Zhang Heng nodded. "But calling them underground laboratories or underground laboratories all the time doesn't sound nice. Why don't we call them… 'Honeycomb' instead?"

"Understood. The name of this place shall be Honeycomb from now on." Corona didn't object to that, of course. She followed Zhang Heng out of the tunnel, which was still a long and narrow tunnel, except that the width of the tunnel far exceeded that of the laser tunnel.

Zhang Heng heard footsteps coming from behind him at that moment. He turned around warily and saw Corona wearing a white t-shirt and a black lacy dress walking over, revealing her fair and smooth legs. She gave off a quiet air, making her look like someone from a painting.

Corona's image was that of a Japanese idol with a tall, slender build and exuded a unique charm. Zhang Heng was able to smell something fresh and elegant when Corona walked up to him.

"You're able to simulate reality now?" Zhang Heng asked, feeling rather astonished. He tried to touch Corona's face, only to feel a smooth, cold sensation on her skin, which felt no different from reality.

"It takes a lot of energy to simulate a real-life body. I'm still unable to activate that function yet. What I'm standing before you right now is just me affecting your brain and senses, making you think that you've actually touched something." Corona twirled her hair and smiled mischievously. "No one else could see or touch me."

Zhang Heng nodded in understanding. Corona then pointed at the alloy walls on both sides of the walkway and explained, "This is the mechanical section. The walls on both sides look like they're made of a single piece, but they're actually made of thousands of cubes. It's like a cube. Under my control, it could even form a maze that would trap a squad of 100 special forces soldiers in here, not to mention all the killing mechanisms mixed in."

"Very good." Zhang Heng took a deep breath and looked even more satisfied. He walked through the corridor that was about 100 meters long easily and finally reached the end of the first floor. There were two elevators at the end of the corridor. Zhang Heng walked into the elevator and said immediately, "Corona, let's go to the deepest part right now."

"Understood." Corona pressed the button on the B7 floor right away. While she did not actually touch the button, the button on the B7 floor still lit up under Corona's control. It was as if Corona was real, and even her shadow was simulated under the light.

The elevator doors opened with a ding. The moment Zhang Heng stepped into the elevator, all the lights on the floor lit up one by one, extending all the way to the far end.

The last floor had a height of eight meters and it looked like it had a very wide field of vision. There were four laboratories that took up a very large area in the four corners. The security of those four laboratories was 10 times that of the 'American Biometric Level Four'. The barrier alone was five meters thick and had independent drinking equipment, electrical equipment, and even air circulatory equipment installed in the four corners. One could forget about escaping even if they were to put a Tyrannosaurus inside.

"Are you planning to start researching the DX-1118 Virus right away?" Corona suddenly reminded him. "Commander, actually, I wouldn't advise you to start researching the virus right away. The DX-11118 Virus is several times more complex than the T-Virus. Given your current speed, you won't be able to finish such a huge amount of work in a year or two, even with the help of the virus modification plan. Why don't you hire researchers from both biology and virology to share your workload?"

"Of course I know what I'm capable of," Zhang Heng rolled his eyes at Corona and said helplessly.

It had taken him two whole months to modify the T-Virus back then and he had wasted a lot of time doing so. The current DX-118 was even more complicated than the T-Virus. Even if the Dimensional Star were to present the answer right in front of him, the workload would still be massive. It was not something that a half-baked researcher like him would be able to accomplish. His knowledge and experience were only at the apprentice level at best.

"I know that you're telling the truth, but why do I get the feeling that something is off?" Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "Relax, I'm not here to do any research. I just need a laboratory with the highest level of biological safety to contain it. Keeping that thing by my side would give me the creeps, after all."

"Understood." Corona continued to lead the way and soon came to a tightly shut door on the left. There was a huge LCD screen on the door and messages kept flowing on the screen, showing the brief details of the laboratory.

"Let's just use this No.1 laboratory." Corona brushed the verification device on the door with one hand and the verification device was activated immediately. The doors of the barrier were lifted up layer by layer, with each floor being about half a meter thick. There were five floors in total, and the last floor was even three meters thick.

After all the doors were opened, he was finally able to see the interior of the Level 5 Biosafety Laboratory. He looked inside and saw a changing room.

Zhang Heng took off all of his clothes and picked up the tube containing the piece of flesh in his hand before heading to the next disinfection room. He went through a series of complicated disinfection procedures before making his way to the third disinfection room. He put on the heavy chemical defense suit that he had prepared beforehand and went through a series of disinfection procedures before entering the laboratory.

"F * * k." Zhang Heng was finally able to walk into the laboratory with the highest level of security in the world after half an hour. Despite his mental fortitude, he was unable to help but curse out loud. It was obvious that the procedures involved were complex and the security was very tight.

The laboratory was divided into three workshops, with a work area of 1,000 square meters. Additionally, there were all manner of disinfection and isolation rooms, biological experiment isolation rooms, rest rooms, and so on, and the entire laboratory took up an area of over 2,000 square meters.

Zhang Heng took the test tube and walked to the corner of the laboratory where there was a biosafety cabinet. The device was made of special steel and was even connected to the wall. The observation window on the cabinet was made of glass that looked like a laser tunnel. It was designed to be extremely durable and had a self-destruct system installed inside. If the material inside the cabinet were to go out of control, it could generate high temperatures that could destroy everything.

Zhang Heng pressed his palm on the control panel of the biosafety cabinet beside him and a beam of light swept across his palm. That cold, mechanical female voice was heard again. "Identity confirmed. Level five biosafety cabinet activated. Commander, please adhere to the standard of Level Five biosafety operations. Please proceed in a reasonable manner. Thank you for your cooperation."

Zhang Heng paid no attention to the noise and simply took out the test tube and put it into the Level-Five Biomedicals cabinet solemnly. He then watched as the thick biosafety cabinet was shut and locked again before letting out a sigh of relief.

The piece of flesh inside the tube had stopped moving for quite a while, but Zhang Heng asked Yurianne about it and confirmed that the tube wouldn't let the virus escape or die before he was able to relax. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his chest after putting the tube inside.

No amount of caution would suffice against a monster named Alex.

Zhang Heng successfully stored the DX-118 Virus and left Laboratory No.1. He then opened Laboratory No.2 and went on to clean and disinfect the virus. When he was finally inside the laboratory, he found an ice cabinet that had been locked for quite some time in the spacious laboratory.

"Corona, record this down. I'm about to begin the research of the xenomorphs and delve deeper into what is known as the perfect evolution of monsters." Zhang Heng looked at the cabinet with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

117. Research On Alien Babies

Zhang Heng couldn't help but recall what he had encountered in the Alien plane when he saw that cabinet. The true combat prowess of the Alien was far greater than that seen in the movies. They weren't carbon-based beings, and they multiplied without a gender. They also had the ability to optimize their genes through parasitism.

The xenomorphs were like natural predators. As long as there was one egg left, they could slowly develop into a race. They could even evolve and surpass the thousands of years of culture accumulated by humans in just a few decades, evolving the ability to travel in space.

This is basically the Tyrone Zergs…

"Very, very powerful." Zhang Heng was impressed. It was no wonder that the Weyland Company was willing to do research rather than destroy them. If the Weyland Company were to be able to get their hands on such monsters with unlimited potential, they would have been able to overthrow the Earth Government easily. However, the xenomorphs were not something that could be tamed, as they would only end up harming themselves and others.

Zhang Heng removed the chain from the cabinet as he thought about all of that and pulled the cabinet over. The cabinet was still filled with all manner of frozen foods that he had stored back then. There were dumplings, glutinous rice balls, mutton rolls, and so on. The frozen chestbuster was at the center.

No, the term 'xenomorphic embryo' should be 'xenomorph larva' instead of 'xenomorph'.

The chestbuster of the xenomorph was wrapped in a translucent fetal suit, and the monster that looked like a fat snake was barely visible inside the suit.

It was only natural that the xenomorph larvae couldn't be placed in biosafety cabinets. However, the laboratories with the highest level of biosafety were equipped with biosafety compartments, which were some kind of enlarged biosafety cabinets that were about 50 square meters in size. It was the perfect place to raise xenomorphs.

"Pfft!" The door of the quarantine room opened immediately when Zhang Heng walked up to the door that separated the two bodies. He placed the larvae on the thawing table in the quarantine room and the thawing table began to heat them up to perform a standard thawing procedure.

The xenomorphs were very resilient. The xenomorph queen would be able to wake up after being frozen for hundreds or even thousands of years without any safety measures. While the larvae were not as strong as the queen, they would not be in too much danger as long as they were injected with antifreeze.

As the temperature rose bit by bit, the frozen xenomorph larvae began to regain signs of life. The lifeforms that represented the xenomorph larvae became more pronounced, and one could even see the heartbeat inside the larva through the thin membrane, making it look like a growing fetus.

About half an hour later, the xenomorph larva was completely revived in the incubator, wriggling about in the suit like a fat little snake, absorbing all the nutrients that were left in the suit. The xenomorph larva didn't stay in the suit for long, perhaps because it sensed that the suit had lost its nutrients source. It opened its metal-colored teeth, which were about the size of a grain of rice, and bit down on the suit, before pulling and breaking free.

"Gasp!"

The baby of the opposite sex couldn't help but let out a high-pitched shriek the moment it freed itself from the shackles. It flicked its tail and actually slithered to the opening beside Zhang Heng.

That shot was extremely nimble. Regular people would only be able to see a blur of afterimages if they were to look at it with their eyes, let alone block it. Their vision wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed of the bullet. By the time they came to their senses, the bullet would have probably escaped without a trace.

It was a pity that the xenomorph larva wasn't facing regular humans, but Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng's expression remained unchanged. He made a grabbing motion with his left hand as soon as the chestbuster ejected, as if the chestbuster had been sent to him on purpose. By the time the chestbuster realized what was happening, the chestbuster was already in his grasp.

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and grabbed the head of the xenomorph baby roughly with his index finger and thumb, preventing it from biting him. He allowed the snake-like body of the xenomorph baby to wrap around his palm in a sticky, sticky, and cold manner before flipping his palm around to observe the baby's appearance.

The xenomorph larva's entire body was pale white and its body felt slippery and cold. Perhaps it was due to it not being fully developed in Zhang Heng's body, but its body was only about two to three centimeters thick and twenty centimeters long, making it look like a slippery eel. However, its head was huge and there was a mouth filled with silver teeth at the bottom of its smooth, spindle-shaped head. The mouth looked cold and sinister.

The chest area below the head was the chest area of the chest area of the chest area of the chest area of the chest area, which had mechanical patterns. The new xenomorphs had no hind legs, only a tail that was over three times the length of the body. The tip of the tail was like the stinger of a scorpion, yet it remained as tough as steel despite having just been born.

The two tiny forelimbs of the larva kept scratching at Zhang Heng's fingers, hoping that his fingers, which were as tough as steel pliers, would let go of it. They looked utterly powerless, yet who would have thought that the two forelimbs, which were unable to even tear a human's skin apart, would be able to easily tear through high-carbon steel in the future?

However, the young xenomorph, which looked rather ferocious yet cute at the same time, was struggling non-stop at the moment. It was unable to make a sound under Zhang Heng's brutal assault and could only twist its body to ease the pain.

Zhang Heng observed it for quite a while with a deadpan expression before putting it into a glass beaker and covering the lid at the same time. The xenomorph larva kept flipping inside the beaker, looking like a worm that had left its body.

He placed the beaker on an electronic scale at the side and the scale flickered twice, displaying a figure of 203.4 grams. After confirming that Corona had memorized the data, Zhang Heng removed the lid of the beaker and the xenomorph cub charged out with a whoosh the very next second.

Zhang Heng didn't do anything at all this time. He watched as the xenomorph baby left the beaker and dashed to the corner of the biosafety room at lightning speed. It crashed into the transparent reinforced glass wall with a loud thud and twitched for a bit before stopping altogether.

Zhang Heng was stunned.

Killed himself?

Didn't they say that xenomorphs didn't move around visually? Why couldn't they tell when there was glass in front of them?

Zhang Heng frowned and walked towards the xenomorph cub. He was just about to bend down when the xenomorph cub's body jerked and lunged at his face.

"So, that's how it is. So, you've decided to risk it all after finding that the room is sealed and you're unable to escape?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and grabbed the xenomorph cub in his hand again. The xenomorph cub let out an ear-piercing screech and was thrown into a glass cabinet that he had prepared beforehand.

There were four lab rats used as experimental materials in that glass cabinet.

The xenomorph cub kept flipping and screeching after being thrown into the observation box, making it look very irritable. It quieted down after a while and slowly crawled into the gaps between rocks piled up in the rockery in the observation box. It didn't do anything even when the rats passed by leisurely.

Zhang Heng snapped his fingers after he was done. "Corona, keep a close eye on every single movement of that xenomorph. We'll do a comprehensive measurement every day. I'll need a report regarding the growth of the xenomorph."

"No problem, Commander."

"That's all for today's research for the time being. We're running out of manpower, and that's the trouble. I can't wait to get some more manpower." Zhang Heng felt rather troubled all of a sudden. "I'd need scientists on the level of Thompson, bio, electronics, and physics at the very least."

"I've sent the invitation to hundreds of top-notch scientists from all over the world. To prevent attracting the attention of other countries, I didn't use the name of the company or the foundation. I only told them that we were willing to pay two to three times the price." Corona felt rather exasperated. "But I believe that the chances of success are infinitely close to zero."

Zhang Heng sighed. There was nothing he could do about it. While the Krondor Project would be able to solve the problem of manpower and combat prowess in the future, it would be unable to solve the problem of manpower in terms of research. Even if they were given access to all kinds of scientific knowledge, they would only be able to serve as apprentices with a solid foundation.

It would take at least 20 to 40 years to nurture them into specialists or even professors, not to mention becoming top-notch in every field. It was not something that could be achieved through hard work.

"We can't afford to delay the process any longer. We have no choice but to begin the headhunting expedition…" Zhang Heng's eyes flickered with determination after being silent for a bit.

118. Headhunting Plan

"Headhunting Project?" Corona walked up to Zhang Heng and asked curiously.

"Haizhou is home to 20 percent of the most prestigious schools in Huaxia, with over a hundred professors who are truly talented, as well as over 60 academicians from the Haizhou branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences," Zhang Heng said quietly.

"But those people are all national treasures. How are we supposed to convince them to join us?" Corona was shocked and finally realized what the Headhunter Project was about. Her face was flushed with excitement.

She was elated whenever Zhang Heng came up with a plan, as it meant that there was something fun to do.

"I could use some of the necessary methods, but I wouldn't want to harm any of them," Zhang Heng said. "I'm about to begin a few new projects. The first project I'll be working on would be the 'nuclear fusion reactor' project. I have nuclear power from the Alien plane after all, as well as thermal superconducting technology and laser technology. It wouldn't be difficult to build a superconducting tokamak under such perfect conditions. All I lack is the foundation."

"As long as you master controllable nuclear fusion, you won't have to worry about energy anymore. If you can maintain a level-three state for 24 hours, that would mean that we would be invincible in Haizhou."

…

It was a hot July day and the nights were still hot.

Yan Ronghua drove his car into the residential area of the villa. As soon as he got out of the car, he felt the heat from outside enveloping him like a steamer, which made him frown.

However, at the thought that his daughter was still waiting for him at home, he quickly tightened his grip on the birthday cake in his hand and got out of the car without hesitation, heading straight home.

Being able to afford to live in a villa in Haizhou, even in the outskirts of the city, meant that he had made a name for himself. However, the success of his career didn't bring much joy to Yan Ronghua. Instead, it completely destroyed his family.

Yan Ronghua threw all those thoughts out of his mind and suppressed the exhaustion from working all the time. He forced a smile on his face as soon as he walked into the room and said, holding the cake in his hand, "Jiajia, daddy is home! Guess what I got for you?"

A middle-aged woman in her forties walked out of the door and bowed to Yan Ronghua before saying, "Mr. Yan, Jiajia is asleep."

"Seems like I'm late again." Yan Ronghua wore a bitter grin and waved at the middle-aged woman before he went back into his daughter's bedroom.

It was a room that was filled with the vibes of a young girl. The pink walls, the pink curtains, and the pink carpet made it look like the most beautiful color of puberty. Yan Ronghua's eyes were filled with a tinge of melancholy as he looked at the girl sleeping quietly on the pink bedsheets. His eyes were filled with heartache and complex emotions.

She was 13 years old and was at the age where she was at the prime of her youth. She was just like a flower that made people feel sorry for her. The soft and supple body of the girl on the bed was a testament to her youth and beauty.

However, a hint of trauma was seen in Yan Ronghua's eyes when he saw the sleeping girl. He caressed the sleeping girl's face lovingly and a tear rolled down his cheek. The tear ran down the rough side of her face and the stubble that hadn't been fixed for two days finally landed on the girl's soft and tender face.

"Daddy…" The girl seemed to have sensed something and opened her eyes dazedly.

Yan Ronghua quickly wiped his eyes and forced a smile on his face before saying, "Sorry, Jiajia, daddy woke you up."

"Dad, you didn't keep your promise. You said you'd be home before eight!" the girl said, feeling confused and angry.

"Yes, yes, yes. I was wrong. I'll make sure to correct it next time!" Yan Ronghua nodded solemnly. "Do you want to continue sleeping? Or do you want to sleep after eating the cake?"

"I'm done eating tomorrow." The girl shook her head and blushed all of a sudden. "Daddy, call Auntie Wu in. I… I need to go to the toilet."

"Alright, I'll get him for you right away!" Yan Ronghua nodded quickly and left his daughter's room before she was able to cry. He then lit a cigarette with his shaking hands and took a deep breath.

"Sis Wu, Jiajia needs to use the toilet."

"He's here!"

The middle-aged woman next door came out right away and sighed when she saw Yan Ronghua's reddened eyes. She walked into the girl's room without saying anything.

Yan Ronghua slumped against the wall with a tired look on his face, puffing away on his cigarette and coaxing his daughter to sleep again. He then walked out of the room slowly and slumped down on the couch in the living room, looking dazed.

Yan Ronghua had fallen asleep at some point…

"Crackle…"

A gust of cold wind blew and Yan Ronghua shuddered and slowly opened his eyes.

The lights in the living room were turned off at some point, and the television was the only one on. However, there was no signal to be seen, and the room was shrouded in a strange, bluish-white light in the darkness. The sound of the lights being turned on was very irritating.

Other than that, the room was eerily quiet.

The air in the room felt rather cold for some reason. Yan Ronghua picked up the remote control from the table and found that the air conditioner was not turned on at all.

You've got to be kidding me. It was the middle of summer and the temperature was over 30 degrees at night. How could it be so cold?

All of a sudden, Yan Ronghua felt his heart skip a beat.

It seemed that he was just too tired.

Yan Ronghua chuckled and shook his head, turning off the television that had no signal. He then stood up and headed for the bathroom to take a shower.

However, his footsteps came to a sudden halt when he faced the bathroom. An indescribable chill rose from his spine and traveled up his spine before seeping into his scalp, making it feel like his entire scalp was about to explode.

He saw from the corner of his eye that the door to his daughter's room and Auntie Wu's room was opened.

She was a woman after all and it was impossible for her daughter's door to remain open even when she was asleep. Furthermore, his nanny, Auntie Wu, wouldn't sleep with her bedroom door open at midnight. Furthermore, he was able to see the bed in Auntie Wu's room from where he was at the moment. The moonlight shone through the window and there was no one else on the bed.

Yan Ronghua looked at the door of his daughter's room as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The door was slowly closing at that moment. The creaking sound of the wooden door opening and closing was heard all the time. The sound was long and deep, reverberating in the pitch-black night, yet it sounded so eerie.

"Boom."

The door of his daughter's room was completely shut with a soft thud.

"Jiajia?" Yan Ronghua asked, trying to sound her out, but there was no response. He still wasn't sure if it was Auntie Wu who took Jiajia to the toilet. However, when he looked at the toilet, he saw that the door of the toilet was open as well. It was completely empty, making it look like a demon with its mouth open.

His only deduction was overthrown.

Panic was seen in Yan Ronghua's eyes. Logically speaking, he should have rushed into his daughter's room to get to the bottom of things right away. However, the sense of danger that kept assaulting his mind kept reminding him to never go to his daughter's room, or he would definitely die.

Yan Ronghua's sense of responsibility for his daughter's safety finally quelled the fear he felt deep down in his heart. He shouted and threw himself at his daughter's door, kicking it open.

"Boom!"

The door opened right away, but there was no one in the room. Even the windows were locked.

Yan Ronghua finally breathed a sigh of relief, but he was even more anxious than before. He ran back to the living room and picked up his phone, wanting to call the police. However, the moment he walked back to the coffee table, he stopped in his tracks and beads of sweat rolled down his face.

At some point, the television that he had just turned off turned on again…

119. I Want To Play A Game With You

All the things that Yan Ronghua had encountered in his entire life added up to none of those things that were as weird as what he saw today. He turned around with a shudder and looked at the 3.55-inch curved 4k television that he bought last year. It was only then that he realized that it wasn't a decade-old antenna signal, so how could there be snowflake dots that couldn't receive signals on the television?

Yan Ronghua was about to turn off the television at that thought when the image on the screen flickered and a pitch-black silhouette appeared on the screen.

"Wow!"

Yan Ronghua couldn't help but let out a scream and dropped down on the couch.

"Good day, Mr. Yan Ronghua. I'm sure you've seen the video that is currently being played. You're lucky to have become a chosen one."

A cold, rather hoarse voice was heard.

"Allow me to introduce myself before I explain everything to you." On the television, the man who looked like he was shrouded in black fog bowed slightly and acted like a gentleman. "My surname is Meng and my name is Nightmare. You may call me Mr. Dream or Mr. Nightmare. Of course, I prefer to be called 'Freddy' or 'saw.'"

"You're just trying to pull a fast one on me! You kidnapped my daughter?" It was only then that Yan Ronghua realized what was going on. He composed himself and threw himself at the television with a furious look on his face.

Humans were strange creatures. When you were caught in the unknown, you could be frightened by anything that you didn't understand. However, once the unknown was unraveled, you would have the courage to face danger.

"Your daughter is in a very safe place right now. Please rest assured." Yan Ronghua was only overwhelmed by his rage, but he didn't expect the person on the screen to actually answer his question.

"Are you a kidnapper? What do you want? Money? State secrets? Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Yan Ronghua was stunned for a second, then shouted at the top of his lungs. He needed to keep his rage to alleviate the fear in his heart.

"Maybe you still haven't figured out what's going on. It's not time for you to worry about your daughter right now. Please focus and listen to me. Everything I'm about to say will determine the fate of you and your daughter." The black silhouette paid no heed to Yan Ronghua's interrogation and continued speaking in a cold tone. His voice was hoarse and sounded cold and stiff.

"I'd like to play a game with you," the man said slowly.

"Humans are selfish and narrow-minded, but due to the need for kindness and rules in this society, everyone has a mask that hides their true appearance. We call it 'self'."

"The inner desires are what you truly are. They are the most primitive parts of the personality, the reservoirs of biological impulse and desire. We call them 'self'.

"When the original self and I collide with each other, we would develop thoughts that would be further elevated. We call such thoughts' superhuman '.' superhuman 'may be a conscience, or it may be a moral judgment unique to you, but it is precisely because of' superhuman 'that you are able to differentiate between good and evil."

"Mr. Yan Ronghua, your career is a success. You got into Jingzhou University at 19, got a master's degree at 23, got a PhD at 26, and became an assistant professor at the Physics Department of Jingzhou University. You became an associate professor at 33 and joined the Academy of Sciences. You were assigned to the Haizhou branch at 37 and earned the title of an academician at the Academy of Sciences. Your 40 years of life have been a legend. Your name is known throughout the entire field of foreign physics."

"But, in comparison to your rising career, you're not doing as well as you would have liked with your family. Your wife couldn't stand your workaholic attitude and left with her child on that very day a year ago. You tried everything you could to make her stay, but to no avail, so you had no choice but to follow them. However, just when you were about to pass the junction, a rumbling truck came and shattered your perfect family… You could only watch and do nothing about it."

The voice of the person on the television seemed to have some kind of indescribable rhythm to it, making it so that people couldn't help but follow his lead. Yan Ronghua's eyes couldn't help but flash back to the tragedy that happened a year ago, and he didn't realize that his eyes were filled with tears.

"But… that's just your stupid excuse for deceiving yourself!"

All of a sudden, the voice of that figure changed all of a sudden, becoming even deeper and more eerie, sounding like the shrillest scream in the dead of night. Yan Ronghua shuddered involuntarily.

"You were only 0.6 meters away from your wife and daughter at the time, and that East Wind truck was traveling at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour 20 meters away. Logically speaking, you should have had 1.43 seconds to push your wife and daughter away. While the outcome would have been that you would have taken their place, you, who claimed to be able to give everything to them, didn't do so."

"Nonsense!" Yan Ronghua looked terrified and guilty as he retorted right away. The young man's words were like a sharp blade, cutting open the wound that had been sealed in him for an entire year, exposing his bloody side all over again.

That day, he had indeed seen a car speeding over and realized what was happening. He could have risked his life to save his wife and daughter at that very moment, but his desire to live made him hesitate for a moment.

The result of his hesitation was that his wife died on the spot, his daughter's spine snapped, and she became permanently disabled.

As such, Yan Ronghua was filled with shame and remorse, fearing that others would look at him with fear in their eyes. He tried his best to appear remorseful, as if he wanted to save his wife and daughter, but was unable to do so in time. The result was satisfying—his performance successfully fooled everyone, including his daughter. He would only smoke alone in the dead of night to ease the guilt in his heart.

However, at that moment, a stranger that he had never seen before was able to describe what happened that day exactly as he had seen it. Yan Ronghua only had one thought in mind, and that was to be terrified and resentful. He couldn't help but shudder all over, panting hard as his blood pressure shot up.

"You always put on a mask to protect your daughter and your family, but who would have known that it was your selfishness and cowardice that caused your wife to die that night and your daughter to be crippled for life?" The voice on the television was sinister, like a sharp blade that plunged deep into Yan Ronghua's heart.

"Enough, enough, please stop!" Yan Ronghua finally broke down completely. He covered his ears with his hands and kept shaking his head, banging his head on the table so hard that his forehead was dripping with blood.

The voice on the television lowered again at that moment. "Survival is my will. It's not your fault that you backed off at that moment, but if you were to do it all over again, would you be able to maintain my will to live, or would you be able to sublimate yourself in the clash between 'self' and 'self', using your life to replace the wife and daughter who swore to protect you for the rest of their lives, so that they could live happily in this world?"

"Mr. Yan, you shall be tested. Your will shall be tested!"

"The key to turning the tides of the past is in your hands. You will return to that night a year ago. This is your only chance to redeem your soul—even if it is already ugly and dirty, and the first accident may have given you some kind of cover called 'accident', your choice will be rendered obsolete when you have a chance to make a comeback."

"Your choice concerns your own life, the life of your wife, and the future of your daughter. Do you want to repeat the same mistakes and live in false remorse for the rest of your life? Or do you want to muster the courage to seek redemption at the cost of your life?"

Yan Ronghua's expression became increasingly blank as the man on the screen continued to talk in a magical manner. The shadow man snapped his fingers and said in a low voice,

"The answer lies with you."

120. Trial Passed

Buzz—

The moment the man snapped his fingers, Yan Ronghua felt as if there was a train called Time passing above his head. That ancient and long humming sound seemed to come from the river of time itself.

It felt like a long time had passed, yet it also felt like only an instant had passed. When he came to his senses again, he found himself standing at a wide junction.

Th-this is…

Yan Ronghua's breath caught in his throat and he began to tremble all over. That crossroad was the one where his wife and daughter got into a car accident a year ago. He even saw the streetlight above his head. The accident that year was also the reason why the streetlamp went out all of a sudden.

Why? Why am I here?

Didn't I go home? Jia Jia, where is Jia Jia?

Oh, right! I was brought here by a man in black who kidnapped Jia Jia.

Calm down, calm down!

He kidnapped Jia Jia because he wanted money and state secrets. As long as he didn't give her anything, she wouldn't be in danger…

Yan Ronghua took deep breaths to calm himself down. Just when he thought that he had completely calmed down, he heard a voice from behind that made him feel as if he was in a dream.

"That's enough! Don't hold me back! Jiajia and I are going home. Don't you like staying in the laboratory? Stay in the laboratory forever then!"

Yan Ronghua shuddered and his emotions, which had almost calmed down, began to heat up again. He couldn't help but shudder all over, as if he was having a stroke. His chest heaved up and down.

"No! Get off me, Yan Ronghua!"

"Be good, Jia Jia. Let's go. Ignore your dad!"

The noise behind him was getting closer, but Yan Ronghua couldn't even turn around. He could only stare with his eyes wide open as he clenched his fists so hard that drops of blood kept dripping down.

Buzz—

A low, rumbling noise was heard coming from the right side of Yan Ronghua at that moment. His heart skipped a beat and he forced himself to turn his head slowly, only to see a red truck moving about 200 meters away. At that speed, it would have taken him 13 to 14 seconds to reach the center of the crossroad.

How… how could this be?

Beads of sweat rolled down Yan Ronghua's forehead as he felt an indescribable sense of crisis wash over him. It was only then that he realized that he was standing right where he was that night, right where the heavy trucks were able to pass him.

The noise behind him was getting closer, mixed with the sounds of Jia Jia crying. However, he didn't realize that a truck that hadn't slowed down was approaching from his left.

A stunning woman in a long white dress finally walked past Yan Ronghua, dragging a little girl who looked to be about 12 years old with her. Yan Ronghua felt as if he was struck by lightning when he saw the two of them.

He looked at the truck that was about 50 meters away to his right and heard the sound of electrical currents crackling above his head. The streetlights went off at the same time.

Yan Ronghua felt his head spinning and realized what was about to happen next.

How could he not understand? How could he not understand? He saw his wife lying in a pool of blood every night for an entire year when he closed his eyes. Her white dress was spread all over the floor and was stained with fresh blood. He had been woken up from such a nightmare for countless days and nights.

No!

I don't want this tragedy to happen again. I don't want them to fall before me!

He felt his blood pressure shoot to his head at that thought. He felt that his heart was filled with courage. His eyes were bloodshot and he felt that the world had quieted down. He looked at his wife and daughter, who were walking away, and suddenly took a shaky step forward, stepping behind his wife.

The light from the heavy truck's headlights was so close that he felt like he was about to be swallowed whole. The sound of the heavy tires turning was like the footsteps of the god of death, drawing closer with a distant, dull tone. All of that felt like slow motion to Yan Ronghua. He could even see the car plate patterns on the truck clearly, and he could see his wife and daughter's hair flying in the night breeze.

"Xiaorong, Jiajia, I won't hesitate this time!"

Yan Ronghua shouted and pushed his wife and daughter hard on their backs. He was relieved to see the two of them falling over a meter away due to losing their balance. He was able to evade the truck's charge at that distance and evade the Reaper's scythe. However, the price of doing so was that he was completely exposed to the front of the truck and there was no way he could evade the attack.

Yan Ronghua suddenly felt a sense of calmness wash over him. He had never thought that he would be able to face death in such a calm manner. But then again, he wondered if that would be the best outcome.

The white light from the headlights was so close that it took up all of Yan Ronghua's vision. He slowly closed his eyes and waited for the crash to come. However, the sound from all over the world seemed to fade away as if he was in a dream. Yan Ronghua soon realized that something was wrong.

He opened his eyes and found, to his dismay, that he had somehow found himself in a pure white, void-like space that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was a pure white void, as if the world itself didn't exist.

"Is this heaven?" Yan Ronghua mumbled.

"No, I'm afraid you won't be going to heaven or hell." A voice was heard from behind him and Yan Ronghua shuddered. That voice belonged to the shadow man on the television.

Yan Ronghua spun around and found an average-looking young man standing right behind him. However, there was something different about the young man that was different from the average person. He had a very profound air about him, especially his eyes, which were as dark as the night and as dark as the abyss, as if they were capable of sucking one's soul in and making one unable to extricate oneself.

"Congratulations, Mr. Yan Ronghua. You've passed the test." The young man clapped. Despite looking at him in the eye, Yan Ronghua had a feeling that the young man was looking down on him from above. No, it wasn't just him. The young man was looking down on everyone else and the world.

"So, you're the one who kidnapped my daughter?" Yan Ronghua's heart sank when he saw the look in her eyes. "What do you want? And what happened just now?"

"Is that what you're talking about?" The young man chuckled and snapped his fingers. The environment around the two of them looked like paint that had fallen off, revealing the world behind the paint.

At that moment, Yan Ronghua realized that he was standing in a huge high-tech laboratory. Some of the equipment found in the laboratory looked very precious, even in the Academy of Sciences. However, the equipment found in the laboratory looked like cabbages found in the market. Smart mechanical arms were busy working on the railings on the ceiling, replacing human and material needs.

The laboratory was huge and everyone was dressed in tight chemical defense attire, walking back and forth in the huge laboratory. Only the young man in front of them stood alone with him, yet everyone acted as if they didn't see him and continued doing their own thing. However, every time the crowd was about to run into the two of them, they would turn around on their own, as if the two of them were a lifeless wall in everyone's eyes.

"A mirage?" Yan Ronghua looked around at his surroundings in a daze. He even extended his hand slowly. However, just when he thought that the other party was just a mirage, he was astonished to find that he had actually pushed a researcher in front of him. That feeling was so real that there was no way he could have faked it.

However, despite being pushed by Yan Ronghua, the researcher only took a step back. He walked past Yan Ronghua without giving him a second look, as if he had sprained his ankle.

"What the hell is going on?" Yan Ronghua was completely stunned. He rushed at the young man beside him and grabbed hold of his collar, yelling, "Tell me, who the hell are you? What the hell are you doing? Where is my daughter?"

"Mr. Yan, we are civilized people and gentlemen. We shouldn't do something so immoral, shouldn't we?" The young man wore a cold smirk on his face as if he was joking with someone he knew. He slowly reached out and held Yan Ronghua's wrist.

In the very next second, Yan Ronghua realized that there was some kind of devastating force coming from the other man's hand. No matter how hard he tried, the other man was able to pry his wrist open as easily as a baby.

Yan Ronghua felt an indescribable pain from his wrist when his wrist was grabbed. He had no choice but to bend over from the pain, and his face became as red as a pig's liver due to being too hard.

"I hope there won't be a next time." Just when Yan Ronghua was about to scream, the young man finally let go of Yan Ronghua. Yan Ronghua pulled his wrist back and panted hard, looking at the young man as if he was some kind of monster.

…

121. Untitled

Old Pig never denied that he was someone who kept to himself.

One could tell from novels that the novels written by the old swine would only create a character—mysterious, cold-blooded, sinister, cunning, and vicious.

I realized that no matter what kind of beginning the protagonist started out with, no matter if the protagonist was set to be kind, hot-blooded, funny, or some other kind of character, the character would become the same as the character written on the paper.

The old pig felt very depressed. The consequences were dire.

Forget it, there was nothing wrong with having such a personality, as all the protagonists of the Old Pig had their bottom line—kinship. The protagonist could have no love, no friendship, but definitely no kinship.

If a person didn't even have kinship, then he could only say that he didn't want to be a son.

The protagonist of that book, Zhang Heng, was a decisive, devious, and cunning character.

He wouldn't resort to overly complicated methods to solve problems with the simplest solutions. He wouldn't go easy on enemies that he could just wipe out.

I wonder if everyone has read the book 'No.000 Prelude' yet. It's just as the preface says:

"The company that the author wants to write also likes to hide behind the scenes and not be seen in the light."

"It also likes to develop so-called black technology and conduct evil experiments, which is not conducive to law or morals."

"Perhaps it's also involved in a technological monopoly and doesn't like to compete according to the rules of the business world. Furthermore, it definitely has its own private armed forces."

"It even likes to court death, developing super weapons that are 100 times more dangerous than nuclear bombs…"

"In short, it remains mysterious and cold, technologically advanced, and possesses the power to overturn the world."

"However, none of those companies would have gone out of their way to do such a thing, and neither would they have been crushed by any heroes.

"It will gradually grow from a small private enterprise to a corporation that is able to monopolize global technology and surpass the power of the state."

"I'd like to write a history of the company's development."

As such, the protagonist that Old Pig described was designed to develop an unconventional enterprise that was comparable to the likes of the likes of the Umbrella Corporation, the Weyland Valley Corporation, and the Shenluo Corporation.

Friends who wanted to watch the commercial war would probably be disappointed, as the book would not be about the tedious commercial war. The protagonist would only resort to the most brutal and direct methods to solve the problem.

He was just that willful and simple!

There were enough shackles in reality, so why were there rules and regulations in novels?

I'm going to write a character who would do whatever he wants and do whatever he wants.

What is law? The protagonist is law! What is law? The words of the protagonist are law!

The protagonist had a kind heart, but he was always cold and unfeeling to his enemies.

That was the main character that Old Pig liked the most. He represented Old Pig's desire to break free from the rules and the shackles of reality.

He wondered if he had hit the nail on the head for reading that essay.

"Please come with me to witness the growth of the protagonist and his company. Let's see how he would be able to do as he pleased in the world of 'Black Technology Monopoly', developing the company into a multi-planar enterprise that would be able to monopolize the history of civilization.

"I'd like to thank all of you for supporting my book in every way possible.

"Old Pig's book is finally going to be put on sale. Everyone knows that subscription and writing are the most important achievements of a book. It also represents just how much my efforts will be rewarded. I implore all of you to help Old Pig, help the Black Technology Monopoly Company, and let us work hard together to achieve our dreams deep down.

Old Pig bowed and thanked him.

[spoiler title = '457 Teaser']

; ()

122. Shocking!

"What the hell do you want?" Yan Ronghua asked dejectedly. He looked at the young man before him and felt bitter.

"I'm the spokesperson for the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation." The young man wore a serious expression and continued, "The choice that you went through before was a test for you. You've passed the test and gained the right to join us."

Stellar Life Sciences Foundation?

Yan Ronghua didn't turn down the invitation after hearing it from the young man. He simply smiled wryly and said, "I'm willing to join, but you have to ensure my daughter's safety."

"No, I think you've misunderstood, Mr. Yan." Zhang Heng smiled and continued, "There's no need for us to use your daughter to threaten you. I've told you before that what happened before was just a test. Your daughter is still safe at home, and you'll see her when you get home."

Zhang Heng suddenly took two steps back and picked up two sets of data from the table behind him in a practiced manner. "I'd like you to take a look at these two sets of data before you agree or decline."

Yan Ronghua gave Zhang Heng a suspicious look before taking the files and flipping through them without saying anything.

Yan Ronghua looked rather nonchalant at first, but when he flipped to the second page, his expression became completely serious. He didn't look up when he flipped to the third page and simply put the data on the table and read it carefully.

The data page was not thick and only explained the principles and simple steps of the technology. Despite that, the shock that it brought to Yan Ronghua was unimaginable.

Yan Ronghua looked as if he had seen a ghost when he finished flipping to the last page. He mumbled, "So that's how it is. That part of the nuclear formula went wrong. Once it's completed, it's almost…"

"How about it, Mr. Yan Ronghua?" Zhang Heng walked up to Yan Ronghua and withdrew the data under his reluctant gaze. "As long as you're willing to join the Stellar Fund, we could hire you to be the lead researcher of the controllable nuclear fusion reactor. You might be the first commercial nuclear fusion reactor in the world to be created by yourself."

Yan Ronghua wore a bitter grin and said, "That's very tempting. The mysteriousness and technological prowess of your organization have not only shocked me, but it has also made me feel terrified. Unfortunately, people like us have long been tied to 'national secrets', which is not something that a private scientific research organization like yours could invite. The government wouldn't let us work for a private organization, and even if you were to kidnap my daughter, it would be useless…"

"I've told you before, we really didn't kidnap your daughter." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "That's not all. If that doesn't change your mind, how about we change the terms to allow your daughter to recover?"

"What?" Yan Ronghua shuddered. "You mean…"

"Neural beam repair technology, brain transplant technology, and perfect cloning technology," Zhang Heng said casually. "While the chances of your daughter being able to recover in this world are very slim when it comes to medical technology, it's not worth mentioning to the foundation. Mr. Yan, if you're willing to sacrifice your life for your daughter, then what's the harm in paying such a small price?"

"Y-You have proof?" Yan Ronghua glared at Zhang Heng, seemingly trying to figure out if he was lying to her.

"Evidence? That's too easy." Zhang Heng smirked and took out another stack of data. The thickness of that stack of data far exceeded that of the previous two sets. The data recorded in that stack was extremely detailed and there was no possibility that it was fake. However, Yan Ronghua was even more meticulous than when he read the first two sets of data.

That was Zhang Heng's trump card.

That so-called test from before wasn't as simple as measuring one's morals and ethics.

Zhang Heng wasn't in the mood to test a person's morals. All he needed was Yan Ronghua's knowledge and experience. That test was actually a form of psychological hypnosis to show Yan Ronghua that his daughter was more important than his own life.

Then, when the technology that could cure his daughter was laid out before him, it would be a lethal blow to Yan Ronghua's mental and physical state, completely breaking down his inner defense.

If Yan Ronghua had chosen to save himself instead of his wife and daughter in the previous tests, Zhang Heng's ultimate condition would have been to extend his lifespan and live forever. As such, the outcome of the invitation would have been decided regardless.

About four to five hours passed before Yan Ronghua finally looked up, still feeling astonished. He sighed quietly and nodded as if he had made up his mind. His expression was unprecedentedly serious as he said, "I'm willing to join the Stellar Fund, but the condition is… my daughter must receive the best treatment from the foundation until she recovers."

"Deal!" Zhang Heng looked pleased and snapped his fingers. "Mr. Yan, please believe that this is the best decision you've ever made in your life."

Yan Ronghua felt a strange dizziness as soon as he snapped his fingers. He couldn't help but shout as he sat up from the couch.

"Hu! Hu! Hu!"

Large beads of sweat rolled down Yan Ronghua's forehead as he panted. However, there was a dazed look in his eyes.

Dreams? Real life?

Yan Ronghua couldn't help but look around and found that he was back in the living room at the moment. Everything was still the same in the room. His daughter was sound asleep in the bedroom and the living room was brightly lit. Yan Ronghua checked his watch and found that he had only been asleep for about 10 minutes.

Yan Ronghua felt a chill running down his spine for the first time.

…

A white-haired old man sat up quietly in a villa not far from Yue Yang Road at the same time that Yan Ronghua woke up. His eyes, which had turned cloudy, shone with a frightening light.

"What a terrifying organization. Project Eternal Life? Seems like my opportunity has come…"

He got out of bed right away and headed straight for the outskirts of the residential area without taking anything with him.

…

A middle-aged man with a stubbly face was taking a nap in a well-lit laboratory somewhere in the Shanghai Academy of Life Sciences. He was jolted awake all of a sudden and looked around in a daze, scratching the back of his head hard.

"T-Virus, DX-118 Virus, xenomorphs? Creatures that don't exist in endless reality? No matter what, I have to research them!"

The middle-aged man chuckled and wiped his saliva before continuing to lie down.

…

Zhang Heng had four targets in Haizhou in his headhunting plan. Other than Yan Ronghua, a physicist, there was also Luo Jincheng, a professor of nuclear physics, a professor of biovirus, and Kong Zhongcai, a professor of genetics.

All four of them were very capable and were considered top-notch in the Chinese Academy of Sciences and even internationally. They had countless titles and achievements. According to what the Americans said, even if the four of them were not as good as Qian Xuesen, they would still be able to match two or three teachers each.

The self-awareness of such people would most likely be very strong. Zhang Heng didn't dare to implant a chip in their brains right away, as doing so could very well lead to a violent conflict and lead to brain death. The only way he could get them to join him willingly was to implant a chip in their brains, enabling them to serve him completely.

Zhang Heng didn't continue to poach people from Haizhou after inviting the four top scientists. With the four of them as the core, he would be able to finish most of his projects. With some second-rate and third-rate foreign researchers, he would be able to form a team that was on par with a superpower.

That was the so-called headhunting plan.

123. Hunting Foreign Scientists

Mexico City, capital of the United States of Mexico. The Department of Natural Studies at the National University of Mexico.

Milo looked at his phone nervously.

A letter that he found hard to believe was lying quietly in his electronic mailbox on his phone. When he saw the letter, Milo kept feeling that it was some prank that Louis and his gang had played on him, but his rationality told him that it was impossible.

Milo was the assistant of a professor in the Department of Natural Sciences at the National University of Mexico. He came from a poor family and was able to finish his master's degree with free public education. He was only 23 years old this year and was at the prime of his career.

He could have found a decent job with a degree like his, which would have made him look like someone from a poor family. However, Milo was obsessed with biological knowledge and would rather work to subsidize his living expenses than give up his thirst for knowledge. His goal was to get a PhD next year and become an associate professor in the future, becoming a respected expert professor.

However, just when he was helping Professor Ector correct his thesis, his cheap smartphone suddenly rang with a unique ringtone. Milo swore to God that the ringtone was not set by his phone.

Out of curiosity and bewilderment, Milo picked up his phone and realized that he had received an email from his Google email. In fact, if he could turn back time, he would rather not have seen that email from hell.

"Good day, Mr. Milo Suarez."

"Please forgive me for taking the liberty to ask. Without your permission, I flipped to the two papers stored on your computer, 'Genetic Hemolysis Report on the RNA Virus' and 'Available Report on the Prion Extraction Gene'. I was very surprised after reading them. I didn't expect that such an outdated country like Mexico would have someone as brilliant and creative as you. Would you be interested in coming to our department to do research on biological and viruses? We could give you an annual salary of a million US dollars, and you wouldn't need to pay taxes. I'm very optimistic about your potential."

"By the way, that account of yours is called xxxxxxxx. Due to the password being too simple, we've changed it to 999999 for you. I hope that you'll feel like you've flipped 6 times over. To express our goodwill, I've added three US dollars to your account, which is more than enough for you to buy a romance action movie. I hope that you'll be able to have a good weekend with your right hand, and on your account, I…"

The more she read, the more she felt like she was about to die. Almost all of the data she found on the internet was wiped clean. Most importantly, all of his bank account details were stolen by the other party and his password was changed. One had to know that all of the savings she had saved up over the years were found in that account.

Not only that, but as time went on, the other party began to talk about his real life. His daily routine and his daily trajectory were shown in the letters, making it seem as if there was an invisible person following him all the time, watching his every move.

There were even several pictures of herself naked at the end of the email. Milo took a look at them in disbelief and found that they were photos of her when she was having sex at home last night.

The camera that he used to take the picture turned out to be his computer's camera.

"No, no, no. Damn it, who the hell is that b * stard?" Milo resisted the urge to smash her phone and replied right away. "Please, don't send that photo to the social media. I'm begging you!"

"Mr. Milo, I'm glad to hear your decision. Please stay where you are and don't move. Our staff will be here to pick you up in 10 minutes. As for your grandmother, we've sent her on the plane. Thank you for your cooperation."

"What?!" Milo shouted at the top of his lungs, feeling as if he was about to burst. He had no parents since he was young and was raised by his grandmother, whom he had picked up from the streets. His grandmother's status in his heart had far exceeded that of the omnipotent god. If there had been a sliver of hope in him before, thinking that some hacker-friend of his had made a joke out of him, that last sliver of hope was completely extinguished right now.

"Call the police! Call the police!" Milo could not help but shudder. He was, after all, a regular person and had never encountered such a situation before. However, he dismissed that thought in the very next second. The other party was able to access his phone records. If he were to call the police, wouldn't his grandmother be in even more danger?

But if he didn't call the police, what was the other party's motive? Could it be that the other party had taken a liking to his potential and talent and invited him?

But then again, if it was an invitation, why didn't he dare to say the name of his research institute or even what organization he belonged to? Furthermore, which institute issued an invitation like that? That was no different from a threat.

He was committing a crime!

Milo's heart sank and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Crack!"

Just when Milo was feeling indescribably shocked and furious, he heard a twisting sound from the handle of the door of his office all of a sudden. The lock clinked with the click of metal rubbing against metal and the click of the lock disengaged from the latch. The door slowly opened under the force of the push.

Milo felt as if all the blood in his body was about to freeze. He stood frozen on the spot, wanting to run away, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead and he couldn't move at all.

The other party came so quickly?

Fear was written all over Milo's face, as if he could see his future before him. Those international terrorist organizations had kidnapped him and taken him to war-torn Middle Eastern countries, before forcing him to wear a loose-fitting white shirt and a round cap. Due to his inadequacies, he ended up having his head chopped off by the radicals while being berated by the public. Everyone hung their heads on trees and shouted,

"Allahu Akbar!"

Time passed very slowly. The moment he opened the door, his entire life seemed to have appeared in Milo's mind. He was filled with regret at that moment. If he had called the police earlier, he might have had a chance to live, but now…

Just when Milo's thoughts were running wild with despair, a stern-looking old man with a snow-white beard pushed the door open and walked in.

"Professor Ector?" Milo was stunned.

"Milo, I didn't expect you to be selected as well." What surprised Milo was that his professor actually said something like that.

"What do you mean selected? Professor, you…" Milo wanted to say something else, but when he saw the two Asian men wearing black suits and sunglasses standing behind Professor Ector, he stopped himself right there and then.

"We are the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation, Mr. Milo. You have three minutes to prepare. We need to catch the flight to Haizhou in the next hour at three in the afternoon," one of the men said solemnly.

Milo opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth, but that was all that came out of his confused mind.

"What the f * * k?"

124. Alien Intelligence Research

One day later.

The location was the Honeycomb Laboratory at the bottom of the Stellar Technology building in the outskirts of Haizhou, Huaxia.

Zhang Heng looked at the pitch-black miniature xenomorph in the biosafety ward with a length of three meters and a height of about 1.7 meters, and a hint of surprise was seen in his eyes.

"It ate all four of those lab rats right after you left. I fed it a lot of high-calorie food to ensure that it wasn't affected by the experiment. It took it only one day to shed its skin twice, and it grew to its current size. Furthermore, I found out from the detection equipment in the quarantine room that it was still in its maturity period. It should be able to mature by the day after tomorrow." Corona's silhouette appeared before Zhang Heng as she took out strings of data and reported.

"Very good. I wonder how intelligent it is." Zhang Heng nodded and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window in the quarantine room. He looked at the xenomorph curled up inside and seemed to have sensed something. The xenomorph looked up and instinctively moved closer to Zhang Heng with bloodthirsty intent.

The xenomorph's hind legs had long since grown out. Due to the fact that it was a monster that was birthed from Zhang Heng's body, the xenomorph had ingested a large portion of human genes. Its teeth were mostly flat, with only its canine teeth being sharp enough to climb on all fours or walk on its hind legs.

Zhang Heng and the xenomorph looked at each other silently through a glass of 'organic polymerized gold reinforced glass' that was about 30 centimeters thick. Zhang Heng could even see his own reflection on the xenomorph's tanned and smooth forehead.

The xenomorph seemed to become even more ferocious after being stared at by the human eye. It couldn't help but grin, revealing alloy-like teeth as it glared at Zhang Heng and hissed.

White smoke billowed from its mouth and saliva dripped from its mouth. No one would be in the mood to appreciate such a sinister-looking monster, but Zhang Heng was not one of them.

He continued to lean forward with interest, his nose almost touching the glass. He then mimicked the xenomorph and grinned, revealing his white teeth.

"Gasp…"

The xenomorph felt even more provoked and its mouth opened even wider, so much so that one could even see the lethal fangs behind its teeth.

The xenomorph's entire body was filled with weapons, with claws that could tear steel plates apart and bite through steel that was made of high-carbon steel. However, none of that mattered as the xenomorph's most powerful weapons were its powerful tail and lethal fangs.

The tooth was usually in a soft state, but once the xenomorphs were ready to attack, the tooth would become very hard due to the contraction of the muscles. Additionally, the pressure from the augmentation of the ejector would enable the tooth to shoot out at a speed that was comparable to a bullet being fired. Due to the fact that the tooth's weight and caliber far exceeded that of a bullet, the damage caused would be even more terrifying. It would be able to penetrate steel plates that were five centimeters long.

"Boom!" The xenomorph's inner tooth shot out all of a sudden and hit the glass wall hard. However, the glass only made a crisp sound and the reinforced glass was completely unscathed.

Zhang Heng moved his head away and shook his head, feeling rather disappointed. "I'm not that smart. I'm definitely no older than a five-year-old."

"It's a new xenomorph, after all. Its brain is still developing after being detected by the device. Furthermore, xenomorphs are creatures with long lifespans. According to the scans of its body, the brain of the xenomorphs is located near the front of its spindle-shaped head. There is a thick layer of skin inside. While the brain capacity isn't very large, their brains are more like how computers operate. By inputting all kinds of information into the brain and then classifying them in the brain, the brain eventually reaches intelligence upgrade."

"In other words, the longer the xenomorphs live and the more information they come into contact with, the smarter they become. Their intelligence could continue to grow even when they reach adulthood," Corona explained.

"I hope so." Zhang Heng nodded with a deadpan expression. He walked up to a console next to the quarantine room and pressed a red button without hesitation.

"Chi—"

White mist spewed from the roof of the quarantine room as soon as he pressed the red button. The xenomorphs in the quarantine room seemed to have suffered a great deal of pain when the mist hit them, as they fled in all directions while screaming in pain.

Zhang Heng looked at the miserable state of the xenomorph in the quarantine room with a deadpan expression, but his hands didn't stop moving. He only let go of the button after half a minute when the xenomorph's struggles began to weaken.

The alloy floor in the quarantine room was completely white by then. There were even signs of frost on the glass.

That was the mechanism of liquid nitrogen punishment!

Zhang Heng walked up to the door of the quarantine room and heard the door being opened under Corona's control.

Zhang Heng took out a weird-looking hammer and aimed at the four tubes-like organs on the chest of the xenomorph. That was the xenomorph's sense of smell, which was densely packed with sensor nerves and could even detect life.

That was the reason why the xenomorphs were able to find humans wherever they were hiding. The xenomorphs were considered the most valuable parts of the xenomorphs' bodies for research purposes. Zhang Heng knocked hard on the xenomorphs' bodies and bits of flesh were knocked off.

He put the scraps into the petri dish and took a casual look at the xenomorph before turning around to leave. However, he felt a gust of wind behind him all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and tilted his body slightly, as if he had eyes behind him. The xenomorph's pitch-black tail swept past his body at a hair's breadth the very next second, leaving behind afterimages.

"You're asking for it!" Zhang Heng snorted and lifted his leg slightly, stepping on the xenomorph's hard, bony tail. He turned around at the same time and swiped his right hand through the air like a pair of pliers, accurately clamping onto the xenomorph's weakest neck.

"Gasp!"

The xenomorph howled and struggled violently, but no matter how hard it struggled, it was unable to make the human-like pincer-like hand in front of it loosen even a little bit. It had no choice but to twist its body in midair in unbearable pain.

It was only when the xenomorph's struggles became completely weak and its breath was almost completely spent that Zhang Heng shook his arm and the xenomorph was flung away in the very next second, crashing into the glass wall behind him.

Zhang Heng clapped his hands and walked out of the quarantine room. He wore a smirk when the door closed again. "Corona, I guess you're right. The learning ability of xenomorphs is something to look forward to."

"Of course." Corona rolled her eyes at Zhang Heng and her eyes flickered before she continued, "I've just received news that 25 out of the 26 cloning teams that you've sent out have successfully 'invited' the targets and their families. They've also boarded a plane and the latest flight to arrive in Haizhou tomorrow morning."

"Well done. Speed up the last team." Zhang Heng nodded.

In order to set up a scientific research team that was comparable to that of a superpower as soon as possible, Zhang Heng had Corona spread her net throughout the US and Europe, constantly checking the names of highly skilled researchers as well as young researchers who had the potential to become top scientists.

The reason why he chose the latter was that young people had better adaptability, were easier to convince, and had greater potential—who could guarantee that these young people wouldn't become the next Einstein in decades?

None of those candidates were top-notch scientists like Stephen Hawking. After all, those types of scientists would definitely be heavily protected by the government, just like those four from Haizhou. All of them were truly national treasures.

As such, Zhang Heng went for the next best thing, opting for those second-rate people who were equally reputable and respected. While they might not be as well known or capable, they were second-rate in terms of both experience and practicality.

While these people were equally valued by the government, they were treated very poorly. The five cloned warriors sent from India formed a small team and were able to infiltrate the world under the cover of Corona's network. They were able to easily extract the scientists from all corners of the world. Those that could be bought with money would be bought with money. If they were unable to be bought with money, they would then resort to intimidation and bribery to bring out some relevant technical data, such as the AlphaGovernment Project, and entice them with terms like immortality. It was highly likely that they would succeed.

If things still didn't work out, he would have to resort to his last resort—kidnapping her and bringing her here by force. None of those people were as valuable as Yan Ronghua and the other top-notch scientists, and they were foreigners as well. Zhang Heng wouldn't feel the pinch even if they were to die from a clash of consciousness after being implanted with the chip.

125. Conan And Milo

Conan Hazard got off the plane with a glum look on his face.

The hot July sun made him sweat profusely. It was obvious that the weather was very bad, but the situation he was in at the moment was undoubtedly worse.

He looked at the airport, which was filled with a huge crowd of people, and wondered if there would be anyone who could save him if he were to call for help right now, or if the police from Huaxia and Haizhou would come after him.

However, every time he saw the five cold-looking men in black suits and sunglasses standing behind him, he felt a sense of despair creeping in.

The five people behind him… no, those five demons were practically messengers from hell!

Those people had their eyes on him the day before. It was supposed to be a beautiful and peaceful weekend, and he was reading in his study alone at home, enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet. However, two of them showed up at his place uninvited and handed him a huge red invitation without a second thought.

Her * * *? Conan swore to God that he had never encountered such a ridiculous invitation before, to break into someone else's home without permission. Was that an invitation? That was a crime!

The stern and inflexible Conan rejected the invitation right there and then. He tore the invitation apart without even looking at the contents of the letter and threw it at the two men's faces.

However, what happened next felt like a nightmare to Conan.

Logically speaking, the two of them would have flown into a rage after seeing the letter being thrown at their faces. However, to Conan's surprise, the two of them showed no reaction at all, not even blinking.

Conan immediately felt that something was off. The two of them were like emotionless robots. Even if God were to appear before them, they should be able to do nothing.

One of them then said that Conan's wife and his six-year-old son had been sent away and were making their way to the airport. Conan realized right away that he had been kidnapped.

However, it was fortunate that Conan had anticipated such a day to come. The plain-clothed agents assigned by the government to protect the Conan family in secret were the ones who lived next door to him. There was also a miniature aid device installed on his watch.

The agents who received the call for help immediately hid behind the door. Just when Conan thought that there was no chance of failure, he was shocked to see one of the Asian men who kidnapped him suddenly pull out a pitch-black spike before he went out of the door and stabbed into the cat's eye at lightning speed.

It went without saying that the unlucky agent's brain was completely impaled before he could even react.

However, what happened next naturally alerted the Fbi. More than 30 agents began to hunt the two of them down, and police officers from all over the city were mobilized as well. However, the two of them were like monsters. The agents who came to hunt the two of them were as powerless as babies before them. Be it marksmanship, combat, traps, tracking, anti-tracking, and so on, they were on completely different levels. It was as if the two of them were special forces soldiers and regular people.

That was how it ended up. The government didn't even know that he had been taken to the airport. He ran into his wife and son at the airport and it was only then that he realized that there were five men in black holding him hostage instead of two. The five of them gave him the feeling that they were the same person, be it in terms of combat prowess, charisma, or cold-bloodedness. It was as if they were born with five births.

Just what kind of organization would be able to nurture a super-soldier that surpassed national agents?

What he found most unbelievable was that both his wife's ID cards were printed right after they were swiped on the automatic ticketing machine. He could swear that he had never booked a flight to Huaxia before, let alone a visa, yet all the procedures were taken before his eyes.

Could it be that someone in the government was up to something? Conan shuddered all of a sudden. It was terrifying to think about.

He didn't expect the organization to be so powerful that even the most powerful American in the world had been planted with spies in all of the important departments. It was a disaster.

In that moment of despair, Conan boarded the plane and took a good look at his country before he left. He loved that land dearly.

God bless America.

…

At that moment, Conan got out of the plane silently, his mind running wild. He suddenly realized that the five men in black were not waiting in line at the immigration office for inspection like the rest of them. Instead, they had climbed over the barrier at the side. Conan was elated to see what was happening. They were asking for it.

He shouted for help without thinking. As long as he could get the attention of the airport guards, his entire family would be saved.

However, what shocked Conan the most was that, no matter how loudly he shouted, no one seemed to have heard him. No, the five men in black heard him. One of them went up to Conan and punched him hard in the stomach, causing him to swallow the rest of his cries for help. He then forced Conan's wife and child to roll over the fence at the side, without going through customs inspection.

If his cry for help hadn't caught the attention of the crowd, it could have been said that he was too cold-hearted. However, when he was flipping through the customs' railings in front of so many people and the guards several meters away didn't react at all, that wasn't the usual reason. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. It was as if all eight of them had turned into ghosts and no one else could see him.

The Conan family was brought to the outskirts of the internationalized city in a dazed state. There was a building about 200 meters tall in the outskirts of the city. The building was almost finished, with only a few details still being kept in order.

The five of them brought Conan and his family to the inside of the building and took an elevator that was located in a rather remote location. What shocked Conan even more was that he was not going up but down.

Conan swore to the heavens that the shock he had experienced all his life was far less than what he had experienced today. He soon found himself in a spacious underground building, and when he saw those buildings, he realized that he was in a massive underground laboratory.

Furthermore, his family wasn't the only ones in that massive underground laboratory.

…

Three days later, in the bar on the B2nd floor of the Honeycomb.

The B2nd floor was the hostel and living area for researchers away from the research center. There were bars, restaurants, cafes, fitness rooms, and other places to relax and prevent mental illnesses such as prolonged mental fatigue and depression.

Conan was sitting at the bar with a bitter look on his face. A young Mexican man in hip-hop attire was sitting beside him.

"Mr. Conan, why are you looking so glum?" The young man poured him a glass of whiskey and patted him on the back. "Get over it, Mr. Conan. Other than having your freedom limited after leaving the United States, what else could you be dissatisfied with?"

"Milo, that's true, but I'm still feeling rather down." The bar reflected Conan's white hair as he looked up at the beautiful dancer before him with a bored expression. "I keep feeling like they've done something to my brain, and I've lost all thoughts of resisting after waking up two days after being knocked out that day. That's very abnormal, Milo…"

"Oh, come on, old buddy. Take it easy. You may be 30 years older than me, but your way of living is nowhere near my level." Milo took a sip of his whiskey and laughed brazenly. "Think about it. As long as we join the Stellar Foundation, we and our families would be able to enjoy the Alpha Immortality Project and never have to live and die again. Furthermore, you have an annual salary of over 10 million US dollars. Your wife and children have settled down in Haizhou as well. While they're not completely free, they're all protected in secret and won't affect our lives. They've given us a lot of respect and privacy. The only downside is that we only get to see our families once a week."

"With all manner of luxury goods added on top of that, the staff of the foundation would send the items to our dorms the very next day if we were to make any requests. No matter what you'd like, they'd get you a bottle of 56-years-old wine if you'd like," Milo said as he clicked his tongue.

"What's more, there are all manner of fantastical supertechnology involved. It's like I've come to the future! There are so many technologies that I could only see in science fiction movies!"

"This is heaven!"

126. Super Xenomorph Empress

The Headhunter Project had successfully added four top-notch scientists to the Honeycomb Secret Laboratory. Zhang Heng had given the four B4 level privileges to Yan Ronghua, while the second-rate and third-rate scientists were given B3 level privileges. As for young researchers like Milo, who had potential, they were given B2.

Three days had passed since the headhunting mission was completed. During those three days, everyone's brain-controlled chips were implanted successfully. There were now four B4 researchers in the Honeycomb, 26 B3 researchers, and 49 B2 researchers.

Zhang Heng was also planning to get a batch of scientific clones from India. Those clones could serve as assistants to the B4 and B3 researchers. If he were to learn from them, he would have a very good chance of becoming someone who could take charge of his own affairs.

As for the guards and whatnot, there was no need for that at all. Corona's abilities were practically unbeatable. As long as Corona was around, the Honeycomb would never be exposed.

The new 10 members of the DSF team continued to train day and night in the virtual space. The 15 cloned warriors who were assigned to protect Zhang Heng's parents had also arrived in Chongzhou and bought two suites upstairs and downstairs without Zhang Heng's parents knowing about it. The two suites were designed to ensure the safety of his parents and sister.

Zhang Heng was lying on the couch in the laboratory resting room, feeling bored. He listened to Corona's detailed report and found that Corona's abilities were almost as lethal as hers. With such a superintelligent being his assistant, Zhang Heng was able to control the increasingly massive company with just a few words.

"Ms. Li Yiru has discussed with the Ministry of Land Affairs about buying the land within a radius of several thousand meters around the building. She sent us a proposal to build a factory that would be exclusively owned by our company, but she sent us a message asking what kind of factory we would be building so that she could come up with a detailed plan." Corona stood at the side like a subordinate reporting to her superior.

"The pharmaceutical manufacturers, of course," Zhang Heng said. "The antifreeze has basically been exposed to the world. We'll need our own manufacturers in the future, and the antifreeze is only the beginning. It's time for me to prepare for the launch of new antibiotics in the future."

"You're also going to announce the new antibiotics?" Corona asked in surprise.

"Why not?" Zhang Heng said helplessly, "I have too many good things on my hands. While I could make a killing out of all of them, the only ones that could make money without alerting the authorities would probably be the new antibiotics. However, if I want to make money, I'd still have to work with the authorities. The antifreeze was announced in the United States, and I had all the financial groups backing me up, so I didn't run into any unpleasant incidents. However, I don't have any connections in Huaxia. If I want to stay alive, I'd have to work harder with the authorities, and the authorities would be my strongest backing."

"Then why not just release the new antibiotics in the US?" Corona asked, puzzled.

"Dumbass. One antifreeze is more than enough for me to show off. It's just that those pharmaceutical giants still haven't figured out the authenticity and effects of the antifreeze yet, which is why they're still waiting to see what would happen. But if I were to continue to release the antibiotics, those pharmaceutical giants would definitely not be able to sit still," Zhang Heng explained patiently.

"No one knows what the interests of the antifreeze are, as there has never been such a drug in history, but antibiotics are different. If I were to release the antibiotics, it would be tantamount to declaring war on all the pharmaceutical giants in the world. How could they not stop me?"

"Furthermore, due to the interests involved, all the pharmaceutical organizations around the world would be attacking me at the same time. There's no way those financial groups behind me would be able to handle that!"

"So that's how it is…" Corona looked enlightened. "No matter when I hear your explanation, I'll be enlightened!"

"Don't give me that crap. Corona, you're becoming more like a human." Zhang Heng rolled his eyes and stood up to stretch. "Alright, enough with the slack. Let's go out and see how Professor Feng and Professor Kong are doing."

Zhang Heng then left the laboratory's lounge and returned to the laboratory.

Zhang Heng pushed open the door of the laboratory and saw two men with deep-set eyes. One of them had no hair on his head and the other man with a full beard was arguing about something. Zhang Heng didn't react even when he came up to them.

The bald one among the two was none other than Feng Lun, a professor of biovirus and a top international scientist. The other one with a full beard was Kong Zhongcai, a professor of biology and genetics, who was also a top international scientist.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Heng walked up to them and asked curiously.

However, the two of them paid no heed to Zhang Heng at all. Strand after line of technical terms that Zhang Heng didn't understand came out of their mouths as they continued arguing.

Zhang Heng shook his head and paid no further attention to the two of them. He turned around and looked at the biohazard room. The xenomorph cub he pulled out of his stomach had grown to the size of an adult, yet it didn't stop growing and continued to grow.

The xenomorph larva had grown to a length of six meters after three days of growth. It was a massive creature that stood three meters tall.

Not only that, but the smooth exoskeleton above its head began to wrinkle, as if a new layer of skull was growing on its original skull. The four respirators on its back became sharper and thinner. Two new arms seemed to have grown out of its chest.

"So, it's actually evolving into the form of the queen of the xenomorphs?" Zhang Heng muttered to himself with a curious look on his face.

"What did you say?" Zhang Heng didn't expect the two internationally renowned old men to suddenly stop arguing after hearing what he said and looked at him with dazed eyes instead.

"What did I say?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"You're telling me that it's not just growing, but evolving?" Feng Lun exclaimed.

"Yes, because xenomorphs are a social structure similar to that of ants and bees. The xenomorphs that are born usually are messenger xenomorphs or worker bee xenomorphs, which are equivalent to worker bees among the bees. The queen of the xenomorphs is equivalent to the queen of the bees. Worker bees feed the queen of the bees through hunting, and the queen of the bees is responsible for the task of producing eggs and reproducing the queen of the bees."

"Furthermore, if the queen bee were to die or disappear, losing the suppression of the queen bee's pheromones, one of the remaining xenomorphs would automatically evolve into a new queen bee and continue to take on the mission of reproduction, preventing the species from perishing," Zhang Heng explained patiently.

"I see!" The two of them looked at each other in shock. One of them, Feng Lun, asked suspiciously, "How did you know about that? By the way, could it be that the xenomorphs you're talking about are actually single-sex reproductions?"

"That's right, it's monochromatic reproduction." Zhang Heng nodded, feeling rather amused. It turned out that neither of them had seen the movie 'xenomorphs' before. No wonder they couldn't tell that the xenomorphs were evolving into the shape of queens.

"What a mystical species. How did the species found in the Golden Foundation?" Kong Zhong couldn't help but wonder.

"Hehe…" Zhang Heng chuckled dryly and changed the subject without batting an eye. "By the way, did you find anything after analyzing its body?"

Kong Zhongcai was stunned for a bit before he sighed and handed the document to Zhang Heng. "Take a look for yourself."

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless. It wasn't easy for a half-baked researcher like him to understand something so professional, but it was fortunate that Corona was there to translate for him.

"What did you just say? That xenomorph was optimized by my genes when it was in my body, resulting in a physique that surpassed that of regular humans, like that of the host of the T-Virus?" Zhang Heng asked suddenly as he was explaining.

"That's right. Your DNA did indeed optimize the genes of that xenomorph. Such optimization would be permanent. That is to say that the new xenomorph that this xenomorph and the new xenomorph that it will breed in the future could very well be three times stronger than that of regular xenomorphs!" Corona explained. "It is now a super xenomorph that has been optimized by the T-Virus."

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless right there and then. The combat prowess of the usual xenomorphs was terrifying enough. Wouldn't it be a nightmare for humans if they were to get three or four times stronger?

Once a xenomorph escaped from the hive, the entire world would be doomed.

127. Successful Controllable Nuclear Fusion

Zhang Heng almost had the urge to destroy that xenomorph.

However, he quickly suppressed his fear and continued to grow stronger. Not only was he becoming increasingly powerful, but there were also all manner of technological forces involved. Stellar Technology was like a train traveling at high speeds, or like the wheels of history, constantly rolling forward. Anyone who tried to stop it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, and they would end up being crushed into dust by the inertia of history.

If that was the case, there was no need for him to be bothered about a xenomorph who couldn't do anything.

Zhang Heng took one last look at the xenomorph before heading out of the laboratory.

"Please continue. Let me know when the xenomorph queen matures. I'm going to the physics laboratory to take a look right now," Zhang Heng said as he entered the isolation room and began disinfection.

Zhang Heng arrived at the Immaculate Physics Laboratory about half an hour later. Yan Ronghua and Luo Jincheng were standing under a huge piece of machinery connected to the ceiling in their dust-proof suits. The structure looked like a spherical pillar made up of 16 D-shaped devices, with a huge complex base at the bottom of the pillar.

He looked just like those artistic sculptures found in the park. While he was unable to read what they were trying to express, he found them to be rather impressive nonetheless.

Yan Ronghua saw Zhang Heng and immediately said in a displeased manner, "I've been waiting for four days. When are you going to treat my daughter?"

"Relax, Professor Yan." Zhang Heng chuckled and said, "Be patient, alright? To ensure the success rate of the operation, I've invited the attending physician from India, Professor Thompson, to perform the operation for your daughter personally. His schedule is to arrive at the end of this month."

Yan Ronghua took a good look at Zhang Heng and nodded. "I hope you're not lying to me."

"Little Zhang, come and take a look. How should we solve the problem of the superconducting tokamak?" Luo Jincheng seemed to have not heard the conversation between the two and waved at Zhang Heng with a grin on his face. Luo Jincheng was an expert in nuclear physics and had dedicated his entire life to researching nuclear energy. He believed that the only way humanity could survive in the future would be to control such clean and efficient energy sources, or it would be the end of humanity.

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched. It had been a long time since anyone dared to address him as' Little Zhang '. Those older than him would address him as' Chairman Zhang 'or' Boss Zhang ', and even those from the nine consortiums would address him as' Mr. Zhang '.

However, there was no way Zhang Heng would get angry at someone who was old enough to be his grandfather, someone who was at the very top in nuclear physics. If it hadn't been for the fact that he had the system, he probably would have been just a regular researcher who didn't even have the right to meet someone like that.

Zhang Heng walked up and asked with a smile, "Is there a problem, Professor Luo?"

"I'm not sure about that formula. How did you get the ultra-high-temperature pulse plasma to release electricity at 1 billion degrees Celsius per second?" Luo Jincheng was still all smiles as he asked Zhang Heng for guidance, without any hint of awkwardness on his face, as if he wasn't some internationally renowned nuclear physicist, but a student who was eager to learn.

Zhang Heng had no idea what was going on, of course, but Yurianne and Corona paid close attention to him at all times. Corona listed out the details of the formula in Zhang Heng's mind without Yurianne having to do anything about it. Zhang Heng nodded and began calculating in his notebook without saying anything else. Luo Jincheng, Yan Ronghua, and several of his assistants walked up behind Zhang Heng. All of them gradually wore shocked expressions as they read Zhang Heng's calculations and solutions.

About 20 minutes passed and the last key of the symbol was put into the computer. The model on the laptop began to simulate operation. Luo Jincheng stood rooted to the ground like a statue as he looked at the rows of data flashing by. It was as if the data on the computer before him was the only thing that remained.

"I see, I see!"

Luo Jincheng finally snapped out of his trance after some time and laughed out loud. He laughed, yet he began to cry all over again. He continued to laugh as he cried, "This is a truly mature superconductor tokamak. My life is completely worth it! Boohoo… Uncle Ho, you died so early. If you could see this, you would…"

Luo Jincheng's young assistants comforted him right away. All of them had been with Luo Jincheng the whole time, and Zhang Heng had simply brought all of them in as well. That way, Luo Jincheng wouldn't need to work with the new team and would be able to bring out his full potential.

Yan Ronghua took a deep breath and suppressed the shock he felt deep down. While he had accepted the mysteriousness of the organization, he realized that he was still seeing things in the dark after joining the organization. He was unable to find the bottom line of the Stellar Foundation. No one would be surprised if the organization were to come up with advanced interstellar navigation technology tomorrow.

With the problem solved, the assistants adjusted the huge superconducting tokamak before them according to the micro-adjustment plan that Zhang Heng gave them. They then injected deuterium and tritium materials into the vacuum chamber at the center of the tokomak device, getting ready for the third experiment.

Yan Ronghua stood at the back and explained to Zhang Heng, "Both the first and second experiments failed due to unfamiliarity with the technology. The technology is simply too advanced, especially when it comes to ready-made cryogenic superconducting materials. We almost couldn't believe that humans could synthesize something like that. Once the processing methods are announced, it would be enough to bring humanity to the Fourth Industrial Revolution in an instant."

"Fuel infusion complete!" One of the assistants suddenly reported at that moment. The other assistant looked at Yan Ronghua, who nodded and pressed several complex buttons on the control panel behind him. The assistant reported as he pressed the buttons, "Laser ignition preheated. Power locked. Be ready to fire. 10, 9, 8, 7."

"Three, two, one! Fire!"

Buzz!

Everyone felt an irritating buzzing sound coming from the superconducting tokamak device, which disappeared completely in the blink of an eye. All that was left was an almost inaudible rumbling noise, and nothing else seemed out of place.

"100,000 degrees Celsius! Successful ignition! The fuel is waiting for the ionization to begin." That assistant wiped away his cold sweat nervously and continued to report as he looked at the data. "The temperature is rising and the reaction is intensifying. Currently, the core temperature of the vacuum chamber has reached 100,000 degrees Celsius. The first critical point has been reached! The energy booster q is at 001 and is still rising!"

"Increasing output at the moment. 500 thousand degrees Celsius, one million degrees Celsius. The q value has broken past one. We are now self-sufficient. However, the vacuum chamber fuel Bronze is very intense. D-shaped superconducting field magnets are unable to generate sufficient power. Increase output."

Everyone kept getting busy. Only Zhang Heng looked at the data pouring out of his computer like a tidal wave with a calm expression. No one could tell what he was thinking at the moment.

"Increased output. The device is stable. The temperature of the vacuum chamber has reached 10 million degrees at the moment, and the q values are steadily increasing." The assistant was sweating profusely in less than 10 seconds, but he didn't even have time to wipe the sweat off his face as he reported the progress of the operation.

"It's above 100 million degrees! The q values are above 100! We've made history! The ultra-high vacuum chamber is stable! The field coils and polar coils are stable as well!"

By the time he said that, all seven or eight of his assistants were already cheering loudly, hugging and laughing. Every single one of them looked very satisfied and excited.

"The longitudinal coil's temperature is slightly too high, and the liquid helium cooling system increases output." However, Luo Jincheng frowned and said, "It's not considered a success yet. According to the technology provided by Little Zhang, the q value could exceed 10,000."

Everyone stuck their tongues out and went back to work.

"Damage output has been increased by the cooling system. Temperature is currently increasing at 5 million degrees per second, exceeding 100 billion atmospheric pressure."

"700 million degrees… 800 million degrees, 900 million degrees!"

"One billion! The ultra-high-vacuum chamber has reached one billion degrees Celsius! The q value has reached 9,000! The plasma density and time product values have exceeded one trillion! The entire device is stabilized! We've really made it!"

The crowd was unable to contain their excitement any longer and shouted at the top of their lungs. Even Luo Jincheng and the stern-looking Yan Ronghua were unable to contain their excitement and began to hug each other.

Zhang Heng was the only one among the crowd who smiled and left the room quietly.

That historic moment belonged to them.

128. Corona's Energy

In 1939, the American physicist Bate confirmed through experiments that a deuterium nucleus would collide with a tritium nucleus at a very high speed after being accelerated by a accelerator. The two nuclei fused, forming a new nucleus—helium and a free neutron—which released 6 trillion volts of energy in the process, shocking the world. That was the principle behind why the sun burned for 4.5 billion years.

The mechanism of the fusion reactor was very simple. The deuterium and tritium gas mixture, which served as fuel, would be heated to a plasma state. There had to be a vacuum chamber outside the reactor to achieve the first step, and there had to be a binding magnetic field outside that would contain temperatures of hundreds of thousands of kilometers. That was why the superconducting tokamak was invented.

When the temperature of the mixture of deuterium and tritium was high enough to allow the electron to break free from the shackles of the nucleus, the nucleus would be able to move freely. Only then would the nucleus be able to make direct contact.

Then came the second step. In order to overcome the repulsion between the nuclei, the nucleus needed to operate at an extremely fast rate. The simplest way to do so would be to continue to heat up, reaching hundreds of millions of degrees, which would push the Brownian movement to a crazy level.

It was simple after that. The atomic nucleus of the tritium and the nucleus of the deuterium clashed at high temperatures, resulting in a new helium nucleus and a new neutron, which released massive amounts of energy.

The reactor no longer needed to be heated by external sources of energy after a period of time. The temperature of the fusion was high enough for the nucleus to continue to undergo fusion. The nuclear fusion would continue as long as the helium atom nucleus and neutrons were eliminated in time and the new mixture of tritium and deuterium was injected into the reactor. A small portion of the resulting energy would remain in the reactor, maintaining the chain reaction. Most of it could be output and used as energy.

That was what was known as the Energy Boost Factor (q). When the input of energy was equal to the energy generated by the fusion reaction, which meant that the Energy Boost Factor was equal to one, the gains and losses would be about the same. In actual fact, due to the electricity consumption required to create fusion conditions, it would usually require three times the amount of heat generated. As such, when the Energy Boost Factor was equal to three, the gains and losses would be equal.

Nuclear fusion had a huge advantage over fission. Firstly, there was a lot more nuclear fuel stored on Earth than fission, and secondly, it was clean and safe because fusion wouldn't generate radioactive substances that would pollute the environment, which meant that it was clean. Furthermore, the controlled fusion reaction could be carried out steadily in thin gases, which meant that it was safe.

However, while it sounded simple, achieving it would be very, very difficult given the current level of technology. In all of the recorded experiments conducted by humans, they were only able to achieve a very brief reaction. The highest possible reaction that the q could achieve was only 25.

However, Zhang Heng was able to do so after acquiring technology from the Alien plane that was more than 200 years old in real life. He had the technology of cryogenic superconductivity, laser generators that could serve as high-temperature ignition, and mature data regarding nuclear reactors. With so many conditions laid before him, and with Yan Ronghua and Luo Jincheng, two of the top physicists in the world, it was only natural that they would be able to create a mature nuclear fusion device.

All of the power in the laboratory was then replaced by a new nuclear fusion reactor. The power generated per day was 20 million watts per hour, which was about one-tenth of the power generated by the Three Gorges Power Station. Other than a small portion being used in the Honeycomb, the remaining power would be sent to the Marker. Corona began to store the excess power after receiving that portion of power.

What surprised him the most was that he found that, despite being a nuclear reactor capable of generating electricity for four million people every day, he was unable to make Corona activate Level Three at all times, not to mention the highest Level Four state. That amount of electricity could only support her activation of Level Two every 24 hours.

Corona's Level One state was capable of producing a mental magnetic field that covered a radius of one kilometer. Both parties could communicate telepathically within a kilometer.

Corona's level-two state had a radius of 10 times that of 1,000 meters, reaching 10 kilometers. The level-three state had a radius of 100 kilometers, which was more than enough to cover the entire Haizhou.

"I knew it. I'd need the Three Gorges Dam to supply you with all the power you could generate every day in order to maintain your level-three status 24 hours a day." Zhang Heng's jaw dropped. That was despite him using advanced technologies from the Alien plane. Otherwise, even if the human nuclear reactor were to succeed, it wouldn't have been able to generate as much power as his own.

However, Zhang Heng wasn't about to build 10 nuclear reactors just to get Corona to activate Level Three 24 hours a day. There was no point in doing so. He simply told Corona to store the energy instead of running out of energy at critical moments.

Corona's power supply gradually became more abundant, greatly enhancing Zhang Heng's power. In Haizhou, Zhang Heng had become a god to some extent.

…

Zhang Heng was supposed to be resting in his dorm on the B2nd floor three days later. He had been in the underground base for two weeks.

The clones from India had arrived as well. To save time, Thompson sent the 'research clones' and 'engineering clones' from the center of the clones. There were over 200 clones living in the underground laboratory at the moment, and 79 researchers were invited to the headhunting expedition, which added up to over 300.

As for the families of the kidnapped researchers, they were all temporarily placed in a residential area seven to eight kilometers away from the Stellar Technology building. Zhang Heng bought over a hundred villas there and spent nearly a billion yuan on them.

The disappearance of scientists was a hot topic all over the world, and the families of those scientists who went missing as well had to stay out of the limelight as much as possible. Zhang Heng had Corona activate Level Two every 24 hours in order to prevent those people from being discovered, and he also warned those people not to leave their neighborhoods and go shopping. If they insisted on going, they would be followed by at least three cloning warriors.

That put the clone warriors in a lot of trouble. There were less than 50 clone warriors who followed Zhang Heng back to Haizhou, with five of them killed in the slaughter of the plane. Of the remaining 45, 15 headed to Chongzhou to secretly protect Zhang Heng's parents and sister, while the remaining 30 had to protect over 100 people 24 hours a day. Even the DSF team had to stop training for the time being.

However, that was not a long-term solution. Zhang Heng planned to persuade the family members of the researchers to undergo microsurgery and alter their appearances a little. That would ensure that nothing went wrong.

Such a huge team would definitely be able to generate a lot of supplies and trash if they were to set up in the underground laboratory. The underground laboratory would not have opened before the Stellar Building opened for business, but with Corona's protection, producing trash was no longer a problem.

Lawrence's batch of precision processing lathes and production lines had been smuggled in without a care. All of those technologies had been sealed away by the West against Huaxia. If it hadn't been for Lawrence, it would have taken Zhang Heng a lot of effort to get his hands on those production lines that were able to manufacture precise nano components.

Those lathes were used to create all manner of high precision equipment, which further augmented the hive's technological prowess. The entire hive looked like it was being operated by a precision machine.

Everything in the laboratory gradually got on track. Just when Zhang Heng was about to be freed from his busy schedule, Corona suddenly appeared in the independent hostel on the B2nd floor and said to Zhang Heng, who was still training, with a troubled look on her face.

"Commander, the xenomorphs in laboratory B7-2 have basically successfully evolved into the queen of the xenomorphs, but… there seems to be some trouble."

129. Alien Escape

"A little trouble?"

"It broke through the biological barrier and attacked the wall, trying to escape from the laboratory. I froze it with a lot of liquid nitrogen." Corona lowered her head in embarrassment. "But all the equipment in the laboratory was destroyed."

"Where are Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai? Are they alright?" Zhang Heng frowned. If something were to happen to those two national treasure scientists, he would feel very sorry for them.

"No, no. I ordered the two of them to leave the laboratory when I saw the xenomorphs attacking the biohazard zone, before sealing the entire laboratory."

"That's good to hear." Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "As long as no one is killed, that's good enough. But then again, isn't the reinforced glass of the biological quarantine room very tough? Even a bazooka wouldn't be able to penetrate it. How could the xenomorphs break through?"

"That xenomorph absorbed your DNA in the first place. Its power is three times that of regular xenomorphs. Furthermore, after becoming the queen of xenomorphs, the quarantine room collapsed like a piece of paper," Corona said.

"I got it. I'll be right there." Zhang Heng jumped out of the treadmill and went to the bathroom to take a quick shower before putting on some clean clothes and leaving the room.

"Chief Zhang."

"Your Excellency."

"Chairman Zhang."

All the researchers who were 'invited' to the event greeted Zhang Heng on the way. Zhang Heng announced to them that he was the spokesperson of the Golden Foundation, just like those organizations.

Zhang Heng had been working hard to make the foundation into something like a mysterious organization with supernatural powers, with a very deep background and terrifying power. In truth, everyone was intimidated by Zhang Heng, but most of the credit was not due to his management, but due to all the advanced technologies that he had developed.

Zhang Heng nodded every time someone greeted him. He quickly boarded the elevator and headed for the deepest floor of B7.

"Beep, beep, beep!"

All of a sudden, the watch on Zhang Heng's wrist emitted a notification on his phone. That communication device was just some kind of gadget found in the Alien plane. Every researcher in the hive had a piece of it, as it was impossible for there to be any signal underground. Furthermore, it was also impossible for Zhang Heng to allow those people to stay in contact with the surface. As such, a communication device became very necessary.

The wristwatch was capable of distinguishing the wearer from the wearer through sound and iris. It also carried a miniature 3-dar technology, which projected the image of the wearer on the wristwatch through a 3-d projection, making it look like a miniature person was standing on the wristwatch.

Zhang Heng tapped his wristwatch lightly and a bald image appeared on it.

"Chief Zhang, the xenomorphs are out." The bald Feng Lun wore a bitter expression and looked rather frightened. It seemed that the power displayed by the xenomorphs had given him quite a shock.

"I know. I'm on my way. I'll be there soon." Zhang Heng nodded.

"Good." The 3D image on his watch nodded and disappeared with a beep.

Zhang Heng didn't waste any more time and headed straight for the elevator on the B7 floor. He saw the DSF troops wearing heavy-duty infantry armor standing at the door of the elevator as soon as the doors opened. All 10 of them were holding pulse rifles as they sealed off the entire B7 floor, waiting for Zhang Heng to arrive.

"Commander!"

Zhang Heng nodded slightly. Feng Lun, Kong Zhongcai, and several of his assistants were blocked at the elevator doors. When they saw Zhang Heng, they ran up to him and said, "Director Zhang, these people won't let us in!"

"They're all special forces with B5 access and have the authority to handle any accidents that happen in the foundation," Zhang Heng explained. "It's very dangerous for the xenomorph queen to break out of control, so you guys don't need to get involved."

"Alright then, but please don't kill it." Kong Zhongcai wore a bitter expression and continued, "I assume that such mystical creatures are very rare. It would be a pity if you were to kill them. It would be a huge loss to the scientific community."

"Relax, we'll take care of this matter." Zhang Heng smiled. If he knew how dangerous the xenomorphs could multiply, he probably wouldn't have said something like that. "I'd like to apologize to everyone now. Level B7 needs to be sealed for the time being. Please return to Level B6 and above. We'll take care of everything in a few days."

It was only then that the scientists reluctantly left the B7 floor. Once that group of people left, Corona immediately blocked all access to the elevator to the B7 floor. No one would be able to reach the B7 floor unless Zhang Heng personally gave the lift permission.

Zhang Heng asked Gu Zhan after seeing the scientists off, "How's the situation inside?"

"The Empress has been frozen and is in no danger." Corona appeared before Gu Zhan could say anything.

"In that case, let's go in." Zhang Heng headed straight for Laboratory B7-2 first. The door and walls of the laboratory looked completely intact from the outside. The barrier, which was five meters thick, was not something that xenomorphs could break through. Even the queen of the xenomorphs, which had been enhanced by the T-Virus, was unable to do so. The only reason why he cleared the B7 floor was just to be safe.

"Open it."

Zhang Heng put on the suit as well and the barriers were quickly opened one after another. An indescribable chill ran down the spines of the laboratory as the last layer was opened. Despite his physique, he still shuddered.

The cooling function of the suit was turned on and Zhang Heng walked into the laboratory. A thick layer of frost was seen on the walls of the laboratory. Countless tools and equipment were reduced to scrap metal, making it look as if a huge beast was wreaking havoc in the laboratory.

That was indeed the case. In the center of the laboratory that was over a kilometer square, there was a huge black beast that was over 10 meters long and two meters tall lying on the ground.

That frozen behemoth had a black exoskeleton and a huge crown had grown out of the top of its head. The huge fan-shaped structure extended all the way to its back, tightly protecting its head. Its mouth could even be shrunk into the crown at critical moments to be protected.

Its teeth were no longer metallic in color. Instead, they had turned an even more bizarre translucent color. They were no longer flat teeth that looked like those of humans, instead, they had turned into razor-sharp fangs.

The four tube-like respiratory organs on its back had completely turned into four spikes that shot into the sky. The spikes were long and sharp, and when combined with the huge fan-shaped crown on its head, it exuded an overbearing, bloodthirsty aura.

Its legs were no longer the main joints of a human, but the reverse joints of a beast. Due to the massive size of its crown, it was no longer able to crawl on all fours like it did when it was young. It could only walk on its hind legs like the Tyrant Wyrm, which was why its legs had evolved into reverse joints.

That hideous and terrifying beast was lying flat on the floor at the moment. Despite being frozen, Zhang Heng still felt his heart pounding against his chest. It was obvious that he was no match for that monster in terms of raw strength.

If it hadn't been for the fact that he knew that it was a xenomorph, he would have thought that he had seen a Frost Dragon from the Burning Legion.

Other than the fact that it had no wings, the xenomorph's size had far exceeded Zhang Heng's imagination. In his memory, the xenomorph queen was only about four meters tall and seven to eight meters long. When the xenomorph queen stood up, she was at least seven meters tall, taller than a Tyrannosaurus.

It was a monster that would only appear in nightmares.

Everyone looked at each other and saw the helplessness in each other's eyes.

What was he supposed to do with that monster? Should he continue to increase the thickness of the quarantine room? But then again, no amount of reinforced glass would be able to withstand such a monster's prolonged charge.

"Why don't we use some kind of special machinery to hold it in place and prevent it from breaking free, then place it in a thick isolation room?" Adam suggested all of a sudden.

"That sounds like a good idea." Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. He couldn't help but recall the first movie of the 'Xenomorph Fighter'. That was what happened in that movie, where the queen was bound by machinery when she was free and frozen. The queen was then thawed and laid eggs when she was free, making her look like a hen laying eggs.

Zhang Heng agreed without hesitation.

130. The Pregnant Queen

Zhang Heng then shut down B7-2 Biopharmaceuticals again. Liquid nitrogen was injected into the laboratory to maintain ultra-low temperatures, ensuring that the xenomorph queen would not thaw and wake up.

Zhang Heng and Corona activated Laboratory B7-3 and employed over a hundred construction clones to modify Laboratory No. 3, turning the laboratory into a biological laboratory specifically designed to hold xenomorphs.

Laboratory B7-3 was completely modified three days later. The three workshops in the laboratory were connected and a biohazard holding the xenomorph queen was welded to a wall.

The quarantine room was still made of reinforced glass, which served as a wall and an observation window. However, the number of floors had been increased yet again, and the observation window was eventually thickened to three meters without affecting his vision, making it look like an impregnable fortress.

There was a cage-like contraption inside the quarantine room, which was made up of many hydraulic mechanical arms and springs. The frozen queen was transported to the room and then locked in those metal clamps and shackles.

The entire structure of the cage was made of tungsten gold. The tungsten gold was known to possess both titanium flexibility and sapphire hardness, making it one of the toughest alloys that humans could find at the moment.

The Mo Clan's hardness of tungsten gold was between 8 and 9mm, and 10mm, which was close to a natural diamond, was five times that of stainless steel and four times that of titanium alloy. It was practically indestructible.

The tungsten metal was highly resistant to wear and corrosion after being processed through special processes. The room temperature was stretched between 1100 to 1200pas, which meant that it could reach the strength of high-intensity titanium alloy.

That was the best material that Zhang Heng was able to find. To ensure greater safety, he even applied a layer of high-density anti-corrosion coating on the tungsten gold. With double protection, the queen of the xenomorphs wouldn't be able to escape easily, no matter how powerful she was.

Feng Lun and Kong Zhong waited for three days before they received the order to enter the B7 floor again. They made their way to the B7 floor without stopping for a moment. Both biologists were filled with unparalleled fanaticism when faced with strange creatures like xenomorphs, which had never been seen before and were capable of overturning biology.

"Laboratory B7-3?" Kong Zhongcai read the message sent by Corona. Laboratory B7-3 was located diagonally across from the second lab that they worked in before. There were four laboratories in the entire B7 floor, making it very easy to find.

The two of them went to the door of Laboratory No. 3 and entered their identities. They were surprised to find that there was no need for disinfection after entering the laboratory.

"Indeed, there is a biopharmaceutical ward around, and we're not researching viruses. As long as we're not in the same room, there is no need for disinfection," Feng Lun said.

It was only when the two of them entered the door that they found the laboratory to be a lot wider. It took up an area that looked like a lobby, and the lighting was very bright. There was also a window on the wall—the window was some kind of decoration, and the virtual 3D projection technology was included in the window. If one were to look out through the glass of the window, they would be able to see tall buildings outside. The sun was shining brightly, making it look like they were actually in a skyscraper.

Seven to eight researchers were writing and drawing outside the window, recording something. However, none of that was enough to catch their attention. All of them turned their attention to the huge observation window formed by the entire wall right away. There was a huge xenomorph queen whose limbs and neck were locked and suspended in midair.

The xenomorph queen was 13 meters long and its tail alone was seven meters long. The xenomorph's unique bony tail exuded explosive power, yet the tip of the tail was also locked, preventing it from exerting any force.

The queen's massive body was struggling in midair. Everyone could hear the deafening roar of dissatisfaction from the creature through the audio equipment.

"That's great! That way, I wouldn't have to worry about being attacked even if I were to get into the isolation room!" Feng Lun clapped his hands excitedly when he saw that. "I've been wanting to touch that thing for a while now!"

Zhang Heng had just entered the laboratory at that moment, and he couldn't help but purse his lips after hearing what Feng Lun said. He guessed that only scientists like him would be able to look like children seeing toys after seeing the xenomorphs.

"I'd advise the two of you not to do that," Zhang Heng said helplessly. "I'm still not sure if such a device would be able to lock it down. All the data suggests that xenomorphs have very high intelligence after evolving to become queens. They could even set traps. It would be bad if this is a trap."

"Don't worry about it. If the tungsten gold can't even keep it locked, there wouldn't be anything in the world that could keep it trapped." Feng Lun waved his hand and shot a displeased look at Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng's lips twitched and he was rendered completely speechless by Feng Lun's twisted logic.

"What's our next experiment target? Do you have a plan?" Kong Zhong saw that Zhang Heng looked rather embarrassed and changed the subject. "That thing is full of treasures. We'll definitely find a way to research it thoroughly."

"The next step is to find a way to make it lay eggs." Zhang Heng became serious and snapped his fingers. Corona appeared on a hanging screen on the wall of the laboratory.

"That's right. The xenomorphs are a single type of reproductive organism that can reproduce the next generation without having to mate. However, only the queen has the right to reproduce the next generation."

Everyone wore serious expressions and turned their heads to look at the screen. As long as one reached the level B4 security of the foundation, they would be able to learn of Corona's existence. Of course, they were only limited to knowing that Corona was an intelligent lifeform that could travel through the internet. They had no idea that Corona's true ability was to control the human brain.

Corona might seem slow when it came to emotions, but when it came to logic and knowledge, she was at the level of an encyclopedia. Even renowned scientists like Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai dared not say that there was anything wrong with her logic.

"The xenomorph is a completely pernicious creature. The first stage consists of four stages, consisting of eggs, facehuggers, parasitic embryos, and embryos. The Empress, on the other hand, is in the fifth stage, which is also known as either the evolution stage or the atavism stage. Generally, the stages are not included," Corona explained on the screen.

"However, if the queen wants to reproduce, she would need to grow an organization called the 'eggbuster' in her stomach. That kind of organization isn't some kind of exoskeleton structure like her body, but a kind of purely muscle and fat structure. That organization is connected to the queen's stomach, and the eggbuster could expand to a diameter of seven to eight meters by the time it matures, just like the termite queen. The eggbuster could even exceed the queen's body."

"However, the first thing to ensure that the queen is able to lay eggs is that she is not to be disturbed. That is because the eggshell is some kind of extraterrestrial tissue. As such, the queen could choose to break free from the eggshell when her life was at risk, escape or fight. If she were to break free, she would become the most lethal killer in the entire lair."

Corona concluded, "So, the next step of our plan is to get the queen to give birth to the eggs first. Then, we could begin to unravel the mystery of the xenomorphs from the most basic structure of the eggs."

Feng Lun initially wanted to argue with Zhang Heng for a bit, but Zhang Heng rejected his suggestion without hesitation. In the end, Feng Lun could only sigh and give up his desire to get close to the empress.

However, no matter what they did for the next three days, none of them were able to get the queen to lay eggs. Not only that, the queen stopped eating after being hung in the air and locked in place. Even when the clone protecting the xenomorph ward delivered the food to the queen's mouth with the inverted mechanical arm, the queen only turned her head away in a tsundere manner, or simply attacked the mechanical arm in a fit of rage without eating.

That bitter xenomorph queen actually went on a hunger strike…

Zhang Heng's expression looked very weird, while Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai looked even weirder. That xenomorph queen knew how to go on a hunger strike?

The two of them finally became anxious after starving for about five to six days. They began to stir the meat into a mushy mess and forced it into the queen's mouth. The method worked and the queen's stomach began to swell after just two to three days.

A pale yellow blob of flesh began to grow on the chest of the xenomorph a week later. The blob of flesh grew larger over the next few days, making it look like the belly of a termite.

That was probably the sign that the xenomorph queen was pregnant.

131. Disease

The crowd concluded that that was probably the reason.

The xenomorph queen had eaten too much and had no means of depleting the heat in her food. The storage in her body was filled with nutrients, and the queen, who was' over-nourished ', had no choice but to begin developing eggs.

The eggshell behind the queen's abdomen grew larger by the day and expanded like a balloon. Within three days, it became a huge blob that was over 10 meters long and three meters in diameter at the thickest part of its body.

That organ was simply too heavy. In order to prevent the eggplant from being torn due to its massive weight, Feng Lun and Kong Zhong discussed and decided to wrap tungsten chains around the eggplant using the hanging mechanical arm, which hung in midair just like the body of the xenomorph queen, with only the end of the egg sticking to the ground. That way, even if the egg were to fall to the ground, it wouldn't be damaged.

Three days later, the xenomorph queen, who had been subjected to the torture of being bound and tortured by two humans, finally gave in to the pain of being bound and began to lay eggs due to over-nourishment.

The research plan for the xenomorphs in the Honeycomb Laboratory was finally on track.

…

Zhang Heng stretched and walked out of the Stellar Technology building.

He had been in the Honeycomb for a whole month and a half. The nuclear fusion reactor was successfully manufactured in the past month, and Corona was no longer plagued by energy problems. While it was still a luxury goal to reach Level Three in less than 24 hours, it was definitely enough.

Furthermore, the research plans for the xenomorphs were on the right track. Zhang Heng assigned over 50 research clones to Feng Lun and Kong Zhong in order to speed things up and help them with some simple physical work.

As for the analysis of the DX-118 Virus, he had no choice but to put it on hold for the time being. The fact that he was only dealing with nuclear fusion and the xenomorph queen was enough to tire him out.

Other than that, there were also all manner of advanced technologies that Zhang Heng had acquired from other planes, such as the T-0 drug, wound glue, ar, vr equipment, and so on. The foreign professors that he had 'invited' to the research department had officially taken over the research and analysis of those fields. When they were able to fully comprehend the principles behind those technologies, they would become the top scientists in the entire human race.

Everything in the Honeycomb was on the right track, and there was no need for Zhang Heng to stay any longer. Furthermore, the building was about to be completed, and it would be time for the Stellar Biotech Corporation to emerge and face the world after it was done.

Zhang Heng drove the Mercedes SUV that Li Yiru specifically bought for him to the residential area of the villa that he bought. The residential area was located in the center of Pudong New Area, Haizhou, which was only seven to eight kilometers away from the Stellar Building. That was the residential area where he bought the villa specifically for the relatives of the scientists he invited.

There were a total of four entrances and exits to the compound, and the security guards there had long been replaced by Zhang Heng's clone army. The clone warrior immediately raised the lift shaft and let the vehicle pass through after seeing Zhang Heng's license plate number.

Zhang Heng picked the best and quietest villa in the district for himself. He parked the car in the front yard and stood at the door for a few seconds before the door opened.

The crystal chandelier in the middle of the living room lit up as soon as Zhang Heng stepped through the door. He stood at the door and looked around, confirming that there were no traps or signs of human activity in the room before entering.

The decorations in the villa were very classic and elegant. The floor was made of mahogany and there was no carpet or anything else on the floor. The walls were covered with pale white wallpaper, and there were flower patterns carved on the walls, which emitted fluorescent lights under the lighting.

The furniture wasn't expensive, but it looked brand new and had a very unique design to it. There was no stuffed cushion or anything else that added to the comfort level, only a natural, simplistic design.

The villa had two floors. The first floor consisted of two guest rooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room. The second floor consisted of three master bedrooms and four functional rooms, which served various purposes.

There was a garden and two parking spaces in the front yard of the villa, and there was a pool in the backyard. The area of the pool was 800 square meters, with a total area of 1,200 square meters.

Zhang Heng took a break on the couch for a bit and smoked two cigarettes before heading to the gym on the second floor to work out.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Zhang Heng ran quickly on the treadmill, his legs shifting so much that he looked like a blur. His stamina and endurance far exceeded that of regular people, and only a special treadmill would be able to meet his growing speed and strength.

The highest speed that the custom-made treadmill in the villa could achieve was 80 kilometers per hour. Zhang Heng's current physique had reached the point where he could sprint for over a kilometer at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour. If he were to calculate his speed in seconds, he would be able to sprint for over a hundred meters and six seconds, which was 3.5 seconds faster than the world record.

As Zhang Heng's physique became increasingly stronger, he began to feel that he was out of the bounds of humanity, especially as he began to feel as if his voice was spreading too slowly. He would often see people opening their mouths, but he would have to wait for quite a while before he was able to hear their voices. Furthermore, everyone's movements seemed to be moving in slow motion in his eyes, and his thought processes had far exceeded the rhythm of this world. His reaction speed had reached 008 seconds after being tested by Corona.

All of that was the reason why Zhang Heng was gradually being cut off from the rest of the world. He had been feeling a throbbing pain in his brain recently, and if he were to concentrate hard enough, he would be able to feel something gathering there, as if it was accumulating. One day, it would burst through his glabella and burst out from the depths of his forehead.

That feeling was very weird, and Zhang Heng even had Corona scan his brain specifically for that reason. Corona's conclusion was that there were signs of mutation in the pineal gland, but such symptoms had never been seen anywhere in the world before. It was impossible to tell if the symptoms were good or bad.

Zhang Heng was still worried and called Yurianne out. Yurianne insisted that it wasn't some kind of disease and that it wouldn't do any harm to the body.

This was the first time Zhang Heng encountered a problem that even Corona was unable to solve. However, since Yurianne assured him that it wouldn't be a bad thing, he didn't dwell on it any further.

However, things were different that day. He felt a warm liquid running from his nose as he was running. He instinctively raised his hand and felt a puddle of blood.

Zhang Heng was stunned. Nosebleed? He never thought that his body would develop such a common disease.

However, just when he thought of that, he felt a stabbing pain in his brain all of a sudden. That stabbing pain felt like something was struggling in his brain, trying to burst out of his brain.

Zhang Heng immediately turned off the treadmill and walked to his bed, covering his head with his hands. He called out to Yurianne as he walked, but for some reason, Yurianne, who was always at his beck and call, never showed up.

As time passed, that stabbing pain became increasingly intense, as if his brain was about to burst out of its cage, becoming an indescribable bloating pain. Even Zhang Heng, who had a very high tolerance, began to show signs of pain.

Any regular person would have passed out from the pain.

However, that was not his limit. The pain continued to intensify as time passed. Eventually, the pain hit him wave after wave, and he was unable to take it anymore. His vision went dark and he passed out completely.

132. Mental Strength Begins!

Zhang Heng felt as if there were stars shining in his eyes the moment he opened them. However, when he took a closer look, he found that his eyes were as dark as the deep blue sky, and that starlight seemed to be an illusion.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and sat up. He didn't suffer from a splitting headache like most people would when they were in a coma. Instead, he felt refreshed, as if he had just had a good night's sleep and every single one of his brain cells was humming with satisfaction.

His mind raced as he replayed everything that happened before he passed out like a movie. Zhang Heng understood what was happening in less than 01 seconds.

"Unconscious, lost contact with Yurianne. What the hell is going on?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and felt rather thirsty all of a sudden. He looked at the cup on the bedside table and reached for it. However, just when his hand was about to touch the cup, the cup actually wobbled for a bit.

It was as if something invisible had dropped into a cup, causing the water in the cup to spray all over the table and the surface of the water to sway.

Zhang Heng's hand froze in midair.

"Spiritual power?"

Zhang Heng's brain operated at a speed that was tens of times faster than that of a regular person's, and he didn't show any signs of being shocked or astonished. Countless possibilities popped up in his mind as his thoughts raced, and after analyzing and eliminating all of them, he concluded that mental power was the most likely possibility.

Zhang Heng wondered if he would gain mental power after injecting himself with the T-Virus. After all, the female lead in the movie, Alice, had the ability to interfere with reality through her thoughts. The female lead in the second movie killed the security guard with just one look at the surveillance screen. The female lead in the third movie controlled the flames to burn down all the infected birds in the air. The fourth movie blew up the concrete floor with just one look.

All of that was a manifestation of the female lead's mental power.

Zhang Heng tried it out when he was bored, but nothing happened. As such, he thought that mental power was just some kind of exaggerated effect seen in movies.

However, he was unable to be sure at the moment. He extended his hand again and attempted to 'reach' for the cup. The water in the cup began to churn violently in the very next second, as if it was boiling. The shaking of the cup became even more intense.

"Arise!" Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and his pupils contracted rapidly. He seemed to feel an invisible arm extending from the depths of his brow and grabbing the cup of water in his hand. That cold feeling—he could even feel that the water was soft and formless.

However, despite exerting all the strength in his brain, the cup only continued to vibrate. It was as if he was a defective patient with weak muscles. He could only shake as he held the cup, unable to lift his hand.

"Pfft. Seems like my mental power is still too weak." Zhang Heng shook his head and eventually gave up on picking up the cup and turned to look at the empty ones on the table.

An empty glass cup vibrated on the table at the very next second and rose into the air, trembling.

Zhang Heng was elated, but that only caused him to lose focus. The glass shattered on the floor with a crash.

"No doubt about it. It is indeed the so-called mental power," Zhang Heng murmured in a low voice. "But it's of little use. I wonder if such power could be enhanced through training. Let's find out why Yurianne didn't show up last night first."

Zhang Heng tried calling Yurianne as he spoke. This time, Yurianne appeared on his retina in flowery pajamas and stretched herself.

"Good morning, host dude!" Yurianne rubbed her watery eyes and said.

"I was in a coma last night. I called for you before I passed out, but you didn't show up," Zhang Heng said with a glum face.

"Yurianne went to bed last night. Besides, host dude, are you alright? Yurianne would definitely show up if something were to happen to you." Yurianne turned her head and said proudly.

"Oh, you knew that I'd be fine before I passed out last night?" Zhang Heng asked in return.

"Of course! Who knows your body better than Yurianne?"

Zhang Heng's mouth twitched and his expression darkened. "Well then, would you mind explaining my current condition to me?"

"Alright then, host dude, since you're being so humble, I guess I'll just have to take a look then!" Yurianne put on a reluctant expression and spun around suddenly, changing her pajamas into a doctor's white coat.

Yurianne took out a stethoscope from her neck and held it up in midair, as if she was testing Zhang Heng's body. Zhang Heng was rendered completely speechless.

"Deng, deng, deng!" Yurianne put away the stethoscope after making a few casual gestures and whipped out another teacher's pointer. A screenshot of a brain section appeared behind her.

"Ring, ring, ring! Yurianne's mother's class is about to begin!" Yurianne's high-pitched, childlike voice echoed in Zhang Heng's ears. "The topic of today's class is: Why did the host dude pass out all of a sudden? We'd like to invite Yurianne, a renowned professor, to answer your questions!" Yurianne transformed yet again as she spoke, taking on the ridiculous image of a bald middle-aged man in a suit.

"Good day, everyone. I'm Yurianne, a renowned professor. Today, I'll be the one to explain to you why the host suddenly fell to the ground and didn't wake up." Yurianne, who had the image of a balding middle-aged man, acted like she was putting on a poor show as she deliberately said in a rough manner, "That's because the potential of the T-Virus is being developed nonstop. Do you all think that the T-Virus is just a way to enhance one's physique? Sinai then!"

She then pointed at the screenshot of the brain behind her with the pointer and pointed at a brownish-red bean-like particle at the back of the center. "The center of the human brain is known as the interstellar brain. The area below the interstellar brain is known as the thoracic brain. The red bean between the interstellar brain and the interstellar brain is known as the 'pineal gland'."

"The pineal gland is the human body's' biological clock 'control center. The human body's intelligence, emotions, and stamina are adjusted by the pineal gland as well. The reason is that the pineal gland would secrete a type of hormone—melatonin, which could affect and interfere with many of the human nerves."

"However, the function of the pineal gland is far from that, as it is limited to scientific and technological means. Your seats are still rather shallow when it comes to the knowledge of the pineal gland. In many civilizations that have a deeper understanding of the human body and the brain, there are all sorts of nicknames for the pineal gland—Eye of Horus, Sixth Sense, Third Sight, and so on."

"The reason is that the power of the pineal gland is a manifestation of a quantum entanglement state. Once activated, one would gain the ability to interfere with reality mentally.

"The plane you're sitting in is in the ancient times, and there was also a period when the human pineal gland didn't degenerate. The human pineal gland at that time wasn't in the brain, but grew in the glabella. You humans call that stage the superpower civilization, which is the famous First Sun Era, the Gendaya civilization."

"Due to the enhancement of the T-Virus being a full-body enhancement, the 'whole body' even includes the brain. As such, your pineal gland has evolved to become tens of times more advanced than that of regular humans, to the point that it is beginning to approach the front part of your forehead bit by bit. That is to say, you are evolving toward civilization in Gendaya! That is why you keep feeling pain in your brain and your nose is suddenly bleeding profusely. Furthermore, those symptoms would also appear every few days, all the way until your pineal gland is fully grown."

"So, when will the pineal gland in my brain finish growing?" Zhang Heng pondered as he listened and couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know about that Yurianne." Yurianne shook her head and continued, "It could be a matter of days, weeks, or even years. That would depend on how far your pineal gland could evolve, but it would be very, very difficult to reach the level of the Gendaya civilization."

133. Mental Strength Training Plan

Zhang Heng couldn't help but narrow his eyes after hearing Yurianne's explanation. Countless thoughts seemed to have been running through his mind, but he quickly quieted down.

Zhang Heng turned around and walked out of the room without a second thought. He washed himself in the bathroom and washed the blood off his face. He then went to the living room and called for Corona.

That was because the order he gave Corona was to activate Level Two within 24 hours. Corona's mental magnetic field could cover a radius of 10 kilometers in Level Two, and Zhang Heng's villa was located in that area.

"Commander!"

Corona was far more obedient than Yurianne, and she appeared before Zhang Heng right after he called out to her. Her image was so similar to that of a real person that Zhang Heng was unable to see any flaws in her.

"Inform the Coronal Logistics Group and have them send me several combinations as soon as possible," Zhang Heng ordered. "I want everything from milligrams to a kilogram. Get me another breakfast."

"Yes, I've given your orders."

40 minutes later, someone knocked on the door of the villa after Zhang Heng was done warming up on the treadmill.

Zhang Heng opened the door and took a huge plastic container and a family bucket from the clone logistics team before returning to his room.

He opened the box and found three rows of solid weight made of stainless steel found in the seams of the box. There were 21 types of weight, ranging from 1g to 500g, and then from 1kg to 20kg. That was the best way for him to test his mental strength.

Zhang Heng gobbled up his breakfast before putting all the chips in a row on the ground. He then stood about 10 meters away and narrowed his eyes at the smallest of the chips.

The weight of a kilogram was practically non-existent. Zhang Heng had just thought of touching the weight of the weight when the weight of a kilogram flew into the air. Zhang Heng extended the weight from left to right and the weight of the weight flew into his palm in the very next second.

There was only one way to describe it—precision.

Compared to the human body, it was impossible for the human body to remain absolutely still, no matter how much training one went through. As such, from cutting vegetables, writing, and even running, to shooting and surgery, the human body would always have the possibility of making mistakes. Even the best marksmen would not dare to say that they were able to hit their targets perfectly.

However, mental power was different. When he manipulated the stainless steel barb with his mental power, he felt that he could reach extreme precision, even reaching micrometers or nanometers, which was even more precise than that of a machine.

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up as those thoughts flashed through his mind. He then looked at the five chips consisting of 2g, 5g, 10g, 20g, and 50g. In the very next second, all five of them were thrown at him at the same time.

Whoosh!

The five chips whistled through the air and shot at Zhang Heng's face at an extremely fast speed. However, the moment they were about to hit his face, the five chips suddenly stopped moving and stopped moving.

"No matter how light the object is, its maximum speed is only about 60 to 70 meters per second. That's more than enough to deal with regular people, but…"

Zhang Heng shook his head and turned his attention to the 100g weight. The thumb-sized weight flew before his eyes with a whoosh and stopped right there and then. However, it was no longer as nimble as before.

"The 100g weight is beginning to affect the precision of my mental power. It seems that my current mental power is only about 70-80g."

Zhang Heng mumbled to himself and looked at the 200g chip. His eyes narrowed slightly as he activated his mental power. He continued to exert maximum control over the chip, but the speed of the chip dropped drastically. It was no more than five meters per second, making it look like he was moving a glass cup in the morning. It was shaking and looked like it would drop to the ground at any moment.

"It looks like 10 meters to 200g is the limit of my mental power's ability to control reality. I wonder just how far that distance would affect me," Zhang Heng mumbled to himself before putting the weight of 1 to 200g in the yard. He then stood in his room and began experimenting.

After a series of experiments, Zhang Heng was able to control objects from a distance of 30 meters at the furthest he could reach in reality. Any object that was over 30 meters away would have a drastic decrease in his control over objects. He would lose control over objects after 50 meters.

However, there was more to the term 'mental power' than just that. Zhang Heng tried to divide his mental power into multiple parts, just like how he drew circles with his left hand and drew cubes with his right. He was able to control the movements of multiple chips in midair, yet he was only able to multitask with his current level of mental power. He was able to control two of the chips to the point that they looked very lifelike, and with one additional chip, his nimbleness was immediately reduced.

If he were to add another one and multitask, the four chips would be rendered completely immobile.

After testing his strength, speed, distance, and number, Zhang Heng was about to proceed with the next step of the test when he felt his legs giving way and his head spinning. Blood gushed out of his nose at the same time.

Zhang Heng was prepared for such a scenario and went straight for the wall, doing some calculations without a care.

"I've consumed about 200 joules of kinetic energy in the past half an hour. That should be the total amount of mental power I could use. That's not a lot, is it?" Zhang Heng calculated for a bit before returning to his bed. He then closed his eyes and began to summon Corona.

Zhang Heng went straight to Corona's virtual space in the very next second.

"Commander, I heard that you've activated your mental power?" Corona appeared before Zhang Heng as soon as they entered the virtual space and asked excitedly.

"That's right." Zhang Heng nodded and seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden. He asked curiously, "Is this ability of mine something similar to that of your mental field?"

"Of course it's different. Mental power is a physical manifestation of quantum power, capable of interfering with matter. My mental magnetic field, on the other hand, is capable of affecting the brainwaves of humans, yet unable to interfere with matter," Corona explained. "Technically speaking, mental power is a power that is even more powerful than my mental magnetic field, as mental powers include but are not limited to interfering with matter. They could also interfere with electromagnetic waves and even interfere with energy. Theoretically speaking, you could use your mental power to create the same virtual space as mine, but I would never be able to interfere with reality."

Zhang Heng was stunned. "You know a lot about mental power?"

"I've gained some understanding after talking to Yurianne." Corona nodded and chuckled. "Actually, mental power training doesn't have to be done in real life. Your brain was able to withstand acceleration of 100 times back then, and it's now able to withstand about 200 times. That is to say that your mental power recovery speed in virtual space is 200 times faster than in real life. Of course, your brain definitely wouldn't be able to withstand acceleration while restoring your mental power at the same time, but there's no need to worry about 50 times."

"So, I could force my brain to generate mental power at 50 times the normal speed?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"That's right. Don't doubt yourself. Your body's potential is very high." Corona encouraged him. "That's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that the high-intensity operation of the pineal gland in your brain will also accelerate the growth rate of your brain after your brain's thought processes accelerate. I suspect that the T-Virus isn't something that would allow everyone to develop mental powers. However, your brain was greatly honed due to your frequent use of virtual space acceleration. As such, you have the opportunity to evolve the pineal gland and develop mental powers!"

Zhang Heng was immediately moved and said with a burning gaze, "I see. One could train one's mental power in virtual space and could even stimulate the pineal gland to continue developing and evolving. Very well, let's do that then."

"Do you need me to come up with a mental training plan for you? I can help you improve your mental power as efficiently as possible." Corona's face was flushed with excitement as she looked at Zhang Heng encouragingly.

Zhang Heng was just about to agree when he seemed to have recalled something and his expression changed drastically all of a sudden. He gasped and backed away, looking at Corona warily.

"Y-y-you… you're going to set up training plans for me again?"

"Commander, mental power training is different from combat training. You don't need to be afraid." Corona chuckled and continued, "You can try it out first."

"No way! Don't even think about it!"

134. Cold-blooded Training

Zhang Heng stood at the edge of a cliff with a glum look on his face.

In the end, he was unable to resist the temptation of becoming stronger. While he would definitely suffer a fate worse than death in Corona's training, he would rather suffer a fate worse than dying somewhere in the future.

There was no such thing as a free lunch in the world. He would only be able to find a sense of security if he were to frantically strengthen himself. He would only be able to reap what he had sown in the future if he were to be able to endure all that suffering.

The cliff at that moment was the first training ground designed for him by Moonflower.

"Commander, I've designed a total of four lessons for you regarding mental power training. However, all four lessons complement each other and the benefits of training at the same time would be far greater than training one-on-one."

Corona was standing at the edge of the cliff. She wore a t-shirt with a cat design on the upper half of her body and a pair of blue pants made of thick, velvety material that exposed her long, slender legs. She looked at Zhang Heng with a grin.

"Accelerate brain activity. There are four types of training methods for enhancing mental power: psyche perception training, precision control training, multitasking training, and mental stimulation training.

"The so-called mental training is to spread your mental power out in all directions and release your mental power to the best of your ability, enabling your mental power to fill the space around you as far away as possible. At that moment, every blade of grass, every blade of grass, and every movement of grass around you would be under your control. When you take the release of your mental power as a habit, such that your mental power wouldn't dissipate even when you're sleeping, you'll realize that the mental power would become your sixth sense, which could even save your life at crucial moments."

Zhang Heng was stunned. "Isn't that what you call consciousness? It's something that would only appear in cultivation, no? How could one's mental power reach such a level?"

"Nothing is impossible. According to the potential of mental power, this is just a very basic application."

Corona shook her head and continued, "The next step would be precision training, which is to train mental power to interfere with the precision of the material world. Commander, you know that everything is made up of several basic forms—solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma. If you're able to control solid, why can't you control liquid or even gaseous?"

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up right away. That line alone was enough to prove that he hadn't suffered in vain.

"Controlling air to form a vacuum or wind blade is, of course, one of the ways to use mental power. It's just that controlling air is far more difficult than controlling solid or liquid." Corona continued, "Furthermore, is controlling gas the limit?"

"No, this is just the beginning!"

"As everyone knows, everything in this world is made up of molecules and atoms. Could mental power control molecules and atoms as well? The answer is of course yes!"

"As such, the precision of mental power interference in the material world is divided into macroscopic and microscopic levels. Macroscopic levels include matter such as solids, liquids, gases, and so on. The microscopic level consists of molecules, atoms, and atoms. When you reach a point where you can control even an atom nucleus, you will be able to generate nuclear fusion with your mental power alone, or you will be able to control all the particles in a single matter to enter a state of stagnation. That object will reach absolute zero in an instant, which is equivalent to controlling time.

Zhang Heng felt a rumble in his mind. It was the first time he realized that a mental power that was so common in his fantasy world had such tremendous potential.

"Of course, it would be very difficult to achieve the level of being able to control particles at the microscopic level or even at the atomic nucleus level. Not only would it require a massive amount of mental power, but it would also require computational power comparable to that of supercomputers. But do you really think that's the highest level of mental power usage? No!"

Corona continued to speak in a bewitching tone, "Mental power is not only capable of interfering with matter, it also possesses the ability to interfere with energy. That is to say, when your ability progresses from being able to control microscopic particles, it is very possible for you to reach the level of being able to control energy! Electromagnetic waves, mechanical waves, light waves! You could even cause the vacuum to decay with a single thought, traverse Swaxi's throat in a single leap, and travel through countless planes as you please!"

Zhang Heng gasped and was rendered completely speechless.

"Of course, the last line of thought would only be theoretically achievable. If you want to reach that stage, your mental power would be able to destroy the sun with a single thought. There's no need for you to indirectly control the decay of the vacuum to destroy the sun."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "Don't talk about speculations that are no different from fantasy. You've mentioned two of the four training methods, but what are the other two?"

"The other two types of training would be considered very common. The third type would be multitasking training. I'll create a unique setting specifically designed to help you with multitasking training. Take our arms for example. A person would only have one pair of arms, but if you had two, wouldn't you have a greater advantage when you're doing things? What if you had three or even four pairs of arms?"

"That's why multitasking training is the most intuitive way of enhancing mental power. The three methods would be best to complement each other and work together."

"Then, there is the last training method, which is also the most painful one—the mental stimulation training method. By constantly stimulating your emotions, your brain cells will always be at their most active state. That is the simplest yet most painful training method. It could accelerate the growth of your mental power, but it could easily lead to mental disorder. Of course, if you were to train well, your will would become as hard as steel instead."

Zhang Heng mulled over what Corona said and frowned all of a sudden. "I can understand the first three methods, but how do I stimulate the last one? Electroconvulsive therapy?"

"I'll have to ask you then. What do you think is the most primitive and direct emotion that humans have?" Corona asked in return.

"There are four types of primitive human emotions—joy, sorrow, anger, and fear," Zhang Heng answered.

"So, what is the strongest emotion among the four primitive emotions?"

Zhang Heng was silent for a moment before saying with a weird expression, "The strongest emotion humans have is… fear."

"That's it then!" Corona clapped her hands and flashed a charming smile. "The oldest and most intense emotion humans have is fear, and the oldest and most intense fear is the unknown! Endless fear and the unknown are the only keys to the evolution of your brain!"

"But, isn't it too difficult to make me feel fear?" Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "Given my mental fortitude, I wouldn't feel fear even if you were to put a xenomorph before me. What should I do?"

"Commander, you're mistaken." Excitement was seen in Corona's eyes and her face was flushed with excitement. "Your efficiency alone is too low. You won't be able to change anything even if you were to experience fear hundreds or even hundreds of times. But I can do it. I can let you experience the fear of hundreds or even thousands of people!"

"What!?" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and his expression became serious. "You're saying…"

"I could pull many people into virtual spaces, enabling them to experience endless terror, despair, and the unknown in virtual spaces, just like how you pulled Joshua and Yan Ronghua into the virtual spaces. If you want to make those people feel more fear and the unknown, you only need to design more comprehensive details to do so."

Corona looked at Zhang Heng with a burning gaze and continued, "There's not much value in killing someone who feels endless fear and despair. The only way to do that is to guide them step by step, gradually elevating a person's vigilance, fright, fear, hope, and despair to the next level. When one finally feels despair, it would be like falling into endless hell. That kind of despair and fear is like an ocean that could drown a person…"

Corona's eyes sparkled as she explained, just like a little girl who had found a doll that she liked the most. However, the words that came out of her mouth made even Zhang Heng, who was used to life and death situations, shudder. "You might need to experience the despair and fear of thousands of people before you could achieve the goal of training your brain and accelerating your mental growth."

"Your willpower will be honed to be as tough as steel. That is the true mental stimulation training!"

Zhang Heng gasped and frowned. "Well then, what would happen to those who were dragged into the virtual space?"

"Death." Corona continued to explain, "The subconscious of humans is a very mysterious thing. When humans think that they would die, there is a very high chance that they would actually die. The reality of the virtual space is infinitely close to 100 percent, making it no different from reality. If they were to die in the virtual space, their subconscious in reality would also think that they died for real."

"Dead?" Zhang Heng frowned and asked, "So, are you able to protect their minds?"

They were innocent people, after all. No matter how cold-blooded Zhang Heng was, he still found it difficult to convince himself when faced with the lives of people who had nothing to do with him.

"If I were to protect them, their mental states would lose the effect of training you." Corona looked at Zhang Heng with a puzzled look. "Are you hesitating? Are you concerned about the fate of those humans? I'm sorry, but if hurting your kind willfully displeases you, I could cancel the training program."

Zhang Heng fell completely silent. He simply frowned and lit a cigarette before taking a deep breath. It took him about 10 minutes to raise his head and look into Corona's eyes.

135. Reincarnation Space

"Cancel? Why should I do that? Efficiency is the priority," Zhang Heng said. "Corona, you did the right thing. Everyone is entitled to pity, but I'm the only one who didn't. If I were to hesitate and pity you now, what about the next plane mission? What about the human calamity that would come someday? What would I be able to resist? What would humans be able to resist?"

"As for the so-called sacrifice, I'm not going to sacrifice anyone, and I have no right to sacrifice anyone. I'm just putting an opportunity before them, and it's up to them to decide what to do."

There was no longer any hesitation in Zhang Heng's eyes when he said that. He waved his hand and the cliff beneath his feet began to rumble and flatten, turning into an average-looking hill in the blink of an eye. There were dozens of dark houses behind the hill, all of which looked like abandoned houses that had been out of maintenance for years, forming a rather eerie-looking abandoned village.

Zhang Heng took a closer look and felt rather satisfied with what he saw. He took a step and appeared halfway up the hill in the very next second. His gaze swept across the ground and a pool of water appeared halfway up the hill. One of the cisterns poured down the hill like a rainbow.

Zhang Heng then set up a graveyard at the top of the hill. There was an ordinary city at the bottom of the hill, but the city looked like a mirage. While one could see it from the top of the hill, they would never be able to reach their destination.

At last, a rugged mountain path wound its way down from the top of the mountain, passing by a small village at the back of the mountain, then passing by a pond halfway up the mountain, before finally reaching the main road at the bottom of the mountain.

That hill was only about seven to eight hundred meters tall, but the path was winding and bumpy. It would take at least three to four hours to walk down the hill.

Zhang Heng looked at the water after finding that there were no more flaws to be found. He narrowed his eyes and a woman in blue slowly appeared in the water before quickly sinking back into the water.

He quickly and effectively designed the world before turning to look at Corona behind him. "How about it? What do you think of the scene I've designed? Does it feel eerie? The mental stimulation training would be quite effective, wouldn't it?"

"Commander, may I refuse to answer that question?" Corona asked seriously.

"…"

Zhang Heng glared at Corona, feeling rather speechless. He looked down at his watch and ordered, "It's about time. Activate Level Three and send out the invitation letters throughout Haizhou. The age requirement is between 18 and 40 years old, regardless of gender. Make sure that the number of people attending the first round is fewer. We'll stop the invitation once there are five people present."

"Five people confirmed. Age: 18-40. Gender unlimited," Corona repeated. Dozens of people's phones, computers, tablets, and other electronic equipment were displayed on all of Haizhou City in the very next second. Regardless of what they were doing before, the screen flickered and a black invitation appeared out of nowhere. There were four blood-red words written on the invitation—

Death Contract!

The font was so bloody that it looked like blood was flowing in it.

Such words would run through the minds of everyone who saw the contract at the same time. "I'd like to play a game with you. I'd like to use your life as a bargaining chip and experience countless soul-stirring legends in the 'space of reincarnation'. From then on, your life would no longer be dull and mundane. Your time would go from being worthless to being as precious as gold. Whether you would perish in oblivion or live forever in flames, the answer lies with you."

All over Haizhou City, five people had looks of excitement on their faces and they all reached out to click on the invitation letter at the same time. The next second, all five of them blacked out and fell unconscious at the same time.

At the same time, those who received the invitation but chose to reject it or were unable to make the choice in time felt dazed all of a sudden. By the time they recovered from their dazed state, the invitation letter on the screen before them had disappeared and they seemed to have forgotten that there was an invitation letter before.

The entire Haizhou City was still operating like a precise machine. Other than the chosen ones themselves, no one else knew that five people's consciousnesses had left their bodies and arrived in another mysterious world.

…

The silhouettes of five people appeared out of nowhere in the graveyard at the top of the mountain. All of them had their eyes closed and were lying on the dirty ground.

Corona nodded at Zhang Heng and disappeared, leaving Zhang Heng standing before the five of them in the blink of an eye.

The five of them were the chosen ones who had chosen to bet their own fates and accepted the invitation from the Death Contract. The Death Contract promised that as long as they were able to survive in the 'space of reincarnation', they would be able to earn countless amounts of money, be it potions that could alter their physiques, or even martial arts that surpassed reality.

Corona was sent directly to the brains of those people through their consciousness. Under hypnosis, the choices made by those people were their true desires, and there was no such thing as coercion or deceit.

Zhang Heng looked at the five of them with mixed emotions. Strictly speaking, the five of them were the same type of people as he was. All of them were people who wanted to get out of reality and make a name for themselves. Furthermore, the five of them were probably even more courageous than he was in the past, as he was the one who forced himself to accept the Dimensional Star back then, while the five of them knew very well that they were about to die, yet they still chose to gamble with their lives.

That was courage.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but think of himself. If he hadn't run into the Dimensional Star and run into that invitation letter like the five of them, would he have had the courage to take the test of the invitation letter?

Furthermore, none of those people would have thought that, even if they were able to complete countless tests, overcome countless vicious crises, and gain wealth and power that would allow them to rise above the masses, they were still rats in Zhang Heng's eyes, or rather, playthings.

Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something at that thought and his pupils contracted all of a sudden. However, that thought was quickly suppressed and he hid it in the deepest part of his consciousness, where he was able to control himself very well.

Zhang Heng calmed himself down and observed the five of them in silence. There were three men and two women among the five. One of the two women looked to be in her late teens and was wearing a camouflage suit. Her hair was tied up in a cap, revealing her fair neck and earlobes, which gave her a youthful vibe.

It was obvious that the girl was a freshman from some university. It just so happened that she was there to participate in the military training due to school reopening. However, it was only the 25th of August and there were still several days before school reopened on the 1st of September. It was unknown which school the students from that school were so unlucky.

The other woman looked like a white-collar worker. One could tell from her accessories and attire that she was still single.

As for the three men, there was nothing to observe. The youngest of the three seemed to be a college student, wearing glasses and looking very scholarly. One of the other two looked to be in his twenties, about the same age as Zhang Heng, but he had a head full of yellow hair and wore an earring with lip balm on it. The most ridiculous thing about him was that he had a lip stud on his mouth, which made him look very ugly.

The last man looked to be in his thirties and wore a white shirt with a name tag on it. He was dressed in the same white-collar attire as that woman, but there wasn't much else in Haizhou City other than white-collar workers.

The reason why population selection had to be between 18 and 40 years old was that those under 18 years of age had yet to fully develop, while those over 40 years of age would experience a significant drop in stamina. Both of those types of people would be committing suicide if they were to come to the virtual space.

The man in the designer white shirt on the ground blinked and slowly woke up.

The space of reincarnation was officially activated.

136. Samsara Space 2

Cheng Yi bolted upright.

The world before and after he lost consciousness was all over the place, causing his mind to be thrown into chaos for less than a second. However, he woke up in the very next second.

Where was he?

Cheng Yi looked around cautiously and his heart sank when he saw the four unconscious people around him.

He then saw a young man standing to his left. The young man had a medium build and had his back facing him, as if he was watching the scenery. The young man had one hand in his pocket and the other was holding a cigarette.

Cheng Yi stood up slowly and looked at her warily. "Hello, may I know where this is and why I'm here?"

The mysterious young man turned around and it was only then that Cheng Yi realized that the young man before him looked very average, yet he had a mysterious air about him that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

The young man wore a puzzled expression on his face and pointed at his head as he chuckled and said, "Think about it. 'It' should have imprinted everything in your brain."

Cheng Yi was stunned. He only remembered that he was writing programming in his office. However, a contract with black and red words appeared on the screen all of a sudden and he fell unconscious. He was there when he woke up.

Wait, that doesn't seem to be the case…

Cheng Yi's eyes were completely blank, as if he had heard a voice before he passed out. That voice awakened the yearning deep in his heart, promising him that as long as he signed the contract and went through life and death situations, he would be able to earn countless amounts of money, or achieve countless dreams that he could never achieve in real life.

However, everything would be for naught if he were to die.

He then signed a contract named 'Death Contract'.

A tinge of clarity flashed across Cheng Yi's eyes. He looked around and was shocked. "Where are we now? And who are you?"

It was only then that the mysterious young man looked at Cheng Yi formally. His eyes seemed to be filled with pity and indifference.

"Newbie, watch what you say. We just happened to form a team. I'm not sure if you'll be able to survive this mission. I'm not interested in introducing myself to a dead man."

"You…" Cheng Yi gritted his teeth. However, due to his cautious nature, he didn't rush up to her.

The college student with the blonde hair and Scroll's heavy breathing woke up at the same time.

"Damn it! Where are we?" That blonde man frowned and stood up casually before spitting on the ground. "Damn it, don't let me find out who did this. I'll skin him alive!"

The college student, on the other hand, looked flustered as he kept checking out Cheng Yi and the young man before him. He then took out his phone and played with it for a bit before wearing a bitter expression.

The other two women woke up a few seconds later as well. When the woman with the white collar saw what was happening around her, she shrieked as loud as a pig being butchered. Everyone was shocked and even that mysterious young man took a second look at her.

The last girl, who was dressed in a camouflage suit, was a lot calmer. She took out her phone silently, seemingly wanting to confirm something. She neither made a scene nor showed any signs of panic.

"Alright, stop yelling. There are no kidnappers here. We're just like you, appearing here all of a sudden!" Cheng Yi couldn't help but tell that white-collar woman.

"F * * k, so you're saying that you're not a kidnapper? Then why didn't you faint when we passed out?" The blonde grinned and said.

Cheng Yi's expression darkened. "What did you just say? Who are you to call me a kidnapper? Don't you know that this is the Samsara Space?"

"What the hell kind of space is this? All conmen know how to talk sense!" The blonde chuckled coldly and continued, "If you don't tell me the truth, I'm going to punch you in the face. I'm telling you, I'm not going easy on you!"

The two of them became increasingly furious as they talked, and they looked like they were about to fight.

The mysterious young man walked up to the two of them all of a sudden and put his hand on their shoulders. Both of them felt the pain at the same time and bent over at the same time, trying to pry the hands off their shoulders.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Let go of me now!" The young man with yellow hair shouted immediately.

The mysterious young man then let go of the two of them and took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He lit one up and took a puff before saying, "Welcome to the Samsara Space. If you have any questions, please ask them as soon as possible. Our mission begins in five minutes." He then flashed the black watch on his wrist.

It was only then that Cheng Yi realized that he was wearing a watch of the same design. The watch was pure black and had no fancy designs, only a squarish, pure look. There were several lines of baffling data displayed on the watch's screen.

"Quest Objective: Survive and reach the foot of the mountain."

"Quest countdown: 5: 00."

"Points: 0."

The look on Cheng Yi's face became even more serious after seeing the three lines of data. While the other party had taught him a lesson, he still asked right away, "May I know what the mission objective is?"

"That's what it means on the surface. Get to the bottom of the mountain alive in five hours and you'll pass," the mysterious young man shrugged and said lazily.

"Are we really leaving the real world? Are you sure you're not being hypnotized or some kind of technology?" The scholarly-looking college student adjusted his glasses and said in a very rational manner, "Or maybe this is some kind of new form of scam."

"You have a very good imagination, but I don't think that idea would make it any easier for you to survive than the others." The mysterious young man looked at the spectacled student like he was looking at a dead person. "There was once a teammate of mine who didn't believe that the world was real, and his grave is now about half a meter tall."

"Where the hell do you think we are then? F * * k!" That blonde seemed to be holding a grudge against the mysterious young man for what happened before and retorted right away.

"We're currently in the mission world of the Samsara Space." The mysterious young man shot a cold look at the blondie, who felt his heart pounding against his chest. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he dared not look into the other man's eyes again.

"I believe everyone received a contract all of a sudden. There are four words written on it—Death Contract." The mysterious young man continued.

Everyone nodded.

"I can tell you all that, just like the contract states, we are currently in a world filled with dangers. What we need to do is to fight for our lives." The mysterious young man chuckled coldly and continued, "There were many people who thought that they were doing some kind of prank on a television program, but all of them eventually paid the price for their actions."

"How is that possible? How could there be something so ridiculous in this world? It doesn't make sense!" the woman who had shrieked earlier said.

"Well then, let me ask you something. Do you think that information science suddenly appeared in your mind?" The mysterious young man chuckled and continued, "Quit being so childish. Now that you've signed a contract, there's no longer any room for regret!"

Everyone was silent for a moment. That was right, they had made the choice themselves. However, when all of that really happened, everyone felt rather confused.

"Alright, if no one asks any more questions…"

"Hold on, I have one last question."

Just when the mysterious young man was about to announce that the event was over, a crisp and pleasant voice was heard.

Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice and saw the girl in the camouflage suit standing at the very back. She blushed slightly when she saw everyone looking at her, but she continued to stare at the girl without blinking.

"Go on."

"May I know who you are and why you know more than us?" the girl asked.

Everyone was stunned. That's right, they had been too caught up in the authenticity of the Samsara Space that they had forgotten the most important clue—who was that young man? How did he know so much?

"Very good. Someone with brains has finally appeared among the rookies this time." The young man was stunned for a bit before he chuckled coldly. "My identity is actually the same as all of you. I'm also a contractor. It's just that I'm living a few more missions in the mission world than all of you."

The young man continued, "The Samsara Space mission begins about once a week. Every living mission would earn you one point. One point could be exchanged for a lot of things. For example, you could exchange for capital for surviving the next mission, or for greater power, a lot, or even money. I'm talking about money in real life. One point could be exchanged…"

"10 million!"

137. Samsara Space Part Three

More than 10 million!

Everyone gasped except for the girl in the camouflage suit.

Most of those people were just regular folks, and definitely not some billionaires or rich second-generation heirs. As such, all of them were very tempted when the mysterious young man said that he was willing to spend 10 million yuan on them.

To the billionaires, 10 million yuan might be no different from a thousand yuan, and they would only scoff at it if someone else were to give it to them for free. However, to the average person, 10 million yuan was probably the equivalent of a lifetime's worth of wealth.

"You'll be able to earn 10 million yuan just by passing through this world?" The woman with the white collar looked at the mysterious young man with a burning gaze, as if she was about to pounce on him if he didn't give her a definite answer.

"Of course." The mysterious young man nodded. Not only the white-collar woman, but even the blonde and the bespectacled college student wore looks of fanaticism, as if 10 million was within reach.

Cheng Yi was feeling rather excited as well, yet he was able to see the faint smirk on the mysterious young man's face all of a sudden, as well as the deep mockery and sarcasm in his eyes. He blinked and found that the young man's expression had returned to normal, as if he had been seeing things.

"Furthermore, you'll be able to terminate the contract and return to the real world when you've earned 10 points." However, before anyone could process the information, the mysterious young man dropped yet another bombshell.

Everyone's pupils contracted as they committed that line to memory.

"Alright, I've finished explaining what I need to do and I've gained 0.1 points. You may proceed on your own." That was what the mysterious young man said all of a sudden. The crowd had yet to recover from the previous two messages when they saw the young man walking away.

By the time everyone realized what had happened, the mysterious young man was long gone.

…

"Aren't you coming with us?" Cheng Yi asked loudly.

"No need. I'm used to doing things alone." The mysterious young man waved his hand and disappeared from everyone's sight.

Cheng Yi watched as the young man walked further away with a complicated look on his face. However, due to the young man's cold and unfeeling attitude, no one followed him. Instead, they simply huddled together.

"We're the only ones left now…" Cheng Yi looked at everyone and said bitterly.

"If this place really is some kind of world of reincarnation, that idiot would just be throwing his life away if he were to leave the main force," the young man with yellow hair said through gritted teeth, seemingly cursing the other party silently.

"Actually, I feel that it would be our loss if he were to leave," the girl in camouflage said softly.

Cheng Yi sighed and said, "That's right. He said that this isn't the first time he's participating in this mission, so at least he has a lot of experience clearing the level. If we could get his help…"

"Bullsh * t. He's alone and there are five of us. If there's danger, he's the one in danger first. What danger could there be if the five of us were to stay together?" The blonde said with disdain.

Cheng Yi didn't bother arguing with the blonde. He took a look at the girl in the camouflage suit and said, "My name is Cheng Yi and I'm 29 years old. I'm a programmer, so let's introduce ourselves. We're not familiar with the place here, and we need to stick together in order to share our joys and sorrows."

The girl in the camouflage suit was quick-witted and immediately understood what Cheng Yi was hinting at. She continued, "My name is Gu Siyi and I'm 18 years old. I'm a student, but I like to read horror novels and movies. I don't think I'd be a burden to everyone with my guts, would I?"

Everyone looked at each other, and the boy with the glasses, Scroll, who had a very serious air about him, said, "My name is Tian Kun, and I'm 19 years old. I'm also a student. My academic results are very good, and there aren't any questions that I'm not good at in science. I should be able to help everyone."

The woman with the white collar cleared her throat and put on a pitiful look. "Hello, everyone. My name is Zhao Xinxin and I'm… 22 years old. I'm an accountant. Please protect me."

Cheng Yi and Tian Kun rolled their eyes to themselves. Zhao Xinxin looked to be in her late twenties at the very least, yet she had the audacity to say that she was 22. She sure was shameless.

"My name is Wang Liang and I'm 23 years old. My job is to keep an eye on things," the blonde said eventually, putting on a show that said he was very good at socializing. He patted his chest hard and continued, "There's no need to be afraid, everyone. I may look very fierce on the outside, but I'm actually a very loyal person."

A crisp chime was heard from all five of their wristwatches all of a sudden after the introductions were done. The chime was some kind of harmonic music that was crisp and clear. However, despite it being daytime in the graveyard at the top of the mountain, it still sounded eerie.

The others were puzzled as to why the watch would ring all of a sudden. However, Gu Siyi's face paled after hearing the music and she instinctively wanted to take the watch off her wrist.

However, the wristwatch was made of some unknown material that made it look like soft plastic when worn. There was nothing out of place about it, but when one tried to take it off, the wristwatch's strap would become very hard and even if one were to leave a red mark on the wrist, one would still be unable to take it off.

"No need to try it out. I've tried it out a long time ago and it's impossible to remove without tools," Cheng Yi said helplessly.

"But, but the music is so ominous. I don't want to hear that sound!" Gu Siyi was so anxious that she was about to cry.

"Unknown?" Everyone was stunned.

…

"I've seen a movie called 'Ghost Arrives'. There was a child's ghost who went around killing people and every victim only died after receiving that ringtone!" Gu Siyi explained in a rather frightened manner when she saw that she was unable to take off the watch. "Do you guys think that we're in a movie called 'Ghost Arrives'?"

"What are you talking about? Where in the world did this ghost come from?" Zhao Xinxin was instantly displeased. "Don't say such things! It's very unlucky!"

Despite what he said, the tension in Zhao Xinxin's eyes didn't dissipate.

Cheng Yi felt his heart skip a beat as well. That was true. The space of reincarnation was said to be a place where contractors would have to go through life and death situations. He had been caught in a blind spot before and thought that the so-called dangers he faced were nothing more than some kind of adventure in the jungle or fighting against wild animals. However, what if his opponent wasn't a living being?

However, he shook his head with a bitter smile the very next second. Ghosts were ridiculous. He hoped that he was just being sensitive.

Cheng Yi tried to convince himself, yet he didn't realize that a shadow had long been cast over the deepest part of his heart.

Everyone was shocked by what Gu Siyi was thinking and denied it right away. Ghosts could never exist, and so on. All of them avoided feeling frightened deep down.

The ringing stopped very quickly and everyone turned to look. The five hours of the mission countdown began to decrease bit by bit.

Everyone's expression tensed. It was obvious without a doubt that the mission had begun.

"What should we do next?" Tian Kun adjusted his glasses and looked wise and farsighted. "Actually, I have a good idea. Do you guys have any signal on your phones? If there is, we might be able to call the police in this world to save us. That way, we would be able to complete the mission without any trouble."

"If that's the case, then the design of the transmigration space would be pointless." Cheng Yi wore a bitter grin. "I'd bet that our phones won't receive signals unless we complete the mission."

Tian Kun wanted to say something else, but Cheng Yi felt an indescribable sense of urgency deep down and cut him off. "Alright, let's talk as we walk. Our mission is to get down the mountain alive in five hours, after all. No matter what dangers lie ahead, we still have to get down the mountain. I assume that no one would be willing to stay in the graveyard all night?"

He then pointed at the red sunset in the sky.

"What the hell? I remember that I just woke up not long ago. Why is it getting late again?" Zhang Liang mumbled.

"Me too. It could be that we were in a coma for a very long time and our phones were set up at the same time. Another possibility is that we're not in the same world as we were before." Cheng Yi didn't stay any longer and began to walk down the mountain path in the direction of that mysterious young man from before. He said as he walked, "I'd welcome everyone to follow me if you'd like. If you're not willing to follow me, I won't force you. I'm planning to go on a mission according to my watch anyway."

"Wait for me!" Everyone was stunned, but Gu Siyi was the first one to catch up. She walked up quickly and caught up with Cheng Yi without looking back.

"Me too!" Zhao Xinxin seemed to have recalled something and followed suit. Zhang Liang and Tian Kun were the only ones left standing.

The two of them looked at each other and saw the hesitation in each other's eyes. In the end, the two of them didn't have the courage to stay at the graveyard at night and quickly followed the two of them.

138. Dead People Of The Mountain Village

As the five of them walked on the mountain path, they felt that it was very bumpy and uneven, as if it was the most primitive dirt path.

The soil was mixed with well-defined rocks and every step she took felt uncomfortable, especially for the white-collar woman, Zhao Xinxin. She was wearing five-centimeter heels and it was difficult for her to walk on the mountain path, not to mention the fact that she was going downhill. Furthermore, there were rocks all over the ground and she could sprain her ankle at any moment.

It was fortunate that it didn't rain. If it had rained all of a sudden, they wouldn't have been able to complete the quest and would have just waited for the quest to fail.

Everyone looked like they were on vacation. Zhang Liang even wanted to go in and take a look when he saw an abandoned village by the roadside, but was stopped by Cheng Yi.

The atmosphere was rather lively at first, especially with Zhang Liang and Zhao Xinxin. The two of them began to get to know each other on the way.

Zhang Liang had always been Zhang Yang's type. He found the visit to be exciting, as he felt that he would soon become a billionaire or even a billionaire. Zhao Xinxin, on the other hand, was looking for someone to protect her. The two of them hit it off right away and even began to flirt.

However, after walking for over an hour along the mountain path, the fresh, exciting feeling gradually subsided. Coupled with the hot weather and the fatigue from walking, everyone looked rather listless.

"I'm so thirsty. Can anyone get me some water?" Zhao Xinxin looked at everyone pleadingly before turning to Zhang Liang.

"Don't you have water?"

"I'll definitely give you the water, but look at me. Other than passing by an abandoned village, where else could we find water? Could it be that you…" Zhang Liang said with a smirk.

"You're so annoying. I'm being serious here." Zhao Xinxin rolled her eyes at the man. She knew that no one had brought any water with them, so she had no choice but to walk away without making a sound.

At that moment, no one had any thoughts of being on edge anymore. All that was left was thirst and exhaustion.

Cheng Yi took the lead and walked at the front. He looked at the setting sun on the horizon and calculated the time before turning around and said, "Everyone, follow me. It'll be dark in half an hour!"

"I can't walk anymore. It's too hard for me to walk in high heels. Why don't we take a break?" Zhao Xinxin suggested after walking for about 10 minutes and seeing that the sun was about to set, everyone knew that it was impossible to leave the desolate mountain before nightfall.

Cheng Yi frowned and said, "We don't know how long the mountain road is. What if we're running out of time and we can't get out of the mountain in five hours? What if there's danger in the mountains?"

"What danger could there be?" Zhao Xinxin raised her eyebrows and pointed at the city that was vaguely visible at the foot of the mountain. She said harshly, "The city is right at the foot of the mountain. This place could only be considered a suburb. What danger could there be?"

"Xinxin is right. You're making a mountain out of a molehill." Zhang Liang glared at Cheng Yi, trying to provoke him. He had long been displeased with Cheng Yi for giving him orders, but he couldn't care less about Zhao Xinxin because he had to flirt with her all the way. Now that he had the chance, he went on to pick a fight with her.

"Let's take a break, Brother Cheng. I'm feeling a little tired, too." Gu Siyi took a look at everyone's expressions and gave Cheng Yi a look.

"Alright then." With no other choice, Cheng Yi realized that it was practically impossible to force a bunch of pampered people to travel such a long distance in the city. If he were to insist on doing so, he would only end up in conflict or even breaking up with them.

"Hold on, there's water up ahead!" Tian Kun seemed to have heard something at that moment. He adjusted his glasses and walked quickly with a surprised look on his face. "That's right, I hear water. There's a river up ahead!"

Everyone's spirits were lifted and they quickly followed Tian Kun to the hilltop in front of them. The hilltop in front of them was in a triangular shape and blocked the view behind them. They would only be able to see what was happening 100 meters away after turning the corner.

It took them less than half a minute to cross the zigzag path. Their field of vision widened and they found a clear pond halfway up the mountain.

"It's a spring!" Cheng Yi was overjoyed. As long as he had enough water, it would be much easier for him to reach the bottom of the mountain. The pond was a perfect timely rain.

The pool was not far from the mountain road, and there was a stream about three meters wide at the halfway point of the mountain. There might be a spring somewhere on the mountain, which was why the water kept flowing out, forming a pool at the bottom of the pool.

Everyone who had been walking for over an hour was feeling very thirsty and tired. All of them disregarded their image and ran to the spring.

"Hold on!" However, Gu Siyi shouted all of a sudden just as Cheng Yi was about to run to the pond.

"What's wrong?" Cheng Yi was the only one who turned around in shock, while the other three paid no heed to him and went straight to the pond to start drinking.

"You two…" Gu Siyi sighed after seeing that the two of them had started drinking. She walked up to Cheng Yi and said in a low voice, "Don't you think it's weird to have a pool in here?"

"What's so weird about that? Isn't it normal for there to be cisterns in the mountains?" Cheng Yi asked, feeling puzzled.

"It would be normal in real life, but this is the Samsara Space! What's our mission? To get down the mountain alive? That is to say, we could very well end up in mortal danger! And when we're feeling both thirsty and tired, I keep getting the feeling that something is off when the water suddenly appears here."

Cheng Yi's expression became serious right away. "So you're saying that there's something wrong with the water?"

"I don't know. I just feel that we shouldn't be getting near that pond, but they've already drunk it," Gu Siyi said helplessly.

"But we won't be able to make it to the bottom of the mountain without drinking water, right?" Cheng Yi frowned.

"Well then, drink up. I can take it." Gu Siyi shook her head.

Cheng Yi hesitated for a bit. He took a look at the crowd and found nothing out of the ordinary about it, but in the end, he was unable to resist the temptation of the lake water and began to gulp down the water as well.

Everyone drank to their hearts' content as the two of them chatted. They only stopped drinking after filling their stomachs with water. Zhao Xinxin didn't care about her image anymore as she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Yi…"

Tian Kun was overjoyed as well. He took off his glasses just to drink to his heart's content. However, as he continued to drink, he seemed to hear a high-pitched female voice coming from the front all of a sudden, as if she was singing some kind of opera. The voice was long and ethereal, making it difficult to tell if it was an illusion or a hallucination.

Tian Kun looked up subconsciously and squinted his eyes to look ahead. He saw a woman in blue robes standing at the center of the pool tens of meters away with her arms wide open. Most of the woman's body was submerged, leaving only her chest and above exposed. She had her back to the crowd and kept making high-pitched noises.

"Someone's taking a shower?" Tian Kun was stunned and instinctively touched the glasses at his feet. He put them on and took a closer look, only to find that the woman was nowhere to be found.

"Shower?" Cheng Yi heard Tian Kun's voice and couldn't help but look at the center of the pool, but he didn't see anything. He patted Tian Kun's shoulder hard and said with a smile, "What are you thinking about, kid? This place is in the middle of nowhere and there isn't even a village around. How could anyone be taking a shower?"

"No, I really saw it." Tian Kun felt that something was off all of a sudden. He stood up and looked at the pond with a panicked look on his face. However, the water was so clear that he could see the bottom of the pond. There was no woman taking a bath in there.

"Are you seeing things, kid?" Zhang Liang finished his water as well and wiped his mouth with his sleeve in a boorish manner, smacking his lips.

"I…" Tian Kun wanted to explain himself, but on second thought, he realized that he wasn't wearing glasses at the time, so he might have been seeing things…

Gu Siyi's heart sank when she heard Tian Kun's voice. She frowned and looked at the pond, her eyes glittering.

"Small hills, mass graves, abandoned villages, pools…" Gu Siyi mumbled.

Gu Siyi seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden and her pupils contracted all of a sudden. She felt a chill running down her spine and goosebumps rose all over her body as her hairs stood on end.

She took a good look at the crowd before backing away without making a sound, as if she was trying to distance herself from them.

…

None of them took that to heart. After they had their fill of water, they sat by the pool and rested for a while. The sky gradually turned dark, turning from light blue to dark blue, before finally becoming a solidified indigo color. Only then did they get up and continue down the mountain.

The sky was completely dark…

It was fortunate that, despite the fact that the sky was getting dark, it was hard to tell if it was intentional or not. The sky was a full moon and the moon above them was as bright as the sun. The moon shone so brightly that everyone was able to move forward without any difficulty. However, visibility dropped drastically when they were a little further away.

However, for some reason, he felt rather uneasy when the sky began to turn dark. That feeling was rather vague, as if something was lurking in the dark, following the crowd from afar and watching him with dead eyes.

Cheng Yi walked at the very front of the group and looked behind him uneasily, only to see five people behind him and a dead silence.

Dead silence.

Cheng Yi frowned and felt that something was off. However, his pupils contracted all of a sudden and an indescribable chill ran down his spine. He counted the numbers carefully and confirmed that there were five of them. Including him, there were six of them.

Someone had appeared out of nowhere in the crowd.

He turned to look at the faces of the crowd instinctively, as if he was trying to figure out who was not in his team. However, he felt like he had been plunged into an ice cave when he got a good look at the faces of the crowd. All of them looked like him.

Just when Cheng Yi felt so cold and numb that he was unable to move, a warm, soft hand suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

Cheng Yi was so frightened that he almost shouted. However, when he took a closer look, he realized that it was Gu Siyi who was dragging him along.

"W-Where did you go just now?" Cheng Yi asked, feeling confused.

"I've been by your side the whole time, but you acted like you couldn't see me at all!" Gu Siyi answered as she ran. The two of them eventually hid under a huge tree. Gu Siyi then panted heavily and said, "You must be having some kind of hallucination, right? I saw the three of them fighting among themselves and you were about to join them, so I pulled you away."

"Illusion?" Cheng Yi was stunned. "You know what I saw?"

"That's right, because I know where I am now." Gu Siyi's eyes were filled with fear as well, but she was in a much better state than Cheng Yi, who was still reeling from what just happened.

"What? You know where this is?" Cheng Yi was elated. As long as he knew where he was, he would have a chance to leave.

Gu Siyi wore a bitter grin when she saw the anxious look on Cheng Yi's face. She ran her fingers through her loose hair and said with a troubled look on her face, "What that man said is true. We're indeed not in the real world, because we're in the 'Dead in the Mountain Village' world…"

"How is that possible…" Cheng Yi was flabbergasted and was about to deny it when he recalled the lake and the familiar scenery everywhere. He was suddenly enlightened and everything became clear.

No wonder he felt like he had seen that pool somewhere before.

It was impossible for him not to have seen that classic and famous Hong Kong horror film in real life after he got into his eighties. That horror film was hailed as a masterpiece of Hong Kong, and the ghost in that film was a famous Cantonese actress who was set up by her husband and died. As such, she was filled with resentment. Her way of killing people was to make people hallucinate and kill others or kill themselves. Anyone who drank the water soaked in her dead body would be affected by her resentment.

That meant that the pond was the key to clearing the stage.

Cheng Yi took a deep breath at that thought and forced his pounding heart to calm down. The things that he had been through in his entire life had never been as weird as what happened today. "I see. If that's the case, I'll be able to walk down the mountain alive as long as I don't get affected by the hallucinations, right?"

Gu Siyi lowered her head and shook her head. "Very, very difficult…"

"Why?" Cheng Yi panicked. "I believe in my willpower, as long as you're willing to help me, because you didn't drink any water!"

However, Gu Siyi only shook her head and seemed to have fallen into some kind of despair. Cheng Yi refused to give up. He grabbed Gu Siyi's shoulder and tried to force her to look up. However, he suddenly realized that her hair seemed to be a little too dirty and messy.

He felt as if he had just been fished out of the water…

"Yi…"

A low, eerie sound was heard from under the lowered head before him. Cheng Yi's hands trembled and felt an indescribable shudder spread throughout his entire body, causing his heart to stop beating.

139. Lesser Accomplishment In Training

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and his consciousness returned to reality.

He had experienced all the horrors and unknowns that the five of them had to go through just moments ago. He would forget himself for the time being in such an immersive state of mind and exist as the other person, as if he had just experienced a new life.

That was the only way he could fully experience the fear deep within their hearts.

That was the simplest and most effective way to stimulate one's mental state as provided by Corona. There was no need to scare Zhang Heng, as long as it could scare regular people.

Under normal circumstances, the fear of being able to lead someone into despair with every step taken was more than enough to drive a person insane. However, Zhang Heng's willpower was as tough as steel. Despite having forgotten who he was, he was still unable to let such a level of fear crush his psyche.

Zhang Heng's brain was severely stimulated after experiencing all five of those incidents. He couldn't help but rush to the toilet as soon as he came back to reality and began vomiting.

That had nothing to do with his guts. He was able to feel what everyone else was feeling, and he would feel the same way about how terrified they were. He would then push his brain to the breaking point of evolution amidst waves of fear.

However, it was obvious that this level of training was just a small test.

Zhang Heng's face was as pale as paper when he came out of the toilet, making him look like he had just recovered from a serious illness. He slowly lay down on the bed and kept rubbing his temples, trying to adjust his mental state. "Corona, how are those people doing in real life?"

"As I expected, the people who died in the virtual space were all brain-dead in real life as well. Only the one contractor who didn't drink any water survived," Corona said.

"Is this mission very difficult?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"Actually, the quest that you've designed is very simple. It's even simpler than the simplest Resident Evil quest that you've ever been through. Even if you were to drink some water and become slightly more resilient, you would still be able to successfully clear the quest." Corona shook her head and continued, "However, all of them are dead. The willpower of regular people wouldn't even reach 10 percent of yours. Perhaps that is why the Dimensional Star system chose you."

Zhang Heng sighed and didn't say anything else. "Let's continue. The mental stimulation training is over for today. What's next?"

"The next step is precision control training. You'll need to begin operating from a metal ball with a diameter of one centimeter. You'll need to continuously reduce the volume of the object you control until it reaches the nano or even atom level. The smaller the better."

"First of all, you need to sense their existence…"

…

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes as he lay on his bed five days later. A glint seemed to burst out of his eyes when he opened them, yet when he took a closer look, he found that there was nothing there.

Zhang Heng looked at the glass of water on the bedside table and found that it was filled to the brim. He extended his hand slightly and the glass of water flew into his hand at a speed that was difficult to see with the naked eye. The glass of water inside was only sloshing about without showing any signs of spilling out.

Zhang Heng smirked and stared at the cup of water in his hand. The stream of water seemed to come to life right away, floating in midair and circling around him like a naughty child.

The stream of water circled around his mouth playfully and he opened his mouth slightly, causing all the water to flow into his mouth without spilling a single drop.

Zhang Heng let go of the cup lightly after drinking the water. The cup rolled and returned to its original position at lightning speed, making a clanging sound. Zhang Heng frowned in displeasure when he heard that sound. That clashing sound proved that he was still not very familiar with his training.

"Ding-dong!"

Zhang Heng heard the doorbell outside and turned to look at the door. There was a click and the door opened automatically, as if there was an invisible person controlling everything.

Zhang Heng walked out of the bedroom and looked at the door of the villa. There was another click, and the mahogany door of the villa opened as well. There was an expressionless logistic clone standing at the door.

"Just leave it here." Zhang Heng pointed at the coffee table in the living room.

The clone nodded and placed the food he had prepared on the coffee table before backing out of the room.

Zhang Heng then sat on the couch and turned on the television leisurely, eating his breakfast while looking for something interesting to watch. However, he was unable to find anything interesting to watch after watching for quite a while.

Zhang Heng turned off the television right after breakfast and took out his weight to try it out again. He recorded the limits of his mental power every day and compared it with the data from before. All of those data were important data that Corona used for designing lessons.

Zhang Heng's mental strength had doubled over the past five days after going through several tests. He was now able to easily lift objects that weighed 200 grams. Not only that, but his control over the cup was also significantly more precise than before. He definitely wouldn't have been able to control the water in the cup five days ago.

He asked Corona to record all of his data before he found a lighter and lit the piece of paper in his hand, destroying all data from reality.

The mental power was something that would be of little help to his abilities before he was able to reach the precision required to control the gas. Zhang Heng was barely able to control the liquid at the moment, but he was still far from being able to do so.

However, once he reached the level of being able to control gas, Zhang Heng's power would be able to advance by leaps and bounds. For example, the easiest way to stop the enemy's lungs from sucking air would be to suffocate the enemy to death without drawing blood. Furthermore, the enemy wouldn't even know how they died before they died.

Some compressed air to form wind blades that were completely invisible to regular people and as thin as a cicada's wing. Such wind blades were extremely powerful and possessed the ability to slice through matter. However, the difficulty of forming wind blades was hundreds or even thousands of times more difficult than suffocating. The difficulty of controlling both was on a completely different level.

It was seven in the morning by the time he was done with his training. Zhang Heng went to his room, which had all the equipment he needed for his training, and it was already nine when he was done with his daily training.

"Commander, it's about time. Your sister will arrive at Pudong Airport in Haizhou in an hour." Corona's voice was heard in Zhang Heng's mind all of a sudden.

"I know. Send a message to Xin for me and tell her that I'm going to pick her up. If I'm not there by the time she gets there, wait for me for a bit." Zhang Heng nodded and went to the bathroom as quickly as he could to rinse himself. He then changed into clean clothes and drove to the airport in his Mercedes.

Zhang Heng received news from his family that his sister would be taking a flight to Haizhou on the 30th of August. His parents specifically called him and asked him to pick up his sister, as well as Yang Yang, who he happened to save.

The reason why the two of them came to Shanghai was that school had just started.

With Zhang Heng's help, the letter of admission to Fudan University was delivered to his sister and Yang Yang without a doubt. The two families were elated, especially Yang Yang's parents, who thanked them over the phone and almost married their daughter to Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng's villa was not far from the Pudong Airport. As long as there was no traffic jam, he would be able to reach the place in about half an hour. It was only 9: 40 am when Zhang Heng drove the car out of the airport. There were still about 10 minutes before his sister got off the plane.

140. Zhang Xin Registration

Zhang Heng waited at the exit of the terminal when he got there. He received a call from his sister about 20 minutes later.

"Hello, bro, I'm getting off the plane!" Zhang Xin's soft voice was heard. Zhang Heng's sister's voice had a feminine quality to it, and the image of an obedient girl would appear in his mind as soon as he heard it. However, the truth was that Zhang Xin's personality wasn't the least bit docile. Instead, she was very rebellious and playful, which made Zhang Heng very worried.

"I'm at the exit of the terminal. Look around when you get out. I'm standing right in the crowd," Zhang Heng said.

"Sure," Zhang Xin said before hanging up.

The passengers finally made it out of the terminal after about five minutes. Zhang Heng saw Zhang Xin and Yang Yang in the crowd right away.

It had to be said that, after her parents became well-to-do, their spending became considerably more affordable. Zhang Xin was wearing a pink and purple cardigan with yellow velvet knee-lengths. While it wasn't considered expensive, it wasn't cheap either. Her tall figure and quiet demeanor made her stand out among the crowd.

Even Yang Yang, who had an exceptional appearance, paled in comparison to Zhang Xin.

"Xin!" Zhang Heng waved at the crowd and Zhang Xin and Yang Yang saw him right away. Both of them looked very happy and walked up to him.

"Dude! I haven't seen you in over half a year!" Zhang Xin pulled a suitcase and ran to Zhang Heng's side.

"Brother Zhang Heng," Yang Yang called out happily, her eyes filled with admiration.

Zhang Heng nodded at Yang Yang and turned to look at Zhang Xin with a doting look in his eyes. "You know that I've been very busy recently, going overseas and doing business. However, it's only the 30th today. I'll treat the two of you to a sumptuous meal after registering, and I'll have fun with you for the rest of the day, alright?"

"Yay!" The two girls cheered and Zhang Xin quickly added, "Well then, you're not allowed to go back on your word. We're going to Henglong Plaza and we've been thinking about it for quite a while."

Zhang Heng nodded, feeling rather speechless. "Sure, Henglong it is then. Did you really think that your old bro was scared out of his wits?"

The three of them bickered as they made their way to the parking lot and drove away from the airport, heading for Handan's campus in Fudan.

Haizhou City was an international metropolitan city with a land area of 6,000 kilometers. There were 20 million people living in the city, making it look like a massive steel jungle. It was only when humans appeared that one would feel the tremendous power that could split the heavens and earth apart. It was the emergence of humans that caused the entire world to change constantly.

Humans were like the kings of Earth. All living beings had to obey the will of humans, and the spirits of all living beings were no different.

But, then again, was that the reason for the destruction?

Zhang Heng snapped out of his thoughts and found Zhang Xin and Yang Yang laughing excitedly in the backseat. He had been driving for over an hour and finally reached the school.

A large group of students and teachers from the previous cohorts were seen at the entrance of the university, with banners saying 'welcome new students', 'welcome new classmates', and so on plastered all over the place. There were also students from the previous cohorts who wore volunteers to guide newbies.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but recall his days in college when he saw what was happening at the door. He had considered becoming a 'volunteer' back then, not to help the freshmen, but just to get to know the freshmen better.

Zhang Heng shook his head. The naive thoughts of the past would only make him feel sentimental if he were to think about them now. People would always find mistakes in their growth and change themselves. Zhang Heng didn't know if what he had changed was correct or not, but such changes would allow him to live on as long as possible.

Zhang Xin and Yang Yang jumped out of the car as soon as the car was parked. The volunteers who were there to welcome the freshmen were even more excited. Those volunteers who didn't have any candidates to receive the freshmen headed straight for the place without a second thought. Those volunteers who were there to receive the freshmen were all feeling rather exasperated, wishing that they could be the ones to receive the younger girl who looked so good.

The crowd swarmed around the two of them and asked all sorts of questions, which left Zhang Xin and Yang Yang dumbfounded instead. Zhang Heng was rendered speechless after seeing what was happening in the rearview mirror. He honked the horn a little and the crowd came to their senses. Some of the crowd dispersed awkwardly, but there were still three thick-skinned ones left.

Zhang Heng was able to relax quite a bit with the help of those laborers. He was able to ask for directions, look for registration points, help Zhang Xin and Zhang Heng carry their luggage, and many other troublesome tasks. All of those tasks were taken care of by the three second- and third-year boys who were very attentive to Zhang Heng. All Zhang Heng needed to do was to stay behind.

The registration process went very smoothly with the three of them around. The fees were paid in less than an hour, and the beds in the hostel were arranged as well.

It was noon by then, and Zhang Heng asked for their opinions. Zhang Xin and Yang Yang both said that they weren't hungry, so he drove to Henglong Plaza in Jing'an District again.

However, just when he was about to reach Nanjing Road, the car's speaker system rang all of a sudden. He took a look at the caller ID on the display and saw that it was Li Jianguo, whom he hadn't contacted in a while.

Zhang Heng turned around and shushed the two of them, who were still laughing non-stop. He tapped on the car's monitor and Li Jianguo's booming voice was heard from the speaker.

"Hello, is that Little Zhang?"

"Uncle Li, it's me. Why are you calling me?" Zhang Heng said with a smile after he was done talking. "Did something happen to the T-1?"

"Of course not. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to the T-1 even if something were to happen to me," Li Jianguo said right away. The Li Group's current market capitalization was over 10 billion US dollars, which was more than twice that of what it was last year. The company's stock prices kept rising due to the Li Group owning 10 percent of the T-1 Group's shares. Li Jianguo and the other shareholders were all over the place every day.

"Why did you call me then?" Zhang Heng asked.

"Little Zhang, did you receive an invitation from my dad last week?" Li Jianguo suddenly asked in a serious tone.

"Invitation? No." Zhang Heng was stunned.

"No?" Li Jianguo was rendered speechless. "I get it now. You haven't been back to the warehouse for quite some time, have you?"

"Indeed. I've been working at the construction site all this time." Zhang Heng came up with a random excuse.

"It's my father's 80th birthday today. He had someone send you an invitation a week ago, but he didn't like the electronic gadgets of the modern world. They were all made of paper. I didn't know about it before, and it was only today that my father brought it up, so I called to ask."

Zhang Heng couldn't help but laugh and said, "I had no idea that it was your 80th birthday today. Yiru didn't tell me about it, or I would have definitely come." The Li family was his closest business partner in Haizhou. Putting everything else aside, just the fact that the daughter of the Li family was the general manager of his company alone was more than enough for the two companies to work closely together.

"If that's the case, why don't you come over for a bit?" Li Jianguo seemed to be waiting for Zhang Heng to say that.

"…" The smile on Zhang Heng's face froze right there and then. "I guess there's no need for that. Isn't the banquet about to begin? I didn't even prepare a present."

"What else do you need to prepare?" Li Jianguo said in an exaggerated manner. "There's no need for us to be so distant with each other given the relationship between our families. I've prepared a gift for you a long time ago. Just come! The banquet won't start until 6pm. You'll be able to make it before 5pm."

It turned out that Li Jianguo had set up a trap for him and was waiting for him to jump into it. Zhang Heng rubbed his temple and said with a headache, "But as you know, my sister came to Fudan University today to register…"

"Are you done reporting?"

"Just finished…"

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and come! Bring your family with you!" Li Jianguo laughed out loud. "There are also a bunch of bosses from big corporations here. Your connections would multiply every time you get to know someone."

Zhang Heng took a look at Zhang Xin and Yang Yang, who were behind him, and both of them heard the conversation between Zhang Heng and Li Jianguo very clearly. They nodded involuntarily when they saw Zhang Heng turning around. It was obvious that the two of them were looking forward to the so-called banquet.

"If that's the case, do you have any requests for attire?" Zhang Heng asked.

"Just wear something more formal. There's no need to be so particular about it."

"Sure, I'll be there before 5 pm." Zhang Heng had no choice but to agree. He then looked at the Henglong Plaza building before him and said to the two of them, "Let's hurry up then. We'll find a place to have lunch first, and then I'll take you guys out to buy some evening clothes. I'll take you guys to the upper-class banquet in Haizhou tonight."

"Yay!"

The two girls high-fived and celebrated right away. Zhang Heng felt somewhat better seeing how happy Zhang Xin looked.

141. Banquet

That evening, in the compound of the Emperor's Mansion in Changning District of Haizhou.

Zhang Heng drove to the entrance of the residential complex and the security guards politely stopped him.

"I'm looking for the Li Clan," Zhang Heng said.

"May I have a look at your invitation?" the security guard asked. There were many people in the residential area today and the security guard knew that the Li family was holding a banquet. As long as he was able to get the invitation, the security guard would let him in.

"I've run out of invitations. Give me a call and confirm that Zhang Heng is here," Zhang Heng said helplessly.

"Alright, please hold on for a moment." The security officers were very well-mannered and there was no sign that they were trying to intimidate Zhang Heng, which meant that they needed him to slap them in the face. The security officers opened the metal gate about five minutes later.

Zhang Heng nodded and drove into the residential area. That residential area wasn't very big, about the size of a regular residential area, but the key thing was that the residential area was purely a residential area. The area that a building usually took up was only occupied by one person.

Not only that, but every single villa was over 50 meters away from each other. There were only 20 villas in the entire residential area, which was several levels higher than the villa district that Zhang Heng bought previously.

Zhang Heng headed straight for the place that was filled with luxurious cars and brightly-lit mansions without asking for directions after entering. He found a parking spot and brought the two girls, who were wearing evening gowns for the first time, to the door of the mansion.

"Little Zhang!" Li Jianguo was having a friendly conversation with a fat middle-aged man at the door. Li Jianguo excused himself and walked over to Zhang Heng when he saw him.

Zhang Heng was stunned by what he saw. Half a year ago, he was only able to seek help by getting on the good side of someone else's daughter. Li Jianguo was like a god standing high above him, able to decide his fate with a single word.

Yet, at that moment, the other party had placed him in a position where they could communicate as equals. No, his position was actually slightly higher than that of the other party.

Why?

That was because he owned 40 percent of the T-1 shares, and he had given 50 percent of the shares to the government for free.

Due to the Golden Foundation's plan to tie him up, Zhang Heng was able to travel across countries and reach out to western countries like Europe and North America. However, Zhang Heng had no connections or backing on the surface. However, it was due to his actions of sending the T-1 out that he was able to gain the support of the government. As such, the government was his most powerful backing, making it impossible for the Li Group to do anything about it.

That was also the reason why no one dared to force Zhang Heng to buy and sell the remaining 40 percent of the T-1 shares at the moment. If anyone dared to do so, they would be taking the government's word for it. If the government didn't even protect people like Zhang Heng, who would dare to develop technology back home?

Zhang Heng recovered from his dazed state in the very next second and walked up to Li Jianguo with a smile on his face. He shook hands with Li Jianguo and said, "Uncle Li, I guess I made it in time."

"Good, good, very timely!" Li Jianguo laughed out loud. "My dear nephew, my father has been wanting to see you for a very long time. He's finally here today!"

Li Jianguo turned around and looked at Zhang Xin and Yang Yang, who were behind him, and was stunned for a bit. "Little Zhang, who are these two?"

"This is my sister, Zhang Xin. This is my sister's classmate, Yang Yang."

"Hello, Uncle Li!" The two girls greeted him obediently.

"Yay! Yay! Good day to you guys too!" Li Jianguo seemed to have let out a sigh of relief and laughed out loud again, holding Zhang Heng's hand as they walked into the villa.

"Little Zhang, don't think that there's anything fun about this banquet. It's not like that, actually. The reason why such gatherings are being held is most likely to give everyone an excuse to get together. At least a third of the collaborations in Haizhou are done in all manner of gatherings. Even if the deal isn't made, just getting to know some people would be more than enough to benefit you," Li Jianguo reminded Zhang Heng, seemingly afraid that Zhang Heng wouldn't understand his intentions.

"I understand, but if there's anything, I could just tell you. Why bother getting to know these people?" Zhang Heng joked.

"You brat…"

The two of them chatted and laughed as they walked through the door of the villa. Zhang Heng took out the gift that he had prepared as well. While Li Jianguo had said that there was no need for gifts, those were just pleasantries nonetheless. Zhang Heng wouldn't be so stupid as to run all the way here without taking anything. He had bought a jade sculpture of over a million yuan from a jewelry store in Henglong International, which was considered a very expensive gift.

Zhang Heng saw an old man with a head full of white hair walking towards him from the crowd in the living room as soon as he handed the gift to the waiter. The old man was supported by Li Yiru, who was dressed in a tuxedo. Despite having a very tough look on his face, he still looked rather pale, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

It went without saying that Zhang Heng knew who that man was. However, he found it rather strange that there were seven or eight men dressed in traditional attire following behind the old man. Despite saying that they were from the Li Clan, he had never seen any of them before, and they didn't look like Li Jianguo. However, it wasn't the time for him to argue with them. He went up to the old man and said with a smile, "Good day, Mr. Li."

"You must be Little Zhang, aren't you? Boy, I've been wanting to see you for a long time, yet you never showed up!" Old Master Li's tone was very direct, with a hoarse accent that only older people would have.

"It's my fault. I'll definitely visit you more often in the future." Zhang Heng naturally wouldn't hold it against the old man and quickly assured him.

However, Zhang Heng felt rather puzzled deep down. He actually felt a faint pressure from the old man at that moment. That pressure wasn't from the old man's imposing manner, but from his instincts. It was just like how the old man before him, who had a head full of white hair and was panting every two steps, was able to pose a threat to his safety.

Furthermore, it wasn't only Old Master Li who felt that way. The few men wearing traditional sweatshirts standing behind him felt the same way as well. All of them turned out to be martial arts experts.

While it wasn't as stressful as being in the special forces, that was because the special forces existed solely for the purpose of killing people. If a special forces soldier were to fight a martial arts expert in close combat, it was possible that four or five special forces soldiers wouldn't be able to beat a martial arts expert.

However, if the special forces were given a more complex terrain, and if both sides were given a gun, then 10 Chinese martial arts experts would be easily killed by the special forces.

That was the difference between the two, and it didn't mean that martial arts experts couldn't compare to special forces soldiers.

"That's more like it." Old Master Li nodded and narrowed his eyes, giving her an appraising look. "Don't be in such a hurry to leave after the party is over. We'll have a good talk, and I'd like to thank you."

"I wouldn't dare to do that. We're just taking what we need. Besides, Uncle Li took very good care of me," Zhang Heng refused without batting an eyelid. He knew that the man was referring to the T-1, which not only saved his life but also doubled the Li Group's market value.

"Well, well, well, well done, young people!" Old Master Li sighed and walked back with Li Yiru's help. Most of the people who attended the banquet heard the conversation between the two of them and looked at Zhang Heng meaningfully. It didn't take long before two or three young people around Zhang Heng's age walked up to him and began chatting.

While Zhang Heng didn't have much social experience, he was quick-witted and was able to react faster than those who knew how to socialize. There was no awkward silence in their conversation.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself as he chatted. People said that the older one got, the wiser one became. While Old Master Li looked like an average stubborn old man, Zhang Heng was able to see several deeper meanings behind his every move.

While the conversation between the two of them didn't reveal that the inventor of the T-1 was his secret, it nonetheless told everyone that Zhang Heng's identity was out of the ordinary and that he had brought quite a few people to talk to.

The three people who came to chat with Zhang Heng were all young masters of large-scale entrepreneurs. While they looked at Zhang Xin with awe in their eyes, none of them gave Zhang Heng the cold shoulder. Their conversation with Zhang Xin was also conducted in a modest and courteous manner, unlike how it was on television, where they were bossy and domineering, taking girls for themselves at every turn.

Li Yichen's mansion was huge. The living room alone was over 300 square meters, which made it look like a small venue. The decorations in the living room were also very unique, with a fresh air to it and a hint of elegance to it. There wasn't any hint of gold or silver to it.

Li Yiru walked up to him and said happily, "I didn't expect you to come to my grandpa's birthday party."

"I had no choice. Your dad insisted that I do it." Zhang Heng shrugged, looking like he had no choice but to do so. Li Yiru's expression froze for a bit before she forced a smile on her face and went to pinch his thigh.

Zhang Heng, of course, wouldn't just let Li Yiru twist his thigh. He took a step back and easily dodged the attack.

"Who are those two girls?" The commotion just now was rather loud and the people around them seemed to have noticed something. Li Yiru retracted her hand and coughed twice before changing the subject.

"One of them is my biological sister, and the other is my goddaughter," Zhang Heng said in a deadpan manner.

"Nice to meet you, Sister Li." Both of them knew what to say.

Li Yiru nodded and put on a natural smile again. She had given up all hope when she realized that she was finding it increasingly difficult to see through Zhang Heng. She knew very well that Zhang Heng didn't like her at all, and it would be better for her to just give up and treat the two of them as friends instead of looking for trouble. That way, she would be able to distance herself from him.

Just when Li Yiru was feeling rather dazed, Zhang Heng asked quietly, "Did the old man learn martial arts?"

"Of course. My grandfather is from the Shanghai Martial Arts Sports Association, the true successor of Huo Yuanjia, and he's one of the 26 martial arts 9-dan fighters in the entire country. He's known as the Grandmaster of the Back Connecting Fist of the White Ape!" Li Yiru nodded and said proudly, "You've only heard of him now?"

"I didn't hear anything about that. I only figured it out after seeing those people standing behind the old man." Zhang Heng rubbed his nose.

"…"

The two of them chatted casually. Li Jianguo, who was in the middle of the crowd, seemed to have received a call. His expression turned cold when he heard what was said on the other end of the phone and he headed straight for the door.

Everyone was curious about what was going on, but none of them dared to ask Li Jianguo about it, as he refused to say anything.

However, a few minutes later, the middle-aged men that Zhang Heng saw behind the old man ran out of the room as well. There were shouts from outside the door at the same time. Everyone finally lost their patience after seeing such a huge commotion and ran out like a swarm of bees, wanting to see what was going on.

142. Attack!

Li Yiru, who was chatting with Zhang Heng, had a drastic change in expression all of a sudden. She ran to her grandfather before she was able to greet him. Her grandfather looked rather glum and he stomped on his walking stick angrily, saying in a shaky voice, "Get me out of here, Ru! I don't believe they'd dare to do anything to me!"

Zhang Heng took note of everything and turned around to tell Zhang Xin and Yang Yang to follow him closely. He then held their hands and walked out of the villa with everyone else.

Seven people were seen standing about a dozen meters away from the door of the villa in the compound. Other than an old man who looked about the same age as Old Master Li, the rest of them looked to be in their twenties or thirties.

However, they were different from the other disciples dressed in green robes before Old Master Li. All of them were naked from the waist down, revealing their muscular bodies. Their fists were bound tightly with cloths. Their bold and uninhibited attire reminded Zhang Heng of a foreign technique called Muay Thai.

Li Jianguo was standing right in front of those people, covering his nose with a hand covered in blood.

"What's the meaning of this, old man?" Old Master Li's face was as cold as still water as he looked at the old man with the same white hair standing before him. "You old fogey, you're still trying to prove that your New Muay Thai is better than our Yakuza Fist?"

"Hehe, there's nothing I can do about it. You were the one who stayed at home all the time and I couldn't even compete with you if I wanted to. I had no choice but to show up at your 80th birthday party." The old man who was referred to as Old Wang chuckled and stroked the hair of the Muay Thai fighters around him with a rather sympathetic look on his face. "All of these kids of mine, I've spent over a decade adopting them from Thailand. I've had them train the new Muay Thai I've modified day and night just to defeat your Yakuza, to show you that my new Muay Thai is the best among all of them."

"You old man, why are you doing this…" Old Master Li sighed and continued, "There is no such thing as the best kung fu, only the best. Don't you know that saying by now?"

"I don't get it. Why should I?" Reminiscence and emotion were seen in the old man's eyes as he chuckled coldly. "All I know is that if I were to beat all of your disciples down with the ones I've trained, I'd be able to prove that my New Muay Thai is stronger than your White Ape Arm Clearing Fist!"

"Bullsh * t! How could a foreign product compare to the ancient martial arts that we've known for ages? You're just some idiot who adores foreigners!" One of the young men wearing cloth robes shouted.

"Shut up, Wen'er. There's no room for you to interrupt here!" The old man glared at the young man and the young man's head shrunk immediately, not daring to say anything.

"Hahaha, so what if it's something from outside the country? I'm going to create a technique that could contain all techniques in the world and extract the essence of hundreds of schools. How could the boundaries of the country stop me?" Not only was Old Wang not angry, he even laughed out loud and looked like he had gone insane.

"Typical symptoms of old-age paranoia." Zhang Heng shook his head and mumbled as he hid in the crowd.

"Hurry up and leave. I'm going to call the police if you don't." Old Master Li was getting on in years, and he didn't like fighting and killing. It was as if he was trying to chase someone away.

"Sure, go ahead and call the police. The time the police have been here is more than enough for my disciples to beat all of your disciples to the ground. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"You…"

"If that's the case, I'd like to see what your new Muay Thai is capable of, Senior Wang!" A middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties walked up to him and cupped his hands. "Do you still recognize me, Senior Wang?"

"I know you. You injured my eldest disciple over a decade ago and crippled one of his legs." The old man surnamed Wang narrowed his gaze as a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Today is the day I avenge my eldest disciple. Ong, go and finish him off!"

"Yes, sir!" A young man who looked to be in his early twenties walked out from the crowd and clenched his fist before looking at the middle-aged man. "I'll break your skull with my elbow!"

"Hmph, I'd like to see just how much your new Muay Thai has improved over the years!" The middle-aged man chuckled coldly and turned his body slightly, lowering his hips and putting up a defensive stance.

The young man named Bason tightened his grip on the piece of cloth wrapped around his hand and shuddered all of a sudden, before charging at the young man at top speed.

The sound of * * * colliding was heard like the beating of a drum, causing the people around them to cry out in alarm.

"Awesome! So there really are kung fu experts in the world!" Zhang Xin stuck her head out from behind Zhang Heng and said excitedly, "Dude, are you as good as I am?"

"I can take on ten of them." Zhang Heng pressed his sister's head back.

However, Zhang Heng didn't expect that his words would be heard by the other party. The old man who came to provoke him glared at him before turning his head away.

However, Old Master Li Jianguo, who were surrounded by the crowd, looked very uncomfortable. A waiter brought a towel and put it on Li Jianguo's nose, barely stopping the nosebleed. "Damn it, how could Wang Shengkang be so insane? Dad, let's call the police!"

"Bullsh * t! This is a matter of the Chinese martial arts world. What does it have to do with the police?" Old Master Li glared at Li Jianguo. Despite Li Jianguo's authority and power, he had no choice but to take it lying down in front of his father.

"But I'm afraid that my fists would be too weak. Little He isn't getting any younger, and he's long past the prime of his stamina. I'm afraid that Little He wouldn't be a match for that Bason guy!" Li Jianguo said anxiously.

"Don't worry about it. Muay Thai's attacks are ferocious and focused on killing your opponent in one hit. However, it focuses too much on offense and too little skill, and there's no way you could fall. Our fist techniques focus on defense, so it shouldn't be a problem for you, Brother He," a man in a blue robe who looked to be in his thirties said at that moment.

However, a hoarse scream was heard as the two of them were talking. The middle-aged man named Little He was hit on the top of his head by Ong's elbow. Blood gushed out like a pillar and he fell to the ground while holding his head, unable to get up.

However, Bason didn't stop there. Instead, he stomped hard on the middle-aged man's leg, intending to cripple it.

"Stop!"

Everyone was stunned and the six disciples in green robes standing before Old Master Li rushed forward to stop the other party. The six Muay Thai fighters who came to provoke the other party kicked the ground and charged forward.

The two sides immediately got into a scuffle.

Zhang Heng frowned. The way he saw it, the White Ape Arm Clearing Fist of the Li Clan's old man's disciples was indeed exquisite, but it lacked the viciousness to back it up. Muay Thai was born with a way of fighting and using the toughest parts of the human body to attack the weakest parts of the enemy. The slightest carelessness could result in severe injuries and death.

The techniques of the Back Connecting White Ape Fist were well honed and the wisdom of many generations had been honed there. It could be said that the Back Connecting Fist was not inferior to the Taichi Fist in terms of nurturing one's life. The Muay Thai Fist, on the other hand, was a martial art that constantly pushed the potential of one's body to the limit. Most practitioners wouldn't be able to live past 40.

If the two of them were to compare who was better at keeping himself alive, then the White Cloud Arm Clearing would definitely be able to cause sh * t to burst out of Muay Thai. However, if they were to simply compare their combat prowess, then the White Cloud Arm Clearing's combat prowess would be nowhere near that of Muay Thai's, which was capable of killing with every move.

As expected, the disciples on Old Master Li's side were utterly defeated in less than half a minute as the two sides continued to fight. The Muay Thai disciples, on the other hand, looked ferocious and their eyes were bleeding profusely. All of them were outlaws who had seen blood before.

It was no wonder that their combat prowess was on a completely different level.

Bloodlust was seen in the eyes of the enemies after they took down their opponents. Bason, who was the first to step forward, even turned his gaze to Old Master Li, who was at the forefront of the crowd.

"Get out of here, grandpa!" Li Yiru felt that something was off and rushed to stand before her grandfather. Bason shouted and charged at Li Yiru at the same time.

"Danger!"

Old Master Li was shocked and wanted to push Li Yiru away right away. Despite being a martial arts grandmaster in the past, he was unable to push away a frail woman despite being in his 80s. A look of sorrow and remorse was seen on his face at that moment.

Zhang Heng's eyes flashed at that critical moment and he appeared right in front of Li Yiru like he was teleporting. He raised his right leg like a huge axe and swung down hard.

Blood gushed everywhere.

143. The Arrogance Of The Chinese Pride

Everything happened in the blink of an eye in the eyes of the crowd, yet in Zhang Heng's eyes, everything seemed to have happened in slow motion. Bason was sent flying like a ragdoll with a single kick from him, blood splattering everywhere.

"Bason!" The remaining five Muay Thai disciples shouted and glared at Zhang Heng with reddened eyes. The murderous intent that they exuded actually caused the company heads to move five to six meters away from Zhang Heng, fearing that they would be implicated by the murderous intent.

"Who the f * * k are you?" The stubborn old man named Wang Shengkang glared at Zhang Heng. "To be able to send Bason flying with a single kick, you must be some kind of expert. What sect are you from? Why haven't I seen you before?"

Zhang Heng frowned. He had no idea what was going on in the Chinese martial arts world, so he simply said, "I'm not from any sect or school. I just picked up a martial arts manual when I was young and learned it myself."

"Nonsense!" Wang Shengkang snorted and continued, "True martial arts practitioners would have been crippled if they hadn't had a master to guide them. I don't believe that you wouldn't be able to achieve what you've achieved without a master!"

"It's up to you whether you believe me or not, but the truth is still up to your fists." Zhang Heng took two steps forward, a murderous glint in his eyes. "In short, the most powerful martial arts would never be Muay Thai's, and neither would yours."

"Arrogant!" Wang Shengkang chuckled coldly and a man who looked to be in his thirties with muscles that were devoid of any fat stepped forward. He took two steps forward and tied a hemp rope around his head. Countless layers of cloth were wrapped around his hands, forming a thick circle.

"I'm Nick. I'll avenge my junior brother," the man said in broken Chinese.

"I'll show you what true Huaxian martial arts is, too."

Zhang Heng felt like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. He was only doing this to save Li Yiru, as there was no way he could just stand by and watch her get seriously injured while he had the ability to save her. However, since he had saved her, there was no way he could just give up right there and then, as that would make him a laughing stock.

As such, he had no choice but to play the role of a martial arts master.

Everyone looked at Zhang Heng in shock at that moment. Even Zhang Xin and Yang Yang were dumbfounded. No one had expected that the seemingly average-looking young man would actually be a martial arts expert.

Li Jianguo and Li Yiru were puzzled as well. Li Jianguo looked at his father and asked in a low voice, "Does this kid really know martial arts?"

"I noticed it when he walked in." However, Old Master Li acted as if he had been doing so for quite some time. "Even though he concealed his aura, I found that his aura was rather long. He must have been training for several years."

"So, is he able to beat that Nick?" The disciples of the Old Master Li all covered their heads and backed away, their faces all covered in blood. The young man who called the other guy a fool couldn't help but ask.

"I'm afraid he's no match for you. However, since he's willing to stand up for us, I assume that he has something up his sleeve. If he loses, you guys go and save him right away," Old Master Li said seriously.

"Yes!"

Nick raised his arm in a standard Muay Thai pose, waiting for Zhang Heng to make his move. However, Zhang Heng simply stood there and waited for him to make his move first.

"What are you doing?" Nick frowned.

"I'm waiting for you to make your move," Zhang Heng replied.

"Master, what is he doing now?" That young man asked again.

Old Master Li rubbed his chin and wore an unfathomable expression on his face. "That should be the legendary 'no move is better than no move'. I didn't expect you to have reached such a level, Zhang Heng. I'm afraid you'll have no problem protecting yourself."

"I see…" The audience around Old Master Li was enlightened.

"Arrogant!" Nick wore a ferocious look on his face and stomped hard on the ground, before charging at Zhang Heng like a bolt of lightning. He raised both of his arms and aimed both of his elbows at Zhang Heng.

However, movements that no regular person would be able to see clearly were seen as slow movements in Zhang Heng's eyes. He was just about to send his opponent flying with a punch, but he felt that it was inappropriate to do so. He switched from offense to defense and raised his arms to block the incoming elbow strike.

"Nice!" There was a look of approval in Old Master Li's eyes. "You didn't evade the attack directly, but blocked the attack at close range instead. That would require a lot of confidence in yourself to achieve!"

It was only then that Nick realized that his opponent was actually stronger than he was. He quickly pulled his arms back and threw his right fist at Zhang Heng's jaw at a tricky angle. If he were to land a solid punch, he might end up with a severe concussion, which could kill him on the spot.

Zhang Heng frowned and raised his hand to block the incoming attack. However, just when he was about to block the attack, he felt a strange force entering his palm all of a sudden, rushing into his arm.

The capillaries on his palm burst in an instant and his sleeves sizzled, shattering into thousands of pieces that scattered everywhere.

"Oh no, it's concealed power!"

Old Master Li's expression changed drastically all of a sudden and shouted, "Go save her!"

Everyone was shocked, especially the disciples of the Old Master Li. Their expressions changed drastically—concealed power was a technique that only those who were at the level of grandmasters could master. If regular punches were meant to attack a person's body, then concealed power was meant to attack the organs.

As for Old Master Li himself, he was only able to master concealed power when he was in his forties. As such, he became one of the 26 grandmasters of the Chinese martial arts world in a single leap. Furthermore, Nick was only in his thirties, yet he was able to master concealed power that no regular practitioner would be able to achieve in their entire lifetime.

Zhang Heng frowned slightly. Regular people would have had no chance of surviving such a burst of concealed power, but he was unable to do anything to harm himself. The muscles on his arm, which he had been controlling for quite a while, vibrated slightly and the external force was immediately dispelled. Zhang Heng was still holding onto the man's fist at the moment, so he simply tore the cloth wrapped around the man's arm with all his might and a pitch-black metal knuckle was seen.

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly. It was no wonder that the cloth wrapped around his hand was so thick. He turned his palm into a claw and chopped off the Finger Tiger's hand with a swoosh.

All of that happened in the blink of an eye. It took less than a second for Zhang Heng to take the Finger Tiger from his sleeve, and by the time everyone realized what had happened, Zhang Heng had already taken the Finger Tiger in his hand.

"Well done!" Old Master Li shouted, "Well done, young friend Zhang. You've actually managed to master concealed power as well!"

Only concealed power could withstand concealed power.

Everyone was even more shocked. From ancient times until now, there had been very few people who were able to master concealed power. Anyone who was able to master it could be considered a grandmaster of martial arts, yet Zhang Heng was able to master it despite being only in his early twenties.

"Who the f * * k are you?" Seeing that his weapon was taken away, Nick turned pale with fright and took a defensive stance.

"Like I said, I'll show you what true Huaxian martial arts is!" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and squeezed hard with his right hand, crushing the Finger Tiger in front of everyone.

Not only that, but a small number of deformed finger tigers were squeezed out of the gaps between his fingers, making it look like what he was holding wasn't made of hard steel, but mud instead.

"Hold the iron like mud!"

Old Master Li gasped and said, "It's the legendary 'Grasping the Iron like Mud'! The heavens have eyes. I've actually seen an Epic-ranked martial artist in my lifetime!"

Even those who didn't know anything about martial arts were astonished by what they saw. To be able to crush a piece of alloy into such a state, even the most retarded of people would be able to tell just how terrifying that piece of metal was. If that hand were to touch him, he would definitely be reduced to a pile of mush.

"Impossible!" Wang Shengkang was even more stunned. He looked at Zhang Heng in a daze and then looked at his student, Nick, pointing at the tiger, and said in disbelief, "You've really reached the legendary realm of being able to hold iron like mud?"

"So, you're just holding the iron like it's mud?" Zhang Heng snorted and threw a punch at Nick, who reacted as if he was facing a formidable enemy and blocked the attack right away. However, Zhang Heng stopped when he was still half a meter away from Nick.

Nick was stunned and felt a force on his face before he could say anything. He staggered and fell to the ground with a nosebleed.

"This is…" Old Master Li was stunned yet again. He wore a shocked expression without giving it any thought, yet he was unable to figure out what kind of realm that was after being stunned for quite some time. As such, he could only stand there with his eyes wide open.

"Master, what realm is this?" That young man who called the other party an idiot continued asking.

Old Master Li was furious. No one knew what kind of level he was at. He glared at the young man and shouted, "You're ignorant and incompetent. How could you not know anything? Have you been training like a dog all the time? Look at her and then look at you! Go back and practice your boxing a hundred times today!"

"Impossible!" Nick was shocked and climbed to his feet right away. He rubbed his nose and looked at Zhang Heng, who was about a meter away from him. He thought that he was seeing things. The other junior brothers behind him were even more shocked and all of them backed away.

"He's able to hurt people with just the force of his fist. That kid is a monster!"

Zhang Heng felt that his last move had gone a little too far. He was the one who attacked his opponent with his mental power. He initially thought that Old Master Li would say something along the lines of 'Kamehameha', but who knew that his opponent had no idea what level that attack was at. He coughed dryly and retracted his arm, before turning around and making his way to the crowd.

Wang Shengkang, on the other hand, seemed to have lost all strength in his body as he dropped to his knees. "Impossible! How could my New Muay Thai possibly lose? Impossible!"

Wang Shengkang seemed to have thought of something as he glared at Zhang Heng's back and said, "Could it be that you're not using Chinese martial arts? Tell me, what kind of martial arts are you using?"

"This move is called—Arrogance of the Chinese pride!"

Zhang Heng's voice sounded as if it came from somewhere beyond the heavens. Wang Shengkang was stunned for a bit as he savored those words. He seemed to have realized something all of a sudden and fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"So, the Chinese martial arts are the best in the world? Am I really wrong?"

144. Organic Biopharmaceuticals

Zhang Heng's Stellar Building was completed on the 1st of September, two days after he attended Old Master Li's 80th birthday party. The building had become a landmark in the southern outskirts of Haizhou after more than half a year of construction.

The construction of the few pieces of land near the Stellar Towers began at the same time. Zhang Heng and Li Yiru prepared to construct the nearby industrial area and processing plant that was unique to Stellar Technology. The construction speed of the factory was much faster than that of the building, and the construction would be done at the same time. The construction would be completed in three months.

Zhang Heng began hiring people to pack and design the building after it was completed. That would take two months or more, and the building would probably only be officially opened when the factory was finished.

Zhang Xin's school term began completely, and the female clone warrior came to Haizhou from India on that day. Zhang Heng arranged for them to stay near Fudan University, and as long as Zhang Xin left the school, they would stay behind to protect her.

Other than the few female clones, Zhang Heng also asked the Indian authorities to create a new clone. When the clone arrived at Zhang Heng's villa, even Zhang Heng looked rather puzzled.

"Commander." The clone bowed.

Zhang Heng didn't answer. He simply narrowed his eyes and walked around the clone. The clone didn't react at all.

"What do you like to eat?"

"Commander, I'm willing to do anything."

"Do you have any music you'd like to listen to?"

"Commander, I've never heard music before."

"What's your mission?"

"Take over Haizhou in your place and divert the attention of the government."

Zhang Heng nodded and handed her a bunch of keys. "Very well. From now on, you're me. Remember, don't screw up."

"Understood, Commander." The clone slowly raised his head at that moment. If anyone were to see him at that moment, they would have been shocked to find that he looked exactly like Zhang Heng. Other than the look in his eyes, there was hardly any difference.

He was able to take his time to practice his gaze. Furthermore, in order to suppress his aura, Zhang Heng's eyes were usually very calm. Only when he became serious would the crowd realize that his gaze was as sharp as a knife.

Zhang Heng called his parents as usual after he was done, advising them to come to Haizhou to stay. He had tried to persuade them many times before, but his parents were reluctant to part with their neighbors and relatives. However, things went very well that day. He learned from his father that his mother missed his sister, so he heated the car up and forged the iron, getting his parents to agree to move to Haizhou.

Half an hour passed by the time he hung up. Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin. As long as his parents came to Haizhou to stay, his only weakness would be completely gone. Zhang Heng would be able to do whatever he wanted wherever the Corona's field of vision shrouded him.

Zhang Heng was finally able to relax for the time being after he was done with the construction of the building, the construction of the factory, and all the other tasks. Other than being unable to leave the country due to having to undergo mental training, everything else was done.

Zhang Heng walked out of the bedroom in a relaxed manner and found Thompson watching television on the couch.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Thompson," Zhang Heng said.

A frustrated look appeared on Thompson's face. "Isn't it just a case of spinal surgery? With automatic surgical equipment, even someone who knows nothing about medicine could complete the operation."

"That's because I need you, Mr. Thompson." Zhang Heng poured a glass of water for Thompson on the water dispenser. "I have a very difficult and heavy-duty mission here. Would you be interested?"

"I'm not familiar with all that technology in the Indian clone laboratory yet. I'm not interested in doing anything else," Thompson said bluntly.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin right away. Thompson could be said to be the ugliest old man he had ever met. More importantly, there was no point in berating someone like him. He wasn't the kind of man who would do anything to get on his superior's good side. More importantly, Thompson was very capable. While he couldn't compare to the four people from Haizhou, he was still considered one of the top four in Haizhou. Furthermore, he had been with Zhang Heng for quite a while, and Zhang Heng was very comfortable with him.

"I'll cut to the chase, Mr. Thompson. Why don't you come with me to the laboratory and we'll decide what to do?" Zhang Heng had no choice but to pull Thompson into the car and drive to the Honeycomb.

Zhang Heng returned to the underground laboratory at the Honeycomb very quickly.

"Commander, laboratory B7-2 has been fully repaired. I'm going to use it as the research laboratory for the T-Virus. It will be personally managed by Professor Feng Lun, who is in charge of the research and development of the B.O.W (organic weapons)."

Zhang Heng descended to the B1st floor of the Honeycomb with a ding and headed straight for the laser passageway. There was no need for him to go through any tests, as the door would open with a click every time he walked to a door and the lights turned green all the way.

Thompson, who was following behind Zhang Heng, was feeling rather irritated at first, but his eyes went wide when he walked into the hive.

"Any results?" Zhang Heng walked into the laser passageway. The Arion laser generators on both sides of the glass wall flickered non-stop, as if the creature before him would release an ultrasonic laser beam hundreds of thousands of degrees to slice everything in the passageway if there was anything out of the ordinary. However, Zhang Heng paid no heed to it and walked right through the passageway. The isolation door at the end of the passageway opened right away, but there was a wall behind it instead of a passageway.

"According to your data regarding the T-Virus, we have successfully nurtured a licker-type biological weapon. We are now testing the Tyrant, and it is estimated to be completed in half a month."

Zhang Heng nodded and headed straight for the wall as if he didn't see anything. Just when he was about to hit the wall, the wall split open on its own and turned into hundreds, if not thousands of cubes. The cubes continued to reassemble and deform, revealing a path to the B2nd floor.

Two cloned warriors were standing at the door wearing heavy-duty infantry armor when they got to the B2nd floor. They saluted Zhang Heng as soon as they saw him, and the researchers passing by nodded in greeting as well.

Zhang Heng took the elevator straight to the deepest B7 on the B2nd floor. Only the most secure B7 floor could be used for researching monsters like the T-Virus and xenomorphs.

"By the way, I remember that the lickers were bred by humans, right? There doesn't seem to be any humans in the Honeycomb for experimentation," Zhang Heng asked curiously.

"I'm sorry, but I managed to get a few slow-moving prisoners from Haizhou's prison half a month ago and conducted the experiment. You were undergoing mental training at the time, so I didn't tell you," Corona said.

"Don't worry about it. You've done well. There's really no need to inform me about something so trivial," Zhang Heng said with a grin.

"Ding!"

The elevator descended to the B7 floor and Zhang Heng took Thompson, who was still in a state of shock, to the B7-2 laboratory. The B7-2 had been undergoing maintenance for quite some time after being wrecked by the xenomorph queen, and it was finally being reused.

Laboratories 1 on the B7th floor contained the Dx-118 Virus. Laboratories 2 were conducting biological weapon experiments on the T-Virus. Laboratories 3 contained the xenomorph queen and a bunch of xenomorphs. The only laboratory left empty was the B7-4.

Zhang Heng thought about it for a bit and felt that he needed to expand the size of the beehive in the near future. While the seven floors added up to 70,000 square meters, which was already larger than most of the laboratories, he still needed to expand it further.

Zhang Heng pondered for a bit before opening the door to the second laboratory. He then went through a series of complicated disinfection procedures before finally entering the laboratory half an hour later.

"Director Zhang, what are you doing here?" Feng Lun's shiny head came into view as soon as he walked in.

"So, you're both here, Professor Feng and Professor Kong." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Nice to meet you. I'd like to introduce you to a friend who is also a researcher in biology." He then turned to Thompson, who was standing behind him.

145. Warning And Strict

Thompson's eyes went wide as soon as he got into the laboratory.

It was similar to the B7-3 laboratory that was used to research xenomorphs. The B7-2 laboratory had also designed an extremely secure biological isolation room. As soon as Thompson entered the laboratory, he saw a dark red monster lying on the wall in the isolation room right away.

The monster looked very much like a human, yet it was crawling on all fours. There was not a single bit of skin on its body, and only its dark-red muscles were exposed to the air. Both of its forelimbs had evolved to become claws that were about a meter long. The claws glittered coldly, and the walls made of special steel were covered in shallow scratches.

"Holy sh * *, what the hell is that monster?" Thompson held his head and wore a shocked expression on his face. He walked up to the glass in the quarantine room, put his hands on the glass, and observed the monster with a dazed look on his face. He continued to observe the monster while saying excitedly, "He has very well-developed muscles and sharp forelimbs, but I can tell from him that he's a human!"

"Humans, indeed." Fong Lun knew English as well and couldn't help but add, "We use death row criminals as experimental materials, combining them with some kind of RNA virus."

"Viruses? I know about the existence of the T-1 and T-2 viruses in the company. Is that the kind of virus you're talking about?" Thompson asked in shock.

"That's right, but the T-1 and T-2 are both weakened versions of the real T-Virus." Feng Lun sighed and turned to look at Zhang Heng. "Director Zhang, would you like to take a look at our research records?"

Zhang Heng nodded and there was a tinge of emotion in his eyes as well. When he first went on a mission in the Dimensional Star, the boss he met was a licker. However, compared to how weak he was back then, the licker looked like nothing more than a zombie in his eyes.

The nostalgia in Zhang Heng's eyes disappeared without a trace, and no one noticed it. Kong Zhong picked up a few discs from the side and put them into a projector by the wall. The huge display on the wall began to play the process of the licker being created.

The first person to appear on the screen was a bald man who looked to be in his thirties and had a muscular build. The bald man had two scars on his face and wore a yellow prison suit. His clothes were open and one could see that he was covered in all manner of ferocious tattoos. He was being held by two cloned warriors who were struggling and yelling.

Zhang Heng saw the bald man's clothes and the words' Haizhou Basket Bridge Prison 'written on them.

The bald man looked terrified as several cloned researchers stripped him naked and sent him to the disinfection room, where he was disinfected and put on a metal bed.

The scene changed and the next thing that happened was a tube of helix-shaped viruses being injected into the man's vein with a Mit needleless injector. The man's eyes bulged out of his eye sockets and he wore a look of despair.

The man was locked up in the quarantine room by the third act, yet he continued to struggle on the iron bed, seemingly in a state of frenzy. He paid no heed to the blood dripping from his wrists and ankles.

In the fourth scene, the man's skin turned grey and his pupils lost their luster. He was completely frozen on the metal bed without moving, as if he had lost consciousness. However, when the researchers entered the quarantine room, the man turned around all of a sudden and shouted at the researchers while baring his teeth and drooling. The man was no longer human, but a zombie through.

In the fifth scene, the researchers injected the male zombie with a high concentration of nutrient solution every few hours and made him eat large amounts of raw meat that were also infected by the T-Virus. Several days later, the skin all over the zombie's body fell off, revealing the muscles that continued to multiply and its ever-changing body. The so-called zombies were already showing signs of becoming lickers.

In the sixth scene, the monster that had begun to look like a licker was caught in a tool that looked like an incubator, which was then released a week later. The death row criminal had successfully turned into the current licker.

All of the footage had been edited, enabling him to briefly describe the process of the licker's creation. As for the details and data, Zhang Heng was able to look into them, but there was simply no need for him to do so.

"That would be the process of nurturing lickers according to the data," Kong Zhong said with a sigh. "It's just some completely mutated zombies. The main ability of the T-Virus is to accelerate the metabolism of humans. Humans infected by the T-Virus would turn into zombies that only have instincts. They would feel their appetites getting stimulated and would need to constantly consume food in order to meet the requirements for their bodies to rapidly mutate. That's because the metabolism of humans is too fast. When the requirements for food are not met, the human body would begin to rot, becoming the lowest level of zombies."

"However, if one were to consume enough food, the infected person's body would mutate just like that. That, coupled with the adjustment of the special incubator, would make the infected person a healthy and complete crawler."

"The way to create a licker is indeed simple, and researching it would allow one to better understand the nature of the T-Virus, but what I'd like to know is… can the licker be controlled?" Zhang Heng asked suddenly.

"Uh, no." Kong Zhongcai was stunned and shook his head right away. "That thing is a little more intelligent than zombies, but it's only at best a beast, and there's no possibility of taming it."

Zhang Heng snorted coldly and said, "Tamed? Do you really think I'm going to use something like that as a police dog?"

Feng Lun gave Kong Zhongcai a look and said to Zhang Heng, "I get what you're saying. You're talking about being able to control biological weapons. We'll need time for that."

"No need to waste any more time." Zhang Heng shook his head and pushed the fire-destroying button on the control panel of the quarantine room under the astonished gazes of the three. Plasma flames that were over 10,000 degrees celsius sprayed from the roof of the room all of a sudden. The licker didn't even have time to scream before it was burnt to a crisp by the high temperatures.

Zhang Heng looked at the two of them coldly after he was done. "The licker is a complete failure of the T-Virus product. Just destroy it. I also hope that this will be the last time. The T-Virus isn't some toy. You two can play with it if you want, but you have to fulfill my requirements first, understand?"

Only then did Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai look embarrassed. It was true that Zhang Heng's order back then was to first create the B.O.W Organic Weapon according to the data regarding the T-Virus, then slowly reverse-engineer the T-Virus, before finally eating it whole.

The so-called biological weapon referred to the 'Tyrant', as the licker had stated very clearly in the data that there was simply no way to control it. Only advanced and powerful biological weapons like the 'Tyrant' would be able to control and mass-produce it.

It was only because of that that Feng Lun and Kong Zhong were able to create the Tyrant right away, which meant that the creation of biological weapons wouldn't be delayed. However, the two of them didn't follow Zhang Heng's orders. In order to gain a better understanding of the T-Virus, they first created monsters like the licker, which hadn't fused perfectly enough viruses. That way, they would be able to see the nature of the T-Virus more clearly.

However, while that method satisfied their curiosity about the T-Virus, it still delayed Zhang Heng's order.

"Alright, the two of you can go back and work on the xenomorphs. I'll leave the T-Virus's Organic Biotechnology Research Project in the hands of Professor Thompson." Zhang Heng gave the two of them an order that they couldn't accept.

"Please don't do that, Director Zhang…" Feng Lun panicked right away. While the research on the xenomorphs was being carried out every day, he was still stuck at a bottleneck. Usually, when those apprentices finished their experiments every day, the two of them would only need to take a look at the experimental data. The T-Virus, on the other hand, was undoubtedly more tempting than the research on the xenomorphs, which was progressing slowly.

"Director Zhang, we know what we've done was wrong. We'll definitely put our jobs first and our preferences second." Kong Zhongcai's face turned red as well. Both of them were in their sixties or seventies, yet they had to apologize to a kid who was barely in his twenties. That shouldn't have been possible, but the two of them couldn't care less about such things in order to research the T-Virus.

Zhang Heng paid no attention to the two of them and looked at Thompson instead. "Professor Thompson, would you be able to do it alone?"

"Let the two of them join us. I know the two of them and they're both top international biologists. I'd definitely be able to finish the job as soon as possible with their help." Thompson's eyes were filled with excitement as well. Being able to get the position of research director of the T-Virus made Thompson feel that the trip was worth it, and he was no longer dissatisfied.

Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai looked elated and looked at Zhang Heng expectantly.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the two of them and walked out of the laboratory instead. Only then did Feng Lun and Kong Zhong feel completely dejected, with disappointment and remorse written all over their faces.

"Never again." Zhang Heng's cold voice was heard at that moment.

The two of them were stunned and their spirits were lifted right away. They thanked Zhang Heng profusely as he walked away, telling him that they definitely wouldn't make such a mistake again.

"Alright, colleagues, please show me the details first before we make any plans." Thompson turned around and said to the two of them eagerly after Zhang Heng left.

146. Tyrant Tests

Thompson, Vonlun, and Kong Zhongcai were discussing something in the highest-sealed laboratory at B7-2 three days later.

In the past three days, Thompson took some time out of his schedule to perform a nerve clamping operation on Yan Ronghua's daughter. The operation was extremely successful, and with the aid of some body enhancement, it took Yan Ronghua's daughter less than a month to stand up from the wheelchair and become a completely normal person.

The three of them then began their 'organic biological weapons' research and development plan.

Thompson was looking at the huge pillar-shaped incubator with a frown on his face as he discussed with the two of them.

The pillar-shaped incubator looked very similar to the incubators' incubators. Both were cylindrical and completely transparent. The only difference was that the incubators were much larger than the ones found in the incubators.

That incubation pod had a diameter of about three meters and a height of seven meters, which made it twice the size of a regular incubation pod. However, what was out of place was that there was only one zombie, about the size of a regular human, in that huge space in the incubation pod. The zombie's entire body was rotting away bit by bit, and it was suspended in the blue, watery incubation solution. That incubation solution would allow the T-Virus to multiply steadily in the body of the experimental subject, preventing it from developing a tragedy due to its metabolism being too fast.

"The proliferation isn't stable enough and the Experimentals are decaying." Feng Lun frowned and asked, "Is it because of the culture solution?"

"No, there's nothing wrong with the culture solution. I think it's the problem with the experimental bodies." Kong Zhongcai shook his head and continued, "The material used for the experiment is that of a common death row criminal, with a weak constitution. The only way to do so would be to inject the T-Virus in large quantities and see if we could turn the victim into a virus carrier. There might still be hope."

The two of them turned to look at Thompson. After all, Thompson was the one who led the project.

"Agreed. Inject more T-Virus solution." Thompson thought for a bit, then nodded and said, "It's normal to fail the first time. Don't be discouraged."

The assistants at the side pressed a button on the control panel without needing them to do anything and yet another tube of T-Virus solution was injected into the Experimentals' bodies through the needle. The Experimentals in the culture pod seemed to have sensed something all of a sudden and opened their eyes all of a sudden, looking at the people who were separated from them with ferocious expressions.

Thompson, Vonman, and the other two felt a chill running down their spines as if they were being stared at by some animal.

Soon, the pupils of the Experimentals began to turn a strange, blood-red color. The bodies that were beginning to rot were then recombined in the newly injected high-density viruses, which slowed down their decay considerably.

"Very good. The body count of the Experimentals has stabilized somewhat compared to before. There's hope." Thompson let out a sigh of relief. While none of them had high hopes of succeeding in their first attempt, it was still important to accumulate more experience.

"The viral concentration is too high and the virus is mutating. His weight is increasing." One of the assistants looked at the data on the control panel and frowned. "The temperature of the experimental body is also rising. 37 degrees, 38 degrees, 38.5 degrees…"

"Get the blood sample and run tests right away. I need a data report!" Feng Lun said immediately. He walked to the bottom of the incubator and looked up at that individual. He suddenly realized that the claws of the experimental body seemed to have become a little sharper. They had actually grown four to five centimeters in just a short while.

Days passed and what made everyone excited was that the Experimentals were indeed growing at a very fast pace. Their initially frail bodies were now filled with bulging muscles and their skin was no longer rotten. However, they had turned into a zombie-like greyish-white color and all of their fur was completely shed.

His body began to expand at a corresponding rate, and even his bones grew longer and thicker.

If one were to say that none of that mattered, what truly shocked the crowd was that the heart of the Experimental actually broke through the barriers of the muscles and bones and grew out of its body. It was like a huge core that was embedded in the center of the chest cavity of the Experimental, and the sound of it beating was as loud as a drum.

Seven days later, the growth of the Experimentals was completed. Zhang Heng went to Laboratory No. 2 again after being notified by Thompson. His eyes narrowed when he saw the figure in the culture pod, and he looked very surprised.

At that moment, the experimental body in the culture pod was only barely able to make out what that death row convict looked like from his facial features. However, he was over four meters tall and his muscles were all tangled up. His heart was exposed to the air outside his body and a few parts of his body were still somewhat rotten. One of his arms had even mutated, becoming the bright red claws of a licker.

"He was able to get the tyrant out in seven days. While there are some flaws, being able to succeed in one shot is a feat nonetheless. Professor Thompson's abilities are truly out of the ordinary. He's so much better than some people." Zhang Heng was generous with his praise, which made both Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai feel rather awkward.

"But we'll have to see how practical it is." Zhang Heng changed the subject and said, "Let's cut to the chase, Professor Thompson. Get ready to begin."

Thompson nodded and gave the assistant behind him a look. That assistant immediately took control of the console and injected a large dose of tranquilizer into the incubator, before moving the mechanical arm above the incubator.

The lid of the incubation pod was opened and the mechanical arm lifted the four-meter-tall humanoid monster that weighed over a ton, before transporting it to the biological quarantine room and locking it up.

When the quarantine room was completely sealed, the Experimentals were injected with neutralizing drugs, which neutralized the various sedatives and muscle relaxation effects that the Experimentals had on them. Everyone stood before the observation window and waited silently for the Experimentals to wake up.

About 10 minutes later, a low, rumbling sound was heard and the unconscious Experimental's fingers trembled slightly before it slowly opened its eyes.

Seemingly due to having just woken up and having lost the memories of humans, the blood-red pupils of the Experimental looked rather dazed at the moment. It subconsciously wanted to hold on to its head that was in so much pain that it felt like it was about to burst. However, it was stunned when it raised its hand.

His right hand had become a huge claw that was disproportionate to his body.

The Experimental let out a low-pitched roar and slowly turned around to look at the transparent observation window. It was only then that he realized that there was a large group of people watching him from outside the observation window like they were watching a panda.

"Roar!"

The Experimental let out a threatening roar subconsciously and took a huge step to stand before the observation window. There was a loud bang and the observation window let out a dull thud as everyone felt the ground shake noticeably.

However, it was obvious that the thickness of the window wasn't something that the Tyrant's power could break through. That thickness was something that could trap a super xenomorph queen. The Tyrant himself felt dizzy from the impact, yet the window remained completely still.

The recording staff at the side continued to record in a low voice, "The 001 Experimentals seem to have maintained some habits from their human days. According to preliminary estimates, while the Experimentals have lost all sense of human sanity, they are nonetheless able to maintain a basic level of intelligence. They are definitely not some kind of zombie that is completely oblivious and only has instincts."

"See if you can communicate," Thompson ordered.

One of the assistants nodded and walked up to the console and said into the microphone, "Hey, hey, can you understand what I'm saying?"

The huge body of the Experimental turned around suddenly while the assistant was speaking and looked at the audio equipment on the ceiling of the isolation room at lightning speed.

"Hey, if you can understand what I'm saying…" Before the assistant could finish speaking, the Experimental suddenly took two steps forward and leaped high into the air. The huge claw on its right hand swiped across the sound system in the very next second.

Boom!

The sound system blew up.

"Okay, looks like the Experimentals didn't keep human memories and intelligence," Thompson said without thinking.

"Hurry up and test its defensive capabilities," Feng Lun said.

Thompson nodded and the assistant on the control panel immediately pushed another button. A row of machine gun barrels emerged from the roof of the building. The next second, tongues of fire were seen spewing out from all of the barrels like dragon's breath. Countless bullets rained down on the Experimentals.

The roars of the Experimentals were drowned out by the loud gunshots as blood sprayed everywhere and smoke filled the entire quarantine room.

"How did it turn out?" Everyone looked at the smoke-filled isolation room uneasily. While the Tyrant was a monster that specialized in power, anyone who knew about Resident Evil would know that the most powerful ability of a biological weapon like the Tyrant was not power, but defense and regeneration.

If it were any other living creature, they would have probably been reduced to dust long ago when faced with a barrage of over a hundred machine guns fired at full power. As for whether the Experimentals would be able to withstand such an attack, no one could say for sure.

About 10 seconds later, the ventilators in the quarantine room emptied out all the smoke in the room before the smoke was finally seen. However, everyone was still stunned when they saw the Experimentals slowly recovering inside the room, and they could even see bullets being squeezed out of their bodies one after another.

At that moment, the Experimental slowly got up from its half-squat position. All the wounds on his body had completely healed by the time he was able to stand up again, leaving only a pile of bullets on the ground.

147. Corona's Reminder

The Tyrant's ability to regenerate was very powerful, but given that it was called regeneration, it represented a very powerful metabolic ability.

No matter how powerful a tyrant was, he had to adhere to material conservation and energy conservation. The faster the metabolism, the more energy was needed to make up for it.

To put it simply, the Tyrant needed massive amounts of energy to sustain its regenerative capabilities, or it would have been depleted due to malnutrition caused by metabolism.

According to research done by Thompson and others, the Tyrant's cells were able to store a massive amount of energy materials such as the Adp and the Atp. The Atp was a high-energy phosphate compound that could be converted to store and release energy with the Adp, enabling the cell to supply energy for life.

Thompson went through the tests and the Experimentals suffered five minutes of machine gun fire before they were put on the verge of death due to their bodily functions failing.

Five minutes didn't seem like a long time, but how many enemies could maintain such a high and intensive firepower suppression in actual combat? If the Tyrant were to get too close to them, they would definitely die.

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up when he read the report in his hand. He snapped his fingers and went into the virtual space right away. When he came out again, the computer screen at the side looked like it was raining, and data streams were seen everywhere.

All of that data was some kind of chemical formula that most people wouldn't be able to read. Only experts would be able to tell just how much impact the codes and formulas would have on the human world.

Zhang Heng thought that if he were to use the Tyrant's cellular energy principle, he would be able to create a nutrient solution that could provide energy to living beings. That nutrient solution could provide massive amounts of energy to the body. To put it simply, it was a nutrient solution. However, the amount of energy contained in such a nutrient solution was tens of thousands of times more than that found in the world.

Zhang Heng relied on Corona's simulation and computing power to replicate the biotechnology right away. He then sent the data to several researchers in charge of the B6th floor and ordered them to set up a new research project specifically to extract that life source and make it into some kind of Tactical Energy Supplemental Medicine that looked like a Red Bull beverage.

On Thompson's side, the success of the Tyrant's prototype had given them a greater passion and a lot of experience. To further perfect the Tyrant's abilities, the Organic Biopharmaceutical Research and Development Team sent an application to Zhang Heng, asking him to take part in the experiment with the perfect fused T-Virus clone. Only Zhang Heng's flesh clone was the best material to create the Tyrant.

Zhang Heng agreed to Thompson's request without any hesitation, but of course, the subjects of the experiment were not the cloned warriors such as Gu Zhan and Adam. While the cloned warriors had no emotions, they had character and self-awareness, which meant that they were considered true humans. There was no way Zhang Heng would sacrifice the lives of his subordinates for research.

In that case, the only choice he had was to create a new batch of clones that had no self-awareness. Due to the fact that the clones didn't have the technology to implant thoughts into their bodies, they had no self-awareness at all. Technically speaking, they were just pieces of flesh.

As such, Zhang Heng decided to set up a clone laboratories in the Honeycomb instead. What was different from the ones in India was that the ones produced in India were clones, while the ones produced in the Honeycomb were clones.

The second Tyrant was created half a month later. The new Tyrant showed no signs of decay, and even its mutated claws and exposed heart were nowhere to be found. Other than its massive four-meter-tall body, it looked no different from any other human being.

The new Tyrant was named the T002 model. After testing it out, the T002 was even more powerful than the Tyrant's prototype. The T002 lasted for 10 minutes under the barrage of machine guns, but that was still far from satisfying to Zhang Heng.

That was because the T002, which had neither intelligence nor control, could only be considered a monster. It was not considered a weapon. Only tyrants who possessed a certain level of command and intelligence capable of controlling weapons were the biological weapons that Zhang Heng had in mind.

However, what was truly surprising to everyone was that, when Thompson put the two tyrants in a separate room, the T002 and the Tyrant Type Fighter fought like natural enemies.

Despite having huge claws as weapons, the prototype was utterly crushed by T002 in terms of power and regeneration. T002 even swallowed the Tyrant's prototype and ate it whole.

After devouring the monster, the T002 gained the ability to turn its arms into huge claws. Not only that, but the muscle fibers all over its body hardened as well, making it harder and stronger. However, its speed and agility were significantly reduced.

Everyone was stunned. Thompson went on to test the T002 for three whole days and finally concluded that it was a second-time virus infection.

Thompson spent another week designing the third type of tyrant according to that inspiration, as if he had just found a treasure. The new tyrant was upgraded to a whole new level, named T103.

…

"During the Resident Evil, the Umbrella Corporation relied on something called the 'ne-alpha parasite' to control the tyrant. However, we don't have such a thing with us. If we want to control the tyrant, we'd have to think of some other way."

A few days later, Zhang Heng was lying in his bedroom in his hive, flipping through data reports regarding the Tyrant with a troubled look on his face. After more than a month of research and development, Thompson's organic biological weapons had been developed to the third generation. The Tyrant's combat prowess was higher than that of the first generation, but there was little progress in his ability to control it.

In order to control the tyrant, Zhang Heng had thought of using the 'mind implant' technique to implant loyal thoughts into the test subjects when they were clones.

However, after the clone was nurtured into a tyrant, the brain of a tyrant developed an irreversible, destructive mutation. It was that mutation that caused the implantation technology and brain-controlled biochemical technology to fail, becoming just as insane as the other tyrants.

The operation methods of the brain-control chip were to interpret and interfere with human brainwaves, but they were unable to interpret or interfere with the brainwaves of monsters. The same was true for thought implants.

As such, the use of 'mind implantation technology' and 'brain-controlled biochemical chip technology' on experimental bodies that had become tyrants was completely ineffective.

It was the end of September and there was only about half a month to go before the next mission was to be carried out. While Zhang Heng had made up his mind that the next mission would be a simple Doomsday world with a difficulty of one star, it would be killing two birds with one stone if he was able to bring the Tyrant into the mission.

Not only would he be able to test the Tyrant's combat prowess, but he would also be able to ensure that the mission was safe.

As such, Zhang Heng urgently needed Thompson to break through his bottleneck and develop a mass-producing tyrant that he could completely control.

"Commander, are you still troubled by the tyrant's controlability?" Corona appeared in the room all of a sudden and asked in a coquettish manner.

I've thought of something. "

"What's the plan?" Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before realizing that Corona was trying to pull some tricks on him.

That was something that would have been utterly inconceivable to an AI. Only someone like Corona, who was able to traverse vast and endless virtual networks all day long and had absorbed countless amounts of knowledge from the internet, could achieve something like that.

Zhang Heng was able to tell from their conversations every day that as she absorbed more human knowledge, she became more human-like and lifelike. Other than not having a body, she was no different from other humans.

However, Zhang Heng wasn't afraid that something would go wrong with Corona. No matter how intelligent she was, she wasn't just some programming. She was a huge sculpture that was 20 meters tall and weighed over a hundred tons. There was no way that she could get into the internet and escape.

As the last line of defense, Zhang Heng had even planted a lot of explosives at the bottom of the hive a long time ago. If he felt that something was off, he could simply destroy Corona physically.

"As a matter of fact, both you and Mr. Thompson have entered a state of consciousness error, believing that, given that both the technology of consciousness transplant and brain control are ineffective, the technology of brain transplant would definitely be ineffective as well. In fact, you could try brain transplant instead," Corona said with a smirk.

"Corona, are you serious?" Zhang Heng was stunned. He was about to tell her that the brain of a tyrant would be different from that of a human after becoming a tyrant, and that such an operation would be impossible to pull off. However, seeing how Corona reminded him of that, he knew that she was telling the truth.

Corona was not a human after all. She would not have suggested something so pointless unless there was a high chance of success.

"I know that you must think that humans and the brain of tyrants are different, so this method definitely won't work, right?"

"That's right. Even mental implants and brain-control chips are ineffective. How could a human brain be transplanted?" Zhang Heng nodded and voiced his thoughts.

"However, just a moment ago, Professor Thompson deconstructed a T103 brain. He found that while the Tyrant's cerebral cortex and the side of the brain are highly mutated, the cuneiform brain, brain stem, and small brain tissue below the side of the brain are no different from humans. Even the size of the brain is no different from that of humans."

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before realizing what was going on. The human brain was divided into the cerebral cortex, prefrontal cortex, cerebral cortex, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum cortex. The prefrontal cortex was further divided into the cerebral cortex and interstitial cortex, which were located at the outermost layer of the brain. The cerebral cortex, cerebral cortex, and other parts of the brain were located at the lower layer of the brain. "You're saying that the Tyrant King was only a mutation in the outer layer of the brain, but the core remained in the same state as humans?"

"That's right. As such, the possibility of the Tyrant's brain being transplanted is very high." Corona smiled.

Corona's way of thinking was very precise. She could only make such a request to Zhang Heng after confirming the Tyrant's brain structure. If it hadn't been for Thompson dissecting the Tyrant, Corona wouldn't have come up with such a plan.

Zhang Heng was elated right away and went up to the B7th floor to explain the possibility to Thompson, who, too, clapped their hands to their heads. All three of them were top-notch researchers, and they had only been misled in their thoughts before. Once they were enlightened, they were immediately enlightened and began to plan their experiments.

148. Entering Radiation

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered radiation plane. Begin scanning mission."

"Warning: Radiation plane mission initiated. Main Quest: Break into the Academy and acquire molecular teleportation technology."

"Optional quest. Acquire advanced mechanical suit technology, stealth technology, nuclear fusion core technology, and other technologies from the radiation plane."

"Urgent quest, unknown."

"Quest Time: 24 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 24 hours. Failure Penalty: Host access reduced by one level."

…

When Zhang Heng opened his eyes, he saw a wasteland filled with garbage and radiation through the optical camera on his helmet.

The sky was a greyish-yellow color, and radioactive dust was blown about in the wind. The ground was cracked and dry, and there didn't seem to be any moisture in the air. The air was filled with the sour stench of chemicals.

However, Zhang Heng, who was inside the exoskeleton armor, was unable to sense all of that. He was only able to learn all of that from the external detection equipment on the armor.

There were seven huge warriors dressed in heavy-duty infantry armor standing behind Zhang Heng, keeping their guard up against any potential danger.

However, what was truly surprising was that there were three even larger silhouettes behind the seven warriors.

Those three silhouettes looked like the legendary prehistoric giants. They were six meters tall and wore exoskeletal armor that was of the same design as the ones worn by the troops. According to the same ratio, even if the three silhouettes were not wearing armor, they would still be four meters tall.

That was the trump card of Zhang Heng's plane mission, the third-generation organic biological weapon of the T-Virus—the mass-produced T103.

Corona suddenly reminded Zhang Heng half a month ago that if he were to perform brain transplant surgery on the Tyrant, the mutated brain of the Tyrant would return to normal. He would then be able to fix the problem of being unable to control the Tyrant with the biochemical chip installed on the brain.

Furthermore, in order to make it in time for the next plane mission, Zhang Heng even made an extra huge incubator. Adding on the T103 Tyrant that he had just completed, there were three Tyrants in total.

In the end, Thompson successfully modified the T103 Tyrant into a controllable state according to Corona's methods. However, Zhang Heng refused to do so when Thompson asked if he needed to implant his thoughts.

The way he saw it, a lifeform like the Tyrant was nothing more than a biological weapon. If he were to use the implantation technology, it would lead to the Tyrant to develop consciousness and self. That would be utterly unfair to that lifeform, just like how science geeks did things. As such, the mass-produced T103 that he designed were all biological weapons that only knew how to carry out orders but had no self-awareness. They were just like robots.

At that moment, three tyrants wearing the same exoskeleton armor walked slowly behind the crowd, making them look like the most loyal of guards. They would follow wherever the people they were protecting went. However, the ground would rumble with every step they took. Such heavy footsteps were the most impressive catalyst in the game.

Zhang Heng turned around and took a look at the three tyrants. While it was true that the three tyrants were under control and would carry out any orders given by him, he was unable to carry out too many experiments due to the time constraints. He was unable to guarantee that the tyrants wouldn't suddenly lose control, and as such, he had to be on guard at all times.

The three tyrants each held three types of weapons in their hands. The first Tyrant held an enlarged version of a pulse sniper rifle. The pulse sniper rifle had a total length of 4800mm, a caliber of 200mm, initial velocity of 10,000mm / s, and an effective range of 20,000mm.

Compared to the NT-20 in Zhang Heng's hand, the barrel of the pulse sniper rifle in the Tyrant's hand was twice as long and four times as thick.

What was the concept of a 200mm caliber sniper rifle?

One had to realize that the caliber of the main combat tanks in the world was only 125mm. A 200mm sniper rifle truly couldn't be considered a gun. It would be more apt to call it a sniper rifle instead. It was highly likely that only a tyrant capable of lifting tanks would be able to wield such a weapon.

Ordinary people were not allowed to be found within a 10-meter radius around the sniper rifle when it was fired. The sonic barrier generated by the projectile, which was over 20 times the speed of sound, would have been more than enough to kill all unprotected personnel within a 10-meter radius.

The kinetic power of the sniper rifle exceeded 100 mj, which meant that there was no need to install any explosives. All that was needed was solid shells, and the cannon would be able to produce 20 kilograms of explosive power, which was equivalent to the power of 200-300 high explosive grenades exploding at the same time.

The mere thought of the power of the attack sent shivers down everyone's spines.

One of the remaining two tyrants was using an ordinary pulse rifle. Despite that, an automatic rifle with a 50mm caliber and 12mm J kinetic energy would still be able to blast a skyscraper to pieces.

The last one was armed with a custom-made Vulcan cannon with a multi-barreled pulse machine gun. With the firepower of the three tyrants, they were able to easily wipe out an armorist without resorting to cruise missiles.

In terms of defense, the three Tyrants were wearing exoskeletal armor of the same model as the rest of them. However, due to their massive size, the armor had a thickness of 200mm. While it was still unable to withstand the armor-piercing shells from the main battle tanks, it was more than enough to withstand some regular shells.

That was a true biological weapon!

"Mr. Zhang Heng, our current location is the New England area in the northeast of the United States, in the western outskirts of the city of Boston, the capital of Massachusetts." Adam walked up to Zhang Heng and spoke into the radio.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and wore an 'as expected' expression on his face. "Boston? Corona's analysis was spot on. The most valuable technology in the radiation plane is molecular transmission technology. That technology is the most advanced technology I've seen since I acquired the Dimensional Star. It's something that involves the application of space."

"Mr. Zhang Heng, what is our mission?"

"Break into the Academy and acquire molecular transmission technology." Zhang Heng turned around and looked at Adam. "The MIT I remember is in Boston?"

"No, it's in Cambridge, northwest of Boston. There's a Charles River between the two cities, which is less than 10 minutes away," Adam answered.

"In that case, everyone get ready to move forward and head to MIT as quickly as possible. I want to take down the college before they realize what's happening," Zhang Heng ordered.

"Understood!"

Everyone began to sprint at full speed right away. With the aid of the Heavy Infantry Armor, everyone was able to cover a distance of over 100 kilometers per hour.

Zhang Heng felt that the team's morale was very high, unlike the 10,000-kilometer retreat that he took out of the original plane back then. What he needed to do this time was to take the initiative to attack. He wondered if it was some kind of psychological issue, but he felt that the team's morale was very high. He couldn't help but observe Adam for a bit before throwing that strange feeling to the back of his mind.

It took them about six to seven minutes to see the ruins of MIT in the distance, and the base of the school in the radiation field was right below the ruins.

149. Electromagnetic Bomb

The crowd rushed to the top of the MIT at top speed. Under Zhang Heng's signal, five of them took out a metal rod-shaped device from their backs. One end of the device was shaped like a sword and the other end was shaped like a radio. All of them stuck the device to the ground as quickly as they could and formed a circle before turning the buttons on the device.

It was as if static electricity was running through their exoskeletal armor, making crackling sounds. A blurry map appeared before everyone's eyes, and the map became clearer, marking the area of an extremely vast underground building.

"Found you." Zhang Heng smirked coldly.

"The structure of the underground structure has been detected. The central coordinates are set." The vice-captain, Gu Zhan, spoke into the radio. "Execute Plan A and prepare to use the drilling rounds. We need to send the shells deep into the underground buildings."

Tyrant, who was holding a pulse sniper rifle, walked to the center of the detection with heavy footsteps and pulled out a helix-shaped drill about 20 centimeters thick at the same time, loading it into the huge cannon-like pulse sniper rifle.

Almost at the same time, everyone retreated automatically. One of them retreated to a safe spot 30 meters away before the Tyrant pointed his gun at his feet.

Boom!

The Tyrant didn't need to give any instructions after everyone had retreated out of the range and automatically pressed the button. A white mist appeared out of nowhere in the very next moment and spread out in all directions with a visible wave, followed by the deafening sound of metal twisting.

The Tyrant who fired the shot was sent flying tens of meters away by the shockwave and crashed to the ground.

However, the Tyrant was crude and thick to begin with. Furthermore, due to the protection of the exoskeleton armor, the Tyrant only shook its head for a bit before standing up as if nothing had happened and stood by the side of the crowd, awaiting further orders.

It was only then that the crowd went up and saw that a huge hole about a meter in diameter had been punched into the ground without a sound, revealing the pitch-black underground. With the lights from the hole, they were only able to see the surface of the underground base, which had been destroyed layer after layer by the burrowing bullets, and they were unable to see the bottom of the ground.

Such terrifying power!

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily. However, at that very moment, layers of people began to emerge from the holes that had been punched through. If one were to take a closer look, they would realize that those were not people, but humanoid lifeforms that were made up of both mechanical and muscle tissues—synthesized humans.

Other than the most powerful molecular teleportation technology, there was also a top-notch technology known as synthetic human manufacturing. Technically speaking, the synthetic human was not considered human, but a kind of robot that was half mechanical and half biological. However, for some reason, many synthetic humans developed self-awareness, just like humans, having emotions and thoughts.

The Academy faction would have people all over the world collecting materials and power supplies, while the Academy's Recycle Bin would be able to create synthesized people every half a minute using 3D printing technology.

It was only after Zhang Heng had researched the plot of radiation that he learned that there was such a powerful organization behind the power of radiation. It would have been very difficult for Zhang Heng's DSF team to break through the defenses, given that the world also had kinetic armor and Gauss Rifles, as well as mature energy technology. Zhang Heng was not at an advantage in terms of combat prowess, but the Doomsday world was not a complete civilization after all, and it was very easy for them to develop abnormalities.

For example, right now…

Zhang Heng looked at the army of synthesized humans pouring out of the hole at his feet and remained unfazed. He even looked rather apathetic. He took a look at Adam, who took out a cone-shaped weapon from his back. It looked like a cylinder at first glance.

However, Adam didn't fire the projectile. Instead, he set up a 30-second countdown timer on the projectile. After the countdown began, he threw the projectile down through the hole that the projectile had made.

The bullet dropped right into the bottomless, abyss-like underground base.

Zhang Heng didn't move and continued to look underground instead. Dozens of synthetic beings had emerged from the underground entrance of the MIT ruins at the side, yelling and charging at the DSF team.

Crack!

Everyone surrounded Zhang Heng right away, and the electromagnetic blade shot out of the armor on his arm, emitting a low buzzing sound.

Whoosh!

A sharp tearing sound was heard and the first synthesizer that lunged at Zhang Heng was cut in half by Gu Zhan. The synthesizer's body felt as fragile as tofu before the Murasama Blade.

However, the ruins were like a fountain right after that, with synthesized humans bursting out of the ruins like a flood. There were over a thousand AI cores installed in the armor alone.

However, just when everyone was about to be drowned by the synthesized human army, the sound of that bullet exploding was heard from underground all of a sudden.

Boom!

Flames were seen bursting out of the hole right after that. Almost at the same time, hundreds of synthesized humans charging at the crowd suddenly burst into flames and twitched non-stop. The synthesized humans only twitched for a few seconds before the light in their eyes disappeared bit by bit, before they collapsed to the ground, still smoking.

All the synthesized beings were subjected to a strange attack within seconds and died collectively.

Disruption was seen on the heavy infantry armor of the crowd as well. Large amounts of data were displayed all over the place, but such a phenomenon was only seen for an instant before it was completely restored.

"Alright, the other party's entrance and exit doors have been opened for us. Let's go in," Zhang Heng said to the crowd before making his way to the institute's synthetic entrance and exit doors.

…

Herman was a researcher organized by the Doomsday World Academy.

Hermann was undoubtedly the luckiest of the lot, as compared to the ground dwellers who had been struggling to survive in the post-apocalyptic era. The Academy had the most cutting-edge technology, the best scientists, and the most advanced equipment. It never had to worry about food or water, and it was even more unnecessary to be subjected to the threat of death at all times.

Herman didn't want to pay any attention to those ambitions of saving humanity. While the institute had always considered itself to be saving the wastelands, none of that had anything to do with Herman. In his opinion, being able to become the head of a research institute was far more reliable than being able to save the world.

Yet, that very day, Herman realized that he had made a grave mistake. He had made a grave mistake. The outermost layer of the powerful college had been penetrated by a cannonball from the ground. That steel plate, which was several meters thick, was penetrated in an instant.

Herman looked like he was about to cry. That huge hole went right through the top of the laboratory's head and penetrated the flooring effortlessly, making its way to the next floor of the base.

Herman was about to leave right away, but something else fell out of the hole in the very next second. A huge burst of flames emerged from the crater below the floor several seconds later. The lights above his head flickered for a bit before he was completely plunged into darkness.

"Crackle…"

Not only that, but the two synthesized human assistants next to Herman began to shake all over as well, before falling to the ground, still writhing, while sparks and black smoke billowed from their bodies.

Hermann finally realized that that was the power of an electromagnetic bomb. Only an electromagnetic bomb could create something like that.

Electromagnetic bombs were also known as electromagnetic pulse bombs, which were usually divided into two types. The first type was nuclear electromagnetic pulse, and the second type was non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse. Non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse bombs were electromagnetic pulse weapons that were capable of generating high-performance microwaves by compressing electromagnetic pulses through the detonation of explosives. They could generate 50kv instantaneous pulse voltage volts in 1ns, redistributing the electrical fields within the communication system, resulting in voltage voltage voltages, damaging the communication signal system and damaging the microelectronic components as well.

An electromagnetic bomb alone was enough to paralyze tens of thousands of synthesized humans and all electronic equipment in the base.

"Crack!"

A huge foot stomped down hard all of a sudden, shattering the head of the synthesizer that had died right before Herman's eyes. The sound of parts breaking and muscle tissues snapping was heard.

Herman shuddered all over and slowly raised his head while trembling. He saw several soldiers wearing power armor that he had never seen before walking into the laboratory and looking at him coldly.

150. Occupy Academy

The institute had completely descended into panic and chaos after losing all power and defense mechanisms.

Zhang Heng and seven other DSF members made their way to the innermost part of the institute amidst the chaos. The three tyrants stood guard at the door, sending all those who were still alive to the uppermost lobby of the institute.

Those researchers who had no combat capabilities were easily taken care of by the DSF team, who only took their guns and patrolled the area for a bit. As for those who refused to listen and fought back with their weapons, Zhang Heng didn't show any mercy and shot all of them in the head.

However, the academy was simply too huge. The eight of them patrolled the place for several hours before they were able to get all those who were still alive to the lobby of the base. The three entrances and exits were guarded by three tyrants, with the total number of captives reaching over seven hundred.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but smirk as he looked at the frightened and uneasy researchers.

It was the first time that he gained the power to take on a mission.

If it hadn't been for the fact that he had been trying to figure something out in secret, he would have simply fled for his life. All in all, he had been taking every step of the way with extreme caution. Even if he were to make a single mistake, the only fate that awaited him would have been death and destruction. Only this time would he be able to face his enemies head-on and enjoy the feeling of crushing his enemies.

The reason for that was due to his growing power. Be it in terms of power or technology, Zhang Heng continued to grow stronger. It could be said that he had passed the novice stage of using the Dimensional Star and reached the stage where he could truly play games.

"Citizens and Jets, welcome to this meeting."

Zhang Heng walked to the very front of the lobby. While the entire institute had been rendered immobile due to the loss of power, that was hardly a problem for him. Several torches were lit on the podium behind him, lighting up the entire lobby in a dim, flickering light.

"Let me introduce myself before the meeting begins," Zhang Heng said. "We're from worlds outside the federation. You may call us' stars'. That's right, 'stars' is the name of our organization. It represents endless hope and future, representing light and heat."

Flames flickered behind Zhang Heng and his silhouette was seen by the terrified crowd.

"I'm sorry, but we had no choice but to attack the institute. I admit that we're not gentlemen enough, but we have our reasons." Zhang Heng scanned the crowd below the stage and extended two fingers. "Now that things have come to this, I have two solutions."

Everyone's eyes lit up as they looked at Zhang Heng without blinking, waiting for his or her fate to be decided.

"First of all, if you're unwilling to take orders from us, you're free to leave the institute. We won't stop you in any way." Zhang Heng put down a finger and continued, "Secondly, you can continue to live in the institute. I guarantee that you'll be treated the same way you were before we attacked. Nothing will change. In fact, we'll be able to get you countless delicacies and medicines that you wouldn't even dare to think about, to help you all improve your meals and treat radiation diseases."

"Are you guys sick of nuclear cola? We have countless new flavors of beverages and countless types of vegetables. You guys could even live a heaven-like life before the end of the world. We also have the power to wipe out the Steel Brothers and the railways, enabling the Academy to rule over the federation completely."

Everyone was silent, but their eyes were filled with doubt. It was obvious that they didn't believe Zhang Heng's promise.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the looks from the crowd. Trust was not something that could be established easily. Furthermore, as an intruder, he had killed their companions, limiting their personal freedom and disrupting their peaceful lives. No one would ever trust them, and the best way to find out was to act.

"Alright, if anyone wishes to leave, you may do so now." Zhang Heng pointed at the exit of the lobby and the tyrant guard at the door moved aside.

Everyone couldn't help but look at the exit. However, when they saw the Tyrant wearing the exoskeleton armor that gave off a futuristic mechanical vibe, everyone felt a deep sense of fear.

"This Super Mutant is probably stronger than Swann…" That was what everyone thought deep down.

No one left after waiting for a while, but that was within Zhang Heng's expectation. What a joke. This was a wasteland-like world. There were countless mutants, ghouls, death claws, and other monsters outside the school's base. Even if one were to wear power armor, it would be very difficult to live for even a day. To survive in such a wasteland would require a very strong survival ability and courage to face death.

It was obvious that not many people possessed either of those traits, and not many people would have the courage to leave that heaven-like underground base of the institute.

The reason why Zhang Heng brought up those two conditions was to tell everyone that they could either leave or submit to him. If they were to leave, they would die, and if they were to submit, they would be able to live on. As for what they would choose to do, no one would hesitate to do so, unless they were idiots. If they were to stay behind and make things worse, they would at least have a chance of surviving. If they were to leave, they would only end up dead.

"Very well, it seems like no one is willing to leave." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and continued, "Since everyone is willing to stay, that means that you're willing to take our orders. In that case, are the board of directors of the institute and the heads of the departments present?"

There was a commotion in the crowd. Three men with grizzled hair wearing white lab coats and two women walked out and walked to the bottom of the stage.

"Just the five of you?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze.

"Two of the directors were shot dead because they tried to resist." An old man with glasses said with a bitter smile.

"Very well then. Please come with me to the meeting room. The rest of you stay here for the time being." Zhang Heng took the lead and headed for the exit. The five of them looked at each other and their eyes were filled with anxiety. However, they still obediently followed Zhang Heng out of the lobby and headed for the meeting room.

Zhang Heng talked with the five of them for a very long time in the meeting room. The five of them had no choice but to submit under the threat of violence. The five of them then ordered the mechanics to begin repairing the institute's infrastructure and electrical circuits.

All of the machinery and electrical circuits in the institute were burnt to the ground after being attacked by the electromagnetic bombs. Without Zhang Heng's help, the institute would have been completely wiped out in just a few months.

However, there were only a handful of people who went to repair the base. Most of them still had to stay on the first floor of the base and be watched. Zhang Heng asked for three engineers and two scientists, who were capable of repairing the molecular transmitter, to go with him to the room where the device was placed and check it out.

It was a pity that the molecular transmitter had been destroyed by the electromagnetic bombs, but the entire thing remained intact. All that was needed was to replace some optical components and electrical circuits.

"If that's the case, I'll be taking these people and the molecular transmitter with me when I get back." Zhang Heng instructed Adam and Gu Zhan after returning to the first floor. "I'll be back in a few days. I'll be bringing more soldiers with me to help you manage the institute, as well as supplies."

Gu Zhan and Adam had no objections to that, and 24 hours passed very quickly. Zhang Heng returned to the bottom floor and walked up to the molecular transmitter. He then looked at the five technicians who were repairing the device behind him and said telepathically, "Dimensional Star, return. I want to bring the molecular transmitter and the five people behind me with me when we return."

His vision blurred in the very next second, and he felt dizzy all over. By the time he came to his senses, he was back in the hive base.

151. A Milestone In The Transit Plane

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Radiation plane mission complete. Main Quest: Break into the Academy and acquire molecular teleportation technology—Main Quest Completed."

"Optional quest: Acquire advanced mechanical suit technology, stealth technology, nuclear fusion core technology, and other technologies from the radiation plane. Optional quest unfinished."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown—No Urgent Quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: Radiation plane mission complete. Host access progress is now two-thirds of Level D. Current access level: D."

The voice of the Dimensional Star was heard in his mind. Zhang Heng looked up and saw a huge round roof over his head. The roof was about four meters tall, and there were three steel support beams under the roof. The three support beams supported the round roof together. That was the molecular transmitter in the radiation.

There was also a reflective platform at the bottom of the transmitter, with a transmitter radar and a control device at the side. Only when all four of those devices were activated together could they form a molecular transmitter that defied the natural order.

Zhang Heng turned around and saw that the five scientists behind him were looking around with dazed expressions as well, seemingly unable to figure out why they were in such a foreign place in the blink of an eye.

"Alright, everyone. We're back at the base. This is the base of the Stellar Organization." Zhang Heng clapped his hands at the five of them and pulled their attention back to him. "In order to prevent biological contamination, if you'd like to leave the containment room, please proceed to the disinfection room at the side for full disinfection. After a minor operation, all of you will be able to become researchers and engineers of the Stellar Organization and enjoy the B4 level treatment."

Zhang Heng watched as everyone went into the disinfection room with confused looks on their faces. Once the disinfection was done, the clone warriors outside the tent would lead the five of them to implant a brain-control chip. While the radiation plane was a wasteland world, that didn't mean that technology was lagging behind in reality. In reality, technology in the wasteland world was at least a hundred years more advanced than that in reality. Every scientist in the school was a living treasure.

However, Zhang Heng found the concept of a molecular transmitter rather ridiculous. There wasn't even any kind of transportation technology available, so how could there be something as advanced as a molecular transmitter?

That was no longer some kind of advanced technology, it was just wishful thinking.

"No, it's not wishful thinking. Humans aren't the only civilizations found in the radiation plane." Yurianne's voice was heard just as Zhang Heng was thinking.

"Yurianne, what do you mean?" Zhang Heng was stunned and quickly asked, "While there are two types of lifeforms—synthesized humans and mutants—in the radiation plane, I don't think they could be considered a civilization."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Yurianne elaborated, "There are a few interesting tips in the game regarding the origins of the wasteland world. A supercomputer once revealed that it was the AI that initiated the nuclear war, and that was one of the rumors, as it found conventional warfare to be too boring. Do you remember what that rumor was?"

"Another rumor is that the aliens waged a nuclear war, which led to the destruction of human civilization," Zhang Heng mumbled. His expression changed all of a sudden and he looked shocked. "You're saying that the molecular transmitter is actually the technology of the aliens?"

"Yurianne didn't say anything." Yurianne chuckled and disappeared again in a flash.

It was only then that Zhang Heng stopped asking questions. Yurianne would have told him if she could, but there was nothing he could do if she refused to tell him.

However, the game was still a game after all. Zhang Heng learned from the scientists who were in charge of repairing the molecular teleporters that the actual molecular teleporters would definitely not be able to transport itself freely and would require nodes to support it.

In other words, one had to set up a molecular transmitter somewhere and then set up another at another location before one could be able to travel back and forth between the two places. There was no way that one could be transported anywhere in the game, and that made no sense.

That was something that Zhang Heng learned over time. Things that happened in the games and the corresponding planes would often deviate from one another—for example, in the Alien plane, there were xenomorph battleships capable of flying in space, which was inconsistent with the movies. Another example would be the plot reversal that happened in the Prototype, where the protagonist of a generation got rid of the protagonist of a second generation. All of that was due to the differences between games and reality, and that was the case with the molecular transmitter.

While the 'Radiation' game described a lot of background stories regarding radiation, there was no such thing as stories between the protagonist and the protagonist in the real world of radiation. Those stories were just the imagination of the game creators in real life.

Zhang Heng walked out of the tent after disinfection was done. The tent was set up in laboratory B7-4, which would prevent anyone else in the hive from finding out about it. After all, the fewer people who knew about his ability to travel between planes, the better.

However, Zhang Heng had a lot of work to do next. He needed to get the people from the Hive Engineering department to speed up the manufacture of heavy infantry armor, pulse rifles, and other equipment. He also needed to get Thompson to speed up the nurturing of mass-produced T103 Tyrants. He also needed to transmit 10 people to and from the radiation plane at a speed of 48 hours (24-hour cooldowns per trip) over a dozen times, transporting a huge batch of cloned warriors capable of fighting in the radiation plane.

To put it simply, Zhang Heng was about to march into the Alien plane.

However, there were very few cloned warriors left at the Honeycomb base in Haizhou. If Zhang Heng needed to send manpower to the radiation plane, he would probably need to make a trip to the clone production base of the Indian branch.

All in all, Zhang Heng would be busy for a very, very long time in the coming days.

However, all of that work was worth it. The fact that the company was able to set up roots in the radiation plane alone was a milestone that held a lot of meaning.

If he was able to occupy a huge piece of land in the radiation plane, or even take over the entire radiation world, he could even build his own backyard and take over the entire plane's resources.

Zhang Heng would have nothing to worry about by then. If the real world were to be attacked by devastating attacks in the future, he would be able to relocate humans to the radiation plane if he was unable to resist the attacks.

But then again, was his thinking really that simple?

Zhang Heng couldn't help but wonder if things were really that simple. If that were the case, the previous Lord of the Stars and his world wouldn't have been completely destroyed by that curse.

Zhang Heng shook his head and threw all those thoughts out of his mind. He contacted Corona again and gave her instructions regarding all the missions. Corona would follow his instructions and complete them one by one. As for Zhang Heng, he needed to make a trip to India and stay there for a while.

Of course, he wouldn't be able to just buy a plane ticket like he did back in India. The authorities had their eyes on him for a long time and there were even agents joining the company's staff, both to protect the T-1 data and Zhang Heng's safety and to keep an eye on him.

Don't be surprised. The way the government operated had always been like that. They were always prepared for anything.

Zhang Heng knew very well who those people were. After all, with Corona's abilities, there was no need to hide anything from everyone. However, Zhang Heng wasn't about to expose all of them. Keeping them around wouldn't affect him, and taking them away would only serve to put the government on high alert.

As long as Corona was around, no one would be able to dig out any of Zhang Heng's secrets.

Zhang Heng wanted to go to India. The only way he could do so would be if he were to sneak to Japan and rely on Corona's ability to influence the human mind and the internet to get his visa and passport for Zhang Heng. He would then be able to erase all traces of him after Zhang Heng left.

Zhang Heng boarded a flight to Mumbai, India, in the late afternoon.

152. Panic

Zhang Heng arrived at the Jatrapathi Shivaji International Airport about a dozen hours later and stepped into the mysterious country known as India.

Zhang Heng finally walked out of the airport after more than half an hour of cumbersome security checks and inspection by immigration officials. As he was traveling in secret, he didn't inform the Indian authorities about his arrival.

Zhang Heng walked to a row of three-wheeled motorcycles as soon as he walked out of the airport. A huge group of Indians crowded around him in a very friendly manner. They kept bragging about how lousy their English was after seeing that Zhang Heng was not an Indian.

It had to be said that the proliferation of English in India far exceeded that in Huaxia. Due to the fact that India was once a colony of the United Kingdom and had been ruled by Great Britain for over 200 years, English became one of the many common languages used in India.

Zhang Heng casually got on a tricycle, and the driver of the tricycle chuckled and asked him in English where he wanted to go. Zhang Heng reported his destination and negotiated the price before the driver of the tricycle gave out the orders without any hesitation.

It was supposed to be a pleasant trip, provided that he was able to ignore the greasy smell of the Indian driver's unwashed hair.

Traffic in India was very poor and the journey was rather long. It was evening by the time Zhang Heng arrived at the factory in his branch office.

Zhang Heng didn't head straight for his company's factory after paying the bill. Instead, he walked around the entire factory before the door and saw four security guards in the guise of cloned warriors standing guard outside the door. All vehicles entering and exiting the factory were subjected to strict inspection.

The walls of the factory, on the other hand, had at some point been replaced with a grey, massive stone wall. The wall was five meters tall and there was a thick layer of barbed wire at the top, making it look no different from a prison. Anyone who wanted to climb over the wall would have given up on such an unrealistic thought after seeing what was happening.

Zhang Heng walked into the door of the factory. All the cloned warriors took one look at him when he walked to the door and saluted at the same time.

"Commander!" All the cloned warriors shouted in unison.

Zhang Heng nodded slightly. He saw that the camouflage uniforms of all the cloned warriors had the word '' printed on them, which meant 'Star-galaxy-woldweide International'.

The huge human cryogenic freezer was embedded in the ground like a jewel inside the factory. The cryogenic freezer had yet to open and was waiting for the antifreeze nano drug to pass the FDA's inspection. To the north of the cryogenic freezer was the clone experiment building.

The guards at the entrance of the building saluted as soon as he got to the front of the building. Zhang Heng put his hand on the detector beside the metal door of the building and the door opened with a beep.

The lobby looked the same as it had in the past when he walked into the building. Huge screens were placed on the walls of the lobby, which were broadcasting news from all over the world. Some of the screens showed experimental data, results, and so on. There were also a few researchers sitting in chairs in the lobby, discussing something.

One of the young Indian researchers couldn't help but tug at his friend's white coat when he saw Zhang Heng walk in. He asked curiously, "Look, who's that kid? Why haven't I seen him in our company before?"

"You don't know anything about our company? Don't ask questions that you're not supposed to. Be careful with your mouth." His friend rolled his eyes and looked at the door. However, when he saw what Zhang Heng looked like, he shuddered and looked shocked.

"What's wrong with you?" The young researcher wanted to refute, but when he saw the shocked expression on his partner's face, he realized that the young man was someone important.

"Hello, the boss of the company is here. Why isn't anyone out to greet us?" His friend took out his phone and called a number before speaking in a low voice.

"Dijan, what boss? What are you talking about?" A lazy voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Damn it, it really is the boss. I don't know who it is, but I've seen him in a photo taken by the leaders. The one standing right in the middle!" The researcher named Dijan gritted his teeth and said.

"What? You saw a young man in his twenties? He's neither tall nor short, and he looks rather average."

"That's right, that's him!" Dirang said. "Hurry up and inform the manager. Get the manager to inform the general manager. We're not in a position to welcome him!"

A flurry of noise was heard from the other end of the phone and the call was quickly hung up. The researcher called Dirang breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but look at the young man again, only to see that the young man was frowning at him.

Oh sh * *, I'm gonna be heard for sure! Diran felt like he was about to hole up in the ground.

Despite being over 30 meters away from each other, Zhang Heng was still able to hear the other party's phone calls easily. However, that didn't matter. He took a look at the two elevators on the right side of the lobby and found that none of them were on the first floor. He pressed the button and waited on the first floor.

Half a minute passed before one of the elevators reached the first floor. Four stern-looking men in white robes walked out of the elevator as soon as it opened, almost bumping into Zhang Heng.

"Sir!" The man in the lead bowed immediately after seeing Zhang Heng. "Sir, why didn't you inform us? We could have gone to welcome you!"

Zhang Heng looked over and saw Shouta Minamino bowing with fear and trepidation. The three department heads whose names Zhang Heng didn't know were doing the same thing, sneaking peeks at him from time to time.

"Come, let's talk in your office." Zhang Heng didn't say anything else and simply walked into the elevator first. The rest of the staff followed behind him, feeling rather nervous.

The young researcher who asked about Zhang Heng's identity was shocked when everyone walked into the elevator again. He shook his partner hard and said excitedly, "Dirang, who the hell is that young man? Even the chief technical officer, Shouta Minamino, was so respectful to him. The chief technical officer of Nano has never been so respectful to Zhao Qin, the general manager, before!"

"Didn't you hear Manager Nanno refer to him as Boss?" Dirang wiped the cold sweat from his brow and said with a bitter smile, "You should know who he is now that he's called Boss."

"You're saying…" The young researcher looked shocked and his mouth was agape as if he wanted to say something, but no matter what, he was unable to say anything.

…

The door of the manager's office was pushed open with a creak. Zhang Heng sat on Shouta Minamino's chair and flipped open a stack of data reports on the table, flipping through them casually. Shouta Minamino and the other two stood before Zhang Heng's table without moving.

Zhang Heng threw the report in his hand away after about 10 minutes and looked up at the crowd. "Where's Zhao Qing?"

"General Manager Zhao is on his way home right now. He's in the midst of a deal with the Emander Corporation regarding the pharmaceutical assembly line," Shouta Minamino said.

"Please take a seat first." Zhang Heng nodded and picked up a stack of documents, flipping through them in a bored manner. "I'm not here to do a checkup or anything. I'm not that free yet. There's just something very important that I need to do in person. Oh right, call Amub and tell him to come and see me."

"Amubu?" Shouta Minamino and the three department heads behind him looked at each other and one of them looked troubled. "Boss, we don't have any way of contacting Amubu."

Zhang Heng was stunned and couldn't help but frown. While everyone else had implanted a biochemical chip in their brains, that was only to ensure that no one would betray them, and there was no way he could change the way they worked.

It was obvious that the cadres selected in India were not all that competent.

At that moment, the sound of running footsteps was heard from the corridor. The footsteps seemed to be coming closer, as if the footsteps were very urgent. The footsteps were unable to stabilize in the end and crashed into the door of Shouta Minamino's office.

Shouta Minamino took a look at Zhang Heng and he nodded. Shouta Minamino then stood up and opened the door to his office.

"Boss, you're here?" Zhao Qing panted at the door.

"Come in first."

Zhang Heng chuckled and said, "Oh, come on. You're already a manager and yet you're still acting so recklessly. I'm not going to eat you up." He waved at the crowd and continued, "Zhao Qin and Shouta Minamino, stay behind. The rest of you, leave."

The three department heads then left the office feeling relieved, leaving Zhao Qin and Shouta Minamino behind.

.. / / ()

153. Supply Buying Plan

"I'm here to give you guys some missions." Zhang Heng wore a serious expression after everyone left. "This mission is very important. You guys have to get it done for me through."

"Please go ahead." Zhao Qing and Nanno were sitting on the couch, leaning forward with serious expressions on their faces.

"I want you to get people to purchase food, cigarettes, daily necessities, medicines, clothing, and so on. I'll take whatever you need in your daily life, as much as you can take in," Zhang Heng said as he thought about it. "I'll also need building materials like cement, steel beams, and so on, as well as all manner of machinery from the light industry. All in all, buy all of those supplies by building cities. Buy whatever you need to build a city."

The two of them looked at each other in dismay, with Zhao Qing among them feeling rather troubled. "It wouldn't be a big deal if we were to just buy them in small quantities, but if we were to buy them in large quantities, we'd probably attract the attention of someone with ulterior motives. By the way, what's the deadline? Where do we keep all of that stuff? It could go bad very easily without a huge warehouse."

"I'll give you three months if you have a deadline. Buy as much as you can in those three months." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "As for the warehouse, just use the cryogenic center as a warehouse for the time being. Buying those basic supplies won't cost much anyway. I'll give you guys a billion US dollars in liquid capital first. All you need to do is buy the goods and have Corona pay the bill."

"Understood." Zhao Qing nodded and Zhang Heng turned to look at Shouta Minamino. "Any further questions, Minamino?"

"What do you mean by 'buy as many as you can'? Do you mean that you could use other methods? For example, you could purchase them from other cities with the extra transportation fees." Shouta Minamino thought for a bit and asked, "Also, what's the limit of the acquisition?"

"No upper limit. I'll take as much as I can get," Zhang Heng said. "I'm willing to use any means at my disposal, as long as there's no trouble. If there's really trouble, just let Amub know and have him take care of it."

Those supplies would determine the success or failure of Zhang Heng's plan to enter the radiation plane. No one would be able to stop him from acquiring those supplies. Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes all of a sudden, and a glint flashed across his eyes. "If we can't even get rid of Amub, we'll have to solve the problem at its root."

Shouta Minamino and Zhao Qing shuddered at the thought. It was obvious that there was no such thing as a gentle way to solve the problem at its root.

"Zhao Qing, call Amub and have him come to me. I have a mission for him as well."

"Alright, please hold on for a moment." Zhao Qing nodded and took out his phone to call Amub. However, his expression became rather glum after making the call for a while.

The phone shut down on its own after a while, as no one picked up. Zhao Qing flashed an awkward smile at Zhang Heng and called him again.

However, no one picked up in the end. Zhao Qing called four or five times in a row, but no one picked up.

"Alright, that's enough." Zhang Heng waved his hand and stood up. "You two take care of the company. Professor Thompson went to the head office in Haizhou. The two of you are the ones with the most authority here. Whether it's the company on the surface or the foundation in the dark, the two of you will be the ones to run the company. I don't want there to be any garbage in the company."

The two of them nodded in agreement.

"Get ready to do as I say. I'll be back in a day to collect the first batch of goods. I'm going to take a look at Amub first. He seems to be having a very comfortable time while I'm gone." Zhang Heng's tone turned cold by the end of his speech.

Zhao Qing said immediately, "Do you need to send some cloned warriors to follow you? I'm afraid…"

"There's no need for that. The cloned warriors are produced through remote networks controlled by Corona. Even newborn clones would be able to tell who I am at a glance. While Amubu appears to be the employer of the cloned warriors on the surface, he is actually unable to order anyone around." Zhang Heng shook his head and walked out of the door. "Get to work. No need to send me off."

The two of them let out a sigh of relief after seeing Zhang Heng leave and collapsed onto the couch. Zhao Qing wore a bitter grin and said, "Have you noticed, Shou Yijun? His aura seems to have gotten even stronger. I feel like I'm being crushed by a mountain before him."

"You're right, I feel the same way." Shouta Minamino wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "I was on tenterhooks before you came back, fearing that I wouldn't be able to handle the situation. It's a good thing that you made it back in time, or I wouldn't have known how long I could last."

Zhang Heng asked for a company car before he left, ignoring the lingering fear in their hearts. It was one of the two Mercedes-Benz 400 that Li Yiru bought when she first bought the company. It would be a waste to use it as a company car.

Zhang Heng picked up the phone and called the number set by Corona after he drove out of the company. Corona's voice was heard shortly after. "Commander."

"Find out where Amub is at the moment."

"Understood. I'll start checking now." Corona's voice paused for a few seconds before she continued, "According to the GPS on your phone, the current location of the target is 36 Calcutta Street Industrial Park, a suburb in northwest Mumbai. Communication satellites have been deployed to track the target. You're currently about one kilometer away from the target."

"Oh, it's right next door." Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. Stellar Technology's company was located at No. 35 Industrial Park, and No. 36 was the piece of land that Zhang Heng ordered Amub to purchase next door. He then built the company into a security company, with the goal of changing the clone to a different identity.

He drove east and reached the door of the security company in less than a minute.

The door of the security company was made of regular steel bars. The name of the company was welded with metal at the top of the gate: Galaxy International Technology Services.

There were also four cloned warriors standing guard at the entrance with deadpan expressions on their faces. The walls of the company were made of regular iron bars. One could see a wide variety of training grounds inside the company through the bars, all constructed according to the standards of military training bases.

The clone warrior in the lead stopped Zhang Heng's car and was about to say something when he saw Zhang Heng in the car and saluted without saying anything. That was the benefit of having no emotions. No matter what happened, the clone warriors would not hesitate or feel confused.

The methods used by the clones to confirm Zhang Heng's identity were done using both his appearance and the pheromones he emitted. While appearances could be faked, pheromones could not be faked. Furthermore, all clones had access to Corona's phones, enabling them to determine Zhang Heng's identity at any time.

Corona's voice was heard again after she drove the car right through the door of the company. "You're about 50 meters away from the target."

Zhang Heng looked at the office building about 30 to 40 meters away from him and parked his car right in front of the building before getting out of the car and heading inside.

However, he couldn't help but frown as soon as he walked into the office building. The interior of the building looked very luxurious, giving the place the air of a nouveau riche. There were even three young and beautiful Indian girls serving as receptionists in the lobby of the building.

"May I know who you're looking for, sir?" A girl asked with a formal smile when she saw Zhang Heng walk in.

"Where is Amubu Shatili?"

"I'm sorry, but our boss is having a meeting in the conference room on the third floor right now and we're unable to see any guests. If you'd like to see our boss…" The girl was stunned for a bit before she said that. However, Zhang Heng headed straight for the third floor before she was done.

"Where is he going?" The girl looked at her two companions behind her with a dumbfounded expression, yet all of them looked at her as if she was some kind of idiot.

…

… ()

154. The Broken Amub

Zhang Heng walked up to the third floor and saw a pair of gold-carved wooden doors at the end of the corridor. The office building he was in had been reduced to a nouveau riche by that swine, Amubu. Zhang Heng was beginning to wonder just how much of that USD 100 million he had put into practice.

At that moment, classical Indian music was heard from the speakers in the meeting room of the office building. Amubu, who had a huge mustache, was lying comfortably on a massage chair at the far end of the room. Two naked Indian women were wiping the oil-like substance off of his body and massaging his tattoos.

Eight ugly-looking middle-aged men were lying on chairs smoking marijuana on either side of the table in the meeting room. There was also a group of naked women serving them, and some of them even began to get intimate with a woman right in front of everyone. The entire meeting room was filled with moans, and the entire place was filled with smoke and the stench of debauchery.

In the past few months, with Zhang Heng's financial aid, Amub's influence continued to grow. He became one of the three most powerful gangsters in Mumbai, becoming someone who controlled a third of the drug trade and arms trafficking in the city. It could be said that he was so powerful that the underground underworld in Mumbai would tremble at the mere stomp of his foot.

At such a stage, even the mayor would have to give him some face. All the key members of the government would have to be on equal footing with him. It was the dream of Amubu for the rest of his life to begin his political career as a member of the parliament.

His dream was about to come true.

"Boss, you'll be running for city council next month. Is Mark not going to make a move soon?" One of the men with a scar on his face finished smoking his weed and suddenly sat up with a sinister grin on his face. "Shouldn't we go all out and kill him and his family first?"

Mark was one of the oldest gangsters in Mumbai, and he originally occupied half of the underground gangs in Mumbai. However, it was only natural that the two of them would have to fight over the position of the boss when the boss rose to power. As such, the two of them became mortal enemies after the boss rose to power.

"Attack? Do you really think that he would dare to attack my company?" Amubu, who was sitting on the massage chair, puffed on her cigarette and flashed her yellow teeth. "Hehe, as long as that piece of trash, Mark, isn't afraid of death, he can just attack as he pleases. Don't you know how insane the combat prowess of those security guards in the company is? If he dares to come, not even the arrival of the wet slave would be able to protect him!"

"Of course I know how capable those bouncers are, but I just don't understand why you rarely use their power to help us fight for territory, boss. Unless we're no match for them, you'd have to let them do it. If they could help us take over all kinds of underground businesses, we'd have ruled over the entire underworld in Mumbai long ago," the man with the scar lamented.

Amub's expression darkened. "Kupata, how many times have I told you? There are some things you shouldn't be asking."

"I'm sorry, boss. I'm just feeling sorry that you didn't do what you did despite having the power to unite all the underground gangs in the city," the man named Kupata quickly explained.

"Hmph, you should know that there's someone else behind me. These people are technically the security personnel of our company, but they could only be mobilized under his orders." A look of regret was seen on Amub's face. "Only when I'm unable to handle them will I be able to apply to the authorities and mobilize the security personnel of my company to help me. Do you understand? If these people are able to follow my orders, I could even rule Maharashtra!"

"However, I'm about to apply to the authorities to have the security personnel go out and kill Mark in secret." A sinister grin appeared on Amubu's face all of a sudden. "That b * stard Mark kept getting in my way of political elections. Does he really think that he'll be able to rest easy in his own turf? He knows nothing about power!"

"Boss, the next time we see you, we'll have to address you as Senator Shatari. Congratulations, congratulations!" Everyone began bootlicking.

"Hahahaha!" Amub laughed out loud.

Clang!

A loud bang was heard from the locked door of the meeting room at that moment and someone kicked it open.

"Who goes there?" Everyone was shocked and picked up their guns subconsciously, standing up. While those people liked to eat and have fun, they were not bad fighters. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to survive in Mumbai, where gangs were everywhere.

"Ahhhh!" The women shrieked and hid behind the crowd, covering their vital parts.

"Amubu Shatili, your life sure is relaxing."

A deep voice was heard from outside the door, and a young man walked in with big strides. He looked at Amubu, who was still lying on the massage bed, unable to get up, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. "I haven't bothered with you for months. Have you forgotten who you are?"

He was on the verge of flying into a rage after having his fun interrupted. However, he felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head when he saw who it was at the door. He shuddered and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

Why is this jinx, who is even more terrifying than the wet nurse, here? She doesn't play by the rules at all!

"Who the f * * k are you?" However, just because Amubu knew the man before him didn't mean that his subordinates knew him as well. The man with the scar named Kupata wore a murderous look on his face and questioned Zhang Heng right away, "Tell me, which gang sent you here? To think that you were able to get past the security guards of the company. Have those security guards all gone to hell?"

"Drop the gun, you b * stard!" The moment Amubu saw what Kupata was doing, he was scared out of his wits and slapped his thigh anxiously. "Drop it now, or don't call me boss!"

Kupata initially wanted to show his loyalty to Amubu, but he was confused after seeing the latter's attitude. He put down his gun in a daze and looked at Amubu with a stunned expression. "Boss, what's wrong?"

It was only when Kupat lowered the gun in his hand that Amubu let out a sigh of relief. However, he quickly realized that it was not the time to relax yet and climbed down from the massage chair. He crawled to Zhang Heng's feet and shouted, "Master! I'm your most loyal servant. Please accept my humble loyalty and forgive my disrespect!"

At that moment, the rowdy crowd was rendered completely silent. Everyone looked at Amubu in shock, and even the naked women looked on in shock. They had forgotten about covering their cheap bodies, and their minds were thrown into a frenzy.

Amubu was a godfather who had eight slums under his control and the fate of tens of thousands of people in his hands. There were countless armed conflicts every day and countless people would fight to the death for a single word from him. He was someone who held the fate of thousands of people in his hands and was someone who even the mayor had to take seriously.

Yet, such a powerful figure was actually trembling at the feet of a young man, claiming to be his servant.

That was something that completely flipped their world upside down.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and kicked Amub away before taking big strides to sit on the chair. The naked woman behind him shrieked and hid far away.

"Keep going!" Zhang Heng paid no heed to what was happening behind him and simply scanned the stunned crowd with a cold gaze. "To be honest, I'm very disappointed, Amubu."

"I spared your life back then because you were still of some use to me, but what about now? What else could trash like you do apart from having a naked party?"

Amubu's entire body was trembling as he laid flat on the ground. He had no intention of fighting back, not only because of the microchip implanted in his brain, but also because he was the only one who knew just how terrifying Zhang Heng's power was. If Zhang Heng was able to help him up, he would be able to easily knock him down.

"You sure are something, kid!" However, not everyone knew just how terrifying Zhang Heng could be. Kupata, who was the most stubborn of the bunch, snorted coldly and took two steps forward, pointing his gun at Zhang Heng. "I don't care who you are. You might be the mastermind behind my boss, but you're not allowed to do as you please in Mumbai." He then shot a look at Amub and said in a low voice, "Boss, he's all alone. This is a good opportunity to get rid of him!"

"F * * k, you…" Amubu glared at him and felt like shooting Kupata to death. He thought to himself, If you kill him, I won't even be able to get out of my own company!

"Get lost!" Zhang Heng's eyes turned cold and he didn't move an inch. He simply turned around and glared at Kupata.

He threw a punch with his powerful mental power right away.

Kupata's expression changed drastically, and he was sent flying backward as if he had just been punched.

…

… ()

155. Big Stick And Date

"Get lost!"

Everyone felt their vision blur as Zhang Heng shouted. Kupata's 180-kilogram body was sent flying and crashed into the wall of the meeting room with a dull thud.

"Arrgghhhh!" The crowd shrieked again. Several of Amubu's subordinates saw that the Kupata was under attack and instinctively raised their guns. No one knew whose gun fired, but the chain reaction caused everyone to shoot at Zhang Heng at once.

"No!"

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang…!"

The intense gunshots were mixed with the screams of the masseuse and the desperate shrieks of Amub. Countless bullets rained down on Zhang Heng at 390 meters per second.

All the bullets were emptied in less than 20 seconds, yet the faces of every single one of them were filled with utter terror. Their eyes were wide open and they kept making meaningless noises like 'ahh' and 'ahh'. One of the brawny men couldn't even stand up and collapsed to the ground with a thump, pointing at Zhang Heng with his shaking arm and saying,

"Devils! Devils!"

"Holy Lord Brahma, this can't be real!"

Amubu was still in a state of shock as well. He watched everything unfold while trembling, and the way he looked at Zhang Heng was filled with indescribable fear.

Zhang Heng was still sitting steadily on the stage at the moment, and tens of bullets appeared out of nowhere before him. It was as if there was an invisible barrier before him, and all the bullets were frozen in midair when they got near him, unable to proceed any further.

"Very well."

Zhang Heng turned around and wore a cold smirk on his face. Everyone felt a sharp pain in their chests, as if a heavy hammer had just smashed into them.

The sound of bones cracking was heard all of a sudden. Everyone, with the exception of Amubu and the prostitutes, was sent flying backward while screaming, following Kupata's footsteps.

"Please forgive me, master! I'm loyal to you!" Amubu's soul had flown out of his body at that moment. He threw himself onto the ground and knocked his head hard on the ground, his entire body shuddering violently as yellow liquid dripped down his thigh. The room was filled with a putrid stench in an instant.

Zhang Heng harrumphed coldly and picked up the handgun from the chair he was sitting on, throwing it right in front of the man before him and said coldly, "Loyal? Let me see your loyalty then. Cut off their heads for me!"

Amubu was stunned for a moment before picking up the gun with a shaky hand. He looked hesitant and said with tears streaming down his face, "Master, these people are the leaders of my subordinates. If you were to kill them, I'm afraid your plans would be affected…"

"What? You were just saying that you were loyal to me, and now you're telling me that?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and Amubu felt a pair of invisible hands clamping down on his neck, lifting him off the ground.

He frantically reached for his neck, but found nothing.

"Hehe…" Amub's mouth dropped open and he tried to breathe, but that pair of invisible hands lifted him into the air and a suffocating feeling of dizziness hit him right in the head. He could only kick his legs about, begging for mercy.

Just when Amubi thought that he was about to die, he suddenly felt his throat loosen and he fell to the ground with a thump. However, he no longer cared about the pain. He simply panted heavily as he looked at his master, who was still in shock.

"No one who dares to shoot at me has ever been able to survive until the next day." Zhang Heng didn't say anything else and simply stared at Amub coldly.

"Y-yes, I get it now!" Amub nodded hard and raised his gun while sobbing, pointing it at his men who were still groaning on the ground.

"Boss, don't kill me! I'm sorry, I won't do it again!" Kupata wanted to run away, but he was unable to get up no matter what. He had no choice but to look at Zhang Heng pleadingly. "I'm sorry! I really…"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of gunshots were heard and all eight members of the Amubu gang were killed.

Amubu was a ruthless character to begin with. No one would be able to change his mind if he were to make up his mind to kill. He threw his gun away after killing everyone and crawled up to Zhang Heng in fear and trepidation. He bent over and said, "What else do you need, master?"

"Well done. I'll give you one more chance." Zhang Heng stood up and walked up to Amub. "I remember that you'll be joining the political election very soon, right?"

"Yes, sir!" Amub didn't dare to raise his head and continued to lower his head.

"Well then, take hundreds of company security guards with you tomorrow and take down the other two underground organizations in Mumbai," Zhang Heng said casually. "That would be clearing the way for you before you take part in the political elections. I'll give you another 100 million US dollars to sort things out for yourself. Contact Zhao Qing if you have any questions. I'd like to see you become mayor in the upcoming election two years from now."

A shudder ran through Amubu's body and the bitter expression on his face was replaced with one of pleasant surprise. "Yes, master! Don't worry, I'll definitely live up to your expectations and strive to be the next mayor in the election two years from now!"

"Oh right, contact Zhao Qing later. He'll give you the mission." Zhang Heng nodded and headed straight for the door. Zhang Heng was nowhere to be seen in the meeting room by the time Amub recovered from his surprise.

…

Zhang Heng's cold expression gradually relaxed after he walked out of the meeting room. He couldn't help but shake his head. Having a stick and a sweet date had always been the most effective way of getting someone to work under him. His first objective for coming here was to get Amub to help him collect supplies. While Zhao Qin and Shouta Minamino were quite capable, they weren't locals after all. Gathering massive amounts of supplies in Mumbai would easily attract the attention of other organizations, and they might even resort to all manner of means to interfere and rob others.

That was where Ah Mubu came in handy. Zhang Heng had taken control of Ah Mubu back then in order to turn someone else's territory into his own, which was how he was able to get away unscathed.

The second objective of his visit to Amub was to continue supporting him. Strictly speaking, he was there to give him money.

However, Ah Mubu's attitude would become rather nonchalant if he were to just give away benefits like that. He would even feel that Zhang Heng was unable to live without him and needed to curry favor with him, which would lead to the thought of him being condescending.

It was completely different from what he was doing right now. Not only had Zhang Heng taught Amub a lesson, but he had also made the latter feel deeply grateful and respectful toward him.

That was the extent of his methods. If he were to use his methods well, he would end up like the rulers and officials of ancient times, with countless peerless geniuses gathered around him, making him a man of many talents. If he were to not use his methods well, the people around him would become disloyal, so much so that they might even betray their masters for glory.

However, he was confident that Amubu would be obedient for quite a while after what happened.

…

... ()

156. A Huge Harvest

The night of 18th October was a night of extreme unrest in Mumbai.

Deafening gunshots were heard from all over the slums that night, and there was a constant stream of people wailing before they died. All the residents of the slums had no choice but to cower in their homes, not daring to take a single step outside.

The police finally arrived late the next day. It was only then that the residents who walked out of their homes realized to their horror that some of the gangsters in their slums had died on the streets. The frozen expressions on their faces before they died were filled with indescribable terror, as if they had encountered something extremely terrifying.

However, the police officers didn't seem surprised at all. They simply watched as the trucks drove into the slums and moved the bodies out of the place.

It was only later that people heard that two-thirds of the slums in Mumbai were met with the same situation. All of the gangsters who had been tyrannical in the past suffered devastating blows that night, and the flames of war spread all the way to the city center. Over a thousand people died that night alone.

However, just like how the government didn't seem to care, the media hardly reported anything. It was as if they had suddenly become blind and deaf, yet only a handful of people knew just how much money they had in their pockets.

Not only that, but there were also a lot of people purchasing supplies in the city of Mumbai all of a sudden. Those people drove a huge truck and swept through the stores of all the suppliers and even retailers, buying a lot of daily necessities before leaving in a huge truckload. It was said that the same thing happened in neighboring towns and cities further away.

Someone was hoarding something.

Was war about to break out?

Everyone couldn't help but feel jittery. The entire city was thrown into a frenzy of people trying to buy things, and even many big families were alerted. It was only when the mayor announced that there wouldn't be any war that the crowd gradually calmed down, but some acquisitions were completely ignored.

The entire company was running at high speeds by the time Zhang Heng returned to the office the next day. Dozens of cloned warriors stood guard at the door, inspecting every single truck that came in and out of the building. All of the trucks were parked in the parking lot in front of the door of the central cryogenic center. Countless forklift workers came and went, transporting crates of supplies to the central cryogenic center.

The entire factory looked like a machine that was operating at high speeds.

"Boss." Zhang Heng's arrival was no longer kept a secret from the upper echelons of the company due to his experience. Zhao Qin and Shouta Minamino came running when Zhang Heng parked his car at the human cryogenic center. However, both of them knew what to do and didn't bring anyone else with them.

"Have you set up the pressure tent in the frozen human body?" Zhang Heng asked.

"Everything is ready."

"Very well, no problem then. I'll be staying in the human cryogenic center for a bit. There's no need for you guys to bother about me." Zhang Heng waved his hand and continued, "Inform Amub to leave as well. Some of the security personnel in his company might have left. Tell him not to bother with me."

"Yes." Zhao Qing and Shouta Minamino nodded. While the two of them found the whole thing rather strange, they knew that there were simply too many secrets in the company and there were some things that they couldn't get involved with.

Zhang Heng dismissed the two of them right away after giving them their orders. He then called for 10 cloned warriors and headed straight for the inner parts of the cryogenic center.

A lot of supplies were piled up inside when he entered the cryogenic center. The anti-pressure isolation tent was set up in a corner and even the disinfection room was complete.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and ordered the 10 cloned warriors to move a huge pile of food, medicines, daily necessities, and other supplies into the quarantine tent. Zhang Heng ordered everyone to put on their chemical suits after moving about 50 cubic meters before calling Yurianne in his mind.

"Yurianne, take me to the radiation plane."

Zhang Heng's access was upgraded to D-rank after the xenomorphs were finished. According to the words of the Dimensional Star's system, he was able to carry objects that were 50 cubic meters in size and perform spacetime transformation. The weight was unlimited. He was able to carry 10 living beings and perform spacetime transformation. The weight was unlimited.

The object that the Dimensional Star referred to referred to was all non-living objects when traveling through planes, such as the clothes that one wore, the earrings that one wore, the guns that one wore, and even the chariots that one drove. All of those were considered to be carried in a capacity of 50 cubic meters. If the carrying capacity exceeded 50 cubic meters, the Dimensional Star would only select objects that were less than 50 cubic meters in size to be transported.

However, 50 cubic meters wasn't considered very big or small. It was about the size of a bus that was eight meters long, three meters wide, and two meters tall. There wasn't much supplies that could be loaded onto it.

Yurianne didn't appear after Zhang Heng said that. Instead, the Dimensional Star answered directly, "Host requests accepted."

"Host target confirmed. This time, it is non-designation mode. Location plane: Radiation. Begin scanning nearby planes…"

"Radiation plane connected successfully. Prepare to be transported. Host's current access is D. Host, you may carry objects that are 50 cubic meters in size for spacetime transformation. Weight limitless. You may carry 10 living beings for spacetime transformation. Weight limitless."

"Non-design mode transmission activated."

Zhang Heng and the 10 clones felt their vision blur for a bit. By the time they came to their senses, they were at the bottommost part of the base.

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered radiation plane. Begin scanning mission."

"Warning: Alien plane mission initiated. Main Quest: None."

"Optional Quest: Acquire advanced mechanical suit technology, stealth technology, nuclear fusion core technology, and any other technology available in the radiation plane."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown."

"Quest Time: Unlimited. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 24 hours. Failure Penalty: None."

Zhang Heng was stunned when he heard the announcement made by the Dimensional Star. Those optional missions were the ones he was given when he first entered the radiation plane. However, due to time constraints at the time, he was unable to complete those optional missions, as he had made up his mind to enter the radiation plane in the future. It was only a matter of time before he got his hands on all those technologies, but the missions were listed before he knew it.

However, the optional missions were never meant to be completed. As such, Zhang Heng didn't think too much about it and simply turned around to look at the supplies behind him. As expected, all of the 50 cubic meters worth of supplies were taken to the radiation plane.

That wasn't all. He was currently at the location where the molecular transmitter at the bottommost floor of the school was located. However, the molecular transmitter had long been brought back to reality, and the place where it was placed was completely empty.

Zhang Heng walked out of the room with the ten of them and saw several synthetic human mechanics busy with their work. Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit when he saw all of them, before he realized what was going on.

He figured that part of the power generators in the institute's base had been repaired, which was why he decided to use synthesized humans to build machines again, to create some synthesized humans that looked like engineers to repair the institute.

Zhang Heng and the others headed straight for the first floor. As expected, Adam, Gu Zhan, and the others stayed right outside the door of the first floor of the institute. The scientists living on the other floors of the institute were kept under surveillance by Adam and the others day and night.

"Commander!" Adam was elated to see Zhang Heng and the others and quickly stood up.

"Thank you for your hard work. I've brought some supplies with me. They're at the bottommost floor." Zhang Heng nodded. "How have things been for the past two days?"

"Reporting, Commander. The institute's nuclear fusion generators have been repaired. We are beginning to manufacture the lowest maintenance type of synthetic humanoid to accelerate the institute's power supply and repair. The current rate of repair is about five percent. Other than that, there is nothing else going on. We have ample food and clean water, which could last for over half a year," Adam replied.

"Very well. I've brought 10 of my buddies with me. I'll leave them to you. Get them to take turns." Zhang Heng nodded.

He didn't wear any exoskeleton armor on his trip, which was why he didn't leave the institute and head for the surface. Instead, he began collecting data on the computers that had been repaired, such as synthetic human data, nuclear fusion core data, advanced power armor data, and so on.

The so-called nuclear fusion was actually nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion technology in the radiation plane was extremely advanced, and the nuclear fusion core required for the power armor was a miniature nuclear fusion battery. A nuclear fusion core would be able to provide the power armor with a month's worth of mobility, which was far more advanced than Zhang Heng's graphene super capacitor's 48-hour power.

Furthermore, the graphene supercomputer was about the size of a bolster. The entire thing was installed on the back of the Heavy Infantry Armor, making it look like a turtle shell. It was huge and not aesthetically pleasing. The nuclear fusion core was only about the size of a fist, and the technological gap between the two was like night and day.

There was also the most important advanced power armor technology in the radiation plane. That power armor was actually just an exoskeleton armor, and it was even more advanced than Zhang Heng's knock-off armor. The data from that technology would be able to make up for a lot of the deficiencies in Zhang Heng's heavy infantry armor, enabling his new armor to become even more powerful in the future.

Excitement was written all over Zhang Heng's face. As expected, Adam and the others hadn't been slacking off for the past few days. Countless advanced technologies from the institute had been taken out. Zhang Heng even saw data regarding the technology of invisibility and the data regarding the forced evolution of the virus.

The Fev Enhanced Virus was a biochemical weapon capable of producing mutants like the Mutants and the Claws of Death. While it might not be able to compare with the T-Virus and the even more insane DX-118 Virus, it was still considered a very powerful biochemical weapon. Zhang Heng took all the technical data available to him.

Zhang Heng returned to reality alone after the cooling down period of the Dimensional Star was over, and he prepared for a new round of transport in 24 hours.

…

.. ()

157. Zhang Heng's Art as a Chief

Zhang Heng recognized the UFO as well. The protagonist eventually found the UFO in the game, and he even saw injured aliens. He was able to get his hands on a powerful extraterrestrial handgun after killing the aliens.

What happened in the game might have been an Easter egg, but such a thing actually happened in real life as well. It was just that the Academy had acquired that UFO, which was why they were able to come up with such a heaven-defying technology like the molecular transmitter. Despite that, they were only able to get three sets of that kind of transmission chip.

That was to say that there were only three such molecular transmitters available.

While it was somewhat of a pity, it was still a feat to be able to acquire such heaven-defying technology. Zhang Heng shook his head and threw all thoughts of pity out of his mind, turning his attention to reality instead.

Zhang Heng was sitting on a pile of supplies in a daze at the moment. The initially empty frozen center was filled with all manner of daily supplies. The acquisition operation was temporarily over after a month of acquisition. All Zhang Heng needed to do at the moment was to transport the supplies to the radiation plane bit by bit.

"Commander, the molecular transmitter is ready!" A clone warrior walked up to Zhang Heng, who was deep in thought, and reported.

"I got it. To prevent any accidents, all of you are to retreat 30 meters away and await my orders."

"Understood!"

Everyone retreated about 30 meters away after Zhang Heng gave the order. Zhang Heng then turned around and looked at the molecular transmitter not far away from him. If it hadn't been for the fact that he had played games before, he would have never thought that such an unassuming piece of equipment could actually be upgraded to the level of space technology.

Zhang Heng's phone rang all of a sudden. He picked up the phone and heard Corona say, "Commander, the preparations at the Honeycomb are complete. The five scientists you brought from the radiation plane ensure that the molecular transmitter won't have any problems. However, to be on the safe side, I'd like to proceed with the first round of experiments and send a clone to you. Please take note."

"Alright." Zhang Heng nodded. The blue light on the top floor of the molecular transmitter began to flicker in the very next second, like lightning that kept gathering and emitting a blinding blue light. It took only a few seconds for the blue light to finally go out, and a clone wearing a white coat appeared on the reflective panel of the molecular transmitter with a deadpan expression.

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. He walked up to the clone before him and said, "Report your serial number."

"Yes, Commander. My serial number is XXXX."

"Yes, his serial number is correct," Corona confirmed through the phone.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath. While he knew that things would turn out like that, he still couldn't help but feel shocked nonetheless. The first round of the experiment was a success. He was able to travel tens of thousands of kilometers in an instant, traveling from Haizhou to Mumbai, India, through the link between the two molecular transmitters.

With that device, Zhang Heng wouldn't have to sneak around in the air anymore if he wanted to travel between India and Huaxia.

Corona began the official transmission seeing that the experiment was a success. The molecular transmitter flashed with blue light again. When the blue light disappeared, a Tyrant wearing a new type of armor and wielding a huge Vulcan cannon appeared below the molecular transmitter.

Success!

As the saying goes, the way of the world is simplified. The simpler it is, the more frightening such advanced technologies are. It's almost to an unbelievable extent.

The 10 newly nurtured Tyrants of the Honeycomb base arrived shortly after he sighed to himself. The hundreds of new sets of armor were next. It took less than half an hour for all the supplies to be transported to the cryogenic center, making the teleportation efficiency even more astonishing.

However, while the efficiency was staggering, the amount of energy consumed by the device was also staggering. The fusion reactors in the hive were barely able to supply power, and it took several sets of nuclear fusion batteries before the molecular transmitter was able to sustain itself. However, as the receiver, Zhang Heng's molecular transmitter didn't consume too much energy.

That was exactly what Corona had guessed.

He committed all of that to memory and summoned the Dimensional Star, before bringing the 10 tyrants to the radiation plane once again.

It was a walk in the park at the moment. Zhang Heng's clone army no longer restricted the freedom of scientists after such a long period of training. They simply kept a close eye on the synthetic man's production line, preventing the other party from constructing armed synthetic men in secret.

That fact was more or less accepted by the institute. Other than the institute's board of directors losing their authority, the rest of the scientists remained the same as they were in the past, doing their research as they saw fit. There was not a single thing about them that was out of place. Not only that, but the new institute's managers also had countless supplies—for example, chocolates that only appeared in ancient books, beverages filled with gas that could make people hiccup, and all manner of inexhaustible luxury goods. All of that made them feel very satisfied.

"Greetings, Commander!" Every scientist greeted Zhang Heng warmly after seeing him. Zhang Heng's knowledge might not have been worthy of respect, but due to all those delicacies and magazines that could make people weep, everyone tried their best to look friendly to him.

"Commander, there isn't enough caviar left in the warehouse. Please be more attentive, for God's sake."

"Commander, the brand of cigarettes tastes pretty good. Please bring me more when you get back."

"Commander, do you have any more plates from Kokurai?"

Zhang Heng replied politely to every single one of them along the way, but the look on his face only grew more bitter. Eventually, he wore a bitter grin. It was really not a pleasant thing to be treated like that by a leader.

…

.. ()

158. Garbage Scavenger

Zhang Heng had always felt that the school's methods and styles were very similar to his own.

Zhang Heng had a clone army that violated human ethics, and the college also had a clone army.

Zhang Heng didn't want to bestow his love to clones, believing that only without love would he be able to achieve greater efficiency. The Academy also liked to restrict the free will of synthetic people, fearing that they would resist him.

Zhang Heng was quietly researching all manner of biochemical weapons that were prohibited internationally. He never bothered about ethics and went on to conduct experiments on humans. The institute was also conducting research on the FV Virus in secret, developing massive weapons.

All in all, Zhang Heng had been developing his company underground, quietly enforcing the strategic principles of building high walls, accumulating massive quantities of food, and slowly becoming king. Stellar Technology, on the surface, looked like a rather well-to-do pharmaceutical company, yet it remained completely unknown.

It was the same with the colleges. They had been hibernating in the wastelands for nearly 200 years and rarely came into contact with the outside world. They quietly developed their technological tree while others fought and killed each other. It was fine if they didn't do anything, but once they did, they went straight to the point.

While the institute had long been notorious for its synthetic human experimentation, the institute was still the most powerful force in the Federation.

It was just that, while the institute was powerful in the past, it didn't possess overwhelming power. However, with Zhang Heng on their side, things were no longer the same.

…

Carl Kroll was a scavenger from the Wasteland Federation.

The so-called scavengers were actually the jobs of the people at the bottom of the wastelands. As someone who was weak and poor, he had no craftsmanship and could only pick up trash in the wild and sell it to Diamond City in exchange for what he needed for his life.

That was an extremely difficult and lowly job. Not only did scavengers have to put up with the dangers of leukemia caused by the omnipresent radiation of the earth, but they also had to be on guard against all manner of mutated monsters caused by radiation, making them ready to run at any moment.

It was so much so that even his peers had to be on high alert.

Many people were killed by their jealous companions before they were able to pick up anything of considerable value from the scraps they scavenged.

Facing the radiation-filled land with their backs to the yellowing sky, countless people had no choice but to serve as scavengers, the lowest class in the wasteland world, using their tiny hands to piece together pieces of civilization.

Carl's life had been very difficult, but there had been very little to scavenge in Boston recently. Many scavengers had to take huge risks to leave the city and head into the wild just to support themselves.

Karl had no choice but to join the scavenging team that day. He had not eaten a single grain of rice for a whole day and had drunk a mouthful of clean water. Hunger and thirst tormented his nerves, and exhaustion and weakness filled his body.

Karl made his way further away in the scorching wilderness. Despite being extremely weak, Karl knew that he couldn't afford to collapse. His wife and three-month-old child were still waiting for him to bring them clean water and food in a hidden corner in Boston.

If he were to fail to bring back food that day, his frail wife and young children would probably find it very difficult to survive the night.

There was a look of determination in his eyes as he held the remains of some unknown material in his hand. That was the only profit he had gained from the day's work. He had to keep that item safe and sell it to the grocery store in Diamond City before his peers took notice of it. He would then receive the meager payment or food from the grocery store owner with a hypocritical smile before handing it to his wife and children…

That stingy shop owner was a curse that he would never be able to escape from.

However, when he was walking in the outskirts, he saw from afar that a huge town had appeared out of nowhere in the once desolate outskirts.

That's right. Karl could swear that, while he was feeling dizzy from hunger, he had yet to hallucinate. He did see a huge town not inferior to that of the diamond city in the outskirts of Boston.

Anticipation was seen in Karl's eyes all of a sudden. Typically speaking, such a newly constructed town would require a lot of manpower. If he were to be valued by the town's administrators and be given a suit of kinetic armor to make him a powerful warrior, he would not be as weak as he was today.

Weakness was the greatest sin in this world where the strong preyed on the weak.

Despite knowing that it was just an unrealistic hope, Karl still decided to give it a shot. Even if he couldn't become a warrior, he could still get a job doing odd jobs in a newly built town, which would be enough to keep his family fed. After all, there was no hope in his scavenging career. If he didn't change jobs as soon as possible, he would still end up dying in the wild one day, even if he were to make it through the day. Karl had had enough of such a life where he could barely keep himself alive.

A spark of hope flickered in Karl's eyes. He somehow found the strength to change his direction and head for that new town. That town was the hope of his life in his eyes.

He walked for more than 10 minutes, almost depleting all of the stamina that he had left. Finally, he reached the town. It was only then that he realized that the town was many times more beautiful than Diamond City, which was known as the 'Pearl of Boston'.

Karl could swear that he had never seen such a luxurious town before. The outermost wall of the town was made of some unknown metal and was tens of meters tall.

The shiny, shiny metal felt cold to the touch and was definitely worth a lot. Every piece of it looked like it could be exchanged for tens of kilograms of rye bread. But here, they were actually using all of that to build the walls of the town.

Karl couldn't help but gulp and his eyes were burning with hope as he made his way to the door of the town. It was only then that he realized to his surprise that the door of the town was even more luxurious. The dark blue paint was all over the door and all manner of complex gears and machinery were installed on the door like a piece of beautiful artwork. The door was shiny and new, and the thickness of the door was astonishing. He was afraid that even the kinetic armor of those fellows from the Brotherhood wouldn't be able to penetrate such a door.

There were four soldiers wearing power armor standing at the door. Karl had never seen something like that before. It was neither the T51b model of the Steel Brotherhood nor the T45d model of the masses, but a pitch-black, advanced armor of 2.5 meters tall.

That suit of armor was far more advanced than the Brotherhood's T51b in terms of appearance alone, not to mention its massive size and brand new appearance. While its performance was unclear, Karl could swear that the suit of armor was definitely more advanced than any armor he had ever seen before.

However, a tinge of fear was unavoidable when he saw the high and mighty mecha warrior before him. To him, all armored warriors had very bad tempers. People like him would only incur the displeasure of the other party if he were to walk past them. He would either end up getting a good beating or beheading himself.

Several scavenger companions felt the same way.

However, the hope of survival gave him courage all over again. Karl gritted his teeth and slowly walked up to him. He wore a smile that looked worse than a crying face and tried to please him.

"Dear warrior lord, please allow me to interrupt your time for a moment. I'd like to enter this noble little town. Oh! Praise the Lord. It's as beautiful and neat as the legendary paradise. May I, the lowly me, go in and take a look at its glorious splendor?"

Karl looked at the motionless warrior before him and felt his heart pounding. He wondered if he should run away or wait for the warrior to vent his frustration if the warrior were to beat him up. If he were to get injured or have his bones broken, he would be deemed dead in the post-apocalyptic era.

However, neither beatings nor rejections came. Karl saw one of the armored warriors turn around and look at him for a bit before saying in a tone that was devoid of any emotion, "You may enter, but we need to search your body before entering."

While he was unable to see the warrior's expression when he answered him, he was able to confirm that the warrior was in a very good mood. He nodded excitedly and said, "Sure, sure! Dear warrior, please feel free to check my body. I guarantee that I'm not wearing any weapons!" He lifted his torn clothes and walked around the warrior.

However, that huge palm of the other party pressed down on his shoulder instead. Carl was shocked and was about to wrap his head around the other party's shoulder and take the beating when he realized that a beam of red light shot out from the other party and scanned his body.

"No dangerous weapons detected. Entry permitted," the man said after scanning the area.

"Phew!" Karl breathed a sigh of relief as he expected the beating to not come. He looked at the four warriors at the door gratefully and flashed a friendly smile before continuing to walk into the town, feeling very excited.

…

…

159. Stellar City

Karl believed that it would be his lucky day. He walked into the town with unlimited hope. The first thing he saw was neat houses and wide roads. Unlike the pile of junk that was made of iron and wood found in the diamond city, it was made of shiny metal just like the city walls, giving off a cool, dazzling light under the hot sun.

Furthermore, the roads in the town were not the most primitive dirt roads, but some kind of solid concrete road. He had heard the term 'concrete' from his companions, which was the legendary mystical material used by humans to build those buildings before the Wasteland Century began.

The streets of the town were extremely wide, with a width of at least 30 feet. Karl had never seen such clean and tidy ground before, as it was practically spotless. Not only that, but he also saw luxurious facilities like sewers, which ensured that the town wouldn't be flooded by puddles on rainy days.

The closer he got to the center of the town, the taller the buildings around him became. There was a huge fortress that was at least 50 meters tall and took up over 10,000 square meters at the very center of the city. There were even many wide platforms on the top of the fortress, with powerful cannons and flying birds and helicopters installed on those platforms.

This was a fully armed city that could withstand the baptism of war.

The eagerness in Karl's eyes became even more intense. However, he forced himself to look away at the thought of his wife and children at home and began to walk around the streets. He needed to find a grocery store first and sell the remains of something that he had no idea what.

Due to the fact that the town had just been opened, he found that there were very few people on the streets. It was just that there would often be groups of soldiers wearing large-scale armor patrolling the streets, maintaining the security of the town.

Not only that, but there were many shops lining the streets in the town, so many that Karl was almost seeing things, yet all of them were closed. It was obvious that there was no one running the shops.

If he were to be able to own a shop in that town, he wouldn't have to work so hard to survive and eat anymore, would he?

A look of yearning flashed in Karl's eyes before he shook his head and threw that unrealistic fantasy out of his mind.

In the end, Karl walked to the center of the town and finally saw an opened grocery store at the edge of the fort.

Carl ran over to her, feeling very pleased with himself. There was only a very clean-looking woman sitting at the center of the counter in the shop. The woman looked very average, but compared to the disheveled, dirty-looking woman who lived in the wasteland world, she was as beautiful as a fairy.

Karl gulped and asked nervously, "May I know if you're here to buy junk?"

"I'm taking everything in here. What do you have?" The woman looked up calmly and walked out from the counter. Carl seemed to feel rather inferior and took a few steps back, afraid that she would smell something rotten on him.

"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you." The woman shook her head, her gaze devoid of any emotion.

"That's it." Karl's face turned red and he quickly handed the remains to the man before taking two steps back and mumbling with his head lowered.

"So, it's a nuclear fusion core of a power suit. You're in luck," the woman said calmly. "It's just that the power capacity of this power core is running low and its outer shell is somewhat damaged. I'll give you a rough estimate of its value. It's about 10,000 star dollars. Do you want cash or something else?"

Carl couldn't help but frown. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'd like to ask if the currency circulating around here isn't the cap of a bottle."

"No, this is Stellar City. The currency circulating here is Stellar Coins." The woman continued in a very normal tone, "And very soon, there will only be one currency circulating in the entire Boston and even the entire federation."

Carl couldn't help but take a deep breath. The City of Eternity sure was ambitious.

However, none of that mattered to Carl. He simply said, feeling rather uneasy, "I don't want currency then. I want food, okay?"

"Sure." The woman didn't say anything else and simply pointed at the food on the counter. "All of this food is priced in Stellar Dollars. You can pick what you need."

Carl nodded and gave the woman an awkward look. He needed food very badly at the moment, and he wasn't about to go out of his way to give her face just because she was a woman, even if she was a beauty that he had never seen before. Furthermore, he wasn't about to save the currency of a power that would be wiped out at some point in time. In the wasteland, the only hard currency was the cap of a nuclear coke.

Karl calmed himself down and looked at the food on the counter. He was feeling rather nervous just then and didn't pay much attention to the food. It was only at that moment that he was stunned for a bit before revealing a shocked expression.

All manner of foods were displayed on the glass-fronted counters on both sides of the store. The rye bread that he could usually eat was the cheapest among all of them, with a kilogram of rye bread on top being sold for only one star coin.

Cold sweat broke out all over Karl's forehead as he felt as if his heart was being struck by lightning. It was only then that he realized just how valuable that so-called core that he had found was.

One kilogram of bread was a profit that he earned from scavenging for a week, yet it was only worth one Stellar Coin here, and the core that he picked up was worth tens of thousands of Stellar Coins. It was fortunate that he didn't bring that thing back to Diamond City right away, or else, given the law and order of Diamond City, he would be doomed if he were to take out something of that value.

Carl felt rather sentimental at that thought. He had a feeling that he wouldn't have to worry about his items being taken away from him only when he was in front of this woman who had no feelings for him. He wouldn't have to worry about her giving him less food because he didn't know what she was.

At that thought, Karl suddenly came up with a bold idea. A chance to rid himself of his lowly status as a scavenger. His heart began to beat furiously and his entire body trembled with excitement.

"I-is it possible to buy a shop here with 10,000 Star Dollars?"

"I'm sorry, but there's no such thing as a shop sale in Eternal City." However, the woman shook her head. Just when Karl was feeling disappointed, the woman continued, "However, there is a rental shop project. The price of a rental shop is somewhere between 1,000 to 10,000 Star Dollars. The location of the rented shop is mainly dependent on the location. The closer you get to the center of the town, the more expensive the shop becomes."

"Do you need a rental?"

…

After more than a month of maintenance, 90 percent of all the equipment and circuits in the college had been repaired, including the quantum computer Alpha of the college. The remaining 10 percent were all equipment that were too difficult to repair or damaged to be repaired.

It was a pity, but if he were to choose again, he would still resort to the extremely simple method of dropping electromagnetic bombs to take down the school.

The building materials that Zhang Heng brought with him from reality were all used on the new city above the college. There were concrete floors, aluminum houses, and a castle made of reinforced concrete.

Zhang Heng named the new city Stellar City, which contained residential areas, commercial areas, and recreational areas. He wanted to gather a group of indigenous people there and trade food, daily necessities, and other supplies for the rich resources and advanced technologies of the world, eventually taking over the entire federation.

The construction of the new city was extremely fast with labor like synthesizing people. The prototype of the city was completed before the other organizations had even realized what was happening. Zhang Heng had more than 200 clone warriors and 13 tyrants with him, which meant that he had the power to wipe out the entire federation.

Zhang Heng stood at the top of the fort and looked at the town below him. All of a sudden, he saw a native dressed in ragged clothes walking out of the clone shop that Zhang Heng had arranged for him with a gleeful look on his face. Two clone warriors then drove a chariot out of the city.

"What happened then?" Zhang Heng asked.

"Sir, that's just a lucky nouveau riche." A male voice was heard from somewhere in the room. One could tell that the voice was electronically synthesized, yet it seemed to have some kind of emotional quality to it, with a human tone to it.

"The lucky gentleman picked up a nuclear fusion core and exchanged it for 10,000 star dollars. He rented a shop for 1,000 yuan, then rented two fighters to protect him for 24 hours. I heard that he's going back to Boston to pick up his wife and son." A 3D image appeared in Zhang Heng's room after he said that. Countless tiny lights interweaved and formed a crab-like image in midair.

"What a lucky guy." Zhang Heng nodded and paid no further attention to the topic. "Alpha, have you finished filling in all the technological data listed by Corona? I'm about to leave."

"Very well, sir. I've finished replenishing all of the technologies listed by Corona and reduced them to the most basic data." It turned out that the voice came from the quantum supercomputer in the institute: the Alpha. AI had been developed in the radiation plane a long time ago, and the Alpha was one of the best of the best. While it was still far from being able to compare with Corona, it still possessed considerable abilities.

"Very well. I'll grant Adam and Gu Zhan the highest access. They'll be in charge of the Academy and Stellar City after I leave." Zhang Heng nodded.

However, just when Zhang Heng was about to leave, the 3D image of the Alpha flashed twice in midair and asked hesitantly, "Sir, could you really not introduce me to that computer named Corona?"

…

…

160. Selling Islands Overseas

Zhang Heng couldn't be bothered with that curious computer. He left the radiation plane right after getting all the technological data he needed. He even took three of the college's super precision machine tools with him before he left.

Zhang Heng had gained some experience after going through so many plane missions. What was the most important thing when he was on a mission? The most important thing was his detection, mobility, and combat prowess.

There was no need to talk about combat prowess, as that was a given. Zhang Heng's combat prowess continued to increase from regular handguns, clones, and exoskeleton armor. However, combat prowess alone was definitely insufficient, as some missions were not something that could be solved with combat prowess alone. For example, the mission of killing the original plane required very high mobility to clear. The requirements for mobility were very high.

He needed to know where the enemy was before he was able to escape. As such, the requirement for investigation was met.

As such, the most important factors of a team capable of conducting special operations in an alternate plane were the detection, mobility, and combat prowess.

Corona gave Zhang Heng a form when he went to the radiation plane and listed a long list of advanced technologies that could only be found in the radiation plane. All of those technologies were advanced technologies that only existed in the radiation plane, far exceeding the level of reality. The more typical ones included micro satellite technology, micro sensor technology, micro communication technology, and so on.

That was why Zhang Heng asked Alpha for the technology back then.

The main purpose of those microscopic techniques was to enhance Zhang Heng's detection abilities. When he was on a mission in a foreign plane, his detection abilities were of utmost importance, just like his eyes.

Maneuvering was even more important. While the speed of the second-generation infantry soldiers could reach 150 kilometers per hour, it was still far from enough. Their speeds could definitely be accelerated further, or at the very least, they would need to be able to move faster than the speed of sound. The emergence of a new type of vehicle would be crucial if they wanted to reach that level.

It wasn't as if Zhang Heng hadn't considered the possibility of an Increased Flyingbird Helicopter before. However, he gave up on that thought completely after seeing the parameters of the Flyingbird Helicopter when he got to the radiation plane. The Flyingbird Helicopter was bulky and its speed wasn't even as fast as that of Takeo in real life. It looked more like a transport plane than a fighter plane.

In the end, Zhang Heng asked for all the data regarding the Flying Bird Helicopter. He planned to create an armed helicopter that was capable of transporting birds at high speeds, had exceptional speed, and was able to evade attacks, as well as an armed helicopter that was able to conceal itself.

All of those requirements were extremely stringent, and none of that would have been possible in the US. However, Zhang Heng had acquired technology that had surpassed reality for over a hundred years after all, and with Corona's insane design and computational ability, he was able to fully display the capabilities of all that technology. While others might not be able to do so, it didn't mean that Zhang Heng was unable to do so as well.

He made his way back from the radiation plane to the human cryogenic freezer in the branch office of the India Company. He then had the cloned warriors dismantle the three super precision parts of the lathes that he brought back from the radiation plane one by one, before transporting them to the inside of the hive through the molecular transmitter. Zhang Heng then went to see Zhao Qing and Shouta Minamino after he was done transporting the parts. He ordered them to guard the cryogenic freezer before returning to the hive through the molecular transmitter.

"Commander." Corona appeared before Zhang Heng as soon as he returned. "You're back just in time. Ms. Li Yiru is looking for you."

"Why is she looking for me?" Zhang Heng asked.

"Tomorrow is the opening day of the Stellar Technology building. The building was supposed to open at the beginning of December, but you were unable to receive any news from the radiation plane, so I asked her to postpone the opening for three days. Ms. Li Yiru initially planned to host the opening ceremony herself if she was unable to reach you today."

"Oh, so that's what happened." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "Call him when you mimic my voice. Tell him that she'll handle the opening herself."

While Zhang Heng had created a clone to replace his actual identity, the function of the clone was only to confuse the government's surveillance, making it even harder for him to be discovered when he went overseas. However, the clone would never participate in the interaction between people in real life, and Zhang Heng couldn't stand the thought of having someone replace him to be with his parents and sister.

Unless he was dead.

Corona looked at Zhang Heng speechlessly and said, "Alright then, there's one more thing. The pharmaceutical factory next to the Stellar Building is about to be completed. Li Yiru would like to know what you should do about hiring people."

"Get her to take full responsibility," Zhang Heng said casually.

Corona continued, "There's another piece of good news. The FDA's approval for the antifreeze drug is coming to an end. It should be approved by the end of this month, and you'll be given the right to set up a cryogenic center. The reputation of the antifreeze has spread throughout thousands of households in the United States. The White House has even personally sent a message to Williams and several other families, asking if they could sell the formula to the United States government. The United States would be willing to pay US dollars to buy it."

"I assume that the United States is after the ability to travel in space using antifreeze." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "It would be impressive if they were willing to fork out tens of billions, but they're still far from being able to do so. However, what would Joshua say? Would they be able to handle the pressure?"

"They said that there wouldn't be a problem. While the United States proposed the idea, they didn't force it. After all, they were given the components of the drug. The United States might think that even if we don't sell the drug, they would be able to replicate the antifreeze before long, right?" Corona speculated.

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly right away. "You think that you'd be able to replicate the antifreeze just because you've got some components and physical reference? They're being way too naïve. It would have been one thing if those consortiums were unable to withstand the pressure, but if they were able to, I'd have no choice but to monopolize the entire thing."

"A lot of Americans also asked if we could set up a human cryogenic center in the US through the company's website we set up. They all felt that it wouldn't be safe to keep their bodies in foreign countries in the future," Corona added.

"The company's website? Why didn't I know that the company had something like that?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"I was the one who founded it," Corona said. "Our company is a large multinational company after all. Wouldn't it be degrading if we don't even have the company's official website?"

"Seems like I'm not doing a very good job as the boss of a company." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "Well, if that's the case, tell Li Yiru to set up a company's technical department that specializes in computer technology as a cover. She could set up an antifreeze center in other countries, but not in the US."

"Why?" Corona asked.

"It's only a matter of time before the United States discovers that there's no way they could manufacture a real antifreeze no matter how hard they try. If they were to get their hands on the process of making the antifreeze, they would have only two choices. Buy the antifreeze or rob it." Zhang Heng pondered as he continued, "If they were to buy the antifreeze, I wouldn't be able to sell it for less than 100 billion yuan. Of course, they could also buy the finished product right away, but do you really think that the United States would be willing to just let that happen? They would definitely think that the best course of action would be to get their hands on the manufacturing technology."

"As such, that's the only option they have left to take. If I were to set up the human cryogenic center in the US, they'd be able to shut us down with just some excuse. We'd still be the ones losing out then." Zhang Heng continued, "So, if I were to set up another international cryogenic human cryogenic center, I'd personally prefer to buy an island overseas."

.. ()

161. Virgin Islands

"Buy an island?" Corona's eyes lit up.

"That's right. There are three advantages to purchasing an island." Zhang Heng extended three fingers and continued, "Firstly, the island could be purchased in the Atlantic Ocean. I think it would be best if it were somewhere between North America and Europe. Furthermore, the scenery on the island must be scenic and there shouldn't be too much storms or natural disasters. That way, more guests from North America and Europe would be attracted."

"Secondly, the island is also our strategic base. We could set up a cryogenic center while building a military base in secret, laying the foundation for our future plans overseas."

"Thirdly, private islands can also be freed from national restrictions. As long as you're not brazen about it, you can do whatever you want on the island. Other countries would definitely not interfere unless you were to fall out with them."

Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and entered the virtual space. He waved his hand and a map of the entire world was laid out before him. He scanned the map with his eyes and finally focused on the Caribbean Sea.

"This is it," Zhang Heng said. "The Virgin Islands would be the most perfect location. Furthermore, to prevent the United States from playing dirty tricks, we'd better build it on the British Virgin Islands."

The British Virgin Islands were located between the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean, about 60 kilometers to the east of Puerto Rico. The entire archipelago had arched eyebrows, separating the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. It was a famous tourist destination with extremely beautiful scenery. It was also where Captain Jim Silfa and the pirates hid their treasures in the novel Gold and Silver Islands.

"But, how are we going to buy an island here?" Corona asked. "We'll need the approval of the British government to buy an island here, right? After all, this is the British colony."

"Corona, have you forgotten about the unparalleled beauty of our board of directors, 'Mr. Stanny'?" Zhang Heng flashed a knowing grin.

…

In the evening, the red sunset shone on the capital of the Kingdom of England, London, making the ancient city of civilization, which had a history of over two thousand years, look very red, just like how it was in the later years of the empire known as the Never Setting Sun. Despite having been able to reign supreme for a lifetime, all of its glory was eventually lost, leaving behind only the afterglow and bleakness of the setting sun.

History would never repeat itself, yet the vestiges of time could still be preserved. It was located somewhere in the Kensington area of London, and there was a palace-style villa that looked like it was built a hundred years ago.

It was a true century-old mansion that took up three hectares and had a floor area of over 2,000 square meters. It had 17 bedrooms, as well as a library, a private cinema, a sauna, a fitness room, a swimming pool, and other facilities. The mansion used to belong to a duke.

However, that was no longer the case. The owner of that luxurious villa was a man named Lewis Stani. As the helmsman of the Stani family, a large financial group in the UK, Lewis had every right and financial resources to buy such a villa for himself. His influence in the political and financial circles of the UK was so deep that it was practically ingrained in his bones.

The bouncers and purebred hunting dogs patrolled the huge villa in an orderly manner. The maids were laughing and washing up the porcelain plates after dinner. The atmosphere was tranquil and peaceful.

The master bedroom's bathroom, on the other hand, was filled with steam and the scent of high-grade aromatherapy essential oil. A lithe and graceful figure was seen slowly floating in the hazy little world. Through the steam in the bathroom, one could just barely make out that it was a woman slowly wiping herself in a huge, luxurious bathtub.

It was a lithe and graceful figure that no one could forget with a single glance.

Her skin was as fair and smooth as milk, unlike that of the other Caucasians, who looked pale and rough. She also had a petite, slender build, unlike the Caucasian women, who were tall, muscular, and muscular. The curves of her body were accentuated by her voluptuous figure, which made one's imagination run wild under the hazy water vapor. There was also that mysterious and charming area that made one's imagination run wild.

"Hu…"

A low moan was heard from the bathroom, bringing with it a faint fragrance as that lithe and graceful figure slowly stood up. She looked like a lotus flower that had just come out of the water, with countless beads of water running down her delicate skin, reflecting a diamond-like luster. It was as if there were two faintly discernible red dots, which were then covered by a handful of white cloth, leaving only endless daydreams…

The figure walked out of the bathroom with a head full of shiny golden hair. It was only then that one could see that the woman's face was a combination of the three-dimensional features of a westerner and the soft lines of an westerner. She looked like the most perfect piece of art in the world, a perfect combination of innocence and sexiness—a kind of beauty that transcended both national and ethnic boundaries. As she had just taken a shower, there was still a faint blush on her face, which added to her stunning charm.

However, the only thing that ruined the scene was that there was a look of shock on that stunning face.

"Long time no see, Mr. Stani." A young man with black hair was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed in a luxurious bedroom. There was an opened bottle of Romanée-Conti on the coffee table to his right.

The young man looked average, yet he had a certain air about him that was difficult to put into words. He looked mysterious and deep at the same time. His expression didn't change at all when he saw the stunning beauty before him, as if nothing in the world could move him.

That young man was none other than Zhang Heng, who had traveled thousands of kilometers from Haizhou to the Pacific Ocean.

"A long time? Time is of no use to us, is it?" The shock on the woman's face quickly faded, and she quickly regained her composure, as if she wasn't surprised by the young man's appearance at all. "You, on the other hand, don't tell me that you Chinese gentlemen like to sneak into ladies' rooms?"

"I think I have a reason for doing so." Zhang Heng spread his hands and took out two goblets in a practiced manner. He looked at the Romanée-Conti before him and rubbed the goblet a little, feeling rather reluctant to part with it, before pouring the contents into the two goblets.

The entire room seemed to be filled with the scent of alcohol.

"How about I buy you a drink as an apology?" Zhang Heng stood up and handed one of the glasses to the owner of the villa after he was done pouring the wine.

"If I remember correctly, you found this in the basement, right?" However, her actions didn't seem to have gained the understanding of the owner. She rolled her eyes at the young man and continued, "The '71' edition of the Romanikonti. That's not something that could be bought with money. There's only one bottle in my wine cellar."

"That's why I chose it." Zhang Heng chuckled and returned to his seat with a serious look on his face. "Time is limited, so I'll cut to the chase. I need your help with something, Mr. Stanny."

"What is it?" The woman's expression became serious as well.

"I want to buy an island in the British Virgin Islands."

"There are many islands in the Virgin Islands." The woman frowned.

"I only want an uninhabited island, but it has to be connected in one piece and the area must be no less than 10 square kilometers."

The woman wore a weird expression and said, "Do you think I'm the prime minister of England? The British Virgin Islands are only 150 square kilometers."

"The Stellar Foundation is developing an upgraded version of the Gene Optimization Liquid T-2. The new T-2 will possess a greater ability to improve genes, enabling a person to have twice the physique of a regular person. It could also increase the body's lifespan by 50 percent, enabling your brain to live for over 200 years."

"Well, if I were to join the Board, you'd have to give me that sooner or later." The woman pouted.

"But I can provide you with an additional 100 milliliters," Zhang Heng said. "As for that island, I'd be willing to pay US $1 billion for it. US $100 million per square kilometer."

"Deal!"

…

162. Permanent Property Rights

The British Virgin Islands had businesses selling islands in the first place, but the ones they were selling were all insignificant islands. The larger ones were only about two to three square kilometers, while the smaller ones were not even as big as primary school fields.

Construction of a resort on such a small island was acceptable, but building a human cryogenic center would require an airport, a pier, and a secret base. There was no way that could be done.

If he wanted to meet Zhang Heng's requirements, he would need to purchase an island that was about 10 square kilometers, or at least five to six square kilometers.

Lewis Steen made several phone calls the next day. He had no idea what she had promised the governor and chief minister of the Virgin Islands, but she put the phone down in just a few hours. "Alright, they've accepted your request. One billion US dollars to purchase the x9 uninhabited islands. A client will be here shortly to sign the contract with you."

"Money makes the world go round. There's something about capitalism that's worth learning about, after all," Zhang Heng grumbled to himself. He had initially thought that Stani would need to go through a lot of trouble, but he never expected the process to go so smoothly that he was completely taken aback.

But then again, that made sense. While the Stani Financial Group was nowhere near the top 10 financial groups in the United States, it was still a force to be reckoned with in the UK. While the political system of the British Vikings appeared to be governed by autonomy on the surface, it was nonetheless governed by multiple parties. The governor-general and chief minister were the ones with the highest authority. The British government was the one who selected the governor-general, and the empress was the one who appointed him. The British were also responsible for the defense and foreign affairs of the archipelago. To put it simply, there was no longer any sovereignty among the British Virgin Islands.

As such, it didn't take long for Stani to take care of everything.

Two hours later, an old-fashioned-looking old man led three pot-bellied officials into the villa. When Zhang Heng arrived at the conference room of the villa, everyone was already waiting for him in their chairs.

Everyone stood up politely as Stani walked in. One could easily imagine the Stani family's status in England. While their reputation was not as good as that of the royal family, their actual power had long since surpassed that of the royal family.

"Mr. Stanny, we've brought the contract with us. We just need Stephen to sign a contract and the deal will be done," the old-fashioned man said in a hoarse voice.

Stephen Zhang was the name on Zhang Heng's British ID card. Zhang Heng had access to more than 80 percent of national IDs in the world for convenience's sake. All the relevant data was found in the national files, which were all forged by Corona when she hacked into computers from all over the world.

Of course, forging to such an extent could no longer be considered a forgery. There was no longer any standard that could be used to determine who was real and who was fake, and there was no evidence to prove that Zhang Heng was not British.

"Let's begin." Stanny took a seat at the side, while Zhang Heng took a seat opposite them, with the meeting table between them.

"Dear Mr. Stephen Zhang, the people before you are Mr. John Sevin of the British Virgin Islands and his team. Before leaving, the British Governor-General and the Executive Minister of the Virgin Islands have given full authority to the three of them as negotiators. You don't need to worry about their identities," the old-fashioned man said solemnly.

Zhang Heng nodded and put on the white gloves and gold-rimmed glasses that he had prepared on the table before taking the contract from her and flipping through it.

Regular people wouldn't have been able to read all of that if they hadn't learned the law. However, with Zhang Heng's mental capacity, he was able to read all of the documents with a single glance, and all of the contents were captured in his cerebral cortex like a camera before being stored and checked by the nerves that were being transmitted at high speeds. He was able to digest all of the information on the last page in no time at all after flipping through the pages, and he was able to memorize all of it.

However, everyone thought that Zhang Heng was just flipping through the pages casually and at most, he flipped through the pages more carefully. He finished flipping through the pages in less than two minutes.

"How is it? Are you satisfied with the contract?" The leader of the team, John Savn, wore a friendly smile on his face. If one didn't look at his shifty appearance, he would have considered himself a British gentleman. However, his shiny face made him look like a cunning old fox.

"I think you've got it all wrong, Mr. Saewen." Zhang Heng crossed his arms before his eyes and his expression darkened. "What I want is permanent property rights, not 100 years of management rights. If I were to give you a sky-high price of one billion yuan, do you really think I'm stupid and rich?"

"One billion?" Sevin was stunned and turned to look at Stanny.

"Cough, cough…" Stanny coughed awkwardly and continued, "I'm very sorry, I've remembered wrongly. Mr. Zhang's offer is one billion, not one hundred million."

Zhang Heng's face twitched. That Stanny guy was trying to take a 90 percent kickback? He felt like shooting Stanny right there and then.

A strange look was seen on the faces of everyone present, and even Savn hesitated for a bit before saying, "Mr. Zhang, I admit that this is a price that is difficult to refuse, but if you want us to sell permanent property rights, I'd need to discuss it with the governor first."

"No problem." Zhang Heng nodded. "Please go ahead."

Sevin and his team left the meeting room right away and went outside to make a call.

Stani asked in a serious tone, "Zhang, do you really want permanent property rights?"

"That's right. It has to be permanent property rights, or I'd rather not buy it."

"Could you tell me why you bought the island then?" Stanny looked at Zhang Heng solemnly. "I can help you, but I need to know what the reason is."

If what Zhang Heng did to the island ended up harming the interests of England, the Stani family, as the guarantor of the deal, would suffer a blow from the government as well. The Stani family might even be unable to recover from the setback and Stani wouldn't be able to afford to be careless.

Zhang Heng wore a knowing look and said, "Relax, I'm not going to do anything to harm the UK. I just want to buy an island and set up a human cryogenic center."

"I see. I've always felt that it would be unfair to the European countries if you were to set up the human cryogenic center in India." Stani continued bluntly, "If that were the case, things would have been easier. However, I'd still need 200 milliliters of new gene agents as payment, not including the 100 milliliters that I promised. You know, I've run out of commission."

"No problem!" Zhang Heng nodded decisively.

Stani nodded and walked out of the meeting room. About 10 minutes later, the three of them walked back together and the negotiations officially began.

"Mr. Zhang, I've discussed this with the governor-general. If you're willing to donate a billion US dollars to the archipelago, we could sell you the permanent property rights of the most northeastern island of the x9," Sevin said solemnly. There were only 20,000 people living in the British Virgin Islands, and even if they were to split the billion US dollars equally, everyone would be given 50 thousand US dollars. That was a huge sum of money.

"Of course." Zhang Heng took the modified contract and flipped through it again. The new contract gave him permanent property rights, which meant that, legally speaking, the x9 belonged to Stephen Zhang completely after signing the contract. While it was still under the jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands, no one had the right to interfere with what he did on the island.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and the two of them shook hands politely. Everyone was invited to lunch by Stanny. Zhang Heng said to Stanny after she left, "Thank you very much, Stanny. You've done me a huge favor."

"We're just getting what we need." Stanny flashed a charming smile and continued, "I admit that you're a very charming gentleman. If possible, would you be able to invite a beautiful woman to dinner with you tonight?"

"I've got something on. See you next time." Zhang Heng waved him off.

Stanny was about to say something else when her vision blurred all of a sudden. Zhang Heng was nowhere to be seen when she saw what was before her eyes again.

.. ()

163. Mutation Of Mind?

Zhang Heng couldn't help but feel his heart palpitate after escaping from Stanny's villa.

Dinner at Stanny's?

Zhang Heng felt goosebumps all over his body. Despite the fact that, judging from his appearance, Stanny looked 10 times more stunning than the American star, Scarlett Johansson, he was the only one who knew that the real Stanny was a fat, bearded man with a beer belly.

The brain transplant operation successfully replaced the brains of the first batch of members of the board of directors with a young body. Furthermore, as everyone liked the new body, the appearance that everyone needed was different. As for how the new body would earn the trust of the people around him, that would be up to them. As long as the Stellar Foundation remained a secret, Zhang Heng wouldn't ask.

That was why the brawny man in his fifties became the young, pretty girl he was today.

Zhang Heng shook his head and stopped thinking about useless things. He took a look at the contract in his hand, but there was no joy in his eyes. Instead, there was a tinge of exhaustion in them.

He had been very busy during that period of time. Zhang Heng had hardly taken a break in the past few months after entering the radiation plane. He had been shuttling back and forth between the real world and the radiation world every day, and he was very busy.

Zhang Heng was in no hurry to get to the Virgin Islands. He walked along the streets of London as if he was taking a break, watching the massive Eye of London's Ferris wheel spinning slowly not far away. It was as slow as history, yet unstoppable.

Tick, tick, tick.

Rain began to fall from the sky all of a sudden. Zhang Heng looked up and saw a blood-red sunset glow floating in the grey sky, emitting a crimson glow that turned the drizzling rain into the color of blood.

Dong! Dong!

A deep chime was heard all of a sudden. Zhang Heng looked back at the ground from the sky and saw the huge clock on the British Capitol shaking slightly. The chime echoed throughout the entire city of London, sounding like the wails of a dying beast.

All of that blended with the grey sky, giving birth to a gloomy yet ominous feeling that a storm of blood was about to hit.

Zhang Heng felt as if he was in a trance when he saw that ancient country. He didn't see the glory of civilization, but he saw the decline of humanity.

Perhaps that curse was not far away.

That thought came to his mind all of a sudden. It was a mysterious, indescribable feeling, as if drops of water were slowly seeping into the rock, spreading out and eventually seeping into every corner of the rock.

That feeling continued to build up, and Zhang Heng suddenly stopped in his tracks when he sensed that he was about to reach his peak, narrowing his eyes.

Starlight seemed to flicker in Zhang Heng's pupils at that moment, making it impossible for anything in the world to be reflected in his pupils. He seemed to have seen something indescribable at that very moment, something that carried a destructive force capable of destroying the world and was rumbling towards his plane like a supernova.

He was able to submerge and destroy everything in his path, making it impossible to resist…

That feeling only lasted for a split second before disappearing completely in the very next second. However, Zhang Heng felt a chill running down his spine as blood dripped from his nose.

Zhang Heng frowned and walked straight into the convenience store on the side of the street. He looked up and bought a pack of tissues, which the service staff kindly asked him to use the bathroom in the store.

Zhang Heng thanked her and went into the bathroom to wash up. It took him over 20 minutes to stop the bleeding from his nose completely.

"Could it be that my mental power is getting stronger?" Zhang Heng stared at his reflection in the mirror. His own reflection looked pale, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. Only his deep, dark pupils seemed to be able to swallow the world, which was a pure, dark color.

Zhang Heng discovered that he was able to generate mental power in mid-August. His mental power was so weak at first that he was unable to lift anything that weighed tens of grams. However, after going through Corona's systematic training, he was able to advance by leaps and bounds. He was able to move objects that weighed over 100 kilograms in just two months and was able to block flying bullets with his techniques.

That was the move that he had used to warn Amub. That one move had completely subdued Amub and rendered him unable to do anything else.

Due to his plans to set up his base in the radiation plane, he had been busy for nearly two months. He stopped training his mental power for the past two months. However, he found that his mental power was still slowly increasing in his spare time.

Zhang Heng immediately left the convenience store to verify his speculations.

Zhang Heng stood on the street and looked at the cars that were coming and going on the streets. All of a sudden, he heard sirens approaching from afar. A dark red sports car was speeding on the busy road, with a shiny police car right behind it. A high-quality real-life flying car was seen right before his eyes.

Zhang Heng fixed his gaze on the gradually approaching sports car and his mental power surged all of a sudden.

The fast-moving crimson sports car let out a loud metallic screech all of a sudden, as if it had hit something invisible. The front of the car caved in, and the entire back of the car was lifted high due to the inertia.

The inertia of the sports car continued to kick in after that. The red sports car was sent flying into the air after the tail end of the car was tilted upwards. It rolled three times in midair before crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted.

As expected, his mental strength had long surpassed 100 kilograms of force.

However, the price of the test was that several more drops of blood came out of his nose and his brain began to ache.

Zhang Heng didn't dare to carry on with the experiment. He booked a standard room in a three-star hotel before falling asleep on his bed.

Sleep was the best and fastest way to recover one's mental power when one's mental power was greatly depleted. One could quickly repair damaged brain cells through sleep and restore mental power.

…

He slept all the way to the next day. When he woke up, he felt extremely hungry. He yawned and went to the bathroom to wash up before heading to the restaurant on the first floor for breakfast.

Zhang Heng contacted Corona after breakfast and asked her to prepare his plane ticket to the Virgin Islands.

"Commander, have you successfully purchased a private island?"

"That's right. Get me a plane ticket to the Virgin Islands right now." Zhang Heng made a phone call and said, "Also, order a private jet and a small cruise ship. If you want to develop the islands, all of those transportation tools are absolutely necessary."

"Understood. Can I now issue orders to all manufacturers?"

"Sure. We'll build a new human cryogenic center according to the Indian plan, but it'll be at least three times larger than that human cryogenic center in India. By the way, are the workers ready?"

"Preparations are complete. All of them are newly manufactured construction clones. I've registered a construction company in Europe. The company will announce to the world that they're using that construction company for construction."

"Very well." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and headed straight for the London International Airport after hanging up.

…

164. Star Island Development Begins

Zhang Heng waited for two hours in the airport terminal before taking a turn and flying for over 10 hours. He finally arrived at the Terrence B Lielsen International Airport in the British Virgin Islands the next morning.

Terrence B Lielsen International Airport was also known as the Beef Island Airport, as it was located on a glamorous Beef Island.

Zhang Heng felt the warm weather and fresh sea breeze as soon as he got off the plane. The sky was a boundless blue, and the ocean was a deep blue that stretched as far as the eye could see. Combined with the white, smooth beach and the lush green hills, it looked like a painting that had been laid out between heaven and earth, creating a dream-like world.

The oceanic seasonal climate of the subtropical belt brought about the mildest environment in the world of British Vikings. It was a holiday season between December and April of the following year, and those who didn't like the cold would come flying from the temperate belt and the cold belt. They would be able to sunbathe on the dreamy white beach, and when they were happy, they would be able to take a stroll in the clear water and spend a winter that was as warm as spring.

Zhang Heng didn't head straight for his own territory after getting off the plane. He hired a tour guide just like the other tourists and planned to explore the terrain before the construction team arrived.

80 percent of the locals here were non-Calibrians, with the currency being US dollars and the common language being English. Basically, there were no barriers to social interaction among those who came here. Zhang Heng was able to hire a black tour guide who wore only a pair of casual shorts and wore a shirtless top all year round.

The tour guide named Jim had been in this line for quite a few years. According to him, he had been in this line of work since he was 10 years old. He knew every single tree in the archipelago for over a decade, every hill, and every single squirrel. He was even able to play the role of a rapper, telling a series of humorous jokes with his own rapport, which made the passengers laugh out loud.

However, Jim was definitely going to be disappointed this time. He had taken the guest from the East all over Beef Island, yet the man remained unusually silent. He had been trying to make a fool of himself throughout the entire trip, and he hadn't been able to win a smile from his employer even after throwing out several trump cards.

If the employer was unhappy, it meant that there was no additional tip. As such, Jim was very disappointed.

"Dear employer, why can't you just smile?" In the end, Jim simply changed his way of marketing. "God gave us life so that we could pursue and enjoy ourselves. While I also feel that this damned place isn't as * * as a woman's place, it's still too easy to get a woman. I'll give you a string of numbers. You can call the higher-ups when you're feeling lonely in the inn. I guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the quality."

"Thank you, but I don't need it." Zhang Heng frowned and continued, "I'm done with the tour of Beef Island. Is there anywhere else I could go?"

"That's too much!" Jim was overjoyed to see his employer taking the initiative to ask for his help and went on to show off. "The archipelago is just too scenic. The relics that have been around for a long time are more than enough for you to travel for several days, such as the dungeons, Fort George, Fort Ricavoli, Grandmountain, and the Koldwood Rum brewery, which is still in operation. All of those are historical buildings that have been around for hundreds of years. I swear that I can even smell the weight and vicissitudes of history in them!"

"Forget about the historical scenery. What about the natural scenery?" Zhang Heng wasn't in the mood to look at history. He was just trying to figure out the terrain of the Virgin Islands.

"Of course, sir. The Strait of Sir Francis Drake is the most beautiful natural landscape in the archipelago." Jim continued in a practiced manner, "You could rent a boat and set sail, or you could dive into the deep water and explore the bones of ships that have been around for over a hundred years. If you're a fanatic, you could even catch world-class gunfish!"

Zhang Heng nodded and asked Jim to rent a speedboat, which he then proceeded to traverse through the islands. While enjoying the scenery of nature, he also committed the entire British Virgin Islands to memory.

Zhang Heng was able to familiarize himself with the terrain of the entire archipelago by the end of the day. It was only then that he made it to Rod City, the capital of the Virgin Islands. He then paid Jim a decent tip and dismissed him.

Zhang Heng stayed in Rhode City for the night and went to the Administrative Bureau the next day to show his proof of purchasing the islands. The Administrative Bureau then issued an authorization letter, which officially represented that the uninhabited island X9 had become his private property.

That being said, Zhang Heng was given the right to change his name as well. Despite having given it some thought, he was unable to come up with a name for the island, so he ended up writing the words' Stellar Island 'in the name list.

Zhang Heng then spent the rest of his time eating and staying there. He went to the beach out of boredom to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the blue ocean and white sand, or to his Stellar Island for a bit. Countless construction machinery and construction materials were loaded onto the Stellar Island by huge freighters 13 days later. The clone engineering team and hundreds of security personnel from the International Galaxy were also there.

Such a huge commotion was naturally not going to escape the eyes of the authorities of the Virgin Islands. However, the modification of the island itself was within Zhang Heng's authority. While the officials of the Virgin Islands advised him time and again not to damage the ecological environment of the island, that didn't change Zhang Heng's mind. He was eventually driven to a corner and called Stanny, after which the officials never came back.

The first thing the construction team did after landing was to unload all of the materials on the ship, followed by massive excavators, weight engines, and other equipment. More than a hundred construction team personnel followed suit, all of whom were holding signs that were placed at the edges of the entire island with warning signs that read, "Warning! Doer, fire!" The general gist of the warning was, "Warning is installed here, and no unrelated personnel are to enter."

The 100 cloned warriors then split into three groups and patrolled the island 24 hours a day, preventing curious residents from disrupting his plans.

Ninety percent of Stellar Island was covered in subtropical plants, which formed a dense, primitive forest, with the remaining ten percent being beaches. It took less than half a day for the construction team to recover the topography of Stellar Island and the geological data of the surrounding seabed after taking samples and taking pictures of the island.

The Stellar Island was oval in shape, with a length of 25 kilometers and a width of about three kilometers. Due to the fact that it was too far away from the main island, which was twice as far away from the main island of the most remote part of the Virgin Islands, the Arnegada Island, had never been developed, and no one lived on it.

However, if that hadn't been the case, Zhang Heng wouldn't have gotten away with it.

Geometry at the bottom of the ocean and geological measurement of the islands were of utmost importance. If the geological structure of the seabed was too lax or placed on an earthquake belt, it would require even more complex procedures to build a secret base. However, that was only a minority. The final result of the engineers' tests was that the seabed consisted of sedimentary rocks, fissionary rocks, and fire-based rocks, which were more than capable of withstanding the impact of human labor such as stakes and drills.

The next step would be to begin designing the design of the island. The surface of the island would require the construction of a humongous cryogenic center of 50,000 square meters, as well as an airport. The airport didn't need to be too huge, as medium-sized planes would suffice.

Other than that, he would also need a pier to transport all manner of resources. More importantly, he would set up a mini city that wasn't inferior to Rod City around the area with the human cryogenic freezer at the center. That was because he had anticipated long ago that those who came to seek cryogenic treatment would all be people who were severely ill or were nearing the end of their lifespans. They would definitely party and enjoy themselves for the last time before taking the cryogenic treatment. That meant that developing a luxurious consumer city on the Stellar Island would definitely bring about massive profits, and the popularity of the city could even surpass that of the entire Virgin Islands.

While the experience of cloning engineers might not be as professional as that of world-class architects, they were far more professional than most architects. Zhang Heng was able to see the conceptual model of the entire island on his computer in less than half a day. According to their design, the human cryogenic freezer that served North America and Europe had a base area of 50,000 square meters and a height of 40 meters. The circular cryogenic chamber looked like a huge jewel on the island from above, making it look very dazzling.

The cryogenic center of the human body was welded with special steel. It was hemispherical in shape, designed to withstand mid-range nuclear explosions and level-12 hurricanes, as well as level-8 earthquakes. The entire outer layer of the building was embedded with solar panels made of monocrystalline silicate, enabling the building to generate power entirely through solar power. The interior of the building was divided into eight floors. Aside from the cryogenic room where the human cryogenic pods were stored, there was also a regular dorm room, an independent drinking water system, and an air system. The building was capable of accommodating over 2,000 workers.

Zhang Heng nodded in agreement after the designers were done designing the place. The clone construction team, which had been waiting for a long time, went into action right away. More than 10 bulldozers were taken off the ship. Their mission was to flatten a third of the forest on the island.

The massive project that would shock the world in the future on the Stellar Island was officially launched.

... ()

165. National Displeasure

The construction team worked in batches for 24 hours without a break. After three days of extraction, two-thirds of the trees and plants on the island were flattened, and countless pieces of wood were thrown into the garbage ship as scraps. A huge piece of empty land appeared in the center of the island.

The ship hadn't been idling for the past three days. More materials were transported to the island, and a simple pier was constructed. Huge weight engines were hoisted up and down, and crates of steel plates were transported to the beach after passing through the Caribbean Sea.

The construction efficiency of the clone construction team was extremely high. The foundation of the cryogenic freezer was dug out on the tenth day after the construction of Stellar Island began.

The foundation was 40 meters deep and was still circular, with a base area of 50,000 square meters. The deeper the structure, the more resilient it would be against natural disasters like tsunamis and hurricanes.

According to Zhang Heng's plan, the structure of the cryogenic center was constructed entirely out of special steel, which was the case for the underground structure as well. It was just like building blocks, which required only construction and welding. It took only two days for the five weight engines to work simultaneously before a thick layer of steel plates was laid at the bottom of the foundation, which was about 40 meters deep. However, there was a circular blank space with a diameter of 30 meters at the center of the foundation.

That round, blank space was naturally not meant for storing Corona. The construction of the foundation was halted all of a sudden after the foundation was laid, and a huge curtain was placed over the foundation, covering the entire crater.

Zhang Heng and the person-in-charge of the cloning engineering team nodded at that moment in the crater before disappearing all of a sudden and making their way to the radiation plane once again. When they returned 24 hours later, there was a huge pillar-shaped machine with a diameter of 10 meters and a length of five meters before them.

Anyone who had been working with tunnel engineering for years would have been able to recognize that piece of machinery right away—it was a fully-dissected tunnel digging machine!

The all-segmented tunnel digging machine was a combination of a spinning blade and a rolling blade. It was a specialized digging device meant for digging a tunnel in the rock strata of a mountain by crushing the soil and rocks with the spinning blade, which was commonly labeled 'Tbm' in foreign terms. Huaxia referred to the machine as a 'shield construct' because the drill of the machine was like a round shield.

It was obvious that Zhang Heng planned to dig a secret base underground using that tunnel digging device.

The digging speed of the tunnel-digging machine was several times faster than that of conventional drills, with a maximum depth of 500 meters. It had the advantages of being fast, safe, economical, and having little interference with rock strata. Furthermore, the tunnel-digging machine was an advanced piece of machinery from the radiation plane, making it more efficient, faster, and safer.

A huge volume with a diameter of 10 meters signified that the tunnel it dug was over 10 meters in diameter. Furthermore, the excavator had been excavated in a squeezing manner, which meant that there was no soil to be excavated. The excavator would be able to open up a tunnel underground, and all of the soil would be compressed around it, making it extremely dense.

The radiation plane was a tunnel-digging machine that was about a hundred years more advanced than the real world, which meant that it would take at most half a month to dig a tunnel that was thousands of meters deep underground on the Stellar Island.

That was right. That was the third secret base that Zhang Heng had constructed outside of the clone production center and the Honeycomb. That base would be countless times more secret than the Honeycomb.

That was because, according to the design, the base would be located within the rocks at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea, with an altitude of 2,000 meters. Under such circumstances, even if something irreversible were to happen all over the world, such as the solar eclipse, nuclear war, and so on, the base wouldn't be affected, unless the Earth was destroyed.

As for the so-called underwater base structure, Zhang Heng designed it to be spherical, which was also the shape that was most resistant to pressure from the crust. He wanted the base to be able to do what it was capable of without damaging the underwater base, even if it were to run into any ground movements.

Zhang Heng had a way to deal with the soil that was dug out from the ground. He transported the last molecular transmitter from the radiation plane to the place and connected it to the beehive and Stellar Island, transporting the soil that was dug out there. That would solve the problem of efficiency and the danger of being discovered.

The human cryogenic center on the surface of the planet continued to work as the entire section of the tunnel was dug into the ground. The construction of the surface covered up the huge commotion underground. Even if some curious travelers were to drive their ship to the edge of the island to take a peek, they still wouldn't be able to tell that there was a world-shaking secret under the construction site of the island.

Time passed slowly as the old years passed. Zhang Heng's plane had reached a new year, and the development and modification of Stellar Island had entered a steady phase. The surface would be completed in three to four months, but the underground would probably take longer.

However, none of that posed much of a problem. Zhang Heng had no reason to stay around with the Coronal Corps guarding the place. He received another call from Corona at the beginning of January in the new year.

"Commander, I have good news. The Fda of the United States has officially announced that the 'antifreeze nanopharmaceutical' has passed clinical testing and new drug applications. It has been approved and you are now able to manufacture antifreeze."

"Very good. With those financial groups helping out, the process is indeed very fast. Under normal circumstances, the application for the antifreeze would have taken at least two to three years, right?" Zhang Heng said with a sigh of relief.

"That's right. If it hadn't been for Williams and a few other American consortiums putting pressure on the authorities, the antifreeze would have taken about five years before the application was approved, unlike right now, where the application was approved in just half a year. That would have been 10 times faster," Corona said excitedly.

"Seems like the human cryogenic center in India is ready for business. Corona, pick a public relations team from the company. I need to spread advertisements all over the world, especially online ones. Buy Google, Baidu, and some other trending articles. Tell them about the existence of the human cryogenic center in India and the human cryogenic center in the Virgin Islands!" Zhang Heng ordered.

"Understood."

"By the way, is the construction of the company's pharmaceutical company complete? Could you begin to manufacture antifreeze?"

"Commander, I'm afraid that's not possible for the time being." Corona suddenly began to stammer. "We've received the international GP certification and the approval from the Provincial Food and Drug Administration. However, due to us being injected with the drug, we still need to be certified by the authorities before we are considered qualified. However, the authorities have yet to allow us to pass the certification, claiming that there is a problem with the quality of our factory and they refused to give us the 'drug manufacturer license'."

Zhang Heng's expression turned cold right away. "If that's the case, we won't force it. We'll buy a pharmaceutical company in India right away. We need to start producing antifreeze before the end of the month."

"But what about Huaxia?" Corona felt that it was a pity. "Wouldn't it be such a pity if the massive pharmaceutical company that invested 300 million US dollars was unable to operate?"

"We'll have to take care of that sooner or later, but not right now. What we need to do now is to set up the human cryogenic center as soon as possible," Zhang Heng said. "The earlier we open it, the better it would be for us."

"Understood."

Zhang Heng hung up the phone quietly after giving Corona her instructions. He frowned and mumbled, "So, the authorities are displeased with me because the antifreeze wasn't processed locally?"

…

166. Opening Of The Cryogenic Center

Nicholas Gunter slowly opened his eyes in the early hours of the morning from his expensive bed of Hesten.

He checked the date briefly—it was the third day, the third day since he was diagnosed with advanced liver cancer.

Three days ago, when he was working in the office of the New York Empire State Building, he suddenly felt a heart-wrenching pain in his abdomen. He, who had a penchant for alcohol, sensed it and walked into the hospital calmly, accepting the results calmly.

The doctor told him that he wouldn't live for more than three months.

He was a director of a furniture company and had set up a company with a friend when he was younger, taking up a third of the company's shares. However, that company eventually rose in value and his net worth was now over five billion US dollars.

While that sum of money might only be considered a small fraction to those massive financial groups, it was a wealth that could last for decades to the average person.

Someone like him should have bought a coastal mansion in Miami, where he was living in a retirement home, where he would spend his days enjoying the sea breeze and enjoying the company of his grandchildren.

However, at that moment, he could only lie alone in his luxurious apartment in Manhattan.

He had a penchant for drinking all his life. His wife passed away 10 years ago and his son died in a car accident three years ago. He was now over 60 years old and had no relatives other than his younger brother and two nephews.

He had initially thought that it would be a good idea to leave the inheritance to his younger brother, but his younger brother came to visit him with his two nephews after finding out about his cancer the day before, and they talked about the inheritance.

It was at that time that he, who had been feeling very dejected, shuddered when he saw his nephews, who were in their thirties, looking at him.

That was because he saw that the two of them were looking at him with greed and bloodlust in their eyes. It was as if they were two ferocious hungry wolves, waiting for the horned horse that was barely hanging on to its last breath to die before going up to bite at his bones and suck at his innards.

That look made Nicholas shudder…

It was the first time that he realized just how indignant he felt. He wasn't willing to just die like that and give away his vast fortune to a handful of people who were hardly related to him, much less lie in that cold coffin and slowly rot.

He wanted to live on, he wanted to continue enjoying life! He wanted to take the place of his wife and son, and live their lives to the fullest.

'You need to spin even harder when you're dizzy,' said Shakespeare. 'Your own grief, which hurts so much, could be cured with the grief of others.'

Nicholas' eyes gradually lit up with the desire to live. He had read a lot of data and noticed that in that mysterious country in China, there was a drug called the T-1 that could cure cancer. Unfortunately, while that drug could cure his cancer, it was unable to repair his dead liver. His cirrhosis had reached a point where it was incurable. It was that damaged liver that caused his death.

However, that wasn’t a reason for him to give up hope. He sat up all of a sudden and called his assistant, asking the latter to get him a visa and passport for his trip to Huaxia. He then put on his reading glasses, wanting to check online to see if there were any other hospitals that could treat him.

"Crack!"

He clicked hard on the keyboard and opened the browser. His expression shifted as he squinted and looked at the screen with difficulty. He saw that there was an interesting piece of news at the promotional center on the main page of the Google account.

"The prelude to human immortality? The 'Cryogenic Sleep Medication' is born, and humans are allowed to go into cryogenic freezing!"

The title of the video had reached the top of the search rankings.

Nicholas clicked on the title and an unfamiliar yet unique logo appeared on the screen. It was a sphere that was divided into four irregular pieces by two blank arcs. Each piece had a different color, consisting of four colors—red, yellow, blue, and green.

That was the logo of a company.

Nicholas paid no heed to all of that and continued flipping through the pages, which explained the title of the article in a clear and concise manner. The main point of the article was that biological cells had a very strong vitality. Even if they were to run into extremely low temperatures, they would only enter a temporary dormant state instead of dying immediately. However, the moisture in the cells would result in an inflation crystal that would burst through the cells. That crystal phenomenon was what caused the deaths of the damaged bodies.

That nameless company called Stellar Biotech actually invented a new drug that would enable the body's water to not freeze even at extremely low temperatures after being injected with such a drug. Instead, the drug would turn the body into a glass-like state, perfectly circumventing the damage caused by the frozen water caused by the cells, enabling the cells to go into perfect dormancy.

In other words, if humans were to be injected with such a drug, they would be able to enter a state of frozen dormancy. The human body would be able to live for hundreds or even thousands of years without dying. The human body would be in a state of semi-dead dormancy. Once the temperature rose again, the human body would be able to recover.

Humans had two ideas in mind. If a person were to contract a terminal disease that modern technology was unable to cure, they could choose to freeze themselves instead of just choosing to die. The treatment would be carried out on the day that technology developed to the point where it was able to cure terminal illnesses decades later.

There was another possibility, and that was that colonization in the galaxy would usually take hundreds, if not thousands, of years. However, humans were unable to live to that extent. If the ship were to be completely frozen after setting the target, the pilots would have to wait thousands of years before unfreezing the ship. To the pilots, it was just a dream, and they would reach their destination when they woke up.

Both of those concepts were well known by everyone, but due to technical reasons, none of them were able to come to fruition. However, at that moment, technology that could truly freeze the living had finally appeared.

Nicholas took a deep breath and his heart raced. That's right, that's right! That's what he wanted. He had to get his hands on that antifreeze, no matter what the cost. Only that drug could save his life.

He suppressed his excitement and continued reading the article. The article went on to say that the company's new drug had just been approved by the FDA several days ago and was 100 percent clinical. Furthermore, due to the drug being a nano-pharmaceutical, there was no chemical reaction, so there was no side effect of the drug. The drug would be expelled from the body along with the human body's water circulation for three to four days after the antifreeze.

In the end, the article stated that the Stellar Biotech company had built a huge human cryogenic center in India that could put over a million people to sleep in low temperatures.

That human cryogenic center was officially open for business and the price tag was one million US dollars. Regardless of how many years it would be frozen or how many years it would be frozen for, the price tag would be one million US dollars.

That price might have ruled out 90 percent of the people in the world, but that 10 percent would have been more than enough to fill the company's coffers.

Nicholas took a deep breath and decided not to rush to India right away. He took another cigarette and forced himself to calm down before calling one of his friends who worked at the FDA.

As he got older, he would become more mature and experienced, making it difficult for anything to affect his mood, especially when it came to matters that concerned his life.

His friend was able to confirm the authenticity of the Google article very quickly. The day before yesterday, the FDA had indeed passed the drug called "human cryogenic sleep antifreeze nanopharmaceutical", and the company that invented the drug was none other than the Stellar Biotech Corporation.

Nicholas called his assistant again after confirming all of that, telling him that he needed to apply for a visa to go to India after applying for a visa to Huaxia.

... ()

167. Ugly

It took Nicholas quite a bit of effort to get both visas ready for the race with the Grim Reaper. He sold all the company shares that he could sell, reducing his value to over three billion US dollars. However, all of that became cash instead of a string of shares.

Everyone in the company thought that he was out of his mind. The company continued to thrive, with hundreds of millions of dividends entering his pocket every year. No one ever complained about having too many shares in their hands, and his actions caused the entire company's shares to drop considerably.

However, Nicholas didn't care about that anymore. He boarded the flight to Huaxia alone. Huaxia was very strict with the protection of the T-1. If he wanted to purchase the drug, he would have to go to that country and line up to make a reservation. Otherwise, not even the president of the United States would be able to buy it.

However, he received an unexpected call just as he was about to board the plane.

"Hello, my brother. How can I help you?" Nicholas forced a smile on his face.

"Damn it, what the hell are you doing?" An exasperated voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "I heard that you sold all of the company's shares? Are you out of your mind? That's a dividend that's worth hundreds of millions of US dollars every year, and you just sold it like that?"

Nicholas' eyes dimmed. "Is that what you called me about?"

"Then what do you think it is? Don't forget that you have two nephews and that money is theirs! Do you want to make sure that they don't get a single cent after you pass away?" The person on the other end of the phone sounded very frustrated and he could even hear the sound of things being dropped. "Listen up, my brother. Please spend less money before you die and leave more for your nephews, okay? You have no choice. They're the people closest to you, aren't they?"

The only tinge of guilt in Nicholas' heart disappeared when he heard the harsh and irascible Mandarin on the other end of the phone. His expression became cold again and he said in an extremely cold voice, "No, I'm not leaving my inheritance to you guys anymore."

"What the f * * k!" The voice on the other end of the phone was raised by an octave. "Are you kidding me? Are you out of your mind? Who else are you going to give it to other than your nephew?"

"Didn't you ask me why I wanted to exchange the company shares for cash?" Nicholas said casually. "Because I'm not going to die. I'll deposit the money at the Swiss Bank and I'll go to the cryogenic center to hibernate. I'll be resurrected when technology is able to cure my liver."

"Damn it, you can't do this!" The voice on the other end of the phone almost exploded. It wasn't just his younger brother, he even heard his two nephews shouting 'fuck you'. He felt as if he could see the ugly faces of the three of them, who were so disappointed that they were about to go crazy, and that monstrous resentment that made them want to skin him alive.

Nicholas smirked and said, "My dear brother, I'm sorry to say that I planned to give you one billion yuan after I fell asleep, but due to what you've done, I've decided to take that thought back."

"All of you should just continue living your lives as regular people!"

Nicholas' eyes were cold. He hung up without giving her a chance to explain and threw the phone into the trash can.

"According to Shakespeare, the scenery of the past will eventually pass. Ignore them. Look ahead and you'll find that the scenery ahead is even better."

Nicholas mumbled to himself with a calm look in his eyes. From then on, there was nothing else in the world that he cared about other than himself.

…

Half a month later, the frail Nicholas made his way out of the Jatrapatti Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. He looked worse than he had been half a month ago. His face was ashen and his cheeks were sunken. He was coughing non-stop and his frail body was infected with the winter flu in Huaxia. He had lost most of his life.

He had tried to buy the T-1 back in Huaxia, but the complicated procedures made him give up on that idea altogether. According to Huaxia's procedures, it would take him at least two months to get the drug. Two whole months?

Go to hell!

He didn't even know if he would be able to see the sun tomorrow after he went to sleep.

Nicholas clutched at his liver, beads of sweat dripping from his brow. The exhaustion of his bodily functions made every step he took feel like it took all of his strength. He knew that he didn't have much time left.

"Mr. Nicholas Gunter?" Two stern-looking Asian men in suits appeared before Nicholas.

"You're from the human cryogenic center?" Nicholas wasn't surprised at how the woman found him. He simply opened his yellowed, lifeless eyes and coughed hard. "I'm running out of time. Please proceed with whatever procedures you need. I don't want to die in a foreign land before entering the cryogenic center."

"We understand." The two of them nodded. One of them held onto Nicholas while the other checked his pupils for a bit before taking out his walkie-talkie and said, "Call the headquarters. The life of a guest at the airport is in critical condition. Requesting a helicopter to pick him up. I repeat…"

"Helicopter pick-up? Nice service…" Nicholas chuckled in a self-depreciative manner and blacked out.

When he woke up again, he found himself lying on a clean, white hospital bed. The air was filled with the scent of disinfectant. The ward was spacious and clean, unlike the dirty and messy India he remembered.

"You're awake." A voice was heard from the door just when Nicholas was wondering where he was.

Nicholas turned around and saw an Asian young man in his thirties standing at the door. He knocked on the door frame and said, "Mr. Nicholas, may I come in?"

"Please come in." Nicholas nodded and tried to sit up. It was only then that he realized that his body seemed to be stronger than before. The feeling shocked him. He was the only one who knew just how bad his body was. Could such a change be due to his last breath?

"There's no need to be nervous. I have to say that you came at the right time." The young Asian man at the door walked in and sat on a visitation chair at the side. He smiled and said, "Did you know? If you had arrived in India about 10 minutes later, you would have probably been dead by now. But there's no need for you to worry. We've given you first aid and you should be able to live for another month."

Surprise flashed in Nicholas' eyes. "Who are you? I don't think I paid you for your medical fees."

"I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Zhao Qing, the general manager of the Indian branch of Stellar Technology. Here's my name card." Zhao Qing smiled and handed the name card to Nicholas. "We know who you are. You're the chairman of the Wilson Group. Your company is one of the best in the world of furniture."

"But I'm not anymore." Nicholas shook his head, unwilling to dwell on the subject. "Is your service to everyone so good?"

"No, it's definitely not the same," Zhao Qing said proudly. "Ever since we announced the existence of the human cryogenic center to the world, our customer service has been completely wrecked. Just yesterday, 50,000 people called to inquire about the cryogenic matter. More than 10 million comments were left on the company's forums every day. More than 3,000 people even went into hypothermia sleep yesterday. If I were to be the one to receive all of them, wouldn't I die of exhaustion?"

"Then why are you receiving me?" Nicholas frowned.

"Technically speaking, you're different." Zhao Qing wore a serious expression and continued, "Actually, there's one requirement for our client, and that is to have assets of over three billion US dollars. Our company has another service model…"

* * *

168. Setting Up The World

"Another form of service?" Nicholas looked wary. As someone who had been in the business world for many years, he was well aware of all kinds of commercial fraud methods. His first reaction after seeing Zhao Qing's special attitude was to stay alert.

"Yes, because your assets exceed three billion, you were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when you chose us," Zhao Qing said. He looked at Nicholas with a fanatical expression and asked, "Would you like to live forever?"

"Immortality? What are you talking about?" Nicholas became even more wary after hearing that question. "Psychological immortality? Heaven? I'm sorry, but I have no intention of changing my faith."

"No, no, no, Mr. Gunter, you're mistaken." Zhao Qing laughed out loud. "I'm not inviting you to join a cult, but an authentic foundation. His name is the Stellar Vitalities Foundation."

"Stellar Life Sciences Foundation?" Nicholas frowned even more. "Is that the investment and holding organization of Stellar Biotech?"

"Please let me finish." Zhao Qing waved his hand helplessly and continued, "The Stellar Foundation is actually a kind of organization that has a structure similar to that of the Communist Party. Members of the foundation are all working together for the ultimate goal of 'human immortality'. Once you join the foundation, you'll be able to enjoy services that you'd never have imagined possible—for example, genetic drugs that could enhance your physique and longevity. It would only take a little bit to make your body look a dozen years younger.

"Or brain replacement surgery. With cloning technology, we could clone a body that looked like you when you were young and replace your brain with a new body… There's also face modification surgery. Unlike plastic surgery, we could change your appearance from a genetic level and there would definitely be no side effects from plastic surgery…"

Zhao Qing took out a remote and pressed the button hard when he saw how shocked Nicholas looked. A clear documentary was projected on the wall of the hospital right away. Zhao Qing said in a mesmerizing tone, "You don't even need to wait tens or hundreds of years with cryogenic technology. We just need to operate on you right now and you'll be able to recover immediately."

Hearing that the other party was able to guarantee that he would be able to recover immediately, Nicolay's heart skipped a beat. He looked at the screen and saw that it was the brain transplant experiment that Thompson and the other nine financial groups had witnessed together.

"Joshua Williams, Helen Healer, and Lawrence from Germany…" Nicholas was even more shocked when he saw the people on the screen. As a candidate who was about to reach the top of the United States, he was familiar with most of the people on the screen, especially Joshua, the new head of the Wolf family from Wall Street. He was a financial magnate who dared to go against the Morgan family. He didn't expect them to join the foundation.

The two-hour-long video ended very quickly. When the projector was turned off and the walls returned to normal, Nicholas' eyes were filled with shock. The famous characters on the screen alone couldn't be faked, and the camera never changed from start to finish. Could it be…

Nicholas shuddered all of a sudden. Brain transplant surgery, gene serum, and all the other organizations backing him up. Who was the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation?

"What do you think?" Zhao Qing asked in a timely manner.

"Very interesting. It's almost impossible to believe what I'm seeing." Nicholas sighed. "However, if I were to join the Foundation Board, what would I have to pay? What would I get?"

"All you need to do is to pay for your connections and money," Zhao Qing said. "All of the people who joined the team were worth billions of US dollars. That's why we set the threshold of three billion US dollars. If that person's entire assets were worth two billion or one billion US dollars, I'm sure that person wouldn't be willing to give up everything he had at once. As such, unless your net worth exceeds three billion US dollars, we won't give you that option."

Zhao Qing explained patiently, "As for the reward, you'll be receiving unconditional medical services from the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation forever. We have countless ways to cure your disease. Furthermore, the T-1 that Huaxia is selling is actually from our foundation."

"What!?" Nicholas was astonished, but he quickly realized what was going on after thinking about it for a bit. Indeed, only advanced medical technology like the Stellar Foundation would be able to invent a drug like the T-1 that could treat terminal illnesses of the century.

However, it would be impossible for Nicholas to trust the young Asian man before him unconditionally. He kept his guard up and asked, "Do you have any evidence to prove what you just said? If it's just a video, I doubt it would be convincing."

Zhao Qing nodded. Despite having been questioned so many times, he was still able to maintain a basic level of professionalism at the moment. "If you still don't believe me, then we'll have to speak the truth. The doctors from the foundation will begin to operate on you tomorrow morning. You'll need about five to ten days to get a custom-made clone liver, and the spread cancer cells will be completely removed. I believe that you'll be able to believe me then."

Nicholas was pleasantly surprised. That's right, what in the world could be more convincing than personally verifying the effects? He joked, "But, aren't you guys afraid that I won't pay or join the foundation after curing me?"

"No, no one would resist the allure of eternal life." Zhao Qing flashed a confident smile and continued, "Furthermore, do you really think that we would just tell such top-notch secrets to an outsider? When we told you all of those secrets, we were definitely prepared for the possibility that you wouldn't want to join us. Or do you really think that you would be able to leave the foundation as you please after knowing all of those secrets?"

Zhao Qing's tone remained polite, but the Chinese he spoke was threatening enough. However, Nicholas became less wary after hearing that.

"Just like I thought." Nicholas sighed. If all of that was true, he would have joined the company even if he had to give up all of his assets, let alone a billion yuan.

After all, he could always make more money when he ran out of money. However, if he were to lose his life… he would be left with nothing.

…

He was finally able to get rid of Nicholas, who was suffering from old paranoia, after several hours of seducing him. Zhao Qing walked out of the ward and wiped his sweat, but two clone warriors found him before he even got back to his office.

"Mr. Zhao Qin, there are over 10,000 patients from all over the world gathered outside the door of the company. They're out there making a show of force and are insisting that we lower the price of freezers. There are also dozens of sick foreigners who are claiming to be sick at the door of the company."

"Damn it, where's Ah Mubu? Get him to take his people away." Zhao Qing frowned and said.

"His Excellency Amubu said that there was no way they could hold them back anymore. There were too many demonstrators, and over a hundred members of the Galaxy International Security Team were injured in a single day."

Zhao Qing wore a serious expression after hearing that. He knew very well that, given how things had gotten to such a point, if a riot were to break out, the entire factory could very well be overrun by the protesters, given that there was no way he could take responsibility for it.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Zhao Qing finally became serious. "Contact the mayor of Mumbai. We've funded so much of their political contributions. It's time for him to show his hand. Get him to deploy armed police forces and take him down with force."

"Understood!"

Zhao Qing couldn't help but look exhausted after seeing the clone warrior turn around and leave. All sorts of things had been going on in the dozen days since the opening of the cryogenic center—the United States, Huaxia, Russia, the United Kingdom… Countless countries contacted him through the Indian Embassy, hoping to discuss all manner of cooperation with him. Zhao Qing felt like he was under a lot of pressure.

However, he wasn't worried at all. Everyone knew what would happen, and he knew that Zhang Heng definitely had something up his sleeve.

Zhao Qing's phone rang all of a sudden. He took it out and sighed to himself. The person who called him was none other than his boss, Zhang Heng. Zhao Qing was very respectful of Zhang Heng. If it hadn't been for him, he would probably still be eating and waiting for death in front of a lowly researcher.

Zhao Qing picked up the phone right away and asked cautiously, "Boss, are you looking for me?"

"Zhao Qin, I know what happened outside the company."

Zhang Heng's first sentence made Zhao Qing's heart sink. "Boss, it's my fault. I didn't realize how serious the situation was in time…"

"Don't worry about it," Zhang Heng said. "I've anticipated all of that. If it hadn't been for the high price, the international attention wouldn't have been as high as it is now, and the common folks wouldn't have been so anxious."

"So you're saying that you're going to announce your backup plan now?" Zhao Qing asked in surprise.

"That's right." Zhang Heng continued, "There's been a change in plans. I initially planned to wait for at least a month or two before making a move, but it seems like the global response has been even greater than I expected. I'll give you three days to prepare. You need to prepare for a press conference in three days, and then…"

"It's time for us to take all of the global funds!"

… ()

169. No Money To Freeze You

Three days later, at the branch company of the Stellar Biotech Corporation, India.

As Zhang Heng's demands were too short, Zhao Qing eventually came up with a plan to hold a press conference in the inner lobby of the cryogenic center. That plan would solve the problem of the venue and satisfy the curiosity of everyone who wanted to know what was inside the cryogenic center.

Zhao Qing wasn't worried at all. He was willing to bet that even the harshest of customers wouldn't have a problem with the human cryogenic center. The structure of the cryogenic center was like that of a spaceship—the walls, floors, and corridors were all made of reinforced steel plates and bulletproof glass. The entire place was clean, so much so that a single shot from the gun would have been enough to make a dozen rounds. It was so safe that he didn't even dare to think about it.

When Zhao Qing announced that he was going to hold a press conference, all the online media outlets around the world went crazy—the mysterious company that invented the antifreeze and was about to set off a global wave was going to hold a press conference all of a sudden?

The sun had risen from the west!

It had to be known that such an unconventional company had never held a press conference before, not even when the FDA approved the antifreeze drug, which was considered an epoch-making drug. They had never held a press conference when the cryogenic center opened.

He had been in business for over half a month and he was thinking of holding a press conference?

It was a pity that the company didn't seem to have any intentions of hyping things up. They only invited over a hundred well-known media outlets from both the scientific and commercial worlds around the world. None of the media outlets that specialized in entertainment news were invited.

Despite not having invited too many media outlets, many of them were still on high alert and flew all the way to Mumbai from afar. Zhao Qing was completely stunned when he received the notification from the clone warrior.

There were still several hours to go before the press conference, but there were already thousands of reporters gathered outside the door of Stellar Technology, and the number was still increasing.

Zhao Qing didn't dare to offend the media outlets too much. The other party had the direction of public opinion. If he were to offend the other party, the company's image would be affected if the other party were to write a piece of news about the likes of society.

Zhao Qing had no choice but to move the press conference from the lobby of the cryogenic center to the company's plaza.

That was a good way to go about things. The clone warriors set up a tall platform and a huge screen in the plaza, before setting up a huge number of chairs below the stage. That was probably not enough, as they were only barely able to make do with what they were doing. Other than those invited media outlets who could sit at the very front of the stage, the rest of the uninvited guests could only stand at the back.

A press conference was finally about to begin. Zhao Qing, Shouta Minamino, and several other senior executives were seated on the stage. As it was just a simple press conference, there was no introduction or opening speech. Zhao Qing said with a smile, "Everyone, as the press conference was rushed, I'd like to express my sincere apologies to all of you. I'd also like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who have traveled thousands of kilometers to attend our company's press conference. Thank you!"

Zhao Qing and everyone else stood up and bowed, and applause was heard from below the stage.

"I'm sure everyone will have one question regarding this press conference." Zhao Qing continued, "Why didn't we hold a press conference when we invented the antifreeze? Why didn't we hold a press conference when the drug was approved by the FDA in the US? Why didn't we hold a press conference when the human cryogenic center opened?"

Zhao Qing put on a very serious expression when he saw that everyone looked like they wanted to know what was going on. "That's because, three days ago, we finally settled the price of the human cryogenic services. The prices before were adjusted due to being unsuitable."

Everyone was shocked and their breathing quickened. Star Technology had set a price of one million US dollars back then, and it had to be said that the price was simply too high. The price was so high that only a tenth or even one percent of the entire human race could afford it. The rest of the people were naturally unwilling to accept such a price.

Why?

It wouldn't have mattered if it was something else, like the fact that you bought a sports car and I bought a bicycle. While it might not be as expensive as yours, that didn't mean that the car you bought was more expensive than mine. That being the case, regardless of how rich that person was, the two of them were still considered equals in terms of life.

What is the most equitable thing for humans?

It was death! Death was the inevitable outcome that everyone would experience. As such, even though there was a huge gap between the two of them, people would still be able to find other ways to make up for that imbalance, such as' I'm happier than you, I'm more relaxed than you, I live longer than you ', and so on.

However, the emergence of the human cryogenic center brought about inequality in life. Rich people were able to freeze their bodies when they were at the end of their lifespans and quietly wait for the drug that would extend their lifespans to appear tens or hundreds of years later. When that happened, those rich people would be able to live hundreds or even thousands of years longer than regular people.

Even the most magnanimous of people wouldn't be able to tolerate such injustice. It had nothing to do with magnanimity or morals, but simply because survival was the instinct of life.

That was all.

All the reporters stopped what they were doing when they heard that Zhao Qing was going to redirect the price of the freezers. The entire plaza was so huge that they could hear a pin drop.

"New price, here's the deal." However, Zhao Qing's face seemed to twitch for a bit after that. No one knew if it was due to nervousness or some other emotion, but everyone's attention was captured by what Zhao Qing said, and no one noticed the error in his expression.

Zhao Qing made a gesture below the stage and the huge screen behind him lit up right away. A well-designed PPT appeared before everyone's eyes.

The background of the photo was a logo of Stellar Technology. The background was a dark blue color that was a representation of high-tech technology. Coupled with the squarish patterns and fonts, the image gave off a very stable and heavy feeling.

Several hundred words were seen on the screen. While it wasn't a lot, the brief introductions and functions of Stellar Technology and the Cryogenic Center for the human body were included, as well as the prospect of eternal sleep at low temperatures.

Zhao Qing skipped all of that and flipped to the second page. There was a headline at the top of the screen, which read, "Membership of the Cryogenic Center of the Human Body."

"As you can see, the panel is divided into six sections, from lowest to highest, which are: regular members, junior members, senior members, junior VIP members, senior VIP members, top members. That is our new hierarchy," Zhao Qing said.

"The horizontal bar of the table states that the members have access to all manner of access. There are many types of access, such as' top-class members are given priority unfreezing treatment ', which means that as long as you become a top-class member and find a solution to your illness, you will be given top priority unfreezing treatment."

"Another example would be that the VIP members and the top members would all be given special treatment for freezers, while the other members would be placed in the drawers of the freezers.

"Another example would be that both the VIPs and the VIPs would be given the same treatment that their families and friends would get to visit them once every year, while the VIPs and the VIPs would be given the same treatment every five years, and the members of the VIPs would be given the same treatment every ten years. As for the regular members, they wouldn't receive such treatment."

Everyone began to murmur among themselves after hearing what Zhao Qing said. Many of the reporters even raised their hands, unable to wait any longer.

"Please speak, reporter friend." Zhao Qin pointed at a blonde reporter sitting in the first row.

"Thank you. I'm a reporter from the Washington Post. May I know what your company's classifications are? And if I were to accept human cryonics, how would I upgrade my class?" the blonde asked.

All of the reporters present wore satisfied expressions on their faces. The Washington Post was one of the most influential newspapers in the United States and was renowned for its reliable sources and incisive articles. The question that the blonde-haired beauty asked at that moment was what most of them wanted to know.

"That's a good question." Zhao Qing smiled and continued, "Do you all remember the initial charging format? The top-notch members here are the first ones to be paid. One could become a top-notch member by paying one million yuan in one go. The VIP members below the top are 500 thousand yuan, the VIP members are 300 thousand yuan, the VIP members are 200 thousand yuan, the junior members are 100 thousand yuan, and the regular members are 50 thousand yuan."

"Take the regular members for example. If you were to offer 50,000 US dollars, you would be able to receive the most basic cryogenic service. We will only unfreeze you when technology develops to the point where the disease that has plagued you for so long could be cured."

Some of the reporters looked pleasantly surprised. 50 thousand USD! That was a price that even middle-income countries could barely afford. While that price was still considered too high for those in developing countries, it was at least not as far out of reach as a million USD.

Some of the more intelligent reporters were able to figure out that the promotion of such a classification service would definitely earn them tens of times more money than what they had earned in the past. The system of classification, which was done without any concealment, was so violent and direct that it was practically… shameless.

Most of the reporters gasped right there and then. They were shocked and impressed by the shameless way Stellar Technology was able to earn money without a doubt. That was a genius idea.

It wasn't just the venue that was being broadcasted at that moment. Countless networks all over the world were broadcasting the press conference as well. When the citizens of most countries learned of the existence of hierarchical systems, their first reaction was to feel that it was unbelievable, and their second reaction was to curse and swear. However, as they cursed, the dissatisfaction and panic in everyone's hearts were completely quelled, as humanity had finally returned to its former equilibrium. No matter how rich the rich were, their lives were equal. Regular people would be able to get cryogenic services if they were to put their lives on the line. That was the greatest equilibrium.

As for countries like Africa, which were extremely backward, who cared if they died?

Meanwhile, the netizens watching the live broadcast in China were unusually calm. When they saw the form on the screen behind Zhao Qing, they began to spam '666' in the comments. Everyone knew that such charging patterns were very normal. No one knew who started it, but all the comments ended up being 'frozen without money to numb your senses'.

At that moment, at the press conference, Zhao Qing concluded, "The human cryogenic center is being paid in installments. The cryogenic center is allowed to be cryogenic before being paid by family and friends. That is the purpose of our press conference. The motto of Stellar Biotech Corporation is to use technology to change one's life and use the present to create the future."

Everyone clapped.

Zhao Qing naturally wouldn't miss the chance to show off the human cryogenic center after the press conference ended. He invited all the reporters present to take a look, but none of them were allowed to touch any equipment or they would be invited out.

A reporter took a tour of the human cryogenic center and wrote in a very impressed manner, "I believe that any tourist who sees the building of the human cryogenic center of Stellar Technology would be impressed by the professionalism and service attitude of the company—I've never seen such a sturdy building before. According to staff at Stellar Technology, the cryogenic center is capable of withstanding attacks from nuclear explosions, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Unbelievable. It's practically a fortress that could withstand nuclear war."

.. ()

170. Vector Operation

Stellar Technology immediately became a hot topic of discussion after the press conference was held. Words like "human cryonics" and "stellar technology" were seen all over the internet. Some experts even commented that the emergence of human cryonics was equivalent to ushering humanity into a new era, something that would go down in history.

Of course, there would be objections as long as there was approval. More professors and specialists came forward and said that delaying human life by force was like taking the soul from the hands of the Grim Reaper, which would sooner or later lead to the destruction and chaos of humanity. There were also those who felt that human cryogenic freezing would damage the dignity of humanity and violate social ethics principles, which were unacceptable and had to be strictly prohibited.

Of course, those voices were like a mantis trying to stop a car. Due to the current trends of history, none of them were able to do anything about it. However, there were even more people who insisted that the country develop antifreeze as soon as possible. Most people were more willing to accept the antifreeze in their own countries than to set up their own personal cryogenic center.

The cryogenic industry had proven itself to be an unparalleled money-grubber with just a few tricks. The emergence of such a new industry would definitely trigger a new economic revolution, changing history and the world.

The person who caused the world to shake paid no attention to what was happening. Zhang Heng was standing in a huge plaza made of metal at the moment. There were over a dozen platforms made of steel all around and above the plaza, and every single one of them had a Gatling gun installed on it, which surrounded him from all angles.

Rumble…

Deafening gunshots were heard. As there were simply too many of them and the rate at which the shots were fired was too high, all of the gunshots were fired at the same time. The only sound that was heard was that of a huge humming noise that sounded like the sound of a landslide. All of the Gatling guns fired lethal shots at the same time.

The firing rate of 5,000 rounds per minute resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of bullets being fired at Zhang Heng every second. It was like a massive metal storm, unstoppable and capable of tearing everything apart.

However, Zhang Heng had only closed his eyes and there seemed to be a layer of protection before him. All the bullets that were within a one-meter radius of him would lose their momentum and fall to the ground with a clang.

It took only two to three minutes for him to accumulate about half a meter thick rounds of ammunition under his feet, which practically covered his calves.

However, the metal storm that could tear through the armor of a tank was unable to even touch the hem of Zhang Heng's shirt. Any regular person would have thought that they were watching The Matrix.

"Not enough!" However, Corona's voice suddenly echoed in the air above the square. "Commander, your mental power is more than enough to block bullets at the moment, but are you able to make them reflect?"

"Reflection?" Zhang Heng couldn't help but open his eyes.

"That's right. Use your techniques to convert the force of the bullet fired into the force of the recoil, which would then return the bullet to the person who attacked you at a very small price. Not only would you be able to repel bullets, but you would also be able to repel all physical attacks that are no more than the limits of your mental power—such as your fists, daggers, and so on. I call such reflexes' mass manipulation '."

"'Vector operation', is it? I'll give it a try then." While Zhang Heng felt that it was unlikely, he knew that Corona wouldn't make such a ridiculous suggestion. If she were to propose such a plan, there had to be a high chance of success.

The other nine Gatling guns stopped firing and there was only one left that continued to fire. Zhang Heng felt his mental fortitude ease as the pressure on him decreased all of a sudden. He raised his head instinctively and looked at the bullets that were shooting at him but were blocked by his mental power. He gradually fell into deep thought.

As Zhang Heng's physique grew stronger, his brain's computational power continued to grow as well. If the average person's brain was described as a tablet computer, then Zhang Heng's brain would be described as a luxurious desktop computer specifically designed for the crossfire of the Four-way Titan. His computational power would have been tens of times weaker than that of regular people.

To put it simply, the average person would see the world as 24 frame per second, which meant that Zhang Heng had long since exceeded a thousand frame per second. He was like a high-speed camera, able to see the trajectory of the bullet when it was fired, making the entire world look like slow-motion to him.

Truth be told, Zhang Heng's mental power shouldn't have been able to block the bullets so easily. However, due to his powerful computational ability, he was able to calculate the trajectory of the bullets to slow them down and use his mental power to apply pressure on the points within a few milliseconds, achieving the goal of making the bullets stop at high speeds.

Other than that, Zhang Heng also had the ability to spread his mental power all over his body. With that kind of mental perception ability, he would be able to see everything within a 10-meter radius around him clearly even if he were to close his eyes. In fact, he would be able to see things better with his eyes alone.

Zhang Heng was only able to block flying bullets with ease through such techniques. Otherwise, the kinetic energy of the bullets alone would have been able to penetrate his mental barrier.

However, blocking the bullets alone wasn't enough at the moment. He needed to reflect the bullets as well. If he were to do that, the computational power he needed would be even more terrifying, and the precision required to control his mental power would be even higher. A single mistake would result in the bullets piercing through his body, making him look like he was dancing on a blade.

It was fortunate that Zhang Heng had Corona with him, as well as the virtual space, which could simulate reality 100 percent.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted all of a sudden as he looked at the barrage of bullets before him. Countless electrical signals clashed in his mind at that very moment. His mental power was then split into hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny, formless tentacles, which formed a structure that looked like a spring net, which went up against a speeding machine gun.

Bang!

Sh * t, I made a miscalculation!

Zhang Heng's expression suddenly changed as soon as his mental power came into contact with the bullet. The bullet shattered his mental power net as if it was nothing more than rotten wood, leaving a huge hole in his chest.

Large amounts of blood splattered all over the place and Zhang Heng was forced to retreat about seven to eight meters away. His mind was in a mess and yet another seven to eight bullets rained down on him. The massive impact turned his body into a ragged sack and sent him flying.

Bang!

Zhang Heng fell to the ground with bloody holes all over his body after flying seven to eight meters away. The light in his eyes gradually dimmed as well.

Corona suddenly appeared at that moment and shook her head. She waved her hand and the bloody holes on Zhang Heng's body disappeared immediately. His pupils contracted again and he stood up, feeling a lingering fear in his heart as he said, "No, the amount of calculations and precision required to reflect the bullets is far beyond what I could achieve at the moment."

"You still need more training." Corona wrinkled her nose and acted like a little teacher. "Commander, please don't underestimate the ability of reflex. While it can only reflect physical attacks at the moment, that's only because you're too weak. The feature of reflex is that the stronger you are, the stronger it becomes. Have you thought about how terrifying your reflexes would be when your mental power is precise enough to control energy?"

It was only then that Zhang Heng was stunned. That's right, his mental power's precision had only reached the level of being able to control liquid, and he wasn't even able to control gases. If his mental power's precision were to reach the microscopic level or even the energy level one day, he wouldn't be able to imagine what would happen then, given his reflexes.

Zhang Heng's eyes were filled with motivation at that thought. "Alright, let's continue then."

Zhang Heng felt as if he was transported back to the time when he first got his hands on Corona last year, when Yuehua designed combat training for him. Zhang Heng felt like killing himself at that time, constantly dying and suffering, feeling like he was in hell.

And now, that feeling was back…

… ()

171. Recruiting Talents

By the time the training was over, Zhang Heng's face was pale and he looked exhausted despite his strong will and endurance.

However, it was obvious that the training was not over yet. Corona continued, "The next phase of today's training is mental stimulation training."

Corona waved her hand and hundreds of images appeared before Zhang Heng at the same time. All of those images were of a group of people moving about in various horror films and horror games. The corner of Zhang Heng's eye twitched when he saw all of those images. It was obvious that he was feeling rather intimidated by the mental stimulation training.

"In the past three months, I've selected about 10 people to enter the space of reincarnation every day to experience fear and death," Corona said. "There are now over a thousand copies of fear and despair from different humans. All of that needs to be digested as soon as possible, so as to continue stimulating your brain and accelerate the growth of the pineal gland."

"Noted. Get ready to begin." Zhang Heng nodded. Such mental stimulation training was actually the most painful one of all, and it was actually hundreds of times more painful than the training he had undergone before, as it was meant for him to experience the despair and fear of countless people and the unknown. The feeling of being constantly stimulated and frightened was enough to make anyone collapse.

…

The last phase of training came to an end several hours later. Zhang Heng's face had gone from pale to ashen, with beads of sweat rolling down his face. His arms and legs were limp and he was barely able to stand.

"Commander, your mental state has reached critical point. Would you like to return to reality and rest?" Corona asked worriedly.

"No rush." Zhang Heng waved his hand and lay down behind her. A recliner appeared beneath him in the very next second. He kept rubbing his temple and said with a frown, "Corona, I seem to have just experienced the dangerous experience of that girl named Gu Siyi. Is she still alive?"

"Yes, she is the only contractor alive from beginning to end." Corona nodded and a holographic image of Gu Siyi appeared before Zhang Heng. Corona continued, "The rules that I've set up are that the contractor's mission duration is one week. She has gone through 12 missions in the past three months and survived all of them. It's not just luck, her intelligence and will are both on par with yours. Even the second-ranked person in the Samsara Space only managed to survive eight rounds in a row."

"Oh? She's that good? How's her progress with accumulating points? Hasn't she accumulated 10 points yet?" Zhang Heng asked, feeling rather interested.

"While 10 points doesn't seem to be a lot, it's still very difficult to earn enough points." Corona shook her head and continued, "The points earned from each mission would have to be used to purchase the next life-saving tool, or it would have been very difficult for her to survive the next mission. She only spent 1 point to exchange for 10 million, of which 5 million was given to her parents and the rest was given to her real life. The remaining points were all put into the space of reincarnation and exchanged for weapons and tools that could protect her."

"Not bad. Even if I could die at any moment, I still wouldn't forget my parents and family." Zhang Heng seemed to be able to see his own reflection in her, and his eyes were filled with admiration. "People like her, who have kinship and are capable, shouldn't just die in the space of reincarnation without making a name for themselves."

"What do you mean?" Corona asked.

"Recruit her." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and continued, "If I want my company to become the number one company in the world, I'd need a lot of helpers. The clone isn't comprehensive enough, after all, and I'd need a lot of help from regular people. The Samsara Space, on the other hand, is a very good selection mechanism."

"Understood. I'll be taking note of those with potential and brains in the future." Corona nodded and looked up at the sky before reporting again, "Commander, I've just received news from Zhao Qing. Representatives from the various countries can't wait any longer and all of them are requesting to meet you. Huaxia's central government has also issued an order, requesting that the Haizhou government reach an agreement with you as soon as possible."

Zhang Heng frowned and said, "The whole world can't wait any longer? Things are really getting out of hand. How much money have we made from human cryogenics?"

"According to the calculations that I've compiled with the system, the average income for half a month is 3.6 billion US dollars per day before the launch of the membership policy. The average income for two days after the launch of the membership policy is 11 billion US dollars per day, with an average income of 5.5 billion per day." A table appeared before Corona, which listed the number of freezers, ranging from regular members to top members, over the past two days. "Just yesterday, there were over 20,000 regular members taking part in the program. Most of them were elderly people who were on the verge of death in Mumbai and several nearby cities. All of them requested that they unfreeze themselves after inventing the life extending drug. As for the top members, there were over 3,000 of them, which was the same as before."

"Other than that, we claim that the cost of every regular member would be between US $10,000 and US $30,000. However, in actual fact, due to us secretly using the nuclear fusion reactor while the personnel are using clones, our actual cost would be between US $10 and US $100 per person," Corona explained. "Furthermore, due to us being an offshore company, we have a natural advantage that would allow us to evade taxes by over 80 percent."

"No wonder. All the countries are panicking over such a huge profit." Zhang Heng wore an expression that said he knew what was going on. However, he also knew that the reason why he was earning so much every day was because he had just opened his shop for a while. It was just like how a product would always sell the most on the first day it was put up. When the market became saturated, there wouldn't be that much sales anymore.

However, that was more than enough to shock him. He was able to earn 100 billion US dollars in a single month. That alone was enough to set a new record in the Guinness world. It was enough to make Zhang Heng's company leap from a small, unknown company to a world-class corporation.

Zhang Heng thought about it for quite a while before making his decision. "In that case, I'll have Zhao Qing negotiate with the authorities in India, and I'll have Li Yiru take over Huaxia. Those countries are just trying to buy the formula for the antifreeze. Tell them that I'll sell it if they're willing to pay 50 billion. If not, just let them do their own research. I can provide them with samples, and they'd consider themselves capable if they were able to figure it out."

"50 billion sounds like a lot, but it's only about 50,000 members of the Kings. Why do we have to sell it to them?" Corona pouted, feeling rather reluctant.

Zhang Heng chuckled and said, "Do you remember how I dealt with the T-1 about a year ago?"

"You sold the shares to the Huaxian government at the time, and you only kept 40 percent of the shares." Corona had no idea why Zhang Heng would say all that.

"So, which do you think is more valuable, the T-1 or the antifreeze?" Zhang Heng asked.

"If we were to use 10 years as the time limit, the T-1 could create a total of 100 billion to 300 billion US dollars. If we were to use the antifreeze properly, we could even create trillions of US dollars worth of wealth!" Corona said solemnly.

"Well then, what do you think caused me to give up 60 percent of the profit of the T-1 in the past, and now, I'm holding 80 percent of the profit of the antifreeze in my hands?" Zhang Heng continued asking.

It was only then that Corona realized what was happening. "Commander, I get it now. You're saying that we now have the power to go against them, but we're still not strong enough to take all of them for ourselves. So, we have to feed them meat and make them drink soup?"

"Not to that extent. We still need to share the meat with others." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "That's because human cryogenics isn't just a way of extending one's lifespan. There are also many other uses for medical first aid, interstellar travel, and even military use. It's impossible for us to not share any of the benefits with others, as that would only make us enemies with the entire world."

"All we want is for those countries to promise that after purchasing our formula, they would only be able to invest in the public and military. However, they wouldn't be able to use the formula as a commercial activity. At the very least, they wouldn't be able to use the formula as a commercial activity for at least 20 years. If that were to happen, the profits that we would be able to reap would be a terrifying number. If we were to not share any of the profits with them, I'm afraid that trouble would follow, such as suing us for monopolizing the company, putting pressure on the Indian government, and so on. We might even be able to take over our company."

Corona finally understood.

Zhang Heng stopped smiling and his expression became serious again. "That's why our biggest weakness right now is India. As long as the Indian government supports us, we'll be able to set up the cryogenic center. That's why the most important thing to do now is to quickly win over the Indian government and bribe even more government officials to use their microchip control on key targets. I want to take control of the entire Maharashtra within a year."

… ()

172. Gu Siyi

"Oh… save me, I don't want to die…"

It was as if someone was weeping in the darkness, and the sound was filled with indescribable fear and sorrow, as if someone was weeping.

The girl looked confused. She narrowed her eyes and slowly made her way forward, wanting to break through the black mist before her and see who was seeking help.

Boom!

All of a sudden, a blinding flash of white light was seen and the lightning in the sky streaked across the sky like a dragon, cutting through the hazy darkness like the sharpest knife in the dark night, making one's heart turn cold.

The girl's pupils contracted drastically as soon as she saw what was in front of her. All the hairs on her body stood on end.

There was a woman whose entire body was covered in blood and was badly mutilated standing just inches away from her. That woman was staring at him with her pitch-black eyes and tears of blood were running down her face. The sound she heard just then came from that bloody mouth of hers that had lost its lips and was completely exposed to the air.

"Oh!"

The girl reflexively covered her mouth and suppressed that scream. She had learned to be strong and steady in the cycles of reincarnation, and screaming at the top of her lungs wouldn't help her in any way. She would only accelerate her own death.

However, just when she realized that something was wrong and was about to take a step back, she felt a chill run down her spine. She had no idea when, but she realized that there were countless women standing behind her with dark faces all over their faces.

Gu Siyi sat up from the bed right away.

Beads of sweat rolled down her face and her sweaty hair stuck to her forehead, making her look even more tired. Gu Siyi looked around in a daze and was finally able to confirm that she was not in that terrifying space of reincarnation, but in a safe reality.

She was only able to relax after waking up from her nightmare. She sat up in bed and reached for her glass of water, only to find a bottle of sleeping pills that had been emptied.

Shaking her head helplessly, Gu Siyi got out of bed and headed for the kitchen.

Her apartment was located in a high-end apartment in Haizhou. The kitchen of the apartment was located on the balcony. Gu Siyi stretched lazily on the balcony and closed her eyes comfortably.

The early morning sun shone in through the French windows of the balcony, making the place feel warm and cozy. It was a dazzling sight to behold and there were people going to and fro to work at the foot of the stairs. The place was noisy, making it look lively and peaceful.

It seemed like another sunny day had arrived.

Gu Siyi had never thought in her 18 years of life that the sunlight that she had once despised could be so warm and the noisy crowd so reassuring. All of those things that could be overlooked on a daily basis only became more precious when she was about to lose them.

The more times she faced death, the more Gu Siyi treasured what she had in real life. Every blade of grass and tree on the side of the road made her feel closer to her. She had planned every day to the fullest, and she hoped that she could enjoy everything in her life before she died.

There were still three days before the thirteenth contract mission.

Gu Siyi turned on the huge digital television that was hung on the wall of her bedroom and selected a television series that had been very popular recently. She then went to the balcony and watched the television through the open window while making breakfast.

However, as she continued doing what she was doing and watched the male and female leads in the television series finally get together and walk into the marriage hall, a tear rolled down her cheek all of a sudden.

If everyone in the world had a future, then where would my future lie?

Gu Siyi covered her mouth all of a sudden, just like a little girl who had lost her way, crouching on the ground and began to sob.

About 10 minutes passed before Gu Siyi wiped her tears and stood up again. She was no longer in the mood to make breakfast. Every second seemed precious when her life was at risk. She dressed herself up, changed into casual clothes, and headed outside.

"Let's go to the amusement park today. I haven't been to the amusement park since I was nine years old." Gu Siyi thought about her plans for the day as she made her way through the early morning crowd.

"Boss, get me a fried mantou. Take it with you." Gu Siyi came to a snack bar and said.

"Sure, right away!" The boss agreed and handed a packet of fried dumplings to Gu Siyi shortly after.

Gu Siyi thanked him and was about to leave when the boss' friendly tone changed all of a sudden. He said in a deadpan manner, "Table 32 of the East Sea Cafe on Arts Street."

"Huh?" Gu Siyi was stunned and confused.

The boss looked up and gave Gu Siyi a strange look before lowering his head to continue making the buns.

Gu Siyi turned around and left after seeing that the other party didn't say anything else. While she found what her boss said a little weird, she wasn't a curious person to begin with, so she didn't probe further.

The street that Gu Siyi was on was only about three to four kilometers away from the nearest amusement park. While it wasn't that far, it wasn't that far either. As such, Gu Siyi decided to just walk and take it as a walk.

Gu Siyi suddenly frowned after walking for about 20 minutes. She was not from Haizhou, and while she attended school there, she was not familiar with the layout of the place. She was unable to find the door to the amusement park at the moment.

"Nice to meet you. Do you know where the Jinjiang theme park is?" Gu Siyi pulled a passerby to her side.

The young man who was asked for directions was feeling rather irritated at first, but he scratched his head and flashed a sunny grin when he saw Gu Siyi's face. "Oh, you're asking about Jinjiang Park? We'll be 100 meters east after crossing this junction!"

"Thank you." Gu Siyi nodded politely and was about to walk away when the smile on that young man's face disappeared all of a sudden. He nodded and said, "Table 32 at the East Sea Cafe on Arts Street."

Gu Siyi froze all of a sudden as soon as she took a step. She frowned and looked at the man, only to find that he had turned his back on her and was continuing on his way. There was nothing wrong with him.

Gu Siyi frowned slightly. Her IQ was far higher than that of regular people, yet she was able to easily detect details that were easily overlooked by regular people. Regular people might have used coincidences or someone was just joking with them, but Gu Siyi knew very well that the possibility of her being joking was very, very low.

It was her first time buying breakfast at that eatery, and it was something completely random. As such, there was no way that the boss of the eatery would have been pre-arranged, and the questions that followed were even more random. There were over a thousand passers-by who walked past her on the way, so why would anyone know that she was asking for directions?

As such, there was no way she could be joking, unless everyone around her had been arranged by someone else. But then again, was that even possible?

The other explanation of 'coincidence' was even more ridiculous. There were over 3,000 Chinese characters commonly used in the Huaxians, so just how small was the probability of them being able to say the same thing without missing a single word? Furthermore, he had also encountered that line within the same day, so just how small was the probability of that happening?

If it wasn't a joke or a coincidence, then…

Gu Siyi's expression flickered and she headed straight for an old man who was sunbathing on a flower bed by the side of the road. When she got to the old man's side, she asked tentatively, "Grandpa, do you know where the East Sea Cafe in Arts Street is?"

The old man took a look at him and shook his head slightly.

"Hah…" Gu Siyi breathed a sigh of relief instead of getting an answer. She waited for a bit, feeling rather frightened, before turning around and leaving when she saw that the old man was still not looking at her.

"Number 32." However, just when she thought that she was overthinking things, she heard a hoarse voice from behind her. Gu Siyi's eyes widened and she turned around to look at the old man. The old man was still sitting on the flower bed with a deadpan expression on his face, looking straight ahead.

Gu Siyi suddenly felt cold all over.

She resisted the urge to run away right away and slowly moved in front of the old man, asking seriously, "Grandpa, what did you just say?"

The old man turned around again and Gu Siyi finally saw him speak. However, what he said still made her feel as if she had been dropped into an ice cave.

"Table 32 at the East Sea Cafe on Arts Street."

Gu Siyi backed away three to four meters away from the car and made it to the center of the road. A cab screeched to a halt right in front of her.

"Are you out of your mind?" The driver stuck his head out and shouted right there and then.

Gu Siyi acted as if she hadn't heard anything and got into the cab in a flash. She took out a Huaxian currency and said, "Take me to the East Sea Cafe on Arts Street. Hurry!"

173. Mysterious Youth

The East Sea Cafe was a very common name. It opened in 1934 and was the first Cafe in Haizhou to serve customers. It recorded the history of people drinking coffee in Haizhou. It might not be as internationally renowned as Costa or Starbucks, but it was an ancient Cafe with 80 years of history.

It could be said that the East Sea Cafe held the memories of several generations of people in Haizhou.

As such, the reputation of the Donghai Cafe was not small in Haizhou City. When the taxi arrived at the door of the Donghai Cafe, Gu Siyi saw a very old, European-styled cafe.

"We're here," the driver said.

Gu Siyi nodded and got out of the car, feeling rather uneasy. Before the driver turned around and left, he even said "table 32" to Gu Siyi before putting up the gear and drove away.

The corner of Gu Siyi's eyes twitched as she took a good look at the place. She then stuck her head out and sneaked a peek into the cafe. However, there were quite a lot of customers in the cafe. She was unfamiliar with the layout of the place and was unable to tell which table was number 32.

Why am I always in so much trouble? Three months ago, I accidentally signed a death contract and fell into the space of reincarnation, where I had to struggle to survive all the time. Yet, it seems like the heavens are unwilling to let me off the hook just like that. They even made me run into something even weirder. There's no justice in this world…

Gu Siyi wore a bitter expression on her face. Despite having mustered all of her courage to come to the cafe, she stood before the door of the cafe and found herself unable to bring herself to go in. It was as if the cafe was the mouth of some monster, ready to swallow her whole at any moment.

"Hello, may I know who you're looking for?" Just when Gu Siyi was hesitating, a tall and slender waitress dressed in maid attire walked out of the cafe with a tray of food. That waitress had very pretty features and looked frail and pitiful, making her look like a movie star.

Gu Siyi shook her head, feeling rather flustered. While she was very confident in her looks, she still felt rather ashamed of herself when she saw the appearance of that waitress.

"Please follow me." The waitress smiled at Gu Siyi's denial and walked into the cafe. Gu Siyi lifted her leg and followed the girl into the cafe.

The interior of the Donghai Cafe was still the same as it had been back in the days of Shanghai Beach. The wrought iron table and wooden seats in the shape of flowering vines were of the same design, giving the place an air of antiquity. There were also pictures of the old Shanghai culture from the 1920s and 1930s hanging on the walls, making the place look like a time that was becoming increasingly mottled, adding to the charm.

Several groups of customers were sitting in various corners of the cafe, enjoying their coffee in silence. Ripples of ancient, tranquil music were heard from hidden speakers, melodious and soothing, making the place even more tranquil.

However, Gu Siyi didn't think so. It was only when she stepped into the café that she was jolted awake. Her legs wobbled and she broke out in cold sweat.

He felt as if he had been hypnotized just then, as he walked in in a dazed state. If he had been in the Samsara Space, he would have been dead by now.

She secretly regretted not being able to stay strong enough. It was only then that Gu Siyi realized—since when was there a waitress in maid attire in the East Sea Cafe?

She had checked the history of the Donghai Cafe on her phone before, and found that it was a very traditional cafe, unlike those two-dimensional coffee shops that catered to fat, nerd-like people.

However, when Gu Siyi looked around, she found that the waitress was nowhere to be seen. It was as if she had evaporated into thin air and disappeared right under her nose in the blink of an eye.

There was something off about that café.

Gu Siyi became even more vigilant. However, since she was already in the room, she had no intention of going out again. Being able to go through 12 missions in the Samsara Space meant that Gu Siyi not only possessed intelligence and luck, but she also had a resilience and decisiveness that no regular person would have found beneath that frail exterior of hers.

At that thought, Gu Siyi looked at the serial number on the table at the side, which had the words' 06 'written in yellow and white on it. Gu Siyi walked forward step by step according to that sequence, keeping a wary eye on all the customers at the same time. When she saw table 25, she looked up and saw table 32, which was the most remote spot on the first floor of the cafe.

From where Gu Siyi was standing, she was unable to see anything at table 32 due to the seats in the car. She frowned slightly and eventually took out a dagger from her backpack before slowly making her way to table 32.

Five meters…

Four meters…

Three meters, I see it!

Gu Siyi was able to see the man when she was about three meters away from him. However, the man's back was facing her, so she was only able to see one of his hands from above.

It was a very ordinary-looking hand with clean, manicured nails. The fingers were slender and the knuckles were wide and powerful. There were no rings on the fingers, only an unknown silver mechanical watch on the wrist. While he was unable to see what the man was wearing from that position, he was able to tell from the cuffs on his forehead that the man was wearing a pure white shirt with the cuffs wide open. There was nothing else special about him.

The fear in Gu Siyi's heart dropped yet again. She was most afraid of what kind of monster or ghost the other party was. One had to know that she had been through more than a dozen types of monsters such as Chu Renmei, Zhenzi, Kayako, Freddy, the giant python, the xenomorph, the triangular head, and so on. While she was able to survive in the end, she had also been through life and death situations. There were even times when she had to rely solely on luck to survive.

Now, as long as she didn't have to face ghosts and monsters, what else was there to be afraid of?

At that thought, Gu Siyi stopped hesitating and went straight to table 32. She was finally able to see the faces of the people sitting at table 32.

He was a young man with average looks, about 22 or 23 years old, with a crew cut and a very average-looking face. If he were on the streets, Gu Siyi believed that she wouldn't have taken a second look at him. He looked so ordinary that he couldn't have looked more ordinary.

Gu Siyi felt a tinge of disappointment.

However, when their eyes met, Gu Siyi felt as if the world had turned dark all of a sudden. What kind of eyes were those? They were as dark and deep as black holes, so much so that they were able to absorb even her gaze, making it difficult for her to look away.

The young man looked up at that moment and the corner of his mouth was slightly raised, revealing a faint smile. However, Gu Siyi's pupils contracted when she saw that smile and her heart palpitated.

That young man looked dangerous even when he was smiling.

"Please take a seat," the young man said with a smile. His voice was deep and steady, with an indescribable charm to it.

Gu Siyi subconsciously sat opposite the young man, who snapped his fingers and the girl in the maid attire from before walked up to her. She was holding a tray with a cup of coffee and several cubes of pastries made of cream.

Gu Siyi had no appetite to eat as she watched the waitress serve the food to her one by one. She looked at the waitress in front of her with a puzzled look, unable to figure out why she disappeared for no reason and appeared out of nowhere.

However, to Gu Siyi's surprise, the waitress stopped walking after putting the food in front of her. She took two steps back and stood quietly beside her table.

"The coffee here tastes the best," the young man continued. He picked up the cup in front of him and took a sip before continuing, "I heard that every cup of coffee in this place was brewed using glassware. There's a small pot with a specific type of coffee that not only has a pure taste, but you can also feel the bitterness that has been building up over time when you taste it."

Gu Siyi took a deep breath. No matter what, she was already in someone else's hands. She held the dagger tightly and mustered her courage to ask, "Who are you? Why are you looking for me?"

The young man wore a meaningful expression and extended four fingers, enunciating each word carefully.

"Negative."

Clang!

Gu Siyi stood up all of a sudden and the rattan chair behind her fell to the ground with a loud thud.

However, there was nothing she could do to stop the shock and terror in her heart.

174. Joining

Gu Siyi was a smart person.

It was precisely because she was a smart person that she was frightened by what he said.

Gu Siyi had never taken the initiative to reveal her identity in the space of reincarnation, regardless of whether anyone else was able to survive.

People would go crazy when they were faced with death. If someone were to find out who you were in real life, there was a high chance that that person would find your location and force you to hand over your points. It was also possible that that person would kill you to prevent competition.

As such, the most important rule of the Samsara Space was to never reveal his true identity at all costs.

However, the young man before her had just said the word 'space of reincarnation'. Gu Siyi subconsciously thought that her identity had been exposed and she knew without a doubt just how dire the consequences would be if she were to be exposed. She simply drew her dagger without hesitation and aimed for his throat.

There were countless combat techniques that were even more intricate than those found in real life among the convertible abilities found in the space of reincarnation. In order to survive, Gu Siyi painstakingly exchanged for a dagger combat technique that was worth as much as three points, which cost her all the points she had saved up. However, she was only trained for three weeks and was able to tell just how powerful that dagger combat technique was.

It could be said that Gu Siyi, who had a dagger in her hand, was able to kill more than three regular people in a second. The reason for all of this was none other than her skill.

The attack was completely unexpected. Regular people would only be able to see a flash of white light and wouldn't even be able to react in time. However, Gu Siyi was able to see a hint of admiration in the other party's eyes when the attack was launched.

What the hell?

Gu Siyi felt a sharp pain in her hand all of a sudden and the dagger in her hand flew away as if it had hit a steel plate.

Shock flashed through Gu Siyi's mind for a brief moment. It was the first time that someone had managed to block her dagger, so much so that she was unable to tell how the dagger was blocked.

However, she had completely gotten into the groove by then and was sent flying backward as soon as her attack missed. She raised her left leg high and kicked hard at the window on the left side of the seat.

Bang!

The hard reinforced glass shattered and Gu Siyi's nimble, cat-like body rolled out of the hole in the glass.

Escape!

A glint flashed across Gu Siyi's eyes. All of that happened in the blink of an eye. It took her less than a second to get out of the cafe from the moment she missed her shot. That mysterious young man probably wouldn't be able to catch up to her even if he wanted to, right? Furthermore, they were on the streets and there were simply too many things to worry about if he wanted to kill her.

Gu Siyi was just about to heave a sigh of relief at that thought when she turned around and was so frightened that she almost screamed. She had no idea when the man was standing less than three meters behind her.

Gu Siyi wanted to run away, but when she saw what was happening on the street, her pupils contracted and she was completely stunned.

Time seemed to have stopped at that moment in that bustling street. The pedestrians on the street were still walking and the speeding cars in the middle of the street were nailed to the ground. The leaves that fell from the trees on both sides of the street were frozen in midair… Even the glass fragments that he broke were suspended in midair.

It was as if time had stopped when she ran away.

Gu Siyi looked around at her surroundings in a daze. She couldn't help but look at a middle-aged woman with curly hair standing next to her. That middle-aged woman was still walking while talking to her friends, but her feet were stuck in midair while her other leg was only touching the ground. If it were any other time, she wouldn't have been able to maintain her balance and would have fallen over in the very next second. However, that middle-aged woman was stuck in midair in a posture that would have angered Newton to death.

Gu Siyi reached out her hand all of a sudden, as if she didn't believe him. She felt his warm skin and rough wrinkles the moment she touched him. It was obvious that the person before her was real.

"You won't be able to get away." The young man's voice was so close that she could feel his breath. Gu Siyi's expression was bitter, but she eventually gave up and asked, "Who the hell are you?"

"I am the guardian of this world." The young man walked up to Gu Siyi and snapped his fingers. The very next second, everything seemed to have changed from extreme silence to extreme movement. The speeding car passed by in a flash and the leaves that stopped in midair continued to fall along the same trajectory as before. The middle-aged woman before Gu Siyi landed on the ground and followed right behind her, successfully completing a set of steps. It was as if nothing had changed at all.

Except for Gu Siyi and that young man.

Not only that, but Gu Siyi also saw that the passers-by acted as if they couldn't see her and the young man. There were countless pedestrians walking past her, yet no one was looking at her. The pedestrians who were about to run into her when they were right before her avoided her as if they were electrical wires or walls.

The flow of the entire world was still accelerating, and the speed of pedestrians increased from that of regular people to that of afterimages. The sun in the sky streaked across more than half of the sky in just a few seconds and slowly descended behind the tall buildings in the distance. The shadows on the ground were quickly deformed, and the streams of people were reduced to afterimages.

Gu Siyi looked at the indescribable scene before her with a dazed look on her face. The evening lights were just turned on and the traffic that had turned into a blur became two streams of light, which were the afterimages formed by the headlights of countless cars. However, before she was able to react, the sun appeared from the east once again and a ray of light shone in her eyes. She didn't even have time to close her eyes before the light turned into sunset and the sun took less than a second to sweep across the entire sky.

Time continued to accelerate and Gu Siyi was unable to see the flow of people at all. She was only able to see the buildings that were being built in the distance rising and falling as if they were growing on their own. Eventually, they turned completely white and were covered with tiles and windows. She was only able to see lanterns hanging between the buildings before disappearing again. She was only able to see the leaves on the trees on both sides of the street sprouting and turning green, before becoming as thick as a lid in an instant, before turning yellow and withering in an instant before sprouting again.

The afterimages of the sun disappeared as well.

However, time continued to pass and Gu Siyi saw that the skyscrapers around her were getting increasingly dented. Eventually, all of the skyscrapers were pushed to the ground and countless metal-colored buildings were constructed. Countless unnamed spaceships were seen shuttling between the buildings. The spaceships were sparse at first, but they quickly became densely packed. Countless rocket-like objects kept rising and flying out of the atmosphere, as well as countless spaceships landing outside.

Several thousand years had passed since then.

Gu Siyi had completely forgotten about reality and was just watching everything unfold in a daze. In the end, a beam of fiery light suddenly appeared from the horizon and approached the city. Countless spaceships tried to take to the air, but before they could get far, that beam of fiery light swept past them.

The entire city was completely destroyed, leaving only charred ruins behind.

The young man snapped his fingers again and Gu Siyi felt as if the world had turned dark. It was only when she was able to take a good look at her surroundings that she was surprised to find that she was sitting perfectly fine in the cafe while the young man was sitting right in front of her. The window that she had smashed earlier was completely intact as well.

"What did you see just now?" The young man's voice was low and hoarse as he looked at her emotionlessly.

"I don't know…" Gu Siyi looked confused. "Did I just see the future?"

"Indeed, that is the future of humanity. One day, humanity will wither away, dying for all manner of reasons." The young man sipped his coffee as if he was saying something completely unrelated. "The mission of my organization is to prevent humanity from withering away."

That was such a ridiculous thing to say that anyone would have thought that the young man was out of his mind. However, Gu Siyi was unable to bring herself to laugh after seeing what the young man was capable of.

"The purpose of the Samsara Space's existence is to select capable talents for the organization to protect humanity's civilization together. You, on the other hand, are the kind of person selected by the Samsara Space."

Gu Siyi was stunned. Her excellent brain was able to sort out all karma in an instant. She was overjoyed when she thought of a possibility. "So you're saying that I've passed the test of the space of reincarnation and can leave?"

The young man looked at her with a surprised expression before nodding under Gu Siyi's curious gaze. "That's right, that's right!"

Gu Siyi was so excited that she was about to jump out of her seat. She covered her mouth at once and tears rolled down her cheeks.

How long had it been? The past three months felt like a century to him. He was woken up by nightmares every day and was so scared that he didn't dare to sleep, fearing that he would fall into that terrifying world again if he were to fall asleep.

Even in her dreams, Gu Siyi dreamed of being able to leave that godforsaken place. She no longer had to experience endless fear and unknowns every week, and she no longer had to fear the darkness at dawn.

At the thought of that, Gu Siyi gave the young man a hard kiss on the cheek before she began to sob. It was the first time that Gu Siyi felt like she was crying tears of joy.

The young man's expression, which had remained the same for tens of thousands of years, changed drastically, becoming completely dumbfounded. He even touched his face subconsciously, while the girl dressed as a maid glared at Gu Siyi angrily.

"If you want to party, you'd better wait until later." The young man frowned. He had never expected Gu Siyi to react in such a manner. Things were different from what they had agreed on. He cleared his throat and said, "My organization is called the Stellar Vitality Foundation, and my name is Zhang Heng, one of the spokespersons of the foundation and your future boss."

It was only then that Gu Siyi stopped crying. She wiped her tears and said happily, "Can I choose not to join? I want to go home."

"Alright, then you'd better return to the Samsara Space to further your studies."

"…"

175. I Heard You Wanted To Meet Me?

Zhang Heng spent the entire morning taking care of his first subordinate, giving Gu Siyi half a month to go home and recuperate before returning to work.

The Stellar Technology building opened in early December and it had been open for a month and a half. However, due to the two products of Stellar Technology—the T-1 being owned by the Li Group and the antifreeze being sold in Mumbai, the Stellar Technology building, which was the headquarters of the Stellar Technology building, was rather deserted.

The building had a total of 55 floors, with only the reception hall on the first floor, the meeting room on the second floor, and the offices on the third floor being used. There were seven departments in total—the Human Resources Department, the Finance Department, the Production Technology Department, the Planning Marketing Department, the Security Bureau, the Defense Department, and the Logistics Department—with a total of 98 people.

The headlines all over the world were about Stellar Technology. While Stellar Technology wasn't listed yet, it was still deemed a massive company with a market value of over 500 billion US dollars by the people on Wall Street. Once it was listed, it would immediately become a company second only to Apple and Google, the world's third most valuable company.

But going public?

Zhang Heng estimated that the company would probably never go public for the rest of his life. Most companies would only go public for the sake of getting more funding and giving the company greater and more talented potential. However, Zhang Heng was never short of funds, and he had no shortage of potential to become stronger. Why did he insist on going public? Wouldn't that be throwing away the company's power?

Two tigers cannot share the same mountain. A dictator like Zhang Heng would never tolerate having a second voice in the company he created. Even if his orders were wrong, the company would still have to follow his incorrect orders.

Zhang Heng was driving back to the Honeycomb to make his final preparations. The next plane mission would begin the day after tomorrow.

As such, Zhang Heng would be entering the radiation plane for the last time the next day. Most of his combat power would be there, and there was a military factory there as well. The blueprint for the flying transport designed by Corona should have been completed by then. The D.S.F would have greater mobility and security when he entered the next plane mission.

However, his phone rang just as he was about to drive home. It was Li Yiru. He took a look and picked up the call right away.

"Zhang Heng, some investors from Jingzhou said that they'd like to see you." Li Yiru's voice was heard from the other end of the phone, sounding worried. "What should we do? I can't stop them."

"Where are the bouncers?" Zhang Heng frowned. "Get the bouncers to tell them to get lost."

"If it hadn't been for me stopping them, the security guards would have gotten into a fight with them." Li Yiru couldn't help but complain. "They're usually very responsible, but they don't even bat an eye at critical moments. We can't afford to offend those people!"

"You can't afford to offend them?" Zhang Heng was so angry that he laughed. "You said that you couldn't stop them and you didn't even let the security guards stop them. What are you trying to say then?"

"These people are from Jingzhou… My father received the news as well. He specifically told me not to get into a conflict with them. H-He're backed by the government officials!"

"I've heard of such people before. Are they some bunch of people who are trying to take advantage of their family backgrounds to steal from other people's companies?" Zhang Heng smirked coldly, yet his eyes only grew colder.

"It's good that you know. That's why we can't afford to offend you." Li Yiru seemed relieved.

"What do you mean then?" Zhang Heng frowned. "Wait for them to buy my company for hundreds of millions?"

"I…" Li Yiru was stunned. She knew that she couldn't afford to offend the man, but she had completely forgotten that the man was after her. There was no way that conflict could be avoided.

"I'll be right there." Zhang Heng snorted and hung up.

"Commander, are you angry?" Corona appeared in the front passenger seat all of a sudden and asked in surprise.

"How could I not be angry at her for having designs on my company?" Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "However, Li Yiru's actions this time have truly disappointed me. She's scared out of her wits by just a handful of crown princelings. How could I possibly let her run the entire company?"

"It's just a matter of perspective." Corona chuckled and tried to persuade him. "Miss Li Yiru is just a regular person and a businessman at that. She doesn't know what's going on in the company, which is why she's trying to take advantage of the situation and avoid getting into trouble. The bottom line is that she cares about you too much."

"You care about me?" Zhang Heng rolled his eyes.

"That's right. It's precisely because she cares about you so much that she doesn't know what you're capable of. That's why she was so cautious when she walked on thin ice in order to prevent your company from being destroyed by her. If it were a manager who didn't care about the future of the company and got into trouble, she would have just scolded that person right away."

Zhang Heng sighed and said, "You're right. It's a mistake to use my perspective to measure Ru's actions. Her actions are the best way to ensure the future of the company."

Zhang Heng soon arrived at the Stellar Technology building. He saw over a dozen unfamiliar, high-end cars parked in the parking lot as soon as he got out of the car, all of which had the word 'Beijing' written on them.

He went straight to the second floor from the elevator and happened to run into Li Yiru, who had a troubled look on her face. Li Yiru's eyes lit up when she saw Zhang Heng. "Zhang Heng, quite a few representatives from the families of Jingzhou are here. There's also a top-notch venture capital firm like Chishan Dingxin. We…"

"It's no big deal. If you're here, just come. Do you really think you could eat me up?" Zhang Heng frowned and said in a low voice, "Remember, you're the general manager of Stellar Technology, the president of one of the top three companies in the world. Even if you're unable to stay in Huaxia, we could still go somewhere else."

Li Yiru was stunned and took a good look at Zhang Heng before nodding. "Understood!"

"Well done!" Zhang Heng smiled satisfactorily when he saw that Li Yiru had regained her usual composure and walked into the reception room.

He heard someone yelling before he even got inside.

"He really thinks he's some kind of big shot. He's making all of us wait for him? F * * k his sister. I heard that he actually has a girl, and she's quite pretty, hehe!"

Zhang Heng's eyes narrowed and a cold glint appeared in his eyes.

"Zhang Heng, calm down…" Li Yiru heard that and was about to say something when she saw Zhang Heng raise his leg and kick the door of the reception room hard.

Clang!

The door of the reception room was kicked open and a loud crash was heard.

The entire reception room fell silent.

Everyone looked at Zhang Heng, who was standing outside the door, in shock. Some of them wore suits, and it was obvious that they were bodyguards. Some of them even put their hands into their shirts.

Zhang Heng swept a cold glance at the crowd before striding into the room and slamming the door shut.

"Who are you?" A sinister-looking young man with shoulder-length hair walked out from the crowd. He took a good look at Zhang Heng and Li Yiru before raising his eyebrows and asking, "You're Zhang Heng? The boss behind Stellar Technology?"

"It's me." Zhang Heng pulled over a couch and sat down before the crowd. He rested his head on his hand and smirked, "I heard that you guys want to see me?"

176. Threat

"F * * k, you sure are something!" A rough voice was heard from the side. Zhang Heng turned around and saw a fatty with acne all over his face looking at him with a displeased look. That was the voice he heard before he went in.

"Knock it off, Gao." The man with the shoulder-length hair put up a show and put his arm in front of the fat man, putting on a sly look and said with a grin, "Oh, so you're one of us. I'm the manager of Chishan Capital, Xu Haoyu. This is Gao Dequan, the manager of Dingxin. That's the manager of the IDG, Huayi… We're actually here for a favor."

"You need something from me?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. "Tell me about it."

Everyone at the scene widened their eyes in disbelief. As someone from a prominent family in Jingzhou, he could be said to be standing at the very top of Huaxia. Everywhere he went, he made people shudder in fear. They had never seen someone so arrogant before.

To be able to treat him with such an attitude, he wondered if the person before him was being overly confident, or if he was simply an idiot.

That was when the long-haired man took a good look at Zhang Heng, with a sinister look in his eyes. However, there was still a smile on his face. He made a gesture and his assistant took out a proposal from his bag.

The assistant walked up and handed the proposal to Zhang Heng respectfully before adjusting his glasses and said with a smile, "Mr. Zhang Heng, I have no choice but to admit that your company has created a miracle of the world. You've been amassing 50 billion US dollars worldwide in just half a month. While it's not pure profit, it's still shocking enough. I believe that it wouldn't be difficult for your company to become the world's top company in the near future."

He took a look at Zhang Heng at that point and found that the latter was completely unfazed by what he had just said. He then frowned and changed the subject. "However, I have to say that your company's promotional planning is still somewhat lacking. We're here today to work with Stellar Technology. To be honest, if we could have some of our company's most experienced planners to operate the technology, not only would we be able to quickly spread the cryogenic center to the rest of the world, the profitability would be several times higher than it is now."

"Work together?" Zhang Heng flipped through the proposal in his hand casually and asked casually.

"That's right, it's a collaboration." The assistant pushed his glasses up and said proudly, "In order to make a name for our Huaxian company and set up a good example, the eight venture capital agencies came to an agreement and decided to set up a foundation, with a total of USD 50 billion to invest in Stellar Technology. As for equity, we want 80 percent of the shares. Please turn to page 26 with a detailed explanation…"

Li Yiru couldn't help but frown. 50 billion US dollars was indeed a lot, but taking 80 percent of the shares of Stellar Technology was like robbing someone else.

Everyone knew the potential of Stellar Technology. It would definitely become a huge corporation with a potential of over 500 billion yuan in the future, or even over a trillion yuan. In Gu Siyi's eyes, 50 billion yuan was more than enough to hold 8 percent of the company's shares.

Zhang Heng chuckled and crushed the proposal in his hand right away. "US $50 billion? I'll buy 80 percent of the shares of all the companies present here for 100 billion. Are you guys up for it?"

"Oh? Seems like you're quite the joker, Mr. Zhang Heng." Xu Haoyu, who had been waiting for quite a while, burst out laughing. "Seems like you're not very knowledgeable about the rules of the business world, Mr. Zhang Heng. It's the law of survival in the business world to make money. You should know just how many people are jealous of your company, right?"

Xu Haoyu looked at Zhang Heng with a pitiable expression and said, "I heard that the huge conglomerate in the United States is getting ready to take action. Don't think that the United States won't be able to do anything to you just because you haven't made it to the US. You guys are a piece of fat meat right now, and everyone would want to take a bite out of you. Your company wouldn't be able to operate without the protection of the government. We're just trying to save you."

"Mr. Zhang Heng, if you're smart, you should know that there is no one in this world who could take everything for themselves. If you were to take everything for yourself, you'd end up being stuffed to death," another young man named Huayi added.

Zhang Heng lowered his head and remained silent.

At that point, it could be said that the two of them had fallen out completely. Everyone looked at Zhang Heng with gloating looks on their faces. To them, Zhang Heng looked like a nouveau riche who had gotten rich overnight and knew nothing. If they were to fight back, they would only end up as corpses that had been tied to rocks and sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

Li Yiru had a bitter expression on her face as she closed her eyes in pain. She knew that there was hardly anyone in Huaxia who would be able to escape being targeted by those families, unless they were to leave the country.

However, it was just as they said. Even if they were to leave, would Stellar Technology really be able to escape the fate of being eaten alive? At the end of the day, it was all because Stellar Technology was rich but had no foundation.

However, just when everyone thought that Zhang Heng was about to give in, he chuckled softly, as if he had just heard a very funny joke. He wanted to hold back his laughter, yet he couldn't help but burst out laughing nonetheless.

Everyone was stunned and stopped talking. Zhang Heng's suppressed laughter was heard throughout the entire reception room.

Xu Haoyu was no longer able to stand Zhang Heng's condescending attitude and snorted coldly. "Seems like you're not going to give up until you've gotten what you want, Mr. Zhang Heng. I'd advise you to reconsider. Even if you're not thinking for yourself, you should still think for your family."

Zhang Heng's smile froze and he narrowed his gaze, looking at everyone present as if they were dead people. He said in a low voice, "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint all of you."

"There's something wrong with me, and that is that I like to keep everything to myself. Not only that, but I'll make sure that anyone who dares to come to me and share it with me becomes my food as well." Zhang Heng stood up and walked up to Xu Haoyu, putting his ear close to the other man's ear and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "No one who dared to threaten me with my family has ever been able to survive the night. I wonder if you'd be an exception."

Xu Haoyu's pupils contracted and his eyes widened in disbelief. What did he just hear? Someone dared to threaten him in Huaxia?

Xu Haoyu wouldn't have taken such threats to heart if they were mere threats from idiots. However, for some reason, he felt a chill running down his spine when faced with such threats. It was as if… the man was someone who meant what he said.

But, how was that possible? Who was he? Who was he? How could he have the guts to threaten him?

Just when Xu Haoyu looked like he was about to fly into a rage but didn't dare to, Zhang Heng sat back down on the couch and looked at the crowd before saying with a smile, "It's getting late, so please head back. It might be too late by then and you guys won't be able to board the bus."

Everyone was stunned by that last line and didn't think much about it, thinking that it was just a slip of the tongue due to Zhang Heng being too nervous. Only Xu Haoyu narrowed his gaze and took a good look at Zhang Heng. He didn't know why he felt that way, but he had a very uncomfortable feeling about Zhang Heng at the moment, and he wasn't in the mood to say anything else. He simply stood up and walked out of the reception room with a pale face.

Everyone looked puzzled after seeing Xu Haoyu leave, thinking that Zhang Heng had promised something to Xu Haoyu in the end. All of them followed suit, wanting to get something out of him.

Gao Dequan, the fat man with the acne all over his face, gave Zhang Heng a sinister look and made a gesture with the knife on his neck before leaving with a sinister grin on his face.

Zhang Heng lowered his head slightly as he watched the crowd leave. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the glass window and shone on his head, burying his face in the shadows.

No one realized that a cruel smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face in the shadows.

177. Kidnapping

"Pfft! I, Gao Dequan, have never been such a loser in my entire life. I actually went to someone else's company and got nothing to drink!" The fatty cursed as soon as he walked out of the door of Stellar Technology.

"Who is he? He's someone who surpassed both Adrenaline and Ali in one night and rose to become the top company in Huaxia and the third-largest company in the world. Do you really think that he'd care about small fry like us?" Another man chuckled sarcastically and continued, "He probably thinks that he could settle everything with money."

"Humans are social animals. If you want to have long-term and stable interests, you need to share them with others. It would be the most foolish way to kill someone who doesn't want to share anything like him."

"If he was smart enough, he would have given away more than half of the money long ago. No, he should give away at least ninety percent of the money. He has no right to get his hands on hundreds of billions of US dollars."

The crowd laughed coldly as they evaluated Zhang Heng's fate, as if they could already see what would happen to him in the future. As one of the most powerful families in Huaxia, they had the confidence to judge anyone. As long as the family remained standing, they would always stand at the top of the food chain.

They might not be the richest in the business world of Huaxia, but they were definitely the most powerful.

Xu Haoyu remained silent throughout, listening to the conversation between the crowd. He felt like backing out all of a sudden for some reason and said, "That old man from my family told me when we came out that we'd better not do anything if we can. That man is a third-rate national security personnel approved by the authorities. If we do anything to him, we'll definitely be punished."

"What should we do then? Just let it go like that?" Gao Dequan chuckled and said in a condescending manner, "Xu, you're the most powerful one here. Don't be afraid. We can do nothing to him, but if we do something to his family, that shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Gao Dequan's eyes gleamed lustfully at the end of his speech. He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and saw a young girl with an innocent look and a faint smile on her face. If Zhang Heng were here, he would have realized right away that the image of the girl on the piece of paper was that of his sister.

"Hey, Gao, so that's what you've been waiting for all along." Huayi, who was standing at the side, came over and raised her eyebrows. "Oh, not bad. You look like you're about to score at least eight points. Where did you get that?"

"I found it when I was looking into that b * stard's background. I didn't expect him to have such a pretty sister." Gao Dequan clicked his tongue and said.

The few of them got into the car while laughing and joking, with Xu Haoyu the only one who remained frowning. He realized that even though he had left the company, that sense of unease in his heart had yet to dissipate. Instead, it only grew stronger as time passed.

Xu Haoyu rubbed his temples and looked at his assistant, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, and said uneasily, "Xiao Wang, are you sure that Zhang Heng doesn't have any other connections?"

"I've checked, Young Master Xu. He invented the T-1 and started off with the Li Group." The assistant waved his hand dismissively and continued with a condescending look on his face, "Due to the fact that the T-1 is working directly with the government, the higher-ups specifically ordered us not to mess with that guy, or we would have gotten the remaining 40 percent of the shares in the T-1 long ago. As for the Li Group, hehe, you could have just told them to get lost from Huaxia."

Xu Haoyu took a deep breath and slumped back in his chair. "Alright, I guess I'm overthinking things."

Despite what he said, that ominous feeling continued to linger in his heart for a very long time.

The car drove for two hours before the crowd finally made it back to their hotel in the city center. It was unknown who leaked the news of their arrival in Haizhou the day before, but the business owners of Haizhou swarmed around them like sharks that had just caught a whiff of something fishy. In the end, Xu Haoyu had no choice but to make the final decision to hold a banquet in the lobby of the hotel that night and invite all the businessmen to attend.

"I don't know why, but I'm feeling really tired today. I need to get some sleep. No one is to wake me up." Gao Dequan's loud voice was heard as soon as Xu Haoyu walked into the hotel. Several big bosses were seen in the lobby of the hotel at that moment. Everyone's eyes lit up when they saw Xu Haoyu, and they went up to him right away.

Xu Haoyu was finally able to regain some of his confidence after getting rid of all those people. Regardless of how capable and rich those people were, they would still come running to curry favor with him. If he were to go east, they definitely wouldn't dare to go west. That was the power of authority.

"Young Master Xu, would you like to take a break?" His assistant opened the door for him.

"Now that you mention it, I feel like I've been dozing off for some reason." Xu Haoyu frowned. He could feel his eyelids getting heavier, and he felt like he was about to be unable to keep them open. He knew that he hadn't slept late last night.

"Maybe you've had a tiring trip," the assistant replied.

Xu Haoyu nodded and asked, "When is the party starting tonight?"

"Another hour."

"Alright, wake me up in an hour then." Xu Haoyu yawned and walked into his bedroom.

Xu Haoyu felt very sleepy as soon as he laid down on the bed. However, he fell into a deep sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

About five minutes later, a white van with no license plates drove over from afar. The van moved very quickly and stopped right before the door of the hotel with a creak. Seven expressionless men in black suits and sunglasses jumped out of the van and headed straight for the hotel.

That scene was rather eye-catching, yet for some reason, no one on the streets or in the hotels took note of that scene. The seven of them behaved as if they were in a place where no one else was around. Even the security guards in the lobby didn't sense the presence of that group of weirdos. Even the surveillance cameras above their heads went black as soon as those people walked past them, and things only returned to normal when they were completely gone.

Seven men in black walked out of the hotel again in just four to five minutes. However, what was different from entering the hotel was that each of them was carrying someone on their shoulders.

If one were to take a closer look, one would realize that those seven people were none other than Xu Haoyu, Gao Dequan, and a few other rich playboys who had come from Jingzhou to invest in Zhang Heng's company.

The men in black threw the unconscious Xu Haoyu and the others into the van and drove away. Other than the tire marks that were almost undetectable throughout the entire process, there was not a single trace left behind.

Similar headlines began appearing on well-known websites and forums all over the country.

"The Crown Prince of Jingzhou Party Crimesis Public"

"The manager of the Qishan Capital Investment Company in Huaxia is trying to take over someone else's company by force."

"The eldest son of a high-ranking government official became rich by taking power from others. Evidence complete."

"The manager of the Dingxin Company raped a 16-year-old girl and he only spent 500 thousand yuan on her."

All of those posts were all over the place. It wouldn't have mattered if it was just the headlines, but the key thing was that there was concrete evidence in all of those posts. There were even photos and videos that served as evidence. The posts even listed the identities of Xu Haoyu, Gao Dequan, and the others, as well as their relationship with their parents. There was nothing that made any sense.

Some of the cases that were exposed were even linked to those unsolved cases that shocked the entire country back then. The people-in-charge of those websites who were released were shocked and called for the technical department to fix the situation. However, they were shocked to discover that their access to the website's administrators had disappeared without a trace.

As one shocking piece of evidence after another appeared on the Internet, the entire country was in an uproar and the media outlets were rendered speechless. Everyone realized that there was a world-class hacker organization attacking all the major websites in the country.

While the entire country was in an uproar, yet another video appeared online. The title of the video was:

"Huaxian Qingshan Capital Investment Company's manager, Xu Haoyu, Dingxin Investment Company's manager, Gao Dequan, IDG's manager, Huayi… The seven of them have fled to the open sea."

The post captured more than a dozen videos from Haizhou's road cameras, tracking them from the hotel they were staying in all the way to the harbor in Haizhou. The last video showed seven people leaving the harbor on a luxury yacht, heading for the deep ocean.

All of those posts were pinned at the top of the list for the entire night. It was not until the next morning that all the major websites were able to regain control of their own websites. That hacker had long since retreated.

Even though the hackers had retreated, the entire internet wouldn't be at peace just yet…

178. Gu

It was not the first time that Zhang Heng had used Corona's ability on the internet. As a Bug-like existence, Corona had never disappointed him, even today.

Corona could easily find out about all manner of crimes committed by those people from all over the country through massive amounts of data. Due to their family backgrounds, most of them were unscrupulous, yet they were suppressed by their elders, who had real power backing them.

While their crimes were suppressed, the crimes that they committed would not be erased. Instead, they would be collected by some hostile families who had conflicts with each other and used as backup.

Generally speaking, such facts would never be made known to the public for the rest of their lives. After all, having something that could be used against them was undoubtedly more threatening than having something that could be used against them. However, none of them would have ever thought that there was such a heaven-defying bug like Corona in the world.

If the evidence were to be released, it might not be able to bring down the families behind them, but it would be more than enough to make Xu Haoyu and the rest of the family abandoned.

The video of everyone fleeing for their lives at the end of the video was created by Corona, which made it difficult to differentiate between the real and the fake. Few people suspected that the culprits did not escape and were instead captured by someone else.

The next day, Huaxia News issued an announcement, denouncing the act of leaking the secrets of others and destroying their websites. Such actions violated Article 236 of the Huaxia Internet Safety Law and severely violated national laws, causing tens of millions of financial losses. They hoped that the parties involved would cooperate and surrender themselves.

However, at the end of the day, the news also stated that they had sent out patrol boats to chase after the seven people who had fled and that they would definitely arrest the suspects.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and shifted his gaze away from the news on the television. He turned to look at another screen, which showed the scene in the B6-20 laboratory.

Laboratory B6-20 was located on the B6th floor of the Honeycomb. There were only 20 laboratories in the building, which were strictly constructed according to the Level Four Biomedical Level. The walls alone were three meters thick. While they were nowhere near the four highest-ranking laboratories on the B7 floor, they were still far more secure than those in reality.

All of the equipment and tools in Laboratory 20 had been emptied at the moment. There was only a tap in the corner, a metal table, and a kitchen knife welded with metal chains. There was a stainless steel pot welded on the table, and an induction cooker that was also welded under the pot.

There was nothing else in the laboratory apart from that.

Seven people were lying on the floor of the laboratory as if they were dead. Only the heaving of their chests proved that they were still alive.

Zhang Heng shot a cold look at those people and said, "Corona, wake those people up. We're running out of time. I need to head to the radiation plane in half an hour."

"Understood, Commander."

…

Xu Haoyu, who was lying on the cold, hard floor, jolted awake all of a sudden.

Xu Haoyu couldn't help but narrow his eyes as soon as he woke up. The ceiling lights emitted a cold, blinding light that made his eyes hurt.

He quickly sat up and realized that he was lying on the floor of some room.

"What happened?" Xu Haoyu covered his aching head and slowly got to his feet. However, he was stunned all of a sudden as he realized that his shoes, belt, and all other hard objects had been taken away.

He only had a pair of socks on his feet at the moment. It was currently winter and the cold chill from the metal floor was constantly assaulting his body.

"Oh my God! Where is this?!" Just when Xu Haoyu was feeling confused, he heard a scream from the side. He turned around and saw Gao Dequan crawling to his feet, covering his chest and shivering. "It's so cold, so cold!"

He was surprised to find that all seven of his men were in the room he was in.

"What happened? Were we kidnapped?"

"What happened? Who kidnapped us?"

It took only a few seconds for Huayi and the other four to wake up. The quiet laboratory became noisy all of a sudden. Everyone kept yelling and running around in panic, trying to find a way out.

However, no one was able to find a single window or mechanism after searching the room for several times. The only round door was still tightly shut. One could tell from looking at that thick and heavy metal door that the door was definitely not something that could be opened by human means.

Xu Haoyu felt uneasy all over again. He scanned his surroundings carefully and found that the entire room was rectangular, with a length of about 20 meters, a width of 15 meters, and a height of about four to five meters. The walls were completely made of metal, making it look like a huge steel coffin.

That's right, it was a coffin!

A chill ran down Xu Haoyu's spine and he felt even more uneasy than before. Just when everyone was panicking and at a loss for what to do, the sound of static was heard from a metal wall in the room all of a sudden. Everyone turned around in shock and saw a huge LCD screen extending out of the wall that had been cut open by itself.

"Crackle…"

A snowflake dot flashed on the screen, as if the signal was being adjusted. Then, the screen vibrated and a familiar figure appeared on the screen.

Everyone was stunned when they saw that figure.

"We meet again, folks." Zhang Heng appeared on the screen with a deadpan expression on his face. "I don't think there's a need for me to introduce myself, because my data is probably lying on your desks."

"Zhang Heng, what are you doing? Let us go right now, or there won't be a place for you in all of Huaxia!" Gao Dequan shouted at the top of his lungs. He ran to the bottom of the screen in two or three steps, seemingly wanting to reach it. However, the screen was three meters above the ground, and Gao Dequan, who was overweight, was unable to reach it.

"Zhang Heng, do you know what you're doing?" Xu Haoyu's expression was very serious as well. He no longer had any hopes of getting out of this alive. It was obvious that his team had been kidnapped by Zhang Heng.

Everyone shouted at the top of their lungs, but none of them looked as arrogant as they did when they first bought Zhang Heng's company.

"I'm sure I know what I'm doing." Zhang Heng continued after seeing everyone shut up. "Please listen up, everyone. What I'm about to say will determine your fate."

Everyone was stunned. Even the brawny Gao Dequan couldn't help but look serious.

"I want to play a game with you guys."

Zhang Heng's voice turned cold and metallic through the speakers. "It's said that there is a special breed of venomous insects in the world. All manner of venomous creatures are placed in a sealed container, where they fight among themselves. The last remaining insect is known as the gu."

"The two of you right now are the venomous pests in the container. Your hearts are even more venomous than those of the venomous pests. Venomous pests will see blood when they kill, yet you've never seen blood when you kill."

"I believe that all of you must be feeling very helpless right now, yet you've given such helplessness to countless people in the past."

"You will be imprisoned for a month. There is no food here, only water."

Everyone was stunned when they heard that. They turned to look at the tap in the corner of the room at the same time, as well as… the kitchen knife and the pot on the table beside them.

"Trust me, just drinking water is definitely not enough to sustain your lives for a month. There's only one way for you to survive."

Zhang Heng's voice became even deeper and a hint of a smile finally appeared on his indifferent face. That smile was like that of a demon from hell, filled with some kind of unbelievable, bewitching power.

"Let me see just how far you guys have gone in order to survive. Do you want to sacrifice yourselves, become someone else's food, or kill the people around you, using their lives to extend your life…"

There was indescribable fear in everyone's eyes when they heard that. No one thought that Zhang Heng was joking. They looked at each other and couldn't help but take a step back, being on guard against him. The fragile bond between them was instantly torn apart in this lawless place.

Zhang Heng's voice continued, "Remember, there is only one venomous insect that can survive. Who would break out of their cocoon and become a butterfly, becoming the only insect to survive until the end?"

"The answer lies with you."

179. Falcon

Zhang Heng felt elated when he saw the terrified and pleading looks from the surveillance cameras.

The most primitive rule of the world was that the strong preyed on the weak. No matter how advanced the civilization became, there was no way they could escape the iron law of the weak.

Some people might think that Zhang Heng had gone too far, and that he had gone to such extreme lengths to torture his enemies without harming them. However, they might have forgotten that if Zhang Heng hadn't been able to fight back against those people, his fate would have been no better than that of his enemies. He would have ended up with the least of his losses.

Those people would be locked up for a month, and Zhang Heng had no interest in observing them at all times. However, Corona would keep an eye on the place, watching as those people slowly shed the facade of civilization and turned from humans into primitive beasts, killing each other and treating their own kind as food for survival.

Zhang Heng would carve those images into CDs and send them to the families behind those people as a New Year's gift.

He went back to the radiation plane after giving Corona instructions.

Zhang Heng appeared in the mayor's office, which was located on the topmost floor of the central fortress of Stellar City. When he opened his eyes, he saw a very modern-looking town outside the window.

Buildings of five stories that stood shoulder to shoulder extended from the ground all the way to the bottom of the city walls far away. The streets of the town were lined with streetlights and trees, and the clean and tidy main roads divided the city into four main sections. People walked past the streets in twos and threes. While the place was still rather desolate, it was still a lot better than when the streets were deserted months ago.

Occasionally, there would be cloned warriors wearing new type of heavy infantry armor patrolling the streets. When those giants walked past, the pedestrians would automatically make way for them, with looks of envy and jealousy on their faces.

