448: Chapter 383: Emergency Evacuation, Scroll Carries People to Escape Through the Sky

The grass of the New Universe was soft and warm, its green blades swaying in the breeze, emitting a light fragrance. The sky was crystal blue, with a few white clouds drifting leisurely. In the distance, mountains rose and fell, forests were lush, and rivers meandered. There was no erosion from Chaos energy here, no threat from Guixu, only pure Order and tranquility.

But Lin Zhou had no time to admire it.

He stood before the Light Gate, looking at the old Universe reflected within it. There, the gray-white mist was receding at a speed visible to the naked eye, replaced by an absolute, all-consuming darkness. The erosion speed of Guixu was faster than expected—fifteen kilometers per hour instead of twelve. The shield integrity had already dropped from 100% to 70%, and it was accelerating in its decline.

[Guixu Erosion · Latest Data (Observed through the Light Gate)]

Erosion Speed: Fifteen kilometers per hour

Shield Integrity: 70% (continuously declining)

Estimated Shield Collapse Time: About ten days

Number of Guixu Projections: About five hundred (and continuously increasing)

Status of "Zhen": Stable, but the suppression range is being compressed

"Captain, the shield won't hold for much longer." Qin Qing stood beside him, her expression solemn. "We must go back as soon as possible to bring the others over."

"I know," Lin Zhou said. "But the Light Gate can only be entered, not exited. Entering is easy, but coming out is difficult."

"Then what should we do?"

Lin Zhou was silent.

He turned and looked toward the lands of the New Universe. Here, there was enough space, enough resources, and enough Order. But there were not enough people. Of the five thousand soldiers of the Civilization Guardian Legion, fewer than a thousand had entered. The remaining four thousand were still in the old Universe, still at "Zhen," still waiting.

"Wen Yuan, is there a way to reverse open the Light Gate?"

Wen Yuan pushed up his glasses, calculating quickly: "Theoretically, yes. But it requires a massive amount of Divine Power—at least one million points. Moreover, it needs the Fire of Civilization as the key and Guixu energy as fuel."

"One million points..." Lin Zhou frowned. His Divine Power reserve was only five hundred thousand points. Not enough.

"Then we go back first," he said. "Taking those who have already entered, we go back to get the others."

"But if those who have entered go back out, they will be contaminated by Guixu energy..."

"We can't worry about that now," Lin Zhou interrupted him. "Contamination can be purified; if people die, they are gone."

He turned to look at the soldiers who had already entered the New Universe.

"Brothers, we are going back."

"Going back to get our comrades."

"Are you willing to go back with me?"

Everyone was silent for a moment, and then they responded in unison: "We are willing!"

Lin Zhou nodded.

He walked to the Light Gate and raised his hand, a transparent Fire of Civilization condensing in his palm.

"Fire of Civilization — Reverse Opening!"

The flames shot into the Light Gate, and the light within the gate began to flow backward.

[Light Gate · Reverse Opening]

Opening Method: Fire of Civilization key

Consumption: 10,000 Divine Power per minute

Reverse Channel Stability: 70%

Estimated Maintenance Time: About one hour

A reverse channel appeared within the Light Gate. The other end of the channel was the old Universe—the gray-white mist, the surging Chaos energy, and the darkness of Guixu.

Lin Zhou was the first to step into the channel.

Behind him, Qin Qing, Wang Meng, Tie Xiong, Wen Yuan, Qin Shuang, Xu, Shou, and the thousand soldiers followed closely.

Within the channel, light flowed backward, time distorted, and space folded. Lin Zhou felt his body being pulled, his Godhead enduring pressure, and the river of civilization fluctuating violently.

[Reverse Channel · Passing through]

Number of People Passing: About one thousand

Channel Stability: 70%...65%...60%...

Estimated Arrival Time: About thirty minutes

Lin Zhou's Divine Power Consumption: 10,000 per minute

Thirty minutes later.

They returned to the old Universe.

Before them was an apocalyptic scene.

The gray-white mist had mostly receded, replaced by absolute darkness—the darkness of Guixu. Wherever the darkness passed, all existence turned into nothingness. No sound, no light, no rules, no time. Only "Nothingness."

[old Universe · Status (Observed through the Light Gate)]

Guixu Erosion Range: About five thousand kilometers in diameter (continuously expanding)

Suppression Range of "Zhen": Compressed to three thousand kilometers in diameter (originally five thousand kilometers)

Shield Integrity: 50%

Estimated Shield Collapse: About five days

Remaining Members of the Civilization Guardian Legion: About four thousand (trapped in "Zhen")

"Captain, the shield is about to fail!" Wen Yuan cried out.

"I know." Lin Zhou gritted his teeth. "Everyone, return to 'Zhen' at full speed!"

The team sped toward the direction of "Zhen."

Five thousand kilometers, under the erosion of Guixu, every step was fraught with danger. Darkness was closing in, rules were collapsing, and time was twisting. Lin Zhou unfolded his Civilization Projection, enveloping everyone within it.

[Civilization Projection · Unfolded]

Coverage Range: One hundred kilometers in diameter

Consumption: 10,000 Divine Power per minute

Effect: Resist Guixu Erosion, stabilize rules

Current Divine Power Reserve: 400,000 (from 500,000)

One day later.

The team returned to "Zhen."

