Chapter 69: A New Storm
The dark-golden arc-shaped bulwark spanning the mountains on both banks had appeared out of thin air, standing silently before everyone and firmly holding back the reservoir water.
It was like a miracle, stunning all who witnessed it into near speechlessness, their minds wiped blank.
[This... is something I just discovered. This place is actually also a...] 's gentle electronic voice sounded as he tried to fabricate a reasonable explanation.
“A hidden cutting-edge technology reserve base, right!”
raised a hand to wipe the cold sweat mixed with dust from her forehead and cheeks, excitedly interrupting , who was racking his cooling water to spin a story.
Her eyes gleamed brilliantly in the glow of the dark-golden bulwark as she said in a tone of utter certainty,
“That was a close one! Good thing you activated this thing's emergency measures in time!”
“Right, exactly! Since the has so much hidden tech, it's only natural that a project like the has similar hidden reserves!”
, also standing right beside the dam, finally snapped out of his daze. Gazing at the magnificent new dam, he nodded vigorously in agreement. “Yeah! Brother , we've got you to thank for activating this...”
[‘ ’ .] readily supplied the system designation.
“Right! ‘ ’! The name, the look—too damn cool!” pumped his fist excitedly.
Then, swept up in the wild joy of survival and awe at the miracle before them, the other survivors followed suit with their own exclamations of wonder.
Forget whether it was scientific or not. The world had zombies now; they wouldn't even be surprised if aliens showed up.
Anyway, this thing called the “ ” had saved everyone's lives, so it was a good thing.
Seeing the crowd's reaction, let out a relieved puff of steam. It seemed he wouldn't need to make any superfluous explanations after all.
After the commotion, the survivors' taut nerves finally relaxed completely.
slumped to the ground once more, her back against the cool metal surface of the brand-new dam. She reached out and gently traced the intricate, tech-laden patterns on the bulwark, savoring the immense sense of security that this solidity brought.
“So,” she tilted her head up and asked curiously, “what functions does this cutting-edge tech have?”
At that, everyone's ears perked up. It was the question on all their minds.
[That's a long list!] had been waiting for exactly this question and began showing off without hesitation.
[‘ ’ is the theoretical apex of hydraulic engineering—a modular megastructure integrating ultra-high-output hydroelectric generation, wide-area ecological purification, and all-dimensional underwater defense.]
[Its theoretical ceiling is the true ability to part seas and still waves. Its maximum load-bearing capacity exceeds one hundred thousand tons per square meter. When fully deployed, it can even withstand a super tsunami with waves over ten kilometers high, triggered by extreme circumstances.]
[Of course, that's just theory,] shifted the topic. [The one before you is a small-scale model built for the current environment. The scale isn't that extreme, but it has all the functions it should.]
[One: a built-in supercritical hydroelectric generation module that converts the pressure differential inside the dam body directly into electrical energy. Its generation efficiency is more than ten times that of traditional water turbines.]
[Two: a full-domain ecological purification system. The inner walls of the dam integrate molecular-level filtration membranes and a targeted microwave inactivation array, capable of purifying all water that passes through the dam body.]
[The built-in ‘ ’ can also break down pollutants through multiple technical means and rebuild the ecological balance of the water body.]
[Three: an integrated underwater defense matrix. The bulwark itself can emit high-frequency sound waves and directed electromagnetic pulses to eliminate specific underwater targets.]
“You mean... all those damn things in the reservoir can be completely cleaned out now?” 's eyes widened again.
Only then did he notice that in the span of just a few sentences, the unsettling dark red of the reservoir water had already visibly faded considerably.
[That's right. The purification system of the ‘ ’ is now running at full power.]
[Within seventy-two hours, the concentration of in the water is expected to fall below the safety threshold.]
[Within five days, the reservoir water will be completely purified.]
“Five days...” let out a long breath. “Do the purification facilities downstream on the still need to keep running?”
[Of course. Purifying upstream and downstream simultaneously is the most efficient approach. But the pressure there will be much lighter afterward—this dam will handle the heavy lifting.]
“Got it!” nodded. She stood up first, brushed the dust off her pants, and began rallying people to clean up the battlefield.
Soon after, everyone mobilized quickly, hauling the massive carcasses back as research material and escorting the four battle-honored “ ” plasma cannons onto the road back to the .
***
Meanwhile, on the riverside highway.
, , and the others, who had originally been preparing to rush to the dam's aid, also caught sight from afar of the brand-new dam gleaming with metallic luster in the sunlight.
“Director, that... is the ?” froze for a moment and rubbed his eyes. Was the dam he had seen before really like this?
“It's fine now. Let's head back,” said. He was stunned for only an instant before returning to calm.
Then he patted on the shoulder and said in a tone that sounded like a joke: “That's phase two of our .”
“Huh?” The corner of 's mouth twitched, his expression barely holding. “Old Zhang, you're joking, right?”
“I'm serious,” turned around and looked at him gravely. “The truth is, is the nation's last line of defense against the highest-grade crises. All sorts of last-resort frontier black tech are being piloted and deployed right here.”