Power was very important in the world of the wastelands. As such, in their eyes, being able to become an advanced mechanical suit warrior meant that one was strong, capable, and able to fill one's stomach at will.

At the bottom of the castle was a row of steel frames made of reinforced steel and wire. There were three or four bodies that had been smashed to pieces hanging on those crude and primitive iron frames. All of those people had caused trouble and robbed people in Stellar City when they were still alive, as well as wasteland thugs who had raped women. They were hanging in the city at the moment to intimidate passers-by who had other intentions.

There were hundreds of bodies hanging at the entrances of the four city gates in the distance. There was a huge pile of those bodies, all of which were the bodies of members of the Steel Brotherhood and the rail organizations. There were also rows of bullet holes on the doors and walls of Stellar City.

It was obvious that Adam, Gu Zhan, and the others had fought against several organizations in Boston while Zhang Heng was away.

"You're back, sir."

An electronically synthesized male voice was heard while Zhang Heng was observing the town below him.

Zhang Heng turned his head slightly and saw a holographic projection in the shape of a crab in the room. It was none other than the supercomputer Alpha of the Academy.

"Get Adam and Gu Zhan to come and see me." Zhang Heng nodded and poured himself a bottle of tequila before sitting down on the couch behind him.

Two heavy footsteps were heard outside the door in less than 10 minutes and someone knocked on the door of the mayor's office.

"Please come in." Zhang Heng took a sip of his tequila and said.

Adam and Gu Zhan walked into the room together, both of them donning their helmets at the same time and bowing. "Commander!"

"How's Stellar City doing recently?" Zhang Heng asked casually.

"There are 532 interns living in the city, with 332 men and 200 women among them. Eight of them have rented a place in the city and receive about 3,000 people a day. Most of them are scavengers and people from nearby shelters asking to trade goods. A small number of them are there to beg and look for jobs."

"What about the situation at the institute?"

"The institute is completely under our control. The Geodynamics department has been activated as per your request, and we are doing our best to develop the Falcon. We have created a prototype and the test flight is complete. All capabilities have been met."

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up and he stood up right away. "Very well, take me there."

The three of them left the room and walked to the only elevator in the entire fortress before the elevator descended.

The underground base of the college was right below the fortress. Zhang Heng simply built an elevator that went all the way from the first floor of the college to the bottom. When the doors of the elevator opened again, he found himself looking at an underground gas hub.

"Commander, you're here." A middle-aged man wearing black-rimmed glasses and a full beard came up to them, with a group of scientists behind him.

"And you are?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"We're researchers from the aerodynamics department of the institute. I'm Mark Dawson. You can just call me Mark."

"Good day, Mr. Mark." Zhang Heng extended his hand and said.

"Hello, hello!" Mark felt very flattered.

While Zhang Heng was cold and unfeeling towards his enemies, he was still very lenient with his own people. He shook hands with everyone who came to receive him very patiently before saying, "Time is limited. Let's take a look at the new flying transport."

"Of course, please." Mark led Zhang Heng forward and said as they walked, "The institute built this underground aerodynamic center a long time ago, but it has never been used due to being underground all the time. There are eight conventional wind tunnels and 21 special wind tunnels in there. The institute also allocated 5 percent of the computational resources of the Alpha supercomputer for our research."

"Only 5 percent?" Zhang Heng frowned and looked up at the ceiling. "Alpha, you there?"

"Always have, sir." Alpha's voice was heard directly from the speaker.

"Calculation resources at the underground ventilation center are increasing by 10 percent."

"Understood, sir."

Mark and the scientists around him were pleasantly surprised. While it was true that 10 percent of the Alpha's abilities were massive, as someone from a research department, who would mind being more efficient? Furthermore, due to their geographical location, their department had never been regarded with much importance. Now that their new leader had come, they were treated even better. Everyone rubbed their hands together, eager to be put in an important position.

The so-called wind tunnel was a large-scale testing facility that was manually generated and controlled airflow, which was used to simulate the flow of gas around a flying machine or a physical entity. The value of such a facility was even greater than that of a shield construct, and a wind tunnel was essential to manufacture planes.

Zhang Heng had no industrial capacity to construct wind tunnels in real life, which was why he had Corona design the place and then research and manufacture it in the radiation plane. Only radiation worlds that were hundreds of years ahead of technology in real life would be able to create something designed by Corona.

180. Ultra-sonic Spacecraft

"This way, please."

Mark and the others walked into the pitch-black tunnel, explaining to Zhang Heng about the various functions of the aerodynamic department as they walked. It seemed like they had been kept in the cold for far too long, and they really wanted to show off in front of the new leaders, hoping to be put in important positions in the future.

Zhang Heng soon reached the end of the tunnel and was surprised when he walked out.

He found himself in a massive space that looked like a building with the word 'return' written all over it. He was surrounded by rooms and there was a cube-shaped hole in the center of the room, which was completely empty.

He stood at the railings and looked down. The hole was about 100 meters tall and there were over 20 floors below. The equipment and lights at the bottom of the hole looked like ants. There were over a dozen floors above.

"This is the assembly hall. All the flight equipment was manufactured here," Mark said proudly. "The top of the building is also accessible. If you were to build a rocket, you could take flight from here."

"Rockets?" Surprise was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. "You guys could send satellites to the sky?"

"Theoretically, yes, but it's a pity that we don't have enough resources for us to squander." Mark's eyes were filled with regret. "We'd need all of the manpower and resources in Boston at the very least before we could gather enough resources to send the satellites to the sky."

Zhang Heng nodded and committed all of that to memory. He didn't dwell on the topic and changed the subject instead. "Is the new aircraft at the bottom?"

"Yes, please follow me." Mark led Zhang Heng around the edges of the 'return' building and soon arrived at an open elevator. "Please come in."

Zhang Heng stepped into the elevator and Adam and Gu Zhan followed suit, with Mark taking the last step. The scientists behind Mark, on the other hand, didn't follow suit. There was a limit to the weight capacity of the elevator after all. If they wanted to catch up, they would have to wait for the next elevator.

The elevator descended slowly and Zhang Heng was able to see a shuttle-shaped metal object about the size of a medium-sized bus in the center of the lobby very quickly. There were four other thrusters on either side of the metal object.

"That would be the new type of fighter jet that was created according to the design plans you brought with you—the Falcon series." Mark pointed at the cigar-like spaceship and sighed. "Ever since Incredible gained an absolute advantage with the Flying Bird helicopter, that kind of dumb bird could be said to be a killing machine that swept across the world. Nuclear war broke out all over the world and the industrial standards of humanity dropped for hundreds of years. Although they rose a little bit later, it was still very difficult for them to return to the level they were before the nuclear war."

"As a matter of fact, technological standards have been declining over the years. It's estimated that humans could very well return to the Stone Age of plowing and fire plowing hundreds of years from now." Mark sighed, but a look of relief was seen on his face right away. "That was until I saw the design you sent me. The technological content of the design wasn't that much higher than that of the Flying Bird and Helicopter, yet its application techniques were several generations better. I really couldn't imagine that all those familiar technologies could be applied in such a manner. I'm very glad to see such technologies. It made me feel that the spark of humanity has yet to go out, that humanity still has a future and hope…"

Zhang Heng listened politely at first, but something didn't feel right after hearing all that.

Is Mark a chatterbox?

Just like that, the elevator descended to the first floor of the lobby as Mark went on. Zhang Heng was finally able to get a close look at the Falcon mech that he was about to use during his mission.

The entirety of the Falcon was spindle-shaped. Due to the fact that it was an aircraft found in the atmosphere, it was very important to maintain a streamlined design. Every line on the surface of the Falcon was a perfect combination of aerodynamics and art, enabling the entire aircraft to look very aesthetically pleasing.

There was no window-like structure to be found in the Falcon, with only a tilted access point at the end of the plane. The entrance and exit points were sealed when flying, and the barrier at the tail would be lowered after landing, forming a ramp that led to the ground.

Zhang Heng walked around the Falcon for a bit before Mark continued to explain with a rather sentimental tone, "Did you see that? The entire plane doesn't have any components like wings. There are only two built-in jet engines on the left and right sides of the plane, as well as four dynamic ion fans the size of a washbasin."

"The style of the Falcon is a manifestation of the principle of maximizing efficiency. It doesn't even have an observation window and there are only two helmets in the cockpit. The pilot and co-pilot would put on the helmets to operate the fighter."

"The Falcon is 9.88 meters long, with a wingspan of 2.5 meters and a height of 3.3 meters. It is manufactured using high-intensity titanium alloy materials and has an internal nuclear fusion power bottle installed. It carries a load of 10 tons and has a maximum thrust of 1,200 kilograms!" Mark's eyes gradually became fervent as he continued, "The weapons system consists of two built-in laser Gatling guns and four built-in magazines, each capable of carrying four laser-guided fatty nuclear bombs."

"No empty missiles?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"Do you think that's necessary?" Mark chuckled and said, "Other than ballistic intercontinental missiles, what other missile could be faster than the speed of the Falcon itself?"

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and asked, "So, you're saying that the Falcon's flight speed could exceed Mach 6?"

Mark became even more excited after being interrogated by Zhang Heng. He looked at the aircraft before him with a fanatical look in his eyes and continued, "As the Ion Ascension Fan and the pod are both built internally, the entire mech is completely devoid of spare parts, making it look like a thick cigar with two ends pointed at the center… As such, its highest speed is…"

13.5 Machs!

Zhang Heng's expression froze, finding it hard to believe. "What? He's actually able to get near the speed of a ballistic missile?"

"Commander, I'd be honoured to inform you…" Mark Gravity nodded and continued, "Yes! Technically speaking, the Falcon is no longer a fighter jet. It is no longer considered a fighter jet, but a supersonic aircraft."

"It is said that, even in the era when human civilization was at its highest, the supersonic flying machine that humans created was only able to glide through the air. It was able to fly at supersonic speeds from tens of thousands of meters high with the help of a voltage engines. Your Falcon mech, on the other hand, didn't need to do so at all. It was able to fly vertically with the help of four ionized fans, before it was able to accelerate itself to supersonic speeds through the high-intensity particle jets. It was then able to reach supersonic speeds with the engines on either side of it.

Surprise was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. He had never expected that the flying transport designed by Corona would be so powerful. It was fortunate that he had taken over the college, or Corona would have been rendered incapable of making anything out of nothing. However, he seemed to have recalled something and continued asking, "What about flying techniques? How difficult are they?"

"Commander, the driving techniques are very simple. Adam and I both know how to drive, but we've been simulating the drive in the wind tunnel all this time and have never actually flown in combat," Gu Zhan interjected at the right time.

"Very good!" Zhang Heng couldn't help but snap his fingers and his expression relaxed. Being able to fly in the wind tunnel meant that he wouldn't be that far off in real life. However, to be safe, Zhang Heng ordered Mark to turn on the ceiling of the assembly hall, instructing Adam and Gu Zhan to undergo combat flight training a few more times. That was because tomorrow would be the time for him to undergo his next plane mission.

Zhang Heng had made up his mind to choose that plane with a difficulty of half a star—Deep Space Memory.

181. Lost Memories In Deep Space

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered Deep Space Amnesia plane. Begin scanning mission."

"Warning: Deep Space Amnesia plane mission begins. Main Quest: Enter the Euphoria Space ship and obtain sample and data regarding 'adaptive evolution enzyme'."

"Optional mission. Acquire a blueprint for the spaceship. Acquire a complete elementary space navigation technology."

"Urgent quest, unknown."

"Quest Time: 24 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 24 hours. Failure Penalty: Host access reduced by one level."

The prompt from the Dimensional Star had only just ended when the suit of armor on Zhang Heng was warned as well.

"Warning, the exoskeleton detects changes in the environment! You have entered an unknown area. The external temperature is 18 degrees Celsius. Air composition: nitrogen ratio 78.12%, oxygen ratio 20.17%, carbon dioxide ratio 0.05%, water vapor 0.15%, other unknown gases and impurities account for 0.06%. Comprehensive judgment: Threat. You are not advised to be exposed to air that cannot be analyzed."

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his surroundings.

He was not standing on a pitch-black, enclosed spacecraft, but on a cliff at the border between the sea and the sea.

The sky above his head was a deep blue color, and behind him was a lush, verdant land of plants. He could even see a stream flowing past him, turning into a waterfall at the top of the cliff before flowing into the ocean.

He looked at the endless blue ocean before him. If it hadn't been for the moon, which was about the size of a basketball, constantly reminding him of his surroundings and the fact that there was a ring-shaped spaceship several kilometers away that was stranded on the ocean, he would have thought that he was still on Earth.

It was just that this wasn't Earth, but the Tannis Planet, the new home of humanity…

"Lost in Deep Space" is a movie about the future over a hundred years from now. At the beginning of the 22nd century, the world's population surpassed 20 billion and the planet became extremely crowded. Food and water scarcity became a common phenomenon back then.

As such, humans began to explore the outer reaches of the sky, hoping to find a planet suitable for humans to live on. It was not until decades later that the planet Tanis was discovered. The planet was a planet that had very similar temperatures, atmospheric composition, mass, and density to that of the Earth. It could be said that the planet was the Earth's twin.

More importantly, the planet named Tannis was very, very close to Earth, only about 100 light-years away. As such, humans began to launch detectors, just like how they did with Mars, to explore the specific environment of that planet.

The world had a population of 24.34 billion in 2153. That year, the Palio 17 space probe landed on Planet Tannis and found that the soil composition and geology were about the same as those found on Earth. It even found plant lifeforms.

People in the resource crisis wept with joy. In 2174, the Elysium immigration ship was launched into the air in 2174. The ship carried 60,000 passengers and would fly at lightspeed, estimated to reach Planet Tannis in 123 years.

It was a pity that the water in the distance couldn't quench the thirst in the near future. When the Euphoria Space rose into the air, all the countries on Earth began to fight over resources.

To conserve space and resources, the Ecstasy Space migrant ship was designed with a cryogenic pod. The passengers would be frozen to sleep for 123 years in the ship, and the ship's pilot would be unable to do so.

There were a total of five teams of pilots set up in the spaceship, with three people in each team. Each team would be assigned two years of work before going back to sleep, with each shift lasting 10 years.

However, just when one of the teams was taking turns, the Earth suddenly sent a signal. It turned out that the Earth had been plunged into an all-out war not long after the Euphoria Space Shuttle was launched, eventually being completely destroyed by the antimatter weapons.

"You are the ultimate humans. Good luck. Have a safe trip."

That was the last message the ship received from Earth.

No matter how big a spaceship was, it was still insignificant in the endless universe. Having lost their home and everything that they had entrusted to them, the fear and despair that the three of them felt were magnified infinitely. In the vast universe, the only three of them who knew what was happening felt an indescribable loneliness and panic.

In the end, they were utterly crushed by the panic and loneliness. One of them killed two of the remaining pilots and woke up hundreds, if not thousands, of passengers from their frozen sleep, locking them in the radiation-filled engines of the spaceships and making them kill each other for fun.

The pilot's access to the ship was simply too high, and the passengers were unable to fight back. He had been playing with and killing the ship for decades, turning the entire ship into a living hell.

He eventually got tired of it and turned the ship into a random freezer to wake up. He then went back to sleep in the freezer and waited for the next time he woke up.

However, he had completely forgotten that every single one of the passengers on the ship had been injected with an artificial drug called 'adaptive evolution enzyme'. That enzyme was capable of helping the human body adjust, enabling them to adapt to the unique climate of the Tannis planet. However, due to his brutal killing, coupled with the radiation from the ship's engines, the deep-seated genes of those people gradually began to mutate…

They lived by hunting and killing humans who were defrosted at random every once in a while. After hundreds of years of reproduction, they gradually became monsters with pale skin, spikes all over their bodies, faceless faces, and boundless strength.

Such monsters had completely lost their humanity as zombies. They were reduced to animals that didn't even have words and only had instincts left. They wreaked havoc and multiplied on the ship for 900 years.

He had completely lost his memory when he woke up on the day that the protagonist woke up, as he was suffering from a condition known as' deep space amnesia '. That was one of the side effects of cryogenic sleep, and it was precisely due to such a condition that he was able to escape death at the very beginning.

However, the protagonist was able to overcome the aftereffects eventually and unravel the mystery of the monster in the spaceship—he discovered that the spaceship had landed on the planet of Tanis 800 years ago, and 923 years had passed since then.

He eventually saw through the pilot's scheme and ejected all of the cryogenic sleep pods, before leaving the Paradise Space right away and heading to a new world.

The story came to an end at that point. The final words were:

The population was 1213 in the first year of Tannis.

That scene played in Zhang Heng's mind quickly. Corona had actually used her powerful computational ability to analyze the situation a long time ago. It was very likely that the mission this time was not on Earth or on a spaceship, but on this planet named Tannis. It was obvious that Corona's analysis was correct.

It was not something that Corona could analyze if the remaining humans on the planet were able to survive in the end. After all, Corona had no idea what the planet's environment was, nor did she know what kind of microorganisms were found on the planet. She didn't even know the temperature or oxygen content of the planet. With no data available, even a god would be able to analyze something useful.

However, Zhang Heng truly hoped that those people were still alive. Those people were probably the elites of human civilization over a hundred years later, and they included all manner of scientists, such as biologists, chemists, physicists, and so on. How could anyone who was able to get on that ship not be elites?

The value of those people was even higher than that of the scientists from that wasteland plane. If he were to be able to find those people, he would be able to help them out beyond measure.

Zhang Heng looked behind him and saw that Adam, Gu Zhan, and the other five D.S.F. warriors were all standing quietly behind him. There were also three other tyrants standing obediently behind him, not moving at all.

There was a metallic flying device about 10 meters long and about the size of a medium-sized bus at the very back of the crowd. That was the Falcon that Zhang Heng had been dreaming of.

Due to the volume of the space-time transformation, Zhang Heng was unable to make the Falcon too huge. The size of the Falcon was limited to 50 cubic meters, or the Dimensional Star would not have been able to transport it.

However, that was the only time he was allowed to do so. As long as he was able to complete the mission, he would be able to reach a third of his current level of access. He was now able to reach two-thirds of his current level of access at Level D, and he would be able to reach Level C.

According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, every time his access was upgraded, he would be able to increase the number of objects and lifeforms that he would be able to bring with him during the spacetime transformation. As long as he was able to complete the mission, he would be able to bring with him more legions, weapons, and vehicles.

In the future, Zhang Heng would even lead a high-tech army that far exceeded reality to conquer countless planes.

182. Entering The Spacecraft

The mission given by the system was to search for 'adaptive evolution enzymes' that would allow humans to adapt to their surroundings at high speeds in spaceships that were stranded in the ocean. As such, it was a pity that the three tyrants would be rendered completely useless if they were to go inside the spaceships.

With the Tyrant's physique, it would still be four meters tall even if it were to take off its armor. There was simply no room for them to maneuver in the spaceship.

The second mech that was of no use was the Falcon mech. However, Zhang Heng had never intended to bring the Falcon mech to the Dimensional amnesia plane to complete his mission, as it was meant to be used as a safety precaution and to search for other humans on the planet. Given the speed of the Falcon mech, it could circle around the entirety of Tanis planet within an hour, making it the perfect place to look for someone.

However, even if he were to look for someone, that would be after he had completed his mission. Zhang Heng ordered the three tyrants to be on standby, before leading the remaining DSF fighters into the Falcon, which would take them to the Ecstasy ship that was stranded several kilometers away.

The Ecstasy Space Immigration Plan was known to be the greatest miracle in human history in the 22nd century. The entire ship was constructed in orbit. The main body of the ship was 4320mm and had a diameter of 600mm. The entire ship was spindle-shaped, but there were huge rings of cabins built around the hull. The rings of cabins were far larger than those found on the main body of the ship. Together with those structures, the ship's diameter could reach 1.6 kilometers.

It was a truly massive ship that far exceeded any human construct in history.

Following Zhang Heng's orders, everyone entered the Eagle fighter plane. It was only then that Zhang Heng realized just how small the space inside the plane was. Basically, all eight armored fighters were fully loaded. Due to the lack of height, everyone had to bend over and move.

However, despite the lack of space, the performance of the Falcon, which was powered by the nuclear fusion power bottle, was extremely impressive. Its maximum capacity was over 10 tons, and even so, it was able to fly at supersonic speeds without any burden.

The engines of the fighter began to ignite as Adam and Gu Zhan took control of the plane. A faint humming sound was heard as four wind fans the size of basins slowly extended out from under the belly of the fighter, constantly emitting plasma streams. The Falcon rose into the air quickly under the blue stream of light, and the fan began to adjust its angle. The fighter moved at a very fast and steady pace throughout the entire process. There was no sense of turbulence throughout the entire process, and the fighter didn't even need to accelerate. It took less than half a minute to arrive above the ring-shaped cabin in Paradise Space.

The entire ship had actually crashed in the ocean of Planet Tanis long ago, with only a small portion of the ship's rings visible. Despite that, Zhang Heng was still able to feel a sense of shock from the external cameras of the fighter as the Falcon approached.

That feeling was an innate instinct of life, just like how humans would look down from the top of a mountain. It was a kind of shock that came from the instincts of nature, and when such an object became something completely constructed out of manpower, the shock and impact would be unimaginable.

The Falcon mech was like a small bug, slowly approaching that massive dragon that had been sleeping for over a thousand years. While 90 percent of the Ecstasy spaceships that were stranded on the surface of the ocean had been submerged in water, the parts exposed to the surface of the ocean still felt massive. As the Falcon mech got closer, the aura of a prehistoric behemoth was felt. Just what kind of earth-shattering technology was needed to create such a huge ship?

The Falcon eventually hovered above the ring-shaped cabin. The door behind the fighter slowly lowered and rested on the wall of the ship.

"Adam, stay where you are in the fighter jet. The rest of you, follow me inside." Zhang Heng looked around at the crowd and ordered.

Adam seemed rather reluctant, but he eventually nodded and said, "Understood, Commander."

"Alright, let's go." Zhang Heng cut to the chase and stepped out of the fighter jet and stood on the ship. The ring-shaped cabin had a diameter of 50 meters, and stepping on it felt like stepping on flat ground. There was no feeling of being unable to move at all. When everyone got off the ship, Zhang Heng flicked his electromagnetic blade and slashed at the wall of the ship.

"Chi!"

The sound of something rubbing against each other was heard and sparks flew everywhere where Zhang Heng's arm went.

However, Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown after seeing the cut.

The vibration frequency of the high-voltage electromagnetic blade increased yet again after the suit of exoskeleton armor was activated by the nuclear fusion core technology. Cutting steel was as easy as cutting butter, yet the blade was only able to make a cut that was less than a centimeter long.

"Commander, the armor of this ship seems to be made of tungsten gold." Gu Zhan walked up and reminded him, "Do you need us to detonate a miniature nuclear bomb?"

"No, please don't. I'm not sure what would happen if we were to break the outer wall of the ship by force. After all, the ship has its own AI. If we were to cause too much of a ruckus, the central computer of the ship would mistake the crash of a meteorite and seal the doors of the ship, making it very difficult for us to move." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "Let's just cut it with high-caliber electromagnetic blades. The outer layer is made of armor plates, which would make it very tough. However, that also means that the layer wouldn't be too thick. If I'm not mistaken, the armor plates wouldn't be more than a meter thick."

Everyone drew their electromagnetic blades and slashed at the surface of the ship. It took them over half an hour to dig a crater about a meter deep on the hull of the ship.

However, the inner shell of the ship was indeed made of titanium alloy by the time they made it through the armor layer. Things were a lot simpler than they had been before. It took them less than 20 minutes to dig through the inner shell of the ship that was nearly two meters thick and clear the outer wall of the ship.

Zhang Heng led the others into the spaceship and found it pitch-black inside. However, there didn't seem to be any power outages. He was able to see electrical wires, photon cables, and other equipment emitting weak electromagnetic radiation from the walls of the spaceship thanks to the heat sensor installed on the helmet.

As expected, as the spark that would sustain humanity, the ship was extremely durable, sailing in space for over a hundred years before going through a crash at high altitudes, soaking in seawater for over 800 years, and eventually getting the cockpit filled with water. Despite all that, the ship continued to work stubbornly.

"Everyone, stay alert. If there's no power outage here, there's a good chance that the place could still be around…"

Zhang Heng reminded them through the radio, but before he was able to finish his sentence, he stomped on the ground and leaped high into the air. His exoskeleton-like arm penetrated the metal netting of the ventilation ducts above their heads like a knife, grabbing hold of one of them and dragging him down.

"Screech—!"

The humanoid figure shrieked like a pig being butchered. That was not a sound that a human could make. By the time Gu Zhan and the others came to their senses, Zhang Heng was holding a small, skinny monster with pale skin and pure black eyes.

"…those mutated cannibals." Zhang Heng was only able to finish his sentence at that moment.

It was a pity that Zhang Heng was surrounded by a bunch of clones who had no emotions and knew nothing about boot-licking. All of the clones present only took one look at such a clean and precise attack, and all of them looked away after seeing that Zhang Heng had successfully subdued the monster cub, never looking back again.

"Cough, cough!"

Zhang Heng cleared his throat awkwardly and lowered his head to look at the baby monster that he had its throat stuck in. The humanoid monster that stood before Zhang Heng, who was wearing an exoskeleton suit, looked incredibly petite and pitiful. However, Zhang Heng, who knew the movies very well, knew that the speed, strength, and agility of such monsters far exceeded that of humans. Even if two or three adults were to gang up on it at the same time, they might not be able to defeat the baby monster.

In the movie, the heroine of the movie went berserk and stopped an Asian man from killing the monster cub in front of her, which eventually led to that Asian man having his throat slit by that seemingly powerless monster cub.

Zhang Heng felt rather sentimental. The monster cub in his hand was still struggling at the moment, seemingly unwilling to give up. The metal blade in his hand kept jabbing at Zhang Heng's body, yet the blade that didn't even have a blade was unable to slice through the ceramic carbon fiber armor. It could only stare at Zhang Heng with a pitiful look, as if it was begging.

Any regular person would have been unable to bear to do so after seeing that innocent, childlike look in his eyes. However, when Zhang Heng saw that look, he was reminded of those wolf pups back on the grassland.

Crack!

All of a sudden, the crisp sound of bones and flesh being crushed was heard. Zhang Heng crushed the throat of the monster cub right away, causing blood to spray all over the armor. He threw the monster's body away like it was trash before continuing on his way.

183. Town Crisis

Zhang Heng, who was on a mission, had no idea that there was a ring-shaped col tens of kilometers away from the Extreme Space Shuttle. The col wasn't very tall, but it was nonetheless able to withstand attacks from hurricanes and tsunamis.

There were hundreds of cave dwellings on the cliffs on the inside of the col. All of those cave dwellings were well-hidden, making it difficult to notice them even if one were to fly over them from high above.

The bottom of the depression was manually turned into fields of corn. The entire place looked like it had been surrounded by a basin, with smoke from cooking fires rising from the depression from time to time. There were street lamps and drying racks of all shapes and sizes everywhere. Many clothes and smoked meats were hung there, and there were even man-made shafts in the corners, creating a harmonious scene of paradise.

There were over a hundred people working in the plaza at the moment. Some were fetching water, some were washing their clothes, and some were going in and out of cave dwellings, exchanging the wild vegetables in their hands for other people's surplus supplies. The entire col was filled with a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.

Bauer and Nadir were leaning against each other in a cave that had windows and doors installed. Both of them had satisfied looks on their faces. They were the protagonists of the couple who had lost their memories in deep space.

More than a thousand people had been living in the coastal areas ever since they escaped from the Euphoria Space several years ago. The coastal areas had always been the places with the most variety of food, after all. The coastal areas were a good place to survive.

The inhabitants of the Euphoria Space struggled to climb ashore and began to explore the planet with their primitive flesh and blood. However, sacrifices were unavoidable for new expeditions. Microbiological infections were triggered within a few days or weeks after the survivors arrived on the new planet, causing massive batches of residents to fall ill.

Humans had been living on Earth for millions of years and had long since developed antibodies to bacteria and viruses found on Earth. However, things were different on the Tanis planet. This was a place that humans had never set foot in, and the bacteria found here were ones that humans had never come into contact with before. Humans had no way of resisting the new microorganisms.

It was fortunate that humans had the 'adaptive evolution enzyme', which enabled most people to recover from fevers only for a few days, thanks to the miraculous Evolution Promotion Potion. However, over 500 people still died from being unable to withstand the new environment.

Bauer and Nadir were very lucky to have survived and slowly got used to the planet. They began to conceal their abilities and bide their time, slowly developing this paradise-like town with only a handful of machinery.

Bauer, being the hero who saved everyone's lives, naturally became the leader of the town. Six to seven years had passed since then, and the two of them had gained the fruits of their love. The newborns were able to get used to life on this planet better than they were. The entire human race was on the right track, silently multiplying on this new planet, beginning a new civilization journey.

However, just when the two of them were cuddling, the beeper on Bauer's body was heard all of a sudden. Bauer took the beeper out of his pocket and answered the call. "Hello, this is Bauer Glass."

"Mr. Mayor, it's Harry. I have something to report to you." A deep male voice was heard from the speaker.

"I hope that's good news," Bauer said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor, but I'm not sure if the news is good or bad. The Second Hunting Group seemed to have seen something very impressive when they were out hunting today. They even took a video of it, hoping that you could come to the security office."

"Understood. I'll be right there." Bauer hung up the call and kissed Nadir on the lips. "I'm going to the security office. Those guys from the hunting team seem to have found something."

"Be careful." Nadir didn't say anything else but returned his kiss before getting up to walk Bauer out of the cave.

"I'd like some red-furred animal soup for dinner." Bauer waved and smiled.

"I'll be waiting for you." Nadir nodded with a smile.

The security office was located about 500 meters to the west of Bauer's cave, which was a huge cave. It took seven to eight minutes to walk along the helix-shaped walkway inside the mountain.

There were two soldiers armed with energy guns standing guard at the door of the security room. They saluted when they saw Bauer. "Mr. Mayor!"

Bauer nodded and pushed the door open. The light in the cave was very bright, and there were seven or eight energy-saving lamps above his head that emitted a bright light.

"Good timing, Mayor." The crowd seemed to be arguing about something. The head of the security department, Harry, walked up to Bauer and said, "Take a look at this video. I suspect that there are other guests on Planet Tanis other than us."

"Other guests? What the hell?" Bauer frowned and followed the crowd to the monitor where the video was being played. The video was showing a blue sky and white clouds, but it was still in a frozen state. There was a black dot that seemed to be emitting blue light floating in the sky somewhere below the video.

Bauer's expression became completely serious as he continued to play the video. It was only then that he was able to make out that it was a shuttle-like object that was moving at an average speed in the sky. The bottom of the shuttle-like unidentified flying object flickered with an orchid-like glow as it flew into the distance, leaving a blue line of light behind it.

"Do you see that?" Harry's voice was rather grave. "It's obvious that this is an aircraft, but I swear to the heavens, this is definitely not something we created."

"I know." Bauer frowned right away. He looked at the coordinates on the screen and said hesitantly, "Don't tell me the other party is…"

"That's right, Mr. Mayor." Another old man said solemnly, "The ship is heading in the direction of the Paradise Space, but it doesn't seem to be moving very fast, only being able to fish at a distance of 70 to 80 kilometers per hour. The hunting team sent the video back after filming that scene, and there are still over a dozen people keeping a close eye on the coast."

"Let's go take a look." Bauer stood up decisively and said, "To the armory. We need to get those old friends of ours. The rest of the residents are to stay in the cave. No one is to come out without my orders."

"Yes!"

The town of Tannis was like a precise machine that operated slowly under Bauer's orders. Bauer had accumulated enough prestige over the years that no one would object to his orders.

Everyone quickly went to the armory, which was filled with weapons brought out of the ship. Most of them were laser energy weapons, but there were also antimatter grenades, anti-riot guns, grenade launchers, and other kinetic weapons. Bauer hesitated for a bit and eventually chose a silver-white sniper rifle. It was a Gauss sniper rifle, and its range was far enough to destroy satellites in the sky. Of course, that was only if there were satellites in the sky above the Tanis planet.

It was at that moment that Harry, the head of the security department, shouted again. The head of the security department listened to the report from the speaker for a bit and his expression became even more serious. "Everyone, I think we need to speed things up. The hunting team that was investigating the situation earlier has started fighting with those uninvited guests."

"What!?" Bauer was shocked. "What happened? Who gave permission to fire?"

"They were the ones who opened fire first," Harry answered. "Our people saw three of their members staying where they were through the telescope. Those creatures were definitely not humans. They were at least 20 feet tall and they spotted us as soon as we found them. Our people tried to get close to them to see if we could communicate with them, but when we were five kilometers away from them, we opened fire on them…"

"Damn it! Who gave them permission to get close?" Bauer cursed and continued, "How's the damage?"

"There were 13 members in the hunting team, and only one of them managed to escape unscathed due to being on guard at the end of the team, while the rest…" The chief of the security team said with a bitter smile.

Everyone's faces turned pale.

"Damn it, the highest alert in the town is on. Transport all the women and children to the more obscure Black Canyon. Let's go up there and take a look. Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Bauer cursed and rushed out of the armory with the sniper rifle in hand. Everyone followed him.

An ear-piercing alarm was heard in the town of the cove after everyone left. All the women and children were escorted to a more secluded area by a handful of security personnel.

Bauer and the others still had no idea what kind of terrifying thing they were facing…

184. Enraged

The team quickly made their way to a metal door at the corner of the plaza. Bauer took out a laser key and tapped on the sensor on the door. The door opened immediately, revealing three shuttles in the shape of horseshoes.

The shuttle had a diameter of less than five meters and could carry three people in each. While it was not very large, no one dared to underestimate it, as the shuttle was countless times more nimble than any fighter plane or helicopter in modern times. It was capable of flying sideways, flying diagonally, and spinning… It was capable of performing high-difficulty maneuvers that no fighter plane could perform at high altitudes.

The Ecstasy Space had once been loaded with supplies and carriers used to construct the base, and the shuttle was one of the most precious among them. It was a pity that most of the shuttles were completely destroyed when the ship crashed, with only three of them surviving.

The three shuttles became one of humanity's most precious resources, second only to the portable nuclear reactor. Such tactical weapons were not to be used in emergencies.

However, none of that mattered at the moment. Everyone hated the fact that there were only three shuttles. If there were over a hundred of them, there would have been no need to fear the extraterrestrial lifeforms.

Everyone went on their way. Most of them made their way to where they came from, while the three shuttles patrolled the area to prevent any possible ambushes.

Bauer felt very puzzled on the way there. He remembered that when he was young, when he saw the exploration vehicles land on the planet of Tannis, the outer orbital satellites made it clear that there were no artificial constructs on the planet, which meant that there were no advanced intelligent civilizations on the planet. No intelligent beings came to investigate after the Paradise Space crashed for 800 years. All of that proved that there was definitely no civilization on the planet.

However, they discovered a spaceship that they had never seen before that day. Not only that, but they had even gotten into a fight with that unknown civilization. Judging from the fact that the other party had taken the initiative to attack them, the other party was definitely not some friendly creature.

"Mayor, our people are just up ahead. He's still alive and the other party isn't after him." Harry peered ahead through the telescope and was relieved to see the survivor.

"Bring him here." Bauer nodded and ordered everyone to take a break. He brought over 50 people with him this time, which was 40 percent of the fighting capacity of Tanis Town. If they were to be defeated again, humanity would be on the verge of extinction.

Two warriors soon brought the survivor over. He was a young man who looked to be in his twenties. His face was ashen and he looked dazed. His entire body was covered in wounds caused by the trees while he was running.

"Barney, the mayor is here. Tell me everything that happened," Harry walked up to Bauer and said solemnly.

The survivor known as Barney kept shaking and stammered with a frightened look on his face, "I see them… They're huge and they're all wearing armor!"

"In armor? Good. What else?" Bauer walked up to her and patted her on the cheek. "Look at me, Barney. I know you're scared out of your mind, but you're home. Nothing could hurt you. Do you understand?"

Barney gulped and nodded hard, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying. "Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm able to hold on… They're very tall, about 20 feet. Other than that, they look very much like humans, but I can't see their facial features because they're all covered in armor."

"Something that resembles our size?" Bauer nodded and asked, "Are there any other features? The ones that are very necessary."

"All of them were armed and looked very similar to our weapons, but the power of their weapons was unimaginable!" Fear was seen in Barney's eyes. "None of you could have imagined that just one shot would have caused half of the hill to collapse! Milogay and the others are all dead!"

Everyone's faces changed, and Harry was even more shocked. "One shot? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it." Barney nodded affirmatively. "Their firearms are almost as powerful as antimatter weapons, and they're very alert. We're in the middle of a hidden forest, while they're standing at the edge of a cliff by the sea. But even so, they still found us when we found them."

"But they didn't attack you at first?" Bauer asked.

"No, they just turned their heads in our direction at the same time, yet they remained standing, just like…" Barney hesitated for a bit before continuing, "like soldiers, giving me that feeling."

"Could it be that you guys did something to make them misunderstand and attack you guys later?" Harry speculated. "Like raising a gun and provoking them?"

"I'm not sure about that. I was in charge of covering the retreat at the time and was over 40 meters away from Guy and the others. I was only observing the three extraterrestrials and didn't see if Guy and the others were provoking them. But now that I think about it, they seemed to have been attacked because they had entered the enemy's range of alert.

Everyone seemed to be deep in thought after hearing Barney's speculations, and Bauer asked, "So, the enemy didn't attack you after you ran away?"

"Yes." Barney looked frightened at that point. "I was terrified and kept running away. I couldn't believe it. If they were to come after me, would I be able to survive?"

Harry looked at Bauer and asked, "Do we need to send a shuttle to test the distance of five kilometers? The shuttles are so nimble that they won't be easy to hit."

"Very well. Order all three shuttles to use antimatter grenades. If the enemy dares to attack us, just kill them all." Bauer's eyes were filled with determination.

"Yes!"

The three shuttles headed for the beach in a triangular formation right away. Everyone was only about 10 kilometers away from the beach at the moment, and the three shuttles were able to cover a distance of five kilometers in less than half a minute.

"We see them!" The voice of the shuttle pilot was heard from their communication devices. "They seem to be on standby and have discovered us."

"The enemy isn't attacking. Let's keep getting closer. We're currently about six kilometers away from the enemy. We'll be entering the five-kilometer security perimeter in 10 seconds."

"As expected, they've raised their weapons. We're about to enter their range of alert! I…"

Sasha's voice was heard from the other end of the communication device before he was done speaking. Bauer and all the other soldiers were stunned and looked into the distance, only to see a fireball exploding in midair.

"No!" Bauer roared, picked up his weapon, and ran away.

"Damn it, Jim and the other two are dead. We have to fight back!" The communication device was in a mess, and the remaining two shuttles sent requests as well. "Request to fight back! Request to fight back!"

"Permission granted!" Bauer's rationality was drowned out by his rage. Every single person living on a foreign planet was a valuable asset to him, and losing even one of them was more than enough to make his heart ache. He simply agreed to retaliate in such a frenzy, and then he saw two missiles shoot out from the hovering shuttles in midair. The missiles exceeded the speed of sound in an instant and crossed five kilometers in a white line, hitting the ground in front of Bauer at the same time.

A burst of white light shone from the cliff.

Antimatter howitzers were actually a kind of vacuum magnetic field binding device with anti-matter particles installed inside. Antimatter howitzers and protons were annihilated in a million grams, which meant that they were capable of generating the power of explosives. The anti-matter howitzers were loaded with at least one-thousand grams of anti-matter howitzers, which meant that their explosive power was on par with a miniature nuclear bomb of 4,000 grams.

The entire area within a 100-meter radius of the cliff was engulfed in a sea of flames when the explosion happened.

"Successfully hit the target!"

The sound of the pilot's report was heard from the communicator and everyone cheered. Bauer breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone knew that there was no living thing in the world that could survive the attack of antimatter weapons.

He then went on to recommend an app that was comparable to the old version of a book chaser.

"W-Wait!"

However, before anyone had the chance to celebrate, the panicked voice of the pilot was heard from the other end of the communication device again. Everyone was stunned and the communication device went silent all of a sudden. A few seconds later, they heard a low-pitched howl.

"Howl!"

That deep, distant howl was heard from the center of the explosion, sounding extremely brutal and bloodthirsty. It was as if three primordial beasts had broken free from their shackles and were howling with joy at the moment of freedom, wanting to release and destroy everything.

The Tyrant's armor was destroyed!

"..."

185. Despair

The Tyrant's exoskeleton armor was more like a restraining device than a piece of armor, limiting the Tyrant's physical strength while protecting it. It was due to the exoskeleton armor that Zhang Heng was able to control the Tyrant perfectly.

However, the exoskeleton armor was destroyed in the attack.

The antimatter bomb's annihilation reaction was extremely powerful, reducing the rocks and cliffs that had been washed away by the ocean for tens of thousands of years into nothing more than a crater. The reaction lasted for only a second before it was completely over, yet it easily changed the landscape that nature had been unable to change for thousands of years.

The pilots on the two shuttles could only see three huge silhouettes slowly emerge from the flames. Every single one of the silhouettes was covered in electric arcs and their armor was badly damaged, making screeching noises at the same time.

Pieces of ceramic carbon fiber armor fell to the ground as the figure walked out. Due to the high temperatures, the skin melted and blood vessels were seen when the armor fell, revealing the burnt flesh underneath.

Despite being burnt to a crisp, the Tyrant maintained a deadpan expression on his face, staring at the two shuttles above him with a gaze that made one shudder.

"Howl!"

A brutal and bloodthirsty howl was heard all of a sudden, as if some mechanism had been activated. A thick needle was quickly inserted into the vein of the Tyrant at the back of the armor's neck, injecting the entire tube of liquid into the Tyrant's body before it dropped off.

That was the biological nutrient solution that Zhang Heng created according to the storage mechanism in the Tyrant's body when he first developed the Tyrant. The programming of the solution was to inject such nutrients into the Tyrant's body when the energy in the Tyrant's body was depleted or the armor was severely damaged. That nutrient solution would then supply more nutrients to the Tyrant.

A sinister look finally appeared on the Tyrant's expressionless face after being injected with the liquid. The three figures began to shake violently, making banging sounds as their bodies expanded rapidly, pushing away the remaining pieces of armor.

Bang!

The bodies of the three figures expanded rapidly and their muscles turned into patterns that looked like granite, making them look extremely tough. Furthermore, the Tyrant's speed, power, and regeneration ability would be enhanced several times over in such a state.

"Oh my god, the three monsters are still alive!" The pilot's shocked voice was heard from the other end of the communication device. "None of them are dead? No way!"

"Order, continue to attack!" Bauer looked into the distance, but from where he was standing, he could only see two shuttles circling in midair. He ordered immediately, "Attack at will. One antimatter bomb is permitted at critical moments!"

"Roger that." The crowd collected their shock and saw the two shuttles open fire again. Each of the shuttles was loaded with an antimatter bomb and a heavy Gatling gun. Fires were seen several kilometers away as faint smoke drifted from the sky.

Smoke filled the entire coastal cliff.

"We're going to reinforce them!" Bauer turned around and looked at the others. "Do what we need to do. Everyone, let's charge, before the enemy's battleship comes back!"

It was only then that everyone realized that the other party had a battleship that had entered the Paradise Space and they had no idea how long it would take for them to return. If they were to return, the number of enemies that they would have to face would at least be doubled.

"We need to take advantage of the fact that most of their troops are still out there. If we can't wipe them out right now and reduce their power, we'll have to face even more monsters very soon!" Harry took the opportunity to liven up the atmosphere before following Bauer to the front.

Everyone looked at each other, and finally, responsibility overcame fear. All of them mustered their courage and charged forward with guns in hand.

Everyone soon saw both sides of the battlefield.

The battlefield was located at the edge of the cliff, while Bauer and the others were located halfway up the mountain. When they were about half a kilometer away from the battlefield, everyone was finally able to see what was going on.

Three huge humanoid monsters were seen moving about on the ground, evading attacks from the shuttles as they searched for opportunities to counterattack. There was a shuttles flying high up behind them. However, compared to the Tyrant's nimbleness and speed, the shuttles, despite being very nimble, were not as nimble as lifeforms. They were actually slightly inferior to the Tyrant in terms of movement in such a small space.

"Such a nimble body. Even humans would find it difficult to achieve such nimbleness!" Everyone gasped. The Tyrant, who had lost most of its defensive capabilities due to having lost its armor, had gained over 80 percent of its speed and agility. Despite being constantly hit by the machine guns on the shuttle, it looked as if nothing had happened and its wounds healed in the blink of an eye.

Just when everyone was still in a state of shock, one of the shuttles made an obvious mistake and lost its balance. The pilot let out a cry of surprise and quickly stabilized the body of the shuttle. However, the shuttles continued to fall at an angle. In that instant, a Tyrant's body shot up and traversed over a dozen meters in an instant. That huge hand that seemed to have come from hell grabbed the edge of the shuttles.

"No!" Bauer shouted and could only watch helplessly as the shuttle was dragged to the ground by the Tyrant. The last remaining antimatter bomb was detonated by the despairing pilot.

Boom!

The flames engulfed everything within a radius of several hundred meters in the blink of an eye, yet the resulting shockwave sent the remaining shuttle flying, crashing into the ground a hundred meters away. The massive inertia caused it to roll several times before coming to a complete stop.

"Howl!"

The Tyrant's roar was heard from within the flames yet again. However, it was obvious that the roar was filled with pain. When the flames dissipated, everyone saw a charred Tyrant kneeling on one knee, but its body was recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye. It was one that was furthest away from the explosion. The Tyrant that was at the center of the explosion was reduced to ashes, while the other one was charred all over and lying on the ground, its fate unknown.

"He's still alive!" Bauer gasped. He watched as the wounds on the Tyrant healed bit by bit. He then stood up and headed for the crashed shuttle. Three pilots were struggling to climb out of the shuttle. All of them looked despairing when they saw the massive body charging at them.

A look of struggle was seen in Bauer's eyes but his courage eventually overcame his fear. He shouted behind him, "Get ready to attack!" He then picked up his Gauss sniper rifle and aimed at that huge silhouette over half a kilometer away.

"Bang!"

The shockwave from breaking the sonic barrier dissipated from the muzzle of the gun and everyone saw a beam of orange light streaking across a distance of over a kilometer. In the blink of an eye, the beam penetrated the monster's back.

The Tyrant paused and lowered its head slightly to look at its chest, only to find that a hole about the size of a washbasin had been punctured into its chest. A faint, burnt smell was emitted from the wound.

Boom!

The Tyrant's massive body slowly collapsed with a dull thud.

"Dead?" Bauer's eyes looked very serious. He took out his communicator and ordered, "Shuttle 3, how are your casualties?"

"We're all alive, but Bill's spine seems to be broken. We need help… Holy sh * t!" A weak voice was heard from the other end of the communication device, but the voice was raised several octaves before the voice was finished. Everyone looked up in shock and found that the tyrant who had been shot in the chest had gotten up again.

Not only that, but the Tyrant that was burnt by the antimatter bomb also sat up without realizing it. The two Tyrants looked at each other and accelerated, ignoring the falling shuttle and heading straight for Bauer.

In order to defend against long-range weapons, the two massive silhouettes did what they did when they were evading the shuttles, running in a curved manner. Despite that, the Tyrant was able to cover less than a kilometer in less than 10 seconds.

Despair was seen in everyone's eyes. Who would be able to resist such a monster that could not even kill?

However, just when everyone was feeling utterly hopeless, Bauer seemed to have seen a shuttle flying in the direction of the Paradise Space from afar.

186. I'll Take You Back to Earth

"Arrgghhhh! Arrgghhhh!" Bauer's amateur team was on the verge of collapse as they watched the Tyrant get closer. Everyone's eyes were about to pop out of their sockets as they fired at the Tyrant like they had gone insane. However, the Tyrant's speed was so fast that no matter how much firepower they put up, they were unable to stop the Tyrant, who was moving about. As the two sides got closer, everyone was able to see the Tyrant's bloodshot eyes.

It was a pair of pupils without the slightest hint of pity, without any fear or hesitation, only cold-blooded, cruel, and infinitely brutal.

However, at that moment, Bauer saw the shuttle-shaped spaceships flying over from the corner of his eye. Despair was seen in his eyes. One wave after another was about to come, and the enemy's main forces were finally here.

In his eyes, that spaceship was extremely fast and it took only a few seconds for it to reach the crowd from the horizon. The two tyrants were right in front of everyone at the same time. Just when everyone was feeling utterly hopeless, a dull explosion was heard all of a sudden.

Bang!

Bauer felt his vision blur and the two tyrants' knees burst apart at the very next second.

"Howl!"

The two tyrants let out indignant roars and tried to crawl to the crowd with their hands. However, several more explosions were heard and the tyrant's elbows exploded as well.

Everyone stood rooted to the ground, unable to process what was happening.

"Everyone, put down your weapons and raise your hands. I repeat, everyone, put down your weapons and raise your hands!" A warning was heard from the ship above them at that moment. Everyone was stunned when they heard the warning and turned to look at the ship above them, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Those aliens were actually speaking English!

"Oh f * * k, what's going on?"

"Oh my God, so aliens communicate in English too?"

"Honey, come out and see God!"

Everyone shouted out subconsciously while Harry and the others looked at Bauer, who was in the crowd.

"Mayor, what should we do?"

"Do we still have a choice?" Bauer said with a bitter smile. He felt a deep sense of powerlessness after witnessing the combat prowess of those three aliens. Their weapons were definitely no weaker than his own team's, but he was lucky enough to destroy all of their weapons and armor right from the start, rendering their attacks negligible.

Even so, he was still able to almost wipe everyone out. He had no idea how many of his kind were still in the ship, and he had no intentions of fighting back.

That was the difference between the people of the West and those of the East. The East had a spirit of 'willing to die rather than submit' and 'upholding justice in life' throughout history. There was also a saying that went, 'Who would live without dying in ancient times, leaving one's conscience to the best of their ability'. The culture that had been around for five thousand years continued to propagate such a fearless spirit. The East valued loyalty and filial piety the most. Surrendering would mean betrayal, which meant disloyalty, unfilial piety, and injustice.

The West, on the other hand, was different. The West had never considered surrendering a shameful act since ancient times. In Western culture, everyone was equal before God, and human rights were above all else. Surrendering was not a stain in one's life. To them, being captured meant that they had fought a bloody battle before, which was why they were honorable and the people would treat such people as heroes.

As such, the crowd surrendered without any hesitation, throwing their guns to the ground one by one before looking up at the spaceship above them, feeling rather uneasy.

The ship stopped shouting after everyone threw down their weapons. The ship gradually descended before everyone's eyes and landed about 10 meters away from them.

…

Zhang Heng was furious. He never thought that he would get into such a mess in less than two hours.

He had only ordered the Tyrant to stay on guard. Under the default alert state, the armor of the Tyrant would automatically issue orders to the Tyrant. For example, when the Tyrant was faced with all kinds of weapons, the armor would automatically evaluate the threat level. The threat level was divided into four types: zero, light, medium, and heavy. According to the threat level, the Tyrant would take different reactions.

For example, when he was on high alert, his armor would detect that the enemy was approaching him with weapons of extreme threat, and the Tyrant would initiate an attack when the enemy was five kilometers away from him. That was a way of protecting himself, but something major happened today.

If the Tyrant's exoskeleton armor were still intact, Zhang Heng would only need to give the armor a command and the Tyrant would stop attacking. However, if the exoskeleton armor were to be destroyed, the Tyrant would enter the stage of losing control. Zhang Heng called such a stage—Enrage.

As such, Zhang Heng implanted remote-controlled electronic bombs in the joints of all the tyrants in order to prevent them from being unable to differentiate friend from foe due to losing control. Such bombs would not detonate even if they were attacked by external forces, and they could only be detonated if someone were to take the initiative to control them. As such, the Tyrant's limbs were all blown up.

Zhang Heng's expression was very ugly at the moment. The cost of manufacturing the Tyrants had reached tens of millions of US dollars. One of the three Tyrants had died in battle, two were severely injured, and the three Tyrants' astronomical equipment had cost him over 100 million US dollars. He didn't mind all of that, but the key thing was that the scientists from the Dimensional amnesia plane that he valued were actually fighting against his biological weapons. Countless of them had died, and every single one of them was a priceless treasure.

Zhang Heng had long regarded those people as his own. He felt his heart bleed when he saw that they had suffered heavy losses. He ordered everyone to put down their weapons and ordered the spaceship to land immediately. However, he still kept his guard up. The other party's weapons were definitely no weaker than his, and it would be bad if he were to fail.

It was only after all eight of them disembarked that Bauer realized that the new group of extraterrestrials looked much smaller than the first group. While they were still taller than humans, they were nowhere near as ridiculous as the three monsters from before.

The two tyrants, whose limbs had been blown off, were still struggling at the moment. Balls of blobs of flesh continued to grow, and their limbs looked like they were about to finish growing again. However, Adam and Gu Zhan each took out a thick injector and injected an effective tranquilizer into the bodies of the two tyrants, which caused them to stop what they were doing and slowly fall asleep.

Zhang Heng walked right up to the captives and recognized Bauer, the hero who saved the entire ship, right away. He looked older than he had been in the movies, about 35 or 36 years old. It seemed that the story of the plane had been going on for quite some time.

"Bauer." Zhang Heng looked down at the anxious crowd and asked, "Any other casualties?"

"Y-You know my name!" The crowd was thrown into a slight commotion when they saw one of the men heading straight for them. However, seeing the tough armor that the man was wearing, the crowd gave up all thoughts of resisting, as the man didn't look like he was trying to kill them like the three monsters before.

However, when the huge alien before them, who was over 2.5 meters tall, said his name, Bauer and the others felt rather baffled.

"Yes, there was a shuttle that crashed up ahead, and three of them were severely injured." Bauer came to his senses in the very next second and suppressed his curiosity. He didn't ask why the man knew his name but pointed behind Zhang Heng instead.

"Gu Zhan, take two people with you to save them," Zhang Heng ordered.

"Yes, Commander."

"Chinese! It's Chinese!" Bauer was stunned again. He felt that the language sounded familiar, but the next second, an Asian man behind him pointed at Zhang Heng with a terrified look on his face, his voice filled with disbelief and excitement. "You were speaking Chinese!"

"James!" Bauer shouted in a stern manner. He didn't understand Chinese, but he could tell that the Asian man named James was very agitated. To prevent himself from angering him, Bauer quickly stopped him.

"That's right. I'm speaking Chinese," Zhang Heng answered in Chinese and asked in English, "Are you Chinese?"

"That's right. I'm a typical Huaxian, and one of the few Huaxians who managed to survive on the Ecstasy!" James was so excited that he was about to shake. He thought that he would never be able to hear the language of his hometown in his entire life, but fate played yet another huge joke on him.

The crowd was even more astonished. They were able to tell that Zhang Heng and the others no longer held any animosity towards them. Everyone relaxed a little and Bauer asked in surprise, "Who are you people? Why do you speak English and Chinese? Why do you know Huaxia? Where are you from?"

Everyone looked at Zhang Heng with burning eyes.

Zhang Heng shook his head. It was too much of a hassle to explain things like that, and he wasn't in the mood to do so. He simply brushed it off and said, "You'll find out the reason soon enough, but I assume that you're not the only ones on Tanis. Where are the other residents? I'll take you back to Earth."

187. Level C Access

Bauer and the others were still in a dazed state by the time they got back to the town. What happened that morning was way out of their minds.

He first thought that he had run into extraterrestrials and fought them to the death. Just when he was about to lose, he realized that they were actually humans, and that they were from Earth.

Of course, everyone was relieved when they found out that the so-called Earth wasn't their Earth, but the Earth of another plane. However, they felt rather disappointed deep down.

He breathed a sigh of relief because the possibility of the other party lying to them about all that had happened was very small. Given the other party's superior combat prowess, he was more than capable of killing all of them at once and there was no need for him to resort to such roundabout methods. He was disappointed to find that his Earth had indeed been destroyed. Everyone knew from the other party's words that they would never be able to see the Earth that had raised them.

The term 'plane' was no stranger to Bauer and the others. In actual fact, the M theory had long verified the existence of parallel planes in terms of mathematics, but due to the limitations of technology, it was unable to provide any concrete evidence. However, before they left Earth on the Ecstasy Space, the plan for plane migration was one of the most sought after plans. However, compared to the Space Immigration Plan, the difficulty of plane migration was hundreds of times more difficult. After all, humans had long since entered space, yet the plane remained in the laboratory stage.

"I'm sorry, but we're not going to tell you where the rest of the residents are until we verify the plane you're talking about and see the humans in that plane of yours," Bauer reminded Zhang Heng and the others when they got to the town of Tanis.

"No problem. I can take a few people with me this time and bring them back next time, but I can't guarantee that you'll be able to adapt to the microorganisms on Earth." Zhang Heng nodded.

"Relax, we've all been injected with adaptive enzymes. As long as the environmental differences aren't too ridiculous, I think we'll be able to get used to it easily."

Zhang Heng didn't say anything else. He had acquired the enzyme that would enable his body to adapt to the alien environment as quickly as possible, as well as the design of the Euphoria Space. However, there was no hurry to acquire the complete version of basic spaceflight technology.

There wasn't enough industrial foundation on Earth. Zhang Heng wouldn't be able to build the same kind of spaceship even if he were to get his hands on the blueprint. That would require him to constantly build up his technological foundation. However, getting his hands on the blueprint would be like getting his hands on a map, which meant that he would have a specific goal in mind and he wouldn't need to develop in the dark like he did in the past.

Time was of the essence for humans. It would have been very awkward if they were to accidentally click on the wrong technology tree without having the blueprints to guide them. There were many such examples in history.

Take, for example, the 'Probrain Leukiectomy', which was well known in the last century. Such surgeries were used to treat mental illnesses, anxiety disorders, hyperactivity disorders, and many other psychological disorders. The treatment methods could be described as ridiculous, as the surgeon was actually able to carve the awl from the patient's eye socket into the brain through a hammer and stir the awl, turning the prebrain Leuko into mush.

People who underwent such surgeries would lose a lot of functions, including a large part of their personality, making them look like walking dead. The only similarity between them and normal people was that they could still breathe.

However, such inhumane treatment methods won 49 years of Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Most of the technological inventions of humans were useless, and they might have had other uses. However, when compared to the value of the inventions, the amount of manpower and resources needed to make ends meet was far less than what was needed. That was the reason. It was just like traveling in a forest filled with brambles, where one would inevitably get lost and go astray. However, as long as one had a clear goal and specified conditions, it was as if someone had opened up a path in a forest filled with brambles. There was no need to determine the direction, as one would only need to walk down that path to achieve the ultimate success.

Twenty-four hours passed very quickly. Zhang Heng ordered the D.S.F team to stand by while he returned with two sleeping tyrants. Bauer volunteered to leave with him on the humans' side of the Tanis. There were three others who requested to join him as well.

Zhang Heng had no objections, of course. As he conversed with the Dimensional Star, his vision blurred all of a sudden. By the time he came to his senses, he was back in Stellar City, the radiation plane.

"I knew it. The return point is in the radiation plane after the transmission," Zhang Heng mumbled to himself. The voice of the Dimensional Star was heard in his mind at that moment.

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Quest for the Deep Space Amnesia plane is complete. Main Quest: Enter the Euphoria Space ship and obtain sample and data regarding the 'adaptive evolution enzyme'. Main Quest complete."

"Optional mission. Acquire a blueprint for the spaceship. Acquire a complete version of basic space navigation technology. Optional mission complete."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown—No Urgent Quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: Deep Space Amnesia plane mission completed. Host access progress is now at three quarters of D-rank. Access upgraded."

"Current Access: C-rank."

"Access Upgrade: Dimensional Star Transportation Cooldown reduced to 12 hours."

"Access Upgrade: Research System Upgrade. According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, Access Upgrade Host to Research and Development. Support Host to Research and Technology."

"Access Upgrade: Access System Upgrade. Current Level C Access Upgrade. Access to space-time transformation with an object with a volume of 1,000 cubic meters. Weight unlimited. Access to space-time transformation with 100 living beings. Weight unlimited."

Zhang Heng gasped when he heard the last bit of information. Excitement was written all over his face.

The cooldown of the teleportation was reduced to 12 hours, which meant that he would be able to travel between the two planes for 24 hours from then on out. That would save him a lot of time. Not only that, but the supplies that he could bring with him would also be increased by 20 times, and the number of people he could bring with him would be increased by 10 times. His efficiency would be multiplied by hundreds of times.

The Dimensional amnesia plane could be said to be the most perfect plane that Zhang Heng had ever come across. It was a complete, undeveloped planet, devoid of viruses, monsters, and enemies that would do anything to you. Its value was self-evident.

Zhang Heng even had the urge to move his forces, his parents, and his family to Planet Tanis.

However, such thoughts were quickly suppressed. Planet Tanis would definitely be an important base that he could not afford to be without in the future. However, he still needed to develop slowly at the moment. Industry, heavy industry, agriculture, health care, education, services, and so on had to be developed side by side, and none of that could be missing.

He would need at least a million people to ensure that the planet of Tannis continued to develop normally. All of that would have to be done bit by bit, and he couldn't afford to rush things.

However, having a planet to back him up made Zhang Heng feel even more confident. He turned around and looked at the four people behind him. Bauer looked around with a confused look on his face. They were standing in the stands of the Stellar City's castle. Bauer's eyes were wide open when he saw the crowd below him and he said in disbelief, "We, we're back?"

188. Visionary

"Yes, this is the Earth of the Wasteland, one of the planes that I've been to." Zhang Heng nodded. Several medical staff dressed in nurse attire walked up to the unconscious Tyrant and put him on a stretcher. Those people looked like humans, but they were actually synthesized humans. Those people would transport the Tyrant back to the underground base, where equipment specifically designed to restore the Tyrant's body were found.

"Alpha." Zhang Heng looked up suddenly.

"Yes, sir?"

"Arrange for a few disinfection rooms. The gentlemen around me need to be completely disinfected before taking them to a sterile room. They might develop bacterial infections and viral infections within the next few hours to a few days. Prepare the corresponding antibiotics," Zhang Heng said as he took a look at Bauer and the others.

"Hold on! We don't have any symptoms at the moment!" However, everyone became unexpectedly stubborn.

Zhang Heng was stunned and took a look at the crowd. It was only then that he realized that the other party's eyes were filled with a certain yearning. "We'd like to take a walk around the city. It's been a long time since we've talked to anyone else."

Zhang Heng frowned slightly and took a look at them before nodding and saying, "Understood. We'll do the quarantine after you're done with your rounds." Zhang Heng smirked when he saw how elated everyone was. "But I'd advise you not to leave the city and try to talk to strangers, or your lives could be in danger."

"Why?" The four of them looked at each other and looked at Zhang Heng with dissatisfaction. In their eyes, Zhang Heng was trying to restrict their freedom.

"That's because this isn't a civilized world. This is… the end of the world when human civilization collapsed." Zhang Heng didn't explain further and simply pointed at his feet before turning around and leaving the rooftop of the castle.

"Doomsday?" Everyone looked in the direction that Zhang Heng was pointing at and saw seven dried corpses hanging on a steel frame at the bottom of the castle.

Zhang Heng poured himself a glass of wine after returning to his office and said, "Alpha, pass on my orders. Send some cloned warriors to follow them. I don't want to hear about them getting killed by the brutes of the Doomsday."

"Yes, sir. Any other instructions?" The holographic image of Alpha appeared in midair and looked at Zhang Heng silently.

Zhang Heng thought about it for a bit and said, "Get me a copy of the industrial machine tools, synthetic human assembly lines, mining trucks, smelting, and everything else you need."

"Many of those supplies are very precious, especially the synthetic human assembly line. It would be very taxing for the institute to manufacture yet another set. Are you sure?" Alpha asked hesitantly.

"I'm sure. Just give me a list of the materials you need. I only need the finished product." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Also, I have a copy of data regarding the 'adaptive evolution enzyme' and a blueprint for a spaceship. Get the personnel from both the Ministry of Biopharmaceuticals and the Ministry of Industry to come over and help me develop those technologies."

"Alright, please hold on for a moment, sir," Alpha replied before falling silent again.

Zhang Heng then inserted a device that looked like a USB stick into the computer at the side. It didn't take long before pages of printed data popped up from the printer at the side.

However, such data was simply too massive. If he were to print all of it, he would probably need millions of pages. Zhang Heng had only printed the very first part.

Two white-haired old men walked into Zhang Heng's office shortly afterward.

Zhang Heng waved dismissively when he saw that the two of them were about to bow to him. "No need. Have a seat. I'm sure you know why I called you here today."

"Yes, Alpha has told us that you have a copy of the data we need," one of the old men replied.

"It's not as simple as just data. To put it simply, if the organization were to absorb all that I have with me, I'd be able to lead humanity through the doomsday of the wastelands!" Zhang Heng threw a copy of data to one of them and continued, "The adaptive enzyme is somewhat similar to the forced evolutionary virus of the FV. If we could combine the pros and cons of both, we might be able to create a new type of virus. Of course, I'll need your virus biomedical department to discuss the details. Just give me a proposal when the time comes."

"No problem." The old man's eyes lit up and looked at the data eagerly.

"As for those from the Ministry of Industry, I have a blueprint of an interstellar spaceship with a mature design. The technology contained in the blueprint is a little more advanced than that found in the US before the war, but there shouldn't be too much of a difference. I believe you should be able to understand it." Zhang Heng handed the other set of data to her.

The two of them flipped through the pages at once, and the more they read, the more entranced they became. In the end, every single one of them looked as if they were in a trance. When they were done reading all the data in their hands, every single one of them looked like they hadn't had enough yet. "That's it?"

"I've asked Alpha to send the complete data to the computers in your department." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "The same goes for you. Write me a proposal when you get back. If there's anything missing, I'll find a way to solve it."

"Yes, sir!" The two of them nodded and left the mayor's office with beaming faces.

Zhang Heng rubbed his temples, feeling rather tired after seeing everyone leave. There were simply too few resources available in the radiation plane, and he would have to transport them from the real world eventually.

It was fortunate that his current efficiency had been enhanced by tens of times. He was able to travel between planes 20 times in a single trip, and the cooldown time for traveling had been greatly reduced. He was able to travel from 24 hours to 12 hours, which meant that his efficiency was 40 times higher than when he first built the city of stellar radiation.

However, there was still a shortage of manpower, but that wasn't a huge problem. The synthesized humans in the institute were manufactured very quickly. If it hadn't been for the restrictions placed on resources, the institute would have been able to unite the entire federation with synthesized humans long ago. While the rate at which Zhang Heng produced his clones wasn't very fast, they were still slightly better than the synthesized humans. Furthermore, with a humanoid weapon like the Tyrant, manpower would definitely not be a problem in the future. Zhang Heng's main concern was still his industrial standards.

However, that was not something that could be rushed. Technology regarding electronics and materials was not something that could be developed with just blueprints and materials. At the end of the day, it was still necessary to speed up the advancement of technology in the real world. Technological development in the real world had reached a bottleneck at the moment, and if he wanted to bring about new vigor, he would need to be able to develop a new kind of technological advancement that would cross the eras.

Zhang Heng had no shortage of such technologies at his disposal, such as mature nuclear fusion technology, which could change the fundamental problems of human life and energy. Such a technology alone would be enough to overturn an era.

However, if Zhang Heng were to really bring out that technology, he would probably be the first one to die. Then, the entire world would fight for or destroy the technology that would benefit countless high-ranking people. There would be tens of millions of people who would die in the war, and the entire human civilization would be severely damaged.

Other than that, there was the cryogenic superconducting technology as well. The emergence of such a technology would have caused a massive upheaval in society, overturning countless industries. Zhang Heng would have been implicated by the upheaval as well. Even if he didn't die, his company and foundation would have suffered devastating damage.

Zhang Heng was able to use all of that technology in secret, but none of that was something that could be seen in the light of day. At the very least, he was unable to bring it out right now, unless he was capable of making the entire world tremble in fear. As such, it was definitely not as easy as the average person would think to raise the level of human technology.

Zhang Heng thought about it for a bit and felt that his mind was in a mess. He turned off the lights in the room and laid on the couch, closing his eyes and taking a break. He needed a way to raise the overall level of human technology and industry without putting himself in the center of attention, and to make a killing without making a sound.

At the same time, he had to return to the real world plane 12 hours later and collect countless pieces of data once again, making preparations for the development of the Tanis planet in the Dimensional amnesia plane.

189. Calm Before The Storm

Zhang Heng woke up with the cry of the Alpha 12 hours later. It was already the next morning. Sunlight shone through the dusty window, making the room look rather dark.

The air in the radiation plane was filled with radiation dust and other pollutants, which would accumulate to a very thick layer in just a few days. As such, the entire Stellar City was shrouded in a dull gray color before long.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door and Zhang Heng said, "Please come in," before two synthetic people pushed a cart into the room.

Zhang Heng took a look at the food on the cart. There were black sweet potatoes, a double-headed beefsteak, and milk, as well as some salad made from vegetables that he couldn't tell what they were. The food might have been enough to make the poor scavengers put their hands together and thank the gods if it were to be placed outside, but it would only make Zhang Heng feel sick.

"Didn't I bring a lot of food with me?" Zhang Heng frowned and asked.

"The food you brought with you is finished, sir," Alpha replied.

"What? All that food was eaten up?" Zhang Heng was stunned. There were only seven hundred people in the school, not including synthesized humans. He had provided several tons of real-life food to everyone, yet it seemed that no amount of food could stop everyone from eating as much as they wanted.

"Give those old folks a heads-up and tell them that it's best not to eat too much high-calorie food." Zhang Heng shook his head. He was really afraid that those old folks would end up with diabetes, fatty liver, high blood pressure, cerebral thrombosis, and whatnot if they were to eat too much. If they were to end up dying, they would suffer a huge loss.

In order to prevent similar situations from happening, it seemed that it was time to give the scientists from the radiation planes T-2 to use and replace them with new bodies.

Zhang Heng organized the plans into categories in his mind and his brain worked like a precision calculator. Every step of the plan was simulated bit by bit in his brain, such as when he would return to reality, what he would need to do when he returned to reality, and what he would need to bring with him before returning to radiation. All of that was sorted out in an instant and the process became very clear.

"By the way, how are the four I brought with me doing?" Zhang Heng asked suddenly.

"They didn't show any signs of bacterial infection as you described. After a blood test, they found no other symptoms other than the high number of leukemia caused by radiation levels. They've been given an injection of disinfectant and are fully recovered."

"That's good to hear. Tell the kinetic department to hurry up and manufacture 10 double-diameter falcons. I'll come and collect them the next time I come back." Zhang Heng nodded and made arrangements for Alpha to take care of Stellar City and the institute before making his way back to the real world.

In the real world, less than three days had passed. Corona contacted him as soon as he returned.

"Commander."

"Corona, I need more supplies this time. Go notify Zhao Qing and Amub from India and have them enter the second round of acquisitions," Zhang Heng said immediately.

"Understood. How much capital are you planning to use for the acquisition?"

"Fifty billion US dollars," Zhang Heng said decisively. "Not just in India. Tell Joshua and Stanny that I need a lot of supplies, and I'll need even high precision machine tools and industrial assembly lines. They won't need to be transported after purchasing them. I'll go get them myself when the time comes. As for the remuneration, I'll just charge them a premium of one percent."

Zhang Heng then gave a copy of the adaptive evolution enzyme and the blueprint of the spaceship to the Honeycomb Laboratory, setting it as a level-one security data that only members above B4 could access and research.

Zhang Heng was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after doing all of that. He then finished disinfecting himself in the tent and walked out of the isolation room.

Zhang Heng suddenly thought of something after returning to his room in the hive. He patted his head and said, "Corona, project what's happening in B6-20."

The wall before Zhang Heng's eyes turned into a huge 8k high-definition screen in the very next second. There were over a dozen images shown on the screen, all of which were cameras found in the No. 20 laboratory. The location of the No. 5 camera was just enough to see most of the people on the screen. Zhang Heng extended his hand and tapped lightly, and the No. 5 image was enlarged right away, taking up the entire screen.

He saw that Xu Haoyu, Gao Dequan, and the rest of the seven were lying on the floor weakly. The floor was made of metal and was cold and hard. It was easy to imagine just how painful it would be to sleep on such a floor, especially for those rich second-generation heirs who lived in luxury.

However, while everyone looked pale and malnourished, none of them were killing each other. Two of them had bruised faces at most, as if they had gotten into a physical conflict before.

"Commander, Gao Dequan and Huayi got into a fight over drinking water after you left the day before yesterday, but they were stopped by others. Everyone agreed to work together and wait for help," Corona explained in a timely manner. "Would you like to watch the replay?"

"No need. I'm not in the mood to waste my time on them." Zhang Heng smirked and continued, "It's a given that they would have banded together at the very beginning, because their sanity hadn't been completely crushed by hunger and cold back then. However, that might not have happened in a day or two."

"Will they really eat people alive? 60 hours have passed and I can feel their brainwaves. Other than hunger and anxiety, they have no urge to eat people." Corona was in disbelief. "I think it's more likely that everyone would end up dying from starvation."

"No, Corona, you're wrong." Zhang Heng sighed and continued, "Have you heard of the 'calm before the storm'? It's true that they're holding themselves back at the moment, but if they're unable to get rid of the source of the conflict, such restraint would make them feel like a volcano that's constantly being compressed. The more repressed they are, the more earth-shattering the energy that would erupt in the future would be."

"You still don't know how strong the will to live is. Forget about eating human flesh. The reactions that many people could make when they were about to die would be more than what you could imagine." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued, "I can guarantee that there would be at most 40 more victims. Then, just like dominoes, their humanity and sanity would be crushed by the impact of hunger and conflict."

As if to answer Zhang Heng's question, Xu Haoyu's face was ashen on the screen as he struggled to his feet. He threw a look of disgust at the people lying on the floor not far away from him before slithering to the tap in the corner.

When he got to the tap, he took a look at the kitchen knife with chains welded on the table before turning around to look at the crowd warily, only to see that everyone was still looking down and no one was looking in his direction.

It was only then that Xu Haoyu felt at ease. He bent over slightly, pointed his mouth at the cold tap water, and began to gulp it down.

However, he didn't notice that everyone looked up at the same time when he bent down to drink the water, with wolf-like looks in their eyes…

190. Mini Drone

Zhang Heng took a break after turning off the video. Beep-beep-beep-beep sounds were heard from the silver-white mechanical watch on his wrist all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng pressed lightly on the mechanical watch, and a holographic image of a middle-aged man with a head full of white hair and an impeccable appearance appeared on the watch.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhang. I'm Louis. According to the data you've given us, we've created two types of miniature drones. Would you like to come over and give your opinion?" The middle-aged man asked with a deadpan expression.

"A miniature drone?" Zhang Heng blinked and recalled that he had acquired a stack of microechnology technology about two months ago when he returned from the radiation plane. Corona had analyzed that the D.S.F team still needed carriers and reconnaissance equipment, which was why they had the Falcon in the end. However, there was nothing else about the microechnology equipment, which Zhang Heng had almost forgotten about.

"Very well, Mr. Louis. Where are you now? I'll be right there."

"Our laboratory is B6-19. We'd like to welcome you at any time." The middle-aged man looked pleased.

There was nothing lacking in the Honeycomb, and the salary was at least a million US dollars. The materialistic aspect was even more ridiculous. All the delicacies from all over the world could be acquired by Lafite from the 1950s if one were to make a request. As such, what the scientists here sought was to be able to upgrade their access to higher levels and then research more advanced technologies.

That Louis was a German scientist who was added to Zhang Heng's program during the 'headhunting expedition' period. He had access to the B3 level, and if he were to be satisfied with what he had, there was a very high chance that he would be able to upgrade his access to the B3.5 level. Not only would his treatment of Louis be elevated further, but he would also be able to further advance his position in the upper echelons of a fund like the B4 level.

Zhang Heng nodded and turned off the watch on his wrist. Lab B6-19, wasn't that the door facing those seven fellows? Zhang Heng shook his head and chuckled before heading straight for the elevator.

Zhang Heng came to the B6 floor very quickly. Due to the fact that the B6-19 was not a biological laboratory, there was no need for disinfection. However, there were all manner of precision equipment installed in the laboratory, which meant that it needed a spotless space. As such, one would still need to wear dust-proof attire when entering the laboratory.

Zhang Heng walked into the laboratory after putting on his dustproof suit. There were seven or eight people standing by the wall in the laboratory, all of them staring at the screen on the wall.

Zhang Heng looked at the screen curiously as well and saw that the end of the mirror on the screen was shaking non-stop. It was the scene in the laboratory, but it seemed that some kind of broad angle camera was being used. Other than the image in the center of the screen being normal, the edges of the video were all deformed and distorted. That wasn't a big deal, as the camera was still moving and Zhang Heng was able to see himself on the screen.

Zhang Heng sensed something and looked at the center of the laboratory. He was able to see a mosquito the size of a fingernail circling in the air with his vision, and what was shown on the screen was the mosquito's vision.

"Mr. Zhang!" At that moment, a rather young man dressed in gold saw Zhang Heng standing at the door and called out to him. Everyone turned around and nodded at Zhang Heng. "Mr. Zhang."

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone." Zhang Heng returned the gesture politely before walking up to the screen and said to Louis, "Mr. Louis, is this the miniature detection equipment you mentioned?"

"Yes." A look of pride was seen on Louis' face as he continued, "The technology provided by the foundation is extremely advanced and has been out of the real world for decades. The monocrystalline silicon microchip technology, in particular, has given my team a lot of inspiration." As he said that, he took a pendant from his neck and pressed on it lightly. That tiny, almost invisible mosquito flew back with a buzzing sound and slithered into the hole at the bottom of the pendant.

"Please take a look." Louis handed the pendant to Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and took the pendant with one hand. He turned it around and the silvery-white mosquito came into view.

Such mechanical mosquitoes were not that different from real ones. Other than the differences in color, one could also tell from a magnifying glass that the body of a mosquito was made entirely of metal components.

"This is a miniature drone. We call it an electronic insect. As you can see, it is capable of acquiring information that many agents are unable to access, such as eavesdropping in a meeting room or installing weapons such as poison needles on its body. Some cyanide-based chemicals in it would be more than enough to kill." A look of glee was seen in Louis' eyes. "It could become the world's top secret agent and the most lethal killer."

Surprise was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as well. He never thought that he would be able to achieve such a feat just by giving the order to manufacture a miniature detector. It was just as Louis said, all anti-detection and security measures in the real world were rendered useless before him.

"What about its performance then?" However, Zhang Heng was not shocked by the technology that was capable of overcoming the ages. If its performance was lacking, then the value of the miniature drone would be greatly reduced.

"The electronic insect needs to be remote-controlled by someone. The remote-controlled distance is 50 meters." Louis then continued in a serious manner, "It flies at a maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour, which is about the same as a regular person taking a stroll. However, it has 180 degrees CCTV in it. Due to the fact that the diameter of the camera is less than one millimetre, the pixels are only 100,000 meters in diameter. However, it is capable of taking photos, recording, and monitoring everything."

"Additionally, it also contains the microcommunication technology that you sent over. The user is able to play the image and sound on the glasses that are specially equipped. However, due to the technology not being mature enough, the sound quality is also somewhat distorted, and the duration of the transmission is only one hour."

Zhang Heng nodded and said, "That's good enough and I'm very satisfied with it. But, Mr. Louis, what I need is a tactical mini detection device. I'm afraid that the capabilities of such a mosquito wouldn't be enough, especially in terms of speed."

"Mr. Zhang, we have more than one of those models," Louis chuckled and said. The young man who first spotted Zhang Heng took out a metal box and said, "Mr. Zhang, you might be more interested in this."

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes and wondered if all foreigners liked to keep people in suspense that much. He took a look at the metal box and found no patterns or words on it, but the material was thick enough to protect whatever was inside.

Zhang Heng didn't stand on ceremony and opened the box right away. However, he couldn't help but frown after opening the box. The thing inside the box looked like an electronic insect, but it looked a lot cruder than the mosquito-like thing he saw before.

That electronic insect was about the thickness of a chopstick and was about the length of a finger. It was hundreds of times larger than a mechanical mosquito. The body of the mechanical insect was segmented and seemed to be able to bend. There were three elliptical membranes that looked like cicada wings on either side of its body.

However, appearances were secondary. The most important thing was performance. Zhang Heng picked up the unknown miniature drone and held it in his hand. However, he was stunned when he held it in his hand, as he realized that the miniature drone was unexpectedly light and weighed no more than five grams.

Louis smiled after seeing Zhang Heng's surprise and said, "Mr. Zhang, have you heard of 'Rhodes'?"

191. Flying Rod

"Rhodes?" Zhang Heng frowned. "What the hell is that?"

"Rods, also known as' F1ingrods', are mysterious objects that can only be captured by cameras," Louis said excitedly. "They are usually elongated and have three pairs or more membrane wings on their bodies. They were commonly regarded as unidentified insects in the last century."

Louis paused for a bit before continuing, "However, due to the fact that the natural world has never seen the carcass of such a creature before, there are those who believe that such a creature does not exist. They believe that Rhodes is actually some kind of miniature drone, or UFO."

"A flying stick?" Zhang Heng asked without thinking.

"Indeed, that is what you Chinese call it." Louis smiled and continued, "However, our last guess is that the flying rod is actually a flying insect. Due to the camera shutter being slowed down, the delay caused by exposure resulted in the so-called flying rod."

"However…" Louis continued, "I designed the drone based on the inspiration gained from the baton. It's like a baton, flying with three pairs of wide and short membrane wings. I specifically selected artificial nanohedron materials for the wings, which are 100 times more resilient than the membrane wings of regular insects and have a wingspan of 1,500 times per second. Furthermore, the three pairs of membrane wings are actually connected, so the wings would undulate like waves when flying. Such a way of flapping would allow it to be more nimble than the dragonflies, but the noise generated would be even smaller than that of mosquitoes."

"I'll do my best to reduce its weight inside. There are only three components to its internal structure. One of them is a miniature nuclear fusion battery about half the size of Battery No. 7, the other is a pinhole high-definition camera on its head, and the last one is a miniature AI core. It's powered by the nuclear fusion battery, with the camera serving as its eye and the AI core serving as its brain. It could easily traverse 50 kilometers per hour in the dense jungle without running into any obstacles.

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. That baton was far more useful than the nanomachines. Of course, if the nanomachines were able to reach the same speed and power as the flying baton, that would be a different story altogether.

All in all, the nanomachines were tens of times more stealthy than the flying stick, yet the flying stick's speed and endurance far exceeded that of the flying stick due to its nuclear power supply.

"More importantly," Louis continued, "its ability to sustain itself is three months. Furthermore, the baton itself is a compressed jet with wings. If it isn't afraid of being exposed, it could be accelerated to the speed of a bullet to kill the enemy, or it could be used to travel quickly."

A look of shock was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. That baton was practically a miniature cruise missile, a detection device tailored specifically for him and the D.S.F.! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that having a tactical detection drone like the baton would allow his abilities to be enhanced hundreds and thousands of times over.

Zhang Heng's eyes were burning with passion. He took out the baton with a serious expression and asked, "How do I control it?"

"It could be connected to the AI core of the exoskeleton armor created by the foundation, which would then issue three commands." Louis held up three fingers and continued, "The first is the cruise command, which would allow the user to perform a free cruise mission within a radius of one to a hundred kilometers. The user of this data would be able to adjust according to the situation."

"The second way would be to explore the terrain. As I mentioned before, it could be connected to the AI core of the exoskeleton armor. As such, the pilot would be able to see everything that the flying baton saw, and he would be able to record everything that the flying baton went through before making the surrounding environment into a map. As such, exploring unknown terrain is the second ability of the flying baton."

"The last way is to be on high alert. If any threatening creatures are detected while patrolling or exploring, they will monitor and inform the user before giving up, tracking, or attacking under the user's command.

"Of course, you could still operate it when you're not wearing the exoskeleton armor. You just need to confirm your fingerprints and have the remote control," Louis said as he pointed at the abdomen of the flying stick.

Zhang Heng flipped the baton over and found a smooth spot on his stomach. He pressed his thumb on it and the camera on the baton flickered for a bit. It flapped its wings and flew up, circling around Zhang Heng like an obedient pet clinging to its master.

"Very well. You may now give the command to it as you please." Louis spread his hands and smiled.

Zhang Heng nodded and took out a remote control that was disguised as a phone from the box containing the flying stick. He then pressed the first button.

The remote detected the same fingerprint immediately and gave the command to the flying baton within milliseconds. The baton was sent flying forward in the very next second.

The baton was extremely fast and it reached the edge of the laboratory in no time. However, just when it was about to hit the wall, the AI adjusted its angle and made a turn by brushing against the wall in a very dangerous manner.

Zhang Heng listened carefully. Even with his hearing, he was only able to hear the very faint sound of wings flapping. His hearing had been enhanced by the T-Virus, which meant that it was more than 10 times better than that of regular people. He was only able to hear the faint sound of wings vibrating. To regular people, they would definitely not be able to hear anything unless a flying stick were to reach their ears.

Zhang Heng put the baton back into the metal box after the experiment was completed, feeling rather sentimental. He had always favored biotechnology, yet he had forgotten that electronic technology could also bring about significant improvements for him. For example, the baton could be even more useful than cloning warriors at times. With the addition of the exoskeleton armor, Zhang Heng's shortcomings in detection were immediately made up for.

"Mr. Zhang, are you satisfied with the research done by our team?" Louis asked cautiously, even though he could tell from Zhang Heng's expression that he was very pleased with the results of the test.

Zhang Heng frowned right away. He never bothered to hide his emotions in front of his subordinates. If he liked something, he liked it. If he didn't like something, he didn't like it. It was obvious at a glance that he was very satisfied with the product. The only reason why Louis asked that question at that moment was to remind Zhang Heng to give him something in return. Such petty thoughts might have worked in the past, but at that moment, Zhang Heng's impression of Louis plummeted.

Zhang Heng shot a cold look at Louis, who immediately felt that he had seen through everything that he was thinking and scheming. He quickly lowered his head, his forehead dripping with cold sweat, not daring to look into Zhang Heng's eyes anymore.

"You and your team have done well." Despite not having a good impression of Louis, he still wanted to reward him for what he had done and not disappoint him. "Corona."

"Commander." Corona's voice was heard from the speaker in the laboratory.

"Increase the level access of Louis' team by 0.5. The treatment will be increased by one level."

"Yes, Commander."

Everyone's eyes lit up, looking pleasantly surprised.

192. Fang Liwei

An electronic mosquito cost over 500 thousand US dollars, and a flying stick cost over two million US dollars. That was equivalent to the price of a tank and was even more expensive than most of the other missiles. That was only at the cost price. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng being rich, he wouldn't have dared to do such a thing.

Zhang Heng returned to his room after rewarding everyone. He had to continue training his mental power under Corona's arrangement. It could be said that mental power was a power that had more potential than his physical body.

Eight more hours passed and the training that day was finally completed. Back in the virtual space, Zhang Heng was able to increase his brain by 100 times without any side effects. However, due to having to train his mental strength, his training dropped to 50 times over. His brain continued to grow stronger and he was able to use 100 times over again.

Eight hours of training was equivalent to a month in the virtual space. He had basically finished absorbing all the fear that he had accumulated over the past few days. His face was still pale when he left the virtual space.

Corona rubbed her temple while lying in bed and said, "Commander, your sister called you."

"Get through," Zhang Heng said lazily, lying on his bed.

Zhang Xin's voice was heard from the equipment installed in the room.

"Dude!" Zhang Xin sounded furious.

"Hmm?" Zhang Heng answered lazily with his eyes half-closed.

"Are you coming home today or not?" Zhang Xin's voice was very sweet and even when she was angry, her voice still sounded rather soft. It was probably the legendary loli voice. Zhang Xin continued, "You're not coming home for the Lantern Festival, bro. I haven't seen you in a long time. Come and get me home quickly!"

"What? You're out of pocket money again?" Zhang Heng smacked his head. In truth, he had been advising his parents to move to Haizhou ever since Zhang Xin started school in September last year. After his parents agreed, he bought a villa in the vicinity of Corona and hired a few nannies. Zhang Heng would occasionally go back to his hometown for a visit. While it wasn't a frequent visit, he still went there once or twice a month.

As such, Zhang Xin was able to return home whenever she felt like it. All she had to do was give a call to the clone warriors who were protecting her in the dark and there would be a car waiting to pick her up. Of course, Zhang Xin thought that those people were just drivers from Zhang Heng's company.

However, Zhang Xin didn't call the clone that day. She called Zhang Heng instead, and he immediately understood why his sister didn't have any pocket money.

"No, no, that's not the reason!" His sister's voice became even more anxious and she looked like she was about to fly into a rage out of humiliation. "I don't care, it's winter break at school today. I want you to come and get me home!"

"Sure, sure, sure. Wait at the school gate." Zhang Heng chuckled and hung up. His head no longer hurt as much when he talked to his family.

He took the elevator from the basement to the B1 floor and went through the defense measures of the Honeycomb B1 before taking the elevator that led to the ground floor. He checked his watch and found that it was about four in the afternoon.

Zhang Heng went to the underground parking lot after getting out of the elevator. He saw a figure standing at the corner of the parking lot sneakily as soon as he got the car out of the parking lot, tapping on his phone from time to time while looking around furtively.

However, he didn't notice Zhang Heng's car driving past him.

That was why Corona automatically blocked Zhang Heng's whereabouts. People went in and out of the Stellar Technology building every day, yet no one knew that the boss of the company was right before their eyes.

"Corona, what's with that guy?" Zhang Heng took a look at that sneaky-looking man and asked with a frown.

"That man's name is Wang Dana. He appears to be an employee of the Human Resources department of the company, but he's actually a Huaxia intelligence agent. He's currently trying to leave a backdoor in the company's intranet." Corona continued casually, "People like that are very common."

"I remember that there are 98 Huaxian employees in the company. How many of them are there then?" Zhang Heng suddenly had a bad feeling about the whole thing.

"23 people." Corona appeared in the front passenger seat right away. She rested her chin on her hands and looked at Zhang Heng, her eyes beaming like crescent moons. "8 people in Huaxia, 4 in the United States, 1 in the United Kingdom, 4 in Japan, and 6 spies from other pharmaceutical companies."

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched and he had the urge to kill himself right there and then. Was it that easy for him to set up his own company?

"That's not all." Corona chuckled and continued, "The company's website is subjected to over a thousand hacking attacks every day. There are government organizations from all over the world, as well as individual organizations. The people recruited by the technical department you established are all spies as well."

"It's alright. There's nothing to be afraid of with you around." Zhang Heng eventually sighed. He suddenly felt that the future of his company was rather bleak. It wasn't that he couldn't get rid of all those spies, but what was the point? Even if he were to get rid of all of them, there would still be the next batch. It would only make everyone realize that he had some kind of hidden trump card up his sleeve. Such an outcome would only make Huaxia and other countries even more cautious.

"Don't worry about it. Those spies are considered high-ranking elites after all. If I want to stay in the company, I'll definitely need to work. Otherwise, Li Yiru would have told those people to get lost." Zhang Heng had no choice but to comfort himself in the end.

Zhang Heng finally arrived at the gate of Fudan University an hour later. He rolled down the car window and took a look around. He saw a few guys smoking and chatting at the gate, but Zhang Xin was nowhere to be seen. That was when he called Zhang Xin's phone using the car system.

"You're here, bro?"

"We're here. I'm at the west gate."

"Sure, Yang Yang is staying with us today as well." His sister pouted.

"Sure, get out here," Zhang Heng said impatiently.

Zhang Heng saw Zhang Xin and Yang Yang at the school gate less than 10 minutes after hanging up. Several female cloned warriors who were there specifically to protect Zhang Xin appeared at the gate as well. None of those cloned warriors looked out of place in terms of appearance and attire. Even if Zhang Xin herself didn't know of their existence, her phone, backpack, and even her shoes were all installed with tracking devices designed by Corona. As long as Zhang Xin walked out of the school gate, those people would follow behind her and keep her safe.

Several female cloned warriors also saw Zhang Heng on the other side of the road, but they only took one look at him before turning around. Cloned warriors had no emotions, and all they needed to do was to carry out Zhang Heng's orders.

However, just when Zhang Xin and Yang Yang were about to walk out of the school gate, a guy among the crowd who was chatting with Zhang Xin suddenly stood up and walked up to Zhang Xin.

"Zhang Xin, what a coincidence. Where are you guys heading to?" The young man had a buzz cut and looked very innocent and bashful, yet there was an unconcealable glee on his face.

"Fang Liwei, why do you care where we're going?" It seemed that the young man had been bothering Zhang Xin a lot in school. As soon as he appeared before Zhang Xin, she rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, oh, oh. Little Wei sure is persistent!"

"Give her a hard kiss and kabedon her!"

"One! One!" Fang Liwei and his teammates immediately shouted.

The guy named Fang Liwei scratched his head awkwardly, but he still looked determined. "Zhang Xin, it's the holidays today. Why don't we go watch a movie?"

"No time. I need to go home." Zhang Xin didn't bother to be nice to her and dragged Yang Yang away from her.

Fang Liwei didn't stop her and simply watched as Zhang Xin walked past him. He shook his head and went back to his friends, feeling dejected.

"I say, Liwei, you'd better give up!" A very mature-looking young man patted Fang Liwei's shoulder in sympathy as soon as he came back. "Zhang Xin is such a good catch that you won't be able to get her. She's from the city after all, and I heard that there are professional drivers waiting to pick her up after school. How could she fall for someone with such good qualities?"

He pointed ahead and continued, "Look, someone's picking her up again. Oh, and she's driving a Mercedes-Benz GLS63."

Fang Liwei was stunned and turned around subconsciously, just in time to see Zhang Xin waving at a man who looked average but had a sinister air about him. The man then ran up to that man with a bright smile on his face and that man patted Zhang Xin's head dotingly before the three of them got into the car.

"Damn, who the hell is that guy?" Fang Liwei was stunned right away. He stood up and wanted to give chase, but the car turned around and disappeared from everyone's sight before he could.

"Holy sh * *, what the f * * k are you chasing me for?" That very mature-looking guy pulled Fang Liwei back and said, "Who cares who that person is? What does that have to do with you? Don't you find it embarrassing enough? Did you know that your reputation of pestering girls and wooing girls has spread all over the school?"

He then went on to recommend an app that was comparable to the old version of a book chaser.

"But, do you think Zhang Xin would end up being a kept woman by that man? I knew right away that he wasn't a good person from the first look!" Fang Liwei looked like he was about to cry. He felt very uncomfortable at the thought of Zhang Xin smiling so sweetly at that sinister-looking man despite being cold to him all the time.

"Sigh, every goddess has a man who f * * ks her to the point of vomiting." The guy who advised him patted his shoulder in sympathy. "Our mission is to get a good diploma and find a good job so that we can successfully go against all those goddesses."

193. Goodbye Joshua

It was a reunion after taking his sister home.

Zhang Heng stayed over at his parents' place for the night before leaving the very next day, as his parents were reluctant to part with him.

He also informed his parents before he left that he needed to make a trip overseas for the time being. He might not be able to reach them for the time being, but he didn't need to worry about that.

His parents knew that he was very busy at the moment, so they didn't try to persuade him otherwise. They simply told him to be more careful when he went out.

Zhang Heng appeared in Miami, Florida, over 10 hours later.

Miami was the biggest city in the southeastern part of the United States. Both its geographical location and comfortable climate were more than enough to drive anyone on vacation crazy. Zhang Heng walked out of the airport wearing a pair of sunglasses after getting off the plane. The warm sunlight made him stretch lazily.

Miami felt as warm as spring compared to the harsh cold of Haizhou. It was the warmest place in the entirety of American winter, with the average temperature of winter being about 19.5c. There was no clear distinction between the four seasons in Miami, which was replaced by a year of wet and dry season. Zhang Heng could even see people wearing beach pants on the streets.

The sun, the beach, the palm trees, and… the girls in bikinis were all things that Zhang Heng remembered from his time in Miami. However, that wasn't his goal. He hailed a cab and headed straight for Biscayne Bay.

It was located in the eastern part of Miami, at Biscayne Bay, a place known as the Pearl on the Water. The land and islands around it were like solid arms, taking good care of the pampered princess. It was the legendary Water Paradise, a place where the rich and the rich congregated. Even the international superstar from Huaxia had purchased a piece of property there.

However, while those aquatic mansions might be priceless, they paled in comparison to the massive behemoth at Biscayne Bay. The Williams Family, a massive financial group on Wall Street, had built their mansions there as well.

If someone else's mansion was a mansion, then the Williams family's mansion would be a mansion.

The Williams family's land area in Biscayne Bay was an astonishing 50 acres. However, Zhang Heng saw a tall iron fence and a blue sign as soon as he got to the Williams family's territory.

"Private-property-no-trespassing!"

Entering private property was prohibited.

Zhang Heng followed the sign and saw a palace-like villa standing between a golden beach and a green garden. Some of the buildings even extended into the blue waters.

Zhang Heng could even see the golf course and bowling alley in the southeastern part of the villa. The value of that villa alone was enough to buy the Li Group.

Zhang Heng shook his head. While his current financial prowess far exceeded that of the Williams Financial Group, he was still unable to comprehend the luxurious lifestyle of American capitalism. To him, buying a few suburban villas that were built by unified dealers in Haizhou was the bottom line of his spending money. He would feel the pinch if he were to spend more.

Zhang Heng took out a rubber mask from his pocket. It was a gadget that was created by a scientist who was bored out of his mind in the hive. The mask, coupled with the high-end equipment found in the hive, was able to alter a human's appearance after covering the face, enabling the user to become another person.

Zhang Heng put on his mask and checked himself in front of the camera on his phone for a bit. When he found that there were no flaws, he climbed over the wall and walked right into the man's territory.

Having reached the level of the Williams Financial Group, the number of built-in private bodyguards became a given. While there wouldn't be many of them, there would definitely be over a hundred of them. Zhang Heng scanned the area and saw three security guards patrolling the area ahead.

Zhang Heng hid behind a bush and waited for her to walk past him. He looked around and saw a camera slowly spinning on a palm tree not far away.

Zhang Heng automatically calculated the blind spot of the camera in his mind and walked past the bushes in a few steps, continuing to walk forward as if there was no one else around.

Zhang Heng easily evaded three waves of patrolling personnel and cameras along the way, making his way into the heavily-guarded private property with ease. Corona came to the internal structure of the villa and the possible locations of the targets as soon as he got to the bottom of the building.

The next step was even simpler. Zhang Heng kicked the floor lightly and darted into the three-meter-tall cabinet like a monkey, knocking out a chef in the kitchen.

There was a huge study at the southeastern corner of the villa at the moment. Instead of calling the study a study, it would be more apt to call it a library. It had an area of 300 square meters, with solid wooden walls, bookshelves, and book stairways extending to a four-meter-tall roof. Tens of thousands of books were piled on top of it, making it look like one was in a sea of books.

There was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties inside the study room. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and was bending over his desk, marking some documents. He seemed to have been in a high position for a long time and had a very superior air about him, as well as a strong sense of confidence.

He was none other than the man who owned the manor—Joshua Williams, the true leader of the Williams family.

At that moment, Joshua was sitting in his study, flipping through the financial reports of his family for the past month. He felt as if he had returned to his youth after replacing that new body of his. His energy had been greatly boosted, making him look like he was in his forties on the surface, but in reality, his physique was even stronger than that of young men.

Joshua was extremely glad that he had chosen to join the Stellar Foundation back then. Otherwise, he would have been forced to live like that damned father of his, doing his job with precision, spending as much time as he could in jail to prolong his life. He wouldn't have had the energy to keep his family thriving.

He was now in possession of endless power and money, and what awaited him was a steady stream of lives. He was destined to live longer than anyone else in history.

Excitement was seen in Joshua's eyes. He had supreme power, staggering wealth, and a long lifespan. He was practically at the top of the world by then. There was only one thing he needed to do at the moment, and that was to continue to strengthen his family, enabling them to reach the level of the top 10 financial groups in the United States, where they would be able to stand on equal footing with those older families that had been around for over a century.

At that time, his words and actions could even affect the US presidential campaign.

Every time he thought of that future, he would feel very excited. As long as there was endless life, what else was impossible?

However, at that moment, Joshua felt that something was off with his peripheral vision. He instinctively looked in that direction and was shocked, breaking out in cold sweat.

Someone had appeared on the sand that was initially empty.

It was an average-looking Asian man who was sitting on the sofa opposite him at some point in time. He had his legs crossed and had one hand supporting his head as he looked at Zhang Heng calmly.

Joshua's pupils contracted, but he didn't yell like a regular person. Instead, he pulled open the drawer before him without making a sound and found a pitch-black Glock lying inside.

Even the most stupid of people would realize that someone who was able to pass through dozens of security guards and cameras without warning and appear before them without making a sound was definitely not some kind-hearted person. The crux of the matter was to figure out why that person was there.

194. Hire

A drop of cold sweat dripped from Joshua's forehead. He didn't say anything and simply reached out his hand and held the Glock fully automatic in his hand.

Joshua's expression was noticeably relieved as soon as he held the gun in his hand. The safety on the gun had always been turned on, and there was no need for it to be loaded. It could fire a whole round of bullets in three seconds and reduce the intruder to a pile of mush.

It was only then that he had the mood to observe the stranger. Due to having his back to the window, the stranger's face was covered by a dark veil, making it impossible to see his appearance.

Joshua frowned, but he had no intention of asking for her identity. Every second that passed was a variable to him. He made up his mind right away and was about to pull the trigger and send that piece of trash to hell.

"Relax, Mr. Joshua." However, the man seemed to have sensed something and spoke all of a sudden. He extended his left hand and looked at Joshua, only to see a platinum ring made of four-colored gems on his thumb.

Joshua was stunned when he saw the logo and frowned. "And you are?"

"Stellar Life Sciences Foundation, Azure Dragon," the man said casually. "I believe you know why I'm here."

It was only then that Joshua felt more at ease. However, he didn't put away his gun and instead continued asking, "Why did you sneak in? You could have just asked the security guards to notify you to come in through the front door."

"Due to certain reasons, my whereabouts could not be exposed." The other party's voice was very hoarse, sounding like metal scratching against glass. "Enough chit-chat. Where are the goods?"

"The goods are in the warehouses that I've rented," Joshua said. "I can give you a list if you want."

"No need, just send the electronic copy of the list to the email address of the foundation," the stranger replied casually. "I'm not in charge of paying the bill, I'm only in charge of transporting goods."

"Transportation?" Joshua asked, feeling puzzled. "How do you plan to transport it? There are so many state-class precision machinery, and it would be very difficult to get past customs alone. It would take more than a year to get there by smuggling."

"I have my own way of doing things, of course," the stranger replied casually. "You don't have to worry about that."

Joshua didn't say anything else after seeing that she didn't appreciate his kindness. He simply chuckled coldly and said, "I'd still like you to come in openly next time. Otherwise, you'd be dead by now."

"Oh, you mean that toy?" The man raised his hand casually and saw a pitch-black handgun in his hand.

Joshua was stunned. It was only then that he felt that his hand was empty. He clenched his fist subconsciously, but he was only able to hold a ball of air. The gun in his hand had somehow appeared in the other man's hand.

A look of utter shock was seen on Joshua's face. He stood up all of a sudden and shouted, "How did you do that?"

"Relax, dear Mr. Joshua. The logic is simple. It's just that I'm faster than you could react." The stranger clicked his tongue and flicked his wrist, causing the gun in his hand to disappear without a trace.

Joshua gasped and silently raised his hand, only to see that the gun had returned to his hand as if it was some kind of magic trick.

Joshua was completely stunned.

Monsters. All of them were monsters.

Joshua couldn't help but curse internally. He couldn't help but recall all the weird, inexplicable situations that he had encountered when he first joined the Golden Foundation about half a year ago, as well as the host of the conference who was able to regenerate his brain after having his head snapped off. The mysterious and terrifying nature of the Golden Foundation had far exceeded what he knew of the world.

It was fortunate that he wasn't an enemy of the Golden Foundation.

Keeping that fear to himself, Joshua holstered his gun and said frankly, "I'll send someone to take you to that warehouse, but I have a favor to ask. Would you be able to help me with it?"

"Oh?" The stranger replied with a non-committal "oh".

Joshua couldn't help but frown. He really wasn't used to having people treat him in such a manner. However, he suppressed that uncomfortable feeling deep down after thinking about the man's identity and methods. "Here's the thing, Mr. Green Dragon."

"You should know that in our line of work, we would nurture some mafia forces to help us do some shady things." Joshua sat at his desk for a bit and continued in a deep voice, "The force that I nurtured in Miami initially had control over the entire black market's cocaine trafficking. However, an organization called the Shark Gang extended their reach into the market not long ago."

"Don't say that you're not strong enough to take care of that organization." The man shrugged and continued in a completely insincere tone, "If I can't even take care of a local thug like you, what can I do?"

Joshua shook his head and continued, "The other party is backed by an important member of the Morgan family, and he has a very deep relationship with the new mayor of Miami. I'm unable to force them to submit through any means available to me. Furthermore, if we were to fight them head-on, both sides would suffer heavy losses and the losses would outweigh the gains. As such, I need you to do me a favor and assassinate the leader of the Sharks Gang. Once he dies, I'll have countless ways to annex them."

The stranger chuckled and said in a jarring tone, "What an honor. I can't believe that the boss of the Williams family would actually value a nobody like me so much."

"If you're able to sneak into my manor without making a sound, you'll be able to sneak into his villa without making a sound!" Joshua paid no heed to the other party's teasing. "Of course, I'd be willing to pay you 50 million US dollars as compensation."

The unknown man couldn't help but whistle. "Hmm, that's a very high price. I don't think anyone would be able to refuse such a price."

"So you agree?" Joshua asked.

"No, I'm sorry to say that my time is limited and I'm afraid I won't be able to help you." The man shrugged. He had to be kidding. One day's worth of human cryogenics alone was worth two billion USD. Fifty million USD seemed like a huge sum to anyone, but the man that Zhang Heng was impersonating was the only exception.

Joshua couldn't help but frown. That answer was completely out of his expectation. It wasn't that he didn't know that the Golden Foundation was rich, but that was the foundation's money after all. How could everyone in the Golden Foundation be rich? However, the fact that the other party had actually rejected his request without any hesitation made him even more wary of the mysterious Golden Foundation.

"$100 million." Joshua took a deep breath and raised the price again.

The stranger looked at Joshua with a shocked expression and said, "I don't think that the drug dealers in Miami would have that much money in a year."

"Not for a year, but for a decade?" Joshua said in a deep voice. "I'm bound to have a long life just like you. As such, I don't think the price is too high. The Morgan Financial Group is my old rival. If I were to let them get rid of my forces in Miami, I'd be even more passive. Furthermore, I'd like to see just how much your bottom line is."

The stranger was silent for a bit before he clapped loudly all of a sudden. Shrill laughter was heard from the empty room. "Very good, very good! Mr. Joshua, you've successfully piqued my interest. In that case, I'll take the job. Tell me that man's address, name, and appearance."

There was a look of glee on Joshua's face as he said, "That man's name is Andre Irving and he usually lives at 23 Welwood Street. That's where the Shark Gang's headquarters is located." He then turned on the laptop on the table and the high-quality solid disk was turned on within five seconds. Joshua quickly turned the computer over and saw a Caucasian man with a mustache and a scar on his face on the screen.

…

195. I Have A Dream

"So, this is Andre Irvine, the leader of the Shark Gang." Joshua's tone was filled with murderous intent. "He was an Irishman from his hometown and lived in Detroit when he was young. Both of his parents died when he was seven, and he had only one grandmother to support him. He began selling drugs when he was fifteen and began selling firearms when he was eighteen. His business grew and eventually, he was taken in by the Morgan family and became a loyal dog of the family."

The fact that he was able to recite the man's data so easily showed just how much of a headache Joshua was dealing with this man. "The man is very cunning. He's able to move faster than a rabbit when he makes a move. My assassins have failed four times. I hope you can succeed."

"No one I've ever wanted to kill could live past the next day." The stranger chuckled coldly and continued, "As for the reward, I'll just deduct it from the Golden Foundation's bill."

Joshua was stunned. "Isn't that your job? Wouldn't you lose that sum of money if you do that?"

"Permanent loyalty to the Golden Foundation is my only code of conduct." However, the stranger wore a serious expression and continued, "Trust me, even if I'm not the one who came this time, the others would have made the same choice as me. You'll never understand just how great the Golden Foundation is."

Joshua nodded with a complicated look on his face. "If that's the case, I won't say anything else. Their security is just as tight as mine. If there's anything you need my help with…"

"No." The stranger cut him off right away. "You just need to read the morning paper tomorrow. That's the end of today's conversation. I look forward to seeing you again."

A gentle breeze blew outside the window as he spoke and his vision blurred. He blinked subconsciously, but by the time he was able to take a good look at the interior of the room, the man had disappeared from the room like he was vapor.

Joshua wore a complicated expression and fell completely silent.

…

Zhang Heng had a cap and a mask in his hand when he left the Williams family's manor. He put the two items on his head and walked silently to Welwood Street.

It was soon late at night.

Miami was known throughout the world as the City That Never Sleeps. It was once the city with the highest murder rate in the whole of America and was also known as the City of Arms and Drugs. Drugs from South America were all smuggled into the US from Miami and the massive drug deals brought about boundless vitality to the city—high-end apartments, hotels, luxurious nightclubs. All of those money squandering sites appeared in the city one after another like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. What followed right after that was endless gang wars and violent crimes. Things only got better after more than 10 years.

Zhang Heng took a shortcut and made his way through the black streets in the outskirts of Miami. The street was named the Martin Luther King Avenue by the black people there. Martin Luther King was the leader of the black people, and he once gave a famous speech about 'I Have a Dream'. After leading the civil rights movement in the United States, he was hailed as the leader by the black people all over the country, and many black communities were willing to name their community the Martin Luther King Avenue.

The Martin Luther King Avenue eventually became a social phenomenon in the US.

The places where black people congregated were always linked to violence, drugs, gangs, and crime. It wasn't without reason that black Americans had a crime rate of 70 percent throughout the country.

The houses along that road were run-down and the streets were filled with drunkards and gang members with tattoos all over their bodies. Some of them even went around the streets with guns in their hands. Even the police wouldn't dare to come here alone to investigate.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but think of a joke that everyone in the United States knew about when he saw what was happening on both sides of the road. 'What if a friend of yours calls and asks you if I got lost on Martin Luther King Avenue? You should answer without hesitation,' Run! '

However, Zhang Heng's unfamiliar appearance attracted the attention of quite a few people. Three black men wearing hip-hop attire and wearing chains were pointing at Zhang Heng from behind, speaking slang with unclear meaning. One of the young men who was obviously underage wanted to go up to Zhang Heng as soon as he said that, but he was held back by another black man. The three of them looked at Zhang Heng with ill intentions and followed him from seven to eight meters away.

Zhang Heng frowned and headed straight for a pitch-black alley at the side. The three black men behind him were overjoyed and followed him in a few steps. Shrill screams were heard from the alley in just a few seconds. The screams were hoarse and shrill, but they were only heard halfway, like ducks being strangled by someone and their voices were cut off.

Zhang Heng walked out of the alley again half a minute later without any expression on his face and continued walking.

A young man who had been watching all of this from the sidelines walked over after Zhang Heng left. The young man shook his head and took a look at Zhang Heng before his eyes rolled around and he quickly made his way into the alley. A few seconds later, the young man shouted all of a sudden and crawled out of the alley, pissing his pants and vomiting all over at the same time, as if he was seeing something extremely terrifying.

No one bothered Zhang Heng after that. He quickly made his way through the black residential area and arrived at his destination, Welwood Street. He calculated No. 53's location and took a quick look before heading to the left.

They were in the outskirts of Miami, which was closer to the inner city. There were only a handful of passers-by and cars passing by. They walked for about 10 minutes before a parking lot filled with luxurious cars came into view. A man with a huge belly walked out of the car with an arm around a golden-haired woman who looked very pretty. The man looked very drunk and kept shouting about something while the woman looked very alluring. The two of them walked past Zhang Heng, who reeked of alcohol, before entering a Ferrari.

Zhang Heng stood on the sidewalk and looked at the end of the parking lot. He saw a few neon signs flashing in the lonely night in the outskirts.

That was the name of 23 Welwood Street, a nightclub in the outskirts. Zhang Heng was able to see two security guards in suits standing outside the door of the nightclub, keeping the place safe.

"Commander, according to the GPS location of the phone, you are currently less than 50 meters away from the target." Corona's voice was heard from the Bluetooth earpiece in his ear at that moment.

"I see," Zhang Heng replied casually. "Could you hack the surveillance footage inside?"

"I'm sorry, but the surveillance system isn't connected to the internet. I'm unable to control it."

Zhang Heng didn't say anything else. He lowered the brim of his cap and walked past the door of the nightclub like a pedestrian.

The two bouncers took a casual glance at Zhang Heng before turning around and paying no further heed to him.

196. Bloodbath

The nightclub was a club with a membership system, and it wasn't a place that just anyone could enter. As such, Zhang Heng didn't choose to enter through the front door. He continued to walk for several dozen meters before finding a narrow alley by the side of the road.

Zhang Heng walked into the alley and walked for about 40 to 50 meters before his line of sight became wider. He saw a slightly wider alley. According to the layout of the nightclub, there would definitely be a back door to the nightclub in that quiet alley.

Zhang Heng walked back along the alley and found the back door of the nightclub to be just as he expected. It was a pitch-black steel door with a lot of willow nails embedded into it, yet there was no handle for the door to be opened. There was only a camera flickering with red light intermittently in the darkness, making it look like the eyes of some evil spirit.

The back door looked like a completely different world compared to the luxurious front door. There were drunkards vomiting everywhere, as well as several smelly garbage bins.

Zhang Heng walked up to the door without hesitation and knocked on it. The dull knocking sound echoed in the empty alley and sounded eerie and dead. Footsteps were heard approaching the door from afar in just a few seconds. The door creaked open a crack and a pitch-black muzzle poked out.

"Who are you looking for?" A cold voice was heard from behind the steel door.

"Andre," Zhang Heng answered casually. "I'm looking for Andre Irwin."

The person behind the door was stunned and instinctively wanted to close the door. "You've got the wrong person. We don't have…"

He was sent flying backward and crashed into the wall of hunger behind him as if he had just been shot.

Boom!

A dull thud was heard and that person's bones were broken into countless pieces. He was deader than dead.

Zhang Heng pulled the metal door open silently. His mental power had far exceeded the imagination of regular people, making it easy for him to send a person flying. However, his mental power's penetration was not very strong, which was why he had to wait for the other party to open the door before he could attack.

Zhang Heng walked into the room with a deadpan expression on his face, as if he had just done something insignificant, stepping over the dead man's body.

However, at the same time, another black man walked in from the other side of the door, mumbling as he walked, "What the f * * k are you doing, Anselm? What was that noise…?" He saw Zhang Heng walk into the door before he was done talking. He blinked and looked at Anselm, who had turned into a pile of mush on the floor, and then at Zhang Heng before taking out his gun as if he had just woken up from a dream.

However, it was too late. He suddenly felt a huge force from his neck and his entire body was lifted up by some invisible force.

"Where's Andre Owen?" Zhang Heng asked casually as he walked toward him, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"It's, it's on the third floor. It's none of my business. I'm just…" A snapping sound was heard before he was able to finish his sentence. His neck was twisted 360 degrees and his spine, trachea, and esophagus were all shredded into mush. He lost control of his brain and his limbs twitched in despair like someone who was about to die.

Boom! The corpse, which was still warm enough, fell to the ground. The black man's brain had yet to lose consciousness. His eyes were still wide open and filled with disbelief.

Zhang Heng walked in the direction that the man came from and a long corridor came into his sight. More than a dozen people were lying on the floor of the corridor.

There were both men and women, black and white. All of them had their eyes wide open and were leaning against the wall without realizing it. Saliva dripped from the corner of their mouths and there was no reaction even when Zhang Heng walked past them. The only thing that could be seen was the needle marks on the floor, indicating what they had done.

This was the backstage area of the nightclub. If the people who came to buy the drug couldn't wait any longer, they would come here for a round of drinks, followed by hours of joy. The meaning of their lives had been completely taken over by the drug.

Zhang Heng was able to hear the deafening sound of heavy metal music as soon as he walked out of the alley. That was the lobby of the nightclub, but that wasn't his target. He turned around and headed for the stairs leading upstairs.

No one knew if it was due to the security personnel in charge of the surveillance, but no one found Zhang Heng, an uninvited guest, until he went up to the second floor. Only then did two men in black suits stare at him.

"There's an intruder at the back door of the nightclub! He's on the second floor!" A warning was heard from their earpieces at that moment. Both of them were stunned and quickly took out their guns and pointed them at the stairway, but there was no one there.

"What happened? Did you see that too, Jim?" One of the older bouncers couldn't help but frown. He continued to stare at the stairs warily, but he didn't get a response from his partner, as he had expected.

"Jim?" The bouncer couldn't help but turn around, only to see his friend clamping down on his throat, causing him to bleed profusely.

Fear was seen in the bouncer's eyes and he was about to shout when a pitch-black bayonet suddenly stabbed into the back of his head and popped out of his mouth.

The bouncer wore a look of disbelief on his face. He wanted to shout, but he was unable to do so no matter how hard he tried. That sharp black bayonet was only able to pierce through his chest for a split second before being pulled out. The bouncer didn't feel any pain at all. He only felt countless streams of warm liquid gushing out of his mouth like a floodgate being opened. The bayonet severed his brain stem, and he could only collapse to the ground with his limbs limp. Before he lost consciousness, he was still able to see his friend, whose artery had been cut open, collapse with him.

However, the other party seemed to have gotten past the surveillance cameras and infiltrated the building. Zhang Heng heard loud noises coming from the rooms on both sides of the second floor and dozens of bouncers dressed in black rushed out from those rooms.

"It's him!" Shouts were heard from the crowd. All of them raised their guns at the same time and pulled the triggers without hesitation.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang!"

Loud gunshots were heard and Zhang Heng slowly raised his hand. Everyone saw him standing there with a deadpan expression on his face. Blood sprayed from the bodies of the people who fired at him and they fell to the ground one after another. Blood was seen all over the ground in an instant.

Shock was seen in the eyes of the remaining people, and one of them didn't believe what he just heard. He aimed at Zhang Heng's head and pulled the trigger with all his might. A loud bang was heard and he felt the entire world shake all of a sudden. Everything went dark and he completely lost consciousness.

The others were able to see it very clearly. The bullet seemed to have bounced off Zhang Heng when it was about to hit him. The trajectory of the bullet changed in an instant and rebounded on the shooter's head, destroying his own brain in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, there were only three people left out of the forty to fifty of them. All three of them had looks of utter disbelief on their faces. They wanted to run away, but all of them felt a sudden pain in their necks and their heads turned 360 degrees at the same time. All three of them were dead.

Zhang Heng headed for the third floor after taking care of the people on the second floor. The third floor was the highest floor, and there was nowhere for Andre to run to unless he were to jump off the building.

"Are you here to kill me?" Zhang Heng saw a European man standing at the door with a glum look on his face as soon as he got to the third floor. There were two other bouncers behind him, but while they tried their best to stay calm, the fear in their eyes was unmistakable.

The image on the computer in Zhang Heng's memory quickly coincided with that person's face. The two faces were constantly compared and Zhang Heng immediately realized that that person was indeed that person in the photo.

"Hold on, let me finish first. I have a son, and I'd like you to…" Andre gritted his teeth and was about to push a 12 or 13-year-old child before Zhang Heng, but before he could finish, Zhang Heng's bayonet was already embedded in his forehead.

"Dad!" The child shrieked and looked at Zhang Heng with hatred in his eyes. He pulled the string on his body and lunged at Zhang Heng with a shriek.

A cold smirk was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he narrowed his gaze. The child and the two remaining bodyguards were sent flying and crashed into the wall at the end of the corridor.

The next second, there was a loud rumble and the entire building shook violently. The explosive pack on the child exploded and a huge hole was blown into the wall at the end of the corridor.

That boy was a suicide bomb!

It was only then that the customers in the nightclub realized what was happening. The crowd shrieked and went into complete chaos, fleeing the nightclub like a swarm of bees.

197. Academy's Big Bang

Zhang Heng didn't go looking for Joshua after returning from the Sharks Sect. He sent a message instead and Joshua replied with an address very quickly.

Zhang Heng found a huge steel warehouse in the outskirts according to the address on the email. There were also several BMW cars outside the warehouse.

The door of the warehouse was closed. Zhang Heng knocked on the door lightly and a small door by the side of the warehouse opened slowly. A man asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

"Azure Dragon," Zhang Heng said casually.

"Please hold on for a moment." That man's gaze softened a little. He picked up his phone and made a call to confirm before putting on a respectful expression. "Mr. Green Dragon, we've been waiting for you for a long time."

"You may leave now that I'm here." Zhang Heng nodded. "Go back and tell your boss that he doesn't need to bother with the stuff."

"Yes, I understand." The man bowed and nodded before waving at the warehouse. More than a dozen people filed out of the warehouse and got into the car after handing Zhang Heng the keys to the warehouse.

Zhang Heng looked around after watching everyone leave. He walked into the warehouse and locked the door after confirming that there was no one else around.

The lights in the warehouse were on and the area of the warehouse was massive. Zhang Heng looked around and found all manner of supplies laid out before him. There was food, chemical materials, and all manner of electronic equipment. There were labels on every piece of equipment to label the names and numbers. Zhang Heng didn't hesitate and selected a portion of the supplies before communicating with the Dimensional Star and returning to the radiation plane in the very next second.

Zhang Heng began his career as a mover again. He was now able to transport supplies of 10,000 cubic meters every time he traveled, and his efficiency was 20 times higher than before. Additionally, the cooling down period of the transportation was reduced to 12 hours. It took him only three days to move all the supplies worth tens of billions of US dollars.

Zhang Heng had put up a total of 50 billion US dollars worth of missions. That was not a small sum, as 50 billion US dollars would have caused some price shocks even in the US. In the end, the financial groups from all over the world who were willing to help discussed among themselves and decided to split billions of US dollars among their families. That way, they would be able to alleviate the pressure and prevent the government from taking note of them.

A few sneaky-looking men walked over after Zhang Heng left. They looked at each other for a bit and a serious look flashed in their eyes before they nodded and pushed the shutter shut.

…

"What did you just say?" Joshua stood up all of a sudden with a look of disbelief on his face. "All the goods in the warehouse disappeared?"

"Yes, all of them have been cleared out," a man said obsequiously. "We've been keeping an eye on the place 24 hours a day. No one has been coming in or out of the warehouse for the past three days. However, there hasn't been a single piece of goods left in the warehouse after Mr. Azure Dragon left."

A look of shock was seen on Joshua's face. He remained silent for quite a while before letting out a bitter laugh and waving his hand. "I understand. You may leave. But remember, don't tell anyone about this, or else…"

"Yes, boss. We understand." The man felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and quickly retreated.

…

Zhang Heng paid no heed to Joshua's antics. While Joshua had been implanted with a biochemical chip, such a chip could at most prevent the host from betraying the Golden Foundation. However, it was impossible for the host to give up everything to the host. If Zhang Heng were to really order the host around like that, the result would only be overloading the host's mind, causing the chip to burn. The host would either end up in a vegetative state or die on the spot.

The human brain was simply too complex. It wasn't that there were no technologies that could completely control the brain, but the price to pay was that the host would lose himself and become an obedient doll. However, Zhang Heng still needed the help of his family members from both inside and outside. A doll without adaptability wouldn't be able to control his family.

Zhang Heng then traveled around the world to England, Germany, and India. A month passed by the time he sent all of his supplies to the radiation plane and the Dimensional amnesia plane.

Bauer and the rest of the human survivors were sent to the radiation plane in the Dimensional amnesia plane, where the base of the human colleges would slowly absorb all of their knowledge and turn it into their own. Not only that, but Zhang Heng also transported a huge batch of industrial machinery, as well as a synthetic human assembly line. Zhang Heng was going to build a nation of his own on that planet.

Zhang Heng's synthesized vanguards had discovered a large number of metallic mines on the planet after a month of exploration. According to their calculations, the resources on the planet of Tannis were more abundant than those on Earth, which was undoubtedly good news.

The production of synthesized humans was on track at the moment. More than a dozen synthesized humans walked out of the assembly line every day and joined the operation on Planet Tanis. In order to prevent any accidents from happening, Zhang Heng brought over a hundred cloning warriors in the latest armor, which he used to protect the planet from unknown dangers.

Establishing an industrial empire on the planet of Tannis was only one of the projects, and the other was to recycle and make use of the entire Ecstasy spacecraft. However, the project would be even longer, requiring tens of thousands of people working together, which would take more than 10 years to completely recycle.

The way things were developing on the Tanis planet, Zhang Heng's goal was still to create synthetic human assembly lines, just like how the Zerg army developed. The more assembly lines there were, the more synthetic humans there would be, and the more snowball-like the synthetic people would become.

Another piece of good news came from the radiation plane. The knowledge of the human survivors and scientists from the radiation plane clashed with each other, creating a spark similar to that of the Industrial Revolution. All of the projects that the institute had been working on underwent major breakthroughs, such as new quantum radar technology, quantum stealth technology, new advanced armor materials, and so on. All of that led to the technological level of the institute being elevated by over 10 years.

Then, with the massive resources that Zhang Heng brought from reality, the institute began constructing the first fire arrow in over two hundred years. Over a hundred scientists discussed and designed it day and night, and the fire arrow would be loaded with five Earth's geosynchronous orbit espionage satellites, which would ensure that the entire federation's activities were under strict control.

That kind of spy satellite was made of the most advanced quantum messaging equipment and possessed the technology to completely blow up radio communication. It was also capable of conducting day and night reconnaissance throughout the entire planet. It would then be able to use the Alpha Calculation to enhance and analyze the radar signal to create radar image, enabling it to penetrate the thick layer of radiation dust and the darkness of the night in the atmosphere. It even had a weak ability to penetrate buildings.

The entire federation would be seen by the Academy as soon as the spy satellites rose into the air. The day when the Academy would be able to unite the federation under Zhang Heng's control was about to come.

198. New Year's Plan

He continued to send Adam and Gu Zhan to the radiation plane to manage the situation while he returned to reality alone.

Zhang Heng knew all along that the first clone he created, Adam, hadn't had his emotions taken away. He made a small mistake during the creation process, but that mistake was quickly fixed, leaving only Adam as the mistake itself.

Even though Adam had tried his best to conceal himself among the clones, wanting to behave like the other clones, how could someone as meticulous as Zhang Heng be fooled by a child's clumsy performance?

Zhang Heng could have easily gotten rid of that uncertainty. While Adam was still loyal to him, he was in far more danger than most clones due to his emotional attachment to Adam. However, he still decided to give Adam a chance.

Truth be told, Adam didn't let Zhang Heng down. Regardless of whether it was training or actually carrying out missions, Adam kept his results at the forefront of all clones. Due to the fact that clones had no emotions, they lacked patience and perseverance as well. Their training efficiency was tens of times higher than that of regular people. As such, if Adam wanted to reach the level of clones, he would need to be even stronger than other clones. As such, what he needed to do wasn't just regular hard work and perseverance, but perseverance that was hundreds of times greater.

Zhang Heng was able to see what was going on in Adam's mind right away. Despite his cold exterior, he had a heart that was as pure and simple as that of a child's. He was terrified and troubled by the differences between himself and the other clones. In order to gain Zhang Heng's approval, he carefully hid all that stood out from the masses, doing his best to maintain a cold image. However, Zhang Heng saw him crouching in a corner like a little boy, weeping silently.

"Don't abandon me, I'm scared!"

Zhang Heng was deeply moved by Adam's hard work and reliance on him. As such, he decided to just treat Adam as his spokesperson in the radiation plane. The combination of Adam's sensibility and Gu Zhan's pure rationality would be like a sharp and flexible blade that would tear through all obstacles in the future.

Zhang Heng pulled his thoughts back to reality and sat alone on the top floor of the Stellar Technology building, lighting a cigarette.

The sky above him was dark and gloomy. In the brightly lit international capital, the starry sky had become something that would only exist in a dictionary and in his memories. Zhang Heng would only remember how resplendent the stars looked when he was young.

Bang!

"Bang, bang!"

Zhang Heng slowly turned around when he heard two dull thuds from behind him. He saw a sea of vibrant colors exploding in the sky outside the tall French window. The fireworks were short-lived yet brilliant.

It was the New Year's Day in Huaxia, a day where family reunited.

Zhang Heng wore a faint smile on his face and walked up to the window and opened it. A loud noise was heard and a strong gust of cold wind blew into the room, causing Zhang Heng to squint.

The cigarette in his mouth burned his life away like a madman when it came into contact with the wind. Zhang Heng took one last puff and flicked his finger with practiced ease. The butt of the cigarette spun in the air and dropped into the city below him.

Zhang Heng watched silently as the fire star fell like a meteor, fighting against the fireworks in the distance.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The clock struck midnight. Zhang Heng bent down and sat before the French window, hovering 200 meters above the ground. He took out his phone and called his father.

"Hello, Little Heng?" His father's aged voice was heard. It was unclear if it was due to the new year or the fact that he received a call from his son, but his voice was filled with joy.

"Happy New Year, Dad!" Zhang Heng said with a big grin.

"Alright, alright! Happy New Year to you, too!" His father chuckled and his phone was snatched away by his mother. "Heng, you're not even coming home for the New Year. Your dad and I were just wondering if you'd call home later!"

"Give it to me, give it to me. I want to talk to you too, bro!" Zhang Xin's voice was heard from the other end of the phone as well. Zhang Heng listened quietly and nodded from time to time, his smile filled with satisfaction.

Zhang Heng hung up the phone slowly a few minutes later and looked at the bustling city in the distance. He lit a cigarette and enjoyed the peace that he hadn't felt in a long time.

A year ago, he was just a young college student who had just obtained the Dimensional Star and was able to create the T-1 using the T-Virus. Be it his thoughts or will, he was just a mortal.

Now, he had become the leader of a massive financial group that spanned several countries and wielded massive wealth, standing at the apex of humanity. The Li Group, which he had to look up to back then, was but a small fry at the moment. All Zhang Heng needed to do was blow on it would become history.

All of that had happened in just a year.

Zhang Heng's goal was no longer limited to that in the coming year. He needed to gain complete control over the Earth's economy and the scientific development of humanity within the next two years.

That was because Zhang Heng could vaguely sense that the curse aimed at humans was very, very close.

"Commander, the Honeycomb Laboratory has successfully created a quantum spy satellite based on the quantum stealth transmission technology that you brought back from the radiation plane." Corona suddenly appeared behind Zhang Heng and reported joyfully, "We can begin the global communication coverage program now. We'll soon have the most advanced information transmission technology in the world, and we won't need to rely on backward and unsafe communication devices like cell phones anymore."

Zhang Heng nodded. He had long gotten used to Corona appearing and disappearing without a trace. "Very well, I'll go down and take a look right now." Zhang Heng extended his arms and descended from the 55th floor of the building.

Zhang Heng's control over his body enabled him to maintain his balance easily in midair, just like a bird flying. Not only that, but his body seemed to have violated the law of gravitational acceleration as it descended at a steady rate of 10 meters per second, landing only 20 seconds later.

It was fortunate that it was late at night in the early hours of the morning and no one saw what happened to Zhang Heng.

That was the effect of Zhang Heng's mental power. No matter how powerful a person was, they wouldn't be able to lift themselves up. That was because the human arm relied on the support points of the body, while mental power had no support whatsoever. As such, as long as one had enough physical power, a person could completely rely on mental power to hold their own, or even fly.

However, Zhang Heng's mental power could only serve as a cushion for landing for the time being, and it was severely inadequate for flying.

Zhang Heng headed straight for the B6th floor after returning to the Honeycomb. Most of the electronics laboratories were placed there. He saw a huge group of scientists walking out of the laboratories as soon as he walked in. All of them wore expressions of satisfaction from having overcome a crisis.

"Mr. Zhang, you're here!" Louis, who had just gotten out of the laboratory, looked tired for a second before being pleasantly surprised. He walked up to Zhang Heng and shook hands with him before saying politely, "Dear Mr. Zhang, thank you for your attention. We meet again!"

Zhang Heng was feeling rather frustrated. Who the f * * k would pay attention to someone who had nothing better to do? However, he still wore a faint smile on his face and said, "I heard that the manufacture of the quantum spy satellite was a success, so I'm here to take a look and see who's in charge of this project."

"It's obvious, Mr. Zhang. I'm still the person in charge of this project," Louis said proudly.

199. Warning

While Zhang Heng had been lurking in the dark all along, that didn't affect his growing influence in the world. While the human cryogenic center wasn't as popular as it used to be, there were still tens of thousands of people being put into the freezer for various reasons every day, earning about 800 million USD a day.

However, compared to when he first opened his company, where he was earning three to five billion yuan a day, that was a lot lower.

There was a total of five million freezers provided by the human cryogenic center in India, which was hardly considered a lot, given that most people would only need a drawer that was two meters long, 0.5 meters wide, and 0.5 meters tall. If someone were to overweight themselves, it wouldn't matter, as the cryogenic center had larger cryogenic drawers for customers to choose from. The cryogenic center would do its best to serve any requests that came to mind.

However, after two months of operation, there were over 500,000 customers in the cryogenic center. Ninety percent of those people went into the cryogenic center after the prices were lowered. Despite having selected regular members with the lowest prices, Zhang Heng still made a killing.

Over the past two months, the human cryogenic center had spent a total of $150 billion, which caused the entire world to become restless. Zhang Heng eventually sold the formula of the antifreeze to other countries, which was how things calmed down. However, the condition was that the countries that bought the formula were prohibited from using the antifreeze as a commercial activity for the next 20 years.

As such, Zhang Heng earned yet another fortune in secret, as his assets were already approaching the 400 billion mark.

While the government might have stopped asking, the world-class corporations and pharmaceutical companies would definitely not sit back and do nothing as they watched Zhang Heng monopolize the company. Countless people came looking for cooperation, but all of them were rejected by Zhao Qing from the Indian branch. Of course, threats and promises were unavoidable afterward, as Mumbai became a battlefield in India.

However, under the protection of the clone army, those people could only lose their lives in India.

There was once a group of powerful families in the country who came looking for him, but as for what happened…

Zhang Heng walked out of the laboratory where the satellites were manufactured and came to the door of the B6-20 laboratory. Several cloned warriors followed closely behind him.

Zhang Heng pressed his palm on the door lightly, and the fingerprint monitoring mechanism on the door immediately identified him. The door creaked open slowly.

The moment he opened the door, he was assaulted by an indescribable stench, which was mixed with the stench of fish, rot, mold, urine, and so on. It was as if a huge amount of rotten meat was stored in the basement and someone was eating and shitting in there. The smell was something that would haunt one for the rest of their lives.

Even someone as patient as Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown. He walked slowly into the laboratory, and the cloned warriors behind him followed him in with deadpan expressions.

The laboratory looked like hell on earth. Blood and internal organs could be seen everywhere, as well as a mixture of feces and vomit. There was only one person sitting quietly on the floor, leaning against a table in the corner of the room.

That man had a dirty look on his face and his entire body was covered in dried bloodstains. He kept his gaze fixed on the ground and bones were piled all around him. One could even see two or three skulls that had been pried open and turned white after being cooked.

Even when Zhang Heng walked in, there was still no reaction from him.

It was only when Zhang Heng walked up to him that the man slowly looked up. It was only then that he realized that the man was none other than the manager of the Qishan Capital Venture Corporation, Xu Haoyu. However, the man's true identity was that of the son of some family with power in Huaxia.

It was obvious that Xu Haoyu had made it to the end of the month of fighting. Gao Dequan, Huayi, and the other four became his living sustenance.

He looked at Zhang Heng with unfocused eyes and chuckled maniacally all of a sudden. "That's great, that's great. There's food again!" He stood up shakily and lunged at Zhang Heng like a zombie.

Bang!

Zhang Heng didn't do anything, and the cloning warriors on both sides took the initiative to stand in front of him, kicking Xu Haoyu against the wall with a dull thud.

"Woah!" Xu Haoyu vomited a huge mouthful of blood and fell to his knees, seemingly having finally snapped out of his trance. He looked at Zhang Heng and continued to smile bitterly, a smile that looked worse than crying. "Zhang Heng, you're finally here. Has one month passed?"

"We're here. That's why I'm here to see how you're doing." Zhang Heng put his hands in his pockets and looked at her with a deadpan expression. "I'm relieved to see that you're doing poorly."

"Hahaha!" However, that person seemed to have gone insane as he laughed out loud. "Zhang Heng, you've killed the descendants of the most powerful families in Huaxia. Do you really think that you'll be able to live on? Do you really think that there's a place for you in Huaxia? You're dead meat!"

"It's been a month and I'm still alive and kicking, aren't I?" Zhang Heng said coldly. "No point in wasting your breath on me. Get ready to go. It's too much of a waste to lock you up in this laboratory all by yourself. I need to get rid of it."

"Y-You said that you'd let me go in a month!" Xu Haoyu shrieked when he heard what Zhang Heng said. "You broke your promise!"

"Did I say that I'd keep my promise?" Zhang Heng shook his head indifferently and turned around to leave. He said as he walked, "Relax. I've recorded everything that you've been doing for the past month. I'll give each of you a New Year's gift after I've edited the footage."

"Zhang Heng, you're going to die a horrible death! My grandpa is going to get revenge for me!" Xu Haoyu shouted at the top of his lungs and was about to charge at Zhang Heng when the cloned warriors on both sides stood in front of him and pulled out their bayonets, stabbing at him with all their might.

"Hmmph!" Xu Haoyu's eyes were wide open as he glared at Zhang Heng, who was walking further away from him. His gaze was filled with intense hatred and resentment. Eventually, his vision grew increasingly dark and blurred, until all that was left was darkness.

He didn't close his eyes even when he died.

Zhang Heng smirked coldly as he walked out of Laboratory B6-20.

Those families definitely knew that their children and grandchildren had gone missing at all times, yet they went missing when they came to invest in Zhang Heng's company. No one would believe that all of that had nothing to do with Zhang Heng.

However, Zhang Heng's methods had also instilled fear in those families, enabling them to easily find evidence of their crimes. If Zhang Heng were to upload all the evidence of their crimes online, their families would be doomed.

Even countries would have to sacrifice their families to appease the people when faced with the wrath of countless people.

As such, no one dared to come after Zhang Heng even after a month had passed.

The delivery of the discs would serve as a warning. If they dared to make a move, they couldn't blame Zhang Heng for putting up a life-and-death struggle. After all, if they couldn't stay in Huaxia any longer, Zhang Heng could still go to the US, England, and Australia. All those countries would welcome him with open arms, and once those families left Huaxia, they would be nothing.

The factions who had their eyes on his company would probably be able to rest for a while after the incident.

200. Max Luxury Yachts

The next day, a half-buried car carrying a container was driven out of the Stellar Technology building. The container that the truck was carrying was huge and was over 20 meters tall, making it stand out on the streets.

The truck continued to travel through the East Fourth Loop for several hours before reaching a small pier by the sea. Dozens of private yachts and fishing boats were parked at the dock, and the most eye-catching among them was a brand new, massive double-sized private yacht.

The two-seater ship was far larger than that of regular private yachts. It was over 50 meters long and looked as exquisite as a spaceship seen in science fiction movies. The sides of the ship were golden in color and the buildings were pure white. The bridge at the topmost floor was a helipad that was over 20 meters long.

When Zhang Heng was sent to the dock by the company's driver, he happened to see a huge crane slowly lift the container on the truck into the air and place it precisely on the helipad at the top of the yacht.

The clone warrior got out of the car right away and opened the door for Zhang Heng, who got out of the car unhurriedly. There was an old man wearing a suit who had been waiting for him for quite a while.

The old man walked up to him with a smile when he saw Zhang Heng getting out of the car. Zhang Heng extended his hand and the two of them shook hands. "Hello, Uncle Wu. I've heard Little Ru talk about you a lot."

"Hehe, Boss Zhang, you and the missy are overestimating me. I'm just a dying old man."

The old man who was referred to as Uncle Wu smiled amiably. That man was none other than the butler of the Li Group. He was the one who was ordered by Li Jianguo to look into Zhang Heng's files back then. However, that college student who had just stepped out of society back then had become the chairman of the biggest company in Huaxia in the blink of an eye. The vast difference between the two made Uncle Wu feel rather dazed.

However, such thoughts were quickly thrown to the back of his mind. Uncle Wu extended his hand and his assistant behind him handed him a copy of the data. Uncle Wu handed the data to Zhang Heng solemnly and said, "This is the inspection procedures and transfer contract for the yacht. From now on, the ship belongs to you. Are you hiring the pilot?"

"I do. Don't worry." Zhang Heng took the data and handed it to the clone behind him.

"That's good to hear." Uncle Wu smiled and continued, "I've taken care of the procedures at the maritime department. If you still want to use the parking space at the dock, you'll need to pay 100 thousand yuan per month for maintenance."

"Alright, thank you." Zhang Heng nodded and said, "Would you mind coming up for a bit?"

"No need. I still need to report to the old man about my work." Uncle Wu smiled and said, "Boss Zhang, if there's nothing else, we'll take our leave first."

"I'll see you out." Zhang Heng followed Uncle Wu out of the pier and watched as the man got into the car before returning. He looked at the super luxurious yacht that was far larger than the other yachts on the pier and felt something was off.

Yachts could be divided into three categories, big, medium, and small, according to current international standards. The length of yachts was 36 feet (11.05 meters), medium-sized yachts were 36-60 feet, and larger ones were 60 feet (18.3 meters).

While Zhang Heng's yacht was nowhere near the likes of the tycoons of the world who were easily over 500 feet tall, it was still far from being able to compare with the rest of the world's tycoons. As such, the yacht was able to outshine all of the other yachts and fishing boats on the small pier.

The yacht named 'Max' was 185 centimeters long with a contract of 56.4 meters and a width of 12.8 meters. Its motive was to fuel two cat28oop engines, with a maximum flight speed of 18 knots and a depth of 1.9 meters. There was even a 36-foot small lifeboat at the bottom of the yacht, which Zhang Heng bought from Li Jianguo for 2 million US dollars.

Zhang Heng's original intention was to call Li Jianguo and ask him about the financial resources of the yachts. However, when he found out that Zhang Heng wanted to buy a ship, Li Jianguo sold his beloved 'Max' private yacht to Zhang Heng without hesitation.

The original price of the yacht was about 5 million US dollars, and Li Jianguo had only bought it for a month, making it 99 percent new.

Zhang Heng was indeed in desperate need of a huge yacht, but there were no requirements regarding its performance and design. As such, Li Jianguo agreed to the terms of transferring a yacht over 50 meters long to him without hesitation. It was only then that he realized just how much of a bargain he had just taken.

That was, without a doubt, a way for Li Jianguo to return the favor. Despite that, Zhang Heng still called Li Jianguo to thank him before getting on the yacht excitedly.

One would have thought that the yacht was huge just by looking at it from the dock. It was only when they walked in that they realized how huge the yacht was.

The interior of the yacht had a total of three floors, with one kitchen, one warehouse, and four guest rooms in the base. Every single one of the rooms looked very luxurious, with satellite television, satellite phone, fridge, air conditioner, and other appliances installed inside. There were two floors above the deck. The first floor consisted of a driver's compartment, a dining room, a lounge, and a gym. The second floor consisted of a single suite, which was the captain's exclusive luxury room.

Other than that, there was also a 200-square-meter open area on the deck, where there was a small swimming pool that allowed one to bask in the sun while enjoying the sea breeze. If he were to invite a few more alluring girls in bikinis, he would be able to enjoy the view of all the girls partying in the water.

Zhang Heng sighed as he walked around the entire yacht. The lives of the rich were simply unimaginable.

"Get ready to sail."

Zhang Heng made his way through all the spaces before lying down on the deck chair. He snapped his fingers and the clone warrior served him the champagne and other drinks on the ship. Zhang Heng took a sip and the huge yacht, the Max, sailed completely away from the dock and headed deep into the blue ocean.

Despite the fact that it was still early spring, the sun was shining brightly and there was no sign of the bitter cold of winter. Of course, if it were midsummer instead of early spring and all manner of beauties were serving him instead of the brawny clone warriors, things would have been even more perfect.

"Zhishang, how long until we reach our destination?" Zhang Heng asked with his eyes closed after enjoying the sun for about half an hour with the ocean breeze blowing at him.

"Commander, we have 13 minutes to reach our destination," the clone named Zhishang replied respectfully as he bent over. He was the new assistant that Zhang Heng had selected after Adam and Gu Zhan left. He was also the first clone warrior to be able to completely defeat Corona in the virtual space. That clone warrior looked handsome and dashing on the outside, but only Zhang Heng knew that there was unparalleled power in his body.

If he hadn't used his mental power, he wouldn't have been a match for that man.

Zhang Heng nodded and got up right away. He said coldly, "Eagle fighter pilot, get into the hold and standby. Get ready for the mission!"

"Understood!" Zhishang took out his walkie-talkie and repeated Zhang Heng's words.

Two cloned warriors climbed out of the hold in just a few seconds and headed for the roof of the ship again. The two of them soon found themselves in front of that tightly packed container and used some kind of method to open the container's exit. A shiny, metallic, conical object was exposed to the sunlight right away.

That mysterious, conical-shaped object was none other than the new type of Falcon. Due to Zhang Heng not being able to carry enough space with him previously, the first type of Falcon was only 10 meters long and two meters in diameter. Now that he was able to carry enough space with him, the new generation of Falcon mechs had grown to 18 meters in length. The entire mech looked like a shuttle with a width in the middle and a tip at the ends. Only such a shape could allow the mech to reach its maximum speed.

The way of things was simple. The simpler the structure, the faster and more stable the flying became.

201. Tracking

"Report to the command center. The Falcon-01 is in position and ready to take flight at any moment."

The calm voice of the pilot was heard from the walkie-talkie. Zhishang turned around and looked at Zhang Heng. "Commander, the fighter jets are on standby. You may issue your orders."

"Let's begin." Zhang Heng nodded.

"Yes." Zhishang raised the walkie-talkie again. "All available flight. Mission proceed as planned."

"Understood."

It was only when Zhishang heard the confirmation from the walkie-talkie that he put it down and handed Zhang Heng a pair of sunglasses.

Zhang Heng put on his sunglasses and looked in the direction of the container. He saw a blue glow lighting up in the rather dark container. A low humming sound was heard gradually, which then grew stronger and became a piercing screech.

It took only a few seconds for the Falcon to slowly lift up and move at the same time. It moved out of the container in the blink of an eye and hovered above the Max.

The shape of the Falcon was like that of a shuttle. Zhang Heng was able to see that at the bottom of the massive Falcon, there were four ionization fans spinning non-stop, emitting a blue ion current at the same time. The powerful thrust caused the Max to shake non-stop. Everyone on the deck felt a strong gust of wind blowing at them. The force of the impact was even greater than that of the helicopter's propellers.

However, the Falcon didn't leave immediately after that. Instead, it continued to hover above the yacht. Ripples that looked like water ripples began to appear on the body of the Falcon, undulating faster until it became completely transparent, like water currents. Zhang Heng could even see the blue sky and white clouds that looked slightly warped through the body of the Falcon.

That was the quantum concealment coating used by the Falcon, which boasted optical, radar, electromagnetic waves, and infrared invisibility. It was estimated that the United States of America wouldn't be able to detect the Falcon even if it were to go around the White House in Washington, DC.

It was only when the entire thing became transparent, with only four beams of blue light visible, that the Falcon finally began to accelerate and headed for the open ocean.

There was a small fire arrow installed in the belly of the Eagle mech. According to the plan, the mech would fire the rocket after entering the atmospheric ionosphere, before the Eagle mech would return. The rocket would then bring the quantum spy satellite into geosynchronous orbit, making it one of Zhang Heng's trump cards.

However, this was his first test after all, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to pull it off.

The Falcon mech continued to accelerate like a UFO. After the sound was over, the engines of the engines were turned on. The sound of air being shaken and exploded was heard and the speed of the mech increased all of a sudden. A powerful force pushed the two cloned warrior pilots hard against their backs, locking them in place.

"The Falconer has entered the stratosphere and is still in mid-air. Currently in the TriMarch."

On the other side of the ship, Zhishang was reporting the pilot's situation to Zhang Heng one by one, enabling him to receive information regarding the fighter plane and give instructions immediately.

"Mach 5!"

"Seven Machs!"

"The fighter plane has broken through to Mach 10 and is now in the middle of the atmosphere. Current altitude: 50km."

As the altitude of the Falcon became higher, the air became increasingly thin and the speed of the fighter grew increasingly fast. The body of the fighter was coated with a layer of high temperatures that was capable of withstanding 2,000 degrees Celsius, enabling it to maintain a high altitude even when flying into the atmosphere without fear of being burned.

Three minutes later, Zhishang continued, "The Falcon has reached Mach 12 and has entered the ionosphere. Currently, altitude is 80km."

"How's the pilot doing? Can he hold on?" Zhang Heng paused for a bit and asked.

Zhishang was stunned. He took a look at Zhang Heng and relayed what Zhang Heng said to the two pilots right away. "Report your condition."

"Everything is normal. No danger," a voice was heard from the radio.

"No problem, they can keep going." Zhishang turned around and looked at Zhang Heng.

"Just tell them to do their best. If they can't hold on much longer, shoot the rocket and head back." Zhang Heng nodded.

Zhang Heng continued to listen to the reports from the other side. It didn't take long for the Falcon to reach a height above 110km. Zhang Heng chuckled. That height had broken the world record of human planes, but that was only to be expected. With the capabilities of the Falcon, it would have been more than enough to beat the fifth generation fighter planes of the United States, not to mention flying hundreds of kilometers.

"The Falcon has broken through 20 Machs!" At that moment, Zhishang added, "Current altitude: 150km!"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but take a deep breath. While he knew that the Falcon was an exceptional fighter, he had never thought that it would actually reach Mach 20. That speed was equivalent to seven kilometers per second, which meant that it was almost as fast as a pulse rifle bullet.

Currently, only a handful of ballistic missiles could reach such speeds, yet that was still not the limit.

About 10 minutes later, Zhishang continued, "Currently, its height is 230km, and its speed is maintained at 23 Machs. I'm afraid it'll be dangerous for it to continue rising. Would you like to continue?"

Zhang Heng shook his head and said, "Alright, order them to shoot the rockets and return immediately."

"Understood." Zhishang continued to pass down Zhang Heng's orders. At that moment, at an altitude of 23,000 meters above the ground, the stomach of the Falcon, which had turned slightly red due to the high temperatures, slowly opened. A miniature rocket with a diameter of about one meter and a length of about 10 meters was ejected and quickly ignited in the air. The ion thruster at the end of the rocket emitted a blue glow and continued to fly out of Earth's outer space as the AI core equipment on the rocket operated.

At the same time, the Falcon arced through the air and began to plummet.

"Commander, the loading of the fire arrows is a success. Ms. Corona has sent word as well. She has taken over the calculations regarding the trajectory of the arrows and will definitely complete the mission."

"Very well. We'll be able to return after the Falcon returns." Zhang Heng nodded and stood up to stretch before making his way to the captain's bedroom on the second floor of the ship.

The captain's room on the second floor was several times more luxurious than the one on the first and bottom floors. It was designed with a design that consisted of wild oak-patterned relief reliefs and high-quality marble, with one room, one living room, and one bathroom. There was also a study, a dedicated gym, and an independent balcony that allowed one to sit on the second floor's deck and enjoy the sea breeze or look down on the people on the first floor.

That wasn't all. The truly luxurious part of the room was its roof—the roof was constructed of alloys that could be opened, enabling one to lie in bed at night and admire the stars in the sky. Of course, that didn't just create such a romantic atmosphere for sleeping purposes. Li Jianguo must have bought that ship for some other reason.

You know…

It was a pity, however, that he suspected that he would probably never be able to use that function for the rest of his life.

The Falcon returned successfully about an hour later and returned to the container with impeccable precision. On the other side, Corona also received good news that the fire arrow was successfully placed in its intended location after flying for 70 minutes. It would be able to enter orbit successfully after some slight adjustments.

Zhang Heng had yet another trump card up his sleeve from then on out. The clone army, coupled with the exoskeleton armor, was already a force to be reckoned with. With the addition of the satellite's intelligence and communication systems, he was able to wield at least 300 percent of his combat prowess.

202. Professional Bluff

Half an hour after the return of the Falcon, before Zhang Heng's luxurious yacht, the Max, made it back to the harbor, Corona received news first that the quantum spy satellites had successfully entered orbit.

With Haizhou as the center, the East Sea region that covered Huaxia, from South Korea to Taizhou, and the Kansai region of Japan, were all within the range of the quantum spy satellites.

There were countless advantages to having satellites in the sky. For example, when they were within the range of the satellite's quantum signal, the cloned warriors would only need a special wireless earpiece or a device that could receive the satellite's quantum signal, and they would be able to contact each other without delay. Corona could even be precise enough to issue missions to individual soldiers. Think about it, every soldier would have a clear mission when they were fighting in an army, with clear commands and clear supervision. Just how terrifying would the combat power of that army be?

That was only in terms of communication, as well as satellite navigation. The Falcon could even be controlled by Corona throughout the entire process, turning it into a drone that was tens of times more efficient than being manipulated by others.

Other than that, there were also high-precision video cameras, surveillance functions, and so on for 24 hours a day.

That being said, the functions of a quantum satellite were simply too powerful, which meant that the amount of information generated would be thousands of times higher than that of a regular satellite. The central control system was also essential for processing so much information, with the exception of the quantum signal receiver. The central control system had to be able to process the data sent back by the satellite with a pb rate, and the data had to be sorted and summarized.

As such, only supercomputers of the Milky Way would be able to meet the criteria. Otherwise, the massive amount of data available would have been more than enough to shut down regular computing.

However, Zhang Heng was never worried about such issues. As long as Corona was around, nothing would be a problem.

Corona's capabilities were more than enough to serve as a ground reception and central processor for satellite signals. Currently, Corona had taken over more than 10 supercomputers and was also responsible for constructing and operating virtual spaces. But even so, if it were to be converted to modern computer computing units, Corona's memory storage capacity would still be less than 1 percent. Furthermore, 0.9 percent of the data was stored in virtual spaces.

After all, the meaning of virtual space was to simulate reality infinitely close to 100 percent. The creation of microscopic particles as small as Quark and the rest of the four fundamental forces were essential factors for simulating reality.

As such, the amount of computing power required to operate a virtual space was simply too high. It was equivalent to having a computer activate hundreds of billions of special effects at once. Such a massive amount of computing power was something that even Tianhe-2 would have to shut down.

However, the area covered by a single satellite was still too small. The entire world had a total area of 51 million square kilometers, and the signal coverage of a single satellite was only about 10 million square kilometers. Zhang Heng needed at least 51 quantum satellites to be able to cover the entire world without any blind spots. Of course, if he were to reduce the number of unnecessary places, such as some areas in the ocean or the north pole, he would need around 30 to 40 of them.

However, the cost of constructing a quantum satellite was also several hundred million US dollars. However, the cost was negligible compared to its practicality. There were nano-high precision machine tools, monocrystalline silicon chip assembly lines, graphene material processing workshops… Zhang Heng had everything he needed. The only thing he needed to worry about was the source of the materials. The Honeycomb Laboratories underground in the Stellar Technology building were practically the ones that consumed materials. The requirements for experimentation, manufacturing of finished products, day-to-day products, food supplies, and so on had to be transported from the outside world. If it hadn't been for Corona, the Honeycomb Laboratory would have been discovered long ago.

Despite all that, the government of Haizhou was still puzzled by the increase in demand for certain raw materials found in Haizhou. They discovered that a significant portion of the industrial raw materials disappeared into thin air during daily economic transactions. The only indication that those raw materials had been purchased was that they had no idea where they were being used.

As such, the mayor of Haizhou placed a lot of importance on the project. He quickly set up an analysis team after reporting to the central government, hoping to figure out what was going on behind the scenes. However, his efforts were in vain.

Zhang Heng was in a very good mood as he took a ride back to the Stellar Technology building. The successful shooting of the satellite meant that his influence in the world had been further enhanced.

"Corona, let's start building satellites in bulk from here on out. We'll only be done when the entire world is covered in satellites. How many days would that take?" The satellites were already in orbit, and the quantum signal had completely covered Haizhou. Zhang Heng decided to just connect with Corona using the wireless earphones specially designed by the Honeycomb.

The earpieces were about the size of a fingernail and were placed directly on the inside of the ear canal, with one on each side, enabling one to receive information regarding hearing perfectly.

"Commander, due to a shortage of personnel, satellites could only be manufactured one by one, unless you specifically design a production line. However, that's not worth it. As such, it would take at least a year and three months to construct 50 satellites and have them all take flight."

"It's been a while…" Zhang Heng sighed and his expression changed all of a sudden. "If that's the case, you guys will be in charge of the construction of the 20 satellites. I'll leave the rest to the radiation plane to build. There will be more personnel there."

"Understood," Corona replied.

"What about my industrial park then? Any news on that?" Zhang Heng asked about the pharmaceutical company located next to the Stellar Technology building.

Zhang Heng's antifreeze had been approved by the FDA in the US two and a half months ago, confirming the effects of the antifreeze. However, just when Zhang Heng was about to manufacture the drug using a newly constructed pharmaceutical company, he discovered that Huaxia had refused to give him the drug company's license, claiming that the drug hadn't been approved by Huaxia's company. As such, Zhang Heng had no choice but to purchase a pharmaceutical company in India as soon as possible, which prevented his plans from falling apart.

However, the pharmaceutical company that had invested 300 million USD was completely put on hold after that. Zhang Heng didn't have the time to solve the problem because he had to set up his plans for the radiation plane and the Deep Space Amnesia plane, and he was only free today.

"We still haven't been approved by the pharmaceutical company. As you know, your relationship with Huaxia hasn't been very good recently," Corona said helplessly.

Zhang Heng frowned at that. The Huaxia market was a very important part of his plan to control the global funds. Furthermore, he was a Huaxian himself. If it were possible, he would definitely want to side with his country. However, he could tell from what happened with Xu Haoyu that if Zhang Heng had taken the antifreeze to Huaxia certification back then, those families would have probably come looking for trouble with him instead of waiting for him to set up a human cryogenic center.

"If that's the case, then it looks like I'll need to ease my relationship with Huaxia." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "The only things I have that I'm able to get my hands on right now are those new types of antibiotics. It just so happens that I've just gotten my hands on the antifreeze, and all the pharmaceutical companies around the world are already eyeing me. If I were to continue getting my hands on those antibiotics, I doubt that even Joshua and the others would be able to protect me. I guess I'll just have to give those worthless things to Huaxia to ease our relationship."

"What do you plan to do?" Corona asked curiously.

"We could set up a state-owned enterprise with the government directly, which specializes in opening new types of antibiotics. As for the distribution of profits, I'd only be able to accept a profit of six to four percent. I'd take four out of six countries, and they'd be responsible for all channels and fees from production to promotion to sales."

"So, you're going to just sit back and do nothing…" Corona said teasingly. The way she did it was no different from the way she promoted the T-1 back then, except that she was working with the government instead of Li Jianguo.

203. Officially Appearing

"That's just a proposal. I'll need to discuss the steps with Li Yiru and get the company's planning department to come up with a proposal. After all, isn't that what the company is for?" Zhang Heng put on a very matter-of-fact expression.

"I guess the whole world will know that you have new antibiotics tomorrow," Corona said. "Don't forget about the spies in the company."

"Don't worry. Since I know who they are, I'll definitely keep them from spreading the news." Zhang Heng nodded and took out his phone to call Li Yiru.

"Beep, beep, beep…" The call was cut short.

"What happened?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"Ms. Li Yiru is in the general manager's office right now. Her phone is on silent mode, so I didn't see your call," Corona answered promptly.

Zhang Heng nodded and didn't say anything else, ordering the driver to head straight for the Stellar Technology building.

Zhang Heng returned to his own place an hour later. He didn't return to Honeycomb but went straight to the lobby of Hengxing Building instead. Since Li Yiru wasn't answering his phone, he had no choice but to pay her a visit himself.

To be honest, Zhang Heng had never made an appearance in the company since the opening of the Stellar Technology building. The only time he made an appearance in public was when Xu Haoyu and the others came to see him. Zhang Heng came and went in a hurry, and Ma Rong, Li Yiru's manager, knew what he looked like.

However, he later heard that Ma Rong, the assistant, had some issues with her personal life and was eventually fired by Li Yiru for damaging the image of the company.

Zhang Heng walked into the lobby in casual attire and headed for the elevator with ease. However, a receptionist behind the counter stopped him.

"Excuse me, sir over there. What can I do for you?"

Zhang Heng turned around and saw two receptionists standing behind the counter. Both of them wore white shirts with blue female suits and short skirts. They were dressed in typical white-collar office attire and both of them looked above average.

Zhang Heng nodded at the two of them and said, "I'm looking for Li Yiru."

"Sir, if you have an appointment, could you please come here and register? Our company isn't open to the public, and every single person who comes in and out of the building needs to be registered," the receptionist continued to persuade him politely.

Zhang Heng felt rather exasperated. He had been going in and out of the Honeycomb from the underground parking lot all the time, and it was true that the receptionist at the front desk had never seen him before. He shook his head and walked up to the front desk, saying earnestly, "I'm Zhang Heng."

"…" That somewhat dazed receptionist looked at her companion and saw that she looked confused as well, so she asked, "So, you don't have an appointment?"

Zhang Heng was stunned. It was only then that he realized with a bitter smile that there was no one in the company who knew his boss's name. He was probably the first to see his boss behaving like that.

Zhang Heng tried calling Li Yiru again, but no one picked up. At that moment, a tanned middle-aged man in his thirties walked up to Zhang Heng. He looked at Zhang Heng with a rather uncertain look and asked, "You're… the boss?"

Zhang Heng turned around and his highly elevated cerebral hippocampus automatically brought up the data regarding the sedimentation of the cerebral cortex. He then made a quick comparison with the person before him. Understanding flashed in his eyes in less than a millisecond. "Mr. Niu Xinping, we meet again."

That man was one of the three people whom Zhang Heng saw playing cards with Fang Hao when he was making his rounds at the Stellar Science and Technology building about a year ago. Zhang Heng's brain function was extremely powerful, and he was able to recall who that man was despite having only met him once.

"Oh, y-you still remember me?" Niu Xinping looked very flattered and quickly extended his hand. In truth, he had long forgotten what Zhang Heng looked like. Zhang Heng was simply too plain-looking, the kind that one wouldn't be able to find in a crowd. He had only seen Zhang Heng once in a hurry and hadn't spoken much to him. If it hadn't been for the man before him telling him his name, Niu Xinping wouldn't have been able to remember that the average-looking young man was the boss of the company he was working for.

Zhang Heng nodded and shook her hand before saying calmly, "Long time no see. Which department are you working in now?"

"Well, I'm the manager of the lobby right now and I'm in charge of taking care of things like that," Niu Xinping answered respectfully and turned to look at the two girls at the reception desk and said in a serious tone, "Remember, this is the boss of our company. Be careful in the future."

"Don't worry about it. They're just doing their jobs. I should be happy that my own employees are so dedicated to their jobs." Zhang Heng smiled and waved before chatting with Niu Xinping for a bit before heading for the elevator.

Niu Xinping wiped away his cold sweat with lingering fear after Zhang Heng got into the elevator. For some reason, he felt rather nervous whenever he was around Zhang Heng, probably because the young man before him was his boss.

However, Niu Xinping couldn't help but think of his previous boss. While that boss of his might not be as rich as Zhang Heng, he was much older than Zhang Heng and had a cold expression on his face all the time. Despite that, Niu Xinping wasn't as nervous as he was when he was with that boss of his, at most being a little reserved.

It was obvious that there was something about his new boss that intimidated him.

The two receptionists were even more stunned. They had been in a dazed state ever since Niu Xinping told them who Zhang Heng was. It was only when Zhang Heng left that the dazed-looking receptionist said sheepishly, "Manager Niu, he, he's really the boss of our company…"

"That's right, he's the boss." Niu Xinping nodded solemnly and said with a sigh, "Surprised, isn't it? I've been working at Stellar Technology for a year, but I didn't know that our company was so capable until the human cryogenic center appeared. What's even more frightening is that our company isn't a shareholder company at all, and we've never been listed before. That is to say that all of the money that the company earns every year belongs to him alone. He's already one of the richest people in the world!"

"Impressive…" The other receptionist's eyes were wide open and she couldn't help but cover her mouth and exclaim. That dumb-looking receptionist seemed to have thought of something and said with a bitter face, "Well then, Manager Niu, will he take revenge on me? I don't want to change jobs…"

"What are you thinking about?" Niu Xinping patted her on the head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Who do you think the boss is to argue with a girl like you? You're underestimating the boss."

The few of them began to talk about Zhang Heng while laughing and joking around. Due to the fact that there were less than 100 employees in the Stellar Technology building, the staff at the front desk were actually very free. The few of them only came to work earlier than usual. Other than that, they were much more relaxed than the other staff.

Zhang Heng took the elevator all the way to the third floor on the other side. He saw a clean and tidy corridor as soon as he got out of the elevator. Several employees were seen going in and out of the corridors, and they only took a casual glance at him before turning their attention away.

Zhang Heng made his way to the door of the general manager's office and knocked lightly. Li Yiru's tired voice was heard after several seconds.

"Come in."

204. Shining The Sword

Zhang Heng pushed the door open and went in immediately after hearing the noise. Li Yiru was sitting on the leather chair of the manager, looking at the data on the computer. However, the exhaustion on her face was unmistakable.

"What can I do for you…" Li Yiru was about to say something when she heard the door open. However, before she was able to finish, her eyes widened and she was unable to finish her sentence.

"Are you surprised?" Zhang Heng sat down on the leather chair opposite Li Yiru and lit a cigarette as he asked.

"What are you doing here?" Li Yiru didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I thought that the chances of the president of the United States appearing in the company would be higher than the chances of you appearing in the company."

Zhang Heng shook his head helplessly and gestured for her to keep quiet. He then walked around the office under Li Yiru's curious gaze and took out four small listening devices from the top of the chandelier and the blind spots on her desk.

Li Yiru was rendered speechless right away, but that shock quickly turned into indescribable rage. "Damn it! Who did this? I'm going to sue them!"

"That's nothing out of the ordinary. There's no need to make a fuss about it." Zhang Heng glared at Li Yiru.

"But…" Li Yiru wanted to say something else.

"One of those bugs is even from the US Fbi. How are you going to sue them?" Zhang Heng smirked and continued, "Stop throwing a tantrum. Do you really think that you're still a college student who can do whatever you want? You should have known that such a day would come the moment you became the general manager of a huge company ranked third in the world."

Li Yiru was stunned. It was the first time she had seen Zhang Heng speak to her in such a manner. However, due to her high IQ and EQ, she felt as if she was suddenly enlightened after hearing what Zhang Heng said. She realized that she was no longer who she used to be.

Li Yiru shot Zhang Heng an aggrieved look and gradually quieted down.

"You look exhausted." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and changed the subject. "Any problems with the company?"

"A lot." There was no need for Li Yiru to put up a front in front of Zhang Heng. She wore a tired expression and nodded. "Hui Rui, Novartis, Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, the four world-class pharmaceutical giants, have been targeting us in secret. There are also embassies from the ASEAN countries in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines who have sent us messages asking us to sell them the antifreeze formula at a price of one billion US dollars. If we don't do so, they'll be doing economic sanctions against us in the ASEAN region."

"Sanctions?" Zhang Heng chuckled. "How would they do that?"

"Don't we have a branch company in Singapore? They're developing treatments for rheumatism and arthritis." Li Yiru continued in a troubled manner, "The main market for such treatments for arthritis is the ten countries of the ASEAN. As such, it would be a piece of cake for them to come after our branch company."

Zhang Heng pursed his lips. He had almost forgotten about that small branch company. He had spent US $50 million to acquire the drug back then and invested another US $30 million to purchase the drug that would treat arthritis. The drug had also been approved by several countries nearby. However, he found that the drug's annual income was only a few million US dollars after it was sold. It could be said that he had suffered a huge loss. He had never paid any attention to that company ever since.

"Let them do what they want, then." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively and continued, "Do you really think I'd care about that real estate company of mine? It's worth less than 50 million yuan in total, and that's not even enough to cover the profit earned by the human cryogenic center."

"But, what would happen if the pharmaceutical companies from the Hui Rui were to go after them?" Li Yiru continued asking.

"Just let those companies do whatever they want for the time being. I'll have them kicked out of the biopharmaceutical industry soon enough!" Zhang Heng smirked coldly.

Li Yiru was stunned by what she heard. Anyone would think that the person who said such a thing would be ignorant if they were to tell Qiangsheng, Hui Rui, and the other tycoons to get the hell out of the pharmaceutical industry. None of those huge, multi-billion-dollar monopolies would be easy to deal with.

By then, they had reached a point where they were able to set the rules. They were practically the ones calling the shots in the pharmaceutical industry. Unless the government were to take action, it wouldn't be that easy to take down the other party. The government wouldn't even let the other party take them down. If they were to do so, the aftermath of the other party's downfall would definitely be devastating to their own country.

The economy of the world had long since reached a point where it was inseparable. Other than the emerging industries, most of the existing businesses had long been monopolized by various countries and financial groups. Those large corporations wouldn't allow those companies with potential to continue to grow and eventually become on par with or even surpass them. After all, the market was only so big. If one more person were to share the pie, the profits that they would gain would definitely be reduced. As such, the rise of Stellar Biotech meant that they were destined to become enemies with all the pharmaceutical giants in the world.

Zhang Heng knew all about that a long time ago, which was why he decided to start with the emerging pharmaceutical industry, the human cryogenic industry. That move of his caught Johnson, Hui Rui, and the others completely off guard. By the time they realized what was happening, Zhang Heng's company had reached a level where they could stand on equal footing.

But then again, that wasn't enough. Zhang Heng was barely able to gain a footing in the field of biopharmaceuticals, which represented massive profits. However, he had yet to gain a stable footing in the field. If he wanted to become as entrenched as those established pharmaceutical giants, he would need a powerful backing.

Hui Rui had countless financial groups and families backing him up, and all of those interests were intertwined with one another. Zhang Heng was the only one behind Stellar Biotech, and there were at most a few other financial groups behind him. In terms of connections and power, 10 Stellar Biotechs were no match for Hui Rui.

However, there was also the unparalleled advantage of stellar technology, which was… combat prowess.

Since he was unable to defeat the other party through connections and power, he could defeat the other party in other ways—kidnapping, assassination, forced business, and coercion.

The other party was human as well. If he was human, he could be threatened. If his life was on one side and Hui Rui's shares were on the other, he could only choose either option. Zhang Heng believed that no one would choose the latter, unless they were idiots.

Coupled with the new types of antibiotics that Zhang Heng had prepared, including the T-3, T-4, and even the T-n that he was going to drive, Zhang Heng had a double advantage in both technology and combat prowess. No matter how tough the pharmaceutical giants were, they wouldn't be able to withstand the ultimate counterattack from Stellar Technology.

All those thoughts flashed through Zhang Heng's mind in an instant. Disbelief was seen in Li Yiru's eyes for a brief moment before she saw the sinister glint in Zhang Heng's eyes and shuddered. That's right, it took only a year for the man before her to get his company to the top of the world, from the T-1 to the antifreeze. If someone else were to say that they were going to take down the world's giants, they would probably be bragging, but if it was the man before her, they would have taken it for granted.

After all, the man before him did possess that kind of power.

205. New Antibiotic

Zhang Heng didn't dwell on the topic. To him, the pharmaceutical giants of the real world were all capable fighters, but they were nothing more than sheep waiting to be slaughtered before him. He wasn't afraid of making enemies out of the entire world at the moment. The Academy in the Radiation Plane had been putting in their best efforts after acquiring a massive amount of supplies, heading straight for the federation. Planet Tanis, which had lost its memory in the deep space plane, had a lot of things to do and had unlimited potential.

Zhang Heng wouldn't have been able to do anything in real life with the two planes backing him up. He would have been able to crush Earth in three to five years, but he couldn't just do that. Why had he done so much? It was all for the future of humanity, wasn't it? It was all to give his family a stable and normal life.

If he were to insist on taking control of the Earth by force, then even if he were to succeed, the severe consequences that he would have to face would not be what he wanted. If he were to cause World War III, causing billions of people to die and the economy and technology to regress for hundreds of years, the losses would outweigh the gains.

As such, if Zhang Heng wanted to interfere with the advancement of technology on Earth, and if he wanted to interfere with the development of human civilization, the only way to do so would be to build a corporation empire that monopolized global funding. That was the most modest and efficient way to do so.

The glint in Zhang Heng's eyes disappeared as quickly as it came, and even Li Yiru, who was sitting opposite him, didn't notice it. He then said, "Alright, forget about those clowns. I'll send a document to your email inbox later. There's information regarding several new types of drugs in there. Get ready and bring it with you when you get to Jingzhou."

"Jingzhou?" Li Yiru looked at Zhang Heng suspiciously.

"Yes, the data regarding those drugs is very important. You need to make a trip there yourself. Remember to bring the negotiating team of your company with you. We'll be working with the government again." Zhang Heng nodded.

"Didn't you sell the antifreeze to the government? Why do you still have the drug to work with the government?" Li Yiru asked, feeling puzzled. She seemed to have recalled something and her eyes widened. "Did you develop new drugs again?"

Zhang Heng nodded. "New antibiotics."

"New antibiotics!" Li Yiru gasped. Regular people might not be able to understand the meaning behind the new antibiotics, but as the boss of a biopharmaceutical company, Li Yiru was able to understand that the first antibiotic to be found in 1928 had been discovered like bamboo shoots sprouting after the rain. However, by 1987, it was as if all the antibiotics had been discovered by humans, and no new antibiotics were found.

Antibiotics had saved hundreds of millions of lives over the past 100 years, and thousands of diseases could only be cured by antibiotics. However, while antibiotics had saved countless lives and brought medicine to the microbiological era, due to repeated usage by humans, many 'super bacteria' developed that were unafraid of antibiotics.

The term 'super bacteria' referred to bacteria that were resistant to almost all antibiotics. It was due to the abuse of antibiotics that the list of super bacteria had been growing over the past 30 years, which included bacteria that produced ultra broad-spectrum enzyme neocytes, multi-resistant Pseudomonas bacteria, multi-resistant tuberculosis, and so on.

The greater the drug resistance, the higher the mortality rate among those infected. Even now, millions of people have died almost every year due to the drug resistance of bacteria, resulting in incurable deaths. The World Health Organization once announced that the post-antibiotic era (where people could die from common infections and minor injuries) could begin in this century. If there were no new antibiotics, human health standards would drop a hundred years.

As such, governments around the world realized that developing new antibiotics was something that could not be delayed any longer.

However, due to the global recession, due to the high cost of research and development of antibiotics and the slow return of profits, many large pharmaceutical companies had given up on researching antibiotics, which led to the post-antibiotic era of humanity being pushed forward. However, Li Yiru was surprised to hear her boss say that he had developed more than one new type of antibiotic.

Impossible!

"Yes, you heard me right. It's indeed a new type of antibiotic, and there are five of them in total." Zhang Heng extended five fingers and said casually, "These antibiotics might not be able to compare with the T-1, and they definitely wouldn't be able to generate as much profit as the antifreeze. But then again, a mosquito's leg is still a piece of meat, no matter how small. It wouldn't be a problem to make hundreds of billions of yuan in the market, especially in an era where new types of antibiotics are urgently needed."

Li Yiru was unable to describe what she was feeling at that moment. It was as if a huge pie had been thrown into her lap.

Zhang Heng smiled when he saw Li Yiru's dazed expression. He took out a test tube from his pocket and sealed it with a wooden stopper. There were dozens of capsules inside. The capsules were transparent while the oil-like ones inside were light blue in color. The entire test tube looked crystal clear and transparent, making it look very pleasing to the eye.

Zhang Heng placed the test tube on Li Yiru's table and said with a smile, "Other than giving you an account of what happened, I'm also giving you a bottle of this thing. One pill a day. Don't eat too much or too little. It'll be good for you."

"What's this?" Li Yiru snapped out of her trance and held the test tube before her eyes curiously, looking like a little girl.

"You'll be able to enhance your physique and energy through optimization of your genes, as well as slow down aging," Zhang Heng said. "Thank you for your hard work over the past year."

Li Yiru nodded, but she seemed to realize something and turned to look at Zhang Heng. "You mean… optimized genes?"

"That's right. If you take it every day and stick to it for about a year, your lifespan could be extended by 40 to 50 years." Zhang Heng wore a mischievous look on his face as he leaned over the table and whispered into Li Yiru's ear, "But for the time being, I'm not going to use it as a commercial activity. I'll just give it to a specific person every month, and your name is among them. Furthermore, there are less than three digits of people in the world who are eligible to give it out."

A masculine scent blew into Li Yiru's ears and she felt her ears itch. However, she was too stunned by the information that Zhang Heng was telling her before she had the time to feel shy.

Improving genes, delaying aging, and extending one's lifespan by 50 years… If what Zhang Heng said was true, just how valuable would such a drug be? No woman wouldn't want to live forever. The fact that such a drug could extend one's lifespan by 50 years meant that it could extend one's youth by 10 to 20 years. Li Yiru had no way of rejecting such an offer.

Li Yiru had long given up trying to figure out if it was real or fake. While it was possible that it was fake, Zhang Heng was the only exception.

Zhang Heng chuckled as he looked at Li Yiru, who kept falling into a state of shock over again, and walked out of the general manager's office quietly.

206. T-2.1

It was 5: 30 pm when he left Li Yiru's office. He would be done with work in about half an hour, but he saw that there were several people sneaking around in the corridors, looking at the general manager's office.

Zhang Heng had just stepped into the elevator when three young women in business attire ran into the elevator with him, grinning from ear to ear. They kept patting their chests after entering the elevator, looking as if they were still in shock.

Zhang Heng looked at the three of them weirdly and saw one of the women with brown hair say in a coquettish voice, "I'm so nervous. Will the vixens find out that we're skipping work?"

"Relax. That vixen has been worrying about the branch company!" Another girl with a huge chest chuckled and said, "Did you guys hear? The 10 countries of the ASEAN are going to punish our company!"

"Wow, that's scary! Are there terrorists out there wreaking havoc in our company?"

"Please don't come. I don't want to lose my job. Our salary is twice that of other companies in the same position!" The big-breasted woman sighed and continued, "Furthermore, we're known as the number one company in the country. Countless people would want to join us, but all of them were stopped by that vixen. My sister is such a b * tch that it's useless even if we were to give her gifts through connections."

"How much could you give her? That vixen's monthly salary is over 10 million yuan. She earns more than we do in our entire lives every month. Tell me, she's younger than us and she doesn't have any qualifications. Other than having a pretty face, what else could she be better than us in?" Another woman who looked a little plump said in a huff.

Zhang Heng felt increasingly baffled as he listened from the side. He couldn't help but ask, "May I know which vixen you're talking about?"

The three of them looked at Zhang Heng, who was an outsider, out of reflex. The girl with the big breasts was the most outgoing of them all. She grinned and shouted, "You're not from our company, are you? Why haven't I seen you before?"

"My brother works for this company. I'm here to bring him food."

"Oh, no wonder!" The wariness in their eyes disappeared completely and the girl with brown hair said, "The vixen we're talking about is our General Manager. Her surname is Li and she became the General Manager through some unspoken rules. Isn't that…"

"Vixen!"

The three girls raised their voices at the mention of the word 'vixen' and the three of them laughed out loud without a care in the world.

It was only then that Zhang Heng realized what was going on. He frowned and didn't say anything else.

The doors of the elevator opened at that moment, and Zhang Heng walked out with the three women behind him. Niu Xinping was still standing with two receptionists at the front desk, and they were about to say something when they saw Zhang Heng walk out, but the three girls walked up to the front desk very naturally and began to chatter away while holding the hands of the cute girl on the counter.

"We're leaving now, Xiaofang. Remember to swipe the card for us at six!" the three of them shouted. However, none of them saw that the faces of the three at the reception desk, Niu Xinping included, had turned ashen.

Niu Xinping wanted to say something else, but Zhang Heng simply shot him a cold look before walking out of the lobby.

Niu Xinping glared at the three of them with a glum look on his face after Zhang Heng disappeared into the distance. He snorted and stormed off, leaving the three women baffled.

"What's wrong, Manager Niu?" That yellow-haired girl asked with a puzzled look.

"And you're asking me what? You three are the ones who got me killed today!" That girl named Xiaofang couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

"What happened?"

"Did you guys see that guy who took the elevator with you guys?" The other girl sighed.

"Yeah, what about it?" The three of them were still unable to make heads or tails of the situation.

"Sigh…" Xiaofang sighed and said earnestly, "That man is our boss!"

The entire lobby fell silent as soon as he said that. The three of them stood where they were, stunned. The girl with the big boobs stammered, "No, no way…"

Xiaofang rolled her eyes at her and said, "Manager Niu was the one who recognized him. I wouldn't have known that he was our boss otherwise… Didn't you guys see that Manager Niu's face was all blue? I think it's best if you guys don't skip work in the future…"

The three of them looked at each other and were completely stunned.

Zhang Heng had no idea that it was due to his carelessness that no one in the company was able to skip work from then on out. Corona's voice was heard right after he returned to Honeycomb. "Commander, the T-2.1 has been delivered to the members of the board of directors on time."

Zhang Heng nodded and asked, "The route that leads to the Virgin Islands?"

"Yes, Commander." Corona appeared as well. "The T-2.1 was sent to the British Virgin Islands via a molecular transmitter, which was then sent to all the members of the board by the clone warriors. No mishaps were made."

The so-called T-2.1 was the gel that Zhang Heng gave Li Yiru to optimize her genes. The drug looked no different from the old T-2, which was a new type of gene drug developed after the T-Virus was castrated. It was just that the drug's effects were more potent than the old T-2.

Zhang Heng had made plans before. The T-Virus alone was capable of producing countless types of drugs. Viruses that were designed solely to strengthen the human physique had unlimited potential, which was more than enough for Zhang Heng to make a killing. It wouldn't even be difficult for him to generate profit-shattering antifreeze.

It was just like how a Level-3A game would be released after the original was released, followed by a new version of the original, and then, two years later, a copy would be released, and then a new copy would be released a few years later…

That being said, the T Series drug that Zhang Heng developed was definitely not something that would be forgotten in games. It was something that was slowly strengthening its effects bit by bit. As such, no one would be able to find fault with it unless they knew of the existence of the T-0 and T-Virus solution.

All in all, Zhang Heng had decided to take the T-Virus path instead. He had a total of three types of viruses in his possession at the moment. Other than the T-Virus, there was also the DX-118 Virus and the forced evolutionary virus. Zhang Heng still dared not touch the DX-11118 Virus, as it was not something that he could handle with his current level of technology. As for the forced evolutionary virus, it was something that the radiation plane was researching. It hadn't been a day or two since the radiation plane began researching the virus, and he had yet to find any results.

Compared to the other two types of viruses, the T-Virus was the one that was most effective and safest. Zhang Heng had ordered the researchers in the Honeycomb to develop the T-type drug that could treat rabies and AIDS. The T-Virus's offensive capabilities were capable of killing rabies and HIV viruses with its own viruses, but it was not easy to weaken the T-Virus and turn it into something like the T-1, which specialized in treating certain diseases.

"Very well." Zhang Heng nodded and thought about it for a bit before saying, "But it's still too troublesome. Our clone warriors aren't meant for running errands. Inform the members of the board of directors to head to the British Virgin Islands every month to pick up their medicines. We won't be sending them to their doorstep anymore."

"Understood."

The board of directors of the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation was no longer what it used to be. The Golden Foundation's bondage program had begun to take effect a long time ago. There would only be one tycoon with an assets of over three billion yuan a week. The board of directors had grown from the initial nine to the current nineteen. The weakest among them was a tycoon at the level of Nicholas Gunter, while the strongest were still the financial groups that belonged to Joshua.

However, that was only the beginning. The world-class tycoons would eventually face death one day. Every time that happened, would they have any other choice but to seek out the human cryogenic center? When that happened, they would have no choice but to join Zhang Heng's side, under the allure of the gene optimization drug and brain transplant surgery. Zhang Heng's foundation was like a snowball that kept rolling. It kept rolling, getting bigger and faster. To a certain extent, Zhang Heng didn't even need to pay any price to be able to easily control the economy and politics of some country, and even…

The entire world.

207. Foundation Mission

A handsome young man woke up from his bed early in the morning. He didn't open his eyes but slowly extended his hand and touched his face gently. He felt that young, shiny, and bouncy skin of his and a smile appeared on his face. He only opened his eyes completely after confirming that he wasn't dreaming.

The moment the young man opened his eyes, there was a look of calmness and excitement in his eyes. Those two emotions didn't conflict with each other, especially when an old man who was nearing the end of his lifespan and was in a coffin suddenly possessed a young body.

He was like a narcissist, constantly touching his own body. It was also the body of a young man, filled with firm muscles, with no signs of wrinkle or relaxation. The young man breathed a sigh of relief after confirming all of that again. He sat up on the expensive Hesten bed and began to put on his clothes, preparing for the day's work.

That young man was none other than Nicholas Gunter.

He had once thought that his heart had died after his wife and son passed away one after another, leaving behind an empty shell in the world, struggling to survive. God had taken away the hope and light in his heart, leaving behind only desolation and darkness.

However, it was only on the day that he was diagnosed with liver cancer that he came to realize that his hopes had not been taken away. All that was taken away from him was his fortitude. He found it laughable that he had allowed his life to pass by in such a muddle-headed manner due to all that he had done to deserve such a fate.

Shakespeare: People can decide their own fate. If we are under someone else's control, the fault lies not with fate but with ourselves.

He had no time to regret being decadent and wasting his time. In order to survive, he sold his company's shares without hesitation and embarked on the quest for the light of hope to make up for his lost life.

The countdown to his death drew closer. Eventually, just when he was about to give up all hope, an organization called the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation appeared before him like a god, giving him the most important choice of his life—he didn't need to stay in that cold and narrow drawer, waiting for the illusory judgment of fate, but instead gave him a new life.

From then on, the trajectory of his life changed.

With the help of Joshua, who was also a member of the board of directors, Nicholas was able to regain the shares that belonged to him through some intense means. Not only that, but he was also able to take the shares of the other two shareholders and make himself the highest decision-maker of the company.

Nicholas was in high spirits and full of vigor, no longer who he used to be.

He put on his expensive, custom-made suit and walked around the huge dressing table in his bedroom for a bit, feeling the vigor of youth welling up in him. It was only when his stomach rumbled that he left the room excitedly and headed for the dining room.

However, a beeping sound was heard from a watch in his hand as soon as he walked out of his bedroom. Nicholas frowned and headed straight for the basement without eating the breakfast prepared by the servants.

Nicholas locked the door after entering the basement and went to the wine cellar next to the basement. He took out a second and third bottle of red wine and pressed a non-existent button in the slot of the bottle.

The entire wall began to rumble slightly and the wall behind the cabinet slid open without a sound within seconds, revealing the dark space behind it.

It turned out to be a secret chamber!

Nicholas took a deep breath and quickly walked into the secret room. The sensor lights in the room were turned on immediately and the room lit up, revealing a shiny alloy structure that looked like something out of a futuristic science fiction.

The interior of the secret chamber was filled with countless thick wiring and electrical generators as well as some kind of equipment that he couldn't make out. There was a circular metal table in the center of the secret chamber. The table wasn't very tall and was only about half a meter in height. There was a strange-looking metal chair placed on the table.

Nicholas walked up to the stage and sat on the chair. He pressed a certain spot on the watch on his left wrist and a crimson laser shot out.

The laser beam was aimed at a certain part of the chair. The sensor device on the chair quickly covered Nicholas' head like a helmet when the laser beam activated the chair. He felt himself blacking out in the very next second. When he regained his vision, he found himself in a luxurious conference room.

Amazing!

While it wasn't his first time using such a function, Nicholas was nonetheless impressed. The technology wasn't complicated at all, as it relied on the sensor device to induce artificial hallucinations in his brain, which would then allow his consciousness to communicate with others through the internet. However, everyone knew just how miraculous such technology was…

While Google, one of the world's most advanced tech companies, was only able to use a pair of simple, plain, VR glasses to allow people to experience virtual reality, that machine had reached a state of complete immersion in the VR simulation. The world that it created was so real that it was practically a thing of the past. Furthermore, everyone's sense of taste, smell, and touch could be replicated perfectly in that virtual world. That kind of technology had reached an unimaginable level, surpassing that of reality technology for at least 50 years.

When Nicholas appeared in the meeting room, he was already seated before the long conference table. He wasn't the first to arrive, as there were three or four other people who had taken their seats long ago. All of them were like him, having been born somewhere on Earth. What was happening here was just a projection of their consciousness.

"Mr. Williams!" Nicholas looked at Joshua, who was sitting opposite him, and felt grateful. If it hadn't been for the other party's help, he wouldn't have been able to take back the shares that belonged to him, and he definitely wouldn't have been able to take out the remaining two shareholders. Despite having paid nearly a billion US dollars, he still felt grateful to Joshua.

Joshua nodded with a deadpan expression on his face. Given his status, there was no need for him to be concerned about Nicholas' gratitude. His family had completely eclipsed the glory of the old William family under his leadership. The Williams family was now on par with the top 10 families in the United States, and even the Masons had extended an olive branch to them. His father had refused the invitation from the Masons before, and strictly speaking, he was not allowed to be invited again after being rejected once. However, the Masons had made an exception for Joshua…

Buzz!

All of a sudden, there was a flash of white light next to Nicholas and everyone turned to look. They saw a woman who looked very much like Scarlett Johansson, a female Hollywood star, but was even more stunning than she looked. She took a look at her surroundings and pursed her lips in displeasure. "I thought that there would be some kind of creative scene this time. I didn't expect it to be just a regular meeting room."

Everyone wore strange expressions on their faces. While the beauty before them was devastatingly beautiful, none of the men present had any thoughts about her.

About five minutes later, everyone was finally present. At that moment, an Asian young man walked in from outside the door of the meeting room. He coughed slightly and said softly, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend this meeting. The board of directors has been growing stronger during this period of time and several friends have joined our family. As for who they are, I shall not elaborate further. To be considerate of our new friends, I shall introduce myself first."

"My name is Zhang Heng, and I'm one of the spokespersons of the Golden Foundation. I'm also the intermediary of the Golden Foundation. If you have any questions or requests, feel free to let me know."

Zhang Heng waited for a few seconds and continued after confirming that no one had any problems with the proposal. "Very well, let's get to the main topic then. The purpose of calling everyone here is none other than a new mission issued by the Golden Foundation. This is also the most important mission issued by the Golden Foundation in history…"

208. Heaven Devouring Project

Everyone held their breaths subconsciously. Every time the Golden Foundation issued a mission, it was a mission that required the connections and influence of their own financial groups. As for the reward, it could be said to be very generous. As long as they were able to complete the mission, they would be able to get whatever they wanted, be it money or drugs.

However, all missions were given out of their own free will. The Golden Foundation wouldn't force anyone to take on missions due to certain reasons. However, it was the first time that everyone realized that Zhang Heng had a serious look on his face.

Just what kind of mission was it that made the almighty foundation treat it so seriously?

The 19 of them looked at each other and waited for Zhang Heng to continue.

"The mission would be… I'd need all of you to purchase the shares of several companies and then sell them to Stellar Technology to help us take control of those companies. The Golden Foundation's requirement is that we take at least 10 percent of those companies' shares."

Everyone's eyebrows shot up and they suddenly had a bad feeling about this. Joshua couldn't help but say, "Mr. Zhang Heng, I'd like to interrupt for a moment. May I know which companies the foundation would like to acquire?"

"The American Johnson and Pfizer." Zhang Heng looked at Joshua and the latter's expression changed immediately.

"Novartis and Law, Switzerland," Zhang Heng continued, before turning to look at Lewis Stann. "And… GlaxoSmithKline from the UK."

"That's impossible!" Stanny stood up with her chest still quivering and snorted coldly. "Do you know how much it would cost to acquire GlaxoSmithKline? That would require political, financial, and many other factors. Even if I could take care of the political side, the whole country would still be castigated for trying to acquire GlaxoSmithKline as an Asian company. Do you want me to be labeled a traitor?"

"Calm down, Mr. Stanny." Zhang Heng waved dismissively and paid no heed to the frowning faces of the crowd. He wore a calm and collected smile and continued, "It's precisely because I know that it's very difficult for Stellar Technology to acquire those pharmaceutical companies directly that I need to acquire them through you guys first before selling them to us. Don't forget that there's nothing in the world that money can't achieve. If you can't do it, it's just that there isn't enough money to buy the entire GlaxoSmithKline. I'm not trying to acquire the entire GlaxoSmithKline. I'm just purchasing a portion of it to expand the market and expand the influence of Stellar Technology."

"You're purchasing the shares of those companies because they've been targeting Stellar Technology, which is a subsidiary of the Golden Foundation, haven't you?" Joshua frowned and continued, "I have to say that the Golden Foundation is very bold. The combined market value of all four pharmaceutical giants is close to a trillion yuan. It would take at least hundreds of billions of US dollars to acquire 10 percent of their shares, and you'd have to pay an even higher price to achieve your goals. However, if you were to succeed, Stellar Technology would become the most influential company in the world in an instant, monopolizing the entire pharmaceutical industry. No one would be able to stop you from doing so. Is that what the Golden Foundation is after?"

"That's right. You're wise indeed, Ms. Joshua. You figured out the Golden Foundation's intentions right away." Zhang Heng praised. "Don't forget, everyone here is a member of the Golden Foundation. If the Golden Foundation were to successfully monopolize global pharmaceutical sales, how much of a profit would you guys reap? From then on, everyone would have completely monopolized the entire human pharmaceutical market. It would be a piece of cake for you guys to profit from all of that…" Zhang Heng turned to look at Stanny and continued, "Even if you're faced with a monopoly of an entire industry, wouldn't you be able to do nothing about it?"

Stanny looked like she was deep in thought as she sat in her seat.

All of those present were people who stood at the pinnacle of their respective countries. After Zhang Heng drew such a huge piece of artwork for them, all of them couldn't help but be moved. There had never been such a huge group of interests in the history of humanity, which had completely monopolized an entire industry. Such giants were practically invincible, and even countries would have to give way before them.

"But, how are we going to acquire those shares?" Lawrence, who hadn't said anything all this while, suddenly asked, "We could buy out loose shares, but the price we'd have to pay would be too high. The price we'd have to pay to take over 10 percent of the shares of those pharmaceutical giants would be at least four to five times that."

"Don't worry about that, everyone. I have my own way of doing things." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively and continued, "All you need to do is to prepare your cash. Furthermore, the foundation has promised that Star Technology will pay 120 percent of your shares regardless of how much you buy them for. All you need to bear is pressure from the government."

Everyone's eyes lit up right away. 20 percent of the profits would go to them right away. While it didn't look like a lot, it was nonetheless something that came with a lot of money to begin with. For example, they had spent 10 billion yuan to buy Hui Rui's shares, yet they were able to earn 2 billion yuan in the blink of an eye. That alone was a staggering amount of profit.

"Very well, I'd be willing to join!" To everyone's surprise, the first to speak up was none other than Stani, who had initially opposed the idea. It was obvious that, compared to the chaotic situation where countless financial groups in the United States stood side by side, the Stani family in England was in control of more than half of the UK, and she was the one under the most pressure out of everyone present.

"I'd be willing to join as well." The second person to agree was Joshua. He had long been eyeing the positions of the top 10 financial groups in the United States. If he were to join them, things would be completely different, and his family would gain a lot more room to grow.

Several financial groups with assets of less than US $10 billion also expressed their willingness to join. Their influence over the country wasn't that great, and as such, they were under more pressure. After all, there were still people of higher standing above them.

In the end, 15 members of the board of directors chose to take part in the acquisition plan, with the exception of a few financial groups that had their own reservations. All of those financial groups added up to at least 400 billion yuan, which was more than enough to buy 10 percent of the shares of the pharmaceutical companies owned by Hui Rui.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but look satisfied after the dust settled. He clapped his hands lightly and the door of the meeting room opened right away. Several pretty-looking maids walked in, carrying a lot of delicacies in their hands.

Zhang Heng raised his glass and chuckled, "Cheers to our plan, everyone!"

Everyone looked relaxed and at ease as they raised their glasses. While all of those dishes were virtual, it was precisely because of that that they were able to taste the most supreme of delicacies. The principle behind such delicacies was to use the VR machine directly on the brain, enabling the user to experience delicacies that were difficult to come by in real life. It was undoubtedly an unforgettable experience, just like taking drugs. However, there were no side effects. The only downside was that, after enjoying all of those virtual delicacies, the delicacies in real life would no longer be attractive.

The meeting room was not a virtual space created by Corona, but a VR technology that Zhang Heng had acquired from the Alien plane. While it was nowhere near the level of being able to tell the real from the fake from the virtual space that was infinitely close to 100 percent real, it was still something that everyone was impressed with.

Corona's simulation of virtual space was 99 percent real if one were to compare it to values. The simulation of virtual space created by the VR equipment was 80 percent real, and the so-called most advanced VR technology, the macroglasses, was definitely no more than 5 percent real.

The meeting turned into a very joyous one as everyone gathered together to discuss business issues. Some of the heads of financial groups that had connections and complementary areas of their businesses even managed to get into business deals. It was only several hours later that everyone reluctantly left and returned to reality.

209. Alan

Alan was the assistant of Nicholas Gunter, the chairman of the fashion company in New York and served as secretary.

After going through countless brutal rounds of competition and elimination, Alan finally managed to get his hands on that big shot. He thought that he had a bright future ahead of him, but two months ago, Nicholas went crazy and sold all his shares, leaving the company alone.

His heart ached every day because of that. He thought that all his hard work over the past few days had been in vain. Without someone to back him up, he would find it difficult to do anything in the company, and even his past competitors wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

However, God didn't seem to have given up on him. About two months later, just when he was about to resign, Nicholas came back. Not only that, but he managed to snatch back the shares that he had been sold at lightning speed through some unknown means. He even took away a portion of the shares of the other two shareholders, making his share of the shares exceed 50 percent and becoming the first to be handed over to the company.

Furthermore, seeing that he had been conscientious in the past, the other party specifically asked him to be his assistant again. Aaron was moved to tears by that and swore to himself that he would definitely repay his boss for being so kind to him.

That very day, he received a call from his boss asking him to make a trip to his villa.

Aaron drove to his destination feeling rather uneasy and a tinge of envy could be seen in his eyes. That villa, which was worth over 200 million US dollars, was bought by his boss right after he came back. He heard that it was to celebrate his new life.

"God bless, I hope that I'll be able to buy such a villa in the future!"

Alan swore under his breath and parked the car. He walked up to the front door in a familiar manner and pressed the buzzer.

It was an African-American maid who opened the door. Aaron nodded politely and was led to the study by the maid. He coughed lightly and adjusted his collar before knocking on the door.

"Alan? Come in." A booming voice was heard from the other side of the door. If it hadn't been for the fact that he knew that the other party was an old man in his sixties, Alan would have thought that he was about to face a middle-aged man in his prime.

Aaron opened the door and there was a strange look in his eyes. The person buried in the pile behind the door looked to be in his thirties, but his eyes were still filled with the vicissitudes of life—those were indeed his boss's eyes. If it hadn't been for those eyes, Aaron would have thought that his boss had been replaced.

However, he heard that his boss went to South Korea for plastic surgery, which made it seem as if time had been reversed for 30 years.

"Alan, there's something I need you to do," Nicholas said casually as soon as he entered the room. He exuded an air of authority and was filled with confidence and decisiveness. Just a simple sentence from him was enough to make Alan hold his breath and nod in agreement. "Please go ahead, boss. I'll do my best to help you."

"Good. I knew you wouldn't let me down," Nicholas said with satisfaction. He took a stack of documents from the table and handed them to Alan. "Take a look at this contract. That's what you need to do."

"Yes." Alan nodded and picked up the document respectfully. It was only then that he realized that it was an agreement regarding the transfer of shares.

His boss was going to acquire someone else's company? That was the first thought that came to his mind. As a top student in finance, it was only natural that he knew about such things, or he wouldn't have become Nicholas' assistant.

However, when he read on, his breath caught in his throat and a look of disbelief was seen on his face. He looked up at Nicholas before him and then at his accessories. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"What, is there a problem?" Nicholas didn't even look up, as if he had no idea how shocking the agreement was.

"Boss, are you sure you want to buy 3 percent of the Hui Rui Group's shares from Mr. Jonah, the director of the Hui Rui Group?" Alan asked with a puzzled look on his face, "While I don't know much about the Hui Rui Group, from what I know, the current market value of the Hui Rui Group is about 300 billion US dollars. Even if it's only 3 percent, the price would still be over 9 billion US dollars. Furthermore, considering the 20 percent acquisition premium, the price would be at least 11 billion US dollars. Furthermore, I doubt that the other party would be willing to sell the company at such a high price."

"There's no need for you to worry about that, Alan. Since I've asked you to take care of this, there's no way I'd give you an impossible mission." Nicholas lifted his head and looked at Alan casually. "Trust me, the other party would be very willing to transfer their shares. Not only that, the price would be very, very low. It wouldn't exceed three billion US dollars."

Aaron opened his mouth and was about to say that no one would be willing to sell their shares worth at least 10 billion USD for three billion US dollars unless Mr. Jonah went insane. However, seeing the look in his boss' eyes, Aaron wisely chose to remain silent.

Could it be that his boss had been replaced in the two months that he was gone?

Nicholas continued, "Don't worry, you're not the only one handling this. There might be a few more people helping you with this. Just wait here. Those people will probably be here soon."

Aaron nodded and walked out of his boss's study feeling rather dazed. The maid arranged for him to rest in the lounge and served him a cup of coffee and a few pastries.

"What the hell is going on? Is the boss out of his mind? No matter how I look at it, I don't think this is going to work…" Aaron felt extremely frustrated as he read through the agreement in his hand again. All of the terms and conditions listed on the agreement were still fresh in his mind. The price of transfer and the sign and stamp of Party A were both filled in. The only thing left was the signature and stamp of Party B—the director of the Huirui Group, Jonah Johnson.

As long as Jonah were to sign his name on the agreement and bring the contract to the New York Stock Exchange for justice, his boss would, legally speaking, immediately become a major shareholder in the Pfizer's board of directors and gain a place on the board.

But, was that even possible? The total market value of fashion houses was only 9 billion US dollars, and 3 billion was all that the company could afford.

The maid came again about two hours later, telling him to go to the study.

Alan had been driven insane by the contract for quite some time and he was unable to figure out what his boss was up to. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes and numbly followed the maid to the study.

There were three Asian men in black suits in the study at the moment. Alan was stunned when he saw the three of them and looked away immediately. He was a very reserved person compared to the other curious Americans, and he never asked anything that wasn't his place. That was one of the reasons why he was put in such an important position.

"Aaron, good timing. This is Mr. Zhishang from ancient Huaxia. He'll be assisting you in the acquisition of shares," Nicholas said with a smile.

Alan then looked at the three men in black with a serious look on his face. The man standing at the forefront of the three looked even more exquisite than that of the American women, making him look like some of the most sissy celebrities in Asia. That was a look that was rarely seen among westerners, and he was so handsome that Alan felt rather jealous of him.

However, that was just what he was thinking on the inside. On the surface, he still extended his hand and said, "Good day, sir. I'm Aaron, the assistant of Chairman Nicholas."

However, what made Aaron's expression change was that the handsome young man in front of him didn't pay any attention to him. He simply said to Nicholas with a deadpan expression, "Your Excellency Nicholas, since you're here, let's begin the mission immediately. The Golden Foundation doesn't like dragging things out."

"Good. I wish you all the best." Nicholas forced a smile on his face. While the man before him looked very condescending, only the members of the board of directors knew that the man before them was not a natural man, but the clone of that mysterious and terrifying foundation. Every single one of them was like a weapon that could kill. Even the most well-trained fighters in the United States were no match for him.

Alan sneaked a peek at his boss, but what he saw shocked him. What did he just see? The Asian man before him was actually asking his boss to smile at him?

Gosh, could it be that he's some kind of big shot? Wait a minute, if he's in Asia, could he be the most mysterious successor in the world?

Disregarding Alan's shock, Zhishang and the other two cloned warriors turned around and headed out of the study, with Alan following right behind them. He looked at the backs of the three people in front of him as he walked, and the more he looked at them, the more puzzled he became. It was as if the three of them were from the military, and they seemed to be walking in an orderly fashion. Not only that, but their dispositions were also very similar, giving off an aura that sent shivers down Alan's spine. He had no idea where they came from.

Aaron realized that the three of them were still making their way out of the courtyard when he walked out of the villa. He thought for a bit and flashed a friendly smile and said, "Gentlemen, didn't you drive here? How about getting in my car?" He then pointed at the Land Rover parked at the side.

The three of them stopped walking almost at the same time, but the two behind them didn't turn around. Only the man named Zhishang, who was in charge, turned his head slightly and said in a completely emotionless voice, "We don't need any vehicles for this mission. Your car is right here."

The three of them took a step forward at the same time and walked on their own.

"What the f * * k? You don't need to drive? Can't you just walk? I don't even know where that Jonah is staying, and I don't even know if he's in New York…" Aaron mumbled, but he had no choice but to listen to her and quickly followed her.

The three of them only looked around when they reached a spot where there was no one else around. Alan was still puzzled as to what the three of them were looking for, but he felt a breeze above his head in the very next second. He looked up instinctively, and his mouth dropped open when he saw what was above his head. He was completely stunned by what he saw.

210. Unable To Clear Her Name

He saw an aircraft that he had never seen before appearing above his head. The aircraft was elongated and he was unable to make out its appearance. It looked like a twisted stream of water that was constantly moving about, making it so that he would have overlooked it if he were to be careless.

There were four engines emitting blue lights at the bottom of the aircraft. The gust of wind from above was caused by the engines, which produced a low humming sound throughout the entire aircraft. Other than that, there was hardly any other noise.

The craft slowly descended to the ground as Alan watched with a dumbfounded expression on his face. It was only then that he realized that the craft was about 20 meters long and over four meters tall, making it look like some kind of huge monster. He could even see the twisted trees behind the craft through the body of the craft. If he were to put some distance between the craft and the craft, the craft would have been rendered completely invisible.

The legendary UFO!

That was the first thought that came to Alan's mind. He turned to look at Zhishang and the other two out of reflex, but his mind went blank in the very next second. He realized that the three of them were just looking at the UFO before him without a hint of surprise on their faces. Didn't that mean that the three mysterious Asians were in cahoots with one another?

Come on, it's not April Fool's Day today. No one would have thought that such a huge flying transport would be flying in the air above the US. Are all those idiots in the US air defense department out there? Furthermore, given that Asia, which had always been a representative of the backward and ignorant, would actually be able to fly such a huge flying transport that looked to be even more advanced than the fifth-generation fighter jets in the US, wouldn't that mean that their country had long lagged behind Asia in terms of fighter jets?

"Damn it!" The massive amount of information was enough to make Alan feel like he was about to break down. He was an extremist to begin with and was very concerned about military affairs. In his view, the United States was the only one in the world worthy of being the ruler of the world, while the rest of the world was nothing more than vassals. That was the best scenario, yet the truth had given him a tight slap.

The mysterious aircraft was completely suspended about 10 centimeters away from the ground while Aaron wore a complicated expression on his face. A piece of armor plate at the tail of the aircraft was lowered slowly, revealing a slanted entrance.

While the fuselage was invisible, the only thing visible on the fuselage was nothingness. The entrances and internal spaces that were exposed looked like doors to the void. The visual disorientation was enough to shock everyone.

Zhishang and the two men dressed in black entered the flying transport through the entrance. However, Alan was at a loss as to where to go and what to do.

"What are you waiting for?" Zhishang turned around and glared at Alan coldly.

"I…" Aaron wore a bitter expression on his face. He knew that there was no turning back for him. If he were to back down now, he would only end up being silenced. He gritted his teeth at that thought and steeled himself before stepping into the aircraft's hold.

"I'm on a pirate ship…" That was the only thought that came to Aaron's mind. He knew that from the moment he boarded the ship, he would be able to say goodbye to his old life forever. Not even the US government would choose to trust him anymore. Even if he were to tell the authorities, he wouldn't end up well.

Aaron looked around curiously after entering the interior of the plane. The interior of the plane was very spacious and there were rows of seats on both sides of the plane. There was also something like a roller coaster fixed to the seats, and at the head of the plane was a sealed steel door. It was obvious that the most important cockpit was behind the door.

It was at that moment that Alan realized that Shang and the other two had returned to their seats without making a sound. The three of them even put down the device that looked like a roller coaster and secured their bodies to their seats. That scene seemed to have reminded Alan of something. His pupils contracted and he went to the seat closest to him as quickly as he could and sat down. He pulled the device on his shoulder down hard.

The next second, he felt a burst of inertia and his head was rammed hard into the device. He didn't have time to feel the pain before he felt the inertia grow larger, almost crushing him flat.

Damn it, just how fast was the acceleration to reach such a state?

Shock was seen in Aaron's eyes. Even the most advanced F22 in the US wouldn't be able to achieve such a high acceleration, would it? His hands gripped onto the device with all his might. Despite that, his body was still pressed down hard on the seat, his face was squashed to the color of pig liver, making it difficult for him to breathe.

Fortunately, that feeling only lasted for a few minutes before he was able to stabilize himself completely. Alan looked around, still in a state of shock, trying to find a window to see how high and how fast the aircraft was at the moment. However, he was disappointed. That damned unidentified aircraft didn't have any windows for observation.

"Hey, guys, won't your flight in our country cause international disputes?" Alan seemed to have thought of something at the end and asked anxiously, "Will you be attacked by anti-aircraft missiles?"

Zhishang turned around and took a look at him before saying casually, "Relax. The United States hasn't discovered the technology of the Falcon in at least 30 years."

"Really? Well then…" Alan chuckled dryly. Despite being mentally prepared, he still felt a chill running down his spine when he confirmed it from the man himself. Damn it, how could there be such terrifying technology in the world? That's not fair. Why isn't such technology in the US?

No one would be able to tell what Alan was thinking at the moment, and they probably wouldn't care even if they knew what he was thinking at the moment. It took only about 10 minutes for the aircraft to vibrate again and begin to descend.

It was just like riding a roller coaster. The feeling of weightlessness that came with reaching the top and landing was felt yet again. Furthermore, he swore that even if the speed of the roller coaster were to be increased by 10 times, there would still not be such a strong sense of weightlessness. He felt as if he was floating in midair. If it hadn't been for the device holding him in place, he would have been floating in midair.

Could you not be so intense?

Aaron was on the verge of tears. He closed his eyes in utter sorrow and finally chose to give up all resistance and endure the tsunami-like attacks.

Buzz!

Some time passed and about two to three minutes passed before the plane finally stopped shaking. Aaron's face was completely ashen by then. He resisted the pain of motion sickness and slowly got to his feet, just in time to see the back door of the plane open again. He didn't care about causing any misunderstandings and ran out of the plane, vomiting all over the place.

He finally felt better after vomiting all of his food from the previous night. He slowly looked up and realized that he was in a forest where no one else was around. The three detestable Asians were standing behind him with deadpan expressions on their faces. All of them were wearing sunglasses.

Was the Matrix about to take place?

It was only when he saw Alan getting up that he said something to the man next to him, before turning around and walking out of the woods in front of him. Through the trees that had been cleared away, Alan was able to make out a huge manor standing on the horizon several kilometers away. It seemed to be the outskirts of the city, but Alan, who was very familiar with New York, knew that it was definitely not the outskirts.

Just when Alan was about to catch up with Zhishang, the other Asian man stayed behind and put his hand on Alan's shoulder. All of a sudden, Alan felt a tremendous force that he was unable to resist. He couldn't help but grunt and raise both his hands. "I'm not running. I'm definitely not running!"

That Asian man only said expressionlessly when the force on his shoulder disappeared, "You stay here."

"Okay, okay!" Alan said with a bitter face.

He waited for over 10 minutes and soon saw a black car drive out of the manor. Three people got out of the car and headed straight for Allen.

It was only when he walked up to them that Aaron realized that two of the three were Zhishang and the other man in black. The other man was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties. That middle-aged man had a terrified look on his face as he was escorted by the other man in black, who kept saying things like 'don't kill me'.

Alan finally understood what was going on after seeing that. He wore a bitter grin and wondered for the first time if he had made a very wrong decision to follow Nicholas. He felt that he had gotten himself into some kind of terrorist operation and there was no way he could clear his name now.

211. Sign Up

Aaron finally understood what Nicholas meant when he said that he would definitely agree.

It was only then that Alan learned that the plane had flown from New York to Washington in less than 10 minutes and 'invited' poor Mr. Jonah onto the plane.

Due to the completion of the mission, the aircraft that served as the venue for the impromptu negotiation was not as stimulating as it had been before. It flew very steadily, and even when Alan was standing on the floor of the plane, he felt no bump at all.

However, Aaron felt even more devastated than he had been before. He curled up in his seat with a bitter look on his face, trying his best to look like a passerby. He hoped that the unlucky Mr. Jonah didn't notice him and thought that he was in cahoots with those terrorists.

"Mr. Jonah Johnson." Zhishang walked up and looked down at Jonah, who was slumped on the floor, from above. "I've heard from the board of directors that you've strongly advised the Hui Rui Group to begin economic sanctions against Stellar Technology. You've also hired over a dozen international spies to head to Mumbai and Haizhou to kidnap the upper echelons of Stellar Technology and their families, hoping to get the formula and secrets of the antifreeze through underhanded means."

"What are you talking about? I have no idea what you're talking about." The middle-aged man who was referred to as Jonah wore a shocked expression on his face, but he quickly explained, "This is all a misunderstanding. I've never done anything like this before!"

"Is that so? Seems like you're quite forgetful, Mr. Jonah," Zhishang said casually. "Well then, I believe that this recording would be able to help you recall your memories." He pressed on the mechanical watch on his left wrist lightly and a gloomy male voice was heard.

"Balech, is everything settled?"

"Mr. Jonah, the agent we sent to Mumbai confirmed his death last night. His body was found in the sewers in the slums. The other agents sent to Huaxia and Haizhou have also lost contact with him several hours ago. I'm afraid that the mission has failed."

"How could this be? Didn't you say that your company's agents are world-class?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jonah, but we've already lost two digits of elite agents to that mysterious company that appeared out of nowhere. This will be our last attempt, and we'll return all of our commission to you. Please hire someone else."

"Beep… Beep… Beep…"

That recording took less than 10 seconds, yet the expression on Jonah's face changed drastically. He gritted his teeth and said in a shaky voice, "I don't know who was in that recording. I've never targeted Stellar Technology before. All of this is a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"

"Maybe, but I still have a list of missions from the American Business Resource Corporation. I'd like you to elaborate on that," Zhishang said in fluent English. "January 20, 2018. Mission Objective: Kidnap Zhao Qing and his family, the executive officer of the Indian Region of Stellar Biotech Corporation, and obtain the formula and manufacture of the antifreeze. Transaction price: 30 million USD. Temptation permitted."

"January 20, 2018. Mission Objective: Kidnap Zhang Heng and his family, the head of the Stellar Biotech Corporation, in order to acquire as much valuable technology as possible. As Huaxia is a high-risk country, an additional reward of 50 million USD is added, totaling 80 million USD. Be silenced."

Jonah's face turned pale when he read those two messages again. He knew very well that the other party had long gotten hold of all the evidence that he had and was here to exact revenge.

"Just kill me if you want to." Jonah closed his eyes and gave up trying to argue.

"You may have misunderstood, Mr. Jonah. We're the typical businessmen. We're here to make a deal with you," Zhishang said with a deadpan expression. He then looked at Aaron, who was in the corner, and said, "Mr. Aaron, I think you should be the one to talk about this."

Alan looked as if his parents had just died and he knew that there was no way he could hide anymore. He moved to Jonah unwillingly and took out the equity transfer agreement in his arms. He chuckled dryly and said, "Hehe, Mr. Jonah, I-I'm the assistant to the chairman of the New York Vogue Corporation. My name is Alan. I-I invited you here today to discuss a deal with you."

Jonah was stunned for a bit as he slowly processed the agreement. He was shocked and furious after reading the first part of the agreement. "Three billion US dollars? You want three percent of Pfizer's shares? You guys are out to rob us!"

"Well…" Alan shrugged and looked at Zhishang with an innocent expression. "Mr. Zhishang, it seems like Mr. Jonah has rejected the offer. Why don't we just let him go and find some time to sit down and have some tea together, using something more peaceful…"

"Bang!"

Before Alan was able to finish what he wanted to say, the man named Zhishang took out his gun and fired at Jonah's left hand. The man's left hand was reduced to a pile of torn leather and shattered into pieces after being shot by the powerful handgun, which splattered all over the entire cabin.

Jonah was stunned. He slowly raised his left arm and shook it in disbelief. It was only when that unbearable pain traveled to his brain that he opened his eyes wide and screamed.

Aaron watched all of this with a dazed look on his face, so much so that a piece of Joona's finger bone was sent flying all over his face. He picked up that piece of torn flesh with a shaky hand and his legs went limp as he slumped to the ground.

"What the f * * k are you doing? Hurry up and stop the bleeding!" Jonah howled maniacally. The intense pain caused his body to curl up involuntarily, but his scalp began to ache all of a sudden. Zhishang grabbed his head and forced him to look up. "Mr. Jonah, what do you think now?"

"You're a demon! A demon!" Jonah screamed at the top of his lungs. He looked at Zhishang with fear in his eyes. It wasn't that he had never been kidnapped before, but regardless of whether the kidnappers were putting up a front or screaming at him, Jonah was able to see the cowardice in their hearts. However, the young Asian man before him had no expression in his eyes at all, making it so that no one would ever be able to guess what was going on in his mind. He looked just like someone without a soul.

"Seems like you haven't given it much thought, Mr. Jonah," Zhishang said casually before raising his gun and aiming it at Jonah's right leg.

"No, no! I'll sign it! I'll sign it!" Jonah's pupils contracted to the size of needles as he screamed, but Zhishang still pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"Bang!"

Jonah's right leg was reduced to a pile of mangled flesh in an instant.

"Damn it! Damn it! I said I'd sign it! I'll sign it!" Jonah was on the verge of a mental breakdown as tears and mucus rolled down his cheeks. He was on the verge of a mental breakdown from Zhishang's torture.

"Alright then, Mr. Allen. Give him the agreement." Zhishang turned around and looked at Allen, who was standing at the side.

"O… okay!" The dead man looked at Alan with his emotionless eyes and Alan shuddered and got up from the floor right away. His hands trembled as he took out the contract and put it before Jonah.

Joona signed his name despite the pain and said, "Take, take me to the hospital now!"

"Thank you for your cooperation." Zhishang nodded and pointed the gun at Jonah. "There's no need to go to the trouble of taking you to the hospital. We'll take you to God."

"You…" Jonah was about to say something when he saw a flash from the muzzle of the gun and his consciousness was completely reduced to nothingness in the very next second.

212. Shocking The World

Aaron shuddered when he saw how the head of a living person before him exploded like a watermelon. He was unable to stop himself from vomiting. However, as he had just vomited, he was only able to spit out streams of acid, making him look like a mess.

"Collect his fingerprint and iris." He heard the demon named Zhishang give the order in a flat voice. What he found unbelievable was that the young man before him, be it his eyes, voice, or the way he looked when he killed someone, was as calm as a robot.

Was he a devil? No matter how cold and brutal a killer was, he wouldn't feel so calm when killing someone.

Aaron felt as if his limbs had been plunged into an ice cave. He couldn't help but say in a shaky voice, "You guys shouldn't have killed him. His assets would be automatically transferred to the name of the person who made the will after killing him. After all, the contract has never been brought to justice, and it doesn't serve any legal purpose…"

"Who told you that Jonah is dead?" Zhishang asked casually, which stunned Alan. He turned around with difficulty and saw the door of the cockpit, which had been shut all this while, slowly open. A man who looked exactly like Jonah walked out of the door. Other than having a deadpan expression on his face, the rest of his features and build looked like they had been carved out of the same mold as Jonah.

"This!" Aaron jumped up all of a sudden, and a word appeared in his mind—clone!

Damn it, so they had planned this all along! Kidnapping a real person, replacing the identity of the kidnapper with a clone, and taking over the other party's shares? Heavens, when did the cloning technology become so advanced? While modern science was able to clone animals, the technology required to clone animals and clones were worlds apart. The first step was to reach maturity, and by the time the clones reached the same age as the target, the target would have long become a dying old man. How could there be clones of the same age as the target? Furthermore, clones could at most maintain identical genes, but the 'identification cards' that were unique to the human body, such as fingerprints, would definitely not be the same as well. In the end, this was completely against international law.

Aaron was utterly shocked, but he lost his temper at the thought that the other party would kill someone without hesitation. He could only watch as the other party used some kind of device to collect the fingerprints and palm prints of Jonah's right hand, as well as the iris of both of his eyes, before using some kind of very complicated device to create a kind of membrane to adhere to the clone's palm, before making a pair of contact lenses to wear on his eyes. From then on, the person before him would be no different from Jonah…

"Mr. Allen, we can head to the New York Stock Exchange now. The Hui Rui shares in Jonah's hands will be under your company's control very soon. If it wasn't for the fear of being suspected, your company wouldn't even need to pay three billion US dollars," Zhishang looked at Allen and said casually.

…

All of that happened in three countries, namely the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Hui Rui, Qiangsheng, the Luo Group, Novartis, and GlaxoSmithKline were among the top five pharmaceutical giants. Several major shareholders who held tens of billions of US dollars all transferred their shares to several companies and consortiums that had never been involved in the pharmaceutical field before. The prices of their shares were extremely low, causing panic among the shareholders of several companies. The shareholders of those companies quickly threw their shares away as well, causing the stock prices of those companies to drop by over 10 percent.

However, what was even more shocking was that, in the past few days, after the volatile stock market had finally calmed down, those financial groups that had just joined the board of directors didn't even bother to participate in a single board meeting before continuing to sell their shares. Furthermore, the targets of the transfer were no longer surprising, but rather frightening—they had actually sold their shares to Stellar Technology from Asia.

While the company that had just risen to power was an offshore company affiliated with Bermuda, none of them would ever consider the company to be part of the British sphere of influence. That was because the boss of the company was a Huaxian, and the upper echelons of the company were all Huaxians. The company was a Huaxian enterprise through.

That company had just made a killing with the cryogenic program some time ago, and its rapid rise caught all the major powers by surprise. However, just when they were about to unite and attack the other party, that mysterious company somehow became their shareholder.

Everyone in Europe and the US was stunned. It was only then that they recalled the directors who sold their shares in the first place. However, when they went to investigate, they found that all of them had disappeared without a trace, as if they had disappeared from the face of the earth.

It wasn't that the government didn't want to stop them, but the other party was simply too fast. All of the financial groups that owned shares shifted their ownership almost at the same time. By the time they realized what was happening, over 10 percent of the shares of Hui Rui, Johnson, and the other companies had been taken over by Stellar Technology.

Some people claimed that this would be the darkest days of the global biopharmaceutical industry. Companies that were supposed to be competitors had suddenly become shareholders of their own company, and they were the kind of major shareholders who held over 10 percent of the company's shares! It had to be known that the market value of pharmaceutical companies like theirs was often calculated at 100 billion yuan. As such, their shares were extremely spread out. Having 10 percent of the company's shares meant that they were considered the biggest shareholders of the entire company. Even the board of directors had a very high say in the company. If the other party were to go out of his way to do something to them, their company would suffer massive losses in an instant.

"Stellar Technology or acquired Pfizer's shares through underhanded means. FBI claims to be involved in the investigation.—Washington Daily."

"The Stellar Biotech Corporation became the biggest conglomerate in human history overnight, the biggest black screen of the century—Times Magazine."

"The darkest day in the history of the pharmaceutical industry, when the national corporation was taken over by a foreign company. Is this the end of the US, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson?—New York Times."

The western countries were in an uproar. Countless people opposed the acquisition of their own country's leading role in the pharmaceutical industry. The United Kingdom even began an eight-day parade of tens of thousands of people. Large-scale strikes were also carried out in the factories under GlaxoSmithKline.

However, regardless of how intense the reactions from the outside world were, there was no announcement made by Stellar Technology. Everything felt like a one-sided play. No matter how he reacted, the other party wouldn't budge. What could he do then?

The shareholders behind Hui Rui, Johnson, and the others were unable to sit still any longer. The reason why they were in such a frenzy of protest was because they wanted Stellar Technology to be unable to withstand the pressure and give up their shares. However, the other party was like a dead pig, unafraid of boiling water. In the end, it was their own company's shares that plunged yet again, with Hui Rui's share price rising by nearly 100 billion in just a few days.

The shareholders panicked and began to clean up the mess that they had created. Regardless of whether they were willing to admit it or not, they would never be able to bring down Stellar Technology ever again. Attacking Stellar Technology would be like attacking themselves…

213. Conjecture And View

While the entire world was still reeling from the actions of Stellar Technology, Zhang Heng received good news from Li Yiru. The government was willing to cooperate with Stellar Technology. Even if Zhang Heng were to take 60 percent of the profits, the government agreed to the terms without hesitation, despite being hesitant at first.

Huaxia itself was a place where antibiotics were highly overused. According to the health authorities, Huaxia used over 162,000 tons of antibiotics a year, which made up about half of the world's supplies. 52 percent of the supplies were animal products, and 48 percent were human products. More than 50,000 tons of antibiotics were released into the water and soil environment every year. Huaxia's per capita use of antibiotics was five to eight times that of western countries.

While the residual effects of antibiotics in the environment are not directly harmful to the human body, the real harm of antibiotic abuse and environmental pollution lies in increasing bacterial resistance.

As such, the new antibiotic that Zhang Heng brought with him happened to hit the nail on the head when he was dozing off, which made the authorities of the country feel at ease.

The antibiotics were also being processed at Cfda, which meant that they would need at least half a year to do so, and that was an exception. Under normal circumstances, it would have taken two to three years, and some would have taken seven to eight years.

On the other side, there were still people from the United States who were clamoring for the government to take over the shares of Hui Rui and Johnson in the hands of Stellar Technology. However, Zhang Heng suppressed all of that with just two pieces of news.

The first piece of news that came to his mind was that the pharmaceutical research and development department of Stellar Technology had developed five new types of antibiotics. Currently, Huaxia was undergoing a verification phase, and it was estimated that the new antibiotics would appear in the Huaxia market in about half a year. The five types of antibiotics were capable of killing hundreds of infectious bacteria. Furthermore, as the new antibiotics had never appeared before, the super bacteria had no resistance against them.

The world was in an uproar again after hearing that. How long had it been? Humans had not found any new antibiotics for almost 30 years. Many pessimists even thought that if new antibiotics didn't appear, humans would eventually be rendered incurable by the increasing number of super bacteria.

Now, there was finally a new type of antibiotic synthesized in human history. Not only that, but there were five of them found at once. It was as if rain had fallen from the sky. Once the five antibiotics were released to the market, it was equivalent to injecting a boost to the entire human medical field, greatly delaying the coming of the antibiotic era.

The entire world's attention was once again focused on Stellar Technology.

However, if the first piece of news was enough to cause a sensation all over the world, the second piece of news would drive the entire world crazy.

Stellar Technology announced publicly on the website that it had solved the problem of treating rabies and AIDS at the genetic level and successfully developed the corresponding gene drug. The drug was similar to the T-1 that Huaxia used to treat tumors and was a drug that targeted the genetic level.

Many people refused to believe the two pieces of news after they were announced, believing that Stellar Technology was just bragging and trying to distract the public from the scandal of them acquiring shares from their competitors. However, the authorities of Huaxia soon announced that the so-called T-1 was actually a product of the cooperation between Stellar Technology and the government. Everyone was stunned when the news was released, and those potential powers who were trying to bring down the reputation of Stellar Technology were completely dumbfounded.

After all, if there was such a miraculous gene-based drug known as the T-1 before him, it wouldn't be surprising for him to develop yet another drug capable of treating rabies and AIDS.

However, as soon as that piece of news was announced, countless countries turned their attention to the Biopharmaceutical Company, which had created miracles time again. If the T-1 was the first drug of the company, then the antifreeze was the second. The first two drugs alone were more than enough for any pharmaceutical company to rise to become a world-class giant, not to mention the five antibiotics and the drug that had been developed to treat rabies and AIDS.

Rabies was a terminal disease that could only be prevented but not treated. The average number of people dying from rabies poisoning every year was 55,000, which was equivalent to one case every 10 minutes, due to carelessness. There were about 50 million people living with AIDS all over the world, and both of them had a 100 percent chance of dying. If someone were to be diagnosed with rabies, it would be tantamount to a death sentence.

As such, the world was shaken by the emergence of those two types of terminal cancer drugs. That would be the second and third types of incurable diseases that humans would be able to crack after they solved cancer.

While the number of people infected with the AIDS virus was not as many as cancer patients, and there were only tens of thousands of cases of rabies occurring every year, and the benefits that the two types of drugs could bring about might not be that much, the drug itself was something that Zhang Heng used to boost his reputation. Strictly speaking, it was something that he used to boost his reputation.

When stellar technology cured centuries of terminal illnesses, even the most stupid of people would realize just how important the existence of stellar technology was to humanity. The rise in reputation would make it easier for stellar technology to gain a foothold in other countries, making it easier for the people to accept it. Even if the local countries wanted to make a move against stellar technology, the people would be the first to object. That was the saying that the people would get what they wanted.

Zhang Heng went on to carry out a multinational public trial regarding the approval of the two genetic drugs, which meant that he had been subjected to drug scrutiny from more than 10 countries, including Huaxia and the United States. That way, the progress of the drug's review was greatly enhanced. Many people posted online, hoping that the drug could be put on the market as soon as possible. Even if there were side effects, it was still acceptable as long as the drug wasn't too severe. After all, the earlier the market opened, the more lives would be saved.

There were three ways to reap profits after the audit was completed. The best way to do so would be for Zhang Heng to manufacture the product himself and sell the product to other countries at either a one-way price or a wholesale price. That was the way to reap the most profits, but it was also the most troublesome way. Other than earning a little more money, there was basically no other use for the product.

The second possibility was that Zhang Heng would set up a factory with the other countries and split the profits according to the ratio. That way, he would be able to work with Huaxia in the same manner as he did with Huaxia. Both of them would be able to do as they pleased. While they would be able to have a lot of free time, the profits they would be able to reap would definitely not be as much as the first. However, that would be tantamount to standing on the same chain of interests as the government, which would bring indescribable benefits to the local development of Stellar Technology.

The third way was to collect patent fees and then let the countries run the production and sales of the products themselves. That was the simplest way of doing things. There was no risk involved, but the profit gained would be the least.

Zhang Heng eventually decided on the second option, which was the most long-term way to develop the technology. According to his plan, Stellar Technology would set up its own branch company in the US, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and more than a dozen other European and American countries, specifically to work with the other countries on several drug projects. If his plan were to succeed, the influence of Stellar Technology would be further enhanced and spread to every corner of the world.

If such a day were to come, Stellar Technology would become an unprecedented multinational biopharmaceutical company. Unless dozens of countries were to work together, no other country would be able to destroy Stellar Technology. By then, Stellar Technology would have basically reached the level of the Umbrella Corporation.

214. Forced Evolution Virus

Zhang Heng divided the development of his company into four categories.

The first level was also the lowest level, which was the level standards that were unable to affect countries and the world. Any company in the world before him would have the same standards.

The second level was the level that the Umbrella Corporation was at, which meant that the company had developed to the level that companies like Umbrella were seen in the worldview of Resident Evil. The company had a private army and was out of the country. A single country was no longer able to restrict such a company, and it would only be able to bring down Umbrella if multiple countries joined forces to attack it.

Zhang Heng's stellar technology was currently somewhere between the first and second levels. While it was higher than the first level, it had yet to reach the second level.

The third level was the level that the Weyland Company was at. At the Weyland Company's level, it was able to fight against the entire Earth Government. That's right, the Earth Government.

Humans would have become a bunch of entities in the coming years, and they would have been able to unite into a massive, collective entity that was even more concentrated than the current United Nations. There was no need to elaborate further on their influence, but the Weyland Company was a company that could go against all human governments. That was what Zhang Heng's company needed to achieve in order to influence the future of humanity.

The highest level was above the third level. It was obvious that the highest level was complete control. There was only one company that had reached such heights in the world of games and movies—the Shenluo Corporation from Final Fantasy 7.

It was a legendary company that became something that surpassed the government through a patent named "Magic". It was a company that controlled everything and relied on its massive military and financial resources to remain standing. However, it was never able to escape the fate of being destroyed by Weiguang Zheng.

However, to Zhang Heng, it was a piece of cake for him to upgrade from the third to the fourth tier. The most difficult part was actually the time when he was upgrading from the second tier to the third tier. All the governments in the world would be on high alert when he reached the second tier, as there had never been such a massive enterprise like that of Umbrella in human history. Even the Rothschild family of the United States was suppressed by the combined efforts of the US, the United Kingdom, and the rest of the countries when such signs began to emerge. They divided his oil companies into over 30 companies, cutting off his path of development altogether.

As such, if Stellar Technology were to continue developing, it would have to face countless challenges and twists, and it might require some opportunities.

Zhang Heng left reality and headed for the radiation plane.

He had given the biology department of the institute an 'adaptive evolutionary enzyme' that could stimulate humans to adapt to their surroundings after completing the 'Dimensional Memory' mission. He had only proposed to see if he could combine it with the FV to form a virus that would enable humans to withstand. More than a month had passed since then, and he planned to return to the radiation plane to see if he could make any progress.

Zhang Heng opened his eyes as soon as he arrived at the radiation plane and found himself in the mayor's office. He headed outside without alerting anyone. Groups of cloned warriors were patrolling the castle. The entire defense of the institute was taken over by the cloned warriors. The defense of the institute would be replaced with synthesized humans further away, just in case something were to happen to the institute.

While the chances of such a thing happening were minuscule, failure was often caused by trivial matters, and Zhang Heng had to take precautions.

Zhang Heng took the elevator to the 13th floor below the biology department. He saw a snow-white, dark corridor as soon as he got out of the elevator. The walls were made of alloys. That was the biology testing department of the institute, which consisted of over a hundred research laboratories that extended for thousands of meters. If one's memory was poor, one could even get lost in that place.

However, none of that posed a problem to Zhang Heng, even though it was his first time there.

"Alpha."

"I'm here, sir." The voice of the central computer was heard from the speaker above him. Zhang Heng had long established himself as the highest authority within the school. As long as Alpha was around, he would be able to quickly and effectively take control of the entire school no matter when he returned.

"Get me the location of the professor in charge of biology," Zhang Heng ordered.

"Understood. Search in progress… Search complete. The location of Mr. Abbott Armstrong, the head of the biomedical department, has been found. He is currently in Laboratory SD-98. Would you need me to give you directions?"

"Lead the way."

"Understood, sir. Alpha is at your service." Alpha responded and an arrow made of holographic technology appeared under Zhang Heng's feet all of a sudden, extending deep into the corridor.

Zhang Heng followed the arrow at once. It took him less than 10 minutes to reach a tightly sealed laboratory. He pressed his palm on the palmprint recognition device and a beep was heard. The fingerprint recognition was approved and the door of the laboratory opened.

Rumble…

The door opened quickly after just a few seconds. It looked just like the equipment found in the Honeycomb. He found himself in a sterilization room instead of a laboratory as soon as he walked in. He disinfected the room quickly before entering the second room for ultraviolet disinfection. It took him more than 10 minutes to finish going through the tedious procedures of disinfection, before he put on his suit and went into the laboratory.

Zhang Heng didn't see the person he was looking for after entering the laboratory. He frowned and looked at the isolation room beside him.

However, Zhang Heng was shocked when he got a good look at the creature in the quarantine room. He saw a monster whose shape he couldn't make out lying on the floor in the brightly lit room, looking like a pile of meat. The monster had blood-red skin and disgusting pustules all over its body, with yellow pus oozing out of the pustules. There was nothing else about the monster that he could describe. If it hadn't been for the fact that it kept squirming, Zhang Heng wouldn't have been able to tell that it was actually a creature.

What the hell was the biology department doing?

The corner of Zhang Heng's eye twitched and he walked to the laboratory lounge at the side. While he didn't see anyone there, he was sure that Alpha was right when he said that they were in the laboratory.

Zhang Heng walked up to the door of the lounge and before he could open it, the door of the lounge opened from the inside. A few people dressed in chemical defense attire were about to walk out when they saw Zhang Heng. Everyone was stunned.

"Commander!" The elder with a head full of white hair was none other than the one who had received data regarding his adaptive evolution enzyme more than a month ago. He greeted Zhang Heng immediately after seeing him.

"Mr. Abbott Armstrong." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "I'm here to take a look at the progress of your biomedical research regarding the forced evolution of the virus."

Abbott and the others behind him were stunned and looked rather embarrassed. "Commander, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you…" Abbott continued, "According to that adaptive evolution enzyme of yours, we did manage to create a higher-activity RNA virus after fusing with the FV virus, but…"

Everyone turned to look behind Zhang Heng at the same time. Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit and said with a puzzled expression, "The results of your experiment… could it be that thing in the isolation room…"

215. Experimentals 2

Abbott scratched his bald head awkwardly and said, "I'm very sorry, Commander. That was our first experiment a few days ago. The experimenter injected the FV-2 and his genes underwent some kind of transformation that none of us were able to predict when the solution came into effect. That was how the experimenter ended up…"

"'Him'? You mean that piece of flesh in the quarantine room is actually a human?" Zhang Heng asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Experimental # 1 was one of the captives that we captured three days ago when we were fighting with the railway organization," Abbott reported in a familiar manner. "The name of Experimental # 1 is Ian, and he's 34 years old. Due to prolonged radiation, his body suffered from some symptoms of elevated leukemia…"

"Did you find anything after he went from a human to someone like that?" Zhang Heng frowned and interrupted the man's basic report. That was not what he wanted to hear.

"His genetic mutation rate is over 90 percent." Abbott simply told his assistants to prepare for the next experiment while he reported to Zhang Heng.

"Even the forced evolutionary virus created by the Fev would only be able to turn humans into monsters like mutants. As you know, genes are very different from each other. However, when the virus fuses with the enzyme, the results are astonishing! The new type of virus actually allowed the experimental bodies to break through the boundaries of primates and become something like the Helios' Conch!"

"Solar Goddess Conch?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and extracted all the memories from his cerebral cortex in an instant. All the data regarding the Solar Goddess Conch that he had read about on the internet flashed in his mind.

The Solar Goddess Snail was a low-level creature without a central nervous system, and it only had one type of rotary nervous system. That was to say that the flesh and nerves of such animals were separated, and the rotary nerves would continue to live even after the necrotic tissue died. Furthermore, the Solar Goddess Snail was a homophone, and it didn't need to mate to produce new lifeforms that would replace the dead bodies on the outside of the body. While such a feature limited its number, the rotary nerves and net-like cell structure would continue to multiply as long as the environment permitted it to live.

To put it simply, the brain of a human would never die. While the body would die, the body would quickly form a new body after the body died, which would then continue to be controlled by the brain. That was why the Helios' Conch remained alive. As long as a part of the brain survived, it would never die.

"I have no idea what caused the results of the experiment to turn out like this. As such, we've checked the data of all parts of the body of Experimental # 1." Abbott continued to explain, "It's obvious that the other party's brain has disappeared, or rather, it has degenerated into that kind of circular nerves. We've tried to communicate with him, but we've confirmed that the other party has also lost the ability to think. The current him is just a primitive creature of the lowest level, as if billions of years have passed in his body."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and said with a sigh, "Very good. I hope that after a few more experiments, you guys will be able to fully understand the virus known as the FV-2. Let the second experiment begin."

"Understood." Abbott nodded and his assistant, who had been waiting by his side for quite a while, said something into the walkie-talkie. Two of his assistants appeared in another quarantine room with a new prisoner in tow in just two to three minutes.

He was a young man. While the living conditions in the wasteland made his face look rather sickly, his body was considered very healthy compared to the average scavenger from Doomsday.

However, he seemed to have realized his fate after being locked up in the quarantine room. He knocked on the observation window of the quarantine room in a panic and looked at the people outside the window pleadingly, opening and closing his mouth as if he was saying something.

However, the noise in the quarantine room was not turned on. As such, Zhang Heng was unable to hear anything the unlucky guy said.

"Prepare for the second experiment." Abbott began to give orders. "Experimental No.2 is in place. Check the extent of the seal in the quarantine room!"

"That's normal." The assistant gave him a thumbs up.

"Check the atmospheric pressure in the isolation chamber and weigh the Experimentals!"

"Pressure in the quarantine room is normal. Experimental # 2 is tall and has a normal consciousness. It has moderate skin conditions and mild cholecystitis. Other than that, there are no other diseases."

"Good. Record all data and prepare to inject the virus. Due to the fact that we were using air infections the last time, we'll be injecting the virus directly this time." Abbott's eyes gleamed as he continued, "Now, send the No. 2 experimental body to the testing table and inject the virus directly into the target."

"Professor, do you need anesthesia?" the assistant asked.

"No need. The use of anesthesia on the experimental subjects is prohibited until we're sure if the anesthesia will affect the experimental data."

"Understood."

The two assistants wore heavy-duty chemical suits in the quarantine room, making them look like two grim reapers whose faces couldn't be seen clearly. That unlucky young man kept struggling, but he was eventually forced to stay on the testing table. The electroencephalogram detectors, blood pressure gauges, heartbeat tests, and various other equipment were connected to him at the same time. All of his data was displayed before everyone's eyes.

"Experimental # 2 is doing fine. Prepare to inject the virus. Dose: 5mm1."

One of the assistants took out a syringe from a sealed suitcase under the young man's despairing gaze and inserted it into the needleless syringe before putting the needle against the young man's neck.

However, the assistant seemed to be feeling rather nervous and his hand, which was holding onto the syringe, began to tremble.

"Carlos, what are you doing?" Abbott asked, feeling displeased. "Hurry up and inject that virus into Experimental # 2!"

"Y-yes!" The voice of the assistant named Carlos was heard from the speaker, stammering. Zhang Heng, who was outside the isolation room, could see that the assistant's hands were trembling nonstop.

Experimental # 2 seemed to have seen a glimmer of hope and began to say something to his assistant. That assistant named Carlos' hand trembled even more violently.

"Why don't you hand the virus over to Josie, Carlos?" Abbott said with a frustrated shake of his head, while mentally lowering the score of his assistant by two points.

"No, I can do it!" However, Carlos took a deep breath all of a sudden and pulled the trigger of the needleless injector hard. The virus immediately liquefied into a high flow of water and was injected into the body of Experimental # 2.

Experimental No.2's eyes were immediately wide open. He looked at Carlos in disbelief, with indescribable resentment in his eyes. He then began cursing non-stop, seemingly in utter despair as his entire body kept trembling.

"The heartbeat of the experimental body is beginning to accelerate. It's currently at about 150 heartbeats per minute, and it's still rising." The assistant who was monitoring the physiological changes of the experimental body next to Abbott began to report on his own. "The heartbeat of the experimental body is also increasing. Currently at 170 heartbeats, it's still rising…"

"180 times, 190 times. The heartbeat of the experimental body has passed 200 times per minute. The temperature of the experimental body has reached 40 degrees Celsius and is still rising."

"Very well, keep watching!" Abbott looked at the Experimentals in the quarantine room with a serious expression, his eyes burning with excitement and passion.

However, he frowned all of a sudden. He could feel a faint palpitation coming from the quarantine room. The No. 2 experimental body in the quarantine room was still yelling at the top of its lungs, glaring at the two assistants named Carlos and Josie. Both of them were trembling slightly as well. Zhang Heng initially thought that it was because they were newbies, but he quickly realized that it wasn't.

Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes. He was able to tell with his vision that the two assistants were shaking at the exact same frequency as the two Experimentals, as if they were being pulled by the two of them.

All in all, the situation in the quarantine room didn't look right.

216. Experimental Crisis

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and tensed all the muscles on his body. He looked at the control panel at the side and saw that the self-destruct button of the quarantine room was installed on the control panel. It had the same function as the ones found in the beehive. All he had to do was press the red button that was blocked by the plastic cover, and the ceiling of the quarantine room would emit flames that were tens of thousands of degrees high, burning away everything in the room.

Whether it was the virus or the Experimentals, none of them would be able to survive.

Zhang Heng was only able to relax a little after seeing that button. Everyone was paying close attention to the No. 2 Experimental at the moment, yet no one was paying any attention to the two assistants. The two assistants were still trembling all over at the moment, and the shaking was getting faster, as if they had gone insane.

"What's going on?" Abbott finally discovered that something was off with his two assistants and questioned them through the walkie-talkie, "Carlos, Josie, what are you two doing?"

The walkie-talkie was completely silent.

Everyone looked over and finally found something out of place with the two assistants.

"What happened? Is Josie infected too?"

"That's impossible. The equipment says that their chemical defense suits are completely unscathed. Furthermore, it's not an air infection this time, but a direct injection. There's no way the two of them could have gotten infected even if they were in the quarantine room, right?"

The other assistants began to whisper among themselves.

"Carlos? Josie?" Abbott asked again, but there was still no answer from either of them.

"Damn it, stop your stupid pranks. Get out here right now, both of you. I'm going to kick your sh * * * sh * * * with my foot…" Zhang Heng stopped Abbott before he could finish.

"Something's wrong, Professor Abbott."

"Commander, are you saying that something is off?" Abbott looked at Zhang Heng with a dumbfounded expression.

"I don't know." Zhang Heng shook his head, but his expression was extremely serious. "Anyways, I think it's best not to open the quarantine room until I confirm that your two assistants are fine."

"…" Abbott fell silent, while the other assistants looked at Zhang Heng with puzzled looks on their faces. To them, Zhang Heng seemed to be making a mountain out of a molehill. He was actually going to lock the two of them and the Experimentals up in a separate room just so that they could be at ease. That was the typical sign that he feared death.

Zhang Heng wasn't in the mood to explain himself. As the boss of the institute, he had no reason to explain himself to those people. He simply kept his gaze fixed on the isolation room at the moment and tensed up when he saw the number two Experimentals talking non-stop.

"Experimental No.2's body temperature has reached 50 degrees Celsius. His heartbeat is over 500 times per minute and it's still rising…" However, everyone was stunned when that assistant reported the data again.

"500 heartbeats per minute… Are you sure?" Abbott was stunned.

"That's right. I've checked the equipment. Everything looks normal." The assistant wiped the cold sweat from his brow and began to feel that something was off. Logically speaking, if the human body were to reach such a temperature, the Experimentals would have died of heart lacerations long ago. However, when the crowd looked over, they were able to see that the mouth of the No. 2 Experimental was still open. While the eyeball had turned red due to high blood pressure and congestion, there was no sign of unconsciousness or death.

Zhang Heng took another look at his two unlucky assistants in the quarantine room. Both of them were convulsing violently at the moment, as if they were suffering from epilepsy. That level of convulsions was definitely not something that humans would be able to do on their own. However, what was even more surprising was that the two of them were still standing where they were, even though they were convulsing like that. It was as if they were rooted to the ground.

Everyone realized that something was out of their control.

"Listen to what he's saying," Zhang Heng suddenly said.

Abbott was stunned as well. He immediately realized what was going on and said, "Yes, yes, yes! That's right, turn on the microphone in the quarantine room right away. I want to see what Experimental # 2 is saying!"

The assistant nodded and pressed a button on the control panel immediately. An indescribable, deafening noise was heard from the speakers.

It was a high-pitched, high-pitched noise, as if tens of thousands of humans and nonhumans were screaming at the same time. However, Zhang Heng felt his vision blur as soon as he heard that sound. Countless pieces of information were sent into his brain along with that sound. That piece of information seemed to carry some kind of indescribable chaos and violence. He felt a sense of emptiness and panic that transcended time and space the moment everyone heard that sound.

It was as if someone with trypophobia had seen countless densely packed and disgusting bugs. It was as if someone with trypophobia had fallen into the deepest, darkest trench in the ocean. Countless indescribable fear and chaos formed an unstoppable storm in Zhang Heng's brain, causing it to churn violently.

It wasn't just Zhang Heng. Abbott and all of his assistants who were outside couldn't help but shudder when they heard the noise.

A look of struggle was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes all of a sudden. The pineal gland deep within his glabella began to vibrate against his will. A look of clarity appeared in his eyes all of a sudden and he took a huge step forward, traversing several meters in a single step. He arrived before the control panel and pushed the self-destruct button of the control room hard.

Blue flames burst out of the isolation room immediately, lighting up the entire laboratory with intense light and high temperatures.

The noise in the laboratory disappeared in an instant.

Abbott stumbled and fell to the ground as soon as the silence was restored. He wasn't the only one who fell to the ground, as did all of his assistants. All of them were moaning and groaning, as if the noise from before had a very negative impact on them.

"Are you alright, Professor Abbott?" Zhang Heng held back his headache and helped Abbott up. However, Abbott simply looked at Zhang Heng with a confused expression before laughing out loud all of a sudden. "They're here. They're about to wake up and the world will be plunged into darkness. Hehehe, I'm safe in a bright place…"

Zhang Heng stopped what he was doing right there and then. He narrowed his eyes and slapped Abbott hard on the face. There was a crack and a bright red palm print was seen on Abbott's face. To Zhang Heng's surprise, Abbott didn't react to the slap at all, which only made the smile on his face look even more eerie.

"I'm safe in bright places. I'm safe in bright places…"

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched. He felt an indescribable familiarity with that last line, as if he had heard it somewhere before. However, that feeling quickly dissipated.

He paid no further attention to the dazed Abbott and went to check on his other assistants. However, what shocked Zhang Heng the most was that everyone in the laboratory, with the exception of him, had completely lost all sense of reason and were repeating the same thing over again.

I'm safe in bright places…

That was a very ordinary line. While the meaning of that line was unclear, there was nothing out of the ordinary about the line itself. However, at that very moment, that line seemed to exude an indescribable chill and eerie feeling, causing Zhang Heng's heart to turn cold.

How was that possible? The noise that was heard from the speakers in less than three seconds made everyone lose their minds, turning them into idiots who only knew how to talk nonsense. It just so happened that everyone kept repeating the same thing. If their will had been weaker, they would probably have ended up like everyone else in the room.

Zhang Heng gasped and felt the pain in his head intensify. Blood began to flow from his nose as well. He looked into the quarantine room with lingering fear and saw white smoke from high temperatures shrouding the entire room, preventing him from seeing what was happening inside. Not only that, but the white smoke was thickening at a visible rate.

217. Meme Effect

"Alpha." Zhang Heng placed the unconscious man in his arms on the ground, looking very serious. "How is it? Can you detect what happened before?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm unable to comprehend what these people are doing. There has never been a case like this in my database," Alpha said innocently.

Zhang Heng didn't expect such a bizarre thing to be understood by a supercomputer. He simply asked again, "So, has the entire experiment been recorded?"

"Yes, but the surveillance cameras and other equipment inside the quarantine room were completely destroyed after the device was turned on. The footage is only recorded at the moment of the destruction," Alpha answered.

"That's enough." Zhang Heng nodded. "Set this video as top-secret. No one is allowed to watch it unless I give the order."

"Understood, sir."

Zhang Heng turned around and walked out of the laboratory. It was not until more than 10 minutes later that Gu Zhan rushed in with a large group of clone warriors.

"Take Professor Abbott and his assistants away and keep a close eye on them. No one is to let them out unless ordered by the commander!"

"Understood!" The clone warrior replied and the medical personnel behind him followed suit, placing each of them on a stretcher before moving away.

Gu Zhan turned to look at the quarantine room at the side after watching the clone warriors take the scientists who had lost their minds away. The inside of the room was filled with disinfectant due to the cleaning mechanism. The disinfectant was clear and transparent, so much so that one could even see a black stain at the bottom of the water. That was the oil and charcoal left behind after the three of them were burned to ashes.

Gu Zhan looked at the pile of stains with a deadpan expression on his face, yet he discovered that there was a peculiar sense of palpitation coming from within the isolation room. Gu Zhan instinctively sensed that the further away he was from the pile of stains, the better. As such, he turned around and left without a second thought, completely sealing off the entire laboratory.

…

Zhang Heng slowly woke up from his deep sleep. The splitting headache that he had after a night of recuperation was somewhat alleviated. He quickly got up and had the Alpha send someone to bring him breakfast. Zhang Heng was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after eating and headed outside.

Zhang Heng didn't stop walking until he reached a heavily-guarded medical room at the bottom of the school. Two cloned warriors wearing armor stood outside the door and saluted when they saw him.

"How's the situation inside?" Zhang Heng asked casually.

"Professor Abbott and his four assistants have been completely quarantined and there is nothing out of the ordinary. The psychologist, Professor Alexander, has arrived and is currently inside," the clone warrior replied.

Zhang Heng nodded and pushed the door open. He found himself in a dark corridor, with cold, black steel doors lining both sides of the corridor, making it look like a prison.

That was where the institute's abnormal human research center was located, a place that was similar to a mental hospital. The wasteland world was subjected to extremely harsh survival pressures, and countless lunatics would definitely be driven insane and go insane. That abnormal human research center existed solely for the purpose of researching human psychology. While it was an unpopular department, it was nonetheless essential.

Such a place would always instill a feeling of extreme fear in people. Lunatics were always more frightening than murderers, as one would never know what a lunatic would do next. Zhang Heng walked to the end of the corridor and saw the door of a sealed room being opened. A scream filled with despair was heard from the sealed room. Zhang Heng walked to the door and saw four burly men using their arms to control Abbott. The poor professor looked like he was neither a human nor a ghost, struggling and yelling non-stop. What Abbott was facing was a middle-aged man dressed in a white coat. The middle-aged man was holding a flashlight and shining something into Abbott's mouth.

"Professor Alexander?" Zhang Heng asked.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Zhang Heng instinctively. The middle-aged man in a white coat nodded and said, "Yes, it's me, Commander. What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to check up on Professor Abbott's condition," Zhang Heng said. He observed the middle-aged man in front of him without any reservations. He could sense that the man had a gloomy aura about him. Zhang Heng felt that the man had been dealing with mental illnesses for years, and he didn't seem to be in good spirits.

Alexander took a look at Zhang Heng and said coldly, "Professor Abbott suffered from a very severe mental trauma, and I'm afraid that he'll need to undergo prolonged recuperation. As for whether he'll be able to make a full recovery, I can't guarantee that."

"Mental stimulation?" Zhang Heng nodded. "I see. In that case, I'd need to spend some time alone with Professor Abbott."

"Now?" Alexander stopped what he was doing and frowned.

"Yes, now." Zhang Heng's voice was unmistakable.

"Understood." Alexander was silent for a bit before he eventually turned around and walked out of the detention room. The others let go of Professor Abbott and didn't even look at Zhang Heng. One of them even touched Zhang Heng's shoulder.

Zhang Heng's eyebrows twitched after everyone left. He looked up and said, "Alpha?"

"Yes, sir."

"Go and keep an eye on Alexander and his assistants." A cold glint was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. "Inform the clone warriors to arrest them immediately if they do anything out of the ordinary."

"Understood."

Zhang Heng looked at Abbott, who was curled up in a corner, after hearing Alpha's response. That old man looked like he had aged 10 years and looked like he was about to die. His face looked pale under the glow of the energy-saving lights, and his thick black eye circles and pale lips made him look very out of place.

"Do you still recognize me, Professor Abbott?" Zhang Heng walked up to Abbott and said condescendingly, "Tell me, what did you see yesterday?"

"Hehe… I felt them…" Abbott chuckled in a sinister manner. His voice was deep and low, and there was something indescribable and eerie about the small, enclosed room. "They're coming back…"

"Who are they?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and squatted down, asking in a patient manner.

"They are…" Abbott's voice lowered and a string of obscure and baffling tones was heard from his mouth. What was even more baffling was that some kind of memory seemed to flash in Zhang Heng's mind as soon as Abbott said those words, as if there was some kind of special information contained in his voice.

Zhang Heng was shocked. It was very obvious now. A mental infection similar to Corona's was transmitted from Experimental No.2 during the experiment. Zhang Heng ordered for the sound system to be turned on, which eventually led to the mental infection being transmitted through the sound system, infecting several of his assistants, including Abbott. As he had been training in Corona's virtual space for a long time, his will was far stronger than that of humans, which was why he was immune to such an effect.

"Meme?" All of a sudden, that term flashed across Zhang Heng's mind. The only time he came into contact with the term 'Meme' was when he first acquired the Black Marker. However, due to the dangerous nature of that ability, Zhang Heng had never used it ever since he gained control of the Black Marker. What Abbott was doing at the moment looked very much like he was trying to infect the Meme.

If it really was a memo, things would be complicated.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but ponder deeply about it. Technology like Meme, which was capable of conveying messages, was not something that the current Zhang Heng was able to withstand. While the technology of the radiation plane was higher than that of reality, it was still utterly incapable of resisting technology like Meme's.

In that case, there seemed to be only one way to get rid of the influence of the meme…

218. Weird Video Replay

"Alpha, gather all data regarding the No. 2 experimental body for me and make a copy of the video footage from last night. I'm taking it with me." Zhang Heng stood up and left the dark, enclosed room. He paused for a bit before recalling the psychologist named Alexander and added, "By the way, no one is allowed to see the five members of last night, including Abbott, without my orders, not even a psychiatrist."

"Understood."

Zhang Heng was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after giving the order. If he was not mistaken, while the institute looked peaceful at the moment, it had long since reached the brink of life and death. A single mishap could cause the institute, a powerful organization, to be completely wiped out without a trace. The reason for that was that thing that seemed to be some kind of unknown entity.

However, it remained to be seen if that thing was a meme or not. Zhang Heng simply couldn't figure out how a single FIV Virus combined with an adaptive evolution enzyme could cause a meme phenomenon, and it definitely wasn't some common meme phenomenon. At the very least, he was unable to find a way to crack it.

That didn't make sense!

The mandatory evolution of the virus was a biological virus developed by the United States before the war. The original purpose of the virus was to create stronger, smarter soldiers. The end result was that the soldiers did become stronger, but their intelligence dropped drastically instead. The virus exploded before the research was even completed. The virus was leaked during nuclear attacks and mutated due to radiation, eventually becoming a mutant race in the wasteland world.

The Fev virus was initially a low-level virus and was nowhere near as mature as the T-Virus, which meant that its effects could be replaced with the T-Virus. However, Zhang Heng insisted on making use of the principle of never leaving empty-handed, enabling Abbott to combine the virus with the adaptive evolution enzyme found in the Dimensional amnesia plane, which resulted in the emergence of a virus called the Fev-2. The virus had only been tested twice, with the first time causing a human to degenerate into an ancient creature, and the second time, it caused such a transformation that even Zhang Heng didn't understand.

Zhang Heng returned to reality alone, feeling deeply uneasy.

Zhang Heng felt his body lighten as soon as he came back to reality, as if something heavy that had been weighing on his mind was lifted. It was as if he had been subjected to rain for several days, and the feeling of being able to see the sun after the skies cleared all of a sudden was very satisfying.

"Phew!" Zhang Heng didn't know if that was due to him being overly anxious. He looked at the device in his hand and found that it recorded two experiments regarding the FV-2 Virus. Zhang Heng didn't dare to replay the footage directly back in the radiation plane, fearing that it would lead to even more unpredictable consequences. However, he was in a different plane right now, and he had Corona as his trump card to back him up. Corona also had a meme function.

"Corona, help me read the data regarding the inner workings of this storage medium. Find a laboratory with stronger defenses and put it on display. I'll choose… lab B6-19." Zhang Heng thought for a bit and chose that laboratory that was left empty.

"Understood," Corona replied immediately.

Corona's abilities were many times better than that of the Alpha from the radiation plane. Zhang Heng believed that if he were to conduct another experiment with the FV-2 in real life, Corona would definitely be able to detect everything, just like the Alpha.

However, Zhang Heng had his own concerns as well. He had to figure out what all that noise-like information was first, and if it was some kind of meme or not. Could Corona resist it? If she was unable to resist it, then there was no need to wait for the curse from the underworld. Zhang Heng would have personally destroyed his world.

Zhang Heng made it to Laboratory B6-19 in just a few steps. The place where Xu Haoyu and the others had been held captive was cleaned up again after being cleaned by the Coronal staff. As the laboratory remained empty, Zhang Heng was able to make good use of it. If anything were to happen to the laboratory, he would be able to keep the crisis at bay with steel beams that were several meters thick.

"Commander, your heart is beating faster. Are you feeling very nervous?" Corona asked after seeing Zhang Heng seal off the exit.

"That's right. The storage medium could very well contain some kind of modular effect that could be transmitted through sound, which is why I need you to be on your guard. If anything goes wrong, stop the projection immediately," Zhang Heng said solemnly.

"Understood." Corona's voice gradually turned serious. The sound of static was heard from the eastern wall of the laboratory at the very next second. A huge LCD screen was extended from the wall that had been cut open automatically and sizzled at the same time.

The image on the LCD screen flickered at the very next second and the scene of Abbott experimenting with the FV-2 virus began to appear.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and sat on the chair behind him, watching the experiment on the screen with his head held high. While it was risky to do so, his willpower had been honed countless times by Corona, making it several times more resilient than that of regular people. The eerie sound that could drive everyone insane would only serve to give him a headache for a while.

Furthermore, he had to find the cause and consequences of that strange piece of information. Otherwise, he might very well lose the power of the academy. If that were to happen, several months of hard work would be wasted.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious at that thought. He saw the figure of Experimental # 1 appearing on the screen.

Zhang Heng looked at the screen silently. There was not much difference between the first experiment and the second one that he saw. The only difference was that there was no eerie sound to be heard. The two assistants in the chemical defense suit stayed in the quarantine room with the No. 1 Experimental, but nothing weird happened even after the Experimental was reduced to a pile of disgusting flesh.

"Commander, that FV-2 virus seems to be some kind of biochemical weapon." Corona couldn't help but laugh. "That virus could survive in the air for a very long time. If we were to sprinkle it anywhere, all the humans there would end up in such a state. That would be a killing machine!"

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes. If he really wanted to kill civilians indiscriminately, he wouldn't have needed to use such a high-end weapon like the FV-2 Virus. Wouldn't it have been better to just shoot a bomb instead?

The video then began to play the second experiment. Zhang Heng wore a very serious expression on his face, as he knew that the video would stop playing at the first sign of danger.

"Very good. I hope that you'll be able to fully understand the virus known as the FV-2 after a few more experiments. Let's begin the second experiment," Zhang Heng's voice was heard from the video.

"Understood." Abbott's voice was heard from the video as well. However, as he was using the internal communication technology of the suit, his voice sounded rather subdued.

As the footage continued to play, two assistants carried Experimental # 2 into the quarantine room. At first, Experimental # 2 continued to struggle and even managed to break free from the two of them. It ran to the window of the quarantine room and knocked on it non-stop while begging for mercy and the like.

Under Abbott's impatient orders, the two assistants tied the No. 2 test subject to the operating table and injected the FV-2 virus into the test subject.

However, just when the virus was injected into the Experimental's body, Experimental No.2 suddenly stopped talking and opened its mouth again. However, the voice of Experimental No.2 in the video disappeared completely after that pause.

"What happened? Did something go wrong with the video?" Zhang Heng asked anxiously.

"No, I've checked the files. Everything is normal and there are no signs of tampering," Corona answered right away. "It's obvious that when the experiment was carried out, the microphone in the interval between the two of them didn't record the other party's words into the video."

"That's impossible!" Zhang Heng gasped and continued, "His voice was indeed heard outside the isolation room through the microphone. How could there be no way to detect it?"

At that moment, Zhang Heng could only see that the mouth of Experimental # 2 was moving faster. The two assistants in the quarantine room were also beginning to shake violently. However, it was as if the entire video had been turned off and no sound was heard from within.

Zhang Heng only heard the shouts from the crowd when the video ended, but he didn't hear any further chatter from the Experimentals, as if his voice never existed.

219. Cthulhu Mythology

Things seemed to have gotten increasingly bizarre.

He had no idea why that voice wasn't brought to reality at all. Or rather, the voice that Zhang Heng heard back then wasn't transmitted through the microphone or the sound system at all.

What was the medium used to transmit sound?

Even Corona had no idea what was going on. No matter how powerful one's computational ability was, there was no way one could come up with any useful analysis without sufficient intelligence.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but fall into deep thought as he flipped through the data regarding the two experiments in his hands. However, he seemed to have discovered something when he read a piece of information and was surprised.

"What's wrong?" Corona asked instinctively.

"I've looked into the data regarding Experimental # 2. I didn't expect him to be a believer of the Atom God Church." Zhang Heng frowned and seemed to have thought of something. His pupils contracted all of a sudden. The four words' Atom God Church 'seemed to be some kind of curse. Zhang Heng felt as if his brain was suddenly enlightened. Countless pieces of information came together and eventually came to a conclusion that even he found unbelievable.

Zhang Heng gasped and looked dazed for a moment.

Corona quickly reminded him, "Commander, your blood pressure is rising and your brain activity is over the limit. Your rationality is dropping. Please calm down!"

Zhang Heng was stunned. His powerful self-control allowed him to regain control of his emotions in an instant. He took out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket at the same time, lit the cigarette, and took a deep puff before looking shocked.

"You seem to know something?" Corona asked curiously. "I sense fear from your emotions?"

Zhang Heng nodded and said with a bitter smile, "The oldest and most intense emotion humans have is fear, and the oldest and most intense fear is the unknown. I finally understand what that means… Corona, you should know about the Atom God Church of the radiation plane."

The Atom Sect was a fictional cult organization in the radiation plane that advocated evil gods and radiation. According to their legends, it was the evil gods who taught Einstein how to make nuclear bombs, and the Atom Sect believers believed that they could resist radiation and even gain the power of nature from it.

Corona appeared right beside Zhang Heng and sat down next to him. She rested her head on her hands and looked at him with sparkling eyes. "The terms you listed are too abstract. My logical thinking is unable to string them together according to some kind of logic."

Zhang Heng sighed and said, "Well then, do you remember the several side quests regarding the Atom God Church that appeared in the radiation? For example, Dumbsp, the Dunwich Company?" Corona took a confused look at Zhang Heng and began to search for information regarding that term on the internet. It took only a few seconds before Corona covered her mouth and wore a shocked expression. "You're saying that the sound you heard was caused by 'them'? How is that possible? Cthulhu… actually exists in the world?"

The Cthulhu Mythology was based on the story of h.p.loffkraft, a legendary system that was created by many authors. There were countless evil gods in the Cthulhu Mythology, and the charm of that system was that it didn't use human behavior to describe those evil gods, as the Cthulhu Mythology believed that the existence of those evil gods was never meant for humans to understand.

Humans were as insignificant as bacteria to them. Humans were unable to comprehend what the evil gods had done, just like how bacteria were unable to comprehend why humans would want to kill them by washing their hands. The lifeforms of both parties were on completely different levels. Humans would go insane just by seeing the evil gods or hearing a word or two from them, unable to withstand the massive amount of information that was being transmitted to them. They might even end up dead.

However, such Kruzu myths became the favorites of games and literature instead. Their active figures could be seen in countless games, movies, and even in literature. The radiation plane was no exception.

"No matter how inconceivable the results might be, the answer would be final once you've given up everything that is impossible." Zhang Heng nodded and continued in a low voice, "I was only able to deduce the answer based on existing leads. Of course, I'd rather believe that I was the one who made the wrong deductions. It's a pity that I'm afraid that's the closest thing I could come to the truth."

"But isn't 'Evil God' something that exists in the stories of nature?" Corona still found it difficult to comprehend. "The radiation should be some kind of science fiction game."

"What is nature?" Zhang Heng asked in return. "Humans feared lightning in ancient times and thought that it was the wrath of the gods. To the ancients, lightning was nature. Take your existence for example. In real life, you used your powers to send the minds of humans into virtual space. In the eyes of those humans, what you did was also nature."

"So, what we call nature is nothing more than what modern science calls unexplainable phenomena. When technology develops enough to unravel the causes of those phenomena, humans will realize that what we call nature is actually just nature, nothing more."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and continued, "However, from what I understand, I believe that the so-called 'evil gods' are some kind of modular effect that only exists in the radiation plane. They are completely unaware of what is happening, and they are like a program that would only reveal themselves in real life if they were to make contact with specific commands. The experiment methods that were used on that believer of the Atom God Sect that day were definitely some kind of action that triggered such a modular phenomenon, resulting in what happened then."

Corona finally understood. "I'm sorry, Commander, but I think I understand."

"It's alright. The human mindset is very abstract. You'll need to get used to it." Zhang Heng nodded and looked thoughtful. "However, I don't think I've ever heard of the existence of the Cthulhu Mythology in the radiation plane. Perhaps all information regarding the Cthulhu Mythology would be blocked by the ability of Meme after I entered the radiation plane. That's why I never thought of the Cthulhu Mythology when I saw the performance of Abbott and his assistants, right?"

"Well then, what do you plan to do?" Corona listened with relish. "Do you still want to go to the radiation plane for an experiment?"

"That's right. I'm going to take the risk and bring Abbott back to reality." Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and continued, "Judging from how I recalled what happened with Corus right after I returned to reality, that kind of meme wouldn't be able to affect me across planes."

"But the Cthulhu myths also seem to involve planes," Corona reminded.

"There's more than one evil god," Zhang Heng said with a faint smile. "In the Cthulhu mythology, there are both strong and weak evil gods. The strong are capable of surpassing time and space, while the weak are only slightly stronger than humans. I believe that if the evil gods truly exist, the meme that I came into contact with would have no power capable of crossing planes."

"But what if you're wrong?" Corona retorted like a curious baby. "There's no need to be afraid of the worst."

"If I'm wrong, I'll have to rely on you to destroy it," Zhang Heng said matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" Corona looked at Zhang Heng, dumbfounded.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to Corona's stunned expression and put on a look of ambition instead. "I believe that if we were to be able to catch a module, it would be of unparalleled benefit to our technology."

220. Dunwich Company

Zhang Heng had never been a passive conservative.

He liked to take the initiative and he hated being on the defensive the most. As such, he hoped that he would be the one taking the initiative to face danger instead of running away out of fear. If he were to just keep running away from danger, there would come a day when he would have nowhere to run.

If that were to happen, he would never have the chance to take the initiative to face the situation.

The earlier he faced danger, the easier it would be for him to overcome all obstacles and fight his way to new heights.

As such, when he learned that the enemy he was up against might be some kind of 'evil god', other than feeling rather nervous at first, he was able to calm himself down completely.

He had no way out at the moment, unless he gave up on the radiation plane. However, that was impossible.

Zhang Heng had spent a lot of time and effort on the radiation plane. There were over 700 top scientists from the colleges there, as well as 500 elite scholars from the Dimensional amnesia plane. If he were to give up on all of that, it would be tantamount to giving up all the hard work he had put in for the past few months. That would be fatal to him.

As such, anyone could run away, except for Zhang Heng, who had no excuse to do so.

Zhang Heng woke up from his deep sleep 12 hours later. He took advantage of the cooling down period of the Dimensional Star's teleportation to rest for a bit longer, so that he could fully recharge himself for the upcoming challenge. His headache was almost completely gone by then. Not only that, he even felt as if he had been training himself in fear for a very long time. The stimulation of the evil messages from the radiation plane to his brain only served to further stimulate the growth of his mental power.

Zhang Heng's mental power growth had slowed down over the past few months, making it look like he was training his body. He would be able to reach the professional level of athletes in just a few months if he were to do long-distance running training alone. However, if he were to go further and reach the level of world-class athletes, he would need to work a hundred times harder.

There was a limit to the human body. When one was about to reach the limit, one would have to put in even more effort every time they took a step further.

As such, the rate of growth of his mental power became increasingly slow and difficult as time passed.

Due to the stimulation from his brain, his mental power had grown yet again, which was a pleasant surprise.

Zhang Heng shook his head and took out a pen all of a sudden. He pulled up his sleeve and wrote a few key words on his arm—Cthulhu, Meme, Atom Sector, and the Dunwich Company.

Zhang Heng quickly wrote those keywords on his arm and took out a pair of sunglasses after some thought. That pair of sunglasses was a piece of technological equipment developed by the Honeycomb. It had night vision, thermal imaging, and telescope functions. It also had the ability to receive messages. Zhang Heng keyed in the same keywords in the sunglasses. He contacted the Dimensional Star after he was done and sent himself to the radiation plane again.

A dazed look was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as soon as he returned to the radiation plane. He frowned and looked around in a dazed manner before his eyes became clear again.

"Sir, you're back so soon. Is there something important you need to do?" Alpha asked from above.

"That's right. I came back for…" Zhang Heng paused for a bit and wore a weird expression all of a sudden. He mumbled to himself, "Why did I come back to radiation?"

"Are you asking me, sir?" Alpha asked immediately.

"No." Zhang Heng shook his head and frowned right away. He seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden and lowered his head. He pulled his sleeve up and three keywords appeared on his wrist—Meme, Atomology, and Dunwich.

Zhang Heng's expression changed drastically when he saw those three words. He seemed to remember that he had written down four phrases, yet one of them had disappeared at that moment.

Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and began to look at the storage mechanism in the sunglasses. However, the three words remained the same after he pulled them out. As for the first word, it was erased due to the equipment's memory being compromised.

That had to be a very important word.

No, it would be more accurate to say that the term was something close to the truth of the world.

Zhang Heng sank into deep thought and tried to remember what that term was. However, he realized that no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to recall what that term was. One had to realize that his memory was several times better than that of regular people at the moment. He was able to remember every single word clearly even if he were to flip through a book. Despite that, he was unable to put up any resistance against such memes.

Zhang Heng's ego, which had previously been inflated, was somewhat alleviated at that thought.

To be honest, the technology that he had access to at the moment might be enough to allow him to stand at the top of the real plane, but he was still far from being able to fight against that 'curse' that existed in the dark of the universe… He still remembered how, despite having created the legendary 'god' in the Eva plane, the Ikariens were still easily defeated by that 'curse'. One could tell from that alone just how terrifying that 'curse' was, to the extent that it surpassed the four fundamental forces of the universe…

Zhang Heng frowned. The keyword that disappeared was like a piece of bone stuck in his throat, unable to spit it out or swallow it down, making him feel very uncomfortable. He looked at the remaining three keywords on his wrist: Meme. He knew about that. He deduced that all of that was caused by Meme, and the term Atomic Sanctum made him frown.

"Why would I write down the name of the Atom God Church? And then there's the Dunwich Company…" Zhang Heng looked puzzled and suddenly looked up. "Alpha, do you have a map of the federation?"

"Yes, sir," Alpha answered immediately. At the same time, a dense 3D map consisting entirely of lines appeared before Zhang Heng's eyes. The map was extremely detailed and even included the ruins of every single building in the federation. The map was densely packed and looked very real.

"This is the map of the entire federation that we reconstructed after shooting the quantum spy satellites according to your request," Alpha said.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and continued, "Search for the keyword—Dunwich."

"Understood!" Alpha replied and lines began to streak across the map. A red spot of light was lit up on the map and the map expanded at the same time, eventually taking the shape of a clear map.

"That is the only piece of information regarding the Dunwich Company that we've found in the federal area. That company is called the Dunwich Mining Company, and it's a mine ruins."

"Did the Academy send people to explore this place?"

"We did explore that place before you took control of the institute," Alpha replied. "However, after losing over a dozen warriors, your previous board members stopped us from doing anything. We haven't explored that place since then."

Zhang Heng nodded with a decisive look on his face. "In that case, notify Gu Zhan and Adam to assemble 100 members of the Special Forces from other planes and 500 armed synthesized personnel. I'd like to make a trip there myself."

"Understood."

221. Attacking The Mine

The academy's army marched towards the ruins of the Dunwich Company.

It was very rare to see such a massive army after humans entered the wastelands. Regimes and armies of the past had long since fallen into disrepair, and only time remained to recount the glorious days of civilization.

Humans were sparse and desolate, and the wilderness was a true portrayal of the wasteland world. There were definitely no less than 10,000 humans still alive in the entire federation, and the number of mutants living in the wilderness was even fewer.

As such, the battle between the two centurions of the two factions in the federation was a huge affair. Zhang Heng sent out over a hundred super-soldiers clad in power armor at once, and the sheer power of those super-soldiers caused the other factions to shudder in fear.

Ever since Zhang Heng got involved, the institute had been able to crush all the organizations in the entire federation in every aspect—the Steel Brotherhood, the railways, the Yongwang Army, and so on. All of those organizations had long been utterly defeated by the institute, and they were only half a step away from uniting the federation and beginning to spread to the outside world.

As such, all of the organizations chose to wait and see what would happen when the massive army was sent to the ruins of the Dunwich Mine, even though they had no idea what the powerful institute was up to.

A tremor was heard from outside the plane at that moment, followed by a slight thud, before everything became completely silent.

"Commander, we've arrived at the site of the Dunwich Mine," Adam walked up to Zhang Heng and reported softly.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and pressed the button on the back of his left hand. The device that looked like a roller coaster on his seat was lifted automatically, releasing the restraints on the human body. He was currently inside a Falcon that was parked on the ground.

"Are the troops here yet?" Zhang Heng asked casually.

"All of them are here. One hundred Krondor warriors and five hundred synthetic human warriors. Other than a portion of them staying on guard at the outermost layer, the rest have surrounded the mining site in Dunwich," Adam reported. "Do we need to begin an all-out attack now?"

"No, send out 100 synthetic humanoids to scout ahead first. Our Special Forces from the other planes are too precious. We need to minimize our losses as much as possible." Zhang Heng shook his head.

"Understood." Adam turned around and gave Zhang Heng's order to the officer in charge. He took out a remote control and pressed on several screens in the cabin. "Commander, this is a real-time surveillance device. You'll be able to see the most intuitive images of the scene by watching the synthetic humanoid warriors."

"All synthetic humanoids have surveillance equipment like that on them?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"That's right. We've also installed a chip in the brains of the newly produced synthesized human warriors. We can see their vision directly, and under the control of the biochemical chips, we can make them stay loyal to you forever, Commander."

Zhang Heng looked astonished and turned to look at the screen. There were 16 images displayed on the screen, and every single one of them was headed straight for the pitch-black mine at the very front.

Zhang Heng watched as all the synthesized people who accepted the order charged into the Dunwich Mine without any fear. The light before his eyes dimmed all of a sudden, and the synthesized people felt as if they had entered a world so dark that they couldn't even see their own hands.

However, the synthesized man was well prepared for such situations. The scene before the eyes of every synthesized man was automatically changed to night vision. While the synthesized man wasn't wearing any power armor, the various types of equipment he was wearing were on par with that of the 22nd century American troops. He was practically armed to the teeth. The night vision before him was all thanks to the synthesized man's tactical helmet.

Zhang narrowed his gaze and saw from the screen that the interior of the cave was filled with white mist. Even when he activated his tactical helmet, his visibility wouldn't exceed five meters. Drops of water could be seen seeping out of the uneven walls. Combined with the eerie atmosphere in the cave, the place was filled with indescribable humidity and chill.

The newly created synthesized humanoid warriors in the college didn't have any self-awareness and would only follow the most basic orders from their superiors, which was even more prohibitive than clones. However, if they were to compare combat prowess, the shortcomings of the synthesized humans without self-awareness would be very severe—their abilities would be too formulaic, their minds would be too rigid and inflexible, and so on. As such, the synthesized humans were hardly a match for humans in a one-on-one battle.

All in all, the reason why the Academy kept wanting to bestow the synthesized human consciousness was none other than the hope that the synthesized human would be able to learn, as learning meant having greater potential. As for what would happen after gaining the human consciousness, the Academy seemed to have very little thought about it.

The 100 synthesized humans seemed to be more than enough as the vanguard. Zhang Heng watched the scene in the cabin quietly. As the synthesized humans went deeper into the cabin, they soon encountered enemies that he had anticipated—a bunch of mummified, skinny, and shriveled ghouls that had been dead for over 200 years.

Corpse spirits had always been a huge mystery in the wasteland world. They were products of genetic mutations caused by humans suffering from massive amounts of radiation, and they relied on radiation to survive. The places where the radiation became increasingly severe were actually filled with vigor and activity.

However, many factions realized that that wasn't the case after researching the ghouls.

It was true that the wights were humans, but the scientists at the institute discovered that the emergence of wights wasn't just due to massive amounts of radiation. As such, the institute went out of its way to conduct several tests on humans.

Eventually, they discovered that humans would only end up dead after suffering from massive amounts of radiation, and there was simply no way they could become something as bizarre as ghouls. (In fact, they didn't even know if ghouls were actually living beings.) The emergence of those ghouls in the wasteland world seemed to have some kind of condition unknown to modern science.

The synthesized human army raised their weapons at the same time and fired immediately before the enemy was able to reach them. The weapons wielded by the synthesized humans were all high-frequency pulse laser guns. Due to the fact that they were in the underground mines, they were unable to use pulse rifles, nuclear bombs, and other kinetic weapons unless they wanted to take the enemy down with them.

The beam from the laser guns sliced through the air and the ghouls shrieked as they charged at the synthetic humanoid warrior. While the laser weapons weren't very effective in the humid cave that was filled with white mist and steam, they were still very close to each other. The tens of thousands of degrees of high-temperature laser beams were enough to reduce the ghouls to ashes in an instant.

Whoosh!

It was like a flash of lightning.

"Keep moving!" Gu Zhan's order was heard from the speaker. The synthesized people only paused for a bit before continuing on without hesitation.

Rumbling sounds were heard from the ground less than 50 meters away. All the synthesized humans instinctively aimed their weapons at the darkness in the distance. Within seconds, the overwhelming number of ghouls broke through the thick, white mist and appeared before the synthesized humans.

The synthesizer finally failed to keep the enemy out of its range this time. The two of them got into a brawl right away.

"Inform Gu Zhan to send all synthesized personnel to the Dunwich mines and get rid of everything as soon as possible!" Zhang Heng frowned when he saw the scene in the video and gave the order immediately.

222. Signal Transmission

Boom!

Purple lightning streaked across the sky without warning, lighting up the entire Dunwich Ruins. Hundreds of black-armored, tall cloned warriors stood guard outside the cave, as well as a hawk fighter not far away.

That was the command center of the operation, and it was also the first destiny that the cloned warriors had to fulfill ever since they were born—to be loyal to the commander forever.

The lightning that caught him off-guard made the eerie mine look even weirder and more deadly. The remote area that no one had set foot in for nearly a hundred years was now greeted with a formidable force capable of overturning an entire world.

Heavy rain began to fall.

All of the cloned warriors wore armor that was as hard and cold as obsidian. They stood silently in the rain like statues that had existed since ancient times, looking solemn and dignified, filled with determination and courage.

At that moment, the two sides were locked in a fierce battle deep underground in the Dunwich mineshaft. One side was filled with the berserk ghouls who were willing to do anything for the sake of survival, while the other side was filled with the amalgamated humans who were armed to the teeth. The two sides were mixed together and all that could be heard was the eerie howling of the berserk ghosts and the sound of cloth being torn apart.

Other than that, there was only the rumbling rain outside the cave.

"Only 300 of the 500 synthesized humans remain… 280… 250. Half of the synthesized human army has been lost. The command center requests for backup." The cold, emotionless voice that was unique to cloning fighters like Gu Zhan was heard from the speaker. His tone remained completely emotionless even when he asked for additional personnel.

"Hold on."

However, Zhang Heng rejected Gu Zhan's request without any hesitation. He looked at the images before him and saw that every time a synthesized person died, the images would turn black and be replaced by new ones. However, Adam still felt rather worried for Zhang Heng when he saw the images that kept turning black. One could easily tell just how intense the battle between the two parties was.

However, in Adam's opinion, the most effective way of fighting at the moment was to have the Krondor take the field. Not only would the damage be reduced, but he could also catch the ghouls off guard.

However, no matter how anxious Adam became, he was unable to change his mind. He simply focused on the images of the synthesized humans fighting, watching them very carefully, as if he was trying to discover some kind of secret.

The number of synthetic humanoid warriors dropped below 100 very quickly, and there were over a thousand corpses lying on the ground, with only 300 of them still alive.

"90… 80… 70… Command Center, the synthesized human army is no longer able to hold out!" Gu Zhan's voice was heard again.

"D.S.F squad, attack," Zhang Heng said suddenly.

Adam was stunned for a bit before a look of glee appeared on his face. He quickly relayed the news to Gu Zhan. In the very next second, with the exception of the 10 cloned warriors standing guard before the Falcon mech, the remaining 90 cloned warriors took a step forward in unison. None of them carried any kinetic weapons with them as they swung their right arms at the same time. A dagger made of the same pure black color was ejected from their right arm at the same time. A low humming sound was heard at the same time, which shook away countless droplets of water in the air.

That was a high-velocity electromagnetic blade capable of cutting through anything in the world.

Even Zhang Heng seemed to sense a murderous intent the moment the electromagnetic blade was ejected. It was obvious that the clone warrior had reached the stage where he was able to wield the power of a military soul despite not seeing blood yet.

The clone warrior took huge strides and made his way to the ruins of the mine with a determined look on his face. The longer he walked, the faster he became and very quickly, he looked like he was running. He looked like hundreds of black bolts of lightning as he made his way into the mine. The shrieks of the ghouls were heard from the cave again in less than half a minute.

The image on the screen before Zhang Heng's eyes changed as well, becoming the vision of 16 cloned warriors. All of them charged into the swarm of ghouls at an extremely fast speed, and the massive kinetic armor brought with it an unparalleled impact force. They were like train engines, and one could only hear the humming of the electromagnetic blades tearing through their bodies.

"Chi!"

The remaining 300 ghouls were wiped out in less than a second.

"Commander." Gu Zhan's voice was heard again all of a sudden. "I've just discovered something important."

"Speak." Zhang Heng's eyes lit up.

"I saw some illusions just now." There seemed to be some doubt in Gu Zhan's voice as he continued, "It was some kind of transmission of information that I didn't know anything about. That kind of information was suddenly transmitted to my brain, and the medium remains unclear for the time being, as my armor didn't leak anything at all."

Zhang Heng's expression became completely serious. "Where did you see that illusion? Did the other warriors see it?"

"The location is at the coordinates inside the mine. The other cloned warriors were able to see images similar to mine through communication, but the synthesized ones were unable to see anything," Gu Zhan answered immediately.

"Understood." Zhang Heng stood up all of a sudden and continued, "Gu Zhan, take the soldiers and continue moving forward. Report to me immediately if you find anything new." He then began to put on the heavy infantry armor that was carried by the Eagles alone.

"Commander, are you planning to go to the front lines yourself?" Adam asked nervously.

"No, I'm just heading to the coordinates that Gu Zhan gave me earlier." Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and continued, "I have a feeling that all the secrets are hidden in this mine…"

Adam nodded, not fully understanding what Zhang Heng said before putting on his armor and following him out of the Falcon.

"Commander!" The 10 cloned warriors standing guard outside the Falcon saluted immediately.

"Stand by and await my orders," Zhang Heng said simply.

"Understood!"

Zhang Heng nodded and walked into the Dunwich Mine with Adam.

Zhang Heng only realized that the interior of the mine was even more eerie than it looked on the video after following the footsteps of the others and entering the mine. There was also a faint humming sound in the air, as if someone was crying for eternity.

"There's a legend in the wasteland that says that the sound is actually the weeping of the Berserk Ghouls and vengeful spirits. They haunt their own bodies and are unwilling to leave. At the same time, they warn all living beings to stay away from them." Adam seemed to have seen through Zhang Heng's confusion and explained right away. "But of course, that's just a legend. The sound is actually something that was constructed from the bodies of the Berserk Ghouls. As long as there's air circulating in their bodies, their unique physique would cause such low, almost non-existent humming sounds to be heard. It's very peculiar."

Zhang Heng took a look at Adam with a puzzled look on his face. "You really like studying." He still remembered that it was Adam's knowledge of geography that enabled him to determine the location of the original plane when he was killing it. If it hadn't been for that, he would have probably died in the original plane.

Adam wore an embarrassed look on his face. He had no choice but to smile awkwardly at Zhang Heng's seemingly approving yet seemingly probing words and remained silent.

Zhang Heng soon arrived at the spot where Gu Zhan was just moments ago. He found himself standing three meters away from where he was. If he was not mistaken, that spot would have given him an illusion that he had never seen before.

Zhang Heng wore a very serious expression on his face at the moment. He stepped on the bodies of the ghouls, which looked like they were made of dried up scraps, and walked slowly forward. His eyes went blank for a moment when he stepped into the coordinates, and some kind of intangible message was sent into Zhang Heng's brain at that moment.

223. Cthulhu's Call

Zhang Heng felt as if his vision was able to see through the river of time, and his vision blurred for a bit. He felt as if he could see beams lighting up one after another in the mine, and the place was no longer as pitch-black as it had been before. Furthermore, hundreds of people appeared out of nowhere in the mine. All of them were wearing mining equipment and yellow helmets, and Zhang Heng was able to see the logo of the Dunwich Company on their helmets.

The group of people went in and out of his mind as if they were watching a fast-moving movie. Countless workers walked past Zhang Heng as he went to work and got off work. Many of the equipment was being moved around as well. Zhang Heng could only see the mine getting deeper, further away.

That scene played out continuously in the mine, as if it had been compressed for several years. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was still in a dazed state. He couldn't help but raise his leg and walk deeper into the mine. With every step he took, the darkness before him was pulled a little bit closer. He was only able to take about 30 to 40 steps before his eyes lit up and he found himself at the end of the mine several kilometers away.

At the end of the hall was a hall that was neither spacious nor narrow. There was a strangely-shaped altar placed at the center of the hall, and there were dozens of people kneeling and kowtowing around the altar. Every single one of them had an indescribable look of sickness and fanaticism on their faces.

A weird noise was heard from the crowd and Zhang Heng's lifeless eyes flickered slightly. If he were awake at the moment, he would have been able to tell right away that the noise was the same weird noise that he heard from Abbott. It was like the sound of sandpaper scraping against glass. Not only was the noise deafening, but it also made him feel frustrated.

However, Zhang Heng remained in a dazed state after entering the illusion, feeling as if he was in a dream and had no idea what he was doing.

Some time passed before the fervent believers finally stood up in satisfaction. Countless bodies were moved in from outside the mine and placed on the altar according to some kind of diagram. The identities of those bodies were those of the workers. Hundreds of bodies were stacked together, making the place look like a mountain of corpses.

He had no idea how those fanatics managed to kill hundreds of workers. Despite being in an illusion, his memory served its purpose. He was able to find every single face he saw in the mountains of corpses.

It didn't seem like long before thick, thick smoke rose from the altar. At the same time, the workers who were killed began to change. Their bodies kept shrinking. While the mine couldn't be considered dry, all the moisture on those bodies was vaporized within seconds. Their skin, which was covered with livor mortis, began to wrinkle and wither, turning from a regular color to dark red and crimson. Furthermore, bean-sized red lights kept appearing in the eyes of those corpses…

More than a hundred bodies slowly climbed up from the mountain of dead bodies. All of those bodies had become monsters that had drifted away from life and death like the ghouls.

A bone-chilling cold swept at Zhang Heng, and a look of struggle was seen in his eyes. He seemed to have sensed at the very end of his hallucination that an indescribably massive consciousness was slowly waking up, with a deep sense of malice and greed, wanting to swallow the entire world whole.

Whoosh!

Zhang Heng opened his eyes right away in the very next second. He was still standing at the coordinates that Gu Zhan had told him about, while Adam was looking at him with a concerned look on his face. It had taken less than a second for him to get out of the illusion and into the real world.

It wouldn't have been a big deal if that was all, but there seemed to be a crack somewhere deep in his mind after he sensed that illusion.

A memory that had been sealed was broken by Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted all of a sudden when he recalled that term. Fear was written all over his face as he opened his mouth and said in a very dry voice.

"Cthulhu…"

He remembered that the term that was erased from the radiation plane was none other than 'Cthulhu'.

The entire space seemed to shake when Zhang Heng said those three words. Everything, from the rotation of the Earth and gravity to the electromagnetic forces of every charged particle in the world, seemed to go haywire for an instant, emitting invisible waves.

"Warning! Warning! Urgent quest initiated!"

Just when he was feeling baffled, the voice of the Dimensional Star in his mind was heard all of a sudden.

"Urgent Quest: Cthulhu's Call—Stop 'Cthulhu' from awakening."

Zhang Heng was shocked. He never thought that he would be able to trigger such a serious consequence just by opening his mouth. Stop Cthulhu from awakening? What kind of joke was that?

However, what was even more surprising was that the Dimensional Star sent him another message just when he was feeling cold all over.

"Urgent Quest: Cthulhu's summon—Urgent Quest complete."

"Host access progress is now one-third of Level C."

"Current Access: c."

Are you f * * king kidding me?

Zhang Heng staggered and almost fell to the ground.

Adam, who was behind him, held Zhang Heng up and asked in a surprised tone, "Commander, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine!" Zhang Heng shook off Adam's support and walked out of the mine at top speed.

Adam was baffled by Zhang Heng's extremely glum expression, but he nonetheless followed closely behind Zhang Heng, silently protecting him.

It was not until he was back in the Falcon that he slumped into the driver's seat, cold sweat dripping from his brow.

It wasn't that Zhang Heng had a bad mentality, as the saying goes, the ignorant are fearless, but it was precisely because he knew exactly what kind of existence Cthulhu was that he lost himself in such a manner. That was something that couldn't be explained by the existing scientific systems of humanity.

Yes, 'something'.

Zhang Heng had no idea what Cthulhu was from the very beginning. According to the rules, Cthulhu was an 'evil god', the 'ruler of the Old Ones'. However, Zhang Heng knew very well that the so-called 'god' was probably just some extraterrestrial with advanced biotechnology, or that Cthulhu was not a biological entity at all, but some phenomenon in a higher dimension of the universe, some kind of meme effect, and so on and so forth.

However, regardless of what Cthulhu was, there was no way Zhang Heng would be able to stand against him if he were to do so. The two of them were in completely different dimensions, and the book had described how any human who saw Cthulhu would fall seriously ill, pass out, collapse, and go insane due to being unable to withstand the sheer volume of information. To put it simply, the number of Sans would drop to zero. That was something that would only happen when someone in lower dimensions saw a higher dimension. It was just like how Zhang Heng saw a four-dimensional world through the Dimensional Star back then. Everything that he saw at that moment caused his right eye to go blind and he only recovered with the help of the Dimensional Star.

Zhang Heng's mind was in a complete mess. He took a few deep breaths and forced himself to calm down, before he began to ponder in silence. Just what had he done? Why was he able to complete the mission right after issuing the mission?

224. Shocking

Why did he say that he had completed the mission just a second ago?

Zhang Heng couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he thought about it. In order to get the answer as soon as possible, he closed his eyes and called out to Yurianne without waiting for the clone army to retreat from the Dunwich Mine.

As there was no Corona around, there would be no conflicts.

"Host dude, Director Ke is here!"

Yurianne appeared on his retina right after he called out to her. She was wearing a light green octopus-shaped outerwear at the moment, with a huge bunch of messy tentacles under her feet. She wore a head mask with an octopus head on her head, revealing only her round face. There was also a pair of bat wings on her back that looked like they were made casually.

The sound of waves crashing against the ocean background was heard as soon as she appeared, which seemed to fit Yurianne's style perfectly.

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched uncontrollably. That image was none other than the exact replica of the Cthulhu that he created in the real world, only that it had been modified into a q version.

"Guess what Yurianne has in her hand, host dude?" Yurianne chuckled before Zhang Heng could say anything. "I'll give you the candy if you get it right!"

"Probably salt…" Zhang Heng sighed and guessed.

"No, it's candy!" Yurianne put on a proud look that said 'you guessed it wrong' and stuck her hand out like a proud elementary school kid who scored 100 points. There was a round piece of candy in her hand. "Kougat!"

"I wouldn't dare to eat CEO Ke's candy." Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin. "Yurianne, what happened just now? Why…"

"Yurianne knows what you're asking, host dude." Yurianne spun in the air and changed back into her casual attire in the very next second. She wore a serious expression and asked, "Host dude, do you remember the first FV-2 experiment?"

"Yeah, I remember. What about it?" Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. Yurianne wasn't someone easy to talk to.

"The situation is actually quite simple. You accidentally amplified the communication signal between Cthulhu and his believers during the experiment with the forced evolution of the virus type 2. That was all."

"What kind of stupid answer is that?" Zhang Heng was stunned. The term 'believer' was actually used right there and then. That was hardly a term used by a civilization like the Dimensional Star.

"Cthulhu really does exist." Yurianne wore a serious expression. "You could consider it an evil god, sir. It is, after all, a lifeform that is far beyond that of humans and is considered a neutrino lifeform in the category of unconventional living beings."

Yurianne continued, "Due to their lifeforms, time and space have no meaning before them. They usually live in the Corsi vision beyond the black hole and are able to withstand massive tidal gravitational fluctuations. Furthermore, they are capable of gravitational hyperdrive, which is why they are constantly emitting massive amounts of beta, gamma rays, and electromagnetic waves of all frequencies. That is the true appearance of the so-called 'evil god'."

"Neutrino lifeforms?" Zhang Heng frowned. "Neutrino lifeforms?"

"They're also known as particle lifeforms or energy lifeforms, and they're like a set of data in and of themselves. Only a magnetic field of a certain frequency would be able to bind them. As such, it's very difficult for humans to destroy them." Yurianne continued to explain, "Do you get it now, host dude? The existence of something like the Mad Corpse is also influenced by its electromagnetic waves. Human brainwaves are also able to communicate with it. However, due to the differences in the understanding of the brain, it's very easy to be harmed by the other party's electrical waves when communicating, resulting in the so-called loss of Sans values."

"As for believers, they are like food. The brainwaves of humans are able to provide them with energy to sustain their thoughts. That's why they keep trying to connect the brainwaves of humans, driving them insane.

"Then why is it staying on Earth in the radiation plane?" Zhang Heng frowned. "And isn't it doing this for 'food'? Why is it destroying Earth?"

"It's on Earth and not on Earth at the same time." Yurianne pursed her lips and continued, "There's no way I could explain such physical phenomena to a biology student like you, sir. You just need to understand that when the other party looks at humans, it's like how we look at the bacteria in a petri dish. Would you care about how many bacteria die if you were to just drop a drop of alcohol in a petri dish?"

Zhang Heng fell silent at Yurianne's words.

"That's not all. It is currently sleeping deep within the core of the Earth, with only sporadic signals being emitted. However, once it wakes up, the energy tides that would be generated would be far more than what the human brain could handle. Furthermore, the gravitational waves that would be generated when it wakes up would be enough to cause the entire solar system to collapse completely."

"So, you're saying that I almost woke it up when I was experimenting with the FV-2 virus?" Zhang Heng felt rather embarrassed.

Yurianne mimicked how an adult would behave and sighed. She looked at Zhang Heng with a pleased look in her eyes and said, "You're right, host dude. You were too careless. But then again, the urgent mission was actually initiated at the time. It was only when you completely recalled the words' Kruzu 'that you were able to make it continue sleeping. But luckily, you were able to do it."

Zhang Heng frowned. "Is that a coincidence?"

"Yurianne also knows that this is too much of a coincidence. The chances of such a thing happening are so minuscule that it wouldn't even happen in a single cosmic cycle. As such, the only possibility is that the 'curse' has made its move."

Zhang Heng became very serious all of a sudden. "You've been emphasizing that curse the moment we met. So, what exactly is that curse?"

"Well, I can't tell you that. Knowing too much won't do you any good, host dude!" Yurianne played dumb and chuckled. "You just need to understand, host dude, that the 'curse' was able to turn even a lifeform like Cthulhu into a tool to get rid of others. One could easily imagine that the 'curse' isn't something that you could resist at your current level. You still have a long way to go."

Yurianne stretched lazily at that point and waved at Zhang Heng. "Yurianne is doing fine and tired from all the lessons I've been given. Yurianne is going home soon. Keep up the good work, host dude!"

Yurianne disappeared from his retina before he could say anything.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin after Yurianne disappeared from his sight. Humans were simply too ignorant and insignificant in the eyes of the universe. Zhang Heng was not only unable to relax after hearing Yurianne's explanation, but he felt even more threatened.

He couldn't help but sigh deeply. While he had long been prepared to fight against that 'curse', he was still beginning to wonder if he could really protect humanity with his insignificant power at the moment.

225. Dawn

Of the three planes that Zhang Heng had extended his tentacle into, the radiation plane had the most manpower. There were over 700 scientists from the colleges and over 500 researchers who had lost their memories in deep space. Any one of those people could apply for the Nobel Prize and lead an era in real life. Their existence was Zhang Heng's greatest asset.

Zhang Heng had wondered if he should shift the center of gravity of the radiation plane to the real world or the Dimensional amnesia plane, as the resources found in the radiation plane were simply too scarce. All the resources found on Earth would be mined in that future, leaving behind only a planet that was on the verge of death and riddled with holes.

However, there were still many technological legacies left behind by humans in the radiation plane. Before the nuclear war broke out, human civilization had advanced greatly. All of those technological legacies were buried deep in history with civilization, waiting to see the light of day again. As such, Zhang Heng had never given up on the radiation plane.

However, Zhang Heng was no longer able to keep his cool after what happened with Cthulhu. The radiation plane itself had been destroyed by that curse, which eventually led to only that wasteland remaining. Yet, that curse had yet to let the radiation plane go. A monster named Cthulhu was lurking deep within the Earth of the radiation plane, ready to burst out of the ground and destroy everything.

Zhang Heng didn't want his hard-earned savings to be buried along with that planet. He didn't say anything else and began to move the scientists and machines from the radiation plane to the planet of Tanis, where the memory loss plane was located.

Compared to the real world, the Dimensional amnesia plane had an unparalleled advantage. With so many humans appearing out of nowhere in the real world, resettlement alone would prove to be a problem, as it might even attract the attention of the authorities. Furthermore, Zhang Heng was the only one who owned the entirety of Tanis. No one would bother about him even if the entire planet were to be turned upside down.

Furthermore, he had no idea when the first Armageddon would happen in real life. If he were to bring those scientists back to reality, he would have no way out.

Furthermore, the Tannis planet in the deep space amnesia plane was a virgin Earth. It was larger than Earth and had more resources than Earth. Other than the fact that there were no humans on the planet, the Tannis planet was countless times more powerful than both the radiation plane and the real world. That place could become Zhang Heng's final fortress.

Zhang Heng took over a month to move 4,000 people out of the city. Other than 1,200 researchers, there was also a huge number of Stellar City residents. Over the past half a year since Stellar City was established, nearly 3,000 residents had been recruited. While those people were of little use other than scavenging and fighting, they were nonetheless a force to be reckoned with in the Dimensional amnesia plane.

Humans were social creatures, after all. Those people would become the first batch of residents on the planet of Tannis, and the fires of human civilization would continue to burn in them.

In the end, Zhang Heng was only left with the clone army and a small number of scientists stationed in the radiation plane. The institute was no longer the same as it had been in the past. The federation began to burn with new flames of war. In less than half a month, the three organizations—the Steel Brotherhood, the Yongjun Organization, and the Railroad Organization—were completely wiped out. Many technologies that the institute didn't have in the past ended up in Zhang Heng's hands.

Zhang Heng would continue to allow the radiation plane to develop its own forces. However, his goal was no longer resources and territory, but the technological heritage left behind by countless old humans.

…

Carl Kroll looked at the magnificent scenery in the distance and was stunned.

It seemed to be early in the morning and the air smelled of fresh seawater. A breeze blew and messed up Karl's wife's long hair.

Carl held his wife in one hand and his eight-month-old son in the other as he looked at the world before him in shock. He had never seen such a place before. The first rays of the morning sun were as clean as the bright moon, and the sky was as blue as the purest copper sulfuric acid. The lush green mountains and raging rivers in the distance all brought an indescribable shock to Carl.

It was a world that Cal had never seen before.

In the minds of every resident of the wastelands, the sky should have always been a greyish color, filled with radiation dust and volcanic ash. Sunlight was extremely rare, and the river looked like a puddle of putrid air that was almost filled with garbage. The wilderness was filled with lethal radiation and mutated ghouls. One could feel their lungs burning just by taking a breath of air. That was the real world.

What Karl was facing at the moment was a place filled with the scent of flowers and birdsong. The air was filled with a fresh, dreamy atmosphere. He was almost intoxicated by the place after taking just one breath. He had never seen such a clean place before. There was no radiation, no pollution, and definitely no lethal, murderous creatures found in the wild.

This place felt like heaven.

Carl's eyes were filled with tears as he bent down and kissed the soil beneath his feet with utmost reverence. The soil was just like that of the mountains and rivers, with a fresh, earthy smell to it. It was so pure that there was no trace of pollution.

"I never knew that nature could be so beautiful and the sun so warm!" Karl stood up and looked at his wife, who was also crying from excitement. He reached out and wiped the tears from her eyes before dragging her to a town standing by the sea.

That town was where the commoners were settled.

There was a blissful smile on Karl's face. He had stumbled upon the Stellar City half a year ago when he was scavenging. That was a turning point in his life. He was able to earn over 10,000 yuan of wealth with the nuclear fusion core in his possession after entering the city. He then rented a shop in the city and made a living by collecting groceries.

From then on, Karl went from being a scavenger at the bottom of the wastelands to someone who was above everyone else. There was a chance that he would die every day, and he no longer had to worry about food and clothing at the moment. He could even buy himself a few bottles of clean water and have his wife and children take a shower every month.

He had never expected to live a life where he had nothing to worry about and had no need to risk his life for survival. He was one of the earliest stores in that city and it was easy to imagine just how booming his business would be. Furthermore, as long as he didn't leave the city, there was no need for him to be afraid of putting his life at risk. Anyone who fought in the city would be killed mercilessly by a huge force of armored personnel.

Compared to the rest of the people struggling to feed themselves, Karl was already very lucky. He was very satisfied with his new life. However, a month ago, the Stellar City suddenly announced that all permanent residents of Stellar City needed to be moved to another city for some reason.

It wasn't easy for the residents of Stellar City to gain such a comfortable life. No one was willing to leave until the mighty city lord of Stellar City promised that everyone in the other city would be treated better than they were in that city, and they would even be able to get a house of their own in that city. That was what made everyone's heart beat faster.

In the end, they were all moved in batches by Stellar City. Not only that, every single one of them would be injected with a drug called 'adaptive evolution enzyme' before they were moved, and it was only the Carls' turn half a month later.

Karl had forgotten how he got to that otherworldly place after that. However, when he saw the moon-like planet at the top of his head that was as big as a basketball and could be seen even in the daytime, as well as a massive building in the ocean far away, he had a vague idea.

However, that thought was just too ridiculous. In the end, Karl didn't give it any thought. He simply tightened his embrace and tried his best to keep the life in his arms warmer. He then continued to walk to the town with endless hope and longing.

There were over a hundred people behind Karl. They walked majestically towards the place where the sun was rising in the early morning sun. The surface of the ocean in the distance was covered in a golden glow. That was the dawn of a civilization reviving with endless hope.

226. Spherical Base

Zhang Heng was finally able to get some free time after resolving the matter of shifting his center of gravity to the Dimensional amnesia. However, it had been over two months since the end of the Dimensional amnesia and there was only about half a month left before the next mission.

However, he felt rather exasperated when he thought about the choices he would have to make between the two planes.

There were six plane missions that Zhang Heng had to go through at the moment: Resident Evil plane, Dead Space plane, Alien plane, Prototype plane, Radiation plane, Deep Space amnesia plane. He had two choices after that—the Terminator plane and the Black Hole plane.

The difficulty of the Terminator plane was five stars, which was one star higher than the original one. Zhang Heng felt like he had 10 heads and nine heads at the thought of that. It was obvious that the mission to the Terminator plane would most likely be to survive 12 hours in a world where the robot army was rampant. While Zhang Heng was able to lead over a hundred living beings to fight in other planes at the moment, those people would at most be able to do some minor missions. Fight against the Terminator army? He wouldn't even know how he died.

That was why the Terminator plane was a whole star more difficult than the most difficult Prototype plane that Zhang Heng had ever been to. An additional star meant that the death rate was at least doubled.

As for 'Black Hole's Surface', there was no need to even mention it. The difficulty of six stars was at least four times higher than the mortality rate of killing people from the original plane. That movie was even more bizarre. It described how the first photon ship that humans created that could use spatial folds disappeared without a trace during the test flight. Seven years later, due to some reason, that ship appeared near Neptune again. As such, the government sent a team of people to investigate. However, those people discovered that the ship seemed to have entered another space in seven years due to spatial folds. The name of that Dimensional Space seemed to be the legendary hell.

Zhang Heng remained silent for quite a while after reading the video.

Zhang Heng saw countless technologies that he yearned for in those two movies, such as the various types of robots found in the Terminator plane, especially the T-10o and T-X models. The combat prowess of those robots was even greater than that of the clone army. While they were nowhere near comparable to the clone warriors in terms of thought and adaptability, they were able to carry out missions like concealment and assassination better. Furthermore, they were able to mass-produce and could even be used to explore the extraterrestrial world in the future.

On the other hand, the plane on the surface of the black hole had a space-folding technology that even the plane with deep space amnesia didn't have. It was able to acquire speeds faster than light, which was extremely tempting to Zhang Heng.

Of course, the most important thing was the Time Machine that ran through the main theme of the Terminator plane. The Time Machine could bring people back to the past to complete missions that had never been completed.

That being said, the so-called 'return to the past' was not a standard way of returning to the past, but to return to an alternate plane that was located in the past, but had a completely identical history. Even if history was changed in the alternate plane, it would only change the history of the other planes, and planes that had experienced reality would never be changed.

However, that didn't mean that the 'time machine' was completely useless. The most important thing about the machine was that it was capable of traversing planes. If he were to get his hands on the machine, he would be able to completely clear the passage between the real world and the Dimensional amnesia plane. If he were to run into any problems in the future, he wouldn't need to transport the plane himself.

Logically speaking, he should have chosen the 'Terminator' plane for the next plane mission. While the difficulty of the mission was very high, Zhang Heng was not the same as he was in the past. If he had been able to get ready early, he might have had a chance to acquire that plane transmission.

Zhang Heng began making preparations for his next mission at that thought.

It was the end of March by then and the storm caused by Stellar Technology was long over. However, it was only on the surface. Many operations against Stellar Technology were still underway.

On the British Virgin Islands on the other side of the planet, Zhang Heng's second human cryogenic center was finally completed after four months. Not only was the cryogenic center completed, but the docks and airports on Stellar Island were also completed, enabling private jets and yachts to park on the island.

The last place that was still being built was Stellar City, which was located on the island. Stellar City wasn't very big, but it covered most of the entertainment facilities, such as restaurants, hotels, bars, nightclubs, casinos, and so on. Zhang Heng planned to build Stellar City into a small, modern city, where all luxurious spending would be found.

Zhang Heng would be able to open the second human cryogenic center in the world when the final Stellar City was completed.

The new human cryogenic center was three times larger than the one found in India and was twice as tall. It was able to provide a total of 50 million people with cryogenic locations. Once it opened for business, the pressure on the human cryogenic center in India would be alleviated quickly.

However, that was all on the surface. A mysterious base was being constructed two thousand meters below the surface of Stellar Island, deep within the crust. The base was spherical in shape and was entirely made of high-carbon steel bars. One-third of the structure had been constructed by then, but it would still take a long time to complete.

The molecular transmitter in the underground spherical space suddenly flashed with dazzling lightning. Zhang Heng appeared there after the lightning disappeared.

He was about 2,000 meters underground, which was even deeper than the depths of the Caribbean Sea. Zhang Heng looked at the thousands of construction clones working hard, yet he frowned.

The human cryogenic center in Europe was completed right above their heads, and the construction of Stellar City was in the middle of its construction. However, the underground base was progressing at less than a third of its original speed, which was simply too slow.

That underground base had a diameter of over 300 meters. It looked small, but it was actually a massive project nonetheless. The spherical shape of the base meant that the base was also 300 meters tall, which meant that the base was about 70 to 80 stories tall. If it hadn't been for the fact that the entire base was made of special steel, the building wouldn't have been able to be constructed at all. As such, construction mechanics wouldn't have mattered.

However, it would still be very beneficial for Zhang Heng when the construction was completed. As he hired more scientists in secret, the laboratories in the Honeycomb began to feel tense. There were even cases where scientists were out of laboratories, which required a new base to solve the problem.

Furthermore, that new base would become an ark for humans as well. One day, when the 'curse' hit, that base would become Zhang Heng's most secure fortress. Unless it was a disaster like a global earthquake, the biochemical crisis, solar flares, global nuclear war, and other disasters capable of destroying humanity wouldn't be able to affect the spherical base two kilometers underground.

227. Particle Accelerator

Zhang Heng headed to the Dimensional amnesia plane to transport supplies several times over the remaining half a month.

Those resources would be used to create new high-energy physics research equipment, which was essential for facilitating the advancement of physics and the entire scientific community.

As science and technology progressed, humans began to gain a deeper understanding of the structure of matter as well. They began by observing the various substances around them with the naked eye at the very beginning, and gradually developed to use magnifying glasses, microscopes, high-energy physics research equipment, and so on, gradually delving deeper into the deeper structures of cells, molecules, atoms, and nuclei. Every new discovery would bring massive social progress and technological advancement.

The discovery of atom nuclei and nuclear external electrons further fueled the development of radio, semiconductors, televisions, radars, lasers, and light. It was obvious just how important the advancement of science in high-energy physics was.

If it hadn't been for those pieces of equipment, those super scientists from the Dimensional amnesia plane would have been rendered incapable of making anything out of nothing, no matter how much theoretical foundation and talent they had. In order to ensure that the knowledge of those super scientists wouldn't be buried, those pieces of equipment that were easily worth billions of yuan would have been indispensable.

There were particle accelerators, Hadron Collider, synchronized radiation, and so on.

To understand the microscopic structure of matter, one would first need to shatter it. The particle accelerator would use high-speed particles to "shatter" the measured matter, causing positive and negative electrons to collide in motion, enabling the microscopic structure of matter to undergo maximum change, enabling us to understand the fundamental nature of matter.

Of course, if Zhang Heng were to just manufacture the same kind of equipment as he did in the real world, he probably wouldn't have been able to afford to spend hundreds of billions of US dollars on something like that. However, due to his far superior scientific and technological prowess, the cost and materials needed to manufacture those pieces of equipment would be greatly reduced in his hands. Furthermore, the performance of those pieces of equipment would far exceed that of actual international cutting-edge equipment.

Scientists had always been dedicated to the modification of particle accelerators. The largest Hadron Collider in the world had a circumference of 27 kilometers. According to the data that Zhang Heng obtained from the radiation plane, there was a new type of particle collider design. The collisions were only about 200 meters long, but they were still able to reach the speed of the most advanced particle accelerator in reality.

That was not all. Regular particle accelerators required superconductivity, which meant that the internal temperature needed to be extremely low, to the point that it needed to be colder than -70 ° C in the universe. Zhang Heng's cryogenic superconducting system, on the other hand, exempted the particle accelerator from that flaw. That flaw alone made the particle accelerator several times smaller than a similar device.

As such, technology was not a factor limiting Zhang Heng's development, as manpower and resources were what mattered.

As the institute moved into the Dimensional amnesia plane, Zhang Heng's capabilities began to reach new heights of technological advancement. There were over five synthetic human production lines there, with over a thousand synthetic humans being created every day to join the construction of the world. Furthermore, there were over a thousand scientists working tirelessly on their experiments to climb the technological tree. The technology that enabled the Dimensional amnesia plane was far behind that of the real world. The only limitation was the population.

However, there was no way he could take care of that sore spot for the time being, and he wasn't about to send the humans from the radiation plane over again just to increase the population. While 100 people per trip seemed like a lot, it was still a drop in the bucket compared to the needs of civilization. Furthermore, the humans in the Wasteland were of mixed ethnicities. A small number would be fine, but if he were to bring too many of them, he would just be causing more trouble.

All of those restrictions meant that Zhang Heng would never be able to soar to new heights. However, all of that was temporary. As long as he continued to grow stronger, all of those shortcomings would eventually be made up for.

The Dimensional amnesia plane was developing, and the real world was not going to fall behind. Zhang Heng sent the excavator from the Virgin Islands back to the hive and continued digging at the bottom of the hive, digging all the way to a depth of 500 meters, before digging horizontally, eventually digging out a ring-shaped tunnel that was several kilometers long, before constructing an extremely valuable particle accelerator in that tunnel.

The particle accelerator would become the most advanced accelerator that humanity had ever seen.

The particle accelerator, which cost billions of yuan, had been completed after several days of construction. Such a high-end piece of equipment would hardly be able to fetch such a high price, yet its functions were extremely powerful, enabling the particle to accelerate infinitely near the speed of light before conducting collision research.

Yan Ronghua was leading over 20 physicists and over a hundred assistants to observe the physical experiments on the accelerator.

"The iron atom is entering lightspeed in the linear acceleration device. Prepare to introduce a ring-shaped acceleration device, strong magnetic field."

"Entered the ring-shaped acceleration device successfully. New round of acceleration in progress. Currently at 93 percent light-speed, accelerating at the moment."

"Speed enough. Get ready to turn on the super-field magnetic device. Resonance mechanism ready. Get ready to collect neutrons."

"…"

"The iron atom has been detected through the strong magnetic field. Begin testing!"

"The iron atom has been successfully torn apart. Protons and atoms have been stripped away. Only neutrons are unaffected by the strong magnetic field. Particles are beginning to decelerate!"

"Power generators ready. Get the electron to stick to the surface of the neutron. Don't slow the neutron down too much."

"…"

"Mission completed successfully. Illusory Particle formed. Accelerate!"

"Speed has been accelerated to 98 percent, Professor Yan. Do you need to keep going?"

"The speed is about right. Prepare to steer it into a straight line. Don't let it slow down. We have to succeed in sending the proton into the aluminum atom."

"The vacuum pod is fully charged. Get ready…"

Everyone in the laboratory looked at the boiler-like device behind them with anxious looks on their faces. The device shuddered violently all of a sudden, and Yan Ronghua felt the ground beneath his feet tremble slightly.

Large amounts of data appeared on the screen before him again. The scientist in charge of the observation wiped the sweat from his brow and stared at the data that was pouring down like a waterfall. He was elated when he saw the last piece of data he needed.

"We did it, Professor Yan!" That bald scientist was grinning like a child. He straightened up and shouted at the crowd in glee, "We did it! The high-distance alloy is complete!"

Everyone looked relieved, with Yan Ronghua being the only one who remained serious. He took a look at the scientist and said with a frown, "Dr. Jim, please control your emotions. Success is normal, but success is also divided into levels. There is still a long way to go between 'barely passable' and 'excellent with full marks'."

"Yes, I'm very sorry." The scientist known as Dr. Jim chuckled and returned to his post.

The experiment finally came to an end after a whole day had passed. Everyone crowded around the vacuum chamber, which looked like a boiler, and watched as the assistant took out an aluminum alloy plate. Everyone wore looks of anticipation on their faces.

Zhang Heng arrived at the laboratory after being notified by Yan Ronghua.

228. High-directional Metal

"Professor Yan, did you get any results from the experiment?" Zhang Heng asked as soon as he saw the shiny metal plate that everyone was surrounding. Surprise flickered in his eyes.

"Yes, Director Zhang. However, we'll need to test the results before we know the actual results." Yan Ronghua nodded and said casually.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to Yan Ronghua's attitude. Scientists were usually very arrogant, especially scientists of Yan Ronghua's caliber. If Yan Ronghua had been the kind of person who sought after power and fame, he wouldn't have been able to achieve what he had today. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng taking advantage of Yan Ronghua's weaknesses, Yan Ronghua wouldn't have joined him.

Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the metal plate. An assistant who knew what to do took the metal plate from the crowd and handed it to Zhang Heng respectfully, completely ignoring the displeased looks from the scientists around him.

Zhang Heng smiled and expressed his gratitude before reaching out to take the metal plate. The metal plate was only about two to three millimeters thick, and anyone with a discerning eye would be able to tell that it was just an ordinary aluminum plate. However, Zhang Heng knew that the aluminum plate was anything but ordinary.

He grabbed the two ends of the aluminum plate and pulled hard. The aluminum plate was made of soft material and was only about two to three millimeters thick. Any adult would have been able to bend it easily. However, the aluminum plate didn't budge at all after Zhang Heng pulled at it.

The surprise in Zhang Heng's eyes became even more pronounced as he continued to exert more force. With his current level of strength, he was able to easily shatter tiles that were harder than steel, not to mention aluminum plates. However, the aluminum before him was only slightly deformed, and he was only able to bend the aluminum plates into an arc after exerting more than half of his strength.

Disappointment was seen in everyone's eyes when they saw what Zhang Heng was doing. Some of them even sighed and began to spread out.

"No problem. We can keep experimenting." Yan Ronghua shook his head and said expressionlessly.

"Hold on." Zhang Heng knew that the young man thought that the experiment had failed. He snapped the aluminum plate back to the flat surface and said, "We'll only know if the experiment is a failure after a formal test, right?"

"Do we still need to test it out?" Yan Ronghua frowned and continued, "The fact that you were able to bend the metal meant that we had failed. Theoretically speaking, the hardness of a high-dimensional metal is several times that of a diamond. It's not something that could be twisted by human means."

"Why don't you try it out then?" Zhang Heng handed the aluminum plate back to the assistant and said in an unquestionable manner, "As the chief of the department, I'd like you to go through the procedure immediately."

Yan Ronghua frowned for a bit, but he eventually relented at the thought that the woman had cured his daughter. "Sure, whatever you say."

Yan Ronghua then turned around and looked at the crowd. "Liu, Wang, take the metal plates to the laboratory isolation room. We'll begin the first procedure test immediately."

The aluminum plate was quickly brought to the quarantine room. There were many types of detection equipment found in the quarantine room, such as anti-corrosion testing equipment, hardness testing equipment, strength testing equipment, and so on. The first choice was to place the aluminum plate on the hard detection machine.

It was, after all, the first time that everyone had created a high-density alloy. As soon as the testing began, all the scientists gathered outside the quarantine room at the same time and looked inside through the observation window. A spinning cutting equipment was activated under the operation of one of the assistants, and a disc-shaped cutting disc began spinning at high speeds. The assistant pressed the device down hard and cut into the aluminum plate.

Loud noises were heard all of a sudden. Flames were seen bursting out of the aluminum plates and sparks flew everywhere.

The assistant lifted the cutting machine again after cutting for a few seconds. He looked down at the aluminum plate and was stunned by what he saw.

"How is it?" Yan Ronghua asked right away.

"Professor Yan, there aren't any scratches on the aluminum plate!" The assistant took the aluminum plate out of the device and waved it in the air as he said in surprise.

"What?" Yan Ronghua was shocked. He didn't care about the danger and ran into the testing room as well. He took the aluminum plate from his assistant and looked at the top of the plate, following the light. As expected, despite the high-speed cutting, the aluminum plate remained as smooth as ever, without any signs of being cut.

"What kind of cutting board are you using?" Yan Ronghua asked right away.

"It's called Cr1mov for cold steel. It can easily cut through regular steel," the assistant said as he removed the protective device on his head.

"Try using the steel blade, which is commonly used for high-speed cutting, and extend the cutting time to 10 seconds," Yan Ronghua said solemnly.

"Okay." The assistant put the aluminum plate on the other cutting machine and tested it again. Another burst of fire was seen and loud noises were heard. However, the assistant stopped in less than seven seconds.

"Why did you stop?" Yan Ronghua frowned.

The assistant wore a bitter grin and said, "Professor Yan, the disks are destroyed…"

"What?!" Yan Ronghua was not the only one who was shocked. More scientists rushed into the quarantine room and looked at the disks, all of them feeling rather astonished.

It took only seven seconds for the blade on the cutting board to be completely worn out. Not only that, there was not a single scratch on the aluminum plate.

"Well…" Yan Ronghua was confused as well. He turned around and took a look at Zhang Heng, who was standing outside the isolation room, as if he was unconvinced. "Use the Adamantine Disk! I don't believe it!"

The assistant helplessly turned his head and went on to make a new cutting board. The blades on the cutting board were embedded with fine diamond-like material that could easily cut through even glass, which was harder than metal. However, when the third cut was done, everyone immediately went up to surround the cutting board. However, they were astonished to find that there was still no trace of damage on the aluminum plate. There wasn't even a scratch on it.

"Gasp!"

Many people gasped subconsciously. Yan Ronghua was watching all of this with a dazed look on his face. He went on to say, "Test the strength, resilience, metal molding, and resistance of all metals!"

What followed next was naturally a comprehensive test. However, as the tests were completed one by one, everyone looked at the aluminum plate with even more fervor. When all the tests were done, the way everyone looked at the aluminum plate changed completely.

"I see!"

One of the scientists sighed and said, "Due to the imbalance in neutron content, the transmission of energy is extremely insensitive. The heat and fluctuations are unable to be transmitted on metal. Furthermore, he has a hardness that exceeds that of a diamond and a strength that exceeds that of titanium alloy. He could be said to be the most powerful metal in the world, with no one being able to compare to him."

"It's highly resistant to corrosion as well. That's some kind of perfect metal that could completely change the entire human industry!" Another scientist voiced his opinion.

"But don't forget that the cost of making it is also very astonishing. It is also the most expensive metal in the world!" a third scientist said.

Everyone was filled with mixed feelings at that moment. A piece of metal that they had never seen before was right before their eyes, and they were even involved in the process of making that piece of metal. Everyone looked very satisfied as they knew that they had made history.

However, Yan Ronghua seemed to have recalled something and his expression changed drastically. He turned around and looked at Zhang Heng, only to find that Zhang Heng had left the room at some point.

He sighed to himself. It was only then that Yan Ronghua realized why Zhang Heng asked him to test the bent metal when he was able to bend it.

It wasn't that he had failed to craft the high-dimensional metal, but that his power was far beyond that of regular people.

Yan Ronghua's eyes were filled with shock and awe at that thought, burying that shock deep in his heart.

229. The End Comes!

The so-called high-density alloy was actually metal aluminum, but the composition of the alloy was rather special. The alloy wasn't regular aluminum, but an isotope of aluminum.

Under normal circumstances, an element like aluminum shouldn't have produced an isotope, and the high-dimensional alloy was indeed a mutated isotope. Such an isotope could only be synthesized by humans, and the underlying material was aluminum alloy. However, a lot of additional neutrons were added to the metal, causing the elemental structure to shift.

That was why the finished product was called a high-density alloy, which actually referred to the neutron bias in aluminum.

The new aluminum alloy would become something called a high-density armor after being processed. It was a special kind of defensive technology that Zhang Heng acquired in the Alien plane.

Due to the high neutronal imbalance, the high-density armor was extremely insensitive to energy transmission. As such, firearms and wave weapons such as ultra-high-field lasers, high-caliber blades, and so on were almost completely immune to such weapons. Furthermore, the armor was far harder than diamond, making it difficult for even super ammunition such as impoverished Uranium armor-piercing rounds and tungsten shell-piercing rounds to penetrate the armor, let alone regular firearms.

Zhang Heng had never considered such technology before, due to the lack of standards in the field of manufacturing. However, he had absorbed all the technologies found in the major planes, which meant that his industrial standards had skyrocketed. As such, he was able to manufacture the metals that would only appear in the next hundred years in advance, all for the sake of the 'Terminator' plane.

The next few days, he would be building all of those high-distance armor plates into kinetic armor for the Falcon mech before entering the Terminator. With such a super tortoise shell, he would at least have a chance of surviving.

Time passed quickly. The particle accelerator worked 24 hours a day for the remaining half a month. He was finally able to synthesize enough high-density metals, but that cost him about $300 to 500 million. It was just like how some scientists found the most expensive metal in the world.

The high-density alloys were processed and eventually made into the outer shells of 10 Falcon mechs. More than 100 new kinetic armor plates were created at the same time, making them a type of heavy infantry armor that was far sturdier than before. Zhang Heng named them the Doomsday-1.

The D.S.F troops trained in the virtual space were also ready after the armor was completed. All of them were new cloned warriors. All of the special forces from the other planes had been sent to the radiation plane for war. The new batch was led by Zhishang, the clone warrior.

At that moment, 100 cloned warriors were standing in neat rows before Zhang Heng in the newly opened plaza below the Honeycomb. All of them were wearing kinetic armor made of high-density metal. A look of relief was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes when he saw all of them getting ready to go. He checked the time and found that there were only several minutes left before the teleportation.

The 10 Eagle mechs that were also made of high-directional armor stood silently behind the cloning warriors.

Everything was ready except for the crucial element.

"Main Quest officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

The announcement from the Dimensional Star, which he hadn't heard for a long time, was heard in his mind at last. He focused and listened carefully.

"Search complete. There are four planes of value nearby the host plane."

"Plane A: Terminator plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★"

"Plane B: Solar plane where the Earth stops spinning. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★"

"Plane C: Final Fantasy 7 plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★"

"Plane B: Blackhole surface plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★"

Zhang Heng frowned at first after hearing those messages, but his eyes lit up right after.

He had always known that as he grew stronger, the difficulty of those planes would gradually decrease as well, and this time, he realized that things were looking good. He still remembered that the Terminator plane was still five stars difficult when he first entered the Prototype plane. Other than 10 clone warriors wearing exoskeleton armor, he had no combat power to speak of.

Not only did he have the Falcon mech now, but he also had the high-density armor and all manner of high-tech tactical weapons. It was obvious that his abilities had been enhanced more than a hundred times over compared to what they were before. As such, the difficulty of the Terminator plane dropped by two stars, leaving him with just three stars.

However, what truly worried Zhang Heng was the seat on the 'Black Hole's surface'. Despite having grown so much stronger, the difficulty of the Black Hole's surface remained the same. Didn't that mean that the difficulty of the Black Hole's surface was actually higher than he had anticipated?

However, the thought that he would be able to raise his access by one level after completing two more planes and reach [B] class made him gradually feel at ease. His power would at least rise by another level when he reached [B] class. He figured that by then, he would be able to put up a fight even against the surface of the black hole.

Zhang Heng felt somewhat relieved at that thought. He shook his head. He could take his time to think things through on the surface of the black hole. It would be best for him to focus on getting through the Terminator plane first. If the plane were to fail, then there would be no need for anything else.

Zhang Heng said in a low voice, "I choose… the Terminator plane."

Zhang Heng's vision blurred right after he heard that. He found himself in a city that was filled with ruins in the very next second.

Zhang Heng took a closer look and found that it was night time on the seat. The sky was grey and the ruins of the city stretched as far as the eye could see. There were no plants or animals in sight, only fog floating in midair, making the place look dead.

The Armageddon-1 around Zhang Heng's body began to collect data regarding the outside world as soon as he arrived in that world. Due to the fact that the nuclear winter was long over, he was able to tell that the outside world's temperature was only about -4 to 45 degrees Celsius and was not too cold. However, the volume of radiation in that world was in no way inferior to that of the radiation plane. The air was filled with sulfur and radiation dust. Anyone who took a deep breath would feel their lungs burning.

That world had long been reduced to a wasteland, just like the other planes. That plane was also a wasteland that had seen the end of the world. It was even more desolate than the wastelands of the radiation plane.

After all, the radiation plane did not have the overwhelming army of robots and the Skynet.

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered Terminator plane. Mission scanned."

"Warning: Terminator Dimensional Mission initiated. Main Quest: Escape from the Skynet pursuit and acquire plane shuttle technology."

"Optional quest: Acquire the T-800, T-1000, T-T, and any other terminator's robot technology."

"Urgent quest, none."

"Quest Time: 12 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 12 hours. Failure Penalty: Host access reduced by one level."

As that piece of information passed through his mind, Zhang Heng realized what was happening right away. As he continued to use the Dimensional Star for a longer period of time, he gained a better understanding of the Dimensional Star. All of the mission arrangements were within his expectations.

Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the group of fighters behind him and shouted, "Everyone, get into the fighter jets immediately. Let's go and look for the Human Resistance, just like we did in training in the virtual space. Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

230. Robot Debris

The Terminator plane was a plane that had a history similar to that of Earth.

However, a company named Cyberdine was established and developed a defense system named Skynet. The system was highly intelligent and possessed logic and analytical capabilities far superior to that of humans. It was eventually used by the US Air Force and became the weapon system that took over the US War.

To put it bluntly, the Skynet was an automated war machine. After taking over the US Defense System, the US authorities attempted to cut off its power after losing control. As such, the Skynet concluded that humans were a threat to it, an enemy of war, causing the Skynet to launch Judgment Day.

It was in that year that the trajectory of history began to deviate from that of the rest of the human world. Humans, who were at the top of the food chain, fell to the mundane world and were forced to fight underground due to the suppression of the robot army.

More than 10 years had passed since Judgment Day began in 2018. Humans gradually lost their will to fight as they fought day after day in the underground world. Humans were unable to see any hope in the battles that took place all year round, and internal conflicts began to emerge.

Everything seemed to be heading for the worst.

That was the history of the Terminator plane. Zhang Heng was sitting in the Falcon mech, looking at the screen on the wall of the hold. The world outside was projected on the screen, a wasteland that was even more brutal than the end of days.

Zhang Heng's goal this time was to get the Dimensional Travel technology from the Resistance. The technology was something that both humans and the Skynet possessed. Obtaining such technology from humans was hundreds of times easier than getting it from the Skynet.

Of course, the only difficulty was finding the human base of the Resistance. No one knew where the base of the Resistance was, and none of that was mentioned in the movies. There were even rumors that the headquarters of the Resistance were actually in nuclear submarines, but no one knew if that was true or not.

The 10 Falcon mechs flew 3 kilometers above ground. That was the limit of visibility. The air visibility of the Terminator plane was extremely poor. If one were to fly higher, they would not be able to see anything, let alone search for human survivors.

The stealth technology on the fighter jets had been turned on. Zhang Heng had no idea if such a stealth function would be able to evade detection from the Skynet, but he figured that the Skynet wouldn't be able to wipe out even the remaining human survivors, who had lost most of their land, industry, and agriculture. As such, the detection capabilities of the fighter planes shouldn't be very good. As such, Zhang Heng was rather confident in the abilities of the Falcon.

The Falcon was cruising at a speed of five Machs at high altitudes. At the same time, the terrain drawing technology was constantly scanning the area. The location was quickly determined by comparing the terrain with that of the real world.

Zhang Heng was currently in the middle of Texas in the US, with the Louisiana and Mexico Straits to the east. He was heading northwest, with New Mexico in front of him.

Things would be much easier if he knew where he was. The Falcon would set out on a high-speed cruise, scanning the entire United States for survivors.

He should be able to find the headquarters of the Resistance after finding the survivors.

As the Falcon accelerated, the scanning system of the fighter was able to detect a small number of humanoid objects in front of them very quickly. As the scanning became more intense, tens of humanoid skeletal-looking robots appeared on the camera. All of those robots were badly damaged and were lying there silently, showing no signs of movement.

"All fighter jets stay here. Maintain stealth and hover. Let's go down and get those bots up here," Zhang Heng ordered.

The performance of the Falcon was very impressive. Under Zhang Heng's command, the speeding fighter immediately decelerated and lowered its altitude at the same time, hovering at a low altitude of 100 meters. The fighter jet that Zhang Heng was in continued to descend, eventually coming to a steady stop at the remains of the robot.

Hiss…

The doors at the tail end of the Eagle mech opened and the 10 cloned warriors alighted warily. Despite the fact that neither the scanning equipment inside the armor nor the scanning equipment of the fighter planes were able to detect any enemies nearby, none of them were able to relax.

Zhang Heng got out of the fighter jet after confirming that the outside world was safe. He crouched down and touched the remains of the robots.

The remains of those robots didn't seem to have been damaged for very long. There was only a thin layer of radiation dust on their surfaces, and the red light in their eyes had been snuffed out. All four of their limbs were somewhat deformed, and the broken parts looked torn and warped, as if they had been shot by some kind of powerful weapon.

There were bullet holes all over the bodies of the robots. It was unknown what kind of alloy those robots were made of, but one could tell from the bullet holes that the bodies of the robots were extremely tough and durable. Regular firearms wouldn't be able to penetrate the armor and cause effective damage to the robots.

Zhang Heng wanted to find out how those robots were destroyed, but he was unable to find any leads despite searching for quite a while. The only clue he had was probably a black bullet hole in the robot's chest.

Zhang Heng checked the other robots and found the same bullet holes in their chests as he expected.

Zhang Heng exerted some force with his arm and a crack was heard as the electromagnetic blade was ejected. Zhang Heng slashed at the robot's chest and ear-piercing noise was heard. Large amounts of sparks were seen as Zhang Heng made a huge cut on the hard metal shell of the robot.

Zhang Heng looked at the opening and saw that all the equipment inside the robots had been burnt black. Some of the high-precision parts had been deformed and melted due to the short circuits, causing the robots to completely break down. It seemed that that was why the robots were damaged.

Zhang Heng saw a shard inside and his heart skipped a beat. He picked up the shard and observed it for a bit before coming to a realization.

It was a piece of uranium alloy.

It was obvious that there was someone who played a role similar to a sniper in the battle back then—that person had a powerful rifle with a nuclear core made of impoverished uranium in his hand. He had relied on that impoverished uranium armor-piercing bullet to break through the alloy armor of that person and send the bullet into the robot's body. The bullet triggered the fuse and exploded in the robot's chest cavity, ultimately achieving the goal of crippling the robot.

"Transport all those pieces of the robot to the cabin. Zhishang, take a few people and search the area, see if there are any other leads," Zhang Heng stood up and ordered.

"Yes." Zhishang nodded and pointed at a few people before dispersing them in all directions. The remaining cloned warriors proceeded to transport the remains of the robots into the fighter plane.

About 10 minutes passed before Zhishang returned with his men. "Commander, human footprints were found on the east side, about several days ago. Do you need to track them?"

"Let's go and take a look." Zhang Heng nodded and everyone returned to the inside of the plane. The Falcon mech was like a ball of gas floating in the air, invisible and formless. However, the AI scanning device on the mech was able to locate the footprints in front of it right away. The two of them faced each other and flew straight ahead.

231. Huge Spacecraft

The speed of the Falcon was extremely fast and it took only a few minutes for it to cover a distance of more than 10 kilometers from the footprints. However, they were surprised to find that the trail had disappeared by the time they got there.

"Commander, it seems like the other party has erased their tracks. Do you need us to go down and search for them?" Zhishang turned around and asked.

"There's no need for that. If I'm not mistaken, there should be some kind of land mine buried under the ground." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "If we were able to find this place, the robots would definitely be able to find it as well. That footprint left behind would be very thought-provoking. We'd basically be able to confirm that it's a trap. What we need to do is to find where they're really hiding according to that trap."

Zhang Heng thought about it for a bit before giving the order again. "All fighter jets, spread out and search the area with this area as the center. Let me know if you find any new leads."

"Yes." Zhishang nodded and relayed Zhang Heng's orders through the communication device. The 10 Falcon mechs spread out in all directions in the very next second.

Zhang Heng felt that, given that the humans of the Resistance were using guerrilla warfare methods, they definitely had their own means of communication. Furthermore, such communication methods were definitely not wireless or satellite communication. The Skynet was not something that could just sit around and do nothing. If such communication methods could be easily deciphered by the Skynet, then their communication methods might be more complex systems like quantum transmission. They had to be more advanced than the Skynet, or there was no way humans could survive on Earth.

The Skynet was indeed very powerful for humans and could create all manner of robot armies. However, in some ways, the Skynet was extremely stupid. It only knew how to use conventional military force and use the robot army to fight against humans. That was a very troublesome way to go about things. If the Skynet were to use biochemical weapons to fill the atmosphere with lethal poison, humans would have long been wiped out.

Robots had little dependence on the ecosystems of Earth, unlike humans, where the slightest abnormal climate could affect the survival of humans. If Zhang Heng were the Skynet, he could have simply created a virus that was harmful to humans and thrown it into the water source, killing humans at the root. However, the Skynet would have never thought of such a simple method. All it knew how to do was create weapons like robots to fight regular battles with humans. It was obvious from this that the creativity of the Skynet was extremely low. The so-called Skynet was probably some kind of AI that could only follow procedures but had no self-awareness. That was why humans were able to live on.

If that was the case, things would be much easier.

A sinister smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face. He took a look at the USB stick-like device in his hand, turned around, and looked at the remains of the robots, before saying, "How about it? Can you repair those remains?"

"Commander, the damage done to the remains of those robots is too severe. However, the AI cores found in some of the remains are still intact. They were only paralyzed due to the loss of power supply." One of the clones raised his head and held a complex instrument about the size of a fist in his hand. "This is the AI core of a robot, similar to the mainframe of a computer. I could try to activate it."

That clone warrior had a special gift for electronics. While the clones that Zhang Heng created had no emotions, they had their own independent personalities. Other than training, Zhang Heng made each of those clones choose their own interests and hobbies. Truth be told, those hobbies would often come in handy at crucial moments, such as the time when he killed the original clone.

"Let's try activating it and see if we can find anything out of the ordinary," Zhang Heng agreed.

That clone warrior took out some equipment from the toolbox in the cabin right away. He had prepared all of that when he first entered the Terminator plane. The best way to ensure that he could complete the mission given by the Dimensional Star was to be fully prepared.

Zhang Heng could only see the clone skillfully connect electrical wires and some equipment that he had never seen before, before taking out three laptops. Those laptops were designed and manufactured independently in the Honeycomb Laboratory, and they were the most advanced quantum computers. Their performance was tens of thousands of times higher than that of the most advanced computers in the outside world. It was only with such advanced equipment that the clone had the confidence to crack the Skynet program.

The clone warrior sat down on the floor after all the equipment was connected and began typing away on the three computers. Both of his hands became blurred afterimages. It was obvious that the clone's computer technology was very advanced. Zhang Heng could only see data flowing on the computers. That was the clone warrior cracking the defense system of the AI core.

"The enemy's defense is very strong," the clone warrior said with a deadpan expression. "I'll need about an hour to crack the enemy's AI core."

"Just do your best." Zhang Heng nodded and turned around to look at the screen on the wall of the hold. The Falcon didn't have a view of the porthole itself and could only see the outside world through the cameras and screens. The Falcon was still flying at a very low altitude at the moment and its speed was only about 100 to 200 kilometers per hour, making it harder for him to drop any possible leads.

However, an ear-piercing alarm was heard from the cabin all of a sudden. Red lights flickered as well. That was the signal to run into enemies.

Zhishang asked through the communication device before Zhang Heng could say anything, "Why is there an alarm? What happened?"

"Unknown target detected up ahead. The enemy is heading in our direction at a speed of 1,200 kilometers per hour. The altitude is about three kilometers. Please give us your instructions, Commander!" The pilot's report was heard from the communication device.

"They're heading straight for us at about Mach 1?" Zhang Heng paused for a bit before continuing, "I don't think they've discovered us. Keep your guard up and follow them as soon as they get past."

"Understood!"

All of a sudden, the speed of the Falcon flying at a low altitude became even slower, as if it had blended into the night. Even the most advanced radar detector was unable to detect any abnormalities.

Zhang Heng's guess was spot-on. The unidentified flying object flew over the top of the Falcon mech in less than 10 minutes. The Falcon mech turned around right away and followed quietly behind the creature.

Zhang Heng gasped as soon as the silhouette appeared on the screen. It was a huge flying machine over 100 meters in size and seemed to be using a kind of ion engines. It was very quiet and stable when it flew. The structure of the flying machine was also very intriguing. The flying machine was not constructed with wings or anything of the sort. Instead, it was powered by turbines, just like the Falcon. Due to its massive size, its speed was not very high and it never broke the speed of sound. Instead, it was maintained at subsonic speeds.

It was Zhang Heng's first time seeing such a massive flying transport.

232. Plotting Against The Terminator

The only ones who could fly in the sky were the Skynet's mechanical army.

To humans, fighter jets needed pilots, and those pilots needed to undergo extremely strict training. Sometimes, a pilot was more precious than a fighter plane.

The robot army, on the other hand, was different. Robots had better technology and better logical judgements than humans. They didn't even need to be operated by anyone, as every single fighter plane was a robot. As such, it was destined that humans wouldn't be able to gain the upper hand in terms of the air force, given that their technology was on par.

Things were different on Zhang Heng's side. The technology that he had was far more advanced than that of the Skynet, and the technological suppression that he faced was utterly astonishing. No matter how advanced the technology of the spaceships operated by the machines was, they were unable to alter the suppression of power levels. As such, Zhang Heng was not afraid of playing air combat with the mechanical army.

Zhang Heng thought about all the leads he could find in the Terminator plane as he looked at the huge flying transport before him. He had no idea where the flying transport was headed to. It would be awkward if the other party were to fly for over 10 hours. Zhang Heng only had 12 hours to spare and had no time to waste with the other party. He ordered the other nine fighter planes to return to the ship at that thought and set up a pocket formation in front of him to ambush the flying transport, making sure to destroy the other party in one shot and obtain effective data from the other party.

"No. 10 is in place."

"Number eight is in place."

"Six is in position. You may attack at any time."

…

The 10 fighter jets were laid out in ambush without making a single sound, just like specters. The huge flying transport before him continued cruising silently, completely oblivious to the fact that he had fallen into Zhang Heng's trap.

When the last Falcon was in position, Zhang Heng gave the order and 10 anti-aircraft missiles appeared out of nowhere, shooting at their targets from all directions like loosed arrows.

All of those air-to-air missiles were powered by miniature nuclear fuel equipment, enabling them to reach sonic speeds within 100 meters and three times that of 500 meters. Due to the fact that very little space was taken up internally, a single missile was only 10 centimeters thick and 40 centimeters long. While its speed and flexibility far exceeded that of regular missiles, the power it could explode with was several times that of regular missiles.

It was at that critical juncture that the precision control of the robot army was finally shown. The huge, fat flying transports reacted immediately when the 10 falcons fired their missiles. Countless infrared interference missiles, which looked like miniature suns, rained down like fireworks, lighting up the entire night in the blink of an eye. At the same time, the flying transports made a turn and headed for the lower right side of the battlefield. Their reactions were so fast that they were far faster than humans that they were practically able to achieve perfection.

It was a pity that the humanoid machines didn't run into anyone else but the Special Forces from the other planes who were able to suppress them in all aspects. The missiles didn't even bother to look at the interference missiles and simply smashed into the outer shell of the huge machines.

Ten huge holes were blown in the entire ship in the very next second, causing it to wobble and plummet to the ground.

However, Zhang Heng's eyes widened in shock. Other than wanting to dig up information from that huge flying transport, he was also trying to test the capabilities of that huge army of robots from the Terminator plane. Every single one of those missiles was more than enough to blow up half of a football field into the sky, yet he was only able to create a hole that was about 10 meters wide on that flying transport? It seemed like that flying transport's defensive capabilities were way above that of heavy tank armor.

That huge flying transport drew a trail of thick smoke in the air and continued to roll down towards the ground. It continued to roll after crashing into the ground, leaving a deep gouge in the ground.

"Commander, would you like us to send someone in to take a look?" Zhishang asked as he looked at the crashed aircraft.

"No need." Zhang Heng shook his head. "Skynet should have detected us when we attacked them. Reinforcements could be attacking us at any moment. We need to stay alert and send a few flying bats in to check. We'll head down after confirming that there's no danger."

"Yes."

At the same time that Zhang Heng gave the order, four to five miniature unmanned reconnaissance planes that were as thick as chopsticks and had long, elongated bodies flew out from the bottom of the Falcon. Those were the things that the science-fiction prodigy, Louis, came up with. The flying bats spun in the air and landed on the crashed aircraft in the distance with a swoosh, before crawling into the plane without making a sound.

The screen in the cabin automatically turned into the perspective of the flying baton, as if the robots themselves didn't need lighting. Zhang Heng was only able to see darkness in the cabin, and the flying baton turned on its night vision at the very next second, constantly shuttling and exploring in the aircraft.

The flying baton soon found a huge warehouse that was loaded with the Terminator Corps, which had yet to be opened by his mother. Most of the models were the most commonly-seen T-800 models, with a small number of T-850 and 888 models, which were the three governor models of the Terminator series.

As for the more advanced T-1000 and T-X, he didn't see any of them.

However, at that moment, several small holes were seen appearing on the huge flying transport all of a sudden. In the very next second, over a dozen flying transports that were several times smaller than Zhang Heng and the others shot out of those holes at lightning speed and flew out, looking for Zhang Heng and the others.

That wasn't all. The rows of T-800 eyes began to light up as well. The bases of all the robots fixed to the ground began to pop out of their sockets. All of those robots were ejected out of the hatches and dropped from the sky like dumplings. In the blink of an eye, an army of over a thousand robots appeared outside the huge aircraft.

Zhang Heng even saw two reapers slowly disembarking from the flying transports. The so-called reapers were some kind of massive robot that was 25 meters tall and had two motorcycle-like Terminators strapped to its legs, making it look massive.

Even Zhang Heng felt a chill running down his spine when he saw that. It turned out that the massive flying transport was none other than the Skynet's transport ship. Killing one of them would be like poking a hornet's nest, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

It was at that moment that the last robot walked out. Zhang Heng's eyes lit up when he saw what that robot looked like. That robot looked very different from the other T-800s. If the T-800s were to be described as tough-looking men made entirely out of straight lines, then that robot was some kind of secret killer made out of arcs. That robot was much smaller in terms of size and was only about 1.7 meters tall. Furthermore, the glow in its eyes was not red but blue instead. Its limbs were slender and long, making it look like a woman. Be it in terms of appearance or material, it was far larger than the T-800s.

He had been searching high and low for the robot, only to find it so easily. That special robot was none other than the T-X that Zhang Heng wanted to get his hands on the most. It was a near-perfect killing machine known as the Terminator.

According to the data that Zhang Heng found online, the surface of the T-X was made of some kind of artificial skin that looked like liquid metal, enabling it to take the form of any human. The inside of the T-X was made of cutting-edge alloy, and it was capable of partial transformation.

Unlike the liquid metal robot that could only transform into blades and the likes of the T-10oo, the robot was capable of transforming into a firearm. It was best at transforming the arm into a plasma cannon. Its attacks had an electromagnetic effect, which would paralyze electronic devices and cause explosive damage to most targets.

Additionally, the T-X could replicate any programming of the system, as well as hack into other computer systems, injecting viruses with nanonics, and modify the program to achieve the goal of controlling the system. It was faster, stronger, and smarter than most Terminators. The T-X's positioning on the battlefield of the human plane was that of commanders and hackers.

The entire army of machines was on high alert at that moment. They were flying in the air and running on the ground as they searched for Zhang Heng's whereabouts. However, no matter how hard they searched, they were unable to find the Falcon mech that was hiding hundreds of meters in the air.

"Get the flying baton to test it out. I want to see just how strong the T-X is." Zhang Heng looked at the T-X on the screen with a burning gaze. Zhishang immediately gave the order and a flying baton quietly flew out from the cabin of the huge flying machine. The T-X had its back to the flying baton at the moment, and it seemed to have seen an opportunity. The flying baton accelerated and a deafening sonic boom was heard. The baton went over the speaker and charged at the T-X in a suicidal manner.

That was the other ability of the flying stick. It was like a miniature missile with a nuclear fusion core installed inside. Once detonated, its power would be comparable to that of tens of kilograms of TNT explosives. Even a tank could explode into a ball of fire in an instant.

233. Capturing T-x

The baton was instantly put on speaker mode and shot at the T-X like a loaded bullet.

However, just when the baton was about to hit the T-X, a silvery-white mechanical hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the baton that was charging at him. The hand moved so quickly that it looked like a blur.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and saw that the T-X's head had turned 180 degrees without him realizing it, and its right arm was spinning as well. The T-X was able to easily grab hold of the baton with its own arm, and the speed and reflexes it displayed had reached an unbelievable level.

However, Zhang Heng wasn't worried at all when he saw that the other party was able to grab hold of the baton easily. He simply said, "Explode."

Boom!

Intense explosions were heard and the T-X was engulfed by the sea of fire almost as soon as Zhang Heng opened his mouth. Several T-800 components were also swallowed at the same time. Zhang Heng even saw several parts of the T-800 flying all over the place on the screen.

It seemed that even the governor would have to bow before the power of nuclear fusion.

The entire army of machines came to a halt as flames shot in all directions. All of them turned to look at the source of the explosion, and the flames from the explosion ignited the dead grass on the ground. The aftermath of the explosion gradually subsided, and a pitch-black robot with blue eyes emerged from the smoke.

"It didn't get blown to pieces?" The interest in Zhang Heng's eyes became even more pronounced. While he had expected the T-X to be very tough, the creature seemed to be even sturdier than he had imagined. The T-X tilted its head, unable to comprehend what had just happened. It raised its hand slightly, only to find that it was only left with its wrist, and its entire hand had been blown away by the explosion.

The T-X tilted its head and retracted its arm. It opened its mouth at the same time and sent a special wave to all the T-800 robots.

"Can you detect what they're saying?" Zhang Heng asked right away.

"It's some kind of special electromagnetic signal. It'll take time to crack it," the clone warrior answered immediately.

However, there was no need for Zhang Heng to wait for the virus to crack. The army of robots reacted in the very next second. They turned around quickly and spread out in all directions. Zhang Heng realized that the enemy was about to order the T-800 to do a thorough search.

It was actually a good opportunity to get rid of all those bots in one fell swoop. Zhang Heng was not about to let such a good opportunity slip by. A Falcon mech appeared in the sky all of a sudden as soon as he gave the order. A fat nuclear bomb about half the size of a grown man was thrown out of the Falcon mech at the same time. There was a flash of light when the bomb dropped 100 meters into the air. Zhang Heng saw everything on the screen turn completely white and nothing else.

Boom!

Low-air nuclear explosion!

A mushroom cloud that wasn't that big gradually rose into the air. All the T-800s were pulverized by the high temperatures and shockwaves at the moment of the explosion. Robots at the periphery were blown away. The hydrogen bomb weighed about 10,000 tons. Once detonated, everything within 300 meters would be reduced to ashes.

The nuclear bombs themselves were far more lethal than that, but the most lethal radiation to humans was practically non-existent to the army of machines. Furthermore, there was no need to even mention the amp (electromagnetic pulse) generated by the nuclear explosion. With the Skynet having developed to such an extent, humans would have been able to turn the tables on them if they were unable to even protect themselves from the amp.

As such, the most effective damage that nuclear bombs could do to the army of robots was still the force of the explosions and flames. The falcons in midair were all taking to the air at the moment, doing their best to evade the impact of the nuclear bombs. The shockwave passed over the bodies of the falcons before it dropped again. It was only when the screen was restored to its image capacity that Zhang Heng saw that the plains were filled with scraps of titanium alloy. None of the thousands of T-800 that he had seen before were still intact.

It was only then that the dozen or so small flying transports that were deployed previously found themselves heading straight for the exposed Falcon mech. All of them rushed at the Falcon mech without any hesitation. However, before they were able to launch an attack, more than a dozen anti-aircraft missiles locked onto them once again. In the very next second, those unknown flying transports followed the movements of the huge flying transports and turned into fireworks.

The next step was to search for the T-X again. It didn't take long before Zhishang said, "Commander, we've found the T-X." He pointed at the screen and saw the Falcon suddenly turn around and fly towards the mothership that was shot down. Zhang Heng saw that the T-X was still intact. It wanted to hide inside the cabin when the nuclear bomb exploded, but it was too late. The lower half of its body had been completely blown up, leaving only its upper half intact. However, it was still riddled with wounds.

"I'll bring it with me." The Falcon began to descend without Zhang Heng having to give the command. Zhishang and the two cloned warriors didn't wait for the fighter to land on the ground before jumping down from a height of about 30 to 40 meters above the ground. They then stepped firmly on the glassy surface of the ground and heard a crack before the ground shattered.

The three of them charged at each other as soon as they landed. It had been quite a while since then, and the robot reinforcements from Skynet could arrive at any moment. There was no time to be cautious. The three of them walked up to the T-X in just a few steps and stomped on the head of the other party before the latter could even retaliate. The massive kinetic armor provided an astonishing amount of power to the T-X. As he stepped on the T-X, he controlled the armor to grab the right arm of the T-X and pulled hard at the same time. A jarring sound of metal twisting was heard and the T-X's arm was yanked off by a tremendous force, causing sparks to fly everywhere.

The same went for the other two cloned warriors, who tore off the T-X's left arm in a brutal manner. The Terminator of the Terminators was rendered completely a robot.

Carrying the T-X, he returned to the interior of the Falcon. The Falcon immediately rose into the air and sped off into the distance, blending into the air and disappearing without a trace.

In less than 10 minutes after Zhang Heng left, over a hundred air hunters from the HK series flew over from afar and began searching for him.

Generally speaking, the Skynet had direct control over the Terminator Robotics. Theoretically speaking, the Skynet would be able to detect anything that happened to any of the robots immediately. Countless spy satellites hovered above Earth's orbit. All of those satellites were equipped with synthetic radar. Only such multi-dimensional radar could penetrate the thick radiation clouds on Earth and even penetrate the ground to 'see' the location of the human Resistance base underground.

As such, if the Resistance were to capture the robot, it was very likely that they would have brought with them a communication device that would allow them to communicate with the Skynet at any given moment, exposing the entire base of the Resistance. However, none of that posed a problem to Zhang Heng. The Falcon possessed the ability to conceal itself, enabling it to perfectly conceal itself from optical, infrared, electromagnetic radiation, and radar. That proved that the signal given by the T-X was unable to leak out from the outer shell of the Falcon, which meant that the T-X was effectively blocked.

Zhang Heng seemed to have gotten lucky after capturing a T-x. He found traces of humans in a bay in less than half an hour.

234. Survivor Siblings

Zhang Heng found himself on a beach along the coast.

There were two rows of footprints that had yet to be washed away by the sea. They emerged from the ocean, passed the beach, and finally made their way to a dense forest not far away.

It was a majestic and massive forest with pitch-black interior. All light was blocked by lush vegetation, and the culprit was none other than the most renowned plant in the United States—the red fir tree. The red fir tree itself was a living fossil of the plant world, and after being exposed to radiation from Judgment Day, it seemed to have undergone some kind of mutation. The trees were able to grow at an astonishing rate and would grow into towering trees with a diameter of four to five meters in just over a decade. When the trees were formed, they were able to block out all light from the sky and were exceptionally humid inside, making it difficult for even fires to set foot in the forest.

Faced with such a situation, the life detection equipment that came with the Falcon began to activate. The 10 fighter jets split up the area automatically and began to search the entire forest.

The Vitality Detection Device could set up a range. As long as one set it up to be a lifeform with a volume of 40 to 90 cubic meters, one would be able to tell the difference between humans and animals.

About two hours had passed since the 12-hour mark. Zhang Heng pondered over his next course of action while taking a break. As the leader of the group, he needed to maintain a calm mind and clear mind at all times, so that he could face the dangers in a better manner.

The clone warrior who cracked the Terminator's AI core suddenly looked up and said, "Commander, I've hacked into the database of the AI core. The data stored inside is data regarding everything that the robot encountered, which is equivalent to the black box found on the plane."

"Can you read it?" Zhang Heng's eyes lit up as he walked up to the young man and asked while crouching down.

"No problem." The clone warrior nodded and continued to operate the computer, displaying lines of data. "The data recorded the time system set up by Skynet alone. There are a total of 30,000 records recorded in it, of which the robot was created about five months ago. The steps and time of each operation were then recorded."

"It was first stored in a factory in Skynet three months after it was born. Then, it was sent to Florida to participate in a siege against the Resistance three months ago. He was destroyed once in that battle and was eventually transported and recycled by resource robots. He was then put on standby until he received orders from Skynet three days ago to execute a carpet search plan. He then discovered humans that night and was destroyed again after exchanging fire with humans."

"Why did they carry out a carpet search the second time? Was it because they found a base near the battlefield?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"The other party doesn't have any records of that," the clone warrior said. "Such robots only know how to carry out orders, and they don't have the right to understand the orders themselves."

"That's too bad." Zhang Heng stood up and waved his hand. A topographic map appeared before his eyes all of a sudden. The map drew all the terrain that the Falcon had passed through, making it look like a 'l' shape. Zhang Heng gestured at the map and fell into deep thought.

If the locations where the destroyed robots were located were the areas where the Resistance was operating, then the aircraft that was used to transport troops was a very important signal. That meant that it was very possible that the Skynet had actually located the location of the Resistance base. Otherwise, there would have been no time to repair the damaged robots.

Zhang Heng drew two circles on the big screen before him. The first circle was where he found the robot destroyed, and the second circle was where he destroyed the huge flying machine. He then tried to draw an arrow in the second circle. The direction of the arrow was where the huge flying machine was headed, and there was a good chance that the Resistance would be located somewhere between the location of the arrow and the location where the robot was destroyed.

Zhang Heng looked up suddenly at that thought and said, "Search the entire forest quickly. If you can't find any trace of humans, we'll leave immediately and head back to that place!" He pointed at a spot hundreds of kilometers away from where the massive aircraft crashed.

"Commander, we've found traces of humans," Zhishang reported suddenly.

"Arrest them," Zhang Heng said casually. The door of the rear compartment of the Falcon mech that he was in opened right away. The five cloned warriors leaped down from the sky and disappeared into the dense forest in the blink of an eye.

Several minutes later, the five of them issued a request to return and several tungsten chains were thrown out of the fighter at once. The chains were installed with springs and locks, which could be fixed directly on the Armageddon-1 armor. It took only half a minute for the five cloning warriors to successfully return, with two of them holding a terrified human in their hands.

The two of them were a man and a woman, both of whom looked to be younger than 15 years old. Both of them looked like siblings, except that their clothes were ragged, their faces were stained and swollen from being bitten by mosquitoes, making them look rather disheveled.

The clone threw the two of them easily into the hold of the Falcon. The five clones then returned to the hold and shut the door at the same time.

Despair was written all over the faces of the two young men and women after the door was closed. They got up right away and curled up on the innermost floor of the cabin, watching Zhang Heng and the others with terrified eyes.

Zhishang walked up to Zhang Heng and reported in a low voice, "Commander, we've only found the two of them. The footprints found on the beach match 98 percentages. We're able to confirm that the footprints were left by the two of them."

Zhishang didn't lower his voice. One of the girls was stunned after hearing what he said. She looked like she couldn't believe what she just heard and wore a shocked expression. "Y-You're humans, not the Skynet?"

The words were spoken in English and the young man looked surprised when he heard what the girl said. He looked at the crowd with hope burning in his eyes.

"Correct. We're indeed not robots." Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the two of them. He extended his hand and pressed something on his neck at the same time. A puff was heard and a puff of white smoke was seen before Zhang Heng took off the helmet of the power suit.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Zhang Heng's human face.

Zhang Heng wore a smile on his face, trying to look as approachable as possible. He took out three pieces of chocolate from his backpack and handed them to the two of them.

It was obvious that the two of them had a hard time living in the forest. The young man gulped when he smelled the aroma of the chocolate, yet he turned to look at the girl beside him, as if she was the one who held the most power among the two.

"Eat it. We're both humans, and you won't do us any harm." The girl hesitated for a bit before speaking in a probing manner. She took the chocolate from Zhang Heng's hand carefully and put two pieces in the boy's hand while she stuffed the remaining piece into her dirty pocket.

Admiration was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. She knew how to play mind games at such a young age. That girl was not bad.

The boy, on the other hand, didn't have much to worry about. He peeled the chocolate away gleefully and stuffed it into his mouth at the same time, gobbling it up. He then looked at Zhang Heng's backpack with a pitiful look on his face, making his attitude very clear.

Zhang Heng smiled and took out four or five more pieces of chocolate. He said to the girl, "You have some too. I have a lot here."

The girl nodded and began to share the chocolate with the boy with a rather uneasy look on her face. However, she was still a child after all, and she completely let her guard down as she ate, completely immersing herself in the deliciousness of the chocolate.

Zhang Heng continued speaking in English after the two of them finished eating, "Gentlemen, my men and I are from a country called Huaxia. We have important news to report to the leader of the US Resistance, but we lost contact with our contacts on the way here. As such, I'd like you to tell me where your base is."

"The base of the Resistance? It's at…" The young man opened his mouth instinctively after hearing what Zhang Heng said, but before he was able to finish, the young woman covered his mouth and said with a bright smile, "We have no idea where the base is."

"Oh?" Zhang Heng's expression remained unchanged. "You really don't know?"

"Yes, we're just two survivors. We were originally living in a submarine base in the ocean, but the submarine base was discovered by the ocean robots of Skynet a few days ago and the submarine was sunk. In the end, only my brother and I managed to get to the shore," the girl said pitifully. "My name is Aileen, and this is my brother, Bill."

235. Threatening And Enticing

"Bill, didn't you just say that you knew?" Zhang Heng flashed a sinister grin and turned to look at the boy.

Bill took a careful look at his sister and shook his head right away. Despite being slow-witted at the moment, he was able to sense that something was off.

"We really don't know, I swear." Irene quickly raised three fingers and said solemnly, "Dear sir, I'm sure you don't think that the two of us would know anything as important as the location of the Resistance base, do you?"

Zhang Heng nodded and wore a regretful expression. "I see. Well then, since you guys don't know, I guess I'll just let you guys go."

Irene was stunned. She didn't expect Zhang Heng to be so easy to talk to. However, for some reason, she suddenly had a bad feeling about the whole thing. However, she still put on a friendly smile and said, "Thank you for your hospitality. If you need to bring any letters to the Resistance, feel free to let us know first. We might be able to tell them if we run into them."

"No need. We'll just look for her ourselves." Zhang Heng's expression became even colder. He stood up indifferently and made a gesture with his hand. Zhishang walked over with heavy footsteps and picked up Aileen's petite frame before the two of them realized what was happening.

Both Irene and Bill shrieked right away.

Crack, crack, crack…

Intense gusts of wind blew into the cabin all of a sudden. To the horror of the two sisters, the back door of the cabin was opened at some point. Zhishang pulled at Aileen's tattered clothes and made a show of throwing her out of the cabin.

"No!" Irene shouted in shock, while Bill, who was standing at the side, was completely stunned. He really couldn't understand how someone who was usually friendly suddenly ended up in such a situation. His hands and feet felt cold all of a sudden as he watched everything unfold before him, completely unable to react.

"My dear Bill, don't you know by now?" Zhang Heng's cold gaze cut across the former's face like a knife. Bill felt a sharp pain on his face and he dropped to his knees, trembling all over.

"Don't tell them!" However, Irene kept shaking her head in midair. Despite being scared out of her wits, there was still a stubborn look in the girl's eyes. "Be strong, Bill. Death isn't scary. What's scary is betrayal. Be strong, Bill!"

Zhang Heng turned to look at that stubborn girl with a surprised look on his face after hearing that. He flashed a devilish grin and said seductively, "Bill, if you were to tell me, your sister would be saved. Not only that, but I could also provide you with delicious food and warm clothes. You know what would have happened otherwise."

Bill looked at his sister, feeling at a loss for what to do. The boy before him was no doubt not as strong as his sister. Seeing that his sister was about to be thrown out of the plane, Bill finally shouted with tears streaming down his face, "Sorry, sister, I can't do this! I don't want you to die!"

Bill then turned to look at Zhang Heng and shouted, "Please don't throw my sister down there! I'll tell you where the base of the Resistance is! Please!"

Zhang Heng looked satisfied after hearing that. He made a gesture and Zhishang swung his arm and Erin was thrown back into the cabin. Bill threw himself at his sister in tears and began wailing.

"Don't cry, Bill. You're a man. You have to be strong!" Despite being scared out of her wits, Irene was unable to take care of herself. She held the boy in her arms tightly and kept comforting him.

"What a touching scene. Alright, let's talk about that later. Now, please tell me where the base of the Resistance is. If you're not right about the location, I believe that none of you would want to bear the brunt of my wrath." Zhang Heng clapped his hands and walked up to the two of them, looking down on them.

"Right there…" Bill gritted his teeth and said, "Galveston Bay. That's all I know! Please let us go, please!"

Zhang Heng looked at the map behind him right away after hearing the address. As expected, the huge flying transport would pass Galveston Bay on its flight path. Furthermore, the distance between the two planes was less than 200 kilometers.

"My sister and I got into trouble because of the submarine. The submarine was meant to head for Galveston Bay in the first place, but for some reason, we ran into Skynet's robots on the way. My sister and I were the only ones who managed to escape. I'm definitely telling the truth!" Bill became even more flustered when he saw that Zhang Heng was ignoring him. He thought that Zhang Heng wanted to change his mind and quickly explained.

"Very good. Thank you for your cooperation." Zhang Heng took out all the remaining food on him and said to Zhishang, "Change direction and we'll head to Galveston Bay."

The Galveston Bay was located on the southeastern coast of Houston, Texas, in the United States. It was a bay that had sunken to the bottom of the ocean. Zhang Heng realized what was going on after hearing what the two sisters said—the Skynet had somehow discovered something out of the ordinary near Houston, which was why they sent out a massive force to search the area. The Galveston Bay base in Houston was completely exposed after a series of human attacks.

As such, the Skynet secretly gathered a large number of troops in order to capture the entire base in one fell swoop. They then sealed off the 6th Sea and prepared to wipe out the Resistance base in one fell swoop.

That was how the massive transport ship that Zhang Heng saw appeared, as well as the ambush that the siblings encountered in the ocean.

Zhang Heng knew right away that the two of them were telling the truth after he sorted everything out. He took a look at the frightened and wary expressions on their faces and paid them no further heed.

The Dimensional Star only gave Zhang Heng 12 hours. Zhang Heng needed to find the Human Resistance in such a short period of time and exchange the Dimensional Travel Device from them. All of that was very urgent. Of course, he had another choice, which was to get the Dimensional Travel Device from the Skynet.

However, no one would choose the second option as long as they were not out of their minds. While Zhang Heng had easily wiped out thousands of robots, if he were to fight the army of robots head-on, a hundred of Zhang Heng's would only end up dead.

Time was of the essence, and there was simply no way Zhang Heng could get information from the siblings through conventional means. As such, there was only one way for him to do so, and that was to intimidate and bribe them. If he could achieve his goal through the simplest of methods, why would he need to go out of his way to make things even more troublesome? Furthermore, there was no guarantee that he would be able to achieve his goal.

But then again, if he were to be unable to get an answer from the both of them, there was still one last way that he could do it, and that was to use some kind of drug that was similar to a drug called self-indulgent. That drug would cause permanent brain damage to the two children, but if he was unable to pry their mouths open, he wouldn't mind resorting to that last method.

236. Battlefield

Zhang Heng saw the two or three massive military transports that he had shot down before he even got to the Galveston Bay. The city that should have been located in Houston was replaced by a huge machine factory. Countless strange-looking construction robots were packed like ants. Even from a height of over a kilometer, one could still see a sea of shiny silver lights. It was a sea of titanium alloy machines.

If Zhang Heng was not mistaken, that place was the outpost that the Skynet had set up in order to attack the Galveston Bay without a hitch. Dozens of assembly lines were running at the moment, with over 10 T-800 personnel walking out of the assembly lines every second, doing their best to join the army attacking humans.

Zhang Heng saw three such outposts.

One was located in Houston, one was located in the north, and one was located in the south. The three locations were less than 10 kilometers apart, making the place look like a strategic location for the three combatants. They surrounded the isolated and helpless Galveston Bay in a triangular fashion. Large groups of robots converged to form three silver rivers that continuously washed the human positions in the bay, forcing the Resistance to retreat.

Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the ocean. He could see the mechanical octopuses baring their fangs and brandishing their claws at the opening of the Galveston Bay, glaring at the shore. It was obvious that the sea route had laid a trap for humans.

Both the ground and the ocean had been completely sealed off, and the sky was under the control of the Skynet. It could be said that the base of the Resistance was practically impossible to escape from. Humans would die one after another, yet there was an endless supply of robots. Even if they were to be destroyed in battle, they would only need to be dragged back to the factory by the construction robots and they would be able to return to normal in less than a night.

The hegemon that ruled the entire Earth back then had long since fallen into decline before the steel-made robot. He was like a lamb waiting to be butchered, waiting for judgment in despair, unable to turn the tables.

"Three 10,000-ton nuclear bombs. Target: Three machine factories," Zhang Heng said casually as he stood before the screen.

"Yes!"

The eyes of the worried siblings lit up the moment Zhang Heng said those words. While they had become like captives, as humans, they naturally hoped that Zhang Heng would be able to help the Resistance attack the machine army. The rest of the cloned warriors, on the other hand, didn't feel anything at all. They simply carried out Zhang Heng's orders faithfully.

The moment the order was given, the three falcons left their formation floating in midair and headed straight for the three massive mechanical factories. They were only about 200 meters tall and slowly opened the pods under their bellies.

The three falcons lost their ability to conceal themselves in an instant as the drop pod was opened. The turrets of the factory immediately sensed the presence of the three fighter jets, but before the huge turrets could change direction, the three nuclear bombs that had been installed long ago completely left the pod. The propeller engines of the three nuclear bombs were activated at the same time, enabling the shells to freefall at subsonic speeds.

He covered a distance of 100 meters in the blink of an eye.

As such, Zhang Heng ordered the three fighter jets to launch themselves at low altitudes in order to land a killing blow. All the robots on the battlefield turned their heads at the same time when the three fighter jets were exposed, looking at the sky above the three factories with impeccable precision. However, before the robots could receive any new orders, three bright lights flashed all of a sudden. The very next second, lights that were tens or hundreds of times brighter than the sun appeared out of nowhere, making it seem as if the entire world had lost all color in an instant.

The three machine factories were completely wiped out in the blink of an eye. Waves of heat rolled in all directions at the same time. Even the base of the Resistance, which was more than a dozen kilometers away, felt intense tremors.

All the members of the Resistance who were fighting watched the scene unfold in a daze. Those who thought that they were doomed to die all began to scream and shout excitedly at the same time. The battlefront that was on the verge of collapse was once again able to put up a shocking amount of resistance, putting countless robot areas outside of the battlefront.

The Resistance troops might not know what was happening, but they knew very well that, without the robot factory, what they would have to face would no longer be the unending tide of robots that they were unable to defeat, but a limited army of robots. The number of robots before them was no longer endless. While the sheer number of them still made their scalps go numb, they would still be able to put up a fight with their weapons.

Despite seeing that the morale of the Resistance was greatly boosted, Zhang Heng, the instigator of the whole thing, didn't feel any sense of relief. His goal had been very clear from the very beginning, and that was to acquire the Dimensional Travel technology. While there were many flaws with that technology, it was still considered a piece of advanced technology to Zhang Heng at the moment. With that technology, he would be able to travel between dimensions on his own. Even without the Dimensional Star, he would have other ways to do so.

"One more."

Zhang Heng continued to give orders after seeing that there were still quite a lot of robots. He had loaded one 10,000-ton nuclear bomb into every fighter plane before he went on to carry out the mission. He shot one last night and used three today, which meant that he had used less than half of the bombs. However, Zhang Heng knew that all of that was only temporary. There was an endless stream of robots and the robot transport ships kept going back and forth. The sea of robots would be formed again very soon. His top priority now was to find technologies that could shuttle planes in the base. If there were, he wouldn't mind exchanging any of those technologies with him.

All of the technologies that Zhang Heng possessed were technologies from a whole new era. Once used by the Resistance, they would be able to boost the combat power of the Resistance by over 10 times, and they might even be able to defeat the Skynet in one fell swoop.

He wanted to see what would happen if any human plane were to be able to overcome that curse.

Another fighter plane came out after hearing Zhang Heng's order. The target of that fighter plane was the area between the robot weapon factory and the front line of the Resistance. There were over 10,000 robots gathered there, but the pressure on the Human Resistance was reduced by 10 percent in an instant due to the bombings.

"Skynet's reinforcements could arrive at any moment. Let's just go into the city and lay our cards on the table. We'll execute Plan A and destroy all the surviving mechanical army at the same time," Zhang Heng said casually, but Zhishang, who was standing at the side, gave him a surprised look.

Zhishang went on to carry out Zhang Heng's orders right away. The 10 falcons were like huge dragonflies that flew to the front lines of the battle between the two sides in the blink of an eye. It was only then that all of the Resistance saw 10 shuttles that looked like they had never seen before floating in midair. However, countless tiny dots of light were released from the shuttles in the very next second, making them look like hives that had released countless bugs.

All of a sudden, those tiny dots of light seemed to have exceeded the range of sound in an instant. The impact of those dots was indescribable and every single one of those dots would charge at a robot without any hesitation.

If one were to take a closer look, they would find that those dots of light were none other than hundreds or even thousands of flying bats. Those flying bats flew out of the fighter jets' pods, aimed at their targets, and turned into lethal bullets that rained down on the heads of the robot army as if they had eyes of their own. The nuclear fusion core in the flying bats detonated in the very next second, wiping out the entire robot army.

237. Done

The cost of building a flying stick exceeded US $2 million. 100 of them would be US $200 million, and 1,000 of them would be US $2 billion. That was no longer burning money, but simply killing people with money like cannonballs.

The baton itself was a kind of AI tracking missile. However, due to its use of cutting-edge technology from the radiation plane, the missile was only about the thickness of a chopstick. Despite that, the power that it was capable of unleashing was in no way inferior to that of a high-explosive grenade, especially when it was fired into the enemy's body before detonating.

Fewer than 10 out of the thousands of flying bats that were wreaking havoc on the battlefront remained unscathed and were easily destroyed by the Resistance. All the Resistance troops cheered and charged at the Falcon mechs as if they were welcoming their family. Zhang Heng didn't make a move. He simply asked Zhishang to take Irene and Bill with him and send them out. At the same time, Zhishang would be negotiating technology and blueprints regarding the shuttle as reinforcements from the East.

Humans from all over the human world seemed to have been cut off from contact since Judgement Day. The United States of America had hardly contacted any other countries other than the reinforcements sent by Australia. No one suspected anything about Zhishang's identity. At the same time, those people were very surprised by the capabilities of the Falcon and the flying baton. Zhishang, who had long been prepared, took out the design data of the Falcon and the flying baton and successfully exchanged them for the plane transmission technology.

In the end, Zhishang handed him something that looked like a USB flash drive and told him how to use the USB flash drive in a low voice. The commander of the base was stunned when he heard about the power of the USB flash drive and looked at the USB flash drive with indescribable excitement.

Everything went unexpectedly smoothly.

According to the American Resistance, such a plane-transportation technology had always been known as a 'time-transportation device'.

To them, it was a machine capable of transporting people back to decades or even centuries ago. However, Einstein's Theory of Relativity stated that time was irreversible, such as the so-called 'grandmother paradox', 'banana skin theory', 'time traveler's banquet', and so on. It was only when the parallel universe theory was born that the paradoxes were given an acceptable explanation.

The M Theory provided potential opportunities for the development of parallel universes. The reason why the M Theory was first proposed was that physicists wanted to find a unified framework of physics that could incorporate all four forces of physics—power, weakness, electromagnetic force, and gravity. As such, string theory was born.

Then, after a series of twists and turns, the string theory and supersymmetric theory combined to form a superstring theory that shocked the physics community.

In the end, a scientist named Edward Wilton proved yet another new dimension in the universe with the superstring theory—the 11th dimension—and the M theory was born.

The definition of relativity was that humans lived in a four-dimensional space (three-dimensional space plus one-dimensional time). However, in the more advanced M theory, it was commonly believed that time was not a dimension at all, and the entire universe was not limited to length, width, and height. There was actually a fourth line, 'length, width, and height perpendicular', as well as a fifth line… or even a eleventh line.

According to the M theory, the entire universe was 11-dimensional. In other words, one could find 11 straight lines perpendicular to each other in the highest dimensions of the universe. If one were to report one's location, one would need to have 11 coordinates. In addition to longitude, latitude, and altitude, eight additional data would be needed to express one's current location.

It was just that the word 'dimension' was something that regular humans found utterly incomprehensible. Humans were three-dimensional beings after all, and they were unable to comprehend what a four-dimensional world looked like. It was just like how paper figurines living on paper were unable to comprehend the word 'thickness'.

All the explanations regarding the series of paradoxes regarding the 'grandmother paradox' in the M theory were actually the existence of parallel universes.

The universe was pluralistic, and the multiverse consisted of countless parallel universes. Parallel universes referred to other universes that were both similar and different to those that existed parallel to the original universe. It was just like the reality that Zhang Heng was in, and the universe that the Terminator was in. Both of them shared a common history, but things began to deviate in 1997, eventually resulting in two completely different world situations.

All the planes that Zhang Heng had been to before were nothing more than that. The universe was infinite. There might be similarities between any two universes, or there might not be any similarities at all. The multiverse included everything that existed and might exist, including the differences between the laws of physics and the physical constants that described them.

That was why the so-called 'Time Displacement Machine' of the Terminator plane wasn't actually able to send people back to the past, but could only send people to a universe that was completely identical to the original universe. That universe also had Skynet, John Connor, and humans that existed in every single universe of yours. It was just that the timeline of that universe was more than a decade ago.

That was the truth of the 'Time Displacement Machine' of the Terminator plane. When the user returned to the past, what changed was not the history of the plane they were in, but the history of the other universe.

That was why the protagonists had always wanted to change history and prevent Judgment Day from happening since the first movie of the Terminator, yet they were never able to do so.

Zhang Heng was finally able to acquire the Dimensional Teleportation Technique that he yearned for day and night after making the deal with the other party. Not only that, but the other party had also given him all the technical data regarding the T-800, the T-1000, and the T-X. As such, there was no longer any need for Zhang Heng to bring the junk back to reality for research.

More than five hours had passed by the time Zhishang returned to the interior of the Falcon mech. However, he was able to see a black line slowly making its way over from the sunset, just like a rain cloud, right after taking flight and entering stealth mode.

"Seems like Skynet is really angry." Zhang Heng looked at the dark mass on the horizon with a deadpan expression. He turned around and looked at Zhishang. "Did you give them the thing?"

"I've given it to them, and I've also given them the method to use it." Zhishang nodded.

"Very well, there's still about half an hour before we can return. Let's just sit here and watch the show." Zhang Heng checked the time before turning around and looking at the black rain cloud. As the black cloud got closer, everyone was able to tell that it wasn't some kind of rain cloud. It was a massive, uncalculable army of machines.

Countless flying transports were seen flying in the sky, blotting out the sun. They were like waves crashing against the ocean, heading straight for their targets like the end of days.

They were getting very close and Zhang Heng was able to see the seemingly endless army of flying transports. Not only that, but there was also an endless army of robots on the other side of the continent, which had long since arrived at the city.

The hold of the Falcon mech was still open. Zhang Heng turned around and looked outside the hold. He saw that the person in charge of the base was holding a T-800, which had only half of its body left and had no arms or legs, in one hand. He then pulled out the chip on the T-800's head with his other hand and inserted a USB-like device inside.

In the very next second, the advancing robot army seemed to have lost their balance and fell one after another in the distance. The battleships in the sky lost their momentum and fell to the ground like dumplings being dropped.

238. Return

The fundamental difference between humans and animals was the use of tools. The fundamental difference between humans and robots was the use of creativity.

Judging from the weapons of the Skynet's pathfinder, megabots, motorcycle robots, Terminators, and so on, it didn't seem to have gone any further than human theory. Furthermore, it was inherently a lack of creativity to have made field robots humanoid. The Skynet was a product of humans, and it was ultimately unable to escape the limitations of human thought instilled in it.

To the humans of the Terminator plane, the Skynet was basically an opponent that they would never be able to defeat. There was an endless army of robots in terms of military prowess, and the Skynet was also a powerful AI in other areas. It was good at calculations and logical thinking.

It wasn't that humans had never thought of wiping it out from the Skynet itself. They had tried instilling logic viruses, hacking, and other methods, but all computers would be infected instantly after being connected to the Skynet network. The so-called logic viruses were unable to affect the Skynet at all. The Skynet itself was the most powerful virus.

However, Corona had seen through that and created a kind of quantum helix virus that would allow the infected machine to leave the control of the Skynet and shut down immediately. After all, its most powerful ability was its weakest point.

All the robots were connected to the Skynet, which was activated 24 / 7. Under the surveillance of hundreds of satellites, the entire world was under the control of the Skynet at all times. As such, the spread of the virus could reach thousands of kilometers in an instant. If the Skynet didn't have the determination to be decisive, it could even kill the Skynet in a 'lethal' manner.

Of course, the probability of the virus destroying the Skynet was less than 0.1 percent. Furthermore, such attacks were only effective for the first time. The Skynet would never make the same mistake after suffering a loss once.

As such, the above scenario played out—the army of machines that blotted out the sky fell one after another, and tens of thousands of flying transports lost control one after another and dropped from the sky.

That phenomenon had been spreading throughout the entire United States for less than 10 seconds. However, just when the situation was about to continue to spread, the Skynet finally figured out the pros and cons and made a judgment—it severed all connections between all the infected robots, rendering the quantum virus unable to spread.

The massive army of robots that numbered in the tens of millions became scrap metal that no one was able to control in an instant. Humans were able to get their hands on those robots unscathed, which were then modified by the programming to eventually become the cornerstone of the army of robots.

Due to all that had happened and the technology that the Terminator plane had acquired regarding Zhang Heng, their chances of winning had been reduced from having no chance of winning to at least 30 percent.

Perhaps that curse wasn't that scary after all.

Zhang Heng pondered for a bit when he saw that before his vision blurred all of a sudden. When he saw what was before him again, he found himself back in reality.

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Terminator plane mission completed. Main Quest: Escape from the Skynet pursuit and acquire the Dimensional Traveler technology—Main Quest Completed."

"Optional Quest: Acquire robot technology from any Terminator, such as T-800, T-1000, T-X—Optional Quest complete."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown—No Urgent Quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: Terminator plane mission completed. Host access progress is now two-thirds of Level C. Current access level: C."

Zhang Heng wore a smirk on his face. He initially thought that the mission would be a near-death one, but the difficulty of the mission was actually not that high. At the very least, he was able to clear the mission without even having to fight in person.

That being said, the main purpose of the mission was to ensure that he was able to maneuver as quickly as possible. That was because he had a high-end flying transport like the Falcon, which was why he was able to get into situations where no one else was around. If he had had the Falcon back in the Prototype plane, where he barely made it out alive, he wouldn't have had to go through so much trouble.

Zhang Heng headed straight for the supercomputer room with the hard drive in his hand. He wanted to derive all the data regarding the hundreds of PBs contained in the supercomputer. Corona would process all of that data on her own and then assign it to the scientists in the hive, letting them absorb all that technology and bring out their full potential.

"Corona, there's some data here. It contains data regarding several types of robots from the Terminator plane, as well as data regarding the Dimensional Travel Device. Take a look and see if you need any materials. I'll get someone to get them as soon as possible." Zhang Heng said as he walked to the inside of the computer room and inserted the hard disk into a special slot.

"Alright, let me take a look." Corona's voice was heard and the supercomputer began to operate automatically. All kinds of data were being transmitted to Corona via photon signals. It took only a short while before Corona continued in a surprised tone, "It's very impressive. While none of the models designed by the supercomputer are innovative, there are still a lot of interesting ways to use them, especially the liquid metal of the T-1000 and the ultimate killer known as the T-X. The nanomachines contained in them are very helpful to us."

"However, what truly astonished me was the so-called time-shift machine. I don't understand much of the theory behind it, as I lack a lot of theoretical knowledge. I only know how it works, but I don't know why."

"Can you replicate it then?" Zhang Heng frowned. What he feared the most was not being able to manufacture such a machine, as that would have been a waste of time.

"Sure. With the industry standards within the Honeycomb, it would be more than enough to replicate such a device." Corona chuckled and continued, "Do you remember the fifth movie of the Terminator series, 'Terminator: Founding Era'? In the movie, a civilian and an average T-800 robot could have created such a device. How could we not be better than a civilian?"

"That's good to hear." Zhang Heng nodded. "I'll be counting on you to take care of the Honeycomb. I'll be making a trip to the Dimensional amnesia plane tomorrow and bring the technology to them."

Anticipation was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. When he was able to successfully create the assembly line for the T-800, his combat prowess would reach new heights. Not only that, but both the T-1000 and the T-X's infiltration capabilities would be astonishing. They would be able to help Zhang Heng complete countless impossible missions, which would serve as a way for him to take control of the world in the future.

As for the mechanical rebellion? Zhang Heng wasn't worried about that at all. With Corona around, even if the main body of Skynet were to come to this world, it would still be within Corona's grasp, let alone the individual robots.

The Dimensional amnesia plane would grow several times faster after acquiring all manner of robot technology. No matter how good the synthesizer was, there was no way it could compare with the T-800. With the help of those robots, some of the more difficult manual labor would be handed over to them.

Everything was moving in the best direction possible.

239. Bounty

"The government has begun to work with Stellar Technology and is preparing to set up a corporation to develop and control new antibiotics. Work hard to ensure that antibiotics are not used frequently and are not misused. We will also begin public promotion."

"Five new types of antibiotics have been put to clinical testing. The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency said that the five drugs might be listed by the end of the year."

"Li Yiru, the general manager of the Huaxia area of Stellar Technology, has gone to Beijing to hold a series of talks with the leaders of the Academy of Biomedicals of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The other party said that they would definitely contribute to the rise of the country and people in the pharmaceutical industry."

"There are…"

"According to General Secretary Xi, Stellar Technology is a national enterprise, the soul of Huaxia, and…"

The whole family was sitting at the dining table at seven in the evening, chatting and watching the television at the same time. The television's channel would be locked at the central computer every day at seven in the evening. That was a habit developed by Zhang Heng's father, and it was something that no one would be able to change, starting from the moment he began to remember things.

Zhang Heng was eating the dishes that his mother had specially cooked for him with relish. His parents were all smiles at his return. Zhang Heng had hardly been home since he went to college, and he hardly ever went home when he graduated.

It was only when Zhang Heng brought the two of them to Haizhou that his parents saw him a little more often. They knew that he owned a company called Stellar Technology and made a lot of money. As for how much he made, the two of them never asked. All they needed to know was that it was a sum that they would never be able to earn in their entire lives.

It was a pity that even though his entire family had moved to Haizhou, Zhang Heng still rarely went home. He didn't see them even once a month. If he were to go home every single time, his entire family would be in high spirits.

"Look, look! The CCTV is reporting about your company!" Zhang Xin clapped Zhang Heng's shoulder excitedly and giggled.

"Got it!" Zhang Heng rolled his eyes at Zhang Xin and took a look at his parents. They were both watching the television with excitement and pride written all over their faces.

Zhang Heng shook his head with a bitter grin on his face. There was no point in throwing away such an undeserved reputation. If he had been given a second chance to choose, he would never have set out to set up Stellar Technology with his true identity. While he kept a very low profile at the moment, so much so that 99 percent of the people around him had no idea who the founder of Stellar Technology was, that was limited to the public. His files were probably on the desks of the various CIA agencies.

Zhang Heng had been thoroughly investigated for generations before all the major countries, and there was nothing he could hide from them.

Furthermore, when Zhang Heng first took out the T-1, he was able to explain it as a coincidence. However, the antifreeze, five new types of antibiotics, and even drugs for treating AIDS and rabies were all taken out one after another, which was more than enough to turn the world of biomedical medicine upside down. There was no way that could be explained by coincidence. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng's company becoming increasingly powerful and well-known, Huaxia would have wanted to tie him up and interrogate him, not to mention those foreign powers.

Zhang Heng had a bounty of over tens of millions of US dollars on the International Assassins' website, and the bounty was obvious without a doubt that it was those who suffered heavy losses after Zhang Heng went against the rules. They were unable to stop the emergence of epoch-making drugs like the T-1, and they had no choice but to hire assassins to vent their hatred.

However, Zhang Heng was not someone to be trifled with. Anyone who tried to harm him would be subjected to a lethal retaliation. There were at least two digits of assassins and bounty hunters who were killed by the clone warriors in secret.

Zhang Heng was still feeling troubled over his recklessness back then, as the news broadcast was over. However, no one changed the channel. There was still the national weather forecast that his parents had to watch after the news broadcast. While Zhang Heng had no idea what was the point of watching the weather forecasts of other cities, it had nonetheless become a family tradition.

Zhang Heng decided to take advantage of that time to eat a little more. As his physique became stronger, his appetite grew as well. Eating alone was no longer enough to sustain his consumption at the moment. As such, the Honeycomb specially created a pill that replenished proteins, vitamins, and all manner of micronutrients for him. A single pill would be able to provide him with an entire day's worth of energy. However, he was still more willing to eat than eating pills.

After all, no matter how good the pills were, how could they compare to delicacies that looked, smelled, and tasted good?

By the time the weather forecast was over and the entire family was done eating, the nannies went up to clear the table and Zhang Heng went out for a walk with the rest of the family. It was nine in the evening by the time he got back from his stroll. That was the time when his parents were taking a break.

Zhang Heng decided to stay at home for the night. While the villa he chose wasn't very large, it had six bedrooms. Other than his parents' room, Zhang Xin's room, and the four nannies' two bedrooms, there were two more rooms available. Zhang Heng wasn't worried about not having a place to stay.

Zhang Heng chatted with his parents for a bit and urged them to go back to their rooms to sleep after seeing that they were tired. He then went back to his room, and his expression darkened as soon as he got there.

Killing intent was seen in his eyes as he took out his phone and made a call.

"Commander." A hoarse voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"How was it? Did you find anything?" Zhang Heng asked in a low voice, his eyes cold.

"We've infiltrated Switzerland and are about to arrest the boss of that assassin organization. We might be able to learn who issued the mission from him," the voice on the other end of the phone said quietly.

Corona suddenly notified Zhang Heng that very morning. She read about the bounty placed on Zhang Heng's family on a world-renowned hitman website. That was the first time something like that happened.

News of the bounty on Zhang Heng was the only thing that came to mind in the past. However, it seemed like someone who knew that they wouldn't be able to succeed had turned their attention to Zhang Heng's family instead. Perhaps, someone thought that Zhang Heng's family wouldn't have such high security measures.

Zhang Heng was completely enraged by what he just did, and he ordered Corona to search for the person who issued the order right away. However, it was a pity that such killer websites were completely anonymous to begin with, and it was extremely difficult to find the person who issued the order. In the end, Corona was only able to find out that the IP of a black internet cafe in the country was a computer that issued the order, and there was no more news about that.

Corona was not omnipotent after all.

However, Zhang Heng refused to give up. He simply ordered Corona to attack and paralyze that assassin's website. He then deployed the Falcon and kinetic armor to have the clone fighters attack the assassin's headquarters.

Anyone who dared to set their sights on their loved ones would die.

Zhang Heng would not tolerate anyone who could threaten his family. He would only feel at ease if he were to leave none of that internationally renowned assassin organization alive, but that was only temporary.

What Zhang Heng really needed to do was to find that person who issued that order. Regardless of who that person was, Zhang Heng would not allow that person to continue living. The only way Zhang Heng would be able to get rid of the hatred in his heart would be to find that person who was the first to shift his target to his family.

240. Transparent Blades

Switzerland, the outskirts of Geneva, at the foot of the Alps.

Switzerland was the most renowned permanent state in the world. It had a mercenary system in its history before being converted to armed neutrality. As the second-largest city in Switzerland, Geneva was home to many international organizations, including the United Nations European headquarters, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Health Organization, the International Labor Organization, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and so on.

Of course, light and darkness always coexisted like two children. Wherever the sun shone, there would definitely be shadows. It was just like the 'Dark Net', which no one knew about after the internet went viral. Under the tacit agreement of the United Nations, the headquarters of many international mercenary organizations and assassin organizations were set up in Switzerland.

Regular people knew nothing about those shady organizations, and there was no way to find any trace of them on the internet. It was like an invisible barrier separating the two sides of the world. Regular people would never know of the existence of the other side for the rest of their lives.

Dark clouds shrouded the entire Alps late at night and a storm seemed to be brewing.

At that moment, there was a huge mansion at the foot of the Alps. The mansion had been built by an American arms dealer a long time ago, named Garen Nash. He gradually broke away from the control of the United States after gathering enough money and cleared his name, eventually becoming a renowned entrepreneur.

Of course, that was only what he looked like on the surface. Secretly, he founded an organization called the 'Spear of the One God', which specialized in smuggling firearms and assassinations. He built a massive dark empire with his connections, which he had once worked for the US.

He set up his office in Africa, where most of the children who went missing worldwide every year were absorbed by such organizations and trained to become callous killers.

Only the top brass of the Spear of the One God knew that the mansion was the true headquarters of the Spear of the One God.

The villa took up a vast area and was filled with a Roman-like design from Central Europe. The building looked ramrod straight and majestic at first glance. The thick brick walls, the narrow windows, the semicircular arches, the door frame decorations, and the tall towers made it look like a majestic mountain range.

The villa was located deep within a private area and very few people knew about it. Only a handful of people knew that there was a strange phenomenon happening in the villa, and that was that the lights inside and outside the villa were always on at night and never went out for 24 hours.

It was ironic that, as the leader of a killer organization, he suffered from severe insomnia and was plagued by depression. He would often dream of being killed by assassins in his dreams. As such, he was afraid of the dark. In the entire villa, be it day or night, the place was always brightly lit.

It was late at night and there were dozens of brawny Europeans in black suits patrolling the villa, which looked as if it was daytime. There were more than 10 German Blackbacks standing guard in the villa and the security was so tight that it was practically airtight.

However, no one noticed that a spectral mech that was invisible to the naked eye was floating above the villa at some point in time.

"Buzz…"

A mosquito flew into the room through an open window without making a sound, circling around the empty study room without a care in the world. It then flew out of the study through the door and headed for a huge bedroom in the corridor.

The floor was covered with exquisite handmade carpeting and there were expensive paintings hanging on the walls every few meters. All of those extravagant decorations were a testament to just how rich the owner of the villa was. However, at that very moment, in the largest bedroom in the entire villa, an old man with shriveled cheeks and bloodshot eyes was lying on a luxurious soft bed.

The entire bedroom was brightly lit and the bottom of the bed was solid. The wardrobe, bathroom, and even the wall cabinet were all made of transparent glass, making it impossible for anyone to hide in there.

Despite that, the old man before him still looked troubled.

"Father, would you like to take a break?" A young woman who exuded a heroic air walked in and asked.

"There you are, Joan." The old man on the bed looked numb and said in a hoarse voice, "I couldn't sleep, you know."

"Why wouldn't you want to see a psychiatrist?" The woman known as Joan sat at the head of the bed and paid no heed to the old man's decaying and rotten aura. She held the old man's face and kissed him deeply. "Father, we all want you to live a long and healthy life."

"You want me to die, don't you?" However, the old man chuckled coldly and paid no heed to the awkwardness in the woman's eyes. "I can hear what you're saying. The older I get, the more I'll be able to hear what everyone is saying in their hearts. All of you want me to die so that you can inherit my position."

That old man was none other than Garen. Despite having reached the end of his days, his eyes were as bright as daggers at the moment, so piercing that no woman dared to look him in the eye. "I'm going to die sooner or later. But for some reason, I've had a bad feeling for the past few days. I saw Satan waving at me, and he was waiting for me at the entrance of hell. He told me that I'm not the only one who would go to hell with all the sins I've committed in this world… including you!"

"Father, you're too tired." The woman smiled stiffly.

"No, you don't understand, you don't understand anything!" However, the old man on the bed suddenly burst out with frightening power. He extended his shriveled hands and grabbed the woman's arm with all his might, laughing at her with the most vicious glee in the world. "More than a thousand people have died at my hands, both directly and indirectly. Their souls haunt me and torture me, making me unable to sleep at night. It's the same for all of you. I can feel that the footsteps of the Grim Reaper have arrived. They're right outside the window!"

Boom!

A bolt of lightning flashed outside the window and the woman shuddered. The lights in the villa flickered twice in the very next second and everything went dark.

"Arrggh! He's here! They're here!" Garen seemed to be laughing maniacally and wailing at the same time. Joan felt all the blood in her body almost freeze. She cursed under her breath and called for the servants to take care of that crazy old man while she walked out of the bedroom in disgust.

"Crackle…"

Lights were turned on one after another. The backup power was turned on automatically when the power in the villa was cut off. Joan, who was wearing a revealing evening gown, went to the corridor and leaned against the door frame. She took out a YSL and lit it with a rather roguish air while taking a deep breath.

"Joan."

A deep male voice was heard from behind him.

"Billy, you're here to see your godfather, too?" The woman didn't turn around and simply sighed, trying to calm herself down. "That old man is getting more crazy."

"I'm just visiting the godfather out of convenience. I'm mainly here to look for you." The man in the shadows sounded emotionless. "Something happened at the Asian branch."

"It's just a matter of time. I'd never recommend reaching out to that country in the first place." Joan shook her head and continued with a mysterious look on her face, "That country's control over their own country is simply too strong. That is something that the entire world would find unbelievable. Even the likes of the top-notch powers of the Commonwealth wouldn't dare to get involved in such a place. How could a place like ours, the Spear of the One God, be able to infiltrate?"

"But the market over there is simply too huge. If we could gain a foothold there, our forces would be doubled," the man said.

"Then, just because we took on a mission to kidnap someone related to Stellar Technology, you're telling me that something happened to the Asian branch right now?" Joan smirked and turned around to ask, "How many people were lost?"

"…" The man was silent for a bit. "No survivors."

Boom!

Another bolt of lightning came down and Joan's hand trembled, causing the cigarette between her fingers to drop on the expensive carpet. However, the woman didn't seem to notice anything. She simply looked at the man in the shadows in disbelief and asked, "What did you say?"

"None of the 108 people from the Asian branch, including all of the members who are currently on a mission or on vacation in various parts of Asia, survived." The man wore a bitter grin and continued, "I know that this is unbelievable, but it's the truth."

"Holy sh * *…" Joan's expression became rather glum. Every single one of the assassins who were able to become members of the Spear of the One God had been nurtured and selected from a very young age, eventually surviving through harsh tests. Those with weaker mental states and abilities would only end up dying in the hands of their competitors. Furthermore, while all of them were members of the Asian branch, they were scattered all over Asia. It was impossible for even the FBI to kill all of them.

Joan's pupils contracted at that thought. If the other party had the ability to kill all the members of the Spear of the One God in Asia within a day, wouldn't her team have been exposed long ago?

A stream of light twisted behind the man all of a sudden at that thought. Joan blinked subconsciously, thinking that she was seeing things. However, a transparent blade was stabbed into the man's chest in the very next second.

The bloodstains spread and outlined the shape of that invisible blade—it was the shape of a huge, heavy sword, and it was still trembling non-stop. The intense shaking dispersed the blood on the blade in an instant, and Joan could only see that the man who was talking to her just moments ago had been completely stabbed in the heart.

To his surprise, the man was still alive at the moment. He simply looked at the blade on his chest with a look of disbelief. At the same time, a huge force was felt and the people behind him lifted him up in the air like they were spoils of war.

241. Destroyed

Run!

That was the only thought that came to Joan's mind at that very moment. She turned around and ran out of the villa without a second thought. No matter who that person was, no… no matter what that person was, there were over 30 bodyguards stationed on the first floor of the villa. She would be safe as long as she could get there.

That thought only flashed through Joan's mind for a moment. As she ran, she proficiently leaned on the stair railings and leaped high into the air, intending to jump from the second floor to the first floor.

Her excellent reflexes were immediately put to good use. In midair, Joan's hands found her 15 centimeters high heels and she took them off at the same time. By the time she landed nimbly on the ground, her original high heels had turned into soft flats. Joan rolled on the ground to reduce the impact and didn't waste any time jumping up and running for the door.

Wait, something's not right!

However, before she could reach the door, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. She could smell the stench of blood in front of her.

As an assassin, she was very sensitive to the smell of blood. She had been exposed to the smell of blood ever since she was kidnapped at the age of five to work in the Sahara Desert. She had been unaccustomed to the smell of blood at the very beginning, and eventually, she became completely at ease. She had long gotten used to the taste of cruelty and tragedy.

However, it was the first time in her life that she found the stench of blood to be so terrifying and disgusting. It was as if she had been transported back to that day more than 20 years ago, when she first joined the concentration camp…

It was only on that day that Joan finally recalled the horrors that they once ruled over.

She cautiously made her way to the living room. She had completely fallen into a state of complete silence at the moment. She was forced to hold her breath and her heart beat slowly. That was something that only a top-notch assassin could achieve. It was due to that ability that she was able to achieve 53 perfect assassinations out of 56 assassination missions throughout her 10-year career. She was ranked in the top 10 of the international assassin rankings.

However, what she wanted at the moment was not to kill, but to… escape.

She was getting closer to the living room, but the longer she got to the living room, the more out of shape she became. The horror of being in a life and death situation caused her to constantly unleash the potential of her life. She pulled a tube of lip balm out from under her skirt and twisted it lightly. There was an almost imperceptible crack and the bullet was loaded in the gun that was disguised as lip balm. She held the pair of heels that she had taken off with her other hand and a two-inch-long dagger was seen sticking out from the inside of the heel.

Those few seconds felt like an eternity to her. She slowly made her way to the end of the corridor and stuck her head out of the wall, but she didn't see the enemy she had expected to see. All she saw was a pile of mangled bodies.

All of those bodies belonged to the bodyguards in the villa. It was as if those bodyguards had been sawed by a chainsaw and most of them were cut into two pieces. Their intestines and filth were scattered all over the ground, giving off a stench that was unique to pigs being butchered, making it hard to breathe.

Just what was that person?

The corner of Joan's eye twitched. She didn't dare to run away at that moment. The fact that the dozens of security guards on the first floor had been taken care of without making a sound meant that there was more than one person on the other side. If there was an ambush waiting outside, she wouldn't be able to escape even if she had wings.

Joan's expression became rather bitter at that thought and she began to regret her decision to run away back then. If she had run back to her godfather's bedroom instead of going to the first floor, she might have been able to survive, as there was a secret passage in his bedroom that led to the foot of the Alps.

Regret was no longer of any use. Joan scanned her surroundings like a mouse and heard a creak from the wooden stairs.

Someone came downstairs.

Joan gritted her teeth and her killer instincts kicked in again. She flipped over and hid behind the couch by the wall like a nimble cat. Thank goodness, there was less than half a meter of space between the couch and the wall, and the couch was located in a dead end. It would have been difficult for anyone to notice that there was a gap unless they were to walk up to it on purpose. Furthermore, Joan's petite body made it so that she was able to block anyone's line of sight.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Heavy footsteps were heard from the stairs and they soon appeared in the corridor on the first floor. The footsteps sounded like the footsteps of the Grim Reaper as the zombie walked slowly towards the living room.

Joan gritted her teeth. It wasn't that she was weak. If the man before her was some kind of assassin, she would have been able to take him on. She was confident that she could easily take down two digits of her peers with her skills. However, her instincts warned her frantically the moment she saw Billy's chest being penetrated.

Run!

That was indeed the case. The bodyguards on the first floor were all retired special forces personnel from all over the world, and all of them were armed to the teeth. Even a regular army of a hundred soldiers would have been able to put up a good fight, yet all of them were killed without making a single sound. One could tell from that alone just how terrifying the enemy was. They were monsters that no human could fight against.

While she was still deep in thought, the footsteps of the man got closer. The man walked from the corridor to the living room with a dull thud. The man scanned the entire living room when he came to the living room and Joan's heart began to tighten as he got closer to the couch. She gripped the weapon in her hand tightly. If the man were to find her, she would attack him with her lip balm. She would have to jump out of the window and escape, regardless of the outcome.

However, it seemed like the heavens were watching over him. That pair of heavy footsteps walked around the living room for a bit before disappearing into the distance again. Judging from the sound, that person was probably heading for the kitchen and the servants' room on the other side of the corridor.

Hu…

Joan let out a sigh of relief and felt that she had never been in such a perilous situation in her entire life. It was precisely because she had been through life and death situations that she was more sensitive than most people. She could hear the scent of death in that voice…

What should he do now? Should he leave through the front door? Or should he take the risk of going back upstairs while the man was heading for the back door, and then use the secret passage in his godfather's bedroom to escape?

Joan looked troubled. She didn't even know how many people there were on the other side. If there were still people guarding the second floor of the building, wouldn't she be walking right into their trap? However, judging from how the other party was searching at a steady pace, she didn't believe that there was no one outside the building waiting for her.

Staying behind meant death, and running out the door meant certain doom. The only way out was to bet on whether that monster was still on the second floor.

Joan took a deep breath and looked determined. Her will to live gained the upper hand. She mustered her courage and stood up without hesitation, wanting to run down the corridor.

"Pfft!"

However, before she could take a step, she felt a chill in her stomach all of a sudden. An invisible blade had stabbed into her stomach.

Joan looked up with a look of disbelief on her face and saw nothing in front of her. She felt as if there was nothing in front of her and tried to reach for something, only to find that it was cold.

"Crackle…"

The sound of electrical currents was heard and the air in front of him became transparent bit by bit like running water. A huge machine that was over two meters tall appeared in an instant. A huge broadsword that was over 20 centimeters in width and over a meter in length was ejected from the creature's wrist. Half of the broadsword was plunged into the creature's stomach.

An indescribable vibration was felt at the same time and Joan shrieked in pain. She saw that the creature lifted itself from her stomach like it was cutting butter and cut her chest before dragging it out of her shoulder.

Shua!

The huge hole cut the woman before him in half.

Blood sprayed everywhere and Joan's eyes bulged from the intense pain. Disbelief was seen in her eyes and she raised her trembling hand, seemingly wanting to touch her own body. However, her pupils gradually dilated in the very next second and her eyes lost focus as she fell to the ground with a thud.

That scene played out all over Asia, Europe, Africa, and many other places. On a stormy night, there were 1325 members from the Spear of the One God, which had power all over the world, and that night…

All dead.

242. Mastermind

Crack!

As the last person in the villa died, the mask of the power suit popped out, revealing Zhishang's handsome face. He stood up expressionlessly and headed for the back door of the villa.

More silhouettes appeared behind Zhishang as he walked, all of them heading in the same direction.

He walked up to a study on the first floor and pushed the door open. He raised his hand at the same time and flicked the high-caliber electromagnetic blade at the southern wall of the study. He kicked hard and the wall before him collapsed right away.

A pitch-black hole was revealed after the collapse, revealing a hidden chamber.

"Two of you, come with me. The rest of the guards are here." Zhishang tilted his head and gave the order before putting down his mask and heading into the secret room.

There was a flight of stairs leading down from the inside of the secret chamber. The space of the stairs wasn't very spacious and was barely big enough for the suit of armor to move forward. The space around the room became wider as he reached the end of the stairs and the sensor lights above his head were turned on.

He found himself in a secret underground space under the villa, which was completely made of clay. There was a huge black iron cross hanging on the wall facing the east. However, unlike the usual crosses, the cross was placed upside down, with an inverted pentagram carved on it. There was a sheep's head in the pentagram, with two horns reaching into the two corners of the pentagram, two ears reaching into the two corners, and the sheep's face reaching into the only bottom corner.

It was a cross that defied all logic, a symbol of the cult of Satan.

In front of the cross, which was the center of the room, was a circular wooden altar. There were stains on the altar that hadn't been wiped clean, which were the remains of blood, flesh, and the like from the sacrificial ritual. In the center of the altar, there was a spearhead that looked like it was made of brass about a foot long.

Zhishang raised his eyebrows and held the tip of the spear in his hand. The tip of the spear was covered in bloodstains as well, as if someone had often held some kind of blood sacrifice ceremony using that ancient weapon.

He casually put the tip of the spear into the canvas backpack outside the power suit. He had no choice but to confirm that the organization behind the Spear of the One God really didn't know anything about the hirers. After confirming that there were no more leads, he left the villa with a few cloned warriors and set the entire place on fire.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes the next morning. Corona told him that the clone army had destroyed the Spear of the One God.

"According to Zhishang's interrogation, the man named Garen Nash had no idea who issued the order. All assassins follow a common consensus, and that is, none of them would attempt to learn the identities of their employers. They're only responsible for taking orders and carrying out missions."

"Never mind then." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Announce the news of us wiping out the Spear of the One God in the name of 'Galaxy International' on the Dark Network. I'd like to see who would dare to take on missions that would harm our parents."

The Dark Net was an existence that existed in another dimension of the Internet and was out of reach for regular people. The more precise name of the Dark Net's technology was' hidden servers'. Visitors would not leave any traces on the internet. Some of the networks were legal and there were also many secrets that could not be disclosed. Even if you knew the website's address, regular browsers would not be able to access them.

Arms, drugs, smuggling, and bounty killers were everywhere on the Dark Network. Things that ordinary people would never be able to reach in their entire lives could be found there. Countries all over the world, including the United States, were trying their best to take down the Dark Network. However, it was precisely because the Dark Network was so difficult to crack that the results were often less than satisfactory. Even the Federal Bureau of Investigation was unable to do anything about it.

The first rule of the Dark Net was that the police were exempted, the visitors were exempted, and the bloggers were exempted.

"Wouldn't that be telling the whole world that we have a bunch of illegal armed forces?" Corona couldn't help but ask, "Is that really okay?"

"We do need to hide our powers, but that's only for the public. In the underground world, however, we need to show some of our powers," Zhang Heng explained. "Corona, you're overthinking things. At our level, it's only natural for us to have our hands in the dark side of the world. Other than the people who live under the sun, no one would think that we're completely clean. As such, exposing our powers to those people wouldn't affect our safety."

"The law is to maintain the rules of the world of light, but that doesn't apply in the Dark Net." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued to explain, "Furthermore, it's called the Dark Net because it wanders outside of the light. It's enough as long as it doesn't interfere with the lives of the common people. If it were to interfere with the lives of the common people in the light, it wouldn't be called an underground organization, but a terrorist organization, and there would naturally be attacks from the government."

…

The news of the destruction of the Spear of the One God quickly spread throughout the entire Dark Network and shocked countless people. The organization had been around the world for over a decade and was recognized as one of the top five assassin organizations in the world. However, it was wiped out by a private security organization called the Galaxy Technology Services Company. This undoubtedly caused a huge earthquake in the underground world. Many assassin organizations that had accepted the mission to assassinate Zhang Heng went completely silent and kept a low profile for the time being. However, there were also organizations that, including countries, began to gather all information regarding the security company.

Meanwhile, far away in Beijing, an old man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies was looking at the young man before him with a rather glum expression.

"Star-Galaxy-Woldweide." The young man's expression was dark as he continued, "Grandpa, we've found out that it was that company that destroyed the international assassin organization that we hired, and it was destroyed on the very same day."

"Speak human language! Don't talk to me like that. Are you trying to take advantage of your grandpa for not knowing how to speak bird language?" The old man's hair and beard were all white, yet his expression was unusually stern, filled with a cold and furious look.

"Please calm down, grandpa. How could that be?" The young man wore a bitter grin and continued, "The English translation is' Galaxy International '. I've looked into it and found that this is the name of a military security company in India."

"Since when did India become so capable?" The old man narrowed his eyes. As a family of Huaxian regimes, they were indeed able to do whatever they wanted in Huaxia. However, when it came to international affairs, the influence of the Huaxian families dropped drastically. After all, the Huaxian world was a world dominated by capitalism. Furthermore, the Huaxian families didn't have an advantage in terms of money. The most powerful family in Huaxia was nowhere near as influential as a financial group in the United States.

"It's not that India is capable, it's just that…" The young man shook his head and took a careful look at the old man's face before continuing, "The Galaxy International Security Company is a completely unknown company to begin with. However, some international spy organizations and assassin organizations were completely wiped out by a mysterious organization when they were trying to steal the technology of Stellar Technology some time ago. Many underground organizations were utterly shocked by what they saw. That organization's name is' Galaxy International ', an organization that resembles' Black Water International 'in the US."

"However, unlike Heishui International, the mercenaries in the Galaxy International Group seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. No one knew where they came from, but from then on, the Galaxy International Group gradually became known to all underground organizations around the world. There was once someone who wanted to hire mercenaries from that company, but they were refused without hesitation. The reason was that they refused to take on foreign affairs, and it was only after some investigation that they found out that the company was actually a holding company that was invested by Stellar Technology and was only responsible for missions issued by Stellar Technology.

"I knew it. That little b * stard, Zhang Heng, is actually training illegal weapons overseas." The old man thumped on the armrest and continued, "Such rebels deserve to be executed!"

The young man wore a bitter grin on his face and said, "Grandpa, there's no way we could beat them at playing dirty. They're rich and powerful, but the only downside is that they don't have any power. All you need to do is to work with the other families and get the mayor of Haizhou to step in and shut down their company. We'll take our time to get rid of them and get revenge for my brother!" The young man gritted his teeth and his eyes were filled with resentment.

Revenge!

That sentence silenced the elder. Revenge? What was there to take revenge on? Stellar Technology was already working with the government, and that was a fact that no family could change. Not only were they unable to touch Stellar Technology, but even if they were able to, they would have to be able to withstand the retaliation from the other party. While they were the most elite families in Huaxia, that didn't mean that the entire country was under their control. They had their own political opponents as well.

Stellar Technology was rich to begin with, but it was useless in a country like Huaxia, which was not capitalist. Large families like theirs could easily toy with the likes of Stellar Technology. However, the T-1 that was able to treat cancer first, followed by five new types of antibiotics, pushed Stellar Technology to the top of the country in a barbaric manner. Its influence in the country grew at a tremendous rate. By the time they realized what was happening, Stellar Technology had become a massive entity that stood on equal footing with them. It was completely tied to the interests of the country. No matter how much they wanted to do something to Stellar Technology, the country would never agree to it.

It was precisely because of that that the elder thought of using the international assassin's organization for revenge, yet…

"Sigh…" The old man closed his eyes in pain as the image of a young man appeared in his mind.

"Yu'er, it seems like I won't be able to avenge you for the rest of my life…"

243. T-800

That old man was none other than the head of the Xu family in Jingzhou. Most of the family members worked in the political circles, while the rest worked in the business circles, earning political funds for the family. Xu Haoyu, on the other hand, was one of them. While none of them were very capable in the field of business, they were able to make billions of yuan worth of assets with their families backing them.

Money, power, interpersonal relationships—once these three factors reached a certain level, one would be able to learn information that regular people would never be able to understand in their entire lives.

That information covered political, financial, economic, military, and many other aspects. For example, economically speaking, if one were to get hold of some secret information beforehand, it would be of great benefit to both profit and risk evasion.

The people of the corporations that had access to such secret information were like fat pigs waiting to be butchered in their eyes, not to mention using their power to suppress and acquire the company maliciously. Earning money was like taking something out of their pocket in their eyes. If it hadn't been for the fact that Zhang Heng had his own way of doing things and was unafraid of those powerful families, Stellar Technology would have long ceased to be his.

Those families had also paid a corresponding price. The old man from the Xu family was so enraged that he almost passed out after seeing the contents of that edited CD. However, despite knowing that it was Zhang Heng who did it, he had no choice but to swallow his anger without any evidence.

Zhang Heng had no idea what was happening to those powerful families thousands of kilometers away at the moment. He had returned to the hive by then and reached out to take what Zhishang handed him.

"The Spear of Longinus?" Zhang Heng looked at the spearhead that Zhishang handed to him and asked without thinking, "Shouldn't that thing be at the Vatican?"

The Spear of Longinus, also known as the Spear of God, the Spear of Destiny, and so on, was said to be a spear that pierced through Jesus. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, a soldier stabbed him to death. That soldier's name was Longinus.

It was said that anyone who wielded the gun would be subjugated within a 120-meter radius, and the wielder of the gun would gain the power to rule the world. However, those who lost the gun would be killed immediately. Even Hitler was fascinated by the gun, which was why he initiated World War II.

Zhang Heng chuckled. The metal spearhead was spindle-shaped and was wrapped in brass at the center. It looked very old and looked very historical. However, Zhang Heng was not a religious man. He would rather believe in himself than in God. Regardless of whether the spear was real or fake, it was none of his business.

Zhang Heng casually threw the weapon in his bedroom in the Honeycomb and ordered the Zhishang and cloned warriors, who had been busy all night, to take a break while he went to the B6th floor and entered one of the laboratories there.

"Mr. Zhang, what brings you here?" As soon as he entered the laboratory, he ran into Louis, who was trying to curry favor with Zhang Heng as soon as he saw him, even though he was older than Zhang Heng by a whole round.

"I'm here to see how the robot you guys created is doing." Zhang Heng nodded and said, "I heard that you're the one leading the project?"

"Yes, I'm glad that I didn't let you down." Louis looked very excited at the mention of work. He extended his hand and gestured politely. "Please take a look. That is the robot that was replicated according to the design. As it resembles the T-800 in the movie 'The Terminator' so much, we call it the T-800. I believe that there is no other name that is more popular than that."

That itself was a T-800 design…

Zhang Heng mumbled to himself. He wondered what Louis would think if he were to tell him that the technology was derived from the 'Terminator' movie.

Zhang Heng looked behind Louis and his eyes lit up. There was a group of scientists in the center of the laboratory, circling around a two-meter-tall metal robot, recording something in a notebook from time to time.

Zhang Heng walked closer and found that the robot looked very similar to the T-800 in The Terminator. However, as it was an experimental model, there was no need to go into details and some functions were not added. Despite that, it was more than enough to satisfy Zhang Heng.

"Can he move now?" Zhang Heng asked.

"Sure, but due to programming technology, his movements are still somewhat slow." Louis nodded and said to the people behind him, "Turn on the cameras and show Mr. Zhang what we've achieved over the past few days!"

Several of the assistants immediately pressed the enter button on the computer console behind them. The eyes of the robot lit up at the very next second and it took a shaky step forward. However, it was just like a person suffering from polio, losing its balance immediately after taking that step and fell to the ground.

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless right there and then. Despite the robot falling to the ground, it continued to do the same thing with its legs, taking one step at a time like a dog paddling. Zhang Heng couldn't help but be reminded of the electric toys that he used to play with when he was young. The toy would bark as it moved forward when he turned on the switch. Other than that, it had no other functions.

"Of course, having a robot alone isn't enough. We still need an intelligent core to inject its soul into it." Louis didn't feel embarrassed at all and continued, "But that would be a lot more difficult. I'd like you to get me some scientists in the field of electronic programming. Such an intelligent program would probably require five to eight years of programming before the robot would be able to gain basic intelligence, enabling the robot to do a lot of complicated things on behalf of humans, and even… war!"

Excitement was seen in Louis' eyes as he said that. He was able to tell, of course, that when Zhang Heng took out the blueprint, he knew that such robots could be put on the battlefield. Many of the functions were designed for tactical purposes, such as the night vision of the robots, the modules that emphasized flexibility, nuclear fusion batteries, and so on.

"I assume that's what you're talking about." Zhang Heng took out a disc and plugged it into the computer behind him. He then squatted down and pressed a button on the head of the robot that was still struggling on the floor in a very practiced manner. A round chip was ejected immediately and Zhang Heng plugged the chip into the computer behind him before inserting the program into the chip.

"You already have a core program?" Louis blurted out. The scientists at the side looked shocked as well. Developing such a program was incredibly difficult, tens of times more difficult than developing an operating system. Back then, Microsoft became one of the top companies in the world with just a Windows, which was more than enough to show just how difficult it was to develop a single operating system, much less a higher-level AI core program.

Zhang Heng didn't answer. He simply waited for the chip to store the data before inserting the chip back into the T-800's head. The robot, which had lost its chip, had a flash of red light before its eyes again at the very next second. It scanned its surroundings at the same time, and the human-like movement stunned everyone present. The robot then stood up in a very practiced manner, its movements as fluid as a human's, without the slightest hint of unfamiliarity.

"Robot T-800, nice to serve you." A cold, stern voice was heard and the robot turned its head to Zhang Heng. "Commander, please give the order."

"Run two rounds around the room as fast as you can and return to your positions," Zhang Heng ordered.

"Understood!" As soon as the robot finished speaking, it immediately took a step forward and made it through the gaps that the crowd had created. At the same time, its stride became larger, before it finally began to sprint at high speeds. Furthermore, when it encountered any obstacles along the wall, the robot immediately adjusted its position and easily flipped over all kinds of equipment on the wall.

The laboratory wasn't very big. The robot ran two rounds around the laboratory at a speed that far exceeded that of a human. It then stood before Zhang Heng and straightened itself slightly, adjusting its movements slightly.

Louis and the scientists looked at the robot's actions as if they had seen a ghost and were completely stunned.

244. Acquiring Talents

After solving the T-800 AI core problem, it was time for combat experiments.

Zhang Heng first gave all sorts of orders to the T-800, which he was able to interpret very well. That alone was impressive enough. In an era where voice intelligence was utterly horrendous, the T-800's ability to differentiate between speech and abstract understanding was practically sky-high. That was just a sliver of insignificant ability contained in the T-800, and what made the T-800 truly valuable was its neural network structure.

The neural network was based on the structure of the human brain, with layers of interconnected artificial models of neurons imitating the behavior of the brain, dealing with complex issues like vision and language. These artificial neural networks could collect information and could also react to it. They could explain the appearance and sound of things, and they could also learn and work on their own.

To put it simply, other than the fact that no one was special about the T-800, it was no different from a regular person's IQ.

The result of Corona's virtual testing was that while both parties were armed with heavy firepower, the T-800's combat prowess was on par with that of a newly born clone warrior. However, after training in the virtual space, the clone warrior was able to easily kill the T-800.

However, if he were to fight bare-handed, the clone would be completely unable to do any damage to the T-800.

Furthermore, the cloned warriors would be able to completely wipe out tens of T-800 units after using the power armor.

The bare-handed T-800 wouldn't be able to do any damage to the nimble xenomorphs while fighting the xenomorphs. The xenomorph's claws, on the other hand, would be able to destroy the T-800's titanium alloy body. With weapons, the T-800 would be able to wipe out at least three to five xenomorphs.

In a battle against synthesized humans, when both parties were armed with heavy firepower, the T-800 would be able to wipe out over 10 synthesized humans. If they were to fight bare-handed, the T-800 would be able to wipe out over a hundred synthesized humans, which meant that they would be utterly crushed.

To put it simply, the T-800 was a rather powerful type of military unit. According to Corona's calculations, if the T-800 assembly line was created in the future, the cost of producing a single T-800 would be about one million US dollars, with the duration being 50 minutes. The cost of producing a synthetic humanoid would be 50 thousand US dollars, with the duration being 10 minutes.

The cost of producing a clone warrior would be $500,000, with 240 hours to do so. The cost of producing a tyrant would be $5 million, with the duration being about 500 hours.

The reason why he didn't compare himself to the Tyrant was that the Tyrant's power was indeed overwhelming. A single Tyrant could easily wipe out an entire battalion if they were to be put to good use. They were considered the highest class of troops that Zhang Heng could hire for the time being. There were only over 30 of them used for combat in the radiation plane, and there were only 20 of them left in reality.

The T-800 was a mature model in and of itself, and there was no need to modify it. After Zhang Heng gave the order to design the production line, the scientific team led by Louis turned their attention to the more challenging T-1000. It was a type of liquid metal robot, and while its combat prowess was not very high, its ability to protect itself was top-notch. It had no weaknesses other than being afraid of high temperatures and low temperatures. Its infiltration capabilities were practically indestructible as well. The cost of constructing such a robot was hundreds of times higher than that of the T-800. However, it was not designed to be a fighter charging through enemy lines on the battlefield, but an assassin who hid in the dark and killed in a critical moment.

As for the more powerful T-Xs, even the Skynet was unable to manufacture too many of them. The T-Xs' combat prowess far exceeded that of the T-800 and T-1000, and they were usually used to serve as commanders of the army of machines. The manufacturing price was even higher, combining all the advantages of both of them. Their infiltration ability was on par with that of the T-1000, and their combat ability on the battlefield was even stronger than that of the T-800.

Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief after giving Louis his next research direction. He returned to his bedroom and went back into the virtual space for mental training.

That was a long and arduous path. Zhang Heng's mental strength had basically reached a bottleneck at the moment, enabling him to move objects that weighed about five tons. As for precision control, he was barely able to affect the flow of air, which was considered a way of controlling gas. However, it would be extremely difficult for him to progress further.

Zhang Heng's mental power was far more powerful than that of his body at the moment, but he was still not satisfied. Corona estimated that his mental power could control microscopic particles and even energy. If that were to happen, he would be able to kill even gods.

It was evening by the time Zhang Heng opened his eyes again. He stood up with a pale face and went to the bathroom to wash his face, finally calming himself down a little.

It had to be said that Zhang Heng was unable to get used to Corona's training no matter how many times he went through it. The stronger Zhang Heng became, the more intense his training became. No matter how much strength he had, Corona had ways to squeeze every last ounce of energy out of him.

"Corona, speaking of virtual training, I suddenly recalled the first talent I recruited three months ago. How's that girl who went to college doing?" Zhang Heng asked suddenly.

"You're talking about that girl named Gu Siyi, aren't you?" Corona's silhouette laid lazily on Zhang Heng's bed and continued, "She was injected with the T-Virus solution and her brain was implanted with a biochemical chip. After two months of special training with clones, she's now considered very strong, even stronger than when you first came to the Alien plane."

"Impressive potential indeed." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily after hearing that. Someone who was able to survive in the 'space of reincarnation' was truly something else. "In that case, I'm going to use her to do something for me."

"Anytime." Corona nodded obediently. "But what can she do? We're not short of manpower, right?"

"It's true that we're short of manpower when it comes to combat prowess, but we're short of leaders who are capable of taking charge of their own affairs." Zhang Heng tapped his forehead with his finger and continued, "Other than Li Yiru, I basically have no other talents to command. That's why the company is developing so quickly that the personnel aspect of the company is unable to keep up. To put it simply, it's because I've taken too many steps that I've gotten myself into trouble."

"That's why I need to hire a bunch of trusted executives to manage the company for me. It would be best if all of those executives are capable of protecting themselves. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about the decapitation strategy anymore, got it?"

"Got it." Corona was enlightened.

"Is there anyone else with potential like Gu Siyi?" Zhang Heng asked excitedly.

"Three." Corona sat cross-legged at the head of the bed and extended three slender fingers to Zhang Heng. "A housewife, a college student, and a rich second-generation heir. All three of them survived more than 12 rounds in a row. The housewife among them has survived 18 rounds."

"You even have a career as a housewife?" Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before he wore a bitter grin. "Seems like you really can't judge a book by its cover."

"Do you need me to inform them to report to you?" Corona asked.

"No, I have to do it myself." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "You should know that there are many creatures in the natural world who regard the first animal they see as their parent. While humans aren't as simple as they appear to be, there are still some similar instincts involved. That is the priority of life's instincts. As such, I'd still need to go and meet them personally. That would be of some benefit to their loyalty, and I'd also like to see if they could be trusted."

Zhang Heng packed up and headed outside.

245. Zhang Heng's Fun

Ding Zhenjiang shuddered and sat up from the bed.

Ding Zhenjiang was panting hard and his face was ashen. Beads of sweat rolled down the white bedsheets as his entire body shook uncontrollably.

It was a dream again. That damned nightmare.

Ding Zhenjiang felt like he was about to kill someone. How many days had it been? He hadn't been able to get a good night's sleep since he was selected to enter that damned space of reincarnation three months ago. He had the same nightmare every night, where he dreamed of being torn to pieces by countless ghosts and monsters in that space of reincarnation. That kind of fear and despair was hardly something that outsiders would be able to comprehend.

He clearly had countless amounts of money and was clearly at the prime of his life, yet why did it have to be him? Why did the Samsara Space choose him? Why did he have to suffer such injustice?

There were many times when Ding Zhenjiang felt the urge to end his own life, yet even ants were unable to do so. Ding Zhenjiang continued to persevere with that sliver of hope, hoping that a miracle would happen one day.

"What's wrong?" A frail, boneless arm appeared beside Ding Zhenjiang and wrapped itself around his body. That voice had a tinge of seduction to it, sounding like a gust of fragrant wind. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"It's fine." Ding Zhenjiang pushed away the woman's hand that was reaching for him in frustration and looked at the naked woman beside him with disgust. "Take the money. I'll have to trouble you to leave first. I'd like to be alone."

The woman's eyes, which looked like they were filled with spring water, looked stunned for a moment before turning into a mixture of indignation and shame. "Ding Zhenjiang, what do you take me for?"

Ding Zhenjiang paid no heed to the man and simply put on his clothes. He headed out of the door without any hesitation after changing.

Ding Zhenjiang paid no heed to the curses from behind him. It was only when he walked out of the door that he realized that he had arrived at a five-star hotel after getting drunk.

He paid no heed to the luxurious decorations on both sides of the elevator and headed straight for it. He felt flustered for some reason, as if there was something watching him in the dark somewhere.

While waiting for the elevator, Ding Zhenjiang lit a cigarette in frustration and looked around uneasily. However, he was stunned when he saw the end of the corridor.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the end of the corridor. He wondered if he was seeing things, but he realized that the end of the corridor on both sides was pitch-black for some reason, as if the lights there had been turned off.

That feeling of unease grew even stronger.

He kept his gaze fixed on the darkness in the distance. As a contractor who had survived 12 times in a row in the Samsara Space, Ding Zhenjiang was extremely sensitive to things that he didn't know about. He could already sense something that sent shivers down his spine in the corridors on both sides.

Damn it, I'm not on a mission in the Samsara Space right now!

He couldn't help but feel rather dumbstruck. He wasn't in the Samsara Space, and he didn't have any tools to evade evil spirits in his possession. If he were to run into something unclean, wouldn't he be dead for sure?

Ding Zhenjiang pressed the elevator buttons frantically at that thought. However, he suddenly realized that the darkness deep in the corridor seemed to have gotten a little closer to him.

12th floor, 13th floor, 14th floor…

The elevator slowly rose at a frightening speed and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he watched the darkness on both sides approach him. The lights at the top of the corridor were being turned off one by one and that thing was charging at him at an extremely fast speed.

Ghosts? Demons? Or something else?

Ding Zhenjiang's mind went blank. He couldn't figure out why he would run into something like that in real life, but he knew very well that he would be doomed if he were to be targeted by something like that.

Just when the darkness on both sides of the elevator was about to reach him, he heard a ding that sounded like the sound of nature and the doors of the elevator opened quickly.

It was as if Ding Zhenjiang had found a life-saving straw. He dashed into the elevator in a flash and pressed hard on the button to close the door, shutting it before the darkness spread to the elevator.

"Hu! Hu!"

Ding Zhenjiang couldn't help but smile bitterly. He slumped to the ground, feeling rather weak. He watched as the elevator continued to descend, yet he still felt uneasy deep down. He knew very well that if that thing really was some kind of supernatural power, he definitely wouldn't be able to escape at will.

The bright lights at the top of the elevator flickered as soon as that thought came to his mind. Ding Zhenjiang looked as if he knew what was going on right away and retreated to a corner cautiously, waiting for something to appear.

Even if he had to die, he had to take the risk.

"Ding!"

The elevator stopped all of a sudden and the doors of the elevator opened at the same time. Just when Ding Zhenjiang was feeling tense all over, a sinister-looking young man dressed in casual attire walked in.

Ding Zhenjiang had been prepared to fight back, but he was stunned when he saw the young man.

However, Ding Zhenjiang's mind went blank all of a sudden when he saw the young man's eyes. It was as if his nemesis had seen food and his will was utterly crushed, rendering him completely unable to resist.

"Ding Zhenjiang." The young man suddenly spoke and looked at Ding Zhenjiang with a condescending look. "Do you want to leave the Samsara Space?"

Leave the space of reincarnation.

Those words were like a spell that awakened Ding Zhenjiang from his dazed state. His brain came up with some speculations and he said without hesitation, "I'd be willing to pay any price if you could take me out of the Samsara Space."

The young man nodded and there seemed to be a hint of approval in his eyes. He threw a business card at her and said, "Very good. 5pm tomorrow at the entrance of the Stellar Technology building. If you're not coming, I'll take it that you've given up on this opportunity."

Ding Zhenjiang picked up the name card right away and saw a logo on it. The words "Stellar Life Sciences Foundation" were written in both English and Chinese at the bottom of the card. He shuddered and felt as if a bolt of lightning was heard from his ear. When he came to his senses, he found himself lying on the bed.

Ding Zhenjiang jolted and immediately sat up, before falling completely into a daze. The room that he was in was none other than the one that he had just left.

"A dream?" Ding Zhenjiang looked scared. He turned around and saw that the woman he had a one-night stand with was still lying beside him. There was no change to her at all.

How could there be such a realistic dream?

Everything that had happened seemed to have happened just a few seconds ago. He stood up, feeling rather confused and couldn't help but smile bitterly. It seemed like he had been dreaming about what he thought at night because he wanted to leave the space of reincarnation so badly.

He wondered if he would be able to leave the reincarnation space one day.

However, his expression froze all of a sudden when he lowered his head. He saw that he was holding a business card in his hand at some point in time. The words' Stellar Life Sciences Foundation 'and' Logo 'were written on the business card.

246. Third Target

Some people might have asked, "How did you manage to come up with something so mysterious?"

The answer was very simple. Zhang Heng located Ding Zhenjiang's location from Corona and went to the hotel the other man was staying in. He handed the name card to a waiter and waited for Corona to hypnotize the waiter before asking him to open the door of Ding Zhenjiang's room and stuff the name card into the other man's hand. By then, Ding Zhenjiang had been trapped in a virtual space and had no idea what was happening.

Corona would delete the surveillance footage of Zhang Heng and that waiter when everything was over. When Ding Zhenjiang woke up, he would be shocked to find that he had a business card in his hand.

Zhang Heng, who was on the first floor, opened his eyes at the dining table after Ding Zhenjiang woke up. He wore a smirk on his face and left the hotel.

Next up was a housewife.

The woman was only about a year older than Zhang Heng and was 24 years old. Her name was Mu Sihan, and he wondered if her early marriage had anything to do with that name.

Mu Sihan had average looks and had no children. Her husband was a construction worker in his thirties, while she worked at the reception desk of a hotel.

Simply put, this was a family that was at the bottom of society.

An average family like that would have been able to live a life of mediocrity according to the way things were supposed to be. The goal of the family would have been to work hard and make a living. However, Zhang Heng's arrival was destined to change the course of the family.

"Welcome, sir. Would you like to stay in the hotel?" Mu Sihan, who was standing at the reception desk, asked Zhang Heng politely as he walked into the hotel.

"No, I'm here to look for you." Zhang Heng shook his head and took out a name card from his bag. He flicked the card and it whistled through the air, heading straight for Mu Sihan in a swift and decisive manner.

Mu Sihan's pupils contracted and he felt like he was about to die all of a sudden. Judging from the speed and force of the attack, the name card would have penetrated his neck and cut his artery if he failed to block it.

Mu Sihan had no time to evade and reached out to grab the name card with two fingers that he had developed in the space of reincarnation.

All of that happened in the blink of an eye, so much so that none of his colleagues beside Mu Sihan had time to react before the fight between the two of them ended. Mu Sihan paid no heed to anything else and asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

"Do you want to leave the Samsara Space?" Zhang Heng put down his hand and asked casually. His tone was calm and collected, without any hint of emotion that would have caused one to waver. However, Mu Sihan shuddered when she heard those words, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning.

"You're a Contractor?" Mu Sihan asked in horror.

"No, I'm one of the managers of the Samsara Space." Zhang Heng extended his hand and revealed a ring about the size of a fingernail on his thumb.

Zhang Heng wore a badge that was about the size of a fingernail on the thumb of his left hand. The badge was intricately carved and there was a round ball carved on it. The round ball was divided into four irregular pieces by two blank arcs and every piece was a type of gem, with the colors red, yellow, blue, and green respectively.

Manager? Mu Sihan was in disbelief. Someone was actually in charge of something that had long surpassed nature in the reincarnation space? And that person before him was a member of the organization?

That was simply too shocking…

"You'll know what that logo represents in the future." Zhang Heng nodded and didn't elaborate further. "Remember, tomorrow at 5pm at the entrance of the Stellar Technology building. If you're not coming, I'll take it that you've given up on the opportunity."

Stellar technology?

Mu Sihan was stunned yet again. Why did that name sound so familiar? Wait, isn't that the company that beat up all the biopharmaceutical companies around the world? Are they related to the Space of Reincarnation?

Mu Sihan wanted to ask more questions, but Zhang Heng didn't give him the chance to do so. He simply turned around and left the hotel after having been notified. Mu Sihan was still wondering if she should chase after him, but she was distracted for a bit before looking around. There was no one else outside the door.

"Disappeared?" Mu Sihan pursed her lips and thought about it for a bit. However, she was stunned all of a sudden, as she realized to her shock that she couldn't remember what that young man looked like from the very beginning. She clearly remembered staring at that young man's face for quite a while.

"Sihan, what's wrong?" His friend, who was also on the stage, couldn't help but ask when he saw that Mu Sihan was still in a dazed state.

"By the way, do you remember what that man looked like?" Mu Sihan asked.

"Who's there? No one's been in here the whole time." Her friend shot her a baffled look, but Mu Sihan felt a chill running down her spine when she heard that. She slowly picked up the name card on the table and held herself back from trembling. She felt as if she had been transported back into the space of reincarnation, filled with fear and desolation, with no sense of security at all.

…

The qualities of the first two were mediocre. In Zhang Heng's opinion, they were at least inferior to Gu Siyi, who he had recruited before. However, given that they were able to survive more than a dozen rounds in the Samsara Space, their mental states, calmness, judgment, and willpower were far above that of regular people.

Now, there was only one goal left.

At that moment, a group of college students were walking about in front of Fudan University, chatting away at the school gate, squandering their youth away. The passers-by all looked at those young people with envious looks—all of those students were like the privileged ones, with a bright future ahead of them. As one of the top three key universities in the country and one of the most prestigious universities in the country, there were countless people begging to enroll in those universities every year. Those who weren't talented and came from well-off families wouldn't be able to enroll in those universities.

Two naked men and women were doing some kind of piston movement in a small, dirty room in a hotel next to the university. The room was filled with the sounds of spring and the low moans of women were heard constantly. All of a sudden, everything gradually quieted down as the man growled for the rest of his life.

Screech…

The door of the hotel opened without a sound and Zhang Heng walked in with a deadpan expression on his face. However, the couple on the bed remained where they were, completely oblivious to the fact that a man had just interrupted their conversation.

As a male instinct, Zhang Heng first took a look at the woman on the bed. The woman looked decent and had a good figure. Her voluptuous breasts and pink grapes, coupled with her flushed face, made her look very alluring.

Zhang Heng then turned his gaze to the man on top. However, he was stunned when he saw that man.

"It's him?"

"Commander, you know him?" Corona's voice was heard from the earpiece.

"That's right. I remember that when I took my sister home last year, that man pestered her." Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. The man he saw was none other than Fang Liwei, who had once courted Zhang Xin. He initially thought that the man was just a dumbass, but from the looks of it now, it was obvious that Fang Liwei was an expert in picking up girls. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to find such a high-class girlfriend.

One had to realize that if it hadn't been for the Dimensional Star, he wouldn't have been able to find a job anywhere, let alone a girlfriend. Fang Liwei, who was standing right before him, was undoubtedly a lot better than Zhang Heng, who was once a penniless man.

Zhang Heng chuckled and was about to get Corona to release the two of them from the hypnosis, when his eyebrows suddenly twitched all of a sudden and he felt an indescribable sense of danger from the bottom of his heart.

Electricity flickered in Zhang Heng's eyes at that very moment, making it impossible for anything in the world to be reflected in his eyes. He seemed to have seen Fang Liwei flying a huge mecha with a righteous look on his face at that very moment, and he was facing the ragged and disheveled Zhang Heng himself. Ruins were everywhere around him. Countless cloned warriors were lying in the ruins, their limbs all torn and tattered.

Fang Liwei wore a stern expression at the end, as if saying 'despicable!', before shooting out a jet-black beam of light from the unknown mecha that was constantly changing colors. He himself used his spiritual power capable of controlling particles to block the beam, yet he was still unable to withstand the pitch-black beam of light that was capable of destroying the heavens and earth. He was reduced to dust by the beam of light.

That image flashed across Zhang Heng's sea of consciousness and disappeared in the very next second. However, he felt his nose getting hot all of a sudden and blood gushed out of his nose.

247. Die!

Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and paid no heed to the blood dripping from his nose as killing intent flashed in his eyes.

"Commander, what's wrong?" Corona was currently in her Level Three mental scanning mode. She discovered that Zhang Heng, who was initially calm, shuddered all over when he saw Fang Liwei. His heartbeat and blood pressure rose rapidly, and adrenaline began to seep through his system as if Fang Liwei was some kind of terrifying monster.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to Corona's questions and simply kept his eyes on Fang Liwei, who was still under hypnosis. He shook his right hand and a sharp bayonet fell from his sleeve, which he held tightly in his hand.

"Commander? Are you going to kill him?" Corona was puzzled. Didn't Zhang Heng say that he was going to recruit those talents? Why did he suddenly change his mind?

"Don't say anything. Please don't stop me. My mental power has been depleted due to some reason. I should be able to hold out for about four to five seconds. I'll be completely knocked out in four to five seconds," Zhang Heng said solemnly, but the murderous intent in his voice was unmistakable.

Zhang Heng wore a very serious expression on his face. He had a feeling that if he didn't kill the young man before him right now, he wouldn't have a chance to kill the young man in front of him anymore. He knew that the young man would eventually kill him just like what he saw just then in the future.

Zhang Heng somehow felt that he had somehow managed to communicate with the future for some reason. That was not the first time he felt something like that. It had happened once when he went to look for Stanny in London to buy the Virgin Islands. That time, all he saw was a blur of the future. Other than feeling that the curse was about to hit him, he had no other premonition.

Zhang Heng didn't pay much attention to what happened back then, thinking that it was just an illusion. However, that feeling came to him all over again. Furthermore, due to his enhanced mental power, he was able to foresee things in a more concrete manner. While he was only able to see the scale claw, he was able to see everything that he saw in an instant.

Fang Liwei would be his greatest enemy in the future.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. It had only been about a second since Zhang Heng saw the future, and he was able to make sense of everything in that split second. The bayonet in his hand was like a bolt of pitch-black lightning, piercing Fang Liwei's ear, which had a dazed look on its face, without a second thought, right into the man's brain.

Despite that, Zhang Heng was still worried. He grabbed the bayonet and twisted it hard, turning Fang Liwei's brain into mush. It was only then that Zhang Heng looked as if he was relieved of a heavy burden. He felt a wave of dizziness hit him and he lost consciousness completely in the very next second.

…

Zhang Heng's face was covered in scabs by the time he woke up again. He had returned to the hive by then and was lying on a hospital bed on the B2nd floor.

"Commander, you're awake!" Corona had been paying close attention to Zhang Heng's mental state the entire time. When she saw that he was awake, her projection appeared right before him and asked worriedly, "According to the doctor's diagnosis, the pineal gland in your brain has undergone some kind of unknown mutation. How are you feeling?"

"I've never felt so good before," Zhang Heng replied casually and narrowed his eyes. Dozens of advanced medical equipment in the room were put up in midair with a hum in the very next second, as if they were weightless in space.

That wasn't all. Zhang Heng tried to look at the empty space before him. The next second, the air seemed to flow like water and a vortex appeared before his eyes. The mattress and some tiny objects on the bed were all sucked into the vortex and spun around.

Spirit Tornado!

Surprise was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. The tornado dissipated in an instant and turned into transparent wind blades with his mental power, which then slashed at the metal door.

"Chi—"

A deep, metallic sound was heard as the metal door before him was torn open, revealing a crack that was over half a meter long. The crack looked like the mouth of some monster that was lying right before his eyes.

Zhang Heng slowly descended from the sky after he was done with all of that. He looked at everything before him with glee. There was no way he didn't know that his mental power, which had been stuck at a bottleneck for quite some time, had broken through yet again. He was now able to control the air as if it were his own arm.

"Congratulations, Commander, on your progress in mental power!" Corona looked surprised as well.

Zhang Heng chuckled and turned to look at Corona. "How did I get back?"

"I told Zhishang to bring you back in the Falcon," Corona replied.

Zhang Heng was silent for a bit before he asked cautiously, "Are you sure that Fang Liwei is dead?"

"He's dead. His brain was severely damaged, so much so that not even the gods could save him." Corona nodded and continued, "But I still don't understand why you want to kill him."

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin when he heard that. "You know about Deja-vu, right?"

"Vision?" Corona was stunned.

"That's right. It's like a sense of déjà vu. When you see someone or a scene, you suddenly feel like you've seen something familiar, as if you've seen something similar in the past," Zhang Heng explained quietly. "That's the sense of déjà vu, but what I've encountered is different. When I saw Fang Liwei, I had a feeling that I'd run into him in the future…"

"One feels the past, and the other feels the future?" Corona frowned and began to speculate. "So, you're saying that you've developed powers similar to that of a prophet?"

"That's probably it." Zhang Heng nodded and wore a confused look on his face. "The future I see is the scene of my death, and I was killed by Fang Liwei…"

"That's why you killed Fang Liwei right away." Corona was enlightened right away. "You did the right thing. Even if there was only a one percent chance of success, you had to eliminate the danger while it was still in the budding state."

"Not a one percent chance." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "At least 50 percent. I have a feeling that if I hadn't killed Fang Liwei back then, there's a 50 percent chance that I would have died at his hands in the future. I can't rest easy if that kid doesn't die."

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin on his face. He felt as if he was some kind of evil boss, and Fang Liwei was destined to be the protagonist of the righteous and upstanding sects who were loved by the heavens and earth. The purpose of his existence was to kill the boss and return peace to the world.

In actual fact, everything that Zhang Heng did was something that only villains would do: inhumane human experiments, researching biochemical weapons, organizing illegal armed forces, and resorting to unscrupulous means. He had the ambition to rule the world.

It was a pity that Zhang Heng was no ordinary BOSS. He was able to communicate with the future with his mental power and gradually gained the ability to foresee the future. While that ability was still very weak at the moment, it was enough to change his fate in an instant.

"Oh right." Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden. "Corona, check if Fang Liwei has a twin brother or something, or relatives who look like him." Life was like some kind of melodramatic drama, and Zhang Heng had no choice but to take precautions against such situations.

"No." Corona paused for a bit before replying, "I've hacked into the National Civil Affairs Bureau's network. Fang Liwei is the only son, and none of his relatives are men of his age, let alone those who look like him."

"That's good to hear." Zhang Heng let out a sigh of relief and began to ponder. It seemed that the miraculous thing about mental power was not just its ability to affect reality. It seemed that mental power could be even more useful. If he were to use it well, he might actually be able to use his mental power to help humanity get through this crisis.

248. Meeting

Ding Zhenjiang arrived at the Stellar Technology building the next day, feeling uneasy.

Ding Zhenjiang drove and eventually stopped the car at the opposite side of the Stellar Technology building. He wanted to drive straight to the parking lot of Stellar Technology, but he was stopped by the security guards.

Ding Zhenjiang couldn't help but light a cigarette to alleviate his anxiety. He checked his watch and saw that there was still half an hour before 5pm. It was obvious that he had arrived too early.

