Rejecting Tsinghua and Peking Universities: I Will Lead Harbin Institute of Technology to World Lead

At the entrance to the Tongtian Well, which was tightly controlled by China, a massive surge of energy erupted. The Xirang-class engineering ships, which had undergone combat-ready modifications, were at the forefront, like silver spears piercing into hell, plunging headlong into the depths of the earth's core along the enormous passage that had been opened by the Houtu Project and used by Atlantis.

Following closely behind were several smaller but equally heavily armed special troop transport and support ships, as well as a large number of elite White Tiger squads equipped with Nezha armor, Golden Crow weapons, and Earth Core life support systems. This Chinese vanguard force, penetrating deep into the enemy's lair, was like a cold, steel torrent, flowing along the planet's lifeblood, plunging straight into the heart of the enemy—New Poseidon.

For the first time, the landscape of the Earth's core was presented to the Chinese warriors with such clarity and awe through the ship's onboard sensors. It was a vast continent enveloped by a massive energy barrier, suspended above the scorching fluids of the Earth's core. The dark red sky was a swirling vortex of energy, and the land displayed a mixed texture of obsidian, deep red crystals, and strange metals. Glowing rivers meandered through the land, interspersed with strange crystalline vegetation. Magnificent yet stylistically diverse architectural complexes were scattered throughout the continent, forming the wonders cultivated by the Atlantean civilization over millennia.

However, at this moment, this place of wonder is permeated with an atmosphere of despair and madness.

The sudden intrusion of the Chinese fleet was like pouring cold water into a boiling oil pan, instantly igniting the entire New Poseidon!

"Warning! Warning! Invaders on the surface of Gaia! They... how dare they get in?!"

"It was those insects! They defeated the Grand Commander's fleet?! That's impossible!"

"Defense forces! All those still able to fight! For Atlantis! Stop them!"

Panic, disbelief, and then hysterical anger and determination. The remaining Atlantean defenses—mainly ground-based anti-aircraft towers, a small number of old Shadow Shuttles that failed to join the main force, and a large number of civilian militia armed with energy weapons—hastily organized themselves and launched a fearless counterattack against the Chinese vanguard.

Blazing white laser beams shot from the ground into the sky as old warships made desperate charges. Fanatical Atlanteans even piloted small flying vehicles or charged directly on the ground, trying to stop the steel torrent with their flesh and blood.

However, the gap in strength is hopeless.

The White Tiger Squad parachuted from the Xirang ship, their Nezha armor easily withstanding the sparse and weak ground fire. The Golden Crow beams precisely targeted and destroyed anti-aircraft positions and old warships attempting to take off. An occasional salvo from the Xirang ship's main guns could raze a stubbornly resisting spire or fortress to the ground.

The battle was almost entirely a one-sided massacre. The Atlanteans' last shred of courage, faced with the overwhelming technological and firepower superiority of the Chinese, was like moths drawn to a flame—tragic, yet futile.

"No! How could our great Atlantis be defeated by these... these later insects!"

"Fight them! Detonate the energy core! We will not let them get our city!"

Some of the defenders, driven to madness, even began detonating the energy facilities inside the buildings, attempting to perish together with the Chinese army, or at least prevent the complete technology from falling into enemy hands.

But China's actions were even faster and more efficient.

"Prioritize control of key energy nodes, transportation hubs, and suspected research and data storage areas! Eliminate any resistance! But be careful to preserve the building structure and internal facilities as much as possible!" The frontline commander's orders were clear and ruthless.

The Chinese army, like a precise scalpel, swiftly divided and controlled key locations throughout New Poseidia. Sparks of resistance were quickly extinguished in each area.

In the heart of the continent, deep within the most magnificent central temple, constructed entirely of dark gold metal and luminous crystals, resembling a combination of a temple and a fortress, lies an eerie stillness and resolute silence.

This is the heart of Atlantis's highest technology and ancient heritage. Gathered here now are not warriors, but dozens of elder scholars and core priests dressed in magnificent white robes, representing the last wisdom and dignity of civilization.

They gathered around a massive platform at the deepest part of the temple. On the platform floated an irregularly shaped stone, about ten meters in diameter, entirely black, with silvery-blue energy veins flowing across its surface as if it were alive—this was the legendary meteorite that led Atlantis to fall into the Earth's core ten thousand years ago, giving them the foundation for the Earth's core energy technology, and it was also revered by them as the Star Core.