“Think about it—a can grow a ‘ .’ Isn't it perfectly reasonable for the dam to have a phase two?”
With that, turned and walked toward his infantry fighting vehicle, leaving a dashing silhouette behind.
His assured tone only left even more bewildered.
Watching 's back, he called out uncertainly, “Is that really so?”
“Believe it or not.” 's voice came back from afar, tinged with laughter.
was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing and quickly caught up. “Fine, I believe you!”
Phase two, phase three—whatever. The dam hadn't burst, and the was safe. That was what mattered.
***
At the same time,
twenty kilometers south of the riverbank, on the rooftop of a half-collapsed building.
Two men stood at the edge, gazing expressionlessly at the stretch of river downstream that was gradually turning clear again.
One of the men was burly, wearing a stained black tank top. The muscles on his bare arms were knotted, and a thick, scruffy beard made him look exceptionally ferocious. A heavy reek of fish hung about him.
The other man was the complete opposite. He wore a crisp black suit, his hair combed to perfection, his eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses as unruffled as a still well, radiating a peculiar chill.
“Why?!” The bearded man spoke first, whipping his head around and glaring at the suited man, his voice like a stifled thunderclap.
“Why did you let it out?! You should know the River system is my mission area! What gives you the right to overstep?!”
“Now look what you've done—all our efforts these past days are wasted! You're sabotaging the master's grand plan. What exactly are you plotting?”
The suited man showed no emotion, saying flatly: “Let me correct one thing. Your failure was sealed the moment they began treating the water at that deeply problematic gathering place of ‘shells.’”
“The master ordered you to take full control of the within a month. And the result? You watched with your own eyes as they stabilized the water quality.”
“I've been taking measures!” the burly man shot back defiantly.
“And what did your measures accomplish? You couldn't even destroy their water purification equipment,” the suited man's tone remained flat.
“After a comprehensive analysis of the situation, my decision to promptly recover the ‘ ’ you squandered and minimize our losses was completely correct.”
Hearing this, the burly man sneered disdainfully. “Oh, is that so? Then did your recovery succeed?”
“Hmph!”
“Nothing to say? Not only did you fail, you also caused that thing's growth progression to regress drastically. I'd like to see how you'll explain yourself to the master!”
“Enough!”
Just as the two were at daggers drawn, a cool, clear female voice sounded from behind them.
Both men stiffened at once and whipped around.
A woman with immaculate makeup, wearing a white business skirt suit, was walking gracefully from the stairwell on high heels.
“Don't forget, we are superior beings of absolute rationality,” the woman said, her tone cold and devoid of any emotion.
“Is wasting time on meaningless mutual recrimination the most foolish conduct? Could it be that merely because you've acquired new ‘shells,’ you've been contaminated by those base hormones and instincts?”
Her status seemed to be very high. The moment she finished speaking, the two men, who had just been glaring at each other, immediately lowered their heads respectfully, like scolded children.
The woman didn't spare the burly man another glance. She walked up to the suited man and handed him a silver disc-shaped device, its surface covered with dark red vein-like patterns, with a pitch-black spherical structure embedded at the center.
“This is the master's new assignment for you.”
The suited man accepted the device respectfully with both hands. After one look at the disc, he turned without a word, leaped from the rooftop, and vanished into the shadows of the streets below.
Only then did the woman turn her cold gaze to the burly man.
“The master wants to see you,” she said. “Come with me.”
The burly man's body visibly trembled. His lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing, silently following in the woman's footsteps.
***
Night had fallen, and the was still ablaze with lights.
, inside the .
stood with her hands on her hips, watching the figure in a white lab coat hunched motionless over a microscope, feeling her temples throb.
“Sister Wan! ! Time to eat! Experiments will never be finished, but if you don't eat, you'll really starve to death!”
“Don't nag. I just need to record one last set of data. I'll be done in a minute.” didn't look up, her voice carrying undisguised perfunctoriness.
“You've already said that ten times!” finally ran out of patience. She marched over and, by sheer pulling and tugging, dragged up from her chair.
“Come on, come on! The canteen's got a feast today—there's even beef hotpot. You'd be losing out if you missed it!”
Only at the words “beef hotpot” did 's resistance weaken a little.
***
, the canteen.
Bright LED lights cast a warm, clear glow over every corner. The once somewhat cavernous dining hall was now completely packed, the warmth of everyday life rising amid laughter and chatter.
Long tables were pushed together in rows. Steam rose from the hotpot broth in the center, chili oil swirling on the surface, and every kind of hotpot ingredient laid out in abundance.
sat quietly in a corner spot with a bowl of white rice.
On the induction cooker before him sat a small pot. Beef rolls went in, flipped over, and changed color in a blink. Fished out, dipped in sesame paste, and sent into his mouth—delicious!
Until an arm suddenly slung around his shoulder, disrupting his rhythm of picking up food.