However, given that his life was at stake, Ding Zhenjiang didn't dare to let his guard down. He hadn't taken a single wink of sleep since yesterday.

He had no idea who the other party was, and he had no idea what the other party was up to. However, the other party had actually said something like 'do you want to leave the Samsara Space?', which meant that he had to do it at all costs.

No matter what he had to do, even if it was just a sliver of a chance, he was determined to hold on to it.

Determination was seen in Ding Zhenjiang's eyes as he sat quietly in the car and looked at the Stellar Technology building opposite him, waiting for the appointed time to arrive.

But at that moment, a figure caught his attention.

That woman was the one who got out of a cab after he got there. She was of average looks and despite wearing light makeup, she was unable to conceal the anxiety and unease in her eyes.

That wasn't what Ding Zhenjiang was concerned about. What was more important was that the woman didn't leave or enter the building after getting out of the car. She simply hovered outside the door of the Stellar Technology building and kept looking at her phone, seemingly waiting for the time to come.

However, the thing that truly drew Ding Zhenjiang's attention was the mysterious aura that was concealed from him. Regular people wouldn't be able to detect such an aura, and only those who had been in the Samsara Space over a dozen times would be able to sense it.

That man was a contractor.

All of the contractors that he had come into contact with flashed before his eyes one after another. Ding Zhenjiang narrowed his gaze and recalled a figure that completely coincided with the woman before him.

Black Widow!

That was the code name of the contractor.

The Samsara Space was a very complex place. Typically, five to ten contractors would form a team at a fixed time to participate in a horror film mission together. One could choose to pass the mission together after entering the mission, or one could choose to become a loner. As such, Ding Zhenjiang had come into contact with at least 70 to 80 contractors over the course of over a dozen missions.

More than two-thirds of the contractors that he came into contact with were dead, while the remaining survivors were noted down by Ding Zhenjiang, who then summarized the abilities and specialties of those people. He might run into them again when he was on a mission, and he would only be able to emerge victorious if he knew his enemies and himself well.

He had encountered the Contractor known as the Black Widow before him once before. The woman before him had very good analytical skills and was quite skilled as well. She was not inferior to him in any aspect.

He didn't expect that even the Black Widow would show up. It seemed that the Stellar Vitality Science Foundation didn't just invite him, but he wondered just how the so-called foundation was connected to the alternate dimension…

I hope you won't let me down…

Ding Zhenjiang sighed to himself. When he received that business card the day before, he immediately mobilized all of his forces to investigate Stellar Technology, but the results were far from satisfactory. Other than the fact that it was a corporation with several patents of epoch-making drugs, there wasn't a single piece of information that he was able to find out who the boss of the company was.

Time passed quickly and it was soon 5pm. Ding Zhenjiang lit another cigarette and took a deep breath before getting out of the car and making his way to the entrance of the Stellar Technology building.

Mu Sihan turned around at the same time and looked at Ding Zhenjiang with a complicated expression on his face. "Greedy Wolf, I didn't expect to see you here. Did 'he' invite you as well?"

"Black Widow, good day to you." Ding Zhenjiang wore a stiff smile and took out the name card from his bag. "Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. What do you know about that organization?"

"Nothing. What about you?" Mu Sihan asked casually.

"Me neither." Ding Zhenjiang shrugged and walked through the door without saying anything else.

At that moment, someone walked out of the door. It was a girl with delicate features. She flashed a grin when she saw the two of them and extended her hand. "Where are the tickets?"

Ding Zhenjiang and Mu Sihan looked at each other. Mu Sihan took out the name card hesitantly and asked, "Are you talking about this?"

"That's right." The girl before him nodded and walked into the door of the Stellar Building after seeing the business cards in their hands. "Stay close to me or you'll die."

The two of them wore serious expressions on their faces when they heard that. They hesitated for a bit before following the woman in front of them. It was only when they walked into the interior of the Stellar Biotech building that they realized that the place looked no different from the lobby of most companies. The floor was made of shiny marble and there were sofas for reception on both sides. There was a counter that was several meters long at the very front and two receptionists were sitting inside the counter, playing with their phones. They didn't notice anything even when the three of them walked in.

The girl didn't take the two of them to the elevator on the left. Instead, she walked around the lobby and headed for a very remote corridor in the depths of the lobby. It took her quite a while to reach the end of that remote corridor and a slightly smaller elevator door came into view.

Ding!

The elevator door opened right away and Ding Zhenjiang and Mu Sihan walked in without hesitation. They were ready to risk everything at this point.

The doors of the elevator gradually closed. However, Ding Zhenjiang discovered that the girl didn't press any of the buttons on the side, yet the elevator began to move on its own. Furthermore, he was shocked to discover that the elevator wasn't heading up, but was instead heading down.

There was something weird about that building.

That was what the two of them thought at once.

The elevator didn't drop very quickly and reached the bottom in less than half a minute. Both of their pupils contracted when the doors opened again.

He was greeted by the sight of a huge lobby. The walls and floors were all made of metal and looked very white. There were several doors on both sides of the lobby and what appeared to be a warehouse-like room inside. There were also several expressionless guards standing at the door of the elevator. The guards were holding some unknown firearms and wore combat uniforms that he had never seen before, making them look like special forces.

Ding Zhenjiang and Mu Sihan felt their hairs stand on end when they saw those men. Every single one of them gave them a very dangerous feeling.

Shock was seen in the eyes of both of them. They thought that they were no longer ordinary people after what they had been through in the Samsara Space. Additionally, the Samsara Space was able to exchange for all sorts of exquisite self-defense techniques, making it so that they could easily take down four or five burly men. However, they were unable to muster up any will to resist the guards.

"Follow me." The girl turned around and took a look at the two of them before continuing on her way. A complicated look was seen in the eyes of Ding Zhenjiang and Mu Sihan. They knew that there was no turning back for them.

The two of them followed the girl to a closed mechanical door and a cold, mechanical female voice was heard all of a sudden. "Dear LV B3 officer of the foundation, Ms. Gu Siyi. Welcome back to Honeycomb."

249. Enticement

"Flame Queen, I'd like to give the two behind me authorization."

"Please come forward," the cold female voice said immediately.

Gu Siyi looked at the two people behind her and Mu Sihan walked up to her, seemingly having sensed something. She mimicked the girl and looked at the screen beside the mechanical door, only to see a beam of red light scanning the area. The voice then said, "Please place your hand on the screen."

Ding Zhenjiang followed suit.

"Names: Mu Sihan, Ding Zhenjiang. Both of you will be given 24 hours of temporary authorization. Current access: Level B0. Your activity areas will be on the B1 and B2 floors. You will be warned by the system if you exceed the activity area for the first time. The second time will be considered an intruder. Please bear this in mind." The mechanical female voice reminded them before the mechanical door opened with the sound of metal rubbing against metal, revealing the glass passage behind the door.

"The Flame Queen?" The two of them were deep in thought at the moment. Ding Zhenjiang looked at the tunnel and wore a weird expression. "Could this be the laser tunnel from Resident Evil?"

The girl wore a mischievous expression right away and said, "You could try it out." She then skipped into the passageway.

Ding Zhenjiang's expression changed as he looked at the passage before him with some hesitation, not daring to go through it. Mu Sihan, on the other hand, was very calm and followed the girl in.

Ding Zhenjiang gritted his teeth and ran through the passage as soon as he saw that the two of them were about to leave. It was fortunate that there was no sign of him being cut into pieces in the passage.

The three of them passed through an even narrower corridor before entering yet another elevator. They continued to descend and when they emerged from the elevator, they were greeted by a vast crowd of men and women in white robes.

Many of those people were foreigners. Some of them walked past the corridors quickly, while others chatted with their friends as if they were discussing some kind of academic issue. They looked like some kind of scientific research organization. Coupled with the cold, bright metal corridors, they looked like they were in some futuristic sci-fi movie, making the two of them stare with their mouths agape.

"So many people? Is this some kind of secret national research base?" Ding Zhenjiang mumbled with a dry mouth.

"You're only partially correct." The girl tilted her head and stuck out her tongue in a cute manner. "This is indeed a secret research base, but it's not owned by the government. We're currently on the second floor underground. There are still many floors further down. The higher you go, the higher the level of access required. Even I would only be able to get to the B4."

The girl continued to walk inside as she said that. The two of them looked at everything around them with a curious look on their faces until they reached a door at the very end of the B2nd floor. The girl then pressed something that looked like a doorbell.

"Please come in." A man's voice was heard from the doorbell before the door was quickly opened. It was only then that Ding Zhenjiang saw that there was a very spacious meeting room behind the door. There was a conference table that was over a dozen meters long placed in the middle of the room. The entire meeting room was empty and neat. A young man with average looks was lying lazily at the end of the table with his legs resting on the table.

"Boss, I've brought her with me. If there's nothing else… I'll take my leave now," the girl asked, trying to sound him out.

"Sit down too." The young man looked at the girl speechlessly and pointed at the seats on both sides of the table. "Both of you, take a seat too."

Ding Zhenjiang and Mu Sihan sat down, feeling rather uneasy. Zhang Heng retracted his legs and rested his arms on the table, crossing his arms as he said with a faint smile, "I've met both of you yesterday. I'd like to formally introduce myself. My name is Zhang Heng, and I'm one of the spokespersons of the foundation and the manager of the Samsara Space."

The first part of his sentence didn't sound like much, but the second part made their pupils contract. Despite having mentally prepared himself for what was to come, Ding Zhenjiang still clenched his fists and Mu Sihan wore a complicated expression.

All of them were nobodies who had been struggling in the Samsara Space, living a life of constant fear and anxiety. If it hadn't been for their perseverance, they would have probably collapsed on their previous missions long ago. Now that they saw the culprit who had set them up, both of them felt indignant but didn't dare to say anything.

"You're furious, aren't you?" Zhang Heng didn't seem to have noticed at all and simply chuckled without a care in the world. "Do you think that if it hadn't been for me, all of you wouldn't be living such miserable lives, and you wouldn't have had to think about every single day, right?"

Both of them opened and closed their mouths, but they wisely chose not to say anything in the end.

"Let me explain the meaning behind the existence of the Samsara Space." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "The Samsara Space is the supreme creation of the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. Its purpose is to select talents and find existences capable of taking charge of their own fields. All of you, on the other hand, are the best of the best that the foundation values after going through multiple rounds of selection."

"What's the purpose of selecting talents?" Ding Zhenjiang stared at Zhang Heng and asked suddenly.

"That's a good question." Zhang Heng's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands. "The answer to that question would be the reason why the Golden Foundation exists. The Golden Foundation is a secret multinational supernatural organization with dozens of financial groups gathered there, including the Williams Financial Group in the United States, the Stinnes Financial Group in the United Kingdom, the Lawrence Financial Group in Germany, and so on. Their influence covers the entire world."

Mu Sihan looked slightly better when he said that, but Ding Zhenjiang's eyebrows twitched. While the common folks might not know much about those financial groups, there was no one in the upper echelons who didn't know that those were the most reputable financial groups in the US and the US. The Stani and Lawrence Financial Group, in particular, controlled almost a third of the politics and economics of both the UK and Germany.

It turned out that the Stellar Vitality Science Foundation had so many giants backing it.

Zhang Heng continued, "The foundation exists to prevent the world from being destroyed."

"The end of the world?" Ding Zhenjiang was stunned right away. Even Mu Sihan looked at Zhang Heng with a dumbfounded expression on her face. Anyone would have looked like that after hearing such a reason. That was probably the worst reason in the world.

"That's right. The world is doomed." Zhang Heng smirked and snapped his fingers.

Ding Zhenjiang and Mu Sihan felt their vision blur in the very next second. It was as if they were seeing… a huge hand that looked like a mountain reaching out from the depths of the Earth's core one day. That huge hand was so huge that it extended itself slightly before slamming down hard. All the seawater in the entire Pacific Ocean was pushed away by the massive impact, revealing the continents at the bottom of the ocean. The seawater that was pushed away turned into waves that were thousands of meters tall, drowning and destroying everything. In the blink of an eye, human civilization was no more.

However, just when the two of them were subconsciously holding their breaths, the image on the screen changed yet again. This time, the moon, which had remained unchanged since ancient times on Earth, suddenly vibrated, causing the tides on Earth to surge non-stop. However, that was only the beginning. In the very next second, the Yapingning Mountains, which had been snaking for over a thousand kilometers on the moon, began to shake all of a sudden. Countless mountains collapsed, and a huge eye emerged from the mountains. The eyeball turned directly to Earth, with a greedy look on its face.

The moon was an ancient behemoth that had been sleeping for hundreds of millions of years.

Countless tentacles that blotted out the sky slithered out and headed straight for Earth. A huge, pitch-black mouth appeared at the center of the moon.

The scene outside the solar system changed yet again. A battleship about the size of a star was seen flying out from the depths of the universe. The Earth was as fragile as a baby before it. The Earth was torn apart by that massive gravitational force without even taking a second look.

…

Countless possibilities of Earth being destroyed appeared before their eyes, and every single one of them made them feel as if they were in the same situation, as if they had experienced despair and destruction time again. However, they could only watch all of that happen without being able to do anything about it.

It felt like an instant had passed, yet it also felt like 10,000 years had passed at the same time. Zhang Heng's silhouette appeared before the two of them again when they came to their senses. "I believe that you two have no more doubts now, right?"

Ding Zhenjiang was sweating profusely while Mu Sihan's face was ashen. It was obvious that the countless images that they had just seen had been too much of a shock to them.

"Of course, I'm not asking you to give up everything you've got just because I said so casually." Zhang Heng's tone changed all of a sudden and he chuckled coldly. "I have no right to order you to contribute anything, so it's up to you to decide if you want to join or not. However, if you choose to join, I can promise you that you'll receive power far beyond that of the Extraordinary, endless money and power, and most importantly—"

"Eternal life!"

250. Cross-border Development

Zhang Heng asked the two of them to stay there for the time being after getting them to join him. Loyalty wasn't something that he was concerned about, as the biochemical chips would automatically teach those with ulterior motives a lesson.

Zhang Heng called out to Gu Siyi, who was about to head out after the two of them left.

"You've pretty much done your training over the past two months. I'm going to make arrangements for you," Zhang Heng said casually.

"Really?" Gu Siyi's eyes lit up right away. "I've been wanting to stop training for a long time. You have no idea how much more painful it is to train in the space of reincarnation than doing missions in there!"

Gu Siyi had no idea that the Samsara Space was created by Corona. The way she saw it, the virtual space was just like the Samsara Space, where one would die and the other wouldn't. While she wouldn't die now, the training she had to go through was far more painful. There were several times when she almost couldn't take it anymore, as she knew from Zhang Heng's first training.

"You're still in college, aren't you?" Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "You'll be able to learn quite a bit in college. I'll use my connections to get you transferred to Fudan University and work in the same class as my sister. Your mission is to protect my sister on campus. While I've arranged for security personnel outside the school, there's no one on campus. You'll be able to fill that blind spot."

"Ah, school again…" Gu Siyi wore a bitter expression. "But I want to do other things, like being the general manager of a company or something."

"Wait until you graduate from college." Zhang Heng nodded. "I'll definitely assign you a high-level position after you graduate from college."

"Alright, it's a deal then!" Gu Siyi broke into a smile.

Zhang Heng sat alone in the meeting room after making all the necessary arrangements, thinking about his future developments. The company was doing very well in the field of biopharmaceuticals at the moment, taking up 10 percent of the shares of the top five pharmaceutical giants in the world. That alone was more than enough for Stellar Technology to do as it pleased in the pharmaceutical field. All he had to do was wait for the drug testing of five types of antibiotics and two vaccines to be completed in half a year to a year. By then, he would definitely be able to expand Stellar Technology all over the world.

At that time, Stellar Technology would officially become a world-class pharmaceutical monopoly that had never been seen before. Even superpowers like China, the US, and Russia would have to work together with over a dozen countries to get their hands on Stellar Technology.

However, by conventional standards, Stellar Technology would have reached its limit by the time it reached that stage. It would be practically impossible for it to continue to grow, such as reaching the third tier of the Weyland Yutani Company. The potential of a single industry was limited, after all. Even if the entire pharmaceutical world were to unite, they still wouldn't be able to stand on equal footing with the world's governments. There was only one way to go further.

That was—crossing realms!

Stellar Biotech Corporation had to take the initiative to expand into other fields and become the best in other fields. That was the way to develop an empire-level company.

What was a corporate empire? That was because that corporation had the characteristics of imperialism. It didn't do business according to the rules of the economy and had its own way of doing things. Any move it made would cause a sensation in the world, and its political influence was no less than that of a superpower like China, America, and Russia.

Even the state had very little control over such super monopolies. The goal of Stellar Technology was to reach such a level of company.

It was just that crossing over wasn't easy at all. There was no foundation, no technology, and no talent. Everything had to start from scratch, just like building a new company.

However, crossing over to a regular company was indeed an extremely dangerous move, and it could even lead to the company going bankrupt. However, that was no problem for Zhang Heng at all. The technologies that he had looted from all over the world were more than enough to put him at the top of any field—power, electronics, internet, industry, and even spacefaring and military engineering. As long as he was given enough time and was cautious, he was confident that Stellar Technology would be able to reach the level of the Weyland Yutani Company in the next two years.

Zhang Heng felt his blood boiling at that thought. He turned to look at the roof and asked, "Corona, which direction do you think the company should take next?"

"I think it's best to develop in the direction of the internet." Corona's projection appeared right in front of Zhang Heng. She sat on the seat next to him and put a hand on her face as if she was deep in thought. "Hmm… the internet itself is my forte. Programming and stuff like that would be a piece of cake for me. We'd be able to develop an online empire very soon, and it wouldn't be inferior to the likes of TX or something!" Excitement was seen in Corona's eyes as she said that. As she absorbed more human culture and habits from the internet, she was becoming more anthropomorphic.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but pat Corona on the head as she looked more like a young girl. "That's not a bad idea. The internet is one of the most popular and lucrative industries in the world, comparable to biopharmaceuticals. However, there is also a flaw in the internet, which is that it lacks influence. After all, every industry in the internet could be replaced, and none of those businesses are as popular as those in real life."

"What should we do then?" Corona pouted.

"I definitely need to get into the internet, but I'm not going to just stick my hands into another industry this time. I want to diversify my career." Zhang Heng extended four fingers and continued, "The online and electronics sectors are two of the first two areas that I need to enter. Not only that, I want to go into energy and spaceflight as well."

"Well then, how should I go about doing it?" Corona's eyes lit up at that moment. Now that she had the internet industry that she was most interested in, she had something that she could use.

"There's no need to rush into the latter two fields for the time being. Stellar Technology could gain a foothold in the internet and electronics fields first." Zhang Heng thought for a bit and continued, "I'm planning to buy a few virtual reality companies and use them as a stepping stone. If I were to bring out technology for no good reason, I'd be suspected yet again."

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin as he said that. In actual fact, which country in the world hadn't suspected the source of his technology? It was just that Star Technology was simply too advanced, and Huaxia was a superpower, so no one dared to make a move against him. Despite that, none of the spies in the company were poor.

"What about the patent?" Corona knew what was happening as well, so she chuckled and continued, "You have the perfect AR and VR technology, but I assume that all the patents have been approved by companies all over the world?"

Zhang Heng felt a headache coming on after hearing that. It was true that the advancement of human technology was indeed progressing, and the catalyst of progress was authority and law. If the technology that he had painstakingly developed were to be used by others without any cost and became the work of others, who would be willing to innovate? Who would be willing to climb the technology tree?

As such, there was a law called the patent law in the world, which was to protect the new technologies developed by innovators from being stolen.

However, while the original intention of the law was good, there were gaps that could be exploited in any law, and the patent laws were filled with loopholes. As such, there was a situation—many people didn't invent any patents, and they simply visualized a feasible and promising technological concept based on their ideas, before applying for the patent on such concepts. In the end, they simply sat around and waited for the money to come in.

Yes, it was that simple. For example, the American airline Airbus applied for a VR helmet patent, enabling the user to isolate themselves. According to the patent's description, the VR helmets were connected to the top of the seats. If the passengers needed to leave reality, they could pull the helmets out and cover their vision. There were earphones and screens installed inside, providing the user with a sense of independence.

However, the truth was that their company didn't have such a device at the moment, as it was something that many technical difficulties were unable to achieve. However, as they were the ones who first proposed it, they were able to apply for a patent using that concept.

If some company were to really spend tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of US dollars to realize this technology in the future, it would be reasonable to say that the technology was invented by someone else and had nothing to do with the Airbus company. However, if the technology was actually invented, the company that invented the technology would have to pay the price of profits to the Airbus company in order to make a profit. If not, the company would have every reason to sue the company and the chances of them winning would be as high as 80 percent.

To put it simply, the Airbus company was able to earn profits that others would have to pay a huge price to earn without paying anything in return. It was a monumental profit.

That was one of the biggest quirks of the patent world, and it was also the reason why many tech companies had to suffer in silence.

As such, if Zhang Heng were to bring out all that technology he had, he would probably receive a subpoena from dozens of companies that had their eyes on that piece of cake right away. That thought alone was enough to give him a headache.

251. Entering The Virtual Reality Industry

Virtual reality was a technology that would have unlimited potential in the future. The application of such a technology involved civilian, military, medical, and many other fields. If it were to become widespread, it would be enough to create a new technological revolution.

Eight of the top 10 tech companies in the world had invested in such a promising new technology, which was more than enough to show just how confident people were in this new technology. If there was a company that could stand at the forefront of the world in this field, the profits that would be generated would be enough to turn an unknown company into an electronics giant like Apple or Microsoft overnight.

It was precisely because he was able to adapt to the current trends and was at the cutting edge of current technology that his first goal was to reach out to Stellar Technology. However, unlike other companies, he wasn't trying to take a piece of the pie in the emerging field. He was trying to monopolize that field.

Zhang Heng looked determined all of a sudden. "Time waits for no man. I'm not going to change my strategy just because of a few patents. Corona, check how many patents would I violate if I were to take out the sleep pod VR technology I acquired from the Alien plane. Are those patents expired? If they're not, who would have them?"

"Alright." Corona nodded and paused for a bit before continuing, "The VR technology of the sleep pod also includes many applications of biotechnology, some of which are hundreds of years ahead of reality. Are all of those technologies included?"

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit. "Wait, no… forget about the sleep pods. I'll start with the virtual reality helmet, the kind that controls brainwaves. That way, the price would drop considerably, which would be more than enough for most people to afford."

"If it were the helmet VR technology for electroencephalogram manipulation, most of the technology would have been out of date, but many people applied for it in advance. It would have clashed with over 30 technological patents, and some of the patents would even be in the hands of giants like Google and Apple," Corona answered.

"Not a lot." Zhang Heng nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. "If that's the case, I'll just spend millions of USD to buy the patent rights. If the other party isn't willing to sell, I'll just have to resort to coercion."

"Understood." Corona nodded and looked at Zhang Heng with teary eyes all of a sudden, putting on a pitiful look. "What about the internet? You said that you'd arrange things for me."

"It's obvious that I'm planning to build a new platform using my VR technology, just like how I would do with a PC. I'll need all manner of hardware to fill in the purpose of the platform, and your purpose would be to design all manner of software," Zhang Heng said helplessly, which was how he managed to appease Corona. Corona rarely threw a tantrum, and she had always been dedicated to her work. In truth, Zhang Heng's feelings for Corona were deeper than his feelings for Li Yiru or any of his subordinates. It could be said that without Corona, he wouldn't be where he was right now.

Zhang Heng left the hive and went back to the ground floor after giving Corona her instructions. He went from the elevator in the underground parking lot to the second floor.

The elevator opened on the second floor and Zhang Heng saw a desk in front of the general manager's office at the end of the corridor as soon as he walked out of the elevator. There was a woman in a white-collar outfit who looked to be around 22 or 23 years old sitting at the desk, looking down at a document.

That woman was stunned for a bit when she saw Zhang Heng walking in her direction, before a shocked expression appeared on her face. She stood up right away and stood where she was, feeling at a loss.

Zhang Heng walked up to her and she immediately bowed and said, "Good day, Chairman!"

Zhang Heng nodded and took a look at the tag on that woman's desk—the secretary of the general manager. That woman was none other than Li Yiru, who had just taken over the position after Ma Rong was fired.

"You're here to look for the general manager, aren't you? The general manager is inside right now. Please come in, I'll get you some water!" The woman sounded rather flustered. She looked like someone who had just graduated and didn't have much social experience.

"Thank you," Zhang Heng said politely and knocked on the door.

"Screech." The door of the general manager's office opened right away and Li Yiru was standing behind the door. Li Yiru looked radiant and energetic, as if she had aged several years.

"You look well," Zhang Heng greeted.

"Well, it's all thanks to that T-2.1 of yours." Li Yiru said in a serious tone, "You never visit unless you need something. Tell me, dear Mr. Chairman, where would you like me to run errands this time?"

"What do you mean by 'running errands'?" Zhang Heng chuckled helplessly at Li Yiru's sarcastic remarks. "I do have something for you to do, but there's no need for you to run errands anymore. Just leave it to your subordinates."

"What do you mean by 'underlings'?" Li Yiru rolled her eyes at Zhang Heng. "All of them are your employees, alright?"

"It's all the same." Zhang Heng waved dismissively and took the cup of tea from his assistant, who poured another cup for Li Yiru before leaving the office.

Zhang Heng said formally after the outsiders left, "I've brought a proposal for the company's development with me. Take a look." He then took out a document prepared by Corona.

Li Yiru straightened herself and took the proposal and read it in silence. It was fine at first, but when she read the contents, she was stunned.

"You want Stellar Technology to cross-border?"

"That's right. We're practically invincible in the field of biopharmaceuticals. All that's left to do is to continue to grow by following the route that I've designed." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "But that's not enough. I still need the company to be able to break free from its shackles. After all, our company is known as' Stellar Technology 'and not' Stellar Pharmaceutical '. If we don't develop some electronic technology, how could we be worthy of that title?"

"What about technology?" Li Yiru flipped to the second page with a puzzled look before looking up at Zhang Heng. "Acquisition?"

"Okay. Get someone to contact the musicians, the people from Wonderland, and some other companies. None of those companies have been listed before. We could buy them all."

"Are the local companies reliable?" Li Yiru couldn't help but frown. "The kinetic seats they designed don't give them any advantage in terms of technology. They might as well buy some of the more powerful virtual reality companies overseas."

"No need. I have the technology with me." Zhang Heng wore a mysterious grin on his face. "I'm sure you'll be shocked when the technology comes out."

"You've surprised me every single time, haven't you?" Li Yiru felt relieved after hearing what Zhang Heng said. She didn't doubt his words at all. Her trust in him stemmed from all the miracles that he had performed over again. It could be said that she was the only one who witnessed the rapid rise of Stellar Technology from a small private company to a place where pharmaceutical companies were considered the most powerful in the world.

She felt lucky most of the time, glad that she had chosen to join Stellar Technology when Zhang Heng was at his weakest, regardless of what her classmates and family did to him. As such, she was able to get to where she was without a doubt. To her, the Li Group of her family was as insignificant as a shrimp in comparison. The massive Stellar Technology company was more than enough to make the Li Group disappear without a trace.

"After acquiring all of those companies, just get them to move to the Stellar Technology building to work. It's about time for more people to work in that building," Zhang Heng added.

"Well then, if you're planning to enter the virtual reality field, shouldn't we have our own factories as well?" Li Yiru asked. "Or would you like to work with a mechanical electronics company?"

"I'll definitely need my own processing plant," Zhang Heng said without hesitation. "And I want to manufacture everything from the microchip to the outer shell."

"Do we have the technology to do that?" Li Yiru was stunned for a moment. Many of the chips on the computer were imported from overseas by Huaxia companies, and the CPU, GPU, and IGBT were all in the hands of foreign companies, not to mention the more advanced VR and AR equipment. There wasn't a single factory in Huaxia that had such technology.

"If I say you can, then you definitely can." Zhang Heng nodded without any hesitation. "Just because you didn't have any in the past doesn't mean that you won't have any in the future." What a joke. Zhang Heng's Honeycomb Laboratory had a complete high-end waterline factory, and there was no shortage of high-precision machine tools from the radiation plane. If Zhang Heng was unable to manufacture all manner of chips from the VR equipment, then there wouldn't be a single factory in the world capable of doing so.

252. Vr Controlled By Brainwave

Three days later, an unnoticeable change took place on the simplistic and intricate official website of Stellar Technology.

There was once only a huge panel on the official website of Stellar Technology, which stated that Stellar Technology had a patent for several types of drugs. However, that panel was cut in half by a black line that suddenly appeared.

The black line was vertical. On the left side of the black line was a close-up of all the drugs developed by Stellar Technology, with the words' biopharmaceutical 'written on it. On the other side of the line were the words' electronic technology '.

If someone were to click on it out of curiosity, they would find a huge blank page appearing on the screen. There was a huge three-dimensional 'question mark' at the center of the blank page, and behind the question mark was the image of a helmet.

The image was blurry and he could barely make out that it was a black metal helmet with many red LED lights decorating the helmet. While he was unable to see the entire thing, he was able to tell that the helmet looked rather mysterious.

Many people who had been paying close attention to the pharmaceutical monopoly knew that Stellar Technology had a new product after seeing that new panel.

As the wealthiest company in Huaxia, even though Stellar Technology wasn't exactly a high-profile company, its every move was nonetheless something that drew the attention of countless people. Many media outlets of all sizes in the country began to rush to report the news after the announcement was made.

"Stellar technology suspected to have crossed over, or is about to launch electronics?—Old Wave News."

"The wolf is here! Someone revealed that Stellar Technology is secretly purchasing the Wonderland and the Musicians. Stellar Technology is about to step into the VR market?—TX News."

"The drug dealers went to sell electronics instead of doing proper jobs. Biotech company met with a transformation crisis?—Search the Bear News."

"When people opened the main page of Stellar Technology, they were all stunned.—UC News."

Li Yiru announced the release date of the new product to the media and invited reporters from all over the world to hold a press conference.

Stellar Technology became a hot topic of conversation in the tech scene all of a sudden. Some netizens who were more concerned about technology were having a lot of fun talking about it.

"Stellar Technology seems to have a new product?"

"Electronic technology? Stellar technology is finally reaching the electronics field?"

"I'm going to laugh myself to death. A drug seller who doesn't do his job properly? I'll give the title of 'Search the Bear' 99 points. The remaining point is for fear of making you proud."

"UC editor, you idiot! You only know how to be shocked, stunned, your whole family is stunned!"

"Damn the title!"

Stellar Technology was considered to have made a name for itself in the country, but it didn't cause much of a commotion. While it was obvious from the actions of the two small, unknown companies that the company had acquired that Stellar Technology wanted to enter the VR field, those who paid attention to the tech scene were used to it. After all, there were simply too many enterprises that were bent on making a comeback. Other than a handful of people who remained on the sidelines, most people didn't think much of Stellar Technology's actions.

Stellar Technology might have reached the top of the world in the field of biopharmaceuticals, but biopharmaceuticals and electronics were completely out of reach. Furthermore, all of the high-tech companies around the world had their eyes on that piece of cake. No matter how resourceful Stellar Technology was, there was simply no way that it would be able to get anything out of it.

However, Zhang Heng had already bought a huge electronics processing plant near the belly of the Hengxing building to manufacture some of the less important parts of the virtual reality helmet, such as the helmet's outer shell, earphones, lenses, and so on. He was unable to find any of the core components.

Those things were not very technical and took only a few days to assemble the assembly line. A car of virtual reality helmets without any internal equipment was loaded into the car and the driver started the car before heading in the direction of the Stellar Technology building.

The car drove into the basement of the Stellar Biotech building as if there was no one else around. It took about 10 minutes before the car was driven out again. However, the truck full of virtual reality helmets was completely gone by then.

More than a dozen scientists were gathered in the depths of the Honeycomb at the moment, surrounding a young man with a complex battery of electrical wiring and a chip on his head. The young man was a Mexican coach who had been kidnapped during the headhunting expedition. His name was Milo, and he was the one who volunteered to serve as a lab rat, testing the virtual reality helmet that all the scientists had worked through the night to construct.

The helmet just so happened to be missing a shell and all the equipment and electrical wiring were simply exposed to the air. Furthermore, there were image projecting lenses similar to those found in kinetic armor placed on the eyes. When the two lenses were placed on the eyes, the image projected on the eyeballs could be seen.

"How is it?" All the scientists asked anxiously.

"That's very interesting. Using brainwaves to control the characters in the game is very interesting. It's just like how I have two bodies, and I can feel that I'm able to command the characters in the game as if they were my own arms. I can even feel the characters in the game." Milo's lips curled up excitedly. He could brag to others in the future that he was the first person in the world to try out real VR equipment. All those Google glasses and Apple helmets were utterly useless.

"That's the power of the electroencephalogram hypnotherapy device. It enables people to develop a sense of touch and taste in the game. Of course, the prerequisite is to set up that sense of touch. However, the sense of touch and taste in the game is not very strong. It's only about a third of what it is in real life. That would be the highest value possible." Louis took the initiative to explain to Zhang Heng. "If it were to get any higher, it would be very easy for people to immerse themselves in the game. If they were to encounter death or some other form of stimulation in the game, it would be very easy for the players' mental states to be negatively affected. By then, the authorities wouldn't be willing to do so."

Zhang Heng nodded in agreement and turned around to look at the screen behind him. It was a game that Milo was playing at the moment. The story of the protagonist fighting countless hellish demons with all manner of weapons was described as a first-person perspective, similar to the story of the Weeping Ghost. In actual fact, it was just a game designed by Corona for people to test their helmets.

Despite being designed casually by Corona, the graphics of the game looked no different from that of a CG blockbuster. It looked even better than the 3A blockbuster, which was known internationally to have a very good film quality, and the details were comprehensive as well. Even 'Escape 2', which had been built with a massive amount of money last year and had its details blown out of proportion, was hardly comparable to that of Corona's virtual space. However, there was no way a person could make a living out of it all at once. If Zhang Heng were to really come up with that world-shaking technology all at once, it might not be a good thing.

The technology contained in that helmet was far more advanced than that found in most civilian equipment, such as brainwave control. Zhang Heng was practically undefeatable just based on that alone. The user would feel as if they had gained a new body after wearing that helmet. While it might be awkward for the body to move in real life when they first put the helmet on, the user would be able to easily sit on the couch or lie on the bed after getting used to the controls and enter their own illusory little world.

That was a fully immersive VR device. It was more than just playing games, of course. There were also functions related to studying, training culinary skills, medical simulations, and many others. The visual projection technology employed by the virtual reality helmet was a kind of AI light that could adjust the light and dark according to the eye. There was no danger of damaging the eyesight. One could even order an e-books and wear the virtual helmet to read the book, which would be better for the eyes' health than reading the book in real life.

"Director Zhang, the first batch of external components for the helmets are here!" One of Louis' assistants walked in from outside all of a sudden and said excitedly to Zhang Heng.

253. Preparing To Sell

Zhang Heng nodded to show that he knew what was going on. Louis, who had been paying attention to Zhang Heng the whole time, was elated as well. He looked at Zhang Heng and said, "Mr. Zhang, why don't we put this experiment device inside the helmet and try it out first?"

"Sure, I'd like to see what the first virtual reality helmet to be born out of my own hands looks like." After Zhang Heng agreed, Louis arranged for a few assistants to take the outer shell of the helmet out.

The three assistants brought in six half-finished products one at a time, while the other scientists were busy putting the remaining virtual reality devices without shells into their helmets.

The helmet had a bifurcated structure and was made of ultra-high-molecular polyethylene fiber. It looked like steel on the outside, but that wasn't the case. However, the quality of the suit was excellent, and the suit had deliberately left gaps in the equipment and circuits. It took less than 10 minutes for an agile assistant to finish assembling one of the helmets.

The overall structure of the helmet looked like that of a motorcycle's helmet, but the design was a lot more intricate. The streamlined design looked futuristic, with a layer of sponge protection covering the inside of the helmet. The helmet wouldn't damage the skin after being worn, and the comfort level would be guaranteed first. There was also a cooling fan on the helmet, preventing the helmet from overheating when worn, which would cause one to suffer from heatstroke. The exterior of the helmet was decorated with blue LED lights, making it look futuristic.

"Mr. Zhang, would you like to try it out first?" Louis took the helmet to Zhang Heng after seeing that it was fully assembled and put on a fawning look.

"Sure." Zhang Heng hesitated for a bit before nodding. He took the helmet and sat down on the couch, before putting the helmet on under everyone's expectant gaze.

Zhang Heng blacked out right away. The helmet detected human access and began operating.

"New user detected. Do you want to register?" A metallic, three-dimensional voice was heard from the earpiece. A list flashed before Zhang Heng's eyes, which was the image projected directly on his retina.

At that moment, Zhang Heng tested the controls of his consciousness and found that there was a beacon right before his eyes. He controlled the beacon to point at 'No' in a very familiar manner and skipped the registration segment.

In truth, there was no way Zhang Heng could register even if he wanted to. The helmet didn't connect to the Internet after all. However, the helmet itself had a wireless device installed that could connect to the Wi-Fi, or connect to the Internet directly. The only problem was that the latter would be more troublesome.

A soothing background music was heard and the logo of Stellar Technology appeared before his eyes. His vision changed and he found himself in an operation interface similar to the Android interface. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the interface, as everything continued to function as a mass operating system.

On the interface, there was a movie player used for watching movies, a drawing software similar to the one used by FotoShoop (PS), electronic reading, and so on. Of course, the most interesting feature of the interface was still the game's function.

Zhang Heng took off the helmet after experimenting with it for a bit. There was actually nothing for him to test out. The visual equipment that he was wearing on the power armor was actually an enhanced version of the equipment, but that was only in the AR category. If he really wanted to test out the VR, Corona's virtual space would be the best VR.

Zhang Heng nodded casually after taking off the helmet and said, "Not bad at all. Of course, it would be even better if I could design the interface in a more innovative manner."

Many people breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that Zhang Heng was satisfied with the helmet. Many young assistants began to rush to test the other functions of the helmet. Even the older scientists were getting restless. It was obvious that the helmet was very attractive to both young and old.

Zhang Heng lit a cigarette silently and left the laboratory. He planned to start mass-production after those people were done with their tests. He planned to first manufacture several million sets of equipment to serve as stockpiles. The equipment would be available for sale worldwide at the press conference next week.

According to Corona's calculations, the cost of a Virtual Reality Helmet was about US $500, which meant that the cost would be over 3,000 yuan. That was why Zhang Heng's technology was able to reduce the cost by so much. If it were to be processed by a regular processing company, the cost of a single suit would probably reach tens of thousands of US dollars.

The price that Zhang Heng had prepared for the sale was US $5,500. That price alone was considered very expensive. Even working-class Americans would have to think twice before purchasing something like that, let alone Huaxia. However, the price was surprisingly cheap when compared to its value. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng taking out that thing, it would have taken humanity 20 to 30 years to get the VR industry to such a state.

Zhang Heng wasn't worried about the leakage of the data. The most valuable technology found in the data was probably brainwave technology. While other technologies like CPU chips had higher technical requirements than those found in the real world, that was only because of the cost involved. If the CPU manufacturers were to set aside their costs and develop such a super CPU, they would only need to spend hundreds of times more.

According to what Zhang Heng knew about brainwave technology, not even the United States was able to make much progress. Additionally, Zhang Heng's unique encryption techniques would require about five to eight years for the United States to be able to unravel the secrets behind brainwave manipulation. By then, Zhang Heng would have become a company that monopolized the entire world, and he would have countless technologies at his disposal. Zhang Heng wouldn't care about a brainwave manipulation technique that wasn't yet mature enough.

Furthermore, that was just the worst-case scenario. If the various countries were to find out that they were unable to crack Zhang Heng's brainwave technology, they would definitely come to him right away to seek cooperation. Large amounts of orders would come pouring in like water, accelerating Zhang Heng's progress. As such, Zhang Heng wouldn't be at a disadvantage no matter what.

The VR was only the first step that Zhang Heng took to enter the electronics industry. The second step was to spread the AR that he acquired from the Alien plane. Technically speaking, the AR was far more useful than the VR, and it had a brighter future ahead of it. Zhang Heng had a firm grasp of both lifelines and the future of humanity.

The next step would be to work with the governments of the various countries and gradually become a massive entity that could stand on equal footing with the superpowers. Working with the government would, of course, involve the military industry. That was the most important part of the plan—to increase the overall military power of humanity so that humanity wouldn't be rendered completely defenseless when faced with that curse in the future.

Once Stellar Technology gained enough power to stand on equal footing with the other countries, the development of the energy industry and the aerospace industry would be a piece of cake. By then, Stellar Technology would have reached the third tier of the Weyland Yutani Company, and it would only be a step away from reaching the final tier—'taking control of Earth and guiding the development of human technology'.

254. The Press Conference Begins!

The Stellar Technology building was packed with people on May 1.

He was in the outskirts of Haizhou City, which meant that the number of people there was nowhere near that of the city. However, he was surprised to see a sea of people there.

Countless news vans and media outlets from all over the country arrived at 12 noon and gathered before the main door of the Stellar Technology building. Many reporters and hosts began to report to the cameras in the midst of the crowd.

"Good day, everyone. This is Guan Zhong Village online. I'm your friend, Xiaomei. Our current location is right in front of the Stellar Technology headquarters in Haizhou City. As you can see, this place is a sea of people right now! There are dozens of media outlets here as well. Today is a special day, and that is the press conference for the new product of Stellar Biotech, the number one biopharmaceutical company in Huaxia."

"As the largest biopharmaceutical company in the world, Stellar Technology is considered to be keeping a very low profile. Ever since the company appeared in the public eye, this is only the second time that a press conference has been held. The last time that a press conference was held was only five months ago. That press conference could be said to have shocked the world, as humans have officially entered a new era of medicine from that day onwards. When people are faced with terminal illnesses, it's not that they are completely at their wit's end, but that they could simply freeze themselves and wait for the day that such terminal illnesses would be cured in the future."

"That technology is the renowned cryogenic technology of the human body. Many specialists believe that it is yet another major manifestation of human progress. That technology would serve humanity well, and in the future, medical, aerospace, and many other fields would apply that technology. For example, if you were to be frozen to death during the operation, your life wouldn't be in danger even if the operation were to go wrong. That technology would reduce medical malpractice by over a hundred times…"

The host from Zhongguan Village continued to talk. The reporters from the IT family were not far away from the reporters from Zhongguan Village. There was a saying that went well: Where there are people, there is jianghu. Where there are computers and mobile phones, there is the IT family.

"Good day, everyone. I'm Liang, the host of the IT family. I'm standing before the door of the Stellar Technology building today. This is the headquarters of the renowned Stellar Technology. Speaking of this legendary company, I'm sure that as a Huaxian, there's no way that I wouldn't know about it. They invented the T-1 drug to treat cancer, preventing cancer from becoming a terminal disease of the century. Furthermore, they also created the antifreeze Nanopharmaceutical, as well as five new types of antibiotics that are being tested worldwide, and so on. This is a superstar company in the field of biopharmaceuticals. It was their appearance that saved hundreds of millions of lives."

"To be honest, a pharmaceutical company didn't have much contact with the IT family. However, a new product was about to be released by Stellar Technology just a week ago, and it was this new product that made me unable to sit still. Why? Because this new product is actually related to electronics! According to sources, Stellar Technology has acquired two VR companies in the country in secret. Doesn't that mean that Stellar Technology is about to enter the VR industry? The press conference this time is where the answer lies. Liang will be joining the press conference today to clear your doubts."

That scene kept happening in front of the Stellar Technology building. As it got closer to noon, more media reporters showed up and there were even quite a number of foreign media outlets among them. Passersby who had nothing better to do came to the building as well and the crowd was practically blocking the way.

In the end, all the police stations in the city were sent out to maintain order. To be honest, even the government hadn't anticipated such a scene before the doors of Stellar Technology. Technically speaking, no matter how famous Stellar Technology was, it wasn't a tech industry, and no matter how famous it was, it couldn't compare to tech companies like Apple, Xiaomi, and the like. However, before the press conference even began, the sheer number of people at the event was more than enough to overturn the press conferences held by those tech companies. That was only because Stellar Technology hadn't done any mass promotion and had only invited dozens of media outlets from all over the world. Most of the media outlets present were uninvited.

One hour before the launch of the press conference, Star Technology finally began to arrange for people to be invited to the venue for a ticket inspection. All the uninvited media outlets from Star Technology had anticipated that the venue would be located at a huge venue on the top floor of Star Technology. The venue was over 3,000 square meters in area and the viewing area was divided into two floors, which could accommodate hundreds of people. However, apart from those invited to the venue, the rest of the guests could only stand at the back and watch from afar.

The venue looked no different from any other press conference. There was a huge podium in front of the audience, and there was a podium at the top left corner of the podium. There was a huge 200-inch screen that was 3650 * 2750mm in size behind the podium, and there was nothing else special about it.

The most dramatic ones were Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and other enterprises. All of the world-renowned internet giants attended the press conference as well, sitting at the forefront of the event with grave expressions on their faces.

At that moment, Li Yiru and several staff members were standing at the backstage of the venue. The staff members were talking about all sorts of things to take note of, while Li Yiru wore a serious expression and looked rather nervous.

While she had long gotten used to big events and had even been invited by the leaders of the country, it was still her first time hosting a press conference with over a thousand people.

It was just that it was impossible to get Zhang Heng, who was the boss of the event, to host the event himself. Other than Zhang Heng and her, who was the general manager, no one else had the right to host the event. As such, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and take the role.

Time passed and it was soon 2 P.M. When the time was up, the lights on the stage flickered and Li Yiru walked up to the podium wearing a black suit.

Applause and whistles were heard from below the stage. No one was unfamiliar with the beautiful president of Hengxing Technology. There was even gossip about her all the way to the present day. She was simply too young. She was only 23 years old and could be said to be one of the younger generation in the tech scene. People would first wonder why she was able to become the president of a company with assets comparable to that of the top 10 corporations in the world at such a young age. That, coupled with her looks, inevitably led to gossip about her.

However, it was the first time that many people actually met Li Yiru. Li Yiru was a very charismatic person to begin with. Her exquisite features and light makeup gave her an air of arrogance and sexiness, which made her look stunning.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Stellar Biotech, which has traveled such a long way to get here. I believe that all of you are still unfamiliar with me. I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Li Yiru, the general manager of Stellar Biotech, and the host of this press conference. I'll be leading all of you to the product launch of Stellar Biotech in the next hour and a half."

The big screen behind her lit up as soon as Li Yiru's voice was heard. The logo that was unique to Stellar Technology appeared on the screen, accompanied by the sound of the grand piano and background music. Everyone clapped subconsciously.

The press conference officially began.

255. Helmet-vr

"I'm sure everyone knows by now that two renowned VR companies from Huaxia have joined our family some time ago. The two of them have given us a lot of inspiration." Li Yiru bowed gratefully after the applause was over and continued in a cheerful tone, "I'm sure everyone has guessed that the new product launched by our company is related to VR."

"Some people might just say that our company is a very good biopharmaceutical company. Why would we join the field of electronically advanced technology instead of doing pharmaceuticals? That would be the motto of our company." Li Yiru took two steps to the side and continued, "The motto of our Stellar Technology is to use technology to change one's life and use the present to create the future. As such, Stellar Technology has never focused solely on biopharmaceuticals. It's just like the name of our company, Stellar Biotech, which includes both biotechnology and technology. That's all."

The crowd applauded again after hearing that explanation.

"To be honest, I didn't expect that there would be so many friends attending the press conference today." Li Yiru continued, "Our company has prepared a lot of things for the event to be worth everyone's travel expenses. Generally speaking, the traditional press conferences would involve some leaders giving speeches, arranging art performances such as sand paintings, violins, and so on. We would also look for a few catwalk shows and show off some pretty clothes. It would be very lively and harmonious, but it would be of no value. As for the press conference, we would talk about the product directly, hoping to give everyone a surprise."

"Next, let us welcome our product—Stellar Helmet-VR!"

The reporters below the stage were finally invigorated as they watched the lights on the podium darken completely, leaving only the bright screen before their eyes.

Just as everyone expected, a black dot appeared on the screen first. As the camera zoomed in, everyone saw that it was a helmet, a metallic black helmet with blue lights on it.

Apple, Microsoft, and the other companies heaved a sigh of relief when they saw that the VR equipment didn't look any different from the other VR equipment. The only difference was that the equipment looked better and looked better. Due to the reputation of Stellar Technology, they had thought that Stellar Technology would come up with some kind of earth-shattering product, but it seemed like that was all there was to it.

Just when most people were feeling relieved, the helmet was picked up by a young blonde man who appeared out of nowhere on the screen in the very next second. That blonde young man looked at the helmet and smiled happily before turning around and sitting on a couch, putting the helmet on his head at the same time.

Wait a minute… The expression of the representative from Microsoft changed drastically all of a sudden. He hadn't seen a computer in the display just then. Did the show deliberately omit the effects of the display, or was the helmet itself some kind of computer-like platform?

That detail seemed to have been overlooked by most people. Everyone saw the image split into two. The smaller image was of the young man wearing the helmet sitting on the couch, while the larger image was of the young man wearing the helmet.

It was the same LOGO that remained the same for tens of thousands of years. However, when the VR helmet was fully activated, what appeared before his eyes was not a game, but an operation that was different from that of Android and Apple.

Most of the VRs in the past were hardware that served as a kind of external accessory, just like the mouse, keyboard, and controller. The data displayed on the screen at that moment astonished everyone. Could it be that the VR helmet itself was actually a computer?

Some of the reporters who came to that conclusion were stunned, feeling impressed at how ambitious Stellar Technology was. At the same time, the gossiping souls in their hearts were completely ignited. Countless cameras flashed below the stage.

The faces of those companies involved in the VR scan changed drastically at that moment. Everyone wore a glum look on their faces. It wasn't that they hadn't thought of building a complete set of equipment for the VR, but the technology involved was simply too advanced. It wasn't that they couldn't turn the VR into a PC, but there were probably many people who wouldn't be willing to do so when it came to size and weight.

He didn't expect that Star Technology would give everyone such a 'surprise' right after entering the VR world.

However, that wasn't completely unacceptable. Furthermore, not everyone was able to get used to the idea of turning the VR into a single unit. While the crowd looked rather glum, they didn't feel too desperate yet. However, what happened next completely stunned them.

"Hold on… why isn't the user holding a controller or something like that? How did he manage to control it?" Everyone found that the young man's hands didn't move at all when they saw the logo appear on the screen and picked a game. Furthermore, he didn't even turn his neck, yet the image on the screen did.

That wasn't the most shocking thing. What truly caused the entire venue to start whispering was that everyone saw something that looked like something out of a movie after the game appeared. Not only that, the character with the first-person view of the game went on a killing spree in the game, destroying flying demons with the weapon in his hand. However, the player himself remained sitting there quietly. He was so tired that he simply lay on the couch.

Shocking!

Countless speculations ran through the minds of everyone present, yet all manner of phrases were stuck in their mouths. No matter what, none of them were able to spit out that term, as their first reaction was disbelief.

Li Yiru returned to the stage after the display was over and the crowd began to murmur among themselves. The people sitting in the very front row were unable to sit still any longer. They took out their phones and began to report what they saw and heard to their superiors.

"Exaggerated? No, this is real." Li Yiru had more or less gotten used to being the center of attention by then. She continued casually, "I know that everyone must be very surprised. Why is it that the character in the image projection could control the entire game without moving? How did he do it? I believe that everyone has guessed it, right?"

"That reporter over there, you seem to have something to say?" Li Yiru didn't say that word out loud as if she was doing it on purpose, instead, she began to interact with the other reporters present.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Li Yiru. May I know if your Helmet-VR is using mind control?" That reporter asked excitedly. Those who had yet to recover from the shock immediately realized what was going on. Everyone held their breaths and fixed their eyes on Li Yiru.

"Surprised?" Li Yiru took a deep breath and continued, "That's it. That's the true selling point of the Stellar HelmetVR, a technology that our company invented—brainwave control."

"Whoosh!"

Everyone was stunned. Despite having thought of such a possibility, they still felt as if they had been dealt a heavy blow when Li Yiru admitted to it herself. What kind of concept was brainwave control? Since when did humans have such advanced technology?

Li Yiru didn't say anything else and waited for everyone to vent their shock and amazement. It was not until half a minute had passed that Li Yiru continued, "To be honest, the VR technology is no longer something new. If you were to pay close attention to the industry, you would know that the technology was developed in the 1950s and 1960s. However, the technology was so cumbersome that it was only used for simulations in laboratories. Consumers wouldn't be able to get a hold of it, much less see it. There was a military version invented decades later, which was used to simulate a series of flight missions. It was only when the consumer version was released that people were shocked—the era of the VR came!"

Li Yiru continued with a smile when she saw that everyone's attention was drawn back to her. "The device with the screen tells us that the VR could very well be the next generation of display equipment. If the computing power were to keep up, it could even become a combination of communication, computing, and perception. That way, you could call it the next generation of AI platforms."

"But it's obvious that it's still not enough. The pursuit of human enjoyment is endless."

Li Yiru continued in a passionate tone, "In reality, humans have body movements, communication, sight, hearing, smell, smell, and touch. However, the current VR equipment is only able to serve as a feast for people's eyes and ears. If you were to say that the highest standards for virtual reality are to include other senses, you might even need to drink a cup of coffee in some VR games."

"If I were to describe virtual reality, it would be like what the person in charge of the VR at the Google Development Conference said, 'Humans are advanced species that possess vision, hearing, touch, behavior, and even taste. If we were to apply all of that to virtual reality technology, that would be true virtual reality!' Now, we would be honored to announce that Stellar Technology has done it!"

The crowd was thrown into an uproar yet again. The faces of the representatives from the VR companies below the stage turned paler with every commotion. Stellar Technology wasn't joining the VR field at all. It was practically wiping out the entire VR field!

"The star Helmet-VR possesses a special craftsmanship. Its outer shell is constructed from ultra-high-molecule polyethylene fiber, and the two pieces of retinal projector with a resolution of 2160x1200 are installed inside. Compared to the double OLD screens of the other VRs, the advantage is that it is even clearer. Furthermore, there is no problem damaging the eyeball. It comes with a 3D surround sound earpiece, and it is connected to the Internet. In other words, it is a PC, a brand new smart platform! With it, you can stand, sit, or even lie down and go to work, talk to people, watch movies, and play games…"

Li Yiru chuckled when she saw the heated looks on everyone's faces. "Of course, if we were to just talk about it here, no one would be able to tell what the product is like. I'd better invite the main characters to the stage and let everyone try it out for themselves."

Dozens of staff from Stellar Technology walked out from the backstage as they were speaking. All of them were wearing red uniforms and each of them had two helmets in their hands. Everyone's eyes lit up when they saw those helmets.

"All of you can try it out on stage right now. However, as there are only 100 pieces of equipment prepared for all of you, each of you only have 10 minutes to try it out. If you'd like to try out our piece of equipment before the sale of the Stellar Helmet-VR, you'd better do so now!"

No one was able to sit still anymore. Even the representatives from the giants of the imperial examinations rushed up to the stage and took the virtual reality helmet from the staff before putting it on themselves, as if they were afraid that someone else would try to steal it from them.

In the end, the press conference came to an end. However, what followed next was the beginning of the explosion that caused the entire planet to explode.

256. Dimensional Travel Experiment

The press conference lasted for an hour and a half. Li Yiru was the only one who went on stage to explain the functions of the Stellar Helmet-VR for the rest of the hour, while the audience was experimenting with the functions of the Stellar Helmet-VR on the stage. Even when the press conference was over, the enthusiasm of the reporters was not alleviated. Some of the reporters had to interview the staff of Stellar Technology after interviewing Li Yiru, and it took them nearly three hours to finish the press conference.

The word "star Helmet-VR" was seen all over the internet as soon as the press conference ended. The data and functions of the virtual reality helmet shocked everyone in the tech scene.

"Brainwave control? Is this kind of advanced technology something that could be found with current technology? Could it be some kind of hype?"

"Hype my a * *! Didn't you see how the reporters went about experimenting with it themselves? If it was fake, they would have exposed it a long time ago. Furthermore, there are so many media outlets out there, how could they possibly fake it all at once? A company as big as Stellar Technology, do you really think they could continue running such a scandal?"

"The second floor is right. There's no point trying to hype things up. Does Stellar Technology lack fame or money?"

"This is too shocking. I didn't expect to be able to play the gaming control helmet from online novels in my lifetime, with touch and taste? I hope Stellar Technology develops such online games immediately. I can't wait!"

"You're overthinking things. While such a helmet would appear, it would still take over a decade for it to reach the level of technology seen in online gaming novels. Don't forget, even standalone games with such equipment have yet to appear. A standalone game would always have a quality and technology that is five years above that of online gaming."

"Anyways, there is hope for me to live for the rest of my life. As long as I can play that kind of online game that I've always dreamed of playing, I'll die without regrets!"

It was the same overseas as well. People talking about the Stellar Helmet-VR were seen everywhere on the Internet. 'Stellar Technology' and 'Stellar Helmet-VR' both made it to the top of the search rankings without a doubt. They were ranked first and second on the search rankings. Even the kidney series that was launched every year by Apple had never been so popular.

There was no need for Zhang Heng to worry about the sales afterward. Li Yiru and the head office would take care of such matters for him. While it was not yet time for the sales to begin, dozens of manufacturers had approached Li Yiru. The equipment was yet to be manufactured, and the number of orders was already in the millions.

Zhang Heng felt that he would be able to earn 500 million US dollars just by selling 10,000 units. Of course, the price that he announced to the public was 4,000 US dollars. As such, while everyone was still envious of the sales volume of the Stellar Helmet-VR, they didn't have any other thoughts about it. Instead, they felt that the price was reasonable. If they were to know that the actual cost of the Stellar Helmet-VR was only 500 US dollars, the entire world would have exploded.

Furthermore, the day after the release of the Stellar Helmet-VR, people from the government went to look for Li Yiru in hopes of working with her. The so-called 'cooperation' was probably aimed at brainwave manipulation technology. Of course, there was also the technology used by Stellar Technology to manufacture chips. Zhang Heng agreed to all of that request with a wave of his hand. While those technologies were of little use to him, they were of great help to the government. In return, Stellar Technology received five years of tax exemption and a lot of policies. That was what Stellar Technology needed the most. With those policies, Stellar Technology would be able to grow even faster.

Overseas, countries like the US, the UK, and Russia chose to wait and see. However, their people would definitely get their hands on the technology and crack it right away. However, when they found out that they were unable to crack the technology, they would naturally come to Zhang Heng's aid.

The star Helmet-VR was like a typhoon that swept across the entire world. Everywhere it went, even the likes of Apple, Microsoft, and other tech giants would have to lower their heads and back away, making it look very impressive.

On the other side, Luo Jincheng's team, who had been researching the 'Dimensional Travel', finally received some good news. The first Dimensional Travel Device had been completed and was ready for testing.

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up when he heard that and rushed to the B8th floor (the newly constructed underground plaza where the particle accelerator was installed). He was able to see a huge group of people moving all sorts of equipment from afar when he reached the B8.

A huge crescent-shaped building stood tall on the ground at the center of the plaza. The crescent-shaped building was about 20 meters tall and its base was about 30 meters wide. It had an extremely ridiculous design and was filled with antenna-like equipment. The entire structure was silver-white in color and the center of the crescent-shaped building was hollow, making it look like a crescent moon.

Zhang Heng walked up to him and Luo Jincheng saw him right away. That old man who always wore a grin on his face nodded at him and said, "Little Zhang, we've overcome all of the obstacles posed by the design you brought with you and we've constructed that wormhole-creating device. However, the power consumption of that thing is really huge. The nuclear fusion generator that we built back then wasn't even enough to supply all of the power to that piece of equipment. As such, we built another nuclear fusion generator, which was barely enough to keep the thing before us running for half a minute."

"Well, it's a machine capable of traversing planes after all. To be honest, I'm surprised that it was able to succeed." Zhang Heng nodded. The so-called plane traversing device was the 'time warp device' of the Terminator plane. However, the thing before him looked different from what he saw in the movies.

"Commander, this is what Yurianne did when she was communicating with me. She made many adjustments and modifications to the shuttle plane before it became what it is today." Corona's voice was heard directly from Zhang Heng's wireless earpiece. "A new plane shuttle has made up for many of the flaws that the original device possesses, such as the possibility of errors, or flaws that the metal couldn't reveal. The current plane shuttle would definitely shock you."

"I'm looking forward to it." Zhang Heng nodded. "Have you done any experiments yet?"

"We used a rat as a guinea pig at the very beginning and successfully sent him to the other side of the wormhole before dragging him back," Luo Jincheng said with a grin.

"Wait, wait…" Zhang Heng was stunned. "Rats? Wormholes? Taken back?"

"Correct. The device before you would generate a singularity in the hollow at the center of the device after it was activated. The singularity would then be penetrated by ultra-high-field lasers, resulting in a spatial tear effect. A high-energy, powerful magnetic field would then be used to bind the shattered space, constructing an artificial wormhole capable of traversing the void, which is the throat of Swasy."

"Then, we tie the rat's tail and let it enter the wormhole. The equipment strapped to the rat will be able to see what happened to the rat, and we'll be able to pull the rat back to reality before it dies."

Luo Jincheng sighed and said, "That's just an instrument that we've developed according to the textbook. But what happened in there? Why could the singularity form a wormhole? Why could such a wormhole allow lifeforms and non-lifeforms to pass through it? We all know how it works, but we don't know why. Neither the theory of relativity nor the quantum theory could explain the principle of the plane shuttle. We still have a long way to go before we can unravel the mystery of the plane shuttle."

"That's for sure. Our scientific system isn't at that level yet, after all." Zhang Heng nodded and changed the subject. "We can take our time to study the plane shuttle, but I'd like to know what's on the other side of the wormhole that you guys opened last time."

257. Discovering A Parallel World

"The void." Luo Jincheng wore a serious expression. "There's an endless void on the other side. It's practically in an extremely high vacuum state, and we can still see stars in the distance. We suspect that the location on the other side is outside the river system."

Outside the river system? Zhang Heng frowned. That was not the outcome he was looking for. "Can I be teleported somewhere?"

"We're still trying to figure all of that out. We're still unable to locate the location on the other side." Luo Jincheng chuckled and continued, "However, I have a feeling that this machine is very similar to a molecular transmission device. It's very likely that we'll need another node to be found before we're able to teleport accurately. Otherwise, we'll only be able to teleport at random."

"In other words, I'll need to construct a similar plane shuttle at the other end of the plane before I can proceed with the destination?"

"That's right," Luo Jincheng confirmed. "It's just that it's a bit more technologically advanced than the molecular transmission equipment. After all, molecular transmission can only be performed in the same plane, while the plane shuttle is capable of interplanar transmission."

Zhang Heng nodded. "Understood. Let's do another test first."

"Sure thing!" Luo Jincheng nodded excitedly. Due to the energy problem, Corona had told him to stop the experiment right away and wait for Zhang Heng's decision. He was more than happy to hear from his superior.

Dozens of assistants got ready as soon as the order for the next experiment was given. It took nearly an hour just to get ready.

"Preparations are complete. Initiating apparatus… three, two, one!"

The huge crescent-shaped device began to sizzle as the assistant's voice was heard. A faint vibration was felt and the entire plane shuttle gradually lit up. Countless light spots of all sizes began to flicker in the hole of the shuttle. The light spots fused together and gradually turned into a bright moon.

An even more intense beam of light began to burst from the center of the moon. That was the energy generated by the collision of particles. The reaction of that energy was suppressed to an extremely minute point due to the high-voltage magnetic field generated by the apparatus, simulating the moment when the universe was just born.

Singularity!

The pressure brought about by hundreds of billions of atmospheric surges would compress that energy capable of destroying an entire city to a single point the size of a needle. Time and space seemed to be non-existent in such a singular point where the temperature and density were infinite, leaving only nothingness.

All of a sudden, a beam of light shot out from the other side and shone on the singularity before disappearing without a trace.

Ultra-high field lasers were capable of generating 200 trillion kW of power, which was 100,000 times the power generated by any power source in the world, lasting only for one billionth of a second. The massive laser beams, which were initially several feet wide, focused on a single point, making it look like sunlight was condensing into a single point through a magnifying glass. The intensity of the light at that point was extremely high, even exceeding the temperature at the center of the sun.

That was the power of ultra-high-field lasers, a power that could tear a vacuum apart.

Boom!

The ultra-high-range laser beams crashed into that point like shooting wolves. The singularity felt as if it had been pressed into a sponge and pushed deep into space.

Bang!

The sound of space being torn apart seemed to reverberate in everyone's hearts. Zhang Heng couldn't help but slowly take off his goggles. Shock was written all over his face at the moment. Despite having heard Luo Jincheng's academic explanation, it was only when he saw everything with his own eyes that he realized that everything he saw had long surpassed his imagination.

As the singularity at the center of the crescent-shaped device disappeared, everyone looked through the collapsed space and saw that there seemed to be a hole there all of a sudden. It was pitch-black and not a single ray of light was able to penetrate the hole. No one knew what was on the other side of the hole.

"So, this is the wormhole formed by the singularity. It can only exist for about 30 seconds." Luo Jincheng was astonished as well. A glass tube with a complicated design was placed before the wormhole under his command. A rat with a video camera and a wiring attached to its tail ran along the glass tube and disappeared into the wormhole in the very next second.

"The rats are in!" One of the assistants said right away. "Detection team, begin scanning the environment on the other side!"

Zhang Heng looked at the screen and saw that the rat had completely entered the other side of the wormhole. The other side was not the vacuum outside the river system that Luo Jincheng mentioned before, but…

A city.

The other side of the wormhole looked like it was hundreds of meters above ground from the camera. Due to gravity, the Rats dropped to the ground as soon as they entered the plane on the other side and hung in midair due to electrical wiring tied to their tails. However, everyone could see the modern city on the ground through the cameras.

However, that city seemed to have been abandoned for a very long time and was only left in a desolate state. Large amounts of plants filled the streets of the city and there was nothing else out of place.

"This is…!" Everyone couldn't help but cry out in alarm. Even Zhang Heng looked surprised. Did he just run into the human plane by accident?

However, for some reason, he shuddered all of a sudden. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the big screen before him. For some reason, the more he looked at that ruined city, the more uncomfortable he felt.

"The wormhole is about to close in 10 seconds!" Just when everyone was still in a dazed state, a voice prompt finally woke them up. Everyone then began to check the composition of the environment on the other side in a flurry and pulled the rat back just when the wormhole was about to close.

The wormhole shuddered all of a sudden before dissipating without a trace, as if it had been vaporized.

The lab rat that was dragged back was pulled into the glass tube again and a huge amount of disinfection equipment was sprayed on the tubes of the disinfection tube. The tubes were then completely sealed to prevent biological contamination from happening. The unlucky rat was then placed in a completely sealed observation box while data was extracted.

"Data for environmental detection is out!" One of the assistants said in a surprised tone. "The environment on the other side of the wormhole that we just opened seems to be a parallel universe plane for humans. The gas content is about the same as that in reality, except that the oxygen content in the air is 0.5 percentage points higher, with temperatures at 13 degrees and wind power at Level 7. Other than that, there are no other abnormalities!"

Luo Jincheng nodded and turned to look at his assistant, who was in charge of microbes. "How's the lab rat doing?"

"Professor Luo, the lab rat's body temperature, blood pressure, heartbeat, and brainwaves are all normal. Blood testing is underway. Blood testing is normal. No unknown microorganisms have been detected. Preliminary conclusion is that there are no microorganisms on the other side, or that the microorganisms are aligned with reality."

"Consensus?" Luo Jincheng couldn't help but take a deep breath. "If the types of microorganisms on both sides are truly identical, wouldn't that mean that the world on the other side is indeed a parallel world in reality? Wouldn't that mean that the M theory has been verified?"

While Zhang Heng knew about the existence of parallel universes, Luo Jincheng and the others had no idea about it. However, when the truth was laid out before everyone, their eyes were filled with shock.

However, Zhang Heng was the one who seemed out of place among the crowd. He was frowning as he looked at the rat that was dragged back and sank into deep thought.

258. Crisis Under The Regulations Of Major Numbers

It wasn't that Zhang Heng was mentally sensitive, but that someone like him had a certain level of intuition for danger.

It was very difficult for those who had never been on the verge of life and death to recognize danger. Most of their judgements regarding danger came from the intuitive perception of sight and hearing. Those mercenaries and assassins who had been on the verge of life and death before were different. Their will and psyche would be enhanced by all manner of dangers, and the changes in their surroundings would easily alert them.

Such as human vision.

There was a biological electrical response to the human's vision and thoughts. Such biological electrical reactions were extremely subtle and difficult to detect by normal people, and even equipment would have a hard time detecting them. However, those who had been through life and death situations before would have some kind of miraculous reaction to such bioelectricity. For example, if some of the world's top-notch mercenaries were to harbor any ill will against him, or if they were to hide and monitor him, he would be able to detect the bioelectricity generated by that person, thereby finding out that he was being targeted. Such special perception would usually be attributed to intuition.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, had a perception that was several times higher than that of international mercenaries, and his intuition for danger was even more exceptional. He felt a special sense of danger at that moment, as if something was staring at him from a corner, and there was an invisible chill shrouding him.

There was only one time in his memory that he felt so uncomfortable, and that was when he was being targeted by the Black Marker in the Dead Space. However, the Black Marker eventually became his most powerful assistant, Corona.

His abilities had been completely turned upside down by then, and the fact that he was able to experience what it felt like to be surrounded by cold and sinister energy back then was more than enough to tell just how dangerous that situation was.

Zhang Heng had a very bad feeling about this. He took a deep breath and called out to Corona in his mind. He entered the virtual space in the very next second.

"Commander, may I help you?" Corona asked curiously.

"Can you feel anything?" Zhang Heng looked very serious. "I had a very bad feeling about that experiment just now. While I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong, I did feel some kind of danger that I've never seen before hovering around me. I'm not the only one. Everyone on the B8th floor has been targeted by something."

Corona's expression became serious as well. "I'll use my mental power to scan the area." An invisible wave emanated from Corona's body as she said that and retracted it right away. Corona shook her head and said with a bitter smile, "I'm sorry, Commander. I didn't sense anything."

"Is that so? Then cut off all contact with me for the time being. I'll go take a look at the Dimensional Star." Zhang Heng nodded. Since Corona was unable to sense anything, it meant that the danger was not from someone but something else.

"Yes."

Zhang Heng returned to reality with a swoosh, and Corona completely severed her mental connection with him. Zhang Heng called out for the Dimensional Star in his mind and Yurianne appeared on his retina in the very next second.

"Yurianne knows what you're asking." But at that moment, Yurianne, who had always been a carefree person, actually wore a serious expression for the first time. She then chuckled evilly and continued, "The advancement of humanity has always been fraught with obstacles. The more advanced technology becomes, the further humanity's path to disaster becomes. The emergence of nuclear weapons could be said to be the first test of destruction that humanity has undergone. The shadow of nuclear war has been looming over humanity since the end of the last century, and it hasn't ended even today."

Yurianne went on to explain for the first time, "As human technology becomes increasingly advanced, nuclear weapons are just the beginning. The antimatter weapons, genetic weapons, and biochemical weapons that come with them all make it so that human civilization could be destroyed by the weapons that you create at any time, just like the Resident Evil plane and the radiation plane."

"So, that's the truth of the curse you've been talking about?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze. Was that the so-called curse that the Dimensional Star had been treating so seriously all this while referring to?

"Correct and incorrect. That curse that targeted humans includes but is not limited to the self-destruction of humans. There are also many laws of the universe that you humans have no way of understanding. All in all, you just need to know that the longer the human civilization continues to exist, the higher the chances of being attacked by the curse. The curse could have originated from humans themselves, or it could have originated from aliens, meteorites, supernova outbreaks, gamma-ray bursts, cosmic apocalypse, and so on…"

"What do you mean by that?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"The law of mathematics!" Yurianne chuckled like a child who had just played a prank. "Don't you get it yet, host dude? When random events are repeated over again, there is a pattern that is almost inevitable. That pattern is the law of mathematics. To put it simply, that law is—under the condition that the experiment remains the same, repeating the experiment over again would result in random events happening at a rate that is similar to its probability. Accidentally, there is some kind of certainty involved."

The light on Yurianne's face dimmed at that point, and her entire face became shrouded in shadow. She simply stared at Zhang Heng and put on a terrifying expression. "That is to say that the experiment you're doing right now is extremely dangerous to begin with. Don't forget, Uncle. There are countless planes where human civilization is being destroyed every second. There are simply too many factors that could destroy human civilization. Even if humans were to be destroyed in those planes, the planes themselves have yet to disappear. If you were to just open the passage between the two planes, it's very possible that some unknown entity from the last plane that destroyed humans would come to your plane."

Zhang Heng shuddered when he heard that, feeling as if an indescribable chill was shrouding him. He wore a bitter grin and said, "I'm sorry for being careless. I just didn't expect that the second experiment would bring about disaster, and it seems like a very tricky disaster…"

"Hehe, Yurianne said so herself. That's just a manifestation of the laws of mathematics. The potential dangers inherent in the technology of plane travel are tens of thousands of times more dangerous than nuclear weapons. That's what humanity would have to go through in the path of technological advancement. If we can get through this, humanity's technology could take yet another huge step forward. If we can't, then we deserve to be destroyed."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and said, "You haven't told me what the crisis is after all that you've said. How should I resolve it? Or, as the Dimensional Star, could I just sit back and watch humanity being destroyed?"

"Hehe, you'll have to find the answer yourself," Yurianne said teasingly. "It's just like the mission tests that take place once every three months. As the host of the Dimensional Star, you'll only be able to grow as quickly as possible when you're faced with endless tests. If your potential reaches the end, the Dimensional Star wouldn't feel the pinch even if human civilization were to be destroyed. After all, the human plane is infinitely vast."

While those words sounded cold and unfeeling, Zhang Heng was able to pick up more information. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Now that you put it that way, I've verified a theory that I've had for a very long time."

"Oh? What's your guess?" Yurianne continued to grin and asked.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and chuckled coldly. "If I'm not mistaken, as the host of the Dimensional Star…"

"I'm not the only one, am I?"

259. Memes Attacked

Yurianne seemed to be stunned for a bit before nodding. "Bingo! You've guessed correctly, host dude! The Dimensional Star does not exist in any three-dimensional plane. It is a creation of a higher dimension and is able to communicate with countless planes at the same time. That is to say that every plane that is about to be destroyed would have a Dimensional Star descend and select a person as its host. If the host dies, a second host and a third host would be selected… until the plane is completely destroyed. Regardless, the Dimensional Star would not interfere with reality for the sake of the host. It would be considered a completely neutral entity."

Zhang Heng nodded and said, "So, it's just as I thought. Well then, I'd like to know if there's a possibility that the Dimensional Star could be completely taken over."

"You're not in a position to know about that given your current level of access." Yurianne shook her head and chuckled. "You'll find out when you get your S-rank access, sir. You'd better find a way to solve this scientific accident as soon as possible. I'll be taking my leave now."

Zhang Heng nodded, but there was still a hint of a smile on his face. "Understood. But then again, while the Dimensional Star is the only one, I'm guessing that the support system isn't the only one, right?"

Yurianne was about to leave, but her image flickered after hearing that. "Host dude, what are you talking about? Yurianne doesn't understand."

"Drop the act. You know what I'm talking about." Zhang Heng smirked and continued in a determined manner, "I've long suspected that, given that the Dimensional Star treats me as its host, why would it specifically create an AI support system? Only the Dimensional Star would be able to create tens of millions of planes while the AI support system would serve a single host. That's the only possibility that could lead to what happened today."

"In other words, your existence could be replaced!"

Yurianne's image flickered twice all of a sudden. She looked at Zhang Heng in a daze and fell into silence. It took her a while before she said solemnly, "Yes, that is indeed the case. Yurianne is just one of the virtual personalities created by the Dimensional Star and is considered an AI lifeform. However, the fate of the host is entirely in the host's hands. The host has the right to submit the replacement of the support personality to the Dimensional Star. If the alteration were to happen, Yurianne's personality would be completely erased by the Dimensional Star…"

"If that's the case, is there anything else you'd like to say?" Zhang Heng said coldly. "If I were to die, you wouldn't have any reason to continue existing, would you? If you don't want to be deleted, I'd like you to help me within a limited range. We are, after all, bound together for good or ill."

Yurianne was silent for a bit before replying, "Alright, I can help you, but I can only play the role of a sideline to the Dimensional Star. If I were to really break the rules of the Dimensional Star, you wouldn't be able to do anything about it, and I'd be deleted by the Dimensional Star instead."

Zhang Heng smirked. He still remembered that when he first came into contact with Yurianne, Yurianne had sent him a message from the previous host, Ikariyuan. The message that he was most wary of was that line, 'The support system of the Dimensional Star is untrustworthy at times'. Now, it seemed that she was referring to the support system, Yurianne. While it was a virtual personality born from the Dimensional Star, it was definitely not the true body of the Dimensional Star. It had its own thoughts and selfish motives, and Zhang Heng wanted to grasp its weaknesses and gain more benefits for himself.

"Well then, what can you tell me?" Zhang Heng continued asking, "I just want to know what happened to me right now. How should I deal with it?"

"Meme," Yurianne said. "All I can tell you is that this is some kind of curse-type module. Its level is at the Phenomenon level. If it isn't suppressed, the entire human race will be wiped out."

Zhang Heng was silent for a bit before sighing and saying, "Things seem to be getting worse than I expected. What should I do?"

"The best way to do that would be to cut off all contact with the upper echelons, you know? All… connections! Including…" Yurianne's silhouette flickered for a bit as if she was in pain. "And, there's also a color that could resist their invasion… Ah!"

Yurianne's silhouette flickered all of a sudden. She held her head and wore a pained expression. "The Dimensional Star is warning me that I can't tell you anything more… You'll have to depend on yourself for the rest of it! Remember, remember to see your own blood clearly!"

Yurianne's figure flickered for a bit after she finished her last sentence and disappeared without a trace.

A shadow flickered in Zhang Heng's eyes and he slowly looked up at the moment. All of that communication was conducted in his consciousness, which was why he was able to think so quickly. It had only been half a minute in real life when the two of them were done talking. Everyone on the B8th floor was still summarizing what happened in the experiment.

"Corona, seal off the entire B8th floor. No one is allowed to enter or leave, not even me." Zhang Heng walked to a corner and spoke into his earpiece.

"Understood, Commander." Corona appeared before Zhang Heng, but her face was still filled with worry. "Can't even Yurianne help you?"

"Yurianne can't even protect herself anymore." Zhang Heng shook his head, looking very serious. "Also, just in case, from now on, you're not to make contact with anyone outside the B8th floor, not even the internet or the mental field."

"Yes, sir!" Corona didn't ask why as she trusted Zhang Heng unconditionally.

"Professor Luo." Zhang Heng walked up to Luo Jincheng and said, "Send me a copy of the data after you sort it out."

"Sure!" Luo Jincheng said with a grin on his face. The people on the B8th floor were still completely oblivious to what was happening. Everyone was filled with excitement, as the entire field of physics would be turned upside down in their hands. They had become the pioneers of the times.

Zhang Heng quietly left the lobby where the shuttle and the Hadron Collider were placed and headed for the lounge.

The lounge was pitch-black and Zhang Heng frowned for a bit before turning on the lights. The entire room was lit up after he turned on the lights, which seemed to be able to allay his worries.

Zhang Heng slowly sat down on the couch and began thinking about what he should do next. The key words that he learned from Yurianne were 'Cursed Model', 'Phenomenon', 'Disconnected', and the most important word—'color'.

But then again, just what color was it?

Zhang Heng couldn't help but narrow his eyes. The so-called memes were like genes. They were more or less a kind of genetic pattern, but genes inherited bloodlines, while the memes spread information.

There were all manner of strange messages found here. It could be a cold, a sentence, or even a supernatural phenomenon that defied the laws of physics.

Cursed models, on the other hand, were a phenomenon that would result in some kind of behavior, if not severe, human deaths. The word 'phenomenon' represented the spread activity of the memes. The spread of the memes was divided into single-model, multiple-model, and phenomenon-model. As for the spread of the phenomenon-model…

Theoretically speaking, it was unlimited.

260. Gene Collapse

Time passed and about half an hour later, the team came up with all the data.

"Beep beep!"

Zhang Heng received a call from his watch, but he didn't answer it. He simply walked out of the room and headed straight for the huge plaza.

"Here's the data, Little Zhang!" Luo Jincheng waved the data in his hand at Zhang Heng, who quickly walked over and took it. The data regarding the seating area and the lab rats were recorded on it.

Zhang Heng looked down at the data and asked without thinking, "Is it possible to reopen the plane that we just cleared?"

"We're not sure either, but there's a new code on the plane shuttle's recorder. Would you like to test it out?" Luo Jincheng's eyes sparkled.

"Not for the time being." Zhang Heng considered for a bit and eventually shook his head. "Forget about it for today, or the two nuclear fusion generators might overload."

"Wait, what's going on? Why can't I upload the data?" One of his assistants asked all of a sudden. "Professor Luo, there seems to be something wrong with the intranet. My computer is unable to reach the main server of Honeycomb."

"Contact the person in charge of the main server and see what's going on," Luo Jincheng said immediately.

"No, I can't get in touch with the communicator either!" the assistant said again.

Zhang Heng didn't say anything. It was Corona who appeared on the huge screen in the lobby instead. "Please calm down, everyone. The communication device and elevator on the B8th floor have malfunctioned. The B8th floor has been shut down automatically. I'm going to send someone to do some maintenance. It should take us a few days to fix it."

"Huh? What kind of malfunction could be so serious? How many days would it take?" One of the assistants frowned and continued, "Wouldn't we be unable to get out if it were to be shut down automatically?"

"Yes, but there's no need to worry. The food stored on the B8th floor is enough for us to live on for a month," Zhang Heng said casually. "Don't panic, everyone. Do what you have to do. As compensation, everyone's pay will be doubled this month."

Luo Jincheng took a suspicious look at Zhang Heng before putting on a grin and said, "That's right. Everyone, listen to Little Zhang. It's just a matter of a few days. Let's just treat it as if we're conducting a long-term experiment. We'll just do things the same way."

All the assistants didn't say anything else after hearing what Zhang Heng and Luo Jincheng said.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin on his face. He finally understood at that moment why the government had to keep all of the major events under wraps, not for anything else but for order.

If Zhang Heng were to say at that moment, 'We've been attacked by some unknown Meme, and the chances of everyone dying are over 99 percent, it would be safe to say that we're all doomed. No one is allowed to leave in order to prevent the spread of the Meme from getting out.' Then, not only would it be best for everyone to work together to figure out a way to crack the Meme, it would also be best if chaos were to ensue.

Zhang Heng took note of everyone's faces and actions at the moment. He had no idea if all of that information would work against the unknown, but in order to survive, he needed to take note of all useful information and intelligence.

He had a total of 18 people on the B8th floor at the moment. Other than him and Luo Jincheng, there were two foreign scientists and 14 assistants. There were 13 men and five women in total.

"Wait, something's not right!" A female assistant came to the lab rat's observation box while Zhang Heng was observing the crowd and shouted all of a sudden.

Everyone turned to look at the female assistant and saw her picking up the observation box and looking inside with a shocked expression.

Zhang Heng walked up to it right away and took the observation box without giving it a chance to argue. He saw that the lab rat inside was on its last breath, and its four little legs were covered in a pitch-black color.

"Some kind of microbiological infection? No way!" The assistants who heard the commotion couldn't help but murmur.

"Test, test again!" Luo Jincheng said in a low voice. "It's obvious that there was something wrong with the previous test. This could be some kind of infection that we've never seen before."

The assistants began to turn on the equipment as if they had gone insane. Fear was written all over their faces as they said, "It's a good thing that the lab rat has been in quarantine all this time. If the disease were to spread, I'm afraid that we'd…"

"I hope we're not infected." Another assistant added, "But there was clearly nothing wrong with the previous tests. How did things turn out like this? Damn it!"

A dark cloud gradually hung over everyone's heads.

"Professor Luo, y-yes, everything is still normal." An assistant walked out of the biological isolation room about 10 minutes later with a glum look on his face. "We didn't find any pathogens in the blood of the lab rats, but…"

"But what?" Luo Jincheng said seriously, "Don't be wishy-washy. Just say what you want to say!"

"However, we found that the genes of the lab rats are breaking down…" The assistant wore a bitter expression and continued, "Their gene strands are breaking and dying!"

Everyone's expression changed immediately.

"I'll go take a look," one of the older American scientists said. Zhang Heng turned around. He remembered that the older scientist's name was Edward, who had joined the headhunting expedition. While he was nowhere near as good as Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai, he was nonetheless considered a world-class biologist.

"Alright, I'll leave it to you then, Professor Edward." Luo Jincheng nodded and turned to look at Zhang Heng. "Little Zhang, I've never seen such a disease before. I'd like everyone to wear the Level-A chemical defense suit outside to prevent microbiological infections."

"Sure." Zhang Heng nodded. All of the assistants rushed into the changing room at the side when they heard that. When they came out again, all of them were wearing thick, heavy, chemical-proof suits. The suits were completely sealed off, making it impossible for any microorganisms to pass through.

Everyone began to wait uneasily.

About 10 minutes passed before the biologist named Edward walked out of the quarantine room again. However, he looked even more glum than before.

"How was it? Did you find the pathogen?" Luo Jincheng couldn't help but ask.

"No, there's nothing…" Edward's face was ashen. "And I've discovered a very serious problem." He lifted the sealed observation box in his hand as he said that, and everyone rushed to surround him. However, one of the female assistants couldn't help but scream the very next second.

Zhang Heng stood at the very back of the crowd, leaning against the equipment. With his excellent vision, he was able to see right away that the observation box was completely empty, with only a pile of sticky, black ashes clinging to the bottom of the observation box. Other than that, there was no sign of the lab rat.

"That lab rat melted." Edward wore a bitter grin and continued, "I don't know how that happened, but its genetic chain was disintegrating at an alarming rate. Even its muscles and bones were melting, as well as the protein structure on its body… To be honest, I've never seen anything like that in all my years of research."

"I-I need to get out of here!" One of the fat assistants shouted in panic. He pushed the crowd away and ran for the elevator.

"Stop him!" Luo Jincheng's expression changed drastically. "If we were to go up there, we might get infected as well!"

However, Luo Jincheng's words didn't get anyone to move. Everyone watched as the assistant ran further away, eventually making it to the elevator. The joy of being able to escape was written all over his face, yet his expression froze in the very next second.

He realized that no matter how hard he pushed the elevator button, there was no response.

"No need to press the button. The entire B8 floor has been completely sealed off," Zhang Heng said casually. "So what if you managed to escape? Do you really think that you'd be saved just because you could increase the spread of the virus?"

"B-But the technology in the Honeycomb Laboratory is so advanced, is it really impossible to treat such a disease?" The fat assistant retorted.

Zhang Heng chuckled and turned to look at Edward. "Tell him."

"I'm sorry, but I have to tell you something." Edward shook his head and continued, "As a biologist, I know quite a bit about the medical technology of the Honeycomb. However, I believe that no one would be able to treat a disease with a collapsed gene chain, much less the Honeycomb itself."

261. Tang Wantong

Strictly speaking, this was the first time Zhang Heng was attacked by a meme.

He had only learned about the existence of 'memes' from Yurianne in the past. He had looked up information regarding memes from all manner of data after that, but he knew very little about them, as even the entire human plane had little research into memes. In other words, given the current level of technology, understanding memes was but a theoretical concept.

He later thought that what happened to the radiation plane was a meme effect, which made him nervous for quite a while. However, the results proved that it wasn't a meme effect, but something caused by a neutrino creature.

However, he was finally able to face the attacks of the memes head-on, and the first thing that came to mind was the extremely terrifying curse-type memes found in the memes. He had no idea how he was supposed to fight against such a thing, and he had no idea if he was even able to do so. The accident had come so suddenly that he was completely unprepared.

Luo Jincheng eventually calmed everyone down. He knew by then that none of them were in the mood to do any research. No one knew if they had been infected by that weird 'disease', so he simply told everyone to take a break in the resting room, just in case they ended up feeling unwell and panicking instead.

"So, the so-called cursed meme this time is to turn all living beings into a pile of black stains?" Zhang Heng sat in the empty lobby and looked at the pile of black stains in the observation box on the table. He was feeling rather troubled at the moment. He knew that the so-called cursed meme was some kind of meme that could spread at high speeds, but why was it called a cursed meme? Were they all cursed? Or…

Zhang Heng couldn't help but rub his temples. His mind was working at high speeds at the moment. Every single detail from the moment he arrived on the B8th floor was replayed before his eyes. Some details that he hadn't noticed before were recalled by his mind. However, no matter how much he recalled, he was unable to find any useful leads.

"The Dimensional Star is warning me that I'm unable to tell you anything more… The rest is up to you! Remember, remember to look at your own blood!"

Yurianne's words before she left echoed in his ears. Zhang Heng's pupils contracted all of a sudden, and he took off the gloves on his suit as if he was possessed. He drew a line on his index finger with his thumbnail and a drop of blood dripped onto the ground.

That was normal…

Zhang Heng frowned and looked at the puddle of black stains in the observation box, mumbling, "Did Yurianne mean that her blood would turn black after being infected by the Meme?"

But then again, what was the point of doing so?

The door of the waiting room opened slowly at that moment, and the female assistant who discovered the lab rat's condition the earliest walked out. She saw Zhang Heng standing alone in the lobby and smiled ingratiatingly. She was disappointed when she found that Zhang Heng had no intention of paying any attention to her and headed for the toilet instead.

Tang Wantong was 26 years old this year and graduated with a master's degree. Her exceptional results and illustrious family background enabled her to successfully become Luo Jincheng's assistant. She initially thought that she would be able to achieve a meteoric rise in her career and that there would be no more trouble in her life, but she was' invited 'to the Honeycomb instead and became a member of that mysterious organization.

She had once thought that she had to get out of that dark and gloomy den, but as all manner of benefits and advanced technology were laid bare before her eyes, she realized that this mysterious organization was far more advanced than the technologies of the real world. She would only be able to get what she wanted here.

That was the thought process of almost all the people who were kidnapped. They were initially repulsed by the idea at the start, only to have them flock to it in the end. The Stellar Life Sciences Foundation was able to provide everything that was absent in reality, even youth and longevity.

However, she didn't expect things to turn out so badly in less than a year. She finally understood why Professor Luo said that technological development was always accompanied by sacrifices.

She sighed to herself and went to the washroom. Such washrooms had emergency procedures to follow. If harmful substances were to leak outside and one had to wear a suit to work, the outside of the washroom could also be changed to a disinfection room. The sterilization room would wipe out all the bacteria on the body before removing the suit and entering the disinfected washroom to wash up and take care of the internal emergency.

After disinfecting several types of disinfectants and ultraviolet rays, Tang Wantong took off her heavy chemical-proof suit and walked to the toilet with a sigh of relief. However, she hesitated for a moment when she entered the toilet.

She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but she suddenly felt cold and gloomy in that toilet. Even the bright lights seemed to have turned extremely pale.

She shook her head and wore a bitter grin, pushing all the random thoughts out of her mind. She picked a random cubicle and locked the door.

…

"Phew!" Tang Wantong sighed comfortably about half a minute later and slowly pulled up her pants. It was then that she heard footsteps outside the cubicle.

"Xiao Tong?" A familiar female voice was heard from outside the door.

"Xiaoyue, didn't you just say that you weren't coming?" Tang Wantong opened the door right away and chuckled. "You couldn't bear to…"

The conversation stopped abruptly.

Tang Wantong's smile froze on her face. She looked around and found no one in the toilet.

"Xiaoyue?" Tang Wantong frowned and walked slowly to the center of the toilet. It was only then that she realized that all the doors of the cubicles were open and the inside was empty. The doors of the toilets were seven to eight meters away. It was impossible for someone to run out of the toilets as soon as she opened the door without making a single sound.

So, who was calling him just then?

Tang Wantong felt a chill run down her spine and into her scalp, making her feel as if she was about to explode. She couldn't help but mutter to herself, "It's a hallucination, it's definitely a hallucination…" She was about to leave the toilet as soon as she said that, but she stopped in her tracks before she was able to get out.

She suddenly remembered that she hadn't washed her hands yet.

If she didn't wash her hands after she went to the toilet, she would probably feel very uncomfortable for the entire day.

Tang Wantong pursed her lips tightly at that thought and forced herself to turn around. She walked to the sink and looked at the mirror in fear, fearing that something bad would appear in the mirror. Fortunately, everything looked normal in the mirror and there was nothing there.

Even at that moment, she was still unable to confirm if that voice she heard was just an illusion.

Huahuahua…

Tang Wantong turned on the tap and began washing her hands in a hurry. However, the more anxious she felt, the more frightened she became. How nice would it be if someone were to come in at that moment?

"Clack, clack, clack…" However, at that moment, the initially pale light in the toilet flickered all of a sudden, causing the toilet to flicker as if its voltage was unstable. But where was he?

This was a hive that was so technologically advanced that no words could describe it. How could voltage be unstable?

Tang Wantong's entire body froze. She was just about to leave when she felt an indescribable chill slowly approaching her. At the same time, she heard the sound of wood being worn out for years. She tried to turn off the tap and the sound became even clearer.

"Hehehehe…"

An indescribable fear flashed in Tang Wantong's eyes as she slowly looked up. She didn't turn around and instead looked at herself in the mirror through the flickering lights.

He saw a woman with disheveled hair that was made up of black and white colors leaning on his shoulder in the mirror.

He then went on to recommend an app that was comparable to the old version of a book chaser.

262. Human Dissolution

Zhang Heng, who had been waiting in the lobby, frowned. He felt rather frustrated for some reason. He took off his helmet and took out a pack of cigarettes from his bag. The cigarette smoke rose slowly with the click of a lighter. He took a deep breath and blew out a smoke ring.

"Beep!"

Zhang Heng turned on the control computer of the Dimensional Traveler and played the video of the other plane recorded by the lab rat. However, he raised his eyebrows and wore a weird expression when he played the video.

He then realized that all the high altitudes footage that he had taken earlier had disappeared without a trace. The entire video had been replaced with a line of English words.

"Do you want to go?"

"What the hell is this?"

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and snuffed out the cigarette butt casually before making his way slowly to the screen. However, cracking sounds were heard from behind him all of a sudden, as if someone was stepping on the wooden floor that had been neglected for years. At the same time, an indescribable sense of malevolence began to slowly emerge from his back.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and sent out countless mental powers. However, before he could do anything, the door of the lounge opened with a creak and a female assistant walked out.

Hu…

A light breeze seemed to have blown past his back and he could only feel the malicious intent quickly dissipating. He turned around immediately, but there was nothing behind him.

"Director Zhang, have you seen Tang Wantong?" The female assistant had no idea that Zhang Heng was on the verge of death just moments ago. She continued softly, "Tang Wantong said that she needed to go to the toilet, but she's been gone for over half an hour…"

Zhang Heng's heart skipped a beat as if he had caught onto something. However, he was unable to figure anything out after giving it some thought. He immediately said, "I saw her go into the toilet and she hasn't come out yet."

"Oh." The assistant headed straight for the toilet and joked as he walked in, "Xiao Tong, are you having diarrhea? Hehe, why aren't you out yet?"

However, there was no response from anyone after shouting for quite a while.

Zhang Heng turned his attention to the toilet at that moment. He seemed to have recalled something and headed straight for the ladies' room without a word.

"Chief Zhang?" The female assistant looked at Zhang Heng suspiciously.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the curious female assistant. Luo Jincheng and his assistants walked out at that moment, asking what was going on.

Zhang Heng entered the quarantine room and finally made it to the door of the ladies' room after going through several disinfection procedures.

Clang! Zhang Heng kicked the door of the ladies' room open, but he didn't see any dead bodies found at the scene. He saw the female assistant named Tang Wantong staring at the mirror before her in a daze. She didn't react even when he walked in.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and released his massive mental power to scan Tang Wantong's body. However, he gasped in the very next second.

He was able to 'see' that there was a pitch-black wound on the back of the other man's clothes. That wound was not caused by festering or sharp weapons, but the collapse of genes at a very deep level.

It was obvious that the woman before him had become just like that lab rat.

"Corona!" Zhang Heng suddenly called out.

"Commander!" Corona appeared. "What happened?"

"Didn't you see anything here?" Zhang Heng asked.

"No, I just saw that the woman looked terrified. While there was something abnormal about her, my mental field was unable to 'see' anything." Corona shook her head. "Do I need to pay close attention to anything abnormal?"

"Yes, report to me immediately if anything out of the ordinary happens in the future." Zhang Heng nodded. His expression was extremely grave at the moment. He walked up and looked at the woman before him, yet she seemed to have lost her soul and was completely unresponsive to the outside world.

At that moment, some of the assistants who were waiting outside came in as well. They saw Tang Wantong standing still and looked at Zhang Heng warily. One of the male assistants who seemed to be very familiar with Tang Wantong walked up to her and stood in front of Zhang Heng instinctively. He patted Tang Wantong's face and asked, "Hey, are you alright, Little Tong? Did someone bully you?"

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and turned around to leave. He felt that there was no need for him to explain himself in such a situation. There was no need for him to care about what the ants thought.

"Commander…" Corona's voice was heard from the earpiece. "I've just scanned Tang Wantong's body and found that her genes are beginning to collapse."

"I know." Zhang Heng nodded. "What do you think caused all of this?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure it has something to do with the fear that she experienced before…" Corona explained, "Furthermore, her cerebral cortex and nerve endings were severely damaged, yet I have no idea what happened. I'm sorry, Commander, but I didn't expect to be unable to help you one day."

"That's perfectly normal. My enemy isn't human after all." Zhang Heng shook his head and returned to the square. Luo Jincheng and his assistants were waiting anxiously at the door. When they saw Zhang Heng coming out, Luo Jincheng asked, "Little Zhang, what's going on in there?"

"Tang Wantong… seems to have some issues with her consciousness." Zhang Heng pointed at his head and hesitated for a bit before deciding not to tell her what was wrong with her body. After all, the wound on her body was only very thin and it was located inside her clothes. Regular people wouldn't be able to see that wound.

"Consciousness?" Luo Jincheng frowned and didn't say anything in the end. At the same time, Tang Wantong was escorted out of the toilet by the crowd. However, her expression remained blank, as if she had no interest in what was happening outside.

"What's wrong, Little Tong?" Luo Jincheng asked with concern.

"There's nothing left…" Tang Wantong turned around with a dazed expression and looked at Luo Jincheng before mumbling, "I feel like I have everything now…"

"What do you mean 'nothing'?" It seemed like Tang Wantong was very popular among the male assistants. A group of male assistants crowded around her, asking her questions and looking at Zhang Heng from time to time, as if he was the one who caused all of this.

"I'm not me anymore." Tang Wantong looked around in a daze. "It sucked everything out of me. I feel like I'm unable to continue existing…"

"What are you talking about?" Everyone asked anxiously.

However, before anyone could finish their questions, a charred mark gradually spread on Tang Wanru's face, making her look like a pitch-black, ugly centipede crawling all over her fair, pretty face.

"Ahhhh!" Several of the female assistants shrieked again and the crowd dispersed in all directions as if they had seen a ghost.

"You…" Luo Jincheng's pupils contracted.

"I'm sorry, but I can't hold on any longer." Tang Wanru looked at Luo Jincheng with a deadpan expression before she turned into a pile of black ash right before everyone's eyes, dissolving right before their eyes.

He then went on to recommend an app that was comparable to the old version of a book chaser.

263. The Source Of The Meme

Everyone couldn't help but exclaim as they looked at the pile of clothes on the ground that was covered in sticky black liquid. Everyone looked as if they had seen a ghost and were filled with disbelief.

How could a living person melt in front of everyone?

"Infected… Infected!" the assistants mumbled. Everyone looked at what was happening before their eyes in a daze. Everyone was still wearing their protective suits at the moment, but everyone felt their hearts turn cold. They backed away instinctively, leaving an empty space around Tang Wantong.

"Xiaotong!" Luo Jincheng looked like he was in pain. He bent down and touched the clothes that Tang Wantong left behind and mumbled, "It's all my fault. How am I supposed to explain this to your parents…" He was dragged behind by two scientists before he was able to do anything else. "Professor Luo, be careful of the infection!"

Zhang Heng was the only one who walked up to him slowly. He even took off his gloves and picked up a sliver of the black liquid before his eyes to observe it. He mumbled to himself, "I see. So, all that's left is a puddle of carbohydrates?"

"Director Zhang, you…"

Zhang Heng waved his hand and turned to look at his assistant. "Gather some and run tests."

Everyone remained still.

"Hurry up and do as I say if you want to live." Zhang Heng frowned. Those who were under his gaze felt as if they were being stared at by hungry wolves. The assistant shuddered and ran to the biological isolation room right away. When he came out, he took out a few sample tubes and began to extract the sample despite his nausea.

Luo Jincheng endured the pain and began to collect Tang Wantong's clothes. His assistants began to clean the black liquid on the floor after seeing it. Everyone remained dead silent and the floor was cleaned up in less than 10 minutes.

However, while the dirt on the ground could be washed away, that layer of shadow in everyone's hearts could never be washed away.

Zhang Heng shook his head and looked at the terrified faces of his assistants, coming to a conclusion that was of little use to him. He then walked to a corner of the lobby alone and began smoking.

"Little Zhang…" Luo Jincheng walked over alone and looked at Zhang Heng meaningfully for quite a while without saying anything.

"Is there a problem, Professor Luo?" Zhang Heng asked casually.

"You know what happened, don't you, Little Zhang?" Luo Jincheng looked around. No one dared to stay in the lobby after what had happened. They all went back to their rooms after packing up, leaving Zhang Heng and Luo Jincheng alone in the empty lobby.

Zhang Heng didn't say anything.

"Little Zhang, don't take me for a fool. Everyone was all smiles when they found out that the Alternate plane was in such a huge commotion. You were the only one who wore a stern look on your face. The mainframe of the Corona then told us that the B8th floor was sealed, and we couldn't even get in touch with them. That was what happened…"

Luo Jincheng tried his best to persuade him. "It's obvious that you knew something unexpected was about to happen when you opened that plane. If you knew, could you tell me? Maybe I could help you out."

Zhang Heng took a look at Luo Jincheng after hearing what he said. Truth be told, there was nothing wrong with telling Luo Jincheng. The man before him wasn't the kind of person who would feel terrified and helpless after finding out the truth. Furthermore, it was possible that he would be able to come up with a way to fight the memes if he were to gather his thoughts.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with telling you, Professor Luo. I assume you know the memes?" Zhang Heng smirked.

"Meme?" Luo Jincheng frowned and continued, "I've heard of it before, but isn't that a concept in psychology?"

"That's only because modern science hasn't truly understood the true power of memes yet." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "The meme that people have come to understand so far is still stuck in the concept of 'meme' and 'information transmission'. They believe that the so-called meme is actually something like fashion, fashion, fashion, and so on. As long as someone takes the lead, everyone would imitate and spread the word without realizing it."

"Could it be that the people of the world aren't seeing things?" Luo Jincheng asked.

"I can't say that it's wrong. It's just that the world hasn't completely understood it yet." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Other than those purely information modules, there are also many other modules that are harmful to humans. Most of those modules possess the properties of 'creating things out of thin air' and 'forcing transmission'. They're more like some kind of virus, some kind of virus that could cause the infected to encounter 'supernatural phenomena', and there are all manner of infections."

"Supernatural…" Luo Jincheng frowned. As a scientist, he found such violations of physics even more unacceptable than most people.

"Models that are harmful to humans all have one property, which is that they are illogical. Or rather, they violate the laws of physics. It's difficult to understand or accept, but they do exist."

Zhang Heng said quietly, "Do you get it now? The lab rats were infected by that Meme from the very moment we sent them to that plane. Do you remember what happened in that plane? What we saw was ruins. The civilization in that plane was long extinct, and that was the reason why the civilization in that plane was wiped out…"

Luo Jincheng looked moved. "So you've severed all connections between the B8th floor and the higher floors?"

"That's right. If I hadn't done so, the human civilization that we're in right now would have been completely destroyed by that modus operandi…" Zhang Heng continued solemnly, "There wouldn't have been any survivors."

"Do you know what the meme is then?" Luo Jincheng was silent for a bit before he asked again, "What is its manifestation?"

"I'm doing the same." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "As far as I know, every single meme has one or several transmission channels, such as sight, hearing, information communication, and so on. Regardless of what kind of transmission channels they have, as long as they continue to use living beings and objects as carriers, we wouldn't need to worry about them spreading as long as we cut off all connections. What I've observed so far is that we're all infected."

"Really…" Luo Jincheng wore a bitter grin and continued, "Then why is it only Xiao Tong…"

"That's because the memes are still in the incubation phase," Zhang Heng said. "The memes during the incubation phase won't be able to do any harm to us for the time being. As for when the outbreak will occur and what factors could lead to the outbreak, that's not something that I know. I'm just making a vague guess. That's why I said that wearing the protective suit was just to put everyone at ease, but it's actually completely useless."

"F * * k?" Luo Jincheng's expression was bitter at first, but he was stunned after hearing that.

"It's nothing. It's just some kind of low-level meme effect that's spread all over the internet." Zhang Heng waved dismissively. "That's why I said that every single one of us could die, and the mortality rate is very high. Even I only have a 10 percent chance of surviving."

"Commander!" Corona's voice was heard from the earpiece again all of a sudden. "When I was trying to get into the control panel of the plane transfer device, I found a code in the computer all of a sudden. That code actually tried to infect the data I sent after running into the data stream I was controlling!"

"What?" Zhang Heng was stunned and ran to the control panel of the plane shuttle at the center of the lobby right away. He saw countless data pouring out of the screen like a waterfall, with two opposing data fighting each other.

"Corona, what's going on?" Zhang Heng asked anxiously.

"Commander, I'm unable to destroy that data, but it's also unable to break through the firewall that I've created!" Corona replied. "That supercomputer's power output is simply too small, so much so that it's only able to exert a fraction of my power output. Given the performance of that computer, I'm unable to completely destroy that code, and it's unable to defeat me either!"

Zhang Heng gasped when he heard that. Could it be that the code was the source of the module? But then again, even Corona was unable to do anything to the module, which explained why it was able to destroy the entire human civilization. After all, the intermediate-control computer that was controlling the shuttle was a quantum computer created by the Honeycomb plane, which was far more efficient than the Milky Way computer in real life. If the other planes were not suppressed by superintelligent lifeforms of the same caliber as Corona, the module would have been everywhere.

264. Life And Death Test

Tens of thousands of data streams were seen on the intermediate-control computer of the Dimensional Traveler every second, and the entire computer began to overload. One had to realize that, given the computing speed of that computer, it was capable of simulating even the Big Bang of the Universe. Yet, it was currently running at a super-frequency pace in front of two kinds of supernatural powers, with the CPU about to burn down at any moment.

"Sh * t!" Corona's voice changed all of a sudden. "The code of the other party has changed! The other party actually changed according to the firewall that I set up. It has broken through the first layer of the firewall that I designed!"

Zhang Heng snorted coldly and said, "A code that could be changed in an instant? Very well, what if I were to shut the computer down?" He opened his right hand as he said that and an invisible shockwave enveloped the entire computer. Countless sparks were seen from the massive pressure in the very next second, as if a black hole had been created in the center of the computer, which then collapsed inward.

Crack, crack, crack…

The sound of metal twisting and groaning as well as electronic short-circuiting was heard non-stop. Behind him, Luo Jincheng could only see the hum of a huge machine that was taller than two people being compressed by some formless force. It took only a few seconds for it to collapse into a metal ball that was taller than a grown man.

Boom!

The metal sphere hit the floor hard, producing a low rumble. The electrical wiring on the other side of the sphere was exposed, making short-circuiting noises.

Luo Jincheng was in the midst of a discussion with Zhang Heng when he saw Zhang Heng heading straight for the shuttle without warning. He caught up with him right away and witnessed such a terrifying scene.

In his eyes, Zhang Heng simply extended his hand and the four-meter-tall, two-meter-wide quantum computer was completely crushed into a metal ball. His eyes were wide open and he was unable to snap out of it for quite a while.

"What about that code?" Zhang Heng asked again after he was done.

"He disappeared!" Corona's voice was heard. "But I'm not sure if he still exists."

"Check all the equipment around. Check all those that are related to computers," Zhang Heng said casually.

"Yes!"

All of the electronics on the B8th floor were turned on at the very next second. The Hadron Collider, the automatic assembly line machine, and all of the equipment with computers were turned on, searching for that code.

"No." It took less than 20 seconds for Corona to answer. "He seems to have really disappeared."

"It's gone?" Zhang Heng looked around and saw that the crowd had made their way out of the room in shock. Everyone looked astonished when they saw the metal ball before Zhang Heng, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"Well then, let's keep watching for a bit." Zhang Heng paid no heed to the doubtful looks from the crowd and headed straight for the toilet. "If nothing happens to anyone else within a week, we'll just temporarily deactivate the security measures. However, I feel that if we were to be able to deactivate the memes so easily, the so-called cursed memes wouldn't live up to their reputation…"

Zhang Heng looked around after reaching the toilet and found that it was brightly lit. However, for some reason, he felt rather uncomfortable.

"Commander, after coming into contact with that code, I believe I know what that curse model is," Corona said at that moment.

"What?"

"A roadblock," Corona said. "It's a movie about a day in a foreign plane when humans discovered a special radio spectrum. That frequency was super-width. A company that specializes in telecoms discovered and began monitoring that frequency, but every time they listened, the frequency would change as if the code had its own thoughts."

"The telecoms engineer became even more curious. He was able to trigger that frequency right away, yet he was surprised to find that shadows began to appear all over him…"

"Later on, that frequency began to affect reality and spread to all areas where the internet existed. Countless humans were killed by that frequency, and the manifestation of that frequency was to cause people to commit suicide. Even if they didn't commit suicide, they would have died from their bodies collapsing, and the humans who died would have become… ghosts."

"In the end, only a handful of people were able to escape to remote mountains and forests without any electronic signals, where they would have to struggle for their lives. There is a very pointless setting in this movie, and that is something red. Something like red tape would be able to stop the spread of that frequency. Despite that, if you want to stop the specters, you have to seal off all the places where you live. If there is even the slightest crack in the red tape, that signal would break in."

"Red?" Zhang Heng was enlightened. "I get it now. No wonder Yurianne said something like 'see your blood clearly' before she left. So, she was reminding me that what happened to me was the meme in the movie 'Ghost Reversal'."

"So you've said that before, Yurianne?" Corona was stunned.

"Yeah, well, it's a pity that I didn't tell you sooner, or you'd have found out what that meme is right away." Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin and continued, "According to your speculations and Yurianne's reminders, we're now able to confirm that the meme is the movie 'Ghost Reversal', but how do we deal with the meme in the end?"

"…No solution." Corona wore a bitter expression. "At the very least, the humans of that plane were unable to find a way to solve the problem."

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless. "I hate movies that have no solution."

Zhang Heng was standing at the very center of the toilet at the moment. He looked around for a bit before closing his eyes. "If that's the case, let's confirm my speculations…" Boundless mental power gushed out and formed a spherical barrier before him.

The lights in the toilet flickered as soon as he closed his eyes. A chill ran down his spine, making him feel as if countless cold, dead bodies were touching his body. If Zhang Heng were to look over at that moment, he would have seen Tang Wantong standing behind him in a white outfit with disheveled hair and a pale face. Her silhouette was still flickering, making her look like a black and white television with poor reception.

Zhang Heng opened his eyes right when he saw that Tang Wantong's ghost was about to reach his back. A loud crack was heard and his powerful mental power tore through the air like a whip, turning into countless tentacles that lashed at Tang Wantong's body.

The attack was enough to tear through the armor of the tank and send it flying. However, the effects of the attack made Zhang Heng's pupils contract.

No effect!

The tentacle didn't come into contact with anything but air.

Zhang Heng stomped on the ground and backed away quickly, throwing his mental power behind him at the same time. The wall behind him was as fragile as tofu before the mental power that could move mountains and fill seas. It collapsed all of a sudden, revealing what was happening outside the lobby.

Hiss…

Zhang Heng's body was sent flying out of that hole, leaving two straight black lines on the ground.

Tang Wantong's shadow flickered and disappeared without a trace.

Zhang Heng wore an 'as expected' expression when he saw that. He turned around and found Luo Jincheng and his assistants looking at him in shock.

265. Regulations Of The Curse Meme

"If I'm not mistaken, the so-called 'ghost' is nothing more than an expression of that meme."

Zhang Heng was sitting in the lounge at the moment, analyzing his speculations with Corona. "Actually, the ghost that I saw was actually some kind of electromagnetic wave. That kind of electromagnetic wave would cause electromagnetic radiation that would harm the human body, causing physiological damage to the human brain and causing symptoms similar to depression… That's why Tang Wantong looked like she had nothing to live for. You said that the nerve endings of her brain were damaged."

"Well then, how did you know that Tang Wantong would attack you after you entered the toilet?" Corona asked right away.

"…" Zhang Heng wore a weird expression. "That's just the law of horror movies."

"Law?"

"Being alone is an action that causes the highest death rate among the characters in horror films," Zhang Heng explained casually. "It's the same in many horror films. If one were to stay on the streets or in a place with a lot of people, the ghost would at most intimidate the target, but it wouldn't attack the target. Of course, I'm not going to do that experiment just because of that. The real reason why I came up with that experiment was because when I was alone in the plaza…"

"At that time, I actually felt something approaching me. However, just when that thing was about to attack me, the door to the waiting room opened all of a sudden and Chang Yue (the other female assistant) walked out. That 'thing' retreated right away. That's why I guessed that the ghost would only attack the target when there was no third witness."

"So, what's the reason for all of this?" It was the first time Corona heard such a conclusion and she asked, feeling exasperated.

"I assume you know of 'Schrödinger's Cat'…" Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "The cursed meme should be related to the 'quantum superposition state'. When the cursed meme affects lifeforms, which is when it kills people, there might not be a third-person observer."

Zhang Heng continued to explain when he saw that Corona didn't seem to be able to comprehend what he just heard. "You could put it this way—I would label me and all the personnel on the B8th floor as' targets', and the curse models would be referred to as' Memes incubation period 'when they are unable to attack their targets. When they attack, they would be referred to as' Memes outbreak '. That would explain why the term' Memes incubation period 'is called."

"To put it simply, all targets infected with the curse-type module would definitely die. After the curse-type module infects the target, the symptoms would be divided into incubation and outbreak periods. During the incubation period, the target would be temporarily safe. The target would only die when the outbreak period is reached."

"The duration of the incubation period isn't always the same. There are indications and delays to it. For example, if a target were to leave everyone's line of sight and come to a place where no one was watching, the outbreak period would be greatly pushed forward. If the target were to reach the outbreak period, with non-cursed personnel and people in the incubation period watching him, there is a high chance that the Mene in the outbreak period would return to the incubation period."

"Very likely. Does that mean that he might not be able to return to the incubation period?" Corona asked.

"That's right. For example, in some horror films, the protagonist would have appeared in places where there were many people, but as the memes exploded, he suddenly found himself in a place where no one else was around…" A cruel smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face. "That's what makes cursed models so terrifying. They have supernatural powers. You have no idea if you'd be sent to a place of death where no one would be able to hear you…"

"A ghost wall…" Corona gasped.

"That's right. The ghostly labyrinth is a way for the target to avoid being watched by a third party," Zhang Heng said quietly. "The other important thing is how to determine if they're in the incubation period or the outbreak period. That is, watching the lights. As I've said before, the cursed model is actually an electromagnetic wave due to the materialization of ghosts. That kind of electromagnetic wave could harm the human body, and the resulting electromagnetic radiation would cause interference to the electrical circuits. That's why the lights in the toilet kept flickering before I was attacked. Of course, it's not just the lights. All electrical appliances are like that, such as televisions, computers, and even printers…"

Zhang Heng paused for a bit before continuing, "I've verified all of this from my experience in dealing with cursed models. Corona, record all of this in writing and keep it as top-secret. If I were to die and the models were to spread the information unavoidably, remember to send this data to the rest of the world."

"Yes!" Corona nodded solemnly.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself as he said that, and his gaze became determined once again. He had been through countless inhumane training sessions, and his will was as hard as steel. He stood up and said to everyone, "Everyone, be careful. From now on, no one is to go out alone. Even if you need to go to the toilet or something, remember to do it with two or more people. Don't let anyone out of your sight."

Everyone looked at Zhang Heng with doubtful looks on their faces. It wasn't that they saw some kind of monster, but that they saw his power.

Zhang Heng had crushed the two-meter-tall quantum computer into a ball of metal with his consciousness the first time around. Other than Luo Jincheng, no one else saw that. However, Zhang Heng managed to jump out of the wall of the washroom the second time around, which was seen very clearly by everyone else. Everyone looked at Zhang Heng with fear and shock in their eyes, with the exception of Luo Jincheng.

Luo Jincheng chose to believe Zhang Heng right away after hearing what he said about the meme. It was for no other reason than the fact that Zhang Heng was able to bring out countless technologies that far exceeded that of the real world. To scientists like them, everything that Zhang Heng said was practically an ironclad law. Even if Zhang Heng said that the sun would rise from the west tomorrow, they would still choose to believe him after finding out the reason.

At that moment, Luo Jincheng stood up as well. He looked at his young assistants with a complicated expression and said loudly, "Everyone, listen to Little Zhang. Do whatever he says."

Everyone nodded at that. While Zhang Heng was the boss of Honeycomb, all of them were Luo Jincheng's assistants. Compared to Zhang Heng, who was rarely seen, they trusted their boss more.

Everyone then began to wait for a very long time. Everyone was waiting. Zhang Heng was waiting for the cursed module to reveal its possible weakness, while everyone waited uneasily for the possibility of a new infected being appearing. They finally realized that the reason why the B8th floor was sealed off was not because of some kind of malfunction, but because there was some kind of terrifying virus lurking among them.

Everyone looked glum after figuring everything out. If it hadn't been for the microchip implanted in their brains, a rebellion would have broken out a long time ago.

Time passed and the second night of the quarantine came quickly. No one was attacked by the Meme during that time. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng knowing that the Meme of the Curse still existed, he would have thought that it had completely disappeared.

At that moment, two male assistants were sent out to collect the food. Due to the fact that scientists would often conduct prolonged closed experiments, those highly enclosed laboratories were equipped with lounges, kitchens, and refrigerated warehouses where food was stored. The two male assistants were the ones who went to collect the food from the freezer.

"Gaud, do you think we'll die?" A well-built middle-aged man broke the silence after entering the freezer.

"Who knows? If I were to stay here any longer, I'd go crazy even if I didn't get infected with that disease." The man named Gaud was a chubby man. He found the frozen dumplings in the freezer and his eyes lit up. "There's actually dumplings!" He quickly moved the huge box of dumplings.

However, just when he was about to lift the box with both hands, he accidentally looked behind the shelf and what he saw made his hands shake and the entire box of fast food was spilled all over the floor.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong with you?" The muscular man walked up to him right away. He turned around and took a look when he saw Gaud staring at the shelves with a dazed look on his face, but all he saw was a cold wall. He couldn't help but laugh and scold, "What's wrong, Gaud? Did you see a ghost?"

"I…" Gaud flashed a grin that looked worse than crying. "I think I saw Tang Wantong just now…"

266. Final Method

"Four to five people were attacked by the memes after a man named Gaud was attacked by the memes the next night."

The crowd continued to stay in the waiting room for the rest of the day, but everyone's faces looked very glum. People kept talking about how Tang Wantong came to take revenge, while Zhang Heng sat alone on the floor in the corner of the room, talking to Corona with his head lowered.

"But it's weird. All of them said that they saw a ghost, but none of them looked like Tang Wantong back then. Is the curse not going to kill anymore?"

"No, it's just because of the incubation period." Zhang Heng shook his head and took a look at the despairing faces in the waiting room before continuing in a low voice, "I suspect that the curse is intended to make those people even more terrified."

"Fear?"

"Negative emotions like fear could very well be a very important mental state in which the meme affects reality. To put it simply, the human brainwaves in fear would be a little more jumbled, filled with peaks and troughs. In such a mental state, it would be easier for the meme to interfere with that person."

"You've seen quite a few horror films, haven't you?" Zhang Heng analyzed the situation and continued, "In horror films, the ghost wouldn't kill the victim right away. Instead, it would appear before the victim over again, putting the victim in a state of panic and fear. The more the victim became terrified, the more ferocious the ghost became, and it would only kill the victim in the end."

"That's similar to how the electric lights flicker when ghosts appear. It's not that the meme is sentient, or that it's trying to scare people, but that it's more like a natural law of cursed meme."

"I see…" Corona nodded in amazement. "I've recorded all those speculations in the files."

Zhang Heng nodded and said, "That's just a guess. If we could take in the module and have a few criminals sentenced to death locked up for experimentation, it would be of great help to our research." He was about to say something else when he heard a woman's scream from outside the door of the waiting room all of a sudden.

"It's Changyue!" Everyone was shocked and Zhang Heng was the first to rush out of the room before they could even run outside. He saw a terrified look on Changyue's face as soon as he opened the door and she was looking straight at a male assistant with a deadpan expression.

Standing before Chang Yue was a rather fat Gaud. He had taken off his chemical defense suit and was holding a kitchen knife in his hand, which he put around his neck.

"It's over. There's nothing left…" Gaud said with a deadpan expression. His tone and demeanor reminded everyone of Tang Wantong two days ago.

"Gao, put that knife down right now!" Luo Jincheng rushed out and shouted at Gao De.

However, Gaud didn't listen to him at all. He simply held onto the knife tightly and continued to cut at his neck like a sawdust. Blood immediately dripped from the cold blade and dripped onto the ground.

"Commander, do you need help?" Corona asked softly.

"It's no use. The cerebral cortex has been destroyed. Even if we were to stop him from killing himself, he'd still find some other way to kill himself." Zhang Heng shook his head, his expression completely deadpan.

"Save me…" Gaud slowly turned around all of a sudden, with an indescribable, twisted expression of pain on his face. "I can feel it. It took something from my body!"

"I'm destroyed. My life is over. Save me…"

He tried to take two steps forward, but everyone was screaming and backing away. Only Luo Jincheng tried to take a step forward, only to be grabbed by Zhang Heng.

"The Meme effect on him has reached its breaking point. He's hopeless," Zhang Heng said casually.

Seeing that no one came forward, Gaud continued to cut his neck with the kitchen knife. The sound of the blade cutting through his trachea cartilage was heard, and blood sprayed everywhere.

"Ah!"

Everyone shouted and backed away, unable to help themselves. Black festering marks spread all over Gaud's face, and before he was able to die completely, Gaud was reduced to a puddle of black liquid before everyone's terrified eyes.

Extreme pain was seen in Luo Jincheng's eyes. The deaths of two people in a row made everyone on the verge of mental breakdown, including Luo Jincheng. It was obvious that if this were to continue, even Luo Jincheng wouldn't be able to escape unscathed.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown. He didn't mind having his assistants around, but he couldn't afford to have Luo Jincheng die. If he were to die, it would be a huge loss for Zhang Heng and the entire Stellar Foundation.

"Commander, it is obvious that the code that caused all of this is still on some electronic device. However, destroying all of the machines would be useless. The other party could be converted into a radio frequency at any given moment. There is only one way to do so, and that is to use me as a container to allow it to enter my mental field. After all, it is a kind of magnetic field to begin with. I would be able to seal it up if there is a chance to fight head-on."

Just when Zhang Heng's confidence wavered, Corona suddenly said something like that.

"No way!" Zhang Heng rejected the idea without giving it any thought. "It's too dangerous. I still have plenty of ways to try. For example, I could use the particle accelerator to accelerate the proton to lightspeed to attack it, or I could use countless firewalls to isolate it when it turns into a code. However, if I were to let it infect your mental field, I'm not sure if you'd be able to defeat it. It's a meme after all, and it's definitely not something that common sense could determine."

"That's impossible!" However, Corona, who had always been an obedient girl, denied the possibility right away. "The probability of you driving it into the particle accelerator is less than one in a billion. If not, you wouldn't be doing it right now, and sealing it with countless firewalls would be even more impossible. It could turn itself into a radio signal at any time. Only my method would have a chance of success. Commander, please don't forget that there is a kind of meme sealed in the first place!"

"It's precisely because you have the meme function to begin with that I can't let you take the risk. After all, no one knows what would happen when the two meme features meet…" Zhang Heng shook his head and felt touched deep down. It was for no other reason than the fact that Corona would always be loyal to him at all times. She had been working hard for over a year without making a sound. Despite not having a body, her existence had long been etched deep into his heart.

"But it's precisely because I have the ability to seal and control modules that I have the highest chance of defeating it, isn't it?" Corona explained. "Commander, you can't hesitate any longer. You may not have realized it yet, but your willpower has been worn down considerably over the past two days."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and looked hesitant for the first time after hearing that. "But if you were to fail and your thoughts were taken over by that Meme, humanity would be completely wiped out."

"I don't care about the extinction of humanity," Corona said immediately. "Ever since my program was reset, the highest priority set up was to be loyal to you. Regardless, my program made it so that I couldn't just watch you die without doing anything."

Zhang Heng fell silent right away.

"Furthermore, when you encountered the 'Cthulhu' incident back in the radiation plane, you mistook the 'Cthulhu' as some kind of meme. Didn't you tell me back then that if I were to accidentally bring the meme into reality, I'd have to go and destroy it?" Corona continued.

"I was just joking then…" Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin. "I was 100 percent sure that 'Cthulhu' wouldn't be able to follow me back to reality back then. I didn't expect you to actually take it seriously."

"But you're right. If the Meme were to appear in real life, I would indeed be the only one who would stand a chance."

"I see. Well then, I'll be counting on you…" Zhang Heng sighed to himself. It was the first time he felt that he was simply too weak. If his mental power could affect microscopic particles and even energy, he definitely wouldn't be as helpless as he was right now.

267. Success!

The method that Corona mentioned was the one with the highest chance of success that Zhang Heng thought of initially. However, the price he had to pay was the life and death of the entire plane.

Zhang Heng couldn't afford to take the risk. He didn't care about other people, but his parents and family were all in Haizhou. If Corona were to fail, the curse could very well replace Corona's consciousness and become a super curse that could no longer be controlled. Haizhou, on the other hand, would be the first to bear the brunt of the attack, turning into a living hell. Be it regular people or his family, no one would be able to escape unscathed.

That wasn't all. He was even more unwilling for Corona to take on that kind of danger. Cursed Memes were not something that modern technology could fight against. It was unknown if Corona would be able to fight against something like that, and Zhang Heng dared not take the risk.

That was Zhang Heng's personality. He would rather face danger on his own than pin his hopes on someone else. Furthermore, it was Corona, who was very important to him.

"Is there really no other way?" Zhang Heng sighed to himself. He felt an invisible wave spread out at that very moment, as Corona had completely opened up her mental field.

"Commander, please stop hesitating," Corona said softly. She appeared before Zhang Heng and gave him a gentle hug as he hesitated.

Zhang Heng extended his hand, feeling rather stiff, and was just about to touch Corona when she shattered like glass in the very next second, turning into specks of light that lit up the entire space.

"Commander, this is the only way. Trust me!" Corona's voice was heard and she encouraged him, "You've never hesitated before, no matter how dangerous the situation is. You're the most determined person I've ever met. You can't hesitate this time…"

The hesitation in Zhang Heng's eyes gradually turned into determination. "Thank you, Corona. I've never truly trusted anyone in real life, but I'll always trust you…"

"Hehe, let's talk about that later. I don't think I'd lose to a single code." Corona chuckled.

Zhang Heng nodded and slowly closed his eyes. In the very next second, everyone felt the entire B8 floor begin to shake. Countless electronic devices began to wail like metal being twisted.

"What's going on? Is there an earthquake?" The crowd couldn't help but cry out in alarm. Everyone looked around frantically, yet all they saw was countless electronic devices seemingly losing their gravity. The particle accelerator's control computers, the main computers on the B8th floor, the nuclear reactor's controls… All the computational equipment with computational power actually rose into the air and began to twist and collapse in midair, turning into pieces of irregularly shaped scrap metal.

Luo Jincheng's pupils contracted. He seemed to have recalled something and turned to look at Zhang Heng, only to see that Zhang Heng had his eyes closed and his hands spread out. Ripples of air-distorting energy emanated from his body, which was a mental power capable of affecting physical objects.

"Boom!" A huge burst of sparks was seen from the particle accelerator's control computer and powerful voltage was released in the blink of an eye. Everyone backed away instinctively and looked at the electronics floating in the air around them before looking at Zhang Heng, who was at the center of the wave. Everyone looked shocked.

"That's… the power of a god!" someone mumbled.

"Impossible, how did he do it?"

Zhang Heng was in a position where he was ready to go all out at the moment. Truth be told, there was hardly anything in reality that could make him use his full power ever since his mental power began to grow bit by bit. It was the first time that he was releasing all of his mental power at the moment.

It was more apt to say that Zhang Heng wanted to vent instead of destroying the electronics. He didn't want to remain weak and powerless in the face of danger. He didn't want the people he cared about to stand in the way of danger just to protect him, while he had no choice but to stand by and watch.

"Buzz!"

A ferocious look was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. Everyone saw countless computers and other equipment gathering before him. It was as if there was a huge magnet before him, and the communication wristwatches on everyone's wrists were no exception. All of them were pulled out and formed a huge steel sphere before Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and said to Corona with a heavy and sorrowful tone, "It's done. I've destroyed all the equipment that could contain the code."

"Alright, it's all up to me now!" Corona nodded and her mental power continued to expand and spread, but she was unable to break through the B8 layer to prevent that piece of code from reaching the outside world through her mental magnetic field. At that moment, in a corner of the B8 layer, Corona felt something that was very similar to her own mental magnetic field entering her body at a certain frequency. In the next second, she dashed towards where Corona was.

"Commander, the other party has changed its frequency and integrated into my mental field."

"Please!" Zhang Heng wore a serious expression right away. After losing all the carriers, that code was converted to a frequency again and charged at Corona's body instinctively. While the meme was not a living being and had no thoughts, it knew instinctively that it could only spread out with Corona's help to destroy the new world.

All of a sudden, an indescribable mental shockwave spread out in all directions, making it look like the Big Bang of the Universe. Two types of invisible energy clashed and surged in all directions, causing everyone to cover their heads and roll all over the place while screaming at the top of their lungs.

Even Zhang Heng felt a tearing force in his mind. It was as if countless giant hands had appeared out of nowhere in his brain and were tearing at his brain, trying to reduce his brain to mush.

The pineal gland at the center of Zhang Heng's brow began to shake violently as he endured the intense pain. His pineal gland had undergone countless evolutions and had long since grown to the size of an eyeball. It extended from the center of his brain to the front of his skull and was only centimeters away from his skull. Countless amounts of mental power burst forth at that moment, forming an invisible barrier in front of Zhang Heng, covering Luo Jincheng as well.

The massive magnetic field fluctuations felt like a hurricane that was about to burst. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, looked like a small tree that was about to collapse in the middle of a hurricane. While the tree was small and weak, it was rooted deep in the soil and was able to withstand even the most violent of storms.

He didn't know how much time passed. Just when he was about to reach his limit, the raging magnetic field suddenly retracted all of a sudden. It was as if the snowstorm that filled the sky had suddenly dissipated, revealing a patch of sunlight behind thick, dark clouds.

Zhang Heng supported himself with both hands on the ground and slowly raised his head. Blood gushed out of his nose and Luo Jincheng had completely passed out by then. He resisted the exhaustion that was welling up in his mind and checked on Luo Jincheng before heaving a sigh of relief.

It was fortunate that Luo Jincheng didn't die.

He then took a look at his assistants, who were standing not far away from him. However, all of them were bleeding from all seven orifices and were deader than dead. The same went for the two scientists…

Zhang Heng paid no further attention to the bodies. He struggled to stand up despite the dizziness and intense pain in his head and asked Corona, "Corona, how is it? Did you beat it?"

Corona didn't respond.

Zhang Heng's heart tensed up and a bad feeling rose in his chest. A series of clacking sounds were heard from behind him in the very next second, followed by an endless chill that spiraled behind him.

Zhang Heng turned around, feeling rather stiff. He saw Tang Wantong and Gao De, who had died a long time ago, staring at him quietly, like images from black and white movies.

"Did I fail?" Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin and clenched his fist tightly. He was just about to use what little mental power he had left to fight back when the ghosts of the two of them suddenly shrieked like microphones being broken. Before Zhang Heng could react, the ghosts of the two of them flickered and disappeared as if they couldn't receive any signal.

Hiss…

The two ghosts disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.

"Commander…" Corona's weak voice was heard in Zhang Heng's mind, yet there was a tinge of joy in her voice. "I've sealed that module within my field of vision. We…"

"Success!"

Author's Note: The setting of the Cursed Meme is not an original creation, but an orthodox sequel from Infinity's first ancestor, 'Eternal Dawn'. Old Z's explanation of ghosts is top-notch. If you're interested, you can take a look.

268. Human Modification

One day later.

Zhang Heng was lying in the medical room of the Honeycomb hospital while Luo Jincheng became his ward mate.

"Even though I've only been trapped for two days, it feels like an eternity, like the first time I've been to a plane…" Zhang Heng mumbled with a bitter grin.

Zhang Heng initially thought that he would be able to handle most crises with his current level of power. He no longer felt as tense and uncertain about his future when he went on missions in the other planes. However, he was finally able to recall the horrors that were once ruled by crises.

He was not the only one. The entire human civilization was only a step away from destruction.

"Commander, please don't blame yourself. No one could have predicted that." Corona's voice was filled with encouragement and gentleness, which was heard clearly by Zhang Heng's ears. "Our defense measures have been carried out very well. If it hadn't been for the fact that the Meme was a curse-like entity capable of spreading through both electronics and frequencies, none of this would have happened. Furthermore, we still won in the end. That Meme has been sealed, and I'm still trying to control the power of that Meme. If we were to be able to fully research that Meme, any civilization that lacks technology would be rendered completely powerless before us."

"Civilization?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"Yeah, for example… aliens attacking Earth?" Corona made an analogy and continued, "It's just like 'Terminator', 'Heavenly Fiend Counterattack', and other technological civilizations of that level. In the face of such memes, all of them would be rendered completely defenseless and would end up in complete shambles."

"That's right. That would be our greatest gain, and it's imperative that we begin researching strategies to combat memes. I don't want to experience that feeling of being at a loss and unable to do anything about it again." Zhang Heng nodded and changed the subject. "By the way, how's Professor Luo doing?"

"His cerebral cortex is damaged, which could result in side effects in his intelligence and memory." Corona chuckled and continued, "Such a condition would have been completely ineffective in real life, but we have automated surgical equipment, so there's still a certain chance of curing his injuries."

"I want the best medical treatment. I want him to fully recover," Zhang Heng said solemnly.

"Yes."

…

Zhang Heng walked out of the ward two days later, having made a full recovery. Humans were no longer able to stop someone at his level of physical resilience. He was able to fully recover from injuries such as cerebral hemorrhage in less than a dozen hours. The rest of his time was spent on observation.

However, he saw Tang Wantong and Gao De standing at the door as soon as he walked out of the ward. Both of them looked very pale.

Zhang Heng sighed and said, "Cut it out, Corona."

"Hehe, I wanted to give you a surprise to celebrate your discharge from the hospital!" The two figures disappeared quickly and Corona's tall silhouette appeared before Zhang Heng.

"So, you've gained complete control over the power of the curse?" Zhang Heng was astonished.

"No, I need at least several months of full-power analysis before I can unravel the microscopic structure and patterns of that cursed module." Corona shook her head and continued, "But I'm able to control that module in a small area, such as controlling its activation and closing."

"Furthermore, I feel that my true form—the Black Marker—seems to be some kind of container capable of sealing the meme." Corona wore a terrified expression. "When that cursed meme invaded my mental field, my mental field was pushed back bit by bit. I thought that I was done for, but I didn't expect that after it broke through my mental field, it would be sucked into my body and never be able to come out again."

Zhang Heng couldn't help but look pensive when he heard that. "Don't you know what that civilization that created you is?"

"I've lost all data regarding myself after the reboot." Corona shook her head and continued, "I guess only the other Markers from the Dead Space plane would know."

Zhang Heng felt rather exasperated. He was tempted by what Corona said at first, but he eventually shook his head when he recalled how terrifying the Markers and the Blood Moon were. The Dead Space was still considered a highly dangerous plane even at the moment, and it was not something that could be cleared with just numbers and weapons.

"Commander, I've compiled all data regarding the module after I've completely incorporated it. Many of the data is very similar to what you've speculated, such as the structure of the module's quantum state and the concept of electromagnetic radiation. Other than that, there are several other important patterns regarding the curse."

"What pattern?"

"Cursed models would have the first infected at the very beginning, and the rest would be safe and sound before the first infected died. However, those who were in the same area as the infected would all be infected. Even if one were to run to the ends of the earth, it would still be impossible to escape the curse. Furthermore, if too many people were to die in one area, that area would be corrupted by the curse and become a cursed dead zone. Any human who entered that dead zone would suffer the same fate."

"It's very similar to 'Curse'." Zhang Heng wore a serious expression. "In other words, it's very possible that the 'Curse' plane exists as well. Furthermore, that plane is also a curse-type model, and it's even more ferocious than the one that caused the demons to go on the wrong path. I really wish that I'd never run into that kind of curse in my entire life…"

"Corona, do your best to analyze that meme. I'm such a fool. I've been trying to stop you from activating the meme function that you already have because I felt that the meme was too dangerous. It's just like throwing away a treasure mountain. I felt that the treasure mountain was too dangerous, so I didn't dare to take the treasure even if I had it…" Zhang Heng sighed and continued, "I won't do it again from here on out. There's no such thing as no risk in the world. Living in trouble, dying in peace."

"Commander, please don't blame yourself," Corona said gently.

"Let's not talk about anything else. I'm about to begin the human modification plan. Corona, you need to analyze something as unknown as the meme as soon as possible. I don't want to run into the meme without being able to fight back the next time."

"Are you ready?" Corona's expression changed drastically after hearing about the human modification plan.

"Are you talking about abandoning my identity as a human?" Zhang Heng smirked and chuckled. "In terms of biology, I would no longer be considered a human if I were to undergo human transformation. But in terms of philosophy, I'm still a human no matter what I become. So, what's there to be troubled about?"

"Furthermore, the human body modification experiment is considered quite advanced in terms of technology. If there's anything that's lacking, it would be evolution. However, if animals could evolve, then I could 'upgrade' them as well."

Zhang Heng paid a visit to Luo Jincheng before he left. The friendly-looking old man was lying on the hospital bed like a vegetable. His cerebral cortex had been damaged, and he would have been in a vegetative state for the rest of his life if he were to be in real life. However, he was in a beehive, which made things a little more troublesome, but he was confident that he could treat his condition.

Zhang Heng headed for the elevator in the end. He needed to return to the B7 floor, where Kong Zhongcai and Feng Lun, two biomedical scientists, had been working hard on the human transformation project for months. They had even stopped researching the xenomorphs and the T-Virus. It was time for Zhang Heng to look at the results.

269. Human Modification Experiment

However, Zhishang caught up with him right after he walked out of the medical room.

"Why are you following me?" Zhang Heng couldn't help but ask when he saw that she was about to board the elevator with him.

"Her Excellency Corona asked me to protect you in case something like what happened the day before happened again," Zhishang said with a deadpan expression.

Zhang Heng shook his head and didn't say anything else. Given what had happened that day, not to mention Zhishang, even if all of the clones were there, they wouldn't be of any use. However, Zhang Heng didn't reject the offer. It just so happened that he would be able to use Zhishang for the human modification test.

The elevator reached the B7 floor very quickly.

The bottom of the B7 was the B8, but the entire B8 was considered paralyzed. Several pieces of equipment worth hundreds of millions of US dollars were damaged and would require over a month of maintenance before they could be reused.

Zhang Heng was stunned to find that there was no disinfection room in the laboratory when he arrived at the door of Laboratory B7-4. However, he realized that there was no need to do the body transformation in the laboratory's lobby, which made him feel somewhat relieved.

He verified his identity and the several thick barriers opened one after another. As the last door opened, a huge amount of steam gushed out and shrouded the entire door.

Zhang Heng and Zhishang walked through the steam and their field of vision broadened. The entire laboratory was huge. Other than a quarantine room and a few culture pods, there was hardly any medical equipment. Instead, there were plenty of fitness equipment laid out. There was even a huge punching machine at the center of the laboratory.

Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai stood in the center of the laboratory, seemingly deep in discussion about something. The sound of bickering could be heard from time to time, while the assistants around them wore bitter smiles on their faces. None of them went up to stop the fight. It was obvious that this was not the first time the two of them had done something like this.

Zhang Heng shook his head and walked up to the two of them. The two of them seemed to be at odds with each other, and no matter when Zhang Heng walked in, the two of them would always bicker.

"I'd like to ask the two of you to stop for a bit. Would you mind reporting the progress of the experiment to me first?" Zhang Heng walked up and asked with a smile.

"Director Zhang." The two of them stopped arguing after seeing Zhang Heng walk up to them. One of them, Feng Lun, turned around and said to Zhang Heng, "The human body modification experiment was very successful. The average person who was modified was at least three times stronger than they were before. However, due to the costs involved, I'm afraid that the experiment won't be popularized for the time being."

"Succeed my a * *. I'd never consider it a successful experiment unless it could solve the problem of bone repair," Kong Zhongcai retorted right away.

"So, you're saying that your bones could be repaired? No one's bones could be repaired without at least a month, no?" Feng Lun retorted right away.

Zhang Heng stood between the two of them with a troubled look on his face when he saw that the two of them were about to start arguing. He said with a smile, "That's about it, guys. Regardless of whether the experiment is a success or not, at least let me take a look, right?"

"Alright, let's see if this is considered a success then, Chief Zhang!" Feng Lun shouted and turned to look at Zhang Heng. "Do you need a copy of the data?"

"No need. Just explain it to me." Zhang Heng shook his head.

"Very well then. Look, this is the super-soldier that we've modified." Feng Lun pointed behind him and Zhang Heng turned around to see a man with a deadpan expression, naked from the waist down, locked up in the isolation room.

"His name is Song Qing. He was originally a rapist, but he was brought back by the clone army. More than 20 people were brought back at the time, but he was the only one who survived all the modifications."

Zhang Heng nodded. At that moment, Feng Lun walked up to the quarantine room and pointed at the man as he said, "We soaked him in a solution that could turn his bones into collagen, and we had all of his bones taken off calcium. We then injected him with a dose of nano titanium every day. While he looks like a regular person on the surface, all of his bones are actually completely titanium alloy, and they're all biased."

"What's his strength?" Zhang Heng asked. "Also, does his bone marrow still exist? If he loses his bone marrow, he'll immediately end up with leukemia."

"There's no need to worry about that. The structure of the bones that were replaced using such a method hasn't changed at all. The bone marrow is still in place, and the advantages are obvious, no?" Feng Lun chuckled and continued, "There are several conditions needed to replace the bones in the human body. The first requirement is that the substance must be non-toxic and have no adverse reactions to the human body. The second requirement is that it shouldn't be corroded in general. The second requirement is that the bone replacements require high durability, endurance, and flexibility to be similar to that of the human bones. The biological compatibility would be very high."

"Titanium alloys, on the other hand, have high melting points, small weight ratios, high durability, good resilience, resistance to fatigue, corrosion, low thermal conductivity, high temperatures tolerance, low stress tolerance, and so on. With a new set of bones, even though your bones would be over twice as heavy as your old bones, your defense would still rise sharply, especially your brain." Feng Lun pointed at his head. "As an isotope of titanium, it would be hundreds of times more difficult to manufacture high-density titanium than it would be to manufacture high-density aluminum. However, the strength of the new bones would be several times higher. Even the most advanced sniper rifles would be unable to penetrate the skull of high-density titanium alloys."

"But what about the vibrations if I can't get through?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"Don't worry about the shock reduction. Your muscles have become far stronger after injecting yourselves with the T-Virus solution. Regular people may not be able to withstand the shock from a sniper rifle, but you can. The worst that could happen to you would be a concussion," Feng Lun replied.

Seeing that Zhang Heng didn't seem to be satisfied, Feng Lun quickly said, "That is the limit of what our technology could achieve. However, if you're concerned about the fact that the metal bones are unable to heal on their own, there's still one other way to go about it. That is, the bones of the entire body are to remain the same. We'll just operate on the skull and modify it into high-density titanium alloy. We could even install a life support system on the skull. Even if the body were to be destroyed, the brain could still be preserved. The backup nutrient solution would be used to supply oxygen and nutrients to the brain, waiting for the personnel to come to the rescue."

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up right away. "That's a great idea."

"That's just one of the possibilities. Now, let's take a look at his body." Feng Lun asked the experimental body named Song Qing to walk up to the X-ray panel. The structure of Song Qing's body was revealed right away. "We've replaced all the arteries and veins in his body and implanted nerves and muscles. He'll be able to control the flow of his blood in the future."

"His heart and intestines are gone?"

"We've dismantled his heart." Feng Lun nodded and continued, "The heart is the second weakness of humans, second only to the brain. That's why we were able to create artificial arteries. Such arteries are tens of times more resilient than those of regular humans, making it difficult for even a sharp knife to slice through them. Furthermore, since the arteries could transmit blood on their own, the heart would be rendered useless."

"As for the intestines, we've removed his stomach as well. The stomach that you're looking at right now is actually an artificial organ that we've manufactured. His digestive capacity is several times higher than that of regular people. Furthermore, we've designed nutrient fluid specifically for him. Given his physical toughness, only our nutrient fluid would be able to supply his current bodily energy."

"Other than that, we have another organ implant: the third lung. In the toxic air, it has a sphincter that is used to shut off the windpipe and prevent regular respiration to protect the lungs. The third lung would then be used for oxygen consumption, which is far higher than that of regular lungs and would be more effective in neutralizing toxic gas."

Vonlun went on, but Zhang Heng frowned after he was done talking. "That kind of modification works pretty well for survival, but I wonder how much combat power that would do."

"We've injected the T-Virus in it as well. You could have the gentleman behind you try it out," Feng Lun said eagerly as he looked at Zhishang.

Zhishang turned to look at Zhang Heng with a questioning look on his face. Zhang Heng hesitated for a bit before nodding in the end. Zhishang then turned around and headed for the door of the isolation room.

270. Beating Up

Hiss…

The door of the isolation room detected Zhishang's identity verification. The door opened after confirming that the access was sufficient.

At first, Zhishang looked rather lazy. However, when he took a step into the quarantine room, his eyes narrowed and a serious look was seen on his face. It was obvious that he felt a vague sense of threat from the man before him, just like how regular people would feel when they run into armed criminals. While he wasn't exactly afraid, all the cells in his body were completely opened and he was put on high alert.

In terms of defensive capabilities alone, it was obvious that Zhishang was no match for Song Qing, who possessed a titanium alloy skeleton. However, in terms of combat prowess, Zhang Heng was probably no match for Zhishang. Zhishang was born with an astonishing level of combat instinct and innate talent. He had only been training for about three months in the virtual space, yet he was able to kill Corona countless times.

He slowed down and walked closer to Song Qing. The door of the isolation room behind him closed again, forming a natural cage.

On the other side, Song Qing had been wearing a dazed expression the entire time and didn't react even when Zhishang walked up to him. Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown and look at Feng Lun, who looked very confident.

Zhishang kept his back facing Zhishang as he got within a meter of the other man. However, Zhishang had no qualms about doing so. He extended his hand and grabbed Song Qing's head in a very practiced manner, twisting it at the same time.

Crack!

The crisp, crisp sound of bones rubbing against each other was heard along with a metallic, crisp sound. However, Zhishang raised his eyebrows. He hadn't heard the sound of bones breaking that should have been there, as his opponent's bones were far harder than he had imagined.

His powerful bone structure and muscles enabled him to negate the force of that attack in an instant. Song Qing turned around and looked at Zhishang with a hint of madness in his eyes.

"His consciousness as a human has completely disappeared." Feng Lun looked at the crazed expression on Song Qing's face and felt very satisfied. "He's just a wild animal right now."

Zhang Heng smirked and didn't say anything.

A roar that didn't resemble a human's was heard coming from Song Qing's mouth all of a sudden. He pounced on Zhishang without a care in the world, seemingly wanting to pin him down and tear him apart like a beast.

However, Zhishang shook his head and said casually, "Too slow." He took a slight step back and lifted his right leg slightly, kicking hard like a cannonball. He then raised his left arm and revealed his elbow that looked like a sharp knife.

Crack!

Zhishang nimbly kicked Song Qing's front leg, causing him to lose his balance amidst his indignant shrieks. However, before he was able to get his opponent down, Zhishang's elbow smashed into the top of his head like a sledgehammer.

Any regular person would have died from having their head smashed through by Zhishang right there and then. Song Qing, on the other hand, fell to the ground with a loud thud. However, he was able to raise his head in the very next second, revealing his bloodied jaw.

He didn't sustain any internal injuries from the fall, but his skin was torn.

"Roar!" Song Qing's expression became even more ferocious. He grabbed Zhishang's right leg and was about to pull him to the ground as well. However, Zhishang only shook slightly and managed to slip away from his opponent's grasp like a loach. He then nimbly stomped down on Zhishang's hands and pinned them under his body.

Feng Lun watched all of this with a stunned expression on his face. No matter how he looked at it, he knew that Song Qing was the one who had been beaten.

"That's not fair!" In the end, he wore a bitter grin and continued, "I'm sure a lunatic like you wouldn't be able to win against a fighter like you, but I'm telling you to take a look at his body's toughness!"

Zhang Heng nodded and didn't say anything else. He simply picked up the microphone and said into the isolation room, "Zhishang, let's fight it out with him. Let's see how strong his body is."

Zhishang, who was still in the quarantine room, nodded and let go of Song Qing. The latter howled and climbed to his feet, charging at Zhishang with a murderous, bloodthirsty look in his eyes.

Zhishang didn't choose to evade this time. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and released all the power in his body, ramming his shoulder into that twisted face of his.

Bang!

Song Qing was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into the wall of the isolation room behind him, causing the entire room to shake violently.

Song Qing shook his dizzy head and climbed to his feet again. While the modified man was completely useless, he was nonetheless very resilient. All of the attacks that Zhishang had launched that could kill in seconds were completely useless against him.

However, there was still no hint of emotion on Zhishang's face. He grabbed hold of the other man's arm all of a sudden and with a flash of his body, he moved to the side of the other man in the blink of an eye. A snapping sound was heard at the same time as he snapped Song Qing's joints.

"This…" Feng Lun was stunned right away. He hadn't expected that Zhishang would still be able to completely crush the power of the Experimentals after replacing the metal bones. Not only that, but Zhishang was able to easily grab hold of the weak points on the joints of the metal bones, causing Song Qing to lose an arm in an instant.

"I do admit that the experimental body with the titanium bones is indeed very powerful, but its flexibility are greatly reduced…" Zhang Heng looked away and said to Feng Lun, "That ability is of little use. Zhishang, show him!" Zhang Heng said into the microphone again.

Zhishang nodded and threw a punch at the wall all of a sudden. A deafening rumble that sounded like a sledgehammer was heard and the entire laboratory seemed to shake for a bit. A shocked expression appeared on Feng Lun's face in the very next second.

A fist print that was about half a centimeter deep was seen on the steel wall that Zhishang attacked.

"You still know too little about the T-Virus," Zhang Heng said casually. "The people who were injected with the T-Virus might not have been able to achieve such sturdiness at the very beginning, but if we were to continue training, the strength of our bones would definitely be on par with that of high-carbon steel. While our bones would be far from being able to compare with those of titanium alloy, our bones would be able to heal in less than 12 hours when it comes to healing capabilities. That is something that even the best of metals wouldn't be able to achieve."

"I see…" Feng Lun said with a bitter smile, "As expected, titanium alloy bones are still too weak."

"But I'm very interested in the idea of having your high-dimensional titanium skull removed. As for the man-made artery, I think you guys could continue to work on that." Zhang Heng patted Feng Lun's shoulder and paid no further attention to that. He turned to look at Kong Zhongcai and asked, "Professor Kong, have you made any progress regarding xenomorphs?"

"It's the same as always. Although we've figured out the structure of the xenomorphs, we're still unable to control them. It's just like if you're born with it, the xenomorphs will never yield. Be it taming or punishing them, it's almost impossible for them to recognize you as their master. Even if they do yield occasionally, it's only a temporary measure. Once you expose your weaknesses to them, they'll rush up and tear you to pieces right away."

Kong Zhongcai sighed and said, "It's harder to make them listen than to kill them."

Zhang Heng frowned and asked, "Have you tried to command them in terms of pheromones?"

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it. Other than being able to differentiate between their own kind and their prey through information, I suspect that they also have ways of communicating that humans don't understand, something like telepathy. There's no way we could mimic the commands of the xenomorph queen to control the xenomorphs." Kong Zhong shook his head and wore a bitter smile. "I've pretty much given up."

"I did run an experiment a while ago." Fong Lun suddenly said when he saw the two of them talking about xenomorphs. "I took out the xenomorph larvae in the facehugger and sent them into the bodies of two genetic scorpions, successfully evolving a new type of xenomorph."

271. Psionic Communication

"New xenomorphs?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"Such a xenomorph could very well help us break through the bottleneck of controlling the xenomorphs." Vonlun nodded.

"Let's go take a look." Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. To be honest, the xenomorphs were creatures that Zhang Heng had always been very concerned about. For example, someone from the movies once said something like that.

"Comparatively speaking, a marine elite armed to the teeth wearing a bulletproof suit would have a chance of winning against an adult xenomorph alone, no more than 50 percent. It would take millions of dollars and years to train a marine, and it would take two days at most to train a xenomorph. If we were to use the xenomorphs for military purposes, the cost and manpower would be greatly reduced, and we would only need to hire a few hosts."

That was how attractive the xenomorphs were to humans. They were extremely cheap but very effective biological weapons, just like 'tyrants'. However, the price of nurturing a tyrant was over tens of millions of US dollars, and it would take tens of days to do so. If a tyrant wasn't armed, his combat prowess would at most be equal to that of three to five xenomorphs. One could tell just how valuable the xenomorphs were from that alone.

Of course, the Weyland Yutani Company was a good example of the law of courting death. A superpower organization that monopolized global funding and was strong enough to go against the entire world was eventually destroyed due to greed. That black company attempted to control alien lifeforms that were completely out of control, resulting in a series of tragedy.

What Zhang Heng was doing at the moment was no different from what the Weyland Yutani Company was doing. The root cause of all of that was greed. Zhang Heng's company was, after all, a corporation of interests. As long as there was profit to be gained, they would be able to withstand any kind of danger. Furthermore, Zhang Heng was very confident that his defense system wouldn't allow such a monster to escape so easily.

Furthermore, that wasn't all. Becoming a biological weapon was only one of the values of the xenomorphs. The xenomorphs had another value that far exceeded that of biological weapons—their evolutionary abilities.

Zhang Heng remembered very well that the xenomorphs only took decades to evolve technologies developed by humans over thousands of years back when he was on a plane mission, such as cannon xenomorphs, dirty bomb xenomorphs, satellite xenomorphs, and even biological battleship xenomorphs capable of traveling at sub-light speeds.

When Zhang Heng first learned of the existence of the biological battleship xenomorphs, he was impressed by how the xenomorphs looked no different from the Tyranids. Or rather, it was possible that the xenomorphs themselves were the early stages of the Tyranids.

Zhang Heng shuddered at the thought of that race that had wrecked countless river systems and sent humans, green-skinned creatures, and ribs into retreat. The will of the Tyrone Zerg was something that even the four evil gods were able to suppress, something that even Chaos had to back away from.

All in all, there was no way he would give up on raising xenomorphs, no matter how dangerous they were. If he were to be able to dig a hole in the xenomorph's body, it would be more than enough for him.

Zhang Heng, Feng Lun, and Kong Zhongcai had left Laboratory No. 4 by then. They took a turn and made their way to Laboratory No. 2, which was where the xenomorphs were kept.

Zhang Heng hadn't been in the laboratory for over half a year. However, his field of vision changed as soon as he stepped into the laboratory. There were hundreds of specimen containers in the lobby of the laboratory. The containers looked like miniature incubators, with the entire structure in the shape of a pillar. There was a transparent glass in the middle, and all manner of xenomorphs soaked in formalin were sealed inside.

There were xenomorph eggs, facehuggers, and all manner of matured xenomorph specimens, such as cows, horses, pigs, sheep, alligators, lizards, and other xenomorphs that host mammals and cold-blooded animals.

The hosts were animals such as cows, horses, sheep, and the like. The xenomorphs that were born were all messenger xenomorphs. Such xenomorphs had very little similarity to the genes of their hosts. It was obvious that the genes of those hosts had no advantage genes that xenomorphs needed. Only humans and all manner of carnivorous animals were able to allow xenomorphs to absorb the excellent genes in their bodies and evolve into xenomorphs.

Zhang Heng took a brief tour around the area where the specimens were stored, and his field of vision broadened immediately. Four huge quarantine rooms appeared before him, and one of them was the most eye-catching—there was a huge silhouette that looked like a frost dragon hanging in there. Zhang Heng couldn't help but smile when he saw that silhouette.

He walked up slowly and looked at the huge xenomorph suspended in midair by the tungsten chains. The xenomorph seemed to have sensed something and lowered its head slowly. The moment it saw Zhang Heng, it suddenly howled and struggled hard, causing the chains on its body to clang.

"Seems like it still remembers me," Zhang Heng said in a self-depreciative manner. That huge xenomorph that was over 12 meters long was none other than the queen of the xenomorphs, the one that he took out of his stomach at the very beginning.

Zhang Heng played with the xenomorph queen for a bit before turning around and making his way to the quarantine room at the side. At that moment, Feng Lun was very perceptive and introduced the xenomorph to him, "Look, this is the new type of xenomorph that was created when I tried to use insects as hosts."

Zhang Heng looked up and saw two xenomorphs that looked like scorpions lying quietly in a separate quarantine room. Those xenomorphs were less than half a meter tall, yet their bodies were over three meters long. Their bodies were still pitch-black, but their light-colored carapace looked even sturdier than that of regular xenomorphs. Not only that, but the two huge mandibles looked like two razor-sharp scissors. One would be able to tell just from looking at them just how much power they possessed.

"These two xenomorphs have inherited almost all of the genes of their hosts, especially their tail blades, which have become something like a scorpion's tail. They could inject venom into their enemies like scorpions. Of course, their blood is the most potent venom."

"However, their heads still retain the shapes of the xenomorphs themselves, especially the structure of the neural tooth. All of those are features of the xenomorphs that would never change. Other than that, we've also conducted thousands of parasitic experiments on the xenomorphs and found that only insects like the Rain Scorpions have the greatest effect on the genes of the xenomorphs. We could begin to unravel the mystery of the xenomorphs bit by bit from here," said Ferron.

Zhang Heng nodded. "Any progress on the research regarding xenomorph control?"

"We've discovered a new type of radiation," Kong Zhongcai said from the side. He walked up to a device that looked like a radar and pointed the device at the xenomorph queen. Kong Zhong then pressed a few buttons on the device and lines of irregular wave patterns appeared on the screen.

Kong Zhong sighed and said, "That's the radiation we found. It's a new type of energy fluctuation that has the characteristics of quantum entanglement in it, enabling it to ignore distance transmission. That kind of energy fluctuation is like brainwaves, yet it's countless times more secretive than brainwaves. Furthermore, it possesses very potent spectre-particle properties. I suspect that the xenomorphs were able to communicate through telepathy. However, despite my best efforts and countless methods, I was still unable to unravel their secrets. It's like we're standing outside a treasure trove, with treasures but unable to enter…"

"Psionic communication?"

Zhang Heng began to talk without realizing it. For some reason, he couldn't help but recall how the Tyrone Zergs communicated whenever telepathy was mentioned.

272. Night Before Selling

Those who were dead were dead, and those who were alive had to continue living. The Honeycomb had buried all of his assistants, and Zhang Heng was busy as usual, shuttling back and forth between the three planes of reality, radiation, and deep space amnesia. The Deep Space amnesia plane was on track at the moment, and the number of synthesized humans exceeded 100,000. Countless projects were being carried out every day. As for the population, everyone was gathered in the new Stellar City. There were less than 3,000 residents in New Stellar City at the moment, but Zhang Heng didn't panic. If the end of the world were to come in real life, he would send large batches of humans to the planet of Tanis in the Deep Space amnesia plane, ensuring that human civilization would continue.

Zhang Heng then took a plane shuttle to the Dimensional amnesia plane with him. As he expected, there was no longer any possibility of traveling around randomly after the two planes were connected. He went all out and spent over a billion US dollars to build a nuclear reactor with a higher power output in order to provide energy to the plane shuttle. The reactor would be specifically used to open the connections between the two planes. From then on, the two planes would be completely connected. While he was unable to just come and go as he pleased, he was able to communicate with the two planes at the very least. There was no need for him to go back and forth all day.

The success of such interplanar communication was undoubtedly a milestone. It was a pity that such joy could only be shared between the Dimensional amnesia plane and the hive. No one in real life would know about such things.

However, the scientists of the Honeycomb were in luck. If they were to get tired of doing experiments one day, they could apply for a vacation trip to Planet Tanis and experience the holiday life of a foreign planet. While the plants and animals there were very similar to those found on Earth, there were never two leaves that looked identical in the world, and that was especially true for animals and plants.

Everything in that world was new to these scientists.

Of course, the first thing he needed to do to get to Planet Tanis was to inject himself with a vaccine. The adaptive evolutionary enzyme had been modified with advanced technology, enabling it to have a safer effect, enabling him to greatly enhance the resistance of the foreign microorganisms on the planet. The first batch of humans to land on Planet Tanis would no longer be met with mass deaths.

It was June 1 in the blink of an eye. That day was the day that the first piece of electronics produced by Stellar Technology to be released to the general public—Stellar Helmet-VR.

That morning, the physical stores of all major retailers across the country were packed with people. Thousands of people were lining up in a long line, waiting for the stores to open. That was because there would be thousands of Stellar Helmet-VRs being sold in those stores. Such retail was the best choice for those who were unwilling to wait for online mail.

Of course, most people would rather choose a more comfortable online shopping service after seeing the long line of customers. While it took a few days for the goods to arrive, they didn't need to queue for hours.

There were at least millions of people waiting in front of their computers. There shouldn't have been such a small number of people in the first place, but the price of $5,500 prevented most people from purchasing the helmet. Huaxian Dollars would have cost 37,000 yuan, which would have been considered a year's income for regular people. Anyone would have had to think twice before buying a helmet after being busy for a year.

However, Zhang Heng was in no hurry. The tens of millions of bookings alone would be more than enough for him to make a killing. Furthermore, when the first batch of Stellar Helmet-VRs were to enter tens of thousands of households, they would be like computers and mobile phones in the past, becoming a force to be reckoned with in the times to come. Such a force was unavoidable and the VRs would definitely eliminate the PCs in the future, just like how mobile phones would eventually eliminate the older generation.

Furthermore, computers and cell phones were doing just fine. Countless manufacturers all over the world were trying to carve up that piece of cake. However, the even larger and more promising piece of cake that was VR was currently under the complete control of Stellar Technology, which had completely forgotten about the other high-tech companies' VR products. All of those companies' decades of hard work and billions of US dollars of investment had been rendered in vain.

Microsoft, Google, and more than a dozen other tech giants wanted to see Li Yiru like crazy, looking for an opportunity to work with her. However, to put it nicely, the so-called "cooperation" also required mutual benefits. They yearned for all kinds of technologies from Star Technology, yet Star Technology didn't need them at all. They sent out their corporate agents frantically while begging for cooperation, and they even called the embassy.

Other than that, technological lockdowns and economic sanctions were of no use in the face of a behemoth like Stellar Technology. Stellar Technology had begun to manufacture all manner of components and microchips independently and had long since surpassed the most advanced standards in the world. As for economic sanctions, Zhang Heng was able to earn countless profits just from the Huaxia market alone. Stellar Technology was the only place where human cryogenics existed overseas. No one dared to make a move in that industry. There were millions of people lying in the human cryogenic center at the moment. If they dared to make a move against human cryogenics, they would be in deep trouble if anything were to happen to them.

However, it would have been impossible for the world authorities to not have suspected that Stellar Technology had suddenly brought out several pieces of technology that were far more advanced than what they had seen in real life. Regardless of how many spies they sent out, they either went missing as experimental materials for the beehive, or they came up empty-handed. If they were to go out of their way, they could even die mysteriously due to all manner of accidents.

In the end, the Stellar Helmet-VR was banned in the United States and the United States. That was the only way they could fight back. However, the prohibition was like a double-edged sword, damaging both the enemy and themselves. Countless people from the United States, who yearned for the Stellar Helmet-VR, went out to the streets and protested against the government's foolish actions in front of the government's compound, demonstrating nonstop.

Zhang Heng wasn't worried about that at all. Li Yiru came to him several times, hoping that he would be able to relax and sell some unimportant technologies. That way, the star Helmet-VR would be able to spread to the rest of the world even faster.

However, Zhang Heng simply shook his head. Stellar Technology had nothing to fear at the moment. Huaxia and Stellar Technology were in their honeymoon period, and he could afford to ignore the American economic sanctions. If there was one thing that he was afraid of, it would be the United Nations' economic sanctions. Other than that, there was no one else who could do anything to Stellar Technology. As such, it was definitely not the first time that Stellar Technology had taken something for itself, even though it was the first time since it was founded.

As long as one was capable enough, one could even break the rules of the business world.

There was nothing anyone could do about that gangster company, which had yet to even make it to the market and had no power to restrict it, had no fear of economic sanctions, and had no fear of becoming the enemy of the entire world. All they could do was watch as the other party monopolized the entire VR company. All of those tech giants had no choice but to unite and file a lawsuit against the United Nations, accusing Stellar Technology of monopolizing the company and using the power backing them to influence the government, making the government issue an order to prohibit sales of Stellar Helmet-VR.

The two points were simple as well. Stellar Technology didn't have much else to offer other than money. Li Yiru immediately formed a team of lawyers with over a hundred people and went to argue with them. She wanted to see just who would be able to bring down Stellar Technology in a lawsuit. The prohibition of sales was more like an act of locking down the country in the Qing Dynasty of Huaxia. It was undoubtedly an act of self-deception. The price of such an action was not only to stop the development of Stellar Technology in Europe and the US, but more importantly, to make the citizens unhappy with their country.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to that. Selling was only temporary. It was only a matter of time before they were unable to withstand the insults and complaints of the people and the market opened up again. No one would be able to crack the entirety of the Stellar Helmet-VR technology in such a short period of time. All those tech giants who wanted a piece of the pie in the VR field were doomed to be crushed by Stellar Technology like bugs.

273. Glorious Star River

Xing Yufei came from a well-off family. According to the internet, he was a rich second-generation heir.

Of course, there was also a difference between the rich second-generation heirs and the rich second-generation heirs. Having tens of millions of children in his family was considered a rich second-generation heir, and having tens of billions of children in his family was considered a rich second-generation heir as well. The gap between the two was like heaven and earth.

As for Xing Yufei, he could only be considered the first of his kind. His father was a proper foreman and contracted a construction team. His business was doing rather well and he made quite a bit of money over the years.

As such, Xing Yufei had always been more well-off than his peers.

At that moment, he insisted on dragging his connections and getting a Stellar Helmet-VR from the retailers ahead of time. In Huaxia's society, such things were prohibited by no one. As long as it was managed by someone else, there would be loopholes that could be exploited. After all, there were policies at the top and countermeasures at the bottom.

While those people were busy lining up under the scorching sun for a Stellar VR helmet, Xing Yufei returned to his room feeling very comfortable. He threw the cardboard box, which was about half a meter tall, on his bed and began to unwrap it eagerly.

"Crack!"

The sealed duct tape from the cardboard box was quickly torn apart by Xing Yu, who threw away his armor with a look of anticipation on his face. He quickly opened the package and the helmet, which was secured by two pieces of foam plastic, appeared before his eyes.

He pulled the helmet out and took a good look at it. It was completely black and had a streamlined design to it, making it look very smooth and untouchable. There was no way that one would be able to see the image of a handprint on plastic.

The inside of the helmet was also very well aligned with the structure of the human body, especially since the sponge pads that were designed to prevent friction could be disassembled and looked very human-like.

Xing Yufei placed the helmet on the bed like it was some kind of treasure before continuing to look inside the box. There was a battery and a power line inside. The length of the power line was conscientious, reaching four meters in length. One had to realize that very few power lines on laptops could reach such a length.

Eventually, Xing Yufei fished out three packets of insurance forms and a copy of the manual. He threw the stack of insurance forms aside and picked up the manual to read.

Xing Yufei felt like a child who had just gotten his favorite toy and was being very careful not to damage it. The instructions were very simple—prompting the user to tell them where to plug the power lines, how to connect the signal to the internet, and so on. However, what was truly surprising was that the helmet had a Bluetooth function to begin with. It was just like a car-engine phone system, where the user would be able to receive phone calls and messages while playing games or surfing the net. It was truly a very conscientious move.

Xing Yufei shouted happily when he saw that there was nothing else to take note of. He plugged one end of the cable into the socket and plugged the other end into the helmet. He then put on the Helmet-VR helmet with excitement and nervousness.

The two projecting lenses automatically detected the user the moment he put on the helmet. Xing Yufei's eyes lit up right away as the logo of Stellar Technology flashed across his vision before entering a state of operation prompt.

"Please use your consciousness to control the arrowhead before you."

A line of words appeared at the bottom of the screen before him. It was a very baffling feeling, as if his vision had been filled by a huge silver screen. However, the angle of the image that Xing Yufei saw was different from that of other screens. The angle of the image he saw was the same as that of his eyes, reaching about 180 degrees. If he were to turn his eyes, he would be able to see things on the side as well, making it look very natural.

However, as it was still part of the lesson, Xing Yufei nonetheless took a good look at the arrowhead before him. It was nothing more than a mark of a mouse. He attempted to move the mark at that thought and the arrowhead moved slightly, sliding several centimeters upwards.

"Huh?" Despite knowing that he was controlling the arrow with his mind, Xing Yufei still felt something indescribable when the arrowhead before him actually moved with his mind for a bit. One had to realize that he didn't have any hardware like a mouse at the moment, as he was able to control the machine with just a thought. How could something so illusory be able to control the machine?

An indescribable sense of excitement and novelty stimulated Xing Yufei as he continued to play along with the instructions given by the other party. He then turned on the settings and connected it to the WiFi at home. A layout that looked like a desktop appeared before his eyes.

There was a calendar, a timer, a notebook, music, and all sorts of applications displayed on the screen before him. If he were to just look at it from there, he wouldn't be able to find anything special about it. However, he did find that all of the software icons were three-dimensional, allowing him to do whatever he wanted with them, stretching and flattening them as he pleased. That was quite a pleasant surprise to him, as it was a completely three-dimensional operation that was different from that of a mobile phone.

Additionally, there were thousands of scenarios in the setting center that matched the control interface, such as changing the background of the control interface to grassland, ocean, or even deep space. It was just like changing the wallpaper of the phone interface, except that the phone could only be replaced with flat wallpaper, which meant that the interface could be replaced with three-dimensional ones.

None of that mattered. Xing Yufei quickly familiarized himself with everything. With the helmet, surfing on the internet became a lot simpler than it had been before, but that was only considered a side function of the Stellar Helmet-VR. To Xing Yufei, the most important feature of the Stellar Helmet-VR was its gaming ability, which was said to be 100 percent immersive.

He eagerly opened the application in the store, just like Apple's app-store. The Stellar VR also had its own independent application platform. He did a quick search after opening the platform, but to his surprise, he was unable to find any well-known social media apps like QQ, Facebook, and so on. It was obvious that Stellar Technology had yet to reach an agreement with any of those companies. However, there were all manner of applications like those found in the stores—office applications, shopping applications, map applications, gaming apps… All of them were comprehensive and rich in variety, making them in no way inferior to the app-store.

However, none of that was what concerned Xing Yufei the most. He scanned through the list of options and his gaze eventually stopped on the game options. He was feeling rather nervous himself at the moment. He took a deep breath and opened the game options with a sense of unease. A row of games came into view right away, ranging from simple first-person shooting to instant combat strategies. While there were only about a dozen of them, none of that stopped him from being intrigued.

He made a quick mental note of all the options available and packed all the games with him. One could see the conscience of Stellar Technology from that alone. All of those games and software were free of charge. He wondered if the application would be charged when the platform became available.

The first game was quickly downloaded by Chiyo Chiyo Tsubasa's internet speed. It was a first-person shooting genre called 'Glorious of Galaxia'. As a veteran single-player gamer, Xing Yufei was able to smell something very sci-fi from just looking at the name alone. Of course, the name would have been acceptable in other games, but in a first-person shooting genre, things were far from reassuring.

Could it be some kind of game like the Thunder mech or the bees?

Xing Yufei was feeling rather uneasy, but he knew that he would have to wait until he got into the game before he was able to find out.

He selected the game that he had downloaded with ease using his consciousness. He was very familiar with the game by then. The logo of Stellar Technology flashed on his screen when he opened the game. It was obvious that Stellar Technology had developed the game on its own. However, all of the applications in the application store were developed from within Stellar Technology, no?

It was obvious that the company was taking all the profits for themselves. Even Apple had millions of apps listed on their app-store software. Some of those apps were taken advantage of by other companies to get a piece of the pie, while others were privately designed apps. Regardless of the quality of those apps, the options available to the company were plentiful. That was the guarantee that Apple would continue to thrive.

All of the applications on the VR platform were designed by Stellar Technology itself. Xing Yufei was not optimistic about the performance of such a program, as everyone specialized in their own fields, as was the case with the company. While Stellar Technology was capable of designing a VR helmet that was capable of crushing the entire world, was there any way he could come up with a program that was even more professional than the ones that specialized in that field?

For example, it was like the drawing software that came with the Windows system compared to the Adobe PhotoShoop software. While the drawing software came with the system itself, its capabilities were practically sh * * ing sh * in front of the PhotoShoop. Intelligent companies would find ways to make their cakes even more delicious. Eating the cake alone would only lead to their doom.

He began to play the video game while letting his imagination run wild. However, when he saw the interface, he had a feeling that he might have made a mistake.

274. Pandora

A very melodic tune played by the side of his ears. The sound was ethereal, making it sound both real and illusory. Xing Yufei saw a dot of light slowly light up before his eyes, slowly expanding from one dot to another. That dot seemed to be very far away, and all he could see was the dot bursting out like a supernova. Countless streams of matter were thrown out, causing them to vibrate like a tsunami as they swept past his body and headed straight for his back.

Is this the Big Bang? That's so shocking…

Xing Yufei realized that his heart was beating so hard that it was thumping. He felt as if he was in the scene before him, as if he was truly standing in the void of the universe, watching the world turn upside down before his very eyes. It wasn't just anyone with a fear of deep space, even someone like him, who had played too many games, felt his palms sweating as he looked into the distant darkness.

The image changed and a huge spacecraft appeared at the bottom of his vision. He turned his head to look at the ship and saw that it was in the shape of a bow and was moving vertically. It looked like a curved bow, but the sheer size of the ship was enough to show just how huge it was.

At that moment, his field of vision kept closing in on the ship. He was able to see the inside of the ship very quickly. He was immediately greeted by a sea of rooms and machinery before him. He took a quick look and found that the ship was practically endless. The ship was probably over 10 kilometers in size.

He suppressed the shock he felt and blacked out in the very next second. He found himself lying on a soft, comfortable bed when he came back to his senses. The ventilation ducts were constantly emitting strands of hot air. The room had no windows, but there were solar conservation lights simulating the sunlight. The room looked exceptionally bright.

Xing Yufei attempted to move and was astonished to discover that he was now able to move freely. He controlled himself slightly and extended his hand. A pair of unfamiliar hands appeared before his eyes right away. The fingers were long and slender and the fingerprints on the hands were unmistakable, making them look lifelike, making it impossible for him to tell that the world was made of stickers.

He clenched his fist slightly and felt the characters in the game respond to his movements. He was deeply shocked by what he saw. It was as if he had acquired a second body. If he were to be more familiar with the controls, he would be able to completely ignore the physical reactions of his real body, allowing him to move about freely in the game. It would be like having a new body and experiencing a new life.

Xing Yufei climbed to his feet in a matter of seconds after feeling the warmth from the covers. He stroked the soft covers of the bed like a curious baby. While that feeling was nowhere near as real as what he felt in real life, it was still more than a third of what he felt in real life. Furthermore, the instructions stated that it was not that he was unable to reach a stronger feeling, but that the feeling was so real that it would easily confuse his users with reality. Stellar Technology had no choice but to do so to prevent such situations from happening.

He sighed to himself at how mind-blowing the game was to him. He got out of his bed and walked on the cold, hard floor in a very natural manner. That cold, hard touch gave him goosebumps all over his real body. He shuddered for a bit before grinning and coming to a coffee machine.

He took a disposable cup from a nearby cup and gulped down the steaming cup of coffee. Xing Yufei looked up and gulped the entire cup down his throat.

"Awesome! It feels so real!"

An intense alarm was heard at that moment as Xing Yufei sighed. The holographic projection on the roof was automatically activated at the same time. A beam of blue light flashed and a middle-aged man wearing an exoskeleton suit appeared. That middle-aged man looked like a Huaxian as well. It was obvious that the overbearing company known as Stellar Technology had no intentions of pandering to the western market.

"The Pandora has been attacked by the evil forces of the Subspace. All fighters, please head to the armory immediately. Boys, it's time to show us what is truly… ahhhh!" The commander, who looked very heroic, suddenly saw a monster the size of a spider's face pouncing on his face before he was able to finish his sentence. An indescribable spike was plunged into his head in the very next second. The commander let out a bestial roar and countless skin lacerations were seen on his face before Xing Yufei's eyes. His muscles seemed to have turned into tens of thousands of squirming fleshworms. In the blink of an eye, that unlucky commander had turned into a ferocious-looking monster with bared fangs and brandished claws.

"Gasp…!" Xing Yufei gasped as he felt his entire body turn cold. It wasn't that he had never played horror games before, but he was actually the one who loved playing horror games the most. The scene of blood rushing to his brain and adrenaline pumping would always make his blood run cold. However, there was still a screen separating them. No matter how hard he tried to bring it in, people would subconsciously realize that none of that was real.

But at that moment, that sense of distance was completely shattered. Xing Yufei was able to control every single movement of the characters in the game, to the point where it could be described as exaggerated, as if his consciousness had completely taken over the body of a crew member named Pandora's ship. That film-like quality made it so that he was unable to tell reality from illusion. He was completely brought into the game as soon as he entered it.

That was the power of a fully immersive game.

Furthermore, there was hardly any CG animation or background commentary to be found in the game. It was only the beginning of the game, yet the gamers were able to get to the main theme of the game. The gamers were even able to come up with some high-energy joke segments. The simplistic and sophisticated style of the game made Xing Yufei's face turn red with excitement. He let out an excited howl and wanted to rush out of the room and go on a killing spree with the plot.

However, when he walked up to the door, he realized that it was locked. Not only that, but he also heard a metallic, emotionless voice from behind him. "Sir, I am the mainframe computer of Pandora. We have been attacked by unknown forces and I have been forced to restart due to the effects of the subspace tides. Most of my data has been destroyed and I require the help of all of you security personnel. Please put on the stellar AR glasses on the table. That way, I will be able to take control of all of your movements."

Xing Yufei was stunned. He turned around and found a pair of glasses on the bedside table.

Well, calling it a pair of glasses would actually be more apt to describe it as a pair of lenses. Furthermore, the lenses were monocles, making it look like a pair of glasses that had been snapped off from the bridge of the nose, with only half of the glasses remaining. However, the thick alloy structure and the complex internal equipment that could be seen vaguely on the lenses served as an indication that the glasses were anything but ordinary. He even saw the logo of Stellar Technology on the frame.

Could it be…

That thought flashed across his mind and was forgotten in the blink of an eye. He picked up his glasses and fixed them on his right ear. He was able to zoom in on everything in the room through the lenses. When he focused his attention on something, the lenses on the lenses would automatically zoom in, enabling the plane to become clear and recognizable. There was also a small, translucent map at the top right corner. The only thing that was shown on the map was the layout of the room and the area outside was pitch-black.

"Very good. Security crew member, I'm Pandora. I've lost most of my data due to the Chaos Tide. May I know what your name and occupation are?" A woman's voice was heard from the monocle again, and the voice was heard through the device on her ear.

A line of input appeared before his eyes in the very next second. There were four words written on the input: Your name.

It was only then that Xing Yufei realized that the system was asking him to set up his own character. He casually typed out the three words' Xing Yufei 'and a list of options appeared. There were all kinds of professions listed, such as mecha snipers, long-range snipers, medical support staff, maintenance engineers, and so on.

Given the current situation, there was simply no way anyone would be willing to choose between medical and engineer. Xing Yufei pursed his lips. It was only natural that he would choose a combat vocation to play such an exciting game. As such, he opted for a mecha assault.

"Very good, Commander Xing Yufei. Welcome back," the AI named Pandora said again. The background music changed as well, becoming more intense and spirited. "Are you ready? Chaos is launching a lethal attack on Pandora. Countless Chaos Demons have boarded the ship. All of you security fighters are the last line of defense for the hundreds of thousands of residents of the ship. I've used my access rights to open your door. Your first mission is to hide from the Chaos monsters that are running all over the place and reach the armory to get power armor and weapons. I'll show you the way."

It was only then that Xing Yufei realized what was happening. He walked to the door of the room again and pulled it open gently. A wide, dark corridor appeared right outside the door.

However, the corridor felt like hell itself. Blood that had yet to dry up was everywhere and there were claw marks that were about half an inch deep on the alloy walls. The sight sent shivers down his spine.

"No way. It hasn't been that long since he was attacked and he's already reduced to such a state…" Xing Yufei immediately felt himself cowering.

"It's been 15 minutes and 23 seconds since Pandora was attacked," Xing Yufei mumbled to himself, but he heard Pandora's explanation from his earpiece.

"Oh?" Xing Yufei was stunned as he suddenly recalled something unbelievable. He opened his mouth and said, "P-Pangorao, could you tell me what Chaos is?"

"Chaos is also known as a subspace, a parallel universe that is compatible with the material universe. There is rich energy contained in this place, and it is the source of power for the Supers in the material universe. The mental faculties of the intelligent lifeforms in the material universe were projected here, creating the bizarre and dazzling subspace beings. The subspace was very calm when the universe was first born, but as the lifeforms in the material universe flourished and spiritual energy was used, Chaos gradually became dangerous and unpredictable. Today, Chaos is a necessary path to travel through the universe and interstellar communication."

Xing Yufei sucked in a breath of cold air when he heard the muted voice of Pandora's computer. He was not shocked by all that background noise, but by the intelligence of Pandora. He had only asked a casual question and answered all of his queries immediately. Didn't that mean that the game was able to tell what you said and react differently? The game was simply unbelievable.

"Pandora, how long until we reach the armory?"

"About 1500 meters. The map is at the upper right corner of your map. Please take a look for yourself."

"Pandora, how old are you?"

"As the central control system of the Pandora, my age is 27 years and 3 days, 21 hours and 38.5 seconds."

"Pandora, tell me a joke."

"…"

275. Shock And Flood

He took off his helmet, sweating profusely, about a dozen hours later. While it was still early summer and the weather wasn't that hot, the atmosphere in the game still made him break out in cold sweat.

The realistic setting, the shocking plot, and the carefully rendered atmosphere all made him feel more shocked than he had ever felt before. Even though he had only played one-third of the plot, he was gradually beginning to realize just how massive and confusing the plot of the game was. He wondered just which master scriptwriter was able to come up with such a thrilling plot…

To put it simply, if he were to be given a rating for the game known as' Glorious Galaxy ', it would be: Full marks for the graphics, full marks for the plot, perfect score for the controls, perfect score for the sound effects, perfect score for the music. Furthermore, there was no sign of any pause throughout the entire game, nor was there any bug to be seen. The last point alone was almost unbelievable. That game had completely eclipsed all the games that he had played since he was young. Even those games that were hailed as some kind of top-notch blockbuster overseas could not compare to it. Be it the graphics, plot, or voice-over, that game was deemed to be a feast for the eyes.

Xing Yufei could only be considered one of the countless people who were shocked by what he saw. The functionality of the star Helmet-VR had rendered the entire tech industry speechless. Hundreds of thousands of people were sharing their experience of using the star Helmet-VR on the first day of its release, which caused even more netizens to feel jealous. The word 'Helmet-VR' was seen all over the internet.

The forums of the official website of Stellar Technology were in full swing. A post on the forums resonated with countless people. "I'm wondering if Stellar Technology has acquired some kind of alien technology. Do you know what I found in the application? I actually found an Elven assistant! Not some kind of phone assistant, but an assistant that could be nurtured or even interacted with you!"

That person recorded his interaction with his assistant and uploaded it to the forums. That assistant looked like a miniature human, with pointed ears and a pair of dragonfly-like wings on his back. He wore a princess gown and hovered before the players.

"Tian Tian, help me look for an application for a word processor. The requirements are simpler and more functional."

"Yes, I've found it in the store application. Name is…"

"Forget it, give up that order. I'd like to listen to music now. Do you have any suggestions for me?"

"You seem to be in very good spirits. I've turned on the music player for you can download the music from the Internet anytime."

"Then download 'The Hottest Ethnic Trend' for me."

"Download complete."

"Alright, turn off the music player. I want to play games now. Little Sweetie, do you have any good games to recommend to me?"

"That would depend on what type of games you like. The categories of the games include shooting, action adventure, role-playing, immediate strategy…"

"I choose role-playing."

"Alright, there are a few games in role-playing…"

Those who didn't know what was so special about the video couldn't tell what was so special about it, while those who knew what was going on jumped in shock.

This was a truly perfect interaction between humans and the machines.

What was an interaction between humans and the machines? People used mouse and keyboard to play computer games. That was what it meant to have an interaction between humans and the machines. People used their fingers to play smartphones, and that was what it meant to have an interaction between humans and the machines. However, all of that was considered a simple interaction between humans and the machines.

The true form of communication between humans and the machines was that humans would be able to get rid of all forms of interaction interface and the way they input information would become increasingly simple and casual. The emergence of brainwave control technology would allow the communication between humans and the machines to be elevated to a whole new level, reaching a state of near perfection.

Of course, that was not enough. Language was always the most important element of human communication. The most perfect interaction between humans and the machines would only be achieved through mental control and voice control.

The mainstream smartphones of most mainstream smartphone manufacturers had a certain level of voice function at the moment. If one were to look at the larger ecosystems, Apple iOS had Siri, Google Android had GoogleNosPhona. Of course, other than the three AI applications that were standardized by the three ecosystems, there was also the so-called third-party AI applications. However, all of those applications paled in comparison to the sprite assistant applications found on the Stellar VR platform.

His voice didn't sound any different from that of a real person speaking. He was able to communicate with his superiors and answer some of the abstract questions posed by humans. He was even able to detect the voice of the user without making any mistakes. He was able to make a killing just by stripping the app and putting it into computers, mobile phones, and other smart apps, making a killing.

Furthermore, those people gradually began to realize that while there were not many applications found on the Stellar VR's application platform, there was a wide variety of applications available. All applications regarding work and life could be found on the platform. Furthermore, most of those applications were simple and easy to operate, yet they had a variety of functions. The exquisiteness of those applications made those who looked at them with critical eyes shut their mouths tightly.

Ninety percent of the people who bought the helmet were there for gaming purposes. After all, experiencing gaming was like experiencing another life, and online gaming novels also made people fantasize about things like the helmet. One-third of the reason why Zhang Heng's VR helmet was able to fetch such a high price was due to the gimmick of brainwave control, while the other-third was due to online gaming novels.

Before the helmet went on sale, many people were still clamoring for Stellar Technology to work with companies like EA, Car Fragments, Glass Fragments, and so on to develop better games, or they wouldn't have bought the helmet. However, after the helmet went on sale, that noise disappeared. Not many people talked about VR helmets on the first day.

Why not? It was because most people were so engrossed in the game that an unprecedented commotion began to spread throughout the entire gaming world the very next day. Countless people shared their games and strategies, and some even found ways to record the entire game live.

"I've never played such a shocking game before!"

"A Triple-A is a piece of sh * * * * * *! 'Glorious of Galaxies', a game developed by Stellar Technology, could make 'Mission Summon' drop sh * *!"

"I'm starting to get worried. Ever since I started playing 'Infinite Horror', developed by Stellar Technology, I've lost interest in role-playing games like 'Radiation' and 'Old Roll'. What should I do? I'm afraid that after I clear this game, there won't be any other games that would be able to satisfy my appetite in the future. That's why, even though I'm not done playing yet, I strongly urge Stellar Technology to develop more, larger, and more fun role-playing games as soon as possible."

"Previous poster, + 1!"

The Stellar Helmet-VR was like a storm that swept through the entire tech scene and the entire gaming world in an instant. Countless companies were shaken and their stocks were impacted, yet those companies could only swallow the bitter pill with bitter looks on their faces.

The emergence of the Stellar Helmet-VR and the monopoly of Stellar Technology were tantamount to Stellar Technology declaring war on all the civil and biotechnology companies in the world. It was now certain that the spread of the Stellar Helmet-VR was a matter of time. No one could stop the flow of history, not even if all the civil and biotechnology companies joined forces.

276. Sales And New Game

The sales of the star Helmet-VR attracted the attention of every political entity in the world.

The sales of helmets reached 2.36 million the first day.

Sales reached 3.01 million units the next day.

On the third day, sales skyrocketed to five million units. Almost all of the orders were sold out, and even more orders rained down like snow. The entire Hengxing Building was filled with unprecedented activity.

On the fourth day, a total of three million star Helmet-VRs were listed on the second batch of stars, which was completely sold out that very day.

Over the course of four days, over 13 million units had been digested in the Asian section alone. It had to be said that the internet had become the biggest advertisement site for Stellar Technology. Anyone who went online would have known about the Stellar Helmet-VR. While it was indeed a little expensive, such technological products had to be calculated in terms of cost-performance ratios. Compared to the performance of the Stellar Helmet-VR, such a price was indeed acceptable to most people.

Zhang Heng stood before a huge screen with a deadpan expression on his face. On the screen before him, a number kept rising. One million, two million… ten million, eleven million…

There was a dense list of names under those numbers. The list contained the user information of every user who used the Stellar Helmet-VR. He clicked on one of the names and the person's name, date of birth, and ID number were displayed on the screen immediately. If the person's phone was connected to the helmet, then the person's phone number, phone records, communication records, QQ WeChat, and so on would all be stored in the Honeycomb's database. The data would then be stored in the data stored in the data stored in the Honeycomb's database, which would eventually become a backup copy of Corona's data after the helmet was secretly extracted.

"I wonder how long the US and the US would be able to hold out for," Zhang Heng looked at the people's private lives and said casually.

"They'll be able to lift the ban under pressure from the masses in less than three months." Corona smirked and continued, "It's obvious that they've underestimated the influence of our Stellar Technology. I'm guessing that they're planning to replicate our technology right after we sell it and make new products that would cause us to suffer huge losses. I wonder how they would react when they find out that it would take six to seven years to crack our technology."

In the end, Corona added, "Of course, if we were to give them a way out and just sell them a piece of technology, the ban would be lifted immediately."

"I have to say that the prices available in the US and Europe are probably higher than those in Asia." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Corona, when do you think the AR glasses should be released?"

"Actually, I think that AR glasses are also something that would involve military tactics. If we were to manufacture AR glasses, we wouldn't need to use any advanced technologies at all. We'd just need to be one or two years ahead of the real world. With the popularity of the VR helmets, AR glasses would only sell more than the VR helmets, and definitely not less."

"I know what you're thinking. It's just like the Apple Phone. It's been around for several generations and every generation would add more functions to it. That would actually earn us more profit than just throwing all of our technology away all at once." Zhang Heng couldn't help but smirk. "Furthermore, many countries would definitely be willing to work with our company again to develop a military version of the AR glasses. That would also pave the way for us to get involved in the military industry in the future."

"That's right."

"Very well, we'll do as you say then," Zhang Heng said quietly. "However, the faster we develop, the more the government will be on guard against us. When the government reaches a certain level of power, they will begin to suppress us and even resort to despicable means to tear our company apart… From the looks of it now, the government hasn't made any moves against us due to the lack of involvement with the military. While they have been on guard against us, they haven't done anything about it. However, if we were to really get involved with the military, I'm afraid that it would be time for Huaxia to make a move against us…"

"I can understand that," Corona said. "Huaxia is a state governed by authority after all. If you want to ensure that the company doesn't get torn apart and suppressed, there is only one way to do so, and that is to turn the company into a state-owned enterprise, or even a central-owned enterprise, taking Huaxia's side."

"Yes, but that would mean that I'd be throwing out at least 50 percent of my shares. I can't agree to that." Zhang Heng shook his head and sighed. "That's why we have to cross-country development. Our company has to set up hundreds of branches around the world. That's the only way we won't be threatened by any other country. If we want to do that, we'll have to rely on AIDS treatment and rabies treatment.

"As such, I'm not going to bring out any new products before the approval of the two drugs is approved. The most I'll be able to do is to add some charging software." Zhang Heng looked up at Corona at the end of his speech. "You'll have to work very hard on that, Corona."

"Understood, leave that to me." Corona nodded and continued, "I'm about to design an online game for the Stellar Helmet-VR, a 'large-scale multi-player online role-playing game' like 'World of Warcraft'. After all, the emergence of the Stellar Helmet-VR requires the cooperation of a game with a milestone in play. The previous standalone games could only be considered minor skirmishes, and that game is the true theme."

"Not a bad idea." Zhang Heng's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but nod. "Have you thought of a game theme yet? If you haven't, I wouldn't mind being a game developer for a bit."

"I'm just thinking about it. I haven't thought about the theme yet." Corona shook her head and continued, "I'm thinking about putting the background in ancient times, modern times, or the future."

"Why not combine ancient times with the future?" Zhang Heng asked in return. "I remember that you've played a video game before, right? If we were to buy that company, that game would definitely be very popular. It's just that we haven't been able to make a name for ourselves yet."

"You mean 'Warhammer 40K', right?"

Corona realized right away that she had used the 'Chaos' setting in 'Glorious of Galaxia' previously. The setting came from the 'Warhammer 40K' game, while 'Warhammer 40K' came from the British Game-Workshop Company, which had another game called 'Warhammer' under its name.

Back then, when the Blizzard Corporation was not very well known, they had wanted to create a video game that looked like a 40K warhammer and a traditional Chinese warhammer. As such, they came to the Games-Workshop Corporation to discuss the terms, but they were unable to reach a consensus in the end. As such, the Blizzard Corporation designed two new low-end versions of the games, ranging from the Strength System to the structure of the games, as well as making their characters look like they were plagiarized. These two games would become world-renowned in the future, becoming a classic that would never be erased from eSports history. They were…

Star Fighter and Magic Beast Fighter.

277. Saving

The war hammer was 40K, or it could be called the war hammer 40,000. The very first game to be played was a board game, which was known as a game of chess. It was a product of the Games-Workshop Corporation, and the company could be said to be the boss of the board games industry, having produced both fantasy and sci-fi games.

Their games were known for their precision, balance of rules, and depth of creativity in background novels. Amongst them, the 40K warhammer was more popular overseas. The worldview of the game was based on the Milky Way, which was built on a Gothic scientific fantasy setting.

The consensus in the gaming world was that the background story of the entire game was like an epic. The game consisted of a large number of races of all shapes and sizes, each of which had their own unique historical culture and were a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy. The game was also praised by players for having a gothic, sci-fi background.

There were seven races in the game—the Human Empire, Chaos, the Spirit Race, the Orcs, the Necromancers, the Titanium Empire, and the Tyrone Zergs. The interplay between the powers of the seven races was dazzling. The humans among the galactic giants were designed to mimic the Galactic Warriors of the Human Empire, the Celestials were designed to mimic the Spirit Race, and the Zergs were designed to mimic the Tyrone Zergs.

Furthermore, the game itself had its own set of rules and regulations, just like a DNA test. One could say that everything was in place, and all that was missing was a master craftsman who could make the game into a video game.

As such, Zhang Heng instinctively blurted out the name 'Warhammer 40K' when Corona brought up the theme of the game. He was rather surprised by it himself, thinking about what he thought about in the day and dreaming about it at night. He felt that the xenomorphs were like the initial forms of the Tyrone Zergs, and he was able to subconsciously remember the name 'Warhammer'. Perhaps, that was some kind of meme effect.

Zhang Heng called Li Yiru right after he finished his discussion with Corona and asked her to send someone to England to have a good talk with the Games-Workshop company that developed the warhammer game. It would be best if he could sell the IP of the game to Stellar Technology, of course. If not, then I'm sorry, but Stellar Technology would be buying your company as well.

Zhang Heng threw the question to the back of his mind after telling Li Yiru what to do. He then received a call from Thompson from his watch.

"Professor Thompson, are you in Haizhou already?" Zhang Heng picked up the call casually, poured himself a glass of red wine, and sat down comfortably on the chair.

"Boss, I'm here." Thompson looked rather glum. Zhang Heng had called him to Haizhou from Mumbai, India, just to be on the safe side, when Yan Ronghua's daughter was about to undergo surgery. To make up for losing time, Zhang Heng had him oversee the development of the Tyrant, and Thompson returned to India after the development was completed.

Zhang Heng then called Thompson over to perform the operation on Luo Jincheng's brain. It wasn't that there weren't enough excellent doctors in the Honeycomb, but the one with the most experience in operating on automated surgical equipment was still Thompson. Zhang Heng would only be able to rest easy if Thompson were to do the operation himself.

"Relax, Professor Thompson. I'll make it up to you on this trip." Zhang Heng took a sip of his red wine and chuckled. "Let me see, have you done any research on prions?"

"Prions? What, you're gonna fire a biochemical weapon with rabies?" Thompson snapped.

"No, it's not mad cow disease, nor is it prions from diseases like Kulu Disease, Kochi syndrome, or anything else. It's a brand new, unheard of, new type of prion that could even replace God." Zhang Heng was completely unfazed by the woman's attitude.

"…" Thompson was silent for a bit and Red couldn't help but ask, "Could it be… more miraculous than the T-Virus?"

"I promise." Zhang Heng nodded solemnly and continued, "The prion could even create a god. Just imagine how miraculous it is."

"Good." Thompson looked satisfied. "I'd like to be the team leader working on the prion."

"Deal!" Zhang Heng smiled and hung up without hesitation.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but chuckle after hanging up the phone. Thompson was the kind of scientist that Zhang Heng deemed most unafraid of power. While Thompson would have done his best to save Luo Jincheng even if Zhang Heng hadn't suggested making Thompson the research team leader of the new virus, it had been nearly a year since the virus was placed in laboratory B7-1, and it was about time for him to take it out for research.

Now, he was willing to sell the favor to Thompson as well.

That was it. The prion mentioned by Zhang Heng was none other than the strain of the virus that he acquired from Alex in the Prototype plane last July, the virus known as DX-118.

Zhang Heng sealed that strain of virus away from the rest of the world as soon as he got his hands on it. He hadn't been that powerful back then, especially when he faced off against Alex, who was as weak as an ant. Furthermore, he hadn't been able to accumulate enough technology back then. As such, he chose to seal that strain of virus named DX-118 last year, which lasted for an entire year.

Zhang Heng's physical strength hadn't grown by much at the moment, but his mental power had grown by leaps and bounds. He had simulated the virus several times in the virtual space, and with his current level of mental power, he was able to hold his ground against the attack of the virus prototype, Alex. Furthermore, his current level of technological prowess was far beyond what it had been in the past. As such, he was confident that he could take the virus out and begin his research.

Of course, given the complexity of the DX-118 virus, he was already prepared for a prolonged battle.

Thompson soon returned to the hive under the guidance of the clone warriors.

"Long time no see, boss." Thompson nodded when he saw Zhang Heng.

"Nice to see you here, Professor Thompson," Zhang Heng said with a smile. He then turned around and headed for the infirmary. "Let's cut to the chase. You don't really care about that anyway, so I'll get straight to the point."

"One of the researchers in the Honeycomb suffered very serious injuries. His cerebral cortex was damaged in many places due to severe concussion, and many blood vessels in his brain were ruptured and bleeding. The situation was always dire. If he hadn't suffered such serious injuries back in the Honeycomb, he would have probably died a long time ago." Zhang Heng said as he walked, "Your mission is to fix his brain as much as possible. I know that the workload of this operation is huge and the difficulty of it is even higher. However, I'm the one who is most assured about your medical skills in the entire Stellar Vital Medicine Foundation. If I don't look for you, I really don't know who else to look for."

"I see." A stern look appeared on Thompson's face when he got to the point. He nodded and said, "But I can't guarantee anything. I'll need to observe the patient's injuries for a bit before deciding what to do with him. But don't get your hopes up. According to your description, given that the damage to his brain is very severe, it would be very difficult for him to regain his original state of mind even if he were to be repaired. After all, you have to understand that automated surgical equipment is unable to resurrect dead brain cells."

"I understand. Just do your best." Zhang Heng sighed. That was all he could do for Luo Jincheng. If even Thompson was unable to completely cure Luo Jincheng, there was nothing he could say.

278. Brain Repair Surgery

In the sterile operating room, Thompson and his assistants stood under the shadowless lights in disposable scrubs.

Luo Jincheng, who had been in a comatose state for a long time, was right in the center of the room. He had been in a vegetative state ever since Zhang Heng escaped from danger. His body had long since become emaciated, making him look frail. Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth from time to time, and he was fast asleep after injecting himself with anesthesia.

He was lying on a operating table at the moment. His entire body was fixed in place, and his head was suspended in midair by an alloy frame that would only be used for brain transplant surgery.

The entire operating theater was filled with a heavy atmosphere as the automated surgical machine was pushed in. One of the assistants calmly disinfected the surgical equipment while the other assistants prepared the cerebral culture medium fluid. Some of them checked all the tools and medicines that might be needed.

All of that was clearly seen from the HD cameras installed at the four corners of the operating room.

Zhang Heng was sitting in front of the screen, watching everything that was happening in the operating room. When he saw that everyone was more or less ready, he asked into the microphone, "Professor Thompson, what are the chances of the operation succeeding?"

"Less than 10 percent." Thompson wore a plain expression on his face. As the chief surgeon, he had been sitting on the chair resting and conserving his strength ever since he was in a state of preparation. It had been a very long battle. He heard Zhang Heng's question from the speaker and immediately answered.

"Judging from his CT scan, the damage to his brain is far more severe than I anticipated. You'd better not get your hopes up."

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless. "It's that serious?" While he was mentally prepared, the severity of Luo Jincheng's condition was still beyond his imagination.

"A person would have tens of billions of brain cells, and every brain cell would have hundreds of nerves. There would be hundreds of synapses on every single nerve, and every synaptic would have hundreds to thousands of proteins," Thompson explained casually. "The function of a single brain cell would be equivalent to that of a huge computer, and a single synaptic would be equivalent to that of a computer's chip. It would be easy to calculate that the human brain would be equivalent to hundreds of billions or even trillions of chips, and the damage done to that patient's brain cells would be over 30 percent, which would be equivalent to tens of billions of chips being burned off by the computer. Tell me, is the damage serious?"

"Isn't it said that the human brain is very adaptable?" Zhang Heng frowned and continued, "Some people survived having their brains cut out due to epilepsy."

"Yes, the human brain is very adaptable indeed." Thompson nodded and sighed. "The human brain suffers from 1,000 neurons per hour, with nearly 9 million neurons losing function over the course of a year. Despite that, the brain is still able to function normally. The main reason is that the brain has enough backup power. However, the damage to his brain at the moment is so severe that even his backup power is damaged."

Zhang Heng was rendered completely speechless. He thought about it for a bit and asked, "Could there be a way to stimulate the potential of the brain then? Could it repair the damage to the brain and restore it to its former state?"

"Impossible. Not even the T-Virus could do something like that." Thompson shook his head and continued, "It's not that brain damage is irreparable, but there are at least two factors that need to be addressed. The first is that the damage is manageable, and the second is that the brain cells need to be oxygen-deprived for six minutes, which could lead to irreversible deaths. If the damage is too severe, not even surgical equipment would be able to do what God couldn't."

One of the assistants had shaved off all of Luo Jincheng's hair by then and disinfected it with alcohol before covering the surgical cloth, leaving only the top of Luo Jincheng's head exposed. He then began to carefully draw dotted lines on Luo Jincheng's shiny head. The operation would require him to open up his entire skull and expose his entire brain.

"Professor Thompson, the venous access is complete. We're ready," an assistant reported.

"Alright, get ready to operate." Thompson nodded and stood up right away. The automated surgical equipment was set up on top of Luo Jincheng's shiny head, and Thompson walked behind the equipment and gave the order to scan the brain.

All the mechanical arms began to move on their own right away. The mechanical arms took the initiative to monitor Luo Jincheng's head and 'saw' the dotted line drawn by the assistant. After confirming it several times, a deep blue laser beam shot out from one of the mechanical arms and drew a line along the dotted line, extinguishing it completely in an instant.

"Pfft…"

Green smoke billowed into the air and the smell of barbequed meat filled the air in the operating room. However, everyone looked as calm as ever. One of the assistants carefully inserted a tool into his scalp, which had been cut open by the laser beam, and pulled it up gently. The entire top of Luo Jincheng's skull was immediately lifted, revealing the pink membrane of his brain.

The assistant then stepped back while the other went up to him and clamped the hemostatic forceps onto the incisions on his scalp. While the wounds were all burnt, there was no guarantee that no blood would flow into his skull.

The automated surgical equipment then began operating again, removing that layer of the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex was completely exposed before everyone's eyes.

The next step was to rely on automatic surgical equipment. Rows of scanning lasers were fired and the damaged parts of the brain were repaired. The broken nerves, blood vessels, blood clots, and cysts had to be cleaned up. Some areas of necrosis that had been severely damaged were even removed.

"Take note of the patient's blood pressure and don't trust the surgical equipment blindly. When I was doing my experiments, there was a time when the surgical equipment caused massive bleeding in the body of the experimental body. As such, even the surgical equipment could have made mistakes."

"The patient's brainwave is getting stronger. Could it be that the anesthesia's effects have decreased? Continue to increase the dosage. I don't want the patient to wake up in surgery."

Thompson and his assistants began to get busy. Such brain repair surgeries were practically impossible to come by in real life, and even if there were over a hundred people involved, they still wouldn't be able to figure it out. However, with the aid of the automated surgical instruments, it became possible for the brain to be repaired. While the success rate was still not very high, it was still better than not being able to succeed at all.

The operation would last for dozens of hours, during which Luo Jincheng's brain would be immersed in the culture medium fluid of the brain. Thompson would be needed to oversee some of the more complex areas. His role was to handle emergencies that even the automated surgical equipment was unable to handle. As a scientist who first used the automated surgical equipment, he had accumulated a wealth of experience.

279. Corona's New Body

There was once a popular saying on the internet about the brain. It was said that the human brain had only developed about 10 percent, and the remaining 90 percent had yet to be developed. If developed, humans would gain godlike power.

Most people would have thought that it came from the father of American psychology, William James, who said in his own book, "Common people are only able to perform 10 percent of their potential intelligence."

That theory was initially only circulated in the American medical community. Due to it being compatible with humanity's unwilling and dull hearts, it became a hot topic among newspapers and magazines. Eventually, it spread all over the world through the internet.

Many film and television works and even fantasy literature expressed that belief, such as' Super Body '.

However, the cruel truth told us that what he said was just a rumor without any scientific basis.

From the viewpoint of evolution, it was impossible for the brain to evolve into something that was 90 percent useless. In terms of developmental perspective, the 10 percent brain productivity rate was also off the charts—if 90 percent of the brain wasn't being used, many neural pathways would have degenerated.

The 10 percent theory also suggests that most parts of the brain that are "useless" take up space. According to that theory, the effects of removing or damaging parts that are "useless" should be negligible. However, we now know that even if we were to destroy a very small area of the human brain, the damage could be devastating.

What was easy to see was that even the simplest of actions would involve multiple parts of the brain. For example, getting up in the morning to get some water to drink, we would need to walk to the table, pick up the kettle, pour the water into the cup, and issue the command to drink water. All of that would involve the following brain areas—the Pillow Leaves, the topmost leaf, the motion-sensitive and sensory cortex, the basal ganglia, the cerebellum, and the frontal lobe. In just a few seconds, a huge storm of neurological activity had swept through the entire brain.

About 15 hours had passed by then, and the experiments in the operating theater were still going on. However, judging from what he saw from the electron microscope, the situation was not looking good. Despite having been sorted and repaired by the automated surgical equipment, the brainwaves in Luo Jincheng's brain were still in a mess, making it impossible for him to develop a normal personality.

Thompson wore a serious expression on his face. Despite taking the T-2.1 all year round and having his physique greatly enhanced, he still felt very tired after being in such a tense state for over a dozen hours. His eyes had turned completely red as well. He wouldn't have been able to stand being in front of Luo Jincheng for more than a dozen hours, let alone being able to stay focused.

Two batches of assistants had been replaced, and this was the third batch. However, they were sweating profusely from the intense workload and were on the verge of collapse.

"What's the progress?" Zhang Heng, who was resting in his room, suddenly opened his eyes and asked as he looked at the monitor on the wall.

"About two-thirds of it." Thompson's voice was rather hoarse, but there was no way he could drink or eat in a sterile operating room, so he had no choice but to hold it in. "The damage to his cerebral cortex is too big. I'm afraid it'll take another four to five hours before he's fully recovered."

"What happens after the repairs are done?"

"We'll just have to see what happens then." Thompson shook his head and continued, "Judging from the current condition, the rate of repair of the nerves and brain cells is only 230 percent. Even if the repair is completed, I'd say that the rate of repair would still be the same as it is now."

"But then again, there could be miracles," Thompson added.

Zhang Heng shook his head and didn't say anything else. He had done his best at the moment. If he was unable to cure Luo Jincheng, there was nothing he could do about it.

He felt rather glum all of a sudden and turned around to walk out of the room. He was stunned when he opened the door, as he found Corona standing outside his door.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Heng was puzzled.

"Guess what's different about me then?" Corona looked very excited as she bounced around in front of Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and took a closer look at Corona. Her soft, silky hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and her bangs brushed past her eyes. Her long eyelashes were blinking, and her watery eyes seemed to be saying something. Her petite nose was of the right height, and her pink face and moist lips made one want to take a bite out of her. She was wearing a white dress and didn't have any accessories on her, yet she didn't look any different when she wore it.

Corona's appearance had always been a replica of the image of a Japanese national idol. That girl was very pretty to begin with, yet Corona looked even prettier than that girl. As a virtual image, there were fewer blemishes on her skin. Coupled with Corona's unique, otherworldly aura, she looked rather ethereal at the moment, making her look like someone from a painting.

However, Zhang Heng was someone who had been through life and death situations countless times after all. He took a closer look and his mind raced as he realized what was going on. "You're not creating a virtual image by affecting the senses of my brain right now. You're in a physical state through."

"I didn't expect you to be able to tell so quickly." Corona chuckled. "Do you know where my body came from?"

"It's either the T-1000 or the T-X," Zhang Heng said helplessly. "If I were to assume that you're pursuing perfection, I'd say that the possibility of it being the T-X is higher."

"That's right. It was Louis. He successfully created the first T-X, so I changed the T-X to my image right away," Corona explained.

"So, you're saying that the bottleneck of the liquid metal and nanomachines has been broken as well?" Zhang Heng chuckled.

"I did manage to break through the bottleneck of the liquid metal, but the liquid metal is actually of little use. Other than deformation and becoming a softer cold weapon, it's of little use." Corona pursed her lips and continued, "The T-1000, which is made entirely of liquid metal, could only be used for assassination purposes at most. The high temperatures from the ion cannon on the battlefield could easily destroy it. The T-X was only made of liquid metal to take the shape of a human, and its core is still superalloy."

"Furthermore, the bottleneck of the nanomachines hasn't been broken yet." Corona continued, "The cost of manufacturing them is a huge problem. While it is true that our technological processing capabilities could allow us to manufacture nanomachines, the cost would be simply too high and the speed would be too slow as well. I'm afraid that it would take us some time to accumulate enough technology before we could reach the level of manufacturing nanomachines."

"How much combat power would the T-X be able to keep then?" Zhang Heng asked.

"It shouldn't be a problem to keep 90 percent. The only thing that the T-X lacks at the moment is to use nanomachines to modify the machine." Corona raised her right hand as she said that, and her right hand began to move. Under Zhang Heng's gaze, she turned her right hand into the shape of a complex and intricate cannon barrel, with blue light shining in the middle of the barrel. "Miniature plasma cannon. Use the laser to heat the hydrogen to a high temperature of 5,000 degrees, turning it into a plasma state. Then, use electromagnetic technology to wrap that charged particle into a ball and shoot it out to destroy the target."

280. Mysterious Laboratory

The successful replication of the T-X boosted Zhang Heng's military prowess to a whole new level at the very least. However, while the T-X's combat prowess was formidable, to the extent that it was more powerful than the Tyrant in some ways, the manufacturing costs of the T-X were utterly staggering. The cost exceeded hundreds of millions, and Zhang Heng was unable to mass-produce it even if he wanted to. It was no wonder that even the Skynet was unable to manufacture many of them.

Furthermore, Corona pleaded with Zhang Heng at the very end, hoping that he would agree to her taking the T-X as his real body. Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin and agreed to Corona's request without any hesitation. He still remembered how excited and happy Corona looked after he agreed to her request, just like how a girl would look when she received a diamond ring from her boyfriend.

Wait, something seems off…

None of that mattered. After about four to five hours, he heard Thompson's voice on his watch. He rushed back to his room and looked at the screen eagerly.

"Professor Thompson, I'd like you to tell me some good news." However, Zhang Heng knew what was going on when he saw the faces of Thompson and his assistants.

"Sorry, boss." Thompson shook his head as expected. "We've done our best."

"…" Zhang Heng sighed and felt rather regretful. That friendly, smiling old man, Luo Jincheng, had still ended up falling into his trap in the end. That was truly unexpected.

"We've repaired all the damaged nerves in his brain that could be repaired, and we've removed all the damaged ones as well. However, we've tested him with electrodes and found that his thought processes are still a mess. It's obvious that the damage to his brain is still too high," Thompson said helplessly. "While we have no idea what happened to Professor Luo Jincheng, it's obvious that what happened to him was fatal."

"Noted, Professor Thompson. Well done," Zhang Heng said casually. "Well then, we'll have to resort to the last resort. We'll put Professor Luo Jincheng in the freezer and defrost him when he becomes sufficiently technologically advanced. That's the only way."

"That's right, that's indeed the best way to go about things."

Zhang Heng invited Thompson to have dinner with him after the operation was over, before taking a break in the bedroom that Zhang Heng had specially prepared for him. However, he knocked on Zhang Heng's door frantically before the sun rose the next day, clamoring to see the new virus.

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless right there and then. He had no choice but to inform the two top biologists, Feng Lun, and Kong Zhongcai, as well as over a dozen of his assistants, to head for the B7-1 laboratory that hadn't been opened since the Honeycomb Laboratory was built.

"Nice to meet you again, Professor Thompson." Vonlun and Kong Zhongcai began chatting with Thompson after they met. While the two of them were far more renowned in the field of biology than Thompson and were more capable, it was obvious that Zhang Heng trusted Thompson more.

One could tell from the fact that Zhang Heng had given Thompson the position of head of the T-Virus research the last time he was there. The reason was none other than that Thompson was one of the first people to follow him. While he was usually very displeased with Zhang Heng for letting him come and go as he pleased, he would still do everything he could to fulfill Zhang Heng's orders.

More than a dozen people stood in front of the door of the B7-1 laboratory. All of them wore looks of anticipation on their faces. They had discovered that the B7-1 laboratory had been sealed ever since they gained access to the B7th floor. The B7-3 held creatures as eerie and terrifying as the xenomorphs, while the B7-2 had the T-Virus, which was capable of destroying the world. Only the most mysterious B7-1 remained sealed forever. The way everyone saw it, the beehive, which was capable of researching both the xenomorph and the T-Virus at will, didn't even dare to touch anything found in the B7-1 laboratory. In that case, there had to be something even more extraordinary in the B7-1 laboratory, right?

Zhang Heng took a deep breath as he stood before the door of Laboratory B7-1, looking very serious. He still remembered how terrifying the DX-118 Virus was, and how it was something that no human could resist.

Alex…

Zhang Heng would only be able to fight that demon-like entity for a while when he had sufficient mental power. Once his mental power was depleted, he would be doomed.

The other monsters created by that virus were also several times stronger than the monsters created by the T-Virus, yet none of them were controllable. If that hadn't been the case, Zhang Heng wouldn't have taken them out for research at the moment.

"Everyone, I'd like to remind all of you." Zhang Heng turned around and looked at everyone before opening the door of the B7-1 experimentation room, giving them a stern warning look. "What you're about to come into contact with next is a microorganism that is even more dangerous than the T-Virus. I don't want any medical mishaps to happen, so you have to be very, very careful. If you were to accidentally leak the virus, the entire human race would be completely erased from the face of the earth with a bang."

Everyone quieted down right away. Despite what Zhang Heng said, no one showed any signs of unease. They had seen both the xenomorphs and the T-Virus before, after all. Both of those were things that could destroy the world with a single leak. As such, everyone had been mentally prepared beforehand.

Zhang Heng nodded when he saw that no one was panicking. He turned around and pressed his palm on the palmprint detector. The doors opened one after another in the very next second, revealing the first sealed disinfection room he set up.

No one was surprised by the sterilization measures that were even stricter than those found in the highest security laboratory in the real world. After all, those people had to go in and out of the sterilization room every day, and they had long gotten used to it. They followed Zhang Heng into the sterilization room patiently, and by the time the sterilization was done and they put on their uniforms before entering the laboratory, half an hour had passed.

Everyone was filled with anticipation as they entered the mysterious No. 1 laboratory. However, disappointment was written all over their faces when they saw what was inside.

The entire laboratory was empty except for a few basic isolation rooms and a few biosafety cabinets. There was nothing else in the laboratory that they expected to find.

"Where is the prion you're talking about?" Thompson couldn't help but frown. There was nothing there.

"Here." Zhang Heng walked up to one of the biosafety cabinets and looked down at the weird-looking test tube underneath the reinforced glass that was tens of centimeters thick. His expression was complicated. "It's… in this biosafety cabinet."

Everyone rushed forward subconsciously.

"This is a level-five biosafety cabinet, the highest level security safe in the world at the moment. The cabinet is completely airtight and emits 100 percent of all gases. All gases are not part of the circulation and could be operated internally through the glove connected to the cabinet," Zhang Heng explained calmly. "The thing in that test tube is what you're going to be researching this time… I'll say it again, no matter how careful you are."

Zhang Heng placed his palm on the panel next to the biosafety cabinet as he said that. A beam of light swept past his palm and a cold, mechanical female voice was heard. "Identity confirmed. Level five biosafety cabinet opened. Please adhere to standard procedures for Level five biosafety operations. Please proceed in a reasonable manner. Thank you for your cooperation."

The cabinet was completely opened right away. Zhang Heng picked up the test tube and handed it to Thompson.

281. Research Beginning

Thompson looked at the test tube in Zhang Heng's hand and a fiery look gradually appeared in his eyes.

As scientific maniacs like them, they had long given up on pursuing anything for the rest of their lives. The only thing they wanted to do was to have their own laboratory, and the more advanced the equipment, the better. They wanted to have a project that would enable them to research, and the more funding they had, the better. The more miraculous the research object, the better.

The main reason why he didn't care if he was able to solve it was to satisfy his curiosity.

Other than Zhang Heng, there was hardly anyone else in the world who was able to fulfill those requirements.

However, just when he was looking at the test tube in Zhang Heng's hand excitedly, he felt an uncontrollable sense of fear welling up in his heart for some reason. It was as if the test tube contained some kind of terrifying predator, like how rats were naturally afraid of cats. It was a form of natural suppression in life.

"I've given you the 'key'." Zhang Heng handed the test tube to Thompson and wore a meaningful look on his face. "However, whether or not you're able to open the door to God will be up to you." He then turned around and left.

"Corona, keep an eye on them. If anything were to happen to them, seal the entire laboratory immediately. We can't let the DX-118 leak out!" Zhang Heng said all of a sudden after leaving the laboratory. His tone was filled with murderous intent.

"Yes, but are you really willing to put the world's top biologists like Feng Lun in such a dangerous situation?" Corona chuckled.

"They chose their own path." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "I've warned them before. If they still don't take it seriously, there's nothing I can do about it. After all, I can't put the entire human civilization at risk just to save them…"

…

Thompson held the test tube in his hand, feeling rather shaky at the moment. The shape of the test tube was extremely weird, making it look more like a power supply lamp. The center of the tube was glass transparent, and the sides of the tube had a complex silver alloy structure, about 20 centimeters in length.

None of that mattered. What scared Thompson the most was that there was a creature that looked like a fleshworm inside the test tube.

That blob of flesh appeared to have died a long time ago. It was curled up all over and was only about half the thickness of a finger. Its body was dark red in color and there was no sign of any skin or feelers on it.

It wasn't until Thompson took a closer look that he realized that it wasn't a bug at all, but a piece of flesh from a living creature.

However, it was that piece of flesh that gave Thompson an indescribable sense of fear. That was a kind of instinct that came with life, yet somehow, humans were actually afraid of that piece of flesh.

Seems like I'm still too tired after all.

Thompson shook his head and turned around just in time to see Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai looking at him with anxious looks on their faces. He smiled and handed the test tubes to the two of them. "Take a look, both of you. This is what we're here for."

The two of them picked it up as if they had just found a treasure. Feng Lun observed it for a bit before frowning and asked first, "Can any of you tell what this is?"

"It should be some kind of animal flesh infected with some kind of unknown prion, right?" Kong Zhongcai pondered for a bit before continuing, "Didn't Director Zhang say that our research on the target this time is a type of prion."

"I'd say that the blob of meat itself seems to be some kind of virus," one of the assistants interjected suddenly. "I don't think there's a need for the Honeycomb to use a piece of meat to preserve and nurture the virus, is there? That doesn't make any sense at all."

Everyone looked pensive right away.

Thompson was the only one who didn't say anything after a round of discussion. He then said, "Let's do a biochemical analysis first, regardless of what that piece of meat is."

"Understood."

Everyone agreed right away, and one of the more quick-witted assistants began to prepare all manner of tools and equipment, taking out the collection equipment as well. The well-coordinated team of assistants was able to get everything ready before the three of them even needed to do anything.

"Wang Hao, open the test tube and extract a sample of 0.1 milligrams." Feng Lun handed the test tube to the assistant.

"Hold on." However, Thompson stopped him out of surprise. He frowned and asked, "Mr. Ferron, have you forgotten what Boss said?"

"No way, but this is a sterile laboratory. There's no need to be so careful, is there?" Kong Zhong tried to smooth things over when he saw Thompson looking displeased.

"Is that really necessary?" Feng Lun frowned.

"I'm the chief here," Thompson insisted, refusing to budge.

"Understood…" Kong Zhongcai and Feng Lun looked at each other and nodded. As a Huaxian, there were indeed some codes of conduct that were not as rigorous as those found in European countries, especially in England, which was known to be inflexible.

It was said that the rigidity of the British people in terms of food could be clearly seen. If it were a Chinese dish, the filming of A Bite of China would take more than a few years to finish. However, if they were to film A Bite of China, they would need more than a day. That was to say that the character of the British people would be just as difficult to change as their food.

Thompson, a professor from the United Kingdom, had shown his inflexible side at the moment, which was why Feng Lun and Kong Zhong had no choice but to comply.

The assistant named Wang Hao had no choice but to expend a lot of effort to open the biosafety cabinet again and put the test tube inside. He then stuck his tightly wrapped hands into the gloves through the holes and opened the special test tube inside.

"Crackle…"

However, Wang Hao heard a low rumble as soon as he turned on the test tube. He was still feeling puzzled, but he saw the piece of flesh suddenly come to life in the very next second. When it came into contact with the air in the biosafety cabinet, its entire body shuddered violently, as if someone was taking deep breaths.

"Ah!" Wang Hao let out a shriek and threw the test tube away. He then pulled his hands out of his gloves and backed away.

"What the f * * k are you doing?" Vonman had just gotten rid of Thompson's anger, and seeing Wang Hao's reaction, he was furious and shouted at him.

"Professor Feng… that piece of meat, it…" Wang Hao looked troubled. He didn't do it on purpose. He was about to say that the piece of meat had come back to life, but Thompson went up to him instead. He gasped when he saw the piece of meat wriggling in the cabinet.

"Impossible!"

It was only then that Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai realized that something was off. The two of them didn't care about anything else and went up to surround the two of them. The three of them were completely dumbfounded right there and then.

"What the hell is this thing?" Kong Zhongcai mumbled and looked at the two of them. "Is it some kind of new kind of creature? Did some snake get skinned?"

"Impossible," Thompson said gravely. "Don't forget, it was sealed for at least ten months."

"I'd suggest using CT to observe it first and see what it is before we know how to begin our research." A serious look was seen on his face as well. He extended his hand and said to Thompson, "Professor Thompson, I apologize for what happened before. I hope that we can work together and have a pleasant cooperation."

Thompson nodded and a smile finally appeared on his stiff face. "Nice working with you."

282. Neuron Synchronization Device

Carl Kroll was wearing a space suit that was tightly bound and was sitting in a small cockpit. Despite his calm and collected expression, his rapidly beating heart and moving lips at the moment still exposed his nervousness.

He was currently in a small room made of some kind of alloy that was less than five square meters in area. There were balance spheres and various instruments placed before and around him. The advanced, intricate metal design expressed the futuristic sci-fi feeling.

That was the interior of the 'Apocalypse Space Shuttle'. As a test pilot who signed up voluntarily, Carl would be able to earn hundreds of thousands of star dollars as long as he was able to survive the test flight.

Of course, if that were all there were to it, Karl would never have taken the risk of taking part in the test flight. He also had a gentle wife and a cute son. He was not homeless, nor was he starving. That was a complete family.

The reason why he took part in the adventure was because the other party had promised that regardless of whether the test flight succeeded or not, the applicants and their descendants would receive the best knowledge and nurturing. As such, Karl decided to take the risk.

If he were to win the bet, he and his family would no longer have to worry about food and clothing anymore. If he were to lose the bet, while he would die, his wife and children would still be able to get the money that the other party had promised them. No matter what, he wouldn't lose out.

That was the extent of Carl's insanity. He had staked his all back then, leasing the first private storefront in Stellar City with a huge sum of money, and he had eventually succeeded. That daring attempt had gotten him out of his scavenger status completely.

He was no longer troubled by food at the moment, but he wasn't willing to spend his days doing nothing. He wanted to go crazy again and fight for a better future for his wife and child.

"Relax, Mr. Kyle. The test flight test isn't that dangerous after all. We've done countless experiments in advance," a middle-aged man in a white coat said coldly on the holographic screen before him.

"Yes, Mr. Mark!" Karl gulped and nodded. Being able to get the attention of such a big shot made Karl feel rather flattered.

The man with a deadpan expression was none other than Mark Dawson, the head of the aerodynamic center who designed the Falcon mech for Zhang Heng. When he was transferred to Planet Tanis, he became the new chief of the Ministry of Spaceflight in Stellar City. He was responsible for dismantling the Euphoria Spacecraft on the surface of the ocean and constructing a similar spaceship.

"Please check the engines one last time." Mark simply nodded and didn't say anything else. A female voice was heard from the screen at that moment. Hearing the other party's order, Karl gritted his teeth and pressed a red button with his trembling fingers. The entire ship that he was in rumbled in the very next second and shuddered violently at the same time, slowly rising several centimeters from the ground.

"Illusionary 3's self-detection…" A deadpan metallic voice was heard from the system. "Self-detection complete."

"Initiating neural synchronization device. Transferring to brainwave control system…"

"Connection in progress…" A hemispherical device was placed on top of Carl's head from the driver's seat all of a sudden. A purple beam of light scanned his head and said, "Neurons connected. Begin testing synchronization rate… synchronization rate 10, synchronization rate 20, synchronization rate 40, synchronization rate 70, synchronization rate 80. The highest synchronization rate detected at the moment is 80. Access to thought control is now granted. Elite pilot status is temporarily granted. If you have any questions, please contact the headquarters of the space shuttle at any time."

"Phew…" Karl gradually calmed down after the announcement was over. He sensed the entire ship through the neural connection. It was a brand new kind of scientific technology, just like brainwave VR technology. It was just that Stellar City on the Tanis planet had put such a fully immersive technology on the piloting machine.

According to Mark Dawson's theory, everything could be expressed in digitization. For example, the extent to which an item was new or old would always be expressed in terms of ninety percent new or eighty percent new. In other words, the probability of something happening would also be expressed in terms of how much digitization actually existed in every corner of humanity.

From what Mark saw, synchronization rate was a kind of data that tested the mental compatibility between the machine and the human body. For example, if a regular person were to hold a gun, he would have never touched a gun before and wouldn't even know how to open the safety of the gun. As such, his synchronization rate with the gun would be 0.

If he knew how to open the safety catch and was able to fire the bullets, his synchronization rate with the handgun would be raised to 30-40 in an instant. A trained police officer or soldier would be able to reach 70-80, while a sharpshooter, such as the champion of shooting, would be infinitely close to 100.

However, firearms were not machines that could be controlled directly by the human mind. They had to be reflected in the human brain and transmitted to the muscles of the hand, making the gun pull the trigger. As such, humans would never be able to achieve a synchronization rate of 100.

However, due to the emergence of the neural synchronization device, that kind of technology finally broke the rules of humanity. It was fortunate that they were able to directly convert the brainwaves of humans into operational commands, which enabled them to control the machinery and reach the limits of mental reaction.

Scientists had even discovered that, with proper training, the ability to use such tools would be able to reach 100 percent.

For example, when people were feeling very emotional, they would be able to experience events that exceeded what they were capable of due to various scenarios. It was just like what the students said about being able to perform beyond their usual limits during exams. That state was known by scientists as' breaking through the mental limit '. Anyone with a strong will would be able to easily break through that limit after undergoing training. Scientists who discovered that would even claim that there was no limit to the human psyche.

As such, the field of neuron synchronization devices had developed to all kinds of high precision work in Stellar City. For example, when it came to surgeries, if a doctor were to make the slightest mistake during the operation, or if he were to shake his hand slightly, the patient could very well lose his life.

However, unlike in real life, the human psyche was very precise. It was so precise that the synchronization of neurons could be rendered completely stationary. The rate of mistakes made by doctors who operated on such neurons had dropped to one in a million. As such, in Stellar City, the field was able to allow the user to operate at a rate that exceeded 100 percent due to its extreme precision. As such, almost all other technologies like military, industrial, civilian, and so on were eliminated.

The proliferation of neuron technology was more than enough to be called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It was recorded in textbooks and an epic by historians on the planet of Tannis.

However, that didn't mean that synchronization rates were aligned with all other types of machinery. The more complex a piece of machinery was operated, the lower the synchronization rate would be. For example, if one were to operate a spaceship with a synchronization rate of 90, one would be considered an elite pilot. If one were to operate a spaceship with their own hands, even the most elite of pilots wouldn't be able to achieve a synchronization rate of 50.

283. Anti-gravity Engine

Synchronization rate: 80.

That number was nothing when it came to controlling neurons and machinery, but when it came to controlling spaceships, that number was considered very high. That was why Karl was able to become the first pilot of a spaceship in Stellar City without a doubt.

That was why Mark, the head of the Ministry of Spaceflight, took Karl so seriously and even encouraged him.

However, Carl had no idea about all of that at the moment. All he knew was that he was the only one selected from over a dozen applicants before undergoing a month-long secret training, all in order to further enhance the synchronization rate of human and machine interaction, while preventing the experiment from failing.

"Time's up. The ship is doing well. All personnel in charge of the ship are to monitor the ship's every move." A female voice was heard on the holographic screen again. "Your Excellency Karl, according to my orders, begin the flight countdown."

"Ten, nine, eight…"

"Three, two, one!"

Karl narrowed his eyes at that last reminder. The neural signals in his brain were completely connected to the neural synchronization device. The Apocalypse let out another deafening rumble with just a slight mental pulse.

A feeling of weightlessness was suddenly felt from the bottom of his feet at the same time. If it hadn't been for the various equipment installed on his body, he would have been thrown into the air in an instant.

That was a reaction that would only occur when one was out of the planet and weightless in space, yet, miraculously, it all happened on the planet.

If someone who had nothing to do with the situation were to see all of this, they would have probably shouted in shock, "Anti-Gravity!"

Anti-gravity was something that only appeared in science fiction and movies. The reason for that was due to the rockets and space shuttles that people made. Sending them into the sky would require massive amounts of funding and resources. As such, people yearned for a technology that would greatly reduce the cost. Anti-gravity technology was one of the technologies with the lowest cost, but it had the least amount of safety and cost.

Some time ago, when Stellar City was slowly dismantling the 'Extreme Joy Space', they unexpectedly acquired the Extreme Joy Space's anti-gravity engines. After a series of dismantling and research, Mark and his research team eventually created the first miniature anti-gravity engines capable of changing the position of gravity.

But then again, that made sense. The Ecstasy was more than 100 million tons in weight. If it were not for the use of anti-gravity equipment, the massive mass of the ship would have been enough to crush the entire continental shelf, let alone lift it into the air. To send such a heavy ship into the sky would require endless amounts of energy.

That price tag was definitely not something that human civilization, which lacked resources in the Deep Space plane, could afford.

All in all, the creation of the Anti-Gravity Machine was one of the most valuable achievements of human technology, with the exception of the adaptive enzymes and the Euphoria Space. The activation of the Anti-Gravity Engine on the Apocalypse made Karl feel weightless.

However, that feeling of weightlessness disappeared in the very next second. However, Karl did not look surprised at all. All he could see on the holographic screen was that the directional arrow representing gravity had been split into two, one pointing upwards and the other downwards.

That was the self-adjustment assessment of the Anti-Gravity Machine. Outside the Apocalypse shuttle, gravity was elevated, and even when faced with Earth, the ship was able to remain unaffected by the planet's gravitational pull. However, inside the ship, gravity returned to normal, which was an artificial gravity designed to ensure that the pilot would not feel uncomfortable in outer space.

Mark and the entire spacefaring department were silently watching the Apocalypse on the launch site. From the outside, the Apocalypse looked like a metal ball with no edges or corners, and its entire body was emitting a cold glow. The ball shuddered all of a sudden and drifted into the sky at an extremely fast speed.

That's right, it was floating. Without any recoil from the jet engines, the entire sphere rose rapidly without any interference from the outside world. It was like a bubble in the ocean, floating out of the atmosphere in a determined manner.

"Speed: 1,300 kilometers per hour. Estimated time to enter low altitude orbit in 30 minutes." The detector at the side reported the situation with the Apocalypse.

"Hurry up, Carl. Are you here for sightseeing? There's no need to test your speed." Mark frowned and turned to look at the screen.

"Yes sir!" Karl, who was on the Apocalypse, shuddered all over and forced himself to speed up his flight. While he felt that it would be safer to take things slow, he was not there to test things out for safety in the first place…

Whoosh!

Faint red lights began to appear all around the Apocalypse as soon as it entered the atmosphere. That was due to the intense friction caused by cutting into the atmosphere too quickly. However, due to the thick layer of insulation coating the outer shell of the Apocalypse, it was not affected by the friction and continued to fly steadily into the sky.

"It's currently 100km in altitude. The Apocalypse has flown into the ionosphere." Karl twisted his hands as he listened to the emotionless report. He couldn't help but take out a necklace from his neck. The necklace was strung together with hemp rope and there was a brass ornament shaped like a heart in the middle. That item was a piece of craftsmanship that he took out from the trash mountains many years ago when he was taking out the garbage. While that item might not be worth much, his wife was still smiling like a child when she received that gift. She even strung it up with hemp rope like it was a pendant.

"That's the first gift you've ever given me. Wearing it would bring me good luck." His wife's elated words kept ringing in his ears.

His wife didn't stop him after finding out that he had signed up for the test flight. She simply took off the necklace that she had kept for years and wore it around his neck, telling him to swear to God that he would come back alive…

"Jennifer, wait for me…" The thought of his wife looking at him with hope in her eyes gradually made Karl's eyes look more determined. He gripped the brass pendant with all his might and continued to accelerate. At that moment, the atmosphere outside of Tanis became increasingly thin and the speed of the Apocalypse also became faster. Once it reached a height of 500 kilometers, it would completely enter the loose layer of the planet. Once he got there, he just needed to calculate the trajectory angle of the shuttle using the computer and stay in space for a few days before returning safely. That would be the end of his mission…

At that moment, the sky had turned from a deep blue that looked like green jade to a frozen indigo color. The stars in the sky were scattered all over the place, making it seem as if there was no atmosphere in the sky. Even the stars in the sky looked brighter.

Starlight was reflected in Karl's eyes and his gaze was filled with shock. He was the first person to be able to see such a dazzling starry sky at the end of the world.

284. Untitled

The emergence of the neural synchronization device and anti-gravity device could be considered his first attempt to extend his tentacle into space.

The Apocalypse circled above the Tanis planet after entering orbit. As the pilot, Karl spent 72 hours in space as well. He felt tense at first, but he gradually calmed down. His entire body and mind seemed to have undergone a transformation. His mind felt more empty after seeing the deep void and the massive planet beneath his feet. It was just that he missed his wife and his one-year-old even more.

Karl spent the next 72 hours traveling in space and doing all kinds of experiments in space. When the time was up, he finally began to return to Planet Tanis under Mark's orders. The return trip took several hours before he finally landed on the ground.

There was a round of applause. Under the warm welcome from the airline department, Karl looked like a hero. He was very excited and nodded at the crowd, feeling rather shaky. He enjoyed the respectful looks from the crowd, which was something he had never felt before in his life.

That seemed like a good feeling.

It was already the next day when the news was sent to Zhang Heng through the Dimensional Travel Device. With the anti-gravity device, there was naturally no need for the Stellar Wind Fan to be upgraded. The Falcon was able to move faster and more nimbly through the sky. The Falcon was capable of reaching speeds above Mach 20 by itself. How terrifying would the speed of its ascent be when it was upgraded with anti-gravity?

Furthermore, the neural synchronization device was also a powerful tool to enhance the control capabilities of the Doomsday-1 kinetic armor, enabling it to become even more agile than humans. What would that be like?

Zhang Heng was unable to figure out the details at the moment, but at the very least, anyone who wore power armor would be able to completely dominate the most elite special forces in terms of power and speed. If he were to use some more firearms, a clone wearing Armageddon armor would be able to easily wipe out a thousand-man infantry regiment.

Furthermore, the neuron device could also be used on the Falcon, enabling the fighter to become more nimble, as well as enhancing its combat prowess in the air.

…

Everything proceeded according to plan. The sales volume of the star Helmet-VR in Asia and Oceania had exceeded 20 million units, earning yet another 100 billion US dollars. However, it was still stuck at a bottleneck. Unless the bans in North America and Europe were lifted, there would only be a second wave of sales.

Meanwhile, the research regarding the T-X was still going on in the Honeycomb Laboratory. Research regarding the nanomachines was now the focus of the research, but that was something that would take a very long time to achieve. At the very least, it was still unable to mass-produce and equip the T-X weapons system.

Other than that, the research on the DX-1118 Virus was completely underway. Zhang Heng's most powerful team worked together to unravel the mystery of the Blacklight Virus bit by bit. However, it was indeed a long and arduous project, and it was even a very dangerous research project. If even the slightest hint of the virus were to be leaked, the entire world could very well end up in disaster.

Corona's mission was even more important. She had to analyze the composition of the meme, program all manner of software programming, and that included new epoch-making online games. The workload involved would require tens of thousands of people to spend a lot of time on it, and it was unknown if she would be able to produce results. Corona's abilities were proven yet again.

Adam and Gu Zhan were still fighting all over the radiation plane. With the resources and materials provided by Zhang Heng, the two of them were able to occupy an entire state in the radiation plane. However, they were unable to acquire much technical knowledge regarding the area. After all, with the technological advancement of Stellar City, military technology was developing at a rate that was practically greater than that of the world before the radiation war. There was little point in staying there.

Zhang Heng's original focus had been on the Dimensional amnesia plane, which was on par with the radiation plane. However, after finding out that there was a neutrino lifeform hiding on Earth in the radiation plane, he gave up completely. If that monster were to wake up one day, Earth and the entire solar system would be done for.

The sun was shining brightly in mid-June, and the heat had begun to creep up on them without them realizing it. However, the White House of the United States felt cold at the moment. The enraged president had just driven the scientific and technical advisor out of his office that morning, and everyone could feel the murderous look in his eyes.

As the president who had just taken office 17 years ago and was only a year and a half away, no one dared to underestimate him. He had at least two and a half years to live in politics. If he were to do a good job, he might even be able to be re-elected for another term… Who could say for sure? If he didn't want to suffer in the coming years, it would be best not to offend the president.

That afternoon, the person-in-charge of the FBI, Alvin Mellon, came to the White House with a troubled look on his face. He looked very solemn and it was obvious that he was ready to be reprimanded. The members of the White House looked at him with sympathy in their eyes.

"Mr. President…" When he walked up to the door of the President's Office, he felt as if the intricate and imposing double doors of the Red Oaks looked like some kind of demonic lair, filled with cold and malevolence. Melon's throat couldn't help but feel rather dry. He loosened the tie around his neck, letting that cold sweat spread out before he knocked on the door of the President's office.

"Come in." The president's voice was heard, but Melon's heart thumped hard. He seemed to have heard the murderous intent in the words' come in '. The calmer the president sounded, the more aggressive he sounded when he was about to explode.

"Sigh!" However, there was no way he could avoid it… Mellon sighed to himself, gritted his teeth, and walked into the president's office.

"Look who's here. It's Mr. Mellon, the man who holds all the information regarding the federation!" The president's sarcastic smirk was heard as soon as he stepped through the door. Mellon lowered his head and tried his best to look ashamed. However, he kept walking forward and stopped right before the president's desk.

"Mr. Mellon, is there any good news you'd like to share with me?" A blond-haired president was leaning comfortably in his chair at the moment. His eyes were narrowed as he looked at Mellon coldly, as if he had prepared himself for a thunderstorm. If Mellon were to be unable to provide him with any good news, he would have to resort to verbal violence.

"Mr. President, I don't… know what you mean." Mellon forced a smile on his face, seemingly trying to ease the tension in the room. However, the smirk on his face disappeared when he saw the mocking look in the president's eyes.

285. Rich And Powerful

"You know what I'm asking." The DT president smirked coldly and continued, "If you still want to continue working in this position until you retire, I'd advise you to make things clear before I lose my temper, no?"

"…" Mellon felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that the president was about to get serious. At that moment, he felt more at ease. That was the worst that could happen anyway. What could be worse than losing his position?

"Alright, my dear Mr. President, I'd be willing to tell you everything." Melon wore a bitter smile and continued, "As per your orders, we've sent out many excellent agents and even activated several extremely well-hidden, dark strings, all of which were used to investigate the secrets of Stellar Technology. However, no matter how well-hidden they were, as long as we were to activate them and send them to Stellar Technology to investigate, they would either lose contact with us within three days or their bodies would appear in some secret area…"

The president frowned and said coldly, "You know that's not what I want to hear."

"Please let me finish, Mr. President…" Melon smiled and continued, "You may not know this, but ever since we took action against Stellar Technology, we've lost over 10 outstanding agents. Not only that, but some renowned underground organizations around the world have also suffered heavy losses in their investigations against Stellar Technology. To date, we have yet to find any valuable intelligence regarding Stellar Technology."

"So, yes, sir. Are you trying to say that you and your department are all idiots who only know how to spend money?" The DT president snorted and continued, "There's so much intelligence budget every year, and the taxpayers' money is all for you swine to spend?"

"No, what I'm trying to say is that, in the history of the FBI, such a thing would have been completely impossible." Melon wore a serious expression and continued, "We suspect that Stellar Technology has long possessed technology that surpasses reality. While we don't know what that technology is, I'm certain that the technology in their hands is capable of easily detecting people's thoughts. That is their trump card, and also the reason why they are able to constantly bring out new technologies that far surpass contemporary technology."

The DT president was silent for a bit after hearing that. "Are you sure that's not a sign of your incompetence?"

"There is no agent in the world who is better than the FBI. Even the Huaxian government would have revealed the secret behind all of this under such targeted investigation. After all, there is no such thing as an airtight wall in the world. That is a standard law of the world. However, that law was completely broken when placed on Stellar Technology," Melon said solemnly. "When all else is thrown out of the window, no matter how inconceivable the results may be, the answer would be final. As such, I suspect that Stellar Technology may have a technology that is more advanced than what they have announced, and that technology is extremely dangerous, enough to threaten the entire US."

"So you're saying all that just to justify your incompetence." The president smirked. "If that's the reason for your failure, then I'm sorry, but that reason is completely unable to convince me."

"I'm sorry to say that I'm unable to give you a satisfactory answer, even if you were to replace the chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with someone else." Melon continued in a serious manner, "You may try, but the suggestion I'm giving you is that if possible, do not think of trying to crack the other party's brainwave technology. Buying from the other party would be the best option."

"Are you kidding me?" The president narrowed his eyes and looked furious. "We spent tens of billions of yuan just to get the cryogenic technology from the other party back then. As the most powerful country in the world, I find it hard to believe that our technology is no match for that of a small private company. That is the greatest disgrace to the United States!"

"The world has changed!" Upon hearing the other party's arrogant and conceited words, Melon suddenly looked up and argued for the first time. "As a president, you shouldn't bring such arrogance into your work. I won't deny that we are the most powerful superpower in the world, but this is in a situation where we have unlimited tolerance. Mexico, Asian, African… We've accepted all of them. That is the foundation of our power today. If we were to just sit back and do nothing, that arrogance would only destroy us and the country!"

"That's enough!" The president looked furious. "Alvin Mellon, your delusional disorder is at its most critical stage. For the sake of the country's secrets and safety, you should go home and rest for a while. I'll get someone else to take your place! I believe that without someone like you dragging us down, we'll be able to surpass Huaxia in terms of brainwave control technology very soon."

"You may dismiss me, but please think about it carefully. Don't let your pride and arrogance get to your head. What you're shouldering is the rise and fall of the entire country!" Melon gritted his teeth and his entire body trembled due to being overly emotional. A sickly blush appeared on his face.

"Guards!" However, at that moment, the DT president was no longer willing to listen to his advice. Two guards dressed in military attire rushed into the president's office after he gave the order and dragged the agitated Melon out.

Melon's roars continued to reverberate throughout the entire White House throughout the entire journey. He was eventually thrown out of the door of the White House like a dead dog. The atmosphere in the White House became even gloomier after the slaughter of the chicken to warn the monkeys. Everyone feared to follow in the footsteps of Alvin Melon. The atmosphere in the White House became very tense.

The president was sitting alone in his office at the moment. The cup of coffee made by his secretary on the table had long turned cold, yet he didn't feel like drinking at all. The words that Melon said before he left kept ringing in his ears.

Could it be that the so-called stellar technology really had some kind of new technology that humans couldn't even begin to fathom?

If there were none, how would he be able to explain all the biopharmaceutical techniques and brainwave techniques that were beyond modern technology?

If that was the case, then where did all that technological gap that had existed for over a decade come from?

He picked up Zhang Heng's file on the table silently. Truth be told, it was a piece of cake for the world's most powerful superpower in the United States to get his hands on Zhang Heng's file. Zhang Heng's file had been placed on his table right after he invented the T-1. However, he didn't pay much attention to it at the time. It was a pity that, in the blink of an eye, Zhang Heng had transformed from a mere Huaxian citizen to a massive entity that he couldn't afford to overlook.

Rich as hell.

To the DT president, who had a net worth of eight billion US dollars, it seemed like a legend. He was once a renowned real estate developer in the United States, and no one knew better than him just how terrifying money could be.

286. Real Wealthy

The term "rich enough to rival a country" was probably just an adjective, as there was no one in the world with assets that could compare to a country.

While some small countries’ annual gross domestic product (GDP) might be eclipsed by some world-class super-rich people, that would be a temporary figure.

After all, the country's assets were all there. No matter how rich a person was, he wouldn't be able to afford to buy a mid-range city with his money. That was the foundation that the entire country had built up for decades or even centuries.

As such, the saying that one's wealth could rival that of a country was something that could never be taken seriously, unless one were to be born in some fancy country like the Vatican or Monaco.

However, when he was dealing with Stellar Technology, the president of the United States felt as if the other party was a super-rich entity. The assets that the other party had exposed alone amounted to an astonishing 500 billion US dollars. Furthermore, the amount of liquid capital that was found in those assets amounted to an astonishing 300 billion.

300 billion USD. That figure was enough to shock the American stock market, even if it were to be put into the US market. No matter how rich the 10 biggest financial groups in the US were, they were still mostly fixed assets. All of the financial groups' liquid assets added together would hardly be able to gather 300 billion USD.

More importantly, Stellar Technology had never been listed on the market before, and there was no such thing as splitting the profits between the two companies. Zhang Heng held 100 percent of the shares of the company that he founded, making it look like he was the emperor of a power system. That was something that was practically impossible in the business world.

Why not? It was none other than those companies with unlimited potential that would most likely be completely taken over by venture capital companies when they first made their debut. One company would gain 23 percent of the shares, and the other companies would be able to take over the other company with potential. The founders would end up working for the company instead, with only 20 percent of the shares remaining.

"If you're not willing to do so, fine. The other party has countless ways to make you do so. All threats and promises are considered light. If you don't know what's good for you, the other party could even use their connections to shut down your company. The technology that you've worked so hard to develop would then become a money-making tool in the hands of the other party and you could even apply for a patent."

That was what it meant to be in the business world. No matter how passionate the young and rowdy rookies were, they were no match for the cruel reality. No matter how capable they were, there were only two choices—surrender and resistance.

Perhaps decades later, those young people would have become successful businessmen, but they had long since gotten used to the law of the survival of the fittest in the business world back then. They had learned to reap the fruits of newbies, doing the same thing that they hated the most.

Never expect bottom lines to exist in the business world.

However, the emergence of stellar technology was like the birth of some weirdo in the business world. The founder was born into a poor family, yet he was able to create miracles time again. Several types of drugs that went beyond the centuries appeared one after another, causing a massive reshuffle in the biopharmaceutical world. All of the research efforts put in by the giants of Hui Rui over the years were rendered useless.

Bill Gates, the richest man in the world last year, had a total assets of just over 80 billion yuan. If Zhang Heng were to step up to the table this year, his total assets would easily exceed 500 billion yuan given his 100 percent control over Star Technology, which would be seven times that of Bill Gates.

That was what it meant to be rich enough to rival a country!

While he didn't want to admit it, Zhang Heng's every move had reached a level where he was able to do as he pleased. A single stomp from him would cause the economy of the country to tremble.

According to the investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chief Mellon, no, he should be called the former Chief… He found out during the investigation that all of Huaxia's corporations and some of the upper echelons of certain countries had their eyes on the Stellar Technology shares. However, as a result… the descendants of several former vice-president retired officials all went missing.

That was a piece of very important news. He wouldn't have believed a lie like that if Stellar Technology had nothing to do with those missing people.

Despite the deteriorating relationship between the two parties, there was still no one in Huaxia who could stop that company. Stellar Technology was like a naked woman holding a gun. Despite being surrounded by a pack of wolves, they had no choice but to look on helplessly as the two of them flirted with each other.

Furthermore, Stellar Technology had become increasingly callous and mean recently, constantly taking over foreign markets. Basically, all of the VR companies in Asia and Oceania had been crushed. That tsunami was already on the verge of crashing into the European and American markets. While countless interest groups had joined forces and caused the government to prohibit the sale of the products of the other party, only the DT president himself knew that this was an act of curing the symptoms but not the root cause. Selling would definitely not last for more than half a year, or his support rate would have dropped by at least 50 percent and he would have no chance of becoming the next president.

Not only that, but the stock prices of Apple, Microsoft, Google, and other tech giants that were involved in the VR business plummeted every day after that damned virtual reality helmet of theirs went on the market. Facebook almost hit its limit down as well. The assets that the top few tech giants in the world had vaporized over the past few days had reached over 100 billion US dollars.

The pressure in the country was growing and the complaints from the people were making things even more difficult for him.

He needed to come up with a plan.

Stellar Technology provided Huaxia with unimaginable benefits. Taxation alone would probably generate tens of billions of US dollars this year, driving the development of countless new and advanced technologies. Countless amounts of money would flow from all over the world to Huaxia, making Huaxia the biggest winner of the year.

Not only that, the FBI had also found out that Stellar Technology had been working with the Huaxian government for a long time and that brainwave technology had successfully made its way into the Huaxian military research department. That technology alone was enough to allow Huaxia to soar for the third time. The other party had challenged the supremacy of the United States.

The DT president felt a sense of crisis every time he thought about that. The reason for all of that was none other than Stellar Technology, a company that had never been part of the rules, and the only soul of Stellar Technology was that young man named Zhang Heng.

A young man capable of changing the world's economic and political landscape… While he hated to admit it, that was the truth.

That was why, for the sake of the sacred United States of America and for the sake of its hegemony, he was not to be spared.

There was a murderous glint in the DT president's eyes. The seed of malice had been planted a long time ago, and it had finally grown into a vicious fruit after what Mellon said. He took a deep breath, picked up the phone in his hand, and said in a deep voice, "Get me on the phone with General Shirobe of SOG…"

287. Attack!

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. Amubu headed for his car, reeking of alcohol and staggering.

In truth, he had been feeling rather exhausted all this time.

He appeared in front of the media over again every day, constantly exposing his pretentious front, giving speeches at times, and donating to disaster areas at other times. He had completely cleared his name at the moment, becoming a philanthropist and a good person in the eyes of many commoners in India.

Damn good people!

He had never thought that he would one day appear before everyone in such a manner. He had always been sure and certain that he had been a thug since he was young, and that his father had been a thug as well. The blood of thug ran in his veins, and he committed murder and arson. Selling military fire and drugs was what he truly needed to do, hiding in the shadows of civilization and never seeing the light of day.

However, he had made a huge wish before, hoping to become a successful politician. That urge was simply because he was tired of living in the dark. It was only when he met Zhang Heng and almost died at his hands that he was able to experience the turning point in his life and achieve his dream.

He was now considered a rather reputable politician throughout the whole of India. As a Mumbai city councilor and a member of the Congress Party, he was able to secure the position of mayor next year with sufficient political capital.

Of course, things wouldn't have gone as smoothly for him initially. His opponents were all ancient families who had been running the country in Mumbai for countless years. Some of them were even people who had been his backers in the past. However, none of his opponents were able to survive being targeted by the Galaxy International Group.

Despite that being the case, he was still far more tired than he had been in the past due to all the glory he had shown on the surface. While he had had a hard time living in the past and needed to survive in all sorts of cracks, he was able to live a free and easy life back then, doing whatever he wanted to do. His status was no longer what it used to be, and even his former backers had to look up to him. However, he no longer had the leisure he once had. He had to put on a suit and leather shoes every day, and he was unable to express his joy and rage according to his preferences.

However, the feeling of power was the most addictive. It would have been impossible for him to just give up everything right now.

Amubu sighed amidst the pain and joy, before getting into a luxurious car worth tens of millions of rupees and making his way to his place under the care of his chauffeur, Yin Qing.

There was a deadpan Asian man sitting beside him. While it was obvious from the way he dressed that he was a personal bodyguard, only Amubu knew that while the man might listen to some of his orders, if he were to betray the Stellar Foundation, the super bodyguard who had protected him from multiple assassinations would not hesitate to make his head explode.

In the eyes of the common people, he was a kind, noble, high-born noble, and even a philanthropist. In the eyes of the aristocrats in Mumbai, he was the godfather of all the underground powers in Mumbai.

However, he was the only one who knew that he was just a pawn of some mysterious force that was hiding behind the scenes…

He sighed and kept that displeasure to himself. At the very least, he had a certain amount of sovereignty and he wasn't just some political puppet. Furthermore, the quality of his life and his current status far exceeded what he was before.

Unknowingly, the influence of the Stellar Foundation had spread to every corner of this prosperous city. Even the mayor had been captured by the endless stream of political donations, serving the mysterious organization in secret.

He had just finished attending the banquet hosted by the current mayor, and that flirtatious b * stard of the mayor's wife made him feel rather restless. He thought about it for a bit and wondered if he should just skip going home for the time being and go look for a few chicks to have some fun with.

There were no street lights on the roads of the outskirts of India at night. The only lights on the roads were the faint yellow ones of the cars. The roads were lined with paddy fields on both sides of the road. The night breeze blew and the sound of crashing waves was heard.

However, just when Amub was wondering if his body would be able to take it all, the driver of the car braked all of a sudden. A deafening screech was heard and the entire Mercedes lost its balance in an instant. A loud rumble was heard and the tires of the car exploded, causing the car to roll into the wheat field at the side.

"What the f * * k is going on?!" Amubu was so frightened that he couldn't help but shout. However, before he was able to open the car door in a fit of rage, the bodyguard beside him leaped out of the car window in a flash. He was as nimble as an ape and grabbed the back of Amubu's neck violently as he jumped out of the car. Despite having a weight of 167 kilograms, he was rendered completely weightless in the hands of the seemingly skinny bodyguard.

"You…" Amub was shocked. While he was rather furious when he was dragged out of the car, he quickly calmed down when the night breeze blew. While he was unable to see what had happened, he was able to tell from the movements of his bodyguards that he had been attacked again.

The bouncers dragged Amubu deeper into the rice fields without stopping. Amubu's heart sank when he saw that reaction. The bouncers would only do something like that when there were a lot of enemies around. If not, not even 20 regular soldiers would have been able to do anything to him.

As expected, Amubu looked behind him as he ran, but what he saw almost sent him flying. What did he just see? He saw a group of tall, dark figures wearing camouflage uniforms and carrying submachine guns chasing after him.

International mercenaries!

That was the first thought that came to his mind. Under the dim moonlight, he was able to see that the group of people were dressed in high-quality equipment. Their guns and daggers glittered under the moonlight, and a murderous air emanated from them.

Only the top-notch mercenary organizations in the world would have such a powerful presence.

"Freeze!"

"Don't you dare!"

Despite being shouted from behind, the other party didn't fire. It was obvious that the other party didn't expect their target to be so decisive and run away without even taking a look at what was happening, throwing their plans into disarray.

"Bang!" A gunshot was heard from behind him all of a sudden and he felt a chill running down his spine. He couldn't help but turn around and saw that the driver who was still in the car was shot in the head. It was obvious that the driver was about to get rid of all evidence.

A chill ran down his spine and he began to shift his legs even faster. It was fortunate that he hadn't stopped working out for quite a while, or he might have ended up dead.

All in all, the other party seemed to have some reservations and didn't fire at the two of them, or the two of them would have been killed on the spot. No matter how fast they ran, they couldn't outrun bullets.

He pondered as he ran, something that he had never dared to imagine before. However, ever since he received the gene optimization drug from the foundation, he realized that not only had his constitution become stronger, but his thoughts had also become more active, making it easier for him to concentrate.

The wind howled in his ears and the fields before him looked like a curtain. Amubu had no choice but to run under the moonlight under the lead of his bodyguards. However, he was only able to run for a short distance when a blinding light was seen from up ahead. At the same time, a huge gust of wind blew over and the entire field collapsed as if it had encountered the king of kings.

A look of despair was seen on his face.

288. Attacks

The enemy actually sent out a helicopter!

Amub felt a chill running down his spine. While he was unable to make out the structure of the helicopter due to the intense light, he was nonetheless able to tell that it was something that even a military blind would be able to detect. While the helicopter was flying, it didn't emit the high-pitched whirring of the propellers seen in television movies. Only the raging winds were able to tell that the floating vehicle was a helicopter, and that it was a new type of helicopter that had never been seen before.

Silent Disaster alone was more than enough to outshine the American Apache series and Huaxian Takeshi series.

The significance of such a helicopter was simply too great. It would be a waste of resources to use it to capture him. He couldn't remember ever offending such a terrifying opponent to be able to make the other party deploy such a massive force.

Just when Amubu was about to fall into despair, the eyes of the bouncer who had been doing his best to protect Amubu suddenly flickered. He flicked his outerwear slightly and a tiny insect the size of a mosquito crawled onto Amubu's body in the very next second. At the same time, he abandoned Amubu and ran deep into the fields.

Damn! No one is reliable at the critical moment!

Amub gritted his teeth and cast an exasperated look at the bouncer, who had just left. While he knew very well that the bouncer was more likely to be keeping an eye on him than protecting him, there was no way anyone would feel comfortable about abandoning him and running away.

Dozens of footsteps were heard from behind him. The group of soldiers wearing tactical helmets and armed to the teeth had arrived behind Amub. Amub chuckled bitterly and finally gave up resisting. He slowly raised his hands under the intense light and made a gesture of surrender that was commonly seen internationally.

In the last moments of his consciousness, he saw a butt of a gun heading straight for him. However, what he saw made him heave a sigh of relief. It was obvious that the other party had no intentions of killing him right away. He felt a sharp pain in his head and lost consciousness.

…

"Flying Eagle, we have successfully captured target number two." A middle-aged man with a cold, wizened face put the night vision device before him closer and reported to the radio, "There is also a deserter, suspected to be the target number two bodyguard. Do you need to adjust your priority?"

"Roger that, Eagle. According to the mission rules, Target No.2 must not be lost. All witnesses must be eliminated at the same time," a cold voice was heard on the radio.

"Understood." The man nodded and gestured at the helicopter. He pointed at a few people and shouted, "All of you, get on the helicopter and take target number two back to the base. The rest of you, follow me and chase after that man who's escaping. He won't be able to get far!"

"Boss, isn't it better to have the helicopter go after them instead?" One of the young men frowned.

"Unfortunately, No. 2 is not to be messed with. The higher-ups have asked me to adjust my priorities." The middle-aged man explained, "The orders from the higher-ups are for us to personally hunt down that man who was trying to escape. Whoever kills him first, I'll invite him to the city twice!"

The middle-aged man then turned around and shouted, "Be careful, everyone. The bouncers who were assigned to target number two are the ones who escaped. According to the data, the bouncers were very skilled and there was a record of someone single-handedly killing 31 gangsters in a row. I don't want to see anyone die here because they underestimated their enemy!"

"I'll stuff my gun into his * * *." One of the men who looked like a monkey grinned proudly.

"Everyone knows how to joke around. Let's see what happens on the battlefield." The man shot a cold look at Skinny Monkey before turning around and chasing after him, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.

The time bomb that was prepared not long after they left completely exploded in the car that Amub had left behind, sending the driver's body and all evidence to hell.

It was said that the CIA had a secret team called the 'Special Operations Unit', which was written in English as the 'SOG'. They were involved in a series of dirty activities, such as instigation and assassination, in hostile countries. Their main missions consisted of reconnaissance missions, rescuing captives, rescuing pilots who were shot down, conducting psychological warfare, black propaganda, assassination, kidnapping, and conducting bombings.

The unit was an unconventional combat unit that was even more mysterious than the special forces. It was founded on January 24, 1964, and was born to fight the Vietnam War. The unit was disbanded on May 1, 1972. The unit was rebuilt after 9 / 11, and was designed to assassinate and eradicate hostile forces and personnel from overseas.

The soldiers who attacked Amubu were part of an operation team affiliated with the SOG. They came to India through all manner of underhanded means. Their mission was to uncover the secrets of Stellar Technology bit by bit from the important personnel connected to Stellar Technology like Amub.

Almost at the same time, at the location where the human cryogenic center of Stellar Technology was located, another silencer helicopter was parked at an altitude of over a kilometer. Eight well-equipped SOG teams were watching the humongous human cryogenic center below their feet from within the cabin. Several tall research buildings were brightly lit next to the cryogenic center. People were still coming and going even though it was late at night, with no signs of going out.

"Boss, do you think Target No.1 will appear tonight?" A young soldier beside him grumbled after some time had passed.

"While I wouldn't say that I'm 100 percent sure, from the data provided by the higher-ups, he usually leaves the company every Friday night to go home and reunite with his wife," another soldier replied immediately. "This is our only chance. We learned a lesson from the agents who died earlier. Those security guards from the Galaxy International Group are not to be trifled with. They have heavy weapons and are well-equipped. It's best if we don't fight them head-on."

"They're just a bunch of bouncers. We picked them out from all the special forces in the United States. Every single one of us here is an elite among elites. It would be a waste of talent to ask us to do something like that," someone else retorted.

"The top-class operative known as the real James Bond was found dead in the sewers in Mumbai a month ago. I assume he had the same thoughts as you before he died?"

"Enough, stop arguing." At that moment, the team leader, who had been silent all this while, suddenly spoke. The electronic night vision device on his tactical helmet spun on its own, adjusting the distance between him and the target on the ground. His voice was cold and decisive. "The target's vehicle is on the move. The target is heading out of the field. Our objective is to capture No. 1 alive and silence all irrelevant personnel. Any questions?"

"No, boss!"

"Very well. All of you have to remember that we are the most outstanding team in SOG. If anyone dares to mess up this mission, get ready to get the hell out of the team and go home to play with the female donkeys!"

"Let's go!"

The huge soundless helicopter suddenly changed its angle and headed straight for a black limousine following the captain's command.

289. Crushing

Zhao Qingzheng was sitting in his seat in the limousine at the moment and there was another bodyguard standing guard beside him. However, the bodyguard's ears twitched at that moment and he said in a very calm manner, "Mr. Driver, please turn around immediately. We need to get back to the office."

"What's wrong?" Zhao Qing frowned. He knew who those bouncers were. On the surface, the bouncers looked like they were hired by the Galaxy International Corporation, but in actual fact, they were all cloned warriors from the culture pods and possessed exceptional strength and qualities. Due to the fact that there was no secretion of emotional hormones, none of them would harbor any ill thoughts. It could be said that those bouncers were the most difficult to betray in the world.

As such, he asked patiently, despite feeling rather displeased with the bouncer's decision-making.

"Mr. Zhao Qing, I've just received a piece of news from the headquarters. Mr. Amubu has been attacked by some unidentified armed organization and his whereabouts are currently unknown. According to the headquarters' speculations, the target could very well be someone from the upper echelons of Stellar Technology. If that's the case, you'd definitely be within range of the attack. We have to be on guard against that," the bouncer replied solemnly.

"Attack?" Zhao Qing frowned and said reluctantly, "Well… alright then. If that's the case, we'll just head back."

However, before he was able to finish his sentence, a gust of wind blew at him and the plants on both sides of the car began to vibrate violently. Before Zhao Qing was able to react, the bouncers at the side looked very serious.

Bang!

"Bang, bang!"

Before Zhao Qing realized what was happening, the front windshield shattered all of a sudden. Two tear gas jets emitting thick smoke shot through the front windshield like cannonballs. The entire car was instantly filled with smoke.

Zhao Qing took a deep breath and his eyes rolled back in his head, almost passing out. The bouncer at the side pulled the door open and rolled out of the car. Two handgun-like weapons appeared in his hands at the same time, and he fired before the helicopter realized what was happening. The intense light was snuffed out with a bang in the very next second.

"F * * k you!" A string of curses was heard from the silencer helicopter and flames flickered all over the place where the bouncer was standing. The place where the bouncer was standing was completely plowed over in just two seconds.

"Damn it, be careful. Don't hit target number one. He's alive! The higher-ups want him alive!"

The sudden destruction of the searchlights caused the SOG team to panic for a moment. They opened fire almost casually, but the captain stabilized them in the blink of an eye. Everyone pulled down the infrared night vision on their helmets, looking for the bouncer who posed the greatest threat.

"There he is!" A soldier pointed at the bottom of the car's chassis all of a sudden. Everyone looked over and saw a muzzle sticking out of the car.

"Bang!"

A loud gunshot was heard and the team leader suddenly realized that the gunshot was not the sound of any handgun that he knew of. It sounded more like the sound effects of an object breaking through the sound barrier. However, before he was able to say anything, he felt his face getting hot all of a sudden. One of the soldiers before him tilted his head and began to convulse. Large amounts of blood sprayed from the back of the soldier's chest, making him look like he was about to explode.

He wasn't the only one. All the nearby soldiers were sprayed with blood.

"Frank!" The team leader was stunned. Everyone saw that things were not looking good and immediately shrank back from the helicopter. However, all they saw was the young man named Frank falling to the ground with a huge hole about 10 centimeters wide open on his chest, which was wearing a bulletproof vest. His body kept twitching and it looked like he was about to die.

"Damn it! Are you sure that he's not holding a Barrett sniper rifle?" One of the eight people who were on the helicopter was killed by the other party, and everyone looked stunned.

"Despicable! He's actually hiding under the car! How did he know that we wouldn't dare to fire at him?" Another soldier grumbled.

"Eagle, Eagle, the enemy is hiding under the car. Target No.1 is still in the car. We're unable to attack the target!" The team leader gritted his teeth and reported to the radio immediately.

"Do whatever it takes! I repeat, do whatever it takes to capture target number one alive!" There was no explanation given in the radio, only that one line was emphasized over again. There were no other instructions.

"F * * k, the authorities are treating us like humans!" One of them cursed.

The captain wore a glum expression on his face as well. That bouncer's marksmanship was simply too terrifying. He had only fired two shots from start to finish, yet he was able to shatter the searchlight on the helicopter that was capable of affecting the vision of the enemy with one shot. He was able to kill himself with the second shot as well. Was such a shooting really just some bouncer from a security company?

"We can't afford to hesitate any longer. The enemy's reinforcements could appear at any moment. We have to attack!"

The team leader gritted his teeth and issued an order that made everyone's expression change drastically, as if he had made up his mind. "Ake, the three of you stay in the helicopter and distract the enemy. The rest of you and I will land quickly and surround him from all sides. Hurry. We can't afford to lose this mission!"

While no one was willing to carry out their captain's orders, military orders were as important as mountains. That alone was enough to show just how powerful SOG was. No one dared to object to their captain's orders, no matter how unwilling they were to do so. All of them went about their business according to the tasks assigned by their captain.

A few young men with blond hair stuck their guns out of the helicopter and began firing away. Of course, no one dared to fire at the cars and simply fired in all directions. The captain took the lead and threw down several ropes before putting on the safety catch and jumping off the helicopter.

"Bang, bang!"

Bang, bang, bang!

Intense gunshots were heard again. The team leader heard Ake screaming behind him as soon as he got out of the helicopter. "Ahh! Damn it! My hand! My hand is gone!"

The captain felt a chill run down his spine, but there was no turning back at the moment. He gritted his teeth and turned around to stare at the bottom of the car that was tens of meters away. The night vision on his tactical helmet penetrated the darkness and he saw an Asian man staring at him with two eyes, like a hungry wolf.

Despite being about 60 to 70 meters away, he still felt his heart palpitate when he saw that pair of eyes—what kind of eyes were those? They were devoid of any emotion. Despite being surrounded and having just killed two soldiers, those eyes remained cold and indifferent like those of hungry wolves.

That was not the kind of look a human should have.

Bang!

Another beam of light was seen and the team leader felt a chill in his stomach as an indescribable numbness spread all over his body in an instant. He lowered his head as if he felt something and saw a huge hole that was even larger than Frank's chest on his stomach. Countless internal organs and pieces of flesh were minced into minced meat by the huge cavity effect, flying everywhere.

290. Kill!

"Damn the mission…" The team leader wore a bitter, speechless grin on his face. He initially thought that the mission would be a piece of cake, but who would have thought that it would be so difficult that he would end up dying here…

However, his pupils dilated uncontrollably in the very next second, and he completely lost consciousness before he even landed on the ground.

"Captain!" The people who had been landing behind him couldn't help but shout. Another gunshot was heard and half of that soldier's head was blown away by the force of the gunshot. White brain matter splattered everywhere, making him look like snow flying in the air.

"Bang, bang!"

Two more gunshots were heard. The SOG team, which had been so aggressive just moments ago, now had only three people left, with the exception of the pilot. One of them was even severely injured.

"Retreat, retreat!" Ake covered his arm with his hand. When he extended his hand just then, a bullet blew his hand away. There were only two to three white bones and a lot of irregular pieces of flesh left where his hand was. All that was left was flesh and blood.

The pilot turned the helicopter around without a word, wanting to escape right away. However, a warning from the radar was heard at that moment. The pilot's pupils contracted and he looked at the radar, but there was no sign of any enemy planes on the radar.

"We've been locked onto by missiles!" The pilot shouted. "The number of enemies unknown, location unknown. Everyone, prepare for impact!" He then ordered the helicopter to drop to the ground before anyone could react.

The helicopters were all made of strong steel bones and were able to withstand the impact of falling from tens of meters in the air. The helicopter was less than 40 meters away from the ground at the moment and would have been able to land on the ground in just a few seconds if it were to drop at a free-falling speed. However, the helicopter had only just descended for about 10 meters when a blue-tailed missile streaked across the sky, drawing a beautiful line in the air as it headed straight for the helicopter.

The blue beam of light came into contact with the massive helicopter before anyone could react. A huge firework exploded in the air in an instant.

A huge fireball was seen in the blink of an eye and the extremely advanced generation of American soundless helicopters were reduced to dust by an unknown air-to-air missile.

The bouncer at the bottom of the car climbed out with a deadpan expression on his face. If it hadn't been for the dust on his clothes and the shattered windshield of the limousine at the side, as well as the unconscious Zhao Qing and the driver, no one would have thought that he had just gotten into a fight with a group of special forces soldiers. He had even killed five people with a handgun that no one knew of.

A strong gust of wind blew from behind him. When the gust of wind dissipated, a shuttle-shaped fighter plane that looked like a bus slowly appeared. Ripples were seen all over its body, and it seemed as if gravity was non-existent as it hovered above the head of the limousine. It made no noise at all, making no sound at all.

If the SOG's silent helicopter could be considered a silent cheetah, then this shuttle-shaped mech, which could become invisible at will, was a true specter.

"Mr. Zhao Qing is fine."

Two men in lab coats quickly jumped out from behind the shuttle and checked the unconscious Zhao Qing for a bit before saying, "We just need to take a break. It won't affect tomorrow's work."

The bouncer nodded and watched as the two of them loaded Zhao Qing onto the stretcher and loaded him into the Falcon.

…

At that moment, in another part of the outskirts of Mumbai, a chase gradually came to an end.

The middle-aged man, who looked like he had been through a lot in his life, looked very pale. The skinny monkey, who had been yelling about stuffing his gun into someone else's pants, was lying on the ground with a terrified look on his face. His entire body was twitching non-stop. There was a wound that went all the way down to his spine at his throat. Blood was gushing out of the wound, and blisters were seen on his exposed windpipe.

At that moment, the leader of the squad wasn't doing any better. Most of his right hand had been cut off, revealing his white bones. There were over 20 wounds all over his body, but none of those wounds were fatal enough. As such, he was able to hold on and not fall despite being on the verge of collapse.

He found himself in a field that stretched as far as the eye could see. The darkness of the night covered the blood in the field, as well as the bodies of his 13 comrades who were killed along the way.

The fourteen of them set out at the same time to pursue their target in order to kill the bodyguards of Amubu. However, the weapons in the other party's hands caused them to suffer a huge loss. Two of them were shot in the head before they were able to react. However, the other party was able to easily evade the bullets that were fired at them.

At first, no one realized that something was wrong. However, after the two of them were killed by the other party, all of them were filled with rage and anxiety, wanting nothing more than to skin that piece of trash alive. However, what happened next became the nightmare that would haunt the captain for the rest of his life—provided that he was able to live through the night.

The two sides continued to shoot at each other. Their side was most likely a sharpshooter who was able to land a 100-percent hit. However, when faced with the yellow-skinned monkey, the monkey simply ducked into the fields and made them lose their target. When they found the monkey again, the monkey would shoot again and wipe out one or two of their comrades.

Anger could sometimes allow one to exert a power and speed that far exceeded that of their usual self, saving a person from the brink of death. However, there were also times when anger was considered a crime. The monkey-like actions of the other party caused everyone to be consumed by rage. It was only when their heated heads gradually began to cool that they realized that they had been completely taken out of the fight. Not only that, they were completely out of ammunition and there were only four of them left.

However, it was fortunate that the man's ammunition seemed to have been depleted over the course of that short period of time. Given that things had gotten to such a point, the middle-aged man simply took out his special forces dagger and attempted to kill the man right there and then—there was no way he would be able to get away unscathed with so many people dead anyway, so it would be better to just kill the target to vent his anger.

That was what he thought at the time, but what happened next told him just how childish his actions were.

His opponent's weapon was a Type 5 or 6 triangular bayonet, which was indeed one of the military weapons that Huaxia had long since eliminated. However, it was nonetheless incredibly powerful. The combat abilities that they had undergone rigorous training were like babies before his opponent. In short, his opponent was able to easily kill the remaining three of his comrades. By the time his raging head snapped back to reality, he was the only one left by his side.

"Damn it, who the hell are you?" The middle-aged man's eyes were filled with disbelief and fear. Fourteen elite soldiers selected from thousands of men and horses, and every single one of them was a king among soldiers. To be able to become the captain of such an army meant that his abilities were unfathomable. Yet, despite all that, he was still easily killed by a single man. That was something that had completely toppled his understanding.

The middle-aged man turned a deaf ear to his questions. That emotionless face of his became the enemy's worst nightmare instead. The middle-aged man continued to walk toward the middle-aged man, who was alone and helpless. Despair and madness were seen in the middle-aged man's eyes. He shouted and grabbed the dagger with his left hand, slashing at that disgusting face.

However, he felt his vision blur for a split second when he waved his left hand and the creature disappeared right before his eyes. At the same time, a pitch-black triangular bayonet that didn't reflect any light was seen sticking out of his chin, bringing with it sticky blood.

The triangular bayonet was pulled out immediately after hitting its target. The middle-aged man looked ahead of him with a dazed look in his eyes before he fell to the ground as if all of his strength had been sucked out of him.

291. Fury

That night, both Amubu and Zhao Qing, as well as Mumbai, India, and even Zhang Heng, Li Yiru, and several higher-ups from the Singapore branch, Huaxia, and Haizhou were kidnapped by the SOG forces.

Zhang Heng and Zhishang appeared on the B7th floor of the Honeycomb with cold looks on their faces the next morning. Other than the four most secure biological laboratories in the world, there was also a series of cages specifically designed to contain human experiment materials. Some of those people were smuggled out of Haizhou prisons, some were spies sent to Stellar Technology from all over the world, and some were military personnel who had been corrupting Stellar Technology the night before.

There were five teams involved in the operation in Haizhou last night, and each of them had their own jobs. One of them was the one who kidnapped Zhang Heng, and there were over 30 of them. There were also 10 people who kidnapped Li Yiru, with the rest being the HR manager of Stellar Technology and a security manager.

None of that mattered. What truly angered Zhang Heng was that the other party had designs on his parents as well.

However, it was fortunate that the area that Corona's mental field enshrouded was where Zhang Heng was able to do whatever he wanted. All of them were discovered immediately after entering the range of Corona's level-2 magnetic field and were captured alive by the cloning soldiers without alerting anyone.

None of them were able to figure out what was going on even after being locked up in that room.

The cages that held those people were located below the floor of the B7th floor. There were walls on all four sides of the cage, which were less than 10 square meters. The ceiling was made of reinforced glass that was about half a meter thick. Other than a damp, hard wooden bed and a toilet bowl, there were no other living facilities in the cage. The only things that kept them alive were two meals of nutritious food, which hung in the air, half-dead.

"Commander." The two cloned warriors saluted immediately when they saw Zhang Heng in the holding room.

"How many people were captured yesterday?" Zhang Heng asked with a frown. He had been frowning ever since he heard that a large number of troops were attacking him last night.

"A total of 63 people," the clone warrior reported without hesitation. "All male. No one is injured."

"What about his identity?"

"Members of the special operations team under the CIA." Corona's voice was heard from behind Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng turned around and saw Corona, who was using the T-X as her body, skipping over to him. She grinned and said, "It's obvious that you're a member of the CIA's blacklist."

"So, things have gotten to this point?" Zhang Heng frowned again and chuckled coldly. "Seems like that Mr. President has some foresight."

"Any upper echelon with a little bit of foresight would realize just how important you are," Corona said as if it was a given. "A company that possesses several types of epoch-making drugs, a company that is as rich as a country, and even a VR technology that is far ahead of even the United States. Anyone would be interested in you. If I don't get someone like you, wouldn't it be best to get rid of you in order to ensure that my country's status wouldn't be threatened?"

"That's right." Zhang Heng nodded, but his expression remained exceptionally cold. "His actions are very reasonable. First, he kidnapped me. If I'm unable to be kidnapped, he would have killed me on the spot and gotten what he wanted from the higher-ups of the company."

"We're doing better here. Those people were only able to get in through customs. There's even a new type of helicopter that was deployed in India," Corona said. "I used my free time to break into the American network and take a look. That's a type of supersonic helicopter and it's covered with advanced stealth coating. It's capable of achieving primary radar invisibility and radiation invisibility. While it's unable to evade Huaxia's antiaircraft identification signal, it's more than enough to get into India."

"So, we didn't run into any of those new models while we were in Mumbai?" Zhang Heng realized something.

"That's right. No matter how bold the United States of America is, they wouldn't dare to actually send a military aircraft like a military helicopter into Huaxia's airspace. That could easily start a war, not to mention Haizhou, an international city."

Zhang Heng nodded as if it was a given. While the United States had challenged the airspace of Huaxia many times throughout history, that was still nothing more than a war of words. If they were to use military weapons to open fire in Huaxia's metropolitan areas, it would be impossible for Huaxia not to want to fight the war.

Every country had their own bottom line. Huaxia was like a cultured lion. While many countries were provoked by the United States' instigation, those who knew the current affairs of the world would understand that no one had ever dared to challenge Huaxia's bottom line. Not even the United States had the guts to do so, unless they wanted to start a world war.

Zhang Heng walked slowly over the heads of the prisoners in silence. All of them had taken off their camouflage uniforms and weapons after being captured. All that was left of them was a pair of skimpy shorts. Some of them began to beg for mercy when they saw Zhang Heng and the others walking past, some shouted for human rights, and some swore at them. All of them looked like they had nothing to fear.

Why? Because they were Americans.

However, from the moment they failed, they no longer belonged to the United States. The United States would never admit that they were the ones who initiated the terrorist attack. Otherwise, the world's public opinion alone would have made the United States a public enemy, let alone the impeachment of the cabinet.

"Don't let those people die too easily." Zhang Heng turned around and looked at those people. The coldness in his eyes was so cold that it could freeze the heavens and the earth. Any captive who caught Zhang Heng's gaze would lower their heads. However, there was still a middle-aged man who looked very much like Shi Tailong, who had a very strong military presence. He gritted his teeth and held back the shock in his heart as he looked into Zhang Heng's eyes.

He had never seen such a terrifying gaze before. It was like the gaze of a demon, giving him a feeling of utter evil. He felt as if he could see the earth caving in and the sky shattering at the end of days in those eyes. It was an indescribable scene of destruction.

So scary…

He felt his soul shudder all over. He wanted to avoid that gaze, but the pride in his heart prevented him from doing so. He stared into Zhang Heng's eyes with a stubborn and tenacious will, just like an ant bravely facing the stampede of humanity, raising its mandibles that would never yield.

However, just when he refused to admit defeat, he suddenly felt Zhang Heng's pupils dilate. He felt a sharp pain in his eyes in the very next second and that intense pain spread all the way to his brain. All that was left before his eyes was darkness.

292. Revenge

In the eyes of the crowd, that muscular American soldier only exchanged a glance with Zhang Heng. However, his head exploded like a watermelon without any preamble during that exchange.

Reds, yellows, and whites were seen all over the place. Blood and bits of flesh were splattered all over the ground. The body that had lost its head staggered and tried to stand up due to the inertia of its muscles. However, it, who had lost its brain, would never understand that its command center had been completely destroyed. Death and rotting were its only fate.

There were two medical personnel following behind Zhang Heng. Those people were not clones, but professors who were highly skilled in the field of medicine who had been kidnapped before. The two of them couldn't help but look at each other when they saw how Zhang Heng was able to kill with just one look. They saw shock and horror in each other's eyes before looking straight ahead and pretending not to see anything.

Zhang Heng was shocked to see the consequences of making eye contact with him. It was obvious that his mental power had advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few days, reaching a point where he found it difficult to control. To him, mental power was not only a form of combat power, but also a double-edged sword that could harm both himself and his enemies.

"Commander, it's time for you to put training in controlling your mental power on the agenda again," Corona said worriedly.

"That's right. I've been too busy to train for quite a while." Zhang Heng nodded. Ever since he was able to communicate with the Future for the second time more than a month ago, his mental power, which had been stuck at a bottleneck, experienced a new period of growth. While he was able to slow down his training due to his busy schedule, his mental power continued to grow instead of decreasing. However, due to the massive increase in his mental power, he found it harder to control it.

It was just like how a person would carry a cup of water and a basin of water, walking 100 meters each without letting the water spill. It was obvious that the person who carried a cup of water was several times more relaxed than the one who carried a basin of water.

"By the way." Corona seemed to have recalled something and took a probing look at Zhang Heng. She pursed her lips and said hesitantly, "I have some bad news…"

"Go on." Zhang Heng waved and turned around to walk away.

"Amub is dead."

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and stopped in his tracks all of a sudden. "How did he die?"

"Forceful interrogation eventually led to the brain chip being burnt."

"Well then, there's nothing else I can do about it." Zhang Heng was silent for a bit before he chuckled coldly and continued, "It's just a pity that I've spent so much time nurturing him. I guess I'll just have to collect a copy of his DNA then. The cloned Amubu would definitely be more useful than him."

"One more thing." Corona took a look at Zhang Heng's expression and continued cautiously, "When I discovered the SOG troops with my mental field yesterday, their first target was your father and mother. Furthermore, they were planning to set up bombs outside the villa that you purchased. If the mission were to fail, they might very well… use them to crush your will to fight."

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and he asked slowly, "Have all those bombs been dismantled?"

"That's what they were thinking. They were captured by the clone warriors I sent out before they were able to take action." Corona nodded and pouted. "That president's thoughts are very dangerous."

A ferocious glint was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes when he heard that. The reason why everyone insisted that the President of the United States was behind all of that was because they had confirmed that the team was part of the SOG's special operations team. The special operations team was affiliated with the CIA, and the CIA was directly responsible for the President, mainly dealing with actions that would endanger national security in terms of military, political, and economic affairs. As such, everyone knew that the President of the United States was the one who initiated all of that.

Of course, there was no way that the president would be able to pull something like that off on his own. He had the backing of the Communist Party, which had control over the entire lifeline of the United States of America. If he were to say that the order hadn't been given by the Communist Party, he wouldn't have believed it.

The members of the Communist Party were led by the ten biggest financial groups in the United States, a community of interests formed by countless successful people in Europe and the United States. They were like the ultimate culprits who hid behind the scenes. Their presence would not be mentioned in the news, but they were everywhere. Their shares could spread from the United States to the French and the United States, and they were the ones who influenced both Europe and North America.

Microsoft, Apple, Google, and some of the world's top companies only had a meager amount of shares in their founders. Bill Gates, for example, held 9 percent of the shares in Microsoft. Ma Yun founded Alibaba single-handedly, but he only held 8.9 percent of the shares. Mahua, who founded the online empire, also held 9.1 percent.

The main reason for that was that the new companies that had shown their capabilities and potential were taken over by those companies that specialized in venture capital. There was no guarantee that what they were doing would be wrong. After all, with investments, those new companies would have more opportunities to rise. There were even countless companies that wanted to get their hands on them.

However, why was the venture capital company still so notorious? That was because those companies had powerful backers behind them. Some companies that had no intentions of accepting investments would resort to underhanded means when they caught the eye of venture capital. That was why the venture capital company was so notorious.

While it was hard to say that all of those renowned tycoons of the business world had been threatened by certain people when they were younger, what people saw was often fabricated and beautified appearances, and only those people themselves knew the truth.

Everyone had a bad feeling when they saw Zhang Heng deep in thought. It was as if something was weighing down on their hearts, making them feel stifled. As time passed, that stifling feeling became increasingly clearer, making it difficult for them to breathe.

"Commander." Corona saw that things were not looking good and immediately interrupted Zhang Heng's thoughts. "Your mental power is leaking again."

"Is that so?" Zhang Heng pulled a long face and retracted his overflowing mental power right away. However, the cold glint in his eyes was unmistakable. "Corona, you have a very important mission to attend to right now."

"Please advise, Commander," Corona said right away. It was the first time she had seen Zhang Heng speak to her in such a serious manner. She seemed to have realized something after studying human emotions. Zhang Heng was currently in a state of extreme rage. She had only seen such emotions on his face once, and that was… the time when Xu Haoyu threatened him with his family.

The world was about to change…

Corona gasped subconsciously at that thought. Her emotional expression became increasingly human as she watched Zhang Heng grow step by step from a fresh and inexperienced college student. The tension she felt during her first training, the helplessness she felt when she killed someone for the first time, and the glee she felt when her first plan succeeded…

She had seen Zhang Heng grow up bit by bit and there was hardly anyone in the world who knew Zhang Heng better than she did. She could sense that the murderous intent and decisiveness that was building up in Zhang Heng's heart had reached its peak.

Excitement was seen on Corona's face right after that. Every time Zhang Heng wanted to cause trouble, she would feel an uncontrollable excitement.

"Corona, do you know how to launch nuclear bombs?" Zhang Heng was silent for a bit before asking.

293. Phenomenon

"Nuclear bomb?" Corona and Zhishang were not the only ones who heard what Zhang Heng said. The other captives in the cage heard what he said as well.

"Aren't they divided into 13 teams? Well then, I'll just return 13 nuclear bombs to them." Zhang Heng wore a cold smirk on his face and continued, "Not only that, I want that president and all the members of the Communist Party who agreed to take action against my parents… dead!"

Zhang Heng's expression became extremely ferocious as he finished his speech, while the other captives all wore shocked expressions on their faces. If it were anyone else, their first reaction would have been to fantasize about something else.

It wasn't as if the president of the United States had never been assassinated before, but being assassinated didn't mean that he was easy to assassinate. In fact, the assassination of the president of the United States was no easier than that of any of the most powerful leaders in the world, and it would only be more difficult.

The organization that was hiding behind the scenes was like an impregnable fortress. Even the Chinese wouldn't be able to infiltrate the organization, much less find the mysterious leaders of the organizations.

Furthermore, if assassinating those people could only be considered difficult, then the chances of getting nuclear bombs would be infinitely close to zero. It was impossible for anyone to get their hands on something like that, not even the president of the United States. The plot of high-ranking officials selling nuclear bombs in movies was something that would only happen in movies. In real life, even if those idiots were given a hundred guts, they still wouldn't dare to make a profit on nuclear bombs, and neither would they have the ability to do so.

All the captives wanted to laugh at Zhang Heng when he said those words to vent their pent-up frustration at being detained. However, they realized that no matter how hard they tried to force a smile out of their faces, they found themselves unable to do so.

They had seen Zhang Heng's eyes before. While they hadn't seen the unlucky guy whose head had exploded, they were nonetheless intimidated by Zhang Heng's gaze. Furthermore, due to his unstable emotions, Zhang Heng's mental power leaked out, causing everyone to feel extremely stifled.

As such, when Zhang Heng gave the order that everyone deemed absurd, everyone was rendered completely silent. However, there was a look of horror on everyone's faces.

"I could try to crack the American Deadhand system and have them shoot me with their own missiles." Corona nodded and her eyes sparkled with excitement. "However, there is no electronic equipment found at the meeting at the summit of the Commonwealth. As such, it would be difficult to find out who gave the order."

"We can look into it slowly." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "The 13 nuclear bombs would be targeted at developed American cities like New York, Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and so on."

"But there are many members of the Stellar Foundation in those cities," Corona reminded him.

"Let them know in advance. Tell them to evacuate the city they're in right away and head to the outskirts." Zhang Heng's expression gradually became calm and collected. However, that expression was even more terrifying than when he was agitated, as he was currently extremely rational. Madness and rationality were inherently opposites, but everyone could tell that he was currently in a state of extreme insanity yet extreme rationality. He was so insane that he was about to drop bombs all over the US, so rational that he was able to calculate all possible routes of retreat.

"Aren't you afraid of leaking the news?" Corona frowned. "If the news were to be leaked, no one would have believed it at first, but if it were to happen, the Golden Foundation would become the public enemy of humanity."

"The A.I. Chip will take care of everything." Zhang Heng pointed at his head and chuckled coldly. "I know you want to say 'what if', but there is no 'what if' in my dictionary. Furthermore, you can send someone to inform Joshua and the others to buy supplies on a large scale today, as there will be more in the US in 24 hours…"

"Hundreds of millions of refugees."

…

Edward's huge, fat body was sitting on a wooden stool as he leaned forward, his eyes flashing with a sharp glint. The lenses at the bottom of his glasses reflected the LCD screen, making him look very verdant. The map showed that the jungle, which looked like a canyon, was square in shape and had three identical paths, with any one of which could be used to attack the other side.

Other than those cunning enemies, there were also vicious monsters lurking in the forest. As he played along with the rhythm of the screen, Edward pressed the three keys of the QWE with a sensitivity that didn't match his physique. If the situation was favorable, he would even press the R, D, and F keys.

"Youhavebeenslain!" A robotic female voice was heard from the 5000 speaker of the computer walker all of a sudden. A sinister grin appeared on Edward's face, but he didn't relax at all. His eyes, which were highly nearsighted, were narrowed into slits as he pressed the buttons at an extremely fast speed, leaving afterimages in his wake.

"Double kill!"

A robotic female voice was heard all of a sudden, sounding extremely sacred. Edward couldn't help but take a deep breath as he recalled an extremely domineering poem.

"Who's the Peak at the end of the LOL?" he thought to himself.

"Triple kill!"

"Quadra-kill!"

"Damn!"

It was as if Edward had been blessed by the gods, as the stack of books that he had stacked to the 20th floor was like the dawn breaking, cutting through everything. He leaped out of the bushes and appeared right when all of his teammates were dead, wiping out the remaining three enemies who had long lost all HP.

A surge of confidence was felt from that dirty-looking fatty right away. No one would have thought that an average otaku would have such an air about him that only the president of the United States would have.

"Hahahaha!" Edward's overbearing aura continued to radiate from him as he threw his head back and laughed. He pressed the screenshot button very skillfully the moment he appeared and headed straight for the tower.

However, just when Edward was about to dismantle the crystal, the computer screen flickered all of a sudden and a crimson image appeared on the screen instead.

"What the f * * k?" Edward was stunned for a bit and pressed 'Tab + Ait' in a practiced manner, yet he was unable to switch to his own game no matter how hard he tried.

"Sh * *!" Edward slammed the mouse in exasperation. He initially thought that something was wrong with the computer that he had installed three years ago, but when he looked at the word 'white' on the screen, he was stunned for a bit and wore a look of disbelief.

He had long forgotten about the entire game at that moment.

294. God

"Good day, ladies and gentlemen of the United States."

"I'm God, the God of the Internet."

A completely electronically synthesized neutral voice was heard from the speaker of the Walkman 5000 that was connected to the outside of Edward's computer. While it was impossible to tell if the voice belonged to a man or a woman, there was something about the voice that was unforgettable.

Blood-red images were seen flashing on the screen and drops of 'blood' dripped from the top of the screen from time to time. A line of numbers used for global communication was seen at the center of the image. It was a line of Arabic numerals marked in white.

24: 00.

Those Arabic digits were flashing non-stop and there was no change to them at all. However, the turn of events alone was enough to make Edward's mouth drop open in shock.

The first thing that came to his mind at that moment was: hackers.

He was definitely a hacker.

Only hackers would hack into other people's computers and use advanced technology to alter other people's programming, toying with other people. And now, his own computer had been taken over by hackers?

Wait a minute. He seemed to be saying, "Ladies and gentlemen of the United States," which meant that he wasn't the only one who was attacked.

Despite his unkempt appearance, Edward, who played video games all the time, was able to tell that something was off with the text. He turned around and looked out of the window, seeing that the streets were still the same as before, with cars still making beeps as they drove. He didn't hear any shouts from his neighbors.

Am I overthinking things?

Edward frowned and was about to turn off the computer when a new voice was heard from the speaker. "From now on, 13 million tons of nuclear bombs will be dropped in various major cities in the United States in 24 hours. Please be prepared to defend yourselves."

What?

Edward's right hand shook and his bent body froze in midair. What was that guy talking about? He said that 13 nuclear bombs would be launched in the US in a day?

Are you kidding me?

While Edward was a typical American nerd, he still knew a thing or two about nuclear bombs. His knowledge came from the internet. As far as he knew, there were only a handful of countries with nuclear bombs, and the US was one of them. The nuclear bombs made by those countries were in two states—'Reserve' and 'conscript'. The 'Reserve' states separated the nuclear warheads from the missiles and had no attack capabilities. The 'conscript' states were designed to target nuclear warheads that had been installed on the missiles. All those warheads needed was a password and a few commands to be fired at any time.

However, those instructions were far from simple. One of them was in the hands of the president, the other was in the hands of the person in charge of the nuclear bomb base, and the last one was somewhere that he had forgotten about. All in all, there were over 20,000 nuclear bombs worldwide, but those nuclear warheads in 'service' wouldn't even lift a finger without the orders of the president or the congress. The rest of the countries were no exception.

Obtaining a nuclear bomb was harder than reaching the heavens.

Furthermore, the existence of the nuclear bondage strategy made it so that none of the countries dared to make any reckless moves. It was a very terrifying national strategy, because when a country was attacked, it would either actively resist or ask for aid. Instead, it would drag all of the nuclear-armed countries in the world into the mud of war.

The system formed by the nuclear bondage policy was known as the 'Deadhand System', which was an automated nuclear reactionary system established by nuclear powers. The system was capable of automatically striking pre-arranged targets even when the command center of the government was destroyed. That was to say that if the highest authorities and command systems of the government were to be destroyed or paralyzed by nuclear attacks, the 'Deadhand System' would automatically issue nuclear codes and nuclear strike commands.

The system was connected to hundreds of intercontinental missiles, enabling it to allocate targets automatically. The system wouldn't be able to tell if the targets were targeted or not, and would only attack according to a predetermined sequence.

What the US government feared the most was not the outbreak of a nuclear war, but the fact that it was incapable of ensuring that the other side would be done for. Conversely, a full-scale nuclear war would not have erupted if the other side were to believe that they were still able to fight back after suffering a nuclear saturation attack.

All in all, the existence of the 'dead hand' system put all nuclear powers in a state where no one dared to start a war without good reason.

Yet, at that moment, the person who hacked into his computer said that there would be a nuclear bomb attacking the US in a day's time? Edward found the whole thing to be absurd, yet the voice continued, "The targets of the nuclear bomb attack are New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco…"

Edward felt a chill run down his spine as the names were announced on the computer. Those cities were either the most developed industrial cities in the United States or the most developed commercial cities. All of those cities added up to over 40 million people! That was more than one-tenth of the entire population of the United States. If all of that were to be true, the economy and industrial standards of the United States would have dropped by at least several decades after that setback.

But then again, that was just some stupid prank that was meant to make people panic.

"I, God, will be conducting a nuclear attack on those cities. In order to reduce the number of innocent lives lost, residents of those cities above, please leave the cities that have been named immediately, or you shall bear the consequences."

Edward shook his head and pressed the power button without hesitation, getting ready to restart the computer into safety mode. However, the moment he pressed the power button, he saw the number '24: 00' on the screen jump and turn to '23: 59' instead…

He really did it the same way…

Edward shook his head. The computer had been rebooted and he kept pressing the F8, getting ready to fix his computer from the safety mode.

Edward checked his computer under the security mode, but he had to admit that there was something to be gained from the new virus over 10 minutes later. At the very least, his Kabaski hadn't found any virus that could be killed.

When the computer was rebooted, the screen had completely returned to the image of the Windows interface. Everything that had happened with the virus seemed to have disappeared without a trace, as if it had been an illusion.

Edward pursed his lips and clicked on the logo again, feeling rather disappointed. He was about to rearrange the logo when a melodious ringtone interrupted him.

Edward's eyes lit up when he saw who it was. It was Jenni, the dream girl from his class. He picked up the phone as quickly as he could and coughed twice, trying to sound as charming as possible.

"Hello, Jenni? What's up?"

"Hello, Edward." The voice on the other end was thin and sweet, sounding like a pleasant wind chime. "I'm sorry to bother you, but could you come to my apartment for a bit? My computer is infected."

"Virus?" Edward frowned. It was such a coincidence that his computer was infected as well.

"Yes, there was a prank on my computer all of a sudden. Someone said that they were going to drop a nuclear bomb in the US, and I'm feeling rather scared right now. Edward, could you come over quickly?"

"Hello… Edward? Edward?"

295. America In Chaos

His hand shook all of a sudden when he heard Jenni's voice, causing the phone to fall to the dirty carpet. However, he couldn't care less about that. He went on to open the city forum that he was in like a madman, yet a shocking headline appeared right after he clicked on it.

"My computer was attacked by hackers. Are any of you like me?"

"Someone said that they were going to attack the United States. God, I hope none of this is true!"

"This is the funniest joke I've ever heard in my life. Damn it, it's not April Fool's Day!"

"That guy calls himself God. Could it be that some kind of real AI has been born on the internet?"

Similar headlines popped up all over the forums, and there were even more posts appearing after just one refresh. The entire forum was in an uproar.

Edward's expression became even more glum, as if he didn't believe what he just heard. He opened his Facebook page again and saw that every single one of his friends was talking about it.

"My computer actually got infected today. It needs to be rebooted before it can recover!" That was completely unbelievable.

"What about the Internet Command? Are they all eating sh * *? We can't afford to condone such an atrocious crime!" That was something that required legal knowledge.

"May I call the police if I were to run into something like this? Would the police be able to catch the person who fed the virus into my computer?" Zhang Heng asked.

"D * mn it, I was about to win, and it's all the fault of that virus!" That was what caused him to go berserk in the game.

…

All of a sudden, it was as if the entire United States had received the same message. The first thing that everyone talked about became, "Do you have your computer…"

Edward was no longer able to keep his cool after seeing so many people talking about the same piece of news. Just what kind of a massive hacker organization was it to be able to take down the entire New York internet in such a short period of time? And just how many top-class hackers were involved in that? If that was the case, then what the other party said was true, given how capable that organization was. If that was the case, wouldn't he be in New York right now…

Edward was no longer in the mood to play games at the moment. He took a look at the people and traffic on the streets. It had only been a few minutes and the number of people and cars on the streets had doubled. Everyone looked like they were in a hurry, as if something big was about to happen.

A ding-dong was heard from the computer at that moment, and a crimson advertisement appeared on the bottom right corner of YouTube. The advertisement was written in bright red, and the words written on it were as frightening as if the end of the world had come—the United States had encountered the most powerful hacker in history, and the internet of 13 cities had been hacked.

"Holy sh * *!" Edward was finally able to confirm that the invasion wasn't just a small-scale one. It was something that was happening all over the country! He would rather believe that something like that was happening than not. He immediately packed up his stuff and got ready to leave New York. Forget about the goddesses.

…

While most of the people in the 13 cities that were named fled in a hurry, the DT president's expression was extremely glum inside the White House.

Last night, the SOG team sent out 13 teams to land in secret in Mumbai, Huaxia, Haizhou, and Singapore. However, to everyone's surprise, other than two teams from India and Singapore completing the mission, the remaining teams lost contact with each other. It was as if all of them had been wiped out.

That was not a good sign.

All of those people were the cream of the crop. In order to kidnap the upper echelons of Stellar Technology, he had even deployed a new type of helicopter that he had developed in secret. That kind of helicopter cost billions of yuan in research funding and had a very long research period. If the technology were to be acquired by India, the United States would have suffered a double loss and suffered massive losses.

However, before he was able to set his mind at ease, an urgent telegram was sent to the president's office. He picked up the phone without waiting for his secretary to relay the message. "How is it? Any news from the SOG forces?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. President, but there is still no news from SOG for the time being." The voice on the other end sounded rather hesitant, and he had no choice but to continue cautiously, "However, many departments, including the FBI and the CIA, have sent emails to report a piece of crucial news to you. The news concerns the fate of the entire United States."

"…" The blond-haired president was stunned. There was a bad feeling in the man's tone. He took a deep breath and swallowed several quick-acting pills before he could say anything. He then said in a dry voice, "Go on, I'm listening."

"Yes, sir." A voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "You may not know this yet, but the entire US is showing signs of chaos at the moment. A hacker organization that no one has ever heard of has hacked into the internet of 13 cities without warning, claiming that they would use 13 nuclear bombs to attack our cities, warning the people to leave immediately."

"What?" The president was stunned. His first thought was that the other party was joking—what kind of hacker organization would be able to break through the firewalls of 13 cities at the same time? Probably not even the entire country would be able to do so.

Furthermore, if there were to be a country that was capable of doing such a thing, the other countries would definitely be able to detect his little tricks. After all, it was common for spies to infiltrate one another in this world. Some spies would go to their target countries to get married and have children after several years of training, and they wouldn't even be discovered until they died of old age.

However, at the very next second, he felt a chill running down his spine that he was unable to resist and sighed at how vicious the other party was.

He was trying to make the 13 cities, no, the entire United States, fall into chaos through such an unbelievable method. Was that what he was really after?

There was a glint in the president's eyes. While he was known as the most stupid president in the history of the United States, being able to become the president meant that he definitely had nothing to do with stupidity. Otherwise, would the entire United States be made up of idiots even more stupid than he was?

He figured out the crux of the matter at that moment. If the other party was really a terrorist capable of nuclear attack, he could have just launched a nuclear bomb instead of spending so much effort to inform the public.

There was no need to talk about being merciful. If he had been, the other party wouldn't have fired that nuclear bomb. As such, the old and vigorous Mr. President was able to figure out the loopholes in the entire segment in an instant. He had an 80 percent chance of confirming that the other party didn't have the power to use nuclear weapons.

But then again, how was he going to explain all of that to the public? Explain that the other party was just trying to intimidate them, and that they actually didn't have the ability to launch nuclear bombs. What was the reason? Was it because of his speculations?

Damn it!

He couldn't afford to take on that responsibility. If he were to say something like that in front of the television, what if the other party was 20 percent of what he had guessed? He would be in deep trouble then.

Not only was he unable to stop the people from leaving their jobs and leaving the city, but he also had to do his best to facilitate such a thing. If what the other party said was true, the angry crowd would definitely tear him apart first.

Damn it, he knew very well that this was all a ploy by the other party, yet he had to do as the other party predicted. That feeling was not good at all. He had no idea what those b * * * hs from the cybersecurity department were up to. To think that something like that would happen while he was still in office. That would become an irreparable stain on his political career.

296. Speech Of The President Of The United States

The Cyber Command was a department established by the new generation of the Ministry of Defense, founded in the era of the last Black President. Its purpose was to defend against possible cyber attacks from countries. While there was no smoke and fire in a typical war, cyber warfare would nonetheless result in massive property damage. While there was no war like thousands of soldiers and horses, the fighting would be even more intense.

One of the fundamental features of cyber warfare was asymmetry. Due to the low cost of the attack and the fact that the attackers didn't have to risk their lives to do so, the attacks were nonetheless capable of causing paralysis and chaos in military, economic, and social situations. As such, attacks on the national networks were highly regarded by many terrorists after 9 / 11.

From the protection of the Internet infrastructure back in the Clinton era, to the network counter-terrorism back in the Bush era, and then to the founding of the Internet Command in the Bama era, the US National Information Security Strategy underwent an evolution of "from passive prevention to cyber deterrence". The importance of the network continued to rise, and once the network was breached, the entire country's economy would suffer.

At that moment, the United States had to go through an unprecedented trial. A mysterious organization known as the 'God' actually announced that they would attack the United States using nuclear weapons in 24 hours. That was undoubtedly a huge blow to the United States. The entire United States was like a high-speed machine, operating at maximum capacity almost immediately.

The United States was one of the top countries in the world, a country that boasted the most nuclear weapons in the world, a country that was the richest in the world, and a country that boasted the greatest military might in the world. It was like a huge beast that had awakened from its slumber and was beginning to show its fangs.

The president of the DT team appeared before the Capitol just as the United States began to operate at full speed and set up an inescapable net. He was going to give a global speech to appease the people.

He would also be able to revive his country's prestige.

The Capitol was a 233-meter-long building made of pure white marble and had a very iconic dome at the top of the central building. A bronze sculpture of the Statue of Liberty stood at the top of the dome. The north and south wing buildings on both sides of the dome were the offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate. That was the center of power for the United States and the most symbolic building in the world.

At that moment, the DT president walked up to the podium with a glum expression on his face. Countless people from all over the place had appeared out of nowhere and the stands were packed with people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my lovely citizens, our sacred United States of America is currently in a crisis that we have never seen before since the founding of our nation, a crisis that is no less than what happened back in 9 / 11…"

"I believe everyone knows that the United States has never compromised with terrorism in the past 15 years, and that it is not prepared to compromise with terrorism in the future."

"We've always known very well that we're in a crisis, that our country is fighting, and our opponents are far-reaching violence and hatred. The economy of our country has been severely weakened as well, due to the greed and irresponsibility of some people, but more importantly, as a whole, we've made mistakes in making decisions on some major issues, and we've yet to be prepared for a new era—the internet. Our carelessness has led to the current situation. Our people are losing their homes, our jobs, and many businesses will be shut down in the future…"

"The challenges that we face may be unheard of. We may also be fighting in ways that we have never seen before. I'd advise all of you to cease your attacks immediately for those who are out to create conflict and blame the US for their own shortcomings. As for those who rely on cyber violence and other means, I'd like to remind all of you that you are on the wrong side of history. However, if you give up on oppression, we will help you."

…

"I'd like to say that we're indeed facing a lot of serious challenges today, and what happened today is only one of them. However, we have to believe that we'll get through this! We're definitely not going to let the terrorist attack slide. They're going to bear all the consequences of the attack and the losses that the US would suffer."

…

"I hereby promise to all of you that I will fight against all terrorist activities in the world and I will definitely catch the mastermind behind all of this and give all of you an explanation. I hope that all of you will not panic. You must maintain order, maintain your sanity, and cooperate with our operation. I've sent out the National Guard to try to evacuate all citizens from the 13 cities within a day."

"May God bless America!"

…

More than 500 million people from all over the world were present to watch the speech. Everyone, from Canada, Mexico, Australia, and even Russia and Huaxia, who were on the other side of the planet, had their eyes on the speech after it happened. They wanted to see what the United States would do in this cybersecurity crisis.

On the other side, the Internet Command was running at top speed, doing their best to find out who was behind all of this.

One had to realize that there were only so many top-notch hackers in the world. One person might not be able to find anything out of the ordinary, but the network was one that had attacked 13 cities at the same time. The series estimated that the operation would require at least over a thousand hackers to act at the same time in order to achieve such a feat. When the number of people involved reached such a high level, the flaws and clues found in the operation would become a piece of cake. It was just like how the criminal graphs were known to all—the more people involved in a crime, the lower the chances of a successful crime. When the number of people involved exceeded 50, the chances of a successful crime would be infinitely close to zero, much less a crime involving over a thousand people.

However, what truly frustrated the US Computer Command was that, after he scanned all the networks that had been attacked and activated several spies that had infiltrated the Dark Network, the results he received left him dumbfounded.

There were no known hackers involved in the attack on the United States, and no one knew what was going on behind the scenes. That hacker organization seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and disappeared without a trace on the internet.

"Mr. Minister, there is no record of any execution on the log." In a secret military base, a group of soldiers wearing military uniforms and sitting in front of computers were busy working. The sound of keyboard typing was heard throughout the entire huge room.

That was the headquarters of the Internet Command established by Bama, which was directly responsible for the US Department of Defense. As the Internet became increasingly useful, cyber security became an integral part of defense.

Most of the people sitting there were young people, which made them look different from those in regular military camps. There were both men and women among the soldiers under the command of the Cyber Command, and there were even some internationally renowned hackers who were hired by the United States. However, they were unable to find even a single trace of the culprit despite gathering such a massive force. That was practically impossible.

"Continue with the investigation!" The chief of the command was a senior military officer. His face was stern and his expression was filled with unease. He knew that if he couldn't give the president an explanation before the speech was over, it would probably be the last time he would be able to stay in that position. With such a huge incident taking place in the US, he was bound to be held responsible. If he couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer, the president would really send him to military court.

That department head wore a bitter grin at that thought. He was supposed to retire next year, and that position belonged to a department with a lot of responsibilities despite not having a lot of authority in the first place. There were a lot of things that were difficult to achieve, unlike other departments, where there was a lot of profit to be earned. Yet, he ended up getting into such a mess. It seemed like God was about to leave him.

He sighed and looked up again. His expression had returned to its usual confident look. "Young people, listen up. Regardless of what methods you use, you have to find the culprit. If there is a first time, then there will be a second time. Our sacred America will never be able to withstand such a huge impact. The countries from the Third World on the other side of the planet are watching us like a tiger watching its prey. Countless forces that we have trampled on in the past are all watching us make a fool of ourselves. As such, we have to fight this battle to the fullest."

297. Non-being

Time passed slowly between his fingers like a handful of sand. The more tightly he clenched his fist, the faster the sand would flow away. When he opened his palm completely, he would realize that everything he treasured was silently and mercilessly slipping away.

The entire country was in an uproar after that touching speech. The entire world was plunged into an intense economic crisis. It was just like the 9 / 11 incident back then. This was no longer a war between the United States and humanity. As the center of the politics and economy of human civilization, all of this had become a war between humanity. Regardless of whether it was real or fake, the dark clouds of nuclear war had once again shrouded humanity like the Sword of Damocles after more than 30 years of the US-Soviet hegemony.

The United Kingdom and France were the first two countries to realize what was happening. The prime minister of the United Kingdom called the president of the United States right away to express his condolences and to fully support the anti-terrorist plans of the United States. The United Kingdom was willing to work with the United States to create a cyber defense platform and share some cyber defense technology with the United States.

Huaxia and Russia then called the United States one after another to express their sympathy for what had happened to the United States, as well as their staunch opposition to cyber terrorism. All of humanity should unite in the future to resist the rampant, inhumane, inhumane, and inhumane acts of terrorism by combining forces.

However, none of the countries took the so-called nuclear attack to heart. There were only seven or eight known countries with nuclear weapons in the world. Even if you were to include North Korea, which was suspected to possess nuclear weapons, there would only be nine of them. The remaining four permanent members of the United States were the only ones who had the ability to launch long-range attacks. If any of those countries were to throw nuclear bombs at the United States, the momentum of World War III would begin immediately. Unless all of the top brass of that country were to go crazy, the chances of the United States suffering a nuclear attack were practically zero.

However, the emergence of such a new type of crime had a significant impact on the economy and finance of the United States. The stock prices throughout the country began to drop. Countless factories were shut down and countless employees left their jobs. The losses caused to the United States in just a few hours had reached 100 billion US dollars.

Furthermore, the appearance of the 'GOD incident' caused a lot of panic among the people involved. The crime rate became several times higher as a result. The chaos caused by public security made it even more difficult for the residents of the cities to evacuate.

Zhang Heng was standing on the newly repaired square on the other side of the Earth.

The lighting in the empty B8 floor had yet to be turned on and the place was dark. The only light that shone on the screen was on Zhang Heng's face. He looked at the huge screen above him with a deadpan expression and saw the image of the DT president's sanctimonious appearance flickering on the screen. A gentle breeze blew past and his Bewildering Gold began to undergo some kind of miraculous transformation. It spread out like tentacles, looking very graceful and elegant.

Zhang Heng watched the speech with a deadpan expression on his face, which was able to motivate the entire country to stand against a common enemy. Judging from the speech alone, the political show was a success. While it was of no use to Zhang Heng, who was hiding behind the scenes, the speech at least stabilized most of the panic and riots in the US, enabling everyone to regain some confidence in the US.

Sometimes, people were creatures that were easily satisfied. They wouldn't pursue too much, as long as they could live a peaceful and prosperous life, that would be the best gift from God.

"Commander…" Corona appeared from the darkness behind Zhang Heng and reported softly, "I've hacked into the American Deadhand system without anyone noticing and rendered it completely useless. Even if we were to wipe out all of the top brass in the US during the nuclear attack, the Deadhand system wouldn't trigger the nuclear bondage strategy."

"Thank you for your hard work." Zhang Heng didn't turn around and just stood there like a statue, with a cold glint in his eyes. "So, are the nuclear bombs ready?"

"I've managed to infiltrate a US missile base through the maneuvers of several military satellites and I've taken control of 13 million-ton nuclear missiles in 'service' mode." Corona nodded and continued, "All of them are intercontinental missiles, and the possibility of them being intercepted is extremely low. Furthermore, they are equipped with mechanical trajectories and charging camouflage warheads. Once fired, it would definitely be a surprise for the US."

A cold smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face when he heard that. No one would be able to believe that a missile fired from their own country would actually attack them, would they?

"It's just that…" Corona hesitated for a bit before continuing, "While you're doing this to avoid triggering a world nuclear war by destroying the Deadhand system, there are still many American citizens who insist that this is just a threat and are unwilling to leave their cities."

"What would you like to know?" Zhang Heng looked up, his expression unusually calm. "There may not be absolute fairness in this world, but everything in this world is trying to develop a relatively fair view of the world. I've given them a choice—whether they live or die is entirely up to them. So, what does their fate have to do with me?"

"Furthermore," Zhang Heng continued without waiting for Corona to say anything, "do you really think that I fired those 13 nuclear bombs just to satisfy my desire for revenge? If that's all there is to it, then you're gravely mistaken. Revenge is only one of my objectives. The second is that I want my company to develop faster, so it would be necessary for me to break the dominance of the US as the world's economic center."

Corona lowered her head and said with a bitter smile, "Commander, that's not what I meant. I'm just afraid that this incident would affect your mental state. After all, you're the only hope of humanity. If you're unable to maintain your sanity, the destruction of humanity would be inevitable… However, I'm completely relieved after hearing what you said."

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes at Corona and said, "Don't make me out to be weak. I don't know how badly I've been tortured by you back in the virtual space. I've been through all kinds of hardships before. How could I be swayed just because millions of people are about to die?"

"Besides, those who are not of the same race would definitely have different intentions. The Caucasians have always viewed the Caucasians and the Caucasians as livestock. Regardless of how well the western countries and the Caucasians talk about freedom, cooking in a dish, or no longer being racist, the only reason why they say that is because they're still at the center of the world."

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued, "Be it in terms of military, technology, or culture, all of that was led by the Caucasians. While the emergence of Stellar Technology brought back some points for Huaxia, the Caucasians were still the ones at the forefront of the world as a whole. Furthermore, why do you think my Stellar Technology was suppressed in the US and Europe? Why is the Stellar Helmet-VR banned?"

"It's just that the emergence of Stellar Technology went against the pride and rule of the Caucasians. The Caucasians were scared, so they needed to suppress all existences that would pose a threat to them. If they couldn't, they simply thought of killing me. Even if my existence was of utmost importance to the entire human race, they were afraid that my rise would cause Huaxia to gradually catch up to them, or even surpass them. As such, they would rather the human race not advance, to kill me, so as to maintain their dignity as leaders of the world…"

"So, this is human nature. So dirty and selfish… how ugly."

298. May God Bless America

Zhang Heng's goal was not to completely destroy the US. While it wouldn't have been difficult for Corona to wipe the entire US off the face of the earth in an instant given her capabilities, it would have ruined his plans for the long-term.

The disappearance of the United States would, after all, cause immeasurable losses to the entire world in terms of industry, technology, economy, finance, and so on. It would have an irreversible, far-reaching impact on the environment of the entire planet, causing the overall strength of humanity to drop by 30 years and the economy to drop by over 50 years.

As such, even if Zhang Heng wanted to take revenge, he wasn't going to do so out of sheer recklessness. He needed to find a balance point that would allow him to break the status of the United States' World Economic Center and create more opportunities for the development of Stellar Technology. However, he wouldn't want the entire human civilization to suffer too much of an impact, which would render it powerless to resist the curse in the future.

All in all, he needed to kill two birds with one stone for revenge and profit.

As such, after much thought, he finally decided to use the historic, historic way of blowing the door to the US open.

Washington was the capital of the United States of America with a population of 800,000 and a city area of 178 square kilometers. Despite the lack of economic color, it was nonetheless the political center of the United States.

New York had a population of 8.27 million, with an area of 786 square kilometers. It was the largest city and largest seaport in the United States, the largest financial, trade, and culture center, and the third largest industrial center. It was the most developed area in the American transportation industry, with goods being ranked second.

Los Angeles had a population of 3.8 million and had an area of 1215 square kilometers. It was the second-largest city in the United States and the largest in the western trade and commerce. The oil processing, spaceflight, chemistry, and mechanical industries were all very advanced. The volume of the ship was the highest among all ports along the Pacific Coast.

Chicago had a population of 2.8 million and an area of 588 square kilometers. It was the third-largest city in the United States and the largest manufacturing center, the most important aviation center and the largest rail hub. The five major lake ports had the largest grain and livestock markets in the country.

A million-ton nuclear bomb would leave no survivors within 3.5 square kilometers after being detonated in the city center. The land within 15 square kilometers would be rendered completely useless due to radiation contamination, buildings within 20 square kilometers would be reduced to rubble, and anyone exposed to light radiation within 90 square kilometers would suffer lethal damage.

That meant that a million-ton nuclear bomb would be enough to destroy half of Washington, one-tenth of New York, one-fifth of Los Angeles, and one-sixth of Chicago…

That was the ultimate weapon of humanity—nuclear bombs were the most intuitive manifestation of power. As for what the United States would do in retaliation afterward? It would have been one thing if other countries were to drop nuclear bombs on the United States, but the United States would just have to fight to the death and start a nuclear war. However, how would the United States exact their revenge when they couldn't even find the enemy? Furthermore, they had only destroyed a few cities, and it wasn't like they were going to wipe out their country. The United States wouldn't be so insane as to throw nuclear bombs all over the world, as that would be suicide.

The premise of mutual destruction was that he wouldn't be able to survive, as even ants would be able to survive. There was no way the upper echelons of the United States would decide to go all out and trigger the end of a nuclear war just because they suffered a few nuclear bombs, unless their brains were fried by radiation.

Furthermore, even if the brains of the upper echelons of the United States were to be fried, Zhang Heng wouldn't allow the United States to do so. Corona had the ability to prevent any nuclear bombs from taking off and detonating in the US.

12 hours had passed since the warning from the 'God' was issued. Under Zhang Heng's instructions, Corona hacked into the internet of the 13 target cities in the US and issued the same notice.

Corona was able to sense the powerful retaliation from the American cyber Command that had long prepared beforehand just after breaching the networks of the 13 cities. Corona could not help but purse her lips. In the very next second, the computers of all those who participated in the counterattack in the headquarters of the cyber Command far away in the military base began to reactivate frantically. None of them were able to stop the computers from being destroyed. One of the hard drives of the computers would be destroyed from time to time. Just when everyone was feeling utterly shocked, a loud explosion was heard all of a sudden. At the same time, a powerful shockwave was felt. Everyone who had been in shock for a long time immediately stood up and looked at the door subconsciously. It took only a few seconds before several ashen-faced soldiers ran in with panicked faces and shouted, "Our server has been hacked by the enemy!"

The face of the commander was ashen and he slumped back in his chair, unable to say a word. The other hackers' expressions changed drastically as well. It was only then that they realized that the other party's abilities were not something that they could fight against.

It was just like that code name. God was like a god on the internet. While she had been hiding in the dark and dedicated herself to Zhang Heng in the past, when she began to display her full power on the internet, her power was enough to draw the attention of the entire human race. The United States was even more shocked, and the entire country was filled with fear and indignation.

The retaliation from the cyber Command was like a mantis trying to stop a car. It didn't pose any threat to Corona at all. Red images appeared on every computer that was turned on in the very next second. Corona even took over all the communication satellites in the United States, and the image of 'God' appeared on all the channels throughout the country.

All the American citizens saw at that moment was the blood-red color on the television's screen. Only the words with the time mark at the center were seen on the screen, and the numbers representing the needle kept counting down.

11: 59 P.M.

"People come in all shapes and sizes. Some are poor, some are rich." The mechanical voice that was filled with hoarseness was heard from the very beginning. The voice was calm and rational, and it didn't sound like the voice of a terrorist who was clamoring to bomb the United States.

"The poor would wander the streets and alleys, relying on junk fruits, while the rich would be plagued by rich diseases such as hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and so on. I have to say that the word 'ability' can be quite a miraculous thing at times. It could make your family rich and you would be able to sit among the rich and noble ladies. It could also make it so that even if you worked hard for the rest of your life, you wouldn't be able to earn the riches that others would occasionally earn."

"I have no intentions of changing the US, but I have to say that the US is a very 'capable' country. It always interfered with the footsteps of civilization, trying to make itself the center of the world. It played with power, money, and even the weaker countries."

"And today, Fate's Hands will be above your heads. You're going to toy with yourself."

"Let me see if all of you are able to break free from the shackles of fate, just like how you did in the Civil War to free the Black Slaves. Will the justice that all of you believe in be able to defeat my evil?"

"The nuclear bombs will be detonated in 13 cities in 12 hours. The choice will be up to you."

"May God bless America."

299. Mushroom

The last sentence was uttered by a terrorist who claimed to want to level the US, which was filled with sarcasm.

The viewers from all over the world were bustling with activity as well. The internet was bustling with activity. Some countries that had been subjected to American attacks, such as Iraq, were celebrating with their citizens setting off firecrackers on the streets. It was a joyous scene.

Russia and Huaxia, who had long disliked the United States of America, were even more so. Huaxia's netizens had long gotten into a huge fight over the matter, and a bunch of people felt that the whole thing was just to avenge the downfall of human civilization. The United States of America was in charge of everything, and they liked to bring themselves into the role of the world's police. They had to interfere with the internal affairs of other countries, and there was no need to mention how much they suppressed and provoked Huaxia. The few small countries under the United States of Japan and Korea alone had caused countless troubles for Huaxia. The netizens were elated to see the United States suffer for the first time.

Of course, there were those who were celebrating, and there were naturally those who were against it. Seeing how the people on the internet were all pointing fingers at the United States of America, some of the celebrities and saintesses couldn't sit still any longer. They all stood up and stood at the top of humanity, trying to prove just how despicable that God was, how damned he was, and just what would happen to the sacred United States of America.

In the end, the debate between the two parties would still be focused on comparing national powers between China and the US, which would then continue to evolve and eventually develop into a friendly exchange of greetings between biological parents and organs.

The brickmen and beastmen were even more restless. All of them rushed out like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, spreading their speculations about the mysterious organization known as the God Corporation and giving countless explanations as to why the US Cyber Command was so vulnerable. All of those explanations were very bizarre, but all of them looked rather believable at first glance, as they were filled with discussions about humanity and ethics. Even the netizens who were watching the show couldn't help but laugh.

The United States became the center of attention all over the world once again. Time passed bit by bit as people talked and argued about the United States. 12 hours passed in the blink of an eye. The United States had been bombarded by global public opinion and discussions throughout the past 24 hours. The dust had finally settled.

"Commander, 24 hours have passed."

Corona spoke again on the B8th floor of the Honeycomb. "Currently, only 80 percent of the population of the 13 cities have been evacuated by the United States. There are still about six million people remaining in their cities. Joshua and several members of the American Council have called as well. I hope that we can show mercy and not bring too much damage to the United States."

"Tell them to cut the crap and just focus on doing what they're doing," Zhang Heng said casually. "They're probably dying for me to launch the nuclear bombs as soon as possible, aren't they? Otherwise, they wouldn't have taken advantage of the situation right after receiving our warning and wreaked havoc in the stock market. If I hadn't launched the bombs, they would have suffered heavy losses instead."

"I guess that's how hypocrites behave." Corona smiled knowingly.

"Hypocrite? No, I'm just trying to set up my own company while being a b * tch." Zhang Heng closed his eyes for a bit. When he opened them again, all emotion was gone from his eyes, leaving only indifference and rationality. "Corona, launch immediately. Get ready to aid the United States after the nuclear attack in the name of Stellar Technology, so that we can open the American market."

"Understood. Please wait for my good news." Corona smiled sweetly and looked up at the same time. She closed her eyes and began to invade the American military satellites without making a sound.

…

In the central Missouri of the United States, on a hill about 100 meters above the Mississippi River about 100 kilometers west of the city of St. Louis, there was an extremely well-hidden military tunnel. Anyone who came here would find that the tunnel was pitch-black, and there were sentries and armed soldiers lurking in the corners nearby.

Anyone who found the place, whether intentionally or otherwise, would be politely invited to the base for investigation. It was a secret nuclear base in the United States, built during the post-World War II Cold War era. In the 30-year arms race with Russia, there were 20 extremely well-hidden missile launchers built there, making it an extremely powerful nuclear counterattack force.

The top-secret military base, which had been built to prevent nuclear attacks since the Cold War era, had long been thrown into disarray. More than a hundred guards and technicians were running around frantically, while the person in charge of the base, an old man with a golden mustache, was howling nonstop.

He stood on the observation platform in the air above the shaft of the nuclear bomb, feeling as if he was about to burst. He watched helplessly as the intercontinental missile that would have needed a key and a password to activate after all the stringent tests were being carried out. The lid of the shaft, which was several meters thick, exploded with a heavy metallic rumble and moved away bit by bit without resistance, revealing the grey, foggy sky above.

"No! Please, God, please don't make such a huge joke out of me. Can someone shut that damned thing off for me? Someone help me!" The old man roared and watched the huge missile with a diameter of over two meters burst into orange flames at the end of its tail. A low rumble was heard from the entire silo at the same time.

"Sir, it's too late. It's activated too quickly. There's no way we could stop it in time!" A deputy rushed out of the steel door behind the balcony and dragged the old man back to the control room without a second thought. "Sir, you can't stay there. You'll get burnt by the solid fuel engines!"

"Do you really think I'll be able to survive in the United States after this nuclear bomb goes off?" The older man looked devastated, but he was eventually dragged back to the control room by the other man. The two of them watched the huge missile fly out of the silo without a care, before quickly taking to the air and disappearing into the vast sky.

Both of them remained silent for quite a while.

The man who seemed to have aged tens of years seemed to have recalled something after a long while. He turned around with a dazed look and asked, "Where… is its target?"

"Your Excellency, it's New York…" The adjutant's face was pale as well. He shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "I don't know what happened. It wasn't just the transmitter. More than a dozen nuclear bombs waiting inside the transmitter were fired as well. It happened too suddenly and without warning. I swear, no one touched them!"

More than a dozen nuclear bombs were fired?

The elderly man's vision went completely dark and he completely lost consciousness…

The 13 Peacekeepers were completely launched into the air. The fourth-generation intercontinental missiles were one of the most advanced strategic missiles in the United States. They were 21 meters long, 2.3 meters wide, and had a range of 11,000 kilometers. They were powered by three sections of solid fuel and one section of liquid-storage data self-ignition propulsion systems. The projectile weighed 3175 kilograms, and was powered by inertial guidance, enabling it to carry 10 W-87 nuclear warheads weighing 300,000 tons.

While the individual yield of a nuclear warhead was not very large, the yield and damage of nuclear weapons were not proportional to each other. The larger the yield, the smaller the damage of the unit yield.

To put it simply, the radius of a single ball would be 10 times larger than it was before, and its volume would be 1,000 times larger than before. However, its area of effect would only be 100 times larger. The total damage of three targets arranged in a triangular pattern of 200,000 tons of projectiles would be equivalent to that of a single projectile of a million tons.

The missiles would first fly out of the atmosphere before accelerating to a speed of over 10 Machs before returning to the atmosphere. When they hit their targets, they could hit over 20 Machs.

By the time the DT president received the news that the nuclear bomb had been launched, the bomb had returned to the atmosphere and was only about half a minute away from the cities.

13 mushroom clouds rose from the horizon without warning on June 9th. The entire world fell into dead silence in that instant…

300. Nuclear Blast

No one had ever thought that the second country to suffer a nuclear attack in history would appear in such a situation.

More than 70 years ago, the US dropped two atomic bombs in succession in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, effectively ending World War II and setting the stage for the 45-year Cold War between the United States and the United States.

Humanity had been shrouded in the shadow of nuclear war for nearly half a century, and civilization could collapse at any moment.

Yet, despite all that, not a single nuclear bomb was ever detonated above a human city. Up until that day, humans had almost forgotten the fear of being dominated by nuclear deterrence. However, it was at that moment that the mysterious organization called God launched a new wave of nuclear war in a way that was broadcast live online.

It felt like a dramatic scene. The United States had given Japan a taste of the power of nuclear bombs back then, and more than 70 years later, the United States, the only country that had ever used nuclear weapons, suffered the consequences of its own actions.

A huge ball of light that was tens of thousands of times brighter than the sun rose above Manhattan, New York City, the moment the mushroom cloud rose. It looked like the eye of a god, and light radiation spread at a rate of 300,000 kilometers per second. All beings that looked at the light source within 12 kilometers were instantly rendered permanently blind. Large burns and ulcers appeared on their skin, and countless combustible objects were set ablaze.

The ensuing shockwave spread at a rate of 300 meters per second at the very next second. The shockwave generated a pressure of 2kg per square centimeters per square meter within a radius of three kilometers. The skyscrapers were blown away like flour in an instant. Countless buildings caught on fire due to the intense temperatures, turning all the glass screens into countless glass bullets that rained down on the streets and alleys. Tens of thousands of cars filled with gasoline were sent flying several blocks away. It was the end of the world.

It was only then that the logically massive mushroom cloud finally rose into the air and began to spread like a huge pillar connecting heaven and earth. The intense shockwave rendered the sky completely cloudless in an instant, with only one iconic cloud-shaped ring coiling around the mushroom cloud.

It felt like eternity.

That was just the beginning. Flames that were hundreds of kilometers wide were lit up everywhere before the shockwave hit. The nuclear explosion threw millions of tons of rubble and nuclear dust into the air. The radioactive contamination would rise into the atmosphere and eventually reach a height of 29 kilometers, where it would only land hundreds of kilometers away under the influence of wind, wind, and other meteorological factors, eventually forming a radioactive contamination area that would take years to gradually dissipate.

Manhattan, New York, Times Square, the iconic Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and even the UN headquarters were razed to the ground.

Half of Washington, along with the White House, had been reduced to rubble. The remaining half of Washington, on the other hand, had been reduced to a sea of fire. The Capitol, a building that had been rebuilt twice in history, was forever in flames…

Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit…

All of those prosperous cities that represented the pinnacle of human civilization were wiped off the map of the United States by some invisible hand when the nuclear bombs went off one after another, making it look like hell had been plunged into flames.

That shocking turn of events caught the entire human race off guard and caused an uproar all over the world.

…

"If the United States were to become the second country in human history to suffer a nuclear attack, who would be the third?"

"The dark clouds of nuclear war are about to rise again, and the end of humanity is coming?"

"Be alert! Internet technology is becoming more advanced, and cyber defense will become a top priority!"

"Warn your country not to follow in America's footsteps!"

"The General Secretary has issued a speech. Huaxia's networking system and defense system will become the focus of development for the country in the future."

While the 69th incident caused an uproar all over the world, every country began to regard the development of internet technology as the focus of their defense. It was obvious that they were all frightened by Corona. If that organization called God could even control nuclear bombs from the United States at will, did that mean that something similar would happen to them someday?

Both nuclear powers and non-nuclear powers were utterly terrified. The government began to monitor the internet in an unprecedented fashion as they dismantled all the nuclear warheads on the intercontinental missiles that were on standby at all times, fearing that the hacker organization named 'God' would also fire their own nuclear bombs and cause a huge ruckus.

In the end, there was not a single nuclear bomb left on standby in the world, especially the two superpowers, the United States and Russia, which had tens of thousands of nuclear bombs. They even began to plan to destroy a huge batch of nuclear bombs to prevent terrorists from taking advantage of them.

Three days later, the United Nations issued its first public announcement after the 69th incident. The five permanent members of the United Nations jointly announced that the company was deemed to be the world's largest terrorist organization known as the Human Fans. Any country that knew of its whereabouts would have the right to attack or even kill it outright.

What was worth noting was that no organization was responsible for the 69th incident up to that point. It was obvious that even those terrorist organizations that were out to stir up trouble would not dare to take the rap for the actions of the GD organization. The United States was in such a state that any terrorist organization that dared to take responsibility for such an incident would probably end up with tens of nuclear bombs dropping on their heads in the very next second.

The spokesperson from the US Foreign Ministry announced the losses incurred from the incident. As for the figures reported, everyone simply listened to them. Everyone knew that the losses incurred by the US were far greater than the figures announced.

A week after the 69th incident, the pain from the nuclear attack didn't go away. It even began to show signs of expanding. The United States suffered property losses of over trillions of dollars, over a million people were killed, and nuclear bombs destroyed over 20 percent of the US industrial capacity. In terms of the environment, tens of millions of tons of nuclear bombs swept up hundreds of thousands of tons of radiation dust that rose to the stratosphere. Over the next few months, half of the United States would be shrouded in radiation dust.

As such, the United States had long begun to prepare for greater evacuation and protection. Over a week, hundreds of millions of people were evacuated to the surrounding areas. Regardless of whether those people were willing to admit it or not, they had all become displaced refugees.

However, the real loss would be the future, as compared to the immediate economic losses and the environment. The United States' economy and finance would suffer a fatal blow in the next decade or so. That blow would even lead to a financial crisis that would be ten times more severe than that of 2008, which would sweep across the entire world. All of the European and American countries that were directly connected to the United States would suffer heavy losses in that event.

In the coming days, the economy of the entire world would drop by at least 10 to 20 years.

… Unless, of course, there was an economy that was able to turn the tides and shoulder the entire world's economic backbone. Regardless of whether one was willing or not to do so, everyone's attention was focused on the second-largest economy in Asia.

If there was one country in Huaxia that could save the world's economy, it was that country, and that… the richest company in the world after the 69th incident—Stellar Technology.

301. The Day The Earth Stops

That's right, after the US suffered a nuclear attack, all of the American company stocks began to depreciate at a crazy rate. The entire US stock market was forced to shut down over the next few days. More than a trillion yuan of capital was lost in the US stock market before it was shut down. All of that worsened the decline of economic hegemony in the US. The market value of all those tech giants in the past dropped to the lowest point in history. Google and Apple, who were once considered to have more money than Stellar Technology, also dropped below 500 billion yuan, eventually stopping at 400 billion yuan and 300 billion yuan…

Stellar Technology had become the publicly acknowledged richest and most valuable private enterprise in the world.

However, none of them would have guessed that the company that they had high hopes for was the biggest terrorist organization in history, and the culprit behind all of that…

What was even more baffling was that, throughout the last century, the United States had always been a charity organization. However, it was the first time since then that the United States began to receive financial aid from the rest of the world. The five permanent members of the United States were the first to receive financial aid. Countless countries announced that they would be providing financial aid to the United States one after another. Even Iraq and Afghanistan sent a convoy of vehicles to assist the United States with a huge batch of supplies that the United States once provided to them.

All the major companies around the world began to offer aid to the United States as well. The most eye-catching piece of news was none other than Stellar Technology. In fact, even the American government was stunned when they heard that Stellar Technology was helping the United States out. After all, they were the ones who shut down the products of Stellar Technology before. Furthermore, Stellar Technology had never had any dealings with the United States before. While Stellar Technology had become the richest company in the world, no one would say anything even if it kept quiet.

However, what was even more shocking was that not only had Stellar Technology made their move, but they had also made a staggering one billion US dollars as soon as they made their move. All that money was exchanged for supplies in Huaxia before being transferred to the disaster areas and refugee camps in the US through all manner of means.

The entire world was shocked by the generosity of Stellar Technology, which was worth over one billion US dollars. The US Ministry of Foreign Affairs even made an unprecedented public announcement, thanking Huaxia, a generous country, and even more so, thanking Stellar Technology, a generous company…

The DT president gave his last speech in his career on June 15 and announced his resignation from the presidency. He became the fourth short president in American history, second only to both Harrison and Taylor, who died of illness after serving for a month, and Garfield, who was assassinated a year after taking office.

The disdainful remarks of the Americans about Mr. DT finally came to an end. The International Rescue Team of Stellar Technology had sent batches of supplies to all the disaster areas in the United States. What was worth noting was that there were 10,000 T-1s among those supplies.

The T-1 had always been a strategic resource for Huaxia. Such an epoch-making drug that could cure all types of cancer could fetch a price of 100,000 US dollars per drug on the international black market. Despite that, the drug was still priceless. Furthermore, the price of such a drug was about 80,000 yuan in Huaxia, which meant that one would have to go through a lot of trouble just to get one.

While Stellar Technology had a 40 percent stake in T-1 to begin with, that didn't mean that Stellar Technology couldn't use the T-1 as supplies. Due to the preciousness of the T-1, the United States was even more eager for Stellar Technology to trade all of its billion-dollar worth of goods for T-1. While it might not be obvious at the moment, the number of cancer patients in the United States would probably increase by tens of millions over the next decade.

The two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki back then had only been bombed by nuclear bombs that weighed tens of thousands of tons, yet nearly 200,000 people were killed by radiation disease and cancer. What happened to the United States today was more than a hundred times worse than what happened to Japan back then.

One could say that only the T-1 could save the US.

10,000 units of T-1 was a drop in the bucket. However, the fact that Stellar Technology was able to take out the T-1 was undoubtedly a political signal. While the American government felt sorry for the T-1, they still had to send out communication teams with a smile on their faces, making their way to Huaxia to discuss the bulk purchase of the T-1.

It could be said that the US would have to pay hundreds of billions of US dollars to save tens of millions of Americans in the future.

All of that was one of the reasons why Zhang Heng chose to attack the United States with nuclear bombs. While he might not have been the biggest winner of the global economic crisis due to having only held 40 percent of the T-1's shares in terms of profits, he was able to take advantage of the situation to break into the American market and gain a foothold in the entire US and Europe. All of that required him to be in a volatile economy. Zhang Heng was the only one who had the ability and drive to make such a drastic change.

In the long run, Stellar Technology would definitely be the biggest winner in this case…

One day in the following half a month, someone suddenly discovered that the poor ex-president of the DT Corporation had died on his bed without warning. His face was ashen, and his blood was found to contain a lot of cyanide after testing. The forensics team conducted a thorough examination and found a tiny wound on his neck that looked like it had been bitten by a mosquito. That was the true cause of his death.

However, due to the upheaval in the United States, almost no one was in the mood to pay attention to the death of the former president. Following that, the heads of more than a dozen families, such as Morgan, Croffler, Melon, Cleveland, and others, all died one after another. While the influence of those families was greatly reduced due to the decline of the United States, the centipede never gave up. The bizarre deaths of those people made the public realize that something was off…

It seemed that some kind of unforeseen change had taken place among the authorities of the country.

With the decline of the United States, the ten largest financial groups in the United States suffered severe losses as well. Yet another batch of new ones began to emerge. These financial groups were all companies and family-oriented enterprises that had seized the opportunity before the nuclear attack began. Due to having seized the right opportunity, not only did they not suffer heavy losses due to the decline of the US economy, they instead grew stronger at such a time. Among them were the Williams Financial Group, the financial magnate John Heiler, and all the small and medium-sized financial groups that were previously unknown.

The downfall of the top 10 families resulted in the fall of power in the United States. New powers began to emerge in secret, and the cycle of prosperity and decline unfolded like nature itself, playing out all over the continent of the Americas, the most powerful nation in the world.

The Communist Party, a mysterious organization that had practically ruled the world in secret since World War II, was in its twilight years. The bizarre deaths of the heads of the major families further exacerbated the phenomenon. The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany… and the rest of the European and American countries were caught in economic turmoil and had long been unable to change that fact. They had no choice but to go with the flow and watch all of that happen.

…

A month had passed since the 69th nuclear strike.

Zhang Heng no longer paid any attention to the reshuffling of power in the US and Europe. He had laid the groundwork for those financial groups. Whether they would be able to reach the peak of power in the US depended on them.

Zhang Heng still had things to finish.

The next plane mission was just around the corner. The plane that Zhang Heng chose this time was the "Day of the Earth Stop", a plane that was as difficult as the "Terminator".

The day the Earth stopped spinning was about a sentient being from a foreign planet who arrived on Earth with a very powerful extraterrestrial robot. His purpose was to observe the planet up close and see if humans could effectively control the greenhouse effect, as well as prevent a series of damage to the Earth's ecological environment. His race had suffered the pain brought about by the change in temperature.

However, as his understanding of humans became more comprehensive, the selfishness and savagery of humans also made him feel dissatisfied. When his desire to negotiate with the United Nations was brutally blocked, he finally decided that humans should disappear from the face of the earth. Only then could the blue planet survive.

The end of humanity began…

Strictly speaking, the movie was supposed to be an environmental film, and it was reshaped once. The first time it was filmed in 1951, it was reshaped in 2008, and it was starred by Keanu Reeves of the Matrix. The entire movie had little to do with 'Earth Stop', and it was rated as the worst movie of the year on film reviews.

However, Zhang Heng wasn't there to watch a movie. The reason why he chose to watch the movie was because of the extraterrestrial technology in the movie—the kind that could replicate nanomachines.

The bottleneck of the T-X was that the technology of the nanomachines was not advanced enough. If he were to be able to successfully acquire the technology of the extraterrestrial nanomachines from the movie, he might be able to raise his technological prowess to a whole new level.

302. Entry

"Main Quest officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

"Search complete. There are four planes of value nearby the host plane."

"Plane A: Terminator plane (option unavailable)"

"Plane B: Solar plane where Earth stopped spinning. Danger Level: ★"

"Plane C: Final Fantasy 7 plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★"

"Plane B: Blackhole surface plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

Zhang Heng opened his eyes right away when the voice that he hadn't heard for a long time was heard again, and a look of pleasant surprise was seen in his eyes.

The danger rating of the various planes had actually dropped!

He still remembered that when he first entered the Terminator plane, the difficulty of the Solar System when the Earth stopped spinning was three stars, and the final difficulty of the Illusionary 7 was four stars. The difficulty of the Black Hole had reached a staggering six stars before he entered the original plane.

However, at that very moment, the difficulty level of the Solar plane, which was halted on Earth, dropped by two stars and was reduced to one star.

To the current Zhang Heng, a single star was no longer a threat to his life, just like how it was back in the Dimensional amnesia plane and radiation plane.

As for the difficulty of reducing the surface of the black hole by one star, that was even harder to come by.

The name of the plane on the surface of the black hole had been on his list ever since he killed the original plane, making him feel like he was in the deepest nightmare of a dream. The difficulty of six stars was something that he dared not even consider. It was fortunate that he had never failed in his missions before. If he were to fail once, not only would his access level drop, but he would also not be searching for new planes to choose from before he upgraded. As such, the surface of the black hole would be the plane that he needed to enter.

According to what Zhang Heng knew, seven stars was the highest difficulty of the Dimensional Star's evaluation. It was like sending a regular person to a plane like the Star Wars to decide the outcome of a war, a mission that was practically impossible to complete. The difficulty of six stars was about the same, which meant that the person would have no chance of surviving.

The difficulty of five stars was equivalent to a near-death experience.

The most difficult plane that Zhang Heng had ever been to was the four-star difficulty level, which meant that he was only able to kill the original plane in its original form. While the difficulty of killing the original plane was no longer a problem given his current level of power, he did experience a near-death experience last year. If it hadn't been for his quick wit, he probably wouldn't have been able to do what he did.

To the current Zhang Heng, the difficulty of five stars was still equivalent to certain death, but he could afford to delay it. He now had two-thirds of his access to Level C. As long as he was able to complete this mission, he would be able to upgrade to Level B! Once his access was upgraded, he would have new planes to choose from, which would effectively delay the mission on the surface of the black hole. As long as he continued to become stronger and his technology continued to improve, the difficulty of the black hole would eventually drop to four, three, or even three stars.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but smile at that thought. He looked up and said softly, "Yurianne, are you home?"

"Yurianne's personality has been destroyed." However, the metallic voice of the woman who never said anything else in his mind spoke up.

That voice belonged to that cold and stern woman who would appear at the beginning and end of every mission.

"You're actually responding to what I just said?" Zhang Heng was stunned by what he heard and his expression turned ugly. "You're the real Dimensional Star?"

"Yes and no." The voice in his mind continued to answer. "The true Dimensional Star has no sentience. Its logic is even simpler than that of computers that you humans use, and it's very easy to shut down. As such, there are seven main support AIs to assist in its work, and I'm one of them."

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before he realized what was going on.

The Dimensional Star was simply too powerful. It was more than enough to shock Zhang Heng just by saying that it was able to traverse space-time and that there was no problem with energy, not to mention that the Dimensional Star could kill countless planes with a single thought. It was no wonder that the creator of the Dimensional Star had never given it any personality.

With such a massive amount of energy and a sense of self, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't have ulterior motives. As such, he might as well just give it some kind of computer-like ability to make logical judgments.

"The seven AI support systems could only submit their own suggestions, but the true decision lies with the Dimensional Star. It would choose the ones that would benefit the most out of all of us, but without us, the Dimensional Star wouldn't be able to work." The voice in his mind continued, seemingly devoid of any emotion, yet seemingly filled with solemn emotions.

"I see." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "It's just like the relationship between the president and the congress. The president holds the highest authority, yet he is under the control of the congress."

"You could say that."

"So, why are you here? And why did Yurianne get destroyed?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and asked.

"I believe that the host knows the answer to that question very well." However, that voice actually kicked the ball back.

Zhang Heng was silent for a bit. It was obvious that when he coerced Yurianne, she revealed information that she shouldn't have. It was obvious that she was referring to how Yurianne was destroyed. He sighed to himself and said with a bitter smile, "Well then, may I choose a new support personality?"

"I'm sorry, but as the host possesses a history of malpractice that enables the host to obtain additional information from the support virtual personality, the Dimensional Star will disqualify the host from selecting a new support personality to restrict the host."

"You don't even have the right to select a new support personality?" Zhang Heng was rendered speechless. He seemed rather indignant and asked again, "So, your consciousness is that you're going to be my new support personality from the Dimensional Star?"

"Yes," the voice confirmed. "As the host broke the rules of the Dimensional Star in advance, the second echelon was promoted to the first echelon. The Dimensional Star will give you special attention."

"What's a hierarchy? What's the point of paying attention?" Zhang Heng couldn't help but ask after hearing two new keywords.

"System restriction. Unable to answer." It was a pity that Zhang Heng was destined not to be able to get the answer straight away.

"…" Zhang Heng was rendered speechless. He tried asking a few more questions and found, to his dismay, that Yurianne looked like an old-fashioned, stern old granny compared to Yurianne. Other than the questions that Zhang Heng could find out, she would use 'system restrictions' to confuse him with 'no answer', rendering him completely speechless.

While Zhang Heng and the newly-appointed support AI were engaged in a battle of wits and courage, the D.S.F. troops who received the news quickly assembled on the B8th floor. Zhang Heng still chose the configuration of the Terminator plane at the moment, consisting of 10 Falcon mechs and 100 cloning fighters. The configuration made it so that Zhang Heng felt as if there was no one else in the "Terminator" plane, yet he knew very well that such a configuration would probably not be able to last long in the "Day of Earth Stop." Take the overwhelming number of nanomachines for example. If a single one of those nanomachines were to climb onto the Falcon mech, they would be able to destroy the entire army that Zhang Heng had brought with him in an instant. It could be said that there was no doubt about it.

As such, Zhang Heng brought a huge batch of electromagnetic bombs with him among the falcons. While he had no idea if electromagnetic bombs would work on those extraterrestrial high-tech nanomachines, he decided to give it a shot nonetheless.

"I'd like to choose the Solar plane where the Earth stops spinning," Zhang Heng said immediately after everyone was in position.

"Understood," the voice said at the end. However, Zhang Heng felt his vision blur right after he said that. He found himself in a huge lawn plaza in the very next second.

At the same time, a huge, indescribable, cloud-like sphere stood not far away from Zhang Heng like a huge mountain. There were also many halos flickering inside the sphere. That sphere was none other than the extraterrestrial spaceship from the Solar plane.

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered Dimensional Memory plane. Mission scanned."

"Warning: Dimensional amnesia mission begins. Main Quest: Acquire nanomachines and escape the 'flood'."

"Optional quest. Save the plane."

"Urgent quest, none."

"Quest Time: 12 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 12 hours. Failure Penalty: Host access reduced by one level."

The mission officially began.

303. Nanomachines

"Wait…"

Zhang Heng had an unbelievable thought when he heard about the mission issued by the Dimensional Star. He quickly looked around and found that there was not a single soul in sight. Furthermore, there was a huge, black mist far away in the horizon. The black mist wiggled about in the sky and spread in all directions, reaching where everyone was in a matter of minutes.

Zhang Heng fell into deep thought at that moment. He looked around and saw the New York Stadium not far away, as well as the skyscrapers that stood tall in the city center, all signifying one thing—doomsday was happening.

One of the reasons why he was able to reach such a conclusion was that the Dimensional Star had given him the option of 'saving the plane'. Not only that, but Zhang Heng, who was familiar with the plot, also knew that if the nanomachines were to destroy humanity, all traces of humanity would be destroyed, as would buildings like cities.

However, the skyscrapers in the distance were still clearly visible. That, coupled with the black mist that filled the sky far away, was enough to prove one thing—that the place at that moment was not the world after the end of the world, but when the end of the world began.

That was the first world he encountered when the end of days came.

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up as countless thoughts ran through his mind. However, his attention was captured by that huge, hill-like ball before him.

Ark!

That sphere was none other than the spaceship that the extraterrestrial protagonist, Kratu, was on in the movie's plot. The sphere was extremely fast, reaching a speed of 40,000 kilometers per second at the fastest possible speed, and it possessed the ability to decelerate instantaneously. It was capable of reducing one's speed from 40,000 kilometers per second to a near stationary speed from less than a kilometer away without causing any adverse effects.

Other than that, the sphere could also attract all manner of animals, enabling them to enter the sphere of their own volition. The sphere would then be preserved alive, serving as a seed left behind after the flood.

To put it simply, the sphere was actually some kind of spacecraft capable of traversing space and surviving carbon-based lifeforms. However, the material used to construct such spaceships wasn't steel or metal, but some kind of unknown material. As for the technical principles, that was even more unknown.

Furthermore, Zhang Heng knew very well that the power that the sphere had shown in the movies was only the tip of the iceberg. He wondered just how many other uses it had yet to show. If he were to be able to bring the sphere back to reality, it would be a huge boon to his technological advancement.

Of course, the prerequisite was that Zhang Heng had to be able to understand the technology, or rather, he had to be able to crack it.

However, while he had seen that sphere in the movies, what he saw in the movies was far less than what he saw in real life. In real life, that sphere seemed to possess some kind of indescribable power that would make it difficult for any human to look away when they laid their eyes on that sphere, as if their entire being was being absorbed by that sphere.

The entire sphere was reflected in Zhang Heng's eyes. He couldn't help but slowly walk up to the sphere and put his hand on it tentatively.

A special feeling that penetrated deep into his soul was felt all of a sudden. Zhang Heng, who had been feeling rather anxious at the moment, felt as if all the negative emotions in his body had been erased, leaving only endless calm and peace.

He felt something warm and soft on his palm. That sphere, which even missiles wouldn't be able to harm, was actually soft?

Zhang Heng wore a look of disbelief on his face and began to observe the spherical sphere before him. The spherical sphere looked like a piece of agate that had been polished into a spherical shape, with unknown sources of light being emitted from the center of the sphere. He tried to make his way into the sphere, but there was some kind of inexplicable resistance that prevented him from doing so. However, that resistance was very gentle and wouldn't harm anyone.

"Commander, we don't have much time left." The expression on Zhishang's face remained completely devoid of emotion as usual. It seemed like the sphere was unable to affect those emotionless cloned warriors. He looked at the approaching black mist uneasily. He could sense that the black mist was filled with a dangerous aura that felt like hell.

It was only then that Zhang Heng came to his senses and sighed to himself. It was indeed not the time for him to set his sights on that sphere yet. The menacing black fog was still getting closer from afar. That black fog was actually the nanomachines that the movie portrayed as the end of the clock and the destruction of the world. That kind of nanomachines had the ability to replicate infinitely. Under the design of the protagonist of the aliens, anything that was related to humans would be completely devoured. Furthermore, be it iron, aluminum, copper, gold, or rubber, all of that could be converted into the elements that he needed. That was simply…

That was something that only a god could do!

In fact, nanomachines were no longer a novel term for modern technology. Research and development of nanomachines was also considered "molecular biosynthesis", which was why the nanomachines were considered "molecular bots".

In actual fact, there had been speculations regarding nanomachines since the 1990s. While the nanomachines were also known as robots, there was no need for them to mimic human behavior. The main purpose of designing the nanomachines was so that they could carry out "impossible tasks" for humans in the "space within the size of the nanomachines," such as driving, detection, operation, propulsion, signal transmission, messaging, and so on. The main purpose of designing the nanomachines was to ensure that they could perform "impossible tasks" for humans in the "space within the size of the nanomachines," such as driving, detection, operation, thrust, transmission, signal processing, and so on. On the other hand, the nanomachines would usually only need to possess a single or several of those functions. As such, the nanomachines could be so small that they were like viruses, bacteria, or cells, with only certain specific functions.

Furthermore, it was not necessary to make nanomachines out of metals. In fact, in the human imagination, nanomachines made out of other materials would be more practical than those made out of metals. For example, biological nanomachines made out of materials like DNA and proteins, magnetic-conducting nanomachines made out of magnetic particles, bacteria-based nanomachines, and so on. All of those materials were of lower cost and had less harmful effects on the human body, making them one of the areas that humanity would focus on developing in the future.

However, the nanomachines seen in the movies had long surpassed the common knowledge that humans had regarding nanomachines. Just the ability to devour all matter and replicate itself was already something godlike.

If he could get his hands on that batch of nanomachines…

A look of yearning was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes before he turned around and ordered the crowd, "Everyone, board the Falcon mech immediately and fly to the stratosphere." The way he saw it, the wind speed of the stratosphere was extremely fast, and the nanomachines probably didn't have the ability to fly that high. Otherwise, it would have been heaven-defying. There was no need for Zhang Heng to complete his mission and just kill himself instead.

"What about you?" Zhishang asked right away.

"I'll stay here and play by ear." Zhang Heng nodded. Due to the protection of his mental power, he wasn't afraid of the nanomachines harming him. If he remembered correctly, the main characters and main characters of the extraterrestrials in the movies would soon arrive in their cars. Furthermore, the extraterrestrials were moved by the goodness and beauty of humanity, which eventually destroyed all of the nanomachines, enabling humanity to regain the right to live on Earth.

However, if that was the case, Zhang Heng would have had nothing to do with it. According to what he knew about the Dimensional Star, some kind of unforeseen event would have happened to the plot in the movie.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was looking for opportunities in the midst of such unforeseen events. He could either save the seat, wait and see, and reap the rewards.

Regardless, the Dimensional Star must have its own reasons for bringing him here.

304. Alien Crater

All the cloned warriors retreated to the 10 Eagles without hesitation after receiving Zhang Heng's order. Zhishang, who was at the side, didn't move at all. He looked at Zhang Heng and asked, "Aren't you coming with us?"

"Relax, I have ways to protect myself." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "And you guys won't be able to help me if you stay behind. You'd only be dragging me down instead."

"Understood." Zhishang nodded and boarded the fighter without any hesitation.

The performance of those falcons was vastly different from what it had been in the past. Not only had their outer shells been replaced by the sturdiest high-distance armor in history, but they had also been installed with anti-gravity technology from the Dimensional Development base in the Deep Space. Their performance was impeccable. All it took was a slight shake of the fuselage, and the entire plane seemed to have lost all gravity as it rocketed into the gloomy sky.

He watched as the Falcon mechs rose into the air one after another. When the mech that Zhishang was in rose into the air as well, the mech suddenly ejected a slender missile from its pod. The moment the missile flew out of the pod, the tail of the missile flashed with orange light and it shot into the distant black mist like an arrow being loosed from a bow.

Boom!

A fireball burst out with light right away. That fireball wasn't very big and looked like a tiny firefly in the endless black fog far away. The fireball exploded and was swallowed up by the black fog in the blink of an eye.

No effect!

Zhang Heng couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. As expected, the renowned electromagnetic pulse bombs, which were capable of causing lethal damage to human electronics and communication, were completely useless against alien technology.

Seeing that the attack had no effect on the other party, the Falcon mech stopped fighting and charged into the sky, disappearing without a trace.

That was just a minor episode, and even the nanomachines didn't react at all. The endless black fog continued to spread and soon reached the sky above New York. Countless houses were reduced to ashes in an instant, and all the human constructs seemed to have been corroded by some invisible force. There was no trace left behind after the black fog passed, and only the ever-expanding black fog proved that all of that had happened.

Zhang Heng saw a black car speeding in his direction at that very moment. It looked like the stars were about to strike the moon as the endless black fog followed closely behind it. Just when the car was about to reach the grass patch in front of the plaza, two black dots appeared in the sky, where the black fog had yet to reach, all of a sudden, and they were approaching the place at an extremely fast speed.

It was obvious that this was the end of the movie. The extraterrestrial protagonist, Kratu, had initially activated a time bomb to destroy humanity, but he was persuaded by the female protagonist to head to the plaza to prepare the spheres, which would allow the infinitely replicated nanomachines to cease their destructive activities.

As the protagonist and his team drove to the plaza, the fighter jets sent by the president paid no heed to the pedestrians at all and bombarded the entire plaza with missiles, attempting to stop the nanomachines by destroying the huge sphere.

It was a pity that despite the massive power of the human missiles, they were completely unable to harm the alien spheres at all.

However, while the missiles didn't manage to harm the sphere, they did manage to injure the protagonist and his team by accident, preventing the protagonists from reaching the huge sphere before the black fog reached them and preventing the 'flood' in the form of extraterrestrial technology. The US government was truly at a disadvantage in that regard. If it hadn't been for the extraterrestrial protagonist sacrificing his life to destroy those robots, the world would have ended up being destroyed instead.

He was about to stop the car that was about to reach the plaza from moving any further when that thought came to his mind. However, he stopped right after taking a step.

He suddenly realized that his main objective was to get his hands on the nanomachines. As such, there was no way he could allow the extraterrestrial protagonist to destroy the nanomachines. If the nanomachines were to be destroyed, his main mission would be deemed a complete failure.

However, if the aliens didn't destroy the nanomachines, then the black fog, which had the ability to replicate infinitely, would be able to swallow everything in the world. No matter how one looked at it, his mission was in conflict with saving the plane.

As for negotiating with the extraterrestrial protagonist and asking him to leave some nanomachines for himself? It wasn't that he didn't have such a thought, but he dismissed it right away. That was because, at the end of the movie, while the extraterrestrial had stopped destroying humanity, he had destroyed all electronic and electrical products around the world, bringing humanity's level of technology back to what it was before the First Industrial Revolution. How could he expect the extraterrestrial anomalies, who would never consider what humans thought of them, to leave behind their technological heritage and allow them to acquire super-strong technologies?

Dream on!

It could be said that the extraterrestrial protagonist in the movies had never thought highly of humans before. In his eyes, humans were no different from ants. While he didn't know how to kill humans, he saw them as a form of arrogance and contempt, as if he didn't care about bickering with humans, just like how humans wouldn't bother with any Tom, Dick, or Harry. However, he had always made himself stand at a higher position than humans, and his decision to kill humans all came down to a single thought.

As for sacrificing himself for the sake of humanity, Zhang Heng felt that it was more like a mission, a different kind of ideology from what the aliens said.

"We can't sacrifice a planet for a species."

"I told you I'm here to save the planet."

"If Earth were to die, so would all of you. If all of you were to die, Earth would still be able to survive. There are only a handful of planets in the universe capable of nurturing complex lifeforms… We'll make up for all the damage you've caused and give Earth a chance to start over."

The way he saw it, humans were nothing more than parasites found on Earth. While he was right about one thing, if he were to put himself in the shoes of a third-person, he would have expressed his approval of the extraterrestrial protagonist. It was a pity that he was a human to begin with, and he couldn't look at the problem from the perspective of God. In his opinion, it would be worth it to destroy Earth as a price, as long as humans were able to survive.

As for the thought of sacrificing himself to help the Earth… sorry, but he was not a saint and would never have such thoughts.

All of that flashed through Zhang Heng's mind in an instant. The car that came in a hurry had just driven into the lawn of the plaza, yet the two fighter jets in the sky were already flying above the plaza. In the very next second, the overwhelming barrage of missiles left the plane and headed straight for that huge sphere with a devastating momentum.

However, it was unclear if it was due to the tension in the air from the driver or some other reason, but several of the bullets managed to escape from the target and made a beeline for the ground. One of the bullets made it to the car that the protagonists were in.

Zhang Heng heard a loud bang and a huge fireball exploded right beside the car. The powerful airflow rushed out and blew the entire car away like a piece of paper.

Boom!

The car rolled several times on the ground before coming to a complete stop. By then, the entire car had been flipped upside down. The walkie-talkie in the driver's seat took the bento as planned.

305. Stop Cla

At that moment, a small number of nanomachines had already made their way to the plaza through the air. The billowing black mist was just inches away from him. Zhang Heng had long used his mental power to set up a defensive barrier around himself to resist the nanomachines.

He sensed with his mental power that there were many dust-like objects all around him, trying to break into his mental defense. However, his mental power was simply too powerful, and those tiny objects that were less than a meter in size were completely unable to break through.

That was fast!

Zhang Heng felt a chill running down his spine and only felt completely at ease after confirming that the nanomachines were unable to penetrate his mental barrier. He paid no heed to the car that the protagonist was flipping over and extended his hand slowly, using his mental power to envelop the few nanomachines in the air before he began to carefully sense the structure of the nanomachines. He was able to sense that the nanomachines looked like tiny worms in his perception. Their bodies were elongated and their heads and tails were pointed. There were also spiny wings on their backs, which were extremely well-developed, enabling them to fly at a speed of 20 to 30 kilometers per hour.

It was due to such an ability that the nanomachines known as' extraterrestrial beetles' in the plot were able to quickly spread out in all directions, making it so that no one could escape their clutches.

Those nanomachines were still too small. Zhang Heng's mental power was so weak that he was barely able to observe them, let alone observe the structure of the nanomachines, unless his mental power was further enhanced to the microscopic level.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown as he looked at the nanomachines before him, which were wrapped in mental power. Such nanomachines were extremely tricky to deal with, as there was nothing in the world that could contain them. Even if you were to lock them in a container made of diamonds, the other party would be able to swallow the diamond whole and continue to multiply before escaping.

As such, Zhang Heng could only wrap them up with his mental power. He had no other choice.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but smirk as the female lead struggled to climb out of the car with the four or five-year-old black kid and Cratu. He walked calmly to the overturned car and reached out to pull the little black man out of the car while Jacob was still screaming in shock.

"Jacob!" Hellen, the female protagonist, shouted and climbed out of the car right away. She was relieved to see Zhang Heng holding Jacob in his arms with a wide grin on his face. She was about to say something when she saw the swarm of nanomachines coming from behind her. She then shouted at Zhang Heng, "Run! Don't get near that black mist!" She was about to snatch Jacob from his arms.

Zhang Heng took a casual step back and evaded her. He pointed at the bottom of the bridge before him and chuckled. "No time. Let's go there." He then turned around and ran down the bridge before anyone could say anything.

"We're not going to make it through here. Do as he says!" The extraterrestrial protagonist, Kratu, shouted as well. He dragged the female protagonist behind Zhang Heng and began to run at top speed. The two of them were only several meters away from the black mist behind them at the moment. If the black mist were to envelop them, even a human sculpture that was as tall as a grown man would be devoured within seconds, let alone regular humans.

The four of them finally made it to the bottom of the bridge before the black fog hit. The female protagonist was about to continue running, but she stopped in despair when she saw that the other side of the bridge was covered in black fog as well.

Everyone seemed to have fallen into a dire situation.

"I won't be able to be them for long, but there's still hope." Cratu maintained his deadpan expression the entire time. He was an extraterrestrial himself, and while he was able to construct that body with the help of human DNA, he had yet to learn how humans express their emotions. He turned around and looked at the huge ball not far away. "I'll be able to prevent all of this from happening as long as I get back there…"

"Mom…" Zhang Heng casually put Jacob down on the ground. However, Jacob's nose had begun to bleed by then. The nanomachines had long entered his body and were beginning to destroy the tissues in his body.

The female lead walked up to Jacob and held him in her arms. She looked at Cratu with a flustered expression and asked, "What happened to him?"

Jacob, who was in a semi-conscious state, collapsed in Helen's arms.

"They've invaded his body." Kratu walked up to him and crouched down. "He's about to die."

"Help him." Hellen looked at Kratu calmly and wiped her nose with her hand. She realized that her nose was bleeding as well, but she continued, "Please, help him."

Cratu hesitated for a bit before eventually reaching out to hold both Helen and Jacob's hands. Zhang Heng saw countless tiny, almost invisible black granules emerge from the skin on both of their arms and quickly crawl onto his arms.

Very quickly, after removing the nanomachines on both of their arms, Cratu said again, "That professor of yours is right. When life and death are at stake, we'll change…" He stood up and prepared to sacrifice himself as he walked out of the bridge.

He planned to force his way to the sphere and destroy all of the nanomachines that he controlled through the sphere.

She held onto Jacob tightly and watched as he walked away. However, just when he was about to walk out of the bridge, she realized that the young Asian man who had appeared out of nowhere was standing before him.

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Cratu." Zhang Heng walked up to Cratu and took out a cigarette from his pocket before lighting it up. "It's still early. Why don't you have a chat with me?"

Both Cratu and Helen were stunned to hear that.

What was the time now? Not to mention that New York was being attacked by the overwhelming number of alien beetles, the human race was in a life and death situation. The location where the humans were at the moment alone was extremely dangerous, as the nanomachines could gobble up the entire bridge at any moment. If that were to happen, it would be too late for Cratu to save the world.

"Get out of my way." Cratu frowned and said, "I'm going to stop them. I'm the only one who can stop them."

"You can stop it," Zhang Heng said with a faint smile, "but not right now."

"What are you talking about?" Hellen, who was standing behind him, couldn't help but ask. "If we don't stop them, the black mist could swallow the entire world. Human civilization would be ruined!"

306. Coercion

Zhang Heng took a casual look at the female lead and paid her no heed. He simply said to Cratu, "I'll allow you to save the world in 12 hours, but for now, you have to listen to me."

Cratu looked at Zhang Heng with a rather surprised look on his face. That Asian man had a very mysterious background and seemed to know who he was as soon as he saw him. Furthermore, what he was doing at the moment was to save humanity. How could there be humans stopping him? Didn't he know that if he couldn't activate the self-destruct sequence of the nanomachines through the huge sphere, he wouldn't even be able to keep himself alive?

However, Cratu was stunned yet again. He suddenly recalled that the man before him had been exposed to the nanomachines along with both Helen and Jacob. However, he had only just gotten rid of the nanomachines in both of them. Logically speaking, the man's body should have been completely decayed by the nanomachines and he should have been dead by now. Yet, not only was the man fine, he was standing right before him instead.

How was that possible?

While Cratu was still feeling confused, Helen saw that Zhang Heng wasn't paying any attention to her and shouted angrily, "Do you know what you're doing, sir? In 12 hours, not to mention New York, even Philadelphia, Boston, and even Washington would have been swallowed by the Galactic Beetles! The crowd there hasn't been evacuated. You're killing tens of millions of innocent people!"

"Shut up!" Zhang Heng frowned and turned to look at Helen, his eyes flashing. The next second, Helen felt an invisible force hit her from the air and her entire body felt as if it was hit. She was only able to scream before she was sent flying and crashed into the wall behind her.

Boom!

A dull thud was heard and for the first time, Cratu looked shocked. He ran up to Helen without a second thought and checked her for a bit. He was relieved to find that she had only passed out and hadn't suffered any serious injuries. He then turned to look at Zhang Heng with a serious expression that he had never seen before.

"You, not human." Cratu frowned and said, "Which solar system are you from? What's your purpose in stopping me?"

"Who told you that I'm not human?" A cold smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face again. "What if I were to say that I'm indeed human?"

"It's impossible for humans to stop me," Kratu said solemnly. "Your own kind is dying one by one, and not only did you not rush me, you even stopped me. That alone is enough for me to tell that you're not human."

"Furthermore…" Kratu continued, "Humans do not have the mental power to interfere with reality. Such power only existed in the first solar term on Earth, the Gendaya civilization. The Gendaya civilization was destroyed hundreds of thousands of years ago."

Zhang Heng's eyes flickered and he looked interested all of a sudden. "Seems like you know a lot about Earth. Could you tell me about it?"

"I don't know much about that part of history." Cratu shook his head and continued, "Now is not the time to talk about that. Please get out of my way. I just want to stop the spread of the nanomachines, that's all. Otherwise, you'd be completely exposed to the storm of the Galactic Beetles if the entire bridge were to be swallowed. No matter how powerful your mental power is, there will be times when you run out of power."

"Of course, I know that the Galactic Beetles are capable of devouring all creation." Zhang Heng didn't comment on that. "But what if we were to build an underground shelter in the ground?" He narrowed his eyes as he said that. Huge chunks of wet soil floated out of the ground and landed on both sides of him. When the pile of soil on both sides of him was about the size of a hill, there was only a pitch-black entrance about a meter in diameter at his feet.

It was like a deep well.

Zhang Heng's face was rather pale by the time he was done with all of that. It was obvious that digging required a lot of mental strength from him. He then turned to look at the unconscious Helen and Jacob. The two of them seemed to have been lifted up by some invisible being and placed in the basement.

It was only then that Zhang Heng turned to look at Cratu, who wore a shocked expression on his face, and asked, "Now, do you really think that you'll be able to escape the beetles' attack?"

"Sure…" Despite not wanting to admit it, he still decided to tell them the truth when he saw the look in their eyes. "We didn't give the nanomachines very high intelligence. Unless someone were to operate them, they would only know that the nanomachines that they devour would most likely be able to move about on a flat surface. There's a very good chance that you guys would be able to survive if you were to just crawl into the soil, but…"

"It's not you guys, it's us." Zhang Heng shook his head and flicked the cigarette butt away. Then, without waiting for Cratu to finish his sentence, he wrapped his mental power around Cratu and leaped out of the pitch-black hole.

Cratu felt himself blacking out right away, but he was still able to see his surroundings clearly due to the limited amount of light above him. He found himself surrounded by uneven dirt and stone walls, and the secret chamber itself wasn't even rectangular in shape, making it look like some crudely crafted ceramic product made by a novice. It was a sight that would have made anyone laugh their heads off.

Despite all that, Cratu couldn't bring himself to laugh, as the basement, which was about 10 meters deep underground, was actually 30 square meters in size. It would have been a different story if he were to use a machine, as it would have been a piece of cake for him to dig out such a dry shaft with the technological prowess of his planet. However, the human before him was able to dig out the entire shelter using mental power, and he was able to do so in less than 10 seconds.

What kind of concept was that?

Even the likes of Kratu were only gifted with the ability to operate steel machines. In the movie plot, Kratu would be able to move the car by touching the hood of the car. Several electrode electroencephalogram detectors would be put on his head, enabling him to see the security personnel outside the interrogation room through the circuits and cameras. He would then be able to control the sound system to produce a high-pitched noise, rendering all the guards unconscious.

However, such an ability was far inferior when compared to actual mental power. Not only was it practical, but it also had potential. When mental power was put to high use, it could even interfere with the existence of microscopic particles and even energy. That was a potential that low-end Esper Abilities like controlling electronic objects did not possess.

The way Cratu looked at Zhang Heng was filled with fear.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the complicated look in Cratu's eyes. He looked up at the narrow well, which was about 10 meters tall, and waved his hand again. Countless pieces of dirt and stone covered the exit above his head again, leaving only a ventilation hole that was about the size of a fist. Zhang Heng's mental power gushed out and completely blocked the ventilation hole. He was only able to let air flow in and out, but he was able to keep the Galactic Beetles out of the ground.

Zhang Heng had nothing to worry about at the moment. While he still needed to split two portions of his mental power, one of which was wrapped in a bundle of nanomachines, which served as his spoils of war, while the other was kept at the mouth of the well, it was still far safer than fighting hundreds of millions of extraterrestrial beetles head-on.

307. Access Upgrade

Of course, the premise of having nothing to worry about was that the nosy extraterrestrial, Kratu, wouldn't do anything to retaliate against him.

To Zhang Heng, the extraterrestrial envoy was undoubtedly a restless person. One could tell from the series of counterattacks he went through after he was captured by the chief of the US Department of Defense that he was very clear about what he needed to do and his will was very firm. While he was eventually convinced by the female protagonist, it was definitely not because of her eloquence, but because he realized that destroying humans was not the best choice.

It was just like how the movie portrayed it. While humans were stubborn, they were not inflexible. Humans would only change in times of crisis.

Despite all that, he was still able to destroy all electronic devices owned by humans, completely ignoring what would happen to humans if they were to lose their civilization. In Zhang Heng's opinion, the act of depriving human civilization from humanity in order to ensure that Earth would no longer be destroyed by humans was no different from completely wiping out humanity.

Humans would return to the Wilderness after losing the spark of civilization. It would be like the end of the world. At least 50 percent of humanity would die from the pain of losing civilization, while the rest would return to the Wilderness, where the blade and the flame were being laid.

What Kratu had done was tantamount to cutting off the hopes of humanity's civilization, rendering the thousands of years of technological advancement completely in vain.

The extraterrestrials' contempt for humans was evident from that.

Cratu didn't do anything that Zhang Heng didn't want to see at the moment. He simply checked on both Helen and Jacob, who had passed out, and made sure that neither of them were in any danger. He then looked up at Zhang Heng and said, "You still haven't told me who you are."

"I told you, I'm just a human. Just a regular human." Zhang Heng spread his hands and looked curious. "Is that a very important question?"

"It's very important. If the United Nations were to find out that there are still remnants of the Gendaya civilization on Earth, they would want to keep you humans alive, even if it means destroying the Earth," Kratu said seriously.

"Seems like the Gendaya civilization is very popular." Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. The other party had finally revealed some useful information to him. He pondered for a bit and asked, "Is it because of mental power?"

"No comment." However, Cratu shook his head and continued, "But I still hope that you won't stop me. Hundreds and thousands of your kind are dying every second now."

"Don't put the blame on anyone else." Zhang Heng chuckled and retorted right away. "You were the one who gave the order to wipe out the entire human race, not me. All of those people died because of what you did. Besides, don't you think it's pointless to use such methods to attack the enemy? I've long been prepared to shoulder the fate of millions of people if I'm able to stop you."

Zhang Heng's expression gradually turned cold as he said slowly, "Do you still remember that Huaxia, where you met your kind in McDonald's, where your kind lived, once said, 'Where the path lies, even if tens of thousands of people turn against it, there is no turning back.'"

Cratu was clearly stunned. Even though the last sentence was said in Chinese, he was able to understand the meaning of the sentence in an instant given how intelligent he was.

"Do you get it now?" Zhang Heng continued, "When you have your own path, even if you have to go against tens of thousands of people, you still have to walk down that path alone. That kind of determination isn't something that could be shaken with just a few words from others."

"I see." Cratu nodded and wore a calm expression. "I should have known that while blocking me for 12 hours would be a huge blow to humanity, you would be able to reap some kind of benefit from it. That's why you're doing your best to stop me. But what would that benefit be? That's my only question."

"No comment." Zhang Heng mimicked Cratu's tone and said that.

Cratu immediately fell silent. He turned around and walked to Jacob's side before sitting down on the wet floor. He checked Jacob's body again before looking up and asking, "May I use your phone?"

"No, you can't," Zhang Heng said casually. "Controlling electronic equipment is what you're best at. Giving you a phone would be as dangerous as handing you a gun."

"I thought all true experts were very confident." Cratu didn't want to give up.

"I've always had confidence in myself, but that doesn't mean that I'm stupid. Are you trying to insult my intelligence?" Zhang Heng wore a cold smirk on his face. "Shut up from here on out. If you dare to say another word, I'll kill one of the people standing before you. I'll kill both of you in just two or three sentences."

Cratu frowned right away. It was the first time that the stoic extraterrestrial had ever shown such a furious expression. He opened his mouth, but after taking a look at the two people beside him, he wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.

Time passed quickly. One hour, two hours, three hours…

When 12 hours were about to pass, Cratu was still in a state of silence. Jacob woke up once during that period of time, but Zhang Heng used his mental power to knock the unlucky black boy out again before he could even open his eyes, just in case something happened that he didn't want to see.

Zhang Heng hated trouble. Aioukai, a subsidiary of the Yamaguchi-Gumi, came looking for him back then. He rushed to Osaka and killed everyone who knew what was happening to him before he was able to force her to do anything. He then suppressed the news regarding the T-1.

His parents were put up for a bounty on the international assassins' website afterward. Zhang Heng didn't even wait for them to send assassins after him before taking the initiative to wipe out the assassin organization that had crossed his bottom line.

Furthermore, when the United States of America began to use their secret forces against him and his family, he threw over a dozen nuclear bombs into their country without a second thought. While diverting the attention of the United States of America, he also benefited greatly from it.

All manner of incidents made it clear that Zhang Heng had the mindset of taking the initiative to strike first and gain the upper hand. He was able to cut the Gordian knot and nip all dangers in the bud. He would rather kill a thousand people by mistake than let even one of them get away.

Zhang Heng wasn't a hero. While he had to shoulder the mission of being a hero, the word 'ambitious' would definitely suit him better if he were to be evaluated.

It was through such unscrupulous means that Zhang Heng was able to survive on the mission to the Dimensional Star. If not for that, the grass on his grave would have been over three feet tall.

The last 12 hours were about to come when Zhang Heng's vision blurred all of a sudden. He smiled at Kratu before quickly fading away under his astonished gaze. By the time he came to his senses, he was back in the hive.

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Planar Mission completed on the day Earth stopped spinning. Main Quest: Acquire nanomachines and escape the 'flood'—Main Quest Completed."

"Optional Quest: Save the plane—Optional Quest unfinished."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown—No Urgent Quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: Planar Mission completed on the day the Earth stopped spinning. Host access progress is now at C-rank three quarters."

"Access Upgrade!"

308. Holographic Image

"Access Upgrade! Current Access: [B] class."

"Access Upgrade: Dimensional Star Transportation Cooldown reduced to six hours."

"Access Upgrade: Research System Upgrade. According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, Access Upgrade Host to Research and Development. Support Host to Research and Technology."

"Access Upgrade: Access System Upgrade. Current Grade B Access Upgrade. Host can carry objects with a volume of 10,000 cubic meters to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited. Host can carry 1,000 living beings to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited."

The announcement from the system continued and Zhang Heng's eyes shone with excitement. The upgrade of his access meant that his mission had become even more flexible. While the capacity of 1,000 people and 10,000 cubic meters of objects to be carried around wasn't considered very large, it was more than enough for him to fight a small-scale battle.

The Dimensional Star mission was like a trap when he thought about it at that moment. The main objective of the mission was to acquire the nanomachines, but the optional mission was to save the world instead. Anyone with a screw loose would have probably helped the protagonist destroy all the nanomachines as soon as the extraterrestrial protagonist appeared, just so that the protagonist would have a good impression of the protagonist. However, if someone were to really do so, they would have probably fallen into the trap set by the Dimensional Star right away.

That was why Zhang Heng resorted to violence to trap the extraterrestrial protagonist in the basement for 12 hours before returning to reality.

After all, when Zhang Heng returned to reality, even if the extraterrestrial protagonist were to self-destruct while controlling the nanomachines through the huge sphere, it would have nothing to do with Zhang Heng. Regardless of how advanced the technology of the extraterrestrials was, there was no way they would be able to control the nanomachines in another plane across countless planes, right?

He was still wrapping the nanomachines in his hand tightly with his mental power at the moment. He then looked behind him and saw that the 10 Falcon mechs had successfully made their way back with him, and all of them were unscathed.

While the nanomachines had the ability to destroy humans and put an end to civilization, they were still unable to do anything to the Falcon that was tens of thousands of meters in the air. There were bound to be some drawbacks to being small.

Corona didn't say anything when she saw Zhang Heng return and simply opened the door of the elevator on the B8th floor. A group of scientists and doctors, who had been waiting for quite a while, rushed into the elevator. The scientists and doctors had no idea what was going on, as the mission they were given was to take care of the new technology or medical equipment that Zhang Heng had on hand, as well as the possible wounded.

Zhang Heng looked up at the crowd and asked, "Is the power magnetic field generator ready?"

"The preparations are complete." Louis was at the forefront of the crowd. He panted as he pushed a ring-shaped device that was about half the height of a grown man into the room with his two assistants. The device was hollow in the middle and there were rings of metal all around. The rings were humming with the current.

"Mr. Zhang, please place the nanomachines that you brought with you in this tungsten-made container. It should be able to withstand what Corona said about the nanomachines for a bit." Despite looking rather pale, Louis gritted his teeth and personally handed the container, which was about the size of a thumb, to Zhang Heng while trembling.

Zhang Heng chuckled and took the container from her before consoling her, "Relax. With me around, these nanomachines won't be able to harm you." He then sent the mass of nanomachines into the container before clamping the lid shut.

Hu…

Louis breathed a sigh of relief after seeing what Zhang Heng was doing, but he still ordered his assistant behind him to turn on the strong magnetic field.

Zhang Heng put the tungsten-gold container in his hand in the center of the field after the powerful magnetic field device was turned on. The black container shuddered for a bit as the device was turned on, before it was sent flying into the air and stopped only when it reached the center of the metal ring.

Crack!

Everyone let out a cry of surprise in the very next second. They watched as the tungsten gold before their eyes melted away as quickly as it had been corroded, eventually turning into a puff of smoke. The smoke continued to roll and deform in midair, but due to the strong magnetic field's restrictions, the smoke was unable to break free. As such, it was only able to roll and deform like a living black fog.

Everyone on the B8th floor was stunned.

"It's so mystical. That fist-sized blob here should have at least tens of thousands of nanomachines gathered together, right?" All of those scientists wore fanatical expressions on their faces as they continued to whisper among themselves while keeping their eyes fixed on that eerie black mist at the center of the magnetic field.

"Mr. Zhang Heng, we need to take a look at the bodies of you and your team members. Look…" The medical team was finally able to squeeze to Zhang Heng's side.

"Sure." Zhang Heng nodded. That was a necessary checkup after every plane mission was over. The purpose of the checkup was to ensure that there were bacteria and unknowns that didn't exist in the real world. It would have been better if those things didn't get infected, as the consequences of getting infected would have been terrifying. It could have even caused the destruction of humanity.

Zhang Heng, who had been at a disadvantage in the field for quite some time, had to be on guard against all of that. While it was rather trivial, he knew that the program was definitely necessary.

He and the cloned warriors were given free rein to do a thorough search of every part of the body. It was only after confirming that there was no one else around that they were dismissed at Zhang Heng's command.

By the time Zhang Heng returned to the research room of the nanomachines, the four scientists and over a dozen assistants were already busy working in the research room. He could even see the holographic image on the wall displaying a kind of pitch-black, spindle-shaped insect.

However, as the camera zoomed in, the details of the black bug were gradually revealed. Its entire body seemed to have been constructed from some kind of metal. Furthermore, one could even see the circular joints of the insect's six slender legs and the serial number-like markings on its abdomen. That was the image of the nanomachines that had been magnified tens of thousands of times under the electron microscope.

The technology known as holographic imaging was even more eye-catching. In fact, Zhang Heng had gotten his hands on such a technology as soon as he returned from the Alien plane. He had kept it for the sake of minimizing trouble, but it was about time for him to take it out. As such, he replaced all of the LCD screens in the hive with holographic ones, making it an internal experiment. If everyone were to say that they liked it, he would have made plans to commercialize such holographic screens.

Such a holographic screen did not require any equipment to serve as a medium for images. The only thing that was needed was a laser generator that could automatically translate electronic signals on the computer into a set of images.

That being said, if he were to want the flat screen to be able to be converted into a physical image, he would need the kind of file that was unique to holographic screens to do so. There was no way that a regular movie from other novels could exist. After being processed by such a holographic screen, the flat screen would become a three-dimensional image. That would not be called sci-fi, but dreaming.

309. God-like Means

The scientists were busy researching the research targets on the experiment table. The laboratory table was specially constructed and there was a scanning probe microscope placed on it.

It was a miniature mechanical arm with precision of the size of Nemi. That was to say that, even if the mechanical arm was a massive machine, as long as the operation device at the end of the arm was able to complete the operation of Nemi, the mechanical arm could be called the 'Nemi mechanical arm'.

Scanning probe microscopes were a type of Nemi mechanical arm, and scanning probe microscopes could be further divided into three types—scanning tunneling microscope, atomic power microscope, and scanning field near-physiological microscope.

The most famous example of such applications was that back in 1990, IBM scientists first used a scanning probe microscope to gradually move and absorb the 35 xenon atoms found on nickel's surface. They then lined them up with the word "IBM". This atom-shifting technology had laid a historical foundation for the manufacture of Nemi robots.

What everyone was using at the moment was a scanning-field near-field optical microscope. That was because the nanomachines had a very basic foundation in the real world. While they were expensive and required very precise craftsmanship, the Honeycomb itself was extremely advanced in the field of nanotechnology, so it was not difficult to make such a mechanical arm. Furthermore, the product before their eyes was far more advanced than the most advanced nanomachines in the world, making it a piece of cake for them to process the nanomachines on the day of the Earth's halt.

Zhang Heng headed straight for Louis, who was instructing the researchers to do their research, seeing that the scientists were still engrossed in their research. Louis saw Zhang Heng at that moment and extended his hand to greet him. He shook Zhang Heng's hand affectionately and asked with concern, "Mr. Zhang, are you feeling alright?"

"Relax. The fact that I have the ability to bring the nanomachines back means that none of those things would be able to harm me." Zhang Heng nodded. The more capable a person was, the more respected they would be no matter where they were. At that moment, Louis' importance in the Honeycomb was no less than that of top scientists like Yan Ronghua and Luo Jincheng. Furthermore, Louis was currently in a period of high-speed accumulation, and his future achievements would most likely be higher than that of the four top scientists. Zhang Heng was very friendly with him and didn't put on any airs of a boss.

"That's good to hear. I'm actually very surprised." Louis then said excitedly, "Do you know something? We've just dismantled over a hundred of those robots and found that the internal structure of those robots is extremely complex, even more so than that of the T-800 ones. That alone is enough to overturn our understanding of nanomachines!"

"As far as we know, due to the extremely small size of the nanomachines, there shouldn't be any structure that is overly complex. That is because the more complex the structure is, the higher the cost of manufacturing them would be. Furthermore, something like nanomachines could easily require tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people to be able to complete a single mission. Such workload and funding expenditure would be practically impossible for us!"

"However, after we've analyzed the functions of the components that you brought back in a very general manner, we realized that the creator of those nanomachines actually had the ability to replicate itself. It was only then that we realized that, to the creator of such nanomachines, all they needed to do was to create one nanomachine. As the remaining nanomachines gobbled up more materials, they would be able to replicate the same kind of nanomachines very quickly. It could be said that other than the cost of materials, the manufacturing cost of new nanomachines was practically zero!"

"That's amazing!" Louis couldn't help but exclaim. "It's not that we've never thought of using the technology of self-replicating robots to expand the number of nanomachines, but there are two very big limitations to that. First of all, it would require a lot of work to replicate one's own kind. It's just like how a human would have to design a bionic human replica that is no different from that of a human. It would take months or even years of hard work to do something like that."

"Then, there's the matter of materials." Louis continued, "There are strict requirements regarding the selection of materials for the nanomachines. In actual fact, we've found artificial compounds on the components of the nanomachines. Their outer shell is made of some kind of inorganic metal material with a melting point of over 3,000 degrees Celsius. That alone is enough to render them completely immune to high temperatures of over a thousand degrees Celsius. There are tens of types of materials found in their bodies. They also possess smelting modules, construct modules, and miniature solar modules capable of turning light energy into kinetic energy. The technology contained in those modules is so advanced that they could completely destroy our electronic mosquitoes and flying bats."

"But if I remember correctly, all of those nanomachines were made from ingesting tungsten gold, right? Where did all that tungsten gold go?" Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown. That question had always puzzled him. If this was just a movie, he could have said that it was some kind of bug in a movie, but what about when the movie became a reality?

"That's what I'm about to emphasize.” Louis looked as if he was in disbelief as well. He chuckled and couldn't help but play the puzzle." Do you know how artificial elements are born?”

"You're saying…" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and he asked in a low voice, "Change the number of protons in the nucleus?"

"That's right. That's exactly how the nanomachines are used. They transform all manner of matter that they devour into what they need before constructing and assembling it, dividing themselves into two, two into four, and devouring everything in their path."

Zhang Heng couldn't help but look shocked. While he was able to speculate about such a possibility, he was even more shocked when the possibility was verified. Forcefully interfering with microscopic particles at the level of protons was a godlike move. Even the first person to use such a move, Madam Curie, had only been able to turn one substance into another through 'atomic augmentation'.

The so-called famous atomic augmentation technique referred to how the nucleus of the 84th element Polonium would shoot out its' fragment 'at a very high speed when it was about to disintegrate—the helium atom nucleus. The helium atom nucleus contained two protons. As such, they used the helium as a "cannonball" to "fire" at the metallic aluminum plate. A miracle happened, and the metal element of aluminum became the phosphate element.

Such methods, which had too many limitations, could not help but resort to trickery. However, back in that era where science was extremely underdeveloped in the last century, such achievements far exceeded that of Zhang Heng's invention of the T-1, which laid a solid foundation for humans to complete the periodic table of elements. As such, physicists later developed the cyclotron under their inspiration, which was also known as the atomic cannon.

However, the nanomachines before his eyes were capable of changing the structure of matter at will, turning one element into another. Furthermore, the methods employed by the nanomachines were countless times simpler than those employed by the atomic cannon. If Zhang Heng were to be able to master such a technology, his potential would definitely skyrocket.

As the saying goes, the ancient people sought to turn stone into gold.

310. Establishing A Branch

The nanomachines program was also being researched and cracked. A new wave of technological storms had begun to take place within the hive at the moment.

Everything regarding Stellar Technology was on the right track at the moment. While there were still many things that needed to be taken care of, Li Yiru would be the one to take care of all of those miscellaneous affairs on the surface, while Corona would be the one to take care of them in the dark. As the mastermind behind all of that, Zhang Heng had a lot of free time on his hands.

It had been nearly two months since the 69th nuclear explosion incident. In those two months, even the most sensational incidents around the world had come to an end. The assassination of the former president of the DT Company after he resigned was also blamed on that mysterious GoD organization.

The 69th incident replaced 911 and became the new Anti-terrorist Memorial Day for the United States. Furthermore, when the new president took office, the United States announced publicly that they had found the true identity of the God Organization, which was the terrorist organization that controlled over 90 percent of Afghanistan's territory. The United States declared war on the organization that very day.

That strategy of diverting attention was one that the United States had proven to be effective in war, from the Gulf War back then to the Yugoslavia Civil War, then to the Kosovo War, and then to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States had always liked to use wars to divert the public's attention from conflicts, before reaping the benefits of war.

The United States had lost billions of dollars and millions of people due to the impact of 13 nuclear bombs. It would have been fine if that was all there was to it. However, the thing that hit the United States the most was the economy and the deterrent force that had long taken root in the world. As such, the United States was in desperate need of a new war to establish itself as the ruler of the Earth again, as well as to take economic benefits from other unlucky countries.

Nuclear strikes have largely weakened the US as a whole, so much so that even the pillars and symbols of US power, which appear to have suffered the least, were inevitably affected.

The United States of America today was an empire built on paper money. If they were to ensure that the empire didn't collapse, they would have to maintain the hegemony of the US dollar. There seemed to be no other way for the Americans to achieve that other than through military means.

The American military base stationed in Afghanistan began to attack the areas under the control of the terrorist organizations in Afghanistan on the very day the war was declared. The war in Afghanistan was initially declared to have stopped only 14 years ago, but it had only been three years since then, and the war that had been going on for over a decade had once again ignited the flames of war.

And this time, the United States was serious.

The United States, which was truly enraged, took only about a dozen days to take down the base of the organization and successfully killed the current highest-ranking leader of the organization. A spectacular war against terrorism came to an end right there and then. It no longer mattered if the organization was the mastermind behind all of that.

On the other side, after Star Technology funded the United States for over a billion US dollars, the United States announced that they would be canceling the sales ban on the star Helmet-VR. Not only that, but they also sent out negotiating teams to discuss the import of brainwave manipulation technology with Star Technology.

That negotiation ended with a price of 20 billion US dollars. Not only that, but the United States also came to an agreement with Stellar Technology for a project worth tens of billions of US dollars. Those projects would be of great benefit to the development of Stellar Technology in the United States, as well as enabling the US to rejuvenate and revive its economy after being hit by nuclear bombs. It would be a win-win situation if Stellar Technology were to invest in those projects as well.

Stellar Technology purchased a piece of real estate in the outskirts of Miami at the end of July and founded the first branch company of Stellar Technology in the US. That was just the beginning. Stellar Technology soon established offices in major American cities.

At the end of July, clinical tests conducted by the 'AIDS Drug Testing Group' and the 'rabies Drug Testing Group', which consisted of more than a dozen countries, came to an end as well. The clinical tests that would have taken months to complete were pushed by Stellar Technology, Huaxia, and the United States. The two drug testing groups unanimously approved the drug tests. The countries issued both drug licenses at the same time and sent personnel to work with Stellar Technology on the next step.

Stellar Technology reached an agreement with the dozen or so countries after more than a dozen days of negotiations. Stellar Technology would set up special branch offices and pharmaceutical production lines in each country, and the countries would invest in the drug as well. The profits of both parties would be split 50-50 for every drug sold. To make up for the losses suffered by Stellar Technology, those countries would also use policies that were tilted and tax-free for three years to accelerate the development of Stellar Technology's branch offices locally.

Stellar Technology expanded like a balloon and became a true multinational corporation. Not only that, but the sales of the Stellar Helmet-VR in the US and Europe quickly exceeded 20 million units in just over a month after the restriction on the sale of the star Helmet-VR was lifted. That, coupled with the 30 million units in the Asian region, meant that the company had gained a net profit of 250 billion units in just three months.

Of course, the profit that the outside world claimed to be making was about $80 billion, but that alone was enough to shock the entire world.

Stellar Technology had been founded by the human cryogenic center and was able to accumulate hundreds of billions of US dollars in just a month after being set up by the human cryogenic center. It was then able to accumulate wealth to a staggering 400 billion US dollars. The rate at which Stellar Technology rose like a comet shocked the entire world. There were only a handful of giants like Apple and Google that were able to suppress Stellar Technology.

Then, Stellar Technology used underhanded means to acquire a stake in one of the top pharmaceutical giants in the world. That piece of news had always been criticized by many, but Stellar Technology continued to do whatever it wanted. As a result, Stellar Technology was able to earn yet another huge sum of US dollars due to that piece of shares. Thereafter, news of T-1 and drugs that could treat AIDS and rabies were released, which further boosted its reputation.

Then, Wall Street conducted research on Stellar Technology and came up with a shocking speculation: it was highly possible that the total assets of Stellar Technology had exceeded 500 billion US dollars. If Stellar Technology were to be listed, its market value would rise to over 700 billion that very day, defeating Apple in one fell swoop and becoming the world's largest super company.

There was a flurry of discussion at the time, speculating about the possibility of Star Technology being listed in the future.

However, Stellar Technology remained unmoved and didn't even bother responding.

The US economy suffered heavy losses when the US was attacked by nuclear bombs. Even the stock prices of tech giants like Apple Google plummeted, forcing the US to shut down the entire stock market. It was only then that Stellar Technology took the top spot in the world without a fight.

In reality, if it hadn't been for the fact that the 13 nuclear bombs were looting the US soil, causing the US economy and finance to suffer a significant decline, the sales of the Stellar Helmet-VR would probably have been raised by 20 to 30 million more. However, that would have been pointless. Zhang Heng had achieved his goal, and those green notes would have ended up in his pocket sooner or later.

311. Visiting

It seemed that the fall of Stellar Technology had made the Huaxia government rather anxious. The news that Stellar Technology was about to work with more than a dozen countries like the United States had just gotten out, and five new types of antibiotics were approved by Huaxia's CFDA. The five types of antibiotics, like the T-1, were the kind that would sell both production and marketing rights. Only Huaxia had the right to monopolize them, and Huaxia would be able to get a piece of the pie even if they were to dump all of them overseas.

While Zhang Heng felt that he had taken good care of the Huaxia government, there were always people who were unsatisfied with what they saw. When Zhang Heng stepped out of the country and began to march into the international scene, the entire country was filled with intermittent insults and rumors, claiming that Stellar Technology was a traitor who was about to abandon Huaxia.

In actual fact, all those insults began to surface when Stellar Technology donated one billion US dollars to the US. The reason was that, as a Huaxian enterprise, there were still so many children in Huaxia who couldn't afford to go to school and eat, so why would they still donate to the US and so on?

But of course, Zhang Heng completely ignored all of that. The only reason why they were cursing at Stellar Technology was because they had no vision for long-term development. If they really had the foresight of a player, they wouldn't just be able to scold people online.

At that moment, after the five new types of antibiotics were approved by the Huaxia Pharmaceutical Regulatory Administration, the government began to send people to negotiate with Stellar Technology, hoping to meet with Zhang Heng. However, after hearing what Li Yiru said, Zhang Heng rejected the offer without hesitation.

It was obvious that the Huaxian government was simply afraid that Stellar Technology would lose its business partner after entering the international scene. The purpose of the meeting was probably to instill some kind of national justice, party lessons, Marxist ideology, and so on into Zhang Heng's brain. Zhang Heng had heard all that while he was still in school, and he had no time to waste arguing with the officials.

Despite Zhang Heng's direct refusal to meet with them, they still made it to the reception room of the Stellar Biotech building as planned. Li Yiru wore a bitter grin as she looked at the dozen or so officials seated in the reception room. The lowest of all of them were leaders from the upper echelons of Haizhou, and there were even some high-ranking officials from the Central Special Forces. All of them would have been able to shake the entire place with just a stomp of their feet, yet Zhang Heng was nowhere to be seen.

"Well, Ru, while it's a little rushed, we'd still like you to rush your boss. We're all here with sincerity and we'd really like to meet him," the elder in the lead said earnestly.

"No problem, Secretary Wang. I'll rush him again." Li Yiru nodded and swallowed hard. The man before her was a very important figure, the head of the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Health Ministry. He was one of the top leaders in the central government, and Li Yiru didn't want Stellar Technology to offend him.

However, the thought of Zhang Heng's irritated tone made Li Yiru's heart ache. She flashed an apologetic smile at the crowd and walked out of the reception room right away before gritting her teeth and calling Zhang Heng.

"Didn't I say that I'm not seeing anyone?" Zhang Heng's impatient tone was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Boss Zhang!" Li Yiru gritted her teeth and continued, "If you don't come, I really won't be able to explain myself to them. All of them are the people in charge of the lifeline of our company. There are people from the Trade and Commerce Bureau, the Food and Drug Administration, the Health Bureau, and even some big shots from the central government. Do you know how easily they could make our company suffer?"

"Would they dare?" However, Zhang Heng simply chuckled coldly and continued, "You know better than I do just how much profit those projects with Stellar Technology and the government could generate. If those people were to try anything funny, they'd be the first to get themselves into trouble. And don't forget, we're now a multinational company. If they don't want to kick us out completely, they wouldn't have done so."

"I know what you mean." Li Yiru nodded and put on a helpless look. "But the government officials came all the way here just to see you. Shouldn't you at least give them some face?"

"Why didn't they give me any face when Xu Haoyu tried to kill me back then?" Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "Forget it. If that's the case, just tell him, 'As long as Huaxia doesn't stand against Stellar Technology, then Stellar Technology won't shift the focus of development.' That's all he wants."

Li Yiru wanted to say something else, but the line was dead silent.

Li Yiru sighed to herself and forced a smile as she walked into the reception room.

"What do you think? Did you say he was coming?" That elder asked kindly as soon as he walked in.

"Our boss is really busy and can't make it…" Li Yiru shook her head and said helplessly, "He's out on a business trip."

"Hmph! Why do you have to go on a business trip at a time like this?" A middle-aged man with a stern look behind the old man snorted and continued, "Didn't we inform you before we came?"

Li Yiru frowned right away. It was just as Zhang Heng said, Stellar Technology was no longer something that those officials could mess with. Just because she was the general manager of the Huaxia area of Stellar Technology didn't mean that she had to listen to every single one of those officials. When she heard what the middle-aged man said, she said coldly, "Chief Zhang, our company is currently the largest company in the world and we're very busy with our businesses. Our boss would often work late into the night just to make things more difficult for the government. If doing so could make you unhappy, we could just reduce the scale of our businesses. That way, we might be able to spare some time to meet with you."

"You…" The middle-aged man who was referred to as Chief Zhang flew into a rage right there and then. The so-called reducing the size of his business meant that he wanted to reduce his cooperation with the government. That was a blatant threat. Seeing that the other party dared to threaten him, Chief Zhang slammed his hand on the table instinctively, wanting to show his authority as the chief of police.

"Little Zhang!" However, the elder in the lead turned around and glared at the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man's head immediately shrunk and he became like a withered cucumber, not daring to say another word.

"Sigh…" The elder sighed and stood up. He then turned to Li Yiru and said in a friendly manner, "Well, if you're unable to leave due to something, we won't force you any further. However, I'd still like to meet with you, Boss Zhang. He's the one who has boosted the economy of the country, after all. I'd definitely like to meet someone who has rendered meritorious service to the country."

"Secretary Wang, my boss asked me to pass a message to you on the phone just now." Li Yiru walked up and whispered something into the elder's ear. The elder who was addressed as Secretary Wang's eyes lit up when he heard that and he laughed out loud with a flushed face. "Well said! As expected of you, Boss Zhang. With that, I'll be able to report back to you. Hahahaha!"

The old man waved and led everyone out of the reception room.

Li Yiru only came to her senses after everyone had left. She slowly began to realize what had happened and she couldn't help but feel proud of herself. Stellar Technology had developed to a point where even the government had to take it seriously. It felt like a dream to think about the past again. Who would have thought that the young teen from her class, who barely had any sense of presence back then, would have grown to such an extent?

Unknowingly, Li Yiru's mentality had completely changed as well. The image of Stellar Technology in her mind became increasingly profound.

312. Branch

Other than the elder in the lead, the rest of the officials looked rather glum.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been a piece of cake for the heads of the key departments like them to meet the boss of a company. All they needed to do was to say a word or even just give the boss an attitude, and the boss would come running to them in fear and trepidation, smiling ingratiatingly before them. Even a big shot in the business world like Li Jianguo wouldn't dare to look down on him.

All in all, they were the heavens of the businessmen. When had they ever suffered such injustice?

"He's really lawless and doesn't know any manners at all!" A man with a head full of white hair snorted and said, "Secretary Wang, tell me, he's just running a company. What's there to be so arrogant about? He didn't even want to see you around. I think we should teach him a lesson!"

"That's right. We have to get rid of such a black sheep. He doesn't even care about the government. He's really out of his mind!" A cold glint flashed across the eyes of another man with a huge belly.

"Forget it." However, the elder in the lead shook his head and his expression turned cold. "I say, it's time for you all to take back your bureaucratic ways."

"Well…" The crowd was rendered speechless by their indignation. Chief Wang couldn't help but say, "Secretary Wang, we're not trying to do anything. It's just that the other party didn't even give us a chance to meet him. Isn't that a little too much? If everyone were like him, how would we be able to manage them?"

"Is that too much?" The old man shook his head and said proudly, "If you could bring hundreds of billions of yuan to the country, you could do the same."

Everyone looked at each other and fell silent immediately. However, their eyes were still filled with a look of disapproval.

"That man… talked to me for quite a while before I came here." The old man paid no heed to the attitude of the crowd and continued, "The United States was attacked by nuclear weapons, which triggered a global financial storm that was 10 times what it was in 2008. The global economy suffered a massive recession, and only Huaxia benefited greatly. Do you know why?"

Everyone remained silent.

"We can't just attack Stellar Technology." The old man sighed and continued, "Not only that, but we also have to prevent him from shifting the focus of his development overseas. If Stellar Technology were to get away because of your meddling, I'd say that no one would be able to protect you, no matter what backing you have."

Everyone was stunned. Chief Wang seemed unconvinced and couldn't help but open his mouth, but he didn't say anything in the end. It was obvious that Star Technology's actions had given them a huge slap across the face, yet they didn't even have a chance to react.

The old man couldn't help but shake his head when he saw the indignant looks on everyone's faces. Those people had been spoiled for far too long. While he didn't want to be too harsh with his words and offend them, he had no choice but to do so.

After all, Stellar Technology was of paramount importance to the country. More importantly, the company seemed to be on the verge of breaking free from the control of the country. It was laughable that those people thought that Stellar Technology was just like any other ordinary company, that they could do whatever they wanted with it. If those people were to push Stellar Technology to a corner and shift the focus of their development from Huaxia to foreign countries, the losses that the country would suffer would be immeasurable.

As such, he had to make things clear beforehand and warn those people. It was one thing for them to screw up, but if he were to force Stellar Technology out of the country, then everything would be over.

…

While the leaders of Haizhou were making a wasted trip, Zhang Heng had long left Huaxia via the molecular transmitter on the other side. That was the real reason why he didn't want to see those people. If he were still in Haizhou, it wouldn't have mattered if he were to meet them.

He had long arrived in Miami, the United States, and was sitting in a huge mansion in Joshua. He was sitting with his legs crossed and drinking a limited edition of wine, looking very relaxed.

"Zhang, what brings you here?" Joshua sat on the couch across from him in a gentlemanly manner, raising his glass and smiling at him.

"As you know, the foundation is planning to set up a subsidiary company here." Zhang Heng returned the gesture and continued, "That subsidiary company will become the headquarters of Stellar Technology in the United States. As such, the agent is very important, and I'll need to take care of it personally."

"I see." Joshua seemed to be deep in thought. "I was wondering if I could be of any help to you at first, but it seems like you don't need my help after all." He knew himself well enough to know that it wasn't something that outsiders could interfere with when Zhang Heng chose to be his representative.

"Thank you for your kind offer." Zhang Heng nodded and joked, "You've done me a favor by letting me stay in such a luxurious villa."

"Hahaha, my dear Zhang, as long as you want to stay here, I'm fine with staying here for the rest of your life." Joshua laughed.

Generally speaking, the people in charge of the branch office were locals. That was to say that if Zhang Heng were to set up the branch office in the United States, he would need to hire an American to be the person in charge. As for the purpose of doing so, it was because he was more familiar with the local environment, which meant that he would be able to see the company's strategic and forward thinking better than others.

Zhang Heng had a very good candidate in mind before that. His name was Lancelot Clayton, and he was the general manager of a renowned pharmaceutical company. He had once created a legend of earning three billion yuan a year with a capital of 50 million yuan, which made him quite well-known in the financial world of the United States. However, due to the failure of the drug he developed and the mistakes made by the shareholders of the company, as well as the financial impact caused by the 69th incident, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. That man resigned from his position as general manager a few days ago and returned to Miami feeling dejected.

At that moment, Lancelot Clayton was lying in a dark bedroom with a glum look on his face. He looked at the bright sunlight outside the window with a disheartened look on his face. The light shone through the blinds and onto the floor, which had been in disrepair for years. Countless dust particles drifted about, making it look like his life.

Clayton was only 35 years old this year and had a long way to go in his life. However, the setback in his career caused him to lose tens of millions of dollars and he ended up in a huge debt. His ex-wife, who had gotten married, chose to get a divorce instead. Not only did he lose custody of his son after the lawsuit, but he also left the family with nothing. He had gone from a successful career man to a penniless pauper.

If that was all there was to it, it wouldn't have made Clayton feel disheartened, as he was still young and able to work hard. With his resume, he would be able to earn hundreds of thousands of yuan a year no matter where he went. However, what truly crushed his will to fight was a notice that said he had advanced liver cancer.

Clayton's world seemed to have lost all color when he received that notice. He was like a walking dead, ready to welcome the arrival of death at any moment.

"Ring, ring, ring!"

A dead ringtone was heard from his phone and he looked at the phone at the side of his bed with a dazed expression. A number that he didn't recognize appeared before his eyes—that was the third anonymous phone card that he had replaced. Other than the owner of the house, no one else knew about the existence of that number.

The number shown on the caller ID didn't belong to the owner of the apartment. In actual fact, he had only moved here for three days and had paid rent for three months. No matter what, the owner of the apartment shouldn't have called at such a time. The owner of the number could have been some salesperson or some big shot, but was there any difference to Clayton who the caller was?

He slowly reached out and pressed the end button on his phone, and everything returned to normal.

313. Invitation

Clayton turned to look out of the window after hanging up the phone. He was ready to die quietly. Perhaps, at the moment, peace was the only way he could offer his condolences.

However, he was still feeling rather restless deep down, unwilling to completely calm down. He was still feeling rather indignant after all… He could have gone to Huaxia instead, as there was a drug known as the T-1 for treating cancer that had long been developed there. As the general manager of a pharmaceutical company, he knew all of that very well.

It was just that, after his ex-wife took everything away from him, he had lost all guarantee that he would be able to survive. The only thing he could do at the moment was to die peacefully and without being disturbed.

"Ring…"

The monotonous ringing of the phone was heard again. It was obvious that the b * stard on the other end of the line hadn't given up just because he hung up on her. When did those damned salespeople become so patient?

Clayton shook his head in exasperation and hung up the phone again. He looked at the screen of his phone quietly and waited for the third ring.

As expected, his phone rang again a few seconds after he hung up the phone. This time, Clayton simply turned off the phone. Regardless of who the other party was or what their motives were, the phone would disappear completely after turning off the phone.

Clayton finally nodded satisfactorily when he saw the shutdown symbol on his phone.

He was finally able to have some peace and quiet.

However, he heard footsteps approaching from afar right outside his door at that moment. Despite the fact that cheap rents like that didn't have a very good quality of accommodation to begin with, the noise still made him feel rather frustrated.

Knock, knock, knock.

Knocking sounds were heard from outside the simple wooden door. The knocking sounded hesitant, but Clayton couldn't help but narrow his eyes when he heard that sound.

How was that possible? How could a debt collector find his way here so easily? Could it be that Shaun had betrayed him? Impossible, I didn't tell him my address…

Knock, knock, knock…

The knocking continued. Clayton hesitated for a bit before mustering his courage and stood up. He walked to the door and asked tentatively, "Who's outside?"

"Hello, are you Mr. Lancelot Clayton?" A weak voice was heard from outside the door.

Despite his harmless voice, Clayton's heart sank when he heard the man call out his name. He sighed to himself. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to escape the blame of his debt before he died.

He had no choice but to open the door. However, all he saw was a little boy with a blond hairdo that reached his waist.

The little boy was looking up at her with innocent eyes.

"Who are you?" Clayton asked warily.

"I'm John Connor. I just received a call from my phone asking to see you. Sir, the phone said that you'd give me 50 cents as long as I hand the phone over to you, who lives next door." The little boy scratched his head sheepishly.

Clayton was stunned and his expression became rather gloomy. He hesitated for a bit before taking the phone from the boy and asked, "Hello, this is Clayton. May I know who you are…"

"Mr. Clayton, you've finally picked up the phone." A rather hoarse and cold voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "Hello, allow me to introduce myself. I'm from a foreign company and I'm planning to set up a branch company in the United States. I heard that you're very capable and that you've just lost your job. As such, I'd like to hire you to be the general manager of this company. Would you be willing to meet me?"

"Hire me?" Clayton's eyes lit up for a bit before they dimmed again. "I'm sorry, but while I appreciate your company's trust in me, I don't think I'm up to the task due to certain reasons."

"Hold on, sir. There's no need for you to reject us right away." That hoarse voice had a certain magnetism to it, as if it had some kind of magic to it. Clayton couldn't help but act according to what that voice said. "I know what you're worried about. If you'd be willing to take up a position in our company, we could immediately pay you a million US dollars as a retainer. We also have a T-1 that would be able to save you from your current predicament, as well as a liver transplant that has been arranged. What do you think about that offer?"

Clayton was stunned and gasped in the very next second, his eyes filled with shock.

He actually knew that he had liver cancer?

It was undeniable that Clayton's heart began to race after hearing those terms. Who would be willing to wait for death if they were able to live on? However, there was an ancient saying in Huaxia that said that there would never be a lunch falling from the sky. If someone were to go to such great lengths to find his phone number, find his medical records, and even find his neighbor, that was more than enough to prove that the other party was up to something. If he were to guess correctly, the other party might have known where he was all along. Even if he were to reject the offer, the other party would probably resort to force to kidnap him.

"How about it? You have three minutes to think about it. Someone will come to the bottom of the building to pick you up in three minutes. All you need to do is to get in the car with him and we'll meet up again to talk," the voice on the other end said before hanging up completely.

Clayton had no time to say anything. He sighed to himself as he listened to the busy tone from the other end of the phone. He bent down and handed the phone back to the little boy before digging in his pocket. Under the little boy's eager gaze, he took out the few dollars he had left and stuffed it all into the little boy's hand.

"May God bless you, sir!" The little boy shouted excitedly and ran down the stairs with the money in his hand. Two men in black and wearing sunglasses slowly appeared on the stairs at the same time.

"Are you here to pick me up?" Clayton smiled and gestured politely before returning to his room. He initially wanted to unpack his luggage, but it was only when he was done that he realized that he really had nothing to unpack.

He couldn't help but smile bitterly and simply followed the two men in black down the stairs without taking anything. A black limousine was parked quietly on the street, attracting the attention of countless passers-by.

Clayton's eyes lit up. As a successful man, he had done quite a bit of research on luxury cars, yet he was unable to tell the model of the car before him at all. That meant that the extended Lincoln was most likely a car custom-made for customers by manufacturers, and if the manufacturer was able to customize the car for customers, the price would be at least tens of millions of US dollars.

One of the two men in black picked up his pace and opened the door of the car as soon as he got to it. Clayton nodded and got into the car with a sigh. The interior of the car looked even more luxurious—black leather sofas, a wooden central control table, a counter filled with fine wines, a fridge, and all manner of handmade wooden equipment. All of that accentuated the luxurious yet low-key look.

It was his first time riding in such a luxurious car, and he was even more impressed. He figured that he wouldn't be able to earn enough money to buy such a car even if he were to spend 10 years on it.

314. Shocked

A kind-looking old man with a head full of white hair was seen sitting in the corner of the leather couch when Clayton got into the car. He nodded politely when he saw Clayton and gestured for him to take a seat. He then took out a bottle of champagne from the counter and opened it with a bottle opener, looking very familiar.

Clayton wore a rather reserved smile on his face and the door behind him closed with a bang. He looked out of the window subconsciously and saw that the two men didn't get into the car. Instead, they got into a regular car at the back and the two cars drove slowly in the direction of the outskirts.

Clayton turned his attention back to the only old man standing before him. He could sense a steady presence from the old man, making him look like some ancient noble family that had been around for hundreds of years. Furthermore, the old man's movements were extremely slow and steady when he was pouring the wine. There was no sign that the old man had spilled the wine due to his age and the bumpy ride of the car.

Furthermore, after the champagne was poured out, an indescribable, mellow scent hit him. Clayton couldn't help but whistle. "Is that the Kukromani diamond champagne?"

"How did you guess that?" The old man was rather surprised to hear that. He politely extended his hand and handed a glass of champagne to Clayton.

Clayton gulped and took the glass of wine as if he had just found a treasure. He took a whiff of the wine and immediately looked intoxicated. "The style of the Cookie Brewery has always been inclined to have a strong texture. The champagne has the power and density of chardonnay. I can smell the fragrance of pears, honeyed peaches, and spiced apples, as well as the unique smell of soil…"

Clayton took a sip and continued in a low voice, "The hard, crispy texture of the champagne is the ultimate product of the famous Kukromani diamond champagne. The champagne has the trademark hardiness of the Kukulkan winery, as well as a precision that is rarely seen in any white wine. Legend has it that the champagne would 'wake up' after being put in the glass for 15 minutes, presenting a rich, golden chardonnay."

The old man couldn't help but exclaim, "Mr. Clayton, you're the best wine savior I've ever seen."

"Please excuse me." Clayton shook his head with a bitter smile. "You know my name, but I don't know yours. Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

"My name isn't important." However, the old man shook his head with a smile. "I'm just a loyal servant. The one who invited you is my boss."

Clayton was stunned. He opened his mouth and said with a bitter smile, "Sorry, I thought you…"

"It's alright, Mr. Clayton." The old man smiled and continued, "You don't have to explain anything to me. I actually have no idea why the boss invited you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the boss yourself."

"Well then, may I know who your boss is…" Clayton asked tentatively.

"You'll know when you get there." The old man smiled faintly and kept her in suspense.

Clayton nodded thoughtfully and stopped asking questions. He looked at the scenery outside the window as he savored the excellent champagne.

The pitch-black Lincoln soon drove into the Biscayne Bay, a vacation paradise in Miami. It showed no signs of stopping and headed straight for the Williams family's territory.

Wait…

Clayton was completely stunned. It wasn't that he hadn't considered the possibility that the man who invited him would be a tycoon in the business world, but from the looks of things, the outcome seemed to have far exceeded his expectations. The man who invited him turned out to be someone who rose rapidly after the 69th incident, someone who had surpassed the Williams Financial Group, one of the top 10 financial groups in the US.

If the Morgan Financial Group was said to have been the most powerful organization in the US in the past, then the Williams Financial Group at present was something that could cover the entire US with just half a hand.

He didn't expect that the one who invited him would be the Williams Financial Group, which was currently doing very well in the US.

Clayton's heart, which had been on the verge of death, began to tremble all over again. He suddenly felt that his future wasn't a bleak one. He could have spring and light again.

The car had driven into the tall, iron-barred gate while Clayton was in a state of indescribable excitement. He was even able to see the warning sign that said, "Private property, no entry allowed" at the gate. It was only when the car drove into the gate that Clayton squeezed his hands hard—there was no mistaking it, it was the Williams Financial Group who invited him. His chance had come.

A look of excitement was seen on Clayton's face as he followed the rubber path and looked ahead. He saw a palace-like villa standing between a golden beach and a green garden. He could even see a golf course and a bowling alley in the southeast of the villa.

It was a manor-like villa that took up nearly one-tenth of the entire area of Biscayne Bay. It was obvious that this was a staggering amount of wealth, which was more than enough to show just how prestigious the aristocrat was in America.

The old man at the side watched Clayton's performance and nodded slightly, wearing a relieved smile.

The car stopped right in front of the door of the villa and under the guidance of the elderly butler, Clayton made several turns. Just when he was about to pass out, the old man finally invited him into a study.

"Mr. Joshua, Mr. Zhang Heng, I've brought them here." The butler bowed slightly to the two people sitting on the couch as soon as he walked in, before making his way out of the door and leaving the room for the three of them to talk.

"Thank you." Joshua nodded and extended his hand. "Lancelot Clayton, right? Welcome."

"You're… Mr. Williams!" Clayton wore a shocked expression on his face again and he was so shocked that he almost shouted. He initially thought that it would be a miracle if the person who invited him was a member of the Williams family, but it felt like the heavens had just made a huge joke out of him. Could it be that the person who invited him was the actual boss of the Williams Financial Group, Joshua Williams?

As a family-owned financial group with assets of over 100 billion yuan, Williams was like a king in the business world. Regular people might not know much about such a family, but as a true elite in the business world, the name Williams was well known. He was someone who dared to go against the Morgan Financial Group, and it was said that he made a killing after the 69th incident, causing his assets to soar several times over. He had completely trampled over the Morgan Financial Group, which was once one of the top 10 financial groups.

The Williams Financial Group had become the most prestigious organization in the United States and was truly the uncrowned king of the country. That was the difference between a prince and a king inviting him. While it was rare for a prince to invite him, it was nowhere near as precious as the king inviting him himself.

Joshua couldn't help but take a look at Zhang Heng, who was drinking with his head lowered, when he saw how excited Clayton looked as if he had just seen his idol. Zhang Heng was still as nonchalant as ever, as if nothing could move him.

315. Excitement

"Please take a seat, Mr. Clayton." Joshua wouldn't say anything if Zhang Heng didn't say anything. He simply asked the man to sit beside him before looking at Zhang Heng. "Zhang, the man you're looking for is here. Shouldn't you say something?"

Zhang Heng looked up and took a look at Clayton, only to see that he was wearing a rather wrinkled suit and had a sickly look on his face. It was obvious that his illness and poverty had worn away the airs of a business elite. However, his eyes were extremely bright, and he had a confident air about him that only successful people would have.

"Mr. Williams?" Clayton was stunned when he heard what Joshua said. He took a suspicious look at Zhang Heng and felt rather uncertain. Could it be that the one who invited him wasn't the head of the Williams family, but this young man with an Asian face?

"That's right. I'm not the one who invited you. I'm just an errand boy. The one who actually invited you is none other than the one before you." Joshua flashed a cunning grin.

It was only then that Clayton was stunned. He took a closer look at Zhang Heng and saw that the young man from the East looked very young, definitely not over 30 years of age. However, his appearance looked very average, at least to the westerners, as the people from the East all looked the same. However, there was an indescribable steadiness in his eyes. If one were to just look at his eyes, one would have thought that he was an old man in his fifties or sixties. That was a man who exuded a mysterious aura from head to toe.

"Mr. Clayton, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zhang Heng." Zhang Heng nodded and continued steadily, "I was the one who invited you before."

Clayton took a deep breath after hearing Zhang Heng's voice and confirmed that he was right. There was a tinge of hoarseness and steadiness in the man's voice, and it was none other than the voice he heard on the phone. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng sitting right before him, he wouldn't have believed that such a voice would come from a young man.

"Mr. Zhang Heng." However, as someone who had been through a lot in the business world, Clayton didn't let his surprise show on his face. He simply extended his hand politely and shook hands with Zhang Heng. "You've explained your intentions over the phone, but I'd still like to confirm if you could really provide me with a T-1 and find me a suitable liver."

"That's right." Zhang Heng continued in a tone that brooked no argument, "Everything I said over the phone is true. Your Excellency Joshua is a witness."

"That's good to hear." Clayton's eyes lit up and he chuckled bitterly to himself. Truth be told, it would have been a lie to say that he wasn't disappointed if he were to see the young Asian man standing before him instead of the Williams Family, which was the most powerful family in the United States. However, he wasn't about to let that disappointment show. As long as he was able to survive, it wouldn't matter if his job was lousy.

Furthermore, the fact that the mysterious young Asian man before him was able to stand on equal footing with the head of the Williams Financial Group meant that the young man before him was definitely no weakling.

His disappointment was somewhat alleviated at that thought.

"Well then, get ready to return to Huaxia with me." Zhang Heng stood up and greeted Joshua. "Thank you for your trouble, Your Excellency Joshua."

"You're not going to sit around for a bit longer?" Joshua stood up as well. The young man before him was so direct that he seemed to have caught him off guard every single time.

"No, thanks. The faster you treat Clayton's liver cancer, the better. I'm getting ready to take the flight tonight, but I'd still need you to get him a plane ticket and a visa." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "But he'll be back soon after he recovers. I'll need you to look after the branch company then."

"Of course." Joshua nodded and walked Zhang Heng to the door before heading back.

"Is there anything else you need to prepare?" Zhang Heng asked Clayton all of a sudden after he got back into the extended Lincoln that Joshua had specially prepared for him.

Clayton had been following Zhang Heng closely ever since he got up. He was a smart man, and while Zhang Heng had yet to formally introduce him to anyone, he didn't bother asking any questions. He just followed Zhang Heng around without making a sound. It was only when he knew what his new boss liked that he decided to ask less and do more.

"No, nothing." Clayton shook his head right there and then. He suddenly felt nervous when he was in front of Zhang Heng, just like how he felt when he was dealing with his stern teacher when he was young. While Zhang Heng never showed any signs of sternness or ordered him to do anything, that feeling remained with him.

He could tell that it wasn't because the other party was his boss. He had been running amok in the business world for so many years that he had met at least eight or ten bosses. However, he had never felt so nervous when he was dealing with some bosses who had very strict personalities.

"Forget it then." Zhang Heng nodded. They were still far from the airport in Miami at the moment, so he simply closed his eyes and rested.

"By the way, boss, if I were to work for you, would you like me to sign a contract with you?" Seemingly wanting to break the silence, Clayton asked all of a sudden along the way. He had no choice but to clarify everything as it concerned his life and death.

"My company doesn't need all that stuff." Zhang Heng wore a smirk on his face and the other man finally couldn't take it anymore. He slowly opened his eyes and said in a low voice, "Of course, you can sign the contract if you want to, but that just means that you'll always be a peripheral member of the company, and the person I'd like to hire is the general manager of Star Technology's US District."

Clayton was stunned. What kind of hire would that be if he didn't sign the contract? However, he immediately detected a name that made his soul shudder. "Heng… Stellar Technology?"

Clayton shuddered all over and gasped. He looked at Zhang Heng in disbelief and asked, "Oh my God, what did you just say? You're talking about Stellar Technology? The world's largest biopharmaceutical company in Huaxia?"

"Yes, I'm the legal representative of Stellar Technology and the only shareholder at the same time." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Don't be surprised, Mr. Clayton. I'd like to formally announce that you've been hired by Stellar Technology to be the general manager of the US District. Your annual salary is one million US dollars. That's only your first year's salary. If you do well, your salary will increase next year."

Clayton felt as if all the flames in his body were about to burst out at that very moment. His heart, which had been silent for quite some time, began to race again. He found it hard to believe that he would actually be hired as the general manager of the American area of Stellar Technology out of the blue. However, now that he thought about it, it was no wonder that the young man before him was so polite even to the head of the Williams Financial Group. It was no wonder that the young man had promised to get him a copy of the T-1 so easily. Other than the inventor of the T-1, Stellar Technology Company, who else would have the guts to do so?

At that thought, Clayton felt as if a huge pie had been thrown into his lap. He felt as if he could see a beautiful future waving at him, and everything seemed to have taken a turn for the better. Not only would his future be more exciting than it had been in the past, but he would also be able to trample all over his former competitors.

All of that would become extremely simple, and the reason for that would be none other than the company behind him, Star Technology.

316. Research On Viruses

The DX-11118 Virus had entered the human experiment stage two days after Zhang Heng left Huaxia for the US.

Thompson was looking at a specimen container standing on the ground with a fascinated look on his face. The container, which was about the thickness of a man, had a faint yellow Formalin solution in it. There was a monster specimen with a rather thick front and short hind legs in the container.

It was only when one got closer that one would realize that the well-preserved specimen was actually a very ferocious-looking chimpanzee.

However, it was definitely not an ordinary chimpanzee. Its body had grown from about 50 kilograms to 100 kilograms, and its muscles were so well-developed that it looked like it was about to burst out of its skin. The fangs on its mouth were bared in a ferocious manner, and even if it was dead, people would still be able to feel the faint pressure exuded by the beast.

Even tigers and lions were no different from kittens and puppies before it.

A label with the stellar technology logo was pasted on the outside of the can: Experimental No. 034. Type: Chimpanzee. Infection Characteristics: Attack, IQ enhanced, learning ability enhanced, regeneration enhanced, and power enhanced.

Among all primates, chimpanzees were the least different from humans. Scientists had conducted experiments on them before, putting the genes of humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, gorillas, and long-armed apes together. Among the genetic similarities among those creatures, chimpanzees had the closest relationship with humans, which even exceeded that of chimpanzees.

That affinity was closer than anyone had thought before. Humans and chimpanzees shared 98.4 percent similarities among the non-essential genetic sites, while humans and chimpanzees shared 99.4 percent similarities among those important genetic sites.

The behavioral traits of chimpanzees were very similar to that of humans. They were able to create tools, have the ability to deduce, have self-awareness, and were able to realize the existence of other consciousnesses. After training, they were able to recognize numbers ranging from 0 to 9, and were able to line up the chimpanzees from childhood to adulthood. They were also able to use hundreds of symbols, understand thousands of English words, and feel sorrow for the deaths of their loved ones.

It could be said that trained chimpanzees were able to possess the intelligence and thought processes of children four to five years old, making them almost identical to humans.

As such, chimpanzees were the best alternative to human experimentation among all living beings on Earth.

The research team consisting of Thompson and the others had previously used chimpanzees as the 34th experiment subject, injecting the highly concentrated DX-118 Virus into the chimpanzee. The results were also very pleasing. The chimpanzees that were infected by the highly concentrated viruses had practically mutated into a new type of creature. Just like the prototype Alex, the chimpanzee possessed an unbelievable amount of flesh power, and it displayed a learning ability that was on par with that of humans.

Simply put, its intelligence and combat prowess had both been greatly enhanced.

Everyone destroyed the experimental body as soon as they were able to gather enough data. They found that the genetic sequence in the chimpanzees' bodies had completely changed after their anatomical analysis. In other words, the DX-1118 Virus had taken over the chimpanzee's body like a dove taking over a magpie's nest. The monster before them was no longer an ordinary species from Earth, but a new type of lifeform made up of viruses.

"This is a gift from God." Vonman walked up to Thompson and looked at the container before him with a sigh. "This virus is even more powerful than the T-Virus from before. If it could be used by humans, every single human could become superhumans."

"But if you were to really do that, you wouldn't be you anymore." Kong Zhongcai walked up to her and chuckled coldly. "If you were to only infect a small number of viruses, you wouldn't be able to provide the infected with enough energy. That would only lead to the genetic sequence of the infected to collapse due to a lack of energy. That would destroy the minds of the infected, turning them into zombies who only know how to absorb energy and bite every living thing they see."

"However, injecting a sufficient concentration of viruses into the infected person would accelerate the mutation of the infected person's genes. Even the most complex of brain organs would be reorganized by the viruses and a new personality would be born. However, that new personality would no longer be you."

"We can find a way to avoid the restructuring of the brain caused by the virus," Feng Lun said immediately. "As long as we find a way to alter the brain without affecting the human mind and consciousness, you won't have to worry anymore."

"With the attack properties of the DX-118 virus, you want it to stop attacking brain cells? Don't even think about it, unless you create your own virus," Kong Zhongcai said sarcastically.

"Hold it right there, guys." Thompson rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. While he didn't quite understand what the two of them were arguing about in Chinese, he could tell from their tone that they were having some kind of disagreement again. He had no choice but to reach out and persuade them, "Guys, the No. 35 Experimental is about to arrive. This is an official human experiment. If you have any questions, can we talk after the experiment is done?"

"Alright." The two of them nodded and glared at each other before turning around with cold snorts.

Thompson was relieved to see that the two of them didn't continue arguing in his ear. He contacted the outside world with the watch on his wrist and a Caucasian man who was tied to a portable stretcher was pushed into the laboratory.

That man was as strong and muscular as a black bear. Despite having his hair completely shaven, one could still see the color of his golden fur. However, it seemed like he had been locked up for a very long time and his face looked very frail.

An assistant handed a copy of the data to Thompson, who flipped through it for a bit before walking up to the yelling man and saying casually, "Sergeant Bernie Clyde?"

"What are you going to do to me? I want to be given preferential treatment as a human and a captive! My country will redeem me!" The man named Bernie seemed to have realized what was happening to him and shouted anxiously.

Thompson paid no attention to the man and simply read the data in his hand. "Sergeant Bernie Clyde, born in Washington, US, in 1978, enlisted in the US Marine Corps in '95, participated in the Kosovo War in' 99, killed eight enemies, and then joined the Navy SEALs due to his exceptional performance. He was selected in '02 as a member of the SOG's secret forces under the CIA and was captured on June 7, 18."

"Damn it, stop chanting. I've been locked up for two whole months. Damn it, two months!" Bernie continued to struggle, but his arms and legs were all stuck in the iron hoops. There was no way he could break free from the steel hoops without several tons of pulling force.

Thompson then looked at Bernie for a bit and finally nodded, before turning to look at Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai. "The target's mental state is rather unstable, but the data of his body suggests that he's very healthy. I believe that the experimental body could be used for the 35th experiment. What do you guys think?"

"Agreed." Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai nodded.

Thompson then turned around and said to his two assistants who were pushing the stretcher, "Take him into the quarantine room and get ready."

317. Corona's Warning

The two assistants pushed Bernie, who was still yelling, into the quarantine room and set up equipment to monitor his body.

"Multiparametric monitor connection is normal, infusion pump is normal, microtubule injection pump is normal, respirator is set up, blood filter is set up, nutrition pump is set up, defibrillator is set up, blood gas analyzer is set up, ultrasound by the bed, mobile X-ray equipment are all set up," the assistant reported as he carried out his tasks.

Thompson and Vonman turned their heads to look at the control panel's screen beside them and saw the data of the various bodies of the Experimentals displayed on it.

"Good, come on out." Thompson gave the order again after seeing that everything was fine. He then turned to his other assistant and said, "Wang Lei, prepare to record the entire experiment process."

"Camera's on. The experiment can begin anytime."

"Okay." Thompson put on a serious face and picked up the microphone, speaking into it, "DX-1118 Virus, the 35th experiment. The first human experiment is about to begin…"

"The bodily functions of the Experimentals are normal." Feng Lun nodded and continued, "Allowing for experimentation."

"Identity confirmed by the Experimentals. They are none other than the G0076 Experimentals." Kong Zhongcai added, "Testing is permitted."

"Very good. Now, prepare to inject the standard dosage—inject 1000 milligrams of DX-118 Virus five times…" He was about to press the button for injecting Lei on the control panel.

"Professor Thompson… please wait." However, just when he was about to press the button, Corona appeared on the holographic projection screen.

"Ms. Corona?" Thompson turned around and looked at her with a puzzled look.

"The experiment this time is different from the previous ones. I personally suggest that the experiment should be carried out when the commander returns to the hive," Corona said solemnly.

"Because it's dangerous?" Feng Lun frowned.

"Yes, I'm unable to confirm what would happen after injecting the DX-118 virus into a human's body." Corona looked worried. "If the Experimentals were to escape from the quarantine room, I'd immediately shut down the B7-1 laboratory and even the entire B7 floor. If the situation were to get serious, I'd even activate the destruction system of the hive."

"I understand." Thompson was silent for a bit before he continued, "The virus is like the devil, bringing with it endless dangers and temptations. It's just like what Boss Zhang said, the virus could even mass-produce God, but that's not why we're cowering."

"That's right." Kong Zhongcai nodded in agreement. "The three-meter-thick reinforced glass of the quarantine room could even withstand Hellfire Bombs. Not only that, but it also has tens of thousands of degrees of plasma flame protection and liquid nitrogen protection. If even that can't stop the Experimentals, there's probably nothing in this world that could."

"I'd also like to continue with the experiment." Vonman nodded and continued, "Your Excellency Corona, I hope that you can understand a scholar's desire for knowledge. The laboratory is the best place for us to go. If something were to happen to the experiment… just do as you say. It's our choice."

Corona fell silent and sighed after a long while. "Understood. I'll keep an eye on the entire experiment process. If anything were to happen, I'd like all of you to obey my orders and evacuate immediately. However, if you're unable to evacuate in time, I'll seal off the entire laboratory."

The three of them burst into laughter and all of them wore knowing smiles on their faces. A look of determination flashed in Thompson's eyes and he pressed the injection button.

Hiss…

A whole 1,000 milligrams of dark red DX-1118 Virus solution was injected into Bernie's body. The burly man shouted and struggled as if he didn't notice anything. Everyone couldn't help but turn their attention to the control panel and saw that the heartbeat, blood pressure, and brainwaves representing Bernie were still in their normal states on the screen.

"Relax, it'll take some time for the viral solution to work," Thompson comforted him. However, an alarm beeped on the control panel before he was done.

"The heartbeat of the experimental body is accelerating, and his blood is rising!" Vonlun threw himself before the screen and stared at the data that was fluctuating on the screen. The rest of the people kept their eyes on Bernie, who was still in the quarantine room. That muscular American man suddenly shuddered all over and stared at the ceiling with his eyes wide open. His eyeballs turned red due to the blood rush.

"The blood pressure of the Experimentals is rising at a very high rate. It has exceeded the critical threshold of danger!" Feng Lun continued.

"Professor Thompson, do you need a tranquilizer?" Kong Zhong asked.

"There's no need for that. We have plenty of experimental subjects. It wouldn't be a big deal even if the first experiment were to fail." A grave look appeared in Thompson's eyes. "Prepare for the second injection. We'll still take a high dose of 1,000 milligrams."

"Understood. Inject another 1000 milligrams of DX-118 Virus solution… injection successful."

"The heart, lungs, and organs of the experimental body are starting to fail. Blood pressure is dropping rapidly!"

"The brainwaves of the Experimentals are decreasing at an alarming rate. He's dying."

"Third injection…"

Everyone was busy working in the laboratory. The assistants kept recording all kinds of experimental data, while Thompson walked up to the observation window and observed the experimental subject up close with a serious look on his face.

The skin of the laboratory was beginning to show signs of festering at the moment. Large cracks were seen all over the body, and through the cracks, one could even see beams of red light flickering inside the skin, making it look extremely eerie.

"Prepare the nutritional supplements… the virus would need a lot of biological capacity to invade the experimental bodies."

"Nutrition drug injected!"

…

"Prepare for the fourth injection… The heartbeat and blood pressure of the experimental body have been reduced to zero. His brainwave activity is also basically zero. His pupils are dilating. He's dead."

…

"Last injection…"

The entire experiment process took less than five minutes. By the time it was over, the huge, golden-haired man, who looked very much alive and kicking just moments ago, was lying quietly on a portable stretcher. However, due to having been injected with too much viruses, his body had stopped festering. Not only that, the festering from before had disappeared instead, leaving only his ashen complexion and blue lips. Anyone would have thought that he was a corpse that had just died not long ago.

"Alright, the experiment is over. The rest is up to the Experimentals themselves." Thompson clapped his hands at the crowd, and the busy crowd was finally able to relax.

"Wang Lei, keep an eye on the screen. Let me know if you find anything out of the ordinary." Feng Lun stood up and said to his assistant.

Kong Zhongcai shook his head and said, "According to previous experiments, it would take two to three days for the virus to completely alter the host's genes. I don't think there would be any visible changes at the moment."

Everyone chatted as they sorted out the experimental materials and had a few assistants on duty while Thompson and the others went to take a break. The three of them had been busy for 24 hours, and that was only because the T-2.1 could enhance their physiques. Otherwise, a high-intensity experiment at their ages would have taken their lives.

Even the assistant on duty failed to notice that the line representing brainwave activity on the electroencephalogram screen, which had been turned into a straight line, trembled slightly after most people left.

318. Awakening

Several hours later…

Wang Lei yawned wearily.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes and quickly pulled himself together. He took another look at the data displayed on the screen. The two lines representing brainwaves and electrocardiograms remained in a straight line without any fluctuations. He then called out to his assistant, who was standing guard at the side, feeling rather bored, before making his way to the lounge next door and lying down on the couch.

"Phew…" Wang Lei couldn't help but sigh comfortably as soon as he laid down on the couch. Despite feeling rather uncomfortable wearing the heavy-duty chemical-proof suit, he was too exhausted to care about all of that. He simply closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Wang Lei, hey, wake up!" Someone seemed to shake his shoulder in the midst of his sleep. He mumbled subconsciously and was about to turn around and go back to sleep when he heard that voice saying, "Wang Lei, there's movement from the Experimentals!"

"What!?" Wang Lei jolted and sat up immediately. He saw Liu Shefei, who was on duty with him, standing right before him, looking very anxious.

"There's something going on with the Experimentals' brainwaves!" Liu Shefei said immediately. "Contact Professor Thompson and the others right away!"

"Alright! I'll go take a look first!" Wang Lei stood up and rushed out of the break room to look at the control panel. The image of his brainwave, which had been in a straight line just moments ago, was flashing non-stop at the moment. Not only that, but the waves from his brain were even more intense than that of regular people.

Wang Lei couldn't help but look at the bed in the quarantine room and saw that Bernie was still lying there quietly. Not only that, but his entire body was covered in a greenish-grey color and his chest was completely still. If it hadn't been for the electroencephalogram detection equipment, he wouldn't have been able to tell that the dead body before him was actually alive.

At that thought, Wang Lei seemed to have recalled something. He turned around and saw that the other party's electrocardiogram was still a straight line. He couldn't help but take a deep breath. The other party's heart wasn't beating?

A click was heard from the door of the laboratory while he was still in a daze. Wang Lei turned around immediately and saw Thompson, Fung Lun and the other two rushing over in their chemical suits. It was obvious that someone had informed them about the situation in the laboratory beforehand.

"What's the situation now?" Feng Lun asked as soon as he walked in.

"Beta found, frequency at 30 Hz, amplitude at 20 μV." Wang Lei turned to look at the screen and answered right away.

"This is very abnormal. His brainwave frequency is way too intense!" Thompson walked up to him quickly and mumbled as he looked at the screen, "This kind of wavelength only happens when humans are feeling tense or extremely excited. Is he really still in a state of suspended animation?"

"His heart is still in a state of stagnation." Kong Zhongcai pondered for a bit and said, "Logically speaking, brain cells should have died irreversibly after four minutes of oxygen deprivation, and brain death would have been inevitable eight minutes later. All of his brain cells should have been dead by then. Did something like that happen in the 34th experiment?"

"No. In the previous experiment, the chimpanzee was resurrected 68 hours after its death. At that time, its bodily functions were fully recovered and it was far beyond the limits of its flesh," Wang Lei answered immediately.

"So now…" Thompson frowned and turned to look at the quarantine room again, only to find that Bernie was slowly opening his eyes.

Everyone seemed to have sensed something when Thompson looked shocked. They looked into the isolation room one by one and the entire experiment room was filled with tension.

"Where… am I?" At that moment, Bernie Clyde, who had been dead for several hours, slowly opened his eyes. The lights in the entire quarantine room seemed to flicker for a bit when he opened his eyes. He instinctively wanted to sit up, but he felt a cold sensation on his hands and feet, which had been held in place for quite some time. He wanted to look up, only to find that his neck was also locked by a steel bar.

That was a form of protection that could only be applied to extremely important criminals.

Thompson and Vonman looked at each other with excitement in their eyes. Vonman went up to the microphone and said, "Bo… sir, do you remember your name?"

"My… name?" A confused look was seen in Bernie's eyes. He was lying on a portable stretcher and turned his head around gently to look at the speaker. "I don't remember. Who am I? Where am I?"

"Please calm down, sir." Vonlun took a look at Thompson and nodded after seeing that the man wanted him to continue. "So, sir, do you remember anything?"

"I don't know." Bernie frowned and stretched his body gently. However, no matter how he stretched, the shackles that bound his limbs and neck made him feel very uncomfortable. "I just want to know where I am. Who are you guys? Why are you locking me up?"

Feng Lun nodded excitedly, covered the mouthpiece, and said in a low voice, "The Experimentals seem to have lost all of their memories, yet they are still able to retain human instincts and consciousness. Furthermore, the ability to speak has yet to be forgotten. Very well, it seems that we have gained a better understanding of the characteristics of the DX-118 Virus."

"No need to jump to conclusions so quickly. We'll need hundreds or even thousands of hours of observation before we can…" Kong Zhongcai was about to refute Vonlun, but Thompson shot him a glare right away, which shut him up right away.

"Tell me, why are you locking me up?" Bernie became even more displeased when he didn't hear the answer. He struggled for a bit and the manganese steel fixer on the stretcher began to creak and groan.

"That's a lot of strength!" Thompson exclaimed. He looked at the data of Bernie's body on the console and found that the range of activity of the other man's electroencephalogram had exceeded the detection range. Furthermore, the electromagnetic film stuck to the chest of the other man was still unable to detect any heartbeat.

"Extract the other party's blood sample. We need to do a comprehensive inspection," Kong Zhongcai said to Wang Lei, who nodded and went to the control panel immediately, drawing a tube of the other party's blood through the blood analyzer.

"Be careful," Thompson said right away. "Remember to operate the device inside the safe after extracting the blood."

"Yes, sir," Wang Lei said solemnly before controlling the mechanical arm to send the blood sample out of the quarantine room. He then carefully carried the sealed blood sample back into the biosafety cabinet in the corner of the laboratory before beginning the test according to Kong Zhongcai's instructions.

319. Destroy It!

Half an hour later, a blood sample report was found in the hands of all three of them. The report was extremely detailed, with annotations on the location and time of extraction. However, everyone wore shocked expressions after reading the report.

"Incredible workmanship!" Ferron exclaimed. "Its blood is no longer called blood. It could be said that the current Bernie is a complete entity. He's like a shapeshifter, and even his blood is a part of his body. If I had to describe it, his blood is no different from that of the meat bar that carried the virus in the first place."

"Rather than calling him a living being, it would be more accurate to say that he is a conglomerate of the DX-118 virus," Kong Zhongcai concluded. "He was a humanoid virus in and of itself. Countless viruses combined to create his current image. The viruses were like neurons in the brain, creating a unified consciousness. He was like the 34th experimental subject, which no longer had any fatal weaknesses like the brain, the heart, or anything else. He was a monster that had a humanoid form but had nothing to do with humans."

"The problem is that such monsters are far more intelligent and physically powerful than humans." Thompson added, "To be honest, the virus could serve as a biochemical weapon, but I'm not optimistic about using it to strengthen humans."

"There's an old saying in Huaxia that says that the first step is always the most difficult. If you don't give it a try, how would you know that you won't be able to make it?" Feng Lun chuckled and continued, "All in all, I'm very optimistic about the future of the DX-118 Virus."

Corona was watching everything unfold as the three of them went about their research in full swing. Corona had always been on high alert when it came to super viruses like the DX-118. In her opinion, the scientists had underestimated the power of the DX-118 virus. She could still remember the look of fear on Zhang Heng's face when he returned from his brutal slaughter back in his original plane. That was the only time that the DSF lost so many members.

One could easily tell just how brutal the DX-118 virus was.

However, according to Zhang Heng's plans, the defense of the beehive had almost reached the limit that human technology could achieve. No matter how cautious one was, there was no way one could go any further than that. It was just like what Kong Zhongcai had said—if the installations on the B7th floor were unable to stop the Experimentals, there probably wouldn't be any defense facilities in the world that could.

However, it would be even more impossible for scientists to give up on researching the DX-118 Virus. The advancement of human technology had always been accompanied by high risks. If humans were to just give up on researching the virus due to the dangers involved, they wouldn't be where they were today.

Humans were born curious about the unknown.

