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

The piercing alarm finally subsided, and the spatial rift that Shen Ge had forcibly closed vanished without a trace in the deep sea, as if it had never existed.

Perched atop the "Iron Heart," the gloom of impending doom dissipates, and the faint light refracted from the deep sea once again falls upon the city's deck.

survived.

When this thought crossed the minds of all the survivors, after a brief silence, a deafening cheer erupted as they celebrated their survival.

However, when people stepped out of the relatively intact core refuge area and saw what their homes looked like at that moment, the joy of victory was quickly replaced by heaviness and sorrow.

The "Iron Heart" before us is covered in wounds.

The outer layer of Type IV living alloy armor, under the "influence" of Omnisayana's rewriting of the laws of reality, has rotted and peeled off in large areas.

The once smooth, tough surface, shimmering with a metallic and biological sheen, is now covered with rust-colored patches like malignant tumors and deep gray cracks that reveal the bone beneath, exposing the fragile mechanical skeleton and exposed pipes.

Dozens of "bone spears and crossbows" and "electromagnetic steam cannons," which served as the city's fangs, twisted and melted due to energy overload. Black smoke rose from the ruined cannons, like the silent wail of a giant beast.

The heart of the city—the “Heart of Eden” that integrates the entire ecosystem—is still beating, but each beat seems to be extremely labored.

Due to prolonged overload operation, its energy output became extremely unstable, causing more than a third of the city to be plunged into darkness due to power outages.

The atmosphere in the control room was heavy.

Hephaestus pushed up his goggles, which had slipped off from continuous work, revealing bloodshot eyes beneath the lenses. On the holographic screen in front of him, an emergency battle damage report was displayed with a glaring red title.

"grown ups."

His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of weariness that even he couldn't hide: "The situation... is terrible. More than 60 percent of the outer defense structure needs to be replaced, 70 percent of the weapon systems are paralyzed, and more critically, the core biological circulatory system of [Heart of Eden] is showing signs of irreversible failure. If it is not repaired immediately, it can only maintain operation for a maximum of 20 standard days."

Routine repair?

That would be an astronomical undertaking, and with Ironheart's current material reserves and production capacity, it would take at least several years.

And they only had less than a month.

The flame of civilization of the "Iron Heart" seems to be on the verge of being extinguished at any moment.

Yet, in this almost despairing atmosphere, the fervent passion of a scientist rekindled in Hephaestus's eyes.

He pulled up another data model, pointing to the desolate sea area that remained with a massive amount of "Omnisia" bacterial carpet after Shen Ge neutralized it.

"No, we still have a chance! These fungal carpets are not useless 'garbage,' they are remnants of the Omnisaiah's Contamination Law, they are 'biomass' of a higher dimension! The energy and structural stability they contain far exceed any material we currently possess!"

He proposed a crazy plan: "Fight poison with poison!"

“We can send an engineering team to collect these fungal mats, and then perform ‘reverse analysis’ and ‘purification’ on them! Strip away the polluting elements and retain only their purest material structure. I… I am confident that I can create a brand new ‘V-shaped living core’! It will not only allow the ‘Iron Heart’ to be repaired in the shortest possible time, but also enable the city’s defenses to achieve a qualitative leap!”

Hephaestus's plan acted like a shot of adrenaline, instilling confidence in everyone present.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Alai was leading her civil affairs team in a self-rescue effort with the survivors. She didn't participate in the high-level technical meetings because she knew that at this moment, the stability of people's hearts was more important than any advanced technology.

She walked through the semi-dark streets, loudly comforting children crying because they had lost their homes, organizing able-bodied young people to clear the collapsed ruins, and coordinating with the logistics department to prioritize the distribution of limited food and clean water to the wounded and the elderly. Her voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally firm, as if it possessed an invisible power that could transform the panic and confusion in people's hearts into the motivation to rebuild their homes.

“Crying won’t solve anything,” she told a group of distraught survivors from Paradise Island. “Our home was pulled back from the brink of collapse by Lord Shen Ge. Now, it’s our turn to rebuild it. As long as we’re alive, the ‘Iron Heart’ will remain!”