“Old Mo! Don't just focus on eating!” leaned in, his face flushed red, a wave of alcohol breath washing over him. “Come on! Let's you and me have a round! I'm going to drink you under the table today!”
He had clearly already had too much, completely forgetting that 's constitution had long been immune to alcohol—drinking it was no different from downing bad-tasting plain water.
glanced down at the slice of beef that had fallen to the floor because of 's interruption and fell silent for a moment.
Then he silently raised his beer glass, a gentle smile on his face. “Sure. Let's have one.”
In the center of the canteen, meanwhile, a crowd had formed a ring around an open space where a bone-crunching brawl was unfolding.
and were locked in an evenly matched fight. One was steady as a mountain, his moves broad and sweeping; the other looked refined and slight, yet his footwork was nimble and swift, his strikes ruthless and precise.
Every collision of fists drew a round of cheers from the onlookers.
At first, , having heard that was exceptionally skilled, had issued a challenge out of curiosity—only to be effortlessly put down by the other man's ferocious fighting style in fewer than three exchanges.
While everyone was still picking their jaws up off the floor, they immediately began egging on —the 's undisputed top fighter—to step in, giving rise to the titanic contest before them.
“Great fight! Go, Director!”
“Captain Gu is a beast!”
Both sides had people cheering, the atmosphere as heated as an arena championship.
In the end, the two stopped at the same time, each took a step back, and exchanged smiles.
“Not bad.” flexed his wrist.
“You're too kind.” wiped the thin sweat from his forehead, revealing a genuinely relaxed smile.
***
At a small table off to one side, was scooping meatballs into 's bowl with a spoon.
“Enough, enough!” The little boy shielded his bowl, looking resigned. “Why do you have to do this? I can scoop them myself.”
“You don't like eating, so you won't grow tall,” said, puffing out her cheeks indignantly, and scooped in another one. “I have to keep an eye on you and make you eat more.”
“What about yourself?” looked at her bowl, which had only a little bit of vegetables, and fired off the question that cut to the soul.
The little girl puffed out her cheeks, glared at him, and said matter-of-factly, “I'm full.”
Seeing her being so shamelessly stubborn, , annoyed, picked up his own spoon and began furiously scooping meatballs into her bowl as well.
Soon enough, the two of them were laughing and play-fighting, “clashing” together as one.
At the next table, was surrounded by several kids her age, being pelted with questions.
Her chopsticks had been hovering in midair for a long time. Even as she recounted her experience at the reservoir, the piece of braised pork in her hand just wouldn't make it into her mouth.
“So you really stabbed that monster with a steel rebar?” A boy stared with wide eyes.
“Mm-hm.” nodded proudly.
“Whoa! You're incredible!”
Listening to the kids around her chirping in amazement, felt like she was floating all the way up to the sky.
Teacher passed by carrying a bowl of soup and casually patted on the head. “Eat up now, don't hold back. There's plenty more.”
Only then did the girl's attention snap back. 's cheeks suddenly flushed, and she promptly began wolfing down her food.
Beside the small screen in the corner of the canteen, was regaling a few electricians with his hair-raising repair experiences from the past. At the exciting parts, he gestured wildly and nearly knocked over his own beer.
A few doctors from the had gathered together, eating while swapping surgical insights, especially singing the praises of the “ .”
Warm lights, the fragrance of food, and the laughter of people wove together into a warm, heartening tableau.
***
's consciousness “watched” all of this, and even his “core” seemed to be wrapped in the warmth, growing snug and toasty (within a controllable range).
Amid his delight, he pulled up the system interface and began reviewing the gains from this “ .”
[‘ ’ blueprint]: A blueprint that appears to belong to the same category as the previously obtained “ .”
The only difference is that this one is an underwater base, and its construction scale is nearly comparable to a county town. Materializing it would cost considerably more —a full ten thousand.
glanced at his civilization point balance, which had just grown to 29,030, and decisively chose to archive the blueprint for the time being.
Right now, he had a better choice. His gaze once again fell on the node on the that he had been craving for a long time.
[“ ” Drone Combat System (Lv.2)]: Costs 20,000 .
Unlocks the “ ” suicide drone (equipped with high-energy explosive modules), unlocks the construction platform, and unlocks the “ ” replication drone (capable of self-replicating and producing on the platform using external materials; consumes enormous energy, with efficiency depending on the quality and processing level of the raw materials).
Thanks to the victories in these two wars, he had finally saved up enough points to unlock this critical technology!
Without drones that could multiply, what kind of would that be?
didn't hesitate for a moment. He directly selected activation.
Twenty thousand vanished before they had even warmed in his hands.
But didn't feel the slightest pang of regret. At this moment, all his attention was fixed on the deep inside the abandoned underground parking garage of the residential complex in .
Hum—
As if responding to his will, the —which had stood silent all along, like a colossal metal work of art—suddenly blazed with brilliant blue radiance within, flooding the entire underground space with light.
The mindless zombies crawling across the ground above still had no idea that a new storm was about to sweep in.