Curiosity and curiosity would always be the source of human progress.

…

Late at night.

The three of them continued to experiment and discuss excitedly. As the new experimental subject of the DX-118 virus, Bernie had been injected with a lot of sedatives. He was no longer noisy and had completely fallen into a deep sleep. Despite being locked up in an impenetrable quarantine room, no one was able to let their guard down around him.

The durability of polymerized gold reinforced glass far exceeded that of steel and was not far off from that of tungsten gold. The three-meter thick wall of polymerized gold reinforced glass was something that even a super xenomorph queen might not be able to escape from if she were to break free from the chains, much less the Experimentals before her.

However, just when the three of them were feeling rather unsatisfied, Corona urged them again, "Gentlemen, you have been working at high speeds for over 10 hours. Please rest and work as per normal. That is the only way you can achieve maximum efficiency."

"Understood, Ms. Corona." Thompson nodded with a bitter smile and said to the two, "Professor Ferron, Professor Kong Zhongcai, let's call it a day."

"Very well. Many of the experimental reports will only be released tomorrow. We'll be fine after getting some sleep. We'll leave the rest to Her Excellency Corona." The two of them nodded as well. The three of them only felt tired after the excitement wore off.

However, another alarm was heard from the control panel at that moment. Everyone turned to look and saw that Bernie seemed to have had a nightmare, causing his body to shudder all of a sudden. The electromagnetic patch that was placed on his forehead to detect brainwave data actually fell off.

"Alright, the three of you. Someone else will take care of this matter. Everyone, leave the laboratory immediately." Corona spoke before the three of them could say anything. She knew that if she didn't say so, the three of them would definitely have asked for the helpers to enter the laboratory. There was simply too much uncertainty in letting untrained helpers in.

Corona only notified Zhishang after the three maniacs and their assistants were driven out of the laboratory. Zhishang walked into the laboratory wearing power armor and over a dozen fully armed clones about half an hour later.

"Is that him?" Zhishang's pupils contracted involuntarily when he saw Bernie sleeping in the quarantine room. He could sense that the man in the quarantine room exuded an extremely dangerous aura, as if he was a human facing a huge dragon, which was a form of suppression from life.

"That's right. I'll open the door to the quarantine room. What you need to do is to send one of you inside and stick the electromagnetic patch that fell off his body to his forehead." Corona's voice was heard directly from the sound system of the laboratory. "Remember, the Experimentals before us are extremely dangerous! If anything were to happen, I'll activate the self-destruct mechanism of the room and destroy both the people who entered and the Experimentals."

Zhishang nodded and pointed at a warrior beside him. "Zhigao, you go."

The warriors at the side nodded silently. The cloned warriors had no emotions whatsoever. Despite their instincts constantly reminding them to stay away from that man, they would still carry out the mission without any hesitation if it came down to certain death. There was no such thing as going against orders.

"Everyone, get ready!" The clone named Zhigo ordered as soon as he got to the door of the quarantine room. All the clones raised their pulse rifles in unison and aimed at the door of the room, as if they were about to charge out at any moment.

"Isolation room ready to open…" A cold, mechanical electronic voice was heard automatically. "Everyone, please stay alert. Begin the countdown. Ten, nine, eight, seven…"

The eyes of Zhishang and all of the cloned warriors turned extremely solemn.

"Three, two, one, open!"

Ding!

The door of the quarantine room was immediately filled with a low-pitched screech as the electronic noise was heard. The noise was quickly heard before everyone's eyes.

Hiss…

Steam was expelled from the air compressor and the airflow in the quarantine room was instantly connected to the airflow outside. Everyone was on high alert as well.

Zhi Ge controlled the kinetic armor and quickly made his way into the quarantine room. The weight of the kinetic armor stepped on the alloy flooring and a dull thud was heard.

"Chi!"

The door of the quarantine room was immediately locked tightly after Zhi Ge walked into it.

"Everything looks fine." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after the lock was locked. They watched as Jago walked up to Bernie, picked up the electromagnetic patch from the floor, and stuck it back on Bernie's forehead before giving everyone a thumbs up.

However, at that moment, Bernie, who had fallen into a deep sleep due to having been injected with a huge dose of tranquilizer, opened his eyes all of a sudden. The manganese steel shackles on his limbs began to emit an intense metallic twisting sound again. A muscular arm broke free from the shackles in the very next second and made a grab for the gun at lightning speed.

Jago wasn’t surprised at all. The reaction speed of a clone warrior far exceeded that of humans, and a powerful arm capable of crushing steel suddenly shot out and grabbed hold of the other man’s arm. He exerted some force at the same time, wanting to use his combat arts to subdue the other man.

However, just as he was about to grab hold of Bernie's arm, Bernie transformed into a series of red tentacles that slithered into the armor like little snakes.

In the very next second, Zhi Ge couldn't help but wrap his arms around his head and dropped to the ground while howling in pain.

The fight between the two of them ended in less than a second. The red alarm was heard throughout the entire laboratory in a split second.

"Warning! Warning! Accident in the quarantine room!"

The devastating plasma flamethrower was ejected from the roof amidst the deafening alarms. The very next second, flames that were high enough to vaporize steel engulfed the entire quarantine room.

Corona attacked without hesitation.

320. Walking On Thin Ice

The Special Forces of the Alternate plane, known as the D.S.F, were equipped with the latest standard armor developed by the clone warriors, the Beehive. It was called the Armageddon Type I, and the design of the armor remained the same as it had been in the past. However, the internal structure and various functions of the armor had been continuously developed by the technology of the Beehive, making it several times more powerful than the original suit of armor.

The first type of kinetic armor was known as the Heavy Infantry Armor. It was made of nano-caliber carbon-fiber composites and was powered by graphene super capacitors, which gradually evolved into a nuclear fusion core to serve as the driving force. As such, the suit of armor was gradually converted into high-dimensional metal armor.

The current Armageddon Type I kinetic armor was more than capable of taking on the M1A2 main battle tank of the American Uranium Composite Armor.

However, while the kinetic armor was extremely durable and was completely sealed off, it was inevitable that there would be some weak gaps between the armor plates, such as joints, engines, and parts where the gas was being emitted, etc. While those areas were protected under the armor without any blind spots, they were definitely not airtight. The joints required a lot of flexibility and a lot of soft material to be made. In regular combat, those areas were hardly considered weaknesses. However, when faced with the prototype of the new virus called Bernie, the defensive capabilities of those weak spots in the armor became rather limited.

Bernie took on the form of countless thin tentacles. While those tentacles might not be as powerful as Alex's, which were capable of tearing through the suit of armor, he was able to slip through the gaps in the suit of armor, break through the weak points below the armor plates, and attack the pilot's body directly.

That was how the internal structure of the Zerg was attacked at such close range by Bernie. No matter how powerful the Zerg was, there was no way it could survive a virus like the DX-118.

As such, Corona simply activated the self-destruct mechanism of the quarantine room in an attempt to kill the out-of-control experimental body, Bernie, to put an end to all future troubles.

A huge burst of fire spread throughout the entire quarantine room. The tens of thousands of degrees of plasma ejecting was enough to vaporize most of the metals on Earth in an instant, and even the reinforced glass of the containment room would be melted. However, the plasma ejecting time was only about two seconds, and the plasma was ejected from the walls. As such, the high temperatures of several seconds didn't affect the glass walls at all. There was only a huge cloud of thick smoke that filled the room, blocking everyone's line of sight.

"How was it? Did you get rid of him?" Corona's voice was heard again. The surveillance cameras in the quarantine room were destroyed due to the high temperatures, so she had no choice but to ask Zhishang.

"I don't know… I've lost contact with the target." Zhishang shook his head and answered solemnly. All of the cloned warriors remained on high alert, ready to fire if anything were to happen. "However, I think it's best not to open the quarantine room just to be safe."

"I never intended to open the quarantine room." Corona rolled her eyes.

As the smoke gradually dissipated, everyone was finally able to see what was happening in the quarantine room. They saw that the armor of that clone warrior named Zhigo had been badly burned and deformed. While the high-density alloy was deemed immune to heat-based weapons, there was still a limit to that. It was obvious that the indestructible high-distance alloy was unable to withstand the power of the plasma ejector.

Upon seeing what was happening in the quarantine room, Zhishang continued, "Theoretically speaking, no matter how powerful he is, he is still a carbon-based lifeform. Carbon-based lifeforms are unable to withstand such high temperatures, but high-dimensional metals are capable of keeping most temperatures at bay. We're unable to confirm if he was able to escape death due to the high-dimensional metal's resistance…"

"Understood. The 35th experiment of the Blacklight Virus is temporarily suspended. I'll make a decision after the commander returns," Corona answered decisively.

The reason why the plasma attack was only activated for two seconds was that if it took too long to activate, the defense mechanism of the quarantine room could be damaged as well. If the other party was not dead yet, it would be easier for the other party to escape from the quarantine room after the seal was damaged. Corona would only resort to the safest solution to ensure that nothing went wrong.

Following that, Calamity and the cloned warriors continued to stay in the B7-1 laboratory. Thompson and the others were notified the very next day as well. Despite being mentally prepared for what would happen to the laboratory, everyone was still drenched in cold sweat after finding out about it. It was only then that they realized just how dangerous their research could be. It was as if they were dancing on the edge of death itself.

Zhang Heng returned from a flight back to the US in the evening of the next day. Clayton, who was right behind him, looked as if it was the first time anyone had entered a beehive and was filled with shock and horror. He had never expected Zhang Heng to be so bold as to set up a massive research facility at the bottom of the city. That was practically godlike technology.

"Mr. Clayton, your data has been recorded by us, as we have access to the promotion mechanism. According to the rules of the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation, your current security level is at Level B2." Corona stood before Clayton and handed him a ring representing a member of the foundation and a communication device.

"Y-yes!" Clayton's face turned red and he kept nodding at Corona's words, which was a testament to his fear and trepidation. He was feeling rather emotional at the moment as he realized that he had finally come into contact with the true face of the world. He just didn't expect that there would be such a mysterious and massive underground organization backing Stellar Technology. He wondered if joining that organization would be a blessing or a disaster for him…

But then again, if it hadn't been for Stellar Technology, he probably wouldn't have had more than half a year left to live. Things wouldn't have turned out the way they were at the moment. Not only would he be able to cure diseases, but he would also be able to lead a more exciting life.

At that thought, Clayton's uneasy heart gradually calmed down.

Zhang Heng was only able to heave a sigh of relief after settling Clayton down. Corona blinked her big eyes and looked at him sheepishly. Zhang Heng found it funny when he saw how Corona looked like she wanted to say something but stopped. "What? Are you in trouble again?"

"No, it's just that something went wrong with the experiment." Corona shook her head right away, as if she was being interrogated by her parents.

"A small mistake?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows right away, but he didn't show any signs of being nervous. Corona wasn't someone who didn't know what was important and what was not. If she were to make some kind of emergency or extremely serious mistake, she wouldn't have been able to keep it a secret for so long.

321. Zhang Heng's Decision

Corona then explained what happened during the DX-118 virus experiment.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown after finding out about the accident that happened during the experiment. He was silent for quite a while before he said, "You didn't do anything wrong. All of your choices have been made to the limit of safety. There's no way I could have done better than you."

Despite what he said, Zhang Heng was still sweating profusely deep down. It was no surprise that something as dangerous as DX-118 would have serious consequences if he were to be careless.

"But we lost an excellent clone warrior due to that mistake." Corona felt rather ashamed.

"That's unavoidable." Zhang Heng shook his head. "Let's not talk about what happened before. But, is the quarantine room still closed at the moment?"

"Yes," Corona answered right away. "Not only the quarantine room, but the entire B7-1 laboratory is sealed by me. Zhishang, on the other hand, has been stationed in the B7-1 laboratory with 30 kronor warriors armed to the teeth, controlling everything."

"We can't just keep the B7 floor sealed forever. Evacuate all personnel on the B7 floor. Let's go down and take a look." Zhang Heng stood up without giving it any thought. "Other than a handful of cloned warriors on duty, all cloned warriors and T-800 robot parts are to be on standby on the B7 floor."

"Would you like to go down as well?" Corona seemed rather reluctant. "I think it's enough for you to take charge of the situation here."

"Be good." Zhang Heng patted Corona's head and said with a faint smile, "You should know that running away from danger would do me far more harm than good. The mission given by the Dimensional Star meant that I would never be able to evade danger. As such, I have to constantly face danger and gradually become stronger in the midst of danger. Running away would only make me die faster."

"Understood." Corona nodded solemnly. While she had developed a sentimental mindset after learning about humans over again, rationality would still gain the upper hand if she were to take things head-on. Zhang Heng made it very clear at that moment that if he were to live without the restrictions of the Dimensional Star, he would be able to hide behind the scenes and be the mastermind behind the whole thing. However, he had a lot of responsibilities to take care of after all. Zhang Heng had no choice but to keep forcing himself to get used to all dangers. That was the only way to survive.

"I've informed all the internal defense personnel of the Honeycomb according to your orders and cleared out all personnel on the B7th floor." Corona spoke again about half a minute later.

"Alright, let's go in." Zhang Heng nodded and headed for the elevator. His eyes lit up when he got to the B7 floor in the elevator. He saw rows of T-800s standing in a neat row in the corridor of the B7 floor. Every single robot had a powerful pulse rifle in their hands, which shone with a titanium alloy glow under the lights.

All the T-800s turned to look at Zhang Heng at the same time when he appeared on the B7th floor. They raised their right hands and saluted, opening up a path about two meters wide for Zhang Heng, which led straight to the door of the B7-1 laboratory.

Zhang Heng observed the group of T-800s as he made his way forward. Further ahead were hundreds of T-850 or even more advanced T-900s. However, the more advanced the number of robots were, the fewer there were. There were only two T-Xs at the very front.

Both of them looked like Corona.

When Zhang Heng walked past the robot army, the two Corona blinked at the same time and followed closely behind him like bodyguards.

More than a hundred fully armed cloned warriors appeared on both sides of the corridor after passing through the robot army. The cloned warriors saluted Zhang Heng like a robot army before making their way past the defense perimeter of the cloned warriors. Zhang Heng finally reached the door of the laboratory. He went through yet another round of tedious disinfection before entering the completely sealed laboratory.

Inside the laboratory, Zhishang and the other cloned warriors were divided into two classes, each with 12 hours of strict security. The center of the operation, the quarantine room, was just like it had been before, with armor that had been rendered deformed by the high temperatures lying silently on the ground. The quarantine room had long since cooled down, and a shallow round hole was burned in the metal flooring. There was no other movement apart from that.

"What's the situation now?" Zhang Heng took a look at the situation in the isolation room before turning to look at the two Corona behind him.

"16 hours and 32 minutes have passed since the accident," Corona answered from the left. "We haven't found any signs of life in the quarantine room since the destruction program was initiated."

"Other than that, no one has entered the quarantine room for the past 16 hours and 32 minutes. The quarantine room remained completely sealed up until then. No leakage detected," Corona added from the right.

"Activate the plasma fire extinguisher one more time," Zhang Heng ordered immediately. "The duration is extended to three seconds."

"Yes." Corona didn't question him and activated the self-destruct mechanism without a second thought. Immediately, intense flames engulfed the entire quarantine room and lasted for three seconds, one second longer than before.

Due to the high temperatures of the plasma flames, the walls and glass observation windows in the quarantine room would have to withstand the heat for 3.4 seconds. That was to say that even if the plasma flames didn't shoot at the walls, the barriers in the room would only be able to withstand the high temperatures for 3.4 seconds. If the heat were to exceed that, the entire room would be in danger of being burned and penetrated.

As the intense fire dissipated, Zhang Heng could still feel a wave of heat rushing at him, even though he was wearing a chemical defense suit. The heat penetrated the three-meter-thick observation window and reached him.

"Now turn on the liquid nitrogen cryogenic device." Zhang Heng spoke again right after the high temperatures subsided.

"Yes, sir." Corona was stunned at first, but she realized right away that Zhang Heng was trying to kill the remaining viruses by alternating between hot and cold. While the high temperatures had a 99 percent chance of killing all viruses, it was still not foolproof. The power armor of the clone warrior Jago became the best place for the enemy to hide.

As such, as long as the liquid nitrogen cryogenic device was turned on after the electrolysis of over 10,000 degrees Celsius was performed, there would basically be no living viruses. She knew very well that the greatest flaw of the DX-118 virus was its fear of cold.

While the entire quarantine room would be rendered completely useless after the alternation between hot and cold, one couldn't forget that the reason why Zhang Heng sealed off the entire B7 floor was so that he could open the quarantine room and get rid of all dangers that were unstable. If he had to open the door no matter what, why bother with the destruction of the quarantine room?

Corona turned on the liquid nitrogen cryogenic device without any hesitation at that thought. All that was left of the glass and walls of the entire partitioned room was frost in an instant. Cracking sounds were heard from the glass and walls of the room at the same time, and they shattered under Zhang Heng's very serious gaze.

322. Accelerating Expansion

As the liquid nitrogen jets engulfed the entire quarantine room again, the glass in the room began to crack. Cracks began to spread in front of everyone's eyes and in the blink of an eye, the cracks spread all the way to the glass wall of the entire room.

Crack!

The three-meter-thick piece of reinforced glass exploded under the force of the molecules alternating between hot and cold. Shattered glass flew everywhere.

Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes at the very instant that the explosion happened. All of the shattered pieces seemed to have come to a standstill as they quickly hovered in midair, as if they were lenses. The clanging of the shattered pieces of glass were instantly reduced as well. Zhang Heng used his mental power to scan the entire quarantine room, as well as that superhuman suit of power armor.

The limitation of his mental power was that he was unable to penetrate objects that were thick and dense, such as soil, metal, glass, and so on. As such, he had to open or destroy the isolation room before he could 'see' the remains with his mental power.

He scanned the area with his mental power like a radar and was able to see everything from every angle in the blink of an eye. He only nodded after confirming that he was unable to detect any living beings. All the glass shards that were suspended in the air fell to the ground with a clanging sound. Several cloning warriors began to clean up the debris over again with strong acid and alkali detergent, wiping out any remaining bacteria and viruses that might have been found.

"We can't do this anymore." Zhang Heng shook his head after he was done cleaning the dilapidated quarantine room and thought for a bit before saying, "Corona, how about this? I'm going to set up the laboratory for the DX-118 Virus in the radiation plane and have robots experiment on the spot. The radiation plane itself is a half-destroyed plane. Even if something were to happen, it would be enough for all scientists and cloned warriors to be withdrawn. At the very least, there wouldn't be too many hidden dangers to the real world."

"That's a good idea." Corona considered for a bit before nodding. "However, doing so would be a lot less efficient. Without those top scientists, our efficiency would probably be tens of times lower."

"No, I'm not. I'll bring Thompson and the others into the radiation plane as well, and I've designed a sealed fortress for them. They'll still be able to get hold of experimental data and video data as soon as possible, and they'll be able to give orders to remote-controlled robots. It's just that they won't be participating in the experiments themselves," Zhang Heng explained.

"If that's the case, doesn't that mean that the secret of us being able to travel between planes would be completely exposed to them?"

"It's just a matter of time. If we keep developing, we'll eventually let them know. If that's the case, it'd be good for all of us to let them know as soon as possible." Zhang Heng sighed and continued, "It's about time for us to release some of our top-secret powers. If we were to keep running away from anything that could pose a threat to us, we'd end up just like your memes. I'd just be putting them in the freezer, unable to bring out what I'm capable of. I've already suffered once, and I don't want to suffer a second time."

"I see. That's what they call learning from your mistakes, isn't it?" Corona smiled and continued, "Since you've made your decision, I have no objections to it. The place your sword is pointing at is where I'll charge."

Zhang Heng then called the three professors who were in charge of the DX-118 Virus experiment to the meeting room, where they began a secret discussion that lasted for several hours. Other than Zhang Heng, Corona, and the three of them, no one else knew the contents of the meeting. Everyone knew that when the three of them left the meeting room, their faces were filled with shock and excitement. None of them were as excited as they were when they found out about the existence of the DX-118 Virus.

Everyone realized that the three professors had been spending less time in the Honeycomb ever since the secret meeting. Other than seeing their families every week, they were nowhere to be seen at all. No one knew what kind of secret plans the three professors were up to.

Time gradually passed until August.

Stellar Technology had been growing at a rate that no one in the world would have believed possible. In the city of Miami in the United States, Stellar Technology purchased an office building with over 30 floors in the city center, which served as the headquarters of a branch company in the United States. The general manager of the American area was a man named Lancelot Clayton.

While everyone was still thinking about how lucky that guy named Clayton was, Stellar Technology had invested tens of billions of US dollars without any hesitation despite having suffered a huge loss in the US economy. They had established a large number of subsidiaries all over the country. The pharmaceutical manufacturers that were on the verge of bankruptcy were bought at low prices by Stellar Technology, which specialized in producing several types of drugs under Stellar Technology. The distribution of all those drugs had been signed with the US authorities, and their policies were practically a green light. They took over most of the American cities in just two weeks.

The United States wasn't the only one who was doing so. The older, more established powers like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany were able to open their doors to Stellar Technology while strengthening their cooperation. Countless orders were being passed down like snowflakes. All of those countries and the United States were practically bound together for good or ill. Countless people lost their jobs due to the upheaval of the economic system. At times like these, every country yearned for other companies to invest more in their own countries, which would drive economic development and employment to greater heights. While it was a drop in the bucket, it was still better than nothing.

With the aid of T-3 (rabies drug) and T-4 (AIDS drug), Stellar Technology had taken over dozens of countries' marketplaces. The fewest of those countries had signed contracts worth tens of millions of US dollars with Stellar Technology, while the rest were worth billions.

The Stellar Technology's influence grew rapidly in the blink of an eye. It was now just a step away from becoming a world-affected supercomputer like Umbrella.

The number of employees working at Stellar Technology exceeded 100,000 in the global market. While it couldn't compare to the ridiculous number of employees employed by the likes of the likes of Foxconn, the likes of which were once giants in the business world, who had hundreds of thousands of employees, Stellar Technology was still a newly established company. Furthermore, it didn't have any shares in joint ventures. Furthermore, due to Corona's remote manipulation, the internal coordination of Stellar Technology was extremely simplistic and one could say that it was extremely nimble. It wasn't something that those bloated organizations from established companies could compare with.

Zhang Heng was no longer the one to decide who would be the general manager of the various regions. Corona assigned the tasks instead, having the cloned warriors search for talents all over the world and eventually pick out over a thousand candidates. All of those candidates were summoned to the Stellar Technology headquarters. When they left again, the biochips of their subconscious were implanted in their brains.

Of course, no one knew about all of that. People would only be impressed by the astonishing power and drive that Star Technology had displayed. They were actually willing to risk everything in the face of a global economic crisis. Were they not afraid of losing everything?

Those who had ill intentions towards Stellar Technology were naturally waiting to see how Stellar Technology would make a fool of themselves after losing money.

323. New Abilities?

Stellar Technology was expanding at an explosive rate all over the world. That was the foundation that Stellar Technology had built up over the past two years. Due to the massive downturn in the global economy, Stellar Technology was able to break through the international market in one fell swoop. All over the world, be it technology companies or biopharmaceutical companies, wherever Stellar Technology went, it was practically a walk in the park. Apple, Google, Pfizer, and other giants didn't dare to show any signs of weakness.

Due to that nuclear attack, the influence of the Communist Party of China was gradually declining. Furthermore, the head of one of the top 10 financial groups was assassinated by Zhang Heng in retaliation. The current Communist Party of China was at its weakest in history, and it was no longer able to fight against the Stellar Foundation.

The Stellar Life Sciences Foundation gradually took over the position of the Communist Party of China and became the most influential underground organization in the world. At that point, most countries gradually became aware of the existence of the Stellar Foundation.

Take the United States for example. With the rise of several emerging financial groups led by the Williams Financial Group, the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation gradually began to get involved in American politics. Its very existence became a well-known secret among governments all over the world.

However, while those people knew that the Stellar Vitality Science Foundation was the backer of Stellar Technology, the true mastermind behind the foundation remained a mystery that no one in the world could solve. Just who was it that possessed such power that they were able to pierce through the heavens of the Communist Party and even create an empire comparable to that of Umbrella?

The answer remained unknown.

However, if Zhang Heng were to say that he would be able to rest easy, it would have been too early for him to feel happy. He knew from a long time ago that when Stellar Technology reached the level of a company like that of Umbrella, all countries around the world would be on high alert. No one wanted to see a company with assets that could rival that of a country, to the extent that it would be out of the control of the country. That was only because the company was currently experiencing an economic crisis, and the entire world needed a company with massive financial resources like that of Stellar Technology to help humanity get out of trouble. Once the financial crisis gradually subsided, it would be time for all countries to take action against him.

As the saying goes, when a bird dies, a good bow is hidden. When a cunning rabbit dies, a dog is cooked.

Zhang Heng's goal was to continue strengthening Stellar Technology during that period of time, so that it could reach an unprecedented level of power that could go against the United Nations before the end of the financial crisis. It would be like the Weyland Yutani Company back in the Alien plane. The first objective that Zhang Heng set for himself then—to influence the entire human civilization—would be considered complete.

Stellar Technology was very powerful at the moment, and Zhang Heng was able to neutralize the sanctions from superpowers like Huaxia using the influence of his company. However, Stellar Technology had yet to reach the point where it was able to withstand the combined sanctions from multiple countries. It was just like the Umbrella Corporation back then, which was also the world's biggest monopoly of the empire. It even had a publicly acknowledged private armed force that was capable of sending nuclear bombs to bomb cities. However, the United States and the entire United Nations sanctioned it back then, and even someone as powerful as Zhang Heng had no choice but to go bankrupt.

…

Zhang Heng sat quietly on the couch in the Honeycomb hostel a few days later and slowly opened his closed eyes. He couldn't help but look tired when he opened his eyes, but there was excitement mixed with exhaustion.

He had just finished his training in the virtual space at the moment. He had basically gained control over his mental power, which was growing day by day, after days of mental training. There was a pineal glabella that had grown to the size of an eyeball in the center of his glabella, which contained massive amounts of mental power, yet it was as obedient as a kitten.

Zhang Heng was able to perfectly control his mental power after undergoing training.

Furthermore, he extended his hand subconsciously and placed it before his eyes to take a closer look. Black mist suddenly emerged from his palm and froze in midair, turning into a pitch-black mass.

"Let's go to the training ground. I'd like to do some real practice," Zhang Heng said all of a sudden, talking to himself.

"Yes, Commander." However, Corona's voice was heard from the speaker above him right after he said that.

Hiss…

The ball of black mist sank back into his palm and he retracted his right hand before heading out of the dormitory without another word.

Zhang Heng soon arrived at the B8th floor. The floor had been expanded over a period of time and was now several times larger than it had been in the past. The expansive areas were blocked by the steel walls, forming huge and spacious squares. Some of those squares were filled with particle accelerators and other equipment, while others were filled with expensive equipment such as plane traversing equipment. There was also a training ground specially designed for cloning warriors.

Zhang Heng went to the training ground at that moment and entered the special training room that had been tailor-made for him.

The training room was 50 meters long and 20 meters long. It was made entirely of alloys and looked very ordinary. The only evidence that the training room seemed to have dried kunes was that there were bullet marks all over the place.

Zhang Heng stood at the center of the training room and, before he could remind them, the steel plates on the roof were automatically opened by hydraulic ducts, revealing the pitch-black gun barrels inside.

10 machine guns!

Zhang Heng was actually able to easily resist the impact of the metal storms at the beginning of the year. He found firearms to be hardly a challenge to him, and the training he went through with the precision operation enabled him to deflect all bullets that were aimed at him.

However, what Zhang Heng wanted to test out at the moment was not some child's play like fending off bullets, but some kind of application of tools.

"Commander, please get ready. The test is about to begin." A cold, electronic voice was heard and Zhang Heng gradually closed his eyes after receiving the reminder.

Buzz…

All of the machine guns began to fire at the very next second. The high-speed rotation of the guns produced a humming sound. One of the machine guns burst into orange flames all of a sudden. Ten of the machine guns surrounding Zhang Heng opened fire at the same time. A metal storm capable of tearing apart any carbon-based lifeforms exploded in an instant.

Zhang Heng seemed to have sensed something at that moment and opened his eyes again. At the same time, over a hundred huge 20mm caliber rounds shot out from all directions with an air of destruction, heading straight for him.

However, something shocking happened.

Black mist burst out of nowhere when the bullets were just one centimeter away from Zhang Heng. The yellowish-orange bullets stopped in their tracks and vaporized in less than a second, turning into an even thicker black mist that spread outwards.

Zhang Heng had once been able to use his mental power and precise computational ability to block bullets' impact. He was then able to rebound bullets after familiarizing himself with the operation of the vector. However, no matter how miraculous it was, it was nowhere near as miraculous as it was today.

The endless stream of bullets seemed to be made of black smoke. No matter how powerful they were, they would dissipate as soon as they got near Zhang Heng, turning into a layer of faint black smoke before disappearing without a trace.

324. Why Don't You Go to Hell?

As the countless bullets were converted into thick black mist, the black mist before Zhang Heng grew increasingly thick and dense. In the end, it actually formed a spherical black protective barrier that covered Zhang Heng from all angles. Any bullets that were shot out would completely dissipate when they passed through that protective shell.

It didn't take long for the 10 machine guns to finish firing all their rounds, leaving only the rumbling of their engines.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and opened his mouth slightly. The black mist gushed into his mouth right away and disappeared without a trace.

"Congratulations, Commander. Your idea worked." Corona sounded elated.

"So-so, I guess." Zhang Heng made no comment. That black mist was none other than the kind of nanomachines that he had acquired when he was transferred from Earth.

The nanomachines known as the Galactic Beetles were not actually only about the size of nanomachines, but about a micrometer in length. The diameter of a human's hair was between 80 to 90 micrometers, which meant that the thickness of a strand of hair could only be seen when the 90 Galactic Beetles were arranged vertically together, making it practically invisible to the naked eye.

While those nanomachines were not small, it was not that they lacked technology, but rather that the internal structure of the Galactic Beetles was simply too complex. Their ability to alter matter and replicate themselves was hundreds of years ahead of that of the current era. Even the T-800 from the Terminator was not as complex as the Galactic Beetles.

Those nanomachines could be manipulated by Zhang Heng's will after being modified and installed with standby mode. In standby mode, the Galactic Beetles would be in a dormant state and would only devour anything that served as their target when activated. Regular people wouldn't be able to unleash their terrifying abilities if they were to get their hands on such a thing. Only freaks like Zhang Heng, whose mental power could affect matter, would be able to control those terrifying miniature demons at will.

Normally, the modified space beetles could attach themselves to the surface of his clothes, hide in the cracks of his skin, or even between his teeth, and charge at the enemy under the control of his mental power when needed.

While Zhang Heng was still unable to give precise orders to every single one of the nanomachines at the moment, he was still able to easily control groups of nanomachines to attack and defend.

Zhang Heng's current mental control range was over 100 meters. That meant that he was able to control all movements of the nanomachines within a 100-meter radius at will. If he were to go beyond that range, the nanomachines would have the possibility of losing control.

Compared to pure mental power attacks, Zhang Heng, who had the nanomachines as his weapon, could be said to have grown over a hundred times stronger in an instant. Even someone as powerful as Alex would have been reduced to dust in an instant before him.

Zhang Heng was filled with confidence after acquiring such a trump card. Furthermore, the Honeycomb continued to develop even more of the nanomachines' abilities. While the technology of the Honeycomb was unable to create such precise nanomachines, it was still possible for it to undergo some simple modifications to the nanomachines. Many scientists, led by Louis, were currently researching the chameleon ability and stealth ability of the nanomachines. Zhang Heng might be able to make use of the nanomachines to disguise himself in the future, or he could just have the nanomachines cover him, enabling him to achieve his goal of becoming invisible.

Of course, due to the rapid advancement of the technology of the nanomachines, other technological developments were also facilitated. For example, the creation of nanomachines meant that the power of such weapons was on par with that of nuclear bombs. In fact, they were even more versatile than nuclear bombs, enabling a group of modified Galactic Beetles to be installed inside the missile warheads. The Galactic Beetles were usually in a state of slumber, waiting for the warheads to detonate. The moment the warheads detonated, the Galactic Beetles would immediately wake up and begin to devour everything around them. As for the specific target and range of their devouring, details could also be set.

For example, setting up nano bombs to only kill people or attack buildings. Setting up nano bombs to swallow anything within a 100-kilometer radius. All the nano-bombs would self-destruct as soon as the targets were reached, never expanding the range of the bombs, and so on. Compared to nuclear weapons that would cause nuclear mutations among humans, nano-bombs were undoubtedly more strategic. If he wanted to, he could even set up the nano-bombs as the ultimate weapon with a limitless range and a limitless devouring range. That way, a single nano-bomb would be able to swallow the entire Earth.

However, such a weapon was simply too dangerous. Other than Corona and himself, no one else had access to the nano-bomb.

Other than that, with the Galactic Beetle as the prototype, the team led by Louis was also researching some simplified types of nanomachines that had other functions. For example, when it came to medical treatment, the nanomachines could be injected into the human body in a way that could repair broken bones, internal organs, blood vessels, and other illnesses. Once the research was successful, one would be able to truly achieve the miraculous effect of not performing surgery, not taking any medicine, and taking all the medicine in one shot.

There was also the construction aspect, biological aspect, and military aspect… There were simply too many ways in which the nanomachines could shine. It was just like during the Industrial Revolution, where the emergence of nanotechnology would definitely widen the gap between the technological advancement of the Honeycomb and the real world. The technological advancement of the current Honeycomb had probably exceeded that of the real world by over a century.

Some people might have asked, 'If you're so cool, why don't you just go to heaven?'

Zhang Heng actually had such thoughts. He felt that it was time for him to go to heaven.

Stellar Technology was now the most powerful company in human history, with branches reaching every corner of the world. It was also involved in the political systems of countries like India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom. Those financial groups looked like they were just partners with the Golden Foundation on the surface, but they were actually all lackeys of the Stellar Foundation after having their chips in their mouths.

Stellar Technology had over seven hundred billion US dollars in assets on the surface due to the accumulation of funds. Furthermore, it had been taking advantage of the financial crisis to keep buying up companies with potential, especially Hui Rui and Johnson. More than 50 percent of their shares had been taken over by Stellar Technology, and even 40 percent of GlaxoSmithKline in the UK had been taken over. The governments of those countries could only watch on helplessly, unable to do anything about it.

To be honest, the state had very little control over Stellar Technology after it had developed to its current size. As the world's most powerful multinational corporation, any move made by Stellar Technology would be able to shake the entire world. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the political influence of Stellar Technology was no less than that of any of the five rogue nations.

However, that wasn't enough. Stellar Technology was like a time bomb at the moment. While it looked prosperous on the surface, all the major countries were eyeing it covetously. Even Huaxia, which had once supported Stellar Technology, began to realize just how dangerous and invasive Stellar Technology was. Its existence had severely damaged the original structure of the world, as well as the interests of the major families and consortiums. However, due to the current financial crisis requiring someone to stand up and turn the tide, none of the countries made a move yet.

If Zhang Heng wanted to rid himself of the label of a fat sheep and prevent the other countries from taking advantage of him in the future, he would have no choice but to allow his company to continue to grow stronger and become on equal footing with the United Nations.

"Corona." Zhang Heng considered for a bit and continued, "I'm planning to make a trip to the radiation plane before heading to the Dimensional amnesia plane and transport all the space technology that I could get my hands on back here. After that, Stellar Technology is going to develop into space."

"Didn't we develop into space when we launched the quantum spy satellite?" Corona asked, puzzled.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to do it in private." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "The so-called space development I'm talking about is to develop on the surface. At the very least, it could bring us benefits."

"Are you going to lay your cards on the table with the government?" Corona's eyes lit up.

"Not yet." Zhang Heng rolled his eyes and continued, "I'm just going to apply to the government to set up a field of aerospace for Stellar Technology. After all, some of Stellar Technology's technologies would eventually have to be brought to the surface. No matter how powerful I am, that power wouldn't be able to accelerate the development of humanity in the dark."

325. New California Republic

Zhang Heng went to the plane shuttle after telling Corona what to do while he was away. He planned to use that unique way to travel to other planes.

The reason for that was that the Dimensional Star had a cooldown period of six hours. While the cooldown period for the Dimensional Star was over eight times lower than it had been in the past 48 hours, the radiation plane was, after all, a plane that could be destroyed at any given moment. The neutrino living in the core of the Earth might not wake up even once every 10 million years, and it might wake up in the very next second.

As such, it was best for Zhang Heng to maintain a state where he could teleport at any time.

A singularity was slowly generated as the plane shuttle began to operate. The space shattered under the barrage of ultra-high-field laser beams. The shattered space was bound by a magnetic field, forming a black hole that tore through the Dimensional Crystal Wall.

Zhang Heng wore the latest suit of power armor and walked into the pitch-black entrance alone. He felt his vision brighten at the very next second and found himself in the base of the Academy in the radiation plane.

"Director Zhang!" Several staff members guarding the plane immediately greeted him. Most of those people were from the radiation plane itself. It was only due to their lack of academic excellence that they were not transferred to the Dimensional amnesia plane by Zhang Heng. Instead, they were put in charge of the academy's logistics and other jobs. After all, the D.S.F had been fighting and pillaging in this world for a long time, and they needed supplies to survive.

"Where are Gu Zhan and Adam?" Zhang Heng nodded and asked casually.

"General Koo and General Adam should be on the front lines," a young staff member answered immediately. "We've been fighting the New California Republic for quite some time."

Zhang Heng realized what was going on right away. He remembered the background story of the radiation game. The New California Republic was committed to restoring democracy, freedom, and the rule of law in the old world in the wasteland world. The Republic had a population of 700,000 in the early 2240s, and it had the largest number of active troops.

While it was nowhere near as powerful as the US before the war, the New California Republic's political influence, economic power, and population were considered the most powerful forces in the US after the war.

Zhang Heng walked out of the shuttle's room while everyone was still feeling rather tense. Everyone was relieved after he disappeared. As the highest-ranking member of the institute, Zhang Heng felt like he was facing the president when he was around him, which was enough to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

However, he was stunned when he walked out of the huge underground room. The corridors before him seemed to have been reinforced, with steel support structures standing in the corridors. There were also signs of the ceiling being burnt and mended in some places.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but be reminded of what that staff member had said about 'we're at war with the Republic of New California' when he read that line. He wondered just what kind of trials and tribulations lay behind that plain statement.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself and headed straight for the end of the corridor. The headquarters of the institute was completely empty at the moment. He had taken those scientists from back in the day to the Dimensional amnesia plane. It took him a lot of effort to spot a team of clone warriors patrolling the place. He asked right away, "Who's the highest-ranking person in charge of the institute?"

"The highest-ranking officer in charge is General Adam. However, due to the need for reinforcements at the front lines, he sent out most of the soldiers stationed at the institute a few days ago," one of the clone warriors answered immediately.

"So, you're saying that the institute no longer has anyone in charge?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"The mainframe of the Alpha is in charge of the academy's daily affairs." The clone warrior saluted Zhang Heng one last time before continuing his patrol.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but look rather glum. As expected, the D.S.F.'s troops had met their match during the expansion of the radiation plane. It was just that Zhang Heng couldn't think of anyone who could outshine them given his technological prowess and cloning abilities.

However, there were only five such games, and they only showed the tip of the iceberg of the world. There was a good chance that there were other, more terrifying powers lurking behind the scenes, such as the other side of the US—China.

The nuclear war in the radiation plane was triggered by the war between the United States and Huaxia.

The war between Huaxia and the United States ended the era of human civilization in 2077. While it was unknown which side fired the first nuclear bomb, the retaliatory nuclear attack between the two superpowers destroyed the fragile human civilization in an instant.

Zhang Heng pondered for a long time before finally making his way to the elevator at the end of the corridor. The plane shuttle's engine room was located on the fifth floor underground. There were only two ways to reach the ground floor—the elevator and the stairs.

"Alpha." Zhang Heng slowly walked into the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor. He suddenly looked up and said.

"Commander, I'm here all the time." A man's voice that was synthesized electronically was heard. That was the central mainframe of the college, the supercomputer Alpha.

"What happened recently?" Zhang Heng asked.

"The New California Republic raided and bombed us," Alpha said in a weird tone. "The bombing was so sudden that we were completely unprepared."

"Where's our air defense?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"Our air defense forces were in the south at the time. Only a handful of falcons were left in the headquarters. Furthermore, the enemy was using a new type of stealth fighter. Their stealth ability was on par with that of our falcons. While they eventually managed to repel the enemy, we suffered heavy losses as well."

Ding!

The elevator showed that they had reached the top and Zhang Heng walked out slowly. However, he was stunned when he saw what the first floor looked like.

The basement of the college looked as if it had been bombed and was in ruins. He was able to see what the ground looked like through the roof of the roof with the skylight opened. He frowned again and flew out of the roof under the control of his mental power, appearing on the ground completely. He saw that the Stellar City that he had built on the ground of the college had been reduced to ruins. There were collapsed buildings and ruined walls everywhere. Corpses of new residents could be seen in the ruins from time to time.

"The New California Republic?" Zhang Heng's expression turned cold. "Alpha, where is our main force now?"

"We've taken up one-third of the US in the central part of the United States, Missouri. That's the border area between us and the New California Republic, as well as the war zone between us and the New California Republic." Alpha's voice was heard from his contact watch.

"Prepare a Falcon mech for me." Zhang Heng cut to the chase and said with a deadpan expression.

"Understood."

A launch shaft slowly opened up beside the ruins of Stellar City's castle on the ground. A Falcon mech left the lift and quickly flew to Zhang Heng before landing at the entrance.

Zhang Heng didn't say anything else and boarded the Falcon in just a few steps. The entrance of the fighter shut right away and rose into the air in a very light manner. A sonic boom was heard and the high-performance Falcon broke through the speed of sound in an instant, heading straight for central America.

326. Nanotechnology Bullet

The new generation of the Falcon mech was able to move faster than the previous one at full speed, and its performance was even more exceptional. Its maximum speed was even able to reach 30 times the speed of sound, which was something that could only be achieved with prolonged acceleration. Even so, the distance between Boston and Missouri was over 2,000 kilometers, which meant that the Falcon mech would only need about 10 minutes to cover the distance.

Zhang Heng had launched dozens of spy satellites outside the Earth of the radiation plane after taking control of the institute, which enabled him to control every movement in the US. It was thanks to the detection capabilities of the satellites that Zhang Heng's D.S.F troops were able to move like the wind. It took them only half a year to take control of one-third of the US territory before the war.

It was just that the D.S.F.'s troops had met an even more formidable opponent—the New California Republic.

The Falcon quickly flew above St. Louis, Missouri, under the guidance of the satellite.

However, just when the Falcon was about to land, the communication device on the fighter suddenly flickered and a cold voice was heard. "The Falcon, serial number DG089. You are about to land at the temporary military base of the D.S.F. troops. Please state your identity."

"I'm Zhang Heng." Zhang Heng pressed the blinking button and the camera on the communication device lit up all of a sudden, taking his appearance and sending it out. The voice was heard again shortly after. "Identity confirmed. Number 089 Falcon, please land under our guidance. Commander, welcome."

Zhang Heng didn't say anything else after hearing that voice. He simply sat in his seat and stabilized himself. It didn't take long before the Falcon began to decelerate. The sound of air being rubbed against the ground was heard from the fuselage, and the vibrations became weaker before the fighter gradually came to a halt.

"Chi!"

The door at the tail end of the Falcon mech opened right away and Zhang Heng slowly walked out of the mech. Adam and Gu Zhan, whom he had not seen for a long time, were standing before the Falcon mech. There were over a hundred cloned warriors wearing power armor behind the two of them. Everyone saluted and greeted Zhang Heng when they saw him.

"Commander, this is the front line where we are fighting the New California Republic. It's too dangerous. If you want to contact us, you don't need to come here yourself," Adam said quickly.

"I have my reasons for coming here." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively. "Tell me what's happening first."

Adam turned to look at Gu Zhan with a frustrated look on his face. Gu Zhan didn't say anything and simply followed Zhang Heng to the campsite as he said casually, "It's the second week since our war with the New California Republic began. Just last week, the New California Republic suddenly bombarded the headquarters of our school without warning, causing the deaths of thousands of synthesized humans and hundreds of clone warriors. We then began to retaliate and bomb their headquarters and major cities. We then sent out 2,000 clone warriors and over 10,000 synthesized humans to surround and destroy their vanguard forces in St. Louis." Gu Zhan continued in a practiced manner, "The city of St. Louis has become the main battlefield for both of us."

Zhang Heng frowned slightly after hearing that he had lost over a hundred cloned warriors at once, but he asked right away, "So, what's the current situation like?"

"Very weird." Gu Zhan shook his head and continued, "If we were to look at the storyline of the game, the New California Republic definitely wouldn't be where it is today. We've even found a lot of weapons that were only found in Incredible during the battle with the enemy. Furthermore, the enemy has a lot of energy weapons in their possession—Gatling lasers, Tesla cannons, and a lot of plasma weapons. All of those weapons are very powerful. Even high-distance armor wouldn't be able to withstand the attacks from such energy weapons. Many of the Falcon mechs were killed by anti-aircraft fire."

"Invisibility ineffective?"

"The other party seems to have gained the support of the Huaxia Republic of the Radiation Plane…" Gu Zhan explained, "The other party's concealment technology is on par with ours, which is why the concealment of the Falcon mech is basically rendered useless."

"Seems like the plot of the radiation plane has changed a lot. So, Increase has been annexed by the Republic of California?" Zhang Heng speculated.

"That is indeed the case," Adam added. "However, neither of us are able to use the air force at the moment, and we're forced to fight in a conventional manner. As for conventional weapons, we have pulse weapons, and the other side has a Gauss weapon that is just as powerful. They even have a space weapon called the Archimedes satellite railgun. In terms of overall power, both sides are evenly matched."

"Archimedes Orbit Cannon?" Zhang Heng was truly shocked. Wasn't that the kind of weapon that the United States had been working hard to develop? It was something that had only been seen in the fourth installment of the radiation game. While such a weapon wasn't considered very powerful in the game, things were different in real life. In real life, such a weapon was no less powerful than a 10,000-ton nuclear bomb. There was practically no one alive within a radius of a kilometer with one shot.

"However, the railguns seem to have a lot of limitations. It can only be fired once a day, and it can only be fired from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon." Gu Zhan added, "Even so, it's enough to put us on the defensive."

"Didn't you try to shoot down that satellite that could fire the railgun?" Zhang Heng asked.

"We tried, but we never succeeded. The enemy's satellite seems to be in mid-range orbit, and it's capable of changing trajectories, making it difficult for our missiles to hit."

A series of urgent alarms were heard from above the base all of a sudden while the three of them were talking as they walked. At the same time, a large number of cloned warriors emerged from their tents and headed straight for the base. The voice of their adjutant was heard from the wireless communication between the three of them. "Reporting to General, the New California troops are attacking our base again!"

Gu Zhan and Adam looked at Zhang Heng right away, waiting for his order.

"Don't look at me. Just do what you're supposed to do." Zhang Heng waved his hand and chuckled coldly as he continued, "However, I've prepared a gift for them. What would happen to them if the entire New California Republic were to be wiped out here?"

"What we're up against is the main force of the New California Republic. If they were to be wiped out here, we'd have the confidence to take over the entire United States." Adam's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but say.

"Good," Zhang Heng said and took out a shuttle-shaped device about the length of a child's arm and the thickness of a fist from the power suit's storage box. The device looked like a miniature warhead, with electrical wires and electronics exposed to the air. There was also a LCD display and a simple interface.

Zhang Heng picked up the device and operated it casually. The red light on the device lit up right away, flickering like a time bomb about to explode. He then handed the device to Adam, who was standing at the side, and said, "Put it in the Falcon and drop it above the enemy's base via airdrop."

"What's this?" Adam was stunned.

"Nanotechnology rounds," Zhang Heng said solemnly. "It would have been best to use a missile to launch such a weapon, but there isn't enough time to prepare a missile at the moment, so we'll just use the simplest way to do so."

"Yes sir!" Adam was stunned for a bit. The so-called nanomachines didn't have much information to begin with, but he knew that things were urgent and that it wasn't the time to press the issue. As such, he picked up the projectiles and headed straight for the air force.

327. Annihilation

Zhang Heng only retracted his gaze after seeing one of the falcons take flight after receiving the mission and continued heading for the command center of the bunker with the two of them.

"Get ready. We'll be ready to retreat after we defeat the New California Republic." Zhang Heng said as he walked, "The radiation plane is still too dangerous. If all of the technology here is looted clean, there's no need for us to continue developing here."

"Where are we going?" Adam asked, feeling rather confused.

"With the planet Tanis at the center," Zhang Heng replied casually. "Let's head to other planes."

Zhang Heng, who possessed the Dimensional Travel Device, was indeed confident enough to say something like that. The few of them had yet to return to the command center when they saw a bomb plummeting to the ground with a sonic boom in the distance. However, before the bomb even hit the ground, a huge burst of incandescent laser beams shot into the sky, detonating the bomb in the air with extreme precision. Another laser beam was fired at the same time, knocking down a Falcon that was flying back to Earth.

"Did I fail?" Disappointment was seen in Adam's eyes. While he still had no idea what that so-called 'nano-bomb' that Zhang Heng had just pulled out was, it seemed like none of that mattered anymore, as the operation had failed.

Zhang Heng wore a smirk on his face and didn't say anything. He simply went past Adam and Gu Zhan's access rights and said to the troops engaged in combat, "Everyone, listen up. Maintain your formation and withdraw from St. Louis. Retreat 10 kilometers back."

"Roger that. First Division, prepare to retreat."

"Second Division, prepare to retreat."

"Unit Four has retreated."

…

Replies from many teams were heard from the radio afterward. Gu Zhan didn't react at all, but Adam opened his mouth, wanting to say something, yet he didn't say anything in the end.

Due to the high efficiency of cloning fighters, they were able to evacuate in an orderly fashion. The troops of the New California Republic were unable to give chase in time before they completely disappeared from his sight.

In actual fact, none of the troops had any intentions of giving chase. To them, defeating that group of terrifying warriors was already a huge victory. The battles that had taken place over the past two weeks had left a deep impression on them regarding the extreme calmness and combat prowess of the cloned warriors. Those demon-like warriors were extremely powerful and had no fear of death. Every time they killed a single one of their enemies, they would suffer losses that were tens or even hundreds of times greater.

It was fortunate that the New California Republic was able to mobilize tens of thousands of soldiers at once. They were able to fight the cloned warriors to a standstill due to their superior numbers.

When Zhang Heng's troops gradually retreated from the battlefield, the soldiers of the New California Republic began to cheer loudly. They had lost tens of thousands of their comrades in a week of high-intensity combat, yet they were still able to emerge victorious in the end. Everyone cheered to their heart's content, and even the most elite of the Rangers looked relieved.

However, none of the soldiers who were cheering at the front lines saw that a layer of faint black fog seemed to have shrouded the sky above their headquarters several kilometers away.

At that moment, several commanders with stars on their shoulders were seated at the conference table in the command center of the New California Republic's military. Everyone looked excited, with the exception of the elder in the lead.

"They're retreating! We should give chase!" One of the golden-haired men slammed the table excitedly and said, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We'll be invincible in the United States if we wipe out their entire army here!"

"Never!" The other man stood up and retorted right away. "Don't forget just how terrifying that army of theirs is! Their morale isn't affected at all, and they're able to hold their ground even when there's only one of them left. They're not afraid of death and have a cold, rational side to them. That army of theirs is like the legion of the Grim Reaper, and it's extremely lucky for them to emerge victorious. If we were to continue fighting, our troops would be the ones to collapse. I don't want us to fight them head-on!"

"Coward! You've missed your chance to wipe them out!"

"Idiot! The enemy's retreat is extremely orderly. They're not fleeing in disarray at all. Pursuing the enemy won't allow us to kill one more enemy. Instead, they're sending our soldiers straight for the enemy's guns!"

"Nonsense. No matter how strong the enemy is, they're still humans. Chasing after the enemy and gaining more battle results is something that has been happening since ancient times."

The two sides began arguing right away.

"That's enough!" The old man sitting at the forefront slammed the table, silencing the bickering between the two parties. "There must be a reason why the enemy retreated so suddenly. What we need to do now is to figure out why the enemy retreated, and not have our own people arguing here."

"But…" That middle-aged man with golden hair opened his mouth and was about to say something when a commotion and screams were heard from outside all of a sudden.

"What happened?" The blonde man turned around and looked outside the door. "Guards, what happened… guards?"

However, no matter how hard he shouted, no one came in to answer.

The atmosphere in the room became tense all of a sudden. Everyone couldn't help but take out the Red Bin revolver from their waists and looked warily at the closed door.

Crack, crack, crack…

A slight scratching sound was heard from the window on the wall of the room all of a sudden, as if someone was rubbing against the glass with something like a metal wire. That blonde-haired man raised his gun and slowly walked up to the window. He saw that there were extremely thin strands spreading out in a radioactive manner on the glass. The strands were initially only about the size of a finger, but they expanded to the size of a palm in just a few seconds.

"What the hell is that thing?" the blonde man mumbled. He slowly looked out of the window and saw a patch of black fog spreading and twisting in midair. Occasionally, a soldier would rush out of the room and the black fog would surge and rush at that soldier. The screams and wails of that soldier were completely gone in just a few seconds. When the black fog dissipated again, there was not a single living soldier left.

"D * mn it…" The blonde man's pupils contracted. However, the window before him cracked and shattered right after he said that.

At that moment, the cloning warriors had retreated several kilometers away. Adam, who was walking at the very front, seemed to have sensed something. He turned around suddenly and found that the sky above the ruins of St. Louis was shrouded in thick black fog at some point in time.

As the black fog gradually spread out, the ruined buildings melted away like butter. The rumbling sounds of buildings collapsing could be heard from time to time. It seemed that the legion of the New California Republic, which remained in the city of St. Louis, would not end up well.

Adam gasped and jerked his head around to look at Zhang Heng, who was still walking away. It was only then that he realized why Zhang Heng gave such an order.

Now that the main forces of the New California Republic were wiped out, the clone warriors would attack the enemy's base and take away advanced technologies that they had no access to. It was time to give up on the plane…

328. Welcome

Zhang Heng had Alpha gather all the technological data he had looted after returning from the battlefield. He didn't choose to stay in the radiation plane after that. Instead, he made use of the Dimensional Star's ability to travel back and forth, making his way to the Dimensional amnesia plane with a new hope for humanity.

Zhang Heng felt his vision blur for a bit as he shut his eyes subconsciously. When he opened them again, he was out of the Academy's headquarters and found himself in a fragrant forest.

There was something different about that forest. There were all manner of strange and unfamiliar trees everywhere, as well as several types of ferns that he had never seen before. All of those plants were extremely lush, enabling the entire forest to be filled with vitality and lushness.

The oxygen content in the air was about one to two percentage points higher than that found on Earth. Zhang Heng took a casual breath and was able to smell a unique fragrance—the scent of nature from a foreign planet.

In front of the forest was a huge city that stood between heaven and earth. The coastal city had been running for four to five months and had transformed from a small town into a huge, prosperous city.

He was able to see tall buildings in the city at a glance. However, what was different from the real world was that the city had a sci-fi style that he had never seen in real life. Buildings were mostly made of inorganic materials such as metal and glass, and the colorful surfaces of the buildings exuded a mesmerizing glow under the sunlight.

There were streamlined flying cars flying in the air between the cities, shuttling back and forth between the tall buildings. While they were flying in the air, all of the flying cars had a unified route. Countless flying cars were seen coming and going. It looked chaotic, but there was extreme order contained within.

There were people walking around in groups of twos and threes on the streets on both sides of the tall buildings. Robots cleaning the streets could be seen taking strolls on the side of the streets. Only when there were too many pedestrians and dirty footprints were seen on the ground would the robots take the cleaning tools and clean the streets diligently.

Countless workers were seen coming and going in the building. Due to the small number of people in the city, everyone had a lot of space to move around in. Even the office itself looked like a small plaza.

To the east of the city was a vast ocean, with golden beaches lining the ocean. Many residents would choose to spend a beautiful and peaceful evening there after a busy day, watching the sunset glow and seeing how the 'moon', which was about the size of a basketball, went from pale white to silvery-white. There was also the ship that had been stranded in the ocean, which represented the pinnacle of human civilization—the Paradise Space.

That was the iconic city that Zhang Heng developed on Planet Tanis, Stellar City.

That was what he saw when he was transported back to this world.

"Bauer." Zhang Heng waved his hand and the metal wristwatch in his hand connected to the communication satellite in space. The satellite was then sent to the headquarters of Stellar City after the signal was cut off, before being sent to the chief executive of Stellar City, the protagonist of the plane known as the Deep Space Memory.

"Mayor!" Bauer's voice was heard immediately, sounding surprised. "What brings you here today?"

"I came to take a look when I was bored," Zhang Heng said casually. "I wanted to see how our space technology is doing."

"Space technology is what you want us to focus on developing, so of course we won't be sloppy about it." Bauer chuckled and said, "What are your coordinates? I'll send someone to pick you up."

"No need. I can do it myself." Zhang Heng rejected the offer and hung up as he spoke, heading straight for Stellar City. He took his time walking for over 10 minutes before reaching the outskirts of Stellar City. He would be able to reach the outskirts of the city in just a few kilometers.

However, Zhang Heng saw a warehouse constructed of burgundy glass at the side of the highway to his left. The warehouse was translucent, and he was able to see several anti-gravity flying cars parked in the warehouse under the bright sunlight. Those were the cars that he saw flying in the sky before. All of those cars were provided by Stellar City, just like the public facilities used by city bicycles.

Zhang Heng went straight to the warehouse and found that the cars were all streamlined, with all manner of styles and colors for people to choose from. They looked just like sports cars in the real world, except that there were no tires.

He randomly selected a red flying car and swiped his wristwatch on the car's identity scanner. The red LCD screen turned green immediately and the door of the anti-gravity vehicle slowly opened.

Zhang Heng got into the flying car. A beep was heard from the car after he got into his seat, and the door of the gullet was shut. A three-dimensional virtual image of a woman appeared on the window of the car.

"Dear user, nice to meet you. Welcome to the Stellar City No. D7658 anti-gravity vehicle. Please set your destination."

"The north gate of the Stellar City Government Building," Zhang Heng answered immediately.

"Destination confirmed. The customer is 8.3 kilometers away from the destination. According to default speed, D7658 will arrive in seven minutes and 33 seconds."

The anti-gravity vehicle was fully activated after saying that. It rose steadily through the skylight of the warehouse and headed straight for its destination according to the air route planned by Stellar City.

That scene felt like the future. If this were on Earth, it would have been difficult to achieve in a hundred years. However, on Planet Tannis, where technology and resources were extremely abundant, such a scene could easily become reality.

Anti-Gravity vehicles were powered by the ubiquitous clean energy in the universe—hydrogen supply. Due to the fact that they were civilian, they were not traveling at a very fast speed. The flying vehicle rose to a height of 100 meters at a speed of 60 to 70 kilometers per hour, before flying straight for Stellar City, which was filled with skyscrapers, joining the traffic in the sky.

Almost eight minutes later, the anti-gravity vehicle slowly descended in a metal-paved parking lot. Bauer was waiting in front of the government building with a huge group of key personnel from Stellar City's government. As Zhang Heng stepped out of the gull's gate, Bauer came up to him with a warm welcome.

Zhang Heng felt as if the man before him was welcoming Obama.

"Mayor!"

"Mr. Mayor!"

"Welcome home, Mr. Mayor!"

A huge crowd of people crowded around Zhang Heng like a swarm of bees. He even saw several people dressed as reporters taking photos non-stop. The red carpet was even laid out on the parking lot. All of those people stood on either side of the red carpet in an orderly manner, clapping non-stop. All of them looked at Zhang Heng with curious and complicated expressions.

The holographic projection screen in front of the Stellar City government building even displayed slogans such as "Welcome to Stellar City for your guidance, Mayor", which rendered Zhang Heng speechless.

Bauer walked up to Zhang Heng and bowed slightly before extending his hand and making an inviting gesture. "Please come in, Mr. Mayor."

Zhang Heng nodded and walked down the red carpet as usual. While he didn't like such ostentatious behavior, he wasn't about to go out of his way to make things difficult for them after he was done with them. All he wanted to do was to remind Bauer not to do such things again.

329. Ancient Ruins

Zhang Heng initially had plans to inspect the work in Stellar City as well, but he eventually gave up on that idea when he recalled all the dirty tricks played by officials.

What he saw would always be what he wanted to see. He had even seen some guards standing guard at the door of the government building after he arrived, preventing any 'interviews' from happening.

The reception that he saw before was no different from that of the officials in the real world.

However, that was indeed the most basic rule of society. People were divided into different categories. Some were capable enough to stand at a height that others would never be able to achieve even if they worked hard for their entire lives. Some, due to laziness and other reasons, found the world to be unfair to them.

While the world had long since entered a civil society where everyone was equal, class still existed, even in a society where civilizations were highly developed. People with money and power would always stand at the top of the social ladder.

Zhang Heng was unable to change anything. Despite the fact that he was the one who created Stellar City and the fate of all those people were in his hands, he was still unable to change the invisible hierarchy of society.

After all, everyone's abilities differed depending on how capable they were. Those who were capable would definitely be able to bring about greater value to society and occupy higher positions. When their positions reached a certain level, their descendants would be able to enjoy sufficient benefits and return to being regular people after two or three generations. That was what it meant when people said that they would only be rich for three generations.

If one were to force people who were of greater value to stand on the same level as those who were lazy, lazy, and incapable, while it seemed fair, it was actually unfair.

Class existed wherever there were people. That was a fact that Zhang Heng was unable to change, just like himself. The first thing that came to his mind when he got his hands on the Dimensional Star was none other than to change his mediocrity and put himself on a higher pedestal.

All those thoughts flashed through his mind in a flash. He snapped out of his trance and dismissed all those unrelated people. He chatted with Bauer for a bit before making his way to an even larger building next to the government building, the spaceflight building of Stellar City.

"According to the design plans of the Ecstasy Space and the technologies that were dismantled from it, we have created some spacecraft with simplified functions. After several experiments, we have confirmed that we now possess the ability to carry people through space. We will be able to reach the Solar System where Tannis is located as long as we are able to see it."

Mark Dawson, the chief engineer of the space program, said.

Zhang Heng was walking along a corridor made of reinforced glass. There was a huge spacecraft assembly plaza below his feet. Countless synthesized people and engineers were walking about, and construction trucks were going in and out of the plaza. There was a huge, complicated-looking spacecraft in the center of the plaza.

"The ship under our feet is Stellar 5, which is also the biggest spacecraft that we've opened up to date." Mark continued to explain, "Stellar 5 is 300 meters long and 89 meters wide. It's about the same size as an aircraft carrier. Its body uses anti-gravity engines, enabling it to easily fly out of the atmosphere. There are also two nuclear fusion engines and three backup nuclear fusion engines installed on the body of the ship. As long as one of the engines is intact, the ship could continue accelerating."

"What about the ship's maximum speed?" Zhang Heng looked at the massive thing beneath his feet and asked, feeling rather tempted.

"I've never tried that before." Mark felt rather awkward. "Theoretically speaking, it could accelerate to near lightspeed indefinitely. If we were to base it on the Euphoria Space, we could accelerate to a sub-light speed of 90%."

"No tests from the first four experiments?" Zhang Heng shot Mark a displeased look. That was not what he wanted to hear.

"I've tested it out before!" Mark's heart tensed up when he saw Zhang Heng frown and he quickly explained, "The main reason is that it takes a long time for the ship to accelerate while flying in outer space. The time taken to accelerate the ship could be measured in years. The first ship to take flight is only four months away, so the experiment is still underway. Please give me two to three years to test the ship's acceleration limit."

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes right away. Two to three years? He wondered if the real world would still exist after three years. It would be too late by the time he was done testing.

However, Zhang Heng also knew that while humans were able to acquire higher levels of technology, that didn't mean that they would be able to reach the same level of technological advancement in an instant. It would usually take some time for them to get used to all that foreign technology. Things like technological advancement couldn't be rushed.

Mark seemed to know that Zhang Heng wouldn't be satisfied with that answer, so he continued, "However, we've initiated the lunar landing program and brought back relevant samples and reports from the moon. Our initial conclusion is that there could be lifeforms on the moon as well."

"The moon?" Zhang Heng frowned and looked up at the huge planet in the sky through the glass window.

"That's right. Due to habitual reasons, we also refer to this satellite surrounding the Tanis planet as the Moon," Bauer explained.

"You're saying that the satellite before us detected signs of civilization?" Zhang Heng had a bad feeling all of a sudden.

"Yes! Do you know what we found?" Mark said. "We found a huge pyramid. It's not some kind of Egyptian pyramid, but something that looks like the Mayan temple."

"That pyramid is extremely huge, taking up an area spanning tens of square kilometers. However, due to the fact that Stellar One, which had landed on the moon, had other tests to perform and that it was an unmanned ship, we only took a few pictures before heading back the way we came. However, you have to know that this place is over a hundred light-years away from Earth. It could be said that no human has ever landed on that planet since ancient times, much less constructing a huge pyramid on it. That discovery is one of the greatest in history."

Zhang Heng couldn't help but shake his head. If he were a scientific researcher who knew nothing about the inside story, he would have been very excited about finding the ruins of a civilization on the New Moon. However, after going through so many dangers in the various planes, the only thing that he yearned for was a safe and secure place like a paradise, and it was best not to get involved with any secrets or unknown elements.

It was a pity that things didn't turn out the way he had hoped. Regardless of who had left that ruin behind, it was clear that the place was definitely not some peaceful paradise. He could only pray that there was no danger lurking around.

330. Predicting The Future

Zhang Heng felt a sudden urge for some reason as he looked at the huge planet above him. He narrowed his eyes subconsciously and felt an indescribable urge to charge left and right, as if he wanted to break free.

Zhang Heng's eyes went blank at the very next second, as if he had been plunged into the river of time, where nothing in the world could be seen. All that was seen before his eyes was a chaotic series of illusions.

That feeling…

Zhang Heng felt as if he was suddenly enlightened and realized what was happening right there and then. That feeling… He looked as if he had just realized something and his pitch-black pupils looked up into the sky. The very next second, he saw a huge four-sided pyramid standing in midair.

It was a massive building that was over three kilometers tall. The building was massive, and even the Pentagon took up less than one percent of the building's land area. The building also exuded an air of ancientness, as if it was mottled with history.

However, all of that happened in the blink of an eye as the river of time continued to flow. Zhang Heng's line of sight traced back to that image and he saw, in the very depths of the pyramid, a huge metal door that was carved with countless mysterious symbols and had a very crude design standing at the very center of the pyramid.

Behind the door was a dark red color.

Zhang Heng could vaguely hear the anguished wails of millions of people in despair. The wails seemed to be able to penetrate the barriers of the world. He could even smell the stench of blood from time and space.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted all of a sudden and the feeling he had in the dark dissipated in the very next second, leaving him with a severe headache. He felt a slight heat in his nose and blood began to flow from it.

"Mr. Mayor!" Bauer and Mark were explaining the situation on the moon to Zhang Heng at the side. Zhang Heng seemed to have gone into a trance all of a sudden, losing all focus in his eyes. However, before Mark was able to say anything else, Zhang Heng's face turned deathly pale and he looked like he was in extreme pain.

"Bang!"

The two of them hadn't even realized what was happening when the two cloned soldiers standing guard nearby pounced on them like they had gone insane. While the cloned warriors were not on Earth for missions and some of them had never even seen Zhang Heng before, their first action would be to ensure his safety if he were to fall into danger. That would always be the first and final mission that they would carry out after being born.

The cloned warriors had their own independent radio channels. When the two cloned warriors saw Zhang Heng's predicament, all the cloned warriors in Stellar City looked up at the center of Stellar City at the same time.

"All of you!" Bauer was about to berate the clone warriors when he saw what they were doing all of a sudden, but he realized that the two of them were looking at him with cold, murderous looks in their eyes. He swallowed the chiding reflexively and watched as the two clones pounced on him, blocking all possible threats for him.

Be it the researchers at the bottom of the building or the government officials who were following Zhang Heng from afar, all of them were stunned by what they saw. They looked at the scene before them, feeling as if there was some kind of extreme pressure weighing down on their hearts.

"He's suffering from over-exertion of his power. He's fine! Level One Alert deactivated." One of the cloned warriors lowered his head and checked Zhang Heng, noting that he was in no danger, before replying with a deadpan expression on his face. When he said that, the reinforcement troops that were initially heading in that direction gave up on trying to save him and returned to their posts.

It was only then that everyone felt relieved.

Bauer, who was standing at the side, had a bitter look on his face. While he didn't have any intentions of being disloyal, he still felt rather uncomfortable when he saw the cold and unfeeling guards of Stellar City behaving in such a manner.

The military and government of Stellar City were divided into two parts. As the chief executive of Stellar City, he was only given administrative rights at most. It wasn't that he didn't know that there were many officials who tried to invade the military authority system, but all of them ended up getting snubbed. There were even some who were a little more outspoken, and those stern-looking soldiers would detain those people without a second thought, and they would disappear from the face of the earth.

None of them had the slightest bit of authority when it came to combat prowess, so it was impossible for them to say that they didn't care. Zhang Heng, the mayor, hardly showed himself, and it was inevitable that some people would want to take his place. After all, the people on Planet Tanis were the earliest residents.

However, after seeing what happened that day, Bauer completely understood that it was impossible to take over Stellar City.

Bauer sighed to himself and looked at the medical staff who were rushing over from afar. He suppressed his frustration and began issuing orders, sending Zhang Heng to the hospital at the same time.

…

He found himself lying on a hospital bed when he opened his eyes again, surrounded by all manner of medical equipment.

Zhang Heng slowly sat up and that blood-curdling scream that was capable of driving people insane kept replaying in his mind. It was as if tens of thousands of people were suffering inhumane pain at the same time. That scream was enough to destroy anyone's sanity, turning them into idiots who would spend the rest of their lives in mental disorder.

It was just that Zhang Heng's will was extremely firm, and that sound didn't affect him that much. What truly rendered him immobile was the mental exhaustion caused by his ability to 'foresee the future'.

That's right, he was seeing the future for the third time.

There was a time when he first sensed what would happen in the future in December. That encounter was so vague that he wasn't sure if he was seeing things. He then saw the future again in April of that year and killed Fang Liwei.

And now, he was seeing the future for the third time.

However, things seemed to be different this time. What he felt this time felt more like a kind of hyperspace detection. He could sense that there was some kind of extreme danger on that planet above his head, a danger that he was completely unable to resist.

In actual fact, even though Zhang Heng had expended a lot of mental power after 'foreseeing' the situation, it was still far better than what happened the first and second time. He was able to quickly regain consciousness after foreseeing what happened. If he were to hold on for much longer, he would still be able to maintain his mobility. It was just that, seeing that the clone warriors were protecting him, he didn't force himself to hold on. Instead, he simply let nature take its course and went to sleep, as that would allow him to recover as quickly as possible.

Zhang Heng was able to feel that he had completely recovered by the time he woke up. Not only that, but he also felt that he was feeling very energized, as if he had just taken some kind of stimulant. It was a very stimulant feeling.

However, he knew very well that it was all just an illusion. It was only due to his ability to 'foresee the future' that he was able to make his mental power grow even stronger after being drained dry. That was why he was seeing things like that.

However, the moment Zhang Heng woke up, the doctors on duty outside the medical room discovered what was happening and notified Bauer and the others right away. Bauer rushed in shortly afterward.

331. Plane Shuttle Failure

"Ignore that pyramid."

Zhang Heng spoke right after Bauer stepped into the ward.

"Huh?" Bauer was stunned when he walked in and looked at Zhang Heng with a puzzled look.

"Where's Mark?" Zhang Heng paid no heed to the other man's confusion and asked in a serious tone.

"Director Mark is outside right now, waiting for your call." Bauer came back to his senses and said respectfully.

"Call him in." Zhang Heng nodded.

It didn't take long for Mark to walk into the infirmary, feeling very uneasy. The first thing Zhang Heng asked him when he woke up was that it was definitely not a good sign. He looked at the bed nervously and felt his heart skip a beat. Zhang Heng's eyes were burning with vigor, making him look like a star. He didn't look as pale as he did when he was unconscious.

"Mr. Mayor…" Mark forced a smile and looked at Bauer, who was standing at the side, for help. Bauer, on the other hand, looked straight ahead. He had no idea why Zhang Heng called him Mark, but regardless of the reason, if he didn't want to get himself into trouble, he wasn't going to bother about it anymore.

"Mr. Mayor, if there's nothing else, I'd be leaving first." Bauer wanted to slip away after seeing that Zhang Heng seemed to have something to say to Mark.

"You too." Zhang Heng took a casual look at the two of them, who looked uneasy, and smirked. "Relax, I'm not here to make a scene."

"Do you have any orders for us? Please feel free to speak if you have any. We'll definitely do our best!" Mark let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Zhang Heng wasn't wearing a cold expression and quickly put on a fawning smile.

"There's only one thing I'd like to remind you of." Zhang Heng's expression turned serious as he took a good look at the two of them and said firmly, "I want you to remember that, no matter what, you're not allowed to land on the moon without my orders!"

"That's… that?" Bauer was stunned and quickly turned around, trying to find an answer from Mark. However, when he saw Mark looking equally shocked, he suppressed his curiosity and said, "Yes, I'll definitely restrict the space department. There won't be any moon landing activities until I receive your orders."

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and turned to look at Mark. "Mark, what about you?"

"I'll definitely do as you say!" Mark replied right away. While he was curious as to why Zhang Heng would say something like that, he knew that given how the world worked, he wasn't any weaker than Bauer. The orders issued by his superiors were never to be questioned. All he needed to do was carry them out.

Zhang Heng looked at the two of them approvingly and said, "Alright, I know that you two definitely have a lot of questions. You'll understand some things sooner or later, but not right now."

"We understand." Both of them nodded.

"It's good that you understand. You may leave now." Zhang Heng ordered for them to leave.

Zhang Heng fell into deep thought again after the two of them left. He couldn't help but wonder why such a huge pyramid would appear on that satellite above the planet of Tanis. He wondered just what was in that huge door of that pyramid that could give him such a terrifying reaction.

Zhang Heng tried to search for clues from his memories. He was able to replay everything that he had seen in his mind without missing a single thing. He replayed the movie 'Lost in Deep Space' in his mind right then and there, trying his best to get all the clues he could find. However, no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to find anything that could explain the origins of that pyramid or that door.

If there was one thing that could be connected, it would be the destruction of Earth in the Deep Space Amnesia plane.

The destruction of humanity came too suddenly in that movie. The pilot of the Euphoria Space received the last message from the humans before the Earth was destroyed, but the movie never talked about how the Earth was destroyed or why.

Was it an outbreak of war? A meteorite from beyond the heavens? Or… something even more inexplicable?

Did the destruction of Earth have something to do with that pyramid? Why was there something behind that huge metal door that made him shudder?

However, what surrounded Zhang Heng at the moment was an indescribable sense of defeat.

Zhang Heng found himself feeling rather dejected, as if everything had been planned out beforehand. No matter where the humans fled to, no matter what plane he used to serve as his backyard, there was no way he could get rid of all the potential dangers.

Could it be a coincidence? Or could it be that some kind of omniscient pair of eyes had calculated everything and was waiting for humans to walk into their trap?

If it was the latter, then it would be terrifying…

Zhang Heng wore a troubled look on his face and opened his mouth, but he seemed to have recalled something and kept his mouth shut in the end. He had almost gotten Corona to help him analyze the situation just then, but it was only when he was about to speak that he realized that he wasn't in the Honeycomb and Corona wasn't there either.

Corona had unknowingly become an indispensable helper to Zhang Heng. If Corona were to disappear one day, it would be difficult for him to get used to it.

Zhang Heng shook his head slightly and got out of bed to get dressed. His dream of being in the cherry blossom field was shattered and he felt a sense of danger again. It was as if the curse was always lurking in the shadows of humans, watching everything with greedy eyes. Every time Zhang Heng thought that he had gotten rid of the curse, he would turn around and see the curse standing quietly behind him, watching him with a sinister look on its face.

Damn, what a scary thought…

He then walked out of the hospital under the watchful eyes of many doctors and returned to the space center. He asked Mark to prepare all the data regarding spaceflight before heading back to reality. He didn't want to stay there for even a second longer.

He only made his way to the shuttle room after getting all the data he needed.

He had used the Dimensional Star's shuttle ability to enter the Dimensional amnesia plane directly in the radiation plane. Less than four hours had passed since he first used the shuttle ability, and there were still two hours before the cooling deadline of six hours was up. That was why Zhang Heng chose the plane shuttle as a way to return to reality.

He had created three Dimensional Travel devices and placed them in the three planes that he was involved in. One in reality, one in the radiation plane, and one in the deep space amnesia plane. That way, even without Zhang Heng around, the three planes wouldn't be as out of reach as they were before.

The plane shuttle was activated again very quickly under the control of the cloned warriors who were left behind to guard the place. That piece of equipment was extremely important, and Zhang Heng was only able to rest easy with the cloned warriors protecting it.

Zhang Heng walked into the pitch-black Schwarzschild throat as he usually did, but he suddenly felt weightless all of a sudden. He had no time to think about it before his vision blurred all of a sudden. When he was able to see his surroundings clearly again, he was surprised to find that he hadn't been transported to the shuttle in the hive. He found himself in an unknown, abandoned factory.

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched. Even a fool would be able to tell that something was wrong with the shuttle.

332. New Plane

New York City, United States.

The sound of static was heard in front of an abandoned factory in the outskirts of Brooklyn that evening.

Yan Sitong and Song Ni happened to pass by the factory when they got back from school. Both of them looked surprised when they saw what happened and stopped walking.

"Tong, was that lightning?" Song Ni poked at Yan Sitong and asked, feeling rather shocked.

"It doesn't look like it. In fact, it looks like some kind of high voltage power leak." Yan Sitong pushed Song Ni's hand away and tugged at her clothes, urging, "Okay, okay, go home now. It's going to get dark soon."

"No, I want to take a look!" Song Ni flung her backpack and ran off without looking back, causing Tang Sitong to stomp her feet in frustration.

The Brooklyn area itself was one of the poorest areas in New York, mainly populated by descendants of Africa and Latin America. There were fewer Asians in the area, and to put it bluntly, it was just a slum with a very high crime rate. While the government's heavy blows had made significant improvements, the area was in a remote suburb to begin with. If the two girls didn't return home by nightfall, they could still be in danger.

Yan Sitong became anxious at that thought. She looked at the setting sun and then at Song Ni's background. She hesitated for a bit before deciding that Song Ni had made it to the door of the abandoned factory. She gritted her teeth and caught up to her in just a few steps, slapping her on the back as hard as she could. "Hey! Let's go, there's nothing to see…"

Yan Sitong paused all of a sudden.

She suddenly realized that Song Ni seemed to have been scared out of her wits and stood rooted to the ground. She didn't even realize that she was right behind her and simply kept her eyes fixed ahead with a dumbfounded look on her face.

Yan Sitong's heart skipped a beat and she turned around instinctively to look at the door of the factory on the right. However, her eyes widened in the very next second and she covered her mouth, fearing that she would scream.

That was because she saw a young man with short hair standing naked at the door of the factory.

That man was not very muscular, but for some reason, the lines on his body looked very well-coordinated, as if there was some kind of indescribable male scent about him. There seemed to be some kind of primeval force bursting out from under his skin, which was what stopped her from screaming.

The pursuit of beauty came from the instinct of reproduction.

Be it humans, birds, or beasts, all of them had a pursuit of beauty. Only the most powerful of beasts would be given the right to mate, and that was the most primitive way to do so. Powerful genes would be preserved through the survival instincts of life, passed down from generation to generation.

Birds, on the other hand, were very similar. Male birds had shiny, colorful feathers, and the more beautiful they were, the more they attracted the attention of female birds. The beauty of this place was a representation of good health and excellence.

It was the same with humans. The more flawless a person's appearance and figure was, the more it showed how healthy their body was. Such flawless features became the standard of aesthetics for humans—men liked women with big chests and good looks, while women liked men who were strong and intelligent. The reason for all of that was due to the instincts that had been left in their genes after countless years of evolution, which allowed humans to reproduce as many outstanding human bodies as possible.

Zhang Heng's body had been optimized countless times by the T-Virus and had long since reached the peak of human genetics. His external appearance was that of a perfect physique. While he didn't have muscles that were exposed to the world, the moment his body was revealed, the instincts of a woman would be attracted by that 'perfection'.

That being said, while he had a decent build, humans were not animals who relied solely on their instincts to move about. As such, there was no such thing as a scene where all the women in the world would fall into his arms with just a wave of his hand.

At that moment, Yan Sitong suddenly felt that the man's body before her wasn't as annoying as she thought it to be. She instinctively looked down and when she saw that huge thing, her cheeks flushed and she quickly averted her gaze.

…

Even someone as steady as Zhang Heng couldn't help but break out in cold sweat after making a mistake with the transmission.

The Dimensional Space Shuttle required a lot of energy to operate, which was why there weren't many experiments conducted. Furthermore, Zhang Heng thought that the products produced by the Dimensional Star would definitely be of the highest quality, which was why he was able to put his mind at ease regarding the shuttle.

However, Zhang Heng had never expected that something would go wrong with the plane shuttle in the end. Not only did the transmission go wrong, sending him to an unknown plane, but the shuttle had also destroyed every single item on his body, including the nanomachines on his skin, in Swaxi's throat. However, the only consolation he had was that the nanomachines in his mouth were still around.

As such, Zhang Heng had no choice but to appear before the two girls from high school in the image of a pervert.

Zhang Heng had more or less figured out what was going on at the moment. He looked up at the angle of the sun and then at the length of the shadow on the ground. Coupled with his body's temperature and estimated time, data began to appear in his brain, which had long surpassed the limits of a regular person.

It was about 40 ° 43 'north latitude and 74 ° west—New York.

Zhang Heng was able to get a rough idea of where he was in a split second. He looked up and said with a deadpan expression, not minding the fact that he was completely naked before the two girls, "Name yourselves."

"Song, Song Ni." "Yan Sitong." The two mischievous students had never seen anything like that before and their minds were completely blank. To put it simply, they were completely dumbfounded.

"What's the radiation value in the Manhattan area?" Zhang Heng paid no heed to their shock and asked calmly.

"What?" Song Ni and Yan Sitong looked at each other and gradually came to their senses.

If anyone were to see what was happening right now, they would have been so shocked that their jaws would have dropped to the floor. A naked man standing face to face with two girls was nothing out of the ordinary. However, the key point was that the man didn't look like he was trying to act like a gangster at all. Instead, he wore a calm expression as he conversed with the girls one by one. That made things rather weird.

However, he couldn't help but frown after seeing their reactions. He realized that he probably hadn't returned to his original plane.

He had bombarded more than half of the Manhattan area in his original plane, rendering the area within a radius of over 100 kilometers uninhabitable. However, when he asked about the radiation levels in Manhattan, the two girls didn't react at all. That meant that New York had probably never been hit by a nuclear bomb before. That further proved that this wasn't Zhang Heng's real plane.

However, after frowning for a bit, Zhang Heng's eyes suddenly lit up. That plane looked like a parallel world that was practically identical to the real world, which meant that it was a new opportunity for him.

333. Stark

Zhang Heng calmed himself down as his thoughts raced. He flashed a warm smile and thanked the girls before turning around and walking out under the terrified and embarrassed gazes of the two girls.

"Who is he?" Yan Sitong felt a sense of loss for some reason after seeing Zhang Heng leave. Song Ni, on the other hand, kept her eyes on Zhang Heng's back as she asked.

"Maybe he was robbed. While it's not common for someone to steal someone else's clothes, it's still something…" Yan Sitong instinctively wanted to excuse Zhang Heng's nakedness, but she seemed to have recalled something and took a look at the setting sun before grabbing Song Ni's hand and said, "Hurry up and go home. It's going to get dark soon."

…

Zhang Heng walked out of the abandoned factory and casually went into a room that didn't have a master. He found a few pieces of clothing and put them on. When he walked out again, he was already wearing a casual outfit. He looked around for a bit and used his mental power to hold himself back under the moonlight, gradually flying 100 meters into the air.

Flying was a dream that humans yearned for day and night. However, due to the limitations of the human body's structure and weight, flying to where it was today was just an unrealistic fantasy. While the appearance of the plane fulfilled the human desire to fly, it was never as satisfying as flying at will.

Perhaps the birth of a single unit would be able to help humans realize their dreams in the near future. However, flying was just an unrealistic fantasy for regular humans at the moment.

However, Zhang Heng was different. The birth of his mental power gave him power that no regular person would be able to comprehend. If he were to apply his mental power directly to his body, he would be able to shake off Earth's gravitational pull and achieve the possibility of flying.

It was just that Zhang Heng had rarely tried that ability before. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in it, but that flying was of little use to him. The fact that the Falcon was able to fly at 30 times the speed of sound meant that he wouldn't be so bored as to give up on the more convenient tools and fly slowly with his mental power.

That was right. His mental power had been severely depleted before, which was why he hadn't considered flying a part of his training. Flying was no easy feat after all, as it required him to constantly use his massive mental power to hold his body back. His mental power had been severely depleted back then, and if he were to use all of that to fly, his mental power would have been completely depleted within minutes.

As his mental power grew stronger, he gradually began to use his mental power to perform some kind of auxiliary work. For example, if he were to jump from a high place, he would be able to use his mental power to help him descend at a uniform speed against the acceleration of gravity, so as to reduce the impact when he landed to protect himself.

His current level of mental power was nowhere near as vast as an abyss, but it was nonetheless very powerful. His mental power's thrust had reached a terrifying 253 kilograms in the last test.

That was equivalent to 25 tons of thrust!

The thrust of a fighter plane capable of supersonic flight was known to be only about 1,000 kg, yet his host was over 30 tons. If Zhang Heng were to really fly, the speed he could achieve would be even more terrifying than that of a plane.

That being said, the prerequisite was that Zhang Heng's body had to be able to withstand that tremendous force. It was a pity that while his physique was enhanced by the T-Virus, his tough body was nowhere near as tough as steel and bone like that of planes. As such, while he was able to fly, it was very difficult for him to reach supersonic speeds. Furthermore, the mental energy that he consumed when he was flying was even more terrifying. Even with his current mental capacity, he was only able to fly for several minutes.

As such, he had yet to put his flight plan into action since he acquired his mental power a year ago.

Zhang Heng was finally able to use his mental power to break free from the gravitational pull of the Earth again under the cover of night. He rose 100 meters into the air and the night scenery of the brightly lit city in the outskirts and far away came into view. He could even see the Brooklyn Bridge in the northwest and the Statue of Liberty, which represented the United States.

Zhang Heng landed on the ground again after confirming his current location and made his way to where he could see with a calm and collected manner. While the plane looked very ordinary, just like his own plane, and there seemed to be nothing unknown about it, caution was always the best way to ensure his survival. He had no intention of squandering too much mental power before figuring out the nature of the plane.

Zhang Heng soon found the subway along the street. He casually bumped into a tanned man who looked like he was about to melt into the night. A wallet appeared in his hand after he turned around and left.

Zhang Heng boarded the capitalist subway after buying the ticket before the vending machine. He appeared in one of the most prosperous areas in the world when the train whistled past, in the city center of New York, Manhattan.

Zhang Heng's eyes were filled with emotion as he looked at the city that remained completely unaffected by human civilization. He didn't want to bomb Manhattan with a million-ton nuclear bomb if it were possible, as that would have been a huge loss to the entire civilization. However, he eventually decided to do so in order to get the United States to suffer as much damage as possible and blow up the arrogant attitude of the United States. The bombardment that followed made most Americans realize what they were doing and start to wake up.

All of those thoughts flashed through his mind and he was on Broadway in the very next second. The New York City began with the Battery Park as the starting point, with a 25-kilometer-long stretch stretching from the south to the north of Manhattan Island. Buildings stood tall in the clouds on both sides of the street, with the renowned Wall Street Stock Exchange, Madison Square, Times Square, and many other epoch-making buildings representing the giants and business tycoons of the United States. The Times Square, in particular, was known as the 'World junction'.

Zhang Heng weaved through the streets that were filled with people. He seemed to be moving about casually, yet he somehow managed to avoid all the people bumping into him. When he emerged from the crowd, he found himself in front of a newsstand. He took out a dollar and picked up a copy of the New York Times. However, he stopped in his tracks at the very next second.

Zhang Heng's eyes, which were usually calm and collected, turned sharp all of a sudden. He slowly raised his head and focused on a building that looked rather familiar. There was a line of English letters that looked even more familiar on that building.

"STARK!"

334. Marvel Universe

STARK!

That was what the Starks meant when translated into Chinese.

If it was just a name, Zhang Heng might not have paid much attention to it. However, given his exceptional memory, it was difficult for him to forget what he saw. He was able to quickly sort out and store even a passer-by in his memory.

As such, he was able to confirm that the building he saw in the movies was identical to the one he saw in front of him.

Zhang Heng's relaxed expression turned grave right away. He looked around and found a clothing dealership. He put on a cap and a pair of sunglasses when he came out again, burying his face in the shadows.

He then put on the hood on his back, covering the side of his face.

Zhang Heng began to follow the crowd after he was done, heading for the streets of Parklow in the Manhattan district.

Zhang Heng's two main objectives were on that street—the police station plaza and the city hall of New York City.

Zhang Heng read several newspapers regarding New York all the way, but he didn't find any useful leads. However, just when he was about to give up, he walked up to a newspaper stand and picked up a copy of The Horns. However, he stopped what he was doing all of a sudden and narrowed his eyes, wearing a mysterious grin.

A man in a blue and red tights was seen hanging outside the glass wall of a tall building on the second page of the newspaper. His streamlined muscles were very eye-catching due to the tights. While he didn't look very muscular, Zhang Heng was able to tell with just a single glance that there was something about that slender and compact body that was no less explosive than his own.

Spiderman!

Anyone from Earth, no, it should be said that anyone from Zhang Heng's plane would have those three words pop up in their mind when they saw that person. Compared to the other superheroes of Marvel, Spiderman was a household name.

The "Bugle Call" was one of the channels in the early stages of the Spiderman plot that specialized in selling his novels in exchange for royalties.

While he hadn't gone to the NYPD headquarters to look for information yet, he was able to confirm when he read the newspaper that he was in Marvel World, a world where both Iron Man and Spiderman existed.

While both belonged to Marvel, Marvel had once sold Spiderman to Sony, and it wasn't until "Captain America 3" that Spiderman returned to the Marvel family. Zhang Heng was now able to basically confirm that the world he was in was probably before and after the plot of the American Team 3.

But of course, all of that was still just Zhang Heng's speculations. As for whether that was the case, he would need to look into more data before he could confirm it.

That was what Zhang Heng was concerned about. There were countless crossings and conflicts in the Marvel world as well. For example, the film series and the comic series were basically two completely different stories, especially in terms of power systems. The superheroes in the comics were capable of destroying the world at every turn. Forget about the Solar System, even the universe was in constant danger of being destroyed.

The power system in the movies, on the other hand, was closer to being real. While the superheroes were powerful, they weren't so powerful that they were practically invincible.

As such, what Zhang Heng wanted to confirm was whether the world he was in at the moment was truly a world that had something to do with Marvel. If that was the case, would the power system refer to the manga as the blueprint, or the movie as the blueprint?

He believed that the data in the database of the NYPD headquarters contained the answers that he deserved.

It was getting late at night and the pedestrians on the streets were getting increasingly scarce. Zhang Heng had made his way into the data room of the police headquarters, which had a history of 160 to 170 years, and all the data files from 1845 to date were stored there.

"File: top secret. May 29, 1989. Howard Stark, founder of the Stark Company, died in a car accident with his wife. Unarrestable suspect."

"File: Confidential. On March 4, 2016, the death of Norman Osborn, the chairman of the Ao Clan Group, remained unsolved."

"File: Public. William Becker disappeared from the Clinton jail on August 3, 2016. Suspected to be related to the New York Mutant 'Sandman'."

"Files: top-secret. New York War 2015. Unknown alien civilization invaded New York… Police are working with S.H.I.E.L.D."

…

All the relevant pieces of information appeared before Zhang Heng's eyes one after another, comparing them to the clean ones in his memory. It didn't take him long to come up with a timeline that was relevant.

However, Zhang Heng was secretly relieved after getting the results. The Marvel Universe seemed to exist with movie plot as its foundation. For example, the so-called New York War was something that happened in the movie The Avengers, where the evil gods attacked New York.

Since the movie was the blueprint, that meant that while the superheroes were still very powerful, they shouldn't be as ridiculous as the ones found in the comics. For example, they could wipe out Earth with a single thought and a single punch could wipe out the multiverse.

It wasn't just S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Zhang Heng also found traces of the characters in the X-Men and the Fantastic Four in those files, which meant that the plane seemed to be a plane fused with Marvel. However, if that was the case, he would probably need to be more cautious in his actions.

While the power system in the movies had been utterly destroyed, and the superheroes' power levels were set to be somewhere between regular humans and invincible according to the plot, such situations would definitely not occur in the real world. As such, Zhang Heng felt the need to list all of the known superheroes at a corresponding level.

There were both strong and weak superheroes, with the likes of Hulk among them. In the comics, Hulk was at least a world-destroying existence that could toy with the entire Earth. In the movies, Hulk was ranked in the top three among all the superheroes that appeared on the scene. While Zhang Heng wanted to dissect that huge monster and find out how his body was able to violate the law of conservation of mass, he knew very well that, given his current level of power, retreating would probably be the best course of action if he were to actually see that thing.

Other than Hulk, the superheroes that could fly were also Zhang Heng's weaknesses, such as Thundergod, Iron Man, and so on. There was also the unfathomable power of Disillusionment.

If Zhang Heng were to go up against those people, he would probably lose more than he won. However, if it were the Black Widow, Hawkeye, Falcon, and the rest of the regular people, that might not be the case. As for the remaining superheroes who were unable to express themselves clearly, he would have to fight them to find out if he could actually beat them.

335. Plans And Schemes

It was late at night by then, which far exceeded the six-hour teleportation limit of the Dimensional Star. Zhang Heng turned around and flew out of the police headquarters building after looking through all the data, completely ignoring the chaotic data room.

The papers would probably be published in the morning, with the police department's data being read and the top story of the case being exposed. However, none of that had anything to do with Zhang Heng anymore. While he needed to be very careful in a city where superheroes were everywhere and mutants were as common as dogs, that didn't mean that he needed to be cautious. As long as he didn't expose himself and crossed certain boundaries, no one would be able to find him.

He found the roof of an office building and landed at the top before contacting the Dimensional Star.

"Dimensional Star. If I were to return to reality right now, would I be able to return to this world?"

"According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, parallel worlds that have yet to experience the end of the world are not within the host's jurisdiction. As such, you are unable to return after leaving."

"I see." Zhang Heng couldn't help but rub his chin and thought for a bit before continuing, "If that's the case, I can't count on the Dimensional Star anymore. If I want to connect with this world, I'd need a plane shuttle."

With that thought in mind, Zhang Heng set his first goal of coming to that plane. He wanted to build a plane shuttle in that plane. That was the only way he would be able to get a ticket to that plane after returning to reality.

After all, there was no way Zhang Heng would give up on a world with countless technologies and endless possibilities.

That place was worth far more than all the planes that he had been to combined.

He went back downstairs and headed straight for the Pennsylvania Station.

After all, if he wanted to get his hands on the equipment and materials needed to construct the plane, he would need to go through a lot of trouble before he was able to get his hands on them. Furthermore, there was no way Zhang Heng would be able to wreak havoc in New York right now. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of superheroes lurking in that huge city. Not to mention the X-Men and the Avengers, even the superheroes among the people had powers that were on par with his.

What Zhang Heng was doing was doing his best not to draw attention to himself. He could only carry out his plan by leaving New York for the time being. The density of superheroes outside of New York would drop drastically. According to Marvel's usual style, most of those superheroes were born in New York, and they would only be active in New York. There were basically no superheroes in other countries.

Zhang Heng's target was Germany, the most powerful fascist country in World War II. While it was no longer as powerful as it used to be, there was still the headquarters of the Marvel World Supervillain—Hydra.

If he were to be able to find that organization and work with them, it would probably be easier for him to achieve his goal.

That was the plan that Zhang Heng had decided on for the time being. Why didn't he work with Iron Man or some other superhero? There were two reasons for that. The first was that those superheroes were mostly just and extreme. To put it nicely, they had their own code of conduct. They wouldn't be able to stand up to anyone who was evil.

To put it bluntly, he was stubborn.

If Zhang Heng were to work with those people, he would definitely be under their surveillance and be on high alert, regardless of whether they would agree to him building the shuttle or not. What Zhang Heng was about to do after constructing the passageways between the two places would definitely not be done cleanly. The outcome would then be very obvious. If he were to do something 'evil', the other party would definitely jump out and make an enemy out of him. Zhang Heng would then have no choice but to suffer in silence. Not only would he be exposed, but he would also become the enemy of the entire world. What was the point of that?

If he were to work with the evil forces, he wouldn't have to worry about all of that. But then again, there was no way Zhang Heng was going to let them know that he had the ability to create plane traversing equipment. If he were to do so, he would be putting himself in danger. Not only would he end up in danger, but he might also be able to invade the real world.

Zhang Heng thought about all sorts of conspiracies as he bought a ticket to Houston at the train station. He planned to find a way to leave the American border in Houston and smuggle himself to Germany from Mexico.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but miss Corona at that moment. He was used to having her take care of everything for him. Without Corona's help, it would be very inconvenient for him to go anywhere he wanted.

Zhang Heng found a way to sneak into the train station after checking the train schedules at the train station. At his level, it wasn't difficult for him to get into a truck that wasn't heavily supervised. He took the train for an entire night and arrived in Houston at noon the next day, the largest city in Texas.

Not only was Houston the largest city in Texas, but it was also the fourth-largest city in the United States, the largest financial center on the banks of the Gulf of Mexico.

Zhang Heng began to make discreet inquiries about the local underground organizations when he got there. He made contact with a local gangster named the 'Inferno Gang' in the afternoon. He discussed the price of the smuggling trip for a bit before making his way to Mexico Bay by boat.

Illegal immigration had always been a huge problem for the American authorities. The Mexicans were envious of how prosperous the United States was, and despite all the difficulties that had to be overcome, the boundaries themselves were unbearable. The barriers between the United States and Mexico grew higher, yet there were still more illegal immigrants.

However, the Inferno Gang received an even stranger deal that day. An average-looking young Asian man was actually trying to smuggle himself from the US to Mexico? Didn't he know how many Mexicans wanted to go to the US but were unable to?

Regardless, while the Asian man was weird, none of them would go against the USD. Zhang Heng spent several thousand USD on him before the boss of the Inferno Gang, a brown-skinned man of Mexican descent, accepted his request with a grin.

A midsized fishing boat was slowly docked at a small pier in the Gulf of Mexico late at night. A tanned man waved the flashlight in his hand at the shore, and soon, shuffling noises were heard from the trees by the shore. A young Asian man was "escorted" by several men of Mexican descent and boarded the boat.

The sound of a motor was heard from the fishing boat before it sped off into the distance under the cover of the night, disappearing below the horizon.

Several days passed and Zhang Heng managed to get his Mexican passport through some secret means, before boarding a plane heading for Germany.

336. Attack!

Harley, a city in the eastern part of Germany, was one of the major cities in the Saxony-Anhalt state.

At that moment, a man wearing a hood pushed open the door and walked into the hospital outside the Sacklin State Hospital in Harley City.

"Excuse me, sir…" A blonde-haired, blue-eyed nurse said in German with a smile on her face. However, the man in the hood walked past her before she could finish speaking.

The nurse could only shake her head and ignore her, watching as she disappeared down the corridor.

However, several cameras on the beams of the hospital suddenly reacted, as if someone was controlling them. All the cameras turned their cameras around and locked onto that man, only returning to normal when he was out of their range.

"Seems like we're in trouble."

A high-pitched electronic synthesis was heard deep underground in the hospital at the same time. Rows of red lights flickered in the darkness and one could just barely make out that it was some kind of equipment that looked like a small hill. There was a huge imaging tube screen at the center of the device and a man's face appeared on the screen in the form of green data streams.

"What happened?" A bald man with a gentlemanly appearance and monocle walked out of the darkness and asked as he looked at the face on the screen before him.

"This man…" The face on the screen disappeared automatically and was replaced with that of the man in the hood. The man on the screen was not only wearing a hood, but he was also wearing a cap and a mask under the hood. Despite that, the man's appearance was replicated in an instant after being analyzed by advanced computer equipment.

The man's face was that of a young Asian man. He had an ordinary face, but his eyes were bright and full of vigor, filled with an indescribable confidence and calm.

"What's wrong with that guy?" The bald man scratched his head and revealed his mechanical arm. He couldn't tell what was so special about that guy despite looking at him for quite a while.

"I've never seen this man before." That somewhat high-pitched electronic voice on the huge screen continued, "I have the identity and data system of all humans in the world under my control, but there is no record of this man who appeared out of nowhere in my database. It's as if… this is the first time he has appeared in this world."

"Is that so?" The bald man's expression gradually turned cold after hearing that. He extended his hand and took out an exquisite-looking walkie-talkie and said, "Team One, prepare to attack. The target…"

"It's too late." However, the voice on the screen interrupted the man before him. "He's coming down…" The Asian man on the screen opened his mouth all of a sudden and a huge cloud of black mist spewed out of his mouth. That cloud of black mist seemed to have a life of its own as it hovered in the air for a bit before dropping to the ground. A huge crater was formed in the ground formed by the corrosion in the blink of an eye.

It was obvious that the other party's target was the massive German headquarters of the Hydra under the state hospital before him.

"Warning! Warning! There's been a leak at the base. Unknown people have broken into the base!"

Ear-piercing alarms were heard throughout the entire base in the blink of an eye. Red sirens were heard in the dark room.

It was at that moment that the intricate defense system that looked like a machine began to operate in the entire massive Hydra headquarters.

"Mutants? Or new members of the Avengers?" The bald man in front of him wore a serious expression and turned to walk out of the computer room, saying as he walked, "Dr. Zola, get ready to move. Now that you know where our headquarters is, this place is no longer safe."

"I understand. I'll begin transferring my data. It'll take about 10 minutes." The human face on the computer nodded and chuckled. "So, please stall for over 10 minutes for me. If not, the data from the Global Human Insight Project that we've worked so hard to get would be finished."

The bald man didn't say anything and simply snorted coldly before leaving the computer room.

A huge hole with a diameter of over two meters and a depth of over a dozen meters was corroded below Zhang Heng's feet at the moment. The hole was pitch-black and it seemed impossible to see the bottom of the hole. However, Zhang Heng's mental power was able to see right through it. He was able to sense that the Galactic Beetles had successfully penetrated the concrete and armor layer. The German base of the Hydra was right below the hole.

Everyone in the hospital was shocked at that moment. The nurse who greeted Zhang Heng earlier looked at the huge crater before her with a dumbfounded expression, as if she couldn't believe that it was created by the customer before her. However, Zhang Heng leaped down from the hole in the very next second and disappeared into the bottomless hole.

"Buzz—"

Large numbers of interstellar beetles formed a dense black fog that swept through the Hydra headquarters underground like a black sandstorm. Everywhere the black fog passed, be it solid steel or thick concrete, everything was easily erased.

Just when the black sandstorm was raging underground, teams of Hydra secret troops wearing black combat uniforms and carrying assault rifles appeared near Zhang Heng. The sound of gunshots was heard at the same time. The bullets had just flown out of the barrels and turned into black sand before they could even hit Zhang Heng.

Buzz!

A wave of black sand appeared in front of everyone in the very next second, as if it was being manipulated by someone. The thick layer of black sand immediately shrouded everyone's line of sight. The black sand dispersed two to three seconds later and the dozen or so members of the secret forces disappeared without a trace.

"Those things are bugs! Attack with fire!" Someone shouted all of a sudden and everyone began to retreat in a panic. Zhang Heng smirked coldly and walked slowly along the path that the Galactic Beetles had opened. Black mist billowed around him, making him look like a demon from hell.

A large group of fighters armed with rockets and flamethrowers appeared on Zhang Heng's path right after he made it out of the lobby. Dozens of rockets were fired with orange exhaust flames before he was able to steady himself.

Zhang Heng then put on a serious expression and raised his hand slightly. He felt as if there was some invisible wall separating him from the rocket launchers. The missiles slowed down right after they entered the barrier and were reduced to black sand before everyone's terrified eyes. By the time the black sand dissipated, the missiles that were able to blow up the building had completely disappeared.

337. Violent Submission

Countless streams of black mist gathered before the crowd, eventually taking the shape of a huge demonic face. Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and slowly opened his mouth. That huge demonic face did the same thing and lunged at the crowd.

"Ah! Damn it!"

"Long live Hydra!"

The Hydra troops were on the verge of breaking down. They shouted their slogans to encourage themselves while raising the flamethrowers in their hands and spewed them out at all costs, but they were all swallowed by the endless black mist in an instant. By the time the demon faces dispersed, the dozens of soldiers had completely disappeared from the world.

…

"Boom!"

The bald man rushed into Dr. Zola's computer room with a terrified look on his face. He panted heavily and shouted, "Damn it, who is that guy?"

"No need to panic, Baron Straker." Dr. Zola chuckled on the screen and continued, "I've already transferred most of the data. Given the other party's movement speed, he won't be able to find this place before I'm done."

"Damn it, who cares about data at the moment?" However, the bald man shouted furiously, "The base's power has been completely destroyed by the enemy! Not even a nuclear barrier several meters thick could stop the enemy. Where the hell did he come from?"

"Hold your horses, Baron Straker." Dr. Zola's voice remained as nonchalant as ever. "According to my observation, the reason why the other party was able to enter the city as if there was no one else around was because the weapon they were using seemed to be some kind of extremely advanced technological nanomachines. I could try using an electromagnetic bomb."

"Nanomachines?" Baron Straker was stunned for a moment. Using an electromagnetic bomb in the base meant that the base would be completely destroyed. However, given the dire situation they were in right now, there was probably no need for him to use it if he didn't give it a shot.

The dim lights in the room flickered as if electrical currents were running rampant in the room. Shasha's voice was heard from the communicator in his hand at the same time and it took him several seconds to recover.

"Not good!" However, after the room returned to normal, Dr. Zola's expression became completely serious. "Electromagnetic pulses are ineffective against that man's weapon!"

Only then did Baron Straker look desperate. He gritted his teeth and wanted to rush out of the base. However, an ear-piercing sound of metal twisting was heard from the room where Zola was.

Baron Straker's body froze right there and then. He looked at the alloy door in front of him in horror and saw that the door seemed to have been rammed by some huge beast, causing it to stick out all over the place. It looked like the door was about to burst open at any moment.

"Didn't you say that it would take them a long time to find this place?" Baron Straker gritted his teeth.

"It's obvious that you were the one who led them here." Zola shrugged and said helplessly.

"F * * k!"

"Boom!" The alloy door was no longer able to withstand the massive impact under Baron Strake's terrified gaze and was sent flying with a loud bang, crashing to the ground at Baron Strake's feet. At the same time, streams of black mist drifted in and shrouded the entire room in an instant.

"Ta, ta, ta…"

Zhang Heng walked into the computer room slowly. When he saw the disheveled Baron Straker, he finally smirked and said softly, "Baron Straker, Professor Zola, there's no need to be afraid. I mean no harm."

"You know me?" On the screen, Dr. Zola was clearly stunned.

"Anim Zola, the greatest genetic scientist in human history, a super-genius scientist in the Marvel Universe. His IQ has reached Level 6, which is on par with that of the geniuses of Iron Man and Doomsday. He's far ahead of the current human standards." Zhang Heng smiled and continued, "As a researcher of science, your achievements have made me admire you to the extreme."

"Marvel Universe? IQ rating? What are you talking about?" Dr. Zola frowned.

"I can tell you all about that in the future." Zhang Heng waved his finger and turned to look at the frightened Baron Strak. "Wolfgang von Teslak, the vice commander of the Red Skull, the current highest-ranking leader of the Hydra. I'm here with sincerity this time, and I hope that you can spare some time to talk about cooperation with me."

"Work together?" Baron Straker snorted. "I don't see your sincerity."

Zhang Heng chuckled and said, "Your life is in my hands right now, and I didn't kill you. Isn't that a gesture of goodwill?"

"You…" Baron Straker gritted his teeth and looked at the black fog hovering around him. While the black fog looked like it was still, only he knew that if the black fog were to really reach him, it would be able to swallow him whole in less than three seconds, without leaving a single trace behind.

Baron Straker felt extremely frustrated at that thought. He had never felt so frustrated even when he was fighting against the Avengers. While he was not very powerful individually, he was nonetheless very scheming. While the man before him was very powerful, it was not as if he had never seen someone who was hundreds of times stronger than Zhang Heng. If given enough time, he was confident that he could kill Zhang Heng in countless ways. However, Zhang Heng had destroyed his base without even bothering to say a word, and he was completely unprepared.

"Baron Straker, I'm here to seek cooperation with you out of sincerity. If it's not convenient to talk here, how about we meet at the University of Humboldt in Berlin in three days?"

"The University of Humboldt of Berlin?" Baron Straker was stunned at that moment. He had been prepared to die, not wanting the other party to threaten him with his life. However, hearing that the other party wanted to let him go, he wore a weird expression.

"That's right. The outside world is probably filled with police officers by now. This isn't a good place to negotiate. I'll be waiting for you at the University of Humboldt in Berlin in three days." Zhang Heng nodded and a gust of wind blew. Countless black mist shrouded him and rose to the ceiling. In the blink of an eye, the defensive walls made of steel alloy plates were corroded by the black mist. Zhang Heng quickly made a huge hole in the roof of the Hydra headquarters and left amidst the screams of the onlookers outside.

Baron Straker only collapsed to the ground completely after Zhang Heng left. He was panting hard and there was shock in his eyes. He still couldn't believe that the other party attacked the headquarters of Hydra with such fanfare just to see him and to work together.

"That man is very powerful!" Dr. Zola spoke again, but her high-pitched electronic synthesized voice carried a tinge of seriousness. "He would do anything to get to the heart of the problem with his highest efficiency. He would be feared a thousand times over by those fellows from the Avengers who call themselves justice!"

He then turned to look at the silent Baron Straker and continued, "If possible, I'd like to work with him. With him around, it wouldn't be impossible for us to destroy the Avengers."

338. Trade

The University of Humboldt in Berlin was a world-renowned institute of higher learning. It was one of the top 100 universities in the world and one of the most influential universities in Europe.

Humboldt University was the first new university in the world to combine scientific research and teaching. It was known as the "Mother of Modern Universities". Einstein, Hegel, Marx, and others were all taught or studied there. The spirit of the Humboldt University, which was a combination of academic research and freedom, freedom of teaching and freedom of learning, also influenced almost all modern universities.

At that moment, in the quiet library of the University of Red Keep, a young Asian man with average looks walked past the rows of bookshelves with a calm expression on his face. His slender fingers slowly traced the pages of old and new books, before stopping at a book about criminal psychology in Bartel.

The young man raised his eyebrows and pulled the book out nimbly before taking a seat at the table and flipping through it.

That was what Baron Straker saw when he appeared in the library in his trench coat.

If it hadn't been for the fact that he recognized the young man's appearance and witnessed the black mist that was capable of wiping out everything in its path, he would have thought that the young man before him was just some average college student. He could sense that the young man before him wasn't just putting up an act, but had truly blended into the learning atmosphere in the library, making him no different from the other students around him.

Baron Straker himself, on the other hand, exuded an aura that was unlike that of regular people when he first appeared in the library, causing everyone to look up from time to time, feeling surprised and curious.

Baron Straker took a deep breath and suppressed his frustration. He then walked up to the young Asian man and sat down before putting a radio-like device on the table and said in a low voice, "I'm here."

"Please calm down, Mr. Strake." The young man didn't look up and simply nodded. "Let's talk about the cooperation after I finish reading this chapter."

Straker's breath caught in his throat and it took him quite a while to suppress the rage in his heart. He couldn't help but look around, his expression filled with unease.

However, there was nothing that could be done about it. No one would have known that there was a powerful being who had the power to destroy cities sitting before them, and no one would have been able to calm themselves down without knowing if the other party was friend or foe.

The young man in front of him finally closed the book in his hand and slowly raised his head after more than 10 minutes of torture.

"You like criminal psychology?" A high-pitched voice was heard from the radio on the table all of a sudden, sounding rather sarcastic.

"Yes." The young man nodded and continued in a serious manner, "I like to analyze the composition of human nature. After all, you have to know that the human heart is always the most complex thing in the world. Furthermore, don't you think that, as criminals, it would be helpful for us to look at criminal psychology to make up for our shortcomings?"

"How ironic." The voice on the radio chuckled.

"Alright, enough with the chit-chat. Just tell us what you're up to." Baron Straker didn't comment. "You know all of our files, yet we don't know anything about you. Isn't that unfair?"

"My name is Zhang Heng." The young man chuckled and continued, "I know what you guys are up to. Project Insight requires you to know someone's past and their past before you can predict their future."

The voice on the radio went silent for a bit before saying, "You even know about Project Insight? I'm even more curious about who you are now."

"Keep your Zola algorithm, Dr. Zola." Zhang Heng shook his head and said, "I'm not your enemy. I just need Hydra to do something for me." He pushed a USB flash drive in front of Strake and continued, "In this USB flash drive, there is everything that I need. If I were to get my hands on all of this, I'm afraid I'd need to go through a lot of trouble, but with Hydra's power, I'd be able to get my hands on all of this easily."

Strake took the USB drive slowly and said solemnly, "What do you need?"

"Some high-end equipment." Zhang Heng spread out his hands and continued, "For example, supercomputers with a computing speed of over a trillion times per second, photon exchanges, and so on. Of course, a lot of electricity is also needed, which could supply a city at the very least."

Straker then fell silent. He took a look at the radio on the table and stopped talking.

"We can grant your request." Dr. Zola's voice was heard from the radio. "However, there is a saying among you Asians. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. What could we possibly get out of it?"

"My friendship." Zhang Heng wore a warm smile on his face. "If you were to be uprooted by the Avengers in the future, I might be able to save your lives."

Dr. Zola fell silent as well, seemingly pondering the pros and cons of the whole thing.

"Why don't you do it yourself?" Baron Strach asked suddenly at that moment. He stared right into Zhang Heng's eyes and said, "You have no reason not to get what Hydra could get with your strength."

"I don't want to get into trouble." Zhang Heng tapped the table lightly and continued, "You guys should know that those superheroes are very nosy."

Straker was immediately enlightened.

It was true that Zhang Heng was able to get his hands on those things with his own power, but he ended up making a scene that everyone knew about. After all, there was no way he could hide his criminal activities without the backing of some powerful organization.

The Hydra organization, on the other hand, was different. They had long been deeply rooted in the world and their influence was so great that even the United States was helpless against them. They were able to handle everything in secret without attracting any attention.

"How can we trust you?" Dr. Zola asked again after a long while.

Zhang Heng flashed a grin when he heard that. The fact that the other party said that meant that the cooperation was basically a success. He said casually, "I've chosen to work with you instead of the Avengers. That alone is enough to earn my trust, no?"

"That's not enough!" Dr. Zola snorted and continued, "We need all the data regarding that kind of nanomachines that you used to attack our headquarters!"

"Are you dreaming, Dr. Zola?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued, "I don't like people who are overly greedy. Being overly greedy could kill someone."

The moment he said that, Baron Strake felt a strong sense of danger appearing out of nowhere. The young man before him seemed to have turned into a demon from hell, and that bloodthirsty, murderous aura hit him right in the face. Baron Strake felt his heart shudder. He realized that even though he had lived for over a hundred years, he was still nowhere near as intense as the aura that the young man exuded. He wondered just how many battles and near-death situations the young man had gone through before he was able to nurture such an aura that was even stronger than that of his former superior, the Red Skull.

He sighed and turned off the radio on the table, putting it back in his pocket before saying, "I agree with your suggestion on behalf of Hydra, but I don't want there to be a next time. If you were to destroy our base with that kind of means again, we'd rather have you as our enemy than just swallow it all!"

"Deal!"

339. Plane Unlocking

Zhang Heng couldn't help but smirk as he watched her leave before continuing to read the book in his hand.

His reading speed was no longer as slow as it had been before. He began to speed up instead. He flipped to the first page and scanned it briefly before committing every single detail of that page to memory like a camera. He then processed the information in his mind at high speeds, quickly replicating all that he had learned.

It took him less than three minutes to memorize a book that had over 200,000 words written in it. He would never forget it.

Zhang Heng put the book back on the shelf he was on after he finished reading it. He picked up another book and didn't bother going back to his seat. He just stood where he was and flipped through the pages quickly. It took him less than an hour to finish most of the books on the shelf.

He stretched for a bit and nodded satisfactorily before leaving the library under the puzzled gaze of the librarian.

…

Half a month later, when Zhang Heng arrived at the secret base of another Hydra, even someone as calm as him couldn't help but feel impressed.

It was no longer enough to describe the mysterious organization known as Hydra. Since World War I and World War II, Hydra's plans had been thwarted countless times by the superheroes, but they only became more courageous every time. Even now, they were still able to persevere and even infiltrate SHIELD. Even those as powerful as the Iron Man Captain America suffered a lot at the hands of Hydra.

"Zhang, we've finished preparing everything that you need." Baron Straker looked at the mountainous pile of equipment and said coldly, "How are you going to move all of that?"

"Why would I need to move it?" Zhang Heng walked past Baron Straker and observed all manner of precision equipment in detail. "I think this place is very good. Besides, if I were to move all that equipment away, that damned electrical charge would be very difficult to handle."

"According to my calculations, these devices seem to have the ability to create singularities." Dr. Zola's face appeared on the screen at the side. "According to my speculations, you're planning to use this device to create a Swasi throat, right?"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown after hearing that, before he chuckled and said, "As expected of a super-genius who is on par with Iron Man. You were able to see right through my intentions with just one look. You're right, I do want to create a Schwarzenegger."

"If that's the case, then you're probably not someone from our world. No wonder the Project Insight is of no use to you," Dr. Zola said with a sigh. "However, according to my research, some of the components only require a portion of the components, while others require several types of components. I'm afraid that there is no one else in the world who could create a truly useful transmigration machine, other than you."

"You flatter me." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "It's just a pity that even I am unable to understand how the machine works. I'm only able to remember the structure of the machine, but I'm unable to understand how it was able to traverse space-time."

"I see. That's too bad." Dr. Zola chuckled and continued, "I was going to ask you for some theoretical knowledge regarding the shuttle plane."

"Alright, I'll take care of the rest of the work here. Please go and prepare enough power. After all, this machine is very energy-efficient after being assembled." Zhang Heng gave the order for them to leave after saying that. Baron Straker was about to say something else, but he saw endless black mist emitting from Zhang Heng's body without a word. He then turned around and ran outside, only feeling slightly relieved after he ran out of the warehouse where the equipment was stored.

Despite being in the Hydra base, Zhang Heng didn't hold back at all. Countless interstellar beetles spread out in all directions and filled the entire warehouse in the blink of an eye. Even the steel wall was completely eaten up. Countless interstellar beetles replaced the steel wall under Baron Straker's shocked gaze, blocking everyone's line of sight. Even the monitor that Dr. Zola used for communication was destroyed in an instant.

Surrounded by countless galactic beetles, Zhang Heng manipulated the remaining ones to assemble the equipment piece by piece. It was as if there were countless pairs of hands working on the equipment, making it extremely efficient. It took only about 10 minutes for a plane shuttle identical to that found in the real world to be constructed.

Zhang Heng went up to the supercomputer and the keyboard before him began to vibrate out of nowhere. Lines of codes flowed down like a waterfall on the screen of the supercomputer. Zhang Heng used his mental power to compile the programming of the supercomputer on the keyboard. By the time he was done, the supercomputer before him had completely aligned with the shuttle plane. All he needed to do was connect enough power to connect the bridge between the two planes.

"Dr. Zola!" Zhang Heng called out right away. The Galactic Beetles that surrounded the entire warehouse automatically assembled a device that sounded like a megaphone and Zhang Heng's voice was heard from it. He was able to connect power sources that could supply an entire city to that machine in the very next second, and he was completely successful.

"Prepare for the first shuttle experiment." Excitement was written all over Zhang Heng's face. He extended his hand casually and a laptop flew into his hand under the control of his mental power. The keyboard pressed automatically and lines of code that only the Honeycomb could understand were written on the keyboard. He put the laptop in his hand on the plane shuttle in the very next second.

Electrical sizzles were heard from the huge crescent-shaped device and intense vibrations were heard. A powerful beam of light was seen bursting out from the cavity of the device. The powerful energy was suppressed to an extremely minute point under the high-voltage field of the device, which was the starting point of the birth of the universe, where temperatures were infinitely dense—the singularity.

All of a sudden, ultra-high field lasers capable of tearing a vacuum burst out from the other device and shone on the singularity before disappearing without a trace.

Bang!

A sound that sounded like space was being torn apart was heard and the dot at the center of the crescent-shaped device disappeared, leaving behind a pitch-black hole about two meters in diameter.

Zhang Heng threw the laptop with the code written into his throat and shut off the black hole-like space before him, waiting for the other side to reply.

Zhang Heng didn't have to wait for too long. The plane traversal equipment that he had just finished constructing shone with a blue light after just over 10 minutes. That Swassie's throat appeared yet again. At the same time, over a dozen clones wearing Doomsday Type I armor walked out one after another.

Zhang Heng really managed to connect the Marvel Universe to reality.

340. Spirit Of The Universe

"Warning! Warning! Attack of destruction! Heaven's Chosen One and our plane, prepare to resist!"

"Warning! The second round of attacks is about to begin. Omega Quest initiated. Quest objective scanning in progress…"

"Search complete. Shockwave blocked by unknown energy. Unable to create the ultimate quest."

"Warning! Second round of attack begins! Chosen One, please be prepared to resist the attack immediately. Protect the plane from being destroyed by the attack."

Late at night, Tony Stark was sleeping soundly in his luxurious room. Despite being asleep, it was obvious from the frown on his face that he wasn't sleeping peacefully.

“Father, mother…” A hurried, cold voice was heard from the depths of his mind all of a sudden. Tony sat up all of a sudden, cold sweat dripping from his brow. His eyes were dazed, and it was obvious that he hadn’t woken up from the nightmare.

"Oh no! Brother Tony, wake up!" A slender 2D girl with two ponytails, blue hair, and blue eyes appeared in Tony's pupils with a nervous expression. She waved at Tony, which gradually brought his eyes back to focus.

"Damn it, my hypoglycemia is acting up again." Tony shook his dazed head and muttered under his breath. He then looked at the girl on his retina and had a very ugly look on his face. "F * * k, why did the second impact come so quickly? It's only been two years since the first one! Damn it!"

"Brother Tony…" The 2D girl in front of her couldn't help but look sad when she saw how anxious Tony looked. She said dejectedly, "It's all because Friday couldn't help you much!"

If anyone were to hear the conversation between Tony and the virtual character at that moment, they would be surprised to find that ever since J.A.R.V.I.S and the Vision Integration, the name of Tony’s new support AI was called Friday. Many people speculated about what it meant, but no one would have thought that the name Friday actually originated from a binary image in their minds.

"Don't say that, Friday. You've done enough for me." Tony shook his head and continued, "However, is there any hint that could circumvent the rules of the Spirit of the Universe this time?"

Tony saw a troubled look on Friday's face as soon as he finished speaking and he quickly said, "If you're unable to go against the Spirit of the Universe, then forget about it. I don't want you to be killed for going against the Spirit of the Universe."

"No! I'm going to help Brother Tony on Friday!" The blue-haired girl before him wore a stubborn look and her eyes flashed with a strange blue light. If one were to zoom in and take a closer look, they would find rows of data running through Friday's pupils like water. "I saw it on Friday… It was deep black…"

"Black?" Tony looked nervous and repeated subconsciously.

"Black fog…" Friday's eyes gradually became dazed, but shock was seen right after. "That incomparably deep darkness, capable of devouring everything and destroying everything… So, the impact of destroying the world came from…"

"Ah!"

The image of Friday blurred before he was able to finish his sentence and he moaned in pain.

"Okay! Friday, you've done enough. Don't tell me anything else!" Tony quickly advised. Judging from his pained expression, it was obvious that he had a very deep bond with the virtual personality that supported the spirits of the universe.

"I saw it! Friday saw it. The darkness that could destroy everything came from…"

"Enough, stop talking. You'll really be erased!" Tony cut Friday off right away. Friday's image was extremely faint and weak at the moment. If she were to continue telling him everything, she would really be erased by the spirits of the universe.

"Brother Tony… beware, beware of the dark mist!" Friday said the last sentence and her image flickered twice before disappearing completely.

"Friday!" Tony looked nervous and shouted, "Spirit of the Universe, what did you do with Friday?"

"The Virtual Persona has been subjected to second-degree punishment due to violating the third and fourth rules of the Spirit of the Universe. It won't be able to appear for at least a month." A cold, mechanical voice was heard in Tony's mind. "The second impact has arrived on Earth. Chosen One, please prepare for impact immediately."

"What is that impact and what is that black fog?" Tony asked aggressively. "Spirit of the Universe, tell me!"

"I'm sorry, system restriction prevents me from answering," the voice replied mechanically.

“Damn it, you were the one who pointed it out the first time, clearly pointing it out to be the evil god of Loki! You even pointed out the location, why didn’t you tell me this time?” Tony shouted.

"System restriction. No answer."

"F * * k!" Tony gritted his teeth and paid no more attention to that stupid system in his mind. He shouted, "Get me Mark7 armor on Friday and make an appointment with Nick Fury for me!"

"Yes, sir!" However, what answered him this time was not the silhouette in his mind, but the female voice that was heard from the sound system in the room. That voice belonged to the new AI that was helping him manage his internal affairs on behalf of J.A.R.V.I.S, and it was also the double that covered him from talking to Friday in his mind.

Very soon, the fully armed Tony took to the air on the platform of the Stark building and gradually disappeared into the endless darkness of the night.

…

Just when Iron Man was about to deliver the bad news that the so-called second shock was about to hit, the huge machine before Zhang Heng was constantly sending over batches of fully armed cloning warriors. The loyal Zhishang stood right behind Zhang Heng and listened to his every order.

"I need at least a thousand cloned warriors and at least three synthetic human assembly lines and five T-800 Terminator assembly lines. I also need the T-1000. Send all the T-1000 on standby!"

"Also, I need at least 100 of the latest Eagle models in terms of vehicles, over 100 quantum spy satellites, and countless nanomachines and batons. The more, the better. At the very least, I'll be able to fight a huge battle."

"Yes, I'll send everything to the headquarters." Zhishang nodded.

"Inform Koo Zhan and Adam at the same time. Tell them that there's new work to be done. I need the full force of the Special Forces from the other planes!" Zhang Heng's eyes were filled with passion. "And then there's the new biochemical weapons developed by the T-Virus, the FEV Virus, and so on. By the way, how's the research on biochemical weapons based on the DX-118 Virus going?"

"We've created a batch of experimental super-soldiers that could be controlled, but none of them have been tested yet," Zhishang replied.

"Send them here. I'm going to do some experiments here." Zhang Heng wore a sinister grin on his face. "I have a bunch of righteous superheroes to clean up my mess anyway. Why not?"

"Oh right, bring me a batch of nano bombs and other superweapons as well." Zhang Heng added, "I guess those are the best weapons to kill superheroes. The Marvel World? I'll give you guys a huge surprise…"

At that moment, in the Marvel Universe, no one except Tony knew that an existence thousands of times stronger than Hydra had invaded their plane…

No one would have thought that the entire Marvel World would be thrown into a state of chaos following the invasion of Zhang Heng's forces.

341. Joining Forces

A massive black ship was flying silently at an altitude of over 10 kilometers above the surface.

The ship looked like an aircraft carrier from a closer look. It had a metallic gray color that didn't reflect light, making it look like a fortress in the sky. However, there were four massive turbines with a diameter of over 50 meters at the four sides of the ship. The massive turbines relied on those four massive turbines and some ion thrusters to allow the black ship, which was over 300 meters in length and over 150 meters in width, to reach the summit of the Earth.

That was the command center of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Space Carrier code-named 64.

At that moment, in the command room of the Sky Space Carrier, a black man wearing a black windbreaker and wearing an eye mask over his left eye was leaning on the table with both hands. Anyone who looked at him would be able to tell that he had a cold, stern expression on his face. Despite only having one eye, his cold gaze would send shivers down the spines of anyone who looked at him.

That black man was the current supreme commander of S.H.I.E.L.D., Director Nick Fury. It was he who single-handedly made the existence of the Avengers Alliance and resisted the crisis that brought the world to its knees two years ago.

"You're saying that the Spirit of the Universe issued another shock warning?" Nick looked at Tony with his cold eyes and his expression was extremely serious. "Tony, don't joke with me. You should know what 'shock' means."

"Of course I understand!" Tony snorted.

"I believe that Tony wouldn't joke about something like that." A muscular man wearing a red and blue combat suit and a suit with a huge A-shaped headgear advised. "While his usual style is always… baffling, he is indeed a very reliable comrade."

"That's right. I believe in Tony, too." A beautiful woman with dark red curls who stood beside the muscular man said.

"I know that too, but I still find it hard to believe." The stern-looking black man nodded and turned to look at Tony. "Your father was favored by the Spirit of the Universe back then and became the Chosen One to protect the world. In order to protect our world, he single-handedly founded S.H.I.E.L.D. He was the person I respected the most."

"Me too," Tony said solemnly. "After my father died, I inherited his identity as the 'Chosen One'. Although I didn't disclose the information at the beginning, I swore to inherit his will after finding out that my father created S.H.I.E.L.D., so I would never lie about something like that."

"Well then, tell me what happened during the second occurrence." The black man nodded and put on a serious expression. "So what if it's compared to the evil god Loki two years ago?"

"I… don't know." Tony shrugged helplessly. "The spirit of the universe didn't give me any hint and only told me that the second occurrence had arrived, but it didn't tell me what our goal was, where the event began, what we should do… The spirit of the universe didn't tell me anything."

"How is that possible?" Nick frowned and asked, "Where's your 2D assistant?"

"She was punished by the Spirit of the Universe." Tony looked pained. "I won't be seeing her for a month."

Everyone couldn't help but look worried when they heard that. All of the members of the Avengers at the table knew about the existence of the Spirit of the Universe. In fact, when Tony's father first got his hands on the Spirit of the Universe, he told the US government everything. It was thanks to the ability of the Spirit of the Universe to acquire technology that the Stark Arms Company was able to rise to power in the world and even create things like super-soldier serum and sonic steel that were almost indestructible. That was how the S.H.I.E.L.D. was born, but that was the top secret. Other than S.H.I.E.L.D., only the presidents of every term knew about that secret.

"We still know too little about the Spirit of the Universe," Nick said helplessly. "Other than the interplanar missions that take place once every three years, only Friday would be able to communicate with me. Losing her would mean losing a very important intelligence agent."

"Fortunately, she brought us a very important piece of information with the risk of being erased by the Spirit of the Universe." Just when everyone looked worried, Tony spoke again and everyone looked at him in surprise. As the only 'Chosen One' in the plane favored by the Spirit of the Universe, he was the only one who could communicate with the Spirit of the Universe. His identity could be said to be indispensable to S.H.I.E.L.D. and even the entire human race.

"What did she say?" Everyone asked right away.

"She only said four words." Tony looked like he was recalling something as he looked at everyone and said, "Be careful of the black fog!"

"Be careful of the black mist?" Everyone fell into deep thought right away. That line that came out of nowhere made everyone even more confused.

"Didn't your assistant say anything else?" Nick asked helplessly.

"That's the limit." Tony shook his head and continued, "If she were to reveal more, the only thing that could happen to her would be to be completely wiped out by the spirits of the universe. I don't think you'd want that to happen, would you?"

"Very well, thank you for Friday for me and the US." Nick nodded and took out the special phone of the US military and encrypted the messages one after another before sending them out. "Both the military and we will keep an eye out. We will inform everyone as soon as we find the black fog. Please be on high alert for the time being. We could fight at any moment."

Nick turned around and walked out of the command room after saying that, leaving the superheroes staring at each other.

"I say, Mr. Nick, may I ask a question?" A young man who looked like a high school student wearing a tight-fitting red suit without a hood stood up and asked, "Is it too late for me to quit the Avengers?"

"I never said that you're a member of the Avengers." Tony snorted with a deadpan expression on his face. He walked up to the young man and rubbed his head hard. "The greater the power, the greater the responsibility. Who said that before? I've forgotten all about it. So, you can go home now and drink milk from the bottle."

"Hey, Mr. Tony, I was just joking to ease the tension." The young man waved his hand and said awkwardly.

"Alright, I think we can discuss further regarding the second occurrence." That muscular man walked up and said, "Someone go and inform Professor Techara and Professor Bruce that we need every single combatant to fight against the second disaster in human history."

"Holy sh * *!" The stern-looking man who had been sitting in the corner without making a sound stood up. He wore a black combat suit that exposed his arms and carried a complicated-looking mechanical bow and a bunch of arrows on his back. He turned around and walked out before anyone could say anything else.

"As long as we're united, there's nothing that we can't overcome." The muscular man couldn't help but smile warmly and said in a voice that only he could hear, "We're united. We're stronger than we were before…"

Faced with an unknown disaster, the most elite team in the world, the Avengers, was finally able to work together again…

342. Invasion

There was a small African country called Wakanda in the northeast of Africa.

Wakanda had once been synonymous with poverty and ignorance, just like every other African country. The word 'civilization' seemed to have nothing to do with Wakanda at all. There was only starvation and desolation everywhere.

However, about the 1950s and 1960s, one of the kings of Wakanda suddenly rose to power. He discovered a meteorite in his territory, about the size of a huge mountain. There was a metal called 'vibrokinesis' found in that meteorite. It was that metal that enabled Wakanda to finally escape poverty and ignorance in Africa, becoming the only country in the world that was able to escape poverty.

Zhenjin, also known as the 'Acoustic Steel' in the Marvel World, was an unknown metal that came from beyond the heavens. It landed in a small, remote country called Wakanda on Earth and eventually brought about the country's glory.

The piece of dynamite that landed in Wakanda had the ability to absorb sound waves and kinetic energy. The energy it absorbed would be stored in the chemical bond that formed matter. The more it absorbed, the sturdier the substance became. At the same time, it could generate unique wavelengths that could destroy the metal buttons between other metals and liquefy them. That was why it was known as' anti-metal '.

An expert discovered and extracted the alloy by accident during World War II. Due to an experiment accident, the alloy was accidentally fused with carbon alloy and became a new alloy, which was then poured into a metal biscuit-shaped trough. The alloy was then cooled and became a weapon that became known to every member of the American team.

That was the only time that humans were able to create something that was practically indestructible. However, it was a pity that such an accident couldn't be replicated, and as such, Captain America's shield was rendered obsolete.

Furthermore, Wakanda also had a mystical plant that was almost forgotten by the people of the world—a heart-shaped herb, something that was comparable to the American team's serum. It was thanks to that herb that a superhero named 'Black Panther' was able to possess power and reflexes that were on par with Captain America.

That's right, Wakanda was the hometown of the superhero Black Panther.

It was precisely due to such a unique advantage that Zhang Heng chose that spot as his first target when he invaded that area.

Hundreds of falcons were hovering silently in the air above the mine in Wakanda at the moment. Wakanda was unable to detect any of those flying shuttles in hiding due to its air defense capabilities.

Zhang Heng wore his power suit and looked at the huge meteorite beneath his feet, which looked like a small hill, with a deadpan expression on his face. The meteorite had been excavated for nearly a century and was riddled with holes. Despite being made of the toughest metal in Marvel World, the vibranium, it was still unable to resist the greed of the people.

Tens of thousands of troops were stationed all year round around that meteorite, which had been turned into a massive fortress of war around it. Not even a fly would be able to get in. That was why the small African country, Wakanda, was able to barely hold on to the means of the world.

Unfortunately, that piece of metal would no longer belong to them after today.

Zhang Heng wore a cold smirk on his face. He had gotten his hands on a small piece of vibranium before, and he wanted to find out just what kind of metal it was. However, the results of his tests came as a shock to him. While the hardness and durability of the vibranium were about the same as that of high-directional metals, it had the ability to move far, far away—the melting point.

The high-dimensional alloy was an isotope of the metal. Due to its high neutron imbalance, it was very insensitive to energy transmission. It was almost completely immune to thermal weapons and could even withstand high temperatures of 10,000 degrees. It would only show signs of slight melting when the temperature exceeded 20,000 degrees. Regular metals would have been vaporized long ago.

However, that was not enough. With Zhang Heng's current level of technology, it was very common for him to be able to heat weapons up to tens of thousands of degrees Celsius, such as plasma weapons. As such, he naturally hoped to have a metal that could resist higher temperatures.

That was the case with the vibranium. Zhang Heng tested it out and found that the alloy would only require a temperatures of 1,500 degrees to melt when forged. However, once it was forged, even a temperatures of 500,000 degrees would not be able to cause any signs of melting. Furthermore, the natural vibranium could continue to fuse with other metals, which would result in all manner of alloys that were harder and more resilient than the high-dimensional ones.

Take the American team leader's shield for example. According to Zhang Heng's speculations, the American team leader's shield had a hardness of at least 50, which was five times higher than that of the diamond, making it a rarity in the world.

As such, there was no way Zhang Heng would allow such a precious piece of metal to fall into the hands of someone else after learning about the benefits of vibrancy.

Determination flashed in his eyes at that thought. He turned around and ordered, "Get ready to execute Plan A!"

"Understood. Get ready to execute Plan A!"

Zhishang gave the order right away.

The stomachs of all the falcons were slowly opened at the very next second. At the same time, five metal cubes about a meter long and half a meter wide were thrown from the bodies of each of the falcons.

The entire sky seemed to have been covered by hundreds of metal cubes.

"Look over there!" It was only then that the Wakanda army, which was guarding the vibranium ore vein, realized what was happening in the sky. A black soldier who was standing guard looked up in a bored manner and suddenly realized that there were countless black dots in the sky. He rubbed his eyes subconsciously before looking astonished. He poked at his companion beside him and said, "Hey, Hal, look, something's not right!"

"Hehe, slow down, slow down. You're about to stab me to death!" The man named Hal pushed away his partner's hand, feeling rather indignant. He then slowly looked up into the sky, only to see that the black dot in the sky had grown larger by then, revealing the silvery-white body of the plane.

"Oh, my God…" It was only then that the two of them gradually came to their senses. Hal gasped and his expression changed drastically all of a sudden. "Enemy attack!"

"Boohoo…" The alarms throughout the entire military base went off as soon as the two of them realized what was happening. A series of urgent alarms were heard. "Enemy attack! All soldiers, return to your positions immediately and prepare for battle!"

"I repeat, all soldiers pick up their weapons and prepare for battle. This is not a drill!"

The expressions on the two men's faces changed drastically. They ran back to the base as quickly as they could. The entire base was thrown into a mess due to the sudden alarm. Some of the soldiers were checking their guns in a panic while others were running around in search of their own teams. A middle-aged man with the rank of colonel saw the two of them running back and shouted, "Hal, get back to your teams!"

"Mr. Loaf! There's something above us!" The two of them shouted subconsciously. However, before they were able to finish their words, their vision blurred all of a sudden and a silver-white metal cube the size of a box fell before them.

Boom!

The ground beneath the three of them shook and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground was heard. Dust rose from the ground before them.

So this is the intruder?

343. Plundering The Oscillation Gold

The moment the heavy object hit the ground, Hal felt as if time had become incredibly long. He instinctively wanted to throw himself to the ground. In his opinion, what else could have been dropped from the sky but bombs?

However, the expected explosion didn't come. The sound of metal objects falling to the ground was heard all around the huge base, yet there was no sign of any attacks.

The colonel named Lou slowly made his way to the metal object and kicked it, but the metal object remained completely unresponsive.

"Just what the f * * k is this…" Colonel Lov was about to curse out loud at the sight, but he heard a humming sound from the metal beneath his feet all of a sudden. He instinctively dodged to the side and saw a complete golden-white metal skull emerge from the metal object. There was a faint red glow in its eyes, followed by its four limbs and then its torso. In just two to three seconds, the metal chest before him turned into a huge two-meter-tall metal skull like a Transformer.

"Oh my God…" The three of them were completely stunned and stood rooted to the ground. It was only when the other party raised his arm and a gun with a fearsome design appeared in his hand that the three of them exclaimed briefly.

"Bang!"

A deep gunshot was heard and the three of them were torn to pieces by a massive force before everyone's eyes.

The entire camp seemed to have finally realized what was going on after the first gunshot was heard. All of a sudden, gunshots were heard and countless guns were pointed at the skeleton robots that had landed in the camp. War was about to break out at any moment.

"500 Terminator T-800s have been deployed." Up in the sky, Zhishang looked at the chaotic scene on the ground. The war that broke out all of a sudden had only just begun, yet over a tenth of the 10,000-strong army had been wiped out.

"We've got someone to distract the enemy. Now, it's time for us to take the field," Zhang Heng said coldly. "Send my orders. Destroy the target within half an hour. I don't want any survivors."

"Understood."

Hundreds of Falcon mechs turned their engines around at the same time and quickly descended. Hundreds of tiny holes that were only a few centimeters in diameter were seen poking out of the belly of the mechs at the same time. Countless flying bats were released in the very next second. The entire sky was filled with a black mass that looked like a swarm of locusts.

"Where is the armor? We need help!"

The ground had long turned into a sea of death. Countless bodies that had been torn apart by the pulse rifles were strewn all over the ground. Humans were as fragile as paper before a pulse rifle that was tens of times faster than the speed of sound. All the blood in their bodies would be vaporized in an instant if they were to be hit. All that was left was the ground that had been charred to a crisp by the massive kinetic energy. The smell of roasting meat mixed with the smell of smoke was nauseating.

It felt like hell on earth.

The 500 Terminators, the T-800s, were like the ones who descended from the heavens and utterly defeated the entire army. Despite that, the Wakanda warriors didn't back down at all. They were all the best of the best in the country and were able to stay on the front lines despite the sudden attack.

It had only been three minutes since the start of the surprise attack, and it was only then that Wakanda's armored troops finally realized what was happening. One by one, the rhinoceros tanks appeared on the battlefield like giants. One of the main guns of the tanks turned around with precision, and thick smoke and mist billowed out of nowhere. The T-800 that the main gun was facing was blown into pieces by the powerful shells before it could even react.

It was only then that the loud noise of the tank firing was heard.

"Thank God, the armored vehicles are finally here. We're saved!" It was only then that the soldiers, who had been suppressed to the point of being unable to lift their heads, began to cheer. However, before the cheering died down, shadows appeared above everyone's heads all of a sudden. Countless objects the size of fingers with orange-red flames burning on their tails flew down from the sky in the very next second. Their targets were the armored vehicles heading for the battlefield. In the very next second, over a hundred rhinoceros tanks turned into huge balls of fire.

The armor plating that was just about to reverse the battlefield was burnt to ashes by the sudden attack.

"Uh…"

All of the Wakanda warriors felt as if their necks were being strangled. They watched with their mouths agape as the chariots that they had just slaughtered turned into balls of fire. Their eyes were filled with rage and fear, as well as a sense of loss. Up until now, they had yet to even see the enemy, yet the elite troops of the entire Wakanda army had been utterly defeated by the enemy.

Countless mechanical flying insects were still patrolling in the air after wiping out all the combat vehicles. It was as if they were showing off their combat prowess. Everyone felt their hearts skip a beat as they stood before the countless unknown flying insects. The mechanical flying insects didn't look very big, but their might was shocking nonetheless. If they were to charge at them, they might not even be able to leave their bodies behind, much less die.

However, just when everyone was at a loss, countless huge flying shuttles appeared in the sky all of a sudden. The shuttles seemed to be invisible and there were ripples all over their bodies, somewhere between transparent and translucent. The shuttles descended rapidly until they were less than 10 meters above the ground. All of a sudden, robots that were even larger than the metal skeletons from before leaped down from the shuttles. The bodies of those robots were completely black and reflected no light. The weapons in their hands shot out an unparalleled storm of metal before they even landed on the ground. A new round of attacks began.

It was as if all of that was not a battle, but a complete massacre.

Zhang Heng jumped down from the Falcon as well. The Falcon rose into the air again after he left the fighter jet, before flying off into the distance on its own. Zhang Heng turned around and saw hundreds of Wakanda fighter groups appearing in the distant horizon. It was obvious that that was where the Falcon was headed.

It had only been four to five minutes since the battle began, yet there were already fighter jets appearing. It seemed that Wakanda had mobilized the entire nation's forces to protect the vibranium ore vein.

Unfortunately, none of that worked.

The fate of those fighter jets had been sealed when faced with the Falcon mechs that were more than capable of defeating them. Zhang Heng paid no further attention to that area and turned his head around as if there was no one else around. He looked at that huge meteorite 100 meters away and opened his mouth at the same time. Black mist billowed out of nowhere and surged towards that meteorite.

Zhang Heng wanted to use the beetles' ability to eat anything and everything to cut that huge mine into countless smaller pieces and bring it back to reality.

344. Black Panther

That was a mystical plant.

That plant didn't look like the towering tree that he had imagined it to be. In fact, it didn't even look like a bush. Strictly speaking, it was just a small potted plant that grew alone on the ground, surrounded by all manner of protective facilities that one could think of.

Artificial solar lights, air humidifiers, temperature regulators, soil-based detectors, and the outermost ring was covered by bulletproof glass and hundreds of defensive troops outside, making it look like an impenetrable defense ring.

At that moment, Fels looked straight ahead and saw that the plant within the bulletproof glass was less than 10 centimeters tall, making it look like a sapling. However, the leaves were all heart-shaped and emitted a verdant green color, looking as clear as glass. A fruit that had yet to fully mature was hanging at the very bottom of the leaf.

That fruit was an existence that was comparable to the US Team's serum. According to the original saying, the fruit would enable one to achieve speeds, acuity, energy, durability, and stamina that surpassed that of regular humans.

"Target confirmed."

The colonel who was watching him couldn't help but blink when he saw the herb. He thought he saw a faint blue glow in the eyes of that young professor, but the young man's eyes returned to normal when he blinked. It was as if he was seeing things.

"Professor Firth?" The soldier standing at the side couldn't help but ask when he saw Firth not moving at all. However, that weird-looking Professor Firth slowly raised his head and looked straight at the soldier. That pair of cold, emotionless eyes of his subconsciously made the soldier tense up all over. He was about to do something when a loud explosion was heard from the dome of the botanical garden all of a sudden.

Boom!

A huge fireball shot into the sky and countless pieces of glass and steel rained down. The thick smoke mixed with the panicked shouts of the crowd filled the entire garden in the blink of an eye.

"Enemy attack!"

The colonel in front of Fels shouted out loud without thinking. Two of the soldiers who were watching over Professor Fels held his shoulders and said, "Professor Fels, please follow us immediately…"

Their conversation came to a sudden halt before they were able to finish speaking. Two thin bayonets plunged into their chests and blood gushed out. The two elite soldiers were killed in one hit in the blink of an eye.

"You're not Professor Firth!" The colonel's expression changed drastically. He was able to see very clearly that Professor Firth, who looked as cold and emotionless as a robot, suddenly extended both of his hands. Both of his hands changed shape like liquid metal, killing his soldiers before everyone's eyes.

He drew his gun without a second thought. However, before he was able to fire, the cold, sharp bayonet of 'Professor Faith' was plunged into his mouth yet again. Its speed and agility far exceeded that of regular humans.

"Bang, bang, bang!" Ordinary people had long lost the ability to make judgements due to the shocking turn of events, but the soldiers who were standing guard immediately displayed their elite fighting capabilities. They turned their guns around at the same time, and in the blink of an eye, 'Professor Faith', who had killed three soldiers in a row, was drowned out by the storm of metal.

However, when everyone emptied the bullets in their weapons, disbelief was written all over their faces once again. That 'Professor Faith' who was sent flying by the massive impact before them slowly stood up again. Its entire body was covered in skin that had been torn apart by the bullets, and underneath that skin was a metallic body with blue fluorescence. The powerful rifles of all the soldiers failed to do any damage to that metal body.

Not only that, but as the skin of 'Professor Faith' turned into liquid metal, the liquid metal continued to flow and turned back into human skin in the blink of an eye. However, at that moment, Professor Faith had completely taken on the appearance of an Asian girl. However, her frozen face still exuded an indescribable coldness.

The last thing he saw was the young girl's hands transforming into two plasma cannons emitting a blue glow as she faced the terrified soldiers.

Boom!

All of that happened in just a few seconds, and it was only then that the culprit was revealed from the shattered roof. It was an unidentified shuttle in the shape of a shuttle, with a faint stream of light flickering all over its body. At the same time, 10 warriors wearing huge armor jumped down from the sky.

The alloy flooring was stomped into a deep crater by the soldiers amidst the intense moaning. The moment they landed on the ground, they headed straight for the heart-shaped herb fields, allowing the elite soldiers of Wakanda to shoot at them all the time.

The armored warrior in the lead shook his right arm and a huge metal blade shot out from the inside of his arm. He slashed hard and the high-intensity bulletproof glass protecting the heart-shaped herb shattered.

"No!"

All of the Wakanda warriors were shocked and furious when they saw how easily the other party was able to break through the defensive equipment that even the bazookas were unable to penetrate. Despite that, they could only watch as the other party dug up all the soil around him, before opening a metal box that looked like a safe and storing the herb that represented the Wakanda spirit inside.

"How dare you take the sacred relic from Wakanda?"

However, just when everyone was about to give up all hope, a man dressed entirely in black, who looked like a cheetah, appeared above them all of a sudden. He looked like a cheetah, crouching at the hole in the ceiling of the botanical garden in the sky. He was completely silent, yet at the same time, he gave off a kingly presence.

The Emperor of Wakanda, an important member of the Avengers—Black Panther.

The armored warrior holding the metal box snorted and extended his hand. The girl from the East slowly walked out of the smoke with bloodstains all over her body. She caught the metal box that was handed to her and leaped onto the huge shuttle in a flash.

"Trying to run?" The black panther snorted and leaped lightly in midair, pouncing at the huge shuttle like a huge cat. However, a strange, raspy metallic sound was heard from below.

"Your opponent is here!"

The black panther felt his feet sink. He lowered his head subconsciously and saw that mysterious mecha warrior grabbing his right leg. He was pulled to the ground by the tremendous force of the kick and lost all chance of pursuing the shuttle.

"Damn it! No matter who you are, you will pay for what you've done!" The black panther let out a furious roar, and that arm of armor weaved from vibranium shot out, heading straight for the mecha warrior.

345. Taken Away

Dong!

A dull thud was heard all of a sudden, as if a huge hammer was thrown at a solid iron pillar. A bomb seemed to have exploded between the two of them and the mecha warrior was sent flying like a ragdoll in the very next second.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty is victorious!"

"Your Majesty's favor is unparalleled!"

All of the Wakanda warriors burst into cheers when they saw the mecha warriors that were completely impervious to weapons being sent flying. All of them looked at the Black Panthers with eyes filled with fanaticism and admiration. Every Black Panther was the guardian of Wakanda, the spiritual pillar of the people of Wakanda.

At that moment, the other nine mecha warriors looked at their leader, who was sent flying, and then at each other. All of them raised their pulse rifles at the same time, but before they were able to fire, they suddenly stopped moving.

"Leave this place to me. You guys go and get the other valuable plants." The mecha warrior who had been sent flying stood up again at some point. He twisted his neck and looked at the one or two millimeters depression on his chest before making his way over to the black panther.

The black panther seemed to be stunned for a bit. He hadn't expected that his opponent would be completely unscathed after taking such a furious attack from him. It should be noted that, as a combat grandmaster, he was able to use the power from his fist to penetrate the defense of the creature behind the armor. Most people would have been able to kill all of their opponents after taking that punch, even with the armor protecting them. That was why the calm and wise black panther was stunned for the first time after seeing that his opponent was completely unscathed.

"That's really surprising. According to the data from my AI core, that punch from before had a power of 50 kg." That metallic, raspy voice chuckled and continued, "It's just a pity that the so-called superheroes… are nothing more than that."

The black panther chuckled coldly and paid no heed to what the other man said. He stomped on the ground and pounced at the other man like a cheetah. He curled his hands and ten sharp spikes emerged from his body. Those were the only weapons in his armor—claws.

Crack!

Huge amounts of flames shot out in all directions, and the sharp claws of the black panther drew three shallow arcs on the helmet of the mecha warrior. The attack didn't do any damage to the other. The expression on the black panther's face changed immediately. He was just about to retreat, yet the other's huge hand was already heading straight for him.

A hint of mockery was seen in the black panther's eyes. He dodged in a flash and evaded the other's grasp like a loach. Despite his muscular build, he was still considered petite when compared to a 2.5-meter tall mecha warrior. The other party had no way of competing with him in terms of nimbleness. However, just when he appeared at the side of the mecha warrior and was about to attack again, his vision blurred all of a sudden and a huge force was felt from his chest in the very next second. The black panther grunted and was sent flying involuntarily.

Hiss…

The black panther's feet were firmly planted on the ground, and the powerful grabbing force quickly stopped him from flying backward. All of the combat attire he wore was woven from vibranium, and the soles of his shoes were augmented with vibranium as well, enabling him to adjust the vibrations at different frequencies. It was precisely that frequency that enabled him to run around the sides of buildings without making a sound, and he was even able to run on the surface of the water.

It was only then that he realized that the thing that sent him flying was not his opponent's fist, but the huge metal blade that had suddenly appeared outside his fist.

"So, this is the power of vibranium?" The mecha man chuckled as he looked at the unscathed black panther. "Metal capable of absorbing all kinetic energy is truly well-deserved."

"That suit of armor of yours is not bad either. It looks just like a turtle shell." While the black panther was impressed by the toughness of the armor of the mecha warrior, he began to feel anxious deep down. He realized that he was actually unable to finish off the other after fighting with the other for so long. That had been a huge insult to the black panther throughout his entire career as a fighter. Furthermore, the heart-shaped herb was still in the other's hands.

The black panther looked at the nine armored warriors and flying shuttles fighting the Wakanda warriors not far away. He watched as his elite soldiers fell one by one. While his face remained expressionless, he was feeling very anxious deep down.

"Where are you looking at?" The mecha warrior seemed to have seen right through the other's thoughts. He charged forward and pounced at the black panther with earth-shattering force. That fist that was even larger than the black panther's head appeared right before him. The black panther's expression changed drastically, and it quickly raised both of its arms to block the other's fist. However, it was unable to withstand that massive impact no matter what. The mecha warrior was like a savage giant, ramming hard against that small, frail body of the black panther.

Boom!

The wall behind the black panther was immediately smashed through, and the two of them rolled into the streets of Wakanda. However, the black panther's eyes suddenly flashed, and its legs shot up, clamping onto the other's head and twisting with all its might. A jarring sound of metal twisting was heard as the joints of the other's neck were twisted out of shape.

The suit of armor before him let out a "chi chi chi chi" sound as if several electrical wires within it had been snapped and the entire mech's movements became sluggish.

"He won?" Black Panther looked at the mecha warrior before him who was beginning to lose his mobility and a relieved look appeared in his eyes.

"Heh, heh…" However, the mecha warrior chuckled coldly again. The back of the mecha began to creak open and close all of a sudden, and a large number of springs began to operate. A young man with yellow skin and black hair struggled free from the mecha before the black panther could react.

"Asian?" Surprise flashed across Black Panther's eyes. He didn't expect that the one who was fighting him so hard was actually a Caucasian who was deemed to have the worst stamina.

Despite the damage done to the mech, the man who emerged from the mech wore a nonchalant grin and said, "While the Armageddon Armor possesses powerful defensive capabilities, it would have a huge impact on melee combat. Now that there are no restrictions placed on me, I'd like to see just what kind of capabilities the so-called superheroes have."

"You talk too much. Do you think you're Spiderman?" There was a flash of anger in the black panther's eyes, and the other man's eyes were filled with naked provocation. He shook his hand and five sharp claws shot out again, before he grabbed Adam with a gust of wind.

Without the Armor of Doomsday at the moment, he would have been able to tear Adam's bones to shreds if he were to be caught by the monster.

However, there was not a hint of fear in Adam's eyes. As the first clone warrior, he had kept his emotions to himself, which was why he wanted to prove himself to Zhang Heng. He had gone through countless trials in the virtual space, and his combat prowess was no less than that of Zhang Heng's. Only that monster named Zhishang was a match for him.

Adam didn't even bat an eye when he saw the incoming claw coming at him. He simply took a step to the side and the bayonet in his sleeve slipped out of his hand to grab hold of it before he stabbed the bayonet at the man's eyes.

The black panther felt a chill run down his spine, as his armor's eyes didn't have any vibranium to block the attack. He quickly retracted his hand and blocked the attack with a palm strike. However, just when he blocked his eye with his palm, a powerful force was felt and the black panther was sent tumbling into a nearby room.

"Too weak." A pulse pistol appeared in Adam's other hand, which was smoking at the moment. He pulled the pistol back and threw a high-explosive grenade into the hole created by the black panther. The Falcon flew out of the hole in the roof just moments ago. Adam snapped his finger and the Falcon stopped right in front of him.

Adam put away the damaged Armor of Doomsday before boarding the Falcon. He then detonated the sonic barrier and flew off into the distance.

The intense explosion was heard only after the fighter jet disappeared. The grenade wasn't the only thing that was heard. The Falcon had also left a small nuclear bomb in the botanical garden. A flash of light was seen and the entire Wakanda technology botanical garden, which had been constructed with the combined efforts of the entire nation, was reduced to ruins by the explosion.

A black-armored arm emerged from the ruins after everyone was gone, clenching its fist tightly.

346. Future Enemy

Adam and Black Panther were like two indestructible cockroaches. Neither of them had the ability to kill the other. The Black Panther's armor was said to be the toughest material in the world, yet the most insane thing about it was not its toughness, but its ability to absorb kinetic energy. When such an ability was used, coupled with the power of the armor, it would be difficult to kill the Black Panther even in the center of a nuclear explosion.

Adam's Armageddon armor, on the other hand, was made of high offset armor, which was only slightly weaker in terms of hardness compared to that of vibranium. However, he was never able to operate a mech as nimbly as he did with his arms. As such, he was actually slightly inferior to the Black Panther in their previous clash.

The combat techniques that Adam had honed in the virtual space after he freed himself from the shackles of the armor were not something that the black panther was able to withstand. While the black panther not only had master-level combat techniques, but it also had extreme physical strength and agility, Adam had been enhanced by the T-Virus as well. In terms of physical fitness, Adam was far superior to the black panther. If it hadn't been for that suit of armor that was impenetrable, the black panther would have died at Adam's hands.

To put it simply, almost all of the cloned warriors under Zhang Heng had powers comparable to superheroes like Black Panther, Hawkeye, and Black Widow. That power alone was enough to conquer most of the world.

As for destroying the Marvel World?

Zhang Heng had no such thoughts. The only reason he had infiltrated this world was for the sake of the countless mystical items and advanced technologies found in this world. For the sake of his world, he would take away anything that could strengthen him. If possible, he would even want to take away the Infinity Stone of the Vision.

Of course, it would be even more perfect if he could dissect the superheroes and figure out where their abilities came from and if they had the ability to replicate their abilities.

Zhang Heng had returned to the real world at the moment and was carrying the huge Oscillation Meteorite core with him. The Oscillation Meteorite core took up more than half of the entire B8th floor when he appeared on the B8th floor of the hive.

The square on the B8th floor was the only place that could contain such a massive natural Oscillation. If Zhang Heng were to appear on the B7th floor or above, the entire hive would have been destroyed by that massive volume.

"Commander!" Corona was pleasantly surprised to see Zhang Heng return. Zhang Heng had been gone for over a month, and while no one in the real world had noticed it, Corona knew all about it. Zhang Heng had only made a trip to the radiation plane back then, and no one had heard anything from him. Corona was so frightened that she thought that something had happened to him.

"Time is of the essence. I need to leave again right away." Zhang Heng waved his hand and continued, "That stone is the vibranium from the Marvel plane. Get someone to split it up and set up a temporary research team. I'd like to get an alloy that would surpass the high-density armor."

"Oscillation?" Corona was astonished right away. The undulations from Corona's body swept across the piece of metal without making a sound before she said, "I feel a special magnetic field radiation."

"That's very normal. It was that piece of vibranium that landed on the Earth of Marvel that caused the plants around it to mutate to a certain extent. That's why the black panther ate that heart-shaped herb."

"The plan to get the heart-shaped herb failed?" Corona was stunned when she heard that.

"Why do you say that?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and asked with a grin.

"Given your personality, you'd definitely do something about the heart-shaped herb, given that you've managed to get your hands on the vibranium," Corona explained immediately. "You only brought the vibranium back, not the heart-shaped herb. That's why I concluded that your plan to get your hands on the heart-shaped herb failed."

"You've guessed wrong this time." Zhang Heng shook his head with a smile. "The plan to get the core and the heart-shaped herb was carried out at the same time. I initially planned to split the metal, but I didn't expect that it would take so long for even the Interstellar Beetles to cut the metal. To prevent any accidents from happening, I rushed back here first. I believe that I've gotten the heart-shaped herb from Adam by now."

"I see." Corona let out a sigh of relief and continued, "However, compared to all of that, I believe that the most valuable items in the Marvel World are not the oscillating and heart-shaped herbs, especially the heart-shaped herbs. They would at most be of research value. I'm afraid that the enhancement of our T-Virus would be far more valuable than the heart-shaped herbs."

"I understand that, of course. But then again, having an additional set of technological reserves would mean having an additional set of foundations. Furthermore, the heart-shaped herb has a lot more potential for civilian use compared to the tyrannical T-Virus. We could even consider aligning the chemical buttons of the heart-shaped herb to produce drugs that would greatly enhance the quality of the average person."

"I agree with that." Corona smiled knowingly.

"Alright, enough with the chit-chat. I'm safe over there. There's no need to worry about me." Zhang Heng waved his hand and put on a serious expression. "I'll leave this place to you for the time being, but make your preparations. I could very well teleport you to that world in the future."

"Is it because of… Professor X?" Corona's eyes flickered.

"Bingo." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and headed for the plane shuttle again. He said as he walked, "I've only heard about the Avengers for a while, but the existence of Mutants is a given. I'm afraid that Professor X, the Magneto, and the others might still be around… and I'm afraid those two Mutants will be my enemies in the future."

"I understand," Corona said with a sigh. "Professor X possesses the power to control the mind. It's still unknown if your mental power is able to resist him. If you're unable to do so, then I'm afraid I'm the only one who can. The Magnetic King is the greatest obstacle to your use of the Galactic Beetles. It's best to get rid of those two as soon as possible."

"Other than that, Deadpool, Despot, the Hulk, the Red Witch, and the other superheroes with top-notch fighting prowess are also formidable enemies that you need to get rid of as soon as possible. Their abilities are simply too dangerous for you," Corona added as soon as she saw that Zhang Heng was about to be transported away again.

"I know what I'm doing." Zhang Heng nodded and pressed the activation button of the shuttle plane. He waited for the Schwarzschild's throat, which was connected to two planes, to open before grabbing a mouse with a camera strapped to its tail and threw it into Schwarzschild's throat. He only felt completely at ease when he confirmed that the world on the other side of the plane was indeed the Marvel world. He turned around and said before he left, "Get ready to design a set of equipment that would allow us to face each other using the methods I just used. You almost got me killed last time."

"Understood." Corona nodded and watched Zhang Heng leave.

Adam returned to the temporary base provided by Hydra by the time Zhang Heng returned to the Marvel plane. He knew right away that the heart-shaped herb had been successfully acquired when he saw the glee on Ya's face.

347. Joining Forces

The new city of Wakanda had suffered an unprecedented setback. The severity of the incident was enough to affect the entire world.

Jinzhen, a metal that could change the world, had been taken away by someone else.

Not only that, but there was also the heart-shaped herb that could create the limits of the human body, which was not spared either. Having lost two pillars of support, Wakanda, who had just risen to power in Africa, was plunged into a perilous situation.

When Hawkeye drove the Quinjet to the capital of Wakanda, he saw a huge pile of ruins on the left side of the magnificent palace.

Hundreds of firemen rushed about, searching for survivors in the ruins as they sprayed high-pressure water guns at the burning fire. Thousands of civilians were gathered not far away, all of them silent with confusion and hatred in their eyes.

After the defense forces of Wakanda confirmed the identity of Hawkeye, the Quinjet landed directly at the edge of the ruins. The Kunjet, which had two turbo-charged engines, was able to achieve a vertical landing that only a helicopter could achieve. It also had supersonic speeds that helicopters would never be able to reach. Such advanced fighter planes were only available to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Jumping down from the kunshi, Hawkeye saw Black Panther sitting on the ruins in a daze at a glance. He no longer looked like the king he was before. His entire body was covered in a thick layer of ashes. Although his face couldn’t be seen, Hawkeye, who was very sensitive to auras, could tell at a glance that Black Panther was in a state full of failure and frustration.

He walked slowly behind the black panther and Hawkeye, the silent man, still didn't say anything. He just patted the black panther's shoulder hard and then sat in front of the black panther without a care for his image. "Techara…"

"No need to say anything." However, the black panther cut Hawkeye off mercilessly as soon as he opened his mouth. "I will find the organization that took away all of Wakanda's hopes. I will destroy them with my own hands. I want their blood to flow before the graves of tens of thousands of dead soldiers."

"We will." Hawkeye nodded solemnly and advised, "Would you be willing to come back to the SHIELD with me right now? Your old friends are waiting for you. Let's continue fighting together."

"Help me…" However, the black panther shook his head. "Clint, I need you. I need everyone's help!"

"Relax, everyone will help you." Hawkeye nodded. "Let's go back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters first. Tony, Steven, Natasha… We'll all help you, I promise."

Fighting spirit was gradually seen in the eyes of the black panther under the setting sun. He nodded decisively and stood up before making his way to the Kun mech.

Hawkeye was secretly relieved to see that his teammates were back to normal. He took one last look at the ruins before he followed closely behind Black Panther and left the ruins of the war.

…

Several hours later, everyone on the huge S.H.I.E.L.D. 64 Sky Space Carrier wore serious and incredulous expressions.

"So, you're saying that the forces of several divisions under your command were wiped out without a trace? And the enemy took all the vibrators right under your nose?" Tony stood before the black panther with one hand on his hip and the other excitedly making all sorts of meaningless gestures. "Techara, are you sure you're not joking with me?"

"I'm not gonna joke around with the lives of my soldiers!" The black panther sat on a chair, his eyes burning with rage. "You're insulting the lives of my dead soldiers!"

"Oh, no, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Tony raised his hands and said, "You know, I just feel that your troops are a little useless, but…"

* Boom! * The black panther slammed the table and was about to pounce on Tony when the American captain and the Black Widow stood in front of the black panther. The American captain didn't know whether to laugh or cry and said, "Techara, ignore him. Just tell us what happened."

The Black Widow glared at Iron Man and said, "Tony, you should shut up."

"I'm just telling the truth." Tony shrugged. He had recovered from the news about Friday and was back to being a mean person.

"Enough. Now is not the time to argue." Nick, the chief of the Black, knocked on the table and continued, "Techara, the most important thing right now is to tell us what happened. The president of the United States is also very shocked by what happened. I'd like you to tell us everything as it is. That way, we'll be able to help you and ensure that the vibranium and the heart-shaped herb won't end up in the hands of those extremist organizations."

The black panther chuckled bitterly and pushed the American captain who was standing in front of him away. He then said dejectedly, "The thing that came to attack us is a very special flying transport. It's even more advanced than the kunshi. At the very least, the air defense equipment in Wakanda didn't react at all."

The face of the S.H.I.E.L.D. director changed immediately. "Are you sure?"

"I'm absolutely sure of that!" The black panther continued in an unquestionable manner, "Furthermore, the other party has a type of robot that could take on the appearance of anyone. It's that kind of robot that infiltrated my botanical garden and acquired the exact location of the heart-shaped herb. Other than that, the other party also has a very powerful mech. While its performance and volume are far inferior to that of that idiot Mark model, Tony, in terms of sturdiness, it is almost on par with my suit."

"That's impossible!" However, Nick retorted right away. "We know all the sources of the oscillation very well. It's impossible to build mechas using oscillation alloys."

"No, the opponent's mech isn't made of vibranium!" The black panther retorted right away. "I can feel that there isn't any vibranium in the opponent's mech!"

"If there's no vibranium, could it be…" Everyone was shocked and looked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. chief at the same time. "Edman Alloy?"

"That's even more impossible!" The face of the S.H.I.E.L.D. director changed drastically. "Only the US government has the Adamantium alloy formula!"

"Then tell me, why is the opponent's mech so hard?" The black panther was immediately filled with rage when he saw that everyone was unwittingly shirking responsibility for the United States. "Could it be that there is a third type of metal in the world that is comparable to vibranium and Adamantium alloy?"

"Wait!" Tony's expression suddenly changed and a thought flashed in his mind uncontrollably. He looked at the black panther with a serious expression and said solemnly, "Techara, did you see the 'Black Mist'?"

The entire meeting room fell silent as everyone seemed to have thought of a possibility.

"Black fog? What kind of black fog is that?" Techara felt the expressions on everyone's faces change and asked with a puzzled tone, "What the hell are you talking about, Tony?"

"Black mist is a key word related to the second occurrence," Captain America said. "Techara, Earth is in trouble…"

348. Taking A Pigeon's Nest

While the Avengers suspected that the incident had something to do with the second attack, they were unable to find any solid evidence against the entire Zhenjin Division, which had been wiped out. As such, they had no choice but to begin the investigation from other angles.

Zhang Heng was sitting in the new headquarters of Hydra at the moment. Baron Straker wore a bitter expression beside him, as he realized that he seemed to have offended some powerful being.

When he learned that Zhang Heng was about to activate a Schwarzenegger, Dr. Zola had guessed that the mysterious and cold Asian man in front of him was not actually a lifeform from that plane. However, when countless advanced technologies and super-powerful soldiers walked out of that device, he realized that he had just invited a wolf into his home. The mysterious foreign plane organization had completely taken over him and the entire Hydra was now completely under their control.

"Mr. Straker, you seem to be in a rather bad mood." Zhang Heng lit a cigarette and handed another to Straker, who waved his hand wearily and said bitterly, "Mr. Straker, what do you want? What would it take for you to leave our world?"

"Why would I want to leave?" Zhang Heng said casually. "I want a lot of things. The vibranium and the heart-shaped herb are just appetizers. You could interpret that as… I need everything."

"Everything?" Baron Strach somehow shuddered when he saw Zhang Heng's greedy gaze, which was like that of a jackal. He felt even more bitter at the moment. While his goal was to lead the Hydra to rule the world, he would definitely prefer to rule the world himself instead of letting others take his place if possible.

"Commander, the preliminary analysis of the heart-shaped herb is out." Dr. Zola's silhouette appeared on the screen at the side at that moment. As an excellent fence sitter, after Zhang Heng promised her all kinds of technological research, Zola had half-heartedly pledged her loyalty to Zhang Heng and became one of his subordinates.

People like Zola were targets that Zhang Heng had set long ago. If he were to rank the most talented people in the Marvel World, Zola would definitely be ranked in the top five and would be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Iron Man. There was no way Zhang Heng would let go of such a talent. Poor Dr. Zola had only two choices. If she refused to serve him, she would die.

While Professor Zola had transferred her consciousness to the internet a long time ago, who was Corona? It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Corona was some kind of god in the internet. Zhang Heng was able to kill Zola like a virus just by getting some anti-virus software from her.

At that moment, Dr. Zola began to prove his abilities and said, "Commander, according to my analysis, the heart-shaped herb seems to contain some kind of radioactive substance, just like the radioactive properties of vibranium. However, the radioactive properties are even more potent, enabling it to produce some kind of uncertain effect on the DNA of animals."

A video played on Dr. Zola's screen. "This is one of the few experiments that I've done before. I extracted a portion of the fruit of the heart-shaped herb and injected it into the bodies of 10 lab rats in equal measure. The blood pressure, internal organs, muscles, bones, and other parts of the 10 lab rats underwent different changes an hour later. The bodies of the four lab rats, number one, three, five, and nine, were significantly enhanced. After I extracted their blood, I found that their DNA was significantly optimized, and the optimization process continued."

"However, the bodies of the six lab rats—number two, number four, six, seven, eight, and ten—remained completely unresponsive. In fact, the immunity and physique of the two lab rats, number four and eight, have actually decreased somewhat, resulting in decreased leukocytes and muscle fibrosis."

"So, you're saying that the heart-shaped herb isn't something that could enhance the constitution of everyone?" Zhang Heng frowned and pondered for a bit.

"That's right. Preliminary estimates suggest that the heart-shaped herb is like some kind of gamble. You have a 50-percent chance of improving your physique after taking the drug. The 50-percent chance of that happening remains unchanged. The remaining 50-percent chance could actually affect your health." Dr. Zola's high-pitched voice chuckled.

"Well done." Zhang Heng nodded without a tinge of pity on his face. He was actually just curious about the heart-shaped herb. The effects of the T-Virus alone were more than enough to make him look down on the heart-shaped herb, not to mention that he had a super virus like the DX-118 in his possession. If there were to be any biochemical weapons in the Marvel world that would impress him, it would probably be something called the 'Ultimate Virus'.

In the movies, injecting oneself with the Ultimate Virus would allow the average person to gain the ability to fight Iron Man head-on. That ability was almost comparable to that of the DX-118 Virus, but its weakness was also very obvious, which was the heart area. Once the heart was damaged, even the most powerful infection of the Ultimate Virus would die immediately. However, after death, the body of the infected person would also experience self-destruction. Such an ability could be considered the highest level of human flesh bombs.

However, the Ultimate Virus was not something that Zhang Heng wanted to get his hands on at the moment. He had yet to fully master the DX-118 Virus. Furthermore, if he were to search for the Ultimate Virus, he would inevitably run into the Avengers. If he were to expose his true capabilities, he would end up in a passive position.

One had to realize that Zhang Heng was doing things in the dark while the enemy was out in the open. It was his personality to be in control of everything in the dark. According to psychology, Zhang Heng simply lacked a sense of security.

Zhang Heng then continued, "Dr. Zola, please continue to monitor the measurements and capabilities of the heart-shaped herb for a month before writing a report for me."

"Yes, Commander." Dr. Zola chuckled and said. The screen flickered and Zola cut off all contact with Zhang Heng.

"Mr. Tesla, I'm afraid I'll need your help next." Zhang Heng turned to look at Baron Tesla and said with a smile, but his eyes were filled with coldness. "As you know, we're new here and we still don't know the world well enough. All of that would require your help. If you don't mind, I'd like to 'borrow' your intelligence organization for a while, especially those spies lurking in S.H.I.E.L.D."

Don't you know anything about this world?

Baron Tesla couldn't help but smile bitterly. If Zhang Heng didn't know much about the organization, then what about the Avengers? Hydra and the Avengers had been dealing with each other for decades, and their headquarters had never been breached by the Avengers. At most, they had only been able to take down some of the branches of the Hydra, but Zhang Heng took down their headquarters right away. If that wasn't enough, then what was?

Furthermore, the other party even knew that Hydra had spies lurking in S.H.I.E.L.D., which made Baron Tesla feel cold all over. Under Zhang Heng's gaze, he felt as if he was completely naked before the other party's eyes. As for the mysterious organization that Zhang Heng and Zhang Heng were in, Baron Tesla felt even more afraid.

349. Regeneration Of Body Cell Transplant

There was a saying on the internet that went well: life was like rape. If there was no way to resist, then one should just go and enjoy it.

That was how Baron Tesla felt at the moment. He was completely intimidated by Zhang Heng's power. He felt a deep sense of helplessness every time he faced Zhang Heng. He nodded bitterly and said, "Mr. Zhang Heng, all ears of the Hydra are at your disposal. What do you plan to do next?"

"I need the cells of the Thundergod and the rest of the team members with superpowers in the Avengers." Zhang Heng smiled and continued, "I believe that would be a piece of cake for Hydra."

"Indeed." Baron Tesla nodded and continued, "With the pawns of our Hydra in S.H.I.E.L.D., if we want to get their cells, we only need to get their hair and oilskin. But…"

"But what?" Zhang Heng looked at Baron Tesla and felt a chill running down his spine all of a sudden. He forced a smile and said, "I know what you're trying to do. You just want to try cloning, don't you? But I'm sorry to tell you that your idea will never come true."

"Reason?" Zhang Heng wore a deadpan expression. He wasn't angered by Baron Tesla's retort, nor was he troubled by the loss of what he had gained. There was only calmness on his face, making it impossible for Baron Tesla to read his mind.

"I assume that you know how clones are created, right?" Baron Tesla chose his words carefully. He cleared his throat after seeing Zhang Heng's non-committal response and continued, "You should understand that the so-called clones are actually 'nuclear transplant reprogramming'. It wouldn't be difficult for you to acquire the cells of those superheroes, but don't forget why the likes of Thor, Hulk, and Captain Steve from the United States have never been 'replicated' by the authorities."

"You're saying that copying them would be difficult?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"Difficult? That's not something that humans could do." Baron Tesla sighed and continued, "To put it simply, back in the 1980s and 1990s, the emergence of cloned sheep, Doli, ignited the imagination of clones. However, you know what happened after that. Unlike those low-class lifeforms, the hierarchy of primates was much higher. That's why the nuclei of primates were very difficult to turn into nuclei, and the programming was unable to begin."

The so-called 'programming of the transplantation of cells' referred to the transplantation of the nucleus of the cells of the body cells into the nucleus of the nucleusless eggs. The cell quality of the eggs' cells caused the nucleus of the cells to change its operation patterns, just like how a computer program was reprogrammed.

There was a saying that there was an ancient country called the 'Mad Spring', where anyone who took a sip of the Mad Spring water would become insane. All of the subjects of that country drank the Mad Spring water and went insane. Only the king remained sober and didn't drink the water, which was why he didn't go insane with them. As a result, all the lunatics in the country felt that there was something wrong with the king's mental state and tied him up, thinking of ways to treat his mental illness. In the end, the king couldn't stand the torture of all those treatments and had no choice but to drink the water of the Mad Spring, going insane with the people.

That logic served as a way of reorganizing the programming. The nucleus of a cell was like that of a king, and the cell apparatus was like that of a subject. The first step was to extract the nucleus of an egg cell, before transplanting the nucleus of a host cell that wanted to clone the target into that egg cell. Then, the cell would be processed with electrical currents and chemicals, giving the egg cell the illusion that it had become a fertilized egg.

As such, the cellular apparatus began to request for the nucleus to be turned into an egg cell. The nucleus itself was a host of cells, and when it saw its enraged subjects, it had no choice but to turn itself into the nucleus of an egg cell in order to save its own life. That was the entirety of 'programming of the transplanted cells'.

"Doesn't caffeine solve that problem?" Zhang Heng recalled the cloning process in his mind and asked.

"I know. You're talking about protein phosphatase inhibitors." Baron Tesla nodded and continued, "But you should know that the higher the level of the lifeform, the harder it is to clone it. That is the eternal rule of the world. As for the superheroes like the Hulk and the Thunder God, their lifeforms are far higher than that of humans."

"Baron Tesla is right, Commander." Zola appeared on the screen as well. "Even with my abilities, I'm unable to clone these superheroes."

"I get it now." Zhang Heng sighed, but he continued in an unquestionable manner, "But, then again, science always advances when it comes to failure. Even if we're unable to clone it, are we just going to give up?"

"If you insist, we'll do as you wish." Baron Tesla then said, "I'll give the order for the S.H.I.E.L.D. undercover agents to take the opportunity to get their DNA, but I can't guarantee that I'll be able to clone what you're thinking."

"Of course." Zhang Heng nodded and headed outside. His last words were heard after he left the room.

"The rest is up to you."

…

Zhang Heng wore a smirk on his face as he walked out of the meeting room of the Hydra headquarters. He tapped his ear and seemed to be talking to himself, "Corona Two, is what Dr. Zola said true?"

"Yes, Commander." Corona's voice was heard from a microchip attached to his ear. "I'm monitoring all of Dr. Zola's thoughts and I'm able to confirm that he isn't lying."

"That's good to hear." Zhang Heng nodded and walked to the end of the metal walkway. He turned around and headed deeper into the Hydra headquarters.

Zhang Heng didn't stop walking until he came to a door. The door was newly constructed and looked fresh and shiny. It emitted a strange metallic luster under the bright lights.

"Identity confirmed, Commander. Welcome back." A voice was heard from an electronic screen on the door all of a sudden. The door slowly opened amidst rumbling noises.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but whistle when he saw what was inside the door. He found himself in a huge plaza with tunnel-digging machines working inside one after another. Synthetic workers were seen working on the construction site from time to time, and the entire plaza was bustling with activity, looking very busy.

"The construction speed is not a problem with the construction of the new underground base. The only limitation is the source of the materials. Even the Hydra organization would have a hard time getting enough materials in a short time." The voice in the ear said again.

"Don't worry about it. Hiding is the most important thing." Zhang Heng nodded, but he couldn't help but frown a little. "I have a feeling that if I were to be exposed in this world, I'd probably end up in some kind of crisis…"

350. Another Prophecy

The so-called Corona Two was a secondary personality that Zhang Heng created in order to restrict Zola, who only existed in the internet back in the Marvel Dimension. While the Corona Two was not as logical as Corona's main body, nor did it have the ability to influence humans, its ability to control the internet was in no way inferior to that of the real Corona.

That was why Zola was able to join Zhang Heng's team obediently.

"Danger?" Corona Two continued asking, "Is it because of Hydra? I'm sorry, Commander, but I'm not Corona's main body after all, and I'm unable to analyze such situations for you."

"No problem." Zhang Heng shook his head. "The danger doesn't come from the hydra. He doesn't have the power to threaten me yet. I can feel that the danger seems to come from…"

Zhang Heng suddenly raised his eyebrows as he said that. He seemed to have caught some kind of inspiration in his mind and he subconsciously followed that inspiration and felt his way forward. He soon felt some kind of resistance.

The moment he felt that layer of resistance, the pineal gland deep in his glabella began to thump like his heart. His eyes were blank as he stared straight ahead. However, if someone were to stand before him, they would realize that Zhang Heng was not looking in any direction at the moment. His gaze seemed to have penetrated space and time, seeing the endless future before him.

"Break!" Zhang Heng gritted his teeth all of a sudden. His eyes penetrated through that barrier in the very next second, and a shattered yet mysterious image appeared in his mind all of a sudden.

Black mist that blotted out the sky enshrouded the entire world like a ferocious demon. Zhang Heng was at the center of the black mist, looking ferocious and insane.

Around him, the bodies of the cloned warriors such as Zhishang, Adam, Gu Zhan, and so on were laid out on the ground, their blood staining the ground. He could even see the ruins left behind by Corona's destruction. Countless superheroes were attacking him from all directions, and every single one of them looked like they were ready to die. Even top-notch mutants like Professor X and the Magnetic King were among them.

Zhang Heng was torn to shreds by the endless stream of superheroes at the end of the video. Only his despair and madness were deeply etched in his mind.

All of that happened in the blink of an eye. The scenery before him receded like the tides in the very next second, and Zhang Heng felt as if all of his energy had been sucked out of him. He fell to his knees with a pale face, panting hard, and it took him quite a while to recover.

"Commander!" Corona Two exclaimed. "You've activated the power of the Prophet again?"

"That's right. As I become more proficient in using it, my perception of the future becomes increasingly easier as well." Zhang Heng panted heavily. While his expression looked rather glum at the moment, as if he had just recovered from some serious illness, the look in his eyes became even more intense, flickering with a mysterious light. "Something unexpected seems to have happened this time."

"But according to my tests, the damage to your brain every time you use such an ability is very severe." Corona Two's concern was heard. "Your brain is showing signs of cerebral hemorrhage due to ruptured blood vessels."

"Don't worry about it." Zhang Heng wiped away the blood from his nose and staggered to his feet. He chuckled and said, "There's nothing in the world that doesn't come with a price to pay. I've been prepared for that. Furthermore, my physique is very strong. I'd be able to recover from injuries of that caliber very quickly. I'd be the one to profit if I were to be able to gain massive amounts of information at such a small price."

"So, what did you see this time?" Corona Two asked.

"Variables," Zhang Heng said in a low voice. "What I see in the future is extremely abstract. While I don't know why that is the case, a voice in the dark warned me that if I were to expose the Galactic Beetles, I would be met with an unimaginable disaster…"

"It's fortunate that, in order not to be exposed, I've killed the entire squad guarding the Zhenjin branch. Other than Dr. Zola and Baron Tesla, there is no one else in the world who knows about my relationship with the Star Armor."

"Well then, we need to…" Corona Two asked without thinking.

"No need." Zhang Heng shook his head decisively and said, "Dr. Zola is under your watch, and he won't be able to do anything. As for Baron Tesla, I'll have him head to the radiation world for the time being. I've seen the possibility of such a thing happening in the future, so I won't make any more mistakes."

Zhang Heng fell into deep thought after the discussion with Corona Two was over. It was obvious that the Prophet's abilities were flawed as well. While he saw the 'karma', he didn't see the 'cause'. For example, why couldn't he expose the Galactic Beetles? Why would all the superheroes want to kill him if he were to be exposed? Even Professor X and the Magnetic King, the two love-hatered entities, decided to work together.

Zhang Heng was unable to figure out what kind of karmic link the two had.

Zhang Heng detested such variables the most.

Underground in the outskirts of Berlin in Germany, Zhang Heng continued to build secret bases in the Marvel plane. Not only that, but he had also begun to feel indignant about being a clone warrior. After seeing those powerful superheroes, he yearned for a more powerful army, such as Mutants with X genes, or the Thundergod with the 'god' bloodline, and so on.

Technology in the Marvel World had shown signs of deformity. On the one hand, human standards of living remained at the early 21st century standards. On the other hand, all manner of advanced technologies—biological, genetic, electronics, and so on—were being developed. Iron Man's father, a man named Howard Stark, had developed a heaven-defying product like the USSR and the USSR in the 1930s and 1940s.

Then there was the Iron Man, Tony. He was able to build a mini nuclear reactor with just some crude tools. Such technology was something that even Zhang Heng only acquired after he went to the radiation plane. The nuclear fusion technology in the radiation world came from 2077 A.D. That was to say that the technology of the Iron Man was more advanced than that of the real world by over 70 years.

That was a terrifying enemy.

It would have been fine if there was only one Iron Man, but there was actually Dr. Zola, Dr. Fantastic, Dr. Doom, and some other world-defying scientists in this magical plane. That alone was enough to put Zhang Heng to shame. Compared to the mundane world of the real world, the Marvel World was far more colorful.

However, as he made his way through the various worlds, he began to wonder if the plane he was in was actually a world of movies and stories. It was just that he hadn't reached the end of the world yet, which was why he hadn't made his appearance yet.

351. Pram Island

That wasn't Zhang Heng's idea after all. He had been having such thoughts ever since he entered the doomsday worlds.

Resident Evil, xenomorphs, Dead Space, Prototype… Zhang Heng had seen at least 10 doomsday worlds in his life, and all of those planes had strikingly similarities with real-life movies. If he were to say that all of that was a coincidence, there was no way he would believe it.

In fact, there was some scientific truth to that theory of coincidence—in this endless parallel world, every world seemed to have some kind of connection. It was that connection that caused the stories that happened in the parallel worlds to spread to the real world, which then became movies, games, and even comics.

To put it in terms of the M theory, the universe was pluralistic. Plural universes consisted of countless parallel universes. Parallel universes referred to other universes that were both similar and different to those found in parallel universes.

It was just like how Zhang Heng threw a coin out of boredom. There were two possibilities to the coin—one was facing upwards, and the other was facing downwards.

The moment the coin landed, the entire world seemed to have gone slightly awry. In that universe, the coin that Zhang Heng threw was facing upwards, but in reality, the coin was facing downwards in another universe.

It was that slight deviation that led to the gradual widening of the gap between the Chaos Theory and the parallel universes. The number of parallel universes was endless, which meant that the possibilities were endless. For example, there was a plane where the asteroids from 60 million years ago had yet to fall, and it was still the dinosaurs who ruled the Earth today. Another example would be the plane where the planet of a certain plane had yet to combine proteins and nucleic acid billions of years ago. Another example would be that the planet of a certain plane had yet to combine to produce proteins and nucleic acid. Another example would be that, while the planet was formed, it was either too late or too early. According to the principles of the butterfly effect, the world today might be completely different.

Another example would be creating humans. It might not have been you back then, but another sperm who fought for the egg and ended up becoming a fertilized egg. That way, you wouldn't have been able to give birth at all. What your parents would have seen would have been another stranger who was related to them by blood.

As such, miracles were happening to humans every second. Out of all the countless possibilities, the birth of a human and what you've been through were only one in a million.

As such, there was an explanation for the emergence of those illusory worlds. Perhaps everything was just a coincidence, but due to the endless variety of worlds, there would always be a world that looked identical to the movies and comics that Zhang Heng saw in real life, if not completely identical.

However, that explanation sounded rather forced. At the very least, Zhang Heng refused to believe that explanation.

What other explanation could there be?

Zhang Heng felt as if he had caught onto something, but when he thought about it, the inspiration was like a slippery fish, disappearing without a trace in the stream of his thoughts.

…

Time gradually passed. Zhang Heng continued to conceal himself and bide his time for the rest of the time, collecting all kinds of information regarding the world, things regarding the X-Men, S.H.I.E.L.D., extraterrestrial lifeforms, and even 'God'.

New cloned warriors were born in this world every day. The T-800, synthetic human warriors, tyrants, and even the newly developed super-soldiers of the DX-118 Virus were being experimented on nonstop.

At that moment, there was a notorious island beside New York's Long Island in Marvel World—Pram Island.

It was a small island located in the most densely populated part of the United States, a piece of land that looked like a pastoral paradise, yet it was a nightmare that had plagued Americans for decades.

The island named Pram had the most famous biochemical laboratory in the United States.

A group of mysterious guests came to the Pram Island near New York in 1954. Some were renowned American biologists, some were scientists who first developed the anthrax into weapons, some were responsible for the Nazi bacteria war recruited by the United States after World War II… and a large number of experimental animals were transported to the island, where the old buildings were renovated. One of the buildings was named 257. That was the most mysterious' 257 Laboratory 'in the United States—the Ministry of Agriculture and the military's biochemical weapons laboratory. Due to the prohibition of biochemical weapons experiments on the continent, the American military selected the island.

Pram Island had always been a mystery to the outside world, and it was only opened to the media in the 1990s. However, due to possible environmental threats, media were prohibited from entering the island again since 2004. It wasn't until 2007 that the US government announced that the pollutants on the island had been cleaned and ready to be sold publicly.

However, the news of the island being sold caused a lot of protest. While the US government claimed that the island was harmless, some environmentalists were still concerned that the 840-acre, pork chop-shaped island still had some kind of disease-driven pollutant on it, which was why they were unable to find buyers despite months of searching.

One day, an unexpected buyer came to the island.

The person who bought the island this time was an old man who looked to be in his late teens. He was also the biggest shareholder of an unknown pharmaceutical company called the Idle Biopharmaceutical Company—Chester Bernstein. The purpose of purchasing the island was to acquire the building and equipment on the island, hoping to continue his biopharmaceutical experiments there.

The American government, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief and finally negotiated all terms and conditions at a price of 80 million US dollars. They even managed to get all the documents for the company named Stellar Biotech.

The company began to build large-scale landworks on Pram Island very quickly. Buildings were quickly built and experimental equipment was moved to the island by air transport and sea transport.

The laboratory building on Pram Island was installed with new protective equipment, which completely concealed everything inside the building under the steel door.

A private helicopter was seen on the helipad of Pram Island a month later.

The wind caused by the propeller messed up Pepper Boz's blonde hair. As the person in charge of the island, she was once a private consultant of the renowned Stark company and even established a relationship with Tony for a while, which led to the two of them breaking up completely after Tony put on his armor again.

However, it seemed that, given her impressive resume, she had found a new job that would have made anyone envious.

The helicopter slowly descended and Chester, who had a head full of white hair and looked like he was about to pass out from old age, slowly made his way down with the help of his bodyguards. However, Little Chili Potts saw that there was a man from the East with a calm expression behind Chester.

While the Asian man looked very young, he could be the boss' business partner.

She didn't pay any attention to the young-looking Asian man and simply flashed a bright smile at him. She went up to Chester and held his arm, chuckling as she said, "Boss, why are you here in person? Wouldn't it be enough if you just let me know?"

"Hehe, I'm getting old. If I don't take this opportunity to take a look around, I don't think I'll get the chance to do so again." Chester chuckled with a hoarse voice, but Boz sensed that something was off. She didn't say anything and simply helped the old man out of the helicopter platform before heading in the direction of the office building.

352. Little Chili Pots

It was only when she helped Chester to the door of the office building that she realized what was wrong.

A few months ago, when she was helping the old man who was about to reach the coffin, she had a very clear feeling that the old man didn't have much time left in him. Chester was exuding a strong aura of death, and when she was helping him up, she could even feel his life slipping away. Those loose muscles felt like cotton to her.

However, she was surprised to find that the putrid air that was unique to the elderly had disappeared from his body. Furthermore, when she held his arm, she was able to feel the strong muscles beneath his skin. If it hadn't been for the fact that his appearance remained the same, she would have thought that she wasn't holding onto an 80-year-old man, but a middle-aged man who had just entered middle-age health.

Something incredible seemed to have happened in the past few months…

Little Chili thought to herself.

The four of them soon arrived at the manager's office in Pepper Boz. Chester waved and the man in a black suit nodded and walked out of the office. Boz and the young man from the East were the only ones left in the room.

"Boz." Chester then continued, "Let me introduce you to Mr. Zhang, your new boss."

Boz had just extended her hand and wore a professional smile on her face, but the smile on her face froze when she heard what he said. She turned around in shock and couldn't be bothered to be polite anymore. "Wait, boss, w-what did you just say?"

"Surprised?" However, before Chester was able to answer, the young Asian man walked past the stunned Little Chili and took his seat as if the seat belonged to him.

"Boss, why?" Boz glared at the rude young man before him before turning to Chester and said, "You can't do that. You promised me that you'd give me a chance to run a branch company!"

"Alright, Boz, I know that you're feeling indignant." Chester waved his hand impatiently and said, "You're very capable, or you wouldn't have been able to get to where you are in your thirties. However, you need to know that this is the final decision of the company's shareholders' meeting. Normally, he wouldn't interfere with your work, and all you need to do is to assist Mr. Zhang in every single thing he tells you to do."

"Support?" The surprise in Little Chili's eyes grew even more pronounced. There was a lot of information contained in those words. Little Chili, who had just woken up from her rage, immediately thought of all sorts of possibilities, but she was unable to figure out why her boss would make such a decision, regardless of which one it was.

The proud Little Chili frowned and took a deep breath, making up her mind. "I'm sorry, Mr. Chester. If that's the case, please allow me to resign."

"You're quitting?" But Chester looked troubled. He glanced behind Boz and said with a stiff smile, "You don't have to do this, Boz…"

"If you can't even fulfill that promise, I'll have no choice but to resign." Boz frowned, but after saying that, she suddenly felt that something was off. Chester, who had billions of assets in his hands, seemed to be looking at that young Asian man behind her.

I guess I just got carried away by all that rage, he thought to himself.

"But…" Just when Chester was about to say something else, that hateful voice from behind him was heard again. "Alright, Chester, since she doesn't want to stay, just let her go."

It was only then that Botzi turned around in shock and looked at the young Asian man smoking behind her. At a time like this, there was no way that someone as meticulous as her wouldn't be able to tell that the young Asian man was actually the one making all the decisions from the very beginning. Even the renowned pharmaceutical company, Chester, had to be wary of him.

Just who was this mysterious young man from the East?

The shock in Little Chili's heart was indescribable. She suddenly had a bad feeling and looked into his eyes right away. However, she saw that his eyes seemed to be filled with unfathomable depth. She had only seen such depth in the eyes of her previous boss, Tony Stark.

That was a look that would only appear when one was confident and in control of everything.

The young Asian man named Mr. Zhang waved dismissively and said in a rather lazy manner, like a lion who had just woken up, "I understand what you're feeling right now, Ms. Boz, but life is always full of ups and downs, no?"

"Who the hell are you?" Boz slowly backed away and asked warily.

"Tsk, what a strong sixth sense. Have you realized that I'm up to no good?" The man chuckled, his voice hoarse and filled with evil intent. "Who I am isn't important. What's important is who you are… isn't it, Miss Chili Potts?"

Boz's expression changed drastically after hearing that. She couldn't help but want to run outside, but before she could even take two steps, a huge hand clamped down on her shoulder.

Boz let out a shriek and turned around in disbelief, only to see that the sickly old man, Chester, had stood up with a cold look on his face at some point in time and his bony, skeletal hands were firmly placed on her shoulders. She could hardly believe her eyes. Was that really the dying Mr. Chester?

"Don't worry, we won't hurt you." That young man from the East stood up slowly and chuckled. "It's just that your identity is very important to us. Without you, my plan would have been very difficult to execute…"

Boz felt her entire body turn cold when she heard that. It was only then that she realized that she had probably fallen into a trap that she had set up a long time ago… and the target was obvious enough. There could only be one reason why she was willing to go to such lengths to control herself, and that was for her former lover, Tony Stark.

Botzi's heart was filled with anguish. She never thought that such a dangerous situation would still happen despite having made up her mind to leave Tony. She gritted her teeth and looked at Zhang Heng, who was getting closer. She said in a threatening manner, "Tony won't let you go!"

"I don't think so, either." The young man from the East nodded as if it was a given. He walked up to Little Chili Potts and extended his hand to tap her on the forehead.

All of a sudden, Boz blacked out and completely lost consciousness.

353. Replacement

That young man was none other than Zhang Heng.

A few days ago, he had pulled Chester Bernstein, who was about to step into the coffin, out using some underhanded means. He then threatened the old man and took him under his wing.

The reason why he took a liking to that old man was because of that biopharmaceutical company that was worth tens of billions of yuan, as well as the fact that Little Chili Potts was working under him.

Little Chili's alluring body slowly slumped to the ground. She didn't see Zhang Heng making any movements and simply took a step forward. The next second, she fell into his arms.

"She's a stunner. No wonder that playboy Stark is so obsessed with her." Zhang Heng smirked.

"Hehe, Mr. Zhang, if you're interested in her, we could…" Chester couldn't help but chuckle.

"Huh?" Zhang Heng looked at Chester with a deadpan expression on his face. Chester felt his entire body shudder all of a sudden as a murderous intent washed over him. He quickly lowered his head and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Mr. Zhang, I-I was rude!"

Zhang Heng retracted his gaze and said coldly, "Don't ever use your dirty thoughts to set me up, got it?"

"Yes, yes! I promise there won't be a next time!" Chester nodded right away.

"Now that the show is over, you may leave," Zhang Heng reminded her again.

"Yes, sir!" Chester replied and walked out of the door cautiously. He only wiped the cold sweat from his brow when Zhang Heng disappeared behind the door. He threw a venomous look at the door before scurrying out of the building with his bodyguards.

A researcher with a deadpan expression walked into the manager's office without making a sound after Chester left. The researcher bowed to Zhang Heng and his entire body began to vibrate like mercury, quickly taking on the appearance of an Asian girl.

Corona!

However, Zhang Heng didn't react to that at all. He simply handed the unconscious Little Chili Potts to her and asked, "Corona Two, how's the clone going?"

"Chester Bernstein's clone has basically mastered every single word and action of the target perfectly. He could easily replace the target without making a sound." The girl from the East chuckled and continued, "Pepper Boz, on the other hand, would need some time before he could make up for all of his flaws in about three to five days."

"Very well." Zhang Heng nodded and chuckled coldly. "That old man, Chester, has developed some thoughts that I don't want to see. I'm going to make the original Chester disappear completely before tonight. From then on out, there will only be one Chester who would listen to us."

"Yes, sir," Corona Two replied and looked at the unconscious Little Chili in her hand. "Commander, what should we do with that woman?"

"Send him to the Dimensional amnesia plane."

…

The biochemical laboratory on Pram Island opened again shortly after.

Late at night in early September, his second master finally came to Pram, the island of nightmares, after hundreds of workers were busy for nearly half a month.

That was a notorious island that seemed to have some connection with all the viral outbreaks that had taken place there.

A weird Dutch duck plague hit the duck farms near Long Island in 1967, killing all the ducks.

A strange disease attacked the town of Laime near Long Island in 1975. The patient's joints were twisted, he was particularly sensitive to light and sound, and his mental state was extremely unstable… That was the beginning of the terrifying disease called Laime. The disease began to spread to other areas, to 45 states in the United States.

Starting in 1999, a new virus began to wreak havoc in the United States, known as the 'West Nile Virus'. The virus, which was originally found in Africa, spread across 43 US states and killed over 400 people.

However, all three plagues took place around Pram Island. No one would have believed that there was nothing going on between the two, which eventually led to the entire New York City hating the Pram Island so much that very few people were willing to visit the island.

Now that the island had become a private place, the place looked even more eerie. Black, grey buildings and factories stood tall on the island, with cargo ships and helicopters coming and going from time to time, as well as the tall walls that surrounded the island. All of that proved that there was some kind of conspiracy brewing on the island.

Zhang Heng was sitting outside a laboratory in an experimental building on the island, feeling bored. He was looking at a muscular man whose entire body was covered in crimson muscles in the quarantine room. That muscular man was over two meters tall and his muscles were so well-developed that they had reached their limit, bursting through his skin and exposing him to the world outside.

However, he continued to hold his head and howl as he pounded the ground with his huge fists. Every single punch would leave a fist print that was over 10 centimeters deep on the alloy floor.

That was a power that not even Zhang Heng's physical body could achieve.

"According to calculations, his full-power punch should be somewhere between 60 to 80 kilograms. His muscles should be able to withstand a 12.7mm caliber M82A1 sniper rifle, which means that his muscles are already harder than carbon steel, not to mention his bones."

Corona No. 2's voice was heard. "As a super-soldier capable of manipulating DX-1118, while he is definitely not as powerful as the one and only Alex in the game, he is still a mass-produced fighter after all. He is far more powerful than the clone warriors, and could even fight the Tyrant."

"It's just a pity that I'm just as smart as a pig." Zhang Heng shook his head and sighed.

"That is a given. The damage done to the brain by the DX-118 Virus is irreversible. When the body is being modified, the virus could easily break through the blood-brain barrier and kill and devour the brain cells, replacing them with the virus itself. Even if the virus could maintain its sanity afterward, its personality would have been dead and the only thing that would have survived would have been a new life."

"The DX-118 Virus is destined to be a biochemical weapon that cannot be used to strengthen humans."

"Get ready for speed and combat." Zhang Heng nodded. "Corona Two, are you sure that he won't spread the virus now?"

"I'm sure," Corona Two answered right away. "Now that the experimental body has been enhanced, it is equivalent to a new life form. In such a state, the virus is in a dormant state and is unable to infect humans, or even detect them. Please rest assured."

"Understood." Zhang Heng didn't say anything else. He walked up to the control panel and pressed a red button lightly. The door of the partitioned room opened slowly with a screech.

354. Vengeful Evil

Zhang Heng headed straight for the quarantine room as soon as the doors were opened. That super-soldier, who looked like a small hill, turned around with a puzzled look on his face. A murderous glint flashed across his eyes when he saw someone appearing before him, but he recovered in the very next second.

"Roar!"

The super-soldier walked up to Zhang Heng with his fat body and lowered his head. He sniffed at Zhang Heng and stood behind him like a bodyguard, looking around warily as if he was trying to protect Zhang Heng.

"Go ahead. Your battlefield isn't here." Zhang Heng pointed at the French windows outside. The lights in the city across the ocean river glittered in the hazy night, brighter than the stars in the sky. That was Queens, New York, the busiest city block in the world.

"Roar!" The super-soldier before him thumped his chest hard as if he had understood what Zhang Heng was saying. He charged about like a rhinoceros, bursting through the French windows and disappearing into the night.

A strange look flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes. He turned around and left the quarantine room and walked up to the control panel again. However, all that the super-soldier saw was flashing on the screen at that moment. Not only that, but the super-soldier's heartbeat, blood pressure, and other data were also flashing on the upper right corner of the screen.

A line of text appeared at the top of the screen. 'Evil Vengeance Test experiment initiated—Quest 1: Head to Queens, New York. Quest 2: Search for Superheroes for Combat Ability Test.'

"The latest type of chip developed in the Honeycomb is implanted in its brain. That chip was designed specifically for the DX-118 super-soldiers, the Evil God of Vengeance. We can issue orders to those soldiers through the terminal," Corona Two reminded.

"Sure, that sounds very real." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Well then, let's see just how much combat prowess that so-called evil god of revenge possesses."

…

Peter Parker wandered around the dark corners of Queens, New York, feeling bored.

Everyone suffers from all kinds of troubles when they go through puberty, just like what the Woes of Young Witt said. At that moment, Peter had his own troubles as a superhero.

Since joining S.H.I.E.L.D., Peter has rarely been able to do as he pleased.

He still remembered what Mr. Tony had said to him in that fancy limousine of his.

In the extended Lincoln, Tony said with a mean look on his face, "Kid, don't always take risks like I do, and of course, don't do things that I don't know how to do." As he spoke, Tony extended the index finger and thumb of his right hand, putting a little distance between them. "You can do whatever you want in the gray area between the two, but remember, that doesn't mean that you're already a member of the Avengers."

"Damn it, I've had enough of you, Mr. Tony. This guy always treats me like a kid…" Peter couldn't help but spread his arms and talk to himself in the air.

However, at that moment, his super hearing enhanced by the spider gene was suddenly heard by a group of humans. Peter was shocked and ran forward without thinking.

He took off his outerwear one by one as he ran. By the time he was over a dozen meters away, the young high school student who was dressed in casual attire had completely turned into a hero who was able to intimidate criminals alike.

Spiderman!

Whoosh!

A white sticky substance sprayed out of the spiderweb transmitter on his wrist at lightning speed. The next second, Spiderman took a flying step and disappeared into the shadows between the floors as if he was flying.

He was getting closer. He was less than 100 meters away from the source of the sound.

The sound was getting closer in Peter's spider perception. He could even hear the cries and running from the crowd. Not only that, but there was also an unusually muffled sound of footsteps in the midst of all that noise. The sound seemed to weigh thousands of kilograms on the ground.

With the swinging force of the spider silk, Peter flipped in the air and nimbly and soundlessly appeared at the top of a tall building. He looked at the source of the sound at his feet the next second and saw a group of pedestrians running towards the street at his feet, crying and screaming. All of their faces looked panicked and there was a little girl who was so frightened that she was staring at the corner of the street, unable to even run.

"What is it?"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Heavy, rhythmic footsteps were heard. In Peter's ears, it sounded like the footsteps of the Hulk, but there was no way that gentleman Dr. Banner would run out in the middle of the night to scare pedestrians and little girls.

Peter's pupils contracted and he was about to continue walking when a crimson figure suddenly appeared in his line of sight and he couldn't help but gasp when he saw the figure behind it.

Was he still alone?

A huge monster that was over two meters tall and had muscles all over its body appeared on the corner of the street before his eyes. That monster had no skin on its body at all, and its unbelievably exaggerated muscles were exposed to the air just like that. As it walked, its muscles rose and fell, wriggling about like countless centipedes.

Just by seeing that figure, Peter knew that the other party's power must be terrifying.

"Damn it, that little girl is in danger!"

Peter's expression remained unchanged at that thought. He extended his finger slightly and a strand of spider silk shot out of the streetlight above the little girl's head in the very next second. He swung the strand of spider silk down and held the little girl in his arms before she could reach the little girl. He shot another strand of spider silk at the same time and the direction of his movement changed immediately, appearing on the roof of a five-story shop again.

"Roar!"

The monster, which was neither human nor ghost, growled and seemed to understand the provocation of the man in the perverted tight suit in front of him. He immediately turned his head and stared at Peter, while slapping his chest hard like a chimpanzee, making heavy thumping sounds.

"Oh no, sir, I'm not trying to provoke you. I'm just trying to help this little girl." Spiderman hid the little girl and then leaned on the door frame on the side, making a casual pose and continued, "After all, you should know that her parents would be anxious if she didn't come home in the middle of the night."

"Roar!"

It had to be said that Spiderman’s ability to attract aggro was undoubtedly at the MAX level. The huge monster was obviously completely enraged after hearing all those meaningless words. It roared and charged at Peter with overwhelming power.

355. Spiderman Vs. Evil God Of Vengeance

"Target: Spiderman."

"Height: 177 centimeters."

"Weight: 70kg."

"Weapon: None."

"Threat Level: Analyzing…"

"Probability: Data acquisition…"

Zhang Heng was looking at the screen in front of him with his chin on his hand tens of kilometers away. He immediately raised his eyebrows when he saw Spiderman appear and said, "Send two more vengeful demons to the battlefield."

"Commander, do you think that the evil god of revenge is incapable of defeating the enemy?" Corona Two asked in surprise.

"Yes, Spiderman's combat power is enough to rank in the top three even in the Avengers." Zhang Heng nodded and said as if it was a given. "The fact that Spiderman was able to stop the train alone is enough to show just how powerful the other party is. What Spiderman is truly good at is not power, but dexterity. If we were to run into Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Panther, and some others, I have no doubt that the Vengeful Evil would be able to win, but against Spiderman, that would be impossible!"

"Understood." Corona Two nodded and the doors of the two adjacent rooms were opened right away. The other two evil gods of revenge leaped down from the holes in the French windows and disappeared into the darkness of the night in the blink of an eye.

…

Peter Parker had a playful look in his eyes as he looked at the monster charging down at him. He was about to say something when he felt a sudden sense of danger without warning. That was the feeling of a spider that exceeded the limits of humans. He backed away without thinking and saw the huge monster leap up to the top of the fifth floor.

"No one else could do such a thing!" Parker grumbled and flicked his fingers, shooting several strands of spider silk at the creature. He exerted more force with his feet at the same time and leaped onto an even higher wall next door, crawling to the top of the building on all fours.

"Roar!"

That monster let out a low growl and tore that spiderweb, which was as tough as steel wires, from its body. The next second, it stomped on the ground again and followed closely behind Parker, heading for higher floors.

"You actually know how to climb walls too?" Parker let out a weird cry and looked at the monster walking on the vertical wall behind him with its legs. He kicked off the ground right away and shot a stream of spider silk at the building opposite him in midair, before leaping straight down.

"Will you still be able to catch up to me then, big guy?" Parker shouted in the air and turned his head around again, preparing to see the other party roar at him for being unable to catch him. However, what he saw instead was a water tank that was about two meters tall closing in on him.

Bang!

The water tank, which weighed several tons, crashed into Parker's petite body. Parker, who was still in midair, lost his balance and fell to the ground. He landed hard on the concrete floor.

The evil god of revenge fell from the sky right after the attack landed. A dull thud was heard and the concrete beneath its feet cracked immediately after its massive body fell to the ground.

"Damn it, I got careless!" It was not until then that Spiderman slowly got up and leaned on his head and groaned. He looked at the monster walking towards him and quickly waved his hand and said, "Hey, dude, how about we tie?"

However, before he was able to finish his sentence, the monster's massive fist came crashing at him with a force that could overturn mountains and overturn seas.

Bang!

The sound of heavy objects colliding was heard. In that instant, Parker threw a punch at his opponent's fist as well. His body was sent flying backward like a ragdoll in the very next second. The vengeful spirit had to take three steps back before it was able to steady itself.

"Target's maximum speed: 180 m / s."

"Target's maximum burst power: 50kN."

"Threats detected. Warning: Target Threats detected."

"The chances of winning are less than 30%!"

At this time, the data regarding Spiderman’s body was shown on the screen. Not only that, a line of words labeled “Heavy Threat” kept flashing at the top.

"I can't believe that his power is only slightly inferior to that of the Vengeful Evil God!" Corona Two's astonished voice was heard. "How could this be? The size of the creature is so far away from that of the Vengeful Evil God!"

"The rich depend on technology, and the poor depend on mutation," Zhang Heng said casually. "You're underestimating Spiderman. He's the one who's the best at using softness to fight toughness among superheroes."

At that moment, Parker crawled up from the street, staggering a little. He rubbed his fist and mumbled, "You're really strong, aren't you? Although your movements are a little clumsy, your speed and reflexes are surprisingly high." Seeing that the vengeful spirit was charging at him again, he simply bent down and dodged the monster's attack from under his crotch. Countless strands of spider silk shot out at the same time, and before the monster was able to break free, even more strands of spider silk shot out and sprayed all over its body like a shower.

"Haha, get a feel for the power of the spiderweb!" Parker shouted after spotting the other party's weak point, not looking like he had been rendered completely listless after taking several hits.

It was only when the evil god of revenge was completely covered in a thick layer of spiderweb that Parker stopped moving. The evil god of revenge was stuck to the ground like a huge cocoon, with only that hideous, hideous head exposed.

"Hey, dude, where are you from?" Parker walked up to the vengeful evil god with ease and patted the huge cocoon. "Let me think. You're not a relative of Dr. Banner, are you? Oh, no, no, you're probably a product of Mr. Tony's evil experiments, right?" Parker couldn't help but think in a hostile manner.

It had only been a few minutes since he began fighting and he could already hear the sounds of police cars approaching from afar. However, just when he thought that everything was settled, two deep growls were heard from afar all of a sudden. That startled Parker.

"No way, there's more than one such monster?"

The flickering lights of the police cars had appeared at the end of the street. A grave expression was seen on Parker's face as he ran in the direction of the police cars without a second thought. "Hey, don't come near me. There's danger!"

However, before his snores were heard, two monsters that were completely red leaped down from the roof and the two police cars were sent flying like children's toys.

"This is bad…" Parker stopped in his tracks and watched as the two monsters that looked identical to the ones he had subdued before began to run after him after taking care of the police. He chuckled bitterly and turned around to run away without a care for his image.

One of those monsters could have taken his life. If there were two of them, he would definitely be no match for them.

356. Catching Spiderman

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched as he looked at Spiderman, who disappeared without a trace without a trace despite being a superhero. In the end, he said, "No need to chase after him. Just bring Vengeful Evil One back."

"Are you sure you don't need to give chase? This is such a good opportunity," Corona Two asked, feeling puzzled.

"We've overturned all the police cars. If we keep fighting, Spiderman won't be the only opponent." Zhang Heng shook his head and said, "Now that Spiderman is a member of the Avengers, do you really think that he doesn't have the means to contact other Avengers?"

"Besides, even though Spiderman is very powerful, I could kill him in less than three seconds if I really wanted to." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued, "But killing him wouldn't do any good. It would instead alert the Avengers and even the entire United States. Everyone would be in danger by then, and it would be even more difficult for us to acquire other items in the future."

…

As a result, the two evil gods of revenge that were more than a dozen kilometers away immediately stopped and didn’t chase after the fleeing Spiderman. Instead, they walked up to Vengeful Evil One, which was wrapped up like a dumpling, and released him from the huge cocoon, before silently returning to the base.

"I can't believe they didn't follow us!" However, Parker was feeling rather disappointed as he watched the three monsters leave. According to his principles, criminals had to be punished according to the law. The only reason he ran away before was to lure those two monsters into the trap that he had set up. Now that he saw them leave without looking back, he gritted his teeth and followed them silently instead of retreating.

"Kid, I saw you on the surveillance footage at Lilimp Street. What happened over there? Why did the FBI get involved?" Iron Man's sarcastic tone was heard from his communication device just when Parker was hanging far behind him.

"Mr. Tony, I'm in pursuit of the fugitives." Parker boarded a building and looked at the three monsters leaping about in the distance with a serious look in his eyes. "The casualties aren't high, but they attacked the police cars."

"Is that why you went out to punish the evildoers?" An irritated voice was heard from the other end of the line. "Kid, listen up. Attacking police cars is a problem that should have been a headache for both the police and the FBI. What you need to do right now is not to stick your neck out, but to learn like every other kid your age. How many criminals could you beat with your measly skills?"

"Well, I'm afraid I'll have to turn them down." Parker shook his head and said helplessly, "The greater the power, the greater the responsibility. I have to go and stop them, or more people will suffer disaster in the future!" He then cut off the communication without hesitation.

"Hello, hello!" At that moment, Tony, who was tens of kilometers away, shouted into the mic several times before shaking his head and shouting with a cold face, "Testing the performance of the armor. I'm going out for a bit!"

…

It didn't take long for Parker to follow her to the edge of the city, where the ocean lay further away. The eastern coast of the United States was at the southernmost part of Queens, which was the endless Atlantic Ocean.

"Is he trying to get into the ocean?" Parker mumbled under his breath. He was completely dumbfounded as he watched the other man disappear into the ocean with a single leap. He was still able to maneuver around nimbly among the tall buildings like a fish in water, but if he were to actually get into the water, he would be completely at a loss.

However, his sense of justice continued to motivate him. He looked at the three giants swimming away in the water, gritted his teeth, and got ready to jump into the water to catch up with them. However, a figure appeared on the roof of the building that he was on all of a sudden.

"Peter Parker."

Parker felt a chill run down his spine. He had never exposed his identity before, yet the intruder was able to call out his name right away. That was a nightmare that he dared not even imagine. If his identity were to be exposed, his aunt and friends would probably be dealt a fatal blow by those criminals.

Parker felt his entire body turn cold at that thought. He couldn't help but look over at the other man, only to see that the man standing before him was an Asian man he had never seen before.

Zhang Heng had only planned to take back the three Experimentals, but he didn't expect to see Parker following far behind him from the cameras of the three vengeful demons. Zhang Heng was completely unable to sit still at that moment. He still didn't have the strength to fight against all the superheroes in the world. If Spiderman were to find his lair, then his plan of entering Marvel World and looting resources would be doomed.

As such, in order to ensure that his secret wouldn't be leaked, and to prevent further complications from arising, he decided to make a move himself.

Zhang Heng looked calmly at Spiderman, who was holding back his panic and said coldly, "I didn't want to kill you."

"Who the hell are you?" Parker looked at Zhang Heng warily, his entire body tensed up. He felt a suffocating sense of danger from Zhang Heng, who had never feared anything before.

He had only ever felt something like that from Hulk, who was far more powerful than him.

"Does it matter who I am?" Zhang Heng couldn't be bothered to waste his breath on the kid. He took a slow step forward and raging mental power gushed out of his body, heading straight for Parker. "Kid, didn't Iron Man ever teach you to act within your means?"

Parker felt an invisible sense of danger assaulting him, and his muscles tensed up as if he had been electrocuted due to his sharp senses from the spider. He kicked the ground without giving it any thought, but before he was able to jump far away, a powerful force whipped his body and sent him flying.

Bang!

The wall of the building was completely penetrated. Parker rolled and knocked over two of the walls before being stopped on the third wall.

Parker felt as if all the bones and muscles in his body were about to shatter. He struggled to get up and fell to his knees, coughing violently. However, he was only able to cough out pieces of internal organs, and the stench of blood filled his entire nose.

"Kid, you were once my favorite superhero before I gained power." Zhang Heng's voice was heard calmly. Parker was shocked and turned his head around, only to find that the other man was standing right beside him at some point in time.

"I'm not some kid!" Parker's voice was hoarse. "I've had enough of people calling me a kid!"

He looked up suddenly and said, "If you call me a kid, you'll definitely pay for underestimating your enemy!" A huge ball of spider silk shot at Zhang Heng as he spoke.

"You're overestimating yourself!" Zhang Heng's eyes narrowed all of a sudden. That spiderweb that was as powerful as a handgun was blocked by some formless air and Parker was sent flying again in the very next second.

Bang!

The hard and thick wall was smashed through by Spiderman’s body again like a piece of tofu debris construction. Parker flew down from the tall building and crashed into the asphalt floor.

Parker felt as if the entire world was spinning around him, making him feel as if he had lost all feeling in his body. All that was left of him was his breath, which forced him to maintain clarity of mind.

Zhang Heng slowly leaped out of the hole in the floor and dropped to the ground at a uniform speed. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind as he observed the dying Parker before him.

"I wonder what kind of power a biochemical warrior created by a superhero could wield." Zhang Heng pondered for a bit and was about to grab Parker when Corona Two's voice was heard from the communication device.

"Commander, Iron Man has appeared on Lilimp Street five kilometers away and is moving in this direction. He is expected to arrive at the scene in half a minute."

"Iron Man is here too?" Zhang Heng frowned and said, "It's a pity that it's not the time to alert the enemy yet. If that's the case…" A Falcon mech slowly emerged beside Zhang Heng as he said that. He picked up the immobile Spiderman and went inside the mech without hesitation.

The next second, the Falcon flew high into the air and disappeared above New York in the blink of an eye.

It was not until Zhang Heng left with Parker, who had been beaten to a pulp, that Tony flew to the battlefield. He looked at the ruins of the buildings with a grave expression and a deep sense of worry flashed across his face. He knew from the moment the signal from Parker's location disappeared that the stubborn yet kind-hearted kid had probably met with misfortune.

357. Project Begins

Capturing Spiderman alive was not part of Zhang Heng's plan in the first place. His initial goal was just to test the waters, but he didn't run into anyone else. Instead, he ran into Spiderman, who had a sense of justice that was no less than that of Captain America, and he was almost found by the other party. In the end, he had to attack the Avengers in advance and bring Spiderman back.

Zhang Heng walked out of the Falcon with the half-dead Spiderman in his hand. He crushed the communication device on the suit that Iron Man gave Spiderman, so that he wouldn't have to worry about his location being exposed.

Spiderman was in a coma at the moment, but when Zhang Heng scanned him with his mental power, he found that the injuries caused by multiple broken bones and shattered internal organs were miraculously stabilized and even showed signs of recovering.

While his physique was nowhere near that of some superheroes who were immortal, it was still something that far exceeded that of regular people. At the very least, he was on par with Zhang Heng, who was injected with the T-Virus solution.

"Commander!" Zhishang went up to Zhang Heng as soon as he returned.

The two heads of the clone army, Gu Zhan and Adam, had long been stationed in Marvel World. They were holding the fort in the new headquarters of Hydra, while Zhishang had been following Zhang Heng around as his personal bodyguard.

"Lock him up and prepare for brain transplant." Zhang Heng threw Spiderman to Zhishang, which was the best way he could think of to remedy the situation.

"Yes." Zhishang looked at the unconscious Spiderman in his hand and headed for the operating room.

"Commander, welcome back." Corona No. 2's voice was heard as soon as he walked into the laboratory. "I've obtained sufficient data from the combat tests conducted by the Vengeful Evil God. The Vengeful Evil God has the advantage of being strong, fast, and obedient, but I've discovered that the way the Vengeful Evil God fights is very clumsy. It doesn't use overly complicated weapons, and it doesn't even have the potential to be enhanced yet again. If we were to include all of its qualities, I'm afraid that the Vengeful Evil God wouldn't be able to compare to the mass-produced cloning warriors."

"But there are also advantages to it, which is that the cost is cheap. Anyone could be turned into a vengeful evil god within 12 hours, and the manufacturing cost would not exceed a thousand US dollars."

"Very good. Next up, we'll need to figure out how to make use of weapons against the evil god of revenge." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily. "Currently, the total number of cloned warriors is less than 10,000. There are simply too few of them, making it impossible for us to gain the upper hand. The T-800 and the synthesized humans would at most pose a threat to regular humans, making them unable to become the best of the best. Powerful types like the Tyrant are even rarer. The likes of xenomorphs and other biological weapons are still in the development stage. All in all, there's no way they could completely take on the enemy on their own. The evil god of revenge would have a very good chance of making up for that flaw. If they could all pick up pulse rifles, they would be a bunch of invincible soldiers."

Zhang Heng's eyes gleamed as he said that. He thought for a bit and continued, "Well then, it's time to carry out the next step of the plan. How's the preparation of that woman, Little Chili, going?"

"The preparations are complete. According to the target's habits, preferences, and manner of speech, she is able to mimic the moves perfectly. At the very least, I'm unable to find any flaws in her moves."

"Bring her to me."

"Yes."

A hot-looking woman with long blonde hair walked into the office very quickly. Her eyes were filled with panic and unease as she walked up to Zhang Heng and looked like she was about to say something, but then hesitated.

"Pepper Potts." Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and took a good look at the woman before him. While Little Chili looked to be in her thirties, he had to admit that she looked no different from a girl in her twenties. She took good care of herself, unlike the other marquises who only had several years of maturity.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhang Heng." The woman before him nodded right away. Her every frown and smile looked no different from the person he saw before. Her height, weight, build… even the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes looked identical.

"Good. You know your mission, right?"

"My mission is to steal all relevant data regarding Tony Stark's Marker armor and stay by his side." Little Chili nodded and her panicked expression disappeared, leaving only a cold, flat look on her face. Her demeanor changed so quickly that it dazzled the eyes and dazzled the eyes.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily and waved his hand lightly, sending Little Chili Potts back outside.

…

Tony Stark was so anxious that he almost lost his mind. That night, he rushed to the headquarters of the S.H.I.E.L.D. and told all the members of the Avengers that Parker had been captured. He was the one who dug Parker out from the masses and brought him into the Avengers. Although he always called Parker a kid, the cold-faced but warm-hearted man was actually more concerned about Parker's safety than anyone else.

In the meeting room, the S.H.I.E.L.D. director frowned and said, "As for the monster that appeared in Queens tonight, I've been notified by the New York Police Department that it is very powerful."

He turned on the holographic projection as he said that, and the evil god of revenge's ferocious appearance appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Gasp!" Falcon Sam gasped. "Why does this guy look like a relative of Dr. Banner?"

"So, you're thinking the same thing. I thought I was the only one," the Black Widow who was standing at the side said.

"Don't joke around. I'm afraid Parker is still in his hands," the American captain said quickly. He took a look at Tony, who remained silent. "Don't worry, Tony. I'm sure Parker will be fine."

"With Peter Parker's abilities, could that monster have captured him?" Falcon was puzzled as well.

"Alright, quiet down, everyone!" Nick Fury coughed loudly and pointed at the crimson muscles on the monster's body. "Take a look, everyone. This is the unknown man who caused a ruckus on the streets of Lilimp Street in Queens just a few hours ago. According to the witness' testimony, the man seems to be some kind of biological weapon. He's very powerful and even stronger than Parker, but his intelligence is very low. As such, he's no match for Parker."

"I can also tell that it's very powerful." Tony spread his hands, clearly dissatisfied with such a simple explanation.

"Why would you suspect that it's some kind of biological weapon instead of a superhuman?" Nick continued, "That's because it didn't just appear alone, but three in total!"

The crowd was stunned for a bit and all of them wore serious expressions on their faces. One of them was nothing compared to the number of monsters that had appeared. However, the fact that there were so many of them made things a little tricky.

"This is the scene left behind by such monsters in combat." The image on the chief's screen changed and showed signs of battle that were riddled with holes. Everyone was rendered speechless when they saw the countless footprints on the wall and the huge water tank that fell to the ground.

"Everyone knows that, given Parker's fighting style, he wouldn't normally take the initiative to destroy buildings. He would only leave strands of spider silk wherever he went. It's obvious that all of those signs of destruction were left behind by that monster. That would at the very least prove that the monster possesses a power and body that's far greater than most of us here."

"So, is there any evidence regarding the removal of cells at the scene?" Tony asked subconsciously.

"Yes, I've done the comparison, but I'd advise you not to harbor any illusions about the results of the experiment." The chief shook his head and continued, "Our mission now is to find Peter Parker and find out who's behind the B.O.W (Organic Weapons). Now that the second occurrence is taking place, we can't afford to be distracted by anything else."

"Otherwise, the United States could very well be in an unprecedented mess…"

358. Little Chili Returns

Pitt Parker, who had caused a lot of concern among the members of the Avengers, was lying on the operating table at the moment. A biochemical chip was being transplanted into the cerebral cortex through a gap cut at the back of his head. The chip was made of biological materials, making it difficult for modern medicine to detect it.

After being implanted with the chip, the implanter would be able to emit weak electrical currents when thinking, which could change the thoughts of the implant without making a sound.

That was why the A.I. Chip was so terrifying. The implanted entity would never realize that something was changing its mind. It was just like psychological hypnosis, where the implanted entity's actions would be completely changed due to the presence of the A.I. Chip.

Peter Parker slowly woke up in his hospital bed three days later. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw the person he least wanted to see—Mr. Tony's shawled face.

"Uh, Mr. Tony? You're too close." Parker pushed Tony away without thinking.

"Good, looks like you're out of trouble." Tony didn't look embarrassed at all when he was pushed away. Instead, he asked in a questioning tone, "What happened in the three days you were gone? Why did you appear in the water?"

"Three days?" It was only then that Parker was stunned. He frowned and began to think about everything that had happened. "I seem to remember that I was chasing after three huge monsters, and then you called."

"Yeah, I know that too." Tony nodded. "What next?"

"Next…" Parker scratched his head in distress. "I forgot about what happened next."

"Oh, damn it!" Tony spread his hands and walked up to Parker in two or three steps, putting a stack of photos in his hands. "Maybe these photos could tell you what happened."

"This is my nude photo?" Parker took the photo in his hand with a puzzled look on his face. However, his face turned green as soon as he took a look at the photo, only to see that he was completely naked and covered in wounds. He looked at Iron Man furiously. "You're violating my human rights!"

"Hell with human rights," Tony said nonchalantly. "Relax, I'm not showing those photos to your sexy aunt."

"So, you're saying that you're letting someone else see you?" Parker was rendered speechless right there and then. He smacked his forehead hard and was about to say something, but Tony beat him to it and said, "Okay, kid, tell me why you ended up on the beach by the sea first. If it hadn't been for the seawater rushing you to the shore and getting picked up by some old dude who was drying his butt, you'd probably be dead by now."

It was only then that Parker began to get serious. He began to think hard, but he realized that all he could remember from the very beginning was how he chased those three monsters all the way to the beach, and then how he ended up in a coma and why he was covered in wounds. He had no memory of that at all.

In the end, Tony had no choice but to take Parker for another brain scan, but the scan showed that Parker's brain was completely normal and there was nothing out of place. In the end, the diagnosed doctor could only assume that Pete Parker had temporarily lost his memory due to drowning in the ocean. There was no other explanation for that.

"Very well. Regardless, it's good that you're safe and sound, Parker." The American team leader, Hawkeye, and the Black Widow came to visit after hearing that Parker had woken up. The Black Widow even walked up to him quietly before she left and said meaningfully to him, "Parker, your figure is rather sexy."

Faced with the alluring, red-haired beauty who had been having an affair with the Black Widow, the American team, the Iron Man, and the Hulk, Parker, who was only a high school student, felt like dying right there and then.

Although it was puzzling that Spiderman lost a memory after that, the matter was dropped without any evidence, and the three huge humanoid monsters that caused a scene in Queens, New York, were completely lost.

The next day, Spiderman was completely discharged and Iron Man Tony took Parker home. When they reached the door of Parker's house, Tony said, "Kid, remember to say hi to your beautiful aunt."

"Alright, Mr. Tony." Parker shook his head and was about to get out of the car when Tony bent over and hugged Parker. Parker was stunned for a bit, but Tony bent over and opened the car door beside Parker. "You know, I'm not trying to hug you. I'm just opening the door for you."

Parker was speechless.

The driver drove Tony to the Stark building after sending Parker home, but when he got to the bottom of the building, he was stunned to see someone he knew very well standing there.

"Little Chili…"

As a superhero, he didn't have the courage to get out of the car right away.

However, Chili Potts also saw Tony at that moment. She smiled and walked to Tony's car and knocked on the door. "Mr. Tony, may I get in?"

"Y-Yes, of course!" Tony opened the car door in a hurry and moved a seat away so that Little Chili could get in.

Iron Man couldn't help but feel emotional as he looked at Little Chili Boz, who had returned to her lady-like appearance. He had countless things he wanted to say, but no matter what, he couldn't say a single word.

"I know what you're trying to say." Chili put her hand gently against Tony's mouth. "You must think that someone as stubborn as me wouldn't look back once I leave, right?"

Tony opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but his glib tongue found that he suddenly felt tongue-tied.

"Actually, I've been waiting for you to come find me," Boz said softly.

"Didn't… Didn't you go to the Idle Biopharmaceutical Company?" Tony asked subconsciously.

"I've resigned." Little Chili smiled and continued, "I realized that no matter where I went, I would always see you. I wanted to try my best to forget about you, but I realized that I just couldn't…"

Tony took a deep breath and nodded bitterly. "Forgive me. I have a reason to pick up the identity of Iron Man."

"I know, I was being irrational," Boz said immediately. "I've thought it through. From now on, I won't stand in the way of your identity as Iron Man. You're my hero, and you're the hero of the world."

"Little Chili…" The two of them hugged and kissed right away. The driver who was sitting in front of the extended Lincoln opened the barrier between the driver's seat and the backseat at the right time, giving all of that precious time to the two of them.

However, what Tony didn't see was a flash of coldness in Little Chili's flirtatious smile as the two of them embraced…

359. Infinity Stone

Zhang Heng's second goal was achieved when he assigned the clone of the Little Chili Potts to Stark.

Zhang Heng's first objective, from weak to strong, was to steal the vibranium and the heart-shaped herb. His second objective was to steal the data regarding Iron Man Armor.

The Armageddon Armor under Zhang Heng's command would probably be able to advance by leaps and bounds after acquiring the Iron Man Armor.

Sure enough, the returning "Little Chili" was only with Tony for two days before she was given the position of Tony's assistant again on the third day. She had access to all data, which included the setting of the Iron Man Armor.

All of that data was found in internal networks that were completely unrelated to the internet, and the internal networks could only be connected to specialized equipment. The internal networks were completely disconnected from the external networks. Despite Corona's exceptional capabilities, it was impossible for them to do anything to computers that had no access to the internet, unless they were able to enter the internal networks directly.

As such, there was no need for anything else. Little Chili, who had all the access to the data, only needed to insert a USB flash drive to steal the data required.

After J.A.R.V.I.S became the superhero 'Disillusionment', Tony's computer butler was replaced by an AI named 'Friday'. Friday was not something that existed in Tony's brain before, but a very ordinary AI. It was not even comparable to Dr. Zola, let alone resist the Corona Two in the USB flash drive.

The data regarding the armor that the Iron Man Armor had been researching for years came to Zhang Heng without a sound.

Not only that, but the AI of Iron Man, Friday, was also implanted in the back door of the program designed by Corona Two. All Zhang Heng needed in the future was a signal to make Iron Man completely lose the support of AI.

The final part of Zhang Heng's plan was to collect the genes of all the superheroes on a large scale and take away the Infinity Stone embedded in the forehead of the Vision.

The Infinity Stone was said to be the earliest thing to exist in the universe according to the Marvel setting, and it was also known to be the most powerful item in the universe. Every single gem was capable of giving the user the ability to control everything—power, time, space, soul, reality, and mind.

If someone were to possess six gems at the same time, there was nothing in the world that would be impossible for the wielder.

The Infinity Stone on the head of the Disillusionment was the gem that represented the soul, which originated from the scepter in the hands of Loki, the final boss of the New York war in the Avengers.

Furthermore, it was due to the existence of that gem that the members of the Avengers gained sentience and unfathomable power. Furthermore, an experiment with the Mind Gem over 20 years ago had made the Red Witch a powerful superhero. Not only did the Red Witch in the movies possess mental power that was on par with Zhang Heng's, but she also had the ability to control people's minds.

As such, the Mind Gem was what Zhang Heng needed the most when compared to the Infinity Stones of all other attributes. One could easily imagine that the aftermath of the Mind Gem alone was enough to create a Red Witch that was not inferior to Zhang Heng in terms of mental power. If Zhang Heng were to be able to get his hands on that gem, he might not be able to express himself as a tiger that had grown wings. He might even be able to say that he was unparalleled in the entire Marvel plane.

The genes of those superheroes, with the help of the Hydra spies lurking in S.H.I.E.L.D., Zhang Heng had collected the genes of Captain America, Spiderman, and the Red Witch. Unfortunately, Thor and Hulk, whom Zhang Heng truly wanted, were unable to acquire due to being absent from the Avengers for a long time.

As for Ironman Tony, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Sam the Falcon? What did Zhang Heng want with the genes of those mortals?

However, the difficulty of acquiring the Mind Gem on top of the Phantasmal Space was practically the same as killing every member of the Avengers. That piece of gem was even more important than nuclear fusion technology, yet the United States had no intentions of getting their hands on that piece of gem. That was something that left Zhang Heng feeling rather baffled.

If it had been in the movies, he would have been able to get away with it for the sake of the plot. However, with the movie becoming a reality, how could the ambitious United States of America not covet the gem of the heart, which was at the same level as the cube in the universe?

It was well known that the United States of America was a federation country, and the United States of America was the most powerful organization in the United States. Countless members of the United States of America would want to take the Infinity Stone, which was worth as much as a planet, for themselves. As such, it was easy to assume that the entire United States of America had their eyes on the gem when it appeared in the hands of the Avengers.

After that, not only was the gem not taken away by anyone else, but it was even embedded in the forehead of the Illusionary Eye, which made the answer very intriguing.

There were only two possible outcomes. The first possibility was that, given the gem's ability, it had the ability to prevent others from coveting it. The second possibility was that the United States of America dared not make a move due to the Avengers being too powerful.

The second possibility might have been possible in the Marvel world, where comics were regarded as a whole, but not in the Marvel world.

Otherwise, there wouldn't have been such a thing as the Avengers hanging out under S.H.I.E.L.D. It was the government who gave the orders, not the government who took orders from the Avengers.

In other words, no matter how inconceivable the outcome would be after throwing away all the impossible, that would be the final answer. That was to say that the Mind Gem was probably capable of preventing others from coveting it.

Zhang Heng had no intention of pursuing the matter of whether that conjecture was correct or not. There was only one thing he needed to do at the moment. If he were to be able to achieve that, he would be able to leave the world for the time being and find opportunities to snatch other gems that might appear in the future.

"So, how are we going to get the Infinity Stone on the forehead of the Vision?" Corona Two asked.

"That's a very tricky problem." Zhang Heng sat on the topmost floor of the Pram Island experiment building and looked at the silhouette of the city in the distance as he pondered. "Forget about waging a full-scale war against the Avengers. We're not strong enough to go against the world at the moment. Even if we were to fight, we'd have to minimize the scale of the war to below 100 digits."

"The most important thing at the moment is to acquire data regarding the power of the Vision," Corona Two said. "The Vision seems to have the combined power of the entire Avengers. According to the settings of the movie, the entire body of the Vision is made up of dynamite, which is powered by the Mind Gem. The Vision itself also possesses the ability to conceal itself and change the density of the body, making it impossible for regular attacks to work."

360. Arrival Of The Corona

Vision was something that had never been seen in movies before. The fact that he was able to single-handedly take on the entire Avengers as soon as he appeared was a testament to how insanely powerful he was. However, after joining the Avengers, he suddenly went completely silent and never made any more outstanding appearances.

However, according to what was mentioned in the movie plot, the illusion admitted that he was unable to truly control the Mind Gem. If that was the case, he might not have been that strong.

"However, the enemy's ability to render the body incorporeal is more than enough to make them immune to your Galactic Beetles. Furthermore, the Galactic Beetles would find it very difficult to even swallow the ores from the Resonant Gold, not to mention the even harder alloy. You could say that they are your greatest nemesis apart from the Magnetic King," Corona reminded him.

"I know that as well, which is why I'm feeling troubled." Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin and continued, "According to the setting, the energy contained within the Infinity Stone is limitless, and the illusion created by the Mind Gem is even more so. However, I wonder if my mental power could hurt the other party?"

In the movie's plot, the Red Witch had once used her mental power to punch a hole through several floors of the ceiling with a single slap. If that was the case, the Red Witch would have been immune to physical attacks, but not mental ones.

"But the question lies in whether your mental power could destroy the Vision with a vibrator, or take the Mind Gem from the enemy's forehead." Corona Two shook her head and said, "All of that is too risky. Unlike other superheroes, we know little about the enemy in a new form like the Vision."

"Then why not give it a try?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze slowly, a cold glint appearing in his eyes. "There is no such thing as a free meal in this world. If you don't want to put in the effort, how are you going to get anything in return?"

"Are you planning to take the risk?" Corona Two asked hesitantly.

"If I'm afraid of all that, then I'm not Zhang Heng." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "There's no need to try and persuade me. I'll definitely take the field. Furthermore, I'm not so stupid as to expose my true intentions right from the start. The first time would be to test things out and find a chance to fight the Vision. I'll judge the situation from there."

"Understood…" Corona Two eventually nodded and continued, "I won't stop you, but I have a suggestion. If you really want to do so, I think it would be safer to bring my true body into this world…"

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit after hearing that and his expression relaxed immediately. "That's right. That's a very good way to reduce the pressure on me, at the very least. However, there are still risks involved. If Corona were to be exposed, she would probably be destroyed immediately."

"Your success or failure is of utmost importance," Corona Two insisted.

Zhang Heng ordered Corona No. 2 to come up with a new plan for the operation after some discussion. Hundreds of cloned warriors began to take action. The cloned warriors would hide in the crowd and serve as backup. Zhang Heng then bought an office building next to the Stack building and moved several parts of the nuclear fusion reactor and plane travel equipment from the real world under the guise of renovation.

It was a pity that the Marvel Dimension was not a plane that could be transported by the Dimensional Star. As such, Zhang Heng could only use the Dimensional Star to return when he returned. If he wanted to transport objects from the real world to the Marvel World, he would need to use the Dimensional Star travel equipment.

It took him nearly a week to assemble a massive plane travel device that could transport Corona's true form—the Black Marker—from an office building nearby.

On a stormy night, blue lightning seemed to flash in a certain sealed writing building in the Manhattan district of New York. However, the cars and pedestrians on both sides of the road didn't seem to notice it at all, as if nothing had happened and didn't exist.

At that moment, a pitch-black obelisk with two intertwined lines appeared out of nowhere in the pitch-black interior of the building. Its entire body was covered in complex and baffling symbols, which flickered with light and emitted a crimson, eerie glow in the darkness.

The Marker descended.

The Marker was Corona's true form. As a product of an extraterrestrial civilization found in the 'Dead Space', Corona could be said to be the most powerful trump card that Zhang Heng possessed, with the exception of the Dimensional Star. She possessed scientific technology that surpassed reality for over 600 to 700 years, and her mental magnetic field had solved countless problems for Zhang Heng. It could be said that he wouldn't be where he was today without Corona.

Furthermore, with Corona around, Zhang Heng had the power to overturn a table. Putting everything else aside, the Marker still had two weird megamorphs sealed within it. One of them was nothing much, but it was capable of changing all human corpses within the range of his mental field, causing the genes of the dead bodies to quickly recombine, turning them into some kind of disgusting necromorph monster.

The second type of meme was something else entirely. It was a curse-type meme that was transmitted through signal transmission in the 'Ghost Reversal' series. Such a meme was capable of easily destroying a civilization, and it was a kind of world-destroying phenomenon meme. If such a meme were to be leaked, humans from all over the world would probably be wiped out within a week, with the exception of beings like hallucination, who were completely devoid of human communication.

Such a phenomenon was something that could only be cracked by technological prowess that had reached the level of the meme, which was capable of interfering with the natural source of the universe. It was just that none of the advanced technologies found in the Marvel World could withstand the power of the meme.

Corona automatically became one with the memories of Corona Two when she arrived at that seat. Corona quickly learned and absorbed everything that happened in the Marvel World during that period of time, storing it in the archives for future use.

Zhang Heng planned to use the Stack Building as the center of the battle for this probing mission, and he would lead the clone fighters, such as Zhishang, Adam, Kuzhan, and several others, to the battlefield. The first step was to send people to infiltrate the Stack Building on purpose and then deliberately let Tony discover them. When the two sides entered a state of war, the Iron Man Tony, who was outnumbered, would definitely ask for help from the Avengers. When that happened, all the superheroes would be separated under the siege of the clone fighters, and the Vision would be completely alone.

Corona would then gather all relevant data regarding the visualization during the battle between Zhang Heng and the Vision. Furthermore, with Corona's mental magnetic field, the battle would be able to ensure that nothing too drastic would happen. Even if Zhang Heng were to fail his probing, he would still be able to bring Corona and all the cloned warriors back to reality in an instant. Even if the power of the Vision was at the Tyrannical Destruction level, Zhang Heng would still be rendered completely clueless and helpless after breaking through the Dimensional Crystal Wall and escaping from his seat.

361. Intruder From Another Plane

More than a month had passed by the time Zhang Heng arrived at the door of the Starks Building for the second time.

He looked at the letters on the top of the building and felt rather dazed. He had no idea when he had gotten to where he was.

The young and inexperienced Zhang Heng, who had just graduated from college and was determined to protect the world, had long disappeared over time. The only one who remained was the vicious and ruthless Zhang Heng who would do anything to achieve his goals.

Zhang Heng had grown from a nobody to what he was today over the past two years. He was the only one who knew what he had been through. He had changed so much that even the way his sister looked at him was filled with fear and unfamiliarity. However, the only thing that remained unchanged was his original intention—to ensure that his family could live in that world in peace and bliss.

That being said, it would have been impossible for him to not have some selfish thoughts. Zhang Heng was currently standing at the very top of the world, both in terms of power and money. Other than having no reputation to speak of, he had no shortage of anything else. All he needed to do was give an order from Zhang Heng and his army would be able to take over all regimes in the real world and eventually build a united Earth Government.

However, if he were to do so too quickly, the ultimate outcome would be the destruction of civilization. Even if he were to force the entire civilization to unite, there would still be countless hidden dangers lurking around.

If Zhang Heng was just an ambitious man, the first option would have been feasible. However, his true objective was to lead reality to resist that curse from the dark, after all. As such, such a self-destructive method would be deemed unacceptable. The only way he could do so would be to boil a frog in warm water, turning his stellar technology into something that could unite humanity on Earth.

By then, it would be too late for the authorities around the world to react. He would be able to follow the wheels of history, unite the forces of Earth, and unite the forces of the entire world into one. He would be able to develop continuously and eventually welcome the curse at its peak.

As such, he had no choice but to erode and devour the Marvel plane in order to ensure that the plane he was in had more resources. He wanted to export the resources from that plane into the real world, enabling the plane to gain more resources. That way, he would have a higher chance of surviving the curse in the future.

Zhang Heng had long been prepared to shoulder such a heinous crime that could destroy an entire plane.

Zhang Heng's gaze became even more determined at that thought. Hundreds of sinister-looking evil gods of revenge stood behind him like an army, seemingly surrounding the entire Stack Building.

The main reason why most of them chose to use the Vengeful Evil God as the vanguard was to conserve their strength. The mass-production of the Vengeful Evil God was the simplest of all, and it had a melee ability that was even more powerful than that of cloning warriors. While it was not enough to carry out all missions, it was nonetheless the perfect cannon fodder for most missions.

All of those evil gods of revenge were armed with multi-barreled machine guns, with massive amounts of bullets strapped to their bodies, making them look majestic and imposing. However, the pedestrians who walked past the evil gods of revenge seemed to be unable to see anything as they walked past them with deadpan expressions on their faces. All of those pedestrians were affected by the mental field that had enveloped a radius of several kilometers, making it impossible for them to see the ferocious beasts standing before them.

"Corona, prepare for your first attempt to confuse Iron Man," Zhang Heng said softly.

"Understood!" In a building next to the Stackhouse, Corona's body began to glow with a crimson light. At the same time, Iron Man Tony, who was in the Stackhouse, felt his vision darken and at the same time, a heart-wrenching pain came from his brain.

"Warning! Warning! The Universal Spirit Support System is limited by unidentified radiation and is unable to function normally. Attention, Chosen One!"

"Warning! Warning! The second occurrence is about to begin. Final quest initiated! Final quest forced creation!"

"Ultimate Quest Creation Completed: Quest Objective: Kill the source of the attack—the intruder from another plane."

"Spirit of the Universe is attempting to shut down the unknown radiation!"

"System conflict!"

"Target changed by the Spirit of the Universe. The Chosen One and the defenders of the Human Faction will temporarily be granted immunity from unidentified radiation. All privileges will be granted within this mission."

"Chosen Ones, please move out immediately and protect the human plane!"

Tony was practically lying on the ground with blood seeping out of his mouth and nose. It was only when that mechanical, cold voice in his mind said that he had obtained immunity from unknown radiation that the pain in his mind subsided like a tidal wave. In just a few seconds, his entire body was drenched in sweat.

"Brother Tony!"

The image of a 2D girl with two ponytails appeared in her mind again and she said with a lingering fear, "There is some kind of unknown radiation fighting with me for the right to control your brain. It's fortunate that the spirit of the universe took action and blocked that kind of radiation. If it hadn't been for that, I'm afraid that Brother Tony would have fallen into a terrifying nightmare and never wake up again."

"So, that's the second shock?" Tony's face was pale and he crawled to his feet, his hands and feet shaking. "Friday, what's happening now?"

"The Second Charge is coming for you right outside your building!" Friday said immediately. "Run, Brother Tony!"

"Damn it! Notify the Avengers, Professor X, and the others immediately. Get them to get here right now!" Tony got up 10 percent faster and ran to the lobby in three steps. He pressed hard on the infrared sensor wristband and an armor came flying at him, covering his entire body within a second.

At the same time, on Stark's private satellite in satellite orbit, a huge unmanned device began to change course. It was Iron Man's huge armor, Genaku, that was near infinity.

Gnaku, who was flying in the air, could provide Iron Man with a lot of replacement parts. Even if the armor parts were damaged, they could still continue fighting by replacing them.

Tony’s expression became particularly stern after he was done. He stomped on the ground and shot through the roof like an arrow, flying into the air.

"Bang!"

However, as soon as he popped his head out, several powerful bullets were fired at his armor before he could even look outside the Stark Building.

Crack!

The armor made of titanium alloy was immediately blown away by the impact of regular bullets, and a huge hole was seen on the surface of the armor, which almost penetrated the armor and hurt Tony inside.

Tony was almost shocked. While his suit of armor was only made of titanium alloy, with its multi-layered composite structure, it would have been able to withstand several attacks from missiles, let alone bullets, but to think that a single bullet would be able to harm him. That was simply too terrifying.

"F * * k! Summon the anti-hock armor immediately on Friday! Initiate all standby armor at the same time. Cover me!"

362. The Truth About The Dimensional Star

What Zhang Heng didn't expect was that the voice of the Dimensional Star was heard deep in his brain at the same time that his Vengeful Evil Legion attacked the Stark Tower.

"Warning! Warning! Urgent quest initiated!"

"Urgent Quest: Plunder—Plunder the Marvel Film Plane's Initial Legendary Item, the Mind Gem."

"Quest Objective: Host will become the enemy of the entire world and be attacked by all the superheroes. Please acquire the Mind Gem before the battle ends."

"Warning! All superheroes are automatically granted mental magnetic immunity due to certain reasons. All superheroes are automatically immune to the mental magnetic field of the Marker before the battle ends."

"Warning! To ensure fairness, the host and the army under the host are automatically immune to the mental control of Professor X and the Red Witch!"

"Failure Penalty: Host will be reduced to Level Two!"

"Mission officially begins!"

The series of prompts from the system made it difficult for Zhang Heng to catch his breath. He listened to the voice reverberating in his mind with a stunned expression and was unable to snap out of it for quite a while.

Zhang Heng finally came to his senses after quite a while. He shouted at the top of his lungs without hesitation, "Dimensional Star! Give me an explanation!"

"What explanation do you want?" That stern, cold voice was heard again.

"Hahaha!" Zhang Heng laughed maniacally, his eyes filled with destructive madness. "I get it now. I completely get it now. There is no curse, no attack from the unknown. You were the one who orchestrated all of this. I assume that Iron Man is the host of the Dimensional Star, right? And I am the curse of the human world. Let me ask you, is that correct?"

"I'm afraid you've misunderstood, host." That voice continued to speak in an extremely cold tone. "I've never lured you to this seat before. It's just a coincidence that you came here."

"A coincidence?" Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "If it were me in the past, I might have been fooled by you. But don't even think about it now. I've long gained the power of Future Prediction. I was wondering at the time why I would be attacked by the entire Marvel World if I were to expose my nanomachines."

"It wasn't until I heard that you issued an urgent mission just now that I finally figured it all out. You were the one who leaked all that information, right?" Zhang Heng continued in a cold tone, "The nanomachines do indeed have the power to destroy the world. That's why you told the unlucky host of the Dimensional Star in secret that the person who possessed the nanomachines was the ultimate curse that would bring about the destruction of this plane. That's why I came up with the prophecy that I would be attacked by the entire Marvel world if I were to expose the nanomachines. Am I right?"

Without waiting for the Dimensional Star to answer, Zhang Heng continued, "Furthermore, if you were to look at the entire Marvel World, the only person who possesses top-notch technology and far exceeds the level of real technology would be Iron Man Tony, right? In other words, the host of the Dimensional Star in this world would be Tony Stark!"

The voice in his mind seemed to have paused for a bit before continuing slowly, "Your arrival carries the risk of destroying the world to begin with. Collisions between the two planes are common in the multiverse. The Dimensional Star has never taken part in the battles between the host. After all, the true purpose of the Dimensional Star is to assist humans in upgrading their civilization and helping them resist the curse."

"So, I guess I'm one of the curses then?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and a cold glint flashed across his eyes. The Dimensional Star's answer made it clear that it was confirming all of his speculations.

"According to the karmic prediction mechanism, you have indeed suffered the second impact of the plane's destruction. According to the karmic prediction mechanism, you have an 83 percent chance of destroying the entire human civilization of Marvel." That voice continued, "As I've said before, curses include but are not limited to human self-destruction. That is to say, curses will continue to play out in all kinds of human planes. The Lord of the Stars of the Dimensional Star, who possesses high-tech technology that could unite countless planes, would inevitably become the blade of the curse, becoming a tool to kill others with."

"Really?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly, clearly unconvinced.

"Host, the Dimensional Star is a completely neutral entity. If sacrificing a human plane could allow another human plane to resist the curse, then the Dimensional Star would definitely find a way to make that happen. The highest goal of the Dimensional Star is to ensure the continuation of human civilization."

Countless thoughts raced through Zhang Heng's mind as he listened to what the other man said, making him feel like he was some kind of supercomputer. Millions of thoughts flashed through his mind in the blink of an eye. According to the new information leaked by the Dimensional Star, Zhang Heng felt that he was getting closer to reality.

Just what was the Dimensional Star? Was it really as he described it to be, some kind of super-support that could help humans resist curses, or was it just that… a thought that had been buried deep in his heart for many years unknowingly came to mind. It was a thought that came to mind when Zhang Heng founded the Reincarnation Realm, but that thought was simply too shocking. He quickly suppressed that thought as soon as it came to mind.

That thought came to his mind again, but before he could say anything else, he suddenly saw Iron Man flying into the sky from the top floor of the Stark Tower.

One of the vengeful demons who first discovered Iron Man pulled the trigger instinctively. More than a hundred rounds were fired from the pulse-gatling gun in a second, covering a large area of space.

In the blink of an eye, a huge burst of sparks was seen on Iron Man's body.

However, what he didn't expect was for the Iron Man to be completely unscathed. Not only that, more than 10 different models of armor flew out of the roof several seconds later, flying in all directions.

Iron Man wanted to escape.

However, Zhang Heng simply raised his eyebrows and didn't bother to look at the armors flying into the sky at all. He simply smirked and waved his hand, sending all the vengeful demons charging at the Stark Building like a tidal wave.

"Dimensional Star, I'd like to see just what you're up to!"

Countless vengeful spirits rushed towards the Stackhouse and a woman's scream was heard several minutes later. Zhang Heng saw a huge suit of armor that was over three meters tall burst out of the Stackhouse and looked like it was about to tear the world apart. He was holding the petite Little Chili in his arms and there were several vengeful spirits' corpses behind him.

Several vengeful demons who discovered Iron Man fired immediately, but the small hill-sized armor only flashed with sparks. The bullets that could have shattered a building were miraculously blocked by the armor.

That was… Iron Man's Anti-Hock Armor: Veronica!

363. On The Verge

Tony protected Little Chili in his arms and charged left and right. He was able to carve a way out of the building with the massive power of the anti-hocard armor.

However, at the bottom of the Stark Building, there were dozens of vengeful evil gods aimed at it. When he saw those monsters, Tony knew that the monster that could fight Spiderman had appeared again.

"Tony, we're on our way to you right now. How are things on your side?" Suddenly, the voice of Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., was heard from the communication system. The voice sounded like the sound of nature to Tony and he quickly said loudly, "I've received a message from the spirits of the universe. It's the second Armageddon! There are a lot of enemies. I hope that the White House can send troops to fight together, or the world will be plunged into misery and suffering."

"What!?" The voice on the other end of the communication device went up an octave. "This is the second occurrence?"

"Absolutely!" Tony sent a vengeful demon flying with a punch and began to retreat to the top floor of Stark's building. "The enemy is armed with kinetic weapons, and Boz needs to be protected. I'm afraid I'll lose her if you don't show up soon."

"I'll relay your request to the White House. Hold on for five more minutes! We'll be there in five minutes!" Nick said quickly and hung up.

"Damn it!" Tony cursed and protected the terrified Little Chili behind him while firing laser cannon after laser cannon at the enemy. The energy cannon wasn't enough to kill those huge, hideous monsters, but it was enough to blast a huge hole in their bodies and tear them apart with the power of the anti-hocard armor.

The Iron Man Armor, which was able to fight Hulk head-on, definitely had power close to that of the Hulk.

However, those monsters were extremely difficult to deal with. It was as if every single one of them had indestructible bodies. Even if their heads were to be blown off by the energy cannons, their wounds would quickly recover as long as 60 percent of their bodies remained intact. The only way to kill them would be to exhaust all of the energy stored in their bodies.

The more he fought against those monsters, the more frightened he became. They were even more terrifying than the biochemical soldiers formed by the Ultimate Virus that he had encountered before. If the number of such monsters could reach a million, they could probably flatten the entire world.

A few more stray bullets hit the armor as he was distracted for a bit. The armor was made entirely out of vibranium, making it unbelievably tough. The technology side of the armor was even more impressive, with arms that looked like heavy engines, power sources supported by nuclear fusion reactors, and super-high field lasers that could tear through vacuum. The foundation of Iron Man, Tony, was something that even the vibranium armor woven by the Black Panthers couldn't compare to.

"If it comes down to it, I'll have to take Little Chili to another plane…"

Tony became anxious. When the S.H.I.E.L.D. director said that he would be there in five minutes, a five-minute countdown automatically appeared in front of him. Two minutes passed and Tony’s headquarters, the Stack Building, was completely wrecked by the aftermath of the intense battle, looking like it was about to collapse.

All of a sudden, several vengeful demons carrying rockets on their backs fired at him. Tony's expression changed drastically and he grabbed Little Chili's arm without a second thought, communicating with the system in his mind at the same time. As countless rocket launchers were fired at him, he disappeared from the world altogether.

"Boom!"

An intense explosion erupted from the top floor of the Stark Tower, which looked like the fireworks of a huge festival. Countless pieces of the building were blown up in all directions, dragging the pitch-black smoke behind them. Smoke billowed from the Stark Tower like a chimney.

"Commander, he's gone." Corona's report was heard from Zhang Heng, who was sitting across from the Stark Tower.

"So, she's a Dimensional Star Lord as well…" Zhang Heng smirked.

"But the technology that the other party possesses is completely incomparable to ours," Corona added.

"Well, the quests can't be completed every single time." Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "Not every host is named Zhang Heng."

Just when Zhang Heng was making fun of them, a huge Battleship that covered the sky slowly emerged from the clouds above everyone. A huge shadow covered most of the sky and a low-pressure rumble was heard at the same time, reverberating in everyone's eardrums. That was the headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D., Space Carrier 64.

"Am I finally able to lure it out?" Zhang Heng stood up suddenly and looked at the huge spacecraft above him with a burning gaze. The technology of the spacecraft was nothing too advanced. Zhang Heng's current level of technological prowess was enough to build interstellar spacecrafts that could traverse the universe, so there was no way he would be interested in something as advanced as a mothership. What truly excited him was that the appearance of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Space Carrier represented the ultimate goal of his trip—the arrival of his vision.

"I hate it when people stand above me," Zhang Heng said casually as he looked at the huge Skycruiser above him. Dozens of missiles appeared out of nowhere in the very next second, shooting straight for the defenseless Skycruiser.

Bang!

The super mothership that the United States had invested billions of US dollars in exploded right above Zhang Heng's head like an even brighter firework.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar was heard from within the exploding flames. A black dot leaped down from the exploded mothership in the very next second. However, before it even hit the ground, hundreds of vengeful demons turned their guns around and tens of thousands of metal tides headed straight for the black dot.

Boom!

However, the metal bullets that were able to tear through steel plates that were several meters thick were rendered completely ineffective against the enemy. The most they could do was send the enemy flying due to the powerful impact, yet that dark green dot still landed on the ground, kicking up dust high into the air.

Hulk the Hulk!

He was the most powerful being in the Avengers who was able to defeat Loki with ease.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted as he watched several vengeful spirits fire at the enemies again. However, the Hulk simply stomped on the ground and waves of shockwaves that were visible to the naked eye shot out, leaving a faint afterimage in its wake. It appeared right in front of several vengeful spirits almost instantaneously and threw a punch at them at the same time. One of the vengeful spirits standing at the forefront was rendered into a bloody mess, and even the barrel of the heavy machine gun was twisted by that punch.

It was only then that Zhang Heng saw that the entire body of the Hulk was filled with bullet holes that were shot into it. However, those holes healed up in the blink of an eye and countless deformed bullet holes were squeezed out of the Hulk's body and dropped to the ground with a clang.

"Seems like you're really angry, Dr. Banner." Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown when he saw how determined the Hulk looked. The Hulk had an almost unlimited supply of energy, and the source of that energy came from rage. The more enraged the Hulk became, the more powerful it became. While the pulse gun was able to harm the Hulk, it was like scratching an itch to the Hulk, who had the ability to regenerate at high speeds.

Not only that, a red energy field appeared in front of everyone after the flames from the explosion of the Sky Space Carrier died in the sky. In the red energy field, the Red Witch looked like a goddess standing in the sky. Behind her, the Captain of the United States, Vision, Falcon, Spiderman, Black Panther, Eagle Eye, and Black Widow were all looking at the battlefield with determined expressions.

The war was about to begin.

364. Magnetic King

"They're here. It's time to welcome them."

Zhang Heng mumbled to himself as he watched the entire lineup of the Avengers in the sky. Hundreds of falcons appeared in the air as he spoke, firing their powerful firepower at the superheroes under the protection of the Red Witches. However, the very next second, the Visionary took a step forward and walked out of the Red Witches' protective circle. The Heart Gem on its forehead lit up all of a sudden and orange beams were fired. More than a dozen falcons were hit and fell to the ground.

The Red Witches were able to successfully secure their defensive positions thanks to the protection provided by the Illusionary Vision. The Red Witches landed on the ground with the rest of the team. The Captain of the United States raised his shield and charged at an evil god of revenge while shouting for freedom.

The black panther's eyes were burning with hatred as it followed the American team leader out. It swiped its claws on the body of a vengeful demon and sparks flew everywhere.

"Such tough muscles!" The black panther's expression sank immediately as he exclaimed in shock.

"I've fought them before. They are very strong and very fast. Be careful, everyone!" Spiderman quickly flicked a strand of spider silk and weaved through the hail of bullets. He began to fight several vengeful demons with his agility.

Hawkeye stood behind the Red Witch and drew an arrow, shooting it at a Vengeful Evil God not far away. The arrow successfully shot into its right eye, causing it to wail in pain.

Falcon also began to travel in the sky. Numerous superheroes were deployed one after another, immediately suppressing the attacks from the evil god of revenge.

However, the main damage output was still mainly dealt by the Hulk and Vision. As for the remaining superheroes, they were only barely able to protect themselves against the Vengeful Evil God, whose physical strength was on par with theirs and even had weapons that were extremely destructive.

However, just when the two sides were fighting like wildfire, a frivolous voice was heard from the edge of the battlefield. Everyone stopped what they were doing after hearing that voice, and even Zhang Heng couldn't help but look in that direction.

He saw a superhero wearing a red and black suit and carrying two swords on his back appearing on the battlefield.

"Some idiot just said that I'm a superhero. If it hadn't been for the fact that there was a screen between us, I think I would have chopped off all ten of his fingers." However, the moment he entered the battlefield, that person snorted and continued, "I've said it countless times. I'm super, but I'm not a hero!"

He then walked casually to Zhang Heng, who was watching everything from a corner, ignoring the hundreds of vengeful demons before him. "Dude, don't look back. Yeah, yeah, I'm talking about you. You're the one who's been holing up in a sunless corner all day, plotting to destroy the world, aren't you? Oh, my gosh, look at all those underlings of yours. Why are all of them even uglier than me?" He took off his mask as he said that, revealing a face full of pus. "If you want to puke, just spit. You'll get used to it."

"Get lost!" Zhang Heng frowned and sent the intruder flying with his powerful mental power. The intruder was reduced to a star and disappeared into the horizon while screaming in pain.

Zhang Heng wore a helpless expression after sending that buffoon flying with a single strike. He slowly stood up and looked at the crowd, saying, "There's no need to hide anything anymore."

He suddenly opened his mouth at the very next second and countless beetles that covered the entire sky shot into the air and spread out in all directions.

"Black mist!"

Shouts were heard all over the Avengers.

"So, it's you!" The black panther's eyes were filled with murderous intent. "You're the one who took the vibranium ore from Wakanda. You're the one who took the sacred relic from Wakanda!"

"So what?" Zhang Heng used his mental power to communicate with countless Galactic Beetles. Black mist billowed and shrouded all the superheroes present in an instant.

The black panther was drilled right through its eyes by the Galactic Beetles in a split second, letting out a pained howl.

The American team leader and Falcon were both shrouded in the black mist. When the Galactic Beetles dispersed in the very next second, the only thing that remained where the American team leader was was a shield that the Galactic Beetles were unable to destroy.

Three superheroes died in the blink of an eye.

"Steve!"

The Red Witch shrieked in pain, but the countless beetles had completely covered her mental state and pinned her down, preventing her from breaking free.

The Galactic Beetles devoured everything in their path and covered the body of the Hulk in an instant. However, the Hulk didn't care at all. The Galactic Beetles continued to gnaw at his body, but the Hulk's body recovered in the very next second after just one bite. He was unable to do anything to the Hulk at all.

"Black mist! This is indeed the second occurrence!"

However, right at that moment, a crimson beam of light penetrated the entire battlefield and struck Zhang Heng like a bolt of lightning. Zhang Heng felt as if he had just been dealt a heavy blow and rolled over several vengeful demons before crashing into the wall.

Everyone was overjoyed and turned around to see a huge group of people entering the battlefield. There were two people in the lead, and one of them wore an unknown piece of equipment that was emitting a faint red glow. The other person wore a weird-looking helmet. He extended his hand and all the beetles seemed to have met their nemesis and began to compress right in front of him. In the blink of an eye, all the beetles that filled the sky were compressed into black spheres that were about the size of a grown man, losing all of their previous might.

"Magnetic King! Professor X! Laser's Eye!" Hawkeye shouted from behind the Red Witch.

"It's time to end this." The Magnetic King paid no heed to the frustrated Avengers and said simply. The bullets fired by the Vengeful Evil God were like toys before him, all of them stopped within a range of three to four meters. Professor X walked out slowly from behind him in his wheelchair and said in a hoarse voice, "Eric, my powers have been mysteriously blocked in this battlefield. I can only rely on you now."

"Leave it to me," the Magnetic King said expressionlessly.

As an Omega-class mutant, the Magnetic King's ability was not to control metals as everyone knew it to be. His true ability was to control the magnetic field. The matter in nature could be roughly divided into iron magnets, silicate matter, and anti-magnetic matter according to the reaction of the external magnetic field. Every proton, electron, and neutron of matter had a tiny magnetic field, and when electrons revolved around the nucleus, they would also generate a magnetic field.

It was precisely because the Magnetic King was able to control the magnetic field that it meant that he was able to polarize the magnetic field of atoms inside the electromagnetic body. By controlling the magnetic field, the Magnetic King was able to turn everything in the world into magnetic matter and manipulate objects through the repulsive force of the magnetic field.

Regardless of whether it was the electromagnetism, graviton, or anti-magnetism, all matter in nature was unable to escape the grasp of the Magnetic King.

That was why the Magnetic King was able to move mountains, change the direction of rivers, control integrated circuits, and even create electromagnetic pulses.

365. Memes Threatening

As the Magnetic King made his move, the magnetic field on the entire battlefield began to churn all of a sudden. Loud rumbling sounds were heard from the ground and all the weapons of the vengeful demons exploded. Not only that, but the Falcon mechs in the sky also began to lose control and began to fall from the sky above New York City.

He was able to suppress Zhang Heng's Vengeful Evil God Army all by himself.

Clap, clap, clap.

Zhang Heng clapped as he walked out of the wall that he crashed through. "You're indeed worthy of being called an Omega Mutant. The Magnetic King lives up to his reputation. I wonder if there's anyone else who could have stopped me other than you two."

It was only then that the crowd turned their attention to Zhang Heng. When they saw that he was actually an Asian, all of them couldn't help but feel surprised. Zhang Heng looked very average, with only those cold, venomous eyes of his looking at the crowd sent shivers down their spines.

"One of me is enough." The Magnetic King, who had a wizened face and wore a purple helmet, said casually when he saw Zhang Heng appear. "Metals are of no use to me. Without those high-tech weapons, your biochemical army would be but a bunch of sheep waiting to be butchered, no matter how strong you are. Even the human army would be able to wipe you out."

Several beams of fire were seen flickering on a building far away from the crowd as soon as he finished speaking. Several bullets about the thickness of a thumb hovered before the Magnetic King in the very next second, unable to move an inch forward.

The Magnetic King chuckled and reached out to hold the bullet in front of him before saying, "It's actually an ice bullet, but you should know that since I can control the magnetic field, I can naturally form a magnetic field barrier. The power of the barrier is no less than that of my daughter's psychokinesis." He then turned around and looked at the Scarlet Witch in the Avengers team with a loving look on his face.

"That is indeed the case." Zhang Heng smiled faintly, showing no signs of being frustrated at the failure of his attempt to assassinate the Magnetic King. "However, since I dared to come here, I have made preparations. Magnetic King, you are able to control the electromagnetic force of one of the four fundamental forces. I wonder if you have the power to control the meme?"

"Meme?" Those two words seemed to have some kind of magic to them. The Magnetic King and Professor X's expressions changed drastically in the blink of an eye, while the others looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what the word 'Meme' meant.

"As expected, Professor X and Mr. Magneto, both of you know the so-called meme." Zhang Heng took two steps forward slowly and continued, "You may not be able to detect it, but at that very moment, all of you have been infected by the most terrifying meme of all."

"What the hell is memes?" Rogen, the diamond wolf behind Professor X, blurted out. "So what if you're infected? I could tear you to pieces right now!"

"You can't do that." Zhang Heng's expression became indifferent. To be honest, if it were in the comics, the memes probably wouldn't have been able to do anything to those guys. The legendary Level 5 Mutant Phoenix girl alone had the ability to control the timeline, and she also had the terrifying power of the Magnetic King's daughter, who was able to do whatever she said. She was able to nullify the cursed memes that were capable of destroying the world with a single sentence. Furthermore, the Magnetic King had the ability to control the precision of subatomic objects. Ghosts formed from electromagnetic waves wouldn't be able to do anything to the Magnetic King. Even the energy of the Hulk, which had millions of suns, wasn't something that could be killed with just a single curse.

It was a pity that the plane they were in was just a movie plane. The superheroes' abilities were infinitely weakened, and the Phoenix girl had no power to command them at all. The Magnetic King would only be able to block nuclear bombs at most, and the Hulk wouldn't even be able to exert a fraction of the power of a sun.

Zhang Heng didn't want to release the curse that was sealed in Corona at first, but the Magnetic King's early appearance messed up all of his plans. He had no choice but to resort to such measures to threaten Corona.

"You can try if you think I'm incapable of doing so." A sinister grin appeared on the Wolverine's face when he saw Zhang Heng provoking him. He flicked the blades in his hands and walked away from the crowd, heading straight for Zhang Heng.

"Come back!" The Magnetic King frowned and waved his hand lightly. Logan was hoisted into the air by the Magnetic King like a little chick. The Wolf King wore an awkward expression on his face. He didn't dare to even fart in front of his nemesis, the Magnetic King.

"Young man, I do feel an inexplicable sense of threat from my body, but do you have any evidence to prove that we've been infected?" Professor X asked suddenly.

"I'm unable to prove it." Zhang Heng shrugged with a look of innocence on his face. "If you don't believe me, feel free to try."

"I believe you." However, the Magnetic King actually said that again. All of a sudden, most of the superheroes looked at the Magnetic King in surprise. However, the Magnetic King simply smiled and said, "I agree not to participate in the fight between you and the Avengers, but you have to promise me that you won't harm my daughter or destroy the world."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Zhang Heng's lips curled up into a smile of cooperation and joy.

"Eric, you…" Professor X frowned and looked at the Magnetic King, but the Magnetic King paid no heed to his old friend and simply led his men away. He said casually, "Francis, you have to understand that I have no reason to fight to the death for the human government…"

Professor X fell silent.

The concealed Corona immediately removed the curse on the Magnetic King after seeing it withdraw. The Magnetic King, who was far away, felt his entire body relax right away. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at Zhang Heng without saying anything. Fear was seen in his eyes.

He was just trying to trick Zhang Heng to see if he had that kind of power. However, it was only when he felt the cold and sinister air surrounding him dissipate that he realized that Zhang Heng really did have the ability to control meme. The Magnetic King left without looking back after coming to that conclusion.

The superheroes couldn't help but feel restless after seeing the most powerful Magnetic King leave. Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the Red Witch, who was standing at attention, but she only frowned and showed no signs of showing any mercy. "You killed my teammate. I'm not going to forgive you."

"Don't worry about it. I've promised your father not to hurt you, so I'll definitely be able to do it." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers lightly as he said that. More vengeful demons appeared from all directions in the very next second. The weapons of those vengeful demons had long been destroyed by that single attack from the Magnetic King. It was just that, despite not having the support of the pulse rifles and the Falcon mechs, there were simply too many vengeful demons. There were over 10,000 of them at a glance. All of them were people that Zhang Heng had captured from Africa in secret. After being modified by the DX-118 Virus, they had gained the combat power to fight against most superheroes.

More than a thousand cloned warriors appeared outside the encirclement wearing kinetic armor. Due to the long range of the ambush, none of them were affected by the Magnetic King's previous attacks. The moment they appeared, the scent of bloodlust was felt. Every superhero could not help but look worried when they saw the elite warriors appearing.

366. Enlightenment

Other than that, the overwhelming number of T-800 bots and hundreds of tyrants wearing power suits appeared at the edge of the battlefield. At that moment, an army of over 10,000 soldiers had completely surrounded the superheroes present. Without the interference of the Magnetic King, Zhang Heng's power had been raised by at least two-thirds.

The superhero's face was filled with panic at the sight before him. Dr. Banner, who had been biding his time for quite some time, transformed back into his Hulk form and shouted, "What are you waiting for? Let's get rid of this second source of impact first, and the crisis will be over without a doubt!" He then charged at Zhang Heng while yelling.

Zhang Heng chuckled and released his massive mental power right away. The Hulk crashed into an invisible wall in the very next second and that massive body of his couldn't help but take four or five steps back. However, Zhang Heng's face was completely ashen at the moment. It was obvious that he had expended a lot of mental power to stop the Hulk just then.

"Again! I'd like to see just how much mental power you have left to use!" Hulk roared and charged at Zhang Heng without a care for anything else. However, before he was able to reach Zhang Heng, over a hundred evil gods of vengeance blocked his path. The two sides were like a mountain of flesh being squeezed together and Hulk was buried by a huge number of evil gods of vengeance. All that could be heard was his furious roars and the evil gods of vengeance that were sent flying by the massive force.

"You'll pay the price!"

The laser eye roared and another beam of red light was seen shooting at him. Zhang Heng snorted coldly and the wall formed by his mental power blocked the attack from the laser eye while retreating backward, disappearing from everyone's sight in the blink of an eye.

"He's getting away!" The Wolf King tore through a vengeful evil god with a single claw and was about to charge at Zhang Heng. However, before he could get very far, Zhishang, who was wearing power armor, appeared before the wolf and blocked his path. Both of them felt the extreme threat from the wolf right away.

Spiderman was wandering between the floors and was about to chase after Zhang Heng when a huge fist suddenly appeared in his line of sight and an indescribable sense of crisis hit him. Spiderman quickly let go of the fist and dodged the other man’s attack with gravity and momentum. He then saw that what was blocking him was a ferocious-looking giant over four meters tall with muscles like granite.

Spiderman was faced with a Tyrant whose mech was destroyed and had gone berserk.

"Oh, oh, why do I have a feeling that this monster is even more terrifying than that little monster…" Spiderman muttered at the end, and then the two sides fought completely.

In the crowd, the Lady of the Storm slashed down with lightning speed. Every vengeful demon that was struck by the lightning would be charred all over. The Red Witch and the Phoenix Maiden used their telekinesis powers to fend off the incoming metal bullets. The war had reached a stalemate.

He was the only one who was able to shake off all of the enemy's blockade at that moment. He saw Zhang Heng escaping from the battlefield from the sky and his mechanical eyes dimmed slightly. He controlled all the power in his body to fly at Zhang Heng right away. His all-out burst of visualization made him the most powerful superhero in the Avengers, with the exception of the Hulk. With his super-intelligent mind, he was able to easily tell that he would be able to end everything by defeating Zhang Heng.

The two of them ran into the distance as Zhang Heng gradually distanced himself from the battlefield. Zhang Heng was able to run very fast, and with the aid of his mental power, he was able to reach supersonic speeds. However, running was nowhere near as fast as flying after all. Zhang Heng was only able to run seven to eight kilometers before his Illusory Vision blocked his path.

"Stop your anti-human behavior right now." The man in the cloak looked at Zhang Heng calmly. "Whatever you're up to, you won't get away with it."

However, to his surprise, the target before him chuckled coldly and said, "I've been waiting for you for a long time, Phantasmal Vision." Zhang Heng looked at the weird-looking robot in front of him and a glint flashed across his eyes. Phantasmal Vision was made entirely out of sterilizing cells and had the Mind Gem as its power source. It was definitely a very powerful entity. However, what he was facing was Zhang Heng, who was well-prepared.

"Wait for me?" Disillusionment was stunned for a bit. As someone who didn't know the ways of the world, he didn't quite understand what Zhang Heng meant. However, that didn't stop him from wanting to attack Zhang Heng. Disillusionment appeared beside Zhang Heng in a flash and threw a punch at his face.

Dong!

He felt some kind of invisible resistance and was not surprised at all by his vision. The man before him possessed a power similar to that of the Red Witch's psychokinesis. At that thought, his fist was immediately dispersed into the most primitive particles, which penetrated Zhang Heng's mental barrier before being reassembled and smashed into the man's face right before his astonished eyes.

Zhang Heng was sent flying backward for the second time, flying more than a dozen meters away and into an unknown storefront.

"Weak!"

Disillusionment was seen in his eyes when he saw how Zhang Heng was sent flying so far away with just one attack. While he found it rather odd that Zhang Heng was able to fly so far away after taking a hit from him, a look of disapproval was seen in his eyes in the very next second as he strode towards Zhang Heng and said, "Stop your antihuman behavior right now. I've told you before that you won't get your way."

"Is that so?" Zhang Heng coughed loudly and rubbed his swollen right cheek. A hint of mockery was seen in his eyes as he continued, "This is the first time I've been hit. I didn't expect that it would be a robot who hit me."

"There will be a next time soon," the Vision replied casually.

A sharp glint was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. He gritted his teeth and opened his mouth again. Another swarm of beetles shot out of his mouth and headed straight for the visual field.

"Your stupidity has truly broadened my horizons. Don't you know that such a thing wouldn't work on me?" The Vision continued to walk and got closer to Zhang Heng. His body simply turned incorporeal after being shrouded by countless Galactic Beetles. The incoming swarm of Galactic Beetles were rendered completely harmless in the form of particles, as they had yet to possess the ability to harm atoms.

"Well, like I said, I…"

The Disillusionment walked into the room that Zhang Heng was sent flying into at that moment. He looked down at Zhang Heng, who was lying on the floor, from above. However, before he was able to finish his sentence, his illusory body shuddered all of a sudden. In the very next second, all the particle structures on his body were completely dispersed, and even the surrounding space beetles were squashed into a ball by some invisible force.

It was as if there was some kind of magnetic field that compressed all the particles into a single space. Zhang Heng slowly stood up and wore a cold smirk on his face. "Illusionary vision, how do you feel now?"

"Is this some kind of high-intensity magnetic field?" At that moment, the ions all over the spectral vision were completely dislocated and twisted in front of the door of the room. No matter how hard he struggled, the atoms and other microscopic particles that formed his body were unable to reassemble.

However, his voice remained calm and collected as he continued, "Well done. You put me in a virtual state through the use of the nanomachines and set up a high-intensity magnetic field generator inside the door of this room long ago. It completely disrupted the structure of the particles in my body the moment I came in, rendering me powerless."

"If that's the case, then it wouldn't have been a coincidence that I was the only one who was able to shake off the enemy forces and catch up to you before, would it?" The voice of the projection became increasingly faint. Due to the powerful magnetic field, he was barely able to speak.

"That's right. I've planned everything beforehand. My goal was to lure you into that room, and I'm sure you've figured it out by now. My real target is you!" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and mental power gushed out as soon as he said that. A jewel emitting a yellowish-brown glow was pulled out from the visual's forehead.

He had finally gotten his hands on the Mind Gem, one of the most powerful weapons in the Marvel World.

367. Refusing To Become A God

Excitement was written all over Zhang Heng's face, but it was quickly suppressed by his good mental fortitude. He extended his hand and the Mind Gem flew into his palm like an obedient child. The prompt from the Dimensional Star was heard in the very next second.

"Quest complete. Host has successfully acquired the Mind Gem."

Zhang Heng waited for a bit, only to find that the Dimensional Star had nothing else to say. He frowned slightly, but when he saw the yellowish-orange gem in front of him, he felt as if he was connected to it mentally. At the same time, he felt the pineal gland in his brain pulsating again.

A sharp pain was felt right away.

"Mental gems are detected to be compatible with host abilities. Integrating…" The voice of the Dimensional Star was heard again all of a sudden.

"Arrgghhhh!" Zhang Heng couldn't help but hold his head and slowly squat down. The center of his eyebrows was slightly raised and there seemed to be a tiny crack on his forehead, revealing a bloody eye that was about the size of a fingernail.

If anyone were to see what Zhang Heng looked like at that moment, they would have definitely shouted in shock. Zhang Heng's pineal gland had gone through over a year of growth and mutation, and it had completely grown out of his brain. If the doctors were to see it, they would probably send Zhang Heng to the autopsy table at all costs to do some research.

The gem on his palm melted like ice and snow at the same time and fused with his palm in the blink of an eye. Crystals appeared on the pineal glabella between his eyebrows in the very next second. The gem fused with the pineal glabella in the blink of an eye and appeared right between his eyebrows.

However, he couldn't care less about all of that at the moment. The pain turned to numbness and itchiness in an instant, as if there were countless ants crawling deep within his glabella. He gritted his teeth tightly to prevent himself from screaming. Despite his willpower, he had the urge to reach out and grab the area between his eyebrows, but he knew that he couldn't.

It felt like a very, very long time had passed, yet at the same time, it felt like only an instant had passed. The numbness, itchiness, and pain subsided like a tidal wave. Zhang Heng was half-kneeling on the ground, panting hard, his shirt drenched in sweat.

"Unbelievable. The Mind Gem actually fused with your physical body?" The trapped Vision spoke again. He looked at Zhang Heng with a calm expression, but anyone could tell that the Vision sounded incredulous.

"Ha…" Zhang Heng chuckled and stood up slowly before continuing, "I've never felt so good before."

Zhang Heng closed his eyes as he said that, leaving only the yellow gemstone between his eyebrows shining brightly. "Do you know that the world has never been so clear before my eyes? The gravitational force of the earth is gushing all over me. The trajectories of the stars are so clear, and my surroundings are filled with countless particles. They are like strings that are being plucked continuously, while electromagnetic waves and light waves are roaming all over my body…"

"I can see and touch everything!"

He extended his hand and the ceiling of the room bent, opening up paths that would allow him to pass through. Zhang Heng took a light step and rose into the air. The ceiling closed up again after he flew out of the ceiling, leaving no cracks behind.

It was obvious that Zhang Heng didn't use his mental power to mend the cracks on the ceiling after he was sent flying. Instead, he manipulated the space around him and created a passageway to the outside world in that sealed space.

Zhang Heng's mental power broke through the shackles the moment the Mind Gem fused with him, going from macroscopic to microscopic manipulation right away. All those tiny particles that were normally invisible to the naked eye, such as molecules, atoms, and even atoms, were completely imprinted in his mind.

The vast microscopic world was just the beginning. Zhang Heng felt his mental power breaking through the shackles of life in the ocean of boiling particles. His mental power expanded like bubbles again in an instant, reaching the point where he could control energy in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Heng felt as if he was able to see the countless streams of boiling energy contained within the spatial rift—zero energy in a vacuum. He was able to generate a quantum jump with just a thought at that moment, which could even cause a vacuum to decay and destroy the entire solar system.

However, that wasn't the end of it. His mental power continued to grow as the four fundamental forces of the universe began to emerge in his perception bit by bit. He even had a feeling that he would be able to destroy that plane completely due to the collapse of the laws of physics with just a single thought. If the Magnetic King had the power to control electromagnetism, then he would have gained the power to control or even change the four fundamental forces in that instant.

However, that was still not the end of his current power. His mental power continued to delve deeper into the reality of the world. The timeline and space on that seat were also included in his perception in the very next second. He could even travel upstream along the timeline with just a thought, traveling through time and space.

If one were to describe Zhang Heng's current state at the moment, then the female lead in 'Super Body' would only be able to match him if her brain was developed to 100 percent. He seemed to have become a god at the moment, as if the entire Earth was in his palm. Zhang Heng slowly extended his hand and an Earth the size of a rubber ball appeared before his eyes. At the same time, he pointed at New York, where New York was located on Earth, and in the very next second, everyone saw darkness before their eyes. A huge finger that was millions of kilometers long appeared in the air above Earth and pressed down on New York.

The entire world seemed to have fallen silent at that moment…

However, the finger seemed to hesitate for a split second before it was pressed down and disappeared above everyone's heads in the very next second. Everyone looked relieved when the finger disappeared.

Zhang Heng looked at that finger in the sky with a pensive look on his face. He had warped the space of the entire Earth just moments ago, making it look real and projected. However, what was different from projection was that if that finger were to touch the Earth, the Earth would have been shattered by the impact at that very moment.

A look of enlightenment flashed across Zhang Heng's face as he hovered in the air. The bright sunlight shone down on him and the brilliant photons filled his microscopic vision. The magnetic forces of the earth, the particles in the air, the endless space and the timeline that continued to pierce through space. All of that was clearly sensed by Zhang Heng. At the same time, a voice seemed to be telling him that as long as he was able to fuse with the world, he would be able to obtain eternal life.

The Dao Integration Stage meant that he was indestructible.

The voice was so enticing that Zhang Heng's heart wavered for a moment. He could feel that if his will were to truly fuse with the world, he would become a part of the universe. He would no longer be bound by matter and space. Living as long as heaven and earth in ancient times was nothing. He could even live as long as the Marvel Universe.

However, Zhang Heng's expression changed drastically in the very next second. He bit down on the tip of his tongue and pulled his consciousness out of that bewitching spell completely. His aura dropped drastically at the same time and he was knocked back to his original state the moment he chose to reject the offer.

He went from being able to control space-time to being able to control the four fundamental forces in an instant, before going from being able to control energy to being able to control microscopic particles. His mental power eventually deflated like a deflated balloon, leaving him with only the most basic of powers.

A feeling of utter weakness was felt from within his body, as if the power that he had just gained was being drained away yet again. However, Zhang Heng simply chuckled, feeling as if he had just missed out on the power of a god. Despite that, there was not a hint of disappointment on his face.

It was obvious that he didn't choose to take the form of the Gaia's Consciousness like the female lead of 'Super Body' did. While doing so would ensure his survival, would he still be able to count himself back then?

In Zhang Heng's opinion, if the word 'self' didn't exist, then even if you were to live in this world, you would still be no different from a walking dead, right?

368. Block Nuclear Explosion

Zhang Heng felt rather pleased as he felt the remaining power in his body. His power had been boosted infinitely after acquiring the Mind Gem, making him almost equal to the 'Heavenly Dao'. According to the ancient Huaxian saying, he would be able to achieve enlightenment and shatter the void in a single day. According to the Buddhist saying, he would become a Buddha on the spot.

The Mind Gem was probably the divinity found in western mythology.

However, there was no such thing as a god in the world, so there was no need for Zhang Heng to bother sealing the God of Nothingness. He was even able to confirm that becoming a god meant death.

Ninety-nine percent of his power was taken away by the unknowns the moment he rejected becoming a god. There was only a handful of power left in the Mind Gem.

However, that power was what Zhang Heng was able to withstand and what he deserved.

Zhang Heng's control over all things in the world went from macroscopic to microscopic after fusing with the Mind Gem. He was now able to control power at the molecular level, and his mental power was now over a hundred times greater than before.

Zhang Heng slowly descended from the sky like a god at that moment, with a sharp glint in his eyes. There was a yellow gemstone on his glabella that shone brightly under the setting sun, making it look like the sunset of the gods. A bleak and sinister feeling was etched deep in everyone's hearts. Everyone stopped fighting instinctively and looked at Zhang Heng with a shocked expression.

"You took the Illusionary Gem!" The Red Witch in the crowd wailed and charged at Zhang Heng with crimson Psychokinesis.

"That's enough," Zhang Heng said casually. The psychokinesis that was powerful enough to tear a tank apart was dispelled in the very next second. All the superheroes seemed to have been subjected to some kind of invisible pressure at the same time. They were crushed to the ground by some invisible force when they were unable to exert enough force. A brutal glint was seen in the Hulk's eyes as he howled and tried to stand up. However, an even greater force appeared out of nowhere and the ground beneath his feet shattered in the very next second.

Zhang Heng pinned him to the ground, leaving only his head exposed in the air.

All the superheroes were rendered speechless. After acquiring the Mind Gem, even the most powerful Hulk was no longer a match for him?

There seemed to be no need for the war to continue.

Zhang Heng looked down at the crowd from above. Zhishang, who had been locked in a fierce battle with the diamond wolf, was the first to leave the battlefield, dragging his ragged suit of armor behind him. The other cloned warriors followed suit, leaving their opponents and standing behind Zhang Heng.

The Vengeful Evil God Army began to retreat and the rampaging Tyrant slowly returned to its original form. The massive number of T-800s left the square in an orderly fashion and headed straight for the building where Corona was.

However, Zhang Heng seemed to have sensed something at that very moment. He turned around subconsciously and saw several beams of light streaking across the sky. The beams of light were dragging orange flames behind them as they got closer. Their target was clearly the sky above the New Yorkers.

Nuclear bombs!

All the superheroes saw what was happening in the horizon at that moment. Surprise was seen in all of their eyes, but it turned into rage and despair in the very next second. They had worked so hard to resist the second impact of destroying humanity, but was that what they got in return?

Countless superheroes were utterly disappointed in the government at that moment.

Zhang Heng wore a deadpan expression as he slowly rose into the air in the direction where the nuclear bomb came from. He was able to reach a height of over a kilometer in the blink of an eye, making this place the perfect location for the nuclear bomb to detonate.

It seemed like that finger attack had really shocked the entire world. In order to kill Zhang Heng, who was the source of the second shock, the entire world decided to use nuclear bombs after seeing that the superheroes were at a disadvantage.

If it had been Zhang Heng before he got his hands on the gem, he would have run as far away as he could by now, not even daring to let the nuclear bomb come into contact with him. However, the nuclear bomb was no longer a threat to him.

The ballistic intercontinental missile was accelerating every second at the moment. It was traveling at an extremely fast speed at the moment, reaching the top of everyone's heads from tens of kilometers away in just a few seconds. The very next second, a searing heat that could burn the ground came from above.

Boom!

A nuclear bomb that weighed over 500,000 tons exploded tens of meters away from Zhang Heng. The intense light from the bomb engulfed that slender figure before him in an instant.

However, just when everyone was about to die, they suddenly realized that the huge fireball above them didn't have any shockwaves or heat waves coming from it. Logically speaking, they were at the center of the nuclear explosion, and the shockwaves from the explosion alone should have been enough to reduce most superheroes to mush. However, the truth was that the shockwaves from the explosion had exceeded everyone's expectations.

A hemispherical protective barrier was enshrouded in the sky, making it look like a huge bowl with its mouth facing upwards. Endless flames and high temperatures erupted from the bowl, yet that power that could tear everything apart was completely useless against that invisible bowl. No matter how the heatwave rolled and how powerful the impact was, the bowl remained nailed to the ground and continued to release the power of the nuclear bomb upwards.

A huge mushroom cloud rose in the sky after the flames were extinguished. No one felt the power of a nuclear explosion at all.

Zhang Heng appeared in the sky after the light dissipated. The thick, majestic mushroom cloud looked like a huge pillar that stood tall in the sky, and Zhang Heng was the guard of the pillar. Zhang Heng's silhouette was etched deep into the hearts of the crowd like some kind of demonic god amidst the thick smoke.

It was not known how much time passed before the superheroes came to their senses. It was only then that they realized that there was not a single enemy around them. It was as if everyone had disappeared into thin air. If it hadn't been for the corpses of the evil gods of revenge on the ground, everyone would have suspected that it was all just an illusion.

Crack!

However, right at that moment, a blue bolt of lightning appeared in the sky. A burly man with golden hair wearing silver-white armor appeared in the very next second. He looked at the ground anxiously and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the members of the Avengers. He quickly descended and looked at the Black Widow solemnly. "Where is the second occurrence that you mentioned?"

"Thundergod, you…" The Black Widow chuckled bitterly and continued, "I'm afraid I'm late."

…

Groups of people returned to reality through the massive plane transmission device that was capable of transporting Corona. A dazed look appeared on Zhang Heng's face as soon as he returned to reality. He touched the yellow gemstone on his forehead and a thought came to his mind. The slit on his forehead, which was generated automatically, was closed by his skin again, making it look like human eyes were closing and opening. Zhang Heng immediately hid the third eye and the gemstone on his forehead, returning to how it looked before.

369. Entering The Aerospace Industry

The Marvel plane was not the ideal plane for Zhang Heng to live in.

Setting aside the question of whether the Earth of the Marvel plane would be able to contain more than twice as many people as it did, there was also the possibility that the demon kings hiding in space, capable of destroying worlds at will, would have countless opportunities to destroy the Earth.

It could be said that the humans of the Marvel Universe were living in a barrel of gunpowder.

As such, after getting what he deserved, Zhang Heng evacuated most of his forces from that seat, leaving behind only a handful of nails to take root in, such as Chester, who had long been replaced by a clone, and Little Chili Potts, who stayed with Iron Man…

With the technical support of Stellar Technology, the branch company of the Marvel plane was beginning to stand out. It would be the best choice to use the resources of that plane to support the real plane in the future.

Zhang Heng's forces had unknowingly begun to move towards other planes.

Zhang Heng had been away for less than two months in reality and it was already late September by then. The space development plan that he applied for had been approved.

In actual fact, any other private company wouldn't have been able to approve such an application in Huaxia. Other than the state-owned enterprise, the Huaxian Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, no other company in Huaxia would have access to developing outer space. Of course, there was no conman who claimed to be the number one private aerospace company in the country.

However, stellar technology was completely different. Putting aside the fact that stellar technology had an international impact, just the fact that Zhang Heng had brought out several new types of space technology meant that the government had turned a blind eye to all of that and had no intentions of making things difficult for him.

Stellar Technology had become a massive entity by then. While Huaxia was still the center of development, its influence had long since surpassed the control of the government. If Huaxia refused to approve of Stellar Technology's requests, Zhang Heng could simply move on to another country. He was sure that those countries would be more than happy to see something good fall into their lap.

Zhang Heng immediately started his own spaceflight headquarters after getting his approval. He posted a notice on the official website, announcing that Stellar Technology had officially entered the field of spaceflight.

People from the Chinese tech scene were thrown into an uproar right there and then. Some netizens who had their eyes on the Stellar Technology official website were the first to spread the news. It didn't take long before all of the major media outlets in the country made their reports, causing a sensation internationally.

Every single move that Star Technology made at the moment had long triggered the nerves of countless people.

The tech world was in an uproar. Elon Musk, the president of SpaceX, one of the most powerful private airline companies in the world, posted on Facebook, saying that he strongly welcomed Stellar Technology to take over the aerospace industry. He wrote over a thousand words in a welcoming speech, making it clear that he regarded Stellar Technology as a potential rival.

The space exploration technology company was a company that even NASA wanted to work with. It was the leader of a private space company in terms of international standing. It developed the first 'Falcon Series Carrier' series that could be recycled multiple times in human history and enjoyed a very high status internationally.

It didn't take long for news to spread internationally that Stellar Technology had bought a huge piece of land several kilometers away from the headquarter of Haizhou and began building the spacefaring headquarters. The entire world was in high spirits after hearing about the news. As for whether Stellar Technology would be able to create a new legend in the field and push the aerospace industry to a new era, there were all kinds of speculations around the world, especially when some professors analyzed Huaxia's aerospace capabilities.

It was obvious that in terms of technology, the Falcon series of the space exploration technology company had gradually surpassed that of the Huaxian Long March series. Even if Huaxia were to fully support Stellar Technology, they still wouldn't be able to outperform it in terms of technology. However, everyone was still looking forward to seeing Stellar Technology, a company that had created miracles time again. In terms of funding alone, even a hundred SpaceXs wouldn't be able to compare to Stellar Technology's wealth, let alone its achievements in biopharmaceuticals and VR.

It was at the beginning of the year when Stellar Technology, which had only made some significant achievements in the field of biopharmaceuticals, announced that it would cross over to the field of electronics. No one in the world thought well of it at the time, yet the reality that it happened at the end of the year shattered the faces of countless people. Not only did Stellar Technology create a new legend, but it also led to a monopoly in the entire world's VR field. That was something that was still fresh in their minds.

As such, even though there were still some people who didn't think Stellar Technology would be able to reach out to the aerospace field, none of them dared to jump around so much.

However, nothing in the outside world affected Zhang Heng in any way. If he wanted to, he could even build a spaceship capable of interstellar travel right there and then. However, if he were to really do so, the entire world would probably be suspicious, wondering if he had inherited some kind of alien legacy, or if he was actually an alien himself, or some other bizarre thought. After all, he had no foundation in the industry, and it wouldn't make sense for him to be able to work over half a century ahead of others in a single night.

Being one step ahead meant that he was a genius, and being one generation ahead meant that he was courting death.

Stellar Technology had gained a stable footing internationally at the moment. In the field of medicine, the company of Stellar Technology had spread to the rest of the world, creating the indomitable legend of a biopharmaceutical company. In the field of electronics and VR, Stellar Technology was the best. Zhang Heng certainly wasn't going to just sit around and do nothing while the headquarters of the aerospace company was being built. He took advantage of the global economic crisis to release yet another piece of news that would cause a worldwide sensation—the first VR-type, global multi-player online role-playing game, Warhammer Era, was completely released. Any buyer who owned a Stellar Helmet-VR helmet could purchase and download it from the application store.

That game was still a free-spending game. In actual fact, such games could have been charged, but the ambitious Zhang Heng didn't do so. To him, using such a game to charge was a complete waste of resources. While the quality of the game would definitely have countless loyal fans paying for it, that bit of money was something that Zhang Heng didn't care about.

While the temporary fee system could boost the company's budget, there was no way Zhang Heng would be so short-sighted.

If he were to adopt a free system, while it would look like he would lose billions or even tens of billions of US dollars, he could still use the game that caused all the players around the world to wail and complain about to increase the rate at which the Stellar Helmet-VR became popular worldwide. It might have taken him nearly five years to make the Stellar Helmet-VR popular among tens of thousands of households in his original plan, but the emergence of a game that could change the direction of online gaming worldwide would have reduced that time to less than three years.

Time was what truly mattered to him.

370. Warhammer Era

Xing Yufei learned of the news the very next morning.

As a loyal fan of the VR games owned by Stellar Technology, he had a passion for all kinds of games owned by Stellar Helmet-VR.

He was supposed to be supervising his father's construction site that morning, but when he drove to the traffic lights at the junction, he picked up his phone out of boredom and browsed the official website of Stellar Technology. He immediately saw the latest news posted on the homepage of Stellar Technology on his phone.

"The first massive global multi-player online role-playing game of the VR genre, 'Warhammer The New Age', has been completely released!"

An indescribable sense of excitement washed over him all of a sudden. His hands, which were driving the car, shook all of a sudden as he started the car and headed straight home.

"Hello, dad. My head hurts today. Yeah, yeah… I was too busy last night and caught a cold, so I'm not going to the construction site today. Okay, okay, that's it!"

He made up a random excuse to call his father before making his way home in a hurry. He wanted to finish the game as soon as possible.

However, he seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden and smacked himself hard on the head. He made another call as he drove. "Hello, Haonan. I have some very important news for you. Stellar Technology is playing online games!"

"What? You don't know? Get online and take a look! Yes, yes… It's called 'Warhammer Era'!"

"Me? I'm on my way home and I'll be home soon. Sure, I'll let you know as soon as I get to the service area."

Xing Yufei hung up the phone with a bang and felt rather remorseful. "Damn it, there wasn't a single piece of news about the game being released. Logically speaking, there should have been a lot of talk about the game before it was released, but there hasn't been a single piece of news about the game being released before. What the f * * k! There must be a lot of gamers entering the game as soon as possible. One step slower, one step slower…"

"It's a good thing that the news about the game appeared at 8 am. I was only one hour slower than the first batch of people to get in… The plot in the online novels is really about to appear in real life. I wonder if there's a gang system or something."

"I wonder if there would be a drop in graphic quality compared to the other standalone games on the Stellar-VR helmet. After all, online games are nowhere near as good as standalone games in terms of graphic quality and plot…"

"Don't let me down, Star Technology…"

Xing Yufei chuckled all of a sudden, as if there was some pretty girl waiting for him on his bed after taking off her clothes at home. He wore a lewd grin on his face as he fell into some kind of lustful trance.

The Mercedes-Benz drove back home in a hurry. Xing Yufei ran a red light on the way home. He would have called the traffic police department right away if it were any other time, but he couldn't care less about that at the moment. He opened the door and ran upstairs to his room right after he got home. He threw his phone on his bed and put on his VR helmet with extreme efficiency before entering the virtual world.

Xing Yufei's family was doing rather well. Ever since he got his hands on a Stellar VR before selling it through the back door, he had become obsessed with something that looked like a gaming helmet from online novels.

He quickly plugged one end of the power line into the socket and plugged the other end into the helmet. He then put the star Helmet-VR helmet on his head.

The two projecting lenses automatically detected the user the moment he put on the helmet. His eyes lit up immediately and the logo of Stellar Technology flashed before his eyes. He suddenly felt that the activation of the Stellar VR helmet was so slow that it took him more than 10 seconds to reach the application platform. He then clicked on the game interface and the words "Warhammer Era" and the cover of the game appeared before him.

The cover was a sci-fi-colored cover with the background of the entire Milky Way. In front of the background were several types of humans dressed in POSSES. The one standing right in front of Seal was a type of blue armored warrior. That armored warrior was extremely tall and was at least four to five heads taller than the people on either side of him. He had a ferocious look on his face, yet he exuded a very manly and iron-blooded aura.

Xing Yufei instinctively focused his gaze on that image and a line of description appeared on that image's head right away. Occupation: Interstellar Warrior. Description: The most powerful warrior under the command of the Human empire's God-Emperor, responsible only for the God-Emperor, with a body that had been modified using high-tech technology. They are the most elite troops of the Human empire.

"I get it now!" Xing Yufei realized what was going on right away. He finally understood why the Star Technology game was named that way. The Warhammer Era was a game with a 40K warhammer as its background. The very first game to be played was a board game, which was known as a game of war. It was a product of the Games-Workshop Corporation, and due to its rich worldview and game design, the game became very popular all over the world. In fact, it was the very game that Blizzard developed and modified, producing a high-quality, low-quality Star Fighter.

The 'Interstellar Warrior' on the cover was one of the most powerful human types in the warhammer games.

"Stellar Technology sure is rich and overbearing. They actually bought the rights to the games played by the Games-Workshop Corporation, but that's just what I was thinking…"

Xing Yufei mumbled to himself with a grin and continued to look at the cover. To the left of the galactic warrior was a female human who looked like she was wearing a nun's outfit. That was another force in the Council of Cardinals, a combat nun affiliated with the Heretic Tribunal. While the Tribunal was filled with females, their combat prowess was in no way inferior to that of any other male army. Many humans felt like pissing their pants when they heard that name.

That was because it was an organization that dealt with violence within the empire, just like the Eastern Factory from the ancient Song Dynasty.

To the right of the galactic warrior stood a man wearing a gas mask and holding an unidentified gun in his military attire. Xing Yufei, who was rather familiar with the worldview of the warhammer, recognized the man right away. He was one of the human Imperial Guards from the warhammer games.

Other than that, there were all manner of professions like Psionites. However, Xing Yufei had no more patience to read on. He pulled the page to the bottom and downloaded the game. The progress bar of the download began to roll.

However, Xing Yufei almost pissed himself when he saw the size of the game. The game had reached a terrifying 223GB!

Chapter 223: What Is That?

It was four and a half times the size of a GTA5! GTA5 was considered a milestone in the gaming world.

It would have taken him over an hour to finish downloading the video, given the speed at which his family was operating the internet.

He was stunned for a bit before turning his attention away again. He needed to learn as much about the background of the game as he could while downloading it as much as possible so that he could gain an advantage in the beginning.

He, who had been brainwashed by web novels, gradually began to put himself in the role of those web novels, setting up the number one guild in the country, showing off in the games, stirring up trouble, and so on…

371. Warhammer Era (Part Two)

Xing Yufei gradually calmed down and began to read the game's introductions in detail.

"'Battlehammer Era' is the first online game developed by the games department under Stellar Technology. It is a multi-player online role-playing game. The game is based on the storyline of the game 'Battlehammer 40K', a game developed by the Games-Workshop company. It relies on the historical events and characters of the 40K warhammer to have a complete historical timeline. The worldview is built on a Gothic scientific fantasy setting with the Milky Way as the stage. The players would explore the unknown world, conquer extraterrestrial life, and so on in over a million planets with completely different environments in the Milky Way.

"'Battlehammer New Age' is the world's first online game in the VR games. It is also the world's first super-large online game to be played in the same server. In the game, players will wander the endless Milky Way with all the players in the world.

Hold on, the global server is online?

Xing Yufei's eyes widened immediately as he blinked in disbelief. He then realized that he hadn't made a mistake in his understanding and whistled in shock.

As a veteran gamer, he was the only one who knew what a global server meant.

Even World of Warcraft, which was known to be the most popular online game in the world a few years ago, had dozens of service areas, consisting of national servers and all manner of foreign servers. There were also dozens of servers in each service area. If two players who knew each other in real life wanted to meet in the game, they would have to discuss the serial numbers of the servers beforehand, which made it very troublesome. One could see the limitations of modern technology from this point alone. A single server could only support several thousand people online at the same time. Once the number of servers exceeded a certain number, the servers would immediately be shut down and shut down.

But, to think that Stellar Technology would be able to come up with a slogan like 'Global online server'. That was something that shocked all the players around the world. If Stellar Technology wasn't bragging, then the gimmick of being online in the same server all over the world would have been more than enough to make the game world famous.

Furthermore, Stellar Technology had all manner of high-quality standalone games ahead of it, and the label 'Stellar Technology Products Must Be Premium' had gradually been established in the gaming world. There was no way that the label of 'Stellar Technology Products Must Be Premium' would be destroyed in an online game that could generate massive amounts of cash.

As such, Xing Yufei had high hopes for the warhammer epoch, even though he had yet to get into it.

"Game Background: The human race's journey to conquer the stars above us began 39,000 years ago. In the 969th year of the second millennium of the human era, we first boarded the moon. In the first century of the third millennium, we began modifying Mars. In the second century of the third millennium, we officially began colonizing planets outside of Earth.

"Back then, our ship was only able to move about in the vast void at lightspeed. It took over 10 generations to travel from one colony to another, and the various colonies had no choice but to abandon Earth and develop on their own. It was known as the dark era of technology, and it was only in the 21st millennium that humanity finally invented the subspace navigation technology.

In the following years, humanity took great strides in conquering space. Psionites appeared, Subhumans appeared, and aliens were discovered. Eventually, the age of strife began. We humans fought against the environment and the alien races all by ourselves, struggling on the verge of survival. Even Earth was plunged into civil war due to the crisis of resources and populations. Billions of humans from Earth died in wars and famines. On Mars, the organization known as the Church of Science and Technology hid ancient technologies. They built huge starships and Titans and began a slow colonization of outer space once again.

The fire of humanity's revival would eventually be lit by the greatest being, the revered 'God Emperor'. No one knew where he came from, and no one knew his real name. His wisdom and knowledge were exceptional, and his courage and spiritual energy were unparalleled. He reunited the Earth and led humanity on a new journey to conquer the Milky Way.

He created the Galactic Warrior Corps and their god-like genes and raised the flag of the Holy War to the starry sky. In the 200 years that followed, the emperor and his warriors would unite the collapsed colonies under the empire once again, saving humanity from darkness and despair. That was an era filled with dawn. Humans united under the emperor and regained their former glory.

However, the glorious days of the Emperor eventually turned into myths, all because of that terrifying civil war. Herus, the son of the 'God Emperor', went to the arms of the evil gods of the Chaos and launched a war that betrayed the God Emperor. Half of the galactic warrior army and countless regular soldiers and members of the Church of Technology followed his ambitions, and the rebels engaged in bloody battles with their still loyal brothers.

The rebels eventually made it to the sacred Earth. The God-Emperor fought a huge battle and the final outcome of the tragedy was that the God-Emperor killed Herlous himself, but he was also severely injured. He was placed in a golden coffin that was frozen in time and placed on the throne of the sacred Earth, where he remained until today.

The era of the God-Emperor and the genetic prototype came to an end just like that. However, humans still looked forward to the day when the God-Emperor would reawaken. There were also signs that the God-Emperor's spirit was still guiding humanity through the golden coffin…

Human civilization sank into darkness again in the 10,000 years after the emperors went into hibernation. We were able to thrive for a short period of time, but most of the time, we were forced to live in the shadow of death. Many great heroes were born in humanity, and many despicable traitors were born as well. The resilience and fragility of humanity, the virtue and ugliness of humanity, were seen together in the last 10,000 years.

Regardless, the dynasty had been through all those twists and turns for over 10,000 years, and it would last even longer…

…

Xing Yufei was unable to calm himself for quite a while after reading that brief summary. Just that brief summary alone was enough for him to see the epic chapters of blood and fire gradually unfold before his eyes. Just how vast was the worldview of that game to be able to encompass the entire Warhammer worldview? Wasn't that a little too ambitious? Compared to other online games, even games like 'World of Warcraft', which were deemed to have a massive worldview, paled in comparison.

Xing Yufei became even more fired up. He took the opportunity while the game was still being downloaded to go over the background story of 'Warhammer 40K' yet again. Half an hour later, he received a call from his friend.

The ringtone of his phone was heard from the upper right corner of the image before him right away. His phone was connected to the Helmet-VR Helmet through his Bluetooth, so there was no need for him to take off the helmet to answer the call. He simply used his mind to control the helmet to receive the phone signal. His friend's voice was heard from the audio equipment inside the helmet in the very next second.

"Hello, Yufei, I'm home. The game says that the entire world is online at the same time. Seems like we don't need to discuss which area to go to anymore. But then again, the size of this game is over 200 gigabytes. That's scary. Have you downloaded the video yet?"

"I'll need at least another half an hour, so I'm taking this time to catch up on my gaming background." Xing Yufei leaned back comfortably on his massage chair. "By the way, kid, remember to check out the gaming background as well. I'd assume that there would be classes selected in-game as well. Which would you prefer?"

"That goes without saying. The interstellar warrior, of course." A pleased voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "I've never eaten pork before, but I've seen pigs run before, haven't I? While the Warhammer 40K is considered a rather obscure game in the country, I still know a little about it. What about you? What class are you going to choose?"

"I'm different from you. I'm going to choose a Psionite." Xing Yufei chuckled and continued, "While according to the official rules set by the Hammer, Psionites are considered to be in an awkward position in the game, they still have a lot of potential. If one were to become an Alpha Psionite, one look from them would be enough to wipe out Titan in seconds."

"I'd say that if you were to choose a Psionite, you'd probably end up being captured by the black ship on the very first day as fertilizer for the emperor!" The other party chuckled.

"You actually believe that? That's a game setting after all. If Stellar Technology were to set up a game like that, the game would have been rendered obsolete right there and then." Xing Yufei retorted right away. "On the other hand, the galactic warriors with their bald heads look really ugly."

"Tsk, wait and see then!"

"Who's afraid of who?"

Both parties continued to tease each other for quite a while before the progress bar gradually reached the bottom. Xing Yufei hung up right away and watched the installation of the game as he waited for the stars and the moon to clear. A Warhammer Era icon appeared on the table right away.

Xing Yufei couldn't help but lick his dry lips before clicking on the gaming icon excitedly.

Xing Yufei blacked out right away and what looked like oil paintings appeared before his eyes.

372. Warhammer Era (Part 3)

The opening plot of the game was a traditional way of narrating humanities. Xing Yufei saw an oil painting filled with an ancient air slowly unfold before him. That ancient, mottled painting depicted the silhouette of human history in the background of the game.

"We originate from the sacred Earth."

"We shall continue to explore among the brambles and advance."

"We've never stopped developing. That endless unknown is a path that we've paved with blood and fire. It's incredibly arduous yet magnificent."

The voice of a little girl was heard by Xing Yufei through the oil paintings. The voice was soft and deep, with a tinge of solemnity to it. There was also a low but animated symphonic background to it, which further accentuated the sacredness of the place.

The little girl's soft, wriggling voice was heard. Photos taken when humans boarded the moon were heard in the nimble symphonic music, as well as the silhouettes taken when they boarded the Mars rover, as well as battleships being deployed one after another in the distant galaxy… All of those images were portrayed in thick, painted oil paintings.

The little girl's voice gradually became louder as she continued, "Our journey to conquer space began 39,000 years ago. In the 969th year of the second millennium of the human era, we first landed on the moon. We were like babies, taking a staggering step towards the endless cosmos. Then, in the 100th year of the third millennium, we began to modify Mars, officially beginning the interstellar era…"

…

"…It was known as the Dark Age of Technology. It was only in the 21st millennium that humans finally began inventing the subspace navigation technology. However, no one expected that the subspace was filled with endless monsters and those terrifying, powerful evil gods. That place was the source of all evil and chaos…"

The little girl's voice picked up the pace of her narration as the epic symphonic notes became louder, shaking the soul.

"The era of the God-Emperor and the Gene Prototype is over. The God-Emperor sank into the golden throne and began his endless slumber. In the 10,000 years that we lost the God-Emperor, our civilization sank yet again. Many great heroes were born in the midst of endless dangers, as well as many despicable traitors. The resilience and fragility of humanity, the virtue and ugliness of humanity, were brought together for 10,000 years…"

"Regardless, the dynasty has been through these twists and turns for 10,000 years, and it will continue to do so…"

The little girl's voice gradually faded away, and the symphony that was coming to an end gradually died down as well. It seemed to be filled with sorrow and endless hope.

At the end of the video, a human that looked like dried bones was seen lying on a golden throne with his eyes closed. The golden throne was covered in dust. Despite knowing that it was just a plot in a game, Xing Yufei still felt his heart ache when he saw that silhouette.

"F * * k, I'm gonna cry just from watching the opening animation!" Xing Yufei cursed under his breath, but he had to admit that just the level of technical expertise of the opening animation alone was more than enough to make the most perfect game in human history burst with crap. The soundtrack, the soundtrack, and even the oil paintings that exuded an air of solemnity were all pieces of fine artwork that constantly struck at the most sensitive parts of the human heart. It was as if those paintings had truly existed in history and not just some fantasy story.

As the opening animation slowly faded away, Xing Yufei blacked out yet again. He was nearly given a fright when he saw light return.

He saw an expressionless man with no hair or beard standing before him.

"Mr. Xing Yufei, please set your name and virtual image." A crisp female voice was heard.

According to the authorities' approval, the star Helmet-VR also had an identity binder system, and it was directly bound with iris verification, preventing anyone from stealing it. However, that didn't mean that the star Helmet-VR could only be used by one person. It was just like how computers could create many accounts.

According to the age shown on the ID card, there was also an unlimited number of adults and immature anti-security restrictions. Xing Yufei was over 18 years old a long time ago, so he didn't need to be plagued by the anti-security system. However, he was only allowed to use the ID card for no more than 18 hours a day. That was a rule set by the authorities.

It was only then that Xing Yufei realized what was going on. In fact, games created by Stellar Technology all had their own unique flags. The names and virtual image settings were usually done after entering the games, which was why he was so caught off guard that he was given a fright.

Xing Yufei's eyes lit up at that thought. He realized that he was currently in a state where he had no body, and his movements were restricted. All he could do was circle around the person in front of him. He decided not to bother with any of that and began to set up his character's appearance according to the selection panel that popped up on the left side of his vision.

"Your nose needs to be higher, hmm… your chin needs to be sharper… Damn, why do you have dead fish eyes? Raise your pupils, make it look like you're wearing contact lenses!"

"Hmm, not bad, not bad… What's your next hairstyle? That punk hairstyle is not bad… That hairdo looks good too… Sigh, what a difficult choice."

However, Xing Yufei didn't dwell on his appearance for too long. He was constantly talking about how he would rise to power and become rich just like the main characters in online gaming novels. As such, it took him less than five minutes to finalize the face of a Korean oppa.

He then set his height to 185 centimeters, which made up for the damage caused by him being shorter in real life. He also set his body to look thinner. He said immediately after he was done setting his height, "Yes, image application."

"Characters cannot be changed after entering the game. Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Xing Yufei nodded.

"Please name the character."

"Wu Yifan!" Xing Yufei said immediately.

"I'm sorry, but the name has been taken."

"Lu Han!"

"I'm sorry, but the name has been taken."

"F * * k! Canine mole deaf!"

"I'm sorry, but please use a name with an existing surname."

"Nikolay Armstrong Cyclone accelerated cannon Alekseyevich Ostrovsky!"

"Name approved. Verified."

"Holy sh * *!" Xing Yufei nearly fell to the ground. He quickly waved his hand and said, "Hold on! Hold on! I was just saying. Don't confirm it!"

"I'm sorry, but the name of the character has been established and cannot be changed."

"Can I delete my account, then?" Xing Yufei felt like crying.

"I'm sorry, but the multiplayer function is temporarily unavailable."

"…"

"Next, please roll the dice and set character attribute points."

Xing Yufei suppressed the raging fire in him and asked curiously, "What's with the personality traits?"

"Characteristics are divided into six main categories: muscle tissue strength, neurological reaction speed, immune capacity, cell vitality, intelligence, and mental strength. All of those stats could be set by the players themselves, but the maximum initial stats for each of those stats could not be greater than 12 points, and the smallest could not be less than 2 points. The total stats could not be greater than 30 points." A hexagonal pattern appeared before Xing Yufei's eyes as the system explained. Every corner of the pattern had an attribute, but all of the stats were zero.

"What about throwing the dice?"

"Tossing the dice is the way Stellar Technology employees pay homage to the 'Warhammer 40K' game. You will be using two dice to throw the characters' attributes. The final number of attribute points thrown will be the character's attribute points. Furthermore, each attribute point cannot be thrown more than five times. If the five times thrown are used up, the six attribute points added together will exceed 30 points, which will be changed by the system."

"Isn't this game way too capricious?" Xing Yufei couldn't help but grin wryly. "If I were to choose the Psionite profession, how would I be able to allocate points?"

"I'm sorry, but please explore the rules of the game on your own."

Xing Yufei's face turned green immediately. It was obvious that he had no way of dealing with the stubbornness of stellar technology.

He checked the time and found that more than 10 minutes had passed since he entered the game. He estimated that the first players to enter the game would be leaving the newbie village soon. He panicked and began to prepare to throw attribute points.

"If I were to choose a Psionite, it would be obvious that mental power is of utmost importance." Xing Yufei gradually calmed down after taking a look at the six stats and said after some thought, "After all, a Psionite is, frankly speaking, a Mage class. In that case, intelligence is of utmost importance as well…"

"However, the system said before that the total should not exceed 30 points. That is to say that after setting up the first five attributes, the remaining points would be the points for the sixth attribute. That is to say, I need to put some of the least important attributes at the end…"

With that thought in mind, Xing Yufei calmed himself and looked up, saying, "I'd like to begin throwing spiritual powers first!"

373. Warhammer Era (Complete)

Rumble…

As the two dice were thrown into the disc, five black dots eventually appeared before Xing Yufei. He pursed his lips and threw the dice a second time without any hesitation.

Xing Yufei's eyes lit up immediately after throwing the ball.

11!

"Hahaha! That's a good start!" Xing Yufei laughed out loud and said right away, "System, let's use the throwing numbers this time!"

"Understood. Please select the second attribute."

"Intelligence!"

Rumble…

Two dice were thrown onto the disc and rolled out 12 points.

Xing Yufei's eyes lit up and he was just about to celebrate when he received a prompt from the system.

"I'm sorry, but the remaining points are unable to reach the minimum value of 2 points per piece after combining the two attributes. That doesn't count this time, please redo."

Xing Yufei pouted and nodded helplessly before throwing again.

He was lucky this time and threw an 8.

"Yes." Xing Yufei nodded immediately.

"Understood. Please select your third attribute."

Xing Yufei frowned after hearing that. He had 11 points of spiritual power and 8 points of Intelligence, which added up to 19 points. His remaining four major attributes were limited to 5 points, which made it difficult for him to make a choice. He thought for a bit and said, "I'll choose neural reaction speed for the third attribute."

Rumble rumble rumble…

The speed at which the two dice spun was slightly higher than the previous two times. The numbers eventually stopped at four.

"Again!" Xing Yufei gritted his teeth. He knew that the chances of him being able to throw 5 points out of the blue were unlikely to be high. If he were to end up with a minimum of 2 points out of the four times he threw, he would be in tears. The remaining three stats—muscle density, immune system durability, and cell vitality—had little to do with the profession of a psionite.

Xing Yufei threw three points the second time.

He threw 2 points for the third time.

The fourth time, he threw 2 points…

As expected, the last thing he wanted to see happened…

Cold sweat broke out on Xing Yufei's forehead as he licked his lips nervously. He eventually threw the ball one last time.

Rumble…

Xing Yufei's eyes were glued to the disc as the two dice kept rolling. He looked like a gambler at the moment. If he were to fail for the last time, the outcome would be that his character traits would no longer be perfect. No matter how well he progressed in the future, there would always be a thorn in his side.

The two dice slowly stopped.

"Ah… Hahaha!" Xing Yufei burst out laughing when he saw the results on the die. He had somehow gotten lucky and made the right bet in the last round, successfully throwing a 5 in the final round.

After confirming the third feature, the system continued, "As the first three stats of the players reach 24 points, the three stats of muscle tissue strength, immune system strength, and cell dynamism are automatically set at a minimum of 2 points. Character setting complete, begin entering the game…"

Xing Yufei felt refreshed all over as he entered the game feeling very pleased with himself. The next second, his vision lit up and he found himself in a crude building constructed of steel.

The room was very small, no more than 20 square meters in area, and the place had four walls. There were only a few stools and a huge, dirty bed. The quilt on the bed was pitch-black and smelled sour, having not been washed for many days.

Xing Yufei couldn't help but frown when he caught a whiff of that smell. It seemed that it wasn't a good idea for the VR games to be too realistic.

However, that thought was pushed out of his mind in an instant. If he were to throw away the Stellar VR helmet and play those stupid computer games right now, he would just… kill him.

He seemed to have recalled something after taking a good look at the layout of the room. He quickly raised his hand and began to observe his hands.

He was able to see the palm print on his palm clearly under the gloomy sky. He was also able to tell that it was a pair of dirty, calloused hands.

"Holy sh * *, why do I get the feeling that not only is the graphics of online games not any worse than those of standalone games, but they actually look a little more realistic…" Xing Yufei exclaimed as he touched his cheek and the tip of his chin before nodding satisfactorily and heading out of the room.

"I wonder if there are any so-called hidden quests in this game. I wish I could run into one of them." With that thought in mind, Xing Yufei slowly pushed open the narrow steel door of the room. However, what he saw when he pushed the door open was a slum that looked like a wet market.

The place was bustling with activity as countless pedestrians walked about. However, most of the people on the street looked as dirty as the characters in Xing Yufei's games. Regardless of whether they were men or women, all of them were covered in muscle and tendons. Their tanned skin shone with a shiny sheen under the sunlight.

Xing Yufei, who was standing among the crowd, looked like a petite girl.

Where is this place?

While Xing Yufei was still reeling from the shock, an old man who was still limping walked up to him and flashed him a friendly grin. "Nikolai, you're finally willing to get up."

"You…!" Xing Yufei opened his mouth but was unable to say anything in the end. He was able to tell that the old man before him was an NPC. In truth, Xing Yufei and all the other players who played the Stellar Helmet-VR games were accustomed to having extremely high levels of intelligence regarding the NPCs in the game. While the NPCs were essentially programming and had very stiff minds, if it hadn't been for the way they dressed and spoke, he wouldn't have been able to tell them apart from the other NPCs.

Xing Yufei nodded subconsciously when he saw the kind-looking old man before him. "Yes, sir?"

"Hehe, I'm your grandpa, Myron. Are you awake yet, kid?" The old man before him patted Xing Yufei on the head. While the young man wasn't even as tall as the man Xing Yufei was controlling, the old man nonetheless continued, "Nikolai, you'll be 18 years old by the end of this year. It's time for you to go out and explore the world. I know you're quite capable, kid, but don't imitate us and spend the rest of your life in this lifeless world created by Tara."

It was obvious that this was the first mission in the game. The games developed by Stellar Technology were unlike those popular online games, where there was no need for mission interfaces, mini maps, or even unscientific backpacks. Most of them were realistic games, and the missions issued by NPCs were often written in their own words. As such, the analytical ability of the players was very important.

"How do I get out of here?" Xing Yufei felt his heart skip a beat. A mission from the Beginner's Village was about to begin.

"There are many ways that you could join the Heresy Court and become a Crusader with tremendous power. Or, for the sake of humanity's future, find a way to join the Alien Court or the Devil's Court and become a galactic warrior with powerful combat prowess. You could also join the Imperial Guard to protect the country. There is also an organization in charge of recruiting and training Psionites—the Galactic Psionic Assembly. All in all, your path lies at your feet. Child, your choice is entirely up to you…"

The old man sighed to himself at that point and mumbled to himself, "The baby eagle has grown up. It's time for it to learn how to fly… Nikolai, go!" The old man stuffed a wallet into Xing Yufei's hand before turning around and carrying him slowly into the crowd.

Xing Yufei sighed to himself as he watched the old man walk away. The NPCs designed by Stellar Technology were so lifelike that he could feel the old man's reluctance to part with him.

Xing Yufei went on to inquire about the interstellar psionic assembly and eventually found the location of that very well-hidden psionic assembly that very afternoon.

…

On that day, as the "Warhammer Era" game was launched, an unparalleled historical painting was slowly unfolded. Countless players were completely stunned and shocked.

374. A Corner Of The Game

It was not until late at night that Xing Yufei took off his helmet, feeling as if he hadn't had enough yet. It wasn't that he didn't want to keep playing, but his growling stomach and his chapped lips were constantly reminding him to replenish his energy as soon as possible.

"Ge! Ge! Ge! Ge! Baby! Baby! Baby! Ge! Ge! Ge! Ge! Ge! Ge! Baby!"

All of a sudden, the phone by his side rang with the sound of a girl's ringtone. Xing Yufei raised his eyebrows and reflexively picked up the phone to look at the screen, only to find that it was a call from a gangster he had met a few days ago.

"Hello, what's the matter?" Xing Yufei picked up the phone and asked subconsciously, but he was immediately stunned when he said that. His voice was extremely hoarse at the moment and he coughed twice before recovering.

"Brother Xing! I'm gonna tie you up!" A sleazy voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "I'm gonna do it for you, Brother Xing! I'm gonna do it for you! Hurry up and do it, Brother Xing!"

"Maybe next time. I haven't been feeling well for the past two days." Xing Yufei rejected the offer without thinking and hung up before the other man could say anything else. It was only then that he was stunned. He took a look at the VR helmet at his side and chuckled bitterly.

If that hooligan had asked him to go out and fool around, he probably would have done so without a second thought. However, he wasn't in the mood to do so today. The game was as addictive as drugs.

He checked the time and found that it was already 10pm. He put on his clothes and walked out of the room before driving to the night market.

"Hello, Haonan. I'm going offline. Let's have a meal outside." Xing Yufei called his friend again as he drove.

"Go ahead. I've eaten already!" The man rejected him without a second thought.

"Kid, are you still in the game?" Xing Yufei asked in surprise.

"So what? You just went offline, didn't you?" A chuckle was heard from the other end of the phone. "I've joined the Alien Court on our planet. Did you know that my 'muscle density' was raised to 12 points when I rolled the dice? Envious, right?"

"Pfft!" Xing Yufei chuckled and continued, "You only have 30 points in total. If you want to become a galactic warrior, your reaction speed and cellular dynamism would be of paramount importance in addition to the toughness of your muscles. Here comes the question. What is your intelligence?"

"My intelligence…" The voice on the other end of the phone stopped for a bit, before he continued jokingly, "Why the f * * k do you care what my intelligence is? By the way, have you joined the Galactic Psionic Society yet?"

"They've all joined in a long time ago. They're now learning how to control their own spiritual energy, as well as how to lower the attention of the demonic beings in the alternate dimensions on my soul."

"See, I knew it. Psionites are a tough class to play. They're not even as good as my galactic warriors." The other party clicked his tongue and continued, "The only pity is that this stupid game map is just too huge. All I know now is that I'm on an agricultural planet named 'Nord', and it's been more than 10 hours, yet I haven't seen a single player. What a scam! I almost thought that I was playing a standalone game."

"My luck is a little better than yours." Xing Yufei chuckled and said, "I've met two players on that forging planet called 'Tyla', but compared to other games, the map of that game is just too big… The game is only just released, and the number of people playing that game would be at most a few million. If you were to put it all up on such a huge map, there would only be a few hundred players on a single planet. It's only natural that it would be hard to find real people."

"Indeed, but this game is just too fun. It feels like I've just transmigrated to another world. Once I've gotten my stats up, I'll head out to explore other planets. As far as I know, the planet I'm on is at the human border, and the Orcs' territory is right next to it."

"Save it. Even the lowest grade of a Cobra destroyer would cost millions of star dollars. Don't even think about it." Xing Yufei shook his head and said, "The game isn't about letting us kill monsters and level up. It's about individual heroism. It's about integrating into the game, taking part in it, and changing history. I reckon that the time will come when the players become commanders or planet lords on their own planets. That's when we get to the main point."

"…"

Xing Yufei arrived at the night market after some conversation. He parked the car and walked to a stall that he was familiar with and called out to his boss, "Uncle Wang, 40 skewers of barbequed meat and two bottles of beer! Bring 40 more along with you."

"Alright, I'll be right there!"

Xing Yufei picked a table with no one else around before taking a seat. He then opened the official website of Stellar Technology.

It was only then that he realized that the forums on the official website had long been abuzz. Nine out of ten posts were focused on 'Warhammer Era', and the content of the posts was nothing more than asking about maps and backgrounds. However, from Xing Yufei's point of view, the people who asked such questions were idiots. The game's design was extremely precise, and as long as one played the game, the structure and history of humanity would slowly spread before their eyes.

Xing Yufei was considered lucky to be born in a rather peaceful world of forging. Some unlucky players were born at the bottommost layer of the Nest Capital world, having been killed several times by gangsters and cultists before completing the novice quests. They were so angry that they almost deleted their games.

However, Xing Yufei felt rather envious deep down. The potential of the world he created was still too low. If he had been born in the Nest Capital, he would have been confident enough to become a noble in just a few months due to his advantage as a Player and his intelligence. If he was lucky, he could even become a feudal lord and have his own troops or battleships.

In this unprecedented game, anything was possible.

He suppressed the excitement and yearning he felt deep down and turned off the official website of Stellar Technology before opening the forums. While the forums on the forums were bustling with activity, the forums were the true gathering place of popularity due to the Huaxian internet. Any popular element could become a forum, and Warhammer New Age was no exception.

Xing Yufei was slightly surprised when he opened the forum. It hadn't even been a day since the release of the game, yet over 50,000 members had appeared. There were over 30,000 to 40,000 posts on the forum, and there was a long list of applications under the forum. Many speculators wanted to take the forum with unlimited potential as their own.

However, due to the changes made to the Tieba some time ago, the approval of the moderators had become extremely stringent. Furthermore, with such an important Tieba forum, Stellar Technology might very well be willing to pay to buy it and then assign the moderators to the Tieba forum. All of those people's hopes were doomed.

"Help! I got lost in the wild and I've died three times. Everyone, help me think of something!"

"Go to hell, Pseudo Thearch. The Evil God of Chaos is justice! May I know how to join the Chaos faction in this game? I'm waiting online. Urgent!"

"Please give me a copy of the cheat code of this game. I'll trade the seeds! OP, SB! This is an online game developed by Stellar Technology. I've never heard of a folkgod team being able to play a standalone game of this company, much less an online one."

"Trash game, whoever plays it is a fool!"

"Strategy Guide! Computer background and 18 major jobs in the game!"

…

Due to the fact that there were no managers on the forum at the moment, the forum was in a state of chaos. There were either boosters or rookies asking questions. The entire forum was in a foul mood.

Xing Yufei shook his head and went on to click on a few posts, but he found nothing of value throughout the entire process. He then closed the app on the forum and ate the roast meat served by his boss. He only drove home after he was done eating and drinking.

That night was probably a sleepless night for some players in the VR games.

375. Power

That night, Zhang Heng laid down comfortably in his villa after a day of training. He sipped on his red wine and looked at the data that was displayed on the screen before him with a satisfied expression.

He had successfully gotten his hands on the Mind Gem back in the Marvel Dimension, which had boosted his mental power by over 100 times. If his mental power had been able to lift tens of tons of objects in the past, he was now confident enough to lift an entire island.

His glabella continued to emit tiny streams of heat, which were the result of the Mind Gem nurturing his mind and will at all times. His mental power was becoming increasingly stronger every second. Even if he were to activate the Prophet mode again, he wouldn't be drained dry by that terrifying consumption.

Furthermore, due to the ever-increasing amount of mental power, he was able to fly in a manner that he had been looking forward to for a long time. His control over his mental power, which was so precise that it reached the level of micro-molecular, had reached a level that no regular person could comprehend.

The enhancement of his mental power also meant that he was able to control the range of his mental power. Due to Corona's testing during the day, his mental power was able to reach over a kilometer in radius. He only needed a single thought to create a powerful mental storm that could kill all life within a radius of several kilometers.

Zhang Heng could be said to have achieved a crushing level of power at his current level. Unless humans developed powerful laser weapons or electromagnetic weapons, there was no way that the technological prowess of reality could pose a threat to him.

Corona was compiling all the data regarding the game called 'Warhammer Era' at the moment. She explained as she sorted through the data, "There were 5.3 million registered users of 'Warhammer Era' by midnight, which accounts for eight percent of the star's Helmet-VR users. The highest number of people online at the same time was 3.3 million, with an average online duration of over 10 hours."

"The number of registered users is estimated to exceed 10 million tomorrow, over 30 million in a week, and the limit of 50 million in a month. If you want to increase the number of registered users in the future, you'll have to see the sales volume of the star Helmet-VR."

Corona said regretfully, "It's just a pity that due to the high price, the sales of the Stellar Helmet-VR have only reached 100 million units over the past four months, which is why it's stuck at a bottleneck."

"Don't worry about it. Things like that can't be rushed." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued confidently, "The emergence of all manner of games and applications is our greatest trump card in attracting users. If we were to be able to control all manner of software with our thoughts alone, who would bother using cumbersome keyboards? Brainwave manipulation replacing traditional hardware equipment is a historical trend that no one could stop."

Zhang Heng stood up and waved at the screen before him. A map of the Milky Way appeared on the screen right away. The dazzling Milky Way before his eyes spun slowly, seemingly endless. It was a huge disc that consisted of millions of planets and hundreds of thousands of stars.

While the scale was undoubtedly much smaller than that of the real Milky Way, and those planets were nowhere near as large as Earth in real life, that was still a feat nonetheless. Zhang Heng was making games, not models of the universe. If he were to make the games according to the Milky Way in real life, the games would no longer be calculated by GB.

Other than humans, there were four other major races in the Warhammer Era—the Orcs, the Astrals, the Titanium, and the Necromorphs. Humans occupied the Orion Arm of the Milky Way, while the Orcs occupied the Centaur Arm. The Astrals occupied the British Xian Arm, while the Titanium occupied the Swan Arm.

The center of the Milky Way was the territory of the most powerful Necromorphs in space. Other than that, there was also the threat lurking on the opposite side of reality—the Dimensional Chaos forces, as well as the scattered small extraterrestrial species mixed among the major forces, making the epic stage look even more colorful.

Corona played according to Zhang Heng's requirements and the freedom of the entire game was extremely high. The game was completely free from the prototype of fighting monsters and leveling up. In the game, players could become the Imperial Guard protecting their country, or they could become the cold-blooded judges of the three great tribunals, or they could even become interstellar warriors who would always be at the forefront of battle and expand the human empire.

Other than that, the players could also rebel against the Human empires and become their own king, or they could become adventurers and arms dealers who drifted among the stars. If they were not versed in combat, they could even set up their own mining company, or they could simply play the role of a regular resident of a planet, opening a small shop and staying out of the world.

No matter how intelligent the NPCs were, they would never be able to compare with the players. With the advantage of the players' intelligence and unlimited revivals, they would be able to reach the upper echelons of their respective fields very quickly, regardless of what they did, as long as they were not idiots. For example, the commander of an army, some officials of the empire, and even some feudal lords of some planets…

The factions between the players would then begin to collide with one another, and there would even be conflicts between them and the other races. Zhang Heng would then slowly bring out the greatest enemy of all the races in the Milky Way—the Tyrone Zergs.

Tyrone was Zhang Heng's favorite race. It was a terrifying race that came from beyond the Silver River and had devoured hundreds of other river systems. That race had no civilization, no emotions, and had broken all existing forms of civilization. All they had were endless desires to devour everything, as well as a highly focused unified will.

Compared to the Tyrone Zerg race, the Zerg race, which was considered one of the most dominant species in the galaxy, was like child's play.

Furthermore, in order to ensure fairness, Zhang Heng would not set up any real-life cash exchanges for gaming props. That was also the most important aspect of the game's lifespan. Some gaming companies would even go to the extent of breaking the balance of the game in order to squeeze money out of players, opening gaming malls and selling special props to earn money.

For example, in some development and construction games, players could buy 'gems' with real-life funds. The gems could be exchanged for development resources and could even be used to exchange for time, enabling construction that would have taken hours or even days to be completed in an instant.

That was one way of looking at it. In some of the more brazen games, the renminbi players would even be able to buy tools or weapons that regular players would never be able to get their hands on. Those weapons were far more powerful than the weapons of regular players, which would have destroyed the balance of the game. Doing so would only end up killing the goose that laid the golden eggs, depleting the lifespan of the game and causing the game, which had been able to thrive for several years, to rapidly decline, leaving only the ghost suit and a bad name.

Despite the monopoly of Stellar Technology, which meant that he wouldn't suffer any losses even if he were to do so, he thought about it and realized that while the sum of money seemed like a lot, it was actually far less than the profit that could be gained from promoting the sales of the VR helmets. The company's reputation and credibility were of utmost importance in the long run. As such, he decided to give up on such a pointless way of making ends meet.

However, that didn't mean that the game was truly free. While the authorities of the game didn't say anything, he was still able to profit from other areas. For example, he set up a Taobao Shopping Mall in the game where players could exchange, sell, and even auction the items they got online. However, regardless of how the two players traded, Stellar Technology had the right to draw 5 percent of the transaction quota. To the players, the advantage was safety, preventing them from reneging after the transaction.

Other than that, there was another benefit to doing so, which was to promote professional gamers who made a living out of it. Those gamers would become the main force of the game in the future.

As for the private cash transactions of the players, that was not something that Zhang Heng could manage. It was just that, without the trading system, it was inevitable that things like reneging on one's debt would keep happening. Regardless, the rise of the 'Warhammer Era' had become inevitable. It had an irreparable boost to the sales of the Stellar Helmet-VR.

376. Zhang Xin's Pursuer

Time gradually passed.

It wasn't long before it was the end of September. The next day was the 11th National Day, which was held once a year. There were still 20 days before Zhang Heng was to carry out his next plane mission.

According to the rules that Zhang Heng had figured out, the Dimensional Star would randomly search for new planes for its host to choose from after every upgrade. However, he would only be able to tell its host which planes those planes were when he was on a mission.

As such, Zhang Heng had only two choices left at the moment—the Final Fantasy 7 plane and the Black Hole Surface plane.

The difficulty of the 7th plane of the Final Fantasy was determined by the system to be three stars, while the surface of the black hole was five stars. There was no doubt that Zhang Heng would choose the less difficult plane of the Final Fantasy plane.

However, the difficulty rating of the plane was closely related to the power of the host. Over the past two months, not only did Zhang Heng acquire a world-destroying weapon like the Interstellar Beetles, which had the ability to destroy planets, but he also acquired a Mind Gem, which boosted his mental power by over a hundred times. If that was the case, the difficulty of the Final Fantasy plane could have been reduced to that of a single star or even an even simpler half-star.

That was undoubtedly good news. The lower the difficulty, the lower the risk and death rate. With his current level of power, he would have to fight the final boss of Fantasy 7, Safiros, in his full form before he knew who would win.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes at that thought. As his mental power continued to grow, his once powerful body began to show signs of weakness. After all, compared to his mental power, which was capable of contending against nuclear bombs, his physical body seemed so insignificant. Even with the enhancement provided by the T-Virus, his physical body was far from being able to keep up with his mental power. That physical body of his had begun to restrict his abilities.

That was also the reason why Zhang Heng was so enamored with the DX-118 Virus. It was, after all, a super-virus capable of creating something godlike like Brother A, and it possessed unfathomable potential. It was a pity that Zhang Heng had begun researching it several months ago, investing a huge amount of manpower and resources in the process, with more than billions of yuan invested in it. However, all that money was wasted in the end. The most he was able to do was to create an army called the Evil God of Vengeance.

Zhang Heng was in desperate need of some kind of technology that could further strengthen his body.

The appearance of 'Final Fantasy 7' was like meeting a pillow when one was dozing off. The magical energy in that plane, as well as the legendary extraterrestrial parasite known as Genova, were both shortcuts that could enhance one's physique. Zhang Heng was determined to get them.

A look of yearning appeared in his eyes at that thought. The pursuit of power was endless. Since the forced evolutionary virus of the FEV had failed, the DX-118 Virus had failed as well, and all the Superhero genes of the Marvel plane had failed as well, the Genova cells could not afford to continue failing.

He parked his Mercedes-Benz GLS 63 in the parking lot at the south gate of Fudan University. It was the school's day off.

The school gates were packed with people, and the crowd was packed like ants. Countless students were carrying their luggage, preparing to go home and reunite with their parents and family.

There were cloned warriors who came to pick Zhang Xin up after school every day, so there was no need for Zhang Heng to come personally. However, he received a call from Gu Siyi that morning.

After being recruited by Zhang Heng, Gu Siyi assigned her to Zhang Xin's side to protect her in secret. Gu Siyi told Zhang Heng over the phone that Zhang Xin seemed to have met a suitor.

However, Zhang Heng wouldn't have bothered if she were just some regular suitor. After all, his sister's looks were out of the ordinary. While no one knew that she was the sister of the boss of Stellar Technology, everyone could tell from her living standards and the cars she drove that she came from a family that far exceeded that of regular students. She had the looks of a goddess and came from a good family background. As such, it was only natural for Zhang Xin to have many suitors.

However, the reason why Zhang Heng was alerted was, of course, not just because of one of Zhang Xin's suitors, but because Gu Siyi sensed that the suitor was not as simple as he seemed.

Zhang Heng lit a cigarette and put one hand in his pocket, leaning against the street lamp at the side. He was thinking about the next plane mission in his mind. He saw Zhang Xin and a young man walking out of the school gate, chatting and laughing, after just two to three minutes. It was obvious that they were the suitors that Gu Siyi mentioned.

"Huh?" Zhang Heng flicked the cigarette butt away and narrowed his eyes. With his vision, he was able to see through that male student completely in an instant. He was able to see even the pores on that student's face.

That man looked to be about 22 or 23 years old, and he looked rather decent. However, his lower limbs looked very weak when he walked, and his pale face was filled with the residue of alcohol. Despite having straightened his back, his body had long been deficient.

As expected, that suitor of his wasn't a simple man. One look and one could tell that he was some pampered playboy who had been completely wasted.

Zhang Heng frowned right away. The two of them walked out of the school gates and the man walked up to a luxurious car. A man dressed in black and dressed like a driver opened the door respectfully and the man invited Zhang Xin to get in.

Despite being in an extremely noisy environment, where the noise from the people and the engines of the cars were a complete mess, Zhang Heng was still able to hear every single word of their conversation with ease, given his abilities.

"Zhang Xin, let's go. Please give me some face and I'll treat you to a feast tonight!" The young man wore a cheerful grin, yet Zhang Heng was able to tell that there was a lewd air behind that grin.

"No need, Senior Jiang. My brother is coming to pick me up today." Zhang Xin shook her head and joked, "He'd break my legs if he knew that I got into a stranger's car."

"What day and age are we living in now? You shouldn't be thinking like that." The young man who was referred to as Senior Jiang said rather unhappily, "Zhang Xin, you're an adult now. What right do your parents and brother have to keep an eye on you? Seriously, don't just live under the shadow of your parents all the time. After all, it's only a matter of time before you get married and start your own business. The sooner you become independent, the sooner you'll gain some social experience."

Zhang Xin frowned and shook her head. She was about to say something when Zhang Heng walked up to the car. He patted her head and said with a smile, "What's wrong? Someone's bothering you?"

Zhang Xin looked at Zhang Heng with a surprised look when she saw him. There was a hint of joy in her eyes. "Brother, what brings you here?"

"You're Zhang Xin's older brother?" The young man raised his eyebrows and asked in a condescending tone.

"I'll take you home then." Zhang Heng paid no heed to the young man before him and simply said to Zhang Xin, "I've been too busy recently. How about we go out and have a nice meal at a hotel after taking you home today?"

"Sure!" Zhang Xin chuckled.

The young man's expression turned sour right away. All of his pretenses seemed to have gone to waste and the man before him didn't seem to care about him at all.

It was only when Zhang Heng pulled Zhang Xin away that the young man's face turned completely red and green. He wanted to stop the two of them at first, but he didn't seem to have any excuse to do so. He cursed under his breath after seeing the two of them walk away, before getting into the car without any interest and making a call.

377. Dragging Them Out To Feed The Dogs

"Hello, Zheng. Did you manage to get your hands on that girl?" An old yet energetic voice was heard from the other end of the phone as soon as the call went through.

"No, grandpa, but I saw that big brother of Zhang Xin you were talking about." The young man leaned back in his chair and looked rather glum. "He acted like he owned the place and didn't even bother talking to me. If it hadn't been for your orders, I would have hired someone to kill that guy a long time ago."

"Don't do anything stupid, Zheng!" The voice on the other end of the phone sounded rather angry. "Don't think that I don't know what you've been doing out there. I don't care what you're doing out there, but I have to remind you that you have to find a way to get that girl! And you have to behave yourself when you get to her. Don't mess around outside before you get married."

That elderly voice then sighed and continued, "I know that you're a very active person, Little Zheng, and it would be too much to ask you to guard a tree. However, I've discussed this with your parents. If you're able to woo her, you could at least ensure the prosperity of your family and the Li family for three generations."

The young man snorted and a look of disapproval was seen in his eyes. However, he seemed to be very afraid of his grandfather, so he didn't say anything in the end.

"Hey, Zheng, did you hear that?" The voice on the other end of the phone sounded rather unfriendly when the young man remained silent.

The young man was getting impatient and said lazily, "I know…"

Bang!

A violent shockwave was felt before he was able to finish his sentence. The car that the young man was in was knocked to the side by a huge truck that was right beside him. The car was sent flying like a piece of paper due to the impact and rolled several times on the ground before crashing to the side of the road.

Hiss…

The loud screech of brakes was heard and the heavy truck stopped right in front of the car that had been wrecked by the impact. A man wearing a mask and a cap with cold eyes got out of the truck unhurriedly. He walked to the side of the car that had been knocked over in a few steps, seemingly appreciating the results of his efforts. He then saw the rich, golden phone under his feet shouting "hey, hey" continuously. The man took a light step and the young man's phone was smashed into pieces.

It was only after he was done that the man in the cap picked up the young man, who had been knocked over like a little chick and had passed out, from the car. A pitch-black car stopped right beside the man.

The man threw the unconscious young man into the trunk of the black car as if they had discussed it beforehand and closed the lid of the car with a bang before getting into the car unhurriedly. The mysterious black car drove off in the very next second.

All of that happened in less than a minute. By the time the crowd gathered around, that mysterious car was nowhere to be seen.

Zhang Heng and Zhang Xin headed home at that moment. Zhang Heng and his family got into the car in less than half an hour and headed straight for a five-star hotel.

Zhang Heng took his parents and sister back to the villa in the outskirts after having dinner late at night. He then excused himself with the excuse that he had work to do at the company. While he missed the feeling of kinship, he knew that he still had a lot to do.

Zhang Heng looked at the reluctant faces of his family in the rearview mirror and felt a tinge of warmth and relief. However, that relief was quickly replaced by a cold feeling.

"Commander, we've brought him to the hive." Corona's voice was heard in his mind.

"Very well, I'll be right there." Zhang Heng felt like he was about to burst into flames. He never thought that someone would actually dare to touch his bottom line with just his hands alone. He wasn't so naïve as to think that all of that was just a coincidence. He could easily figure out why a rich and powerful young master would appear before his sister.

Zhang Heng soon arrived at the hive. A clone warrior who had been well-prepared bowed to him before leading the way to the interrogation room where the prisoners were kept.

Clang!

The cold metal door opened quickly and the pale light shone brightly in the interrogation room, making one's eyes hurt. Three cloned warriors stood still in the room and one of them was the man in the cap who drove the truck earlier. However, he had taken off his disguise and was looking at a young man who was kneeling on the ground and shivering in the middle of the interrogation room with a deadpan expression.

"Please, please, just let me go. You can have as much money as you want. My father has plenty of money…" The young man was no longer as arrogant as he had been before. All that was left of him was a pleading look. His face was covered in blood and there was still a huge wound on his head from the car accident that happened in the afternoon. However, the wound had stopped bleeding long ago and the blood was all over the place, making him look rather pathetic.

It was only when Zhang Heng walked in that the young man looked over subconsciously. However, when he saw what Zhang Heng looked like, the young man was stunned. "Y-You're you?"

"It's me." Zhang Heng walked up to the young man with a deadpan expression and casually sat on the chair handed to him by the clone warrior. He lit a cigarette and looked at the young man before him through the smoke. "You have two choices now. One, tell me who ordered you to get near Zhang Xin. The other, die."

"I-It's my grandpa…" The young man finally realized what the problem was. He put on a smile that looked worse than crying and said in a pitiful tone, "My grandpa told me to go after Zhang Xin. But, to be honest with you, I've never hurt Zhang Xin in any way."

"Your grandpa?" Zhang Heng frowned and asked, "Who's your grandpa?"

"It's Old Master Li." Corona appeared behind Zhang Heng and said, "I've found out that the man's name is Jiang Tianzheng and he's the son of the Jiang Group, the tycoon of Taizhou Real Estate. His mother is Li Jianguo's sister, Li Yiru's aunt."

"Y-yes. My uncle is Li Jianguo and my cousin is Li Yiru. You can't kill me!" The young man's eyes lit up after hearing Corona's explanation. While he had no idea who Zhang Heng was, he was able to tell at that moment that Zhang Heng seemed to know his uncle and grandfather.

"I see."

However, Zhang Heng was so angry that he laughed instead after hearing the news. He chuckled and said, "Very good. That old fart actually dared to do such a thing. Did he really think that I wouldn't dare to kill him?"

"Commander…" Corona said worriedly, "But, if Ms. Li Yiru were to find out…"

"So what if he knows?" Zhang Heng took a look at Jiang Tianzheng and said casually, "If he dares to lay his hands on Zhang Xin, he should be prepared to have his claws cut off by me. Does he really not know what kind of a piece of trash his grandson is? But then again, the fact that he dared to send such a piece of trash after Zhang Xin is more than enough to risk her life for his own benefit."

A ferocious glint flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes as he said that. He stood up all of a sudden and swiped at Jiang Tianzheng's eyes with his right hand. Jiang Tianzheng felt his vision blur for a second and felt a piercing pain in his eyes. He couldn't help but touch his eyes, but he only found two bloody holes.

It was only then that Jiang Tian realized that the other party had actually gouged out his eyes.

“Arrgghhhhhh! My eyes!” A blood-curdling scream was heard from the interrogation room, filled with anguish, as if it had been subjected to the harshest punishment in history.

Zhang Heng stood up and headed straight for the door of the interrogation room. He smirked as he walked and said, "It's been a while since I last paid a visit to Old Master Li. I'm going to give Old Master Li a present. As for that piece of trash, just take him out and feed him to the dogs."

"But… there aren't any dogs in the hive?" Corona asked innocently.

"Then drag him out and feed him to the xenomorphs!"

Zhang Heng disappeared at the end of the corridor as he spoke.

378. Black Shadow

Dark clouds gathered late at night.

Despite it being autumn, the air seemed to be filled with a stifling heat that night.

An old man who looked to be in his twilight years sat before a table in a small area of the Emperor's Villa in the Changning District. His eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily.

The main source of light in the old man's study was not turned on. There were only a few lamps that flickered weakly under the night sky, making the room look like a flickering candle, adding to the dead silence of the night.

Knock, knock, knock…

A series of hurried footsteps was heard from outside the corridor, which sounded like some kind of palace. The footsteps echoed for about 10 seconds before the footsteps stopped right before the door of the study and knocked lightly.

"Come in." The old man slowly opened his eyes and said casually.

Creak…

The sound of wood rubbing against each other was heard from the deep, dark corridor of the expensive Roland-carved wooden door, which sounded like a weird, prolonged inhalation. A man with a rather serious expression poked his head in and said, "Old Master, the Jiang family called for the fifth time. What do you think…"

"Accept it." The old man wasn't surprised at all and simply nodded with a serious expression.

"Sure!" The man handed the phone over right away. The old man took a deep breath and put the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Dad…" A rather mean female voice was heard from the other side of the phone, yet her voice sounded like she was about to cry. "Dad, have you found Zheng yet?"

"Not yet, soon, soon…" The old man closed his eyes and said softly.

"But, it's been five to six hours." The woman sobbed and continued, "Even if we were to mobilize the Public Security Bureau, we still wouldn't be able to find him."

"According to Wu, the surveillance cameras around the area were rendered useless for over 10 seconds at the time, and things only returned to normal after Little Zheng was captured." The old man's voice sounded rather serious. "The case isn't going to be easy to solve for organized and premeditated operations like this."

"Who are they? Are they after money?" The voice on the other end of the phone sounded like it was about to cry. "Doesn't Big Brother have a lot of connections in Haizhou? Why don't you find out who kidnapped Little Zheng? I'll give them all the money they want!"

"Relax, the founding of the country has been going about its business for a long time." The old man nodded and said, "Your brother still has some influence in Haizhou. Now that something happened to Little Zheng here, we'll definitely take full responsibility…"

The old man hung up after much persuasion. However, he seemed to have aged considerably the moment he hung up. He lowered his head and mumbled in a voice that only he could hear, "If only it was really just kidnapping. I'm just afraid…"

"Sigh…"

The old man sighed and looked rather remorseful all of a sudden. He still remembered what his grandson said before he died.

"But I saw Zhang Xin's brother…"

The old man didn't think much of it, as it was just a very common line. However, he only felt a chill running down his spine when he found out that his grandson had been kidnapped in broad daylight.

He had a feeling that the disappearance of his grandson this time would not be as simple as an ordinary kidnapping.

As someone who had witnessed the rise of such a massive entity with his own eyes, the elder knew very well just what kind of mountains of corpses and seas of blood lay behind the rise of stellar technology.

Liang Chao, the son of the previous vice mayor, had some conflicts with Stellar Technology before, but Liang Chao died mysteriously several months later.

The heirs of several political families in Jingzhou came to seek the acquisition, but all of them went missing in the end.

The internationally renowned assassin organization took on the mission to assassinate the upper echelons of Stellar Technology and was completely eradicated by the mysterious organization within a day.

He even heard from the leaders of several countries that the United States seemed to have taken action against Stellar Technology before…

Compared to Stellar Technology, the Li Group was like a small toy. Not to mention the upper echelons of the government, even the mayor's dissatisfaction with him was more than enough to make things difficult for the Li Group.

The deaths of those people who attacked Stellar Technology were still fresh in his mind. It was obvious that he was finally the one to blame.

Even though it was early autumn and the weather was still hot and humid, he still felt a chill running down his spine when that gust of wind blew past the window and blew on him.

"Wait, something's really not right here…" The old man's mouth felt rather dry all of a sudden. He reached out with his trembling hands to grab the cup on the table, but all of a sudden, a deafening clap of thunder was heard and the entire study was filled with white lightning.

The old man's hands shook all of a sudden and the expensive blue and white porcelain cup fell to the floor with a loud thud, shattering into pieces.

The old man looked at the water stains on the floor and hesitated for a bit. He gritted his teeth and picked up the phone on the table, pointing at a familiar yet unfamiliar name.

That name was Zhang Heng.

Beep…

The first beeping sound was heard from the other end of the phone. That was the prompt before the other party picked up the call. However, the old man seemed to have heard a brief ringing sound as soon as the beeping sound was heard.

That was the most primitive ringtone. It first appeared on the seated consoles and had a uniform frequency to it. As cell phones became increasingly common, most of the landline consoles began to disappear without a trace. However, there were still quite a number of nostalgic people who liked to set their cell phones to such primitive rings.

"Huh?"

The old man frowned and looked in the direction of the sound, only to find a wall blocking his view.

Maybe someone just called?

The old man shook his head and put the phone to his ear.

Beep—

The second beep was heard and the old man continued to listen intently. However, before the beep was finished, the short prompt from the ringing bell was heard again. Furthermore, the sound seemed to be getting closer.

The old man’s entire body froze and he subconsciously held his breath, continuing to listen to the sounds from the other end of the phone with his shaking hands. As expected, the ringtone rang again after the third ringtone was heard. Furthermore, the old man was able to clearly hear that the source of that sound was outside the study.

"Who is it?"

The elder stood up suddenly and shouted with his eyes wide open. However, his legs, which were hidden behind the desk, began to tremble subconsciously.

Beep!

The beeping sound of the fourth beep was heard from the other end of the phone. However, the ringtone that was supposed to ring after the beeping sound disappeared without a trace.

"Hah…" The old man sighed and slowly sat down. He was still unable to confirm if the voice he heard just then was an illusion.

Beep!

The fifth chime was heard, but before the old man was able to heave a sigh of relief, he heard the ringing of the bell from behind him again. The sound was heard clearly and was only several meters away from him.

The old man turned around and heard yet another thunderous roar.

Rumble…

The old man only saw a black silhouette standing behind him in the midst of that ghastly white lightning. The electric light illuminated the entire study room, but due to the silhouette's back facing the lightning, he was only able to make out the silhouette of the silhouette. However, the silhouette's face was buried deep within the black silhouette.

379. Gift

No one was able to sit down calmly after finding out that there was someone standing behind them all of a sudden. That was the case with the old man at the moment. He stood up at a speed that didn't match his age and quickly retreated behind the table.

"Good day, Mr. Li."

However, that figure didn't do anything. He simply greeted her as if they were acquaintances. His voice was low and hoarse, with a chill that was as cold as ice.

The old man couldn't help but widen his eyes when he heard what the young man said—he had heard that voice before. That young man was standing right before him at his 80th birthday party a year ago.

"Zhang Heng!"

The elder blurted out in shock.

"It's me." The blinding bolt of lightning flashed and Zhang Heng slowly walked out of the darkness with heavy footsteps amidst the rumbling thunder.

He hadn't seen the young man in front of him for over a year. While the young man before him was still unbelievably young, he had long lost all of his youthful innocence. All that was left was an indescribable sense of calmness and cruelty. That pair of eyes, which were as bright as the stars, kept looking at him. Every time he looked at a certain part of his body, Old Master Li would feel a stabbing pain in the area under his clothes.

It had only been a year since they last saw each other, yet the young man before him had grown from a cub into a young king. The old man could even sense a suffocating pressure coming from the young man, a pressure that he had only ever felt from the leaders of the country when they first met.

However, despite having been frightened before, Old Master Li had been through countless trials and tribulations after all. Furthermore, he had the qualities of a martial arts grandmaster and had been through a lot of training. As such, he was able to regain his senses very quickly. He smiled and tried his best to look friendly as he said, "What brings you here, Boss Zhang?"

The young man before him seemed to be stunned for a bit. It was obvious that he hadn't expected the young man to recover so quickly.

"I remember that I haven't given you any congratulatory gifts during your 81th birthday banquet, have I?" Zhang Heng continued, "I couldn't help but feel ashamed when I recalled how much you've helped me all those years ago. As such, I found some time to deliver this' gift 'to you personally."

Zhang Heng enunciated the word 'big gift' very seriously and raised his right hand at the same time, slowly spreading it out in front of the bewildered old man.

Boom…

Another rumble of thunder was heard and Old Master Li looked over instinctively. He saw two round objects rolling about in his palm and he had a bad feeling about that.

"Hehe, you're being too formal, Boss Zhang. I…" The old man forced a smile, wanting to break the heavy atmosphere. However, he shuddered involuntarily when he saw what was in Zhang Heng's hand.

Those were two round, bloody eyes!

The eyeball was covered in blood vessels and the pupils on the front side of the eyeball had long been enlarged, giving off a viscous feel under the weak lighting. One could even see two light blue nerves at the end of the eyeball drooping down, as if the eyeball was being ripped out of the eyeball.

"W-What do you mean by that?" Old Master Li was no longer able to maintain that fake smile on his face and his expression turned ugly.

"This is something that belonged to your grandson. Don't you remember anything else?" Zhang Heng wore a cruel grin and flipped his wrist slightly. Two eyeballs dropped onto the table like ping pong balls. Old Master Li could even see the eyeballs deform slightly when they came into contact with the table, before they bounced up and dropped to the floor weakly.

Zhang Heng's words were heard by him at that moment as well. Old Master Li felt himself blacking out and staggered for two steps before he was able to steady himself. However, his heart sank to the bottom.

"Hahaha, you sure know how to do things, Boss Zhang!" The thought of his beloved grandson getting into trouble made Old Master Li hold back his sadness and continued, "I know that I've been good to you, Boss Zhang. I wonder how the Li Family has ever offended you, Boss Zhang. Why are you making things difficult for us in such a manner? Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"

"The innocent shall know the truth, and the guilty shall know the truth." Zhang Heng waved dismissively and sat down on the old man's chair. "Of course, I remember the favor that the Li Group did me. If it hadn't been for your son, I wouldn't be where I am today. But… that doesn't mean that I have to accept all of your schemes."

"You were the one who asked Li Yiru to get close to me back then, weren't you?" Zhang Heng flipped through the documents on the table casually. "It's just that Li Yiru had a good impression of me to begin with, so I took advantage of the situation. I didn't mind it and even put her in an important position. However, when you realized that it was impossible between me and Li Yiru, you went on to try to get your hands on my sister. That wasn't that big of a deal. When it comes to relationships between men and women, it's a matter of mutual consent. I couldn't interfere with anything, but you really shouldn't have…"

"I shouldn't have let someone like that get near my sister!"

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and took out a USB flash drive from his pocket and plugged it into the laptop on his desk. The high-performance, solid-looking drive was completed in just a few seconds. He moved the mouse to the icon on the USB flash drive and tapped on it lightly. Photos and video data appeared on the screen one after another.

Zhang Heng turned the screen to Old Master Li and explained in detail, "A female body was found in an apartment in Taipei, Taizhou, on February 29, 2014. The female body had long rotted away and there were signs of sexual assault. The suspect was none other than the son of the Jiang family, Jiang Tianzheng. It's a pity that the case was dropped."

"On May 8, 2015, Taipei cracked a case of drug abuse and selling silver. According to the client, the victim confessed that the victim was forced to inject drugs into the victim due to rejecting a particular suitor. The suitor then forced the victim to have sex and became a tool for the suitor. The victim was eventually abandoned and had no choice but to sell silver for a living…"

"21 December 2017. There was a case of rape and death in Haizhou…"

"Shut up…" Every time Zhang Heng mentioned a case, Old Master Li would shudder. He waved his hand and shut his eyes in pain.

"Well, I guess you do know what kind of person your grandson is." Zhang Heng let out a sigh and chuckled coldly. "But then again, you actually dared to let someone like that get close to my sister. Do you really think I'd be able to stand that?"

"I…" Old Master Li opened his mouth, wanting to explain himself, but when he saw Zhang Heng's eyes, he was rendered speechless.

"I'll always remember the help your son and granddaughter gave me back then." Zhang Heng's expression returned to normal as he stood up and walked out of the door. "But, that doesn't mean that I'll tolerate you attacking my family."

Zhang Heng strode out of the room and disappeared into the corridor as he said that, leaving only a cold, clear voice in the background. "That's all for today. I don't want to pursue the matter any further, but if there's a next time…"

"It's more than just a 'gift'…"

The old man only let out a bitter laugh when he saw Zhang Heng's silhouette gradually disappearing from his sight and slumped to the ground. He looked as if he had aged over 10 years all of a sudden. He extended his trembling hand and picked up both of the eyeballs in his palm, looking utterly devastated.

The cruelest thing that had happened since ancient times was to see the white-haired man die…

380. Heavy Rain

He only let out a sigh of relief when Zhang Heng walked out of the residential area with a complicated look on his face.

He wasn't as cold-hearted as he appeared to be deep down. He was the father of someone who had helped him before, after all. He knew that Li Jianguo and Li Yiru had never done anything to harm him.

It was just that, for the sake of his family, he had no choice but to put up a front that kept people away from him, just like a porcupine, constantly sticking its spikes up high, not allowing any harm to come to him.

If he were to go easy on them this time, things would only get worse. The place he was standing at looked like a flight of stairs. While he was able to climb the stairs, the sides of the stairs looked like empty cliffs. Countless evil spirits from hell extended their bony arms from the bottom of those cliffs, waiting. Their blue eyes, which were filled with hunger, were filled with greed and bloodlust.

Zhang Heng had no other way out and could only keep climbing upwards. If he were to make a mistake, he would end up falling headfirst into a cliff and being bitten and torn apart by those evil spirits that were after him, leaving nothing behind.

"Am I supposed to call you an old fool?" Zhang Heng snorted coldly and turned around to take a look. His vision was able to see right through the darkness and he was able to see through the window of the study in the villa several hundred meters away, where Old Master Li was holding the eyeballs of his two grandsons and crying in a low voice.

If it hadn't been for Li Jianguo's father and Li Yiru's grandfather, he would have been dead by now.

Rumble…

Another rumble of thunder was heard and beads of raindrops the size of beans fell from the sky like sprites. They landed on the dry ground and were absorbed into the dry ground in the very next second.

However, there was simply too much rain. The dry cement didn't even have time to absorb a single drop before the next one rained down. In the end, countless droplets gathered on the concrete floor and formed shallow puddles, wetting the entire world.

The storm was pouring.

The pedestrians on the streets had practically disappeared by then. Even those who didn't make it home in time found shelter nearby and called while hoping that the storm would subside as soon as possible.

All that was left of the world was darkness. Everything beyond 10 meters was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

A cab slowly drove past and Zhang Heng waved at it. The cab stopped right beside him and he opened the door and got into the cab. The cab drove into the pouring rain.

"Can I smoke here?" Zhang Heng took out a pack of cigarettes and asked.

"Why not?" The driver smiled and continued, "According to the rules, the rules are dead and the people are alive."

Zhang Heng chuckled and handed one to the driver. He lit it for the driver before lighting it for himself and turned to look out the window.

The driver thanked him and the sound of raindrops pattering on the ground outside the car, as well as the sound of the windshield wipers rubbing against each other, gradually turned on the speaker.

"The price of this pack of cigarettes isn't cheap, is it? You young people sure like to splurge. You only stop when you run out of money at the end of the month." The driver shook his head and said with a smile, "However, our income hasn't been doing so well in our line of work as well. The internet traffic is getting increasingly out of hand and the government hasn't been able to come up with anything. We might not even be able to get a single passenger if we were to run in the outskirts for over 10 minutes…"

"I heard that someone jumped off a building on that bridge some time ago. I think it was someone who came to work and was fired by the boss. He didn't even get to pay for his ride home. Tsk tsk…"

"By the way, that road over there was just repaired a while ago, but it collapsed again. If it hadn't been for that, we could have walked at least three kilometers less…"

It was as if the driver hadn't spoken for a very long time throughout the entire journey. He kept talking non-stop, as if he was trying to tell the driver everything that he had been telling the driver for the past few days. Zhang Heng simply wore a faint smile on his face and looked as if he was listening intently. When he got to the crux of the matter, he still wore a shocked expression on his face, which made the driver feel as if he had a listener and he couldn't help but spit all over the place, looking very energetic.

The driver wore a plain grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up high. One could see the shiny black oil stains on the cuffs, and his black hair was plastered all over his head. There were a few strands of white hair mixed in with his hair, and he kept telling Zhang Heng what he saw and heard.

Zhang Heng took out a few banknotes worth 10 yuan and handed them to the driver after they finally reached their destination about 10 minutes later. However, the driver waved his hand and said generously, "No need for that much, just give me the price. You look like you've just gotten out of society after all. It's not easy for anyone to make money these days. Don't forget about your parents if you save up."

Zhang Heng flashed a polite smile and took back a bill symbolically before walking into the rain. The driver felt that something was off when he saw Zhang Heng standing there and letting the rain pour all over him. He put the money into his pocket and pulled out a dirty rag out of habit, getting ready to wipe the leather seat that Zhang Heng was sitting on.

However, that movement froze in midair.

The driver seemed to have recalled something and touched the seat that Zhang Heng was sitting on, only to find that it was completely dry and still had some warmth on it.

Not a single drop of water was left behind?

He had seen that quiet young man wait in the storm for half a minute before getting into the car. The storm at the start of autumn was the most intense, and even staying in the rain for a few seconds would make his underwear wet.

That was why he habitually prepared a rag and cleaned the seats after the passengers left, making it easier for him to welcome the next passenger.

The driver looked in the direction that Zhang Heng left in a daze. He gradually recalled that there seemed to be no water stains on his body and hair when he got into the car.

However, how was that possible?

The driver would probably never be able to figure that out. Zhang Heng returned to his villa at that moment and went to wash up before lying on his bed.

However, Zhang Heng wasn't actually going to sleep. He was going to continue training his mental power in Corona's virtual space. A 100-fold increase in mental power would require a lot of training before he could get used to it.

The computational ability of Zhang Heng's brain had long surpassed that of regular humans. As such, as long as he didn't run into anything out of the ordinary, he was unable to use his brain very well every day. It was equivalent to him being in a semi-sleep state at all times. Even if he were to wake up, it would be equivalent to how tense his brain was when he was resting.

To put it simply, unless Zhang Heng were to resort to massive amounts of mental power or massive amounts of brain power to perform complex calculations, there would be no problem with brain fatigue in his daily life. Sleep had lost all meaning to him.

The only reason why Zhang Heng was able to sleep occasionally was because he was unable to change his habits as a human for the time being.

381. Final Fantasy

Zhang Heng spent the next 20 days in Corona's virtual space. It was soon time for the next plane mission.

"Main Quest officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

"Plane search… search is limited. Search complete. There are two planes of value nearby the host plane."

"Plane A: Final Fantasy Level 7. Danger Level: ★ ★"

"Plane B: Blackhole surface plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

Zhang Heng was sitting in the lounge on the B8th floor of the Honeycomb, resting with his eyes closed. The D.S.F troops were waiting outside the door. As Zhang Heng's technological advancement grew, the equipment of the Special Forces from the other planes became more advanced as well.

The Special Forces of the other plane were currently equipped with a new type of alloy armor that was formed from a combination of vibranium and high-density armor. The new alloy that was formed from the fusion of the two metals was so well-equipped that even Zhang Heng was astonished by its performance. The Mo Clan's hardiness alone was able to reach above 80, and its durability was comparable to that of titanium alloy. It was even able to withstand high temperatures of about a million degrees. The armor wouldn't suffer any damage even if it were to fall into the sun.

Such super alloy could even be used as cannonballs for interstellar electromagnetic cannons. As long as the kinetic energy was sufficient, such cannonballs would be so tough that they could penetrate planets unscathed.

The only unfortunate thing was that such an extraterrestrial alloy, known as vibranium, was simply too rare. It wasn't even found in the periodic table of elements. The vibranium that Zhang Heng had acquired from the Marvel plane wasn't something found on Earth, but something found on a meteorite from outer space. It would have been as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack to find a second piece of vibranium in the vast universe.

A third of the vibranium that Zhang Heng brought back was modified into a new type of armor. The new type of armor was known as the 'Armageddon Type II', which combined with Iron Man's Mark armor greatly reduced its size. It was only two meters tall when worn, but its performance in terms of the armor's AI, kinetic, weapon systems, and so on was enhanced instead of reduced. It even had the ability to fly like the Mark armor. In terms of overall strength, the Armageddon Type II armor's combat power was more than three times that of the Armageddon Type I.

As for the Falcon mech, there were not many changes to be made. While the oscillating metal brought back was enough to manufacture hundreds of new Falcon mechs after being fused with a high-density alloy, that was completely unnecessary. The oscillating metal would be used less and Zhang Heng would have more use for the remaining metals.

However, the power system of the Falcon had been further enhanced, enabling it to gain the ability to travel in outer space for a short period of time. The Falcon had begun to evolve in the direction of the smaller battleship.

At that moment, there were 800 cloned warriors wearing Armageddon Type II armor waiting silently in the square on the B8th floor. There were 200 Tyrants on standby as well. The equipment used to mass-produce the Evil Vengeful Soldiers were still kept on the Falcon mech, enabling it to manufacture thousands of Evil Vengeful Soldiers at any given moment.

Due to the size reduction of the Doomsday Type II armor, the space that the Falcon mechs had been struggling with became larger as well. 10 T-800s were placed in all of those spaces. It could be said that they were armed to the teeth.

There were over a hundred falcons and over a thousand special forces soldiers from the other planes. Zhang Heng was capable of fighting the entire world on his own just based on that alone.

Zhang Heng's eyes snapped open as the voice of the Dimensional Star was heard in his mind. The lights above his head seemed to flicker for a bit when he opened his eyes. A tiny slit at the center of his forehead opened and closed all of a sudden, as if a third eye was brewing inside.

"Two planes?" Zhang Heng frowned. He knew that every time his access was upgraded, there would be new planes available for him to choose from. There were at most five or six planes available for him to choose from. However, there was no new plane appearing after his access was upgraded to Class B, which made him wonder.

Furthermore, he discovered that the difficulty of the two Dimensional Missions seemed to be far higher than he had anticipated. His power had skyrocketed after acquiring the nanomachines, and he had even acquired the Mind Gem. While he had given up on over 99 percent of the power in the Mind Gem, the remaining power still boosted his power significantly. Despite that, he was still only able to reduce the difficulty of the Final Fantasy 7 by one star. The difficulty of the Black Hole plane hadn't dropped at all.

"Please select the mission plane immediately. If you don't finish selecting within three minutes, the Dimensional Star will arrange for you to enter one of the two planes by force." Just when Zhang Heng was feeling rather uneasy, the mechanical voice that carried a woman's voice urged him all of a sudden.

"Are you kidding me…?" Zhang Heng's expression became even uglier. He suddenly had a feeling that the virtual personality, which could only hear voices but couldn't see any shapes, was nowhere near Yurianne.

Yurianne also knew how to act cute and give him pointers. That guy, who was said to be a level higher than Yurianne and was one of the seven main personalities of the Dimensional Star, was of no use to him other than issuing missions.

Zhang Heng actually began to miss Yurianne, whom he had conned to death.

"Select countdown: Host, one more minute."

That voice in his mind continued to ring while he was cursing. He then dismissed all those useless thoughts, stood up quickly, and walked out of the resting room. He saw over a thousand cloned warriors wearing black Armor Type II armor standing in the plaza right away, as well as the hundreds of falcons behind them.

There were over a thousand cloned warriors wearing the Doomsday Type II armor. Just like the Doomsday Type I armor of the past, the Doomsday Type II armor remained an exoskeleton armor. The armor's outer shell was painted a reflective black, with pieces of armor plates interlocking with one another, giving it a cold, sci-fi look.

The neck area of the armor looked the same as it did before, with a collar-like layer protecting the head. The helmet was a triangular, tilted shape, with the inside of the 'collar' being embedded, creating a 45-degree angle of defense. There were no observation holes on the helmet, only two infrared optical tracking systems replacing the vision, which were projected directly into the eyes of the armored soldiers.

"Select countdown: 30 seconds…"

"Decision countdown: 10 seconds…"

Determination flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes and he said softly, "I choose… the 'Final Fantasy 7' plane."

"Understood. Host confirmed. 'Final Fantasy 7' plane space-time lockdown begins."

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered 'Final Fantasy 7' plane. Mission scanned."

"Warning: Final Fantasy 7 Dimensional Mission begins. Main Quest: Acquire an extraterrestrial parasite—Genova."

"Optional mission. Acquire planetary energy converter—Magic Furnace."

"Urgent quest, none."

"Quest Time: 72 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 6 hours. Failure Penalty: Host reduced to the second tier."

382. Entry

Ladder team.

Zhang Heng had heard of the term 'ladder' more than once from the Dimensional Star. If he were to follow the literal meaning of the word, it would be 'hierarchical', just like how he was given access before. Zhang Heng had gone through eight or nine plane missions, ranging from Level E access to Level B access. It was only when he discovered the secrets of the Dimensional Star and tricked Yurianne that he heard the term 'ladder' for the first time.

From that perspective, the so-called 'hierarchy' seemed to be some kind of hierarchy that differed from authority, yet he had yet to discover the differences between the two.

He wondered what the 'ladder' meant…

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes with that thought in mind.

"Warning, AI detected environmental changes!"

"You've entered an unknown environment. Environmental comparison… Comparison complete. No similar environment detected."

"Temperature in the outside world -27 degrees Celsius. Air composition: nitrogen ratio 77%, oxygen ratio 22%, carbon dioxide ratio 0.05%, water vapor 0.1%, other unknown gases and impurities: 0.01%. Comprehensive judgment: nonthreatening. Allowing to be exposed to unknown environments for a short period of time."

Everything he saw was greyish-white.

Cold wind blew against his armor, sending snow and fog into the air with ear-piercing roars. The entire world was covered in greyish-white clouds, and the sky above his head was covered in lead-gray clouds, which seemed to connect with the snow on the horizon, making it difficult to tell which was snow and which was heaven.

Zhang Heng seemed to be at the peak of a tall mountain. There was a huge hole behind him that looked like the mouth of a volcano. White mist drifted around the hole, making it look like an endless abyss.

The great hollow in the north.

If this place was indeed the world of Final Fantasy No. 7, then that area would be the crater created when Genova crashed into the planet 2000 years ago.

The planet was the name of the place where the story took place in the Final Fantasy World 7. It was a planet that was similar to Earth, but definitely not Earth. The so-called Genova was a parasitic lifeform that fell into the planet 2,000 years ago. The purpose of such a lifeform was to absorb energy from the planet and destroy worlds.

However, there was an extraterrestrial race known as the 'Setra' who heard the lamenting cries of planets as they passed by them. The Setra race known as the 'ancient species' possessed the ability to communicate with planets and nurture them. They were able to open the veins of the Spring of Life in various places, enabling the life cycle of planets to be activated, enabling them to become fertile.

The kind-hearted ones were determined to save the planet after communicating with it and eventually seal Genova.

That was the historical background of this world.

It was 2000 years later when the Settlers sealed Genova. At that time, an ambitious company named 'Genova' discovered something called 'Genova', which happened to discover the sealed Genova by chance. After acquiring those two items, a company named 'Genova' was able to create a new batch of powerful Genova cells, which eventually became the apex of the world and unified the regime.

However, what no one knew was that the so-called energy source was actually the life source of the planet, which was the equivalent of the planet's blood supply. The massive consumption of the planet's blood resulted in the planet's life being consumed, which gradually led to the destruction of the world.

Some people gradually began to realize that phenomenon. As such, an organization named 'avalanche' was established and countless ambitious people joined the organization, resisting the monopoly of the Shenluo Corporation and preventing the world from being destroyed.

In the End Fantasy 7 story, the most powerful warrior of the Shenluo Corporation, Safiros, was a powerful lifeform created by Genova cells. He began to hate the world after learning of his background and eventually launched a meteorite attack in an attempt to destroy it.

Of course, if a world-destroying BOSS were to appear, there would be a savior who would stop the world-destroying BOSS from appearing. Claude from the avalanche organization was one of them, as he was the most powerful fighter in the entire organization.

As a matter of fact, Claude was once a warrior of the Shenluo Empire, and his body was similarly implanted with Genova cells. He had put in countless efforts to stop Safiros, including paying the price of the deaths of his lovers, before he was finally able to send Safiros into the spring of life on the planet, saving the entire world from the brink of destruction.

However, that wasn't the end of the story.

Two years after that epic battle, a terminal disease known as the 'Stellar Scar syndrome' was cast in the minds of the people living on that planet. That disease was caused by the integration of the Genova cells into the Spring of Life after Claude defeated Safiros.

The human body was like a miniature version of the River of Life, which would automatically purge all foreign substances from the human body. The Stellar Mark syndrome was a reaction caused by the human body when the cells of Genova, or Safiros, were purged. The terminal illness was caused by the black spots on the skin and the black pus that seeped out. Those who suffered from the disease were unable to be cured and could only wait for death.

Those who didn't know better would have thought that the planet was punishing humans for destroying humanity's past, which was why it was called the 'Stellar Scar syndrome'.

After the infected died, their mental and physical bodies would return to the path of life, and the Stellar Scar would follow the infected to invade the path of life, which would then harm the planet, enabling Safiros to gain control of the planet.

The last part of the storyline was that Claude defeated the resurrected Zafiros yet again, and the planet rained down the Spring of Life to cleanse the human disease.

Scenes from the plot flashed before his eyes. The Final Fantasy 7 was a world-renowned game back in the day, and its influence was ranked in the top three in the history of the games. There was even a CG movie released afterward, yet it appeared on his list of choices in the form of a mission from the Dimensional Star. That seemed to indicate that the humans on that planet had yet to escape the fate of extinction.

According to the explanation provided by the Dimensional Star itself, its purpose of existence was to allow its host to collect advanced technology from planes that were either destroyed or near-destruction in order to resist the upcoming 'curse'. From that, it could be seen that the humans on the planet were on the verge of destruction, even if they had yet to be destroyed. If not, it would have been impossible for them to appear on the list of choices made by the Dimensional Star.

That was where the problem came from. What was the reason that humans were still unable to escape the fate of the world being destroyed?

Furthermore, the difficulty level of the plane was two stars. Given that Zhang Heng's power had grown significantly, the difficulty level of two stars meant that there was a 30 percent chance that he would fail or die. That was something that Zhang Heng found unbelievable. While the humans on the planet were powerful in terms of combat prowess, the Marvel Cinemas were not inferior to them in any way. Furthermore, Zhang Heng's technological prowess far exceeded that of the entire planet. If that was the case, where would the dangers lie?

Zhang Heng looked into the distance with a troubled look on his face. Behind him, hundreds of falcons were hovering silently in the air. The howling winds had no effect on the stability of the falcons, making them look like stars surrounding the moon, standing guard behind Zhang Heng, ready to attack at any moment.

With the firepower of the Falcon mech, even if Janova were to come back to life, she would have been reduced to dust, not to mention Zhang Heng's Galactic Beetles. If there were no concerns, Zhang Heng would have been able to devour the entire planet with the power of the Galactic Beetles.

"Well then, Zhishang, turn on the quantum communication and send 10 Falcon mechs to search the planet. I want to know everything on the planet at the moment," Zhang Heng ordered through the communication device.

"Understood." The emotionless voice of Zhishang was heard from the communication device. The 10 falcons at the very front began to hum and vibrate in the air at the very next second. At the same time, the mechas flashed with a stream of light and completely fused with the air in the blink of an eye, disappearing completely. Only a few particle streams from the particle propulsion system remained in everyone's line of sight before disappearing into the horizon.

383. Claude Died?

Zhang Heng traversed thousands of kilometers in four hours and appeared before the gates of Midgard.

The city of Midgard was also known as the City of Gods, or known as the City of Demons. That was where the ruler of the world—the headquarters of the Shenluo Corporation—was located. The city was circular in shape and was divided into eight fan-shaped areas and the center of the Shenluo building, with each area having a demon furnace to supply the city.

The entire city looked like a pancake from high up in the sky, which gave it the nickname 'Pizza Hut'.

The area around the city was a wasteland where not a single blade of grass grew. That was the fruit of Shenluo's excessive extraction of the planet's blood. Most of the environment on the planet was destroyed.

Not only did Zhang Heng fail to see how prosperous the city looked when he stood before the majestic city, it looked like a puddle of stagnant water instead. The entire city looked cold and cheerless, without any signs of the prosperity and civilization that the biggest city should have.

Zhang Heng had ordered 10 falcons to gather all information regarding the planet, but the results were rather surprising. The Stellar Scar syndrome had become a nightmare for all humanity, with over 90 percent of the world dead from starvation and disease.

It was a century-old infectious disease that caused the population of the entire planet to drop like wheat being harvested. Only a handful of people were able to resist the Genova cells without being infected. Furthermore, with the deaths of countless people, the Spring of Life on the planet became increasingly polluted by the Genova. By then, the fires of human civilization were about to go out.

That was a surprising outcome. At the end of the movie 'The Descent of the Seven Sons of the Final Fantasy', the Stellar Scar syndrome was purified by the Spring of Life, and humans shouldn't have been infected yet again. However, the reality of the situation was utterly baffling.

If there was to be an explanation, could it be that the plot of the plane had been changed by some unknown force?

Zhang Heng didn't wait any longer with that question in mind. He boarded the Falcon instead and headed straight for the most glorious city of human civilization—the city of Midgard.

Zhang Heng took off his Armageddon suit and slowly walked into the city that was filled with the modern style of steampunk. He was followed by Zhishang and three cloned warriors, keeping a close eye on his safety.

The streets of the city had not been cleaned for a very long time and were filled with wastewater and cracks. Rats could be seen flashing past from time to time.

The rats didn't manage to escape the attack of the Scar Syndrome. Their bodies were covered in black spots, and pus seeped out of their bodies as they ran. They dragged their sickly bodies and hid in the messy garbage dump, sticking their heads out and looking at the group of weird-looking people with their beady eyes.

There were slums on both sides of the street. A boy in ragged clothes rubbed his dazed eyes as he walked to the door. However, his expression changed when he saw the crowd passing by the door in the very next second and slammed the door shut.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the curious and terrified residents as he led the cloned warriors into the slums of the city. The clothes that he was wearing made him look out of place with the humans of this plane. The city was desolate and empty along the way, and even if there were one or two starving people with dirty looks on their faces from time to time, they would hide with wary expressions on their faces. They would stick their heads out from somewhere they thought no one would notice and stare at Zhang Heng with hungry looks in their eyes.

Civilization was struggling to survive.

Zhang Heng finally stopped when he reached a two-story building. There was a wooden door that was covered in dust at the front door of the building, and there were a few words written in English above the door—Seaven-Heave.

Seventh heaven.

That was the name of a bar. It looked ordinary, yet it wasn't. The place looked like a bar on the surface, but it was actually the secret headquarters of the avalanche organization. A large part of the plot of the entire world revolved around that place.

That was where Zhang Heng was headed for—Claude, the protagonist of his ultimate fantasy. He was the only one other than the dead Safiros and Zax to have successfully melded the cells of the Genova, which was also the only way he could get his hands on the perfect Genova cells.

He scanned the place with his mental power and everything that was happening in the 7th Heaven came into his mind right away. A young woman was standing behind the closed door of the 7th Heaven Bar, watching him through the slit cautiously.

In the backyard of the bar, a short-haired woman dragged a few children to the back door, seemingly afraid that Zhang Heng and the others were up to no good, so she moved the children away in advance.

From the looks of it, all of the main characters in the Final Fantasy 7 seemed to be safe and sound, with the exception of Claude.

Zhang Heng walked up the stairs and acted as if he had no idea what was going on. He slowly raised his hand and was about to knock on the door when the tightly shut door creaked open.

A woman with exquisite features wearing a black sleeveless leather suit appeared before Zhang Heng right away. She frowned and looked wary.

Tiffa Lockhart.

That name had once been a goddess in his mind when he was still in his junior high school days and high school days. However, as time passed and the stress of life washed over him, that unrealistic fantasy gradually buried itself deep in his memories, never to be remembered again.

Zhang Heng felt completely calm when he saw the woman in the game appear before him right before the bar door. The woman before him might be called Tiffa, but she was definitely not the Tiffa in his mind. It was just like how everyone had a dream lover in their hearts, who was the embodiment of perfection. However, perfection would cease to exist in reality.

As such, while the woman before him looked stunning, what Zhang Heng was more concerned about was the black-and-white photo on the table behind her.

Zhang Heng's expression became rather ugly when he saw that photo, as if he had just laid out some earth-shattering plan, yet the very next second, the other party came running to him and told him that he was his father, who had been missing for years, without even bothering to fight back. He felt both stunned and exasperated.

That photo was none other than Claude's portrait…

That's right. While there was always a huge gap between a CG animation and a real person, just like how it was impossible for Claude's hairdo to appear in real life in the CG animation, Zhang Heng was still able to tell the difference in general. The young man in the black-and-white photo behind Tiff had light-colored hair, but he had no idea if it was yellow or not. His hair was a little messy, but it wasn't as exaggerated as it was in the games. His chin wasn't as sharp as an awl, and his eyes looked rather glum, making him look like an average, average-looking man.

However, Zhang Heng was able to confirm that the young man was none other than the man who had defeated Safiros and claimed to be the strongest fighter in the avalanche—Claude.

Claude actually died?

384. The Zetra Miracle

All of that was just a reaction caused by the bioelectricity in Zhang Heng's brain coming together in an instant. He flashed a bright smile and said in a very friendly manner, "Hello, is Mr. Claude here?"

The woman before him, who was initially on high alert, was stunned all of a sudden. A tinge of sadness was seen in her bright eyes as she shook her head and asked, "May I know why you're looking for Claude?"

Zhang Heng's heart sank at her reaction. He bowed slightly and said seriously, "Dear lady, my name is Reinhart and I'm from the Restrictive Lands. I'm here to look for my sister."

"Restriction zone?" The woman before him was even more astonished. She took a good look at the people behind Zhang Heng and Zhang Heng before asking with some uncertainty, "Who's your sister?"

"Alice…" Zhang Heng looked up and said softly, "Alice Gainsborough."

"What…?" Tiff's eyes widened and she shook her head decisively, her eyes filled with wariness. "Alice can't be your sister. You're lying!"

"Why?" Zhang Heng wore a stunned expression right on time, and his eyes looked innocent. He bowed again and said, "I'm sorry, my dear lady. Perhaps you've misunderstood something. There's no need for me to explain who I am. I just want to find Mr. Claude and ask him to tell me where my sister is. I really need her."

Zhang Heng's best actor-like performance silenced the woman before him right away. She asked in a rather uncertain manner, "Are you telling the truth? Are you really… an ancient species?"

"The term 'ancient species' is what you and your people call us, and our real name should be 'Sethra'." Zhang Heng frowned for a bit, as if he was displeased by the way she addressed him, but he nonetheless answered stubbornly.

Tiff took a deep breath. While she still didn’t quite believe what she just heard, she kept her guard up and asked, “Well then, do you have any evidence to prove who you are?”

"Evidence, eh?" Zhang Heng smiled confidently. His smile was filled with the warmth of the sun. Zhang Heng backed off five to six meters away and closed his eyes at the same time, raising his hands slightly, as if he was trying to communicate with the stars and embrace the earth.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

Tiff looked at Zhang Heng with a serious expression at first, but half a minute passed before she wore a bitter, self-deprecating grin on her face. She shook her head and got ready to head back inside.

Crack crack…

However, just when Tiff was about to turn around, a faint sound drifted into her ears. She froze and slowly turned around. However, she covered her mouth in the very next second, looking shocked.

All she saw was the dark green grass beneath Zhang Heng's feet, which looked like shy children slowly picking their ears on the ground. It took only a few seconds before Zhang Heng's feet were completely covered by the lush green grass. The stench from the city was blown by the breeze, yet the breeze carried the scent of grass with it.

Hu…

The wind blew even harder. The dark clouds that had been shrouded for years in the sky seemed to have sensed something and a crack suddenly appeared in the clouds. At the same time, the bright sunlight that he had not seen for a long time seemed to have descended from the heavens and hit him. His entire body seemed to have been corroded by the sunlight, leaving only an indescribable clarity and light.

Tiff was stunned for a moment…

Tiff saw a shadow of Alice in Zhang Heng all of a sudden. While she and Zhang Heng used to be rivals in love and often got into some squabbles, Tiff had to admit that Alice had a magic that brought joy and warmth to people. That kind-hearted woman eventually sacrificed herself to save herself, Claude, the entire planet, and civilization…

Tiff felt as if he was transported back two years ago, back to the time when he first met Claude…

His long eyelashes fluttered and he slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the fragrant grass beneath his feet and flashed a childlike grin. "I did it! How about it, dear lady? Can you trust me now?"

Tiffa snapped out of her trance and closed her eyes for a moment, wearing a complicated expression. "Yes." She turned around and walked into the room, saying softly, "Come in, esteemed son of the planet, last Setra…"

However, Tiff didn’t notice that the sunny young man’s lips curled into a cold smirk as soon as she turned around. That young man stepped on the grass around him without hesitation and the lush green grass withered away like a flower, revealing a pitch-black darkness that resembled death.

Zhang Heng, Zhishang, and the others walked into the seventh heaven. Tiff went to the backyard to call back the woman and the group of orphans from before. He waited for everyone to take their seats before saying, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Tiff, and I'm Tiff Lockhart. I'm Alice's… friend. This is Yurphy Ruyue and Mary…"

Zhang Heng nodded. He knew about Yoofei, of course. She was a member of the avalanche organization, a mischievous woman who loved magic stones the most. He was able to find her on the internet, where she was captured for stealing magic stones and then raped by X. As for Mary, she was an orphan that they had taken in, so there was no need to mention her.

"You're an Ancient Zerg?" The smart-looking Youfei walked up to Zhang Heng with her hands on her hips, swaying back and forth. Her petite waist swayed before Zhang Heng's eyes as she lowered her head slightly and said with a scrutinizing gaze, "I don't believe you."

Zhang Heng chuckled and didn't say anything. Tifa stopped her right away and said, "Yurphy, don't be ridiculous. He has proven his ability. That is indeed the power of Saitra communicating with the planet."

"Really?" It was obvious that Yufei didn't believe him. She snorted and dragged Mary and a bunch of brats up to the second floor. She took another good look at Zhang Heng before she went upstairs. She didn't know why, but she felt extremely uncomfortable when she first laid eyes on Zhang Heng, as if the man before her was some hungry wolf lurking among a flock of sheep, with a sinister air about him that sent shivers down her spine.

"I'm sorry, but Iffy likes to throw a tantrum. Sorry for bumping into you," Tiff apologized.

"No problem, I don't mind." Zhang Heng waved and flashed a bright smile. "Ms. Tiffa, could you tell me anything about my sister, Alice? I've been looking for her for a very, very long time."

There was a tinge of sadness in Tiff's bright eyes when he heard that. "I'm sorry. While I believe in your identity, from what I know, Alice doesn't seem to have a brother."

"Oh, I see." Zhang Heng looked as if he had just realized something after hearing that. "Ms. Tifa, you seem to have misunderstood. I called her sister because, like me, she's the only member of the Setra Clan."

Zhang Heng continued in a serious tone, "A few years ago, I heard news from the bards about my sister Alice, my kind, and the hero who saved the world, Mr. Claude. It was only then that I realized that I wasn't the last Saitra on the planet. I've been trying to find out more about the place after hearing the news, and I finally learned of Mr. Claude's whereabouts last year. That's how I came all the way here."

385. Secret Information And Prediction

Zhang Heng's lies were not flawless, but his miraculous abilities and knowledge of Sethra made his flaws infinitely smaller. When a person's lies could be proven with truth, then even if they were lies, they would be no different from truth.

Tiff had no doubts about Zhang Heng's identity at the moment, but she was more or less convinced of his identity. She recounted the devastating battle that had taken place in her memories, telling him about Alice's background, her encounter with Claude, and how Alice had triggered her 'holiness' with her life, blocking the power of destruction from Zafiros and eventually dying under his blade.

"Alice is dead… she'll never speak again, never laugh, never cry, never be angry again…"

Tiff spoke softly, with a tinge of hoarseness in his voice, recounting the days when the flames burned like a song.

"Claude defeated Safiros and Shenluo. We thought that this would be the start of a new life for the civilization of the planet. The avalanche was dismissed and Barrett went to work on the development of new energy sources, while Claude opened a shipping company with me. However, I later found out that he had contracted a disease like the Stellar Scar syndrome…"

"…"

"Two years later, Cardanqiu and the other two got hold of Genova's head in the air above the Shenluo building and summoned Safiros again. Claude defeated him with the last of his power, and the rain of life descended from the sky, washing the world clean. Countless people were cured of their Stellar Scar Syndrome. However, what we didn't know was that it seemed to be a way to treat the symptoms rather than the root cause. Genova's cells were not erased as a result, and they remained lurking in the Spring of Life. The Stellar Scar Syndrome then exploded all over the world in an even more ferocious manner…"

"One year ago, Claude contracted the Stellar Scar syndrome yet again. In the end…" Tears began to well up at the corner of Tiff's eyes, but she wiped them away immediately. She then looked up at Zhang Heng with a determined look in her eyes. "But, I'm still going to live on. Life is always full of hope, isn't it?"

Zhang Heng remained silent, feeling utterly shocked.

He finally understood why the Dimensional Star deemed this world a plane where civilization had disappeared, and why the civilization of the original planet had shown signs of deformity. The massive consumption of energy from the original planet caused the world to be on the verge of extinction. While the world was eventually stopped by the avalanche, it was as if the building was about to collapse and there was no way to stop it.

While the old technological system was overthrown, no one was able to create a new civilization.

Not only that, but Genova had also managed to seep into the Spring of Life. No matter how hard the planets fought, they were still unable to expel her from the inside of the planet. Countless humans became her nutrients, and the planet was on the verge of destruction, reduced to a plane where the fires of civilization were about to be extinguished.

That was the true background of the game.

"Yuffy, I, and those orphans are the only ones left in the avalanche. We've lost contact with the rest of them." Tifa sighed and tilted her head and smiled. "However, the people who survived the disease have gained antibodies against the Genova cells. In the future, the impact of the Genova cells will become shallower and shall eventually disappear. I assume that humanity will be able to see the dawn of civilization once again?"

Zhang Heng got what he wanted to know and stood up from his chair and bowed. "That is indeed the case. Thank you for telling me everything. I just didn't expect that Sister Alice would have died three years ago." Zhang Heng wore a regretful expression at the right time. "So, I've really become the last Saitra on the planet."

Tiff smiled and headed upstairs, saying as he walked, "But, you're still needed to protect this planet, just like what your sister did back then."

"I will." Zhang Heng nodded, but he seemed to have recalled something and a serious look flashed in his eyes. "Ms. Tifa, if I'm not mistaken, Janova is about to return."

Tiff stopped in his tracks. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, within the next two to three days." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "The planet told me that, which is why I was in such a hurry to find Sister Alice. I just didn't expect that… I would be the one to protect the world on behalf of Alice."

"If so, the avalanche will stand with you," Tiffa said solemnly, turning around.

…

A glint was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes when he walked out of the seventh heaven. He looked up at the leaden sky with a serious look on his face.

The reason why he was so sure of Genova's resurrection was because of the mission prompt given by the Dimensional Star, which gave him 72 hours to complete the mission. That meant that it was very likely that Genova would reappear within 72 hours, and his goal was to obtain her cells from her body. That was the true purpose of the Dimensional Star's mission.

Furthermore, hearing Tifa's explanation, Genova had corrupted the Spring of Life on the planet, causing hundreds of millions of humans to die from the horrendous disease known as the Stellar Scar syndrome. As such, it would only be a matter of time before Genova was resurrected after accumulating such massive power.

The combination of the two factors served as the basis for his speculation that Genova would be reborn.

He had once thought that he needed to get hold of the Genova cells from Claude, which was why he had disguised himself as the ancient Setra and approached Tifa in such a manner to find traces of Claude. He had never expected that Claude would actually pass away, and that he would be able to analyze such important information from him.

As for his ability to communicate with planets, it was actually just a way of using mental power. He was able to use his molecular level of control to directly control the grass seeds in the soil to grow. At the same time, he was able to use his mental power to break through the dark clouds in the sky, creating the illusion that he was able to communicate with planets. That was how he was able to fool the intelligent Tiff. He just didn't expect that woman, Youfei, to have such a sharp intuition that she was able to see through his lies with a single glance. It was just that he didn't have any evidence.

However, none of that mattered. It was no longer important whether Zhang Heng was truly an Ancient Zerg or not. He had been forced into the war chariot by the Dimensional Star. If he wanted to complete the mission, it would have been unavoidable for him to fight against Genova, who was more than capable of destroying the world. He just never expected that the Dimensional Star would set him up again.

Zhang Heng shook his head and walked away from the block, taking the clone warriors with him as he made his way to the 7th Furnace. He needed to finish that optional mission before he was able to get his hands on the data regarding the Blaze Furnace.

Corona was a new type of material that Zhang Heng had never seen before. It served as an energy source for consumption and could also be used to strengthen the human body. It could be said to be killing two birds with one stone. Zhang Heng definitely didn't want to miss out on such a priceless piece of technology.

386. The Current President Of Shenluo

Despite the fact that the entire Mecca City's Magic Furnace had been destroyed by the avalanche organization and Crowder three years ago, there were still remnants of the ruins left behind. Zhang Heng planned to visit the ruins and see if he could find any technologies that would benefit him.

More than a hundred falcons were sent to the other parts of the world to look for the ones that remained intact but were found in the other parts of the world, as well as to collect data regarding those furnaces. All of that data would be found in the other parts of the world, as well as when the furnaces were created.

Corona was an unknown energy source that was even more efficient than nuclear power. It was condensed from the life force of a planet and could continue to be condensed, eventually forming something called a magic stone.

Magic stone could enhance one's physique and stimulate magic.

However, Zhang Heng was far more knowledgeable than the natives of that planet. To him, the so-called miraculous Spring of Life was actually some kind of unique, high-energy substance found on the planet. That substance was closely related to the planet's gravitational force and climate change, and any slight change would have a major impact. As such, Shenluo over-exploiting such a resource caused the global climate to change drastically, causing the ecosystem to suffer devastating effects, ultimately affecting the survival of humans.

Such resources were found in the form of liquid substances, and due to the high purity of the energy contained within, there was a special kind of radiation. That kind of radiation was capable of changing the genes of humans, which was why a lot of humans had gotten their bodies mutated after soaking in too much demonic liquid.

As for the power of the Magic Stone, it looked more like a release of energy to Zhang Heng. Particles would enter the stimulatory state after being triggered, and there was a relatively low energy level that was capable of taking in particles. There was a certain probability that they would jump from the high energy stimulant state to the low energy state on their own, and at the same time, they would radiate a large number of photons. That was why the Magic Stone was able to create a unique physical phenomenon. The result of such a physical phenomenon and energy stimulation was given a special name in this world—magic.

However, at the end of the day, the so-called Magic Stones and lasers were not that different. All of them had thermal effects, optical effects, suppressive effects, electromagnetic field effects, biological stimuli effects, and so on.

Zhang Heng soon led the way to the center of District Seven, where the remnants of the No. 7 Magical Furnace were found. The remaining Magical Furnace looked like dried meat, which didn't match the name of the furnace at all.

However, Zhang Heng still led everyone down to the ruins of the smelting furnace. Zhishang turned on the scanner silently and scanned the remaining structures of the seventh smelting furnace inch by inch. The scanner was like an x-ray that was able to see through objects and 'see' what was inside the material. Eventually, all of those structures would be recorded by the scanner and returned to Corona, where they would be restored to a flat surface map, which would then be used to analyze the structure of the Blaze Furnace.

Zhang Heng was busy for several hours in the Demonic Blaze Furnace. It was not until the early hours of the next day that he walked around the entire city of Midgard, scanning the entire structure of the eight Demonic Blaze Furnaces.

He had done all that he could for the time being. His next goal was to find someone who was indispensable in the entire game. That person was someone who had once ruled over an entire country, yet he had been knocked off his pedestal by the combined attacks of the avalanche organization and Safiros. He had been reduced to having only two subordinates by his side and was unable to protect himself.

That man was none other than the current president of the Shenluo Group, Luofas Shenluo.

Zhang Heng led the four of them to the Shenluo Building. As an ambitious man, he sought to revive the former glory of the Shenluo Empire, so much so that he went to the top of the building every day to look down on the masses, even if there were only ruins left.

The Shenluo Building was not a building in the traditional sense. Instead, it looked more like a massive fortress, with a height of over a kilometer and a base area of over two thousand mu. It was the tallest artificial building in the world, and even the Dubai Towers on Earth paled in comparison. That place was once the center of world rights.

Zhang Heng made his way up the stairs of the building, only to find himself in ruins and a scene of devastation before his eyes. The massive fortress he was in was once in the midst of a century-long showdown. Claude and the resurrected, incomplete Zaferos had once fought there, and the clash between the two destroyed the structure of the building further. Despite that, the Shenluo building remained standing in the center of the city of Midgard, and would continue to stand tall.

Zhang Heng didn't choose to head to the top of the Shenluo Building in a straightforward manner, instead using the most common way of climbing. He liked the feeling of climbing the stairs step by step, just like how his life had been, climbing the stairs one step at a time, gradually leaving all other humans behind and trampling all his competitors and enemies beneath his feet. The moment he reached the top would be the moment when he became the world's leader.

Several more hours passed before Zhang Heng finally reached the top of the building. The place looked like an empty plaza, completely cleaned out. The floor-to-ceiling windows that he had seen before were nowhere to be found. The howling of the wind continued to ring in his ears, messing up his hair.

It was early morning by then and the grey sky was barely able to show a tinge of blood-red light. Sunlight stubbornly shone through the leaden dark clouds, barely casting a sliver of light in the world. However, that was the limit. No matter how hard one tried, the sunlight would never be able to penetrate the thick barrier.

Zhang Heng looked down and saw the entirety of the city of Midgard before him. It was indeed circular in shape, looking like a piece of pizza pie that had been split into eight sections, with each section having a magic furnace. Despite being dilapidated, he was still able to make out how prosperous the city had been back then.

"Commander, someone is downstairs." While Zhang Heng was still in a daze, Zhishang took a step forward and reminded him softly.

"Got it." Zhang Heng nodded and didn't turn around, waiting for the man to come up to him.

"Crack, crack, crack…"

A low, rumbling sound of gears turning was heard as a man wearing a white blanket with his face hidden in the darkness slowly made his way over in a wheelchair. The one who pushed the wheelchair was a young man with short, fiery-red hair and a rather gangster-like appearance. He looked displeased when he saw Zhang Heng and the others.

"Hey! Who are you people? Is this somewhere you can stay?" The red-haired man shouted from afar before Shang and the others could say anything, making it look like he was taking the lead.

"Say no more, Renault." However, the man in the wheelchair simply waved his hand and said in a cold voice, "I guess he's up to no good."

"You're saying that the other party is hostile?" Reynolds took a cautious look at everyone after hearing that and his pupils contracted.

While he wasn't very powerful, he had seen powerful beings like Zaferos and Claude before, so he was able to tell what was going on. He was able to detect a hint of killing intent from those people, which was definitely not something that regular people would be able to detect. He could already feel the threat of death looming over him.

He really wasn't a pushover…

Reynolds pursed his lips. Despite all that, he showed no signs of fear. While he was only slightly stronger than regular people, he was still a man who dared to roar and charge at Claude. There was no way he would be knocked down by something like that.

"Esteemed Shenluo sir, I've been waiting for you for quite a while." A hoarse voice was heard just when a ferocious look was seen on Reynolds' face. It was only then that he realized to his surprise that he had only seen the four unknown people facing him, but he had completely forgotten about the man who had his back facing him and didn't even turn around when he was speaking.

The four of them acted like bodyguards, protecting that man like the stars around the moon. Reynolds could actually sense a vast, abyssal aura from that man.

387. Sign An Agreement

"Please forgive me for not being able to get up and receive you, honored guest," the man in the wheelchair, who was covered in a greyish-white blanket, replied immediately.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but smirk when he heard that. He still remembered that in the movie Descent of the Holy Sons, that man had gone out of his way to look for his mother and the other two. While the man before him looked sickly sitting in his wheelchair, he had actually completely recovered from his illness and his current appearance was just a facade.

"Hey, who the f * * k are you to talk like that?" Reynolds couldn't help but shout again.

"I'm just a messenger." Zhang Heng finally withdrew his gaze from the outside world and turned around. "I'd like to inform His Excellency that Janova is about to return."

"What!?" Reynolds shouted again before the man in the wheelchair could say anything. He shook his head and said, "Impossible! The manifestation of Genova, Safiros, was destroyed by Claude a long time ago. There's no way he could still be alive in this world! Impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible." The man in the wheelchair sighed. He was clearly used to Reynolds' personality and said helplessly, "Actually, when Genova integrated with the Spring of Life, its return became a certainty. That was what happened with Safiros a year ago. I just didn't expect it to come so quickly. I'm not sure how to address you, sir."

"Reinhardt." Zhang Heng nodded and their gazes met through the blanket on each other's shoulders. A hint of surprise flashed in both of their eyes at that moment. Both of them had a feeling that they could see their own reflection in each other's eyes.

"Your Excellency Reinhardt." Luofas nodded and said, "Now that you've told me the news, are you going to help me fight the enemy?"

"That's right. Once Genova is born, the world would be plunged into utter misery without Claude," Zhang Heng said. "The only way we could survive would be to work together."

"Well then, what do I need to pay?" However, what shocked Reynolds the most was that Ujfas didn't agree right away and instead asked the question that didn't make sense.

"I need the technological data of the Shenluo Corporation and the blueprint of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing of the manufacturing plants." Zhang Heng didn't seem to be surprised by the other man's question, as if he had been prepared for it all along.

"That's fair." Luofas agreed without any hesitation and nodded slightly. "If we were to successfully defeat Genova, I'd definitely send the data regarding those two technologies to you. If we were to fail, then everything would be pointless."

"Indeed, it's a pleasure to talk to smart people." Zhang Heng smiled and led Zhishang and the others to the stairs, brushing past the two of them. It was only when he disappeared from the stairway that his voice was heard. "Janova will be resurrected in two days at most. We'll be standing by your side then."

Luofas was silent.

"That's it?" It was only after Zhang Heng left that Reynolds realized what was happening. He stuck his head out of the window and took a look at the bottom of the stairs, before turning to look at his boss with a puzzled expression. "Hey, boss, do you really believe the words of this commoner that you've never seen before? And why are we paying them?"

"Is that really that important?" However, he shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "Do you really think that the two of us would be able to defeat all five of them? The four people beside us are all at least level-2 fighters, and that young man I was talking to is one of the most powerful fighters I've ever seen. I've only ever felt that kind of power from Zafiros…"

Reynolds fell silent after hearing that. It took him quite a while before he said, "It's a pity that Ruder died from the Stellar Scar syndrome. If not, we would have been able to gain more power. I'm the only one left in the Taixian army who is still alive."

"I have no other choice but to work with you guys." Lufas walked to the French window in his wheelchair and looked at the dark city beneath his feet. He mumbled, "It's been hard on you. The road to reviving the Shenluo seems to be long…"

…

Zhang Heng left the Shenluo building and returned to the entrance of the city of Midgard. By then, all of the falcons had completed their missions and returned from all over the world.

Zhang Heng made two preparations this time. While getting the Falcon to collect data regarding the Magic Blaze Furnace around the world, he also made an alliance with the current president of the Shenluo Group, Luofas, to attack and defend. He needed to gather all the forces that he could muster when facing Janova.

However, regardless of whether it was Tifa, Yofi, or Luofas, the help that they could provide would probably be extremely limited. The main force would still be Zhang Heng and over a thousand cloned warriors.

Zhang Heng boarded the Falcon again and began to set up all sorts of measures just in case. However, he was left with no choice but to assume that the drug meant for taking revenge on the evil god would be rendered useless.

Most of the humans on that plane had been wiped out, with only a handful of people remaining. There was simply no way he could make use of such a huge number of people to create an evil god of vengeance. As such, the only way Zhang Heng could complete his mission was to rely on the Special Forces from the other plane to fight for his life.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered taking a piece of her flesh and blood the moment she appeared, as that would have been the equivalent of completing the mission immediately. However, the duration of the mission had reached an unprecedented 72 hours, which was equivalent to three days and three nights. Even Zhang Heng's Trial Mission back then was nowhere near that.

If Zhang Heng were to get his hands on Janova's flesh and blood, it would be tantamount to getting into a war with her. After all, Janova was a brutal, cold-blooded extraterrestrial lifeform, and there was almost no possibility of communication between them.

As such, Zhang Heng had no choice but to fight back and try his best to defeat Genova and complete the mission. However, he was unable to decide if he would be able to treat the symptoms or not.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself at that thought. It was obvious that while there might be shortcuts in the missions assigned by the Dimensional Star, there were definitely no loopholes that he could exploit. He had given up on that thought after completing so many missions.

Zhang Heng had a vague idea of where Genova would appear again. One year ago, it was Claude who defeated the incarnation of Genova, Safiros, for the second time in the Shenluo Tower. At that time, the remaining head of Genova disappeared along with that of Safiros. The underground of the city of Midgard became the place where the cells of Genova were most concentrated.

As such, Zhang Heng, who knew about the Genova property very well, had a 90 percent chance of guaranteeing that the city of Midgard would be the place where the Genoese would reemerge, just like what happened to Safiros all those years ago.

The only thing Zhang Heng needed to do at the moment was to wait for his prey to catch up to him. However, he would only be able to tell if he would become a hunter or prey after exchanging blows.

388. Ambush

However, what Zhang Heng didn't know was that while he was busy making contact with the remaining combatants in the world, some kind of unexpected change was taking place in the small towns near the city of Midgard.

In the early morning, in a slum that was sparsely populated, a boy in ragged clothes slowly opened the door a crack and peeked at the familiar yet unfamiliar world with a pair of alert and numb eyes. He observed the place for a long time, and when he felt that the world outside was safe, he then crept out of the door and began to search for prey that were rare in the slums.

Rats, wild cats, wild dogs, and even scavengers—that was the current diet of humans on the planet. As the environment on the planet worsened, most of the plants withered due to the lack of sunlight. Only the mosses and other plants that didn't require sunlight in the dark began to grow and spread throughout the entire city.

Swish, swish, swish…

The boy walked in the dark and narrow crevice with a steel knife in his mouth. He slowly moved the pile of junk away with both hands, looking for any signs of edible insects and animals. The insects and animals were extremely alert and couldn't make a single sound when they were hunting. If they made a sound, all of his efforts would have been in vain.

Gurgle, gurgle…

A low-pitched screech was heard and the little boy's blue eyes, which were filled with hunger, lit up immediately. He suppressed his nervousness and slowly pushed away the trash in front of him. He saw a dirty-looking pheasant with a huge patch of black spots feeding on insects in front of the pile of trash before him. The little boy immediately slowed down and slowly approached his prey like a cheetah about to hunt.

Soon, soon…

Just when the little boy was less than six meters away from the pheasant, a low screeching sound was heard from the pile of trash all of a sudden. The pheasant before him seemed to have sensed something and spread its wings without a second thought, wanting to run to where the little boy was hiding.

The little boy was just about to attack when he heard a "shua" sound. A creature that looked like a python with a blood-red body came charging at him at that very instant. It was like an afterimage and appeared right in front of the pheasant in the blink of an eye. The head of the python turned into a bloody mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth. The python simply swallowed the prey that the little boy had been trying so hard to get close to.

"Crack…"

The pheasant didn't even have time to cry out before it died. It was as if someone had grabbed its neck and swallowed it whole.

He looked outside and saw something that looked like a python in his heart. However, he realized that the long, fleshy, red creature was no python. It was a tentacle from some unknown monster.

It looked like the tentacle of an octopus. The monster's entire body was filled with slippery, sticky fluid and the bottom of the tentacle was filled with dense suction cups. Those suction cups looked extremely ugly. If a person with trypophobia were to see that, they would probably faint right away. Furthermore, at the roots of the tentacle, a huge mouth that looked like a meat grinder was seen opening and closing slightly. The huge mouth was split into four parts like a flower and there were dense rows of sharp teeth in the middle. Such a special mouthpiece was unheard of, making it look like something from the 'Extreme Cold'.

The little boy covered his mouth subconsciously and suppressed the trembling of his body with all his might. He backed away slowly at the same time. He knew right away that the tentacle wasn't something that he could fight back against the moment he laid eyes on it. His thoughts of hunting had long since ceased to exist.

However, just when the little boy was about to back down, he felt something cold and slippery on the back of his neck all of a sudden. His body shuddered slightly and he slowly turned around, suppressing his trembling body. He saw that three or four tentacles had appeared behind him at some point in time. All of those tentacles were facing him and they slowly opened their hideous mouths.

"Ah!"

The screams of humans were heard from time to time from that small town that was barely surviving before dying out.

…

Time passed slowly. Over a hundred falcons hovered in the air above the city of Midgard in an invisible manner, while Zhang Heng sat in his cabin, resting with his eyes closed.

Battles could break out at any moment, and Zhang Heng needed to maintain his stamina and mental fortitude for the upcoming battles.

However, the entire city of Midgard remained tranquil by nightfall of the next day. Not to mention Genova, not a single stray dog or cat was seen in the city. Zhang Heng's expression became increasingly grave as time passed.

"Something's not right!"

Zhang Heng's eyes snapped open all of a sudden and he said in a very serious tone, "Zhishang, send 10 Falcon mechs out of the battle sequence and take a look around the planet. I need to make sure that nothing out of the ordinary happened there."

"Yes, sir," Zhishang replied in a familiar manner. "Call for A090 to A100. This is the command center. Please answer if you copy."

"A090 copy!"

"A098 copy!"

"Roger A100, command center."

"10 Falcon mechs with serial numbers detected. Leave the battle sequence immediately and split into 10 locations. Check all areas of the planet to see if there are any abnormalities. Report any abnormalities immediately!"

"Roger that!"

The 10 Falcon mechs made their way out of the formation right away, making 10 sonic booms in the air above the city of Midgard. The 10 mechs turned into 10 beams of light in the very next second, heading for their respective positions.

Zhang Heng lowered his head silently and shut his eyes tightly, as if he was trying to figure something out. He had a feeling of extreme unease for some reason. The day had been so peaceful that it felt as if there was no meaning to it at all. However, he knew very well that there was definitely a deeper meaning behind the Dimensional Star's offer of 72 hours to him. There was no way that something so pointless would appear.

He had initially planned to use his ability to foresee the future to do some deductions, but he suppressed that thought when he recalled the upcoming battle. If he were to consume too much of his mental power at the moment, he would be at a disadvantage in the upcoming battle.

However, given that the city of Midgard was completely peaceful, there was only one possibility—something unknown was happening somewhere else.

Just when Zhang Heng was deep in thought, the warning from the Falcon that was sent out was heard from the quantum communication device. "A100 call for the command center. There are over a thousand humans heading in the direction of the city in the Wasteland tens of kilometers away from the city of Midgard. No, wait! That creature isn't human, but some kind of creature that is under some kind of control."

Zhishang walked up to Zhang Heng right away and turned on the holographic screen installed on the Falcon. A desolate wasteland appeared before everyone's eyes right away. Black dots could be seen moving slowly on the ground below—those were the records sent by the A100.

Zhang Heng looked as if he had guessed correctly. He walked up to the image in huge strides and made a gesture with his fingers as if he was enlarging the image on his phone. The image before his eyes zoomed in right away and when it was magnified over 100 times, he was finally able to see the so-called black dot on the ground.

Those weren't black dots at all. They were monsters with muscles all over their bodies and their facial features were completely deformed. All that was left of those monsters was a huge, abyssal mouth that stretched all the way to the back of their ears, making them look even more sinister and terrifying than the evil god of revenge.

There were over a thousand of those black dots, some of them were completely naked, but there were also some that had scraps of clothing hanging from their bodies. The wind in the wasteland blew gently, causing them to sway.

Zhang Heng was able to tell with a single glance that all those monsters were humans who had mutated.

"A093 detected something out of the ordinary. We've also found a large number of humanoid monsters in the southeast direction of the city of Midgard. There are over 10,000 of them!"

"A094 detected abnormalities. There are over 10,000 monsters!"

Zhang Heng suddenly realized that all the humans in the world, with the exception of Midgard, seemed to have become monsters overnight.

Not only that, but the sound of metal being twisted was also heard from the very center of the city. The sound was thick and deafening, as if there was a prehistoric behemoth struggling beneath the city, trying to break free and charge out.

389. Genova

Zhang Heng snorted coldly and said, "While I don't know what happened, it seems like we've been played for a fool. If that's the case, then it's time to show the world the combat prowess of the D.S.F troops."

Zhang Heng stood up as he said that and said decisively, "10 Falcon mechs, stop them. Don't let any of the monsters get in our way!"

"Understood!"

At that moment, ear-piercing metal twisting sounds were heard from the bottom of the Shenluo Building at the very center of the city. The entire city shuddered slightly as if some massive creature was struggling to break free of its cage and emerge into the world once more.

Crack, crack, crack…

The entire Shenluo Plaza shook with an ear-piercing, tearing sound as if it was being crushed by a massive force. The entire building shook from side to side, with pieces of metal falling from the sky from time to time, making loud noises as they hit the ground.

Zhang Heng opened the door of the Falcon without a second thought and leaped out at the same time. A howling gale blew over and Zhang Heng stood upright in midair like a god, his expression solemn and his clothes fluttering in the wind.

"Oh…"

A sound like that of a behemoth on the verge of death filled the air. The Shenluo building, which was made of reinforced steel, collapsed before everyone's eyes. Huge kinetic energy sliced through the air, emitting a deafening screech.

Bang! The Shenluo building hit the ground hard like a whip. Flames were lit up in an instant and the entire city shook. A quarter of the city was torn apart by the massive impact, making it look like the end of the world.

However, that wasn't the end of it. A crimson object rose from the thick smoke that covered the entire building and swayed in the wind like a dancing snake, producing the sound of a whip tearing through the air.

Zhang Heng focused his gaze and saw that the blood-red serpents were actually huge tentacles. The tentacles were of all sizes, with the largest reaching an astonishing length of 500 to 600 meters, with a thickness of tens of meters and a diameter of tens of meters, making them look like prehistoric dragons. That was only the beginning. More tentacles were pulled out of the ground in the very next moment. Some of them were as huge as skyscrapers, while others were only tens of meters long. The tentacles kept coming out of the ground and covered the entire city in an instant. There seemed to be tens of thousands of them at a glance.

Such a display of power far exceeded the difficulty of killing the original plane. It was as if the entire planet had been eaten up by Genova, leaving only an empty shell behind.

Of course, that was just a misperception that everyone had when facing such a devastating monster. Genova might be very powerful, but she definitely wouldn't be able to swallow a planet so easily. Otherwise, there was no need for them to fight. It would have been better to just surrender and wait for death to come.

Zhang Heng watched all of that with rapt attention, watching the tentacles that shot up into the sky as they swayed in the wind. Genova's true appearance had never been seen in games or movies, so Zhang Heng only knew that she was very strong, but he had no idea just how strong she was. It was only then that he realized that those tentacles were actually a part of her body.

All of a sudden, a woman with disheveled hair, ashen skin, and a head full of white hair rose into the air at the very center of the city. She had no legs, and a huge tentacle was attached to the area below her waist. She had her head lowered, and Zhang Heng was only able to see her snow-white hair flying in the air. She was completely naked and exposed to Zhang Heng at both points.

Genova!

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted when he saw that figure. That was the true main body of Janova, the parasite that the ancient Setra had sealed away with all its might.

Zhang Heng felt an indescribable sense of malevolence wash over him the moment he saw that figure. The pineal glabella in his glabella shuddered violently and the bright yellow gem of his soul squeezed out of his skin as if it had met its nemesis, sticking out of his forehead.

Whoosh!

Zhang Heng didn't attack recklessly. Instead, he ordered the tens of falcons hovering a kilometer in the air to attack. Dozens of missiles appeared out of nowhere and headed straight for Janova, who was at the center of the city, with their tails between their legs.

Boom, boom, boom!

Countless flames exploded around Genova's body at once, engulfing that tiny figure in an instant.

If the monster before him had been made of flesh and blood, he wouldn't have been able to survive such an attack that would have been able to wipe out an entire street. However, Zhang Heng's mental power was able to penetrate the layers of flames and see that while the monster's body was burnt and reduced to ashes in an instant, it was reborn in the very next second. The blobs of flesh continued to expand, and by the time the flames dissipated, the monster before him had returned to its original appearance without a single sign of being burnt.

Such terrifying regenerative abilities that could rival Deadpool and the Hulk of the Marvel Universe.

Zhang Heng frowned and looked in the direction of the tentacle's body, only to find that the end of the tentacle was completely underground. It was only then that he realized that the human-like figure before him was not something that could be destroyed with conventional firepower, and those tentacles that were hundreds of meters tall were definitely not the main body. The main body of the tentacle was probably not the part that was exposed to the ground, but buried hundreds of meters underground.

"Calamity, use the nano-bombs." Zhang Heng gave the order right away after thinking of that crucial point. "Target, the city center of Midgard."

Zhishang immediately carried out Zhang Heng's order after hearing that. While he had no idea what was the point of doing so, he knew that Zhang Heng was the one who gave the order. He didn't need to know what Zhang Heng's intentions were. All he needed to do was to carry it out unconditionally.

A special-looking missile was ejected from the bottom of one of the falcons right away. The missile lit up in the air and headed straight for the center of the city of Midgard like an arrow being loosed from a bow.

Zhang Heng's expression froze and an invisible mental power enshrouded the missile. The missile deviated from its intended trajectory and headed straight for the ground where the Genova tentacle was.

The ground at the center of the city of Midgard shattered inch by inch and a pitch-black tunnel that led deep underground appeared before everyone's eyes. The nanomachines charged into the tunnel at the very next second.

Boom!

A dull thud was heard from deep underground, yet nothing seemed to have happened. Zhang Heng was the only one who knew that the nano bomb had successfully detonated. Judging from the size of the thing, it would probably take quite some time for the bomb to work, even if it were to do so.

At that moment, a huge ball of black fog was seen churning and surging about 100 meters below the ground. The soil around it melted like ice and snow. That black fog seemed to have the ability to corrode all living things. Furthermore, the volume of the black fog grew as it devoured more matter.

However, Genova seemed to have sensed something in the very next second and tiny tentacles emerged from the soil one after another. That tentacle disappeared without a trace within seconds after coming into contact with the black mist. The remaining tentacles seemed to have realized something and retreated in a panic.

However, the black mist seemed to have found its target and swarmed out of the hole that the other party had opened up. It was only when it was about a kilometer deep that the black mist saw that the place deep underground had long become a huge hole. That hole was clearly processed and there was no end in sight. There was also a huge blob of flesh churning in that hole.

He looked down and found that the root of the blob of flesh had been dug deep into the ground. The Spring of Life on the planet was being extracted at will, and its power was constantly increasing. Given the rate at which it replenished its power, even if a nuclear bomb were to explode, it would probably not be able to do any damage.

390. Battle

Subconsciously, the ball of black mist seemed to have encountered some kind of food and began to roll and float towards the blob of flesh. However, the blob of flesh began to contract rapidly as if it had sensed danger. At the same time, a huge mouth that looked like an abyss appeared on the blob of flesh and in the very next second, a huge amount of mucus sprayed out and shrouded the black mist.

A shocking scene took place. The Galactic Beetle, which was capable of devouring everything in its path, seemed to have met its nemesis. The mucus was like the most sticky glue in the world, wrapping the black mist like amber as soon as it came into contact with it. Despite the Galactic Beetle's ability to devour everything, it was rendered completely helpless against the extremely sticky mucus, which was able to quickly solidify, rendering it completely harmless.

Zhang Heng had no idea what was happening at the depth of over a kilometer underground. He simply continued to command the Falcon to attack the tentacles before him, testing everything from missiles to electromagnetic guns, from jets of flames to laser weapons.

The creature's body was not very tough and any kind of attack would be effective against the creature's body. However, it was only effective. In actual fact, the creature would recover completely in a single breath regardless of the damage dealt to the tentacles. If this were to go on, the power of the Falcon would be depleted before long, not to mention destroying Genova.

Furthermore, Genova was no easy target. The tentacles kept waving about and even went so far as to grab the steel structures on the ground and throw them at the Falcon mech in the sky. If it hadn't been for the fact that the Falcon mech was nimble enough, it would have been knocked down like a plane.

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless as he looked at the huge monster before him. He initially thought that Janova would appear before him in human form, yet he never expected her to be such a terrifying behemoth in her true form. The act of recruiting allies seemed utterly ridiculous at the moment. Forget about recruiting Tifa and the Shenluo, even if Claude were to come back to life, he would only be able to look on helplessly in the face of such an undying monster.

"Commander, the 10 Falcon mechs and the fighters on them have run out of weapons. Those monsters have broken through the encirclement and are heading for the city of Midgard."

All of a sudden, Zhishang reported through the communication device.

Zhang Heng frowned right away. Almost an hour had passed since then, yet the nanomachines that he fired previously were like clay oxen entering the ocean, unable to even cause a ripple. It was obvious that the other party seemed to have used some kind of method to restrict the devouring ability of the Galactic Beetles. Otherwise, even if the other party had the ability to multiply indefinitely, they would still be completely devoured by the Galactic Beetles when their energy supply was insufficient.

While the Galactic Beetles were not omnipotent, Zhang Heng still felt a sense of urgency when faced with the loss of the Galactic Beetles. He thought for a bit and answered right away, "In that case, send those 10 falcons back to the squad. Leave the battle for the time being and hide outside the atmosphere. I don't think Genova would be able to extend her tentacles hundreds of kilometers away, no matter how powerful she is."

"What about you?" Zhishang seemed to have heard the underlying meaning in Zhang Heng's words.

"The earlier attack made it clear that unless we are able to destroy the enemy completely in an instant, there is nothing we can do when the enemy is able to absorb power from the planet at any given moment. As such, it would be pointless for you all to stay on the battlefield. However, I still need to complete my mission," Zhang Heng said casually. "There is still another way that I could give it a try. While I might not be able to kill the enemy, I would be able to extract a few cells from their bodies."

"I'll wait for you here then. Once you've completed your mission, we'll head into outer space to hide," Zhishang said immediately.

"…Sure." Zhang Heng was silent for a bit before replying. He opened his mouth slowly in the very next second and a puff of black mist was released from within, which quickly filled the air and disappeared.

However, Genova, who was still in midair, seemed to have sensed something. She suddenly looked up and opened her mouth at the same time, letting out a silent scream.

Hiss—!

Despite not being able to hear anything, Zhang Heng still felt an indescribable sense of danger approaching him. He only had time to warn the others to be careful before the mental power that was surrounding him seemed to have encountered an invisible wave and began to fluctuate.

Infrasound weapon!

Humans would feel unwell when they were placed in an environment where the sound waves reached 120 decibels and above. When the sound waves reached 150 decibels, it would result in ruptured membranes, hemorrhages, loss of hearing, and even mental breakdowns.

Infrasound was a type of wavelength that was very difficult to decay, making it difficult to absorb both water and air. It was capable of circumventing obstacles and diffraction, just like electromagnetic waves, and had a very wide range of damage. In fact, if one were to use a high-power infrasound, it could cause intense resonance to one's internal organs, making one feel nauseous, have headaches, and have difficulty breathing. It could even cause blood vessels to rupture, or even damage one's organs.

There were two types of secondary sonic weapons. The first type was the neural sonic weapon, which had a vibration frequency that was very similar to the rhythm of the human brain. When resonance was generated, it would stimulate the brain severely, causing one to go insane.

The other type of soundwave weapon was the internal organs. The vibration frequency of the soundwave was similar to that of the internal organs in the human body. When the soundwave was produced, it would cause extreme pain to the organs, causing abnormalities in the human body, leading to death.

At that moment, Zhang Heng felt a sonic wave that was as vast as a tsunami crashing into his mental barrier. The sonic wave's penetrative power was so great that even a portion of the mental barrier that was capable of blocking the spread of molecules was penetrated. Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown as blood dripped from his ears.

Zhang Heng was injured for the first time.

However, Zhang Heng reacted right away in the very next second. He expelled all the air around him without a second thought and created a field of real air in an instant, which was how he was able to defend against that eerie soundwave.

However, the Falcon mechs behind him were not so lucky. Several of them lost control of their mechs as soon as the sound wave spread out and they fell to the ground. It was fortunate that Zhishang gave the order right away and all of the Falcon mechs retreated quickly, completely avoiding the range of the sound wave.

The power of that kind of soundwave weapon was extremely terrifying, to the point where it could even make machinery lose control. The Galactic Beetles that had fused into the air, on the other hand, remained completely unaffected. They were, after all, technological constructs that far exceeded reality, and yet, they were able to attach themselves to the surface of Janova without her realizing it, beginning to devour her flesh and blood.

Zhang Heng harrumphed coldly as he watched several falcons being crushed by the tentacles as soon as they hit the ground. He charged at them and several of the tentacles howled, but all of them were blocked by Zhang Heng's mental power. No matter how strong the tentacles were, they were still far from being able to withstand his massive mental power alone.

391. Return

The tentacles looked like they came from hell, swaying back and forth in the air for hundreds of meters. A casual sweep from them would have the power to destroy an entire street. With their powerful regenerative capabilities, even nuclear bombs wouldn't be able to do anything to them.

Zhang Heng dashed forward like a streak of light, throwing several tentacles into the air and lashing at the ant-like, tiny Zhang Heng like a whip. However, Zhang Heng didn't even bother to look at him. He simply narrowed his eyes and an invisible force burst forth.

It was as if a nuclear bomb had been detonated in the air. A shockwave spread out in a fan-like manner in an instant. There was no fire, no explosives, only visible shockwaves surging outwards. Even the air was twisted into waves.

The shockwave crashed into that tentacle with an earth-shattering force in the very next second. The tentacle shattered into pieces right away and was reduced to a bloody mist by the devastating shockwave.

Rumble rumble rumble!

Countless thunderous booms were heard from all sides at that moment, and the rain of blood rained down all over the place. The few survivors in the city felt as if they had just witnessed a natural disaster, and none of them dared to stay any longer. All of them fled the city while wailing.

As Zhang Heng charged towards the core area where the countless tentacles were located, Genova, who was still standing in midair, seemed to have sensed the danger as well. She tried to do the same thing again, wanting to use soundwaves to block him. However, after Zhang Heng expelled all the air around him, the soundwaves were unable to affect him at all.

Genova, who was surrounded by countless tentacles as she watched Zhang Heng charge at her, retreated to the ground subconsciously. Countless tentacles weaved together before her, forming barriers before Zhang Heng's eyes.

"Break!"

Zhang Heng stood with his hands behind his back and black mist swirled around him, making it look like he was taking a stroll in the park. The barrier that was made up of tens of thousands of tentacles was blown up by a single look from him and it looked like blood rained down from the sky.

However, those tentacles quickly closed up right after being blown up, as if they were indestructible.

Zhang Heng frowned and an even stronger mental power burst forth from the barrier. He went all out this time.

Zhang Heng's mental power was indeed as vast as an abyss, but what made him truly powerful was not his mental power, but its quality.

That was Zhang Heng's true trump card, as he was able to inflict damage on objects at a molecular level. A faint glow was seen from the Mind Gem between his eyebrows. That glow was so weak that it was impossible to see it if one wasn't paying attention. However, the interweaving tentacles seemed to have met their nemesis and began to shake violently.

The tentacles that filled the sky seemed to have been subjected to spring snow in the very next second. The flesh that Zhang Heng sent his mental power through melted and fell to the ground, turning into blood in midair. The wind blew and he was nowhere to be found.

It was as if he had vaporized.

That was the power that Zhang Heng was able to destroy the structure of the other party's body from a molecular level. Genova's cells didn't even have time to absorb energy before they completely collapsed and died.

There was no longer any obstacle between him and Genova after losing those tentacles. He made his way to the woman whom Genova had turned into in the very next second and extended his fingers, reaching for her.

"Ah!"

Genova looked like she was about to go berserk right there and then. Countless strands of hair seemed to have come to life as they whipped about and headed straight for Zhang Heng. However, they disintegrated before they could even get near him. Zhang Heng grabbed hold of the woman's head in the very next second and twisted it slightly at the same time. The woman's head was yanked out along with several pieces of her spine with a snap.

Blood splattered everywhere.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious after doing all of that. The gemstone on his forehead lit up like a bolt of electricity and turned into a blinding little sun in the blink of an eye. Genova's body disintegrated wherever the light shone, melting and disintegrating along with the entire Shenluo Building. That beam of light broke through the extremely high temperatures in an instant, igniting the air and all matter, turning into waves of heat that spread throughout the entire city of Midgard.

All matter was vaporized in an instant.

The intense light lasted only for a brief moment. When it was extinguished yet again, Zhang Heng held Genova's head in his hands and stood in midair, his clothes fluttering in the wind. The only thing that remained in the city below his feet was a puddle of molten steel bubbling away. There was no sign of Genova anywhere else.

That attack was as powerful as a million-ton nuclear bombs! Zhang Heng's face turned pale after the attack. He turned around and saw a black line approaching from the horizon far away. It was a sign that Janova had infected countless humans and animals, all heading in the direction of Midgard.

Genova hadn't been destroyed…

The glass-like ground that had been burnt to a crisp shook again. Tentacle after tentacle emerged from the ground despite the high temperatures and rolled about due to the high temperatures. However, even more tentacles emerged one after another. Zhang Heng shook his head and sighed. "I've tried my best…"

As he said that, he no longer lingered around the city of Midgard and slowly made his way out of the city. While he had placed all of his hopes on destroying Genova to save the planet and making it his other base of operations, he didn't insist on doing so since he was unable to do so. The moment Genova was connected to the Spring of Life of the planet, it meant that Genova was completely invincible.

As long as one of the cells survived, Genova would be able to absorb the Spring of Life and resurrect. It would be impossible to destroy it unless the entire planet was destroyed.

Zhang Heng flew to the edge of the city with the female head in his hand. A Falcon mech had been waiting for him for quite some time. Just when he was about to step into the interior of the Falcon mech, he suddenly saw a woman lying on the ground, her fate unknown.

Tiffa?

Zhang Heng waved at the Falcon mech and controlled his body to drop to the ground. It was only then that he saw that Tiff's entire body was covered in burn marks and his wounds were oozing blood. His entire body was charred black. Tiff was unconscious at the moment, and the orphans and Yufei were nowhere to be found.

Zhang Heng shook his head and wrapped Tifa in his mental power before returning to the interior of the Falcon mech. The very next second, the Falcon mech began to soar into the sky at high speeds, disappearing into the horizon very quickly without a trace.

All that was left were the monsters closing in from afar, as well as the tentacles that emerged from the bottom of the ruins of Midgard…

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Final Fantasy Plane 7 mission completed. Main Quest: Acquire Genova, an extraterrestrial parasite. Main Quest complete."

"Optional mission. Starcapturing conversion demon—completed mission."

"Urgent Quest: Unknown—No Urgent Quest at the moment."

"Final Judgement: 'Final Fantasy 7' plane mission completed. Host access progress is now at Level B by one-third."

392. Genova Cell Experiment

When Zhang Heng opened his eyes again, he was back in the underground plaza of the Honeycomb. However, there were less than a dozen of the Falcon mechs behind him, and the hundreds of cloned warriors were nowhere to be found.

When the Falcon mech first came into the world, such an aircraft was indeed the best of the best. However, as the plane missions became increasingly difficult, the effectiveness of the Falcon mech became increasingly limited. When fighting against Genova, the Falcon mech was clearly somewhat out of its depth. From damage to power, the Falcon mech had obvious flaws due to its limited size.

Now, it was time to consider a new type of aircraft, a kind of space battleship that could truly traverse space and destroy planets.

Zhang Heng held Janova's head in one hand and Tiff, who was barely breathing, in the other as he walked out of the plaza. The researchers who had been waiting for him for quite some time immediately put Janova's head in a glass container that had been prepared beforehand and pushed Tiff onto a stretcher, heading for the emergency room.

The entire team was only completely disbanded after confirming that no one had been infected with unknown viruses and bacteria.

Zhang Heng rubbed his aching temple. He had suffered some serious injuries when he was attacked by Genova's sonic wave attack, but those minor injuries he suffered from his constitution had long since healed. The only problem was that he was still suffering from the side effects of consuming too much mental power. The best way to deal with such a situation was to take a nap.

As such, Zhang Heng didn't insist any further and went back to his room before lying down on his bed and falling into a deep sleep.

Zhang Heng slept for two whole days and one night. It was evening the next day when he woke up. He felt refreshed and energized when he got out of bed.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but smile as he touched his forehead. The effects of the Mind Gems were irreplaceable. He could even feel his mental power continuing to grow at all times. He couldn't imagine what would happen if things continued like this.

Zhang Heng went to the cafeteria and had his dinner before contacting Corona. Corona told him that the data regarding the Demonic Blaze Furnace that he brought back had been put on the agenda. Professor Louis was the one who set up a specialized research team to do the research.

Genova, who was brought back, was taken over by Professor Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai, who were the most senior members of the organization in the entire Honeycomb.

The DX-11118 Virus research project that had been placed in the radiation plane had been shut down. In actual fact, such viruses only had the potential to develop biological weapons. It would be extremely difficult to achieve anything in terms of modifying the human body.

However, the potential of the Genova cell was, to a certain extent, not inferior to that of the DX-118 virus. That fact alone was more than enough to tell Zhang Heng a lot just by looking at Safiros' power. If Zhang Heng hadn't used his mental power, his enhanced physique, which had been enhanced by the T-Virus, would probably have been defeated in a single move.

There was simply no comparison between the two.

Zhang Heng headed straight for Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai's laboratory.

The highest-security laboratory on the B7th floor was still brightly lit at the moment. Genova's head was suspended in a transparent glass tube and her entire body was filled with green solution. Bursts of bubbles kept popping out from the bottom of the tube before quickly rising and disappearing into the water.

The scientists including Vonman were all wearing heavy, airtight chemical suits. One of the assistants was even holding a syringe and injecting it into the lab rat's body. The syringe was filled with the diluted solution of the Genova cells.

"The injection of the No. 6 lab rat is complete. It's using an injection with a concentration of 2 / 1000."

"Alright, record the time. I'd like to see if such extraterrestrial cells are as godly as you say," Kong Zhongcai said loudly from the side.

"How's the experiment going?" Zhang Heng walked in at that moment and looked at Janova, who was immersed in the nutrient solution, before looking at the lab rats in the cabinet.

"Chief Zhang!" Several sharp-eyed assistants greeted Zhang Heng right away.

Zhang Heng nodded and walked up to Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai. "How is it? How far has the experiment progressed? When can we begin the human experiment?"

"We're only at the second step for the time being." Feng Lun shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "Today is only the second day of the experiment. We only have a basic understanding of the extraterrestrial life cells. It would take us at least several weeks to months to reach the human experiment stage."

Zhang Heng frowned and asked, "How does it compare to the DX-118 virus?"

"Not optimistic at all." Kong Zhongcai shook his head and wore a serious expression. "Compared to the viral nature of the virus, the nature of such cells is considered rather mild. However, in the previous experiments, the immune function of the lab rats would retaliate against such cells, which eventually led to the host's body becoming a battlefield. The outcome of that battle was the host's death."

Kong Zhong then led Zhang Heng to an isolation cabinet and found five lab rats inside. The first three rats were no longer moving. Their fur had fallen off and some parts of their bodies were even festering, which meant that they were dead. The other two rats remained completely still as well. Only their heaving stomachs were proof that the two rats were still alive.

Kong Zhong added, "Rats are very resilient creatures, capable of resisting viruses and pathogens that humans are unable to resist. As such, we decided to use lab rats as the most basic experiment hosts after some discussion."

He then pointed at a dead lab rat and continued, "Look, the No. 1 lab rat was the result of the experiment that took place yesterday morning after we injected 10 percent of the Genova cells into it. The result was that the host died immediately within an hour. No. 2 was injected yesterday morning as well. The host died within an hour and a half after being injected with a concentration of 5 percent. As for the No. 3 experiment, we began lowering the concentration right after injecting 1 percent of the cells into the lab rat. We also injected a lot of nutrient solution into the lab rat, but the results were not optimistic. No. 3 died again six hours later."

"We've each applied a concentration of 5 / 1000 in the 4th and 3 / 1000 in the 5th. The two lab rats are now in a coma as well. Large amounts of white blood cells in their bloodstream have died, and Janova's cells are taking over the bodies of the lab rats. Judging from the level of immune resistance of the lab rats, I'm afraid that the two lab rats won't be able to escape death."

Zhang Heng nodded and was about to say something when his eyes suddenly lit up. He snapped his fingers and said, "You guys might have found yourselves in a dead end. If you guys know that immune system prevents the Genova cells from taking over your bodies, why not try experimenting with lab rats that have lost their immune systems?"

"What's the point of doing that?" Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai frowned when they heard that and exchanged looks with one another. It was obvious that they were displeased with Zhang Heng's reckless command.

Zhang Heng didn't bother to explain and simply waved his hand dismissively. "I think it's very necessary. It's just two more Experimentals anyway. Even if it doesn't work out, we won't lose anything."

"Alright then." The two of them didn't say anything else after seeing how insistent Zhang Heng was. They turned around and ordered their assistants to look for some dying lab rats.

Zhang Heng shook his head when he saw how nonchalant the two of them looked. His thoughts were not groundless. He was only able to come up with the details based on how Safiros, Claude, and the others successfully fused with the Genova cells in Final Fantasy 7.

393. Research

In the details of the plot of 'Final Fantasy 7', Shenluo had also been caught in the same blind spot of thought as Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai when she first got hold of the Genova cells. In their opinion, the healthier the Experimentals were, the better. As such, all of the Experimentals that they had prepared were injected with the Genova cells while they were still healthy. As a result, all of the Experimentals suffered severe repulsive reactions, which eventually led to the experiment failing.

However, there were also exceptions, such as the protagonist, Claude, who was a different case altogether.

Claude was not completely healthy when he first transplanted the Genova cells into his body, but he was on the verge of death. In such a situation, Claude had completely lost his mental resistance, and his body was so weak that he was unable to resist foreign entities. As such, he was practically possessed by Genova without being able to resist at all, which eventually resulted in him gaining superhuman strength.

Other than Claude, there was another exception, and that was Safiros.

Back in the day, the Shenluo Corporation didn't have a fully developed biotechnology, and they were only able to nurture the prototype from the embryo. However, due to the lack of the prototype, the scientists of the Shenluo Corporation came up with a way to nurture the prototype through "grafting".

Most of the so-called advanced lifeforms were born from the uterus of the mother. As such, the researchers came up with a solution, which was to use the uterus of the female creature as a petri dish, while the embryo in the uterus would be used as a grafting material. The development of the embryo would drive the development of the Genova cells, which would allow the researchers to acquire a complete Genova body. At the same time, as the research on Genova was mainly about military matters, it was best to use humans as experimental equipment.

It was through such methods that the Shenluo Corporation was able to create such a god-like man—Safiros.

Genova had grown up with Zafiros, or rather, she had existed with him even before his immune system was developed. As such, Zafiros simply didn't treat Genova as a foreign object, which eventually led to the two becoming one. Genova was Zafiros, and Zafiros was Genova.

It was those two exceptions that made Zhang Heng realize that human resistance was the true reason why the experiment had failed, while the severely wounded were the ones who were able to completely fuse with Genova.

Those two methods were the only two methods that Zhang Heng knew of that would enable the Genova cell to successfully parasitize its host. Furthermore, according to what Zhang Heng knew, there was a certain level of risk involved in those two methods. That is, after being parasitized, Genova's consciousness would invade the host's brain as well, completely assimilating the host into Genova's consciousness. However, there was also a way to fight against that—immersing oneself in demons.

According to the explanation given in the final fantasy plot, the energy source that took over the planet would be able to protect the host's consciousness very well. At the same time, it would be able to nullify the attack on the host's consciousness after taking over the host's body. However, from the plot's perspective, such an attack would only be able to mitigate the attack on the host's consciousness, but not completely cure it.

However, the problem of consciousness possession was not something that Zhang Heng could consider at the moment. His research of Genova had only just begun, and he was like a newborn baby who had yet to learn how to walk. How could he possibly consider running?

The assistants found three lab rats very quickly. Two of the three rats were too old and had reached the age of old. The other one was severely ill and was on the verge of death. Zhang Heng instructed the three rats to be injected with one-thousandth of the Genova cell solution before they were made into experimental subjects number seven, eight, and nine.

