222: Long Stairway to God

Qian Xueming's string of questions left Yang Dian a bit bewildered.

Yang Lele's talent was given a new application by Qian Xueming, from a direction Yang Dian had never considered.

He turned to look at Yang Lele, whose eyes had also become blank.

Seeing her instinctively shake her head, Yang Dian also answered Qian Xueming's question:

"Probably not."

"My sister's ability is probably related to Soul strength. Maybe when her Soul is strong enough, we can expect something."

At this point, Yang Dian formally asked Yang Lele:

"Can you still contract with other targets?"

Yang Lele nodded, then shook her head.

"After contracting Unit-01, my head started to feel swollen, as if a new brain was starting to grow..."

At this, she spat twice:

"No, it's not a new brain growing."

"It's Princess Lele, who is already smart, about to become even smarter."

"Anyway, I can only form a contract with the next target after my head stops feeling swollen."

On the other side, Qian Xueming, having received the answer, sighed with some regret:

"It can't be done?"

"That's a bit of a shame."

"It would be great if she could contract with an artificial intelligence."

As Qian Xueming's voice fell, Yang Dian couldn't help but say:

"Old Qian, perhaps you can build a new supercomputer, and then let Zero connect to it to increase her computing power."

Qian Xueming nodded slightly on the other end:

"For now, that's the only way."

"Help me ask your sister if she's willing to come to our Research Institute?"

Yang Lele shook her head frantically:

"I won't. I want to stay home."

"If she's unwilling, then so be it." Qian Xueming's voice held little discouragement:

"However, Comrade Lele, there might be times in the future when we'll need your help, and Zero's help. Please don't refuse us."

Yang Lele nodded seriously:

"If there's anything you need me for, I'll definitely do my utmost."

After chatting with Qian Xueming for a while, and after Yang Lele exchanged contact information with him and hung up the phone, Yang Lele looked at Yang Dian with anticipation again:

"Brother?"

"I can't do anything with you." After ruffling Yang Lele's head a couple of times, Yang Dian looked at Unit-01:

"Zero, from now on, your primary operator authority belongs to Yang Lele."

Unit-01 brought her legs together and saluted Yang Dian:

"Understood, Comrade Yang Dian."

Then she looked at Yang Lele:

"From now on, I will fight alongside you."

"Yay~" Yang Lele fist-bumped Unit-01, then said with a silly grin:

"Zero, don't you think the name Unit-01 isn't very nice?"

"My brother said Unit-01 is just the model number for your batch of mechs. You're already unique, so I think we should give you a new, pleasant, mighty, and domineering name."

Unit-01's visor flashed blue.

But before she could speak, she heard Yang Lele continue:

"How about changing your name to Queen Lele?"

Unit-01's visor dimmed, as if short-circuiting:

"I think the name Unit-01 is quite nice."

"How is it nice? It's not nice at all!"

"It's Queen Lele!"

"Queen Lele, suit up! Let's take off!"

Unit-01's visor flashed again:

"According to Article 3, Section 4 of the Mech Management Regulations, in non-wartime, a pilot wishing to operate a mech must first pass an assessment."

Yang Lele was stunned:

"Huh? I need to take a test to pilot a mech?..."

...Time flew by, and in a blink of an eye, it was October 26th.

That was the day the Fire Flame Turtle was prophesied to awaken, the volcano to erupt, and the tsunami to rise.

Binhai Volcano Park.

Having confirmed that the tsunami would erupt during the day today, Yang Dian rushed to the park before dawn.

Even earlier than him were Lei Ming, Yue Shan, Old Daoist Qingfeng, and Chen Jie.

He landed and nodded to the four of them, Yang Dian asked with some curiosity:

"Why do I feel like every time something happens, it's always us few who show up?"

Lei Ming smiled a little awkwardly:

"It's just us idle people. Everyone else is busy. If we don't come, who will?"

At this point, Lei Ming exhaled:

"Their not coming is their loss."

"Tsk, a sky-darkening tsunami, what a grand spectacle is that?"

"Aren't you Ancient Cultivators supposed to emulate heaven and earth? Maybe you can comprehend something from it."

