The system is four years ahead of schedule, but Weird is still a cub.

"It seems like we've stumbled into something." Ellie, standing next to Shen Ge, was pale as she gripped the violently shaking control panel.

The sky outside the window, which had been relatively clear, was now shrouded in a thick, suffocating gray fog.

The surrounding seawater also became a kind of... mirror-like "calm".

There were no waves, no ripples.

The entire "Iron Heart" was frozen in this still, gray world as if by a giant piece of amber, unable to move forward any further.

"Brother! Our engine... has failed!" Roca reported in a panic.

Both the "Heart of God" and the bio-engine were still operating normally, but the enormous thrust they generated was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, unable to propel the steel city forward even a meter!
"Oh ho?" Shen Ge immediately became interested. He knew that the No. 1 Ark was powered by the tumorous heart of the Deep Sea Ghost King, which could even block the ghost energy. This was no ordinary restriction.

Strange realm?

Or something else?
After connecting to the "Eye of the Prophet," the scene seen by the Evil Eye changed, and it could even sense the fluctuations in the surrounding space.

In Shen Ge's field of vision observed through the "Eye of the Prophet," the spatial parameters around them were undergoing a discontinuous, jump-like "distortion."

Then, recalling the vanished "Tomb of the God of Sleep" and the "Island of Elysium" that appeared out of nowhere, he seemed to understand the reason.

It was neither a coincidence nor did it appear out of thin air.

Instead, they and their ship were swept into an "abnormal sea area" where space was completely disrupted, which was the multiple strange spaces he had experienced many times before!

In this silent sea where even the propagation of light and sound becomes extremely eerie, "Iron Heart" has become an isolated island.

Shen Ge immediately issued orders: all engines were put into standby mode, the "Iron Heart" energy shield was activated to its maximum, all guards were placed on high alert and stationed in the city, all patrolling "mounted police" were recalled, and all residents were ordered to take refuge indoors.

The entire city has entered a state of "Level 1 combat readiness".

Time is passing by, second by second.

One day, two days, three days...

The "Iron Heart" floated quietly on this gray ocean. Although there were freshwater food processing and conversion plants in the city, freshwater and food were still being consumed at a rapid pace. A despair deeper than ever before began to spread in people's hearts.

During this period, Shen Ge tried many times to find the source of the strange space through the strange eye, and even drove a modified speedboat to patrol the surrounding waters, but he could not find any useful clues.

Just two weeks after everyone's patience and hope were about to be exhausted, an even more bizarre "horror" appeared.

"My lord! Look ahead!" Hephaestus's exclamation rang out in the control room via the communicator.

Shen Ge reconnected with the "Eye of the Prophet," and saw a gigantic, blurry outline slowly emerging from the distant gray fog directly in front of them.

When it fully emerged from the fog, everyone was surprised to find that it was also a steel city built on the sea!
Its outline, its structure, its towering chimneys and crane booms bear a striking resemblance to the "Iron Heart" beneath their feet!
"Is that... a mirage?" Ellie murmured in surprise as she looked at the images displayed on the main control panel.

As they drew closer, they could see more and more clearly. The city was not exactly the same as "Iron Heart".

It is more magnificent, more complete, and more... "advanced".

Unlike the original "Rusty Heart" section, which had a chaotic, piecemeal wasteland feel, every building and every pipe in the original is filled with rigorous futuristic industrial design aesthetics.

Its entire body has a silvery-white metallic luster, and its surface is covered with a faint blue energy path, just like the "future evolution form" of the "Iron Heart"!
What chilled them even more was that on that silver-white "Iron Heart," besides the resemblance to the city, they even saw "themselves"!
A "man" who looked exactly like Shen Ge, but wore a more luxurious silver robe made of liquid metal, stood quietly at the top of the city's "command tower".

Standing beside him were other "Ironheart" officials who looked exactly like Alai, Ellie, Kyle, Roca, Hephaestus, and others.

They were also dressed in more futuristic uniforms, with solemn expressions, as if they had traveled through time to that more advanced city.

"What...what is going on?" Hephaestus's voice trembled. The bizarre scene before him had completely shattered his worldview, which was based on logic and science.

Just then, in the silver-white city opposite, the "future Shen Ge" who looked exactly like Shen Ge but had an even more dignified demeanor slowly raised his hand.

The voice of "Shen Ge" echoed over the city.

"You have finally arrived."

I am the ruler of the "Heart of Truth," and also one of you who have completed the "Path of Evolution."

I know you have many questions, and I know you are currently feeling lost and struggling.

Don't be afraid or confused. We are here to "help" you.

[To help you "skip" all unnecessary pain and detours...to help you directly "become" us.]

The voice was full of kindness, guidance, and temptation.

But apart from Shen Ge, everyone else in the control room felt a chill run down their spines the moment they heard those words.

As for Shen Ge, through his eerie eyes, he "saw" a completely different picture, full of bloodshed and lies, beneath that false and alluring "future" scene!
That so-called "Heart of Truth" is not some future evolutionary form at all. Deep within its "hull," an enormous "net" composed of countless twisted and wailing faces, exactly like the face on "Paradise Island," is greedily covering every "person" there!
To be precise, those weren't "people" at all.

The so-called "future Shen Ge" had countless translucent, umbilical cord-like tentacles deeply inserted into the back of his head beneath his "divine throne," turning him into a puppet!
The people on the "Iron Heart" were stunned. Their future selves? Helping them skip all the "pain"? Directly completing the final evolution?

This concept was incredibly impactful and alluring to those struggling in the apocalypse. Even Kyle and Roca had a hint of confusion and longing in their eyes, not to mention the natives of the "Iron Heart".