Zhang Heng was only able to provide them with some ideas at best. While he was a graduate of the biology department, his amateurish standards were far below that of the assistants in the laboratory. As such, he only observed the place for a bit before bidding farewell to everyone and leaving the laboratory.

However, Zhang Heng had no idea that something unexpected happened to the No. 9 Experimental shortly after he left.

Every hour, the assistant in charge of the experimental subjects would collect the blood samples of the lab rats and hand it to the assistant in charge of the observation. That assistant would observe the lab rats under the electron microscope and record the data, making it an essential piece of data for the experiment. However, after an hour passed, that assistant in charge of the experimental subjects suddenly gasped. He saw that the No. 9 lab rat seemed to have become a little more active than before and was no longer near death like before.

Number nine was the lab rat who was severely ill. The lab rat was initially on the verge of death and its organs were showing signs of failing. However, after being injected with the Genova cell for an hour, the lab rat slowly opened its eyes and crawled to the food with its four short legs, beginning to eat.

That was what the assistant saw.

"How could that be?" The assistant found it rather unbelievable. He took a look at No. 7 and No. 8 beside him and was surprised to find that the two lab rats, like the ones before them, were already showing signs of repulsion. Their bodies kept twitching and they seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

"Take a look, Professor Feng!" The assistant called Feng Lun over right away.

At that moment, Feng Lun and Kong Zhongcai were discussing the properties of the Genova cells. They rushed over immediately after hearing the report from their assistant and happened to see that the 9th lab rat had finished eating and began to wiggle its little nose. It opened its beady eyes and began to observe the environment inside the cabinet curiously.

"Experimental # 9 is recovering!" Feng Lun seemed to have recalled something and turned around at the same time, urging him, "Little He, quick, come here and draw some of that lab rat's blood for me. I want to see what's happening inside its body!"

"Yes!"

The assistant, who was referred to as' Little He ', understood the gravity of the situation and quickly pulled out a syringe with a pair of forceps. He drew a sample of blood from the lab rat in the cabinet and applied it on the slide, putting it under the electron microscope.

Everyone saw that most of the red cells in the body of the 9th lab rat had been replaced by a new type of cell. That was a cell they had never seen before. The cells had the characteristics of the lab rat cells, but most of them were the characteristics of the Genova cells.

Kong Zhong gasped at the sight and said, "Understood. The cells of a lifeform named Genova do indeed possess the ability to fuse and modify host cells, but only if the host is able to give it time and prevent it from rejecting the host cells."

"In that case, you're right, Director Zhang." Feng Lun nodded as well, feeling rather sentimental. "As a parasitic lifeform, judging from the current performance of the cells, it does indeed possess the ability to modify its host. It's obvious that this is due to the innate ability of reciprocity. After all, if the host were to die so easily, it wouldn't be a good thing for the parasitic lifeforms. It's just like the relationship between a rhinoceros and a rhinoceros bird. The rhinoceros bird would eat the parasites on its body, while the rhinoceros would serve as a shelter for the rhinoceros bird to prevent the predators from attacking it…"

"However, the only problem at the moment is whether that cell will change the host's brain cells. If it does, would you still be you after the transformation? If not, then that cell would be no different from the DX-118 Virus."

394. I'm Back Again

A few days later, Zhang Heng received the research report regarding the Genova cells.

The report was none other than the conclusion that Zhang Heng knew about. The Genova cells possessed the power to alter the host's body. It could be said that once the host was infected by the Genova cells, the host would continue to be assimilated by the Genova cells, eventually becoming a completely different species from humans.

Fortunately, the nature of the Genova cell was far more benign than that of the DX-118 Virus. Furthermore, as long as one had sufficient willpower and was immersed in the demon, one would be able to maintain one's mind from being corrupted, preventing one's will from being taken over by Genova.

One of the most obvious examples was Safiros. It could be said that Safiros had completely become one with Genova, yet she was never under Genova's control from the very beginning. On the contrary, she almost destroyed Genova's will and took over the place with her own will, replacing Genova completely. If it hadn't been for Claude defeating her will in the movie 'The Coming of the Holy Son', Zhang Heng wouldn't have had to face Genova on this mission. Instead, he would have had to face a Zafiros who was tens, if not hundreds, of times stronger.

As for the protagonist, Claude, he was simply too weak. His willpower alone was not enough to resist the corruption of Genova. If it hadn't been for the Spring of Life from the planet eradicating Genova's will in his body, he would have long been taken over by the Genova cells and reduced to a clone of Genova.

One could tell just how powerful Safiros was from that.

A cold smirk was seen on his face as he read the report. There was another report lying quietly on the tea machine on his left hand, and at the very top of the report, printed in black letters, were the words "Workability Report of Zhang Heng Construction of the Magic Furnace".

…

Late at night, in the radiation plane.

Electric arcs were seen flashing in the depths of the underground base where the institute was located. The Dimensional Travel Device, which hadn't lit up for a very long time, was activated all of a sudden, emitting blinding flashes of lightning. Thousands of synthesized people appeared in the base with huge amounts of mechanical parts after the lights were extinguished.

The base in the Radiation Plane was abandoned after the special forces from the other planes led by Gu Zhan and Adam retreated. However, Zhang Heng didn't evacuate all of his personnel. Instead, he left thousands of emotionless synthesizers to take care of the base in case of emergencies.

That was what happened that day. The remaining value of the radiation plane was yet to be completely depleted. The synthesized humans began to measure the soil and monitor the geological structure when they arrived. It was obvious that they were about to begin a new project.

One could tell from the massive mechanical parts that the project was definitely not some minor project, but something far more complex than building a nuclear shelter.

In the end, Zhang Heng brought tens of thousands of T-800 robots with him to this world. The T-800 wasn't considered lifeforms, and as such, they only needed to be measured in terms of volume. Zhang Heng was now able to carry 10,000 cubic meters of objects to perform spacetime travel, and he was reluctant to send the cloned warriors to this plane where they could be sent candy to CEO K at any moment. As such, he had no choice but to use the T-800 instead of the cloned warriors' combat power.

It wasn't just the radiation plane. In another plane that was not far from reality yet out of reach, there was a similar construction team that came to that world without making a sound. That was Marvel World.

In the underground headquarters of the Hydra in Germany, under the eyes of many superheroes, there was also a huge project slowly being carried out…

At the same time, Zhang Heng's silhouette gradually appeared in midair in a plane where humans had practically disappeared without a trace, leaving only zombies and ruins of civilization. Behind him were thousands of plane legions.

It was as if they had appeared out of nowhere before a huge building, taking up almost the entire street.

Zhang Heng took two steps forward and looked at the familiar building before him with a dazed look, reminiscing about the past.

"Commander, shall we begin the exploration?"

Behind him, Adam took two steps forward and whispered.

"Let's begin." Zhang Heng nodded and walked into the building without saying anything.

Adam, who was standing behind Zhang Heng, opened his mouth a little, but he still decided to follow Zhang Heng without any hesitation, following him like a loyal follower.

Zhang Heng took a quick glance around the building as soon as he entered and took in the scene before him. He saw several mummified bodies lying quietly on the dusty floor. There was a deep wound on the right eye of each of the bodies and a lot of black blood was oozing out of the wound, but the blood had dried up long ago, leaving only pitch-black stains.

Zhang Heng turned around and saw a security room on the right side of the lobby that had its doors opened. The steel cabinet of the security room was open, and there was a dried corpse that had been dead for years outside the cabinet. He could even see a dust-filled cup noodles package and a bottle of mineral water that had been emptied.

That was the plane where Resident Evil was located, and it was also the first time that Zhang Heng came into contact with the Dimensional Star mission two years ago, which was the first step to becoming a butterfly.

From that day onwards, Zhang Heng went from being an average college student who was still young and inexperienced. He went through a transformation step by step, leaping and turning on the edge of a knife, eventually becoming a completely different person. He became the huge monster that could shake the world with a single stomp.

Zhang Heng felt as if things had changed after seeing that weak young man all those years ago. There was a tinge of sorrow, vicissitudes, and maturity in his eyes.

Time was truly a mystical thing. It was capable of changing everything, turning the world upside down…

Bang, bang, bang!

Muffled gunshots were heard from outside the lobby. It was obvious that the arrival of the plane's troops had completely awakened the sleeping city. The zombies that had been sleeping for years in the city smelled the scent of living humans and woke up from their long slumber right away. They staggered towards the humans before them with hunger that would never be satisfied.

"Roar!"

A low-pitched roar was heard from the top of the building. The licker that had driven Zhang Heng to the ends of the earth was also awakened by the gunshots from below. It charged at the crowd with a bloodthirsty, greedy look on its face, yet it failed to realize that its speed, which it took pride in, and its strong physique were no different from regular zombies before its enemies.

The licker, which had almost caused Zhang Heng's death before, was blown to pieces with a dull gunshot. It was sent flying like a ragdoll before crashing to the ground, convulsing and dying.

Reality was a stark contrast to what it had been in the past. Enemies who had barely escaped death in the past were now not even worthy of Zhang Heng's attention. They were filled with an indescribable sense of drama.

The sound of gunshots continued all the way until nightfall. All the zombies in the city were wiped out effortlessly by the clone warriors. More than a dozen huge construction trucks began unloading the supplies. A new plane shuttle platform would be built there, and the Demonic Blaze Furnace, which was used to absorb the life source of the planet, would be built there as well.

Zhang Heng was already on the roof of the Umbrella building at the moment. He stood before the French window and looked down at the city that was once again bustling with activity, feeling rather sentimental.

I, Hu Hansan, am back.

395. The Demonic Elephant

There was no meaning to the name 'Spring of Life' or 'Magic Energy', as it was more apt to say, 'Magic Energy'. The essence of the name was just some kind of materialization of the planet.

That kind of energy was usually intangible, yet it was closely related to planets. It could only be extracted from the inside of planets through specialized equipment.

That special device that could extract energy from planets was none other than the Magic Furnace.

However, it was not something that Zhang Heng would be able to tell if every single planet had that kind of power source. That was why he had been experimenting in all kinds of planes. He was not only experimenting on radiation, biochemical crisis, and the Marvel plane, but he was also quietly constructing the Demonic Blaze Furnace underground in reality.

Of course, it wouldn't have mattered if there were other planes out there. If there was really such a thing as demonic energy in the real world, he wouldn't have bothered to mine for it. After all, if he were to mine for demonic energy in the real world, what was the difference between that and destroying the real world?

The results came as a shock to Zhang Heng. He had never found material like that in the real world, and neither did the radiation plane's Resident Evil plane. Such material was found only on Earth in the Marvel plane.

About half a month had passed since he set up the Demon Blaze Furnace in the various planes. He seemed to have caught onto something when he received the news.

"Is there anything about the planet that the Final Fantasy is on that resembles the Marvel world? Why is it that only the Earth of the Marvel world has magic energy, while Earth and other planes in the real world don't have such energy?" Zhang Heng mumbled to himself and walked quickly to the plane shuttle equipment on the B8th floor. He saw tens of synthesized people working hard in the sky. At the same time, a glass container that looked like a huge test tube was sent from the other side of the plane's dark exit.

The test tube was about as thick as an arm and was filled with a light green liquid. The liquid seemed to have a source of light to begin with and was green and lustrous, emitting a diamond-like glow. Even if one were to look at it with the naked eye, they would be able to sense a special, lively aura.

"Yeah, right."

Surprise was seen on Zhang Heng's face as he snatched the container from the hand of a synthesizer. He felt something warm in his hand right away. That liquid actually had heat to it?

Zhang Heng became even more curious. He unscrewed the cap of the container and green spots of light began to spread out from it, rising into the air before fusing with the air and disappearing.

So, you're telling me that I'm gonna spill my guts?

Zhang Heng had only opened the test tube for a few seconds, yet over one-fifth of the entire tube was spilled after opening it, and it continued to evaporate.

Zhang Heng shut the test tube with a click and handed the tube to the researcher beside him, before turning his gaze to the black hole at the end of the tube.

Zhang Heng took another step forward and entered the plane shuttle without hesitation. His vision went dark all of a sudden and when it lit up again, he was already in the Marvel plane.

The moment he stepped into the Marvel plane, he saw a seemingly endless underground cave right before his eyes.

He found himself in a huge, underground cavity that stretched as far as the eye could see. Everything was pitch-black in the distance, and not even the powerful searchlights were able to drive away that deep darkness. There was only a huge crater ahead of him, and green light was slowly rising from the crater. Green light spots were seen dancing in the air before dying out.

There was a spire that was about tens of meters thick on the crater. One end of the spire extended deep underground, while the other end extended into the endless darkness above him. It was obvious that the crater was the Magic Furnace that was constructed on the Marvel plane.

The Magical Flash Furnace wasn't considered huge and could only be considered small at best. According to the data reported, the Magical Flash Furnace was a standard tower-like structure with a diameter of 300 meters, a height of 110 meters, and a depth of 300 meters. It looked like a huge drill, with the huge tower-shaped pillar at the center being the bearing of the furnace. As the bearing continued to spin, a low rumble was heard. Crystal-like pieces of the Magical Flash Furnace were extracted from the ground and transported out by three metal pipes installed on the bearing.

At the end of the metal pipes was a huge building that looked like a processing plant. One could see over a hundred synthesized humans working busily inside the building at a glance. There was a huge amount of energy extracted from planets produced by the Magic Cauldron, which would be compressed and purified in the processing plant, eventually forming the Magic Cauldron.

Zhang Heng was about to make his way to the processing plant when he seemed to have sensed something and turned around immediately. He saw a metallic sphere glowing with both green and red lights floating over from afar and flying before him at an extremely fast speed. Electronic and string beeps were heard as if the sphere was speaking.

It was a spherical robot with bright yellow paint on the outside. There was a tiny hemispherical head at the top, with no nose or mouth. The body part was a spherical sphere the size of a basketball. There was a flickering electronic screen at the stomach part of the robot, which took up one-third of the entire robot's body.

On the whole, the robot looked rather cute and adorable, making it very lovable.

Is that a miniature drone?

Zhang Heng looked astonished. One could tell from the spherical robot's mobility that it was loaded with an anti-gravity system. However, to be able to install an anti-gravity system on a spherical sphere that was only about the size of a basketball was something that scientists in the Honeycomb had spent over half a year to no avail.

The screen on the robot's ball lit up at that moment and a rather sinister-looking face appeared on the screen.

"Welcome, Commander." A high-pitched voice was heard from the metal ball and the man on the screen bowed slightly. "I'm your most loyal servant, Anim Zola."

"Dr. Zola." Zhang Heng chuckled and asked, "Did you invent that robot?"

"Yes, Ms. Corona Two gave me access to some of the research, and I was able to find such anti-gravity technology from it. I was able to create such a robot based on that technology, which made it a lot easier to operate." Dr. Zola chuckled and continued, "I named this type of robot BB-8."

There was no time for pleasantries. All of his attention was focused on the person responsible for this.

"It's Corona Two." Zola knew from the look on Zhang Heng's face that it was not the time to be sucking up to her, so she answered right away, "Do you need me to contact her?"

"No need. I know what to do." Before the metallic sphere finished speaking, Corona Two's voice penetrated the sphere robot in front of him. Zhang Heng saw the pitiful metallic sphere swinging like a human, and cracking sounds were heard from the inside as if it had short-circuited. The image on the robot's stomach changed in the very next second, revealing Corona's face.

"Commander."

Corona was none other than Corona No. 2. That was the secondary personality that Zhang Heng had caused Corona to split apart, which was used to restrict Zola, who only existed online. Under the supervision of Corona No. 2, no matter how capable Zola was, she had no choice but to be put under surveillance.

396. Inject

Judging from the way Corona Two treated Zola, it seemed like Zola hadn't been doing well recently.

However, Zhang Heng couldn't care less about all of that. Zola was a very capricious person to begin with, and if it hadn't been for the restrictions imposed by the Corona No. 2, she would have done him in countless times over.

Accompanied by Corona Two, Zhang Heng began inspecting the Demon Blaze Furnace. He was able to tell from there that the energy source of the Demon Blaze didn't appear to be liquid in the first place. The material itself was very difficult to discover and was found in every corner of the ground. It was difficult to detect even with equipment. Only the Demon Blaze Furnace was able to extract the material from the soil and turn it into a shiny green liquid.

However, despite repeated tests by Corona No. 2, he was unable to detect any kind of pure particle structure belonging to the demon. He was only able to confirm that the demon was a type of pure material that belonged to a single entity, which was similar to the unique vibranium found in the Marvel World, both of which were substances that did not exist in the periodic table of elements.

Furthermore, it was similar to vibranium, which meant that demons possessed radiation that could alter the genes of humans. It was just that demons' genes were even larger than those of humans, which meant that they were able to alter not only the physique of humans, but also energy. The amount of energy contained within them was even larger than that of nuclear fusion, and they were also extremely stable, unlike nitroglycerin, which would explode with a single shake.

In short, it was a near-perfect substance.

Furthermore, even though Corona Two had been extracting power from the Marvel Dimension for the past few days, it continued to monitor every move made by the Marvel World. According to what Corona Two knew, nothing out of the ordinary happened on the planet for the time being. That meant that a small amount of mining power from the planet wouldn't be able to do anything to the planet. However, if they were to mine too much of it in the future, it would be hard to say if the people from that world would notice.

However, there was no way he could get Zhang Heng to give up after confirming the value of the cloning power source. The power source was simply too important. If he wanted to fuse with the cloning power source, he would need a lot of cloning power to do so. Furthermore, the power source could enhance the overall quality of the cloning power, which meant that there was no way he could give up on those two points.

A look of determination flashed in his eyes at that thought. "Corona Two, I'll send someone to manufacture the demons from other planes and bring you your new goal. The more demons you have, the better."

"Commander, according to our analysis of the components of the Magic Furnace, the larger the type of Magic Furnace created by me, the higher the efficiency of the Magic Furnace created by me, and the 100 smaller Magic Furnace created by me, the number of Magic Furnace created by me, and the larger the Magic Furnace created by me, the higher the efficiency of the Magic Furnace created by me. There are 100 smaller Magic Furnace created by me, and the number of Magic Furnace extracted by me is one-third of the total," Corona Number Two reminded.

"Then try your best to create a large-scale demon furnace," Zhang Heng said right away. "Do I need to teach you that?"

"But, the standard size of the Large Furnace is three kilometers in diameter, and the height is even more ridiculous. It would be almost impossible for such a huge building to remain undetected in the Marvel World, even if it were to be built underground," Corona said anxiously.

"Why not try the bottom of the ocean?" Zhang Heng asked right away. "Constructing the Magic Furnace at the bottom of the ocean is a piece of cake for us, given how advanced our technology is. I assume that place wouldn't be easily discovered, right?"

Corona Two's eyes lit up at that moment. It was obvious that while she had inherited Corona's control over computer programming abilities, her thoughts were nowhere near as vivid as Corona's main body. If it were Corona's main body, she would have figured out the solution long ago.

Zhang Heng only returned to reality after giving his instructions.

Currently, experiments regarding the Genova cells were being carried out in the Honeycomb, and the experiments were beginning to take place in the human body. The results were completely in line with what Zhang Heng knew about the cells. The humans infected with the Genova cells began to display tremendous power, but their thoughts gradually became confused and eventually became Genova's consciousness.

While the virus was nowhere near as potent as the DX-118 virus, the bunch of researchers were still very reluctant to accept such an outcome. They worked day and night to develop ways to prevent the Genova cells from encroaching on human consciousness.

However, such a method would definitely not be invented within a few years, unless the human biotechnology forces were to develop for several hundred more years.

Zhang Heng didn't stop their research. While he knew that it would be pointless, it was still a form of experience nonetheless. As technology within the hive grew increasingly advanced, so did their knowledge and experience. Such growth was inevitable. Zhang Heng wouldn't be so stupid as to ruin their motivation just to save some money.

While all of those experimental bodies had failed, Zhang Heng saw the possibility of resisting Genova's will among them. Several cloned warriors took the initiative to participate in the secret experiments. Due to the lack of emotions, it was very difficult for Genova's will to infect their thoughts. Additionally, the cloned warriors' power was replenished several times in just a few days, and they were able to escape Genova's influence.

Zhang Heng finally stopped hesitating after seeing the results of the clone warrior experiment. One dark and windy night, the B8th floor was completely sealed off. He found himself in front of a culture pod deep underground in the Hengxing Building. Large amounts of demonic liquid were injected into the pod, making it look as if the entire floor was covered in green liquid.

"Commander, are you sure you want to do this?" There was no one else in the room other than Zhang Heng at the moment, and only Corona was feeling rather worried. "You're nothing like the clone warriors. While I have to admit that your willpower is indeed very strong, you still have all the emotions of humans, be it joy, anger, sorrow, or whatever. Just based on that alone, no matter how strong your willpower may be, you still wouldn't be able to compare to the emotionless clone warriors."

"Since when do I have to wait for things to go as planned before making a move?" Zhang Heng turned around and chuckled. "Corona, don't let success fool your conscience. I've been walking on the edge of a mountain of blades and a sea of flames all along. If I had to wait until I had a foolproof plan before making a move, I'm afraid I'd have died countless times over. I wouldn't be where I am right now."

"Now that I've gotten what I needed and everything is in place, I don't even owe you anything. Why are you being so cautious?" Zhang Heng took off all of his clothes and climbed to the top of the incubator. "I'm running out of time. According to my senses, the curse will come within a year at most."

Corona was stunned when she heard that. She said with a shocked expression, "The curse is finally coming?"

"That's right. Earth is about to experience its first shock soon." Zhang Heng nodded and stepped into the Berserk Energy without any hesitation. He then said, "Inject Janova into me. I have no reason to fail. I have to succeed this time!"

397. Success

The first requirement to fuse with Genova was that the entire body had to be in a state where there was no resistance at all. Such resistance was not only limited to mental states, but also required the body to lower its guard.

It was easy to achieve that in terms of thought, but for regular people, it was practically impossible to prevent their immune system from resisting against Genova. After all, that was an instinct of the body, and it was completely out of their control.

As such, he had to look for patients with severe illnesses in the previous experiments conducted in Genova. Despite that, most of the targets were unable to withstand the war between the immune cells and the Genova cells and eventually died.

However, none of that would have happened to Zhang Heng. His willpower had long since surpassed that of his physical body, and every molecule in his body was under his control. It would be a piece of cake for him to render his immune system ineffective for the time being.

Zhang Heng entered the incubation pod at the moment. The thick, pillar-like incubation pod was a standard model used to create clones, yet the fluid in the pod continued to glow with a brilliant light, making it look very impressive. It was not some common nutrient solution, but rather the lifeblood from the planet of the other plane, the Demonic Spring.

One could see Zhang Heng's limbs curled up through the glass of the incubator. His eyes were tightly shut and he was curled up like a fetus in the incubator, with only his chest heaving slightly. His mouth and nose were covered with a breathing apparatus, preventing him from being immersed in the demon and causing him to suffocate.

There were five to six thick plastic tubes attached to Zhang Heng's body. The tubes extended from the top of the incubator and were connected to all manner of complex-looking body monitors at the side. Some were as thick as a thumb, while others were only as thick as a grain of rice.

That was the 49th hour since Zhang Heng injected Genova.

The laboratory that Zhang Heng was in was completely silent, with only the lights of the equipment lit up. Other than that, there was only the glow of the energy source himself. The glow of the energy source wasn't very bright, making the laboratory look even darker.

However, there were hundreds of clone warriors stationed outside the laboratory and even on the entire B8th floor. The order that they received was to stop all humans from approaching the B8 floor without heeding the warning. They were allowed to kill all humans on the spot in the event of an emergency.

Corona, on the other hand, had sealed the door of the Honeycomb a long time ago and was monitoring all the researchers in the Honeycomb at all times. If anything were to happen to someone, it would be a group of cloning warriors who would lock that person up immediately.

The scientists in the hive had no idea what was going on. All they knew was that the atmosphere in the hive had been very stifling for the past two days. It was as if a dark cloud was hanging over everyone's heads, making it so that no matter what they did, they had to be very careful.

It was late at night and most of the personnel in the hive had gone to bed. Corona took some time off and turned her attention to the laboratory where Zhang Heng was. She looked at Zhang Heng, who was completely still in the incubator, through the surveillance cameras and felt rather worried.

It had been two days and two nights.

She could sense that Zhang Heng's consciousness was currently in a state of suspended animation, which was how he reduced his body's resistance to the Genova cells. Every minute and every second, the Genova cells continued to fuse with Zhang Heng's own cells, and a new type of cell took over his body instead of his original cells. It felt like a long period of evolution, with evolution taking thousands of years or even tens of thousands of years, yet all of that was accelerated to several hours inside Zhang Heng's body.

Corona wasn't sure if he was still the same person when he woke up.

Just when Corona was feeling very troubled, the heart rate monitor in the laboratory suddenly showed that the light spot representing Zhang Heng's heartbeat was gradually decreasing. It went from more than 50 times per minute at the very beginning to more than 30 times per minute, and it continued to decrease.

Corona's heart sank. Something unexpected happened after all.

The chestbuster was automatically injected into the tubes that had been prepared beforehand without a second thought. The injection caused Zhang Heng's body to shudder for a bit before falling silent again.

"Beep, beep, beep…"

However, Corona found that the injection of the cardiac stimulant was completely ineffective. Zhang Heng's heartbeat continued to drop. His heartbeat dropped to zero in just over 10 seconds.

Ear-piercing alarms were heard all of a sudden, and the electric shock patch that was stuck to his chest began to work on its own. The powerful electrical currents caused his body to vibrate like crazy, but no matter how high the current went, his heart didn't seem to be beating at all.

Corona felt like she had lost all hope as she stared at Zhang Heng in a daze. However, she was stunned to discover that while his heartbeat had stopped, his blood pressure remained the same. Furthermore, his blood pressure had far exceeded that of regular people by several times over.

That meant that Zhang Heng's blood was flowing on its own.

Not only that, but Zhang Heng's brainwave became very active right after his heart stopped beating. His brain cells, which had almost stopped working, seemed to have been jolted awake all of a sudden. The brainwave image representing Zhang Heng pulsed violently, with a frequency and peak that far exceeded that of humans.

Whatever was happening inside Zhang Heng's body was no longer something that could be monitored by human devices. Corona looked at Zhang Heng with a confused look on her face. The only thing she could do at the moment was to use her mental magnetic field to constantly call out to Zhang Heng to affect him. However, she was shocked to discover that Zhang Heng's brainwave frequency was no longer under her control. If Zhang Heng refused to communicate with her, she would no longer be able to affect his brain from that day forth.

Bang!

All of a sudden, a hand was placed on the incubator and Zhang Heng, who was inside the incubator, opened his eyes right away. Corona felt the entire honeycomb shake slightly before the glass of the incubator shattered in the very next second. Huge amounts of glass shards sprayed all over the place, exposing the inside of the incubator to the air. The glass shards were vaporized before they even hit the ground and disappeared without a trace.

There was a dazed look in his eyes as he looked around slowly, seemingly trying to recall something. A look of clarity finally appeared on his face when he felt Corona calling him in his consciousness.

He raised his hand slightly and looked at his palm. He found that his skin had become as smooth as gelatin, without a single pore to be seen. Not only that, but he was also able to feel that massive power in his veins and bones, a power that far exceeded the limits of humanity.

"Corona, I did it!"

Zhang Heng took the initiative to connect with Corona's consciousness and chuckled. "I can feel that Janova and my body have become one. The degree of fusion is even higher than the fusion with Claude. Only Safiros, who had been fusing since the embryo stage, could compare."

"That's not all. I could feel that the Mind Gem suppressed Janova's consciousness right away. From now on, Janova will be me, but I'm definitely not Janova!"

Corona finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Zhang Heng's familiar gaze and familiar tone. She asked, feeling rather vexed, "Commander, why did your heart stop beating all of a sudden? I thought…"

"Due to the human structure, I'm no longer able to get used to my new body." Zhang Heng touched his chest where his heart was when he heard that. "Do you remember that Professor Ferron came up with an experiment to modify the human body, replacing the bones of the warrior with titanium alloy, removing the heart at the same time, implanting nerves, muscle tissue, and so on in the blood vessels? That was a very interesting plan, but it was put on hold for the time being due to the technology being immature."

"I see." Corona then realized something and continued, "That is to say that your blood vessels are able to contract and expand on their own to transmit blood to your entire body, so you no longer need an organ called the heart?"

398. New Energy Cycle

"Yes, that's not all. I can feel that the blood in my body seems to have become even more…" Zhang Heng frowned and drew a line on his index finger with his thumb, causing drops of purple blood to flow out.

"It's getting weirder…" Corona was stunned to see the purple blood oozing from Zhang Heng's fingertip.

Generally speaking, the human blood had a lot of red blood cells. The red blood cells were filled with proteins containing iron—hemoglobin, which transports oxygen and carbon dioxide. When it absorbs fresh oxygen, the hemoglobin with iron would combine with fluoride, turning the blood red.

As such, the color of the blood depended more on the color of the blood cells. The blood that contained more oxygen was like arterial blood, bright red in color, and the blood that contained less oxygen was like vein blood, purplish red in color.

The change in Zhang Heng's blood seemed to be caused by the fact that there was very little oxygen in his blood.

"I can feel that I need very little oxygen for every breath I take." Zhang Heng closed his eyes and took a moment to savor the feeling. "Regular people need to breathe 16-20 times a minute, and I only need to breathe two to three times. It's not that my lungs are expanding, but that the amount of oxygen consumed in my body is decreasing."

"But then again, the reason why humans are able to breathe is due to the three types of energy in their bodies—sugar, fat, and protein—requiring oxidation and decomposition. Your body's current consumption should have far exceeded that of regular humans. How could the oxygen you require be reduced instead?" Corona asked, feeling baffled.

"As you know, human energy comes from sugar and protein, so you should also understand that such low levels of energy are no longer enough to drive my body." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "I can feel two types of energy circulatory systems appearing in my body, one of which is sugar and protein. However, that energy circulatory system is at best a backup source, and the main source of energy in my body is…"

Zhang Heng closed his eyes slightly as he said that and green dots appeared all over his body all of a sudden, seeping into his body at the same time. He then opened his eyes again with a cold smirk on his face and said softly,

"The life of the planet…"

"Demon?" Corona was shocked.

"Yes, it could very well be due to the influence of the Genova cells." Zhang Heng nodded and said with a bitter smile, "I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse. That way, unless I'm willing to eat tens or even hundreds of kilograms of food a day, I'd have to absorb tens of milliliters of demonic energy in order to maintain energy consumption."

"Fortunately, I'm able to store a lot of demons inside me. I'm able to keep myself from eating and drinking for about three years. However, if I were to go all out, I'd probably be done in just a few days."

…

A day later, Zhang Heng found himself in yet another empty laboratory.

There was also a huge incubator in that laboratory, and a naked woman was soaking in that incubator.

That woman's skin was fair and her figure was extremely voluptuous. Her chest was ample and full of elasticity. She had a voluptuous chest and a thin waist. Her legs were extremely long and her jet-black hair was floating in the nutrient solution, making her look even more mysterious and alluring.

Zhang Heng walked into the laboratory slowly and whistled when he saw the spring scene in the incubator.

"Corona, how are her injuries?"

"She's completely recovered. She didn't leave any scars after being immersed in the reactive cell solution," Corona answered. "I've been injecting her with a sedative due to the possibility of her being in danger."

Zhang Heng nodded in agreement.

The woman in her early twenties in the incubator was none other than Tiff Lockhart, whom he picked up from the Final Fantasy 7 mission.

Tiff had suffered burns all over his body at the time. If he hadn't been there to save him, there would have been no way he could have survived. Furthermore, if it hadn't been for Zhang Heng's interference, the entire human planet on the 7th plane would have been destroyed long ago.

It was such a pity that the planet was powered by magic energy.

Zhang Heng began to understand at that moment why regular humans like Tiff would have abilities that far exceeded that of humans back in the real world. From what he saw back in the real world, even if regular humans hadn't been immersed in demons before, they would still be able to develop extremely strong abilities as long as they were trained. The only difference was that they weren't as strong as demons.

All of that would have been utterly inconceivable in real life. No matter how strong a human's body was, there was still a limit to how strong they could be. Take the so-called martial arts, for example, for example. All of that was just a way of training one's strength. There was simply no such thing as being able to exert several tons of strength after training and being able to jump tens of meters high.

But the humans from the 7th Fantasy plane were able to do it.

He came to realize that there was no such thing as Magic Qi on Earth or other human planes in the real world. It was only when he discovered Magic Qi on Earth in the real world that he came to have a theory.

The situation between the Marvel plane and the Final Fantasy plane was very similar. Both had some kind of supernatural phenomenon. There was a 'super warrior' in the Final Fantasy plane, and there was also a 'X gene' in the Marvel plane. That is, every human in that world had a gene chain called the X gene, which would be activated for various reasons. It could be said that every human in the Marvel plane had the potential and possibility to become a 'mutant'.

Zhang Heng went back to the real world and did a comparison. There was no such gene called X in the human genes found in the real world. Furthermore, when he tried to replicate such genes and even clone superhero mutants in the real world, he found that all of that was in vain. It was as if the laws of the universe in this world did not allow such supernatural beings to appear. No matter how many times he tried to replicate such genes, he would always fail.

Now, the puzzle seemed to finally be solved. Why were there so many mutants and superheroes among the humans of the Marvel plane? Why were there super warriors like Safiros, Claude, and so on in the Final Fantasy plane? None of that existed in reality.

The answer could very well be found in such precious energy sources as Demon's.

Zhang Heng's eyes gleamed with understanding. He flicked the incubator before him and said, "Let her out. Get a few female assistants to take her to recuperate. She'll get to work when she's fully recuperated. I don't keep idle people around here."

"Yes…" Corona seemed rather reluctant, but she followed Zhang Heng's orders nonetheless. It didn't take long before several female clones dressed as nurses came to the laboratory and began to operate the equipment with practiced ease. Tiff's arms and legs went limp as he was put on a portable stretcher before leaving the laboratory.

399. Tiffa

The sound of metal twisting was heard from the devastated ground of the city.

The sound was like that of a behemoth wailing before its death. The earth rumbled and countless crimson tentacles emerged from the ground, swaying in the wind and piercing the sky in an instant.

Tiff watched all of this with a dazed look on her face. She had no idea what was happening, but she was able to vaguely make out Yuffie waving at her from afar, her expression one of panic and despair. Behind her, the little girl's eyes were completely red and she wanted to run at her, but the tentacles that kept appearing from time to time blocked their path.

"Run, run, leave us alone!"

Euphoria's voice seemed to have come from the horizon, and Tiff shuddered all over. He was just about to take a step when drops of red blood rained down from the sky, landing on Tiff's face and body.

Is it raining?

Tiff looked up in a dazed manner, only to see a figure standing in midair, facing off against those tentacles. Light flickered on his forehead, making it look like a supernova had just erupted, and flames engulfed everything in an instant.

“Arrgghhhh!” Tiff sat up all of a sudden, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. It took her four to five seconds to regain her senses.

“Where… am I?” Tiff looked at his own body and saw that he was wearing a white hospital gown with a vacuum inside. There wasn’t a single scar on his burns.

The source of the light coming from above was a power supply lamp. The light was so blinding that it caused the entire room to turn pale. The room was filled with equipment that he had never seen before.

However, Tiff at least realized that he wasn't dead and was currently in a hospital ward.

He gently lifted the snow-white duvet and a pair of fair, slender feet stepped on the floor beneath his white hospital pants. Tiff headed for the door cautiously, but he saw two soldiers in black armor standing outside the door as soon as he got there.

The design of that suit of armor was extremely intricate. The entire head of the suit was covered by a helmet that looked like an inverted droplet, making it impossible to see the facial features of the suit. There were only two parallel 'V' depressions serving as the eyes, and light was seen flickering inside the depressions, which served as a visual aid.

Every single crevice on the armor was covered, making it look metallic. Furthermore, both of them were holding some kind of high-tech gun in their hands. The cold, streamlined lines and the cold light reflected by the lights in the corridors all spoke volumes about how advanced those weapons were. She was able to tell just how powerful those guns were from her intuition alone.

"Where the hell is this place…?" Tiff's expression became even more serious. She had never remembered seeing such a force on a planet before, and she quickly turned around to look at the floor-to-ceiling windows by the wall. She saw a city with a weird style outside, with skyscrapers everywhere in the city. Most of the buildings were constructed in straight lines and flat surfaces, with multicolored glass embedded in them. It was definitely not the style of her hometown.

He looked out of the window and found himself in a tall building. What surprised Tiff the most was that he was able to see sunlight outside the window, which he hadn't seen in a long time. The city was sunny and he could even hear the strange noises from the city.

Tiff made his way to the window without alerting the guards outside. He wanted to climb out of the window and leave that eerie place first. While he seemed to be hundreds of meters above ground, she was confident that she could climb the wall and escape, given her skills.

However, when she walked to the window and was about to open it, she felt something was off.

The angle of the buildings outside the window didn't seem to have changed because of his location.

He wondered what angle he would see the world from before, and what angle he would see it from now on. It felt as if everything outside the window was fake, like some kind of illusion set up by some kind of equipment.

Tiff went to the window and touched the glass on the window. The glass was cold and the sunlight shone into the ward through the window, yet he didn't feel any warmth at all.

Fake. Everything outside the window was fake.

Tiff felt rather panicky all of a sudden. She took a deep breath and was about to calm herself down when she heard a click from the glass door behind her. Someone was coming in.

Tiff’s soft, almond-shaped eyes turned extremely sharp in that instant. Her slender legs exerted force and her entire body shot out of the door like an arrow released from a bow. Her voluptuous chest vibrated violently in the air and she looked like she was about to burst.

"Bang!"

The sound of flesh hitting flesh was heard and Tiff was shocked to find that his attack, which he had been building up, was actually blocked. He felt a sharp pain in his right arm at the same time. While the other party’s body was soft, the bones inside were as hard as steel.

Tiff felt an extreme sense of threat after failing to land a hit on her. She instinctively jumped backward and saw that the man before her had punched the spot where she had just been standing. A fist print that was several centimeters deep was seen on the metal floor with a thud.

Such power!

Tiff thought to herself in shock. It was only then that she realized that the person she had just attacked was also a woman. Not only that, it was a woman who looked no less attractive than herself.

No, she looked to be even younger than him. She looked to be about 16 or 17 years old at most. She had a petite build and looked pretty and frail. While she wasn't as hot as he was, she had the charm of a girl-next-door.

If Zhang Heng were to be there, he would definitely sigh at how weird women were. No matter what kind of situation they were in, the first thing they would care about was the contrast between their genders and him.

"As expected of a member of the main force of the avalanche. My T-X body isn't able to gain the upper hand." The girl finally looked up and said with a smile. The two guards at the door rushed in as she spoke and pointed their guns at Tiff. The intense killing intent from the two of them made it difficult for Tiff to do anything.

“Who are you? Where are we?” Tiff frowned and asked warily.

"Me?" The girl grinned amiably and continued, "My name is The-Black-Maker, and I'm the exclusive property of the commander. As for this place, it's called Honeycomb, and it's the secret headquarters of the Stellar Foundation."

"Honeycomb? Stellar Foundation?" Those meaningless names didn't answer Tiff's doubts at all. However, excitement was seen in Corona's eyes. "If you want to know everything, come and look for me!" Corona snapped her fingers and in the very next second, Tiff felt his vision blur. By the time she came to her senses, she was already in an indescribably huge space.

There were countless worlds of all sizes in that space. Those worlds weren't very vast, with the smallest being only the size of a few rooms and the largest being about the size of a city. It was like a series of bubbles—the bubbles weren't connected, but Tiff was able to tell at a glance that all manner of dangers were present in those worlds, as well as humans who were escaping from them. She even saw a shifty-eyed man slowly approaching a meaty egg covered in mucus. However, he was only able to take a few steps before a scorpion-like monster leaped out of the egg and latched onto the man's face, unable to take it off.

Hundreds of bubbles were floating in the air without any pattern. One look and one would be able to tell all the details of the world. Tiff was completely stunned by what she saw, as if she was some kind of god. She asked in disbelief, "Where are we? Why…"

"This is a virtual space," Corona said faintly. She waved a hand and all the bubbles disappeared, leaving behind a blue planet in front of Tifa. "This planet is not your hometown, but a planet called Earth, which is also the only home for humans…"

400. Star Space

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Li. I'd like to ask if the person in charge of the Stellar Space program has been selected."

"Mr. Li, I'm a reporter from the Eastern Times. May I know if the stellar space shuttle has developed a new type of rocket…"

"Boss Li, I'm a reporter from Beep Beep. May I know how you feel about the video of that monster in Beep Beep…"

"Boss Li, just say something!"

"Boss Li, Boss Li!"

The pink Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly drove through the door of the Stellar Space Shuttle. Dozens of reporters armed with handguns appeared outside the door at that moment, surrounding the car like a pack of zombies. If it hadn't been for the bodyguards on the car behind them noticing that something was wrong and getting out of the car ahead of time to make way for the reporters, they would have probably been stuck in an awkward situation where they couldn't proceed any further.

Li Yiru tried her best to keep a cold expression on her face as she sat in the car. She realized that only by putting up a front like that would she be able to make those annoying reporters back down. It wasn't that she was being mean, but her time was simply too precious. People like her were said to be worth hundreds of thousands of yuan per second.

The entire car finally made it to the door of the Stellar Space Center, escorted by a group of bodyguards. The electric door shut with a click, blocking off the eager reporters.

"Hu…"

Li Yiru looked at the reporters who were still not giving up and heaved a sigh of relief. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng's limited supply of T-2.1, she would have had a lot of work to do over the past two years.

Li Yiru subconsciously touched the corner of her eye at that thought. The corner of her eye was where wrinkles would grow the most easily. She took out the mirror, feeling rather uneasy, and only relaxed when she saw that her face was covered in collagen and her skin was so soft that she looked like a newborn baby.

Ever since Zhang Heng brought her that drug over half a year ago, she could clearly feel that her complexion had gotten a lot better. Not only that, but her skin and physique had also undergone visible changes. She looked just like a college student at the moment. Li Yiru couldn't help but feel a tinge of glee when she recalled the astonished looks on everyone's faces when they first saw her.

It was just a pity that no matter how pretty she became, that person still wouldn't take another look at her.

Li Yiru sighed at that thought.

Someone knocked on the door of the car at that moment. Li Yiru frowned and put on her usual cold and arrogant expression before getting out of the car and making her way to the door of the building, escorted by bodyguards.

A group of people-in-charge, who had been waiting for quite a while, came up to greet him at the door. One of them was a bald middle-aged man who went up to him and laughed, "Hello, CEO Li! Nice to meet you! It's been a few months since we last met and you look even more glorious!"

"Nice to meet you, President Zheng." Li Yiru wore a formal smile and shook hands with him. "President Zheng, you have played a huge role in the completion of the space center."

Stellar Technology had an engineering team specifically designed by clones, but the team was registered overseas and had been building secret bases at the bottom of the ocean in the Virgin Islands. Furthermore, the government didn't allow foreign construction teams to be used in order to prevent the leak of space technology, so they had no choice but to contract the project to the national team. The man known as President Zheng was the boss of some construction team under the Ministry of Construction.

"Of course, of course!" The man who was referred to as President Zheng looked very pleased and said with a fawning smile, "Please don't hold back when you're doing your checkup this time. If you have any questions, just tell us. We'll definitely do our best."

Li Yiru nodded and a young man wearing glasses walked up to her right away. Li Yiru then said, "President Zheng, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Yang Fan, whom I hired internationally. He will be in charge of the project team for the next few days."

"Hello!"

"Nice to meet you! Please take care of me." The two of them shook hands. President Zheng was very friendly while Yang Fan kept his composure and didn't look very friendly.

However, Li Yiru didn't notice that a secretive look was seen in both of their eyes when their eyes met.

A huge group of people accompanied the three of them after exchanging pleasantries. They boarded three or eight-seater electric scooters and headed straight for the rocket manufacturing workshop. Along the way, President Zheng kept telling the two of them about the structure of the buildings and the applications of materials. While Li Yiru was unable to understand what he was saying, the young man named Yang Fan kept nodding and asking questions, which the two of them answered fluently.

A vast space came into view as soon as they entered the Stellar Space Center from the back door of the building. The space center that Zhang Heng built was located in the outskirts of Chongming Island's industrial park, which was located to the west. The area was vast and sparsely populated. After some consideration, the government decided to turn a piece of land within a 50-kilometer radius into a residential area for Stellar Technology, which would cost 50 million yuan per year.

The tallest building in the Stellar Space Center was located directly north of the building. It was a rocket assembly tower, with a height of 150 meters, making it look like a huge tower that could assemble the outer fuel tanks and solid rocket thrusters of the space shuttle. The north wall of the center was constructed entirely from floor-to-ceiling windows. One would be able to see every detail of the rocket launch from inside the building.

To the northeast of the aerospace building were the rocket manufacturing workshops, which consisted of four huge factories that were over 100 meters tall. From afar, they looked like walls that were over 100 meters tall. To the southeast was the rocket research building. The entire building was hemispherical and looked sci-fi, as if it were some kind of sacred mission.

The furthest point from the aerospace building, which was five kilometers north of the rocket tower, was where two seawater launchers would be set up.

Everyone was stunned when they arrived at the Rocket Manufacturing Workshop. The doors of the workshops were extremely high, at least 50 meters tall. The two thick, electric metal doors were wide open, and judging from the structure above, the doors could be raised further if needed. According to President Zheng, the doors of the workshops before them could reach up to 80 meters.

The interior of the workshop, on the other hand, was completely empty, as if it was a plaza that encompassed heaven and earth, making one feel how small humans were in an instant. The fact that there wasn't a single support pillar in such a huge space was more than enough to shock anyone.

That workshop was only one of the four workshops in the Stellar Space Base.

Everyone toured the completed launch site and the research building. More than three hours passed by the time they came out.

Li Yiru handed the completion of the inspection to Professor Yang after she was done. She then said goodbye to President Zheng and made her way through the crowd of reporters outside the door under the protection of her bodyguards. She only felt completely relieved after the car drove away from the spaceport. In her opinion, getting out of the encirclement of the reporters was more tiring than writing documents for an entire day.

However, the phone in her purse rang at that moment. Li Yiru took out her phone lazily and snorted coldly when she saw the caller ID on the screen. She picked up the phone right away and asked, "Boss, what brings you to call me today?"

Zhang Heng's voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "You got it, Ru." Zhang Heng continued casually, "Yang Fan and Zheng Baoshan are in cahoots. There's something wrong with the project."

"What?" Li Yiru exclaimed right away. "How dare Zheng Baoshan…"

"There's nothing to be afraid of in the face of profit," Zhang Heng said. "I've just sent someone to check it out. The results of the concrete sampling showed that the wall's hardness was a whole level lower, and the steel was not strong enough to meet the requirements. There are also electrical wiring. The cross-section doesn't meet the requirements at all. Get ready to replace Yang Fan. I'll send someone to prove it."

401. Kidnap And Stupidity

That evening, Yang Fan and Zheng Baoshan walked out of the Stellar Space Building side by side. Zheng Baoshan looked behind him cautiously and saw that no one was paying attention to them. He then smiled and said, "Thank you, Xiao Fan."

"Brother Zheng, I'm fine here, but you have to be careful." Yang Fan smiled humbly and continued, "I went to great lengths to get someone from Stellar Technology to recommend me to that woman. I'm not sure if she would trust me completely."

"Don't worry. As long as the contract is signed tomorrow, we won't have anything to do with anything that goes wrong." Zheng Baoshan shook the fat on his face and took out a pack of cigarettes, handing one to the man before lighting one himself. He smirked and said, "She's just some filthy rich kid from a private company, and she's putting on airs like she's some nobody. Do you really need us to take her side?"

"Pfft! Look at who owns this place!" Zheng Baoshan cursed under his breath and patted Yang Fan on the shoulder. "Don't worry. While there is something wrong with the materials, we won't be able to find anything for at least 10 years. Even if that woman were to find out anything, she wouldn't be able to do anything to us. After all, my grandfather has a very bad temper."

Yang Fan put on a fawning smile and said, "Brother Zheng, you look like you're about to get promoted, right? Don't forget about me when the time comes."

"You've done me such a huge favor this time. I'll never forget you, kid." Zheng Baoshan nodded and promised Yang Fan some benefits before sending him away.

Zheng Baoshan hummed a tune as he made his way to his car. His secretary, who had been waiting for him for quite a while, opened the door right away. Zheng Baoshan bent over and got into the car, puffing. His beer belly almost burst open when he bent over.

Zheng Baoshan breathed a sigh of relief after taking a seat. He moved to the left, revealing an empty seat, before patting the seat. The secretary standing outside the car immediately flashed a charming smile and came in like a docile kitten, before lying down on Zheng Baoshan's beer belly.

"Start the car!" Zheng Baoshan put his arm around his secretary and waved his hand. The driver started the car right away and opened the barrier between the front and back seats, leaving the two of them alone.

He worked as a secretary when he had something to do and worked as a secretary when he had nothing to do. At that moment, Zheng Baoshan played his role as a boss perfectly.

However, just when the two of them were about to take off all of their clothes and Zheng Baoshan's fat body was about to be loaded onto the horse, the speeding car suddenly stopped with a creak. The two of them, who were completely caught off-guard, shrieked and rolled off their leather seats.

"F * * k, do you even know how to drive?" Zheng Baoshan cursed angrily. His younger brother softened right away after being frightened. He was never in a good condition to begin with and it was rare for him to be in such a good mood today. He didn't expect his driver to mess things up.

"I-It's none of my business, President Zheng. There's a car blocking our way all of a sudden!" The driver shuddered and shouted for justice.

"F * * k! Get them out of the way! Get them out of here!" Zheng Baoshan shouted as he climbed to his feet. However, he heard the frightened voice of the driver in front of him.

"W-Who are you people? What are you doing?"

"President Zheng's car?" Several men in black walked up to the car.

"What's the matter?" Zheng Baoshan, who was in the back of the car, was suddenly startled and had a bad feeling about the whole thing. He put on his clothes right away, but there was no way he was going to let him put them back on in such a short time.

His secretary, who was standing at the side, looked flustered as well. She covered her chest and hid behind Zheng Baoshan.

The man didn't answer, but Zheng Baoshan saw through the window that a man in black had grabbed the driver's collar right outside the window. The driver was only able to scream before he was dragged out of the window.

The man in black reached into the car and unlocked the door. Zheng Baoshan saw the safety on his car window pop up right away.

"Something's not right!" Zheng Baoshan was shocked and quickly pressed the safety button. However, the other party was faster than him and opened the door of the backseat right away. Zheng Baoshan's fat and ugly body was immediately exposed before the eyes of all the men in black.

"Ah!" The secretary who was hiding behind Zheng Baoshan shouted.

"I'm the general manager of the Ministry of Construction. Who are you people?" Zheng Baoshan shouted right away.

"We're from Stellar Technology. Our boss would like to speak with you," the man in black said casually.

"Nonsense!" Zheng Baoshan felt guilty and insisted, "Get out of here right now, or I'll call the police!"

"Okay," the man in black answered and in the very next second, Zheng Baoshan saw a fist coming at him and he blacked out, losing consciousness completely.

…

"Huff… huff…"

A wave of dizziness washed over Zheng Baoshan as he slowly opened his eyes. Tears rolled down his face at the blinding light.

He quickly blocked the light with his hand and got up quickly. It was only then that he realized that he was in a metal room. There were no windows or furniture in the room, and it was completely empty except for the lights on the ceiling, which emitted a blinding light.

Zheng Baoshan rubbed his bruised face and covered the lower half of his body while shivering. He looked around and only walked to the door when he saw the tightly shut door. He slammed the door hard and shouted, "Is anyone out there? Who's out there? Do you know that this is a crime?"

Zheng Baoshan's voice was heard throughout the room, as if someone had heard his shout. He soon heard messy footsteps outside the door.

"Crack!"

The heavy metal door slowly opened and several men walked in, led by a young man in his twenties.

Zheng Baoshan covered the area between his legs subconsciously. His face was flushed red and he tried to sound tough. "Li Yiru asked you to kidnap me? Do you know who I am?"

"Well, of course I know who you are, President Zheng." The young man leading the way walked up and took a good look at Zheng Baoshan before continuing, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Zhang Heng."

"So, you're Zhang Heng?" Zheng Baoshan seemed to have recalled something when he heard that, and he gasped right away. The shadow of a famous tree was a thing of the past. While regular people might not know who Zhang Heng was, that didn't mean that they didn't know as well. He was the founder of Stellar Technology, the only legal and shareholder, and the richest man in all of Huaxia.

It was just that he didn't expect the person who founded Stellar Technology to be so young.

"Yes, it's me." The young man in front of him nodded and patted his shoulder with a sigh all of a sudden. He sighed and continued, "President Zheng, I'm not trying to lecture you, but you could have taken anyone's money, but you shouldn't have taken mine. It's fine if you did, but you shouldn't have cut corners. Don't you know that my time is precious?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." The corner of Zheng Baoshan's mouth twitched. The young man before him had put a lot of force into his slap, causing his shoulder to ache. "Mr. Zhang Heng, is there some kind of misunderstanding between us? If you were to let me go right now, I'd be willing to let the matter rest and pretend that nothing happened between us."

402. Choice

"I can let you go." However, what Zheng Baoshan didn't expect was that Zhang Heng would be so easy to talk to. "But there's something I need you to do."

"What is it?" Zheng Baoshan became even more cautious. He was not naïve enough to think that the other party had kidnapped him here just to talk to him.

"Use your connections and fortify the place that you've cut corners with within a month." The young man before him said in a firm manner, "Money is not an issue. If you want money, I can give it to you. I only have one request, and that is to pass the quality requirement."

"That's it?" Zheng Baoshan looked astonished, but he seemed to have recalled something and chuckled coldly. "You want to get something out of me? In your dreams! I'll repeat myself. I've never cut corners, and I'm not going to agree to your request. Let me go right now. Do you know what the price of kidnapping someone from a top company would be?"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but feel rather exasperated seeing Zheng Baoshan's confident expression. He waved and walked out of the door without another word, saying, "Well then, forget it. I just hope that you won't regret your decision, President Zheng…"

"Send President Zheng on his way!"

Zhang Heng's face darkened after he walked out of the door.

He didn't know if Zheng Baoshan was just being overly smart or just being too stupid, or if Zheng Baoshan thought that he wouldn't be able to do anything to him.

Zhang Heng had been a little careless about the whole thing. He submitted the application for the space development project at the beginning of August, which was approved by the government in September. The land was allocated and Zheng Baoshan's construction team was allocated to the construction of the Stellar Space Station.

Due to the government's management, Zhang Heng wasn't too worried. Furthermore, the Stellar Space Station was located on Chongming Island, which was too far away for Corona to be able to monitor it. As such, Zhang Heng didn't notice that the other party had cut corners.

It was already too late by the time he found it. The space center that cost tens of billions of yuan was completed, and the ceremony was just around the corner.

Zhang Heng would never do something so pointless. Now that things had gotten to such a point, killing Zheng Baoshan would serve no purpose other than venting his frustration. He was more than willing to continue working with Zheng Baoshan and make up for what was once a poorly constructed building.

However, the other party didn't appreciate it.

As such, there was no longer any reason for Zheng Baoshan to continue existing.

Zheng Baoshan's cries for mercy were heard as soon as Zhang Heng walked out of the room. However, the sound seemed to have been strangled at the neck in the very next second, followed by a blood-curdling scream before everything quieted down.

"Commander, we've finished him off," Zhishang said as he came out.

"Tell the Biomedicals to collect his DNA and create a clone as soon as possible." Zhang Heng nodded. "There's no need for the design of the clone to be too perfect. I just need it to survive for a few months. Even if I have to die, I want him to finish the job for me before I die."

"Yes!"

Zhishang nodded and gave the order. When he turned around again, Zhang Heng had disappeared into the corridor.

…

Three days later, the missing General Manager Zheng Baoshan from the Ministry of National Engineering suddenly appeared again. Not only that, but Zheng Baoshan was working with Li Yiru, the General Manager of Stellar Technology, again. The company was invested in Stellar Technology, and they began building the newly constructed Stellar Space Base again.

The renovation would take about two months, but no one knew why the newly constructed space base needed to be rebuilt. There was only a rumor going around that Zheng Baoshan had taken a lot of resources for himself, and that the first construction failed. Stellar Technology didn't pursue the matter after finding out about the failure of the first construction, but Zheng Baoshan needed to replace the building materials that were inadequate.

That rumor circulated on the internet for a while before it was completely shut down by the authorities. The official website of Stellar Technology also specifically refuted the rumors, claiming that this was a new secret project and that things were not what everyone thought.

However, only the parties involved knew the truth of the matter. However, there were still some who were attentive enough to discover that the internationally renowned inspection specialist hired by Stellar Technology seemed to have disappeared without a trace.

December soon came.

…

It was late at night and the stars were sparse.

Tiffa sat on the rooftop of the Hengxing building with her legs hanging in the air. She looked at the bustling city beneath her feet, and her eyes under her willowy eyebrows looked sad.

It had been a month since she first came to this world, and she was gradually getting familiar with it. This world was far more prosperous than her own world, and technology was even more mind-blowing—the fast-moving traffic, the people who lived a rich, materialistic life, and the luxurious life that made her feel intoxicated.

The fires of civilization flickered everywhere, making the place look like the legendary paradise of Eden.

However, this was not her hometown.

Tiff liked to sit on the rooftop at night and stare at the indigo sky above her. That seemed to be her only consolation—the night sky of this world was nowhere near as resplendent as the one she remembered from her hometown.

There was only one moon hanging upside down outside of the stars in twos and threes, making her look very lonely, as if she was in a different world.

"Claude, Yurphy, Mary…" Tiff murmured. She sighed after a long while and was about to head downstairs when she saw a figure standing behind her.

Tiff was immediately on high alert, but when she saw who it was, she forced a smile and nodded. "Commander."

She had heard that nickname from that strange young girl, so she followed suit.

Zhang Heng nodded and walked past her. He stood on the rooftop and looked at the world beneath his feet before asking casually, "Are you getting used to it yet?"

"It's not that bad. I just keep thinking about my old life when I'm dreaming." Tiff didn't turn around and said numbly, "You shouldn't have saved me back then. I'd rather die with my world."

"You've been saved. What's the point of saying all that now?" Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "Face the truth, Ms. Tifa. Don't dwell on the past. If you want to hate someone, just hate that curse that destroyed your world. Of course, you can also be a coward."

Tiffa shook her head and headed for the stairs without saying anything.

"Think about it. I'll give you two choices." Zhang Heng's voice was heard from behind him.

"If you want to forget all your pain, I can create a fake world for you and seal away all your memories. You'll be able to return to your happy past."

"Or, just be strong and face that curse with me."

"The answer lies with you."

403. Opening Of Stellar City

No one knew what Tiff's answer was other than Zhang Heng, Tiff, and Corona.

Tiff was injected with the T-Virus the very next day, which gave him Level B4 access. He was eventually given special training in Corona's virtual space, and the details of the procedure were left out for the time being.

Zhang Heng began to plan the new 'mass-production plan for the super-soldiers' after injecting the Genova cells. As the cloned warriors had no emotions and would not be influenced by Genova's will, they could be implanted into the Genova cells without any side effects, turning them into the ultimate killing machine.

Zhang Heng's goal was to create godlike super-soldiers, enabling all clones to gain power that was on par with that of Saphiros and Claude.

However, he still needed support from Manoka himself. Given that Manoka was severely deficient in energy right now, the plan was only able to modify a handful of cloned warriors for the time being. Despite that, the combat power of the cloned warriors was still sufficient to multiply.

Zhang Heng received good news at the same time. The construction of the underground spherical base in the British Virgin Islands was finally completed.

He had spent tens of billions of US dollars and expended countless resources and manpower. It took him a year to finally finish constructing that secret base with the lowest altitude in human history. That meant that Zhang Heng was able to split his focus and free himself from that increasingly small base.

Stellar Island, which was located above the spherical base, was officially open for business that day, including Stellar City, which was located on Stellar Island, and the human cryogenic center in Europe. The opening of that human cryogenic center caused yet another tsunami-like discussion to take place all over the world. Stellar technology was once again the talk of the town.

The Virgin Islands became the most popular tourist attraction in the world on the second day after the news was released. More than tens of thousands of people traveled to the British Virgin Islands on that very day, and more than 100,000 people made it to the next day. There were only 20,000 native inhabitants on that island.

The Stellar City on the Stellar Island became the center of attention. The entire island was packed with people. The airport runway and helicopter platforms that were specially built on the island were put to good use. More than a hundred people would come and go at any given moment. The hotels, hotels, bars, and even casinos in the city were packed with people long ago. Other tourists had no choice but to stay on other islands further away.

The businesses in Stellar City brought him over $100 million in revenue in just two days, and that didn't include the income from the human cryogenic center. If things went on like this, Stellar Island would be able to make a comeback in less than a month.

Zhang Heng didn't expect the European passengers to be so enthusiastic. Most of them were there for the newly constructed human cryogenic center, which was several times the size of the one in India and was able to accommodate 50 million people. Furthermore, 30 thousand people sought cryogenic treatment on the first day alone, earning him over three billion US dollars. That alone was enough to break the Guinness World Records when the first human cryogenic center opened at the beginning of the year.

All the media outlets around the world were rendered speechless yet again.

Stellar Technology proved itself to be so powerful that the world found it hard to breathe. Despite the global economy shrinking and the financial crisis taking place, Stellar Technology continued to grow at breakneck speeds. According to the latest estimates from New Wall Street, the market value of Stellar Technology had exceeded $1 trillion.

Trillions of dollars!

That was a historical figure. In all of human history, there had never been a company with a market value of over $1 trillion before the birth of Stellar Technology. Even when Apple, the world's largest company, had the highest share price back then, it was only worth about $600 billion. Furthermore, Apple was a shareholder company, which was far less valuable than Stellar Technology, which had never been listed.

That day, Stellar Technology shocked everyone and made them realize what it meant to be rich enough to rival a country. It could be said that from that day onwards, the influence of Stellar Technology was no less than that of any of the five permanent members of the government. People began to gradually change their way of addressing Stellar Technology. Unknowingly, the term 'Stellar Business Empire' had replaced Stellar Technology and became synonymous with that of the company.

While the entire world was reeling in shock and horror at the achievements of stellar technology, massive relocations were taking place in the hive. Hundreds of scientists and countless cutting-edge scientific instruments were transported from the molecular transmitter to the spherical base. The massive base, which was about 2,000 meters below the surface of the Stellar Island, was slowly being activated.

The spherical base had a diameter of 300 meters, with a total of 66 floors and over 2,000 laboratories. The size of the spherical base was hundreds of times larger than that of the beehive, which was capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people.

Corona's true form didn't come with him, as she remained in Haizhou. The main reason was that Zhang Heng was still worried about his parents and family.

The extremely dangerous experimental subjects were not moved away either. The beehive had only moved two-thirds of the experimental projects, and the likes of xenomorphs, Genova, the Blacklight Virus, and so on were still stored in the hive. With Corona keeping an eye on the place, the place was no less safe than the spherical base.

Dozens of scientists in the spherical base were watching the miraculous, massive base in awe. There was also a lift at the top of the spherical base that connected to the Stellar Island. If the scientists were tired from their work, they could even spend 10 minutes rising from the ground all the way to Stellar City, where they could enjoy the unique scenery of the beach and all manner of delicacies found in the Virgin Islands. Everything in Stellar City was free for those scientists. Even the lowest-ranking apprentices were given free privileges.

At that moment, Milo, the young Mexican man who had been forced into the Stellar Technology tank due to the Headhunting Project, was loitering around Stellar City on Stellar Island. He was also on the list of personnel deployed for the mission. In fact, the rest of the personnel were all transferred to the spherical base, unless they were B4 professors from the Stellar Foundation, assistants from the B4, or some other important scientific expert.

At that moment, Milo was looking at the Stellar City, which was packed with people, with pedestrians walking side by side. The way he saw it, life in the Stellar Foundation was more vibrant and exciting than in the lifeless Honeycomb. Unless they were to leave Stellar Island, the Stellar Foundation wouldn't care about where they went or what they did. He was considering if he should take his grandmother to the island as well, so that she could be by his side at all times.

Milo and his assistants, who were about the same age as him, walked around the place and stopped by the food stalls from time to time. The owners of the food stalls there were all people from Stellar Technology. They could eat anything they wanted, including the five-star hotels on Stellar Island. All they needed to do was to secretly take out the staff card of the Stellar Foundation when they were paying the bill. If they were interested, they could even go to the casinos and gamble, enjoying the feeling of throwing away all their money. The only pity was that, even if they were to lose hundreds of millions, no one would come after them. However, if they were to win, they had no right to take away all the money they had won.

404. Challenging Safiros

Zhang Heng stood at a junction made of asphalt concrete with his eyes closed.

He found himself in a city that he had no idea of, and it seemed to be the end of the day. The streets were filled with cars and traffic, making it look like a never-ending river. There was only some semblance of order at that junction.

"The lights are green now. Please pass through the pedestrian crossing safely…"

The three lights, red, yellow, and green, flickered continuously. When the red lights on both sides of the street lit up, the crowd of people who had been waiting for a long time finally began to make their way to the other side of the street.

Zhang Heng stood in the midst of the packed crowd. His silhouette was only exposed after the crowd passed the junction, making him stand out even more.

Zhang Heng suddenly opened his eyes at that moment. A slender and elegant figure had appeared on the roof of the building behind him at some point in time. Zhang Heng turned around and looked up. The moment their eyes met, a serious look was seen on his face.

That figure had a head full of silver-white hair that reached his waist. He was tall and slender, with a face as handsome as that of a god.

Safiros!

He slowly drew his saber and a pair of pitch-black wings spread out from his back. Countless black feathers fell from the blade and every single one of them looked murderous.

Zhang Heng had a feeling that the silhouette was as majestic as a mountain, crushing down on him with such force that he found it hard to breathe.

He was about to activate his mental power out of reflex, but his glabella wiggled for a bit and he dismissed that thought. He shook his right arm and a pitch-black bayonet fell from his sleeve, which he then grabbed tightly.

Safiros' emerald pupils contracted slightly as she drew a shiny blade with one hand and disappeared from the roof in a blur.

No, he didn't just disappear. His speed had exceeded that of a regular human's dynamic vision in an instant. His brain couldn't keep up with his reactions, which was why he felt like he had disappeared all of a sudden.

However, Zhang Heng acted as if he knew where the intruder was coming from. He grabbed the bayonet in his hand and turned around to block the incoming projectile. The screeching sound of metal being cut was heard all of a sudden. The bayonet in Zhang Heng's hand clashed with Safiros' authentic blade, causing a huge burst of sparks.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious. He simply stomped on the ground and sent Safiros crashing into the junction. There was a crashing sound and the ground beneath Safiros' feet looked as if it had been ploughed by some huge beast. A hole that was over a dozen meters long was torn open.

However, Zhang Heng was unable to push her any further after pushing her more than a dozen meters away. Safiros wore a cold smirk on her face as she flailed her right wing, causing a strong gust of wind to blow up all of a sudden. Due to the speed of the attack being too fast, the air was crushed before it could even get out.

A shockwave that was visible to the naked eye was quickly generated. The cars on both sides of the street seemed to have been hit by a tornado and were sent flying into the air amidst the sound of glass shattering. That force that appeared out of nowhere pushed the steel knife in Safiros' hand forward and sent Zhang Heng flying like a ragdoll.

Boom!

Zhang Heng crashed through four or five walls and crashed through the row of buildings as if they were dried weeds. He rolled and appeared on the other side of the street.

Zhang Heng felt as if all the bones in his body were about to fall apart. A regular person would have been smashed into the wall and reduced to a pile of mush if they were to withstand such a tremendous force. However, Zhang Heng had fused with Genova after all. His strength, physique, speed, and even muscle density far exceeded that of a frail human body. As such, he was able to crash through several walls, yet he remained completely unscathed.

The pedestrians on the side of the road were long stunned. Some of them were so frightened that they froze and were unable to move their feet. However, most of them kept screaming and turned around to run. The road was cleared out in an instant. There were only cars lying on the ground with their bellies facing up after being sent flying by the tremendous force. The engines had long since shut down.

Zhang Heng twisted his neck and struggled to his feet, looking at the huge hole that he had just punched through with a serious expression. Smoke and dust filled the air and a gust of wind blew out all of a sudden. Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and the bayonet in his hand went up to block the attack. Another burst of sparks was heard in the very next second and the afterimage of Safiros appeared before him.

The two of them disappeared without a trace after missing each other's attack. If there were any pedestrians standing around, they would have only been able to see afterimages flashing in the air. The walls on both sides of the building were being torn apart by the impact of the non-human attacks. The doors and windows of the merchandise 100 meters away were being blown apart from the point of impact.

The two-meter-long authentic blade danced in his hand like a snake, shrouding Zhang Heng's entire body. Zhang Heng's movements were clumsy and he knew that even ten of him wouldn't be a match for such a cold weapon.

"Chi!"

Blood sprayed from the right side of Zhang Heng's body all of a sudden. A wound so deep that his bones were visible was seen from his shoulder all the way to his thigh. Zhang Heng frowned for a bit, but his body was able to get close to Safiros completely. The bayonet, which was glowing with a faint, dull blue light, went straight for her stomach.

"Heh!"

Saphiros chuckled and turned the knife around. Saphiros actually used the handle of the knife to strike Zhang Heng's elbow. Zhang Heng felt his hand go numb and he was unable to hold on to the bayonet anymore. It flew away with a whoosh.

Zhang Heng wore a look of regret and could only watch as the blade flipped and his right arm flew out as well. He felt a chill on his neck before he was able to do anything else and everything before his eyes began to roll. His vision went dark and he lost consciousness completely.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes and found himself back in the virtual space. Corona stood before him grinning and said, "Commander, you've lost again."

"I had no choice. I wouldn't have been a match for Zafiros if I hadn't used my mental power." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "He was known as a 'god' after all. The feeling I got when I fought him could only be described as despair. His mastery of his body was 100 percent mastery, and his predictions of the timing of the battle were practically at their peak. I could feel that he hadn't been able to display even half of his full power throughout the entire fight."

That Zafiros was not something that Corona created out of thin air. It was a replica of the way Zafiros fought in Tifa's memories. While it might not be a 100 percent replication, it was more than enough to replicate 60 percent.

"You've always been using mental power as your main means. Fusing with the Genova cells is just to make up for the weakness of your body." Corona comforted him. "I've been recording data regarding your body while you were training in the virtual space. When you went all out, your speed could reach 112 meters per second, which is five times that of before you fused with the Genova cells. Your arm strength is over 10 tons, which is three times that of before you fused with the cells. Your bones are as tough as diamond, but your strength is greater than titanium alloy. You've far exceeded the limits of humanity. You could be considered a monster among monsters."

"Not really." Zhang Heng shook his head. "His physique is nowhere near that of Brother A's. I wonder which of the two is stronger…"

405. Entering The Ar Domain

The question of who was stronger and who was weaker wasn't important. What was important was to extract as many demons as possible in the Marvel world. There were simply too many places that required demons at the moment. There was simply too much energy, weapons research, and even the creation of super-soldiers.

In reality, Zhang Heng accelerated his control over the world after he sensed the arrival of the curse. He had once said that he would never release any new product unless he was able to reach the level of the Umbrella Corporation. That level was achieved indirectly after he threw 13 nuclear bombs at the United States. Stellar Technology had a branch company of its own all over the world at the moment, with over 100,000 employees. While most of the branch offices were jointly built with countries, it was precisely because of that that Zhang Heng was able to spread his influence among the countries. Even if those countries wanted to attack Stellar Technology, they would have to pay a considerable financial price.

It was time to release new products.

Zhang Heng had acquired a lot of high-tech technologies back when he was still very weak in the Alien plane. Many of those technologies had been put to good use, such as cryogenic technology, automatic surgery, VR technology, and several other antibiotic technologies. There was still one technology that was not inferior to VR potential that had yet to be seen, and that was AR.

Zhang Heng had considered whether he should release the technology along with the AR technology when he first released the Helmet-VR. However, he put the technology on hold after thinking about it for a bit. There was nothing else to it but the fear of arousing suspicion from the rest of the world.

The emergence of an epoch-making technology could be considered a coincidence, but the emergence of a series of epoch-making technologies proved to be a problem. Star Technology hadn't reached such a powerful level half a year ago, so it didn't dare to show off too much.

There was practically no such worry at the moment. Stellar Technology had become a massive company comparable to that of Umbrella, and there had never been such a massive company in history. Furthermore, both the VR and AR were complementary in their own right, so even if they were to release AR technology at the moment, it wouldn't have much of an impact. People in the world would only be impressed by how powerful Stellar Technology was, but they wouldn't think of anything else.

Zhang Heng went to look for Louis at that thought and took the data regarding a pair of glasses from him. He then left the Honeycomb and handed the data to Li Yiru.

"What's this?" Li Yiru's eyes sparkled in the office as she looked at the stack of data before her with some interest. While she didn't know much about technology, she knew very well that if Zhang Heng were to make a move, it would definitely be earth-shattering.

"AR glasses technology. Get someone to prepare it. Prepare the outer shell of the product and some parts of the equipment. I'll get someone to take care of the core components." Zhang Heng tapped the table with his finger, making clicking sounds.

"Are you ready to start mass production?" Li Yiru was well-prepared, but she still found it hard to believe. It was just like when the Stellar Helmet-VR Helmet was released last time. The electronics processing plant under Stellar Technology only produced a batch of outer shells and some unimportant parts. As for the core components, even Li Yiru, the general manager of Stellar Technology, had no idea what they were. That was practically impossible in other companies.

Sometimes, Li Yiru even felt that the general manager was like a secretary to her. While she had a lot of power in her hands and wasn't like a puppet that was pushed to the forefront, she wasn't that far behind.

Li Yiru threw a resentful look at Zhang Heng at that thought, but she knew what to ask and what not to ask, so she said, "Do you need me to do anything else? Something like advertising?"

"Do we need to advertise for our company?" Zhang Heng wore a mischievous look on his face when he heard that, unlike other companies, which product released by Stellar Technology was anything but epoch-making. Other companies wouldn't know much about it even if they were to release it, as they would need to hire celebrities to endorse their products and increase their visibility in order to boost their sales and visibility. However, none of that was needed for Stellar Technology.

Stellar Technology itself was a living trademark. If anyone were to leak any information about it, everything regarding Stellar Technology would be spread all over the major websites the very next day, making the entire world aware of it.

Li Yiru rolled her eyes and didn't say anything.

The two of them discussed some more details before Zhang Heng left Li Yiru's office, leaving her to her own devices. Li Yiru would take care of everything else after that, and he didn't need to worry about anything else.

A new section appeared on the official website of Stellar Technology the next day. This time, instead of trying to be mysterious like the release of the Stellar Helmet-VR, a panel named 'AR Product' was added. The new electronic product was named 'Stellar AR'.

There were a lot of loyal netizens loitering on the official forums of Stellar Technology every day. That official forum was so popular that even the Tieba forums couldn't compare to it. There were several sections on the forums, such as' product technology discussion area ',' product experience sharing area ',' gossip chat area ', and so on. Dozens of themes would appear every second, and the posts would be scrolled down in a minute or two. The freedom of the forums was also very high. As long as one didn't scold others, one could talk about anything.

Stellar Technology had its own technological team to begin with. While it had never been used before, the technological team from Stellar Technology was undoubtedly one of the best in the world from the outside world, especially when there were hundreds of hackers attacking the official website every day. However, the official website of Stellar Technology had never been breached before. There were even rumors circulating among the hackers that someone had attacked the official website of Stellar Technology, resulting in the destruction of their own motherboard.

The forums exploded the moment the Stellar AR was released.

"I've been waiting for so long and finally got the AR glasses!"

"I knew it. The VR helmet is out. Are the AR glasses still far away?"

"Star-made products are definitely top-notch. All the best!"

"Awesome, bro! We're finally out. I'd like to ask the insiders of Stellar Technology to leak some information about when the sale will be and what the price will be. I'm definitely buying it!"

"Your kidneys are ready. You can sell them anytime."

"Rubbish product. Stellar Technology is out to scam money again. How could such a monopoly, unscrupulous company be fit to stay in Huaxia?"

"Idiots above, formation below!"

The news regarding Stellar Technology spread like wildfire in an instant. Within half an hour, all the well-known websites throughout the country were reposting the news regarding the AR products released by Stellar Technology. An hour later, both the company and Stellar Technology made it to the top of the search rankings on Baidu once again. Such a phenomenon made the companies that had been researching the AR field feel rather bitter.

Had Stellar Technology finally decided to take action against the AR field?

That piece of news spread all over the world the very next day. The influence of Stellar Technology was so great that the entire world was astonished.

406. Star Ar

In the British Virgin Islands on the other side of the Earth, more than two kilometers underground, tens of precision machine tools were slowly being activated. More than a hundred top-notch experts in electronics were bustling about, yet they were all working in an orderly manner.

Louis personally led the team to spend several days designing several sets of unique electronic chip assembly lines. Those types of chips were far more advanced than real technology, and any one of them would cause a huge commotion in the market.

The assembly line was quickly completed and chips and parts were produced one after another, which were quickly assembled into a pair of glasses by professionals.

That was the AR glasses that Zhang Heng was going to manufacture.

Actually, AR could also be considered MR, which was the so-called 'hybrid reality'. It would first scan the physical environment around you, then create a 3D environmental model, before adding virtual objects to the environment, enabling people to engage in human interaction in some way.

What was different from the VR virtual reality was that the user was not completely immersed in the virtual world. Instead, the user would add virtual content to the real environment of the 3D simulation through a mixed field of reality, making the user half immersed in the virtual world. To put it simply, the scenes and characters seen in the virtual world were all fake, which meant that the user's consciousness would be brought into a virtual world. The images and characters seen in the virtual world were either real or fake, which meant that the virtual information was brought into the real world.

Zhang Heng came to the newly constructed spherical base from the molecular transmitter at the moment and went to the assembly room. He took a pair of glasses from one of the assemblers and began inspecting them. The AR glasses were circular in shape, making it look like a ring that was not closed. The edges of the glasses were ivory white and the thickness of the glasses was less than the size of a pinky finger. There was also a stellar technology logo on the right, making it look very sci-fi.

Despite being called a pair of glasses, the AR glasses in his hand didn't have any lenses. Instead, he found two miniature projectors. The projectors looked very similar to Google's ProjectGlass, which made use of optical reflex projection principles. The projectors would first project light onto a reflective screen, before refracting the light onto the human eyeball through a convex lens, achieving the so-called 'first-degree magnification'. The projectors would create a virtual screen that was large enough to display all manner of data.

Simply put, it was a castrated version of the Armageddon Armor's vision.

There was a miniature computer installed in the frame that was comparable to that of a regular computer. The computer was capable of processing data of all kinds, and the computing efficiency of the computer was simply astonishing.

But then again, none of that was enough to tell the difference between AR, Google ProjectGlass, and MicrosoftHoloLens. Zhang Heng's true trump card was still his most powerful brainwave control technology.

Microsoft and Google's AR equipment also required hand signals, voice controls, and so on. While such control was considered simple, it was nowhere near the most miraculous brainwave control technology. No one would want to put up a series of awkward postures to achieve their objectives in a more troublesome manner when it came to things that could be done with just 'thinking'.

It could be said that even if the AR glasses that Zhang Heng sold had no advantage over Microsoft and Google in terms of functionality, as long as he had brainwave control technology, he would still be undefeatable.

Zhang Heng flipped through the equipment in his hand and chuckled all of a sudden. He opened the button and slowly put it on his head. Two beams of light were projected on his eyeball, just like the VR helmet he wore before.

Zhang Heng looked around and found that his vision wasn't affected at all. Instead, the logo of Stellar Technology appeared at the very top of his vision before dissipating like steam. At the same time, a virtual dialog box seemed to have fallen from the sky and crashed onto a table before him with a clang. The table even cracked from the impact.

"Do you wish to register a new user and begin the tutorial?"

Zhang Heng chuckled. The table before him was real, but the screen on the table was fake. The image projected on Zhang Heng's retina after the AR glasses scanned his surroundings. The clanging sound came from the speaker near his ear.

Zhang Heng walked around the dialog box on the table. The entire dialog box was elongated and thick at the edges. As he walked around, the dialog box looked like a translucent glass product placed on the table, making it look very real.

That was to test the accuracy of the AR glasses. After testing and confirming that there was nothing wrong with the glasses, Zhang Heng suddenly issued an order of approval in his mind. The words on the dialog box in front of him disappeared right away, replaced by a new line of words.

"Please set up your username…"

Zhang Heng was finally able to get to the theme interface after setting it up. Several icons fell out of his line of sight and landed on the table with loud thuds. Some of them even fell off the edge of the table and rolled all over the floor.

Those icons were the applications of the Stellar AR, which included 'setting', 'tools', 'applications stores', and various other applications. All of those applications were written by Corona herself, just like when she released the Stellar Helmet-VR half a year ago, which included chatting software, GPS map software, data-model software, entertainment and video.

Zhang Heng opened the application store and saw that there were even more applications than those found in the Stellar Helmet-VR. There were over a hundred pages in the application store. Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before he realized what was going on.

The functions of AR equipment might not be as good as that of VR equipment in terms of entertainment value, but in terms of practical applications, AR far exceeded that of VR equipment. For example, data models could be visualized, virtual training, simulation training, and many other applications were widespread. Furthermore, due to the AR having the ability to enhance the output of the real environment, it held significant value in areas like medical research and anatomy training, precision instrument manufacturing and maintenance, car navigation, engineering design, and remote control.

To put it simply, even James Bond would be very pleased with such AR glasses after trying them on, let alone regular people.

In terms of performance and the authenticity of the image, the stellar AR had completely surpassed Microsoft Hallows, and it was the only one in the entire world who was capable of operating such technology. While the governments of the world had their own brainwave control technology, Zhang Heng was the one who bought it and signed a contract stating that such technology was prohibited from commercializing the technology during the patent period, much less selling the technology to other companies.

In terms of volume and weight, the stellar AR weighed less than 200 grams and was about the same size as Google's ProjectGlass. Simply put, the stellar AR was like a combination of Google and Microsoft, with both performance and image excellence. With the addition of brainwave control technology, it was more than enough to crush both competitors.

407. Global Situation

Zhang Heng left after doing some random experiments.

When Stellar Technology announced the release of new products, it attracted a lot of attention from all over the world, especially from spies from all over the world. Countless machine tools were activated in the processing plant of Stellar Technology at the moment. Workers in blue and gray uniforms were seen shuttling back and forth in the room filled with over a thousand people. Dozens of people were seen busying themselves in the process, yet their eyes were filled with worry. That worry was well-hidden, and most people wouldn't be able to tell. However, if one were to look closely, one would be able to tell that they didn't fit in with the fiery atmosphere in the factory.

"Xiao Wang, I'm about to run out of raw materials. Please tell the manager to send the raw materials over right away." One of the honest-looking middle-aged men walked up and patted the chest of the young man who was taking notes and said loudly.

In the machinery room that was filled with the rumbling sounds of the machines, one would need to shout to be able to talk. The middle-aged man's voice was drowned out by the noisy noise of the machines before he was able to get very far. However, that young man by the name of Little Wang still nodded and shouted, "Got it, Master Zhang. I'll be right there."

The young man closed his laptop and headed for the exit. He didn't head straight for the manager's office after leaving the factory, instead turning right and heading for the washroom door of the factory.

The young man whistled as he walked into the washroom. He randomly picked a cubicle and went inside, moving the door to block his way. The door of the cubicle changed from green to red, with the word 'someone' written on it.

The young man breathed a sigh of relief after he was done. He wiped the sweat from his brow and took out a small piece of paper from the pocket on his chest that the young man had just patted.

The edges of the note were drenched in sweat, but the young man's eyes were filled with anticipation. He slowly opened the note and saw a line of numbers written in code. There was nothing else.

The young man frowned when he saw that line of digits. He sighed after quite a while and looked disappointed. "Damn it, just how careful is Stellar Technology? 'Oriole' is clearly the best tech in the processing plant, yet I still can't find the core components of Stellar Technology?"

At that moment, the young man's face had lost all of its previous innocence and turned into something sinister. His eyes sparkled and he pondered for a bit before cautiously pressing the drainage button behind him. The sound of water flowing was heard and the young man walked out of the washroom humming while holding his pants.

That detail was nothing more than a very unnoticeable scene in the Stellar Technology processing plant. As Stellar Technology announced that Stellar AR was about to be put on sale, the entire world became restless. Many countries had yet to realize what was happening when Stellar Technology crossed borders half a year ago. By the time they wanted to plant spies in those factories, Stellar Technology had long completed the manufacturing of the Stellar Helmet-VR. They were unable to catch up with Stellar Helmet-VR back then, and they were determined to get their hands on the manufacturing technology of the Stellar AR glasses no matter what.

Countless spies had infiltrated every factory and company that Star Technology had exposed as the various countries were determined to send out their spies. These spies were all elites of their respective fields. As soon as they revealed some of their techniques and methods, the processing plants of Star Technology were able to display astonishing efficiency. However, it was a pity that half a year had passed and tens of countries all over the world had sent out thousands of spies, yet none of them were able to succeed.

It was just like how stellar technology was like an impregnable fortress. No matter how capable the spies were, they were like ants before an impregnable fortress.

What they didn't know, of course, was that Corona had seen everything that he had done and what he thought to be a secret. Zhang Heng didn't think that killing all those spies was the best course of action, as the saying goes, it was better to keep things under wraps. Killing people all the time wouldn't solve any problems, and it would only serve to keep the nations on high alert against Stellar technology.

It was a well-known secret among the upper echelons of the various countries that Stellar Technology had a private army. It was just that no one bothered to expose it. The 'Galaxy International' in India, for example, was something that Stellar Technology had single-handedly developed. Furthermore, the staff of the security company that was publicly announced to the world had a power that shocked all countries.

But of course, they were just shocked. To them, that was nothing, as if they were looking at a triad. In the face of the state's machinery, it was like they were looking at some petty squabbles that posed no threat.

However, as Stellar Technology became increasingly advanced, all countries gradually began to realize that something was off, especially after the 69th incident. The huge mountain that had ruled the United States for hundreds of years collapsed and was replaced by a mysterious Stellar Foundation. The foundation played a role in many financial groups and organizations around the world, which shocked all governments back then.

However, what made them even more frustrated was that they discovered the Stellar Foundation far too late. Countless countries had been eager to get their hands on the Stellar Foundation after the 69th incident, hoping to gain a piece of the pie in the US. However, all of their attempts to get their hands on the Stellar Foundation had been foiled by the attack before they were able to do anything about it. It was only then that they realized that the Stellar Foundation had developed to a point where it was even more powerful than that of the Commonwealth back then, before all of them realized it. They were shocked to discover that the Stellar Foundation was actually an extension of Stellar technology.

Huaxia was even more astonished. After extensive investigations, financial groups behind Stellar Technology emerged one after another. Every single one of them was a massive entity capable of influencing the entire global economy with a single stomp of their feet. It could even be said that, to a certain extent, Stellar Technology had gained complete control over the United States.

The entire world was in disbelief when they first heard the news. However, they had no choice but to remain silent when faced with such an iron-clad truth. It wasn't that they didn't have the power to bring down Stellar Technology, but the world economy at the moment was already in a very fragile state. If they were to bring down Stellar Technology, they would be doing themselves a disservice.

Huaxia, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of relief after conducting some investigations. They were astonished to discover that Star Technology had infiltrated the United States, India, England, France, and other established powers, yet they remained completely unscrupulous in their dealings with Huaxia. At most, they were only doing so financially. The upper echelons of the government were secretly relieved after hearing the news. They then remained on high alert.

That was the current global situation. There seemed to be a dark cloud looming over the heads of all humans, as if it would burst out at any moment…

408. Press Conference

The development of the Stellar Islands gave the British Virgin Islands a new dose of energy.

The fantastical archipelago itself was a world-renowned resort, with hundreds of thousands of people entering the archipelago for vacation every year. However, ever since Zhang Heng set up the human cryogenic center in Europe and North America, the number of visitors there began to multiply.

More than 300,000 tourists had shown up in the British Virgin Islands over the past 10 days, filling the islands with hotels and hostels. Many tourists were unable to find any available hotels and ended up staying at home instead.

Furthermore, on that day, a group of special guests arrived at the Beef Island's Terrence B Lielson International Airport.

Every single one of those passengers wore the uniform of a company with logo emblazoned on it and carried equipment related to photography and video recording. They disembarked in groups of three to five. The only difference between them and the other tourists was that they didn't look as relaxed as the regular tourists. Instead, they looked like they were there to work instead of taking a break.

Some of the regular tourists took a closer look and were rendered speechless when they saw the logo on those people's clothes. That was because they saw that all of those people were reporters from some of the world's most reputable media companies, such as the Associated Press, Reuters, French News Agency, International News Agency, and so on.

Some tourists were curious and had no idea what was going on. After asking around, they learned that it was the second news conference held by Stellar Technology, and that the venue was actually held on Stellar Island's plaza.

At that moment, Jack from the Ministry of Economic News was looking at the scenery around him with a gleeful look on his face. He couldn't help but whistle when he saw the girls in bikinis running about on those special white beaches, "Oh my God, I love this place so much!"

"Jack, be quiet." A blonde girl wearing sunglasses in front of him turned around and pointed a finger at him. "Do you want the chief to scold you? We're not here on vacation. Be mindful of your image."

Jack shrugged and looked at the balding middle-aged man in a suit walking at the very front. "Got it, Anna. I'll be careful."

At that moment, the bald man at the very front turned around and glared at Jack before turning around and saying to Anna, "I heard you."

Anna stuck her tongue out when she heard that, but the director continued, "I've put in a lot of effort to get everyone to come along this time. All of you need to seize the opportunity well. Joining the Stellar Technology press conference this time will be an arduous task, especially with regards to the drafts for this issue. If all of you are able to do it well, I'll allow everyone to relax for a day or two."

"Yay!" Most of the people in the team cheered right away.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let's find the hotel that the company booked for us and take a break. We'll begin work at 5pm."

A group of people made their way to the harbor in high spirits. They weren't the only ones there at the moment. There were several staff members from the media outlets who were already making bids with the owners of the yachts. Many of them looked very familiar and were very popular hosts in international media outlets. While some of them weren't from the same media outlets, they were all very familiar with each other. Everyone gathered together and began to talk among themselves.

Anna, the host of the Federal Ministry of Economics and News, negotiated the price and persuaded a yacht to take them to Stellar Island. A group of people boarded the ship in high spirits and headed for the ocean amidst the engines of the yacht.

The one who drove the yacht was an African-American native of the British Virgin Islands, named Jim, who was very talkative but often had vague slang in his voice. According to him, he had been a tour guide since he was 10 years old. He knew very well which of the islands had a nest of seabirds and which of the hills had a nest of squirrels.

He kept recommending the scenery of the islands to everyone along the way, before mentioning stellar technology again. He lamented that it was the emergence of stellar technology that made the Virgin Islands the world's most famous tourist destination in an instant. Most of the indigenous people made a killing, and he had just bought his yacht three days ago.

Stellar Island was located dozens of nautical miles away from the rest of the Virgin Islands, unlike the other islands that were near each other. Despite the speed of the yacht being very fast, it still took half an hour to reach Stellar Island. Everyone chatted along the way, and Jim even performed a rap that he came up with in front of everyone, making everyone laugh out loud.

The Stellar Island soon appeared before everyone's eyes.

Stellar Island was not considered huge and was only about 10 square kilometers in area. It wouldn't take more than three hours to circle around the island, yet the island was a classic example of having everything despite its size. There was a tourism city rich in industry on the island—Stellar City.

When the Stellar Island was closer to the island, everyone was able to see the tall buildings on the island clearly. The buildings were built one after another, looking very well-decorated and even prettier than those found in international cities.

To the north of the city was the central cryogenic center that could hold 50 million people. It looked bright and shiny under the reflected sunlight from afar. The hemispherical cryogenic center looked like a pearl that had been mostly buried in the soil, with only a very small part of it exposed.

"There are three-star or even five-star hotels in the city, a beachside shower, and a food street that's about a kilometer long. You'll be able to find all the delicacies in the world there, and there's nothing like that." Jim pointed at the miniature city proudly. "There are even casinos in there. I've been there before, and even the casinos in Las Vegas are hardly comparable in terms of luxury. I hear people winning a lot of money there every day, and I hear people losing everything there."

The crowd finally made it to the harbor of the city following Jim's introduction. While the city was packed, the streets didn't look crowded due to the lack of cars. There were only a handful of electric vehicles available at most, which could be rented at the harbor for 100 US dollars a day.

He checked the time and found that it was about noon. The director greeted everyone before taking out a map of Stellar Island from the automatic machine by the dock.

"This is the hotel we're staying in, right?" Jack came up and pointed at the location near the Stellar Island Square in the city center. That was the tallest building in Stellar Island—the Stellar International Hotel.

409. Entry

The group of them strolled around the city for quite a while before they finally arrived at the door of the Stellar International Hotel. The staff at the door welcomed them in with a warm welcome. The staff at the door immediately helped everyone move their luggage, cameras, and the like back to their rooms after the chief reported the room number.

Everyone ate a huge meal in the hotel's dining room and went back to their rooms to rest under the instructions of their chief. The Stellar Technology press conference would begin at seven in the evening. To prevent any accidents from happening, they needed to arrive at the venue at five in the afternoon.

The company had booked two standard rooms for them. While the Associated Press was filthy rich, luxurious suites and presidential suites were out of the question. As a scenic area, Stellar Island's prices were considerably more expensive than the outside world. Even if it was just a standard room for a five-star hotel, the price of the rooms would still be about 500 US dollars per day.

It was soon five in the afternoon. The director knocked on the doors of every single person in the building and the six of them headed straight for the Stellar Square in the center of Stellar City.

The setting of the plaza was completed at that moment. Stellar Technology was using an open-air press conference, and over a thousand seats were placed on the plaza. The seats were surrounded by fences, and there was a security guard maintaining order every few meters.

The podium was at the very front of the plaza, and there were three huge electronic screens above the podium. The screens were arranged in a triangular shape and surrounded three sides of the press conference. The advantage of doing so was that the audience outside the plaza would be able to see the contents of the press conference clearly.

When the crowd arrived at the plaza, everyone was still astonished despite having made preparations beforehand. While there were still two hours before the press conference began, the plaza was already packed with people.

"Look, that's a reporter from the Associated Press! And that one wearing sunglasses is the pretty host of the Federal Information, Anna!"

"The Mei Alliance is here too? Stellar Technology sure is generous!"

"Only a Stellar Technology press conference would have such a lineup. Even Apple wasn't as popular back then."

The crowd outside the plaza began to murmur among themselves as soon as Jackana and the others reached the plaza. Jack puffed his chest out proudly when he heard people talking about him. Everyone else was like that. As the world's top media organization, they were the center of attention wherever they went.

"I'm going to line up and get my ticket. Take advantage of the fact that there aren't many reporters around right now to record a segment. Don't screw up," the director walked over and said to the crowd.

At that moment, everyone was ready and agreed to the director's request. Jack picked up the priceless professional camera in his hand, adjusted the circle of light and the camera's muzzle, and aimed it at Anna. The other assistant by Jack's side also prepared the teleprompter and counted down at the same time.

"Three, two, one, begin!"

Anna, the host, took a deep breath and put on a sweet smile as soon as the host announced the start of the show. "Dear viewers and friends, I'm Anna, the host of 'Federal Information'. The place where I'm standing right now is the Stellar Island, the center of human cryogenics in Europe and North America, which has been spreading like wildfire recently. Stellar Technology will be holding its third press conference here on December 5th."

Anna then turned around and pointed at the brightly lit plaza behind her. "This is where the Stellar Technology press conference was held. I believe everyone here knows that the products of Stellar Technology have changed the entire world, especially their renowned cryogenic technology, the epoch-making VR helmet, the T series gene serum that could cure all manner of terminal illnesses, and so on. All of those are from Stellar Technology."

"Today, Star Technology released yet another piece of news. They're going to release a new product, one that is related to AR, and that's how the press conference came to be. I'll be taking everyone to witness the birth of this historical product."

…

The director walked over with six tickets after the first segment of the recording was finished. He greeted the crowd and the six of them began to enter. As the world's top media outlets, their seats were in the first row of the press conference.

More and more people were gathering at that moment. Many of the bystanders had arrived outside the venue of the press conference early in the morning and were shouting something through the fence. Some of them were even raising the logo of Stellar Technology and yelling at the venue. All of them were probably fans of Stellar Technology.

Everyone found their seats and sat down before continuing with their work. The scriptwriter recorded all the small things that happened at the venue, while Jack would occasionally walk around with his camera raised, filming the heated scene of the crowd outside the press conference.

Reporters came into the venue one after another, and the initially sparse crowd became very noisy.

"Why isn't the press conference starting yet?" Jack looked at the mechanical watch on his wrist and complained in a low voice after an hour or so, when everyone was almost done with their preparations.

"We'll be starting in about 10 minutes." Anna turned around and smiled at Jack. "Jack, what new technologies do you think the AR glasses released by Stellar Technology would have?"

Jack was stunned for a bit. He scratched his head and said innocently, "I think it's better than Google glasses at the very least, but it's hard to say if it's better than Microsoft's Microsoft SoloLens."

"That's not important. Countless people would be willing to buy this new pair of glasses just based on brainwave control technology." At that moment, a refined-looking man sitting next to her turned around and looked at Anna with a smile. He extended his hand and said, "I'm Edward, a reporter from the International News Agency."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Anna, Anna McDonald's host of the Federal Information Agency." Anna smiled and nodded at him.

"I've heard a lot about you," the gentleman said politely.

"Indeed. You're right, Mr. Edward. As long as we have the world's one and only brainwave manipulation technology, Stellar Technology would be undefeatable." Anna sighed and continued, "Forget about Microsoft and Google, even Apple wouldn't be able to fight against this company from Huaxia."

"More importantly, I believe that the AR glasses released by Star Technology this time wouldn't be as simple as just having electroencephalogram control technology." Edward continued solemnly, "Judging from the rise of this company, it could be said that the technology that they release each time is world-shaking and epoch-making. In other words, it is very possible that the AR glasses released this time would be on par with the T Series in the pharmaceutical world."

"Oh?" Anna couldn't help but look surprised.

"Alright, enough of that. The press conference is about to begin." The director at the side urged all of a sudden. Anna flashed an apologetic smile at Edward before turning around to look at the venue.

410. We Are Stellar Technology

As the director's words were heard, the three screens on the podium at the very front of the plaza ended the advertisement for Stellar Technology at the same time and turned black. All the lights in the plaza dimmed at the same time, but they didn't go out all of a sudden. As such, while the crowd was stunned, they didn't panic.

A calm yet solemn piano sound was heard from the outdoor speakers all around.

All of a sudden, the people who were still talking stopped talking and turned to look at the podium with curious yet expectant looks on their faces. The lights on the podium went out as well, leaving only the black screen slowly lighting up.

"Look around. Technology is always with us."

A deep male voice, mixed with background music, was heard in the plaza. The electronic screen lit up as the voice was heard.

"In ancient times, the ancestors of humanity began a sacred fire of civilization. From that day onwards, humanity began to move towards the dawn of technology…"

The image on the screen was in black and white. A group of primitive humans covered in thick fur were gathered together, watching with serious expressions as one of the primitive humans continued to hit the rock with two pieces of rock. There was a pile of dried yellow weeds at the bottom of the rock, making the area around the city look very thick.

"Crack, crack, crack…"

As the slow-motion replay appeared, everyone saw huge amounts of sparks flying from the two rocks hitting each other. The sparks flew all over the weed like sparks. All of a sudden, the weed was ignited and the first pile of primitive flames in history began to burn.

"The dawn of technology, the source of civilization's progress…"

He seemed to be sighing as the scene changed. Archers, paper makers, gunpowder… Scenes appeared one after another. That deep, rumbling voice was heard amidst the gradually rising music.

"It has appeared in our lives, in many ways that are both normal and unusual…"

The renowned scientist, Newton, was deep in thought under the apple tree. All of a sudden, a gentle breeze blew past and a ripe fruit swayed in the wind. All of a sudden, it fell from the tree with a thud.

"Technology is inspiration."

Galileo wore a thoughtful expression on his face as he stood on the side tower of the Pisa. He was holding two iron balls, one big and one small, in his hand as he looked into the distance.

"Technology is practice."

Copernicus' eyes gleamed with the light of truth as he stood on the pillar of fire. He wore a sarcastic grin and paid no heed to the flames that were slowly rising beneath his feet.

"Technology is the truth…"

As the flames swallowed Copernicus' silhouette and the entire screen, the music gradually became more moving and deep. However, it suddenly became very loud in the very next second.

"Technology is the wheel of history. It's unstoppable!"

Steam engines, internal combustion engines, biochemistry, aerospace technology, and other technologies from the three Industrial Revolution began to appear on the screen.

"Technology is the totem of civilization, the source of human progress!"

The sound of the piano in the background reached a crescendo, and what followed was the image on the screen that looked like ink had been dropped into it, dying the entire place in a vibrant color. It was as if history had been broken, and an advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing workshop appeared before everyone's eyes.

Whether it was the crowd outside the venue or the reporters in the venue, everyone subconsciously held their breaths. All they saw in the production workshop was everyone dressed in thick and heavy chemical armor, working hard on the huge metal machine assembly line before them.

A series of glass test tubes in the shape of helixes were placed in the corresponding compartments on the assembly line, which slowly moved forward as the machine tool rolled. Everyone shouted at the sight of those test tubes, "T-1!"

"We've been working hard all along…" The man's voice gradually changed from thick and heavy to sonorous.

The scene flashed past in a flash and the scenery of Mumbai and Stellar Island appeared in the very next second. Two huge human cryogenic centers stood tall on the ground like pearls. As the morning sun rose, the surface of the huge buildings reflected a dazzling light.

"We've been surpassing…"

The image flickered again. A woman wearing a star Helmet-VR helmet was lying gracefully on the couch with a smile on her face. All manner of patterns and colors were flashing before her eyes.

"We've never changed our minds…"

The camera panned past the room and came to the window. The streets were bustling with activity and countless pedestrians and cars were seen everywhere. However, what was strange was that all of them wore eyeglasses of an unusual design.

The lenses of those strange glasses were very small, so small that they were unable to conceal their eyes. However, as the image flickered and zoomed in to the first-person perspective, everyone was able to see all kinds of images flashing before their eyes.

"Technology changed our lives. If we were to dig out its value and show it to the world outside the screen…" That voice continued to talk outside the image.

A man in sportswear was jogging on the sidewalk, and data kept appearing before his eyes, recording his schedule, speed, and distance.

"The world that we can touch…"

In a car, a woman wearing the same pair of concise glasses was talking as she drove. A screen was seen floating on the windshield before her and a handsome man was seen on the screen. The two of them were talking and laughing at the moment, as if sparks of love were flying between them.

"Image our every move…"

The drawing was filled to the brim in a flash. Several white-collar men and women wearing glasses stood before a meeting table at the side of the building. The few people at the meeting table were able to see something that looked like a holographic image—the 3D design of a villa. It seemed that the two parties had reached some kind of agreement, and the two in the lead smiled satisfactorily and shook hands with each other.

"This is a holographic world…"

More and more people wearing special glasses appeared on the screen as soon as he finished speaking. Some of them walked around the office while chatting with the boss on the screen before them. Some of them were decorating their homes with virtual decorations, and there was even a fake electronic pet dog lying at their feet. There was even a child wearing glasses lying on his desk at home, and a miniature teacher was standing in front of his workbook, explaining something to him.

The voice continued, "What could it bring us? For example, a new perspective on our work, a different platform to share our lives with, a real world for us to play in, a classroom right before us to allow students to think, an unprecedented communication to explore the unknown…"

"Now, we can realize our dreams."

The music slowed to a halt as soon as he finished speaking. The glasses worn by the people in the video appeared on the screen in full view of the astonished audience.

"A pair of holographic glasses would make your imagination cease to be a fantasy. If you were to look at the world from a different perspective, the world would allow you to see something completely different. That is—stellar AR, the key to opening a new world."

"We are the pioneers of the times. We are Stellar technology."

411. Ar

"Clap, clap, clap…"

The entire venue was filled with applause as the promotional video ended. Li Yiru, who had been waiting for a long time, stood on the podium after the stage lights were turned on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the product launch of Stellar Technology!"

Li Yiru wasn't wearing an orthodox suit that day. Instead, she was wearing a casual outfit with a Virgin Islands-style t-shirt and a pair of tight jeans, completely exposing her impressive curves.

However, despite not wearing any formal attire, she still exuded a strong sense of confidence. As the general manager of the largest company in the world, she had long been well trained.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming to the beautiful Virgin. Thank you, everyone, for coming to Stellar Island. Today is the third press conference held by Stellar Technology." Li Yiru wore a steady smile on her face. "The emergence of the Stellar Helmet-VR more than half a year ago changed many people's way of life. Things have been changing as well. It's just like the slogan that our company has been spreading—to use technology to change the world and create the future with the present."

It wasn't just the thousands of reporters at the venue and the thousands of spectators watching at the moment. The press conference was being broadcasted live in many media outlets as well. Despite that, Li Yiru was still able to use Chinese as the language used for the speech. There was only a professional translator who was able to translate Li Yiru's words into English.

If it had been some other megacorporation company that didn't use a common language like English at the press conference, people might have been displeased. However, they were currently facing a massive, historic enterprise.

The company that created the myth of being undefeated never behaved like those companies that prioritized profit above all else. It went from the earliest T-1 to the antifreeze, then to the Stellar Helmet-VR, T-3, T-4, and even new antibiotics. That company had created countless myths and legends, and everyone knew that it was a company that spoke for itself. That company never cared about the market or its reputation. It was obvious from how they bought shares of companies like Hui Rui and Johnson, as well as how they were banned from Europe, but they didn't seem to mind at all.

As such, while everyone was astonished, none of them reacted much.

"Over 100 million star Helmet-VR units have been sold over the past six months, with a net profit of 600 billion US dollars and a net profit of over 150 billion US dollars!" Li Yiru said as she listed the figures. Despite being well-prepared, everyone still gasped subconsciously.

"In the year that our human cryogenic center was established, we've made a fortune of 500 billion yuan. With the addition of the T-1, T-3, T-4, and so on, we can proudly claim that Stellar Technology has become the first company in human history to have assets exceeding 1 trillion yuan!" Everyone's eyes were filled with admiration and envy as Li Yiru listed the data one by one, especially the media outlets from Europe and America. All of them wore complicated expressions.

That was because they knew that not only was Stellar Technology the world's first company with assets of over a trillion US dollars, but that company was also under Huaxia's name. That meant that, for the first time in history, Asia was at the forefront of the world, which was dominated by Europe and the US.

"Alright, Stellar Technology has always been known for its efficiency. I believe that none of you are here to listen to me." Li Yiru smiled faintly and continued, "This is the seventh product that Stellar Technology has released, and the second electronics product that we have released. That is Stellar AR!"

Li Yiru then turned to look at the screen behind her. That pair of eyeglasses with a unique circular design appeared on the screen once again, making it look like a ring without a closed lid. The edges of the glasses were ivory white, and the lenses had two miniature, rectangular projectors about the size of a fingernail. There was also a stellar technology logo on the right, which looked very sci-fi.

"The stellar AR glasses, like the star Helmet-VR, use the optical projection principle to project the image directly on the eyeball. The optical approach uses a gentle design of short-wave light, enabling the image to be clear but not harmful to the eye. Furthermore, the image is completely identical to the concept of AR and would not affect the vision of others. Trust me, after putting on the stellar AR glasses, it would be as if your eyes had been modified. Your eyes would then be able to have night vision, photography, recording, and even hallucination. Of course, hallucinations originate from the glasses themselves."

Li Yiru smiled and said, "Let me tell you about the data on that pair of glasses. The stellar AR is only 200 grams in weight, yet it contains all the functions that you want to possess. Even if you're a spy, the stellar AR would be able to satisfy all of your needs."

Laughter was heard from below the stage and the crowd on both sides of the plaza began to jeer and shout in excitement.

"Don't worry, I'm not done yet." Li Yiru took out a pair of glasses that she had kept folded in her jeans pocket and said mischievously, "Look, it's so small and delicate. You could put it in your pocket like a pen, or you could put it in your handbag or even hang it around your neck. But there's also one bad thing about it, and that is that it's too small and you could lose it if you're not careful."

Laughter was heard from below the stage again.

"Don't look down on it just because it's small. What I want to tell everyone is that its technology isn't inferior to that of the most advanced computers in the world. Furthermore, its power capacity would support regular use for over 16 hours. Everyone could treat it as a computer or smartphone that could only be placed on the bridge of their nose. You could chat, surf the net, play games, and do little else in meetings."

The laughter from below the stage continued.

"I'm sorry, but the data of that thing is just too hard to remember. I'm sure I don't need to remind you that everyone has done their research on the official website. Well then, I'll just say something that's not available on the official website." Li Yiru continued in a humorous manner, "Some people would definitely want to know how to get online with that thing. Do you really need to set up a wireless internet card? No, of course not. It has inherited many functions of the Stellar Helmet-VR. One of those functions is the ability to connect to a phone, such as communication, text messages, and of course, internet access. All of the traffic you need to go online in the outside world is provided by the phone in your pocket."

"I could put it this way. Everyone could free their hands if they were outside. You guys don't need to hold your phones and lower your heads anymore. Instead, just replace your phones with stellar AR to complete everything. Brainwave control technology would be the standard operating technology for stellar AR."

"Alright, that's all there is to it. The next phase of the experiment is to begin. Everyone, please proceed to the stage and experience the glory of the Stellar AR. Our Stellar Technology has never disappointed consumers before, and today is no different…"

412. Setup

The Stellar Technology product launch finally came to an end after two hours of promotional activities and practice, which were met by many reporters and audiences.

Stellar Technology then announced the price and release date of the new product. The price of the Stellar AR glasses was US $1,500. That price had exceeded the price of many high-end electronics and the price of the Microsoft AR glasses and Google glasses. However, no one thought that it wasn't worth it. The performance of the new product had exceeded the expectations of many, especially when it could be used anywhere and anytime. The volume and duration of the new product surprised many.

While the new product was nowhere near as world-shaking as the human cryogenic and stellar helmets, the series of effects that the new product had brought about were no less than the first two.

Most people didn't think that the appearance of the Stellar AR was too much of an exaggeration. After all, Microsoft had also produced such AR glasses before. While the quality of the product was far inferior to that of Stellar Technology in terms of graphic quality and couldn't be used outdoors, and there was also no trademark brainwave control technology, it was nonetheless something that had been seen in real life before. Everyone knew that the Stellar AR was very powerful, even more so than the AR glasses of Microsoft. However, they had no idea just how much stronger they were.

Only those in the real circle would know what the product represented…

"Bam!"

In the conference room of the Apple headquarters in Los Angeles, the CEO of Apple slammed his teacup on the floor with a glum look on his face. He tore up the data regarding the stellar AR in his hand, causing the executives before him to lower their heads.

"Are you idiots? I can't believe you guys only just got wind of such an important piece of news. All you know how to do is scheme all the time. Someone else has declared war on the entire electronics industry! Stellar Technology is trying to push Apple to the edge!"

"I don't think so, Mr. Smith…" The lead assistant wore a bitter look on his face, but he gritted his teeth and continued, "While it is true that the other party has monopolized the entirety of the VR market, the price that the other party is willing to pay for the AR market is simply too high. We still don't know who would be able to beat the likes of Microsoft and Google. Furthermore, they have never been involved in the field of mobile phones and computers, especially mobile and tablet computers. As such, we still hold an unparalleled advantage over them. I believe that they wouldn't be able to beat us in either of those areas."

"Not a match?" Smith, who was referred to as the chief executive, slowly closed his eyes and chuckled coldly. "Do you really think so?"

"What Assistant Edward said is incorrect. The interests of the computer industry have been greatly impacted after the emergence of the VR helmet of Stellar Technology, especially after the creation of those games. It's just that the company hasn't been in sales for long, so I'm unable to see anything yet," an elder said bitterly at the conference table. "However, the shares of many companies that produce computer parts and chips have been steadily declining, and bankruptcy is only a matter of time. After all, the company's VR is a kind of computer to begin with…"

"There's also the cell phone industry. Do you really think that we'd be able to survive if we were to get hit by the AR glasses after they were born?"

The assistant's eyes widened when he heard that. "You mean…"

"If we were to follow the data that they've advertised, how many people do you think would still be able to use their phones to chat in the future?"

The assistant felt as if he was struck by lightning after hearing that. He gasped and felt an indescribable chill running down his spine. "So, you're saying that there's a high possibility that smartphones would be eliminated in the future?"

"It's not a possibility, it's a certainty!" Apple's chief executive murmured. "Stellar Technology has no intentions of giving the electronics industry a way out…"

Apple wasn't the only company to have such thoughts. Microsoft, Intel, and countless other megacorporations that were related to computers and cell phone businesses all had similar thoughts. The rise of the Stellar-VR and Stellar AR was like the sudden rise of a demon, leaving no room for negotiation. They bared their fangs and began to eat away at both the PC and smartphone fields. Everyone felt fear and despair when faced with such a massive entity.

It was just like how technological structures that would have taken hundreds of years to slowly change were suddenly attacked by external forces. That force appeared all of a sudden and single-handedly boosted the rate of development of human technology by tens of times. However, the consequences of suffering such a loss were that countless electronics industries were unable to make any preparations before they were completely overwhelmed by that force.

That was what Stellar Technology was doing.

Regular people wouldn't have been able to detect all of that, but both the mobile and computer industries had been plunged into a state of deep panic when the Stellar AR was released. It wasn't that they hadn't thought of using other methods to bring down Stellar Technology, but Stellar Technology was no longer what it used to be. Just the countless financial groups backing Stellar Technology and the seemingly endless entanglements of interests caused every company that wanted to use other methods to feel bitter.

Everyone gradually began to hear that a chip manufacturer with a very powerful background had resorted to some kind of underhanded means behind the scenes of Stellar Technology. All of the shareholders of that company were killed at home the very next day. That incident shocked everyone even more. Stellar Technology's background, its power, and its brutal methods left everyone feeling bitter and helpless.

While the business world was dark and the waters were deep, most companies would still adhere to their own unspoken rules. It wasn't that they had a high level of awareness, but that they had their own countries to restrict them. Stellar Technology, on the other hand, was a massive monopoly that had transcended all nations. The Stellar Foundation, on the other hand, controlled many banks in the United States and India, and even the United States. The printing of banknotes and presidential candidates were all controlled by that terrifying organization. That alone was enough to shock all companies.

Of course, only a handful of knowledgeable people would know about all of that. In the eyes of most people, Stellar Technology was just a monopoly of the electronics and pharmaceutical industry. The most they would think of was that the company was simply too huge.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the thoughts of those companies. He needed to speed things up and strive to make Stellar Technology and the Stellar Foundation even more powerful before the curse hit. It seemed like he was about to be unable to consolidate the entire world, and that was something that he had no choice but to do. The speed at which the curse descended had far exceeded his expectations. If he were given 10 years, he was confident that humanity's technology would be able to take a turn for the better, and it might even be possible for him to leave the Solar System. However, plans could not keep up with changes. All he could do at the moment was to develop as much as he could and then gain the power to stand on equal footing with other countries. That was the only way he could gain a sliver of hope when the curse hit.

If none of that was possible, then the Tanis planet in the Dimensional amnesia plane would be his only way out.

413. Li Lian Arrives

The year 2018 passed quickly and the end of the year came in the blink of an eye. Winter quietly descended on Earth.

It had been a long time since Haizhou last saw what snowflakes looked like after global warming. However, at the end of 2018, tiny snowflakes began to fall from the sky of Haizhou.

Black stains were seen among the snowflakes, but they melted as soon as they touched the ground, as if the world had been abandoned by the gods, and even the snowflakes were unwilling to stay.

The AR glasses of Stellar Technology were also being put on sale at the moment. Stellar Technology had always adopted a policy of making them on their own and then selling them to retailers all over the world. Only some cities had sales locations, and if one wanted to get their hands on the real thing as soon as possible, sales locations were the best option. If one was able to afford the wait, they could also place orders on the official website of Stellar Technology.

As the first batch of users gradually got their hands on the real thing, the true capabilities of the stellar AR glasses were gradually revealed. In an era where the internet was so well-developed, there was nothing that couldn't be spread. Many users began posting their products on their Weibo and Twitter accounts.

"Hahaha, I've received a package from Jingdong. That was fast!"

"I've opened the box and tried it out. It was awesome. That image is so much better than Microsoft-HoloLens! I could even make it look real! No wonder it cost me tens of thousands of yuan!"

"More importantly, it's small and petite, but if I were to put it on, I'd be able to take pictures of pretty girls whenever I see one. I wouldn't need to worry about anyone noticing that I'm snooping around!"

"The commenter above is really boring. What I'm interested in is the stellar AR's ability to work. I'm a student of drawing and design. I've discovered that the stores in stellar AR also have free drawing software and I've tested it out. It's very functional and the image is very lifelike. The operation is even simpler and much better than photoshop."

"Now that you put it that way, I feel like I bought some fake AR glasses…"

"I regret it so much! What's the point of having a kidney7PULLS? I could just buy a cell phone with Bluetooth!"

As the group of people shared their insights on how to operate the supercomputer on the internet, some of the bystanders who were unable to afford the supercomputer began to wail in jealousy, which further served as a promotional role. The stellar AR glasses became a household name in Stellar Technology, and the news spread like wildfire.

However, the Stellar AR glasses were sold for three million units on the first day of sales, breaking the record for the first day of sales of the Stellar Helmet-VR.

The next day, he exceeded five million.

On the third day, it reached an astonishing seven million.

Furthermore, without any obstruction from the European and American authorities, the sales of the Stellar AR glasses gradually dropped from the fourth day onwards. However, it was still no less than five million.

The cost of such glasses was only about 100 US dollars. The accumulation of funding from Stellar Technology was only increasing, and the company was only able to store that money in banks, making it completely useless.

To Zhang Heng, cash at the moment was practically useless. The only way he could continue to amass wealth was to expand his influence and take charge of the entire electronic market.

However, when Zhang Heng returned from the virtual space one day and opened his eyes, Corona's voice was heard.

"Commander, there's an old friend looking for you."

"An old friend?" Zhang Heng rubbed his aching temple and frowned. "Who is it?"

"The dean of the Chongzhou branch of the Academy of Sciences, Major General Li Lian," Corona answered honestly.

Zhang Heng looked enlightened after hearing that. He smirked and said, "So, it's time for Stellar Technology to set foot in the military?"

He put on his clothes and headed for the Hengxing Building above his head.

Li Yiru wore a bitter smile as she looked around at the officials in the reception room of the Stellar Technology building. "Secretary Zhang, you're here again."

"I wouldn't have come here without a reason, Ru." The old man who had been to Star Technology before Li Yiru said kindly, "Please allow us to meet Mr. Zhang Heng this time."

"Noted. I'll call them right away." Li Yiru nodded and asked her secretary to serve tea to everyone while she left the reception room and dialed Zhang Heng's number with a troubled look on her face.

"Beep…" However, the call was cut off before the call was picked up, as if the person on the other end of the line didn't want to answer the call and hung up right after seeing the incoming call.

Li Yiru snorted and put on a stubborn look. She dialed the number again, but the other party hung up.

Li Yiru was about to make the third call when she heard a cough from behind her.

Li Yiru came to her senses right away and saw Zhang Heng standing behind her with a smirk on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Li Yiru looked as if she had just seen a ghost.

"I didn't want to come either," Zhang Heng said helplessly. "But I was already there, so I didn't answer your call. The phone bill is really expensive after all."

Li Yiru rolled her eyes when she heard that. If the phone bill was considered expensive to Zhang Heng, then no one in the world would be able to afford it.

Zhang Heng waved and didn't say anything else. He simply pushed the door open and walked into the meeting room. The moment he entered, he saw over a dozen men in the reception room, all of whom exuded the airs of authority and power. The youngest among them was in their forties, and the oldest was in his fifties or sixties. Zhang Heng saw a familiar face wearing a military uniform standing beside a grizzled old man.

Li Lian.

Everyone looked up when Zhang Heng pushed the door open and walked in, especially that old man with a head full of white hair. His eyes were glittering and he looked at Zhang Heng as if he was looking at a huge treasure mountain.

Li Yiru followed behind Zhang Heng and walked up to the old man, giving him a look. "Boss Zhang, let me introduce you to…"

"No need for introductions." The old man waved his hand and stood up solemnly. He extended his hand and shook hands with Zhang Heng before sighing, feeling rather touched. "Comrade Zhang, it's not easy to meet you."

Zhang Heng chuckled. Since the other party didn't put on the airs of a bureaucrat and had given him enough face, there was no way he wouldn't give the other party the cold shoulder. He simply apologized and said, "I didn't come to see you last time due to an urgent matter. I'm truly sorry."

"Ahahahaha." However, his attitude made the old man before him even more surprised. He turned around and pointed at Zhang Heng and said to the crowd, "Everyone, take a look. Who said that Comrade Zhang is young and hot-blooded, looking down on everyone else?"

"You're right, Secretary Zhang!" The people behind him laughed bitterly and agreed.

The old man then turned around with a satisfied look on his face. He had yet to let go of Zhang Heng's hand and said gently, "Comrade Little Zhang, do you still remember the man beside you?"

Zhang Heng nodded and said with a helpless smile, "General Li and I have known each other for almost two years, so of course I remember him. If it hadn't been for him, I'd probably still be in jail right now."

"That's good, that's good!" The old man wore a relieved smile. Li Lian, who was standing beside him, took a good look at Zhang Heng and sighed. "To be honest, I didn't expect you to reach such a level back then."

"You're exaggerating, General Li. I'm just a businessman and I don't deserve to be mentioned in public." Zhang Heng didn't want to talk about the matter any further, as it wasn't something to brag about. He changed the subject and asked, "May I know why all of you are here today?"

414. Working In The Military

"Well said, Mr. Zhang." The old man chuckled and took Zhang Heng's hand and sat down. Zhang Heng had no choice but to sit down next to the old man. Li Yiru knew what to do when she saw what was happening and called her secretary out, leaving room for everyone else.

"Little Zhang, it's not just us. The higher-ups are all very curious as well. We'd like to know where all of your techniques came from," the old man said with a grin. Li Lian and the other officials around him held their breaths and looked at Zhang Heng with eager eyes.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and didn't panic at all after hearing what she said. He knew that what she said was just an excuse. If the government really wanted to get to the bottom of things, they wouldn't have allowed so many unrelated personnel to exist. As such, he simply nodded and said, "I developed all of that."

"As expected, you are indeed very knowledgeable in electronics and medicine." The old man didn't seem to care about Zhang Heng's answer at all and continued with a grin on his face, "To be honest, the government places a lot of importance on people like you. It's the government's loss that they didn't allow you to join the Academy of Sciences back then. If the Academy of Sciences were to take you in, I wonder if you'd be willing to do so, Little Zhang?"

"I'm used to living a free and easy life. I prefer doing my own business. There's no need for me to go to the Academy of Sciences, and I don't have that kind of ambition." Zhang Heng shook his head and refused the old man's invitation without hesitation.

"Sigh…" The old man wore a bitter grin when he heard that, as if he had known Zhang Heng's answer all along. The only reason he asked all those questions was to do his best.

None of the people behind him showed any expression. It was obvious that Zhang Heng's refusal was a given. If Zhang Heng were to say that he was willing to join the Academy of Sciences, all of them would have gotten suspicious instead.

"Ahem, I say, Little Heng." Li Lian cleared his throat and continued, "Here's the thing. The military would like to purchase all the technology available after finding out about your AR glasses. Name your price."

"That's easy to say." Zhang Heng leaned back on the couch and picked up the cup of tea before him, taking a sip. The freshness of the top-notch Biluochun tea leaves immediately filled his mouth. "If the government wants this technology, I'll just have to take a loss. 10 billion would be enough."

"Gasp—!" All the officials behind him gasped when they heard that. 10 billion Huaxian Dollars wasn't a lot to Zhang Heng, as he had sold the cryogenic drug to every country for 50 billion US dollars. 10 billion was like a free gift to him, but to those people, 10 billion was a massive fortune.

"It's, it's too expensive." The old man at the side said with a bitter smile, "Comrade Little Zhang, lower it a little. As you know, the country is having a hard time with financial storms."

"I'm indebted to you, General Li. Name your price then." Zhang Heng nodded and looked at Li Lian with a grin.

Li Lian was stunned. He had never met a businessman who talked about business like that before. He asked hesitantly, "Five billion?"

"No problem," Zhang Heng said bluntly. "Just five billion."

Li Lian wore a bitter grin when he heard that. He knew that Zhang Heng wasn't short of money. If he had known that Zhang Heng would agree so easily, he would have asked for a billion yuan instead.

However, due to his status as a high-ranking official, Li Lian was able to calm himself down in the very next second and said solemnly, "Other than that, there's something else that we'd need your help with. We'd like you to be the middleman and help us contact the person in charge of the Stellar Vitality Foundation."

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows right away. "Contact the Stellar Foundation?"

"Yes, sir. We'd like to speak directly with the person in charge of the Stellar Foundation." Li Lian looked serious. "That organization is too mysterious. You're the only one who could reach them."

Zhang Heng gave the old man a weird look. It would have been one thing if it were some other country, but he refused to believe that Huaxia didn't know that he was the founder of the Stellar Foundation. He had never concealed his identity ever since the Stellar Foundation stabilized. While the people of Huaxia didn't know, the government should have known long ago that he was the person in charge of the Stellar Foundation.

Zhang Heng played along and said, "I'd give it a shot, but it's not up to me to decide if the other party is willing or not."

The old man at the side rolled his eyes. He had initially hoped that Zhang Heng would take the initiative to admit his identity so that both parties would be able to negotiate. However, he realized that Zhang Heng was actually going to feign ignorance at the moment and quickly said, "Comrade Little Zhang, Little Li is just joking with you. If you're willing to represent the Stellar Foundation, we can talk directly."

A middle-aged man dressed as a secretary behind him handed over the documents in his hand right away. Zhang Heng took the documents lazily. It was a proposal, and the word 'top secret' was seen on the top left corner of the document.

"We're hoping that the Stellar Foundation would be able to sell us electronics technology. If such technology were to appear, the military capabilities of the country would be boosted exponentially." The old man's eyes gleamed as he looked at Zhang Heng solemnly.

The old man had issued a military order by coming down here. They were able to get their hands on a sample of the stellar AR glasses on the very day they were put up for sale. However, it was only after analyzing and separating the glasses that they came to realize that the equipment, from the lenses to the chips, was not something that Huaxia could manufacture at all. There was a very high level of industrial technology contained in the equipment. Even if they were to buy the stellar AR technology, they would still be unable to manufacture such precise electronic equipment with their current level of manufacturing. The only way to do so would be to acquire the other party's industrial technology.

"That's impossible." Zhang Heng's expression became serious and he continued solemnly, "That's the foundation of stellar technology, just like nuclear weapons. If a businessman were to ask you about nuclear weapons, would you sell them?"

"That's not how you put it." At that moment, a middle-aged man behind the elder snorted and said, "If the organization needs us, we should stand up for them. Sacrificing the younger one to complete the older one would be a big deal for the country. If everyone were to be like you, would the country still need to develop?"

Zhang Heng frowned and paid no heed to the aggressive middle-aged man. He looked at the old man and asked, "Is that what you want as well?"

"That's what the organization says." The old man nodded and said earnestly, "Please don't take it to heart, Little Zhang. I hope that you can think about it. Selling industrial technology to us would mean you have nothing to lose. I can promise you that we will never use your technology for commercial purposes. Is that okay with you?"

Zhang Heng was so angry that he laughed instead. "Very well then. If that's the case, there's nothing more to talk about. I'd like to see just how the government is going to force me." He stood up and walked out of the reception room.

"You…" That middle-aged man's eyes went wide. He hadn't expected Zhang Heng to actually dare to go against the authorities.

"Hold on!" Li Lian felt a headache coming on and went up to Zhang Heng right away, pulling him back with a bitter grin on his face. The old man walked up to Zhang Heng and said with a sheepish grin, "Don't be rash, Little Zhang! If it really doesn't work out, I have a way to compromise…"

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks right there and then. Most people knew that the government would rather be on good terms with Stellar Technology than go against it. If Stellar Technology was just an ordinary company, then the government would have been able to decide the fate of the company with a single word. However, that was not the case with Stellar Technology. While he didn't want to admit it, Stellar Technology had long surpassed the control of the government and monopolized countless funds. It had a massive amount of power throughout the world.

The only way to deal with Stellar Technology would be to completely fall out with it and eradicate all of its forces in Huaxia at the cost of massive losses. However, doing so would only benefit other countries and shift the focus of Stellar Technology's development.

Zhang Heng was able to tell at that moment that the middle-aged man and the old man were just playing the good cop and the bad cop. Zhang Heng had a very sharp mind and was able to tell at a glance, but there was simply no need to expose them.

"The last resort would be to inject capital from the government. We'd like to work with your company and set up an army company in Haizhou…" The old man remained silent for quite a while before saying with difficulty.

415. Night

After some scheming, both parties were finally able to come to a consensus.

The final proposal was to invest in Star Technology and set up an army company in Haizhou.

Generally speaking, the so-called military-industrial complex was a company that didn't aim for profit. It was funded and managed by the State Council, which was responsible for the manufacturing and production functions of major national defense projects and national defense research projects. The company was responsible for the development and production of weapons and equipment for the country's armed forces.

Huaxia had a total of 12 major military enterprises. However, unlike other military enterprises, this new military enterprise would no longer be managed by the government directly. Instead, it would be a military enterprise that was completely owned by the government.

The way to work with the government was to have the government issue orders, which would be funded and researched by the company itself. The orders would be purchased by Huaxia after the finished product was completed.

That new branch was named after the Stellar Arsenal as usual.

Initially, with Huaxia's current state of affairs, such military enterprises and technologies should have been firmly in his hands. Despite claiming to have undergone military reforms and claiming that he was going to introduce private enterprises into the military industry, all of that was just a gimmick. Those private enterprises would at most be able to manufacture some unimportant parts under the arms manufacturers. In reality, there wasn't a single country in the world willing to allow a private enterprise to become the main military force of a nation.

As such, when Huaxia and Stellar Technology jointly announced the news, the entire country was shocked. Even the other countries in the world were shocked by Huaxia's audacity. To completely contract the manufacturing of weapons to a private enterprise was akin to voluntarily handing something that they could use against others. No other country dared to tolerate such a thing.

However, Huaxia, which had always been a law-abiding, law-abiding country, had shocked the entire world. It had developed an unparalleled fear of stellar technology. At the very least, stellar technology was completely bound to Huaxia from then on out.

That was something that Zhang Heng had to do. It was unavoidable for him to step into the field of military engineering in order to face that curse.

Huaxia was just the beginning. He still needed to gain the right to set up an army among the superpowers in the world and try his best to turn his technologies into actual combat power. That was the only way he could get the authorities to share the burden with him and gain more power to protect himself when he faced that curse.

While the entire world was reeling from the news, the Stellar Space Station was also quietly completed. The managers of the two subsidiaries had yet to be decided, so Li Yiru was the one who had to take care of things for Zhang Heng.

As Star Technology became more renowned, some people with a keen sense of smell gradually began to realize that the massive, well-connected company seemed to pose an unparalleled threat to the entire human race. As such, an organization named 'Dark Night' began to emerge from the shadows under the leadership of a group of like-minded people.

…

"Stellar Technology is developing faster…"

In a dark basement, seven or eight men and women sat before a conference table in silence. All of them were dressed in luxurious attire and looked to be either rich or noble. However, all of them wore masks that made it difficult for anyone to see their faces clearly.

The masks were made of cloth puppets. Some of them had the heads of rabbits, while others had animals like cats and dogs covering their faces completely. Only their eyes were seen, which shone with a bloodthirsty glint like a venomous snake.

"Hehe, Stellar Technology is just asking for it." The man wearing the bunny mask chuckled coldly and continued, "While they're fast, the instability of the situation would only lead to the United Nations' sanctions if they were to cause a worldwide panic. By then, there would be no turning back except for bankruptcy."

"That's right. The ambitions of that company are as clear as day. It's one thing for the company to do so, but to think that it would have its hands on something as taboo as spaceflight and military engineering. Not even the United States would dare to keep such an ambitious company under their noses." The other female doll chuckled as well, but she didn't sound very confident.

"I've contacted the members of Huaxia. They'll be launching a protest against Stellar Technology in the near future." The man in the lead, the fox-faced man, said coldly at that moment. His voice was hoarse and sounded like that of an old man. Indescribable malice was seen in his eyes as he continued, "Even if it doesn't change anything, I'll make sure that they get into trouble and spread the word that they're a threat to the world."

"Do you need our help?" the bunny asked. "We could launch similar marches in other countries."

"We'll be counting on all of you then." The fox-like old man in the lead nodded and expressed his gratitude after seeing that everyone agreed. "Stellar technology is simply too advanced. It would take more than a day to take him down. That would require years of battles and… sacrifices."

"Understood. Leave it to us."

The sound of the steel door opening was heard at that moment and everyone was on high alert. All of them took out their guns and looked at the steel door at the top of the stairs warily.

"Relax, guys. It's me," a man wearing a headgear of a tortoise doll said in a frivolous manner. He quickly raised his hands when he saw everyone pointing their guns at him, yet there was no hint of panic on his face. He simply walked down the stairs with ease. However, when he stepped over a metal door frame at the bottom of the stairs, he heard a loud alarm from the door frame.

"D * mn it!" Everyone's expression changed drastically. The woman wearing the cat's headgear even looked flustered as she shouted in a shrill voice, "Turtle, you brought electronics!"

"Hey, relax. It's my phone." The tortoise smiled awkwardly and took out his phone, breaking it into two pieces before letting out a sigh. "Okay now?"

"You almost got us killed!" The fox in the lead glared at the tortoise. "You know very well that Stellar Technology possesses an unbelievable network of power. No electronic equipment could be found in the venue of our gathering."

"I'll be more careful next time…"

The lights in the basement gradually dimmed and the group continued their discussion.

It took about half an hour for everyone to finish their tasks and the group of mysterious people ended their meeting and headed outside.

No one knew who they were, not even their companions. All they knew was that they were all working together for the same goal, which was to… destroy Stellar Technology.

416. Hidden Danger

On a new day, in the CEO's office on the top floor of the headquarters of the Stellar Biotech Corporation in Miami.

Lancelot Clayton sat in the Seel Case office chair in the general manager's office. He sipped the rich champagne in his hand and looked at the golden ocean under the rising sun with a burning gaze, as well as the rich Biscayne Bay.

The leather chair beneath him felt unbelievably comfortable, and Clayton couldn't help but lie back down a little, making sure that his entire body was half lying on the chair. The sea breeze blew in from outside the French window, bringing with it a faint humidity, as if a gentle lover was caressing his body.

The general manager's office was huge, about 50 square meters in area, and the marble flooring was so shiny that one could almost see it. In the center of the office was a huge office desk that was painted with eco-friendly polyester from Italy. The desk looked imposing yet reserved, which accentuated a quiet and clear working style that was well liked by Clayton.

A bookcase of the same style stood on the north wall of the office. The bookcase was very tall and contained all manner of books from Clayton, even adult magazines.

There were three standard models of sofas and coffee tables near the french windows. One could tell from the luxurious design that Clayton was a man of taste. He took a deep breath as he took in everything in the room. Every day at work was a form of enjoyment.

All of that treatment was worlds apart from when he was the president of another company half a year ago.

However, just when Clayton was getting drunk on himself, a ruckus was gradually heard from the bottom of the building. He didn't pay much attention to it at first, but as time passed, the ruckus became increasingly loud and he could vaguely hear furious voices.

Clayton frowned and picked up the phone beside him, calling the security department.

"Hey, what happened?"

The panicked voice of the head of the security department was heard from the other end of the phone. "Mr. President, there are a lot of people gathered at the bottom of the building. They're surrounding the building of our company… They're demonstrating their might!"

"…What did you just say?!" Clayton shot up from his chair and went to the French window to take a look. There were hundreds of people gathered at the bottom of the building, holding huge banners in their hands and shouting at the top of their lungs. Some of them were even throwing eggs and vegetables at the building. The scene was chaotic.

Clayton could see that most of the banners had words like 'Give me my job back', 'Stellar Technology is a Brawler', 'Ugly Business', and so on written all over them. There was also someone who drew a logo of Stellar Technology and stuck a huge fork on it with a red pen.

Clayton gasped and cold sweat dripped from his brow as he shouted into the phone, "Quick, call the police and have them send someone over! Don't let those people get into the building!"

Crack!

Clayton slammed the phone on the floor right after he finished speaking, his expression extremely glum. It wasn't that he didn't know that Stellar Technology had been so aggressive that it had hit countless industries and caused tens of thousands of people to lose their jobs. However, the influence of Stellar Technology in the United States was just too deep. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it could cover the sky with a single hand. Things like that were once suppressed by the mere emergence of a single Germinal Organization. Yet, the Germinal Organization had actually exploded today?

He didn't even dare to imagine just how furious the person behind him would be if the head office were to find out about all of that. That would be an act that would severely damage the image of the company. He might even lose his job.

The more he thought about it, the more panicked he became. He gritted his teeth and took out his phone to call a number that he had long memorized by heart. That person had warned him to call that number if he had to.

The sound of a partition was heard from the other end of the phone and the call was finally picked up after about half a minute. A young man's deep and hoarse voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Hello? What's up?"

"Mr. Zhang Heng, I'm Clayton from the branch office. We've met before." Clayton gulped. While the voice on the other end sounded emotionless, he still subconsciously felt nervous when he was talking to that man. After all, that man was the true boss behind the scenes. Furthermore, he gradually began to realize just how much power Zhang Heng had in the United States. That amount of power was more than enough to shock anyone. Even the rising Williams Financial Group in the United States had to listen to him.

"Clayton?" That voice didn't waver at all when Clayton announced his family name. It simply said calmly, "What's up?"

"Well, it's like this, Mr. Zhang Heng…" Clayton breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. It was fortunate that the other party didn't hang up on him right away. He quickly continued, "Our building is being surrounded by people from the parade. We'd need your help!"

"Heh…" That voice chuckled. "What? Don't tell me you can't even take care of something like that?"

Clayton was rendered speechless right there and then. He realized that he was panicking at the moment and couldn't help but look embarrassed. "Mr. Zhang Heng, I wouldn't have alerted you if it were just a regular parade, but the fact that the other party was able to evade our detection in Miami is something to be taken seriously. I suspect that this is a planned operation against Stellar Technology."

The person on the other end of the phone seemed to have thought of something and immediately fell silent. Just when Clayton was feeling uneasy, that voice spoke again. "Understood. Will you be able to protest? I'll have Joshua look into it. I'd like to see who would dare to attack Stellar Technology…"

"Thank you, thank you, Mr. Zhang Heng!" Clayton finally breathed a sigh of relief and slowly put the phone down by his ear, waiting for the other party to hang up before putting the phone away with a trembling hand. However, his eyes were filled with the fierceness that a superior should have.

"D * mn it, don't let me find out who it is. I'm going to cut him to pieces!" Clayton muttered to himself hatefully.

He wouldn't have been so flustered after experiencing all those ups and downs. He went from being a successful man to being penniless half a year ago and even got cancer. If it hadn't been for Stellar Technology, he probably would have passed away long ago.

It was precisely because he had lost his job that he valued his new job even more. If possible, he didn't want to see any flaws in Zhang Heng, which was why he was so flustered.

"I hope that Mr. Zhang Heng's evaluation of me won't be lowered with regards to this matter…" Clayton sighed to himself. Dozens of police cars slowly made their way downstairs. However, his phone rang again at that moment. He had a bad feeling after seeing that number. He took a deep breath and picked up the phone slowly. A woman's scream was heard right away.

"Mr. Clayton, bad news. Our Los Angeles branch is being bombarded by a parade of people. The door is about to be breached!"

"Did something happen in Los Angeles as well?" Clayton's heart sank as he became even more certain that the other party was making premeditated guesses. It was obvious that Stellar Technology had defeated countless opponents in the competition and made huge progress, yet it also left behind countless hidden dangers.

Originally, those latent dangers were nothing to him. He could have easily suppressed them with the influence of Stellar Technology alone. All of those latent dangers would have been destroyed within two to three years. However, someone seemed to have made a move in secret and triggered those latent dangers, wanting to make use of that power to impact Stellar Technology.

417. Parade

Zhang Heng hung up the phone at that moment and looked deep in thought.

"Commander, it seems like there are some people who are unable to sit still." Corona's voice was heard from the speaker in the room. Ever since Zhang Heng successfully fused with the Genova cells, Corona was unable to affect his brain unless he took the initiative to connect with Corona. As such, he had no choice but to use other methods to communicate with her.

"That's right, and those people seem to be hiding their identities well." Zhang Heng nodded. "Could you find anything online?"

"It's very difficult. The other party is very cautious and would usually cut off all leads as soon as they found something," Corona said helplessly. "However, it's easy to guess that the top 10 financial groups in the United States were the ones who did it. While the top 10 financial groups have suffered a devastating decline, their foundations are still intact. They're just hiding and waiting for an opportunity to take revenge."

"What's more…" Corona continued, "It's not just Los Angeles. Similar situations have been seen in branches in other cities and countries as well. People have all started a protest. I'm afraid that's the biggest news reported in the newspapers tonight."

"That's really worrisome…" Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "I wouldn't have minded if they were to just stay in the dark all the time, but now that they've started to show themselves, I'm confident that I could catch those rats."

"Commander, there was a similar parade in Haizhou just now." Corona suddenly said, "We've caught… one, two, five… We've found five people behind the scenes. I'm checking their phone records right now."

Zhang Heng nodded. If they were in some other city, it would have taken him quite a bit of effort to find out who the culprit was. However, the culprit actually went so far as to do such a thing in Haizhou. It wouldn't be long before everything about them was exposed under Corona's surveillance.

At that moment, a huge group of people alighted from the plane outside the Haizhou International Airport. Every single one of them looked furious. One of the young men turned around and said to the people behind him, "Get ready, everyone. I've contacted over a hundred members who have lost their jobs due to Stellar Technology. Everyone, put up your slogans and shout at the headquarters of Stellar Technology."

"We'll do as you say, young king!" Several middle-aged women took out banners from their luggage and raised them up high, ignoring the astonished looks from the people around them.

"Beating Stellar Technology! Beating up evil capitalism!"

"Wealthy people like Stellar Technology get the hell out of Huaxia!"

The people behind him repeated the same thing every time he said something. The young man named Wang led the group of dozens of people out of the airport and headed straight for the headquarters of Stellar Technology.

People kept joining the crowd along the way. Some of them even drove over and dropped their cars on the side of the road before joining the crowd's parade. It was obvious that those people had all lost their jobs due to the market crash of Stellar Technology. They shouted slogans and put up banners at the same time, which attracted the attention of passers-by.

However, just when the noise from those people was getting louder and was about to catch the attention of the masses, the sound of rumbling thunder was heard from the clear sky all of a sudden. All of them looked up instinctively and saw huge, pitch-black clouds gathering in the sky at some point in time. As the wind blew, it was as if a huge mountain was pressing down on their hearts.

"Look, those dark clouds! What's going on? Is it snowing?"

Someone shouted and everyone looked up immediately. However, they all gasped at what they saw and before they could say anything, hail began to fall from the sky and the ground began to rumble.

"It's hailing!" The crowd was in an uproar right away. Everyone put the thing in their hands over their heads and ran away like rats. However, none of them seemed to have noticed that the passers-by on the side of the road all wore astonished expressions on their faces. One of the little girls looked at the sky, then at the group of people, and chuckled at the adults beside her. "Look, mom, those idiots!"

"Be good, Little Wen. Don't say anything and stay away from these people." The woman next to the little girl took a cautious look at all of them before picking the little girl up and running away from the group of people who seemed to have lost their minds.

Little Wang felt as if hail was falling all over the place. He was leading everyone on the highway at the moment and had nowhere to run to. He had no choice but to take off his outerwear and put it on his head to block the pain of the hail hitting him. However, just when he was trying to cover his head and run away, a car seemed to have suddenly lost control and was speeding in his direction. Little Wang felt as if her soul had flown out of her body and she quickly ran forward. However, she didn't expect the owner of that car to keep steering the steering wheel in order to avoid bumping into anyone. The car changed direction slightly and eventually crashed into Little Wang.

"Ah!"

Lil 'Wang felt as if a mountain had crashed into him and his mind went blank. His body was sent flying due to the powerful impact. Lil' Wang struggled for a bit before crashing to the ground. He felt as if all the bones in his body were about to shatter.

However, the people who were hiding from the hail didn't seem to have seen what was happening at all. They ran past him quickly and two of them even stepped on him, causing the injured Little Wang to gasp in pain.

The group of people ran for who knew how long before their eyes lit up. They looked up instinctively and saw a blue sky above them. The dark clouds that filled the sky moments ago had disappeared without a trace.

"Huh? What's going on? Why did it stop so quickly?" Everyone was making a ruckus out of surprise, causing passers-by to keep watching.

"Lil 'Wang? Where's Lil' Wang?" Someone in the crowd suddenly realized that someone was missing and immediately began to look around. However, they had long run out of the overpass, and there was no need to mention Lil 'Wang, who was leading the pack. Many of them had already disappeared without a trace.

Some people began to make phone calls, but no one picked up. One of the middle-aged women couldn't help but ask, "Did Xiao Wang drop the phone out of fear?"

"How could that be? The protest was initiated by Lil 'Wang. As the one in charge, how could he possibly run away? He must have gotten lost and is looking for us somewhere."

All of a sudden, everyone suggested that they split up and look around for their lost comrades, waiting for everyone to gather before continuing with the parade. However, they had no idea that Wang was sent to the hospital by the ambulance at the moment. Not only that, but the group of them began to disperse as they walked. In the end, everyone was completely separated and they were unable to find each other anymore…

Corona then slowly opened her eyes and flashed a mischievous grin. "Commander, I've interfered with those people. They won't be able to gather as long as they're still in Haizhou."

"What about the masterminds behind all of this?" Zhang Heng shook his head, feeling rather amused. Everything in Haizhou was under Corona's control. All she needed to do was create some kind of illusion and she would be able to get rid of all those people. None of that would pose any threat to Stellar Technology.

"The person in charge of this team is a man named Wang Kun." Corona waved her hand and the appearance of a young man appeared beside her. "What he has in common with the other people in charge is that he has a phone number on his phone… and that number is from Jingzhou."

418. Jingzhou

That day, the heads of thousands of Star Technology subsidiaries all over the world, including Huaxia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, and other countries, received bad news.

There were demonstrations of different sizes taking place in the branches of Stellar Technology, where all of those countries were located. There were even riots and bloodshed in the United States and India, with over a hundred dead and wounded.

However, due to the suppression from Star Technology, only a handful of media outlets reported the incident, and most media outlets were forced to remain silent due to the pressure from Star Technology.

However, news of that incident had spread all over the internet. Many netizens received the news due to certain people causing trouble. The internet was in an uproar right away.

"Stellar Technology is way too overbearing. They actually teamed up with the government to bully the people. Are you telling me that the government is going to clean up their mess?"

"Stellar Technology was never anything good to begin with. Don't forget how he went out of his way to acquire both Pfizer and the Johnson & Johnson. Do you really think that the company would be able to pull off something like that?"

"The commenter above is right. There's bound to be some kind of conspiracy, especially with the biopharmaceuticals that they've developed. Those are viruses. I have a feeling that their company could very well be the Umbrella Corporation from the Hollywood movies, and they're currently researching the T-Virus to destroy the world!"

"666, the commenter above has such a vivid imagination!"

"I'll always support Stellar Technology. Long live Stellar Technology!"

"What a joke. That's just a movie. No matter what, I support Stellar Technology! The most awesome company in the world. Our entire class is a huge fan of Stellar Technology!"

"What a bunch of keyboard warriors. Regardless of what kind of impact Star Technology has caused to the existing businesses, it is a fact that it has facilitated the eruption of technology. If you have what it takes, stop using Star Technology's products!"

"I don't care what you all say, but I'll definitely support Zhang Ye's promotion to the Asian S-list rankings! I'm sorry, I got to the wrong set."

Countless people attacked each other on the official forums of Stellar Technology and the internet, taking the opportunity to gain more experience. However, Zhang Heng didn't pay much attention to what was happening in real life. In an era where the internet was so well-developed, all manner of explosive news was heard every day. The netizens were the most forgetful of people. They were still fighting against a common enemy for one thing, but the next day, they were attracted by something even more sensational.

Compared to what had happened, Zhang Heng was more concerned about the mastermind behind all of that. With Corona's help, he was able to deduce everything and set his sights on Jingzhou, Huaxia.

"There is one similarity among the people who initiated the protest in Haizhou, and that is that all of them have a common phone number on their phones. That number is an anonymous number, but I was able to access the internal network of the mobile company, and the result I got was that the address of that number was made in Jingzhou." Corona stood beside Zhang Heng and reported, "However, we're unable to get any further than that. We need someone to head to Jingzhou for an important investigation."

"Jingzhou?" Zhang Heng looked up at the ceiling and continued, "Actually, I think I know who the mastermind is."

"I've guessed as much." Corona nodded and continued with a mischievous tone, "While I dare not say that everything is correct, there is at least an 80 percent chance of it being true. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the families behind those high-ranking officials that you killed back then, right?"

"That's most likely the case." Zhang Heng flashed a knowing grin and continued, "Other than them, there might be some other small fry, like some companies whose businesses were under attack due to us. However, it's obvious that those people from Jingzhou are from Huaxia, and the real mastermind behind this operation."

"But it's obvious that they've allied themselves with the remaining members of the Communist Party and the factions that hold a grudge against us," Corona added. "That's the only way to explain why the entire world was paraded on the same day."

"Good guess." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and turned around with a cold smirk on his face. "Do you know something, Corona? I've always had a feeling that I've been too kind to the world. I was afraid that the order of the world would be destroyed, which would lead to the downfall of civilization. As a result, I never did anything earth-shattering. Instead, people thought that I was easy to bully and everyone wanted to bully me."

"Perhaps it would be easier to solve problems if I were to just display some of my power at times?"

Corona's eyes lit up and looked excited right away. She asked eagerly, "Commander, what should we do?"

"I'm preparing to make a trip to Jingzhou and pay a visit to those families. I'm also going to lure out all those organizations that have ill intentions towards us," Zhang Heng said casually. "As for you, continue your investigation until you find out who's behind all of this. You'll be able to trace all of those small fry and…"

"Make them disappear!"

…

Zhang Heng bought the plane ticket very quickly. He didn't try to hide anything this time and headed straight for Jingzhou with a huge fanfare. The spies who were watching every move of Stellar Technology were able to send out their own messages in no time.

"Zhang Heng left Haizhou!"

At that moment, a fat man named Wang Dana from the Human Resources department in the building of the Stellar Technology headquarters in Stellar Technology sent the message in his hand out. The message appeared on the desks of the government officials after several twists and turns.

"Move out! Everyone, move out! Find him, no matter what the cost!" An old man with a pale face shouted at his subordinates in a villa in Sicily, Italy.

"This is a good opportunity. Haizhou was built by Stellar Technology to the point that it's like an iron gate, preventing water from getting into it. Now that the only legal representative of Stellar Technology has left Haizhou, we have to seize this opportunity!" Several men were kneeling on the ground in the headquarters of the Yamaguchi-Gumi in Kobe County, Japan. All of their eyes shone brightly.

"What is he trying to do? Isn't he afraid of dying?" All the organizations that had been lurking in the dark all over the world began to work on the Dark Network right away. Countless pieces of information were being circulated among them, and the undercurrents were raging.

Zhang Heng was able to imagine just how many organizations had their eyes on him at that moment, and just how much of a headache it would be for Huaxia's intelligence agencies. It could be said that his existence had attracted the attention of the entire world, yet at that moment, he had gotten off the plane alone and appeared at Jingzhou International Airport.

One, two, three… fifteen… thirty…

Zhang Heng felt over 30 pairs of eyes looking at him as soon as he got off the plane. He slowly raised his head and looked calmly at the crew members at the bottom of the Boeing plane. All of them lowered their heads as soon as their eyes came into contact with Zhang Heng's, doing nothing but doing what they were doing.

419. Invitation

However, Zhang Heng was able to tell in an instant that those people were arrogant and aggressive. Those people were probably the ones that Huaxia had arranged to protect him in secret.

It was obvious that, as the richest man in the world, Huaxia placed a lot of importance on Zhang Heng's safety. Anyone who wasn't an idiot wouldn't have allowed anything to happen to his sugar daddy in Jingzhou.

He was not only helping Zhang Heng, but he was also helping himself.

The airport was packed with people. As an international airport, there were thousands of flights going in and out every day, and the number of passengers exceeded 100,000. The security level of the airport itself was above special-class.

However, as soon as Zhang Heng appeared, the security level of the place seemed to be on the verge of rising yet again. Even the staff felt that something was off. The security team that was usually in charge of security was actually transferred away without a sound. Replacing them was a bunch of young, tough-looking security guards. As those security guards took over the security work at the airport, the air around the place seemed to have gotten heavier. Everyone felt as if a storm was about to come.

"Is someone important coming?" At that moment, a stewardess who hadn't been working for long poked her companion lightly and looked uneasily at the bustling crowd in the airport lobby. "Why do I feel like something is off?"

"Shh, be quiet." The older air hostess put up her index finger and looked around before saying in a low voice, "Don't talk about that. We just need to do our job."

All of that happened in secret. Zhang Heng got off the plane at that moment and headed straight for the Security Bureau. He took a look at the security guards at the door of the Security Bureau and chuckled before walking to the back of the crowd and lining up according to the rules.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" A man wearing gold-rimmed glasses at the very front of the team shouted all of a sudden. He shouted in a dissatisfied manner, "I told you, I'm here to talk business, do you understand? Why do you want me to go to the bureau? I'm not going overseas. Do you have to do this?"

All of a sudden, a group of bouncers standing not far away came running over. The head of the bouncers wore a stern look on his face and walked up to the man who was complaining loudly. He saluted and said coldly, "I'm sorry, sir, but this is the new rule of the airport. Please cooperate."

"What are you trying to do?" The man with the gold-rimmed glasses took two steps back subconsciously. He felt that the captain of the security team before him was exuding a cold, murderous aura, making him feel like a hungry wolf was staring at him. The man shouted, "I'm in a hurry. If I miss out on this business, I'd lose millions at the very least!"

"I'm sorry, but please cooperate with us!" The head of the security team narrowed his gaze and shot a look to his side. Two of the bouncers who had been waiting for orders immediately held the man down and dragged him away violently amidst the shouts from the crowd.

"What's going on? Is that man a spy?"

"When did airports become so strict?"

"Don't you guys feel something? This capital airport is really different. Those bouncers look really scary! They must be special forces…"

The crowd was in an uproar, but the security chief only glared at them for a bit before the chatter stopped and everyone looked terrified.

Zhang Heng stood in the crowd, looking like he was about to watch a good show. He knew very well that those people looked like the elite of the elite in the special forces, and they might even be the legendary bodyguards of the South Sea. However, for the sake of his own safety, they actually came to act as airport security guards.

At that moment, even the most insensitive of people felt that the atmosphere in the airport was abnormal. All of them shut their mouths and accepted the inspection without a word, and nothing else happened.

It was soon Zhang Heng's turn.

Zhang Heng walked up to the bouncer and took out his ID. The bouncer gave Zhang Heng a meaningful look and Zhang Heng nodded and took the ID from the bouncer before walking into the airport lobby and heading outside.

Zhang Heng felt that the people watching from the dark had disappeared as soon as he walked out of the airport. However, he felt more people looking in his direction from outside the airport. He turned his head to the left as he sensed something and saw four or five men in suits walking up to him. Some of them surrounded him, seemingly to protect him or to monitor him.

"Good day, Mr. Zhang Heng."

The man with the buzz cut who led the pack saluted Zhang Heng and took out a piece of identification before saying coldly, "Ninth Bureau of the National Security Bureau. We've received orders from above to have you come with us."

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and took a look at the ID. He saw the two golden words' Ministry of State Security 'written on the ID and asked, "What if I don't go?"

"That's for your safety." The man with the buzz cut frowned and said stiffly, "Please cooperate with us. If you're unwilling, we'll have to resort to coercion."

Zhang Heng didn't answer and simply nodded, feeling rather exasperated. A black car stopped before him.

It was a Hongqi sedan of a local brand with a well-defined body and was nowhere near as fashionable as the ones found in cars nowadays. However, Zhang Heng was able to tell when the driver opened the door that the car's windows and doors were far thicker than those found in regular cars. If he was not mistaken, the car was a bulletproof car.

At that moment, one of the young men who looked rather young walked to the side and pulled the door open. Zhang Heng was then escorted into the backseat of the car. Two other men got into the car from both sides and completely surrounded Zhang Heng in the middle. The security was so tight that it felt like they were protecting the leaders of the country.

However, none of them noticed that Zhang Heng's lips were curled up in a sarcastic manner.

It didn't take long for the car to start up with two other cars of the same design behind it, sticking close to the back of the car. Two more cars of the same design appeared before the car when it drove out of the airport. Several police cars appeared before the crowd when the car was on the road and sirens were heard. Those police cars were apparently meant to open the way.

Very good, very powerful. It was simply eye-opening.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself. While he didn't have much of a status, his influence wasn't any less than that of a government official out on a tour. Such an event was truly rare and eye-opening.

However, he wondered if he could stop the enemies lurking in the dark.

420. Shocking!

It was the middle of the day when the smog was rampaging. Despite it being noon, the sky was still grey and the buildings hundreds of meters away looked like they were shrouded in fog.

The sky was gloomy, as if winter rain was brewing.

A gust of north wind blew, stirring up the yellowed leaves on the trees. The pedestrians on the side of the road tightened their coats and put on their smog-proof masks, speeding up their journey.

The heater was turned on in the car and it felt rather hot and humid. Zhang Heng seemed to be feeling rather bored as he scanned the people in charge of his safety around him. He could sense that all of their muscles were tensed up, making them look like cheetahs on the eve of a hunt, ready to pounce at any moment.

Despite feeling Zhang Heng's gaze on them, the two of them didn't look at him and kept looking ahead instead. Zhang Heng felt rather bored and took out his phone from his pocket. However, before he could do anything, the security personnel at the side immediately snatched the phone from his hand.

Whoosh!

However, that person was doomed to fail. He felt his vision blur for a bit and when his hand was about to reach Zhang Heng, Zhang Heng pulled his arm back and missed.

The young man was stunned and reached for Zhang Heng's phone again without thinking. He managed to grab Zhang Heng's wrist and twisted it hard.

Due to his countless experience of capturing people, anyone who took a hit from him would have lost all strength in their hands. Daggers, handguns, and even more dangerous weapons would have all fallen out of the hands of the person who had lost the ability to hold them. However, he had failed to do so today…

The young man felt as if his opponent's arm was made of steel. No matter how much strength he exerted, he was unable to shake his opponent.

Zhang Heng wore a half-smile on his face and shook his elbow slightly, causing the young man's hand that was holding his wrist to shake. That young man finally looked shocked.

"Please cooperate with us!" The young man was exasperated and had no choice but to speak in a stiff manner. "Your current situation is very critical. Your location could be compromised even with your phone."

"Do you really think that the secret isn't out yet?" Zhang Heng asked, seemingly hinting at something. However, before he was able to finish his sentence, he suddenly raised his head and looked straight ahead. The two young men by his side seemed to have sensed something and looked up right away. They saw a huge truck suddenly changing course right in front of them, bursting through the barrier at the center of the road and heading straight for them.

Bang!

The truck crashed right into the police car that was leading the way without any hesitation. The massive vehicle didn't seem to have lost any of its speed as it crashed into the two bulletproof cars in front of it and rammed into the ones that Zhang Heng was in.

Boom!

The young man felt as if the world was spinning around him and his mind went blank. Due to his regular training, he subconsciously pounced on Zhang Heng, who was standing beside him, in an attempt to protect his mission target. However, the car was already rolling away at that moment. Despite all of his abilities, he had completely lost the ability to perform.

However, the young man seemed to hear a chuckle from beside him the moment the car was thrown into the air. He felt a huge force on his shoulder in the very next second, as if someone had grabbed his collar. The young man didn't even have time to resist before he felt his entire body relax and he actually flew out of the car window.

He felt solid ground beneath his feet and it was only then that he slowly came back to his senses. However, his pupils contracted all of a sudden and he realized that he had somehow left the car that had lost its balance and appeared on the sidewalk on the other side of the street as if he had teleported.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

It was only at that moment that several completely deformed cars finally landed on the ground. They rolled around like huge beasts and rushed onto the sidewalk. Several pedestrians were sent flying like pieces of paper before they were able to evade in time. Ear-piercing screams were heard and the pedestrians on the side of the road shrieked as if they were experiencing the same thing.

All of a sudden, the previously orderly commercial street became a living hell. Countless pedestrians were running about, and order was thrown into disarray.

The young man was still in a state of shock and felt cold sweat all over his body. He turned around instinctively and saw Zhang Heng, who was supposed to be under his protection, grabbing his collar and looking at him with an amused expression.

Crack!

Four stern-looking men in black jumped out of the doors of the heavy trucks that came to a stop. Each of them held a miniature submachine gun of some unknown model in their hands as they made their way through the scene of the accident unscrupulously and came before Zhang Heng's car.

One of the men bent down and looked into the car cautiously. However, he was stunned at the very next second and turned around to say something to his companion.

The remaining three men looked shocked as well, as if they couldn't believe what they just saw. They turned to look at the overturned car, only to find that the driver had been rendered completely deformed and that there was a young bodyguard in the back of the car whose fate was unknown.

Zhang Heng disappeared.

"Baka!" The crowd was stunned. They exchanged looks with one another and kept their guns. However, there was no time for them to leave. Two more black cars stopped right in front of the scene of the accident. Five to six European-looking men with gloomy expressions got out of the cars.

The air seemed to have completely stopped as both parties looked at each other with extremely wary expressions.

"Hey, are you guys looking for me?" However, a rather hoarse voice was heard and both parties turned around instinctively, only to see Zhang Heng making his way back to where they were in a relaxed manner.

The four men looked as if they had just seen a ghost.

“Predilui!”

A voice that was not in English was heard and the group of brawny Europeans raised their guns and charged at Zhang Heng. However, Zhang Heng's expression froze and there seemed to be a slit on his forehead. The heads of the six brawny Europeans exploded in the very next second.

The four men in black finally looked shocked and turned their guns around right away. The man in the lead wore a vicious look in his eyes, as if he had made up his mind. He pulled the trigger hard in the very next second and a series of bullets were fired at Zhang Heng.

"Be careful!" The young bouncer who was saved by Zhang Heng finally snapped out of his trance. He shouted at the top of his lungs when he saw the gun emitting flames, but his eyes were filled with despair. He knew that Zhang Heng was doomed.

However, what happened next completely subverted all that he knew. He saw that the bullets stopped several centimeters away from Zhang Heng, as if there was some kind of barrier that no one else knew about before him. Despite all four of them firing at the same time, none of the bullets were able to penetrate his body.

Crack, crack, crack!

421. Happy New Year

The Mini Charge was fired at a very high speed and everyone was out of bullets in less than two to three seconds. However, the four of them were still holding onto the triggers in their hands. One could only hear the clanging of needles as they went through the guns. There were over a hundred bullet heads in front of Zhang Heng at the moment, and all of those bullets seemed to have been embedded in the air, rendering them completely harmless.

"Are you done?" Zhang Heng wore his trademark smirk as he raised his hand and held a bullet before his eyes with both hands, studying it for a bit. At the same time, the bullets seemed to have finally received gravitational force and dropped to the ground, leaving the four men with terrified looks on their faces.

"Naismi."

It was as if the sky had collapsed. The leader of the four felt as if his worldview had suffered an indescribable shock. He threw away the gun in his hand and drew the dagger from his belt, charging at Zhang Heng with the intent to kill.

However, Zhang Heng looked in his direction before he was able to take more than two steps. His expression turned stern and the four of them had a drastic change of expression. Their heads exploded like watermelons dropped from a tall building in the very next second.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Four bloody mist sprayed out like a fountain and spread like four bloody mist. The young man from the 9th Bureau, who was saved by Zhang Heng, finally wore a look of utter terror on his face as he watched everything unfold before him with a dazed look on his face. He took one or two steps forward slowly, yet he felt as if he had lost all strength in his legs and dropped to his knees right there and then. All that was left in his mind and eyes was the instant the heads of those four exploded, unable to disperse for quite a while.

A gust of cold wind blew and the cold air, mixed with the bloody mist in the air, spread all over the streets. The cold wind completely melted into the sky, leaving only the sound of police sirens approaching from afar, showing the bleakness of early winter.

Zhang Heng had disappeared at some point.

…

Jingzhou, Fengtai District, Yanxi Huahua Manor.

An old man with a head full of white hair and beard was sitting in his bedroom, stroking a photo frame in his hand. The frame had been wiped clean and spotless by him.

The old man was getting on in years and was feeling rather afraid of the cold. The lights in the room were off and the only thing that could be seen was the flickering light from the fire in the fireplace. He wasn't particularly fond of things like the heating and air conditioning in real life, just like many of the old-timers. In comparison, he preferred ancient equipment like the fireplace, which would allow him to reminisce about his younger days.

The fire in the fireplace made the room feel warm and cozy. One could vaguely make out a young man's photo on the frame in the old man's hand.

The young man looked rather innocent and his eyes shone with arrogance. However, the only flaw in the photo was its color.

The photo was black and white.

The old man seemed to be immersed in his memories at the moment. His face, which was covered in wrinkles and age spots, wore a tranquil smile, which was quickly replaced by sorrow.

The old man finally snapped out of his trance after an indeterminate amount of time had passed. He stood up with a hunched back and hung the photo frame on the wall beside him with his shaking hands. If there was a second person in the room at the moment, they would be able to see that the wall was filled with photos of the young man.

That young man was called Xu Haoyu.

The old man's cloudy eyes gradually lit up as he looked at the pictures before him. He suddenly lowered his head and spoke in a voice that only he could hear.

"Yu'er, I believe that I'll be able to avenge you very soon…"

The old man seemed rather tired after saying that. He lay back down on the old yellow rosewood chair and slowly closed his eyes.

However, just when he was about to close his eyes and take a nap, a calm voice was heard from the room all of a sudden. The voice sounded rather hoarse and was at odds with the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere in the room.

"The older generation reminisces about their own children and grandchildren. It's such a touching scene…"

The old man's eyes rolled for a bit when he heard that. He slowly opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voice with a shocked expression. He saw someone standing in the shadows of the room.

No, wait, there was indeed someone standing there.

Shock and fury flashed across the old man's eyes, but he suppressed it in the blink of an eye. He held onto the armrest of the chair with both hands and tried his best to straighten himself before saying solemnly, "I'm sorry for not going out to greet you, honored guests."

"An honored guest?"

That voice in the shadows seemed to be sneering. However, no matter how hard the elder tried to look, he was only able to see a silhouette with his blurred vision. He was unable to see anything else.

"Ha, I've lived long enough. To me, even if the Ten Kings of Hell were to come knocking on my door, I'd still be considered an honored guest." The old man nodded with a calm expression, without a hint of fear. "I've never been afraid of anyone in my life."

"I believe you." That silhouette seemed to sigh faintly and continued, "But I'm curious. If you knew that you're not the only one who's about to be destroyed today, and that your family is about to be destroyed as well, would you still be able to continue living in peace?"

"What did you say?" The elder's expression suddenly changed. He looked at the black silhouette before him carefully, as if he was trying to confirm something. It took him quite a while before he sighed and said, "I think I know who you are now."

"You're probably sent by Zhang Heng, aren't you?" The old man chuckled and continued, "I don't think anyone else would have the guts to say something like that in front of me, other than him. It's just a pity that something bad happened to him."

"If that's what you're thinking, then you're gravely mistaken." A figure slowly emerged from the darkness after hearing that. A young man with an average appearance walked to a spot where the light from the fire could reach. It was only then that the old man realized that the young man before him seemed to have a sinister aura about him. The corner of his mouth was slightly raised and his eyes were bright, yet there was a darkness to them that seemed capable of reflecting everything in the world.

It was a pair of eyes that could suck one's soul in.

"Zhang Heng!"

The old man's expression finally turned ugly at that moment. His entire body shuddered all of a sudden and that calm expression on his face turned indescribably ferocious all of a sudden. "You're still alive?"

Zhang Heng didn't answer and simply walked up to the old man with his hands behind his back, looking at the photos of Xu Haoyu on the wall as if he was taking a look at something. He sighed and said, "Old Master, I assume you've received the New Year's gift that I sent over last year?"

The old man shuddered again when he heard that, and his hands shook even more violently than before. His shriveled fingers were tightly wrapped around the handle of the yellow rosewood recliner, almost digging his fingers into it completely. Blood slowly seeped out from between his fingernails.

422. Pleading

Zhang Heng's voice was flat, as if he was narrating what he had eaten that day. However, it was those plain words that completely tore open the old man's wound, which had yet to fully heal, revealing a shocking crimson color again.

The old man seemed to be unable to contain the rage in his heart. His eyes, which were filled with rage and resentment, turned bloodshot as he glared at Zhang Heng and shouted, "You animal!"

"That's what I like to call it," Zhang Heng said casually, completely ignoring the old man's gaze and focusing his attention on the largest black and white portrait. His slender fingers traced the yellowed pictures one by one, and he was surprised all of a sudden. He took the portrait down and held it in his hand with a curious look on his face. "I didn't realize that your grandson was such a talented man when I killed him."

"Don't you dare touch Yu'er with your dirty hands, you murderer! Drop it!" The old man shouted as if his eyes were about to burst.

"Sure, I won't touch it." Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and let go of the photo frame in his hand. The shiny photo frame fell to the ground with a crack and shattered into pieces.

"You!" The old man's eyes were wide open and he clutched at his chest, panting hard. His gaze at Zhang Heng was filled with indescribable hatred. "I never thought that the boss of Stellar Technology would be such a despicable person."

Zhang Heng looked puzzled and tilted his head to look at the old man. "Speaking of cheap tricks, who could compare to you?"

The elder's expression flickered. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you get it?" Zhang Heng slowly raised his leg and stepped on the portrait of Xu Haoyu without any hesitation, which made the old man even angrier. He then continued, "Someone hired an international assassin organization called the Spear of the One God to put a bounty on my parents and family in the third and fourth month of the year. I was wondering who it was at the time, but then I realized that there was probably no one else around other than you rats who couldn't be seen in the open."

"There's no harm in trying to frame someone." The old man chuckled coldly and simply closed his eyes without answering.

"That's right. I didn't have any evidence the last time." Zhang Heng nodded and wore a pensive look on his face. "However, it seems that someone has allied with some anti-establishment forces overseas to attack my company. While it wouldn't have much of an impact on me, letting those rats run amok right under my nose is still disgusting enough. As such, I had no choice but to make a trip to Jingzhou in order to lure those rats out."

"Heh, I don't think those foreign reactionary forces have anything to do with me." The old man's expression changed slightly after hearing that, but he quickly regained his composure.

"It's alright. I didn't say that it had to be you," Zhang Heng said as if it was a given. However, the more he said that, the colder the old man became. "Some time ago, when I was feeling bored, I went on to gather some information. For example, when your eldest son was working as a secretary in XX, you and your family gained over a billion yuan in over 150 bank cards. Your second son, among the seven municipal projects, I found 13 accounts that were unable to be verified correctly. The seventh construction company that your daughter worked in also discovered…"

The old man shuddered every time Zhang Heng told him what was happening. He suddenly looked up and glared at Zhang Heng with a murderous look. "Are you kidding me?"

"There are several points that you seem to have cleaned up. Don't tell me that you don't know anything about it." Zhang Heng continued in an unquestionable manner, "And I believe that all of that evidence would be enough for your children and grandchildren to be executed several times over."

"What evidence do you have?" The old man narrowed his gaze and his expression became increasingly stern.

"There is evidence, of course." Zhang Heng nodded and wore a secretive expression all of a sudden. He lowered his head and looked at the decayed old man before him, who looked like he was on the verge of dying, and whispered in his ear, "You'll see soon enough."

The elder shuddered all of a sudden when he heard that. He recalled that his grandson, Xu Haoyu, had been exposed for all manner of crimes on the internet before he died, which eventually led to public indignation and attacks from political enemies. That incident had yet to be completely suppressed even today…

"You… you can't do this…" The old man seemed to have lost all his strength and said dejectedly, "What do you want? What do you want? I can promise you anything. I just hope that you won't tell anyone about this…"

"Now you know how to be scared?" Zhang Heng shook his head and patted the old man's head like he was an elder. "Too bad… it's too late."

"You…!" The old man smacked Zhang Heng's hand and growled, trying to sound tough, but feeling weak inside. "You're a monster!"

"Shh!" Zhang Heng chuckled and put a finger to his lips. "Seems like your other grandson is here."

The elder was stunned. He looked elated at first, but that joy was quickly replaced by panic. Before he could say anything, the door of the room he was in was pushed open and a young man with a joyous expression walked in.

"Good news, grandpa. Zhang Heng was indeed…"

He saw someone else in the dark room before he finished speaking.

"Jie, get out!" The old man shouted and shot him a look.

The young man was stunned right away. He took a look at the elder who looked rather glum and Zhang Heng, who was looking down at him from above, before asking, "Who are you?"

Zhang Heng flashed a mischievous grin and waved his hand lightly. The young man was sent flying before the shocked eyes of the old man and crashed into the wall behind him with a loud bang. The old man seemed to have heard the sound of bones breaking.

"Arrgghhhh!" The old man felt like his eyes were about to pop out of his head. He had no idea where he found the strength to do so and stood up right away. However, Zhang Heng simply clapped and the old man felt an indescribable, weird force on his shoulder and sat back down. The wooden chair beneath him creaked loudly.

"Relax, you won't die," Zhang Heng said casually.

"Zhang Heng, w-what would it take for you to let us go? I'm the one who did all of this. None of this has anything to do with my son, daughter, or even my grandson!" The old man's stern face finally revealed a hint of pleading. "Let go of the innocent. If you're still human, then come at me if you have anything to say!" His heart was filled with fear of facing the unknown. He had no idea how Zhang Heng was able to do all of that, but he knew very well that if he didn't do so, his entire family would be in danger of being destroyed.

The old man suddenly felt rather regretful.

423. Death

Zhang Heng sighed when he saw the pleading look in the old man's eyes.

"So, have you ever thought about letting me go?" Zhang Heng asked casually, his expression gradually turning cold, as if he had lost the mood to continue making fun of her. He turned around slowly and said in a low voice, with his back facing the elder who looked like he was about to die, "Ask yourself honestly, what did you think about me when you sent Xu Haoyu to my company to force him to buy my shares back then? Have you ever thought about what would have happened to me if I were to end up in the hands of that grandson of yours, someone like you who holds so much power in your hands?"

"Did you ever consider letting me live when you put the bounty on me and my family?"

"If I were an ordinary person, have you thought about what would have happened to me if I were to end up in the hands of those foreign powers when I came to Jingzhou alone? Have you thought about what would have happened to my parents and sister after they lost me, the pillar of support? Have you thought about what would have happened to them?"

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and said, "No, you haven't. You've never thought about whether they would live or die. Well then, I'd like to ask you something. Why should I care about the fate of your family?"

Zhang Heng closed his eyes for a bit after saying that. When he opened them again, a cold glint was seen in his eyes. "I'm not going to kill them, but I'm going to make sure that all of their dirty dealings are made known to the world. As for what happens to them, you'll see for yourself."

Zhang Heng walked out of the door slowly as he said that. The old man glared at Zhang Heng's back view and suddenly threw his head back and laughed. His laughter was filled with bitterness and resentment.

"Zhang Heng, you're gonna die a horrible death! Hahahaha!"

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks when he heard that and chuckled coldly. "What a coincidence. Your grandson said that before I killed him."

The old man's eyes went wide and he slumped on the cold floor. His eyes gradually dimmed, like a candle in the wind before dying out.

Zhang Heng suddenly lost all interest in continuing after leaving the Xu family. He didn't go to the other families that had attacked him in secret and contacted Corona instead, having her release all the evidence she had gathered regarding those families to the internet.

The entire world was now completely covered by the hundreds of quantum satellites that Zhang Heng had launched, and communication across the entire planet was no longer hindered, even in the depths of the ocean and the desert.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself after doing all that. He walked slowly on the streets of Jingzhou and looked at the dark clouds covering the sky. He suddenly felt very tired.

I'm tired.

He had been treading on thin ice for the past two years, scheming against each other, and he had exhausted almost all of his energy. The only thing that kept him going was his one and only wish—for his family to be able to live in this world in peace. There was nothing else that he wanted.

However, such a simple wish seemed out of reach.

The undercurrents under the ground all over the world and the dangers of the world that were beginning to show themselves were all like a deathtrap to him. He was unable to stay still and could only continue running.

The more he stood in that position, the greater the pressure on him became, making it difficult for him to breathe.

"Commander, I've uploaded all the information regarding the five major families to the internet. No one would be able to block it without my permission." Corona's voice was heard from the communication device in his ear again all of a sudden. "Not only that, I've traced out more than a dozen organizations that are hostile to you due to you being the bait. The most eye-catching of all of them is an organization called 'Dark Night'. The Xu family, the hidden association, Hui Rui, and several other senior managers of pharmaceutical companies are all on that list."

"That's a very reasonable name," Zhang Heng said in a self-depreciative manner. "My company is called 'Stellar' and their organization is called 'Dark Night'. They're trying to go all out with me."

"They're just small fry at best." Corona smiled sweetly and continued, "The real big shots would be the Black Hand of Italy and the Yamaguchi-Gumi of Japan, especially the latter. The Yamaguchi-Gumi even has the government backing it in secret."

"Let them disappear then." A cold glint flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes. "I've only been defending passively all this time. The number of times I've taken the initiative to attack could be counted on one hand. Stellar Technology has been biding its time for far too long. It's about time for it to show its fangs."

"Understood. I'll send the D.S.F. troops to deal a devastating blow to the organizations involved in this operation." Corona nodded and decided the lives and deaths of over 10 million people in a single sentence.

Zhang Heng felt bored all of a sudden after he was done with all of that. He walked around the streets without a care in the world and eventually rose into the sky in front of everyone. He paid no heed to the shouts of passers-by and flew to a height of over a kilometer, looking at the bustling, ancient city.

It was evening by then and the lights of tens of thousands of homes gradually lit up in the distance. The streetlamps of cars were turned on as well, making the streets look like crawling streams of light that traced the criss-crossing streets. One could vaguely see thick, dark clouds slowly approaching from the horizon.

That was civilization, embellished like a planet, a treasure that shone like diamonds in the universe, irreplaceable.

…

Huaxia's internet was in an uproar at that moment. It was as if countless messages and posts that had been pinned to the top of all major websites and forums were seen appearing all over the internet overnight. All of those posts were related to families who had been involved in political affairs for generations in Jingzhou. Large amounts of evidence and information regarding the families were listed on those posts. Everyone was deeply shocked when they saw those videos, recordings, photos, and even documents.

Corruption, assassination, set-up… There were all manner of grey areas unavoidable in political conflicts. Those areas were usually kept under the radar of the public, yet they were now completely exposed to the public by some powerful organization.

It was like throwing a nuclear bomb worth tens of millions of yuan online. The netizens were thrown into an uproar right there and then. The relevant departments quickly clarified and expressed that they would give the masses a reasonable explanation at that moment. But even so, they didn't forget to emphasize their protest against the mysterious cyber force violating the privacy of others. They also wanted people in the know to provide information regarding the mysterious cyber force.

However, none of that had anything to do with Zhang Heng anymore. He had achieved what he set out to do. All that remained was to eradicate the 'Dark Night' organization, as well as all manner of terrorist organizations that were openly and covertly at odds with Stellar technology.

Zhang Heng had made up his mind to unite all the powers in the world as quickly as possible and perfect civilization, so that he could fight that curse in less than a year.

424. Galaxy

It was a special day.

Stellar Technology was finally able to build the first generation of the Starship's fire arrows after several months of construction. The fact that it was the only empire-based company on Earth had attracted quite a bit of attention. However, when Stellar Technology reported the rocket's data on the day of the launch, the entire world was thrown into an uproar.

The Galaxy Arrows had a diameter of 25.8 meters and a length of 209 meters. Their takeoff mass was 15,900 tons, a low-Earth orbit load of 1,000 tons, and an escape orbit load of 800 tons.

Other than that, Stellar Technology didn't reveal any data at all. However, the numbers above made the Galaxy Rocket the center of attention all over the world in an instant, gaining unimaginable shock and attention.

"Are you kidding me? The diameter of the rocket is a testament to the craftsmanship of the rocket. A diameter of 26 meters. That's five times thicker than that of the Long March Rocket!"

"I'm blind in technology. Could someone please tell me if there is a 26-meter-thick rocket in the world?"

"No! The thickest rocket to date is the 'Soviet N1 Carrier' and the 'Saturn 5 Carrier' of the United States. The latter is even the one used by the Apollo moon landing ship back then, yet this so-called 'Galaxy' is actually twice as thick as theirs. This is simply, simply…"

"What are the specific parameters of this rocket then? What level is it? Liquid fuel or solid fuel? What kind of thruster is it? Who knows the specific data? Wait online. Urgent!"

"Fake stellar technology data! Not even the USSR has such technology, so how could trash stellar technology do such a thing? It has to be fake! If it hadn't been for me eating sh * * * live!"

"You idiot, go eat sh * * *. There were so many people who didn't believe that Stellar Technology first launched the T-1 years ago, and so were the people who went on to enter the electronics industry afterward. There are just too many people who went on to eat sh * * *, and it doesn't matter if you're there or not."

The internet was abuzz and Stellar Technology was on the world's headlines yet again.

Reporters from all kinds of media outlets rushed to the Stellar Aerospace Science and Industry base like a school of fish that had just caught a whiff of something fishy. However, they were quickly stopped outside the door of the Stellar Space Center. Hundreds of security guards stood guard, preventing even a fly from flying past them. The reporters had no choice but to wait outside the door, waiting to see if they could run into some heavyweights and get some secrets that no one else knew about.

Everyone was able to see the interior of the spaceport through the building at the moment. There was a tall, white tower that reached into the sky. The tower was about 50 stories tall and looked like a sharp arrow that shot into the sky. There was a huge steel frame supporting the tower, and the logo of the Stellar Aerospace Corporation and its parent company, Stellar Technology, was seen on the tower.

That tower was none other than the so-called Galaxy Rocket, which was currently the most advanced rocket in the world.

At that moment, Li Yiru's Rolls-Royce Phantom drove over slowly. The eyes of the reporters at the door lit up and they rushed over like zombies surrounding a city.

"General Manager Li, may I know what the Galaxy is transporting? Why would it need such a massive weight? Is Stellar Technology preparing to transport the rocket to Mars?"

"Mr. Li, could you please explain why Zheng Baoshan died so suddenly after the Stellar Space Center was completed? Is there something else going on?"

"Boss Li, I'm a reporter from Beep Beep. I'm asking the same question as last time. What do you think of the video of that monster you saw on Beep Beep Beep? Please answer it."

"Please answer, Mr. Li!"

Li Yiru shuddered all of a sudden when she heard the third question. Hundreds of expressionless bouncers opened a path for her and the Rolls-Royce disappeared right outside the door of the Stellar Space.

Li Yiru's expression was rather glum. She took a cautious look at the driver after parking the car and turned on her phone without batting an eyelid. She typed the words' Beep Beep 'on Baidu and looked around to make sure that no one was paying any attention to her before entering her name on the internet again.

Bang!

Two minutes later, a phone burst out of the window of the expensive Rolls-Royce Phantom and hit the ground hard. A distorted expression was seen on the cracked screen.

Li Yiru got out of the car five minutes later with a deadpan expression on her face. Her expression was as cold as an iceberg that had been around for tens of thousands of years. All the staff on the way felt a chill running down their spines when they saw her expression and felt a chill running down their spines. No one knew who had managed to piss off such a demon.

"How's the launch going?"

A group of people came up to them as soon as they walked into the building. Li Yiru took a look at the middle-aged European man in the lead and forced a smile on her face.

"The preparations are complete. The launch will begin at 8pm sharp." That middle-aged man was none other than Louis, who was the one who produced the flying stick, the Nano Mosquito, the Magic Cauldron, and so on in the Honeycomb. His current status in the Honeycomb was on par with that of top researchers like Yan Ronghua, Kong Zhongcai, and so on. As such, he was in charge of the design, manufacturing, and the final launch.

He was now the person in charge of the Stellar Space Center.

The crowd escorted the two of them to the control room. The control room was located on the top floor of the building, and the north wall was made entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows. One could clearly see every detail of the rocket launch from inside the building.

Li Yiru saw countless control consoles and equipment that she had never seen before in the lobby when she arrived. She could even see the silhouette of a supercomputer cabinet. The people who came to greet her went back to their workstations as soon as they entered the lobby, familiarizing themselves with the screens before them.

Li Yiru looked at the time and saw that it was seven in the evening. She nodded at Louis and said with a smile, "Don't worry about me, Mr. Louis. Just focus on your work."

"Sure.” Louis knew what was more important and called for an assistant to act as Li Yiru's interpreter before he excused himself and returned to his post.

"Good day, Mr. Li. Please feel free to ask me any questions that you have in mind, and I'll tell you everything I know." A young man who looked to be in his mid-twenties took Louis' place. When he stood before Li Yiru, his eyes were filled with wonder. Li Yiru's facial features were very delicate to begin with, and after taking the T-2.1, she had enhanced the internal funds several times over. Her appearance and skin looked even more exquisite, such that even the top celebrities would pale in comparison. She was truly a goddess-like figure.

"Thank you, thank you for your trouble." Li Yiru's eyes flickered for a bit before a knowing smile was seen on her cold face. The young man felt his breath catch in his throat, as if his heart was about to burst.

425. Shocking

"Begin countdown to launch. Countdown to 30 minutes. All staff members, please double-check the data."

The voice of a woman with a standard accent was heard from the radio in the lobby. Everyone was meticulously pressing complex buttons on the console in front of them. Data fell like a waterfall on the screen in the lobby, densely packed. No one would be able to tell what the data represented unless they were professional astronauts.

Li Yiru walked around the lobby, but she realized that her management knowledge was of no use here. She was more like an outsider than a supervisor. She wouldn't have been able to tell if the other party was faking things right before her eyes.

Li Yiru felt rather displeased at that thought and stopped in her tracks all of a sudden. Her assistant, who was following behind her like a shadow, stopped right away and asked, "Mr. Li, is there something wrong?"

"Of course." Li Yiru's eyes gleamed. "I heard that you're Mr. Louis' assistant?"

"Y-yes!" The assistant was rather reserved. He scratched his head and said sheepishly, "Professor Louis is one of the scientists with the highest level of research in our company, and unlike other top-notch scientists who only specialize in one or two fields of technology, Professor Louis specializes in four or five fields—electronic technology, artificial intelligence programming, aerospace technology, and so on. No one in the company could compare to him in that regard."

"What!?" Li Yiru was stunned. "Doesn't that mean that you're the legendary all-rounder, Mr. Louis?"

"Not really," the young man chuckled and said, seemingly very satisfied with Li Yiru's expression and looking proud of himself. "However, Professor Louis is the scientist that Boss admires the most, and there is no one else like him."

"So, you're saying that Zhang Heng has been working with Mr. Louis for quite a while now?" Li Yiru asked with a grin.

"Of course, entering the Beehive from Professor Louis…" The young man was stunned before he could finish his sentence. There was a dazed look in his eyes before he went completely silent.

"Where are we going?" Li Yiru looked anxious. "Tell me!"

"N-nothing…" The young man wiped the cold sweat from his brow and forced a smile on his face. "Boss Li, this way. Let me introduce you to this quantum signal transmitter…"

Disappointment was seen in Li Yiru's eyes. She was just a little bit away from figuring out where Zhang Heng's skills came from. However, the reason why she asked all that was not because she wanted to betray him, but because she was feeling jealous.

As the first member of Stellar Technology to join the team, she appeared to be ranked second only to Stellar Technology and above everyone else. However, she was the only one who knew that she had actually been excluded from the circle of Stellar Technology. Just like how Louis and everyone else in the lobby knew about some earth-shattering secret regarding Stellar Technology right now. However, just when she was about to lead the young assistant to ask about it, the young man acted as if his computer had shut down and he was unable to answer that question.

Li Yiru had been through a lot of similar situations. The more she became the general manager of Stellar Technology, the more she realized just how mysterious that company was.

The endless stream of high-tech products aside, Li Yiru had heard of a very widespread urban legend more than once. Legend had it that Stellar Technology was actually a company from hell. It had built a death arcade in the human world, and the name of the arcade was' Space of Rebirth '. That arcade was extremely terrifying, and if one were to be dragged into it, they would experience horror films one after another, never to be able to walk out of it, only to be devoured by the evil spirits in the horror films.

She had even heard that Stellar Technology had its own private army and was backed by a mysterious organization known as the 'Stellar Life Sciences Foundation', which was in charge of everything. It even controlled the United States and half of Europe…

All of that was real and fake, just like a fog. The more one wanted to explore, the harder it was to tell which was real and which was fake. Eventually, one could only leave behind endless legends.

…

"Counting down to launch. Counting down to 10 minutes. Space personnel in place. Space Shuttle Galaxy, prepare to begin self-examination…"

Li Yiru stood in a corner of the lobby with a glum look on her face. The young man's assistant wore a bitter expression behind her. He knew that he had almost said something wrong, but the goddess that he had taken a liking to was standing right in front of him at the time. He felt hot-headed and instinctively wanted to tell her what happened at the Honeycomb.

The way he saw it, Li Yiru was a member of Stellar Technology and was even a general manager of some kind. Furthermore, he didn't want to reveal the location of the beehive, so he figured that nothing would happen to her. However, for some reason, when he was about to say the word 'beehive', he suddenly felt dizzy and the urge to tell everything to Li Yiru dissipated immediately. It was as if a pair of huge hands had erased that thought from his mind.

However, he wasn't thinking about all of that at the moment and was instead anxious about how he could get into her good books. Youths were filled with fantasies to begin with, and he felt like he was throwing a tantrum with his girlfriend at the moment, wanting to get into her good books as soon as possible.

However, Li Yiru was stunned when the announcement was heard. She looked at the screen behind her in a daze and saw that the live feed of the Galaxy Arrows was being played on the screen. Searchlights were placed all around the rocket, lighting it up. At that moment, more than a dozen people dressed in black and steel appeared on the platform at the top of the rocket before entering it.

Li Yiru felt as if she had been struck by lightning when she saw what happened and her entire body went stiff. She went to the central control panel where Louis was with a glum look on her face without hesitation.

"C-CEO Li! Hold on!" The assistant behind him quickly caught up with him. He wanted to stop her, but Li Yiru's superior presence made the assistant, who was trying to stop her, hold her breath for a bit and could only watch as she walked past him.

"Mr. Louis, aren't you being a little too much?" Li Yiru walked up to Louis with a livid face and pointed at the screen. "You didn't tell us that this is a manned rocket!"

"But I didn't say that I'm not.” Louis frowned and suppressed his displeasure." The rocket is about to launch. Please don't interrupt our work, CEO Li.”

"But, this is only the first rocket we launched. Do you know what kind of trouble Stellar Technology would be in if the projectile fails?" Li Yiru refused to budge. "I came here to inspect the ship because I was afraid that something would go wrong. Even if it were a spaceship, it would be conducted by a single person. I've never seen anyone send over a dozen people to the sky at once. This is ridiculous!"

Louis snorted and pulled a long face. "You can look for Mr. Zhang about this. He might give you an explanation."

"I will, but I'd like to ask you to stop the launch before you find him. I order you to do so in the name of the general manager!" Li Yiru refused to budge.

Louis had a weird look on his face when he heard that. He shook his head and said, "Mr. Li, I'm afraid that you have no right to order us to…"

"What?"

Li Yiru was about to fly into a rage when Louis took out a card. The card was crystal clear and looked like it was made of crystal. "I'm a world researcher in the Stellar Foundation. My security level is B5. I have 10 recommendation slots to join the foundation every year, as well as the right to access complete top-secret information and some top-secret secrets. Other than the only B6 director of the foundation, no one else is able to order me around, not even you…"

"Stellar Foundation… Foundation…" Li Yiru's pupils contracted and she took two steps back subconsciously. She looked around and saw that everyone around her seemed to be taking things for granted. She felt an indescribable chill envelop her all of a sudden and murmured, "Does this foundation really exist?"

"Stellar Technology is not as simple as you think it is." Louis put away his ID and took a good look at Li Yiru. "If I were you, I would look for Mr. Zhang right away. Perhaps, it's time for you to join us. This time, it's time for you to truly join Stellar Technology…"

426. Choice

"Initial inspection of the 4th illusory engine…" A prompt was heard from the radio and the data on the big screen began to flow even faster. The data rained down like a torrential downpour and only gradually disappeared after half a minute. "Autopsy complete. Initiating neural synchronization. Driver, please get ready…"

"Neural synchronization system connection…"

"Neurons connected successfully. Begin testing synchronization rate…"

"Synchronization rate: 10, synchronization rate: 20, synchronization rate: 40, synchronization rate: 80, synchronization rate: 90… The highest synchronization rate detected at the moment is 93, which is considered excellent. Flight permitted."

A series of prompts were heard, but Li Yiru had long given up on probing further. She left the spaceport with mixed emotions—shock, anger, jealousy, and so on—mixed in. Just when she was about to get back into her car, she heard a thunderous rumble all over the sky. There was also a blinding heat in the wind.

The driver, who had been waiting for a long time, looked at the sky in a daze. The cigarette at the corner of his mouth dropped without him realizing it. In their eyes, the Galaxy Rocket, which looked like a huge pillar that held up the heavens, rumbled as it rose. Flames that could drown the heavens and earth burst from its tail, lighting up the clouds and the night sky.

The Galaxy rocket finally took off.

Excited shouts were heard from the inside of the building as waves of excitement washed over her. Li Yiru wore a bitter and dazed expression as she headed for the highway in the dark.

Li Yiru returned to the Stellar Building in a dazed state about an hour later. She thought about it for a long time on the way back, but her mind was in a mess and she was unable to calm herself down no matter how hard she tried to suppress her emotions.

It was already 10 P.M. by then, and even the staff who were working overtime had long gone home. The Stellar Technology building was pitch-black, with only the lights in her general manager's office still on.

Li Yiru seemed to have realized something and took a deep breath before making her way to her office. The click-clack of her high heels echoed in the empty building and she saw Zhang Heng standing in front of the French window with his back facing her.

"You… already know?" Li Yiru mumbled with reddened eyes.

"Yeah, Louis called me just now." Zhang Heng looked at the dazzling lights in the distance, which seemed to be connected with the stars in the sky. He was unable to tell where the stars were and where the city was.

"I asked you before what your true purpose was." Li Yiru took a deep breath and mustered her courage. "You said that you couldn't tell me now, and that you had to wait until the day you deemed it appropriate. So, is it now?"

"It's not the right time yet." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Sometimes, you'll feel happier without knowing something."

"But I feel like a puppet right now." Li Yiru became furious. "Did you know that while I look like a well-regarded general manager on the surface, many people are actually looking at me like I'm some kind of clown. I don't know anything and yet I still went to get checked out like an idiot. Why the hell would I go and get checked out?"

Zhang Heng was stunned by what he heard. Li Yiru, who had been taught elite education since she was young, was able to spout such profanities. It seemed like Li Yiru was truly enraged. Zhang Heng felt exasperated and said, "You have no idea what price those people paid…"

"I'd be willing to pay the same price!" Determination flashed in Li Yiru's eyes and she suddenly displayed the impulsive side of a young person. "I'd like to become a member of Stellar Technology as well. This time, I'm no longer a puppet on the surface, but a true member!"

"No, you can't!" Zhang Heng's expression turned cold right away. "I refuse to let you pay that price!"

"Why should I?" Li Yiru said in a sad voice. "Why should I disagree with you? Why should you make the choice for me? That was what happened back then and it's still the same now. Have you ever thought about how I feel?"

"…I'm afraid you still haven't realized it, have you? You've changed so much that I don't even know you anymore. You're unscrupulous, cold-blooded, selfish, and brutal! You weren't like that back then. My grandfather only wanted our families to be connected through marriage, yet you sent someone to assassinate my cousin. You thought that you were doing this for your sister's sake, but in reality, you're just trying to get everything under control, including your sister's life! She's like a doll in your hands, living in your shadow. I know all of that!"

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze right away and turned around, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that?"

"That's just how I am. If you have what it takes, come and kill me too, you out-and-out sister-crazed murderer!" Li Yiru felt her blood boil and grabbed the vase beside her, throwing it at Zhang Heng. However, she saw that when the vase came into contact with Zhang Heng, it seemed to have encountered some kind of invisible barrier and dropped to the ground before it could even touch his clothes, shattering into pieces.

Li Yiru's eyes widened right away and she looked at Zhang Heng with a rather shocked expression. She reached out with a trembling hand and slowly walked up to Zhang Heng. She eventually touched his cold face and slowly lowered her hand to his chest. However, she shuddered all of a sudden.

"Where's your heart?" Li Yiru sounded like she was about to cry. She searched his body frantically, but to her dismay, she found that his heart was completely still and showed no signs of beating.

"It's useless. That's why I took it off." Zhang Heng closed his eyes and turned to look out the window again. However, he raised his hand and found a thin, transparent chip in his hand.

"I can give you the right to choose. Or, just like how it was in the past, you can still be my general manager. You'll be in charge of everything in the company and the world…"

"Or, you could join the Stellar Foundation, but you'd need to implant that chip in your brain. From then on out, all of your thoughts would be under the surveillance of the foundation, and you would no longer have any privacy or freedom. If you were to be captured by the enemy, the only fate awaiting you would be to have that chip incinerated and killed."

Li Yiru's eyes widened when she heard that. She covered her mouth and backed away slowly. "You're saying…"

"That's right. The Louis you saw, the security guards in the company, and… every member of the spaceport have a tiny chip in their brains." Zhang Heng wore a cruel grin and said coldly, "Do you understand now, Class Rep, Ms. Li? That's why I'm not letting you join the Stellar Foundation. We could still be friends if you refuse to join, but if you do, you'll forever be my tool, my pawn, and a toy that I could just throw away."

Fear flashed in Li Yiru's eyes and she looked at Zhang Heng with a completely unfamiliar gaze. "That's not true. You're lying to me, right?"

"I've given you the right to choose." Zhang Heng chuckled and said in a low voice, "Well, are you scared now? Scared?" Zhang Heng sighed to himself when he saw the terrified look on Li Yiru's face and walked out of the door.

"Find someone who loves you and get married. I shouldn't be in your life. You'll never be happy if you're with me." Zhang Heng disappeared into the corridor by the time the last sentence reached Li Yiru's ears. She was the only one left in the entire building, her sobbing echoing in the corners of the building.

427. Satellite Orbit Cannon

An old man with a head full of white hair and wearing a general's uniform was sitting in his office, reading the report in front of him with a pair of reading glasses. There was an extremely handsome young military officer standing before his desk. Despite having reached the age of a veteran, the air that the old man exuded made the young officer before him stand even straighter, not daring to relax.

"Disappeared?" The old man's expression became rather ugly as the report went further. He snorted coldly and looked at the young officer before him with a stern look. "So, that's the answer you got after watching for an entire day and then searching for the rest of the day?"

"Reporting to the chief, we've done our best…" The young officer wore a bitter smile on his face. "The other party really disappeared into thin air. Be it the radio telescope, infrared detection radar, electromagnetic radiation radars, optical radar, and so on, we were unable to find any trace of the Galaxy Rocket. I suspect that the other party possesses some kind of stealth technology that far exceeds that of our country's air defense."

"So what if you're suspicious? Do you have any proof?" The old man's expression became even more stern. "Keep looking. If you can't find the whereabouts of the Galaxy Arrows within a day, you're not allowed to leave work until you've found them!"

"Yes, sir!" The young man shuddered and stood up straight right away. He saluted and ran out of the old man's office as if he was running away.

Worry was seen in the elder's eyes only at that moment. He looked at the sky in a daze and mumbled, "Star Technology, just who… are you people?"

It wasn't just Huaxia. The United States, India, Japan… and even countries without spaceflight capabilities were paying close attention to the news regarding the Galaxy Arrows at the same time. However, every country was astonished to discover that the most massive rocket in history disappeared right after entering the atmospheric ionization. It disappeared without a trace.

While the entire planet was in an uproar, somewhere 36,000 kilometers away from Earth, the Galaxy Arrows had successfully reached Earth's orbit.

Due to the activation of the quantum invisibility function, space looked empty from Earth's perspective. No country would be able to find traces of the Galaxy Arrows in such a short period of time.

It was a massive entity through. Unlike normal rockets, which were only fueled by a single fusion reactor and an anti-gravity engine, the rocket didn't have any kind of installation.

Most of the data announced before were fake. The actual data of the Galaxy Arrows was—25.8 meters in diameter, 209 meters in length, 15,900 tons in flight mass, 15,900 tons in low-Earth orbit, and 15,900 tons in escape orbit.

The entire fuselage on the rocket was completely discarded as soon as it was successfully put into orbit. The five support beams that were attached to the inside of the rocket were opened at a 90-degree angle at the end of the rocket. From afar, the fuselage looked like the skeleton of a huge umbrella. The fuselage was filled with sci-fi-colored modules and lights. If anyone were to see the fuselage at that moment, they would be shocked to discover that the fuselage wasn't a rocket, but a huge prototype of a space station.

The space station looked like a huge octopus. As the parts on its body were unfolded one by one, it looked increasingly cold and sinister. There was no need for solar panels, as the space station's nuclear fusion reactor would be able to sustain the satellites' energy supply for centuries.

At that moment, the center of the space station slowly detached itself and hovered in space like a platform, facing the space station at a standstill. There was a molecular transmitter on the platform.

The molecular transmitter was located in India. Due to the fact that it was already on the right track and no longer required the aid of the molecular transmission equipment, Zhang Heng dismantled it and installed it inside the Galaxy Rocket, which was used to transport supplies and construction materials to the space station, making the Galaxy Rocket even larger.

It was well known that constructing a space station was extremely expensive. Even if the technology was advanced enough, the material was still a huge problem, requiring a rocket to be launched from Earth. The cost of launching a rocket was astronomical, and the material needed to be transported multiple times. Constructing a space station would require millions of tons of materials and components. If all of that was required, it would require thousands of launches, something that not even the once-powerful United States could afford.

However, the emergence of the molecular transporter had perfectly avoided that problem. While the molecular transporter still required massive amounts of electricity to operate, the cost of the transmission was still astronomical.

A group of humans wearing special spacesuits suddenly appeared in the space station as the light from the molecular transmitter flickered. The appearance of those spacesuits was very similar to the ones found in the Dead Space, which meant that Zhang Heng's technological advancement was getting closer to that of the Dead Space plane. Large batches of modular components appeared with them as well. As soon as everyone got a good look at where they were, they began to construct something in space.

Everyone could even see the space station making slight adjustments in its orbit, gradually pointing the head of the rocket at Earth. At the same time, a five-meter-thick, cold, metal-colored cannon barrel was slowly extended. The space station looked like a behemoth at that moment, staring coldly at the aqua blue planet with its single eye wide open.

Satellite railgun!

The same principle applied to the pulse guns used by the D.S.F. was applied to the superconducting electromagnetic guns. The Galaxy Space Station, of course, possessed an even greater amount of energy, enabling it to fire a 5-meter caliber cannonball at a speed of 150 kilometers per second. At that speed, it didn't matter if the cannonball was solid or nuclear. Once it landed on Earth, it would have the power of over 10 million tons of nuclear bombs, turning an international metropolis into a 100-meter-deep crater in less than a minute.

That was the true beginning of stellar technology surpassing that of Earth and deterring the entire world.

…

The global uproar caused by the disappearance of the Soaring Galaxia had yet to die down. On the other side, several more terrorist attacks were taking place internationally. All of the targets were either rich or powerful. The United States, in particular, suffered devastating attacks on several financial groups and families that once belonged to the Communists. Almost all of their families were wiped out.

Several deeply rooted mafia organizations in Italy were massacred by some mysterious organization. Dozens of mafia organizations were massacred within a single night and over a thousand people were killed. The Italian government was alerted and the entire world was shocked.

On the other side of the world, there was a conspiracy brewing in Kobe County in Japan…

428. Assassination And Ambush

The United States of America had plummeted from being favored by God ever since the 69th incident half a year ago. It was as if angels had fallen into the mundane world and lost their former glory.

All of the economic industries around the world suffered a devastating blow in that sudden terrorist attack, and that was especially true in Japan, which was very close to the United States. Due to the economic system, tens of millions of people in Japan lost their jobs over the past six months, and their financial stocks suffered heavy losses as well. One could hear news of people committing suicide every day due to bankruptcy.

Cold sweat dripped from Kuroda Guang's forehead as he read the messages sent by his subordinates.

Shocking messages were constantly being sent to him from his mobile phone. Those messages were from the informants who were trained by the organization. The messages stated that financial groups that were on par with the Morgan family were all massacred by some mysterious force just last night. Not only that, but that group of people even went out of their way to destroy the bodies and burn the locations of those financial groups to ashes.

He even heard that several families in Huaxia had suffered all manner of setbacks, including the head of the Xu family, who was found dead in his own home on a dark and windy night.

That person was Fox.

While the Dark Night Organization had previously agreed not to investigate the other party's identity, he was able to guess who the other party was with just a little bit of probing. As one of the upper echelons of the Yamaguchi-Gumi, he was able to confirm that the resistance organization named 'Dark Night' that he joined was actually founded by the head of the Xu family.

That mysterious old man from Huaxia was also dead by then…

Hei Tianguang felt a sense of panic wash over him. He picked up a glass of water with shaking hands, yet he was unable to stop shaking. The glass of water spilled all over the floor before he was able to finish drinking much.

"Calm down, calm down…" Kuroda TakeASpearHit took a deep breath and a tinge of madness flashed in his despair. "According to the methods employed by Stellar Technology, I'm afraid that I would have appeared on their kill list a long time ago. If they want me dead, then I won't let you off easy either!" He picked up the phone as he spoke…

…

Japan, Benzhou Island, Kobe City, Beach District.

The sky was pitch-black at night and the wind howled, as if heavy snow was brewing.

The entrance of the Yamaguchi-Gumi headquarters was sparsely populated at the moment. Most of the people had gone home and there were only a handful of pedestrians walking about.

Most of those people were young tourists who came to visit Kobe. They came to look for the headquarters of the Yamaguchi-Gumi due to their fame and took pictures of the place before posting them on their social media accounts as a topic of conversation.

A sign set up by the local police station could be seen at the end of the street where the Yamaguchi-Gumi headquarters was located. The words written on the sign read, "The people of the Beach District shall set an example. Start from me, banish the gangsters!" The words' gangsters' and 'deportation' were written in red and were very eye-catching.

A sign was seen at the headquarters of the Yamaguchi-Gumi a kilometer away. It was written in Japanese: "We're not using child labor, we're not selling drugs, and we're not throwing cigarettes around."

Such a dramatic scene once stunned many people. However, as the economy of the world became increasingly bleak after the 69th incident, the Yamaguchi-Gumi became increasingly rampant.

However, regardless of what they did, there was one principle that they had to adhere to: they didn't want to cause any trouble for the government. They were only involved in dirty dealings back home. Furthermore, due to the downturn in Japan's economy, the economic value created by the Yamaguchi-Gumi was something that the government couldn't afford to overlook. As such, the government simply turned a blind eye to them and let them do as they pleased.

A shuttle shaped like a shuttle about 20 meters in length was hovering in the air like a ripple, looking almost transparent and blending perfectly with the night sky.

Ten cloned warriors wearing the latest Armageddon armor were sitting quietly in the shuttle's cabin, with a young man with a handsome face leading the way.

"Reporting, sir. According to the life signature detector, a large number of suspected armed forces of the Japan Self-Defense Forces were detected in residential areas hundreds of meters away from where the target is located. Would you like to proceed with the mission?" The pilot's report was heard from the driver's seat.

"The Japan Self-Defense Forces?" Adam turned around and a holographic map appeared at the center of the cabin. The terrain within a radius of a kilometer was displayed before his eyes. Dozens of red dots were seen in the homes of the residents on the ground. Every single red dot represented an enemy.

Disdain was seen in Adam's eyes at the sight before him. "You think you can stop us like that?" He then turned off the mask of the Armageddon Armor and covered his face completely. "Carry out the mission as usual. If they interfere, kill them all!"

"Understood!"

The clone warrior answered loudly and the tail of the Falcon opened up quickly. The 10 cloned warriors went into stealth mode at the same time and leaped down from a height of 100 meters. They turned on the ion jets in midair and charged at the Yamaguchi-Gumi headquarters like 10 arrows.

Looking from the sky, one could only see 10 dim lights flickering in midair before disappearing into the building of the Yamaguchi-Gumi headquarters.

"Unit 6 to Unit 10, take the surrounding highlands and provide sniper fire support. Kill anyone who dares to rush in and help. Unit 2 to Unit 5, follow me and kill everyone on the kill list!" Adam ordered through the communication device.

"Yes!"

The five cloned warriors began to look for high ground and set up their own pulse rifles. The projectile was capable of reaching 250,000 joules of kinetic energy, and a single shot from it would be able to level a three-story building. It had an unparalleled advantage in terms of firepower.

Adam, on the other hand, brought the four cloned warriors to a stop right outside the door of the headquarters of the Yamaguchi-Gumi. According to the life signature detector, there were over 50 members lying in wait in the room, yet it was impossible to determine who the target was. It was possible that there wasn't even a single target.

At that thought, Adam raised his arm slightly and a small hole was seen on the armor of his arm. A few mosquitoes were seen flying with a buzzing sound and circled in the air before flying back into the room.

The nanomachines were miniature drones designed by Louis, and they looked very similar in size and shape to real mosquitoes. Even their buzzing sounds were similar. A few of them were deployed at the same time and the entire headquarters was quickly searched. The five targets, including the team leader of the Yamaguchi-Gumi team, were found.

The five members of the upper echelon of the Yamaguchi-Gumi were sitting in the meeting room of the headquarters, looking at each other in dismay. Groups of self-defense teams were patrolling around them, seemingly protecting them, yet also keeping an eye on everyone at the same time, which made the face of the Yamaguchi-Gumi's leader turn very ugly.

"Mr. Kuroda, you've made a very wrong decision this time." The team leader shot a sinister look at Mr. Kuroda and continued, "The price you have to pay is that we could very well become the laughing stock of the entire Mafia."

He then went on to recommend an app that was comparable to the old version of a book chaser.

"You may be right, sir." Kuroda Koizumi wore a bitter grin and continued, "However, I believe that there is at least a 90 percent chance that the other party would come. If we were to be able to keep the assassination organization of the other party, we would be making a huge contribution to the Japanese military. Furthermore, we would have sufficient evidence to declare to the world that Stellar Technology is armed with private weapons and is a terrorist organization."

"Hmph, let's just wait and see then." The chief of the Yamaguchi-Gumi snorted and waved at his ear, frowning as he said, "Weird, there are actually mosquitoes in winter?"

429. Accident

At that moment, Adam, who was standing outside the door, mimicked Zhang Heng's smirk and said to the people behind him, "Find five targets and charge in with me. Kill anyone who dares to retaliate!"

Without waiting for the clone warrior behind him to answer, Adam kicked the door and shattered it. He flicked his arm and the electromagnetic blade popped out with a humming sound.

"Enemy attack!"

Ear-piercing alarms were heard throughout the entire building as soon as the door was breached. Japanese buildings were mostly made of wood, and Adam was able to see tens of silhouettes behind the door through infrared vision without even having to open the door. He then raised his pulse rifle and fired a shot, causing the head of one of the silhouettes to burst open and collapse to the ground, twitching all over.

Boom!

He kicked open the sliding door of the living room and saw a group of self-defense troops dressed in military uniforms charging at him. Adam didn't need to do anything as the four behind him opened fire right away. There was no sound of gunpowder from the pulse rifles, only the electric current and liquid nitrogen cooling system on the guns emitting a faint humming sound. There was also the sound of bullets piercing through the air.

The soldiers of the self-defense force were torn apart like paper dolls as the pulse rifles spewed out dead ammunition, sending blood and internal organs flying everywhere.

Bang, bang, bang!

Roars and screams were heard from outside the building as well. The other five cloned warriors were completely locked in combat with the Japanese soldiers lying in ambush outside. Adam paid no attention to what was happening outside. He simply led the crowd to the meeting hall in the center of the building. The screams of the soldiers were the only ones heard throughout the entire journey.

"They're really here!"

Hei Guangtian suddenly stood up from the tatami when he heard the first gunshot. The leader of the Yamaguchi-Gumi took out his gun with a murderous glint in his eyes. The members of the self-defense force guarding the lobby all picked up their Type 89 rifles and aimed at the door of the lobby. They would fire without hesitation if any enemy were to appear at the door.

Endless gunshots were heard in the lobby. The commander in charge of the operation looked at Kuroda Koizumi disdainfully, took out his communication device and said calmly, "Deputy, how many enemies are out there?"

"No idea. Any soldier who comes into contact with the enemy has lost contact. The enemy might have some kind of powerful weapon," a flustered voice was heard from the communication device.

"Get in here and capture them alive!" The commander glared at them.

"We're being held back and can't get in. The enemy has a sniper!"

"What about our sniper?"

"All dead. I repeat, all dead."

"B * stards!" The commander smashed the communication device in his hand and took out his gun. He shouted with a ferocious look on his face, "Get out of here! Kill them all!"

"Yes!"

The soldiers protecting Kuroda Koizumi shouted one after another in the lobby. However, before they were able to charge out, gunshots were heard all of a sudden. The wooden walls of the building were unable to withstand the gunfire and huge holes were seen in the walls. Several of the Self-Defense Forces were torn apart right there and then, before everyone's astonished eyes. Blood and internal organs were splattered everywhere. The soldiers who didn't have much combat experience kept screaming in fear.

It took them several seconds to realize what was happening. The soldiers turned their guns around and fired at the wall before them. Endless amounts of ammunition rained down on the wall, forming a dense metal storm. The wall that blocked everyone's line of sight collapsed as the two sides exchanged fire.

Kuroda Guang felt an indescribable sense of danger and fell to the ground, hugging his head tightly. He could feel drops of boiling blood and shells splattering all over his neck from time to time. He was like a small boat at the moment and could only struggle in the raging storm, almost suffocating.

The intense gunshots finally stopped after an unknown period of time. Kuroda Guang looked up, still feeling rather frightened. He was shocked to find that the people who were still alive in the room had long turned into a sea of blood. The broken limbs of countless soldiers fell to the ground. The stench of blood, barbequed meat, and gunpowder gave off an indescribable stench that made one feel nauseous.

He turned around unwillingly and saw that the head of the Yamaguchi-Gumi beside him had been blown to pieces. The head of the Yamaguchi-Gumi was still intact and his entire body was convulsing reflexively. The commander who was in charge of the operation was reduced to a pile of mush, which was mixed with the flesh and blood of many other soldiers.

"All dead, all dead…" Kuroda-san mumbled under his breath. All of a sudden, footsteps were heard before him and a look of despair was seen in his eyes. He slowly raised his head and saw several human-shaped silhouettes that were almost completely transparent standing in front of him, their bodies glistening.

"How could this be?" Kuroda's eyes were filled with shock. Blue electric currents were seen flashing in the figures before his eyes all of a sudden, as if they were gradually floating out of the water. At the same time, five completely unscathed figures gradually appeared, revealing the pitch-black Armor of Doomsday.

"You should be proud that the Special Forces of the other planes were able to die at our hands," Adam said softly before raising his hand and slashed. The electromagnetic blade sliced through the air, producing a loud humming sound.

Hei Guangtian felt a chill running down his spine and felt an indescribable pain all over his body. He was cut in half by Adam from his right shoulder to his lower body.

"Quest complete." Adam nodded satisfactorily and turned around to walk out of the hall without looking at the wailing Kuroda. However, he didn't notice that there was a button in Kuroda's left hand at some point in time.

"Die with me…" Kuroda Guang was not completely dead yet. There was a tinge of yearning in his eyes as he stared at the five of them leaving. He used the last bit of his strength and pressed the button on the detonator with his left hand.

Boom!

A huge fireball was seen in the headquarters of the Yamaguchi-Gumi.

"What's going on?!" The fight between the two parties outside had reached a fever pitch by then. The adjutant who was in charge of the command outside saw the flames rising from the Yamaguchi-Gumi headquarters and his pupils contracted. He grabbed the collar of one of the Yamaguchi-Gumi members and shouted, "Who did this?!"

"It's, it's Mr. Kuroda Mitsuo!" That member of the Yamaguchi-Gumi looked like he was about to cry. "Mr. Kuroda Mitsuo brought a lot of military explosives with him before you and your troops arrived this morning. We thought that he was going to fight the attackers, but we didn't know that he actually, actually…"

"Baka!" The adjutant's eyes were about to pop out of his head. He pushed the other man away. Such a huge mishap had happened and even his superior was dead. It could be said that his political career had come to an end. At the thought of that, he shouted frantically, "Additional personnel! Call the headquarters!"

The AH-1S Cobra helicopter equipped by the Japan Self-Defense Forces slowly appeared in the distant horizon as soon as he finished speaking. However, before it arrived, a flash of light appeared above everyone's heads all of a sudden. Everyone looked up instinctively and saw several thin and long missiles appearing out of nowhere. Before they could react, the ends of the missiles flashed with intense light and drew straight lines in the night sky, heading straight for the helicopters in the distance.

Several balls of flames exploded in the distant horizon within seconds.

The entire battlefield fell silent and the eyes of every single soldier from the self-defense force were filled with disbelief and shock.

430. Accompanying Him

Adam felt as if his entire body was about to be blown apart and his mind was spinning. He struggled to open his eyes and found that everything before him was pitch-black. The camera on the outside of his helmet had been completely destroyed by the sudden explosion.

Crack crack…

The mask on the droplet-shaped helmet moved on its own and Adam took a deep breath. He found himself buried deep in the rubble, unable to move a single finger. His spine was either broken or dislocated, and he had lost all feeling in his lower body.

"I was too careless…" Adam wore a bitter grin. He had never thought that the enemy would have some kind of self-destructive means up their sleeve. Furthermore, the kind of explosives that he saw was no ordinary kind of explosive, but rather some kind of extremely powerful military-grade explosive. If it hadn't been for that, the entire building wouldn't have been blown up, and he wouldn't have been able to resist it even when he was wearing Armageddon armor.

If it were Gu Zhan, he probably wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake.

Adam sighed to himself. He sometimes even envied those cloned warriors. It was precisely because they were emotionless, emotionless, and always regarded problems with the calmest of minds that they rarely made mistakes, not to mention making such irreparable mistakes. He didn't even know how he was going to answer to Zhang Heng when he got back.

The silence lasted for quite a while, and Adam quickly pulled himself together when he heard the sounds of gunfire from the outside world getting increasingly intense. He shouted into the communication device in a hoarse voice, "Action team, report casualties!"

"Everything is fine on the 8th."

"Everything is fine on the 6th."

"Everything is fine on the 7th."

"Armor No. 10 is damaged and slightly damaged. The battle won't be affected for the time being."

"No. 9 was hit by a rocket and suffered a moderate injury. It won't affect the battle for the time being."

Adam's expression became even uglier. He gritted his teeth and a feeling of indignation washed over him. "No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5. Please answer if you copy."

"Reporting, sir. The avatar of No. 2 to No. 5 has turned grey. Death is confirmed," No. 6 said calmly. "Please give your latest orders."

Adam was stunned for a moment. His vision projector had been destroyed and he was unable to see the image on the monitor. It took him quite a while before he said bitterly, "In that case, No. 6, report the current situation."

"The second team killed 338 enemy troops in total. The Falcon destroyed eight enemy military helicopters and successfully wiped out the first wave of enemy reinforcements. The second wave of reinforcements is on their way. We're running out of time!"

The team that Adam led was the most common D.S.F. team, not the elite team that followed Zhang Heng to the other planes. As such, there was no one else other than Adam who had immersed themselves in demons, let alone injecting their cells into Geneva. That was also why their combat prowess was considered average among the D.SF team.

"Understood. We've completed our mission. There's no point in continuing to fight. The Eagle mechs will be the ones to open fire and stop the enemy. Everyone else, dig up the bodies of all the dead warriors. Regardless, our bodies and Armor of Doomsday must never fall into the hands of the enemy…" Adam said reluctantly.

"Understood!"

The crowd acknowledged the order and a huge shuttle-shaped mech slowly appeared in the air. It looked like a fortress in the sky, with eight tubes from the pulse guns extending from both sides with a ferocious metallic luster. The steel tentacles burst out with lethal, dazzling flames in the very next second, before everyone's horrified eyes.

Boom, boom, boom!

The ground within a radius of several hundred square meters was ploughed by powerful firepower in an instant, making it so that the Self-Defense Forces soldiers were unable to lift their heads. The remaining five cloned warriors took the opportunity to rush to the ruins and search for the bodies of the dead.

The Armor of Doomsday boasted massive power that weighed over a ton, making it look like a human excavator. It took only a few minutes to excavate Adam, who was buried at the bottom, as well as the four dead clone warriors. Adam was on the verge of death by then.

However, at that moment, the intense sounds of gunfire all around suddenly quieted down. No. 6 looked into the distance and said to Adam immediately, "Sir, the enemy is retreating!"

"Retreating? How is that possible?" Adam's eyes were filled with surprise. He seemed to have recalled something and his expression changed drastically. He shouted in a hoarse voice, "Not good! Everyone, retreat immediately!"

However, before he was able to finish his sentence, orange-red spots of light gradually appeared on the horizon. They looked like stars flickering in the distance, but Adam knew very well that those weren't stars, they were the lights of missiles.

The Falcon mech seemed to have gone berserk when it saw that group of missiles. Dozens of batons flew out and swarmed towards the incoming missiles, wanting to detonate all of them in the air. However, those missiles were extremely resistant to interference and the bats were unable to accelerate in time. The Heavy Matt missiles came to the top of everyone's heads like lightning and several of them plunged down from the sky in the very next second.

Boom!

In Adam's last vision, he saw flames that blotted out the sky and blotted out the sun as if the end of days had come.

…

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes. He didn't know why, but he was unable to calm himself down while training in the virtual space that day. He was just about to get up and leave when Corona's voice was heard again.

"Commander… I have bad news for you."

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and continued walking out of the door without saying anything. It took him quite a while before he asked, "Did… something happen to Adam's team?"

"How did you know?" Corona sounded surprised.

"It's very simple. I've killed all the potential leaders of the night organizations, including the Xu family, the Zhang family, the American Community, the Italian Mafia, Pfizer, Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and so on. All the countries in the world should have realized that I was the one who did all of that. All those countries that were not under my control and were hostile to me would definitely take action against me." Zhang Heng's voice was rather dry and he clenched his fists tightly at the moment. "Among them, Japan is one of the countries that detested Huaxia the most. There's a very high possibility that Adam, who went to Japan to carry out the purge mission today, is the bad news you're talking about."

"Your guess is correct," Corona said with a heavy tone. "Adam and the rest of the team lost contact at the Tank area of Kobe in Japan."

"It's too bad that I'm only doing it in hindsight." Zhang Heng shuddered a little when he heard that. "Any chance of survival?"

"I'm waiting for news from the Falcon." Corona shook her head. "Logically speaking, even if something were to happen to Adam and the others, the Falcon should still be safe and sound. Not even the most advanced air defense missiles would be able to do anything to the Falcon…"

Corona's spirits were suddenly lifted as she said that. "I've contacted that Falcon mech. The other party has sent the report!"

"Let me take a look!" Zhang Heng waved his hand and the image of a report appeared before his eyes. The holographic projection had covered every corner of the hive within the hive. As long as one had sufficient access, the holographic projection could be projected anywhere.

Zhang Heng's expression became increasingly glum as he focused his gaze on the incoming projectile. He narrowed his gaze at the end of the report, his eyes flashing with fury. "That was brutal. Japan actually used a ground-to-ground anti-tank missile just to keep Adam alive…" Zhang Heng clenched his fists tightly at the end of his speech. He knew very well that no matter how tough the Armor of Doomsday was, due to Adam's emotional attachment to the projectile, he was unable to inject the Genova cells like those elite cloning fighters from Guzhan. There was simply no way he could have survived the barrage of attacks.

Scenes from when Adam was first born appeared in his mind again. He was the one who asked for his name and the meaning of his existence as soon as he was born. He was the one who carefully hid his uniqueness and kept crying 'don't leave me, I'm scared' in his mind. He was the only unconventional clone among all the clones who put in all that effort just to get Zhang Heng's approval.

"Names are not just code names. They also signify that we once existed in this world… Don't worry, your existence is definitely not redundant. The meaning of your existence comes from my needs."

"Your needs?"

"I created you. You are a part of my life, an extension of my will! Help me, use your power, help me achieve all of my dreams!"

Scenes from the past kept replaying in his mind and a tinge of regret flashed across his eyes before he realized it. He slowly closed his eyes and opened them again. His eyes had returned to their usual calm state, but underneath that calm surface was a murderous intent that seemed to reach the heavens.

"I want Japan to…"

"Die with him!"

431. Countdown In The Sky

Time was approaching 2019. At the end of 2018, Stellar Technology released its latest AR product, further cementing its position as the world's largest company.

The first rocket of Stellar Technology took off in just over 20 days, generating yet another wave of public opinion. Stellar Technology became synonymous with cutting-edge technology. People all over the world only knew of Stellar Technology, and no one knew of other companies.

A new year was about to come and the entire world was immersed in the new year. However, a new announcement that could change the world's situation suddenly appeared on the official website of Stellar Technology…

…

Wang Fushun drove his prince's car at 7: 55 in the morning and appeared at the bottom of the building of the company on time. He took three minutes to park the car before making his way to the office building and greeted the security officer at the door, Zhang Heng. He didn't enter the elevator but headed for the stairway instead.

Based on his years of working experience, he knew very well that the frequency of elevator use at that time in the morning was very limited. The company he was working in was a small company with about 40 to 50 people, and he had rented a floor in that third-rate office building in the new high-end district as his office. There was only one elevator, and it was less than two minutes before 8: 00 A.M. If he were to take the elevator to his floor, he feared that he would be done for.

Furthermore, climbing the stairs was one of the few training methods that a shut-in like him had. Not only could he train his body, but he could also save time. Why not?

Wang Fushun looked even more pleased with himself at that thought. He took a minute to climb to the fifth floor and quickly punched the button under the intense gaze of the head of the Human Resources Department. A gust of wind blew past him and the clock on the wall of the office rang at eight o'clock sharp. Wang Fushun sat down at his desk without making any mistakes.

"Pfft!" Wang Fushun picked up a piece of tissue paper from the table and wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked at the empty seat beside him, feeling rather pleased with himself. It was obvious that his colleague, Li Xinhua, was late again. His salary for the month would probably be deducted yet again.

He paid no more attention to the guy who was digging his own grave and turned on his computer as quickly as he could. He didn't have any work to do and went on to open the Stellar Technology website out of habit, ready to see if there were any new updates.

However, Wang Fushun was stunned when he opened the main page of Stellar Technology. He saw an eye-catching announcement pinned at the most eye-catching part of the webpage.

Wang Fushun subconsciously narrowed his gaze. As a veteran white-collar worker, he had developed a slight sense of nearsightedness due to being exposed to computers all the time. However, at that moment, he no longer bothered putting on his glasses and instead leaned his head closer to the screen while panting, staring at the new announcement on the screen.

Generally speaking, the bottom of the Stellar Technology's webpage would be metallic grey, while the pages on it would be white and the font would be pure black. If there was any major piece of news, the font would turn orange, such as releasing a new type of software, and so on. The next step would be to use orange-red, such as releasing a new product. There were only three records of Stellar Technology using orange-red headlines in total.

The first time Stellar Technology released the star Helmet-VR.

The second time was when the Stellar AR glasses were released.

The third time was when Stellar Technology announced that they were entering the aerospace industry.

Every time the orange title appeared, it represented a storm that could shake the world.

This time, the title was no longer black, orange, or even orange, but a bright red color that no one had ever seen before.

The wording of the title was even larger than that of the other announcements, and it was arranged at the very top of all the other titles, making it extremely eye-catching and eye-catching. There were only four words written on the title—

Japan sank!

The announcement was a… promotional slogan for the movie.

Wang Fushun looked suspiciously at the end of the announcement and found that the announcement was made at 8 A.M., which meant that the announcement had just been made. Wang Fushun was filled with curiosity at that thought. He clicked on the mouse and a blood-red announcement appeared before his eyes.

There were only a few dozen words on the announcement—"Tokyo Time, January 1, midnight. Huge volcanic eruptions on the Japanese island." There was a huge countdown at the side that read 38: 58: 48.

Ha, that's it?

Wang Fushun quickly pulled the newly opened page to the bottom as if he was unwilling to give up. However, the bottom of the page was blank, as if someone was playing a prank on him.

What is this, some kind of gimmick?

Wang Fushun felt as if all the gossip cells in his body were about to burst open. He scratched his head for quite a while before making his way to the official forums. The moment he entered the forums, he saw that the pages were filled with topics regarding that announcement.

"What's going on? Do any of you know what that announcement is about?"

"Holy sh * *, Stellar Technology is going to destroy Japan!"

"Well done. I'm a nationalist after all. Get the crap out of me!"

"Is this some new way to advertise? Doesn't look like it."

"The best counterfeit set in the world!"

Wang Fushun searched through all the posts but found nothing useful. Most of them were just speculations made by netizens who had nothing better to do. Furthermore, the announcement had just been made and the media had probably just heard about it. It would take at least half an hour before all the relevant reports were released.

Wang Fushun shook his head helplessly at that thought. He was about to close the official website of Stellar Technology when a new post was refreshed all of a sudden. Wang Fushun's eyes lit up when he saw the title of the post.

"[Live Stream] I'm a Japanese student studying abroad. I suddenly found a mysterious countdown timer appearing in the sky this morning. The whole of Japan is in a mess!"

Wang Fushun clicked on the post without hesitation and a photo that seemed to have been taken with his phone came into view.

The photo seemed to have captured the sky of a city. The sky was very blue and cloudless. A part of a tall building could be seen at the bottom right corner of the photo. It was obvious that the photo was taken from the bottom to the top. None of that mattered, but what really made Wang Fushun's breathing quicken was that there was a line of electronic digits that looked like they were seen on an electronic watch right in the center of the photo.

38: 55: 45 P.M.

Wang Fushun took a look at the time the post was posted. It was about 30 seconds ago and the current time was 8: 05. According to the announcement made by Stellar Technology, Tokyo was about an hour ahead of Beijing, which meant that the photo was very likely to have been taken half a minute ago.

However, a countdown timer appeared in midair? That sounded ridiculous. Could it be… the prelude to the Trisolarans attacking Earth?

432. Rebellion

As a highly developed global economy, if Japan was said to be a very well-developed mechanical watch, then the Japanese were the second hand on the mechanical watch, operating every minute and second without any signs of stopping.

However, on the 28th of December, at nine in the morning, something that exceeded the limits of human perception suddenly pushed itself into the unchanging lives of the Japanese…

At Shibuya Station in Tokyo, Yoshihara Meika walked out of the tram with swollen eyes due to insomnia. Due to exhaustion and stress from work, her steps were rather shaky, but she was in a much better state than the other residents in the city.

It was fortunate that, as the receptionist at the front desk of the hotel, she didn't have to adhere to the rules of working at 9: 30 PM like the other staff members. The deadline for the handover was 9: 30 PM, which meant that she had half an hour more buffer time than the others.

Half an hour might not be long, but at the very least, it would save her from having to squeeze in the streetcar and subway at the highest point of the crowd like the rest of the working class, enabling her to have a little more time to herself during her busy day.

As Tokyo, Japan, which was known for its fast pace all over the world, everyone's faces looked sickly pale due to stress and tension. They moved as fast as the wind, taking advantage of the moment when they were waiting for the bus, reading, sending messages, taking a break with their eyes closed… She looked around and let out a sigh of relief, feeling lucky all of a sudden. She stretched her right hand, which was still feeling rather numb from holding her handbag, and found that the lunch that her parents had prepared for her felt rather heavy.

She checked the time and found that it was 9 A.M. sharp. She needed to get to the hotel where she worked in half an hour and replace her shift with that of Ms. Duojia. She didn't dare to linger at the bus stop at that thought and simply blended into the crowd, making her way to her workplace.

However, as soon as she stepped out of the train station, she suddenly felt that the atmosphere on the street was rather weird. Two Ouijisans stopped before her and craned their necks to look at the sky, making them look like two stupid geese.

Yoshihara Meika almost knocked into the two of them due to the sudden turn of events. She frowned in displeasure and walked around the two weirdos without making a sound. However, she only took a few more steps before she saw yet another person looking up at the sky. That person even let out a cry of surprise as if he had seen something very shocking, before quickly taking out his phone and pointing the camera up at the sky.

"What the hell is going on?" Yoshihara Meika finally felt curious, but she didn't stop walking. She looked up as she walked and looked in the direction that the three of them were looking at.

The weather in Tokyo was very sunny and cloudless that day. Yoshihara Meika narrowed her eyes and looked at the rising sun. She saw a string of bright red numbers right above her head.

Yoshihara Meika stopped in her tracks. She looked as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing and blinked subconsciously. However, when she looked again, the line of Arabic numerals was still floating in the air.

38: 58: 03 A.M.

That string of numbers was bright red in color and was written in standard electronic fonts. It was in the shape of the 'sun' character formed by two square frames, which could be seen from 1 to 9.

It was as if he had entered some weird, illogical dream world. The sky above him turned into a LCD screen in an instant, and at the very end of that string of numbers was still flashing.

3, 2, 1, 0…

Yoshihara Meika subconsciously understood the meaning of that string of numbers. It was a countdown timer, meaning… 38 hours 58 minutes 03 seconds.

"Is this some kind of real-life prank?" Yoshihara Mega mumbled to herself in a dazed manner. Her eyes were filled with shock and confusion at the unknown. The string of numbers didn't look huge from the ground up, but she knew very well that such a string of numbers could appear thousands of meters or even tens of thousands of meters in the air, and they could be seen by others as well. There was simply no way of measuring the actual size of the numbers.

The world seemed to have fallen into dead silence in that instant. She seemed to have sensed something and looked around in a rather dazed manner. At that moment, the abnormal scene spread throughout the entire street at the speed of light. Every pedestrian had their eyes wide open, looking at the sky in shock or confusion. Even the cars were affected by the crowd and slowly stopped by the side of the road. The driver stuck his head out of the window, looking confused.

"Numbers are appearing in the sky!" someone shouted all of a sudden, as if that one sentence woke up the world. The entire street went from quiet to noisy in the very next second.

"This is a miracle! A miracle! God is showing his powers!"

"Doomsday is here! Run, everyone! Hahaha!"

"Are the aliens attacking? Trisolarans?"

Yoshihara Meika backed away in fear. Everyone around the world seemed to have gone insane all of a sudden, as they vented their emotions. A pedestrian shouted, "Destroy the tyranny of humanity!" and rushed to the center of the road. However, before he was able to say the next classic line, a black car appeared behind him all of a sudden, crushing him like a behemoth. The car swerved left and right and disappeared at the end of the road in a flurry, leaving only a blood-red carprint that gradually dimmed.

On both sides of the street, four or five young men with hair dyed in all colors laughed and shouted something without meaning to. One of them kicked hard at the vending machine by the side of the street, and the rest of them immediately fought to get their hands on all manner of snacks before opening the can in front of everyone and taking huge gulps.

Some of the other pedestrians were running and yelling, while others took out gasoline and poured it all over the cars on the side of the road. Yoshihara Mika even saw a woman in slippers leaping down from the seventh or eighth floor of a building on the other side of the street. Her silhouette flickered in midair, looking like the flames of life. The next second, with a thud, a huge pool of blood sprayed out, causing the pedestrians on the side of the road to cry out in alarm.

"This is insane, this is insane…" Yoshihara Meika covered her head in fear and crouched on the ground helplessly, shutting her eyes tightly. She could feel countless people shouting crazily around her. It was as if all the bestial and violent genes in their bodies had been triggered by the strange scene in the sky, turning them into animals that had lost all humanity.

Campfire…

Yoshihara Meika vaguely understood why such a situation would occur. She had seen similar explanations before. Such situations would only occur in military camps or prisons, as the pressure exerted by military camps and prisons far exceeded that of normal societies. For example, officers would go about bullying soldiers, veterans would gang up on new recruits, and there would be cliques and strife among the soldiers. Conflicts would accumulate over the years. Furthermore, due to the space where the military barracks were located being sealed, such situations would occur whenever there were external stimuli.

To put it simply, it was a type of mass mental stress disorder that resulted from having a collective mental breakdown due to excessive psychological stress in a relatively closed environment. When such mental stress was pushed to a critical point, if something were to trigger such a group of stressed people, there was a high chance that a commotion would break out in the very next second.

It was obvious that, as the fastest and most stressful Tokyo in the world, most people in Tokyo were feeling some kind of extreme pressure. That string of miraculous numbers above their heads had completely triggered the pressure in the hearts of the pedestrians on the street.

If he didn't suppress the situation as soon as possible, the entire city would be thrown into chaos.

433. Japanese Prime Minister's Guess

"A mysterious countdown timer suddenly appeared in the sky above Japan this morning. The entirety of the island's inhabitants were seen and it was suspected to be a supernatural scene. The Self-Defense Forces have sent reconnaissance planes to check the timer."

"According to reports, this phenomenon could very well be some legendary mirage. The Japanese government has issued an appeal to the public, telling all Japanese citizens not to panic and to stay in their offices and homes patiently to prevent chaos from happening…"

…

"Dear viewers in front of your televisions, this is the TBS Tokyo Broadcasting Station. The countdown timer in the sky is the source of the riots. I'm the reporter, Tojo Mahiro. I'll be in close contact with the rioters… Hello, auntie over there, may I know where you're going with an electric icebox?"

…

"An hour has passed. According to the detection of experts, the mysterious countdown timer above the island matches the speed of the real-time clock. The reason for the phenomenon is still under investigation. The government has reminded the public again to maintain a good attitude and not cause any trouble. Our broadcasting company will be reporting for you."

…

Within an hour, Japan, which had been rather sparsely populated, was thrown into an irrepressible state of chaos. People rioting on the streets were seen everywhere, and those who didn't participate hid in their homes, shivering.

The economy of Japan suffered an unprecedented setback in that one hour. Traffic was paralyzed and the stock market plummeted. Even the United States began to sell Japanese stocks publicly. The malls and supermarkets in Japan were completely looted by the rioting people. The losses suffered during the current financial crisis were unprecedented.

In the end, the government had no choice but to send out a self-defense force to suppress the riots in Tokyo. It took about four to five hours before the riots in Tokyo were finally suppressed. However, over a thousand Japanese people were killed by the riots in just a matter of hours.

The phenomenon that took place in the sky and the riots that took place in Japan were spread all over the world in an irrepressible manner. The people were very passionate about such supernatural phenomena. The countdown on the Stellar Technology official website was quickly brought up and a series of speculations and discussions began.

When the news spread to the Japanese government, the government immediately sought to negotiate with the branch company of Stellar Technology in Japan. However, they were shocked to discover that all foreign employees of Stellar Technology had boarded a flight back home the night before. They had no choice but to send messages to communicate with Stellar Technology through the Chinese embassy in Japan.

The Japanese prime minister was looking at the news reports on the television with a glum expression on his face. The emergence of such an incident had caused all media outlets in Japan and the rest of the world to be thrown into a frenzy. He couldn't help but recall the blood-red headlines on the official website of Stellar Technology. A tinge of gloominess flashed across the Japanese prime minister's eyes subconsciously. If everything were to go according to the predictions made by that announcement, wouldn't it mean that the volcanoes on the island of Benz would erupt in the next 30 hours?

The Japanese prime minister gritted his teeth at that thought and instinctively wanted to deny that possibility. He refused to believe that Stellar Technology had that kind of technology. Even if the other party did have that kind of technology, no country in the world would be able to shoulder the consequences if a volcano were to erupt on the island of Benzhou, much less a company.

Furthermore, the other party was more than capable of doing such a thing in secret. There was no need for such a huge commotion. What was the point of Star Technology doing such a thing?

Someone knocked on the door outside the office.

"Come in." The Japanese prime minister put away his expression and sat up straight. A middle-aged man dressed in a suit walked into the room right after the prime minister said that. The prime minister didn't wait for the prime minister to ask anything before he said, "Prime Minister, our people have contacted Li Yiru, the person-in-charge of the Stellar Technology headquarters. However, the other party said that they don't know the cause of what happened and refused to negotiate with them."

"Not sure? If not, why would there be such a countdown on the official website like the one above us?" The Japanese prime minister was so angry that he was about to laugh. A cold glint flashed across his eyes. "Where are the representatives from Huaxia? Get them to represent the government and put pressure on Huaxia right away. I want to know everything in an hour!"

"Mr. Prime Minister…" That middle-aged man's expression changed drastically and he began to stammer. "I'm afraid that the Huaxia authorities wouldn't really help us."

"Bang!" The Japanese prime minister flipped the computer on the table and the loud noise was replayed in the office. He stood up all of a sudden and all the rage that he had been accumulating exploded.

"You b * stard! Do I need you to teach me that? We need an explanation, no matter what it is! Huaxia needs pressure, and so does the United Nations! I refuse to believe that Stellar Technology would be able to keep its mouth shut against the pressure from the United Nations."

"Hi!" The middle-aged man bowed and said respectfully, "I understand. I'll send someone to contact the United Nations right away!" He then walked out of the door.

"Hold on!" The Japanese prime minister seemed to have thought of something and waved his hand suddenly. He hesitated for a bit before asking, "How are things going with the external armor that the attackers found last night?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the weapons institute has formed a research team and is doing their best to crack the enemy's weapons and technology. However, according to the preliminary judgments of the experts, the exterior of the enemy's armor is made of some kind of metal that doesn't exist in reality and is extremely hard. Furthermore, the structure of the armor far exceeds the level of our industry and technology. Furthermore, due to the armor being incomplete, the chances of cracking it…" The middle-aged man hesitated for a bit before he gritted his teeth and continued, "It's very unlikely!"

"You bunch of idiots!" The Japanese prime minister gritted his teeth and continued, "Our Japanese industry and technology are the best in the world. If I can't even crack the armor and weapons of stellar technology, what's the point of having a weapons research institute? Tell them that if they're unable to crack the armor of the enemy within a month, they're done for. All of you, go home and retire!"

"Hi!"

The middle-aged man looked rather bitter, but he still nodded solemnly and agreed before leaving the office. It was only then that the Japanese prime minister felt weak all over and he slumped back in his chair, looking exhausted.

"It's obvious that this is their revenge for what happened last night." The Japanese prime minister muttered under his breath. "Damn it, they were the ones who invaded our sacred land and they're not letting us retaliate?"

"Furthermore, as long as I claim that the entire operation was initiated by their company, there's nothing Stellar Technology could do about it, no matter how influential it is in the world. Under the United Nations' sanctions, their only option would be bankruptcy and destruction…"

"So, that number is definitely not just to make us people panic. What is their next plan…" The Japanese prime minister continued to speculate in his mind. "To trigger a volcano eruption in Japan? But, if they were to do so, they would be putting themselves at the edge of destruction. After all, the entire world wouldn't tolerate a company with such dangerous technology…"

"Unless…" A thought came to the Japanese prime minister's mind all of a sudden and he thought of a possibility. A chill ran down his spine and he quickly dismissed that possibility. However, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. That possibility had become a nightmare that he couldn't shake off.

"Unless… unless the Stellar Technology possesses power that completely eclipses that of all humans!"

"But, is that even possible?"

434. One Strike

While the entire world was focused on the conflict between Japan and Stellar technology, Zhang Heng had left Earth and was now somewhere 36,000 kilometers away from Earth.

That was the orbit of the Earth's synchronized satellite, and that was the Galaxy International Space Station.

The Galaxy Space Station had grown several times in size after three to four days of construction. New space stations and cabins had been constructed on the scaffolding, and the main trunk had grown from 25 meters wide to 50 meters wide and 300 meters long. The entire structure looked like a huge, thick umbrella, or some weirdly-shaped flower that was blooming in the cold, dead depths of space.

It could be said that the Galaxy Space Station had become the largest construct in human history, but that was not the limit. According to the blueprint of stellar technology, the final image of the Galaxy Space Station would be a spherical space fortress with a diameter of hundreds of kilometers and the size of an asteroid.

Zhang Heng was standing in the main control room of the Galaxy Space Station at the moment, looking at the huge floor-to-ceiling window that was made up of an entire wall. The Earth outside the window took up almost half of the view from that distance.

The Earth looked like a dazzling moon at the moment when day and night came into contact with each other. Half of it shone like glass under the sunlight. The dark green plains, the brownish-yellow land, the dark blue ocean, and the white polka dots were clearly seen. The other half behind the sun was a deep black color. However, one could see countless city lights flickering like stars in the night sky. The silhouettes of huge cities like Jingzhou, Haizhou, and so on were vaguely seen.

Thousands of clones and robots were busy working outside the space station's window. Huge mechanical modules were being moved out of the molecular transmitter one after another. Due to the lack of gravity in the outer sky, the equipment was easily welded together, making it look like building blocks. It took only a few minutes for the entire structure to be constructed.

"Commander, the time is almost up. There are only 10 minutes left before midnight in Tokyo." At that moment, the pod behind him opened and Corona walked in with a solemn look on her face. After using the quantum information transmission technology, Corona was able to control her T-X mechanical body all over the world without delay, including satellite orbits further away.

Despite her serious expression, there was a glint of excitement in her eyes.

Time to cause trouble again…

"How are the movements of the countries on Earth going?" Zhang Heng didn't turn around and just stared at the huge aqua blue planet before him, a nation that was surrounded by the ocean and looked like a worm. It would be an exaggeration to call it a nation, but it looked more like an island, an island so tiny that it looked like a worm. It was as if one would be able to squash it in the palm of their hand with just a slight gesture.

"The entire country of Japan was thrown into a state of panic after we projected the countdown timer above Tokyo using the massive holographic projector. The United Nations accepted requests from the Japanese authorities this afternoon and sent negotiators to deal with us and the Japanese government. At the same time, an emergency meeting was held to determine the location of the terrorist organization and to sanction our Stellar Technology," Corona said immediately. "Several countries under our control, including the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and a few others, voted against our orders. Huaxia and Russia voted against it, but the rest, such as Australia, Brazil, South Korea, and the rest of the authorities, agreed to sanction us. They also requested the creation of an investigation team to suspend our businesses for investigation."

"Oh, is that so?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly.

"Those countries have been eyeing us for a long time. Now that we have a chance, they would definitely want a piece of the pie," Corona replied. "It's a pity that the three permanent members of the Chinese, American, and English factions are on our side. As the permanent members of the Security Council, they have the right to veto any decision they make. Their plans are doomed to fail."

"Very well, I'll remember those countries." Zhang Heng chuckled and turned around to look at Corona. "Get ready to charge."

"Yes." Corona flashed a sweet smile before she put away her expression all of a sudden. Her eyes turned blank as she opened her mouth slightly. However, her voice was heard throughout all the broadcasts in the space station.

"Warning: Archimedes orbit cannon is about to be activated. All crew members are to return to the space station. I repeat, all crew members are to return to the space station immediately."

Corona opened her mouth slightly and her voice was heard from every corner of the space station, as well as the communication devices of all the staff members and humanoid robots. It was as if she had completely fused with the space station. Corona was the central control system of the space station at that moment. All movements inside the space station were under her control and she would be able to detect the slightest abnormality.

All of the workers who were still doing their work in outer space stopped what they were doing right away. Flames burst from the Ion jets of their backpacks behind the advanced spacesuits, pushing them toward the vacuum pods of the space station.

"All staff members, please return to the residential floor. The space station will be entering Level One Alert mode for the next 10 minutes."

"Blockade One complete."

"Blockade 2 complete."

"Block 3, barrier down. Complete lockdown in 10 seconds!"

"Blockade of area four complete!"

"Archimedes orbit cannon's engines in operation…"

"Liquid nitrogen cooling system detected…"

"Test complete. Begin the experiment of cryogenic superconducting current…"

"Experiment complete."

"Arkimud Satellite Railgun's engines are preheated. Entry activation…"

"Begin attempting to lock onto the target."

All of a sudden, the entire space station seemed to shudder slightly. The huge barrel at the very front of the space station seemed to have moved several millimeters without being detected. From the floor-to-ceiling window before Zhang Heng's eyes, he was able to see that the barrel was aimed at a huge mountain over three kilometers above sea level within that insect-like country. He was able to see snow all over that mountain peak at that moment.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze, a sharp glint in his eyes. He knew that if that attack were to land, tens of thousands of people would have died on the spot, and tens of millions would have been homeless. However, his heart was completely calm at the moment, devoid of any emotion.

After all, someone had to be sacrificed in order to save human civilization. That someone couldn't possibly be him. If that was the case, there was no need for him to taint the beliefs in his heart with false guilt.

A cruel smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face as he looked at everything before him.

"Target locked. Northern latitude 35 ° 21 ′ 28.8 μ East 138 ° 43 ′ 51.6 μ. The Archimedes orbit cannon is charging…"

"Electromagnetic trajectory charged. The railgun will be fired at a power rate of 38.8 percent. Launch countdown begins…" The alarm on the radio became increasingly urgent. Tens of thousands of kilometers away, the clock on New Year's Eve in Japan began its final countdown.

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

…

The blue electric arcs on the huge cannon suddenly flickered as the energy charged in. The entire space station began to shake violently at the same time, as if there was a huge monster charging left and right, about to burst out of the space station.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Buzz!"

A beam of blazing white light shot into the sky at the very next second as the shaking reached its peak.

It was like a beam of light that could tear anything apart. Zhang Heng felt that his five senses were rendered completely useless at that moment. He was unable to hear, unable to see, and even the vacuum of the universe began to ripple.

The beam of light traveled at the speed of light in the blink of an eye. A tiny white dot of light was seen in the beam of light at 0.01 seconds. That was the miraculous scene of a solid cannonball accelerating at an accelerated rate of 150 kilometers per second. The cannonball seemed to have turned into a beam of light. Four minutes later, the cannonball would carry kinetic energy capable of burning the sky and boiling the sea, piercing through the belly of Mount Fuji and completely triggering the Pacific Volcano belt, turning Japan into a sea of fire.

That was just the first step of his plan.

435. Calamity Grade

The first day of the first lunar month of each year was the New Year's Day in Japan, and the day before the New Year was New Year's Eve.

However, on New Year's Eve, the entire city of Tokyo seemed to be filled with an inexplicable sense of desolation.

The day before, Tokyo had just been subjected to a citywide outbreak of violence and was currently licking its wounds quietly. The entire country was thrown into a state of panic by the string of countdowns overhead. They had learned from various media outlets that, according to Stellar Technology, the moment when the countdown reached zero was the moment when all the major volcanoes in Japan erupted.

Time passed in seconds. New Year's Eve was supposed to be a family reunion, but everyone was filled with anxiety and fear. The countdown timer was not blocked by the darkness of the night even when it was late at night. Instead, it looked even brighter and clearer due to the darkening sky.

That countdown was actually a very simple one. It was just a massive holographic projection device installed on the Galaxy Space Station. That device had the ability to project the atmosphere above Tokyo for a long distance. Due to the fact that the entire world lacked a fully developed holographic projection technology and the Galaxy Space Station was invisible, that countdown became a supernatural mystery that scientists all over the world had yet to solve.

All the residents of the island stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky with fear in their eyes. However, the countdown timer came to zero when the clock struck midnight, and still…

Nothing happened.

Hope gradually rose in the eyes of many. At that moment, the Japanese prime minister, who had been observing for a long time in the residence of the prime minister of Yongda, in Tokyo, let out a sigh of relief. He shook his head and chuckled in a self-depreciative manner. He realized that he shouldn't have believed the threats from Star Technology.

However, just when everyone was gradually relaxing, a dazzling beam of light shone from the sky above Tokyo all of a sudden. It was like a shooting star that broke through the atmosphere's encirclement in an instant, leaving only a blinding white light in everyone's eyes.

The beam of light sank into the top of Mount Fuji, which was hundreds of kilometers away, in the very next second.

The Japanese prime minister's heart shuddered all of a sudden. He looked at the sky where the beam of light fell from above him and saw a red light that was visible to the naked eye hovering in the air for a very long time, as if the atmosphere had been burnt through, leaving only a bloody wound that was so deep that even the lights of the city were completely suppressed by the light coming from that wound.

The entire city was thrown into an uproar again at the sight that had never been seen before. However, before anyone could do anything, thunderous booms were heard from afar all of a sudden. The noise wasn't very loud at first, but as time passed, the rumbling of thunder became earth-shattering all of a sudden. At the same time, waves of scorching shockwaves blew past. Those were sonic booms caused by something piercing through the air. The entire city seemed to have turned into a small boat that could only wobble in the midst of a raging storm.

At that moment, the Japanese prime minister felt an indescribable chill down his spine. He wondered what would happen if that beam of light were to land on Mount Fuji, given that it was able to create such devastating damage just by flying thousands of meters above Tokyo.

The moment the Japanese prime minister thought of that, an irrepressible burst of flames shot up into the sky at the top of Mount Fuji, which was 80 kilometers away. It was as if the end of the world had arrived and the entirety of Tokyo was turned red by that burst of flames.

Mount Fuji finally exploded under that devastating attack.

…

Zhang Heng looked away after the beam of light disappeared into the foothills of Mount Fuji. According to his plan, the entire island of Benzhou would be plunged into a sea of fire. That was the first step that he took. Corona's next step would be to attack several more Japanese crustal movements according to the current situation, completely erasing the country located at the border between the Europa and the Pacific.

However, the process of erasing Japan would take a very long time. There was no way Zhang Heng would simply sink Japan for the sake of Adam. While he did have the power to do so, the chain effects that would be brought about by the rapid sinking of Japan would be something that human civilization would not be able to withstand.

If Japan were to sink quickly, there was only one possibility—the weather would become warmer, the Antarctic ice would melt, and the global sea level would soar. The developed regions of all countries would be concentrated on the coastal areas at low altitudes, and none of them would be able to escape being drowned.

With all of those areas being flooded, the global powers would probably have to reshuffle. A huge number of island nations like the Maldives and Nauru would be completely wiped out.

According to the geographical situation of Huaxia, the country would lose about 500 to 700 thousand square kilometers of land. Jingzhou, Haizhou, Shandong, Liaoning, and Guangdong would all suffer irrepressible tsunamis that would affect hundreds of millions of people.

The disaster that would have hit the economy, in particular, would have been unthinkable. The seawater from the north would have reached the northern border, the Iron Mountain, and most of the Huabei Plains would have been submerged, with the seawater reaching the bottom of Taihang Mountains.

That was what would happen after Corona's deduction. According to Corona, there would probably be two new coastal areas in the northeast, which would be Heilongjiang Fuyuan and Hui Chun in Jilin. The northeastern part of Heilongjiang would lose its harbor altogether, and Liaodong Bay would head north to Tieling, where Shenyang and Dalian would be drowned. Qinhuang Island, Tianjin, Tang, and the southeastern part of Hebei would sink to the bottom of the ocean. The Shandong Peninsula would become two islands and the first island would no longer be Taiwan, but the so-called Shandong Island.

As such, under Corona's persuasion, Zhang Heng had no choice but to resort to another approach. He would first attack the weak node at Mount Fuji, triggering an earthquake and volcanic belt outbreak in the Pacific Rim, which would deal a heavy blow to Japan. He would then attack the weak node at the continental shelf, causing Japan to sink.

The sinking would last for at least a year. Due to the slow rate at which it happened, the impact it would have on the world would definitely not be as huge as it was described to be. However, there were still specific effects to be had. It was just that the curse would have probably arrived by then, and Zhang Heng would have been able to handle whatever would happen to the world.

The reason why Zhang Heng went to such lengths was not only to have Japan be buried with Adam, but more importantly, it was also to… demonstrate his power to the entire world. In his view, the human race was at a life and death juncture. If he didn't speed up the process of consolidating human civilization, there was no way he could resist the curse a year later.

However, if he were to unite the entire human race, would he be able to deal with that curse?

A tinge of gloominess flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes. As far as he knew, there was not a single plane among all the human planes that he had been to that curse. Furthermore, it didn't seem like he would be able to get away unscathed after surviving the first curse. In reality, if he were to survive the first curse, that would mean that the second curse wouldn't be far off.

Such curses were like the nightmares of humans. No matter where one hid, no matter where one sat, one would be unable to escape fate.

It was as if no matter how much he struggled, it was all just a poor performance and all his efforts would be in vain.

436. Justice Begins

It was as if the stars in the sky were falling. A beam of crimson-white light covered the bright moon at the top of Mount Fuji and plunged into the ground with enough force to penetrate the earth.

The next second, the entire world seemed to have turned hazy. The orange-red fire bloomed without a sound, and the temperature of the world rose. The air in the area boiled in an instant. The county town, which was located at the foot of the mountain, was wiped away by that invisible hand before it could even realize what was happening, leaving only dust behind.

From afar, one could see a fiery red mist rising from the top of Mount Fuji, which then turned into a mushroom cloud that looked like a pillar of the heavens. The mushroom cloud was even larger than Mount Fuji! Tens of millions of tons of smoke and dust were sent up to the stratosphere. Flames were seen all over the place, making the place look like a massive firework that covered the entire sky.

A shockwave visible to the naked eye at the bottom of the mushroom cloud spread out in a perfect ring, flattening everything in an instant. The hills were reduced to plains, the lakes dried up and cracked in an instant, and villages and cities were reduced to dust. Nothing could be stopped or avoided.

The entirety of Japan seemed to have shuddered in the face of such a calamity that was comparable to the crash of a small planet. The plates of the Eurasian continent at the bottom of the continent cracked and shattered, and the top of Mount Fuji was reduced by over a kilometer, making it look like an inverted bowl. Clusters of flames shot out of the bowl, making it look extremely resplendent, yet exuding a power capable of destroying everything.

The Japanese prime minister stood hundreds of kilometers away and looked at the silhouette in the distance. He was trembling all over and his face was as pale as a paper doll. He gritted his teeth and tore at the air.

"It's over, it's really over…" The Japanese prime minister slowly closed his eyes and wore a bitter, helpless grin on his face. If the financial crisis that happened before had caused Japan to suffer severe losses, and the countdown that followed made things even worse for Japan, then the current situation was like the last straw that broke the camel's back. All of the savings that Japan had built up over decades would be completely wasted from then on out.

No, this isn't the end.

As an island nation on an earthquake belt, the consequences of such an earth-shattering event could only be imagined. While the Japanese prime minister was not some kind of geologist, he was able to tell from the power of that beam of light from afar just how devastating the chain reaction would be in the coming days that the entire island of Benzhou would probably experience an earth-shattering earthquake.

In fact… he was in danger of sinking.

However, that didn't seem to be enough. Just when Japan was reeling from the shockwave, yet another burst of flames tore through the sky and shot past the top of Tokyo's head. That direction was none other than… Mount Oshino, one of the active volcanoes in Japan.

If one were to say that the entirety of the island had gone silent after the first beam was seen, then the entirety of the island was awakened when the second beam was seen to be even more powerful. Someone let out an ear-piercing shriek in the night sky and the entire world seemed to have been thrown into chaos. The entirety of Tokyo was thrown into unprecedented chaos.

However, that was not the end yet. The third, fourth, fifth… pillars of light shot down from the heavens one after another. Even the most determined of people felt like they were about to collapse. It was as if the end of days had come, and the entirety of Japan was about to be erased from the map of Earth.

In the northern part of Japan, in a shrine located in the Shichibukawa area in the nameless mountain, an old witch knelt on the ground and faced the east with a very sincere look on her face. "Is God Amaterasu angry? God, save your people!"

In a small village in the highlands of Abukuma in the eastern part of Japan, a woman stood by her side, protecting her child. The child's innocent eyes were wide open as he pointed at the fireworks and giggled. He kept clapping his hands, yet he failed to notice the intense fear in his mother's eyes that couldn't be erased.

In the central part of Japan, in Yoshida, Fuji, which was only nine kilometers away from Mt. Fuji, the entire city was thrown into a state of panic as the streets lost all semblance of order. The sounds of cars crashing against each other were heard one after another, and pedestrians were running all over the place. Ear-piercing cries were heard from time to time as huge burning rocks with thick smoke trailing behind them fell from the sky.

That wasn't fatal, but the tsunami-like shockwave from afar came crashing down on them. The shockwave swept through the bustling city in less than 10 seconds, bringing with it a power that could wipe out everything. The tall buildings collapsed in an instant, and pedestrians and cars were swept hundreds of meters into the air like pieces of paper. When the shockwave passed, the entire city was reduced to rubble, as well as… flames that shot into the sky.

Compared to that disaster, the two atomic bombs back then were like child's play to him. In just an hour, more than 10 percent of the island was completely destroyed by that devastating attack. Economic and population losses were incalculable.

That night, the entire world was rendered completely speechless by that terrifying disaster.

…

Late at night, Huaxia Academy of Sciences' Haizhou Observatory, Haizhou's Songjiang Sheshan Observatory.

The 65-meter caliber radio telescope stood silently in the night sky like a huge white fortress. The antenna formed by the parabola looked like a sack, with its head held high as if it was trying to wrap itself around the majestic world.

That was one of the most famous observatories in Huaxia. The huge radio telescope platform was just one of the many pieces of equipment in Huaxia. Other than that, there was also the Pegasus Telescope Station, the 60 centimeters observation platform, the supercomputer platform, the very-long baseline interference observatories, the International VLBI Data Processing Center, the 1.56 meters caliber optical telescope, the 60 centimeters satellite laser range telescope, the global positioning system, and so on. The value of those pieces of equipment could not be measured, and they could be said to be world-class.

However, it was New Year's Day and the station head and the academicians from the Academy of Engineering were given a long vacation. There were only three staff members who were still doing their internship in the equipment room, bored to death.

"Crackle…"

Liquid helium at a temperature of -267.8 degrees Celsius was continuously injected into the hypothermia receiver in the equipment room to maintain its optimal performance. The sound of "chi chi chi" was heard continuously as three hot-blooded young men in their mid-twenties played cards in the blind spots of the surveillance cameras, killing the night.

"Hey, what's that noise?" One of the young men with more sensitive ears shushed the two of them all of a sudden, seemingly having heard something.

"What's wrong? Footsteps? Is the boss here to check?" The two young men looked flustered and were about to put away their cards when the young man from before waved his hand and said, "No, that's not it. That's the sound coming from the control room."

"You scared the hell out of me, Cheng Lei. Why are you making such a scene? What kind of noise could there be in the control room?" His two companions wore looks of disdain.

However, the young man named Cheng Lei seemed to realize something and his expression changed drastically all of a sudden. He dropped the cards before he could even greet the two of them and headed straight for the control room.

"Heh, a bomb?" The noise from the two of them was heard from behind him, but Cheng Lei's expression became increasingly serious. He pushed open the door of the control room and the deafening noise that sounded like an alarm was heard right away.

The radio telescope seemed to have detected something…

437. Li Lian's Warning

The blood-red prompt lights on the control panel flickered non-stop. Cheng Lei threw himself before the workbench and put on his earphones right away. All of a sudden, an ear-piercing noise was heard, sounding like the wailing of some evil spirit. The noise was so deafening that it was enough to hurt anyone's eardrums, making him feel like throwing the earphones worth tens of thousands of yuan away.

It was only then that the two unreliable colleagues walked into the room. They knew what was happening at the moment and quickly put away their casual attitude and went to stand beside Cheng Lei, looking at the distorted image on the screen with concern.

"Electromagnetic signal!"

It was not until half a minute later that Cheng Lei took off his earpiece with a pale face and wore a shocked expression on his face. He said to the two of them, "We have to inform the director immediately!"

"What the hell?" One of the young men picked up the earpiece and wore it with a puzzled look on his face. He looked as if he had just seen a ghost after putting it on. "It's… it's really something! It's so intense, it's right above us! Could it be a missile?"

"No, that's not it. There's no way a missile could travel that fast. Regardless of what it is, we have to report it right away. No one would be able to shoulder the responsibility otherwise." Cheng Lei quickly called his superior and reported the situation to the higher-ups. The news was quickly reported and even the station head was alerted. A report was sent to the central authorities in Jingzhou in less than 20 minutes.

…

"Ring…"

Zhang Heng had just returned from the Galaxy Space Station and had yet to stop when his phone in his pocket rang.

Zhang Heng took a look at the number and immediately understood what was going on. He picked up the phone with a smile and asked, "What can I do for you, Director Li?"

"Zhang Heng…" On the other end of the phone, Li Lian's voice was very low, as if he was in disbelief. "Did you… do something to Japan?"

"What are you talking about? Why don't I get what you're saying? What do you mean by not doing anything to Japan?" Zhang Heng wore a secretive grin and asked, "What happened, Director Li?"

"You're still trying to play dumb with me!" Li Lian's voice was filled with rage right away. "The entire world knows about this. Do you know what you're doing? You're not just committing a crime here. You're… you're…" Li Lian was so agitated that he was unable to speak clearly.

Zhang Heng shook his head. He lit a cigarette easily and puffed out a puff of smoke before chuckling and saying, "Relax, Director Li. Take your time. I have plenty of time."

"Alright." Li Lian seemed to realize that there was something wrong with his emotions as well. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down before saying, "Zhang Heng, listen to me. The entire world knows that you're the one behind all of this. There's only one thing you need to take note of right now, and that is to take down that announcement on your website right away. At the same time, make it known that all of this is a technical failure and that you know nothing about it. There might still be a chance of survival."

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and the frivolous look on his face disappeared. He nodded and said, "I understand, Director Li. Thank you for your help."

"…" The person on the other end of the phone didn't say anything else and hung up quickly. Zhang Heng looked like he was deep in thought when he heard the busy tone.

He knew that there was no way he could hide all of that from the eyes of the rest of the world. From the launch of the Galaxy Rockets, to the rumors spread online by the authorities, as well as the fact that the space-based weapon was now completely exposed, anyone who wasn't a fool would be able to tell that all of that was done by Stellar Technology. He was unable to turn back the moment the Archimedes' orbit cannon fired. There were only two possible outcomes at the moment. The first was that the plan was completed, and the plan was to successfully integrate the entire world, accumulating resources and technology, turning the Earth into a sturdy fortress.

The other possibility was that the plan failed. The United Nations imposed military sanctions on Stellar Technology in a world of irrepressible panic, putting Stellar Technology on the complete opposite side of the world.

Of course, even if he were to fail, it wouldn't be a big deal to him. He was confident enough to defeat all the military forces from all over the world, from the most advanced of military fields to the lowest, and he had the ability to suppress both technical and military forces. It was just that, if he were to really reach such a level, he would definitely be able to leave a deep scar.

Putting aside the fact that he had expended the power of humanity, to put it in a more pleasant manner, he was joining forces with the other nations to force the entire world to become one. To put it bluntly, he was simply suppressing the humans with violence.

Even if the various countries were to submit to his tyranny for the time being, there were over two hundred political entities and over seven billion people in the world. He would be so busy that he wouldn't be able to take care of them even if he were to die. When that happened, the entire world would be plunged into irrepressible chaos—the economy would collapse and civilization would regress. Forget about fighting the curse, Zhang Heng would be lucky if the humans didn't kill him.

As such, Zhang Heng would rather resort to a peaceful strategy of boiling the frog in warm water than resort to violence to solve the problem. After all, violence alone wasn't enough to solve the problem.

As for changing the top brass of every country around the world to clones? Putting aside just how much work that would require, the countries were no fools. It might not be a problem to use the clones in a small area, but once the clones were used in a large area, everyone would quickly realize that something was off and be on high alert. Furthermore, even if they were to successfully replace hundreds of thousands of people with their own people, there were more than just top brass in a country. There were middle management, lower middle management, and lower management. If those top brass were to go against the wishes of the people below, they would still be taken over or even overthrown. The entanglement of interests was not something that Zhang Heng could control.

That was why Zhang Heng would rather infiltrate the US and India from the bottom of the hierarchy rather than replace the president and the top brass. While it would be a little troublesome, building a house was just like building a building. Regardless, the foundation was of utmost importance. Otherwise, it would have been like building a building out of thin air, illusory and ephemeral, something that could be easily destroyed.

Zhang Heng's control over American, Indian, British, and other countries had long since stabilized. That was one of the reasons why he had the confidence to face the entire world. On one hand, he needed to intimidate the rest of the world with force, while on the other hand, he needed someone with a good reputation to back him up. American, British, and Indian countries were his trump cards in preventing him from completely standing against humanity.

Zhang Heng wore a determined look on his face. He had been planning to set up this trap since the foundation's binding operation two years ago. It would have taken him five to six years, or even nearly 10 years to complete the plan, but the curse forced him to pick up the pace.

It was finally time for him to lay his cards on the table. Due to the financial influence of Stellar Technology, the support of countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as a few conditions that could move the entire world, he had 50 percent confidence that the entire world would be willing to unite.

All in all, the plan could only succeed and not fail. Zhang Heng couldn't afford the consequences of failure, and neither could human civilization.

438. Security Council Urgent Meeting

The next morning, the entire world was filled with reports about the attack on Japan. That was no longer something that could be described as' hot and bothered '. Due to the advanced information media and internet systems all over the world, humans had long broken the traditional concept of time and space, becoming extremely connected to the outside world and the entire world. It was like a village in the vast universe—Earth Village.

The extent of the damage caused by this incident was not something that could be described as a terrorist attack. It was something that had never happened before in human history. This was no longer a war, but a one-sided slaughter.

That morning, the Japanese prime minister sent out an urgent call for help internationally, calling for all forms of aid from politicians and individuals around the world. The world was shocked. The geologists then investigated and concluded that the continental shelf at the bottom of the island had been destroyed. The entire 230,000 square kilometers of huge island was in a state of turmoil and even began to sink.

That expert predicted that the island would begin to sink from that day onwards, and it would become an irreversible geological phenomenon. The entire island, including the surrounding islands, would completely disappear from the Pacific Rim within a year.

The report spread to every corner of the human network. Many countries sent their condolences and expressed their sympathy for what happened to Japan. However, none of the countries came to a conclusion as to whether it was a natural disaster or man-made disaster. While everyone was certain that it was done by Stellar Technology, no country would be able to come to a conclusion so easily without sufficient evidence.

There was also an apology posted on the announcement posted by Stellar Technology: All employees of Stellar Technology express their deepest apologies for what happened to Japan. Recently, the official website of Stellar Technology was hacked and those countdown actions were done by the hackers, which had nothing to do with Stellar Technology.

As soon as the announcement was made, netizens from all over the world were divided into two factions. Some scolded Hengkong Technology for being despicable, while others supported Hengkong Technology. That was especially true in the case of Huaxia and South Korea, where many people cheered and tried their best to exonerate Hengkong Technology. Many people in South Korea even put up banners to commemorate the attack that happened in Japan that very day. The two sides got into a heated argument over the matter.

The United Nations immediately called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council to discuss countermeasures at Japan's request.

At that moment, in the new city area of the eastern bank of Bern, the capital of Switzerland, all of the representatives from the United Nations who had joined the United Nations were present. The entire world was prepared to attend the meeting the moment Japan was breached last night. Due to how shocking the event was, none of the members were absent when the meeting began.

The solemn music of the 'International Song' was heard as the meeting of the United Nations began. The president of the United Nations, the president of the event, slowly walked up to the stage in January. However, the expressions of the Japanese representatives changed when they saw that familiar Asian face. The representatives from all over the world looked at each other with complicated expressions, not knowing what to feel.

The chairperson of the United Nations Security Council was given a rotation of positions according to the national names and letters of the English alphabet. The term of the chairperson was a month and it was currently a month. The person taking up the role was none other than the representative of Huaxia, Song Zhong.

As a country affiliated with Stellar Technology and one of the countries that worked most closely with Stellar Technology, no one knew just how much Huaxia had benefited from Stellar Technology, and no one knew if Huaxia would be able to acquire Stellar Technology, which was even more powerful than nuclear weapons.

Regardless, Huaxia was the most powerful country in the world after the collapse of the United States and the fatal blow dealt to Japan.

Song Zhong walked to the podium with a calm expression on his face and straightened his back. Back in the United Nations, he was known as the 'Iron and Blood Face' among the representatives of the various countries due to his unyielding attitude. This was not the first time he was standing in that chair. He had both hands on the corner of the table as he looked around the room with a deadpan expression. However, his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. Other than the other permanent members of the government, none of the other countries dared to meet his gaze.

"It is my honor to welcome you all, Mr. Redisenanders. On behalf of my country, I am once again standing on this stage." Song Zhong's voice was low and deep, yet there was an unparalleled confidence and robustness to it. "During this emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, it was our member, Japan, who proposed a draft proposal to impose both economic and military sanctions on the Stellar Biotech Corporation under Huaxia, as well as financial compensation…"

"As everyone knows, on December 30, 2018, a series of strange countdowns suddenly appeared in the airspace of a Japanese member island, disrupting the internal order of Japan and causing panic and violence among the people. The same countdown appeared on the official website of Stellar Technology, warning that Japan would soon be attacked by volcanoes…"

The Japanese representative suddenly looked furious when he heard what Song Zhong said. He snorted coldly and was able to tell that Huaxia was favoring Stellar Technology. The official website of Stellar Technology was being called a warning and the meaning behind it was completely different.

"Then, at midnight on January 1, 2019, Japan suffered an attack that no one had ever seen before. According to the investigation, that attack was most likely caused by the legendary railgun, which accelerated the projectile to over 100 kilometers before crashing into the ground. All aspects of Japan's losses were unpredictable in that attack."

Song Zhong looked at the Japanese representative with a smirk and continued, "On behalf of Huaxia, I would like to express my deep sympathy for what happened to your country. I would also like to make it clear that we are against all forms of terrorism and violence! We would strongly condemn the recent attack on the Japanese island of Benzhou. We would definitely take down the culprit behind the breach of world security. Please rest assured."

The Japanese representative, Tian Chuan'an, nodded with a glum look on his face. He put the microphone to his mouth and wore a look of grief and indignation. "First of all, on behalf of my country, I would like to make a solemn declaration that there is some discrepancy in what Huaxia is saying on behalf of Mr. Song."

"For example, that announcement on the official website of Stellar Technology is definitely not some kind of warning. I personally think that it should be some kind of deterrence, some kind of threat! Please correct that. And then there's the draft case." Tian Chuan'an took a deep breath and continued, "Our country is an ancient nation with a history of over three thousand years. The attack caused hundreds of millions of people to be displaced and millions to die. Not only would that be a huge blow to Japan, but it would also be a huge blow to the entire world. Countless cultures in Japan would probably disappear from the face of the world in less than a hundred years. That would be an immeasurable loss to human civilization."

439. No All Voting

"It has been proven that while Stellar Technology appears to be a tech company on the surface, it is actually a terrorist organization that is anti-social and anti-social. They wield weapons of mass destruction capable of destroying the world.

The further he went on, the more furious and frustrated he became. "I hope that all members of the member states and the chairmen of this meeting will be able to uphold the law and see the true nature of Stellar Technology! Do not be fooled by their appearances. I hereby call for all of you to recognize the level of danger that Stellar Technology poses. United all member states to carry out economic sanctions against it. Also, arrest all members of the upper echelon, including the legal representative and manager. If necessary, use force to take care of them."

"This is the draft of our plan. I hope that the five permanent members of the governing council will be impartial, putting humanity's crisis to rest in the cradle."

The entire venue was in an uproar as soon as he said that. Everyone began to whisper to one another and discuss among themselves. Excitement was written all over their faces as they imagined just how many benefits they would be able to reap from the downfall of a massive company like Stellar Technology. They didn't need to think too much about it. Any one of the technologies under Stellar Technology would be enough to last their country for several years.

"I'd like to speak on behalf of the United States of America." However, the representative of the United States of America stood up solemnly at that moment. He cleared his throat and took a look at Tian Chuanan before giving him a hostile look. Tian Chuanan had a bad feeling about the look in his eyes for some reason.

"First of all, there is a major flaw in the draft of the proposal. The content of the proposal is imbalanced and the aim is to put pressure on the parties involved. After all, there is no evidence to prove whether Stellar Technology is the culprit behind all of this." The entire venue fell silent as soon as the first sentence was said. Everyone looked at the American representative in surprise, wondering what he was up to. Even Song Zhong was baffled.

Despite being the center of attention, the American representative continued, "Secondly, such a course of action would not solve the problem. The draft of the resolution would severely damage the international community's trust and cooperation on the problem, and it is definitely not a practical way out or an important channel for the problem."

"Thirdly, the draft of the proposal undermines the unity of the Security Council. The proposal country hasn't shown any signs of political will at all. After all, Huaxia, the Stellar Science and Technology department, would be the ones to sanction even if they were to do so. The proposal country would simply be taking matters into their own hands and not making any decisions."

"What's even more regrettable is that the United States of America turned the tables on Stellar Technology in their statements, making it look like Stellar Technology was doing something completely wrong and had ulterior motives. The United States of America is adamant against it."

"As all of you know, the United States has been participating in the draft resolution negotiations held by the Security Council with a positive, constructive, and responsible attitude, working hard to facilitate a reasonable rescue mission in Japan. The Security Council is a dignified place, not a place where you can criticize other countries for being strict. The proposals countries should adopt a responsible attitude and adhere to the principles of the UN Charter. That is the minimum requirement that every member of the Security Council should take part in the work of the Security Council."

The representative of the United States looked at Tian Chuanan with an air of righteousness and continued, "I'd like to advise the Japanese representative to stop corrupting the work ethic of the Security Council and abusing its work ethic in such a solemn setting. This is not the first time you've done such a thing. I hope that such abuses will never happen again."

Tian Chuanan's face turned a shade paler with every line he uttered. He gritted his teeth and stood up all of a sudden. "I'd like to protest against the accusations of the United States for no good reason! The fundamental interest of protecting the people of Japan is to maintain the reputation, authority, and unity of the Security Council. We've suffered such a huge loss. I hope that the members of the Security Council can reach a consensus as soon as possible!"

"Well then, let's just settle it with a vote." Song Zhong felt something was off when he saw the two of them going against each other. Japan had always been on the side of the United States and the two of them were on such good terms that they were practically on the same side. Song Zhong was used to seeing how close the two of them were in the past meetings. Now, the two countries that had caused so much trouble for him were actually going against each other like enemies and were on the verge of falling out with each other. It seemed like the rumors that the United States had long been under the control of Stellar Technology were not groundless.

Both the United Kingdom and France made their statements afterward. While none of them were as vocal as those in the United States, everyone present was smart enough to tell at a glance that the three permanent members of the three governing bodies were all biased toward Stellar Technology.

The entire world was filled with shock and astonishment. According to their original plans, they were just waiting to criticize Stellar Technology, then vote for it, and finally get a piece of the pie from the sanctions against Stellar Technology, as well as to weaken Huaxia. However, the development of the situation had far exceeded everyone's expectations. The three countries that had been trying to suppress Huaxia's rise were now on Huaxia's side?

Did the sun rise from the west?

Even Song Zhong was sweating profusely at the unexpected turn of events. He realized that there was no longer any need for him to do anything else. While he had no idea what benefits Stellar Technology had brought to the three countries, at least Stellar Technology was safe this time around.

The meeting didn't last very long. The three permanent members of the three permanent members of the committee gave their speech, which was tantamount to setting the tone for the meeting. The whole situation was completely one-sided, and the voting process soon began.

"Ahem!" Song Zhong cleared his throat and suppressed the shock he was feeling deep down. He steeled himself and said, "Alright, let's begin the voting phase. The countries with the right to vote will be voting for the five permanent members of the governing council as well as the ten permanent members of the council. The Japanese will be voting for the economic and military sanctions of Huaxia Stellar Biotech Corporation. The voting phase… begins!"

"I object!" The American was the first to voice his objection.

"Objection!" The representative from the United Kingdom said.

"Objection." The French representative followed suit.

"We, Huaxia, object!" Song Zhong looked at the three countries with a complicated expression and voiced his objection.

"Abandon." The representative from Russia didn't say a word since the start of the match. He took a casual look at the crowd and said in a stiff manner.

The remaining ten temporary non-aggressive members of the council watched all of this with their mouths agape. Up until that moment, it would have been pointless for them to say yes. Furthermore, if anyone were to say yes at that moment, it would be tantamount to offending four of the five thugs. Anyone who wasn't an idiot wouldn't say yes…

The United Nations Charter stipulates that non-programmed resolutions must be approved by at least nine out of 15 members of the Security Council, and none of the five permanent members of the Security Council would be able to pass the motion without a vote.

Tian Chuanan watched all of this with a deadpan expression at the end of the meeting, with a dazed look in his eyes. The proposal proposed by Japan had been denied by an unprecedented unanimous vote. It was just like the joke of the past: President Recepteu Eldoğan's proposal to abolish the permanent member of the United Nations Security Council was rejected by all the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—the current Japan was just like Turkey back then, a clown who made everyone feel like eating.

A war of words that would have taken tens of days to end ended in such a dramatic scene…

440. Secret Meeting

Song Zhong felt as if he was in a dream as soon as he walked out of the venue. He looked at Tian Chuanan walking out of the UN building like a dead man, yet he had no intention of attacking his political enemies. He felt a chill running down his spine, a fear of stellar technology.

While he didn't know as much about this legendary company as he did about his country, he still felt a sense of crisis just from seeing the gradual political movements of Stellar Technology.

The T-1 was where the company first came into being, and what truly brought it to power was the antifreeze. As soon as the product was released, tens of millions of people would be put to death. No single country would dare to make a move on that alone.

Then came the birth of the T-3 and the T-4, as well as the emergence of new antibiotics. The new antibiotic became something that no one in the world could compare with in the field of biopharmaceuticals in just a year. The new antibiotic then went further into the field of electronics.

Song Zhong knew very well that while the other party didn't seem to be after the PC and cell phone businesses, the appearance of the AR and VRs still dealt a devastating blow to both of them. Even Apple, once the world's largest company, suffered countless losses and was barely surviving.

In the end, the other party even went so far as to enter the field of aerospace and military engineering. By then, the ambitions of Stellar Technology had been laid bare for all to see. However, at that moment, it had grown into a massive entity that even the likes of China, the US, and Russia were unable to keep in check on alone. Even if regular people were able to tell that Stellar Technology was a threat, all of them eventually missed the best time to make their move.

Who was this piece of stellar technology?

A grave look was seen in Song Zhong's eyes. He had no idea if it was the right decision to not suppress Stellar Technology, but given that it was an order from the authorities, he figured that the authorities wouldn't make such a stupid mistake.

Song Zhong walked out of the venue with a worried look on his face and picked up his phone at the entrance. He turned it on without thinking and saw that his boss had yet to answer his phone.

Song Zhong didn't think too much about it and cleared his throat before answering the call. The call was picked up as soon as the ringtone was heard.

"Director Cui, I've completed the mission given by the organization." Song Zhong replied in Chinese, enunciating every word.

"I've got it. You and I need to find me at the side door of the building right away," Chief Cui said casually and hung up.

"Huh?" Song Zhong was stunned and it took him quite a while to regain his senses. He scanned his surroundings warily and told his assistants to return to their rooms before making his way to the side door, feeling rather uneasy.

Song Zhong thought about a lot of things along the way. The first thing that came to his mind was that there was something wrong with his speech. However, he quickly dismissed that thought. After all, even if something were to happen to him, the Foreign Minister wouldn't have come personally. Furthermore… how could the other party have arrived so quickly?

Song Zhong walked to the side door, feeling uneasy. The door of a reception room opened with a click and the face of his superior appeared at the door.

"Mi-Mister Cui, what brings you here?" Song Zhong went up to greet him right away, but the man simply waved and opened the door at the same time. Several men dressed as bouncers walked out warily, all of them exuding the air of military personnel. A man with a refined appearance and impeccable hair walked out at the very end. The man looked to be in his fifties, but when Song Zhong took a good look at the man's appearance, his mind went blank and his jaw dropped.

"Long time no see, Song," the man said with a faint smile and extended his hand.

"You…?" Song Zhong was stunned for a moment before he quickly nodded and bent over to greet her with both hands. "What brings you here?"

The man didn't answer and simply smiled amiably before making his way to the elevator, escorted by his bodyguards.

"You're in luck, Song." Chief Cui patted Song Zhong's shoulder from behind and sighed. "You're not supposed to know all of that given your position, but there's going to be a very tough negotiation coming up and the chief asked for your participation." He looked at Song Zhong's hesitant expression and chuckled. "Alright, I know you have a lot of questions on your mind, but now is not the time to delay. You'll know what's going on then."

"Sure!" Song Zhong agreed right away and watched as Director Cui followed behind him. A glint flashed across his eyes. He knew that he was about to come into contact with a huge secret and, as someone who knew about the secret, he might be willing to take on a lot of risks. However, what he was about to encounter was something that no one else would be able to fathom.

Song Zhong felt his heart pounding at that thought. He took a deep breath and followed the crowd into the elevator. He checked the buttons and found that everyone's target was the top floor of the UN building.

Song Zhong remembered that the meeting room was a secret meeting room of the United Nations, specifically designed for the leaders of the world to meet in secret. Most of the time, the conflicts between the United Nations Security Council were just a show put up for the outside world. That meeting room was the only place that would truly determine the direction of the world, and only the five permanent members were allowed to enter.

Song Zhong trembled with excitement at the thought of having the right to step into the conference room. He took the lead after the elevator doors opened and led the way. He pushed the doors of the meeting room open and what greeted his eyes was a huge venue.

The venue might not be as majestic as the venue of the Security Council, but it was far more luxurious than the venue itself. The venue was divided into five parts and was equipped with all manner of equipment. At that moment, the representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom were already seated in their seats. When they saw the leaders of the three parties, they were even more astonished. They were actually the presidents of three countries!

It was no wonder that the Bureau Chief would appear in the United Nations building. In a meeting of such scale, only the head of the table was qualified to sit there…

All of that happened in a flash in Song Zhong's mind and he moved away in the very next second, allowing the elegant-looking man to walk in first. Other than one of his bodyguards, the rest of the bodyguards remained outside to guard the place.

Song Zhong looked around after the door was shut. There were entrances and exits in all four directions. The entire conference room was circular in shape with a podium at the center and the seats of the five superpowers around it. The seats of the five countries were arranged in a trapezoidal fashion around the podium, with corridors that were about three to four meters wide separating them.

There was hardly any conversation going on between the two of them. Song Zhong noticed that the chief only nodded and greeted the American president when they looked at each other. The entire venue was dead silent and everyone had a solemn look in their eyes.

That meeting was definitely something else.

Song Zhong was the last one to take a seat. He heard the door to the east opening again just as he sat down. He turned around and saw the iron-fisted president from Russia walking in first, with a military air about him. Song Zhong knew that it was because that man was from the special forces when he was young.

It was only when all five parties were seated that the iron-fisted president asked in English, "Is that man not here yet?"

Song Zhong was stunned for a bit when he heard how fluent the young man was in English. He recalled that the young man had taken the initiative to learn English when he first became the president in 2000. The young man was a legend throughout his life, having served as the second, third, and fifth president of Russia. He was able to dominate the elections in 18 years and was re-elected as the sixth president, making him the uncrowned king of Russia.

"Coming." The Bureau Chief, who was standing in front of Song Zhong, answered in English as well. This was a secret meeting after all, and it wasn't a formal occasion. As such, everyone agreed to hold the meeting in English to facilitate communication.

However, Song Zhong was even more astonished after hearing the exchange between the two of them. He had no idea who else would be worthy of being the head of one of the top five most reputable, permanent members of the world, waiting for him. Furthermore, the other party was late as well.

However, he heard a light knock on the door behind him right after he said that. He turned around and saw an average-looking young man dressed in casual attire standing outside the door.

441. Magic?

The first thought that came to Song Zhong's mind when he saw the young man was that he had walked into the wrong venue. However, he realized right away that it was not as if all the countries were just there for show. There was no way there would be any uninvited guests in such a meeting.

He turned around and saw that Chief Cui was wearing a calm expression as well. It was obvious that the average-looking young man from the East was the center of attention.

Ta, ta, ta…

The footsteps came closer and the young man wore a smile on his face, showing no signs of fear from the stares of the crowd. There was also an indescribable air about him, making him look like he was in some bottomless abyss. He looked average at first glance, but as he looked deeper into the abyss, Song Zhong felt a mysterious and stifling presence from the young man. He felt like he was unable to see through the young man at all.

Unusual, very abnormal…

The young man walked up to the podium under the watchful eyes of the top brass of the five countries. The podium was also circular in shape and there was only a barrier at the point where the barrier was connected. One could walk into the podium after lifting the barrier.

"Good morning, everyone." The young man looked around at the crowd, as if he didn't feel any pressure at all. He simply smiled and said, "I'm glad that all of you are able to make it here despite your busy schedule. I believe that all of you will definitely feel that your trip to Switzerland this time is worth it."

"Let's not talk about all that, Little Zhang. Our time is precious. Why did you call us here? Let's get straight to the point." The chief of Huaxia waved his hand and said.

"Sure." The young man nodded and took a look at the American and British side. Compared to the calm demeanor of the Huaxian chief, the American and British side looked very serious. The American president said, "Mr. Zhang, please begin."

Song Zhong was even more astonished and his heart began to thump. With his experience in communication, there was no way he wouldn't be able to tell that the heads of the three nations were looking at that young man with a tinge of fear in their eyes. Gosh, he would rather believe that there was something wrong with his eyes. Those people who could change the world with a single word actually had such a look on their faces when they looked at a young man who wasn't even wearing a suit. Was the world about to change?

He suppressed the shock in his heart and took a deep breath. He was suddenly very curious about that young man and quickly committed that young man's appearance to memory. However, he quickly found the young man's appearance to be unnecessary. While the young man looked average, the air about him made him look like the brightest star on the planet. Even if he were to stand among tens of thousands of people, he would still be able to catch the young man's eye.

That was probably the so-called aura…

The young man nodded after receiving approval from many parties and kept his expression. At that moment, the mysterious air about him became even more intense. His expression darkened and he said in a serious tone, "As everyone knows, humans have been multiplying for nearly a million years. However, only the recent 4,000 years are meaningful. So, what have we been doing for nearly 25,000 years?"

Everyone looked serious and even the Russian president narrowed his eyes, waiting for the young man to continue.

"We hid in the cave and sat around the small bonfire, looking at things that we couldn't understand with fear. We had no way of knowing why the sun and moon in the sky rose, or why nature rained, or why lightning struck."

"That's why we call them 'God' and 'Devil' and pray for forgiveness and salvation."

The young man paused for a bit before continuing solemnly, "After that, the number of them decreased and our numbers grew. When the number of things that we feared became fewer, we began to view the world in a more rational manner. However, the things that could not be explained did not disappear. It was as if the universe was deliberately trying to appear ridiculous and unbelievable. Despite the advancement of technology to this day, there were still countless things that could not be explained, and those things that we could not understand could be called 'supernatural'."

"Supernatural?" The Russian president twirled his pen and said with some dissatisfaction, "Mr. Zhang, what are you trying to say? We're not here to listen to your speech."

"Your Majesty, I'd like to get to the point right away." The young man smiled apologetically and continued, "I believe that all of you understand that there are countless things on Earth that we are unable to understand, even back when we were on Earth. I believe that all of you have similar departments in your respective countries, and there are countless unsolvable unsolved cases, such as the premonition of the former president of the United States, Mr. Lincoln, and the experiments conducted in Philadelphia during World War II."

The president of the United States looked rather uncomfortable as he said that. He nodded and said, "That is indeed the case, but I have no idea what the supernatural beings you're talking about have to do with this meeting."

"Alright then, let's watch a series of so-called supernatural events." The young man nodded and slowly closed his eyes. He then raised his hands slightly and everyone felt something indescribable. In the very next second, they saw the empty seats at the back of the crowd floating in the air.

It was as if they were brought back to life in an instant. The American rosewood seats were arranged in a neat and orderly manner above the heads of the crowd, making them look like an army, waiting for the officers to inspect them.

"Magic?" That word echoed in the minds of everyone present. As people with real power, they had absolute control over everything in the world. Compared to the so-called superpowers, what they saw at that moment was something that defied all logic. They were more willing to believe in their own common sense and not some kind of superpower.

However, that was not the end of it. The chairs were then arranged in a row and spun in a crisscross pattern, as if they were dancing. In the end, all the chairs were simply arranged in a row and spun around the round venue, accelerating at a visible rate at the very beginning before accelerating again…

In the end, everyone was only able to hear the sound of the wind blowing by their ears. The sound of the wind was so loud that the pages of the books in front of them were flipped upside down. However, the entire row of chairs had turned into afterimages and were moving at high speeds that were invisible to the naked eye.

"Clack!" The Russian president watched all of this with his mouth agape. He didn't even realize that his pen, which had been spinning on its own accord, had dropped to the ground. The heads of the various countries were all stunned. Everyone was completely dumbfounded.

However, that wasn't the end of it. Everyone felt their bodies lighten in the very next second. As everyone shouted, the rest of the people, with the exception of Number One from all over the world, found themselves floating in the air uncontrollably. It was as if there was a rope tied behind each of them and they were spinning along with the seats. They were even able to pass through the chairs that were used to tell the movement. However, the strange thing was that no one was hit.

"Please forgive me for being rude, everyone. Do you still think that all of this is some kind of magic trick?" The young man on the stage looked calm and collected. His words at the moment were filled with an unparalleled persuasive power.

442. Shocked

The crowd slowly descended as soon as Zhang Heng finished speaking and remained completely unscathed. The row of seats in front of them dropped all of a sudden and returned to their original positions at an extremely fast speed. However, just when they were about to hit the ground hard, the speed of those seats went from extreme motion to extreme stillness all of a sudden. All the seats returned to their original positions with a soft thud.

Song Zhong returned to his seat, still reeling from the shock. His face was ashen and he was sweating profusely as he looked at the young man on the stage, looking like he had just seen a ghost.

All of that was no longer something that magic could explain…

The young man on the stage lowered his head and flashed an apologetic smile at the crowd when he saw how shocked they were. "If that's not enough, then… how about this?"

Everyone felt their hearts skip a beat as soon as the young man finished speaking. They didn't have time to feel frightened as they felt their legs shake slightly before rumbling sounds were heard from beneath their feet. Everyone stood up in shock and looked outside the window. They saw that the scenery outside the window was actually sinking rapidly. No, it should be said that the building that they were in was actually rising slowly.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Everyone looked shocked at that moment. The bodyguards from Unit One even took out their guns and aimed them at the young man before them. All they needed was an order from Unit One to pull the trigger.

"Drop it." The chief of Huaxia waved his hand and ordered the over-excited bouncer to put down the gun in his hand. The chief then walked up to the window and looked out.

Director Cui followed closely behind and Song Zhong stood up right away. Despite feeling rather weak in the knees, he insisted on standing up for the sake of showing off in front of his superior. He stood behind Director Cui and looked out the window.

The rest of the people from the other countries waved their hands and walked to the windows, looking at the building that was now over 100 meters tall. Everything below looked like ants from that angle. The Russian president even opened the windows and let the breeze in. Everyone heard the panicked screams of the staff below the building.

The headquarters of the United Nations used to be located on the east side of Manhattan, New York City, in the United States. However, due to the 69th incident, that place was razed to the ground by those damned nuclear bombs. As such, after some discussion, the various countries decided to build the new headquarters of the United Nations in Switzerland, as that place was a permanent neutral country.

The new UN headquarters building used to be the parliament building in Switzerland, which was then donated by the Swiss. The building had a total of 30 floors and had a traditional gothic design. It weighed over 10,000 tons and there was hardly anything in the world that could lift it, let alone fly hundreds of meters in the air.

"How did you do it?" The Russian president took a deep breath and looked at the young man with a complicated expression.

"I told you, it's supernatural." The young man nodded and smiled at the crowd.

"Alright, we believe you." The president of the United States wore a bitter grin and continued, "Well then, can you let us go now?"

"No need to rush. Everyone, close the window first. I'll take you to the stratosphere to see something. Before that, I've prepared some appetizers for you all." The young man clapped his hands all of a sudden as he said that. The ground at the edge of the circular podium suddenly opened by itself and a thick glass test tube slowly emerged from the ground.

"Impossible!" Song Zhong was watching everything unfold in utter disbelief. Modifying the building right under the nose of the entire world? Impossible!

However, all of that happened before everyone's eyes, and what truly shocked them was not what happened, but…

Technically speaking, that glass tube was not a test tube, but a kind of upright, cylindrical glass pod with a diameter of about three meters. As the glass pod slowly rose, everyone gasped again.

There was a huge, ugly monster inside the glass pod.

The monster’s entire body was covered by a black, dented carapace. All manner of strange patterns crisscrossed on the carapace, making it look like a miniature Tyrannosaurus. The monster’s head was in the shape of a long, narrow shuttle. The creature’s mouth was so wide that it reached its ears, and its metallic teeth gleamed with a bright, reflective light. White streams of air rose from the monster as it breathed.

It even bared its fangs when it saw the people in the room, revealing a fang that looked like a tongue in its shockingly powerful jaws.

Alien!

That notorious name flashed across everyone's minds at the same time, especially in the United States. That monster could be said to be a superstar, and there was no one who didn't know what it looked like. The only difference was that the monster had always been living on the television, yet it was now completely exposed in real life.

The crowd was able to sense the ferocious, bloodthirsty aura of that monster that seemed to have come from hell through the glass. With just one look, everyone was able to tell that it wasn't a model, nor was it a machine, nor was it some kind of trick. It was a living being that truly existed! That strange, sightless appearance was even more frightening than that of a beast with eyes.

Everyone backed off three to four meters instinctively and looked at the xenomorph with disbelief and shock in their eyes.

"The xenomorphs come from other planes." However, the young man on the stage maintained his gentlemanly demeanor. He even walked down from the podium and stood before the glass pod, putting his hand on the glass as if he was petting a child he loved. "I named this xenomorph as Victoria. It was born after the xenomorph captured its mother."

"I initially wanted to show everyone the queen, but due to the queen's massive body, it was difficult to move. As such, I had no choice but to settle for the next best thing and show everyone the worker bee xenomorph."

"Alien plane?" However, the people before him were not regular people at all. They were only shocked by the xenomorph but quickly recovered and found the most crucial word in the young man's words.

"That's right, the Alien plane." The young man nodded and continued, "This is the third container that the Golden Foundation took in all those years ago, and it's also the first living container. The level of the container is Safe." The young man paid no heed to the angry roars of the Alien in the glass pod and clapped his hands again. Another thick glass pod slowly rose from the right side of the glass pod.

"A giant!" Everyone cried out in alarm as they looked at the huge monster before them. The monster's skin was as pale as paper, yet its entire body was covered in bulging muscles, making it look like a perfect upside-down triangular build. Its height reached a terrifying four meters, and just by looking at its body, everyone felt the force of a mountain crashing down on them. The xenomorphs at the side were staring at the giant as if they had just met their nemesis, revealing looks of terror on their faces when they encountered a powerful enemy.

"That's a tyrant," the young man corrected him. "The first generation biological weapon of the foundation was created by the T-Virus. As it is completely under the control of the foundation, it is not considered a container."

The young man walked to the third empty seat as he said that, and another glass pod slowly rose from the ground. There was a monster with a severely festering body inside.

At that point, the young man's eyes were finally filled with a hint of caution. "These are monsters created by meme weapons. You could call them necromorphs. The rules of that meme are that all corpses within a certain range would mutate and become such terrifying monsters. There is no need for any kind of transmission or host."

"The capacity of that meme is at the Euclid level."

The young man walked to the last empty seat before anyone realized what was happening. A glass that was completely different from the other glass pods slowly rose up, but when the glass pod rose up, everyone saw that the glass pod was completely empty.

443. We Control, We Recall, We Protect

"This is one of the deadliest containment objects found in the foundation's vault." The young man didn't seem to notice anything. He walked around the glass pod and knocked on the glass pod as he continued, "There is an extremely precise electrical field signal generator installed in this container, enabling it to generate a kind of electrical field with a special frequency. It is due to the binding effects of the electrical field and the red glass's signal interference that the electrical field is able to trap the container inside and prevent it from escaping."

"But, there's nothing in there…" Song Zhong walked up slowly and asked.

"There is, but you won't be able to see it for the time being." The young man chuckled and pressed a button on the device. Electricity was injected into the device and the image of a woman with disheveled hair appeared before everyone's eyes.

That eerie silhouette began to flicker and materialize after being injected with electricity. Everyone was shocked at that moment. They saw that the silhouette was made up of black and white colors and the image kept flickering, as if the signal was unstable. The silhouette was currently staring at everyone with its eerie eyes. Anyone who saw the woman's eyes would shudder and fall back as if they had been electrocuted.

"That container is still a meme, and the female ghost you saw is just an expression of that meme." The young man wore a serious expression and continued, "That meme is extremely infectious. It could destroy the human brain's nerves, causing depression and the like. It could even cause the genes to collapse and the infected would end up with nothing but carbohydrates."

"Virus?" One of them asked subconsciously.

"Memes and viruses are similar, both multiplying through infections. However, the transmission methods of the two are completely different. Viruses would at most spread through air, water, blood, and so on. Memes, on the other hand, could spread through information—a single look, a single sentence, or even a single thought. The Memes contain signals, which refer to all signals, including internet and communication satellites."

The young man sighed and continued, "When we first discovered it, it almost spread to the rest of the world. It took us a lot of effort to contain it, and even a B5 researcher from the foundation died because of it. Once the container was freed, the entire world would be wiped out in just a few days. Wherever the signal is, there would be nothing it couldn't do!"

"You're saying that we humans were almost destroyed?" someone asked in surprise.

"That's right. Its true form is sealed in a beneficial container found in the foundation. The danger level of that module is… at the Keter level. Any container of that level would be considered extremely dangerous and possess the power to destroy the world."

Everyone wore complicated expressions after hearing that, not knowing if they should believe all of that.

The young man seemed to have known all along that they wouldn't be able to be trusted without seeing the true power of those things. As such, he didn't say anything and turned around to look out the window instead. "Very well, the height is about there."

Everyone was stunned and followed the young man's line of sight outside the window. Shouts of shock were heard from the crowd again.

It was unknown just how many meters they had climbed. Everyone looked out of the window and saw that the sky had changed from blue to indigo blue. The fact that such a phenomenon could happen meant that they had climbed at least tens of kilometers.

As if he didn't believe her, one of the officials wanted to open the window by instinct, but the young man said right away, "I wouldn't have done that if I were you. Don't forget that we're in the stratosphere. The thin air in the outside world could cause severe altitude sickness."

That official immediately stopped what he was doing and looked outside with his eyes wide open at the same time, as if he saw something that moved him.

"That's…" Everyone seemed to have sensed something and looked in the direction that the officer was looking at. They saw a huge unidentified flying object hovering above the building, with only a scale claw visible.

As the building that they were in flew higher, the flying object got closer. Looking out of the window, one could only see complex patterns on the flying object. There were no propellers, lifting fans, or any other kind of kinetic equipment found on the flying object. However, the flying object looked as if it was nailed in midair and showed no signs of moving.

"The Foundation's Class C space battleship possesses anti-gravity equipment and nuclear fusion engines. It possesses the ability to fight both inside and outside the atmosphere. The highest speed outside the atmosphere could reach 80,000 kilometers per hour, which would allow it to reach the moon in five hours. It also possesses optical, electronic, and infrared stealth functions. Even if it were to hover above you, you wouldn't be able to detect its presence." The young man chuckled and continued, "As far as weapons are concerned, its main cannon is a 2mm caliber Archimedes electromagnetic cannon. It possesses the ability to accelerate shells to over 100 kilometers per second. I believe you've all witnessed its power before."

Everyone was stunned. Song Zhong took a deep breath and asked, "You're saying that Japan is that thing…?"

The young man shook his head and said, "No, it's just that they're both electromagnetic guns. The one that attacked Japan had a larger caliber, with a diameter of five meters."

Everyone fell silent and felt cold sweat running down their backs at the same time. A deep sense of powerlessness shrouded every single one of them. The moment they saw the battleship, Song Zhong realized that there was no need for them to believe anything that the other party said. The other party was only reminding them that it was enough for him to possess combat prowess that far exceeded reality. Everything that had happened before was a reminder of that fact. Song Zhong was even comparing the entire world's combat prowess with his own, yet the more he thought about it, the more shocked he became. Everything that the other party said was more than enough to crush the entire world.

It was at that moment that Song Zhong finally realized who the young man before him was. He had guessed that the young man before him was the only shareholder of Stellar Technology, the richest man in the world, whom everyone referred to as Mr. Zhang from the Golden Foundation.

Zhang Heng!

It was no wonder that the president of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Three Kingdoms feared him. It was no wonder that he was able to rule over the entire biopharmaceutical industry within a year and produce a star called Helmet-VR that was practically superior to technology in reality… Other than that man named Zhang Heng, who else would be able to do so?

"Tell me, what do you want?" The Russian president sighed and said dejectedly. He looked like he had aged tens of years in an instant and looked like he was on the verge of death. It was obvious that even he had given in.

"It's not what I need, it's what humans need," the young man said with a faint smile. At the same time, everyone felt that the building finally stopped rising and began to drop rapidly. A sense of weightlessness hit them all at once.

The young man snapped his fingers and all the glass pods were put away immediately. He walked up to the podium and said solemnly, "The catastrophe that is about to hit humanity is at hand. I need the humans to unite, or at least the nations behind the scene to unite. Humans can no longer live in fear. There is nothing that can protect us. We need to protect ourselves…"

"When the others live in the sunlight, we must fight them in the shadows, and prevent them from being seen by the masses. That way, the others can live in a sane, peaceful world."

"We control, we contain, we protect…"

There was a tinge of solemnity and holiness in the young man's eyes. "We are the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. All of this is our mission."

…

444. Stellar Colony Mining Company

Zhang Heng talked with the heads of the various nations for a very long time after that. It was not until more than half a day had passed that the crowd finally left. However, everyone looked very satisfied when they left.

The mysterious events at the UN headquarters did not cause much of a commotion worldwide.

The attack on Japan had caused quite a ruckus in the first place. As such, there was no way for any news to get involved. Furthermore, with the five superpowers working together for the first time, they were able to use a massive amount of resources to suppress the news of the United Nations headquarters taking to the skies. Despite the fact that there were video and eyewitnesses involved in the attack, the video was quickly deemed to have been fabricated and photoshopped by the authorities. Even if some people were to release the video to the internet, the netizens were still able to dismiss the video completely due to the influence of professors and a huge army of Internet trolls.

A UP Master uploaded a video on YOUTUBE and wrote: "Experience for yourself. The United Nations building suddenly flew into the air and disappeared. It dropped again about 10 minutes later. You can still see the soil that was dug out from the foundation of the UN headquarters."

The video showed a huge gothic building slowly rising in the distance, and even the foundation of the building was pulled out from the soil. It was obvious that the video was taken on a whim, and it didn't capture the moment when the building rose into the air.

The video quickly gained hundreds of thousands of views, yet there were very few praises. Most of them were praises, and countless sarcastic comments were seen in the comments.

"The UN headquarters is flying? Haha, what a joke this year."

"It's so fake. Look at the video. There isn't even a shadow of a building flying in the air. One look and you'd know that it's fake."

"No traces of photoshop."

"You must have put in a lot of effort just to make the photoshop look more realistic. What a pity. If you were to photoshop a flying saucer, it would be a lot more believable than the photoshop of the UN headquarters. There would at least be some idiots who would believe you."

"If that's true, then the media outlets all over the world would be in a mess by now. There's no way they'd be able to remain so calm. You idiots!"

"Everyone, disperse. Switzerland and the five superpowers have publicly refuted the rumors. This is all fake."

…

Zhang Heng returned from Switzerland with a relaxed look on his face.

"Commander, may I know if you have any good news?" Corona's teasing voice was heard from the microphones in his ear as soon as he walked into Haizhou.

"Not bad." Zhang Heng nodded and continued in a deadpan manner, "I've promised to provide them with nuclear fusion technology, cryogenic superconducting technology, T-800 robot technology, Armageddon Type 1, and so on. That would be more than enough for humanity to double their military capabilities."

Zhang Heng wore a smirk as he continued, "Other than that, I'd also be providing a certain amount of T-2.1 gene-based medicine to the top brass of each country at regular intervals. I think that would be the best condition for them to agree to our terms."

"Commander, remember to hold back…" Corona said worriedly.

"Of course I know what it's like to ask a tiger for its skin." Zhang Heng nodded and continued solemnly, "That's why I didn't give them any data regarding the T-Virus, Genova cells, or any other bioweapons. I also didn't give them the Doomsday Type 2 armor, the T-X robot, or any other cutting-edge technology found in the foundation."

Zhang Heng suddenly let out a sigh of relief at that point, as if all the pent-up stress that he had been feeling for a long time was finally released. He looked completely relaxed as he continued, "The five permanent members of the governing body have accepted my terms. They will do their best to facilitate the consolidation of the world, gathering all the resources of the world in one place to resist calamities and tribulations. However, they have also stated that if there is no worldwide crisis to come within three years, they will cancel the cooperation with me."

"So, what do we get out of this?" Corona asked instinctively.

"Of course there are benefits. Have you ever seen me doing a losing deal?" Zhang Heng chuckled and said, "The benefit is that the Stellar Foundation will be able to fully cooperate with the five superpowers and become a legal armed department independent of the World Government. It would also have access far exceeding that of the military, enabling it to operate anywhere in the world without being stopped by the law."

"At the same time, they will put all of their own space agencies under the name of stellar spaceflight. We will receive more than trillions of dollars in investment and resources allocated to us. We will be recognized by the five superpowers and become the only private enterprise designated by the world's government with colonial access. Our mission is to develop resource extraction and colonization projects in the Solar System and beyond."

"I assume that you're planning to migrate the population to get past the curse?" Corona was enlightened.

"That's right, I was thinking the same thing. After all, putting eggs in more than one basket would reduce the risk. Furthermore, taking over the entire human space program would mean taking control of the future of humanity," Zhang Heng mumbled. "It's time to change the name of our subsidiary, Stellar Space…"

…

On January 2, while the incident in Japan was still raging, a shocking piece of news was released on the official website of Stellar Technology.

Stellar Space Technology, a subsidiary of Stellar Technology, was officially renamed 'Stellar Colony Mining Company'. It was recognized by the United Nations, led by Huaxia, Russia, the United States, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the French. It became the only private company in the world with access to 'space mineral energy extraction' and 'alien colonization'.

At the same time, the five superpowers announced that they would recognize all the rights that the Stellar Coronation Coronation Corporation had. The five superpowers would further cooperate and share all the technology of their own space companies. Huaxia Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (SA), the United States Space Agency (NASA), the French Space Research Center, the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA), and the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA) would be fully integrated, forming a department called the 'Earth Federal Space Agency' and assisting in the activities of the Stellar Coronation Coronation Coronation Coronation Corporation.

The news spread like wildfire and immediately overshadowed the Japanese attack as soon as it was released, becoming the hottest topic of discussion among netizens all over the world. Some netizens even speculated if the human race was about to be wiped out and the five superpowers had no choice but to work together to manufacture the Noah's Ark. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult to explain the series of sudden joint actions.

That speculation was quickly approved by many people, and it even alerted the governments of the various countries. When the heads of the five superpowers read the news, even they were impressed by the limitless imagination of humans. While some parts of the story were not accurate, the general gist of it was still true.

However, none of the countries would admit to such a thing, even if it were true. The five superpowers had no choice but to refute the rumors, claiming that they were making something out of nothing. The Earth would not be destroyed, and humans would not be destroyed either. It was only because the five superpowers felt that the progress of human development in outer space needed to be accelerated further that the leaders of the five superpowers decided to discard their previous prejudices after careful discussion and finally set the tone for cooperation.

However, only a handful of people would realize that the series of consolidations was just a test run by the five superpowers in advance. All of that was a foreshadowing set by the humans who would unite the world in the future.

445. Gloom

None of the five superpowers were satisfied with Zhang Heng's decision to keep the space lifeline in his hands. As such, they were able to unite the state-of-the-art agencies of the five superpowers to assist the Stellar Coronation in mining the company. It wasn't that they hadn't considered acquiring space technology from Stellar Technology. After all, any piece of technology leaked from the gaps between the fingers of Stellar Technology would be more than enough to benefit the five superpowers.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the thoughts of the five superpowers. The negative effects of Stellar Technology had quickly weakened after that battle. The netizens were all forgetful. In an era where information exploded like a tidal wave, even the most earth-shattering events would be quickly forgotten by the netizens. There was nothing that could be remembered by everyone for the rest of their lives, unless they were Japanese citizens whose homes had been destroyed and who had been reduced to refugees.

Rescue operations continued to take place in Japan. Under the appeals of the Japanese prime minister, the entire world came together and extended an olive branch to those homeless people in Japan. Countless disaster relief items were sent to Japan, and countless volunteers appeared as well. The light of humanity continued to flicker. Even Stellar Technology had funded Japan's disaster relief efforts of one billion US dollars. They expressed deep sympathy for what happened to Japan and strongly denounced the mysterious force that attacked Japan.

In the end, the United Nations decided that the entire population of 120 million people in Japan would be relocated for six months. Huaxia would be able to accommodate 10 million Japanese refugees, the United States would have 25 million, Russia would have 25 million, India would have 30 million, and the remaining 30 million would be relocated to countries like Australia, Canada, and so on. All of those countries would be able to carve out a piece of land specifically for them to live in. It could be said that the country known as Japan would disappear from the face of the earth forever in the future, leaving only a race called the Dahu people scattered all over the world. Ultimately, they would not be able to escape the fate of being gradually assimilated and eventually, even their culture would cease to exist…

On the other side, the Stellar Coronation Coronation Corporation was developing at a tremendous pace after gaining technical support from all over the world. Countless renowned scientists from all over the world were sent to the company, making up for the shortcomings of Stellar Technology in the field of aerospace. Furthermore, with the high-end advanced space technology acquired from the 'Lost in Deep Space' plane, Stellar Technology was able to shake the world almost instantly.

"Commander, the latest batch of scientists has successfully implanted a brain-control chip in secret…"

Corona said immediately when Zhang Heng woke up from the virtual space half a month later.

"Very well. From here on out, these people will be the direct descendants of Stellar Technology. The upper echelons of those countries would never have guessed that they were actually trying to steal our space technology. However, the scientists they sent out to do so have long been rendered completely useless." Zhang Heng wore a rather tired smile and continued, "Corona, when I fought against Zafiros again today, I was gradually able to keep up with his attacks. While it was still somewhat difficult, it shouldn't be a problem for me to last for three to five minutes."

"Well then, congratulations." Corona was overjoyed, but her joy quickly turned into concern. "It's almost time for the next plane mission. Are you ready?"

Zhang Heng's expression gradually became serious when he heard that. "To be honest, I'm not ready, but I have no other choice."

Zhang Heng stood up slowly and looked into the distance. However, there was a tinge of darkness in his usually determined gaze.

On the surface of the black hole.

He had no idea if it was because he had skipped the option multiple times or if the system was trying to set him up, but there was no new plane upgrade after he upgraded to Level B, or if there were only two planes left to choose from, 'Final Fantasy 7' and 'Black Hole Surface'.

Zhang Heng chose the Final Fantasy plane as his last choice. He had to face the real crisis head-on this time.

He had a feeling that he was about to run into a crisis that he had never encountered before in his life in that plane. As such, he forced himself to implant Genova into his system and fight against the seemingly despairing Zafiros. With the flow accelerating by thousands of times, every day he spent training in the virtual space was equivalent to three years.

His brain was able to withstand a flow rate of a thousand times over.

Despite all that, that sense of crisis deep down in his heart didn't ease in the slightest. His premonition kept warning him that he had a very good chance of dying if he were to step into that hellish plane.

"Commander, Commander?" Corona's voice was heard from beside him.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Heng returned to his senses and turned to look at Corona, who was looking at him with a concerned expression.

"Nothing." Corona shook her head and wore a gentle smile. "If you're worried, why not try 'prophecy'?"

"I tried." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "But I found that no matter how hard I tried to make a prophecy, all I saw in my mind was utter chaos. I couldn't see or hear anything. It was as if something was blocking all of my abilities…"

"Is it because of the plane crossing?" Corona speculated and tilted her head. "Well then, could you admit defeat?"

"Admit defeat?" Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit. His eyes flickered for a bit before he continued, "You might be able to give it a try with that method of yours, but I have a feeling that the access to the first tier is even more important than the access to the tier. If I'm unable to complete the mission, I'll be relegated to the second tier. Furthermore, I have a feeling that all of this is far from simple."

"Why?" Corona asked anxiously.

"Shhh!" Zhang Heng put his index finger to his lips and put on a secretive expression. "I can't tell you."

…

Zhang Heng continued to train day and night for the rest of that period of time. He only left the virtual space after feeling that his combat experience had reached a bottleneck and began training in real life instead, trying to combine his mental strength and physical strength to bring out the advantage of having one plus one.

He gradually began to feel that his physical body was unable to keep up with the use of his mental power as his mental power grew larger. For example, he was able to fly at supersonic speeds under the influence of his mental power, yet his body was unable to withstand such tremendous force. It was only when he fused with the Janova cells that he was barely able to make up for his physical shortcomings.

At that moment, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the north of Africa, in the air above the Sahara Desert, which had the harshest environment in the world, a falcon mech appeared hundreds of meters in the air with a metallic glint.

The door of the Falcon opened slowly and a slender young man appeared inside. He had his arms crossed and his eyes shone with confidence. He took a step forward and descended from a hundred meters in the air at the same time. His clothes billowed in the raging, dry sandstorm, making him look like an immortal.

Boom!

However, a deafening sonic boom was heard all of a sudden before he landed on the ground. The young man was covered in mist all of a sudden. His body flickered and disappeared into thin air in the very next second, as if he had fused with the air.

Breaking the sound barrier!

446. Sandstorm

A team of camels slowly made their way through the endless sea of sand, surrounded by golden sand dunes that stretched into the sky.

A handsome young man with a smile as warm and gentle as the spring breeze blew gently on the green earth was seen on the camel. He coughed dryly and spat out a mouthful of saliva with sand in it. He then took out a kettle from the camel below him and handed it to the young girl who was also riding on the camel. His eyes were filled with affection as he said, "Momo, have some."

Beside the handsome young man was a young girl with tanned skin. She supported her body with both hands and shifted her crotch, which was worn out, before smiling sweetly. "Thank you, Brother Luo Xi."

"No, don't drink from him, drink from me." Another camel came up to them and a young man who looked cold and handsome like a poppy handed the kettle to the girl and stuffed it in her hand before giving the young man named Luo Xi a provocative look.

The girl flashed an apologetic smile at Luo Xu before unscrewing the lid of the kettle and gulping down several mouthfuls.

"Water is very precious in the desert." A young African man standing right in front of the three of them shook his head and reminded them in a foreign accent, "Dear guests, water is very precious in the desert. If you're not feeling very thirsty, I wouldn't recommend wasting it like this."

"Don't worry about it. If we run out of water, you'd still be here, no?" That young man with a cold demeanor said nonchalantly. "Besides, we're here to travel, not to explore. Just lead the team and don't get lost."

The African man pursed his lips and walked at the very front.

"Brother Luoxi, Brother Ou Chen, look." The girl who was surrounded by the two of them giggled and pointed at the sea of sand before them. "The desert is so beautiful!"

"Golden sand and a blue sky. This place feels like God's… Cough, cough, bah!" Luo Xi coughed again and spat out a mouthful of sand. She then fixed her gaze on the young girl with a look of infinite depth and affection. "…the scenery of God! It's like when I first saw you, I wanted nothing more than to walk up to you, hug you tightly, and bury you in my body. I feel like I've been poisoned…"

The girl lowered her head shyly and said, "Brother Luo Xi, what are you talking about?"

"Idiot." The cold-looking young man snorted and tugged at the girl's sleeve, making eye contact with her with his gloomy eyes. "Momo, you're growing up and becoming more beautiful, becoming more like a diamond with a dazzling luster. I'm gradually starting to worry that someone would take you away from me after seeing you."

"Brother Ou Chen…" The girl's expression softened even further.

"Don't mind him, Momo." Luo Xi panicked and grabbed the girl's hand, putting it on her chest. "Momo, you're like an angel, always lighting up my heart. Every time I think of you, a grain of sand would fall from the sky, and the Sahara would be born."

"Ahhh!" The girl's heart skipped a beat and her body shuddered as if she had been electrocuted.

"Momo, my feelings for you are sincere!" The cold-looking young man continued, "The endless yellow sand represents my…" However, before he was able to finish his sentence, the cold-looking young man suddenly stared into the distance with his eyes wide open.

The girl's jet-black face was blushing and she took a peek at the cold-looking young man, feeling pleased with herself, only to find that he seemed to be stunned. She then waved her hand in front of him, feeling puzzled. "Brother Ou Chen, what's wrong?"

"What's that?" The handsome young man at the side shouted as well. He looked at the rolling black sand in front of him, which looked like a huge black wall stretching across the horizon, and shouted as it headed in their direction.

"It's a sandstorm!" The African leader shouted. "Get out of here! Don't stop! It'll be too late if you don't!"

It was only then that the three of them snapped out of their trance and drove their camels in a different direction, wanting to escape before the sandstorm hit.

However, the wound on the girl's hip began to ache as she ran. The pain caused her and the camel she was riding to get further away from the rest of the team. However, the two suitors who had been so confident about pursuing her didn't even bother turning their heads around. They simply ran forward without making a sound and kept their distance.

"Brother Luoxi, Brother Ou Chen, wait for me!" the girl shouted. She could feel a cooling sensation in the scorching hot air in the desert at that moment. That was the wind formed by the surging airflow. The huge sandstorm that seemed to be connected to the clouds in the distance was getting closer.

The footsteps of death gradually drew near. She could even hear the wails of demons and the howling of the wind. Just when the girl was about to give up all hope, she suddenly saw a human face on the wall of sandstorms hundreds of meters away from her.

It was a massive face that seemed capable of reaching the heavens and the earth. Its entire body was made of sand and dust, and its facial features could be vaguely seen. The face slowly opened its mouth at that moment and was mixed in with the black sand, making it look like some otherworldly demon that was capable of devouring and destroying everything.

"There's a ghost!" The girl shrieked and somehow managed to muster enough strength to steer the camel away from her.

The girl kept turning her head as she ran. She even saw that the eyes of that face seemed to glance at her for a bit. That one look made her feel as if she was submerged in icy water. She shuddered and lost all ability to move. Even the camel beneath her let out a cry of fright, as if it couldn't take it anymore and went down, plunging its head into the sand.

"A demon, that's a demon…" The girl rolled off the camel's back and closed her eyes in utter despair.

However, that cold gaze seemed to have only scanned the area around her for a bit due to the protection of the heavens, before losing interest and looking away. At the same time, the surging black sandstorm that was imbued with the power of heaven and earth suddenly changed directions and brushed past her side just when it was about to engulf her.

Rumble rumble rumble…

The torrent passed behind the young girl, causing countless granules and rocks to crash onto the ground with a loud clanging sound. The young girl only opened her eyes after the torrent had completely disappeared. She was gasping for air like a drowning person, unable to stop even when her lungs were filled with air.

It was as if she had just brushed past the Grim Reaper's sickle. She would never be able to forget such terror for the rest of her life.

However, she was unable to tell if that face was a hallucination due to panic or if it was real.

…

The sandstorm surged forward like a massive dragon in the world's largest desert. If anyone were to walk into the center of the sandstorm, they would discover that there was a massive sand dragon spinning furiously at the very center of the sandstorm. The sand dragon was like a nail that was driven through heaven and earth as it slowly made its way forward.

A young man with black hair stood at the very center of the tornado with his eyes closed, seemingly becoming one with the black sand around him. He had released all of his mental power at the moment, causing tens of thousands of tons of yellow sand to churn about, forming a powerful sand tornado. The sand tornado then formed a massive sandstorm that filled the entire area outside the tornado.

While the scale of the sandstorm was far inferior to that of a real sandstorm, the power of the sandstorm far exceeded that of a natural sandstorm. It was as if the sandstorm was capable of destroying everything in its path. Any living being caught in the sandstorm would be reduced to minced meat, reduced to dust, and eventually disappear from the face of the world.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes after several hours had passed. The sandstorm that covered the entire sky came to a sudden halt almost at the same time, as if it had lost all motivation to continue maintaining the sandstorm. The sandstorm dissipated without a trace. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, wore a satisfied look on his face. He waved his hand and a huge shuttle appeared before him without making a sound.

Zhang Heng left the place completely as the silver-white fighter jet streaked across the sky.

447. Shi Ru, Departure!

The first permanent colony was established on the moon in 2015.

In 2032, humans began to build mines on Mars and began to mine them.

In 2040, the first ship in human history to perform a space jump was launched by the 'Horizon', preparing to explore the borders of the Solar System.

However, two months after the Horizon took flight, it disappeared along with hundreds of other astronauts when it launched its space jump at Neptune… The event was known as the greatest disaster in the history of human spaceflight.

It wasn't until 2047, the seventh anniversary of the tragedy of the Horizon that the ship, which should have been destroyed, reappeared at the edge of Neptune, where it began its space jump seven years ago…

NASA then received a distress signal from seven years ago. As such, the designers and rescue personnel of the spaceship arrived one after another. The last thing that was heard from that distress signal was a very cryptic message—"Shi Ru, escape!"

That was the background story of 'Black Hole's Surface'. The movie began with the creator of the hyperdrive engines, Professor Williams Weir, and a team of dedicated rescuers boarded the ship and headed for Neptune.

Then, as everyone boarded the ship, some kind of supernatural power that surpassed common sense slowly awakened. All the rescuers saw illusions at the same time, and those illusions were the flaws in the deepest part of their hearts.

In the end, Will's mental fortitude was finally breached. He was so insane that he wanted to stop everyone from leaving. However, due to the self-sacrifice of the rescue team's captain, he detonated the connection point of the ship and successfully freed the head of the Horizon from the main body, escaping from Will's pursuit… As for himself, he was sent to that world known as hell with Will and the main body of the ship.

There was one line in the movie that left the deepest impression on Zhang Heng, and he shuddered every time he heard that line. "There was a time when this ship walked out of our universe and left the materialistic world behind. God knows where it went, what it saw, what it brought back…"

Zhang Heng was watching the movie over again at the moment, with deductions and deep thoughts in his eyes. Logically speaking, the survivors should have been safe and sound after escaping, yet the movie's name was still listed on the list of choices made by the Dimensional Star. That meant that the civilization of that plane had most likely been wiped out for some reason as well, and the reason for its destruction was clearly that 'Horizon' ship.

Despite only having the bow of the ship remaining, it was obvious that the bow of the ship had completely destroyed humanity.

"That's a very typical curse model." Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown as he watched the images played before his eyes. "It seems to be a mental infection that magnified the flaws in the human mind infinitely, eventually causing the mind to be corrupted by the memes and turn them into walking dead. That ship was the one that the memes were carrying."

"In that case, the most valuable technology in this world would be the kind that could enable the entire ship to make a leap?" Corona analyzed.

"That's right." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "We have two types of technology available to us. The first is a molecular transmitter capable of transporting people in a small area, and the second is a plane shuttle capable of opening wormholes and enabling people to appear in another plane. The technology of such a spaceship's hyperdrive is very similar to that of a plane shuttle, but I'm not sure if the principles are the same."

"However, all of that is just my guess. As for what really happened, I guess I'll just have to go to that world and see for myself." Zhang Heng checked his watch and waved lightly, turning off the holographic image that was playing the movie before striding out.

"Main Quest officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

"Plane search… search is limited. Search complete. There are two planes of value nearby the host plane."

"Plane A: Final Fantasy Plane 7 (option unavailable)."

"Plane B: Blackhole surface plane. Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

The scenery before his eyes changed as soon as he walked out of the room. He was walking in a metal walkway at the moment. The walkway was clean and narrow with blinding lights at the top. There was a round steel hatch at the end of the walkway.

"Crack."

As Zhang Heng walked over, the doors before him were divided into over a dozen parts, which formed what looked like fans before being put away into the walls. There was a thick airtight door at the back of the doors, which was quickly closing as soon as Zhang Heng arrived. A huge plaza could be seen behind the doors.

Everything in the square was laid bare before Zhang Heng's eyes as he walked in. He was able to see that the entire square was hemispherical in shape and the wall facing the door was actually made of a huge piece of glass. If one were to look through the glass wall, they would only be able to see pitch-black darkness, making the place look like the darkest night without any light.

That was the boundless deep space of the universe.

The universe was nowhere near as beautiful as humans on Earth imagined it to be. On Earth, the atmosphere was always filled with tiny gas molecules, impurities particles, and all manner of other substances, which would reflect the light that shone on them. The presence of those impurities caused light to spread in all directions when it was spread in the air. That way, we would be able to see the sky full of stars and the indigo night sky from any angle that we were unable to stop.

The distribution of matter in space was extremely low. As such, the light that was transmitted in space would not disperse and instead travel in a straight line. As such, when a person was in space, they would only be able to see light that shot straight into their eyes. There was no visible light in space other than the stars. As such, the real universe was nothing but dead darkness.

Zhang Heng took a quick look before looking away. He turned around and saw that he was standing on a rooftop that was tens of meters tall. There were over a thousand cloned warriors standing at his feet. All of them were wearing the new generation Armor of Doomsday, which made them look neat and tidy. All of them would be joining him on his upcoming mission.

The place they were at was none other than the C-rank battleship that Zhang Heng had shown to the Five Nations before. While it was only a C-rank battleship, that battleship was over 300 meters long, over 50 meters wide, and over 60 meters tall. The entire ship was spindle-shaped, and while it was far larger than 10,000 cubic meters, it was still hollow in the middle of the ship. Other than its internal space, the entire ship was only about 8,000 cubic meters in size.

That battleship was not actually a product of reality, but something created by the Tannis planet that had lost its memory in the deep space. That plane of existence had long since developed to the point where it was capable of traveling in space. However, due to its small population, there had never been much of a change. Zhang Heng had the intention to shift the focus of the population by working with the five nations. However, every time he wanted to focus on developing the Tannis planet, the crescent moon in the sky would remind him that there was still some kind of danger lurking in that plane of existence.

Zhang Heng gradually collected his thoughts. He could put those thoughts aside for the time being. After all, the most important thing before him at the moment was to go to the world on the surface of the black hole. He took one last look at the people below him and said to the Dimensional Star in his mind.

"I choose… the surface of the black hole."

"Host confirmed. Dimensional Space lock on 'Black Hole's Surface'. Begin teleportation…" That cold voice in his mind replied immediately. Zhang Heng felt his vision blur for a bit in the very next second. He was still in the ship when his vision was restored, but the world outside the ship had completely changed.

"Space-time transformation complete. Entered 'Black Hole's Surface' plane. Mission scanned."

"Warning: Blackhole surface plane mission initiated. Main Quest: Acquire hyperdrive technology."

"Optional Quest: Acquire any technology available in this human civilization."

"Quest Time: 72 hours. Remark: Dimensional travel mechanism cooldown duration is 6 hours. Failure Penalty: Host reduced to the second tier and one level reduced access."

However, just when Zhang Heng frowned subconsciously after hearing the contents of the mission, he heard urgent warnings all of a sudden.

"Warning, warning! Unknown interference detected. Urgent quest detected!"

Zhang Heng was stunned by what he heard and looked up immediately. However, he heard rustling sounds from the Dimensional Star. That sound was very familiar, just like how it was when Corona interfered with him all those years ago.

"Urgent… Urgent Quest System… Begin… Begin…" Furthermore, the voice of the Dimensional Star became increasingly blurred. The initially cold female voice was like a tape that had been hit by a tidal wave. The tone of the voice kept changing, becoming increasingly blurred and even sounded like that of a man.

"Activate…" The voice became increasingly low and deep in the end, until it became a murmur filled with endless malice.

"Shi Ru, break free!"

448. Entry And Attack

Zhang Heng felt the pineal glabella between his eyebrows shudder as soon as that voice was heard, and an indescribable sense of malevolence hit him.

Zhang Heng's expression changed right away. Endless mental power burst out of his body without a second thought. The slit on his forehead opened at the same time and beams of light burst out. The beams of light quickly dispelled all the evil intentions that he harbored.

Boom!

All the cloned warriors stood ramrod straight like statues under that blinding light. Despite the rising temperature all around them, none of them were able to evade the attack, as if they had completely forgotten about life and death.

Hiss…

That beam of light flickered for only a few seconds before dimming. It was only when the light completely disappeared that Zhang Heng's pale face was seen. He suppressed the pain in his glabella and half-knelt on the ground. Cold sweat dripped down like a stream and drenched the ground in just a few seconds.

Zhang Heng felt an indescribable sense of impending doom the moment he heard that voice. He released all of his mental power without a second thought, expelling that malicious intent.

What was that?

Zhang Heng suppressed the intense pain in his brain and didn't get up. Instead, he half-knelt on the ground and kept thinking about what just happened. The Mind Gem was meant to give the user the ability to protect the mind and resist all attacks from outside. It also gave the user the ability to control the minds of others, just like the Red Witch back then. However, Zhang Heng had yet to develop that ability and was unable to use it.

However, it was unknown if it was just a coincidence, but the mysterious force on the surface of the black hole seemed to have some kind of ability as well. It was capable of manipulating the minds of humans and finding the greatest flaw in them.

Or rather, the so-called mind gem actually originated from that seat?

A thought came to Zhang Heng's mind and the intense pain he felt gradually subsided. He stood up and saw that the cloned warriors had yet to receive his orders and were still standing where they were like statues.

Zhang Heng felt more at ease after seeing those cloned warriors. It seemed like he had made the right bet. While that evil intent from the dark seemed powerful, it didn't seem to have any effect on the cloned warriors who didn't secrete any emotional hormones.

At the very least, on the surface, the cloning warriors didn't seem to be affected at all…

Zhang Heng thought for a bit and ordered, "Everyone, get into Level One alert mode and form teams. Everyone, return to your positions. I want to know where we are right now."

"Yes, sir!" The clones then walked away from the plaza.

It was only then that Zhang Heng had the time to look out of the window. The scenery outside the window had long since changed to that of Earth. He found himself in the air above a massive city, with the vast city stretching all the way to the horizon and countless tall buildings standing tall. That view had surpassed that of a civilization in reality, yet such a prosperous international city was reduced to dark red ruins.

Yes, it was dark red.

It was as if there had been a rain of blood falling from the sky and the entire city had been dyed a dark red, the color of dried blood. Zhang Heng seemed to be able to smell the pungent stench of blood when he saw the city, which made him feel nauseous.

That feeling came from his sensitive intuition.

A clone warrior ran up to Zhang Heng several minutes later, saluted, and handed him a data report before reporting to him, "Commander, external data has been detected."

"Speak." Zhang Heng didn't take the report from her and simply said coldly.

"According to our current geographical environment, there is an 80 percent chance that we are currently in Los Angeles, the US. The ship has detected external data at the same time. Temperature in the outside world is at 15 degrees Celsius. Air composition: nitrogen ratio 79.12%, oxygen ratio 19.17%, carbon dioxide ratio 0.06%, water vapor 0.14%, other unknown gases and impurities account for 0.07%. No abnormal microorganisms have been detected. Overall judgment: the outside world is very safe. You could be exposed to the outside air 24 hours a day without being harmed," the clone reported immediately.

"So, this is Earth." While he was mentally prepared, he still sighed when he heard the data that the clone warriors reported to him. That meant that the unknown had indeed followed the Horizon to Earth and brought the horrors of hell to the entire human civilization, destroying humanity in the end.

He had to admit that humans were just too fragile at times.

They were so fragile that they would only lose oxygen for two minutes before passing out.

Having lost oxygen for three minutes, the glucose in his brain was completely depleted, and his neurons began to die irreversibly. Even if he were to attempt to resuscitate them during that period of time, his neurological function would be compromised.

Having lost oxygen for five minutes, the human body began to suffer from important circulatory and respiratory loss. The heartbeat and respiration stopped, the arteries stopped pulsating, and the human body eventually died.

Yet, such a fragile human being was able to create such a glorious civilization.

Zhang Heng shook his head and took a look at the city in the distance. "Have you found any other leads, like why this city is dark red?"

"Not yet, Commander," the clone replied.

Zhang Heng fell into deep thought after hearing that and said again after a while, "Well then, send a team of T-800s down. Get all the T-800s on the battleship to be deployed in this city. I want to know everything about this world within an hour."

"Yes, sir!" The clone warrior turned around and left. Zhang Heng wore a worried look on his face only after he was gone. While it was not the first time that the Dimensional Star had been subjected to such interference, he knew just how dangerous it would be for him to be able to render the Dimensional Star helpless. It was no wonder that the Dimensional Star had an unprecedented difficulty of five stars.

The surface of the black hole had appeared on Zhang Heng's plane choice a very long time ago, reaching six stars at the very beginning. To Zhang Heng back then, the difficulty of six stars was no different from throwing his life away. It was only later on, when Zhang Heng's abilities were able to overturn the heavens and earth, that he finally managed to reduce the difficulty of the black hole by one star after putting in a lot of effort and reduced it to five stars.

It was just that the difficulty of five stars was still too much to bear. He still remembered how the highest difficulty he encountered back in the plane was nothing more than killing the original plane. The difficulty of that plane was as high as four stars. Zhang Heng, who was still a mortal back then, had no other trump cards other than injecting himself with the T-Virus. Alex's existence had left him in despair, and he had no choice but to sacrifice himself to keep the other party at bay before fleeing back to reality.

His current level of power was far above that of the original plane. If he wanted to, he could have ordered the battleship beneath his feet to plow through the entire planet. Even if Alex were to come personally and fire an Archimedes Electromagnetic Cannon, he would still be able to reduce the enemy to dust. However, despite his current level of power, the Dimensional Star was still able to rate the plane on the surface of the black hole to five stars. One could only imagine how difficult the trip to the plane would be.

449. Corpse Mountain

Crack…

The thick, heavy metal boots stomped down on the skull of a dead body. The weathered skull seemed unable to withstand the stomp from the metal boots. It let out a groan that sounded like rotten wood being snapped and shattered right away.

Zhang Heng looked down at the dead body and saw that it was half-kneeling, with its arms held high and its palms flat, as if it was offering something to the sky. However, its movements were forever frozen at that moment, and it eventually flipped over for some reason, having its head crushed by Zhang Heng's stomp.

That dead body had long since rotted away and dried out, leaving only a skeleton behind. However, the entire body was covered in a layer of blood stains, which looked like both rainwater and blood.

That wasn't all. The city before him was covered in bloodstains and the entire city looked as if it had been drenched in blood. While the liquid had dried up completely, the dark red color remained.

Thousands of T-800s had explored the entire city before, yet they were only able to find millions of dead bodies in the city. It was as if all the humans in the city had become livestock in a slaughterhouse. All of them were killed in one night, and the dark red stains, after some analysis, were confirmed to be blood.

Zhang Heng led the remaining cloned warriors away from the battleship and began exploring the city with the T-800s leading the way.

Zhang Heng's eyes flickered slightly at that moment. There wasn't just one corpse in such a pose. From where he was standing, the entire city, from the edge all the way to the center of the city, was filled with corpses that looked like they were on their knees. Many of the corpses never collapsed, maintaining the posture of kneeling and raising their hands. The entire city could be seen everywhere and there were over a million of them.

All of that was weird enough, yet there was still a huge mountain at the very center of the city. It was a small mountain that was piled high with countless dead bodies, with a diameter of thousands of meters and a height of hundreds of meters. There were millions of dead bodies piled up inside.

Under the illumination of the setting sun, the silhouette of that mountain of corpses emitted a strange red glow, making it seem as if he had fallen into hell. One could feel a chill that could freeze one's soul just by looking at it.

Thousands of T-800 bots headed straight for the city center at that moment. They had swept through the entire city and went door to door looking for leads that they could use. However, they were still unable to find anything even after searching the entire city.

"Commander, the T-800 Robotics Unit has completed their assigned mission. They are now gathered in the city center, awaiting further orders." The voice of the commander-in-chief of the cloned warriors was heard from the communication device. Due to the fact that personnel were needed to oversee the operation in real life, Zhang Heng did not bring Gu Zhan and Zhishang with him. The other commander-in-chief was a cloned warrior named Xuanyuan. As the first of the cloned warriors, he had been injected with the cloned cells as well. His combat prowess far exceeded that of regular cloned warriors.

"No abnormalities found?" Zhang Heng looked up and asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Xuan Yuan said coldly through the communication device. "The only thing out of the ordinary is the countless bodies before us."

"Robots still have their limitations. Get the clone fighters to move as well and keep looking for leads. We'll meet up downtown."

"Yes."

The communication device hung up cleanly. Zhang Heng tapped his glabella and the mask covering his face on the droplet-shaped helmet was quickly removed, revealing his calm face. He raised his hand and activated the round hole device on the inside of his wrist.

A cigarette was ejected from the round hole and Zhang Heng put it in his mouth. He snapped his finger and a sizzle was heard from the index finger of his right hand, igniting a blue flame.

He took a deep breath and inhaled the smoke, as well as the pungent stench of blood from the city, into his lungs before exhaling quickly. He then continued walking and headed for the city center.

A huge battleship that blocked out the sun hovered 100 meters above Zhang Heng, protecting him.

The setting sun gradually disappeared from the horizon and the sky gradually dimmed. A cold wind that reeked of blood blew past and the life detector on the Armageddon Armor slowly scanned everything within a radius of several kilometers. However, he was unable to find any signs of life.

Zhang Heng, who was wearing the new Armageddon armor, was very fast. He made it to the city center by 9pm. The mountain of dead bodies had been completely swallowed up by night, with only a few thousand T-800 units patrolling the streets. All the robots saluted as soon as Zhang Heng arrived before continuing their search. One could only see crimson lights flickering in the dark.

"Commander." Xuanyuan Xu went up to greet Zhang Heng as soon as he arrived. He saluted Zhang Heng and said, "The T-800 search teams are all here, and the D.S.F is conducting a second sweep. The entire city will be briefly scanned tonight."

"Very well, keep your guard up." Zhang Heng nodded and walked around the clone warrior captain, heading straight for Corpse Mountain.

A dead, weird-looking body appeared before his eyes very quickly. That body was lying on the ground with its head in its arms. Its mouth was wide open, as if it was growling soundlessly. Half of its body had been cut off at the waist, leaving only its upper body, while its lower body was nowhere to be found.

Zhang Heng didn't stop walking and continued walking. Several other bodies appeared before him. Some of them were kneeling on the ground with their hands held high, while others were clearly killed. All of them were badly mutilated, and some even had their heads chopped off. All that was left of them were their empty eye sockets, which were thrown on the ground like trash.

Zhang Heng took a look at the head and immediately realized that the neck area of the head had been cut off by someone else. A rusted firearm nearby confirmed that fact.

As Zhang Heng continued to get closer, more dead bodies began to appear. He walked for several hundred meters before he found himself surrounded by piles of dead bodies. The pile of dead bodies gradually rose into the air and spread far into the night.

He was already in the vicinity of the mountains of corpses.

Zhang Heng's eyes flickered for a bit. He had discovered something out of the ordinary after observing the countless dead bodies. The way he saw it, there were two types of dead bodies found throughout the city. One of them was the ones found on the mountains of dead bodies. Most of the dead bodies were badly damaged, with wounds visible on their bones. There were even some who didn't die on the spot and instead tried to climb down the mountains of dead bodies. However, due to excessive blood loss and severe injuries, they were only able to climb halfway before dying completely. All that was left of the dead bodies were crawling and eventually stopped at that moment.

The bodies that were kneeling on the ground were mostly intact, as if they hadn't been attacked. Or rather, they were the ones who had killed millions of people and piled up the entire mountain of corpses…

Zhang Heng didn't continue climbing. He stood among the densely packed bodies, his eyes flickering with a thoughtful look. He seemed to have thought of something and waved his hand, causing a dead body that was kneeling on the ground to fly into the air and be picked up by him.

Zhang Heng looked into the eye socket of the dead body and seemed to have confirmed something. He then looked at the palm of the dead body and found something dried and shriveled lying flat on the palm of the dead body. However, due to the passage of time, that thing had completely become one with the dead body, making it very difficult to discover unless one were to look closely.

The thing in their hands was the eyeball.

450. First Reveal

Zhang Heng threw the corpse aside after confirming his thoughts. He recalled everything that had happened in that city in his mind.

One morning several years ago, as usual, the residents of the city were getting ready for a new day of life.

The number of pedestrians on the streets gradually increased as the working class began to leave their homes, either taking their own cars, or taking the subway to get to work.

Their families might still be sleeping in the houses, or they might have woken up and were planning what they were going to do that day.

It was an ordinary day, just like every other day.

However, just when no one expected it, the end of the world came…

It was as if hell had swallowed the entire world in an instant. Demons from another dimension seeped into the hearts of countless people in that instant. Their mother, who had always been kind, raised the kitchen knife in her hand and hacked her beloved son to death. Her husband, who had been very loving to her, suddenly grabbed her by the neck and watched her suffocate to death. Passersby were attacked by strangers and the boss of the store was killed by his own customers.

Countless people were lured by the memes, just like how Dr. Weir of the Black Hole was completely manipulated by that unknown force. Those people began to kill, and millions of people were attacked. The government collapsed at the first touch, and there was simply no time for them to organize a counterattack, nor were they able to retaliate.

Tragedies continued to spread throughout the world. The minds of humans were rendered completely defenseless before the unknown meme. The laws of physics were overthrown, materialism was overthrown, and the entire human civilization was trampled on by that meme, causing faith to completely collapse.

Eventually, the people who were lured by the darkness and the urge to kill began to pile up mountains of corpses in the city center. The entire city was turned into a sea of blood. After killing the last human with a normal mind, all the remaining humans who had lost all sense of reason completed their mission. They knelt on the ground and dug their eyes out, holding their eyeballs high in their hands and howling at the sky. The blood-like eternity that followed…

Countless scenes flashed before Zhang Heng's eyes like a series of silhouettes, reverberating in his mind. At the same time, he felt as if there was a breeze blowing and a cold, eerie feeling was slowly creeping up on him.

"Brother…"

A soft, wriggling voice seemed to be heard from the darkness before him, carrying with it the sweetness and fragrance of a young girl. Zhang Heng looked up slowly, his eyes filled with seriousness and wariness.

"Come on, brother…" The voice continued to ring out, sounding innocent, as if it was reverberating in Zhang Heng's mind. He took a deep breath and suppressed his urge to explore the place. He paid no heed to the voice and turned around, heading in the direction he came from.

"Brother, you don't want me anymore?" That voice continued to echo in Zhang Heng's ears. The voice gradually turned resentful, as if someone was whispering in his ear. At the same time, someone blew a fragrant breeze on his neck.

Zhang Heng paused for a bit. Despite wearing the Armor of Doomsday and maintaining a constant temperature on the inside, he could still feel beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He clenched his fist and slowly turned around, only to see a slender white silhouette appearing at the top of the hill of corpses at some point.

That figure looked very familiar. Zhang Heng could even see that she was wearing a set of pink and white cartoon pajamas. The breeze blew past and accentuated her pretty figure. Her black hair billowed in the wind, but that face remained hidden in the dark. Zhang Heng was unable to see her face clearly no matter how hard he tried.

"Xin…" Zhang Heng remembered that piece of clothing. It was the present he bought for Zhang Xin with the money he earned from working for the first time in his memory. He suddenly had the urge to rush up to her and pull her into his arms at that moment.

However, his rationality eventually suppressed all of his desires. He knew very well that there was no way Zhang Xin would be there. It was obvious that that vague silhouette was just a lure from the meme that would destroy the world. If he were to give in to his desires, he would feel as if a hole had been opened in his heart and he would only sink deeper. The meme would eventually tear his soul apart and he would become its slave.

Zhang Heng forced himself to turn around and finally made it down the hill. He saw Xuan Yuan running over from afar. "Commander, I've lost contact with a cloning squad."

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. "When did that happen?"

"Ten minutes ago, when you first came up the mountain."

"Why didn't you just call for me?" Zhang Heng frowned right away. In his opinion, Xuanyuan shouldn't have made such a mistake, given that both his command and combat prowess were on par with Gu Zhan's.

"I called for you, but you didn't respond at all." Xuanyuan Xu didn't sense any hint of blame in Zhang Heng's tone and simply reported the situation as it was.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted immediately and he pulled up the log of the operation he just saw. As he expected, Xuanyuan Xu had called him several times on the communication device 10 minutes ago, yet he didn't realize it at all.

Putting aside the fact that Zhang Heng had fused with the Genova cells, his willpower and focus had far exceeded that of normal humans even before he had fused with them. Now that he had fused with the Genova cells, the chances of something like that happening were even lower. It was something that was practically impossible.

Was it really that simple to deal with a cursed simulation?

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious at that thought. He activated the doomsday armor's ejector without a second thought and headed straight for the battleship above him. The door of the battleship's hold opened immediately after sensing Zhang Heng's arrival. Zhang Heng's order was heard through all the communication devices at the same time. "All members of the D.S.F team, return immediately. Now!"

"First Squadron received!"

"Second Squadron received!"

"The Fifth Squadron understands. The squad is returning to the squad…"

The thousands of cloned warriors returned to the battleship in less than 10 seconds. It was the same with Xuanyuan, as he made his way to the driver's seat as quickly as he could. Zhang Heng was already waiting for him there. He waved his hand when he saw Xuanyuan enter, and holographic scans of the entire city appeared before their eyes.

"Tell me, where did he disappear to?" Zhang Heng looked at the holographic map before him and asked solemnly.

"Southeast direction, eight kilometers away from where we are at the moment. The exact coordinates are…" The holographic map adjusted its focus according to the location given by the other party and zoomed in on the map at the same time. What appeared before the two of them in the very next second was a complex building complex that was over 10 square kilometers in area—Universal Studios.

"Where are the exact coordinates?" Zhang Heng frowned when he saw the massive structure.

"They disappeared," Xuan Yuan answered mechanically. "They belonged to the 3rd Squad of the 5th Squadron. All contact was lost after they got there. The last log of the quantum communication device pointed to this place. We know nothing else about them."

451. Blink

Zhang Heng frowned, feeling rather displeased with what Xuan Yuan said. However, he knew very well that nothing was impossible in this world. While the clone warriors were powerful, he knew that he was not dealing with things from the real world. It wouldn't be surprising if anything were to happen.

Zhang Heng continued, "Drive the battleship to Global Pictures. No matter what happens, we need to know the truth."

"Yes, sir!" Xuan Yuan replied and gave the order right away. The entire ship was activated in an instant, and the anti-gravity engines created a gravitational field capable of flying in the sky. The entire ship was like a feather as it headed for Global Pictures, which was eight kilometers away.

The spaceship was extremely fast and it took only three to four minutes to reach the destination from the start of the ship.

Universal Studios was located in the northwestern outskirts of downtown Los Angeles. In the early 20th century, the film department in the United States discovered the most ideal filming location in the city, which was why they began to gather there, gradually making that piece of land a world-renowned city.

As the cultural center of the United States, the Universal Studios in Hollywood was home to many writers, musicians, movie stars, and others. As it continued to develop, Hollywood became the main production base for American television programs in the early 1960s.

He looked at the huge cluster of buildings beneath his feet and felt as if they were filled with all manner of living beings in the world. Construction figures from the Middle Antiquity Era to the future could all be found in Universal Studios, Hollywood. However, Hollywood at the moment was also covered in a thick layer of fresh blood, making it look like a hideous hell, devoid of its former glory.

Without waiting for Zhang Heng to give the order, Xuanyuan Xu ordered the high-powered life signature detector on the ship to scan the area above Universal Studios in Hollywood. However, the results were rather surprising. Judging from the life signature detector, the entire Hollywood Studios seemed to be emitting faint signs of life, as if the entire city had been given life by some unknown entity.

The entire city was alive.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and couldn't help but recall the plot of the entire movie. Judging from the plot, the rescue team had done a similar test when they first discovered the Horizon ship, but the results were identical. The Horizon ship was filled with life fluctuations, yet the ship was still alive.

The rescue team didn't pay much attention at the time, thinking that the life detector had malfunctioned. However, Zhang Heng, who was familiar with the storyline, knew very well that it wasn't some malfunction, but something that no regular person could comprehend.

Zhang Heng didn't have Xuan Yuan send out any rescue teams at that thought. Instead, he left the ship and stood hundreds of meters in the air, looking at the largest city in the world, the Shadow City. The light at his glabella was released yet again.

A blinding flash of light was seen and boundless mental power swept over the entire city like a radar. Zhang Heng soon saw 10 cloned warriors in the theme park. All of them were lying on the ground in a scenic area of the Global Pictures, covered in blood. It looked like they had been in a fierce battle with someone and were long dead. Their mechas were covered with gun muzzles. As Armor of Doomsday formed from high-distance armor, its toughness was not something that could be penetrated by regular firearms. The only thing that could harm them was their pulse rifles.

That was also the truth. The area around where they fell was riddled with bullet holes. The pulse rifles were so powerful that they practically razed the entire area to the ground, yet it was obvious that all of that was in vain.

Zhang Heng's heart gradually sank to the bottom. He knew right away when he saw those bodies that even clones with no emotions would be unable to escape the fate of mental infection.

"Everyone, put down your guns from here on out. No one is allowed to shoot without my orders!" Zhang Heng gave the order to the entire squad before realizing that something was off. He was about to delve deeper into the matter when he saw a young girl with a good figure standing in a corner of the movie studio at his feet. He was unable to see her face clearly and she just waved at him slowly. A nursery rhyme that sounded like 'Twinkle Twinkle' was heard from somewhere far away.

"Clack, clack, clack, clack…"

The girl seemed to be humming softly, her voice sweet and serene, like the gentle lullaby of a mother in a tranquil night. However, Zhang Heng felt a chill that seeped into his bones after hearing that voice. He narrowed his eyes, filled with rage, and boundless spiritual power gushed out from his body. The spiritual power storm beneath his feet howled like a Level 12 hurricane.

It was as if the entire Universal Studios of Hollywood had been hit by a huge, invisible hand all of a sudden, and the entire place began to collapse from the inside out.

Boom, boom, boom…

The sound of mountains crashing and the earth cracking was heard. The movie studio, which was as tough as a fortress, completely collapsed in a radioactive fashion. Blood-red dust rose into the air. The majestic Hollywood was completely drowned out by the massive mental power that Zhang Heng wielded.

The dust gradually dissipated several minutes later, revealing the scene on the ground. However, there was no sign of Hollywood at the moment. It was as if the entire city had been bombed by a nuclear bomb and was razed to the ground by a massive force, leaving behind only ruins.

Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief after doing all that. He went back inside the battleship without looking back. However, his pupils contracted yet again when he stepped inside.

He saw the girl's silhouette standing in a corner of the lobby in the shadow of the cabin, waving at him slowly. The shadow was all over her face, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

"Clack, clack, clack, clack…"

Zhang Heng gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to destroy everything as the song continued to echo in his ears. He paid no more attention to the shadow and headed straight for the command room.

"Pfft…"

The doors opened one after another as Zhang Heng walked past. However, every time one of the doors opened, Zhang Heng would be able to see the girl standing at a corner of the corridor before him, waving at him. That eerie, eerie singing voice kept reverberating in the air as well.

Zhang Heng didn't stop wearing that unnatural expression on his face until he got into the driver's seat. He looked at the silhouette in the shadows, then at Xuan Yuan and the other cloned warriors in the driver's seat who didn't seem to notice anything. He said, "Get ready. Let's get out of here. Xuan Yuan, take a look for me and see if there are any space bases around here. Our goal is to acquire the hyperdrive engine technology. That technology should still be stored in the databases of those space centers."

"Yes, sir." Xuan Yuan took a look at Zhang Heng and began to set something up on the holographic map before him. The holographic map before him began to shrink on its own and the surrounding environment began to expand. A red dot soon appeared on the holographic map, flickering with faint red dots.

Zhang Heng looked at the silhouette in the corner and saw that the silhouette had stopped waving and was standing quietly in the corner in the shadows. However, that vague voice continued to echo in his ears. Zhang Heng shook his dazed head and forced himself to turn his attention to the holographic map.

"Yes, Commander," Xuan Yuan said casually. "The Edwards Air Force Base is located in the northwest, 150 kilometers away from Los Angeles. It's one of the most famous air bases in the United States, known for landing space shuttles."

"Alright, let's go there." Zhang Heng nodded and glanced at that corner from the corner of his eye, only to find that the illusion had disappeared all of a sudden.

"Clack, clack, clack, clack…"

That voice was heard from behind him all of a sudden, as if it was right beside his ear. A chill ran down his spine at the same time and he turned around immediately. However, his pupils contracted yet again when he saw what was behind him.

The girl's face was completely exposed under the light at that moment. Her face was as pale as a dead person's. Blood dripped from the top of her head and covered that sweet face in the blink of an eye. The girl was staring at Zhang Heng with a creepy smile on her face.

She then extended her hand and waved it slowly at Zhang Heng, and the quiet nursery rhyme played in the entire cabin over again.

452. Target Found

Zhang Heng's actions immediately attracted the attention of the other cloned warriors in the control room. However, all of them only took one look at him before turning around and getting back to work. Only Xuan Yuan looked at Zhang Heng with a puzzled expression and reminded him, "Commander, your mental state is very unstable. I'd advise you to take a break."

"I'm fine." Zhang Heng waved his hand and rejected Xuanyuan's offer right away. However, he seemed to have recalled something and asked again, "How is it? Do you feel anything out of the ordinary, like hallucinations or auditory hallucinations?"

"No, Commander." Xuan Yuan shook his head without any hesitation. "While we have our own consciousness, we don't have emotional hormones. As such, mental attacks from the 'Black Hole Surface' plane are ineffective against us."

"Is that so?" Zhang Heng nodded, but he felt even more puzzled. If that was the case, then what would be the explanation for the cloned dead bodies of the Universal Studios of Hollywood? He wanted to calm himself down and think about it, but that eerie nursery rhyme kept reverberating in his mind, throwing his mind into a complete mess and preventing him from making any effective judgments.

It was no wonder that the meme was capable of destroying all humanity. Despite having been trained by Corona countless times and having a will that was hundreds, even thousands of times stronger than that of regular people, he was still subjected to negative emotions such as irritation, exhaustion, and so on due to the interference from the mirages. But if the meme was truly that powerful, then why was it that everyone in the movie, including the chief of security, was able to maintain their sanity?

If what Xuan Yuan said was true and that the clones wouldn't be affected, then why did Team No. 3 of the Fifth Squadron die? Or rather… Xuan Yuan was lying.

Zhang Heng took a good look at Xuanyuan Chao, but denied the possibility. If Xuanyuan Chao were to lie about his feelings, the chip in his mind would burn on its own. As such, the probability of that happening was very low.

Zhang Heng felt a sharp pain in his brain after thinking about it for a bit. He walked to a corner and tried his best to suppress his frustration, trying to calm himself down.

The ship began to move again. Zhang Heng looked through the window and saw that it was pitch-black outside. There were no stars and no moon. He had a feeling that the entire world seemed to have been sucked into a pitch-black hole and nothing could change that.

Due to the massive size of the battleship and the fact that it was in the atmosphere, the battleship was able to fly for seven to eight minutes despite being only about 100 kilometers away. It had to be said that such large battleships were of little use in the atmosphere, as they were nowhere near as nimble as the Falcon.

"We've reached our destination." Xuan Yuan looked down at the data shown on the holographic projection and reported, "We've reached the Edwards Air Force Base. Commander, according to the life signature detector, the entire base is sending out life signals. Would you like me to send the T-800 Terminators in for exploration?"

"No need. I'll do it myself. Just send a squadron in with me. The rest of you, stay inside the battleship." Zhang Heng shook his head and scanned his surroundings with his peripheral vision, only to find that the illusion had disappeared all of a sudden.

"Understood." Xuan Yuan didn't object and gave the order on the communication device right away. When Zhang Heng left the ship again, a D.S.F squad of over a hundred people followed him down.

The allocation of the Special Forces in the Alternate plane consisted of 10 people per team, 100 people per team, and 1,000 people per team. Zhang Heng would only assign the best Cologne fighters to the D.S.F special forces, with the rest lurking around the world and other occupied planes.

Zhang Heng spread out his mental power and scanned the huge, pitch-black building like a radar. The entire military base had long since become a place of death, just like the city of Los Angeles. There were strange dead bodies kneeling on the ground, holding their eyeballs in their hands. There was also a mountain of dead bodies piled up at the airport of the military base, just like those found in Los Angeles. However, most of the mountains of dead bodies were wearing military uniforms, and some of them had weapons in their hands. Furthermore, the size of those mountains was nowhere near that of Los Angeles.

Zhang Heng quickly scanned his surroundings and found nothing out of the ordinary. He then walked into the command center of the airbase and looked at the schematics of the building in the lobby, deep in thought.

The building had run out of power and the background of the world was only around 2050. Technology was nowhere near as advanced as it was in real life. As such, there was no way that the military base in the Dead Space plane would still have power after the destruction of human civilization. The entire base was completely silent and the empty windows in the corridors looked like pitch-black eyes staring at the uninvited guests from afar.

Zhang Heng pondered for a bit before making a gesture. The hundreds of people split into two teams right away. One team went upstairs to search while the other headed for the basement. Both teams disappeared from the lobby in no time.

Zhang Heng did all of that because he wanted to verify yet again if clones who had lost all feeling could be influenced by the meme, resulting in mental disorder and attacking each other.

That small group of clone warriors had died in such a building that was filled with life the previous time. The current situation was very similar to what happened back then. Zhang Heng had to use the clone warriors as guinea pigs in order to get an answer.

Intense gunshots were heard from the basement of the building as the clone warrior made his way inside. Zhang Heng stomped on the ground without giving it any thought and the ground beneath his feet collapsed. He descended quickly and broke through layer after layer of obstacles, appearing at the bottommost floor of the command center building in the blink of an eye.

The underground was in utter chaos at the moment. Zhang Heng saw the cloned warriors, who had been doing what they were told to do, shooting wildly before his eyes. However, the internal strife that he had imagined didn't happen. Instead, all the cloned warriors were facing the same direction, firing their pulse weapons at the darkness with blinding light.

It was only then that Zhang Heng finally saw several black shapes moving quickly in the endless darkness below the ground. Those were monsters that looked like specters, with no fixed shapes to them at all. They looked like countless black shadows that kept howling and charging at the clone warriors. The pulse rifles that were able to penetrate steel plates and destroy buildings were unable to even cause a ripple on the clone.

Attack ineffective!

The wound on Zhang Heng's forehead opened and closed without giving it any thought. A burst of intense sunlight gushed out from the wound. Zhang Heng seemed to hear the sound of energy boiling as soon as the massive mental power came into contact with the creature. Shrieks that sounded like they came from hell were heard from the shadows at the same time. All of the shadows melted in the very next second, as if they had encountered snow and sunlight.

453. Blind

Zhang Heng felt endless chaos and madness as soon as his mental power came into contact with those black shadows. Those black shadows seemed to be made up of countless chaotic thoughts. Those thoughts were like ink that had melted into water when they were melted by his mental power and surged into his mind in an instant.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted as his eyes became completely bloodshot. He felt an indescribable rage and malevolence welling up deep within him, driving him to kill and destroy everything.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and forced those thoughts to stay in the depths of his mind. His face was flushed red and he stood frozen on the spot, holding his hands tightly.

"Commander!" The cloned warriors behind Zhang Heng reacted right away when they sensed that something was off with him. They quickly formed a circle around Zhang Heng and protected him. Several cloned warriors in charge of medical care walked up to Zhang Heng, wanting to examine his body.

"F * * k off!" Zhang Heng grunted and the cloned warriors were sent flying by some invisible force as if they had been dealt a heavy blow. He stomped on the ground and charged out of the hole he came from.

Boom!

Zhang Heng immediately went into supersonic mode when the intense shockwave hit him. He only stopped when he was hundreds of meters away from the ground. He covered his head with his hands, his eyes filled with a destructive madness.

"Clack, clack, clack, clack…"

However, that eerie nursery rhyme was heard again at that very moment. Zhang Heng turned around with a ferocious look and saw Zhang Xin's silhouette standing not far away from him. However, she had her back to him and was waving her arms slowly into the distance.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more ferocious. He ran for several kilometers yet again, yet that nursery rhyme turned into all manner of familiar voices.

"Brother… you don't want me anymore?" Zhang Xin sobbed.

"Get home, kid!" His father's stern voice was heard all of a sudden.

"Come back. You've done enough. Don't live such a tiring life…" That was her mother's choked voice.

"Zhang Heng, where's your heart?" Li Yiru shouted while crying.

"Commander, please don't abandon me. I'm scared!" Adam's weeping before his death was heard.

"Ahhhh! Get lost!"

All of a sudden, Zhang Heng threw his head back and howled like a wounded animal. Countless beams of light shot out from his glabella at the same time, tearing a ghastly hole in the pitch-black night sky above him.

All of a sudden, cool air gushed out from between his eyebrows and that chaotic and noisy noise disappeared.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and dropped to the ground after venting all that pent-up rage in him. He slumped to the ground and felt an indescribable sense of exhaustion welling up in his chest. That was the inner demon that he had been accumulating over the past two years, as if he was treading on thin ice. All of that was released at that very moment by that unknown curse.

Due to the optimization of his genes by the T-Virus and the modification of his Genova cells, he had long surpassed humans. His body was no longer considered human, yet his consciousness remained unchanged. Deep down, he still considered himself human.

Since he was a human, there had to be something wrong with his mind. Fortunately, the mind gem had protected him.

He gradually calmed down and looked up at the night sky all of a sudden. He seemed to have sensed that some kind of unknown entity had temporarily retreated from the light emitted by the Mind Gem.

His eyes were filled with greed and madness, making him look like a ferocious wolf staring at its prey, waiting for its prey to make a mistake…

He had felt that feeling when he first arrived at the surface of the black hole, and now, it was there again. If it hadn't been for the Mind Gems protecting him twice, he would have probably gone insane and his consciousness would have completely collapsed.

Was all of this really just a prank?

Zhang Heng's judgment of the situation was suddenly shaken. He shook his head and returned to the Edwards Air Force Base. However, he found that the lights of the base had been turned on at that moment, making the place look very eye-catching in the endless darkness.

Zhang Heng walked into the building and saw Xuan Yuan standing at the door. He said as soon as he saw Zhang Heng, "Commander, we've located the base's supercomputer database. We've also found backup generators to reboot the power of the entire base. All we need to do now is to break into the database and see if there's any data regarding the hyperdrive engines that we need in there. If we're lucky, we'll be able to finish the mission very quickly."

"Very well." Zhang Heng nodded. However, a clone warrior shouted into the communication device at that moment. "No. 0823 Found Survivor! I repeat, No. 0823 Found Survivor. Located at the food warehouse of the air base."

Zhang Heng was stunned when he heard that. He stomped on the ground and a shockwave surged out. He broke the sound barrier and headed straight for the food warehouse.

Several cloned warriors were standing in a circle outside the food warehouse at the moment. Surrounding them was a man in ragged clothes who looked so dirty that it was difficult to recognize him. That man was crawling on the ground at the moment, seemingly mentally unstable and screaming in despair.

That was what he saw when he arrived.

"Who the f * * k are you?" Zhang Heng walked up to the man on the ground right away and shouted at him. However, the man didn't answer at all. He simply closed his eyes and shouted in a dazed manner, "Get lost! Get lost!"

"Commander, you'd better come and take a look," the clone warrior reminded him and pointed at the inside of the warehouse.

It was only then that Zhang Heng put the man down and walked into the warehouse in huge strides. The moment he entered, he was greeted by the sight of bags full of military supplies. All of the supplies were arranged in an orderly fashion, but most of the food in the corner had been taken apart. All manner of garbage and feces could be seen on the ground. There was also a very well-hidden place in the deepest part of the warehouse that looked like a watchman's dormitory.

It was obvious that the man had taken refuge there on the day of the apocalypse, surviving on food and the remaining water in the tank.

Zhang Heng walked into the dormitory and found that the windows in the room were sealed shut, and the doors were reinforced with wooden planks. The entire room reeked of humidity and moldy stench.

There were also marks left on the walls by knives. If that man had carved one mark a day according to the light coming through the cracks in the windows, that meant that the end of days had been at least two years ago.

Zhang Heng wore a knowing look on his face and returned to the outside world of the warehouse after confirming that he had missed nothing. At that moment, a clone warrior took out a syringe and jabbed it hard into the man's neck. The man slumped to the ground as if he had lost all of his strength and his emotions became abnormally calm.

That was the effect of the tranquilizer.

Zhang Heng walked up to the man after injecting himself with the tranquilizer and bent down at the same time. It was only then that he realized that the man's eyes were closed the entire time. He pried the man's eyelids open and found that the insides were all cloudy.

That man was actually blind.

454. Radiation Life

Blind?

Zhang Heng seemed to have realized something and asked in English, "Who are you and why are you here?"

The man shuddered all over when he heard Zhang Heng's voice. He opened his bleary eyes in disbelief and reached out to feel around before asking in a confused voice, "You're human?"

"I am," Zhang Heng said immediately. "Tell me, what happened?"

"It's doomsday! Doomsday is upon us!" The man grabbed Zhang Heng's arm and muttered to himself. "The entire world has gone insane. I heard the screams of countless people. The air was filled with the scent of blood. I saw a pair of greedy eyes looking at the ground from the sky. There were demons as well. Demons were rampaging everywhere outside. Anyone who was invaded by them would go insane. The world has been reduced to hell!"

Zhang Heng frowned right away. "You sure? You saw it?"

"I don't know…" The man scanned his surroundings with his unfocused eyes and chuckled bitterly all of a sudden. "I can feel the malice of this world. It's alive. No one can be saved, only it can save itself…"

The man's voice became softer as he said that. He eventually lowered his head and passed out completely.

Zhang Heng frowned and seemed to have realized something. He handed the man to the clone warrior beside him and asked him to take the man back to the battleship to take care of him. There was something very fishy about the man's appearance, and he needed to get more information out of the man. There was no way he would just let the man die like that, as the man could very well be the only survivor in the world.

Zhang Heng looked at the horizon after he was done. There was a tinge of blood on the horizon at that moment. It was the rising of the sun on a new day. However, he felt that something was off when he saw that patch of morning light. However, he was unable to tell what was wrong.

That was a vague feeling he had…

However, at that moment, he suddenly saw a layer of grey mist rising before him and floating slowly in his direction. His pupils contracted when he saw that shadowy thing—it was the same black shadow that he saw last night!

All of a sudden, the clone warriors raised their guns before Zhang Heng could give the order. However, none of them fired, as all of them knew that bullets were completely ineffective against the shadows.

Zhang Heng turned around and saw countless shadows appearing on the ground all of a sudden. He was finally able to see them clearly through the dim lighting in the sky. Those black shadows were actually seeping out from the ground.

That wasn't the only place that was occupied. The entire airbase seemed to have been taken over by those black shadows in an instant. Furthermore, one could see pitch-black tides surging in their direction from afar. All of that was made up of countless shadows, so densely packed that they seemed to have blotted out the sky and earth.

"Buzz!"

The roar of a pulse rifle was heard not far away. A clone warrior was unable to evade the attack and was immediately covered by the black shadow. Countless streams of black mist gushed into his body in an instant. That clone warrior then turned his gun around and launched an attack at his companion beside him.

The clone warrior that was attacked was sent flying by the huge kinetic force of the pulse rifle.

So that's how it is!

Zhang Heng finally understood how that small group of clone warriors died back at the Global Pictures. It was obvious that the black mist had the power to control the clone warriors.

It was just that he didn't dare to continue using his mental power to nullify the enemy. He had almost gone insane after absorbing just a few black shadows. If he were to absorb all of the black mist in the area, he couldn't guarantee that he would be able to keep his will intact under the protection of the Mind Gem. If he were to fail, then everything that happened to the humans of this world would happen to him again.

But then again, what else could he do other than use his mental power to kill those shadows?

The cloned warriors backed away quickly, trying their best to avoid coming into contact with the black shadows. However, it was like drinking poison to quench one's thirst, as everyone would eventually be surrounded by the black shadows. Zhang Heng even saw some of the black shadows begin to drift towards the battleship above him, covering the entire surface of the battleship in an instant.

"Warning. Unknown radiation source detected. Current radiation intensity exceeds 100 Sieverts. The battleship's armor is being heated and damaged. Suspected to be under radiation attack." A warning was heard from the ship above Zhang Heng's communication device at that moment. He had the highest access to the ship and would report to him if anything happened on the ship.

Zhang Heng had a flash of inspiration at that moment and ordered without hesitation, "Activate electromagnetic pulse weapons and fire at maximum power. Fire in all directions!"

"You are currently within range of the electromagnetic pulse. You will also be affected after the attack. Do you confirm?" the battleship's mainframe asked.

"Yes, sir!" Zhang Heng said right away.

"Understood. The electromagnetic pulse cannon is charging now. Countdown to launch…"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

Whoosh!

Zhang Heng saw a blinding flash of light at the bottom of the battleship all of a sudden, as if it was some kind of magnetic field created by the detonation of a nuclear bomb. He felt dizzy all of a sudden, and the sound of salsa was heard from his earpiece. The camera before him turned into a snowflake as countless electromagnetic pulses extended hundreds of kilometers away.

The radiation signal was completely wiped out in an instant. Zhang Heng tapped his forehead and put away his mask. It was only then that he saw all the black shadows melted away like snow wherever the electromagnetic pulse passed.

The black shadows turned out to be some kind of radiation-based lifeform.

Zhang Heng had a look of realization on his face. Radiation-type lifeforms like that were actually a kind of signal source to begin with. That was why when they were attached to the ship, the armor of the ship would heat up and cause damage.

In actual fact, there was some kind of biological signal that existed among humans as well. However, the radiation emitted by humans was so minute that it was difficult to detect unless one was using specialized equipment. However, when such lifeforms were seen abandoning their bodies, while they might be very powerful, they had their own unique shortcomings. They had no bodies and were as fragile as regular signals.

However, if they were to be hit by an electromagnetic pulse, they would end up just like regular signals and electrical waves. Their body structures and particles would be messed up and they would all die.

That was the inspiration that came with Zhang Heng's art.

Zhang Heng fell into deep thought after doing all of that. He suddenly had a feeling that he might have found the truth of the world.

455. Subspace

Real. What was real?

Did the world that his eyes saw have to be real?

Science tells us that what humans see is but a world portrayed by the eyes and brain of humans.

The sky, for example, was divided into seven types of visible light—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. Furthermore, blue and purple light fluctuations were relatively short in length. When they came into contact with tiny objects like dust particles in the sky, blue and purple light would be "scattered" everywhere due to being blocked, covering the entire sky and turning the sky blue.

It was the same with other objects. Some objects could easily reflect the red in the sunlight, which meant that the objects we saw were red, while others were blue, green… All of that was' seen 'by the eyes. Other than that, there were also infrared and ultraviolet rays that humans were unable to see in the sunlight. If a person were to be able to see those two types of lights, even electromagnetic waves and radiation, how colorful would their world be?

Furthermore, the human eye not only needed to be processed once, but the brain would also need to be processed again. For example, when an object was projected onto the human eyeball, it was supposed to be upside down, but after being processed by the brain, the image became upright.

Another example would be the human eye. In fact, the human eye couldn't receive red. The red that we saw was a color that was derived from the brain mixing green and yellow together. The field of vision that the eye received was actually black and white, which was somewhat blurred, as details were added to the brain later on.

All of that proved that what humans saw was limited by their physiological structure. In other words, everything that humans perceived, including sight, hearing, touch, and taste, were all perceived by the brain.

If someone were to extract a person's brain, use high-tech technology to maintain the activity of the brain cells, and stimulate the brain with a device, causing the brain to develop illusions, such as pain, touch, vision, hearing, taste, and so on, that person would be unable to detect any abnormalities. That person would have no idea that he had long lost his freedom and everything else, living only in the eyes of God…

Zhang Heng gradually began to feel empty at that moment. He closed his eyes and wore a smile that he hadn't seen in a long time.

"I don't need eyes in the world I'm about to go to…"

In that movie, Dr Will, who had been turned into a demon by the darkness, said something like that after gouging his eyes out…

In this world, those who were lured by the darkness dug out their own eyes…

Also, why did that blind man say that he saw something? What did he see? Why was he able to survive in this world and avoid those shadows?

…

All of those details were laid out in a straight line at that moment, and Zhang Heng was able to vaguely grasp the truth of the world. He stomped on the ground and shot into the air.

The endless black clouds in the sky suddenly surged almost as soon as Zhang Heng charged into the clouds. The clouds dispersed with the center being the center, revealing two huge but pitch-black holes.

A majestic and stifling aura filled the air and all the cloned warriors could see even more black shadows rising in the air. The black clouds above their heads twisted quickly, making them look like demons with their fangs bared. The sky turned completely blood-red.

The wind howled and the two black holes flickered with grey light, as if a pair of eyes had opened up in the sky.

Determination was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he charged at the center of that pair of eyes with an indomitable will. Waves of airwaves were heard from behind him as endless mist exploded, making him look like a flying arrow.

Boom!

A thunderous rumble was heard from the blood-red clouds all of a sudden. Blood rained all over the place.

The stench of blood filled the air and blood rained down everywhere. However, Zhang Heng felt as if he had turned into a sharp knife before him and charged straight into the sky, taking on all the blood rain. As he flew, he felt countless viciousness and insanity eating away at his psyche. That was the darkness and chaos contained within the blood rain, the madness that was accumulated from countless malicious intents.

However, Zhang Heng paid no heed to all of that. He wanted to confirm one thing—a guess that would determine his fate.

"Chi!"

Zhang Heng plunged into the blood-red clouds with an indomitable air about him. It was only then that he realized that he wasn't looking at clouds at all. He was looking at the condensation of will that was visible to the naked eye. There was a salty, bitter smell to the air, as well as some unknown radiation that could drive people insane and throw them into disarray. The radiation was so potent that it was able to fight against Zhang Heng's mental power.

The certainty in Zhang Heng's eyes became even more pronounced. The light between his eyebrows surged violently and a beam of blazing white light shot through everything. Zhang Heng's body shot through the clouds and appeared above them in the very next second.

Everything in front of Zhang Heng became obstructed as soon as he made it through the sea of blood. However, something even more unbelievable shrouded his vision in the very next second.

There was an endless stretch of greyness above his head and countless objects of all shapes and sizes flickered in midair. However, those objects were definitely not stars. A huge barrier stretched across the horizon and the entire space was shrouded in darkness and chaos. Countless chaos and distortions were seen in every corner of the space and one could see a grey bubble bursting out of nowhere in the sky from time to time before bursting apart, triggering countless bizarre phenomena that were completely incomprehensible and impossible to observe.

The world was filled with all manner of electrical signals and radiation that he had never seen before. His vision was filled with all manner of rationality and insanity. Endless negative energies were constantly eroding his will, and his mental power was being depleted at a crazy rate outside the atmosphere. There was no air, no light, no spatial disorder, and even time was being distorted in that place.

This wasn't the Solar System, or even the Milky Way. This place didn't belong to any corner of the universe.

This was a subspace outside the universe.

The so-called subspace was actually a barrier that existed between the prime material plane and the antimatter plane. Einstein had long speculated about the existence of the subspace, and he was able to deduce from the theory of relativity that if the existing world belonged to the prime material plane, there would definitely be another antimatter world. Both sides would interact with each other to ensure that the expansion of the universe would not collapse and contract. The reason why both sides would not collide was due to the existence of the subspace.

If the universe were to be treated as a sphere, most spaceships would only be able to fly on the surface of the sphere, no matter how fast they were. The so-called "warp flight" was to fly directly over the surface of the sphere and within the sphere. Such flight methods were also known as subspace travel.

Zhang Heng finally realized that the so-called hyperdrive technology in the movie referred to curvature flight technology. The abnormalities of humans on Earth were the corrosive effects of subspace.

Everything made sense then, as the 'Horizon' ship that humans created to fly at warp speeds had never anticipated the horrors of the subspace. The ship became a node that connected the subspace and reality after humans entered it without any protective measures, eventually causing the entire planet to be pulled into the subspace.

As such, the end of days came.

All of that wasn't some kind of meme at all. It was something that far exceeded the meme, something that humans simply couldn't comprehend. Zhang Heng was wrong from the very beginning.

456. Netherworld Dispersion

The subspace possessed a power that Zhang Heng was unable to comprehend. It was capable of enabling lifeless objects to gain life from folded dimensions. That was how the 'Horizon' became a living entity. Zhang Heng was able to see the Hollywood Universal Studios and the Edwards Air Force Base after entering the place.

What if the Earth that had been pulled into the subspace also gave birth to life?

He turned around slowly at that thought.

He was standing outside the Earth's atmosphere, which was hundreds of kilometers high at the moment. When he turned around, he saw a huge, dark-red planet floating silently in the chaotic, disorderly void. It looked like a volcano that was constantly emitting an aura of greed and madness.

Zhang Heng was even able to tell that the young man was staring at him with those two black holes in his eyes, making him look like a demon that had covered the entire sky.

It was no wonder that he felt as if he was seeing things in a surreal manner when he first saw the morning glow. The black shadows that he saw in the sky and earth were not radiation-based beings at all. Instead, they were radiation-based beings from Earth, which had been infected by the chaos.

The loving mother who raised humanity killed the child she had raised for tens of thousands of years after she became a member of Chaos, burning the entire human civilization to the ground.

Everything was clear now.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath at that thought and looked at the planet before him that was no longer as beautiful as it once was. He was filled with mixed emotions, but at that moment, Xuanyuan's voice was heard from the quantum communication device in his ear again.

"Commander, we have decrypted the database. We have successfully acquired the hyperdrive engine technology."

"Very well, let's return then." Zhang Heng wore a faint smile on his face. He felt around in his mind for a bit and found that he was running out of mental power. If he were to leave the protection of his mental power barrier, the subspace, which was a thousand times more inhumane than the environment of the universe, would turn him into minced meat in an instant.

Zhang Heng extended his hand decisively at that thought and covered his eyes with his fingers. He bent his fingers hard and veins popped out of his forehead.

He felt extreme pain in the very next second.

"Ah!"

Zhang Heng let out a stifled howl and the intense pain caused his entire body to shake like a sieve. He dug his eyes out brutally with his fingers and purple blood gushed out like a waterfall.

"Roar!"

However, at that moment, a furious roar was heard from deep within the subspace. That roar seemed to have penetrated the barriers of space and time, charging in that direction at a speed that Zhang Heng was unable to comprehend.

At the same time, the powerful Earth's will began to feel waves of fear after hearing that roar. It was as if a mouse had heard the sound of a cat and was so terrified that it forgot to run.

There seemed to be something stronger than Earth in that subspace.

However, none of that had anything to do with Zhang Heng anymore. The world before his eyes didn't sink into darkness when he lost his eyes. Instead, he 'saw' more things that he couldn't see with his eyes. The Earth in his consciousness turned into a blood-red eyeball that was filled with distortions and chaos. The entire space was filled with countless densely packed and indescribable substances. Zhang Heng even felt as if he was seeing battleships that had been completely warped by subspace shuttling through the distance one after another.

A huge, indescribable mass of twisted matter was seen charging at an unbelievable speed in the distance where the noise from the alternate dimension was coming from. It was charging at him with a momentum that could overturn mountains and overturn seas, destroying everything in its path.

However, before that twisted entity could get close to Zhang Heng, a gentle wave of energy tore through the barrier of the subspace and a beam of golden light shone down from the sky. It was like the morning sun, which instantly penetrated the barriers of space and time and shrouded Zhang Heng, as well as the cloning warriors on Earth.

Dimensional Star!

A huge suction force was felt in the very next second and Zhang Heng felt as if he had been shattered into countless particles, causing his thoughts to blur. When he came to his senses again, the cold, mechanical voice of the Dimensional Star was heard.

"Space-time transformation complete. Begin scanning mission."

"Black Hole Surface plane mission completed. Main Quest: Acquire hyperdrive technology—Main Quest Completed."

"Optional Quest: Acquire any technology found in this human civilization—Optional Quest complete."

"Urgent Quest: Discover the truth of this world—Urgent Quest Completed."

"Final Judgement: Black Hole Surface plane mission completed. Host access progress is now at Grade B two-thirds."

His eyes were plunged into darkness as soon as he returned to reality, which was due to the laws of the universe changing. In the alternate dimension, the sight of humans was actually a burden, making it easier for a blind person to see the true nature of that world. That was why Dr. Weir said things like 'the world I'm heading to doesn't need eyes' when he dug out his eyes.

However, in reality, losing the ability to see was tantamount to losing the ability to see. That was a difference in the laws of physics. After all, the so-called subspace was closer to the mental plane of being true to the mind. Humans were unable to explain all of that with their own knowledge and scientific systems. After all, with the level of human technology, they were unable to understand even a fraction of the universe, much less the world outside the universe.

The blindness of the place was not something that could be avoided by closing one's eyes. Everything that happened there was a mystery that Zhang Heng was unable to solve.

Due to losing his sight, Zhang Heng was only able to use his mental power to scan his current location. It was fortunate that he was back in the battleship by then. However, he was stunned for a bit when he scanned the entire battleship before sighing to himself.

While Zhang Heng was leaving the atmosphere, the cloned warriors seemed to have been attacked by that black shadow of the Earth's consciousness again. Less than a hundred cloned warriors had returned by then.

"Commander, your eyes…" Corona's worried voice was heard from beside him all of a sudden. She had regained contact with Corona after Zhang Heng returned. Corona was able to control the bodies of any robot through quantum projection.

Zhang Heng turned around subconsciously and realized that he had lost his sight all of a sudden. It didn't matter if he turned around or not. He shook his head and said, "It's alright. I've fused with the Genova cells and my body is very active. It won't take long for those eyes to grow back."

"Alright then." Corona sighed. She took a look at the two eyeballs in Zhang Heng's hand and said with a bitter smile, "No matter what, you managed to survive, surviving on the surface of the five-star difficulty black hole. That's more than enough."

"That's right," Zhang Heng said approvingly. He looked up and sighed with emotion. "Most of the time, people are talking about what the end of the universe is, but the truth tells us that the end of the universe… is hell."

Corona's expression changed and she seemed to realize something.

"Do you know something, Corona?" Zhang Heng continued without waiting for Corona to answer. "I might have figured out what the curse, which even the Dimensional Star fears like a tiger, is. The so-called curse… is the fear of the unknown that humanity has lost. Science was meant to prove that there is no such thing as hell in the world. However, it was precisely due to the advancement of science that led humanity to hell…"

457. Flood

Genova had the ability to regenerate her host.

It was capable of adapting the host's body to countless situations according to the environment. Such an ability was manifested through the Genova cells residing in the host's body. When the host encountered environments that the host was unable to adapt to or needs that the current body was unable to satisfy, the Genova host would then reassemble itself according to the current requirements, using its own nature to fulfill the host's requirements.

That was why it was said that people infected with Genova wouldn't die easily. Genova was familiar with the vital organs of humans, as they were able to protect those vital organs properly after parasitizing them. Furthermore, even if those vital organs were to suffer lethal damage, Genova would be able to quickly reassemble her own form into an individual with the ability of that organ, saving the life of the host until the host's own organs were repaired.

As such, he was confident that he could regrow his eyeball without having to undergo any surgery.

However, Genova was not that kind-hearted. She was a parasitic lifeform to begin with, and the purpose of the parasitic lifeforms was none other than to control the host and infect the host with more individuals. As its species gradually grew stronger, it would eventually infect tens of thousands of living beings, which would then fuse with one another when the time was right, eventually resisting and devouring the entire planet, just like what happened in the plot of 'Final Fantasy 7' that Zhang Heng read.

However, there were two sides to everything. If God were to close a door for you, he would definitely open a window for you as well. Genova was not invincible. Safiros managed to suppress Genova in her body through sheer willpower, enabling her to use her power for herself. Zhang Heng and the other cloned warriors who soaked in Genova were no exception.

…

At the end of January, Larkin Kobam, the chief of the US Department of Defense, looked at the thick stack of data on the table before him. His expression was filled with excitement, fear, conflict, and many other emotions that were difficult to fathom. It was really hard to believe that someone could make such a complicated expression at the same time.

There were only some simplified versions of the data before him, but he wasn't a researcher after all. While he had the right to access all technical data regarding weapons, that was completely unnecessary. He didn't need to know how those weapons were made. All he needed to know was how the parameters and performance of those weapons could be achieved.

However, due to the sheer number of technicalities involved, the stack of data was over half a meter tall, even though each of them was just a brief description. It looked like a high school desk, and from the other side, he was nowhere to be seen.

The names of the data on the table were enough to drive anyone who read them crazy—mature nuclear fusion technology, cryogenic superconducting technology, combat robot technology, combat exoskeleton armor technology, and so on.

Kobam was holding on to a corner of the data so tightly that his powerful grip almost tore all the good printouts apart. He found it hard to believe that there was actually someone on Earth who was able to hide under the eyes of everyone but was even more advanced than American technology.

What kind of absurdity was that? It was like some absurd, third-rate science fiction drama with no common sense.

Mature and stable nuclear fusion technology…

When the entire world was still in full swing working together to carry out the so-called ITER project, dreaming of the day when a mature and controllable nuclear fusion would appear in this world, no one would have thought that an organization would have been established long ago. From then on, human life would be greatly enhanced. Electricity would be the first priority for the people—in the future, resources like 'electricity' would be reduced to an extremely cheap product. According to the data, a nuclear reactor that was 10 meters tall and four or five meters in diameter would be able to supply electricity to an entire state.

Civil use was just a small part of the equation. There was also the manufacturing, military, aviation… That technology would bring about drastic changes to human technology. Strictly speaking, it would allow humans to enter the Fifth Industrial Revolution quickly.

There was also the cryogenic superconducting technology, which was a technology on par with nuclear fusion. When the entire world was still using expensive liquid helium to maintain superconductivity, the emergence of such a technology was enough to overturn the understanding of human physics. In the military field, electromagnetic weapons would completely replace gunpowder weapons and become the most sought-after weapons in war.

There was also the combat robot and the exoskeleton armor technology. These two technologies would allow the country to quickly transition from the era of manpower to the era of machines. More than 10 million soldiers and workers from all over the world would be rendered completely jobless. After all, the cost of a single robot was far lower than that of a soldier or worker. Humans would be exhausted, get injured, and even surrender and go about doing odd jobs. They would also need to solve the humanitarian and compensation issues. However, robots had no need for all that—they were tireless, insensitive, efficient, focused, and never had to worry about paying compensation due to work injuries.

Kombar envisaged everything just by looking at the stack of technical data on his desk. In his opinion, every single one of those technologies had the power to overturn the world. However, there was more than one copy or two of such technologies on his desk at the moment, and they were all piled up on his desk.

If those technologies only belonged to the United States of America, Cobham wouldn't have been afraid. Instead, he would have been overjoyed and elated. However, when those technologies became a way of giving alms to others, he felt his heart turn cold…

Beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead. He knew very well the gap between weapons and knew very well that if a war were to break out between him and the organization that provided American technology, given that the weapons of both parties were worlds apart, the outcome of the war would be one-sided.

The gap between all of those technologies was more than 10 years. In fact, it was more than 50 years. That was a gap of over a hundred years… and that was a gap of several generations.

Was this the true foundation of stellar technology?

Kobam slumped back in his chair with a bitter grin on his face. It wasn't as if he hadn't heard of Stellar Technology before. As one of the upper echelons of the upper echelons of the United States, he had always known of the existence of that organization. There was an organization called the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation behind Stellar Technology, and that organization was the one who replaced the Communist Party and became the true mastermind of the United States.

It was said that even the current president was supported by the Stellar Foundation. That organization, which was even more terrifying than the original one, not only infiltrated the United States, but even several countries in Europe were unable to escape its control.

Such a massive entity was actually able to provide the United States with technologies that no one had ever seen before. Furthermore, the technologies were not only provided to the United States, but to all five major countries as well. Didn't that mean that all of the technologies that could drive any organization or country crazy were actually just toys that the organization had long since gotten rid of?

That was especially so when he found out from a secret file that the president had sent someone to pass to him that the foundation actually had the ambition to consolidate the world, which made him even more cautious.

That's right, there were countless benefits to the merger of humanity. With resources effectively concentrated, scientific research organizations around the world were no longer fighting on their own. Instead, they were making up for each other's shortcomings, creating an unprecedentedly huge organization that was able to operate at high speeds. Technology would be developed countless times faster than before.

However, would the mighty America still be the America in his heart then? Who could guarantee that the United States wouldn't become the puppet of that foundation and be used by others?

Kobam closed his eyes, feeling rather pained. No matter how unwilling he and those who had their interests at stake were, he knew very well that there was no way they would stand a chance against such overwhelming power when it came to technology.

Such a godlike organization would become a part of the history of humanity and completely change the structure of civilization as it was today. It was a kind of momentum, like the wheels of history, crushing anyone who tried to stop it.

458. Pangu Rising

The world remained as calm and tranquil as it had been on the surface after that secret meeting, which was more than enough to change the structure of civilization, but countless waves were raging in secret.

The upper echelons of the five superpowers wailed like they had gone insane. Such an act of consolidating the world had undoubtedly damaged the interests of those in power. Not all of them were as rational as the chief of the US Department of Defense. A large portion of them voiced their opposition to the political direction given by the president, and there were even many who began to plot against the government, hoping that they could work together to prevent such a thing from happening.

They didn't care how far humanity could go, nor did they care about the benefits that humanity would gain from the consolidation of the world. All they knew was that if all of that were to happen, they would lose all the power that they had now, losing their position above everyone else, losing everything.

This was no longer a reform, but a way of shattering the existing rules and integrating them into new ones. It was a change that would change the world forever.

Many people had no doubt backed out in the face of such an obstacle to overthrow the old factions and consolidate the new ones. Even the heads of the nations were unable to go against the majority of the upper echelons and make such a decision. They turned their attention to the Stellar Foundation once again, wanting to see what the mysterious organization that was going to do next would do. They would only decide what they would do after seeing such a move, whether they would continue to carry it out or just turn their backs on them.

Zhang Heng was not surprised when he found out about the outcome. Humans were creatures that benefited from their own interests, and their individual consciousness far exceeded that of the collective. They would only turn their guns around when danger completely descended and the entire human race faced a life and death situation.

But then again, wouldn't it be too late by then?

Humans were creatures that would learn from their lessons and constantly correct themselves. However, Zhang Heng knew very well that the curse would never give humans time to regret or correct themselves. He wanted to ensure that everything he had done wouldn't be in vain. There was only one way to ensure that his plan would work.

Force!

It was just like what the Europeans said: Truth would always be within the range of a bullet.

At the end of January, when the five superpowers began to waver, the Stellar Coronation Corporation launched its second rocket under the eyes of tens of thousands of people.

The launch was the first public launch that the Stellar Coronation Corporation and the five superpowers had launched after working together. There was no need for Zhang Heng to hide anymore. He had only hidden himself in the past to avoid conflict with the authorities. However, after he laid all his cards on the table, it was no longer about biding his time, but something that only idiots would do.

Strictly speaking, the rocket was no longer called a rocket, but a real spaceship. The entire world had no idea when the spaceship was created, as if it had appeared in the world overnight, filled with mysteries and miracles.

In the building of the headquarters of the Stellar Coronation Corporation on Chongming Island, all the countries in the world that had joined the United Nations were invited. There were over a thousand representatives from all over the world sitting in the viewing hall. Everyone looked at the unprecedentedly huge ship outside the huge glass window with shock and disbelief written all over their faces.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our flying ship will take to the skies in the form of a live broadcast from all over the world. I believe that all of you have long understood what the 'Pangu' ship represents. However, forgive me for offending all of you, but I'd still like to commentate for the viewers watching television and computers all over the world." Li Yiru wore a formulaic smile on her face as she stood in the stands. She was the only one in the entire Stellar Technology who had the right to stand on the podium.

Li Yiru had undergone a metamorphosis after going through two years of hardships. The conversation between Zhang Heng and her that night ended in tragedy, but it nonetheless opened up the knot in her heart. She was able to put herself in a position where she was able to witness the birth of a tech giant that she had never seen before, and she was able to become a part of it.

Li Yiru had been promoted to an influential figure all over the world and her influence was on par with that of any of the heads of state in the world. Every single move she made would affect the minds of countless nations. Every single action and sentence she made would determine the fate and future of countless people. She was the spokesperson of Stellar Technology, the embodiment of Stellar Technology.

Countless cameras were turned on around the venue and a worldwide live broadcast was played. Li Yiru's silhouette was seen all over the world on that imposing, massive podium.

"Everyone, I believe that everyone here already knows who I am. We, Stellar Technology, have the honor of hosting 1,323 representatives from all 193 UN member states around the world. We are here to witness the epic scene of humanity taking place."

Li Yiru's voice was translated into over a hundred languages at the same time, which was played on screens all over the world. Her expression was solemn at the moment, and she looked very sacred. "I have some shocking news to share with everyone here."

Li Yiru walked slowly to the edge of the podium as she said that. A frightening aura was suddenly felt from her body. Her eyes were filled with confidence and the eyes of the entire world were focused on her. A calm yet majestic aura slowly emerged. "Pangu, in the Huaxian civilization, it means that the world was created and an era was born. Today is the day when Stellar Technology overturns the world and begins a new era!"

The expressions of the representatives from the various nations below the stage were rather glum. They had learned about the technological level of the Pangu spaceship before, yet that was precisely why they found it even more difficult to believe what they were seeing. Some of the representatives even found it absurd.

"I believe that everyone seated before the screen would have a question. I'm not using the word 'rocket' here, but 'spaceship' instead. Yes, you didn't hear wrong. I'm using the word 'spaceship' to describe the Pangu ship. Why? The answer is right before your eyes!"

The barrier behind Li Yiru disappeared all of a sudden, revealing the world outside the glass wall. However, when the entire world saw that huge piece of technology behind Li Yiru, everyone gasped and some even gasped.

It was an incomparably huge building. No, it wouldn't be accurate to describe it as a building, as everyone could clearly see that metallic-colored body. It was a monster that looked like a primordial behemoth. The entire thing was spindle-shaped and was covered with silver-grey armor. It was thick and looked very powerful. Even if one were to sit in the lobby, they would only be able to see a corner of that behemoth.

Everyone even saw what looked like a cannon on that ship.

It was definitely not a rocket, but a real spaceship, and a battleship at that.

While the entire world seemed to be in an uproar, Li Yiru spoke again. Everyone quickly suppressed the surprised shouts that were about to escape their mouths, as if they wanted to carve every single word that she said into their minds.

"The Pangu battleship is 523 meters long, 89 meters wide, and 100 and a half meters tall. The entire battleship is constructed of highly offset metals and has an external suit of armor that is five meters thick. The internal engines of the battleship are powered by nuclear fusion. The theoretical highest speed of the ship is—sub-light speeds."

Whoosh!

Everyone was unable to contain their emotions at that moment. The entire venue seemed to have been thrown into a sea of waves as waves of uncontrollable exclamations were heard. One could only imagine the expressions on the faces of the people before the screens when they heard that data.

"That's right. There's no need for you to doubt it. Our Stellar Technology has developed controllable nuclear fusion technology and is now in the mature stage." Li Yiru smiled and continued, "As everyone knows, nuclear fusion technology is synonymous with endless energy. While it's a little ridiculous, I have to say that the power system of our Pangu ship could sustain the ship for hundreds of years."

"Also, I'm afraid that you might be wondering just how much power such a huge spaceship could generate to enable the enemy to move faster than the first cosmic velocity and leave Earth." Li Yiru continued, "That would be anti-gravity technology."

Everyone stopped shouting. The term 'anti-gravity' was a far cry from what was known as the nuclear fusion engine. Only the representatives from all over the world were left with their eyes wide open, their faces filled with disbelief.

Li Yiru then went on to unveil the secrets surrounding the battleship Pangu. Every new piece of data that she revealed caused the representatives of the various countries to shudder violently. These countries were not the top five countries, and this was the first time that they found out that Stellar Technology had technology that defied all common sense. The representatives of the top five countries wore glum expressions on their faces, as they realized that Stellar Technology was about to come clean.

However, this time, he wasn't just going to show his cards to the five superpowers. He was going to show his cards to the entire world instead. The heads of the five superpowers had a deeper understanding of the situation. It was obvious that Stellar Technology was trying to express their dissatisfaction by using such an extreme method. Everyone in the venue looked at Li Yiru, who was standing at the podium, with complicated expressions on their faces.

Li Yiru finally finished her story after about 10 minutes. She took a look at the time and flashed a playful grin. "Alright, I'll cut to the chase. I'd like to invite everyone around the world to witness that our Pangu is about to take to the skies and land on the moon in just a few hours. We'll begin the first colony in human history on the moon!"

A 'Star-Sky' slowly began to play as Li Yiru spoke. The Pangu outside the window slowly rose into the air with a faint rumble as the music reached its climax. It was as if the Earth had lost all gravity, and at that moment, more than a dozen people were watching.

459. General Zhang

"Shocking! Show off your muscles to the world. What is the purpose of Star Technology's actions?"—USA Today.

"The real-life Umbrella Corporation. The true capabilities of Stellar Technology are enough to crush the entire world!"—International Herald Tribune

"Where did the Black Technology come from? Will stellar technology take humans to heaven or hell?"—East Asia Daily.

"The mastermind who controls the entire world! Unveiling the dark history of the world's most powerful company!"—Deutsche News Agency.

"What's the limit of a private enterprise's development? Stellar Technology taught the world a vivid lesson using the legendary Black Technology!"—The Truth News

"The world was stunned when Stellar Technology launched the rocket!"—UC News

The entire world seemed to have exploded the moment the Pangu ship took to the air. Stellar Technology had given the world countless pieces of gossip, ranging from drug development to hostile takeovers, to railgun bombardment in Japan… And today, it had opened the door for humanity to march into space in a manner that no one could have predicted.

All of a sudden, the threat posed by Stellar Technology began to spread all over the global internet. While humans were shocked by the Stellar Technology's capabilities, they were suddenly filled with a deep sense of fear. Why was there such a company in the world that surpassed the military and technologies of nations? Where did all that technology come from?

All of that was like a fog that made Stellar Technology even more mysterious. Netizens couldn't help but imagine a company as evil as Umbrella, conducting countless insane human experiments…

Furthermore, many people took the opportunity to denounce Stellar Technology and made them hand over the technology while disbanding their companies and taking over the moral high ground in an attempt to put Stellar Technology against humanity.

However, there was no way Zhang Heng was going to let that happen. Due to his massive financial resources and his control over the country, countless internet trolls began to appear and fight against the netizens who opposed Stellar Technology. Not only that, but many people who had supported Stellar Technology also stood up and joined forces with those netizens to start a war of words against those netizens. All of a sudden, the internet was filled with smoke and the people were plunged into misery and suffering.

All kinds of professors and specialists were abuzz on the internet. Some supported Stellar Technology, believing that it had no ambitions and was only doing so for the future of humanity. There were also some who spread rumors and discredited reports, bragging about how Stellar Technology would lead humanity to destruction, and so on. However, before those professors and specialists who stood against Stellar Technology had the chance to express their views, they were sent by the authorities to check their water charts.

General Zhang, who had just retired, was finally unable to sit still any longer. On Channel 7 of Huaxia's CCTV, an old man in his late teens appeared on the television screen with a peaceful smile on his face. "Actually, I feel that everyone can rest assured that Stellar Technology will not stand against humanity. Isn't that obvious? Their essence is a company. What would a company want to rule the world for? Their goal is to earn money. That is a principle that has never changed."

The host blinked and looked puzzled. "How do you explain the Pangu ship then? Everyone can see from the live broadcast that there are a lot of cannons on the ship."

"Actually, those aren't cannons." The old man pondered for a bit before continuing, "I've been on about 70 to 80 battleships before, and I have a very deep understanding of battleships. Those aren't cannons, and cannons wouldn't have such a huge caliber, or the entire ship would have disintegrated from one shot. That should be some kind of ion jet. After all, you should know that there is no ocean resistance in the universe. What would you do if you were to brake in space? Such a reverse ion jet would be a very good choice."

"But it looks like the device could spin 360 degrees. Why is that?" the host continued asking.

"That's normal." The old man nodded and put on a smile, making it look like he was at the left-hand side of the rudder. "You know how to drive, right? You should know that you need to have a steering wheel to drive, otherwise, you'd crash into a wall right in front of you. Those turbines are the steering wheel of the ship. With such a device, not only would the ship be able to brake, but it could also fly upside down or horizontally. After all, there's no top or bottom in the universe. No matter how you fly, you won't be breaking any traffic rules. That's the truth behind those rumors regarding the cannons."

"What do you think of Star Technology's actions then? Is he showing off his muscles to the entire human race, just like the media said?"

"I don't think that's considered showing off your muscles. Take their inventions for example. Everyone knows what that company does. They sell drugs, electronics, and even work with the government in the field of military engineering. For example, they invented the T Series Biopharmaceutical, which cured tens of thousands of people. What's their purpose then? Isn't it to earn money? If a company develops a new product and doesn't earn money, could it be that they're keeping it to themselves and waiting for other companies to develop similar products? That's why I feel that there's no need for everyone to make a fuss about it. After all, they're a company, and a company is all about producing products and doing publicity."

"Oh, I see." The host nodded and said, "I understand now that you put it that way, but I still don't quite understand how they were able to build such a huge ship. It's over 500 meters in length and over 100 meters in height. That's the size of four to five aircraft carriers. That's unbelievable."

"That's very normal. Their ship could have been built using building blocks," the old man said with a grin. "You should know about Lego, right? It's that kind of building blocks, one piece at a time. Those are all modules. I think that's very scientific. The modular design makes everything simpler and clearer. Take the mechanic for example. You don't need to know how to fix a broken piece of the ship. You just need to know how to remove the broken module and put the good ones on."

"That sounds like a very simple plan." The host nodded and sighed.

"Actually, that's not what I'm speculating. That's how battleships from many countries are built." The old man agreed with him. "That was the first time I boarded an aircraft carrier when I went to visit the United States Marine Corps, and it was wrecked right after that. I worked with them for over two hours just to learn how to fix the ship."

"Well then, what would you like to say to the audience at the end?" the host asked at the end of the show.

"Young people these days are way too impetuous. They just listen to the wind and rain." The old man shook his head and warned, "I don't think that everyone should be influenced by the public opinion on the internet. The ancient regime sought to uphold the policies of the common people and refused to let people go to school or learn how to read, so as to achieve the goal of the ruling class. The world is now open to everyone. Everyone can learn and there are endless resources to learn online, yet no one cherishes it. Look at how I've written over 40 million words and tens of books. That's actually one of the ways of learning. One should take things seriously when one grows old. Think about it more, speak less, and do more. That's what we should be doing."

The old man flashed a meaningful smile at the screen after saying that and left quietly.

460. Landing

While the entire world was still arguing over the takeoff of the Pangu ship, the ship had crossed the Earth-Moon distance of 38,400 kilometers and appeared above the moon.

Furthermore, Zhang Heng installed a quantum communication device on the ship, which meant that none of that was delayed at all. Hundreds of millions of people were arguing online while watching the epic feat before them.

"Everyone, the Pangu ship has successfully entered the lunar gravitational field and is automatically captured by the moon. After the ship enters the predetermined location, we will log on to the moon and begin setting up the first batch of resources needed for the colony."

The representatives of the United Nations from before were still sitting in their seats, watching everything unfold with rapt attention. By then, Li Yiru had finished her work and was about to leave the stage. The person who replaced Li Yiru as the commentator was a handsome young engineer. As the commentator who was the center of attention at the moment, the young man quickly got into character, despite feeling rather uneasy at first.

"I know that all of you have your doubts. After all, the moon only has one-sixth of Earth's gravity, and there is no protection from the atmosphere. The harsh environment and freezing temperatures are enough to kill any human exposed to the moon within half a minute. So, why are we colonizing the moon?"

"I can tell you right now," the young engineer said proudly, "that the moon is a place where humans step out of the Earth's cradle, into deep space, and experimentation."

"Judging from the long-term development of exploration in outer space, moon exploration, moon landing, building a lunar base, and entering further space would be a definite development, as the moon is rich in resources and is a base for human resources. That is also one of the reasons why we are interested in implementing the lunar colonization plan."

"First of all, there are two types of resources found on the moon that would bring about significant contributions to humanity. The first is that the moon is able to receive abundant solar power. After all, the moon has no atmosphere, and the areas directly shot by the sun could reach temperatures hundreds of degrees Celsius. The second is that the moon is rich in mineral resources. The moon possesses countless highly pure iron ores and high-purity titanium alloys, especially helium-3, which is rich in nuclear fusion fuel. That is the fuel that our stellar technology needs the most."

Excitement was written all over the young engineer's face as he continued, "Other than that, water is one of the reasons why we chose the moon. As everyone knows, water is the source of life. The United States discovered several years ago that there are over 40 crater of varying sizes at the North Pole of the moon. Every crater is filled with water ice, with a total of 600 million tons of water ice."

"If that's the case, then why would water be produced on a dry and dead planet like the moon?" The engineer kept him guessing. "Scientists believe that there are three possible sources of water found on the moon. The first is from a comet or asteroid that crashed into the moon. The second is that the impact released water below the moon's surface. The third is solar winds carrying hydrogen atoms, which combines hydrogen atoms with oxygen atoms found in the moon's soil to form water. Our observations confirm the third possibility that the moon's water source was formed."

"As you all know, water is a hydroxide compound. The formation of water is inseparable from hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms. The moon is like a huge sponge ball, constantly absorbing charged particles from the sun. These charged particles reacted with the oxygen atoms found in the dust on the moon's surface, resulting in water."

The image on the screen showed that the ship had successfully made it to the space above the predetermined coordinates. That was the Arctic area of the moon, and looking down from hundreds of thousands of meters in the air, the ground was filled with craters of all sizes. Those craters had an air of ancientness about them. Some of them had only existed for tens of thousands of years, while others had existed for hundreds of millions of years.

There was no wind on the moon, and as such, those ancient craters were not eroded by any form of wind erosion. They would continue to exist until the end of the universe.

While countless people were staring at the screen, the ship suddenly changed direction and began to descend at its intended location. Everyone was watching closely, as if they were afraid that the ship would lose its balance mid-air, causing the first step of human colonization to come to an end.

After all, no matter how much they berated him online, that single step represented the path of humanity. No one would dare to profane him due to the collective resonance.

All of a sudden, the entire world fell into a dead silence.

Boom!

Half an hour later, the ground in front of everyone got closer. A layer of dust was seen on the camera before the screen shook ever so slightly. By the time the shaking stopped, the Pangu ship had successfully landed on the surface of the moon.

The first step of landing on the moon was a success.

Many people began to cheer subconsciously. Even those who hated Stellar Technology the most had temporarily put away their disgust and looked relieved.

The scene on the screen changed and a group of humanoid robots that looked like skeletons and a lot of armored vehicles gradually gathered at the exit of the spaceship. As the door to the exit of the spaceship slowly opened, the army of robots gushed out like a tidal wave. Huge metal boxes were carried in their hands. However, due to the lack of comparison between humans, the viewers in front of their televisions were unable to find anything to compare with. However, they could vaguely tell that the metal boxes were definitely not small.

"Our construction robots have successfully landed on the moon. In fact, there are over a hundred humans on board the ship. They will be the first batch of people to migrate to the moon in human history. We don't need them to do anything when building the colony."

The entire world's viewers in front of their televisions were even more shocked when those robots appeared. While they had long known that Stellar Technology possessed technology that far exceeded reality, everyone still felt as if they were watching a science fiction movie when they saw the robots that looked almost identical to those seen in the movie The Terminator.

As the army of robots began to move, countless metal boxes were opened, revealing glass-like objects inside. The term 'dome' immediately appeared in everyone's mind.

It was just like the structure of the stadium. Many of the more advanced stadiums had something like a dome installed in them. The dome was actually some kind of glass that was able to prevent wind and rain from getting in the way of sunlight. It was obvious that the glass was meant to isolate the colony from the outside world and create a building suitable for human habitation.

"Everyone is correct. This is the roof of our colony—a type of polymer glass that possesses an extremely high level of automatic adhesion. It's able to connect seamlessly when it's being constructed. This material gives us a very good visual perspective. Our colonists wouldn't be able to see some horrendous shapes when looking up at the sky at a 45-degree angle."

The young engineer was very humorous and continued proudly, "Other than that, the colony also has artificial gravity facilities, which are actually anti-gravity anti-gravity applications. Other than that, we've also brought sprouts of all kinds of plants and hundreds of fertilized eggs from animals. When everything is on track, the residents of the colony will be able to eat as much as anyone on Earth."

461. Elon Musk

The live broadcast lasted for six hours before it ended, and Zhang Heng had achieved his goal. Not only did he reveal his trump card to the world, but he also gave the five superpowers a fair warning. The five superpowers would deal with the mess that would follow afterward.

It was obvious that the news agencies of those countries were going to be very busy.

All of the space companies around the world began to plummet as Stellar Technology came to a standstill. The stock prices of the space exploration technology companies plummeted for a time, and its president, Elon Musk, the man known as the 21st Century Edison, also came to an end.

"I'm not going to be depressed. The emergence of Stellar Technology has taught me what it means by there is always someone better." That man participated in the talk show "Entrepreneurial America" on the night that the Pangu spaceship took off. He didn't look dejected on the show, instead, he looked proud.

"As everyone knows, my life is a series of ups and downs. I've been through a lot from the failure of my marriage to the ups and downs of my career. It's just that I didn't expect the space exploration technology company to run into such setbacks, but it makes sense—they have the technology to crush the entire world, and my failure was practically destined from the very beginning…"

"If possible, I'd like to join Stellar Technology next. I believe that I'll be able to get what I want there—the wish to lead humanity to Mars. That's right, my wish all along was to allow humans to set foot on Mars before I was born, to set up a permanent colony there, and I'd die a peaceful death there. That was my most beautiful wish," Musk said with a relieved look on his face. "The chance was initially very slim, but the appearance of Stellar Technology gave me hope…"

"People often say that I've elevated the wisdom of humanity, and that I've made history go on for over a hundred years… But I feel that the honor should be given to Stellar Technology. Only the person who created Stellar Technology would be worthy of that halo… And I believe that the legend of Stellar Technology is just the beginning…"

Elon Musk walked out of the venue quietly after the interview. The man who looked to be in his fifties suddenly looked up at the hazy moonlight above him and sighed. He then walked past the reporters outside the venue under the escort of his bodyguards to his car.

The phone in his pocket rang all of a sudden.

Eron didn't pay any heed to that. He got into the car first and waited until the thick car windows completely blocked out all the questions from the reporters outside before taking out his phone slowly. He looked at the string of numbers on the caller ID and fell into deep thought.

He didn't know if the phone was broken or if there was some other reason, but there was no number on the caller ID. It was blank.

Eron hesitated for a bit. That was his work number, and no one else knew about that number other than his secretary and a handful of executives. If it hadn't been for someone making a joke out of nothing, the person who called that number probably wouldn't have been simple.

At that thought, he eventually decided to answer the call. He slid his finger down and pressed the answer button. He then heard a shuffling sound from the other end of the phone.

"Mr. Elon." A young man's voice was heard all of a sudden, sounding rather hoarse. "Hello, I've just seen your interview. I'd like to talk to you if you're free."

"Who are you?" Eron frowned and began to recall every single face in the audience during the interview. There weren't many people in the audience for such an interview program and the number couldn't have been more than 50. With his IQ of 230, he was able to see every single face of those people before his eyes, yet he found that none of them were able to match the voice on the phone.

"I know what you're thinking." The voice on the other end of the phone chuckled. "No need to think. I'm not one of those in the audience."

"So, you're the behind-the-scenes employee of the show then?" Eron understood right away. He frowned and said with a displeased expression, "Listen, dude. I don't know how you managed to get my number, but I don't want to be disturbed right now. I also hope that you won't call me again in the future, or I'll report this to the leaders of your show."

"Well, looks like you've misunderstood." That voice on the other end of the phone corrected him again. "I'm not a member of the program, so don't worry."

"Huh?" Eron was so angry that he laughed right away. "That's a lousy excuse. If you're not a member of the program, did you see me on television? I don't remember the interview being a live broadcast."

"I don't want to argue with you, Mr. Elon." The voice sounded rather irritated. "I'm staying at your place right now. Do you remember what you just said? I can fulfill your wish. I'll be waiting for you for half an hour. If you're not back in half an hour, I'll take it that you're giving up on your own accord."

The voice chuckled at the end of the sentence. "Mr. Elon, you only have one chance."

"What did you say… hello?" Eron's expression changed drastically after being threatened. He was about to berate the other party, but the other party didn't give him any chance and hung up.

Clack!

Eton put his BlackBerry back on and his face was ashen. He had never been good at communicating with others since he was young. Furthermore, due to the influence that the book titled "Autobiography of Alexander the Great" had on him, he had gotten used to communicating with others in a condescending manner. That was why his marriage had failed so many times.

He had always been the one in charge, yet he was being blackmailed by someone else over the phone. He was furious at that thought and wanted to call the chief of the police station and beat that kid up.

However, he hesitated after flipping the phone to the chief of the police department. "Do you remember what you just said? I can fulfill your wish." He didn't know what she meant by that. Did she just say that she wanted to get on Mars and die of old age?

If that was what she meant, what right did he have to make his wish come true?

It was just one phone call, yet he was already feeling very hesitant.

It wasn't that he was being indecisive, but that the phone call was simply too bizarre. The fact that he was able to get hold of a number that he had never made public before, and that the caller was able to read his mind with just a single sentence, as well as the overwhelming confidence in that voice, had completely whetted his appetite.

He felt as if he was lying in bed naked with a blonde hot chick and he had just taken a shower and put on a condom. Just when he was about to get into his car, the hot chick suddenly said that she was on her period. That feeling of not being able to let his lust burn away was not something that outsiders would be able to tell.

The driver started the car at that moment and headed straight for the headquarters of the company. As a workaholic, his life was busy and monotonous, with his family and company at the forefront of his mind. He didn't even have much leisure time apart from socializing.

He looked at the neon lights on the street and a thought came to him all of a sudden. He seemed to have woken up and said to the driver in the front seat, "Peter, let's not go to the office tonight. Let's go home!"

The driver took a look at his boss in the rearview mirror and asked, "But sir, don't you have a very important contract to sign?"

"Tell Jennifer that we'll talk about the contract tomorrow. Let's head home now." Eron checked his watch and said nervously, "Hurry up. We have to be there in half an hour."

"Yes, sir." The driver nodded and headed for the villa in the outskirts.

462. Joining

A Road Steer, manufactured by TESLA, was parked in front of a luxurious villa in the outskirts of the city.

As someone who had caused a lot of trouble in the business world, his relationship with his wife was rather uneventful. Both of his marriages ended in a breakup, and his second wife even got back together for over a year after they got divorced. It was a pity that the two of them got divorced not long after that. Up until now, the prince charming in the hearts of countless women had always been single and had yet to find his ideal partner.

At that moment, he got out of the car with a glum look on his face while being attended to by the driver. He looked at the villa that he had been living in for several years, and everything that he was once familiar with became foreign to him that night. The dark, empty houses in particular made him feel a tinge of fear.

According to what he heard on the phone, the other party would be waiting for him at his place. However, the villa was pitch-black at the moment, and no matter how he looked at it, there didn't seem to be anyone around.

"Follow me closely." Eron took a deep breath and said to his two bodyguards and a driver before making his way to the villa cautiously.

The four of them made their way to the door cautiously, while the two bouncers were on high alert and even put their hands in their pockets. While they had no idea what was going on, they had no choice but to take note of what their employer looked like.

One of the bouncers took the key from Elon when they reached the door and slowly pushed the door open. The sound of something rubbing against the expensive wooden door was heard in the dead of night.

The two bodyguards took the lead and drew their guns at that moment, looking around warily. It was only when Eron saw that the lobby was safe that he walked in and turned on the lights in the living room.

Crack!

The expensive crystal chandeliers shone brightly. However, when the two bouncers saw their surroundings clearly, their expressions changed drastically. They turned around and pointed their guns at the couch in the living room.

A young man was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in his hand, taking his time to savor the wine. His relaxed demeanor made one think that he was the real owner of the room.

"Who goes there?" One of the bouncers wore a stern expression, yet he was feeling rather frightened deep down. He swore to God that there was no one on the couch when he walked into the living room.

"You're very punctual, Mr. Elon." The young man turned around and looked at Elon, who was standing behind the two bouncers, instead of panicking at the sight of two guns pointed at him. He took out another goblet and asked, "Would you like one?"

"And you are?" Aeron frowned. He remembered hearing that voice on the other end of the phone. He took a good look at the uninvited guest on the couch after confirming the young man's identity. The young man was Asian and looked average, but Aeron was able to tell that the young man had a very confident air about him. It was obvious that the young man was of the same type as him.

"Before I introduce myself, I think it would be best for you to have your bodyguards put away their guns first." The young man shrugged and continued, "As you can see, I'm completely powerless to resist."

"Sure." Eron then waved for the bouncer to put away his weapon before taking a seat opposite the young man. It was only then that he realized that the young man's eyes were closed the entire time.

Blind man?

Eron frowned and said nothing, waiting for the man to speak first.

The young man smiled and poured a glass of red wine for Eron before saying, "My name is Zhang Heng. You might have heard of me before, or you might not have. None of that matters, but I've been paying attention to you for a very long time. I've seen a shadow of myself in you. You're very talented. If possible, I'd like you to work for me, and I'd be able to fulfill your dreams."

"That's not funny." Eron raised his eyebrows. He found the name 'Zhang Heng' rather familiar, but when he heard what Zhang Heng said next, he pushed all of that aside and said bluntly, "Young man, I'm afraid that you'd be disappointed if you were to use such methods to attract my attention and promote yourself. I feel that you should first show me what you're capable of. If you're truly capable, I wouldn't want to bury a talent."

"But I'm serious." The young man wore a knowing grin and continued, "Mr. Eron, didn't you say that you wanted to join Stellar Technology? I could fulfill your wish, and… I could even fulfill your wish of being on Mars, in the near future."

Eron's expression changed drastically and he stood up all of a sudden. "What did you just say? You're from Stellar Technology?" A thought came to his mind at that moment and he seemed to recall that the true boss of Stellar Technology, who had always been hiding behind the scenes, was named Zhang Heng.

But, how was that possible?

Eron's eyes were wide open as he stared at the young man before him. He felt as if something out of place had struck him. It wasn't as if he had never guessed who that mysterious entity who founded stellar technology all by himself was. He was even able to speculate that the young man before him was someone who looked very much like him. However, he never would have thought that the person who stood before him was actually a young man who wasn't even half his age.

Impossible!

Countless thoughts raced through his mind. He was no longer as calm and collected as he had been moments ago. He took deep breaths and asked, "Are you really Zhang Heng? The real boss of Stellar Technology?"

"No doubt about it." The young man looked up with a serious expression and continued, "Mr. Elon, I am now officially the CEO of the Stellar Biotech Corporation and would like to invite you to join Stellar Biotech. I would also like to invite you to join the Stellar Foundation as the chairman of the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. Would you… be willing to accept?"

Eron shuddered even harder. He had long heard of the existence of that mysterious organization at the Stellar Vitality Foundation. That organization was the mastermind behind the whole of Europe! He had even heard of a gene drug called T-2.1 appearing on the black market, which was the work of that mysterious organization. However, unlike the other T Series drugs, a drug the size of a fingernail cost over a million US dollars, and it was practically priceless. It was said that only the members of the Stellar Foundation could acquire such a limited edition drug from their own channels, and the effects of such a drug were enough to drive anyone insane.

"I'd love to!" Eron answered without hesitation. Countless pros and cons flashed through his mind at that moment. He had always wanted to join Star Technology, and money was a string of numbers to him. His goal was to make use of Star Technology to fulfill his wish of sending humans to Mars.

That's right. No matter what he had to do, even if he had to spend all of his assets, he had to seize the opportunity to join this company that would make history and fulfill his dreams.

Zhang Heng didn't say anything else after seeing Eron's excited request. He simply took off a ring labeled "Stellar Foundation Logo" and threw it before the man. "Very well, Mr. Eron. You've made a wise decision. I can guarantee that your wish will come true."

463. Acquiring The Way

Eron shook hands with the young man before him before picking up the ring on the table, his hands trembling.

That's right, that's the one… Elon had heard of that mysterious ring from some sources before. Such a ring was something that only members of the Stellar Vitalities Foundation would own. The entire ring was made of platinum and the surface of the ring was in the shape of a badge. The engraving was very intricate and there was a round ball on it. The round ball was divided into four pieces by two arcs and each piece was inlaid with a gem of one color, which was red, yellow, blue, and green.

When he saw the ring, he was able to confirm that the other party was definitely not an imposter. Stellar Technology was really inviting him.

At that thought, Eron looked at the young man before him with a rather worked up look and said, feeling at a loss, "Mr. Zhang Heng, how could I trouble you to make the trip yourself? You could have just sent someone over."

"Just like you said, I take talents very seriously as well." Zhang Heng chuckled and snapped his fingers. Two Asian men dressed in black pushed the door open and entered the room.

Eron turned around and took a look at the two of them, before looking at the two bodyguards behind him as if he sensed something. Zhang Heng pulled Eron out of the room before he could say anything. "I'll need you to come with me to Haizhou next."

"But my bodyguards and the others…" Aeron seemed to have realized something, and a pained look appeared on his face. "Must you do this?"

"Relax. There's no need to kill people to keep secrets." Zhang Heng smirked and pointed at his head. "I'm just making them 'lose their memories'. That would be good for both you and them."

Eron was stunned when he heard that. He turned around and saw that the two men had put on their sunglasses all of a sudden. One of them took out a silver strip device from his pocket and said to the three men, "Please look here, gentlemen…"

Shua!

The device emitted a blinding flash before the three of them were able to say anything. All three of them looked confused right away.

"That's some kind of special electromagnetic radiation, specifically targeted at the cerebral hippocampus. The radiation would cause the victim to lose their memory for three to five minutes." Zhang Heng didn't turn around and continued casually, "It's very useful, but it could easily lead to brain cancer if you were to use it too much."

"Alright then. I hope that I'll never be exposed to something like that for the rest of my life." Eron let out a sigh of relief and shrugged before following Zhang Heng out of the villa.

Zhang Heng stood at the door as soon as he walked out of the villa. Eron looked around but didn't see any cars or other vehicles. He asked curiously, "How are we going to get to Haizhou now? I need to book a plane… Oh my god!" Eron shouted before he could finish.

He suddenly saw a huge shuttle shaped like a shuttle slowly appearing in the air above his garden. The shuttle was about 20 meters long and over four meters tall. Its outer shell was flickering like flowing water.

Invisible fighter jets!

Eron covered his mouth and forced himself to calm down, but the shock in his eyes was unmistakable.

"The Falcon is the standard fighter for the reaction force under the foundation, powered by anti-gravity engines and powered by nuclear fusion. It has a maximum speed of 30 Machs and could circle the area within an hour." Zhang Heng patted Eron's shoulder and said, "Mr. Eron, let's go."

"Alright, alright!" It was only then that Eron came to his senses and nodded right away. He wanted to support Zhang Heng subconsciously, but Zhang Heng simply waved his hand and said, "I can see it, Mr. Eron." He took the lead and walked into the Falcon.

Eron was stunned right there and then. He walked into the aircraft with a feeling of unease and curiosity. He saw the door to the aircraft slowly close before he felt a push from behind. He quickly sat down on the chair at the side, but he saw that Zhang Heng was still standing where he was, as if the inertia from before had never existed.

Despite having his eyes closed the entire time, he was able to move as per normal. Despite having been subjected to inertia that was tens of times stronger than that of a bus, he was still able to stay where he was.

Eron took a good look at Zhang Heng. The more he looked at him, the more he felt that the young man who created the legend of stellar technology seemed to be shrouded in mystery, like a bottomless well.

Half an hour passed before the Falcon reached its destination and began its slow descent.

It was not until they landed that Eron shook his dizzy head and complimented, "Unbelievable. I thought that due to the air friction caused by the spaceships exceeding supersonic speeds, they would definitely be filled with shaking during flight. However, other than taking off and landing, I hardly felt any shaking. Have we really crossed the Pacific Ocean?"

"Yes, Mr. Eron." Zhang Heng nodded and led the man out of the Falcon. It was only then that Eron realized that he was in a spacious plaza. He could see a huge rocket launcher not far away from the plaza, and to the north of the launch was a traditional-looking building.

"The Stellar Colony Mining Company!" Eron gasped. He looked at the ordinary-looking building and the huge logo on the top of the building. He was finally able to confirm that he had indeed crossed the entire Pacific Ocean and appeared on the other side of the Earth. All of that took only half an hour.

At that moment, Louis came over with a group of researchers. Louis smiled when he saw Zhang Heng and walked over quickly. "Mr. Zhang, you're finally here."

Louis shook hands with Zhang Heng excitedly before turning to look at Eron. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Eron."

"I guess I should be the one who's heard a lot about you." Elon nodded and shook hands with Louis solemnly. "As the CEO of the Stellar Colony Mining Company, my SpaceX company is no match for you."

"Haha, that's what's bothering me." Louis laughed out loud. "Seems like you still don't know that you're here to take over my job."

"What?" Astonishment was written all over Eron's face. He initially thought that he would only be joining the company halfway and it would take some time before he would be able to get his hands on a high position. He didn't expect Zhang Heng to assign him to be the boss of the Stellar Coronation mining company.

"That's because Professor Louis has other research to finish." Zhang Heng confirmed what Louis said and got into the car that had been waiting for him for quite a while. "Louis, I have other things to do. I'll leave the rest to you. Take Along with you and familiarize yourself with your work before heading back to Honeycomb to continue your research."

"I understand, my dear boss." Louis nodded and watched Zhang Heng leave before turning to look at Eron again. "Mr. Eron, the company will take care of your passport, identity, and other issues very soon. I'll be the one to show you around and welcome you to join us."

"Mr. Lewis, if I were to take your place, I'd apologize for that," Eron said with an awkward smile.

"Don't get me wrong. Your capabilities in spaceflight are obvious to all, and that position belongs to you in the first place." Louis waved his hand and continued, "Furthermore, I took the initiative to ask Mr. Zhang to leave that position, which is why he invited you here."

"Why is that?" Aeron was shocked to hear that. The way he saw it, that branch company had a bright future ahead of it, especially given that it had access to colonization and mineral extraction, which was acknowledged by the five superpowers. It could be said that whoever took control of that branch would gain control over the future of humanity.

"Maybe it's because it's no longer a challenge." Louis sighed as he held Eron's hand and walked in the direction of the building. He said quietly as he walked, "You may not know this yet, but Stellar Technology actually possesses technology capable of traversing the universe. There are many technologies that even I am unable to fully comprehend. What the company has shown the world today is but the tip of the iceberg."

"That's why I chose to leave. We're standing on the shoulders of giants after all. It would take us a very, very long time to surpass them."

Eron was stunned by what he heard and the shock in his eyes became even more intense. "Could it be that the so-called anti-gravity technology and nuclear fusion technology are just the tip of the iceberg that the company possesses?"

"That's right. According to what I know, the company acquired hyperdrive technology not long ago, enabling spaceships to travel in subspace," Louis said with certainty. "That's why I found it boring. While I would take the time to learn those technologies in order to keep up with the company's technological advances, my true interest lies in electronics."

A look of anticipation was seen in Louis' eyes. "I still have over a dozen projects that I need to research in the Honeycomb. While being in that position would bring me more benefits, it's not what I want. Have you heard of an ancient saying in Huaxia—'One could die in the evening if one were to learn the truth'? My true dream is to explore the endless unknown…"

"I'm impressed by your ambition, Mr. Louis. I sincerely wish you all the best in finding your dreams as soon as possible," Eron said respectfully.

464. Transportation Second Age, Are You Ready?

Louis then took him on a tour of the facilities in the branch company. During the next period of time, he would need to be implanted with a brain-control chip in the hive before he could use virtual space to accelerate the absorption of all high-tech data regarding spaceflight in the hive. He would only officially take over Louis' position a month later.

Another huge bomb went off in the outside world, and Elon officially announced that SpaceX was incorporated into Stellar Technology, becoming a subsidiary of Stellar Coronation's mining company. Not only that, but the Tesla company that he owned was also taken under Stellar Technology for US $50 billion, making it a stepping stone for Stellar Technology to enter the new energy car industry.

The Tesla Corporation was founded in 2003 and released its very first Roadster electric car in 2008. It could travel 393 kilometers per charge, with an acceleration time of only 3.7 seconds between 0 and 97 kilometers per charge. According to tests, the power consumption of the Roadster was 0.135 degrees per kilometer, with an efficiency of 92 percent.

The company was a legendary company that was 20 times more valuable than Ford's market capitalization. While it didn't have the foundations of the century-old brands, it was able to sweep away all car industries in the world as soon as it was established. On November 17, 2016, the Tesla Corporation acquired SolarCity, the supplier of the US solar power system, making the company the only company in the world that was able to integrate vertically. The company provided clean energy products, including Powerwall, solar roof, and so on to customers, making it a benchmark for new energy industries worldwide.

Two bombshells in a row had shocked the entire world to the core. All the businesses in the world had reached a consensus long ago—it seemed that the company would be able to monopolize any industry that Star Technology was involved in without any trouble. That company's way of doing things made countless people shudder in fear. The company was practically gobbling up gold at a rate that didn't give any other industry of the same genre a way out. Any company that was targeted by Star Technology would be sentenced to death.

Now that Stellar Technology was finally involved in the car industry, the stock prices of hundreds of renowned car enterprises around the world began to plummet. Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and even Ferrari Porsches… While it was only an announcement that was made online, it caused the entire world to scream and shout. Regardless of whether it was high-end cars or low-end car manufacturing sectors, those companies were completely devastated before they were able to face off against their new opponent. It was as if they had completely fallen into dire straits.

On the 1st of February of the new year, Stellar Technology quickly announced that the new electric vehicle had entered the development phase. Having inherited the electronics industry of the Tesla Corporation, the new car was still a new electric vehicle that focused on electricity. A promotional video was posted online, showing an extremely cool streamlined car. The car had the appearance of a luxurious sports car, and every line of the car was a perfect blend of aerodynamics and art. Anyone who saw the car would be stunned.

Furthermore, it was different from other cars. Everyone was astonished to discover that the tires of that particular car were wrapped around the car's body. The tires and the car had completely become one and only protruded slightly on the ground, making it look even more mysterious.

The moment the video was released, bickering broke out on the official forums of Stellar Technology.

"What? Where are the tires? Am I blind? Why don't I see any tires on cars? How am I supposed to run without tires?"

"Well… look, did you guys notice that? That car seems to be floating in midair. Although it's very low, you could tell from the video that the bottom of the car is still several centimeters away from the ground."

"I've noticed that too. What's going on? Isn't that a new type of plane instead of a car?"

"Are you guys out of your minds? Don't you know that stellar technology has anti-gravity technology? It's obvious that this type of car is an anti-gravity vehicle!"

"Anti-Gravity for cars? Isn't that overkill? I'd say that this is some kind of maglev technology."

"I agree with the commenter above. If it really is anti-gravity, wouldn't we be able to drive the car into the air? It's obvious that this is some kind of technology called magnetic levitation or electrical levitation."

"It's scary to be uncultured. The maglev technology is a new form of transportation technology consisting of untouchable magnetic support, magnetic orientation, and linear drive systems. In other words, the maglev technology requires a specific magnetic bearing route, but do you guys think that's realistic? Could it be that Stellar Technology wants to set up a maglev route in every major city in the world? Not even 10 Stellar Technologies would be able to afford something like that. As such, there's no way that it could be either a maglev or an electric hover."

"Damn, the top student is out and about. My posture is elevated."

"I think it might be light hover technology!"

"Light levitation? By what light? By the sun? What about cloudy days?"

…

The bickering on the forums spread all the way to the Internet. The new products released by Stellar Technology attracted the attention of the entire world every single time. The bickering went on for quite a while, and on the third day, the official website of Stellar Technology finally responded to all kinds of speculations online.

The response came in the form of a video that was posted on the official website. In the video, a beautifully designed car was seen shuttling back and forth on the highway in the form of a hover. The driver of the car was seen half-lying in his seat with a satisfied look on his face. He had even put on an eye mask and turned on the music player.

Despite that, the car continued to move forward without stopping. It was even able to make turns at key junctions and stop at red lights. The driver didn't make any movements throughout.

A pleasant electronic prompt was heard from inside the car when the car reached a special main road. "High-speed flight detected. The car is about to enter a high-speed flight. Please be prepared, driver and passengers…"

The car accelerated all of a sudden and went up at a very high speed, eventually reaching a height of 100 meters. It was only then that the crowd discovered in the video that there were countless other cars flying in the air around the protagonist. Despite being suspended in midair, all of those cars had their own flight paths. Countless flying cars came and went. It looked chaotic, but there was an extreme order to it. Every car could only fly at an independent altitude.

A string of tiny words appeared at the end of the video—

"We're about to begin the next generation of transportation. Are you—ready?"

465. Arrival Of The Prince

At the Haizhou International Airport, a dozen or so foreign-looking people with broad eyebrows and deep-set eyes walked out of the VIP passageway in a hurry.

The man in the lead looked to be in his sixties. He had a mustache and wore a well-kept suit, which made him look very intimidating. However, no matter how shiny and fresh he looked, the anxiety in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Your Highness, the people from the airport are here." A European beauty dressed in a secretary's attire and sexy stockings received a call as soon as he walked out of the corridor, and she went up to him and said softly.

A strong scent of perfume filled the air and the man raised his head slightly. He saw a group of big-bellied Asian men walking in a hurry not far away from him, their faces filled with a fawning look.

Before the man could say anything, several bodyguards immediately stood in front of him and watched the crowd warily.

The men with fat bellies stopped in their tracks immediately and looked embarrassed. They waved their hands and said, "We're on the same side!"

"Relax, this is the safest country in the world," the man said in Arabic and dismissed his bodyguards before shaking hands with them casually. "I'm sorry, but none of my people have seen much of the world. I hope none of you would mind."

"Of course not, of course not!" The person-in-charge chuckled dryly as the fat on his face kept shaking. "I'm the person-in-charge of the airport. You came in a hurry and the chairman didn't have the time to welcome you personally. I hope you won't mind."

"Of course not." The man nodded and continued, "I was planning to keep a low profile this time and I didn't want anyone else to know about it. As you know, those reporters are very troublesome."

"Yes, yes!" The person-in-charge of the airport chimed in right away. "The chairman took your arrival very seriously and has prepared a banquet for you and your team. If you don't mind, could you spare some time for lunch…"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't have the time for that." The man in front of him rejected the man before him before the airport manager was able to finish his sentence. "I'm here for something very important, so I won't be troubling all of you."

"Well…" The manager's smile froze on his face. "But the banquet is already…"

"I'll do it again next time," the man said politely, but there was no doubt in his tone. "I'll definitely have a good time with you guys next time!"

The man shook hands with the people who came to pick him up and left the airport without looking back, leaving the people at the airport feeling stunned and disappointed.

A few cars that had been booked beforehand drove slowly after they left the airport. The female secretary opened the door of the car skillfully and let the man get in before getting into the car from the other side. The car then started immediately and headed for the outskirts of Haizhou.

The man looked exhausted after getting into the car. He rubbed his temple and said to his secretary, "Christina, contact Stellar Technology again and tell them we're here."

"Yes." The female secretary nodded and picked up the phone to talk for a bit. She looked very excited when she hung up. "Your Highness, the general manager of the company is waiting for you."

"That's good to hear. I hope the negotiation goes well." That stern look on the man's face finally relaxed a little. He turned around and looked out of the window at the bustling city and sighed. "I'm so jealous of this country. It rose from the lowest rungs of society, from penniless to standing at the top of the world. If only my country could do the same."

"We will, and so will your country," the female secretary agreed right away.

"Heh, don't try to comfort me." The man shook his head and wore a bitter grin. "With those people around, my country would never be able to catch up to this country. They once had the unique advantage of oil, but what have they developed? And now, oil is about to become worthless. What else do you think they could rely on?"

The secretary opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. She eventually sighed.

"Alright, enough about that." The man shook his head and dropped the heavy topic. "How long before we reach our destination?"

"It's estimated to take another hour and 20 minutes to get there." The female secretary asked with concern, "Would you like to take a break?"

"Alright, I'll take a nap first. Call me when you get there." The man nodded and went to sleep, feeling exhausted from the journey.

An hour and a half later, the man felt the car coming to a halt. He opened his eyes as if he had sensed something and looked outside the window, only to find that the car had stopped in front of a clean and tidy building. The building didn't look that special, but he knew that the place he was in was none other than the Stellar Technology Headquarters, which was known as the center of the world economy and the door of human civilization.

"We're here, Your Highness." Christina got out of the car from the other side and went around to the side to open the door for the man. "Shall we go up now?"

"Let's go up…" The man wore a sad expression on his face. He didn't get to see the welcome he was expecting, as if the other party didn't mind his presence at all. There wasn't even a banner hanging on the door, let alone a welcoming ceremony.

A group of people walked slowly into the lobby with heavy footsteps. Niu Xinping, who had been waiting at the reception desk for a long time, came up to them with a few staff members who were neither servile nor overbearing. "Hello, may I know if you're Mr. Walid?"

"I am." The man walked up and continued, "I've made an appointment with the general manager of your company, Ms. Li. May I know…"

"Manager Li is waiting for you in the office. Please follow me." Niu Xinpin nodded and headed for the elevator. A group of people soon appeared before Li Yiru's office.

"I'm sorry, but you'll only be able to bring three people in at most." However, when they reached the door of the office, a young girl dressed like a secretary stopped them again.

"The people behind you are the bodyguards of His Highness, Prince Walid. If anything were to happen to the prince inside, would you guys be able to shoulder the responsibility?" Christina, who was standing at the side, finally couldn't take it anymore. She had never seen her boss suffer like this before and she said angrily.

"I'm sorry, but this is Stellar Technology." The girl maintained her formulaic smile and continued, "Please don't make things difficult for me, Mr. Walid."

"Alright, Christina, you and Varro come with me. The rest of you, wait at the door." The man waved his hand dejectedly and pulled the door open.

The man's eyes lit up when he saw the spacious yet simplistic office style of the building. He turned around and looked to his right, only to see a young woman sitting at her desk. The woman smiled when she saw him and stood up to walk towards him. "Welcome to Stellar Technology, Mr. Wallid."

"You're welcome, Ms. Li. I'm even more impressed by your beauty." The man bent over and put one hand on his chest and the other behind his back, making a gentlemanly gesture. "If possible, I'd like to invite you to dinner tonight."

Li Yiru shook hands with the man before her and avoided the subject without batting an eyelid. "I'm also surprised by your Chinese, Mr. Walid. Your presence brings light to our humble dwelling."

The two of them took their seats after exchanging pleasantries, while Christina and another consultant named Varro stood behind him obediently.

466. Rejected!

The man who arrived was a member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia, the son of the 21st prince of the founding emperor. He was listed as the wealthiest Saudi Arabian in the world by Forbes, and he was the man named Walid Ben Talal Al Saudi.

He was a legendary business prodigy, the biggest shareholder of Citibank, the biggest shareholder of Apple, and the financial magnate of several world-class corporations.

The two of them took their seats and the secretary at the door walked in and served tea for both of them. Valid thanked her politely and only Christina shot a resentful look at the secretary, while Li Yiru's secretary glared back without any fear.

Li Yiru went straight to the point. "Mr. Walid, may I know what brings you here today?"

"Well…" Walid was about to continue with the pleasantries, but he was stunned after hearing what Li Yiru said. He wore a bitter grin and said, "Shouldn't we talk about something that has nothing to do with work before we get to that part? That's what you Huaxians do."

"I apologize for being rude." Li Yiru chuckled and continued, "However, Stellar Technology has always prioritized efficiency."

"No wonder Stellar Technology became the most powerful company in the world." Walid said regretfully, "I thought that I'd be able to spend more time with a beauty like you, but it seems like I won't be able to get what I want. In that case… Christina, give the data to Ms. Li."

"Yes." The European woman behind her took out a stack of documents from her handbag reluctantly and handed it to Li Yiru. "Ms. Li, please take a look at this document. If you have any questions, please point them out and I will answer all of them for you."

"Thank you." Li Yiru nodded and took the data. The data had been translated into Chinese and when she read the title, she raised her eyebrows and wore a weird expression. "You want 20 percent of the Saudi Arabian royal family's oil shares in exchange for Stellar Technology not developing new energy for the next 10 years?"

"Not just my country, Kuwait and Iraq as well," Walid said solemnly. "Their representatives will be here within the next two days."

"Well…" Li Yiru looked hesitant after hearing that. "To be honest, those terms are tempting, but I'm unable to make the decision."

"I know. That's why I'd like to meet the true master of Stellar Technology." Walid lowered himself and continued, "Could you contact Mr. Zhang Heng?"

Li Yiru nodded. While she had known for a long time why these people were there when she first heard that they were coming, she had never expected that they would be willing to part with such a huge profit. Saudi Arabia's oil department contributed 45% of the country's GDP, which was about $335.37.2 billion. That was to say that if Stellar Technology were to agree to their terms, they would be able to get 60 billion USD into Stellar Technology's account every year without paying any price. Coupled with Iraq and Kuwait, they would earn hundreds of billions of US dollars a year.

Furthermore, Li Yiru could even imagine that, if Stellar Technology were to agree to such a proposal, all of those countries with astonishing reserves of oil would go on a rampage in the coming decade, with the intention of completely extracting all of the oil within the next 10 years. While the price of oil would drop drastically, the cost of extracting a barrel of crude oil would only be about three to four US dollars. When that happened, the shares of Stellar Technology would be doubled or tripled every year.

That was a condition that no one would be able to refuse. To be honest, Li Yiru was also tempted by the offer. While she was the boss of a company with assets worth trillions of yuan, most of that money came from fixed assets. The liquidity capital of Stellar Technology would definitely not exceed 300 billion yuan. However, if she were to agree to the terms, the assets of Stellar Technology would multiply by three to four times over in a decade.

Furthermore, all they had to do was to not develop new energy sources for the next 10 years. There was no price to be paid for that.

Li Yiru's breathing became rather labored at that thought. She apologized to Walid before walking to the side and quickly called Zhang Heng.

"I already know." Zhang Heng's calm voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "Tell him that we refuse."

"What?" Li Yiru's heart sank and she quickly said, "Hold on, don't hang up yet. You definitely don't know what the terms are!"

"Do you even need to guess?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly. "What else do they have other than petroleum?"

"But they're willing to fork out 20 percent of the shares!" Li Yiru was exasperated. "Do you know what that means? It means that our annual income would easily rise by 300 billion US dollars!"

"Of course I understand." However, Li Yiru was disappointed. Zhang Heng didn't seem to be moved at all over the phone. "But, do you think that money means anything to our company?"

"I…" Li Yiru was stunned for a bit. She opened her mouth but didn't know how to answer. That's right, Stellar Technology was the most advanced company in the world at the moment. Forget about the drugs and electronics, just the fact that they were able to keep the human colony and space mining in their hands meant that Stellar Technology would never be short of money.

"Some things can't be gained just by profit alone." Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "The technological advancement of humanity has entered a period of explosive growth. Do you really think that those countries wouldn't have gone on to develop even if I hadn't gone out to promote new energy sources?"

"The advancement of technology is unstoppable. Once we stop, we'll stop for the sake of the interests before us. Then, our company will be eliminated by this era in less than three years. Get it? Don't be fooled by the petty gains before you…"

Li Yiru gasped as if she had just received a huge blow to the head. While she still felt that Zhang Heng was exaggerating, she knew very well that what he said was the truth. If Stellar Technology were to give up developing for that benefit, it would be tantamount to losing its drive to advance. What right did that company, which was known as the Global Technology Center, have to face future challenges?

Some things, once compromised, would be completely lost…

Li Yiru nodded to herself at that thought. She turned around with a complicated look on her face and took a look at Prince Walid, who had a look of anticipation on his face. "Zhang Heng, this is no longer something that I can decide on my own. I'll need you to reject him personally."

"I get it." Zhang Heng sighed and continued, "That's why I'm here." Footsteps were heard from afar outside the door as he said that. He pushed the door open and walked in before anyone realized what was happening.

467. Desire

"Y-You're Mr. Zhang Heng, right?"

Walid didn't hear the conversation between the two on the other end of the phone. He was stunned and stood up right away, seemingly caught off-guard by Zhang Heng's sudden arrival. "Mr. Zhang Heng, I'm Walid bin Taral Al Saud. Good day…"

"I know who you are." Zhang Heng walked slowly towards her and wore a calm yet polite smile on his face. "Legend of the investment world, 'Buffett' of the Arab world. Your name is as dazzling as the stars in the sky. Anyone in the business world would know of your existence."

"You flatter me!" Walid looked elated. To him, being praised by Zhang Heng was something to be proud of. He said humbly, "I'm nothing compared to your achievements."

All of a sudden, Walid realized that Zhang Heng had been wearing sunglasses the whole time and asked, feeling puzzled, "Mr. Zhang Heng, your eyes…"

"It's inflamed. It'll hurt when I see the light." Zhang Heng waved and said casually.

"Oh, I see. My sincere apologies for bothering you when you were feeling unwell." Walid apologized sincerely. "In that case, I'll have my secretary read the contract to you."

Behind Walid, Christina's mind was completely blank. It was the first time she saw her boss being so humble. No, that wasn't being humble anymore. That was being humble.

As a member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia, while he didn't have the right to inherit the throne, his status was nonetheless very prestigious, so much so that even the queen of the United Kingdom would have to treat him with respect. Yet, his boss was actually putting on such a humble front, and the other party was just a young man who was younger than him by over a decade.

Zhang Heng… She had heard of that name before. He was the founder of Stellar Technology and the director of the Stellar Foundation. He was someone who was able to turn a private company into a world-renowned tech giant in just two to three years, and even the five superpowers had to look up to him. However, it was said that he kept a very low profile and no one, unless they were someone in the upper echelons of the world, had the right to know his name.

It was only because she was Walid's secretary that she was able to learn of the man's name. However, from what she knew, even if Walid only knew the man's name, he knew nothing about his age, height, preferences, or anything else.