The Bronze Giant Hall still stood. The character "Zhen" on the hall doors was still glowing, but the light had dimmed considerably. The Guixu Energy Cannons on the plaza were still firing automatically, but their barrels were glowing red, threatening to overheat at any moment. The shield's light canopy was covered in cracks, ready to shatter at any time.

["Zhen" · Status]

Shield Integrity: 30%

Suppression Range: Two thousand kilometers in diameter (continuously shrinking)

Guixu Energy Cannons: Ten units, five have stopped due to overheating

Remaining Members of the Civilization Guardian Legion: About four thousand (concentrated inside the hall)

Lin Zhou rushed into the hall.

Four thousand soldiers stood in formation. Their faces were etched with exhaustion, but their eyes remained resolute.

"Legion Commander!" they shouted in unison.

Lin Zhou looked at them, his eyes reddening slightly.

"Brothers, I've come to get you."

He turned to look outside the hall.

In the darkness, Guixu was closing in. The cracks on the shield's light canopy grew more numerous and deeper.

"Everyone, prepare to evacuate."

"Target — New Universe."

"Yes!"

The four thousand soldiers, under the cover of the Stone Statue Guardians, moved toward the direction of the Light Gate.

Lin Zhou walked at the rear of the formation, zhan nian sword in hand and green lotus sword at his waist. The river of civilization flowed around him, and the Civilization Projection burned above his head.

[Evacuation Team · Data]

Total People: About five thousand (one thousand already in the New Universe + four thousand evacuating)

Stone Statue Guardians: One thousand one hundred units

Distance to Light Gate: About five thousand kilometers

Estimated Arrival: About five days

Remaining Shield Time: About five days

Five days felt like five years.

The team trudged through the darkness. The erosion of Guixu grew more severe, and the shield's light canopy grew dimmer. Every day, soldiers were contaminated by Guixu energy, and every day, Stone Statue Guardians fell.

[Evacuation · Daily Losses]

Day 1: 30 people contaminated, 10 stone statues lost

Day 2: 50 people contaminated, 20 stone statues lost

Day 3: 80 people contaminated, 30 stone statues lost

Day 4: 120 people contaminated, 50 stone statues lost

Day 5: 200 people contaminated, 80 stone statues lost

The fifth day.

The team reached the front of the Light Gate.

At that moment, the shield completely collapsed.

The light canopy shattered, and the darkness of Guixu surged in.

"Quick! Into the Light Gate!" Lin Zhou roared.

The soldiers filed in, rushing into the Light Gate.

Wang Meng, Tie Xiong, Wen Yuan, Qin Shuang, Xu, Shou... one after another, they disappeared into the Light Gate.

Finally, only Lin Zhou remained.

He stood before the Light Gate, looking at the darkness behind him.

In the darkness, Guixu was roaring, swallowing, and erasing everything.

He saw "Zhen."

The Bronze Giant Hall was like an isolated island in the darkness of Guixu. The character "Zhen" on the hall doors was still glowing, but the light was as weak as a candle flame.

"Zhen, I'm sorry," he whispered.

The character "Zhen" flashed slightly, as if responding: It's okay.

Lin Zhou turned and stepped into the Light Gate.

Behind him, the darkness swallowed "Zhen."

The Bronze Giant Hall collapsed within Guixu. The character "Zhen" on the hall doors flickered one last time and then went out.

["Zhen" · Status]

Suppression Range: 0

Shield: Collapsed

Guixu Energy Cannons: All stopped

civilization stele: Swallowed by Guixu

The Transcendent Star Map: Taken by Lin Zhou (merged into Divine Kingdom)

Inside the Light Gate, Lin Zhou looked back.

He saw the entire Chaos Star Domain, like a pencil drawing being erased by an eraser, starting to disappear from the edges. It wasn't a collapse or an explosion, but an erasure—as if it had never existed.

The gray-white mist, Chaos Beasts, Guixu Projections, the Bronze Giant Hall, Shushan, Yindu... everything, all of it, turned into nothingness in the darkness of Guixu.

[Chaos Star Domain · Status]

Percentage Swallowed by Guixu: 90%...95%...100%

Remnants: None

Tears welled up in Lin Zhou's eyes.

Not out of sadness, but—a farewell.

"Farewell, old Universe."

He turned and walked toward the depths of the Light Gate.

Within the Light Gate, the light of the New Universe was summoning him.

Warm and bright.

[Light Gate · Passing through]

Number of People Passed: About five thousand

Channel Stability: 100% (stabilized after reverse opening)

Estimated Arrival: About ten minutes

Ten minutes later.

Lin Zhou stepped out of the Light Gate of the New Universe.

Beneath his feet was the green grass. Above his head was the blue sky. In the distance, five thousand soldiers stood in formation, waiting for him.

"Captain!" Qin Qing rushed over and supported him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Lin Zhou shook his head. "Just... a little tired."

He looked at the sky of the New Universe, silent for a long time.

"Captain, 'Zhen' is gone," Qin Qing said softly.

"I know," Lin Zhou said. "But civilization still remains."

He turned and looked at the soldiers.

"Brothers, from today on, this place is our new home."

"We will build a new civilization here."

"No Guixu, no Chaos, only Order."

"Are you willing to join me?"

"We are willing!" the five thousand people responded in unison.

Lin Zhou nodded.

"Good."

He walked toward the depths of the New Universe.

Behind him, the wind of the New Universe blew across the green grass.