"Star Core... the beginning and the end of our civilization." The leading high priest, with his white hair and withered face, stretched out a trembling hand and gently stroked the surface of the meteorite, his eyes filled with endless longing and pain.

"We must never... allow invaders to defile the sacred artifact and steal the last secret of our race!" A younger academician's eyes burned with a frenzied desire for destruction.

On the control panel in front of them, images of the rapidly approaching Chinese troops outside the temple were displayed, along with reports of resistance being mercilessly crushed everywhere. Despair was beyond words.

"Execute the purification protocol." The high priest finally closed his eyes, a single, murky tear sliding down his cheek. "Let the brilliance of the star core, along with the souls of my race, return to nothingness. Atlantis... may perish, but it will never be dishonored, never be stolen!"

"agree!"

"For the sake of our last shred of dignity!"

Without hesitation, without debate, these guardians and martyrs of civilization simultaneously pressed the red button on the control panel in front of them.

Om-!

A deep blue beam of light, far more concentrated and terrifying than their own weapons, shot out from somewhere in the temple and accurately struck the suspended star core!

Click...click!

The dark surface of the meteorite was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks, and the silvery-blue energy flowing inside suddenly went out of control and went berserk, emitting a teeth-grinding cracking sound and an energy shriek! It only lasted for a few seconds—

boom!!!!

The star core completely exploded! There was no earth-shattering explosion, but rather, in a blinding blue light, it was as if crushed by an invisible giant hand, turning into the finest energy dust and completely dissipating into the air! Not even a trace remained!

Immediately afterwards, the group of white-robed figures swiftly left the core of the temple and arrived at an even larger energy sanctuary next door, constructed from countless luminous crystals. This was the energy reserve center of the entire New Poseidon, piled high with countless highly pure energy crystals, the accumulation of millennia of subterranean civilization.

They restarted the self-destruct program.

An even more violent energy turbulence erupted within the Holy Treasury! A chain reaction of energy overload and crystal collapse spread rapidly like dominoes! Amidst blinding light and deep rumbling sounds, the enormous energy reserves that were enough to support a civilization for hundreds of years were transformed into scattered energy turbulence and dull crystal fragments in just a few minutes.

Having done all this, the people in white robes returned to the center of the temple, exchanged glances, and remained expressionless.

"May the depths of Poseidon embrace our proud souls."

"Atlantis...Never to be slaves."

They all took out small devices they carried with them, containing highly toxic or energy overload devices, and activated them without hesitation, or directly crashed into the energy pillars that were not yet completely deactivated...

When the first group of Chinese White Tiger warriors broke through the scattered guards on the outskirts of the temple and rushed into this temple, which symbolized the pinnacle of Atlantis civilization, all they saw was an empty, eerie crater on the central platform where energy had been annihilated, a mess and residual energy in the adjacent sacred vault, and... dozens of corpses lying in pools of blood or scorched energy, dressed in white robes, with calm or distorted faces.

There were no prisoners, no pleas for mercy, only a cold, resolute, and self-destructive silence.

An indescribable chill swept through the hearts of every Chinese warrior. This was not the despair of defeat, but the final dignity of a civilization facing utter annihilation, defended in the most extreme way—to perish together.

The fall and purification of the temple became the final straw that broke the will of resistance of the entire New Poseidon.

Over the next two days, resistance became sporadic and desperate. Some Atlanteans chose to detonate their homes at the last moment, perishing together with the Chinese soldiers who rushed in; many more, like those in white robes, chose to end their lives in despair, or their families sat quietly together and took the poison they had prepared beforehand.

Better to be a shattered jade than a whole tile. This civilization, which had been proud for millennia and had even conquered the Earth's core, chose the most tragic and thorough way to exit the stage after losing all hope.

By the evening of the third day, when the last area was completely under the control of the Chinese army, and reports came through the communication channels that no new organized resistance had been found, and that most civilians had either committed suicide or lost vital signs, the entire Abyss cleanup operation had effectively ended.

China gained complete physical control over the inner Earth at a minimal cost.

However, standing atop the gradually cooling ruins and corpses of New Poseidon, looking at the magnificent, self-destructed buildings and the relatively well-preserved but empty research facilities, no one felt the ecstasy of victory.

This was a victory without prisoners, without spoils, and with little sense of conquest.

The Atlantis civilization, this once glorious but ultimately fanatical subterranean race, used its complete and utter self-destruction to draw an incredibly tragic, yet equally resolute, end to its ten-thousand-year history.

The flag of China was planted at the highest point of the Earth's core continent.