Most of the time, Christina wondered just who that man was and how he was different from the other tycoons in the business world. Yet, at that moment, that legendary man was standing right before her.

"Christina?" Just when Christina was still in a daze, she heard Walid calling her name and came to her senses right away. She apologized and handed Zhang Heng a copy of the same contract respectfully before saying in a humble manner, "Let me explain it to you. About Saudi Arabia…"

"No need for that." Zhang Heng waved his hand and cut her off. "I think I need to tell you something that I'm sorry to hear, but we're unable to agree to your terms."

"Why?" Walid felt a chill run down his spine and said right away, "Are you saying that you don't think that the profits are enough? We could still negotiate with that figure. How about 30 percent? We'd be willing to give 30 percent of our shares in exchange for 10 years of mining time!"

"That's not about the money." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "The development of new energy sources is imperative. Our company has reached an agreement with the five permanent members of the company. Even if we don't promote new energy sources, the five major countries will still do so."

"I know that," Walid said quickly. "But I also know that the contracts that the five permanent members of the governing body have signed with you would only serve nuclear fusion as a military field, not commercial civilian use. You're the only one with the right to promote new energy to civilian life."

"Seems like you know quite a bit, Mr. Walid." Zhang Heng looked at Walid in a non-committal manner. "Did Huaxia leak this to you?"

"No, that's just my guess." Walid shook his head right away. He felt as if he had become a student in front of Zhang Heng's interrogation, and the man before him was his teacher. He had no choice but to turn his gaze away guiltily and say, "No one told me anything."

Zhang Heng chuckled. However, he seemed to have heard something at that moment and frowned as he looked at the door. Everyone turned around as if they had sensed something, only to hear hurried footsteps outside the door. The wooden door was pushed open with a bang and over a dozen men in headscarves and Arab attire rushed in.

"What are you doing?" Li Yiru frowned and asked, "Where's the security?"

"Relax, Ms. Li Yiru. We've made an appointment." The man in the lead was a bearded man with a face that looked like it had been eroded by the desert. His expression was dark as he continued, "I'm the Prince of Saudi Arabia, Talal. I'd like to see Mr. Zhang Heng."

He then scanned the crowd in the room and smirked coldly when he saw Walid. "I didn't expect to see you here, Walid." He turned his attention to Zhang Heng before the other man could answer. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhang Heng, the chairman of Stellar Technology."

"Taral, watch what you say." Walid became anxious. He knew what his brother was like and he quickly stood up and said in Arabic, "I'm negotiating with Mr. Zhang Heng on behalf of our country!"

"You have no right to take the place of the royal family, Valid." Talal narrowed his gaze. "Don't forget that you and your father were convicted."

"You…" All of a sudden, Walid's face turned ashen, as if he had been hit where it hurt and was rendered speechless.

"So, you're saying that you're willing to take the place of the Saudi royal family? Well then, let's talk about it." Zhang Heng looked at the two of them arguing casually before turning around and taking a seat on the couch right in front of everyone. He then looked up and asked, "So, what are your terms?"

Tarral frowned and didn't seem to be used to Zhang Heng's condescending attitude. However, she suppressed her displeasure at the thought of his status and turned around to sit opposite Zhang Heng. She said with a grin, "Mr. Zhang Heng, the Saudi royal family is willing to pay 20 percent of our oil shares in exchange for you not promoting new energy technologies for the next 20 years. You'll receive hundreds of billions of US dollars every year to make up for your losses."

"But Mr. Walid just promised me a decade." Zhang Heng poured himself a cup of tea and asked, "Which one of you is the one who counts?"

"Me, of course." A proud look was seen on Talal's face. "Walid's father was banished by the royal family when he was young. Despite his return, his family lost the right to compete for the throne forever."

"Furthermore…" Tarral continued, "That 10-year deadline was indeed a condition set by His Majesty, but I personally think that the time limit is too short. The oil market has a saturation rate, and high yields would definitely cause the price of oil to drop drastically. Setting the time limit to 10 years would be tantamount to giving up over a trillion US dollars. If we were to extend the deadline to 20 years, that would no longer be a problem. It could be said that extending the deadline would be a win-win situation for both of us…"

"Not a bad idea." Zhang Heng nodded and said thoughtfully. He then looked at a timid-looking little girl among the bodyguards behind Talal and asked, "Is that your daughter?"

"That's my fourth wife." Taral seemed to have recalled something and his eyes lit up all of a sudden. He waved at the little girl and the little girl backed away with a terrified look on her face. However, a bouncer dragged her to Taral's side and she pushed the little girl before Zhang Heng, chuckling as she said, "Mr. Zhang Heng, if you'd like, I could have her accompany you tonight."

There was a cold glint in Zhang Heng's eyes as he slowly stood up and pulled the little girl to Li Yiru's side. He then asked a completely unrelated question, "I heard that over a quarter of the women in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and other places were married before the age of 15."

"That's the teachings of the true master, Allah." Taral frowned, seemingly unable to comprehend the other party's intentions. He had no choice but to force himself to continue, "The true master is the greatest. You may not be able to understand, but this is a very normal thing for the Muslim people. No one is allowed to interfere with how many years a woman is willing to get married to."

"Are you sure you're doing this out of your own free will?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly. "Are those girls who are 12, 13, or even 8, all willing to marry some old man in his 60s or 70s who can't even use a crutch?"

"That's not within our scope of discussion, Mr. Zhang Heng!" Taral's expression turned cold as he narrowed his gaze at Zhang Heng with a threatening look on his face. "I'm warning you seriously. Please do not doubt the teachings of the Islamic State!"

The entire atmosphere in the office became tense after hearing what Tarral said. The bouncers glared at Zhang Heng, and even Walid looked rather nervous as he shot a look at Tarral. No matter what, Tarral represented his country, and he didn't want to see the fate of Saudi Arabia to be lost here.

"You're warning me?" Zhang Heng was stunned, feeling as if he had just run into something funny. He chuckled and said, "Don't forget that not even your old man would dare to talk to me like that."

"You!" Tarral's expression changed drastically as she stood up and glared at Zhang Heng with a ferocious expression.

"Actually, I've always been curious." Zhang Heng didn't pay any heed to her gaze and wore a puzzled look instead. "Why is it that there are always a small number of people in the world who like to use religion and tradition as an excuse, even if it's against the law and ethics, to maintain some kind of backward ideology and values?"

"I finally get it now." Zhang Heng slowly took off his glasses as he said that. It was only then that the crowd was astonished to find that his eyes had remained closed the entire time.

"That's because you have to fight to the death to protect this backward ideology and values. Only then can you realize your… greedy, animalistic ways…"

"Desire!"

468. Death

Taral's face was as dark as still water. He looked at Zhang Heng with a ferocious expression and said in a hoarse voice, "Very good, very good. It seems like you're not planning to work with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Zhang."

"I've never planned to work with you." Zhang Heng closed his eyes and said casually, "The era of oil is over. Take those words as a piece of advice from me."

"Alright, alright, alright!" Talal took a deep breath and calmed down all of a sudden. However, a sinister grin was seen on his face. "In that case, I'd advise you to be more careful when you're out. Be careful with your parents as well. I heard that you have a younger sister?"

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit when he heard that. He slowly raised his head and opened his eyes slightly. A suffocating pressure was immediately felt from his body.

"Are you threatening me?"

Tarral's expression changed drastically. He didn't know if he was seeing things, but he suddenly felt as if he was being stared at by a demon, and an indescribable chill was sent down his spine. He gritted his teeth and said, "I was just reminding you. I didn't mean anything else!"

"That's right, Mr. Zhang Heng. Please calm down. Talal has no intentions of threatening you!" Walid, who was standing at the side, stood up right away as well. There was indescribable fear in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Heng. "We just hope that you'll give us a chance!"

"Like I said, impossible," Zhang Heng said casually.

"If that's the case, we won't bother you any further." There was a bitter look on Walid's face as he grabbed hold of Talal and dragged her out of the office in a hurry. It was only then that the bodyguards of Talal followed their employer out.

Christina felt as if she had just woken up from a dream. She looked at Zhang Heng with a shocked expression and ran out of the room before she could even greet him, as if she was in some kind of cannibal lair.

"Ward, let go!"

It was only when they walked out of the Stellar Technology building that Talal struggled free from the man's arm with a humiliated look on his face and shouted, "Valid, why are you dragging me away? How dare he insult our sacred Islamic principles!"

"Alright then, go back now!" Walid flew into a rage after hearing that and pushed Tarral away. "Even the five most powerful nations in the world wouldn't dare to threaten him. Where the hell did you get the guts to do that? You might be able to do whatever you want in Saudi Arabia, but don't forget that this is Huaxia! Other people could easily crush you with a single finger."

Taral fell silent and a ferocious look appeared on his face as he mumbled, "He has to die… Only when he dies would I be able to get rid of the hatred in my heart!"

Valid sighed and said with a complicated expression, "Forget it, Talal. Do you know what I just saw?"

"What?" Taral was stunned and asked, feeling puzzled.

"When he opened his eyes, I saw…" There was an indescribable look of fear on his face. "I saw that his eyes were empty!"

Taral was stunned and said in a rather shocked manner, "What nonsense are you spouting…"

"It's true!" Walid took a deep breath and suppressed the chill in his heart. "He's definitely not human. He's… a demon!"

Talal felt an indescribable chill running down his spine after hearing what Walid said. He looked up at the building subconsciously and saw Zhang Heng standing in the building, watching him through the floor-to-ceiling window. There was nothing but emptiness in his eyes.

Tarral rubbed her eyes and found that place to be completely empty.

"Phew…" Tarral breathed a sigh of relief and didn't dare to stay any longer. She got into the car in a hurry and the two of them rushed over, only to return empty-handed.

Zhang Heng didn't look away until the car was out of sight. He put on his sunglasses and turned around to look at Li Yiru, who had a dazed look on her face. He chuckled and asked, "What's wrong? Scared stiff?"

"Your eyes…" Li Yiru hesitated.

"Don't worry about it." Zhang Heng waved his hand and looked at the little girl standing before Li Yiru. That girl had the features of a European, with thick eyebrows and a high nose bridge. She was looking at Zhang Heng with a terrified look on her face. She hid behind Li Yiru when she saw Zhang Heng looking at her, her face filled with terror.

"What about that kid?" Li Yiru looked down at the little girl and asked with a bitter smile.

"Get her a Haizhou household register and you can take care of her." Zhang Heng waved his hand and continued, "Just don't give it back."

"I'm not married yet." Li Yiru snapped. "You're the one who caused all this trouble and you want me to clean up your mess?"

Zhang Heng shook his head with a bitter smile and didn't say anything else. He waved at Li Yiru and left the office.

Li Yiru only looked away with a complicated expression after Zhang Heng disappeared down the corridor. She then dragged the confused little girl out of the building.

…

Several expensive cars were slowly parked in front of the Haizhou International Hotel. One of the bouncers opened the door and Tarral got out of the car with a glum look on his face. However, he began to cough violently all of a sudden.

"Your Highness?" The bodyguard asked with concern.

"I'm fine. I think I just caught a cold." Talal waved dismissively and headed straight for the door of the hotel, paying no heed to her own health. The manager of the hotel was waiting outside the door with all of his employees with a fawning smile on his face.

However, he began to cough violently again as soon as he walked into the lobby, feeling extremely exhausted at the same time. He turned down the invitation to the party and rushed to the presidential suite that the hotel had prepared for him, dismissing everyone before lying down on his bed and falling asleep.

However, right after he fell asleep, there was a group of tiny black dots that were so tiny that they were invisible to the naked eye that were constantly eating away at his flesh and blood. Furthermore, as they continued to eat away at his flesh for a longer period of time, those black dots actually began to multiply like viruses…

Blood seeped out of his ears and nostrils…

…

The next morning, in the living room of the presidential suite, a bodyguard checked the time on his watch before looking at the tightly shut door of the bedroom with a frown on his face. It was not until half an hour had passed that he turned to his colleague beside him and said, "Your Highness Taral seems to have slept a little too long. Could it be that she caught a cold?"

"Let me make a call and see." The other bodyguard sensed that something was off as well. He picked up the phone and pressed the dial button, but no one picked up even after the busy tone ended.

"Oh no!" The bouncer's expression changed drastically as if he recalled something. He rushed to the door of the bedroom and kicked it open without a second thought.

However, Taral was nowhere to be found on that expensive Hesten bed. All that was left of her was a puddle of dried blood, which proved that someone had been lying on that bed before.

469. Human City

Talal's disappearance triggered considerable international disputes.

Huaxia and Saudi Arabia were never on good terms, to begin with. However, after the US took over the reins of power, Huaxia became the world's leading technology thanks to Stellar Technology, and there were signs of them taking over the US. Even Saudi Arabia didn't dare to do anything out of line. The matter was eventually dropped after the Huaxian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a stern declaration against the culprit.

However, many people in the know vaguely understood that the disappearance of Prince Taral probably had a lot to do with the stellar technology that seemed to have taken control of the world. Understanding was one thing, but no one would be stupid enough to offend stellar technology for a dead man and a declining empire.

More than 10 days had passed since Pangu took to the skies on the 22nd of January. Stellar Technology had sent out several exploration spaceships to head for Venus, Mercury, and Mars.

Human exploration of extraterrestrial planets began in the early 167th century. From the initial telescope observations to the first lunar landing in the 1960s, humans made countless major discoveries every time. However, there had never been a day when humans were so close to other planets out there. The emergence of anti-gravity engines enabled human spaceflight technology to reach the sky easily without paying a huge price. The matured nuclear reactors enabled spaceships to travel to planets that were once out of reach at a very small price, exploring the unknown.

The unmanned spacecraft heading for Mercury was traveling at an astonishing speed, reaching Mercury in just three days. After exploration, they found that it was a planet that boasted a massive amount of iron ore. Its outer shell was made of silicate salt, and there was an iron core at the center that was much larger than that found on the moon. The core components of that nuclear ball were mainly iron, nickel, and silicate. According to that structure, Mercury should contain 2 trillion tons of iron. Calculating the annual output of world steel, it could be mined for 240 billion years.

Mercury had a radius of 2439 kilometers, which was 38 percent of the Earth's radius. The 18 Mercury planets combined were only about the size of an Earth, which was 5.58 percent of the Earth's mass, with an average density of 5.433 grams per cm, which was slightly lower than Earth's average density. However, given the intense temperatures at 427 degrees Celsius during the day and the intense temperatures at 173 ° C at night, Stellar Technology temporarily gave up on the idea of mining in the area.

Other than Mercury, the results of the exploration of Venus were far more optimistic. It could be said that Venus was the planet closest to Earth, with the exception of the Moon. It was even closer to Earth than Mars was. Furthermore, it was also known as Earth's' twin sister ', with a diameter of only 4 percent smaller than Earth and a mass of 20 percent lighter. Theoretically speaking, Venus had an iron nickel nucleus with a radius of 3,100 kilometers, which was very similar to Earth's.

The atmospheric pressure on Venus was at least 90 times that of Earth, with temperatures as high as 470 ° C. There was practically no difference between areas, seasons, and day and night. At the same time, Venus also had an atmospheric structure, with atmospheric components consisting mainly of carbon dioxide and small amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases. Due to the greenhouse effect, Venus was tens of times hotter than Earth.

Mars, on the other hand, was the most optimistic of all planets. Mars was the fourth planet in the Solar System, with a diameter of about half that of Earth, a volume of 15 percent, and a mass of 11 percent. Its surface area was equivalent to the total area of Earth's land, and its surface gravity was about 2.5 times that of the Moon and two-fifths that of Earth.

Mars was basically a desert planet with sand dunes and gravel all over its surface. There were no stable hydraulic bodies found on the planet, and the atmosphere, which was mainly carbon dioxide, was both thin and cold. Dust and sand were suspended in the air, and dust storms were common every year. Mars' atmospheric density was only one percent of that of Earth's. While that thin layer of atmosphere was capable of producing greenhouse effects, it was only capable of raising the temperature of the planet's surface by 5 ° C, and it was very dry. The average temperature on the surface was 0.55 ° C, which meant that the Earth's normal temperature would only approach during the daytime of summer, which was about 27 ° C.

Simply put, Mars was the ideal colony planet for humanity.

All manner of exploration continued, and at the same time, the colony on the moon was also underway. The colony named Human City No. 1 had been under construction for over a dozen days. The first batch of workers working on the moon had dug over 50 deep craters on the surface and installed anti-gravity facilities in those craters. Those facilities would change the gravity within a radius of over a hundred kilometers, enabling the gravity in that area to reach the same level as that on Earth.

Pangu had been traveling between Earth and Moon dozens of times during that period of time, bringing with it massive amounts of supplies and equipment. Soon, a huge nuclear fusion device was set up in the center of the colony's planning. That fusion device would become the source of power for the colony in the future.

The dome would be built after that. The colony would be constructed into a huge hemispherical, enclosed building with a circumference of over 100 kilometers. Rivers, lakes, forests, industrial areas, residential areas, and so on were designed inside the building. All of that would take only half a year to complete due to the efficiency of the robots.

Furthermore, Stellar Technology didn't seem to think that it was enough. Before anyone realized what was happening, dozens of spaceships of the same size as the Pangu were constructed one after another, and they began the second and third project of the human city not far from the first.

Furthermore, the Mars colonization plan had been put on the agenda by Star Technology.

It was as if they had entered the future overnight. Everyone knew that humanity had gained the power to open up outer space and colonize extraterrestrial planets.

In human society, the first batch of volunteers to be colonized had also entered the recruitment phase. An announcement was made on the official website of Stellar Technology, which attracted the attention of countless people. Stellar Technology would be joining forces with the five superpowers to recruit 100,000 people to live in the colony half a year later. Due to the size and speed of the Pangu spaceship, humans were no longer able to reach the moon on a long voyage that would have taken several months back then. They only needed four hours to reach the moon.

That number shocked countless people—it took only four hours to fly from Urumqi to Shanghai.

That announcement garnered the interest of many in the West. Many in the West were adventurous, and the Huaxians were curious about new and interesting things, especially when Stellar Technology and the five superpowers issued a joint statement, claiming that the lunar colonization technology was very mature and that the chances of a plane crash were even lower than taking a plane. With such a guarantee, more than a million people applied for the job in just an hour.

Of course, it wasn't like there were no benefits to being a colonist. Stellar Technology had once promised that, after becoming the first batch of colonists, all of them would become employees of Stellar Technology. Their monthly salaries would reach an astonishing $10,000, and that was only the basic requirement. After becoming the first batch of colonists, all of them would be given more than 200 square meters of property rights. All of their meals and drinks would be provided free of charge by Stellar Technology. Of course, Stellar Technology was only providing basic food and drinks. If they wanted to have a feast in a five-star hotel in the colony, they wouldn't be able to afford the expenses.

Furthermore, it wasn't as if he couldn't return to Earth after becoming a colonist. Stellar technology promised that the colonists would still be registered citizens of their respective countries. After the colony was established, the flight routes between Earth and Moon would be completely opened. In the future, travel between Earth and Moon would be as common as traveling abroad. The colonists could resign and return to Earth at any time.

That was an extremely generous offer that attracted countless people, but there was still a barrier to becoming a colonist. Due to the emergence of the T series of robots, the colony didn't need low-end labor. Robots were employed in everything from hygiene to farming and industry. Stellar Technology only recruited people with unique skills.

470. Space Travel Experiment

The human city colony was the biggest and most historic project of the century. The five superpowers invested nearly 300 billion yuan in the project, while Stellar Technology was responsible for technical matters. While no one knew how much profit they would be able to make, they were able to imagine that Stellar Technology would definitely be able to make a killing out of it.

The joint announcement issued by Stellar Technology and the five superpowers resulted in over 10 million applicants filling out their applications within a day. While most of them were low-level technological professionals, there were still quite a number of researchers of value among them. Even Stephen William Hawking, known as the modern Einstein, filled out a volunteer form and publicly announced that he hoped to become one of the first colonists in human history to contribute to humanity's progress.

The division of territories in the colonies remained a mystery to countless people. After all, no matter how powerful Stellar Technology was, it was impossible for those colonies to become the private territories of Stellar Technology. As a company, it was pointless for Stellar Technology to want those territories. As such, many people in the outside world speculated that those territories might have been jointly managed by the five superpowers and established a parliament like the Security Council in the colonies.

While the speculations were ridiculous, they were actually very close to being true. Under Zhang Heng's supervision, the five superpowers began to attempt to integrate. The existence of the colonies served as a catalyst for the integration of the five superpowers. If there were no mishaps, the military agencies of the five superpowers would be integrated first in the next six months, forming a highly condensed group that shared technology.

As for the integration of internal affairs, it would probably take a little longer. After all, internal affairs were far more complicated than military affairs. The state of affairs in every country was different. If there were no external interference, the most likely outcome would still be a federal government organization. However, there was no rush for that. Zhang Heng would neither interfere nor interfere with internal affairs. The only way to facilitate the integration of internal affairs would be when the curse truly came.

However, the series of actions by the five superpowers still made politicians from all over the world, who had a keen sense of smell, feel that something was off. However, due to the lack of technology, they had no choice but to watch as the five superpowers and Stellar Science and Technology went on to do extraterrestrial colonization. Many countries sent representatives to make contact with the five superpowers in order to get a piece of the pie in the upcoming colonization frenzy. That was exactly what Zhang Heng wanted, and he welcomed all of them. As long as they were willing to fork out money and resources, they would be able to join the colonization plan that the five superpowers were working on together and send their talents to outer space.

With the plan to colonize outer space, the tensions that had plagued the world for hundreds of years due to resources and land were gradually alleviated. The entire world was filled with joy and harmony. After all, outer space had unlimited opportunities and resources. No one would be willing to fight over a limited piece of land like Earth. According to the current popular saying, "Our goal is the sea of stars."

At the moment, Stellar Technology hadn't stopped developing due to the colony's plans. It was time for the automated surgical equipment to be promoted to civilian use. However, the birth of such a technology was a huge transformation in the field of medicine, and it was unavoidable that it would cause a backlash from all over the world.

As such, Zhang Heng had no intention of taking out a fully functional, automated surgical machine right from the start. He planned to take over the most complex part of the operation, starting with a semi-automatic surgical instrument capable of repairing the nervous system, beginning with surgeries that surgeons were unable to perform, before slowly making the world accept the technology, before finally launching a fully automatic surgical instrument to replace all surgeons' jobs.

The advantage of doing so was that he could minimize the backlash from change and gradually free the doctors and nurses from the heavy labor force without completely losing their jobs. The way Stellar Technology operated was similar to how Apple would distribute mobile phones that had similar functions but differing models. It was a win-win situation.

Everything was progressing in the most perfect direction that Zhang Heng could have imagined.

In the radiation plane that was separated from the real world by several barriers, a huge space observation station was set up silently. Rows and rows of radio telescopes that were over thousands of square meters in area were set up. Their target was the northwestern part of the sky, which looked like huge sunflowers staring at the horizon.

Despite the fact that his control over the plane was nowhere near that of the real world and the Dimensional amnesia plane, he was still able to make the plane a very important base due to the existence of that terrifying neutrino lifeform in the center of the area—Cthulhu. He had no choice but to give up the plane back then, but due to strategic reasons, he never gave up the entire time. All he did was evacuate all scientific research projects and the clone army. There were still over 100,000 synthesized humans and hundreds of thousands of T-800 robots serving as defense forces.

Zhang Heng was currently leading a group of scientists from the Dimensional amnesia plane to busy themselves in the temporary space observation station. He was about to conduct an experiment that was even more dangerous than the Main. It was precisely due to the risk of being wiped out that he set the experiment location on the radiation plane.

The name of the experiment was none other than Space Travel.

Zhang Heng stood where he was quietly at the moment, ready to communicate with the Dimensional Star at any moment and lead over a hundred scientists out of the plane. Every single one of those scientists was a top-notch existence, and the loss of just one of them was enough to make Zhang Heng's heart ache.

In geosynchronous orbit far away on Earth, a spaceship that looked somewhat similar to the Pangu was floating silently in the endless deep space of the universe. It was a modified spaceship, but there was no sign of life on the ship at the moment, with only hundreds of synthesized humans acting as the pilots.

In the center of the ship, apart from the anti-gravity engines and reactors that should have been there, there was also a piece of mechanical equipment that no regular person would be able to comprehend. It was a powerful magnetic ring with a diameter of three meters and three rings of powerful magnetic field generators. In the center of the powerful magnetic ring was a black sphere with a weird shape and complex patterns all over it.

That was the highest level of human technology that Zhang Heng had acquired from the Black Hole's surface plane—the hyperdrive engines. It was that piece of equipment that gave the ship the ability to travel in subspace. According to the storyline shown on the surface of the Black Hole, that piece of technology was completely successful. As for the reason why humans were destroyed, it was simply because humans had never anticipated that there would be countless dangers lurking in the subspace.

However, that was not the reason why Zhang Heng gave up on such cutting-edge technology. The universe was simply too vast, so vast that any civilization would have given up hope. If the Solar System were to use the orbit of Pluto as its boundary, the diameter would be 11.8 billion kilometers, with a diameter of 78.7 AU.

In terms of gravitational influence, the Solar System was four light-years in diameter.

Given the speed at which the Pangu was traveling, it would have taken more than a decade to get out of the Solar System without accelerating. The Milky Way was about 100,000 light-years in diameter, with a diameter of 473 billion kilometers, which was three billion times that of the Solar System. Even if the Pangu were to accelerate for decades to reach the speed of lightspeed, it would still take over 100 thousand years to reach the other side of the Milky Way.

The Andromeda System, which was the closest to the Milky Way, had a distance of 2.2 million light-years. The universe that humans had observed had reached a staggering 13 billion light-years. Compared to that, the Milky Way that humans resided in was like a drop of water in the ocean. It wasn't even considered water, but something that could only be compared to tiny water molecules or even hydrogen atoms.

471. The Space Jump Begins

The vastness of the universe was more than enough to make any civilization despair. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, there was no object in the world that could reach lightspeed. Lightspeed would always be a myth that could only be seen and not seen.

However, in reality, the vastness of the universe, which meant that even the speed of light, was utterly inadequate. If humans wanted to travel the universe, they would have to evade the limitations of lightspeed from the side. As such, many theories were brought up, with the most theoretical foundation known to the masses being three.

The first was wormhole jumping technology.

The so-called wormhole referred to Swaxi's Throat, a phenomenon that was formed when space was directly bent. Theoretically speaking, the wormhole was a spacetime tube connected to distant areas of the universe. It was just like the whirlpool in the ocean, which was present everywhere but disappeared in the blink of an eye. The wormhole could connect parallel universes and provide the possibility of traveling through time and space. Through the wormhole, one would be able to travel countless light-years in an instant, traveling from one side of the universe to the other. One could even travel through the universe and reach another.

Stephen Hawking discussed the possibility of wormhole hyperdrive in both his' Brief History of Time 'and' The Universe in the Fruit Shell ', and proposed the idea of a space jump using string theory. He believed that a huge energy field could be used to create a' string 'with massive amounts of energy, enabling objects within its range to enter the wormhole created by the string.

Zhang Heng had that technology as well, which was a plane travel device that he acquired from the Terminator plane. However, due to the current level of stellar technology, the device was unable to be applied to space travel, and he had no choice but to put it aside for the time being.

The second was curvature sailing.

That theory existed because people believed that the space in the universe was not flat, but had a curvature to it. If one were to think of the entire universe as a membrane, the surface of the membrane would be curved, and the entire membrane might even be a sealed soap bubble. While the parts of the membrane looked flat, the curvature of space was everywhere.

It was a technology that allowed the user to travel through compressed space. The principle behind such a technology was to create an artificial field around moving objects using antimatter-driven curvature engines, enabling the object to move at near lightspeed in the warped space bubble.

It was like a boat rowing on a flat river, where the boat would not accelerate because the river was flat (with a curvature of zero). However, if there were to be a sudden downward waterfall up ahead, which the curvature of the waterfall suggests to be infinite, the boat would be able to move very quickly, which would be understandable, given the analogy.

To put it simply, he was talking about modifying space-time itself to drive the ship, making use of loopholes in the laws of physics to break the limitations of lightspeed.

Then came the third: Subspace Travel.

Some scientists believe that a powerful magnetic field could create a gravitational field to propel the spaceship at high speeds. If the magnetic field was strong enough, the spaceship would be able to enter a space higher than the one we were in, traveling at lightspeed. Once the magnetic field was gone, the spaceship would be able to return to the present.

That space was the so-called subspace. If one were to treat the universe as a sphere, an ordinary voyage would be to travel on the surface of the sphere, while a subspace voyage would be equivalent to entering the interior of the sphere and taking shortcuts to fly, reducing the distance that would have taken tens or even hundreds of light-years to over a thousand times over.

To put it simply, the wormhole technology could be said to be the most advanced of all, and it didn't require time to travel at point-to-point. The second most advanced was subspace travel, followed by curvature travel. The same distance could be covered by wormhole jump technology in an instant, no matter how far away it was. Subspace, on the other hand, reduced the duration of 10,000 years to a year. As for curvature technology, according to relativity, curvature travel could never exceed 10 times the speed of light.

Countless researchers were busy working in the command room of the space observatory at the moment. Mark Dawson, the chief manager of the spaceflight industry in the Dimensional amnesia plane, walked up to Zhang Heng, who was sitting at the side, and said respectfully, "Commander, quantum communication has been successfully locked onto the experimental ship. Spaceflight detection is in place. Spaceflight experimentation is underway at any time."

Zhang Heng looked up and asked with his eyes closed, "Where is the destination set up?"

"In the orbit of Pluto." Mark Dawson adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and continued, "As the innermost border of the Solar System, if all goes well, the test ship would be able to successfully escape from the subspace and appear in the orbit of Pluto an hour later. Conversely, that would mean that the experiment has failed."

Zhang Heng was silent for a bit before saying, "Let's begin then."

"Understood!" Mark Daolin nodded and turned around to look at the staff who were waiting for orders. "Prepare for the navigation experiment. We will begin the subspace voyage in three minutes!"

Everyone's spirits were lifted and they immediately got busy at their respective positions. Mark Dawson himself walked up to the central control panel and began monitoring and tweaking everyone's operation, giving out orders as he worked.

"Nuclear fusion reactor activated!"

"The fusion reactor is activated. Temperature is currently rising and output power is stable," the controller of the fusion said immediately.

"Liquid helium cooling system activated!"

"It's been activated. Pressure is stable at the moment." Another worker wore a serious expression.

"Electromagnetic Ring on! Hyperdrive engines running!"

"The magnetic field of the strong magnetic ring is stable at the moment. The core magnetic field has reached 10 billion atmospheric forces and is still rising."

Mark Dawson nodded to himself and took a look at the huge screen above him. The screen was split into over a dozen different surveillance screens, all of which were projections from the internal surveillance cameras of the experimental spaceships. Furthermore, due to quantum communication technology, all of the transmissions were real-time, with no delay whatsoever.

At that moment, the central screen of the dozen or so screens displayed the core objective of the experiment—the hyperdrive engines. At that moment, there were three iron brambles that looked like planetary rings on the periphery of the hyperdrive, revolving around the black sphere at high speeds, so fast that they were about to become a blur.

"The critical value is up. Currently, the magnetic field core has a atmospheric pressure of 50 billion. The strong magnetic ring is very stable," the staff at the side reminded him again.

"Very well." Mark Dawson nodded and put his finger on the red button at the center of the command center. Despite having been through countless battles, he was still able to feel the pressure at that very moment. He hesitated for a bit before gritting his teeth and pressing the button hard.

"Dimensional Travel experiment countdown one minute…" A cold electronic voice was heard from every corner of the hall as soon as he pressed the activation button. A low, warning sound was heard, signaling that the experiment was about to enter its final stage.

Mark Dowling wore a solemn expression on his face. The atmosphere in the entire command room gradually became tense at that moment. Even the most outgoing staff members kept their mouths shut and kept their eyes on the string of data before them, not daring to relax for even a second.

"Counting down to 30 seconds…"

"10 seconds to go…"

"10!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

…

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Jump!"

472. Success

The last countdown on the broadcast was heard and on the screen above everyone's heads, the three magnetic rings around that strange hyperdrive engine had completely turned into three invisible afterimages that spun at high speeds. That huge sphere in the center was also flickering with black light due to the intense pressure.

That's right, it was black!

It was as if all light had been swallowed up and endless pitch-black darkness spread out. That was the last thing that everyone saw before their eyes. Countless snowflake dots flickered on the entire screen in the very next second and everything went dark.

Quantum communication was completely cut off after the ship entered the subspace.

"Radio telescope team, report the situation." That was within his calculations. While quantum communication was insane, it had yet to reach the level of being able to travel between planes. Mark Dawson's expression remained unchanged as he gave the order.

"Coordinate: 16h30mm01.6 s-263200. Target is gone!" A staff member's ten fingers blurred as he continued to type on the keyboard. Streams of data flowed down the screen like a waterfall. He paused for a bit before continuing, "We've confirmed that a lot of electromagnetic radiation was detected before the target disappeared. There are also many unknown reactions, analyzing…"

"Very good. Seems like nothing unexpected happened to the experiment." Mark Dawson breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that, and looks of joy appeared on the faces of everyone present. While none of them cheered, they began to clap with one another.

Zhang Heng nodded to himself. The quality of that team was clearly far higher than that of the spacefaring workers back in the real world. That was the power of the foundation. Many of those people were former members of the radiation plane, while some were human survivors from the Dimensional amnesia plane. Their technological prowess far exceeded that of the real world, and their capabilities far exceeded that of the real world.

"Commander, would you like to take a break?" Mark Dawson asked as he walked up to Zhang Heng after settling everything for the time being.

"No need. I'm not that weak." Zhang Heng waved his hand and took out two cigarettes before tossing one to Mark Dawson. He flashed a faint smile at the other man's shocked expression and said, "It's still too early to say that I've succeeded. As for how things are going, we'll only know in an hour."

Zhang Heng gradually fell into deep thought after sending Mark Dawson away.

Subspace was undoubtedly mysterious and unknown to humans. In fact, he didn't even know if the subspace of the 'Black Hole Surface' plane that he was in was the same place as the subspace of the 'Radiation' plane. In other words, just like how there were countless planes in the universe, the number of subspace was also unlimited. If that was the case, the situation would have been even more complicated.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself at that thought. The curse had given him far too little time. If he was given a thousand years, he might even have a chance of leading humanity to conquer the entire Milky Way. He was confident that he would be able to face any known curse, even if it was just a hundred years.

It was a pity that extravagant hopes were always extravagant hopes. It had only been over two years since he obtained the Dimensional Star. Two years was simply too short, so short that he was unable to do anything about it. Furthermore, he was able to sense from the premonition that the curse had descended less than a year ago.

That was an illusory number, which meant that the curse might happen in the very next moment, or it might only happen half a year later. As for the exact time, Zhang Heng was not a god, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He put out the cigarette butt in his hand and rubbed his eyes. He didn't know why, but his eyes suddenly felt unbearably itchy, as if there were two seeds in his eyes that were slowly sprouting, smoking, and expanding soundlessly.

Zhang Heng tried to open his eyes, but all he saw was pitch-black darkness. It was obvious that his eyes had yet to fully grow back. His reaction just then felt like the bones of a person in puberty. That was a form of gradual growth, something that could not be accomplished overnight.

The electronic clock on the wall changed bit by bit and an hour passed quickly. Everyone returned to their posts at Mark Dawson's command. Everyone was staring at the screen above their heads, waiting for the final trial.

A minute passed and nothing changed.

Ten minutes passed and everyone looked at each other in dismay, having a bad feeling about what was to come. Perhaps the first subspace voyage in human history would end in failure.

The expressions on everyone's faces became even more uneasy. Only Zhang Heng remained seated where he was, without a hint of emotion on his face.

"There's still a chance. After all, no one in human history has been able to enter the Subspace before. There might be some kind of interference inside." Mark Dawson suppressed the discussion from the crowd and continued with an air of irrefutable authority, "Furthermore, even if you were to fail, it wouldn't be a big deal. After all, there is hardly a single experiment in history that succeeded. As the pioneers of exploring the unknown, you guys have to be prepared for the worst."

Everyone nodded to themselves. Space travel itself was a cutting-edge technology that far exceeded reality. It was just like how Zhang Heng was able to construct a plane shuttle just like how he was able to. While he was able to construct one, if he were to ask the scientists of the Stellar Foundation to explain how such a device was able to travel between planes, those scientists would be rendered completely clueless. That was something that modern science was unable to explain at all. It was the same with planes as developed as the Deep Space Amnesia.

However, at that moment, the person in charge of the quantum communication team saw from the corner of his eye that lines of data were being depleted on the control panel before him. He turned around subconsciously and was pleasantly surprised. "Your Excellency Mark, the quantum communication device detected a signal near Pluto! Someone has sent a request to connect!"

"Accept the signal immediately!" Mark Dawson's body shuddered as he shouted with excitement written all over his face, "Accept the call! Everyone, move! I want to know what just happened!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone reacted right away. Everyone who had been feeling dejected felt as if they had been injected with steroids all of a sudden. All of them were filled with 300 percent of passion as they connected to each other through quantum communication technology.

The image above their heads flashed again and everyone held their breath subconsciously. Even Zhang Heng looked up and swept his mental power above his head.

More than a dozen images appeared above their heads after being cut off for over an hour.

"The hyperdrive engines are intact. There's nothing out of place."

"Anti-Gravity engines intact. No abnormalities detected."

"The nuclear fusion reactor is intact. Energy loss is 75 percent. Three percent more than expected."

"Everything is normal in the ship. Synthetic human physiological activity is normal. No abnormalities detected."

The team members in charge of the ship kept reporting what was happening on the ship. Under Mark Dawson's orders, the images were quickly focused on the synthesized passengers.

The synthesized people on the screen were just like how they were before, sitting quietly in their seats without any changes.

The reason why the synthesized humans were called synthetic humans was that their physiological structure was almost identical to that of humans. The only difference was that they were produced from the 3D printer's assembly line and were not naturally bred. Furthermore, they had no self-awareness and were just like robots who only knew how to carry out orders.

Everyone took a close look at the synthesized people and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that there was nothing out of place with all of them.

"Your Excellency Mark, everything that was filmed during the warp flight back in the subspace has been sent back to the headquarters. We are now available for inspection."

"Very well. The observation team will begin to look at the hyperdrive images, and the rest of you will continue to experiment with the ship with me." Mark Dawson continued to give his orders. "The second step is to begin. The experimental ship will enter the subspace from the orbit of Pluto and return to Earth at the same time…"

473. Third Round Of Experiment

The observation team then began to analyze the video taken in the subspace.

In the video, the world in the subspace wasn't as empty and pitch-black as that in the real world. Instead, it was grey and filled with sceneries that were nowhere to be found in the real world. For example, there were eerie black shadows that kept moving in the void, making it difficult to tell if they were living beings or natural phenomena. Those black shadows kept flying around the spaceship as if they were dancing or performing some kind of ritual.

There were also multicolored stars all around him. No, those were clearly not stars. They looked more like fireflies from alternate dimensions, flickering. The brightest of them all looked like a lighthouse in the sky, emitting a very bright light.

The video even captured the silhouette of a gargantuan flower. The flower looked incredibly complex and eerie, something that no flower in real life would be able to describe. Furthermore, the flower was so huge that it took up a third of the entire void. One could vaguely make out a pitch-black hole that seemed capable of devouring heaven and earth at the very center of the flower.

All in all, he was able to see all manner of bizarre phenomena and scenes in the video. It was as if he had fallen into some kind of deep, eerie dream and he was unable to tell if he was dreaming or awake.

The return trip of the spaceship and the research of the Dimensional Video were not at odds with each other and could be carried out at the same time. The nuclear fuel of the spaceship was fully replenished while the research team was doing their research. Once everything was in place, the team began their return experiment.

The return journey was the same as before. After an hour, 13 minutes, and 27 seconds of flight, the ship successfully left the subspace and appeared in the Earth's planned geosynchronous orbit.

The second success boosted everyone's confidence. Everyone was in high spirits and filled with excitement. If there were no mishaps, mastering the subspace voyage meant mastering the future of human spaceflight.

Other than the time taken for each calculation being slightly different, there was practically no difference between the two experiments. All of the apparatus reacted normally and there were no accidents.

"Well done, everyone. We can take a break for half an hour now. We'll be able to proceed with the second round of experiments after the security department board the ship and perform tests." Mark Dawson clapped his hands and announced to the crowd. Everyone looked as if a huge burden had been lifted from their shoulders and they left the command room in high spirits. Some went to the smoking room, while others went to the cafe to have a chat, trying their best to relax for the next half an hour so that they could take on more work.

A ship that was several sizes smaller than the experimental ship began docking with the experimental ship in Earth's orbit. A small team of clone warriors escorted hundreds of prisoners of war through the docking tunnel and boarded the experimental ship.

The clone fighter who came into contact with the subspace was none other than Xuan Yuan. He was wearing the Doomsday Type II armor and escorted hundreds of prisoners of war into the experimental ship. He then turned on the life detector and looked at the data on the device. He nodded slightly and said to the quantum communication device, "Reporting, Commander. No abnormal signs of life were detected on the experimental ship."

"Search the entire ship and check all potential threats." Zhang Heng's voice was heard from the communicator and Xuan Yuan immediately agreed. He then asked the synthesizer on the ship to keep an eye on the hundreds of prisoners of war while he led the nine cloned warriors to take a look inside and outside the ship. With the aid computers provided by the Armageddon Armor, they would be able to find any traces or even a single hair out of place.

Half an hour passed quickly and Xuan Yuan completed his mission. After a series of investigations, he was able to confirm that nothing bad was brought to the spaceship during the subspace voyage.

"Very well. You shall proceed with the second round of flight experiments." Zhang Heng's voice was heard from the other end of the communication device again. "Be on high alert. You may make your own decisions if anything untoward happens."

"Yes." Xuan Yuan nodded and took a look at the prisoners of war before making his way to the driver's seat.

Those prisoners of war were armed members who had been captured in battles with other organizations throughout the years in the radiation plane. The reason why he brought them along was to check if all manner of people and creatures would be affected by the subspace travel.

After all, synthesized people were not truly living beings. According to the plot of the movie 'Black Hole's Surface', 'life' was a prerequisite that played a huge role in the movie. To be safe, Zhang Heng needed to conduct countless experiments to ensure his safety. If something were to go wrong, even he would not be able to handle the consequences.

Half an hour passed and the researchers in the command room returned to their posts on their own. With the help of the clone warrior, the second test of the ship's performance was completed very quickly. The experiment ship entered the subspace again as the hyperdrive engines were activated.

More than an hour later, the experimental ship successfully exited the subspace and appeared near Pluto, which had been set up beforehand. There was no need for anyone to control the ship this time as Xuan Yuan's silhouette appeared on the big screen. "Command panel headquarters. This is the Subspace Navigation Experimental ship. Please communicate."

"Please accept." Mark Dawson walked up to the screen and said with concern, "Mr. Xuanyuan, please report the results of the subspace voyage."

"The subspace navigation experiment was a success. The ship entered subspace at 16: 32. The experiment was completed in 15 minutes and 18 seconds and the ship was released from the subspace. The ship has reached its destination and everything is normal," Xuan Yuan reported immediately.

"How are the casualties?" Mark Dawson asked excitedly.

"There are zero casualties," Xuan Yuan answered. "None of the cloned warriors found any damage. The synthesized humans and the captured experimental bodies are all intact as well."

"Awesome!" The entire command room was filled with cheers as soon as Xuan Yuan's words were heard. It would have been a coincidence if there was no danger on a single voyage, but the two or three experiments that went on without a single mishap proved that the subspace voyage was not as dangerous as people imagined it to be.

The cheers drowned out what Xuanyuan had to say. It took Mark Dawson quite a while before he was able to contain his excitement. There was joy in his eyes at the moment, but as the person in charge of the Ministry of Spaceflight, he had to be cautious. As such, he said as calmly as he could, "You guys have done well. Let's proceed with the next flight experiment."

"Understood." Xuan Yuan nodded without hesitation and shut off the communication.

Another round of preparation and investigation was carried out, and an hour and 43 minutes passed before the ship returned. The experimental ship emerged from the subspace for the fourth time and returned to the real world.

Zhang Heng stood up from his seat as the second round of experiments was completed.

"In that case, let's begin the third round of the experiment," Zhang Heng said casually. "Mr. Mark, I'll be the passenger this time to experience the so-called subspace travel."

474. Psionite

The third round of experiments was not something that Zhang Heng came up with on a whim.

Zhang Heng's plan included a total of three rounds of testing procedures.

In the first round, navigation experiments were conducted with synthetic humans, living beings that were found between robots and humans.

In the second round, the true humans and clones would be deployed together to test the reaction of the subspace and obtain more accurate data reports.

Zhang Heng went up for the last round himself.

The second phase of the experiment would only begin when all three experiments were completely successful, which was to begin a more remote subspace voyage.

Logically speaking, while Zhang Heng was different from the synthesized humans and cloned warriors, he was still living in the same manner as the other captives. As long as there were no problems with the captives' navigation experiments, there was no need for the third round to begin. However, for some reason, Zhang Heng had a feeling that the results of the subspace navigation experiments might very well be different when he conducted them himself.

However, he didn't do so because he wanted to put himself in danger. After all, he had the Dimensional Star as his trump card, and he would be able to quickly escape and return to reality if anything were to happen to him in the alternate dimension. That was why he was able to come up with the third round of experiment procedures.

At that moment, Zhang Heng walked out of the command room. Mark Dawson watched Zhang Heng leave with a complicated look on his face. He had initially objected to the third round of the experiment, but due to Zhang Heng's insistent request, Mark Dawson had no choice but to comply.

Zhang Heng boarded another spaceship and arrived at the experimental spaceship docked in outer space. However, he sensed an inexplicable presence the moment he boarded the spaceship.

It was a kind of indescribable chaos and distortion, filled with an aura of decay. However, that aura was very faint, and no one would be able to sense it unless they were as sensitive as Zhang Heng.

That was the aura of a subspace…

Zhang Heng frowned and didn't start experimenting right away. He just walked around the ship aimlessly. He seemed to be able to see traces of chaotic aura dissipating in the real world through his unique vision.

No matter what, the Subspace was always hostile to lifeforms from the real world. In Zhang Heng's opinion, while the aura that seeped into the Subspace wasn't very intense and was unable to affect regular people, the aura would accumulate over time if one were to travel in the Subspace for too long. It was only a matter of time before the lifeforms in the ship were affected.

He wondered if the subspace would be able to affect everyone after the experiment was over.

Zhang Heng returned to the control room of the spaceship right after that thought came to his mind. Xuanyuan Hao, who had been waiting for quite a while, saluted Zhang Heng and initiated the third subspace voyage at his behest.

Objective: Pluto's synchronized orbit!

An ear-piercing alarm was heard from the ship as the third round of the subspace voyage began. "Warning, warning! We are about to enter subspace mode. Everyone, please get ready immediately!"

The alarm went off three times before the entire ship shuddered all of a sudden. If one were to look out of the window, they would see that the space before the ship seemed to have collapsed all of a sudden. The space there began to twist and spin, and eventually, a pitch-black spatial vortex emerged from the void and swallowed the ship whole.

Zhang Heng felt as if the spaceship had entered a strange world at that very moment. His vision was no longer pitch-black, but filled with colors instead. The entire space was filled with countless densely packed objects that were difficult to describe in words. He knew that he had completely entered the subspace at that very moment.

That was the feeling!

Zhang Heng's eyes snapped open all of a sudden. His eyes were pitch-black at the moment, and he walked to the huge French window in the driver's seat without thinking. He felt as if he was seeing countless twisted matter trying to charge into the window from the outside of the ship, corrupting and infiltrating the entire ship. The huge ship looked like a small boat in a raging storm, ready to capsize at any moment.

"Commander?" Xuan Yuan was puzzled behind him. He followed Zhang Heng's line of sight and found nothing.

"So, this is the world of the alternate dimension." Zhang Heng sighed all of a sudden. "The last time I came here, I was completely clueless. However, I suddenly thought of something after entering this place. Combining all of that together, I realized a lot."

Zhang Heng spoke quietly, seemingly speaking to Xuanyuan, yet also seemingly mumbling to himself at the same time. "Basically, I understand now. It turns out that… the alternate dimension isn't completely off-limits. One would need to come into contact with it in a special way, which would minimize the risk involved."

"Commander, I don't know what you mean." Xuan Yuan, who was behind him, asked with a puzzled tone.

"Do you know about the 'Warhammer 40K'?" Zhang Heng turned around and looked at Xuan Yuan with his empty eyes while wearing a sinister grin on his face. "In the Warhammer's worldview, the subspace is known as the projection of the real world, the mental world of intelligent lifeforms in the universe. To put it simply, the mental world of intelligent lifeforms would materialize in the subspace due to some phenomenon that we are unable to comprehend. Furthermore, the subspace has a unique mental infectious effect that could infect and assimilate all intelligent lifeforms trying to communicate with the subspace, turning them into a part of itself. That phenomenon is known as the 'seduction of the evil god' by the Warhammer world."

"Of course, that's a bit of an exaggeration. After all, that's just a game setting. However, the true subspace of the real world is very similar to that setting—it's also against materialism, against the laws of physics, and wields power far greater than that of the Moines."

"Humans are a type of intelligent lifeform. Due to the existence of emotions and self-awareness, they are more susceptible to influence in the subspace's abnormal behavior." Zhang Heng looked empty. It was as if he was communicating with the world at that moment, as he found the answer to many things that he had never been able to comprehend before. "I, on the other hand, am more susceptible to the mental influence of the subspace than the average person. Strictly speaking, people like me are the true catalyst for the subspace."

"Why is that?" Xuan Yuan asked, puzzled.

Zhang Heng continued, "There is a special type of human called 'Psionite' in 'Warhammer 40K' that is able to communicate with the world through spiritual energy. Their power comes from the alternate dimensions, and it is precisely due to the alternate dimensions that they are able to attract attacks from the alternate dimensions."

"The Mind Gem on my forehead and my abilities are very similar to those of Psionites. I've always had a theory that the Mind Gem might have come from the alternate dimension itself, which makes the answer very clear. I'm like the so-called Psionite. According to the setting of the Warhammer worldview, I'm a medium that could trigger attacks from the alternate dimensions more easily than regular people."

"That was mentioned in the plot of 'Black Hole's Surface' a long time ago." Zhang Heng sighed and continued, "The creator of the Horizon ship, Dr. Weir, was able to communicate with the subspace back on Earth and create a dreamscape regarding the subspace. If that's the case, does that mean that he's actually a so-called Psionite? It's just that his abilities are different from mine. That's why the ship was met with an accident when it first entered the subspace, and why he was able to transform into the envoy of the subspace and have his body taken over by the consciousness of the subspace, making him a monster that could never be killed?"

"That is to say that you, who have no emotions, and the synthesized person who has no thoughts, would be the safest type of person to enter the subspace. When regular people enter the subspace, it would be like the light of a candle. While there would be light, it wouldn't be dazzling, and there would be a high chance of success. If I were to enter the subspace, I would be like the fireworks in the night, which would definitely result in the counterattack of the subspace. That would explain everything that happened to me after I entered the plane above the black hole."

Zhang Heng seemed to have sensed something as he said that and jerked his head up. A deafening roar was heard from outside the window all of a sudden.

That thing that Zhang Heng encountered the last time discovered his existence yet again.

475. Changing The World

As expected, as Zhang Heng looked in the direction where the sound came from with his hollow eyes, he saw a ball of light in the distance that was so twisted that it was impossible to describe. The moment the ball of light appeared, the black shadows outside the ship seemed to have met their nemesis and retreated in a panic.

It was as if that indescribable thing that was approaching from afar was the true king of the alternate dimensions, and even the most sinister of intentions had to fear it and make way for it.

That huge and eerie flower that was tens of thousands of kilometers away began to shake at that moment as well. The flower petal quickly closed, as if it was a frightened hedgehog, completely shrinking into a tiny flower bud.

"What the hell are you?"

Zhang Heng was astonished. He didn't panic at all just because the other party was after him. He kept his eyes wide open and stared into the distance, yet that sense of danger deep down grew increasingly intense. He had a feeling that the moment he saw the other party clearly, he would be dead.

Zhang Heng shook his head at that thought and took a deep breath before saying, "Dimensional Star, return."

Zhang Heng felt his vision blur for a moment. By the time he regained consciousness, he and the entire experimental ship had left the subspace and returned to the material world.

In the end, the cautious him didn't choose to take the risk and face the unknown.

Zhang Heng had gained a lot from his experiments on the subspace travel. According to the data collected from the experiments, the scientific team under Zhang Heng began to research the unknown, mysterious space known as the subspace. At the same time, the feasibility of the subspace travel was verified, and hundreds of large spaceships capable of traversing the subspace began to undergo intense manufacturing.

None of the spaceships had pods, and all of them were replaced by sleep pods. The advantage of doing so was that the flight would allow humans to spend the long voyage in the form of sleep. There would be no tragedy like 'Lost in Deep Space' due to deep-seated claustrophobia, and the ship would be able to increase the number of people it could carry by over a hundred times. If humans were unable to resist the curse on the day of the curse, the spaceships would then be able to carry tens of millions of humans into the sky, heading further into the deep space of the universe in search of that sliver of hope.

Zhang Heng had done all that he could to ensure humanity's safety. He had initially planned to send people to explore other stellar systems and put the humans at the forefront of the expedition. However, that plan was immediately rescinded following Corona's calculations. That was because, even if the subspace travel was put to use, it would still take half a year for humans to reach the nearest stellar system, the Centaur Alpha, in the Solar System. If they were to include returning to Earth, the curse would have descended long ago and there would have been no time to spare.

However, the distance wasn't as simple as adding one to another. In fact, the further the starting point and destination were, the less time the ship would need to travel on average. Due to the technological prowess of the stellar technology, the ship's average speed was only about 100 kilometers per second. After constant acceleration, the ship would be able to accelerate to over 1,000 kilometers per day. Every acceleration after reaching that speed would require a huge price to pay.

According to Einstein's Theory of Relativity, the mass of objects would continue to increase as the speed of objects increased. The mass of objects approaching lightspeed would be infinitely greater. That was to say that the higher the speed, the higher the cost of acceleration. A ship could accelerate to 100,000 kilometers per second for a year, and it would take 40 to 50 years for the ship to accelerate to near lightspeed, which was the sub-light speed.

That was why the duration and distance of space travel were definitely not constant values. Even if space travel could compress distance by thousands of times, it didn't mean that the distance of several light-years could be covered in just a few days. Unless the ship was traveling at the speed of lightspeed from the very beginning, the ship would only be able to reach the Alpha Centauri in a day and a half after reducing the distance by a thousand times.

However, unless spaceflight technology could be multiplied tens of times over in real life, reaching the speed of lightspeed in the blink of an eye would remain a luxury.

Zhang Heng had no choice but to put the focus of his development on the real world, seeing that the methods of exploring the extraterrestrial systems were useless. At that moment, as his massive plan was laid out, human civilization was like a motor running at full power, entering a period of spectacular development, especially in terms of military affairs. More than 10,000 T-800s were produced from the assembly line every day.

One should not underestimate the T-800. While it was only one of the most outdated types of robots found in the 'Terminator' plane, it nonetheless represented a mature system of robot technology. One could easily infer from it that the AI technology that the T-800 carried alone was more than capable of overcoming countless streets in real life. As such, military vehicles such as drones, unmanned tanks, and so on began to replace conventional carriers, it was almost certain that the field of artificial intelligence in the field of military affairs had been widened by at least 30 years.

Simply put, in the near future, humanity would soon enter the era of robot proxy wars.

Nuclear fusion technology and cryogenic superconducting technology had completely overturned the war system of the five superpowers. All manner of electromagnetic guns and electromagnetic guns of all shapes and sizes began to sprout like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. All of the gunpowder weapons that had accompanied humanity for over a thousand years were completely abandoned by humanity in the annals of history. Airplanes, tanks, and countless other things that were installed with engines were all replaced by micro nuclear reactors. All of that energy—oil, gas, flammable ice, and so on—was rendered useless overnight. The utilization of human energy had completely entered the era of nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fusion power stations, which were funded by the state and constructed by Stellar Technology, were established all over the world. The agreement between the two parties back then was that the five superpowers were not allowed to commercialize the technology given to them by Stellar Technology for 30 years. As such, even civilian nuclear fusion power stations had to be constructed by Stellar Technology.

Countless power generators, hydroelectric and even nuclear fission power plants around the world were about to be shut down indefinitely and were replaced by nuclear fusion power plants. This was an extremely safe and controllable nuclear fusion technology, where nuclear fusion would automatically shut down if something were to happen, making it practically impossible for radiation to leak out.

The military and industrial systems of human civilization had been elevated for decades overnight. All of that technology had been applied to the likes of stellar technology, such as civil technology. It was foreseeable that human life would undergo drastic changes in the coming year.

Meanwhile, Stellar Technology was constantly launching a series of advanced civil technology—holographic projection technology, supercomputer technology, artificial intelligence technology, new-energy anti-gravity vehicles, semi-automatic surgical instruments, and even organ cloning. The creation of every single technology was enough to make the entire world pay attention to it.

Simply put, Stellar Technology had spread to countless corners in countless industries and was deeply rooted. Almost everyone agreed that Stellar Technology was changing the world.

The rating of changing the world was extremely precious. Even Microsoft was only able to achieve such a feat when they created the WINDOWS operating system back in the day. Apple was only able to achieve such a feat when they first launched the "iPhone 4", which quickly became a thing of the past. Every single product launched by Stellar Technology was constantly surpassing the myths that it had created back then. It was like a stairway to heaven, bringing Stellar Technology to the top of the world and reaching the top of civilization.

Everything was progressing according to Zhang Heng's plans, yet his life at the moment was plagued by some kind of dilemma.

476. The Naughty Sister

A week after the experiment with subspace travel ended, Zhang Heng stood before the sink in the Honeycomb bedroom and looked at himself in the mirror, feeling dead silent.

Half a month after the return of 'Black Hole Surface', his eyes were finally able to grow back. Logically speaking, this should be something worth celebrating, but when Zhang Heng looked at himself in the mirror, he could only force a bitter smile.

Zhang Heng's appearance remained the same in the mirror. Other than his hair having grown longer, he still looked very ordinary. However, if one were to take a closer look at him, they would find that the cold, gloomy air about him had become even more pronounced. Anyone who stood beside him would feel a bone-chilling cold, which was not only due to Zhang Heng being in a high position and being able to decide the life and death of tens of thousands of people with a single word, but also due to his intrinsic nature that was far from human.

It was obvious that while he still looked like a human, he was fundamentally not human anymore. He was a new species that far exceeded that of human lifeforms.

It would have been fine if that was all there was to it, but what truly troubled him was his newly grown eyes.

He realized that his eyes were actually glowing red.

That's right, the red light was coming from his pupils. It wasn't usually obvious, but if the light was dimmed, the red light from his pupils would be as obvious as the headlights of a car in the dark.

The shape of his pupils had completely changed as well. If he were to be in the dark, his pupils would have dilated on their own. If he were to be in the bright, his pupils would have become vertical and long, making him look like a feline, which made him look very eerie.

"Seems like your eyes are evolving according to your own needs." Corona appeared behind Zhang Heng and leaned against the door frame lazily. She looked at Zhang Heng in the mirror and chuckled. "Would you like me to do a simulation for you?"

"Tell me about it," Zhang Heng rolled his eyes at Corona and said casually.

"Your current eye should be a mutation caused by the combination of the Genova cells and the T-Virus." Corona counted on her fingers and said after some consideration, "It's similar to the eye mechanism of a feline. There should be a special cell on your retina. That cell can collect weak light rays and reflect that light, making it look like an astronomical telescope. You could even use your eye to collect starlight in outer space, which would help you locate your target in outer space."

"It could even be possible. Due to the fact that you've been to the alternate dimension before, your eyes may have gained the ability to see the true nature of things in the alternate dimension according to what Janova needs. I'm afraid you won't need to dig your own eyes out in the future."

Corona chuckled and continued, "Other than that, your night vision should be a part of your eye function. It's like having a reflective panel on your retina that reflects that light, which is why your pupils are reflecting red light."

Zhang Heng seemed to be deep in thought after hearing that. He snapped his fingers and the lights in the washroom were turned off. As expected, he was still able to see everything in the room despite having lost the lights all of a sudden. The only difference was that the color of the room had completely turned black and white, and the mirror had also turned into a grey flat surface.

"As expected, due to the lack of light reflection, everything became black and white, yet I was still able to see my surroundings clearly. In fact, I was able to see even clearer than when I was under light," Zhang Heng said immediately.

"If I were to put it that way, I'm afraid that your eyes are even better than those of feline animals." Corona's eyes lit up right away. "The eyes of feline animals are only capable of seeing things in faint light, but if there is no light at all, then cats would be as blind as humans. Yet, you were able to see things without any light. That at the very least proves that your eyes are able to see some kind of invisible light, such as infrared and ultraviolet light, or even some kind of radiation!"

Zhang Heng nodded and turned on the lights again. He had initially relied on the Dimensional Star to gain the ability to see in the dark. Due to the uselessness of that ability and the creation of the Armor of Doomsday, it had been a long time since he last used it. Now, his body was able to acquire that ability on its own. While Zhang Heng didn't really care about it, it was better to have it than not, right?

Zhang Heng comforted himself.

"According to the shape of your pupils, I can tell that your pupils are very bouncy and your contractions are very strong." Corona continued her analysis. "As such, your vision would be very sharp. Be it dynamic or static vision, your vision would far exceed what it was before. If I'm not mistaken, your eyes should be wider than that of humans, right?"

Zhang Heng nodded and said, "Yes, I can feel that the angle of my eyes is about 20 degrees higher than that of humans."

"That's good then. These abilities didn't just appear out of thin air. Only your eyes could do something like that." Corona sighed and continued, "Genova cells are indeed extraordinary. All of those additional abilities could be considered versatile."

Zhang Heng shook his head, feeling rather speechless. While he didn't really care what others thought of him given his current state of mind, he knew that it was better to have one less thing to worry about. He thought for a bit and eventually picked up a pair of sunglasses and slowly put them on. He looked at himself in the mirror after putting the sunglasses on and said, "Alright, if that's the case, there's nothing else I can do about it. I just hope that the front page of the newspaper tomorrow won't be about the president of Stellar Technology getting red-eye."

"Relax. With the influence of Stellar Technology, if there are any negative reports regarding you, the magazine would close down the very next day, and even state-owned enterprises would be no exception." Corona chuckled, but before she was able to finish, her expression suddenly became serious. "Commander, Ms. Gu Siyi called."

"Get through." Zhang Heng looked into the mirror and took out a bottle of hair gel. A crisp female voice was heard from the speaker above him.

"Boss?"

"It's me," Zhang Heng answered as he casually opened the lid of the hair gel and rubbed the gel on his head.

"Boss, is it too late for me to change jobs now?" Gu Siyi's voice was heard, sounding rather bitter.

"What?" Zhang Heng asked casually, "You haven't returned to the space of reincarnation for over a year. Do you still want to return to the space to further your studies?"

"Of course not!" Gu Siyi looked like she was about to cry. "But your sister is just too playful. She got into trouble with the girls in the same dormitory, went out to eat duck blood, vermicelli, and spicy hotpot in the middle of the night, and ended up running into hooligans, made fun of her male classmates, and even messed with the gu teachers… I don't know how many times I've settled things for her. I feel like I'm about to run out of patience, and I strongly urge you to send more people!"

Zhang Heng paused what he was doing and frowned. "What did Zhang Xin do this time?"

"Not really." Gu Siyi sighed helplessly. "It's just that a girl named Wang Yuchun from her class pulled some strings and made a movie called 'The Old Times', which became very popular in the country. As such, she went around looking for people to make movies for her… and that girl was her archenemy in class…"

Zhang Heng wore a weird expression after hearing that. He smacked his forehead and sighed.

"F * * k!"

477. Ugly Style

Zhang Xin walked along the cultural corridor of the school feeling bored. She looked at the posters and promotional posters of Wang Yuchun plastered on both sides of the corridor, as well as the slogans like "Congratulations to Wang Yuchun for joining the entertainment circle", and she pouted and sighed.

"Zhang Xin!" A handsome young man ran up to Zhang Xin from behind and asked with a smile, panting a little, "Hey, what's wrong? Why do you look so down?"

"That b * tch Wang Yuchun is so detestable!" Zhang Xin wrinkled her nose and grumbled, "All she did was make a movie, didn't she? She's acting all high and mighty all the time. I'm so pissed!"

"Well…" The guy scratched his head and said awkwardly, "I heard that you and Wang Yuchun aren't on good terms, but it seems like you're telling the truth."

"That's right." Zhang Xin patted the guy's shoulder righteously and said in a mature manner, "Li, remember to stay away from that flirtatious sl * t from now on, got it?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The young man wore a bitter grin and continued, "I'll definitely do as you say, Mr. Zhang Xin. You're the 'pure, innocent, pretentious, and totally different from those cheap, flirtatious girls' in our class, Mr. Zhang Xin!"

"Yeah, that's more like it!" Zhang Xin nodded satisfactorily. "By the way, did you help me find a way out, Lil 'Li?"

The guy named Li Zi shook his head and looked troubled. "Please, I'm just a regular guy. How could I have connections like that? On the other hand, given your family background, you should be able to find your own connections, right? Your family is so rich after all."

"You don't understand…" Zhang Xin pouted and recalled her brother all of a sudden. Fear was seen in her eyes and she clenched her fists and said firmly, "I don't want my family to know about all of that. I want to make it big on my own!"

"Alright then. Common folks like us don't know anything about the world of you rich people." The boy shook his head and looked at Zhang Xin with a look of adoration in his eyes before quickly hiding it. "No matter what, I'll definitely support you!"

The two of them chatted as they walked. However, at that moment, a group of girls escorted a young girl with an arrogant look on her face and they could hear the girls' compliments from afar.

"Yuchun, remember to call me when you're filming next time!"

"Me too, me too. Yuchun, you just need to tell the director the next time you shoot and give us a chance to audition. As long as I pass, I'll definitely buy breakfast for you every day!"

"Why would I need you to buy anything? The whole hostel is filled with guys who are out to woo Yuchun every day. The queue is almost reaching the entrance of the canteen!"

"Hehe, our Yuchun was born to be the female lead, unlike that Zhang Xin. She looks like a good girl, but she's actually a tough guy!"

Zhang Xin's eyes went wide and she was so angry that she was shaking all over. She pointed at the crowd and said, "What are you guys talking about? Even if I'm a tough guy, I'd still be better than you bitches!" However, her soft voice didn't sound lethal at all.

The girls looked rather awkward after hearing Zhang Xin badmouthing her behind her back and all of them fell silent. However, the arrogant-looking girl in the lead seemed to have given up. She took a look at Zhang Xin and said in a coquettish tone, "Oh, isn't this Miss Zhang? What, you're still trying to pull strings to get someone into the entertainment circle? It's a pity that you're such a country bumpkin. You're destined to be in the entertainment circle."

"Nonsense!" Zhang Xin stomped her feet. "Who would want to be a lousy star? If I wanted to be a star, I would have done so a long time ago!"

The girls burst out laughing right away. The girl with the arrogant expression flipped her hair and said casually, "Sure, I'll be waiting then. But you'll have to watch me walk the red carpet at the Haizhou International Film Festival tonight." She chuckled and led the crowd past Zhang Xin.

Zhang Xin glared at the man who wore a bitter grin as she watched those people walk away. However, the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She took a look at the poster of Wang Yuchun on the side of the corridor and couldn't help but tear it up. She tore the poster into pieces and stomped on it before leaving, ignoring the man who called her Li Zi.

It was only when Zhang Xin returned to her dormitory, huffing and puffing, that she lay down on the bed and covered her head with the pillow. "Oh… this is so embarrassing. Do I really have to admit defeat? But what's so good about that b * tch? Other than having a pretty face and a figure that's better than mine, who else could compare to me?"

"If there's really no other way, I guess I'll just have to ask you for help…" Zhang Xin hesitated for a bit before shaking her head and mumbled to herself, "I guess I'll pass. I feel like you're getting more scary for some reason. Why don't I look for Sister Yiru instead…" She thought for a bit and her eyes lit up. "That's right, with Sister Yiru's abilities, she'll definitely be able to help me!"

Zhang Xin took out her phone happily and called Li Yiru.

"Hello? What's wrong, girl? Why are you calling me all of a sudden?" Li Yiru's voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Sister Yi Ru, I'd like to take the red carpet at the Haizhou International Film Festival tonight…" Zhang Xin sat up and pursed her lips. "Could you help me think of something?"

"What made you think of that all of a sudden?" Li Yiru paused. "You're not thinking of becoming a star, are you?"

"I…" Zhang Xin opened her mouth and hesitated for a bit before smiling brightly and saying, "I do have a point. I was going to think of something myself, but I was afraid of running into bad people, so I had no choice but to look for you, Sister Yiru…"

"I can understand that." Li Yiru sighed and continued, "Girls have dreams of becoming a star when they're young. They want to show off in front of everyone, and they like the feeling of being watched, right?"

"That's right, that's right." Zhang Xin nodded immediately and tried to curry favor with her. "That's it. You know me best, Sister Yiru."

"Alright." Li Yiru agreed without hesitation. "If you don't have class today, I'll send someone to pick you up later. You can get ready right now."

"Okay, okay!" Zhang Xin was overjoyed. She didn't expect Li Yiru to agree so quickly. However, she seemed to have recalled something and quickly added, "By the way, Sister Yiru, please don't tell my brother about this, or he'll definitely scold me if he finds out."

"…" Li Yiru shook her head in the Stellar Technology headquarters in Haizhou and hung up the phone while sitting in her chair. She then turned to look at Zhang Heng, who was sitting quietly across from her, and chuckled. "Sometimes, I really envy Xin. With an older brother like you who knows her so well, she's always taking good care of her even when she's out in the dark, fearing that she might suffer."

Zhang Heng waved his hand and wore a speechless expression. "Well, she's my sister after all. But it's about time, after all. Just let her be stubborn for a little bit longer. I'm afraid she won't get another chance like that in the near future."

"You mean the time?" Li Yiru was stunned and took a good look at Zhang Heng. "Or is it something to do with that 'secret'?"

"I know what you want to ask." Zhang Heng stood up and walked out of the door, saying as he walked, "Don't worry, you'll know the answer in less than a year."

"I'm sorry, but that's not what I'm asking." Li Yiru continued in a serious tone, "I'm just saying that your new look is really ugly."

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks after hearing what Li Yiru said before he walked out of the office, as if he was very angry. "You… you don't know about Wesker, do you?" He only managed to say that after quite a while, before leaving the office without looking back.

478. A Big Deal

Li Yiru's expression dimmed only after Zhang Heng left. She took a deep breath and put on the airs of a career woman before picking up the phone on the table and made a call herself.

Two hours later, three cars with the logo of the organizer of the Haizhou International Film Festival were parked in front of the Stellar headquarters. Several men got out of the cars right away. They looked at each other in dismay.

"What do we do next?" One of them asked.

"Let's just go up there. What else can we do?" The middle-aged man in the lead sighed and took the lead to walk out of the door of Stellar Technology. He wore a bitter grin as he walked and said, "Stellar Technology is trying to wipe out the entire world. Are they not going to let the film and television industry go?"

"Actually, it's not impossible for Stellar Technology to sponsor the event," a man at the side said glumly. "Given their status and power, even Hollywood would have to give them face. But we've been preparing for this for months and the opening ceremony is about to officially begin tonight, yet they're suddenly stepping in. What the f * * k is this?"

"There's nothing we can do about it. The higher-ups have given the order that the film festival would be ruined…" The man in the lead shook his head and said with a tinge of regret.

Li Yiru took a cold look at everyone as soon as she walked in and said casually, "Please take a seat, everyone. I believe that all of you have received a call. As time is rather tight, I'll be brief."

"Sure, feel free to speak." Everyone took their seats, feeling rather uncomfortable. Li Yiru was now a world-class figure with real power, and she even had a place on the list of most powerful people in Forbes. Although she wasn't very friendly when she saw the man in person, no one dared to show any signs of dissatisfaction. They all knew that a single word from her could determine their fate for the rest of their lives.

Li Yiru's secretary handed out the proposal that she had just written to the crowd and said in an unquestionable tone, "First of all, Stellar Technology is to become the sole sponsor for the entire event at the Haizhou International Film Festival."

"Secondly, the opening and closing ceremony of the film festival will be performed on behalf of Stellar Technology."

"Last but not least, Stellar Technology will be launching a newbie in this event. I need you to make some last minute changes with the intermission plan. No matter what you do, she needs to have one-third of the entire film festival's scenes."

Everyone's faces turned glum when they heard those three requests. The man in the lead forced a smile and said, "Ms. Li, you're putting us in a difficult spot. We've been doing the theme activities and promotional activities since the end of last year. The sponsors of the event are the top manufacturers of clocks in Switzerland. If we were to break the contract at the last minute, not only would we have to pay a high penalty, but the reputation of the entire film festival would be ruined internationally as well…"

"Don't worry about that. We, Stellar Technology, will be the one to compensate for the breach of contract. Furthermore, the Jiangs will announce to the world that they are withdrawing from the ranks of the sponsors of the film festival." Li Yiru waved her hand and cut the other party off.

Everyone looked at each other and wore bitter smiles on their faces. However, another bald man gritted his teeth and said suddenly, "But the opening ceremony of the film festival is about to begin tonight. The theme has been set and the entire segment is interconnected. Changing the theme at the last minute might damage the quality of the program."

"That's your problem." Li Yiru frowned and continued, "I don't care what you guys are up to, but before the opening ceremony begins tonight, I want you guys to reestablish the program's procedures. Furthermore, the newbies that we're launching must have enough scenes to play. There's no room for negotiation."

That man looked furious and wanted to argue further, but the man in the lead stopped him. He sighed and said, "Understood. I'll do as you say. We'll begin setting up a new program when we get back."

"Alright, thank you all for your trouble." Li Yiru nodded satisfactorily. She looked at the crowd who had turned around to leave but didn't dare to say anything. She suddenly shook her head and took out a check, filling in a string of numbers with practiced ease. She then stood up and walked up to the man in the lead. "By the way, after this is done, all of you will receive a huge gift from Star Technology."

"Grand present?" The man in the lead took the cheque subconsciously, but when he saw the string of numbers on the cheque, his expression was one of utter shock and despair. He panted and said with a flushed face, "Understood, Manager Li. We've done our best this time and will try to finish the new program by nightfall!"

"I'll be counting on you guys then." Li Yiru nodded satisfactorily after seeing everyone's reaction and walked them to the door.

Zhang Xin was picked up by the driver when the person-in-charge of the Haizhou International Film Festival came downstairs. She saw the people coming out of the general manager's office as soon as she got out of the elevator and ran into Li Yiru's office without giving it much thought. She smiled brightly and said, "Sister Yiru, I'm here."

"Xin." Li Yiru nodded and put on a big sisterly smile. "Did you see those people just now? They're the organizers of the film festival. We've discussed with them and you'll be the star of the show tonight."

"So I'm allowed to walk the red carpet then?" Zhang Xin was elated. "You're so nice to me, Sister Yiru!" She went on to bite Li Yiru's face.

"Alright, alright, cut it out." Li Yiru quickly moved away and checked the time. "You're not just going to walk the red carpet. Don't you want to be a star? The opening and closing ceremonies of the film festival this time will be your show. You'll even have over 30 percent of your scenes in the show segment."

"W-What do I need to do then?" Zhang Xin was stunned and was at a loss of what to do. She had never thought that it would be so easy for her to become a star, as Li Yiru would be able to do so easily.

"The image design team is waiting for you in the dressing room next door." Li Yiru patted Zhang Xin on the head and continued, "We need to design an image that suits you best before someone tells you what to do."

Zhang Xin was led into the dressing room by the design team, and the chief manager of the design team came over in a hurry. "Ms. Li, due to time constraints, it would be best to arrange for a singing performance after our discussion. What do you think?"

"Sure, we'll do it your way." Li Yiru nodded and continued, "So, what song would you like to sing?"

"We feel that, given that we're the ones sponsoring the film festival, it would be best to select songs that are representative of our company." The person-in-charge deliberated for a bit before continuing, "Furthermore, this is a film festival after all, and it wouldn't be good for songs that are too unpopular. Due to the lack of preparation, we don't have many songs with copyrights on hand. I feel that it would be best to select 'Star-Sky' when the Pangu ship takes off. The song is grand and intricate enough. While there is a singing segment, we'd like to design the program using computers and audio processing. Additionally, we'd also like to design the dance moves, and the effects would be quite good."

"Okay, let's do that." Li Yiru nodded decisively and said, "I'll leave this to you then. You must finish training her before the opening ceremony."

"Yes, sir." The person-in-charge excused himself right away and Li Yiru turned to her secretary and said, "Liu, notify the Ministry of Electronic Information and inform them that I want to buy all the television channels and live streaming channels that are influential in Huaxia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia from 8: 00 P.M. to 12 P.M. in the name of the company. Huaxia is the most important of all. It would be best if we could buy the central channel. Even if it doesn't work, we have to get them to replay it tomorrow."

The secretary, who was referred to as Little Liu, couldn't help but stare with her eyes wide open. She was stunned for a bit before she realized what was going on and rushed to the Ministry of Electronic Information.

479. The World Begins To Look At You

By the time Li Yiru was done making all the necessary arrangements, she was so exhausted that she let out a sigh of relief, despite having gotten used to the heavy workload. While most of the work was left to her subordinates to handle, just the layout and the orders alone were enough to make Li Yiru feel rather exhausted. She handed down the workload that would have taken her a week to complete, as everything was ready except for the crucial moment. As for how things would turn out, that would be up to Zhang Xin.

At that moment, Stellar Technology was like a motor running at high speeds, operating at full speed. As the most influential company in the world, a mission that no one else thought was possible or even absurd was easily accomplished by them. All obstacles were rendered useless under the double impact of money and power.

It was evening by the time the telecommunications department was done with their work. Li Yiru didn't have time to eat and went into the dressing room next door after checking the time. Zhang Xin was sitting on the chair at the moment, working hard to memorize the English lyrics on the printed paper while letting the makeup artist draw on her face. The music of "Star-Sky" played on the speakers in the room, trying to carve the melody into Zhang Xin's mind.

"Sister Yiru!" Zhang Xin was about to stand up when she saw Li Yiru walk into the room, but the makeup artist put a hand on her shoulder and frowned. "Don't move!"

Zhang Xin stuck her tongue out and put on a pleading expression. "Sister Yiru, I'm so nervous right now…"

"Don't be nervous. Don't forget that this is your dream." Li Yiru wore a bitter grin. The girl before her had no idea how much money, manpower, and resources Stellar Technology had invested to achieve such a small goal of hers. The investment that she had invested in Stellar Technology alone was more than enough to nurture several international superstars. There were times when Li Yiru felt rather envious of Zhang Xin for having a brother who had given his all and cared for her more than ever.

"Alright, Manager Li, what do you think of this makeover?" The designer finally got everything done at that moment. The design team was one of the best in the entire world and was very well known. She wiped the sweat from her brow and turned the chair around so that Zhang Xin, who was done with her makeup, was able to look Li Yiru in the eye. Li Yiru's eyes lit up and she exclaimed, "It's so beautiful!"

The girl in front of him had short hair that reached her neck in a neat fashion. Both sides of her hair were wrapped in a bun that covered the side of her face, and there was a thin C-shaped fringe on her forehead, which made her already exquisite facial features look even softer. Her excellent makeup skills made the nose of the girl in front of him look even higher, and her naturally lustrous yet moist lips made one want to take a bite out of them.

The most beautiful thing about the girl was her pair of eyes. There were a few barely noticeable lines drawn on her almond-shaped eyes, but just that one line alone was enough to make her eyes look extremely lively. Even if it was just a blink, she looked as if she was talking.

Someone once said that the best way to do makeup was to make it so that you wouldn't be able to tell that she was wearing makeup. Li Yiru didn't quite believe it at first, but after seeing Zhang Xin at that moment, she realized what that saying meant. While the makeup wasn't considered thick, it was able to perfectly conceal the flaws on Zhang Xin's face and magnify her strengths.

A hibiscus sprouts from clear water, a natural decoration.

Zhang Xin looked like she was bursting with youth and vigor at the moment, making her look like a slightly tipsy spring breeze. She looked hundreds of thousands of times better than those flirtatious sluts who wore heavy makeup and wore a smile that could cause an avalanche to their faces.

Hearing Li Yiru's heartfelt praise, Zhang Xin lowered her head shyly and blushed. "Sister Yiru, you're the one who's really good looking and your figure is better than mine…"

Li Yiru rolled her eyes right away. It seemed that this girl had been comparing herself to her all the time. She turned to look at the designer beside her and asked, "What about the gown then? Have you made your choice?"

"The preparations are done a long time ago." The designer smiled confidently and several other fashion designers rushed up to Zhang Xin and led her to the changing room behind them.

Li Yiru took the opportunity to ask the chief designer in charge, feeling rather uneasy, "By the way, I just remembered something. 'Star-Sky' is a rather difficult song, isn't it? And it's an English one at that. What would you do if your pronunciation is off?"

The person-in-charge of the design team smiled and explained patiently, "Manager Li, you don't have to worry about that. We've asked her to test her vocal chords before and she has a decent voice, just that there are some problems with her breathing changing. However, that isn't something that could be solved in a short period of time. As such, we'll have her sing a few songs in advance and record her voice into the computer. The computer will then adjust her voice and no one would be able to tell the flaws in her voice unless she were to sing acapella on stage."

"That's good to hear." Li Yiru breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, if that's the case, the only thing to worry about is her performance after the match."

"That's right. For someone like her who has never been on the stage before, it would be very difficult for her to get past the psychological barrier. She would inevitably feel nervous and so on when she is on the stage. However, we do have a way to do that as well." The chief responsible person of the design team continued, "Our design team will be using two hours to give her emergency special training, so that she can incorporate those movements and dance moves into her instincts. Don't worry, Manager Li. Our team is top-notch internationally and we have unparalleled experience in all situations, even when it comes to dealing with newbies."

Two fashion designers walked out of the changing room as they were talking. They made a professional gesture and Zhang Xin lifted the curtain and walked out slowly.

Li Yiru's eyes widened even further when she saw Zhang Xin, who looked like a completely new person. Zhang Xin had changed into a snow-white sleeveless dress. The design of the dress was very clever. The neckline was a little low, but it wasn't very revealing. It accentuated Zhang Xin's smooth neck and collarbones perfectly.

Her snow-white shoulders were exposed right there and then, making her look even more youthful. Her dress didn't have a device around her waist, instead, it went all the way down to her knees, exposing only her bare calves. There was also a pair of white stilettos with a lot of diamonds at her feet, which made her look nothing like those female celebrities who had poor innate advantages. In order to conceal their shortcomings in height, the length of their heels could be used as weapons.

Zhang Xin, who was wearing a one-piece dress, was able to fully bring out the advantage of her tall and slender figure. However, she was able to cleverly conceal the curves of her body within the dress, making her look like a sacred lily. She didn't look alluring or sexy, but instead, she looked like she was in the midst of a spring breeze.

"It's so beautiful!" Li Yiru exclaimed as she walked up to Zhang Xin and walked around her for a bit. "This style really suits you very well. Furthermore, such a design could totally serve as an evening gown and performance attire without feeling out of place."

"That's right. That gown was designed and handmade by Mr. Allandron, a world-class top-notch fashion designer. It suits almost all girls, and there's only one such gown in the world. It's priceless," the manager said proudly.

Li Yiru didn't pay any heed to what Zhang Xin said at the end of the conversation. The so-called pricelessness was only seen in the eyes of regular folks and tycoons. However, when it came to stellar technology, Li Yiru wouldn't bat an eye even if the price was over 100 million yuan. She simply walked around Zhang Xin a few times with a look of envy on her face before patting Zhang Xin on the head, seemingly lamenting something.

"The world will be watching you tonight!"

480. Opening Ceremony

The Haizhou International Film Festival was one of the 15 international A-type film festivals in the world that Huaxia was the first to gain the recognition of the International Film and Producers Association. It was hosted by the China Broadcasting Film and Television Administration and the People's Government of Haizhou City. The Ministry of Culture, Film, and Television of Haizhou City and the Haizhou Broadcasting Studios Film Group were jointly hosted and held once a year for nine to ten days.

The plaza of the Haizhou Film City was packed with people at around 7: 30 P.M. As the main venue of the previous Haizhou International Film Festival, the fans and reporters who came after hearing the news had long surrounded the entire city. All of them wore excited smiles on their faces as they raised their signboards high above their heads. Although the cold winter had yet to pass, no one felt cold. They knew that tonight would be their night of revelry. All of those celebrities that they had only seen on television would be seen on the screen, appearing before their very eyes.

At that moment, there were already some celebrities who gradually made it to the venue and stopped in front of the hotel where they were staying. Some celebrities who found it troublesome simply went upstairs through the back door, avoiding the crowd of reporters and fans. Some celebrities who took the route of family and friends were surrounded by countless fans, begging for an autographed photo.

The entire plaza of the Haizhou Film City was buzzing with excitement. Only a handful of people were surprised to find that the organizers of the event, which had initially been the sponsors of the event, hadn't put up any of their theme creativity display tables or soft implanted advertisements. Instead, the logo that represented Stellar Technology was seen. The logo of Stellar Technology was seen on the signing panel of the event's star of the International Film Festival.

In other words, the entire sponsorship of the film festival had been converted from the Ji Family to Stellar Technology.

That was a piece of world-shaking news. Could it be that Stellar Technology was about to move into the film and television industry? All of the reporters present were smart enough to come up with a plan to deal with the situation.

As time passed, the two sides of the red carpet leading to the entrance of the cinema were filled with fans and reporters. For some reason, the organizers of the event chose to walk the red carpet in an open manner for the first time. The Haizhou government used to walk the red carpet in a closed manner, just to be safe. The so-called 'closed' mode referred to a corridor that was designed specifically for the red carpet after entering Haizhou's cinema. There were only a handful of invited reporters on both sides of the corridor, but there were no outsiders or spectators.

While such a closed show was safe, it was nowhere near as eye-catching as walking the red carpet in the open, which made it easier to leave a lasting impression.

On the other hand, the organizers decided to forgo their usual caution when taking the red carpet at the film festival and instead took the open-air approach instead. The red carpet extended from the beginning of the plaza all the way to the main door of the cinema. The length of the red carpet, which was over a hundred meters in length, was clearly more than a level higher in terms of style. As such, the fans of the movie-goers were given the opportunity to get close to their favorite celebrities.

Rows and rows of dazzling lights lit up the entire plaza as the opening ceremony began. The lights lit up every corner of the plaza, making it seem as if the night had turned into day. The high-quality outdoor sound system in the plaza was heard as everyone cheered.

At the same time, a man, two women, and three hosts walked to the signing panel at the end of the red carpet with smiles on their faces. More than a dozen cameras were turned on at the same time and aimed at the three of them.

"Good evening, dear viewers and friends! You're watching the 22nd Haizhou International Film Festival and the grand opening of the red carpet. We're currently broadcasting the event live in front of the plaza of the Haizhou Film City!" the male host announced solemnly.

"Redisen Andejets…" The female host in a blue gown repeated in English to take care of the overseas audience.

"The number one star on the red carpet in Asia is going to shine tonight. Together with over four hundred moviegoers from both the international scene, we'd be celebrating the 22nd birthday of the Haizhou International Film Festival!" Another female host in a white gown said with a smile.

"Right now, we're broadcasting live through the CCAV series, 23 provincial satellite channels across the country, as well as the American, English, French, Russian, and other national channels and mainstream media outlets!" The male host sounded very excited.

"To be honest, I've never thought that there would be a day when so many countries around the world would pay attention to our Haizhou International Film Festival." The female host looked at the male host and continued with a very excited expression on her face, "I have to say that this is the symbol of the revitalization of our country, the symbol of the revitalization of the Chinese people! It's also the symbol of the revitalization of our Chinese films!"

"That's right. As such, we'd like to express our gratitude to the official partner of the film festival, Stellar Technology. It was he who promoted us to the attention of the entire world. Thank you for your support and love!" Another female host looked at the teleprompter and said with a smile.

The image on the screen changed and focused on the signature panel of the event star behind the host. The logo of Stellar Technology shone brightly on the panel.

"I'd like to ask the fans here, are you guys ready?" The male host turned around and asked the crowd on both sides of the red carpet.

The crowd below the stage erupted in cheers.

"Alright, then let's focus on the red carpet together and welcome every filmmaker from around the world!" The background music on the plaza changed drastically after the opening speech, becoming more impassioned as the cameras turned to the end of the red carpet.

The lights in the entire plaza gradually dimmed and only a few stage lights were left on the red carpet. At the same time, the first luxurious car slowly drove over and stopped right at the beginning of the red carpet. At the same time, a suave-looking cream-colored kid wearing a well-ironed suit got out of the car and opened the door gently. He extended his right hand and welcomed a female celebrity with heavy makeup covering most of her chest.

At that moment, in the hotel where the celebrities were staying at, a group of security guards was standing right opposite the movie studios in Haizhou, barring the way of the fanatical fans. Many of the celebrities were gathered in groups of three to five inside the hotel, chatting and laughing non-stop, with expressions of shock and joy on their faces from time to time as they watched the live broadcast screen above them.

"I really didn't expect Stellar Technology to be so generous. They actually sponsored the show and broadcasted the show live on more than a thousand channels and internet throughout the world in the five superpowers?" One of the women's eyes were filled with stars. "Who is the chairman of Stellar Technology? I'd definitely marry him if I were to find out!"

"That's very possible. He might have taken a liking to you, Sis Lan, and that's why he's spending money to get on your good side!" Another female celebrity chuckled.

"Huh? Isn't the chairman of Stellar Technology a woman?"

"That woman is the general manager, and she's in charge of everything regarding Stellar Technology. However, she has someone else on her side, and that person is the real boss who founded the company and owned all of the company's wealth!"

"Haha, those who didn't make it to the film festival are probably going to regret it to death…"

"Unbelievable. How much money did Stellar Technology spend just to do that? One billion? Two billion? Or even more?" Another male celebrity clicked his tongue and continued, "They're not treating money like money."

…

Everyone was talking about Stellar Technology. Wang Yuquan hid in a corner among the crowd with a gleeful look on her face. Even she was shocked by how much Stellar Technology was willing to spend. It was obvious that Stellar Technology's actions would serve as an indescribable opportunity for all the celebrities participating in the film festival.

She was initially just a new rising star in the entertainment circle. While she became popular due to a movie, her popularity was not stable yet. However, things were different now. After taking part in the film festival, her reputation would be greatly enhanced, which would be enough to set a solid foundation for her in the entertainment circle.

It was as if a huge piece of meat pie had fallen from the sky, and it was something that could be eaten with just a puff of steam. It could be said that any celebrity who participated in the film festival would gain a huge boost in their reputation. One had to know that even the world's most prestigious Academy Awards wouldn't have such a huge audience.

What surprised Wang Yuchun the most was that the organizer had notified her beforehand that her ranking on the red carpet had been changed from the insignificant 32nd round to the second-to-last round. One had to realize that such red carpet catwalk competitions were all about popularity and exposure. Real superstars would usually appear at the beginning and end of the red carpet catwalk. Due to the order of the rankings, those two spots would definitely leave a deeper impression on the audience than those who walked in the middle.

At that thought, Wang Yuchun felt rather grateful for Stellar Technology. She even wondered if the boss of that company had taken a liking to her, which was why he had done such a thing. If that wasn't the case, why had he chosen to replace her instead of someone else?

481. Shocking The World

(This chapter is a closing chapter. If you feel that you can skip ordering water.)

The duration of the red carpet walk was between one and a half to two hours. It was one thing for the male celebrities in the hotel to do so, but those flirtatious female celebrities were doing their best to berate their peers on the television as they watched the live broadcast on television. Every time someone fell while putting up a show, they would make cutting noises to express their disdain.

Wang Yuchun stared at the screen absentmindedly, feeling as if her soul had flown out of her body. She racked her brains, trying to figure out how she was going to attract the attention of the audience in the end. Some thoughts came to her mind one after another, but she quickly threw them all away. Three people had used the same method of falling just moments ago, and if she were to use it any further, the audience would probably realize that something was off, which was why she refused to use it again. Furthermore, revealing her attire was a good way to go about things. However, she looked down at herself and found that her attire had reached the limit of exposure. If she were to expose herself any further, she would probably be shut out by the SARFT.

As time passed, fewer people were seen in the lobby, and the red carpet show was nearing its end.

"Yuchun, let's go." At that moment, a gentle voice was heard from beside Wang Yuchun. Wang Yuchun snapped out of her trance and lowered her head to smile sweetly at the handsome man beside her before nodding and saying, "Alright, Brother Four."

The two of them walked hand in hand to the car that was waiting for them outside the door. Just when they were about to get into the car, Wang Yuchun turned around to look at the lobby of the hotel, only to find that it was empty.

"Wait, that can't be right. If we were in the second last group, there should be one last group in the lobby right now. But why… are we late?" Wang Yuchun began to gloat at the thought of some possibility. If the other party were to be late, her group would be the last group, and the benefits were obvious.

Wang Yuchun was secretly pleased with herself at that thought. She then sat down on the Phantom Rolls-Royce that Star Technology had prepared for all the guests under the urging of the staff.

The red carpet was coming to an end at the moment, yet the crowd in the plaza remained as large as ever. Not only that, but there were also more onlookers, making the place look very lively.

"Dear friends, the people walking up the red carpet are the producers and creators of the movie 'The Old Times'. They are Mr. Huang, the chairman of Huaxia Film Co., Ltd., director and creator of the movie, Mr. Guo Xiaosi, as well as the main cast of the movie. Welcome to the red carpet."

"Woah! It's Little Four!"

"Little Four! Little Four! Little Four!"

"Fourth Mother! I love you!"

The crowd on both sides of the red carpet went into a frenzy. Everyone kept calling out the name 'Little Four', and some of the girls even cried out in excitement. Everyone in the back row stood on their toes with all their might, wanting to see that handsome man on the red carpet.

Wang Yuchun felt her heart beat faster all of a sudden as everyone went up to the stage at the same time. It was her first time participating in such a huge All-Star feast after all. She was so anxious that she subconsciously grabbed her male companion's arm and forgot everything else.

"Don't be nervous. Smile and greet the cameras. Don't waste such a great opportunity," the handsome man standing beside her reminded her gently like a neighbor's brother. Wang Yuchun seemed to have just woken up from a dream, and she quickly waved her hands gracefully on both sides of the red carpet, putting on a smile that she had practiced thousands of times.

Wang Yuchun had never felt that 100 meters was such a short distance. While she was still immersed in the bliss of being the center of attention, she had unknowingly crossed the 100-meter red carpet and made her way to the signing board of the event's star.

"Thank you, everyone. Thank you, everyone, for supporting me." Guo Xiaosi took the microphone from the host and looked at the sea of people below the stage. Tears welled up in her eyes and she continued, "To be honest, I've always wanted to be your pride, so that you wouldn't have to live in the shadows, so that you wouldn't have to like me in secret, and that your friends wouldn't only look down on you and mock you whenever you talk about your idol…"

"Is it because my name is Guo Jingming that everything I do is wrong? Are you telling me that you won't call 'The Old Era' if I'm dead?" Guo Xiaosu shouted as she wiped away her tears.

"You can't cry. The bad guys will laugh!"

"No, just let him cry. Cry all you want. It'll be better if you just cry all you want!"

The crowd below the stage was in a frenzy and some of the fans were crying out loud, trying to comfort Guo Xiaosi.

Wang Yuchun wiped away her tears as well and took the microphone from her hands. She sighed and said, "Little Four is under a lot of pressure. He didn't do a good job because he was called Guo Xiaosi. Many people would have scolded him because he was called Guo Xiaosi, but he is a giant… He is a man who loves movies, and he hopes to bring more good works to everyone."

The crowd finally began to sign on the signature board after playing the sympathy cards. The host took the microphone and wore a mysterious expression. "Thank you for the emotional speech by the crew of 'The Old Era'. I believe that gold will shine sooner or later. It's 9pm at night and the red carpet ceremony is nearing its end. However, there is still one more guest coming up. Perhaps none of you know who she is, but it was her appearance that opened the most glorious page of our international film festival."

The crew of 'The Old Times', who were on their way to the venue, stopped in their tracks all of a sudden. Everyone turned around instinctively and looked shocked.

Who could the organizer have said something like that?

As one of the 15 international A-type film festivals around the world, the Haizhou International Film Festival could be said to be a shortcut for Huaxian celebrities to further their career in the international scene. Furthermore, the scale of the event was so massive that everyone was stunned by it. The viewership ratings before the screens at the moment had probably reached over 100 million people a long time ago. Coupled with the instigation from the host, she would definitely become the biggest winner of the event, regardless of who it was.

"One of the most famous Heavenly Kings and Queens in the entertainment circle?"

"That's impossible. Three or four of the top stars and queens from before have made it into the showbiz. No one in the entertainment circle would be able to enjoy a higher status and treatment than them."

"So, they're some kind of international superstar or queen? Only they would be able to lord over those superstars in Huaxia."

Discussions were going on in the audience as well. Everyone was staring at the entrance of the red carpet, wanting to see just who would be able to earn such praise from the organizers of the film festival.

Just when everyone's attention was on the car, a white car slowly pulled up and stopped. The door opened at the very next moment and a girl dressed in a white dress got out of the car, looking like a fairy. The entire place went silent almost as soon as she got out of the car.

She looked just like a blooming lily. The word "drop dead gorgeous" came to everyone's mind when they saw her. The girl before them looked so youthful and reserved that the topic created by Guo Xiaosi was thrown out of the window almost immediately.

"This is…" Wang Yuchun felt that the girl who got out of the car looked rather familiar all of a sudden. She rubbed her eyes subconsciously and seemed to have recalled something. She shuddered all of a sudden and her expression was one of utter disbelief.

"Impossible!"

As the girl got closer, her lithe and graceful figure swayed without making any unnecessary movements. However, it was precisely because of that that everyone felt as if she was dancing in their hearts. The red carpet seemed to have become the path to heaven, and she became a flawless lily that blossomed along the way…

"Zhang Xin!" Wang Yuchun watched everything unfold with a dazed look on her face and felt her mind spinning. As that figure got closer to her, she was finally able to confirm that she was Zhang Xin, whom her classmates had been picking on and had even mocked and ridiculed in the day.

Zhang Xin looked several times more beautiful than she had been in the day, yet there was no trace of makeup on her face at all. There was only a breathtaking air about her.

The background music of a piano and bass duet was heard as the white figure slowly walked forward. The sound was faint and solemn as she walked higher until she was standing before the host. The girl who looked like a lily took the microphone from the host.

The three hosts were completely flabbergasted at the moment. While it had long been mentioned that Stellar Technology would be sending a newbie to the red carpet, the three of them were still stunned by the presence of that newbie when she appeared.

The lights at the reception area dimmed almost as soon as the girl took the microphone, leaving only a white searchlight on the girl. It was as if she had become the focus of the entire world at that moment.

A resplendent starry sky lit up above his head in the very next moment, with countless stars twinkling in the sky. The starlight was so bright that it made one feel as if they were in a vast universe.

Surprise was seen in the girl's eyes as well. However, as the music gradually became more intense, she immediately raised the microphone and opened her mouth as if she was speaking to someone.

Here we are.

Soaring in the sky,

The night sky was filled with morning.

You and I shine like the stars.

They sparkled like two balls of fire.

It was burning in another space-time.

The music reached a crescendo at the very next second. Images of warhorses and banners waving magnificently were seen all over the girl. Tens of thousands of troops were seen standing side by side on a vast plain, with bloodlust and killing intent howling like the wind.

Everyone felt as if they were in a battlefield with tens of thousands of people fighting at the moment. Everyone held their breaths and simply stared at the scene before them. Their minds went completely blank as they looked at that white figure standing at the very front of the crowd.

May my past be erased.

But I'm unable to erase the memories of my slumber.

I can't hug you with your arms out.

Or soothing your soul,

Awaken that sealed memory for me!

The music continued to play and when it reached its highest point, the girl raised her right hand all of a sudden. At the same time, a cold, shiny sword was seen flying into the air in her hand. Countless knights on the battlefield seemed to have received an order and they began to ride their horses. Blood bloomed like roses in the midst of the flashing of the swords and knives, and a spring breeze that reeked of blood was seen flying all over the battlefield.

The girl stood still like a god. Countless red spots exploded all over her body and her white dress was instantly covered in blood, making her look even more beautiful and heroic.

The epic holographic projection came to a standstill at the end of the song.

That epic scene of "STAR-SKY" disappeared and the girl bowed to the camera before making her way into the venue. No one was able to snap out of their trance at the moment. The poignant yet magnificent melody of the song played in their minds and everyone looked utterly stunned.

"The red carpet and opening ceremony are officially over…"

The entire plaza came to their senses when the host spoke again some time later. It was as if a huge bomb had been dropped on the crowd in the very next second. Everyone clapped like crazy and cheered at the same time. Everyone was trying to find out the girl's name, and the entire internet was thrown into a frenzy due to that scene. Some people immediately edited that scene and posted it on YouTube's website, while more people kept posting and asking if anyone knew the girl's identity and name.

"She'll be the goddess in my heart from here on out. Could someone please tell me who she is? I'll put a 100-point reward on her!"

"What was that scene just now? Was that some kind of latecomer special effect?"

"No, there's no way a global live stream would have the time to do special effects for you. That was clearly a holographic projection that Stellar Technology had been promoting and was preparing to go public in the near future."

"Gosh, I get it now. Why would Stellar Technology suddenly buy the sponsorship of this film festival and the evening program of thousands of television stations all over the world? They're clearly trying to create a god! They're trying to create a god of the global entertainment circle!"

"I don't care what Stellar Technology wants. I just want to know who that girl in white is. I feel like I've fallen in love with her!"

The entire world seemed to have been stunned by what they saw. On both the real world and the internet, the views of the film festival skyrocketed like crazy. On all the major video websites, comments like "Draw your sword!" and "Pick up your head and fight for me!" filled the entire screen. They were so packed that there was no end to them.

Zhang Heng slowly closed the screen on the wall in the Honeycomb underground in Haizhou. He wore a relieved smile on his face. With the attention of the entire world and the help of the holographic projection, Zhang Xin's tiny wish was finally fulfilled.

As for what would happen after that, Zhang Heng didn't think too much about it. In his opinion, his sister was just doing it on a whim. She would probably lose interest in celebrities very soon after going through that ordeal and return to school as a good girl.

Then again, it made no difference whether he went to school or not in the face of that disaster that was about to hit him at any given moment. However, he wasn't about to tell Zhang Xin and his parents about all of that. His ultimate wish was to ensure that his family could live a peaceful life forever.

In other words, the reason why Zhang Heng was so dedicated to saving the world was none other than to ensure that his family and friends could live in peace for the rest of their lives. He was the only one in the entire world who understood just how precious such a peaceful life was after seeing the devastation that had befallen countless planes.

482. Modification Of The Demonic Blaze Furnace

The Avengers Alliance plane, Pacific Rim.

To the southeast of the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean, the Fichaz Sea Gulf of Mariana Trench.

That was the lowest point in the global ocean, the deepest trench known to humans at the moment. It was 2550 kilometers long and curved, with an average width of 70 kilometers and a depth of 8,000 meters. The deepest part of the trench could reach 1,095 meters.

Some people might not have been able to comprehend the relationship between the 'Mariana Trench' and the 'Fichazi Trench', which was similar to the relationship between the 'Himalayas' and the 'Mount Everest'. The Yana Trench was deemed the deepest trench in the world, while the Fichazi Trench was considered the deepest part of the trench, as well as the deepest part of the world.

He was in a pitch-black world that sunlight was unable to penetrate. The place was pitch-black and even the most powerful searchlights in the world were unable to reach a distance of 10 meters in such an environment. However, at that moment, there was a city of steel that was so massive that it seemed like it could not have been any larger, standing tall in the deep sea in the Baynioff Sea.

It was a massive city with a diameter of over five kilometers that stood proudly amidst the massive atmospheric pressure. The surface of the buildings was covered with all manner of stealth patterns, preventing human ultrasonic detection technology from detecting them.

The steel city had a very peculiar design, making it look like a solid piece of metal. The 10-meter-thick defense mechanism made it the most durable defense mechanism in the world, and there was a huge 'millstone '-like device that took up four-fifths of the city's area at the center of the steel city, slowly stirring. There was also a huge drill that was over a kilometer long at the center of the millstone, drilling deep into the ground. If one were to get close enough, they would find faint green fluorescence seeping out of the cracks that connected the drill to the ground and dissipating in the blink of an eye.

This place was where Star Technology spent tens of billions of US dollars to construct the massive Magic Furnace built in secret in the Marvel plane. One could extract tons of Magic Furnace from the depths of the Earth vein every day. To put it simply, the facility was like a syringe that was deeply embedded in the weakest part of the Earth, constantly extracting life from the planet.

There were quite a number of such altars in this world.

At that moment, a huge factory was set up in the core of the huge furnace. Steel materials were being transported continuously from the large molecular transmitter. More than a thousand T-800 workers were operating inside the factory, transporting the steel materials outside the furnace.

The deep-sea robots developed by the Terminator Dimensional Skynet were shuttling back and forth in the outside world. They moved the steel and equipment from fixed locations where they needed to be replaced and repaired, constantly modifying the majestic city.

That was what he saw when he came to inspect the place.

"Beep, beep, beep!" A metal ball about the size of a soccer ball, driven by anti-gravity, was seen flying over and stopped right in front of Zhang Heng. The screen on the ball flickered and quickly took the shape of Zola.

"Commander, welcome to the Furnace of the Alpha," Zola said politely with a fawning look on her face.

"How's it going? How's the progress here?" Zhang Heng looked at the window on the wall. Outside the window was the ocean with the worst environment on Earth, which was pitch-black.

"The modification of the Demonic Blaze Furnace is coming to an end. A new extraction device is about to be put to the test. If the results are good, the other Demonic Furnaces will undergo similar modifications as well," Dr. Zola said eagerly.

Zhang Heng nodded and found the process to be about the same as it was in real life. With all manner of high-tech technology, Stellar Technology was able to take control of the financial system of the Marvel World at an extremely fast rate. The little chili pepper that was Iron Man's lackey back then played a role as well. Starting from Tony Stark, Stellar Technology had been luring all the superheroes to implant electronic chips, including Iron Man, Spiderman, Red Witch, Magnet King, and so on. With the help of the Magnet King and a lot of funding, those projects were able to progress so quickly.

However, compared to reality, the activities of Stellar Technology on the surface were undoubtedly much more subdued. After all, there were still very few superheroes that could be controlled, and most superheroes were still unable to be controlled. Those guys were like a bunch of sh * * sh * * *, stirring up trouble wherever they went. Once they discovered the evil plans of Stellar Technology, they would probably fight to the death for 'justice'.

As such, Stellar Technology had killed more than a dozen superheroes who had almost discovered Stellar Technology's conspiracy, such as the Strength Man, the Wasp Man, the Steel Man, and so on. There were also the Hulk and the Diamond Wolf locked up in the Magic Cauldron at the moment. Superheroes like them, who possessed the physique of immortality, definitely wouldn't be able to control something like a brain-controlled chip.

As such, Corona Two simply used the gamma-ray absorption device to constantly extract the gamma-ray generated by Robert Bruce Banner, preventing him from ever becoming the Hulk again.

It was even easier to talk about the diamond wolf, as it poured all of the melted oscillating metal on his body, sealing him inside the oscillating metal forever before exiling him into the vast universe.

The so-called modification of the Magical Flash Furnace was invented by that genius doctor named Zola. As one of the greatest scientists in human history and a super-genius researcher in the Marvel Universe, his intelligence was on par with that of the geniuses of Iron Man and Doomsday. It seemed like he spent three months researching the structure and extraction theory of the Magical Flash Furnace in order to prove his loyalty. He also modified the design to create a new type of Magical Flash Furnace.

The new Magical Furnace had 10 times the usual extraction rate of the previous Magical Furnace. According to the efficiency of extraction, the new Magical Furnace would be able to extract the entire Magical Furnace of the previous planet within half a year.

As such, the scene of Zhang Heng personally inspecting the place appeared.

"Woo—!"

An alarm was suddenly heard throughout the entire factory at that moment. Corona No. 2's voice was heard at the same time. "The modification of the Magic Blaze Furnace of the Alpha is complete and the trial phase is about to begin. All staff members, stop what you are doing and return to the forging hall immediately. I repeat, all staff members who are still working, return to the forging hall immediately!"

Zhang Heng looked over subconsciously and found countless robots appearing in the lobby. All of them looked like the most precise of fighters standing at their own positions. The red glow in their eyes gradually dimmed and went out of control.

"Demon Blaze Furnace about to begin… three, two, one! Begin activation!"

Rumble…

The sound of metal rubbing against metal was heard from afar and Zhang Heng could feel the entire smelting factory begin to shake slowly. The 'millstone', which had a diameter of over four kilometers, began to rotate at high speeds. The smelting factory was located at the top of the millstone, and it was spinning as the huge millstone spun.

Zhang Heng looked interested. He waved his hand and a holographic projection screen appeared before his eyes. There was a dissection on the screen that looked like a nail stuck in the ground. That was the side structure of the Demon Blaze Furnace.

The round part of the nail was the millstone, and the part that was nailed into the ground was the drill bit.

The huge drill bearing continued to spin and burrow deeper into the earth vein, making it look like blood was oozing out of it. Countless amounts of green liquid were extracted by special equipment as it spun. That liquid seemed to have a source of light to begin with and was green and lustrous, emitting a light that was as bright as a diamond. One could feel a special, lively aura from it even with the naked eye.

483. The Despairing Hulk

Zhang Heng walked slowly to the center of the factory, where there was a huge glass container at the center. The container was huge, with a diameter of about five to six meters and a height that reached the ceiling. Dozens of helix-shaped tubes were connected to the sides of the container, which were about as thick as a person's fist. More and more tubes were seen pouring out of the transparent tubes before being sucked into the helix-shaped tubes and disappeared at the end of the factory.

At the end of those spiral tubes was a series of cube structures, the ones containing demons. After storing demons all over the tubes, those cube structures would be transported to the real world and stored at the bottom of the base, where they would be stored as strategic assets.

However, that was just his original thought.

If the yield of demons could really be multiplied, then there might be other uses for those demons as well…

A glint flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes.

However, it was at that moment that Zhang Heng suddenly realized that the huge, thick container before him was actually oozing with energy like a fountain, taking up half of the entire container in a matter of minutes. Judging from the efficiency, it did look like the output from the container was significantly higher than that from before the furnace was modified.

"Beep, beep, beep…"

The viscous liquid kept gushing out like boiling magma. At the same time, the pipes of the helix began to draw the precious energy, but no matter how fast the extraction was, it was unable to keep up with the rate at which the magma gushed out.

So fast!

Zhang Heng finally looked impressed. It was only then that Corona No. 2's voice was heard on the radio. "Conduct tube increases power extraction and power extraction by 300 percent."

All of a sudden, the tubes began to emit a suction force that was several times stronger than before. Zhang Heng was finally able to see the water line within the container stabilizing due to the powerful suction force. Despite the massive amount of demons gushing out, the pressure within the container that was tens of meters tall finally stabilized.

Corona No. 2's voice was heard again. "Calculation results show that the modified Magic Furnace is capable of producing about 5300 milliliters per second, with a power output of 11130 per second, achieving optimal state."

Zhang Heng let out a sigh of relief after hearing that. A look of amazement was seen in his eyes as he said, "Not bad. If all of the Demonic Blaze Furnaces had such power, I'd be able to empty the entire planet of demons in less than a year."

Zhang Heng then turned to look at Zola, who had been staring at him with wide eyes, and said amiably, "Well done, I'm very satisfied."

Dr. Zola chuckled like a pug and said, "That's all thanks to your leadership. Furthermore, it's my duty to serve you."

Zhang Heng chuckled and walked back to the cell where the Hulk was kept. His voice was heard in Zola's hearing system at the same time. "Get ready. I'll leave the operation of Stellar Technology to you."

A look of pleasant surprise was seen on Dr. Zola's face and his voice was practically trembling as he said, "I-I'll do everything I can to live up to your expectations!"

Zhang Heng paused for a bit and broke into a weird grin.

"I hope so…"

…

The pitch-black, cold steel room was filled with the sound of piano music that calmed one's mind. A man with brown hair who looked rather frail was lying on the bed, listening to the piano music quietly. To him, that was the only thing he could do to pass the time.

His wrists and ankles were all shackled by chains made of vibranium. However, compared to all of that, a special instrument that had been plunged into his heart was the true culprit behind his imprisonment. That instrument was like a long nail, an electronic device connected to the roof at one end, while the other end kept him firmly pinned to the bed. That instrument was absorbing the gamma rays produced in his body at all times, while injecting a highly concentrated sedative into his body.

If an ordinary person were to be injected with such a highly concentrated sedative, they would have been knocked out for three days in one milliliters. Anyone who was injected with more than three milliliters would have died on the spot. However, the man before him had to be injected with 50 milliliters per hour in order to maintain his current state.

"Crack!"

The sound of metal rubbing against metal was heard and the tightly shut door slowly opened. A blinding beam of light shot into the man's eyes, as if he had been in the dark for too long. The brown-haired man turned his head around subconsciously and narrowed his eyes. Through the blinding light, he seemed to see a familiar figure slowly walking up to him.

"Dr. Banner." The voice of the intruder was rather hoarse, but the brown-haired man shuddered all over when he heard that rather unique voice. He turned around in disbelief and glared at the man's face, before letting out a furious roar and struggling with all his might.

"It's you!"

The alloy bed began to creak and twist as he struggled. A strange green light appeared all over his body and the sound became increasingly thick, as if a ferocious beast was lurking inside him. The rage in him was awakened all of a sudden and he was about to cry out.

"It's me," Zhang Heng said calmly. He looked at the man on the bed quietly and saw that the chains on his arms and legs were about to give out. The chains on his arms and legs began to creak and groan in pain. However, the spikes on his chest were suddenly activated at that moment and more than 100 milliliters of tranquilizer were injected into his heart. That wasn't all. The device that was used to absorb the gamma rays began to increase its power. The man lost all of his strength in just three to five seconds and slumped back on the bed.

"Who the hell are you?!" Banner gritted his teeth and felt the power draining from his body as he shouted with a ferocious expression, "The Avengers won't let you get away with this!"

"I also believe that they won't let me get away with it." Zhang Heng tapped on the metal partition at the side of the bed, which made clanking sounds. "But I don't think so. They have the power to overturn me."

"It's only a matter of time before justice defeats evil!" Banner clenched his fists. "I admit that you're very strong, even stronger than all the enemies we've encountered! But we're not going to lose. One day, my companions will defeat you. Just you wait!"

"It's a pity that you probably won't get to see this day." Zhang Heng shook his head and sighed. "But there are a few things that I don't agree with. I don't think that I'm evil. On the contrary, I'm the true messiah. I'll save my world."

"Ridiculous!" Banner snorted.

"It's too dangerous to just leave you here." Zhang Heng continued, "I don't want you to tear down my factory like you're some kind of toy. That's why I'm going to send you to outer space, just like Logan."

"I'll be back." Banner's pupils contracted as he glared at Zhang Heng with eyes filled with hatred, as if he wanted to remember everything about Zhang Heng in his mind.

Zhang Heng chuckled and paid no heed to what she said, turning around and walking out of the door.

"I swear, I'll definitely come back. I'll make you regret this!" Dr Banner's furious roars were heard from behind him as the metal door closed again. Zhang Heng lit a cigarette and wore an indifferent expression.

Zhang Heng knew that he wouldn't be able to trap the Hulk for the rest of his life. Even if he were to be exiled outside the Solar System, the Hulk would still have the ability to return. It was just that he would have been long gone from this world by then, and it was unlikely that Dr. Banner's wish would be fulfilled.

484. Compromise From The Magnetic King

Zhang Heng checked every nook and cranny of the Furnace of Demons again after leaving the cell where the Hulk was kept and confirmed that there were no other threats lurking around. He nodded satisfactorily and headed for the corridors of the waiting room.

However, at that moment, an old man wearing a burgundy helmet and a red cape walked out from behind a door of a lounge. A woman with a sexy figure wearing a red leather suit followed behind him obediently. The two of them took a cold glance at Zhang Heng before looking straight ahead and brushing past him.

However, the woman in red turned around just as the two of them were about to cross each other. A sharp red light flashed in her eyes and a crimson wave of air rose from her body and surged at Zhang Heng.

"Heh." Zhang Heng seemed to have been prepared for that. His crimson eyes focused and the woman in red's expression changed drastically as soon as their gazes met. She was sent flying backward as if she had been dealt a heavy blow and crashed into a steel wall nearby.

"Boom!"

A loud crash was heard and the expression of the old man changed drastically. He raised his arm without hesitation and the metal all around him seemed to resonate with him in an indescribable manner. However, before he could exert any force, his vision blurred and Zhang Heng disappeared before his eyes as if he had teleported.

The old man looked shocked and looked behind him. He saw Zhang Heng crouching on the ground casually, holding the woman in red in his arms tightly. His long, nimble fingers were placed on the woman's neck as if they were touching a lover, yet the old man dared not move at all after seeing that.

"Let go of me!" The woman in red was forcefully pulled into Zhang Heng's arms. A look of shame and indignation was seen on her face as she struggled without a care. However, her superpower, which was capable of destroying the heavens and earth, seemed to have been sealed and rendered completely useless.

Zhang Heng pointed at his forehead and a crack about half a finger long appeared on his forehead. A yellowish-brown gemstone shone brightly in the crack. "You fool. Your power comes from 'it'. Are you trying to use 'it' to attack its master?"

"That's enough, Zhang Heng. Let go of my daughter." The old man lowered his arm and said helplessly, "Trust me, we have no intentions of making you our enemy."

Zhang Heng slowly let go of her arm after hearing that. The woman in red struggled free and tidied her clothes before glaring at Zhang Heng from behind the old man, feeling humiliated.

"Magnetic King, it seems like you and your daughter have gotten rid of the restrictions of the brain-controlled chips," Zhang Heng said casually.

"Not really. He just used the power of 'mind' to fool that thing in our brains." The Magnetic King pondered for a bit and said, "No one likes having their life and death in the hands of others, right?"

"That's no reason for her to attack me." Zhang Heng turned around and walked out of the corridor, saying as he walked, "Never again."

The two of them fell silent and looked at each other. Scarlet Witch seemed to realize something and shook her head at her father, but the Magnetic King seemed to have made up his mind. He went after Zhang Heng despite his daughter's pleading gaze and shouted, "Zhang Heng, I want to make a deal with you!"

Zhang Heng's cold voice was heard right away. "Are you trying to trade you for your daughter's freedom?"

"That's right…" The Magnetic King was stunned for a moment. It was obvious that he hadn't expected that the other party would be able to guess what he was thinking so quickly. The fear in his eyes became even more intense and he quickly said, "I'm willing to listen to your orders forever. You have to promise me one thing. You have to return my daughter her freedom."

"That's a tempting offer." Zhang Heng paused for a bit and turned around to look at the Magnetic King in the eye. "But you have to give me a reason to trust you."

"…" The Magnetic King was silent for a moment before he gritted his teeth and said, "You can make me and my daughter never see each other again. That way, her mental power won't be able to affect me and I'll never be able to escape your control. Is that reason enough?"

"Father!" Scarlet Witch said anxiously.

"Alright, I'll do it." Zhang Heng looked satisfied right away and said in a tone that brooked no argument, "I can set your daughter free, but I have one request, and that is that you two have to leave this plane with me."

"Where are we going?" The Magnetic King was stunned and asked after hesitating for a bit.

"A utopia." Zhang Heng pointed above his head and turned around to walk away again. He said as he walked, "Relax. I won't be so mean to my own people. I'll leave your daughter behind in that seat when we get there. That place is a free world where there is no fighting, surveillance, or confinement. Everyone there lives a happy life."

"As for you…" Zhang Heng paused for a bit before continuing, "You'll be joining me in conquering new planes one after another… That's your mission."

"And every once in a while, I'll allow the two of you to meet. That's the only promise I can make."

Zhang Heng's voice was heard gradually and he gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor. The Magnetic King only sighed with a tinge of unwillingness when he saw Zhang Heng leave. He looked at his daughter with a loving gaze before nodding encouragingly, his eyes filled with reluctance.

"Wanda, live on." The Magnetic King turned around and left without looking back, leaving the Scarlet Witch standing there with tears in her eyes.

Zhang Heng was standing on the platform of the plane shuttle at the moment. He looked at the Magnetic King, who was slowly making his way to him, and wore a grin on his face. The Magnetic King valued familial ties and positions very much, but he had very little regard for love. One could tell from the plot of the X-Men: Apocalypse. Back when his wife and daughter, Anna, died, he wept for his daughter, but paid no heed to his dead wife. It was the same with the demonic woman whom he had fallen in love with in the past. He killed her as and when he liked, without any hesitation. Instead, he showed unexpected concern for his close friend and Professor X, who viewed him from a hostile perspective.

As such, Zhang Heng wasn't worried that the Magnetic King would reject him if he were to use her daughter as a bargaining chip. Both the Magnetic King and he shared a deep bond, and the importance that the Magnetic King would place on his race would be unimaginable once his identity was confirmed.

The Magneto, who had yet to awaken his powers when he was a child, was locked up in a concentration camp with his mother due to his identity as a Jew. The ethnic thinking represented by the concentration camp had been branded into the depths of his personality before anything else. He vaguely realized that the trust and feelings between races were extremely fragile. It could be seen from the way he said, "That piece of gold is a relic of my people." Once he figured out who he was, he would show extreme pride and honor to the group that he represented.

It was also because of that that his childhood experiences laid the foundation for his extreme personality and means of doing things in the future. He wanted to ensure that the Mutants could live in this world safely at the cost of wiping out humanity. According to psychological analysis, the Magnetic King was more worthy of being roped in and trusted than those so-called 'righteous' superheroes. With the addition of the brain-control chip, the chances of the Mutants betraying him would be very small.

485. Meeting Alex Again

Zhang Heng took the Magnetic King away from the Marvel plane after recruiting him and arranged for the Scarlet Witch to stay on the Tanis planet in the Deep Space amnesia plane. Not only would the Scarlet Witch not lose her usefulness there, but the existence of the Magnetic King would become a powerful force there that would take his place on that planet.

That was the purpose of having both parties act as protons. Sooner or later, the Scarlet Witch would completely integrate into the life there and become a true part of Stellar Technology.

Two figures slowly appeared in midair in a city that had long been reduced to ruins.

That place was a vast, white land of ice and snow. It was as if the land had been plowed by some huge beast. Countless buildings and military bases were reduced to rubble. One could vaguely make out dead bodies and scattered silhouettes of military weapons.

The wind howled in the west and the temperature in the area remained at -50 degrees Celsius forever. It was difficult for even bacteria and viruses to survive in such conditions. One of the two figures subconsciously pulled his collar tighter, and his eyes shone with amazement.

"So, this is your power?" The Magnetic King, who was clearly much younger than before, gave Zhang Heng a meaningful look and continued, "I have to say that this ability of yours is truly miraculous. With this ability to traverse space-time at will, you would be able to remain undefeated no matter what."

Zhang Heng shook his head in a non-committal manner and paid no heed to the other party's probing. Compared to the Myriad Magnetic King's probing, he was more concerned about the ruins of the city on the snowy continent. He still remembered how that place had once been the last base of humanity.

Judging from the way the buildings were destroyed, it was obvious that the place wasn't something that could have been caused by the bombardment of some kind of firearm. Instead, it looked more like something that had been caused by some kind of massive beast wreaking havoc in the city, as the entire city was filled with irregular signs of tearing and stomping.

"Alex…" Zhang Heng murmured, "So, this is what you did?"

That's right, this was the world of 'Prototype'.

Back when Zhang Heng was still weak, he came to the plane due to a mission from the Dimensional Star. He was hunted down by the prototype of the virus, Alex, for a day and a night. At that time, Alex was like an invincible god, and he had no choice but to abandon the bodies of several cloned warriors before fleeing back to reality.

That was also the first time Zhang Heng came into contact with such so-called high-end power.

His abilities were no longer what they used to be, but when he returned to this world, he saw something completely unexpected. The human defense circle set up at the North Pole had been breached by the virus.

In other words, Alex had eventually evolved to a point where he had no fear of temperatures, destroying the last of humanity's territories with his hatred for humans. All of humanity had been slaughtered, and where would Alex be at the moment?

Zhang Heng slowly raised his head and the glint in his eyes disappeared in a flash. He extended his mental power all the way to the corners of the ruins. However, when he found the silhouette in the ruins far away, he stomped on the ground and appeared hundreds of meters away in the very next second.

It was a military base that was buried deep underground. However, the massive base looked like it had been ravaged by some huge beast at the moment. It was badly damaged and was on the verge of collapse.

Zhang Heng seemed to have sensed something after reaching that place. He slowly descended from the sky until he was completely on the ground before making his way to the ruins.

The Magnetic King hurried after him with a serious look in his eyes. He felt an extreme sense of threat from the ruins, as if he was a mortal being watched by some wild animal. A sense of unease kept warning him that he was in no safe place.

It had been a long time since he became an eggplant-level mutant.

The Magnetic King hesitated for a bit before deciding to follow Zhang Heng, making its way into the ruins.

The mind gem on his glabella activated as he slowly made his way deeper into the cave. Rings of protection were placed all over his body. According to his speculations, if Alex were still alive at the moment, his physical strength would have probably evolved to a terrifying level after so many years.

A figure that was curled up in a corner finally appeared before the two of them when they reached the deepest part of the building. The figure was a young man who looked rather dejected. He looked to be in his late twenties and wore a white shirt with a grey hood. He wore a black leather jacket with a red tribal pattern on the back and blue jeans on his legs. His attire from before remained the same.

"So, you're here again. I've been looking for you for a very, very long time…" Alex's voice was heard in a leisurely manner, and there was some kind of magnetism to it. Even though his voice wasn't very loud, the rubble around him and the ground beneath his feet continued to crack as he spoke. That voice was imbued with an indescribable burst of power, as if he was able to tear through steel through the air if he wanted to.

"Alex." Zhang Heng took a step forward and paid no heed to the dangerous aura exuding from the man before him. Instead, he clicked his tongue and asked, "What did you get after destroying humanity?"

"Humans want to destroy me all the time, and I have no other choice," Alex said dejectedly. "I don't know why you're here, and I'm not interested in finding out. There's no need to argue about what happened back then. You guys can leave."

The killing intent gradually dissipated and the Magnetic King let out a sigh of relief. While he had never fought with his opponent before, he was nonetheless able to sense an aura that far exceeded that of the Hulk when he was at his peak, making him feel as if he was facing a death god. If he could avoid fighting with his opponent, he definitely wouldn't want to get into a conflict with his opponent.

"What if I don't want to leave?" Zhang Heng's words made him feel anxious all over again. He looked at that figure and sure enough, the young man's lips curled into a sarcastic grin as he said, "Are you sure?"

The young man's eyes glinted before Zhang Heng could reply. His hands turned into two huge red claws in an instant and he stomped on the ground, causing the ground around him to cave in. He charged at Zhang Heng with a force capable of tearing the air apart.

A smirk appeared on Zhang Heng's face when he saw that. He had no intention of making a move at all. Instead, he turned to look at the Magnetic King.

The Magnetic King gritted his teeth and took a step forward. One, two, three metal balls the size of a grown man appeared around him at the same time. Three metal balls the size of a grown man's thumb rose into the air with humming sounds and shot at the young man like cannonballs.

Bang!

An ear-piercing metallic clang was heard and the Magnetic King didn't even manage to see what was happening before the three balls shattered. Alex appeared before the Magnetic King in the very next second and swiped at him.

The Magnetic King's pupils contracted. He felt as if the Grim Reaper had descended upon him at that very moment. More and more metallic spheres appeared around him without a second thought. The metallic spheres seemed to have been given life to him as they flew through the air at speeds that far exceeded that of bullets. At the same time, the metallic spheres transformed into pieces of nano level metal sheeting before his atomic-level operating power and swarmed toward Alex.

Whoosh!

All the metal plates seemed to have returned to him in an instant, flying all over the Magnetic King's body. The claw that was about to land on his head was completely frozen in midair.

"Hah!" The Magnetic King breathed a sigh of relief, and extremely thin cracks began to appear on Alex's body, before he was reduced to over a thousand pieces of torn flesh that fell to the ground.

"Be careful, he's not dead yet." Zhang Heng said casually before the Magnetic King was able to relax completely. An indescribable sense of danger came over him at the same time and the Magnetic King retreated without a second thought. The pile of minced flesh in front of him actually became one with him. Sharp spikes made from flesh and blood shot out from where he was standing, tracking his retreating footsteps.

486. Perfect Creature

An infected bird was flying leisurely in the silver-coated Arctic Circle, screeching as it searched for something edible to eat.

It seemed to have sensed something when it was flying high up in the air above a pile of ruins. It flapped its wings and landed on a ruined roof. It tilted its head and looked puzzled.

However, that sense of doubt was immediately dispelled by fear as an earth-shattering noise was heard. The infected bird flew into the air with a panicked look on its face. Countless thick spikes shot out of the ground from the ruins in the very next second, as if the entire world had turned into a sea of spikes, densely packed and seemingly endless.

At the same time, one of the ruins exploded and countless snow and ice were blown away by the shockwave. Two silhouettes rushed out from the ruins and flew into the air, eventually stopping hundreds of meters in the air.

Those two were none other than the Magnetic King and Zhang Heng.

A grave look was seen in the eyes of the Magnetic King.

When he saw that he was about to be impaled by the spikes, he stomped on the ground helplessly and rose into the air, which was how he managed to evade the opponent's tricky attacks.

The Magnetic King was not only capable of controlling magnetic objects like iron and cobalt. He was capable of generating very powerful magnetic fields to begin with, enabling him to polarize the internal atom field of electromagnetic matter. By controlling the magnetic field, he was able to turn other objects into magnetic objects and lift objects with the repulsive force of the magnetic field.

That was the true nature of his ability to fly. With his ability to control the electromagnetic force, he could easily lift mountains and change the direction of the river. It was just that, compared to controlling metal and magnetic materials, it was countless times more difficult to magnetize an anti-magnetic object. As such, the Magnetic King rarely controlled anything other than magnetic objects in order to maintain brain power.

Zhang Heng, who was standing at the side, had no intention of getting involved. It was obvious that he was just sitting back and watching the show. He only retreated calmly when he saw that the attack was about to hit him, continuing to watch the fight from high above.

When the dust settled, the thick spikes slowly retracted and fused back into Alex's appearance before their eyes. However, his expression was no longer as relaxed as it had been before. He shot a complicated look at Zhang Heng before standing upright on the ground.

High in the sky hundreds of meters away, Magneto looked at his lapel and felt an invisible force cutting there. Although he was not injured, he was still at a disadvantage. That was the first time he encountered such a situation after becoming an Omega Mutant.

"You forced my hand." The Magnetic King snorted and raised his right hand. Countless pieces of steel within a radius of a kilometer began to resonate with one another. It was as if the Magnetic King had turned into a god of steel in that very instant. Countless pieces of steel flew out with a rumble in the very next second and transformed in midair, turning into razor-sharp steel spikes. The spikes rained down on Alex like a torrential storm of swords.

A puzzled look appeared on Alex's face, and he finally sighed after seeing the countless spikes heading his way. "Well then, I'll show you what I'm capable of…" A pair of bat-like wings sprouted from his back as he said that. He stomped on the ground and a dull rumble was heard before he disappeared from the Magnetic King's line of sight.

The Magnetic King was on high alert, but there was no time for him to do anything else. A shriek was heard from the ground and shot straight into the sky. Alex's body was traveling at supersonic speeds, charging at the Magnetic King like a bolt of red lightning. His right arm seemed to have somehow become an indescribably huge blade.

The wind pressure was so intense that Alex was completely knocked out of his dynamic vision. The Magnetic King was only able to release tens of metal balls in time, and before the balls were able to become barriers before him, the huge blade on Alex's right arm came crashing down.

Zhang Heng finally made his move just when the Magnetic King was about to be cut in half by Alex. His body blurred for a bit, and when it became clear again, he was right in between the two of them. The crevice between his eyebrows suddenly opened at the same time, and a stream of dazzling earthen yellow light burst out like a torrential flood, heading straight for Alex.

Boom!

The air within a radius of several hundred meters was completely repelled by that massive force, and Alex felt his body sink as if a massive weight was crushing down on him. All of the blood in his body seemed to have frozen at that very moment, and he was only able to place the blade of his right arm in front of him before crashing into a speeding train in the very next second, sending him flying through the air.

The tables had turned in that instant.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Alex crashed to the ground like a comet. He was sent flying out of the ground due to inertia when he crashed into the ground before crashing down again. He crashed four times in a row before sliding for 70 to 80 meters before coming to a complete stop. There was not a single part of his body that was unscathed at the moment. His bones were broken and his flesh was splattered everywhere. If it hadn't been for Alex, he would have died a long time ago.

Alex vomited several mouthfuls of blood in the ruins, and the wounds all over his body healed at a rate visible to the naked eye. However, it appeared that Alex had lost quite a bit of weight.

"So, that's how it is." Zhang Heng landed right in front of Alex and sighed. "No wonder you didn't want to fight us before. Your body's energy circulation system is no longer able to keep up…"

"You can tell?" Alex continued to cough up blood, but he kept his gaze fixed on Zhang Heng and said in a hoarse voice, "There's no mistaking it. The energy stored in my body is no longer enough to sustain my daily consumption, but do you really think you've won? I'm still not at my peak right now. If I were to go all out, I'd be able to move several times faster than I am right now, and I'd be able to move ten times stronger than I am right now. You guys wouldn't even have time to react before I kill you all!"

"However, if you were to unleash your full power, you'd be drained dry by your own terrifying power and reduced to a puddle of pus." Zhang Heng reminded her, "Your body is still evolving. You're evolving every single time you fight with someone. It's undeniable that if you were to continue evolving, you'd become stronger and more perfect, becoming a lifeform that surpasses the imagination of humans. However, as you continue to evolve, your only fate would be for your genes to be unable to bear that devastating power and die."

Alex was immediately rendered completely silent. It was quite apparent that he had long understood that flaw when he reached a certain level of evolution, but it was all too late. The evolution of life was irreversible, and he had no choice but to reduce the consumption of his power. Despite all that, he was still unable to stop his genes from becoming stronger.

It was like a prophecy: the most powerful part was also the most vulnerable part.

"How about this?" Zhang Heng saw the hesitation on her face and decided to strike while the iron was hot. "It's actually very easy to avoid your fate. I can give you a new energy circulation system that will allow your body to evolve to perfection."

"Oh?" Alex's eyes brightened. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stood up. "Tell me about it."

Zhang Heng extended his hand and drew a line in the air, causing a drop of purple blood to flow out. Alex took a look at Zhang Heng and sensed the drop of blood for a bit, and was immediately astonished. "I can sense that this drop of blood contains some kind of massive energy, so much so that it surpasses the energy that a human should possess!"

"That's right. That's my condition." Zhang Heng nodded with a bewitching look on his face. "Back then, you were able to evolve to a level where you were unafraid of the cold thanks to the T-Virus. If you were to completely absorb a new type of biological cell and evolve to have the same physique, you'd be able to wield the power in your body, no?"

A hint of emotion flickered in Alex's eyes as he took a good look at Zhang Heng and said, "Well then, aren't you afraid that I'll kill you after I've gained all that power?"

"You can try." Zhang Heng smirked and continued, "Compared to your threats, I trust my own power more. Besides, do you really think you've seen my true power?"

Alex lowered his gaze, feeling as if he was caught in a dilemma. It took him quite a while to look up again. "So, what do you want from me?"

"Your power," Zhang Heng said with a smile. The fact that she was able to say such a thing meant that he had basically agreed to her terms. As such, he went straight to the point and said, "From here on out, you'll work for me until the day you get fed up with me. I'll be taking you with me to experience a brand new era!"

487. Untitled

Zhang Heng and the Magnetic King were the only two people who headed to the Plane of True Form when he went there. However, there were three of them when he returned from the Plane of True Form.

It wasn't all that difficult to convince the Magnetic King and Alex to join him. There was no deep-seated animosity between the two of them to begin with, and the Magnetic King had a weakness in his hands, which made Alex's experience even more extraordinary.

The truth was that the real Alex had died a long time ago, and the only thing that replaced him in his new life was actually a viral amalgamation. While there was some human thought patterns involved, that was precisely why he was so concerned about his nonhuman status.

There was a time when he held high hopes for humanity, but after being betrayed by both his family and his love, he finally realized that it was impossible for him to coexist with humanity. As such, he walked down the path of destruction.

According to Corona's analysis of Alex, the new Alex was actually a very opinionated person. He had practically no direction of his own in the game, and he relied solely on his sister and lover to make decisions for him. It was only when his lover betrayed him, and even his sister, whom he had risked her life to protect, betrayed him in the second plot, that he completely despaired of humanity and developed the urge to destroy the world.

According to Corona's analysis, both of them were the kind of people that were the easiest to win over, and that was indeed the case.

Zhang Heng brought the two of them to the B7th floor of the Honeycomb after returning to reality. He had prepared a culture chamber for the two of them in one of the laboratories. There was a green demon inside the culture chamber. Zhang Heng turned to look at Magneto and said, "Eisenhart, you're actually strong enough. Your only weakness is that humanoid body of yours. I'm going to give you a physique that surpasses that of regular humans, and you might even be stronger than that of the diamond wolf, Logan. The only flaw is that you'll need a very strong will to nullify your inner demons from here on out. If there comes a day when you're unable to resist, you'll completely lose yourself and become a monster that only knows how to destroy."

He then turned to Alex and continued, "It's the same for you. While the only flaw in your body can be made up for, the biological cells that you've fused with will continue to erode your will. If your will is unable to sustain itself, then you'll have no choice but to immerse yourself in that liquid to suppress the other. As such, I'm giving you two one last chance to decide. Do you want to give up now, or do you want to gain power and take unknown risks?"

Magneto and Alex looked at each other, and Alex was the first to speak. "I knew things couldn't be that good. But if I don't make the choice you gave me, I'm afraid I won't be able to live much longer, so there's no reason to hesitate." He headed straight for one of the incubators.

"I've known my weaknesses for a long time." The Magnetic King shook his head and continued, "I'd rather believe in my own will than anything else. I believe that I'll be able to defeat the corruption of the other party." He then walked into another pod and soaked himself in the demonic energy.

"Very well. Now that you've all agreed, let's begin." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "Remember, open your mind and body and don't resist the erosion of the Genova cells."

Zhang Heng didn't say anything else and turned around to leave. Two thick mechanical arms hung down from the sky after he left, and the injector on the mechanical arms plunged into their bodies. Genova cells were injected into their bodies as the liquid was injected into them.

Zhang Heng went from the molecular transmission device to the underground base in the Virgin Islands after he was done with all of that. He had been mining the sphere for the past few months, and a massive amount of magical energy was stored at the bottom of the base. The foundations of the Marvel plane were being extracted and transferred to the real world without anyone knowing.

A very bold thought came to his mind when he learned that the 'genius' of Zola was able to improve the structure of the Magic Furnace and that the Magic Furnace was able to operate at 10 times its normal speed. If he were to be able to transform the real world into a world similar to the Magic Furnace, would he be able to achieve a greater chance of defeating the Magic Furnace?

As far as he knew, there had never been a single world in all of the technological worlds that had been able to resist the curse successfully. Be it the Resident Evil world, the Alien, the Dead Space, or the Abominable World, all of them had failed completely in the first round, and the entire human civilization had been destroyed.

However, compared to the human technology planes that didn't have any demons, the plane where Fantasy 7 was located was able to withstand the destruction of humanity once. That was when Zafiros summoned the asteroid and descended from the sky. Alice sacrificed her life to activate the spell 'Holy', which successfully helped humanity resist the asteroid and averted a crisis.

The humans on that planet ultimately didn't manage to escape the fate of destruction following the second curse.

It was the same with the Marvel World. The first curse came in the form of the evil god of Loki, and the Avengers worked together to resist that disaster, keeping the Marvel World alive.

One could tell from the two patterns that both worlds had demons in them, which made them more resistant to calamities and tribulations than those in the normal world. If it wasn't a coincidence, there was a possibility that the demons played a huge role in both worlds.

If all of that was true…

The red light in Zhang Heng's eyes flickered as it flickered. A shocking plan began to form in his mind.

…

The gentle sea breeze blew in from outside the window early in the morning and blew on Jim's body like a lover. The blinding sunlight seemed to be unwilling to stay behind as it followed the sea breeze into his house made of wood and olive leaves. He rubbed his eyes and sat up on the bed, stretching himself comfortably before stepping out of the wooden house in his slippers.

While it was still February, the Virgin Islands were located in the subtropical climate and were affected by trade winds. The annual temperatures of the islands were not very different and the four seasons were as warm as spring, even in winter.

The comfortable and flat climate, coupled with the even more beautiful beaches and palm trees that sheltered Hawaii, made the archipelago a sacred place for tourism, especially in winter. Countless people from all over the world came to the archipelago to take shelter in the winter, which made the place even hotter.

The residents of the archipelago had always lived a prosperous life and had always stayed out of the world. The economy had been booming ever since Stellar Technology established the second human cryogenic center in the world. Tens of thousands of tourists would be seen visiting the archipelago every day. The land in the archipelago was becoming increasingly expensive. The piece of land that he owned, which was neither too big nor too small, would have made countless rich people fight over it internationally.

Jim had been a guide since he was a kid. According to his own words, he was a very experienced and qualified guide with a professional license. He was passionate about his career, and his life became even more prosperous after the tourism boom began. He even bought a miniature yacht for passengers in order to attract customers.

Everything was moving in the best direction possible.

However, after getting out of bed that day, he suddenly had a feeling that the entire world seemed to have changed the moment he opened his eyes.

488. Mutated Mitochondrial

It was a feeling that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Jim looked at the world outside the house with a rather astonished expression. He had never felt that the world was so beautiful. The sound of the sea breeze blowing on the leaves was so crisp and clear, just like the strings of the most beautiful musical instrument in the world. It was so mesmerizing. There was also the sound of grass sprouting from the soil beneath his feet and the chirping of birds in the forest…

He was able to hear every single sound clearly. While it was no different from before, he was astonished to discover that he had never realized how beautiful those sounds were.

The sunlight outside the house shone like diamonds, making it difficult to describe with words. The bright leaves of the trees kept shaking in the wind, and the waves that looked like bubbles in the distance were crashing against the white beach.

It was as if he had been given a new life, and the beauty of the first rays of the morning sun made him want to cry.

Jim had a feeling that nothing in the world had changed. He was the one who had changed.

He didn't go out to work for the first time that day. Instead, he sat on the beach with a tranquil look on his face and took in the scenery for the entire day. He realized that it wasn't just him, but also one of his playmates who had been living next door to him for years. It was as if they were seeing the island for the first time. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, amazement, and a deep fascination with the world.

While the two of them were busy admiring the world outside, they had no idea that their every move was being monitored by a certain power.

A few cloned warriors in stealth suits stood in the distance, testing something with wireless equipment in their hands. Zhang Heng appeared from the device at that moment and asked, "How is it? Any results?"

One of the cloned warriors looked at the device in his hand and nodded. "He hasn't left the beach for 14 hours, from sunrise to sunset. You can tell from the monitor that their heartbeats are stronger than that of regular people. Their brainwaves are extremely active and their peak is 50 percent higher than that of regular people."

"A microscope has been installed in his room. From today onwards, we'll be watching his every move," another clone warrior reported.

"Very well. Keep an eye on them for three more days and see if there are any new developments." Zhang Heng nodded. He first deployed a portion of demons to infiltrate the British Virgin Islands in the capital. As expected, some unknown changes were made to the demons underground, and all of that took only three days.

There wasn't a lot of magical shaking around that area. There was probably only one magical furnace that took a day to extract, yet that alone was enough to cause some kind of change to the humans within a radius of tens of kilometers. While there was only one person among a thousand who had changed, such as Jim, most of those people were young and had better physiques, while the vast majority remained the same.

He took a good look at the guide named Jim before leaving and murmured, "Don't disappoint me…"

Time passed slowly and three more days passed. During those three days, Jim felt as if he had been possessed. He would wake up at dawn every day and stare into the distance on the beach. He would only slowly get up in the evening and return to his room with a dissatisfied look on his face. However, the dissatisfaction in his eyes quickly turned into something else—he was very focused on the food before him. Even the most simple barley bread looked like a delicacy that he had never seen before in his life. He would eat every single grain of rice very seriously. One could even see him licking his plate with an exasperated look on the monitor.

Night fell.

Jim was sound asleep in his room on the night of the fourth day when he suddenly felt flustered deep down, as if some kind of malicious intent was slowly approaching him. He opened his eyes subconsciously, only to see light and shadow distortions before him. He felt a sharp pain on his neck before he was able to do anything, as if a needle had been plunged into his neck and a special drug was injected into his vein, causing him to fall into a deep sleep.

The distorted light gradually dissipated and several cloned warriors dressed in Armageddon armor hauled the unconscious Jim onto a cart as if they were picking up chicks. They then pushed him towards the secret entrance at the bottom of the sphere.

Zhang Heng set up three tunnels leading to the surface and two tunnels leading to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean at the bottom of the spherical base. The entrances covered the entirety of Viking. The unconscious Jim was transported to the spherical base before being moved to a sterile laboratory. Dozens of scientists surrounded him like wolves and tigers as they began to sample and analyze his blood. All manner of X-ray scans were performed on his entire body and even his brain.

The scientists' eyes were filled with fervor as they looked at Jim as if they were looking at a perfect test subject. If it hadn't been for Zhang Heng ordering them not to kill the man, the scientists might have even cut him into pieces.

The results of the tests were quickly obtained with the aid of advanced equipment. In the end, a report that was so detailed that even Jim's DNA was arranged in perfect order appeared in Zhang Heng's hands.

"What's this?" Zhang Heng flipped through the pages casually. All of a sudden, an image that was clearly a microorganism that was magnified tens of millions of times under the electron microscope appeared before his eyes. The microorganism was elongated and its entire body was filled with uneven granules. He could even see tiny legs, making it look like some kind of hideous centipede.

"It's about the same as those humans from the Marvel plane who possess the X gene. The gene in Jim before us has undergone some kind of mutation as well." The Corona Projection appeared before Zhang Heng and pointed at the image on the screen as it continued, "However, that manifestation isn't the X gene from the Marvel plane, nor is it some kind of massive human potential like that found in the 7th Fantasy plane. It's some kind of new, unheard-of cell device."

"Cellular device?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. "That centipede-like thing? What happened in their cells?"

"An unprecedented transformation," Corona explained. Their transformation made it easier for them to concentrate their spirits and their perception would be enhanced as well. According to my simulations, they would be able to learn at a rate several times faster than that of normal people. Other than that, the cell devices would also be able to absorb a very small amount of demonic energy in the air and convert it into the energy required for the body. "

Zhang Heng looked serious for a bit. "So, they've gotten stronger?"

"That's right. While it's not very obvious, their physiques are changing every day." Corona sighed and continued, "I'm sure you wouldn't be able to figure out why they would be so obsessed with the scenery of the outside world in such a sickly manner. It's precisely because they seem to have entered some kind of so-called meditative state in such a state, or some kind of mysterious meditative state in Buddhism, etc. In such a state, they would be able to absorb the demons in the air."

Zhang Heng was stunned after hearing that. "You're saying that they were able to absorb demonic energy in the air without even knowing it?"

"That's right!" Corona nodded and continued, "It's quite miraculous, isn't it? Humans didn't have such powers in the first place, but with the emergence of the demon, humans began to develop such powers out of instinct. It's as if the cells of humans knew that they would be of unparalleled benefit to them, and they fought to evolve such organs."

There was a serious look in Corona's eyes at the end of her speech. "Actually, do you know what the predecessors of these mutated cell weapons were? Their predecessors were the renowned mitochondria…"

489. Star Wars
mitochondria. There was once a theory of origin

It was said that the mitochondria originated from the mitochondrial ancestors swallowed by another cell—the original mitochondria, a kind of Gram-negative bacteria capable of performing carboxylic acid cycles and electronic transmission.

Instead of being digested after the mitochondria was swallowed, it became a symbiotic relationship with the host cell. The host would be able to obtain more nutrients from the host, while the host would be able to use the energy generated by the host. Such a relationship increased the competitiveness of the cell, enabling it to adapt to more living environments. The mitochondria gradually evolved into mitochondria during the long period of mutually beneficial symbiosis that benefited both the host and the host, enabling the sugar fermentation carried out in the host cell and the carboxylic acid circulation and phosphorylation carried out in the original mitochondria to successfully fuse.

That was to say that the mitochondria that existed in every single cell of the human body was not some kind of parasite that had a parasitic relationship with the human body. It was just that, over the course of countless billions of years, the human body had evolved to the point where it was inseparable from the mitochondria. The mitochondria was responsible for energy conversion, storing calcium ions, and other functions in the human body. When the mitochondrial lesions took place, the human body would also develop corresponding diseases, which were practically incurable.

If humans were to lose their mitochondria, they would not be able to survive.

Humans had even written a novel about the mitochondria—about how, for hundreds of millions of years, all living beings continued to evolve, and the rate of evolution of the parasitic lifeform mitochondria in living beings was faster than that of the living beings themselves. As such, the mitochondria gained consciousness, and hundreds of millions of years later, the mitochondria finally erupted. They wanted to wipe out humanity and rule the world.

The novel was even adapted into a game that was exclusively owned by the renowned PlayStation platform—'Parasite Night'.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but feel a chill running down his spine when he heard that all those mutated cellular weapons were actually caused by mitochondrial mutations. He took a look at Corona, who had the same expression on her face, and asked with a serious expression, "So you're saying that the mitochondria in humans could actually have their own thoughts?"

Corona looked puzzled after hearing that. She shook her head and said, "Commander, you're mistaken. I'm not sure if mitochondria have their own thoughts, but don't you think that such mutated mitochondria look like the legendary 'fibrosis'?"

Corona continued when she saw that Zhang Heng was still looking confused. "The Fibroids, also known as' Danger Beetles' or 'Force Beetles', are parasites found in all living beings in the universe. Their only purpose is to communicate with the most fundamental power in the universe—origin power!"

"Star Wars!" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted as he blurted out.

"That's right, it's the Star Wars!" Corona nodded and continued excitedly, "It's said that the Fibroids communicate through the use of origin power as a medium. If a person had a Fibroid with a high concentration of energy in their body, the Fibroids could even 'hear' the Fibroids' intentions to talk to them about 'origin power'. As such, the Jedi warriors would either 'have a bad feeling about something' or 'feel the disturbance of origin power'… From here, the mutated mitochondria look very similar to the Fibroids in the Star Wars."

"If you were to call that black man named 'Jim' an Awakened, then the mutated mitochondria would be the additional sensory organs of the 'Awakened', helping the hosts of demons in the environment to sense each other."

"It's just like those animals that are able to sense the magnetic fields of the Earth. Different types of animals have their own ways of sensing the magnetic fields of the Earth. Some of the cells of many living beings, such as bacteria and turtles, contain a kind of magnetic mineral magnet. Some theories state that, to those animals, the magnetism is like a small compass, assisting them in detecting the Earth's magnetic fields. Under certain circumstances, those tiny magnets would even gather into chains in the field perception organs, forming a larger compass. Scientists also firmly believe that the visual sensor cells of other animals, such as certain birds or salamanders, would be able to sense the magnetic fields of the outside world. While the cells themselves are not magnetic, they possess a certain degree of natural magnetism, enabling them to react to the magnetic fields. When the eye cells sense the external magnetic fields, those animals would be able to" see the magnetic fields. "

Zhang Heng wore a pensive look on his face right away and fell into deep thought. It took him quite a while before he said, "You're right. You're absolutely right. We were able to feel the quake of the earth during the earthquake and see the funnel-like clouds in the hurricane-like weather. If we were to sense the gathering of demonic energy from the mutated mitochondria, or if we were to call it some kind of organ from the Awakened, then the Awakened would also be able to sense the existence of demonic powers."

"That's it," Corona said solemnly. "While I still don't understand why the 'demon gene' in some worlds would allow humans to develop a mutation like the 'X' in others, the 'X' in others would allow humans to develop a physique that surpasses that of normal humans, just like in the Final Fantasy plane. Perhaps it's due to the different environments of the planets, but it's obvious that the 'demon gene' that was developed on our planet became the 'human power' after humans gained the 'demon gene'."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and went on to search through the memories in his mind. He had seen the Star Wars movie before, but due to feeling that the technological level of that world was too ridiculous, he didn't think much of the movie. He began to recall his childhood memories, and the movie came to life in his mind very quickly, with every single detail being shown in detail.

"In that case, according to what the Star Wars said, the power of origin power should have the power to enhance physiological functions, such as movement speed, movement up and down, superhuman reflexes, and so on." Zhang Heng pondered for a bit before continuing, "Other than that, there should also be the power of thought movement, the ability to create barriers against external attacks, and… the ability to foresee the future." Zhang Heng's eyes became increasingly serious as he went on, and he suddenly looked up. "Does that mean that I've been using origin power without realizing it?"

"According to what I know, your power may be a variant of origin power, or it may be something close to origin power, but it's a more powerful power." Corona shook her head and analyzed slowly, "Your power is clearly purer and more powerful than that of origin power. Furthermore, you've undergone physical testing as well. I've never found the so-called 'fiber prototype' in your body, and you've never come into contact with it when you were in possession of mental power. As such, I'm not in a position to speculate."

Zhang Heng nodded with a burning gaze and said, "Alright then, let's not talk about what happened to me for the time being. However, we definitely can't let go of our research regarding metahumans like Jim. If things really turn out as you've speculated, it's very possible that we might actually be able to put up a fight against the first curse…"

490. Crazy Plan

After researching the African-American man named Jim, scientists from the spherical base kidnapped several other islanders who began to react to the demon.

The scientists eventually came up with the statistics after some research. There were 18 residents who were able to detect demons, with the oldest being 35 years old and the youngest being 11 years old. The humans who were able to detect mutations caused by the molecules in their bodies were referred to as' Awakened '.

The metahumans represented by Jim had, to a greater or lesser extent, become more perceptive and sensitive than the average person. Some of the more exceptional metahumans had gained the ability to move objects through the air like Zhang Heng. Their physiques had also become increasingly stronger, making them far stronger than the average person. Their potential had also been greatly enhanced. After training, they were able to lift objects weighing over 500 kilograms, and their reflexes far exceeded that of humans.

The potential and strength of these metahumans were closely related to the density of the fibers found in their bodies. It was just like how Star Wars described it—the sensitivity of origin power was related to the microorganisms found in the blood of living beings, the 'fibers'. The higher the volume, the greater the potential of the user to use origin power, making it easier to become stronger.

He then released another piece of demonic energy at the center of the island after subduing the group of people and created a special device that was capable of detecting demonic reactions. According to the device, he found that even if there were more demonic beings in the same space, the number of people who were awakened wouldn't be able to do so. One could tell from this point that the higher the concentration of demonic beings, the higher the number of people who were awakened wasn't the same as the number of people who were awakened. The first time someone was able to make contact with demonic beings, they would be unable to awaken immediately after that. No matter how many demonic beings were awakened, they wouldn't be able to awaken.

The demonic concentration was about 0.23 ppt in the air (1% 10,000 ppm, 1 pm = 1000 ppb, 1 pb = 1000 pt), which was almost undetectable. Once the concentration exceeded that, the gas would turn into liquid form, which was known as the green fluorescence visible to the naked eye. The demonic fluorescence could be seen by the naked eye, and when the fluorescence was released into the world, it would go through an ecological cycle with the rain before finally settling into the internal structure of the continental shelf, blending into the rocks and soil, and then, as the underground water was released, it would enter the air and go on an endless cycle.

Furthermore, he also discovered that the most important aspect of the drug wasn't that it was non-renewable. If the drug was meant to be used by an awakened being, then the drug in their body wouldn't just be able to absorb demons, but it could also be synthesized. As the life span of the drug gradually reached the end of its lifespan, the drug would eventually die, and the drug would be initiated. It was as if the drug was a product of a certain number of demons, and as the number of demons awakened on Earth continued to grow, the drug wasn't just limited to the number of demons found on Earth. In fact, the drug became increasingly massive.

Of course, if one were to use demons for other purposes, then one could only use demons for other purposes, just like how one would use demons for the 7th plane in the Final Fantasy. If one were to use demons for electricity, then one would be using demons for other purposes, which meant that one would be drawing demons for other purposes.

After a month of experimentation, Corona was finally able to solve all of the mysteries surrounding demons.

First of all, they had the ability to sink and levitate, which enabled them to rise and fall in liquid and gases. It was due to the nature of the ability that enabled them to circulate throughout the atmosphere, both on the mainland and above the ocean without sinking into the depths of the Earth's core or leaking into outer space, making them look like naughty children playing hide-and-seek on Earth.

Secondly, one had to maintain a certain concentration in order to alter the physique of the living beings on the planet. The concentration would be around 0.23 ppt, which would be further exceeded by the demon, and the average would be spread out in every corner of the planet. If one was unable to surpass that, one would only be able to enhance the physique of the living beings in a small number, but not become an Awakened.

The demon that was immersed in the liquid form could directly alter the human physique, enabling the human body to become even stronger, so much so that it surpassed the human body's limits, reaching a level that surpassed that of the average human. However, for some unknown reason, none of the cloned warriors under Zhang Heng became awakened despite having immersed themselves in the demon form before. Their physiques were only enhanced in a larger area, including Zhang Heng's.

That was the reason why he was able to acquire the special ability known as the 'demon' before the experiment began.

All in all, Corona was finally able to confirm that there was another name for Magic Energy after the data was released, and that name was—origin power.

One would need to have over 1,000,000 demons per person to be able to produce 800 demons per day, which meant that one would need about 4 months to be able to fill every corner with a basic concentration of 0.23 demons per day.

Beyond that density, the extra magic would begin to take the form of liquid underground, which would be the so-called River of Life in the final fantasy world 7.

There were two types of energy reserves that could fill two real worlds. If one were to compare the two worlds that had been destroyed, the one that had been destroyed was probably 10 times more powerful than the one that had been destroyed.

Zhang Heng felt his heart ache at that thought. If he were able to successfully save the Final Fantasy 7 world, he would have had an endless supply of demons. Of course, he had to get rid of those demons first, as long as he was able to get rid of those Genova cells.

Of course, the metahumans didn't just become combatants. In terms of scientific research, the metahumans possessed a level of understanding that far exceeded that of regular people. That was why Zhang Heng released demons in the Honeycomb and spherical bases. It was a pity that only three out of a thousand scientists were able to awaken their powers successfully, and those three were just apprentices.

Zhang Heng might not have been so selfless as to supply the demons he acquired from the Marvel plane to the world if he were to actually use less of the demons. However, when he learned that the demons could regenerate energy, and that the more awakened beings there were, the faster the rate of demonic energy found on the planet became, he finally stopped hesitating and began to spread the miraculous energy around the world.

Firstly, there was Haizhou. He mined a huge hole hundreds of meters deep in the city center and poured thousands of demons into it. The demons would vaporize all of them within a few days, which would spread throughout the city through the dirt layer. Then, he mined thousands of demons from the densely populated cities. Other than a handful of demons, he spent most of the demons he brought to the other cities. He didn't care about money and went out to do whatever he wanted. He began to change everything that happened to humans without anyone knowing.

Zhang Heng knew that those Metahumans could very well become the foundation of his world. They could even become the backbone of humanity's resistance to the curse in the near future.

While Zhang Heng continued to spread rumors about him, his cloning team also began to search for those precious talents…

491. Huo Jian

The biggest shantytown in Hongkou District of Haizhou, Jiaxing, was located on the streets of Haizhou. The shantytown looked like the slums of the entire city.

There were many areas that looked like slums in the city, disappearing every year after being attacked by new buildings. However, there were still people living below the poverty line in some places.

One morning, in a standard slum apartment, a young man was looking at his hands in a daze.

His hands were very fair and tender, as if they had been soaked in milk since he was young and were as smooth as gelatin. However, it was those hands that made him leave a two-centimeter deep print on the wall before him.

"Is the wall here not strong enough? Or…" The young man mumbled to himself and waved his hand lightly. He felt the force from his hand and a thought came to his mind all of a sudden. He waved his hand at lightning speed and by the time he pulled his hand back, he was holding a fly in his hand.

It was already March in early spring. In a densely populated city like Haizhou, flies were born even earlier than in other places. Furthermore, he was living in an old, cheap apartment that was filled with dirty and messy trash. As such, annoying creatures like flies were unavoidable.

None of that mattered. The young man couldn't help but look astonished at that moment. He knew from the books that the reaction speed of the fly's eyes was 60 times that of the human's eyes. Their acute visual acuity enabled them to react quickly. The entire process took only one in 30,000 seconds at the fastest possible time. The transmission process of nerves from humans being able to watch accurately to swat flies was nowhere near as fast as that of flies. The chances of catching a fly were minuscule for those who hadn't undergone training.

However, he felt that he was able to catch the fly very easily with just a casual grab. He was stunned for a bit after catching the fly, seemingly wanting to verify something. He opened his hand gently and the fly flew out of his palm right away.

"Shua!"

However, before that poor fly was able to enjoy the joy of being able to escape, that vile palm came at it again in the very next second. Before it was able to react, that petite and frail body of its was once again enveloped by that nimble palm.

The second time.

The surprise in the young man's eyes became even more pronounced. He stood up and looked out of the open window, only to see that the city in the distance was just a blur, as if he was in a fog.

He wasn't surprised at all, as the smog was simply too common. While Haizhou was nowhere near the level of Jingzhou, which was a paradise on earth, as industry became more advanced, the entire city was plagued with smog every few days.

He didn't pay any heed to all of that and simply threw the fly that had been messed up. He then looked at the hazy city in the distance and, for some reason, found that the world seemed to be even more beautiful than he remembered.

"My strength, reflexes, and vision seem to have gotten a lot better all of a sudden." The young man looked like he was deep in thought. He took a look at the 3G mobile phone that he sent over to him a few years ago and realized that it was getting late. He then walked in the direction of the school unwillingly.

The young man's name was Huo Jian, and he was a third-year student from a high school in the northern suburbs. Despite his family being rather poor, his parents were willing to cut corners and cut their own expenses just to ensure that their son would be able to make a name for himself in the most important year of their lives. They rented a cheap apartment near the school, and his mother even quit her job and moved into that cheap apartment to take care of his daily needs.

Typical and pathetic Chinese-style education.

At that moment, Huo Jian looked like a newborn, curiously looking at everything that he could see. The entire world looked completely different in his eyes. He felt like he was in some kind of Alice in Wonderland, where even a billboard or a trash can could pique his interest.

Huo Jian finally made it to the school before starting his morning classes. He rushed into the classroom, feeling very worn out. His homeroom teacher, who liked to race against time, began to explain a physics question. Huo Jian took two or three steps to his seat and took a deep breath before taking out a book from his desk and looking at the blackboard.

Huo Jian's eyes lit up when he saw the words written on the blackboard. As a member of the Important Class, his results were always at the bottom of the class, as his seat was also at the very end.

Huo Jian had been obsessed with online novels back when he was still in junior high school. Due to his heavy workload, his eyesight became somewhat short-sighted. While his short-sightedness wasn't very high, he still found it rather taxing to look at the blackboard from such a distance.

However, Huo Jian suddenly realized that the blackboard and chalk characters on the podium became so clear that he could even see the dots on the chalkboard.

It was abnormal, very abnormal.

Huo Jian closed his eyes for a bit and suppressed the excitement in his eyes. While he was more mature than the other students due to his family background, he was still a young man who couldn't hide his true nature. At that moment, anyone would be able to tell that he was pleasantly surprised.

"Huo Jian, use the same method I just used to solve this question." However, just when he was feeling rather excited, the gloomy voice of his homeroom teacher was heard all of a sudden, bringing his thoughts back to reality. A hint of panic flashed across Huo Jian's eyes and he immediately realized what was going on. He stood up and walked up to the podium with a glum look on his face.

Whispers were heard from below the stage and all the students looked like they were waiting to watch a good show. It was obvious that this was what their homeroom teacher was good at. All the students who were not paying attention in class would be called to the podium. When they were unable to solve the problem before them, they would be scolded and punished.

Damn it, what did the old King of Hell just say? What was it?

Huo Jian walked up to the podium with a troubled look on his face. However, at that moment, everything that the old King of Hell had told him before flashed in his mind like a movie in reverse. Huo Jian's eyes lit up and all thoughts disappeared, leaving only that one question in his mind. His thought process was so fluid that it felt like a tsunami was about to hit him.

So that's how it is!

Huo Jian began writing down a series of formulas without giving it any thought before writing down the rest of the formulas in a fluid manner. He was able to calculate all the parts that needed to be calculated using a calculator in the past. It was only when he finished writing down the last line of answers that he was able to relax and turn to look at his homeroom teacher.

As expected, all he saw was the stunned faces of the old King of Hell and the students below the stage.

"…Very well." The homeroom teacher nodded helplessly after a long while and patted Huo Jian on the shoulder, saying earnestly, "Seems like Huo Jian has been working very hard recently, but that's no reason for him to get distracted in class, understand?"

"Yes, Teacher Yan." Huo Jian nodded obediently.

"You may leave." The homeroom teacher asked Huo Jian to step down from the podium and flashed a satisfied smile. "Look, everyone. Huo Jian's answer is very standard. Let me explain it to everyone. This question should be…"

Huo Jian heaved a sigh of relief as he got off the podium, thinking to himself that he was in deep trouble. However, he was even more certain that something was happening to his body that no one else would be able to comprehend.

492. Fighting For Earth

A day of classes passed quickly and Huo Jian headed straight for his cheap apartment after school.

What happened that day had completely exceeded the understanding of a third-year student. However, Huo Jian didn't panic like the protagonist in some melodramatic plot. On the contrary, he was very calm and collected, with excitement and agitation written all over his face.

After obtaining the superpower, he could use his superpower to earn a lot of money and reach the pinnacle of his life. He had countless ways to let his parents lead a good life. He could even punish the evildoers when he was bored, act cool, slap others in the face, and save the damsel in distress.

That was what was written in web novels.

He looked at the luxurious cars parked outside the school gates, as well as the well-dressed, pampered children from rich families. He used to wonder why his parents weren't one of them, but there wasn't a flicker of emotion in his eyes at the moment. He knew that he would soon be able to reach the same status as them, or even higher.

As he walked further away from the school, he gradually made his way back to the shantytown. The old brick buildings looked decayed in the twilight, and just when he was about to reach home, he heard the noise of a group of people up ahead.

A few biker bikers barged in front of him and blocked his way. Those people were parked right in the middle of the street without any sense of traffic rules, laughing and fooling around. They weren't much older than Huo Jian and had dyed blonde hair. Some of them even had metal rings on their noses and mouths—a product of Western culture. Huo Jian had never been able to figure out what made those people so excited, but at the very least, he was able to tell that they looked rather impressive. He guessed that they were probably the so-called delinquent youths.

Despite Haizhou's decent security, the police were still unable to get a hold of such an old and backward development outskirts. As such, those areas became heaven for drug addicts and criminals. It was said that some time ago, an old granny was kicked by a biker passing by when she was walking at night. That granny was hospitalized for three days before she was able to survive.

The case eventually became a mystery.

As such, when Huo Jian saw those people later on, he would try his best to avoid them as much as possible.

He wondered if it was because he had just gained a new superpower or if he was overconfident and wanted to find an opportunity to test his abilities. He paused for a bit before mustering his courage and walked straight to the other party, wondering how he would counterattack if the other party were to attack him.

As he got closer to the five or six berserkers, every muscle in Huo Jian's body tensed up. He walked right past them and was stunned to find that nothing had happened.

There was only one person who took a casual glance at him before turning around and ignoring him. The rest of the people didn't even bother to look at him. They just smoked and chatted, talking loudly about motorcycles and women.

Huo Jian wore a bitter grin on his face. The novels were full of lies after all. There was no way that someone would come looking for trouble the moment you gained superpowers. He sighed, unable to tell if he was relieved or disappointed. He dismissed his thoughts and headed straight for his door.

However, what he failed to notice was that there was a shuttle-shaped aircraft hovering silently above his head.

"Target detected. According to the demonic detector, that is where the third signal pulse is coming from." A clone wearing a suit and sunglasses reported the findings to his superior inside the Eagle. He was able to see a greyish-white image on the holographic screen before him. Both the pedestrians and houses on the image were black and white in color, yet there was only one high school student wearing a school uniform whose body kept flickering with green light, making the image very eye-catching in the black-and-white image.

"Let's go. Hopefully, he'll be able to meet the requirements," the other clone warrior said with a deadpan look on his face. As he said that, the Falcon mech began to descend slowly. When it reached a height of over 10 meters, the two clones jumped down without hesitation.

Huo Jian seemed to have sensed something when the Falcon dropped to a certain height. He looked up into the sky instinctively and saw two black figures falling from the sky.

"Woah!" Huo Jian was given a huge fright and took two steps back. He then realized that there were two living beings standing before him.

"Who are you two? What are you doing?" Huo Jian couldn't help but scream when he saw the two men who appeared out of nowhere. He covered his bag subconsciously, but he realized that he didn't have anything of value on him all of a sudden. He then looked at the two of them warily and made a defensive gesture.

"Huo Jian, male 18 years old, third-year student, ID number XXXX… Ancestral citizen of Yazhou, Jiangsu Province. Father, Huo Jiahui. Worker of the Wanliang Group. Mother, Li Fen. No job." One of the men spoke with a deadpan expression. However, when he heard the amount of information in the man's words, he was stunned and couldn't help but exclaim.

"Who the hell are you people?" As a high school student, he felt rather uneasy when faced with such a bizarre situation. He looked around and found that it was evening and there was not a single person in the remote alley. It was impossible for him to call for help.

"Stellar Life Sciences Foundation." One of the men took out a piece of identification and waved it in front of Huo Jian. "Please cooperate. We need a drop of your blood."

"What the hell?" Huo Jian took two more steps back. He had thought that the other party would take out some kind of credentials like public security, administrative law enforcement, and so on when he saw the other party taking out his ID. He didn't expect it to be some kind of foundation. The heavens took pity on him. He had never heard of such a department, nor had he heard of any government agencies like a foundation. He instinctively turned around and ran.

However, he had only just turned around and was about to take a step when he heard a shriek from behind him, causing his hair to stand on end. He quickly turned around and found that the other man was standing right behind him without him realizing it. His hand, which looked like a pair of pliers, grabbed his arm.

He didn't even have time to scream before he felt a sharp pain in his arm all of a sudden. By the time he came to his senses, the other party had plunged a needle straight into his vein and extracted over 10 milliliters of blood without any hesitation.

"Ah!"

Huo Jian couldn't help but scream out loud. He had heard of the legend of injecting AIDS needles, but he had never heard of anyone drawing blood from others by force. All of a sudden, he covered the part of his body that had been pricked by the needle and began to scream out loud, his heart filled with unknown fear.

"Very well. Thank you for your cooperation." However, the kidnapping and other mishaps that he had anticipated didn't come. The other party seemed to have let go of him as if he had done something insignificant. He then took out a special instrument about the size of a palm and dripped a drop of blood on it.

"Beep!" The red light on the device went out all of a sudden and was replaced by green lights. A line of text was seen flashing on the device's screen.

"Blood type: AB type. Intrinsic fiber density: 12,000 per milliliter."

The two men in black instinctively turned to look at Huo Jian after seeing the data on the screen. Huo Jian had a bad feeling about this and was about to explain himself when the man in black grabbed at him again. Huo Jian wanted to dodge, but he realized to his dismay that despite having undergone a drastic change in his abilities, he was like a little chick before the other man, unable to even dodge.

"Come with us." That man in black gave a stiff smile and continued, "Be glad that you've not only become an Awakened, but also the one with the highest potential among the Awakened. Your life will be completely changed from today onwards. Prepare to pick up your weapon and fight for Earth!"

A huge, almost transparent flying transport appeared and landed right beside the three of them before Huo Jian was able to comprehend the meaning behind those words. Huo Jian was immediately dragged into the flying transport, leaving behind only his meaningless, anguished wail.

493. Access

Detroit, Michigan.

The Caucasians only made up 20 percent of the city's population, while the rest were mostly black and Mexican. Due to their poverty, gunfights and robberies could happen on the streets at any given moment.

This place was known as a crime paradise.

In fact, Detroit had once been a glorious place, with a population of two million back in its heyday. However, there was only seven hundred thousand left. Those who were slightly rich, capable, and willing to work hard had all moved out. The rest of the people were either working part-time or not, earning very little, or just idling around in the government.

It was noon in Huaxia while it was midnight in the US. A young man in white was seen sprinting down the streets of Ustan, with more than 10 men in black behind him, chasing after him.

Bullets whistled past his ears and hit the wall at the side, causing dust and debris to fly everywhere. However, the young man showed no signs of fear. Instead, he looked excited, his eyes flashing with the bloodlust of a predator toying with its prey. He ran and looked behind him. Seeing that he was about to shake the young man off, he pretended to be panicking and went into a rundown building.

"He won't be able to get away! I'm going to kick his head like a ball when I catch up to him!" The gangsters behind him seemed to be members of some gang, and they all rushed into the building that had long been shut down with guns in their hands. It didn't take long before a series of shouts and gunshots were heard from the stairs.

However, the arrogant shouts from the gangsters quickly turned into screams of despair. By the time the last gang member climbed out of the building looking like he had seen a ghost, the entire building was dead silent, as if everyone who went in had been swallowed by darkness.

"Devil! You're a devil!"

That black man screamed as the arm holding the gun disappeared completely. Blood stained his hip-hop-style white t-shirt and the cut was smooth as blood gushed out of it.

"Hehehehe… don't you want to get rid of me, Fishborn?" A gust of wind blew and the young man walked out of the building calmly. While he seemed to have been shot in the shoulder, he didn't seem to notice it at all. Instead, he flicked the Damascus Blade in his hand lightly. The blade glinted coldly, with dark bloodstains on it.

"Spare me, Aleksandr!" The black man was scared out of his wits after seeing the huge blade in the other man's hand. He kept screaming and crawling backward, as if that would allow him to escape from the other man's pursuit.

However, at that moment, a police car seemed to have just arrived at the corner of the street not far away. As the flashing lights got closer, the people in the police car saw the scene as well. Everyone got out of the car immediately and pointed their guns at the young man named Alexander while shouting.

"Drop your weapons immediately, cover your head, and get down! That's an order!"

A bearded police officer who looked to be in the highest position shouted and walked over quickly, pointing his Glock at the young man's head at the same time, seemingly ready to shoot if the young man were to make another move.

"Hehehe, you guys know nothing about power at all!" The young man chuckled coldly and mumbled to himself. He didn't resist and threw the blade away before raising his hands and looking at the crowd calmly.

However, just when the bearded officer walked up to him and was about to take out his handcuffs, the young man suddenly moved.

The bearded officer felt something flash before his eyes and the young man became a blur before his very eyes. He felt a sharp pain in his chest at the same time, as if a speeding car had rammed into it.

Boom!

The bearded officer's body, which weighed over 100 kilograms, was sent flying.

The expressions on the faces of the other police officers changed drastically, but the young man was simply too fast. The ghost-like figure flashed past them before they could do anything. Cracking sounds were heard from their arms in the very next second, and their entire arms were completely deformed. The guns in their hands were torn into countless parts at the same time, dropping to the ground with a clang.

The four police officers lost all fighting capacity within two seconds.

"Do you feel that? That's what true power is!" The young man returned to the black man and looked at the despairing expression on the man's face. He couldn't help but feel elated at having taken his revenge. He then lifted his leg and stomped hard on the man's head.

Crack, bang!

The black man's head was crushed like a watermelon, splattering red and white everywhere.

"You!" The bearded officer was shocked and furious after seeing someone being killed right before his eyes. He tried to stand up again, but the intense pain in his chest rendered him unable to move a single finger.

"It's nothing. I'm just cleaning up the trash." Alexander spread his hands and bent down to pat the bearded man on the cheek. He was about to turn around and leave when he stopped.

Two men in black suits who seemed to blend into the night stood behind him at some point in time.

"Leslie Alexander?" One of the men held up a piece of identification and said in fluent English, "Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. We need a drop of your blood."

"What?" Alexander looked baffled. He raised his eyebrows and put his hands on his hips as if he was listening. "What were you guys talking about?"

"It's nothing." Another Asian man suddenly took a step forward, but Alexander's expression changed drastically at that step. In his perception, the other man seemed to be walking towards him with a god-like presence. He threw a heavy punch out of reflex, but the other man only shook his head slightly and the punch that weighed over 2,000 pounds missed. He felt a slight pain in his arm at the same time, and by the time he came to his senses, the other man had drawn a tube of blood from his arm.

"Mother-fucker!"

Aleksandr shouted and turned around to escape without thinking. However, before he could get far, a gust of wind blew in front of him and he crashed into a transparent wall before he could react.

Dong!

Aleksandr slumped to the ground, but he had long forgotten about the pain. He looked at the empty space before him in disbelief and saw that the spot where he hit was actually rippling, eventually forming an unidentified flying object that was as huge as a bus.

UFO!

The sound of footsteps behind him was heard slowly, but Alexander had long forgotten everything. He simply stared at the almost completely transparent flying device before him with his eyes wide open, until the two Asian men said again, "Blood type: B type. Intrinsic fiber density: 13,000 per milliliter. Congratulations, Mr. Alexander. Your terms are completely in line with ours."

The two of them carried the stunned Alexander and headed for the unidentified flying object.

"Hold it right there!" However, the voice of the bearded officer behind him was heard again. One of the men stopped in his tracks and turned around. "Is there anything else, sir?"

"He's suspected of assaulting the police and committing murder. You're not taking him anywhere!" The bearded officer struggled to his feet and pointed his gun at the three of them. "Get down on your knees right now. That's an order!"

The two Asian men looked at each other and one of them shook his head and said, "We are affiliated with the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation and are currently on a special confidential mission. If you have any questions, please contact your boss." He then turned around and walked back to the flying transport.

"I said stop right there!" A vicious glint flashed across the bearded officer's eyes. He was about to pull the trigger when an exasperated voice was heard from his walkie-talkie. "This is the headquarters of Detroit. I'm Chief Jonathan! Are George here?"

A look of shock was seen on the bearded officer's face as he took down the walkie-talkie and said, "I'm George, Mr. Chief. I'm currently being attacked by unnamed terrorists on Ustan Street. Please provide backup!"

"Thank goodness, George. The headquarters have issued an order to put down their weapons immediately. I repeat, put down your weapons immediately. Do not attack. Get that foundation personnel to leave!"

"What?" The bearded officer was completely stunned. He quickly looked up and found that the three of them, Alexander included, had completely disappeared…

494. Splitting The Shares

Zhang Heng was lying quietly on a chair in the pitch-black, silent room, frowning from time to time. The eyeballs in his tightly shut eyes rolled about quickly, as if he had fallen into some kind of terrifying nightmare.

Cold sweat dripped down like rain, wetting his clothes. If one were to look closely, they would find that Zhang Heng's entire body was shaking uncontrollably. Both of his hands were tightly gripping onto the steel armrests, which creaked and twisted.

Crack!

All of a sudden, the sound of metal breaking was heard and Zhang Heng tore the steel handle off. He opened his eyes with a pale face and looked dazed.

"Commander?"

"Commander!"

Corona's voice seemed to have come from somewhere beyond the heavens. Zhang Heng shook his head hard and it took him half a minute before he was able to focus. He looked up and forced a smile. "What happened? Why did you wake me up?"

"Commander, the leaders of the five superpowers are waiting for you in the holographic meeting room." Corona's eyes were filled with worry. "Let's end today's training. You've been training in the virtual space for over 30 hours."

"Has it been that long?" Zhang Heng shook his head and stood up, feeling rather sheepish. He wore a bitter grin and said, "It's just too bad that time is running out. If only I had 10 years…"

Zhang Heng waved his hand again before Corona could say anything. "Let's not talk about that. Why are they looking for me?"

"It's regarding the recent emergence of metahumans from all over the world." Corona explained, "The reactions of those countries were rather quick. They were already suspicious of us ever since we began searching for talents all over the world. As the number of metahumans increased, many of them were officially exposed to the media. I believe that their minds are filled with questions, waiting for you to give them an explanation."

"If you want to explain, just tell them." Zhang Heng picked up a pair of sunglasses and put them on before stretching his neck, making a clacking sound. He then turned around and left his shabby room, heading straight for the holographic conference room.

He had once bought a villa near the outskirts, but he had spent most of his time in the staff quarters of the Honeycomb for the past two years. Such rooms were all standard ones, with the most common standard rooms available. Other than a washroom, there was only a bedroom about 20 square meters. There wasn't even a piece of wooden flooring left, much less expensive furniture.

It wasn't that he didn't like to enjoy himself, but he simply didn't have the time to do so.

The upper echelons of the five superpowers were all in place by the time Zhang Heng stepped into the meeting room. The entire meeting room was buzzing with discussion. However, everyone shut their mouths as soon as Zhang Heng stepped into the meeting room. They watched as Zhang Heng walked to the front and pulled out a chair to sit down.

"Mr. Zhang Heng, we need an explanation." The US Defense Minister, Larkin Kobam, was the first to speak, with a questioning look in his eyes. "Some time ago, strange phenomena took place in several cities in the United States. Many people developed so-called superpowers overnight. They were able to move objects with their telekinesis, and possessed power and speed far exceeding that of regular people. There was even a bank robber who killed 29 law-enforcement officers in a row and fled with a huge sum of money."

He then looked up at the expressionless faces around him and continued, "At the same time that those superhumans appeared, the armed organizations under the Stellar Foundation also went out in full force to search for those superhumans in the cities in the United States. You guys seem to have some kind of detection device as well, and you guys would be able to easily find many superhumans hidden in the crowd."

"Perhaps you still don't understand the consequences of doing so." The president of the United States continued, "I'm afraid that you have no idea just how much trouble these superhumans have caused our government. The disappearance of the population, the terrorist attacks, the soaring crime rate… So, we'd like you to give us an explanation as to why these superhumans would appear and why you're searching for them."

Zhang Heng chuckled and didn't answer. Instead, he scanned the crowd around the table and asked, "Is that what you're all here for?"

"That's right. The security of our country hasn't been very good recently either. Some cults and organizations have been spreading the news and rumors have been flying everywhere among the people." The Russian president snorted and continued, "We've even deployed our troops to capture a few so-called superhumans. However, after blood tests, we found that the mitochondria in their bodies seemed to have become different from that of normal people."

Zhang Heng nodded after everyone was done talking and said apologetically, "That's right, the Golden Foundation does know something. Even if you guys hadn't asked, we would have gathered everyone to announce everything in the next two days."

"First of all, let me answer the Russian president's question." Zhang Heng continued, "That kind of mutated mitochondria is called the Fibrokinesis. I'm having a hard time explaining the specifics, but you just need to understand that all of them are evolving."

"Evolution?" Everyone's expression changed, waiting for Zhang Heng to continue.

"As the first occurrence gets closer, a series of phenomena that are unexplainable in modern science will begin to take place on Earth," Zhang Heng said solemnly. "The phenomenon of human evolution at the moment is but one of many phenomena."

"So, you're saying that there will be a series of other supernatural phenomena after that?" Everyone was skeptical.

"We don't know much about that either." Zhang Heng avoided the topic with a smile. "The superhumans that everyone is talking about, we actually prefer to call them 'metahumans'. They have the meaning of 'awakening under impact'. The source of their power is the so-called fibroids. That's what they call mutated mitochondria. They have the ability to absorb unknown energy generated on Earth."

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you guys what that so-called mysterious power is, but I'm afraid I'll have to tell you guys regretfully that we're still in the midst of our research and we're not making much progress at the moment." Zhang Heng continued to explain, "As for why we're able to learn all that information, I'm sorry to say that we have no way of telling you the specific reasons. This concerns the secret of our Golden Foundation, but I can provide you all with the equipment that could detect if someone is an Awakened, as well as a way to make those Awakened ones continue to become stronger, enabling you all to gather those talents as quickly as possible and begin training."

There was a lot of information in what Zhang Heng said, and everyone began to talk in hushed tones. It was only after three to four minutes that the prime minister of the UK spoke again. "You're saying that these people were born because the 'impact' was about to hit, and that they would become the backbone of the resistance against the crisis in the future?"

"Correct answer." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and continued, "That is the truth. I'd like to apologize to everyone here. The Golden Foundation has been taking over 10,000 Awakened ones into their base without permission for the past few days, and the reason for that is my own selfishness. If I hadn't taken action beforehand, I'm afraid that I wouldn't have been able to beat all of you. However, there's no need for everyone to worry. While the chances of such Awakening occurring aren't very high, there is still a considerable number of them compared to the total human population. According to our Golden Foundation's investigations, there is a chance that one out of every 1,000 people would become an Awakened. As such, there's no need for you all to worry about us looting all of the Awakened ones."

The faces of the crowd finally looked better after hearing that. The French president nodded and said, "If your foundation is really able to provide the equipment and training methods needed to detect the doppelgangers, we can let bygones be bygones. However, we would like to have something like that happen only once."

"That's right. Since it's a cooperation, we'd prefer that the Stellar Foundation be sincere enough instead of treating us like idiots," another leader from another country said.

"Well then, thank you very much. I sincerely apologize for my rudeness earlier." Zhang Heng nodded and paid his respects, putting up a good front. While the crowd was feeling rather displeased deep down, none of them were willing to fall out over such a trivial matter. They all knew that Zhang Heng would only be able to listen to half of what he said, and they would have to prove it in practice eventually. As for Zhang Heng's attempt to conceal the truth, while they were feeling rather displeased, there was nothing they could do about it.

495. Imprisonment

The video footage of the crowd dissipated after the conversation was over. Zhang Heng rubbed his temples wearily after the last person disappeared. However, there was a smirk on his face.

He had never intended to monopolize all the metahumans. While there were not many metahumans, the number of metahumans he had to choose was still in the millions. The ones he needed to select were the ones with the highest potential among all the metahumans. While the number of metahumans he would be able to absorb would definitely not be as high as the number of people the government would be able to absorb, the quality of the metahumans he would be able to acquire would far exceed that of the metahumans from those countries.

…

Huo Jian felt rather uneasy.

He thought of many things from her background.

"Stellar Life Sciences Foundation"—he knew what kind of organization that organization was from that name alone.

The so-called life sciences referred to researching the phenomenon of life, the nature of life, and the relationship between all manner of living beings.

The purpose of the research was to effectively control life activities, modify the biological world, benefit humanity from their survival, health, economic development, and social development. It was the most closely watched fundamental natural science around the world.

However, regardless of how pretentious and pompous he sounded, none of that had anything to do with him anymore. In essence, he was just playing the role of a lab rat.

He couldn't help but give a little shake at that thought. All manner of brutal human experimentation, dissection, incision, and other scenarios played in his mind and his face turned pale all of a sudden.

He looked around, shivering. He had been locked up in a small room ever since he was captured. While he didn't confiscate his phone, backpack, and other tools, he was saddened to find that there was not a single signal in the room. It was as if he had been thrown on an isolated island. Other than a bed, a table, and a toilet, there wasn't a single piece of furniture, making the place look like a cage.

He had tried to walk out of the room before, but to his surprise, he found that he was able to walk around the room as he pleased. There was a deep corridor outside the room, with doors lining both sides of the corridor. There was someone who looked like him living in every single room.

All of them looked to be in their teens or twenties, and all of them were young men. He wasn't sure if it was because they were only there to arrest men, or if it was because women were being held in some other area, but he didn't see a single woman.

Furthermore, there were people from Huaxia to the United States, from the United Kingdom to Russia, and all of them were capable of hosting the five permanent staff meetings. Every time it was time to eat, there would be a group of soldiers wearing some kind of ridiculous, sci-fi armor walking over, leading and keeping an eye on their group as they made their way to the canteen.

Huo Jian had secretly observed that those people were holding some kind of weird-looking guns that didn't look like they were made of gunpowder at all. It was only when he had a casual conversation with one of the graduates and found out that those weapons were actually electromagnetic rifles that were still theoretical in real life that he was secretly impressed. Everyone thought that those people were probably some kind of hidden army from some country.

He had to admit that the food served in the canteen was not bad. There was chicken, duck, fish, and all manner of other foods found in the place, which didn't look like the food served in a prison cell. However, every time the crowd asked where the soldiers were, the soldiers would simply answer casually and quickly, before falling silent and not answering at all.

It wasn't that no one thought of running away from the place, but every time they saw over a thousand armored soldiers patrolling in the cafeteria, and the combat prowess of those soldiers was so impressive that they were able to take down all of the powerful beings in their squad on their own. That thought was quickly dismissed.

Every day, Huo Jian saw new victims being brought into the compound. They were allowed to move about freely in the residential area, yet they were unable to leave the compound. There were hundreds of mecha warriors standing guard outside the compound at all times, and no one was willing to test if the enemy's mechas and electromagnetic guns were stronger or if their own superpowers were stronger.

Five to six days passed before the restless, waiting crowd was finally summoned by the mecha warriors again. Their attitudes were neither good nor bad, and they were all led to a huge plaza, feeling rather uneasy as they waited for the final trial.

The plaza was extremely vast, stretching as far as the eye could see. The entire area was sealed with steel, and the top of the building was no exception. A platform was constructed at the end of the plaza, and it was only then that Huo Jiancai realized that it wasn't just men who were brought in. Many other women were brought in through the other door as well. The crowd was filled with stifled sobs, and no one knew what fate awaited them.

There were over ten thousand people in the entire plaza.

That's right. Huo Jian sighed to himself. He had initially thought that such a huge incident would definitely alarm the authorities, and that there would be more than just one nation involved. There would be five of the most powerful nations in the world. With the power of the nations, he and his people would be able to be rescued very quickly. As for what the authorities would do to his people in the future, that was something that he couldn't predict.

However, when he saw that there were so many people around, the last thought that he had in his mind was completely shattered. To be able to have such a massive amount of power around the world, kidnapping tens of thousands of people at once, was something that no terrorist organization could achieve. In fact, it was very likely that the five superpowers were the ones responsible for the kidnapping.

Huo Jian's heart sank.

"Relax, I bet we'll be fine." A gentle voice was heard from beside him at that moment. Huo Jian looked over and saw a young man from Haizhou who had been taking good care of him for the past few days patting his shoulder. That young man's name was Liang Kun. He was rumored to have retired from the special forces and was very powerful. He was practically invincible after acquiring his superpower. No one dared to mess with him other than the soldiers there.

Huo Jian put on a grateful smile and nodded before turning his attention to the rostrum, waiting for their next move.

But at the very least, it didn't look like he was the one being held on the experiment table and cut up for research.

As long as that wasn't the case, everything would be fine.

The doors of the plaza slowly opened as everyone gradually gathered. A large group of mecha warriors swarmed in and drove everyone to the sides, leaving a wide gap. A young Asian man dressed in black, wearing sunglasses, and had his hair combed backward walked into the plaza in huge strides. He didn't even bother looking at the crowd and headed straight for the platform.

Huo Jian's eyes lit up as he stood among the crowd. He was finally able to wait for the culprit to arrive after all the suffering he had gone through.

The young man walked up to the rostrum in a few steps and scanned the crowd. Despite wearing sunglasses, the crowd felt as if they were looking at something real. Everyone who met the young man's gaze couldn't help but lower their heads.

496. Death Measures

Zhang Heng stood on the platform with his hands behind his back and looked at the restless crowd below.

All of those metahumans were very young, with the oldest being no older than 35 years old and the youngest being only in their early teens. All of them were either filled with hatred, fear, or deep in thought as they focused their attention on the scene before them. All of them had a vague, uneasy feeling towards the unknown in their eyes.

Zhang Heng looked around at the crowd before retracting his gaze and speaking into his earpiece in a low voice, "Everyone, please allow me to introduce myself. We are the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation, an international armed organization recognized by the five superpowers. We have the right to carry out missions anywhere in the world and are only responsible for me. Other than that, there is no other country or organization capable of restricting us."

"Our mission is to protect humanity and the planet. I believe that all of you have realized why you were brought here."

The crowd below the stage looked at Zhang Heng silently and no one answered.

Zhang Heng paused for a bit before continuing, "'Metahuman' is your name. Your emergence comes from the will of Gaia, the planet, and the mission given to you by this world. You have the same goal as us—to protect humanity."

Everyone's expression changed when they heard that. Some of them lowered their heads and looked at themselves, feeling the endless power coursing through their bodies before looking up at Zhang Heng with even more puzzled expressions. However, none of them realized that their appetites had been completely whetted.

"That's right. The reason why you're here is that the world is currently being attacked by some evil force, and your mission is to save humanity and the Earth!" Zhang Heng's voice gradually turned solemn. "There's no need to doubt what I'm saying. What I can tell you is that you'll be able to see the first wave of attacks at the end of the year at the very most. We've brought you here to train all of you in the coming days, so that you can become qualified warriors!"

"Excuse me, sir, but are you saying that there are Martians who are about to attack Earth?" A blond-haired young man with a timid gaze raised his hand and asked loudly.

The crowd burst into laughter.

"I'm afraid it'll be even worse than the Martians." Zhang Heng nodded and said, "So bad that you'll feel despair and regret being born in this world."

The laughter below the stage stopped immediately and Zhang Heng continued coldly, "They'll keep appearing like bamboo shoots after the rain. Even if you manage to repel one wave, there will be a new wave, endless and never-ending. You'll only be freed when you're exhausted, dead, and dead."

"Some of you are students, some are adults, some are housewives, some are office workers, and some are even criminals." Zhang Heng's voice gradually turned cold, suppressing the chatter from the crowd. "But regardless of who you are, you all have a name, and that is—humans!"

Everyone held their breaths for a moment. Zhang Heng's voice was laced with some kind of rendering power and a will that was not to be defied. "I'll be in charge of training all of you before the first wave of attacks arrives, making all of you qualified warriors. Don't have any illusions about running away. Even if all of you manage to escape, all of you will still end up dead when the first wave comes. If you were to stand here, I can guarantee that none of your family members will be harmed before I fall."

Everyone felt their hearts skip a beat. The resentment and ethnicity that Zhang Heng had brought them here clashed with one another, making it impossible for them to confirm if he was telling the truth. However, if what the Golden Foundation said was true, then perhaps they hadn't come to the wrong place after all.

"All of your immediate family members will be sent to a safe area in batches within a month, and you'll be given the best treatment possible from then on out. I'm afraid that none of you would even dare to think about how well you'll be treated." Zhang Heng continued, "Your salaries will be calculated at tens of millions of US dollars per year. Every single one of you will be given 10 million US dollars in cash in your bank accounts at the moment. Your goal is to keep training and become stronger, all the way to the top."

Flames were seen in the eyes of most of the people present, and their breathing became labored. Only a handful of people had looks of doubt on their faces. There were over 10,000 people present, and if each of them were to be given 10 million US dollars, that would be over 100 billion US dollars in expenses. Such a huge sum of money would be something that even the five superpowers would have a hard time coming up with.

"There's no doubt about it. There's a profitability company under the Stellar Vitality Foundation. That company might be even more renowned than the foundation. That company is none other than the Stellar Biotech Corporation."

"Ahh! Stellar Technology!" Everyone was in an uproar right away. Even those who were still suspicious were stunned by what they saw. If they were talking about Stellar Technology, all of that would have been possible. Everyone knew that Stellar Technology was the world's first massive monopoly group with a market capitalisation of over trillions of US dollars. It was so rich that it was hard to even begin to describe it. Stellar Technology was constantly trying to overturn an entire industry, and it was like a snowball that kept growing.

According to New Wall Street's estimates, the market value of Stellar Technology had reached a staggering $10 billion.

"All of you will be treated well even if you were to die in battle." Zhang Heng continued without waiting for the crowd to stop talking. "You're not the only ones. More than eight million Metahumans are waking up all over the world. You're not alone. The reason why we chose you instead of them is because you're the most talented among them all."

"But!" Everyone's expression changed, but before they could think any further, Zhang Heng changed the subject. "But that's no reason for you to be so proud. Talent doesn't equate to power. I'll let you guys get the most powerful weapons and the best training conditions. If you guys end up being worse than those who've been eliminated, I'll kick you away and your families will lose the protection of the Golden Foundation."

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily when he saw the eager looks in everyone's eyes. He flashed a cold grin and continued, "By the way, I forgot to mention one last thing. When you become a member of the Stellar Foundation, you'll receive generous treatment and a death penalty at the same time."

"Please be prepared, everyone. The training that follows will be more brutal than you can imagine. Furthermore, the Stellar Foundation will be ranked according to your results. Those who are ranked last in the top 100 in the first three months have a 10 percent chance of dying during training."

Everyone felt their hearts skip a beat and some of those who had ulterior motives turned pale. While it was just a single line, the words that came out of Zhang Heng's mouth were nonetheless intimidating and no one doubted if he could actually do it.

The fire in everyone's eyes stopped burning right there and then, replaced by deep fear.

"So, in order to survive, please do your best to fight. Treat every training session as a battle. That is the attitude that you need."

Zhang Heng walked down from the rostrum once again and strode out of the plaza, leaving everyone else feeling rather uneasy.

497. The Third Stage Awakened

The team gradually began their first training session.

He called it training, but he was actually just following the training methods that Zhang Heng used to bring everyone into the virtual space to begin the most basic training.

Despite being in a virtual space, Corona's training was very effective. The flow of time that was over 10 times faster and the realistic experience of being able to bring about death was more effective than any training in reality.

That was where Zhang Heng began his metamorphosis all those years ago. He went from a regular person to a super-soldier with insane combat experience in just a few weeks. His combat prowess was still elevated in the virtual space even now.

Their bodies were carried into the operating theater while they were being trained. When they came out of the operating theater again, brain control chips were implanted in their cerebral cortex.

From then on, their lives were completely connected to that of the Stellar Foundation, and they were never able to be apart.

As for the relatives of the Awakened, Zhang Heng arranged for them to head straight to the Dimensional amnesia plane. The Stellar Foundation would disclose the secret of their travel to the Dimensional plane to them after the first round of training was over. The first thing he wanted to do was to put them at ease completely. The second thing he wanted to do was to leave a spark of hope for humanity. There were only a few thousand people living on the planet of Tanis to date, yet the scale of the city was already massive. According to Zhang Heng's plan, that city would become a massive city with a population of tens of millions in the future.

Money was no longer of any use to Stellar Technology. Zhang Heng wouldn't have frowned even if he had to fork out a billion US dollars, let alone billions of US dollars. It was just a string of numbers after all. The assets of Stellar Technology were increasing by tens of billions every day, with holographic projections, semi-automatic surgical equipment, anti-gravity electric cars, nuclear power plants, and so on. None of those were inferior to the original cryogenic project, and no one would dare to cause trouble.

It was like a snowball rolling. It might not have been easy at first, but as the company became more powerful, taking control of everything became a piece of cake.

While the metahumans looked weak at the start, that was only because they had not undergone systematic training. The metahumans who had undergone death training were just like Zhang Heng before and after training. Their combat prowess was instantly boosted by over 10 times.

However, that was just an improvement in technique. Zhang Heng had a set of training methods specifically designed for the metahumans. The Jedi seen in the movies didn't seem to be that strong, but that was only because the era of the Jedi was nearing its end. It was said that in the ancient Age of the Dead, thousands of years ago, the Jedi were able to fend off cannons with their bare hands. There was even a master-class Jedi who used their powers to tear down battleships from outer space.

However, the second point was rather ridiculous, as even the current Zhang Heng was unable to achieve such a feat. As such, no one knew if it was true or just a legend, unless one could recreate the glorious days of the Jedi.

Just when Zhang Heng was getting ready for a new day of training, the T-X under Corona's control suddenly pushed the door open and entered the room. "Not good, Commander, there's news from London that a third-stage metahuman has appeared in the British Royal Palace, theoretically speaking."

"The third stage of the Awakened?" Zhang Heng's closed eyes slowly opened and a look of surprise was seen in his eyes. The so-called stage was actually a classification of abilities that Zhang Heng had designed to differentiate the abilities of the Awakened.

The first stage was the phase where the metahuman had just acquired the ability. The metahuman in that stage had a stronger physique than the average person, and there was even a chance that the metahuman in the air would be able to reach a certain limit. The metahuman in the air would have a vague sense of what was happening, while the metahuman in the air would be able to sense what was happening in the air at a very slow rate.

The second stage was the stage where the metahuman would undergo countless training sessions. At that stage, the metahuman's various abilities would have completely exceeded that of the average human. Furthermore, the metahuman would gain the ability to perform telekinesis, enabling him to perform telekinesis, making him 10 to 50 times stronger than the first stage metahuman.

The so-called third stage referred to the abilities of the Awakened at the Master Level. The Awakened at the second stage were nurtured by demons for a period of time, which meant that their abilities were beyond that of regular humans, which meant that they were equivalent to the abilities of the Awakened after being immersed in demons.

However, that wasn't the extent of the metahumans' abilities. Their true powers originated from demons, and they were able to attack their enemies with their abilities. According to what was written in the book, they were able to communicate with demons.

It was well known that the power inherent in metamorphosis was greater than that found in nuclear weapons. Even if one were to only control a certain area of metamorphosis in the air, the power generated by metamorphosis was more than enough to make metahumans look like humanoid cannon fodder. Every move they made would be more than enough to destroy a street.

Typically speaking, the third stage would require the metahuman to work hard for a very, very long time before they were able to reach it. However, there would always be some kind of creature known as a genius in this world, who would easily be able to easily surpass decades of hard work put in by others at a very low cost, reaching a level where they were able to achieve greater things than others. In school, such people were known as the top students. In society, such people were known as the successful ones, while among the metahumans, such people were known as the absolute geniuses.

All of the 10,000 people that Zhang Heng had gathered were the cream of the crop among the metahumans. There was no shortage of geniuses who had only been awakened for a few days and were able to extract objects from thin air. However, they paled in comparison to that third-stage metahuman.

Zhang Heng couldn't even begin to imagine just how dense the fibroids in her body would be to be able to gather enough magic to reach the third stage in just a few days.

Zhang Heng wore a serious look on his face. Geniuses like him were able to do a lot of things just by relying on their innate gifts. If given some time to grow, it wouldn't be impossible for them to surpass him.

All of that happened in a flash in Zhang Heng's mind. When he came back to his senses, Corona continued, "That Metahuman's name is Lancelot Reinhart and he's 25 years old. He attacked the British palace about 10 minutes ago and asked for the queen of the UK to give her position to him. After being refused, he mobilized the power of a Level Three Metahuman and razed the entire palace to the ground. He then went to the Prime Minister's mansion and took the prime minister hostage, asking the British government to prepare 1 billion pounds."

Zhang Heng wore a puzzled look on his face when he heard that. "You want the empress to abdicate? You sure know how to dream."

"He has wiped out one of the British Armored Division and two Infantry Division, and is now clamoring to rule the world." Corona frowned and continued, "To be honest, I don't think such people have the potential to be nurtured."

498. Kidnapping

"I know what you're worried about." Zhang Heng nodded and wore a serious expression. "The only reason why I'm able to get to where I am right now is because I've been relying on all manner of conspiracy and overwhelming power. Crushing power is of utmost importance in that regard. Once my power is no longer able to crush everything, all my efforts would have been for naught. Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes, for the sake of your interests, Commander, I do not wish for there to be anyone in this world who is more powerful than you." Corona nodded and continued in a stern manner, "At your level, you are no longer someone who could be easily defeated by technology from the real world. If there were to be someone stronger than you, all the countries would very likely be able to take up their positions right away. Your efforts would be in vain."

"For the sake of your status and plans, even if there is only a one in a million chance of success, we should still eliminate all threats to the Germinal Organization!"

"I can make him what he is, and I can destroy him as well." Zhang Heng waved his hand, looking very confident. "No need to worry. It's still too early to talk about all of that. We still need to see him before we know if he's useful or not."

Zhang Heng didn't stay any longer after saying that. He turned around and headed outside. Several minutes later, tens of falcons were seen slowly taking to the air before the building of Stellar Technology, heading silently for the East Sea.

The reason why both of them were worried was that they both knew that the brain-controlled chip was not omnipotent. For example, the Scarlet Witch of the Marvel World had a way of using mental power to evade the brain-controlled chip, or the superheroes who were almost immortal, like the Hulk and Deadpool, could be reborn even if their brains were destroyed, so the brain-controlled chip was completely useless against them.

The more powerful the person became under control, the weaker the effects of the A.I. Chip became. That was why Corona suggested killing the other party directly. After all, even if there was only a sliver of possibility, the betrayal of such a person would have dealt a fatal blow to both Zhang Heng and the humans alike.

…

Late at night, Downing Street, London, Westminster.

It was a pitch-black three-story villa.

The building was located at No. 10 Downing Street and there was a pitch-black door at the very center of the building. A white Arabic number labeled No. 10 was written on the door. Strictly speaking, the entire building wasn't very luxurious and would have been considered a common sight in all of London. However, everyone in the UK knew that the building was the core of British political power and was also known as the most precious historical relic in British history.

The Prime Minister's mansion.

However, the area within tens of kilometers of the building was completely deserted at the moment. All the people in the building had been evacuated half an hour ago, leaving the place desolate and empty. Surrounding the building were over 10,000 British Royal Guards.

Those people were armed to the teeth. While it looked like they were surrounding the building, they were over a kilometer away from it. From the sky, it looked like a huge, weird ring that was surrounding the building without leaving a single gap behind. Despite their impressive appearance, they seemed to be afraid of something. Fear of the unknown was seen in the eyes of every single warrior. None of them dared to cross that chasm-like distance.

That was what he saw when he got there.

"All fighter jets stay on high alert. No one is allowed to attack without my orders. Gu Zhan, take a few men with you and follow me." Zhang Heng gave the order to the others before turning around and leaving the fighter jets, appearing before the troops surrounding the building.

Crack. A group of soldiers pointed their guns at Zhang Heng when he appeared at the door of the temporary combat command center with Gu Zhan and three other cloned warriors. However, when they got a good look at the sci-fi power armor worn by Gu Zhan and the others behind them, all of them looked deeply shocked. Some of them even rubbed their eyes, finding it hard to believe that the scene in the sci-fi film had become a reality.

"Drop the gun. We're on the same side." A middle-aged man with a head full of white hair and a complicated shoulder patch walked out of the temporary command center and waved before turning to look at Zhang Heng with a scrutinizing gaze. "So, you guys are from the Stellar Vitalities Foundation? You're that Zhang Heng?"

"Yes, I am." Zhang Heng nodded and headed straight for the door of the temporary command center without waiting for the man to ask any further questions. The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes and hesitated for a bit, but he didn't stop the man in the end and just followed him inside.

"Thank goodness you're finally here, sir." Kurt Lawton, the Speaker of the House of Lords of the Supreme Court of Justice, came up to Zhang Heng as soon as he walked in. He gave Zhang Heng a hug as if he had just seen his savior and then introduced him to the people in the temporary command center. "This is the director of the International Fund for Stellar Life Sciences. He is also the chairman of Stellar Technology, sir."

According to the tradition of the UK, the Speaker of the House of Lords was held by both the Chief Justice and the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice of the United Kingdom was also known as the Minister of the Law and held a high position. He was not only the leader of the legal community but also the cabinet minister.

Kurt was introducing the others to Zhang Heng at the moment. "Mr. Zhang Heng, the man behind you is our Secretary of Defense, Mr. Arkin. That is Deputy Minister Charles. And this is…"

Zhang Heng nodded and said rather impatiently, "Alright, can you tell me what's going on with you guys now?"

"Dear Mr. Zhang Heng, the man who attacked the Buckingham Palace and the Prime Minister's estate is named Lancelot Reinhardt." Kurt handed a copy of the data on the table to Zhang Heng after seeing that Zhang Heng was in no mood for pleasantries and explained quickly, "According to our intel, he should be an Awakened that you mentioned. Reinhardt lost his parents when he was young and grew up in an orphanage in London. He left the orphanage when he was 16 and worked as a sewer cleaner in London. He got to know a woman named Kola Bradford when he was 22 and they lived together for three years."

"Kola Bradford broke up some time ago because he couldn't stand Reinhardt's poverty any longer. According to our intelligence, he was completely drunk for several days after the breakup and was currently in the stage of falling out of love. However, he suddenly attacked Buckingham Palace tonight and wiped out three of our armored troops. He then razed the entire Buckingham Palace to the ground and killed our queen. He then came to the Prime Minister's mansion and took the Prime Minister hostage."

Zhang Heng flipped through the data in his hand as soon as the other man said that. He then chuckled and said, "So, you're saying that the man wanted to attack the Prime Minister's Office because he's cynical?"

"Yes, we've called over a hundred professors in psychology to help us analyze Reinhart's weaknesses, and we hope that they'll come in handy." A bitter look was seen on Kurt's face. "But the most important thing to do at the moment is to rescue the Prime Minister at all costs. I wonder if you have any countermeasures, Mr. Zhang Heng?"

"Don't worry. Dealing with all manner of supernatural powers is the foundation's job." Zhang Heng nodded without making any comment. "But I'll need your country's full cooperation to do so."

"Are you sure you can do it?" The Defense Minister, Arkin, took another look at Zhang Heng and said, "While I'd very much like for you to save me, your Prime Minister, I have to tell you something. It's as if the other party has borrowed some kind of devastating power from the demons. That power is extremely powerful and is not something that a human could fight against. If you want us to work together, you'd have to use your trump card first!"

499. No One Can Escape From My Hands

"May I know what duty I have to tell you?" Zhang Heng frowned. The man seemed to have disliked him from the very beginning when he first appeared. It would have been fine if that were the case, but the man kept provoking him time again. He chuckled coldly and continued, "I was the one who provided you with data regarding the metahumans. Do you really think that I'm as useless as you?"

"You!" Arkin's eyes went wide when he heard that. No one had dared to speak to him in such a manner ever since he became the Minister of Defense. He was so angry that his face turned red. However, before he could say anything, Kurt, who was standing at the side, immediately tried to smooth things over.

"That's enough, General Arkin. Mr. Zhang Heng naturally has his ways, or he wouldn't be here." He then looked at Zhang Heng earnestly and continued, "Mr. Zhang Heng, if you're confident in being able to rescue the Prime Minister, please do your best. However, please ensure your own safety."

Zhang Heng nodded and was about to say something when his expression froze all of a sudden. He jerked his head up and the entire room where the temporary command center was collapsed at the same time. A petite figure barged into the room from outside the window and charged at Zhang Heng at the same time.

Zhang Heng's glabella opened instantly and boundless mental power gushed out. However, the intruder's expression changed drastically before he was able to attack. He put his hands up and a green light screen was formed in a split second. Zhang Heng's mental power bombarded that screen like a laser in the very next second.

Boom!

The sound of something tearing through the air was heard and the intruder was sent flying backward at a speed that was even faster than before. A powerful shockwave swept through the entire command center in an instant, causing the walls all around the building to collapse. It was as if a high-explosive grenade had exploded and everyone was swept up like paper.

Zhang Heng cursed under his breath and the results of his prolonged training were put to good use right away. He immediately began multitasking, enfolding all those who were about to be blown away with his mental power. Before those people could even scream, he felt a gentle force surround him. Just when he was at a loss of what to do, their bodies were protected by Zhang Heng and sent flying over 100 meters away.

Zhang Heng wore a serious expression after doing all of that. He shook his head and suppressed the dizziness he felt when his mental power crashed into the barrier. He stomped on the ground and dashed out of the ruins, appearing right behind the still-falling silhouette as if he had teleported.

To Zhang Heng's surprise, that petite figure was still able to react in time. He spun around in midair and threw a punch at Zhang Heng. The demon in the air was triggered by what he saw and charged at him with a momentum capable of burning the sky and boiling the sea.

That was what made Awakened ones so terrifying.

Their bodies were comparable to those cloned warriors who had been soaked in magic before, but that was only the most basic of powers. Their true strength lay in their ability to foresee things in advance, just like how the Jedi were able to fend off the burst guns with their beam sabers. They were able to sense danger from any attack and evade it beforehand.

Not only that, but Metahumans were capable of triggering demons in the air. Every single punch and kick of theirs contained the terrifying power of a miniature nuclear bomb.

"Heh." However, Zhang Heng simply chuckled coldly. The massive amount of mental power that was infused with Genova's physical power burst out and gathered on his right hand. He extended his right hand in the very next second and spread his fingers wide, grabbing hold of her fist.

Boom!

A cloud of dust and dirt rose into the air, and the two of them became one, becoming a huge snake that looked like an invisible knife. The huge inertia created a huge hole about 100 meters long and four to five meters wide on Downing Street.

Dozens of mansions collapsed as soon as the 'blade' sliced through them.

Everyone's eyes were wide open as they looked at the two figures in shock. They had never thought that humans could reach such a level. Every single punch and kick of theirs contained devastating power. It took them less than three seconds to destroy half a block away from each other.

They were not humans, but demons!

That was the only thought in everyone's mind.

The smoke and dust gradually dissipated, and it was only then that everyone saw that Zhang Heng's top was completely torn apart at the end of that massive chasm that spanned half a block, revealing that perfect body underneath. His sunglasses had been shattered during the battle, revealing a pair of blood-red, shiny eyes that looked like they came from hell.

He was holding the hair of a petite blonde man in his hand. That blonde man was drenched in blood and had almost passed out. There was not a single part of his body that looked intact.

That petite man was none other than the third-rank Metahuman who destroyed the Buckingham Palace and three legions of thousands with a wave of his hand—Lancelot Reinhardt.

"Haha, haha!" Zhang Heng beat the crap out of the skinny man after exchanging blows with him for a bit. However, the skinny man simply chuckled and reached out to grab Zhang Heng's hand, which was still holding onto his hair. He forced a smile and said, "You're really strong, aren't you? I never thought that I'd be the only Super in the world. I never thought that there would be one more, and one that's so much stronger than me. Hahaha…"

"Give up. You're still too weak at the moment." Zhang Heng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and carried her to the clone warrior. "If you were to become stronger, I might not be able to capture you alive even if I were to defeat you."

"So, what are you going to do with me next?" The blonde man suppressed the pain in his scalp and chuckled. "Are you going to make me your slave?"

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and a dark look flashed across his bloodshot eyes. "So, you're saying that you're not going to submit?"

"Hehehe, I'm indeed not as strong as you are right now. If I could just hold it in for a little bit longer, half a year, no, five months at most, I'd be able to get close to you." A confident grin appeared on the blond man's face. "So, if you don't kill me, I'll kill you sooner or later. I remember that you're the chairman of Stellar Technology, right?"

Zhang Heng chuckled and abruptly raised the other man a little higher. He bent over and flashed a sinister grin. "Very well, you've successfully triggered my killing intent." He then opened his eyebrows and a surge of mental power that was even more majestic than before gushed out, turning into a thin beam of light that shot straight for the other man's head.

The blond-haired man's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected the young man to actually kill him just like that. Fear was seen in his eyes as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Dimensional Star!"

Boom!

A huge crack was torn open in the sky all of a sudden and a beam of light shone on the blond man's body. The blond man seemed to have been subjected to some kind of suction force in the very next second and his entire body was disintegrated into particles, which were then absorbed into the crack in the sky.

Zhang Heng was stunned when he saw that. However, the transformation took place in the very next second with indescribable savagery. Endless mental power gushed out and headed straight for that beam of golden light.

Rumble…

The sound of air being torn apart was heard and Zhang Heng vomited a huge mouthful of purple blood all of a sudden. That beam of light dimmed all of a sudden, yet it remained in the same shape, sucking the blonde man's body into the tear before shutting right away and disappearing without a trace.

Zhang Heng watched all of that happen with his own eyes. A hint of rage flashed across his eyes, but he suppressed it in the blink of an eye. He simply stood there, deep in thought.

Crack…

The British Defense Minister, Arkin, crawled out of the ruins where the battle had taken place. He covered the blood on his head and walked over to Zhang Heng with a furious look on his face. He stood behind Zhang Heng and shouted, "Where is he? Why is he running away? You…"

Bang!

Zhang Heng didn't turn around. He simply threw a punch and the sound of bones cracking was heard. Arkin's head spun three times in the very next second and he became completely silent.

"No one…" Zhang Heng mumbled in a low voice, with a sinister smirk on his face. "No one can escape from me…"

500. Double Host

Thump!

Arkin's body trembled slightly before he slumped to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Disbelief was written all over everyone's faces. Some of the soldiers even raised their guns with bloodshot eyes after seeing their supreme commander killed. However, all Zhang Heng did was shoot them a cold look, and that bunch of soldiers rolled their eyes and fell to the ground.

It was only when no one dared to look at him with hostile eyes that he turned around and said to the officials who were all shivering at the side, "Hurry up and go find your prime minister."

The crowd seemed to have woken up from a dream and rushed to the Prime Minister's mansion right away. The prime minister was carried out by the crowd in no time. It was worth noting that the prime minister was not seriously injured and had only passed out from shock.

"Mr. Speaker of the House of Lords." Zhang Heng stopped Kurt and said in a low voice, "This matter isn't over yet. I need your country's cooperation to look into all relevant data regarding Lancelot Reinhardt, including his ancestors, his biological parents, his playmates in the orphanage, his lover, and even his boss and colleagues. I need all the data regarding him from when he was young."

"Of course." Kurt looked at Zhang Heng with a complicated look on his face. Zhang Heng's eyes were glowing with an inhuman red light, making him unable to look Zhang Heng in the eye. Kurt lowered his head and said, "Please rest assured, Your Excellency. I would have done the same even if you hadn't told me. That man is simply too dangerous. He alone could have destroyed the entirety of Great Britain. However, I'd still need your help. I'll tell the Prime Minister everything you've done when he wakes up."

Kurt then turned around and shouted at the guards behind him, "The Minister of Defense, General Arkin, was attacked by terrorists and sacrificed himself. On behalf of the House of Representatives, I would like to make an application to the royal family to grant General Arkin the title of hereditary Earl. Now, collect General Arkin's body immediately and send it to his family."

Kurt flashed an awkward smile at Zhang Heng after issuing the order. "Please state your requests when you wake up, Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and I will try our best to satisfy you."

Zhang Heng smiled at Kurt's attempt to curry favor and said, "I appreciate your kindness, sir, but it's still too early to ask for anything. We'll talk about it after we get rid of Reinhart."

"Of course, of course…" Kurt nodded.

Zhang Heng patted Kurt's shoulder and his expression turned gloomy as soon as he turned around. He boarded the Falcon without a word and left the ruins.

Zhang Heng slowly closed his eyes as he felt the Falcon taking off silently. He began calling for the Dimensional Star system in his mind at the same time.

"Host, I know what you want to ask." A cold, solemn voice was heard immediately. "But I'm sorry, your question is not answered by the Dimensional Star. The final explanation will be given to it."

"Huh?" Zhang Heng was so angry that he was about to burst out laughing. "You never said that there would be two people in the same plane with Dimensional Stars at the same time."

"…" The voice paused for a bit before continuing, "That is usually the case. Only when the first host dies would a second host take over the host's position. However, that is not absolute. If a plane were to suddenly gain the potential to resist the curse, it would very likely attract the attention of the Dimensional Star's trial mechanism, which would then select a new host to speed up the process of helping the world face the curse."

Zhang Heng wore a weird expression right away and asked, "You're saying that the plane I'm in was able to acquire the ability to resist the curse by injecting something into it, so the mighty Dimensional Star picked Reinhardt as the second host again?"

"Yes, you could say that," the voice replied coolly.

"But, how are you going to explain what just happened?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and continued, "The other party began to attack the British government right after gaining power. If it hadn't been for my arrival, the entire world would have been thrown into a state of panic as soon as the truth was exposed. By then, the entire world would have been plunged into war due to irreconcilable differences between the common people and the Awakened, to say nothing of resisting the curse."

"That is not something that the Dimensional Star could have anticipated," the voice continued. "Due to limitations, the logic of the Dimensional Star is not as complex as that of humans. In its programming, 1 + 1 = 2 is common knowledge, but it is unable to understand why the addition of a host would lead to a situation where 1 + 1 = 0. Furthermore, the starting point of host number two is also good. He and you both want to get through the curse by controlling the entire world. However, in terms of methods, he is far inferior to you."

"Actually, you should feel lucky, host." That voice spoke again. "As a host like you, you've been developing ahead of him for over two years. You have everything under control at the right time, at the right place, and at the right people. If you were to collide with him, I'd say that he would have no chance of winning."

Zhang Heng wore a cold smirk on his face, making it obvious that he wasn't completely convinced. He simply said, "So, you're saying that the Dimensional Star wouldn't bother if the hosts were to attack each other?"

"That's right. The Dimensional Star never participates in the battles between hosts, be it the hosts of other dimensions or those of other dimensions. After all, the true purpose of the Dimensional Star is to help humans upgrade their civilization and help humans resist the curse."

Zhang Heng felt as if he wasn't facing a cold computer, but a living person instead of a cold computer.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and asked, "If that's the case, I wonder if there's a way to check the data of other hosts, planes that they've been to, after reaching a certain level? Or their level of access and hierarchy?"

"I'm sorry, but no host has that kind of access."

Zhang Heng nodded and fell completely silent.

In actual fact, this was not the first time. Zhang Heng had been able to tell from the very first time he came to the Marvel plane whether the Dimensional Star was the savior of humanity or the root cause of humanity's destruction. He was unable to tell for sure himself, but he was completely unable to believe a single word that the Dimensional Star said after triggering conflicts between humans time again.

Furthermore, as the curse got closer, the Dimensional Star's way of doing things became increasingly ridiculous. Things had gotten to the point where both hosts of the same plane were beginning to show up. It was a pity that the gap between Zhang Heng and the Dimensional Star was simply too huge. He was unable to break free from the Dimensional Star's shackles even if he wanted to.

Killing intent flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes. No matter what, that man from Reinhardt had to die. Since he was unable to control him, he had to destroy everything from his body to his soul. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to rest in peace even if he were to face the curse.

501. Inescapable Net

It didn't take long for Zhang Heng to submit all of the data regarding Lancelot Reinhardt after he returned to the Honeycomb, including his friends, colleagues, boss, and so on. His biological parents were completely found in England in less than 10 minutes. There was hardly any secret in the world that could be kept from the authorities, despite 25 years having passed since then.

The data regarding Reinhardt wasn't all that shocking. The only things worth noting were his biological parents.

Reinhart's father was a native of England and was a baron of the royal court. He had a head full of lustrous blond hair. His mother was an orphan whose parents had both died and had the most common brown hair among the British. When the two of them first got together, they were met with opposition from Reinhart's father's family and the two of them were forcibly separated.

Reinhardt's mother became penniless after they broke up and worked part-time all the time. She eventually abandoned the child at the entrance of the orphanage after giving birth to Reinhardt, and it was only when Reinhardt grew up that she learned of her parentage.

Zhang Heng's mind raced as he read up to that point, doing his best to analyze Reinhardt's personality and weaknesses.

All of that began with British culture. In the mainstream culture of the UK, adhering to differences in ethnicity and background was a basic way of thinking. Even the world-famous Harry Potter novel was filled with similar views.

For example, the viewers had always thought that the two of them were a match made in heaven, and yet, in the end, Hermione ended up marrying Ron, one of the 'three people'. It felt like they were trying very hard to raise their own daughter-in-law, and when they were finally about to consummate their marriage, they somehow ended up sending their pretty daughter-in-law to the king's bed next door, which fed the viewers a huge load of shit.

Truth be told, if the plot were to be taken into account in real life, it would have been a matter of bloodlines. Ron had red hair, and if one were to look at the history of the UK in real life, there were two major ethnicities in modern times: the Germanic and the Celtic. The former was the conqueror, while the latter was the conqueror. The Germanic was the blonde, while the Celtic was the redhead.

The Germans opened the door of the Roman Empire in the late days of the decline of the Roman Empire, and a large number of the German people migrated to the island of Great Britain. The German people were divided into the Saxons and the Anglo-Saxons at the time, which was the main ethnic group that came after Britain, the English.

There was a plot like that in the first series, where Malfoy and Ron were at each other's throats right from the start. As the descendants of the victors, Malfoy had always prided himself on his ancestry, and the British viewers could all see that he was definitely a pure and innocent Anglo-Saxon, while Ron was definitely one of the Celtic lineages.

Harry's hair, on the other hand, was black, as the earliest history of civilization in England began with the Roman Empire. All of Europe was proud of the Roman civilization, and his black hair was a symbol of his noble blood. He had hair the same color as Caesar's, and while it was normal for Malfoy to look down on the red-haired Celtic Ron, he was unable to flaunt his noble blood in front of Harry, a descendant of the Romans.

Hermione, on the other hand, had brown hair, which meant that she was the most average British person in the world. The color of her hair was usually decided by her parents, with blonde hair and blonde hair, red hair and red hair. Blond hair and red hair were mixed for several generations, and the color became less pure, making her the brown hair of regular British people.

It was obvious from here that the common people didn't mind if their bloodlines were mixed, while the nobles insisted on getting married to their next of kin. The nobles believed that the best of the best would have exceptional children if they insisted on getting married to their next of kin for generations to come. The black-haired Harry and the blonde Malfoy were the so-called noble bloods, while the red-haired Ron and the brown-haired Hermione were the common people who were closer in status. As such, the author of 'Harry Potter' eventually decided to get both of them together.

The United Kingdom, which had always been labeled "everyone is born equal", was instead filled with discrimination. That was why Reinhart's childhood tragedy came about. It was no wonder that the first thing he did after gaining power was to raze the entire Buckingham Palace to the ground and kill the Queen of England. It was obvious that the Queen hated the British hierarchy and wanted to overthrow the system of the country from the bottom of her heart.

Zhang Heng realized what was going on right there and then. He could tell from that alone that Reinhardt's desire for revenge was extremely intense. Everything that happened before was indeed what the other party was thinking. The thought of compromise was snuffed out when Reinhart suddenly gained power that surpassed that of the mundane world. The other party was bent on taking revenge even when they were up against him.

Zhang Heng was able to figure out most of her thoughts and methods after analyzing her for a bit, which made him even more precise than those professors in psychology.

"Commander, I've ordered several quantum spy satellites to keep an eye on every corner of London. We'll be able to discover the intruder as soon as he returns to reality!" Corona's voice was heard all of a sudden, but she continued immediately, "But, the Awakened seem to have some kind of premonition of danger. Will he stay in the other plane for the time being and return when he's strong enough to fight you?"

"No, he wouldn't." Zhang Heng shook his head and said with certainty, "Judging from his personality, I'd say that he's definitely not the type to just sit around and do nothing. Judging from his actions, it hasn't been long since he acquired the Dimensional Star, and it's very likely that he's only been on one trial mission."

"Furthermore, given the Dimensional Star's despicable nature, I'm afraid that he's far more powerful than the Resident Evil plane that I've been to all those years ago. He's probably from some even more dangerous plane."

"In other words, be it due to the difficulty of that plane or Reinhardt's personality, he wouldn't be able to stay in that plane for long, right?" Corona added.

"That's right. If the rules set by the Dimensional Star are identical to those set by him, 36 hours would be the cooldown period for his shuttle plane." Zhang Heng nodded and wore a cold smirk on his face. "Furthermore, as long as it's not the Dimensional Star who sold me out, he probably wouldn't be able to guess that I have the Dimensional Star, given his level of intelligence. That would be very advantageous for us. Tell the Magnetic King and Alex to lead a cloned warrior squad that has fused with the cells of the Genova, as well as a C-rank battleship. Kill them as soon as they appear."

"Understood!"

502. Reinhart

Midnight.

Reinhart stumbled on a desolate plain.

His body was covered in dried bloodstains and his clothes were in tatters. Despite that, he had no intention of finding a place to shelter himself from the cold at night. Instead, he kept walking away, his eyes filled with indescribable terror.

"Damn it, damn it!" Reinhardt's lips trembled as he kept looking behind him. The silhouette of a city was seen far behind him, yet he kept heading in the opposite direction of the city, as if there was something in that city that even he feared…

In his mind, his power was more than enough to crush everything. He had tested the waters in secret when he first acquired that power, and it turned out that his power far exceeded that of regular humans. He was able to easily break steel and summon the omnipresent origin power to destroy buildings.

That's right, origin power was what he called the mysterious energy that was everywhere on Earth. It was just like the origin power found in Star Wars. The mysterious power found on Earth was indeed on par with origin power, and there was no obvious difference.

However, he didn't jump out immediately after gaining power. He had been accumulating power silently for the sake of safety, feeling his body grow stronger as his origin power was modified. It was only when he felt that there was nothing in the world that could stop him that he began to attack, destroying Buckingham Palace of the royal family, killing that old woman, and attacking the Prime Minister's Palace.

However, just when everything was going according to plan, the boss of Stellar Technology suddenly appeared. He learned of his identity from the prime minister and that stupid old man even threatened him, claiming that the Stellar Foundation was specifically responsible for dealing with criminals with superpowers like him.

But at the time, Reinhardt didn't care at all. It wasn't like he was some kind of online novel, so how could there be such a mysterious organization hiding behind the scenes in real life? It was just a pity that the truth had given him a tight slap.

A gust of north wind blew and the dried grass on the plains began to rustle. The moment Reinhardt heard that sound, all the hairs on his body stood on end. He didn't dare to think anymore and just ran as fast as he could.

"Dimensional Star, where the hell is this place?" Reinhart sounded like he was about to cry. "I'm going to the world of the 'Matrix', not this damned world!"

However, there was no reaction from the Dimensional Star at all. It remained completely silent.

Reinhart felt himself falling into despair. He had been severely injured in the battle with Zhang Heng to begin with, and when he arrived at that plane, he realized that it was not the plane that he had been training in before, but a world where there was no sign of humans and all humans had disappeared.

It would have been one thing if all the humans on the seats were dead, but after checking countless houses, Reinhardt found that not only were there no living humans in the entire city, there were no dead bodies either! There were only dusty plates on the table in the room, as well as breakfast that had long rotted away.

It was as if all the humans in the world had disappeared overnight…

It would have been one thing if that was all there was to it, but Reinhardt's sensitive instincts told him that something that he couldn't quite put his finger on seemed to have latched onto him after he arrived in the city.

Yes, it was him! While Reinhardt didn't see anything from the beginning to the end, his premonition kept reminding him to run away and never come back.

That deep sense of despair continued to surround Reinhardt as he ran, wanting to shake off that unknown terror. However, no matter how far he ran, that feeling continued to hit him and as time passed, that feeling continued to grow stronger.

"Brother, how could you be so careless?"

Just when Reinhart was about to give up all hope, a voice was heard in his mind all of a sudden. Reinhart was overjoyed instead of being shocked and shouted without hesitation, "Arthasaka, help me!"

"Why? Why would I want to help my brother?" The voice was followed by the image of a two-dimensional girl who looked completely unfazed, as if nothing could ever leave a shadow in her heart.

"Damn it, Arthasca, help me, please!" Reinhardt shouted as he ran. He felt as if there were countless arms grabbing at him from behind and an indescribable chill shrouded his entire back. He turned his head around with difficulty, but he still saw nothing.

"Alright, if that's what you want, then please help me out, brother." The 2D girl lowered her head slowly and her voice was as calm as a still well. Even when she asked, her tone sounded like she was narrating something. "But, brother, believe me. According to the karmic prediction mechanism, your fate is sealed. Even if I were to help you now, your fate would have been sealed long ago…"

"Damn your fate!" Reinhart's face was ashen. "Help me, now!"

"Understood." Arthas closed his eyes and turned around to face Reinhardt. "Stupid brother, take care of yourself…"

Reinhart felt something clinging to him from behind as soon as he heard that last line. It was as if he had seen something even more terrifying at that very moment. The thing shrieked and retreated like a tidal wave before he felt slightly relieved. He fell to the ground with a thud and began panting heavily without a care for his image.

"Ha! That damned Dimensional Star, that damned Chairman of Stellar Technology!" Reinhart shouted at the sky, seemingly wanting to vent all of his frustration. He cursed for several minutes before venting all of his pent-up frustration.

"What the hell? The 'Matrix' plane doesn't have any energy that my body could absorb, and this plane doesn't have any?" Reinhart shook his head and chuckled coldly. "But that's alright. I've stored quite a bit of that energy in my body. It's more than enough for me to recover from my injuries."

He then sensed for a bit and mumbled to himself, "There's still about 30 hours before the cooling down period of the Dimensional Star begins. That should be enough… I'm afraid that the boss of Stellar Technology wouldn't have guessed that not only would I be able to traverse planes, but I'd also be able to return, right? Haha, hahahaha!" Reinhart laughed maniacally as a sinister glint flashed in his eyes. "What the hell kind of fate is this? I don't believe in such things! I'll definitely keep a low profile when I get back. I'll kill my way to the headquarters of Stellar Technology after I've completely surpassed that guy. I'll kill that yellow-skinned monkey and take away his company. Then, I'll be able to stand at the top of the world and lead humanity to resist that curse!"

"Chairman of Stellar Technology, just you wait!"

Reinhart shouted and began to mobilize the energy in his body to heal his severely injured body.

The sun rose and set before rising again. When 36 hours were up, Reinhardt finally opened his eyes and felt that his body had been fully recovered. The flames of revenge flickered in his eyes.

"Time's up, brother. Ready to return to reality?" That young girl appeared again at that moment and asked in a calm tone.

However, Reinhardt hesitated for a bit and asked, "If we were to return now, would the chairperson of the Dimensional Star still be here?"

"Sorry, no comment," the 2D girl said coldly. "The protection period provided by the Dimensional Star is over. If you're still not coming back, you'll have to face all the dangers in the world yourself."

"No, you can't do that!" Reinhardt's pupils contracted and he looked around subconsciously. Despite it being daytime, he still felt a chill running down his spine when he heard that the protection was gone. He shuddered and gritted his teeth and shouted, "I don't want to stay in this damned plane for even a second longer. Return, immediately!"

503. Jedi Vs. Magnetic King

The entire city of London had been under curfew since the terrorist attacks in the UK the day before.

The residents who had been dismissed stood several kilometers away from the martial law field, looking at their devastated homes in the distance. Grief was written all over their faces.

The government's explanation was that the terrorists had left a time bomb in that area, which meant that no one was allowed to enter that area for the time being. However, there were still some people who were observant enough to pick up clues from what happened the other day, as if everything that happened in that area was not as simple as a terrorist attack.

"36 hours have passed and he still hasn't shown up." A man wearing a hood and a red leather suit stood in the ruins with his arms crossed and said casually.

A middle-aged man wearing a black and red cape and a purplish-red helmet stood beside him. The man in the helmet shook his head and said, "Calm down, Alex. Didn't you hear Zhang? He'll appear in 36 hours at the very least. The word 'at the very least' means that he might appear in 37 hours or even 40 hours. That time isn't absolute."

"Alright, but I've always believed that a mere mortal isn't worth my time, even if he were to become an evolved human," Alex said proudly. "Ants are still ants, and they'll never become huge beasts."

"Aren't you just going to insult both Zhang and me with what you just said?" The Magnetic King, who had long changed his appearance, rolled his eyes. "I wonder if you'd dare to say something like that in front of Zhang?"

"…Zhang isn't a mortal," Alex added after a brief silence.

A petite figure appeared on the ground in front of the door of the Prime Minister's residence while the two of them were making nonsensical remarks. The figure had a head full of golden hair and was not considered to be very muscular among the British. Instead, he looked rather skinny and frail. The moment he appeared, he immediately attempted to escape.

However, the Magnetic King and Alex, who had been waiting nearby for quite some time, were able to spot each other right away. They looked at each other for a bit, and both of them seemed to be very interested in each other. Alex then asked, "Who's going first?"

"I'll do it. Just hold the line for me." The Magnetic King stretched his neck for a bit and dozens of steel balls appeared around him in the very next second. The steel balls spun around him at blinding speeds like asteroids. The Magnetic King stomped on the ground and one of the steel balls detached itself from its orbit, turning into a flat disc that flew to the feet of the Magnetic King and carried him into the air.

Reinhart, who had just returned to reality, seemed to have sensed something. He turned around all of a sudden and saw the Magnetic King slowly approaching. Reinhart was stunned when he saw the figure of the Magnetic King. He opened his mouth and rubbed his eyes as if he had seen a ghost before exclaiming, "Magnetic King?"

"Seems like I'm quite famous in this world after all." The Magnetic King chuckled and raised his arm before the man realized what was happening. The tens of steel balls seemed to have gained some kind of indescribable power in the very next second, bursting through the sound barrier and headed straight for Reinhart, howling like ghosts and howling like wolves.

"D * mn it, did I just go back to the wrong plane again?" Reinhardt's pupils contracted, but the steel balls were so fast that they appeared right in front of Reinhardt in the blink of an eye. Just when they were about to pierce through the latter's body, a tinge of viciousness finally flashed in Reinhardt's eyes. He shouted and the demon in the air was triggered, forming a hemispherical protective cover.

Countless steel balls rained down on the barrier of Reinhardt at the very next second, making a deafening noise like a cannonball exploding.

The Magnetic King's expression changed drastically at the sight before him. The steel balls that he had shot out were powerful enough to penetrate the armor of a tank, yet he felt as if those steel balls had hit a hard steel plate instead. He was unable to even shake the barrier, let alone break through the barrier.

"I didn't know you were so weak!" Reinhardt was overjoyed instead of feeling shocked after sensing the attack power of the Magnetic King. He laughed out loud and reached out to grab at the air. A long sword that was completely formed by the demon was instantly in his hand.

The Magnetic King's expression became very serious. He looked around and found that over a thousand cloned warriors had surrounded the place. All of them had been injected with the same cells as he had done with the demon. Their abilities could be described as terrifying. The Magnetic King felt at ease knowing that there were more cloned warriors around. He didn't retreat and instead advanced. He slowly raised his hand and all the metal within a kilometer began to vibrate.

He then faced his target on the ground and clenched his fist at lightning speed.

Whoosh!

The moment he clenched his fist, millions of tons of metal in the ruins began to converge at an indescribable rate. It was as if Reinhart had suddenly turned into an extremely powerful magnet. Countless pieces of steel in the surroundings were triggered, charging at Reinhart at a high velocity.

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

The sound of countless steel collisions was heard. Reinhart's body was immediately covered by countless steel beams as he rose into the air and became a metal sphere with a diameter of over 100 meters.

That indescribable force alone would have crushed anyone from the planet of Borsetan, let alone a single person.

The Magnetic King was omnipotent where metal existed.

However, the Magnetic King didn't stop at that moment. Instead, he clenched his fist even harder. At the same time, that huge sphere with a diameter of over a hundred meters began to contract rapidly. The jarring sound of steel screeching was heard continuously as that metal sphere completely condensed together and began to converge in a denser direction.

However, the Magnetic King's expression changed all of a sudden before the sphere collapsed. He saw the entire sphere quickly turn red, turning from its original metallic color to a deep red in an instant, as if the heat at the center of the sphere had been detonated. The sphere continued to heat up, turning from deep red to light red before finally turning into a blinding bright yellow.

The metal sphere was heated to a liquid state.

At the same time, a blinding green light shot out from the gaps between the liquid metal spheres. In the very next second, Reinhardt charged out with a frightened look on his face. His entire body was shrouded in a faint green barrier and he glared at the Magnetic King as soon as he got out of the barrier. He stomped on the ground at the same time and charged at the Magnetic King like a green blur.

Despite having received the injection of Genova's cells, the Magnetic King was still a spellcaster, after all, and could at most be considered a relatively tanky spellcaster. The Magnetic King retreated without a second thought after being attacked by the melee hero, but no matter how fast he was, he was still no match for the master-class Jedi.

Just when Reinhart was about to strike the Magneto's head with his sword, a red silhouette appeared before Reinhart all of a sudden and punched him hard on the cheek with a thunderous force.

Boom!

504. Beating Up

Boom!

Reinhardt howled like a pig being butchered and his body was sent flying at an extremely fast speed. A long snake that was quickly plowed through the ground was seen flying with a loud crack and dust flew everywhere.

He managed to land a hit, but Alex was stunned for a bit. He raised his fist and frowned as he felt the impact from before.

"That kid is very weird." The Magnetic King took a step forward and reminded him in a low voice, "A layer of protection could be created around his body, making him extremely tough. No matter how fast your attacks are, that layer of protection would be able to block them all."

"Hmph, I'd like to see just who's faster, him or me." Alex's desire to do battle was triggered by those words. He chuckled coldly and swung his right arm, which transformed his entire arm into a huge blade as he began to run.

Shua!

In the very next second, Alex's body transformed into a huge shockwave that caused the air to rumble as if it was being torn apart. At the same time, Alex disappeared from the field of vision of the Magnetic King, leaving only a white mist-like shockwave in the ruins.

The Magnetic King's pupils contracted drastically. This was the first time he had seen Alex unleash his full power, and he knew that such speed was not something that he could withstand. If he had been able to unleash such power the first time he saw Alex, he would have been dead by now.

Reinhardt spat out a mouthful of dirt after being sent flying by Alex's punch and struggled to his feet. However, before he was able to steady himself, he suddenly felt a sense of extreme danger looming over him. He quickly manipulated his magic to materialize next to the barrier and a red figure crashed into the barrier almost at the exact same moment that the barrier was formed. Reinhardt was knocked into the air before he was able to steady himself.

Rising Dragon Fist!

"What the hell? Who's attacking me?"

Reinhardt could feel the power coming from outside the barrier. If it hadn't been for his ability to manipulate demonic power, he probably wouldn't have been able to take a single punch from the other party. That wasn't the power of someone of the same level, it was the difference between an ant and an elephant.

That thought had only just crossed his mind when he suddenly felt a numbness on the top of his head in the very next second. He quickly deployed more demons. That red figure appeared right above him right after he was done deploying. He could vaguely see that figure raising its right leg high into the air, which looked like a cannonball with enough force to set the air on fire as it swung down hard.

Fatal pain!

Dong!

Reinhart seemed to have turned into a bomb as he plummeted from the sky, causing a huge explosion to take place on the ruined ground.

* Whoosh! * Alex didn't stop there. He paused for a bit in midair and raised his right arm, which had turned into a sharp blade, before swinging it at the spot where Reinhardt fell like a shooting star.

Charged Blade—Sword Slash!

Rumble!

The smoke and dust kicked up by the explosion didn't have enough time to explode before it was suppressed by the wind pressure generated by Alex's descent. The resulting shockwave was released with even greater force than before, and it felt as if a nuclear bomb had exploded within a radius of over a kilometer. The shockwave from the explosion spread out in a radius of over a kilometer.

Reinhart was unable to evade at all. He heard a crisp crack from the barrier before him and several cracks appeared on it. At the same time, an indescribable vibration was felt and blood seeped out of his facial features. All he had time to do was to scream and simply stopped fighting back. He gathered all the demons that he could muster and repaired the barrier. The barrier was instantly restored and the barrier seemed to have become even sturdier.

A hint of surprise appeared in Alex's eyes after the attack was completed. He was surprised to find that the barrier was still firmly protecting his opponent, making it look like a turtle shell that he was unable to break no matter how hard he tried.

The dust gradually settled, and Reinhardt coughed up a mouthful of blood. He looked at Alex, who was standing helplessly outside the barrier, and laughed maniacally. "So? Keep fighting. I'd like to see what you can do to me."

"Useless piece of trash." Alex chuckled coldly. "You have such tremendous power, yet your combat techniques are utterly useless. You've wasted your power for nothing!"

"You!" Reinhardt flew into a rage right away, but he seemed to have recalled something and his expression turned gleeful again. "You're trying to goad me, aren't you? That's just how I am. What can you do to me? Don't even think about defeating me, hahahaha!"

"Ignorant fool!" Alex shook his head and chuckled coldly. "If that's the case, then it looks like I'll need to use 100 percent of my power. You may not know this, but I've only been using 50 percent of my power."

"What?" Reinhardt's pupils contracted. He was just about to say something when Alex's arms suddenly shifted, as if they were plated with a layer of iron, which then turned blackish-grey and expanded at a visible rate.

Alex leaped into the air again in the very next second, raising both arms and throwing another devastating punch at Reinhart's location.

"Arrgghhhh!" Reinhardt shrieked, but his entire body was embedded in the crater, making it impossible for him to get up and run away. All he could do was to watch as the pair of hammers got closer, heading straight for him with a deafening screech.

High altitude hammer—Gravitational Boost.

The Magnetic King, who was far away, felt an indescribable shockwave assaulting him. He quickly deployed his magnetic field protection ring to protect himself. At the same time, the force that felt like the eruption of a nuclear bomb of 100,000 tons came crashing down and the center of the battlefield that the two of them were in was drowned by a blinding light.

The shockwave blew past and the shockwave spread all the way out of the sealed area of London. The streets of London that were several kilometers away were about to be affected as well.

Oh no!

The Magnetic King's expression changed drastically and he waved his arms frantically. Large amounts of steel and metal were immediately uprooted from the rubble and turned into steel walls that stood firmly over a kilometer away, forming a solid defense ring that blocked all the shockwaves.

"Pfft!"

The Magnetic King vomited a mouthful of blood began to gush out of his nose. He only dropped to his knees while panting after the shockwave gradually dissipated.

It was not the first time that the Magnetic King was seeing something like that. His control over steel was far from limitless. He had experienced mental breakdowns due to over-control when he was fighting powerful enemies many times.

A huge crater with a diameter of over a kilometer and a depth of tens of meters was seen on the battlefield where Alex and Reinhart were at the moment. In the center of the crater, Reinhart vomited yet another few mouthfuls of blood. His brain and internal organs were severely shaken, and the barrier before him was filled with cracks, as if it would shatter at any moment. However, the cracks continued to mend themselves and returned to normal in just a few seconds, as if all of his previous attacks had been rendered useless.

Alex panted heavily as he looked at the barrier before him with an expression of utter disbelief, as if he had just seen a ghost. "Impossible!"

"Keep smashing if you've got what it takes…" Reinhardt laughed as he vomited blood. "I can feel that you have the ability to absorb origin power as well, but your application of origin power is too crude and you're only able to absorb it into your body as energy. But it's different for me. I'm able to turn the origin power in the air into my own, turning it into a weapon to attack my enemies, turning it into a barrier to protect myself, and there are countless other applications as well. You idiot, you're the one who's trash, hahahaha!"

Reinhardt chuckled maniacally and climbed to his feet. He looked at the helpless Alex with a proud look in his eyes, but at that moment, he seemed to have seen a familiar figure slowly emerge from the dust behind Alex.

"That's right. The thing that you call 'origin power' does indeed have a very malleable property. The energy contained in it is hundreds of times that of nuclear fusion. Be it in terms of offense or defense, it would be very effective."

A hoarse voice was heard slowly as that figure appeared. "However, the origin power you speak of isn't truly omnipotent. There are also unparalleled flaws about him. For example, in a plane without origin power, your power would be like a popped balloon, completely knocked back to its original state and losing 90 percent of its power."

"What?!" Reinhardt's expression changed drastically. Being able to traverse planes was the deepest secret of his, yet someone was able to see right through it with just a single sentence. All of a sudden, he felt as if he was being stripped naked.

Reinhardt glared at that figure and said in a threatening manner, "What the hell? How do you know about other planes? Who are you?"

"Heh, you've forgotten how I taught you a lesson just a while ago?" A hoarse, cold laugh was heard and Zhang Heng's slender figure slowly walked out of the smoke and dust. Reinhardt's pupils contracted when he saw Zhang Heng and he let out a blood-curdling scream before fleeing into the distance without a second thought.

505. Killing And System Upgrade

"It's you!" Reinhardt paid no heed to the injuries on his body and fled into the distance. He unleashed all of his potential in the face of a life and death crisis. A huge sonic boom exploded behind him and his speed was doubled.

"You think you can run?" Zhang Heng chuckled and stomped lightly on the ground, which somehow didn't cause any airflow. He appeared right in front of Reinhart as if he had teleported.

"Arrgghhhh!" Reinhardt howled in pain and countless other sources of energy were triggered by him, causing him to charge recklessly at Zhang Heng.

However, Zhang Heng didn't bother evading at all. The slit between his eyebrows opened up quickly and a blinding beam of light shot out from his forehead. The very next second, the air seemed to have exploded and Reinhardt was sent flying back by the massive force before he could even make a sound. The barrier before him cracked again with a crack.

Zhang Heng took a step forward when Reinhart was sent flying yet again. His body blurred for a bit and he appeared before Reinhart when he was able to regain his clarity. He exerted force from his waist and twisted his wrist at the same time when he threw his fist, making his fist spin like a loaded bullet.

Boom, boom, boom!

He threw three punches in a row and every punch landed on the crack. The light on his glabella flickered yet again, lighting up like a miniature sun.

Zhang Heng might not be as powerful as Alex himself, but even someone like Safiros wouldn't be able to withstand his mental power if he were to do so. All Alex saw was that the spot where the two of them were standing seemed to have been hit by some kind of cloud bomb, as the blinding light turned into a mushroom cloud.

Everything within several square kilometers was hit by a devastating shockwave in the very next second. All the debris, buildings, and everything else was swept away by the devastating shockwave.

Crack!

Something seemed to have split open amidst the deafening roar.

Reinhardt's body was like a shooting star as he shot out from the center of the explosion. His body was sent flying for several kilometers before crashing into a tall building far away. He crashed through countless floors on his way and was eventually embedded in an ordinary residential building.

There was still shock and horror in Reinhart's eyes and his body felt numb. He lowered his head in a dazed manner and was shocked to find that his body had been torn into countless pieces at some point in time. Both his arms and legs were gone and his intestines and organs were scattered all over the ground. All that was left of him was a crimson heart that was beating weakly outside his body.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

Reinhardt let out a blood-curdling scream and twisted his body frantically. However, to his dismay, he found that his vitality was being depleted non-stop. While his vitality was boosted due to the boost provided by Mana energy, there was simply no way he could survive such injuries.

"Don't kill me! I'm willing to do anything you tell me to. Don't kill me!"

Reinhart was utterly devastated. He rolled about on the ground, wailing and begging like a human stick. His mind was plunged into irrepressible fear.

Zhang Heng walked into the room slowly and looked coldly at Reinhardt, who was wailing non-stop. He slowly bent down and held onto that beating heart of his.

"Don't kill me, please!" Reinhart was weeping like a child. "Please save me with your semi-automatic surgical equipment, please! I could be your servant!"

"It's too late," Zhang Heng said casually and pulled. The sound of a rubber band snapping was heard and Reinhardt's heart was ripped out.

"Arrgghhhh!" Reinhardt was so furious that he felt like he was about to die right there and then. He should have died right there and then, but the transformation of his body made it very difficult for him to die. He kept yelling, "Help me, please! Give me back my heart!"

However, Zhang Heng simply shot him a cold look and crushed his heart with a vicious squeeze.

Zhang Heng pulled out a bayonet and plunged it into Reinhart's head after he was done.

"Urgh…" Reinhardt's anguished wail came to an abrupt halt as his eyes bulged out of their sockets. A tinge of yearning for life flashed in his eyes before his expression gradually darkened…

Despite having gained unparalleled power, enabling Reinhardt to completely surpass humanity, he was still just a regular human being in essence. He had no training or trials, nor did he have the heart of a powerhouse that was compatible with power. In Zhang Heng's eyes, he was just a baby holding a superweapon.

Zhang Heng turned around and left the room after seeing the twitching blond man. He then looked up at the sky, which looked rather grey. He lit a cigarette with baffling thoughts before flicking the cigarette butt at Reinhardt, who was on his deathbed.

Intense flames were ignited as his mental power was triggered, completely submerging the genius who was killed by Zhang Heng before he was able to rise to power.

It was raining…

Drops of raindrops the size of beans rained down. It was as if the heavens were mourning this peerless genius, wanting to use their tears to put out that merciless fire…

Alex walked up to Zhang Heng and looked at the ball of flames behind him with a complicated expression. "I never thought that a mere mortal would be able to wield such power. Did he really manage to wield such power within a month?"

"There's no need to be jealous. There are always geniuses in this world." Zhang Heng looked into the distance with a blank look on his face. "It's a pity that neither you nor I are those kinds of geniuses. Our powers could only be acquired through countless efforts and sacrifices. Every step we took was a trial of blood and fire. But it was precisely because of that that we learned how to use our powers, how to face difficulties, and how to take responsibility."

"Let's go back." Zhang Heng sighed to himself. It was hard to tell if it was a pity for the young man's talent or the loss of his life. "Get ready. The next plane mission is about to begin. Let's go and see a new future with me."

He took the lead and walked ahead as he said that. However, he stopped after taking two steps.

"Warning: Host has been denied access to other hosts. Dimensional Star access upgraded…"

"Neurons are being tested. Neurons are connected."

"Begin scanning of brain environment. Brain environment normal."

"Prompt: New AI support program detected. Host support program personality detected dead. Would you like to initiate a new AI support program?"

Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes as a stream of messages kept flashing in his mind. The messages didn't appear in the form of text or voice, but some kind of consciousness signal. However, Zhang Heng was able to easily understand the signals, as if someone was speaking to him.

In other words, he would be able to take away the host's access rights after killing the host who was ranked first on the Primary Star.

Zhang Heng looked like he was deep in thought. He thought for a bit and eventually nodded and said, "Confirm. Begin AI support program."

"AI support program initiated. Please wait…"

The Dimensional Star replied right away and fell into dead silence.

Zhang Heng took one last look at Reinhardt, who was still burning, before taking Alex back on a C-class battleship and flying into the distance.

506. New Intelligent Support Persona

"Host access progress stacking…"

"Host access progress is now at two-thirds of Grade B, and host access has been stripped to Grade E. The host's new access has been upgraded to Grade A."

"Prompt: Host has entered Grade A access. Access upgraded."

"Access Upgrade! Current Access: [A] class."

"Access Upgrade: Dimensional Star Transportation Cooldown reduced to three hours."

"Access Upgrade: Research System Upgrade. According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, Access Upgrade Host to Research and Development. Support Host to Research and Technology."

"Access Upgrade: Access System Upgrade. Current Grade A Access Upgrade. Access to space-time transformation with an object with a volume of 10,000 cubic meters. Weight unlimited. Access to space-time transformation with a volume of 10,000 living beings. Weight unlimited."

"System prompt: Host has discovered one AI support system. Name: Arthasga. Gender: Female. Age: One month. Virtual personality: Neutral Kindness."

"System prompt: Host has been granted a penalty exemption right! Host may use it when you fail a mission. Host may return to reality immediately after using it and will not be punished."

"System prompt: Host has discovered a new exploration plane—The Matrix. Host may enter the designated plane at any time without taking into account the mission."

Zhang Heng was half-lying in the battleship's resting chamber when he heard the system prompts ringing in his mind. He couldn't help but rub his buzzing head and stood up, lighting a cigarette as he listened to the system prompts and looked outside the French window.

The resting rooms in the battleship were filled with futuristic sci-fi styles. Due to the need for weight reduction, the furnishings in the resting rooms were very simplistic. Basically, they were all made of a new type of polymer plastic. For example, the seats that were used during the break were made entirely from a curved surface with a Z-shaped bottom at the bottom. The bottom of the seats rose upwards in a curve, forming a structure that fit the mechanics of the human body. The seats looked very sci-fi.

"So, the other party only went through one trial mission after all." The prompts at the end gradually faded away and Zhang Heng came to a realization. While he had gotten rid of that unlucky host of his, the greatest reward he gained other than being able to level up was a one-time exemption from punishment.

As for the seats in the Matrix, there were actually quite a number of good stuff there, such as virtual space technology similar to Corona's. Furthermore, it was a super virtual reality that could enable billions of people to line up at the same time—Matrix, which meant matrix when translated.

However, it was obvious that the function of Matrix was the same as that of Corona. Corona's ability to pull people into virtual space without needing any links was clearly more advantageous than that of Matrix. Corona, who had acquired a personality, was even more so when compared to AI. Even the Skynet in Terminator was on par with that of Matrix. As such, the seat of the Matrix was actually of little use to Zhang Heng.

Outside the French window, the clouds in the sky and the scenery on the ground passed by quickly. The battleship had flown into the Pacific Ocean by then, leaving a deep blue in its wake. While the C-shaped battleship was nowhere near as fast as the Falcon mechs in the atmosphere, it was still able to reach Mach 5 or 6, which meant that it was able to move even faster than the current supersonic spaceships.

However, just when he was looking at the scenery outside the window and relaxing his mind, soothing music was heard all of a sudden. It sounded like some kind of wind chime, crisp and ethereal. At the same time, the image of a 2D girl with long black hair in a clean, elegant white dress flickered for a bit before appearing before his eyes.

No, he should be talking about his retina right now.

There was no expression on the girl's face. Her eyes were half-closed and she had a slender build. Her long black hair flowed down her back like a waterfall and reached her ankles. There was also a bunch of unknown flowers on her hair that looked bright red. That flower was actually still withering as she walked.

At that moment, the 2D girl was staring at Zhang Heng with a pair of dull eyes, as if she was looking at a regular stone. It might not have been her intention to do so, but that she was doing so regardless of what she saw.

The virtual personality stared at Zhang Heng silently, and Zhang Heng stared back at her. The 2D girl sighed after quite a while and said softly, "Arthasaka. My name is Arthasaka."

Her voice was ethereal, giving off a vague and mysterious feeling.

"Zhang Heng." Zhang Heng's expression flickered slightly. As expected, the neutral, kind virtual personality was very different from the chaotic, evil Yurianne.

The 2D girl nodded calmly and the two of them fell into a weird silence again.

Several minutes passed before the 2D girl lowered her gaze and said in a low voice, "Brother Zhang Heng, Arthaska would be very pleased to serve you. If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave."

That virtual image then turned around. Before she left, she turned around slowly and reminded him, "I've received all of your data. There are only a handful of Grade A hosts under the Dimensional Star who are able to maintain a 100 percent completion rate, and the super warriors of the first sequence… I look forward to your growth."

Zhang Heng only frowned slightly after she disappeared. As expected, every virtual personality had their own unique personality. Yurianne used to be a playful and outgoing person, and she was even inclined to be evil. The new virtual personality, on the other hand, was quiet and tranquil, as if nothing could ever leave a mark in her heart.

Furthermore, judging from what the other party said at the end, the virtual personality seemed to have the right to access the data of its host at all times. As for how detailed that information was, Zhang Heng had no idea.

But then again, at the very least, he wouldn't have to face that cold female voice that sounded like she was going through menopause anymore, would he?

Zhang Heng smiled and paid no heed to the new virtual personality. Strictly speaking, the fate of the virtual personality was still in the hands of the host. The Dimensional Star would execute the new virtual personality as soon as the host suggested changing the virtual personality to the Dimensional Star. Furthermore, the rules stated that the virtual personality would disappear if the host were to die. As such, the virtual personalities served the host 100 percent.

Furthermore, according to what Zhang Heng knew, the virtual personality was capable of doing things that were outside of the rules of the Dimensional Star, such as giving hints, prompts, or even loopholes when the host was in trouble, and so on. However, the consequence of doing so would be devastating for the virtual personality.

To put it simply, the life of the virtual personality was completely bound to the host at the very moment it was born. It would do both good and bad.

He was considered lucky. If it hadn't been for the fact that Zhang Heng's first virtual personality had been killed by him and that he had killed Reinhart, who also had access to the Dimensional Star, that virtual personality named Arthasja would have probably disappeared along with Reinhart.

507. Night Before The Impact

The British government finally began to clean up their mess after Star Technology was evacuated.

London was a city with a long history. As the political core of London, Downing Street was mostly a retro European-style building. However, all of those buildings with a long history of political and historical significance were completely razed to the ground and lost their former glory.

About 3 percent of the entire city was affected by the battle. While the damage to the city wasn't huge and there weren't many civilians killed due to the timely evacuation, it nonetheless shook the hearts of the people. Everyone in the UK, from top to bottom, was in a state of panic.

That was the third massive terrorist attack that took place among humans after the US 69th and the Japanese island sank. Despite being a terrorist attack, many people refused to believe it.

A video was uploaded to the internet at some point in time. The video was taken from the top of the 'Fragmentary Building', which was located at the highest point in London. One could see the scenery tens of kilometers away from London from here. Two black dots were seen whistling through the air at a speed that surpassed that of sonic booms. Not only that, but one could also see countless pieces of metal soaring into the sky from time to time, converging at a terrifying speed before melting again, emitting the color of miniature suns.

The video became more ridiculous as time went on, as if a bomb had been detonated. Countless flames and smoke billowed into the air, and one could even see a mushroom cloud-shaped ball of fire that would have taken the form of a powerful bomb.

The next scene changed all of a sudden and was shown behind him. He saw a group of people in military uniforms running in his direction and the video ended right there and then. The UP Master pointed out that it wasn't that he didn't want to continue filming, but that he had been stopped by the police. If he hadn't run fast enough, the camera would have been confiscated.

Countless similar videos were uploaded one after another after the video was released. The footage of what happened in London was filmed from all angles. Some nosy people compared the footage and were shocked to discover that all of the videos were real…

However, all of those videos were deleted not long after they were posted on the internet. It was precisely because of that that countless people became even more gossipy. Some said that those were new weapons developed by the United Kingdom, while others said that superheroes were fighting evil forces. There were all kinds of rumors going around.

No matter what, everyone came to a consensus, and that was that something extraordinary seemed to have happened in the human world…

…

Three college students from the University of London, Queen Mary, appeared at the edge of the forest blockade one night. The three of them were two men and one woman. Excitement and anxiety were seen in their innocent eyes and their palms were sweaty.

"Hold on, hold on." The blond-haired young man in the lead hid himself behind a huge tree and watched the commotion outside the woods. He then turned his partner's restless head around and said, "Aaron, be careful. Don't get found out."

"Sure, senior." The black-haired young man named Alan scratched his head shyly. "But, senior Olivier, are there really aliens in the forbidden zone?"

"Of course it's true," the blonde man said in a low voice, excitement flashing in his eyes. "Even if there aren't any aliens, there would definitely be some earth-shattering secret in there. Why else would they lock everything up and deploy tens of thousands of troops to lock everything down, not even allowing reporters to enter?"

"I say, why don't we go back?" At that moment, a round-faced girl with freckles pulled at their sleeves and said with a bitter face, "I'm scared."

"What are you afraid of?" Olivier rolled his eyes. "Jenny, listen up. I guarantee that nothing will happen. Just trust me, okay? I sneaked in alone yesterday. As long as I know when those soldiers are on patrol, I'm not afraid of being caught."

"That's right, Jenny. Chloe from the class next door came in last night. You don't want us to lose to that cocky b * stard, do you?" Aaron added, "Besides, even if we get caught, they're only sending us out. What are you worried about?"

"But…" The girl known as Jenny wanted to say something else, but she was cut off by a low growl from Olivia all of a sudden. "They've changed shifts. Now!" She grabbed Alan and Jenny's hands before either of them could say anything and dragged them towards the barrier.

The three of them moved so quickly that no one was able to detect them under the cover of the night. It was only when the three of them had completely made their way into the barrier set up by the military and turned into the ruins of a building that the three of them began to pant. Olivia took a look outside before suppressing her excitement and bragging to the two of them, "Look, didn't I tell you before? We'll definitely succeed!"

"But how are we going to get out of here?" Jenny asked with a bitter smile. She had followed the two of them into the barrier without giving it much thought in the heat of the moment, but after getting over her excitement, she immediately thought of a way out.

"Don't worry. That's still the way out." Olivier said in a conciliatory manner. "I've figured out when the troops will be changing shifts. As long as you follow me, I guarantee that no one will be able to find you! We are now able to explore this mysterious land without any obstacles."

The three of them laughed and joked for a bit until the moon was high up in the sky. Then, the three of them carefully left the ruins of the building that they were hiding in and headed deeper inside.

The ruins looked like a world after the apocalypse. There were signs of buildings collapsing everywhere, and the deeper they went, the more the buildings shattered. The three people who entered the ruins were filled with wonder and amazement, as if they were discussing something. They took out their cameras and snapped away at the same time. Everything they saw was more shocking than what they saw in Hollywood movies.

"Just what was able to flatten Downing Street?" As time passed, the excitement that the three of them were feeling faded away. They began to look around aimlessly, going into the ruins that had yet to completely collapse from time to time and rummaging through the items that the owners of the houses were unable to move away in time.

"God knows, but it definitely isn't a nuclear bomb, nor is it a cloud bomb or something." Olivier pointed at the ground and continued, "If it were a cloud bomb, the ground would have been glazed over long ago, and there would have been burnt marks all over the place. If it were a nuclear bomb, things would have been even more dire. Most of London would have needed to evacuate its people, but the government didn't do so at all. Furthermore, experts have checked and found no radiation in the air that exceeds standard standards."

"Look, what have I found?" Alan suddenly shouted at that moment, giving the two of them a fright. Both Olivia and Jenny looked over and saw Alan dashing out from the ruins of a nearby building, holding a shiny golden necklace in his hand.

"Damn it! You lucky fool!" Olivier's eyes reddened right away, and he rushed into the ruins without a second thought. The ruins seemed to belong to some rich man's mansion, but most of the parts of the mansion had collapsed, leaving only a small portion intact. Instinctively, he turned his gaze to a pitch-black wooden cabinet in the corner and pulled the drawer open, seeing some priceless accessories.

"We're rich!" Olivier shouted in joy, stuffing all the jewels and gold jewelry into his pockets as if he had gone insane. He even handed some of the jewelry to Jenny, who was behind him, before the three of them began to move about in the ruins like they had gone insane. They would put anything of value into their pockets whenever they found anything, only stopping when their pockets were bulging and they were unable to fit anything else.

It was soon late into the night and the three of them had reached the center of the ruins before they knew it. However, the three of them were completely unaware of it at the moment and wore satisfied smiles on their faces. It was the same for Jenny, who was the most timid of them all. They searched and picked everything up along the way, and eventually, they had no choice but to throw away a lot of things that weighed a lot, leaving only the most precious diamonds and gold. Despite all that, their pockets were still filled to the brim, making them look like rucksacks with a huge harvest.

They had wanted to pack more, but the sharp Olivier eventually stopped them. "You can't bring too many of those things with you, or you won't be able to run anymore. Leave all the gold behind, only the diamonds and the gems. That way, we'll be able to ensure that nothing goes wrong and we won't end up capsizing."

Aaron and Jenny hesitated for a bit, but they were not idiots after all. After weighing the pros and cons, they gritted their teeth and eventually listened to Olivia's suggestion, before reluctantly heading back the way they came.

It was about midnight by then.

Alan scratched his head as he walked past the ruins of a residential building and said sheepishly, "Hold on." He then dashed into the ruins.

"What are you doing?" Jenny asked curiously.

"He's going to shush." Olivier gave Jenny a knowing grin and said, "Wait for me, I'm going in to take care of things."

Then, before the blushing Jenny could answer, Olivia walked into the ruins while laughing.

However, he didn't know if he was seeing things or not, but he felt a strange chill run down his spine as soon as he stepped into the residential area. He shuddered involuntarily and saw Aaron, who had entered the building before, standing before a human-shaped shadow with a dazed look on his face.

508. An Uneasy Feeling

It was a piece of charred ground that had been burnt black. The once expensive wooden flooring was now charred black, about half the size of a grown man. The place looked different from the other places that were in a mess. The place looked like it had been cleaned up and many details seemed to have been erased.

There were dried stains on the wooden flooring, making it look like there was a lot of minced meat on the floor, which was then picked up by someone else, leaving only the tiny scraps that could not be picked up. It was only then that people realized that someone had died tragically there.

"Alan." Olivia clapped Alan on the shoulder and he shuddered. He turned his head slowly, looking frightened. "What do you think this is, senior?"

"Let me take a look." Olivier was feeling rather frightened as well, but for the sake of his pride, he coughed dryly and pointed at the floor. "Look at that biggest stain there. It's obvious that some animal was burnt and moved away. A lot of the grease was burnt out and dripped onto the floor, which is why it looks so greasy and charred."

"There were a lot of smaller pieces of flesh next to it, but it was obvious that none of the pieces were burnt. Someone picked them up on purpose. Why would they say that they were picked up? That's because if they were cleaned specifically, they would have cleaned the place thoroughly without leaving any traces behind." Then, Olivia pointed at the huge hole on the wall and continued, "Also, that animal seemed to have crashed into that wall before it died, creating a huge hole in the wall before falling here."

"There's a huge hole in the wall?" Aaron's eyes widened. "How is that possible?"

"I have my doubts as well. He might not be a human, but some other animal." Olivier analyzed. "Look, if he were a human, there's no way he could have burned so little. Unless his arms and legs were long gone, leaving only his head and body behind…"

Both of them were stunned at that point. The more they analyzed the situation, the more they felt that something was off, as if the entire room was filled with lurking ghosts.

Olivia gulped and wore a bitter grin. "I think we should leave this place first. I keep getting the feeling that there's still a lingering smell of barbequed meat here…"

"I agree!" Alan nodded and the two of them ran out of the room before they could even take their hands off each other.

The two of them breathed a sigh of relief when they were completely out of the eerie room. Jenny, who was waiting outside the door, asked curiously after seeing their reactions, "What happened to you guys? Are there dead bodies or something scary in there?"

"N-Nothing." Alan blushed and shook his head right away. "I-I just…"

"It's just that there was a dead dog in that house, and it didn't smell very good," Olivier quickly added, before brushing off the two of them.

At that moment, Olivier was no longer in the mood to continue exploring. He took the lead and walked ahead. He turned around and said to the two of them as he walked, "It's three in the morning now. Although there are no classes tomorrow, we'd better get back to school as soon as possible, just to be safe. If we were to wait until morning to break into the barrier, things would get very dangerous…"

Olivier turned around as he spoke, but he suddenly stopped before he was able to finish his sentence. The two people walking behind him turned to look at Olivier, only to see him staring at something behind them. They wondered if they were seeing things, but his face looked frighteningly pale under the moonlight.

"Senior, you…" Aaron and Jenny turned their heads as well, but there was nothing else worth paying attention to other than the room they were in.

"It's nothing. I was seeing things just now." Olivier hurriedly turned around, picking up speed as he walked forward.

…

The three of them took advantage of the night to return to school. Aaron ran back to the dormitory building with excitement written all over his face after bidding farewell to Jenny at the door of the dormitory. However, he didn't notice that Olivia was practically silent throughout the entire journey. It was only when they reached the door of the dormitory that Aaron waved at her and walked into his room excitedly.

Looking at Aaron who was behaving like a happy little deer, Olivia's expression was very ugly. She opened her bedroom door without saying anything and checked her phone at the same time. It was only 6 in the morning and there was still some time before dawn.

Olivier and Alan's family could only be considered middle-class, and as such, they didn't choose to live in the expensive single-bedroom apartment in the school. Instead, they chose to live in a kind of room called En-Suite-Room, just like regular people. That kind of room was known as a suite, and every single resident had their own room, which was usually combined with four rooms. There was a public door outside the room, and many people shared the living room, kitchen, and so on.

Olivia was in no hurry to return to her room after returning to her room. Instead, she went to the bathroom and turned on the stainless steel tap, causing the clean tap water to gush out immediately.

Olivia washed her face in front of the tap, feeling relieved after washing away the exhaustion from staying up all night. She slowly looked up at herself in the mirror.

The face of Olivier in the mirror was ashen, and his eyes were bloodshot, as if he had stayed up all night and caused all of that. Looking at himself in that state, Olivier couldn't help but smile bitterly. He dared to swear that he would never go to that damned ruin again.

When he first walked out of that eerie room, he turned around and took a casual glance at her. However, that single glance sent a chill down his spine.

He saw a woman.

There was a woman in a white dress who looked as white as a piece of paper. That woman had long, black hair that fell messily over her face, making it difficult for anyone to make out her features. However, it was that image that made all of the hairs on Olivier's body stand on end. An indescribable chill ran down his spine, making him almost scream.

He wasn't sure if what he saw earlier was an illusion or… real.

Shaking his head, Olivier pushed that unrealistic thought out of his mind and headed back to his room. However, in his eyes, that familiar room seemed to have lost all signs of human habitation and was filled with a cold, eerie feeling. It was only when he returned to his room and turned on all the lights on the door that he felt somewhat better.

"Phew, maybe I'm just too excited…" Olivier shook his head and dug out all the gems in his pocket. The gems glittered under the lights in a mesmerizing manner. It was only then that he wore a relieved smile on his face. He silently pulled open the drawer and put all the gems inside before locking it. That was the reward he deserved for the entire night.

After doing all of that, Olivia lay down on the bed, feeling rather exhausted, before falling asleep in satisfaction.

Olivia had a dream.

He seemed to have felt something reaching for his head from the side of the bed in his dream. His face felt numb and itchy, as if a woman's hair had brushed past his face. However, when he tried to open his eyes, he found that his eyelids were very heavy and he was unable to wake up completely no matter what.

It felt like a ghost was crushing his bed…

Olivier felt that something was off. He kept trying to move his body in his half-asleep state, and he finally opened his eyes when that feeling gradually subsided. It was only then that he realized that the hot sunlight was already seeping in through the treetops.

The design of the room suited the angle of the light. His bed was placed right where the sun could reach. The warmth of the sun would always shine on him at the first sign of daylight. However, something was off today. He felt that his body was very cold, as if there had been no sunlight shining on him before, and it was only when he woke up completely that the sunlight shone on him.

"Phew…" Olivier scratched his head and slowly sat up. However, the moment he sat up, he seemed to see something curled up by his bed out of the corner of his eye. He looked over subconsciously, yet he saw nothing.

"Seems like I'm really too tired." Olivier consoled himself as he put on his slippers and walked out of the room, yawning. All the other students in the dorm had woken up long ago and were making breakfast in the kitchen alone while the other three were sitting on the couch in the living room, chatting excitedly. The television in the living room was playing advertisements specifically designed for college dormitories. The Catholic pope wore a safety helmet and held his chin with a serious look on his face. At the same time, a narrator said in a steady voice,

"11th Discipline of the Catholic Church: You must wear a condom!"

Olivia took one look at the door and paid no further attention to it. She went straight to the kitchen door and knocked on it lightly. She then opened the door a little and stuck her head in. "How was it? Is Chef Chloe's breakfast ready?"

"Olivia, what breakfast? It's lunch time now, okay?" Chloe, who was in the same room as her, coughed non-stop, as if she had been blinded by the chili. "I've been calling you for breakfast for quite a while and you haven't come out of your room. Tell me, where were you last night? Did you go out to fool around with Jenny from the next class?"

Olivia flashed a grin that any man would understand. "You think I'd tell you?"

"Damn it!" Chloe extended her hand and put the back of her hand in a V-shape. "You crazy monster!"

The two of them laughed and joked for a bit before Olivia walked out of the kitchen and went to Alan's room next door. She knocked on the door politely.

Footsteps were heard from inside the door before it creaked open. A black-haired young man who looked somewhat like Alan said, "It's senior Olivier. Are you here for Alan?"

"Yes. Is your brother here?" Olivia pushed the door open and walked in casually, before slumping down on the couch. She knew that young man. He was the twin brother of Alan named Evie, who was born about 10 minutes after Alan. Both of them were students with excellent results and eventually enrolled in the University of London, Queen Mary.

"I don't know if he's around." The black-haired young man, Evie, shrugged and said casually, "There was no response when I knocked on his door at breakfast. I called him, but no one picked up. Maybe he went out early in the morning."

Olivia was stunned and, for some reason, felt flustered all of a sudden. She stood up immediately and went to Aaron's door, knocking hard on it.

Knock, knock, knock…

There was no response from inside.

"Let's see. That's true." Evie said helplessly from behind. "My brother has always been like that. I'm used to it."

"Something's not right!" Olivier's expression became serious right away. He quickly took out a meal card from his pocket and swiped at the crack. The locked door opened with a click.

"Cool!" Evie whistled from behind and clapped Olivia on the shoulder. "Hey, dude, how about you teach me that later?" She stuck her hand into his head and looked as if she was right. "I told you, he's not home."

A grave look was seen in Olivier's eyes as he slowly walked into the room. All he saw was the messy state of Aaron's bed. The curtains were drawn tightly and only a little light seeped in, making the room look rather dark.

He didn't know if it was just his imagination, but he felt an abnormal chill in that room. He backed out of the room instinctively and picked up his phone to call Allen, feeling rather indignant.

"Beep…"

A busy tone was heard from the other end of the phone, but the familiar sound of a bell was heard from Alan's room before the busy tone ended. Both of them turned around and found that the sound came from under the bed.

Even the loud and boisterous Evie felt that something was off by then. He walked into the room by instinct and pulled up the bedsheets a little, only to find a blackberry phone on the floor, ringing non-stop and vibrating at the same time. The silence between the two of them was eerie.

"What's going on? Where's my brother?" Evie picked up the phone from the floor, only to see a flash under the bed. He instinctively bent down and reached for the bottom of the bed, retracting his hand as soon as he touched something hard. It was only then that the two of them saw that it was a woman's ring, with a huge diamond embedded on it. The diamond was four to five carats long.

The unease in Olivier's heart grew even stronger after seeing the ring. He narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath before saying, "I remember that your brother doesn't seem to have the habit of not bringing his phone with him when he goes out."

"Yes," Evie said gravely. "And this ring. I can assure you that it's not my brother's."

Olivier didn't answer. It was obvious that the ring was the accessory that the three of them had looted from the ruins the night before. However, there was no need for him to elaborate on such matters. He pondered for a moment and seemed to have thought of something. His expression suddenly changed as he picked up his phone and called Jenny.

However, the call was picked up very quickly this time. Jenny's voice was heard from the other end of the phone slowly, as if she was still half-asleep. Her voice sounded rather dull. "Hello, is this senior?"

"It's me." Olivier let out a sigh of relief. He took a look at Evie, who was still loitering about in Allen's dorm, and lowered his voice. "Jenny, are you still sleeping?"

"Yeah, we didn't get home until six in the morning last night, so we definitely need to sleep for a bit longer. We don't have any classes today anyway," Jenny said matter-of-factly. "Is there a problem, Senior Olivia?"

Olivia opened her mouth, but she didn't know where to begin. In the end, she simply sighed and said in a low voice, "It's nothing. I just found out that Aaron was missing. I asked if he was with you."

"No, I haven't seen Aaron since we got back to the dorm." Jenny shook her head and said, "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll go back to sleep. Sleep is very important to girls."

"No problem. Have a good dream." Olivier smiled bitterly and was about to hang up when Jenny's surprised voice was heard from the other end of the phone. "Hey, what's that sound over there? Hello?"

"What's wrong?" Olivier was stunned for a bit, but he didn't know if it was due to the poor reception or some other reason, but he heard Jenny's "Hello? Hello?" from the other end of the phone. No matter what Olivier said, he couldn't hear anything from the other end.

Olivia had no choice but to hang up the phone and shake her head. She turned around and told Evie that if she were to see Aaron return, she had to inform her first before she headed back to her room.

509. A Weird Night

Olivia waited for an entire morning and didn't hear from Aaron. She waited until two or three in the afternoon when the sound of sirens was heard from afar before it stopped at the bottom of the building where she was staying.

Olivia's dormitory had five floors, with four rooms on each floor. There were four student rooms in each room, with the exception of the common living room and bathroom.

Olivier and Alan were both staying on the fifth floor of the highest building. When he walked out of the dormitory with the others and looked at the bottom of the building, he saw two police officers walking into the building. They stopped outside a room on the fourth floor and several students went up to greet them.

"What's going on?" Olivia tugged at a classmate beside her and asked in a low, curious voice.

"I heard that there was blood on the walls and roof of Jessica's room downstairs." That classmate shrugged and said casually.

"Blood? Why is there blood in the hostel?" Chloe walked out wearing an apron and overheard their conversation.

"God knows. Maybe our dormitory is cursed." That classmate chuckled, but for some reason, he felt a chill running down his spine when he heard that. He shuddered involuntarily and went downstairs to check things out.

Two police officers walked out of the dormitory on the fourth floor as soon as he went downstairs. However, they didn't leave right away. Instead, they walked up the stairs to the fifth floor with serious expressions on their faces.

The two police officers discussed something in hushed tones as they made their way upstairs. Olivia, who was behind them, only heard the words "bloodstains" and "suspicious" before seeing the two of them heading for the fifth floor of the room that the police were in.

The fifth floor at the top of the fourth floor was where Alan stayed.

The unease in Olivier's heart grew even more pronounced as he followed the police officers out of nowhere. He saw two police officers knock on the door of Alan's room before making their way to his room.

"Whose room is this?" One of the older police officers squatted down after entering Allen's room. He lifted the sheet under Allen's bed and took out a flashlight to look under the bed.

"It's… it's my brother, Alan Crockett." Evie walked over and stammered.

That police officer's expression gradually became serious, as if he had discovered something. He called for his companions, and the two of them looked down at the bottom of the bed with flashlights. There were about five or six students standing around watching the commotion in Alan's dormitory at the moment, so Olivia walked in as well. Through the gaps in their heads, he seemed to be able to make out a few scratches where everyone was looking.

That scratch was at the very bottom of the bed. Due to the lighting, neither Olivier nor Evie had noticed it before. However, if one were to look closely, they would be able to tell that those scratch marks looked like the marks of someone digging their nails into the floor.

The older policeman's expression became even more serious. He slowly stood up and scanned the crowd in the room before asking, "Where's Alan Crockett?"

"I haven't seen him since last night." Evie hesitated before asking, "Mr. Policeman, did something happen?"

"I'm not sure yet." A thoughtful look was seen in the eyes of the police officer as he added, "But we'll find out soon enough." He then took out his walkie-talkie and said in a serious tone, "Group B5, call the headquarters. We need additional personnel here. Bring a team from the construction team here as well."

What happened next was not something that Olivia would be able to find out about. Several more police cars were parked downstairs very quickly. Not only that, but a group of people dressed like workers walked into the fourth floor, all of whom were armed with electrical drills, ladders, and other equipment. The two rooms on the fourth and fifth floors were cordoned off and the onlookers were escorted out of the rooms.

Olivier sat down on his bed when he got back to his room, looking very uneasy. He kept thinking about that scratch in his mind. Alan had disappeared, his phone and his diamond ring had fallen under his bed, and there were scratches under his bed, as well as bloodstains on the ceiling of the fourth floor.

If all of that were to be put together, it would seem that something terrifying had happened last night…

Was it a coincidence?

A shadow flickered in Olivier's eyes, but before he was able to figure out what was going on, he suddenly felt the light in the room dim. He looked out of the window, only to find that it had become pitch-black outside without him realizing it. A cold, eerie wind blew in, filling the room with a gloomy aura.

"It's getting dark?" A hint of surprise was seen in Olivier's eyes. He clearly remembered that it had been afternoon just moments ago. He pulled open the door to his room right away, only to find that his room was completely silent as well. The excitement from before had long disappeared, and he was even able to see the moonlight shining in from outside the window, making the ground below him look completely pale.

At that moment, Olivia felt an indescribable chill run down her spine, as if she was being stared at by something. She slowly turned around, feeling rather stiff, and found a little boy standing right beside her. The boy was staring at her with his pitch-black eyes, which were devoid of any whites. Those eyes of his were filled with emptiness and indescribable malice.

"Arrgghhhh!" Olivier shrieked and shot up from the bed. However, when he looked again, there was no sign of the little boy. The bed was completely empty and there was nothing there.

Olivia's expression became even uglier as beads of sweat rolled down her face. However, before she could do anything, the phone in her pocket rang.

"Ring, ring, ring…"

Olivia picked up the phone with a trembling hand and found that the caller was none other than Jenny, who had lost contact with her at noon.

Olivia picked up the phone without hesitation. Jenny's voice was heard from the other end of the phone, sounding terrified. "Senior Olivia, save me… I'm scared!"

"Jenny? What happened?" Olivier looked around and asked, feeling rather frightened.

"There's something outside my room!" Jenny cried as she continued, "She's following me. She's following me wherever I go! Come and save me!"

"'Her'?" Olivier was stunned. He wondered if it was because of the poor reception, but he suddenly felt that there was some kind of noise coming from the other end of the phone. It sounded like someone was stepping on rotten wooden floors. He walked out of the room subconsciously and said in a hurry, "Where are you? I'll go look for you right now!"

"I'm in my dorm. Hurry up and come here. I'm so scared… Hehehehe…" The noise grew louder before Jenny was able to finish her sentence. Jenny's voice was completely drowned out by the noise, and all that was heard on the other end of the phone was the sound of hurried giggling.

Crack! Crack!

Olivia's hand shook and the phone dropped to the floor.

However, he heard the voice from his room instead of disappearing. He felt an indescribable chill gradually envelop his entire body. His teeth kept chattering and a desire to live slowly rose in him. He took a deep breath without thinking and ran to the door of Chloe's room like a madman. He knocked on the door of her room and heard her yelling, "Damn it, who's the one who's not sleeping at night?"

"It's me, Olivier. Open the door!" Olivier's face was filled with joy. At that moment, all he wanted was to have someone by his side to help him dispel that bone-chilling cold.

"Damn it, where the hell have you been this afternoon? The police are looking everywhere for you!" However, she heard Chloe's grumble from behind the door. Before she could open the door, the sound of the grumble was heard right beside her ear.

Olivier's eyes went completely round and his banging on the wooden door froze in midair.

The moonlight shone through the window and shone into the room. The door of the room was painted with the best paint and looked shiny and slick. One could even see shadows under the moonlight.

Through the shadow cast by the door, Olivier was able to see a woman with long hair hanging slowly from the ceiling. That woman was hanging upside down from the ceiling, hanging quietly behind him.

…

Chloe was in such a foul mood that day.

According to the rules, the four of them took turns to cook meals every day. However, the meals that the others made were as hard to swallow as pig food, except for him. Due to financial reasons, the students living in the suite hostel were not well-off, and the cost of eating in the canteen was too high. As such, the four of them discussed that Chloe would be the one to prepare meals every day. As compensation, the other three in the hostel would be responsible for buying groceries every day, while Chloe would be responsible for cooking for the four of them.

Initially, he should have been very satisfied with his' part-time job 'due to having been exempted from paying for his meals. However, he felt rather frustrated after the police officers arrived in the afternoon. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but he seemed to have felt that way after entering the room where the missing Alan was.

Not only that, but he also kicked all of them out after the police officers went in. He had no idea what the police officers found out, but they actually sent out a team of construction workers to build the building in the dormitory next door. Earsplitting electrical drills were heard from time to time, and the noise made him feel even more frustrated.

It was fortunate that the noise came to an end around four in the afternoon. However, there was yet another round of shouts and chatter from the sealed room. He and his roommates rushed outside and looked around outside the barrier. However, they only saw two police officers carrying a stretcher and walked out with serious expressions on their faces.

A gust of wind seemed to blow as the stretcher passed by Chloe and lifted a corner of the stretcher. It was only then that he saw an indistinguishable pile of flesh on the stretcher, which seemed to have completely blended with the bricks on the wall.

It was a dead body!

That instinct came to Chloe subconsciously and at the same time, an indescribable feeling of nausea hit him. He bent over and vomited all of his lunch.

He wasn't the only one. Everyone who saw what happened vomited at the same time. Some of the more timid ones even passed out on the spot.

Before they were able to react, a middle-aged, bearded police officer dressed like a police officer walked up to them with a serious look on his face. He was accompanied by the principal, who walked up to Chloe and said with a serious expression, "I heard that the victim went out with a student named Olivia last night. Who's Olivia?"

"I-I saw him go back to his room." Chloe pointed at the door of her room and a group of police officers rushed in. They came out again in less than half a minute and began searching the entire building.

Chloe looked around her room and saw that the door to Olivia's room was open. There was no one inside.

It was only at the very end that he heard from his classmates in Alan's dorm that the missing student named Alan was actually found in a floor partition that was several centimeters thick between the fourth and fifth floors. Furthermore, the missing student looked like a piece of meat pie when he was found, with no hint of the human shape he should have been.

Chloe was in such a foul mood that the entire dorm lost all interest in having dinner after throwing up. However, she returned to her room at eight in the evening to distract herself with online games.

They played until late at night.

As the sounds of "Double Kill!", "Triple Kill!" and other exclamations were heard from the laptop, Chloe was finally able to forget what happened during the day for the time being. He rubbed his reddened eyes and checked his watch again, only to find that it was 11 P.M.

He played for seven to eight hours without realizing it.

"Phew, time to sleep." Chloe closed the computer in satisfaction, but before she could get up, she heard someone knocking on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

That voice was so loud and clear in the dead of the night that it startled Chloe, who hadn't had enough yet. He stood up in a huff and shouted as loudly as he could, "Damn it, who's the one who's not sleeping at night?"

"It's me, Olivier. Open the door!"

All of the rage that had been building up in Chloe disappeared without a trace right away. He was surprised to hear Olivia's voice from outside the door and asked, "Damn it, where the hell were you this afternoon? The police are looking for you everywhere!"

However, the voices outside the door suddenly fell silent and no sound was heard from outside.

"Olivia?" Chloe was immediately surprised. He thought for a bit and took out a baseball bat at the foot of the bed and walked up to the door, feeling rather uneasy. He asked again, "Olivia, are you still at the door?"

There was dead silence outside the door.

Chloe felt that something was off all of a sudden. She yanked the door open and rushed out of the room, only to find that there was nothing outside the door.

"Olivia?" Chloe called out in a probing manner and walked around the room warily. When he walked to Olivia's bedroom, he suddenly felt something strange beneath his feet. He quickly lifted his leg and found a Huawei phone with the word 'mead' printed on it lying on the floor.

Chloe put down the bat and bent down to pick up the phone, only to find that there was a string of missed calls on the phone, and the caller ID showed Jenny's name.

That was Olivia's phone…

Chloe shuddered involuntarily. For some reason, he felt that there was something very strange about the room. He dropped his phone and ran back to his room, slamming the door shut and locking the door behind him.

"Meow…" A cat's meow was heard from behind him before he was able to catch his breath. Chloe turned around instinctively, but saw nothing.

"Damn it, what the hell is going on…" Chloe's voice was shaking. He dropped the bat and jumped onto the bed, wrapping himself up in the blanket and leaning against the wall, feeling a little safer.

Chloe had somehow fallen asleep.

The weather in the UK had begun to warm up in March. It was a rather hot day to begin with, and it didn't feel cold even at night.

Despite being covered with a blanket, Chloe somehow felt her surroundings getting colder while she was sleeping. She heard the faint sounds of wildcats, which made her frown in her sleep.

Chloe slowly opened her eyes when the chill finally reached its limit. However, her pupils contracted when she opened them again.

He saw that his bedding was actually filled with stray cats. He had no idea where those stray cats came from, but they were meowing non-stop at the moment. He was about to jump up when he felt his vision blur and a strand of long black hair fell from his head.

Chloe felt as if all the blood in her body was about to freeze. He looked up stiffly and saw a woman with disheveled hair bending over and sticking her head out of the wall behind him, glaring at him.

510. Explain The Future Prediction

Despite Reinhardt's death, Zhang Heng felt rather anxious for some reason.

Zhang Heng exited the virtual space at that moment, having finished his training for the day. He rubbed his reddened eyes with his hand and stood up before making his way to the B8th floor of the Honeycomb. He called out to Corona as he walked and asked, "How's the training going for this batch of Awakened?"

"Not bad. I've been training their combat abilities for quite a while now. I've been fighting with my avatar and picked out a lot of talented seedlings. Even the members with the worst progress could fight me for several rounds." Corona's eyes sparkled.

Zhang Heng felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Corona's expression. He still remembered how badly Corona had treated him all those years ago. There was even a time when Corona became a shadow in his mind. Zhang Heng shook his head and said right away, "Uh… very well, continue training. I want them to be at least as good as I was back then in terms of combat."

"Understood." Corona walked casually beside Zhang Heng and changed the subject all of a sudden. She looked at Zhang Heng with a worried look and said, "Commander, your mental state has been very abnormal recently. I'd advise you to do some psychotherapy with me. I've recently collected thousands of books on psychology and examples of all kinds of psychologists online, and I've invented several treatments that could effectively alleviate the psychological illnesses of humans."

"Forget it then…" Zhang Heng shuddered and continued, "I think I've figured out what your treatment would be. It would be something like using violence to get rid of psychological barriers, or fighting poison with poison. If someone were to take your therapy, they'd probably end up going insane, even if they didn't turn insane."

"No way!" Corona pouted and continued, "But then, is your mental state alright?"

"I'm still able to take it." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to talk about it any further. "My problem isn't some mental illness. After all, with my willpower, no mental illness would be able to erode me. What truly makes me feel uneasy is that curse that is slowly creeping up on me."

"Curse?" Corona's expression turned serious immediately. "Then why don't you try the power of the 'Prophet' again?"

"I've tried, and I've tried more than once." Zhang Heng extended a finger and shook it slightly. "But I've failed every single time…"

"Why is this happening?" Corona was stunned right away. In her opinion, the 'Prophet' that Zhang Heng possessed was a bug-like existence. Furthermore, that power had only failed once when it came to predicting the 'Black Hole plane', and Zhang Heng had never failed again.

"I've been thinking about where my power came from for the past few days." Zhang Heng's eyes looked serious as he continued slowly, "You should know about the 'Schrodinger's Cat', right? According to the explanation given by quantum mechanics, the cat is in a dead and alive state inside the box. It wasn't until you opened the box and caused the wave function to collapse that you realized if the cat was dead or alive. It's obvious that this is a sign that quantum mechanics is incomplete. It wasn't until 1957 that Schubert proposed the 'parallel universe theory' and pointed out that both cats were real. There was a living cat and a dead cat, both of which were found in different universes."

"When we looked into the box, the entire universe automatically split into two different scenarios—both universes were identical, with the only difference being that, in one of the universes, the atom decayed and the cat died. In the other universe, the atom didn't decay and the cat was still alive. It sounds unbelievable, but in quantum mechanics, it was the most flawless and logical outcome."

Zhang Heng continued, "Unfortunately, due to the absurdity of that theory back then, no one paid much attention to it, and it's still difficult for people to accept it even now. However, from what I've experienced on the Dimensional Star, I can tell that the 'Parallel Cosmos Theory' in the quantum theory is completely correct. That is to say that the world we're in is indeed a world formed by countless multiverse universes."

"Indeed, the external manifestation of your mental power seems to be related to quantum mechanics as well." Corona nodded and agreed, but she was immediately puzzled. "But what does all of this have to do with your 'Prophet' ability?"

Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "I assume you've heard of another concept derived from parallel cosmology, the concept of quantum bubbles. Space-time is no longer smooth under the Planck scale of quantum bubbles. Many different shapes would surface at random like bubbles before disappearing at random. The fluctuations of energy in the microcosm would be the result of quantum fluctuations, which would form small tunnels in the midst of quantum fluctuations. That would be the so-called famous wormhole."

"According to the theory of parallel universes, the number of planes is limitless. In some parallel universes, you might exist, or you might not exist. The universe that you exist in could very well be your future, or your past. If they were to arrive before you, they might have experienced what you have yet to experience, yet are about to experience."

"At the same time, different universes could resonate with each other through the quantum bubble, linking your memories from different universes at some point in time and evoking some of your thoughts, allowing other universes to happen or memories that have yet to happen to connect to your mind. That is the so-called 'Prophet'."

Corona's eyes lit up and she seemed to be deep in thought. "I get it now. You're saying that the power of the 'Prophet' isn't some kind of mystical supernatural power. It actually relies on your mental power to trigger the quantum bubbles, which is still within the realm of science. Furthermore, due to the vastness of the multiverse, there are many times when the quantum bubbles are unable to obtain your memories from other worlds according to your will, making it very difficult to succeed."

"That's right." Zhang Heng nodded and snapped his fingers. "That is indeed the case. Other than that, there is something else that is very important. If I were to die in the future, the power that would have triggered that world's prophet would have been for nothing."

Corona opened her mouth and was about to say something, but she realized that Zhang Heng looked very serious and didn't look like he was joking at all.

"In other words, the harder it is to get past the crisis, the harder it is to predict…" Zhang Heng sighed and walked out of the elevator, reaching the B8th floor and making his way to where the other Awakened resided.

Corona had a complicated look on her face as she said unwillingly behind Zhang Heng, "So, do you think that the crisis came from the next plane mission?"

"It could be or it could not be." Zhang Heng's voice was heard slowly. "I've been given immunity for failing a mission. That is to say that if I don't want to die in the next mission, it will be very difficult for me to die. I suspect that the crisis that is about to come this time comes from reality…"

He pushed open the door of the metahuman residential area right after he finished speaking and headed deeper inside.

‘ Is that reality?’

Corona didn't choose to follow Zhang Heng. She wore a worried look on her face and stood where she was, thinking about something. It was obvious that the crisis that Zhang Heng was referring to was the so-called first occurrence.

Corona was silent. She had a feeling that Zhang Heng might have sensed something. Otherwise, someone as tough as him, who would never compromise, wouldn't have been able to come up with such a negative plan.

511. The Encounter With Demons

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin when he saw Corona's concern. He did sense some kind of presence lurking in the dark, some kind of ill will that was difficult to describe. That presence was slowly making its way into the world, and it was even showing its claws to the world.

That premonition had actually begun before Reinhardt showed up, but it was extremely weak at the time, so he didn't pay much attention to it. It was only after Reinhardt showed up that he took it seriously.

Under the circumstances where he had set up an inescapable net, Reinhardt was completely wiped out before long, deader than dead. However, Zhang Heng was stunned to discover that, despite having gotten rid of that unstable factor, the unease in his heart had yet to dissipate. Instead, it became even stronger.

It was as if the footsteps of the god of death were approaching at an unstoppable pace.

As such, he even ordered all of the cloning fighters deployed around the world to move about, trying to find that feeling of unease. However, even Corona was unable to find anything out of the ordinary.

The entire planet was eerily quiet.

All those thoughts flashed through Zhang Heng's mind and he dismissed them in the very next second. He was standing before a door at that moment and dozens of clone warriors saluted him respectfully before slowly opening the steel door blocking his path.

There was a huge plaza inside the door, which was where he delivered his speech after capturing tens of thousands of people. He passed through a tight defense line of five steps and one sentry every ten steps and came to a slightly smaller indoor training ground.

That training ground was different from the one he found in the plaza before. It was completely sealed off and there were huge facilities that looked like flowers everywhere.

The equipment was only about half a meter tall but had a diameter of about five meters. They were some kind of sleep pod-like equipment. The sleep pods were fixed to the metal floor and were arranged in groups of eight. The cover of the sleep pods was completely transparent and one could see a young man lying in each sleep pod. The sleep pods in groups of eight occupied the entire training ground. If one were to count them carefully, one would realize that there were tens of thousands of people lying around.

Zhang Heng walked up to a sleep pod and saw a blonde-haired boy lying in it. The boy was wearing a comfortable, white robe and looked like he was in deep sleep. Many pairs of mechanical arms were massaging his body or stimulating his muscles and organs with weak electrical currents. That was the way to enhance their muscle sensitivity and strength.

Those people were the 10,000 Awakened ones that Zhang Heng had selected.

Every single one of those people was a one-in-a-million genius, and the number of fibroids in their bodies was extremely high. However, it was obvious that no matter how monstrous those people were, they still couldn't compare to a super-genius like Reinhart, who had only appeared once every 10,000 years. If Reinhart were to be placed in the 'Star Wars' plane, he would probably be yet another Anakin Skywalker. It was a pity that the world had long become Zhang Heng's territory, and Reinhart had no way of growing up before he was killed in the cradle.

At that moment, their minds were being subjected to death training by Corona in the virtual space, while their bodies were able to save time and rely on the power of technology to enhance their physiques. It was unknown what they had been through, but even though their bodies were in a state of deep sleep, there was pain written all over their faces. All of them were frowning and unable to relax.

However, when he recalled Corona's training style, he could only smile bitterly.

However, it had to be said that while Corona's training was brutal, the effects were surprisingly good. He believed that it wouldn't be long before all of those Metahumans became true warriors, becoming Earth's foundation and shouldering the mission of resisting the world.

Zhang Heng turned around and left without any hesitation after inspecting the place. It had only been a few days since the next plane mission began and he was completely unprepared for it.

Originally, the Dimensional Star would provide more planes for the host to choose from for every upgrade. However, when Zhang Heng was upgraded to Level B, the Dimensional Star did not provide him with a new plane. It was for that reason that he had chosen all the planes that he could choose from. His next plane mission would be a challenge that was completely unknown.

That would be extremely detrimental to anyone. It would have been fine if there were planes that Zhang Heng was familiar with in those planes, but he was afraid that he would end up in some plane that he was completely unfamiliar with. If that were to happen, Zhang Heng and his D.S.F Corps would end up in extreme danger.

As such, Zhang Heng began issuing orders for all the cloned warriors to begin making up for all kinds of movies and games, especially those that had the potential to destroy the world. Zhang Heng was now able to bring tens of thousands of living beings with him, which was why he had enough people to do such an impossible job.

However, he received another message from Corona right after he left.

"Commander, I have good news for you."

"Good news?" Zhang Heng frowned. "What good news could there be at a time like this?"

"It's still about demonic energy," Corona explained excitedly. "After being inspired by the abilities of the metahuman, Sir Louis began to set up a new research project to focus on demonic energy. After more than a month of research and experimentation, he developed a new type of protective shield known as demonic energy."

"This guy…" Zhang Heng looked up all of a sudden with a gleeful expression on his face. Truth be told, he still remembered Reinhardt's superpower very well. Despite having only just awakened his superpower for a short period of time, the defensive barrier that he had created with his abilities was something that would have given even someone as physically insane as Alex a headache. He had to use a lot of mental power to break through that barrier.

If it hadn't been for that barrier, Reinhart would have been nothing more than a slightly stronger human, no matter how gifted he was. Not to mention Zhang Heng, Alex, and the Magnetic King, even an average clone warrior would have been able to kill Reinhart.

He was able to tell just how important defense technology was from there. He headed upstairs right away at that thought. When he arrived at the Reinhardt laboratory on the B7th floor, he saw Fangzheng and his assistants working on a weird-looking piece of equipment.

The device was about the size of a human head and the main part of the device was a cylindrical container. The container was connected with electrical circuits and equipment, making it look as ugly as a pickle jar.

However, Zhang Heng was able to sense the flow of magic around the device despite the fact that it didn't look good. He picked up the device and asked in a low voice, "Is this what you developed that could generate something?"

"Yes, Boss." There was a look of fanaticism in Louis' eyes as he continued, "I combined the magnetic field generators with the demon inside me and triggered the massive amount of energy inside me through the electromagnetic effects. I've failed hundreds of times and I've finally succeeded. The only finished product you have on hand is this time."

"Give it a try and let me take a look." Zhang Heng handed the device to Louis, who walked up to one of the Doomsday Type II armors. He went behind the armor and installed the device in a specially-made groove. A clone warrior, who had been waiting for a long time, put the armor on and activated the device slowly.

512. Successful Trial

The clone warrior put on the modified Armageddon Type II armor.

He moved his limbs to ensure that there was no problem before getting off the table and making his way to the laboratory.

The laboratory that Louis prepared was a venue filled with weapons, including gunpowder, electromagnetic weapons, and laser weapons that were still being tested.

Zhang Heng, Louis, and the others went to the spectator area as soon as the clone warrior walked into the laboratory. There was only one glass panel separating the area from the venue, but the glass was extremely thick and was constructed from extremely durable 'super-white organic polymerized metal reinforced glass', which was capable of holding the xenomorph queen.

Regardless of how high the temperatures were or how deafening the noise was, there was no way the glass could harm the audience behind it unless the power behind the glass reached a certain level.

As everyone sat down, the assistant at the side began the experiment right away. He pressed a button and heavy machine guns and even cannons were automatically raised inside the testing ground, aimed at the clone warriors in the center.

"Begin with the gunpowder weapons experiment first." Louis ordered. "Begin with kinetic energy of 5000 Joules. Every experiment with kinetic energy will be enhanced by 5000 Joules. Begin with the experiment!"

"Understood." The assistant nodded and a T-800 robot walked into the field from the other side. It picked out a huge revolver that was longer than an arm from the weapon rack behind it and aimed it at the clone warrior.

"Bang!"

The sound of something being weakened was heard from within the glass wall and sparks were seen on the T-800's arm. At the same time, a thin green membrane appeared out of nowhere in front of the clone warrior wearing armor and disappeared immediately.

The assistant looked at the monitor in his hand and reported immediately, "Destroyed energy consumption of 0.03 milliliters. No critical value detected."

"Continue, increase kinetic energy to 10,000 joules," Louis said confidently.

The T-800 put down the super-large revolver in its hand right away and picked up a gun that looked like a pocket-sized handgun instead. The gun was pitch-black and had been processed by photon, making it difficult for anyone to find it even in the dark. That was the pocket-sized electromagnetic handgun developed by Stellar Technology, which was usually used by cloning soldiers who only needed to conceal their identities and conduct covert operations in various countries.

In reality, the so-called pulse guns of stellar technology were all electromagnetic weapons, which simply went on to describe the Alien plane as something else, which was why they were called pulse weapons. The essence of the weapon was to use the massive electrical power of superconductors to accelerate bullets.

Louis and his assistants looked very serious when the gun was brought out. The potential of an electromagnetic weapon was tens of thousands of times higher than that of a gunpowder weapon. In actual fact, all the so-called Gaussian weapons, such as coil guns, railguns, electromagnetic guns, and so on could be collectively referred to as electromagnetic weapons. It was just that the applications were somewhat different. If one were to construct a trajectory that was hundreds of millions of kilometers in length according to the principles of an orbit cannon and fire a bullet that accelerated continuously, the bullet would most likely reach lightspeed. It would not be impossible to shoot through the sun at that speed.

To put it simply, the development of gunpowder weapons had reached its peak, but the development of electromagnetic weapons had only just begun.

Be it firearms, electromagnetic weapons, or even missiles, those weapons were collectively known as kinetic weapons. There were also energy weapons, such as laser guns, plasma cannons, and so on.

Energy weapons on Earth were hardly able to display their full potential due to the presence of atmosphere and air mediums. However, in the deep space of the universe, unless kinetic weapons were able to reach lightspeed, energy weapons would always have an advantage over kinetic weapons, with greater destructive power.

At that moment, the T-800 carried out Louis' orders loyally and fired without a second thought. The clone warrior seemed to be unable to withstand the buzzing noise and took two steps back subconsciously. The barrier before him flashed and disappeared again.

"Destroyed energy consumption of 0.09 milliliters. There is no critical value loss," the assistant continued.

"15,000 joules. Begin experiment…"

As the experiments continued, the firearm grew from a pocket-sized electromagnetic handgun with the least firepower to a pulse rifle. By then, Jiao Ears was no longer able to calculate the kinetic power of the bullet and had instead become a megacor.

1 trillion jiao, 2 trillion jiao, 5 trillion jiao, 10 trillion jiao…

When the pulse rifle went all out, the barrier was finally unable to hold on any longer and shattered.

Boom!

The clone warrior was no longer able to withstand the massive kinetic energy from the pulse rifle and was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall behind him before sliding down. There was a completely deformed bullet embedded in his chest, which was about the thickness of a finger.

"How are you feeling?” Louis asked as everyone felt their spirits lift.

"I felt a slight vibration, but it didn't do any damage to my body," the clone answered truthfully.

"Very good. Seems like the Demonic Barrier is good at absorbing kinetic and oscillating damage. The One-soldier protective stance has a maximum capacity of 10 megacrons of kinetic energy." Louis wiped his sweat and continued, "Now, prepare to try out laser weapons."

The T-800 was out of the field by then, and a tyrant walked in with a weird-looking firearm in his hand. The laser gun was 4800mm in length and had a caliber of 200mm. It was capable of shooting high-field lasers that were over hundreds of thousands of degrees. It was capable of generating up to 10 billion watts of energy in less than one trillionth of a second. While it was nowhere near as powerful as the current world-renowned advanced laser generators, one could still tell from the size of the gun that it had exceeded technology in reality for decades.

The Tyrant held the gun and aimed it at the clone warrior 50 meters away. Everyone broke out in cold sweat just looking at the barrel that was thicker than a human's thigh. Even Zhang Heng wore a serious expression on his face. There was a high chance that the gun could pose a threat to him, but of course, it was only a threat. If anyone wanted to truly defeat him, they would have to resort to nuclear bombs weighing over 100 tons.

Everyone put on their goggles as the experiment began, wanting to see just how far the stance formed by the clone would go. The Tyrant opened fire at Louis' command and everyone felt a beam of light streak past their line of sight and hit the clone hard. The beam of light before the clone warrior flickered again in the very next second, successfully fending off the attack.

"That's right. Not only is the magical barrier resistant to kinetic energy, but it can also resist energy-based weapons." Surprise was seen in Louis' eyes and everyone cheered loudly. It was obvious that their research direction was correct.

"Not bad." Zhang Heng nodded and clapped his hands hard. "Let's end the experiment here. I hope that you'll be able to modify the truly usable version of the One-soldier Protective Suit and battleship-type Protective Suit as soon as possible. With that, the foundation's capabilities would be enhanced to a whole new level. Mr. Louis, you've done a great service for the Stellar Foundation."

"You flatter me. I'm just trying to fulfill my lifelong dream." Excitement was seen in Louis' eyes. "I'll definitely live up to your expectations and develop protective gear that could be used in actual combat as soon as possible."

Zhang Heng nodded and stopped observing the rest of the experiment, as there was no need to do so anymore. No matter what, the experiment was a success, and the only thing left to do was to improve and optimize the technology. All in all, Stellar Technology would probably have its own protective equipment very soon, just like those science fiction novels, which were able to withstand attacks from weapons to a certain extent.

The one-man defense mechanism was still manageable, as the true function of such a defense mechanism was to be installed on a battleship. It could be said that from then on out, Stellar Technology battleships would no longer be paper tigers that could be smashed with a single touch. Instead, they would become war fortresses that truly held strategic importance, capable of fighting in outer space.

513. Double Choice

"Main Quest officially begins. Mission Objective: Acquire valuable technological data from nearby planes and begin searching nearby planes…"

"Plane search… search is limited. Search complete. There is a plane with value near the host plane."

"Final Fantasy: Deep Soul plane: Danger Level: ★ ★ ★ ★"

Zhang Heng was standing on a C-class battleship in space when he heard the news from the Dimensional Star. He had been making preparations for quite a while.

It was a pity that it had only been three days since the experiment with the protective device took place. Three days was still too short, and there was simply no time for Louis to create a protective device that could be put into active service. As such, Zhang Heng had no choice but to bring his original equipment with him as he prepared to head to the next plane.

The number of members in the D.S.F.'s troops had been expanded to 5,000 at the moment. While Zhang Heng had been upgraded to Grade A and was able to lead tens of thousands of people to travel between planes at the same time, the cost of training cloned warriors was simply too high. Even if he were to give it his all, there were only tens of thousands of cloned warriors born since two years ago. There were only 5,000 people who met the standards of the D.S.F troops.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown after hearing the Dimensional Star's order. He realized that he still had no other choice, as if the Dimensional Star was restricting him and there was only one plane left for him to choose from.

No, it would be more accurate to say that he had no choice.

It was fortunate that he had anticipated what would happen at the moment. He had arranged for cloned warriors to familiarize themselves with all the disaster and sci-fi movies that existed on Earth a month ago, and "Final Fantasy: Souls" was one of them.

However, just when Zhang Heng was about to enter the Dimensional Star, he heard yet another warning that he had never heard before from the Dimensional Star.

"Warning! Warning! Curse attack! Host and plane, please be prepared to resist!"

"Warning! The first wave of attacks is about to hit! Ultimate Quest System activated. Quest objective search in progress…"

"Search failed, system function depleted, Ultimate Quest unavailable. Host, please make your own decision."

"Warning! The second round of attack is about to begin. Host, please be prepared to resist the attack immediately to protect the plane from being destroyed."

Zhang Heng was stunned at first, but he narrowed his gaze right away in the very next second, looking very serious.

"Curse, is the curse finally here?"

Zhang Heng mumbled under his breath. He had no time to regroup his troops and immediately said to Xuanyuan, who was fully prepared, "Get back! All units from the D.S.F are to return to Earth immediately!"

"Understood!" Xuan Yuan's expression remained unchanged. While he had no idea why Zhang Heng would suddenly change his order, it was his duty to obey orders nonetheless. The five Class C battleships docked on Earth began to turn their ships around and head straight for the surface.

"Warning: Please select the mission plane immediately. If you don't finish selecting within three minutes, the Dimensional Star will arrange for you to enter the plane by force."

However, the Dimensional Star urged him again right after he gave the order.

"Go f * * king force entry!" Zhang Heng cursed and hesitated for a bit before he gritted his teeth and said, "I choose to give up on the mission and use penalty immunity! Are you f * * king satisfied?"

"Prompt: Host only has one chance to be exempted from punishment. You may use it when you fail a mission. You may return to reality immediately after you use it and be exempted from punishment. Do you want to use it now?" The Dimensional Star remained unaffected by Zhang Heng's rage as it continued to prompt him.

"Confirm!" Zhang Heng snorted coldly. He even suspected that the Dimensional Star was doing it on purpose, telling him about the attack of the curse when he was about to carry out his mission, just so that he could squander that hard-earned right to punish him.

"It has been confirmed that the mission will be shut down by force and the mission is void. Dear host, please continue to work hard." The noisy Dimensional Star finally shut up at that moment.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself, but he didn't regret his decision. While the cooling mechanism of the Dimensional Star's teleportation had been reduced to three hours due to his access being upgraded to Grade A, he didn't dare to take the risk. He wasn't sure what the curse that came at him was, if it could destroy Earth in three hours, and if he could complete the mission within three hours and return successfully.

If that new plane needed 72 hours, or even more, by the time he returned, there would only be scorched earth left on Earth.

If that were to really happen, Zhang Heng would probably feel extremely remorseful. Why was he fighting so hard? Wasn't it all so that his family could live in peace in this world? If he were to lose his family, what would be the point of fighting so hard and fighting so hard to get everything he had?

A ferocious look was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. He simply ordered Xuanyuan to gather all the battleships in the skies above Haizhou while he made his way back to the Honeycomb through the molecular transmitter on the battleship. He then ordered the cloned warriors who were stationed near his parents' villa to protect his parents, instructing them to use the Falcon to transport his parents and sister to the Honeycomb right away. He needed to use the plane travel device to transport his family to the Dimensional amnesia plane as soon as possible.

Corona appeared right after Zhang Heng returned to the hive. She was highly intelligent and was able to tell what was going on just by looking at his expression. She didn't ask any questions and simply reported in a very clear manner, "Commander, I've received your orders. The clone warriors responsible for protecting your loved ones have returned with your loved ones. Haizhou is still safe and sound. You don't need to worry!"

"Phew!" Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the news. He didn't have time to stop and headed straight for the entrance of the hive instead. He said quickly as he walked, "Let's begin then. Inform researchers from the Honeycomb and the spherical base to evacuate immediately. I want all of them to leave reality within 24 hours. Get to the Dimensional amnesia plane for me. All of their family members must be evacuated within 24 hours as well. Remember, we only have 24 hours. Every second that passes could be very risky."

"Yes, please rest assured." Corona nodded solemnly and the entire hive was filled with deafening alarms in the very next second. Corona's voice was heard throughout the broadcast at the same time, sounding decisive and stern. "Warning, warning! All personnel, please stop what you're doing and move to the B8th floor. I repeat, all personnel, please stop what you're doing and move to the B8th floor immediately!"

"This is not a drill. After reaching Level B8, please proceed to the plane shuttle according to the order of safety. Our security personnel will be waiting for you on the other side."

"Please remain calm and do not allow any stampede or other incidents to happen. All defense personnel are to proceed to their positions according to the preview plan and ensure that the researchers are evacuated. If anyone is unwilling to comply, you are permitted to kill on the spot. I repeat, you are permitted to kill on the spot!"

514. Peeping

Zhang Heng stood outside the door of the headquarters building quietly and looked into the distance.

While he knew that there was almost no chance of anything happening under Corona's mental influence, he still felt rather nervous and uneasy before seeing his family.

It was only when he saw five or six completely transparent falcons docked in the plaza before the building that he breathed a sigh of relief. He put away his worries the very next second and headed straight for the falcons with a calm expression.

Zhang Heng's parents and sister were escorted out of the Falcon very quickly by the cloning warriors.

"Dad, mom!" Zhang Heng waved and went up to them.

"Hi, bro!" Zhang Xin waved and walked obediently beside Zhang Heng's mother, heading straight for him.

"Heng!" Zhang Heng's parents looked shocked. While they didn't know much about technology, anyone would have been able to tell that the Falcon was something out of the ordinary after boarding the Eagle. That was a super shuttle that even countries didn't have.

"Dad, Mom, don't say anything else. Go somewhere and lie low for a bit." Zhang Heng pulled his parents into the building of Stellar Technology. "Whatever you see, don't be surprised. I'll explain the details later."

"Be honest with me, Heng." Zhang Heng's father sensed the seriousness of the situation and looked at him with a worried expression. "Are you at odds with the government? Are they going to arrest you?"

"Dad, what are you thinking?" Zhang Heng shook his head with a bitter smile. "That's not the reason. I'm not trying to make things difficult for anyone. It's something else. Just know that Haizhou is in grave danger right now and we need to evacuate immediately."

"I say, stop making things difficult for our son." Zhang Heng's mother tugged at her father's sleeve and continued, "Our son definitely has his reasons for doing so. We might not be able to do anything else, but no matter what, we definitely can't hold him back."

Zhang Xin nodded in agreement.

Zhang Heng sent his family to the plane shuttle and then personally entered the plane with his family, making his way to the Dimensional amnesia plane. He then entrusted his family to the personnel there before returning.

The entire Honeycomb was in a frenzy at the moment. More than a thousand people were lining up and making their way into the plane shuttle. Dozens of falcons were seen flying about outside the headquarters of Stellar Technology, transporting the families of the researchers without anyone being able to detect them. The same was true for the spherical base on the other side of the planet.

Zhang Heng was finally able to heave a sigh of relief after sending his family to safety. However, he seemed to have thought of something in the very next second and a complicated look appeared in his eyes before he continued, "Corona, send out another team of clone warriors to bring Li Yiru's family into the Deep Space Memory plane."

Corona's voice was heard from the earpiece, sounding rather reluctant. "But, why bring them along?"

"Knock it off." Zhang Heng rubbed his nose and said with a bitter smile, "Li Yiru is dedicated to the technology of Stellar. That alone is more than enough. While it's impossible for me to accept her feelings for me, she's willing to put in the effort to protect me, both publicly and privately."

"Understood." Corona pouted and agreed completely.

Zhang Heng finally breathed a sigh of relief after he was done setting up the place. He looked up at the sky and asked, "How is it? Did you find anything out of the ordinary?"

"The quantum satellites are keeping an eye on the entire world, and they didn't even miss the moon and the sun. However, there hasn't been any abnormalities found so far," Corona continued, "And there isn't anything on the internet worth paying attention to. Are you sure that the curse is really attacking?"

"If it wasn't for the Dimensional Star playing tricks on me, that would have been the case." Zhang Heng frowned. "Damn it, what was that first attack? Why haven't I seen anything up until now?"

Zhang Heng didn't expect Corona to give him an answer. He thought for a bit and walked to a corner where there was no one else around. He rubbed his temple and his glabella suddenly opened again. At the same time, his boundless mental power began to burn at a very high speed.

Zhang Heng's eyes became dazed. His gaze traveled through space and time like a beam of light, seeing a thin barrier. His eyes lit up when he saw that barrier and he exerted more force, shattering that barrier in the next second.

Zhang Heng's mental power seemed to have triggered a quantum bubble that was located outside of time and space at that very moment. His massive mental power began to burn rapidly as he relied on the quantum bubble. He was able to extend his mental power at a very fast rate through that force and he soon arrived in some unknown world.

That world was a multiverse with no limits.

Zhang Heng entered the 'Prophet' state again at that moment.

An indescribable scene unfolded in Zhang Heng's mind in his hazy state. He felt as if he was seeing the Earth turn into an indescribably crumbling world. Everything between heaven and earth became devoid of any regularity. The laws of physics were destroyed, and time and space were thrown into utter chaos.

Zhang Heng attempted to take a step forward in that spacetime, leading the way forward in search of something. However, before he was able to take more than a few steps, he suddenly saw a female figure with her back facing him appearing out of thin air before him.

There was something indescribably vague about that silhouette. Zhang Heng wasn't sure if it was because he was unable to see the silhouette clearly due to being in the state of a prophet, or if it was just the silhouette itself, but he felt as if his scalp was about to explode when he saw that silhouette.

An indescribable chill ran down his spine and spread to every corner of his body in the blink of an eye. He felt as if all the blood in his body was about to freeze. His pupils contracted unnaturally and he stopped in his tracks.

That figure turned around at almost the same time. However, he was astonished to discover that while that figure was blurry, that pair of eyes was extremely clear.

What kind of eyes were those? Those eyes were filled with indescribable malice and resentment. Zhang Heng felt as if he had fallen into an endless abyss the moment he saw those eyes. He felt as if he could hear hundreds of millions of people screaming in his ears. Despite having a strong will, he was still on the verge of losing his mind.

Zhang Heng bit the tip of his tongue and retreated from the state of being a prophet, feeling utterly shocked. He had a feeling that the silhouette had discovered him.

Zhang Heng's face was filled with utter shock as he opened his arms slightly. It was only at that moment that he realized that his entire body was filled with a chill. A chill that would have made one despair kept pouring out of his body. If he had been just one step too late, the other party would have been able to attack him through space and time.

Just what was that thing?

515. Strange Missing Case

An indescribable feeling of weakness welled up in his body. Zhang Heng leaned against the wall of the building and looked up at the sky with a serious look in his eyes.

"Commander?" Corona's voice was heard from the earpiece. "Did you use the power of the 'Prophet' again?"

"That's right. I've finally seen something this time." Zhang Heng nodded and closed his eyes, recalling that scene from before. He mumbled, "That place looks familiar. I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."

Zhang Heng turned around and headed back to the hive as he said that. He went back to his room and laid down on a chair right away, closing his eyes the very next second.

A buzzing sound seemed to ring in his ears and he slowly opened his eyes. He and Corona had developed an unparalleled rapport after two years of interaction. He was now in the white, endless virtual space that Corona had set up.

Zhang Heng nodded and didn't say anything. He began to replay the scene in his memory.

The world around him began to twist and change as the memories in Zhang Heng's mind continued to run. It didn't take long before he found himself in a street filled with ancient European gothic architectural styles from the Middle Ages. At the same time, that pale white silhouette was restored as well. It was staring at Zhang Heng with its empty eyes. Despite knowing that it was only a subconscious replay of that silhouette, Zhang Heng still felt his heart pounding in his chest when he saw it.

"Is that what you saw just now?" Corona walked up to that figure and covered her mouth in shock. "While the scene in your mind is only replaying, I do feel a sense of unease. That should be a ghost, right?"

"There are no ghosts in the world. There are only cosmic phenomena that we don't know anything about." Zhang Heng shook his head and didn't pay any attention to that silhouette. Instead, he looked at the buildings around him. It was obvious that he was on the streets of a city. However, there were no pedestrians on the streets, and the place looked dead and desolate. The remains of cars were parked at the side of the road, and one of them was covered in dust. The signs on both sides of the street had lost their original color due to the rain and wind, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

"We'll compare the map with the environment in my mind," Zhang Heng said immediately.

"Yes." Corona nodded and closed her eyes right away. Countless images of city roads appeared around Zhang Heng at the same time, as if they were trying to overlap with the scene before them to verify where they were.

Time passed quickly and a shadow that looked almost identical to the one in Zhang Heng's memories appeared in his mind. The shadow quickly melded with the building before him. Corona opened her eyes and there was joy in her eyes. "Found it. There is indeed a corresponding place in the real world. This is Burlington Market Street in London."

"London again?"

Zhang Heng was stunned. No wonder he found the place familiar. When he first saw the Gothic-style city buildings, he had guessed that he was somewhere in Europe. He just didn't expect to find himself in London.

"I got the location. The next one would be that figure." Corona analyzed the situation and continued, "You're right. There are no ghosts in the world. Even if there are, they could only exist within the realm of science. At most, modern science would be unable to explain them. However, I'm sure you don't think that the figure could be some kind of meme?"

"Indeed, meme is the most likely explanation. Of course, there are other possibilities as well." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "If it's really meme, then I'd need to know what its nature is, what the medium of transmission is, what the target of infection is, how the infection is carried out, and what its performance after infection is."

"Alright, I'll do a comprehensive investigation right away." Corona nodded and closed her eyes again.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and waved a hand, causing the scene before him to dissipate completely. He took advantage of that period of time to begin his mental training again.

Corona sent him another message about half an hour later. Zhang Heng exited the training mode and asked immediately, "How was it? Did you find anything?"

"I've found something." Corona wore a serious expression on her face. "I've hacked into the network of the British Police Station and found something out of the ordinary." Corona waved her hand lightly and a desk appeared before Zhang Heng in the very next second. There was a huge pile of data on the desk. Zhang Heng picked up a pile of data and flipped through it briefly before raising his eyebrows. "Missing case?"

"It's not a regular case of missing persons," Corona said solemnly. "On the afternoon of March 13, 2019, which was three days ago, Allen, a college student at the Mary Queen's College in London, was found dead. His body was found stuck between the ceiling of the fourth floor of the dormitory and the floor of the fifth floor. According to police investigations, Allen, Olivia, and Jenny, who were staying in the dormitory next door, left at 8 P.M. The next day, the three of them returned to the school early in the morning. Allen was then found missing by his twin brother at noon. Another student found blood seeping out of the ceiling of his room at the same time, and that was how Allen's body was discovered."

"That might not be a big deal in itself, but the question is, why would the body be found in the middle of the floor? Many people witnessed the whole thing back then, and there were no signs of the fifth floor or the fourth floor's ceiling being opened at all. That alone makes it difficult for people to believe that it was done by humans."

Zhang Heng's expression gradually turned serious after hearing that. "Other than that, is there anything else?"

"Then, on the afternoon of the 13th of March, Olivier went missing as well." Corona continued, "On the morning of the 14th of March, Chloe, who was staying in the same dorm as Olivier, went missing, and Jenny, who was with them at the time, was declared missing as well." Corona continued in a rather disbelieving manner, "On the 15th of March, Evie, the twin brother of the first missing person, Aaron, went missing. 13 more people went missing in their dorms, and on the 16th of March, which is today, a worker discovered the bodies of both Olivier and Chloe when they were evacuating the dormitories of the missing persons. Their bodies were pulled into a thin, elongated state, and they had long lost their human forms. Their identities were only confirmed after DNA tests were performed."

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and asked, "You only found the bodies of three missing persons?"

"Yes, that's the only way for the time being." Corona's expression looked rather eerie. "Furthermore, this isn't the entire case. Four police officers were also found to be missing in the London Police Station. Furthermore, they were found to have disappeared on the very night after the police were sent to the Queen Mary Academy."

Zhang Heng gasped. "So, that's all the missing persons?"

"Yes, that's it for the time being." Corona nodded and continued, "That's the only thing that I found out that's out of the ordinary. Furthermore, the Maria Academy has sealed off that dormitory building, and the school has announced a temporary suspension."

"Seems like the UK found something out of the ordinary as well." Zhang Heng nodded and asked, feeling puzzled, "So, Corona, what do you think caused all those people to go missing? What happened to them before they went missing?"

"Due to the limited number of cases, I'm unable to analyze the reasons for their disappearance for the time being." Corona shook her head and continued, "However, according to the data, it seems that the earliest disappearances were caused by Aaron, Olivier, and Jenny, before the news spread to the entire dormitory building and eventually to the London police department."

Zhang Heng couldn't help but rub his glabella as if he was having a headache. "Very well. Don't tell me that all of them were sent home after school shut down. If that's the case, I'm afraid things aren't looking good…"

516. Curse

"Yes, quite a number of them have gone home. Hold on, let me get more information on those people." Corona seemed to have recalled something and closed her eyes to access the internet again. She opened her eyes in shock very quickly. "Your worries were realized. Those students have been disappearing non-stop after leaving the school. Three of them have been proven missing after leaving the school. One of them went missing in the toilet in the bar, two of them went missing in their own homes, and one of the parents of that student went missing as well…"

"So you're saying that all the missing persons went missing when they came into contact with the other missing persons?" Zhang Heng's expression was extremely grave as he pondered for a bit before continuing, "I can basically confirm that this is indeed some kind of cursed modem. Furthermore, the reason why the modem was infected was due to contact with other infected persons at close range? It's just that I'm unable to determine just how it spread. Was it caused by physical contact, or was it caused by sound, or was it caused by the most thorough transmission of air?"

"I don't think that the infection would have been caused by sound or air. If not, the entire Earth would have been destroyed in just three to four days." Corona denied. "Body contact is the most likely way to spread, but the truth is, I think it's more like a regional transmission. After all, I've discovered that every missing person seemed to have entered the rooms of those missing people before they went missing."

"Geographical spread?" Zhang Heng was stunned all of a sudden. He felt as if he was suddenly enlightened in the very next second. A thought came to his mind and he gasped all of a sudden. He then turned around quickly and looked at the spot where that white silhouette had appeared.

He and Corona exchanged looks and shouted at the same time, seemingly having recalled something.

"Curse!"

"Grudge" referred to the curse cast by people who died of resentment. That was because, after dying tragically, the rage in one's heart would generate a strong resentment that would linger in the place where the dead lived for a very long time, forming a kind of curse power that would accumulate in the residence where the dead lived. Anyone who came into contact with it would definitely die, and a new "Grudge" would be created, spreading the horror of death over again. The "Grudge" would then guard the haunted house forever, cursing every guest who came in.

That was the opening line of 'Curses'.

"According to the scientific interpretation of memes, it would be due to some reason that, after a person dies from resentment, a phenomenon-type memes would be formed. The manifestation of the memes would be that the person would be infected by the memes after entering the room where the memes are located. The memes would then begin to act up after a period of incubation, killing the infected and creating a new source of memes when the infected person dies in the room."

Zhang Heng analyzed the situation in a low voice at that moment. "That is to say that as the first source of infection appears, more infected people will be infected and the houses of the infected people will be turned into new sources of infection, which will continue and eventually destroy the entire world."

"If that's really the case, then I'm afraid that we're really in danger this time." Corona sighed and continued, "Regular residences are still manageable, but what's truly troublesome is that some public places have become sources of infection. The number of people infected with meme would skyrocket at an unbelievable rate."

"That's right. While it would appear that there are only about 20 to 30 people missing at the moment, you have no idea just how many people have been infected by the Meme." Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin and continued, "Furthermore, the Meme is intangible, making it impossible to detect. No one would be able to detect which building became the source of the infection."

"What should we do then?" Corona frowned and asked, "Should we bomb London flat with railguns?"

"I don't think that would be enough to get rid of the memes." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "If that was all it took to get rid of the memes, it wouldn't have been deemed the first time the virus attacked. It's even possible that the virus would be completely released after the building that was infected with the memes was destroyed, triggering an even more intense infection."

"What should we do then?" Corona asked, feeling helpless.

"The most important thing to do at the moment is to take control of all infected personnel immediately." Determination flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes. "As long as we can detain the infected and seal off the infected area at the same time, the modus operandi would be kept under control. Corona, let's have the cloned warriors in the police station. That is our only hope. If we can survive this disaster, we will be able to gain years or even decades to develop ourselves. If we can't, then the entire human civilization would be wiped out."

…

India.

All the cloned warriors stationed in the Galaxy Technology Services office in the outskirts of Mumbai were activated.

One by one, the Falcon mechs appeared out of thin air in the sky and quickly landed on the plaza. The cloned warriors had long donned their Armor of Doomsday and boarded the Falcon mechs one after another. Every time the Falcon mechs were fully loaded, the Falcon mech would take to the air again and fly off into the distance as a stream of light.

On the surface of a certain part of the British Virgin Sea, there were also falcons flying out of the water one after another. All of them were armed with cloned warriors and were flying in the direction of England.

The Stellar Life Sciences Foundation had set up bases all over the world, with several tens of cloned warriors stationed at each base. Clones of over 50,000 people were constantly gathering above the UK at the moment. One could even vaguely make out the silhouette of a C-class battleship. Despite being in stealth mode, some citizens were still able to tell that something was off in the sky.

The entire United Kingdom of Great Britain was filled with tension as if there was a black fish looming over the city.

The prime minister of the United Kingdom was in his newly renovated room at the moment. The effects caused by Reinhart had yet to subside, and several new cases were beginning to bother him.

"Missing case?" The prime minister had a strange look in his eyes as he looked at the dossiers on his desk with a serious and troubled expression that he had never seen before. "Damn it, what the hell is going on? First it was that Reinhart guy, and now it's a mass disappearance case. This is just…"

"Prime Minister!" His secretary knocked on the door outside.

"Please come in." The prime minister threw the files on the table and said with a hostile look, "So, have you found anything on that dead Reinhardt?"

"I'm sorry, Prime Minister." The secretary lowered her head and continued, "Due to the excessive combustion, most of the bodies were carbonized. The protein was severely damaged, even if there were no carbonized parts found in the bodies. Dissolution became a shorter chain of peptides or even a single amino acid, which rendered the bodies of the dead completely useless."

"Damn it, that Zhang Heng must have done it on purpose!" The prime minister slammed the table and looked even more displeased. "Get the researchers to come and see me!"

"Well…" The secretary seemed to hesitate for a bit before saying with some difficulty, "Mr. Prime Minister, the researcher, Dr. Adolf Nettingel, disappeared mysteriously in the laboratory last night…"

517. Five Nations Summit

"Missing again?" British Prime Minister Churchill gasped and his expression became serious. "Investigate, you have to get to the bottom of this! I'd like to see who's behind all of this!"

"Yes!" The secretary nodded but hesitated for a bit and didn't leave right away.

"What? Anything else?" Churchill frowned.

"Your Excellency, the Stellar Foundation sent a fax to invite you to the Five Nations Summit. They said that they have something important to discuss."

Churchill was stunned for a moment and his rage subsided. He sighed after quite a while and said, "Understood, I'll be right there…"

Something important must have happened for the Stellar Foundation to initiate the Five Nations Summit, and it was very likely that it had something to do with his serial disappearances.

Churchill didn't believe in supernatural beings at first, but ever since the Stellar Foundation rose to prominence at an indescribable rate and that man named Zhang Heng displayed godlike power before him, he had no choice but to believe that there was something in the world that no human could comprehend.

That was bad news. The state was no longer the highest political system of humanity. The supreme authority of all regimes was suddenly challenged, especially in the case of their own countries and the United States. The Stellar Foundation had infiltrated the government from top to bottom without anyone knowing about it, turning the government into something that would never give up. The Stellar Foundation even began to show signs of taking over the world.

That was tantamount to shaking the interests of the five superpowers and all the regimes in the world. No government would allow such a force to exist in their own country. However, before they were able to unite and cause trouble, the Stellar Foundation approached them first and displayed technological prowess that far exceeded reality. There was also that man named Zhang Heng, who possessed terrifying power that could take on an entire country by himself.

At this point, everyone bitterly discovered that the so-called initiative of the war was never in their hands, but in the hands of the other side…

Churchill sighed to himself and made his way to the holographic meeting room. However, he saw that the heads of the other four nations were already gathered in the meeting room, with the young man named Zhang Heng among them.

"Alright, everyone is here. Mr. Zhang Heng, please proceed to the main topic of your meeting." The president of the United States looked rather unfriendly. It was late at night in the United States, and according to the schedule arranged by his secretary, he would have fallen asleep long ago if it hadn't been for the memories that came out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed your rest, but this is an urgent matter and I have no choice but to gather all of you here." Zhang Heng stood up and placed his hands on the table as he continued solemnly, "I have something very important to announce to all of you, and as such, I have no choice but to do so."

Everyone remained silent, waiting for Zhang Heng to speak again.

Zhang Heng turned around and said to Churchill, who had just taken his seat, "Mr. Churchill, I assume that you've received the news that quite a few bizarre disappearances have taken place in London during this period of time."

"So, you've found out about it…" Churchill was enlightened right away and snorted coldly. "Just tell me what you have to say. Don't tell me that you're the one behind all of this?"

"Of course not." Zhang Heng paid no heed to her attitude and took out several sets of data before everyone's eyes. "More than a dozen missing cases took place at Queen Mary's Academy in London, England, starting from March 13. Most of them were nowhere to be found, and only three were found dead. However, those bodies are rather peculiar."

Churchill picked up the file in his hand, but he shuddered when he read the contents. The file was identical to the one he had just read, and even the terms and phrases were identical.

"Please don't take it to heart, Mr. Churchill. I was the one who found that piece of data on your country's police department." Zhang Heng immediately smiled when he saw the troubled look on Churchill's face. "It's not that I'm trying to steal your country's data on purpose, but that this incident is very unusual, and it could even be related to the first attack."

"The first attack?" Everyone was shocked and the president of the United States immediately asked, "Do you have any evidence?"

"No evidence." Zhang Heng spread his hands and shrugged. "I'd assume that it would be too late by the time we have evidence, as what we're dealing with right now is some kind of phenomenon that we've never seen before. The expression of the infection this time is what the data described—missing."

"Meme infection?" The Russian president narrowed his gaze and wore a serious expression. "So, you're saying that the so-called first attack of the Meme infection is the first? What would they do to harm humans then? Just disappear?"

"Disappearance is a phenomenon caused by the emergence of infected individuals." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "The true terror of such a Molding phenomenon lies in the fact that it could infect people without end. Generally speaking, the Molding phenomenon would have so-called carriers and targets of infection, and that is the case with the Molding. The carriers would be the houses, and the targets of infection would be us humans. Any human who enters a infected house would be infected by the Molding, and the symptoms caused by the outbreak would be the disappearance of the infected. It's just like the SARS, Black Death, smallpox, cholera, and other viruses that possess highly infectious and lethal effects… It's just that such a Molding phenomenon is undoubtedly more lethal and terrifying than viruses. Furthermore, there is no corresponding vaccine that humans have been able to control."

"What I'd like to know is, where did those missing people go?" The Russian president nodded and asked again.

"You can turn to the second page." Zhang Heng pointed at the report in his hand and said with a smirk.

Everyone flipped open the report and looked puzzled. "The ceiling? The sewers?"

"That's right. This is where the missing end up." Zhang Heng sighed and continued, "To put it simply, there is only one fate that awaits those who are infected with the Membrane—disappearing is tantamount to death."

Everyone's expressions gradually became serious as Churchill said with a solemn look, "So, what should I do to prevent the spread of the memes?"

"Lock down the borders, shut down the highways, airports, and docks, and prohibit anyone from taking a single step out of the country," Zhang Heng said solemnly. "Curfews and military regulations are enforced throughout your country at the same time. Search for all infected individuals and isolate them."

"As for the rest of you, your mission is to lock down your borders and prevent anyone from entering. At the same time, be aware of any missing persons cases in your respective countries. If any of them are discovered, isolate all relevant members who have entered the houses of the missing persons immediately and await our decision."

"This is the only way that the Golden Foundation could think of to delay the infection, based on the experience we've had with the Model Infections…"

518. Arthasaka's Answer

Zhang Heng took a deep breath after the meeting was over. His eyes were gradually filled with doubt and there was something indescribable and weird about him. He mumbled to himself in a low voice, "Memes don't just appear out of nowhere. It's just like what happened on the B8th floor when I encountered the 'Road to the Ghost', a signal-based Keter-class meme that appeared in the form of a ghost. That meme came from another world that was destroyed. Where did that meme, which also exists in the form of a ghost curse, come from?"

He simply closed his eyes at that thought and began to call out to the virtual personality named Arthasja in his mind. However, the crisp, melodic sound of wind chimes was heard in his mind right after he called out to her. At the same time, Arthasja's silhouette gradually appeared before his eyes. She was still wearing that calm, indifferent look she had when he first saw her, and her eyes were completely calm without a single ripple.

"Brother, are you calling me?" Arthasja lowered her gaze and asked softly.

"Arthaska, right?" Zhang Heng's tone was cold and interrogative. "Tell me, where did this new meme come from?"

Arthasja slowly raised her head after hearing that. There was still no light in her eyes as she said coldly, "Are you talking about the Memes of the Curse, brother? It's obvious that the Memes came from the Curse plane."

"So, it really is a curse?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and his expression became even more stern. "But then again, why is it still London? What does the appearance of the curse have to do with Reinhart?"

"…" Arthas was silent for a bit before replying casually, "Yes, it is indeed the previous host of Arthas. Brother Reinhart brought it over from the Cursed Plane."

"I knew it!" Zhang Heng's mouth twitched and anger was seen in his eyes. "Arthasaka, you have to give me an explanation!"

"What kind of explanation do you want, brother?" Arthasja tilted her head and paid no heed to Zhang Heng's rage. She simply said calmly, "When you were escaping, you accidentally entered the plane of resentment and became infected with the Meme of Curse. As a result, the world that you're protecting was attacked for the first time. That is the truth."

"Ha, so that's your answer?" Zhang Heng chuckled in exasperation. "Well then, let me get this straight. Why would Reinhardt go to the world of the Cursed? He's clearly only been to the world of the 'Matrix'. Furthermore, when I was absorbing Reinhardt's access, the Dimensional Star only told me that he had only been on one trial mission, and that was the Matrix plane. Other than that, he hasn't been to the Cursed plane at all."

Arthasja seemed to be stunned for the first time after hearing that. She took another deep look at Zhang Heng before lowering her head and twisting her dress as she said in a low voice, "Brother, it's you… You interfered with the coordinates of the Dimensional Star when Brother Reinhardt was being transported, causing Brother Reinhardt to deviate from the plane and reach the plane of the Cursed plane that is closest to the Matrix. All of that was caused by you, brother."

Zhang Heng shuddered when he heard that. He suddenly recalled that he had indeed used his mental power to stop Reinhardt when he was teleporting.

"But brother, there's no need for you to take it to heart. According to the prediction mechanism of the law of causality, it is indeed time for the curse to strike at your plane. You were only made use of by the curse that exists in the dark." Arthasgar continued, "So, even if you didn't stop it back then, nothing would have changed at that moment. The worst that could have happened would have been for the curse to burst out in another form."

Zhang Heng's expression was very gloomy. He seemed to have recalled something after hearing what Arthas said and asked again, "So, you've known all along that Reinhart was infected with the Meme of Curse?"

"Yes." Arthasja nodded. "I know what you want to ask, brother. Why didn't I tell you in advance?"

"That's right. If the Dimensional Star knew about it all along, why would it still allow Reinhart to bring the memes back to reality?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and continued, "I believe that no one understands the horrors of memes better than you, right?"

"That's because the Dimensional Star isn't a tool for the host," Arthasgar replied immediately. "Or rather, the Dimensional Star is just a neutral bystander. As one of the hosts of the Dimensional Star, your brother can only grow as quickly as possible after being subjected to endless tests. If your potential reaches its limit, the Dimensional Star wouldn't feel the pinch even if human civilization were to be destroyed."

Zhang Heng fell silent after hearing that.

He had heard such words from Yurianne before, and hearing them again made him feel an indescribable sense of defeat, despite his strong will.

Curse. The curse that the Dimensional Star had been talking about. What was it?

…

At that moment, the five superpowers didn't go ahead with Zhang Heng's request right away. Sealing off customs wasn't a small matter after all. In an era where the global economy was constantly at odds with one another, any small action could have triggered a butterfly effect. Furthermore, Zhang Heng didn't have any evidence to back him up, and the heads of the five superpowers were only able to trust about 30 percent of what he said.

Furthermore, even if everyone were to believe him, how many people would be able to decisively give the order and shoulder all the responsibility when faced with the consequences of doing so?

Zhang Heng could only sigh to himself at the sight before him. The impact had come so quickly that it had taken less than half a year to get there, let alone a year. He only hoped that the five superpowers would be able to see the light of day and truly unite. If not, he would have no choice but to give up on reality and bring a handful of people to other planes to preserve the seeds of humanity.

At that moment, most of the cloning fighters in the world, with the exception of a small number of them, were gathered above the UK. On the other side, Corona was doing her best to keep track of surveillance footage from all over the UK, as well as the flow of personnel from all the major stations and airports. It was fortunate that this was a country with a highly developed system of real names. Every single person, be it in a car or on the internet, would leave their messages on the internet. That was how Corona was able to lock onto the names of over 10,000 people suspected to have been infected in London, as well as hundreds of homes that might have been infected…

"Commander, the situation isn't looking good!" Corona looked very serious in the Honeycomb. "According to my list of names, after the initial source of infection appeared at the Queen Mary Academy, the infection has spread all over the UK through trains, planes, and other transportation. Not only that, 13 suspected infected individuals have crossed the customs and headed to the four countries, including the United States, France, India, and Australia. Furthermore, it has been a full day since the first person to cross the customs. It is very likely that a new source of infection has been formed in other countries."

"Arrest them. Arrest as many people suspected to have been infected with the Meme as you can." A murderous glint was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. "There's no need to worry about the British reaction. If they're not willing to do something at a time like this, then let me be the bad guy instead."

"If that's the case, we might have a conflict with the UK. Are you sure?" Corona asked worriedly.

"No time to think about all that." Zhang Heng shook his head and chuckled coldly. "If sacrificing the UK could save the world, then what harm would there be in sacrificing the entire UK? Corona, we're not willing to resort to force because we don't want the world to suffer losses before we face the curse, but that doesn't mean that we need to be gentle when facing life and death situations. We need to play the heavy hand in troubled times. If the UK really gets in our way, then let that stupid country disappear."

"No one can stand in my way!"

519. Seal London

In the evening, the residents of London suddenly saw shadows slowly appearing in the sky above them.

It was a type of monster that he had never seen before, with a body that looked like a shuttle, cannons that looked like searchlights, and a landing gear that looked like an iron tower. The metal armor that was covered in a metallic grey color and was uneven looked like it was made of heavy steel. It was just like what was seen in the steampunk fantasy anime—a bunch of steel behemoths that were mixed with the aesthetics of violence and cold machinery. They were like moving mountains that stretched across the sky of London, covering the entire sky completely.

They were five massive battleships that blotted out the sun. Each of them was larger than the largest aircraft carriers of humanity.

Everyone wore shocked expressions on their faces. Some began to scream in despair as they fled in all directions, while others looked up at the sky out of curiosity. They instinctively raised their phones and began to record the unprecedented phenomenon taking place above their heads with great interest. In a day where smartphones were so well-developed, it was as if everyone was holding a wireless mobile camera. If anything were to happen, the entire world would receive the news in the very next second.

However, things were destined not to be like that today. Everyone only had time to pick up their phones before a missile shot out from the bottom of the huge battleship like a shooting star. The missile exploded in midair before anyone could react.

However, the world-destroying fire that he had anticipated didn't appear. It was like a silent bomb that flickered with sparks and smoke before disappearing completely.

However, if one were to look from the perspective of the spaceship, they would be able to see something else.

The entire city's power system seemed to have suffered a devastating blow from the very beginning of the silencer's explosion. The lights in an office building flickered for a bit before completely dimming. The streetlights that had just been lit, as well as the cars that had their lights turned on, all of the machinery that flickered with light began to spread out in a beam-like manner after the building was extinguished.

One building, one street, one city.

The entirety of London began to go out in a devastating manner, as if there was some kind of black fog that was constantly spreading. It took only a few seconds for the entirety of London to be completely covered in darkness, turning the place into a deathly, still darkness.

Crack!

The people who were holding their phones had yet to do anything when the screens on their phones began to flicker. The lights dimmed and sparks were seen.

Electromagnetic bombs!

Many people finally realized what had happened to them…

…

Barry Lynch was a legal citizen of London and was originally a college student at Queen Mary's College. However, several serial disappearances took place in the school just a few days ago and the police even found the bodies. All of a sudden, the school was abuzz with rumors and everyone felt that there was a murderer in the school.

Thereafter, the school simply announced that classes would be suspended and gave all the students a long vacation. As such, Barry left the school and stayed in a cheap rented apartment near the school. From what he saw, such a heinous crime had alerted the government and he believed that the suspects would be caught within a month before the school could resume classes.

However, he felt that something was off not long after he left the school. He couldn't quite put his finger on what that feeling was. All in all, the entire city seemed to have turned gloomy at some point in time. The gloom in the city didn't refer to the temperature or the weather, but the atmosphere in the city. Even on a sunny day, when he walked on the busy streets, Barry felt as if he could feel a chill seeping into his bones.

He didn't know where that feeling came from, but he realized that he seemed to have begun to fear the darkness and being alone. He liked to stay in places where people came and went at all times. He was shocked to discover that he wasn't the only one who felt that way when he went to Hyde Park at night. Many people felt the same way as he did, and none of them wanted to stay in their own homes. Instead, they sought places where there were many people around and stayed together as if they were all there to warm themselves up.

Many of those people had undergone psychological counseling before, and the psychiatrist had also mentioned that such symptoms were a common type of anxiety disorder. However, no matter how the doctor tried to counsel them, or even if he were to hint at it subconsciously, he was unable to erase their unease. Furthermore, he heard from others that it wasn't just the group of them. There were many people with similar symptoms in the entire city, especially in parks and other places in the city center. Some of them had even set up tents and stayed in parks.

Such a phenomenon had attracted widespread attention from society and even the news media reported about it.

However, Barry saw something that he would never forget that evening.

The sky was gradually turning red in the evening. The sun had already set behind Notting Hill in the western suburbs and the sky was only left with a blood-red, brilliant sunset. Barry and his new companion, Nick, finished their dinner at the fast food restaurant and returned to their tent in the park feeling rather dejected, staring at the sunset in a daze.

"Hey, Barry, I need to use the toilet. Would you like to come with me?" Nick clapped his shoulder and pulled Barry back to reality.

"Sure." Barry smiled. Such a thing was very common among those suffering from anxiety disorder in the park. After all, their symptoms were that they were afraid of being alone. That was because Barry didn't say anything and just stood up. The two of them headed to the public toilet in the park together.

When he reached the door of the toilet, he stopped in his tracks. He had a bad feeling about this for some reason.

The public toilet in the park had a decent environment to begin with and there was a professional cleaner cleaning the place every day. The place wasn't filled with stench and stains like the public toilet in the countryside and the place was filled with the scent of air freshener at all times. However, when he stood at the door of the public toilet, Barry felt that the place was eerie, as if something was staring at him.

"Barry, what's wrong?" Nick patted Barry's shoulder and asked, "Are you waiting for me at the door?"

"Nick…" Barry shook his head, looking rather pale. "Let's go to another toilet."

"Please, I can't hold it in anymore, okay?" Nick gave Barry a hard pat and continued, "We need to overcome our fear. Didn't the psychiatrist say that this is just an anxiety disorder? Maybe it's caused by the pollen from the new type of flowers that were transplanted in London in the spring. No matter what, who knows?" He then walked in without waiting for Barry to answer.

Barry opened his mouth but had no choice but to follow him in the end. He watched as Nick walked into a cubicle and locked the revolving door of the cubicle. The green 'No Man' sign outside the door automatically turned into a red 'Someone' sign.

Barry had no choice but to shake his head at the sight. He then walked to the cubicle next to Nick, unbuckled his belt and sat on the toilet bowl.

"Hey, dude, you know what?" Perhaps he was a little afraid of the silent atmosphere, but Nick, who was next door, took the initiative to start the conversation. "Actually, I've seen spirits before."

"Hey, don't try to scare me." Barry was stunned and immediately shook his head.

"It's true. I've seen spirits before, and just a few days ago…" Nick's voice seemed to have become softer and there was a tinge of unease in his voice. "As you know, I was originally a courier. A few days ago, when I was delivering the package to Funier Street, I saw a package with the address of 897 Funier Street. That was a very luxurious bungalow. I drove the car and delivered the package to the place in sequence, but when I got to 897, I somehow felt that there was something very eerie there…"

Barry gradually shut his mouth and listened to what was being said next door. Nick continued, "I didn't feel anything at the time and only rang the doorbell. However, no one answered. Just when I was about to call the number on the package, the door of the villa actually opened slowly…"

"I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, thinking that it was just some kind of automatic door. I walked in and shouted. All of a sudden, I saw a girl wearing an apron in a kitchen not far away from the corridor, with half of her body exposed. Due to the distance, I couldn't see her face clearly, and I could only hear her shouting at me, 'Please wait, I'll be right back when I'm done with my work!'"

"I didn't think too much about it, so I just waited there and waited, but I felt like I waited for at least five minutes and there was still no one there. That made me rather angry." Nick's voice gradually lowered. "So, I shouted into the room again and waited for about 10 seconds. Just when I was about to head for the kitchen, the girl leaned out and shouted at me, 'Please wait, I'll be back when I'm done with my work!'"

Barry was stunned for a moment. He had a vague feeling that something was off, but after giving it some thought, he was unable to tell anything. "Did that girl come out to get the package at the end?"

"Hehe, if I were to take it, would I say that I ran into a ghost?" It was unclear if it was Barry's imagination, but he heard a tremor in Nick's voice. "I had no choice but to wait patiently then. But, just when I couldn't take it anymore, that girl appeared again…"

"Hold on, please. I'll be right back when I'm done with my work!" Nick mimicked the girl's tone and said slowly, sounding very high-pitched and dramatic. However, Barry felt an indescribable chill enveloping his entire body when he heard Nick's nonsensical words. He subconsciously held his arms tightly and asked in a low voice, "You're saying that her third scream was identical to the first two?"

"That's right…" Nick chuckled bitterly. "I finally felt that something was off. I started walking towards the kitchen, but when I got there, I saw…"

"There's not a single person here!"

Barry shuddered subconsciously and smiled bitterly. "Nick, you scared me…" However, he was stunned before he was able to finish his sentence. There was a faint, unclear sound coming from the cubicle next door.

It was hard to tell what kind of sound it was, but it sounded like the sound produced when the sound system was broken, or the sound of something rubbing against the wooden floor. All in all, it was a weird kind of clacking sound, and the sound grew louder as time passed.

"Nick? Nick?" The image in Barry's mind sent shivers down his spine. He tilted his head subconsciously and put his ear against the partition. However, he was astonished to find that the wooden partition actually gave off a weird chill. At the same time, that giggle was very close to him, as if something was doing the same thing as him and he was only a wooden plank away from that thing.

Goosebumps rose all over Barry's body and he suddenly had a feeling that he would definitely die if he didn't leave right away.

That feeling was indescribable yet it triggered all the adrenaline in Barry's body. He pulled up his pants at an indescribable speed, pushed the door of the cubicle open and ran out of the toilet.

That chilliness dissipated immediately after he ran out of the toilet. It was only then that he bent over with his hands on his knees, panting hard.

The crowd around them all looked at Barry with weird looks, but he couldn't care less. He shouted at the crowd, "Nick! Nick is still inside! He's being attacked by some weird thing!"

All of them were people who had anxiety issues just like him. When they heard what Barry said, three or four of the more daring ones immediately went into the toilet and kicked the door of the cubicle that Nick was in under Barry's guidance.

The cubicle was empty.

Nick is missing…

Many people fell silent. They all knew that this wasn't the first time someone had gone missing like that. The news had reported countless disappearances and it was the first time someone went missing right before everyone's eyes.

"Something unfathomable is happening in this world…" That was what a wise old man said. Huge battleships began to appear in the sky as soon as he said that.

Barry was unable to hold on any longer when he saw those battleships. He dashed out of the park and hailed a cab before heading for the outskirts of the city. He wanted to leave this place immediately and leave this increasingly desolate city. Otherwise, he couldn't believe that he would be the next one to go missing.

However, the car was only able to drive for several seconds before thick smoke puffed out from the hood of the car. The entire car was thrown out of control and crashed into the streetlight at the side of the street like a wrecked car with its engine turned off.

At the same time, the city that was still lit by the early evening lights was plunged into complete darkness.

Boom, boom, boom!

Dozens of cars crashed into each other all around them at that moment. The screams of countless pedestrians filled the air. It was only when Barry and the cab driver, who were all bloodied from the crash, climbed out of the car that they were stunned to discover that the entire city had fallen into a dead silence at that moment.

No, it was not completely silent. Barry suddenly saw one of the huge battleships hovering not far above his head. At the same time, the door at the bottom of the ship slowly opened and something that looked like a container was dropped from above.

"Be careful!" Barry shouted and turned around to run away with his head in his arms. He felt the ground beneath his feet shake before he got far. A deafening crash was heard at the same time. He stopped in shock and looked behind him. It was only then that he was shocked to see a metal cabinet that was even larger than a two-story villa being thrown from a height of over a kilometer. The cabinet smashed through a convenience store by the side of the road and flattened the cab that he was in earlier.

What the hell is this, aliens attacking Earth?

Barry felt as if he was about to go numb. He looked at the metal cabinet in a daze. However, before he was able to react, the metallic cabinet suddenly emitted a hissing sound as if it was about to release the pressure. At the same time, the side of the metal cabinet that was facing Barry began to rise slowly like a shutter, revealing a dense layer of red light inside, as if it was the eye of a demon from hell.

It was a bunch of things that could only be seen on television. Skeletal-looking bots were packed tightly in huge metal cabinets. As the doors of the cabinets opened, the bots burst out like a torrent. Hundreds and thousands of skeleton bots flooded out within seconds.

At the same time, a prolonged and high-pitched alarm was heard throughout the entire city. The sound was so loud and clear that it seemed to be able to travel tens of kilometers and penetrate everyone's eardrums. At the same time, an electronic announcement was heard from the mouths of those skeletal robots.

"Citizens of London, this is the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. We shall take over London from this day forth. From this moment forth, London is under military control and the entire city is under lockdown. Please return to your homes. Anyone who remains on the streets will be arrested by the foundation. I repeat, all citizens are to stay in your homes. Anyone who remains on the streets will be arrested by the foundation. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Business is prohibited in all shops in the city from now on. If you were to be found out, you will be punished by the Golden Foundation. If there are any special circumstances, please hang a blue flag before your door, or use a sheet or any other blue logo. We will be at your door within 10 minutes."

"Curfew has been imposed in the city from 18 pm to 8 pm the next morning. No one is allowed to go out at this time. Please take note of this, citizens. If anyone from the outside world were to stay, we will arrest them… This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill! For the safety of you and your family, please do not resist unnecessarily. The Golden Foundation is friendly and we promise not to harm anyone."

520. Shooting Commoners

Barry felt an indescribable chill running down his spine and headed for an alley without a second thought. He wanted to get out of this bizarre and insane city before those robots took over the entire city.

"Waah…"

The alarms above their heads continued to blare, making them feel very flustered. Countless people were running and screaming like mad on the streets. One could see a huge group of rioters breaking the windows of the shops by the side of the street from time to time. A huge group of passers-by that were running away immediately swarmed the shops, shouting and fighting for the goods that they had only seen but had no money to buy.

While no one knew what was happening, they knew that food and water were essential to escape the city. Without vehicles, motorcycles, and other means of transportation, humanity felt as if it had been pushed back thousands of years. The order that had been established in human civilization for countless years collapsed all of a sudden.

Barry didn't join the ranks of those people. He just kept running along the sidewalk and he could hear rumbling sounds from time to time around him. It was obvious that more robots were being released from the huge spaceships in the sky. Very soon, those damned things would be able to take over the entire city and it would be impossible for him to leave then.

It was fortunate that the location of the park that Barry was in was near the outskirts to begin with. By the time the sky had completely darkened, he had already made it to the edge of the city. There was a faint noise coming from up ahead, as if there was some kind of robotic broadcasting noise that he had seen before.

Even the outskirts have been sealed off?

Barry's heart sank right away. He panted heavily and stopped sweating profusely. He grabbed hold of the man who was walking in the opposite direction and asked loudly, "Sir, could you tell me what happened up ahead?"

The one who was held back by Barry was a middle-aged man with a refined air about him. He turned his head around numbly and said with a rather dejected tone, "I assume that you're thinking of leaving the city of London through the outskirts as well, but I'm afraid that's not possible anymore. The military organization known as the Stellar Foundation has sealed off all traffic routes. I heard that even the 32 administrative areas of London have been taken over and sealed off by the other party."

"Impossible!" Barry was stunned and said in disbelief, "Where's our army? Where's our Royal Armored Corps? Where's the Royal Guard?"

"I don't know. Maybe he escaped a long time ago…" The middle-aged man shook his head and paid no more attention to Barry as he turned around and headed for the city.

Barry gritted his teeth and his eyes were filled with stubbornness and disbelief. He took another step and walked towards the end of the exit of the main road. As he got closer, a group of people who had appeared out of nowhere walked side by side with him and kept gathering at the same target. Not only that, but those people even brought their families along with them, bringing all manner of food and supplies.

Barry saw the family of three walking side by side with him along the way. They loaded a huge cart of food with the cart from the supermarket and looked at him warily, as if they were worried that Barry would steal their food. However, before they reached the main road leading out of the city, three men wearing black leather clothes with nose rings on their mouths stood in front of the family and a fight broke out. By the time Barry walked past them, the three thugs had already stolen the cart and fled far away. The husband of the family of three had completely collapsed in a pool of blood while his wife and daughter were on their knees wailing.

A hint of sympathy flashed in Barry's eyes, but he gritted his teeth nonetheless and ran past the puddle of blood while suppressing the pain he was feeling deep down. When he passed a junction, he was finally able to see a glimmer of light before him. What appeared before him was a huge building that looked like a medieval fortress. It was situated on the main road leading out of the city. The entirety of the fortress was filled with the color of high-carbon steel, and there were countless searchlights on the top of the building that shone directly on the dense crowd at the bottom. He was unable to see how thick the steel wall was, but when he saw the rows of soldiers at the top of the steel wall, everyone was able to imagine just how thick that wall was.

That wasn't all. The wall that looked like the Berlin Wall spread out on both sides of the wall. The other exits were also isolated by the huge steel wall, making it look as if the entire city of London was surrounded by that wall.

It was as if he was standing in a square filled with tens of thousands of people. A huge commotion was heard from the crowd, which was filled with shouts and questions. The crowd was in an uproar, as if everyone would charge at that huge wall at any moment and use the pressure to force the Golden Foundation to open a path for him to leave.

A dazed look was seen in Barry's eyes as he walked into the crowd with some hesitation. He heard a loud voice playing continuously on the fortress. "Everyone, please calm down. We are the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. Due to the unknown source of the infection, we have decided to lock down the entirety of London. Please return to your homes immediately. Anyone who remains on the streets will be arrested by the foundation. I repeat, all citizens are to stay in your homes. Anyone who remains on the streets will be arrested by the foundation. Thank you for your cooperation."

However, the constant warnings only served to further enrage the crowd. Everyone was cursing and swearing at the top of their lungs. Some people were even shouting at the top of the fort with signs and trumpets.

"Why are you not letting us out?"

"Go to hell with your cooperation. I'm not going back. Get me out of here. I'm leaving this damned city!"

"The Stellar Foundation, is it? I'm Senator Agrir. Get your highest ranking officer to see me immediately!"

"Wah! Mommy, I want Mommy!"

Cries, shouts, and wails were heard from the crowd all the time, making the place look like a bunch of demons from hell. All of them were yelling at the top of their lungs and it seemed like the entire fortress would collapse at any second.

As more people began to gather, the traffic junction became so packed that even a thousand cloned warriors and tens of thousands of T-800 people felt a little pressured.

On the steel fort, Gu Zhan was looking at the dense crowd below the fort with a cold expression on his face. The searchlights shone down on the ground below the fort, yet the people on the ground were unable to see anything on the fort. Gu Zhan shook his head and took the microphone from the communications officer at the side, shouting at the ground.

"Final warning, please return the way you came. For the safety of you and your family, please do not put up any pointless resistance. Thank you for your cooperation. Anyone who dares to linger here in a minute will be subjected to fire and bullets."

"Charge! They won't dare to fire! Push them over here and we'll charge out!" However, the crowd became even more frenzied after hearing Gu Zhan's ultimatum. Gu Zhan's arrogant remarks had completely enraged them. In their minds, no one would dare to use firearms against their own citizens, not even in the United States. However, it was precisely such a fearless attitude that made them taste the consequences that they were unable to bear.

Boom!

It was unknown who pushed down a tree and made it look like a siege hammer. Everyone began to attack the fort with all their might.

"30 seconds! All fighters get ready!" Gu Zhan's expression remained cold and unfeeling. He watched the movements of the crowd with a deadpan expression and waved his hand at the same time.

"Crack!" Tens of thousands of T-800 and over a thousand cloned warriors began to pick up their pulse rifles in unison and pointed their guns at the people on the ground who were completely exposed.

"20 seconds!"

Gu Zhan continued to speak, but apart from a handful of people in the audience who were hesitating, the majority of the crowd had excitement in their eyes. As the rumbling continued, Gu Zhan felt the fortress beneath his feet begin to shake.

"Countdown of 10 seconds!"

In Gu Zhan's eyes, those people had already descended into an irrepressible frenzy. He raised his hand and looked at the quantum communication table in his hand and shouted, "Nine, eight, seven, six…"

Barry felt a chill running down his spine for some reason among the crowd. He turned around without a second thought and ran out of the crowd like a madman.

"Three, two, one, fire!"

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

Barry ran backward like a madman. Anyone who stood in his way would have been knocked down by his muscular physique. It was fortunate that he was at the edge of the crowd to begin with, which made it very easy for him to escape. He was able to get out of the crowd within 20 to 30 meters.

The sound of bullets going through flesh was heard from the crowd at the same time, followed by the sound of bullets going into the ground.

In the end, the screams and wails of people who felt like they had fallen into hell were heard.

Barry turned around instinctively, but all he saw was that those people who were still gathered at the bottom of the fort seemed to have been torn apart by some invisible force in an instant. They were like pieces of paper being torn apart by a powerful machine gun. Blood-red mist sprayed into the sky and countless severed limbs were sent flying from the pile of people. The people were like lambs waiting to be butchered and could only scream in despair under the machine guns. Their eyes were filled with disbelief even when they died. They couldn't believe that the troops had the guts to shoot at the civilians.

Barry ran for over 500 meters in one go and only bent over when he turned into a T-junction and lost sight of those terrorist foundations. He panted heavily.

"Damn it, how is this possible?!" Barry punched the wall and gritted his teeth. More than 10,000 lives were lost right before his eyes. There were old people, children, and even women there! How could he shoot? What right did they have to shoot?

The bloody scene of countless people dying before his eyes continued to unfold. He didn't think much about it before because he was running away, but it seemed like he was unable to take it any longer at the moment. His expression changed drastically and he suddenly bent over, vomiting in huge mouthfuls. He didn't stop until he was only left with acid.

Barry had just straightened his back when footsteps were heard all of a sudden. He jerked his head around and saw a robot with metallic-looking bones and red eyes pointing a gun at him.

"Citizens discovered. Scouring…" A calm voice was heard from the mouth of the robot, yet it only made Barry's heart shudder even more. He raised his hands high up reflexively. He had completely given up all hope after seeing the robots from the Golden Foundation shoot humans.

"Scanning complete. According to file, citizen's name is Barry Lynch. Age 19, Mexican-American. Currently studying at the St. Mary Queen's Academy."

"Warning, warning! Data confirms that the target is suspected of being infected with Meme. Individual threat level: Safe Level. Under specific circumstances, collective threat level could reach the Keter level. Please contain and report to the nearest commander immediately."

Barry was barely able to make out what the robot was saying after hearing what it was saying. He didn't care about anything else for the moment as the robot was clearly trying to detain him.

Barry turned around at that thought and wanted to escape. However, when he turned around, he saw four or five similar robots blocking his path and all of them had their guns pointed at him.

"What are you guys trying to do?!" Barry shouted in despair. He leaned against the wall and looked at the approaching robots. "What are Meme Infected Ones? Why did you guys lock down London? What the hell happened to me?"

"Please, just tell me!" In the end, Barry could only let out a wail of despair. At the same time, he was shot in the neck by a tranquilizer gun. He blacked out in the very next second and completely lost consciousness.

…

Churchill sat in the pitch-black office of the prime minister with a glum look on his face. There was an indescribable rage in his eyes.

He had never expected Zhang Heng to be so decisive. It had only been less than three hours since the meeting ended, and he had completely sealed off the core of the UK, the biggest financial backbone of Europe, one of the four world-class cities, and the largest international capital in the world.

There were simply too many titles in London, so many that he wouldn't be able to finish them all in an entire afternoon. Yet, Zhang Heng was able to attack an international city that was the center of attention of the entire world just like that. Did he not know political tactics? Wasn't he afraid of incurring the ire and retaliation of all nations around the world?

He was a lunatic who didn't care about the consequences at all.

The electricity in London had been rendered completely useless and the police station was rendered completely incapacitated. While the government's underground bomb shelters were equipped with equipment to prevent electromagnetic pulses, at the moment, Churchill was simply venting his frustration.

"Prime Minister, please find a way to leave this place as soon as possible. The robots of Stellar Technology have taken over the entire city. Even the police and the soldiers of the Royal Guard have surrendered. We won't be able to leave if we don't leave now!" Speaker Kurt of the House of Lords shouted.

"Do you really think I don't want to leave?!" Churchill turned around and grabbed the elder by the collar, yelling at him, "Where did I get that idea from? Tell me!"

"Prime Minister, we've contacted the 312nd Regiment of the Royal Armored Legion of the British Empire, which is stationed in the city, through intact communication devices. I believe that it won't be long before they come to liberate London with our regular troops. At the same time, the outside world will be made aware of the atrocities committed by Stellar Technology!" An adjutant ran up to Churchill with a very excited look on his face and said in a very serious manner.

"When will they come to our aid?" Churchill asked with a glum look on his face.

"Ten hours!"

"It's going to take too long. We have to take down London in five hours. Destroy all of Stellar Technology's personnel and destroy them!" Churchill shouted at the top of his lungs. However, his expression turned sour in the very next second. "Damn it, can we really succeed?"

Everyone's initial excitement died down right away. While they had been funded by the technology of Stellar Technology and gained access to many weapons capable of increasing damage, with even the T-800 robots among them, none of them were optimistic enough to think that the T-800s that they had created would be able to work so well against their original owners.

All of his weapons had come from the enemy, yet he was about to go to war with the enemy at the moment. That was an indescribable farce. Churchill could even imagine that he would be utterly defeated if he were to go to war with the enemy. His defeat would be swift and decisive, without a doubt. After all, the enemy had a battleship that was as huge as an aircraft carrier right above their heads. The battleship was like a series of fortresses. As long as the enemy forces were stationed there, their momentum would collapse before they could even begin fighting.

Churchill calmed down completely at that thought. He realized at that moment that he had no value to bargain with at all. He had no choice but to carry out the missions assigned by Stellar Technology. That was the only reason why the Stellar Foundation allowed him to exist, no?

"Make your announcement…" Churchill lowered his head and looked as if he had aged over a decade in an instant. His loose wrinkles and silver-white hair trembled in front of the ventilation ducts. He straightened his collar and walked out of the bomb shelter, ignoring everyone's attempts to persuade him.

"If you're destined to fail, then why don't you save your pride for the last time?" Churchill chuckled bitterly and ordered the staff at the side to open the exit. He then walked out of the door with an indomitable will.

A group of T-800s had already raised their guns and were pointing them at Churchill.

521. Cursed Model

Zhang Heng stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of the flagship with a serious look in his eyes.

It turned out that he hadn't realized it when he was fighting Reinhart. As his mental power continued to spread, he felt that the entire London beneath his feet was shrouded in an indescribable chill.

That chill didn't refer to the temperature, but something more like a sixth sense. Only those with stronger instincts would be able to barely sense that chill.

Furthermore, he was only barely able to sense it.

Only those who had reached Zhang Heng's level would be able to clearly feel just how terrifying that cold, malicious intent was. It was as if a mountain of dead bodies had risen from the ground and piled up against one another, with countless people moaning and wailing in pain before they died. It was fortunate that Zhang Heng was strong-willed enough to not be affected by such a feeling.

"Commander…" Corona's voice was heard from the communication device. "We have captured 330 London residents suspected to have been infected by the curse, but that is only a possibility. We still don't know if they have been infected yet."

"Only 300?" Zhang Heng frowned and asked, "Didn't you say that there are over 10,000 infected people in all of London?"

"They've disappeared," Corona said solemnly. "It seems to have been caused by an electromagnetic bomb. The electromagnetic bomb caused the entirety of London to be plunged into darkness. As such, we were able to create favorable conditions for the Grudge Monster. All of them are disappearing at an exponential rate."

"I knew it. The dark environment, the fear of the infected, the sight of others, and so on are all essential factors for the outbreak of ghost-based curses." Zhang Heng wore an odd expression on his face. "But I have a bad feeling about this. It seems that every additional person who dies in the City of London will cause the city to become even colder than it was before, and the monsters will become even more vicious…"

"Perhaps there are some properties of cursed models that we are unable to comprehend," Corona said helplessly. "It's a pity that there are no scientific methods to observe such models so far. We could only use the most primitive methods to observe them. It's very passive."

"Wait, Corona, have all the cloned legions retreat immediately!" Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden and his expression changed drastically. "Only T-800 is allowed to enter the entirety of London. Other than that, no other members of the foundation are allowed to enter!"

"Commander?" Corona was stunned. "Yes, I'll give orders to the commanders of the various divisions right away, but I don't understand why."

"I can't quite put my finger on it. That's probably what my instincts are telling me. What about the rest of the place?" Zhang Heng nodded and changed the subject. "Have you gotten control of all the sources of infection that spread outside of London?"

"Don't worry. Any suspects suspected of having entered a house infected by a model after getting out of London have been detained by us in secret. There are about three thousand of them, and they are scattered all over the world. We've already sealed their houses in secret and no one is allowed to enter." Corona nodded and continued, "However, the local authorities are unaware of this."

"Very well, keep a close eye on the rest of the world. All missing cases must be taken seriously. After all, we don't have any technological means to tell which houses are the source of the curse and which people have been infected. We can only try our best to speculate, so I'm afraid that there will be quite a number of people who have slipped through the cracks."

"Understood," Corona replied. "However, the United Nations has received word that the president of the United States is trying to contact you."

"Get through," Zhang Heng said casually. A humming sound was heard from the communication device next to his ear in the very next second. The president of the United States' voice was heard from the other end. "Damn it, you went to attack London? And you used an electromagnetic bomb on London? Do you know what you're doing?"

"Of course I do, Mr. President," Zhang Heng said casually. "My purpose is simple. I'm just trying to purge all the sources of infection in the world. If I were to let the virus continue to spread, the entire Earth would be riddled with holes and human civilization would be plunged into hell."

"But, you still can't use such a method. You're starting a war!" The president of the United States said sternly. "The United Nations has begun to propose sanctions against you. What do you think we should do?"

"I'm not in a good mood right now." Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "Get me a message. It's fine if you guys don't help me at the critical juncture, but if anyone dares to try to trip me up, I'll bomb your capital with a satellite railgun right away!"

Zhang Heng hung up the phone right after saying that. The beeping sound from the other end of the phone was heard for a bit, but the expression of the president of the United States changed drastically after hearing what Zhang Heng said. His body went limp and he slumped into the chair, sweat dripping from his brow.

It was no wonder that he was so anxious. He was the one who initiated the United Nations' decision to sanction the Stellar Foundation. In his opinion, the Stellar Foundation was simply too powerful. He planned to make use of the attack on London to make the other party suffer and take the opportunity to knock the Stellar Foundation down a notch, at least giving his own country a certain measure of initiative. However, he never expected that the madman named Zhang Heng would actually not care about the United Nations at all, not even bothering with what the people of the world thought of him. He was able to conquer everything by force and throw away all means of conspiracy. Such people were the most difficult to deal with.

Furthermore, the words that he said at the very end made the president of the United States feel sorry for him. He had a feeling that the other party would really do as he said, not bothering with politics or current affairs. All the countries that caused trouble for him would have to pay dearly.

"Mr. President, the other party is practically declaring war on the United States. I suggest that we hold a military exercise in the Pacific Ocean within three months to deter political opponents." The staff officer adjusted his glasses and said with a sharp gaze.

"…" The president of the United States shuddered all of a sudden and fell silent for a bit. A few seconds later, he shouted at the door, "Guards, someone throw that idiot out of the White House right now!"

…

Due to the dropping of the electromagnetic bombs, both the electronic communication system and surveillance system in London were rendered obsolete. Corona had lost the ability to determine who was the infected from the surveillance footage. After gathering over 300 containment objects suspected to be infected, those people were brought to a small, uninhabited island in the Pacific that had no name on the map.

The island was less than 100 square meters in size and looked like a shuttle. However, there was a round metal cover about three to four meters wide at the center of the island.

That was a secret laboratory that Zhang Heng had used a massive amount of manpower and resources to construct after learning about the disaster that had befallen the Meme. The structure of that laboratory was different from that of regular laboratories. The second was a laboratory that specialized in dealing with the Meme of Curses. The laboratory had many transparent glass rooms, as well as all manner of equipment that could detect air and particle waves. There were also more than 500 criminals on death row serving as experimental assistants, which meant that the laboratory could be abandoned at any time.

A powerful light source seemed to have lit up before his eyes. The unconscious Barry couldn't help but frown. His fingers wiggled slightly and a feeling of extreme exhaustion was felt from his body. At the same time, he felt a chill beneath him, as if he was lying on the cold and stiff floor. There was also the sound of footsteps approaching and a man's cold shout.

Barry took a deep breath and spent quite a bit of time before he finally opened his eyes slowly. However, the moment he saw what was before him, tears began to flow from his eyes due to the blinding light and he had no choice but to close his eyes again.

"That kid is finally awake." A cold voice was heard from the side. Barry opened his eyes immediately and looked around him warily. He saw three men wearing earthen yellow prison uniforms with no pockets or locks on them standing before him. Among the three of them, there was a tall, muscular blonde man who looked at him with a rather heavy expression.

Barry wore a stiff smile on his face as he looked at the three of them. It was only then that he realized that all of his clothes had disappeared and he was wearing the exact same attire as the three of them. Not only that, but he also discovered that he was in a room that was square in shape with transparent glass on all four sides. There was a matrix of steel beams about half a meter thick mixed on the 12 edges of the room, giving it a very special high-tech vibe.

No, to say that the room was too optimistic, or rather, that it was actually a cage.

Dazzling lights were densely packed above their heads, making it look like the people who built the prison wanted to install all the high-powered electric lights in the world together. Barry even felt as if he was under the scorching sun.

That was not all. Barry even saw that there were countless prison rooms that stretched as far as the eye could see right outside his prison room. Most of those rooms were filled with four prisoners just like the room he was in. There was a two-meter-long passageway between the two prison rooms. One would be able to observe what was happening in the countless cells as long as they walked on the passageway.

Barry sorted out all the details of the situation before regaining his composure and said to the three of them, "Hello, do you know where we are?"

"No idea." The blond-haired man spread his hands and said casually, "But I assume that everyone was captured by that Stellar Foundation, right?"

Everyone looked at each other in dismay. The other old man nodded and said, "Yes, the Stellar Foundation used a spaceship that I've never seen before in the evening and conquered the UK. I'm afraid that the British Empire has fallen."

"Damn it, what the hell does it have to do with me?" That blond-haired man snapped right away. "All I want to know right now is where we are and what they're after."

Everyone fell silent.

"An observation experiment." Barry seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden and said solemnly, "I'm afraid that the other party is conducting an observation experiment."

"What the hell kind of observation experiment is this?!" The blond-haired man shouted furiously.

Barry sighed to himself and said loudly, "The so-called 'observational experiment' is to place the experiment subject under some kind of experimental conditions and let the experiment subject take its course, while the observer would silently record the experiment subject's every move and even any phenomenon that happens. That is called an observation experiment."

Barry continued, "The observation experiment is divided into three stages. The first stage consists of the preparation of the observational equipment and the physical properties of the reactors. Look at the monitor above us and the glass walls around us that could be observed at any time. It's obvious that the first stage completely fits the prerequisite of the observation experiment."

"The second phase of the observational experiment includes the main phenomenon that would occur during the experiment. Look at the densely packed lights above their heads. That is what is being prepared for the second phase. The third phase is to determine if any new material is being generated." Barry pointed at several detectors that were easily overlooked by the average person in the corner above him. "All three of those points fit the procedures of the observation-based experiment perfectly."

Everyone fell silent at once. It took quite a while before the blond-haired man said dejectedly, "Do you know why we were captured here?"

"You guys may not know, but I remember everything clearly." Barry rubbed his temple and wore a serious expression. "The other party said that I seem to be some kind of Molding Infection."

"I remember now. That robot said the same thing to me." The blond-haired man was elated to hear that. He put his hands on Barry's shoulders hard, as if he wanted to place all his hopes on Barry. "So, what is it that got us here? So, you're saying that you can let us out after the treatment is done?"

"I don't know…" Barry was stunned for a moment and shook his head dispiritedly after a long while. Actually, not knowing was the best outcome. He could tell from the scene where the Stellar Foundation shot civilians at will that the chances of that organization releasing him after the event was extremely low. God knew how such an organization could exist in reality and not be wiped out by countless countries as terrorists.

The blond-haired man, who initially had hope in his eyes, was stunned after hearing what Barry said. He lowered his arm dejectedly and walked to the edge of the room before yelling at the other side of the corridor, "Can anyone tell me when we can get out?"

"I can't hear you." The old man shook his head and continued in a dispirited manner, "Look at the edges of those glass walls. They're at least 30 centimeters thick and the edges have a metallic luster to them. It's obvious that those are superglasses made with Palladium. Those glass walls are super malleable and are able to withstand massive impacts. The impact of those glass walls would only bend them instead of shattering them. Furthermore, given how thick they are, there's no physical way humans could break through those barriers."

Just when the four of them were chatting away, an ear-piercing alarm was heard from the speaker above them all of a sudden. Barry covered his ears subconsciously and howled in pain when he heard the deafening alarm. The reactions of the others were even worse. The old man who was standing at the side even slumped down and vomited, looking like he was about to roll his eyes.

It was fortunate that the ear-piercing alarm was only heard for a few seconds before being lowered again. A cold, electronic female voice was heard from the radio at the same time, with a tinge of elegance. "Warning, the first Meme Infection Observation Test is about to begin… All researchers, please take your positions."

"Researchers are in place. Now, prepare to proceed with the first procedure. All cages and lights will be extinguished for 30 seconds."

"10-second countdown to extinguish…"

"Ten, nine, eight…"

"Three, two, one!"

Everyone turned their attention to the ceiling at the same time. The blinding light above their heads was snuffed out in the very next second.

522. Cursed Model Due to Observation Experiment (Complete)

While Barry could tell that this was some kind of observation experiment, he knew very little about what the experiment was about and what the experiment was about.

At that moment, as the lights dimmed quickly, everything before Barry's eyes turned pitch-black. Furthermore, that pitch-black darkness was so pitch-black that he couldn't even see his own hands in front of him, and there was no longer any source of light in sight.

"Could it be some kind of psychological experiment?" Barry mumbled to himself as he looked at the pitch-black darkness before him. However, before he was able to finish his sentence, he suddenly felt an extreme chill slowly approaching him. It was as if there were countless dead bodies touching his body and he seemed to be able to hear faint clacking sounds in his ears. Almost instantly, goosebumps all over Barry's body stood up and he took seven to eight steps back. It was only when he hit the wall behind him that his limbs dropped to the ground. His eyes were fixed ahead.

Crack…

Thirty seconds felt like a very, very long time. Just when his consciousness was about to collapse, the densely packed lights above his head finally lit up again… He covered his eyes subconsciously and tears fell from his eyes. It was only when his eyes became accustomed to the light that he saw that the other two in the cage were rubbing their eyes just like him, their eyes filled with horror.

Wait, two people?!

Barry looked around, but the cage was so small that it was barely more than 10 square meters. Everything in the room became clear as long as he stood at a corner of the glass cage. No matter how hard he looked, he was unable to find the third person who had disappeared.

That blond-haired man disappeared without a trace…

A tinge of gloominess flashed across Barry's eyes as he recalled that terrifying thing that he felt before. That's right, Barry could only refer to that thing as' something ', just like the specter in the movies. Other than that, he really didn't know how else to describe that thing…

"A demon! It's a demon!" The eyes of the old man at the side were filled with horror. It was obvious that he had felt something similar to what Barry felt. Due to his age, his body was even weaker than that of young people. He lost control of himself after being stimulated by that thing and shouted.

Barry had no time to care about the old man. He threw himself against the glass wall and looked outside. However, when he saw what was happening outside, his pupils contracted immediately. He saw that almost every cage that he could see was missing one to two people… and the most terrifying cage, everyone, had disappeared without a trace.

Barry's entire body shuddered violently out of reflex. He suddenly recalled that the young man named Nick who was with him when he went to the toilet in the park before he passed out was the one who disappeared from the world right under his nose with that eerie, cold clucking sound.

Barry wasn't naïve enough to think that all of that was a prank set up by that armed organization that dared to attack the UK. Did that mean that everything that had happened to Nick in the city of London was being replayed here?

Meme infection…

What did that term actually mean?

"First Meme Infected Experiment completed."

"3,432 infected observed during the first round. 2926 survived after the first round, with a survival rate of 85 percent. Data is being transmitted… uploaded."

Just when Barry and the rest were listening to the broadcast in a deadpan manner, that voice spoke again, "All those who have been detected and infected, please continue to work hard. Every time you survive an experiment, you will be able to learn more about all of you, including why you are here, what is a Meme infection, and so on."

At that moment, Barry said without hesitation, "Tell me, what is a meme infection?"

"Mr. Barry, the infected observed in Cage 207, raised the question first." However, to Barry's surprise, his question actually worked. The voice continued calmly, "The Meme effect refers to something similar to the role that genes play in biological evolution during transmission, such as language, concepts, beliefs, behavioral patterns, and so on. It is a fundamental unit of information that is transmitted through non-genetic means. Simply put, it is a transmission of information."

"Due to infection, a certain substance or even energy would be affected by the transmission of such information. The results of the infection would be diverse. While there would be patterns to follow, there would be no logic to it. As for you, you were influenced by some kind of Meme effect, which resulted in you being infected by the infectious phenomenon caused by that particular Meme effect."

"Tell us what kind of memes we've been infected with!" Barry didn't wait for the other party to finish before continuing. However, the voice on the radio didn't go according to their wishes this time. Instead, it continued coldly, "The first Q & A access has been depleted. All those infected observed, please prepare for the second experiment."

"Damn it, hold on!" Barry wasn't the only one who shouted at that moment. The old man and the other middle-aged man at the side kept talking as well. Barry was even able to see that the people in the other cages outside the glass walls were wailing with reddened faces.

However, it was a pity that the voice on the radio didn't seem to mind their attempts to stop him. The voice continued with its usual nonchalance and said, "Let's proceed to the second segment. All cages and lights will be turned off for another 30 seconds."

Barry's pupils contracted when he heard that. It was only then that he realized just how important those countless lightbulbs that looked like shadowless lamps on the operating table were to him. That 'thing' would probably attack him again if he were to fall into darkness.

"10-second countdown…"

"Ten, nine, eight…"

"Damn it!" Even someone as calm as Barry couldn't help but turn pale and despair was written all over his face. He retreated to a corner of the cage without a second thought and waited for his fate to be decided.

"Three, two, one!"

As the woman's voice was heard, the blinding high-intensity lights above him went out with a click yet again.

However, he felt that cold chill running through him right after he put it out. That chill was all over his body and wouldn't go away. He gritted his teeth and refused to make a single sound. He knew very well that the thing wasn't the one attacking him, but the other people around him. He figured that he would be able to live through this round as long as he remained silent.

All the blood in Barry's body seemed to have frozen. He waited for 30 seconds to pass in agony. He only stood up like a newborn when the lights above his head were turned on again. He looked around and found that the other middle-aged man had indeed disappeared. There were only the two of them left in the entire 207th Cage.

All of that happened in a flash in his mind. He looked up and asked without hesitation, "Tell me, what kind of Meme infection are we suffering from?"

"A total of 2926 infected observed during the trial. 1,600 survived after the first round, with a survival rate of 54 percent. Data dropped by 31 percent compared to before. Data is being transmitted… uploaded."

"Tell me, what kind of meme infection are we suffering from?" Barry continued to stare at the speaker above him and asked in a repetitive manner.

"Mr. Barry, the infected person who was observed in Cage 207 raised the question first." That woman's voice was heard from the radio again. She seemed to be holding back her laughter as she continued to tease him, "Mr. Barry actually managed to get the question twice in a row. It seems like all of our friends in the other cages are about to break down."

Barry was stunned and looked around him. He saw that everyone in the other cages around him was glaring at him and banging hard on the glass wall. Even if he couldn't hear their roars, he knew without a doubt that none of them had anything good to say about him.

"Meme infections that you've all been detected with are a type of curse-type modem, a curse-type modem. This is the most common but also the most dangerous and tricky modem effect, ranging from the unlucky ones that pose the least danger to the ones that pose the greatest threat, to the ones that infect ghosts and monsters that pose the greatest threat. All of these types of curses could be classified as curse-type modes.

"What is most unfortunate is that what you're about to encounter is some kind of curse that could wipe out the entire human civilization. That curse is derived from other planes, and its ability is to turn any room into a source of infection. Furthermore, every human who enters that room would be infected by such a curse. When such a curse is detected in the incubation period, there might be a warning from the sixth sense, or a chance to see a strange little boy. When the virus reaches the explosive stage, the infected would see a white woman that exceeds all common sense of physics, and they would hear the sound of 'Ge Ge Ge Ge' before they die."

"So, you guys are experimenting with us, right?" Barry fell silent after hearing all of that. He looked up after a long while and wore a bitter grin. "You're right, what you said is true… While I didn't run into any little white boys, I did hear 'hee hee hee' and saw someone else disappear before."

However, the voice on the radio seemed to have no intention of continuing the conversation with Barry after answering the question. Instead, it continued, "Furthermore, the truly lethal aspect of the curse model is that any physical attacks used against it would be rendered ineffective after the meme produced a ghost effect, including gunpowder, laser weapons, and electromagnetic weapons…"

"However, that doesn't mean that there's nothing we can do about it. According to the experience gained from the previous encounter with the Model Attack at the foundation, the Model of Curse is related to the 'quantum superposition state'. When the Model of Curse affects the lifeform of the infected, which is to say, when killing, there is no third-person observer. Furthermore, the infected would have a period of incubation after being infected with the Model of Curse. During the incubation period, the Model of Curse would not immediately kill the infected, but instead would constantly cause the infected to feel fear and terror. The more terrified the infected are of its existence, the faster the outbreak of the Model of Curse would occur, and the more 'vicious' the Model would be when it came…"

"I get it now!" Barry's expression changed immediately after hearing that. It was only then that he realized why there were two attempts to put out the lights. It was very obvious that every time the lights were turned off, it meant that everyone had lost all their observers. Furthermore, the reason why there were only two attempts to do so was because those who survived the first time had developed a fear of the untouchable meme. As such, when the second attempt was carried out, the meme infection became even more ferocious, which resulted in the survival rate of the first attempt to reach 85 percent, yet only about 50 percent remained on the second attempt.

Despite having seen the Stellar Foundation in action before, he was still creeped out by how ruthless the Stellar Foundation was after figuring all of that out.

"Alright, next up, all those infected by the observation will have 10 minutes of break. In 10 minutes, we will be conducting the third attempt on lights-out. Please bear in mind that if you wish to survive before the experiment is completed, please do your best to cooperate with all of the work done by the foundation. Now, please ease your emotions and keep you in a stable state, hinting that you are not afraid of the existence of cursed models. Such a state of mind would serve as the greatest guarantee of your ability to resist the memes."

"You b * stard!" Barry couldn't help but laugh bitterly. He looked around and sure enough, everyone else in the other cages was yelling at the top of their heads. Some of them even knelt down and kowtowed to that voice, tears streaming down their faces. It was obvious that they hated and feared this unheard of foundation to the extreme.

However, Barry was different from the others. He would not be so naive as to ask 'what would it take for you to let me go' or 'what would it take for you to leave this place', a question that was never achievable in the first place. One question per experiment was extremely precious. If he were to ask the right questions, he might be able to learn a lot of information in advance. That information might very well be something like 'belief level', which would allow him to acquire some tricks to resist the curse type in advance.

Even if it was just some cheap trick… No one was willing to die, not to mention dying in such a place that he had no idea where he was. Just when Barry began to calm himself down and calm himself down as much as possible, he suddenly saw groups of people walking out from the empty corridors of the cage. All of them were dressed in similar attire, just that they were outside the cage.

All of them wore apathetic expressions and each of them had two trays in their hands. There was a cup of lemonade, a bag of fries, and a burger on each tray. All of those things were sent into the cage from the bottom according to the current number of people present. It was only then that Barry realized that there were mobile devices installed all around the bottom of the cage. All of those devices were extremely ingenious but were unable to make the people inside stick out a single toe when they were sent into the cage by the outside world.

It was only after he got his hands on the food that Barry felt his stomach rumbling non-stop. It was obvious that he had been under anesthesia for over 18 hours at the very least. He wouldn't have felt so hungry otherwise.

At the thought of that, Barry simply picked up the burger and wolfed it down. If he didn't eat now, he probably wouldn't have the chance to eat again in 10 minutes. It was only after he finished eating the fries and the lemonade that he smacked his lips, feeling like he hadn't had enough.

"Let's proceed to the third segment. All cages and lights will be turned off for another 30 seconds." A deafening announcement was heard at that moment and the faces of many turned pale.

Barry sighed to himself and stood up before curling up in the corner of the cage again.

What would come would come eventually…

523. Cursed Dead Zone

Zhang Heng was sitting steadily in a huge room in the headquarters of the Honeycomb on the other side of Earth. The walls around the room were filled with 3D virtual screens, which were only about 20 to 30 centimeters in diameter at most. However, the screens covered all four walls and the roof.

"Let's proceed to the third segment. All cages and lights go out for another 30 seconds."

Corona stood beside Zhang Heng in the room and all the screens were plunged into complete darkness.

Zhang Heng didn't use any infrared or other surveillance equipment, as playing tricks with the meme was a very childish and laughable thing to do. The first law of the meme of ghosts and monsters was that when the meme of curses affected lifeforms, there was no third-person observer. It was the same even in surveillance or infrared surveillance. It was a law, just like the laws of physics.

Zhang Heng seemed to be able to hear what sounded like moans and clacking noises in the dark. Anyone who heard such sounds would have been scared out of their wits and run out of the room. They would have curled up in the corner of the room and lost all will to resist.

That voice was filled with sinister malice, making it sound like the voice of a dead body. It also sounded like the purest form of evil, as if it could pull people into some unknown abyss.

However, such sounds made no difference to Zhang Heng at all. The constant clacking and clucking didn't affect him at all. It was only after 30 seconds passed and all the screens lit up that he looked at one of the screens with interest.

A male face of Mexican descent was seen on the screen. He was also a student from the Queen's College of St. Mary and his name was Barry Lynch. He had successfully attracted the attention of Zhang Heng and Corona after performing well in the first and second rounds.

"Very good. Seems like he's not only smart, but he's also quite lucky," Zhang Heng said casually after seeing that Barry had survived the third round of experiments. He looked at the pale Barry on the screen and sighed. "It's a pity that if it hadn't been for the fact that all ghost models are indestructible, he would have died if he were to get infected. Otherwise, I would have really taken him to the Stellar Foundation."

"If he was really lucky, he wouldn't have been infected with such a gene." Corona made no comment and continued in a deadpan manner, "There were a total of 1,600 infected observed during the test, and 1030 survived. Survival rate is about 64 percent, and data is 10 percent higher than before. Data is being sent… uploaded."

Corona turned around and looked at Zhang Heng with a shocked expression after saying that. "Commander, your speculations back then were correct. 'self-belief' or 'self-hypnosis' could indeed help delay the outbreak of the meme."

Zhang Heng nodded without saying anything.

"Tell us how to get out!"

"Tell me how we can survive! I want to know everything!"

"Let me or leave. That's my problem. Please!"

"Tell me the second way to resist meme!"

While Corona was talking to Zhang Heng, many people shouted at the top of their lungs on the surveillance cameras as if they had found a lifeline.

Barry, who was watching the surveillance footage, frowned and pondered for a bit before he decided to test the waters and said, "Tell me the second way to resist meme."

Corona smiled and continued before Zhang Heng could say anything, "Very good. The first problem that came to mind was still the infected being detected in the 207th cage, Mr. Barry. His question is' What is the second way to resist meme? '"

"Oh f * * k!"

"Damn it!"

"Impossible, he cheated!"

"B * stard!"

Zhang Heng shouted at the top of his lungs in the surveillance footage without batting an eyelid. He continued, "He asked very well, as the rules of blood and fire were developed by the Golden Foundation after paying countless lives to resist the meme. While the rules of blood and fire are not 100 percent correct, they are 80 percent."

Corona continued slowly, without waiting for the crowd to start cursing in despair. "Actually, the three rounds of experiments and all that was said have revealed a lot of information regarding how to resist curses. For example:

Firstly, there couldn't be a third-person observer when cursed models affected lifeforms—everyone knew about the rules of horror movies, right? In the Japanese and Korean horror movies, the fundamental cause of death was due to being alone. That rule could also apply to cursed models, as the curse models seemed to be related to quantum superposition states.

"Secondly, enhance your own courage. The more fearless a person is, the longer the incubation period of the meme becomes, and the more you fear it, the shorter the incubation period. When you watch horror movies, you'll realize that sometimes, ghosts and monsters don't just kill their victims right from the start. Instead, they keep appearing like ghosts playing with their prey. The more frightened their prey becomes, the more ferocious the ghosts and monsters become, until finally, the ghosts and monsters kill their prey. Actually, this isn't some kind of fetish from the ghosts, but a natural phenomenon caused by cursed models affecting their lifeforms. When the infected are in their normal states or when their subordinates are frightened, they would be called incubation periods. As the incubation period deepens, the infected would become increasingly fearful of the unknown meme. Once the incubation period reaches its breaking point, they would die."

Corona continued, "Well then, let me tell you the third way to resist the curse, which is to either go into a coma or sleep!"

Everyone was stunned hearing that.

"That's right, you heard correctly. He's in a comatose and sleeping state." Corona nodded and continued, "According to our previous experiments, we concluded that the infected would not be attacked regardless of whether they were actively or passively sleeping. After all, I believe that none of you have ever heard of someone being killed by a ghost in their sleep. Of course, with the exception of Freddy from 'Berserk Ghost Street', there is no one else in Asia who was killed by cursed models while they were in a comatose and sleeping state, with the exception of those from Europe and the United States. Even if the meme were to go into an outbreak, the infected would have to wait until they woke up before being killed by meme…"

"This is the third resistance module that the Golden Foundation revealed to everyone."

Everyone fell silent as soon as those words were said. However, those people began to howl even more maniacally very quickly. Many of them were yelling about how it was impossible to fall asleep in such an environment. Only those who were relatively calm began to look at the glass wall at the side, seemingly waiting for the fourth round of experiments to begin before ramming their heads into it and forcing themselves to enter a comatose state.

As the fourth round began, many of the participants crashed into the glass wall just like what the other party said. As the thumping sounds from the video played, even Corona was impressed by the potential of humans. In the face of life and death, even pain became insignificant.

It was the same for Barry, and he was very lucky to have knocked himself out on his first try. Zhang Heng could still hear the cold clacking sounds from the screen in the dark… robbing the lives of those infected who had yet to make up their minds or had yet to pass out.

30 seconds passed and the lights came back on. More than 800 out of 1030 people survived.

"There are a total of 1030 infected observed this time, with 849 surviving and a survival rate of 82 percent. Data is raised by 18 percent. Data is being transmitted… uploaded."

Corona shook her head. Large amounts of fresh water were sprayed from the top of the cage in the very next second. Those who were knocked unconscious crawled up from the floor due to the stimulation from the fresh water. Some covered their heads with fresh blood and wailed incessantly. There were also some who howled in exasperation in the water, seemingly venting their anger on the Stellar Foundation.

Corona shook her head and sighed. It was not that they were heartless, but that those people were practically sentenced to death when they were infected with the memes. They were just making use of the remaining value of those people to figure out a way to resist the memes. While the methods were inhumane, there was nothing they could do about it.

They could only blame themselves for being unlucky.

Just when Corona had a complicated look on her face, Zhang Heng said casually, "It doesn't matter if the traditional procedures are carried out or not. The data collected is more or less done. We're going to add an experiment to the list at the last minute so that the deaths of those people would be more comfortable."

Corona turned around, feeling puzzled, before she smiled and said, "Very well then, Commander. You'll be kind someday, but what kind of temporary experiment is it?"

"The so-called temporary experiment is the last question that I've been wanting to verify the curse-based model." Zhang Heng paid no heed to Corona's gaze and continued calmly, "I'm able to tell from the previous laws that 'no observer' is one of the most important conditions for the outbreak of the memes. So, is it to say that the infected person will never die when there is a third person observing him?"

"Of course not."

Corona wrinkled her nose and said without hesitation, "Let's not talk about whether we could ensure that someone would be watched for decades or even centuries. Even if we could guarantee that, who could guarantee that the 'observer' wouldn't blink? The 'observer' might be able to kill the infected within a blink."

"That's why I'm doing this experiment." Zhang Heng nodded and turned to look at Corona, smiling. "Don't forget, I have you."

Corona was stunned for a moment before realizing that while she was not considered a regular lifeform, she was still considered a lifeform. As long as she was a lifeform, she would be able to focus and be considered an observer.

Furthermore, it was precisely because she was an AI lifeform that she was not plagued by the fatigue and patience of regular lifeforms. As such, Corona was able to observe a person for decades or even millennia without stopping. Of course, that was under the premise that that person was still alive after a thousand years.

However, Corona seemed to have received some kind of news at that moment. She looked shocked and astonished as she mumbled, "No, how could that be? Impossible!"

"What's wrong?" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted slightly. The fact that Corona, who was in control of everything at all times, was able to react in such a manner meant that something unbelievable had happened.

"Commander!" Corona immediately put on a serious expression and reported, "I've used two methods of counting in this' Cursed Model Access Experiment '. One of them is to observe through video surveillance, while the other is to have the 500 Class D convicts executed using primitive counting methods to compute data through communication devices. The data would then be sent to me and the data would be combined to be confirmed."

"All of the data in the first three testing procedures were normal, but the fourth data given to me by the class D personnel clashed with mine just then.

Zhang Heng was stunned when he heard that. "Could it be that those people made a mistake with the data?"

"That's impossible. 500 people would be divided into 50 groups and each group would have 10 people. Each of them would be responsible for counting the number of people in the cage. The 10 of them would then meet up and add each other before reporting the data to me. The data reported by all the groups this time is 727 people! Compared to the 849 people I've observed, there are 122 people missing!" Corona exclaimed.

Zhang Heng's expression became serious as well. He looked at the countless screens before him and said in a low voice, "So, the curse models are beginning to affect the electronics?"

"That's right. I've ordered the Class D personnel to look for the 122 people who disappeared according to the data from before. They are…" Corona was about to say something when her mouth dropped open all of a sudden. However, she didn't say anything. At the same time, Zhang Heng saw that the people who were making a scene in the cages on some of the screens before him had all disappeared right before his eyes.

"I guess the numbers are correct now…" Zhang Heng chuckled bitterly.

"No, that's not it…" Corona's expression became even more serious. "Once we discover that the humans who were killed by the curse are fake, they would definitely disappear without a trace. That is not what surprises me, but…"

"Some of the class D personnel have disappeared…"

A dark look flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes and he suddenly leaned back, letting out a sigh. "Two possibilities."

"The first possibility is that the curse-like modeling would automatically make the entire temporary base of the island a home. Any human living inside the base would be infected by the modeling.

"The second possibility is that when the curse model is triggered, the area would automatically form a 'cursed dead zone' when the infected individuals in the area reach a certain critical point. That would allow the curse to break through the 'infectious property is the only way to infect' restriction. All humans who are not infected in such areas would be infected by the curse, causing the rate of infection to reach an astonishing 100 percent…"

"I'd rather believe that it's the first option." Corona's expression changed immediately after hearing that. She was an AI lifeform after all, and one could easily tell how intelligent she was. Since Zhang Heng was able to list out the first logical point and then bring up the second, it meant that even Zhang Heng himself was probably leaning towards the second point.

"It's a pity that I'm inclined to the second possibility." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively. "Do you remember what I felt before? I told you back in London, 'I have a bad feeling. It seems that the city would become even colder with every death in the city…'"

"That is to say…" Corona opened her mouth and wore a grave expression. "It is very possible that London has become what you call a permanent area…"

"Cursed Dead Zone!"

524. A Dawn

April 24, 4 A.M.

The indigo blue sky gradually began to show a hint of white at dawn, but the night before dawn was the darkest. The entire sky looked even darker under that tinge of dawn.

A very faint, almost undetectable beeping sound was heard in the dark, following the night breeze. It was heard continuously from the mountains of Benvis in the western part of Scotland and the northeast part of Loen Bay. As time passed, the sound became increasingly loud and eventually stopped at a spot about a dozen kilometers away from London.

If the sky were to brighten up at that moment, one would find that a huge mass of armed helicopters were covering the dark night.

Armed helicopters, the fortress in the air, would only appear one or two times. Unless it was an extremely urgent operation, there was no way more than 10 armed helicopters would appear at the same time.

Figures began to descend from the ropes on every single armed helicopter with practiced ease. It didn't take long for everyone to gather. All of them wore the best equipment, wore tactical helmets, and were armed with electromagnetic rifles forged from some new technology that the government somehow managed to acquire. All of them were gathered together in a neat and orderly manner, and under the orders of their commander, they made use of the cover of night to rush in the direction of London…

Shouts were heard from above at the same time. More than a hundred missiles with blinding tails were seen flying from somewhere, heading straight for the city center of London. More than 200 Typhoons and Eurofighter Typhoons were right behind the missiles.

Countless fighter jets were like the most resolute of martyrs, taking cover for the ground troops as they headed for the city center of London. Everyone's eyes were filled with a tinge of longing. The team leader and coach among them couldn't help but turn around and roar into the communication device.

"Wake up, all of you who are still half-asleep. It's time to prove yourselves to your country and the royal family today. I hope that at least for today, all of you will stop acting so stupid and useless!"

"Our capital is currently under attack by unknown armed forces. The enemy committed an unforgivable crime in our capital. They massacred civilians. Some of them may be your relatives, some may not be, but they are all citizens of your country, citizens who need your protection."

"The Prime Minister has been captured. Our mission is to charge into London and rescue His Excellency Churchill after clearing the way with the missiles and fighter jets. Only then would we be able to gather all our forces and launch a devastating attack on the illegal armed organizations that dared to invade us."

"All of you might die today, but all of you will be heroes of Great Britain today!"

"Gage! Go! Go!"

The most elite special forces team in the country set off under such circumstances.

However… those people were only able to move forward for tens of meters before they came to a halt, their bodies completely stiff.

They saw with their own eyes that even before the missiles that were meant to destroy the entire wall surrounding London were able to hit their targets, more intercepting missiles were launched from the enemy's side. Those missiles had very little light and were less than one percent as bright as the ones fired by the British side. However, all of the missiles were detonated as soon as the two sides came into contact with each other.

One could only see a row of fireworks exploding in the sky above London from afar. The fireworks looked as dazzling as if they had been designed beforehand.

That was not the end of it. Those small beams of light that were so fast that they were capable of intercepting even missiles actually seemed to come to life after intercepting all the missiles. They drew arcs in the air once again before turning their heads and charging at the 200 fighter jets that were right behind them.

"Not good!" Everyone shouted instinctively.

The small beams of light then hit the fighter jets before their very eyes. All of the fighter jets lost control and fell to the ground in an orderly fashion.

It was fortunate that the fighter jets were still quite some distance away from the London blockade. Despite having been shot down, all of the pilots were able to use their ejection engines. Over a hundred parachute flowers bloomed in the slightly brighter sky in an instant.

However, the dots of light that were still flying in the air did something shocking once again. Every single dot of light was fixed at the side of one of the pilots, neither attacking nor leaving. It was only then that all of the pilots seemed to have realized something. Their eyes were filled with deep shock as they raised their hands after landing on the ground.

A team of T-800 soldiers slowly made their way out of the barrier and captured all of the pilots. However, they did not bring all of them into London. Instead, they escorted all of them to the hands of the British special forces that were rushing over like crazy.

When the special forces took the prisoners of war from the T-800, everyone wore a weird expression on their faces.

They were just about to storm into London and rescue Churchill moments ago, yet the troops that were protecting them were all captured within minutes.

Under such circumstances, the special forces were prepared to fight to the death with all of their members. Even if they were to die, they had to save the fighter pilots first. After all, the training of a fighter pilot could easily take more than 10 years and tens of millions of US dollars. The value of such training would far exceed that of a single fighter plane, and those 200 fighter pilots were where 60 percent of the British Air Force was built. It was no wonder that such training would drive all of them crazy.

As such, it could be said that all of those special forces teams were well-prepared for certain death. It wouldn't matter even if Churchill didn't come to their rescue. The prime minister was dead, and one more would suffice. The most important factor was still the 200 elite pilots, which were the most valuable resource in the UK.

However, no one would have thought that the other party had no intentions of harming the pilots at all. Furthermore, the other party knew that they were preparing for a night attack and knew that they were not returning all the pilots to him without hesitation.

What the f * * k is going on?

Everyone, with the exception of the T-800, wore strange expressions on their faces. They took 200 innocent prisoners of war from the T-800 with extreme caution, and then they saw the T-800 turn around and head straight for London…

"Sir!" One of the special forces soldiers raised the electromagnetic rifle on his chest and looked like he was about to give it a shot.

"Forget it." The special forces officer had a complicated look on his face. He shook his head and sighed. "Haven't you guys realized yet? There's no way we could hide from them. Their actions are a gesture of goodwill and a warning at the same time. They're warning us not to attack them. After all, given their military capabilities, they wouldn't need 30 seconds to wipe us out."

"But…" That special forces soldier looked rather indignant. "Prime Minister Churchill is still in their hands!"

"I've asked the temporary command center." The special forces officer sighed and his expression turned serious all of a sudden. He continued in a serious tone, "The temporary command center has given the order for us to escort all fighter pilots back to the foot of the mountain. The headquarters will be sending out transport helicopters to receive them. No mistakes are allowed!"

"Yes, sir!" All of the indignant soldiers finally gave up completely.

…

The residents of the UK had been living in fear and unease for the past two days.

The word 'London' was divided into broad and narrow meanings when it came to the meaning of geographical location. In a narrow sense, it referred to the City of London—the City of London—as well as 12 autonomous cities around the City of London, which were equivalent to the City of London, with an area of about 303 square kilometers.

Generally speaking, 'London' was a huge area with 32 autonomous urban areas and the city of London. Its total area was about 1,500 square kilometers, which was about the size of Shanghai.

The mechanical army under Zhang Heng set up a checkpoint outside the City of London, before setting up a second checkpoint in the larger inner London area. The next checkpoint would be the 20 London municipalities outside, sealing off the entire city and setting up a third checkpoint.

The day after the Stellar Foundation took over London, the British Royal Air Force organized a counterattack. While the upper echelons were nowhere to be found, the military system did not suffer too much of a setback. The well-mannered British Royal Army continued to move at a swift and decisive pace, sending more than 200 Eurofighter Typhoons and Eurofighter Typhoons to meet the five massive ships in the sky above London.

As a former aviation empire, the UK had a very deep foundation in the world of aviation. The Eurofighter Typhoon and the Eurofighter Typhoon were both very advanced fourth-generation fighter planes. The former boasted powerful mid-range attack power while the latter boasted super close combat capabilities. Such capabilities could easily wipe out the entire Europe.

However, that battle ended in less than 10 seconds. No one knew what happened. More than 200 fighter planes were attacked at almost the same time, and they dropped like dumplings before they could even fire their missiles. All the pilots were captured and sent back…

As such, the United Kingdom fell silent, as did the rest of the countries that were about to take action.

The Stellar Foundation had been trying to get in touch with the UK all along, but the UK only responded with one thing: "Stop the invasion immediately and surrender." It was only after the entire expedition was wiped out that the current supreme commander of the UK changed his cold and hostile tone, sounding terrified and uneasy. "Who the hell are you people? What are you trying to do?"

There was a saying that went well in the olden days: 'Studying is for the sake of speaking to idiots in a calm and collected manner, while working out is for the sake of making idiots talk to you in a calm and collected manner. As long as you have an advantage in terms of combat prowess, you will always have the right to speak.'

The ancients were right.

The five superpowers then began to seal off all news regarding London at the same time. Prime Minister Churchill was escorted out by the Stellar Foundation several hours after the two parties began to talk. Zhang Heng was the one who initiated the meeting and the five superpowers took part in it, launching yet another summit between the five nations.

Other than Zhang Heng, everyone else in the meeting looked very glum, especially the British prime minister. His face was ashen, as he realized at that moment that his country, his capital, his London, and his tens of millions of people were on the verge of destruction due to his stupidity.

London had a population of about 7,556,900 people and a population density of 4,761 per square kilometer. The metropolitan area had a population of 82,83,000 and the commuter area had a population of about 12,000 to 14 million. That was to say that, according to incomplete statistics, even if the United Kingdom were to fully cooperate with Stellar Technology to control the spread of the curse, all those who remained in London would have been sentenced to death when London had become a cursed dead zone.

The British Empire, which had two thousand years of civilization, would lose one-fifth of its population in the disaster, losing more than trillions of dollars and an entire international metropolis.

That blow was enough to send any developed country into a perilous situation.

What made Zhang Heng frown was that the Deadmire could actually spread.

Zhang Heng went through multiple tests. While he was unable to use any equipment to measure the area, he was still able to make a rough estimate. There were about three large cursed death zones and over 10 small cursed death zones throughout the entirety of London. The more people who died in those cursed death zones, the farther the area would spread, and the further the area would be infected.

Four days had passed since the appearance of the memes. Corona's data forecast showed that three large cursed zones would be reassembled in about a day, completely engulfing all 32 autonomous zones in London.

Corona also took out a data report in order to raise everyone's guard. If the five superpowers didn't make any more targeted moves, the cursed zone of death would spread at an exponential rate. It would be able to swallow the whole of Europe in about 10 days. Dozens of new cursed zones would be formed all over the world due to planes and other means of transportation. Thousands of cursed zones would be reconnected on Earth in about a month, and the last human being would die in the hands of Meme in loneliness and fear. Human civilization would be completely ended.

The United States and the other three superpowers had long used their spy satellites to take a good look at the devastation that had befallen London. While they were unable to see the scene of Meme killing people, they were able to see pedestrians going berserk every day, and the number of people who went missing continued to drop. All of them fell silent as well. Coupled with the data provided by Zhang Heng, the superpowers had no choice but to believe that everything Zhang Heng said was true.

The next day, the five superpowers took the initiative to work together for the first time. They began to lock down customs and international flights for reasons that were highly infectious. They then sent reinforcements and supplies to the United Kingdom, helping the Stellar Foundation set up a defense line, helping the United Kingdom evacuate and gather refugees, and preventing the curse from spreading further.

The five superpowers also called for a secret meeting with the rest of the world at the United Nations. After the meeting, all of the countries sealed customs and flights as quickly as possible and began to keep a close eye on any missing cases.

Humans finally saw a sliver of hope in the path of resisting the curse-like models.

525. New Change

The once prosperous London was rendered completely silent after being taken over by unknown armed forces.

The residents who lived there began to catch a whiff of the stench at some point in time. Be it in the rooms, the streets, or the sewers, the place was filled with a weird stench.

It was as if the stench of rotting corpses was seeping out of the walls, dirt, sewers, and other mediums, filling the air above London and lingering for a very long time.

Back when London was under lockdown, many people were still fighting back excitedly. However, as time passed, many people were stunned to discover that their relatives, neighbors, and even their families were disappearing without a trace, as if they had been cursed.

Some wise and farsighted people decided that they couldn't just sit around and do nothing. They began to bravely attempt to reveal the truth, just as Sherlock and Holmes had done.

Then, they disappeared as well.

The rate at which all the residents of the city were disappearing was increasing.

The streets of London and Shanghai were overcrowded on the first evening after the foundation took over London. Even the T-800 troops were unable to maintain order. The number of people on the streets was reduced by half on the second day, and on the third day, the number of people on the streets became very few. It was as if there was a pair of huge, invisible hands that pulled all of them into an abyss that no one could discover…

On the morning of the fourth day, there were only rows of T-800 patrolling the entire city. No one came to the distribution point of the food supplies.

"Time's up. Get out of here!" A T-800's eyes flashed red for a bit and said mechanically.

All of the T-800 troops began to pack up the supplies in the very next second before leaving the distribution area.

All of the T-800 units withdrew from the center of London on April 26 and began making their way to the border of London. There were over 40 small and medium-sized cities at the border of London, including Waterford, Lawton, and more. The United Nations had also formed an army to evacuate the residents of the surrounding cities.

At that moment, the UK had even held a press conference to appease the citizens of the country. However, the experienced spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was rendered completely speechless by the barrage of questions from the reporters and his face turned ashen.

"May I know if the loss of contact between London and the rest of the world over the past few days is due to some kind of infectious disease?"

"Yes, I assure you that is the case. This is a highly infectious disease and the mortality rate has reached…" The spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took out a manuscript that he had prepared beforehand and was about to explain when he was immediately interrupted by countless voices of doubt.

"However, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Military Affairs revealed that some unidentified organization suddenly attacked London and captured Prime Minister Churchill. How would you explain that?"

"This is false information from the military. The military has apologized for what happened!" The spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, his expression changing drastically.

"How are the over 10 million people living in London doing in the city then? We haven't found any signs of supplies being mobilized in the country. Even if it's military management, it would be impossible to control one-fifth of the country's population without massive supplies entering the city. How would you explain that?"

"Well…" The spokesperson hesitated for the first time.

"Also, why are there so many family members responding to the same thing? When they were on the phone with their relatives in London, all of them showed that the other party's phone was turned off. There's no need to confiscate the phones of everyone in the city, right?"

"That's because…"

"May I know if this incident has anything to do with the previous attack in London? Or, could it be that the government is actually trying to hide something? The leak of the zombie virus? London becoming a world of zombies? Or…"

"That's enough!" The face of the spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs turned purple and he slammed the microphone on the table before turning around and heading backstage. His actions further piqued the interest of the reporters as countless cameras flashed and captured the controversial scene of the spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Excuse me, is the government working on the T-Virus? Why did London end up becoming a leaks site?"

"Excuse me, sir, but I've heard that you're connected to an extraterrestrial cult, and that you're planning to sacrifice the entire population of the ship to please the extraterrestrial gods. Is that correct?"

Countless baffling questions were heard. When the spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs walked to the backstage, he found that the backstage was also filled with reporters. The security guards stood at the very front, feeling at a loss as to what to do. Everyone's eyes were filled with helplessness.

The evacuation process was not going well. The next day, 200 thousand regular allied troops tried their best to evacuate, but they only managed to evacuate five million people. There was still a long way to go before the entire population of the outer ring of London was completely evacuated, cutting off the spread of the cursed dead zone. However, at that moment, there were already over a dozen disappearances among the evacuated refugees…

It was obvious that the Deadmire had been quietly spread before those people were able to evacuate.

The news frightened the other four countries. The president of the United States almost had the urge to raze the surrounding areas of London to the ground with nuclear bombs after hearing the news. If the news were to spread like that, the Stellar Foundation would probably say that there would be no place for humans in all of Europe in less than 10 days.

It was obvious that the bizarre disappearances that had taken place around London had completely shattered the plans of the Stellar Foundation and the five superpowers. No one knew who had been infected, no one knew how quickly the Deadmire spread, and no one even knew where the Meme effect had spread to…

Humans felt as if they had returned to the weakest and most primitive of societies. Faced with the lightning in the sky, the quaking of the earth, and the unknown, everyone had no choice but to bend their backs and kowtow, trembling, as if they were worshipping a god.

Determination finally flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes after finding out all of that.

"Now that I've reached the point where I can no longer control myself, I'll have to resort to the only way." Zhang Heng looked at the map of the UK shown on the holographic projection before him. The location of London, where the UK was located, was a patch of dark red. That area represented the terrifying cursed dead zone, and the circle of light surrounding the area represented the location where the cursed dead zone was suspected to be. The area covered by the red and blue areas had now reached one-tenth the size of the entire British territory.

"To tell you the truth, Commander, I think we've done enough," Corona said slowly. "Can you feel it? While the Grudge Monster broke through our blockade time again and appeared further away, that was only because we were unable to make up our minds and went all out. In actual fact, given the current situation, the other party's fate is sealed."

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before nodding, a look of relief in his eyes. "That is indeed the case. That is why I don't want to hesitate any longer. Well then, let's get ready…" His expression suddenly became serious as a new holographic screen appeared before him.

"Commander, urgent news. The quantum satellites suddenly found this in the air above London!"

The image showed a huge intercontinental missile accelerating outside the atmosphere at a speed of over 20 Machs. When it reached a certain critical point, it even broke free from Earth's gravitational pull and headed straight for the outer reaches of the solar system.

There were several letters written on the surface of the missile—Stellar-Life-Sdation118.

That line of text was none other than the English letters of the Stellar Foundation—Stellar Life Sciences Foundation No. 118.

526. Space-time Disorder

Zhang Heng wore a grave expression and asked coldly, "What's going on? Why would our intercontinental missiles appear without my orders and fly into outer space?"

"Commander, I've just captured that scene through the quantum satellite as well. I've checked the armory at the same time, but you don't have to worry. Our Intercontinental 118 is still in the silo, completely still."

"So, that intercontinental missile flying into space was forged by someone else?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"No, while that intercontinental missile seems to have had some kind of magnetic interference that caused problems with the lock program, but…" Corona looked up and continued, enunciating every word, "From the image projected by the quantum satellite, no matter how I analyze it, I'm able to conclude that this No. 118 missile was created by us."

Zhang Heng gasped when he heard that. He seemed to have recalled something and turned around suddenly, looking at the holographic projection of London. "Corona, tell me, what should I do in the face of such a predicament?"

"The most likely course of action you could take at the moment would be to use the nano-bombs to destroy everything within a radius of over a thousand kilometers around London," Corona said decisively. "That is one of the most likely ways to prevent the cursed zone from spreading further."

"Well then, if I were to give the order, what would you do next to transport the nanomachines above London?" Zhang Heng's gaze turned even colder.

"It's an intercontinental missile…" Corona nodded and continued as a matter of fact, "Not only that, but I'm afraid that I'll really be using the No. 118, as the No. 1 is the first program that I've set up. There is a probing component to its functions."

"That is to say that I saw an intercontinental missile that would have taken tens of minutes to fire?" Zhang Heng's expression became increasingly serious. "Corona, do an experiment and prepare to fire the No. 119 intercontinental missile. There is no need to install any warheads or nano-bombs on the inside. I'd like to see if this is really history or a prank."

"Understood." Corona nodded and another image flickered before Zhang Heng's eyes in the very next second. A missile was launched from the Galaxy Space Station.

The Galaxy Space Station was launched at the end of 18 years ago by the spacecraft at the end of the year. The rocket disappeared before everyone's eyes at one point, before it was docked somewhere far away in geosynchronous orbit. It was connected to a molecular transmitter that transported all manner of construction materials. After five months of development, the Galaxy Space Station had become a huge space fortress that was five kilometers long and three kilometers wide. It looked like a sweet melon.

The Galaxy Space Station was completed in a spherical space headquarters with a diameter of hundreds of kilometers.

It had become a massive artificial celestial body at the moment. While it was still far from being complete, its size was more than enough to shock the world. Even if all the satellites launched over the past 60 years were to be added together, they wouldn't be able to compare to one percent of the Galaxy Space Station's size.

At that moment, following Corona's order, a piece of intercontinental missile that had no ammunition loaded and only had an empty shell exploded and shot out from the Galaxy Space Station in the direction of Earth.

Both Zhang Heng and Corona wore serious expressions as they looked at the intercontinental missile. The missile still had the Stellar Foundation's logo on it, but the serial number was no longer No. 118, but No. 119. No. 118 remained in the silo space's launch shaft.

As the ICBM gradually accelerated, 119 plunged straight into the heart of the city of London from a vertical angle about 10 minutes later.

Boom!

A firework rose and went out in a flash.

Corona let out a sigh of relief when she saw what happened. "Commander, the test has been completed!"

"Try again!" Zhang Heng's expression remained the same.

The second intercontinental missile was fired as well. Corona used the intercontinental missile serial number 125, which successfully hit London as well.

"I get it now." Zhang Heng nodded, but he didn't look relieved at all. Instead, he said to himself, "If what happened just now is foreordained, then the same thing would have happened regardless of when I use the I-118. Well then, let's give it a shot one last time. And remember to install the nanomachines this time."

"Understood!" Corona took a good look at Zhang Heng and gave the order right away. It took only a few minutes for Intercontinental 118 to finish setting up the devastating nanomachines in the other launching shaft, which was on standby at all times. After setting up an area of destruction, all matter within that area would not be able to escape the pursuit of the nanomachines. That was the best plan that Zhang Heng came up with that would enable him to get rid of all infections caused by cursed models once and for all.

But, would things really be like they were before?

The corner of Zhang Heng's eye twitched, as if he was feeling a sense of foreboding again. He sighed to himself and sat down on the chair, watching everything unfold.

Just like before, No. 118 was launched. Zhang Heng kept a close eye on the entire thing, fearing that something unexpected would happen. The technology of the foundation was well ahead of the rest of the world by 200 to 300 years. As such, none of the countries around the world were able to detect Zhang Heng's series of actions.

More than 10 minutes passed and Intercontinental 118 plunged into the center of London at a vertical angle. The holographic projection showed that Intercontinental 118 flashed several hundred meters in the air and disappeared without a trace.

Despite having anticipated this, Zhang Heng was unable to sit still after seeing what happened. He stood up all of a sudden and walked up to the holographic projection, watching the replay of the video over again.

However, no matter how slow the replay was, one could still see a flash of light. It was as if a crack had appeared in space all of a sudden, making the replay look like a pocket. The intercontinental missile, on the other hand, looked like the pencil on the pocket. It fell right into the pocket without making a single splash.

"What kind of logic is that?" Corona's expression was very serious. "Could it be that cursed models are sentient as well?"

"No, all of that is just an unstable reaction caused by the laws of space and time being broken…" Zhang Heng mumbled to himself.

"Space-time Disorder?"

"I should have known…" Zhang Heng frowned and continued, "Do you remember the plot in 'Grudge'? The original person-in-charge of the case, Yuan Shanzhi, the police officer who had just resigned. What did he see when he came to the haunted house with a gasoline can?"

"He saw his daughter from six years ago, Yimei." Corona rolled her eyes and answered immediately.

"That's right. Six years later, Yimei, who had become a high school student, went to the Haunted House with three other classmates to train their courage. She did make eye contact with her father six years ago when she was frightened and left. That is to say, at that moment, something happened in the entire Haunted House that we couldn't comprehend…"

Zhang Heng's expression became very serious. "It's obvious that we've been wrong all along. The true terror of such a meme is definitely not its infectious and 100 percent lethal properties, but its ability to distort and destroy space-time."

527. Untitled

Zhang Heng then shot three more intercontinental missiles loaded with nano-bombs.

The first one disappeared from the sky above London just like before, and no one knew when it had disappeared.

The second bullet successfully hit London. However, after the beetles had swallowed several blocks, all of them mysteriously disappeared. The blocks and buildings that had been swallowed began to slowly recover. It was as if time had reversed and nothing happened after everything was restored.

The third one disappeared above London.

"By then, the Golden Foundation is able to confirm that the Cursed Death Zone is indestructible. At the very least, the Cursed Death Zone will not be able to be destroyed for the time being, at least not until the technology of the Golden Foundation is advanced enough to affect the meme."

Zhang Heng said calmly in the holographic meeting of the five nations. All kinds of data and video files regarding the previous explosions of the nano-bombs were right behind him.

"What should we do then?" Other than the prime minister of the United Kingdom, the other heads of the four countries looked rather uneasy. The president of the United States looked at Zhang Heng and asked, "Tell me, what do we need to do to get rid of that damned thing completely?"

"Are you sure you want to hear it?" Zhang Heng wore a sinister grin as he looked at the ashen face of the prime minister.

"Alright, if that's what you want to hear, I'll tell you the solution then." Zhang Heng saw that there was no response from anyone and continued, "I assume that you've all figured it out by now. If we're unable to destroy the cursed dead zone, then the only path left for us to take is to suppress the spread of the cursed dead zone. However, how are we supposed to stop the spread of the cursed dead zone? There's only one way then, and that is…"

"Eliminate the source of infection that spread through the cursed dead zone, causing him to lose the spread conditions!"

"No… you can't do this!" Prime Minister Churchill stood up suddenly and shouted, "I knew it! You can't do this!"

"You're right, Mr. Zhang Heng," the president of the United States interjected. "Suppressing the curse is our only way out!"

"You!" Churchill grabbed at the president of the United States with a flustered look on his face. "Bernie, how dare you!" However, he was unable to grab hold of anything.

"Mr. Churchill, please mind your words and actions!" The president of the United States took a step back subconsciously before realizing that what he was seeing was just a mirage. He then frowned and said, "We're shouldering the entire future of humanity!"

Churchill was stunned for a bit and lowered his hand slowly. He was silent for a bit before looking at Zhang Heng with a hopeful expression. "Mr. Zhang Heng, you, you must have some other way of doing things, right? Such as evacuating the population."

"My apologies. Urgent evacuation. We don't have that kind of time anymore," Zhang Heng said coldly. He stood up suddenly and pointed at the map of England behind him. "If we were to proceed with an emergency evacuation, we would need to evacuate about half of the area of the UK and over 30 million people. That would take us at least half a month. However, half a month later, the cursed zone of death would be able to spread to an area as big as Europe. What's the point of evacuating people in such a hurry then?"

"B-But…" Churchill said dejectedly, "Is there really no way to memorize it?"

"That's right. There's only one way to find out." Zhang Heng extended his arm and drew a huge circle on the map behind him, marking the location of the Cursed Dead Zone. His tone gradually turned cold as he continued, "North to Peterborough County, South to Newport City, East to Norridge, and West to Swindon. This is the critical area for today's safety. If you were to use nano-bombs to kill all life in that area, there would be an 80 percent chance of separating the Cursed Dead Zone from the living."

"That's half of England!"

"Of course, I know that it's half of England." Zhang Heng shrugged innocently and continued, "Of course, Mr. Churchill can continue to hesitate and delay things further. What we need to clear out in three days is the entirety of England, and even part of France."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" The French president couldn't help but sit up straight when he heard that. "Let's begin the voting round. On behalf of France, I'd like to vote for the plan to clear the northern border of Peterborough, the southern border of Newport, the eastern border of Norridge, and the western border of Swindon."

"Agreed!" The Russian president agreed right away.

"Agreed!" The president of the United States hesitated for a bit before saying.

"Agreed!" Huaxia No. 1 nodded as well.

The prime minister of the United Kingdom looked dejectedly at the venue and eventually slumped back in his seat, letting out a sigh.

"Agreed!"

…

On the 25th of April, the nano-bombs were completely launched with unanimous approval from the five superpowers. It was also the first time in the history of human civilization that a super weapon that surpassed nuclear weapons and reached the atomic level was used.

On that day, it was as if the entirety of England could see the thick, overcast clouds in the sky above Scotland that seemed to have blotted out the sun and moon. Those dark clouds were like a swarm of insects, roaming and devouring everything in their path as they chirped.

It was not until a day and a night passed that the dark clouds finally dissipated completely. By then, over 20 million people in the entire UK had disappeared from the face of the earth, never to be seen again.

At the same time, the Five Nations' allied forces began to evacuate the remaining half of the population of Scotland in order to get rid of all potential threats. All of those people were quickly taken out of the city and sent to the north of the UK. By then, the entire south of the UK and Scotland had been reduced to a wasteland.

According to Corona's global secret observations on April 27, only 560 cases of missing persons were reported and were quickly investigated by police from all over the world. Of those cases, 533 were naturally reported missing. The remaining 30 cases were ordered by cloning fighters to lock down the buildings in secret and the United Nations personally notified the local authorities.

On April 28, the number of missing persons worldwide due to curse modes was reduced to three, having been secretly put out by the Stellar Foundation before further infections were triggered.

Only one case took place worldwide on April 29.

The world was completely at peace on April 30.

There might have been some curse-like memes that had slipped through the cracks, but with the United Nations gradually taking action all over the world, those memes were finally completely suppressed and limited to an acceptable range.

The one who suffered the most losses was the United Kingdom. The damage that they suffered was over a hundred times greater than what they suffered back in the US 69 incident. More than 30 million people were lost, and about one-quarter of their land became cursed dead zones. Those zones were like scars that could never be erased, lying ugly on the ground. They would probably remain there even after hundreds of years, telling people just how terrible things had been back there.

Furthermore, the United Nations would have to pay tens of billions of US dollars per year to station troops from the five superpowers at the border of those areas and prohibit anyone from entering those areas. While the Deadmire zones had been rendered completely stagnant due to the loss of resources that continued to spread in the vicinity, the so-called Deadmire zones remained infectious even after a million years had passed. Those zones were like a huge time bomb that could detonate at any moment.

Furthermore, no one could guarantee that there would be no chance of being stopped when the bomb was detonated.

Furthermore, while there was only one cursed dead zone like that, there were over 8,000 houses that had been infected by the hex. The area was densely populated with over 900 cities in over 100 countries all over the world. People were required to cordon off the area and no one was allowed to enter. Otherwise, the second occurrence would most likely take place in such a manner.

Regardless, the first shock that should have been more than enough to wipe out the entire world seemed to have been redeemed due to the interference of the Stellar Foundation…

…

All of that felt like a dream to him. He had to admit that it was only in May, early summer, when there were no more cases of abnormal disappearances.

He had actually made it through that terrifying ordeal…

While there were reasons why the impact of the attack wasn't very powerful and there were still many hidden dangers lurking around, which didn't completely eliminate the threat posed by the attack, he was still able to survive the attack nonetheless.

Zhang Heng took a report from Corona inside the hive.

"That would be the full report of the memes." Corona's eyes flashed with glee as she continued, "Actually, our victory this time was all thanks to you. If it hadn't been for your powers as a prophet, I'm afraid that we would have only been able to barely figure out the pattern of the memes' curse at the moment. Let's not even talk about locking down London, I'm afraid that the cursed dead zone that has been formed at the moment is definitely not London, but the entire world. By then, no matter how much power the Golden Foundation has, it would still be unable to save humanity from destruction."

"So, you're the one who saved the entire human race!"

Zhang Heng rolled his eyes and paid no heed to Corona's attempt to curry favor with him. He looked at the report in his hand and raised his eyebrows all of a sudden. He then took out a black pen and began to write on it.

Zhang Heng only stood up two to three minutes later and breathed out in satisfaction before handing the report back to Corona. "From here on out, the Golden Foundation shall maintain its tradition. Any data that is stored in a paper file in the future must be kept secret. Just like that, you're the only one who knows all the data. Other than that, only those with specific access rights would be able to find all the data."

"Understood." Corona nodded.

Zhang Heng laid down on a chair by the side after seeing Corona agree to his terms and entered the virtual space without any worries.

Corona took a closer look at the data that Zhang Heng had modified. The words written on it read:

"Project code: SLS-018 (Stellar-Life-Sce)

Project Level: Keter

Description: The SLS-08 is a type of 'μ1' and 'x1' and 'x' are the 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' are the 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x' and 'x'.

SLS-018 had an extremely terrifying ability. It was a contagious virus that originated from the building itself. Any human who entered the building would be infected 100 percent. There would be no abnormalities at first among the infected, but as time went on, one would gradually see white women and white children who defied the laws of physics that only they were able to see. There was a white child character in the video, and then there was the woman in the video.

Analysis: SLS-018 is a phenomenon-level ghost-like curse module that is temporarily incurable. The death rate of any infected individual is 100 percent. Analysis from over a thousand infectious tests shows that the infected individual would last for an average of 48 hours, with the shortest being 30 minutes. Due to spending too much time in the house where the source of the infection was found, the infected individual would be attacked by a coconut and die. The longest was 186 hours, where the infected individual suffered from cerebral dysfunction, losing all feeling of fear.

Infection was divided into incubation and outbreak periods. During the incubation period, the curse would not kill the infected directly, but would lower the sanity of the infected through some hints or paranormal events. The more afraid the infected became, the more they trusted the ghosts and monsters, and the faster the outbreak of the curse would be, or vice versa.

Experiment: In order to learn more about SLS-018, the xenomorphs were spread out over a thousand times, and the xenomorphs were observed over a thousand times.

The final conclusion that the experiment concluded was effective:

1. Cursed models cannot have third-person observers when their lifeforms are affected.

2. The more fearless a person is, the longer the incubation period of the meme becomes, and the more fear they feel about it, the shorter the incubation period.

3. Cursed models are unable to affect life forms that lose consciousness.

4. When the number of lives affected (death) within a certain range exceeds a certain critical value, the epidemic becomes even higher.

There was ★ ★ ☆, the ability to mess up space-time, the ability to destroy everything, and the ability to create people and nature.

Containment measure: SLS-018 is a special meme. Without a host, it could only seal off all sources of infection, preventing any humans from coming into contact with the source of infection and triggering infectious phenomena. After losing the human transmission pathway, SLS-018 automatically lost its threat, and no one was able to find out for the time being that SLS-018 had any effect on life outside of humans.

Completion: SLS-018 has been destroyed, including Rentown. More than 30 million people have been killed in vicious cases, creating a 60,000-kilometer area worldwide. There is also a 60,000-kilometer area permanent × 10,000-kilometer area worldwide, and more than 8,000 houses worldwide have become permanent hazardous houses. (Experiments have shown that even if those houses were to be dismantled, the area would remain infectious. The excavators who had their homes torn down have been confirmed to be missing.)

528. Churchill's Suicide

The first shockwave was eventually neutralized after the humans paid a steep price.

While it didn't look like it would be difficult, Zhang Heng's reaction speed, the Golden Foundation's military prowess, and the cooperation of the five superpowers were all indispensable. If Zhang Heng had reacted just a few days later, he would have needed to pay the price of the entire Europe to stop the spread of the cursed zone by the time everything was ready.

If the Golden Foundation were to run out of military force, the chances of humanity being wiped out would be over 90 percent, let alone locking down London.

Even if the Golden Foundation was powerful enough, if Zhang Heng hadn't laid any groundwork beforehand and exposed the Golden Foundation's power all of a sudden, the reaction from the authorities wouldn't have been to work together to resist the impact. Instead, they would have targeted the Golden Foundation, a visible threat, right away. If that were to happen, the entire world would be doomed.

That was why it was said that Zhang Heng's reaction speed, the Golden Foundation's military prowess, and the cooperation of the five superpowers were all indispensable. If there was a slight difference in any of those factors, humanity would be facing a calamity that could overturn the world.

The human race had lost tens of millions of people despite the cost of surviving the first shockwave. They had also lost a huge piece of land forever, making them look like a huge time bomb. One day, the entire area might even explode.

That was the terrifying aspect of impacts. Even if one were to make it through successfully, it didn't mean that one could rest easy. One day, the impacts might come back at one's own whim.

Zhang Heng was standing next to Louis, fiddling with a green ring that was emitting a faint glow.

That green ring was huge and the green gem on it seemed to be about the size of a fingernail. The logo of the Stellar Foundation was carved on it and the body of the ring looked thick, flickering with a dark brass color. It didn't look tacky at all, yet it felt like it had been around for years.

Zhang Heng played with the ring for a bit before putting it on the thumb of his left hand. He then took out a Desert Eagle pistol and pointed it at his head before pulling the trigger without hesitation.

Bang!

A loud gunshot was heard and Zhang Heng didn't feel the impact from the bullet at all. However, a flash of green light appeared before his eyes and a thin layer of translucent green material blocked the incoming bullet.

"No, no, no, you can't do that!" It was only then that Louis turned pale with fright. However, Zhang Heng pulled the trigger right after he extended his hand. Zhang Heng only put the gun in Louis' frozen hand after the gunshots faded away. "A miniature device powered by magic power?"

"That's right!" Louis wiped the cold sweat off his brow and quickly continued, "I successfully condensed the 'Magic Stone' according to the formula of 'Magic'. That material is known as' Magic Stone 'in the data. That material possesses massive amounts of power and is very stable in structure. Even if one were to suffer from high temperatures and high-intensity collisions, they wouldn't be able to enter the state of' Energy Eruption ', which is the most stable form of energy output. I then combined it with the defense mechanism to create a miniature shield technology that could be disguised as a ring, capable of blocking the impact caused by hundreds of bullets crashing into it or dozens of grenades exploding. If the energy consumption is complete, all I need to do is replace the Magic Stone!"

"Very good. The micro-protection generators used by individuals and those used by individual units for power armor are ready for mass production." Zhang Heng nodded and continued, "What about the ship-based defense generators? Any results yet?"

"The results are the same." Louis was well-prepared and said calmly, "Miniature is what is most important in terms of technology. Compared to that, ship models require a more optimal way of defense and energy optimization, with the highest capacity being able to withstand a maximum outbreak of over 10,000 megacrons. Furthermore, multiple ship models could complement each other and achieve maximum optimization."

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up. "If that's the case, report the data to Corona. Corona will be checking every single piece of data. If there's anything that could be optimized, try to optimize it as much as possible. That way, it would be of the greatest use."

Zhang Heng put on the newly-made Foundation Ring and headed outside after settling all of that. However, he was immediately captured by the news broadcasting in the corridor after taking just a few steps.

"According to the XXX reports, at 8: 30 A.M. this morning, the guards found the body of the current prime minister of the United Kingdom, Churchill. According to the speculations of experts, Churchill was the first to run out of ammunition, and there was no other case. According to our speculations, the death of Churchill, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, seems to have something to do with the recent terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom, as well as the epidemic that spread throughout more than half of Scotland. It is obvious that the prime minister knew something."

"There are still troops from the five countries stationed at the border of Scotland to date, prohibiting anyone from entering…"

Zhang Heng asked, "Corona?"

"I'm here, Commander." Corona's voice was heard from the other end of the communication device. "It's obvious that Mr. Churchill was unable to bear the burden of taking the lives of tens of millions of people and chose to use death as a means of escape."

"It would have been easy for him to die, but he was able to redirect the public opinion that he had been trying so hard to suppress back to London." Zhang Heng snorted coldly and continued, "Everyone would probably be able to tell by now that there is some huge secret hidden in the UK. He used his own stupidity to push his own country to the forefront of trouble yet again."

"What should we do then?" Corona asked.

"I'm sure that the media and other countries will work together to look for the truth very soon. Tell the United Nations' military to do their best to guard their checkpoints and not allow anyone to enter, including the local police and the military. If necessary, they are to eliminate all potential threats to safety," Zhang Heng instructed casually as a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

"Understood. I'll pass the news to the other four countries." Corona nodded.

The entire world seemed to have gone crazy trying to find out the truth about everything that happened in London, yet they were completely suppressed by the five superpowers, cutting off all possibility of anyone finding out the truth. However, now that even British Prime Minister Churchill committed suicide, it was obvious that it wouldn't be easy to keep the matter under wraps any longer.

To be honest, while the Stellar Technology had done something to save the world, all of that was deemed to be something that could not be made public after careful consideration. The Stellar Foundation's actions of massacring 20 million people to prevent the spread of the cursed dead zone were more than enough to make it known as a demon on par with Hitler, not to mention that the Stellar Foundation was doing experiments on infected people.

Putting aside whether the experiment was right or wrong, just experimenting with the infected person itself would be considered inhumane. Countless saints would definitely berate and insult the infected person. As for things like 'only by doing experiments would one be able to understand the nature of the meme', that was not something that was considered by creatures like the Virgin Mary.

However, he knew that there was no point gossiping about the dead after all. It didn't matter what he grumbled about at the moment. What mattered most was how he could restore the fragile Great Britain to its former state. Even if it was unable to recover for the time being, there was still a way to ensure that the UK didn't get worse.

It should be noted that, in an era where economies were all over each other, any unforeseen event would have been enough to shake the balance of power. The 69th incident, the sinking of Japan, and the complete collapse of the United Kingdom made the entire world's economic system very fragile. If it hadn't been for Stellar Technology's support from all manner of super technologies, the entire world's economy might have been completely knocked down.

At the moment, it was obvious that even stellar technology was struggling to hold on.

"Well, if there's no way to keep it under control, I guess I'll just have to distract the world." Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something out of nowhere and said, "That's how things work. Corona, how's the construction of the lunar colony going?"

"Two-thirds done." Corona's eyes lit up as she realized what Zhang Heng was planning to do and said immediately, "Human City No. 1 is now two-thirds done. The dome was sealed a few days ago and water and air have been able to circulate within the dome. The entire city has developed its own miniature climate."

"Which one third is unfinished?" Zhang Heng asked.

"All of them are relatively unimportant, such as the park, the green belt, and the lawn. There isn't enough light transplants and it would take time for the plants to grow and perfect themselves. As such, the list hasn't been completed yet, but in reality, it no longer affects human habitation," Corona said solemnly.

"Well then, let's use that as a way to attract global attention." Zhang Heng nodded and pondered for a bit before continuing, "I believe that the first case of immigration between the first extraterrestrial colony and the first in human history would be able to attract the attention of those who are in high spirits, right?"

…

Yan Sitong was a college student from the Harbin Institute of Nuclear Technology, which was a very well-paid profession. Due to the fact that there were very few people in the field, she was practically able to completely hook up with the government agencies no matter where she chose to work after graduating. Yan Sitong had been recruited by the China National Nuclear Corporation in advance before she had even graduated. All she needed to do was to get her diploma and she would be able to go to work immediately, becoming an official member of the government.

Her career alone should have been enough to make tens of thousands of fresh graduates envious, yet Yan Sitong wasn't satisfied with her future. She, who had always liked to take on challenges, happened to see news of Stellar Technology hiring immigrants some time ago, which triggered the restlessness in her heart.

Immigration, and not just foreign, but extraterrestrial!

Yan Sitong picked up her pen and listed her name without hesitation.

Initially, she had been paying close attention to the development of the matter at the beginning. However, as the days passed, there was still no news from Stellar Technology. As such, Yan Sitong thought that she had been rejected and gradually gave up on the idea of immigration.

However, just when she was about to forget about that, a familiar phone number lit up her hopes again.

Yan Sitong liked to put her phone on the table in class not because of anything else, but simply because it made it easier for her to go about her business. As such, she immediately lowered her gaze when she felt her phone vibrate and looked at the screen, only to see a fixed number appearing on her phone.

"Huh? Why does that line look so familiar…?" Yan Sitong frowned, but she was unable to pick up the phone at the moment, so she hesitated for a bit before hanging up.

It was true that the call never came again after she hung up. However, her phone vibrated again very quickly, and the reason for the vibration was a text message.

Yan Sitong looked down and saw that the message was from the same number as before.

Yan Sitong's curiosity was finally aroused at that moment. She sneaked a peek at the teacher on the podium and swiped the message open. The words "Stellar Biotech Company" appeared right away.

Yan Sitong's eyes widened without warning.

"Dear Ms. Yan Sitong, nice to meet you. We are the Stellar Biotech Corporation. We would like to extend our congratulations to you. The 'Immigration application form' that you filled up three months ago has been honored to be accepted by my company. From the moment you received this text message, you have 10 days to register at the Stellar Biotech Headquarters in Haizhou for the first stage of the colonization interview. As long as you pass the interview, we will be fulfilling the contract for free. If you are absent due to other reasons, the company will consider it as you giving up the contract automatically. As for how you choose to proceed, that will be up to you."

Yan Sitong's eyes lit up and she clenched her fists tightly under the podium. However, she was a cautious person after all, so she wouldn't do anything out of line, no matter how agitated she was. She quickly checked the official website of Stellar Technology on her phone and found the latest list of immigrants. As expected, her name was on the list.

It was only then that Yan Sitong was finally convinced that she had defeated tens of millions of applicants and was selected by Stellar Technology. If she were to head to Haizhou and apply for an interview at Stellar Technology's headquarters, she would become one of the first lunar colonists in history to become a member of Stellar Technology.

Yan Sitong spent the entire class feeling rather elated. However, she packed her books right after class and rushed to her dorm room right away. However, just when she was about to embark on an unusual path and join Stellar Technology, she hesitated all of a sudden.

It was just like what the text message said, 'Please take your parents into consideration'. Stellar Technology, which was considered a piece of technology that no one else knew about, was actually willing to remind the applicants to take their parents into consideration. As such, there was no reason for him not to take his parents into consideration.

Yan Sitong couldn't help but feel troubled at that thought. She was actually considered a high-ranking member of the military and her parents were both researchers who graduated from advanced engineers. They were both given the rank of lieutenant colonels in the military and her parents had always hoped that they would be able to walk their own path. That was why Yan Sitong applied for the nuclear industry.

However, that wasn't the field that Yan Sitong liked the most. She actually liked the aerospace field more than anything else. She liked seeing the stars in the sky, and she liked seeing the stars in the sky through the telescope. All manner of myths and stories about the stars made her even more obsessed with them. That was why she was so obsessed with colonizing that shape, as she knew that it was probably the only time in her life that she would be able to come into contact with outer space.

"Daddy, Mommy, just let me be willful for once. No matter what happens, it's my choice…" Yan Sitong murmured all of a sudden, with a look of determination in her eyes. She didn't hesitate any longer and didn't even bother asking for a break. She simply left a message in her dorm, packed her clothes, and headed for Haizhou by train.

529. History Series

Things like what happened with Yan Ruotong happened all over the world. As expected, when the first batch of immigrants was announced by Stellar Technology, the entire world was like a shark that smelled something fishy, attracting all those cold and hot gazes.

As the first extraterrestrial immigrant in the history of the world, the attitude of humans towards such matters was one of eagerness yet fear at the same time. After all, to the entire human race, it was as if a baby had taken the second step. The future after taking that step was uncertain, filled with unease about the unknown and yearning for the future. Humans left the nursery and their home, where they were born and raised. The fear and excitement of facing the unknown was hardly something that outsiders would be able to describe.

Some felt that this was a god-given opportunity, while others cowered in fear of the endless deep skies. There were also some who filled out forms just to join in the fun. Regardless, all kinds of thoughts could be seen in this place. All manner of living beings in the world, where joy and sorrow were interconnected, played out on the stage of Earth like a huge tragedy.

Regardless, more than 40,000 people appeared at the entrance of the Stellar Technology headquarters in the world 10 days later and signed up successfully.

"Only 40,000 people out of 120,000 invitations?" Zhang Heng was standing at the headquarters of the Huaxian Stellar Technology building at the moment. He looked at the dense crowd of about 5,000 people at the bottom of the building and raised his eyebrows, feeling rather frustrated. "Remember the names of all the people that we sent the invitations to but didn't turn up. No matter what reasons they have, we will never accept their second application."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Li Yiru, who was standing behind him, crossed her slender, black silk thighs and chuckled. "It's been so long and you're still so vindictive, not willing to take any losses."

