I've already reached the maximum level, and you guys are just starting out?

Chapter 82 Wasteland Era
Summer.

Over the northwest.

Ember's body plummeted toward the ground like a cannonball.

The cold night wind brushed against his face.

The feeling was familiar, just like a few minutes ago.

"still……"

"Couldn't do it?"

That final "purifying light" in the "unified" state exhausted all the energy within Ember's body.

him at the moment.

Aside from his physical stats, he couldn't use any of the abilities of a 'ninth-tier evolver'.

even……

He couldn't even control his body to stop himself from falling.

"fine……"

"If it falls from that height, I should survive, but I just hope it doesn't kill anyone else..."

Yu Jin murmured, even in self-deprecation, his tone still betraying his disappointment.

After all.

The suppression of his abilities by Earth was far too ruthless...

Before his eyes.

The system's semi-transparent panel displays clear numbers.

Purification progress: 89%

This is the final result.

Even though Yu Jin gave his all, even though he truly burned himself into Yu Jin, he still couldn't achieve 100% purification.

this means……

There will still be 11% of the pollution sources scattered on the blue planet.

If Ember were given more time, he might be able to unleash another 'Purifying Light' after recovering.

but……

There is no time.

Perhaps it was the boost from being a ninth-tier evolver, or perhaps it was a 'friendly reminder' from the system.

Ember could sense it...

The surrounding space and time are gradually slowing down, becoming almost stagnant.

no doubt.

The moment of stillness is the instant when time travel occurs.

"Still not strong enough..."

Yu Jin felt extremely unwilling.

At the ninth level, he purified a tenth-level pollution source, which, according to the system's evaluation, was 'resounding throughout the wasteland galaxy'.

But Yu Jin still felt it wasn't enough, far from enough!

[You, with the body of an ant, have purified the 'Tenth-Order Galaxy-Level Pollution Source—Wasteland', a feat far exceeding your own level!]

Such a feat is unprecedented and unparalleled, its fame resounding throughout the Wasteland Galaxy!

[Final purification progress: 89%!]

[Do you want to receive the reward? 】

Just before time almost completely stood still.

Before Yu Jin's eyes, new text appeared on the system panel.

"receive!"

Without hesitation, Yu Jin immediately recited the mantra in his mind.

I was too weak at that moment.

If one were to travel to the wasteland in this manner...

While they wouldn't be killed by wild mutated beasts and infected creatures, they were definitely not at their peak.

That was a scene that Yu Jin did not want to see.

From the day he bound himself to the system, he had been leveling up non-stop, all for the sake of eventually being able to log into the wasteland with a max-level character.
What kind of max-level account is a ninth-tier character that has run out of energy?

[You have received the following reward: 3 Tier 9 Energy Crystals]

[You get...]

[You get...]

Yu Jin didn't have time to see what other rewards were available.

He could clearly sense that there was less than a second left before he could cross over.

Swah——

In Yu Jin's hand, three irregularly shaped, seven-colored crystals appeared.

The last moment before time travel.

With the last bit of strength in his body, Yu Jin quickly stuffed the three crystals into his mouth.

Snap!
……

[You have used a 'Ninth-Order Energy Crystal'!]

【…】

Before Yu Jin could see it clearly, the text information that appeared on the panel next was displayed.

He could only feel that the energy in his body, which had been almost depleted, was being restored at an incredible speed.

but……

They arrived at the same time.

There was also a wave of intense dizziness.

"Going to sleep again?"

"No, it's not a coma..."

"Damn! It seems to be a side effect of 'Return to One'..."

Yu Jin didn't have time to continue his thoughts.

this moment.

The clocks in every household in Daxia pointed to exactly 12 o'clock.

As Yu Jin hurtled backward, his body abruptly stopped in mid-air, along with his thoughts and ideas. At the same time...

Om-!
An indescribable, mysterious, and terrifying aura swept across every corner of the blue planet in an instant.

Humans, animals, plants...

Oceans, mountains, rivers...

Everything is frozen in time.

Time and spacetime seemed to have been paused, and the blue planet remained in this frame.

This frame is both so brief and so long.

All over the planet Earth.

On countless faces, all sorts of expressions froze.

The movements of countless people froze, like a puppet show.

The journey begins at this moment.

But it came quietly and silently, without any fanfare.

It wasn't like in the Marvel movies, where countless people turned to ashes little by little under the grieving gaze of their loved ones.

Blue Star, so quiet.

until...

A 'tick' sounded.

The hour hand moves to the next second.

Above the Blue Star.

Half of humanity vanished into thin air.

Along with them, half of the animals, plants, and even microorganisms disappeared...

All beings that belong to the 'life form' were chosen by the dice rolled by God, and half of them disappeared.

What awaits them is a wasteland world fraught with danger and a struggle for survival.

same moment.

Clumps of pitch-black, deep matter, not belonging to any of the solid, liquid, or gas states, fell onto the surface of Blue Star...

……

……

Jiangcheng University.

Tang Yunxuan stared blankly at what was in front of him.

The helmet on the table is gone.

However, he did not sense anything unusual.

just like……

The helmet seemed to have never existed.

Tang Yunxuan took out his phone to check the time, only to realize that his phone had long since been turned into a brick.

He turned his head and looked at the old-fashioned mechanical clock hanging on the dormitory wall.

The second hand of the clock has just passed 0:0:01.

"it's over?"

"Or has nothing happened?"

Tang Yunxuan was in Yu Jin's dormitory, room 615.

He was the only one in the dormitory.

He felt his way in the dark, opened the door, and rushed out of the dormitory.

The corridor was pitch black.

"Hey?"

Tang Yunxuan called out.

"Hey!"

A response came from the end of the corridor.

"Did you sense something was happening?"

Tang Yunxuan shouted into the darkness.

"I……"

"My two roommates have disappeared..."

At the edge of the darkness, the student answered in a low voice.

Tang Yunxuan stood there, stunned.

……

……

Yanjing.

A conference room.

Yin Shanhai looked down at his wrinkled hands, then looked up at the conference room, which was originally full but now had nearly half of its seats empty.

Although he did not sense anything unusual.

but……

The facts are clear: the time travel occurred and has ended.

Yin Shanhai placed his hands on the table and stood up.

He took a deep breath and shouted in a hoarse voice:

"Comrades!"

"We didn't have time to grieve for the relatives, friends, and companions who crossed the river..."

"What we face next are even more severe challenges!"

"Communication failures, energy paralysis, technological stagnation, population halved..."

"The road ahead is fraught with difficulties, but we must unite all forces that can be united, we must fight against all potential crises, and we must do everything in our power to persevere until..."

"The day the embers brought their people back to Earth!"

"I believe, and I ask you all to believe—"

"That day will eventually come!"

(End of this chapter)