Yue Shan gave him a sidelong glance:

"We practice martial arts, we're not immortal Cultivators, and 'emulating heaven and earth'...".

Amidst their casual chat, the sun emerged from the sea and gradually rose high into the sky.

Yang Dian, who was chatting with Lei Ming and Yue Shan, suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

He unlocked it, checked the message, and raised an eyebrow.

"Uncle Yue, Uncle Lei, Uncle Chen, Daoist Master, I have something to attend to. I'll be leaving for a bit..."

...Shortly after, Yang Dian flew to the designated location and landed beside Lin Mo.

"Captain?"

Lin Mo looked at Yang Dian and smiled:

"I know you want to persuade me, but don't."

"This crisis is indeed a bit dangerous for me, but it's also an opportunity."

"I don't know if what I 'saw' is real, or if the inspiration that suddenly burst into my mind is correct."

"But if that situation truly arises, you probably can't handle it. Only I probably can."

Saying that, he took a deep breath and exhaled:

"Perhaps it's as some people say, the trajectory of life is already set."

"My second Awakening ability is water attribute, and I gained the Poseidon Legacy from the Poseidon Relic. Now, natural disaster is about to erupt. This might be fate."

"It's my destiny to be here."

At this point, Lin Mo took out a golden crystal and handed it to Yang Dian:

"This is an inspiration that suddenly came to me after I sorted out the Poseidon Legacy. I don't know if it's correct."

"If an unexpected situation arises later, I will act according to the information recorded inside."

"If the storm does not stop and the tsunami continues, it means my inspiration was wrong, and I failed."

"You help me take care of Ling Ling."

"If the wind stops and the waves cease in the end, it means I succeeded."

"Then you still need to help me take care of Ling Ling, because even if I succeed, I won't be back for three to five years."

With that, Lin Mo patted Yang Dian's shoulder and exhaled:

"I'm leaving."

Seeing Lin Mo about to leave, Yang Dian, who had just accepted the crystal, asked again:

"Captain, what exactly is the unexpected situation?"

"You know we've already relocated the coastal residents. Even if the tsunami sweeps 20 miles inland, it won't cause more casualties, except for those who are fearless and snuck back."

Lin Mo looked back at Yang Dian and smiled:

"You've already guessed, haven't you?"

"According to Earth's Will's guidance, at the same time the tsunami erupts, the wreckage of another world will fall to Earth from a dimensional rift."

"There are viruses or similar things on that planetary debris."

"Ancient Cultivators and Awakened might survive, but ordinary people won't."

"Earth's Will chose me to be that destined person, the savior."

"I also want to experience what it's like to be the protagonist in movies and novels."

At this point, he flicked his shoulders twice:

"Taking on the responsibility for 8 billion humans and countless billions of living beings on Earth by myself feels pretty good."

"No wonder so many people want to be the protagonist."

With that, Lin Mo stepped into the sea.

The previously clear sky suddenly turned gray.

Then dark clouds abruptly appeared, obscuring the sun in the sky, making the world so dark that one couldn't see their hand in front of their face.

Countless lightning bolts then fell from the dark clouds, instantly turning the world into a pale, apocalyptic scene.

Space twisted at the points of lightning strikes, as if a colossal light-and-shadow was faintly discernible behind it.

"Boom~~~"

Another thunderous roar echoed through heaven and earth.

The dark seawater instantly turned crimson, stirring up boundless waves.

Lightning struck the tides, countless bolts of lightning bobbed up and down on the waves, and the sea at this moment became an infinite star ocean.

Lin Mo had walked to the front of the waves at some unknown point and took a step forward.

A staircase formed by seawater rose from the sea, supporting his feet.

Then the wind stopped, the waves ceased, and the thunder quieted.

It was as if Lin Mo had simply stepped down once, suppressing the endless tides, and also suppressing the great sun-like object behind the twisted space that seemed as if it could fall to Earth at any moment.

Yang Dian, withdrawing his Divine Thought from the golden crystal in his hand, looked at Lin Mo's back and felt a moment of trance.

"Stairway to Godhood?"

"The Innate Becoming God Method for shedding mortality and becoming a God?"