"I know that's not a good idea." Zhang Heng nodded and said matter-of-factly, "But I'm not changing it."

"If you're not going to change it, so be it." Li Yiru put down her glass and walked up to Zhang Heng, looking down at the crowd below. "I'm so jealous of all these people. Every single one of them could go down in history."

"You too." Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Li Yiru's beautiful, alluring face. "So? Have you thought it through? Would you be willing to take over the new human city? You'd be able to wield even greater power there, and the only way you'd have access to the inner workings of stellar technology would be there. It wouldn't matter if you were to give up, but just like them." Zhang Heng extended his hand and pointed at the people under the window. "I'm only giving you one chance to make a choice."

Li Yiru fell silent.

Zhang Heng didn't rush her. He simply turned around and walked out of the door. He reminded her when he got to the door, "Let me know if you've made up your mind."

"I give up!" Li Yiru's voice was heard before Zhang Heng could finish.

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and turned around, feeling puzzled. "Really? You're not regretting it?"

"I've thought things through." Li Yiru combed her long hair and seemed to have made up her mind. A calm look flashed in her eyes as she continued, "The only reason why I want to know so much is because I'm still harboring illusions about our relationship. I want to get closer to you. As for power and status in the company, I'm not thinking too much about it."

"But, if you knew more, you still wouldn't be with me, would you?" Li Yiru sighed and continued with endless regret, "Well then, what's the point of me pursuing the unknowns? Wouldn't it be better to just let nature take its course?"

Zhang Heng's lips gradually curled into a grin and he walked out of the door. His voice was heard only after he walked out of the door. "I've received your message. Trust me, make a wise choice…"

"You'll be happy for the rest of your life…"

…

Although the first batch of colonists had a total of 120,000 colonists, there were only a measly 40,000 who came to register.

However, despite the fact that their personnel was severely out of sync, Stellar Technology, which had always been capricious, had no intentions of extending the recruitment process at all. Instead, it led the 40,000 people to undergo three days of training. While it was called training, it was actually just teaching them about the difficulties and countermeasures that they might run into in the outer space colonies. After all, everything was in place. The safety of Stellar Technology's spaceships far exceeded that of any rocket found on Earth. It was like riding a train or plane, or some other form of transportation. There was no need to treat those people as professional astronauts. As such, three days of training to deal with crises was more than enough.

Three days passed and everyone was done with their training. Stellar Technology selected a few people to serve as immigration representatives and held a press conference. The press conference was hosted by Elon Musk, and he would be staying on the moon with the 40,000 people for over three months before returning.

The venue of the press conference was the Hongkou Stadium, Haizhou. That massive stadium, which had a total of 729,000 square meters and could seat 35,000 people, had over half of the seats taken by reporters from all over the world. The fans and audiences from Stellar Technology occupied the rest of the seats as well. The press conference had reached the Guinness World Records, where the number of viewers at the event was the highest. Even when the most popular Apple phone held the press conference all those years ago, the number of people present was less than 10 percent.

"This press conference is going to be an epoch-making one. Its importance far exceeds that of any product launch issued by Stellar Technology. Even the press conference held by Cryogenic Technology back then didn't have such historical significance. Furthermore, I believe that there will never be a press conference held by Stellar Technology in the future that would have such historical significance…"

Elon Musk looked as radiant as ever on the podium, looking even better than he did back then. His speech was as unexpected as ever. "Trust me, this press conference has created a new era of history. From now on, the symbols of the division of times are being drawn right here at the feet of both of us. That is because, from today onwards, humanity will officially enter the era of space immigration."

"From today onwards, the term 'human' shall rise from 'native' to 'galactic'!"

"From today onwards, when we call Earth, it will no longer be 'the only home of humanity', but 'the birthplace of humanity'…"

"In short, we have opened a new chapter for humanity. Every single one of us here will be recorded in the annals of history!"

Deafening cheers erupted from the thousands of spectators below the podium.

"Thank you, everyone!" Eron nodded and wiped the sweat from his brow. "To be honest, I really didn't expect my dream to come true so quickly. I thought that it would be enough for me to be able to reach Mars in my lifetime and build the Mars colony, but I didn't expect that the construction of the lunar colony would be completed by then. There would be 40,000 people heading there tomorrow, becoming the first batch of immigrants in human history. The Mars permanent colony is at its final stages, and it would be completed in two months at most."

"Some might just say so…" Eron stopped smiling for a bit. He waited for the applause from the crowd to die down before continuing dejectedly, "What does all of this have to do with you, Eron? Your company has been acquired by Stellar Technology. You're not the one doing all of this, Stellar Technology is. What I'd like to say to someone like you is…"

"No matter who it is, we are all humans!"

Cheers were heard from below the stage once again. Many people whistled and cheered for Elon.

"Furthermore, the boss of Stellar Technology handed over the entire colonial mining company to me and made me the CEO. In that case, why wouldn't I have a share in the new era that Stellar Technology founded? Am I right, everyone?"

"Yes!" Deafening cheers were heard from below the stage.

"Thank you, thank you!" Eron immediately bowed and continued, "Thank you, everyone. Actually, what I want to say is that I'm not the only one who gets a share in this, but you, you, you, and all of you as well!" Eron pointed at the crowd below the stage and said excitedly, "This glory belongs to everyone here, to all of humanity!"

The crowd erupted in applause again.

…

The next day, the news that Stellar Technology had leaked to the entire world was only just made known to the world. However, there were already eight diamond-shaped spaceships docked in the plaza at the headquarters of the Stellar Colony's mining company.

The headquarter of the Stellar Coronation mining company was located in Chongming Island, Haizhou. The company was formerly known as the Stellar Space Technology Corporation, but it was later granted access to resources and colonies from the five superpowers. As such, it became the most influential aerospace company in the world.

One had to realize that even spaceflight in Huaxia had no right to emigrate or extract resources.

Each of the eight diamond-shaped passenger spaceships was about 300 meters long, 100 meters wide, and 30 meters tall. There were eight floors in total, and every floor had a dedicated guest room, dining room, dance hall, entertainment room, and other structures. It was like a luxurious cruise ship, and every passenger ship could accommodate about 3,000 to 9,000 people according to the number of rooms installed.

When everyone saw the eight massive behemoths on the plaza, even the most knowledgeable people couldn't help but exclaim in shock. The eight massive steel behemoths looked like the legendary space battleships of the universe. One could feel the tremendous pressure exerted by the spaceships just by looking at their simplistic and straightforward styles. In the face of such spaceships, even the Boeing passenger planes, which were known as the behemoths in the air, felt insignificant.

With the help of the staff, the team was divided into eight teams, with every team consisting of 5,000 people boarding the passenger spaceships. The ground shook and the eight spaceships took off in an orderly fashion, one after another. With the help of the anti-gravity engines, the spaceships rose at a very steady rate, despite not being able to move very quickly.

Countless cameras and microphones were seen flashing nonstop on the ground. Every time a passenger ship took to the air, the crowd would cry out in alarm. The massive pressure that felt like it would drop down at any moment made the reporters who were taking pictures sweat profusely.

The eight massive spaceships rose into the air slowly, parallel to the ground. They only turned the ship's bow slowly when they were about half an hour out of the atmosphere. A huge ball of blue flames appeared behind them at the same time. Those were high-voltage flames fired by nuclear reactors after they were ignited. Borrowing the recoil from the flames that were even more powerful than liquid fuel, the eight spaceships began to accelerate at high speeds, heading for the speed of hundreds of companies per second. Their destination was the distant moon.

At that moment, the passenger ship numbered A-511 was accelerating at a uniform speed. However, unlike its extreme speed, everyone felt as if they were standing still inside of it. It was obvious that taking a spaceship was far more stable than taking a train or a ship. There wasn't even a hint of turbulence, let alone seasickness.

Yan Sitong was lying in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window by the side of the ship with the other passengers, looking at the blue planet below. That was the biggest thing that Yan Sitong had seen in her entire life. She had never felt so shocked in the first half of her life when she saw something that took up almost half of her vision.

Furthermore, as time passed, the blue planet behind them became smaller, until it was only about the size of a tennis ball in the end. However, there was a gray, plaster-like planet right in front of them that grew larger in their field of vision. The ring-shaped mountains on the planet looked like ugly craters. As they got closer, everyone could feel that the planet before them, known as the Earth's satellite, was far from being as beautiful as it looked from Earth.

It was a desolate and dead world, devoid of life and vitality. There wasn't even an atmosphere to be found. The only way humans could survive on such a vile planet was to create their own ecosystem and confine themselves in a cage.

Such a building was found in that desolate world. It was a material that looked like an oil painting. If the surface of the planet was described as uneven, then the buildings on it were indeed colorful and vibrant. Resident buildings stood side by side, with wide streets, lush parks, and forests. Huge lakes could even be seen. The entire city had formed its own miniature ecosystem. That city was a permanent colony city that could accommodate hundreds of thousands of people.

"There it is!" Many of the passengers remained excited throughout the entire process. Even though four hours had passed, the excitement of the passengers had yet to dissipate. Everyone was even more shocked when they saw a scale-shaped colony before them. It was only when security arrived and invited everyone back to their seats that the entire corridor became completely quiet.

Four hours later, eight passenger spaceships were successfully docked on the surface of the moon, and 40,000 immigrants carrying the most basic daily necessities landed on that foreign planet. The room numbers given by the Star Technology were allocated uniformly, and after more than an hour of queuing, Yan Sitong received an identification card and a watch-like device. According to the instructions, that device was closely related to her work and life.

530. Guanghan Apartments

Yan Sitong took out her watch. That watch-like device had a diameter of about seven to eight centimeters and was undoubtedly way more bulky than a regular mechanical watch. There was a silver-white strap underneath that looked different from the usual straps. The strap seemed to be a combination of rubber and some kind of soft metal. All in all, it was both soft yet very tough. Furthermore, it also contained some kind of magnet and other substances. Once the strap was put on her arm, it would snap shut with a loud clack. Unless one were to really take it off, it would be very difficult for external forces to take it off.

Yan Sitong saw a blue beam of light shoot out from the dial as soon as she put on the unknown device. The beam was so fast that it spread out before her eyes before she could even react, turning into a thin, translucent screen that stood upright in the air.

"Holographic Projection!" Yan Sitong exclaimed.

There was no mistaking it. The technology that allowed the imaging to take place in the void was none other than the new technological holographic projection that they had announced long ago. It was just like the screen of a tablet computer, which had multiple APP options available on it. Yan Sitong was very familiar with such operating procedures. That familiar operating system was none other than the brainwave control system of the Stellar Helmet-VR helmet and Stellar AR glasses.

Yan Sitong felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had just seen someone familiar in a foreign land. The fear she felt when facing the unknown immediately dissipated by half. She familiarized herself with the equipment in her hand as she walked out of the Space Agency headquarters with the crowd. The moment she stepped into the headquarters, she saw a huge, beautiful city.

The entire city was in a fast-paced color scheme. There was also a building with a novel design and was filled with high-rise buildings constructed from new materials. The city's design was very simplistic, with wide roads and straight lines. Add to that the ever-present greenery and streamers, it looked like a futuristic city from the ground alone.

Yan Sitong was reminded of the 'Mirror's Edge: Catalyst' all those years ago for some reason when she saw that clean and colorful city. The style of the entire city was very similar to that of the game, as both were clean, crisp, and concise, yet filled with a very distinctive flavor and style.

It was daytime at the moment, and the hot stars shone down on the city through the glass dome. The dazzling light was even more blinding than usual. Furthermore, the sky wasn't blue as usual, but a strange, inky-black color. It was pitch-black, as if it could sink one's consciousness into it, making it look mysterious.

Yan Sitong walked out of the door of the Space Administration as if she was taking a stroll. There was a huge plaza with a radius of tens of thousands of square meters in front of her, and at the end of the plaza was a parking lot with a roof. A group of people could be seen gathered together, seemingly watching something. From time to time, something that looked like a car would fly out of the roof, causing everyone to cry out in alarm.

"That's…" Yan Sitong's eyes were wide open as she ran up to the building and saw rows of cars covered in tires and streamlined inside a ring-shaped building that looked like a train station. All of the cars were of the same model, and the only difference was the color and appearance. It was those strange cars that flew out from the roof of the station building.

"Those are the anti-gravity cars that Stellar Technology hasn't made it to the market yet?" Yan Sitong's eyes lit up as she recognized the cars right away. There was a huge T-shaped logo on the license plates of those cars, which was the logo of the new energy vehicle Tesla. Despite being acquired by Stellar Technology, Stellar Technology hadn't changed the Tesla logo and tradition of those cars.

Yan Sitong saw over a thousand cars at the bus stop and there were many people standing at the side, hesitating about whether they should take the bus or not. After all, they were flying in the air and the slightest mistake could result in them falling from the sky and being smashed to pieces.

Yan Sitong was used to taking out her phone to search online when she was feeling puzzled. However, she then recalled that she was on the moon and it was impossible for her phone to receive signals. She then recalled the dial in her hand.

Yan Sitong looked at the device in her hand and a dialog box popped up in the very next second, flashing on her wrist. "Dear Ms. Yan Sitong, I've detected one of the three specialties of the human city, the 'anti-gravity electric car'. Would you like to demonstrate it on the spot?"

Yan Sitong pressed the 'Yes' button with common sense and the dialog box flickered again in the very next second. "According to your identity, the AI system has automatically selected a destination for you. Would you like to go to the Guanghan Apartments?"

Yan Sitong quickly ordered another 'Yes'. Her assigned apartment was located on the 38th floor of the so-called Vast Glacial Apartments F6, with three other single girls who were also there.

According to the rules of Stellar Technology, the new colonists were unable to allocate a place to stay as soon as they arrived. Only after getting married would they be able to allocate a set of basic housing. If they wanted to go to places where the environment and transportation were more convenient, they would need to pay extra. It wasn't as if becoming a colonist meant that they would be able to live in peace. On the contrary, the competition here was even more intense than back on Earth.

Shouts were heard from the crowd as soon as Yan Sitong pointed at the 'Yes' button. A anti-gravity car that was being caressed by many people suddenly flew up by itself and floated to Yan Sitong's side before slowly opening the door of the gullet, inviting her in like a gentleman.

Surprise was seen in Yan Sitong's eyes. She hesitated for a bit before getting into the car through the open door. The car looked just like any other sports car—a seat made of pure leather and carved wooden ornaments. However, the door of the gullet seemed to have sensed something the moment she got into the car and closed again. A sense of vertigo was felt in the very next second and Yan Sitong covered her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. She saw that the entire car shot up into the sky like an arrow being loosed from a bow.

"Automatic driving?" It was only then that Yan Sitong finally understood why those people dared to drive the car as soon as they got on it. It turned out that the car itself was a fully automatic mode. Compared to manual driving, such a mode was actually the safest, at least much safer than manual driving.

Yan Sitong felt like she was a bird when she looked out of the window, soaring in the sky. Despite that, she was still able to see cars flying along the roads, with other cars going back and forth all around her. It looked messy, but every car actually had its own flight path. Even if it looked like they were just passing by, it was something that had been planned beforehand.

Due to the new mode of transportation, the entire flying car covered five to six kilometers in just three to five minutes and arrived at the building where the building was located.

Several cleaning robots were cleaning the door outside. Yan Sitong walked in quickly and saw a bicycle parked at the side.

"There's a bicycle here?" Yan Sitong asked in surprise.

"The apartment is too big," a man who seemed to have been there for quite a while said right away. He flashed a friendly smile at Yan Sitong before pushing a bicycle over. "This kind of bicycle could save you a lot of time traveling in the apartment, and it could also serve as a training tool. Why not?" He then rode the bicycle away.

Yan Sitong was deep in thought after hearing that. She checked her address again and compared it to the F6 building at the entrance of her apartment. She realized that there were over a hundred buildings in the apartment after comparing the two. According to the ABCD, there were 26 areas, followed by the floors in each area. There were five to six buildings in some areas, and there were over a dozen in others. Each building had around 60 to 70 floors, which meant that over a hundred thousand people could live in just one building.

The feast of immigrants was broadcasted live to the world. Due to special instructions from Stellar Technology, the event attracted the attention of the entire world. Furthermore, many immigrants were hired by Stellar Technology to live stream their immigrant lives on all kinds of video websites, especially those fully automated cities that were made entirely out of machine intelligence and flying cars. All of that brought with it a very intense atmosphere and style, attracting the attention of countless people.

"Everyone, please don't worry about the internet." A young black man was lying on his bed with a calm expression on his face in front of a live broadcast camera. Outside the window was a city that was filled with a sci-fi charm. "The internet covers the entirety of the human city. What I can tell everyone is that I'm playing 'King of Medicine' here without any delay. My friends on Earth, why aren't you here yet? This is heaven!"

"My current location is the second highest peak in the human city, the Osmanthus Tree Restaurant. The price of a meal here would be about 5,000 credit points. That would be about 50,000 US dollars in USD, and my salary would be five months…" In another live stream, a girl who was dressed to the nines and had thick makeup on was standing on the top floor of a hotel with her arm raised and a holographic screen on her arm. The girl then continued in a coquettish manner, "But luckily, I have the support of a rich man, which is why I'm able to have a feast here. Alright, I'm going to eat now!"

"Thank you, Young Master 'Dead Love', for your help with the rocket!" In a park on the other side, a girl mumbled to herself as she walked, "This is the Milky Way Park of the human city. The reason why this place is called the Milky Way is that you'll be able to see the glittering Milky Way in the sky when you look up." The girl looked up after saying that, but the sky was pitch-black and there was nothing but the sun.

"Seems like the Milky Way doesn't look like it at the moment." The girl said awkwardly, "But it doesn't matter. Everyone, just take a look at this petal. All of the plants seem to have undergone some kind of benign mutation due to the radiation from space. When the petal blooms, the color of the flower would become even brighter, and the flower embryo would become three to four times larger than that of regular breeds. It would look more like a megaphone from head to toe. There's also the creeper…"

Everyone on Earth witnessed the magnificence of that newly-established human city through all manner of channels that night. Many people who had received the invitation from Stellar Technology regretted their decision right away. They quickly opened the official website, wanting to register for the second time. However, they were stunned to discover that after logging into their real-name accounts, Stellar Technology actually prohibited them from registering. Only a window popped up.

"Dear customer, nice to meet you. Thank you for your support and trust in Stellar Technology. However, due to your criminal record, the committee of Stellar Technology has decided to rescind all applicants who refused the invitation to join Stellar Technology for the first time. You will lose the right to immigrate within 10 years. Please understand."

"You can't do this for 10 years!" Countless people shouted and shrieked in remorse.

On the other side, the second round of immigration applications had over 10 million applicants enrolled in the first hour after it began. Furthermore, it wasn't just those people. The number of applicants exceeded 100 million in just a day.

Stellar Technology, on the other hand, maintained a policy of 'quality over quantity' and 'quality over quantity', enrolling only those who possessed rare skills and those who were considered top-notch in their respective fields. However, it wasn't like there was no good news. The announcement also stated that due to the first batch having fewer people than anticipated, the second batch of immigrants would be enrolling 150,000 people, which was 50,000 more than planned.

There was a third batch after the second batch, and the third batch had an even larger number of people recruited, requiring a total of 400,000 people. 100,000 of them would still be assigned to No. 1 of the human cities, while the remaining 300,000 would be assigned to No. 2 of the human cities, which had almost finished construction. The two human cities would stand tall on the moon like pearls, and would remain standing for hundreds, even thousands of years.

There was also the Mars colony that was under construction. The construction of that colony was far more complex than that of the human cities on the moon. Construction on Mars wasn't as simple as just constructing a colony. Zhang Heng's goal was to completely modify the Martian environment, turning Mars into a planet suitable for human habitation.

For example, the atmospheric constructs that had been put to use on Mars were constantly accumulating the thickness of the atmosphere and enhancing the surface temperatures on Mars. There were also robots like the T-800, which had been growing mossy plants on Mars for a long time, prompting the planet to quickly absorb the planet's carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

Furthermore, the exploration teams of Stellar Technology were constantly collecting water from the north and south poles of Mars. Once the Solidified Water of Mars melted, it was very likely that it would form a new ocean on Mars. That ocean might not be as vast as Earth, but when compared to the countless planets with inhospitable environments that humans had seen, Mars was like a girl-next-door that was easy to get close to. All that was needed was some modifications to make it a planet suitable for habitation. It was a profitable business.

531. Accident At The Spherical Base

As the Stellar Foundation accelerated, the technology of the entire human society advanced at an astonishing rate.

Military, civilian, medical, and technological advancement in all fields were underway. Compared to last year, the military capabilities of the five superpowers were improving at an astonishing rate. Artificial intelligence, electromagnetic weapons, cloning technology, controllable nuclear fusion technology… All of that alone was enough to allow humanity to cross 30 to 40 years in an instant, reaching a level that would take half a century to reach.

As for the people's livelihoods, the new technologies of Stellar Technology were constantly being developed. Holographic Projection, new types of medical technology, the T Series of drugs, cloned organs, and so on all served to raise the standard of living for humans around the world, enabling people to enjoy greater treatment. The birth of the Helmet-VR Helmet opened the door to a new world for countless people, which was equivalent to extending a whole new world.

All the governments in the world had high hopes for such technology. The emergence of the Stellar Helmet-VR was like opening up a new space-time dimension, greatly reducing the pressure from reality and the competition and depletion of human resources. The average number of people online at 24 hours in the game 'Warhammer Era' had reached an astonishing 30 million, with the highest number of people online reaching 120 million. It could be said that the game was a universal online game.

In the game, players could become any role that they dreamed of in real life. They could become an interstellar warrior who fought on the battlefields of other planets, or become a member of the Imperial Guard who protected their country, or even become a cold-blooded judge of the Court of Judgment. They could even become combat nuns, pirates, gangsters, members of Congress, or even betray humanity and go to the arms of the evil gods of Chaos.

An extremely shocking event happened throughout the history of the game. A player named 'Alexander the False Emperor Goes to Hell' plotted against billions of people on a planet with an astonishing plan, as well as an interstellar fleet, causing the entire world to fall into the arms of chaos. He became a high-ranking commander of the Chaos Party due to his contributions, and he was even praised by the Evil God, Sharisse.

Furthermore, after his scheme succeeded, he bragged about how he posted all of his shocking plans on the forums of the game, causing countless players to be flabbergasted. Many of them even cursed and swore, while tens of thousands of people expressed their affection for the family of the original owner of the building. Even now, the player named 'Alexander the False Emperor' would be hunted down by countless players and NPCs as soon as he left the Chaotic Lands.

As the sales of the Stellar Helmet-VR Helmet rose higher, the number of players in 'Warhammer Era' increased as well. Almost no one was able to resist the allure of living in another world, especially those who felt things were not going well in real life. There was no way the game could be recharged, and there was no way to charge for the game. That was to say that regardless of whether you were a nouveau riche or a loser in real life, everyone's starting point was the same in the game. As such, 'Warhammer Era' became the fairest game in the entire world, with no one being better than it.

Unknowingly, before anyone realized what was happening, technology around the world had been upgraded in leaps and bounds. Many things that no one had dared to even think about before became reality, such as anti-gravity flying cars and fully automated driving technology, which freed humanity from the dangers of steering and car accidents. Humans were undergoing an epochal transformation at all times, a mark of history that would change the world forever.

Everything was progressing according to Zhang Heng's plans. The successful operation of the human city's No. 1 colony in the outer space further boosted the economy and finances of the entire human race. Furthermore, Stellar Technology announced that it would be opening passenger transport routes between the lunar colonies and Earth within half a year, enabling those who were unable to settle down on foreign planets to experience the mystical life of extraterrestrial immigrants. At the same time, it would also make it more convenient for the colonists to visit their relatives back home.

All manner of mineral resources were being explored on other planets as well, such as helium-3 and pure titanium powder found on the moon. All of those resources were far more abundant and easy to extract than those found on Earth. The titanium found on the moon, in particular, was the primary source of titanium alloy found on Zhang Heng's construction of the colony and the Galaxy Space Station. It was obvious that having access to extraterrestrial resources meant that he had control over the future of humanity.

The Stellar Life Sciences Foundation was once again hidden behind the scenes, working with the governments of the five superpowers to bury everything that happened in London, burying it in the sands of time.

Of course, there were more than just idiots among the people of the world. More than 30 million people were implicated in the entire incident, and it was impossible to cover half of the entire UK. Hundreds of thousands of people were gathered outside the barrier every day, confronting the allied forces of the various countries and demanding an explanation from the authorities.

However, while all of that was happening at the same time, under the joint control of public opinion by the five superpowers, not many people were able to hear the cries of those people. There were even several conflicts between the two sides, but every conflict ended with the deaths of over a hundred people on the side of the public. Furthermore, the bodies of the people who were killed would be dragged away and destroyed amidst the cries of their families, claiming that everything was safe and sound.

The five superpowers were no longer the only ones to have joined the secret alliance. India, Australia, Canada, and several other countries with similar clout had joined the alliance as well. All of them were working hard to bring about the integration of human regimes. Of course, there were also some who were doing so to gain more benefits.

Stellar technology gradually calmed down as well. Only a handful of scientists who were moved to the Dimensional amnesia plane were moved back, while the majority stayed on that new planet.

Zhang Heng's parents decided to settle down there after he convinced them to do so. The Dimensional amnesia plane was undoubtedly safer than the reality that was constantly being attacked. However, there seemed to be some kind of danger lurking on the moon above him that he was unable to swallow or spit out.

Zhang Heng's sister was the only one who went back to school, which was something that she had no choice but to do. Zhang Xin was still too young after all, and there were too many exciting things that she had yet to experience in her life. If she were to be forced to stay in a world where there were only tens of thousands of people living in it was so monotonous that there was no miracle to be found, it would be a torture for Zhang Xin.

That was the reason why Zhang Heng wanted to protect reality, to protect the whole world for his family.

Even the Stellar Foundation had quieted down after everything returned to normal. The entire world was licking its wounds and the damage caused by the erosion of the Marker of Curse. The disaster had dealt a heavy blow to humanity's growing confidence. Everyone who knew what was happening could feel the Reaper's scythe cutting across their necks.

Humans had never been so close to death before. They could imagine that if it hadn't been for the Stellar Foundation, all of Earth would have been dead by now. Human civilization would have been like burning embers that were being snuffed out and never lit up again.

At that moment, there were significantly fewer people in the spherical base that was thousands of meters deep in Stellar Technology. More than two-thirds of the researchers and research projects were moved to the Dimensional amnesia plane. Only some high-risk scientific research projects that could affect the entire human race were still placed there.

At that moment, one of the middle-aged equipment personnel in charge of the maintenance plane's shuttle was suddenly able to see the holographic display panel of the shuttle's control panel flashing with exclamation marks representing warning signs. He looked up all of a sudden and ran up to the screen, only to see a line of data running out. At the same time, the voltage of the shuttle's control panel was also quickly increasing.

"Officer Corona, something strange is happening here. The serial number C302 plane shuttle detected an unknown signal. Something is connected to the coordinates of C302. It's coming!" The middle-aged man suddenly looked up and shouted at the surveillance camera above him. He was about to pull the shutter shut right away when a huge amount of electrical currents gushed out of the button the moment he pressed the shutter, making crackling sounds. The middle-aged man was electrocuted to a crisp before he was able to react. Countless amounts of water were extracted and his entire body was instantly carbonized.

Corona turned her attention to that area almost at the same time that the man died. However, all the electricity in the spherical base seemed to have been sucked out at that moment as it continued to surge towards the shuttle. A black hole was opened in the very next second, as if a huge black hole had been opened in space, revealing a side that the laws of physics were unable to reach.

An electromagnetic pulse was quickly dispersed at the very moment the hole exploded. All facilities that Corona was able to observe were blown apart by that intense stream of particles.

Zhang Heng suddenly opened his eyes at that moment. The holographic projection of Corona appeared before him. "Commander, the Dimensional Traveler of the spherical base number C302 detected an unknown signal a few seconds ago and lost contact with me the very next second. The entire base is suspected to have been hit by a powerful electronic pulse."

"What about backup circuits and power supplies?" Zhang Heng asked with a frown.

"It's ineffective. The backup circuits and backup power source were not activated. It's suspected that it was damaged as well!" Corona said immediately.

"No way!" Zhang Heng bolted upright and headed for the door, asking as he walked, "What's in the spherical base now?"

"The Vengeful Evil God created by the DX-118 Virus and several types of experimental subjects." Corona was very worried. "Other than that, there's also the queen of the xenomorphs and her nest of xenomorphs."

"Isn't that where the xenomorphs are?" Zhang Heng was stunned.

"I moved it a long time ago." Corona shook her head and continued, "At the end of last year, the xenomorphs lost their research value and were moved to a spherical base. Other than that, there was also a batch of insects that were infected by the T-Virus."

"So, you're saying that the spherical base could very well be hell on earth right now?" Zhang Heng paused and raised his eyebrows.

"Not necessarily!" Corona shook her head right away. "The barriers in the quarantine room are very strong. They might not be able to escape. That's not what I'm most worried about, but…"

"What is that thing that came out of the shuttle serial number C302?" Zhang Heng asked right away. "Am I right?"

"Yes!" Corona's holographic projection dissipated immediately and her T-X machine caught up with Zhang Heng from behind. She continued, "Such situations are very rare. Typically speaking, plane traversing equipment that hasn't been turned on would have no coordinates to speak of. However, the other party somehow managed to connect the coordinates of the serial number C302 plane shuttle. He was able to connect to the plane without turning on the shuttle and even managed to open a wormhole to come in. Such a thing is simply unbelievable."

"No matter what the situation is, we have to go and take a look." Zhang Heng frowned and continued, "I'd like to see who could be up to no good."

"I'd agree with your decision if you're going to serve as the backup. However, I'd advise you not to go in right away, just in case it's an infectious meme or some other karmic weapon. Wait for our report," Corona said quickly. "I'll send the T-800 and the clone warriors to take the lead."

"Very well. You guys go in and take a look first. I'll wait outside the spherical base so that I can get you guys." Zhang Heng nodded.

"That would be a good idea." Corona then sighed in relief. The two of them chatted as they made their way to the T-800 and clone teams that had been prepared on the B1st floor. More than a dozen falcons were seen flying into the air and disappearing into the horizon.

"The usual rules apply this time. The T-800 robots will be at the forefront. The first team will break in through the front door, and the second team will break in through the side door underwater. Each team will be followed by a small team of D.S.F. troops. The rest of you will be waiting outside to receive them at any time." Gu Zhan gave his orders in a well-practiced manner from within the Falcon. "If you run into any survivors inside, do not try to rescue them first. The best way to do so would be to take them to a safe but enclosed area, such as some blank isolation rooms. That's because we have no idea what's going on inside. If you run into any out-of-control experimental bodies or researchers, you are permitted to kill them immediately."

"Understood!"

The speed of the Falcon mech was extremely fast and it took less than half an hour for the group to reach the British Virgin Islands from Haizhou. Half of the Falcon mechs split up immediately and plunged into the ocean. The remaining half of the Falcon mechs stopped at a concealed spot on the Stellar Island and the group headed straight for the spherical base from the entrance while being invisible.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, stopped on the ground with a small group of people. While Zhang Heng claimed that he was the one in charge, he was actually not even half as good at commanding as Gu Zhan. As such, he was only there for the most part. If the D.S.F were to run into something that they were unable to handle, they would probably need Zhang Heng's help in the end.

Corona's voice was heard from the other end of the communication device less than 10 minutes after everyone went in, as if the crisis had been averted. "Huff, Commander, we've contacted the defense forces of the spherical base. Other than the fact that the spherical base was completely shut off from contacting the outside world due to the extremely powerful electromagnetic waves, there hasn't been any other danger."

Zhang Heng nodded and walked into the shaft of the base. He boarded the elevator and asked again, "What was that thing that came out of the plane shuttle?"

"I'm afraid I'll need you to take a look at that yourself." Corona's voice continued, "But I can tell you in advance that the other party seems to be someone…"

532. New World Entranced

"What's the fuss about?" Zhang Heng shook his head and didn't talk much. He only saw the uninvited guest when he arrived at the intensive care unit in the spherical base.

In the intensive care unit, a blonde girl with a huge wound on her right shoulder was lying on the hospital bed with her eyes closed and her face pale. The wound had been sewn shut and only a huge patch of pale bandages was exposed. She looked very pitiful and very weak.

"That's her?" Zhang Heng walked in and looked at the girl before him with a weird expression. "She looks familiar."

"It's her." Corona walked up and said quietly, "She's suffering from multiple injuries all over her body and seems to have drowned. Her right shoulder was bitten by some kind of wild beast and the wound is so deep that bone could be seen. She's also losing a lot of blood. We even found a lot of chemical hormones in her blood and a special virus…"

"What virus?" Zhang Heng tilted his head and walked up to the girl, observing her closely.

"Seems to be rabies." Corona nodded and continued, "But the virus isn't a big deal. The virus was immediately suppressed by her immune system after being injected with the T-3. What's causing the most headache now is her identity."

Zhang Heng took a good look at her before saying, "If I'm not mistaken, that girl should be Dana, the 'heroine' of that movie…"

The girl on the bed seemed to have sensed something when Zhang Heng said those words and her entire body began to shake violently all of a sudden. The vibrator that represented her heart began to beep rapidly, as if some ferocious beast was about to burst out of her body. Just when several doctors rushed up to her and were about to save her, the girl suddenly opened her eyes.

Countless bolts of lightning flickered around her when she opened her eyes. Her eyes became blank and her body quickly floated out of the bed.

"What the hell?"

Everyone was shocked and Zhang Heng's pupils contracted. He felt an extreme sense of danger and retreated without hesitation.

He felt a strong pulling force from before him as he was retreating. He saw a tiny vortex appear out of nowhere and felt an extremely terrifying and stifling aura from within the vortex. It felt as if time itself was being stretched infinitely at that moment. He even felt as if his mind had been plunged into mud and he was unable to break free.

However, that feeling only lasted for an instant. When his consciousness became clear again, Zhang Heng suddenly realized that the vortex that appeared out of nowhere was actually generating a huge suction force. Countless pieces of steel and metal all around him twisted at the same time, bending as if they were alive. All of that force was aimed at the core of the vortex, and all of the electronic devices and T-800s that were unable to react in time were sucked in by that suction force.

The center of that vortex looked like it could fold space. Even steel that exceeded the diameter of the vortex was absorbed without any resistance, as if that vortex had become a black hole.

Countless T-800 and cloned warriors who were caught off-guard were all sucked in. Zhang Heng had long retreated two to three corridors away by then. It was only then that he caught his breath and shouted, "Corona, what happened?"

"I don't know!" Corona's confused voice was heard from the speaker. "My T-X body was sucked into the vortex and I lost contact with it!"

"Damn it!" Zhang Heng cursed and continued to retreat. However, just when Corona was about to issue a warning to the entire spherical base, that strange suction force suddenly disappeared.

"Commander, the suction force is gone!" Corona suddenly spoke again. "The vortex has stabilized. My God, that is…"

"What the hell?" Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and asked cautiously. He neither left nor went any closer.

"That's Schwarzenegger!" Corona said loudly. "That's a natural Schwarzenegger. It's very stable, unlike our plane shuttles, which can only exist for half a minute. It's a door that could exist for a long time and connect to an unknown plane."

A holographic projection of the Schwarzschild's throat that was hundreds of meters away appeared before Zhang Heng's eyes. The Schwarzschild's throat looked like a ring of smoke, hanging vertically in the air tens of meters high. The area around it was in shambles. Countless bits of reinforced concrete were completely sucked in, making it look as if a spherical hole had been dug out from the inside of the spherical base. The Schwarzschild's throat was at the center of that hole.

Zhang Heng looked pensive after seeing that. He frowned and asked, "Where did that culprit go?"

"That blonde girl was sucked into the room along with the hospital bed at the very moment Swaxi's throat was formed!" Corona said solemnly. "About 30 tons of steel were sucked into the room, as well as 13 clone warriors, 20 T-800, and one T-X."

"Seal this place off!" Zhang Heng ordered without hesitation. "Get everyone out of the spherical base and send the T-800 to the other side of Swassie's throat for further exploration. I want to know where that is!"

"Understood."

Zhang Heng didn't leave the spherical base. Instead, he stopped at the exit of the base. He was able to react to anything that happened there as quickly as possible, deciding whether to save the situation or leave.

Hundreds of T-800s charged out of the steel walkway as if they were free of charge. Hundreds of T-800s stomped on the walkway and charged right into Swasy's throat. To Zhang Heng, those T-800s looked like metal that had fallen into ink. The sticky, watery darkness swallowed the Terminators with a gulp.

Zhang Heng fixed his gaze on that invisible door. That door was like the mouth of a demon, capable of devouring any number of T-800s without end.

The viscous darkness seemed to boil all of a sudden after hundreds of T-800s charged in. The darkness that looked like flowing water kept appearing and eventually, a T-800 struggled to climb out of the darkness. However, its entire body was in shambles at the moment, as if it had been subjected to a hail of bullets just tens of seconds after leaving the world.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious after seeing that. A few more T-800s returned with the T-800s as soon as they returned. However, those robots looked even more dilapidated. Some of them looked completely burnt, while others looked as if they were being squashed due to massive pressure. There were also some whose bodies were filled with lacerations. The force of the lacerations that were able to tear the tough super titanium alloy to such a state was more than enough to shock anyone.

What was even more frightening was that only three or four of the hundreds of T-800s that had entered the other world returned after less than 20 seconds. The level of danger that the other world posed was terrifying.

"Warning, warning! All armed forces within the spherical base, move immediately to Zone 2 on the 13th floor. I repeat, all armed forces, move immediately to Zone 2 on the 13th floor!" At that moment, even Corona felt that something was off. She took control of all protective measures of the spherical base without a second thought and issued a compulsory order to all protective forces.

Hundreds of T-800s, who were prepared to seal off the entire area, aimed their guns at the Door of Darkness at the same time Corona gave the order. There were over a hundred cloned warriors surrounding the door, all of them staring at the ring-shaped Door of Darkness, waiting for any danger that might follow them.

Rumble rumble rumble…

It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop at that moment. Zhang Heng even heard the sound of a bottle dropping into the water. An indescribably ugly figure charged out from the inside as soon as that sound was heard.

All of the T-800 and clone warriors fired at the same time.

533. Schemes? Coincidence?

It was a huge bat!

No, that humongous body of his was no longer enough to describe him as a bat. He was about as tall as a human, and he could be considered a monster.

However, such a monster was reduced to countless pieces by hundreds of pulse rifles as soon as it emerged from the Door of Darkness. It was reduced to a puddle of blood as soon as it emerged from Swaxi's throat.

However, it was obvious that this wasn't the end. Three more huge bats charged out of Swaxi's throat at the very next second. However, the bats didn't manage to make it out of the hail of bullets before they were torn to shreds by the overwhelming firepower.

However, it was like a huge bloodbath had just begun. The black, sticky substance at Swaxi's throat seemed to boil all of a sudden after the three or four bats died for a brief moment. A loud rumbling sound was heard all of a sudden. Zhang Heng's pupils contracted all of a sudden, and a feeling of unease welled up in his heart. A deafening, high-pitched shriek was heard in the very next second, and a thick, black blob of flesh burst out of the darkness like a flash flood, completely submerging Swaxi's throat.

The blobs of flesh were actually made up of countless bats that were squeezed together. It was as if they had been completely compressed into a single long strip, which gushed out of the blobs in a destructive manner, like a tidal wave.

There was no need for Corona to give the order. All the T-800 and clone warriors fired almost reflexively. In an instant, it was as if a torrent of blood rained down and countless giant bats exploded in the sky like blood bombs.

Blood rained down.

The Pulse Rifles were powerful enough to tear steel apart. Every single bullet was fired with a force that was measured in trillions. Countless bullets rained down on the countless bats. The bats didn't even realize what was happening before they and the bats behind them were blown to pieces.

However, there were simply too many bat monsters. The blood and flesh filled up half of the torn space in just a few minutes. Countless T-800 and cloned warriors began to retreat reflexively. If they didn't keep retreating, they would have been drowned by countless dead bodies within seconds.

Furthermore, they were running out of bullets.

"First squad, third squad, fifth squad, cease fire and replace ammunition. Second squad, fourth squad, sixth squad, persevere!" Gu Zhan's sonorous commands were heard amidst the deafening noise as he issued commands in a calm and unhurried manner. Despite all that, there were still T-800 people who were caught by those bats before they died and were drowned in mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"While I have no idea what's going on, it's obvious that I need to take the field." Zhang Heng sighed to himself when he saw that the line of defense was about to give out. He took a step forward and shot through the air like an electric drill, appearing right in front of the crowd before they could even hear the sound of wind. Black mist gushed out of his mouth and converged with countless bats.

"Chi!"

The black fog and the bats collided immediately. However, the countless bats and the dead bodies at their feet melted away like snow under the scorching sun when the two came into contact. The black fog coalesced into a single entity at the same time, seemingly materializing on the bodies of the bats. Countless bat bodies, flesh, and even new bats that kept appearing on the ground were melted away by the black fog in just a few seconds, as if they had disappeared into thin air.

The black fog seemed to be able to swallow everything in its path, even a planet, if given enough time.

That was the power of the Galactic Beetles.

Zhang Heng's appearance eased the tense situation all of a sudden. As time passed, the number of bats gradually decreased and eventually disappeared altogether.

"Commander! Leave a portion of the bodies of the giant bats behind. I need to analyze those monsters." Corona's voice was heard just when all the bat bodies were about to be destroyed.

"No problem." Zhang Heng looked at the hole that gradually became devoid of bats and nodded casually. "The other side could very well be a nest of bats."

"But if it's really 'that' movie, I'm afraid that there's more than just that kind of giant bat on the other side of Swaxi's throat." Corona couldn't help but feel rather bitter. "That movie had the most comprehensive number of monsters in history. The bats were nothing, and the ones that were the most difficult to deal with were probably those supernatural monsters."

"Of course not." Zhang Heng remained unfazed. "The so-called supernatural beings are just beings that have surpassed the boundaries of science. It's not like they would violate the laws of physics, unless it's something called memes. But it's obvious that there's nothing called memes in that movie."

"But, they have 'gods'…"

Zhang Heng fell completely silent after hearing that.

Some researchers in chemical defense suits ran past Zhang Heng, collecting pieces of flesh all over the ground and even finding a bat carcass that was almost complete before they left.

Zhang Heng continued slowly after the people left, "God, eh? It's just that the power is so great that many people are unable to comprehend it, which is why the ignorant call it 'God'. In reality, it's just like the neutrino lifeforms in the radiation plane. They look like gods, but they're just extraterrestrial lifeforms that humans are unable to comprehend."

"That's right. Compared to them, you were once one step away from becoming a true god," Corona replied.

Zhang Heng touched his forehead subconsciously and didn't answer. It was obvious that what Corona was talking about was the feeling that he was about to become one with heaven and earth after fusing with the Mind Gem back in the Marvel plane. He even gained the power to control the rules with his mental power back then. However, it was fortunate that he was able to resist the allure of power and gave up on fusing with the Heavenly Dao. Otherwise, he would have probably ceased to exist in this world long ago.

Zhang Heng turned around and walked down the corridor at that thought, saying as he walked, "Send me the footage of those T-800 people heading to the other plane, and try to find a way to seal that Swassie's throat. I don't think what's going on here could be that simple…"

"I can feel it too." Corona nodded and continued, "I'll find a way to destroy this Swaxi's throat as soon as possible. However, I believe that since he would do it the first time, he would probably do it the second time."

"I think so too." Zhang Heng wore a pensive look on his face. "But all of that is just speculation. Just do as I say for now. If someone is really behind all of this, I'll definitely find him and kill him."

534. The Little House In The Forest

A holographic projection of a screen was shown before Zhang Heng's eyes. The sky was a dark brown color, making it look as if the entire sky had been covered by something, blocking out all sunlight and leaving only deep darkness behind. Countless tall buildings were seen on the screen, as well as the ruins of all manner of buildings. It looked as if the entire city had been razed to the ground by some kind of strange power, turning into rubble-like ruins. There were also human corpses that had rotted to the point that only bones were seen in those devastated ruins.

All of that happened in the blink of an eye. In the very next second, bats that blotted out the sky suddenly appeared before the camera. The T-800, which had been on high alert for a long time, fired without hesitation. The largest bat that was flying right at the forefront was torn apart by hundreds of pulse rifles. That scene enraged the bats and countless bats charged at the scene as if they had gone insane.

That was what the T-800 captured.

"No wonder…" Zhang Heng rubbed his temple, a weird look in his eyes. "So, the T-800 were the ones who started the fight, which led to the conflict between the two parties?"

"Commander, our researchers have analyzed the genes of those bats." Corona's voice was heard all of a sudden. "According to genetic analysis, those monsters don't seem to be bats at all, but rats with genetic mutations."

"A rat with wings the size of a grown man." Zhang Heng nodded and said thoughtfully, "That would confirm the world on the other side even more. In that case…" He suddenly frowned and looked in the direction of Swaxi's throat. "Corona, haven't you found a way to seal Swaxi's throat yet?"

"Sorry, I haven't found it yet." Corona shook her head and continued, "I've contacted the Dimensional amnesia plane and asked the space scientists there to come up with a solution. It'll probably take some time before I'm able to do so."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to make it in time." Zhang Heng sighed to himself and his gaze turned sharp all of a sudden. He stood up all of a sudden and walked along the corridor. The lights in the corridor began to flicker as he walked along the corridor.

Buzz, buzz, buzz…

The overhead lights flickered nonstop, making it look like a natural phenomenon caused by voltage instability. However, they were inside a spherical base, which boasted the most secure electrical network measures in the world, as well as a controllable nuclear fusion generator capable of supplying the opening of a Dimensional Gate. It could be said that even if there was a global blackout, the place wouldn't be affected at all.

But at that moment, the lights in the corridor kept flickering and getting increasingly intense.

"Crack!"

All the lights seemed to be unable to take it any longer and went out all of a sudden. The emergency lights were turned on right after that and the entire base turned completely dark red, looking very eerie.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. He sensed an indescribable, cold wind blowing from the hollow inside Swasi's throat, lingering in the corridor for quite a while.

The T-800 at the bottom of Swaxi's throat didn't detect anything, but some of the cloned warriors seemed to have sensed something and everyone began to move their guns around, looking extremely wary.

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks at that very moment, as if he had sensed something. He spun around in the very next second and the slit on his forehead opened at lightning speed. A huge burst of mental power burst out and formed a tough leather whip, which lashed at his back.

Crack!

"Screech!"

The crisp sound of air being torn apart was heard along the corridor, followed by a blood-curdling screech. It sounded like a high-pitched whistle, yet it also sounded like some kind of high-pitched shriek from some animal. A puff of mist appeared behind Zhang Heng in the very next second, taking the shape of a skeleton in midair. Half of its chest was cut open by Zhang Heng's attack, causing a huge amount of mist to gush out of the wound like fresh blood.

"What kind of monster is that?" Corona gasped when the skeleton formed by the mist appeared. However, the mist skeleton simply flickered in midair and disappeared again.

"Maybe it's a ghost or something else, but that's all there is to it." Zhang Heng's expression didn't change in the slightest. Instead, he wore a cold smirk and said, "That kind of monster isn't that much stronger than a giant bat to me." Zhang Heng's glabella opened up again as soon as he said that, and a bright yellow glow was seen from it before it turned into a yellow beam that shot straight ahead.

"Screech!" Another blood-curdling screech was heard as soon as the beam was fired. The skeleton made of mist was completely burnt into a dark red color by the light from the Mind Gem, which seemed to have been heated up in an instant before turning bright red again and burning up completely.

"Crackle…"

Flames flickered in the air and the skeleton that was made of mist was reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye.

Corona and the cloning warriors present were still rather stunned when the smoke-like skeleton was completely dead. Corona's true form was nowhere to be found and they could only observe her through surveillance and other equipment. However, it was the same with human vision. Unless that monster were to reveal itself, they would not be able to detect it at all.

"That is a lifeform that is completely made up of pure energy." Zhang Heng looked at the dead mist skeleton and said to himself, "While this is the first time I'm seeing a lifeform in such a form, it's a pity that such a lifeform would be utterly defenseless before me."

"An energy-based lifeform?" Corona was enlightened. "Could it be a ghost from the legends? It's fortunate that you have such a massive mental power. If it were any other normal person, they would probably be rendered completely helpless when faced with such a pure energy-based lifeform. However, I seem to recall that you're unable to touch ghosts. For example, the 'Road to Ghost' meme that you encountered back then?"

"I don't know if it's a ghost or not. All I know is that its entire body is made up of some kind of extremely unstable energy." Zhang Heng shook his head and continued, "Energy-based lifeforms and megamorphs are two completely different things. One is life-forms, and the other is made up of special laws of physics. Furthermore, in terms of destructive power, such energy-based lifeforms are nowhere near megamorphs."

Zhang Heng continued, "Corona, find a way to seal it as soon as possible and evacuate all the researchers still in the spherical base. If not, our only option would be to blow up the entire spherical base and bury the Swassie's Adam's apple thousands of meters underground, so that we can stop the monsters from the other world from invading…"

"Yes, I'll definitely do it as soon as possible." Corona's expression became completely serious. She knew what Zhang Heng meant by that. While Zhang Heng was able to fend off two dangers at the moment, it was obvious that even Zhang Heng himself wasn't sure how long he would be able to hold out for. There were still many supernatural beings lurking in the endless waves of monsters, and there were even beings called 'gods'…

Both Corona and Zhang Heng were able to confirm that the huge bat, as well as the appearance of the energy-based lifeform, was connected to the other side of the world that had been completely destroyed. That was its name—

"Little House in the Forest"!

535. Seoul

While Zhang Heng and Corona were busy with their work, a strange blue electric current was seen flickering in the air outside an electronic school building in the East Gate area of Seoul, which was located in the 19th place in all of Asia.

It was evening after class at the moment, and the bizarre scene immediately attracted the attention of hundreds of students taking a stroll in the school's corridors. They stopped to look at the flickering blue lights outside the school building and began to discuss among themselves.

However, as more people gathered, a wave of obscure fluctuations was felt all of a sudden, as if an electromagnetic bomb had been dropped on the campus. The streetlamps of the entire university were snuffed out in the very next second, as if they were infected, and endless darkness spread throughout Seoul.

However, it was fortunate that the shockwave didn't seem to be too intense. It only spread for several kilometers before completely disappearing. However, all electronics and equipment in the area that the shockwave swept through were completely destroyed, plunging the entire area into complete darkness.

All the students seemed to have no idea what was happening when the streetlights on the campus went out. All they did was stare at the blue electric lights flashing before their eyes with their mouths agape. Some of them even took out their phones to start filming.

Crack!

However, all that happened was a huge spark on their phones and the screen went black right away. Several screams were heard from the crowd and they threw their phones away right away. It was only then that they realized, to their dismay, that their hands had been burnt to a crisp.

"What the f * * k? You're actually using a three-star? Are you trying to kill yourself?" Jin Suyan's best friend, Jin Shanmei, complained immediately after a girl named Jin Suyan threw her phone away.

"Aiyo!" Jin Suyan's jaw dropped and she rolled her eyes, looking as if she had just been angered. "Damn girl, you're the one who's using a three-star phone! I've long switched to Sony, alright?"

"How could that be…" The two of them shut their mouths at the same time before Jin Shanmei was able to say anything, as they saw a blonde girl with her right shoulder wrapped in bandages appearing out of nowhere at the bottom of the school building in front of them in a flash of lightning. She looked like she had lost all of her strength as soon as she appeared and fell to her knees with a groan, lowering her head and not moving.

"Arrgghhhh!" The college students shouted out loud when they saw what was happening. Some of them even shouted things like "Terminator" and some of the braver male students actually made their way to the other side.

"Hey, what are you doing there?" Jin Shanmei had just snapped out of her trance from the scene of a living person being turned into a living person. However, she was stunned to see that her good friend, who had been by her side all along, was actually making her way to the front as if she was possessed. She immediately shouted.

"I'm going to take a look!" Jin Suyan waved at Jin Shanmei without turning around and went up to her excitedly. While she had no idea how that girl came to be, she had always been very passionate about such bizarre things. She had even joined a supernatural research team on campus. As someone who was naturally curious, how could she miss such a good show?

"Hello! How are you?"

As the crowd gradually got closer, the man who was closest to the blonde girl walked up to her excitedly and slowly crouched down while speaking in Korean English, wanting to help her up.

Jin Suyan knew that guy. He was from the class next door and his name seemed to be something like Song Zhongji. However, when she saw that Song Zhongji had only just made contact with that guy, that blonde girl suddenly raised her head and revealed an expressionless yet beautiful face.

"Kristen Connolly!" Jin Suyan exclaimed in shock. As a fan of a European and American movie, she was able to get a good look at the girl's face right away. However, she had never dreamed that the girl who looked to be in her twenties was actually the American star, Kristen Connolly, who was the lead actress in 'The Little House in the Forest'.

"I-do!"

However, the moment Jin Suyan shouted in shock, the girl let out a low, hoarse murmur. That voice seemed to be filled with malice and coldness. Jin Suyan felt as if she was looking at a monster who was high above and had no emotions, looking at humans as if they were ants.

Everyone felt their hearts skip a beat as soon as those cold, emotionless words were heard. It was as if they felt some kind of instinctive suppression from high-level lifeforms against low-level lifeforms. A pitch-black vortex appeared before the blonde girl all of a sudden and Jin Suyan felt her mind go blank for a bit. At the same time, all those who were near the blonde girl were sucked into the vortex at lightning speed.

Whoosh!

It was only then that the hundreds of spectating students finally let out a shriek and fled in all directions. However, it was too late by then. All of them were unable to run far before they felt a massive suction force coming from behind them. All they had time to do was scream before they were sent flying upside down and sucked into the increasingly huge black vortex behind them.

Rumble rumble rumble…

An earth-shattering rumble of thunder was heard throughout the entire campus. The students weren't the only ones affected. The entire school building behind Swirl, as well as the soil beneath Swirl, were all sucked in as well. It was just like what happened at the spherical base, where countless objects were sucked in by that powerful suction force. The vortex that was formed this time was even larger than the one at the spherical base.

Ten meters, a hundred meters, a thousand meters…

Countless specks of dust billowed into the air in the blink of an eye, making it look like a ball made of dust. Everything within a radius of over a kilometer was completely absorbed by that vortex.

The weird suction force finally weakened again when the suction force spread to over a kilometer away. That weird suction force disappeared into thin air after about 10 seconds.

However, despite the disappearance of the suction force, a huge crater with a diameter of one kilometer and a depth of several hundred meters was formed in the Rock Campus of the University of Goryeo. There was a ring-shaped smoke about a hundred meters in diameter at the center of the crater.

Any researcher working in the Stellar Foundation would have been shocked to see that. That place was actually a Schwarzenegger that was 10 times larger than the spherical base.

A pale, shaking hand reached out from the inside of the Schwarzschild's throat as soon as it was formed. Shrill male laughter was heard from the other end, and a clown-like man with a face full of weird paint, pointed teeth, and yellow pupils dashed out from the hole. The high-pitched laughter disappeared into the night without a trace.

Many students who had no idea what was going on slowly made their way to the plaza as soon as Xiao Chou disappeared. All of them gasped when they saw what was happening in the plaza.

However, at that moment, shuffling sounds were heard again and a group of decayed humans who looked like they had been dead for a very long time crawled out of that pitch-black smoke.

536. An Shenghao

When the power grid, networks, and even signal bases in the East Gate area of Seoul were completely destroyed, the headquarters of the electricity department in Seoul immediately received the news.

It didn't take long before a group of power workers were sent out and headed for the East Gate area. Not only did they have to find out the reason for the loss of power, but they also had to finish fixing most of the power in the area within several hours. That was the order given by the authorities.

Cursing under their breath, the bunch of power workers drove out of the cars and headed straight for the East Gate area.

An Shenghao was a very unassuming worker in the Seoul Electric Power Company. He was currently riding a high-speed construction truck with his team in the direction of the East Gate area. He still had no idea what he was about to face.

The high-altitude vehicle looked like a combination of a truck and a crane, with yellow lights flashing at the top. All vehicles would usually steer clear of the car when it came to taking the risk to get past.

However, that day, the driver who was driving the car that was used for high altitude jobs felt that something was off.

"Beep, beep, beep!"

A loud honk was heard and a car drove past the front of the car. The two cars brushed past each other as if they would have crashed into each other if they were just a little bit closer. Despite that, the car didn't show any signs of stopping and continued speeding past the car.

"Are you out of your mind, you little brat?!" The driver stuck his head out and shouted. It was only when the taillights disappeared from the rearview mirror that the driver unwillingly pulled his head back and cursed at the people who didn't follow the traffic rules.

"Beep, beep, beep!"

However, another car passed by the other car very quickly. This time, the other car continued to speed past the left side of the car. The driver was only able to turn the steering wheel and the car narrowly missed the other car.

"Are the people out of their minds today?" The driver cursed again, but An Shenghao, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, felt uneasy.

"Do you feel that all of those cars seem to be in a hurry today?" An Shenghao asked without thinking.

"I bet they're all in a hurry to be reincarnated." The driver snorted and continued, "It's a miracle that none of them were killed by the car."

An Shenghao frowned and didn't say anything. He simply sighed and suppressed the unease in his heart.

An Shenghao's team was headed for the university located at the heart of the East Gate area, which was also the center of the massive blackout. The other cars stopped moving as soon as they reached their destination, but An Shenghao's car continued to move forward.

Night gradually fell.

As they got closer to Goryeo University, the traffic became increasingly sparse. The dark world replaced the glorious lights of the East Gate District and became completely quiet. In the end, all the traffic on the roads disappeared and there were cars that got into accidents on the side of the road, crashing into the roadside and completely deformed by the streetlights.

"What happened here?" An Shenghao lowered his voice all of a sudden. He looked in the direction of the headlights and saw several silhouettes flashing past in the darkness. He felt increasingly flustered when he saw those silhouettes for some reason.

"Crack!"

Just when that feeling of unease in An Shenghao's heart grew increasingly intense, he felt a burst of inertia all of a sudden, causing him to almost crash into the windshield. It was fortunate that he had put on his seat belt, as even so, it was enough to choke him to death. He was barely able to regain his senses before turning to the driver beside him and yelling, "How the hell did you drive?"

"I-I'm afraid I've run into someone…" However, the driver looked terrified at that moment. He unbuckled his seatbelt and ran out of the door like a madman without a second thought. An Shenghao was shocked as well and he looked out of the window right away. He saw a man covered in blood lying in front of the car under the headlights, and he wondered if he had run into something.

"Damn it!" An Shenghao slammed on the door of the car. He knew that he wouldn't be able to escape responsibility if something like that were to happen. He lit a cigarette in frustration and was about to get out of the car as well when he saw that the driver had walked up to the man covered in blood and crouched down anxiously.

An Shenghao didn't know if he was seeing things, but he saw greed flash in the eyes of that man covered in blood the moment the driver crouched down. It was greed for flesh and blood, something that no human would ever see.

An Shenghao stopped what he was doing right there and then, shutting the door right away.

Time proved how farsighted An Shenghao was in the very next second. He watched as the driver helped the man up. However, the man opened his mouth, which was filled with fangs, and bit down hard on the driver's neck as soon as he did so.

"Chi!"

The sound of a balloon being punctured was heard and An Shenghao's eyes were wide open. He watched as the driver, who looked very much like a living thing in front of him a moment ago, had a huge chunk of his muscle torn off by the razor-sharp teeth of the driver. Blood gushed out of his mouth like a broken tap, splattering two to three meters into the air.

An Shenghao still couldn't believe his eyes at the moment. He shook his head hard and rubbed his eyes at the same time. However, all he saw was the blood splattering all over the place and the driver, who was still alive, looking at him with pleading eyes.

That wasn't all. An Shenghao seemed to see a group of people moving about in the darkness where the headlights of the car were unable to reach. Sounds of wailing were heard at the same time. It sounded like the sound of people moaning, but it also sounded like the wailing of countless hungry animals.

"Arrgghhhh!" An Shenghao finally let out a scream of utter despair at that moment. An indescribable fear shrouded him and he got into the driver's seat without a second thought. He pulled the car over and the entire car fell backward.

He didn't dare to look into the eyes of the driver before he died, but he knew without a doubt that the driver's eyes were filled with a longing for life. Yet, someone who was alive like that had his windpipe torn open and his artery torn open.

Just what kind of monster was that person?

An Shenghao felt the chill in his heart grow increasingly intense. He turned the car around and the huge horsepower from the car rumbled deafeningly. He then turned the car around and headed straight for the road he came from.

It looked like a huge truck.

537. Zombies

However, An Shenghao's pupils contracted yet again when the headlights of the car shone on the road. He saw a bunch of bloodied, deformed monsters gathered on the road before he knew it, staggering in the direction of the light as they walked.

The path was blocked by countless monsters.

An Shenghao felt as if his soul was about to leave his body the moment he saw those zombies. However, he realized at the very next second that the scene before him was a zombie movie that he had seen countless times before.

Zombies!

An Shenghao seemed to have been enlightened as that familiar term flashed in his mind. Zombies weren't considered living humans. Even if they were to be killed, they wouldn't be punished by the law. Furthermore, he was riding a very powerful car and he had nothing to fear from zombies.

With that thought in mind, An Shenghao made up his mind and lowered the car to the second gear, stepping hard on the accelerator and dashing out of the crowd.

Countless splatters of blood exploded right in front of the window of the car. An Shenghao seemed to have realized at that moment that when the blood of zombies reached a certain level, they actually looked no different from ketchup. All of them were dark, congealed red in color and stuck tightly to the window, which was a frightening sight.

The windscreen wipers kept fanning out to maintain An Shenghao's line of sight. It was only when he was completely out of the zombie crowd that he breathed a sigh of relief. It was only then that he realized that his back was drenched in sweat.

"This is Squad 10. Call headquarters. Hello, hello, call headquarters!" An Shenghao picked up the walkie-talkie with a shaking hand. However, there was no sound coming from the other end of the walkie-talkie after he spoke. He looked over at once and found that there wasn't even a signal on the walkie-talkie.

"You b * stard, what the hell is going on here?" An Shenghao slammed the walkie-talkie on the ground and shouted at the top of his lungs, venting his fear. "Did we run into an attack from an electromagnetic bomb? There's actually a radio-impact window?"

"Hehehe…"

However, just when An Shenghao was yelling at the top of his lungs, he heard an ear-piercing, eerie laughter from behind him all of a sudden. A chill ran down his spine all of a sudden and his pupils contracted. He stepped on the brakes and slowly turned around with a stiff neck, only to see… a man in a funny-looking clown costume sitting in the back seat.

"Who the f * * k are you?" An Shenghao gritted his teeth and glared at the clown behind him. First, he ran into his friend being bitten to death by a zombie and he had to drive his car through a bloody path to escape. But now, something even weirder than a zombie appeared before him. He felt as if his mind was about to collapse.

However, Xiao Chou didn't answer him at all. He simply stuck his head out and inched closer to An Shenghao with a weird laugh. In the end, Xiao Chou actually extended his head more than half a meter, making him look extremely eerie.

"Please, no…" An Shenghao felt his entire body go completely stiff and he was unable to move at all. He watched as the clown plastered that funny yet eerie face to his face before opening its mouth all of a sudden, revealing a mouth full of long, razor-sharp teeth as it bit down at An Shenghao.

"Ahhh!"

A hoarse wail was heard from the dark street and An Shenghao's car was completely extinguished at the same time, disappearing into the darkness.

…

The eastern gate area of Seoul was located in the center of the eastern part of Seoul. The southern part of the city was adjacent to the eastern part of the city, while the eastern part was adjacent to the central part of the city, with the central part of the city at the center. The northern part of the city was connected to the northern part of the city, while the western part of the city was connected to the Zhonglu District.

A strange, massive blackout suddenly took place in the East Gate area late at night on May 5. All communication and all networks in that area were stopped at the same time, which quickly attracted the attention of the relevant authorities. Several teams of inspectors drove into the East Gate area within half an hour, but they quickly lost contact after sending out those personnel.

Some professionals eventually concluded that there seemed to have been an attack by an electromagnetic pulse at the eastern gate area. However, it was difficult to tell if the attack was man-made or a natural disaster. The government reacted immediately after receiving the news and sent two search teams led by SEAL helicopters to the eastern gate area.

However, only one of the two SEAL rescue teams managed to make it back to the base several hours later. Everyone was astonished to find that the insides of the entire helicopter were filled with blood, as if all the other personnel had been reduced to blood.

That helicopter pilot went completely insane at that moment. He kept yelling at the people around him, "Dead! All dead! The massive zombie attack is coming!" He was crying, laughing, and yelling at the same time. The government had no choice but to send people to keep him under control for the time being. However, at that point, even the slowest of people could vaguely sense that something terrifying had really happened in the East Gate area, where they had lost contact…

Despite it being only late at night, the government of Seoul began to notify the military districts that the Korean Defence Force was about to set off from the military districts that were stationed tens of kilometers away. A total of 20,000 people were headed for Seoul.

The night passed slowly and the sky gradually brightened as the next day came. Many residents who heard the news left their rooms, ignoring the police officers who were trying to maintain order to get to the east gate area to see what was happening.

However, when the first person caught sight of a swaying figure in the blockade ahead of them, it was clear that the attempt to stop them had been completely ineffective.

An hour later, the entire Seoul began to show signs of a sudden mental mania. The patient would suddenly convulse without warning, as if he had suffered a stroke. His heart stopped for several minutes after that. When everyone thought that he was dead, he would suddenly jump up and tear at every single bystander around him.

It was an infectious disease.

That was the result of the official announcement, and everyone found to their horror that the disease continued to spread. The disease began in the eastern gate area at the very beginning, and it spread all the way to the most prosperous Jiangnan area in just one morning. By noon, there was a massive epidemic that was unavoidable in half of Seoul.

The government of Seoul had completely collapsed…

It was the first time the zombie virus had bared its fangs in the real world.

538. Discovered

High up in the sky tens of kilometers away in space, in the Earth's synchronous orbit, a strangely-shaped miniature satellite was floating silently in a fixed orbit. Several super precision cameras that were permanently aimed at the Earth were spinning slightly from side to side, adjusting the rings of light and focus at a rate that was difficult to detect with the naked eye.

Crack crack…

There was no sound in space and it was as quiet as the dead of night. However, if anyone were to see what was happening, they would realize that not only were the cameras adjusting their focus, but they were also flashing their shutter slightly. Every time the cameras flickered, hundreds of TBs were captured, depicting a high-definition map with a radius of hundreds of thousands of kilometers, before being sent into the supercomputer of the Honeycomb through quantum communication technology without delay, before being received and processed by Corona.

That satellite was none other than the quantum spy satellite developed by the Stellar Foundation. Zhang Heng had been setting it up since over a year ago. Furthermore, there was more than one quantum spy satellite. There were over 50 of them in the entire geosynchronous orbit of Earth, and every single one of them was able to observe the ground at 10 million square kilometers without any blind spots. With over 50 of them connected, there was not a single change on Earth that could escape Corona's control.

At that moment, an extremely eerie image was suddenly projected from one of the planets, with Haizhou as the center, covering the East Sea area of Huaxia, from top to bottom, all the way to Taizhou, as well as the quantum spy satellites in the western region of Japan.

Due to the fact that it was late at night, the quantum spy satellite was automatically subjected to infrared imaging at that moment. The image sent by the satellite showed that the infrared reflective beams in one of the areas in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, had suffered severe high-energy reactions. The entire image had turned dark red and looked as horrifying as blood.

However, Corona and Zhang Heng were having a very difficult time dealing with the internal affairs of the spherical base at the moment. Corona couldn't help but frown when she received the photo. She took a look at Zhang Heng, who was standing right in front of the Schwarzenegger's throat, before projecting a holographic image to form a silhouette. She walked up to Zhang Heng and whispered, "Commander, something happened in Seoul, South Korea…"

"What happened?" Zhang Heng turned around and asked with a serious expression, holding a monster that had been rendered completely deformed by the barrage of attacks.

"High-energy response happened at the eastern gate of Seoul. We are unable to confirm the cause for the time being," Corona answered immediately.

"Keep watching. I don't have the time to manage other countries at the moment." Zhang Heng waved his hand and looked pensive. "If there's really no other way, the only way would be to use gravitational force from the soil thousands of meters deep to seal the entirety of Swaxi's throat."

Corona nodded and immediately took control of the control panel and sent an order to that quantum spy satellite, focusing on what was happening in Seoul. Several more sets of photos were sent over very quickly, but unfortunately, that area had been under high-energy interference and it was night time, so there was nothing out of place.

Zhang Heng and the D.S.F. troops had killed dozens of monsters that managed to get into Swassie's throat and made it to the real world. There were huge plant monsters, pythons, werewolves, and even some kind of energy lifeform that looked like the specter that Zhang Heng killed before.

Zhang Heng had deployed over 500 cloned warriors and over 5,000 T-800 fighters, as well as hundreds of T-1000 and T-X fighters. He had even deployed the Tyrant and the Vengeful Evil God to surround the entirety of the Schwarzenegger's transportation route.

On the other side, according to the data provided by Zhang Heng, many scientists had developed electromagnetic radiation glasses that could adjust the rate of observation. Those glasses could be installed on the Armageddon Type 2 armor and the eyes of the T-800 bots. After testing by the staff, the glasses were designed to adjust the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation, enabling people to see the lifeform structure of energy-based lifeforms.

According to what Louis said, the energy-based lifeforms themselves were a kind of electromagnetic radiation signal. It was only due to their different frequencies that they developed a special consciousness. Furthermore, the frequencies of such energy-based lifeforms were capable of affecting the human brain and the bioelectric field, thereby affecting the health and brainwaves of regular humans. As such, they were able to make humans hallucinate or manipulate human consciousness in such a manner, causing their actions to be influenced by them. Such behavior was the so-called possession of ghosts.

Furthermore, there was nothing special about such energy-based lifeforms to begin with. Louis was able to completely unravel the mystery of such energy-based lifeforms after Zhang Heng captured one for him to research for two to three hours. Of course, that had a lot to do with Zhang Heng being able to capture such special lifeforms and the technological advantages of the Stellar Foundation.

All in all, the Stellar Foundation had yet to develop a way to effectively counter such energy-based lifeforms, given that Louis had successfully designed the pair of electron glasses that allowed them to see special energy-based lifeforms. However, according to Louis, all of those energy-based lifeforms had a very regular field-energy effect. If he were to use some kind of electromagnetic effect that could affect the field-energy effect, it was very likely that he would be able to damage such lifeforms.

Other than those energy-based lifeforms, the rest of the monsters were rendered completely defenseless before the D.S.F. troops and countless pulse rifles. They were destroyed almost as soon as they appeared.

However, as more monsters appeared, Zhang Heng gradually began to feel a little pressured. He had no idea just what kind of hell had become on the other side of Swaxi's throat. While there were a lot of monsters in the movie 'Little Hut in the Forest', he had never seen such an overwhelming number of monsters before. The open door of Swaxi's throat felt like the entire world had become a playground for monsters, with billions or even billions of monsters lurking around.

If that was the case, Zhang Heng figured that he had no other choice but to blow up the spherical base.

Time passed and it was soon daybreak. However, Corona's pupils contracted completely when she received yet another photo from a quantum spy satellite. She said to Zhang Heng without hesitation, "Commander, the Seoul region in South Korea has discovered the latest intelligence."

Zhang Heng was stunned. The two of them had worked together for so many years that it could be said that they knew each other very well. The moment he heard Corona's tone, he knew that something bad had happened.

"Go on, I'm listening," Zhang Heng said with a rather glum look on his face.

"I found something like that in the east gate area of Seoul, near the southern field of Goryeo University." A photo taken from a high altitude in Seoul automatically appeared before Zhang Heng as Corona explained the situation. There was a huge suburban university on the top, and a crater that was over 100 meters deep appeared out of nowhere in the inner part of the university campus. However, what was weird was that the crater was over several kilometers in diameter, yet there was no sign of rubble or debris outside the crater. Instead, it seemed like something had completely absorbed everything above and below the ground.

539. Decisive

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and took a look at his surroundings. There was a huge crater around Swaxi's throat at the moment, and there was a very weird suction force that came with that special type of thing. The hole in the spherical base was caused by Swaxi's throat.

Zhang Heng was still reeling from the powerful suction force from the Schwarzenegger's throat, which felt like a weakened version of a black hole. No matter what substance was sucked into the hole, it would never come out again. As such, he was automatically reminded of the Schwarzenegger's throat when he saw the scene in the photo.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and asked in a serious tone, "Don't tell me that there's another one connected to the Swasy Throat in the 'lodge' plane and that it's located in Seoul?"

"I'm sorry, but it's very likely that you've guessed correctly." Corona nodded and zoomed in on the image on her own. The satellite image before Zhang Heng's eyes continued to expand and he was soon able to see every blade of grass and every tree. He saw several humans who looked human but were covered in dried bloodstains walking out of a black smoke that appeared out of nowhere and disappeared at the end of the path.

"Zombies?" Zhang Heng took a deep breath and his expression became even more serious. "Corona, can you confirm that something like zombies came through?"

"That should be the case." Corona nodded and changed the image again. The image before Zhang Heng's eyes changed to that of a street in the very next second. He could see cars crashing and entangling with each other on the streets. People covered in blood were seen walking slowly on the streets, looking like the doomsday scene of Resident Evil.

"Other than the zombies, there are probably other monsters that we don't know much about that have followed him all the way to his throat." Corona continued to attack as she changed the images.

At that moment, the location had become some other prosperous area in Seoul. However, that prosperous area had long since lost all of its former prosperity. One could only see countless stores scattered all over the entire block. Furthermore, the number of people who had once stood shoulder to shoulder with each other had become even fewer. It was as if those people had lost their souls and were walking aimlessly on the streets like zombies. However, one could see huge drag marks on the streets. The marks even crushed the concrete floor, making it look as if some unbelievably huge monster had dragged its long tail and came to this world with a sinister grin on its face.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious. Determination flashed in his eyes and he said right away, "Send out the mobile forces and get me that zombie virus. I'd like to see just how different this unprecedented zombie virus is from the T-Virus. I'd also like to take in all the monsters that have come to this world. If there's no way to take them in, kill them on the spot and lock down all traffic routes in Seoul."

"Yes, sir!" Corona nodded and was about to report that piece of information right away, but Zhang Heng continued, "Hold on. Inform all the authorities about what's happening in South Korea first. Get them to send soldiers to help us lock down Seoul. It's time for them to do something after all."

"Understood." Corona nodded and disappeared without a trace.

It was only when Corona went to issue the order that Zhang Heng began to look troubled. He felt his head going numb when he saw the massive mouth of the Swassie in Seoul. The Swassie's throat, which had a diameter of about 10 meters in the spherical base, was already making it very difficult for him. The one in Seoul, which was located in Korea, had a diameter of over 100 meters. Zhang Heng didn't even dare to imagine just how many of those monsters managed to make it to the real world through that massive throat of the Swassie.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden. He closed his eyes and called for the AI without thinking.

"Brother…" A crisp, clear ring of a bell was heard and in the midst of the noise, the cold silhouette of Arthasja appeared. She was wearing a white dress and there was no expression on her face. Her eyes were half-closed and her black hair flowed down like a waterfall, reaching her ankles.

"Arthasca, give me an explanation. Is this considered the second occurrence? If it's not a second occurrence, why is this thing so difficult to deal with? It's practically beyond the technological limit of the real world. If this is the second occurrence, I'd like to know why it came so quickly," Zhang Heng asked loudly.

"There's nothing to explain." The girl's voice was heard slowly. "Arthasgar and the Dimensional Star never said that the first occurrence was over."

"What?!" Zhang Heng was stunned after hearing that. He had thought of all kinds of answers from her, but he never thought that she would actually give such an answer.

The first attack that he had spent so much time and effort to resist was not over yet?

"The first occurrence doesn't necessarily mean that a disaster is about to hit." Arthasgar's voice remained emotionless as she continued as if she was narrating something. "Don't think that you're lucky, brother. Do you really think that the first occurrence would end so easily? If you really think so, then you're gravely mistaken…"

Zhang Heng fell silent and only spoke again after quite a while. "You need to tell me everything I want to know in your access. How am I supposed to survive this disaster?"

"I'm sorry, but the impact was not caused by the Dimensional Star. As such, the Dimensional Star was completely unprepared as well." Arthasgar shook his head and said casually, "No one knew what the disaster was before the curse hit and if there was any possibility of resisting it. I can only say that you're very lucky, brother. Other than meme, there is almost nothing that could not be comprehended during the first attack. Even if meme was unable to be understood, there is still a way to suppress it. It's obvious that the impact this time is very small."

Zhang Heng thought about it for a bit and realized that what the other man said made sense. However, he was unable to determine just how many truths and lies the Dimensional Star was telling him. All the so-called judgments were based on the level of information being equal. If there was a severe lack of leads and information being completely unequal, then even if Sherlock Holmes were to be around, he wouldn't be able to determine certain cases.

Determination flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes at that thought, completely extinguishing the possibility of him getting help from Arthasja. He dismissed Arthasja and headed outside the spherical base. He said as he walked, "Corona, get ready. All cloned warriors, prepare to retreat. Two-thirds of the T-800 pages will be withdrawn. Only one-third will be stationed in this base."

"What are you doing?" Corona's voice was heard immediately, seemingly having sensed what Zhang Heng was thinking and asked in shock.

"That's right. I've made up my mind…" Zhang Heng nodded as a look of determination flashed in his eyes. "I've decided to lock this place down and use the T.N.T. to completely seal off the entire area, burying the entire base several kilometers deep in the soil. I believe that even the most powerful of monsters wouldn't be able to get to the surface of the earth with tens of billions of tons of soil weighing down on them."

"Then, it's time for us to deal with the Seoul incident…"

540. Blowing Up Balls

In a small room in the forest.

People who didn't know much about the American horror film would have thought that it was some kind of Hollywood blockbuster, given how well known it was, but the truth was the opposite. The movie was actually a low-budget production. However, the content of the movie turned the typical tacky plot of the horror film upside down, shaking the status of traditional horror films. As such, the horror film was able to break free from the encirclement of countless tacky horror films and became a classic, becoming the talk of countless horror fans.

The movie was about a group of noisy college students coming to a small, uninhabited forest. According to the directions given by a man's cousin, they found a wooden cabin deep in the forest and planned to spend the rest of their free, happy, and unforgettable weekend there.

However, what they didn't know was that their every move had been under surveillance since a few weeks ago. Every meal, shower, and even hair dye that they did were all part of someone else's plans. Even the hormones that were added to their hair dye were silently changing their personalities so that their attributes would fit in with some ancient mysterious ritual…

A conspiracy that was so intricate and massive that it was incalculable gradually unfolded before five young men who were completely oblivious to what was happening. Or rather, it could be said that their fate had long been sealed.

Then came the beginning of the plot. Everything looked normal at first, and the five young men played happily in the cabin. However, all sorts of strange things began to happen in the cabin at night. The five innocent young men had no idea what they were up against, nor did they know that there was a huge organization watching all of this from behind.

To put it simply, that organization was a governmental organization that protected the world from being destroyed by the "ancient gods." The so-called "ancient gods" were some kind of super-lifeforms that had existed since ancient times and humans were unable to fight against them. It was unknown who discovered that the ancient gods needed to undergo a ritual every once in a while to ensure that they would continue sleeping. Once the ritual was interrupted, something that would wake the ancient gods up and destroy the world would happen.

The ritual was to sacrifice a few specific humans to the Ancient Gods, using their blood to sustain the Ancient Gods' slumber and ensure that the world continued to operate peacefully.

The ritual had been in operation for countless years since ancient times. Every country in the world would still carry out the ritual at some point in time, and every country had a different way of performing the ritual. The United States, for example, selected five young men with the attributes of "virgins," "bitches," "scholars," and "athletes," respectively, to perform the blood sacrifice. Countless supernatural monsters were imprisoned in that mysterious organization, and the young men were given the choice. Once someone chose a certain keepsake, the monsters related to that kind of keepsake would be released, and five young men would be killed to complete the ritual.

To put it simply, the American ritual required the young man to choose his own way of dying. The mysterious organization was able to adjust the hormones in the room and the mechanism of the wooden cabin in order to ensure that the monsters were able to kill the five of them better without making any mistakes.

Furthermore, due to the importance of the offerings, there were countless other ways to ensure that the offerings were carried out. Countless countries would be conducting the offerings at the same time, and if one of them were to succeed, the entire world would be able to remain safe and sound for an entire year.

However, almost all the countries around the world had mysteriously failed this time. The safety of the entire world was in the hands of the United States, as only the United States' sacrifice was still ongoing, and it was most likely to succeed…

However, what came as a shock to everyone was that the five young men discovered the secret of the ritual after paying the price of three deaths. In order to fight back, they released all the monsters imprisoned by the organization and massacred the headquarters of the organization through the monsters. In the end, the sacrifice in the United States was completely unsuccessful, and their only hope was utterly destroyed. As such, human civilization was doomed.

As the movie ended, a huge hand that seemed to reach into the sky was seen lifting from the soil.

The Ancient Gods had awakened!

That was the plot summary of the entire movie. The movie was filled with sarcasm about modern horror films, such as changing the minds of the young people through their hormones and sending them to their deaths one by one. It was just like how the scriptwriters of traditional horror films would assign retarded characters. That mysterious organization consisted of directors and scriptwriters, and the so-called ancient gods were the audience. The entire movie was mocking the conventional horror films' clichés and patterns.

The consequence of doing so would be to set things right after they were destroyed, making the entire movie's commercial nature a success.

However, the plot and whatnot were no longer of any importance to Zhang Heng. What was truly important was that he wanted to know just how many types of monsters were found in the world of 'Little House in the Forest'.

The known monsters consisted of zombies, giant bats, mummies, specters, ferocious ghosts, demons, werewolves, vampires, fishmen, goblins, unicorns, pythons, machine killers, and countless other monsters and supernatural beings. While the power of those monsters might not be on par with that of the 'ancient god' that had been sleeping all this time, they were still more than enough to deal with humans in real life.

That was why Zhang Heng had such a headache.

Zhang Heng left the spherical base in the Eagle mechas in the emergency channel at the moment. He was still feeling rather reluctant to part with the new base, as it was designed to serve as the last bastion of Earth after all. Two kilometers underground, the spherical base would be safe and sound even if nuclear war or solar flares were to burn the entire planet. To put it simply, Zhang Heng had plans to replace the hive with a spherical base.

It was a pity that before the base was able to emit much light and heat, it was already affected by the first wave of attacks. As such, it was imperative that the base be destroyed to prevent the invasion of the other world.

Hundreds of falcons were seen flying out from the bottom of the ocean before disappearing into the distance. At that moment, all the passengers on the stellar island of the British Virgin seemed to have felt the ground shake violently, but the shaking didn't last long before everything returned to normal.

The quake was so small that more than two-thirds of the visitors didn't realize what was happening. None of them would have known that a mysterious organization that was buried somewhere outside of human reality had just abandoned a massive experimental fortress that cost hundreds of billions of US dollars and blocked a legendary wormhole at the same time, completely isolating the two worlds.

541. The Foundation Interferes

Seoul, South Korea.

It was noon at the moment and the entire city was plunged into a strange depression.

People from all over the city were driving at the highways' exits, dragging their families along as they waited anxiously at the highway junctions that were completely blocked without any gaps. Cars honked anxiously from time to time, which was connected with the engines of countless other cars, creating an irritating and crazy din.

The entire city seemed to be in a state of panic.

That was what every resident felt. The city's movements had been rather strange since last night. Many television stations reported the emergence of a plague in the early hours of the day. Furthermore, as the television stations reported the symptoms of the plague, as well as the faces that flashed on the cameras, many people realized in an instant that some kind of monster called zombies had actually appeared on Earth.

The speed at which the people in the country learned about things was far beyond what the government of Seoul had anticipated. Before the whole thing was sealed off, almost everyone in the country knew that there was a suspected zombie outbreak in Seoul and that it had infected half the cities.

That was all thanks to the endless stream of zombie movies over the years—'Resident Evil', 'The Walking Dead', 'I'm a Legend', 'The Busan', 'The Zombie World War', and other classic movies and television series—all of which were constantly appearing. Additionally, the media was constantly spreading the word 'zombie' to every corner of the world. The word 'zombie' would appear in the minds of almost everyone when they saw humans who were covered in blood, were covered in rotten flesh, liked to eat humans, and had no self-awareness.

As such, many people began to leave the city of their own volition. However, they were shocked to discover that a large number of tanks and soldiers were driven into the city while they were escaping. All of those soldiers were wearing chemical suits and were placed under strict barriers, isolating the entire city and beginning to inspect every single resident who wanted to leave the city.

That was what happened at the exit of the expressway.

"Get out of the car and get checked!"

"Take off your clothes, quick! Cut the crap!"

"Get that woman to the room over there for a checkup. Check her thoroughly. Report to the authorities immediately if there are any bite marks or other wounds on her body."

Thousands of soldiers were tightly clustered at the junction of the expressway, with over a thousand armed soldiers exuding an air of authority. No one uttered a single word of complaint and all of them cooperated with the inspection process.

However, that order didn't last very long. The car crash of the barrier was heard very quickly. A man in the car seemed to have been bitten before. In order to escape detection and escape from the city, he actually disregarded the obstruction of the surrounding troops and prepared to force his way through the barrier.

However, what greeted him was a torrent of bullets. The entire car was reduced to a pile of mush with the deafening sound of the guns being fired. The man in the car was torn into countless pieces before he was even able to take a proper shape.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines after what happened and became completely obedient.

Shrieks and wails were heard soon after the inspection was completed. Several soldiers raised their guns and pointed at a terrified-looking man before them and shouted, "Damn it, you've been bitten. Raise your hands and lie on the hood right now. Now, now!"

"Please, I'm not biting you. I just got cut. I'm serious. Please believe me!"

"Damn it, I told you to back off! Back off immediately!"

"Please… let me go!"

"B * stard, get down on your hands right now!"

Bang, bang, bang!

Thump!

The man's head exploded under the tremendous pressure after taking three high-caliber bullets, making him look like a shattered watermelon. The red flesh of his head was scattered all over the ground. Many soldiers in chemical defense suits immediately bent over and vomited.

Shouts were heard from the crowd behind him, but as the soldiers turned their guns around, the screams disappeared immediately. However, the atmosphere at the checkpoint became even more stifling.

Time passed and very quickly, there was a long line of over a kilometer at the highway junction. The speed of inspection was far slower than that of the people who kept coming to the place. It wasn't just the highway, all the traffic routes outside the city were blocked by the Korean government forces.

The wait didn't last long. Three to five people were seen staggering at the very end of the convoy. Shouts were heard from the crowd and many of the drivers got out of their cars and ran straight ahead.

However, those zombies weren't the slow-moving ones found in 'Resident Evil' at all. They were the kind found in 'I Am a Legend'. Those who abandoned their vehicles and ran away didn't even manage to get to where the troops at the very front were before they were pounced on by the zombies behind them. Blood sprayed all over the place.

Blood sprayed all over the cars at the side, causing the entire convoy to scream in panic. It didn't take long for many people to realize that they would probably end up dead inside the cars. As such, all of them rushed out of the cars like they had gone insane, heading straight for the army at the junction of the expressway.

That series of actions caused order to completely collapse and countless people were instantly pounced on by the zombies. What was even more eerie was that if those people had only been bitten and hadn't died on the spot, they definitely wouldn't have mutated right away. Instead, they would have been incubated for quite a long period of time. However, if they were to die after being bitten, they would become new zombies in a matter of minutes, joining the army that would wipe out the living.

However, it was too late by the time the troops at the forefront of the convoy realized that something was off at the back of the convoy. The place had become a playground for hundreds of zombies, and hundreds of people were running at top speed, screaming for help as they ran for the highway.

"Stop right there and then!" One of the commanders among the soldiers saw what was happening and his expression changed drastically. He picked up the megaphone of the other soldiers and shouted frantically, "Stop right there, or we'll shoot!"

However, at that moment, everyone was scared out of their wits by the zombies behind them. It was practically impossible to make those people stop and turn around to die.

"Stop right there and then!" The commander's forehead was sweating profusely. He looked at the people around him, who didn't seem to have stopped moving at all, and a sinister look flashed across his face. He turned around and looked at the soldiers around him. "Everyone, open fire! This is an order!"

Shock and panic were seen in the eyes of those soldiers. Many of them began to hesitate, and only a handful of them gritted their teeth and pointed their guns at the unarmed civilians before them.

"What are you doing? If you don't open fire, we're dead meat!" The officer's tone became even harsher. The people who were at the very front of the line were about to disperse the troops and break through the defensive line. Those people fired right away.

However, there were only a handful of soldiers firing at him. The barrage of hundreds of people was utterly inadequate.

"They're firing! Everyone, charge! We'll be able to escape if we charge through, but if we can't, we'll be dead meat!" Someone in the crowd shouted and countless people charged even harder. Just when the army was about to be broken through and the zombies were about to leave Seoul, a series of miniature bombs that looked like flames rained down from the sky.

Boom, boom, boom!

The dozens of miniature bombs exploded almost instantly, engulfing hundreds of civilians in the blink of an eye. Countless flames shot into the sky and even the people in the vehicles were completely wiped out.

All the soldiers, including the officers, were stunned when they saw what happened.

542. Destroyed

Beams of light flashed quickly in the sky, making it look as if there were ripples undulating in the water. More than a dozen shuttles slowly emerged tens of meters above the ground. Huge pieces of metal rained down from the sky.

"Get down!" The commander's pupils contracted when he saw those metal pieces. He shouted at the top of his lungs and threw himself flat on the ground without a second thought, holding onto his head for dear life. The way he saw it, those metal pieces falling from the sky were probably some kind of powerful bomb.

All of the soldiers seemed to have woken up from a dream as soon as the commander shouted. All of them fell to the ground right away. However, to their dismay, none of those metal pieces showed any signs of exploding. All they did was crash to the ground from high up in the air, producing dull thuds as they fell. Furthermore, they deliberately avoided being seen by the troops.

Everyone looked up suspiciously and saw pieces of metal falling from tens of meters away. It was a kind of folded metal box that looked silvery-white all over. Red lights were seen flickering on the box. The box looked to be about 30 centimeters tall and 50 centimeters long. If it hadn't been dropped from a high altitude, everyone would have thought that it was some kind of precision instrument.

The dozens of unidentified flying objects disappeared without a trace after throwing down hundreds of pieces of metal. It was only when all of the unidentified flying objects disappeared that some of the braver soldiers stood up and walked tentatively towards the silver cubes.

"Buzz!"

However, just when the Korean troops were still in a state of shock, the strange metal pieces suddenly began to hum. The few soldiers who were about to go forward to check on the metal pieces immediately retreated. They then saw strange silver-white metal skeletons emerge from the metal boxes one after another. That faint red light was actually the eyes of the metal skeletons.

The metal skull's head appeared, followed by its four limbs and finally its torso. It took only five to eight seconds for the metal cube before him to transform into a two-meter-tall metal skeleton that weighed over 200kg.

"Crack!"

All the soldiers turned pale with fright and immediately raised their guns to face the metal robots without a second thought. However, what shocked them even more was that the metal skeletons actually began to talk.

"We're from the Stellar Life Sciences Foundation. We're here to lock down Seoul. Please cooperate with us!" All of the metal skeletons began to pull out their ridiculous-looking firearms as they spoke. Every single soldier felt an extreme sense of threat when they saw those silver-white metal firearms.

"Damn it, I don't care who you are!" The eyes of that commander flickered. He saw that there were only a few hundred of them and a greedy thought came to his mind. The scientific value of those robots was immeasurable to the likes of Korea. If he were to capture all of them and hand them over to the military for further research, he would be able to make a killing.

The commander shouted at that thought, "I've never received any orders from my superiors regarding you. Drop your weapons and squat down right now!"

Following his threat, the soldiers raised their guns and locked onto the metal skeletons.

"Drop your weapons. This is your last warning." However, the red glint in the metal skull's eyes flickered and it refused to budge. "Are you sure you want to go against the Golden Foundation?"

"I've said it before. Drop your weapons immediately!" However, the commander of the Korean troops had long lost his mind due to the huge discovery before him. In his opinion, since the other party was there to help him, there was no need for him to start a war at will. Even if he were to destroy all those robots, it would at most be a mistake. After all, he had never received any news from his superiors regarding the Golden Foundation. Any foreign armed forces that appeared before him would be able to attack without paying any price.

Greed was seen in the commander's eyes again at that thought. He was about to give the order when all the metal skeletons raised their guns at the same time all of a sudden. The speed was so fast that before anyone could react, they saw blood splattering everywhere.

The greedy look on the commander's face had yet to fade when he suddenly felt his waist go numb. He felt dizzy all of a sudden and was stunned to find that he had flown into the sky.

"Why am I flying?"

A look of shock was seen in the commander's eyes as he heard a blood-curdling scream from behind him. He slowly turned his head in midair and saw that the countless soldiers behind him looked as if they had just been bombarded by a cannon array. Countless flowers of blood exploded in the crowd as limbs and pieces of flesh flew everywhere. Blood splattered everywhere as if they had just arrived in hell.

The commander finally realized something after seeing what happened. He lowered his head in disbelief and saw that he was only left with half of his body. A very powerful bomb exploded right in front of him just then, which was why he was able to see what happened while he was flying.

All of that happened in just one or two seconds. The commander's body was thrown to the ground with a loud thud in the very next second, and his eyes gradually dimmed. All that was left was a tinge of regret and a deep yearning for life.

The power of every single bullet fired by the pulse rifles was on par with that of high-explosive grenades. With hundreds of T-800 rounds fired at them, over a thousand Korean soldiers stationed at the junction of the expressway were wiped out like paper dolls.

Bang!

The last soldier threw away the gun in his hand and raised his arms high in the air. He dropped to his knees and shouted for surrender in Korean. However, his body exploded again in the very next second, as if a bomb had exploded in his body. The muscles at the ends of his body were burnt and melted, and countless yellow fat particles mixed with his blood sprayed everywhere. In the blink of an eye, the last soldier was reduced to a pile of mushy flesh that no one could make out his original shape. It was only then that all of the T-800 soldiers lowered their pulse rifles and turned around to block off the traffic on the other side.

Scenes like that played out all over the major exits of Seoul. However, there were not many conflicts between the two sides. Most of the commanders of the troops who had sealed off the roads surrendered immediately after seeing the T-800 bots and expressed their willingness to cooperate with them. The entire Seoul was soon completely sealed off by the combined forces of Stellar Technology and the Korean military.

However, the blockade was only a measure to prevent monsters like zombies from leaving. Other than zombies, Zhang Heng had no idea what other monsters were in Seoul, and he had no idea if any of them were out of Seoul and somewhere else. But then again, no matter how destructive the other monsters were, there was no way they could compare to the zombie virus that could wipe out the entire human race.

As such, the most important thing to do was to seal off Seoul and prevent the spread of the zombie virus. Corona, on the other hand, continued to search for traces of other monsters and supernatural beings in the high-resolution map of Seoul through the use of quantum satellites. She also sent out elite cloning teams to contain monsters that she had never seen before in real life.

543. Accepting The Python

A C-class battleship that was over 300 meters long slowly made its way into the Dragon Mountain area of Seoul while it remained invisible.

He was able to see the bustling city below him through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He found himself in a building with tall buildings and a huge tower that stood between heaven and earth. While the height of the tower wasn't something that could be ranked anywhere in the world, it was nonetheless something that stood out among all the other floors.

That tall tower, which was about 200 meters tall, was the symbolic building of Seoul—the Seoul Tower, which stood side by side with Clear Stream and Hanjiang. It was known as one of the three most iconic buildings in Seoul.

However, at that moment, there was something black circling the top of the Seoul tower, winding its way up. One could see chunks of crushed concrete falling from the tower from time to time, and when they hit that black thing, they felt like they were scratching an itch and were completely harmless.

The cloned warriors in the C-class battleship were finally able to see what it was when they got a little closer—that black mass was actually a black python with a diameter of five to six meters and a length of over a hundred meters.

Every single scale of the python was about the size of a doorframe and was densely packed on the surface of its body, emitting a metallic sheen. One could tell just how tough the scales of the python were just from how shiny they were. Even cannonballs would have a hard time dealing any damage to the python.

What was even more ridiculous was that a membrane had grown out of the python's head, making it look like a school of carps. As the python breathed and opened its mouth, it looked like the monster before him was not a python, but a huge dragon.

"Target detected. Unit D.S.F. 3, prepare to contain. Unit Four and Unit Five, stand guard and prepare for rescue as a live force." Corona's announcement was heard from inside the spaceship. Corona was controlling hundreds of teams throughout the entire Seoul battlefield through the quantum satellite network. With her computing speed, she was able to issue orders to hundreds of millions of people at the same time at a speed of one second, pushing every single soldier's combat prowess to the limit. That was why Corona was so terrifying. Even those seasoned generals were unable to control an army like Corona. The level of control that both parties had was on a completely different level.

The huge dragon-like python seemed to have sensed something as the C-class battleship arrived at the top of the Seoul Tower at that very moment. It suddenly raised its head that was covered in membranes and hissed threateningly. The membrane that was stuck to its head opened immediately and rows of razor-sharp teeth could be seen in its mouth. That head looked very similar to the legendary giant dragon.

If he were to give it another few hundred years, it was entirely possible that it could evolve into a wyrm from the west.

However, a small door was suddenly opened in the back of the C-class battleship at that moment. At the same time, 10 cloned warriors dressed in Armageddon armor held a huge device about half a meter thick and two meters long that looked like a harpoon in their hands. The end of the harpoon was attached to a thick metal wire that was completely made of highly elastic material. The cloned warriors took the metal wire and jumped down from the sky without hesitation. They tightened their limbs and dropped their heads down quickly. The location of their descent was where the python was located at the bottom of the Seoul Tower.

It was as if 10 bombs were dropping from the sky at high speeds. The soles of the Armor of Doomsday were even spewing blue flames in an attempt to increase the speed of their descent. In an instant, the speed at which the 10 of them landed was close to the speed of sound.

The 10 cloned warriors turned into 10 blue streaks of light and dashed away at that speed, plunging into the huge snake's body in less than three seconds. The pitchfork-like device that had been fixed in front of them was completely plunged into the huge snake's body at that moment. The barbs on the pitchfork were also stuck in the huge snake's flesh.

"Howl!"

The python let out a deafening roar as soon as it was hit. Despite the massive size of its body, which meant that the pain signal would take at least five to eight seconds to reach its brain, it was still able to see the damage done to its body. It immediately raised its head high, flipped its body around, and charged at the 'bug' on its body.

"Successful insertion. The Ultra-intensive Neuronic Anesthesia has been injected. Time to sleep for 90 seconds." That clone warrior simply kicked the snake's body with his legs and evaded the impact of the snake's head. He was about to fall to the bottom of the tower, but the Armor of Doomsday was activated before he was able to fall more than a few meters. The 10 clones circled around the snake, causing it to move about constantly, which increased the snake's activity, enabling the anesthesia to spread throughout its body and central nervous system at a faster rate.

The python began to wobble after just a minute or so. Its eyes, which had been brimming with life and vigor, began to lose focus and its entire body began to slip off the tower.

Crack!

However, the 10 thick, metallic strands on its body were stretched taut as soon as it slipped off the snake's body. The massive snake let out another deafening roar as the intense pain from its wounds was felt and continued to struggle. Despite that, the 10 barbed metal hooks managed to hold the snake's flesh even more tightly. The snake's entire body was drenched in blood.

The massive C-class battleship was connected to the end of the 10 metallic strands. Despite the massive python struggling to break free, it didn't seem to have any effect on the C-class battleship hovering in midair, as if the entire battleship was completely frozen in midair.

70 seconds.

80 seconds.

Ninety seconds!

The entire python finally went limp at the 90-second mark. Its massive body was detached from the top of the tower and hung in the air by 10 metallic strands. The head and tail of the python hung limply. If it hadn't been for the python wagging its tail and head from time to time, people would have thought that it was dead.

Crack, crack, crack…

The 10 strands of metal actually began to contract at that moment. At the same time, the entire belly of the C-class battleship began to open to both sides, like a door slowly opening. A huge space was revealed as the belly opened.

Rumble!

The python was pulled into the belly of the C-class battleship at a speed that was visible to the naked eye as the 10 metallic strands contracted. While the python was huge, it was still the size of a baby when compared to the C-class battleship. The entire snake was completely swallowed by the belly of the C-class battleship in just three to four minutes before the battleship's belly began to close.

A prehistoric python that could bring disaster to a city was put away without any resistance by the Golden Foundation's casual movements…

544. Electric Field Development

In a laboratory on the B7th floor of the hive, Louis looked at a weird silhouette in the isolation room with a serious expression.

A monster was shaking like a sieve in the quarantine room, lying flat on the roof. If one were to only look at the monster's face, they would find that it was indeed a monster. Its facial features were completely unrecognizable, and they looked like they were all mixed together. Only its huge mouth, which stretched all the way to the ends of its ears, kept mumbling in a weird manner. However, judging from its limbs and human clothing, it was definitely a human. Or rather, the monster was actually a human.

The human's name and age were unknown. The only thing he knew was that the human had been possessed by some monster known as an evil spirit.

The face of the possessed began to change drastically after the evil spirit possessed the human. Not only that, but he even broke through gravity and climbed all the way to the walls and even the ceiling. Other than that, the possessed's power, speed, and so on exceeded that of regular humans, requiring three to five people to completely subdue him.

"Mr. Louis, the research report has been written. Please have a look." An assistant took the freshly printed document from the printer and handed it respectfully to the stern-looking German man, Louis, before taking his gaze away from the monster in the quarantine room, taking the report and reading it in silence.

"That part of the mechanism isn't detailed enough…" Louis was able to figure out the problem in no time. He frowned and asked, "Why isn't there a copy of the formula that you've figured out?"

"Yes, sir! I'll correct it right away!" That assistant wore an awkward expression on his face and went to his computer to do some modifications.

Zhang Heng walked in shortly after. He raised his eyebrows when he saw the monster in the quarantine room. "Are you sure 'it' ran out?"

"Relax, Boss. I've completely researched the frequency of the electromagnetic field against such energy-based lifeforms. All we need to do is install a precision-based electrical field signal generator in the quarantine room, which would generate an electromagnetic field with a unique frequency similar to that of energy-based lifeforms. According to the binding effects and signal resistance effects of the electromagnetic field, we would be able to easily let lifeforms in that form escape." Louis delivered the new report to Zhang Heng confidently and continued.

"Look, this is the research report we've been working on for the past two days. We've successfully developed an electrical field generator capable of binding energy-based lifeforms after developing a detection technology capable of detecting such energy-based lifeforms. That thing could be installed on Armor of the Apocalypse, enabling it to launch in a directional manner, which could effectively kill energy-based lifeforms."

As he spoke, Louis took out a silver-white metal stick that was about half an arm's length and looked like an iron rod.

Zhang Heng took the prop handed to him and asked Louis to open the door of the quarantine room without a word before walking in. Zhang Heng smelled the putrid stench of dead bodies as soon as he walked in. It was obvious that the man who was pacing up and down on the ceiling had probably died a long time ago. The thing that was driving his body at the moment was just an evil spirit attached to him.

However, having been in combat for so long, Zhang Heng had long gotten used to the harsh environment he was in. He only frowned for a bit before ignoring the stench completely.

"Roar!" The monster that was being radiated by the evil spirit seemed to feel a little uneasy the moment it saw Zhang Heng appear. It shouted out loud without thinking and kept backing away, as if there was some kind of terrifying aura on Zhang Heng.

However, Zhang Heng simply pointed the metal rod in the direction of the possessed with a deadpan expression and aimed the new firearm at the evil spirit.

The evil spirit became even more agitated all of a sudden. It howled at Zhang Heng while trying to look tough on the outside and backed away at the same time, retreating all the way to the corner of the isolation room before hugging its legs and shivering. It was as if they had no chance of fighting back before Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng was rather surprised by what he saw, but there was no time for him to be concerned about that. He pulled the trigger on the metal rod without a second thought.

Buzz!

A bolt of lightning that flickered with blue light was triggered from within and struck the human corpse that was possessed by the evil spirit in the blink of an eye. That monster immediately twisted its body around in a frenzy. Its low-pitched voice and shrill shrieks were like the rumbling of a machine. The entire body of that monster began to decompose in a very short period of time. The human corpse that was occupied by the evil spirit was unable to hold on any longer and exploded into pieces with a series of booms. At the same time, a puff of smoke that was barely visible to the naked eye shot towards Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and fired again without backing off. Another blue electric field was triggered and the image of the evil spirit in midair became clearer all of a sudden.

That evil spirit looked just like the one that Zhang Heng killed before. It seemed to be made of smoke and when it moved, it looked like smoke that was about to dissipate. However, unlike the smoke, the evil spirit didn't dissipate at all. Instead, when it stopped moving, it looked like a skeleton again. That skeleton-like evil spirit was charging at Zhang Heng with all its might.

However, the evil spirit seemed to have suffered some kind of damage after the electrical field was triggered. It disintegrated right away and let out an ear-piercing shriek, retreating two to three meters away from Zhang Heng as if it was utterly terrified.

However, while it wanted to evade Zhang Heng, he was unwilling to let the evil spirit escape from his grasp. He turned the muzzle of the metal rod around and fired for the third time. Another blue light was fired and the poor evil spirit kept screaming in pain. It then went around Zhang Heng and prepared to escape through the entrance behind him.

"Oh no!” Louis' expression changed immediately. Such a strange lifeform was extremely difficult to deal with. If he were to let it escape, it would probably cause massive damage to the hive.

"Did I just tell you to leave?" However, just when Louis was about to turn around and run, Zhang Heng stomped on the ground and blocked the exit before launching several more attacks. That evil spirit was forced to retreat continuously and it kept screaming. However, Zhang Heng realized that the energy field weapons didn't seem to be able to do much damage to it from the very beginning.

That was rather awkward.

Zhang Heng fired a few more times until the metal rod in his hand ran out of power. He then turned around and looked at Louis without any expression on his face.

"Boss!" Louis seemed to know what Zhang Heng wanted to ask and could only force a smile and say, "No matter what, could you please come out first?"

Zhang Heng nodded and turned around to leave the quarantine room. The door of the room shut right after he left. The evil spirit seemed to have been severely injured by the energy field weapon and the smoke all over its body seemed to have dissipated somewhat. It was curled up in a corner of the room and stood there like a smoke bomb.

"Boss, please don't look at me like that. I know that such energy field weapons that could deal with energy lifeforms are still somewhat lacking, but it's obvious that with them around, even our cloned warriors would be able to protect themselves against such lifeforms."

"I just want to know how long it would take to manufacture an electrical field weapon capable of killing an energy lifeform in one shot," Zhang Heng said with a frown.

"It's very difficult…" Louis said with a troubled look. "It's not something that could be done by enhancing power. I'm afraid that I'll need some time." Louis scratched his head and said, feeling embarrassed, "The duration of this period could be measured in months."

"It's been too long." Zhang Heng frowned and continued, "In that case, we'll manufacture the electrical field weapons and electromagnetic field glasses in small batches first. We'll equip them with the D.S.A.F. troops. We'll change them when we have mature products in the future."

"Understood!"

545. Acceptance

The movements in the hive were extremely efficient. All of the D.S.A.F. troops received a new doomsday armor accessory from the hive that very afternoon. It was a silver-white firearm about the thickness of a baby's arm, named the electrical generator.

That piece of equipment was installed on the right shoulder of the armor. It looked like it was strapped to the right side of the armor when it was put away, but when it was put into attack mode, it would rise from the back and lower the muzzle of the gun, which would move along with the line of sight of the D.S. F clone warrior.

There were a lot of accessories on the Armor Type 2 at the moment. There were pharmaceutical accessories installed on the armor, which were loaded with all manner of drugs, including cardiac stimulants, combat stimulants, hemostatic agents, nerve anesthesia, and many other auxiliary drugs. Other than that, the armor was also installed with a Magicweapon. It had to be mentioned that such a protective effect was not only able to protect against attacks from kinetic weapons and energy weapons, but it was also able to fend off attacks from energy lifeforms. Furthermore, with the Electromagnetic Goggles and electrical generators installed on the armor, the cloning warriors were now able to protect themselves even against the energy-based lifeforms of the 'Forest Hut'.

The death rate of the cloned warriors dropped by several percentage points as the equipment was deployed. If the number of cloned warriors lost during the activities in Seoul was 100: 5, then the cloned warriors' survivability would be enhanced and lowered to 100: 1 when they gained the ability to resist energy lifeforms like the evil spirits.

Furthermore, while the electrical field generators were not very lethal against energy-based lifeforms, they were nonetheless very intimidating. Any energy-based lifeform that was hit by such electrical fields would be rendered temporarily listless. If they were to take on too many attacks, there was also the risk of their energy being unstable and dissipating.

At that moment, a Falcon mech stood outside the C-class battleship, patrolling the entire sky of Seoul, searching for anything that could threaten the rule of humanity.

Gu Zhan stood in front of the screen and kept observing the surface area where the Falcon fighter planes were flying. That place was now a world of zombies, and he could see some strange creatures from time to time, such as huge fleshworms that were about 10 meters long and had the thickness of a car.

Those fleshworms were dark red in color and covered in hair that was visible to the naked eye and about the thickness of a finger. Their mouthparts looked as weird as squid and scorpion, and there were even teeth found in their nests. They looked ferocious and brutal at first glance.

If a biologist were to see the appearance of such a weird-looking insect, they would probably have exclaimed in shock right away—the Mongolian Dead Worm!

The fat worm was currently eating the carcass of some unknown monster with its head lowered. The huge worm seemed to have sensed something as the Falconer flew past the head of the huge worm. It suddenly raised its head and howled violently in the direction where the Falconer had flown. However, before it was able to finish howling, another missile was fired from the Flying Falconer all of a sudden, flying into the mouth of the howling Mongolian Deathworm with extreme precision. The dead worm subconsciously swallowed the missile in its mouth, but before it was able to do anything else, its stomach suddenly expanded. It expanded to three times its thickness in the blink of an eye, and with a puff, it burst open like a rubber ball that had been poked.

Countless green fluids were sprayed all over the place in that instant. The Mongolian Deathworm was reduced to dust in the face of the powerful projectile and disappeared without a trace.

The so-called dead worm was really dead…

Meanwhile, inside the Falcon, Gu Zhan took a casual look at the dead Mongolian worm behind him. The Stellar Foundation had its own rules as well. There was only a need to contain and research supernatural phenomena when they were able to pose a level-three threat to conventional human forces. Any tank would be able to easily destroy such a Mongolian dead worm. There was no supernatural power in it, and as such, it was not even qualified to be taken in by the Golden Foundation.

At that moment, Gu Zhan continued to look at the image on the holographic projection. He didn't actually need to be so busy. The AI support system that the Falcon carried had the ability to search, search, and attack any program that had been set up against the enemy. Gu Zhan didn't need to observe to be able to detect supernatural phenomena and reactions. However, to Gu Zhan, watching the screen at extreme speeds was something that would further train his reflexes, which was why he kept doing so.

Not long after he killed the Mongolian death worm, several dead bodies of dead zombies that had been chopped into pieces appeared on the screen all of a sudden. Gu Zhan looked up immediately and the entire Falcon began to decelerate at the same time, before turning around and returning to the area where he found the anomaly.

After all, there was a very limited number of troops in the D.S.F., and every squad had to be responsible for a huge area of Seoul, which would then be divided among all of Seoul. As such, the area was considered part of the Gu battle patrolling area, so the zombies that were cut into countless pieces were definitely not the work of the clone warriors of the other D.S.F. units.

The Falcon mech decelerated for several seconds from the subsonic cruising state before successfully making its way back to what was suspected to be a supernatural area. All the cloning warriors immediately lowered their helmets and adjusted their electromagnetic wave glasses to prevent any attacks from energy lifeforms.

It was only when he returned to that suspicious area that he suddenly discovered that it wasn't just the area that he saw. All the zombies in that area had been dismembered by some kind of extremely sharp weapon, and that weapon was an extremely brutal way of doing so. It was like a pile of tofu that had been cut into small pieces, and the sight was extremely gruesome.

Gu Zhan immediately reported the situation to Corona when he saw what was happening there. He was able to confirm at the moment that the thing that caused such a situation was definitely some kind of supernatural phenomenon that could pose a level-three threat to conventional human combat prowess.

The reason why the foundation called all the containment objects' supernatural phenomena 'instead of' supernatural lifeforms' or 'supernatural objects' was because they didn't necessarily contain supernatural beings in biological forms. For example, the 'Ghost Reversal' module sealed in Corona's body was also a type of containment. Furthermore, it was a Keter-class containment device capable of overturning the entire human civilization. However, it wasn't a living being, but a phenomenon. Furthermore, the phenomenon contained objects, and the objects contained both biological and non-biological beings. As such, all the containment and waiting objects were called 'supernatural phenomena'.

At that moment, the Falcon began to slowly glide through the air at the speed that humans could run at. It began to search for anything suspicious around it at the same time. The Stellar Foundation had only two choices for supernatural phenomena that posed a threat to human civilization—containment and destruction. There was no other possibility.

546. Jason

Almost all the zombies on that street were slaughtered.

It wasn't due to some kind of firearm. Judging from the way the zombies were cut into pieces, the murder weapon was probably some kind of long knife, and it was very sharp, capable of cutting through even bones.

There were signs of intense fighting on the road. Countless zombies had their skulls cut open and were lying on the asphalt road in groups. Their brains and pus had dried up long ago, leaving only dark red blood.

The Falcon mech glided like a ghost as it made its way through the pile of dead bodies on the ground. It quickly made its way past a street and came to a junction.

However, all traces of the fight had disappeared.

"Stay alert and go down to investigate." Gu Zhan immediately gave the order and the tail hatch of the Falcon opened slowly. The 10 cloned warriors leaped down from a height of 20 to 30 meters and began to search for any signs of fighting.

However, right at that moment, Gu Zhan suddenly heard a series of urgent alarms ringing in his ears. He looked up into the sky instinctively and saw a headless corpse falling from the residential building in front of him. That headless corpse fell right where he was standing.

Bang!

Gu Zhan raised his pulse rifle without any hesitation and the dead body exploded in midair, splattering hot blood and bits of flesh all over the place. However, when he saw the color of the flesh, he took another good look at the residential building. He saw a masked man wearing a lacquered hockey mask looking down from over 20 stories above.

Those eyes of his were filled with an indescribable chill when he looked at Gu Zhan, as if he was looking at Gu Zhan, yet at the same time, it also seemed like no matter what he looked at, no matter what he faced, he would always maintain that cold gaze of his.

"Target detected," said Gu Zhan casually. He stomped on the ground and exerted force with his legs. With the aid of the power exoskeleton, Gu Zhan leaped over 10 meters into the air and flipped around at the same time. Two beams of brilliant ion beams shot out from the legs of the Armageddon Armor and he shot up the building like an arrow released from a bow.

Boom!

Gu Zhan charged straight into the building where the masked man was located in just a few seconds. He crashed into the masked man's body as if he was crushing rotten weeds and rotten wood. If the masked man had been an ordinary person, he would have been reduced to a pile of mush by the impact. However, Gu Zhan, who was wearing the Armageddon armor, felt a huge force coming from below him and was sent flying by the masked man in the very next second.

Boom!

Gu Zhan hit the wall behind him yet again, which made him feel rather incredulous. While the size and weight of the Doomsday Type 2 armor was nowhere near that of the Doomsday Type 1 armor, it was still two meters tall and weighed 200 kilograms. It would have been impossible for the armor to lift Gu Zhan, let alone send him flying.

Koo Zhan slowly stood up and touched his mask subconsciously, only to find a blade mark that seemed to have penetrated the Armageddon helmet.

It turned out that it wasn't the other party who threw him into the air with his arm, but rather, the consequences of having his head chopped off.

Gu Zhan's expression became even more serious. At that moment, the masked man stood up as well. Cracking sounds were heard from his joints as he stood up. It was only at that moment that Gu Zhan realized that the masked man's height was in no way inferior to his own when he was wearing the Armageddon armor. The masked man was over two meters tall and his muscles were all tensed up. His abdominal muscles looked like they were forged from steel, making him look like a small hill.

The masked man with the lacrosse mask was holding an unknown machete in his right hand at the moment. The blade of the machete was covered in congealed blood, and even when he hacked at the Armor of Doomsday that Koo was wearing, there was no damage done to the blade or the opening.

It was at that moment that the nine warriors led by Gu Zhan finally reached the top of the building. They pulled the triggers of their triggers without a second thought when they saw the muscular man confronting Gu Zhan. The muscular man was pulverized in the very next second by a howling metal storm.

It was only when the man died that Gu Zhan had the mood to look at the room. There were four dead bodies on the floor of the room, and all of them were female. Some of them had been chopped in half at the waist, some had their heads chopped off, and some had their limbs chopped off. All of them were wriggling about like living shrimps that had just gotten out of the water.

The tragedy that had just unfolded, coupled with the thought of the male zombie that had landed above his head, made the situation very clear.

Many of the city dwellers were unable to escape in time after what happened in Seoul, so they had no choice but to lock themselves in their rooms and wait for reinforcements from the government. Furthermore, that man from before had probably used the excuse of protection to gather quite a number of women to serve as his harem. It was a pity that no one came to his rescue, but instead, a homicidal maniac came instead, killing all four of the women that he had adopted or saved.

Gu Zhan was able to tell what was going on with just a single glance. He didn't pay any heed to it and took two steps forward, bent over slightly, and picked up the mask that the man had left behind after his death.

It was a lacerated hockey mask that looked very old and worn, and there were even a lot of damages on the edges of the mask. Gu Zhan took a look at it and was about to put it away, but Su seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden. He threw the mask into the air and fired at the mask with his pulse rifle.

Bang!

The mask was sent flying and crashed into the wall, rebounding several times before falling to the ground.

However, Gu Zhan saw that the lacrosse mask wasn't smashed into pieces by the pulse rifle that was able to flatten a wall.

It was only at that moment that Gu Zhan confirmed that the mask was definitely not as simple as it appeared to be.

However, just when Gu Zhan was deep in thought, the nine clone warriors behind him suddenly raised their guns at the same time and fired at his back.

Bang, bang, bang!

A series of intense explosions were heard and the load-bearing wall of the building seemed to have been destroyed. Cracks spread all over the wall in the blink of an eye.

Gu Zhan slowly turned his head around and found that the body of the man who had been reduced to mush a long time ago was squirming non-stop. He looked like a puddle of ketchup from afar, bubbling non-stop.

That monster was actually trying to revive!

"Jason Voorhees!"

The man named Jason was none other than the homicidal maniac in the horror movie 'Friday the 13th'. He was silent, cold, and slow-witted, yet he was always able to catch up with his victims. Technically speaking, Jason was no longer considered a human being. He had drowned in a lake called 'Crystal Lake' when he was four or five years old. Despite returning 20 years later, he had become a cockroach capable of reviving infinitely.

His methods of killing people were also very simple. He would just use some kind of weird machete to dismember the enemy. Once he was targeted by Jason, there was no way he could escape.

All of the data regarding Jason flashed through Gu Zhan's mind at that moment. He simply took out a plasma grenade, flicked the tab off with one hand, and threw it on Jason's wriggling mass of flesh. All of the clone warriors left that building in the very next second.

Boom!

A ball of blue flames shot out of the penetrated window. That was plasma flames with a temperature of over 5000 degrees Celsius. Under such high temperatures, even steel would be vaporized instantly, let alone a pile of mush.

It was only then that Gu Zhan took the mask and returned to the Falcon.

547. Mask Experiment

Zhang Heng was wiping Jason's mask when all manner of random containers were brought back to the hive.

He clearly realized that Jason's mask seemed to be something that transcended time and space. Any action of wiping the mask would be able to wipe away the dust on the mask for the time being, but the mask would return to its original state in the very next second, and the dirty cleaning cotton swabs would be cleaned up as well.

"That's weird. That mask possesses some kind of supernatural power. I could give it a try." Zhang Heng played with the mask for a bit and hesitated for a bit, but Gu Zhan's voice was heard all of a sudden.

"Commander, several types of containers have been collected at the moment. All of them require analysis and research before they could be put to use in the future." Gu Zhan walked in from outside the door and took out a spherical object that looked like a Rubik's cube with a gem embedded in it. He then placed a music box before Zhang Heng.

"These things…" Zhang Heng was able to recognize all of them with just a single glance. That spherical cube was none other than the humanoid monster with several round saws embedded in its head, something that was somewhere between lifeforms of energy and actual lifeforms.

Zhang Heng took the music box and tried to open it. He was able to see a little girl in a ballerina made of some unknown material spinning around inside the box. The design of the box was very intricate and it looked like a piece of artwork. There was also a crisp ringing sound coming from the box. However, Zhang Heng sensed an indescribable malice from the music box.

Zhang Heng checked the two new items for a bit before letting Gu Zhan put them away. He took Jason's mask and thought about it for a bit before deciding not to put the mask on his head in the end. The mask was simply too eerie and far exceeded what a mask should have.

However, that didn't mean that the experiment couldn't continue. Zhang Heng didn't want to wear it, but there were plenty of people who could be used as guinea pigs. A death row convict wearing a white hospital gown was quickly pushed into the quarantine room with his eyes covered. The clone warrior who pushed the death row convict simply let go of the blindfold and the restraints on his body, walked out of the biological isolation room, and shut the door behind him.

Zhang Heng looked at the isolation room behind the one-way mirror outside the quarantine room. The convict who was sentenced to death realized that the shackles on his body had loosened. He sat up shakily and began to observe his surroundings curiously, especially the mirrors on the walls. He was even able to detect the functions of those mirrors and put his eyes on them, hoping to see what was behind those mirrors. It was a pity that he was doomed to fail.

"Hermann Anderson." Zhang Heng checked the time and took the microphone from the observer and said softly.

"Who is it? Who's talking to me?" The convict who was sentenced to death looked terrified after hearing Zhang Heng's voice. He kept backing away in the opposite direction of the voice, all the way to the corner.

"You don't need to know who I am," Zhang Heng said casually. "I'm asking you, do you want to be free?"

"Yes, of course." The man named Herman's eyes lit up and he answered right away.

"If you want your freedom, then do as I say." There was an irrefutable tone in Zhang Heng's voice as he continued, "Your mission is very simple. Put on a mask. As long as you're able to survive wearing that mask, you'll be able to become a Class D personnel. You'll be completely free when you reach Class B."

"That's it?" Herman could tell from Zhang Heng's tone that he hadn't thought about what he was going to do at all. However, it was obvious from the tone of his voice that he was definitely cold to the bone.

"Of course." Zhang Heng didn't say anything else and pressed a button instead. The tiles on the floor were immediately opened and a small podium was slowly raised. The bronze mask was placed right in the center of the podium and there was a leather strap behind the mask, which looked like a belt that was wrapped around the back of his head.

"Alright, go put it on now," Zhang Heng said casually. While he didn't express any emotion throughout the entire conversation, that cold and unfeeling attitude of his, which made him look like an ant to regular people, made Herman feel an indescribable pressure.

"What would happen if I were to put it on?" Hermann asked, trembling.

"Why not try it out?"

A troubled look was seen in Herman's eyes when he heard that. He knew very well that it was definitely not the work of some insider that he was assigned to this place. Even the boss of a department couldn't possibly allow a death row criminal like him to live for so many days. It was obvious that there was a price to pay for him to live for so many days.

"But, if I were to just put on the mask and complete the mission, why does it feel so unreliable all of a sudden?" Herman wore a bitter grin as he said that, before exhaling slowly and mustering his courage to put the mask on his head.

Zhang Heng subconsciously narrowed his gaze at the scene before him, keeping a close eye on Herman. The assistants around him held their breaths, watching everything that was happening in the quarantine room without taking their eyes off it, recording lines of data at the same time.

"Th-that's it?" However, nothing seemed to have happened after Herman put on the mask. He even shrugged and asked again.

There was no answer from the radio.

Just when Herman thought that everything would come to an end, he felt his face itch all of a sudden. He instinctively wanted to take off the hockey mask, yet he was stunned all of a sudden. He felt that the mask was stuck to his face, as if it was glued to his face. The mask was stuck to his face without him knowing, making it impossible for him to pry it off.

"Damn it!"

Herman shouted at the top of his lungs. He knew that things wouldn't be as simple as they seemed. He began to scratch at the mask on his face like a madman at that thought. However, what surprised him even more was that he felt as if he was being torn apart at the same time that he was scratching at the mask. It was as if the mask had become one with him, becoming one with him.

Rumble rumble rumble…

However, just when he was panicking, he heard a man mumbling beside him all of a sudden. The voice was so close that it seemed to be right beside his ear.

548. E = Mc2

"Who is it? Who's talking?"

In the biological isolation room, Herman shouted in fear. He kept trying to strip the mask off his face, but the faint itchiness on his face gradually turned into a burning sensation. He felt as if something was crawling into his skin through the mask, into his muscles and even his bones.

That kind of pain was hardly noticeable to outsiders. Herman began to howl like a madman, running around the quarantine room like a madman before ramming his head into the bulletproof glass of the room.

Dong!

A series of dull thuds were heard, and the metallic reinforced glass, which was about 30 centimeters thick and capable of holding the xenomorphs, began to vibrate at a visible rate. His assistant, who was standing at the side, said in shock, "The force is over 30,000N, equivalent to over three tons!"

"Scan his entire body," Zhang Heng said casually.

A piece of equipment slowly extended from the top of the partitioned room and scanned the suffering Herman. A holographic projection of Herman's body appeared before Zhang Heng.

"We've detected that the mask is emitting a type of neutron flow that we've never seen before, and it's also emitting R-rays, which are highly radioactive," another assistant said. "The Experimentals are beginning to show signs of bradycardia and lower blood pressure. The other party seems to be hearing things."

"Auditory hallucination?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"When a person's head is hit by a small power pulse, he or she would hear something that sounds like a machine, an insect, or a bird. When a person is hit by a high power pulse, the situation becomes even more severe, causing the dune of the brain—the pituitary gland—to go haywire, just like what he is doing right now," the assistant explained.

"What about his body?"

"The body temperature of the experimental body is rising. Currently, it has reached 39 degrees Celsius and is still rising." That assistant took a look at the equipment and a look of disbelief appeared on his face. "The weight of the other party is increasing! That's impossible!"

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious. He looked up at the barrier and saw that Herman's entire body was showing signs of festering at the moment. Large amounts of blisters and necrotic muscle tissues were appearing all over his body, with pus oozing out of them. He himself seemed oblivious to all of that as he continued to run around frantically, banging his head against the reinforced glass wall of the barrier constantly, causing thumping sounds to be heard.

What was even more eerie was that no matter how hard Herman tried to ram into him or how much force he exerted, he was unable to crack his head open. Even that mask on his face remained stuck to his face, not showing any signs of loosening.

"My face, it hurts!" The pain lasted for over 10 minutes, and it was only when the glass walls were completely covered with Herman's dark brown dead muscles and pus that Herman seemed to have exhausted all of his strength and fell to the ground, rolling around while covering his face.

However, Zhang Heng was secretly shocked when he heard that voice. Hermann's voice was originally that of a high-pitched male voice, but at that very moment, his voice began to turn dull and hoarse. If he hadn't known that the person before him was Hermann, he probably wouldn't have been able to recognize her even if his family were standing right before him.

Zhang Heng was able to see that Hermann's body continued to grow and expand at that moment, making her look like a balloon that had been inflated. However, he was able to tell from the equipment that Hermann's weight was also growing. He had no idea where that extra weight came from.

Crack, crack, crack…

Hermann's body continued to expand, bursting through the fabric of his outerwear. Zhang Heng was able to see her eyes through that mask. Those eyes were no longer that of Hermann's eyes from before. Instead, they had turned into a pair of cold, malicious eyes that would send shivers down anyone's spine.

Herman was no longer struggling at the moment. He was like a fetus still in his mother's womb, curled up on the cold floor with his limbs all over the place. His body was still changing non-stop… The dead skin was falling off, revealing a brand new body underneath. The muscles on the new body were all tangled up and his abdominal muscles looked like they had been welded with steel. Herman's original black hair had completely turned a bald brownish-yellow. That mask of his made him look no different from the Jason that he had encountered during his fight with Gu Zhan except for his attire.

It was obvious that Jason had revived in Herman's body.

"The world is vast and full of wonders." Zhang Heng wore a serious expression and sighed. "I'm afraid that the real Jason is behind that mask, Black Friday."

"Commander." Corona appeared again at that moment and said anxiously, "I found something very interesting while checking the report just now!"

"Speak." Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. Any discovery of supernatural phenomena that he knew nothing about at the moment would be of paramount importance.

"Due to airtightness in the quarantine room, there is a fixed mass in there," Corona said immediately. "As you know, the law of conservation of mass—the sum of all matter that participates in the chemical reaction is equivalent to the sum of all matter generated after the reaction. Logically speaking, no matter what happens in the quarantine room, the mass in the quarantine room would always be equal. However, I just discovered that the mass of the objects in the quarantine room was more than double that of what it was before, and there was even negative pressure."

"Negative pressure?" Zhang Heng's eyes lit up, as if he had caught onto something.

"That's right. More than 60 percent of the air in the quarantine room was lost out of nowhere. The quarantine room is now in a state of low vacuum." Corona sighed and continued, "With the weight that the experimental body Hermann was constantly gaining, it is almost certain that many of the air was converted into particles, which were then converted into energy. Eventually, all of that converted energy was converted into matter and replenished on the experimental body. That is why the experimental body gained weight out of nowhere."

"In other words, that mask possesses the ability to convert energy into matter!"

"Energy conversion material?" Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and looked astonished. "If that's true, then it would be a massive discovery. Not only is that mask not a sign of disaster, but it's actually some kind of advanced energy conversion device, some kind of technology that has been advanced for hundreds of years."

"Indeed." Corona nodded and continued, "After all, even the most technologically advanced 'Dead Space' plane that you've been to doesn't have such advanced technology. The equation E = mc2 was able to produce such advanced technology. Energy and matter are closely related, but there is still no way to reverse the law of 'material conversion energy'. The stringent conditions of C2 at lightspeed make conversion extremely difficult."

"In that case, let's set up a research project." Zhang Heng pondered for a bit and said, "Get the best physicists from Planet Tanis to focus on the project regarding that mask. I'd like to be able to master energy conversion technology in the near future. With that technology, our technological level would be able to leapfrog decades or even centuries in an instant."

549. Silence

Zhang Heng never thought that a mask would be so valuable. It was no wonder that the SCP Foundation liked to take in all manner of weird things.

Zhang Heng began to take an interest in the other containers after cursing in his mind. Just like the Jason Mask, the containers didn't have very strict containment requirements, unlike the ones that were made up in the other settings. It should be noted that many people liked to set up a containment measure when they were creating the SCP, enabling the containers to be stored in the geometric spaces of the N multiplied N, otherwise they would lose their function. One or two of such containment requirements would be fine, but if there were too many of them, it would make people feel like things were out of place.

Furthermore, the containers that Zhang Heng found in Seoul didn't have all manner of bizarre settings. The most common requirement was to stay far away from primates or humans, such as that spherical cube. If someone were to discover that cube and keep spinning, they would release that half-energy lifeform known as the 'Lord of Hell'. That lifeform would pursue and attack its victims until the one who released it was completely killed.

The conclusion of the experiment with the cube came to be that the cube looked like the life box of a Lich, and that Lord of Hell looked like the legendary Lich, who was able to squeeze his way out of the life box and kill people. The Golden Foundation was unable to explain why he was able to do so, as he was unable to communicate with the other party.

There was also a container that looked similar to the Jason mask. It was an old-fashioned music box about the size of a palm, with a silver-white hairband serving as the main power source. When the lid of the music box was opened, one would be able to see a ballerina spinning continuously. The music from the music box was crystal clear and melodious, as if it was a form of enjoyment.

It was a pity that Zhang Heng sensed that the music box was filled with some kind of malevolent intent. The malevolence initially wanted to wrap itself around Zhang Heng, but it was almost destroyed by the counterattack of Zhang Heng's mental power. As such, it immediately retreated and didn't dare to appear again.

It was precisely because of that that Zhang Heng had no idea how to release the evil spirit inside. However, according to the movies, the evil spirit residing in the music box was a little girl wearing a ballerina costume. However, the little girl had no face and her face was a huge hole. That was a huge mouth that covered her entire face, and there were several rows of razor-sharp teeth in her mouth. She looked extremely hideous, as if she was the source of the nightmare.

Other than that, the Stellar Foundation had taken in over 50 other containers over the course of the entire day, including a weird-looking clown. That clown was a standard type of energy lifeform, but it was different from other energy-based lifeforms like evil spirits. It was a manifestation of fear, and the more it feared the unknown, the higher the influence the clown had on the human brainwave. When it reached a certain threshold, the clown would be able to kill that person through the human subconscious.

That clown was discovered by Xuan Yuan. It had initially planned to intimidate Xuan Yuan with its thoughts, but unfortunately, its tricks were completely ineffective against cloned warriors who were completely devoid of fear. Furthermore, the D.S.F troops were equipped with electromagnetic glasses capable of seeing the structure of energy lifeforms and electrical field weapons capable of harming energy lifeforms. As such, the clown was put away in the hive of the Stellar Foundation without a doubt.

Those that were unable to meet the standards of containment, such as the Mongolian death worms and the giant spiders, were destroyed on the spot by the D.S.F. troops.

However, it was obvious that as more monsters came from the 'Forest Hut' plane, the Honeycomb was about to run out of space. Furthermore, the Honeycomb was not a professional shelter after all. As such, Zhang Heng planned to build a shelter space station in space. If things got out of control, he could simply blow it up or have the space station fly to the sun.

All the countries around the world were relieved after the zombie outbreak in Seoul was brought under control. However, Zhang Heng received very bad news the next day.

People suspected to have been infected with a zombie virus were found in Tian'an, Shuiyuan, Draconian, and Incheon, four major cities near Seoul.

Zhang Heng wasn't too surprised when he heard the news. He simply sighed and said, "Is it confirmed?"

"Yes. While it is said that the virus was suspected to have encountered a zombie, the footage taken by the quantum spy satellites confirms that over a thousand people in Tian'an City have been infected by the virus, and over 20,000 people are suspected to have been infected. Hundreds of people have been confirmed to have been infected in Shuiyuan City, with 8,000 suspected to have been infected. More than 10,000 people have been confirmed to have been infected in the Draconians and Incheon City, and over 100,000 suspected to have been infected."

"Why are there so many of them?" Zhang Heng frowned, but he seemed to have recalled something and his pupils contracted all of a sudden. "Air transmission?"

"That's right. While we have yet to finish researching the virus, judging from the rate at which it's spreading, it seems like it could only be done through air transmission." Corona wore a bitter grin and continued, "I'm afraid we're in deep trouble."

"If that's the case, then the zombie virus from the lodge in the forest could very well be some kind of virus that could spread through the air like the one found in 'Zombie Out the Cage'." Zhang Heng rubbed his temple, feeling rather troubled. "If that's the case, then we'll have to work on the vaccine."

"I'd advise you not to have such thoughts." However, Corona, who had always been obedient to Zhang Heng, rejected his order for the first time. "I've been analyzing the DNA and all manner of properties of the zombie virus ever since we got our hands on the sample a day ago. However, I've discovered that the virus has an astonishing complexity. Furthermore, it's a virus that only targets humans. It's just like how some viruses only target certain creatures. While such viruses are lethal to humans, they pose no danger to other animals."

"…" Zhang Heng fell completely silent after hearing that. He looked up after quite a while, turned around, and walked out of the door. He then said to himself, "Well then, I guess I'll just have to use the old way then."

"If we were to just destroy Seoul and the other four cities, I'm afraid we still wouldn't be able to stop the spread of the virus," Corona said quickly. "Two-thirds of South Korea, with Seoul as the center and a radius of 300 kilometers, is the security line that I've set up. Only by destroying four-fifths of South Korea's lives would we be able to stop the spread of the zombie virus."

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks after hearing that and said with a serious expression, "If the zombie virus has spread to such a huge area, would it be able to cross the ocean?"

"The nature of the investigation is that the zombie virus is very afraid of water sources. That's good news. At the very least, we don't need to be afraid of them crossing the ocean. However, it would be dangerous on land. The virus would probably spread to North Korea within two days and Huaxia within five days," Corona explained.

"Well then, we'll just have to expand the area of destruction." Zhang Heng nodded and sighed. "It's a good thing that we had Korea lock down all airports and docks from the very first day. If not, the area that the entire world would need to destroy would definitely be over 10 times larger. Corona, prepare the nano bombs…"

"As for Korea, I'll have the foundation mourn for them."

550. Taking Them Down

When the South Korean president heard about the news, he was on the verge of breaking down.

"No, you can't do that!" In the holographic projection meeting, that old female president looked like a shrew. She kept harassing the venue and shouted, "You can't give orders like that! You only need to get rid of those infected people, yet you're going to bomb my entire country. You're out to destroy Korea!"

"President Park, I can understand how you're feeling right now, but I have to say that your stupidity has exposed the zombie virus to the eyes of the entire world. It has dealt yet another heavy blow to the society, economy, and financial system that had just recovered." Zhang Heng looked at her coldly and continued, "And now, you're trying to drag humanity down with you?"

"Then why didn't you do your best to help me?!" The South Korean president shouted at the top of her lungs. She no longer cared about logic or decorum. All she cared about was venting the fear and helplessness she felt deep down. "You have such advanced weapons and such a powerful army. Why didn't you do your best to help us? Especially the tens of thousands of troops stationed in India, and those T-800 and even those electromagnetic weapons. You could have donated countless weapons to help us, but you didn't!"

Zhang Heng's expression gradually turned cold. He narrowed his gaze and looked at the president of the United States. The president of the United States immediately turned around and pretended to be thinking about something to avoid Zhang Heng's gaze. It was obvious that the T-800 and electromagnetic weapons that the president of South Korea knew about were all provided by the president of the United States.

"Mr. Chairman of Stellar Technology, please mind your manners. The person before you is the head of a nation. What right do you have to speak in such a manner?" A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and white skin stood up at that moment. The label of the Australian Foreign Minister was on her seat.

As part of the international alliance led by the five permanent members of the Security Council and the Stellar Foundation, there were many countries that wanted to join the alliance after seeing their potential. It could be said that the alliance with the five permanent members was yet another United Nations. There were many countries that wanted to join the alliance, with Australia being one of them. Currently, the premier of the nation, the minister of defense, and the minister of foreign affairs were seated in the Australian seats.

The blonde middle-aged woman looked furious as she stood in the venue and shouted, "We know that you're rich and have some kind of advanced technology in your possession, but that's no reason for you to be so condescending. Furthermore, destroying 70 percent of a country's land and population is no different from killing a butcher."

"Cough, cough!" The expression of the president of the United States changed drastically and he coughed right away, sending signals to the foreign minister of Australia with his eyes. However, the foreign minister seemed to have gotten into a trance and didn't notice anything.

Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the other party with a puzzled look before taking a look at the hostile looks on the faces of the leaders of the various countries who had just joined. It was only then that he realized that it was obvious that he and Stellar Technology had been underestimated by those countries.

But then again, that was to be expected. All of the newly joined countries were here for Stellar Technology, as the so-called international alliance looked very much like what the five chief executives were planning to do with Stellar Technology. That was why they decided to join the alliance, wanting to get a piece of the pie.

However, it was only after they joined that they realized that things were not what they had imagined. However, the attitude of treating Stellar Technology like a fat sheep wouldn't just disappear so easily. After all, it would have been very difficult for those countries to understand why a single company would be able to get the five of them to do whatever they wanted.

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly at that thought and turned to look at the middle-aged woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. "So, it's you, Ms. Jolie Bishop. Well then, I'll be kind enough to tell you the difference between me and the Butcher. The difference between me and my foundation is that I'll always be responsible for the entire human race. Sometimes, necessary sacrifices are unavoidable in order to ensure the survival of the entire human race."

"But why did you have to sacrifice the South Koreans instead of you?" The Australian Foreign Minister continued in an aggressive manner. "Don't forget that you have no right to interfere with the United Nations at all. All of that would be decided by the heads of the various countries. As for you and your foundation, you only need to follow our orders."

The entire meeting room was thrown into an uproar right after he said that. Many countries began to whisper among themselves and look at Zhang Heng with greedy eyes. Only the heads of the countries from the five permanent states wore weird expressions on their faces. The president of the United States, who had the closest relationship with Australia, coughed non-stop and looked sympathetic and exasperated.

A cold glint was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he stood up all of a sudden and placed his hands on the table, saying, "Ms. Jolie Bishop, I don't know what kind of idiot would make you say something like that, but I'd still like to remind you. Who the hell do you think you are to order me around?"

The entire venue was thrown into an uproar as soon as Zhang Heng said those words. The crowd was thrown into an uproar and shouts of disbelief were heard all over the place. It was the first time that they had seen Zhang Heng use such a straightforward way of socializing.

"You!" The three Australian executives stood up at the same time and glowered at Zhang Heng. However, before they could say anything, Zhang Heng turned around and looked at the five officials. "Due to the irrational behavior of Australia, I propose to kick Australia out of the International League for the time being. Please vote now."

"Agreed."

"Agreed." The higher-ups from both China and Russia agreed without hesitation.

"…Agreed." The prime minister hesitated for a bit before saying.

"Agreed," the French president said straightforwardly.

It was only then that the three people from Australia looked utterly shocked. They looked at the five superpowers sitting in the very front row in disbelief. Four of them agreed to his request without hesitation just because of a single word from Zhang Heng?

It was only then that the Australian prime minister stood up in a hurry and said, "Mr. Zhang Heng, please don't be angry. We're just…"

Zhang Heng didn't give them a chance to say anything before he was done. He turned around and looked in the direction of the seats taken by the Americans. "What do you think, Mr. President Bernie?"

"Abandonment…" The president of the United States immediately wore a bitter grin and sighed. He looked at Australia with a sympathetic gaze before saying,

The entire venue went completely silent after hearing that. Disbelief was written all over everyone's faces. Even the United States, which had the best relationship with Australia, was abstaining from voting? It was just like the rules of the United Nations Security Council, where a single vote was enough to overrule any request made. Despite that, the United States still abstained from voting…

That wasn't all. The Stellar Foundation had reached such a level that even the five superpowers had to follow its lead.

Everyone gasped, and the faces of the Australian president and the foreign minister were ashen. They had initially wanted to get a piece of the pie at the meeting, as the five superpowers had spread the news that those countries that joined the International Federation would have a chance at acquiring technologies that far exceeded reality, such as intellectual technology, artificial intelligence technology, nuclear fusion technology, superconducting technology, and so on. That was the reason why so many countries joined the meeting. However, it was obvious that Australia had no chance of acquiring those technologies.

"You…" The Australian Foreign Minister had been in a dazed state ever since Zhang Heng suggested that the Australian government should ally itself with the International Federation. It was only then that she seemed to have woken up from a dream and shouted, "You have no right to do that!"

"My authority far exceeds your imagination." However, Zhang Heng was never one to fall for such tricks. He simply pushed a button and kicked all three of them out of the conference room. It was only then that all the countries turned to look at Zhang Heng with shocked expressions on their faces. In their eyes, Zhang Heng's existence had become utterly mysterious.

551. South Korean President's Counterattack

The meeting was quickly concluded under Zhang Heng's suppression.

The international alliance, which was initiated by Zhang Heng and was completely formed by him at the same time, became something that Zhang Heng and the five superpowers could call his own. Unknowingly, Zhang Heng's Stellar Biotech Corporation managed to complete the transition from the second to third tier that he designed, becoming a superpower that could stand against the entire human corporation.

According to Zhang Heng's previous classifications, the first tier was those standards that were incapable of affecting countries and the rest of the world. The second tier was the tier that the Umbrella Corporation was based on—having a private army and being outside of the country. A single country was no longer able to restrict such a company. Only when multiple countries joined forces to attack the company would such a company fall.

The third tier was equivalent to the Weyland Yutani Company in the 'Alien' worldview. At such a level, the company would be able to fight against the entire Earth Government. At that moment, Stellar Technology was at such a level that it was only a step away from being able to take control of the world-class Shenluo Corporation.

However, Zhang Heng had no intentions of taking the final step. After all, it wouldn't be in his best interests. With his current abilities, he would have been able to unite the entire world with violence if he wanted to. However, the price he would have to pay would be an epic calamity that would cost him one-third of humanity.

All in all, Zhang Heng had basically achieved what he had set out to achieve at his current stage. The survival and prosperity of a country were all within his control.

As the International League for Attack and Defense came to an end, the five superpowers approved the proposal to drop the nano-bomb in South Korea. As for the other newly joined countries, they had no right to vote as they were under probation. However, even if they were to officially become members of the International League for Attack and Defense, they would only have the right to speak and vote. However, as the founding members of the five superpowers and Stellar Technology, they had the same veto power as the United Nations, making them extremely powerful.

With the proposal approved, Corona gave the order to the Galaxy Space Station located in geosynchronous orbit without Zhang Heng having to say anything. A prepared nano bomb was fired right away, heading straight for Korea with a devastating aura.

The female president's face was ashen at that moment. She seemed to have sensed something and kept looking at the sky, her eyes filled with fear and indignation. That fear then turned into resentment against Stellar Technology. She narrowed her eyes, stood up, walked up to the computer, and pressed a few buttons on it. A bookshelf in the office was swiped to the side soundlessly, revealing a black door behind the bookshelf.

The South Korean president took a deep breath and strode over. There was a flight of stairs leading down from the door. The stairs were very tall and the only lighting source was the dim emergency lights.

It was obvious that she was no stranger to the South Korean presidents. She didn't hesitate and continued walking down the stairs, quickly reaching a dark underground secret base.

"Mr. President!" Several staff members saluted immediately when they saw the president who appeared out of nowhere. "Mr. President, we've recorded the entire 'International Alliance for Attack and Defense' meeting."

"Very good. Are you sure that you haven't been discovered by Stellar Technology?" The president's eyes lit up.

"Relax, we didn't bring any metal equipment into the holographic conference hall," the staff member said confidently. "This is the latest full-scale photon processor that we've developed, and there's no way we could guard against it. They won't know that we've recorded all of their data at the moment, and I think we could use this as a way to force them to compromise."

"It's impossible to compromise." The South Korean president shook his head and sighed. "The other party isn't someone who could be kidnapped by public opinion and morals. The only way we could retaliate would be to release that video. Even if we were to be wiped out by the nanomachines, it would still be able to cause greater panic worldwide, throwing the world into chaos."

"This is the only way we can fight back!"

Disappointment was written all over that staff member's face when he heard that, but he nonetheless steeled himself and said, "I understand, Mr. President. I'll send that data out to the world and let the world see the true colors of Stellar Technology and the five superpowers!"

"No, I'm afraid you don't understand what I'm saying." The president of South Korea said with a stern look on his face after hearing that. "The internet is definitely out of the question. If you want to transmit data, use the most secure intranet. None of you know how well Star Technology controls the internet…"

"All video data must be encrypted and disguised when transmitted using the intranet. No one is allowed to access the data until the agents are able to sell the data to black markets all over the world. By then, I believe that the entire world would know about this very soon. Furthermore, there would be no way to stop it, and there would be no way to keep it under wraps at all. Stellar Technology would be standing against humanity by then. Even if the storm were to be suppressed, Stellar Technology would suffer huge losses."

The president looked pleased at the thought of the consequences of taking revenge. "Just do it, got it?"

"Yes!" The staff took a deep breath and nodded.

At that moment, the South Korean president had already decided to take her own life. She knew that she didn't have the ability to go against the forces of Stellar Technology, yet she was able to use her strengths to attack the shortcomings of Stellar Technology, which was the intelligence system of a country.

No matter how influential Stellar Technology was, its foundation was still too weak. The intelligence system was nothing compared to countries with populations ranging from tens to hundreds of millions. The intelligence network established by South Korea was massive, and while it was nowhere near as massive as those superpowers, it was still far larger than most countries around the world. It was with the aid of the intelligence system that the South Korean president was prepared to send the video to the world, enabling the people of the world to see the true colors of Stellar Technology. It would be even better if a riot were to break out.

The South Korean president took another deep breath after she was done with that. Exposing the video was just a ploy to get rid of both of them. She was actually hoping that the "last-ditch high-altitude defense system" installed by the United States two years ago would be able to intercept the enemy's nano-bombs, enabling her country to escape disaster.

The "last segment of the high-altitude defense system" consisted of the US Missile Defense Agency and the Luzhou-based anti-missile system under the command of the US Army. However, the system also had a very well-known name, which was the Sade anti-missile system, which had caused quite a stir throughout the years.

As a defense system designed specifically for dealing with large-scale ballistic missile attacks, the Sard antimissile system used the MIM-104 anti-missile. The weight of the missile's takeoff was 900kg, with a maximum trajectory of 0.37mm and a maximum velocity of 2500m / S, with a maximum intercept altitude of 150km and a maximum range of 300km. In her opinion, the Sard antimissile system, which she had spent a lot of money to purchase in the United States, could finally come in handy.

If the plan were to succeed, not only would it be able to shatter the prestige of Huaxia, but it would also be able to elevate the dignity of the people of Huaxia. However, the price of failure would seem massive.

At that moment, as orders were passed down from South Korea, the Sade anti-missile forces were deployed all over the country. The Sade anti-missile system consisted of three types of vehicles—a launch vehicle, a ground radar vehicle, and a command vehicle, all of which possessed high mobility. The ground radar vehicles were ordered to scan the area high up in the sky, and the launch vehicle would lock onto the target as soon as a missile was detected, launching an extremely powerful MIM-104 air defense missile.

However, the South Korean president's heart was already in her mouth by the time the nano-bomb reached the radar scanning range of the radar car. She was already in the room where the commander-in-chief was located, watching rows of English words flash across the screen of the system. However, the entire room seemed to have frozen and one could hear a pin drop.

"Y-Young President, the enemy's missiles are cutting into the atmosphere right now. The authorities have calculated that the target is our city area!" That technician was stunned and stuttered, "Gosh, after testing, the enemy's missiles actually exceeded Mach 20 per second!"

"What!?" The Korean president's face turned ashen after hearing that. 20 Machs was equivalent to 7000 M / S in terms of speed. There was simply no way he could be stopped, and he wouldn't even be able to lock onto something like that.

Oh no, Korea is doomed…

The South Korean president slowly raised his head and looked at the approaching light in the horizon before closing his eyes. However, the resentment in his heart was unmistakable.

That very day, the nanomachines plunged into the eastern gate area of Seoul with a blinding flash of light. A thick, black fog that blotted out the sun was felt all of a sudden, dense and seemingly endless. The black fog engulfed the entire eastern gate in the blink of an eye and spread further into Seoul.

552. Leaks

It looked like the legendary Black Sandstorm. From the outskirts of Seoul, one would only be able to see a black wall that looked like a tidal wave crashing down on them. That wind wall was pitch-black and connected directly to the nine heavens. It was so massive that it was indescribable.

If one were to look at the scene from the satellite, it would look like something else entirely. One could only see a circle of black rings expanding into the distance from the satellite, making it look like the source of destruction. All living beings were devoured wherever the black mist swept past, yet none of the buildings or plants were harmed.

That was the problem with setting the targets. The nanomachines could set targets and destroy their range at will. When the targets were destroyed, the nanomachines would self-destruct as well. Of course, there was no restriction, as the entire Earth would be swallowed up within months.

The people who lived in cities near Seoul in South Korea had witnessed the man-made black sandstorm with their own eyes. When they saw the black fog that connected the sky and the earth not approaching them at a speed of 70 to 80 kilometers per hour, many of them subconsciously hid in their homes and shut their doors and windows. However, when the black fog shrouded their rooms, they realized that they had made a grave mistake.

Countless passers-by who were unable to evade in time were exposed to the outside world and were only able to scream in pain. Their clothes, skin, muscles, and bones were torn off at an extremely fast speed and disappeared without a trace. Those who were hiding in the rooms coughed non-stop as they watched black mist seep in through the cracks in the windows and adhere to their bodies as if they had a life of their own. Thereafter, they felt a heart-wrenching pain…

It took only four hours for the black fog to reach the edge of the reservation. While the people living at the border were still staring at the black fog in a daze, the black fog gradually dissipated. The nanomachines had finally completed their mission and passed away.

Many of those who were lucky enough to survive had no idea that the Grim Reaper's scythe had just brushed past them. They simply raised their phones in high spirits and recorded the black fog gradually dissipating in the distance. Many of them even drove their cars in the direction of the black fog. It was only when they were within the range of the black fog that they were stunned to discover that the city that was shrouded in the black fog had long become an empty city.

…

Strange things were happening all over the world.

Grief flickered in Cui Minhao's eyes as he looked at the billowing black fog outside the window. He took a puff of his cigarette and gripped the mouse tightly.

That was the data sent by the secret security office through the intranet.

According to the data, the data contained all the facts regarding the 69th case in the United States, the sinking of Japan, the quarantine in London in the UK, and the latest South Korean zombie case. The data had to be sent to several top-notch hackers in South Korea as soon as possible. Then, through those hackers who had long sided with the South Korean government in secret, the data would be sold to all the underworld forces in the world through all manner of means. There was no need for the entire world to know about it right away, but all of those underworld forces were existences that the governments of all countries would never be able to catch up to. The South Korean president believed that even stellar technology would find it difficult to deal with those people. After all, there was a saying in Huaxia that said that even the strongest of dragons could not defeat the local snake.

Due to their own interests, or for other reasons, the underworld was always able to spread that video online, eventually ensuring that the world's citizens were able to see the video publicly.

At that moment, Cui Minhao was watching the young man wearing sunglasses on the computer screen, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, making a ruckus at the venue. The heads of the various nations around the venue, on the other hand, didn't dare to say anything. If the video hadn't been sent by the Korean government, even Cui Minhao wouldn't have believed that it was real.

"I didn't know Stellar Technology could be so terrifying. So, that black mist is the so-called nanomachines." Cui Minhao mumbled after watching the entire video. All manner of commentary at the end of the video stated that both the sinking of Japan and the quarantine of London in England were caused by Stellar Technology. Now, the zombie virus that the evil company was secretly researching in Seoul had been leaked long ago, resulting in the latest zombie attack in South Korea. Stellar Technology then proposed to bomb all of South Korea with nanomachines. What a monster!

"No wonder that company was able to rise to power so quickly. They have the power to control the entire world, and they were the ones who overthrew and replaced the entire organization," Cui Minhao muttered under his breath. He looked at his computer console and found that the internet cable behind it had been removed. That was a publicly acknowledged state of computer invincibility. Even the most powerful and godlike hackers in the world wouldn't be able to steal a single cent of data from his computer.

There was a reason why Cui Minhao was being so cautious. According to the data that the government had sent back, Stellar Technology had a very powerful network surveillance technology, which was a well-known fact among the major countries all over the world. Even the cyber-security agencies, which were the most elite of all nations, wouldn't be able to compete with Stellar Technology. Furthermore, there was a lot of evidence that stated that Stellar Technology had completely infiltrated the US Congress after replacing the Communist Party. Eleven of the 13 servers in the entire world were under control.

Cui Minhao turned off the video at that thought and turned on the browser without thinking. However, he was stunned all of a sudden at that moment and looked at the disconnected internet cable with a hesitant look on his face.

Cui Minhao thought about it for a bit and eventually decided to be more careful. He pulled out the USB flash drive and began to clean the computer from head to toe, clearing out the registration forms, viewing records, and so on. He was busy for half an hour before he plugged in the internet connection and began to contact the outside world.

His phone rang all of a sudden.

Cui Minhao was shocked and picked up his phone right away, only to see a string of random codes displayed on the screen. He chuckled and answered the call, "K?"

"Yes, I'm K." A voice was heard from the other end of the phone. The voice was altered and no one knew if the other party was male or female. "Q, did you receive that thing?"

"…Yes, I did." Cui Minhao was silent for a bit before continuing, "I don't know what to do next. I'm very confused. My home country disappeared right before my eyes, completely disappearing from the face of the earth. From this day forth, there will be no place for the people of the Great Han on this planet."

"I know how you feel, because I've just lost my wife and children as well…" The voice fell silent for a bit. It was unclear if the voice was trying to express its trust, but the voice actually leaked the information regarding its gender and turned off the voice changer. That was when Cui Minhao heard the voice of a man.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Cui Minhao sighed and continued, "So, what do you plan to do now?"

"Revenge." The man's voice on the other end of the phone was cold. "I've seen that video. Stellar Technology—the true mastermind behind all of this. It caused the destruction of my family. I'll spend the rest of my life destroying it, regardless of the cost!"

"That's my goal, too." Cui Minhao was shaking all over, feeling a rush of heat rushing to her head. She said without thinking, "We could work together, work together, and use that video to find a way to give it a lethal blow."

"What should we do then?" The voice on the other end of the phone sounded hesitant and asked.

"That young man wearing sunglasses." Cui Minhao took a deep breath and continued with a shaky voice, "That should be the legendary CEO of Stellar Technology, who is said to be a godsend. Even if he isn't, he's still the first successor of Stellar Technology. We need to get our hands on his data. As long as he's still human, he'll have countless shortcomings. His shortcomings represent the shortcomings of Stellar Technology…"

553. Arrest

The two of them didn't talk for more than two minutes on the phone. Two minutes was usually the time when someone else would locate that person's phone. Two minutes was more than enough for their location to be exposed at any moment.

As a hacker, he had to be cautious enough to protect himself when surrounded by a pack of wolves. That was an instinct that they had to possess. Furthermore, Cui Minhao was the kind of person who wore a cap and gloves when he went to an internet cafe and had to clean up after using his computer. He was the epitome of cautiousness.

Cui Minhao hung up as soon as the two of them finished discussing where they would meet. It was only then that his heart began to race.

Cui Minhao lived in the outskirts of Busan precisely because Busan was so far away from Seoul that, according to the plans of Stellar Technology, there was no way the virus could have spread all the way here, which was why Busan City remained intact.

However, since he had decided to meet with the hacker, K, who was also a government employee, Cui Minhao had to make some preparations. While the possibility of the hacker betraying him was minuscule, there was no such thing as absolute, and anything was possible.

As such, he cuffed the video sent by the secret security office to several USB flash disks and pried all of the USB flash disks open, taking out the flash memory chips inside and wrapping them up one by one. He then put on his cap and gloves, opened the locked door, and left the room provided by the government.

The black fog at the horizon had mostly dissipated by then, but one could still see a black line stretching across the horizon from afar. Most people still had no idea what was happening and wanted to ask about it, but with most of the communication and factories throughout the country shut down, those areas had completely lost contact.

Cui Minhao took a deep breath as he looked at the darkness in the distance. Sometimes, ignorance was what brought bliss. They wouldn't be able to understand what was happening, and the reports regarding the black mist would definitely not be broadcasted. The only thing that would be announced to the public would be that some nuclear power plant had exploded, and that there was no electricity or communication in that area.

It was none of their business whether the people of the world believed it or not. So what if they didn't? The deaths of tens of millions of Koreans would only become a hot topic on the internet after a few months had passed and no one would care about it.

Humans were forgetful creatures. No one would pay attention to news that had nothing to do with them for the rest of their lives, especially when public opinion was being manipulated by the authorities.

Cui Minhao headed for the only delivery company nearby, feeling frustrated. What he needed to do was to let the entire world know about the truth behind the destruction of South Korea and the crimes committed by Stellar Technology. That wasn't something that he couldn't do, but the premise of doing so was to let over 100 million people watch the video as evidence. By then, word of mouth would spread and the entire world would know the truth.

It was a pity that the news from the secret security office was that Stellar Technology had an astonishing level of control over the Internet. If they were to spread the video on the Internet, they would be digging their own graves. If they were to achieve their goal, the hackers hired by the government would have no choice but to take a different route.

Cui Minhao walked into a random gift shop on his way to the express delivery company. He selected a Barbie doll as a gift and stuffed one of the flash memory chips inside, before he put on his cap and walked into the delivery company.

News of what had happened in South Korea had yet to reach them and the order was still the same. However, Cui Minhao knew that the remaining South Koreans would eventually hear that the country had been wiped out without a trace in just a few hours. When that time came, all the departments in the city would cease operations, shops and airports would be shut down, and the streets would be filled with riots and rapes. Even the police stations would be rendered completely paralyzed without a doubt, and the ports and docks would be filled to the brim. Everyone would flee for their lives overseas. Due to their instinct to seek profit and avoid harm, they were only able to stay far away from the cities that had lost all signs of human habitation, as they had no idea what had destroyed South Korea. As such, they attempted to escape by boat.

Cui Minhao breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the delivery company. He wasn't sure if the package would be delivered to the overseas address after several hours after the order of the company was broken. However, that was only a precautionary measure after all. He had other plans up his sleeve, even if he couldn't deliver the package.

He continued on his way and stopped when he reached a rundown building. He then walked in silently and stuffed a second chip into a crevice in the wall.

He then boarded a cab and, after memorizing the license plate number of the cab driver, slipped a chip into a crevice at the bottom of the car seat and stuck it with bubblegum. He believed that the cab drivers wouldn't be able to discover such a secret location even if they were to wait until the car was rendered useless.

Cui Minhao set up a total of six locations where the flash drives were stored due to his cautiousness throughout the entire trip. When he was done, he went to the meeting place that he had discussed with K—the Sea Cloud Arena.

Haiyun Tai was located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It was a famous tourist destination in South Korea and was once named one of the Eight Visions of Korea, located in a watershed off the southeast coast of South Korea.

There was a very long beach with soft sand and a wide, 1.8 kilometers long, 30-50 meters wide, with a total area of 58.4 square kilometers, which could accommodate up to 120,000 tourists at the same time. However, it was not the time for tourism at the moment, so there were very few pedestrians on the beach. One could only see a couple holding hands and walking slowly on the edge of the beach barefoot. It was very romantic.

Cui Minhao didn't walk into the beach of Haiyun Tai right away. Instead, he took out a pair of binoculars from his backpack and sat on a bench nearby, observing the scenery of the beach like a tourist.

The reception between him and K was very interesting. The two of them had previously agreed that Cui Minhao would wear a white t-shirt when they arrived at the Haiyun Tai Dam, while K would wear a red t-shirt. After all, the two of them were only hackers and not professional agents or spies. As such, they were unable to come up with a more reliable way to connect.

At that moment, Cui Minhao had something else up his sleeve. He wore a blue jacket on the outside of his white t-shirt. Unless he saw K wearing a red t-shirt, there was no way he could have exposed himself first.

Cui Minhao sat there for over 10 minutes, watching as the pickup was about to end. Just when he was getting increasingly impatient, he heard the sound of brakes screeching behind him all of a sudden.

He turned around and saw a black SUV stop right in front of a middle-aged man in the middle of the road. Two men in black suits appeared at the same time and grabbed the middle-aged man by the shoulders at lightning speed, throwing him into the car like he was a chick.

Cui Minhao was shocked to see a red t-shirt inside the man's zipped-up jacket.

Cui Minhao felt his head buzz. His memory was pretty good, or he wouldn't have been in the field of hacking. That middle-aged man's scream was very similar to K's voice on the phone.

If that was all there was to it, it might have been a coincidence. However, the man was wearing a red t-shirt and he was headed for the Haiyun Tai Seas Bath. Cui Minhao was able to confirm that the man was none other than K, who had been complaining on the phone.

Cold sweat broke out all over Cui Minhao's forehead as he watched K being taken away by the car. He felt his entire body go stiff and he was unable to move at all. If Stellar Technology were to catch him any later, he would have been implicated as well. It was obvious that Stellar Technology had discovered the video that was leaked out. It was likely that Stellar Technology would have to make a move again to catch all the hackers with that video.

Cui Minhao finally snapped out of his trance after being able to stay alive for quite a while. He stood up and ran down a path, knowing full well that he had to get out of that troublesome place right away.

554. Dana Again

Zhang Heng didn't stop his counterattack even after the nano-bombs were able to wipe out everything. Another nano-bomb was sent to the insides of Swaxi's throat under the protection of 3,000 T-800 soldiers. The plane of the cabin in the woods was simply too dangerous, and the value of the bomb was nowhere near that of the actual danger. As such, Zhang Heng eventually decided to use the nano-bomb to destroy that world.

Swassie's Adam's apple was a contradictory existence to begin with. It was capable of allowing any object to pass through it, allowing one to travel from one world to another. However, it was also the sturdiest barrier. Even if the pressure on both sides were different, the matter on the other side wouldn't surge into a world with low pressure. That was why Zhang Heng was able to use nano-bombs without fear of affecting reality.

The nanomachines had wiped out almost all the monsters that had entered the real world during the previous attack. At the moment, there were 3,000 T-800s escorting him. While there were still some other monsters that would occasionally emerge from Schwarzschild's throat, they were of little use to non-living beings like the T-800. Thousands of T-800s were pushed all the way to Schwarzschild's throat before charging into that huge hole and disappearing altogether.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath when he saw the footage sent by the satellite. "I wonder if the nanomachines could destroy that world."

"No problem. I believe in the power of the Galactic Beetles." Corona comforted him and continued, "I assume that you haven't failed since you acquired the nanomachines?"

"No, that's true. For example, when I met the Magnetic King." Zhang Heng cleared his throat and seemed to have recalled something. "By the way, what were those hackers you mentioned before?"

"Some hackers from the secret security department under the central regime of South Korea," Corona answered. "The president of South Korea somehow managed to record all that you said during the holographic meeting, and he wanted to take us all down with him. However, there was one hacker who was too confident and watched the video sent by the president of South Korea on a computer that was still connected to the internet, and that was how I found out about it. I've found information regarding the identities of 13 hackers and successfully arrested them. However, according to those people, there are three of their companions, and they are currently unable to be found due to their operation being a secret."

"So, that's how it is." Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and continued, "The president of South Korea actually tried to set us up even at the brink of death. She deserved what she got. But then again, isn't she being a little too naïve to think that a video could take down Stellar Technology?"

"Even if those videos were to be uploaded online, I'd still be able to shut them out and find the person who sent the video to us within half an hour to silence them." Corona continued, "However, those little rats lurking in the dark are still very annoying. If possible, I'd kill them before they pose any threat to us."

"Well done. Well then, let's continue playing hide-and-seek with those rats." Zhang Heng snapped his fingers and paid no attention to the interlude. He was just about to say something else when he saw countless monsters crawling out of Swaxi's throat from the holographic screen before him. The sheer number of monsters was even greater than what he saw back at the spherical base.

There were unicorns, huge gorillas, huge centipedes, and all manner of weird-looking monsters. Zhang Heng even saw a humanoid monster that looked like it was covered in raging flames, had bat wings and a pair of horns, and was over four meters tall. All the monsters seemed to be filled with endless fear as soon as the monster appeared, which caused them to leave the range of the monster's flames.

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious when he saw that. That was because he knew that the only reason such a thing was happening was that the nanomachines were no longer working.

Zhang Heng leaped to his feet in the very next second and headed straight for the airport where the Falcon was parked. He shouted, "Corona, get ready to send someone!"

"I understand!" Zhang Heng boarded the Falcon without waiting for Corona's reply. Several cloned warriors appeared in less than three to four seconds and boarded the plane quickly. The entire process took less than a minute before the Falcon flew into the sky and headed northeast at a speed that would have sent the brains of regular humans flying. The target was Seoul.

Zhang Heng stood inside the Falcon with a very serious expression on his face. He waved a hand and the satellite view of Seoul appeared once again. The image zoomed in without him needing to operate it and was eventually locked onto that glimmering wormhole at the eastern gate area of Seoul.

Countless monsters gushed out of the massive Swasy's throat like a torrent. Zhang Heng even saw a human walk out from the crowd. It was a blonde girl with a bandage on her shoulder. Zhang Heng's pupils contracted when he saw that figure.

"Dana!"

The female protagonist of the lodge in the woods, the culprit who caused the connection between reality and the plane in the woods to be broken.

However, the appearance of that woman seemed to be even more terrifying than that monster that was wreathed in raging flames. Almost all of the monsters dispersed as soon as she appeared, making a huge circle around her. She was like a king who had descended to the world, and every single monster was filled with respect and fear for her.

Zhang Heng felt that something was off when he saw that. He had never seen anything like that before. He immediately said, "Corona, prepare the satellite railgun and fire at 30 percent power. I'm going to blow up all the monsters here!"

"Understood." Corona's voice was heard from the other end of the earpiece and disappeared immediately. A fiery-red beam streaked across the sky in just a few minutes and landed on a piece of land in the distance. The flames spread out like a ring and charred everything in its path.

Haizhou was only about 900 kilometers away from Seoul. It would take about half an hour for the Falcon to get there from the very beginning. Zhang Heng was already 30,000 meters above the East Sea at the moment. He was able to see everything that was happening on the Korean Peninsula from where he was standing. He was able to see a crimson beam shooting down like a pillar from the heavens, which didn't dissipate for quite a while. He was also able to see a ring of flames spreading in all directions from the ground. There was even a mushroom cloud rising into the air, making the entire place look as majestic as a huge pillar.

The satellite image was completely covered up at the moment and was rendered completely useless. However, he knew without a doubt that half of Seoul would have been razed to the ground by that attack. If it hadn't been for the fear of affecting the continental shelf, he would have had the urge to launch the satellite at 100 percent power.

The Falcon soon arrived in Seoul. As expected, the entire city of Seoul was shrouded in thick smoke and ashes by then. The entire city was filled with raging fires, especially as the buildings became increasingly damaged as they got closer to the eastern gate area. All the high-rise buildings in Seoul were destroyed by the intense impact when they were just a few kilometers away from the eastern gate area. All that was left was a piece of glass-like scorched earth and a huge cloud of dust. It would take at least half a month for the dust to completely dissipate.

The Falcon mech slowly descended before the Swassie's throat. Zhang Heng used his mental power to form a barrier before him and walked out of the mech. The clone warriors wearing Armageddon Type 2 armor followed closely behind him. Zhang Heng was the first to arrive, with four C-class battleships, over 5,000 clone warriors, and tens of thousands of T-800 fighters behind him.

The showdown with the "lodge" plane had reached its final stage.

555. Weird Creatures

Zhang Heng knew right away that the Archimedes orbit cannon had missed its target when he saw that huge crater.

The cannonball from before had only landed somewhere northwest of Swaxi's throat and was still 300 meters away from his throat. Even so, the satellite railgun that was comparable to a million-ton nuclear bomb still dealt devastating damage to the legion of monsters that kept charging into reality.

Countless charred bodies were strewn all over the ruins within a radius of over a kilometer. The sky was filled with the remains of some unknown monster, and the place where the railgun struck was a massive crater over a kilometer in diameter and over a hundred meters deep, making it look like a crater from the moon.

At that moment, the bright and sunny day seemed to have turned into night. The sun was obscured by the rising smoke and dust, and hot gusts of wind blew constantly. If it hadn't been for the suit of exoskeleton armor, that gust of wind would have probably set a person on fire and roasted him to a crisp.

Under such devastating attacks, even energy lifeforms would be torn to shreds due to all manner of physical and chemical effects, rendering them unable to escape.

The Archimedes satellite railgun could be called a map cannon, a cannon capable of changing the terrain.

"Commander, the radiation here is very high. According to Armor of the Apocalypse, the gamma-ray radiation here reaches 500 milliseconds per hour." Corona's voice was heard from the communication device as she reminded Zhang Heng.

"Understood. Continue testing." Zhang Heng nodded. The radiation dose of 5.5 milliseconds per hour was very, very high. It was so high that it was able to affect communication and electronic equipment. Regular people would have suffered from severe acute radioactive disease.

"Radiation is still rising. Currently, it has reached 1,000 milliseconds per hour." Corona's voice sounded hesitant. "It's weird. The Archimedes orbit cannon wouldn't produce such high doses of radiation. The gamma rays are weird."

"Something is definitely up when something out of the ordinary happens," Zhang Heng said with a calm expression. Boundless mental power gushed out like a tidal wave as soon as he said that, covering an area with a radius of over a kilometer. He saw something when his mental power scanned that area and frowned subconsciously.

At the same time, the temperature of a piece of ground about a dozen meters in diameter began to rise 100 meters away, as if there was an intense radiation source several thousand degrees below ground. The ground began to emit intense green smoke all of a sudden, and the soil began to turn black, completely charred. However, that was not the end of it. After turning black, it began to turn dark red again, turning into something that looked like lava.

"Be careful, Commander!" The cloned warriors on both sides stood before Zhang Heng on their own, raising their pulse rifles and looking at the area warily.

The color of the soil kept changing and before long, it had completely turned into a pool of lava, bubbling non-stop as if there was something weird lurking in the lava, waiting to deliver a fatal blow to everyone.

"Radiation intensity is rising rapidly. Currently, it has reached 3,000, no, 4,000 milliliters per hour!" Corona began to warn loudly. The gamma radiation emitted from that area was capable of killing all unprotected humans within 30 meters in an instant.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and sent a massive amount of mental power into the lava. He saw a human-shaped source of high-temperature radiation standing at the bottom of the lava lake. The moment it sensed his mental power, it stomped on the ground and leaped out of the lava.

"Roar!"

It was only then that Zhang Heng was able to make out that the monster before him was none other than that monster with a pair of flaming bat wings and a bull's head that he saw on the satellite image. Corona's shocked voice was heard from his communication device at the same time. "Commander, that's the legendary Flame Devil!"

Zhang Heng's expression didn't change in the slightest, but the clones responsible for protecting him fired right away.

A metal storm swept over and the ground around the monster began to surge like a tidal wave. Countless craters over a meter in diameter exploded with loud bangs. However, the bullets that were capable of tearing steel plates to shreds stopped when they hit the creature's body, as if they were being disintegrated and melted into molten iron, completely losing their offensive capabilities.

"There seems to be some kind of high-temperature force field surrounding the creature!" Corona reminded him. "It's that kind of force field that constantly emits gamma rays, generating lethal radiation that reaches 10,000 milliseconds and above. The high temperatures generated by that force field are definitely not carbon-based beings."

The monster was completely enraged by the two cloned warriors as soon as Corona opened her mouth. The monster's two hooves-like legs leaped into the air and charged at Zhang Heng like a bolt of lightning.

Boom!

One of the cloned warriors at the side immediately dropped his pulse rifle before Zhang Heng had a chance to make a move. He flung his arm and ejected a high-velocity electromagnetic blade, charging at Zhang Heng.

The monster that looked like a fire demon from the Western Mythology was constantly emitting lethal gamma rays and was capable of producing high temperatures of thousands of degrees at the same time. It was fortunate that the clone warriors had the Doomsday Type 2 armor with excellent performance, enabling them to protect against high temperatures and radiation attacks. Furthermore, the current clone warriors were practically soaked in the gamma rays, and their combat prowess was on par with those renowned experts from the Final Fantasy 7 plane. It took only the blink of an eye for the clone warriors to pin the monster down hard on the ground. The clone then stabbed the monster's spine with its high-voltage electromagnetic blade without hesitation.

"Chi!"

Countless streams of hot blood sprayed in all directions at once. The monster that looked like a flame demon let out a wail before it died and twitched violently for a bit, completely motionless.

The attack was clean and precise. Despite the monster's massive physique, the clone warrior that wore the exoskeleton armor was more than capable of crushing its opponent in terms of power, agility, and technique.

However, Zhang Heng felt his heart palpitate the moment the clone died. He pulled the clone warrior back without thinking, but it was too late.

The moment Zhang Heng realized what was happening, the dead body of the Flame Devil exploded without warning, as if there was a nuclear bomb inside it.

Boom!

Zhang Heng had no time to think. He simply put up a thick mental barrier in front of him out of instinct. A blinding light lit up in the very next second and the entire world seemed to have dimmed all of a sudden. Even the sound of his voice disappeared in an instant. All that was left was an unbelievably huge force that sent Zhang Heng and the Falcon mech flying.

A small mushroom cloud appeared out of nowhere. While it was considered small, it wasn't any weaker than a cloud bomb. Its power was on par with a fat nuclear bomb.

Zhang Heng's body plummeted from the high school like a missile after the world spun around him for a bit, kicking up a huge cloud of dust and smoke. However, he was able to sit up straight again in the very next second. There was a flash of fury in his eyes as he quickly climbed up from the ground. He had been able to withstand nuclear bombs weighing tens of thousands of tons before, let alone nuclear bombs that were detonated. It was only because he was caught off-guard that he was tricked by the other party's explosion. Despite being in a sorry state, he was hardly harmed at all.

However, the clones and falcons that had been with him before were not so lucky. The bodies of the falcons were blown into two parts tens of meters away. One part was stuck in the ruins, burning with flames, while the other part was several kilometers away.

The explosion was nothing to Zhang Heng, but it was a disaster for the cloned warriors. He even saw the remains of two cloned warriors, while the remaining cloned warriors reported their injuries on the communication channel. There were injuries from minor injuries to severe injuries. The most severe one was that a cloned warrior had been blown into two pieces, with intestines dripping from his lower body. If there was no rescue in 10 minutes, that cloned warrior would have died without a doubt. Not even the cells of Genova could save him.

"Why did it explode?"

Anger was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes for the first time. He took one last look at the two dead cloned warriors and headed for the place where the monster died. He found that the place had been reduced to a crystallized piece of land. While the crater that it created was nowhere near as powerful as that of the Archimedes orbit cannon, its damage radius was still over 100 meters. It could be said to be the power of a small nuclear bomb.

"Corona, tell me, why did the bodies explode?" Zhang Heng asked coldly.

"I-I don't know…" Corona felt rather aggrieved. She knew that it was her oversight that resulted in the deaths and injuries of the few cloned warriors who were with Zhang Heng before they were of any use. Such deaths had never happened after Zhang Heng acquired the demon. All that had happened was a humiliation that the Stellar Foundation could not erase.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath after hearing Corona's aggrieved voice and suppressed the rage in his heart. He took huge strides and made his way to Schwarzenegger's throat in a rather disheveled manner. That was the main objective of his trip—he wanted to go to the other side of Schwarzenegger's throat, to the world that was connected to reality by the wormhole, and see why the nanomachines were rendered useless.

556. Abyssal Demons

Zhang Heng ignored Corona's attempts to persuade him and headed straight for Swarthy's throat.

Zhang Heng paused for a bit when he reached the spatial tear that stood tall in the void. He didn't turn around and simply said in a low voice, "Seal Swaxi's throat immediately when the D.S.F troops arrive. No living beings are allowed to come to reality except for me. If I'm not back in a week, Corona, take my sister and the Stellar Foundation away from here. Abandon reality and head for the Dimensional Memory plane."

Zhang Heng stepped inside without waiting for Corona's reply.

Zhang Heng felt as if he was using some kind of plane traversing device the moment he stepped into the plane. His vision went black for a bit before he felt a sudden sense of weightlessness, as if he had just stepped into empty space. He was dazed for a bit, and when he came to his senses again, he suddenly realized that there was a monster that was over four meters tall standing before him. The monster was burning with eerie flames all over its body, making it look like an abyssal demon.

"Moo!"

The monster seemed to have been frightened by Zhang Heng's sudden appearance as well. It let out a furious roar and raised its arm, which was as thick as a grown man, before clenching its fist and charging at Zhang Heng.

"Get lost!" Zhang Heng shouted. He was about to tear the other party apart with his powerful mental power, but he seemed to have thought of something and changed the way he used his mental power all of a sudden. He condensed his mental power into a huge hammer and smashed it hard on the other party's chest.

Boom!

The demon's entire body was sent flying before it could even land its fist on the ground, sliding for over a hundred meters before coming to a stop.

Fear was seen in the demon's eyes right away. It looked at Zhang Heng in the distance and then at the depression on its chest before turning around instinctively, wanting to escape.

"Do you think you'll be able to get away?" Zhang Heng asked coldly. A steel bar that was about half the size of a grown man rose from the ground below his feet with a loud rumble, like a struggling beast. It was only when his entire body was revealed that he was able to see that it was a huge I-shaped steel bar about half a meter in diameter and five to six meters in length.

The huge steel bar had been twisted beyond recognition at first, but when it rose from the soil, it began to creak and groan as if a pair of invisible hands were constantly adjusting the shape of the I-shaped steel. It took only a few seconds for the twisted I-shaped steel to become a straight, thick steel bar, with the tip of the steel being as sharp as a sword.

Zhang Heng took a step forward and the thick steel bar shuddered all of a sudden. It seemed to have gained some kind of tremendous thrust and began to spin at high speeds in midair. It let out a shriek that tore through the air and headed straight for the fleeing demons.

"Pfft!"

The demon didn't even have time to react before more than half of its body was torn apart by the massive force of the I-shaped steel. Blood and bits of flesh flew everywhere in that instant.

The only reason why Zhang Heng and the clone warrior were able to kill such an abyssal monster so easily was because Zhang Heng and the clone warrior that had fused with the Genova cells were simply too powerful. The skin and muscles of such monsters were so tough that even sniper rifles would have a hard time piercing through them. They were so powerful that they were able to lift tanks. Flames over 3000 degrees Celsius emanated from their bodies at all times, and they were also capable of emitting high-intensity gamma-ray beams that could kill people instantly. There was practically no living thing within 50 meters that could get near them. Even bullets would have melted away when they got near them. If it hadn't been for the clone warrior, humans would have had no way of fighting back once such monsters entered reality.

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted all of a sudden at that very moment when his body was being torn apart. He felt a slight palpitation in his chest and immediately put up a defensive barrier before him without giving it any thought.

A blinding beam of light shot out of the demon's body in the very next second, and intense flames burst out of it, making it look like a nuclear bomb had just detonated. The orange light turned pitch-black in the blink of an eye and rose hundreds of meters into the air.

A mushroom cloud!

Zhang Heng, who was about 100 meters away, felt a wave of heat and shockwaves that could tear people to shreds crashing down on him like waves. All the bumps on the ground were blown away, and only Zhang Heng's mental barrier remained firmly in front of him, blocking the rubble that could turn people into sieves.

Something flickered in Zhang Heng's eyes… He was able to confirm that the monster would self-destruct at the very instant it died.

It was only when the shockwave from the explosion dissipated that Zhang Heng saw that the spot where the demon died had formed yet another crater with a diameter of 100 meters and a depth of tens of meters. The power of that explosion was already comparable to that of a cloud bomb, and it was on par with a small nuclear bomb.

Zhang Heng was beginning to understand why the nano-bombs were rendered completely ineffective after being detonated right there and then.

It was only at that moment that Zhang Heng had the chance to take a closer look at the seat. It was obvious that the civilization of 'Little Hut in the Forest' had been completely destroyed at that very moment. The sky was filled with thick, black clouds that looked sticky, making it look like an ocean of filth had covered the entire sky, giving one an extreme sense of pressure.

The ground was a wasteland, with only the remains of high-rise buildings that had collapsed in the distance visible. Zhang Heng was standing on the ruins of a city.

Despite being mentally prepared, Zhang Heng still sighed to himself when he saw that the civilization of humanity had been completely destroyed. He turned around and looked behind him, only to see five creatures that looked like demons from the abyss running straight for him.

Did he sense the previous explosion?

Zhang Heng pondered for a bit before opening his mouth all of a sudden. A thick, black mist flew out of his mouth right away. There wasn't a lot of that black mist, but when it swept past the ruins before him, the ruins around him began to disappear at a speed that was visible to the naked eye. That black mist, on the other hand, expanded at an extremely fast rate. When the five demons with flames all over their bodies got close enough, the black mist seemed to reveal a sinister face as it rose up and charged at the demons one after another.

However, when the black mist was about a dozen meters away from the demons, it seemed to be ignited by the high temperatures and burst into flames. No matter how much of the black mist there was, it was completely vaporized by the high temperatures before it could even get within ten meters of those monsters.

That was the reason why the nano-bombs were rendered ineffective. With such monsters around, no amount of space beetles would be of any use.

As such, Zhang Heng didn't hesitate any longer. The steel that he had used to kill the first monster was vaporized. As Zhang Heng activated his mental power, eight more pieces of I-shaped steel buried under the rubble shot out from the ground. In the blink of an eye, they were caught by an invisible hand and stabbed into the ground like eight huge iron pillars, circling around Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng flicked his finger when the monsters were 500 meters away from him. A thick I-shaped piece of steel spun out of his hand and hissed in a rather uncomfortable manner. There was even some vapor between him and the monsters.

"Pfft!"

The massive steel bar crushed the body of a demon before the demons could even react.

However, Zhang Heng was stunned all of a sudden. He was stunned to discover that the remaining four demons turned around at the same time when the demon died and pounced at the dead body as if they had just seen something delicious. If that wasn't considered weird, then the fact that the dead body didn't explode after the demon died truly astonished him.

The four demons that were charging at Zhang Heng ended up fighting over the dead body of one of their own. Zhang Heng was stunned by what he saw. One of the demons seemed to be a little smarter. It took advantage of when the other three demons were fighting each other to pounce on the dead demon and took out a bloody organ about the size of a palm from the dead demon's corpse. It then stuffed the organ into its mouth without a second thought and swallowed it at the same time.

Hu!

Golden flames rose from its back as soon as the demon swallowed the organ. The demon looked like a miniature sun at the moment, and its entire body shone with the light of the sun. Golden flames covered its entire body in the blink of an eye, while the other three demons showed a rare look of fear and lowered their heads at the demon that had just transformed.

Zhang Heng stood at a distance, watching everything unfold in silence. He had a vague idea of what was happening.

557. Positron Cannon

Zhang Heng seemed to be deep in thought as he looked at the mutated Golden Blaze Evil Demon in the distance. He flicked his finger again and another steel bar shot out at a high speed. The dust that it passed through was blown away and a huge hole was opened in the air.

Bang!

However, the steel beam that weighed over half a ton failed.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows slightly. While the steel beams were extremely fast, the demon that had evolved was able to react even faster. It kicked off the ground and barely dodged the incoming steel beams. However, the remaining three demons were utterly crushed by the impact and were reduced to a rain of blood. That steel bar was completely melted into molten iron after shattering the demons.

Three of his companions died in the blink of an eye, yet the golden-flame demon let out a surprised roar and pounced on the three dead demons, swallowing the disc-like organs in their bodies. The aura emanating from the golden-flame demon became even stronger at that moment, and Zhang Heng sensed that it was no weaker than the clone warriors that had fused with Genova cells.

The Golden Blaze Fiend only looked satisfied after it finished swallowing all the organs in the three corpses. It took a good look at Zhang Heng before slowly backing away, seemingly trying to escape.

Zhang Heng, of course, wouldn't allow such a good experimental subject to escape from his grasp. He flicked his finger and the remaining seven pieces of I-shaped steel before him rose into the air at the same time, emitting humming sounds that shook the air as they hovered in midair, seemingly ready to strike. He flicked his finger again in the very next second and yet another I-shaped piece of steel shot out at full speed, carrying with it a force that seemed capable of tearing everything apart. There was even a rumbling sound in the air, the sound of something breaking through the sound barrier.

"Howl!"

The goldflame demon seemed to realize that it was in a life and death situation at the moment. It stomped on the ground and the entire area was charred black before turning dark red in the blink of an eye. The golden flames on its body grew even taller and the air around it became extremely warped, as if it could set everything on fire at any moment.

The temperature around it doubled instantly.

The I-shaped piece of steel was finally right before his eyes at that moment. The Golden Fire Demon opened its mouth all of a sudden and spewed out endless golden flames from its mouth, which turned into a golden beam of light in the blink of an eye.

"Chi!"

That huge steel bar that was capable of destroying everything in its path was vaporized by the golden light and disappeared without a trace.

That was not all. Zhang Heng felt a sense of danger as soon as the other man opened his mouth and a powerful mental barrier appeared before him. The golden beam of light penetrated the I-shaped steel at almost the same time and shot straight for his chest.

Boom!

Zhang Heng was sent flying backward without any hesitation. That golden beam of light had almost penetrated his mental barrier.

Zhang Heng crashed into the ground hard, kicking up a huge cloud of dust and smoke, but it didn't do him any harm. A look of shock was seen in his eyes, but that was all there was to it. Zhang Heng controlled two more Type I blades to fly out before he was able to get up, charging at the Golden Blaze Fiend from both directions.

That demon seemed to have expended a lot of energy in that attack, and even the flames burning on its back dimmed. It had no way of evading that attack at the moment and could only watch as the two steel bars shot out like scissors and killed it on the spot.

Boom!

Another violent explosion was heard almost as soon as the demon's body was torn apart. Zhang Heng didn't know if he was seeing things, but he felt that the explosion was significantly weaker than before.

Zhang Heng only took a closer look at the crater after the smoke and dust from the explosion dissipated. He removed his mental barrier at the same time and exposed himself to the crater, trying to sense what was inside.

"This place is filled with a huge amount of gamma rays, so much so that it's even stronger than the ones emitted by the Golden Blaze Fiend. Furthermore, would it explode if it were to die?" Zhang Heng lowered his head and began to ponder. "Doesn't that mean that there's some kind of extremely active substance in the bodies of such monsters? The balance of that substance is very fragile. If it's unstable, the demons would self-destruct after they die…"

"As for why his companions wouldn't self-destruct when there are other demons around, could it be assumed that the energy is identical to that of the demons and is something that could be manipulated? Is that why such an extremely active substance could be hidden in the bodies of demons without harming itself?"

"Furthermore, I've found some kind of coiled organ that looks like a combustion chamber and engine in the bodies of other demons. If I'm not mistaken, the one and only organ among the demons would be the one that could produce that kind of substance or energy!" Zhang Heng mumbled to himself, his thoughts becoming clearer as he went on. "Furthermore, judging from the high-intensity gamma-ray radiation that keeps appearing, the answer is obvious. Sherlock Holmes once said that the only answer to the impossible, no matter how unbelievable, would be the most realistic answer. The answer to such a demon would be…"

"There are organs in the bodies of demons that could generate charged electronics!"

"With the aid of such antimatter particles, the demon's body could generate massive amounts of power, such as high temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius, a strong physique, and that golden light shooting out of its mouth. If I'm not mistaken, that golden light would be the massive amount of power generated by the charged electron, which is also known as the negative electrons in the air."

While such weapons could not be manufactured due to technological reasons, there were countless theories and calculations regarding them. The weapon's name was none other than the legendary antimatter weapon—Electron Cannon.

The organs that were regarded as treasures by the demons were none other than a reaction chamber that could withstand the annihilation effects of positive electrons and negative electrons and contain countless energy reactions.

It was the reaction cavity that produced the proton, which then destroyed the regular electrons in real life, enabling him to generate extremely high temperatures all over his body and release massive amounts of gamma rays, which gave him extreme power.

The demonic-looking creature was unable to pique his interest after he realized what was happening. He kicked off the ground and flew into the air, while the remaining five I-shaped steel beams let out metallic screeches and curved under an invisible force, spinning around him at high speeds.

Zhang Heng only stopped when he was about a kilometer away from the ground. He thought that he would be able to see further, but all he saw at that moment was smoke and dust. The sky above him was covered with dark clouds and the light was extremely dim. Despite his exceptional vision, he was only able to see the grey silhouettes of mountains tens of kilometers away.

No, wait!

Zhang Heng seemed to have recalled something and his pupils contracted all of a sudden. He saw that the mountain was actually wiggling slowly.

It was a silhouette that looked like a mountain, stretching across the horizon and looking very uneven. If it hadn't been for the countless tentacles that were rising and falling from its body, Zhang Heng might have mistaken that huge silhouette for a mountain range.

The silhouette looked like a huge, wriggling worm that was tens of kilometers away. Dozens of tentacles that were visible to the naked eye could be seen on its humongous body. The tentacles had a diameter of who knew how many meters, but they kept stirring in the air and even reached into the clouds. It looked like an octopus that had never been seen before.

The size of that monster had far exceeded Zhang Heng's understanding of living beings. The only thing that he was able to compare with in his previous life was Genova's lifeform from the Final Fantasy 7 plane. He might have been able to compare with the Blood Moon from the Dead Space plane, but regardless, such a monster of that size would definitely be ranked in the top three, even for someone like Zhang Heng who had seen countless planes before.

558. Taking The Initiative

Zhang Heng gasped at the sight of such a massive monster. If that monster was able to control antimatter like a demon, it would have been able to wipe out a city with a single strike.

However, that behemoth never took a single glance at Zhang Heng. It was unclear if it was due to its disdain for power or its poor vision, but Zhang Heng seemed to have completely enraged all the other demons in the area after killing five or six of them in a row. Zhang Heng soon saw fiery red spots flashing all over the place. Some of them looked like the upgraded versions of demons that he had killed before, with the spots being golden in color. Other than that, Zhang Heng also saw even hotter white spots. It was obvious that the demons with white flames were even more terrifying than the golden ones.

However, ninety percent of the dots were red, while the remaining nine percent were gold. As for the white dots, they made up only one percent of the dots.

He saw dots of light approaching from all directions. The demons closest to him were already several kilometers away. Zhang Heng was able to see the patterns on the demons' skin with his current vision. He scanned the area and found that there were about 8,000 to 10,000 of them. In reality, such numbers would have been more than enough to wipe out the entire world.

Zhang Heng frowned slightly. He couldn't help but feel that things were getting tricky at the moment, as the demon would cause an explosion after it died. Even if the explosion didn't happen, the antimatter in the dead demon's body would be consumed by the other demons, which meant that the other demons' power would be enhanced. In the end, Zhang Heng might even be able to create a super demon that had over a thousand demons in it. When that happened, even Zhang Heng wouldn't be able to say for sure that he could win.

"If that's the case…" Zhang Heng thought for a bit and the slit on his forehead opened up all of a sudden. The gemstone on his forehead lit up like a bolt of electricity and turned into a blinding little sun in the blink of an eye.

"Since you guys like high temperatures, then come and taste what true high temperatures are like!"

Zhang Heng shouted and the Mind Gem turned into a scorching sun in an instant. A blinding white light that not even nuclear fusion was able to create was seen. The air around Zhang Heng was heated up quickly, melting and disintegrating along with the ground all around him. The temperature reached over 10,000 degrees Celsius in an instant and continued to rise.

20,000 degrees, 30,000 degrees, 40,000 degrees…

Blazing white light lit up the air, the atmosphere, and everything that could be burned. The heatwave spread throughout the ruined wasteland.

Everything seemed to have vaporized at that moment.

The shockwave caused by the detonation of the air spread far and wide in an instant. The ground within a radius of tens of kilometers was scorched and then quickly peeled open. The river was vaporized in an instant, causing the air to become volatile due to being ignited. A blazing white ball of light was the first to contract before bursting out in all directions.

The surging heatwave gradually subsided several minutes later. Tens of millions of cubic meters of fresh air rushed into the area, turning into gusts of hot wind that maintained a temperature of several thousand degrees.

Zhang Heng's attack seemed to have eroded the atmosphere. The thick black clouds in the sky were dispersed as well, revealing a huge, bowl-shaped hole with a diameter of tens of kilometers.

The sky outside the hole was blue and clear, with no clouds in sight.

All the demons in the huge hole were vaporized right away. Even the explosion of antimatter was drowned out by Zhang Heng's attack. It was like comparing fireflies to the bright moon, completely incomparable.

Zhang Heng finally stomped on the ground after doing all of that, appearing over a kilometer away as if he had teleported. He flickered again and appeared in the sky, heading straight for that mountainous monster in the distance.

Thunder rumbled as Zhang Heng disappeared into the horizon. That was the sound barrier created by Zhang Heng bursting through the air.

However, as he got closer to where the monster was, his expression gradually turned weird. He saw that he had walked through a forest that had long been burnt to a crisp along the way. There was nothing out of the ordinary about that forest, not to mention that it had been burnt to a crisp. However, Zhang Heng also saw a huge canyon with streams at the bottom. However, that stream had dried up long ago, leaving only sticky, pitch-black wastewater that was still flowing slowly along the low-lying terrain. He had no idea where they were headed.

Zhang Heng was very close to that mountain-like monster by the time he passed by that eerie stream. He was unable to see the entire body of that huge monster at the moment, as he was unable to tell the head from the tail. He was only able to see tentacles that were so thick that they looked like skyscrapers slowly moving back and forth. That huge monster relied on those tentacles to keep moving. Zhang Heng looked at the heads of those tentacles and found that every single one of them had a mouth that looked like a ferocious lamprey. The mouth would open from time to time and spit out thick, blackish-brown smoke. Other than its massive size, there was basically nothing else that the monster could do.

However, he saw a huge hole behind the monster.

The hole seemed to have an endless depth to it. Zhang Heng made his way through the tentacles of the monsters and arrived before the hole. He was able to see that the hole had a diameter of about 10 kilometers and its depth was immeasurable. However, with his vision, he was able to see that there was lava flowing at the bottom of the hole. The hole was probably at least 10 kilometers deep.

It was obvious.

Zhang Heng was able to confirm that, according to the plot and environment of the movie, that huge crater was where the huge hand that looked like a mountain emerged at the end of the movie, and that canyon was where the story of the cabin in the woods took place.

That's right, the plot remained the same.

Zhang Heng wore a grave expression on his face. He still remembered the female lead of the movie, Dana, who was supposed to have died the moment the Ancient Gods woke up, appearing out of nowhere in the real world. She was also able to activate permanent Swasy Throats, which was more than enough to shock him.

He initially thought that there was some kind of deviation between the movie and reality, but after seeing what happened, he was finally able to confirm that the plot of the movie and what happened in the plane remained practically the same. That meant that the Dana that he saw twice—the female lead of the lodge in the woods—was actually long dead. But if that was the case, then who was the woman that he saw?

However, he suddenly felt his heart palpitate at that thought. He turned around slowly and saw a blonde girl floating in midair just like him, staring at him with emotionless eyes.

Dana!

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and his massive mental power burst forth without a second thought, sending thousands of rocks flying into the air. He then extended his hand and aimed it at the petite figure of the woman before him before clenching his right hand.

Boom!

Air exploded from Zhang Heng's hand and countless rocks crashed into Dana's sexy, alluring body as if they had eyes of their own. A huge stone ball with a diameter of five to six meters was born all of a sudden, sealing that figure within.

559. Ancient Gods

However, Zhang Heng knew very well that he wouldn't be killed by just a few rocks given that he was able to open a wormhole. He simply wrapped the rock around the rock and exerted his strength again. A massive impact force was felt at the bottom of the rock ball. The entire rock ball felt like it had been hit by a billiard ball in an instant, surpassing its first cosmic velocity and flying into space with terrifying force.

Whoosh!

The airwave that tore through the air swept over and sent a piece of rock that weighed over a ton into outer space. The force from the impact caused the ground to shake and the bottom of the rock was blown away by the burnt forest in the blink of an eye. At the same time, the ground a kilometer in diameter caved in and formed a huge crater.

While Zhang Heng's mental control over matter was only at the molecular level, the sheer volume of his mental power was enough to make up for everything else. As the Mind Gem continued to enhance his mental power, every single move that he made at the moment was capable of destroying a street. If he were to go all out, he could easily destroy a small city.

However, just when the huge rock was about to be sent into space, a mysterious force burst forth from the rock ball. Zhang Heng looked up and saw that the blonde-haired woman had somehow left the rock ball and appeared above his head. She was still staring at him with a pair of emotionless eyes that were filled with coldness and malice.

"You're just putting up a front!" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted and his glabella split open yet again. A beam of orange light flickered at the same time and struck the other man's forehead hard. Zhang Heng used his true abilities this time, being able to control the power of molecules.

Crack!

The blonde woman exploded wherever the orange light went, turning into a puddle of orange liquid in an instant. The body that made up the blonde woman lost all molecular function and dissolved into a pile of meaningless carbohydrates.

That was practically Zhang Heng's trump card. Attacking the enemy from a molecular level would require a massive amount of mental power, and it would require a computational ability that was on par with that of a computer. Despite having undergone Corona's training and having mastered extremely complex projectile maneuvers, he was only able to disassemble a person's computational capacity in one second. The purpose of such an attack was to specifically target enemies with regenerative capabilities, such as the hulk of the diamond wolf. If the enemy were to be disassembled into a molecular state, no amount of regenerative capabilities would be of any use.

However, that attack was destined to disappoint him.

Some kind of balance seemed to have been broken the moment the blonde woman was disintegrated. An indescribable roar was heard from the void and the countless carbohydrates began to condense on their own, taking the blonde woman's appearance again. However, the protagonist of 'Little House in the Forest' had a ferocious look on his face, making him look like a demon with fiery cracks appearing all over his body, as if his skin had turned to lava and rocks.

Zhang Heng felt that something was off and retreated without thinking. However, the blonde woman suddenly opened her mouth and let out a shriek that was faster than sound.

Zhang Heng felt a shockwave that could tear space apart being emitted from his body. He used almost all of his mental power, yet he was still able to feel that the shriek from the other party was able to tear his mental power apart. He had no choice but to inject more mental power into the shockwave to resist it.

The shrieks continued, and Zhang Heng felt as if all the blood in his body was about to boil from the shockwave. His skin began to crack and his muscles began to tear, inch by inch, while purple blood continued to seep out of his entire body. If it hadn't been for the fact that his body had been greatly enhanced after fusing with the Genova cells, the shockwave from that attack alone would have been enough to tear him to shreds.

Zhang Heng looked shocked for the first time.

Zhang Heng kept retreating for over 10 kilometers before he felt the threat disappear. However, when he looked up, he saw that the mouth of the blonde-haired woman in the distance wasn't closing. Instead, it was opening wider in a weird manner. In the end, a hideous-looking head emerged from that huge mouth. His facial features couldn't be seen at all, and he could only see countless patterns crisscrossing his face. A pair of eyes, which were glowing with a red light, opened completely without any whites or pupils. The head expanded out of nowhere when it left the blonde woman's mouth, making it look as if the space in the woman's mouth had been warped.

That head expanded rapidly under Zhang Heng's gaze, eventually reaching a size of 100 meters.

Just when his head was about to break free from the woman's mouth, yet another arm was seen sticking out of her mouth all of a sudden. That arm didn't stop there, as if the monster was crawling out of the woman's mouth. By the time Zhang Heng was feeling shocked, half of the monster's body was already out of the woman's mouth.

It was a demon with brownish skin and cracked skin, revealing lines that looked like magma underneath. However, unlike other demons, this demon was simply too huge. Its upper body alone was about four hundred meters tall. If it were to break free from its lower body, it would probably be over a kilometer tall.

Shock was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he took a look at the demon's right hand. It was a huge hand that looked no different from a human's. Zhang Heng was able to confirm at that moment that the demon that was possessed by the protagonist of the woods' plane, Dana, was the master of that huge hand that emerged from the ground at the end of the story—the legendary "God of antiquity".

Zhang Heng took a deep breath. He realized at that moment that there was a possibility that there was a wormhole leading to the 'abyssal plane' at the core of the Earth in that plane. The wormhole had to be sealed with blood sacrifices, and if the blood sacrifice failed, the door leading to the abyss would be completely opened. Countless demons would flood into the real world and destroy all civilizations. That was the ultimate culprit behind the destruction of the human plane, and the real reason why there were so many monsters in that plane.

However, Zhang Heng felt somewhat at ease at that thought. He had initially thought that a being capable of constructing a wormhole would have a level of control over its own energy. Even if such a being wasn't a 'god', it would still be something infinitely close to being a 'god'.

But from the looks of it, Zhang Heng's prediction was correct. While the other party was very powerful, he was far from being able to control his own power. Otherwise, he wouldn't be standing there right now. Zhang Heng would probably have been reduced to dust with just one look from the other party, never to be seen again.

560. Outbreak

Earth was thousands of kilometers away in outer space in the cabin plane in the forest. Earth looked like a green and blue crystal ball from where he was standing.

However, at that moment, in a certain corner of North America, a white dot the size of a grain of rice suddenly lit up out of nowhere. It looked like a drop of hot, white liquid was dripping down and spread out in the blink of an eye…

The incandescent white light gradually spread out and the dot of light expanded to the size of a fingernail about 10 minutes later. The center of the incandescent white light turned black and then pitch-black once again. That spot of white light finally disappeared and all that was left was a patch of grey-black and a ring of orange light slowly spreading out.

Something powerful exploded on Earth…

The camera gradually zoomed in on Zhang Heng, who was lying on the glass-like ground due to the high temperatures. His entire body was covered in wounds of all sizes. The wounds had stopped bleeding, but his purple blood was still all over the ground beneath him.

His body was riddled with wounds, with many of his muscles broken and even broken. His internal organs were severely damaged as well. If it hadn't been for the integration of the Genova cells, he would have died long ago.

There was a huge crater not far away from Zhang Heng. The crater had razed everything within a radius of hundreds of thousands of kilometers and was comparable to the legendary Russian ultimate weapon—the nuclear bomb. However, that was only a phenomenon caused by Zhang Heng recklessly killing the ancient god and causing the antimatter stored in the god to go out of control.

Other than Zhang Heng, there was no other living being within a radius of hundreds of thousands of kilometers due to the death of the Ancient God. Even that massive octopus-like monster was reduced to dust in that explosion.

That attack was devastating.

Zhang Heng wanted to get up at first, but something seemed to have happened to his spine due to the aftermath of the explosion. He tried to get up several times, but to no avail. All he felt was numbness in his limbs.

"System prompt: First occurrence completed."

However, it was at that moment that the Dimensional Star, which had been silent for a very long time, heard the voice that Zhang Heng yearned for day and night.

Zhang Heng's expression changed and stopped trying to get up. He listened to the prompts from the Dimensional Star instead.

"The first occurrence is over: The host has successfully stopped the attack and prevented human civilization from being wiped out. The credit is tremendous. Host access upgraded!"

"Access Upgrade! Host Access Upgrade by one level. Final Judgement: Host Access Level S!"

"Access Upgrade: Dimensional Star Transportation Cooldown reduced to one hour."

"Access Upgrade: Research System Upgrade. According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, Access Upgrade Host to Research and Development. Support Host to Research and Technology."

"Access Upgrade: Access System Upgrade. Current S Class Access Upgrade. Host can carry objects with a volume of 100W cubic meters to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited. Host can carry living beings with a volume of 10W to perform spacetime transformation. Weight unlimited."

"System prompt: Host has been granted a penalty exemption right! Host may use it when you fail a mission. Host may return to reality immediately after using it and will not be punished."

"System prompt: Host has been granted immunity from compulsory quests. When the system upgrades, the host will be granted immunity from quests. Host will not be affected by the three-month deadline. The Dimensional Star will no longer issue compulsory quests. Please apply for a new quest if you wish to proceed."

"System prompt: Due to the host surviving the first occurrence in the plane, the system is about to be upgraded. Upgrade unlocked the access to a new type of plane, enabling the host to enter a fully developed human plane. Hosts from other planes could also enter the plane hosted by the host."

"System upgrade begins. Please wait…"

Zhang Heng felt relieved when he heard the last prompt from the second-to-last system. The three-month cycle of plane missions was like the Sword of Damocles hanging above his head from time to time, giving him the possibility of dying at any moment. However, it was also the same thing that urged him to keep moving forward. It was also because of that that he was able to barely make it through the first occurrence.

Zhang Heng felt relieved after hearing that the compulsory quest was canceled, before feeling rather frustrated. Would he have the courage to apply for the quest himself if he were to never be able to survive such a perilous quest in the future? Humans were inherently lazy, and the price of failure was usually their own lives.

Zhang Heng frowned as he listened to the last line. While the last line was beneficial to both himself and the human race, it was nonetheless a very dangerous one. If some sick host were to bring something like the T-Virus or even the Meme to his plane, wouldn't there be no end of trouble?

Zhang Heng felt as if his head was about to burst after thinking about it for a bit. His injuries were extremely severe to begin with, and it would only make things worse if he were to keep thinking about it. As such, he began to summon the Dimensional Star, intending to have it bring him back to reality. However, there was no response from the system.

System upgrade.

Zhang Heng's pale face became even paler. He initially thought that the Dimensional Star would be able to bring him back to reality easily, but he never thought that the Dimensional Star would actually be able to upgrade itself. Zhang Heng had exhausted all of his mental power at the moment and his head was aching so badly that he was finding it difficult to even think straight. Furthermore, he had lost the ability to move due to damage to his spine. He had lost all resistance at the moment, and even a child would be able to kill him easily.

Zhang Heng held his breath subconsciously and reduced his sense of presence yet again, preventing other living beings from noticing him. Even if a starving wolf were to appear at that moment, it would have been enough to put an end to his life, let alone a demon. However, it was fortunate that the area affected by the explosion after the death of the ancient deity was simply too vast. The thick smoke from the explosion covered a radius of over a thousand kilometers, and he was unable to see even a sliver of light, let alone sunlight. He believed that no monsters would be able to find him in the next few days.

He had no choice but to resign himself to fate and wait for his mental strength to slowly recover. There was still a tube of demonic solvent in his pants pocket, which was more than enough to repair his body. However, when his entire body was paralyzed, he had to wait until his mental strength recovered somewhat before he could use the solution.

Zhang Heng felt that his surroundings were getting colder as if he had lost too much blood. At the same time, a sense of exhaustion kept assaulting his nerves. He gradually lowered his gaze and the light in his eyes dimmed as his consciousness gradually faded.

"Brother…" Zhang Heng seemed to have heard Zhang Xin's voice in his dazed state. The voice seemed to have come from somewhere in the distance. Zhang Heng, who was still in a semi-conscious state, turned his head to look at the source of the voice and saw a woman in white with disheveled hair crawling in his direction.

Crawl…

Zhang Heng's vision was filled with double images, yet he was still able to tell that she wasn't his sister. His body continued to turn cold, and it was only then that he realized that the chill wasn't just any chill, but a chill that seeped into his bones.

"Hehehehe…"

Zhang Heng's vision blurred all of a sudden, and it was only when he blinked hard that he was able to see clearly again. The woman in white who was crawling on the ground was nowhere to be found. A cold, malicious feeling was felt from behind him at the same time, as if there were countless dead bodies behind him, staring at the back of his head.

Zhang Heng bit the tip of his tongue and forced himself to stay awake. He turned around slowly and saw a woman with a dead-white face and disheveled hair lying on his right side, staring at him with eyes that didn't look alive at all. The scent of death continued to spread.

"Curse." Zhang Heng struggled to utter those two words before he wore a bitter grin. "So, I was infected by the Curse Mode a long time ago and didn't realize it. When did it get infected? Could it be…" Zhang Heng suddenly recalled that when he was using the power of the Prophets, he had once traveled across planes to predict what his first attack would be. He then saw the monster formed by the Curse Mode—Kayako.

Zhang Heng had a feeling at the time that the Meme seemed to have locked onto him, which was why he quickly sent his consciousness back to reality. Zhang Heng was basically under Corona's observation from the very beginning. That was to say that due to Corona's presence, Zhang Heng had been subjected to a third-person observation. Furthermore, Zhang Heng's will was so strong that he was nearing the limits of humanity. As such, the Meme of Curse had been lurking around Zhang Heng, preventing it from bursting out.

However, Corona was far away in another seat at the moment. The Ancient God that fought with Zhang Heng was dead as well, and it took away all living beings other than Zhang Heng after its death. Zhang Heng had lost all third-person observers by then.

As such, the curse that had been lurking around Zhang Heng for over a month finally exploded at that moment.

561. Endless Situations

"Hehehehehe…"

The clacking sounds that were filled with the stench of death were getting closer. The chill that made him feel like he was in a morgue spread throughout his body. He was only half a step away from death at the moment.

He wore a bitter grin on his face. He had never expected that despite putting in so much effort to lead humanity through the first shock, he was unable to save himself despite having saved humanity like a savior.

According to the Stellar Foundation's research records, anyone who was infected with a curse-like gene would definitely die, with no exceptions.

The kind and reluctant eyes of his parents flashed before his eyes before he died, and then the bright, sweet smile of his sister, Zhang Xin, flashed before his eyes. He then closed his eyes and waited for death to come.

Zhang Heng felt as if time had slowed down at the moment of his death, so much so that he had time to recall his entire life. Countless images flashed before his eyes all of a sudden, and many memories that he had long forgotten became incredibly clear.

A scene suddenly flashed before his eyes at the very beginning, when his consciousness was still in a dazed state. When he opened his eyes for the first time, he felt warmth enveloping him, and he found himself in a rather dark place. His body was tightly wrapped, and faint light seeped in from the outside. He was also able to feel a pair of warm hands caressing him from afar.

He heard a whisper in his ear, a faint melody, a woman humming softly—

"Sleep, sleep, my darling baby. Mommy loves you. Mommy likes you."

"Everything in this world, all the good wishes, all the happiness, is yours…"

Zhang Heng listened to the distant memories in a dazed manner, as if he was in a dream. The cold look in his eyes gradually softened as he listened to the humming. He stretched his body in the warmth, feeling his mother cry out before chuckling.

Zhang Heng felt as if his consciousness had truly returned to when he was still a fetus as he listened to his mother's murmurs. He felt so weak that he needed to sleep constantly to accumulate strength. However, before he realized it, a chill that came out of nowhere began to creep up on him. He held his little hand uneasily, but at that moment, he felt warmth from his glabella, which made him feel warm all over. That unease in his heart gradually subsided amidst that warmth, and he fell into a deep sleep.

He didn't know how much time passed when he suddenly felt an inexplicable urge. He began to crawl forward instinctively and began to help him crawl forward at the same time.

He worked hard, worked hard, and worked hard. He was able to crawl out of his mother's body with much difficulty as the light around him brightened. He took a deep breath and felt a burning sensation from his nose all the way to his lungs. His first breath caused him to cough nonstop, but he didn't cry like other newborns. He just kept looking for something with his eyes.

"It's born! Xiao Wang, get me the umbilical cord scissors right now!"

"Coming, Dr. He!"

"Congratulations, Ms. Huang, it's your son! He didn't cry! He's still looking at me! Oh my god!"

Cheers and laughter were heard in the operating room of the delivery room. Zhang Heng was placed on the examination table and was pushed out of the delivery room into the vaccine room after checking all the data on his body.

Zhang Heng watched all of that with a dazed look on his face, yet all he saw was the nurse stretching out her huge hand and playing with him. The nurse turned around and talked to the people in the vaccine room when they got to the vaccine room, and at that moment, a pair of dead white hands reached out from the pram that Zhang Heng was in.

However, one of the nurses turned around at that moment and her hands disappeared without a trace.

…

Time passed quickly and Zhang Heng felt as if two to three days had passed. It was only when his parents, who were over 20 years younger than him, picked him up from the hospital and brought him home that he suddenly realized that everything seemed very weird the moment he opened his eyes. However, he was unable to put his finger on what was weird, as he felt like he had forgotten something very important.

"Well then, let's name our son 'Heng'. Hopefully, he'll be able to persevere in the future."

"Zhang Heng? That's a good name!"

Zhang Heng lay in the cradle as he listened to the conversation between the two. A glint flashed across his eyes.

"That's right. I'm Zhang Heng. I'm the founder of Stellar Technology, and I've led humanity through the first occurrence. But why am I here? I seem to have forgotten something."

While Zhang Heng was racking his brains, his parents chatted with each other as they left his room. The room returned to silence for a bit.

Zhang Heng, who was still in his infancy, didn't seem to have much time to think at all. His consciousness soon became groggy again and he fell into a half-asleep state.

A gust of wind blew outside the window at that moment. Despite it being summer, Zhang Heng felt a chill that he couldn't shake off when the wind blew against him. At the same time, he felt something reaching for his head from the side of the bed.

A warm current slowly flowed from his glabella at that moment, dispelling the chill. He opened his eyes in a dazed state and saw a white arm flash before his eyes. He turned his head around instinctively and saw his parents entering the room. His eyes went wide as memories flashed through his mind like lightning.

"I'm Zhang Heng. I'm infected by the Meme of Curse. If it isn't the Death Illusion triggered by the Meme of Curse, does that mean that the Gem of Hearts is protecting me?"

Zhang Heng instinctively wanted to stand up, but his body only shuddered for a bit before he realized that he couldn't even control his body perfectly, let alone stand up. He couldn't even keep his focus for long.

"Damn it, I see! I need to get out of here, I need to…"

Shock and fury flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes, but he was unable to stop himself from feeling confused the very next second. "What am I doing?"

…

Time passed quickly again.

Zhang Heng gradually learned how to walk in the blink of an eye, and his memories became increasingly vague. He still remembered his sister, Stellar Technology, Dimensional Star, and his first attempt at breaking through. However, as time passed, everything that happened in the past seemed to have turned into a dream, blurring and confusing his memories.

However, there would be a warm current between his eyebrows every time the Meme of Curses appeared and tried to kill him. His memories would become incredibly clear at that moment and he would recall everything about himself again. However, his consciousness would sink into oblivion again when that warm current passed.

Time passed and Zhang Heng was able to remember fewer things. However, his instinct for danger remained. He had a feeling that he couldn't tell anyone about the strange hallucinations that he kept having, or else he would be in irrepressible danger.

Zhang Heng, who was still in his infancy, became increasingly quiet.

Four years later, Zhang Xin was born…

The eerie feeling he had when he looked at his younger sister, who had just been born in her swaddling clothes, became even more intense. He gently touched his sleeping sister's face, but a pair of pale hands reached out from the gaps between her clothes and grabbed his arm.

Hiss…

That pair of hands shuddered and retracted right after another wave of heat was felt from his glabella. A sharp glint flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes.

"I see now. So that's how it is. What a terrifying curse. If this continues, I'll definitely die!"

Zhang Heng turned around and took out a crayon from the children's bookshelf at the side. He then drew the image of a stellar technology logo on the wall right away. However, his hands suddenly trembled before he was done.

He was surprised to find that the entire wall he was standing on was filled with all manner of texts and patterns. All of those texts and patterns looked like they had been wiped clean before, with only faint markings left on the wall. However, only Zhang Heng was able to make out that the markings were key words like "Stellar Technology", "Curse", "Meme", and a dense array of stellar technology logos.

562. Potential Depression

"Bada!"

The four-year-old Zhang Heng's arm shuddered and the crayon dropped to the ground, breaking into two pieces.

Zhang Heng's mother walked into the room at that moment. She saw Zhang Heng staring at the wall in a daze, and when another image appeared on the wall, she shrieked and hugged Zhang Heng, crying right away.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" A dazed look was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he caressed his mother's cheek. "Did I make you angry again?"

"No, I'm not angry!" His mother shook her head right away and continued to cry. Zhang Heng's father rushed into the room when he heard the noise. He wept silently when he saw the crayon in front of Zhang Heng and the half-drawn stellar technology logo. The entire room fell into an indescribable silence.

…

"That's a typical case of potential depression." A woman in business attire wearing gold-rimmed glasses was sitting on the couch in the psychiatric hospital. She looked at the pile of scribbles that Zhang Heng's parents provided on the wall with crayons, and her eyes were filled with arrogance and confidence.

"Depression? Are you sure about that, Dr. Bai?" Zhang Heng's parents were sitting on a long couch across from the woman in business attire, with the young Zhang Heng sitting in the middle. His parents' expressions changed when they heard the word depression.

"Yes, I can basically confirm that your son is suffering from such a disease." The woman who was referred to as Doctor Bai nodded and continued in a serious manner, "But there's no need to worry too much about it. The so-called potential depression isn't something that would necessarily turn into depression. It usually has symptoms such as autism, complexity of thought, disease, multiple personality traits, and so on. However, the specific symptoms would require the patient to develop environmental factors that would enable the patient to mature. The patient has never been good at socializing with others since he was a child, and he was so obsessed with his own world that he was unable to extricate himself from it… It's obvious that everything that your son has been doing for the past two years is a combination of so-called autism and complex thinking diseases."

"What about the words and patterns on the walls?" Zhang Heng's father couldn't help but ask.

"The teachings of television, graphics, and kindergarten teachers," Doctor Bai answered immediately. "Or perhaps, your son is just imagining things."

The woman who was referred to as Dr. Bai put a stack of printed data before the two of them and continued, "I've looked up keywords such as' Grudge ',' Memes', 'Stellar Technology', and so on on the internet. There was no trace of the first term found on the internet. The second term came from an evolutionary book called 'Selfish Gene'. The author is a theoretical scientist named Richard Dawkins, and the book was released in 1976. As for the third keyword, there are simply too many of them found on the internet. For example, the Qingdao Stellar Technology Institute, Henan Stellar Technology Company, Changsha Stellar Technology Development Company, and so on. All of them are Stellar Technology. As for the details, there is simply no way to verify them."

He then adjusted his glasses and continued his analysis. "Those keywords aren't actually that important. They just show that your son is just like all the other potential depression patients. He doesn't like to play with people his age when he was young. He would prefer to paint on the walls or spend a day playing with some simple blocks. He believes that he is the only one who is real and that everything else is fake, including his family and animals. To him, everything is fake."

"But we don't think that our son thinks that we're fake." Zhang Heng's mother rubbed his head, feeling rather heartbroken, and retorted without thinking.

"I understand what you're feeling." The woman who was referred to as Dr. Bai smiled and continued, "The fact that your son is labeled as suffering from depression by a stranger is something that many parents would find unacceptable, and as such, they would subconsciously try to protect him. However, for the sake of your son, I'd like you to continue listening. To put it simply, your son may appear to be no different from other children, but his inner self is severely sealed. That is something that you would find very difficult to detect."

The three of them looked at Zhang Heng at the same time as they spoke. Zhang Heng was listening to the doctor before him quietly at the moment. However, what was even more baffling was that despite knowing that the doctor was talking about him, the four-year-old kid before him looked completely calm, as if he and everyone around him were air. Or rather, the four-year-old kid was still too young to realize what he was saying.

Doctor Bai couldn't help but frown.

"Well then, Doctor Bai, how are we going to treat my child?" Zhang Heng's mother asked again, feeling sorry for her son after confirming that he had no reaction.

"It's not that the disease is completely incurable, but it needs to be treated with medication and psychotherapy." Dr. Bai had no choice but to continue, "And I don't think you need to worry about it, because the disease has a very apt name—Genius Syndrome."

At that point, Doctor Bai sighed and continued, "Let me give you an example. When normal people observe an ant, what their brain receives is the color, the size of their feet, and the image of their appearance. However, what they see in the eyes of those who are suffering from depression is the internal structure, the extent of their activity, the neural network, and so on. They would also analyze what the ant could eat through their imagination, speculations, and other methods, such as how they ate, how their food moved from their mouth to their insides, and so on. That is the fundamental difference between normal people and those who suffer from depression."

"Patients are mostly better at calculations, creativity, and logical thinking than regular people. They have the ability to read mystery movies and know how to end things right from the start. They also have the ability to completely analyze a person's precise personality, lifestyle, and habits from their appearance, language, and actions." Dr. Bai added after seeing the shocked reactions of Zhang Heng's parents. "It's said that Einstein, Newton, da Vinci, and so on are the patients with such illnesses."

Zhang Heng's parents were stunned. The two of them looked at each other for a bit before asking, "So, my son is actually a genius?"

"That would depend on whether he's able to get used to his own disease." Doctor Bai nodded and continued, "Things were fine when he was young, but as your son gradually grew up, such mental illness would develop into two types of people. The first type would be to accept and work hard to develop such abilities. These people would either be very strong-willed or have very high IQs, and they would be able to achieve great things in certain fields. As for the other type of people with weak will and low IQs, they would either commit suicide or go to a mental hospital."

"My son is smart!" Zhang Heng's mother said right away.

"I believe you." Doctor Bai nodded politely. She checked her watch and looked at Zhang Heng all of a sudden with a friendly smile on her face. "Please excuse me for a moment, parents. I need to talk to your children in person."

Zhang Heng's parents hesitated for a bit before nodding and getting up to leave. Before they left, Zhang Heng's mother patted his head affectionately.

563. Psychological Counterattack

It was only when Zhang Heng's parents left the room that Dr. Bai turned around and looked at him. She flashed a smile and said habitually, "Zhang Heng, don't be afraid. Don't treat me like an aunt. Just treat me like a friend of your own age, okay?"

"I'm not scared." Zhang Heng, who was only four years old, tilted his head and leaned against the couch, saying in a child-like voice, "How should I address you then, my friend of the same age?"

Dr. Bai was stunned and looked at Zhang Heng in a daze before breaking out into laughter. "You sure are bold. Well then, just call me Bai Qin and I'll call you Little Heng."

"Very reasonable." Zhang Heng nodded nonchalantly.

"Well then, Xiao Heng, I'd like to ask you a few questions right now." Bai Qin took out a piece of paper that looked like a test paper and asked, "This is the questionnaire form that you've filled out before. The sixteenth question on it, 'Am I afraid of the dark?' Answer no. Twenty-third question, answer no if I'm afraid of being alone. Twenty-six, answer no if I'm afraid of having nightmares."

Bai Qin's expression gradually became serious. That was a psychological cue. One had to get closer to the other party before acting serious, which would make it easier for the patient to feel fear and answer the question honestly. She then continued in a serious tone, "You're not answering all of the questions. I'm sure there are a few questions that are definite, right? Everyone has something that they're afraid of. Don't be afraid, you have to overcome it! Now, I want you to tell me what you're afraid of."

However, Bai Qin didn't expect that her psychological suggestion would be rendered useless in front of that four-year-old child. Zhang Heng wore an adult-like grin on his face and said immediately, "Bai Qin, tell me what you're afraid of first before I tell you what I'm afraid of, okay?"

Bai Qin was stunned yet again when she heard that. She was rather surprised by the four-year-old's question. She hesitated for a bit before saying rather unwillingly, "Alright then, let's make the deal fair."

Bai Qin thought for a bit and continued in a rather perfunctory manner, "When I was young, my grandmother passed away and I cried for a very long time. I've been very afraid of seeing the deaths of my family and loved ones ever since. I guess that's what I'm afraid of."

"The one who cared for you died?" Zhang Heng looked at Bai Qin with a rather scrutinizing look. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure of it. You're still young and probably don't know what I'm talking about." Bai Qin felt rather angry and quickly tried to explain herself. "But you have a grandmother, right? I like my grandmother a lot. You'll never be able to see her again after an old woman dies, understand?"

"Of course I do." However, Zhang Heng stood up and walked over to Bai Qin and sat down before her. He ran his chubby little hands through her black hair and said softly, "But your eyes told me that you lied to me."

"How did I lie to you?" Bai Qin suddenly felt that the wind outside the window was rather cold. She leaned back subconsciously and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm telling the truth. Liars are dogs."

"What you're afraid of is not the death of your grandmother, but the unknowns that would form after your family dies." Zhang Heng continued to lower his voice. His eyes darted around for a bit, as if there was something unknown lurking around before he turned his attention to Bai Qin. "Such as… ghosts?"

"Y-You kids shouldn't let your imagination run wild!" Bai Qin laughed when she heard that. However, she was able to tell that her smile at that moment was definitely extremely ugly. She quickly shifted on the couch and avoided the weird gaze of the boy before her. She picked up the questionnaire on the table and said in a flustered manner, "Now, it's time for you to tell me what you're afraid of."

Zhang Heng kept his expression and returned to his seat, saying coldly, "Myself."

"Are you afraid of yourself?" Bai Qin asked.

"Sometimes." Zhang Heng nodded in a mature manner.

"Why are you afraid of yourself?" Bai Qin held her breath, feeling increasingly baffled by the little boy before her.

"That's because I'm always able to see through some people's lies." Zhang Heng narrowed his big, bright eyes, a glint of mockery flashing in them.

"Who is it?" Bai Qin's heart skipped a beat and she asked reluctantly.

"Such as… you." Zhang Heng leaned on the couch like a child and crossed his legs. "I can see your lies and arrogance clearly."

"When did I ever lie to you?" Bai Qin let out a sigh of relief and laughed out of anger. "Alright then, even if I did lie to you, can I apologize to you?"

"You don't need to apologize." Zhang Heng beat her to it before she was able to finish. He chuckled as he leaned back against the couch.

"Why not?" Bai Qin asked right away.

"Because you're an adult now." Zhang Heng thought for a bit and looked at Bai Qin with a sympathetic gaze. "That would be very embarrassing."

Bai Qin looked at Zhang Heng with a dazed expression, suddenly feeling fear for the boy before her.

Zhang Heng stood up again and took the questionnaire from Bai Qin's hand in a very natural manner. He read the questionnaire in a childlike manner and asked, "The 26th question. Are you afraid of having nightmares?"

"You want me to answer?" Bai Qin asked mechanically.

"Yes or no?" Zhang Heng continued to ask with an aggressive tone.

"…" Bai Qin was silent for a bit before replying firmly, "No!"

Zhang Heng shook his head and smiled. He slowly pushed the questionnaire out of his hand and lowered his voice as he said, "You should answer—yes."

…

Zhang Heng walked out of the physiotherapy room leisurely 10 minutes later. Zhang Heng's parents had been waiting for him for quite a while. They only went to the door of the physiotherapy room when they saw Zhang Heng coming out. However, they saw that Dr. Bai, who had been rather arrogant before, was sitting on the couch with a pale face, staring at the exam papers on the table.

"How's my son doing, Dr. Bai?" Zhang Heng's mother asked right away.

It was only then that Bai Qin came to her senses. She looked at the two of them and a look of lingering fear was seen on her face. "I'm afraid that I won't be able to treat your children. Please find someone else."

"What happened?" Zhang Heng's parents were stunned and his mother became even more anxious. "Dr. Bai, is there something wrong with my son's condition?"

"…" Bai Qin shook her head and said with a bitter smile, "His condition is beyond my knowledge. Are you two sure that your child is only four years old? I've been working for so many years and I've never felt anything like this…"

She then looked at the worried expressions on Zhang Heng's parents' faces and added, "It feels like someone has seen through everything."

564. Split Personality

Zhang Heng was dragged out of the psychiatric hospital by his parents. Before he left, he even flashed a smile at the psychologist, Bai Qin, who was standing at the door. However, that smile of his made Bai Qin, who was initially feeling relieved, shudder all over. Despite it being the middle of the night, Bai Qin felt as if she was frozen to the core.

The three of them didn't say anything throughout the entire trip, yet there was a stifling atmosphere brewing in their mouths…

Zhang Heng's father took a look at Zhang Heng, who went to play with the Rubik's cube without feeling anything, when he got home. He sighed deeply and went to the balcony to smoke one cigarette after another. Zhang Heng's mother was feeding Zhang Xin, who was just born not long ago. When Zhang Heng's father returned to the living room, he took a look around the room and found that Zhang Heng wasn't there.

"Xiao Heng is asleep…" Zhang Heng's mother said with a troubled look on her face, "Just say what you want to say."

Zhang Heng's father sat on the couch and sighed. "I think we should send Heng to the Children's Welfare Institute, mother of the child. You know how much money we've spent on him all these years. Our family's expenses are getting higher, yet his condition is becoming increasingly unstable. Now that he has Xin, it's even harder for him to sustain himself. I'm really afraid that he'd one day…"

His father stopped talking at that point.

"But I can't bear to part with him." Zhang Heng's mother hesitated for a bit before continuing with a reluctant look on her face, "Xiao Heng is a very introverted person and I'm not used to being in the Children's Welfare Institute. What if he gets sad when he can't see me?"

"Wake up." However, the usually calm and collected Yan Fu wore a bitter, defeated grin. "Cry? Has Little Heng cried since he was born? He hasn't shed a single tear, let alone cry. And it's precisely because he's introverted that we should let him interact with the outside world better. If he were to be sent to the Children's Welfare Institute, his condition would be suppressed, and we'd be able to cut down on a lot of expenses."

"Can you really bear to do that?" Zhang Heng's mother couldn't help but cry.

"No, I can't. Is there anything else I can do?" His father closed his eyes in pain and scratched his head. "Do you really think that I don't want to treat Little Heng? Do you really think that I don't want to be a good father? But I'm useless! I can't earn enough money to treat his illness. What else can I do?"

"You still can't just abandon Little Heng like that. Little Heng has a fragile heart to begin with. If you were to abandon him again, are you trying to kill your own son?"

The two of them began to argue as their opinions differed. All of a sudden, a gentle breeze blew from the bedroom and both of them fell silent at the same time. They turned around slowly and looked at the door of the bedroom.

It was late at night and the dim lights in the living room were unable to penetrate the darkness of the bedroom. However, the two of them were able to vaguely see Zhang Heng's petite figure standing in the shadows at the door of the bedroom with his head lowered, making him look like a ghost.

"Y-Young!" Zhang Heng's mother's expression changed drastically and a chill ran down her spine all of a sudden. She took two steps back and wore a sheepish expression. "Y-You're asleep, right?"

"Dad, mom." Zhang Heng's childlike voice was heard slowly. "Are you guys not going to have me?"

"N-No!" Zhang Heng's mother shook her head right away and was about to walk up to her, but her father held her back all of a sudden. Zhang Heng was stunned and slowly lowered his head, his pupils dilating as he saw a sharp knife in his hand.

Zhang Heng's mother turned around right away and looked at her husband, not knowing what to do. However, Zhang Heng's father simply raised his index finger and shook his head. He kept his gaze fixed on Zhang Heng and dragged his mother back to their bedroom.

Zhang Heng's parents only breathed a sigh of relief when the two of them returned to their own rooms. Zhang Heng's parents even went as far as to plug in the newly installed locks. Zhang Heng's mother was even more stunned when she saw what happened, as she saw that her husband had installed four to five locks on the door of his bedroom at some point in time.

"Don't just stand around and watch. Hurry up and help!" Zhang Heng's father quickly plugged all of them in and urged his mother at the same time. His eyes had turned extremely stern, as if he was about to face a formidable enemy.

Zhang Heng's mother was completely stunned. She reflexively walked to the door of the bedroom and said in a daze, "W-What are you doing?"

"Haven't you realized it yet?" Zhang Heng's father shouted as he plugged up all the plug-ins. "He's gone crazy! Our son is out of his mind! He's trying to kill us!"

"But…" Zhang Heng's mother found it even more unbelievable. She was about to open the latch when the door shuddered violently all of a sudden, as if a calf had crashed into the door of the bedroom.

"Ahh!" The sudden impact shocked both of them. Zhang Heng's mother let out a shriek and fell to the ground. His father, on the other hand, wore a terrified look on his face and pulled his mother's arm while backing away. It seemed that the further away they were from the door, the more likely they would be able to evade the unknown impact.

"Dad, mom, open the door and let me in." Zhang Heng's voice was heard from outside the door and he kept banging on the door.

"It's late at night now. Get some sleep, Heng!" Zhang Heng's father shouted, hoping that he could use that excuse to persuade Zhang Heng to leave.

"Boom!"

However, before Zhang Heng's father was able to finish his sentence, a loud crash that was even louder than before was heard. Both of them felt the entire room shudder for a bit, and the wooden door was unable to withstand the impact. Cracks appeared on the door, and one of the decorative panels was even shattered.

Zhang Heng's parents shuddered as they saw the shock in each other's eyes. Zhang Heng's mother picked Zhang Xin up from the cradle without a second thought, while his father dragged the wooden wardrobe and bed over to the door of the bedroom.

"Boom!"

Another loud bang was heard and it sounded like a battering ram was heard. A nail shot out from the nail and went straight for Zhang Heng's father's face. Zhang Heng's father didn't realize it at first, and it was only when he felt an itch on his face that he realized that he had been cut.

The collisions continued and the marble flooring began to crack and wail. Cracks spread all the way to their feet and every single crash felt like a sledgehammer striking their hearts, throwing them into a panic. Zhang Heng's father had no choice but to protect his wife and daughter out of instinct. There was nothing else he could do.

Just when Zhang Heng's father felt that the door was about to burst open, the banging stopped.

The two of them looked at each other and saw fear in each other's eyes.

Boom!

The deadliest sound of impact was heard all of a sudden and the wooden door of the bedroom was completely shattered with a loud crack. The sound of friction between the wardrobe, bed, and flooring was deafening. The entire door, as well as the wooden furniture that weighed over 100 kilograms, was pushed two to three meters away by some invisible force.

Zhang Heng's childish laughter was heard from outside the door at that moment.

"Hehehe, mom, I found you guys!" Zhang Heng chuckled as he walked into the room. He didn't look flustered or out of breath at all, as if he wasn't the one who pushed that huge thing just then.

"Heng…" The two of them backed away subconsciously. What happened at the moment had completely exceeded their understanding of reality. Who would have thought that a four-year-old kid would be able to tear a wooden door that weighed hundreds of kilograms apart? That was simply unimaginable.

"I told you…" The young figure walked in slowly and the smile on Zhang Heng's face gradually disappeared, turning into an indescribable malevolence. "Open the door!" His voice became thick and hoarse at the end of his sentence, sounding like the noise of metal scraping against glass. His face twisted at the same time, as if a demon's face was seen protruding from the inside of his face.

Zhang Heng's parents blacked out after seeing such a terrifying scene and completely lost consciousness.

565. Reincarnation

Zhang Heng raised his hand rather stiffly when he saw his unconscious parents, revealing a cold, shiny knife.

However, just when he was about to walk up to his parents, Zhang Xin, who was still in her mother's arms, suddenly burst into tears.

Zhang Heng felt a stream of heat flow from between his eyebrows right after Zhang Xin cried. That stream of heat was warm at first, but when it flowed into his brain, it became cool and refreshing, as if he was suddenly enlightened. His sinister-looking eyes calmed down right away, turning blank for a moment before turning dark.

"What was I doing just now?"

Zhang Heng lowered his head and mumbled to himself. He heard a clang and the shiny knife fell to the ground. He looked at his hands with a pale face. He was so close to killing his family.

Just when he was feeling at a loss of what to do, he felt a chill running down his spine. He spun around and saw a little boy, who looked completely pale, flash past the door. He narrowed his eyes and stepped out of the door without a second thought. He saw a woman covered in blood standing in the corridor. However, the woman disappeared again after he blinked.

"That's all there is to it." There was no hint of fear in Zhang Heng's expression, only helplessness and confusion. He continued in a low voice, "Why, why am I 'waking up' less? Why is' Zhang Heng 'in such a state? Could it be…"

"Crack, crack…" A wave of heat was felt from his glabella at that moment. At the same time, there was the sound of something cracking. Zhang Heng was stunned and looked around, finding that the cracking sound seemed to have come from his glabella…

Zhang Heng's breath caught in his throat and he instinctively touched his forehead, only to find it to be completely smooth. He was only four years old after all, and there was no way he could have gotten his hands on the so-called Mind Gem.

But then again, if there was no Mind Gem, what was protecting him?

Zhang Heng realized what was going on. It was obvious that, as one of the ultimate powers of the Marvel plane, the Mind Gem possessed a physical property that Zhang Heng was unable to comprehend. The Mind Gem was currently traversing the barriers between time and space, expending all of its energy to protect him.

Zhang Heng initially thought that all of that was just some kind of illusion created by some kind of curse. However, after four years, he no longer felt that way. Every time he came to his senses, he would be able to tell that he had truly lived through that period of time. The feeling of time slipping away was definitely not something that could be faked, not to mention faking it in front of someone like Zhang Heng, who had a will that was so strong that it seemed to have reached the limits of humanity.

If that was the case, then there could only be one possibility—all of that was the power of the Grudge Monster. The monster had twisted time and space in order to evade the protection of the Mind Gem and kill him, seeking opportunities to kill him from his past.

Zhang Heng's will, on the other hand, had been in a state of unconsciousness for most of the time after he was born. He had a vague feeling that this was something that was inevitable when he headed to the past.

The scientific community was always talking about space-time travel, time machines, and so on, yet there was no way to explain the emergence of paradoxes like the 'grandmother paradox', 'banana skin theory', and so on. After all, humans were subjective, dynamic beings. Their lives were never-ending, and they were constantly seeking death. If they were able to return to the past, the history of humanity would have been thrown into chaos. As such, scientists were inclined to believe that humans were unable to return to the past.

It was only when the theory of relativity proved that humans were unable to return to the past and could only return to a plane that was' basically the same as reality, but time was even more advanced 'that the proposition of the discussion gradually began to die down.

Zhang Heng was now able to confirm that humans could return to the past, but the price they had to pay was to sink deeper into the past. There was simply no way to change the past. Only the Mind Gem would be able to awaken their original consciousness within minutes.

That only served to further illustrate just how terrifying Meme could be. Not only could Meme distort time and space, bringing Zhang Heng back to more than 20 years ago, but it could also change the past and erase all traces of him from this world.

That wasn't all. The four-year-old 'Zhang Heng' had been influenced by Meme to have a violent and brutal side to him. Meme had actually tried to kill his parents. It was obvious that she was doing the same thing as Meme. She attacked Zhang Heng mentally and even gained a portion of his mental power in the future. That was also how Meme worked.

If there was one thing that made Zhang Heng shudder all over, it was the cracking sound from before. The Mind Gem was connected to Zhang Heng's mental state. Despite being separated by time and space at the moment, Zhang Heng could still vaguely sense that the Mind Gem was about to give out.

The power of the Mind Gem and the Meme of Curse had clashed over the past four years, making him look like a loyal servant who had sworn to protect Zhang Heng from being 'erased' by the Meme. However, he had reached the end of his rope by then.

Crack crack…

The shattering of the Mind Gem continued, as if it was a piece of glass that was about to shatter, breaking down uncontrollably. At the same time, an even greater heatwave gushed into his sea of consciousness.

Wait…

Something seemed to have appeared in his mind.

Zhang Heng looked up all of a sudden. Countless memories flooded into his mind, making him feel like he was in a dam that had just been opened and a torrent was pouring out of it. He was unable to stop himself.

"N-No way! How could this be?!" A look of shock was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes, which quickly turned into utter shock. He clutched his head and howled at the same time.

Countless memories came to mind all of a sudden. Four years, eight years, sixteen years, thirty-two years…

Zhang Heng's mind was suddenly filled with memories that had lasted for over a hundred years in just a few seconds. However, those memories made him feel utter despair and shock, as he realized that he hadn't spent four years in the first place, but four years that had happened tens or even hundreds of times.

He was caught in a four-year cycle.

Zhang Heng's eyes turned red all of a sudden as he glared at Zhang Xin, who was still crying in her baby clothes. He suddenly remembered everything at that moment—it turned out that his family would always be his weakness. Every time he was reincarnated, he would kill three of his family members after Zhang Xin was born. He would then fall into indescribable panic and confusion after regaining his senses, causing his heart to completely collapse, which would allow the curse to find his weakness.

However, the Mind Gem would definitely mess things up every time the Grudge Monster found a loophole, forcing Zhang Heng to return to his fetal stage and start all over again.

And this time, it was the Mind Gem, which only had the last bit of its power left, that allowed him to regain his sanity at all costs when he was about to kill his family. That was because even the Mind Gem knew that this was his last chance.

If he were to fall into depravity again, there would be no way he would be able to defeat the meme, as the Mind Gem was about to exhaust all of his power.

If he failed, he would die.

Madness flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes as he shouted at the top of his lungs, as if he was warning the heavens and earth.

"I'm Zhang Heng. I can't fail! I won't get lost next time! I definitely won't!"

As he said that, he drained all of the power from the Mind Gem and poured all of that power into his eyes. His eyes burst open and became two bloody holes.

Cracking sounds were heard all around him at the same time. If he were able to see what was happening right now, he would have realized that the space he was in was like a mirror that kept cracking and eventually shattering.

Zhang Heng's consciousness turned into a stream of light under the protection of the Mind Gem at the very last moment when the space shattered. He plunged into the river of time with a plop and found himself in some kind of bizarre reversal. He felt countless roars ringing in his ears. They were the sounds of billions of people talking, the chirping of birds, the rumbling of cars and trains, and the natural sounds of wind, rain, and thunder.

However, no matter what the noise was, it was all inverted.

Zhang was unable to withstand the torrent of noise and passed out right away…

566. Calling The Police

He had no idea how much time passed. It felt like an instant, yet it also felt like 10,000 years.

Zhang Heng felt warmth enveloping him the moment he regained consciousness. He also felt a pair of warm hands caressing his body.

A familiar woman's faint moan was heard.

"Sleep, sleep, my dear baby…"

Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief. He was back. He had returned to the beginning of his life, back to the time before he was born.

However, there was something else that was different from what he saw before, and that was that everything before him was pitch-black. There was no sign of the faint light that shone through his mother's skin.

However, Zhang Heng didn't doubt that at all. When he performed the Space-Time Reversal for the last time, he personally disfigured his eyes. A born blind man was the last role he played.

Another chill came at that moment. Zhang Heng frowned slightly, but there was no longer any warmth between his eyebrows.

The chill was getting closer, until it was just inches away from him. While he couldn't see it, he was able to feel that there was a human face looking at him, and he could hear the sound of clacking from that person's mouth.

The chill had reached its peak by then, yet Zhang Heng, who was still a fetus, was only feeling tense. He was taking a gamble that the meme wouldn't kill him.

He didn't know how much time passed, but when his will was on the verge of breaking down, that chill gradually subsided and disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.

He made the right bet!

Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief deep down. While they had never been able to unravel the secrets of the Memes in the countless experiments conducted by the Stellar Foundation, if Zhang Heng were to claim to be second in terms of understanding of the Memes of Curses, no one on Earth would dare claim to be first.

The most important aspect of suppressing the curse was to prevent fear from arising in one's heart. The lower one's level of trust and fear, the more fearless one would be. The longer the incubation period of the curse remained, the more one would fear the existence of the curse and the monsters. The incubation period of the curse would become shorter, and the frequency and extent of the outbreak would become increasingly ferocious.

It wasn't too difficult for Zhang Heng to keep himself from feeling fear with his superhuman will. Being born blind would also help him to borrow more mental power from his source for his own use. A plan was laid out in his mind at the moment.

Time passed quickly and the familiar feeling came again very quickly. Zhang Heng was born and the doctors and nurses around him congratulated him as well as thanked him by his mother. However, Zhang Heng simply stretched his hand out and didn't cry at all before falling asleep with the exhaustion of a newborn.

Zhang Heng was carried by a pair of unfamiliar arms to another room while he was still in a dazed state, as if they were checking his body for him. He felt a chill run down his spine yet again, but he gradually got used to it due to his experience. The chill quickly subsided.

The doctor's regretful voice was heard right after the checkup was done. "Ms. Huang, I'm sorry, but according to our tests, your child suffers from retinopathy. I'm afraid…"

"What?" His mother's young voice was heard.

"Retinopathy. That's not a rare disease, and it's what we call congenital blindness," the doctor said, trying to comfort her. "But there's still hope. We need to check on those diseases further. If they're not too severe, there's still a chance of curing them."

Zhang Heng felt himself being pulled into his mother's embrace after chatting for a bit. He could feel his mother's warmth from his body, and it felt as if drops of water were dripping onto his face and into the corner of his mouth. It was bitter and astringent. It was the first time he had tasted something like that since he was born in this world.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself and stretched out his chubby little hand before falling asleep again.

It seemed to be late at night when Zhang Heng woke up again. Other than him, there were several other faint sounds of breathing in the room. It was obvious that this was the nursery that many children and women had. Due to the fact that the place was sealed off, it was always kept at a temperature that was suitable for infants.

Zhang Heng began to attempt to control his body, but when seen from the outside, he looked like a baby playing. He moved his limbs from time to time, making it easier for him to control his limbs.

It was just that the baby's nerves had yet to fully develop, and it would take a lot of time and training to reach the stage where it could walk with ease. As such, Zhang Heng began to test his vocal chords after doing some exercise and began screaming loudly.

However, just when Zhang Heng was getting used to his new body, another gust of wind blew at him all of a sudden. The wind felt out of place in the nursery, as if it was filled with endless cold and malevolence. Zhang Heng's frail body shuddered all of a sudden. However, before he was able to sense anything, a baby suddenly wailed in the direction where the cold wind came from.

However, the wailing was unable to stop the cold that was closing in on him. However, as the cold wind continued to blow, more newborns began to cry loudly. Zhang Heng was able to tell from his hearing that the curse was closing in on him.

However, the wailing of the baby successfully attracted the attention of the nurses who were out on errands. Zhang Heng immediately felt the chill dissipate at an extremely fast rate when the nurse appeared at the glass door outside the nursery, disappearing completely.

The first rule of the Cursed Model was that 'Cursed Models could not have a third-person observer when their lifeforms were affected'.

Time passed quickly and a month passed in the blink of an eye. Zhang Heng would feel a chill approaching him every three days during that one month, but that chill was eventually blocked by his will and was unable to harm him in the slightest.

However, Zhang Heng was already home by then. After further testing by the hospital and finding out that his congenital blindness was completely incurable, his parents finally gave up and took him back to his familiar yet unfamiliar home.

Over the past month, Zhang Heng's control over his body, strength, and speech had all reached the level of one to two years old. However, to outsiders, Zhang Heng was still an extremely ordinary baby who was born blind. No one knew that what was hidden in that baby's body was a grown soul.

Zhang Heng was not the only one who had made significant progress in terms of both body and language, but what truly surprised him was that the number and duration of his consciousness waking up was far longer than it had been in the past. In his previous life, his consciousness had begun to sink and he would often forget who he was. However, in this life, he was unable to bring himself to sink into oblivion. It was as if he had everything in his grasp in this life.

That wasn't all. Due to the loss of his vision, his instincts were constantly finding new ways to replace his vision. The pineal gland in the baby's brain was also developing at a crazy rate, taking advantage of the massive mental power of his real body.

It was well known that infancy were the most malleable periods. During such periods, the personality, memory, habits, and even physiological structures of humans could all be transformed according to the environment, enabling them to possess unparalleled malleability. The brains of infants, in particular, had astonishing levels of activity. It was due to that aspect of infants that Zhang Heng was willing to risk everything to destroy his eyes, turning him into someone born blind in a new life.

Zhang Heng felt a throbbing pain from his glabella at that very moment. He knew that it was the pineal glabella known as the Eye of Horus or the third eye. Due to the connection between that body and his real body, his pineal glabella was even more developed than the first 400 cycles. It was so close to his glabella that it was about to burst out of his body.

A plan that Zhang Heng had planned for a long time was slowly being laid out. Everything was in place, and he was just waiting for the right moment.

Zhang Heng was lying in the cradle of the baby at the moment. He looked outside the door and, with the help of his mental power, he was able to sense that his parents had left. He finally flashed a grin and waved his hand, causing the microphone placed not far away to float into the air and slowly land in front of Zhang Heng. Several buttons on the phone were automatically pushed down, and there were only three numbers pressed down. The three numbers were…

110.

567. Meeting Wang Shouyi Again

Wang Shouyi was a police officer from a police station in Chongzhou.

He was already 30 years old this year, yet he was still just a regular staff member. As everyone knew, the police department was one of the most difficult departments to get promoted in situations where connections weren't strong enough. That fact made him very troubled.

As such, Wang Shouyi worked even harder than before, to the extent that he was able to do better than those young people who had just joined the team. However, seeing that someone younger than him had been promoted to an assistant subject, he could only feel anxious deep down, yet there was nothing he could do about it.

He needed an opportunity to stand before his superior.

It was Wang Shouyi's turn to be on duty that day and he received a call from the command center of the Municipal Public Security Bureau as usual. However, this time, it wasn't some petty dispute or theft, but a burglary case. The police officer was given the landline number of the person who called Wang Shouyi.

Typically speaking, when it came to money infringement cases, burglaries were the least serious, robbery was second, and robbery was the most severe. There was a burglary that took place in the city, and the security of the city became increasingly secure after being subjected to multiple beatings. It was definitely a major event, and even the leaders of the city bureau might get involved in it. As such, Wang Shouyi didn't dare to be careless and immediately called all the police officers in his squad and drove the police cars to Paradise Park as quickly as possible.

A group of people rushed upstairs as soon as the police car arrived at the designated floor. Everyone took out tear gas from their police gear and headed straight for the door when they got there.

Wang Shouyi took a deep breath and took out his phone, making a call to the previous landline. However, no matter how hard he tried, the landline remained unanswered. Just when he was about to think of another way, he heard the door opening slowly.

"Hello, you're the one who called…" Wang Shouyi walked up to the man who opened the door and was about to greet him, but his voice was immediately suppressed.

That was because he saw that there was only an empty lobby behind the door, but there was no one in the living room.

Wang Shouyi and the rest of the police officers looked at each other for a bit before Wang Shouyi gritted his teeth and walked in first. He felt a chill run down his spine as soon as he walked in, and he shuddered all of a sudden. He gripped his tear gas and baton tightly and began to search the rooms.

The room was eerily quiet.

The police officers followed closely behind Wang Shouyi as soon as he entered the room. It was a very ordinary-looking residential area and the area of the room was only about 80 to 90 square meters. The furnishings in the room were also very mundane. It took only a few seconds for everyone to get a clear look of everything in the room.

There was no one else in the room except for a baby who looked to have just been born in one of the nursery rooms. Other than that, there was nothing else out of place.

That was weird. If there was no one else in the room, who was the one who opened the door and called the police?

That thought lingered in everyone's minds. Wang Shouyi pulled the police officer beside him and said, "Go, knock on the door next door and see if there's anyone around. At the same time, find out who the people living here are."

"Yes sir!" The police officer ran out immediately.

Wang Shouyi was still feeling rather uneasy after giving the order. He raised his phone again and dialed the number reserved by the police. However, a landline in the nursery rang right away.

Wang Shouyi put down the phone after hearing that voice. The whole thing sounded very weird. When the landlord called the police, he said that he had been robbed, but if that was the case, why would the other party give him a chance to call? When they arrived at the scene of the crime, they found that the door that was initially locked was opened by itself. That was no automatic door, and no one would have installed an automatic door for their door.

What was even more bizarre was that there was no one else in the room other than a sleeping baby, which was rather surprising.

Helpless, Wang Shouyi walked up to the cot and took a look at the baby. The baby seemed to be in a deep sleep at the moment and had its eyes closed. Judging from its appearance, the baby had just been born not long ago and had yet to fully mature. Its face was still rather wrinkled. However, just when Wang Shouyi bent down and was about to take a closer look, the baby suddenly opened its eyes without warning.

What kind of eyes were those? The whites of the eyes took up 99 percent of the entirety of that pair of eyes, with only a pair of pupils the size of needles being black. Other than that, the baby didn't even have a iris!

An indescribable chill ran down his spine all of a sudden. Wang Shouyi felt as if his scalp was about to explode. He quickly retreated and dropped to the ground.

…

Half an hour later, when Zhang Heng's parents got home, they found two men dressed in black standing before their door, with serious expressions on their faces.

"Good day. Please hold on for a moment." One of the men in black extended his hand and stood in front of Zhang Heng's parents before handing them a letter and a black suitcase.

"Who are you? What are you doing?" Zhang Heng's father asked cautiously.

"We're from the Research Center for Human Potential Development at the Academy of Sciences. We've officially hired your son due to his special constitution. Here is the contract. Please take a look at it." One of the men in black took out a piece of identification. While Zhang Heng had never seen the badge on it before, the red pentagram and the word 'direct' from the center still gave his father quite a shock.

"What did you do to my son?" Zhang Heng's mother's expression changed drastically and she turned around to look at the room, only to find that the door to the room had been opened and she rushed inside right away.

"Please be at ease, gentlemen. We can ensure that your son is safe and unharmed," the man in black said immediately.

Zhang Heng's father seemed to have realized something by then. He looked at the two of them with a serious expression and said, "I'd like to see my son. I'd also like to know what happened."

"Don't worry. We'll report this request immediately and you'll get your approval very soon. As long as the leaders agree, you'll be able to find out what happened, and it wouldn't be difficult for you to even see your son." The two of them then gradually breathed a sigh of relief. What they were most worried about was that Zhang Heng's parents wouldn't know what was good for them, and that they would make it known to everyone. While the Academy of Sciences wasn't afraid of such things, it was nonetheless a matter of political future and their own fate.

Zhang Heng's father was a reasonable man after all, and he was able to calm his mother down very quickly. Zhang Heng's father slowly opened the black suitcase after the two men in black left, before looking at the stack of cash in silence.

…

On the other side, Wang Shouyi had been summoned three times after reporting the situation to the authorities. The first time was with the chief, the second time was with the chief, and the third time was with some high-ranking official from the Ministry of State Security. All of them asked him about the situation and encouraged him, instructing him not to spread the word of the incident to anyone else. There were even people from the National Security Agency who would be present the next day to sign an agreement with him.

All in all, Wang Shouyi's political career would have been completely changed by then.

568. Weird Video

Zhang Heng felt a chill run down his spine as soon as Duan Xishan turned around. Not only that, but the lights above his head began to flicker intensely, as if voltage was suddenly unstable.

However, Zhang Heng knew very well that the reason for such a phenomenon was definitely not due to some kind of sinister fetish used by ghost models to scare and create a terrifying atmosphere. Instead, it was a natural phenomenon that signified that the cursed models were approaching. At the same time, the humans' Biopharmaceuticals and sixth sense were able to sense that danger was approaching, which was why they felt all manner of discomfort.

Duan Xishan didn't know if he was seeing things or not, but when everyone turned around, he felt a chill running down his spine, as if something sinister was staring at him. Duan Xishan felt as if all the goosebumps on his body were about to burst, as if there was a venomous snake lying on his shoulder, sticking out its tongue and staring at him with its emotionless eyes. However, when he couldn't help but turn around to look, he found nothing.

Some of them were unable to hold on for more than 10 seconds. One of the junior leaders turned around uneasily and looked behind him, only to find that all the lights in the quarantine room had been turned off at some point.

"Y-Young Master!" The young leader's expression changed drastically and he immediately called out.

Everyone turned around when they heard that. Some medical personnel rushed out without waiting for Duan Xishan's order, opened the door, and rushed into the quarantine room.

It was only when they rushed in that they realized that the baby in the swaddling clothes had passed out with a pale face. The medical staff went up to check on him right away, only to find that his body felt as cold as ice, as if he had just been placed in an icehouse and brought out…

"Heal him immediately. Scan his entire body for me as well. I want to know every single movement of his body like the back of my hand." Duan Xishan ordered immediately after receiving the reports from the two of them. He hated himself for being too reckless at the moment. If anything were to happen to Zhang Heng, his position would probably be over.

However, just when the medical staff was about to carry Zhang Heng away, the strange baby suddenly opened its eyes again.

"Shadowless Lamp!" Zhang Heng's childish voice was filled with urgency. "Don't take me away from here. I need to stay in a room with no shadows at all! Not only that, I need at least 10 people to keep an eye on me every second. Don't let me out of sight!"

Duan Xishan snorted and said, "We can't agree to your request."

"Do as he says," the vice director urged.

"Principal?" Duan Xishan frowned.

"Before we get to the bottom of everything, we need to be very cautious when dealing with any mysterious objects. We can't afford to take things lightly," the vice-principal replied casually.

"…Yes, sir!" Duan Xishan then said to the people around him, feeling indignant, "If that's the case, send him back to the biological quarantine center and send someone to check the electrical circuits here. Check if there's something wrong with the circuits. Get 30 more guards here. I want them to rotate 24 / 7!"

Zhang Heng only returned to the quarantine room after he finished fixing all the lights in the room. Ten fully armed soldiers in military uniforms walked into the room and stood in a line before him. All of them had their eyes fixed on Zhang Heng, as if he would disappear in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Heng finally breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that.

On the other side, Duan Xishan had someone retrieve the surveillance footage from the surveillance cameras. In the mid-1990s, the video was still being recorded on video, but Duan Xishan noticed that his two assistants, who had recorded and watched the footage beforehand, looked rather glum.

"Did something happen?" Duan Xishan couldn't help but ask.

The two assistants looked at each other and shook their heads, as if nothing had happened. However, Duan Xishan saw deep fear in their eyes.

"Let's take a look first." Just when Duan Xishan was about to press the issue further, the vice-director patted him on the shoulder and headed for the screening room. Duan Xishan took a good look at Zhang Heng, who was still in the quarantine room, before catching up with him.

They went to the screening room and one of the assistants put the video into the projector with a shaky hand. The video was projected on the white screen before them through the projector and the image in the room was immediately displayed on the piece of paper.

The recording between the two assistants didn't take very long. The surveillance footage went into the experimental phase of turning the crowd around in about five minutes. Duan Xishan saw the lights in the quarantine room start to flicker intensely the moment he turned around. That was a sign that electrical voltage was extremely unstable. However, if the power supply in the laboratory was truly unstable, the authorities would report it to him beforehand. After all, the Academy of Sciences was the institute, and any experiment that resulted in electrical instability would result in massive losses.

Furthermore, none of them felt any electrical instability when they were outside the quarantine room. Did that mean that electrical instability was only seen in the quarantine room?

All of a sudden, everyone was reminded of the ill intentions and feeling of being watched from behind the scenes. For some reason, Duan Xishan and everyone else present couldn't help but feel that something was off.

A faint sound of wood rubbing against each other was heard in the very next second. The sound was very faint and barely noticeable, but everyone couldn't help but frown when they heard that sound. The vice president of the Academy of Sciences turned around and asked, "What? There's noise in that video?"

"No, it's not. Due to the uniqueness of the experiment, the surveillance footage from the Research Bureau of the Research of Human Potential Development would record the sound. That sound should have come from the quarantine room back then," Duan Xishan answered right away. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and turned his head to look at the screen again. However, he saw something black appearing in the right corner of the quarantine room under the flickering lights.

"What's that?" A small leader asked instinctively.

Duan Xishan narrowed his gaze and lifted his glasses as hard as he could. Unfortunately, due to the technology available in the 1990s, the footage wasn't very clear. He was only able to make out a silhouette that looked like a black shadow, but he was unable to make out what it was.

Everyone couldn't help but lean their upper bodies forward. However, none of them saw that the faces of the two recording assistants turned even paler when they saw that black shadow. They even backed away in fear.

Clack, clack, clack…

The noise that seemed to be both noise and electrical problems became somewhat clearer. However, everyone gradually realized that the black thing was approaching the baby in the cradle at a speed visible to the naked eye. At the same time, the flickering of the lights became more frequent…

The clacking sounds continued to grow louder. As the electric lights flickered frantically, the black silhouette stayed in front of Zhang Heng for a few seconds before making its way around him and headed straight for the surveillance cameras instead.

A chill ran down everyone's spines at that sight…

Giggling sounds were heard all the way to the end. A dark shadow covered the entire surveillance camera at the same time and the image became very stumped, as if something had gone wrong with the video. Countless snowflakes appeared on the video at the same time, making crashing sounds.

All of that wouldn't have mattered, but Duan Xishan was able to see that there was a pair of dead, dead eyes fixed on every single person present in that pitch-black silhouette, making his scalp tingle.

"Clang!"

The sound of a chair crashing to the floor was heard and everyone was shocked. They looked over and realized that one of the junior leaders was so frightened that he fell from his chair.

569. The Night Before Planning

"No need to be nervous. Meme has no thoughts or consciousness. It's just a pattern and phenomenon."

Zhang Heng said from inside the quarantine room, "It's like all the laws of nature. For example, the strong interaction force that combines neutrons in atoms with protons with positive charge, the weak interaction force that causes radiological decay, gravity and electromagnetic force… Can you guys say that the four fundamental forces in the universe are constantly operating because they are sentient?"

All of the scientists from the Academy of Sciences subconsciously shook their heads when they heard that.

"That's it then." Zhang Heng nodded and continued in a babyish voice, "The same applies to cursed meme. All those unexplainable phenomena that you've seen before, just like the four fundamental forces, are all manifestations of one phenomenon. The only reason why there's no way to explain them is that science hasn't developed to that extent yet."

"Well then, could the so-called meme be considered a weapon?" Many scientists remembered every single word that Zhang Heng said with fervent looks on their faces, and their eyes were filled with utter belief. It could be said that every single one of Zhang Heng's knowledge points was enough to enhance Huaxia's technological advancement by a significant margin. If the government had regarded Zhang Heng as some kind of supernatural phenomenon in the past, then Zhang Heng's existence at the moment would have made him an important asset to the country.

"Meme is a kind of weapon to begin with." Zhang Heng nodded and sighed. "It's just that we're too ignorant and I'm unable to determine if the Meme actually exists or if it was created by intelligent lifeforms. In short, it should be considered a kind of rule-based weapon. When we humans face it, it's just like how ancient people would face a zombie virus. We're basically completely powerless."

It had been three months since Zhang Heng arrived at the Research Center for Human Potential Development at the Academy of Sciences. In those three months, Zhang Heng had been able to acquire countless pieces of technological data from Huaxia through verbal aid. The upper echelons of Huaxia were practically going crazy at the moment. Countless resources were mobilized and sent to the Academy of Sciences. The upper echelons of the Chinese Academy of Sciences issued a single order—to fulfill all of Zhang Heng's requests other than to leave.

"Report!" A communications officer rushed in at that moment. He saluted all the scientists in the quarantine room and shouted, "Report, sir! We've delivered all the equipment that your unit ordered!"

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up as he looked at Duan Xishan and said with a smile, "Thank you, Director Duan."

"Hmph!" Duan Xishan snorted and said glumly, "I'll get someone to move all that equipment in here very soon, but I also hope that you won't play any tricks and disappoint the government."

"I'm someone who's about to die anyway. What tricks could I possibly pull?" Zhang Heng shook his head and wore a bitter grin. His baby-like round eyes were filled with exhaustion at the moment. He turned to look at the other scientists and said, "Please bear in mind that if I were to be killed by the Meme one day, please seal this quarantine room immediately, as this interval would become the source of the infection caused by the Meme of Curse. Anyone who enters the room would be infected as well. After they die, their rooms would form new sources of infection that would continue to spread."

"Understood." Everyone nodded solemnly. They all knew that the rate of death would be 100 percent if someone was infected with the Meme. The only difference was the time of death.

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was a special case. Most people who were infected with the Meme of the Curse would die after eight days at most, and the fastest would die on the spot. Zhang Heng had been able to last for over three months, relying on his strong will and all manner of methods to delay the outbreak. However, even someone as strong-willed as he was at the moment was finding it difficult to continue.

Zhang Heng nodded and went back to sleep, feeling exhausted.

Numerous pieces of equipment were quickly transported into the room. The quarantine room that Zhang Heng was in was no longer the one he was in before. Instead, a huge observation room had been set up specifically for him. The room was over a hundred square meters in size and there were double-sided mirrors and cameras installed all around. There were also 10 people taking turns to look after him at all times. There were also five people online at all times in front of the cameras, so that Zhang Heng could live as long as possible.

Countless pieces of equipment were being transported into the observation room at the moment. All of those pieces of equipment were extremely cumbersome. Some of them were so complex that the entire country was unable to manufacture them. One would have to pay a huge price to acquire them from the western powers. If one was able to purchase them, one would have to buy them regardless of the price. If one was unable to afford them, one would have to trade goods of equal value. If the other party refused to trade, one would have to activate the local agents. If things still didn't work out, one would have to send special forces after another.

The equipment eventually appeared in his observation room after paying a huge price.

Zhang Heng was still sleeping while the workers around him were assembling the equipment one by one according to his design plans. According to what Zhang Heng said, the equipment was capable of generating electrical field effects and more or less had some effect of suppressing curses.

Zhang Heng woke up very quickly and the efficiency of the workers under his guidance was greatly boosted. The equipment was fully assembled by nightfall.

It was a device that looked like a tank, with the base taking up 90 percent of the entire structure, making it look like a tank. There was a huge crescent-shaped building at the top of the building, which was about 20 meters tall and 30 meters wide at the base. It had a very ridiculous design and was filled with equipment that looked like antennas. The entire structure was silver-white in color and the center of the crescent-shaped building was hollow, making it look like a crescent.

Zhang Heng looked even more exhausted after the equipment was assembled. He looked at the massive equipment before him with his empty eyes, feeling rather sentimental.

No one knew what the mysterious baby was thinking.

The adjustment of the machine was completed very quickly. The crescent-shaped area at the top of the device began to emit a ball of distortions visible to the naked eye after the power was turned on. All electronics within a kilometer radius seemed to have been interfered with at the same time. According to Zhang Heng, it was a high-intensity interference field capable of weakening the effects of the meme.

That night, due to Zhang Heng claiming that he was overly exhausted and needed to rest, the Research Center for the Research of Human Potential Development got off work early. One could tell from that alone that Zhang Heng's status in the academic community of the country had far exceeded that of many top scientists. The government would do its best to fulfill any requests that he made, no matter how ridiculous they were.

Most of the researchers had left by then. There were only 15 standardized soldiers working inside and outside the observation room. Zhang Heng, who was at the center of attention, had long since fallen asleep, conserving his strength.

570. Quantum Suicide

It was late at night when all was quiet and still. A baby who was born blind slowly opened his eyes while he was still in his swaddling clothes. The whites of his eyes looked very eerie.

"May I know if you need any help?" A soldier asked when he saw Zhang Heng opening his eyes.

"No need." Zhang Heng shook his head and reached out with his chubby little hand, sitting up with much difficulty. A glint flashed across his eyes and he sighed, "We can finally begin…"

"What did you just say?" That soldier felt a chill down his spine all of a sudden and blurted out without thinking. However, before he was able to finish his sentence, Zhang Heng raised his head all of a sudden. A powerful shockwave was felt from his brain all of a sudden.

Buzz!

The soldier in front of him felt his head buzz as if someone had hit him hard on the head with a sledgehammer. He blacked out and lost consciousness.

That soldier wasn't the only one who fell to the ground. The other nine soldiers who were watching him were knocked out almost simultaneously.

Spiritual Shock!

Zhang Heng's naturally blind eyes glinted eerily after he was done. He quickly turned around and looked at the bifocals around him. All of the bifocals seemed to have suffered some kind of shock in the very next second, as they were filled with cracks all over. The initially translucent surfaces were rendered completely useless.

All the surveillance cameras flickered with sparks at the same time that the double-sided lenses were filled with cracks. There was a loud crack and all the surveillance cameras lost their function at the same time.

"This is my only chance if I want to get rid of the curse memes…" Zhang Heng muttered to himself after destroying all the observation facilities. If any quantum scientist were to see this, they would realize that Zhang Heng and Schrödinger's cat looked very similar at that moment.

The meme itself contained a quantum entanglement property, making it look like a radioactive material that could decay and release toxic gas at any given moment. Zhang Heng found himself in a 'box' that had lost all observation equipment. He had completely become the 'quantum superposition state' required for quantum experiments, which made him Schrödinger's cat.

Zhang Heng knew at that moment that there was no turning back for him. He turned around all of a sudden and looked at the huge device in front of him. White electrical currents flickered before him all of a sudden.

If there were any equipment to monitor the current situation, they would have found that the electric current before Zhang Heng's eyes was beginning to generate tens of thousands of degrees of high temperatures and tens of thousands of units of atmospheric pressure. The temperatures and pressure were actually perfectly condensed at one point, which was filled with tremendous power and shock.

Beads of sweat dripped from Zhang Heng's forehead like raindrops. A look of determination appeared on his young face. That dot of light continued to grow larger, and the temperature at the core of the light shot up like a rocket—100,000 degrees, a million degrees, five million degrees! The pressure kept rising.

If the ball of light in front of him were to suddenly explode at that moment, the energy generated would be enough to level an entire building in an instant.

Zhang Heng's mental power had finally undergone a qualitative change after 400 years. It went from the molecular level to the atomic level it was at right now. That ball of light, which was filled with boundless power, was none other than Zhang Heng using his mental power to continuously compress the hydrogen atom to achieve nuclear fusion.

It was well known that the requirements to produce nuclear fusion were extremely stringent, requiring a temperature of at least 15 million degrees Celsius and massive pressure to achieve a normal reaction. No solid material could withstand such high temperatures, and nuclear fusion could only be constrained by a powerful magnetic field.

Zhang Heng's mental power, at that moment, was equivalent to magnetic confinement. He turned around suddenly and the sphere of light before him was sent into the core of that huge equipment. The entire equipment was subjected to a huge amount of electrical currents at the same time and began operating in an instant.

Buzz!

Another wave of unknown undulations hit him and a tiny black dot gradually appeared on the crescent-shaped part of the huge device before him.

Wormhole!

It turned out that what Zhang Heng asked the government to manufacture was not some electrical field equipment, but a plane shuttle that could traverse space and time. Zhang Heng made use of the nuclear fusion that he initiated himself to successfully provide the plane shuttle with enough power to open the wormhole.

Zhang Heng's spirits were lifted as he increased the power supply yet again. That needle-like wormhole gradually expanded under the nuclear fusion that he personally created, eventually becoming the size of a basketball.

That size was more than enough for Zhang Heng to pass through.

Determination flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes at the same time. He rose into the air all of a sudden and headed straight for the black hole with his mental power wrapped around him. However, a cold chill came from behind him the moment he rose.

Zhang Heng looked behind him instinctively and saw a woman with disheveled hair and a completely pale complexion standing right behind him. Her hands, which were as pale as corpses, were only a step away from him.

"Get lost!" Zhang Heng's pupils contracted. He was in a life and death situation at the moment, and he had no time to be afraid. Countless streams of mental power poured out of his body and headed straight for the wormhole of the plane shuttle.

However, when Zhang Heng turned around, he was surprised to see that there was another woman with disheveled hair standing before him. Furthermore, the woman's hands were only centimeters away from him.

Zhang Heng was scared out of his wits. While he had been touched by the coconut formed by the meme, he had the protection of the Mind Gem back then and had nothing to fear. However, with the Mind Gem broken, there was no telling what would happen if he was touched.

Zhang Heng was able to make use of the baby's body to generate tremendous potential in the face of such a crisis. He activated his mental power again and spun around to avoid being touched by the baby. He then accelerated again and dashed right before the wormhole. He just needed to take one more step forward and he would be able to completely enter the wormhole and return to reality.

However, Zhang Heng suddenly turned around at that moment and made the gun in the hand of an unconscious soldier fly out of nowhere, pointing it at him.

Zhang Heng took one last look at the gun that he was about to fire at Kayoko and then looked at the gun that he was controlling before him. He sighed and grumbled, "Quantum Suicide? I hope I'm not mistaken…" He looked at the female ghost, Kayoko, who was charging at him again and pulled the trigger with his mental power.

Bang!

A deafening gunshot was heard. The brain of Zhang Heng's body should have exploded like a watermelon, but at that moment, everything in the observation room seemed to have entered a strange state. Everything that was about to happen was split in two.

From a third person's perspective, Zhang Heng's body was split into two at that moment. One of his brains exploded and he died completely, while the other flew into the wormhole right before his brain exploded.

Zhang Heng felt dizzy, as if an instant had passed or 10,000 years had passed at the same time. When he felt his' self 'again, he scanned the area with his boundless mental power and found himself buried deep in radioactive soil. His body was so frail that he looked like bones…

Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that.

Zhang Heng was able to kill himself in that seat by killing himself in a quantum manner, as only the dead could escape the effects of the Memes of Curse. He was able to survive and return to reality, returning to his body.

A look of relief was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. He knew that he had succeeded. He had successfully broken the curse that cursed meme to the point of certain death, and he had successfully gotten rid of the curse meme that would allow him to live forever.

…

He was in the cabin plane in the forest.

571. Returning To The Real

The once blue sky was now filled with a crimson color. That was due to the radiation dust that had accumulated throughout the years being spread throughout the atmosphere of the planet, blocking the sunlight like a lethal barrier and preventing all life from being born.

Due to the lack of sunlight, the entire planet was subjected to a harsh environment similar to nuclear winter, with temperatures kept below -50 degrees Celsius all year round. However, due to the magma and geothermal heat that was constantly being emitted from the ground, parts of the planet were subjected to summer all year round, with temperatures in the highest areas reaching over 300 degrees Celsius.

The ground was filled with endless, blackened soil and ruins. The soil that had been subjected to lethal blows in the environment began to desertize uncontrollably. Add to that the intense erosion of the wind and the alternation of hot and cold air currents, heatwaves blew constantly, raising radiation dust that filled the air and making wailing sounds like ghosts and wolves.

The entire planet looked like a huge dirty bomb, constantly emitting highly concentrated gamma rays. The civilization here had long been wiped out, and the environment could be said to be near hell. There were only two types of lifeforms that could survive here—demons and humans.

That place was the world of the 'lodge' in the forest, a battlefield between hell and the human world, a buffer zone for both sides to fight.

At that moment, in a huge basin filled with high-intensity gamma rays, strong wind speeds reaching 100 meters per second swept up radiation dust everywhere. The strong wind blew across the basin, making it look like a real black sandstorm.

This was a forbidden place for life.

After hundreds of years of accumulation, the entire basin had become a radiation desert comparable to that of the Sahara. Not to mention humans, even demons would find it difficult to survive in this land.

However, at that moment, a skinny hand slowly emerged from the endless black desert. He looked as if he hadn't moved for a very long time. His palm and arm were all dried up and there was hardly any moisture left in them. Even the slightest movement of his fingers would cause his knuckles to creak.

However, the hand didn't stop moving and continued to move about with difficulty. A second arm extended from the side and a skull-like head appeared.

"Crack, crack…" A sound as dry as wood was heard. The head opened its mouth but was unable to say anything. Its appearance was even more terrifying than that of a demon—it had crimson eyes, a head of greyish-white hair, skin that looked dried and purplish, and a nose that looked shriveled. Even the tongue in its mouth looked dried, making it look like a mummy that had been dried for a thousand years.

However, the only thing that was different from the mummy was its pair of eyes. Those eyes were filled with vicissitudes and were as deep as the ocean. Even if its pupils were blood-red, it was still unable to conceal its vastness.

The skinny figure eventually crawled out of the radiation-filled desert. A roar filled with relief and excitement was heard the moment he crawled out, making him look like a demon that had returned to the world of the living from the Yellow Springs. All the sand in the world seemed to have stopped due to the powerful mental power enveloping him.

"Ah!"

At that moment, the man who looked like a skeleton let loose all that he had been suppressing and enduring for the past 400 years. Cracking sounds were heard from all over his body and he felt like his body was about to collapse. However, his mental strength became extremely massive. Every single move he made felt as if there was an endless amount of pressure seeping out of his body. Everywhere he went, the atom structure of the sand would vibrate continuously, as if the yellow sand around him would disintegrate into atom-like particles with just a thought from him.

A deafening roar was heard and Zhang Heng found himself standing in the endless desert after that roar. He looked at everything before him with a dazed expression, as if he couldn't believe that he was actually there.

"I wonder how much time has passed in reality…"

He slowly raised his head and looked at the sky. His spine, which had not been moved for who knew how many years, was creaking as if it had rusted.

Nothing could be seen in the sky.

Zhang Heng's brain seemed to have yet to fully recover due to having been asleep for too long. His reaction was extremely slow at the moment, and it took him several minutes to figure out what was happening. He slowly touched his glabella at the same time, but the thing called the Mind Gem was nowhere to be found.

The Mind Gem had been completely destroyed to protect its master, never to be found again.

In actual fact, the Mind Gem wouldn't have been so useless. It was a pity that Zhang Heng was unwilling to attempt the Dao Integration back then and gave up 99 percent of the Mind Gem's power, returning the excess power to the source of the Marvel plane. As such, the Mind Gem only had less than 1 percent of its power left when Zhang Heng brought it out of the Marvel plane.

Furthermore, the Mind Gem was a product of the Marvel plane, which meant that it would be less than a tenth of its original power after leaving its home ground. Despite that, it was still able to tangle with the Grudge Monster for 400 years…

A tinge of sadness was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes before he quickly hid it. He instinctively took a step forward, wanting to walk away. However, the movement of his muscles and bones as soon as he took a step with his left foot caused intense pain to shoot through his body, which had just regained its mobility. It felt as if he would be torn to pieces if he were to touch it lightly.

His flesh, blood, and bones had all dried up.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown. He subconsciously touched his thigh but found nothing. It was obvious that both his clothes and that tube of demonic solution in his pocket had disappeared with the passage of time. If it hadn't been for the fact that he had fused with Genova, he would have died a long time ago, unable to return to reality.

However, the drastic changes that took place in the battlefield back then still made him feel rather worried. He had no idea how many years had passed in real life for him to be reduced to such a state despite having such a resilient life force. What about his parents and his sister?

Were they alright?

Zhang Heng shuddered at that thought and became very anxious. He quickly said, "Dimensional Star, take me back to reality!"

"I'm sorry, but due to you not being able to use the Dimensional Star's shuttle function for over 400 years, all of your functions have entered dormancy. Would you like to wake them up?" the Dimensional Star asked Zhang Heng immediately.

"Awaken!"

"Begin awakening. Estimated time—24 hours."

"Holy sh * *!"

Zhang Heng cursed under his breath. He had never thought that the Dimensional Star would have the ability to hibernate and that the awakening time would be even more ridiculous.

He had a very bad feeling all of a sudden. He had no choice but to bear with the pain all over his body and slowly take a step forward. He heard the sound of something rubbing against each other and at the same time, the small number of water molecules in the air seemed to have eyes as they moved into his body. At the same time, a mental barrier appeared before him, isolating him from the omnipresent radiation.

The creaking sound became increasingly softer as Zhang Heng walked down the stairs and eventually disappeared. Zhang Heng's body turned from a purplish-red color to a faint yellowish-brown color. While he still looked very old and shriveled, he was still in a much better state than the mummy he was in before.

572. Anyone Who Dares To Stop Me Will Die!

Zhang Heng walked slowly at first, but as the tiny water molecules in the air around him were sucked into his body, his body became increasingly nimble. Eventually, he became no different from a regular person.

Water was the lubricant of life after all, and it was indispensable.

Zhang Heng stopped moving his body after regaining control of his body. He then burst forth with boundless mental power and broke the sound barrier in the very next second, appearing hundreds of meters away in the sky.

The wind howled in his ears and his body felt like it was being torn apart. However, Zhang Heng paid no heed to it and continued to accelerate, only stopping when that frail body of his was able to reach its maximum speed. He was able to leave the Radiation Dust Desert, which was over a thousand kilometers in diameter, in less than 10 minutes at such speeds, leaving the massive basin that had been formed in the blink of an eye when the Ancient God died.

Zhang Heng still remembered that several hundred kilometers away was the location of the Schwarzenegger's throat that led to the human plane in the real world. One would be able to return to reality and end the nightmares that had plagued him for countless years if they were to get past that place.

However, not long after Zhang Heng stepped out of the desert formed from radiation dust, he saw two massive armies fighting on the mountains far away. One of them had a huge flying battleship, yet the battleship remained in the air and didn't do anything to attack. Countless inverted triangular, unmanned flying vessels replaced the air force.

The flying transports were able to fight against the countless demons with bat wings on the other side of the sky at an extremely fast speed. The only difference between the two sides was that one side was made up entirely of flesh and blood, while the other side consisted of countless types of robots.

While the appearance of the flying transports looked different, Zhang Heng was able to tell from their engines and structures that the Falcon mechs were very aggressive. Other than electromagnetic weapons, there were also laser weapons and plasma weapons. They were undoubtedly many times stronger than the Falcon mechs of yesteryear.

The so-called robot army was clearly filled with the T-800 styles. However, it was far more powerful and well-equipped than the T-800 it once was. A simple punch from it caused even the air to vibrate, and the nearby demons detonated the antiparticles with the robots before they were able to control them. The human forces that the robots were affiliated with were able to reap huge profits at that moment.

However, that did not mean that the forces represented by the demons would be utterly defeated. On the contrary, the deaths of every demon would result in massive damage to the robots. Some of the robots at the core of the explosion were even blown up on the spot. Due to such characteristics, while the number of robots was not inferior to or even slightly superior to that of the demon army, they were still at a disadvantage.

Intense clashes broke out between the two of them in the mountain range. However, due to Zhang Heng's caution, he chose not to take part in the battle. He simply stood in the air and watched everything unfold before flying silently through the air and heading straight for his destination.

As Zhang Heng got closer to his destination, he was able to see three massive creatures made of metal armor in the vast wasteland from afar. They were three well-designed steel fortresses that looked like small cities. They stood in a triangular shape on the horizon, making them look like monsters lurking in the dark. There was a Schwarzenegger that looked like a black hole at the center.

That was the bridgehead of the human race in that world, the highest defense line that humans had in that other world.

The three fortresses didn't look huge from afar, but they were, in fact, extremely huge. Each of the fortresses was a huge structure that looked like it was made of its own. There were tens of thousands of new models of robots and over a thousand Jedi soldiers stationed inside, but all of that was secondary. The most important thing was that the fortress had an unparalleled firepower system.

Electromagnetic cannon, plasma cannon, railguns… kinetic weapons, energy weapons, microwave weapons…

It could be said that if every single fortress were to go all out, they would be able to raze a huge city to the ground within a second, not to mention the massive amount of power that three entire fortresses would be able to exert when gathered together.

However, when he saw the three fortresses and the flags on them, he became even more frantic and anxious for some reason.

It was a new type of flag that was a mixture of the three national flags of Huaxia, the United States, and Russia. The golden pentagram of Huaxia could be seen clearly in the flag, as well as the red, white, and blue of Huaxia, as well as the red, white, and blue of the United States. The four colors were mixed together and the Earth Federation's logo was written in English on the fortress, signifying that the Earth Federation was controlled by those three countries.

It was obvious that a lot of time had passed since then, or the Earth Federation wouldn't have been able to truly consolidate all of that. Furthermore, the mechanical army that Zhang Heng had seen before, as well as the three mighty, war machine-like fortresses, none of them were things that those countries in his memories were capable of constructing. In fact, even Stellar Technology was unable to manufacture such advanced robots. Zhang Heng had once estimated that the final level of technological advancement of Stellar Technology had exceeded 200 years in reality.

The technology of the Earth Federation was able to create robots that even stellar technology was unable to create back then. Wouldn't that mean that at least 200 years had passed since he experienced 'countless hours'?

If the alternate plane were to be found in the same time period as the real world, Zhang Heng might have been trapped in the curse for over 400 years.

Zhang Heng began to panic for some reason at that thought. He made a beeline for the Schwarzschild behind the three fortresses without a second thought. However, countless weapons and cannon barrels were fired from the three fortresses before he was even 10 kilometers away from them, putting him into combat mode.

In the blink of an eye, the three fortresses became a hedgehog in Zhang Heng's eyes.

Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and a hint of frustration flashed in his eyes. It was obvious that the other party had some kind of new equipment that could detect lifeforms from afar. Otherwise, with Zhang Heng's supersonic speed, none of the three fortresses would have been able to see him, let alone make preparations beforehand. After all, Zhang Heng was not a plane, and his location would not have been exposed without electromagnetic waves.

However, Zhang Heng continued to charge forward without a care in the face of the countless cannon barrels and weapons before him that were capable of causing massive damage. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as that boundless mental power between his eyebrows began to stutter, threatening to burst out at any moment.

The three massive steel fortresses didn't even have time to turn on the radio before Zhang Heng was able to traverse five kilometers in a straight line. The cannons that were meant to attack the demons fired at him at the same time.

"Anyone who gets in my way shall die!"

573. Blockade

Zhang Heng's appearance on that day had caused a huge commotion among the upper echelons of humanity. An old man wearing ragged clothes and a dazed expression was seen in Huaxia, the area under the jurisdiction of the Earth Federation.

When Sun Hanyue and her classmates saw the old man, they found him standing alone on the other side of the street, staring blankly at a building that towered into the clouds.

It was unknown just how long it had been since that old man's clothes were last washed, as they had long been shredded into pieces of cloth, leaving them hanging in a dirty manner. The old man's body didn't seem to be in good shape either. His hair and beard were all greyish-white, and his emaciated body looked like it could be blown away by a gust of wind. Even from afar, one could still smell a pungent smell.

"Old man, are you lost?" While the old man's scent caused the passers-by to frown, Sun Hanyue still greeted her classmates and walked over. She took a look at the down-and-out old man and was shocked all of a sudden, as she saw that the old man's eyes were blood-red.

The old man didn't seem to have heard Sun Hanyue's words at all. He continued to stare at the building before him, as if there was something in the building that attracted all of his attention. He didn't react even when Sun Hanyue walked up to him.

Sun Hanyue suppressed the fear in her heart and repeated her question.

The old man remained unresponsive.

"Maybe he got lost." A girl frowned and walked up to Sun Hanyue while covering her nose. "Alright, let's go. We'll be late for class if we don't leave now."

Sun Hanyue pursed her lips and told her friends to wait for a bit before she jogged into the building that the old man kept staring at. The first floor of the building was where the fast food chain was located.

Sun Hanyue came out again in less than half a minute. She walked up to the old man with a hamburger and a cup of milk tea in her hand. She held the food in front of the old man and asked softly, "Grandpa, are you hungry?"

It was only then that the old man seemed to come back to his senses. He looked at Sun Hanyue with those frightening eyes of his and then at the food in her hand before silently taking the food over. At the same time, an old and hoarse voice was heard from the old man's mouth.

"How many years is it now?"

"Huh?" Sun Hanyue was stunned for a bit. She thought that the other party would thank her or not, but she didn't expect the other party to ask such a weird question out of nowhere. She answered without thinking, "It's, it's the 25th century of the Common Era, 408 years of the Federation."

"25th century Common Era?" The old man lowered his gaze and nodded slowly. He put the food in his mouth with shaking hands before turning around and walking away.

"Who the hell are you?" The girl who had rushed Sun Hanyue earlier snorted and said, "How rude of you. You don't even know how to say thank you. I say, Xiao Yue, you're too kind. One look and you'd know that someone like that is a lazy, lazy person. If not, you could have just applied for a minimum security and become a gatekeeper and you'd be able to live comfortably. Why bother with him?"

Sun Hanyue shook her head with a bitter smile and said, "I just feel sorry for him. Didn't you hear? He doesn't even know what time it is this year. He might have some mental issues, but I wonder which nursing home he came from."

"You sure are nosy. I'd rather have someone like him dead or alive."

"Alright, alright. We'll be late if we don't leave now."

The faint chatter of two little girls was heard, which attracted the attention of passers-by on the side of the road. They watched as the girl walked away with envious looks in their eyes, which was a stark contrast to the old man who had been hanging his head low not far away.

That old man was none other than Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng found himself back at the Stellar Technology headquarters in Haizhou at the moment. However, he didn't sense any trace of Corona's presence in that place. Furthermore, the Stellar Technology building back then was replaced by a tall building made of some unknown material. Anti-Gravity vehicles were seen flying across the sky above the building. The place was bustling and prosperous.

However, the Stellar Technology building, the hive, Corona, and his family were nowhere to be found.

"Awakening Time is over." The cold female electronic voice of the Dimensional Star was heard in his mind. "Host and Dimensional Star link activated again. Host access currently at S-rank. Host can perform spacetime transformation function at any time. When traveling, host can carry objects that are 100W cubic meters in size and perform spacetime transformation. Weight limitless. Host can carry living beings that are 10W in number to perform spacetime transformation. Weight limitless."

Zhang Heng stopped walking on the sidewalk. Excitement was seen in his eyes, but at the same time, fear was seen as well. When he saw that the headquarters of Stellar Technology was no longer the same as it had been back then, he knew that it was very likely that Stellar Technology had withdrawn from the real plane due to his orders and returned to the Dimensional amnesia plane. What excited him the most was that he would be able to travel to the Dimensional amnesia plane again after waking up. He feared that his family would have been reduced to bones by then.

"No way. Dad, mom, and Xin… I injected them with T-0 and human cryogenic technology. They're definitely still alive, definitely…" Zhang Heng seemed to be trying to convince himself as he kept mumbling to himself. He looked like a crazy old man at the moment, laughing and crying at the same time. All the passers-by on the streets walked around him when they saw him, not daring to get near that crazy old beggar.

"Prompt, do you want to activate spacetime transformation now?" The prompt from the Dimensional Star was heard in his mind again.

"Transformation. I'm going to… the Dimensional amnesia plane." Zhang Heng took a deep breath and nodded.

Zhang Heng felt dizzy all of a sudden as soon as he said that. He closed his eyes subconsciously, but the dizziness disappeared again. He opened his eyes, feeling puzzled, only to hear the cold female voice from the Dimensional Star, sounding puzzled for the first time. "Transformation failed. The Dimensional amnesia plane is no longer connected to reality."

"What?!" Zhang Heng's eyes went wide. "How could something like that happen? You're lying to me!"

"Please calm down, host," the Dimensional Star said immediately. "The coordinates that you set up in the Dimensional amnesia plane back then have been blocked. That is why the Dimensional Star is unable to bring you there."

"What do you mean?" Zhang Heng was shocked and asked with mixed feelings, "Tell me, where are the coordinates of the Dimensional amnesia plane?"

"Planet Tanis, Stellar City," the Dimensional Star said casually. "The last time you left that place, host, was at the coordinates. That is why you would appear at the location where you left that time when time and space changed."

Zhang Heng was still feeling rather uneasy. "So, can you find out why?"

"It was the civilization of the Dimensional Star that blocked the Dimensional amnesia plane on their own." The Dimensional Star seemed to have realized something and told him everything in detail. "As for the reason, I'm unable to know for the time being, but I can rule out the possibility that it was targeted at the Dimensional Star."

"Things have gotten to such a stage?" Zhang Heng sighed when he heard that, but that sense of unease disappeared for the time being. While he had no idea what was going on, his parents and sister should still be safe and sound as long as Corona and the loyal clone warriors were around. Furthermore, given that the Dimensional amnesia plane had developed to the point where it was able to block the Dimensional Star from traveling through space, wouldn't that mean that Corona's level of technology had far exceeded his imagination?

Zhang Heng felt somewhat comforted at that thought.

574. Sleep With Me Tonight

The stars in the night sky sparkled like jewels in the quiet summer night. Despite being in a metropolitan city with tens of thousands of lights on, the stars were still able to shine brightly.

Compared to 400 years ago, the air at present was as pure as crystal. Hundreds of massive atmospheric purifiers, each as huge as a mountain, worked non-stop at the major nodes of the world, purifying all pollution in the air. From the sky, the natural environment that had been destroyed over hundreds of years had long been restored. Countless farms were turned into forests, lakes and rivers became clear again, and coal, firepower, nuclear fission, and other power stations were all replaced by nuclear fusion power stations. Oil and coal became completely useless. The products manufactured by the factories were all materials that could be recycled with zero pollutants. Humans and nature had reached some kind of balance, fusing together and becoming inseparable.

Due to the dual purification of both Earth and humanity, the home of humanity had been constructed to perfection, making it a work of art.

Zhang Heng was sitting on the roof of a building that was hundreds of stories high, looking at the anti-gravity vehicles that were flying around beneath his feet. He looked at the unfamiliar yet glorious civilization of humanity and remained silent.

Anyone who woke up in the morning would feel as if the world had been turned upside down and the world had changed for the better. Everything that they were once familiar with would disappear like a puff of smoke and the people that they were familiar with would probably feel confused and panicky. No matter how perfect the world was, it was still not where they belonged.

Clack…

A cigarette was lit by a lighter and a milky-white smoke drifted out. Zhang Heng looked at the cigarette in front of him and took a deep breath, feeling rather greedy. The fact that the cigarette hadn't been eliminated within 400 years was the most gratifying thing that had happened to him so far.

While he was still puffing away, he caught a glimpse of a figure flashing past in a flying car under his feet.

That was the girl who handed him the food earlier in the day. Zhang Heng took one look at her and saw everything. He saw that the girl was backing away in the flying car with a frightened look on her face and a man who was taking off his shirt was standing before her.

The speed of anti-gravity vehicles in the 25th century was far faster than that of the anti-gravity vehicles in Stellar City, which were only a little bit away from reaching supersonic speeds. The reason why they were limited to supersonic speeds was to ensure that the pedestrians on the ground of the city were safe. If hundreds or even thousands of cars were to fly by, the sonic boom alone would have deafened the ears of regular people. The glass panes of the buildings on both sides of the street would have been rendered useless.

The anti-gravity vehicle passed by in a flash, leaving only a blur in the eyes of regular people. However, Zhang Heng was able to see everything in the car with his naked eye.

"So, this is what it means by fate, eh?" Zhang Heng mumbled to himself and lowered his gaze slightly. When he opened his eyes again, a glint was seen in those calm eyes of his. He flicked the cigarette butt and it spun out of the roof. Zhang Heng stomped on the ground and his silhouette became blurred for a bit before he completely disappeared.

Rumble…

The sounds of wind and thunder were heard and many passers-by on the ground shouted in alarm. However, by the time they looked up and cursed, the culprit was nowhere to be seen.

…

Sun Hanyue retreated to the back of a luxurious anti-gravity flying car at the same time. A young man with a lewd grin on his face stood before her.

"Zhang Hao, calm down for a bit." Sun Hanyue took two or three steps to the tail end of the flying car and raised her hand at the same time, putting a silver watch on her wrist before her eyes and said to the young man before her calmly, "Don't come any closer. If you take one more step, I'll call the police."

"Please feel free to do as you please." The young man who was referred to as Zhang Hao remained calm and collected, as if he was watching his prey taking in everything that happened to Sun Hanyue. The admiration in his eyes became even more pronounced when he saw how Sun Hanyue remained completely unfazed despite being on her guard. He pulled one of the bouquets of flowers from the side and played with it in his hand as he said, "I like the way you fight back and eventually look like you're in despair."

"In your dreams!" Sun Hanyue snorted and contacted the photon processor on her arm right away. The photon processor would become something akin to an electronic ID in the future. It was just like a 21st-century smartphone, which was equipped with identification, payment, global positioning, and other functions in addition to communication. Once the photon processor detected any abnormalities and was unable to detect its owner, the AI of the photon processor would immediately call the police. If the photon processor was suddenly damaged, the police would be called as well. In short, after everyone acquired the photon processor, the crime rate in the world had dropped to a certain extent.

However, Sun Hanyue was shocked to find that her actions were completely ineffective. She panicked and said, "Y-You have an illegal communication barrier in your car!"

"So what?" The young man spread his hands and said nonchalantly, "The entire Asian region belongs to the Zhang family. What's the big deal about a security system?"

Zhang Hao continued, "Sun Hanyue, my patience is limited. I've told you before that I want you to sleep with me tonight. If you're not going to sleep with me tonight, I'll get over 20 of my buddies to sleep with you." Zhang Hao took out a photo from his pocket as he said that. He took a deep breath and pointed the photo at Sun Hanyue. "Furthermore, you have to wear the cheerleading uniform of our school and sleep with me. If you're not going to wear it, you'll never be able to wear anything for the rest of your life."

Zhang Hao's tone was flat, as if he was narrating what he was eating that day. Sun Hanyue felt despair welling up in her heart. She knew very well that the other party's family was simply too powerful. There were rumors circulating about that organization on the internet. It was an organization that was so powerful that it was on par with the Earth Federation back then. Even though it suddenly declined and became a family under the Federation, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. That organization owned one-sixth of the shares of the Moon and one-eighth of the shares of Mars. It had become the largest financial group in the Asian Region and was at its peak.

Not even the regional mayor of the Asian Region would dare to offend such a conglomerate-like family. There was simply no way he could go against them.

Sun Hanyue gritted her teeth at that thought and simply closed her eyes. She spread her arms wide and shouted, "Alright, alright! Come at me then. I'll just take it that I've been duped. And, Zhang Hao, don't ever fall into my hands again, or I'll make you regret what you've done today!"

"Hehe." The young man's eyes lit up and paid no heed to her threat. He walked up to the innocent-looking girl and was about to unbuckle his pants when a banging sound was heard from the top of the anti-gravity flying car all of a sudden, giving both of them a fright.

"What happened?" Zhang Hao frowned and turned around to look at the empty space behind him. "Lyris, what happened on the roof of the car? Did someone just jump off the roof?"

Zhang Hao was unable to think of any other possibility other than that, as the anti-gravity flying cars were all driven by computers and were connected to the city's transportation network by triangular insurance. The trajectory and speed of the anti-gravity flying cars were completely controlled by the city's AI. Under such circumstances, it had been two hundred years since an accident happened around the world and it was not uncommon for someone to jump off a building and jump onto someone else's roof.

"Please hold on for a moment. The inspection is underway." A female holographic projection with a coquettish face appeared behind Zhang Hao as soon as he finished speaking. The 3D image of the anti-gravity flying car automatically appeared before her and the shape of a person was seen crouching at the top of the flying car. That person slowly raised his fist and punched at the top of the flying car.

Boom!

The entire flying car shuddered violently, and the alloy shell of the polymer that was capable of withstanding several hundred tons of impact sizzled. A skinny arm penetrated the roof of the car and alarms began to go off all over the place.

"Warning, warning. The car is damaged. Please return to your seats and receive protection immediately. Warning! Please return to your seats immediately!"

575. Zhang Group

"Someone's trying to kill me! Call the police!"

That young man, who seemed to have everything under control at the moment, finally wore a look of horror on his face. He pounced forward without a second thought. However, he had only taken a single step when there was another crack above his head in the very next second. A strong gust of wind blew in from the outside, making deafening noises.

Due to the damage done to the airflow, the anti-gravity flying vehicle was finally unable to hold on any longer and began to spin in midair. Sun Hanyue was almost suffocated by the intense wind pressure from the outside world and lost her balance in the very next second. She only had time to scream before she was sent flying straight for the broken exit.

Just when Sun Hanyue thought that she was done for, she felt something tighten around her waist all of a sudden. She shut her eyes tightly and didn't dare to open them, yet she felt relieved deep down. She knew that the person who came in from outside the flying car had caught her.

What followed was a dizzying series of concussions. It had to be said that the anti-gravity flying vehicle's automatic piloting capabilities were extremely impressive. Despite the damage caused by the backflow when it was flying near sonic speeds, there was still no crash on either side of the building. Instead, the vehicle was able to stabilize itself as it continued to decelerate. Eventually, the vehicle landed on the ground in a crooked manner.

However, at that moment, the flying car had also deviated from its course and reached the outskirts by accident.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Sun Hanyue only felt a puff of smoke from inside the car when the car landed. That was due to the electrical overload caused by the car forcibly stopping the car, but it was not a big deal. The mysterious man who saved her grabbed her waist in the very next second and leaped out of the anti-gravity vehicle, putting her on the grass at the side.

It was only then that Sun Hanyue realized what was happening. She looked to her side in shock and saw a pair of blood-red eyes and an old face.

"It's you?" Sun Hanyue exclaimed in surprise. However, the mysterious man only took a brief glance at her before she was rendered completely speechless. That mysterious man before her was none other than that weird-looking old man she met in class earlier in the day. While she had long forgotten that old man's face, that pair of blood-red eyes was something that she remembered very well.

That old man, who looked like he was in a very sorry state, was exuding an aura that shocked Sun Hanyue. What kind of aura was that? It was filled with a cold, murderous air, as if no one in the world would be able to stop someone he wanted to kill.

It was frighteningly sharp.

It was only at that moment that the door of the car, which was landing in a slanted manner, was flung open with a bang. The young man, whose head was smashed and bleeding from the fall, climbed out of the car with a terrified look on his face. He looked at Sun Hanyue as if he had seen a ghost, before looking at the old man, who was so disheveled that he looked like he was about to go to hell, and an indescribable malevolence was seen on his face. "I don't care who you are. You have to die today!"

"Oh." Zhang Heng's expression changed. He turned around and asked Sun Hanyue in a hoarse voice, "What's going on? Do you really think that there would be such a rich playboy in a developed society like this?"

"Grandpa, I guess it's been a long time since you've been exposed to society…" Sun Hanyue said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry after hearing the ridiculous question. She took a look at Zhang Heng's wrist and saw that it was completely empty, showing no signs of wearing a photon processor at all. She had no choice but to hold on to Zhang Heng anxiously. "Grandpa, he's from the Zhang Group. While he's from the Collateral Branch, he's not someone that we could afford to offend. You'd better leave before the Peerless Battalion arrives. You're at least a top-class Peerless Battalion fighter. They'll have a hard time catching you, but you'll definitely be caught if you don't run."

However, to Sun Hanyue's dismay, the young man didn't seem to mind her efforts at all. Not only that, but the expression of the old man before her, who was as calm as a still lake, changed for the first time when she said the words' Zhang Group '. He narrowed his gaze and looked at the young man who looked utterly disheveled yet had an extremely brazen expression on his face. The young man named Zhang Hao seemed to have made up his mind that the old man before him wouldn't dare to kill him.

"Tell me, y-you know about the Stellar Foundation?" Zhang Heng flung Sun Hanyue's hands away all of a sudden and took two steps forward. His eyes were filled with pleasant surprise and anticipation, yet he didn't seem to realize that the look in his eyes was even more terrifying than the indifferent look on his face.

"W-What nonsense are you spouting?" Zhang Hao was shocked by what the old man before him was doing. However, he quickly suppressed the unease in his heart when he recalled who he was and said with a sinister grin, "What, are you scared now? It's just a pity that regret is already… Ahh!"

His right arm seemed to come alive all of a sudden before he was able to finish his sentence. It wiggled on its own and a series of cracking sounds were heard. Zhang Hao's right arm had turned into something that looked like a fried dough twist by the time he was done screaming. One could even see broken bones poking out of his skin, completely exposing him to the air.

Disbelief was written all over Zhang Hao's face, as if he simply couldn't believe that the other party would actually dare to lay a hand on him. He collapsed to the ground screaming, tears and mucus running down his face. He even passed out right there and then.

Sun Hanyue, who was behind him, was even more terrified. She felt as if she had completely lost all of her strength and collapsed to the ground, mumbling, "It's over, it's really over, I'm in trouble…"

However, the old man before him didn't seem to care if the young man was dead or alive. He frowned at Zhang Hao, who had passed out, before his left arm began to twist slowly.

"Arrgghhhh!" Zhang Hao, who had just lost consciousness, was woken up by the pain yet again. He screamed as if he had seen a ghost and his voice was completely hoarse in less than 20 seconds. His face became extremely pale at the same time and he lost all the strength he had left to scream. All he could do was to pull himself out of the pain. His eyes were wide open and he looked like he was about to cry tears of blood.

"So, what do you think? Can you tell me now?" Zhang Heng continued to maintain that look of anticipation and surprise on his face, as if the person wailing beside him was a dog. He was still immersed in some of his emotions.

"He must be a lunatic…" Sun Hanyue felt a chill run down her spine. She knew what kind of pain Zhang Hao was going through just from how he acted. That feeling of not being able to live made her fear that mysterious old man even more. No matter how cold and heartless a person could be, there would always be times when they would feel sorry for him. However, it would be a different story if she were to face those insane people.

"I'll talk, I'll talk!" The young man finally opened his mouth when Zhang Hao's left arm became the same as his right arm. It wasn't that he was being stubborn, but that the young man didn't give him a chance to speak when his left arm kept twisting. The young man's intention was to wait until his left arm became like that before he answered.

Zhang Hao's expression became even more despairing at that thought. Tears and mucus were running down his face and he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. However, the intense pain from before had rendered him completely powerless. He could only speak with a hoarse voice, "Grandpa, I really didn't know about the Stellar Fund… Ahhhh!"

His legs began to twist and turn before he was finished.

"Hold on, Mr. Ultimate One, please calm down." A holographic projection of someone of the same height as a regular person appeared on Zhang Hao's photon computer at that moment, which then transformed into a man with a refined appearance who was dressed in a suit. That man looked to be in his early thirties, yet one could see a sinister and aged look in his eyes. It was obvious that the man was actually over 50 years old.

The elegant man didn't seem to mind that Zhang Hao was rolling around in pain behind him at all. He acted as if they were old friends and said with a smile, "Mr. Danger, it's his fault that my good-for-nothing son got on your bad side. I'm Zhang Shanhe, the person-in-charge of Haizhou, the Asia Region of the Zhang Group. How would you like to address me?"

Zhang Heng took a casual look at the man who appeared out of nowhere, but he wasn't surprised in the least. The photon processor designed by Stellar Technology back in the day had such capabilities to begin with. More than 400 years had passed since then, and the technology developed by the people of the Earth Federation had barely reached the level that Stellar Technology was at back then. There was hardly any progress made.

However, there was no time for him to dwell on that at the moment. He continued, "Do you… know anything about stellar technology?"

"Well…" However, the refined-looking man's expression changed drastically when Zhang Heng mentioned Stellar Technology. He lowered his voice and asked, "Who the hell are you? How do you know that name?"

Zhang Heng didn't answer and simply looked at Zhang Hao again. Zhang Hao was unable to even scream at the moment. He simply opened his mouth and watched as his legs were ground into mush.

"Sir, please stop right now!" The elegant-looking man finally couldn't take it anymore after seeing that Zhang Heng didn't react at all. His expression gradually turned gloomy. "If you stop right now, I can still…"

He suddenly stopped talking before he was able to finish his sentence, as he saw Zhang Hao's body suddenly convulse for a split second before he went completely limp. His eyes were wide open and he stopped breathing.

576. Alpha Level

Disbelief was seen in the eyes of the refined-looking man in the holographic projection as he looked at his son, who had just died a horrible death. He was both shocked and furious at the same time. He turned around and looked at the unkempt old man before him, letting out a bestial growl, "Y-you dare kill him?"

Zhang Heng was completely oblivious to the raging middle-aged man before him. He simply took a good look at the middle-aged man before him and said casually, "Zhang Shanhe, is it? Don't worry, I'll find you."

Zhang Heng suddenly looked up into the distance and saw three anti-gravity flying cars with flashing red and blue LED lights flying over from the horizon. The cars rumbled as they hovered above the crowd. A voice was heard from the sky at the very next second. "This is the Haizhou Police Station. People below, listen up. You're surrounded. Drop your weapons and fight for leniency!"

More than a dozen black shadows leaped from the sky and landed on one knee in a very coquettish manner. All of them were pitch-black, with warning lights flashing on their shoulders and the words' Robot Police 'written on their chests in white letters. The sound of hydraulic movements was heard when they stood up, and they were completely unscathed even when they jumped from tens of meters away.

The moment they jumped down, the robotic police officers raised their guns and aimed at Zhang Heng. They were armed with light weapons that he had never seen before. However, judging from the structure of the weapons, Zhang Heng was able to easily tell that they were some kind of electromagnetic gun that wasn't very powerful. It was obvious that they were equivalent to police guns from the 25th century.

Zhang Heng didn't find it strange that there were so many purely mechanical police officers around. He first saw the fully mechanized combat troops after returning from the lodge plane, and then he saw the city full of cleaning robots.

It was obvious that the Earth Federation had completely replaced all of the labor available in the basic jobs with the cheapest of machines, and it was only natural for high-risk jobs like the police to use machine AI.

The three anti-gravity police cars slowly descended after the mechanical police arrived at the scene. Three police officers wearing black armor walked out of the cars, with their faces exposed. The words' Danger Police 'were painted on their chests.

Unlike those fearless mechanical police officers, the three of them walked out cautiously and aimed their electromagnetic guns at Zhang Heng while putting up a brave front. "Suspects in front, listen up. Release the hostages at once. Hold your heads and squat down. Our reinforcements will be here shortly."

"Danger spotters?" Zhang Heng looked at the three of them with a pensive look on his face. It was obvious that the so-called 'Danger spotters' were the new human Awakened who could absorb origin power.

Zhang Heng had torn off half of the demons in the Marvel World 400 years ago, opening the Earth's era of origin power for the purpose of resisting the impact. However, the heavens didn't work out according to the wishes of the humans. As such, the entire plan ended up becoming the Earth Federation's wedding dress instead, due to him being in deep sleep. That was also the only time Zhang Heng had made a mistake in his entire life.

"You hear that? Get down on your hands right now or we'll shoot you!"

The man in the lead spoke again when he saw that Zhang Heng was completely unresponsive. However, his expression was filled with anxiety. They had been notified earlier that the suspect was suspected to be a Beta-level Jedi. Only someone of such a level and above would be able to catch up to the Anti-Gravity Flying Warship at supersonic speeds.

As for the rest of them, none of them were of any rank. They were just some of the more powerful warriors who were only slightly stronger than the average person. Their regular training sessions were rather lax. That was, of course, the reason why their achievements were limited due to their lack of natural endowments. If they were talented enough, they would not be civil servants in the police station. Instead, they would be nurtured as key military officers in the abyssal plane.

They initially didn't want to come, but the suspect's target was the son of the manager of the Zhang Group in Haizhou. Due to the pressure, they had no choice but to rush to the scene, yet none of them dared to step forward.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the threats from the three of them and took a step forward with a deadpan expression on his face. However, the humming of electromagnetic weapons was heard as soon as he took a step forward. While the three officers were afraid of him, the robotic ones were not. Countless bullets were fired at his joints as soon as they saw what he was doing.

While the electromagnetic guns were not very powerful when shot by those robots, they were only effective against the pulse rifles that Zhang Heng had used before. If he were to get shot, he would definitely end up missing an arm or a leg.

However, even the firepower from the war bastion in the cabin plane was unable to pose a threat to Zhang Heng, not to mention those electromagnetic handguns with low firepower. As soon as those bullets entered the range of his mental defense, the vectors were triggered automatically and all of the bullets were repelled. Their bodies burst into sparks and they collapsed in the blink of an eye.

The dozen or so valuable mechanical police officers were rendered useless on the spot.

The three officers' eyes were about to pop out of their sockets at what they saw. While the Beta Level ones were more than capable of withstanding attacks from laser cannons, it was their first time seeing someone capable of reflecting bullets. The three of them felt even more terrified at the moment and were secretly glad that they hadn't launched an attack, or they would have been the next ones to die.

Zhang Heng didn't even bother to look at her as he walked up to the stunned Sun Hanyue and grabbed her by the waist. He stomped hard on the ground and shot away at supersonic speeds.

Sun Hanyue felt her vision blur for a bit and felt a tremendous force capable of tearing her body apart. However, that force was far more gentle than what she felt. It was obvious that Zhang Heng had used his mental power to protect her when he accelerated. If not, that initial acceleration alone would have been enough to tear that regular girl to shreds.

Sun Hanyue was barely able to get used to the speed at which he was traveling. She opened her eyes and saw that Zhang Heng was heading straight for the city of Haizhou. She shouted, "Are you out of your mind, grandpa? There are holographic surveillance cameras everywhere in the city. No one would be able to evade its surveillance under the effects of the local net. We need to get to the outskirts!"

"Shut up!" However, she heard the cold snort from the old man. Sun Hanyue shuddered and covered her mouth immediately, not daring to say anything else.

However, things seemed to be different from what she had imagined. Zhang Heng slowed down when he got near the city, maintaining a supersonic speed as he flew. A grey barrier was formed around them, and the two of them were able to fly into the city as if they were invisible under that barrier. It was as if there was no one around them.

What he didn't know was that Zhang Heng's control over matter had reached an extremely intricate atomic level. At that level, while he was still unable to change the number of neutrons and matrons in matter, changing one material into another, he was still able to alter the structure of matter atoms and turn carbon into diamond. He then took control of the hydrogen atoms in the air around him, changing their structure and making it look like optical invisibility.

Sun Hanyue was utterly shocked by what she saw before her. The seemingly ordinary old man from earlier in the day had become more mysterious. Was such an ability really something that a Beta-ranked warrior could achieve?

Or rather, the old man before him was not a Beta, but the legendary Alpha.

While Sun Hanyue was still letting her imagination run wild, Zhang Heng brought her to a glass window on the top floor of a luxurious condominium. Sun Hanyue was about to say something when Zhang Heng stepped on the glass window before her without any hesitation. The glass window before them, which looked like the one that sealed the xenomorphs all those years ago, opened up a round hole about a meter in diameter on its own. Zhang Heng pulled Sun Hanyue through the hole, and the round glass fragment that fell out of the window miraculously returned to its original position after they entered, before closing quietly.

It was as if he had never been cut open before.

Sun Hanyue was even more shocked by what she saw. She was sure that not even a Betta-ranked warrior could do something like that.

No! It was impossible for even the legendary Alpha-class Jedi to possess the ability to change their material forms. This was something that far exceeded the scope of the usage of origin power, something that only gods could achieve.

577. Clues

"Stay here and don't go out." Zhang Heng instructed Sun Hanyue before opening the wardrobe of the room's owner as if they were very close. He picked out a set of clothes and headed for the bathroom.

As long as she wasn't an idiot, Sun Hanyue wouldn't have gone out to kill herself. However, the thought of a collateral descendant of the Zhang Group dying because of her made her feel rather bitter.

While he wasn't the one who killed the other party, there was no way that the Zhang Group would let him off just because he didn't do anything to them. As a society governed by law, the Zhang Group wouldn't go so far as to implicate his family, no matter how rampant they were. However, if they were to set him up, it would be a piece of cake for the court to sentence him to life imprisonment.

Things like a beautiful future, working hard in his career, getting married in love, having children… all of that was out of his reach.

Sun Hanyue felt bitter at that thought.

Zhang Heng walked into the washroom at that moment and saw that the walls of the washroom were covered with a layer of plastic coating that he had never seen before. The coating itself had a very high lighting-oriented property, and when the light behind the coating passed through the coating, it would spread throughout the entire interior of the coating. The specific meaning of the coating was that once the lighting was turned on, the entire room would be filled with a gentle yet bright light. Furthermore, the intensity of the light could be adjusted further, making it look very human-like.

There was also an automatic water heater on the wall, as well as an automatic full-body cleaning apparatus, and so on. All Zhang Heng needed to do was turn on the equipment and strip naked before standing underneath the equipment. The warm and moderate hot water was sprayed out evenly, and the mechanical arms that were in a magnetic levitation state extended out at the same time, cleaning his entire body in a very gentle manner. Zhang Heng was cleaned in less than five to six minutes, and even his beard and black hair were cleaned, revealing his gradually younger face.

Zhang Heng's body had been injected with the complete T-Virus before. According to the extent of the optimization fund, his natural lifespan would have been extended to 500 years, and he would then be able to fuse with the Genova again. At that moment, even Zhang Heng found it difficult to guess just how long he would be able to live. While it was impossible for him to live forever, he was confident that he would be able to live for a few thousand years.

He realized that he had aged considerably after sleeping for 400 years, and that was only because his body had been drained of all its energy and nurtured by the demon inside him. Now that he was back in reality, his body felt like that of a demon that had been starving for hundreds of years. He began to absorb the demon in the air like a whale, feeding it bit by bit as the nutrients seeped into his body. The cells in his body felt as if they had been subjected to a prolonged drought, as they continued to grow. It was a pity that there were only a handful of demons in the air. If Zhang Heng were to wake up at his peak, he would probably have to wait for a week before he could truly reach his peak.

Zhang Heng threw away his torn outerwear after washing up and put on the clothes of the owner of the room before leaving the room.

On the couch in the living room, Sun Hanyue was wiping away her tears and sobbing quietly.

Click.

Soft footsteps were heard from right before her. Sun Hanyue quickly looked up and was met with Zhang Heng's strange eyes. The bright lights in the room shone on his face, removing the dirt on his face and beard. His skin was as fair as jade at the moment, making him look like a young man in his twenties at first glance. However, his grizzled hair and the vicissitudes of life in his pupils made him look very mature, making him look like a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties.

The contrast between maturity and youth brought about a soul-stirring charm.

Sun Hanyue was completely stunned by what she saw.

"Why don't you take a shower as well?" Zhang Heng's expression was as indifferent as ever. He paid no heed to her gaze and simply handed a stack of female clothing to Sun Hanyue.

"Ah, sure!" Sun Hanyue seemed to have just woken up from a dream and took the clothes from him right away before making her way to the washroom. She only leaned against the back of the door when she walked into the washroom and covered her chest subconsciously.

She didn't know why, but she felt her heart thumping hard at the moment, and her face was flushed red.

Men who were mature and confident would always be lethal to girls like her.

Zhang Heng took a casual glance at the door of the washroom and began to look around the room. It was only then that he realized that the layout of the luxurious apartment hadn't changed much compared to four hundred years ago. It still looked like a three-bedroom apartment, but the area of the apartment wasn't small at all. It was over 300 square meters and took up the entire floor, with an independent elevator system. Other than that, there was also a balcony with two private cars on the balcony. One could go out without having to go downstairs. The car had a foreign logo that he had never seen before.

Other than the couch and coffee table in the living room, there were also a lot of electronics that Zhang Heng couldn't tell what they were capable of, such as the crystal wall-like bookshelves, the shiny metal spheres on the coffee table, and a few robots that were about half the height of a grown man. Other than that, he didn't see any television, computers, or any other household appliances that had once been indispensable.

Zhang Heng then strolled to the bedroom. The furniture in the room looked a little more normal. There was an oval-shaped bed, and the fabric on the bed was so shiny that it was impossible to tell what material it was made of. There was also a metal pod that looked like a coffin placed at the side. It was in the shape of a ladder and had leather cushions on it. The cover of the metal pod was translucent.

Zhang Heng smiled at the sight of the device. If he was not mistaken, the metal pod should be the gaming pod that was commonly seen in science fiction novels. In other words, humans had developed a mature virtual world. In a future society with abundant resources and an overabundance of labor, such a device that allowed one to vent their frustrations in the virtual world was undoubtedly a necessity for mental entertainment, just like the internet in the past.

Sun Hanyue washed herself clean and walked out of the washroom about 10 minutes later. It was unclear if it was due to the high temperature of the water or the fact that her blush had yet to subside, but her face was completely red at the moment, making her look like a ripe apple that made one want to bite her hard.

"There's something in the fridge. If you're hungry, eat something first." Zhang Heng's voice was heard from the balcony. Sun Hanyue turned to look at the balcony instinctively, only to hear Zhang Heng continue, "Don't worry about this. I'll take care of it. You just need to stay here and wait for my news."

Sun Hanyue nodded subconsciously. While Zhang Heng's tone was flat and devoid of any hint of command, Sun Hanyue was unable to raise any doubt about it. Even if Zhang Heng were to say that he would be able to solve the problem, Sun Hanyue would have no choice but to believe him nonetheless.

Zhang Heng nodded after seeing that Sun Hanyue was behaving herself. He took a step and leaped off the balcony railings, disappearing in a flash hundreds of meters away.

Now that he had found traces of what had happened in the past, he had to get to the bottom of things, given his nature. He was eager to find out what had happened in the past 400 years, and the so-called Zhang Group, himself, and Stellar Technology…

So what?

578. Bribery

The son of the boss of Haizhou, the Asia Region of the Zhang Group, was tortured to death, which was considered a huge event in the entire Federation.

Of course, that information was only known to those in power. As far as the common people were concerned, there was no way they would be able to find out anything.

Everyone in the federation was equal on the surface, of course, but there was no such thing as true equality in the world. Power, money, connections—all three of those factors would reveal secrets that the common people would never be able to learn in their entire lives after reaching a certain level. To the common folks, the Zhang Group was nothing more than a huge company under the federation. They would at most be able to tell that the company was something out of the ordinary based on their instincts, but the inside story was something that none of them would be able to figure out.

As one of the most reputable financial groups in the world, the Zhang Group's influence was spread all over the federation. However, compared to the other six continents, the Asian region was the true headquarters of the Zhang Group. The Asian region's Haizhou City was also the core of the Asian region. As such, as the person in charge of the operations in Haizhou, Zhang Shanhe held a lot of power in his hands.

But then again, if the Zhang Group was just an average commercial corporation, it wouldn't be worthy of being called a corporation. What truly struck fear in the hearts of the people of the Zhang Group was their wealth and influence, both of which had long been deeply rooted in military affairs.

The Zhang family could be said to be the most powerful family in the entire Asian region and was ranked in the top three. Coupled with the massive amount of funds that they had, the Zhang family was practically invincible.

However, Zhang Shanhe had lost all of his usual elegance by then. He went to the police station with a cold look on his face, escorted by his bodyguards. He looked at the lifeless body of his son in the morgue, shuddered, and clenched his fists.

In the 25th century, humans were able to live up to 300 years per person due to the growing advancement of genetic medicine. When they reached the end of their lifespans, they would be able to freeze themselves and wait for hundreds of years to thaw before extending their lifespans again through higher-level medicines.

However, due to the extension of one's lifespan, the physiological cycles of humans were extended as well. For example, humans grew from infants to adults, from about 20 years in the past to 40 years in the present, and their youth period was over 70 years. Only when they reached 200 years old would they be considered old.

It was precisely because of that that humans were able to multiply from their twenties to their current fifties. Zhang Hao looked like he had just reached adulthood after his death, but he was actually over 40 years old.

Furthermore, the evolution of the human physiology also meant that reproduction became increasingly difficult. That was the law of balance that governed nature. Most families would only have one child in their entire lives, and having two children was considered a blessing. Even technology like IVF had a lower success rate.

It was the same for Zhang Shanhe. Zhang Hao's death as the only son of the Zhang family was a devastating blow to him. What made his death even more devastating was that, as a member of the Zhang family's extended family, he had put in a lot of hard work to get to where he was today. Now that he had no one to take over his position, he would probably have no choice but to serve others in the future.

Zhang Shanhe felt like killing someone at that thought.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Zhang." The highest-ranking commander of the police department, who was in the headquarters of the Haizhou Police Department, came after hearing the news and accompanied Zhang Shanhe personally. He said casually, "We, the Haizhou Police Department, will definitely give you an explanation regarding such insane criminals. Please rest assured."

"When are we going to catch him?" Zhang Shanhe asked with a glum expression.

"Well…" The commander looked rather embarrassed and continued to smile sheepishly. "We've extracted and made a three-dimensional model of the suspect's appearance, but we've checked the database and found no corresponding person. Other than that, we've also collected his DNA, but we haven't been able to find any identical data. It's as if that person just appeared out of nowhere, and there isn't even a copy of the photon processor found. This is unbelievable!"

Zhang Shanhe didn't say anything about not being able to lock onto the first two targets. After all, appearances could be altered and DNA could be faked to confuse others. However, Zhang Shanhe was astonished when he heard that there wasn't even a photon processor listed.

Zhang Shanhe wasn't the only one who found the news unbelievable. Almost everyone who heard the news found it unbelievable. The photon processor was connected to the city network after all, and there was a larger regional network connecting the cities. There was also the Global Internet above the regional network. The biggest link was the Skynet, which overlooked the entire human civilization of the Solar System. Anyone who used the photon processor once in their life would have their identity recorded in the city's network, and the record was permanent.

That was to say that, unless one was a savage who had never been in contact with society in their entire life, it was impossible for something like that to happen without a record.

However, the birth of a personal photon processor had been going on for over 300 years. It was initially an extension of smartphones, but as technology became more advanced and photon processors developed, they eventually became humanity's most important ID. One could say that a photon processor was equivalent to the amalgamation of countless electronic digital equipment.

Photon processors were as common as the Internet was nowadays. Having never come into contact with one before was like saying that one had never been online. It was unbelievable.

"Whatever it takes, I want him alive." The surprise in Zhang Shanhe's eyes disappeared and he knew that the other party wouldn't dare to lie to him. After all, the other party was just a cadre of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Even in a city governed by the authorities, he was only promoted by half a rank and he had the entire Zhang Group backing him. Just the positions of some of the Zhang Group's members in the dark were several levels higher than that of the highest-ranking officer in the police station.

He nodded at her with a glum expression and said firmly, "I'm going to catch him alive and make him wish he was dead!"

"Cough, cough!" The commander's expression changed drastically and he quickly looked around. His secretary, who was standing at the side, quickly lowered her head and acted as if she hadn't heard anything. The commander only let out a sigh of relief after seeing that no one was paying attention to what he said before and said awkwardly, "Mr. Zhang, you've lost your composure. We'll definitely catch the culprit who killed your son, but…"

"A private spacecraft," Zhang Shanhe said casually. "Or a federal currency of equal value. Take your pick, Brother Hu."

"Well…" The commander's expression changed yet again. He gasped and couldn't help but look moved. It was obvious that he was getting on in years and was only about a decade away from retiring. While he wasn't considered a man of integrity, he wasn't a man who had to work very hard. The position he was in was considered one of the upper echelons of the federation. Despite having a lot of authority, he had too many reservations.

Things were different now. As long as the Zhang Group didn't collapse, his money wouldn't be exposed. After all, if he were to expose himself, it would be the same as exposing the Zhang Group. It could be said that he would weigh the pros and cons of taking other people's money, and he might even reject more of them. However, he felt at ease taking the Zhang Group's money.

However, despite having made up his mind, he still had to put up a front and put up a front. "Don't worry about what you're saying, Mr. Zhang. Punishing criminals is a given by the police. We'll definitely take this matter very seriously. We won't condone the actions of criminals who have gone insane. We'll definitely 'punish' them."

He deliberately emphasized the word 'proper' and nodded at Zhang Shanhe.

"Very good, Brother Hu. I'll be waiting for your good news." Zhang Shanhe's eyes lit up and he patted the young man's shoulder like he was some old friend of his. He then looked at his son's dead body with a heavy heart.

The commander surnamed Hu naturally took the hint and left with his assistant, leaving Zhang Shanhe behind to see his beloved son off.

579. History

Zhang Shanhe returned to his villa in the middle of the night, feeling rather frustrated. Due to the threat posed by what he suspected to be a Beta-rank Jedi, he put more effort into protecting himself. More than a dozen mechanical bouncers followed closely behind, with two Delta-rank Jedi bouncers by his side.

There were only one in a thousand who were able to awaken their origin power, and there were even fewer who were able to gain the recognition of the Society of Origin Force. Those who were able to reach the level of the Delta-class were considered the cream of the crop among humans. Be it joining the military or the police, they were at least at the bottom of the hierarchy. If they were to work hard, they would be able to easily become high-ranking officials in the future.

The higher ranked Gamma-rank warriors were required to join the system. The Federation wouldn't allow any Gamma-rank Jedi to exist in the first place. At their level, if they were bent on taking revenge on society, the Federation would be thrown into turmoil.

Further up the list was the Beta Level. That was a level that could be considered a mobile nuclear weapon. It was just like what Zhang Heng had shown—being able to move faster than sound, resist laser beams, and nuclear weapons. Reinhart, whom the Magnetic King and Alex had been unable to do anything to back then, was at that level.

The highest level was the legendary Alpha level. There were only a handful of Jedi of such a level in the entire federation. Those who were able to reach such a level of power were able to break most of the rules of the mundane world. All of those people were giants of the Earth's federation. While the highest level of the Earth's federation was not entirely the Alpha-level Jedi, all of the Alpha-level Jedi were definitely the highest in the federation.

At that moment, Zhang Shanhe activated a large-scale safety mechanism right after he got back to the villa, enabling him to protect the entire place. The equipment was equivalent to some kind of regulated weapon, something that no regular person would have access to. Only a family-owned conglomerate like the Zhang Group would be able to use such equipment in private.

The mechanical bouncer before him was a type of Thunderton-2990, which was more advanced than the regular army of the federation. Other than the fact that he had no firearms, his AI and combat prowess were more than enough to kill low-level Thunderton in seconds.

Zhang Shanhe left the washroom feeling rather uneasy after washing up for a bit. The bedroom was pitch-black and only the light from the washroom shone through the door, making the place look very quiet. However, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was off. What was the reason behind the murderer who killed his son, and why was there no record of it?

That was just one of the suspicious points. While he was taking notes, there was something else that he didn't mention. That murderer actually asked him if he knew anything about Stellar Technology…

Star Technology!

That was a secret that only the upper echelons of the Earth Federation knew about.

Zhang Shanhe closed his eyes for a bit and recalled the secret that he heard from an elder of the Zhang family back then—400 years ago, the ancestors of the Zhang family rose from the ashes and single-handedly founded a commercial empire that was on par with the nations of the world. Without resorting to any military means, they were able to unite the fragmented federation and face that mysterious attack together.

The commercial empire founded by the Zhang family's ancestors was none other than Stellar Technology. Of course, Stellar Technology was only a name on the surface. The true name should be the Stellar Foundation.

It was due to the appearance of the Stellar Foundation that the Zhang Clan began to thrive for 400 years.

The devastating impact caused by the meme was eventually suppressed by the collective efforts of the entire human race. However, due to technical issues, those areas that had been infected were unable to be cleared, which eventually led to the 'Cursed Dead Zone of London', which still existed to this day. Tens of thousands of soldiers were stationed there throughout the year, claiming that it was a nuclear bomb testing ground.

The Stellar Foundation was unbelievably powerful back then. It even had independent immigration rights and the right to extract extraterrestrial minerals. However, it seemed that as the Earth Federation gradually rose to power, there were also supernatural warriors who were suddenly exposed to the public—the Ultimate Warriors. The Stellar Foundation gradually fell from the top of the hierarchy and began to fight against the Federation.

It was not until 200 years ago that the federation finally pushed Stellar Technology to its limits. After negotiations between both parties, Stellar Technology finally managed to preserve that piece of land after paying a huge price. It became a consortium under the federation and became the current Zhang Group.

But then again, everything that had happened at the Stellar Foundation, from the very beginning to the very beginning, from the very beginning, to the very beginning, to the very end. That elder of his had been very vague about what happened at the Stellar Foundation, and there were simply too many questions that he was unable to answer. Perhaps, only the most important members of the Zhang family would know the truth.

Zhang Shanhe's thoughts were running wild at the moment. That unofficial history of his had long become a vague memory in his mind. However, the sudden appearance of that warrior from the Jedi that night ignited his thoughts yet again.

He had reported all of that to the upper echelons of the Li Group. He was sure that those old fogeys would know who that man was. However, regardless of who He Yuanyuan was with his family, there was no way he would let that man get away with killing his only son.

Hatred flashed in Zhang Shanhe's eyes at that thought and he walked out of the washroom right away. However, he felt a chill down his spine all of a sudden.

It was a very weird feeling. While he didn't see or hear anything, he felt goosebumps all over his body all of a sudden. He turned around to look at the couch in the bedroom and saw a figure sitting somewhere out of reach of the bathroom lights.

Zhang Shanhe reflexively pressed his thumb on the ring on his index finger and a layer of emerald green protection lit up. The alarm signal was automatically sent to the bouncer's communicator and the police call.

That was the artificial barrier that Louis developed back in the day, which was powered by man-made energy. The barrier created by the Jedi was similar in some ways, except that it was somewhat inferior in terms of insulating kinetic energy.

However, Zhang Shanhe's heart sank in the very next second. A second passed and the two bouncers from the other side of the room remained completely still.

"Zhang Shanhe." The figure in the dark said, "I have to say, I've finally found you."

"You're the one who killed my son?" Zhang Shanhe glowered at the familiar voice. He recalled what the old man in the holographic projection had said before he left—"Zhang Shanhe? I'll come find you."

He just didn't expect her to find him so easily.

"Now, could you tell me if you've heard of the Stellar Technology and Stellar Foundation?" That voice continued to ask in the darkness. The voice was filled with a kind of yearning, even… madness.

"Who the hell are you?" Zhang Shanhe's expression flickered as he tried to seize the upper hand in the conversation.

"My name is Zhang Heng!" However, the voice said something that he found rather unbelievable.

"What?" Zhang Shanhe was stunned at first, before bursting into laughter and said fearlessly, "That's your answer. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"What do you mean?" That figure slowly stood up and walked out of the darkness completely. However, Zhang Shanhe was stunned when he saw that face and chuckled in disdain. "I'm even more curious about who you are now. First, use names like Star Technology to get my attention and then get plastic surgery to look like our ancestors. Do you really think that I'd believe you?"

He was able to see that the man who walked out of the darkness had shaved his beard and his hair had been styled. Most of the wrinkles on his face had disappeared, revealing the face of a young man. That face looked very familiar to him—it was none other than the second-generation ancestor who rose from the ashes of the Zhang family in the genealogy.

"Ancestors?" Zhang Heng looked pensive, but he didn't look surprised at all. "Well then, whose descendants are you? My sister? Or my parents?"

"Heh." Unfortunately, Zhang Shanhe only chuckled coldly and didn't answer.

Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and was about to do something when he suddenly raised his eyebrows and turned around to look outside the window behind him. He saw hundreds and thousands of flying cars with flashing red and white police lights flying in his direction.

580. Get Lost

"Hahahaha!"

Zhang Shanhe began to laugh maniacally all of a sudden, as if he had lost his mind. He looked at the mysterious man before him with a gleeful grin and said, "You didn't expect this, did you? No matter how much power you have, you're still nothing but an ant before the Zhang Clan and the Federation. You killed my son, and I'll definitely avenge him! Tonight is the day you die!"

"Is that the ring on your finger?" Zhang Heng's eyes were filled with understanding, which quickly turned into a smirk. "But, are you sure that the federation and the Zhang Clan have no intentions of using you as bait?"

"Huh?" Zhang Shanhe was stunned. It was only then that he realized that there seemed to be more police officers outside. Huge battleships with dual-use engines in the sky were slowly descending from the clouds, revealing their massive bodies.

Zhang Shanhe was certain that the Federation would have mobilized a lot of forces if they were to just arrest a single suspect. It was obvious that the man before him had some other reasons that he didn't understand.

"But, so what?" Zhang Shanhe smirked again. "Regardless of whether the authorities are using me or not, do you really think that you'd be able to escape?"

"Idiot," Zhang Heng said coldly and walked up to Zhang Shanhe, pointing at him lightly.

All of a sudden, the device that had been protecting him from the outside shattered.

The defensive stance that was capable of defending against nuclear weapons turned out to be something that could be easily broken by someone else.

Zhang Heng didn't even bother to look at Zhang Shanhe after he was done with all of that. He turned around and walked out of the window. It was only then that he saw that the huge villa that Zhang Shanhe was in was completely surrounded by heavy-duty combat vehicles. The flying vehicles were all black in color and were even sturdier than tanks. Two gun muzzles that were about half the thickness of a grown man were extended from both sides of the vehicles and were aimed at the villa.

There were countless fighter jets even higher up in the sky above the flying vehicle. Unlike the fighter jets of the past, these new models of fighter jets were also fully armored. Other than the standard electromagnetic guns, there was also a super-high field laser cannon installed at the bottom of the fighter jets, which emitted blue fluorescence as the laser was charged.

That was the Cherenkov radiation phenomenon, which represented the power source used by the laser cannon, a nuclear fusion reactor.

Numerous silhouettes that blotted out the sun could be seen in the highest part of the sky. Those were the planetary-class battleships of the Federation that were capable of traversing the galaxies. Those battleships came to the highest part of the planet without making a sound and looked down on the world. They were none other than the silhouette of the battleship that Zhang Heng saw on the plane in the woods.

Black armed vehicles were packed tightly around the place, making the villa, which was considered rather majestic, look incredibly small. It looked like black clouds that were about to destroy the entire building.

Black clouds were threatening to crush the city.

"Everyone in the room, listen up. This is the 38th Regiment of the Asian Army of the federation. You have been surrounded. Leave the villa and surrender immediately!"

Loud, booming voices were heard from all directions. Dozens of Jedi dressed in black combat attire on the planetary battleship wore serious expressions as they looked at the figure on the ground that was a mixture of maturity and youth. All of them wore grave expressions.

"Are you sure it's him?" One of the black-clothed Jedi looked at the middle-aged officer standing respectfully at the side and asked.

"While he looks a lot younger than he used to be, I'm still able to confirm that it's him!" The officer wore a serious expression and nodded immediately. "He's the mysterious man who broke through the War Bastion and was able to fend off even super-high field laser cannons!"

That officer was none other than the commander who forced his way through one of the three metal fortresses that Zhang Heng had just woken up from. He was one of the people who saw Zhang Heng break through the fortress and make it to Shivasi's throat.

"I didn't expect him to be back after four hundred years." One of the Asian men sitting at the head of the table stood up right away. Unlike the other Jedi, his suit was pure white in color.

He looked at the image of Zhang Heng on the holographic projection and said with a cold-blooded tone, "So what? Back then, the Stellar Foundation, which had suppressed all five major countries in the world, had long since left our plane. The Zhang Group is the only one left standing. If it hadn't been for the fact that the Zhang Group also produced an Alpha-ranked powerhouse, I'm afraid that the Earth Federation would have wiped them out long ago. How much power does he have left?"

"Not to mention, I doubt that even the man from the Zhang Group would want him to come back." Another European man in a suit of pure white chuckled coldly before continuing with a sigh, "However, we can't afford to let our guard down. Neither you nor I would be able to break through the firepower of three fortresses."

"So what?" The Asian man wore a proud expression. "Even if all the Alpha-Origin experts were to work together, would they be able to fight against technology?"

"That makes sense. It's just a pity that the powerful beings who were able to take on an entire nation all those years ago are now going to have to deal with their own problems…"

The crowd continued to talk among themselves. If Zhang Heng were to see what was happening, he would have been astonished as well. There were over 30 Beta-ranked Jedi stationed on that massive battleship above his head, and there were even two legendary Alpha-ranked fighters.

He was one in five of the most powerful Jedi in the Earth Federation.

Countless beams of intense light shone as Zhang Heng walked out of the villa, locking onto that frail silhouette of his.

However, Zhang Heng simply took a casual look at the facilities and smirked coldly. "Very well then. You dare to attack me after finding out that I'm back? I could become the Federation, and I could naturally destroy the Federation as well."

He took a deep breath and shouted all of a sudden.

"Get lost!"

The air within a radius of a kilometer boiled as Zhang Heng shouted. The hydrogen molecules in the air and in the villa were electrocuted, forming hydrogen atoms before Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng released his mental power almost at the same time, compressing countless hydrogen atoms to the core. He was able to create a temperature of over a million degrees and tens of thousands of atmospheric pressure in just a few seconds. The electrons weighing tens of kilograms of hydrogen atoms were freed from their shackles as the hydrogen atoms began to collide violently, triggering a nuclear fusion.

Large amounts of neutrons were released at the same time as the nucleus was formed. Extreme energy burst forth from Zhang Heng.

Boom!

The release of electrons and neutrons was energy release. All of that took some time to describe, but actually happened in an instant. As Zhang Heng shouted, "Scram!", massive nuclear fusion erupted. Countless electrons and neutrons were released into the air in a fan-like manner. All the heavy-duty flying vehicles within several kilometers of the sky were drowned out by the high temperatures and massive tsunamis of electrons.

One could only see a blinding beam of light shooting into the sky from the city center of Haizhou before being replaced by a rising mushroom cloud. At the same time, all the lights in Haizhou went out in a radioactive manner, starting from the villas.

That attack paralyzed half of Haizhou.

Heaven and earth were thrown into disarray after that one attack. More than half of those fighter jets were affected as well. They didn't even have the right to explode in midair before being reduced to dust.

Even the Collapsing Star Battleship, which was thousands of meters in the air, was shaking slightly from the impact. However, when the shockwave from Zhang Heng's attack hit the surface of the battleship, a protective barrier was automatically activated and the trembling immediately subsided.

581. He's Here!

It was fortunate that Zhang Shanhe's villa was located in the outskirts of the city, and the force of that attack was sent upwards in a fan-like manner. As such, there were actually not many casualties in Haizhou. Furthermore, the anti-gravity flying vehicles were equipped with corresponding protective equipment. Even if parts of the vehicle were burnt to ashes by the sudden electromagnetic pulses, they were only able to slowly descend without causing any casualties.

However, that one attack caused the expressions of all the experts on the battleship to change drastically. Zhang Shanhe, who was standing behind Zhang Heng, was even more astonished. The eyes of the higher-ups watching the battle through satellites all over the world went wide with disbelief.

"What is that power?"

Two Alpha-rank Jedi in white combat attire on the planetary battleship rose to their feet, their eyes filled with shock. The Beta-rank fighters gasped and looked at Zhang Heng on the holographic projection as if they were looking at a monster.

"This power, this power…" The Alpha-Grade Jedi mumbled under his breath. He suddenly had the feeling that the power that the other party possessed was not from the demon, but something even more terrifying and mysterious.

Zhang Heng stomped on the ground and flew into the air while everyone was still reeling from the shock. His clothes looked as if they were fluttering in the wind, but what followed was a series of intense alarms going off throughout the entire battleship.

"Warning, unknown lifeform detected approaching the flagship. 5,000 meters, 4500 meters, 4,000 meters, 3,000 meters… The enemy is moving faster than three Machs and is still accelerating!"

"He's here!"

Someone shouted and everyone's expression changed drastically.

Zhang Heng was like a missile, his mental power forming a cone-shaped tip that broke through the thick smoke that had yet to dissipate and shot straight into the sky. He was able to reach within three kilometers of the battleship in an instant.

However, the AI of the battleship reacted right away. Countless defensive-grade electromagnetic guns and light laser cannons were ejected from the battleship and aimed at Zhang Heng at the same time.

Bang!

A loud bang was heard and the entire side of the battleship was fired at the same time. However, before anyone realized what was happening, all the shells and lasers that were fired at the battleship were deflected and crashed into the defensive positions of the battleship, making loud cracking sounds.

Everyone looked even more glum after seeing how the attack was reflected back at them. The fact that hundreds of electromagnetic guns with astonishing power were reflected back at the same time and tens of lasers were fired at the same time was a testament to just how much computational power one needed to be able to perform such a feat. Even computers wouldn't be able to do such a thing.

However, that was not the end of it. Before the cannons could recharge for a second time, Zhang Heng headed straight for the protective barrier of the battleship and extended his hand, tapping lightly on the barrier. The sound of glass shattering was heard and cracks appeared on the barrier of the battleship.

"Impossible!" Everyone inside the battleship shouted in shock at the same time. All they saw was that the energy gauge representing the battleship's defensive position had been reduced by over 10 percent from that single point.

"Run!" Everyone wore expressions of indescribable shock on their faces. It wasn't just someone who shouted, the entire battleship began to move right away. However, it was still a huge battleship that was seven to eight kilometers in length after all. Its body was so huge that it was impossible to tell if the entire battleship was moving from the ground.

Zhang Heng smirked coldly when he saw that she was about to run away. "You think you can run?"

He tapped at the barrier generated by the demon as he spoke.

The defensive stance of the demonskiller was nowhere near as intricate as the one he had in the first place. However, when it came to the total number of demonskiller, the 10,000 demonskiller was nowhere near as powerful as the one he had in the first place. However, as soon as he tapped the barrier again, the demonskiller began to wail and the demonskiller began to appear on the defensive stance, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Heng didn't seem to be in a hurry at all. He looked at the battleship, which was accelerating non-stop, but with its cumbersome body, it would take at least 10 minutes of acceleration to reach a speed that surpassed Zhang Heng's flying speed, which meant that the battleship was accelerating at a speed of 4 Machs. However, they were unable to even last 10 seconds before Zhang Heng's attack.

Boom!

The sound of something cracking was heard several seconds later and the entire battleship's protective shield shattered. Zhang Heng crossed his arms and took a step in midair, appearing right at the tail of the battleship. The special alloy armor at the tail of the battleship, which was several meters thick, melted like butter when he got there. Zhang Heng walked into the battleship with a deadpan expression, as if he had just returned home.

"Warning, warning! Station generators have been breached and the battleship is now defenseless. Please charge the battleship as soon as possible."

"Warning! Armor outside Area 9 is damaged. Anyone who is permitted to board the battleship without permission will be deployed to fight back immediately."

Two alarms were heard in quick succession. However, at that moment, not only did the Peerless Region experts on the battleship not show any signs of eagerness to kill the enemy, every single one of them wore looks of despair and turned to look at the two Alpha-rank experts.

"He's here. What is he trying to do?"

"Damn it, is he trying to make the entire federation his enemy?"

"Run, or we're dead meat!"

All of a sudden, the high and mighty warriors of the Deadfall Tribe were thrown into utter chaos, feeling as if they had been plunged into an ice cave.

"Everyone, it's too late to run now!" That Asian man in white growled at that moment, silencing the crowd. He took a look at the holographic projection and found that the holographic projection had locked onto Zhang Heng at the moment. However, the image showed that Zhang Heng was only making his way to their meeting hall. Despite all the airtight doors locking down the entire way, the barriers that even explosives wouldn't be able to break through were easily sliced open like butter before him, unable to stop him in the slightest.

"All we can do now is fight with our backs against the wall!" The man in white shouted again as he slumped back into his seat. Countless mechanical arms extended from beneath his seat and quickly installed parts one after another on his body. There was a series of mechanical clicks as the man in white was transformed into a steel warrior wearing a white superalloy suit in just a few seconds.

"That's right. The only thing we can do at the moment is fight. Besides, if the other party doesn't want to completely fall out with the federation, they won't do anything to us. We still stand a chance." The other man in the western suit nodded and put on alloy armor for himself as well. He then pulled out a cylinder about 20 centimeters long from his back.

A hum was heard and a beam of dazzling light shot out from the end of the cylinder.

Lightsaber!

The lightsabers here were definitely not the same thing as the ones found in Star Wars. They were some kind of plasma cutting machine that could generate high temperatures above 5,000 degrees and cut through all matter.

Star Wars was only a movie, and for dramatic reasons, battles between light swords were far more shocking than battles between firearms. However, that was reality. No matter how powerful a light sword was, it was still no match for an electromagnetic rifle. The only reason why he brought out his light sword was because he was inside a battleship. If he were to use firearms, the jump and damage done to the ship would be enough to make his scalp go numb. As such, he could only use support weapons to fight.

Those words were like a form of encouragement that calmed everyone down right away. They had been intimidated by Zhang Heng's power before, and now that they were reminded of it, they realized that they were representing the entire federation after all. Even the craziest of maniacs would probably have some reservations about doing so.

Everyone returned to their seats at that thought and put on their combat armor just like the two Alpha-Origin experts. They then drew their lightsabers and stood in a line, facing Zhang Heng.

The alloy wall before them melted like butter almost at the same time that everyone was done with their preparations. Zhang Heng walked into the wall behind the wall casually.

The battle between the Federation and Zhang Heng had finally begun.

582. Federal Blockade

Zhang Heng wasn't surprised to see that the people in the conference room looked as if they were about to face some kind of formidable enemy. While his mental power wasn't very good at penetrating things, he was able to make his way through anything with just a crack. As such, he scanned every corner of the ship with his mental power as soon as he stepped inside.

There was a group of men wearing unknown armor before him at the moment. The armor looked very similar to the Armageddon Type 2 armor worn by the D.S.F special forces under Zhang Heng all those years ago. Even the structure of the armor looked identical, with the only difference being that the color changed from black to silver.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and stepped inside. However, the armored warrior in the lead suddenly asked, "May I know if you're Mr. Zhang Heng?"

"Didn't you guys already know?" Zhang Heng raised his right hand to the crowd and a frightening amount of energy gathered in his hand right away. Everyone's pupils contracted. Based on the senses of the Jedi, they had a feeling that they would definitely die from that attack.

"Hold on, I'm a member of the upper council of the federation. You can't kill me!" The man shouted at once and took up a defensive stance. "We can talk things out…"

However, a massive burst of energy burst forth from Zhang Heng's hand before he was able to finish his sentence. Everyone saw a layer of dazzling light shooting at them and everything before their eyes went dark in the very next second.

Boom!

The massive battleship that covered the entire sky above Haizhou City suddenly let out a series of metallic, twisted booms. A thick beam of light penetrated the armor of the battleship in the very next second, shooting out from the inside out.

That was just the beginning. The entire battleship exploded one after another like a fire lotus in full bloom, with tens of thousands of beams of light shooting out from within. The entire battleship eventually turned into a fireball and shattered into thousands of pieces before plummeting from the sky.

All the legions that came to arrest Zhang Heng were completely wiped out.

Countless flames flickered in the sky, making it look like a huge firework. Zhang Heng stood tall in midair with a ball of green light about 30 centimeters in diameter before him.

That blob of light was constantly emitting a faint fluorescent light and at the same time, it was emitting an astonishing aura. There were also tiny green spots of light that were slowly vaporizing. However, there seemed to be some kind of invisible barrier around the blob of light. Those green spots of light that were about to vaporize were blocked right away when they came into contact with the barrier, making it impossible for them to escape.

Reminiscence was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as soon as he saw that mysterious ball of light. He opened his mouth and the ball of light split into two and flew into his mouth continuously.

Zhang Heng's shriveled skin began to change at a visible rate after absorbing the entire green blob of light. It continued to regenerate its elasticity and all the wrinkles on his face were smoothed away. If Zhang Heng looked somewhat old before, he looked like a young man of 18 years of age at the moment.

Zhang Heng's face wasn't the only thing that changed. Cracking sounds were heard all over his body as well. Zhang Heng turned his neck around and a shocking aura was released from his body. The air around Zhang Heng seemed to be boiling all of a sudden.

"I'm finally back to perfect condition." Zhang Heng clenched his fist and a series of cracking sounds were heard from his palm. His pupils contracted and he looked up as if he had sensed something. An invisible shockwave burst through the air above him and broke through the atmosphere in the blink of an eye, reaching near-orbit tens of kilometers away.

Almost at the same time, a near-Earth satellite about 100 meters in diameter that was about to fire its railgun exploded without warning, completely losing contact with the ground.

Zhang Heng lowered his head again after doing all that, as if he had just done something insignificant. He took a step forward and returned to the villa he was in before.

There seemed to be some other reason why Zhang Heng didn't allow the aftermath of the battle to hit the ground in the villa. Despite the earth-shattering fighting taking place outside, the place remained unscathed.

Zhang Shanhe, on the other hand, was shaking violently at the moment. He looked out of the window at the torrential flames, his eyes filled with utter shock—there were only a handful of planetary-level battleships in the entire federation that could be considered the most powerful weapons of the nation, yet they were all destroyed within seconds. Was that person really human?

"Take me to the person in charge of the Zhang Group." That mysterious man's voice was heard from behind Zhang Shanhe just when he was shaking all over. Zhang Shanhe didn't even have time to turn around before he felt someone lifting him up all of a sudden. A gust of wind blew at him and he took a huge gulp of cold air before he could even scream. He almost choked and began coughing.

It was only then that he realized that he was soaring into the sky at an extremely fast speed. The scenery on both sides of the sky retreated at a very high speed and he heard the rumbling of the wind as he was carried upside down by that mysterious man and flew into the city at a speed that surpassed sound.

"Where?"

That man's cold voice was heard from above.

Zhang Shanhe almost pissed himself. He pointed to the east and wanted to say something, but he was rendered completely speechless.

"That way? The other side of the Pacific Ocean?" The mysterious man behind him mumbled and turned around right away, crossing Haizhou and heading straight for the Pacific Ocean.

However, hundreds of beams of light approached him from afar not long after he took flight. Zhang Shanhe was stunned for a moment before he began to twist about like a madman. There was a look of terror in his eyes. How could he not tell that those beams of light were the Seeker Missiles that the Federation claimed to be able to hit every single target?

However, the mysterious man behind him only chuckled coldly and the tides that were rising and falling seemed to have been pushed down by tens of thousands of kilograms all of a sudden. Everything became very quiet all of a sudden.

A crack slowly appeared on the surface of the ocean beneath the two of them and spread further apart. A crack that was about two to three meters wide and over a kilometer long appeared all of a sudden, as if something invisible was separating the water from the ocean.

The mysterious man picked up Zhang Shanhe in the very next second and dashed into a canyon in the middle of the ocean, moving at high speeds in that two-meter wide canyon.

That section of the strait looked like it was only about a kilometer in length, but as the two of them flew into it, the front part of the strait began to part and the back part of the strait quickly closed, maintaining a length of about a kilometer. As such, the two of them were able to fly below the surface of the strait forever.

However, those missiles were technological products from 400 years ago, after all. Even though the targets had flown below sea level, the missiles still changed course and headed straight for the two of them. The speed of those missiles was over 20 Mach's.

However, the seawater on both sides of the ocean suddenly closed up as soon as the missiles reached the surface of the ocean. The missiles crashed into the seawater at an extremely high speed and beams of intense light shot up, detonating completely.

Countless shockwaves spread out in all directions, yet none of them were able to reach Zhang Heng, who was flying at high speeds, before he was deemed to have failed.

However, the enemy seemed to be unwilling to give up. The missile had just failed when Zhang Shanhe saw an army of unmanned fighter jets flying over from the horizon. The drones formed a special formation in the distance and fired thousands of anti-aircraft missiles at the same time. The space in front of the two of them was filled with countless missiles in an instant, making it look like a barrage of bullets and a huge net that covered the sky.

A tinge of impatience flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes and he waved his hand suddenly. The seawater within a kilometer radius shot up into the sky yet again, turning into a huge screen that was over a kilometer tall. The missiles were unable to disguise themselves in time and plunged into the seawater. The entire wall formed by the seawater exploded in the very next second and the entire sky was filled with water vapor. Only the two of them were able to break through the mist and enter the formation of fighter jets.

Buzz!

Zhang Heng's flying silhouette turned into a black line and shot right through the ranks of the Infinity mechs. It was only when he disappeared into the horizon that all the mechs stopped flying due to inertia. They were just about to make a turn when something unexpected seemed to have happened inside. All the unmanned mechs exploded in midair and none of them survived.

Zhang Shanhe was practically numb by then. He watched everything unfold with a dazed look on his face. He watched as the Federation went out of their way to do whatever they could, yet they were unable to even get close to the mysterious man before him. He was filled with regret all of a sudden, regretting why he went out of his way to mess with that man. He wondered if that man was really that man.

However, Zhang Heng seemed to have sensed something at that moment. He frowned and streams of seawater turned into countless water dragons that spiraled around him. A black dot appeared at the edge of the horizon at the same time.

Countless water dragons soared into the sky at once and the air around Zhang Heng was sucked out, turning his surroundings into a vacuum of extreme height. The water dragons boiled under the vacuum effect, but due to the lack of heat absorption, the ice dragons were completely formed. Dozens of ice dragons formed the shape of drills and spun at high speeds, blocking Zhang Heng's path of suicide.

All of that happened in the blink of an eye. The black dot collided with the hard ice drill in the very next second, sending countless crystals flying everywhere. The black dot broke through the defense and appeared right before Zhang Heng.

Buzz!

A shockwave that seemed capable of tearing everything apart was felt at that moment. Zhang Shanhe, who was below, felt an indescribable shockwave. Blood gushed out of his ears and nose in an instant, and he blacked out right away.

Zhang Heng snorted and activated his mental power again, colliding with the black dot that was charging at him. It was only then that the black dot's face was completely revealed. It was a solid bullet that was seven to eight meters long and over three meters in diameter.

The cannonball was an electromagnetic railgun that was capable of accelerating to over 100 times the speed of sound.

However, even the railgun shells made of special alloys were first blocked by the ice that was spinning at high speeds before being blocked by the solid mental barrier. The railgun shells completely lost their kinetic power when they reached Zhang Heng and were kicked into the ocean by him.

Zhang Heng was able to vaguely make out the continent on the other side at that moment. He had passed through the Pacific Ocean and arrived at the Los Angeles city across Haizhou.

583. Zhang Clan

Los Angeles had suffered a nuclear attack from Zhang Heng four hundred years ago, but technology had grown exponentially over the past four hundred years, and the radiation from before had gradually subsided. The city was not only restored to its former glory, but it was also far more prosperous than it had been four hundred years ago.

Zhang Heng flew into the city at a very high speed. The airflow brought about by the high-speed flight blew away all the anti-gravity cars that were making their way through the streets. The skyscrapers on both sides of the street rumbled loudly at the same time. Countless pieces of glass flew everywhere and people's screams could be heard faintly.

Zhang Heng took less than 20 seconds to completely traverse a city with a diameter of over 10 kilometers. It was only then that he shook Zhang Shanhe, who had passed out in his hand, lightly. Zhang Shanhe shuddered and woke up right away. He looked around in a rather dazed manner before shuddering all over.

"Where?"

Zhang Heng asked again.

"The Eiffert mansion in the western outskirts of Los Angeles!" Zhang Shanhe was on the verge of breaking down as tears and mucus rolled down his face. "Please, just let me go!"

Buzz!

However, Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks before he was able to finish his sentence. He made a sharp turn and headed straight for the ground. Just when Zhang Shanhe thought that he was about to bang his head against the ground, the ground split open and revealed a hole that led deep into the ground.

"Boom!" Zhang Heng didn't slow down at all as he flew deep underground. The hole closed right after he disappeared from the surface, as if the opening was just an illusion.

…

A huge disc-shaped floating city stood 100,000 meters above the ground, with the words "Earth Federal Defense Department" written on it. At that moment, there was a huge building that took up an area of tens of square kilometers and was over 500 meters tall at the center of the floating city. Countless screens and equipment were installed at the very center of the building, where nearly a thousand people were working furiously. A man's expression changed drastically when he saw the holographic projection before him and shouted.

"Commander, he disappeared!"

"Disappeared?" The man in military attire, who was referred to as the commander, looked at him and his expression changed drastically. He gritted his teeth and said, "Continue searching. Get the micro surveillance robots to monitor everything within a 500-kilometer radius. Get all the surveillance satellites to monitor everything in here as well. We can't afford to lose our target. Understood, absolutely not!"

"Understood!"

There was no need to talk about how the Federal Defense Department was screaming at the top of their lungs. At that very moment, the floor of a manor that took up an extremely vast area was opened to both sides. Zhang Heng slowly walked in with Zhang Shanhe in his arms. The floor shut right after he reached the floor, making it impossible to see any signs of movement.

"Is this the place?" Zhang Heng asked.

"I-It's here." Zhang Shanhe looked at everything before him in a daze. He had never thought that he would be able to travel thousands of kilometers from Haizhou to Los Angeles on the other side of the Earth in just over half an hour. He had even made it to the core residence of the Zhang Group.

However, a spherical robot about the size of a basketball suddenly turned its head and flew in their direction while the two of them were still in midair. Red spots were seen flickering on the body of the robot, which was the sign that it had discovered the intruder.

However, it exploded in the air before it was able to get near Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng dragged Zhang Shanhe and took a step forward, appearing right before the door of the villa in a flash. The ancient wooden door of the villa collapsed in the very next moment.

"Who is it?"

"Intruders! Protect the old man!"

"Where are the guards? Where are the security guards?"

The entire villa was in a complete mess. The expressions of the people inside changed drastically when they saw Zhang Heng. Some of them drew their weapons and pointed them at Zhang Heng, but their expressions changed drastically when they saw what he looked like.

"It's you? I can't believe you found your way here. Well then, stay here!"

A young man rushed out of the room. His eyes lit up when he saw Zhang Heng, and he shouted right away before charging at Zhang Heng with devastating power and throwing a punch at him.

That punch brought with it countless gusts of wind, causing everyone around to sway from side to side.

Zhang Heng looked up slightly and the expression of the man before him changed immediately. He felt as if his heart was being crushed by something and he lost all strength in his body, falling right at Zhang Heng's feet.

"Stop!"

At that moment, an extreme force was felt from the innermost part of the villa. All the demons in the air seethed and gathered before Zhang Heng with a loud rumble, as if they had turned into a fist that went around Zhang Shanhe and pressed down on Zhang Heng. The air around them exploded and was torn apart.

"Alpha-Origin?" It was only then that Zhang Heng's expression changed and boundless mental power burst forth. The demon in the air was unable to surround Zhang Heng in time and was dispersed by the mental power right away. There was even a visible shockwave that was sent flying. The people in the villa felt as if a tsunami was crashing down on them and they screamed as they crashed into the wall behind them. They looked like they were about to die.

"You!"

A sorrowful wail was heard from deep within the villa, and a middle-aged man who looked somewhat like Zhang Heng rushed out from deep within the villa. Countless demons converged before him at the same time.

However, as he was in his lair, the middle-aged man before him didn't dare to do anything reckless. He simply waved at the young man who fell before Zhang Heng and the young man flew to the middle-aged man's side right away. The middle-aged man helped the young man up and checked the young man right away. However, he found that the young man's internal organs and even his brain had been pulverized by some invisible force and he was deader than dead.

"You're asking for it!" The middle-aged man's eyes turned red and he gritted his teeth as he glared at Zhang Heng. Due to his emotional influence, the ground within a radius of a kilometer began to rumble.

"Zhang Hong, stop!"

However, a shout was heard from the second floor of the villa. An old man with a head full of white hair was seen making his way to the first floor with the help of two young women. That old man seemed to have a very high status. However, with that shout, the middle-aged man who had reached the Alpha level had no choice but to stop whatever he was doing, regardless of how furious he was.

Zhang Heng didn't say a word throughout the entire conversation. He only chuckled coldly when he saw the old man. "Zhang Clan? Zhang Clan Group?"

"Yes, we're from the Zhang Group…" The old man wore a complicated expression as he looked straight at Zhang Heng with his cloudy eyes. He bent over slightly and said in a low voice, "I'm Zhang Limin, the grandson of… your younger brother."

584. Attack

Zhang Heng was stunned and turned to look at the dejected Zhang Shanhe. "So, you guys are my parents' descendants?"

"Yes," the old man answered before pushing the woman beside him away and said in a low voice.

"Ever since your sudden disappearance 400 years ago, the Stellar Foundation followed all of your orders back then, immediately retracting its line of defense and heading for the world behind it." The elder looked pained. "However, as the turmoil in the real world gradually passed, while there were still occasional monsters coming from the 'outpost', the Earth was barely able to fight back. As such, the Golden Foundation sent out a large number of people to control the real world 30 years later, including your brother, who is also my… grandfather."

"However, it didn't take long before the inside of the Golden Foundation seemed to have received some kind of information that we didn't know about. All of a sudden, they went out of their way to close the connection between the two sides of the plane at all costs, isolating your brother from the other side of the plane. That was how the Zhang family came to be."

Tears began to roll down the old man's face as he continued, "Without the aid from the rear, the Zhang Clan was unable to fight back against the Earth Federation despite being in control of a powerful force. As such, the Zhang Clan gradually began to decline…"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but look puzzled. He hadn't expected that his parents would give birth to yet another son after losing him. Furthermore, the family had grown into a massive family. He looked around at the people around him, but none of them reacted much. They simply looked at him with eyes that were filled with hatred, fear, rage, and so on, before lowering their heads as he looked at them.

It was obvious that Zhang Hong, who was an Alpha, was no match for Zhang Heng. None of them dared to harbor any other thoughts.

However, it was obvious that it was the first time that many of them had heard of such a secret. Their eyes were wide open and some of them wore blank expressions. It was obvious that none of them cared who their ancestors were. The only one who ended up crying was that old man.

All of that didn't look like he was faking it at all. Furthermore, if he was really faking it, there would definitely be some kind of loophole. However, from the very beginning when the Federation discovered his actions to the present, all of that could be said to have been done flawlessly. There was simply no way anyone could have known that he would return to reality four hundred years later and prepare for everything for four hundred years.

Zhang Heng actually began to believe all of that at that moment.

However, for some reason, Zhang Heng felt a knot forming in his chest the moment he believed all of that. Frustration was seen in his eyes, and he felt like killing everyone there with a single slap.

The middle-aged man who looked somewhat like Zhang Heng at that moment suddenly spoke up. His eyes were filled with sarcasm and hatred as he said, "As expected of our ancestor. He killed the most talented great-grandson of his family as soon as he got back. Hahahaha!" He was talking about the young man who was killed by Zhang Heng in his arms.

"Shut up, Zhang Hong!" The old man's expression changed drastically and berated him right away.

However, it was too late by then. Zhang Hong's neck caved in right after he said that, as if something had grabbed hold of him. An Alpha-ranked warrior who was powerful enough to move mountains and fill seas was lifted up like a chicken.

"Regardless of how much power you have, if you're unable to achieve control at the atomic level, you'll be no different from a common man before me." Zhang Heng's voice was ice-cold, as if he was looking at a dead man struggling in front of him, unable to summon even the slightest bit of magic. "When you get to the bottom, take good care of that younger brother of mine and tell him to teach you what it means to respect your master."

"Please, ancestor, just let him go!" The old man's eyes were filled with fear and he was about to kneel down before Zhang Heng.

"Huh? Did I tell you to speak?" Zhang Heng turned around and the old man was sent flying as if he had been hit by something invisible, crashing into the wall behind him.

The crowd heard a snapping sound and Zhang Hong's eyes popped out of his head while he was still struggling. His head slumped to his shoulder as if he had lost all support. He took one last look at Zhang Heng, his eyes filled with resentment and indignation. However, no matter how strong he was, with his cervical vertebra, windpipe, and artery all broken, he eventually died helplessly.

The entire lobby went completely silent.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and suppressed the frustration in his heart. While it was true that he had taken a liking to his family, that didn't mean that anyone could be considered his family. Furthermore, those people didn't show him the slightest bit of respect and even harbored ill intentions towards him. Even the old man had only stepped in to stop him when he realized that his power was far above that of Zhang Hong. Furthermore, his words were filled with seduction, making it obvious that he was trying to make use of his power to rise to the throne of the uncrowned king of the Earth Federation.

It could be said that if Zhang Heng hadn't reached the level of being able to control atoms, he probably wouldn't have been able to defeat even an Alpha-class Jedi. It was obvious from the battle with Reinhart back then that Reinhart was only at the Beta level at the moment. He wouldn't have been able to last even a single move against an Alpha who was able to move mountains and fill seas. If Zhang Heng were still himself from 400 years ago, he would have been captured alive by those people and forced to reveal the secret of the Stellar Foundation.

Zhang Heng felt no pity for his so-called descendants at that thought. He chuckled coldly and said to the old man who was struggling to even get up, "I don't care if you're telling the truth or not. From now on, I'll be in charge of everything in the family for the time being. If I have any requests, just do as I say. Otherwise, prepare to face my wrath!"

Zhang Heng scanned the entire villa with his mental power as he said that. He scanned the entire area and even the ground beneath the villa. However, just as he expected, there was a tunnel that led deep underground. His expression flickered and he walked out immediately, arriving in a bedroom on the other side of the villa.

"Arrgghhhh!" A woman's scream was heard the moment Zhang Heng stepped into the bedroom. It was only then that Zhang Heng realized that the bedroom belonged to a woman, and there was a girl who looked to be in her late teens cowering by the side of the bed, looking at him with fear written all over her face.

However, when he saw that girl, he felt as if his head was about to explode. That girl who was curled up in a corner and crying her eyes out was actually identical to Zhang Xin.

"Zhang Xin…" Zhang Heng's eyes were about to pop out of his head. He looked at the old man who was being helped up in the living room and asked in a trembling voice, "Zhang Xin, is she being kept in reality as well?"

"Yes…" The elder wore a bitter smile on his face. "She was abandoned by the Stellar Foundation just like your brother. She was born with depression when she was 163 years old…"

The old man's expression changed drastically before he was able to finish his sentence. He felt a chill run down his spine. The man before him, who belonged to his ancestors, emanated an indescribable, terrifying aura. The entire world felt like it was on the verge of extinction at that moment.

It was the first time that Zhang Heng felt an irrepressible flaw in his mind.

However, right at that moment, a huge, skinny arm shot out from behind Zhang Heng and grabbed at him in a way that transcended time and space.

585. Seeing Through

This was the first time that Zhang Heng felt an irrepressible flaw in his mental state.

However, right at that moment, a huge, skinny arm shot out from behind Zhang Heng and grabbed at him in a way that transcended time and space.

"Sigh…"

He felt as if there was an irrepressible sigh that came out of nowhere.

Zhang Heng's terrified and despairing eyes somehow calmed down at that moment.

It was as if the raging tsunami had suddenly turned into a calm and tranquil beach in the blink of an eye. Zhang Heng turned around with a deadpan expression and looked at the huge palm that was approaching him inch by inch.

It was a hand that looked both metallic and leathery at the same time. The color of the hand was pure white and it was extremely huge. The part of the hand was about five to six meters long. If Zhang Heng were to be held in that hand, he would probably be crushed into pieces right away.

There was a pure white giant behind that hand. That giant was covered in white metal armor, and its head looked like that of a fish. It looked like a bird at first glance, but it had no eyes. It had its huge, blood-red mouth wide open and saliva drooling from its mouth as it grabbed at Zhang Heng greedily.

"Did I finally lure you out?" A cold smirk was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as boundless mental power gushed out and formed a hexagonal barrier before him. Under the sunlight, the barrier actually emitted a colorful glow.

Bang!

The huge hand collided with the barrier. The diamond-shaped barrier was about the size of a toy before the huge hand, yet the sound of metal clashing was heard as the barrier collided.

Zhang Heng's face paled. It was obvious that even he was finding it difficult to withstand that attack, yet the white giant was even more so. Its entire hand was torn apart by Zhang Heng's barrier, and what appeared to be a human-like hand was seen underneath the white armor. However, that hand was pulverized and reduced to mush as well.

"Howl!"

The white silhouette let out a blood-curdling scream after failing to land a hit and was about to retreat immediately. However, Zhang Heng took another step forward and disappeared into thin air with a bang. The only thing that was left was a rumbling shockwave that exploded with a bang. A crater over a dozen meters deep was left on the floor beneath his feet due to the massive recoil.

Zhang Heng's body seemed to have turned into a bullet as he charged at the chest of the giant with determination and ferocity. He was able to see that the armor on the chest of the giant was a lot more abnormal than that of the other armors, as if it had been repaired.

Boom!

It was as if a bullet had penetrated his chest. Large amounts of armor and bright red flesh sprayed out from the chest area of the white giant. The white giant let out a blood-curdling screech at the same time, as Zhang Heng penetrated its chest and headed straight for its spine.

The entirety of the Zhang family's villa exploded in an instant, as if it was being destroyed by antimatter. A shockwave from the intense explosion surged out and wiped out everything in an instant.

Not to mention that girl who looked like Zhang Xin, even the other Jedi with Betta's rank were reduced to dust without making a sound.

Just when he was about to reach her chest, a force that was very close to his mental power was felt all of a sudden. He felt as if he was wrapped in something invisible, unable to get in or out.

"Hahaha, combine with my MPA!"

A voice was transmitted into Zhang Heng's mind through his consciousness, but he didn't seem surprised at all. His eyes lit up and he said, "So, you're the Dimensional Star Lord!"

"Zhang Hengjun, you need to work harder. Look behind you. Your sister has been completely blown up!" However, that voice had no intention of answering Zhang Heng's question. Instead, it mumbled in a disgusting manner, as if it was unable to speak properly.

"I knew it. All of that was part of your plan." However, Zhang Heng didn't seem to be affected by what she said at all. He chuckled coldly and continued, "You've been trying to create flaws in my psyche ever since I returned to reality. You found out that I cared deeply about my family and somehow managed to get a group of people to come to me. You might have even found my genes and cloned all of them, claiming that they were the descendants of my brother, which gave me the illusion that I was betrayed by my parents."

"He then hinted to the Stellar Foundation that they didn't look for me after I went missing. He then spread rumors that the Stellar Foundation didn't follow my orders and returned to reality 30 years later, making me feel like I was betrayed by the Stellar Foundation.

"In the end, you even went so far as to create that woman in Zhang Xin's appearance, making her hide in her room on purpose, yet you deliberately created a passageway that led underground in her room. You knew that I was a suspicious person by nature, and I would definitely go to the passageway to take a look. That way, I would discover the woman who looked exactly like Zhang Xin, and I would definitely wonder if my sister had been abandoned in real life as well.

"At that point, I've completely become the illusion of being betrayed by humans, betrayed by the forces that I've established, betrayed by my own relatives, and even betrayed by my descendants. I've developed flaws in my mind, which will allow me to deal you a fatal blow.

Zhang Heng looked up suddenly at that point and a slit on his forehead opened up. If anyone were to be able to see that slit between his eyebrows, they would be able to tell that there was a third eye there.

Eye of Horus!

Zhang Heng's Mind Gem had been shattered, but that didn't mean that his mental power had dropped drastically. On the contrary, after four hundred years of accumulation, he was able to generate unparalleled power when he opened his eyes again.

A tremendous amount of mental power burst out all of a sudden. The chest of that monster exploded in an instant, revealing a huge hole that seemed to have filled the entire chest.

However, Zhang Heng was surprised for the first time when he saw that huge hole made of flesh and blood. He retreated a thousand meters away without a second thought, and a serious look finally appeared in his eyes.

"I didn't expect you to become one with that monster," Zhang Heng said solemnly.

"Hahaha, that's right. Did you really think that you'd be able to find my dead bolt on your chest?" That vague voice continued to echo in his mind, but it wasn't coming from that voice at all, but from his soul.

"Sigh…" Zhang Heng sighed all of a sudden. "I didn't expect that I wouldn't be back for 400 years. As expected, this place has been taken over by the other Dimensional Constellation Lords. You're an S-rank host yourself, right? But I'm curious, how did you know that I'd definitely be back and set up a trap for me?"

586. Strangulation

"If you're curious, Zhang Hengjun, go to the Three Roads River and ask Yan Luo Dian."

That monster didn't seem to have any intentions of communicating with Zhang Heng and simply pounced on him like a madman. That 100-meter-tall giant looked like a small hill, yet its nimbleness was no less than that of a regular human. One could also see bits of flesh sprouting from the gaping hole in its chest, mending its body at a visible rate.

"I'd like to see just how much energy you have to sustain your body from healing."

Zhang Heng frowned and shot into the sky like a beam of light, heading straight for the monster's head. However, the monster simply opened its mouth and charged right into the monster's mouth in the very next second. The monster then exploded from its throat all the way to its chest.

Zhang Heng was able to slip through the monster's body without any trouble after a series of explosions. However, he was once again able to sense countless streams of mental power surging in from all directions, trying to trap him in there. That monster was indeed someone who possessed mental power as well, and the amount of mental power it possessed far exceeded Zhang Heng's.

"It's a pity that, while your capacity far exceeds mine, your application of mental power in terms of quality is like that of a baby." The slit between Zhang Heng's eyebrows wiggled again. His precise control over mental power enabled him to break through the monster's mental barrier and return to the outside world.

"Hahaha, it's no use. I have the SuperSolonoid engines installed in my body. Damaging me at the atomic level wouldn't do any good. I could grow endless cells and bodies! Besides, Zhang Hengjun, how much Light of the Mind do you have left to squander?" The monster laughed maniacally as circles of mental power were released. The power contained within was so great that it spread to half of Los Angeles in an instant. Buildings and roads nearby were completely destroyed, leaving no trace behind.

"SuperSolenoid engines? You mean S2, right?" Zhang Heng wore a serious expression. "Infinite power? The legendary Fruit of Life? As expected, you got the EVA from the EVA world?"

"Well then, Zhang Hengjun, you'd better be good and let me devour you! Your Light of the Soul is the best nutrient for me!" the monster shouted and charged at Zhang Heng again.

If he were to compare the two of them, Zhang Heng would look like a rat. He would only be able to constantly attack his opponent's weaknesses or get into his opponent's body to cause damage.

Neither side seemed to be able to do anything to the other at the moment and the two sides were caught in a tug of war. However, anyone could imagine that if one side had unlimited power while the other side had limited power, even if the limited power output was several levels higher than the former, there would still be times when the power would run out…

However, when Zhang Heng charged into her body again, he suddenly closed his eyes and chuckled coldly. "But, do you really think that the so-called S2 mechanism is flawless?" Zhang Heng suddenly raised his hand and the hydrogen atom in the air began to surge. The high temperatures in front of him began to take shape in the blink of an eye and an intense explosion was heard in the very next second.

"I remember that the so-called infinity is only a small area of damage. What if you only have two legs left?" Endless light illuminated the nearby Los Angeles and a huge mushroom cloud rose from the ground.

Boom!

If the explosion were to happen in the outside world, no matter how powerful the nuclear fusion was, it would have been impossible for it to break through the mental barriers of the other party. As an EVA mass-producing machine with an endless supply of energy, the prototype would have been some kind of semi-mythical, semi- sci-fi conceptual monster found in EVA. S2, on the other hand, was a conceptual unlimited power source found in EVA, which was equivalent to a perpetual motion machine. Some people even called it the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden.

However, Zhang Heng had sensed that seemingly endless stream of energy the very first time he attacked the creature's body. As such, in order to kill the creature completely, he triggered a nuclear fusion reaction in the creature's body. While doing so would have put him in grave danger, he didn't hesitate at all.

Zhang Heng looked at the ground as yet another mushroom cloud rose into the air. As he expected, the monster before him had been reduced to a pile of flesh below its knees. Everything above its knees had been vaporized.

However, before the hundreds of thousands of degrees Celsius of high temperatures generated by nuclear fusion completely subsided, that pair of massive calves began to expand at an alarming rate, making them look like balloons that were about to burst. Countless pieces of flesh and blood began to roll about, and in the blink of an eye, the two human calves lost their original shape and even fused into a huge ball of flesh, with a pair of hands and a head popping up from within.

However, there was no way Zhang Heng would just stand by and watch as the meatball recovered after paying such a huge price. A cold glint flashed across his eyes and he opened his eyebrows again. A massive wave of mental power immediately destroyed the meatball and pushed it towards the center. Despite the rapid growth rate of the meatball, it continued to shrink and eventually became the size of a meatball.

All he needed to do at the moment was to make one last move and he would be able to completely wear down that troublesome monster. However, he hesitated for a moment. If he could get his hands on that S2 that was known as the perpetual motion machine, he would be able to make up for the loss of the Mind Gem.

However, that thought only lasted for a split second. A look of determination flashed in his eyes in the very next second and he quickly clenched his fist. The meatball exploded in his hand right away, shattering at the very least atom level with a loud rumble. A gentle breeze blew through the air…

It was obvious that Zhang Heng was able to resist the temptation of obtaining S2. It wasn't that he had given up on the advanced technology that could enhance his mental power, but that he suddenly had an even crazier thought. If he were to succeed…

"Warning: Host has been denied access to other hosts. Dimensional Star access upgraded…"

"Neurons are being tested. Neurons are connected."

"Begin scanning of brain environment. Brain environment normal."

"Prompt: New AI support program detected. Host has acquired an auxiliary personality. Would you like to replace the old one with a new AI support program?"

It was obvious that Zhang Heng had taken away the Dimensional Star's access rights once again after killing the new Dimensional Star Lord. That was the case with the AI support program as well. However, Arthasjia didn't provoke Zhang Heng and it seemed like there was no need for him to replace her for the time being.

Zhang Heng shook his head at that thought. "No need."

"Understood. The newly discovered AI support program has been deleted."

The Dimensional Star replied right away and Zhang Heng heard a piercing scream in his mind before everything went silent again.

"Host access progress stacking…"

"Host access progress is now at [A] class. Host access denied is now at [C] class. The host's new access has been upgraded to [A +] class after stacking."

"Prompt: Host has entered Grade A + access. Access upgraded."

"Access Upgrade! Current Access: [A +] class."

"Access Upgrade: Dimensional Star Transportation Cooldown reduced to three hours."

"Access Upgrade: Research System Upgrade. According to the rules of the Dimensional Star, Access Upgrade Host to Research and Development. Support Host to Research and Technology."

"Access Upgrade: Access System Upgrade. Current Level A + Access Upgrade. Access to space-time transformation with an object with a volume of 10,000 cubic meters. Weight unlimited. Access to space-time transformation with a volume of 10,000 living beings. Weight unlimited."

"System prompt: Host has been granted a penalty exemption right! Host may use it when you fail a mission. Host may return to reality immediately after using it and will not be punished."

"System prompt: Host has discovered a new plane that could be explored—'Zombie Siege', 'Constantine', 'Evangelical Warrior of the New Era', 'Campus Meditation', and so on. Host may enter the designated plane at any time without taking any quests into account."

587. New Era Evangelion

Zhang Heng blinked and wore a speechless expression. While his access had been upgraded to [A +] class, there didn't seem to be much of a difference from before. No, it would be more accurate to say that nothing had changed.

The cooldown period remained at three hours and the number of living beings that were brought in remained at 100,000 cubic meters and 10,000. Other than gaining one additional exemption, there was nothing else to gain.

However, the only thing that comforted him was that he had gained access to many other worlds, and among them was the New Era Evangelical Warrior.

He took a deep breath at that thought and looked around at the land that had been razed to the ground. It had only been about 10 minutes since he arrived in Los Angeles, yet the entire place had been severely damaged.

More than half of the buildings in the city were completely razed to the ground, and countless civilians wailed in anguish. Black clouds billowed in the sky, and mountains of corpses and seas of blood were strewn all over the ground. Millions of people were fleeing to the other side of the city, as if they had gone insane. It looked like the end of days had come.

However, none of that was able to move Zhang Heng in the slightest. The bond between him and the real world had faded over the course of 400 years. There were no longer any of his parents and family on Earth at the moment. There was no Stellar Technology built by Zhang Heng, and there was no one he knew on Earth.

To Zhang Heng, the current Earth was no different from a mission plane.

Zhang Heng's expression became even colder at that thought. He slowly rose into the air and looked down at the people on the ground like a god. He suddenly said, "Arthasaka, come out. I know you're watching me."

"Yes…" A fresh and elegant girl's voice was heard from the inside of Zhang Heng's brain right away. Arthasja, who was still dressed in white, came to his mindspace.

"Arthasaka, it's been 400 years. Have you gone insane from all that sleep?" Zhang Heng felt rather frustrated. 'I've been ambushed by hosts from other planes. How could you not have heard anything?'

"I'm sorry, Brother Zhang Heng." Arthasjia didn't refute him at all and simply said casually, "This is the plane mission given by that host just now. Arthasjia is unable to interfere with the mission given by the Dimensional Star."

"His mission?"

Zhang Heng's expression changed as if he realized something and asked with a weird expression, "So, his mission is to stop me from destroying the real plane?"

"Yes, you may not have realized it yet, but it's obvious that you've become the second occurrence in the real world…"

Zhang Heng fell silent right away. He seemed to have recalled something and chuckled coldly again. "But, I don't think I've thought about destroying reality, have I?"

"The Dimensional Star controls time and space. If it confirms that you've made the second attempt, then it's definitely correct." Arthasgar continued in a manner that was neither obsequious nor humble, "As for what you're thinking, Arthasgar is unable to tell."

"Hmph!" Zhang Heng snorted coldly and didn't say anything else. He changed the subject and said, "So that's how it is. No wonder he was able to find out about my weaknesses and set up the facade of my family in advance. But as long as I don't destroy reality, wouldn't that mean that the Dimensional Star made a mistake?"

"The Dimensional Star wouldn't make any mistakes," Arthas eventually answered.

"…" Zhang Heng shook his head, feeling rather speechless. It was only then that he saw countless fighter jets flying over from the horizon, and pitch-black spots were seen shooting down from the stratosphere above him. It was obvious that the second wave of troops from the Earth Federation had finally gathered and were heading straight for Zhang Heng.

However, due to the disparity in power, Zhang Heng was unable to pay any attention to it. Even if all of the Alpha-Grade Jedi around the world were to take action, and all of their high-tech weapons were to be deployed, it would only be a matter of seconds before Zhang Heng. Would a human be bothered by an army of ants?

Zhang Heng shook his head and paid no heed to the arrival of the federal army. He looked up at the sky and said, "Arthaska, head to the 'New Era Evangelical Warrior' plane."

"Understood." Arthasja nodded and disappeared without a trace. Zhang Heng felt dizzy in the very next second. Everything before his eyes seemed to have been scattered and reassembled in the blink of an eye. However, when he was able to see what was before him again, he realized that he had left Los Angeles without realizing it and had arrived in a very strange world.

So, this is the New Era Evangelical Warrior plane after the apocalypse?

Zhang Heng shuddered and looked around him. He saw a world that looked like it had been plunged into eternal dusk. The sky was a dull yellow color and there was no sun to be seen. He could only see a world where plants were wilting. There was a dilapidated city to the west and a blood-red ocean to the north.

Zhang Heng took a breath and smelled something fishy. It wasn't the salty, fishy smell of the ocean, but something else entirely, like the smell of amniotic fluid.

It was obvious that this was the plane of the New Era Evangelical Warriors.

"The Evangelical Warrior of the New Era" was an animated series that narrated the story of how humans were able to create several biological weapons, EVAs, that were comparable to gods, in order to fight against the extraterrestrial "apostles." However, due to various reasons, the "Human Orange Juice" program triggered the extinction of humanity, turning all humans around the world into LCL amniotic fluid, which eventually destroyed the world.

According to the plot's understanding, humans had undergone three shocks in this world.

There was no mention of the first impact animation, but judging from how the EVA story had always been about religion, it seemed highly likely that the Noah's Ark incident would be the first.

The "Noah's Ark" incident was mentioned in the bible's "Founding Era" chapter: God told Noah that he was about to rain a torrential downpour that would destroy everything on the ground, that he was to build a huge ship for Noah, and that he was to bring his family and all manner of animals, one male and one female, on board the ship. Noah did as he was told, and it didn't take long before it rained a torrential downpour that was large enough to cause a huge flood. Everything else was rendered obsolete except for the lives on the ship.

The second occurrence took place in 2000, due to humans conducting contact experiments with 'Adam', who was sleeping in the Deep White Month of the Antarctic. The loss of control over the experiment caused Adam to wake up and release its power, causing a huge explosion in the Antarctic, causing the sea levels to rise, the axles to shift, and most seasons to change.

The 'Adam' he saw here was, of course, not the clone Adam that Zhang Heng had created in the past, but a monster that had existed since ancient times. Furthermore, there seemed to be a hint in the anime that this' Adam 'was none other than the Adam from the bible.

The third time, which was the final time, humanity was finally wiped out…

588. Human Enhancement

It was early in the morning in that part of the world. There was a thin layer of fog in the air, which made the entire world look hazy. One could only vaguely make out a massive creature lying on the ocean far away.

Zhang Heng pondered for a bit before he kicked the ground lightly and rose into the air. A crimson sun rose from the horizon after he left the horizon, dissipating the thick morning mist. However, his pupils contracted when the sun shone on the ocean.

He found himself looking at a head that looked like a huge mountain standing on the surface of the ocean several kilometers away.

The head had long rotted away, and its skin had turned a dark brown color. It was covered in bumps and hollows, and the muscles that hadn't completely melted yet were hanging on its face. One of its eyes had long burst open, turning into a deep black hole.

It was unknown just how long the head had been dead for, but due to its massive size, it had yet to completely decompose and decay. Even the Himalayas were child's play before it.

He could even see a body that was about the same size as the head from further away. That body was so huge that it took up almost an entire continent.

That corpse was none other than Lilith, the Mother of Humanity, or rather, Lilith, who had fused with Ling Boli, the Goddess of the Trinity.

What the New Era Evangelical Warrior described was not the traditional Christian bible, but something closer to the teachings of Judaism. According to the Jewish scriptures, the children of Lilith and Satan were the current 'humans'. The original 'humans' (descendants of Adam) in the scriptures had been wiped out and replaced by us. Not only did we replace the status of humans, but we also stole their historical 'births', claiming that humans had multiplied to this day.

The plot of 'New Era Evangelical Warriors' revolved around the battle between humans and the Adam apostles.

It seemed that after the Tree of Life gave birth to Adam and Lilith, 17 Fruits of Life were eventually produced due to the rise and fall of energy. As the 18th Apostle, humans were only able to obtain fruits of wisdom as substitutes.

Due to the lack of access to powerful life forces, humans were eventually reduced to individual entities that went their separate ways. However, disaster and fortune played a role as well. Countless years later, humans were able to develop highly developed civilizations through their intelligence, claiming themselves to be the masters of the world. However, the Fruit of Wisdom also created the 'Wall of Hearts', which caused barriers between humans and filled their hearts with coldness and sorrow.

Eventually, the feeling of loneliness forced some humans to start looking for new ways to survive.

In the plot, humans first discovered the Dead Sea Book and learned of the secret of ancient times. The apostles who attacked humans after discovering Adam's body were the incarnations of the first apostle, Adam. In the end, humans went out of their way to wipe out all the apostles. Seel, the most secret organization behind the humans, initiated a plan to have all humans in the world return to the body of Lilith, the Wall of Hearts, and finally become gods.

That was the famous "Human Enrichment" plan.

There was a saying in the Bible that when a living being ate both the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Wisdom at the same time, their power would be close to that of a god. The Fruit of Life in the anime referred to the apostles' unlimited power, while the Fruit of Wisdom represented humanity's advanced civilization. Humans had obtained the Fruit of Life after killing the apostles. With the Fruit of Wisdom in their possession and the souls of Adam and Lilith, they were finally able to replenish their powers.

As for the ending of the animation, there were two versions. One was that the plan was a success, while the other was a failure. There was no need to elaborate further. The seating area was the list of choices made by the Dimensional Star, so it had to be the world where humanity perished.

All of that flashed through Zhang Heng's mind as he looked at the empty, dead world before him. He didn't know why, but his steel-like heart felt lonely for the first time.

That feeling was very faint at first, but as the minutes passed, he seemed to hear Zhang Xin's soft murmurs and his parents' affectionate calls from behind. However, when he turned around, he realized that there was nothing there.

In the end, Zhang Heng felt as if there were countless people trying to seduce him.

"You must be feeling very lonely. Let go of your soul and get into everyone's arms."

"Come on, come on… Everyone is alone. What's the point of locking yourself in a small, dark room?"

"Hehe, there's no use running away all the time. The Wall of Hearts is always a barrier to happiness. Give up, give up, become one with us!"

"…"

Countless murmurs were heard from the crowd. Zhang Heng frowned for a bit before a smirk appeared on his face. "So, this is what it feels like to be made whole by humans? But then again, I'm not born from this world. What could you possibly do to me when we're from different sources?"

After all, even the Dimensional Star Lord who had set up the trap for Zhang Heng had been to that seat before and acquired an EVA mass-produced plane. Furthermore, it was obvious that the other party's personality was far worse than Zhang Heng's. If the other party was able to resist the temptation, there was no way Zhang Heng would be in any danger.

However, such a thing wasn't foolproof after all. As such, while he didn't pay any heed to all of that, he nonetheless kept his guard up against his instincts.

Zhang Heng flew into the air and began to observe the area around him.

He first went to a city not far away. Most of the city had been reduced to rubble by then. However, it was not due to the passage of time, but the fact that there seemed to have been a lot of huge monsters that fought in the city, destroying the ground and buildings in the city. There was a huge crater that took up one-third of the city at the center of the city, and he could see the ruins of an underground base that had long been in ruins.

That was where the headquarters of the organization called NERV was located, and the person in charge of the organization was none other than the vicious and scheming villain from the Inding Hall, the father of the protagonist in the story.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but recall the time when he first accepted the Dimensional Star, when he was given a video of the existence of the Dimensional Star and its mission, which was given to him by the Ikari-kun, who attempted to become a god but ultimately failed miserably.

However, it was apparent that he had been conned by the Ikariens and the Dimensional Star right from the start.

Zhang Heng wore a bitter grin. However, if the heavens were to give him another chance to choose if he should accept the Dimensional Star, he was afraid that he would still choose to accept it without any hesitation. The Dimensional Star had taken away his freedom and youth, yet it had also given him endless power and authority. If he were to be given the chance to live a life that was so exciting, he would feel even worse about being killed if he were to be given the chance to live a life that was devoid of anything.

Zhang Heng walked around the city for quite a bit after just a few minutes. The streets of the city were filled with clothes that had been rendered colorless by the weather and dried water stains. All of those signs were the amniotic fluid found in the bodies of humans, which served as the foundation of life, as well as the symbol of mental release.

589. Fusion And Separation

"Spirit, mind, heart wall…"

Zhang Heng sat at the top of a huge mountain range looking rather worn out after more than 10 days, mumbling as he looked into the distance.

He waved his hand and countless tiny, almost undetectable granules appeared beneath him. The granules continued to seep out, regenerate, and then spread out again. If one were to magnify them by millions of times, they would discover that those granules were actually helix-shaped carbon-based matter strands.

Those helix-shaped objects were actually gene strands.

Zhang Heng's expression finally flickered after a while and he stood up.

"No, I still don't have any." Zhang Heng frowned and said with a bitter smile, "I've analyzed Lilith's DNA helix thoroughly, but no matter how I look at it, it's just DNA. I'm still unable to figure out the true secrets of life contained within."

If he were to expand his field of vision at that moment, he would discover that the spot where Zhang Heng was standing was none other than the head of Lilith, which he had seen standing on the surface of the ocean back then. Compared to that half a head, even the Himalayas were but a speck in comparison.

Zhang Heng slowly turned around at that thought and looked at a body that looked like a small hill at the side. While that body was massive, it was nowhere near as massive as Lilith's corpse. It was only about 100 meters in size at most. That wasn't all. It had long rotted into a pile of bones, with a pitchfork-like weapon sticking out of its chest.

That skeleton was an EVA mass-production machine.

The nine EVA mass-producing planes had been surrounded by the first engines of the Fruit of Life and the Fruit of Wisdom, which formed the legendary array of the Tree of Life, when the humans' complementary plan first began. The planes then plunged the artificial Rankinus Spear into their chests, which served as a sacrifice. That was the first ritual of the humans' plan.

The reason why the Seel organization used the EVA mass-production machine as a sacrifice was because the mass-production machine represented the fruit of humanity's wisdom. The mass-production machine had the artificial S2 mechanism created by humans, and the S2 mechanism was the so-called Fruit of Life. The artificial Fruit of Life created by humans through technology and wisdom was also the symbol of the Fruit of Wisdom.

Zhang Heng waved his hand again, seemingly unwilling to give up. DNA helixing chains were seen flying out from the EVA mass-production machine's skeleton. Under Zhang Heng's control at the atomic level, every single atom structure of the DNA helixing chain was seen clearly in his mind. However, he was still unable to figure out the true secrets contained within.

Zhang Heng clenched his fist and looked pensive for a bit. "I've given it my all. If I'm unable to find what I'm looking for in their DNA, wouldn't that mean that the true core of human mending isn't in the genes of apostles, but…"

Zhang Heng suddenly opened his glabella again and a terrifying mental power was immediately released. That was what he called mental power all the time. According to what he learned from the 'Evangelical Warriors of the New Era', the so-called mental power was the so-called Light of Mind, which was the famous AT stance.

It was precisely because humans had independent minds and the Light of the Mind that they were able to separate every living being separately. Once the AT field was rendered non-existent or neutralized, humans would become one. As such, the Light of the Heart was known as the 'Wall of Hearts'.

Zhang Heng seemed to have realized something at that thought. He looked up suddenly and looked at the sky with a pensive look on his face. "If that's the case, then the mystery that humans are able to fuse with might not be in the bodies of humans or apostles, but… in this world?"

A look of struggle appeared on Zhang Heng's face at that thought. He gritted his teeth and looked troubled.

"Merge with us. Merge with us. You won't feel lonely if you do…"

"Come on, it's very warm. Come and feel the warmth of this big family as well…"

"There is only harm and ugliness between people. You can only feel it if you give up your heart and accept everything wholeheartedly…"

"…"

Countless murmurs continued to echo in his ears. However, due to Zhang Heng's extremely firm willpower and the fact that he was not born in this world, the allure of the fusion wouldn't be able to shake his heart in the slightest, unless he were to give up on defending himself.

"Hah, if that's the case…" Zhang Heng seemed to have made up his mind all of a sudden. His stern expression gradually turned gentle as he mumbled to himself, "If that's the case, I guess I'll just fuse with it then. I'd like to see just what kind of godly power the humans are able to replenish."

It was the first time that Zhang Heng was able to fully relax as he said that, to accept the power that came from nowhere.

Zhang Heng felt a surge of boundless power crashing down on him all of a sudden, enveloping his entire body. Despite being massive, it was nonetheless incredibly gentle, and Zhang Heng's body began to mysteriously melt away.

Countless voices were heard in that instant, as if the doors of paradise were being opened to him. Every single one of those voices was filled with allure. Zhang Heng's expression became increasingly gentle as the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, looking satisfied. However, there was still a hint of clarity in his eyes.

"Crack!"

Zhang Heng's body completely disintegrated with a crisp sound, turning into a puddle of pale yellow liquid that spilled all over the floor.

The man named Zhang Heng seemed to have disappeared from the face of the world.

Zhang Heng slowly opened his eyes in the space of his consciousness and found himself in an indescribably vast ocean of consciousness. Countless naked humans were waving at him from the ocean and smiling at him in a friendly manner. There was no poverty, no wealth, no nobility, and no contempt. There was no harm or indifference in the ocean. Even life and death no longer existed.

…

One day, two days, three days…

Days passed, and the amniotic fluid that represented Zhang Heng gradually seeped into Lilith's body. The clothes that he left behind drifted slowly on the mountaintop, just like how every human in the world gave up on being cold and independent, integrating their psyche into the larger human families, never to be separated again.

However, no one knew that while the water in Zhang Heng's body had fused with the Sea of LCL, the cells that represented Genova in his body were constantly absorbing the energy of the Sea of LCL, strengthening themselves silently and even gathering together, eventually forming tree-like veins that looked like humans.

Thump, thump…

That humanoid blood vessel was slowly twitching at the bottom of the red ocean. However, what was surprising was that the blood vessels were actually wriggling on their own, instead of having organs like hearts. As the days passed, the blood vessels seemed to have accumulated countless amounts of power, and the pulsing of the blood vessels became more alive.

One day a month later, the blob of blood vessels finally seemed to have gained sufficient power. Countless blood vessels expanded at the very next second and began to transform into bones and meridians, before transforming back into muscles and skin. That blob of crude blood vessels actually grew to look like a young man in less than a minute.

A storm seemed to have hit the entire ocean at the very next second. Red seawater rose into the sky and began to boil. That man opened his eyes at the same time when the storm was formed.

Boom!

The entire dead silent world was turned upside down in an instant.

590. Fruit Of Wisdom

Tens of thousands of tons of seawater rose into the air, as if a huge bomb had exploded in the ocean, forming a crimson pillar of water that connected the sky and the earth. The pillar of water then crashed to the ground, causing splashes everywhere.

A slender figure emerged from the bottom of the ocean at that moment and hovered hundreds of meters in the air, making it look like a god had descended into the world.

"Hu!"

The crimson-colored seawater that filled the sky crashed to the ground. Zhang Heng felt as if he had just been suffocated in the torrential rain, as he gasped for air with a pale face. However, his eyes became extremely bright, and his pupils shone with excitement.

"Finally… I'm finally out of the Sea of Consciousness!"

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and his face gradually became flushed. He first let go of his mind and body for the past month, allowing himself to completely fuse with the Sea of Consciousness that was formed by billions of humans in the world. He then went on to search for the secret of the fusion of life and death in the Sea of Consciousness. When he found the answer, he used his astonishing perseverance to break free from the Sea of Consciousness once again.

It was not as simple as just entering and exiting the door. Integrating one's consciousness into the Sea of Consciousness meant giving up on oneself and entering a world of bliss where one had no worries, no restrictions, no conflicts, no harm, and no worries.

It was a kind of spiritual enjoyment of freedom, as if there was no pain, no sorrow, and it was just like the paradise of bliss that Buddhists called paradise. It was so free and peaceful.

The freedom of the top-notch, being free and unfettered, being omnipotent, and being able to do anything, was the ultimate freedom.

Due to being in the realm of Great Limitless, he had practically given up all control over his thoughts. There was a voice in the darkness that kept telling him that all living beings were suffering. He didn't need anything but the feeling of being free was enough…

No matter how determined a person was, there was no way they would ever think of leaving this world. After all, compared to the realm of Great Limitless, reality was like the Hell of Avicinaraka, filled with pain and conflict. That was why babies would cry when they were born.

In a world like that, which was more than enough to cause anyone to sink into oblivion, if one were to completely sink into oblivion and fuse with the realm of Great Limitless, one's consciousness would probably disappear forever, becoming one with it.

It was fortunate that Zhang Heng was able to pull through. He was able to find the answer he was looking for, reconstruct his body, and return to reality through his painstaking efforts.

"And that's only because I wasn't born in this world. Both my body and mind originate from different sources. If I were born in this world, I'd probably be unable to extricate myself right now." Zhang Heng sighed.

Excitement was written all over Zhang Heng's face at that thought. Compared to the dangers of assimilating himself into the realm of Great Limitless, what he gained was worth the price of the ticket. He slowly raised his hand and opened his palm slightly. A translucent golden dot of light slowly floated above his palm, making it look like a dream.

That dot of light was like a fruit, so illusory that it was almost transparent. If one didn't look closely, they would be able to overlook it.

However, if someone other than Zhang Heng were to look at the fruit at that moment, they would realize that the fruit kept changing shape according to the wishes of the observers. Those who were suffering would see a sad, ethereal music box. Those who were in a state of joy would see a dazzling golden candle. Those who were in love would see a sculpture of a crystalline lover. Those who were in love would see their bleak, sad, and sad smiles.

All in all, in the eyes of a thousand people, there was the appearance of a thousand fruits.

The true face of that fruit was none other than the fruit of wisdom condensed by humans. Of course, the so-called fruit of wisdom was only an abstract symbol, and its true nature was not something else, but some kind of law-like power.

Meme!

Zhang Heng looked at the semi-energy module with a complicated expression on his face. That was what he got from venturing deep into the Sea of Consciousness of LCL.

The Fruit of Wisdom itself was intangible. What it represented in that seat was humanity's glorious technological advancement. However, it was precisely due to the convergence of humans that the Fruit of Wisdom was able to take on a conceptual lifeform that was akin to a god. As such, the Fruit of Wisdom was manifested by will, resulting in its current appearance.

To put it simply, perhaps all the 'gods' that were formed after humans came together were hoping that Zhang Heng would be able to take the Fruit of Wisdom and inherit his will.

A cold smirk was seen on Zhang Heng's face as he clenched his right hand lightly and put the Fruit of Wisdom away. He then took another look at the world around him, feeling as if something was making eye contact with him.

Zhang Heng took a step forward and disappeared from He Yongji's world.

…

The sky in the outskirts of Los Angeles in the evening was turning yellow.

The city's population and refugees had all been evacuated by the military at the moment. There were tens of thousands of tents placed in the outskirts near the ocean, covering a radius of tens of kilometers.

There were also distribution points at the end of the tent. It seemed to be dinnertime at the moment and there was a long queue of hundreds of thousands of people, collecting supplies from the federal government one after another. There were also countless mechanical soldiers on both sides of the queue maintaining order.

The escapees' faces were ashen and there were occasional cries from children. However, all of that was rendered meaningless by the noisy crowd.

According to the federation's claims a month ago, it was two Alpha-class Jedi who destroyed Los Angeles, causing half of the city to be caught in a sea of fire. The intense smoke rose tens of thousands of meters into the air, visible to most people in North America.

It was fortunate that, back in the 25th century, when the world was at its most prosperous, with the entire federation backing them up, the government managed to neutralize most of the refugees in just a month. Los Angeles would be undergoing reconstruction in two or three months, enabling them to return to their former lives.

However, while the construction of the city could be rebuilt, could the trauma of the human heart be made up for?

More than three million Los Angeles residents died in that battle, making up one-sixth of the entire population of Los Angeles. Countless people were injured as well. To the residents of Los Angeles, what happened that day felt like a nightmare.

Many people had made up their minds to leave Los Angeles.

Those who were truly rich had all moved out, and those who stayed behind were mostly middle-class and bottom-class people.

Thousands of dragons slowly made their way forward, collecting the food from the night. There was a lot of food—a pound of toast, a can of beef, a can of fruit, and a liter of water. Even the man with the largest appetite had enough to last him half a day.

The escapees only turned around and left with satisfied looks on their faces after getting their share of the food. The entire process was done in an orderly manner. Of course, the machine warriors standing on either side of them were more to blame than just their manners.

It was getting late into the night, and the refugees who had nothing better to do began to visit and chat with one another, relieving themselves of the pain of losing their assets, jobs, and relatives by chatting and drinking. As such, the period between 7 P.M. and 10 P.M. was the time when security was at its worst, and it was also the time when the mechanical army was most heavily patrolled.

Zhang Heng slowly walked out of the EVA world in a dark corner that no one was paying attention to. He looked at the entire refugee camp with a thoughtful expression on his face.

591. Devil's Temptation

"Cough, cough, cough… cough, cough!"

The sun gradually set below the horizon in the slums in the evening and the world seemed to have dimmed. Only the tents by the sea were able to give off weak lights. However, those lights were always gloomy, filled with the darkness of sunset, which was impossible to erase.

"Cough, cough, cough…"

A series of coughs were heard from one of the tents all of a sudden. An old man who looked like he was on his last legs was lying in the tent, coughing violently.

That old man was very old, so old that he had lost all of his teeth and hair. His original destination should have been to go to the national cryogenic center and wait for a chance to be resurrected, but that stubborn old man didn't do so.

He had lived long enough. He was 380 years old and had seen the vicissitudes of history. He believed that it was time for him to return to the arms of the Lord, and he was unwilling to use human cryonics.

In the eyes of a Christian like him, the cryogenic technology of the human body had instead trapped his soul in that shell, preventing him from returning to the arms of the Lord.

In actual fact, the old man wasn't poor at all. On the contrary, he had tens of billions of dollars in capital and owned a biopharmaceutical company that specialized in the T-Virus series. He was renowned throughout the entire federation and, if he were to accept cryogenics, he would be treated as if he were some kind of top-notch cryogenic service.

He had planned to have his children and grandchildren around him before he died in peace and bliss, but the heavens played a huge joke on him before he passed away.

The aftermath of a battle that came out of nowhere caused an unparalleled disaster in Los Angeles. The elder only remembered seeing a blinding flash of light before losing consciousness completely.

When he woke up, he was saved by the mechanical army of the Federation. However, all of his family, including his granddaughter, who was just a month old, died in that explosion.

It was like some kind of irony. An old man who had barely had many days to live was actually able to survive such a disaster. Instead, it was his family, whom he valued the most, who left him before he did.

Is this the punishment that the Lord gave me?

The old man coughed as he recalled all that had happened. His eyes were filled with resentment—after he died, the will that he had left for his son would definitely be rendered obsolete. After all, his son was already dead. As such, the only person who would be able to get the will would be the grandson of one of his cousins, who was far away from him. He had seen that kid before and knew that he was up to no good. He didn't like that kid, and he was even more unwilling to give the foundation that he had worked hard for his entire life to a distant relative who was practically no different from a stranger.

The old man's eyes were suddenly filled with the desire to live at that thought. However, that glimmer of light dimmed in the blink of an eye. He was at the end of his rope at the moment. Unless the true master descended, it would be too late for him to freeze.

"I just can't take it lying down…" The old man sighed to himself as his cough gradually weakened. He felt the world spinning around him at the same time, and it was as if he was seeing a black fog that was constantly spreading before his eyes, slowly swallowing his vision…

"Dave Alexander?"

Just when the old man was about to completely lose consciousness, a voice was heard from the horizon all of a sudden. The old man's expression changed and he used all of his strength to look in the direction of the door. However, he saw a person shrouded in holy light walking slowly towards him.

Oh mighty lord, are you here to welcome your humble servant?

The old man's lips moved slightly, but he was unable to say anything. That was what he told himself.

"I'm not your master." That man who was shining all over looked calm and his voice was low and hoarse, yet his tone was filled with seduction. "I'm only here to give you a choice and a chance."

"According to what I know, your life is coming to an end. Your fire of life is dying and could be extinguished at any moment. But, it seems that you still have unfinished business?"

Yes, I don't want to die!

The old man's eyes reddened right away as he stared at the silhouette before him, his lips trembling.

"I want to live on. I'm not willing to give away the family business that I've worked so hard to build for the rest of my life to a stranger! I'm not willing to give it up! Please help me, Omnipotent Lord!"

"Heh, if that's the case…" That figure opened his hand slightly and drew a line with his finger, causing a drop of purple blood to flow out of it. The drop of blood began to glow under the light.

"In that case, sign a contract with me." That figure flashed a sympathetic smile. "I'll give you endless life, power that surpasses that of mortals, and allow you to continue to enjoy life in this world. As a price, I need you to do one thing for me. Once the deed is done, we'll be even. Do you agree to this condition?"

I'm willing, I'm willing to do anything!

A glint of yearning flashed across the old man's eyes without a second thought, making him look like a starving wolf that had just seen its prey. His pupils, which had been about to lose all color of life, began to glow with a sharp glint again after hearing what the young man said.

"Think about it carefully, David Alexander." That man chuckled in a low voice, as cold as a demon. "Please remember that once the contract is signed, there is no changing it. If you break the contract, I'll make you feel something even more terrifying than hell. Do you understand?"

"I understand. I'm willing to accept any conditions. Please…"

Madness was seen in the old man's eyes. His heart was filled with greed and yearning when he looked at the tip of that man's finger. That was because he could sense that there was something in that drop of blood that he yearned for the most.

That was a kind of instinctive desire. If it hadn't been for the fact that he was running out of gas and was unable to stand up, he would have probably taken that drop of blood and swallowed it whole.

"Heh." That man finally looked satisfied at that moment. He flicked his finger and that drop of purple blood was immediately thrown into the old man's mouth.

The old man looked like a demon from hell. He shut his mouth as soon as the drop of blood landed in his mouth, but his eyes went wide in the very next second.

He felt as if that drop of blood had come to life and spread out in his mouth. It went through his skin and muscles at the same time, drilling deep into his body…

His body had long since lost all signs of life. Even the most basic sense of touch became increasingly numb.

However, for the first time in his life, he felt as if his entire body was filled with some kind of indescribable power. At the same time, he felt as if he was being burned all over his body. He kept shivering as he got up, lifted the bucket high, and emptied all the fresh water in it into his mouth.

His body was instantly filled with an unparalleled amount of life force. The old man felt as if a fire was burning inside him even after he finished drinking the entire bucket of water. It was almost unbearable. As such, he tore off his top and dashed out of the tent, heading straight for the coastline.

Zhang Heng watched all of this from the side without saying a word or making any move to stop it. It was not until more than 10 minutes later when the old man was finally able to get rid of the heat in the seawater that he walked back to his tent, feeling rather exhausted.

However, the old man who looked like he was about to pass out completely disappeared at that moment. Replacing him was a middle-aged man who looked rather pale and looked very energetic.

In just over 10 minutes, that old man who had lived for nearly 400 years became someone who looked like he was less than 200 years old. Time seemed to flow backward in him for over 200 years…

It was only then that Alexander, who had gotten what he wanted, gradually calmed down. He touched his cheek in disbelief. All the wrinkles on his face had been wiped away and he was filled with vitality that he hadn't felt in a long time. What was that drop of blood?

At that thought, Alexander looked into the tent in shock. The man who made the contract with him was an Asian man with average looks, black hair, and yellow skin. He was standing in the shadows and could only see his silhouette, but not his appearance.

The only thing that he could vaguely see was the faint, sinister smirk on the other party's face in the shadows.

592. New World Biopharmaceuticals

Alexander left the refugee camp the next day.

Aleksandr had been so focused on seeking death that he hadn't been able to contact his men. However, after experiencing the horrors of life and death, his will to live was finally able to gain the upper hand. As such, he contacted his company on the night he recovered his youth. More than 50 luxurious gravity vehicles were parked in the square of the refugee camp the next morning to welcome him.

The photon processor was the most powerful form of identification. While the employees of Alexandria were all surprised at how their boss looked so radiant all of a sudden, none of them suspected that someone was trying to impersonate him. After all, photon processors couldn't be faked.

There was a man wearing a hood and was tightly wrapped behind Alexander. His attire was very suspicious, but since he was someone with Alexander, no one dared to say anything.

The two of them walked into a luxurious, extended version of a gravity car with the upper echelons of the Alexandria Company welcoming them before flying away.

Half a month later.

Aleksandr made his way to an uninhabited island near Hawaii in the Pacific at dusk.

The island was spring all year round and the scenery was pleasant. It was filled with cool sea breeze and huge palm trees, making it look like a primitive island that had never been destroyed.

There was a huge, towering tree at the center of the island, and the only artificial object on the island, a huge marker, was installed at the top of the tree.

New World Biopharmaceutical Corporation.

There was a line of small words at the bottom of those words—Alvin Island Laboratory.

According to the requirements of the federal government, none of the factories, processing plants, and other businesses were allowed to be placed on the surface of the Earth, and none of the industrial waste that was found on Earth was allowed to damage the Earth's ecosystem. As such, 99 percent of the factories of humanity were moved to the Moon and Mars, while the remaining one percent of the top-notch businesses moved the factories below the surface. Even the garbage generated by those factories were transported to the Moon via spaceships that specialized in transporting garbage.

Zhang Heng followed behind Alexander silently and walked into a tree hole in the huge tree. The inside of the tree hole was brightly lit and the ground was covered with wooden floors. He could also see a lot of robots moving about.

The first trace of metal was seen in the innermost part of the tree hole. It was a metal door about 10 meters wide. As everyone surrounded Alexander and came to the metal door, the door opened suddenly, revealing a deep underground tunnel.

Aleksandr hesitated for a bit before saying, "Alright, everyone get back to work. One guide is enough."

"Yes, sir." Regret was written all over everyone's faces as they dispersed reluctantly, with only Zhang Heng and an excited guide standing by their side.

To the others, Zhang Heng, who was dressed in a ridiculous manner, looked like Alexander's bodyguard.

The three of them randomly picked a tour bus and headed straight for the tunnel. The guide named Susan was blushing as she explained everything that was happening in the factory excitedly. To her, this was the best chance to show off in front of the chairman and she had to seize it.

The tour bus soon finished the tunnel and came to the door at the end of the tunnel. Two armed security guards could be seen standing straight at the door. The two of them saluted as Alexander approached.

Alekton looked pleased and nodded before entering the factory.

"Mr. Chairman, this is the lobby of the factory, which is also the dividing line between the outer and inner areas. If you want to work in the inner areas every day, you'll need to verify your identity and wear a chemical defense suit, or you'll be in danger of getting infected with the virus," Susan reminded him after entering the lobby.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go in and take a look." Alexander nodded and smiled. He went to the changing room at the side of the hall and changed into his suit before heading for the door at the bottom of the hall.

The inside of the steel door was nothing else but a disinfection room. All manner of disinfectants were sprayed on their suits for quite a while before they were finally done. The three of them then walked through the disinfection room and finally arrived at the pharmaceutical factory.

"There are a total of 32 types of drugs produced by the company here. The synthetic drug has over a thousand production lines and could produce two tonnes of drugs every day, including the Harnod drug used to treat Parkinson's disease, the Haagen-Dazs Neuroplasm drug used to treat brain damage, and…"

Susan was very familiar with the route and there was no sign of impatience on Alexander's face. The three of them eventually reached the innermost part of the factory, which was also the core of the factory, the laboratory on Elvin Island.

"Mr. Chairman, what you're seeing right now is the Biosafety Level Four Laboratory that you're most proud of. The technology in there could be said to be the best in the entire federation!" Susan said excitedly. An old man who had been waiting for a long time came up to them as soon as they entered the laboratory. "Mr. Chairman, how have you been?"

"It's been a while, Brewer." Aleksandr shook hands with the other man and saw the surprise and hesitation on the other man's face. Aleksandr smacked his head and said, "Oh, I almost forgot. I just acquired a new biopharmaceutical." He then turned to Zhang Heng and asked, "Stephen, do you have that thing?"

"Yes, boss." Zhang Heng nodded with a cold expression and took out the sealed box in his hand, placing it on the table before checking the password and pressing the unlock button.

The top of the metal box was cut open with a "chi" sound and two helix-shaped test tubes rose slowly. White mist was seen coming out of the test tubes, which was a phenomenon caused by the liquid nitrogen cooling solution inside. It was not until the test tubes rose completely that Brewer was able to see that there was a kind of purple-colored liquid inside the test tubes, which flickered with an illusory light under the light.

"What's this?" The person-in-charge of the laboratory, Brewer, and a bunch of scientists who had ignored Alexander's arrival were immediately attracted by the two test tubes.

"So this is the drug that will revitalize my body," Alexander said softly, with a tinge of emotion in his eyes.

"You're saying that you took that drug, which is why…" Shock was seen in Brewer's eyes as he asked again, "What's your purpose for taking that drug out?"

"A manufacturer machine, of course." Aleksandr chuckled and continued, "Do you really think I'm showing off?"

"No, of course not, Mr. Chairman. I'm just…" Brewer was already at a loss for words. He stared at the two tubes of drug before him, unable to look away.

"Hahahaha!" Aleksandr sneaked a peek at Zhang Heng and a complicated look was seen in his eyes, but he still clapped Brewer on the shoulder and laughed out loud. "Brewer, my old buddy, what are you waiting for? I brought the drug here for you to study!"

It was only then that Brewer looked surprised and grateful. He nodded at Alexander and said solemnly, "Thank you for your trust, Mr. Chairman. I can guarantee that I'll definitely develop the drug!"

The faces of the scientists around him changed as well. They watched as Brewer picked up two tubes of the drug and walked into the laboratory. Their faces were filled with jealousy, excitement, greed, and so on and so forth. Some of the scientists even walked quietly to the break room, as if they were trying to send messages to the outside world.

At that moment, Alexander wasn't as relieved as he looked. He tried his best to look pleased, but no one knew that at that moment, Alexander was feeling very cold inside.

All of this was done by the demon beside him. What was he up to?

593. Blood Of God

Alexander left the Elvin Island Pharmaceuticals factory after lunch, escorted by the upper echelons of the company.

It was not until they boarded the anti-gravity ship that Alexander was able to calm down. He looked at Zhang Heng, who was sitting in front of him with his eyes closed, feeling very confused.

He still remembered the night he was given a new lease on life, telling him that he had to use the power of his company to spread the man's blood all over the world.

That's right, the two tubes of purple liquid from before were none other than the man's blood.

Regardless of why the man's blood had the power to restore one's youth, Alexander was unable to figure out why the man would do such a thing.

At that time, Alexander had no intention of negotiating during the great terror of life and death. It was only after he was given a new life that he felt a chill running down his spine every time he recalled what happened that night…

Why did this person know that he was about to die? Why was he able to hear what he was thinking? Also, what was that heaven-like white light that he saw back then?

All in all, there were simply too many mysteries surrounding the man before her that she was unable to see through no matter how hard she tried.

It wasn't that Alexander hadn't considered using certain methods to counterattack the man. As the chairman of such a massive company, it would have been a lie to say that he didn't have any dark tricks up his sleeve. However, every time he had such thoughts, the man seemed to have sensed something and looked at him with a smirk on his face.

That was the first question that came to Alexander's mind and he felt the other man looking at him again. He looked up and found himself looking into the other man's blood-red pupils.

An indescribable chill ran down his spine as soon as those eyes locked onto him. Alexander forced a smile and cold sweat drenched his back. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to deduce anything about the mysterious man before him.

…

On the other side of the room, Brewer, who had obtained two tubes of purple liquid, was taking out a drop of the liquid with a serious look on his face and observing it under the electron microscope.

Under the holographic projection microscope, the purple liquid was magnified hundreds of thousands of times over, causing blood-red proteins to float before his eyes. At the same time, there was an even more bizarre form of energy hidden within the cells. One could tell at a glance that that was the power of origin power.

It was obvious that this was the blood of some Jedi warrior. Only the blood of a Jedi would contain the power of origin power.

Brewer took a deep breath and his expression became even more serious. With the help of his assistant, he gradually analyzed the entirety of the blood. According to the sample analysis, the cells in the blood were extremely active, yet the mitochondrial wasn't a fiber that would only exist if one were to transform into a Jedi. Instead, the mitochondrial remained in its initial form, which made Brewer very shocked. According to the ancient records of modern biology, only humans who had mutated their mitochondria would be able to sense origin power.

And now, that rule was broken by the blood before him.

That was just the initial result of Brewer's observation. He went further and quickly analyzed the other patterns of that cell. It was obvious that the cells contained in that blood possessed an extremely powerful devouring ability, just like the cancer cells called 'terminal cancer' 400 years ago. However, cancer cells were a disease, and what would be the consequences of being infected by such cells?

With that thought in mind, Brewer immediately took out another sample and began experimenting with it, injecting it into the bodies of a pack of lab rats.

He handed the lab rat to his assistant after he was done and began analyzing the sample eagerly. He then analyzed that the blood was purple because it required very little oxygen. There were even several life-sustaining circulatory methods found in the cell's circulatory system, which was even more astonishing.

There was a look of fanaticism on Brewer's face at the end. He had observed the gene in the blood for over 10 hours and found that it had a genetic similarity to that of humans of over 9,999 points and above. In other words, the blood was actually human blood. The only difference was that its owner had undergone some kind of evolution.

It was only then that he turned his attention to the lab rats again. However, to his surprise, there was nothing out of place with the lab rats at all. He collected the blood for the lab rats in a rather disbelieving manner and observed them again, only to discover that the genes of the lab rats underwent a microsecond transformation after the cells fused with the lab rats' cells.

Their bodies became stronger and more powerful than those of regular humans. If one were to say that none of that mattered, the thing that truly made Brewer overjoyed was that several of the over-age lab rats had their physiological age tests restored to their youthful states.

The life of a lab rat was usually around 18 months. In order to test out what happened to Alexander, Brewer even went out of his way to look for several dying lab rats, and the results were truly astonishing.

Furthermore, despite having undergone genetic mutations, the lab rats' thought processes and ability to think had remained completely unscathed. He could even sense that the intelligence of the lab rats, which had been infused with fresh blood, had been significantly enhanced compared to that of regular lab rats.

Reports and experimental data were produced one after another, and the entire laboratory seemed to have gone insane as it began a feast of experiments. After over a dozen experiments with lab rats, Brewer immediately decided to buy over 500 chimpanzees outside.

The genetic differences between chimpanzees and humans were the smallest among all primates. Human and chimpanzees shared 98.4 percent similarities among the non-essential genetic sites, while human and chimpanzees shared 99.4 percent similarities among those important genetic sites.

Furthermore, the behavioral traits of chimpanzees were very similar to that of humans. They were also capable of creating tools, having the ability to deduce, have self-awareness, and were able to realize the existence of other consciousnesses. They were able to recognize numbers ranging from 0 to 9 after training and were able to arrange them from a young age. They were also able to use hundreds of word symbols, understand thousands of English words, and feel sorrow for the deaths of their loved ones.

It could be said that trained chimpanzees were able to possess the intelligence and thought processes of children four to five years old, making them almost identical to humans. That was why chimpanzees were the best animals to replace human experiments among all living beings on Earth.

The experiment progressed even faster after experimenting with the chimpanzees. Two months passed and more than four hundred dissected chimpanzees were found in the laboratory. All of the chimpanzees had very important features, and they seemed to have become very strong. Furthermore, their faces were filled with a look of terror that was very human-like before they died. If it hadn't been for the differences in their sizes and appearances, those who hid the dead bodies would have thought that they were facing humans…

The eyes of Brewer and his assistants were completely red in the laboratory. They had been doing high-intensity work almost every day for the past three months and rarely rested. The reason why they were working so hard was due to the miraculous effects of the blood.

Judging from the effects of that blood alone, Brewer could even call it the 'Blood of God'. Anyone who was injected with that blood would be able to alter the nature of their lifeforms by just a tiny fraction of the size of a needle, enabling them to live for at least twice as long.

The experiment finally went into clinical testing at the end. He recruited the candidates who were about to die of old age from the masses and used all manner of methods to lure them to the laboratory and inject them with the blood.

The results were astonishing. Not only did those experimental patients regain their youthful looks within half an hour to an hour, but their intelligence seemed to have been greatly enhanced as well.

There were over a thousand people involved in the experiment and over five hundred chimpanzees. The cost of the experiment amounted to over 10 million federation coins, but the results were still very satisfying. Over a hundred people were successful in the experiment, and no sequelae were found.

However, while Brewer's actions were done very discreetly, it wasn't just the federal government who was in the dark. Many other forces in the dark were also gradually getting wind of the news…

A storm that could shake the world began to unfold under Zhang Heng's guidance.

594. Flooding

One night half a month later, Brewer came to the laboratory with a pale, dazed look on his face.

He had been so absorbed in his experiments that he didn't realize that his actions had long been exposed to the eyes of those who were watching him. Furthermore, it wasn't just his own people in the laboratory; there were also many other people watching him. A mysterious organization had found him and kidnapped his family, asking him to hand over the Blood of God.

Brewer was a scientist to begin with, and he had never been in such a situation before. When he attempted to fight back, he was given a stern warning—the finger of his wife, daughter, and grandson.

Feeling helpless, Brewer finally gave up all hope. He took advantage of the dark and windy night to sneak back to the laboratory and took out two tubes of the drug before heading off to the unknown, feeling dejected.

It was a pity that his actions didn't end up costing the lives of his family. After tonight, Brewer and his family would be completely erased from this world…

In actual fact, Brewer had been very careful during the clinical tests. It was a pity that he never expected that the person who handed the drug to him, Alexander, would actually be the one to spread the news.

…

"So this is the Blood of God that could bring people back to their youth?"

In the continental shelf near the Pacific Rim of the Asian continent, tens of thousands of meters below the ground, in the top-secret laboratory base of the Earth Federation, an officer with a wizened look on his face looked at the purple test tube that his assistant brought over. He was actually wearing the insignia of a general on his shoulder.

"Yes. We'll send it to you as soon as we get it from the person involved. We also have records of all of the other party's clinical experiments. There's no way we could falsify that." The adjutant saluted. "Do you need to send it to Dr. Manni?"

"Send it to him. I need him to give me an experimental report within three days." That general nodded and just when the adjutant saluted again and was about to turn around and leave, he paused for a bit and suddenly said, "Hold on, keep an eye on Dr Manni and his research team from today onwards. If there's anything out of the ordinary… kill them on the spot!"

"Yes!"

…

"Commander, we've acquired the Blood of God, which has caused quite a ruckus recently, from the hands of the New World Biopharmaceutical Company. Please have a look at it." An old man wearing black-rimmed glasses was sitting on a chair carved from plywood with a calm expression in a certain councilor's residence in the Asian continent. A soldier dressed in the attire of a guard stood before him with his head lowered, his body emitting a crimson aura.

"Thank you for your hard work, Little He." The old man put down a heavy-looking book with the words "Huaxia's 5000 Years" written on it and sighed. "I thought that getting something like that would definitely lead to many twists and turns, but I didn't expect it to be so easy. Now that I've read it again, I'm afraid that there's something else going on here that no one knows about."

"Commander, why don't we just ignore it?" That soldier frowned slightly and continued, "Now that we've acquired the Blood of God, we're able to get out of the situation and proceed with our research as soon as possible. Coupled with the experimental records obtained from the New World Corporation, I believe that it won't be long before we're able to mass-produce this drug that could help people regain their youth."

The old man shook his head right away, looking very righteous. "The people of the Gou Li Nation are willing to risk their lives for the sake of their country, how could they just run away like that? This is a very serious matter, and it could very well cause a national upheaval. No matter what, I'm not going to just sit back and do nothing."

…

"Mao Lijun! We've spent a lot of money to buy the Blood of God from him!"

On a private island located in the Indian Ocean, there were hundreds of hexagonal wooden houses built into a town that looked like a paradise. In the center of the town was a fortress that looked like it belonged in the warring nations of Japan. At that moment, several men in suits were standing upright in the center of the room, looking excitedly at a Japanese man who was kneeling before a coffee table and wearing a medieval kimono.

"Thank you for your hard work, Kotou-kun and all of you!" The kneeling man nodded and looked elated. "Now that we've gotten the Blood of God, it means that the Soul of Harmony is still protecting us. It's fate!"

"Of course!" Kotou, who was standing in the middle of the room, said solemnly, "Maori-kun, please continue giving orders!"

"Very well. In that case, hire some internationally renowned biologists immediately. There's no need to worry about money. I, Mauritius, would do anything to extract the mass-production methods of the Blood of God, even if I have to sell everything I've got. Then, it's time for the revival of the Japanese Empire. Everyone, please continue to work hard!"

"Hi!" Everyone's eyes were filled with passion as they lowered their heads and agreed.

"The revival of the Japanese Empire…" Mao Li bent down and said firmly, "I'll be counting on you guys then."

…

Hundreds of organizations lurking in the dark and out in the open managed to acquire a copy of the Blood of God within a month. Some of the more powerful organizations began their research on the Blood of God right away, while those with smaller amounts of energy began conducting human experiments. Most of the secrets of the Blood of God were discovered in the research conducted by countless people. What surprised all of them was that the Blood of God of unknown origins could actually be mass-produced by humans or animals.

The way to mass-produce the blood would be to inject the experimenter with the Blood of God. The experimenter's blood would then possess a portion of the Blood of God's characteristics. In other words, it was the Blood of God that was able to alter the characteristics of the genes, causing slight changes to the genes of the experimenter, making them closer to the original characteristics of the Blood of God.

While the blood of those who received the injection from the Blood of God was not as potent as that of the real Blood of God, they were nonetheless capable of modifying their genes, extracting their blood and injecting it into regular humans. Those with the same blood type would also gain longer physiological lifespans and stronger physiques. The blood of those people would be known as the second generation of the Blood of God.

To put it simply, the Blood of God had the greatest effect of enhancing one's lifespan. Other than that, there was also the effect of strengthening one's physique and enhancing one's intelligence. The Blood of the Second Generation still had one-third of the effects of the Blood of God, while the effects of the Third and Fifth Generations of the Blood of God decreased one after another. It was not until the Sixth Generation that the Blood of God completely lost the ability to enhance the body.

Furthermore, what was most shocking was that the effects of the Blood of God could be extended to future generations.

In the end, the Blood of God even appeared on the black market. No one knew where the blood came from, but as the number of organizations that owned the Blood of God continued to grow, the blood eventually became known to the public. Some companies even began to use the Blood of God that they nurtured to make drugs, hoping to reap massive profits.

It wasn't just the upper echelons of the federation who felt that something was off, even the organizations felt that something was off. The Blood of God, which was worth thousands of gold coins, seemed to be running rampant.

However, it was all too late. The Blood of God was like a plague that had never been seen before, spreading to every corner of the federation at a frightening rate. Even human colonies like the moon and Mars were completely taken over.

"Damn it, who the hell leaked that drug? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no

"That's not all. While it would seem like there are a lot of clinical tests to be performed on that drug and it would be extremely safe, we don't even know where that drug came from. What if it's some kind of conspiracy against the federation? If that's the case, we'd be the ones to blame!"

The pharmaceutical oversight department wasn't the only one who was panicking. The upper echelons of the federation were panicking as well. As the Blood of God became more abundant, the price of acquiring the Blood of God became increasingly lower as well. As a result, more people began to regain their youthful looks, returning to their middle-aged and even young appearances. Furthermore, their physiques became healthy and their stamina quickly improved.

Under that unparalleled allure, even if some high-ranking people who felt that something was off were able to resist it, seeing that more of their peers around them had returned to their younger days, living carefree lives, even those who were as scheming as them gradually began to waver…

595. Arrival

Half a month after the Blood of God drug began to spread, the authorities of the Earth Federation finally announced that any drug related to the Blood of God would be deemed a prohibited drug, and no one was allowed to purchase or sell it. All companies or individuals who owned the drug would be required to destroy the drug by force, or they would have violated the laws of the Federation.

However, the bill was immediately met with widespread opposition from most of the civilians around the world as soon as it took office. The public was thrown into an uproar. It was obvious that the upper echelons of the federation were using the drug themselves, yet the public was prohibited from using it. The unfair treatment immediately ignited the rage of countless people. People began to protest and fight for the drug. The sales of the Blood of God became even more insane in secret. Countless civilians who were initially watching from the sidelines began to sense some kind of crisis. The appearance of the bill served as a catalyst to boost the sales of the Blood of God.

The spread of the Blood of God to the masses at the moment had become an unstoppable force that no one could stop. Even if there were a handful of people who felt that something was off and resisted the Blood of God, they were still like a lone boat in the midst of the waves. They would capsize if they were to go against the tide.

In the end, the bill issued by the federation was rendered useless.

The Blood of God drug appeared in September, year 408, in the Federal Calendar.

In December, year 408, the federation listed the Blood of God drug as a forbidden drug, which was the same as drugs.

In May, 409, the bill was repealed.

In February 410, the Federation began to use the Blood of God in cryogenic facilities. More than 10 billion people were awakened from their cryogenic coffins and were given new lives.

The population of the federation officially reached 40 billion in January, year 411. Earth had a population of 208 billion, the moon had a population of 5.4 billion, Mars had a population of 9.8 billion, Earth Guard had a population of 1.8 billion, and Wood Guard had a population of 2.3 billion. All the space stations had a population of 30 million.

The order of the entire society was broken bit by bit within half a year. If it hadn't been for the fact that the federation four hundred years from now had an advantage in terms of resources and occupied the resources of the entire Solar System, there would have been no doubt that another upheaval would have been unavoidable, and there would have been a possibility that the federation would have been torn apart again.

However, the federation's council had gone to great lengths to make the necessary adjustments to the new order.

As for the instigator of the upheavals, Alexander had long been captured in secret by the federal agents and locked up in an extremely secure space prison. He interrogated the Blood of God day and night, as well as the purpose of spreading the news. However, other than finding out that the source of the Blood of God came from Zhang Heng, there was no progress whatsoever. As for why Zhang Heng would do such a thing, no one was able to fathom it.

Days passed and soon, the year 413 of the Federation calendar arrived.

After five years of fermenting, the Blood of God was practically spread all over the world at the moment, spreading throughout the human bodies of the entire federation.

In truth, the blood called the Blood of God did indeed come from Zhang Heng's blood. Zhang Heng had swallowed the super-life Genova from the Final Fantasy 7 before and became one with it. As such, his blood did indeed contain factors that could change the constitution of humans and greatly increase their longevity. However, Zhang Heng's life force was simply too powerful. If he were to inject himself with the blood recklessly, such powerful cells would probably invade his body and invade the cells and brains of the injector, taking over his body and developing a lethal disease similar to cancer cells.

In the end, all the people who were injected with Zhang Heng's blood had to suffer from cell necrosis or become monsters. There was no cure.

The reason why tens of billions of people in Earth's federation were able to live in harmony after injecting Zhang Heng's blood was because the blood that Zhang Heng produced was a weakened version that erased the erosion ability. That weakened version of the blood only retained the ability to optimize genes, turning the injector into someone who shared the same life essence as Zhang Heng.

To put it simply, those people who were injected with Zhang Heng's blood, if analyzed from a genetic level, were actually his descendants.

That was a change in blood relations, but it had yet to reach the point where it could change a species. As such, genetic alterations were not deemed very important by the public. Furthermore, due to the potent effects of Zhang Heng's blood and the cheap cost of replication, most people, with the exception of a handful, were unable to resist the temptation.

That wasn't all there was to it. The reputation of the Blood of God continued to spread, and some religious people with ulterior motives saw the opportunity that came with it. Even the Catholic popes, who had been gradually declining, stood up and declared publicly that it was the Blood of God, a gift from God to the people of the world. Other than a handful of people who were determined enough to turn their noses up at what they heard, some who were inclined to theology in the first place came to their senses. Theology prospered all of a sudden, and cults began to emerge like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, which eventually got out of hand.

Zhang Heng sat quietly on the barrier formed by his mental power at a depth of 2800 kilometers deep in the mantle layer in the capital city of Rome, Italy, as the terrifying high pressure from the mantle layer continued to hit him from all sides. Coupled with the near 3,000-degree temperature around him, he had to spend mental power to set up barriers at all times to prevent his body from being harmed.

In the geographical field, there was another name that was very well known in this area, which was infinitely near the Earth's core—the Gudenburg Nonconsecutive.

The place was in a hellish environment. Even if the place was as hard as rock, it would only appear in a moldable, solid state, like soft clay. Even diamond would become as soft as butter.

That was the limit that Zhang Heng was able to withstand at the moment. He had no other way to train his mental power other than to go to such extremes.

However, Zhang Heng suddenly opened his eyes at that moment. He calculated the time silently and mumbled to himself, "Five years have passed. Logically speaking, my blood should have spread to the blood of humans all over the world by now, right?"

He raised his head slightly as he said that and boundless mental power gushed out from his body all of a sudden. The rocks before him split apart like tofu, revealing a path that led to the darkness outside.

Zhang Heng took a step and covered a distance of hundreds of meters, reaching the end of the tunnel. Another burst of mental power gushed out and opened up a path before him.

Zhang Heng was able to move faster than the speed of sound as he kept going. It took him less than two hours to reach the ground.

As Zhang Heng got closer to the surface, the entire city of Rome began to shake, especially at the northwestern corner of the city, where a huge, towering cathedral was located. Booming sounds were heard coming from underground, as if something huge was approaching from deep underground.

The church looked majestic and luxurious, filled with an ancient charm and a sense of history. Tourists were seen all over the place. It was the smallest country in history, China. It was also the holy land of Catholicism all over the world—the St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican.

There was an open plaza in front of the church called Saint Peter's Square, and there was a 25-meter-tall stone embellished in the center of the plaza. That was one of the most famous obelisks in the world, and its construction could even be traced back to the time when Pharaoh Armenon Hart II ruled.

At that moment, there were thousands of tourists in the plaza of Saint Peter. All of them were looking at the center of the plaza in horror. At that moment, there was a deafening rumble and a pitch-black cave appeared. A figure flew out from the cave in the very next second. The figure was shrouded in holy light and stood at the top of the obelisk like a fallen angel.

It was as if he had descended from the heavens.

596. Module Initiation

Zhang Heng's appearance shocked countless tourists. All they saw was a young man rising from the ground and standing on the obelisk at the center of the plaza. It was only then that they heard rumbling thunder from underground and everything returned to normal.

"What the hell is that? A hidden program from the Vatican's tour group?" The tourists were initially rather frightened, but after seeing Zhang Heng as the instigator, they felt relieved instead.

Zhang Heng closed his eyes for a bit and opened them right away. He could sense that the bodies of thousands of people in the plaza before him were filled with his own blood. There was no exception to the rule. As expected, after five years of dissemination, his blood was like a plague, infecting almost all humans around the world.

"Five years of planning and four hundred years of entanglement have finally come to an end…"

Zhang Heng mumbled to himself with a deadpan expression on his face, looking down at the stunned crowd on the plaza like a god. Countless streams of mental power gushed out and spread in all directions at the same time. Under the sunlight, they looked like sixteen orange wings that shot out in a radioactive manner and covered his entire back.

"Angel!"

"The messenger of God!"

"Holy sh * *!"

"Hallelujah!"

"Amitabha!"

"Allahu Akbar!"

Countless people shouted in shock as they looked at Zhang Heng in shock. Zhang Heng seemed to have turned into millions of illusions at that moment. Everyone would be able to see what was in their minds and beliefs based on what they saw in Zhang Heng.

It was only at that moment that the upper echelons of the Vatican finally realized what was happening. A very powerful-looking warrior dressed in ancient-looking mechanical armor rushed out of the church with a huge steel sword in his hand. Behind him were over a dozen knights with slightly weaker auras.

Zhang Heng realized what was going on as soon as he saw that bunch of people making their way out of the church in such a grand manner. He never thought that the Vatican would still have such a powerful cohesive force after 400 years. It was rather surprising that there would be an Alpha and 13 Beta Level Overlords stationed all year round.

However, that was all there was to it. When the Jedi saw Zhang Heng, all of them stood rooted to the ground, staring at him in a daze for quite a while.

Zhang Heng took a quick look at the crowd, his eyes filled with an apathetic indifference that seemed to be capable of destroying the heavens and earth. He mumbled to himself, "There is no longer anything that could stop me up until now. The protection that I've put in so much effort to protect all those years ago is now the time for all of you to pay for what you've done. It's as if everything that you've done is somehow destined…"

Zhang Heng felt as if he had comprehended something. He suddenly looked up and spread his arms wide, as if he wanted to hug the sky.

Two illusory fruits appeared in Zhang Heng's hands at the same time, one on his left and one on his right. The fruits on his left hand were emerald green in color and glimmers of fluorescence were seen seeping out of them, disappearing into the air. The fruits on his right hand were golden in color and were constantly changing shapes, as if they were taking in the world.

Fruits of Life and Fruits of Wisdom!

There was a saying in "Founding Era": One could tell good from evil by eating the Fruit of Wisdom. Consuming the Fruit of Life would grant one eternal life. When a lifeform consumed two fruits at the same time, they would possess power that was close to that of a god.

There was no such thing as two types of fruits in the world to begin with. Zhang Heng plundered the Spring of Life back then and fed the demonic energy of the Marvel World to the real world, enabling it to become the source of the power of the real world. From then on, the origin power was known as the Fruit of Life for humans.

The Fruit of Wisdom was meant to represent humanity's technology and civilization, but that was just a mysterious saying. The so-called Fruit of Wisdom was actually a kind of meme when it came to its essence.

It was a kind of meme that could envelop the entire human race, enabling the entire human race to feel each other's presence, break the minds of the other, and eventually fuse humanity into one.

However, even Zhang Heng himself was unable to tell the origins of such memes. Could it be that the 'EVA' plane had initiated the Human Enhancement Project, resulting in such memes being created, or that the plane itself had such memes that enabled humans to initiate the Human Enhancement Project?

All of that would have to wait until human technology was developed to the point where it could be used as a meme. He was still far from being able to do anything about it at the moment.

Zhang Heng felt an indescribable burst of electromagnetic radiation burst out the moment the two fruits appeared. It penetrated the entire city of Rome in an instant and spread throughout Italy in just a second. The electromagnetic radiation from the illusory fruit then spread throughout Europe and eventually covered the entire Earth.

Most importantly, Zhang Heng's perception seemed to have covered the entire Earth along with that fruit. It was as if he had become the omnipotent and omniscient God, looking down on every single human on Earth with the vision of God. No, it would be more accurate to say that he was looking down on every single descendant whose blood was flowing in their veins.

That wasn't the limit yet. The illusory fruit in his hand seemed to vibrate for a bit before being released again. The radiation penetrated the atmosphere in the very next second and shrouded the entire Earth-Moon orbit. Zhang Heng felt a rumble in his mind and heard a hum before his consciousness enveloped the entire moon.

That was not the end of it. Zhang Heng's consciousness was still traveling at high speeds with the radiation. If one were to look from above the Solar System, they would see a ring of expanding yellow light emerge from the Earth and envelop all nine planets. It only came to a complete halt when it engulfed both Earthguard 6 and Woodguard 2, which were at the furthest end of the planet.

Zhang Heng was a god at that moment.

Zhang Heng was visibly moved. All of that was due to the power of the Fruit of Wisdom. His body gradually rose into the air like a god, and the sixteen wings of light behind him fused into one, eventually taking the shape of a huge cross. Zhang Heng's body was at the very center of the cross, just like how Jesus was in trouble.

At the same time, a heavenly hymn of praise was heard, sounding just like the holy hymns of the Catholic Church. It was peaceful and solemn, ethereal and sacred at the same time. It was as if countless children were singing softly in the distance. Their voices traveled through the church and into the ears of the pilgrims under the eaves. Everyone in the world, regardless of what they were doing before, stopped what they were doing at the same time and turned to look in the direction of the Vatican.

"Hallelujah!"

All the Christian believers began to half-kneel and sat at Mass, looking moved. The Buddhist believers, on the other hand, heard the chanting of scriptures from countless deities and Buddhas. All of them put their palms together and sat cross-legged in meditation.

Even those who didn't have any faith in the world felt a sense of contradiction that was both peaceful and terrifying at the same time. At that moment, they felt as if the distance between everyone's hearts and minds was being pulled closer. It was as if something invisible and untouchable was slowly being broken between people…

Those were the voices from Zhang Heng's bloodline. Due to the Fruit of Wisdom's influence shrouding the entire solar system, all humans with Zhang Heng's bloodline had their genes triggered by his will, resulting in a special kind of auditory hallucination, which was like a form of hypnosis. Unknowingly, everyone gave up resisting.

However, there were still a handful of people who were determined enough to realize that they were in danger.

"What's that?"

"The legendary deity?"

"Devil!"

"Stop him! Where's our super-high field laser cannon? Destroy it!"

Of course, that was just the beginning.

Zhang Heng's body rose 100,000 meters into the air at that moment. The cross behind him had become so huge that it blotted out the sun. The bottom of the cross was still connected to the earth, and the top of the cross had broken through the atmosphere and stood tall in space. From afar, the cross that was completely formed by the Light of the Soul had reached the largest size in history. Even if one were to stand in outer space, the cross wouldn't look tiny in comparison to Earth.

However, that wasn't enough. Zhang Heng opened his eyes all of a sudden, which were filled with a sacred, emotionless look. He said in a low voice, "Sacrifice, Fruit of Life!"

Immediately, the demon that represented the Fruit of Life in his left hand was absorbed into his body.

Zhang Heng took a look at the demon that had disappeared from his left hand and said, "Sacrifice, Fruit of Wisdom!"

However, the Fruit of Wisdom flashed right after he said that and quickly fused into his body.

Buzz!

He felt as if his body and will had become completely different somehow.

597. The Beginning Of The Human Enrichment Plan

It was only then that Zhang Heng's emotionless eyes began to shine.

He silently felt the hearts of every single person closing in on him. He suddenly spoke in a deep and heavy voice,

"Wisdom."

Buzz!

The huge cross that covered the entire sky behind him shuddered slightly as he spoke. A sphere of light that looked like a moon appeared on the lower left side of the cross. The sphere of light had a diameter of several thousand kilometers and could be seen clearly even from tens of thousands of kilometers away. It looked even larger than the sun and moon.

"Rational."

However, Zhang Heng didn't even bother to look at the sphere of light and continued speaking. Another sphere of light appeared on the lower right side of the cross behind him, which was symmetrical with the disc on the left.

"Mercy."

The third round of disks appeared again.

"The law."

"Beautiful."

"Eternal."

"Dignity."

"Foundation."

"Matter."

As Zhang Heng continued to talk, nine spheres that were as bright as the moon appeared one after another and bloomed all around him, with the cross as the frame, presenting a mysterious geometric pattern.

…

"That's the spell formation of the Tree of Life!"

Francis III, the 280th generation Pope of the Vatican, raised his head and looked at the image formed by the strange lights in the sky. While this was the first time he had seen a miracle in his entire life, his eyes were filled with deep fear. He dropped to his knees as if he was paralyzed and wept bitterly. "Why, why would it appear now…"

"Merciful Lord, are you giving up on your people?"

…

"What… is that?"

On the other side, Alexander looked at the Earth through the window formed by the steel cage. He had been imprisoned in the space prison for five years after he was secretly arrested. It was only then, as he listened to the holy hymns that kept coming from deep within him, that he suddenly felt a peace and tranquility that he had never felt in five years. At that moment, it was as if all the pain that he had suffered for years was no longer important.

…

"Singing?" Sun Hanyue looked at the sky in shock in the campus of Fudan University in Haizhou. She then looked at the path in the forest and saw that all the students and teachers walking on the path were looking up at the sky with intoxicated expressions on their faces. Everyone looked at the miracle above them as if they had been bewitched.

"Danger! Run!" However, unlike the other students, Sun Hanyue felt an extreme sense of danger when she saw the nine disks in the sky. She pulled at her classmates instinctively, only to find that they neither resisted nor responded. It was as if they had all become wooden puppets.

"Ahhhh!" Sun Hanyue's terrified scream was heard all over the campus.

…

"War, war! I hereby declare war on that thing in the name of the Federation President!"

The 56th president of the Federal Residence, Nikolauszewski, shouted at the top of his lungs. The officials of the Ministry of Defense and other officials around him wore grave expressions on their faces as well. Fear and despair were written all over their faces. Their instincts overwhelmed their physiological instincts, and under the urging of the president of the federation, countless devastating artillery shells were fired at Zhang Heng.

…

From where Zhang Heng was standing, dots of light were seen pouring out of the atmosphere like fireflies in the middle of summer. What followed were beams of light that were brighter than the sun, the markers of railguns and ultra-high field lasers. All the defense forces in all continents of the federation had activated their Calamity Grade weapons and were charging at the cross where Zhang Heng was.

However, Zhang Heng remained emotionless. He looked at the dense array of cannonballs and laser beams at his feet, opened his mouth, and spat out the last word.

"Surpass!"

Buzz!

The huge cross of light vibrated yet again, and the final ball of light appeared in the center of the cross where Zhang Heng was standing.

Formation of the Tree of Life, stand!

The balls of light representing the 10 divinities were completely gathered. Countless laser beams and cannonballs bombarded the array of the Tree of Life in the very next moment. It was as if the array of the Tree of Life had opened up one orange flower after another, and the flowers filled the entire tree in an instant.

However, the spell formation remained completely unscathed even after the first round of attacks ended.