If it were truly possible to avoid those terrifying battles and life-or-death separations and directly transform into that powerful, confident figure who controls the magnificent city, wouldn't that be so unacceptable?

Only Hephaestus, the genius who regarded "logic" as truth, became extremely solemn and wary behind his glasses after the initial shock.

"No...something's not right."

He muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear: "This doesn't make sense. Time can't be reversed, and it's even more impossible for two 'selves' with completely different 'entropy' values ​​to meet at the same coordinate point, unless, unless one of them is..."

“A fake.” Shen Ge stated his answer directly, and as he spoke, he unleashed his demonic domain, waking Alai and the others from their bewitching state.

Alai and the others snapped out of their daze, instantly breaking out in a cold sweat. [...A "fake"?]

[This is truly a word brimming with defensiveness and aggression.]

On the face of that "future Shen Ge," there was a helpless yet tolerant "bitter smile," as if he were looking at a rebellious and ignorant teenager.

[...I know you can't understand this right now. That's normal. Just like a caterpillar can't understand why a butterfly can fly.]

[...Everything you've experienced—the struggles, the battles, the losses, the pain...these are all just processes, immature 'pasts.' They are the thorny, winding paths we've already traversed.]

The purpose of our existence is to prevent 'your past selves,' that is, you, from repeating the same mistakes.

The voice remained gentle, yet it carried an undeniable power, as if it were "truth."

As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand.

On the opposite side, on the silver-white "Heart of Truth," all the energy shields, all the steam turrets, and all the defensive structures slowly shut down with a soft "hum."

The entire, even more magnificent steel city was laid bare and unguarded before the "Iron Heart".

[...Do you see? We don't need war, nor do we need to be on guard. Because...we are 'one'.]

Come, children. Put down your heavy, scarred 'shells.' Abandon your superfluous 'emotions' that only bring pain.

[...as long as you 'agree'.]

[...With just a thought, you can instantly 'arrive' in your 'future.' You will instantly possess everything we have—greater power, more advanced technology, and a 'future' where you will never lose anything again.]

It... has no intention of fighting.

It even abandoned all defenses.

It simply and calmly presents them with a "better" future, and then... waits for them to "open the door" on their own.

This is more terrifying than any sword, gun, or cannon, because it doesn't attack your body, but rather your... "will."

It was asking everyone on the ship—Do you want to… “ascend to the top in one step”?

This might give us pause for thought in "reality," but in this "apocalypse" where danger lurks every day and night, who wouldn't want to live in an absolutely safe place in this era rife with the bizarre?

The reason why "Paradise Island" was able to grow to that level is precisely because of this!

silence.

Deathly silence.

No one spoke in the command center; it was eerily quiet. But the heavy breathing that rose and fell betrayed the intense struggle within each person.

Alai held Moya tightly, her face pale. She thought of her tribesmen who had died in the tribal conflicts years ago. If they had possessed the power of the "Heart of Truth" back then, would those tragedies have been avoided?
Kyle and Roca clenched their fists tightly. They recalled the helpless despair they felt in the "Crimson Sea." If they could skip the process and directly possess that power to protect everyone... then perhaps that would be the right thing to do?
Even Hephaestus, gazing upon the impeccable technology displayed in that silver-white city—a technology far surpassing all his imagination—felt his breathing become incredibly heavy. For a scholar, it was an irresistible "Holy Grail."

"To be honest, it's quite a novel feeling to say such high-sounding words while looking at my own face." Shen Ge didn't try to persuade or order anyone; he just casually made a sarcastic remark.

He attempted to use his own ghostly domain to erode Silver BC City's ghostly energy, but once his ghostly energy touched the other party's domain, it became like a ghostly energy vortex, frantically sucking up his ghostly energy.

This is clearly a trap. Blindly attacking before understanding the other party's situation will only make them more passive.

Furthermore, Shen Ge was well aware that, based on the "rhythm" displayed by the other side, this was a mental demon that everyone had to confront personally. If he were to forcibly suppress it with his own will now, he would only plant a seed of doubt in the hearts of this city.

He wanted to see what choices his "crew" would make.

As for "trash," let him die if he wants to.

Shen Ge has always been very clear that he cannot save "everyone", so in every previous operation against the supernatural, he only takes responsibility for those who "obey".

Just then, one of the people on the deck moved.

He was a young member of the "Gear Guard" who had performed inconspicuously and even appeared somewhat cowardly in previous battles.

He was among the first soldiers to surrender after the "Rusty Heart" was breached.

At this moment, tears were streaming down his face, his expression a mixture of extreme pain, longing, and... liberation.

"I...I've had enough..."

He murmured in a dreamlike voice, "I don't want to fight anymore. My parents, my brothers, all died in the mouth of some monster... If only this 'future' had come sooner..."

As he spoke, he slowly stood up from the lower deck where he was, looking at the silver-white "paradise" opposite him with an incredibly fervent gaze.

"I...agree."

The moment he finished speaking, a bizarre scene unfolded.

The person's body did not "fly" to the opposite city, but instead began to "sublimate" in place.

His flesh and blood body rapidly became transparent and ethereal in a soft white light. Finally, it transformed into a pure energy that shot into the sky!

The energy, like a weary bird returning to its nest, plunged without hesitation into the silver-white "Heart of Truth" opposite, and vanished instantly.

On the cold deck of the "Heart of Truth," a "recruit" who looked exactly like the guard but wore a more advanced uniform and had calm, unwavering eyes slowly materialized from the void.

He gave a respectful military salute to the "future Shen Ge". (End of Chapter)