Her words were simple and unadorned, yet they resonated deeply.

People looked up at this gentle yet incredibly resilient blue-skinned woman, and hope was rekindled in their eyes.

After the city's reconstruction work, under the respective leadership of Hephaestus and Alai, got on track with unprecedented efficiency, Shen Ge returned to the quiet room alone.

He slowly closed his eyes, looking inward at the dream fragment within his body that had been completely fused and was now free of any contamination. The fragment, warm and smooth as jade, floated quietly in his sea of ​​consciousness, radiating a powerful force capable of creating worlds and reversing reality.

On the system interface, a clear number is displayed:

[Dream Power: 143 points]

Having wandered in this perilous and bizarre alien world for an unknown amount of time, experiencing countless life-and-death battles and the rise and fall of civilizations, the one obsession deeply rooted in his soul, the one that supported him through all despair—going home—had never been so clear and within reach.

Rongshi.

Deng Yuqi's face is always serious, yet it hides concern.

The sly smile on Cheng Shengnan's face as she put the ring on his finger on the pedestrian street.

Li Xiang's madman-like research fervor.

Fang Mingyue, Yun'er, Lin Yin, Tu Doupi, Yang Yuxin... one familiar face after another flashed through my mind like a movie.

……

Several hours later, the core conference room was convened again.

Shen Ge looked at his companions who had fought alongside him and formed deep bonds with him—Alai, who had grown into a reliable leader; Hephaestus, who regarded him as a god and mentor, and was both crazy and talented; Kyle and Roca, who had transformed from ignorant teenagers into resolute warriors; and Zero, whose identity was mysterious, but who had already regarded this place as his home.

He took a deep breath and announced his decision in an unprecedentedly solemn tone.

"I need to leave for a while. I will use the power of my dreams to open a passage connecting this place with my original world."

His words astonished everyone present.

Shen Ge's decision, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirred up violent ripples in the core conference room. A complex and unfathomable emotion flashed in Alai's eyes—a mixture of reluctance and joy for Shen Ge—ultimately turning into silent support. Hephaestus, on the other hand, rushed to the main control panel immediately, his eyes gleaming with a strong desire to explore the laws of the unknown world.

The adult is going back. Does this mean he will also have a chance to experience another world?

The passage was constructed in the heart of the "Iron Heart," next to the still struggling "Heart of Eden."

This is the most energetic and structurally stable part of the entire city.

Without relying on any external machinery, Shen Ge sat cross-legged in front of the pulsating "aorta" of the Heart of Eden. At his signal, Ellie and Hephaestus connected dozens of information transmission lines to the interface of his combat suit.

His consciousness, through the computational center of "Hermes," established an unprecedentedly deep connection with the heart of the entire city. "Let's begin."

As he finished speaking, Shen Ge closed his eyes and completely immersed himself in the sea of ​​consciousness, beginning to mobilize the power that was capable of creating a world.

[Dream Power -100]

An immense amount of energy, powerful enough to distort reality, was channeled out from his body.

The air trembled slightly, emitting a clear, chiming sound like a wind chime. Countless invisible energy threads appeared out of thin air, intertwining, entwining, and reforming themselves.

A circular "passage" radiating soft white light, its interior resembling a distorted, flowing galaxy, slowly unfolded.

The energy fluctuations of the door were extremely stable, and through Shen Ge's will, they were locked onto specific coordinates in another dimension—

In the "real" world, in Rong City, at the Special Affairs Department, the deepest underground research institute.

Hephaestus stared at the data stream on the instrument, which was jumping wildly but remained stable below the critical value. His eyes behind his glasses were filled with fascination and awe.

This is beyond the explanation of science and technology; it is a pure "miracle."

Once the dream bridge, about three meters in diameter, was completely stable, Shen Ge slowly opened his eyes.

His face was even paler than before; consuming such a massive amount of dream power at once was a huge burden on his mind.

He looked at Alai, who was already waiting silently beside him with tension and anticipation, and nodded: "As the leader of 'Iron Heart,' you are the best candidate to be the first to set foot on this new land. Let's go, let's establish the first 'diplomacy' between the two civilizations."