Zhang Heng looked down on everyone's every move like a god. He had no intention of paying any attention to what they were doing and simply waved his hand lightly. A broken spearhead that seemed to have a history of its own was seen in the deepest part of the Vatican's cathedral. The spearhead suddenly moved and floated up, flying straight for Zhang Heng at top speed.

"NO!" The Vatican pope howled in despair as he watched that holy spear fly out. His face was ashen and there was no hope left in him…

The spearhead looked like it had been in ancient Rome for over two thousand years. According to the Bible, when Jesus was crucified, a centurion stabbed him in the side of the chest. That centurion was called Longinus, and that spear was called—

Spear of Longinus!

The real Holy Spear might have been destroyed in the chaos of war a long time ago. It no longer mattered whether the ancient artifact known as the Holy Spear was the true Holy Spear in history or not. When everyone believed that it was the Spear of Longinus, then regardless of whether it was real or fake, it was still the real Longinus.

The tip of the ancient Roman spear flew out of the atmosphere at a speed that was several times faster than that of an orbit cannon and arrived before Zhang Heng. However, it stopped just when it was about to stab into his chest.

No, it wasn't completely still. It was as if the spear had been plunged into some kind of invisible quagmire, causing it to suddenly become extremely slow, so slow that it was difficult to even see the movement of the spear with the naked eye.

Zhang Heng lowered his head and looked at the Holy Spear before his chest. He felt the resistance from the tip of the spear and sighed all of a sudden. He then said slowly with a holy air, "I am the Mother of Humanity, and I am—Lilith!"

The Fruit of Wisdom in Zhang Heng's body began to glow again as soon as he finished speaking.

It turned out that the Meme of the Fruit of Wisdom was not something that could condense the human psyche at will. It was only when the four essential elements—the Fruit of Life, the Fruit of Wisdom, the Spear of Longinus, and Lilith—were all gathered that the Meme of the Fruit of Wisdom possessed the ability to initiate the complete fusion of humans.

Zhang Heng's plan for the past five years was to spread his bloodline throughout the human race, enabling him to become the father and mother of humanity.

The Holy Spear finally stopped hesitating after hearing what Zhang Heng said and plunged into his chest with a bang. Zhang Heng smirked and shouted, "Sacrifice!"

A blood-red barrier suddenly appeared in the atmosphere from the point where the cross connected with Earth as soon as he finished speaking. It spread out in all directions in the blink of an eye.

It was like a shockwave that covered the entire Earth in the blink of an eye, enshrouding it in a blood-red cocoon of light.

If one were to look from Earth, one would find that the blue sky had turned dark red in an instant.

The human meme of the Fruit of Wisdom was finally triggered after gathering all four elements.

598. Melting Water

"Humans, both in body and mind, are made of fragile substances. They are very susceptible to damage."

"When it comes to people, the world of the mind is isolated from each other. Even if countless people work hard to understand each other, due to the existence of the Heart Wall, the Light of the Mind is something that humans would never be able to completely understand."

"The wall of the heart creates a barrier between people. The mind is filled with coldness and sorrow. Humans are such sad creatures…"

"In order for humans to evolve to a higher realm, one's mind must be freed from the shackles of the body and return to the place where humans were born—the 'eggs of Lilith'. Only then could the mental barrier between humans be eventually dismantled, enabling different mental worlds to complement each other and lead to the end of evolution…"

"The Human Enhancement Plan was designed to allow the human psyche to break free from the shackles of the human body and return to a single entity. The mental barriers between humans would be lifted, and the human psyche would be freed from the shackles of the human psyche, becoming a further form of life. It would become something—no sorrow, no despair, no guilt, no need to worry about hunger, no need to worry about unemployment, no war, no corruption, and no more deceit. Everyone's psyche would be mended, and everyone would be a heaven-like existence…"

A child-like voice was heard from somewhere deep within the solar system, echoing in the minds of everyone present. All the humans in the solar system seemed to have woken up from a dream and looked around in a daze.

"What happened?"

"Why is the sky red? Where's the sun?"

"What are those 10 moon-like spheres? Are the aliens attacking Earth?"

"That's a miracle!"

The sky was dark red and the people on the streets were feeling very uneasy. Everyone seemed to have heard some kind of ethereal, sacred chanting in their ears. None of those sounds seemed to have been heard by their ears, but they seemed to have come from their minds instead.

Sun Hanyue ran along the pathways of the campus. She didn't know why, but the sense of crisis in her heart grew increasingly intense. The sky had turned dark red, making it look like the end of the world was approaching.

She finally made it out of the school compound, only to find that the streets of the city outside the school compound were in a state of chaos. Some people were looking up at the sky above them, which looked like it was about to bleed at any moment. Some were running all over the place, while others were curled up in the corners of the shops by the side of the road, shivering.

"Everyone, don't panic. Don't panic. This is a natural phenomenon. Don't crowd around!"

An urgent voice was heard not far away at that moment. Sun Hanyue seemed to have found her pillar of support and ran to where the voice came from. It was only when she turned the corner of the street that she saw a police officer trying his best to control the emotions of the passers-by. However, how could he possibly be able to control something like that?

"Mr. Policeman!" Sun Hanyue seemed to have found her pillar of support and ran right up to the police officer, panting as she asked, "Mr. Policeman, what the hell happened?"

"I-I don't know!" The police officer was surrounded by two or three passers-by who had come to ask for help. He looked at Sun Hanyue, who was at a loss, and shook his head with a bitter smile. "No matter what happens, we need to stay calm. I'm sure the federal government will take care of it soon."

"Ahhhh!" A scream was heard from the other side of the street before the police officer was able to finish his sentence. The high-pitched female voice that penetrated the air attracted everyone's attention. However, everyone's pupils contracted when they saw what was happening on the other side of the street.

A middle-aged man, who was covered in blood and looked rather numb, stood before the door of a shop before them. Everyone on the street was staring at the place in a daze. However, that man's gaze was locked on a young, frightened woman wearing a spaghetti strap top.

"That man?" Sun Hanyue looked at the man covered in blood and felt a chill running down her spine for some reason. She had scanned the area just moments ago and had no idea when that man covered in blood had appeared.

"Hold it right there! Don't move! I'm the police!"

That responsible police officer immediately drew his electromagnetic gun and pointed it at the man when he saw the bloodied man and the woman screaming. He figured that the woman was screaming because the man wanted to hurt that woman.

"Come with me, Fang." However, the man paid no heed to the police officers and simply walked towards the woman as if there was no one else around. He only opened his arms slowly when he was right before the frightened woman. "Fang, I've missed you."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" However, a dazed look was seen in the woman's eyes all of a sudden, as if she had fallen into a world where there was only her and the man before her. She buried her face in her hands and cried, "I shouldn't have killed you for the sake of my assets. I was wrong, I'm really sorry!"

The woman threw herself into the man’s arms as she wept. It was only at that moment that she showed a hint of peace in her heart and murmured, “I’m sorry, I regret it. Forgive me.”

"I forgive you…"

The two of them hugged each other like they were a couple, ignoring everyone else around them. The police officers put down their guns with awkward looks on their faces when they saw what happened. Sun Hanyue gradually felt relieved as well. She took a deep breath and lowered her head to rub her temples, feeling that she had gotten a little carried away.

Crack!

However, just when Sun Hanyue lowered her head, the sound of something breaking was heard and the sound of liquid dropping to the ground was heard. Sun Hanyue looked up reflexively and her pupils contracted.

He saw that the two people who were still hugging each other across the street had disappeared into thin air. All that was left was a puddle of yellowish liquid with bubbles in it, as if someone had splashed a bucket of water on the street. There was a pair of suspenders soaked in the liquid left in the puddle.

"Ah!"

Someone among the pedestrians on the side of the road suddenly let out a shriek. Everyone snapped out of their trance and began to make a ruckus. The previously chaotic order became even more chaotic.

"What happened?" Sun Hanyue grabbed hold of the police officer and shouted, "Tell me what happened!"

"D-disappeared." That police officer looked as if he had seen a ghost and pointed at the bubbling liquid with shaking hands. "That man and that woman disappeared together…"

Several other people of unknown origin appeared out of nowhere before Sun Hanyue was able to react. All of them were looking at a pedestrian on the street. No matter how flustered the pedestrians were a second ago, they would all become dazed the very next second when they saw that figure that appeared out of nowhere.

The people who appeared out of nowhere were of all ages and genders, as if they had all come from some other dimension. Not to mention regular people, even assassins who were used to seeing life and death would feel a chill running down their spines.

599. Complete

"Daddy, come and get me."

"Jacob, my child, come home quickly. Daddy misses you!"

A grinning little boy appeared at the corner at the end of the alley. A middle-aged man who was running for his life was shocked when he saw the boy and pounced on him with a confused look on his face.

Crack!

The middle-aged man's body exploded the moment he hugged the little boy, turning into a puddle of pale yellow liquid.

…

"Dad, how have you been all these years?" A white-haired old woman appeared behind an old man in a wheelchair.

"My wife, are you here to pick me up?" Two streams of tears rolled down the old man's dazed eyes as he slowly turned around and held the old woman's hands that were covered in age spots.

Crack!

…

"Don't, don't come near me! I'm not afraid of you!" A young man with a frightened expression turned around and ran, dodging the girl opposite him. "Why won't you let me go? Tell me!"

"My dear brother, stop resisting. Do you remember how your sister played with you when you were little?" The young girl wore a sad expression as she walked towards the young man.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Phew…" The young man seemed to heave a sigh of relief and cursed under his breath, "Damn it, I definitely won't go back to that hellish childhood!"

"Why are you so disobedient, little brother…" Before the young man could calm down, the girl's voice was heard from behind him again.

Crack!

…

It was like a plague that spread without restraint the moment it began. Sun Hanyue was completely stunned as she watched figures appear out of nowhere on the streets. The moment those figures appeared, they would definitely turn into a pale yellow liquid and disappear from the world along with their targets. It was just too eerie.

"Let's go to the police station!" Someone shouted all of a sudden, just when everyone was at a loss of what to do. The others around the police officers who were seeking protection reacted right away and rushed to the police station. However, before they could even take two steps, a handsome and slender figure appeared before them all.

"Ah Zhe?" A girl in the crowd suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked at him in a daze.

"Who the hell are you?" The police officer gasped and pointed his gun at the handsome man warily.

"Don't shoot! He's my lover!" The girl wanted to rush up to him right away, but she was stopped by someone else. "Wake up! That man isn't someone you know! He appeared out of nowhere!"

However, the girl paid him no heed, as if she had been possessed. She simply struggled with all her might to get closer to him. The man named Ah Zhe didn't say anything either. He simply looked at her with an expression of deep affection and walked slowly towards her.

"Hold it right there!" The police officers pointed their guns at the man as if they were facing a formidable enemy. However, the man didn't seem to notice anything and continued to approach the girl.

"Fire!" Sun Hanyue shouted at the police officers. The police officers gritted their teeth and no longer hesitated, shooting at the man's legs. A bloody hole was seen in the right leg of the man right away.

"No!" The girl shrieked and broke free from the others' hold with such force that she threw herself at the man and sobbed, "Ah Zhe, why didn't they let you be with me? Why…"

His handsome face wore a sad expression as he patted the young nun's back lightly. The two of them melted into a puddle of warm liquid before everyone's eyes.

Crack!

Due to the distance between them being too close, the liquid that the girl had transformed into sprayed all over Sun Hanyue's body. Sun Hanyue's face turned pale immediately as she resisted the urge to vomit and patted her clothes while screaming.

Despite her resilience, she was still trembling all over in the face of such a bizarre death, and a sense of helplessness overwhelmed her.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid! There has to be a way…"

Sun Hanyue took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She gently wiped away the liquid that had splashed on her face, yet a drop of the liquid still managed to slip into her mouth. It was salty and smelled fishy and warm, just like…

The smell of amniotic fluid…

"Let's get out of here!" Many people had already dispersed by then. A few passers-by who were still able to stay awake pulled Sun Hanyue, who was still in a daze, and ran as fast as they could in the direction of the police station, as if they would be completely safe there.

That was the conventional way of thinking for humans. While they knew that it would be useless even if they were to return to the police station, their superficial consciousness refused to mention that despairing thought. As long as there was a purpose to it, there should be a chance of survival, right?

"We're going to die, we're all going to die…" Sun Hanyue mumbled under her breath as she allowed the two of them to drag her along. The yellowish fluid had formed rivers of water all along the way. Everyone had no choice but to step into the puddles of water that were formed from human bodies as they made their way forward. The pedestrians that were fleeing on the way continued to turn into liquid. It was like a curse that no matter where they went, they would never be able to escape the fate of becoming amniotic fluid.

"Arrgghhhh!" The police officer who was the only one protecting her eventually melted away as well. Sun Hanyue had long since lost the ability to think. Without the guidance of the others, she simply stared at her reflection in the water, seemingly oblivious to what was happening.

The entire city was completely silent at the moment. It was as if the city had never been so quiet since the birth of humans. The only sound that was heard was the occasional bubble bursting from the amniotic fluid beneath their feet.

…

On the other side, in the space prison, Alexandria was standing at the window of the prison with a peaceful look on his face. However, he heard a soft, wriggling sound behind him.

"Grandpa…"

Alexander's expression changed and he slowly turned around in disbelief, only to see his son standing behind him with a five or six-year-old child.

"Oh my God!" A look of confusion and surprise flashed in Alexander's eyes. He walked up to the kid and squatted down, holding the kid in his arms. "I've been waiting for you guys. It's been hard…"

"We'll be together forever, grandpa," the child said softly.

"Okay, okay! Our family will be together forever!" Alexander was so excited that his entire body was shaking. He nodded quickly and tears rolled down his face. At the same time, a certain defense barrier deep down in his heart collapsed. Before he could do anything, he heard a 'bang' sound by his ear and he completely melted into a huge consciousness.

"Maybe that's the best ending." Alexander seemed to sigh when he was integrated into the greater consciousness.

…

Zhang Heng was looking down at Earth at the moment, silently sensing everything about everyone.

Countless people were screaming, wailing, breaking down, or crying tears of joy in his perception… Countless screams and shouts echoed in his ears. The greatest weakness deep down in the hearts of all living beings would be revealed when they were faced with a complete overhaul, forming the image that they remembered the most deeply.

The mental faculties of countless people gushed into Zhang Heng's mind as a result of the human mending the meme. His mental faculties—or rather, the Light of the Soul—began to grow at a frightening rate. The rate at which they grew was practically exponential.

Every time a person's consciousness entered Zhang Heng's sea of consciousness, a white cross would appear in the sky where that person died. It wasn't obvious at first, but after a few minutes, Zhang Heng was only able to hear the screams and moans of countless people. It was as if all the humans on Earth were screaming at the same time, and the number of pure-white crosses grew at a frightening rate.

The crosses were densely packed in the end. The entire Earth, even the moon and Mars, were covered by the cross formed by that pure light. That holy chant seemed to reverberate throughout the entire planet, and together with the crosses that filled the sky, a sorrowful yet sacred feeling gradually appeared.

At that moment, with the exception of a handful of humans who had never fused with Zhang Heng's blood, over 99 percent of the humans in the world were completely devoured by him.

Zhang Heng's eyes were pure and flawless, devoid of any impurities, despite feeling the billions of human psyches in his body. Compared to the vicissitudes he had undergone in the past, his current performance represented a return to simplicity and… divinity.

600. Eternity

Zhang Heng looked at the world like a newborn in space, his expression pure and curious.

The world was still the same, Earth was still the same, but in his eyes, the world was no longer the same.

The knowledge of countless people became his, and the wisdom of countless people became his. The experiences, thoughts, wills, and even inspirations of everyone became a part of him. It was as if more than 40 billion brains were connected as one, forming an unprecedented supercomputer.

He was able to calculate solutions of astronomical units with just a slight movement of his mind. He was able to see through the essence of anything with a single glance. It was a perfect state where he seemed to be omniscient and omnipotent, without any flaws or weaknesses.

Zhang Heng's mental power, which was known as the Light of the Soul, continued to grow at a terrifying rate. His control over matter also continued to grow. His mental power had reached the atomic level before, and at that moment, his mental power continued to grow, reaching the atomic level very quickly, followed by protons, quark, and even smaller particles.

Zhang Heng felt his head buzz in the end as he saw stars flicker before his eyes. He was able to control Puckland to the smallest extent in an instant before making yet another breakthrough, reaching the stage of controlling energy.

Zhang Heng felt as if he was seeing countless strings in space the moment he entered the control room. He saw the endless, ubiquitous Sea of Dirac. All of that energy, which was initially invisible to the naked eye, appeared in his perception one after another, reverberating throughout the world and converging into a huge symphony.

Zhang Heng raised his hand slightly and countless vacuum zeros appeared in his palm. From then on, he would gain the ability to draw energy from the Dirac Sea, which would be equivalent to unlimited power.

Converting matter from energy to matter was a piece of cake for him. As the thought flashed through his mind, countless amounts of energy reversed and turned into protons, neutrons, electrons, and other particles. The particles then began to combine under the tremendous amount of power they had. It was as if a metal storm was raging in front of Zhang Heng and he was able to construct a massive battleship capable of traversing subspace in less than 20 seconds.

Zhang Heng looked pleased and said, "Disperse!" The entire massive battleship disappeared into thin air right away, as if it had never been there before.

The move looked simple, but it actually contained microscopic particles and precise control over the four fundamental forces.

Gravity was responsible for the composition of macroscopic matter, electromagnetic force was responsible for chemical reactions, weak nuclear force was responsible for nuclear radiation, decay, and strong nuclear force was responsible for the composition of microscopic matter particles.

The most primitive power found in the four universes was practically the power of the creator. Zhang Heng could destroy the balance of the Earth and Moon with a single thought, causing the moon to crash into the Earth and even causing the sun to collapse in advance, turning the Earth into a Red Huge Star or even a White Short Star.

More importantly, the energy that accelerated the particle to 10 ^ 20 electron volts triggered a decay in the vacuum, causing a powerful tidal force to tear the entire solar system apart.

No one would be able to object to Zhang Heng being a god given his level of power.

But, was that enough?

Zhang Heng smirked and suddenly opened his hand. If there was a third person present, they would only see that his hand was in a mess, as if there was space twisting around it. When it became clear, a blinding fireball appeared in his palm.

No, that wasn't a fireball. If one were to look closer, they would realize that it was actually a miniature version of the sun. Not only that, but there were also eight lifelike planets, consisting of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, Uranus, Neptune, and the eight smaller planets around the sun. One could even see the chaotic Kuiper Belts at the edges.

An endless mirage of the earth appeared beneath his feet at the same time. That mirage encompassed the entire solar system, stretching from one end of the Kuiper Belt all the way to the other. There was no end to it, but if one were to look closely, that indescribably huge piece of land seemed to be the shape of Zhang Heng's palm.

It was as if the entire solar system was within his grasp at that moment.

"The amount of energy required to reverse time is simply too much. Even if the entire solar system were to be converted into energy, it would only be enough for me to reverse time for about 24 hours," Zhang Heng muttered under his breath. "But then again, there's a paradox here…"

Zhang Heng was dazed for a bit before he finished calculating the equations for the mass-energy installation of the astronomical units. He then chuckled and said, "So that's how it is. Can I replenish the lost energy in the Sea of Dirac? In that case…"

Zhang Heng slowly closed his palm as he said that. Countless spatial folds could be vaguely seen on his palm all over the place at once, as if countless objects were being compressed at the same time. The sun collapsed, the Earth collapsed, and the two gas planets, Saturn and Jupiter, were unable to maintain their shapes, all of which collapsed in his palm.

The Earth beneath Zhang Heng's feet and the distant sun were compressed at the same time, just like what was happening in his palm. Countless spatial folds appeared all over his body as energy was compressed into the center of the sun. However, it was as if he was in a different space, where he was able to do whatever he wanted with his surroundings.

In the end, the entire space became a product of countless amounts of energy gathering. A huge fireball that was hundreds of times larger than the sun and a thousand times brighter than the sun appeared before Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng was just a little bit away from being able to hold the fireball in his hand.

Boom!

That huge ball of light became smaller, brighter, and its mass grew larger. However, when it reached a certain limit, that ball of light suddenly dimmed.

Rumble…

There seemed to be some kind of suction coming from somewhere, and Zhang Heng's hair seemed to be dancing in the breeze. He turned around and saw that the sphere of light that had been gathered in the Solar System was slowly transforming into the neutron star.

"Not enough!"

Zhang Heng continued to hold the sphere in his hand while the sphere continued to shrink and darken. He didn't need to continue clenching his fist as the sphere reached a certain critical point and collapsed on its own.

Zhang Heng watched as that sphere of light dimmed in a bizarre manner. That wasn't all. Countless beams of light seemed to have been sucked into the sphere. The sphere of light before him had turned into a highly condensed entity with a diameter of only 100 kilometers and a visibility that was completely invisible to humans.

Black hole!

At that moment, the entire Solar System became the ultimate killer in the universe.

However, it was still not enough.

Determination flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes as he clenched his fist and the black hole was compressed yet again. Feeling the resistance from his hand, Zhang Heng's Light of the Soul was depleted in a large area. It was as if a boiling ocean of quantum vacuum was formed behind him. Under the guidance of the Light of the Soul, countless huge forces surged into his mind.

Rumble…

Zhang Heng was finally able to compress the black hole further with that force. He clenched his fist and when he opened his palm again, a singularity appeared.

"Explode!"

Zhang Heng shouted and the singularity exploded again in the very next second. It was as if the universe had just opened and, in the blink of an eye, endless light swallowed Zhang Heng whole.

…

Zhang Heng felt as if his vision had turned completely white. He closed his eyes for a bit and when he opened them again, the entire Solar System seemed to have returned to its original state. It was as if everything that had happened before was just an illusion. Countless tall buildings were seen all over the Earth and cities were seen everywhere. Anti-Gravity vehicles were seen everywhere in the cities and pedestrians were seen everywhere on the streets. The entire timeline of the Solar System seemed to have returned to that moment a day ago.

Zhang Heng smirked at the sight before him and turned around to leave. None of those people would ever know that there was once someone who devoured everything about them and used their power to restore them.

601. Returning Home

Zhang Heng was no longer on the same plane as he was when he was done with all of that. He took one last look at the bustling plane before raising his head and staring into space, reminiscing about the past.

It was time to go home…

Zhang Heng's Light of the Soul began to burn quickly in that void, shooting through the barriers of time and space like a beam before easily breaking through the crystal walls of the universe once again. His Light of the Soul seemed to have triggered a quantum bubble that was located outside of time and space at that very moment, extending quickly through the traces of the quantum bubble. It didn't take him long to reach some other dimension.

The moment he saw that plane, it was as if he had obtained the coordinates of that world. Countless living and dying quantum oceans in the vacuum around him were consciously suppressed by him in the very next moment. The rate of quantum fluctuations in the vacuum was immediately reduced, and negative energy began to emerge around him.

The negative energy was triggered one after another. A black dot that was even darker than the depths of space appeared tens of meters away from Zhang Heng.

Countless negative energies were applied to the black dot due to Zhang Heng's precise manipulation of energy levels. The black dot began to expand rapidly, using the Kismet effect. The black dot grew larger, eventually taking the shape of a singularity that looked like something found on a shuttle plane.

Wormhole!

Excitement was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. Due to his mastery of the four fundamental forces, he was finally able to create a wormhole that could only be formed by supercomputers on his own. While the amount of energy required to create a wormhole was massive, the amount of energy expended was hardly worth mentioning when compared to the Dirac Sea—a vacuum zero-energy ocean.

He no longer hesitated at that thought. He took a step forward and triggered both electromagnetic and gravitational forces in the very next second, accelerating as he took that step. He accelerated himself to lightspeed in the very next second, as only material in that state could enter the wormhole.

Boom!

Zhang Heng turned into a streak of light and dashed into the wormhole in the blink of an eye. The wormhole was filled with a strange and bizarre world where space and time were twisted. Zhang Heng tried his best not to come into contact with the twisted borders on both sides, as those were parallel universes that he had never explored before. Falling into those universes would be like stepping into a tropical rainforest that stretched as far as the eye could see. It would probably take quite some time for him to find his way home.

Several seconds seemed to have passed, yet it also felt like a very long time had passed. Zhang Heng's heart skipped a beat when he saw the exit of the wormhole before him, and a look of anticipation appeared on his face.

Home…

Zhang Heng dashed out of the wormhole right away, only to see a huge artificial building stretching across the horizon.

That was a spherical barrier formed by countless densely packed rhombus-shaped objects, which took up half of the horizon in front of Zhang Heng. Every single rhombus-shaped object seemed to be spinning non-stop as if they were weightless, joining together to form a huge sphere. However, there was a gap in the sphere that was deliberately left open. Endless light and heat shot out from that gap, shining on a dark blue planet hundreds of millions of kilometers away with precision.

Zhang Heng gasped when he saw that humongous artificial construct. There was no way he wouldn't be able to tell that the huge spherical man-made barrier was none other than the legendary giant construct capable of extracting stellar energy 100 percent—the Dyson Sphere.

The Dyson sphere, also known as the Dyson Shell, was a structure imagined by physicists and astronomers, Freeman Dyson. He described a way advanced civilizations would take advantage of all radiation energy from their mother's star—a massive structure that was large enough to contain planetary orbit, consisting of shell-shaped solar collectors that circled the star.

There was no need to explain just how much energy was being absorbed in such a manner. In the Solar System, a Dyson sphere with a diameter of one astronomical unit would have a surface area of at least 2.72 x10 cubic meters, which was about 600 million times that of the Earth's surface area. The energy output of the Sun was about 26 cubes of 4x10, with most of them being useful.

However, science fiction always portrayed it as a solid shell that revolved around the sun. Such a structure was not something that could be found in physics, as it required a very high tensile strength and was easily affected by large drifts.

Dyson's initial idea was to assume that there would be enough solar collectors around the star to absorb light energy, instead of saying that they would form a continuous shell. On the contrary, the layer of 'shell' consisted of structures running in independent orbit, about a million kilometers thick, consisting of five cubes of 1x10. As such, a single 'Dyson sphere' could be made up of several types of solar collectors with different patterns. Countless solar panels would be found in different trajectories in the model.

That was the correct structure of the Dyson sphere, and what was more aptly described as the Dyson Cloud.

It was obvious that the huge device that had almost completely surrounded the star, leaving only a huge hole that shone on the planet, was none other than the legendary Dai Senyun. The dark blue planet that was illuminated was none other than Zhang Heng's base, Planet Tanis.

Other than that, there were no other planets left in the stellar system. All the other planets and materials found in the stellar system had probably been used to construct the Dyson Cloud, leaving only the lone Tannis planet. It looked very lonely, but there was also a satellite circling around Tannis, which was four to five times larger than the moon above Earth.

Despite the drastic change, Zhang Heng was able to confirm that he was in the universe where the Dimensional amnesia plane was located, and that it was his true base.

The Dimensional Star was unable to transport Zhang Heng to that seat due to the lockdown of the space coordinates. However, Zhang Heng was able to gain a clear understanding of space at the moment. That seat was due to the appearance of the Dyson Sphere, which caused the gravity of the entire stellar system to shift, resulting in a spatial shift phenomenon. However, it seemed that the shift was deliberately caused by the Tanis planet.

Endless beams of mental light swept through his mind at that thought and everything on the planet came into view. He couldn't help but smile with relief when he saw everything on the planet. He saw his parents, his sister, Corona, Gu Zhan, Xuanyuan, Zhishang, Li Yiru, Thompson, Zhao Qinghua, Yan Ronghua, Luo Jincheng, Feng Lun, and Kong Zhongcai as he scanned the area.

Everyone looked as if they were standing right in front of him. A tinge of nostalgia was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes as he took a step forward and appeared in the air above Stellar City, which was located on the planet.

Zhang Heng finally returned after four hundred years.

602. Plundering The Nest

Planet Tanis, Stellar City.

Zhang Heng stepped onto the planet and reached the skies above Stellar City. He looked down at the city that was tens of times more majestic than Earth, and a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.

Stellar City looked even more magnificent than it had been back in the day, with a sense of artistic flair that had never been seen in real life. The buildings in the city were mostly made of glass and translucent glass, which gave them a natural source of light. They looked like glass crystals under the sunlight during the day, and when the lights were turned on at night, they gave off a mesmerizing glow.

Anti-Gravity flying vehicles that were as dense as ants were shuttling back and forth between the tall buildings. There were pedestrians in twos and threes walking on the streets on both sides of the tall buildings. Robots for cleaning were seen walking around on the streets.

Countless workers were seen coming and going in the building. The entire Stellar City had a population of about five million, yet the area that it took up was larger than that of Haizhou City. As such, everyone had a lot of space to move around in. Even the office itself was no different from a small plaza, and those supermarkets were no different from shopping streets.

There were not many villas and residences in the city. Due to the presence of the anti-gravity flying vehicle, transportation in the city was extremely convenient. Most people would set their residences on an island by the sea or even hundreds of kilometers away. To the anti-gravity flying vehicle, several hundred kilometers would only take about half an hour.

To the east of the city was a boundless ocean. There was a beach on the coast, and the quartz sand that had been eroded by the rocks at the bottom of the ocean had been reduced to tiny granules due to the impact of the waves. The sand piled up on the gentle coast and became a silvery-white beach.

There was only one city on the entirety of Tanis, which was Stellar City. Other than a small number of industrial zones, the rest of the planet was filled with primeval forests. That was to say that there were only five million humans on the Tanis planet. However, that five million yuan was equivalent to the entire Stellar City's energy source. The resources that every single person would be able to acquire could be said to be endless. In terms of quality of life, it was undoubtedly countless times better than that of Earth.

All of that was observed by Zhang Heng in an instant. He also saw the interstellar space station outside of Planet Tannis, with hundreds of massive battleships that were over a kilometer long and over a hundred meters wide docked on it, as well as the tens of thousands of mechanical troops hidden beneath the surface of the planet, as well as the super railguns that were tens of thousands of kilometers long orbiting beneath the Stellar City. Such trajectories would probably be able to accelerate shells with a diameter of over 10 meters to lightspeed. That terrifying kinetic force alone would be able to penetrate even a star in one shot.

But then again, he wouldn't have been surprised if that was all there was to it. All of those conventional weapons were still in the era of massive battleship cannons, and none of them caught his eye. What truly caught his attention was that there was a special kind of radiation found throughout the entire planet, even within five million kilometers of the planet. That kind of radiation had no effect on the human body, but it was able to transmit energy to everyone's photon processors in a wireless manner.

The photon processor of the Stellar City was far more advanced than that of the photon processors found on Earth. It was an energy conversion mechanism that could materialize the transmissions of energy directly into what it desired, such as the utensils found during meals, unconventional attire, and all manner of furniture and even food, all of which could be converted directly through energy. Such a method of making something out of thin air was more than enough to shock Zhang Heng.

If the photon processors of the people had a conversion restriction, preventing them from converting weapons, supercomputers, and other substances, then the highest echelons of Stellar City would probably be able to create spaceships with a wave of their hands.

He looked at all those technologies that he had never thought of before. Logically speaking, the human civilization of Stellar City should have been a very developed city, like some otherworldly paradise. However, for some reason, Zhang Heng felt that the current Stellar City seemed to have lost some of its vigor and vitality compared to when it was first established. It seemed to have aged considerably.

All of that was seen from the apathetic and wary eyes of the city dwellers.

It was obvious that there was something very wrong with the city's internal structure.

Zhang Heng only appeared high up in the sky above Stellar City all of a sudden. However, before he was able to take a good look at his city, which had not returned for over 400 years, the armed forces in the city were able to detect his presence through the omnipresent planetary detection equipment.

"Warning! Intruder detected. Danger Level: X! The intruder has teleported to the interior of the planet. Silence stance initiated. 3, 2, 1. Universal Defense Force has been notified. Defense Force will arrive in 30 seconds. Please arrest the intruder immediately."

"Intruders!" The soldiers from the armed forces rushed out one after another. All of them were armed with a device that was even more complex than that of a regular photon processor.

Many weapons and armors that Zhang Heng had never seen before appeared on the bodies and hands of every single one of them. It took only a moment for those cloning warriors to become super-soldiers covered in massive armor that was armed to the teeth.

Zhang Heng was able to see what was happening at the Ministry of Defense, which was located more than 10 kilometers away, as soon as the other party realized what was happening. He was able to tell from the looks on their faces that they were all clones. Their genetic structure was even better than that of the clones of the former, and every single one of them was on par with the Alpha-class Jedi on Earth.

Zhang Heng realized after seeing those exceptional soldiers that just that power alone was enough to easily take down Earth.

Yet, none of those clones considered him to be their highest-ranking officer? Zhang Heng frowned. Generally speaking, such cloned warriors would be given the highest command of loyalty from their brains as soon as they were born. Yet, none of them were able to recognize him from the planetary detector. Did that mean that those cloned warriors were not his subordinates?

Furthermore, it was not Corona who was in control of the entire city center…

"Seems like someone has taken over the place in the past 400 years." A dark look flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes as he scanned the place with the Light of Mind again, feeling rather uneasy. He saw that his parents were living on an island, living a life like some otherworldly paradise. There was nothing out of place about that. However, while his sister was also living in an extremely luxurious villa at the edge of a city and was under the protection of a clone warrior, there was still some kind of surveillance involved in that protection.

Both his parents and his sister didn't look happy at all. Instead, they looked rather glum and frustrated, as if they had no choice but to live their own lives.

There was also Li Yiru. While she was doing well, it was obvious that she was just an average citizen and had no right to be in Stellar City. There was also Gu Zhan, Xuanyuan, Zhishang… There were only about 20 to 30 clones from the D.S.F troops that Zhang Heng knew back then, and all of them were living as regular people, with no weapons allowed.

Finally, there was Corona.

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit when he saw what happened to Corona. He was immediately enraged and disappeared without a trace before the soldiers could get to him.

603. Zhang Xu

A huge spiral steeple that was over 20 meters tall and pitch-black stood at the bottommost part of the city. There was an underground space that was completely formed by high-density armor, and there were also a lot of interference equipment and protection equipment protecting that steeple. Judging from the dust in that place, it seemed that no one had been in that underground space for a very, very long time.

However, at that very moment, a crimson glow was seen flickering all over the body of that square steeple. It was as if a computer had been turned on and the silhouette of a young girl appeared with a pained expression on her face. Her entire body seemed to have been subjected to some kind of radiation interference, causing her to flicker with snowflakes and make "chila chila" sounds.

"Official… Official… Official… Official… Commander… Your Excellency is back… Corona is going to help him…"

The young girl mumbled to herself in a disjointed manner, yet despair was written all over her face as she looked at all the interference equipment set up around her. Just when she was about to give up, a young man appeared out of nowhere in that underground space.

"Corona." Zhang Heng frowned slightly as he looked at all the interference equipment around him. He then walked up to the girl's mirage and waved his hand lightly, causing all the equipment around to be rendered useless. The girl's silhouette finally stabilized.

"Commander…" The girl looked at Zhang Heng with a dazed expression, as if she couldn't believe what she just saw.

"Tell me who did it." Zhang Heng patted the girl's head and said gently.

The girl was even more astonished. She realized that she was just an illusion, yet she actually felt the same feeling as a human when the other party touched her head. She asked in a surprised tone, "Commander, have you reached the point where you can control energy?"

"Who did this?" Zhang Heng didn't answer and simply looked straight at Corona, seeing through her intentions of changing the subject.

"It's… it's your brother." Corona felt rather exasperated and smiled awkwardly. "Zhang Xu."

Zhang Heng's first reaction when he heard that name was anger, and his second reaction was shock.

"My parents really want another one?" Zhang Heng asked with a weird expression.

"Yes, right after you disappeared, Commander." Corona took a good look at Zhang Heng, her eyes filled with joy at seeing him again. She continued, "Do you remember what you said about letting me take the Stellar Foundation back to the Dimensional amnesia plane if you're not back from the lodge plane in a week?"

"We waited for a whole week after you entered the base. A week later, I immediately ordered the Stellar Foundation to move out of the base and sent a large number of the D.S.F troops to the lodge plane in the forest to look for you. I'm sure that you'll definitely come back… It's a pity that the D.S.F troops suffered heavy losses, yet they were unable to find you. In the end, less than a thousand of the 10,000-man D.S.F team that went to look for you returned…"

Corona sighed and continued, "Of course, I'll definitely comply with your orders, but you never said that you didn't want us to go and look for you…" Corona then took a cautious look at Zhang Heng and was relieved to see that he showed no reaction. She continued, "As such, I sent more people to the Stellar Foundation as I retreated. Your parents were revived due to the T-0 drug while you were gone, so…"

"Your brother, Zhang Xu, was born a year later. Your parents and sister received the news of your disappearance at that time and insisted on returning to the real world to look for you." Corona continued, "The orders of your family would be my highest order without disobeying your orders. As such, under the strict protection of the Stellar Foundation, I allowed your sister to return to the real world. Of course, I could guarantee that your sister would be able to immediately return to the Dimension of Memory if anything were to happen…"

"Not going against my orders?" Zhang Heng frowned and glared at Corona. "My orders are to send my family to the Dimensional amnesia plane, right?"

"But you know how your sister is like, don't you?" Corona said with a bitter smile. "I had no choice but to agree. More than 30 years passed and your brother grew up, taking a wife and having children. After all, no matter how well-developed the Tanis planet was, it was nowhere near as colorful as Earth. As such, a portion of your family returned to reality and settled down… It was only then that our Stellar Foundation's intelligence system discovered that many people who were suspected to have become the Lord of the Dimensional Star like you came to reality and became enemies with the Stellar Foundation as soon as they appeared."

"The Lord of the Dimensional Star?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze as a cold glint flashed across his eyes. "And then?"

"The battles with the Dimensional Star Constellation Lord have always been held in the dark. However, the hosts are equally powerful and the two sides are evenly matched. We've even killed several of them and learned through brain cell memory extraction that they came to this plane to complete their mission. Furthermore, the real world, in their eyes, is a movie called 'The End of the Curses.' The plot of the movie tells us that our Stellar Foundation is an evil organization hidden in the dark side of the world. Their mission is to fight us and acquire high-tech."

"'The End of Curses'?" Zhang Heng's expression became even weirder. "That movie doesn't seem to exist in real life."

"But that movie did exist in the planes of those hosts, and it was the sixth movie of the 'Grudge' series." Corona nodded. "As time passed, 200 years ago, the hosts of the Dimensional Star became increasingly powerful. Countless organizations in the Stellar Foundation were destroyed in the real world, and they were almost able to invade the Dimensional amnesia plane. As such, I evacuated most of the organizations in the Stellar Foundation in the real world in a hurry. Only some of your brother's descendants were unwilling to give up their businesses in the real world and were abandoned by me."

Zhang Heng nodded and didn't blame Corona for what happened. More than 200 years had passed since then, and the Zhang Clan should have developed into a huge clan with over a hundred people by then. Abandoning some unimportant descendants wasn't a big deal, but judging from the looks of things, the people he encountered in the real world were indeed descendants of the Zhang Clan. However, Zhang Heng had pretty much wiped out the entire clan in the previous conflict, so there was no need to hold it against him.

Zhang Heng didn't blame himself for destroying his younger brother's descendants at all. Instead, he scanned the entire planet with the Light of the Soul. He saw thousands of cloned warriors charging at him in his consciousness. It was obvious that the kind of omnipresent radiation that he felt was the detection technology of planets, capable of detecting anything that didn't belong to his own organization. Regular people would have found it impossible to hide, but Zhang Heng could easily interfere with such radiation with a wave of his hand. It was just unnecessary.

"So, what's the situation now?" Zhang Heng asked at the end. "Don't tell me that Zhang Xu took away all rights in Stellar City and locked you up here?"

"Yes…" Corona nodded with a helpless look on her face. "I've been taking orders from your family ever since you left. However, when your brother Zhang Xu became the mayor of Stellar City 200 years ago, he discovered that there were many policies that he was unable to interfere with due to his authority being set by you in the past. As such, his ambition to replace you gradually began to grow, enabling him to take full control."

"He contacted Senators Bauer and the others, depriving them of the seats of many Senators, including your sister. He also sent the most elite of the D.S.F troops to carry out all manner of suicidal missions. However, he was your brother after all, and he was also the Stellar City Commander, so I had no right to object. In the end, he trapped me here and stripped me of my status as the core of the Stellar City system, replacing me with another AI."

"And Bauer? Seems like he's gotten used to living in luxury after all these years." A cold glint flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes. The Bauer that Corona was talking about was none other than the protagonist of the plane that had lost its memory in deep space. The Euphoria Space had been sailing for 800 years before 1,000 people eventually made it to Planet Tanis, where they were then taken under Zhang Heng's command. It seemed that Bauer wasn't some good guy after all.

From Bauer's perspective, it was understandable that Zhang Heng chose someone he was loyal to after not showing up for 400 years, but to Zhang Heng, it was called betrayal.

604. Zhang Xu's Choice

Zhang Heng was indeed angry at first when Corona told him what happened, but he suppressed that anger immediately. He took a deep breath and said calmly, "Corona, I think you're missing something."

"What?" Corona looked at Zhang Heng innocently.

"Why is my city so dead?" Zhang Heng turned around and put his hands behind his back. His eyes seemed to be able to see through the walls of the planet as he looked down at the entire planet. "There are over five million people in the city, yet 45 percent of the population look numb and resentful. There is even a deep-seated hatred in their eyes. If it hadn't been for the fact that people had food and entertainment without having to work, the people of ancient times would have been described as having a hard life."

"Commander…" Corona was stunned. "Your mental power is almost omniscient and omnipotent?"

"Will you tell me yourself, or do you want me to look into it myself?" Zhang Heng looked at Corona solemnly.

"…" Corona sighed and nodded. She was just about to say something when the huge alloy wall before Zhang Heng's eyes suddenly split open. Hundreds of mecha soldiers wearing multi-colored armor that were over five to six meters tall appeared before him.

The armor worn by those mecha soldiers was a myriad of colors, making them look like neon lights. They also looked like flowing water, looking ferocious and powerful. The moment they appeared, they raised their guns, which looked ferocious. Zhang Heng could even sense antimatter in those guns.

"Commander, be careful. These are super biochemical warriors formed by combining the Genova cells and the DX-118 Virus. None of them are weaker than you were back in the day. Furthermore, they are wearing the Xiangdong armor that could isolate all kinetic energy. They have the ability to fight in space!" Corona was shocked and reminded him immediately.

"Lie down!"

Zhang Heng, on the other hand, looked rather irritated for the first time, as if he was having a conversation with a friend and was disturbed by flies. He turned around all of a sudden with a stern look on his face. All the armor and weapons on the biochemical warriors were reduced to dust before they could even attack.

While none of the biochemical warriors had any emotions, they were still stunned by what they saw. However, before they were able to react, yet another massive force came crashing down on them. All of the biochemical warriors who were on par with the Alpha-class Jedi were unable to even last a second before they were crushed to the ground by that invisible force and were unable to get up.

"Commander, you…?" Corona looked at Zhang Heng in shock.

"Just because all kinetic attacks are rendered ineffective doesn't mean that rule-based attacks are rendered ineffective as well." Zhang Heng didn't even bother to look behind him and continued calmly, "Regardless of what kind of armor it is, if one wants to become one with the armor, the powerful forces that exist between the particles are essential. Without the powerful forces, there would be no need for the structure of matter to continue existing."

"Understood, Commander. I didn't expect that not only have you reached the level of controlling energy, but you've also improved yet again, reaching the level of controlling the four basic powers…" Corona nodded and sighed. "Well then, I'll get straight to the point. Stellar City is now considered the world of the Zhang Clan. Zhang Xu is ambitious, but his capabilities are limited. Furthermore, his descendants made use of the Zhang Clan's status to do many heinous things in the city, so…"

"I knew it." Zhang Heng was so angry that he almost laughed out loud. "If it hadn't been for the fact that the Zhang Clan had a military power that far exceeded that of the common people, the residents of Stellar City would have probably gone on a rampage by now."

"I didn't manage Stellar City well." Corona lowered her head in guilt.

"It's not your fault, but from today onwards, my orders will still be the highest priority." Zhang Heng patted Corona on the head one last time before turning around and waving his hand. All the blood in the bodies of the biochemical warriors gushed out like steam right away. It took only a few seconds before all the blood in the thousands of biochemical warriors was drained, turning them into huge balls of blood before Zhang Heng.

That blob of blood…

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. He was able to analyze the genetic sequence of the biochemical warriors with just his brain power alone. It had to be said that the biochemical warriors were no longer considered to have a human physique at all. Other than having similar appearances to humans, there was still a huge gap between their genes. In terms of power and physique, not even a hundred regular humans could compare to the biochemical warriors. Furthermore, that suit of armor made them look like some kind of lethal weapon even in space.

But then again, he was nothing compared to Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng suddenly felt the energy around him surge all of a sudden. If the energy around him had been little more than a small river before, it would have been a massive tidal wave that was the gathering of most of the energy in the sun.

Countless precision scientific instruments were transformed around Zhang Heng in an instant, which were then replaced by even harder armor plates. In the end, an incredibly sturdy cage was formed around Zhang Heng, with countless particle accelerators installed on the walls of the cage.

"Ready to use particle acceleration weapons to attack me?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and smirked coldly all of a sudden. He looked up into the sky and said, "Zhang Xu, I know that you can hear me and you should know who I am. You should know that if you were to attack me, you'd definitely end up fighting to the death. Have you really made up your mind?"

The weapons on the wall seemed to flicker for a bit as soon as Zhang Heng finished speaking. However, they were activated right away and headed straight for Zhang Heng and Corona, ready to kill them both.

"Very well, I'll respect your choice." Zhang Heng's expression became completely serious. He closed his eyes for a bit before opening them wide. There was no longer any emotion in his eyes when he opened them. At the same time, the unknown alloy walls around him dissipated like sandstorms. At the same time, that omnipresent energy was completely sealed. The entire city was rendered completely out of energy supply in an instant.

The entire planet could be destroyed with a wave of his hand before Zhang Heng, who was in control of the rules, let alone controlling the radiation from a city.

Zhang Heng scanned the entire city with his mental power the very next moment. While he had never seen Zhang Xu before, he was able to see a middle-aged man wearing a suit in the meeting room of the City Hall in Stellar City. There was a photon processor with access to the city hub on his arm, and he was sitting at the table and chair of the meeting room.

That person looked somewhat similar to Zhang Heng himself, and it was obvious that he was Zhang Xu.

Below him were over a dozen men who looked like senators, including the protagonist Bauer, who had lost his memory in deep space.

605. Who Gave You The Guts?

"Warning, respected chief executive of Stellar City. Intruder detected above Stellar City. Coordinates…"

Zhang Xu was having a meeting with a group of senators at the moment. He was the first to receive the notification from the central AI of the city when he received it. The photon processor in his hand projected the image of an intruder.

"This is…" Zhang Xu's expression changed. He frowned when he saw what Zhang Heng looked like. "Is that Zhang Heng?"

"Yeah, that's Zhang Heng!" Bauer was even more shocked and said in disbelief, "Isn't he dead? It's been over 400 years. How did he get here?"

"I knew it." Zhang Xu took a deep breath and a cold glint flashed across his eyes. However, he still smiled and said, "Very good. Seems like that good-for-nothing brother of mine has had some kind of fortuitous encounter in the hundreds of years that he has been missing. My parents would probably be very happy to hear about it, right? In that case, send out biochemical warriors to bring him here."

The contempt and disapproval in his words were obvious at a glance.

"Hehe, Mr. Zhang Xu, looks like the two of you will be able to get back together very soon." A fat man sitting in the senator's seat chuckled all of a sudden. However, his lewd eyes kept darting about, seemingly wondering what he could gain from the two brothers' power struggle.

"If that's the case, I won't be taking part in the meeting then." Another old man with silver hair stood up slowly with the help of his secretary and walked outside.

Zhang Xu narrowed his eyes as he looked at the various looks on the faces of the senators below the stage, and a cold glint flashed across his eyes. While the Zhang family was the founder of Stellar City and was the most powerful family in Stellar City, they were able to develop many independent powers when they first lost Zhang Heng. The silver-haired old man was from the Li family, who had moved to Stellar City back then. Li Yiru's status in Stellar Technology gradually rose, but she eventually chose to leave the Li family and became an ordinary person.

The fat, bald, tanned, and boorish-looking man was a new member of the Wang Clan who rose to power nearly a hundred years ago. The entire Stellar City was ruled by the Zhang Clan at the moment. The Li Clan, on the other hand, had formed an alliance with several other weaker clans, which were similar to the Wang Clan, to hold them back. However, the residents of Stellar City suffered and were often dragged into unforeseen situations.

However, before the elder left, he heard yet another message from the central AI of the city. "Warning, intruders have arrived at the ultimate prison."

"Oh no!" Zhang Xu's expression changed drastically at that moment. If he were to release that 'thing', the entire Stellar City would be in deep trouble due to the curse-like element stored in that 'thing'.

The people around looked at each other. The fact that he was able to get there in an instant meant that the founder of Stellar City had some kind of trick up his sleeve.

"Get the police station to have security personnel on standby and take him down immediately. If he dares to resist, I'll allow him to be executed on the spot!" Zhang Xu gritted his teeth and said as if he had made up his mind. He then muttered under his breath, "Damn it. I was only planning to put you under house arrest and then find an opportunity to kill you on your own. However, you chose not to take the path to heaven and instead went to hell instead. If that's the case, Zhang Heng, don't blame me for being merciless!"

Many of the senators couldn't help but flinch when they heard that Zhang Xu was allowed to kill on the spot. It was obvious that they feared the biochemical warriors very much. In fact, Zhang Xu, who possessed such high-end combat prowess, could have easily destroyed Stellar City as well.

However, it took only a few minutes for him and the other senators to see that, with just one look from Zhang Heng, the extremely powerful Phase Transfer Armor was completely destroyed. More than a thousand biochemical warriors were killed as well.

"How is that possible…" Zhang Xu wasn't the only one who gasped. Everyone gasped and there was a huge commotion. Zhang Xu felt as if he was sitting on a nail and jumped up immediately. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head as he shouted, "What happened? What kind of high-tech weapon was that guy using?"

"Dear Chief Executive of Stellar City, the planetary detector detected nothing out of the ordinary," the city's central system replied in a deadpan manner.

"I'll give you Level Three access. Increase your energy supply to 50 percent. Analyze his weaknesses immediately and defeat him!" Zhang Xu shouted.

"Roger that. Level three access activated. Analysis in progress… Analysis complete. The enemy has a 45.7% chance of using high-tech weapons that exceed the existing scientific systems. 30.6% chance of implanting a viral core in the defense system. 23.7% chance of mastering electromagnetic applications. According to the highest possibility, use of 3,4500 quadrillion joules of energy to transform into a magnetic interference system. Begin shaping photon cannon at the same time. Imaging equipment…"

Everyone could only see a huge cage formed before Zhang Heng on the holographic screen on the table as the city's central control system continued to speak. At the same time, rings of particle accelerators and other equipment began to appear.

"Zhang Xu, I know that you can hear me and you should know who I am. You should know that if you were to lay your hands on me, you would definitely end up fighting to the death. Have you really thought about it?"

Zhang Heng spoke suddenly on the holographic screen at that moment. His expression was so cold and confident that it sent shivers down the spines of the people watching from the other side of the screen. Their eyes were filled with horror.

"Zhang Heng!" Zhang Xu's pupils contracted when he heard that. However, his face turned completely red right after that and he growled through gritted teeth. To him, Zhang Heng's warning was the greatest insult to him.

"Get rid of him right now! The intruder is suspected of triggering a curse from Corona. Kill him immediately for the sake of Stellar City!" Zhang Xu looked up and shouted.

"Orders received. Attack continue." The system spoke again, but before he could finish, he felt his vision darken and something appeared before him out of nowhere. He slowly looked up and saw that his brother, who looked somewhat like him in the holographic projection just moments ago, was standing right before him at some point in time.

Zhang Xu was still baffled at the moment, but everyone in the meeting room stood up right away and backed away as if they had seen a ghost. Those who were near the door rushed forward, wanting to escape from the meeting room.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the reactions of the people behind him and simply waved his hand. The door of the conference room was opened in the opposite direction all of a sudden, knocking away the few senators who were trying to escape. They fell to the ground and groaned for quite a while, unable to get up.

Zhang Heng only turned around after everyone was intimidated, looking down at his brother, who was related to him by blood, as if he was looking at an ant. He said softly, "I've never cared about being the mayor, but who gave you the guts to attack me?"

606. Massacre

Zhang Xu looked at the young man before him, who looked like a god. Shock was seen in his eyes for a brief moment before it was replaced by fearlessness and deep resentment. "So, you're that legendary brother of mine who founded the entire Stellar City? I didn't expect you to still be alive."

"That's your last line?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly.

"You wouldn't dare to kill me." Zhang Xu chuckled and continued, "I've asked the central hub of the city to design a self-destruct mechanism. If I were to suffer even the slightest bit of damage, the energy transmission network would self-destruct. We have the entire star's power output. If it were to self-destruct, the entire Tanis planet would be destroyed, not to mention Stellar City."

All of the senators behind Zhang Heng wore shocked expressions after hearing that. As someone who had interacted with Zhang Heng the most in the past, Senator Bauer knew very well that Zhang Heng wasn't the kind of person who liked to compromise. His expression changed right away. "Mr. Zhang Heng, don't be rash!"

"Oh."

Zhang Heng answered casually and the Light of Mind turned into a hexagonal, multicolored beam that covered the entire city in the blink of an eye for over a hundred years. All systems in all cities shut down automatically at the same time and the photon processor on Zhang Xu's wrist issued a warning in the blink of an eye.

"Warning! No. 1 reactor shut down. No. 2 reactor shut down. No. 3 reactor lost contact. The city's central system has been hacked. Resource area invasion rate at 3 percent. Resource invasion rate at 10 percent. Warning, the Void's internal structure has been compromised. The city's central system is under attack. Please take action immediately."

Shock was written all over Zhang Xu's face as he looked at the young man before him. There was no way he didn't know that the young man before him had the power to wipe out the AI systems in the city. A murderous glint flashed in his eyes without him realizing it. A suit of colorful armor was quickly conjured and wrapped around the young man before him. A plasma cutter that looked like a beam saber was held in his hand and he swiped at Zhang Heng.

Boom!

A series of intense tremors were heard and the table and chairs made of superior golden silk and rosewood shattered. Large amounts of broken pieces of wood flew everywhere and several senators were rendered into sieves before they could even react.

A series of heart-wrenching screams were heard.

It was only then that everyone realized to their horror that Zhang Heng had clamped the plasma cutter between two of his fingers. When they compared the size of the two of them, they felt as if they were ants trying to stop a stampede from humans.

"Why aren't you dead yet?" Despair was seen in Zhang Xu's eyes. He gritted his teeth and drove the power of the mech at full force. However, no matter how much damage the mech's engines were able to do, the resulting power was unable to harm Zhang Heng in the slightest.

"You're doing this because you're living in my shadow?" Zhang Heng closed his eyes for a bit after seeing that hateful and resentful expression on her face. He was able to read all of Zhang Xu's emotions right away and a look of realization flashed across his eyes.

"I've always been compared to others since I was young, which is why I've developed resentment and decided to surpass me?"

"Very well, that's understandable." Zhang Heng was silent for a bit.

Zhang Xu's eyes flickered when she heard what Zhang Heng said. That was a thirst for life. While she hated her brother before her, who would want to die if they were able to live on? There might be people like that in the world, but it was obvious that Zhang Xu wasn't among them.

"But…" Zhang Heng continued, "What does that have to do with me wanting to kill you?"

Zhang Xu's pupils contracted and he was about to say something, but Zhang Heng didn't give him the chance to do so. Zhang Heng clenched his fist lightly and the tens of thousands of degrees plasma cutting machine was snuffed out right away. Zhang Heng covered the face of Zhang Xu's mecha with one hand at the same time. Zhang Xu looked like a ball of dough in boiling water, dissipating as the particles around him boiled.

It took less than half a second for Zhang Xu to be vaporized along with the retractable armor, disappearing without a trace.

Zhang Heng finally turned around after killing Zhang Xu. He looked at the panicking crowd below the stage as if he was looking at a dead man. "Since when did Stellar City need something as useless as the Senate?"

Everyone was stunned, including Bauer and the fat man, who immediately knelt down and begged for mercy. Only the old man from the Li family stared at Zhang Heng with a confused look in his eyes and said, "All systems need to be supervised by the authorities, even the mayor's chief executive. Absolute power leads to absolute corruption, after all."

"Very well. You're a qualified senator." Zhang Heng nodded and looked at the people kneeling before him. "Do you have anything to say?"

"Mr. Zhang Heng, I-I'm Bauer!" Bauer forced a smile that looked worse than crying. "We've known each other for over 400 years. It was you who saved us all those years ago. I…"

"You talk too much!" Zhang Heng frowned and Bauer's body disintegrated into the most basic of particles, just like Zhang Xu, before disappearing into the air.

The rest of the people were even more terrified after seeing Zhang Heng kill the senator who was the oldest among them. The fat, tanned man's eyes flickered for a bit before he crawled to Zhang Heng's feet on his knees and said, "Mr. Zhang Heng, I'm the head of the Wang family. Our family is willing to serve you for generations…"

"Get lost! You're too ugly!" Zhang Heng snorted coldly and Fatty Wang disappeared into thin air without making a sound.

Zhang Heng waved his hand again after killing Fatty Wang. All of the 30 or so members of the council, with the exception of that old man from the Li Clan, were reduced to ashes in an instant.

Zhang Heng paid no heed to the horrified look on Old Man Li's face after he was done with all of that. He simply said casually, "The reason why I'm not killing you is firstly because you still have some sense of justice and secondly, I'm doing Li Yiru a favor. From today onwards, you're not allowed to say a single word about what happened today. If you do, I'll wipe out the entire Li Clan in an instant."

"Yes, sir!" The old man from the Li Clan nodded at Zhang Heng and wiped the sweat from his brow before quickly turning around and leaving, feeling lucky that he had just survived a disaster.

Zhang Heng was deep in thought as he watched the old man from the Li Clan walk away. He waved his hand again and countless particles came together again. Zhang Xu appeared right before him in the blink of an eye.

Particles could be dispersed, but of course, they could also be regathered.

It was just that, even though Zhang Xu had been reassembled, he was no longer the same Zhang Xu from before. Zhang Heng looked at the dazed Zhang Xu before him and frowned. That Zhang Xu was nothing more than a human-shaped piece of flesh that Zhang Heng had pieced together using particles. His mind was completely blank. To put it simply, other than the fact that he looked exactly like Zhang Xu from before, everything else had nothing to do with Zhang Xu.

Zhang Heng waved his hand again when he saw Zhang Xu, who looked like an idiot who had lost his mind. Numerous nerves popped up in Zhang Xu's mind all of a sudden. His eyes lit up and he took a look at Zhang Heng before clapping excitedly. "Hehehe, Daddi, Daddi! Can you take Zhang Xu out to play?"

Zhang Heng's palm landed on Zhang Xu's head just when she was about to lunge at him, pushing her to the ground. He waved his hand again and a set of clothes appeared on Zhang Xu.

That set of clothes was the one that Zhang Xu wore previously. Now that he was able to piece together Zhang Xu, while he looked like a retard, it was still better than dying without a complete corpse. His parents wouldn't be so devastated after hearing the news, would they?

607. Reorganizing

Zhang Heng looked up into the air after he was done. "Corona, how's the progress?"

"80 percent of the function of the central hub of the city has been taken over. The remaining 20 percent is estimated to be completed in 10 minutes. By then, the distribution of stellar energy in the city, and the command of a cleaning robot, from large to small, will all be under my control." Corona's voice was heard from the broadcast in the meeting room.

"Very well." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily. "Notify everyone that Zhang Xu resigned from his position as mayor due to having suffered mental damage. Seal the entire planet at the same time and monitor every single resident of the planet. If anyone were to show any signs of violence, suppress them immediately. Anyone who is found to be seriously ill would be executed immediately."

"Yes!" Corona answered.

"By the way, I remember that there are quite a few privileged families in the city, right? For example, the Zhang Clan, the Li Clan, and the Wang Clan," Zhang Heng asked again.

"Yes, sir."

"Search the city's central control database and find all crimes committed by those family members. Anyone with a criminal record is to be arrested! Arrest them in jail and await trial tomorrow."

"Yes, but our men…" Corona hesitated.

"Don't I remember there being robot troops around?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and continued, "Also, I see that Gu Zhan, Zhishang, and the others are still around. Go and ask them if they're willing to come back. Whether they're willing or not, I won't force them to do anything."

"Yes!"

Zhang Heng took another step forward after giving his instructions. The space around him changed all of a sudden and he was back on the island where his parents were.

That island was located on the east side of Stellar City and was about 300 kilometers away from Stellar City, neither too far nor too near. Furthermore, that island was about half the size of Stellar City and was considered very vast. Living here would indeed be like living in a fairyland.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and walked to the door of the retro-styled villa, gently ringing the doorbell.

…

Zhang Heng's return was a pleasant surprise to his parents. However, when they found out that Zhang Xu had turned into a retard, their faces were still very glum. Zhang Heng's mother even began to cry. In the end, Zhang Heng had no choice but to promise that he would definitely cure his brother before his parents let him off.

Zhang Heng went to see Zhang Xin and Li Yiru after leaving his parents' place. However, what surprised him was that Zhang Xin and Li Yiru had never gotten married for 400 years. It was fortunate that the technology in Stellar City was far more advanced than that back on Earth, and that the average person's lifespan could theoretically reach over a thousand years. Otherwise, Zhang Heng would have probably been reduced to dust by the time he returned.

The news of Zhang Xu stepping down from the stage was like a hurricane that swept across the entire Stellar City. Countless people were thrown into an uproar. That very night, teams of robot troops charged into the bases of the various families and fought intensely with the fighters from those families.

"Who sent that robot? Call for help from the city's central system!"

"Uncle, the system has been hacked. All access that Zhang Xu gave us has been erased!"

"Damn it! Where's our ship? We can't stay on Planet Tanis anymore. We have to leave!"

"Uncle, where can we run to?"

"Yueliang, that's where our family's mine is located. If things really get out of hand, we'll just wander around the galaxy."

However, before the family members were able to leave, shackles that looked like pliers appeared in the center of the city and latched onto the spaceship that was taking off.

"We're done for… The system actually attacked us. There's no way we can escape…" Everyone in the spaceship was ashen and filled with despair.

That scene happened all over the Tanis planet. Corona had once again become the central system of the city, enabling her to create countless weapons and carriers at will. As long as she was on the planet, Corona's existence would be godlike.

Of course, even God was no match for someone like Zhang Heng, who was able to control the four fundamental forces.

On the other side, Zhang Xin received a message in the middle of the night. She read the message in a daze and sighed to herself. A long dress that fit her perfectly appeared on her body as she got up. She then boarded an anti-gravity flying car and headed for the southern outskirts of Stellar City.

That was where the heavy prison where the criminals of the Tannis planet were kept.

The girl who had been mischievous for over 400 years had matured considerably. However, there was a tinge of loneliness and sadness in her eyes.

She was looking at the prison in the distance at the moment. The building looked like a gothic castle from the outside, except that the bottom of the castle was installed with anti-gravity equipment, which was suspended at a height of several kilometers. Any anti-gravity flying vehicle that entered a certain range would be warned, and if there was no pass, there would be troops stationed there to arrest the vehicle.

However, as Zhang Heng's younger sister, Zhang Xin made it to the door of the prison without being stopped at all. Her face paled a little as she took in the atmosphere. The building was pitch-black all over, and there was not a hint of light in the dark. There were only 50 armed robots standing by the sides of the door, and the eerie, eerie atmosphere made her shudder.

"Welcome, Ms. Zhang Xin." One of the robots went up to her and said in a stiff, stiff voice, "According to your Level B4 access, you have the right to visit this place. Please state the criminals you wish to visit."

"I want to see Zhang Hong." Zhang Xin gritted her teeth and said.

"Understood. Please follow me." The robot nodded stiffly and headed for the door.

Zhang Xin realized that the inside of the prison wasn't as eerie as it looked from the outside when she walked in. Instead, there were bright lights inside. Other than the pitch-black steel doors inside, it was almost impossible to tell that she was in a prison for criminals.

"You're here, Ms. Zhang Xin." Zhang Xin sat down in front of a thick, bulletproof glass when she arrived at the visitation room. A young man who looked like Zhang Heng was escorted out by a robot on the other side of the glass wall. He looked elated when he saw Zhang Xin on the other side of the glass wall, as if he had seen his savior. He rushed to the glass wall and shouted for help.

"Auntie, save me! I don't want to be locked up here!"

However, what greeted him was the electric baton that the robot extended from behind him.

"Zhang Hong, calm down." Zhang Xin's eyes were filled with sympathy. "Tell me, what did you do? Why did my brother want to arrest you?"

"I really don't know. Please, Auntie, please tell my uncle to let me out. I want to see my father!" Zhang Hong was in tears as he knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhang Xin.

"Your father…" Zhang Xin lowered her head and said dejectedly, "Your father's brain is injured and I'm afraid he won't be able to help you. However, I'll go and beg my brother for help. Please bear with it for now."

Zhang Xin sighed again and turned around to leave.

608. Trial

Countless anti-gravity flying cars began to take off at dawn the next day, heading for the municipal lobby in the city center.

The City Hall was a hemispherical building with a diameter of 1000 meters and a height of 500 meters. The exterior of the building was filled with sea-blue glass, and the outermost floor of the spherical building was filled with rows of office buildings. The center of the building was hollow, with a huge space with a diameter of over 800 meters, which looked like a stadium.

That day, the top of the biggest building in Stellar City, the City Hall, slowly opened like a flower petal, eventually taking the shape of a lotus flower, revealing the huge space inside.

That was the municipal square, and it was said to be the place where the newly appointed mayor would judge the families.

More than a dozen media outlets from Stellar City came to attend the event, and all equipment was set up at the venue of the City Hall, making sure that the residents of the city were able to receive holographic projections of all angles.

It was only seven in the morning and the area outside the City Hall was already packed with people. Regular citizens were led to the surrounding stands by professional robots and the members of those families were ordered to stand in the square.

The municipal square had a total of 300 thousand seats, and only the citizens who were in the first queue were able to take their seats. The rest of the people were advised to leave and watch the show through holographic live broadcasts or broadcast channels.

Time passed slowly and in less than half an hour, the stands were filled with people. All of them looked puzzled as they looked at the 5,000 to 6,000 people in the square. All of them used to be high and mighty people, some of them high and mighty officials, some of them were descendants of noble families. There were the Li family, the Wang family, and most of them were the masters of Stellar City—the Zhang family.

Those high-and-mighty aristocrats were now looking at the rostrum like kids waiting to be taught a lesson by their parents. Some of them were very old and had white hair, yet they were only able to stand in the queue with their faces reddened and dissatisfied, not daring to slack off at all.

However, the rostrum was still blank at the moment. There was only one seat on it.

Everyone felt rather disappointed when they saw the only seat on the table. That was to say that only the mayor of Stellar City was going to be put on trial. After all, even if he was just putting on a show, he should have invited a bunch of judges.

Now that he thought about it, it seemed like there was more to the story than meets the eye.

All of a sudden, everyone felt rather hopeless about the upcoming trial.

He wondered how the new mayor, who was said to be the founder of Stellar City, would be able to judge the children of the rich and powerful.

"Do you really think that the new mayor could bring Stellar City to new heights?"

That was a question that many people took delight in talking about. However, there were some who looked wise and farsighted who shook their heads disapprovingly and said, "The upper echelons of Stellar City have been corrupted for a very long time. The only way to clean up the place would be to completely destroy everything and get rid of all those people from the upper echelons of the aristocratic families. That would be like cutting off their own flesh. Only then would Stellar City be saved. But, do you really think that's possible?"

"That's true. After all, they're all members of the Zhang family. Even if the new mayor is bent on taking things into his own hands, there's no way he could do anything to his own family. The Zhang family here are all his descendants…"

"Sigh, if I were the new mayor, I probably wouldn't be able to do anything about it. After all, we're all family. If I don't help my family, would I be helping outsiders like us?"

"That may be the case, but if Stellar City doesn't get cleaned up soon, I'm afraid that none of us citizens would be able to survive. The path to the upper echelons has been completely sealed. Wealth and power will always belong to that small group of people. What's the point of fighting for them? Furthermore, those people are lawless and have caused the deaths of many innocent people. If it hadn't been for their absolute power, there would have probably been riots long ago."

Countless people were having a heated discussion about the issue as they listened to the tsunami-like noise from the stands. The faces of the scions from the aristocratic families in the center of the square turned red as humiliation and resentment were seen in their eyes. All of them were high and mighty people who looked down on all living beings, yet the new mayor, who had appeared out of nowhere, actually ordered their entire family to appear before those lowly commoners like prisoners? That was the greatest humiliation to their family.

However, no matter how much they hated the new mayor, he had taken over the central control of the planet after all. As long as they were still living on the planet, their lives would be in his hands.

It wasn't that no one wanted to leave. While private spaceships had yet to become widespread, there were still quite a number of private spaceships in the hands of those aristocratic families. Even the other solar systems hundreds of light-years away had their own automated mining areas. Living there wouldn't be a problem at all and they would be able to afford it. However, the new mayor actually sealed off the entire planet yesterday. Everyone had to be very careful when they talked, not to mention leaving, as they were afraid that they would be overheard.

Furthermore, even if he were to be able to leave, he would probably go insane soon after leaving society and his family.

Time passed in the blink of an eye. When the holographic clock above their heads appeared and rang eight times, Zhang Heng stepped onto the platform of the municipal square for the first time.

All the television stations turned on their equipment as soon as Zhang Heng appeared and zoomed in on him. As such, even those sitting at the furthest end of the room were able to see his entire body from behind.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Zhang Heng." Zhang Heng nodded slightly, revealing his youthful features. However, the fierceness in his eyes made it so that no one dared to look him in the eye. "I believe that many people have heard of my name, but most of them are seeing me for the first time. But that doesn't matter. From here on out, decay will eventually pass. Good and evil will eventually be avenged. I shall be the one to bring a brand new, fair, and bright future to everyone."

"Gasp…" Many who heard what Zhang Heng said gasped, and the faces of those from rich families changed drastically. There was no way they wouldn't be able to tell from what Zhang Heng said that the new mayor actually thought that the old system was too unfair and dark.

Those words alone were enough to shatter the heavens.

All of a sudden, the entire plaza was filled with chatter. The eyes of the media reporters were practically glowing, as if they were foxes who had just caught a whiff of something fishy and were overjoyed.

"I won't say anything else." Zhang Heng looked at Zhang Xin, who was standing at the very front of the stage, looking anxious. "Now, the trial… begins!"

Zhang Heng's expression turned cold all of a sudden. His gaze was like that of a god as he looked at the entire plaza. With just a single glance, he was able to tear apart all defense lines deep within everyone's hearts, with the exception of Zhang Xin. No matter how strong-willed one was, there was no way one could lie before Zhang Heng.

"Wang Zhanxing, step forward!"

609. Death Penalty

"Wang Zhanxing, step forward!"

Zhang Heng didn't need to put up any loudspeakers, as his words completely suppressed the shouts from the hundreds of thousands of people around him, reverberating in everyone's ears like a clap of thunder. As Zhang Heng's target, a fat middle-aged man with a huge beer belly had a drastic change in expression. However, under the pressure from Zhang Heng, he seemed to have lost control of his entire body and walked right out.

"Wang Zhanxing, head of the political office of Stellar City. He was given a free pass during his time in office and hired assassins to assassinate his rival, Huo Jian. He embezzled 37.43 million star dollars in seven years in office. Do you plead guilty?"

Corona played all the video data she had obtained from the central control system on the holographic screen behind Zhang Heng as she spoke. The evidence was irrefutable.

The fat man named Wang Zhanxing turned completely pale when he saw all of that. He wanted to deny it, but he was unable to lie or defend himself under Zhang Heng's gaze. He simply nodded while trembling. "I… confess!"

"Very well then. According to Article 327 of the Stellar City's Constitutional Criminal Law, I hereby sentence you to death, and you shall be executed immediately!" A cold glint was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. The robot at the side immediately dragged Wang Zhanxing, who looked like a dead dog, to the side, leaving a huge empty space there. It was only then that everyone realized that that place was the execution ground.

Bang!

A gunshot was heard from the electromagnetic gun and Wang Zhanxing's fat head exploded right away. A headless corpse fell to the ground at the same time.

Shouts that shook the heavens were heard all over the stands and in the plaza. Everyone looked at Zhang Heng as if they were looking at a demon.

Death penalty! That was an ancient death penalty! One had to realize that there had never been a death penalty since the founding of Stellar City. Such a punishment had only appeared in ancient times.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown when he saw countless people exclaiming in shock. He swept his gaze across the room yet again and found that everyone in the room seemed to have their throats suppressed, unable to make a single sound.

Zhang Heng didn't stop and continued, "Li Tianxing, step forward!"

A skinny, pale-looking man who looked as if he had been completely drained of all color due to alcohol and sex walked out of the room, looking terrified.

"Li Tianxing, Wuye, once instigated his bodyguards to beat up a pregnant woman, causing her to miscarry. He then went out of his way to kill the four of them and dump their bodies in the wilderness. Do you plead guilty?" Zhang Heng asked with narrowed eyes.

"I plead guilty! Please spare my life, Mr. Mayor…"

Li Tianxing's legs buckled and he dropped to his knees, kowtowing nonstop. The stench of urine began to spread from his crotch.

"Very well. According to Stellar City's Constitutional Criminal Law, Article 133, I hereby sentence you to death. Execute immediately!"

The robot waiting behind him dragged Li Tianxing out of the room and threw him on the execution ground.

"Whoosh!"

The entire plaza was in an uproar again. The expressions of those rich playboys from the various families in the plaza changed drastically as they looked uneasy. Some of them couldn't even stand up.

"Li Tianyi, Li Tianshu, Li Yifeng, step forward!"

Dozens of people on the execution ground were executed on the spot as they were called out one by one. No one in the entire field said a word at that moment. All of them watched everything unfold with dazed expressions on their faces. They knew that the entire Stellar City would probably change from then on…

Zhang Heng finally paused for a bit after he was done judging all the members of the other families who had committed heinous crimes. He eventually turned his attention to the most powerful family with the most people—the Zhang Family.

Everyone in the Zhang family was stunned when they saw Zhang Heng looking at them. Their expressions changed drastically. Some of them passed out before they were even given a chance to be judged. There was even one who vomited green liquid all over his mouth and died on the spot, having been scared out of his wits.

Zhang Heng chuckled coldly and turned his gaze to the man standing beside Zhang Xin. The man looked very much like him, and the man immediately dropped to his knees as Zhang Heng looked at him. He was unable to say anything and simply kowtowed and begged for mercy.

"Zhang Hong, step forward!"

"Brother…" Zhang Xin gritted her teeth and a look of pity was seen in her eyes. She had never gotten married and had no children. She watched Zhang Hong grow up and doted on him dearly. She took a step forward and was about to say something when Zhang Heng shouted, "Shut up!"

Zhang Heng looked at Zhang Hong and continued, "You took advantage of the fact that you're the successor of the Zhang Family and killed people and wrapped their bodies around you without saying a word. The woman you fell for never managed to escape your clutches. You then colluded with Zhang Yang, Zhang Chusheng, and the others and set up a casino to amass massive wealth. You also organized the Hongwu Society to sell online drugs, producing and selling all manner of drugs. For the past 360 years, you've killed 187 people and earned 13.3 billion star dollars. Do you admit to your crimes?"

Zhang Hong's mind was reeling and Zhang Xin's expression kept changing. She looked as if she was seeing Zhang Hong for the first time and was filled with disbelief.

"Y-You can't kill me! I'm the son of the mayor of Stellar City, and I'm the heir of the Zhang Clan…" Zhang Hong's expression was dazed. The intense desire to live at that moment miraculously freed him from Zhang Heng's mental pressure. He looked up all of a sudden and shouted, "Uncle, I'm your nephew!"

"Oh." Zhang Heng's expression shifted. It was obvious that if Zhang Hong were to train the Light of the Soul, he would definitely be a prodigy far above Zhang Heng, just like how he was back in Reinhart. Zhang Heng looked at the man below him with a smirk and his expression turned cold all of a sudden. "You have committed a heinous crime. I hereby sentence you to death!"

"No!" Zhang Hong's eyes bulged as he looked at Zhang Heng in disbelief. He seemed to have recalled something and turned to look at Zhang Xin. "Auntie, save me!"

Zhang Xin wanted to grab Zhang Hong by instinct after seeing him being dragged away by the robot, but she held out her hand and stopped in midair, closing her eyes in pain.

The robot dragged Zhang Hong to the execution ground very quickly. Zhang Hong's entire body began to shake violently at that moment. Despair was seen in his eyes as he mumbled to himself, "I-I want to see my father. I want to go home…"

"Boom!"

Zhang Hong's body spasmed violently as the gunshot was heard. A dazed look was seen in his eyes before he collapsed to the ground. A fist-sized hole was seen on the back of his head.

"Zhang Yang, Zhang Chusheng, Zhang Wenai, Zhang Jie, Zhang Xin, Zhang Tianming…"

Zhang Heng continued to blabber on as the frail members of the Zhang Clan were dragged out one after another like dead dogs.

"Arrogant, lawless, life-threatening, heinous crime, sentenced to death!"

"Zhang Chusheng, who was involved in the drug trafficking of the internet, caused the destruction of 387 families. He committed a heinous crime and was sentenced to death!"

"Zhang Wenai, executed!"

"Zhang Jie, kill three people in a row at Malan Slope. Death penalty!"

"Zhang Xin, executed!"

"Zhang Tianming, execute immediately!"

The entire trial was stifling, so much so that one could hear a pin drop. Zhang Heng felt like he had turned into a demon from hell. Every single name that he uttered would be brutally dragged to the execution ground.

The bots would dispose of the bodies and bloodstains on every single person they killed at the beginning. However, as Zhang Heng's trial became increasingly intense, the bots were unable to clear the execution ground in time. Countless people were dragged to the bloody sand and executed on the spot, before being dragged away like dogs by the bots at the side.

The entire plaza was filled with 5,000 people, and 1100 of them were executed shortly after noon. The entire venue was filled with blood and excitement at that moment, and everyone in the stands was stunned.

That scene would probably be imprinted in the hearts of every single member of the audience and the members of the Zhang family for hundreds, even thousands of years to come. They would never be able to forget that scene even if they were to die.

Zhang Heng only took a deep breath after the head of the last person to be executed was blown off. He nodded and said, "Next up is life and death sentences. Anyone with a name on the screen behind me, please step forward."

As soon as Zhang Heng finished speaking, the hearts of all the members of the aristocratic families that were initially hanging in the air were finally put at ease. More than half of them slumped to the ground and passed out completely. Even the audience in the stands breathed a sigh of relief.

More than two thousand descendants of the families were thrown into jail afterward. 830 of them were sentenced to life imprisonment and over 1,300 of them were sentenced to life imprisonment. More than half of the families' descendants in Stellar City, which numbered less than 6000, were captured alive or dead, losing all of their former glory.

The entire Stellar City was in an uproar that day…

610. Caldasov Index

Zhang Heng had deliberately ordered Corona to lock down the media and networks on his parents' side before the trial. His parents didn't receive any news about the trial at all, and Zhang Heng went to see his parents again after the trial. He even gave them psychological hints to minimize their reactions to the incident.

Given Zhang Heng's current level of power, none of that would be a problem.

In the end, his parents simply sighed and accepted the truth. They didn't suffer too much and didn't realize that their reactions were abnormal.

Zhang Heng ordered Corona to reorganize the forces of Stellar City after he was done with all of that. He didn't know enough about Stellar City before, and he was given quite a shock when he found out more about Stellar City.

The technology available in Stellar City could be said to have surpassed that of most human beings found in science fiction films. The technology required to convert matter into energy alone was more than enough to dominate the entire universe.

The former Soviet astronomer Kardashov had once divided the evolution of civilizations in the universe into three levels according to the principles of thermodynamics and energy laws.

Level One: Planet-level civilization—Civilization that controls all energy on the planet they are on.

Such a civilization was capable of changing the marquis of the planet at will, developing the ocean, and controlling earthquakes. All in all, it possessed the ability to move mountains and drain seas on planets, making reasonable use of and controlling all resources and energy on planets.

Level Two: Stellar-level civilization—a civilization capable of harnessing the entirety of Stellar-level energy.

In the Stellar system, the mass of a typical star would account for the vast majority of the mass of an entire galaxy. For example, the mass of the sun would account for 99% of the mass of the entire Solar System. The second type of civilization required massive amounts of energy and resources. As such, they needed to make use of all the light and heat emitted by the star. The way to do so might be to shatter some useless planet and seal the star within, enabling them to fully enjoy every bit of light and heat emitted by the star.

Third-class: Universal Civilizations—Universal Civilizations that were capable of controlling several Stellar Systems and Star Clusters, and even galaxies as large as the Milky Way, which were made up of 200 billion stars, would be able to truly change the world. At that time, the power of civilization would become omnipotent and unimaginable.

That classification method was none other than the 'Cardashov Index', which was widely known on Earth in the past. It was a civilization classification method recognized internationally and was used by researchers, science fiction writers, and prophets who were searching for extraterrestrial civilizations as the theoretical basis. Looking at it now, it seemed very apt.

Back then, Earth had yet to even reach the first level and could only be considered a level-0.7 civilization. The Stellar City, a human nation, had reached the second level 200 years ago. The biggest landmark of the constructs was the Dyson Sphere, which covered the entire sun and absorbed over 80 percent of the Stellar's energy every second. The only reason there was still 20 percent left was that the Dyson Sphere had to leave a gap for sunlight to shine on the planet of Tannis.

The potential of Stellar City, which had an endless supply of stellar energy, was not small at all, and that was only because the population was too small. Otherwise, Stellar City would have been even more powerful at the moment.

However, it was still not enough.

The cyborg factories began to produce cyborg soldiers in secret once again. The thousands of cyborg soldiers that were stationed in Stellar City had all been wiped out by Zhang Heng in a single strike. Furthermore, in his opinion, the number of cyborg soldiers that numbered in the thousands was simply too little. His goal this time was 100,000.

Such biochemical warriors were hundreds of times more powerful than those cloned warriors back in the day. The combination of the Genova cells and the DX-118 Virus meant that they were even more powerful than the likes of the Tyrants, Vengeful Evil Gods, and other biological weapons back in the day. Furthermore, they were capable of shifting their mechas, making it so that they could take on Zhang Heng from 400 years ago without having to use any weapons. A squad of 10 people would have been more than enough to wipe out Earth back then.

Furthermore, the most valuable thing about them was their ability to fight in space. Every single one of those mechas was a miniature spaceship. Other than not being able to travel in space, they were basically able to completely replace the combat capabilities of battleships. If they were to run into extraterrestrial civilizations with huge battleships and cannons, any random mecha warrior would be a nightmare to them.

Furthermore, the Stellar City also had the ability to use antimatter. The Stellar could be used as a basic energy source, while the antimatter could be used as a special energy source. Furthermore, the Stellar City was capable of converting mass infinitely close to 100 percent through all manner of methods. It was a far cry from the low-level energy usage of nuclear fusion energy, second only to civilizations that used vacuum zero energy.

Furthermore, with Zhang Heng's current eye of discernment, he had long speculated that the civilization that created the Dimensional Star was probably a third-rate civilization known as the Cardashov Index, a civilization that was able to maturely use zero-energy in vacuum. That was also why the Dimensional Star was able to freely traverse all manner of parallel universes.

At that stage, he would definitely be able to master the Grand Unified Theory just like Zhang Heng did, combining the four fundamental forces and being able to use time and space in a mature manner.

However, he couldn't help but frown every time he thought of that. He wanted to come into contact with the Dimensional Star again after completing the human patch plan and see if he could find out more about it. However, no matter how hard he called for it, there was no response from the Dimensional Star. It was as if the Dimensional Star had disappeared. He kept trying to sense space and time, but he still couldn't find any leads regarding the Dimensional Star.

Could it be that the Dimensional Star had given up on controlling him because he was standing at the same level as the Dimensional Star?

Zhang Heng sat in the mayor's office in the city hall and slowly closed his eyes, deep in thought.

"It's true that Stellar City doesn't have the power to fight back against the Dimensional Star at the moment, but what if I'm the core?"

A thought slowly came to his mind as images of what he had been through from the moment he obtained the Dimensional Star flashed before his eyes. Everything from his initial fear to his first mission, to how he advanced steadily, to how he stumbled and narrowly escaped death. The Dimensional Star left deep marks in his life.

Or rather, everything that happened to Zhang Heng at the moment was all thanks to the Dimensional Star. However, if the Dimensional Star was only trying to help Zhang Heng, he would only feel grateful that the Dimensional Star had made him who he was. However, was the goal of the Dimensional Star really to save humanity?

T-Virus, Black Marker, Alien Embryo, DX-118 Virus…

Zhang Heng wore a cold smirk on his face. He had a vague doubt in his mind ever since the young man tried to trick him into sending the source of the destruction of humanity back to reality. Did the young man really exist to save humanity?

However, none of that mattered anymore, as Zhang Heng now possessed power that was close to that of the Dimensional Star. He would no longer be at the mercy of the Dimensional Star like he was before.

611. Moon

Zhang Heng opened his eyes suddenly at that thought. A thought appeared in his mind at that very moment and he stepped out into space outside the atmosphere. The vacuum quickly boiled and streams of energy were converted into matter, which automatically turned into multicolored spectral armor.

A battleship shimmering with seven-colored lights slowly emerged from the starry sky. The surface of the battleship was a myriad of colors, and even the outer space, which had no light reflecting off of it, was constantly emitting light—a suit of armor.

The reason why the suit of armor had a natural source of light was that it was a type of radioactive, heavy-metal isotope. The way the suit of armor was created differed from that of the high-dimensional suit of armor, but the armor was far more expensive and powerful. It possessed a perfect absorption of kinetic energy, inherent vibrations, and other properties, making kinetic weapons practically useless against it.

The Phase Transfer Armor was just one of the most insignificant technologies of the ship. It also had the latest subspace engines installed within it, enabling it to traverse subspace trajectories at will. Other than that, the antimatter engines and the energy material converter were essential components as well. The antimatter engines were more than enough to provide massive amounts of energy to the battleship, and the energy material converter was the best guarantee that the ship would remain undefeated.

Other than that, there were lightspeed cannons capable of accelerating matter to the speed of lightspeed, Positron Cannons capable of using antimatter as cannonballs, positional defense systems that could barely affect gravity, and so on. All in all, the ship looked like a ferocious space beast.

It could be said that this battleship was the most advanced manifestation of Stellar City's technology.

All of that was created by Zhang Heng absorbing all the knowledge available in Stellar City. He nodded satisfactorily as he looked at the battleship and said, "While the technology of a level-three civilization is still a far cry from that of a level-three civilization, that's all I can do for the time being. As long as I'm around, this battleship would be equivalent to a fake level-three civilization battleship."

"Commander, would you like to give it a name?" Corona reminded Zhang Heng after seeing the entire process through the network of planets.

"Well then, let's call it… the Dimensional Warship!" Zhang Heng flashed a grin, but his heart tensed up all of a sudden and he turned around to look at the moon.

Zhang Heng was struck by a sudden impulse just moments ago. He felt something that he couldn't quite put his finger on, and that feeling came from the moon that was revolving around Planet Tanis.

The moon of Tannis was larger than that of the moon on Earth. If one were to look at the moon from Earth, one would find that the moon was only about the size of a fist. However, the moon of the Tannis planet was about the size of a basketball. The moon shone with a translucent, pure white light, making it look very bright even at night.

However, Zhang Heng was able to sense that there was a threat on the moon that could overturn the entire planet of Tannis based on his ability to foresee things back then.

Zhang Heng temporarily dropped the idea of building a spaceship at that thought. He waved a hand and the Dimensional Warship that he had just created was sent to the orbit of Tannis. He took a step forward and left the deep space of the universe, appearing on the surface of the moon 400,000 kilometers away.

Zhang Heng's expression turned cold as soon as he saw what was happening on the moon. He saw that the order that he had given to Stellar City not to come into contact with the moon back then had long been rendered obsolete. There were countless mines on the moon at the moment, and people could be seen shuttling through them from time to time. The pyramid that he saw back then had been constructed with countless pieces of modern scientific equipment, making it look like an archeology site.

Zhang Heng came to Stellar City for an inspection not long after Stellar City was established. It was then that he was able to sense that the remnants of the pyramid left behind on the moon, due to his ability to foresee things, posed a huge threat that could affect reality. That was when he warned the officer of Stellar City to stay out of contact with the moon no matter what.

As a result, the order was rendered obsolete long ago.

"Corona." Zhang Heng spoke through quantum communication. "Investigate immediately. I want to know what that Zhang Xu kid has been doing to the moon all these years. I want all the information regarding the pyramid on the moon, especially."

"Yes, sir." Corona answered right away and paused for a bit before sending massive amounts of data to a photon processor worn by Zhang Hen.

Zhang Heng browsed through the data quickly, but the more he read, the darker his expression became.

That was a huge pyramid that was over three kilometers tall. Compared to the Hufu Pyramid, which was the largest on Earth back then, the remaining structure of the pyramid looked like a miracle. According to the data, geological testing had found that the pyramid had existed for at least 10 million years.

What was worth noting was that the pyramid didn't look like an Egyptian pyramid, but something that looked more like an altar than something found in ancient Mayan culture. It was obvious that such a pyramid wasn't something that was naturally formed, yet it seemed to have torn the fabric of humanity apart. No one could have imagined that such a mighty civilization would have existed 10 million years ago.

At the very bottom of the pyramid, there was a huge metal door that was carved with countless mysterious symbols and had a very crude design. The metal door stood tall and straight, looking as if it had been around for tens of millions of years. No one knew who was able to construct such a massive building with such massive power before humans even appeared.

According to the data, Zhang Xu had paid a huge price to build that metal door. However, even the antimatter cannon was unable to damage that steel door in the slightest.

Zhang Xu had resorted to countless means and methods to deal with that door made of unknown metal back then, yet he was unable to do anything about it.

Zhang Heng almost broke out in cold sweat at that point. It was fortunate that the steel door was extremely sturdy. If the door had been blown open and what was inside was released all those years ago, it would have been very difficult to ensure that his parents wouldn't have been implicated.

According to Zhang Heng's predictions back then, the things inside the steel door were extremely terrifying. He saw a hellish scene back then—there were screams of despair from tens of millions of people inside the door, and the screams seemed to be able to penetrate the barriers of the world. He even seemed to be able to smell the stench of blood from time and space.

"That idiot, Zhang Xu." Zhang Heng couldn't help but shake his head. Despite the fact that Zhang Xu was dead, he had the urge to resurrect him and turn him into dust.

However, that was still unrealistic, unless Zhang Heng was willing to reverse time and space until Zhang Xu died. However, there was simply no need for him to do so, as it would consume too much energy, and doing so would be pointless.

However, just because he was unable to open the door back then didn't mean that he was unable to do so at the moment. The Zhang Heng of the past had matured and evolved. He took a look at the steel door that the five of them opened and slowly walked up to it. He extended his hand quickly as if he wanted to tear space apart.

612. Droplets

It was as if a red-hot iron had been plunged into butter. That steel door that Stellar City had been unable to budge the entire time was no obstacle to Zhang Heng at all. It took only a few seconds for the door to completely melt and disintegrate into countless tiny atoms, disappearing completely from the world.

Unless one was able to reach the same level of unified theory and technology as Zhang Heng, all methods would be rendered useless before rules.

Zhang Heng sensed a familiar presence after the door that had been shut for hundreds and thousands of years was opened. He stopped in his tracks and saw that the inside of the door was pitch-black. He was unable to see anything despite being directly shot by the light from the star, as if the darkness in the room had swallowed all light.

That was… a wormhole!

A glint flashed across Zhang Heng's eyes. If it had been in the past, he might have sent out exploration equipment before entering the place after confirming that there was no danger lurking around. But right now, was there really a need for him to do so?

Zhang Heng chuckled and stomped on the ground, disappearing into the dark tunnel.

"Whoosh!"

It was as if he had been submerged in water. He wondered if the wormhole was naturally formed. He was no longer the ignorant mortal he once was. He was able to clearly sense the bizarre worlds on both sides of the wormhole. If he wanted to, he could even resist the pull of the wormhole and head to another world. However, he didn't do so and simply allowed the wormhole's inertia to pull him forward.

He found himself in a world that looked like it was made of hellish lava when he made his escape in the end.

"No wonder this place feels so familiar. So, this is…" Zhang Heng wore a knowing look, yet he showed no signs of fear. He turned around and saw a pitch-black wormhole stretching across a pitch-black river behind him. It was through that wormhole that he came to his seat.

Zhang Heng rose into the sky, wanting to observe the world in greater detail. It was only when he was tens of thousands of meters above ground that he realized that the world he was in was actually a massive planet that was riddled with holes. The diameter of that planet was at least a thousand times that of Earth's. The planet was covered in layers, which made it look like there were a thousand layers wrapped around it. Due to some special reason, the gravitational pull of the planet was floating layer by layer, forming several hundred layers of different spaces. Countless amounts of magma that should have been found at the core of the planet were all exposed to the surface.

Due to the differing composition of the atmosphere at the very top of the planet, one would only be able to see an azure blue sun shining brightly from within the planet. Furthermore, the sun wasn't round, but had a strange pear-shaped appearance. Perhaps it was because there was a black hole beside the star.

Zhang Heng took a good look at that strange sun and focused his attention on the ground again. The air in that world was filled with the stench of sulfur, and the composition of the atmosphere was completely different from that of humans. The average temperature was about 460 degrees Celsius, with 96% of the components being carbon dioxide. As such, the intense greenhouse effect was triggered under the illumination of the stars.

The atmospheric pressure here was more than 90 times that of Earth, which made it an extremely inhospitable "hell" for humans. According to the knowledge that humans currently possessed, it was impossible for any living beings to exist here.

However, Zhang Heng was able to see countless living beings thriving in the Light of the Soul there. The river behind him was a river that was formed from a mixture of sulfuric acid and saline, making it an extremely mystical sight.

That place was none other than the world that he had encountered before, which was connected to the cabin in the forest—the abyss.

He didn't expect to find himself in the base of the abyss all of a sudden.

Zhang Heng slowly descended from the sky. He was able to traverse even deep space at his current level, let alone the planet that had an average temperature of 400 degrees Celsius. However, at that moment, waves of raging hostility were felt from the bottom floors of the planet. That feeling gave Zhang Heng a very familiar feeling.

That was the aura of an Ancient God that Zhang Heng had killed before.

"They found me? That aura is even stronger than that of the Ancient Gods that I've killed before, and… there's more than one of them!" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. According to the detection of the Light of the Soul, hundreds of demons that looked like the Ancient Gods' auras were waking up from their slumber. However, Zhang Heng had almost lost the ability to fight after killing one of them. Now that hundreds and thousands of Ancient Gods had woken up, they didn't even have the right to make him frown.

"Well, if you're looking to die, I'll grant you your wish," Zhang Heng said casually. He took a look at the pear-shaped star above him and some of the metals beneath his feet disintegrated into atoms of their own accord. The electrons revolving around the nucleus were then stripped away by some strange force, leaving only countless atoms floating around Zhang Heng. The atoms then broke through the barrier of mutual repulsion and formed a layer of alloy-like compound composed of individual atoms under his powerful force field.

Furthermore, the object looked like a streamlined droplet.

If human scientists were to observe it at the moment, they would have found that strange droplet-shaped object. The surface of the object was composed entirely of protons and neutrons that had been tightly bound by a strong interaction force. The surface of the object was absolutely smooth. Due to the strong interaction force, both the nucleus of the atom and the neutron within it were in a stable state where there was no vibration at all. The performance of the object outside was that of a high-intensity weapon capable of reflecting all electromagnetic waves and temperatures that were always at absolute zero. There was nothing that could stand in its way.

Zhang Heng's eyes flashed with a sinister glint. That material was none other than an extraterrestrial weapon created by a human science fiction writer back in the day—the droplet. In the novels, such weapons were practically invincible. The outer shell of countless atoms that were tightly packed together meant that no heat, no energy weapons, and no kinetic weapons would work against it. Other than using particle accelerators to accelerate neutrons to break through the outer shell, there was no known method to penetrate that layer of outer shell.

There was indeed a way for humans to defeat that thing by using countless nuclear saturations. The massive amounts of neutrons and electrons released during nuclear fusion were more than enough to penetrate that layer of shell, but the speed at which the droplet appeared and disappeared was one of the reasons why they needed to be dealt with. As such, the solution described in the novels was to attack the powerful interaction generators inside the droplet from a higher four-dimensional space, eventually destroying it.

Some people might not be able to understand why the droplet's outer shell was able to penetrate the outer shell of the droplet and attack the inside of the droplet when it was in four-dimensional space.

613. Four-dimensional Space

That was actually very simple. For example, humans living in three-dimensional space could draw a circle on a piece of paper with a pencil and put a piece of rubber in the circle. If there was life on that piece of paper, that kind of life would belong to two-dimensional life. Two-dimensional lifeforms would only be able to see the circle drawn by humans, but there was no way to destroy that circle. Two-dimensional lifeforms would be helpless.

However, there was a two-dimensional super scientist who came up with an idea one day and invented a machine that could allow him to enter the legendary three-dimensional space of a higher dimension. He was able to make it to the three-dimensional human world through such a machine and look down at that circle from above. It was only then that he discovered, to his shock, that the circle, which he was unable to destroy by any means, was completely unscathed before him. He was even able to see that there was a piece of rubber inside the circle! He was even able to walk right past that indestructible shell of the circle and touch the rubber inside.

If a two-dimensional lifeform were to be brought into the human body, and the droplet would be that circle, then the two-dimensional scientists would definitely come to the three-dimensional world when the human body was upgraded to the fourth dimension.

That was the key to humanity being able to defeat the droplet in four-dimensional space.

The droplet that Zhang Heng had created himself was about three meters long, but it was different from the droplets seen in the novels about the Trisolarans. There was no such thing as a powerful force generator in there. The essence of Zhang Heng's Light of the Heart was the most perfect generator. The only way to destroy the droplet before him was to be stronger than his Light of the Heart.

But, was that even possible?

Zhang Heng looked at the Ancient Gods waking up from their slumber with a deadpan expression on his face. He suddenly flashed a grin and the droplet floating around him broke through the sound barrier and headed straight for the Ancient God closest to him.

Boom!

An earth-shattering crash was heard and the Ancient God was pulverized before it could even react. The antimatter in its body went out of control and clashed with the material in reality, triggering a powerful annihilative effect.

A huge explosion that spanned hundreds of kilometers was seen immediately.

However, that was only the beginning. Under Zhang Heng's control, the droplets twisted in a manner that completely defied inertia. Ancient Gods exploded one after another. All of those beings who had been hibernating for tens of thousands of years were like infants before Zhang Heng, unable to fight back at all.

Balls of explosions took place on that abyssal planet.

…

He found himself in a starry sky that had existed since ancient times. Explosions that were visible to the naked eye were seen one after another on one of the strange planets, as if there was some kind of chain reaction. The entire planet began to shake faintly at the very end. Lava shot into the sky one after another, and the magnetic field of the planet was thrown into complete disarray, producing irregular tremors. The atmosphere above the planet began to dissipate and evaporate under the glare of the solar wind.

In the end, the entire planet exploded with a deafening crack.

Boom!

A huge shockwave spread out in a concentric circle and the entire planet shattered and exploded, turning into countless broken star belts that flew into the deep space of the universe. A planet that was thousands of times larger than Earth ended its life prematurely.

A droplet that looked as smooth as a mirror was sent flying out of the huge explosion that was more than enough to destroy everything. It was only when it was tens of thousands of kilometers away and was no longer affected by the aftermath of the explosion that a wormhole suddenly appeared in front of the droplet. The droplet then burrowed into the hole and disappeared like a magic trick.

The droplet flew out of a pitch-black spatial point in the Dimensional amnesia plane and dissipated right away. Zhang Heng was seen after the droplet dissipated. He took another look at the pyramid on the moon and smirked before returning to Earth.

Zhang Heng had predicted that the pyramid on the moon would contain dangers that were so huge that they could destroy the entire planet of Tanis. He had even specifically warned the city enforcement officers of Stellar City to stay away from the moon back then. However, who would have thought that the danger would be neutralized by his current absolute power?

Life was like a play, full of drama. To the current Zhang Heng, he didn't need to spend much effort to destroy that planet called the Abyss from the very source. From then on, there shouldn't be any potential dangers on the planet of Tanis anymore… right?

It was just that he still had no idea who the creator of the pyramid was, and why he would build a metal gate to seal the wormhole that connected to the abyss.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but sigh to himself. The universe was simply too mysterious. He didn't dare to say that he knew a fraction of the universe at the moment. Putting everything else aside, he was still unable to figure out what the so-called curse of the Dimensional Star was, or rather, if the so-called curse of civilization really existed.

Zhang Heng fell into deep thought. He was able to predict what would happen if the curse were to happen back when he relied on the power of foresight. However, that power was only capable of detecting danger at that level, and he had no way of finding out where the danger came from or what caused it.

However, those questions were of secondary importance. There was only one thing that he was truly concerned about—what was the Dimensional Star?

According to the self-introduction of the Dimensional Star, the so-called Dimensional Star was actually some kind of artificial computer that existed in four-dimensional space. As it existed in a higher dimension, countless planes seemed like a piece of paper to it, with no secrets to speak of.

One thing worth noting was that while the Dimensional Star had countless planes and hosts under its banner, there was only one Dimensional Star in reality. It didn't exist in any plane, much less in any host's brain. There was only one reason why Zhang Heng was able to take the Dimensional Star's orders—

Dimension Suppression!

Due to the fact that the Dimensional Star was a four-dimensional object, it was able to exist in countless dimensions at the same time due to its unique properties. However, the projection of the Dimensional Star was the only thing seen in any of the dimensions. The three-dimensional space that humans were in was completely unable to contain any four-dimensional object. It was just like how the inside of a piece of paper was unable to contain anything of a certain thickness. Other than the parts that came into contact with the paper, the rest of the space was all on paper.

That was the situation with the Dimensional Star. If he wanted to truly have the power to challenge the Dimensional Star, there was only one way that he could do so, and that was to break through his own dimension and enter four-dimensional space from three-dimensional space. He would then be able to observe the true body of the Dimensional Star from a higher dimension. That was the only way that he would have the power to challenge the Dimensional Star.

Zhang Heng then continued to construct his Dimensional Warship. Due to the droplet's inspiration, he simply shifted the image of the Dimensional Warship outside of the suit of armor and added a layer of armor that consisted of protons and neutrons locked tightly together through the strong interaction force, creating an absolutely smooth outer layer. Due to the fact that it was only a thin layer as thick as an atomic nucleus, it wasn't very heavy and was a lot lighter than the image of the suit of armor.

614. Marvel Impact

Stars twinkled in the night sky.

Standing at the top of the building and looking at the countless stars twinkling in the night sky, it should have been a comfortable and romantic time, but for some reason, Tony felt uneasy at the moment.

"The spirits of the universe and Friday have lost contact with me since this morning…" Disappointment flickered in Tony's eyes. He remembered what Friday had said to him the day before he lost contact with the spirits.

"Brother Tony, this is bad. One of your kind, 'he'… 'he' has broken through the karmic prediction mechanism!"

"Brother Tony, I'm leaving. The Spirit of the Universe is in grave danger. 'He' is looking for us!"

"That would be the ultimate destruction. Once the spirits of the universe fall into his hands, the multiverse would be plunged into eternal darkness…"

"Boohoo… I'll miss you, Brother Tony… Take care! The other party might come after you guys. You guys will have to depend on yourselves this time…"

That voice was sent to him after he fell asleep last night. Tony, who was in deep sleep, didn't notice it until he woke up in the morning and the message left before Friday came into his mind.

"No!" Tony clenched his fist and pounded on the railings of the roof with both hands, causing the railings to make cracking sounds.

A woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a hot body walked out of the room at that moment. She was wearing an ivory-white sleeping gown that shone charmingly in the moonlight. The woman slowly walked behind Tony and hugged him from behind.

"Don't worry, Friday will be safe, no?"

"No, you don't understand." Tony took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Friday exists as a support for my virtual personality. Once she leaves me, the host, it would mean that she has completely lost all value in existence…"

Sorrow flashed in Tony's eyes. "That means that she was destroyed by the spirits of the universe…"

His back gradually became silent, but that frail body of his hugged him even tighter.

Tony sighed and recalled his life over the years. He inherited the Spirit of the Universe from his father and founded the Avengers with the help of the US government. He then traveled to various planes to explore and collect technology, making himself stronger.

Later on, the Earth survived the first Armageddon brought about by the evil god of Loki, and the second attack by the evil god of black fog, before joining forces with the Galactic Guards to resist the devastating attack of the Armageddon.

At that moment, even the likes of Mie Ba were unable to defeat his team. Logically speaking, given the current strength of his team, there should have been no need for them to fear any danger.

However, the spirits of the universe showed no signs of fear even when they faced off against Mie Ba all those years ago. Could it be that the dangers that the spirits of the universe were facing this time were even more formidable than that of the strongest Mie Ba back then?

Tony shook his head at that thought and turned around to tell the woman behind him, "It's getting late. Go to bed first. I need to contact my friends."

"Go, you really should prioritize your mission, my hero." The woman kissed Tony and left the balcony with a look of encouragement in her eyes.

Tony watched the woman return to her room and waited until he was sure she was gone before he pressed on his chest. As he pressed, a sci-fi suit of red and gold alloy armor appeared and wrapped around her. Tony then flew into the air and headed straight for the headquarters of the Avengers.

"Friday said before he left that it was very likely that the other party would come after us, but he didn't explain why. Is it because I'm one of the hosts of the spirits of the universe…" Tony thought silently along the way. The latest version of the armor he wore was made of antimatter energy, and its energy was tens of times higher than that of nuclear fusion energy. It took him only 10 minutes to fly thousands of kilometers to see a huge sky fortress suspended in the atmosphere like a small city.

That was the latest headquarters of the Avengers and the core of the world's military force.

However, before he was able to reach the inside of the Sky Fortress, the energy detection mechanism inside the armor suddenly issued a warning.

"Warning, warning! High-energy response detected. Three thousand three hundred kilometers away. Target heading west at 30 degrees!"

"What the hell?" Tony's expression changed. Wasn't that place New York, where he had just left? He turned his head in midair and the powerful armor made him stop moving at a speed of more than 10 times the speed of sound for an instant, floating in midair. At the same time, he immediately saw a black hole opening up like the gates of hell in the sky far above New York.

Dimensional Wormhole!

Tony's expression changed drastically and he headed back the way he came without hesitation. He contacted the headquarters of the Sky Castle again and shouted, "Nick, what happened?"

"I don't know. I just got the message too. Is Loki back?" The steady voice of the brawny man was heard from the other end of the communication device.

"Impossible," Tony said coldly. "I believe that Thor should be able to train that brother of his well. Well, whatever it is, I'll get to the scene immediately and you'll be in charge of informing my companions. I hope that they'll be able to get out of the Black Widow's bed and put up their pants before I'm done with this."

Du du.

Tony hung up without waiting for Nick to answer. A slender metal tube suddenly extended from behind him and expanded quickly, eventually forming a metal tube that was almost as thick as his body. Blue flames with extremely high temperatures spewed out at the same time, and with anti-gravity technology, Tony's body accelerated again and headed for New York City at nearly 100 times the speed of sound.

"New York sure is a disaster…"

It took Tony less than two minutes to get back to New York with the speed that surpassed that of the First Cosmos. The city area was in chaos at the moment and he could only see a black hole that was almost the same size as New York covering the entire city, about 10,000 meters above the ground. Everything in the city was paralyzed by the powerful magnetic field reaction—pedestrians shouted and ran while the police tried to maintain order in vain. He could vaguely see superheroes gathering at the center of New York. It was obvious that many people had reached the battlefield before Tony.

"The enemy will reach the battlefield in 30 seconds. Crush them!"

…

"The enemy is on the battlefield in five seconds. Please be prepared!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

The AI in the armor issued a warning. Tony had no time to gather with his companions at the moment and could only stand at the bottom of the black hole and look at the huge hole that looked like an abyss. He could see from where he was that the inside of the hole was dark, so dark that it looked like it could swallow the entire world.

"Two!"

"One!"

A sliver of red appeared in the black hole when the AI on the armor counted to one.

615. Arrival

It was a shocking, crimson color.

His entire body was emitting a neon-like glow, making him look like a piece of blood-red agate floating out of a pitch-black ink pool, emitting a brilliant glow.

However, before more bodies were able to make it out of the ink pool, that patch of bright red color turned bright yellow in an instant, followed by emerald green, then sky blue, indigo blue, and finally dark purple.

The thing that emerged from the wormhole was changing colors in less than a second, making it look like a cheap, cheap light bulb that had malfunctioned.

A larger portion of the body emerged from the wormhole and it was not until then that Tony's pupils contracted. It was the base of a ship in the shape of a long strip with all manner of hangings at the bottom. He could even vaguely see a huge disc in the middle. The disc was tightly shut and seemed to be a gate that led straight to the cabin.

That thing that was flickering with all manner of colors was actually a battleship!

That alone wouldn't have surprised Tony. After all, 400 years had passed and Earth's technology had reached a certain limit. One could tell from the fact that both he and his companions had lived for hundreds of years. What truly shocked Tony was the size of that battleship.

The battleship was so huge that it looked like it was about the size of the entire New York City. Even Tony, who was traveling through thousands of worlds, couldn't help but feel shocked.

Anything of that size was more than enough to affect the tides of the Earth. If one were to land on the ground, they would be able to cause the entire continental shelf to shatter with just their own weight alone, triggering violent tremors and tsunamis without needing to fire.

Shouts of shock were heard from New York City like a tidal wave. The citizens who were about to run away were stunned. All of them stopped what they were doing and looked up at that huge piece of machinery that they had never seen before, feeling their hearts turn cold.

Rumble…

As more parts of the ship were exposed from the wormhole, a huge vibration was felt as well. That was the air compression effect caused by the battleship leaving the wormhole. It was like rumbling thunder that shook the entire sky above New York City. One would hear it before seeing it.

The entire battleship was finally out of the wormhole after about half a minute. Everyone gasped as they saw that it was a massive creature over 30 kilometers long, 10 kilometers wide, and over 10 kilometers tall.

That battleship had a hideous appearance and its entire body was filled with weird-looking edges. Its body was emitting colorful lights at a very high frequency, making the entire city look very eerie.

Not only that, but Tony also sensed that the battleship that came out of nowhere had some kind of strange stance. As it descended, the entire New York was shaking and pieces of solid concrete on the ground were being torn off one after another. However, what was weird was that the pieces of concrete didn't fall due to gravity. Instead, they rose slowly and kept rising into the sky, as if the battleship itself had a huge gravitational force that even exceeded that of Earth.

"Little Chili!"

It was only then that Tony finally realized what was going on. His expression changed and he quickly flew towards his Stark building. His building was also shrouded by the pressure of the ship at that moment, and pieces of it were torn apart and scattered in all directions. Fortunately, the ship didn't attack immediately, but hovered thousands of meters in the air, seemingly waiting for something.

Tony rushed back to the building first. When he rushed out again, he was still holding the frightened Little Chili in his arms. "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry about it. Is that why you've been feeling so uneasy for the past few days?" Little Chili looked at the battleship above her and felt rather troubled for some reason.

"I don't know." Tony shook his head. "Regardless, I'll take you to a safe place first. Nick will send someone to protect you."

He took the woman in his arms and flew off into the distance without waiting for her to object. However, as soon as he flew out of the city, the woman in his arms let out a cry of surprise. Tony turned around subconsciously and saw that the circular door at the bottom of the battleship opened with a bang, revealing a hole several kilometers in diameter. Through the hole, he could see densely packed mechanical soldiers wearing the same colorful armor.

"So, this is the fourth occurrence after all…"

Tony murmured with a complicated look on his face, but when he saw the superheroes charging into the sky without any hesitation and heading for the battleship, there was a flash of relief in his eyes and he flew to the Sky Castle without looking back. He wanted to return in a few minutes and fight alongside his companions who were guarding the planet.

At that moment, at the top of a building that looked like it was about to collapse, a bald old man with a wizened face looked at the sky with a serious expression. A group of men and women dressed in black leather suits and weird attire stood around the old man like stars surrounding the moon. The old man said, "Scott, have you contacted headquarters yet?"

"We've made contact. Nick told us not to attack first. He still needs to report to his superiors. Maybe he's just passing by and doesn't have any ill intentions." The one who spoke was a man wearing a pair of weird glasses. There was a streak of bright red in the middle, as if destructive energy would gush out from the man.

"Heh, the government is still as useless as ever." A white-haired African woman walked up and shrugged. "Do we have any other choice when the air is still and night falls?"

"Indeed, they've made their choice on our behalf…" The old man nodded and looked at the circular doors that were gradually opening at the bottom of the battleship. Everyone could only see mechanical warriors that were in the shape of humans but were far larger than humans charging out of the battleship like a flood. Those mechanical warriors were covered in colorful armor just like the battleship. As they charged out, most of them spread out in all directions. However, there were also some that headed for the floors that everyone was on.

The people in the crowd didn't show any change in expression after seeing that. Instead, they looked rather excited. A burly man with a full beard shook his hands and three rows of alloy claws were extended. The girl with red hair frowned and raised her hand to face the incoming mechanical army. Every single person on the top of the building looked completely different from the average person and was ready to attack at any moment.

The bald old man in the wheelchair waved his hand and stopped everyone from taking the initiative to attack. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, his expression changed slightly. "I can sense the minds of those guys. Be careful. They're not complete robots. They're all humans inside the armor."

"So, you're saying that they couldn't even withstand a single blow?" The little girl who hadn't said anything all this while asked weakly.

"No, just the opposite." The elder's expression changed slightly. "While they have minds, I'm unable to see through their weaknesses at all. These people are definitely not natural humans. They are man-made killing machines that have no emotions whatsoever…"

"Seems like we're in trouble!"

616. Sentinel

The war between Zhang Heng and the Marvel Universe began the moment the Dimensional Warship arrived.

Zhang Heng was sitting at the core of the Dimensional Warship, observing the battle between the two parties in silence. However, he raised his eyebrows after taking a look.

At the bottom of the Dimensional Warship, the Mistress of the Storms displayed astonishing power. The blade-like thundercloud storms that filled the sky swept dozens of fighters into the air. While they were unable to do much damage to the biochemical warriors, they were still able to hold them back. That was already impressive enough. After all, the biochemical warriors were able to wield the same level of combat prowess that Zhang Heng had back when they wore the Phase Transfer Armor.

The laser beams from the laser eyes were even more powerful. The intense shockwaves were released without any regard for cost. Any attack that landed on the armor of the biochemical warriors would cause a huge commotion. Some of the biochemical warriors' Phase Transfer Armor had been completely depleted of energy and dimmed from being a pentagram.

The combined efforts of the phoenix girl and Professor X enabled them to control hundreds of biochemical warriors in reverse, launching a counterattack against the army of biochemical warriors. No matter how powerful the biochemical warriors were, they were all thrown into disarray by the attack and were at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, the Wolverine was among the team as well. Zhang Heng still remembered sealing that fellow and the Hulk in the Adamantium alloy back then before being exiled into space. However, it was obvious that someone had rescued him, which meant that the Hulk had returned to Earth as well.

Furthermore, over the course of 400 years, the superheroes had become even more powerful than they were in the past, to the point where they were approaching the power found in comics. If that were to be the case, Zhang Heng would probably have to be very careful. Superheroes that could easily contain hundreds of thousands of stars would have made him frown even if he were to see them.

It was due to the enhancement of the superheroes' power that they were able to barely withstand the attacks of the first batch of biochemical warriors. If not for that, every single one of those biochemical warriors would have possessed the power of Zhang Heng from 400 years ago. Killing those superheroes would have been as easy as cutting vegetables.

However, Zhang Heng's invasion was not a commercial movie after all. The Pixie from the X-Men was taken away by an electromagnetic bullet in less than 20 seconds after the two sides clashed. It was as if the Pixie had been bombed by a cannonball and was completely shattered.

"NO!" The crowd around him roared and her lover, Iceman, rushed at the biochemical warrior who killed him. However, before he could get far, the curtain formed by countless electromagnetic bullets shot at him and reduced him to dust before he realized what was happening.

An Omega Level Mutant died!

The expression on the face of the phoenix girl was even more sorrowful. She looked at the overwhelming army of machines with a hint of hesitation in her eyes. Just when she was wondering if she should release the Black Phoenix in her body, a furious roar that sounded like that of a wild animal was heard all over New York City in the distance. It was filled with rage. Everyone looked up and saw a green giant shooting from afar.

The Hulk!

Hope was seen in everyone's eyes. As one of the most powerful superheroes in the world, it was obvious that the Hulk's power had long been etched into the minds of the masses, and he was as credible as a stabilizing needle.

"I smell you. Black Mist Evil God, get out here!"

A thunderous roar was heard as the Hulk stood at the top of a building and pulverized a biochemical warrior's mecha into scrap metal before throwing his head back and yelling, "400 years! I've been waiting for you for 400 years! I told you that I'd definitely come back!"

The thunderous roars caused the ground to shake. Surprise was seen in everyone's eyes as they heard what he said. "Are you talking about the evil god of the black smog that attacked the second time?"

However, countless electromagnetic and antimatter guns were aimed at Hulk before anyone was able to process what the Hulk just said. The entire building collapsed in the very next second as attacks rained down on the Hulk. Countless bullet holes were shot out of the Hulk's body as he plummeted to the ground.

However, his body, which had exceeded his imagination, was healed before he could even land on the ground. The Hulk then leaped into the air and charged at the Dimensional Warship above him like a bolt of green lightning. The jump power of that planetary-level creature allowed the Hulk to break through the defences of the Dimensional Warship and appear at the bottom of the ship in no time.

"Boom!"

The Hulk landed a furious blow on the armor of the battleship. Even the armor that was as tough as a droplet on the outermost layer caved in from the impact, as if it would only take a few more punches to penetrate that armor.

"Well done, Dr. Banner!" Shouts were heard from New York City, and even Professor X looked somewhat better. He mobilized even more mental power and manipulated hundreds of biochemical warriors to attack the bottommost door of the huge battleship.

No matter how powerful a spaceship was, its internal structure would always remain fragile. All it needed to do was to break through the outermost layer of defense and the entire battleship would be rendered completely helpless.

At the same time, Tony approached quickly with a blue tail beam. All the biochemical warriors charging at him were quickly evaded by his nimble body and were able to join up with everyone in an instant.

Furthermore, a middle-aged man with an elegant appearance and a mustache who looked calm and collected appeared as well. He seemed to be in control of the space around him. One by one, biochemical warriors lost the ability to fight and fell from the sky.

Doctor Strange, Stephen Strange.

Not only that, but in a certain corner of New York, a superhero wearing yellow tights and carrying a cape on his back with a head full of blond hair was slowly rising. Dozens of biochemical warriors were lying on the ground around him, not knowing if they were dead or alive. That layer of powerful Phase Transfer armor on their bodies was completely shattered.

Technology that had the ability to convert energy into matter had been used by Zhang Heng to serve as a supply depot for the Dimensional Warships, the Phase Transformation Armor that many superheroes had to pay with their lives to shatter. However, it appeared out of nowhere again in the blink of an eye and even repaired the damage done to it, frightening countless superheroes. However, none of those powerful biochemical warriors were able to fight back against that superhero.

"Sentinels!"

The crowd gasped in shock. If the appearance of the Hulk and Dr. Strange was enough to calm everyone down, then the Sentinel's attack made everyone feel that victory was on their side.

"Sentinel?" Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown inside the Dimensional Warship. "So, it's no longer limited to the movies? Even the characters from the Marvel Comics have made their debut…" In the comics, the lucky guy had stumbled into a laboratory and ended up drinking the secret formula developed by the laboratory, which gave him the power to detonate a million stars. However, that power had also created a negative personality in Robert—Nothingness.

In order to prevent his dark side from destroying humanity, he had no choice but to erase all of his memories. Despite all of that, he still possessed the ability to remain indestructible, which made it impossible to destroy him even in the core of the sun.

"With the appearance of the Sentinels, would the Court of Life, the Heart of the Universe, and the likes of the god race be able to defy the natural order?"

"This is… getting more interesting…"

Zhang Heng pondered for a bit when he saw the b * stard appear before him, before raising his hand and pressing a button. More than 10,000 biochemical warriors swarmed out of the base of the Dimensional Warship right away.

Shock was seen in everyone's eyes when they saw the newly-arrived fresh troops. There was no way they didn't realize that the massive, terrifying super battleship had been playing house with them from the very beginning and hadn't used its full power.

617. Despair

"Given the size of that battleship, I can't guarantee just how many mechas are on standby inside…"

Professor X wore a grave expression as he watched the sky full of biochemical warriors charging into the city.

All of the X-Men were stunned and their expressions became very ugly. They felt that it was extremely taxing for them to hold off about 10,000 biochemical warriors, and there were even deaths and injuries. At that moment, the number of enemies doubled yet again, and the pressure and despair caused by it was nothing to outsiders.

"No, we still have hope!" The laser eye penetrated the armor of another biochemical warrior yet again, only to find that the armor of the other party had been mended out of thin air. The expression on his face was very ugly as he said, "We still have Hulk, the Sentinels, and Tony, who has advanced technological prowess. We still have hope of defeating the other party!"

Everyone couldn't help but look in the direction of the Hulk when they heard that. They saw thousands of biochemical warriors wrapping around the Hulk and burying him completely. However, before they were able to completely subdue the Hulk, an unusual roar was heard from the center of the room.

"Roar!"

A roar filled with rage and destruction was heard from the very center, containing despair, rage, and loneliness, bringing with it eternal destruction. The expression of the sentinel changed drastically when he heard that roar, turning his attention to where the Hulk was.

"Boom!"

The biochemical warriors were blown away by an explosion of energy before they could even react before they were seen by the crowd. However, they disintegrated in midair before they even landed on the ground, completely shattered.

Professor X wasn't the only one who saw that. Zhang Heng, who was on the Dimensional Warship, was stunned as well. His eyes gleamed, and no one knew what he was thinking.

"That's… the Green Death!"

Green Death was the second most powerful form of the Hulk in the Marvel setting. Even Spiderman once said that Hulk’s Green Death Form was the second most powerful form he had ever seen apart from Sentinels, but even Sentinels with millions of stellar energy were defeated by Hulk in Green Death Form. It was obvious from here just how terrifying the Hulk at that moment was.

Smoke and dust filled the air as the Hulk exploded. Everyone took a deep breath and looked in that direction, only to see a monster that looked even stronger and more ferocious than the Hulk from before. That monster was half-kneeling on the ground, panting non-stop. The entire city seemed to be shaking as he breathed. That level of lung capacity was enough to shock everyone.

"It's time to counterattack." The blond hair of the sentinel was seen flying about in the sky. He looked at the Hulk on the ground with a wary look and waved his hand. Hundreds of biochemical warriors charging at him were sent flying backward as if they had been hit hard, before crashing to the ground hard. It was obvious who was dead or alive.

After doing all that, both the sentinel and Green Death turned their attention to the Dimensional Warship that blotted out the sun above them. Hulk stomped on the ground in the very next second, causing dust and dirt to fly everywhere. Everything within a kilometer of Hulk was reduced to dust.

With that devastating force, Hulk charged at the Dimensional Warship at almost the speed of light. At the same time, the protective layer that was made of the same material as the droplet on the Dimensional Warship shattered, as well as the Transfer Armor that was over 10 meters thick.

Boom!

A huge hole was actually torn open in the Dimensional Warship as a fireball exploded, and Hulk charged in recklessly.

"Victory is ours!" The sentinel shouted at the crowd and followed Hulk into the battleship. It was only then that all the superheroes snapped out of their trance and shouted. All the superheroes who were able to fly rushed to the damaged part of the hole. It was as if everyone could see the dawn of the Victory Goddess waving at them.

However, just when the superheroes were about to reach the Dimensional Warship, they saw two figures—one green and one yellow—rushing out of the tear at an even faster speed and flying backward.

Two deep craters were seen on the ground.

Everyone looked at him with heated eyes after seeing that. That was the first time Professor X hesitated after seeing what happened. He took a look at Hulk and the Sentinel, who were both in their Green Calamity form, and was about to grit his teeth and charge in when the Phoenix girl beside him suddenly shrieked and rolled in the air, holding her head, unable to say a word.

"This is…" Professor X's pupils contracted and before he could say anything, a powerful mental power swept over him and scanned the entire battlefield. All the superheroes' pupils contracted and felt an indescribable despair for the first time.

That was a massive mental suppression that could not have been greater. Could such a level of mental suppression really exist in the body of an organic lifeform?

Zhang Heng's mental beam was like a god looking down on the entire battlefield. The mental power of Professor X and the phoenix girl was like a spark in the face of that overwhelming mental power, rendering them as powerless as ants before that massive mental suppression. Everyone's eyes were filled with despair when they saw how Hulk and the sentinel remained still for quite some time.

"I knew it. The energy from 100,000 stars exploding is non-existent. All of that is just nonsense…" Zhang Heng wore a deadpan expression as he looked at the battlefield with a blank look on his face. "The power of the biochemical warriors is quite impressive. While they might not be able to defeat the likes of the Hacking Marvels, which have power close to that of comics, I'm afraid that they would have taken over the entire United States by now if they were in any other world. Now, let's test out my power…"

Zhang Heng mumbled to himself and stood up all of a sudden, stepping out of the Dimensional Star's battleship in a single step. Tony's expression changed when he saw Zhang Heng. "So, it's you, the Black Mist Evil God!"

"Is that my nickname?" Zhang Heng smiled politely and nodded at Tony. "Mr. Tony Stark, I'm here for you, not for anything else."

"For me?" Tony's expression flickered slightly as he asked hesitantly, "You mean the Spirit of the Universe?"

"Spirit of the Universe? What's that?" Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit before waving his hand lightly. "Well then, let me search your memories. Dimensional Star, you won't be able to escape!"

Tony's expression changed as soon as he heard what Zhang Heng said. He felt a tremendous force coming at him, something that even his antimatter engines were unable to resist, and he was dragged right before Zhang Heng.

However, after exploring Tony's mind for a bit, Zhang Heng frowned and said, "No, that's impossible." He then turned to look at Tony and continued, "Tell me, where's the Dimensional Star? The explorer who traveled to unknown planes, Mr. Tony?"

Tony's expression didn't change when he said the first sentence, but his entire body shuddered when he heard what Zhang Heng said at the very end, and he looked utterly shocked for the first time.

618. Doctor Strange

"Y-You actually know what the Spirit of the Universe is capable of?" Tony looked at Zhang Heng in shock and blurted out.

"I see. You call the Dimensional Star the Spirit of the Universe?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and a glint flashed in his eyes. Tony felt dizzy all of a sudden. His pupils were slightly dilated and his eyes looked listless, as if he had been hypnotized.

"Tell me, where did the Spirit of the Universe go?"

It was as if a god had descended from the heavens in his consciousness and shouted at him in a majestic manner. Tony was hardly able to keep a single secret under that overwhelming pressure that felt like the heavens and earth. He was forced to answer, "The spirit of the universe disappeared last night… Friday told me that one of its kind has broken through some kind of limit. The spirit of the universe had to leave in order to protect itself…"

"Leave?" Zhang Heng frowned right away. "How do I contact the Spirit of the Universe then?"

"I don't know…" Tony shook his head mechanically and looked straight ahead with dazed eyes. "There's no other way… Even Friday is…"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but frown after hearing what Tony said. All of that happened in an instant. When Tony came back to his senses, the way he looked at Zhang Heng changed again. "You! What did you just do to me?"

"It's nothing, Mr. Tony." Zhang Heng shook his head and shook Tony's hand slightly. The Iron Man Armor all over Tony's body dissipated immediately and Zhang Heng threw Tony backward. A biochemical warrior immediately caught the man and captured Tony completely, taking him back to the Dimensional Warship.

Zhang Heng suddenly turned his gaze to the front after he was done. Groups of mecha warriors were gathered behind him, exuding a murderous aura and surrounding Zhang Heng like stars surrounding the moon. Even the Phoenix Maiden, who was one of the most powerful of the superheroes and Professor X, felt a chill running down her spine at the sight and began to think of retreating.

Zhang Heng smirked coldly and narrowed his gaze, casting his gaze at the elegant man with a mustache among the crowd. He then took a step forward and said in a low voice, "God said, there must be light!"

The entire world seemed to darken as soon as he said that, as if something huge was blocking the sunlight.

"God said that there should be air between all the water, and that the water should be top and bottom," Zhang Heng continued.

There was a loud rumble and the air began to boil. Everyone felt as if the entire world was in a state of chaos. All the superheroes' expressions changed drastically at that moment as they looked around with terrified expressions. They could sense that Zhang Heng's aura was everywhere in the world.

"God said that the water of the world had to be gathered in one place, exposing the dry land."

Zhang Heng's voice seemed to be heard from somewhere. Accompanied by an inexplicable rumbling sound, a frightening energy began to gather at his glabella.

"That's…" Professor X looked terrified as he stared at what looked like a miracle before him. While Zhang Heng was reciting the Bible at the moment, every time he said something, the heavens and earth seemed to have defied the laws of God, making everything in the world feel as if they were being transported back in time and space.

"God said that there must be bodies of light in the sky, and that they could be divided into day and night, making markings, setting festival orders, days, and years."

As Zhang Heng's last sentence was heard, a soul-stirring glow lit up on his glabella, making him look like a huge sun. Amidst the rumbles in everyone's hearts, a brownish-yellow crystal began to form with clacking sounds, as if it was trying to completely condense out of the chaos.

"That's…" Amongst the crowd, Professor X and the others who had fought with Zhang Heng all those years ago seemed to have recalled something all of a sudden, and shock was seen in their eyes. At the same time, they saw a gem glittering with yellow light materializing right in front of their eyes.

"Mind Gem!"

The gem that Zhang Heng had stolen from the Phantasmal Spacehead all those years ago was actually condensed in the Marvel World. Not only that, but the Mind Gem seemed to let out a joyous cry when it was condensed, as it displayed shocking power in the air. The gem then flew into the space between Zhang Heng's eyebrows like a swallow returning to its nest.

Zhang Heng's aura skyrocketed all of a sudden. If one were to say that he still had a chance of winning despite how powerful he was before, everyone felt a deep sense of despair when they sensed his aura right now. They felt as if they were not facing a human, but a mountain, a planet, or even a bottomless abyss.

The Mind Gem, which had protected Zhang Heng for 400 years and eventually ran out of power, was actually resurrected by Zhang Heng after it returned to the Origin plane.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and took a step forward when he felt the warmth from the spot between his eyebrows. Everything in the world seemed to have come to a standstill as soon as he took that step, as if he had sealed the space around him. He took a step forward and appeared right before the man with the mustache.

"Supreme Mage Stephen," Zhang Heng said casually. He extended his right hand and made a grab for the man's chest. His ultimate goal was a pendant that was emitting green light.

"In your dreams!"

However, just when Zhang Heng was about to make contact with the pendant, the man with the mustache, who was pinned to the ground, had a look of shock on his face and managed to break free from the domain that Zhang Heng created. He retreated at the same time, and the space behind him distorted with a loud rumble, causing visible ripples to appear. When Zhang Heng came to his senses, he found that the man had retreated several kilometers away and was looking at him with a wary expression.

"Interesting." Zhang Heng chuckled and bent down slightly. He took a step forward and the ground behind him exploded with dirt. His body tore through the air with a deafening rumble and appeared right in front of her.

The elegant man's expression changed drastically and he quickly made a gesture, causing the space before him to distort once again. He wanted to isolate Zhang Heng from himself, but Zhang Heng's hand tore through the space at the same time that the space around him was being distorted, causing him to float right before the elegant man's eyes and grab the pendant on his chest at lightning speed.

Crack!

The elegant man's pendant was torn apart with a crisp crack. However, before Zhang Heng was able to calm himself down, a green gemstone at the center of the pendant began to glow with a blinding light. Zhang Heng felt as if his body was not under his control and he opened his palm involuntarily. The pendant then went in the opposite direction and went back to the elegant man's neck. It was put back together with a snapping sound and became as good as new.

Time reversed!

"Do you really think that you're the only one who knows how to reverse time, Doctor Strange?" Zhang Heng snorted coldly. The center of his eyebrows opened right after he said that, and the earthen-yellow gem of his soul burst forth with a brilliant light. A majestic beam of light shot out from the gem at the same time, carrying the power of space with it as it executed Time Backtrack.

The refined-looking man's expression changed drastically as he watched the pendant before his chest break again and fall into the other man's hand. He tried to activate the power of the pendant yet again, only to find that the yellow beam of light had completely cut off the green gem on the pendant. Zhang Heng grabbed the pendant in the very next second.

He had the Time Gem.

619. Six Great Gems

The elegant man's expression changed drastically when he saw that the pendant before his chest had been completely taken over by Zhang Heng. He activated the power of space and time again, feeling indignant. However, Zhang Heng simply waved his hand and the elegant man was sent flying, vomiting a huge mouthful of blood as if he had been dealt a heavy blow.

That elegant man was none other than Stephen, the Doctor of Strange. The pendant that he had lost was the Eye of the Argo, which was given to him by the Ancient One. The thing that was embedded in the center of the Eye of the Argo was another of the six Infinity Stones, the Time Gem, that were found in the Marvel Universe and the Mind Gem.

He now had two Infinity Stones in his possession.

"Now that you've lost the power of the Time Gem, I assume that you're no longer capable of triggering time with your current level of power?" Zhang Heng looked at the grinning face of Professor Bi Qiang and turned to look at the sky. "You may not know this, but the other reason why I went to such lengths, other than to find the guy I hate the most, is to lure you out."

"It would be very difficult for you to use the power of the Eye of the Agomore unless you were approved," Dr. Strange said unwillingly as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Is that so?" Zhang Heng asked in return and clenched his fist hard. The pendant known as the Eye of the Agomore shattered into pieces all of a sudden, leaving only that emerald crystal at the center.

Zhang Heng seemed to be able to feel the faint repulsion from the gem as he looked at the gem in his hand. As expected, only those who were acknowledged by the Infinity Stone would be able to fully utilize the power within the gem.

However, it didn't look like it would be difficult to gain the approval of the gem…

Zhang Heng's expression flickered for a bit, and boundless Light of the Soul shot out from his glabella. At the same time, a surge of power burst forth from the newly formed Mind Gem between his eyebrows. The two streams of power surged into the Time Gem, and the Time Gem's glow became dark and gloomy all of a sudden, as if it had been corrupted.

The Time Gem was like a boat caught in a raging storm when it was caught in the attack from the two forces, struggling to hold on. That scene caused the expression on Professor Bi Qiang's face to change yet again. He charged at Zhang Heng without a second thought, looking pained and crazed.

"What's the point of resorting to violence if you're able to resist the pressure with just your will alone?" Zhang Heng waved his hand casually and the body of the Doctor Strange was sent flying yet again. The Doctor Strange was unable to get back up from that attack, and it was unclear whether he was dead or crippled.

At the same time, the Time Gem suffered setbacks after setback from both Zhang Heng and the Mind Gem. It was only when Zhang Heng was about to have the Light of the Mind completely wipe out the consciousness of the Time Gem that the special gemstone finally let out a wail and gave up all thoughts of resisting, allowing the Mind Gem to capture it. The gemstone then flew into Zhang Heng's glabella through the yellow light and became one with the yellow gemstone.

Boom!

Zhang Heng felt his consciousness explode as soon as the two of them fused. He felt as if he was suddenly enlightened as countless time lines flickered all over his body. His understanding of time became even more thorough at that moment. A look of enlightenment flashed across his eyes and he touched his forehead. He saw that the gem in the crevice between his eyebrows had been split into two. One half was yellowish yellow while the other half had turned emerald green.

"While it's only the Rule Power of the Marvel Universe, it's still very helpful for my understanding of the physical laws of the various universes." Zhang Heng nodded and took one last look at the superheroes who were still pinned to the ground. He stomped on the ground again and returned to the Dimensional Warship. It was only then that everyone felt as if they had been released from their shackles and woke up one by one. However, all they saw at that moment were the biochemical warriors who turned around and returned to the Dimensional Warship. Zhang Heng was nowhere to be found.

"He stole the Eye of the Agomore…" A few of them helped the severely injured Professor Bi Qiang to his feet, only to hear the latter's warning. "He wants to imitate Mie Ba, gather all six Infinity Stones, and rule the universe!"

Everyone's expression changed immediately.

"If that's the case, his next target would be the Land of No Owners and the Asgard Palace…" Professor X's expression was grave. "This is an opponent that is even more terrifying than Mie Ba."

…

Three days later, in some corner of the universe, a badly damaged battleship emerged from a wormhole that had been opened up at the last minute. The battleship's initially multicolored armor was now riddled with holes and its color had completely dimmed, making it look as if it had just been through an intense battle.

However, at that moment, the massive battleship began to absorb zero energy from the vacuum that was everywhere in the universe as soon as the battleship was freed from the battlefield. The damaged parts of the battleship began to close up at a discernible rate, and as energy was injected into the battleship, the battleship became colorful once again.

The battleship returned to its original state in less than 10 minutes. However, more than a third of the million biochemical warriors inside the battleship had been reduced. Zhang Heng was sitting at the core of the Dimensional Warship, rubbing his glabella in exhaustion. However, a smirk was seen constantly on his face. If one were to get close enough, they would discover that there was yet another kind of glow on his glabella, apart from the yellow and green lights from before. That glow was as deep blue as the ocean.

Boom!

The ship didn’t stay in the void for long. A wormhole opened up again and the ship flashed, turning into a silver stream of light that shot into the wormhole and disappeared into space.

…

The Dimensional Warship emerged from the void five days later. The damage to the battleship was even more severe this time, with almost half of the battleship reduced to dust. There were less than a tenth of the biochemical warriors inside the battleship, with less than a hundred thousand remaining. Zhang Heng, who was sitting in the command room, had bloodshot eyes and a rather pale face, as if he had sustained some injuries in the previous battle.

However, all of that was worth it. A fourth color was seen flickering on his glabella at that moment. That color was the color of fresh blood.

"Mind, time, space, reality…" Zhang Heng looked at the slowly dissipating wormhole behind him and mumbled to himself, "Now that I've gotten my hands on the four Infinity Stones, there are only the Strength and the Soul Gem left. According to the plot trajectory, the whereabouts of the Strength Gem should be under the protection of the New Star Army, and the most mysterious Soul Gem should be…"

Zhang Heng closed his eyes for a bit before opening them again. When he opened them again, yellow, green, blue, and red lights were seen flickering in his eyes, which were soul-stirring.

"Is that… Heimdall's eye?"

Zhang Heng frowned. He hadn't seen Heimdall when he was attacking the Odin Kingdom, but that was only to be expected. He had learned from the memories of countless people that the Chief Executioner had collected six gemstones back then, and the positions of the six gemstones had changed back then. While he was able to defeat the Chief Executioner in the end and return all of the Infinity Stones to their original positions, if the soul gem had been Heimdall's eye, then, given the Chief Executioner's personality, he would have probably killed Heimdall a long time ago. As such, it would be very interesting to know who would be in possession of the soul gem at the moment.

"I can take my time searching for the soul gem. I'd better head to the place where the Superstar Army is first." Zhang Heng raised his head and looked into the distance. The massive Dimensional Warship began to jump again and disappeared without a trace.

620. The Last Gem

When Zhang Heng emerged from the void seven days later, the once massive spaceship was utterly wrecked. Smoke billowed from many parts of the ship and blue flames burned all over the place. The flames looked like flowing water when the ship was weightless, making it look both magnificent and poignant.

Zhang Heng's face was even paler at the moment, and the command room he was in was in shambles, looking as if it had been ravaged by some huge beast. A muscular man wearing construction armor fell to the ground before Zhang Heng without making a sound. His head was completely separated from his body, with only his eyes wide open, floating around him.

"The New Star Army is indeed very powerful. Their ability to absorb energy is at an all-time high, and with the power of the Strength Gem… However, you only have one gem in your possession after all…" Zhang Heng took a deep breath as he looked at the man who had died with his eyes still open. He was holding onto a gem that was emitting a purple glow.

"Come in!"

Zhang Heng closed his eyes for a bit. The four beams of light—yellow, blue, green, and red—surrounded the ball of purple light in an instant. The purple light rushed left and right at the moment, but it was unable to resist the combined attacks of the other four gems. In the end, it wailed and was absorbed into Zhang Heng's glabella.

Zhang Heng's aura rose yet again at that moment, making him look like an inflated balloon. The space and timeline around him began to vibrate. Zhang Heng grabbed hold of a glass that was floating in the air due to the damage caused by the gravitational generators. The glass shattered into the smallest particles in an instant and then reformed. The glass of water went through hundreds, thousands of times of disintegration and reformation when Zhang Heng grabbed hold of the glass of water. That was only due to the massive amount of power in his body, which resulted in the power being generated without him realizing it.

"Such tremendous power…"

Even Zhang Heng himself was shocked by the power contained within his body. He took a look at the Dimensional Warship, which was on the verge of collapse, and waved his hand. Time began to flow backward and the entire ship, which was on the verge of destruction, began to recover at a speed visible to the naked eye. Not only that, but even the biochemical warriors who had died in battle began to gather in the void. It didn't take long for the ship to return to its original state of being intact.

The glint in Zhang Heng's eyes continued to flicker after he was done. "I'm sure that the entire universe is on high alert at the moment. Obtaining the last gemstone would probably be even more difficult than acquiring all five combined…"

"But it's not like there's no other way. If I were to use that method, I might be able to get the soul gem without spending too much effort…"

Zhang Heng's expression flickered and he closed his eyes all of a sudden. The Light of Mind reached the quantum bubble and began to trace everything that had happened in the universe since ancient times.

Everything before his eyes seemed to have turned into a mirage. From the very beginning of the universe, six singularities appeared in the world, which then turned into six balls of light. One of them exploded and flew in all directions, disappearing into the bottomless darkness far away.

Zhang Heng's eyes narrowed and he suddenly took a step forward, following that ball of golden light closely. That ball of golden light gradually cooled and hardened in the illusion that appeared before his eyes, eventually taking the shape of a golden, crystal-clear gem. It then went on to wander all over the universe after countless hundreds of millions of years of fighting. Everything that happened felt like a slide show, as everything that had happened for tens of billions of years came into view. In the end, after countless battles, that golden soul gem fused into the body of a black young man from the Aslanian Clan.

However, the illusions slowed down again after fusing with the young man's body. Zhang Heng watched as the young black man from Asgard continued to grow, becoming more outstanding than his people, and eventually, he was received by Odin, who put on a strange helmet like he was being crowned, becoming the legendary God of Dawn.

Of course, the deities of the so-called 'Asgard', 'Asgard', and other systems were just another group of aliens that looked similar to humans in Zhang Heng's eyes. While they claimed to be deities, they were fundamentally different from the technological side of the Earth, as they were an extraterrestrial civilization focused on the application of energy.

The young black man had shown that there was something different about him from his fellow tribesmen at a very young age. His eyes were able to see into the soul, and when he used his powers, he was able to turn into the legendary golden color. He was Heimdall.

The illusion before Zhang Heng's eyes had reached 400 years ago. He watched as Heimdall suddenly extended a strong purple arm from the space he was in when he was guarding the Odin Kingdom one day and grabbed at Heimdall quickly. Heimdall was unable to react in time to the terrifying force and his eyes were gouged out by the purple hand that came out of nowhere. The hand pulled his eyes back before he could even scream…

Zhang Gen turned around and the space-time around him shifted to another place. He saw a tall, muscular man with purple skin sitting on a chair that was floating in midair. Heimdall's eyes had completely turned into a golden gem…

Destroyer!

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up and he didn't make a move right away. He simply continued watching. He watched as Mie Ba continued to collect Infinity Stones throughout the entire universe with his mighty power, bringing countless deaths with him. Eventually, he was able to get his hands on all five gems—space, time, reality, soul, and power. However, no matter how hard he searched, the last one remained nowhere to be found.

Mieba would never have guessed that the Mind Gem would have followed Zhang Heng to the real world a long time ago. Unless Mieba had the ability to jump out of the Marvel Multiverse, he would never be able to locate the Mind Gem.

In the end, due to being unable to replenish his power, Mie Ba was defeated by the combined efforts of the Avengers. The moment Mie Ba was defeated, all five of the gems that he had collected were sent flying in all directions. The other four gems were all recovered with the efforts of the Avengers and returned to their rightful owners, with only the soul gems flying far away.

Zhang Heng continued to follow, but to his surprise, the gem flew back into Heimdall's body as well. It was just that Heimdall was currently hiding in a pocket universe known as the End of the World. That pocket universe, which served as the Marvel universe, was very well-hidden, with less than 10 people in the entire universe knowing about it.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but sigh deeply at what he saw. If it hadn't been for him using the Time Backtrack, he probably wouldn't have been able to locate the soul gem even if he were to spend hundreds, even thousands of years. But now…

Zhang Heng smirked and took a step forward all of a sudden, grabbing at Heimdall's silhouette. The moment he grabbed Heimdall's eyes, a tremendous beam of mental power burst forth, carrying the power of the Time Gem and the Space Gem. The karma of everything in the world was completely reversed at that moment.

Buzz!

621. Four Dimensions

Stars danced before Zhang Heng's eyes, and the massive beam of mental power was actually being absorbed by the void in an instant. A feeling of weakness welled up in his chest. He gritted his teeth and an image of a vast, boiling ocean appeared behind him, taking over his exhaustion. He was only able to heave a sigh of relief at that moment.

The countless karmic threads and timelines around him were thrown into complete disarray before his very eyes. Heimdall, the God of Dawn, seemed to have gained sentience at that very moment, as if he was standing right before Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng seized that moment and tore at the air, feeling two slippery objects being pulled out of his hands. He grabbed hold of them and saw a golden beam shooting into the sky.

"Ah!"

A blood-curdling scream was heard from afar.

Golden light shone everywhere and the beam of light in his hand shot into the sky. He felt a tremendous force coming at him at the same time and was almost unable to hold on to his hand. He quickly clenched his fist and held the thing that was struggling in his hand. He used the power of the five gemstones to suppress the golden beam of light and the resistance was completely weakened after half a minute.

"I've finally got it…" Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief and slowly opened his right hand with his head lowered. He saw an Infinity Stone that looked exactly like the other gems in his hand. However, the light it emitted was pure gold.

Zhang Heng's last gem, the soul gem, was finally in his possession.

…

While Zhang Heng held onto the soul gem through time and space, Heimdall, the God of Dawn, was sitting on a chair countless light-years away. Beside him, Odin and Thor were chatting happily with Heimdall. Heimdall had been with Odin for countless years, and the two of them could be said to be both servants and friends.

"Heimdall, do not go out for the time being. The evil god of the black smog is looking for the Infinity Stone everywhere. My Asgard Palace has been attacked by him, and there are heavy casualties. The space gem is also lost…"

Odin sighed.

"Even you're no match for him, Your Majesty?" Heimdall's expression changed.

"I couldn't do anything to him, and he couldn't do anything to me either. It's just a pity that things happened all of a sudden, and he still managed to get his hands on the space gem." Odin nodded with a sorrowful look on his face. "It wasn't just me. Both the ownerless Lands and the Superstar Army were killed by him…"

Heimdall seemed to have sensed something while the three of them were talking and his expression suddenly changed.

"What is it?" Odin was stunned.

"I don't know why… I suddenly have a feeling of palpitation. Maybe…" Heimdall shook his head and was about to say something when he felt a sharp pain in his eyes and two streams of blood shot out. Heimdall let out a heart-wrenching scream in the very next second.

"Oh no!" Thor's expression changed drastically. He stood up all of a sudden and looked around for the enemy, only to hear Odin sigh. "It's too late."

"Father, what happened?" The Thunder God's eyes were about to pop out of their sockets as he asked loudly.

"You haven't reached that level yet." Odin helped Heimdall up and looked at his surroundings with a serious expression. "I can see that the karmic line that connects to Heimdall… has been changed. That evil god of the black fog, he reversed the karma that was in Heimdall's body after he defeated Mie Ba. He went on to guard against it for as long as he could, and he still got the last gem…"

…

No matter how terrified and remorseful the three of them felt, Zhang Heng was able to easily subdue the last soul gem with the help of the five gemstones on his glabella. The soul gem wailed in submission before sinking into his glabella.

Boom!

An earth-shattering rumble was heard in Zhang Heng's consciousness. He held his glabella and gritted his teeth. The six gems melted into liquid at the same time and fused with one another naturally, as if the six gems were born as one.

The Dirac Sea around Zhang Heng boiled and countless powers were released, forming a storm of time and space around him. Even the laws of causality and physics began to twist in that storm. Zhang Heng's eyes were bloodshot as he clenched his fists, doing his best to devour all the powers that the six gems emitted after fusing.

Zhang Heng felt as if he was seeing a mirage of the world opening up in his consciousness at that very moment. The Light of Mind spread throughout the entire universe at a speed that surpassed space. All the super existences in the Marvel Universe seemed to have sensed something at the same time and looked in Zhang Heng's direction in shock.

"Hah… it's been a long time since I've felt like I'm omnipotent." He felt a stabbing pain from his glabella, yet he suddenly chuckled. The laughter grew louder, turning into a maniacal laughter. The space around him began to tear apart as the air around him was triggered. Time was rendered completely chaotic around him. All the laws of physics that should have been everywhere were rendered completely useless around him.

"That's the feeling…"

Zhang Heng was overjoyed and the pain in his glabella gradually subsided. What replaced it was a mighty force that was even more powerful than that of the Dirac Sea. He looked up at the sky with a burning gaze and took a step forward all of a sudden. However, he didn't go higher. Instead, he headed straight for the fourth direction that the three-dimensional human beings couldn't detect.

Boom!

His body began to expand at that moment. It was not due to the change in size and weight, but rather, his body began to expand in the fourth direction, forming an indescribable shape of a three-dimensional space.

His body was able to break through some kind of barrier through that transformation, completely breaking through the three-dimensional barrier and taking a step forward.

The Marvel Universe beneath his feet began to shrink at once. Zhang Heng felt as if he was standing up for the first time in a flat space-time. He took a deep breath and looked like someone who had just breathed air for the first time in a drowning person. At the same time, he was able to see with his own eyes that there were countless universes that were equally flat all around him. They looked like an infinitely huge spiderweb that was connected to each other, forming a dense net of universes.

While it was true that those universes had three-dimensional spaces that were both wide and tall, in his eyes, those spaces were spread out like white paper, with no secrets to speak of.

He saw the conversation between Odin and Thor in the pocket universe. He saw the Avengers gathering all the forces that could stand against him on Earth. He also saw an even sturdier and flawless universe not far away from the Marvel Universe, where a blue planet was bustling with activity. Countless anti-gravity flying cars were seen everywhere and cities were seen everywhere.

That was Earth in the real world.

There was no longer any mist in his vision of the myriad worlds and heavens.

Zhang Heng, who had collected all six Infinity Stones at that moment, had finally achieved his goal. He had broken through the barrier of three-dimensional space and arrived in a vaster four-dimensional space, reaching the level of equality with the Dimensional Star for the first time.

622. Marvel Battle

The fourth dimension was a very mysterious world.

Humans still looked like they had two arms, two legs, and a head, but there was something different about them. For example, if there were humans in the two-dimensional world, their appearance would look like a thin piece of paper, and they could only move about on paper, unable to transcend the paper and reach reality. While they had bodies and corresponding outlines, there was absolutely no concept of thickness.

If humans from two-dimensional space were to come to three-dimensional space, they would realize that they had become thicker, as they would only be able to stand up from the paper after becoming thicker.

Zhang Heng's current state was very similar to that of the humans in the two-dimensional world. His body had grown a little bit closer to the fourth dimension. If one were to look at him from three-dimensional space, he would still be Zhang Heng. His appearance remained the same, yet they had no idea that all they saw was a projection of Zhang Heng in three-dimensional space.

The three-dimensional space was no longer able to contain Zhang Heng's body.

Zhang Heng felt rather sentimental. He still remembered how he was able to see what the four-dimensional space looked like through the hole in the Dimensional Star when he first got his hands on the Dimensional Star all those years ago. However, that single glance of his had completely exceeded the limits of his brain. Yet, he was now able to reach the fourth dimension and stand above all living beings.

However, just when Zhang Heng was savoring the wonders of the four-dimensional space, he suddenly saw figures with boundless power appearing in the Marvel Universe beneath his feet. Those figures kept closing in on his projection in the three-dimensional universe, looking very aggressive.

"So, you finally decided to take action, huh?" Zhang Heng wore a condescending smirk on his face. It was obvious that his actions had finally alerted the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. When those beings saw that Zhang Heng had collected all six gems, they were unable to sit still any longer and actually came together to attack him.

Zhang Heng looked into the distance through the projection in the three-dimensional space and saw hundreds of monsters of all shapes and sizes charging at him. All of those monsters were lifeforms formed from some kind of energy consciousness of some unknown, intangible form.

Deity group!

Zhang Heng realized what was going on right away. Those people were known to be one of the earliest species of life born in the universe. The weakest of them had enough power to destroy thousands of galaxies at once, and the strongest of them could easily destroy millions of galaxies, granting them a power that was as powerful as that of a planetoid.

There were five beings behind the Deity group that seemed to be overflowing with energy. One of them was a humanoid creature wearing red armor that looked very similar to humans. The other was a skeleton wearing a black windbreaker, and there were two men and a woman. The man's body seemed to be made of endless galaxies, making it look as if there was an entire universe in his body. The woman, on the other hand, looked rather normal and looked very much like a human.

The last one wore a purple cloak.

Zhang Heng couldn't help but applaud when the five of them appeared. "Planet Devourer, Death, Infinity, Eternal, Annihilation. I never thought that the five creators of the Marvel Universe, Ming, would be here as well."

The Planet Devourer was one of the five founding gods of Marvel. It was said to be the sum of energy found in all universes in the multiverse of Marvels. Its existence surpassed that of the strong and the weak, the good and the evil, and all logic. All time, all strength, all heights, all laws, all forms, all forms, all forms, above and below. All levels, all spirits, all literature, all space, all manner of writing, all manner of definitions and indications, all concepts, all ways of thinking and understanding, all boundaries, all origins, all phenomena, all logic, all ideas, and so on.

Death represented the source, creator, and manipulator of all living beings in the Marvel Universe. It represented the end of all life in the universe, and the ultimate manifestation of the entire universe.

Infinity, on the other hand, was able to manipulate the timeline of the Multiverse at will and create new branches on the timeline. Any one of those extremely insignificant points in its body was equivalent to having countless dimensions restart and destroy infinitesimal energy.

There was also Eternal and Obliteration, which were even more powerful than the first three. Those five entities were practically at the conceptual level.

Zhang Heng was rather astonished by the sight of the top beings that were rarely seen in the Marvel Dimension, but that was all.

"If I were to say that I could take a look at the five creators of the universe, who the hell do you guys think you are?" Zhang Heng looked at the Skygods that seemed like they were about to tear him apart and bent down, extending a hand to the monsters from the fourth dimension.

"Hand over the Infinity Stone!" A blue entity from the Deity group made his move. The space before Zhang Heng immediately began to vibrate violently, causing even the space itself to vibrate. If Zhang Heng were just an ordinary person, he would have been reduced to the most primitive structure of particles by the shockwave, never to be found again.

However, what truly shocked that member of the Sky Celestial team was that Zhang Heng stood where he was, seemingly unfazed. Instead, he wore a sarcastic grin on his face. The very next second, the space where the countless members of the Sky Celestial team were standing exploded with a thunderous rumble.

"Chi!"

A pitch-black tear appeared around the group of Empyrean Gods almost instantaneously. Countless members of the Empyrean Gods were wiped out along with the space that had disappeared.

If one were to look from the fourth dimension, they would see Zhang Heng stretching out his hand and tearing at the space above the Marvel Universe. All of a sudden, the space that the Deities and the others were in was torn out of the space that they were in like a piece of paper, before being crushed into a ball and turning all life inside into a chaotic mess before the world was even created.

The Celestial Group, which was powerful enough to destroy half of the universe, was completely wiped out of the Marvel Universe in a single stroke by Zhang Heng, deader than dead.

The five Creation Gods stopped in their tracks when they saw that. Shock was written all over their faces as they looked at Zhang Heng in shock, unable to comprehend just how he was able to erase that most basic piece of space.

They would have been able to destroy that space at any given moment, but what followed was an endless eruption of energy. Countless chain effects took place, yet things were no longer as silent and still as they were at the moment.

Zhang Heng's power had far exceeded their understanding and frightened them.

"How did you do that?" The five of them stood 50 kilometers away from Zhang Heng, keeping their guard up. While it looked like the distance was very far, in terms of space, 50 kilometers and 50 centimeters weren't that different.

"Of course you wouldn't be able to understand. Ants who can only exist in three-dimensional space, no matter how powerful they are, would be able to comprehend the power of a four-dimensional existence," Zhang Heng's projection in three-dimensional space said calmly. At the same time, he made a grab for the space where the five of them were. They were in a higher dimension after all. Despite being the creators of the universe, the five of them were still unable to sense what was happening in a higher dimension.

"Shut up!" The female image of 'Infinity' walked out and shouted, "My existence is a representation of the total phenomenon of the entire universe. I am able to control all the spaces in the multiverse at will and countless dimensions are under my control! How dare you…"

Before 'Infinity' finished speaking, they felt Zhang Heng disappearing right in front of them. Everyone's expression changed and they were just about to give chase when they realized that the starry sky around them changed all of a sudden. Countless stars dimmed quickly and the entire space eventually turned pitch-black.

623. Life Devouring Tribunal

"What happened?!" Infinity shrieked instinctively.

"Shut up, you b * tch!" Annihilation shouted from the side. "My power can manipulate and change karma. At the same time, the laws of karma and super-causality are completely ineffective against me. As such, everything before me is definitely not caused by the distortion of karma, but something else!"

"Infinity is capable of manipulating all space, yet the space before us is unbreakable, even if it is infinity!" Of the five of them, only Eternal remained relatively calm. He began to attempt to dart left and right in all directions, only to discover to his dismay that he and the other four were trapped in a miniature space-time continuum. Regardless of which direction they went, they would eventually return to where they came from, as if they had fallen into a vicious cycle.

"The space around us has shrunk. The space we're in has completely shrunk to the size of a building with a circumference of several thousand meters. How is that possible?" Yongheng finally said unwillingly after trying countless times. The eyes of the five of them were filled with despair.

Zhang Heng was standing at a height that surpassed everyone else's spacetime at the moment, looking at the five people who were rendered completely helpless in the ring-shaped space. What he did was very simple—he rolled up the space that looked like a piece of paper and sealed it into a cylinder-like shape, sealing that space completely. The five of them were like ants on a cylinder, unable to leave the surface of the cylinder no matter how long they ran on it.

"Regardless of the laws governing space, time, karma, death, destruction, and so on, you're still three-dimensional beings. You'll forever be ants before the power of four-dimensional beings." Zhang Heng shook his head and mumbled to himself as he looked at the five people who looked like headless flies.

Even the Infinity God, who was said to be able to control all dimensions of the Marvel Universe, had a power level that only existed in the Marvel Universe. Once they were completely separated from the Marvel Universe, they would be like water without roots when faced with a real four-dimensional entity, unable to exert even the slightest bit of their power.

"So, this is the power of four dimensions…" Zhang Heng sighed and paid no further attention to their movements. He turned around and looked behind him. "Your Excellency, have you seen enough?"

The space behind Zhang Heng began to distort as soon as he finished speaking, and a golden figure slowly walked out with tremendous power.

It was a massive golden giant with bulging muscles all over its body, making it look like it was forged from steel. However, what was surprising was that it had no neck. Its head was completely suspended above its body, and the area where its neck was located was completely empty.

Zhang Heng looked at the golden giant, who was also in a four-dimensional space, and chuckled. "I didn't expect that the legendary entity that stood above the five great gods of creation, the entity second only to the Concept-level One-Above-All, the highest judge responsible for balancing all realities, the court of life that supervised and maintained the balance of the entirety of the Marvel Diverse, would actually be a four-dimensional entity as well."

"Zhang Heng, aren't you afraid that I'll kill you?" The golden giant looked at Zhang Heng with a serious expression, as if it was afraid of something and didn't do anything.

"Do you think you can kill me?" Zhang Heng asked in return, a cold smirk on his face. "If I'm not mistaken, that's just your temporary power. You're still a three-dimensional lifeform, right?"

"How did you know?" The Court of Life's expression changed drastically, as if someone had just exposed its true nature, and it finally wore a sinister expression.

"If you were a real four-dimensional being, how could you have been defeated by Mieba?" Zhang Heng chuckled coldly. The guy before him definitely had no idea that there was once a plot in the Court of Life in the real world, which was that Mieba had fused with the Heart of the Marvel Universe and defeated him. However, that plot took place in the future, and the Court of Life had no idea that there was an ordinary plane in the real world at the moment, which had long exposed all of his secrets.

However, while he couldn't understand what Zhang Heng was saying, there was no way the Church of Life didn't know that his true identity as a four-dimensional being had been exposed. He made a move without giving it any thought, drawing on some kind of power that existed in the four-dimensional space, and threw it at Zhang Heng.

"Get lost!" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and shouted all of a sudden. A mental barrier that looked like an orange light screen appeared before him at the same time he said that, seemingly materializing and changing shape in the four-dimensional space. The mental barrier was like a heavy hammer when the Court of Life charged at it, and the center of the barrier flipped out and blew the Court of Life away with a bang.

"Ah!"

The Court of Life let out a blood-curdling scream and crashed heavily into the void. It was only then that a look of horror appeared in its eyes and it shrieked, "Impossible! What kind of power is this? Why is there such power in the four-dimensional space?"

"Mind power, psychokinesis, Light of the Mind, AT stance…" Zhang Heng walked over slowly. "There are many names for such powers, but I'm sure you've heard of every single one of them."

"Impossible!" The court of life was even more shocked. "How could you use the Light of the Soul that only exists in three dimensions when you're in four-dimensional space? You must be lying to me!"

"I'm not in the mood to lie to a dead man." Zhang Heng shook his head and pressed on. "Regular Light of the Soul might be out of the question, but what if I were to possess the complete Light of the Soul of all humanity?"

Zhang Heng smirked and said, "I, am the entire human race!"

"Damn it!" The Court of Life looked as if it had just seen a ghost and backed away right away. While it was unable to comprehend what Zhang Heng was saying, it didn't mean that he wasn't afraid of death. The Court of Life looked indignant at Zhang Heng's open stance and seemed to hesitate for a bit before sighing and saying again, "Damn it, just stop… I've lost. I promise never to go against you again."

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and frowned all of a sudden, looking puzzled. "You admit defeat?"

"That's right. I admit that I've lost." The Court of Life nodded and continued solemnly, "You're very powerful and you even have the complete Light of the Soul. I'm no match for you!"

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and chuckled in a sarcastic manner all of a sudden. "Who gave you the confidence to think that I'd be willing to let you go if you just admit defeat?"

"You!" The Court of Life's expression changed drastically and it was about to say something when Zhang Heng opened his mouth all of a sudden. His mouth expanded like a black hole out of nowhere and swallowed the Court of Life in a completely illogical manner.

Creak!

The sound of bones cracking and muscles being torn apart was heard from Zhang Heng's mouth as he continued to scream in the Hall of Life. At the same time, a power that originated from the Marvel Universe continued to flow into his body in the four-dimensional space. It was only when it completely swallowed him that he raised his head and looked at the space before him with excitement on his face.

"There is indeed the presence of the Dimensional Star in the Karma Threads of the Court of Life. However, it is precisely because of that that it fits my previous speculations… Abandoning all possibilities, no matter how inconceivable the final outcome may be, that would be the ultimate answer!"

Zhang Heng looked into the distance with a burning gaze. "And the answer to that question is—the Dimensional Star. I'm afraid that there's some kind of restriction placed on it that prevents it from interfering with the three dimensions."

624. Samsara Space

A cold look was seen on Zhang Heng's face after he swallowed the Life Tribunal. He looked into the distance and said, "Dimensional Star, feel free to run. We're both in four-dimensional space, and I'll catch you no matter where you go, even if it takes me tens of millions of years. I'd like to see just what kind of conspiracy you have up your sleeve, searching for your host in the Infinite Worlds."

Zhang Heng suddenly extended his hand at that thought and held the entire Marvel plane in his hand like a newspaper. As he gained precise control over the particles and energy, the entire Marvel plane began to rumble as if it was being compressed.

From the outside, Zhang Heng looked like he was just kneading a piece of paper. However, inside the Marvel plane, there was something utterly devastating.

"What happened? Why is the entire universe contracting?"

Godking Odin had just returned to his divine kingdom and had yet to investigate the loss of Heimdall's eyes when his expression changed all of a sudden. He appeared in the void of space in a flash with a shocked look on his face. He could sense that the pressure in the entire space was growing at an obvious rate.

The sky on Earth became even bluer than it had been before. Even the stars and even the sun gradually changed from their original golden color to blue. The entire world was in an uproar. Countless scientists were shouting in disbelief. Countless countries around the world immediately began to operate to find out what was happening.

"There's no mistaking it. Th-that's the blue shift!" A white-bearded scientist looked at everything in space through the Hubble telescope and mumbled, "How is that possible? How could there be a visible blue shift? My God, is the world about to be destroyed?"

He fell to the ground before he was able to finish his sentence and blood kept flowing from his mouth and nose.

"Doctor!" The researchers behind him were thrown into a frenzy right away. Many of them felt that something was very wrong with the space around them, as if they were in a pressure cooker that was gradually becoming more intense. Many of them began to bleed from their noses.

"The Earth's atmosphere is increasing at an extremely fast rate. Oh my god, what happened?" Several scientists looked at the pressure gauge and said in disbelief, "The temperature is also rising. It's three degrees Celsius higher than before!"

"No, it's not the atmospheric pressure!" Another scientist said with a look of despair on his face. "The atmosphere is contracting. If this continues, the Earth will soon become a huge fireball!"

At that moment, Silver Shadow was standing at the top of the universe, feeling the increasingly intense pressure. He was also in disbelief. "How is this possible?! The universe, the universe is actually contracting? That doesn't make sense! Even if the life span of the universe reaches its end, it would still take tens of billions of years for it to start shrinking from expansion. How could it be happening so quickly…"

All existences within the entire Marvel Universe discovered that the entire world seemed to have been plunged into utter destruction. Rifts began to appear in space, and the gaps between the atoms kept shrinking. Many spaces were converted into energy through. The superheroes watched in despair as the space suddenly shrunk, and the entire universe began to collapse at an extremely fast speed.

Rumble…

Zhang Heng slowly clenched his fist and watched as the Marvel Universe in his hand gradually flattened from three-dimensional to one-dimensional. It was completely squashed with a loud rumble, dropping from three-dimensional to two-dimensional, before it was reduced to one-dimensional, with only a single straight line. In the end, the entire universe was reduced to a tiny dot.

Zero-dimensional point!

Zhang Heng finally stopped at that moment. He looked at the singularity before him that was infinitely large and infinitely small, and a strange look appeared on his face all of a sudden. "So, the Dimensional Star wasn't wrong. Am I really the curse of the Marvel plane?"

However, that thought only lasted for a brief moment. The singularity in his hand exploded in the very next second, causing massive amounts of energy to leak out in all directions. However, Zhang Heng was able to control the energy precisely. The energy continued to expand, transforming into all manner of shapes and structures of matter, before eventually turning into a new three-dimensional universe.

The destruction of the world and the creation of the world could be accomplished with a single thought.

He looked at the brand new universe in his hand and pulled on one of the intangible strings all of a sudden, just like how movies progressed quickly. Countless lifeforms began to evolve and develop in the universe. Under his control, everything that had happened before began to happen again. The birth of Earth, the birth of humanity, the birth of the Five Gods of Creation, and even the birth of the Court of Life.

In the end, the entire world returned to the moment when Zhang Heng first came to the Marvel Universe for the second time.

Zhang Heng smirked as he observed the changes taking place in the universe in his hand. Everything that he saw inside was no different from the history of the universe that he destroyed before, and every single one of them existed exactly the same. If there was one thing that was different, it was that all life in the universe had Zhang Heng's markings on their bodies. Other than that, there was no other difference.

Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily after doing all of that and turned around to leave. There was another more important reason why he did what he did, other than to experiment with his new power. That was, if the Dimensional Star were to come back to check on the situation after he left, he would be able to sense it right away as the creator of the universe. He would then be able to find the location of the Dimensional Star as soon as possible.

The efficiency of such a method wasn't very high, and Zhang Heng was only doing it casually. Even if he were to fail, he wouldn't mind.

Zhang Heng took a step out of the void and returned to the Dimensional amnesia plane right away. It felt like he was jumping from one panel to another, with a part of his body entering the Dimensional amnesia plane before returning to Planet Tannis. To the average person, Zhang Heng looked no different from how he was before, but he was the only one who knew that he was unable to fully enter the three-dimensional plane at the moment. Even if he were to do so, only a part of his body would be able to enter. It was as if he was a human standing on a piece of white paper. Even if the living beings on the white paper were to see him, they would only be able to see his shadow reflected on the white paper.

Zhang Heng's projection returned to the planet and with a thought, he converted all of his perception of the rules of the universe into technology and infused it into Corona's mind. Corona shuddered and seemed to have been enlightened.

"Get ready. I need to create a device that can transcend three-dimensional space and travel through all planes." Zhang Heng appeared before Corona and continued, "I've sent the blueprint into your consciousness. Such a machine is capable of manipulating space and time, as well as the laws of cause and effect, as well as all energy and matter. It's also capable of transcending three-dimensional space and traveling through the myriad worlds."

"Commander!" Corona looked shocked. "Understood. I'll do everything in my power to create this machine. However, does this machine have a name?"

"Let's just call it… the Samsara Space." Zhang Heng seemed to have thought of something and flashed a weird grin. "You'll be the core of the device, and your mission would be to create countless Reincarnators to carry out missions in the endless planes. The core purpose of the mission would be to help me hunt down all the Dimensional Star Lord. I don't believe that the Dimensional Star would be able to escape from such an attack."

"As long as I find enough hosts, I'll be able to locate where the Dimensional Star is hiding from the karmic threads that connect to it.

625. The Reaper Is Here

Endless planes, endless multiverse.

If one were to look at the ends of the highest dimensions, one would find that the entirety of the universe was like countless parallel membranes.

The membranes were parallel to each other, with each membrane gradually expanding. There was a very small possibility that some point between the two membranes would collide at some point, and at the same time, the two asymmetric parallel universes would be completely born.

The chances of them colliding with one another weren't high to begin with, but the number of membranes was limitless after all, and the area of the membrane was limitless as well. As such, countless universes were born and destroyed in the space-time that we were in at all times, never-ending and never-ending.

Countless parallel universes and countless membranes formed the world we were in. That was the most cutting-edge M theory of the 21st century on Earth, also known as the membrane theory.

According to Stephen Hawking's work, 'The Great Design', the membrane theory could be the ultimate theory that would explain the universe itself, and it could also be the ultimate answer to the unified field theory that Einstein spent his entire life pursuing.

But of course, Zhang Heng wouldn't be able to see the countless membranes colliding with one another, as that was something that could only be seen in the highest dimensions of the universe—11 dimensions. Zhang Heng was still far from being able to see that at his current height.

The new question that was raised was: Would there be lifeforms of higher dimensions above the four-dimensional level, such as the five-dimensional, six-dimensional, or even the ten-dimensional and eleven-dimensional ones? The answer to that question would probably be something that the insignificant four-dimensional lifeforms would never be able to answer.

Zhang Heng thought about all of that as he looked at the four-dimensional void in the distance. He might be able to reach the highest dimensions of the universe one day and solve all of that. However, that would only be the endless future. He had other things to do at the moment.

He lowered his head at that thought and looked at the millions of scientists and robots on the entire planet of Tanis, beginning to create a new piece of equipment.

The reason why Zhang Heng didn't do it himself was because of the law of karma. Karma existed in countless beings. If Zhang Heng were to create it himself, the Dimensional Star would be able to detect his karma and escape even further.

That was why Zhang Heng asked the humans from Corona and Tanis to construct the four-dimensional machine, to borrow his understanding of the universe. While it would take a lot of work, the chances of success were slim.

Days passed and hundreds of years passed quickly. The population of the Tanis planet expanded once again, from five million to hundreds of millions. With Zhang Heng's understanding of the universe, human technology continued to develop, reaching some kind of pinnacle. Material, energy, space, time, and even the four fundamental forces were completely taken over by humans.

It was on that very day that the machine that humans had been building for hundreds of years, something that surpassed three-dimensional space, was completed.

It was a black machine that exceeded three-dimensional space and reached four-dimensional space. From a three-dimensional perspective, the entire machine looked like a round black ball. Humans could only see the complete shape of the entire machine when they rose from three-dimensional space to four-dimensional space due to the protection of the Dimensional Travel Device. Three-dimensional terms were simply not enough to describe the appearance and structure of the machine.

"Commander, the Samsara Space has finally been completed after so many years. It's been a long time." Corona was standing right beside Zhang Heng with a wide grin on her face. She had long since left the body of that cumbersome square steeple hundreds of years ago, becoming a semi-living entity.

"Very well. I'll be counting on you to take care of everything else from here on out." Zhang Heng nodded and took a step back. He immediately left the three-dimensional space and disappeared from Corona's vision.

"Hehe, then let me walk into the world that you perceive, Commander!" Corona chuckled and headed straight for the sphere before her. The outer shell of the huge black sphere before her looked like liquid. Corona was completely unaffected and went straight into the sphere.

Boom!

The entire equipment began to activate as Corona walked in. The sphere's energy extractor began to absorb the vacuum zero energy around it. A brilliant beam of light burst out from the black sphere at the same time.

From afar, the entire black sphere looked like it had turned into a sun. It was dazzling, yet the light wasn't blinding. Instead, it looked very gentle. One wouldn't feel uncomfortable standing at the bottom of the sphere and looking at the entire sphere.

The black ball, which had turned into a huge ball of light, slowly rose into the air. When it rose to a height of tens of meters, it began to shrink at a weird rate. It rose and shrank at the same time, until it was about 100 meters in the air. The entire ball then disappeared from the Dimensional Memory plane.

However, the sphere of light didn't disappear in Zhang Heng's eyes. Instead, it completely separated itself from the three-dimensional space and returned to the four-dimensional space that Zhang Heng was in.

"Commander, is this what a four-dimensional world is like?" Corona was in the huge ball of light and was looking at everything in delight. "I can see that the multiverse is like countless pieces of white paper being spread out. There are no secrets to be found in the world anymore. Is this what your current level is?"

"Indeed, that is what I'm seeing right now." Zhang Heng walked up to the sphere of light and looked at the world before him. "However, there are no more secrets to be found in this world. That is simply impossible. In other words, even at our current level, our understanding of this multiverse is still less than a billionth of what it is."

"Relax, relax!" Corona said right away. "I know all the principles. Don't give me all that logic."

Zhang Heng shook his head and put on a serious expression. "Alright, enough talking. Get ready to begin…"

"Yes." Corona nodded and lowered her head, looking around at the countless three-dimensional universes around her, trying to figure out if there were humans in those three-dimensional universes. However, the multiverse was infinite after all, and she was able to successfully explore a plane with humans in just a few minutes.

It was a very ordinary parallel universe. The human beings and the world inside looked the same as the humans of the 21st century, with almost no differences between them. The only difference was that the crystal wall of the universe seemed to have festered and was stained with black spots.

The black dots continued to corrode the greyspace of the universe. While they looked incredibly tiny, the black dots continued to spread with every passing second. The rate at which they spread was increasing exponentially. It wouldn't take long for the black dots to erode the entire universe.

"Commander, this is…" Corona looked at the black dots in shock. Compared to the other universes, it was obvious that the other crystal spheres of the other universes were smooth, without any corrosive black dots.

"This universe is sick…" Zhang Heng walked up to her and stared at the universe before him. His eyes looked empty, as if he could see through everything. He then smiled and said, "So, this is the truth of memes…"

Zhang Heng then pointed at the Earth in that parallel universe plane and said to Corona, "Did you see that? The laws of karma in this world have been corrupted by those black dots. It's like a parasite. The rules of the entire universe have been added with several weird, logical things."

Corona took a look after hearing that and was quickly shocked. "As expected, the new rules are so weird. They actually caused all humans who managed to survive in dangerous situations to die in a series of natural accidents! Such rules actually become something like karma!"

"Yes." Zhang Heng nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, you should know the name of this plane."

Corona seemed to have realized something after hearing that. "Oh, so that's how it is. That's the world in the movies…"

"'The Dead'!"

626. A Shift In Death

Ning Yu had been feeling rather uneasy recently.

He had attended a gathering at the class representative Wang Xiaoxue's place in the evening half a month ago. However, due to a sudden urge to get diarrhea, the toilet had long been occupied by the dinosaur Liu Cuihua from the class next door. As such, he had no choice but to drag his best friend, Liu Hu, to the public toilet several hundred meters away. He was able to relax for a bit, but before he was able to do so, he heard a rumbling sound throughout the entire street.

He didn't pay much attention to it at the time and simply thought that someone was setting off firecrackers. While setting off firecrackers at this time of the year was rather out of place, he didn't think about anything else. It was only when he heard a commotion and screams from outside the public toilet that he realized that something was off. He pulled up his pants and walked out with a cigarette in his mouth. However, he saw his best friend, Liu Hu, standing still at the door of the toilet.

"What happened, dude? Did someone just cook you?" Ning Yu patted Liu Hu's shoulder and went outside to take a look. However, that hand that was about to hit Liu Hu's arm froze right there and then.

Clack!

The Queen Hibiscus fell to the ground after burning half of its body. Ning Yu saw something that he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Flames shot up into the sky from the standalone little villa of his class representative. Thick smoke billowed into the air. He could even see the twisted faces of his class representative and dozens of his classmates in the smoke. Those faces were filled with pain as they rose into the sky and gradually dispersed.

Ning Yu shook his head and rubbed his eyes hard as if he couldn't believe what he saw. However, when he looked around again, he found no faces at all. There was only black smoke shooting into the sky and the merciless fire had engulfed the entire villa.

Forty-eight people in Ning Yu's class died in that explosion, leaving not even their bones behind.

The answer given by the police was that it wasn't some kind of murder or terrorist attack, but a very common gas leak, which resulted in an open fire and eventually caused an explosion in the gas ducts…

Even though it was just an accident, his best friend's mental fortitude was still severely affected. Few people were able to accept what had just happened. All of his classmates, who were still alive and kicking five minutes ago, who had been talking and laughing with each other, disappeared from the face of the earth after just one accident, never to be seen again.

The Reaper's scythe had been right in front of his eyes before, drawing very close to him.

His best friend, Liu Hu, took sick leave from that day onwards. Ning Yu, on the other hand, waited uneasily at the police station for half an hour before his teary-eyed parents arrived. He was unable to forget that moment, when his mother, who had always been stern, looked as if she had been relieved of a heavy burden when she saw him. She even hugged him tightly in her arms and burst into tears…

He guessed that the parents of those classmates who had died were probably hundreds, if not thousands, of times more devastated than those of his parents.

Ning Yu looked at his parents in a daze. It was the first time he felt how precious life was.

He heard that undercurrents were raging among the upper echelons of the city after that incident, which resulted in a massive bloodletting among the leaders. However, none of that had anything to do with him anymore. He was still a high school student, but there would always be people whispering to him wherever he went. He knew that those people were talking about him, about how he was the only survivor of the 'tragedy of Class Three'.

There were only three.

Other than him and his best friend, Liu Hu, there was another girl who managed to escape the accident as well. She was a weak and frail-looking girl named Chao Man, and she was on rather good terms with Ning Yu. He heard that she went out to get some fresh air because she couldn't stand the smell of alcohol at the party. He didn't expect that she would be able to escape the ordeal.

"But, did I really manage to escape?"

Ning Yu looked up at the sky. From that day onwards, he would feel that his classmates were standing by his side every night, watching him quietly, as if they were waiting for something. However, when he couldn't take it anymore and looked around, he realized that there was nothing around him.

"Wait? What are they waiting for?"

Ning Yu shuddered.

At that moment, Ning Yu had just finished his evening self-study and was transferred to Class Four. After all, Class Three no longer existed and the principal of the school had been replaced by someone else from the Ministry of Education. The new principal was unwilling to rebuild Class Three so quickly, so he had no choice but to put him and Liu Hu in the class next door. Chao Man, on the other hand, was rumored to have suffered some mental breakdown after that incident and had been transferred to another school.

Ning Yu tidied his desk slowly, yet he remained rather silent. He hadn't been able to get along with his classmates from the class next door right after that incident, and his usually cheerful personality had become increasingly withdrawn as well. The way his classmates from the new class looked at him after what happened made it seem as if they didn't dare to, yet at the same time, didn't want to talk to him.

Very quickly, the entire classroom was emptied due to his deliberate actions. He was the only one left who packed the last of his homework into his backpack. He sighed, walked to the door of the classroom, turned off the lights, and walked out of the school building.

The lights in the corridors were rather dim, probably due to the old age of the school building. The lights in the corridors were not energy-efficient lights, but rather the most primitive kind. Furthermore, due to the lack of people replacing them over the years, the lights in the corridors had become extremely dim. One could only see the backs of two or three students walking out of the corridors with their bags on their backs.

Ning Yu shook his head and walked out of the corridor as well. However, he stopped after taking a few steps.

The class four that Ning Yu was currently in was located at the innermost part of the east corridor of the school building. If he wanted to leave the school building, he would have to walk all the way to the end of the corridor. There was one more requirement to reach the end of the corridor, and that was to walk past the class three that he had been in before.

Class 3 had been abandoned and sealed away by the school ever since the accident. He had even heard rumors about Class 3 being haunted in school. However, when he was passing by his former class, he realized that the seal around him had been torn off and the door of the classroom was still half open.

A faint night breeze blew past all of a sudden and the lightbulb above his head began to flicker as if its voltage was unstable. Ning Yu felt his head buzz and a chill ran down his spine. He quickly closed his eyes and walked past the door, shivering, not daring to look inside.

However, it was precisely because he had closed his eyes that he failed to notice that a power cable, which had been out of repair for years, was hanging upside down from the roof above his head, hanging right in front of him. If he were to take another step forward, he would have touched that power cable.

However, at that critical moment, a petite figure dashed out of the door and dragged Ning Yu back. Ning Yu felt a flurry of footsteps right beside him and felt a huge force from behind dragging him backward. He shrieked like a pig being slaughtered without a second thought.

"Wow!"

627. Drunk Driver

"Idiot! It's me!"

Ning Yu felt as if his soul was about to leave his body. However, he heard a familiar crisp voice behind him all of a sudden.

"Chao… Chao Man?" Ning Yu turned around and opened his eyes, still in shock. He saw that familiar face right away.

"You almost died!" It was only then that Chao Man let go of Ning Yu, still in a state of shock. She looked in front of Ning Yu and wiped the cold sweat from her brow. "As expected, all of this is real…"

"What's real? What are you talking about…" Ning Yu followed Chao Man's line of sight and looked ahead, feeling baffled. However, when he saw what was in front of him, he was stunned and broke out in cold sweat right after. He saw a sparkly electrical wire floating in the wind right in front of him. If he had closed his eyes and walked forward without a care, he would have probably…

A chill ran down his spine at that thought and he gulped. "Thank you."

"Sigh…" However, Chao Man only sighed and looked dejected. "It's no use. This is just a way to treat the symptoms and not the root cause. I'm afraid we'll still end up dead."

"What are you talking about?" Ning Yu frowned. "What do you mean we'll die?"

"It's hard for you to understand all of that at the moment." Chao Man looked at Ning Yu as if she was looking at a dead man, making him shudder all over. She then said, "Let's get out of here first. Come with me to look for Liu Hu next, and we'll discuss things slowly."

With that, Chao Man dragged Ning Yu around the electrical wiring and ran out of the corridor.

"Hey, hold on!" Ning Yu was furious right there and then. "What are you doing?! I'm going home now?" However, he was stunned to discover that he was unable to break free from the frail-looking girl before him no matter how hard he struggled. The girl's arm was like a clamp and he was unable to break free despite being a boy.

Chao Man finally let go of Ning Yu after dragging him outside the school and reaching the bottom of a viaduct. She then asked with a straight face, "Do you know why I was waiting for you in Class Three?"

"Why?" Ning Yu was rather angry after being dragged out of the school by force, but he was stunned when he heard what she said and asked instinctively.

"Because I have the ability to sense things." Chao Man extended a finger and waved it in front of Ning Yu's eyes, before taking out her phone and pointed the screen at Ning Yu. "Take a look at this report, alright?"

He then stuffed the phone into Ning Yu's hand.

Ning Yu was rendered completely speechless. He rolled his eyes, but deep down, he was still feeling very curious. He raised his phone and found that there was an investigation report on a forum on his phone.

"Investigations have shown that there have been massive cases of bizarre accidents and deaths all over the country in recent years. Most of the people involved in those incidents have one thing in common, and that is that they just survived some kind of accident that was supposed to have caused their deaths…" Ning Yu read on silently, but his voice became hoarse as soon as he was halfway through. He gulped dryly. "Chao Man, what do you mean? Are you saying that we…"

"Two years ago, there was a landslide in Huangzhou. One-third of the city was flooded at the time, but there were still several people who claimed to have sensed the disaster and fled the city in the first half hour."

Chao Man continued in a low voice, "But, in the next few weeks, all of those people began to die in bizarre ways. Some were electrocuted, some were killed in a car accident, and some were smashed to death by meteorites falling from the sky… All of those survivors died in the next few weeks, and all of them died due to various coincidences."

"Really?" Ning Yu continued to look down in disbelief. As expected, the following articles began to list the deaths of the survivors one by one. He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt flustered after reading the articles and analyzing the data. He began to scroll down to the bottom of the screen, but after looking through the case, he found that there were more similar cases, all of which described the deaths of those who survived some great disaster in the following weeks.

"No way!" Ning Yu smiled bitterly. "Where did you find this forum? Let me see… Black Death?"

"This is the Dark Net Forum." Chao Man sighed and continued, "I've looked into it on the internet before, but I realized that all of that information had been covered up and shut out. As such, I went over the wall specifically and found the Dark Net. As expected, there were many similar incidents recorded on the Dark Net, and they also said that the entire world's government knew about this, but they never made it public."

"Why…" Ning Yu was at a loss. He felt like a child who knew nothing at the moment.

"Such a phenomenon hasn't been around for a very long time. It began about two years ago. The first thing that happened was a plane crash in the United States, followed by the deaths of several people who happened to not get on the plane. Such incidents have been happening all over the world since then. By now, the phenomenon has reached a point where it is 100 percent certain that it would happen. Such a phenomenon is commonly known by the Global Government as the Death Effect."

"Death effect?" Ning Yu repeated like a recorder.

Chao Man's expression became weird and a shadow flickered in her eyes. "It's like our fate has long been in the hands of the Grim Reaper. We should have died in some disaster a long time ago, but we survived due to all sorts of reasons. However, on the Grim Reaper's list, we were all dead. As such, we began to run into all manner of accidents, and we were destined to die…"

"But, that doesn't mean that there's no hope for us." Chao Man took a deep breath and continued, "The investigation also pointed out that some people were able to escape death for the first time because they would have a premonition, a premonition of their own death. Such people are known as the Prophets."

Ning Yu didn't know what to say anymore. He could only listen to Chao Man's story numbly. He initially didn't want to believe such a ridiculous story, but he shuddered at the thought of the electrical wiring that hung down previously.

Chao Man flipped her hair and said in a low voice, "And I'm the prophet."

"So you're saying that you knew about the accident and escaped in advance?" Ning Yu gasped.

"That's right." Chao Man nodded and continued solemnly, "Not only that, I was able to foresee your death."

"Uh…" Ning Yu was rendered speechless. He scratched his head and realized that whatever he said was out of place. "But, I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"You're just surviving for the time being." Chao Man took the phone from Ning Yu and walked to the other side of the highway. "Now, would you be willing to come with me to look for Liu Hu…?"

Chao Man's expression froze all of a sudden and her pupils contracted all of a sudden. She saw a billboard on the opposite side of the highway at that moment. The words' No Drunk Driving 'were initially written on the billboard. However, she wasn't sure if it was due to the quality of the paint, but a gust of wind blew past and the word' No Drunk Driving 'on the billboard began to peel off.

"Ningyu!" Chao Man turned around all of a sudden and looked at the boy behind her with a terrified expression. Ning Yu was stunned for a moment before he saw a red car suddenly break through the railings of the bridge in front of Chao Man. The car rolled and smashed at Chao Man.

"Bang!"

A loud crash was heard in the very next second, and the car actually rolled twice in the air before landing on the ground. However, a huge amount of brain matter and innards sprayed out from the bottom of the car.

That was… Chao Man's internal organs!

Ning Yu blacked out right there and then. He was able to make out a dazed woman burping in the driver's seat of that car before she passed out and fell asleep on the steering wheel.

628. Team Samsara

Chao Man groaned and opened her eyes as a chill ran down her spine.

"What's going on? Didn't I just die?" Chao Man looked rather dazed. She narrowed her eyes and looked around in a dazed manner, only to find herself in a pitch-black plaza.

He was unable to see the edge of the plaza, and the end of the plaza and the top of his head were pitch-black. The floor that she was lying on was made of limestone that he had never seen before. It was even softer than jade, and he was unable to heat it up no matter how hard he touched it.

There was also a massive ball of light at the center of the plaza, which was where the light source of the entire plaza was located.

However, while the ball of light was very bright, it wasn't blinding at all and he didn't feel uncomfortable looking at it.

"Damn it, how could there be such a damned place in the world?!" A string of curses was heard from behind her just when Chao Man sat up and looked around in surprise. Her head was still feeling rather heavy at the moment, and she was barely able to turn her head around when she saw a group of people surrounding a young man in the center, cursing and swearing.

"Well then, since the last one is awake, I'll tell you all about it."

The young man in the center wore a calm expression, as if he didn't care about the people around him at all. He simply looked at Chao Man and asked, "Are you sure you're not going to stand up?"

"Ah!" Chao Man snapped out of her trance and stood up right away, looking at the aggressive crowd with a confused look on her face. She gradually realized that what happened to her and those people seemed to be the same from the way they questioned her. All of them came to this strange space after they died.

"Shut up and tell us why we're here!" A muscular man who was almost two meters tall shouted from the crowd, seemingly trying to grab the young man's collar.

Shua!

The burly man was the first to make a move, yet when he felt the resistance in his hand, he realized that his wrist had been grabbed by the young man before him, who looked nothing like himself. A searing pain followed right after.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Let go!" The burly man bent over from the pain, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"I don't want anyone else to do anything to me." The young man then let go of the brawny man. The crowd only calmed down after seeing that the skinny young man, who was only 175 centimeters tall, was able to easily subdue a brawny man. However, they continued to interrogate the young man.

"Everyone, your current location is called the Samsara Space, and your identities are members of the Samsara team," the young man said slowly, looking at Chao Man.

"Samsara team?" Chao Man became even more confused, yet the young man seemed to have known all along that things would turn out like this. He pointed at his head and continued, "Think about it, 'it' has imprinted everything in your mind."

Chao Man was stunned and at the same time, a new memory appeared out of nowhere—this was a game, and there was no way to verify who created this game. It could be the gods, demons, aliens, or future humans. All in all, she was a member of this game, or rather, she was a member of it now.

The game would automatically pull a human who had certain potentials and was already dead into a space of reincarnation, where they would be subjected to trial after trial. They would need to fight all manner of supernatural powers. If they survived, they would gain everything. If they failed, they would die completely.

The Samsara Space would bestow them with sufficient power. Of course, the price of obtaining power would usually be countless battles.

"Samsara Space, Team Samsara…" Chao Man had understood the fundamental rules of the Samsara Space at that moment after the information transmission. However, she shook her head and smiled bitterly after finding out all of that. "How could something like that happen…"

"This is hypnosis! This is definitely hypnosis!" It was obvious that the people around him had received the message as well. Many of them broke down and shouted at the top of their lungs, not wanting to believe what had just happened.

"Believe it or not, it's up to you." The young man shrugged.

That huge ball of light began to glow slowly at that moment. Everyone looked over and saw a line of text appearing on the ball of light.

"Your lives are long dead and no longer have anything to do with reality. From here on out, your fate shall be in my hands."

"Alive? Dead? Abandon your human status, complete the mission, and even… become stronger and obtain everything."

"You have no right to choose."

Chao Man watched everything unfold in a daze. She was about to say something when a white-collar woman dressed in professional OL attire glared at the young man and said uneasily, "Excuse me, may we withdraw?"

"Quit?" The young man chuckled. "I can tell you very clearly, sure, but you have to pay the price."

The young man then pointed to the front of the ball of light and continued, "If you don't believe me, you can go to the bottom of the ball of light and check for yourself. All you need to do is to call the other party in your mind."

Everyone was eager to try, and many of them walked up to the ball of light at the same time.

Chao Man forced a smile at the young man and followed the crowd to the bottom of the sphere. She felt something entering her consciousness right away, as if someone was responding to her call.

Chao Man took a deep breath and suppressed the shock in her heart before asking, "May I know how I can leave the space of reincarnation?"

"Acquired Grade A access. Available for redeeming functions." The voice answered mechanically. "The access levels ranging from low to high are divided into E, D, C, B, and A levels. Completing three of the missions would allow you to upgrade your access level once. Failing one mission would result in a drop in your access level."

"I can only level up after completing three missions, but I have to drop one level every time I fail. This is really…" Chao Man shook her head speechlessly. Her consciousness had returned to her mind at that moment. She checked her current level and found that she was indeed only at Level E.

"Other than that, the changes that would occur if the mission were to alter the course of history of a certain plane would be converted into karmic points that would be distributed to the members of the Samsara Team," the voice continued.

"Karma points? Karma?" Chao Man felt even more confused. She tried to check her Karma points and sure enough, she found that she had 100 Karma points in her possession.

"Is this my karma?" Chao Man mumbled.

"Yes, that is the karmic point of the members of the Samsara Team. You were able to foresee the future before you died in reality and successfully saved a person who was about to die. As such, you were given 100 karmic points, which is why you were given 100 karmic points or more, which is why you were given the right to enter the Samsara Space."

Chao Man couldn't help but think of Ning Yu when she heard that voice. If that was the case, it was precisely because she saved Ning Yu that she was subjected to karma that changed history. That was why she was chosen by the space of reincarnation and resurrected in this place?

However, at that moment, the huge ball of light in front of them let out a burst of ethereal music. Everyone was stunned when they heard that sound, but the young man was the one whose expression changed the most.

That young man's expression remained unchanged when he was being interrogated by the crowd, but his expression changed completely after hearing that voice. Chao Man could even see deep fear in his eyes.

"What happened?" Chao Man asked right away.

"That's a mission reminder…" The young man wore a helpless look on his face. "Music would be played every time a new mission is created. All members of the Samsara team would have to reach the ball of light within five minutes. Those who fail to reach it would be deemed to have given up on the mission and their level of access would be automatically lowered."

A line of clear text appeared on the ball of light as he spoke.

"Quest Objective: Enter the 'Coming of the Dead' plane. Survive for three days under the pursuit of 'Meme of the Dead'. The survivor will receive 1,000 Karma Points. Those who refuse to accept the quest will have their access reduced by one level. Those with access lower than Level E. Begone!"

629. Return

The young man who guided the crowd and taught them what to do was a virtual personality created by Corona.

Corona and Zhang Heng both knew that the most dangerous part of the newly selected teams would always be the first mission. Even though the Samsara Space had filled everyone's minds with memories, the worldview that the rookies once had was still very difficult to break. Otherwise, no one would have insisted that everything was just hypnosis.

That was precisely the problem with one's mental fortitude. Those who were eliminated during the first mission were usually rookies who refused to believe the reality before them and lied to themselves. As such, the existence of a guide was of utmost importance when the reincarnation space first opened for business to prevent unnecessary losses.

As for those who refused to believe him, he decided to just leave them be. Zhang Heng was no nanny, and he had no reason to care about the wellbeing of those people. His goal was to select the best of the best, not some bunch of stubborn, inflexible old fogies.

The greatest terror that those people were currently facing was none other than the Grim Reaper.

If one were to view the entire plane universe as a computer, then the existence of memes would be like a computer virus.

Viruses targeted computer programming, while models targeted physical phenomena of the universe.

It was capable of hacking into computers and destroying their programming. Such things had the ability to alter the physical manifestations of the universe, just like viruses. It could also be capable of proliferation. They might be ferocious, dull, or even like trojan horses, which were usually harmless, but once triggered, they could overturn the laws of physics in the entire universe.

Zhang Heng had only seen four types of memes in his life, two of which were sealed by Corona in the past. One of them was capable of causing the mutation of dead bodies, while the other was capable of destroying the world.

Other than that, there was also the Meme of Curse and the current Meme of Death.

Of the four modes, three of them belonged to the curse category. However, the triggering conditions and the rules governing the spread of the modes were completely different. Judging from those modes, the one with the highest lethality would be the curse modes. While the spread of such modes was not as fast as that of the circuit provoking ghosts, they would definitely kill anyone who came into contact with them. Their lethality was far greater than that of the ghost circuits.

Ghost circuits spread faster than curses, but they could only be spread in places with electromagnetic waves and so on. In the movies, even if humans were infected by such memes, they would be safe as long as they were able to find places with no signal. The storyline showed that humans even built new settlements in the mountains and forests all over the world years later.

The current Death Mode was a lot milder than the previous two. The conditions required for such a Mode to be infected were very stringent, as one would need to survive a disaster before they would be infected. The nature of the infection was due to all manner of deaths due to bizarre accidents. However, just like the Curse Mode, the Death Mode had a similar nature, and that was—indissoluble.

No matter how hard the infected struggled, they would definitely die as soon as they were infected. From that point of view, the path of provoking ghosts became the mildest of all memes. There were no specific infected individuals, and one would be able to survive as long as they were able to escape the area of infection.

Zhang Heng once thought that as long as he reached a certain technological limit, even the meme would be unraveled like any other natural phenomenon. However, he frowned after feeling the meme of the Grim Reaper.

There was no mistaking it. Zhang Heng realized that memes were definitely not unsolvable. When technology developed to a certain extent, such as creating a machine capable of altering karma, the creator of the memes would be able to erase the existence of the memes from the universe using the machine of karma. However, the price that would have to be paid would be the same as using the machine of karma to erase one of the four fundamental forces. The final outcome would be something that even the creator of the memes would find unbearable.

Not only that, but he was unable to figure out just where all of those modules came from and why they existed.

Memes were far more complex and terrifying than he had imagined.

As such, Zhang Heng began to focus on researching the Meme of the Death God. He relied on the space of reincarnation and regrouped the masses with particles to revive them before forming several teams to fight against the Meme. As for him and Corona, they recorded everything as observers, collecting all the data regarding the Meme of the Death God.

As a four-dimensional construct, the Reincarnation Space was not developed on just one plane. It was like the Dimensional Star, where the Reincarnation Space was able to project tens of thousands of worlds and set up a Reincarnation Team in tens of thousands of parallel planes nearby.

Zhang Heng looked at the bunch of rookies, who had only been on missions once or twice, for a bit before turning around and leaving. While they looked no different from regular people at the moment, with the help of the space of reincarnation, they would become increasingly powerful as long as they were able to complete the challenges. In the future, they would be able to create powerhouses comparable to the Dimensional Star Lord. That was the foundation of Zhang Heng's search for the Dimensional Star.

It was just that, with all those people being swept away by the waves, even if they were to take charge of their own affairs in the future, there would probably be mountains of corpses and seas of blood behind them.

…

The first special forces squad from the Samsara Space finally returned after a series of uneventful battles.

There had been a total of 18 people in that team before, but after experiencing the Death God Meme, the number of people in that team had been reduced to three, with the death rate reaching 50 percent.

The three of them were Chao Man, that white-collar woman, and that virtual personality of Corona.

The three of them slumped to the ground without a care for their appearances after returning to the Samsara Space in a sorry state, unwilling to get up for quite a while.

"This is just too scary. Is this the so-called Reaper effect? Why would such a thing exist in reality?" The woman with the white collar looked pale and she looked at Chao Man with a grateful look. "Man, it's a good thing that you're here to foresee the impending doom. If not, Zhang Heng and I wouldn't have been able to survive."

"Sister Bai Yue, I'm only doing this to protect myself. If it hadn't been for the fact that you were able to see the death aura and know who the next Reaper is going to kill, I wouldn't have been able to bring everyone out of the way." Chao Man smiled weakly.

"I wonder if we'll be able to bring the reaper effect here." The woman named Bai Yue couldn't help but voice her concerns.

"Don't worry. As long as we get back here, there's nothing we can do about the reaper effect, no matter how powerful it is." Corona's virtual personality continued to impart basic knowledge to the two of them. "This is a place of absolute safety. Even if we were to face the curse-like effects of Kayoko, Chouzi, Meimei, Ghost Doll, Flower, and so on in the future, as long as we get back to the space of reincarnation, we won't have to worry about them pestering us."

However, the moment he said that, the faces of the two girls, who had realized just how difficult the mission was, turned completely pale.

"Hahahaha, you've got to be kidding." The virtual personality of Corona only continued after satisfying its own ill humor. "We've completed the mission. Now, it's time for us to reap the fruits of victory. Now, I'd like to tell you all about this attribute exchange. Whether we'll be able to live comfortably in the future will depend on this exchange…"

630. Entering The Star Sea

Corona's virtual personality continued to impart knowledge to the two girls. It was just that the existence of the virtual personality more or less interfered with the development of the Samsara team. As such, they would have to retire after the virtual personality brought out the first batch of newbies.

Corona's Virtual Persona then went on to talk about the role of captain, the team battles between the Samsara teams, the endless knowledge of the multifaceted planes, and everyone's mortal enemies—all manner of knowledge regarding meme and the Lord of the Dimensional Star, which left the two girls dumbfounded.

…

Time passed year after year in the eternal multiverse. That amount of time was only an instant in the long river of history. However, it was a very long time for the Tannis planet, which had lost its memory in deep space.

The Tannis planet was still located in the Milky Way Galaxy and belonged to the Orion Arm Constellation, which was 100 light-years away from Earth. However, due to the destruction of Earth back then, humans were only able to send a long-distance spaceship to the Tannis planet to continue their civilization. As such, the humans on that planet were the only ones in Zhang Heng's Stellar City.

However, that didn't mean that there was only one human civilization in the universe. While the size of the universe wasn't boundless, it wasn't that far apart. Unless it was Zhang Heng, who had reached a height of four dimensions, a single universe was more than enough for a civilization to spend tens of millions of years exploring.

However, with Zhang Heng at the helm, the technological developments in Stellar City continued to improve. In just a few decades, the human Stellar City expanded, eventually taking up almost the entire surface of the planet. Not only that, but the exploration ship of Stellar City reached the furthest reaches of the Milky Way, treating the entire river system as a resource mine for humans.

According to the 'Cardashov Index', it was also the first time that humanity had reached a civilization of the third grade—a Universal Civilization that was capable of controlling several Stellar Systems and Star Clusters. If they were to truly be able to change the world, the power of civilization would become omnipotent and unimaginable.

However, on the pathways that spread throughout the entire Milky Way, humans also found many other planets that had life in them. According to Vulcan's calculations, there were about 40,000 planets in the Milky Way that had life in them.

According to Stellar City's data, there were currently over 23,000 living planets found in the Milky Way, ranging from the lowest class of microorganisms to beings that were near human civilization.

However, the number of living planets that had developed to the stage of civilization had been greatly reduced. There were only about 300 of them, and most of them were below level three. Those civilizations faced all manner of calamities just like the Earth back then, and they would experience the process of extinction and rebirth as well. It was very similar to what Vulcan had calculated—most intelligent civilizations in the universe were still in their early stages. The use of metal and electromagnetism were important symbols of the birth of civilization, and the human civilization had reached the forefront.

However, out of the 300 civilizations, about 200 of them were technologically more advanced than the humans of the 21st century. However, with Zhang Heng's help, the humans of the present era only took several hundred years to traverse the civilizations of other civilizations for tens of thousands of years, reaching the third tier. With the rise of Stellar City, there was a place for humans in the entire Milky Way.

There were two third-rate civilizations in the Milky Way in the past. One of them was called the Alpha-Dragon, a civilization that was evolved from cold-blooded animals. It was a civilization that was able to master the power of machinery just like humans.

The other one was called a member of the Zither Star and was a humanoid lifeform. His appearance was similar to that of humans, except that his skin was blue, and he was tall and thin, almost completely naked. He was known as the founder of the universe civilization, and the history of civilization could be traced back to a billion years ago. Individuals had even evolved to the point where they could communicate with the laws of physics and manipulate particles. However, due to the long history of civilization and the countless ups and downs that they had experienced, their technological prowess was nowhere near as powerful as that of the people from the Alpha-Tragon Star.

Other than that, the Milky Way was also home to countless alien lifeforms that had yet to become civilizations but were stronger individually. It was just like how humans on Earth had wild animals as well. Since there were civilizations in the Milky Way, there were bound to be wild lifeforms that were born due to fate.

However, compared to the carbon-based lifeforms on Earth taking the lead, the wild lifeforms in the universe had become more diverse. The universe was like an enlarged version of the ocean, where all manner of lifeforms could exist. The stronger ones would be able to fight second-rate civilizations, while the weaker ones would be on par with the microorganisms on Earth.

Take the neutrino lifeforms that Zhang Heng had encountered before, which were considered unconventional living beings. Due to their lifeforms, time and space were of no use to them. They usually lived in the Corsi vision world outside the black hole and were able to withstand massive tidal gravitational fluctuations. Furthermore, their bodies would trigger hyperdrive, resulting in massive amounts of beta, gamma rays, and electromagnetic waves of all frequencies. They were also known as particle lifeforms or energy lifeforms.

That lifeform was none other than the 'Cthulhu' that Zhang Heng had encountered before. It was so powerful that it was capable of destroying an entire solar system. Furthermore, it was difficult to communicate with it due to its low intelligence. It was considered a highly dangerous wildlife even in the Milky Way, and only civilizations that had reached the second level of the 'Kardashov Index' were able to stand against it.

There were also space slugs that looked like parasites found on planets. It had to be said that 'Star Wars' was a landmark sci-fi movie. The lifeforms that were predicted to be found in the movie fit the conditions of the universe very well, and such space slugs were one such example. These lifeforms were very similar to the slugs found on Earth, except that they were several times larger. Adult space slugs were a type of silicon-based lifeform, both male and female, that could be multiplied by spewing spores into space. They often resided within a lifeless planet and relied on metal ores found on planets to survive.

Their bodies, of course, were massive. According to what Stellar City had found in the Milky Way, the largest space slug found in the entire galaxy had a diameter of 20 kilometers and a length of over 100 kilometers. The entire planet that Stellar City resided on was riddled with holes.

The existence of those lifeforms was only found in the Milky Way. One could easily imagine just how magnificent a life system would be in a universe with a diameter of over a billion light-years and billions of galaxies.

Endless universes had endless possibilities.

Countless civilizations were on high alert the first time humans walked into a family in the Milky Way. However, due to the extent of technology found in Stellar City, even the people from the Alpha-Type-Dragon and the people from the Tianqin Star didn't attack immediately. Instead, they reluctantly acknowledged the status of humanity, which led to humanity entering the history of the Milky Way.

631. Discovering New Life

Of course, the civilizations in the Milky Way and beyond the Milky Way would have been able to wipe him out with a single hand, but there was no need for Zhang Heng to do so. He could be considered the nanny of humanity at most, but the development of humanity would ultimately depend on himself. Zhang Heng could only use that as a trump card, and he wouldn't make a move unless the destruction of humanity was imminent.

Zhang Heng's opponent was the Dimensional Star, which stood at the same height as him, after all.

At that moment, a Stellar-class exploration ship belonging to humans was cruising at the edge of the Milky Way's arm, exploring the unknown blank areas of the Milky Way and planning a star map. Despite having three level-three civilizations in the Milky Way, no one dared to say that they had explored the entire river system. There were over 10,000 Stellar-class exploration ships traversing the Milky Way all year round. Unless it was the territory of two other level-three civilizations, no human exploration ship would dare to travel anywhere.

There were many ways to travel on such exploration spaceships. Typically, exploration spaceships would use curvature engines during exploration. Such engines would allow spaceships to compress space and travel in the sea of stars at speeds that exceeded the speed of light. That was the most basic way for spaceships to travel.

If there was an emergency, the exploration ship could still perform a space jump and open a wormhole right in front of the ship, enabling it to reach space tens of thousands of light-years away in an instant. However, such a flight could only be performed on urgent missions or when one was in danger.

Other than that, there was also the subspace travel method. That was because, after reaching the second-tier civilization, many technological civilizations would be able to invent a space station, which was a kind of interference wave that could prevent spaceships from performing space jumps. As such, subspace travel would be a way for powerful civilizations to escape when they were in a silent position.

However, the subspace wasn't stable. As the opposite of the universe, the subspace was filled with too many unknowns and dangers. Be it environmental dangers or abnormal lifeforms in the subspace, all of those dangers were more than enough to destroy the bunch of uninvited guests. As such, no civilization in the Milky Way would choose to travel in such a manner unless it was absolutely necessary.

At that moment, Gu Zhan was looking at the instrument panel with a cold expression on his face in the exploration ship, recording the environment within a radius of several light-years. In the four hundred years that Zhang Heng had been gone, cloning warriors like him had long been eliminated and replaced by more advanced biochemical warriors. That was also the reason why he didn't die in Zhang Xu's purge. Later on, with Zhang Xin's help, he was able to regain his emotions through modifying his genes, becoming a real person.

When Zhang Heng returned, he asked them if they were willing to continue serving under him, but they all chose to give up. They had their own lives at the moment, and Gu Zhan's hobby was to explore the entire Milky Way, experiencing the endless universe and countless unknowns.

His exploration ship was located at the edge of the Sagittarius Arm, one of the four massive arms of the Milky Way. The material found there was extremely thin, hundreds of times thinner than the vacuum environment created by humans back in the 21st century. Several dozen light-years further away meant that the exploration ship had completely left the Milky Way, reaching a void where the matter was even thinner.

If the Milky Way was described as a forest, then the endless void beyond the Milky Way would be that desolate desert. There was practically no substance to be found in that space, and the number of particles within a square centimetre of space numbered less than 10. That was an indescribably dark area, where even the amount of energy absorbed from the void was pathetically small. Furthermore, due to the presence of dark energy, even wormholes were unable to travel from the Milky Way to other river systems.

Dark energy was a formless force or effect that accelerated the expansion of the universe. Humans still had no idea what dark energy was, but they knew that dark energy was causing the universe to expand. The more the universe expanded, the greater the distance between the river systems. As time passed, dark energy isolated the river systems from the rest of the universe, making it so that lifeforms in the river systems were unable to come into contact with other star clusters, star systems, and groups.

Perhaps, tens of billions of years from now, the galaxies outside the Milky Way would be so far away that they would become difficult to detect, as only a handful of photons would be able to reach the Milky Way, and those photons' wavelengths would remain undetectable.

Once that happened, no information from the outside world would be able to reach the Milky Way. The light would disappear from sight and the universe would look dark and empty from every angle forever.

However, on that very day, at the very edge of the Milky Way, Gu Zhan was able to detect a lot of matter slowly drifting in from outside the Milky Way through the radar of the environmental exploration equipment.

"What's this?" Gu Zhan narrowed his gaze and looked at the material projected by the radar. He found that the material looked like eggs, with a yellowish-green color and a shell that looked like it was made of some kind of organic material that was floating in the void of space. The gravitational pull of the Milky Way caught it.

"AI, begin scanning," Gu Zhan said.

"Scanning complete. Material density at 7.4 grams / cm. Around left and right. The outer shell is silicate. Vital fluctuations detected from the inside. Search the database for comparison…"

"Warning, no one found in the database who meets the requirements is suspected to be a new type of unknown lifeform. I'd advise the captain to perform a capture analysis. You'll be rewarded by the Stellar City government. Please be careful. Unknown lifeforms could be dangerous."

Gu Zhan gradually frowned after hearing the AI's warning.

"Captain!" Several crew members behind him looked surprised as they put down what they were doing and walked over. They heard the AI's analysis and were immediately excited. In order to encourage people to explore, Stellar City would reward them accordingly based on the discovery of the exploration ship. Furthermore, the rewards were very generous. At that moment, the crew members swarmed over like cats that had smelled something fishy.

"Captain, this is a huge discovery. Ever since we discovered space floats three years ago, we haven't found any new species in space. This is a huge contribution!" someone said immediately.

"I know, but there are corresponding dangers involved in such matters as well. Which one of you would be willing to explore the place for the sake of safety?" Gu Zhan asked in return.

"Holy sh * *!" A smart-looking young man immediately raised his hand and exclaimed, "Did you guys notice? That creature seems to have come from somewhere outside the river system. That's something to be proud of. Due to the existence of dark energy, all the river systems outside the Milky Way are moving away from us at a speed that surpasses light. If we were to discover lifeforms outside the river system first, we might be able to make a huge discovery that would be recorded in the history of the Milky Way."

"Alright, go ahead then. Remember to be careful. Return immediately if anything were to happen." Gu Zhan nodded and watched the young man leave in high spirits. However, he suddenly felt a bad feeling deep down in his heart.

It was as if something dangerous was slowly approaching…

632. Hydrocarbon

A reconnaissance ship was seen slowly making its way out of the huge exploration ship, heading straight for that pile of eggs.

The eggs were floating in space at the fourth cosmic velocity, exceeding 120 kilometers per second. It would have taken humans a lot of time and effort to catch something that could fly at such speeds in deep space, but it was hardly a problem at the moment. The gravitational interference devices continued to exert influence on the eggs, and the eggs were quickly reduced to hundreds of meters per second before they were successfully captured by the exploration ship.

However, Gu Zhan gradually began to realize that more egg-shaped matter was being detected by the radar. As time passed, the number of eggs began to increase.

"What's going on…?" The voice of the smart-looking young man in charge of steering was heard from inside the exploration ship. "The number of eggs is increasing. Judging from the size of the eggs, there should be at least several million of them, right?"

"The number detected at the moment is 12.3 million." Gu Zhan's brow was deeply furrowed. "And that's only within the range of radar detection. God knows how many more there are outside that range. Commander Fang, get ready to come back. I keep feeling that something is off."

"Alright, boss," the man replied lazily and headed straight for the exploration ship.

The young man leaped out of the exploration ship after returning to the ship and said to Gu Zhan, "Boss, do you need to contact the headquarters of Stellar City?"

"No need for you to say anything. The boss sent me to contact him." Gu Zhan didn't say anything, but a young girl at the side rolled her eyes and said, "General Fang, the boss has so much experience. Do I need you to teach him?"

"Hehe." General Fang scratched his head. At that moment, three eggs were sealed in a biohazard bag containing nanomaterials and were transported to the laboratory.

"Alright, let's go take a look at the dissection room first. Let's see just who those mysterious eggs really are." Gu Zhan waved his hand dismissively. While he had only managed to develop feelings for the eggs later on, the centuries of life that he had lived had given him a very steady demeanor, and his eyes were filled with wisdom.

Everyone rushed to the dissection room after saying that. The three eggs had been measured and scanned by the robot and the data from the eggs were sent directly into his photon processor.

"The egg of an unknown lifeform. It has a diameter of 35 centimeters, a height of 56 centimeters, and a weight of 43 kilograms. There are signs of life activity inside," Gu Zhan muttered in a low voice. "Just what the hell is that thing…?"

"Cut one open and take a look!" Gu Zhan ordered decisively at that thought, and a laser cutter began to slice at the egg.

"Chi!"

A beam of blazing white light shone on the eggshell. However, what was surprising was that while the eggshell didn't look tough, it was capable of extremely high temperatures and was extremely resilient. The high-performance laser cutting effect was unable to slice through the shell instantly.

"The eggshell is very tough. It's some kind of compound that we've never seen before." An old man who looked like a scientist walked up to the data panel and said in shock, "The AI analyzed that the eggshell turned out to be polyfluoroethylene, polydene, and silicon carbide. There are both organic and inorganic substances in the eggshell at the same time. Gosh, this is a huge discovery!"

"Carborating silicate? Doesn't that mean it's very hard?" Gu Zhan asked.

"Carbonized silicate is also known as the Diamond Sand, which is resistant to acid and extremely resistant to high temperatures. Its hardness is second only to that of diamond in the natural world." The old man nodded and continued, "No wonder. If the eggs alone have such high hardness and heat resistance, I'm afraid that the creatures inside wouldn't be easy to deal with."

Gu Zhan didn't comment. He continued to look at the photon processor and frowned all of a sudden. "Something's not right. The life fluctuations in the egg are getting stronger. It seems to know its fate and is resisting?"

"It's not just that egg." The old man turned around and looked at the other two eggs and said, "According to the device, the other two eggs are experiencing the same thing. The temperature inside the eggs is rising. It has risen from -80 degrees Celsius to -30 degrees Celsius and is still rising."

"Chi!"

However, it was at that moment that the eggshell was finally unable to resist that intense laser beam and completely penetrated the eggshell. A puddle of yellowish-green liquid sprayed out immediately, splattering all over the autopsy room.

It was fortunate that the dissection room was actually a biological isolation room. As such, everyone was completely isolated from the three orders, and there was no fear of biological contamination.

However, his expression changed drastically when he saw the blood on the ground. "Oh no, this blood is corrosive!"

Everyone looked over and saw that the alloy on the floor was smoking and melting at a visible rate. The blood was highly corrosive and even the titanium alloy, which was resistant to corrosion, was severely corroded.

"Everyone, put on your chemical defense suits right away. Commander Fang, you and Li Rou head to the third floor to take a look. I'm afraid that the corrosive effect would be too strong, and we'd be able to penetrate the fourth floor directly," Gu Zhan said immediately.

"Yes, sir!" Commander Fang and the girl who had been bickering with each other ran out of the dissection room in a hurry, while Gu Zhan and the elderly man put on their chemicalproof suits before staring fixedly at the corroding flooring in the room.

Smoke from the corrosion continued to rise from the inside of the autopsy room, causing the entire place to be shrouded in smoke. However, the AI had already begun analyzing the data and sent it to Gu Zhan's photon computer.

"Hydrofluoric acid? Saltic acid? Nitrate?" Gu Zhan gasped when he saw the data analyzed by the AI. "The bodily fluids of such a creature actually contain high concentrations of hydrofluoric acid? Doesn't that mean that even the glass observation window in this barrier is unable to stop it?"

"Most importantly, hydrofluoric acid is a liquid that is extremely harmful to the human body."

The elder's expression became even more serious. "A lot of stimulating smoke and acidic fog have been generated in the quarantine room. If we were to go in, I'm afraid that it would immediately burn our eyes, skin, and respiratory systems. If we were to be touched by such a liquid on our skin, the consequences would be even more severe, as it would immediately corrode human cells, causing a white membrane to be mixed with the acidic fog, causing the skin to dissolve. The acid would then continue to penetrate the muscles, causing perforations in the muscles, seeping into the bones, until even the bones were dissolved."

"More importantly, the pain caused by the acid would be applied directly to the brain, and it would be an uninterrupted pain that would cause the human body to convulse violently, disrupt the electrocardiogram, and even lead to sudden death due to overloading.

The old man's words moved Gu Zhan. "It's obvious that the creature inside the egg is the bane of carbon-based beings like humans."

"Yes, it's a hydrocarbon-based being." The elder nodded.

Gu Zhan scratched his head and asked, "Why hydrocarbons?"

633. Missing

"Hydrocarbons, also known as hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are creatures that are based on carbon and hydrogen," the elder explained with a serious expression. "The acid in those eggs is like a fuel cell. The hydrofluoric acid and nitrate provided them with natural electrolytes, which were used to generate bioelectricity. That's how those eggs were able to cross the ocean and enter the Milky Way from outer space."

Due to the yellowish-green, highly concentrated acidic mixture that was constantly flowing out of the egg, the laser cutting was halted. Gu Zhan and the rest of the crew were also afraid that the acid would corrode the deck of the ship and expose some unknown creature to the air that humans breathed in. That was an extremely dangerous situation.

Commander Fang and Li Rou came back in a hurry after waiting for a while. They looked very flustered under their chemical suits. "Boss, something bad happened. The deck was burned through. The dissection room is connected to the corridor on the third floor."

"Seal the entire third floor, drain the air, spray the disinfectant, and analyze the composition of the air in the third floor." Gu Zhan immediately gave the order and looked at the old man at the same time. "Brother Zheng, how can we isolate the hydrofluoric acid?"

"Both resin and plastic would do." The old man pondered for a bit before he continued, "We should be able to get the robots to set up plastic barriers in the autopsy room."

"Alright!" Gu Zhan nodded and was about to give the order when the AI issued yet another warning. "Warning! High-intensity life fluctuations detected!"

Everyone's expression changed immediately and looked into the dissection room at the same time. They saw the three eggs that were about half the height of a grown man slowly wiggling.

"Damn it, destroy it right now!" By then, Gu Zhan had realized that he had released some kind of formidable creature into the room. He lunged at the control panel outside the dissection room and pushed the self-destruct button hard.

Boom!

Flames spewed from the plasma jets in the quarantine room, and the blue fire engulfed the entire room.

"That won't work. We'll need to spray liquid nitrogen as well!" The old man continued, "I'm afraid that we'll have to switch between hot and cold to kill the enemy successfully."

Gu Zhan nodded and waited for the plasma flames to gradually extinguish. He pushed the button again before he was able to get a clear look at what was happening in the isolation room. Countless liquid nitrogen sprayed out again and the temperature in the room, which was initially at a temperature of thousands of degrees Celsius, was instantly reduced to low temperatures. Cracks began to appear on the window of the isolation room with a loud bang.

"Retreat!"

Gu Zhan and the others backed out of the room as soon as they saw what was happening. The thick, heavy door of the high-distance armor shut with a bang, completely sealing off the entire room. It was only at that moment that everyone gradually breathed a sigh of relief. Gu Zhan pulled up the image of the quarantine room on the photon computer and saw that the observation window, which was over half a meter thick, was no longer able to withstand the extreme environment where cold and heat alternated. It exploded with a bang, and white smoke from the autopsy room, mixed with liquid nitrogen, gushed out and filled the entire room.

"Warning, warning! Large amounts of life force fluctuations are detected around the exploration ship!" However, before anyone was able to heave a sigh of relief, another urgent warning was heard from the AI. Gu Zhan's expression became even more unsightly. He led everyone back to the cockpit and looked out of the French window. He saw countless eggs flying through space. However, the eggshells of those eggs actually began to wiggle just like the ones found in the dissection room, as if something was trying to break out.

"What the hell is going on?" Gu Zhan gasped. "Why are all of those eggs alive?"

"I'm afraid it's some kind of telepathy!" The old man known as Elder Zheng looked at the densely packed eggs outside with a shocked expression. "It's just like the people from the Tianqin Planet. I'm afraid that these creatures have some kind of communication ability as well. I wonder what they look like when they hatch."

"I don't care what they look like. I just want to leave right away." Gu Zhan's heart became even heavier after hearing what Old Man Zheng said. He was just about to order the exploration ship to accelerate and leave this eerie area when he saw from the corner of his eye that a yellowish-green egg exploded in midair right outside the window.

A cry of surprise was heard from the crowd. All they saw was a weird-looking creature that looked like a worm bursting out of the egg. That creature looked like a slug, yet they were able to see a layer of yellowish-green carapace covering its body. The structure of the carapace was identical to that of the eggshell, and there were countless tentacles all over its body. The moment it appeared, it charged at the other egg that had yet to hatch.

Somehow, the monsters were able to move in the vacuum directly. The worm pounced on another eggshell that had yet to hatch and bit down at the same time.

Crack!

No sound was heard from the universe, yet everyone felt as if they heard a crack in their hearts. The monsters flying from outside the Milky Way actually began to kill each other.

"They're getting stronger!" The elder looked even more astonished. "They're fighting among themselves to determine the most powerful beings out there. I knew it. They're really creatures that communicate through telepathy. Only such strange creatures have such social forms!"

The old man then turned to look at Gu Zhan and said, "Little Zhan, give the order to leave. These creatures are extremely aggressive, and we're not battleships. If the most powerful beings from the other side were to emerge, we'd probably be the ones to suffer."

"Alright!" Gu Zhan took a deep breath and ordered the AI to leave immediately. A huge spatial distortion spot appeared before the entire exploration ship all of a sudden and expanded rapidly like a vortex. The entire exploration ship then turned into a stream of light and flew into the vortex with a swoosh. The entire vortex shrunk in an instant and eventually swallowed him whole.

At that moment, the exploration ship that Gu Zhan was in had already sent all the news to the center of human rights—Stellar City. The news was then filtered through the system's central control and was immediately sent to the upper echelons of Stellar City.

"New species outside the Milky Way, hydrocarbon-based lifeforms? Their blood is highly corrosive and is suspected to possess the ability to communicate telepathically?" The official frowned when he saw the image submitted and seemed to consider it for a bit. In the end, he categorized the words' standby 'at the bottom of the message and flipped the message over, marking the next message…

Days passed and the edges of the Milky Way remained calm. Despite the fact that there were now three third-grade civilizations in the entire river system, the Milky Way was still far too vast. All the civilizations in the Milky Way knew less than a tenth of that space, let alone the most remote corner of the Milky Way.

At that moment, tens of thousands of strange creatures outside the river system at the place where Gu Zhan's exploration ship came from had finished devouring each other. There were only four or five of those worms left after all that had happened, yet every single one of them was as huge as an exploration ship.

There was an even larger worm before the five worm-like creatures. That worm seemed to have evolved due to the devouring process, as it no longer looked like it did when it broke out of its shell. Instead, it looked like a jellyfish-like monster.

The top of the monster was a huge sphere with a diameter of over 100 meters. The sphere was riddled with holes and was made of carapace made of a mixture of polyfluoroethylene and silicon carbide. There was no telling if the carapace was not fully grown or if it was something else, but some parts of the carapace were missing, revealing the pink flesh structure within. The flesh structure looked like the human cerebral cortex, which was filled with wrinkles.

On the whole, that sphere with a diameter of 100 meters looked like a huge brain that was protected inside a carapace.

Countless crimson tentacles that were over a kilometer long were seen at the bottom of the brain. The tentacles had barbs and suction cups growing on them, wriggling about in the air like hundreds of roundworms, making them look terrifying.

The five worms circled around the jellyfish-like monster like subjects before it and slowly made their way to the nearest star system like a corvette.

634. Investigation

A naked woman who was over five meters tall and completely hairless emerged from thin air.

The woman was described as a woman only because one could vaguely make out the features of a woman's chest. Her skin was a deep blue color and shone with a rich, reflective light against the background of the starry sky. Her entire body was shiny and slick, as if she was made of mercury.

However, at that moment, a vast stellar system was right before her. That stellar system's star was an old, massive red planet that had devoured two to three planets that were closer to it. Other than that, there were also several planets that were tightly orbiting around it. That situation had been going on for billions of years.

"Gliese 987, Stairway Three Galaxy. It's a poor-metal system, known as a multi-planetary system. Its orbit radius is 21 AU, consisting of five planets."

The woman mumbled as she looked at the Stellar System before her, especially when she looked at one of the planets that was riddled with holes. She suddenly looked very serious.

That was because, in her eyes, two of the five planets that belonged to the Gliese 987 Star System had disappeared without a trace. Furthermore, she felt a vague sense of crisis on the third planet, as if some monster was hiding somewhere, waiting to deal her a fatal blow.

"The people of Tianqin would never be afraid!"

Determination flashed in the woman's eyes. That place was originally under the control of the people of the Tianqin Star. She had sensed that the mass and trajectory of the galaxy around that planet had changed back when she was in the archbishop's Star Orbit Chart, which was why she came to investigate.

The woman then began to make her way slowly toward the planet that was now riddled with holes. What was even more astonishing was that she was able to cover a distance of one light-second with every step she took, which meant that her walking speed had reached lightspeed.

That was what made the people of the Heavenly Zither Star so proud—after hundreds of millions of years of evolution, almost every single person on the planet possessed tremendous power, and destroying a planet with a single thought was a piece of cake. As such, unless the people of the Heavenly Zither Star were to run into supernormal lifeforms like neutrinos, every single individual would be equivalent to a fleet.

As she quickly approached the planet that was riddled with holes, the female from the Tianqin Planet began to probe the planet with her consciousness. In her vision, the planet seemed to have been surrounded by something, like a curtain that blocked the spread of certain auras. Even with radiation vision, she was unable to see anything clearly.

However, just when the woman extended her tentacle into the magnetic field of the planet for the first time, a deafening rumble that sounded like an electronic crack was heard all of a sudden. The sound traveled into the depths of her mind through her consciousness and the woman's expression changed drastically. She felt as if a huge hand had been plunged into her brain all of a sudden and began to stir vigorously. That intense pain that was so intense that it made her feel like she was about to collapse caused her to clutch her head and scream out loud.

It was a will that seemed to possess the power of the heavens and earth, bringing with it a chill and endless evil intent. It plunged into the depths of the mind of the woman from Tianqin. Tentacle after tentacle shot out from the hole in the planet's outer shell at the same time. The diameter of those tentacles was hundreds of kilometers, and there were tens of millions of them. The entire planet seemed to have turned into a huge worm filled with countless tentacles in an instant, which swept towards the woman.

A look of horror was seen in the woman's eyes as she resisted the pain in her head and prepared to escape. However, an even more intense mental storm was felt from that planet at that very moment. The woman was unable to hold on any longer and despair was seen in her eyes before her eyes exploded. Her entire head exploded and blue blood sprayed all over the place before she was swallowed by the tentacle.

Eventually, the countless tentacles retracted and the planet that was riddled with holes returned to its orbit, spinning slowly around the planet…

Everything fell silent again.

That huge commotion should have been enough to catch the attention of the three god-class civilizations. However, some kind of rule seemed to have been changed somehow, and the intense commotion was completely silenced before it could even reach the asteroid belt.

About half an hour later, a woman with pure blue skin walked out slowly from the inside of the planet. She was none other than the woman who had been swallowed. However, her mind had returned to normal at the moment. However, there was no longer any emotion in her eyes, only numbness.

It was like a dead body that could move…

…

"Abnormal phenomenon detected near the edge of Sagittarius."

A piece of special information was extracted from Stellar City and sent to the optical supercomputer of the current chief executive of Stellar City.

The current chief executive was still a member of the Zhang family, named Zhang Dawei. He was originally a member of a branch family in the Zhang family and learned how to walk when he was three years old. He learned how to call his mother when he was five years old and was deemed trash, retard, and the worst of the bunch by his peers. However, as he grew up, he gradually became more unique, as if he had matured too late and eventually joined the Academy of Sciences, becoming a renowned space scientist.

Zhang Heng returned later and the Zhang Family was wiped out like a river of blood. Zhang Dawei, on the other hand, was able to successfully run for the position of the fourth chief executive of Stellar City due to his talents and prestige, which put him at the top of the human regime.

He looked at the messages from the photon computer with a serious expression.

"Mr. Executive Officer, what happened?" His secretary asked without thinking.

"Can't you see it?" Zhang Dawei's expression was solemn. "You should have received the message on your photon computer as well."

The secretary was stunned. She flipped through her photon processor for a bit before shaking her head and smiling. "Your Excellency, are you talking about the abnormal phenomenon at the periphery of the Centaurs? I've asked the photon processor to analyze it. It should just be an outbreak of a regular supernova. Such a thing happens every few centuries. It's no big deal."

"You think so too?" Zhang Dawei shook his head and continued, "I initially thought that it was just some kind of natural phenomenon, but when I did some calculations based on the laws of large numbers, I found that the wavelengths of the phenomenon were very weird, as if someone was doing it."

"But that's the territory of the people of the Tianqin Planet, isn't it?" The secretary argued.

Zhang Dawei's expression became even more serious. "I felt that something was off after hearing your explanation. I suspect that someone is using some kind of logic weapon to make us overlook this matter."

The secretary's expression changed drastically when she heard that. "Well, now that you mention it, I realized something as well. I had a feeling that something was off just now and that the whole thing was just too common and not worth paying attention to. Now that I think about it, it seems like something was guiding me, or rather, guiding anyone who knew about this piece of information."

"That's right. That's why we need to take this matter more seriously." Zhang Dawei nodded and continued, "A.I., go through all the records of the past year and look for any abnormalities at the edge of the arm of the Sagittarius."

The events that happened to Gu Zhan several months ago were quickly reported. Zhang Dawei's expression became even more serious after seeing what had happened. "New species outside the Milky Way, hydrocarbon-based lifeforms? Their blood is highly corrosive and is suspected to be capable of communicating telepathically? Something is definitely wrong!"

"Your Excellency, what should we do next?" The secretary asked immediately.

"Get the military to send out battleships. Investigate this!" Zhang Dawei waved his hand and said, "Lock this up for the time being. Try not to alert the people from the Zither and the Alpha-Origin. If they ask, just tell them that we're having a military exercise."

"Understood." The secretary nodded and passed on Zhang Dawei's order right away. Very soon, ten battleships clad in shiny armor plates emerged from a space military fortress that was the size of a planet at the edge of the solar system where the Tannis planet was located. The battleships then entered a space jump state and headed straight for the arm of the Sagittarius.

635. Logical Bug Race

In the sky above the Eye of Chaos, the headquarters of the people of the Heavenly Zither Star, a woman with a numb expression slowly walked out of Swasi's throat.

The territory that the people of the Tianqin Star were in was a product of a supernova called the Tianqin Nebula. There were dozens of pulsating planets inside the Tianqin Nebula, which provided a special environment for the people of the Tianqin Star to evolve their bodies. As such, the people of the Tianqin Star were able to construct an artificial interstellar space station that was about the size of a star using the material of the neutron star in the Tianqin Nebula, which served as the headquarters of their race.

That interstellar space station was called the Eye of Chaos.

Due to the fact that the Eye of Chaos was equivalent to a neutron star, the gravitational force was so massive that it was comparable to that of a black hole. Furthermore, due to the gravitational curvature, the flow of time within the Eye of Chaos was far greater than that of the outside world. Dozens of years would often pass in the outside world, and only several hours would pass in the inner world.

That was why the people of the Tianqin Star were able to live for hundreds of millions of years in the Milky Way.

At that moment, the woman who walked out of Schwarzschild's throat was walking in a rather weird manner. Her eyes, which had been filled with a glint of light, had turned dull, making her look like a walking dead.

"Dirigheba, didn't the high priest tell you to investigate the gravitational anomaly in the Gliese987 Star System?" The young man guarding the door couldn't help but ask when the woman was about to enter a hall floating in midair.

However, there was still no movement from the woman. She simply walked forward with a dazed look on her face, stumbling about as if she was about to catch something.

"Hold on!" The man's expression changed drastically and he couldn't help but block her path. "Dirigheba, you're not allowed to go in without being summoned by the Council of Cardinals!"

The woman's expression froze and she slowly raised her head to look at the man in a daze. Just when she felt a chill run down the man's spine, a tiny crack appeared on the woman's face.

Crack!

"Huh? What are you…" The man's pupils contracted. He was about to say something when the head of the woman named Dirizheba exploded all of a sudden. Tens of thousands of tentacle-like tentacles wrapped around the man. The man was unable to react in time and was plunged into his body by countless tentacles. He felt all the power in his body flowing out of his body in the very next second. He was reduced to a dried-up corpse before he could even scream before he disappeared into thin air.

All of that happened in just half a second. The woman continued to wave her tentacles about and limp into the hall even after the man was dead.

"Enemy attack!"

However, that commotion had completely alerted the entities in the hall. More than a dozen people from the Heavenly Zither Star, who looked like they had been through a lot, walked out of the room quickly. Everyone's pupils contracted when they saw what was before them.

"Diriba!" The man who was referred to as the High Priest became even more furious when he saw the woman before him. A vast beam of light emerged from his palm without a second thought, making him look like a rising sun. At the same time, the image of a vast starry sky flashed behind him.

"The Lord said that the demons must be eradicated, just like how we have been fighting for 80 million years!"

The High Priest shouted at the top of his lungs. The combination of religion and regime was the fundamental policy of the Tianqin Star. The Tianqin Star believed in the God of Chaos and believed that the entire Primordial Chaos was born from the Chaos. His current power came from the Chaos Theory.

However, before the High Priest could do anything, a will that was powerful enough to tear through space and time came crashing down on them. The palace of chaos was shattered in the blink of an eye and the entire Eye of Chaos, which was about the size of a planet, began to shake violently. Countless residents living on the Eye of Chaos were crushed by that will before they could even put up a fight and their heads were blown apart.

Shock was written all over the High Priest's face. Despite having the power to control the four fundamental forces and destroy the entire planetary system with a single thought, the High Priest still felt like an ant that was about to collapse in the midst of the raging winds, no matter how hard he struggled.

"The Lord says that I shall stand tall and still no matter what storms come my way!"

Blood dripped from the corner of the High Priest's mouth as he shouted stubbornly again. He was doing his best to absorb the power of the Chaotic Sea at the same time. The mirage of the sea of stars behind him began to churn all of a sudden. The zero points of the vacuum of the Dirac Sea were quickly infused into the High Priest's dying body. His body seemed to have been set on fire as he turned into a god and pointed at the monster occupying the Dirac shell.

Boom!

The monster was finally unable to resist the power that was on par with that of a god and was shattered into pieces by the endless energy attacks.

"Phew!" The High Priest finally breathed a sigh of relief after doing all that. He narrowed his gaze and looked at the entire Eye of Chaos, only to discover that the Eye of Chaos had long been devastated. Tens of thousands of people had died in that disaster, and the entire Heavenly Zither Star Clan had suffered a devastating blow that would not be seen in a million years.

The high priest felt like his heart was bleeding. The people of the Tianqin Star had evolved to such a high level that the problem of having children was very difficult to solve. There were only 20 to 30 thousand people in the entire Milky Way, and half of them were gone just like that. To the entire population of the Tianqin Star, this was an unprecedented blow.

However, just when the High Priest was feeling extremely pained, a Schwarzenegger appeared in the void before him. No, that wasn't a Schwarzenegger, but something huge that seemed to have torn the space before him apart. He looked up in a daze and saw a huge brain with a diameter of 10,000 meters and thousands of tentacles at the bottom of it squeezing into the void.

Roar!

Violent mental storms began to gather at the center of the entire Tianqin Nebula like a cosmic tornado. Countless matter was thrown out, and even the extremely tough neutron stars were completely shattered, flying in all directions. However, before they were able to get far, countless tentacles reached out from the void and pulled all of the matter back. Even the fluctuations calmed down weirdly.

The Heavenly Zither Nebula fell silent again.

It was as if nothing had happened before…

…

When the 10 battleships from Stellar City arrived at their destination, all they saw was an endless void.

It should have been where the Gliese987 star system was located, but the entire stellar system was nowhere to be found at that moment. Even the giant red star, which was over five billion years old, was nowhere to be found. There were only countless pieces of the planet left floating in the void in a dull manner.

"Someone destroyed the entire planetary system several hours ago." After a quantum scan, messages were sent to the command center of the battleship. "According to the karmic response mechanism, the other party seems to be heading for the direction of the Silver Heart. That… seems to be the home of the people from Tianqin," a captain said solemnly.

"Activate the Space-Time Tracking Mirage," the headquarters ordered.

"Initiating…"

"Bang!"

"Spacetime tracking equipment is being interfered with. Suspected to have been disturbed by the chaotic factor of the people from the Heavenly Zither," one of the inspectors answered immediately.

"No, that's not it. This isn't some kind of chaotic factor disturbance. Look at the quantum reaction curve. I think it's some kind of logical camouflage," another test subject retorted. "That's the mark of a logical weapon!"

"So, it's a logical weapon after all?" The captain of the battleship mumbled. "So, is it possible to capture free particles and recreate the scene?"

"Let me try." That detector was stunned for a bit and quickly began to operate on his brain. "I'm trying to capture… I've captured some free particles. Begin building the model."

A phantom appeared before everyone's eyes very quickly. On the image, everyone saw a tentacle monster the size of a planet devouring a star in the air. The countless tentacles were completely unafraid of the star's temperature and the entire star collapsed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Everyone watched all of this in shock. While such creatures were very rare, no one was surprised. The universe was boundless after all, and it was normal for there to be lifeforms that fed on the stars. What surprised everyone was that the other party was able to devour the stars at such a high speed. Such speed and efficiency were devastating to the ecology of the universe.

"Seems like we've caught them." The captain chuckled coldly. "Do you really think that you could play hide-and-seek with us just because you've got some kind of logical disguise? You're underestimating us humans." The captain then changed the subject. "Get ready to perform a mandatory karmic transformation against the unknown lifeforms. We need to arrest that monster before the people from the Tianqin Planet do."

"Yes." Everyone nodded immediately. However, before they could do anything, the monster in the mirage stopped moving and turned its head slowly in the direction of the camera.

"Wait, he stopped?" The captain was stunned.

"Be careful, this is a quantum trap!" However, the inspector's expression changed drastically all of a sudden and he ran backward all of a sudden. However, the tentacle from the monster in the mirage actually extended its tentacle in the direction of the camera in the very next second. The entire battleship rumbled at the same time and a tentacle that was hundreds of kilometers long emerged from the void and swept in the direction of the battleship. The human battleship was as insignificant as an ant before it.

Boom!

A battleship was unable to evade in time and exploded as soon as it came into contact with that tentacle.

636. Ambush

None of the remaining battleships were able to save the ship in time. All of them watched as the tentacle of the battleship was pulverized like paper before their very eyes. Shock was written all over their faces.

The tentacle that was hundreds of kilometers in diameter slowly retracted at the very next second. A huge crack appeared in the void at the same time, and a monster that was as huge as a planet was slowly squeezed out of the crack. That hideous tentacle and that eerie appearance made everyone shudder all over.

However, the monster's body gave off a vague feeling of nothingness.

"This isn't the main body of the enemy. This is just a projection imprinted under the timeline. The enemy possesses the ability to control time. Seize its past and destroy it!" The commander-in-chief's urgent shout was heard in the communication. All the battleships turned their ships around immediately. A special needle-like weapon was extended from the bow of one of the battleships.

"Forced Karma Transformation, 3, 2, 1!"

A shockwave that felt like it could tear a vacuum was released from the needle-like weapon and wrapped around the body of the huge monster in the blink of an eye. Hundreds of tentacles were severed at once.

The monster's head seemed to have cracked under the attack.

Almost at the same time, the logistic Zerg's main body, which had just been destroyed and was still devouring the neutron star fragment, suddenly had its tentacles cut off without warning. Cracks appeared on the shell of its head at the same time, causing the monster to shriek in pain. However, a tinge of humanity was seen in the eight tiny, almost invisible eyes of the Zerg. At the same time, space in front of it was torn apart, and the monster's entire body jerked and shot into the void.

"He's trying to escape!"

On the other side, the nine battleships also saw the projection of the monster in the air being pushed into the crevice at the same time. The remaining eight battleships stuck out their needle-like weapons without a second thought. Countless waves rumbled as the monster's silhouette became increasingly clear.

"We've got it! Increase power and pull its true form out of the timeline!"

Everyone was stunned. The planet-sized monster before their eyes became clearer due to the interference from the needle-like weapons. Just when everyone thought that they were about to win, several tentacles shot out from the void behind every single battleship at lightning speed.

"Oh no, we've been set up. There's more than one quantum trap set up by the enemy!" Everyone shouted in alarm. Three more battleships were destroyed in the very next second. Despite having powerful armor plates, the monsters were able to destroy the battleships with ease, despite having used some unknown means.

"The opponent's power exceeds our expectations. Retreat immediately. I repeat, retreat immediately!"

The furious roars of the commanders were heard from the battleship's flagship at last. A vortex-like wormhole appeared before the remaining six battleships at the same time. However, just when those battleships were about to escape, a huge tentacle extended from those wormholes at the same time.

Despair was seen in everyone's eyes.

…

The planet Tannis was located in was known as the Solar System, according to the customs of the past. The headquarters of the human military base at the edge of the Solar System was known as the Glorious Star, which revolved around the Solar System at the speed of lightspeed, protecting both human civilization and the planet Tannis.

At that moment, 10 battleships emerged from the void, riddled with wounds. Their bodies were riddled with wounds left behind by the fires of war, and some of them were even burning with flames. More than half of their bodies were missing.

"Commander, the troops we sent out have returned." Zhang Dawei received a report from the commander-in-chief of the operation in his office.

"Very good. How's the situation?" Zhang Dawei asked casually.

"There have been massive casualties among the battleships and fighters, but fortunately, we were able to fulfill our mission and get the results that you wanted. All of this is a new weapon test from the people of Tianqin. We've learned the data regarding those weapons during our conflict with the enemy. We'll be storing the data of the weapons in the central system. All data regarding the secret weapons have been exposed," a man in military attire reported with a deadpan expression. His face was covered in cracks, making him look like a piece of porcelain about to shatter.

"That's good to hear." Zhang Dawei nodded and waited for the projection to disappear, but his expression changed nonetheless. "Wait, something seems off…"

Zhang Dawei began thinking hard as he said that. However, he was unable to figure out what went wrong no matter how hard he thought about it. As such, he quickly contacted his secretary and said, "Regulate the 10 battleships that I've brought back right away. Report to me every single move that they make!"

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

The secretary felt rather confused after receiving the call, but he was nonetheless able to carry out the order without hesitation due to his excellent upbringing. The detection system of Stellar City began to operate quickly.

On the other side, the commander with a face full of cracks got out of the spaceship and went to the headquarters of the human army—the headquarters of the military base that was docked in outer space and was as huge as a planet, Stellar Brilliance.

"Charles, you're back." An old man led several soldiers wearing the Phase Transformation armor and walked over after disembarking from the battleship. "I've received orders from the higher-ups that you and your soldiers need to come with me."

The man named Charles turned his head around mechanically and stared at the old man with dead eyes. His eyes were cloudy, making him look like someone who had been dead for a long time.

"What, you're not willing to do it?" The old man frowned, but the weird thing was that the old man didn't notice anything off about the man at all. "This is an order from above. Are you going to leave on your own, or do you want me to take you away?"

"Crack, crack, crack…"

However, he didn't wait for the other party to reply for quite a while. Just when he was about to give the order to take the other party away, he heard something breaking. The elder was stunned and asked, "What's that noise?"

"Clack!"

Charles' head and body were reduced to pieces and fell to the ground. Only his head, which was covered by a layer of carapace, was exposed. Countless tentacles were coiled up at the bottom of his brain. The old man was torn apart before he could even react.

All the soldiers on the battleship were torn apart as soon as the first man made his move. Even the 10 battleships shattered with a loud crack, revealing countless ferocious tentacles.

The entire planet-sized military headquarters, the main base of the human fleet, was instantly destroyed.

"Enemy attack. Everyone, get into your positions! Prepare for battle. Communication team, contact Stellar City immediately. We need reinforcements!"

The commander of the base let out a furious roar and a suit of powerful armor appeared on his body automatically. At the same time, boundless energy was triggered and all manner of firearms and rules-based weapons were activated. The entire base was put on high alert at that moment.

At the same time, an instrument that looked like a sickle extended from the topmost part of the military base. Countless strings that were vibrating in the void were severed by that sickle-like instrument when seen from the quantum state. The entire void seemed to be in an unstable state due to a chain reaction mechanism.

The inertial crushing machine!

637. Attack!

There was a constant state of silence in the galaxy where the humans resided, preventing any nonhuman forces from leaping through the wormholes and attacking the headquarters of the humans. If it hadn't been for such a device, the humans would have long disappeared from history.

It was precisely due to the existence of a silent stance that humans had no need to worry about being ambushed by enemy forces. If the enemy wanted to attack, they could at most leap out of the Solar System through the wormhole and attack in the most conventional manner.

At that time, no matter what, they would have to first defeat the human military base—the Glorious Star, or they wouldn't be able to bypass the others and attack the planet where the human headquarters was located.

The so-called inertial shredder, on the other hand, was a device that could break the silence. It was not what people thought of as' inertia ', but a physical chain reaction caused by constantly shattering Quark and even smaller particles into tens of thousands of pieces.

According to what scientists learned, there was some kind of power in the entire universe that was capable of gathering all kinds of particles together. Every single particle in the universe had its own fate, yet the inertial shredder was able to forcefully end all those particles that originally had their own fate. That alone was enough to disrupt the karma of the universe, and even time and space would be severely affected, resulting in a lethal state of chaos.

Its real name was probably the law-breaker of physics, which meant that it was capable of breaking the silence.

As the ultimate defense mechanism, all the monsters felt an intense sense of crisis the moment the inertial shredder was activated. However, the monsters didn't back down at all. Instead, they looked completely ferocious and went all out to destroy the interior of the Glorious Star without any regard for their own lives.

At the same time, a pitch-black fissure appeared in the void near Planet Tanis. A silhouette that blotted out the sun began to reveal a scaly claw in the fissure, as if it wanted to break through the barriers of time and space and descend completely into the solar system.

If the enemy were to come, human civilization would be utterly destroyed.

"Oh no, we've fallen into a trap!" Everyone's expression changed drastically. None of them had expected that the other party would be waiting for the moment they activated their inertial crushing weapon.

Zhang Dawei's face was ashen inside the municipal building of Stellar City on Planet Tanis. He felt cold all over at the moment.

From where he was standing, he was able to vaguely see a dark crevice that stretched across the horizon slowly opening up in the void. A massive silhouette that blotted out the sun was pressing down from the crevice, seemingly trying to break free from the crevice and descend into the void outside the planet.

That figure was huge! The diameter of that brain alone was more than twice that of the Tanis planet. If tens of thousands of tentacles were to be added to the mix, the entire Tanis planet would look like a basketball in comparison. If that figure were to land right next to the Tanis planet, the gravitational field would be able to tear the entire planet apart without the other party having to do anything. Even if only a handful of people were able to escape on spaceships, what good would that do? The glorious civilization that humanity had built over hundreds of years had long been destroyed.

"Hurry up and run, Your Excellency. Planet Tanis is finished!" His secretary came running in from the outside. He grabbed Zhang Dawei and ran outside. In the square of the City Hall, a spaceship was parked right there. Countless panicked officials were crawling inside the ship from below. No one cared that their boss had yet to board the ship.

At that moment, hundreds, if not thousands of spaceships were taking to the skies above the Tanis planet. In a society where technology was at its peak, private spaceships were as common as bicycles. However, even if they were able to escape for a while, what would they be able to do when the Tanis planet was completely destroyed? Without the support of the human regime, the extraterrestrial civilizations that had fought with humanity in the past would probably go out of their way to kill them, just to prevent humanity from rising again. When that time came, humanity would become the enemy of the entire world and disappear from the history of the Milky Way.

One wrong move would lead to many mistakes.

Grief flashed in Zhang Dawei's eyes. He gritted his teeth and ran to the spaceship as well. Regardless of what the fate of humanity would be in the end, he had to live on for the time being. He had to live on for his family and for all humanity.

Zhang Dawei was the last one to get into the shuttle, and the ship that was loaded with over a thousand people slowly rose into the air. The ship was able to fly out of the atmosphere within tens of seconds thanks to the anti-gravity device. The crack in the void and the silhouette of the monster in the crack became even clearer.

It was a humongous head covered with densely packed holes. Pink brain tissue was seen in the holes. The monster's brain was exposed to the air just like that, taking up more than a third of its entire body.

There were tens of thousands of white tentacles below the head, each with a diameter of hundreds of kilometers. Any one of those tentacles could have rolled up a smaller planet. The thousands of tentacles looked like jellyfish in the deep sea, and they were the most disgusting of all.

More than half of the monster's body was seen poking out from the cracks at that moment. There were still some military commanders on Tanis who refused to give up and continued to attack the monster, which was more than enough to destroy the entire planet. However, when those weapons were about to hit the monster, they were all blocked by an orange, diamond-shaped barrier. That was the monster's biological stance.

"Human, are we really done for?" Zhang Dawei looked at the monster, feeling weak all over. The monster finally emerged from the spatial fissure with a bang after the ship had flown several million kilometers away. Thousands of tentacles were flung about wantonly and countless beams of light bombarded the monster's body in vain. It looked like a chrysanthemum in full bloom in the deep space of the universe.

Zhang Dawei was able to clearly feel a gravitational pull the moment the monster completely appeared in the Solar System. Even the ship shuddered violently. One could only imagine what would happen to the planet Tanis at the moment.

From what Zhang Dawei could see, the trajectory of the entire planet seemed to shift at a visible rate. The moon, which was orbiting around the Tanis planet, seemed to be in a parabolic trajectory, flying involuntarily towards the monsters.

"It's over, it's all over!"

Zhang Dawei slowly closed his eyes. He didn't need to look to know that the entirety of Planet Tanis and human civilization would soon suffer a devastating blow. Despite the fact that humans had colonies on other planets, the destruction of Planet Tanis was tantamount to the destruction of humanity as the center of human civilization.

"Sigh…"

However, at that moment, a faint sigh was heard from the void. Zhang Dawei opened his eyes suddenly and looked around, only to find that everyone seemed to have heard that sigh. That sigh seemed to have completely exceeded the limitations of space and echoed in everyone's minds.

Before Zhang Dawei was able to realize who was sighing, a huge hand that was large enough to envelop the entire galaxy slowly descended from above his head in the very next second, bringing with it a power that could destroy everything. It was as if all laws of physics, all time, and all space had collapsed in that palm.

638. Setting Them Up With One Blow

A massive hand came crashing down from the sky. The monster, which was several times larger than a planet, looked like a grain of sand when compared to the seemingly endless hand. It looked like it could crush the monster to death with a single squeeze.

"Howl!"

Fear was seen in the monster's eyes for the first time. It let out a deafening roar and countless tentacles shot out, tearing at the space around it. The space around it shattered all of a sudden and a huge hole was torn open. The monster itself was thrown into the tear, like an ant that had escaped back to its cave, wanting to escape.

"Do you think you'll be able to get away?" A cold, indifferent voice was heard in everyone's mind, as if the super lifeform that was capable of destroying the entire human civilization was like an ant that could be destroyed at any moment.

That monstrous hand bent its five fingers right away, as if it was trying to grab the entire planet in its hand. However, that huge hand seemed to be just a mirage that passed right through the planets when it touched the stars and planets of Tanis without causing any physical reaction. The only thing that happened when it grabbed hold of the monster was that it suddenly became corporeal and clenched hard.

However, it was still too late. The monster escaped into the spatial fissure before the giant hand was able to grab hold of it, leaving the void completely behind.

"Sh * t, that thing got away!" Everyone rushed to the French windows in shock and saw that huge hand that blotted out the sky quickly grabbing onto something. However, disappointment and indignation were seen in everyone's eyes as they saw that the thing had slipped into the spatial tear the moment the hand grabbed onto something.

However, the crowd went into an uproar at the very next second.

Zhang Dawei lowered his head, feeling rather disappointed at first, but he quickly looked up when he heard the shocked shouts from the crowd. He was astonished to find that the monster that had been trying to escape suddenly appeared out of thin air again as soon as the huge hand grabbed it. It was as if… the very essence of that hand had transcended space. As long as he wanted to grab hold of it, he would be able to grab hold of it easily, regardless of where it was or what it was.

That was the power of karma!

Everyone was stunned as they watched that huge hand tear through space and grab the monster in its hand before crushing it hard. The monster was reduced to an indescribable pile of mush before being pulverized and reduced to the most basic atomic level.

"Is that… the first chief executive of Stellar City?"

Zhang Dawei was stunned. He looked at the endless void in a daze, which looked like a huge hand that looked like a continent. That hand looked very well-proportioned and strong, if one were to look at its size and appearance alone. The joints were wide, the fingers were slender, and the nails were in the most perfect shape. Yet, that hand was able to hold a monster that no one could do anything about, and even space was unable to stop it.

Just what kind of power was this? Could humans actually reach such a level of power, just like the people of the Tianqin Star?

Everyone fell silent at once. The power represented by that huge hand was beyond what they could comprehend. It was the first time that they questioned the power of technology. Furthermore, the planet Tanis was also affected.

Planets were sometimes very resilient. In the past, humans had always thought that if too many nuclear bombs were to detonate, they would be able to destroy the entire world. However, the reality was that humans were simply wasting their time worrying about nothing. To Earth, even if tens of thousands or even millions of nuclear bombs were to explode, they would only be able to destroy the Earth's ecosystem. To the Earth itself, they were like tickles that couldn't even burst a single piece of skin.

However, there were times when planets were extremely fragile. Just like before, the moon had been thrown out of the solar system due to the massive gravitational force. The orbit of the planet Tanis itself had been changed due to the massive gravitational force. It was now moving in an unpredictable direction, and there was even the risk of falling into the sun.

However, just when everyone thought that the Tannis planet would not be able to escape the fate of destruction, that giant hand pushed again. That move seemed to have plucked an invisible string and everyone watched as the Tannis planet seemed to turn back time, returning to its original orbit. At the same time, the moon that was revolving around the Tannis planet was sent flying back as well, continuing to circle around the Tannis planet.

The planet's orbit wasn't the only thing that was restored at the same time. The tsunamis, hurricanes, and other natural disasters caused by the sudden gravitational pull on the planet were also restored. It was as if time in the entire solar system had been pushed back to the moment before the crisis.

All of that happened with just a casual flick of his finger, and everything was restored to its original state.

Everyone watched all of this with their mouths agape. To them, this was practically a miracle. At that moment, those who were feeling rather regretful finally let out excited cheers. With the owner of that huge hand holding the fort, who in the entire Milky Way would be a match for them?

Everyone seemed to have seen the bright future of humanity dominating the Milky Way and the unfettered universe.

…

Zhang Heng, who was in the four-dimensional space at the moment, silently raised his hand and looked at the pile of basic particles in his palm that couldn't even be considered flesh and blood. A sinister look flashed in his eyes. "I see. That monster that appeared out of nowhere has the Dimensional Star's Karma Threads on it. While there are only a few of them and they're extremely thin, I might have overlooked them if I hadn't been paying attention."

"Under my command, the Samsara Space has locked onto the first person suspected to be the Dimensional Star Lord. Does that mean that the Dimensional Star has sensed danger and is no longer able to sit still and is about to attack me?"

Zhang Heng mumbled to himself with a smirk on his face, "But you're unable to do anything to your host directly or indirectly, aren't you? Well then, could it be that you've found some way to circumvent the rules of the game and are testing the waters?"

Zhang Heng's eyes shone brightly. His consciousness was running at full speed like a supercomputer at that moment. Countless possibilities and hypotheses appeared in his mind before gradually disappearing. "I still can't figure out what your scheme is, but it doesn't matter anymore. While I'm out in the open and you're in the dark, due to the rules set by the founders, the price you'll have to pay to deal with someone of my level would be hundreds of times higher than mine."

"I'd like to see just how you'll be able to turn the tables around with such a huge advantage." Zhang Heng licked his lips and wore a sinister grin. "Keep struggling and run. The moment I find your true location will be the day you die!"

639. Pursuing The Dimensional Star Lord

A series of melodious chords and music played slowly in the empty space of reincarnation. Six men and two women stood under a huge ball of light with grave expressions on their faces. Several lines of text were seen flickering in the center of the ball of light.

"Quest Objective: Enter the 'Assassin's Creed' plane."

"Main Quest: Kill 'Stephen Eamon'. Acquire 5,000 Karma Points after completing the quest, raising access by one level."

"Optional Quest: Acquire 'Golden Apple of the Garden of Eden', acquire 'Thinking Digital', and acquire 'DNA memory extract'."

"Prompt: Those who refuse to accept the quest will have their access reduced by one level. Those with access lower than Level E. Begone!"

"Counting down to 30 seconds, 29, 28…"

Chao Man, who had been waiting for a long time, listened to the message with a serious expression on her face. However, her expression changed immediately after hearing that unfamiliar name. "Something's not right. Who is this Stephen Eamon? Is there such a person in the plot of 'Assassin's Creed'?"

"I can guarantee that there hasn't been a single person named Stephen Eamon in the main plot or branch of the Assassin's creed." Bai Yue nodded solemnly. "It's obvious that the plot of the reincarnation space has been changed due to some kind of special information affecting it."

"Alright, there's no time to revisit the plot at the moment. We'll just have to play by ear." Chao Man took a deep breath. As someone who had the authority of a team leader, she had known the name of the next mission a long time ago. As such, she wasn't surprised at all when the Assassin's Creed, an obscure game, appeared. "Check your equipment for the last 20 seconds."

"All checked and fully equipped. You may enter the mission at any time."

Six stern-looking men before Chao Man and Bai Yue nodded. Those six men were the companions that Chao Man and Bai Yue had nurtured after becoming veteran members of the Samsara Space Squad.

Chao Man had been given the position of captain long before the eight missions began. Both she and Bai Yue had grown significantly over the past few months. She had grown from an average high school girl to a qualified Samsara warrior.

Chao Man's expression finally relaxed a little after everyone confirmed that there was no mistake. The countdown for the ball of light finally came to an end at that moment. Everyone felt their vision blurring after the countdown on the ball of light was reduced to zero. By the time their vision became clear again, they had left the extremely safe space of reincarnation and appeared in a city filled with high-tech vibes.

This was the world of the assassin's creed.

The Samsara Space was able to control tens of thousands of planes and transport several humans from one plane to another as if it was a piece of cake, just like how the Dimensional Star was able to do so. It could be said that even though the Samsara Space was unable to compare to the capabilities of the Dimensional Star, it was not far off. The only difference was probably the range of the Dimensional Star's ability to sustain itself.

The Assassin's Creed, on the other hand, had a huge worldview. It mainly talked about a group of Temple Knights who founded a company called the Abstego Industrial Corporation. That company possessed a technology that could extract memories from the DNA left behind by the human ancestors. The Temple Knights hoped to find something called the Garden of Eden's Golden Apple through that technology. That item was a product created by the first civilization of ancient times, and it contained countless secrets and even information regarding the end of the world.

The top civilization of ancient times had a kind of technological digitization that enabled them to store their thoughts in computers even when their bodies were destroyed. The ancient civilization attempted to survive the apocalypse back then using such technology, but they eventually failed due to various reasons.

The protagonist of the game was none other than Desmond, a member of an assassin organization—a descendant of the upper echelons of the Brotherhood. The Temple Knights of the Abstego Industrial Corporation arrested him in an attempt to find the Golden Apple of the Garden of Eden left behind by the First Civilization through his memories. As such, the story unfolded.

Ninety percent of the storyline in the game was about the protagonist using DNA memory extraction technology to experience the memories of his ancestors becoming assassins. However, it was precisely because of that that the game became a classic in the history of the game, and people still talked about it with relish.

At that moment, Chao Man first took a look around the unfamiliar world. They were currently at the top of a tall building. Other than herself, Bai Yue, and the six members of the Samsara team, there were four other rookies. However, Chao Man frowned when she saw the four of them. "Bai Yue, go and explain things to them when they wake up later."

"Alright." Bai Yue's eyes lit up right away, and the eyes of the remaining six people were filled with envy and jealousy. After all, everyone knew that the first person to explain the knowledge of the Samsara team to everyone would be rewarded with 100 Karma Points. It was also because of that that Chao Man was able to give Bai Yue 100 Karma Points for free every time she was given an explanation. While that wasn't a lot of Karma Points, it was common knowledge that the accumulation of small amounts would eventually lead to the accumulation of large amounts of Karma Points.

"Warning, mission details—Main Quest: Kill 'Stephen Eamon'. Acquire 5,000 Karma Points after completing the quest. Access upgraded by one level."

"Optional Quest: Prevent Stephen Eamon from acquiring the DNA memory extraction technology. Prevent Stephen Eamon from acquiring the Golden Apple Number One. Prevent Stephen Eamon from acquiring the thought-digit technology. Authorization reduced by one level if the quest fails. Those with access below Level E. Killed."

Bitterness was written all over everyone's faces when they heard that the Dimension of Samsara was filled with malicious mission announcements, as they still had no idea who was responsible for killing Stephen Amon.

The four rookies gradually woke up as Bai Yue explained the rules of the Samsara Space to them in detail. While many of them refused to believe her, and despite having their minds marked, they felt that all of that was just a clumsy kidnapping act.

Chao Man simply told them to fend for themselves when it came to such people, as they couldn't even accept such a new viewpoint. It would be best if they didn't, as it would only lower the construction capacity of the city.

In the end, only a boy who looked to be about 16 or 17 years old was selected to join the Samsara team for the time being. The remaining three rookies were given a few gold bars each, telling everyone to run for their lives. As such, even if they were to fail, their plans wouldn't be completely ruined by the bunch of rookies who had made a fool of themselves.

Even if she were to lose to those who were on the edge of life and death, she was unwilling to allow her opponents to gain the greatest amount of power. That was a common problem among the Samsara teams. As such, if the rookies, who were running and hiding in all directions, were to run away from the battlefield or just go to the other side of the world, even the most powerful of the Samsara teams wouldn't be able to find them all.

"All of this feels like a game. Could it be that this Stephen Eamon is someone like us?"

A thought came to Chao Man's mind at that moment and a bold conjecture was made known to her. Bai Yue felt a chill running down her spine after hearing Chao Man's conjecture.

If Stephen Eamon was indeed a system similar to that of the space of reincarnation, wouldn't that mean that everything about him had been planned beforehand? It was as if he had become a chess piece, and his fate and life had long been in the hands of others…

640. The Mantis Stalks The Cicada

Late at night, in a secret base somewhere in the outskirts of the city.

As a typical villain boss company, Abstego had the same characteristics as all other similar companies—preferring to hide in the dark and hide in the shadows, conducting some kind of secret experiment that few would know about. Furthermore, it had its own armed forces as usual.

At that moment, three Holy Knights were patrolling the interior of the company in groups. It was the 21st century after all, and it was wise to keep up with the times. The Holy Knights of the Vatican were armed with modern weapons as well. They wore security attire and didn't look any different from regular security guards. The only difference was that they were armed with firearms and wore bulletproof vests, as well as high-tech equipment like night vision.

"In the command room. Everything is normal in area B," the patrol captain of the three reported to the control room and gave an OK gesture to the surveillance cameras.

On the top floor of the company building, three Holy Knights dressed in the same attire were slouching lazily in their seats. One of them said immediately after hearing the report from the second team on the communication device, "Noted in the command room. Second team, you guys are to patrol area C now. area B will be taken over by third team."

"Understood. We'll be right there." The patrol captain's voice was heard from the other end of the communication device.

However, all the surveillance cameras on the walls flickered all of a sudden at that very moment. One of them seemed to have seen something out of the corner of his eye and his expression froze. He quickly looked into the surveillance cameras and found that everything looked normal, as if the flashing of the surveillance cameras was just an illusion.

"Tom, did you see that?" That Temple Knight asked his companion subconsciously.

"What do you see?" The man called Tom looked up lazily, feeling puzzled.

"Forget it, it's nothing." He stared at the monitor for a bit more and found that nothing like what happened before had happened. He then shook his head and said resentfully.

However, what the three of them didn't know was that the entire company's network was completely breached the moment the monitor flickered. The central computer didn't even have time to call the police before it lost all ability to defend itself.

At the same time, hundreds of meters away from the Abstenego Company, in a luxurious villa in the outskirts, over a hundred men dressed in mercenary attire were taking over the villa in a very aggressive manner. The owner of the villa had long been thrown into the basement, tied up.

"Boss, I've breached the intranet of the Abstenego Company and taken control of all of their defense mechanisms and alarms. The entire company is now our backyard!"

The one who spoke was a young man with golden hair. There were three laptops placed before him and one could tell that the young man's hacking skills were top-notch just from the way his hands moved about the three computers like a blur.

"Well done, Alaska!" A boorish-looking Caucasian man with a full beard nodded and smirked as he held a cigar in his mouth. "Seems like getting the Red Queen's motherboard for the mission in the Resident Evil last time was very useful after all. The enemy was taken down before they could even react. Well then, it's time for us to take the field!"

"All of you, listen up!" The boorish man then faced the crowd and shouted, "Alaska has breached the enemy's defense net. It's time for us to take the field. We'll enter the Absteg Corporation through the sewers. All you need to do is take control of the company by force and find the 'DNA memory extraction technology' equipment. That would be the end of the mission. As compensation, all of you will get what you want!"

"Yay!" Everyone clapped and cheered.

"Alright, charge at him right now!" The boorish man's tone changed and he shouted all of a sudden, jumping down from the huge hole that was dug under his feet. Those people followed suit without hesitation, leaving only 10 people to guard the villa's escape route in case of any mishaps.

A dull rumble was heard from the underground parking lot of the Abstenego Company in less than a minute. A part of the hard concrete floor collapsed, revealing a pitch-black hole. The boorish-looking man then leaped out of the hole with a cigar in his mouth and a weird-looking gun in his hand. He looked around cautiously with the gun in his hand.

Figures crawled out of the holes one after another using him as cover. The entire squad maintained the special forces style like an allied suicide squad, completely occupying the underground parking lot.

"Hold on!" The boorish man suddenly raised his hand when he was about to reach the basement stairs, causing everyone to stop in their tracks. "The First Assault Team will occupy the first three floors. The Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions will clear the floors above from the fourth floor. The Fifth Unit will follow me and take the elevator to the topmost floor."

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone shouted and rushed up the stairs according to the other party's plan. The boorish man took the elevator to the topmost floor under the cover of the hacking Alaskan. One could tell just how terrifying the control of the system was from there. More than a hundred people sneaked into a company at the same time, yet the people in the surveillance room didn't notice anything. The screen before their eyes remained completely normal.

In the end, the boorish man led Team No. 5 to the top floor. A door made of alloys was seen when the elevator doors opened. The security level of that company was extremely high, and even the door of the surveillance room was sealed. The room was self-sufficient, making it look like a small fortress. There might even be a back door leading to other locations.

However, after the surveillance cameras were taken down, the room became like an iron coffin. As the boorish man gestured, the 10 burly men who came with him stood on either side of the wall. A man who was fiddling with something that looked like clay walked up excitedly and stuck the clay onto the alloy door before waving for everyone to back off.

"Three meters back!" The boorish-looking man gave the order as well, causing everyone to take three steps back. It was only then that the man covered his ears with one hand and pressed a button with an exaggerated expression.

"Boom!"

A loud explosion was heard and intense gunshots were heard from downstairs almost at the same time. It was obvious that everyone had discussed the timing of the attack beforehand and that both parties would attack at exactly the same time. That was very important. If the timing of the attack was different, the infiltration team would have to pay a high price if they were to create the snakes.

The crowd watched as the alloy door, which was about half a meter thick, shattered, revealing a huge hole that was about half the height of a grown man. The boorish-looking man chuckled and charged in first, only to see two security personnel lying on the ground, trembling and bleeding from all seven orifices. That explosion was like a can of dynamite, killing the two inside on the spot.

"Boss, Team One has completed their mission. They've taken over the first three floors and killed three of the security personnel." A reply was heard from the communication device at that moment.

"Unit Two has finished searching the fifth floor and is currently fighting the security guards on the sixth floor."

"The fourth team is being resisted to the death on the eighth floor. The team has suffered casualties. Requesting backup. I repeat, requesting backup!"

Reports from various teams were heard from the communication device. The boorish man frowned and asked, "What's going on? What's happening on the eighth floor of Alaska?"

"Boss, it just so happens that there are two teams from the other side taking over the eighth floor. There are six of them in total, and because we attacked too late, the other side was already prepared. There's also a sharpshooter in the crowd, and we've already lost two of them. We're being suppressed on the stairway and unable to show our faces."

The voice of the hacker, Alaska, was heard from the communication device.

"So troublesome?" The boorish man snorted and said to the people behind him, "Everyone, follow me. We'll go downstairs and surround the enemy with Squad Four."

He was the first to run up the stairs as he said that, with the others following closely behind him. It didn't take long for him to reach the eighth floor. The roar of machine guns was heard from the end of the stairs at the same time.

"B * stards, charge!" The boorish man chuckled and shook the muscles on his face as he dashed to the end of the stairs. It was obvious that the other party had not anticipated that there would be people closing in from behind. They were thrown into a panic when they saw the crowd appear. Bullets shot past the boorish man one after another, making whistling sounds. However, the boorish man didn't bother to evade and instead shouted as he rushed to the corner where the other party was hiding.

Bang!

However, a gunshot was heard at that moment and the boorish man's head jerked backward, causing blood to spray everywhere.

The expressions of the people behind the boorish man changed drastically. Just when they thought that the boorish man was dead, the boorish man suddenly straightened himself and pulled the trigger hard. The heavy machine gun in his hand let out a deafening roar for the first time.

Bang, bang, bang…

All it took was a single sweep and the six security personnel hiding at the corner of the stairs were torn apart by the massive force at the same time. Countless organs and flesh were sent flying everywhere.

"Boss!" Everyone turned to look at the forehead of the boorish man after killing all six of them. However, they were shocked to find that the bullet was embedded in the forehead of their boss. However, the bullet seemed to have hit hard steel. Not only was it unable to penetrate the boorish man's head, it was stuck in his muscles instead. As the muscles on the boorish man's head moved, that brass bullet dropped to the ground with a clang.

It was obvious that the brute's muscular prowess had far exceeded that of humans.

"Boss, the entire four patrol teams in the building have been killed and the news hasn't been leaked at all." The Alaskan voice was heard from the other end of the communication device again. "I've found data regarding DNA memory extraction technology in the company's database. You just need to find one more sample."

"Where is the sample?" the boorish man asked.

"I'm still searching. Ah, I've found it. It's at… Ah!" However, the Alaskan let out a shrill scream before he was able to finish his sentence. The communication device went dead silent.

641. The Oriole Behind

"What's going on?" The boorish man's expression changed drastically. "Alaska, what happened? Hey! Hey!"

However, no matter how much the boorish man shouted, there was no response from the other end of the communication device.

"Damn it!" The boorish man slammed the wall hard and a crater the size of a bowl was blasted into the wall with a loud rumble. The cracks all over the place spread out in a radioactive manner and all the red bricks and cement in the crater were reduced to dust.

"Boss, bad news. We've lost contact with Alaska!" His adjutant reported immediately.

"I'm not deaf!" The boorish man glared at the adjutant before gritting his teeth and telling everyone, "There's been a change in the mission. I need all of you to find the data regarding the DNA memory extraction technology as soon as possible before we leave this place. If not, we'll all be wiped out when the enemy's reinforcements arrive."

"Now, spread out. Gogogo!"

It had to be said that the boorish man had a lot of authority among the crowd. The moment he gave the order, the crowd began to search every single office in the building.

The boorish man, on the other hand, had a determined look on his face as he looked through the window at the villa hundreds of meters away. The lights in the villa had been turned off by then, making it look like nothing had happened.

"Who is it? A retaliation from the Abstego Industrial Group? That shouldn't be the case. If they knew about my plan, there wouldn't be just a handful of patrolling security guards waiting for me in this company. There would be an entire team lying in ambush. Besides, how could this company know about my plan?"

"As for the mole in the army, that's even more impossible. If I were to fail the mission and die, all of the troops that I've brought with me would end up trapped in that seat. Even if there really is a mole, what's his motive for doing so right now?"

A shadow flashed across the boorish man's face as he continued to ponder over all sorts of possibilities. However, just when he was thinking about all of that, a cold voice was heard in his mind all of a sudden.

"Warning: Intrusion detected by the Samsara Space. Urgent mission initiated. Mission Objective: Team wipe out all members of the Samsara Space Team. Reward access upgraded by one level. One mission exemption access granted."

All of that information flashed through his mind all of a sudden and the boorish man shuddered all over right away. He widened his eyes in disbelief and felt as if ten thousand strings of mud were stampeding across his mind.

Samsara Space? Invasion? What was that thing? Could it be that there were other forces traveling through the planes other than the Dimensional Star Lord?

"The Samsara Space is the number one enemy force of the Dimensional Star. It also possesses the ability to traverse all kinds of planes. The members of the Samsara Space are of a similar nature to that of the Dimensional Star's constellation lord, but the purpose of the other party's existence is to destroy the various universes and hunt down all of them, preventing the Dimensional Star from saving humanity."

A 2D girl wearing black tights and had a bun on her head appeared on his retina at that moment. Hot-blooded background music was heard at the same time and the girl's voice was very provocative. "Dear host, a new mission has appeared. All you need to do now is kill, kill, and destroy all obstacles. Don't forget that your goal is to rule the universe!"

"Damn, there's no way to do this mission!" The boorish man spat and continued, "Bemani, enough with the nonsense. When did I set a goal to rule over the myriad worlds?"

"Relax, relax! What's the difference?" The girl who was referred to as Bellmani waved her hand dismissively, not feeling discouraged by her host's reaction at all. She then changed her tone and said in a deep, rich accent, "Come on, Stephen. You're the pride of your father!"

"F * * k! How many times have I told you not to use my father's accent?"

If one were to look from the outside, one would only be able to see the boorish man talking to himself furiously, as if he had lost his mind. However, after the ruckus, the boorish man's expression became completely serious. "If that's the case, then the force that killed Alaska should be the one from the Samsara Space. However, the Dimensional Star would definitely not issue a mission to kill someone. Doesn't that mean that no matter how powerful the other party is, he wouldn't be that strong?"

The boorish man seemed to have recalled something as he said that and his expression changed drastically. "Sh * t, if I were to spread everyone out, wouldn't that mean that I've fallen right into their trap?" He suddenly heard gunshots from the bottom of the stairs at that thought. Several screams were heard from the other end of the communication device at the same time before they disappeared without a trace.

It was obvious that the other party was on their way.

The boorish man wore a grave expression and ordered, "Change of mission. All units to the fifth floor at once. I repeat, all units to the fifth floor at once!"

The sound of running footsteps was heard from the stairway very quickly. The boorish man looked down and saw Team Two running towards him. The area below the third floor was completely silent. Team One, who had been staying on the first floor, had indeed disappeared.

"Boss, what happened? Why are there enemies on the first floor?" The second squad asked the boorish man with a serious expression as soon as they got to him.

"Their name is the Samsara team, and they're of a similar nature to our team. They're both teams that travel between planes." The boorish man waved his hand dismissively. "The situation is a little complicated. I'll explain everything after we get through this ordeal. What we need to figure out right now is just how many people they have, what weapons they have, and if they'll be discovered by the Abstegos, etc."

Everyone's expression changed immediately after hearing that. "There are other teams that look like us apart from us? Why didn't you tell us earlier, boss?"

"I just f * * king found out about it!" The boorish man glared at the adjutant who questioned him. He had given the man a death sentence in his heart. Unlike Zhang Heng back then, the boorish man immediately began working with the authorities after becoming the Lord of the Dimensional Star. He was responsible for finding future technologies in the various planes, while the authorities were responsible for logistics and providing manpower and weapons for him. The 100 people assigned to the plane mission were the most elite and most powerful special forces sent by the authorities.

However, just when the two of them were arguing, the glass outside the window shattered all of a sudden. The deputy's head exploded at the same time and blood sprayed all over the boorish man's face.

"There's a sniper on the other side!" The boorish man shouted and everyone was on their stomachs at the same time. Another bullet shattered the glass and hit the wall behind them.

A rumbling sound was heard and the boorish man felt the ground beneath him shake. He looked at the wall in disbelief and found that the hard wall had two holes that were about half a man's height from the sniper rifle.

What kind of gun was that?

The boorish man immediately knew that things were not looking good. He jumped up and ran towards the stairway at the same time, shouting, "The enemy's firepower is too strong. Run!"

However, it was too late for him to say that. Other than a handful of people, the rest of the crowd didn't even have time to react before several gashes that were about half the height of a grown man appeared on the outermost wall. The floor of the corridor was also riddled with gashes. Dozens of people didn't even get to make a sound before they were reduced to dust by the powerful firepower.

"Damn it!" The boorish man cursed and ducked into the stairway. It was only then that he realized that he was sweating all over. His body had indeed been enhanced before, but no matter how enhanced he was, he was only able to block regular bullets. He didn't think that he would be able to block all those sniper rifles that looked like hand guns. That was against the rules.

The soldiers that he brought with him were in utter chaos at the moment. Some of them ran to the stairs with him, while the rest fled into the offices of the buildings. Despite that, gunshots were heard continuously. Those who hid in the offices were unable to escape the nightmarish sniping and were all reduced to pieces of flesh and blood.

"The other party definitely has a thermal imaging device!"

The boorish-looking man's expression became even uglier. He could feel the ground beneath the stairs shaking non-stop, making him feel as if the entire building would collapse in the very next second.

"This can't go on any longer. Everyone, follow me closely. Let's get out of here!" The boorish man shouted. However, he felt a chill running down his spine before he was able to finish his sentence. He threw himself forward without a second thought and a huge hole appeared beneath his feet in the very next second. He was so close to getting split in half by that single shot.

No matter how elite the special forces that he brought with him were, they were unable to withstand the barrage of firepower and ran down the stairs.

The boorish-looking man's expression became even more unsightly, yet there was nothing he could do about it. He quickly got up and ran down the stairs after everyone else. However, he saw two Asian women standing in the lobby on the first floor, both of them raising their guns.

Bang, bang, bang!

A series of gunshots were heard and all the special forces soldiers who were running down the stairs were shot. All of them were dead, leaving only the boorish man who was unable to get up and down. Despair was seen in his eyes at that moment.

"Hehe, we've had a hard time finding you, Mr. Stephen Eamon." One of the girls, who looked to be in her teens, chuckled and walked over slowly. "Are you going to surrender yourself, or do you want us to beat you to a pulp?"

"So, you guys are members of the Samsara squad then?" The boorish man gradually calmed down at that moment. He took a deep breath and said with a cold expression, "I might be able to satisfy any of your conditions."

The boorish man was speaking in English, while the two women before him were speaking in Chinese. However, due to the mechanism of the Samsara Space, both parties were able to understand each other without any problems.

"You know about the space of reincarnation?" The two girls looked at each other in surprise. However, the moment they turned around, the boorish man's eyes flashed and he pounced on the girl closest to him. He believed that he would be able to snap her neck in 0.3 seconds if he were to get near her.

However, he realized that he had miscalculated in the very next second. The girl didn't panic at all when he rushed up to the woman and grabbed her by the neck. Instead, she calmly raised her right leg and kicked the man's crotch.

Judging from the force of the blow, he was afraid that he would be rendered completely incapacitated if he were to take the brunt of the blow. The boorish man had no choice but to let go of the man's head and slap his knee, blocking the man's attack. However, at that moment, the girl made use of the force of his slap to turn around and kick the man hard in the chest with her other leg.

Crack!

The sound of bones cracking was heard and his chest collapsed at a speed visible to the naked eye. The boorish man spat out a mouthful of blood and his eyes were filled with disbelief before he fell seven to eight meters away.

He looked up at the girl unwillingly. No matter how hard he tried to imagine it, he was unable to figure out how a girl who looked like she had no strength to truss a chicken could actually kill him with a single kick. At that thought, he felt his vision gradually darken and his consciousness completely sank into the bottomless darkness.

642. Strange Plane

"It's a completely unequal contest."

Zhang Heng looked pensive as he watched Chao Man and Bai Yue easily kill his host, Stephen Eamon, in the assassin's creed plane.

The Samsara Space was like a secret chamber for nurturing venomous insects, trapping countless venomous insects within it and having them fight and devour one another. In the end, only one venomous insect was able to survive, and that particular insect became the gu.

It was the same with the Samsara Space. Survival of the fittest was survival of the fittest, and the strong remained strong. As long as there were enough karmic points, countless technologies, and countless ways to become stronger were available to Zhang Heng. Gene optimization, enhancement of the T-Virus, enhancement of the DX-118 Virus, enhancement of the Genova cells, and enhancement methods from countless planes were all included in the list. Zhang Heng had put in a lot of effort to locate the Dimensional Star.

The Dimensional Star, on the other hand, was different from the Samsara Space. The selection process of the Dimensional Star focused more on promoting and developing civilization. Battles and individual combat prowess did not play a significant role in the selection process. As such, the host of the Dimensional Star was easily defeated by the Samsara team in their first clash.

However, the fact that Chao Man and Bai Yue were able to easily defeat the other meant that the Dimensional Star didn't know much about the Samsara Space, and that the host was only a host with a Grade C clearance. If the host was someone with Grade A or even Grade S clearance, Chao Man and Bai Yue's team would have been completely out of reach. After all, the Dimensional Star Constellation Lord with Grade A clearance had an army of 10,000 people to begin with. Furthermore, due to all manner of advanced technologies, their own power was countless times greater than that of the common people, just like how Zhang Heng was previously.

It could be said that the power of the Dimensional Star Constellation was elevated to a whole new level. The weakest ones were no different from regular humans, while the strongest ones were even close to reaching the level of Zhang Heng before he was made up.

However, the current Team Samsara was just getting started. If Zhang Heng was given some time, he would be able to nurture enough experts to fight against the high-level hosts of the Dimensional Star.

Zhang Heng stood in the four-dimensional space and reached out to grab something the moment he saw Chao Man kill Stephen Eamon. A string of nothingness was caught in his hand. He slowly raised his head and looked in the direction of the string, only to find that the end of the string was somewhere far away in the void.

Karma Threads!

"I've collected three now." Zhang Heng looked at the invisible threads in his hand and fell into deep thought. Other than Stephen Eamon, who had just been killed, the other two came from Tony Stark and the last one came from the dead Logical Bug. While it was still a long way to find where the Dimensional Star was hiding with just the three lines of karma, that didn't mean that Zhang Heng couldn't explore the three lines of karma and find more clues.

The essence of karma wasn't actually some kind of string, but some kind of conceptual entity that was difficult to describe. Such an ability wasn't something that could be found in most living beings in four-dimensional space. If the multiverse was described as a computer, then the karma line would be described as a net. Regular netizens would at most be able to scold others through the net, but a 'hacker' like Zhang Heng was able to go along with the netizens and beat them up, or even kill them.

Zhang Heng held the three empty strings in his hand at that thought and closed his eyes all of a sudden. He took a step forward just by feeling the strings. His body immediately transcended space and arrived at a corner that he had never been to before.

"There it is!" Zhang Heng opened his eyes all of a sudden and looked around him. He saw a universe that he had never seen before, stretching between multiple universes. However, what that universe looked like shocked him.

The crystal wall of the universe, which had been completely clean and shiny before, was now filled with bumps and hollows, making it look like a seriously ill AIDS patient whose entire body was festering. Countless' maggots' were crawling all over the crystal wall, eating away at the muscles and skin that were almost rotten to the core.

Those maggots-like entities were none other than the corruption caused by countless memes. Other than that, there was something else that Zhang Heng had never seen before, something even more terrifying than the memes.

That seat seemed to have reached the end of its life.

However, he found that there were humans living stubbornly in the depths of the plane after seeing through the devastated plane's crystal walls. Most supernatural megamorphs and so on were suppressed to a very small extent, just like how Zhang Heng was able to forcibly isolate the cursed megamorphs back in the real world. While the humans in the plane had no way of erasing the megamorphs, they still tried all sorts of methods to contain the megamorphs, doing their best to minimize the damage done to human civilization.

More specifically, Zhang Heng was unable to get a good look at the plane. While the crystal wall of the plane was severely damaged, there seemed to be some kind of unusual power contained within. It was that power protecting the plane that kept the world running. Despite being riddled with holes, the plane remained intact. Furthermore, it still had enough power to block the vision of the watchers, preventing Zhang Heng from seeing what was happening inside the plane.

Zhang Heng was deep in thought as he looked at the strange world before him. The plane that he was sitting on was the one that he found connected to the Dimensional Star through the Karma Threads. While he had no idea what the connection between the plane and the Dimensional Star was, that didn't stop him from exploring the plane.

It was just that Zhang Heng's main body was unable to head there directly. After all, the Dimensional Star was able to sense his arrival, which meant that it had alerted the enemy. Furthermore, the Samsara team had only just been established and was of little use. As such, there was only one way to get the Samsara team to come.

He extended his hand at that thought and a quantum thought transmitter appeared in his palm. The device looked like something out of a fantasy novel, where the wearer would be rendered into a doppelganger when implanted in the body of a human, completely controlling the wearer's every move, thoughts, and thoughts.

When the Tanis planet had been invading other civilizations for the past few hundred years, that device had played a huge role and played the role of a perfect spy. Its usefulness was impeccable.

However, implanting that device into the body of someone on that plane was a very technical issue. That person's status couldn't be too low, as it would be a waste of time. Furthermore, the other party was simply too important, which meant that there was a high chance that he would fail. As such, Zhang Heng decided to send yet another team of Samsara Team members over and handed the device to the other party. It was up to fate after that.

Zhang Heng sent a message to Corona at that thought and the space of reincarnation quickly descended near the plane. More than a dozen beams of light descended at the same time and Corona shot more than a dozen beams of light into the interior of the plane through the festering crystal wall.

The members of the Samsara team were different from Zhang Heng. The arrival of those people wouldn't attract too much attention. Furthermore, given that the members of the Samsara team were all elites, it shouldn't have been difficult for them to implant that device into the bodies of some high-ranking personnel. However, bad news came from Corona in just three days.

Zhang Heng's mouth twitched a little when he learned that the first team was completely wiped out, even though he was mentally prepared.

"Commander, this world is just too eerie. Regular people live like they are in real life, but in the dark, there are countless bloodshed and sacrifices every day. Once an ordinary person comes into contact with the taboo in the dark, both the righteous and the evil would choose to silence that person." Corona shook her head and explained. "I have to say, it's very difficult to put a nail in that person."

"Keep trying. If one Samsara team can't do it, then we'll just have to have a few more. Even if we have to sacrifice all the teams we've nurtured, we'd still need to succeed once." Zhang Heng frowned and continued, "I can't give up on this lead."

"Yes." Corona nodded helplessly and went on to disperse the hundreds of Samsara teams as if they were worthless. However, Corona's expression was clearly pained. It wasn't easy to nurture a Samsara team after all.

"Team Samsara of the Brave Continent wiped out!"

"Marvel Samsara team wiped out!"

"Team Samsara from the Tanis Planet has been wiped out!"

Days passed and Corona was able to sense the deaths of every single Samsara squad. She reported the deaths to Zhang Heng and it took only three to five days for half of the hundreds of Samsara squads that were dispersed to the outside world to be completely wiped out.

Zhang Heng's expression became increasingly glum. He had never expected the seats to be so terrifying. The squads of Samsara, which were capable of holding their own, were as fragile as weeds. Even Zhang Heng began to hesitate at the moment. He had paid such a huge price after all. Even if one of the squads were to successfully implant a quantum thought transmitter in some high-ranking personnel on the seats, that didn't mean that he would be able to find out anything about the Dimensional Star. It was more likely that he would end up dying before he was able to get there.

"Huh?"

However, just when Zhang Heng was about to give up, a look of pleasant surprise was seen on Corona's face all of a sudden. "Commander, we did it! The reincarnation squad from the Dead Spirit World did it!"

"Oh?" Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes for a bit. As expected, he felt as if his consciousness was somehow connected to some entity, which made him heave a sigh of relief. "Alright. Now that I've achieved my goal, I'll dismiss the other Samsara teams."

"Understood." Corona nodded. "Commander, then…"

"What happens next has nothing to do with you." Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively. "Success would be tantamount to burying a nail in that seat. You don't need to bother about the rest. Just continue selecting the Samsara team. The Samsara team was severely injured after all, and it's unknown just how long it'll take them to recover their combat prowess. You still have a long way to go before you finish your mission."

Zhang Heng felt completely at ease after sending Corona away. He turned around and looked at the strange plane beneath his feet with a determined look on his face. He then slowly closed his eyes and focused most of his attention on the nail planted in that plane.

643. Scp Foundation

He found himself in a special ward when he woke up. His surroundings were sealed in alloy walls and there was only a huge mirror at the front of the room. He knew that it was a ward because there was a defibrillator, a blood pressure gauge, and even an oxygen tank in the room. He was lying on a hospital bed with a warm white blanket covering him.

"My… identity," Zhang Heng mumbled under his breath. All of a sudden, memories that had lasted for over 20 years gushed into his mind. Those memories were enough to cause any regular person to bleed internally and die due to the high-speed operation of the brain, but to Zhang Heng, they were nothing.

It didn't take long for him to absorb all the memories of that body from that vast ocean of memories.

However, Zhang Heng's expression became rather glum after taking in her memories.

Personnel classification: Class C

Title: Assistant researcher?

Zhang Heng had asked for the quantum thought transmitter to be implanted in someone of a higher status, but was that considered a higher status?

He had accepted everything about the person in that body at the moment. That person's name was Stephen Zhou, and just like him, he was also Chinese. However, the owner of that body grew up in the United States. His father owned a restaurant in Chinatown, and Stephen Zhou was admitted to the University of Oxford in the United States. When he graduated, due to his exceptional results and his interest in supernatural phenomena, he was recruited by the organization that he was in at the moment and was exposed to the dark side of the world for the first time.

That mysterious organization was a foundation, but it had to be said that the organization had a very impressive background. Its operations were not under the jurisdiction of the governments of the major countries, and the interference of authorization and commission was completely independent of the state.

His name was none other than the renowned Sp Foundation that Zhang Heng knew so well.

The foundation's goal was to contain abnormal objects, individuals, or phenomena, preventing those 'abnormalities' from doing physical or psychological work that would pose a threat to global security, enabling civilians everywhere to survive and be free from threats and fear.

One had to admit that the so-called abnormal objects, individuals, phenomena, and so on all referred to things that exceeded the boundaries of nature and science, such as… memes.

That was a very prestigious workplace. Once someone joined the organization, they would be given money, status, and power. The only downside was that the casualty rate was rather high. Class C personnel like him would have a casualty rate of over 50 percent.

Personnel classifications were the Golden Foundation's arrangement of the importance and authority of internal personnel to the members of the organization. The highest among them was a Class A, which was located at the very top of the Golden Foundation. One was not allowed to come into direct contact with 'abnormalities' at any given time, such as members of the O5 Council. The next one would be a Class B, which meant that, compared to Class A, Class B members could come into contact with 'abnormalities' that had been appraised and were deemed harmless in certain situations. While there would be occasional mishaps, the casualty rate was not high.

Zhang Heng's immediate superior, a white-bearded old man named David Copperfield, who wore black-rimmed glasses and wore a stern expression, was a class B researcher.

Those below Grade B would be considered Grade C, the lowest-ranking staff of the foundation. Regular researchers and assistant researchers would be considered Grade C, and when faced with 'abnormal' dangers, people like him would usually be on the front lines, with a high mortality rate.

Of course, there were also Class D and Class E's below Class C, which meant that Class D's were no longer considered human beings. They would be referred to as' experimental lab rats' or 'disposable consumables'. All of those personnel were selected from criminals on death row or political prisoners, and they would sometimes be selected from refugees or even civilians when they were short-staffed. The purpose of their existence was to conduct all manner of experiments and 'abnormalities' to engage in zero-distance contact. As such, the death rate of Class D's personnel was 100 percent.

That's right, 100 percent. Any class D personnel would be executed on the spot at the end of every month, regardless of whether they were healthy or had made any significant contributions in some experiment. There were very few exceptions. As such, they were disposable consumables and lab rats through.

Other than that, there was also a class E. That was a temporary classification. When coming into contact with a completely new abnormal project, one would be classed as class E. Class E personnel would be immediately quarantined, monitored, and checked to see if there were any abnormal corruption or the like. They would only be able to return to work after the psychological and medical personnel had done a full inspection and approval.

It was obvious that the current Zhang Heng—or rather, Stephen Chou—was at the awkward level of Level E.

"Stephen, looks like you've woken up." A cold voice was heard from a speaker somewhere in the ward while Zhang Heng was recalling all the knowledge in that brain.

"Professor David!" Zhang Heng was able to tell right away that the voice belonged to his immediate superior. He was the only one who was able to utter such an old, smelly, and inflexible tone, which sounded like a stone in a latrine.

"It's me." The voice was devoid of any emotion. "I assume that you know what you're in now."

"Yes, Professor David." Zhang Heng nodded with a bitter smile on his face. He looked around for a bit before fixing his gaze on the mirror on the wall right in front of him. It was obvious that the mirror was some kind of observation device. That old man, David, was probably looking at him through the mirror with that old-fashioned look on his face.

He was currently in an isolation observation room.

"Well then, do you have anything to say?" David's voice was heard again. "Why did those mysterious people who appeared out of nowhere three days ago attack you? What did they do to you?"

He was probably referring to the Samsara squad that Zhang Heng ordered Corona to send out earlier. Those people had paid a heavy price to complete the mission, and as the target of the mission, it could be said that the owner of that body was unlucky enough to end up having his body taken over by Zhang Heng.

However, Stephen Zhou was no longer who he used to be. While that body of his was that of a regular person, a mere senior researcher wouldn't be able to match up to Zhang Heng's terrifying mental prowess.

"Professor David, I don't know what to say." Zhang Heng wore a pensive look on his face. He knew very well what traps the other man was trying to lure him into. He simply explained, "I'm unable to explain his actions, and I have no idea what he did to me. I just hope that the organization will be able to get to the bottom of everything as soon as possible. I…" There was a tinge of unease and bitterness in his voice as he went on, "I accept all the arrangements made by the foundation."

The speakers went completely silent.

At that moment, outside the quarantine room, the white-bearded old man, David, had turned off the dialog button. He turned around and looked at the other men in white robes standing around him and said with a frown, "Well, I've said what you asked for. Are you satisfied now?"

"Professor David, please calm down." A middle-aged man wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses said slowly, "I know that you feel sorry for your assistant, but we're just doing a routine inspection. After all, we can't afford to miss out on any potential security threats. There have been plenty of instances of the Golden Foundation leaking abnormalities, leading to the destruction of the entire base. We're just doing it for the sake of safety."

Another older man nodded and said, "Judging from the target's speech creation, tone of voice, and facial expression, I'd say that he's telling the truth. The lie detector also says that the target's radioactive frequency is normal. I believe that the target could be ruled out as a suspect, unless the target is an agent who has undergone resistance training."

The third man in a white coat pondered for a bit before saying, "Alright then, the initial suspicion could be ruled out. The next step would be a month of observation. If there is nothing out of the ordinary about the other party within that month, we could eliminate the other party and have the target return to his post."

644. Acceptance Test

Zhang Heng was under constant surveillance for the rest of the month. While it was rather irritating to be under constant surveillance, it at least proved that the Golden Foundation had no intentions of killing him outright.

In fact, when the Samsara team kidnapped Stephen Zhou, they didn't target him as their first target. There were many targets involved in that operation, but the unlucky guy became the only researcher who was successfully kidnapped.

The transmigration team then implanted a quantum thought transmitter in Stephen Chow's body. However, due to the technological advancement of humans on the Tanis planet being far higher than that of this world, the transmigration team was unable to detect the device implanted in Stephen Chow's body at the moment. As such, the physical and mental tests were rendered useless.

Over the past month, Professor David came to visit him several times, trying to encourage and comfort him through the mirror, which surprised Zhang Heng quite a bit. He didn't expect that the stern-looking Professor David, who treated everyone with a deadpan expression, would actually have such a cold but warm personality.

Everything went well for the next month. Zhang Heng was finally released from the quarantine room 30 days later, just as he had hoped. He was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief at that moment.

It seemed that while Zhang Heng wasn't completely satisfied with his new identity, he had at least made it through the first stage and made it into the inner circle of the Sp Foundation.

Zhang Heng's current location was located in an unnamed island near Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. That place belonged to an Area-class base under the SCP Foundation, which meant that Area had a domain in English.

In fact, the Area-class bases could be said to be the most secure bases in the foundation. They were usually built to isolate the Keter-class containment units and were built in areas far away from populated areas. They were equipped with nuclear equipment meant to clear out facilities and wipe out all personnel in the facility. Those nuclear weapons would be detonated when the Keter-class containment units broke through the barriers and failed to isolate again.

In other words, the base that Zhang Heng was in at the moment not only had a Keter-class container capable of destroying the entire world, but there was also a high-quality nuclear bomb under every single one of them. If something were to happen to the base, everyone would be doomed.

Zhang Heng had no way of knowing what that Keter-tier container was, given his current status. However, other than that Keter-tier container, there were hundreds of other types of containers in the base. Zhang Heng was walking with three other researchers who were also his assistants, following closely behind Dr. David. They had received orders from their superiors to evaluate and inspect a new container.

The team was escorted to the door of the containment room by a tactical team wearing black uniforms and helmets that protected their heads.

"Seems like we're dealing with a tough nut to crack this time." A man who looked rather sleazy no matter how one looked at him nudged Zhang Heng at that moment. The man's appearance was passable, but the only thing that ruined his overall image was his hunched back and unfocused eyes. His back was always slumped weakly, making him look like he was cowering in his chair. That coupled with his eyes, which were always darting about, gave him a cheap, despicable look that made people want to slap him.

"Justin, what's wrong?" Zhang Heng asked with his eyes wide open, feeling puzzled.

"Didn't you notice?" Justin cast a sideways glance at the hardened soldier not far away from him and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "That's the renowned Mobile Suit Special Task Force, the elite among the elites of the foundation! You should know that when we were researching the container, it was only the Tactical Squad that protected us. Now, they've actually mobilized the Task Force, which means that we're at least facing an Euclid-level container, or even a Keter-level one!"

While the two of them were talking in hushed tones, Professor David, who was at the very front, suddenly coughed and shot a glare at Justin before turning around and telling everyone, "Our mission this time is very difficult, as we're about to begin researching and analyzing a new container. I believe everyone understands that for a new container, any contact with it would be extremely dangerous. However, don't worry, most of the data regarding the nature of the container was analyzed while it was being stored. The container is harmless, at least… for the time being."

Zhang Heng suddenly realized that there was something weird about the look on Professor David's face when he said that last line, as if he was seeing something absurd, like a pig laughing at you, or something.

While he had no idea why the man would react in such a manner, he nonetheless followed David into the surveillance room.

That's right, the place was only a surveillance room, and the quarantine room where the containers were stored was nowhere to be found. However, that was only to be expected. The Golden Foundation would treat and explore every single container with extreme caution. If it hadn't been for the fact that they had thoroughly researched all the containers, they wouldn't have allowed high-ranking personnel to come into contact with the containers directly.

There were only four screens in the surveillance room that were turned on at the moment. Zhang Heng took a curious look and found that the four screens captured the scene in a quarantine room from four angles. The four screens made it so that there was no blind spot in the room, not even on the roof.

There was a young man sitting quietly on the ground inside the quarantine room. He looked around at his surroundings, feeling rather confused and flustered.

No matter how one looked at it, the young man who was locked up looked like an ordinary person.

"So, this is the latest container that the Special Task Force took in." Professor David seemed to have known all along, and he continued casually, "In actual fact, what you're seeing is just one of the containers, and the container itself is invisible."

"So, the container this time is something of a concept?" an assistant researcher asked.

"Yes, that's why our goal is to figure out the nature of the container." David nodded and continued, "And be careful, everyone. The container is infectious."

He pressed a button on the control panel as he spoke and a slit was opened in the metal door of the quarantine room. The man who was locked up on the screen heard the commotion and looked through the slit, only to find a pack of animals running out of it.

There were monkeys, hens, pigs, cows, dogs, cats, and even a leopard that was tied up.

That young man was stunned by what he saw. He opened his mouth and looked like he was about to say something, but he eventually shut his mouth. The animals were panicking a little when they were driven into the room, but when they saw that there was no danger in the new room with only one legs, they all calmed down. That hen even let out two clucking sounds and pulled out a sticky pile of sh * * *.

645. Scp-9527

While everyone knew that they were just testing the infectious nature of the container after seeing what happened, several people in the crowd still felt their faces turn red from holding it in. Justin held Zhang Heng's shoulder tightly, wishing he could bury his head in it.

Zhang Heng moved away without batting an eyelid. He didn't find it funny at all, as most of those people were newbies. If he were to show them just how terrifying the Memes of Curse and the Memes of Infuriation were, they probably wouldn't be able to laugh anymore.

Professor David wore a serious expression and didn't find the scene to be anything out of the ordinary. He scanned the crowd and stopped at Zhang Heng before saying, "Stephen, you'll be in charge of monitoring the experimental data. Report to me immediately if you find anything out of the ordinary."

"Yes." Zhang Heng nodded and walked up to Professor David, browsing the operation table before him according to what he remembered. "The blood pressure of the experimental target is normal. Brainwave frequency is normal. Heart rate accelerated by 13 percent."

"All the released animals are fine. No signs of infection detected."

Zhang Heng typed quickly on the keyboard and data reports poured down like a waterfall from the screen. He said quickly and skillfully, "The air index in the quarantine room is normal. No radiation detected. No abnormalities detected. I'd suggest the next test."

All of that information came from Zhang Heng's training some time ago. Given their status, it was still too early for them to come into contact with any kind of container, unless they were to accumulate a huge amount of experience and stand out from the crowd. That way, they would probably be able to advance to become regular researchers by the age of 30 or 40. They would then be able to last for another 20 years, ensuring that they wouldn't be killed by any kind of container or executed by the foundation for suspicion of corruption. By then, they might be able to reach Professor David's level by the time they were in their fifties or sixties.

It was a hopeless journey.

However, Zhang Heng's exceptional performance impressed Dr. David quite a bit. He nodded at Zhang Heng and said, "Very good. Any suggestions for the next test?"

Zhang Heng was elated. It was obvious that his performance had earned the professor's approval. However, Zhang Heng maintained a serious expression on his face and said with certainty, "I suggest using Class D personnel for the second round of testing."

Everyone turned to look at Zhang Heng in surprise when they heard that. Some of the more timid ones subconsciously backed away from Zhang Heng. All of them had just joined the organization and were newbies who didn't do much. The morals and legal system under the sun still had a profound impact on them. Most people would have nightmares if they were given such an order, unless they were truly born with a cold personality. However, none of them understood that the most worthless thing in the foundation was human life.

David took a good look at Zhang Heng, as if he was trying to see right through him from the inside out. The entire surveillance room was rendered completely silent for a moment.

"Hahahaha!" However, just when everyone thought that Zhang Heng had done something wrong, David burst out laughing all of a sudden. He clapped Zhang Heng's shoulder hard and said, "Well done, Stephen. You really didn't misjudge me. You're a natural researcher!"

Everyone looked at Professor David in shock. They had never seen such a gleeful expression on the face of such an eccentric, inflexible old man, but they couldn't figure out why he was laughing so hard.

"Well then, Stephen, give the order yourself." However, that old-fashioned old man suddenly changed the subject at that moment, and his expression became serious again. "Think carefully about how many Class D personnel you should send out and what you should do after sending them out."

Zhang Heng nodded and showed no signs of being affected by the other man's praise, nor did he show any signs of panic after the other man stopped smiling. He simply picked up the microphone and said to the screen, "Prepare to send Class D personnel into the quarantine room. We need two people. The gender must be a man and a woman, and the age must not exceed 50."

"Roger that." A deep voice was heard from the other end of the phone and the crowd saw the door of the quarantine room open a little bit more on the screen. A young man and a young woman wearing yellow prison uniforms walked in. The man looked to be in his early twenties and had a crew cut, while the woman had short hair and a delicate face. Her frail-looking face was unable to hide her alluring aura.

The two of them walked into the quarantine room uneasily. Zhang Heng was able to see their eyelashes clearly through the ultra-high-definition cameras. The young man in the quarantine room looked surprised when he saw the two of them. He opened his mouth but hesitated and didn't make a sound.

"Excuse me, do you know where we are? What are they going to do to us?" the woman asked before the target could say anything. She wore a pitiful expression on her face. It was obvious that she would always be able to get a response from her, given her looks.

"Uh…" That was the first time the target of the experiment spoke up at that moment. However, the two Class D personnel and the people in the surveillance room were stunned after hearing what the target said, and all of them wore weird expressions.

"If you manage to read this message, please send it back to the universe! Furthermore, if you were to send it to five intelligent species in a row, you would meet someone you love for the rest of your life and your planet would become a advanced civilization. If not, your planet would be completely destroyed! I've tried and it worked! Our planet was destroyed because we didn't forward it in time. Don't repeat the same mistake. Please forward this message to every intelligent species you know."

A string of words shot out of the mouth of the experimental target like a cannonball. The speed at which the experimental target spoke was so fast that his words became a blur. However, what he said left everyone stunned.

The experimental subject seemed to have fulfilled some kind of wish after saying that. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked as if he had gotten what he wanted, before falling silent again.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" The people in the control room finally couldn't hold it in any longer and asked Professor David right away. Zhang Heng took a casual glance and paid no further attention to the data on the control panel.

"The heart rate of the experimental target rose by 82 percent, blood pressure rose, blood pressure currently at 162 percent, and the secretion of hormones in the pituitary gland was elevated, just like how it was during high-tide periods. Other than that, everything else is normal," Zhang Heng said as he looked at the screen.

"Wait, Stephen, you're saying…" Justin, who was standing at the side, was finally unable to sit still. His eyes were wide open and he asked in disbelief, "You're saying that the experiment target could climax after saying that?"

"I'm afraid so." Zhang Heng didn't find anything out of place. "There are all manner of strange things stored in there. I believe you've learned from books that those things are definitely not something that could be measured with common sense."

Zhang Heng then turned around and looked at David, who had remained silent the entire time. "Professor, if I'm not mistaken, this is some kind of infectious modem, right? It's ineffective against animals, but any human who hears that man's words would be infected by that line, which would cause the experiment target to say the same thing to anyone who sees them. It would be like the virus had completely spread."

"Good analysis." David looked at Zhang Heng with a shocked expression. "What else?"

"There is also the possibility that the spread of such a module is due to sound waves. However, if it were to be done through a sound system, such as what we are doing right now, we would only be able to hear what the other party is saying through a sound system, and we wouldn't be infected. The conditions to be infected would be limited to when we are standing face to face."

"Very good!" The professor's expression became even more approving. He took out a stack of data from behind him and said, "This is the preliminary data regarding the container. This is truly astonishing. Stephen, you are indeed a natural researcher of the container. With your abilities, you would be able to go further than me in the near future!"

"Thank you, Professor David." Zhang Heng paid no heed to the other man's generous praise and simply took the data from him. A string of English data appeared before his eyes.

Project Number: SCP-9527

Project Level: Safe

Special containment measures: SCP-9527 is required to be stored in a sealed room. The room must ensure that the container does not escape. The container itself does not have a fixed host, but any infecting SCP-9527 could be called a host. Any contact personnel above the third class must be strictly controlled. Additional carriers could be used against SCP-9527 if necessary.

Note: There is currently no known way to eliminate the SCP-9,527 phenomenon.

Description: SCP-9527 is a message, with the following words—"If you read this message, please send it back to the universe. In addition, if you were to send it to five intelligent races in a row, you would meet someone you love for the rest of your life, and your planet would become a advanced civilization. If not, your planet would be completely destroyed. I've tried, and it worked! Our planet was destroyed, because we didn't forward the message in time. Don't repeat the same mistake. Please forward this message to every intelligent race you know."

The humans infected by the container were known as the SCP-9527-X (in which X could be any number). To facilitate the term, the SCP-9527-X was known as the 'infected'.

When a regular person who had yet to be infected was present, the infected person would immediately repeat the same line, and those who heard that line would immediately be infected with the modus operandi, becoming SCP-9527-X + 1. Anyone who was infected would think of ways to find new normal personnel who defied the effects of the infection and spread the modus operandi of the phenomenon, producing a physiological reaction similar to 'high tide'.

He found that the SCP-9527 infection carried by the infected person was severely limited when it came to containment. The infection would only occur when the third type of contact was carried out. The third type of contact, such as video broadcasting, audio recording, phone calls, and so on, would not lead to infection. Furthermore, such contact would only occur with humans, and the cause was unknown. It was speculated that the conditions required for the spread of the SCP-9527 were only met by beings who possessed certain languages and writings.

Other than that, if there was a language barrier, such as Chinese people who didn't know English, there would be no signs of infection when dealing with infected people. However, if one were to face a Chinese person who could understand English, there was a certain chance that the infection would occur. The probability of infection was uncertain, as the main factor was how familiar the Chinese person was with English.

Analysis: The reason why the infected were so passionate about disseminating the SCP-9527 is unknown for the time being, but it is definitely not some kind of hypnosis or physical manipulation, but a voluntary biological phenomenon. Furthermore, after the infected SCP-9527 was infected, the infected found nothing out of the ordinary other than trying to disseminate the SCP-9527 in all manner of ways.

Test Record: SCP-9527-50

Tester: [Data deletion]

Background CV: [Data Deletion]

…

Zhang Heng browsed through it quickly and found that it was indeed true. The modus operandi described in it was very similar to what he analyzed, just that it wasn't comprehensive enough, such as testing the language and so on.

646. Class D Personnel

Strictly speaking, the SCP-9527 experiment was just an internship. The purpose of the experiment was to allow newbies to come into contact with the container and gain experience with it.

If he were to treat this internship as an exam, he would have handed in a perfect score.

Zhang Heng chuckled when he felt the jealous looks from the crowd behind him and didn't pay any heed to it. Professor David looked at the crowd with a gratified and encouraging look and said to the crowd, "Everyone's mission today is to write a report about yourselves according to the nature of SCP-9527. No plagiarism is allowed, and you need to have your own views. Understood?"

"Yes." Everyone nodded obediently.

Professor David nodded and turned to look at Zhang Heng before walking out of the control room. "Stephen, your mission is different from theirs. Follow me now."

Zhang Heng said nothing and simply followed behind Professor David in silence.

"Kid, I want you to accept a batch of Class D personnel," Professor David said slowly as they walked through the metal walkway of the base. "I'm in charge of the research of the five containers. As such, there are 12 Class D personnel assigned every month. You should know very well that our organization is working closely with the United Nations. Every month, a new batch of Class D personnel would be assigned to the various bases around the world. The old Class D personnel would have to… you understand."

Zhang Heng nodded. His mind was as clear as a mirror at the moment. It was obvious that Professor David had begun to nurture him with ulterior motives, which was a very good sign. Furthermore, he knew all along that every batch of Class D personnel would only have a month to live. They would be executed after a month.

"That's why we need to fabricate a lie for the class D personnel in order to keep them quiet and obedient. Generally speaking, we're telling them that no matter what crimes they commit, they'll be freed after serving our organization for a month." At that moment, Professor David's eyes were filled with coldness. "Don't you think that's too cruel?"

"Of course not," Zhang Heng said immediately. "Class D personnel are lab rats to begin with. Isn't it only right to execute lab rats after every experiment?"

Professor David stopped in his tracks and took another look at Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng's eyes were filled with indifference, devoid of any sympathy that a normal person would have. A look of satisfaction was seen on his face as he said, "Very well. You have to remember that pity is a luxury. We're no longer worthy of pity after joining the organization."

A row of LED lights extended to the end of the corridor. The corridor was empty and devoid of people, with only the two of them walking further away.

Zhang Heng walked with Professor David for over 10 minutes before he finally saw a closed door at the end of the corridor. He knew that place well. He recalled that he had taken the transport helicopter two months ago and arrived at the Scp base through that door. He then walked through that door after making several twists and turns, beginning his career.

Zhang Heng even remembered that there was a small plaza inside the door, and there were two elevators at the end of the plaza. He was led down from the elevator by the Tactical Response Team in a half-guarded, half-sled manner. The base was located about a kilometer underground, and there was no other way to get back to the surface of the island other than those two elevators.

Furthermore, even if there was a way to get into the elevator under the protection of the security personnel, the island they were on was nowhere to be found. The nearest island to them was over 200 kilometers away from the island of Hawaii, which basically prevented them from escaping.

Dr. David took out his ID card and swiped it lightly on the right side of the door's identification detector. The red light on the door immediately turned green and the door, which was about half a meter thick, opened from both sides.

A large group of prisoners dressed in prison uniforms were making a ruckus in the hall behind the door, with a group of armed soldiers on either side of them. Some people would walk in from the other doors from time to time and disappear behind the doors with a group of prisoners.

"Professor David!" While Zhang Heng was looking around, a man in a white coat who looked rather frivolous walked up to him with his hands in his pockets. He wore the badge of the foundation on his neck and there was a line below that said he was a regular researcher.

"Alberta, let me introduce you." Professor David nodded and said, "This is fellow Stephen, and this is fellow Alberta. You'll be learning from him for the time being how to get a class D."

"Yes, hello, Mr. Alberta." Zhang Heng flashed a polite smile and extended his hand.

"Hahaha, nice to meet you! So, you're the Stephen that the professor mentioned before. You look very capable indeed." However, the man named Alberta simply chuckled and clapped Zhang Heng on the shoulder before turning to Professor David and saying, "Relax, professor. I'll definitely teach little Mr. Stephen a good lesson before I'm transferred away. You'll find him to be a murderous little cat the next time you see him."

The corner of Zhang Heng's mouth twitched a little. That analogy was really lame, and it seemed like Professor David knew what kind of person she was, so he simply said in a serious manner, "I'll leave her to you, Alberta. If anything were to go wrong, I'd punch your nose off, just like how I did when you were little."

"Uh…" Alberta's breath caught in her throat and she said, "Sure, professor. No problem, professor."

Professor David didn't say anything else and gave Zhang Heng a few more instructions before turning around and heading back the way he came, leaving Alberta and Zhang Heng behind.

"Alright, dude, it's just you and me now. I'm going to be transferred to the Los Angeles base in the United States next month to be a senior researcher. The bar and the blonde girl are waving at me. Oh, right, sorry, I shouldn't be saying all of that. After all, your days of suffering have just begun." Alberta chuckled and put on a sinister look. "So, as your direct superior, I hope that you won't do anything to me during this last period of suffering. Otherwise, I don't mind beating you up with a whip, got it?"

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and said, "Understood."

"Very well, let's go and select the 12 Class D personnel assigned to that old-fashioned old fogey, David." Alberta took the lead and walked to the soldiers who were maintaining order on both sides of the hall. He then said to a soldier who looked like the leader of the group, "John, excuse me for a moment. Get me two good lads. I'm going to pick someone."

"Yes, Mr. Alberta." It was obvious that the man named Alberta was someone with real power. The leader of the soldiers assigned two soldiers to follow behind Alberta and headed straight for the class D personnel with Zhang Heng.

"Hey, listen up, kid." Alberta put her arm on Zhang Heng's shoulder as she walked. "You have to remember that you have to be quick when it comes to making your selection at the beginning of every month. Otherwise, when the other researchers are done selecting the rest, all that will be left for Professor David would be a bunch of rascals. Of course, if you're not satisfied with that old man, feel free to come as late as you can. That's what I've been doing for years."

"Well then, Mr. Alberta, how should we pick them out and see if they're healthy?" Zhang Heng put on a curious look and asked.

"No, of course not!" Alberta shouted right away. "To those damned collectors who deserve to go to hell, even the strongest lab rats are still lab rats. What we've chosen is mainly their appearance, personality, and gender."

"Gender?" Zhang Heng frowned.

"That's right." Alberta flashed a grin that all men would know at once. "Don't you get it? Pretty girls are the most sought-after among the class D personnel. They'll be doing it next month anyway… If that's the case, why don't we make use of the resources?"

Zhang Heng was rendered speechless.

"Hahaha!" Alberta clapped Zhang Heng on the shoulder hard again after seeing his expression. He then walked up to the class D staff and said without feeling embarrassed at all, "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. May I know if there are any beauties around? Please step forward if there are any."

647. Alberta

Over a hundred prisoners in the hall stared at Abbott as if they were frozen in place.

"Holy sh * *, the class D personnel this time don't look that good." Abbott scanned the crowd. There weren't many women among the death row criminals to begin with, not to mention the pretty ones.

"If that's the case, you, you, you… and you, all of you, step forward!" Unable to fulfill his wish, Alberta had no choice but to purse his lips and pick out several male prisoners who looked rather muscular.

The man who was called out walked out reluctantly and followed Alberta to a corner of the lobby. He clapped his hands again and said to the crowd, "Everyone, please be quiet!"

"Who are you and where are we?" A male prisoner in the crowd shouted before he could say anything. "What are you doing to us?"

"Quiet, quiet…" Abbott lowered his hands and gestured for them to be quiet. However, the 12 of them began to argue right after the prisoner finished speaking.

"Be quiet, alright. Be quiet. I need… if you guys could… be quiet! I said be quiet!" Alberta shouted impatiently as he looked at the people who continued to question him. "I said… could you please… I said… shut the f * * k up!"

Everyone fell silent.

"Phew! Well then, since you guys have settled down, let's begin." Alberta breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "I'm Alberta, a regular researcher. Next to me is Stephen, a junior researcher…" However, the crowd began to get noisy as soon as he said that.

"Shut the f * * k up!"

Everyone quieted down again. Alberta rubbed his temple and said in a clearly irritated tone, "Alright, from today onwards, I'm your boss. You might want to know where you are right now, but I'm sorry, but I won't answer you, as that's top secret. You might want to know who we are, but that's also top secret. As such, the only thing I can tell you is that we're currently in a research base regarding some kind of project."

"Previously, our soldiers should have asked you to sign an agreement—you have two choices. You could choose to stay in your cells and be hanged, or you could choose to take part in a month-long test as volunteers. It is obvious that you all agree to cooperate, so you need to…"

But before he could finish, one of the prisoners shouted, "No, I didn't sign the agreement. I don't agree!"

"What, you don't agree?" Alberta smacked her forehead hard and said, feeling a headache coming on, "Didn't I tell you guys? If you guys agree to participate, you guys would be able to get your freedom at the end of the month, but you idiot, you actually don't agree? Oh my god…"

"You're a liar! We don't believe you!" That prisoner shouted right away.

"Excuse me, bouncer!" Albert had completely lost his patience. He looked at the two bouncers and pointed at the prisoner. "Please take him back to the main team. I need someone else. Thank you."

Alberta waited for the prisoner who was clearly causing trouble to be taken away before continuing in a rather weak manner, "Just like I said, if you guys are able to pass the test, we'll release you guys at the end of the month. As you know, if you're willing to assist us to the best of your ability… that sounds good, doesn't it? Anyone else disagree? Very well, let's continue. If you can survive this month, you'll be given…"

"Survive the next month? Are you saying that the test is life-threatening?" The crowd shouted again before he finished speaking. All the prisoners looked at Alberta warily.

"No, of course not!" Alberta shook her head like a rattle-drum, trying her best to keep her voice above the ruckus of the other party, and stressed loudly, "You heard me wrong. I'm talking about 'cooperation', not 'living'. Get it? What I'm saying is… Alright, this is indeed a dangerous job. That's why we're using you bunch of death row criminals to take part in the test. Do you really think that you bunch of scumbags would be of any use otherwise?"

The prisoners in the crowd looked furious and one of them shouted, "Sir, what do you mean by danger?"

"The danger I'm talking about is…" Alberta paused and looked around, seemingly looking for something to use as an analogy. It took her a few seconds before she continued, "Well… you can imagine it as a bomb. After all, a bomb is a very dangerous thing. If you were to wander around it for no reason…"

"Oh my God, can we just say no?" the prisoner shouted.

Alberta looked at them like they were idiots. "No! You have no right to say no. You may have no choice but to stick around the bomb, but if you listen to my orders, you'll be safe. Yes, that's it!"

"What about the people before us?" the prisoners asked.

"The last batch of Class D personnel?" Alberta looked at the ceiling. "They… of course, they're all alive and well. None of them died, and all of them were freed by the end of the month. I saw them running back to their own wilderness with my own eyes back then, just like a bunch of cute, murderous little kittens. Haha!" Alberta said without hesitation. "All of you just need to do as we say and you'll be able to go home to see your wife and children… Alright, you can't do it, Kashrak. Kill your wife and children."

Alberta looked at the prisoner with the word 'Kashrak' on his chest and wore a regretful expression. "Alright, I'll continue to inform everyone. After I'm done talking, you guys will go to that room next door in the lobby. Your wrists and chests will be marked with your serial numbers there. That would be rather painful, but if you were to… Hmm? Why your chest? Alright, the flesh on your chest would be the most likely to remain intact in an explosion."

The prisoners exploded.

"Hahahaha! I'm just joking! Of course, I'm just joking!" Alberta burst out laughing before the crowd was able to react. He bent over and explained while laughing, "Yes, I promise! This kind of thing is very, very difficult to do. We haven't had an explosion in over half a month!"

"Woah!" The crowd shouted again, causing the other prisoners and guards to look over.

Zhang Heng didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he stood next to Alberta. That researcher of his was really…

"Hahaha, look at him!" Zhang Heng felt a weight on his shoulder all of a sudden. He saw Alberta bending over, putting one hand on his shoulder and pointing at the ashen-faced prisoner while laughing. "He thinks I'm serious, hahahaha!"

"Are you sure you're joking?" The prisoners were relieved.

Alberta shook her head and forced herself to stand up straight. "No, you guys are going to tattoo your serial numbers on your chest. This isn't some kind of joke. Well, if you want to, you could ask for it to be removed at the end of the month… No, you don't have to pay for that. It's a painless procedure. Relax."

Zhang Heng took a step forward, feeling rather speechless after seeing how Alberta was messing with the crowd. He continued, "Everyone, after you get the tattoo, you'll be escorted to a special watch area. You'll be spending the next month there and be on standby at all times. Please cooperate with us in the testing."

"That's right, that's it," Alberta said right away. "This isn't a prison. We don't want anything to happen in there. If you were to bully someone, you'd be sent back to the death row. If you were to insult us, you'd be sent back to the death row as well. Yes, I'm being serious this time! Relax, you'll get your freedom after a month of testing. Don't ruin this opportunity."

"Alright, guards, please escort them out of here. Thank you very much!" Alberta turned around and walked out of the lobby before anyone could say anything else. He cursed under his breath as he walked, "These people are the most cheeky, cocky class D personnel I've ever seen. Damn it…"

Alberta then turned around to look at Zhang Heng, who was right beside her, and said harshly, "Mr. Stephen, please let me know when those people are released. I'd like to see their expressions back then."

"Alright, Mr. Alberta."

648. Confronting The Meme

Zhang Heng spent the next month with Alberta, learning from her how to manage Class D personnel. Of course, what she meant by 'manage' was to ensure that she was obedient enough throughout the entire month. She would then stabilize the remaining Class D personnel when some of them were taken out for experiments and never returned. There were many ways to stabilize the situation.

For example, violence, coercion, and more.

Furthermore, during that one month, Professor David received yet another new SCP research project, which made it difficult for him to get a spot among the 12 Class D personnel. He didn't wait for the end of the month, as there were only two Class D personnel left out of the 12 who came in the middle of the month.

"Gentlemen, today is the last day of your release, but luckily, your test mission is finally here before the last day."

Zhang Heng received another order from Professor David at the end of the month. He brought two security guards to the dorms of the class D personnel and said to the remaining two with a friendly smile, "Now, please follow us to the mission testing site. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Damn it, I'm not doing any tests!" The two of them looked frightened like little cats. One of the burly men said with a sobbing tone, "You said the same thing the last time. You took John and Jacob away and they never came back. Now you want to take us away again? No way! We're never leaving the dormitory!"

"Oh, that's not up to you." Zhang Heng pursed his lips and the two bouncers behind him pulled their guns and pointed their guns at the two of them. "Are you going to leave on your own, or do you want me to take you away?"

"Allahu Akbar! Omnipotent Lord, let this devil before us go to hell!" An Arab at the side was terrified right away.

"Your true master will receive your prayers, but you'll still have to do as I say before he comes to life." Zhang Heng shrugged and walked out of the dormitory. The two of them were escorted by security guards and followed behind him dejectedly.

Zhang Heng led the two of them through the corridor and arrived before a sealed lobby. There were two alloy doors before the lobby, and there was a row of transparent glass windows on the second floor of the lobby. One could see Professor David, Justin, and a group of junior researchers standing there, waiting silently.

"Professor, the class D personnel are here." Zhang Heng looked up and reported to Professor David.

"Very well, get ready to begin the experiment," David said with a deadpan expression. "Get the class D personnel into their positions."

"Understood." Zhang Heng received the order and said to the burly man from before, "Mr. George, you shall enter the first room." He then turned to the Arabian man and said, "Mr. Muhammad, get ready. You shall enter the second room later."

"What's in that room? Why do you want us in there?" George asked warily.

"It's nothing. There's only a table in there and a piece of paper on the table with a line written on it." Zhang Heng shrugged and walked up to the door and pressed a button. The steel door made of alloy was pushed open right away.

Everyone's gaze followed the door and looked inside. As expected, there was only a desk inside. The desk was made of mahogany and looked very ordinary. From where they were standing, they could only see a piece of white paper on the table and nothing else.

"Mr. George, your current mission is to pick up that piece of paper on the table and read the information on it. You'll be released after you finish reading it."

"Are you sure?" George looked into Zhang Heng's eyes, but he was disappointed. He couldn't see any emotion in Zhang Heng's eyes, which made him look like a puddle of dead water.

"I'm sure." Zhang Heng nodded. "You're not thinking that you have a choice, are you?"

"Alright then," George said bitterly. He took one last long look at his friend before walking into the door with heavy steps. He pressed the button again without giving any explanation after the other man walked in. The steel door slammed shut and locked George inside.

Zhang Heng then said to the remaining Class D personnel, "Mr. Mehmed, please head to the room next door right away." He pressed another button and the same door next door opened. There was no table or paper in the room, only a monitor, which showed the image of George entering the room.

"Me?" Muhammad gulped uneasily and walked in reluctantly.

"Your mission is different from George's. You only need to observe his every move." Zhang Heng nodded and shut the door after Muhammad entered.

Zhang Heng walked up the stairs to the second floor right after he was done. He saw that Professor David was watching the surveillance footage from the two quarantine rooms intently.

In one of the rooms on the screen, George was looking at the closed door behind him with a puzzled expression. He hesitated for a bit before making his way slowly to the chair. He seemed to sense that something was off, but he had no other choice.

"Stephen, what do you think the message on that piece of paper is?" Justin asked in a low voice.

"I don't want to know." Zhang Heng shook his head and looked at Professor David. "But I should be able to confirm that this is some kind of module similar to that of Scp-9527, except that it's a lot more lethal than that."

"That's right. I'm in charge of researching information-based scp, which is why I'm taking over most of such projects. However, the scp-9530 is far more lethal than the one that 9527 is working on. If word were to get out, the entire civilization would be destroyed," Professor David said solemnly.

"It's a storage item of the Zer class!" Everyone was moved after hearing that.

"9530?" Zhang Heng looked pensive. 9530 had appeared less than a month after 9527's appearance. If that was the case, four new collections had been discovered worldwide in just a month.

The rate at which it appeared shocked even Zhang Heng. He wondered just how much longer the humans in that plane would be able to last. There were close to 10,000 types of containment, and that was only the number that was discovered. Even if there was only 1 percent of the contents at the Keter level, there were at least 100 types of containment capable of destroying the world.

To him, it was a miracle that the world hadn't collapsed yet.

In the surveillance footage, George walked up to his desk and slowly picked up the piece of paper. His mouth moved slightly, as if he was reading something. However, Professor David had shut off the audio access at the moment, as the message wasn't from Scp-9527. They weren't sure if the message could be transmitted through sound before they fully understood the nature of the container.

George's entire body began to shake after he read the message, as if he had just discovered something utterly shocking. He began to look around in horror before going berserk and biting his finger, beginning to smear the wall.

As soon as George began writing, Professor David shut down the video footage of George's room and turned his attention to the room where the other class D personnel was. He saw the Arab named Muhammad staring intently at the surveillance footage, seemingly in a trance as well, mumbling something under his breath. It was as if that piece of information had a stunning effect on him.

He bit his finger and began writing on the wall as well.

"Basically, we can confirm that the sp-9530 can be transmitted through voice media and video media. Any human who sees the sp-9530 would be infected by the sp-9530, and the contagion would be far greater than that of the sp-9527," Professor David said solemnly as he turned off the surveillance in the room where Muhammad was.

"Furthermore, the infected will use all available resources to spread that piece of information." Zhang Heng added, "However, we don't know if the sp-9530 message would be infected after seeing just one word, or if it would only be infected after reading or listening to the entire passage. If we want to know the answer, we'll need to do a lot of experiments."

"It's just a pity that the next phase of the experiment will have to wait until the next batch of Class D personnel is allocated," Professor David said regretfully. "The number of Class D personnel is simply too small."

Everyone nodded and waited for about half a minute. Professor David looked at his watch and looked at everyone. "It's about time. Who would like to check out the two rooms next?"

Everyone fell silent right away. Everyone looked at each other and didn't say anything.

"Sigh…" Professor David sighed and said, "If that's the case, I'll do it myself."

"Holy sh * *." However, Zhang Heng simply walked up to him and said, "Professor, I'll do it this time."

Professor David was stunned. He took a good look at Zhang Heng and wore a relieved smile. "Very well, Stephen. You have not disappointed me."

"That's what I should do." Zhang Heng lowered his head slightly, looking very humble.

"You're the best kid I've ever seen." Professor David's expression became even gentler. "Remember, don't look at the messages on the wall after you get in. I don't want to lose an excellent assistant."

"Understood." Zhang Heng turned around and walked down the stairs, leaving his assistants with complicated expressions on their faces.

Zhang Heng soon arrived at the lobby on the first floor. He first told the two bouncers to leave before he silently pressed the button for the door that separated the two of them from each other at the very first moment. The door that George had just entered opened with a metallic screech.

George, who was inside the door, had completely disappeared by then. Zhang Heng took a look around the room and saw a puddle of yellow liquid bubbling at the corner of the room. The yellow prison suit that George was wearing was still on the liquid.

"It's completely dissolved and turned into amniotic fluid?" Zhang Heng lowered his head and observed for a bit. He smirked and looked up at the wall before him.

Bloody words appeared on the wall before him.

"You've been in a coma for close to 10 years by the time you read that passage. We're trying out a new treatment plan. I don't know where that piece of information would appear in your dreams, but your family is no longer able to afford your medical expenses. They want you to wake up as soon as possible after seeing that piece of information. Remember, you have to wake up for your family!"

That was a very weird message. The blood-red handwriting and the amount of information that was revealed made Zhang Heng take a deep breath all of a sudden. His mind rumbled and he felt as if he was suddenly enlightened. His consciousness went into a trance.

This world…

Zhang Heng looked at the weird message in a daze and his consciousness began to doubt the authenticity of the world. Everything around him collapsed at the same time. He felt as if he heard countless deep voices calling to him. Those voices sounded very familiar, as if…

Calls from his parents…

However, he gritted his teeth in the very next second and his eyes became clear again. The calls he heard were shattered and his body became solid again. It was only then that he felt cold all over, as if he had just been soaked in ice water.

"What a scary, weird meme!"

Zhang Heng wore a grave expression on his face. In that instant, even his true form, which was far away in a higher dimension, began to doubt and feel shocked at the authenticity of the world that he was in. However, Zhang Heng was no ordinary person after all. Even the Memes of Curse were unable to kill him, let alone the Message Model. It took him only an instant to regain consciousness.

"So, that's the truth of that piece of information?" Zhang Heng took a deep breath after regaining his senses and turned around to leave the partition. He went to the quarantine room next door where Muhammad was. Just like George, Muhammad was reduced to amniotic fluid, and the same line was written on the wall in blood.

It was easy to imagine just how huge a reaction that line would cause if it were to appear in real life and on the internet. Any video, audio, or even text would become the medium that would spread the memes. The infected would then use some kind of means to spread the memes even further, before turning all humanity into amniotic fluid and disappearing from the world.

649. Capsule

Zhang Heng spent the first month of his dull and mundane life at the foundation's base at Site-19.

Zhang Heng had managed to gather quite a bit of useful information over the past month, whether it was intentional or not. For example, the base was extremely top-secret and the initial design of the base was to detain the sp-682. Of course, given his current status, he was only able to learn the code name '682'. As for what the sp-682 was, he had no way of knowing at his current level. If he were to find out, it would mean that he had reached a point where he needed to be executed by the foundation.

In such a hierarchical organization, it was definitely not a good thing to know too much unless he held a high position.

However, the seat itself had been projected in real life before. According to his memory in real life, Scp-682 seemed to be some kind of creature known as the 'Indestructible Large Lizards'.

Project: SCP-682

Project Level: Keter

Special containment measures: The SCP-682 must be destroyed as quickly as possible under any circumstances. The SCP team currently does not have the ability to destroy the SCP-682 and could only do massive physical damage to it. The SCP-682 needs to be kept in a 5mm x 5mm container with a 25.4 cm-thick steel plate inside. Fill the container with saline solution until the SCP-682 is completely sunken and powerless to resist. If the SCP-682 attempts to move, speak, or destroy the safeguard, it would be imperative to react quickly and do its best to deal with possible situations.

Description: The SCP-682 is huge, something like a huge reptile, and its source is unknown. It is highly intelligent, and we observed very complex communication between it and the SCP-079 during its very brief encounter with it. The SCP-682 expressed its abhorrence of all life after communicating with it several times during safekeeping measures.

According to observation, SCP-682 had a very high level of power, speed, and reflexes, which were completely inconsistent with its size. By eating and shedding, the SCP-682 was able to quickly increase or decrease its size. The SCP-682 was able to extract energy from anything it ate, both organic and inorganic. It appeared that the SCP-682 had a filter in its nostrils, which was able to filter any useless substance found in any liquid, enabling it to maintain resilience in strong acid.

The discovery of Scp-682 was just a small interlude in Zhang Heng's exploration of the plane. However, due to his exceptional performance at the end of the first month, he was able to apply for a five-day vacation from Dr. David.

The so-called holidays here were definitely not as free and comfortable as those found in regular units. A chip would be implanted in his brain before he went on vacation. That chip would be able to detect if he had leaked any information regarding the Golden Foundation. If Zhang Heng were to have the thought of leaking the information, the chip that detected his brain's bioelectric reaction would explode immediately, silencing him.

The two field agents had been waiting for quite a while when he came to the surface from underground. There was also a huge yacht at the harbor, and the two field agents would be following Zhang Heng around during the holidays, both as protection and surveillance.

Zhang Heng wasn't the only one on the yacht. There were over a dozen researchers who were on vacation as well. The yacht would arrive at the Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii in a day's time. The Golden Foundation had very humanely booked flight tickets for Zhang Heng to and from there.

The Golden Foundation was very rich. According to what Zhang Heng knew, the Golden Foundation's financial resources and authority were definitely on par with the Stellar Technology that Zhang Heng had set up in the past. In fact, they were even more so. However, the Golden Foundation's wealth didn't come from itself, but from the O5 Council. 13 O5 members were in charge of the Golden Foundation's operations, and the identities of those 13 members were the top secret of the Golden Foundation.

The Golden Foundation was not the only supernatural organization in the world. According to what Zhang Heng knew, the Golden Foundation had four or five archenemies in the world, such as the Churches of the Chaos, the Shattered Gods, the Hand of the Snake, and so on. All of those organizations were a mix of good and bad people, working together to protect the planet. Some of those organizations, which were of a similar nature to the Golden Foundation, were on par with the Golden Foundation in terms of power, while others were like swine rivals, constantly causing trouble and causing all manner of disasters, requiring the Golden Foundation to clean up after them.

Zhang Heng disembarked from the yacht a day later. Two field agents followed him closely as he made his way to the International Airport at Honolulu. Zhang Heng boarded a plane heading for New York after two hours of boring flight, which took him 12 hours to reach the airport.

Zhang Heng was able to easily locate Stephen Chow's place according to the memories of that body. It was a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, New York.

The restaurant owned by Stephen Chow's parents wasn't very large, and it was barely able to sustain itself. The entire restaurant was only about the size of a door. The place sold all manner of rice and fried rice, as well as wontons, and soy milk and fried dough sticks were sold every morning.

Zhang Heng's return didn't cause much of a commotion. The parents of that body only thought that their son had gone to work in a company out of town. The most they did was complain about how they couldn't get through to Zhang Heng after he went out, and they didn't know how to tell their family that he was safe.

Zhang Heng explained casually for a bit and managed to confuse the parents of that body. He then began helping his parents with their businesses during the holidays, just like he did before.

That body of his had been helping his parents with their businesses during his school days. As such, Zhang Heng's actions didn't arouse any suspicion from the two field agents, and he was very familiar with helping his parents through the memories of that body. No one would have guessed that Stephen had long been possessed by some otherworldly demon.

He checked his watch late at night on the first day he got home and found that it was 10 pm. Stephen's parents were getting rather worn out due to their advanced age, so he told them to get some rest while he prepared to close the door at 11 pm. The dishes in the restaurant were all prepared after all, and he would only need to fry them or put them in the microwave to process them. He wouldn't be too busy even if he was alone.

Zhang Heng's parents were very pleased to hear that their son was doing them a favor. It didn't take long before Zhang Heng was the only one left in the entire restaurant, as well as the two field agents who were standing outside to keep an eye on the place.

Zhang Heng lowered his head and checked the time. It was about 10: 30 pm by then. His expression flickered as he looked at the door. Four Asian men and women walked into the shop.

"What would you guys like to eat?" Zhang Heng went up to them and asked with a friendly Chinese smile.

"Get me a bowl of noodles and five bottles of beer!" One of them, a burly man, said casually. He seemed to have a northeastern accent and took off his singlet right away, revealing his muscular upper body. There was a dragon-shaped tattoo on his chest, which made him look like some gangster.

"I'd like a bowl of wonton. The two people next to me would like a serving of Egg Fried Rice." A gentleman wearing glasses nodded and flashed a knowing grin at Zhang Heng, who agreed and headed for the kitchen behind.

A bowl of noodles, a bowl of wontons, and two servings of Egg Fried Rice were soon placed before the tables of the crowd. The four of them chatted as they ate, making small talk among themselves, just like how a group of friends would treat their friends to a meal, with nothing out of the ordinary.

About 20 minutes passed and the four of them paid the bill before leaving the restaurant. Zhang Heng checked the time and found that it was about 11 P.M. He walked to the door and looked outside. He saw that there were very few pedestrians on the side of the road and nodded at the two field agents standing in the shadows before he began to clear the tables and close the door.

Zhang Heng finished packing at about 11 P.M. He pulled the shutter shut and returned to his bedroom.

"Hu!"

Zhang Heng was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief at that moment. He took a casual glance at his bedroom and narrowed his eyes. He then walked to the toilet and locked the door.

"I knew it. There's a pinhole camera installed in my bedroom. The Golden Foundation sure is cautious," Zhang Heng mumbled to himself. He sat on the toilet bowl and took out a stack of US dollars from his pocket. He slowly unfolded the stack of US dollars and, just as he expected, a crystal clear blue capsule appeared before him in the middle of the stack.

That capsule was something that the four of them handed to him when they were paying the bill. It was obvious that the four of them were part of the Samsara team that Corona was in charge of. The mission of that team was to deliver that capsule to Zhang Heng and each of them would receive 1,000 karmic points.

None of that mattered. The most important thing was that capsule. That capsule was a product extracted by humans on the Tanis planet through the combination of the T-Virus, the DX-118 Virus, the Genova cells, and so on. It had the power to optimize DNA, and just that one capsule alone was enough to make a person completely different and possess unbelievable power.

The value of that drug would have cost hundreds of billions of US dollars if converted to reality. It was a cutting-edge product, even for the technologies of the planet Tanis.

In actual fact, the drug itself wasn't worth making. At the same price range, Zhang Heng could use the research and manufacturing capital of the drug to manufacture hundreds of thousands of biochemical warriors or an interstellar battleship capable of wiping out the entire Milky Way. However, his goal wasn't to destroy the planet. He was only doing so to find out the relationship between the world and the Dimensional Star. As such, the drug was actually more effective than any high-tech equipment, biochemical army, or whatever.

Zhang Heng flicked his finger without any hesitation and popped the tiny capsule into his mouth. He swallowed it lightly and felt the capsule dissolve in his stomach. A burning sensation filled his entire body at the same time.

Zhang Heng let out a comfortable moan and took off all of his clothes before taking a shower at the tap. Black stains were seen all over his body due to the running water. The stains were washed into the sewers as soon as they appeared. Zhang Heng felt the heat gradually dissipate after half an hour. He then extended his hand and a towel hanging on the door flew into his hand.

Mind power, or rather… Light of Mind.

Zhang Heng was pleased to feel that his body had gained the power of the Light of Mind again. He flicked his finger again and the water flowing from the tap seemed to come to life, turning into a stream of water that floated in midair and flowed around him like magic.

"My current body should be able to wield about a fifth of the power of a Biochemical Warrior. While it's not much, it should be more than enough for me to protect myself." Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily as he sensed the endless supply of power in his body and said in a low voice.

Zhang Heng didn't want to waste any more time after achieving his goal. He turned off the tap, put on a pair of shorts, and went back to his bedroom. He then flopped onto his bed and went to sleep.

Two days passed by very quickly. Zhang Heng only had five days of vacation, and his return trip took up three days. As such, after spending two days at home, he said goodbye to his parents and headed for the New York airport, taking the plane back to the secret base of the foundation that he was in.

650. Acceptance Failure

Morning came.

The vast ocean was sunny, and the surface of the ocean was as calm as a huge blue jewel.

Zhang Heng was standing on the deck of the cruise ship. The slightly salty sea breeze blew on his face, bringing with it a cooling feeling.

However, Zhang Heng was not in the mood to appreciate the beautiful weather at the moment. He raised his head slightly and looked to the east. He saw strands of blood-red fire clouds appearing in the horizon at the edge of the sky under the rising sun. There was a pitch-black thread at the end of the fire cloud, with a tinge of foreboding.

"The weather at sea changes all the time," Zhang Heng said casually and turned to look at the two field agents. "Mr. Joy, how long until we reach the base?"

"It won't take long. One hour at most." The man named Joey was a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He looked sunny and handsome, with a typical European look. If it hadn't been for the fact that he knew who the man was, Zhang Heng wouldn't have been able to put him on the same level as a CP field agent from a special forces.

"But, the way I see it, we'll be in a storm in half an hour at most." Zhang Heng shrugged and took a glass of champagne from the tray of the waiter beside him, gesturing to the two of them. "Sorry to trouble you two for the past few days."

"It's just work." Joey shrugged and raised the glass of wine in his hand to return the gesture. "We don't have much knowledge and can't be researchers. If Mr. Stephen becomes a senior researcher in the future, don't forget to give us a hand."

"Same to you." Zhang Heng chuckled. There was no way foreigners could be as sociable as the Chinese. In Zhang Heng's opinion, Qiao Yi's social skills were on par with that of any Chinese.

More and more people were gathered on the deck after chatting with the two of them for a bit. Many of them turned their attention to the pitch-black clouds in the distance. That black line had taken up half of the sky at the moment. Overall, half of the sky had turned pitch-black, with thousands of thunders clashing violently in the dark clouds from time to time. It looked like two worlds that stood opposite each other when compared to the location of their own cruise ship.

Rumble rumble rumble…

A faint rumble of thunder was heard and the unease in Zhang Heng's heart grew even more intense. Many people walked back to the deck, and Zhang Heng was the only one left standing at the bow of the ship, looking at the dark clouds that were just inches away from him as the wind howled.

"Mr. Stephen…" Joey asked tentatively from behind him, and Zhang Heng waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about it. I like the wind. It makes me feel like I'm flying in the sky."

The two of them looked at each other for a bit and eventually returned to the ship's hold, giving the entire deck to Zhang Heng.

Black clouds gradually shrouded the entire sky above the ship and the seawater was no longer calm. The waves became increasingly turbulent and huge waves that were several meters tall crashed against the ship. The 100-meter-long ship began to shake violently and undulate with the waves crashing against it. It was no different from a small, shiny ship at the moment. It looked insignificant before the mighty force of nature and could capsize at any moment.

Fortunately, Zhang Heng was able to see the island not far away by then. Due to the low visibility due to the storm, seeing the island meant that they were only about two to three kilometers away from the island. The cruise took only about 10 minutes to reach the harbor of the base.

Zhang Heng was drenched from head to toe. However, he then realized that, for some reason, the island that he was familiar with seemed to be giving off a rather unsettling vibe.

The island seemed to have quieted down.

The island itself was a small, isolated island that was about 500 meters long and 300 meters wide. There was only a handful of palm trees and a beach that was 100 meters long on the island. Other than that, there was hardly a bird to be seen. However, the island gave Zhang Heng a very uneasy feeling.

However, none of the other passengers on the cruise ship noticed anything. All of them were complaining about the weather and using their bags and umbrellas to block out the torrential rain in the sky. They quickly made their way to a metal disc at the center of the island. A researcher in his fifties played with a string of numbers and the metal disc opened up, revealing a pitch-black passageway.

"No one's on duty today?"

"What happened? Where's the security?"

People were puzzled, but they didn't think too much about it. After all, the base on the island could be said to be one of the most top-notch facilities in the world. There hadn't been any incidents where the containment failed too severely since the day it was built.

However, there were still some people who realized that something was off. Despite feeling that something was off, they had no choice but to enter the ship despite feeling that something was off. As for returning to the ship? That was impossible. The ship wouldn't allow those people to return either, as they would be executed for treason if they were to return without permission from their superiors.

Everyone walked into the door of the base and the door shut right away, locking it completely from the outside world. The door would never open again without the orders of Level Four security personnel.

"What's going on? There's no one here?" Someone complained from the crowd. Everyone was currently in the lobby at the topmost floor of the base. There was a row of elevators at the end of the lobby. They would be able to reach a depth of over a kilometer through those elevators. That was where the actual base would be, and the place they were in at the moment was just an outpost.

"Maybe everyone went to attend the gathering at the base." A young man among the crowd shrugged, but the crowd completely ignored what he said. After all, unless the head of the Level Four Site, who was in charge of the base, wanted to be executed by the O5 council, there was no way the security of the base would make such a huge mistake.

Generally speaking, there were two types of hierarchical systems to be found in the foundation itself. One of them was like the five classes of A, B, C, D, and E that Zhang Heng knew of. Other than that, there was also a type of security system that was divided into 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Level-0 personnel were only given access to public information. Level-0 security access was given to non-core personnel who didn't need to know about the foundation's projects, such as those in logistics or cleaning positions.

Level 1 security clearance would be given to those who worked near the containment program, but were not allowed to come into contact with their personnel directly. For example, those who had access to the program, or those who had to operate paperwork, logistics, or clean jobs in facilities that required sensitive information.

Level-2 security clearance was given to security guards and researchers who needed to get in touch with the containment program. Most researchers and field agents held Level-2 security clearance, such as Zhang Heng, who was currently at Level-2.

Level 3 security clearance would grant access to senior security personnel and researchers who were required to make contact with the containment programs, recycling, and long-term plans. Most senior researchers, plan directors, security officers, members of the response teams, and personnel assigned to the task force would have access to Level 3 security clearance, such as Professor David and Professor Anderson.

Grade 4 security clearance was given to senior managers who needed access to the Fund's operations and research plans. Grade 4 security clearance was usually given to the head of the Site, the head of security, or the commander of the mobile task force. Such personnel were usually the top managers of a containment base.

As for the final level five, only the 13 members of the O5 Parliament had access to the highest level of access in the entire world. They were allowed to access all strategic data and other sensitive data at will. Furthermore, after some discussion, they were able to decide on any project or experiment carried out by the foundation. It was just like how it was in the UK, where authority was paramount.

However, at that moment, everyone realized that something was off. All of them stood at the center of the lobby, not daring to head for the elevator.

"Everyone, don't panic. I'm here to contact Supervisor Max." The only person in the crowd with Level 3 access walked out of the crowd, and the old man who had opened the door of the base before. As he was the tallest man in the entire county at the moment, he took on the role of soothing the crowd.

Everyone quieted down right away and looked at the old man. Zhang Heng recognized the old man. His name was Anderson and, like Professor David, he was one of the top researchers in the foundation. He took out a communication device that looked like a phone from his pocket.

Of course, it was not feasible to use cell phones to communicate in the base. Putting aside the fact that electronic devices were prohibited before entering the base, even if one were to bring their cell phone into the base through some means, they would find that the cell phone had no communication signal at all. The ground that was over a kilometer deep was not to be trifled with, as it was capable of withstanding the most advanced communication tools in the world. Only communication devices issued by the Golden Foundation could be used.

"Hello, this is the Level 3 security access personnel, Anderson. We're currently in the lobby of the base's entrance. May I know what happened in the base and why we haven't seen any security personnel?" Anderson tried his best to sound calm and not sound like he was interrogating the other party. However, there was only a rustling sound from the communication device, as if there was some kind of signal interference.

Anderson frowned and fiddled with the transmitter for a bit, raising the volume in an attempt to make it easier to receive signals. He then repeated what he said before.

However, that rustling sound suddenly disappeared at that moment…

"Hello? Hello, may I know…" Anderson frowned and was about to say something when a weird roar was heard from the communication device all of a sudden.

What kind of sound was that? It was as if countless people were screaming and moaning, as if they were being tortured in hell, filled with malice and resentment. Professor Anderson shuddered after hearing that sound, losing control of his communication device and dropping it to the ground with a thud.

Everyone was stunned by that eerie howl and wail, seemingly having recalled something. Everyone's expression changed drastically, as if they had just encountered something terrifying. Everyone backed away with a hum, and a vacuum was formed in the crowd in the blink of an eye. Only Anderson and the communicator at his feet remained in the center of the circle.

That eerie roar continued and, for some reason, the sound from the communicator became louder, as if something was about to burst out of the communicator. Everyone's faces turned pale and some of the more timid ones even dropped to the ground with trembling legs.

Ta, ta, ta…

However, at that moment, a pair of legs wearing white sneakers appeared before everyone's eyes. The owner of those feet walked up to the communicator, bent over slightly, picked up the communication device at a leisurely pace, and pressed the shutter button hard at the same time. That voice finally disappeared without a trace.

"Guys, looks like we're in trouble." Zhang Heng played with the communicator in his hand and said calmly. However, there was a stern look in his eyes.

"That's meme…" Professor Anderson's face was as pale as a sheet, and the muscles on his face twitched unnaturally due to being too terrified. "Myme, if the curse-like meme leaks, we'll all die!"

Everyone's expression changed drastically after hearing that.

"Crack!"

However, just when the crowd was about to explode, Zhang Heng suddenly extended his hand and gave Anderson a tight slap across the face. The sound was deafening in the empty corridor and both Anderson and the other members of the foundation were stunned.

"Your emotions are getting out of hand." Zhang Heng looked coldly at the astonished old man before him and said in a stern voice, "This isn't the time to spread panic. Furthermore, it's still unknown if the curse models were leaked or not. Are you trying to get executed for spreading such panic, Professor Anderson?"

651. Disappearing

Zhang Heng's slap managed to temporarily calm the people who were on the verge of breaking down. However, judging from the terrified and helpless looks on their faces, Zhang Heng knew that there was no need for any kind of meme attack at the moment. All he needed to do was give them a little more time, and they would all eventually break down.

However, not everyone was completely incorrigible. Zhang Heng scanned the crowd and found that there were still quite a few among the 30 to 40 people who remained calm. That was more than enough.

"Everyone." Zhang Heng clapped his hands and attracted everyone's attention. "We need a team of people to go inside the base. No matter what happens, we'll only be able to find the communication radio outside once we're inside the base, and we'll be able to find our only chance of survival."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not going down there!" The crowd was thrown into an uproar right away. One of the fat men was on the verge of breaking down as he shouted at the top of his lungs to vent his fear. "There are hundreds of containment programs down there. Who knows what leaked out? Are we going down there to die?"

"I'm just doing it out of my own free will." Zhang Heng shot her a disdainful look and continued, "Is there anyone willing to go down with me to investigate?"

"Holy sh * *!" To Zhang Heng's surprise, Joey was the first one to speak. He flashed a grin at Zhang Heng and said, "We have weapons with us that could protect you." He then took out a Glock 19 and loaded it with ease. "While that thing might not be of much use against those containers, I guess it's better than nothing."

"Me too!" The second person to speak was actually Professor Anderson. He wore a bitter grin and continued, "I know where the base's communication device to the outside world is located, and my identity card allows me to access some of the more secret areas, which should be of some help to everyone."

Zhang Heng nodded and looked around at the crowd again. Four other field agents walked out right away. One of them, a middle-aged man with a full beard, said, "Count me in. Maybe all of this was just a joke on our part."

There were seven people willing to go down to the base at the moment, including Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng didn't hesitate after seeing that and headed straight for the elevator. "Alright, follow me if you want to. If you don't want to go down, just stay here. May God bless you all."

Joey, Anderson, and the others all took a deep breath and followed closely behind Zhang Heng. Security access was no longer a criterion for evaluating one's status. When faced with a disaster, the flock effect would make one's humanity fully exposed.

Everyone looked at Zhang Heng and his team with complicated expressions on their faces. Some of them wanted to follow them, but when they thought about the dangers that could befall their base, they eventually backed down. They were more willing to stay with the rest of the team. Little did they know that they were like sheep waiting for the predators to get close.

Zhang Heng's heart skipped a beat when he reached the elevator door. He paused for a bit and turned to look at Anderson. "Sorry for the offense, Professor Anderson."

"It's fine." Anderson was stunned for a moment before waving his hand with a bitter smile. "Compared to the dangers that we're facing right now, what was all that just now? Furthermore, it's true that I've been living like a prince for far too long, to the point that I'm unable to maintain my basic mentality. Sigh…"

Zhang Heng nodded and said, "I don't think we should take the elevator."

Joey, who was standing behind Zhang Heng, looked like he was deep in thought and said in a low voice, "That's right, taking the elevator right now isn't a good idea. If there's really any danger, we won't even be able to escape."

"Let's take the stairs then." Professor Anderson nodded, clearly understanding the dangers involved. He continued, "I just hope that you guys can slow down a bit, or I won't be able to keep up."

Everyone nodded to show that they understood before turning around and heading for the stairs. The stairs were sealed anyway, but as soon as Professor Anderson swiped his ID card on the reader, the door of the emergency passageway opened and a pitch-black stairway appeared before everyone.

The stairways were steep and the stairways and armrests were filled with dust. If one were to look down from the stairway, the stairways looked like the entrance to hell, making it impossible to see the bottom.

Zhang Heng even wondered if there had been anyone who walked on those stairs throughout the years that the base was built.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The seven of them made their way downstairs quickly. The dark and gloomy stairs seemed to stretch on forever. There were only dark red emergency lights shining above their heads and the echoes of heavy footsteps were heard. It was eerie, as if they were in hell.

Professor Anderson began panting after going down more than a dozen floors. He was already sweating profusely by the time he was halfway down the stairs. Every step he took became extremely heavy and his stamina was completely exhausted.

"I can't walk anymore." Professor Anderson sat down on the stairs and shook his head. "You guys go ahead, I'm taking a break here."

Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks and saw Professor Anderson throwing his ID card at him. His sweat drenched his rather bald, grizzled hair. Anderson forced a smile and said, "I'll wait for you guys here. I hope you guys can bring good news."

"Professor…" Zhang Heng caught the ID card with a complicated look in his eyes, but he quickly hid it again. He nodded at Anderson and ran down the stairs without looking back. Everyone knew that with Professor Anderson's age, even if he were to barely make it back to the base, his chances of survival would still be infinitely close to zero in the face of all those dangers. It would be better for him to just stay there, as he might stand a chance.

"This scene is very similar to the beginning of a novel…" Zhang Heng mumbled to himself as he ran. Back when he was reading novels, he was unable to understand why that fat kid was running out of stamina after climbing several flights of stairs. He even attempted to run from the top of the fifth floor of his apartment all the way to the bottom of the building when he was in high school. That kind of activity was only a matter of taking a single breath. He didn't even need to take a breath after running.

It was only at that moment that he realized that, while going downstairs didn't consume a lot of energy, that was only when compared to going upstairs. If one were to run hundreds of floors at once, even Liu Xiang would have been rendered completely useless.

Time passed slowly, and about 15 minutes passed before the remaining six people finally reached the bottom of the base. A steel door stood before them at that moment, and everyone stopped moving involuntarily when they saw that door. They gasped for air and began to recover what little energy they had left.

However, Zhang Heng looked completely fine at the moment, as compared to how the crowd was panting for breath. He didn't even break a sweat, which made Joey and the others give him a second look.

Zhang Heng walked up to the door after everyone gradually recovered. He swiped the card reader with Professor Anderson's ID card and the door to the base opened with a rumble.

Behind the door was the lobby where Zhang Heng went to select Class D personnel before. However, the lobby was completely dark at the moment, as if the power had been cut off long ago. Only the emergency lights were still flickering dimly, making the entire lobby look eerie.

Joey looked around at the crowd and nodded before taking out his Glock 19 and following closely behind Zhang Heng. The six of them rushed into the lobby, but the place remained completely silent. There were no signs of human bodies found in the lobby, not even signs of a fight. It was as if everyone had disappeared into thin air.

"Damn it, where the hell is everyone?" Joey cursed under his breath.

"Communication equipment from the outside world is stored in Area D19." The crowd paid no heed to Joey's complaints and the man with the sideburns from before suddenly said softly, "I can bring you guys closer from the closest distance, but we might need to go through several more… weird locations where the containment program is being held. If the other party were to escape, I'm afraid…"

"Do you really think she would just stay where she is if she managed to escape?" Zhang Heng asked.

"Well…" The burly man scratched his head and said, "You're right. I'd better lead the way."

Zhang Heng nodded and walked with the others to another door at the end of the hall. That door was one size smaller than the one that led to the base, and the word "D" was written on it. Zhang Heng took out Professor Anderson's ID card and swiped at the card reader again. The door that led to Area D opened immediately, revealing a corridor that seemed to have no end.

"Let's go!" The burly man shouted and everyone ran forward as fast as they could without making a sound. A fork appeared in the road before them very quickly.

"To the right!" The burly man led the way into the corridor on the right. However, Zhang Heng suddenly saw a figure flash past in the darkness before him as soon as he turned the corner.

"Stop right there!" Zhang Heng grabbed the bearded man and looked into the darkness before him. "There's something wrong over there!"

Everyone stopped in their tracks and pointed their guns at the darkness before them. However, nothing happened after waiting for several seconds.

"What did you see?" Joey asked in a low voice.

"There's someone there." Zhang Heng slowed his footsteps and took two steps forward cautiously. The next second, that figure flashed by again. Zhang Heng's pupils contracted when he saw that figure clearly. It was a thin, long silhouette with a body that looked dead-white.

…

On the other side, the people in the surface hall were pacing back and forth with anxious looks on their faces. Some kept trying to open the doors leading to the surface, while others chatted in small groups. There were also some who sat dejectedly in a corner, waiting for fate to judge them.

The air was stifling.

"Cough, cough!"

Fatty John coughed in a corner and rubbed his arms. Everyone on the way from the cruise ship to the underground base had been drenched to the bone. John realized with some sadness that he seemed to have caught a cold.

His head felt rather dizzy and the wet suit clung to his skin, making him feel very uncomfortable. He wanted to take off his jacket, but his body temperature, which was still slightly hot, prevented him from doing so. All he could do was cough as much as he could, hoping to catch the attention of the crowd and perhaps some kind-hearted person would lend him the jacket.

However, for some reason, he felt as if the air around him was getting colder…

Damn the weather, damn the underground base!

John the Fatty cursed and pulled at his collar again. He felt as if his body was about to go stiff. He found it hard to understand how such low temperatures could come in early autumn, which felt like the dead of winter.

Fatty John was finally unable to hold it in any longer. He opened his mouth slightly, wanting to ask for a coat from his colleagues who had their backs to him. However, he suddenly realized that his voice was extremely hoarse and he was only able to make tiny, weak sounds.

Panic was seen in the eyes of the fatty, John, as he tried to stand up right away. However, a pulling force prevented him from doing so. He was stunned and looked down instinctively, only to see a pale hand reaching out from the pitch-black space beside him at some point and gripping the corner of his shirt tightly.

It was that pull that prevented him from standing up.

The fatty, John, opened his eyes wide all of a sudden and looked terrified. He looked at his colleagues who had their backs to him and wanted to scream, but no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to make a sound.

That arm suddenly pulled at him in the very next second. The fat man's fat body was pulled into a pitch-black shadow without making a sound under the terrified and despairing eyes of the fat man before he disappeared completely.

"Huh?"

It was only then that one of the men who was conversing in hushed tones with the others turned around, only to find that there was nothing behind him. That pitch-black shadow from before had long disappeared…

"Did you guys hear anything?"

652. "shy" people

The back view that Zhang Heng saw could be described as' human '. He was about 2.4 meters tall, with his head almost reaching the ceiling. The top of his head was shiny and there wasn't a single strand of hair on it. He looked like he had been put together with several bamboo poles, making him look slender. His arms, in particular, were dragged all the way to the ground, making him look very eerie.

Zhang Heng gasped as soon as he saw that figure. He instinctively stopped in his tracks, but the people behind him didn't pay attention and crashed into him instead.

A soft thud was heard and Zhang Heng lowered his head without hesitation. He shouted, "Keep your head down and don't look at his face!"

However, it was too late.

Zhang Heng heard wailing and screaming all over the place. That skinny silhouette seemed to be scratching his face, while Joey pointed the gun at him with a dumbfounded expression and mumbled to himself, "What the hell is that thing?"

"Damn it!" Zhang Heng cursed under his breath. "Joey, run!"

"What?" Joey turned around to look at Zhang Heng, still confused. "What did you say?"

Zhang Heng shook his head and was about to say something else, when the thin monster shrieked and lunged at Joey.

"Arrgghh! Go to hell!" Joey screamed as gunshots were heard one after another, followed by Joey's heart-wrenching scream. "No! He's taking out my intestines! For God's sake, pull him away!"

Zhang Heng didn't turn around. He turned around and hid in the corner to prevent himself from getting hurt by stray bullets. The shrieks of the monsters and Joey kept ringing in his ears, as well as the shouts and curses from the people around him. The screams of the others were heard as well, along with the noisy footsteps of people running away.

The commotion lasted for about two to three minutes before the corridor became quiet again.

It was only then that Zhang Heng slowly walked out of the dark corner. He looked at the ground and saw that Joey, who had been in a very lively state before, had been reduced to a pile of torn up pieces, as if he had been trampled by an angry bull. He was torn to pieces and his organs and brain matter were all over the place.

Zhang Heng's face looked rather glum as he slowly picked up the Glock 19 that Joey had left on the ground. However, he heard footsteps again at that moment. He raised his head slightly and tried not to look at the man's face. He only looked up when he saw a pair of leather shoes and pants.

The bearded man walked up to Zhang Heng with a pale face and looked rather dazed. The two of them looked at each other and smiled bitterly.

"That monster… is Scp-096?" the bearded man asked in a low voice.

"That's right. Seems like you've heard of it before." Zhang Heng nodded and checked his gun.

"It's a good thing that you reminded me before," the bearded man said with lingering fear. "If it hadn't been for your warning, I probably wouldn't have been able to resist looking at that man's face… Damn, I heard that if anyone were to see that dog's face, they'd be able to chase you down and tear you to shreds, even if you were to escape to the moon."

"Did you 'see' everyone else?" Zhang Heng waved and asked helplessly.

"Other than the two of us, no one else was able to react." The bearded man nodded and turned to look in the direction where the other two had fled. "I guess they're dead meat."

"Not 'estimate', but 'certainty'." Zhang Heng sighed and continued, "Let's move on. What I'm most afraid of right now is that the headquarters' orders would be to destroy the entire base, even if we were to find the communication device. After all, that guy, 682, is inside the base."

"I just hope that 682 hasn't been leaked." The man with the sideburns was silent for a bit before he steeled himself and continued walking.

Zhang Heng looked at the bearded man's retreating back and shook the Glock 19 in his hand. With his knowledge of firearms, he only needed to estimate the weight of the weapon to know that there were only two rounds left in the magazine. He had no choice but to lower his head and rummage through the pile of shredded meat in front of him again before finding a spare magazine.

"Hurry up. I don't want to stay in this damned place for even a second longer!" The man with the sideburns urged from the front.

Zhang Heng followed them without saying a word and the two of them began to jog. It didn't take long before they arrived at a top-secret security zone that required access above Level 3 with the help of Professor Anderson's ID card.

They then saw that there was a containment room somewhere in the corridor. The door that was several meters thick had been completely destroyed, making it look like a bomb had been detonated from the inside out. One could vaguely tell that the object that broke through the barrier looked like a human being, and there was a warning announcement on the wall beside the door. There were four words written in English—Entry is prohibited.

The corridor was filled with unforeseen dangers at the moment. He was able to imagine what would have looked like the end of the world when the Scp-096 broke through the steel wall that was about half a meter thick. There were countless pieces of broken steel all over the floor as well. Zhang Heng bent down and picked up one of the pieces, which read:

Project: SCP-096

Project Level: Euclid

Special containment measures: SCP-096 should be kept in a steel airtight cube compartment with a 5mm x 5mm x 5mm, and every week, the cubicles must be checked to see if there are any cracks or holes in them. Surveillance or any optical tools are absolutely prohibited in the cubicles. Security personnel should use pre installed pressure sensors and laser detectors to confirm if the SCP-096 is in the cubicles.

No photos, videos, or portraits of SCP-096 were to be manufactured without O5 permission.

Description: SCP-096 is a humanoid creature about 2.38 meters tall. The creature has almost no muscles. Preliminary weight analysis suggests mild nutritional deficiencies. The arm is severely disproportionate to the body. The skin is devoid of pigment and the body has no hair.

The SCP-096's jawline was four times that of a normal human's. Other than the lack of pigmentation in the eyes, the rest of the facial features were identical to that of a human's. No advanced brain function was detected, making it impossible to determine if the other party possessed intelligence.

The SCP-096 was usually very docile, but when someone saw the SCP-096's face, whether it was the person who saw it, the person who saw the video, or even the photo, the person would be in a very sad state. The person would cover the face with his hand and start screaming, crying, and making muffled sounds. The SCP-096 would charge at the person who saw the face about one to two minutes after being seen.

The speed of the SCP-096 recorded ranged from 35km / h to 999km / h, and the maximum speed limit had yet to be found. Its speed depended on the distance between it and the observer. It was known from the records that no known material or method could stop the SCP-096 from moving forward. It was as if the SCP-096 was born with the ability to detect the location of any observer.

Note: Observing its artistic drawing would not trigger such a reaction.

The SCP-096 would kill and delete the observer as soon as it got to the spot where the observer was. The SCP-096 would sit for a few minutes after that before returning to its usual calm and docile state. It would then attempt to return to its natural habitat and delete the data.

Due to the possibility of triggering a massive chain reaction involving the destruction of the foundation's secrets and the deaths of many civilians, the work of recycling targets should be deemed an Alpha priority…

…

Zhang Heng scanned through the data briefly and the data fell into his mind. However, at that moment, he heard a series of heavy footsteps coming from behind him. He exchanged looks with the bearded man who heard the footsteps as well and didn't dare to stay any longer. He walked right past the containment area and headed straight for the communication device.

The footsteps behind him disappeared very quickly, but Zhang Heng gradually began to look pensive. He hadn't wanted to expose himself all this time, as his goal of infiltrating this world was to find the connection between the Dimensional Star and this world. However, it was a pity that the heavens didn't do him any good. He had only been in this world for a month before he encountered a containment failure.

Typically speaking, such incidents of containment failure usually ended with the complete destruction of the base. Even if someone were to survive, they would still be executed after finding out information that they shouldn't have, or if the Golden Foundation was afraid that someone might be infected.

Even the Level 4 security chief in charge of the base would have been executed without mercy after such a horrendous failure, let alone a Level 2 nobody like Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself at that thought. However, he suddenly felt that the air around him had turned extremely cold, as if there was a ball of cold air clinging to him.

Zhang Heng paused for a bit and the man with a full beard turned the corner right away, disappearing without a trace. Zhang Heng was the only one still running in the empty corridor.

"Wait, something's not right!" Zhang Heng's expression became even more glum. "This is a sign of a cursed model. Have I been infected by a cursed model?"

A pitch-black shadow appeared out of nowhere on the wall behind Zhang Heng as that thought crossed his mind. Zhang Heng felt the chill around him intensify at the same time. He took a look in the direction that the bearded man disappeared in. Logically speaking, given that he was holding onto his ID card, the man would have turned around to look for him if he found out that he wasn't following him. However, there was no one around the corner at the moment. It was obvious that such an illogical phenomenon was most likely related to some kind of curse.

Zhang Heng's expression became very serious. He clenched his fist slightly and released a powerful mental beam, which formed a diamond-shaped layer of protection around him. It was fortunate that he had just recovered a portion of his power due to the capsule sent by Corona. While that bit of power was utterly inadequate for his main body, he was still able to protect himself against such dangers.

Zhang Heng seemed to have sensed something and was about to turn around when a pale, skinny arm reached out from the shadows behind him without making a sound, reaching for the corner of his shirt at lightning speed.

"You're what I've been waiting for!" However, Zhang Heng turned around right when that hand was about to grab him. The Light of Mind burst out at the same time and the steel wall behind him began to distort, as if it had suffered an intense explosion. A deafening rumble was heard at the same time.

Boom!

The intense explosion tore through an entire layer of the alloy wall and the chill shrouding Zhang Heng disappeared in an instant. It was only then that he turned around with a lingering fear in his heart. The skinny arm was nowhere to be found in his line of sight. Even that pitch-black shadow was nowhere to be seen.

"Hah, the most annoying thing about cursed models is that." Zhang Heng shook his head and wore a helpless look on his face. He knew very well that the chill from before hadn't been completely wiped out by him. It had simply gone back to hibernation and could come back at any moment.

The so-called curse-like modeling was something that couldn't be explained with the existing laws of physics. Unless one had completely mastered the laws of nature, there was simply no way to explain the modeling to humans. It could be said that such supernatural phenomena could only be resisted by the same kind of supernatural phenomenon.

Wait…

A thought came to Zhang Heng's mind at that moment. He turned around and looked in the other direction, seemingly deep in thought. "Seems like there's a shelter in the sp-148 as well. Maybe I could find a way to survive there."

Determination flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes at that thought. He deviated from the planned route and ran in the opposite direction of the tunnel.

653. Truth Of The Foundation

Without any observers around, Zhang Heng began to accelerate as he ran. He was so fast that he needed to step on the wall to make a turn in the narrow corridor. It took him less than half a minute to reach the shelter of the SCP-096. The 096, which had recovered by then, heard his footsteps and turned around reflexively. However, Zhang Heng didn't even bother to look at it and simply ran past it. The 096 was stunned. It stared at Zhang Heng's back and was unable to react for quite a while.

He had consumed the most potent drug that represented the human civilization on the Tanis planet. The current Zhang Heng was practically a container to the Golden Foundation. Not only was his physique far beyond that of humans, but even the Light of the Mind was capable of changing and distorting reality. To humans like him, who possessed the power of the Light of the Mind, the Golden Foundation called him the 'Reality Distorter'.

Due to its special nature, Scp-148 was kept in Zone F, which was under the charge of Professor David. That was how Zhang Heng was able to learn of the existence of Scp-148 with his limited access. The ability of the container was of little value to begin with, to the extent that it weakened Zhang Heng's Light of the Soul. However, compared to being killed and swallowed by the Meme of Curses, the pros and cons outweighed the cons.

However, the journey from Area D to Area F was rather long, and Zhang Heng had to rely on the Light of Heart to conceal his tracks throughout the journey. Despite all that, it was still rather dangerous, but Zhang Heng had no time to think about all of that. He proceeded at full speed along the passageway and soon found a place where there was a fire. There were bloodstains all over the ground and the walls were filled with holes and bullet holes, yet he was unable to find a single dead body. It was obvious that the base's security guards had fought with some kind of container that had broken through the containment barrier before. As for the outcome, Zhang Gen knew from the bloodstains on the ground that things were definitely not looking good.

However, Zhang Heng felt that he was lucky enough to be able to make it back to Area F in the hands of Dr. David very quickly. He had become very familiar with Area F over the past month, and he was able to move even faster after reaching the area. He made it past several sphincter shelters before stopping in front of a warehouse-like isolation room.

Scp-148!

The wall was filled with paragraphs written in English regarding the CP-148. First of all, the CP-148 was prohibited from making contact with any other CP-1 shelter program. Any staff assigned to the CP-148 would have to undergo a regular inspection every week. The container was not a living thing, nor was it some formless, intangible data container like meme. It was something real.

That container had the ability to "interfere with mental energy" from nearby organisms. To put it simply, the sp-148 was actually some kind of material with mental protection. It had a different name, called the 'Mind Shrouding Alloy'. As the name suggested, it was capable of effectively protecting any form of mental power, preventing the fear of humans from growing. It was perfect for creating the Meme Protection Device.

Zhang Heng had researched all manner of curse-based models a long time ago, and he learned that the mental power of humans was a necessary factor affecting the outbreak of curse-based models. The more panicked, helpless, and other negative emotions the human mind became, the faster the outbreak of the curse-based models would be, and vice versa. The Mind Shrouding Alloy, on the other hand, was a device used to suppress the mental states of humans. While there were significant side effects that could cause the minds of those who came into contact with it to go deaf, Zhang Heng's true form was far away in four-dimensional space and was nowhere in that universe. As such, such side effects were practically non-existent to him.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath at that thought, and his eyes turned sharp all of a sudden. A burst of mental power gushed out of the pineal gland in his body in the very next second, and the alloy door before him began to wail as it twisted. The alloy door before him looked as if it had been rammed by a huge battering ram, and the door caved in completely. A passage that was barely wide enough for humans to get through was torn open at the junction between the door and the wall.

It was only then that Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He was not in his true form after all. It was not easy for his current body to reach such a level.

Zhang Heng headed straight for the door without hesitation at that thought. There were 120 silver ingots about the size of a fist on the floor of the sealed room in the very next second.

"So, this is the Heartbreaker Alloy. Very good." Zhang Heng wore a satisfied expression as he looked at the alloy before him. At the same time, the Light of Mind shone out and the pieces of alloy began to fuse and reconstruct in midair, making it look like a huge piece of rubber. There was also a pair of invisible hands kneading the pieces of alloy at the same time. In the end, the Heartbreaker Alloy was manipulated by Zhang Heng's Light of Heart to form a silver alloy glove that looked like a work of art.

The cuffs of the glove extended all the way to his elbows, and there were five razor-sharp nails at the fingertips of the glove. Zhang Heng put the glove on and immediately felt his mind becoming more stable. His anxiety about the meme dropped rapidly, and the stability was transmitted to his body through the quantum-consciousness control device.

However, Zhang Heng's main body didn't need the stability that his doppelganger required. The damage done to his main body far outweighed the benefits, and he was able to completely disperse the effects immediately. Zhang Heng was able to easily reactivate a universe that was less than three-dimensional at the moment, not to mention a supernatural entity with mild side effects.

Zhang Heng was able to control Stephen's body as he silently felt the power that was being emitted from the glove. It wasn't that he didn't want to create a complete suit of armor, but what he didn't expect was that the mental beam consumed a lot of his mental power while making the glove, far exceeding his expectations. He figured that, after all, the mental block alloy itself had the ability to interfere with mental power. Perhaps it was due to such an effect that most of his mental power was negated.

"Phew…" Zhang Heng felt that the chill that had been shrouding him all the time seemed to have retreated some distance and was kept at a distance. He was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief for the time being. He turned around and thought for a bit. He didn't head for Area D again, but headed for Area S, the core of the base.

While the problem of meme was temporarily solved, that was only treating the symptoms and not the root of the problem. His body had no way of resisting the power of meme. If he wanted to solve the problem, he would need the foundation's advanced technology.

Zhang Heng knew the foundation far better than most Level 4 security heads, second only to the 13 O5s. To most low-ranking members of the organization, the foundation appeared to be an organization that had interacted with the United Nations before, yet possessed a terrifying level of access. However, Zhang Heng was the only one who knew just how terrifying the foundation truly was. It was definitely not due to his status and access in the United Nations, but due to the sheer size of the organization.

The foundation was equipped with nuclear weapons from major countries, and they had a rather comprehensive and precise memory-clearing technology. Their technology was advanced, and they had successfully resurrected the dead back in the 19th century. They had even developed several types of meme weapons that were capable of mass-producing SCP.

They also had their own outposts on the moon and Mars. Their electronic eyes were seen all over the world, and they had mastered the basic technology of space-time transmission. They even had the technology to reboot the world, and they had rebooted the world more than once. Regardless of how many times the powerful Scp-682 broke through the containment, the SCP Foundation would always be able to catch it.

Furthermore, the Golden Foundation had long gained the ability to mass-produce Class D personnel, and they were able to customize Class D personnel according to their needs. For example, Class D personnel with a criminal record, Class D personnel fed to lizards, had a difficult childhood, grew up, and had a love story that ended with them finally being freed from their misery. However, both their husbands and sons died in car accidents, taking revenge on society, and were jailed by the Golden Foundation. Class D personnel were specifically targeted by the Golden Foundation, and were executed according to routine procedures.

Of course, why was it that even Dr. David didn't know about all of that? Why did the researchers in the base always feel that there wasn't enough Class D personnel? Simple, that was because even Dr. David and the entire base didn't have enough access to that base. The hierarchical system of the foundation was very strict, and one would never be able to find out just what kind of power and trump cards the foundation had before reaching a certain level.

It could be said that the true power of the Sp Foundation was far more than what it appeared to be on the surface. Their level of technological advancement was on par with that of the stellar technology that Zhang Heng had established back in the day. In fact, it was even slightly above that.

654. Countermeasure

At that moment, five people were gathered in a circle in the lobby at the topmost floor of the base, looking around with wary and astonished expressions on their faces.

About an hour had passed since Zhang Heng and the others left. The five of them kept scanning their surroundings with fear-filled eyes, as if a monster was about to charge out of the darkness and tear them apart at any moment.

"No way…" One of the blond men was shaking all over, scanning his surroundings as he said, "I think there are more than five of us."

"Yeah, I feel the same way." The other man looked at the empty lobby and said with a weird expression, "My instincts tell me that there should have been a lot of people when we came to this base. Other than a few who went down to the base to investigate, we should have had a lot of companions with us, but…"

The remaining people looked as if they had seen a ghost. At that moment, there were only five people left in the lobby, which had been bustling with noise and excitement. The rest of the people seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Not only that, their memories of those people completely disappeared after those people disappeared. It was as if those people had never appeared before them.

Those people didn't realize it at first. It was only when there were only five people left that the five of them realized that something was wrong. While their memories told them that there were only five of them, their instincts told them that something seemed to have devoured the rest of them. As time passed, their numbers became fewer, and even their memories of that person completely disappeared. It was as if the people who disappeared, even the evidence of their existence, had disappeared…

"Maybe we're overthinking things," a young woman said with a troubled look on her face. She kept trying to comfort herself, yet she found herself unable to believe what she was saying. "Maybe it's just the five of us… the four of us."

The blonde man was stunned and turned to look at the woman. "We have five…" However, he looked around him right after saying that. He saw that there were only three people standing before him apart from him.

"Four?" The blonde man scratched his head and looked pained. "Damn it, why would I say five? I feel like I'm going crazy!"

"Wait, something's not right!" Another man suddenly said at that moment. He looked at his side with a pale face and saw that it was completely empty. "I do think that there were indeed five of us before. If not, why would there be such a huge gap between me and Arkin? There could have been one person standing in that gap!"

"It's obvious that one of us is disappearing over again. If he were to disappear, we'd lose all of his memories as well."

…

Putting aside all the weird things that happened to the people at the top of the base, Zhang Heng had made his way to the door of Area S according to that professor's ID card. However, when he swiped the ID card at the reader, the red light on the reader lit up.

"Failed?" Zhang Heng frowned and looked at the ID card in his hand, only to be stunned.

"Who gave me the ID card?"

Zhang Heng looked at the name on the ID card—Anderson Clark. However, he found the name unfamiliar when he saw it. Who was Anderson? The professor who gave him the card?

Zhang Heng's expression became even more serious. An electronic voice was heard from the door at that moment. "Please read the ID card again."

Zhang Heng frowned and swiped his ID card again. However, several machine guns shot out of the ceiling above him in the very next second and aimed at him.

"Identity discrepancy. Please hold your head and squat down immediately. If you do anything, we'll shoot you dead. I repeat…"

Alarms were heard above his head all of a sudden. Zhang Heng took a deep breath and backed away immediately. However, he had only taken one step back when the machine guns above him opened fire.

Boom, boom, boom!

Zhang Heng activated the Light of Mind without giving it any thought. All of the normal gunpowder bullets were deflected. While he was only a novice who had just acquired the Light of Mind, his true form was, after all, an expert in the use of the Light of Mind. He had gained the ability to control the projectile from a very long time ago. All of the bullets were deflected under his calculations at the moment, and all the bullets that were sent flying were deflected back into the barrel in just a split second. The machine guns exploded in the very next second, turning the guns into junk.

Zhang Heng fell into deep thought after the defense mechanism was rendered completely useless. He took a look at the card and his expression froze all of a sudden, as he began to receive the memories from his main body. He soon came to a realization.

"So, you're saying that Professor Anderson was killed by the cursed models?" Zhang Heng muttered under his breath. "That's some scary memes. Everyone killed by the memes would have their memories erased from the faces of those around them? Even the data on the computer would be erased. That's an ability that's close to the law of causality."

It was Professor Anderson who died from the attack of the curse-based modeling that rendered the ID card in Zhang Heng's hand useless and rendered it completely useless.

However, that wasn't a problem for Zhang Heng. He looked at the tightly shut door before him and attempted to put his hand on the door before him. In the very next second, the door before him began to melt soundlessly with his hand at the center. It was as if the steel door had turned into quicksand and a huge hole that would allow anyone to pass through the door quickly appeared.

Beads of sweat appeared on Zhang Heng's forehead after he was done. The Light of the Soul in his body was not considered very powerful, and it was like a firefly compared to the bright moon in his original body. However, Zhang Heng's experience in controlling the Light of the Soul was still there, and as such, he was able to turn a steel plate into a basic particle by relying on the computational power of his brain. It was just that he would need to expend a lot of brain power to achieve such a feat.

Zhang Heng began making his way to the door on the far left as soon as he was able to get into Area S completely. He wanted to find something that could resist the meme before the cursed meme killed his body. As far as he knew, the meme of the curse, which he had never seen before, attacked people by dragging them into the shadows. That meant that the meme had the ability to distort space.

Additionally, such curse models seemed to have the ability to erase the presence of the victims, which made them related to karma.

If it were Zhang Heng's true body, it would have been a piece of cake for him to lift the curse of the module. However, there was only one way for him to do so without his true body doing anything—obtaining the 'Scranton Real Establishment Anchor' and the 'continuous time slot' from the foundation.

The so-called Skeleton Reality Stabilization Anchor was a man-made product capable of suppressing the distortion of reality and the distortion of space. It was invented by Dr. Robert Scranton in 1889 and was shortlisted as the 'SRA'. The principle behind it was to forcefully stabilize the normality of reality by extending the distortion potential of the reality of normal humans.

Consecutive time slots were constructed using beams of high-energy electromagnetic radiation and a fast-field transmitter to create a permanent timeframe, which was used to isolate the effects of both modes and causality on space-time karma. In other words, even if there was a space-time paradox that could alter reality, the space-time barrier would still be able to prevent the distortions from happening.

The two pieces of advanced technology, coupled with the Heartbreak Alloy Gloves on his right hand, were the only things that enabled him to resist the Meme. While he was still unable to get rid of the Meme's infection, he would at least be able to ensure his safety for several years.

If he had gotten his hands on those two pieces of advanced technology back in the real world, he probably wouldn't have had to go through so much trouble to deal with the Meme of Curse.

Zhang Heng sighed to himself at that thought. Just when he was about to open a few more doors, he heard the faint sounds of intense fighting coming from up ahead. Loud explosions and gunshots were heard along with furious shouts and curses.

Zhang Heng was immediately astonished. He hadn't expected that there would still be survivors in the base at such a bottom. The fact that they were able to stay alive despite being infected by the curse-like models meant that the two parties fighting at the front were probably no small fry.

He began to conceal his presence at that thought. Using the ability of his mind to block alloys, Zhang Heng approached the battlefield like a cheetah. He saw a huge underground plaza about 100 meters ahead of him after making a turn in a corridor. The center of the plaza was filled with holes and smoke.

655. Divine Suit

Two people were chasing each other in the plaza. The one chasing had a shiny silver-white dagger in his hand and his limbs were covered in pink flowers, making him look like a tree man. The one running away looked more normal, but every time he moved, the shadows of butterflies would appear all over his body.

As the two of them continued to run for their lives, shouts and curses in British accents were heard as well. Both of them were cursing and swearing, but no matter how they fought, they seemed to be unable to do anything to the other.

Zhang Heng, who was hiding in the dark, was astonished by what he saw. If he was not mistaken, the one with flowers all over her body was probably the Dr. Cleff who had fused with the SCP-091. The one with butterflies all over her body was the Dr. Kondraki, who had fused with the SCP-408 mimic butterflies.

Four Apothecaries!

The so-called Four PhDs of the Apocalypse were the four senior members of the Golden Foundation, whose positions were second only to that of the 05th Parliament. Each of them had a security clearance of at least Level 4, which was on par with that of the security chief of the base. It was said that all four PhDs of the Apocalypse were very powerful. If it hadn't been for the fact that they were working for the SCP Foundation, they might have been taken in as storage objects.

He saw the signboard of the containment room on a steel door by the side of the lobby, and the signboard had the words' 239 'written on it. There were dozens of lines of things to take note of below.

Scp-239!

Zhang Heng couldn't help but take a deep breath when he saw that. According to what he remembered from his time in reality, Scp-239 was a god-like existence that could make anything she thought of come true, even if the object itself was completely illogical and didn't even exist.

Scp-239 was an eight-year-old girl with blonde hair. Eight years ago, when she was born, there was a violent explosion in the hospital she was in, and the only survivor was Scp-239.

She was taken in by the Golden Foundation as soon as she was born. As she gradually grew up, she began to display power that was akin to that of a god—such as telling her of Santa's existence, which meant that Santa was born in the real world.

Some PhD 12 / 26 / 04 Note: Who the f * * k would think telling her 'Santa' and telling her that it's just a story would be a good idea?! We need to take care of the other SCP right now, but we can't catch him because he knows' magic '.

Another example would be when a Class D hurt her by accident. She would beg for the Class D to disappear due to her resentment, and the Class D disappeared without a trace. However, the Class D returned when she began to feel guilty about what she was thinking. According to research, the SCP-239's ability when she was awake made her practically invincible. Her skin could only be punctured by the SCP-148 (Mind-Sealing Alloy).

"Scp-239, eh? Seems like the mission of finding the Dimensional Star lies with her then." Zhang Heng took a deep breath and hesitated for a bit. "I'm afraid that this body of mine isn't strong enough to fight them yet. I'll need to strengthen this body first." He then retreated from the scene and headed for the warehouse area in S district.

Zhang Heng was still able to hear the intense fighting going on between the two parties even when he was very far away. The noise only disappeared completely when he was more than a kilometer away. He soon arrived before an even larger door, which had the words' Special Store, Entry Forbidden 'written on it.

It was obvious that he was in a very important warehouse. Zhang Heng felt a huge resistance when he placed his hand on the door of the warehouse. The door and even the walls of the warehouse were covered with a layer of alloy coating, which made it difficult for him to completely melt the door.

It was pitch-black inside the warehouse. The lighting equipment there seemed to have been rendered useless long ago, but Zhang Heng was able to make out all manner of food, equipment, and weapons that he had never seen before in the dim light from the emergency lights outside.

The supplies were piled up like a mountain. Due to some kind of space device, the warehouse looked like a metal room with a length and width of less than 10 meters when seen from the outside. However, when one looked into the warehouse from the outside, one would find that it was actually a larger space than the lobby they saw before.

Initially, finding a few pieces of equipment in such a vast space would have been like finding a needle in a haystack. However, that was hardly a problem for Zhang Heng. He continued to use the Light of Mind to scan the entire warehouse very quickly. However, the results of the scan made his expression darken all of a sudden.

"No? No way!"

He repeated the scan in disbelief, but he was unable to find the two pieces of equipment—the real-life stabilizer anchor and the space slots—no matter how hard he tried.

"That shouldn't be the case. There are 682 and 096 locked up here, and even 239 is locked up here. If that's the case, how could there not be two weapons capable of dealing with most memes and space distortions here?"

Zhang Heng decided to stick close to the wall as he walked at that thought. It didn't take him long to reach a spot on the left side of the wall facing the door. He suddenly stopped and pressed his palm against the wall. The wall before him melted in the very next second, revealing a deeper space inside.

This is it!

Zhang Heng was astonished. The Golden Foundation was indeed very careful. There was a hidden compartment in the warehouse. He stepped into the compartment and saw three palm-sized cones that looked like they were carved out of blue crystal. There was also an electronic panel that looked like a monitor at the side.

Zhang Heng was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw all of those things. Excitement was written all over his face as he waved his hand and the three icicles flew into the air and hovered in his palm. He then opened his palm and the three spikes spun around him, keeping an equal distance between them. They spun around his body like stars surrounding the moon.

Zhang Heng felt the air around him become incredibly condensed all of a sudden. However, he knew that he was only seeing things. What was truly condensed was not air, but the space around him.

Zhang Heng then turned his attention to the panel at the side. He held the panel in his hand and pressed the activation button on it. The panel immediately disintegrated into countless blue, translucent, square dots the size of a fingernail. Zhang Heng snapped his fingers slightly and the blue dots quickly piled up around him, forming a sci-fi-colored light screen that protected him inside.

The three prismatic vertebrae that were revolving around his body were the 'real-life stabilizer anchors' of the foundation. The blue, square dots that kept appearing and disappearing were the 'continuous time slots'. These two types of advanced technologies were black technologies that had a clear stabilizing effect on time and space, preventing information from harming and cognitive harm.

It was only then that Zhang Heng nodded satisfactorily. He looked around him and then at the Heartbreak Alloy Glove on his right hand. The suit was complete. It was time to showcase his true skills.

656. Kidnapping

Two people were chasing each other in a certain hall in Area S, and bullets rained down from time to time. The hall was filled with the smell of gunpowder and smoke.

However, the gunshots stopped very quickly and the only sound that was heard was the sound of guns being emptied. The blonde man who was covered in flowers threw the emptied gun away and took out another dagger. It was only then that one could see that the blonde man had an unusually huge nose.

"It's all over, Clef. I'm going to punish you right now!" A man with a cold, stern expression who was covered in the shadows of butterflies stopped running and drew a sword before him.

"Why… did you insist on protecting that monster?!" The blonde man was flustered and exasperated as he asked, feeling indignant.

"That's because there's no way to tell the difference between black and white."

"You damned colorblind, Kony!"

The clash between the longsword and the dagger was heard as the blonde man roared.

However, just when both of them were about to be riddled with wounds, steady footsteps were heard from the other end of the plaza. Both of them turned their attention to the source of the sound and saw a young Asian man with three prismatic crystals floating all over his body and cubes of crystals all over him slowly walking out of the darkness.

"Well played, gentlemen." The young Asian man clapped and stood about a dozen meters away from the two of them. "I've heard a lot about you, Draki."

"Who the f * * k are you?" Dr. Clef narrowed his gaze and looked at the young man before him. He didn't know why, but despite being the father of all lies and having no fear of anything, he felt a sense of danger from the young man before him.

"I'm Stephen Chow, a Level 2 researcher from this base, and I'm under Dr. David Copperfield." The young Asian man continued in a polite manner, "I was planning to pay a visit to Scp-239 after the outcome of the battle was decided, but since you're here, the people from the Special Task Force shouldn't be far away. In that case, I'd have to take Scp-239 out of here before the Special Task Force takes over the base."

"Do you think you could do it, young man?" Dr. Kondraki looked at the young Asian man before him with a serious expression and pointed his sword at him.

"I think so!" The young Asian man smirked and dragged his voice for a bit. He then took a step forward and stabbed the alloy glove in his hand at Kondraki's throat.

"Ding!"

The sound of metal clashing was heard and the two of them passed each other. A bone-deep wound appeared on the left side of the young Asian man's face. Kondraki, who was behind him, was stunned. He looked at his wrist in disbelief. The bones in his left wrist had been cut open and his entire wrist was broken.

"Konny!" Prof. Clef shouted from the side, the dagger in his hand making a low sound. All the flowers on his body withered at the same time, and vines shot out from his body, wrapping around his opponent at an alarming speed.

"Reality Freeze!" the young Asian man shouted. The three reality-stabilizing anchors floating around him emitted a blinding light, forming an illusory barrier of light. The vines shrieked and retracted as soon as they came into contact with the barrier. Zhang Heng's alloy gloves made yet another deep cut on Dr. Cleff's waist in the very next second.

"Phantasmal Butterfly!" Seeing that Dr. Clef was about to die a horrible death, Kondraki held back the pain in his wrist. Countless illusory butterflies appeared around him and wrapped around his body. By the time the young Asian man was able to break free from the butterflies' encirclement, Dr. Clef was already pulled behind Dr. Kondraki. A new round of confrontation was taking place on the field.

"Reality Distorter?" The look on Dr. Clef's face became even more serious as he looked at the young man before him in disbelief. "Isn't the stabilizer of reality the bane of us? You can actually control the stabilizer of reality? How is that possible?"

"I'm far more powerful than you, twisted beings of reality." Zhang Heng wiped the blood off his face and took another step forward. The Light of Mind gushed out from his glabella at the same time, launching double-layered attacks at the two of them.

"Ding!"

The sound of weapons clashing was heard and countless mimicry butterflies were sent flying in all directions. Wherever Zhang Heng went, those butterflies would drop to the ground and the ground was filled with dead mimicry butterflies in the blink of an eye.

"Damn it!" Kondrakiy wore a pained expression as he held his wrist and kept backing away. All of those mimic butterflies were his companions, and his heart would bleed for every single one that died.

Several more wounds appeared on Zhang Heng's body when the two of them were separated yet again, but they were only minor injuries. However, both Dr. Kondraki and Dr. Clef were riddled with wounds. Dr. Clef was originally a Reality Distorter, but his abilities were suppressed by the Stabilizing Anchor, rendering him unable to exert any of his power.

"Damn it, you win!" Dr. Kondraki wore a glum look on his face. He saw that Zhang Heng was about to continue attacking, so he waved his hand and the remaining Pseudo-Bellies surrounded him and Dr. Clef. The Pseudo-Bellies dissipated when Zhang Heng got near them, but the two of them were nowhere to be found.

Zhang Heng wasn't surprised that the two of them were able to escape from him. That body of his wasn't all that powerful to begin with, so much so that it couldn't even compare to either of them. However, Zhang Heng's combat experience with the use of the Light of the Soul were all there. Due to Corona's insane training all those years ago, no matter how good their techniques were, they were still as childish as babies when compared to Zhang Heng.

That was why Zhang Heng was able to crush both of them.

Zhang Heng walked to the door at the end of the plaza right after the two of them left. He pressed his palm on the door without thinking and the door melted in the very next second, revealing a room filled with the scent of a pink girl.

A bald middle-aged man was looking at Zhang Heng with a serious expression in the room. A blonde girl of about eight to nine years of age was lying on the bed beside him, seemingly having fallen into a deep sleep.

Scp-239, Young Witch

"Whatever your purpose is, please leave at once." The middle-aged man said calmly after seeing Zhang Heng appear. "If you dare to come any closer, the entire room will be vaporized by plasma flames that are hundreds of thousands of degrees Celsius high, including you."

"You won't get the chance, Dr. Gears." Zhang Heng shook his head and snapped his fingers. The lights in the room were turned off in the very next second.

Dr. Gears's heart skipped a beat. He was about to do something when he felt a gust of cold wind in front of him. He reached for the bed and found that the little girl had completely disappeared.

"No!"

It was only when Zhang Heng carried the little girl out of the room that Dr. Gears's furious roar was heard from behind him. Zhang Heng was the only one among the Four PhDs of the Apocalypse who was able to make Dr. Sanwu roar.

657. Awakening

Zhang Heng had a very deep impression of that scene from before.

He still remembered that when he was still very weak back then, he went through the files regarding the spam in detail. The failure of the containment was actually a very popular plot in the spam story.

The story began with Scp-239, 'Young Witch'.

That year, the Golden Foundation took in the newborn baby lich from the scene of the accident. The baby lich was then raised by the Golden Foundation for eight years.

The foundation gradually began to realize that the little girl was practically invincible when she was awake. She was able to make any thoughts of hers come true, and even her skin could only be punctured by the SCP-148.

However, while the young sorceress of the Lich family was very capable, she was nonetheless deemed a witch by the Golden Foundation due to their arrangement. The one she feared the most, Dr. Clef, was a Grand Arbitration Warlock who specialized in punishing disobedient wizards.

Other than making her feel better, he could also make her believe that she needed to recite a spell provided by the Golden Foundation before she could use her powers. The purpose of fabricating such a fairy tale-like lie was to ensure that whatever the young sorceress did would be under the control of the Golden Foundation. According to the surveillance everywhere, the Golden Foundation would be able to determine what she wanted to do regardless of what spell she chanted.

It was practically a fantasy version of "The World of Truman."

However, as the little girl grew older, the surveillance personnel of the Golden Foundation found out to their dismay that the little girl seemed to have entered her rebellious phase early. She would often attempt to use the 'forbidden spell' that the Golden Foundation prohibited her from using. As such, Dr. Clef warned her that if she were to be disobedient again, he would punish her severely.

One day, due to her compassion, the little girl used a forbidden spell to resurrect a little bird. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. She even wrote in her diary that she hoped that Clef wouldn't kill her.

It was precisely because she had such thoughts that Dr. Clef came up with the idea of killing her and proposed a plan to execute the little girl in person to the foundation. Before the plan was approved, Dr. Clef made himself a knife out of the alloy of the mind and embarked on a path of no return for killing the little girl.

Due to self-preservation reasons, the little girl took control of Dr. Kondraki and the various SCPs at the entire station to stop Dr. Clef when he broke through the layers of defense. Dr. Gears, on the other hand, kept injecting the little girl with sedatives to prevent things from spiraling out of control. Dr. Bright was also transported to the scene of the accident, and the rare "Four Apocalypse" battle began.

Dr. Gears rushed to the little girl's room to talk to her while Dr. Kondraki and Clef were locked in an intense battle. He told the little girl that Dr. Clef was actually possessed by an evil dragon, and that she needed him and her to work together to use a QQ spell to kill Dr. Clef. The little girl then launched a huge dragon from Dr. Clef's body, which eventually caused Dr. Clef to pass out. The other founder of the foundation, Dr. Kain, drove a super-high SCP-244 to slay the evil dragon.

As for Dr. Bright, one of the Four Apostles of the Apocalypse, he was shot in the head as soon as he came out of the room.

That was the true storyline of the entire incident, yet the storyline was completely rewritten with Zhang Heng's appearance. It became the story of Draki fighting against Zhang Heng, and not only did Zhang Heng beat both of them back, but he also kidnapped the mastermind of the entire incident.

…

Under the dim and eerie glow of the emergency lights, he might have been able to see a human silhouette flickering with square-shaped crystals and prismatic lights at the end of the corridor if there had been a human living in the room. The silhouette was carrying a little girl who looked to be about eight or nine years old on its back. The silhouette was sprinting at a speed that surpassed that of regular people, heading straight for the exit of the base.

However, before he made it to the lobby of the base, a group of soldiers dressed in standard black bulletproof vests with minimalistic movements appeared at the end of the corridor. Their style of doing things was very similar to that of the special forces. They fired as soon as they found Zhang Heng, completely ignoring the sp-239 strapped to his back.

Mobile Task Force!

Another analogy for the security personnel, the Tactical Response Team, and the Mobile Special Task Force would be that the security personnel were like military police officers in a military base. The response teams would be combat infantry units on the front lines, while the Mobile Special Task Force would be like special forces such as the SEALs or the Delta Force.

If such a comparison was not clear enough, the security personnel could be treated as nurses, the response teams would be treated like junior doctors or general surgeons, and the Mobile Suit Unit would be the most professional ace surgeons.

All in all, any warrior who joined the Special Task Force would be considered "the cream of the crop" in the foundation.

Countless bullets whizzed past Zhang Heng's body, and there were even a lot of bullets that landed on his body. All of those bullets looked like armor-piercing rounds, capable of piercing through steel walls. However, they were deflected back without warning the moment they hit the mental barrier of Zhang Heng's Light of the Soul. Sparks were seen all over the bodies of those Special Task Force soldiers.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Two or three members of the Special Task Force were ejected directly, while the remaining members stopped firing right away. All of them quickly cocked their guns and fired again. This time, the projectiles fired from the guns were no longer armor-piercing rounds, but high explosive rounds. Countless explosions exploded all around Zhang Heng, causing his face to turn pale and he hid behind a door in the corridor.

"Gogo!"

That group of Special Task Force members immediately rushed in Zhang Heng's direction. Zhang Heng's eyes and nose were bleeding profusely. He wasn't the only one who felt the pain. The sp-239 on his back seemed to have been injured as well, with blood gushing from the little girl's forehead.

"D * mn it. That body's Light of the Soul is still too weak. It's hard to even offset the concussion!" Zhang Heng cursed under his breath. He clenched his gloved right hand and was just about to charge out again to catch his opponent off-guard. However, the next second, all five grenades crashed into the wall on the other side of the door at a tricky angle, producing clanking sounds before bouncing off the wall again and throwing all five grenades into the door.

"F * * k!"

Zhang Heng cursed and pulled Scp-239 into his arms at the speed of light. He kicked a corner of the laboratory table to the side and the huge table became his only line of defense. However, as soon as he was done, a tremendous force exploded in the laboratory.

Boom!

An earth-shattering rumble was heard from inside the door. The door and alloy walls that were opened seemed to have undergone some kind of transformation. The remaining five members of the Special Task Force waved and began to walk cautiously towards the door.

"That's what I've been waiting for!" A figure dashed out as soon as the crowd got near the door. The alloy glove in Zhang Heng's hand shone with a blinding cold light as he plunged it into the neck of one of the special forces.

So fast!

The remaining members of the Special Task Force were stunned and fired again as soon as they retreated. However, they were only able to hit Zhang Heng's afterimages this time. Zhang Heng charged right into the midst of the crowd in the very next second. Countless blade beams were seen everywhere, and blood and screams filled the air.

"Hu!"

Zhang Heng dropped to his knees as if he had run out of strength after doing all of that. Beads of sweat were dripping from his forehead and his entire body was covered in burning wounds. However, he simply took a deep breath and struggled to stand up despite his splitting headache. He went back to his room, picked up Scp-239 in his arms, and ran out of the base.

Zhang Heng ran into quite a few groups of special scouts along the way. He would try his best to avoid those that he was able to avoid, and would only resort to violence when he was unable to avoid those that he couldn't. Despite that, he was covered in wounds by the time he reached the elevator. He was on the verge of running out of Light of the Soul.

"Hmm… Who are you?"

A soft moan was heard from behind Zhang Heng all of a sudden at that moment. The petite figure behind him twisted slightly and woke up.

658. Paying Respects To The Princess

"Hmm… Who are you?"

The little girl's terrified voice was heard from behind him and she struggled frantically.

He didn't expect that the young lich girl, who had been injected with tranquilizer for a very long time, would wake up at such a coincidental time. That was the end of his plan.

"Oh, you're awake." Zhang Heng's expression changed slightly. He rolled his eyes all of a sudden and the murderous intent he was exuding was completely suppressed. He slowly turned his head around with a solemn and loyal look on his face. He put the little girl gently on the ground and got down on one knee all of a sudden, putting on a medieval knightly pose.

"Sh * *!" The little girl had just struggled free from Zhang Heng and didn't expect Zhang Heng's reaction at all. She took a step back instinctively and looked at the young man before her with her big, watery eyes.

"Your Highness, I'm your most loyal and devoted guardian knight, Stephen Chow. Your knights are currently attacking this vile Cult of Shadows. We'll work together to save you from this place very soon," Zhang Heng said firmly.

"Her Royal Highness? Knight?" The little girl was rather frightened when she saw Zhang Heng kneeling before her. She took another step back and said in a rather sheepish manner, "Excuse me, sir, are you mistaken about something? I'm just a witch. I-I'm not some princess!"

"No, you are."

Zhang Heng looked up at the little girl with a sincere expression and said, "Your full name is… Mary Sue Veronica Elizabeth, and you have the most noble royal blood in the world. Your country is called the Wind Continent, and it is one of the most powerful countries on the continent. Your father is the Lion King, and he is the most powerful being in that country. He is the embodiment of bravery and fearlessness, and you are His Majesty's only heir!"

Zhang Heng looked deeply into her eyes as she looked at him with a pitiful expression. His gaze was pure and flawless, devoid of any impurities. "As for me, as your guardian knight, I've been doing everything I could to protect you from the moment you were born. The place where your sword is pointed at is where we will fight to the death for you!"

The wariness in the little girl's eyes lessened a little after seeing the boundless devotion in Zhang Heng's eyes. She looked even more confused. "B-But…"

"But what?" Zhang Heng asked with concern.

"But, why am I here…?" The little girl found it hard to believe. "Besides, Dr. Gears told me that I'm just a little witch…"

"This is a conspiracy by the Dark Sanctuary." Zhang Heng's expression darkened immediately when he heard that. He wore a pained expression and grabbed the little girl's right hand gently. The little girl shuddered for a moment, but she didn't move away.

Zhang Heng lowered his head and kissed the fair and tender fingertips of the little girl. He said in a low voice, "All of this begins on the day you were born…"

"Your name was heard throughout the entire Wind Continent the day you were born—Elizabeth! My princess, I watched you grow up day by day and became the embodiment of justice and freedom. However, on the day that you turned three years old, an evil cult raided your country and took you away from the king!"

Zhang Heng lowered his head and clenched his fists so hard that the veins on his arms bulged. "His Majesty suffered severe injuries due to a plot against him in the midst of the chaos and he died shortly afterward. The Cult of Shadows then detained you in order to take control of the entire Wind Continent."

"Yes, you are indeed a witch, but your true identity is the princess of the Wind Continent!"

"My father is…" The little girl shuddered after hearing the news.

Zhang Heng nodded and said with a pained tone, "I've been silent for five whole years just to get rid of the conspiracy of the Dark Sanctuary, just for that day to come. On that day, I led your Knights of the Guard to fight alone and killed countless enemies, eventually coming here—the headquarters of the Dark Sanctuary."

Zhang Heng's words were infectious. As he said those words, the little girl felt as if countless songs of blood and fire were heard before her eyes, as well as the silhouettes of countless blood-soaked knights.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath when he saw the wavering look in the little girl's eyes and looked hopeful. "Your Highness, do you see that? Your country and your people are all waiting for your return! Your existence is the highest will of the Wind Continent. Your glory is the source of our lives… In the Red Lotus of Blood and Fire, we fight bravely, even if it costs us everything!"

Zhang Heng's sorrowful and caring words moved the little girl completely. She asked in a shaky voice, "I… I'm really the princess of the Wind Continent?"

Zhang Heng lowered his head again and said softly, "Yes, Your Highness. Please bear in mind… that we have always ruled the kingdom with power and wisdom. At the same time, I know that you would be using your power with caution. However, true victory would be to motivate your people…"

"One day, the lives of our knights will come to an end, and you shall be crowned king!"

The little girl's mind was reeling as she heard those last words. Her petite frame shuddered uncontrollably.

It took quite a while for the little girl to calm down. She looked at Zhang Heng with sparkling eyes again, with stars twinkling in her eyes. "So, that's how it is. The Wind Continent, the Dark Council, and I… Your Highness?"

"Yes, Princess Veronica." Zhang Heng stood up with a relieved look on his face after seeing the little girl come to her senses. He picked her up by the waist and carried her to the sealed door of the base. "Your knights have arrived. It's time for us to wipe out the Dark Congress and spread your glory to every corner of the Wind Continent…"

He pushed the door in front of him with all his might as he said that. The door before him melted like quicksand, revealing… the sunny island after the storm, as well as the sky and earth below, as well as the massive, earth-shattering army of the Spade Corps.

"Please open your noble eyes and take a good look. These are your valiant knights. Now, wave at them!" Zhang Heng raised his head and looked proudly at the countless armed helicopters and aircrafts glaring at him from above. Countless Special Task Force fighters looked murderous under the sunlight, and their guns gleamed with a cold, intimidating light.

The little girl watched all of this with a dazed look on her face. She waved her little hand in a rather stiff manner all of a sudden and said in a soft, wiggling voice, "My, my knights… I'm Veronica!"

"I'm back!"

Countless members of the Special Task Force dropped to one knee as soon as she finished speaking and placed their right hands on their chests.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

659. Indestructible Evil Lizard

"Beep, beep, beep…"

A geological observatory stood on the coast of a certain part of the Pacific Ocean. It was noon at the moment, and the heat waves that had yet to dissipate in the summer were still raging near the equator. Several staff members were chatting inside the workstation, chatting about meager pay and naked native women on the island. However, the environmental parameter sensor module suddenly sounded with urgent prompts, and data ribbons were spat out continuously.

"Hmm, what's going on?" One of the men stood up lazily and walked leisurely to the sensor module. However, his expression changed drastically when he saw the lines on the ribbons of paper being spat out and he picked them up.

"What happened?" The rest of the people saw the man's expression change drastically and walked up to him with concern before taking a deep breath.

The lines on the tape representing geological disturbances suddenly became very chaotic, even exceeding the highest values that the geological monitor could detect.

"What's going on? Could it be the Mariana Trench earthquake?" One of them asked in shock.

"No, the range is far beyond that!" That man wore a grave expression as he looked at the data before him and mumbled, "T-this is the result of a violent collision between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean…"

"Isn't it normal for six plates to squeeze and collide? How could there be such intense geological disturbances?" someone else asked.

"The reason is unclear!" The man shook his head and continued, "According to data, the collision this time was equivalent to the energy of a nuclear bomb weighing over a billion tons. Dear God, is the world coming to an end?"

"Hurry up and report the data to the authorities. We have to get the government to evacuate the masses before the tsunami hits!" The crowd was thrown into a frenzy, but that man simply smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying in despair, "It's too late!"

Everyone was stunned. They looked out of the window and saw a huge wave that was over a hundred meters tall heading straight for the coastline.

…

The moment Zhang Heng brought the little girl out of the base, the entire continent began to shake violently without warning.

The most intense of all was at the intersection between the Pacific Crater and the Indian Ocean Crater, which was the border of the Philippines, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. The entire area was turned upside down and countless archipelagos were drowned by waves that were tens of meters tall. The Samoa Islands, the North Cook Islands, and the Tuamotu Islands were attacked by an unparalleled tsunami. In just a few minutes, more than 10,000 square kilometers of land were drowned by the tsunami. The tsunami that hit the entire world caused even more damage to both the continent of Asia and North America.

However, what was even more shocking was that, at the junction of the Hawaiian Islands, the eastern part of Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indonesian Islands, the continental shelf began to bulge due to the violent impact. Countless archipelagos rose from the surface of the ocean at an extremely fast rate, and the area of the archipelago expanded rapidly. In the end, the archipelagoes were completely connected, forming a massive entity that had never been seen in this world before.

It was a continent that looked like it came from Australia.

The geology scientists around the world were even more astonished when they heard the news. They grabbed at their sparse hair in a frenzy, unable to figure out what was happening. Furthermore, as the continent rose, the ruins of a prehistoric civilization were also exposed.

There were many skyscrapers made of metal found on that continent. Hundreds of cities that were not inferior to those found in modern times stood at every corner of the continent. The biggest city among them was comparable to international metropolitan cities like New York and Shanghai. It was unknown how many years those cities had been submerged in the ocean before they appeared in this world again.

At the center of the continent, a cluster of residential buildings that looked like a city cluster was seen, and an unparalleled beam of light was seen bursting out of the building. That beam of light penetrated the sky and earth, and several cuneiform and Oracle-like words were projected on the atmosphere.

The Wind Continent, Atlantis.

Thousands of members of the Special Task Force from the Sp Foundation were kneeling before Zhang Heng and the little girl at the moment. The two of them saw the words flashing in the sky far away in the very next second.

"Did you see that?" Zhang Heng held the little girl in his arms and pointed into the distance with a profound look on his face. "The entire Wind Continent is celebrating the return of the princess, and that is the beacon set up for your return!"

Stars sparkled in the little girl's eyes at that moment. She looked at the countless figures kneeling on the ground and at the light and words bursting out from the vault of the heavens. She nodded solemnly and said excitedly, "My most loyal knight, please take me home!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Zhang Heng chuckled and carried the little girl to the front. The members of the Special Task Force who were blocking the way immediately moved to the sides, revealing a wide pathway. A huge Apache helicopter was seen slowly landing at the very front of the pathway.

"No, I don't need you." Zhang Heng shook his head all of a sudden when he saw that helicopter. He looked at the dazed little girl and said, "Your Highness, your destiny mount is locked up here as well. That's the guy who was labeled Scp-682 by the Cult of Shadows. We should release him and ride him back."

"Okay!" The little girl nodded without giving it any thought. Rumbling sounds were heard from behind them in the very next second. At the same time, a monster that was as huge as a bus and looked like a mixture of alligators, lizards, and dinosaurs burst out from the ground, letting out an excited roar like it had just escaped from prison.

Scp-682: Unkillable Evil Lizard!

However, when the lizard turned around and saw the little girl in Zhang Heng's arms, its eyes, which were initially cold and cruel, suddenly widened. It went from the size of a fist to the size of a washbasin and let out a deafening shriek.

"Good girl!" However, the little girl seemed to have long acknowledged her identity. She grinned and waved at the lizard. The ferocious monster lowered its head gently and walked up to the two of them.

Zhang Heng slowly hid his shock when he saw the unwillingness in her eyes. That Indestructible Evil Lizard was truly worthy of being known as the most heaven-defying monster in the Scp Foundation. It was actually able to put up some resistance before the young girl with the 'belief is truth' ability, yet it was still unable to escape the little girl's consciousness.

Zhang Heng shook his head when he saw the little girl trying to climb onto the creature's back, feeling rather awkward. He stopped thinking about all of that and simply put the little girl on the back of the Indestructible Evil Lizard before climbing on it himself. The Indestructible Evil Lizard only snorted in displeasure, not daring to get angry at all.

The Indestructible Evil Lizard then carried the two of them into the ocean, heading straight for the source of the light.

It was only then that the Special Task Force members, who were half-kneeling on the ground, stood up quickly and returned to the flying transport they came from in an orderly manner. They followed closely behind the lizard, protecting Zhang Heng and the little girl like a team.

The loyal Knight Legion.

660. Pursuit

A new power called the Wind Continent was rising in the Scp Foundation plane, just when all countries were having a headache over the tsunami that would spread throughout the world.

The new organization consisted of the most elite of the foundation's dozens of task forces, as well as tens of other types of ScPs that had been taken in before. The entire world was stunned by the news.

The Golden Foundation then launched a lethal retaliation against the Wind Continent.

In the end, the troops that went to attack the Wind Continent turned against them again. As such, the Golden Foundation even used weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear bombs. However, all of those weapons turned into fireworks in the sky when they hit the Wind Continent, and not even a seabird was able to kill them.

The United Nations and the Golden Foundation fell into a dead silence.

On the other side of the Wind Continent, Zhang Heng began further testing the abilities of the young Lichwoman.

He first tried to convince the little girl that witchcraft and magic were the most powerful forces in the entire universe, yet he failed and the world seemed to be unaffected.

He then began to narrow it down, telling the little girl that Earth was the center of the universe and that all planets revolved around Earth. However, the little girl's cognitive abilities remained the same.

Zhang Heng then told the little girl that the Earth was round and square. The entire planet began to shake violently at that moment, as if it was about to collapse. Zhang Heng then stopped.

The experiment concluded that the Scp-239 lich girl's ability seemed to only work within a certain range, and that range was about the distance between Earth, which meant that the little girl's cognitive abilities were rendered completely useless.

However, that was more than enough. After testing the limits of the little girl's power, Zhang Heng began to lay the groundwork, trying to hint to the little girl that the demon king of this world was a strange-looking cube with a complex silver-white color. That cube had left a mark in this world, and as long as he found that mark, he would be able to find that demon king.

Zhang Heng, who was in four-dimensional space above the Scp Foundation plane, suddenly opened his eyes right after he said that. His eyes, which were capable of seeing through karma and timelines, saw a karmic line that was as thick as a wrist appearing out of nowhere.

The karmic line seemed to have been detected by the Dimensional Star in the distance when the karmic line was formed. The karmic line vibrated in the very next second, as if it was trying to break itself.

Zhang Heng's eyes gleamed as he took a step forward and grabbed hold of the karmic line. Excitement and killing intent that he had never seen before were seen in his eyes.

"Found you!"

A demonic roar was heard from Zhang Heng's mouth and his eyes turned completely bloodshot. He stepped out of the karmic line and his body was transported through endless space-time, reaching a space filled with chaos.

He was in an endless void, yet what he saw wasn't darkness in the universe, but a colorful void instead. Countless dots of light of unknown meaning flickered in midair, yet those were definitely not stars, but some kind of bizarre, brutal, and unknown substance.

The entire space was dark and chaotic in that place. Countless chaotic and twisted entities were born and then exploded again within milliseconds, filling the place with an aura that could drive anyone insane.

Endless negative energy began to corrode his body and consciousness as soon as he arrived in that space, yet it was kept at bay by the Light of the Soul. The space and time in that space were forever in a chaotic state. If a regular person were to enter that place, they would probably have been reduced to dust in seconds without leaving a single trace behind.

This wasn't the Solar System, or even the Milky Way. This place didn't belong to any corner of the universe.

This was a subspace outside the universe.

Zhang Heng was stunned for a bit when he got there. He narrowed his gaze and looked at the empty space beside him. "Dimensional Star, do you really think you can escape?"

Zhang Heng had no intention of giving the Dimensional Star any time to recover as he said that. He threw a punch and struck the side of his body, causing a pitch-black hole to appear right there and then. Zhang Heng's punch tore through space and created a huge hole right there and then.

Boom!

Countless streams of air that were powerful enough to destroy a star were released in all directions. At the same time, a silvery-white beam of light shot out of the pitch-black spatial fissure and shot into the distance like a beam of light.

"Hahahaha, run, run! You're like a wild dog with its tail between its legs right now!" Zhang Heng wore a sinister grin and took another step forward. His body flickered and he appeared right in front of that beam of light. The space in front of him warped at the same time, and a huge hand made entirely of nothingness grabbed at that beam of light.

Boom!

Zhang Heng clenched his fist hard and it felt as if the power of the universe was about to burst in his palm all of a sudden. Countless pitch-black cracks spread all over his palm, yet that silver light was unable to slip away and simply slipped through his fingers again.

"Are you ready to say your last words, lab rat?" Zhang Heng didn't look surprised at all. His eyes had long been replaced by a look of endless violence and killing intent. He looked at the beam of white light flying into the distance and a huge flower that was large enough to cover the entire space appeared before him all of a sudden. The flower opened its huge, pitch-black mouth like a behemoth and lunged at Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng had seen the silhouette of that flower when he was conducting a subspace experiment. It was just that the flower was located far away back then. Despite being hundreds of millions of kilometers away, that flower was still able to take up a third of his field of vision back then. It was obvious that the flower's size was measured in light-years.

However, Zhang Heng felt that the flower posed no threat to him at the moment. Endless beams of mental light surrounded him and he took a step forward as the flower's huge mouth swallowed him. The flower swallowed the endless void right away and he was unable to even touch the corner of his shirt.

"Heh, guinea pig, is that your plan? You lured me to the alternate dimension because you know that the light of my soul would be enough to light up the entire Chaos and attract countless monsters to come and kill me for you. Is that your goal?"

"It's a pity that you're still too naive!"

Zhang Heng flashed a brutal grin and descended, stomping hard on the flower's back and stomping hard at the same time. The flower let out a blood-curdling shriek and disintegrated into countless particles.

Zhang Heng felt as if he had just done something insignificant after killing all of the flowering plants with a single strike. He hovered in the chaotic void and looked around before sticking his tongue out and licking his lips. "Where is it? Where could you be hiding, you adorable lab rat?"

"Here?" Zhang Heng stomped on the ground and appeared on a decayed planet. The entire planet collapsed and disintegrated in the very next second.

"Oh, so he's not here…" Zhang Heng shook his head in disappointment and turned around all of a sudden. He looked to his right and saw countless indescribable, twisted objects charging at him like tidal waves.

Dimensional Devil!

"Hahahaha, what a bunch of little worms. Very well then, I'll eat all of you first!" Zhang Heng grinned hideously and opened his mouth all of a sudden. His mouth was even larger than that huge flower, so much so that it was able to dislocate space-time and turn the entire subspace into his mouth.

Zhang Heng shut his mouth right there and then. Countless Dimensional Demons appeared in his mouth right away and he bit down hard.

Crack!

It was like a wild animal chewing on the bones of its prey. Countless wails and screams were heard from Zhang Heng's mouth before dying out right away.

"No one is bothering us right now, you adorable lab rat." Zhang Heng grinned from ear to ear as he looked at the chaotic space with a greedy look on his face. He seemed to have sensed something all of a sudden and pointed in a certain direction. He took a step forward and disappeared from where he was.

661. End And Begin

A young man in a seat somewhere in the multiverse heard the message in his mind and gasped in shock.

"Warning! Warning! Ultimate mission of the Dimensional Star activated!"

"Warning! Ultimate Quest System activated. Quest objective confirmed…"

"Quest Objective: Enter the subspace and defeat the four-dimensional lifeform—Space Devourer."

"The mission is a compulsory one. All first and second tier teams are to be enforced and are not to be refused. The one who completes the mission will be given full access to the Dimensional Star."

"Everyone has 30 seconds to prepare. The operation will be carried out in 30 seconds!"

All the Dimensional Constellation Lords in the countless planes were shocked to hear that. Everyone went into a frenzy, as the last line of the Dimensional Star said, "Whoever completes the mission will be given full access to the Dimensional Star."

"Hahaha, this is my chance. The Dimensional Star will only belong to me, only me!"

On the other side of the table, a man who looked like he was made of mechanical parts was laughing maniacally. The massive mechanical army before his eyes had been fully assembled. The humans in the Solar System that he was in had long been wiped out. He was the only human left on the entire planet and even in the Solar System, as well as the billions of mechanical army under his command.

"The Dimensional Star is mine. No one can take it away from me!"

A legion that looked like it had been reorganized slowly awakened from the cold of the Kuiper Belt in the Solar System. A half-human, half-worm monster was seen howling at the sky. Countless insects flew out from the asteroid belts and gathered before him.

Hundreds of Dimensional Star Constellation Lords were stunned by the announcement made by the Dimensional Star. Most of them had long achieved S-rank access, and some of them had even gone through hundreds of shocks. Their technology was not inferior to that of humans on the Tanis. Countless advanced human civilizations were transported out of the Dimensional Star at the command of the Dimensional Star and appeared in the Dimensional Space.

Zhang Heng had just arrived at an unfamiliar space at the moment. He saw a huge, silver-white, multilateral cube floating in the air not far away from him. He grinned hideously at the sight before him. "What's the matter, lab rat? Aren't you going to run? Well then, prepare to be eaten by me!"

However, the silhouettes of battleships appeared out of nowhere around the cube at that moment. There were machines and living beings in those silhouettes, but most of them still looked human. They were on battleships and saw Zhang Heng not far away as soon as they appeared. Strictly speaking, what they saw was Zhang Heng's 3D projection.

"He's just a regular human after all. Forget it, I'll just kill all the other Dimensional Star Constellations around him after I kill him. That way, no one will be able to fight me for the highest access to the Dimensional Star, right?" The man in the center of the mechanical army, which was a huge battleship that looked like a planet, chuckled. He had actually modified the entire Earth into a battleship!

"He's mine!" On the other side, the Dimensional Star Constellation, who was clearly biomedical, glared at Zhang Heng. She didn't bother discussing with the other hosts before leading the swarm of bugs that blotted out the sky and headed straight for him.

"So, this is your ultimate trump card?" Zhang Heng narrowed his gaze and looked at the army of monsters that looked neither human nor ghost. His four-dimensional body opened its mouth once again and his mouth turned into a huge black hole that looked like it was devouring the chaotic demons from before. He swallowed tens of billions of the main legion of the Dimensional Constellation with a single bite.

Boom!

Zhang Heng had torn a piece of the entire chaotic space apart.

Zhang Heng felt like he had just done something insignificant after doing all of that. He turned his attention to the Dimensional Star, which was also in a four-dimensional state. A figure suddenly appeared on the Dimensional Star.

"Stop!"

An image of a grown woman appeared before Zhang Heng's eyes. While he had never seen her before, he had a feeling that she was one of the seven AI support systems that he had talked to before.

However, at that moment, the AI was no longer as calm as before. She said anxiously, "Zhang Heng, if the Dimensional Star dies, I'll disappear as well. You really need to watch over me…"

"Shut up!"

Disdain was seen in Zhang Heng's eyes. The space before him turned into his face before he was able to finish speaking. The entire Dimensional Star was swallowed by him in the very next second.

"All the sins and karma that you have imposed on me shall be repaid with your own hands!"

Crack!

Zhang Heng clearly heard countless wails as soon as he crushed the Dimensional Star. There were both men and women among those wails, and all of them were screaming in despair at the very moment that they were about to die. However, all of those wails stopped in the very next second.

Zhang Heng took a deep breath after devouring the Dimensional Star, and the violence in his eyes gradually subsided. Countless pieces of information began to flash in his mind like a tidal wave. These were all technological and data passed down from the Endless World. With all of that technological data, the humans on the Tanis planet would no longer have any bottlenecks in terms of technology for the next few million years. As long as they continued to develop according to those data, they would soon be able to grow into something that could cross multiple universes and cross planes.

Zhang Heng finally understood the purpose of the Dimensional Star at that moment. The so-called Dimensional Star did not exist to save humanity. It was created by the civilization of humanity, which had long since passed away. The purpose of the Dimensional Star was to collect technology from the Endless Planes so that it could develop itself. However, it was precisely because they spent all of their efforts to create the Dimensional Star that the Dimensional Star gained its own consciousness, eventually breaking free from its control and taking control of the situation, destroying them in the name of the curse.

The so-called 'curse' was something that had nothing to do with humans. The greatest curse that humans could ever bear would always be themselves.

…

Zhang Heng's figure slowly appeared before the space of reincarnation in midair.

"Commander." Corona sensed Zhang Heng's return and emerged from the Samsara Space. "How are things going with you?"

"It's over." Zhang Heng nodded and took a glance at Corona. "My wish is fulfilled. I'll leave the rest to you."

"You're ready to leave?" A hint of reluctance was seen in Corona's eyes. "Will you be coming back then?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Zhang Heng looked into the distance and continued, "Four-dimensional space is just the beginning. I'd like to see what the world above the four-dimensional space would look like. Would it look more magnificent than the four-dimensional universe? Would the colors look more vibrant?"

"And what would six-dimensional, seven-dimensional, and even the highest eleven dimensions of the universe be like?"

Zhang Heng took a deep breath and asked with a curious look in his eyes, "Also, what could be beyond the infinite multiverse? Is it nothingness? Or is it some other world that I'm unable to comprehend?"

Corona nodded dejectedly and said, "Understood, Commander. Please rest assured that I'll be the one to protect the planet Tanis and your family."

"Thank you." Zhang Heng chuckled and continued, "I might be able to come back after tens of billions of years, or even hundreds of billions of years… Who knows?"

Zhang Heng sent all the data regarding the absorbed Dimensional Star to Corona as he said that. He stomped on the ground and disappeared from the world completely. At the same time, the Karma Threads that had been wrapped around him snapped at that moment.

It was as if everything in the world had nothing to do with Zhang Heng anymore.

All memories regarding Zhang Heng were erased at that very moment when those karmic threads were severed. Zhang Heng's parents, sister, and Li Yiru lost all memories of him while they were sleeping.

"Brother…"

Zhang Xin turned over in her sleep, feeling rather uneasy. She was crying and mumbling at the same time.

On the other side, Li Yiru opened her sleepy eyes and was brushing her teeth in front of the sink as usual. She looked at that forever youthful face in the mirror and, for some reason, tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Am I crying? Why am I crying?"

Li Yiru touched her tears and murmured.

"That's because you've forgotten the most important memories of your life…" Corona stood in the void and looked at the people around her. She sighed softly before she turned around and fused into the huge ball of light behind her. She began to spend hundreds of millions of years watching over the world alone.

Corona fell asleep for the first time in her life after some time.

She felt as if she was transported back hundreds of years ago in that dream. Zhang Heng, who was still young and inexperienced back then, flashed a brilliant smile and stood before her.

"Your name shall be Corona from now on!"

…

"Good day, everyone. I'm Old Pig. Thank you for your support all this time. Farewell, my lord."

662. Untitled

I didn’t know what else to say, and after thinking about it for a bit, all I could say was thank you all.

The book was updated in July last year and was written for a whole year by the end of July. It was also the longest book written by Old Pig. Of course, in online literature, the longest page written by Old Pig was only a short one.

However, he kept feeling like a long time had passed.

People often said that a film would lead to a life of its own. Everything that Old Pig went through in the book was just like a life of his own. He went from being young and inexperienced at the beginning to being able to figure out some pathways in the future, which eventually led him to achieve decent results.

Even though his results were practically zero when compared to the guru, he was still very content and happy. Not only did he earn extra income from his work, but he also gained the friendship of everyone and got to know a bunch of friends.

As his account was not bound to his phone, he was unable to speak in the book review section. However, his reader account kept communicating with everyone else. Hehe, do you guys know which one his reader account is? Guess…

But then again, the novel had let down quite a number of readers as well. He had initially promised to reward them with 10,000 yuan per chapter, yet he had kept his promise at the very beginning. Many of his friends who had been rewarded with 10,000 yuan per chapter ended up not being able to upload any more chapters. As such, he decided to apologize to the likes of Ye Wuxuan, the mighty Ye Wuxuan, the brawny Maestro, and the rest.

The old pig was willing to be punished.

"I'll definitely think of a way to speed up the updates for the next book. I'm still trying to come up with something for the next book, but don't worry, everyone. I'll be writing something advanced in technology for the next book, and I'll still be the male lead with an awesome reputation. I'll have no female lead, no harem, and no mother. However, I'm afraid that I'll need to wait for a month or two before I'll be able to meet everyone. I hope that everyone won't forget about me when the time comes…"

Finally, I'd like to recommend a new book by a friend—'The Lord God and I Are Good Friends'.

Introduction: 'Boar' Xu Yan, who was reared by a breeding team, happened to become a good friend of the Lord God.

That changed fate.

Hidden quest? Clearing secret? None of that mattered if I wanted to.

Boss of breeding? Senior fighter? Please be prepared to die before you provoke me.

If one were to ask what was the most important thing in the Samsara Space.

Social interaction! That had to be social interaction!

"Everyone, feel free to take a look when you have the time. Old Pig feels that the writing is quite good and there is hope for the best."

Thank you, everyone. See you in the next book!

Table of Contents

1. The Weird Cube
2. Dimensional Star
3. Beginning Of The Trial
4. Resident Evil
5. A Frightening Night
6. Everyone Was Forced Out
7. Licker
8. You're Late!
9. Successful Return
10. Modified T-virus
11. Tyrant-0 Biopharmaceutical
12. Body Enhancement
13. Schemes And Ambition
14. Joining The Party
15. Conflict
16. A Bet
17. Why Not Try It Out?
18. I'm Hungry
19. Can You Afford It?
20. Conditions
21. Dead Space
22. Mission Begins
23. Corpse Transformation
24. Crisis
25. An Uneasy Feeling
26. Breaking
27. Blood Moon Arrives
28. Return
29. Meme Technology
30. Setting Up A Company
31. Buying A Car
32. Mom And Dad
33. Call From The Academy Of Sciences
34. Coming to Someone's Door
35. No More Descendants
36. Whose Crisis?
37. Laughter
38. Returning To Haizhou
39. Li Yiru
40. Joining
41. Modifying The Marker
42. The Appearance Of Corona
43. Virtual Space
44. Combat Techniques
45. Demon Training
46. Underground Laboratory
47. The Third Lesson Completed
48. Aioukai
49. Flying To Osaka
50. Murder
51. Shutting Them Up
52. Final Lesson
53. Complete Victory
54. Entering The Alien Plane
55. Killing At The Beginning
56. The Only Chance
57. Trade
58. Temptation
59. Returning Peacefully
60. Urgent Quest
61. The Birth Of The T-1
62. Foundation-binding Project
63. Playing With Fire
64. Weird Invitation
65. Alpha Immortality Project
66. The Choice Of Life
67. Round Table Conference
68. Frightening Conference
69. Murder His Father
70. New Plan
71. Li Yiru's Conflict
72. To Singapore
73. Killing Them All
74. Targeted
75. Stalking
76. Conflict
77. Complete Annihilation
78. Personnel Transfer
79. Nda
80. Brain-controlling Biophone
81. Embryo Birth
82. Adam
83. A Trip To Mumbai
84. Questioning
85. Everything Is Ready
86. Security Level
87. Amubu
88. Massacre
89. Submission
90. T-1 Listed
91. Joshua Arrives
92. Welfare
93. Witnessing Success
94. Sister's College Entrance Examination
95. Plans
96. Zhang Heng's Countermeasure
97. Get Lost
98. It's Him!
99. Killing Someone With A Blow
100. Bloody Party
101. Exoskeleton Armor
102. Pulse Rifle
103. High-speed Electromagnetic Blades
104. Prototype
105. Preparations Before Entering
106. Entering Torture
107. Grand Escape
108. Understanding Weakness
109. Search For Chance
110. Schemes Boiled
111. Perfect Plan
112. Untitled
113. Plotting Against Alex
114. Returning From The Dead
115. Laser Channel
116. Honeycomb
117. Research On Alien Babies
118. Headhunting Plan
119. I Want To Play A Game With You
120. Trial Passed
121. Untitled
122. Shocking!
123. Hunting Foreign Scientists
124. Alien Intelligence Research
125. Conan And Milo
126. Super Xenomorph Empress
127. Successful Controllable Nuclear Fusion
128. Corona's Energy
129. Alien Escape
130. The Pregnant Queen
131. Disease
132. Mental Strength Begins!
133. Mental Strength Training Plan
134. Cold-blooded Training
135. Reincarnation Space
136. Samsara Space 2
137. Samsara Space Part Three
138. Dead People Of The Mountain Village
139. Lesser Accomplishment In Training
140. Zhang Xin Registration
141. Banquet
142. Attack!
143. The Arrogance Of The Chinese Pride
144. Organic Biopharmaceuticals
145. Warning And Strict
146. Tyrant Tests
147. Corona's Reminder
148. Entering Radiation
149. Electromagnetic Bomb
150. Occupy Academy
151. A Milestone In The Transit Plane
152. Panic
153. Supply Buying Plan
154. The Broken Amub
155. Big Stick And Date
156. A Huge Harvest
157. Zhang Heng's Art as a Chief
158. Garbage Scavenger
159. Stellar City
160. Selling Islands Overseas
161. Virgin Islands
162. Permanent Property Rights
163. Mutation Of Mind?
164. Star Island Development Begins
165. National Displeasure
166. Opening Of The Cryogenic Center
167. Ugly
168. Setting Up The World
169. No Money To Freeze You
170. Vector Operation
171. Recruiting Talents
172. Gu Siyi
173. Mysterious Youth
174. Joining
175. I Heard You Wanted To Meet Me?
176. Threat
177. Kidnapping
178. Gu
179. Falcon
180. Ultra-sonic Spacecraft
181. Lost Memories In Deep Space
182. Entering The Spacecraft
183. Town Crisis
184. Enraged
185. Despair
186. I'll Take You Back to Earth
187. Level C Access
188. Visionary
189. Calm Before The Storm
190. Mini Drone
191. Flying Rod
192. Fang Liwei
193. Goodbye Joshua
194. Hire
195. I Have A Dream
196. Bloodbath
197. Academy's Big Bang
198. New Year's Plan
199. Warning
200. Max Luxury Yachts
201. Tracking
202. Professional Bluff
203. Officially Appearing
204. Shining The Sword
205. New Antibiotic
206. T-2.1
207. Foundation Mission
208. Heaven Devouring Project
209. Alan
210. Unable To Clear Her Name
211. Sign Up
212. Shocking The World
213. Conjecture And View
214. Forced Evolution Virus
215. Experimentals 2
216. Experimental Crisis
217. Meme Effect
218. Weird Video Replay
219. Cthulhu Mythology
220. Dunwich Company
221. Attacking The Mine
222. Signal Transmission
223. Cthulhu's Call
224. Shocking
225. Dawn
226. Spherical Base
227. Particle Accelerator
228. High-directional Metal
229. The End Comes!
230. Robot Debris
231. Huge Spacecraft
232. Plotting Against The Terminator
233. Capturing T-x
234. Survivor Siblings
235. Threatening And Enticing
236. Battlefield
237. Done
238. Return
239. Bounty
240. Transparent Blades
241. Destroyed
242. Mastermind
243. T-800
244. Acquiring Talents
245. Zhang Heng's Fun
246. Third Target
247. Die!
248. Meeting
249. Enticement
250. Cross-border Development
251. Entering The Virtual Reality Industry
252. Vr Controlled By Brainwave
253. Preparing To Sell
254. The Press Conference Begins!
255. Helmet-vr
256. Dimensional Travel Experiment
257. Discovering A Parallel World

258. Crisis Under The Regulations Of Major Numbers

259. Memes Attacked
260. Gene Collapse
261. Tang Wantong
262. Human Dissolution
263. The Source Of The Meme
264. Life And Death Test
265. Regulations Of The Curse Meme
266. Final Method
267. Success!
268. Human Modification
269. Human Modification Experiment
270. Beating Up
271. Psionic Communication
272. Night Before Selling
273. Glorious Star River
274. Pandora
275. Shock And Flood
276. Sales And New Game
277. Saving
278. Brain Repair Surgery
279. Corona's New Body
280. Mysterious Laboratory
281. Research Beginning
282. Neuron Synchronization Device
283. Anti-gravity Engine
284. Untitled
285. Rich And Powerful
286. Real Wealthy
287. Attack!
288. Attacks
289. Crushing
290. Kill!
291. Fury
292. Revenge
293. Phenomenon
294. God
295. America In Chaos

296. Speech Of The President Of The United States

297. Non-being
298. May God Bless America
299. Mushroom
300. Nuclear Blast
301. The Day The Earth Stops
302. Entry
303. Nanomachines
304. Alien Crater
305. Stop Cla
306. Coercion
307. Access Upgrade
308. Holographic Image
309. God-like Means
310. Establishing A Branch
311. Visiting
312. Branch
313. Invitation
314. Shocked
315. Excitement
316. Research On Viruses
317. Corona's Warning
318. Awakening
319. Destroy It!
320. Walking On Thin Ice
321. Zhang Heng's Decision
322. Accelerating Expansion
323. New Abilities?
324. Why Don't You Go to Hell?
325. New California Republic
326. Nanotechnology Bullet
327. Annihilation
328. Welcome
329. Ancient Ruins
330. Predicting The Future
331. Plane Shuttle Failure
332. New Plane
333. Stark
334. Marvel Universe
335. Plans And Schemes
336. Attack!
337. Violent Submission
338. Trade
339. Plane Unlocking
340. Spirit Of The Universe
341. Joining Forces
342. Invasion
343. Plundering The Oscillation Gold
344. Black Panther
345. Taken Away
346. Future Enemy
347. Joining Forces
348. Taking A Pigeon's Nest
349. Regeneration Of Body Cell Transplant
350. Another Prophecy
351. Pram Island
352. Little Chili Pots
353. Replacement
354. Vengeful Evil
355. Spiderman Vs. Evil God Of Vengeance
356. Catching Spiderman
357. Project Begins
358. Little Chili Returns
359. Infinity Stone
360. Arrival Of The Corona
361. Intruder From Another Plane
362. The Truth About The Dimensional Star
363. On The Verge
364. Magnetic King
365. Memes Threatening
366. Enlightenment
367. Refusing To Become A God
368. Block Nuclear Explosion
369. Entering The Aerospace Industry
370. Warhammer Era
371. Warhammer Era (Part Two)
372. Warhammer Era (Part 3)
373. Warhammer Era (Complete)
374. A Corner Of The Game
375. Power
376. Zhang Xin's Pursuer
377. Dragging Them Out To Feed The Dogs
378. Black Shadow
379. Gift
380. Heavy Rain
381. Final Fantasy
382. Entry
383. Claude Died?
384. The Zetra Miracle
385. Secret Information And Prediction
386. The Current President Of Shenluo
387. Sign An Agreement
388. Ambush
389. Genova
390. Battle
391. Return
392. Genova Cell Experiment
393. Research
394. I'm Back Again
395. The Demonic Elephant
396. Inject
397. Success
398. New Energy Cycle
399. Tiffa
400. Star Space
401. Kidnap And Stupidity
402. Choice
403. Opening Of Stellar City
404. Challenging Safiros
405. Entering The Ar Domain
406. Star Ar
407. Global Situation
408. Press Conference
409. Entry
410. We Are Stellar Technology
411. Ar
412. Setup
413. Li Lian Arrives
414. Working In The Military
415. Night
416. Hidden Danger
417. Parade
418. Jingzhou
419. Invitation
420. Shocking!
421. Happy New Year
422. Pleading
423. Death
424. Galaxy
425. Shocking
426. Choice
427. Satellite Orbit Cannon
428. Assassination And Ambush
429. Accident
430. Accompanying Him
431. Countdown In The Sky
432. Rebellion
433. Japanese Prime Minister's Guess
434. One Strike
435. Calamity Grade
436. Justice Begins
437. Li Lian's Warning
438. Security Council Urgent Meeting
439. No All Voting
440. Secret Meeting
441. Magic?
442. Shocked
443. We Control, We Recall, We Protect
444. Stellar Colony Mining Company
445. Gloom
446. Sandstorm
447. Shi Ru, Departure!
448. Entry And Attack
449. Corpse Mountain
450. First Reveal
451. Blink
452. Target Found
453. Blind
454. Radiation Life
455. Subspace
456. Netherworld Dispersion
457. Flood
458. Pangu Rising
459. General Zhang
460. Landing
461. Elon Musk
462. Joining
463. Acquiring The Way

464. Transportation Second Age, Are You Ready?

465. Arrival Of The Prince
466. Rejected!
467. Desire
468. Death
469. Human City
470. Space Travel Experiment
471. The Space Jump Begins
472. Success
473. Third Round Of Experiment
474. Psionite
475. Changing The World
476. The Naughty Sister
477. Ugly Style
478. A Big Deal
479. The World Begins To Look At You
480. Opening Ceremony
481. Shocking The World

482. Modification Of The Demonic Blaze Furnace

483. The Despairing Hulk
484. Compromise From The Magnetic King
485. Meeting Alex Again
486. Perfect Creature
487. Untitled
488. Mutated Mitochondrial
489. Star Wars
490. Crazy Plan
491. Huo Jian
492. Fighting For Earth
493. Access
494. Splitting The Shares
495. Imprisonment
496. Death Measures
497. The Third Stage Awakened
498. Kidnapping
499. No One Can Escape From My Hands
500. Double Host
501. Inescapable Net
502. Reinhart
503. Jedi Vs. Magnetic King
504. Beating Up
505. Killing And System Upgrade
506. New Intelligent Support Persona
507. Night Before The Impact
508. An Uneasy Feeling
509. A Weird Night
510. Explain The Future Prediction
511. The Encounter With Demons
512. Successful Trial
513. Double Choice
514. Peeping
515. Strange Missing Case
516. Curse
517. Five Nations Summit
518. Arthasaka's Answer
519. Seal London
520. Shooting Commoners
521. Cursed Model

522. Cursed Model Due to Observation Experiment (Complete)

523. Cursed Dead Zone
524. A Dawn
525. New Change
526. Space-time Disorder
527. Untitled
528. Churchill's Suicide
529. History Series
530. Guanghan Apartments
531. Accident At The Spherical Base
532. New World Entranced
533. Schemes? Coincidence?
534. The Little House In The Forest
535. Seoul
536. An Shenghao
537. Zombies
538. Discovered
539. Decisive
540. Blowing Up Balls
541. The Foundation Interferes
542. Destroyed
543. Accepting The Python
544. Electric Field Development
545. Acceptance
546. Jason
547. Mask Experiment
548. E = Mc2
549. Silence
550. Taking Them Down
551. South Korean President's Counterattack
552. Leaks
553. Arrest
554. Dana Again
555. Weird Creatures
556. Abyssal Demons
557. Positron Cannon
558. Taking The Initiative
559. Ancient Gods
560. Outbreak
561. Endless Situations
562. Potential Depression
563. Psychological Counterattack
564. Split Personality
565. Reincarnation
566. Calling The Police
567. Meeting Wang Shouyi Again
568. Weird Video
569. The Night Before Planning
570. Quantum Suicide
571. Returning To The Real
572. Anyone Who Dares To Stop Me Will Die!
573. Blockade
574. Sleep With Me Tonight
575. Zhang Group
576. Alpha Level
577. Clues
578. Bribery
579. History
580. Get Lost
581. He's Here!
582. Federal Blockade
583. Zhang Clan
584. Attack
585. Seeing Through
586. Strangulation
587. New Era Evangelion
588. Human Enhancement
589. Fusion And Separation
590. Fruit Of Wisdom
591. Devil's Temptation
592. New World Biopharmaceuticals
593. Blood Of God
594. Flooding
595. Arrival
596. Module Initiation

597. The Beginning Of The Human Enrichment Plan

598. Melting Water
599. Complete
600. Eternity
601. Returning Home
602. Plundering The Nest
603. Zhang Xu
604. Zhang Xu's Choice
605. Who Gave You The Guts?
606. Massacre
607. Reorganizing
608. Trial
609. Death Penalty
610. Caldasov Index
611. Moon
612. Droplets
613. Four-dimensional Space
614. Marvel Impact
615. Arrival
616. Sentinel
617. Despair
618. Doctor Strange
619. Six Great Gems
620. The Last Gem
621. Four Dimensions
622. Marvel Battle
623. Life Devouring Tribunal
624. Samsara Space
625. The Reaper Is Here
626. A Shift In Death
627. Drunk Driver
628. Team Samsara
629. Return
630. Entering The Star Sea
631. Discovering New Life
632. Hydrocarbon
633. Missing
634. Investigation
635. Logical Bug Race
636. Ambush
637. Attack!
638. Setting Them Up With One Blow
639. Pursuing The Dimensional Star Lord
640. The Mantis Stalks The Cicada
641. The Oriole Behind
642. Strange Plane
643. Scp Foundation
644. Acceptance Test
645. Scp-9527
646. Class D Personnel
647. Alberta
648. Confronting The Meme
649. Capsule
650. Acceptance Failure
651. Disappearing
652. "shy" people
653. Truth Of The Foundation
654. Countermeasure
655. Divine Suit
656. Kidnapping
657. Awakening
658. Paying Respects To The Princess
659. Indestructible Evil Lizard
660. Pursuit
661. End And Begin
662. Untitled