You said mechs were going to fight monsters, but instead you're destroying stars with your bare

Chapter 141 To You Two Hundred Thousand Years Later
"Ok?"

Li Zhe paused for a moment, then selected "Yes".

A flash of light, and an antique wooden box appeared before him.

A letter written with a brush was also attached to the wooden box.

Li Zhe picked up the letter, and a faint fragrance of ink wafted towards him.

The handwriting on the letter was delicate and elegant.

Looking at the notes on the package, it turned out to be Song Yuan's handwriting.

Li Zhe raised an eyebrow and slowly unfolded the letter.

What comes into view is a passage full of classical charm, yet tinged with a sense of vicissitude and melancholy...
-
[To Fellow Daoist Li Zhe:]

[Greetings. Time flies by unnoticed, as if a lifetime has passed. A few days have passed since our parting in the trading hall, a mere blink of an eye for you, but for my realm, it has been seven hundred long years.]

The young girl of yesteryear is now old and frail. Liu Yi and I fought our entire lives, but in the end, we smiled at each other and walked hand in hand towards the end of time. It seems, life is but a fleeting dream.

[Thanks to the Origin Scripture bestowed upon us by a fellow Daoist in the past, our civilization was able to glimpse the Heavenly Dao, break free from its shackles, and stride towards the stars. This kindness will never be forgotten. Today, we offer you a small gift, named the [Star Compass], a culmination of seven hundred years of our civilization's efforts, a fusion of astrological observation and runic technology. Perhaps it can help you find a glimmer of opportunity amidst the fog.]

The path to enlightenment is long and arduous, fraught with peril; the abyss is treacherous, and the human heart is unpredictable. May you, fellow Daoist, also overcome all obstacles and forge ahead without hesitation.

If fate allows, we may meet again atop the sea of ​​stars.

[Song Yuan, her final words.]

[Blue Star No. 1, Starry Calendar 721]
-
Li Zhe held the letter in silence for a long time.

Seven hundred years...

It has been less than a week since I arrived on Blue Planet No. 7 in the universe.

The other world, however, has undergone tremendous changes.

That aloof and ethereal girl, that alluring and enchanting woman…

They have probably long since turned into dust in history.

An indescribable sense of melancholy welled up in my heart.

Li Zhe opened the wooden box, inside which lay a palm-sized compass made of an unknown stellar metal.

The compass surface is engraved with incredibly complex and precise runes, and at its center is a gem as dazzling as a star, radiating a soft and mysterious light.

This is the Star Compass.

[Quality: Epic]

[Type: Special Detection Equipment]

[Effect: Allows the user to vaguely sense "high-value causal objects" (i.e., potential "dimensional keys" or "anchors of faith") in the surrounding environment and provide approximate directional guidance in the form of a pointer.]

Li Zhe accepted this weighty gift, and felt a surge of sincere respect and goodwill towards the mysterious Cosmic Girl No. 1.

He held the compass and activated it.

The compass needle at the center began to slowly rotate, and finally... trembling, it pointed in one direction.

"Commander, based on the energy fluctuations of the compass, synchronize and analyze the data with your personal panel..." the AI ​​system's voice sounded. "The direction the pointer is pointing is... the Abyss Domain, the core area of ​​the Steel Empire's 0th layer."

At this point, all the clues pointed to the same place—

Steel Empire, Level 0 Core Area.

Whether it's to find "Star Core Gold" to upgrade the mothership, to pursue the elusive opportunity of "Foundation Building," or to verify the true power of the [Star Compass], it's all part of the search.

Those places became destinations that Li Zhe had to go to.

"It seems it's time to make use of that treasure I've been keeping hidden away."

Li Zhe's gaze fell upon the maintenance hangar, specifically on the pyramid-shaped beacon that hadn't been used since the auction...

The dangers in the core area far exceed those in the outer area, so I must be fully prepared.

Over the next few days, Li Zhe utilized the resources of Jiangdong Shipbuilding Group, as well as the automated production line left behind by Xing before his seclusion, to create a series of specialized external equipment and high-energy supplies.

At the same time, he also closely followed the coalition government's announcement of the construction plan for "Third New Tokyo City".

The coalition government was incredibly efficient.

Within just a few days, the first batch of tender documents had been issued.

The requirements for the experience and technical skills of the project contractors have reached an unprecedented level.

Li Zhe was well aware that with Jiangdong Shipbuilding Group's current strength, it would be extremely difficult to get a share of this huge pie.

But he also keenly spotted an excellent opportunity in it.

The tender documents clearly state that groups with experience in developing Abyss Technology will be given priority consideration.

"Developing towards the abyss..." Li Zhe stroked his chin, "Once the core area of ​​layer 0 is opened, everyone will soon have experience."

"As the one who opens the beacon, I can gain the first-mover advantage."

In addition, Li Zhe also thought that he could take advantage of this opportunity to activate the core area beacon and accumulate valuable infrastructure experience in the abyss for his future "bait city" plan.

……

June 15, 1th year of the Crisis Era.

Starfish Island, underground command center.

Li Zhe took a deep breath and placed the pyramid model beacon on the specially made launch platform.

"Commander, the beacon energy is being activated. It is expected to dock with the space node in the outer area of ​​the Steel Empire's 0th layer in ten seconds." The AI ​​system's voice calmly counted down.

Li Zhe adjusted himself to his peak condition, ready to welcome this historic turning point.

When the countdown reaches zero——

"boom--!!!!!"

An immense spatial energy, indescribable in words and so vast that it made the entire starfish island tremble, erupted from the center of the beacon!
An unparalleled energy wave instantly spread across the globe!
Meanwhile, on an abandoned plaza in the outer area of ​​the Steel Empire's 0th floor.

Space began to twist and fold wildly in a way that defied comprehension!
A stable and enormous permanent teleportation portal, over a hundred meters in diameter, burst open amidst a blinding light!

Inside the portal, the oppressive darkness of the abyss was no longer present.

But...

A vibrant blue expanse brimming with life and hope.

For the first time, a stable teleportation channel has been established between the Blue Star No. 7 and the Abyss Realm!

……

The coalition government's global monitoring system detected this dramatic event immediately.

Inside the highest strategic command center in Beidu.

The piercing alarm blared through the sky, and all the staff jumped up from their seats, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

"Report! Ultra-high intensity space energy reaction detected!"

"Report! A stable teleportation channel has appeared in the outer area of ​​the 0th floor of the Abyss Realm 'Steel Empire'!"

"Holy crap? This...this is..."

After the initial shock came immense ecstasy!
They immediately organized their most elite mech divisions and began to carefully explore the suddenly appearing portal.

(End of this chapter)