Alai took a deep breath to calm his excited emotions.

She straightened her clothes, representing the hopes and future of tens of thousands of people behind her, and with awe for the unknown new world, she took that historic step.

However, just as her fingertips were about to touch that dazzling galaxy, an invisible yet absolutely irresistible gentle barrier pushed her back.

She stumbled and was supported by Kyle beside her.

how come?
Arai, unconvinced, tried again, but to no avail. The door seemed to exist in another dimension, visible yet untouchable.

Shen Ge frowned, immediately stepped forward, and placed his hand on the invisible barrier. A clear flow of information followed his senses and fed back into his mind. He instantly understood the crux of the problem.

"no……"

His voice was low and tinged with helplessness.

"I don't know if it's because this dream fragment was contaminated, but this passage is entirely constructed from pure dream power. Its law of existence only 'recognizes' individuals who also possess dream power. Any matter or life that does not possess this original power will be regarded as 'foreign' and completely rejected."

This conclusion was like ice water, extinguishing the flame of hope that had just been ignited in everyone's hearts.

Only he, Shen Ge, is the only one who can pass through this door.

After a brief silence, Shen Ge made the final arrangements.

He had to go back alone, not only to check the situation in the "real" world, but also to find a way to truly connect the two worlds and allow ordinary people to travel between them.

After all, other people could also use the passageways that were built before.

In the control room, he temporarily handed over the highest management authority of "Iron Heart" to Alai.

"I believe in you, that you can lead everyone forward until I return." He looked into Alai's deep blue eyes, his gaze filled with unwavering trust.

Alai nodded emphatically, all his unspoken words condensed into one sentence: "We're waiting for you."

He turned to Hephaestus, his expression serious: "Although the passage is impassable, the faint spatial data it emitted is a valuable sample. I need you to immediately assemble a team to try to analyze the physical laws and mystical properties of the 'real' world, laying the theoretical foundation for possible future technological integration."

"Understood, my lord!" Hephaestus accepted the order, his eyes gleaming with anticipation for the new challenge.

Finally, he looked at Kyle and Roca, who had grown into reliable warriors. He no longer spoke to them like children, but rather patted their strong shoulders firmly, like an older brother.

"I'm entrusting our home to you all to protect."

"Don't worry, brother!" the two brothers said in unison, their eyes resolute.

The moment of parting will eventually come.

On the highest deck of "Iron Heart," all the core members had arrived. The wind blew through Alai's azure hair and also through Zero's slightly thin clothes.

Shen Ge turned back one last time and took a deep look at the sea city that he had built from scratch with his own hands, and at the people on the ship who, to him, had long since transcended companions and were like family.

He turned around resolutely, without any hesitation, and stepped into the passage.

Meanwhile, in another dimension, the "real" world.

Rong City, the headquarters of the Special Operations Department, at the deepest point underground.

This is the most heavily guarded and highest-authority area in the entire base, specifically used for researching spatial phenomena and higher-dimensional energy that cannot be explained by conventional theories.

Inside the core area of ​​the research institute, a uniquely shaped instrument—a giant black metal eye encased in countless precision crystal lenses—has been dormant for several years. Like an antique forgotten by time, it stands quietly in the center of the room.

suddenly!

The giant black eye suddenly opened, and all the crystal lenses inside it spun at an unprecedented speed, projecting a blinding scarlet light!
The data stream representing spatial stability on the main control screen collapsed like an avalanche. A terrifying energy source, whose intensity instantly exceeded all known measurement limits, was savagely tearing open the dimensions of reality and descending violently!

[Alert! Unidentified beacon detected!]

[Energy intensity assessment in progress... Assessment failed! Exceeded peak value!]

[Threat level assessment in progress...]

The next second, on the screen, a final judgment result composed of blood-red text, accompanied by the highest-level alarm, was simultaneously transmitted to the Special Operations Department's highest command center:
Threat Level: Cataclysmic (Kewang-Tier)

[Agreement Recommendation: Activate the final contingency plan—■■■■ (The Demon King's Invasion)] (End of Chapter)