539: Chapter 474: Defense Line Theory, a Barrier in the Long River of Civilization

Three days after the wedding, Lin Zhou shut himself in the second floor of the Temple of Civilization—the technology zone. Floating in front of him was a 3D Star Map of the New Universe, three meters in diameter, marking the locations of three thousand nodes. Each node shimmered with a cyan-gold light point; these were the cores of his planned principles of civilization defense line. The Marshal's prophecy echoed repeatedly in his mind: "The principles of civilization can construct the ultimate defense against Guixu. It is not a city wall, nor a shield, but a defense at the level of rules—using the Way of Civilization as the cornerstone, the Hundred Schools of Thought as the pillars, and technology as the bricks and mortar to build an invisible Great Wall."

Li Mo's projection hovered beside the Star Map, his fingers swiping through the void, and data streams brushed past like a waterfall. "Captain, the theoretical model for the principles of civilization defense line has been built. Based on the Order rules left by the Marshal and the rule structure of the river of civilization, I have simulated the effect after the defense line is activated." He called up a set of data and projected it onto the Star Map—a pale golden film of light surrounded the edge of the New Universe, about one kilometer thick and one thousand kilometers high, with countless fine runes flowing on the surface of the light film, each rune being a rule of civilization.

[principles of civilization Defense Line · Theoretical Model]

- Form: Pale golden light film, surrounding the New Universe

- Thickness: One kilometer

- Height: One thousand kilometers

- Number of nodes: 3,000

- Node spacing: Approx. 30,000 kilometers

- Light film runes: Approx. 100 million (approx. 30,000 per node)

- Energy: Fire of Civilization (3,000 seeds of civilization)

- Connection: essence of order (1,000 units per node)

- Theoretical effect: Guixu erosion speed -90%

Ninety percent. Lin Zhou stared at that number, silent for a moment. This meant that if the Sea of Nothingness from the Gate of Guixu eroded the New Universe at a speed of one thousand kilometers per hour, the principles of civilization defense line could reduce the speed to one hundred kilometers per hour. The New Universe was about one million kilometers in diameter, so at this speed, complete erosion would take ten thousand hours, or about four hundred and seventeen days. More than a year was enough time for the Human Race to evacuate or find a new method of resistance.

But this was a theoretical value; the actual effect depended on the stability of the nodes, the will of the guardians, and the brightness of the Fire of Civilization.

"Li Mo, where is the weakness of the defense line in the simulation?"

Li Mo zoomed in on a node in the Star Map. "At the connection points between nodes. The rule connection between two seeds of civilization has a strength of only sixty percent of the node itself. If guixu energy concentrates and breaks through at the connection points, the defense line might be torn apart."

"Strengthen the connections."

"It will require more essence of order. Adding one hundred units per connection, three thousand connections will require three hundred thousand units. Our current reserve of essence of order is only eighty thousand units."

Lin Zhou fell silent. Less than a month had passed in the three-year preparation period, and the accumulation speed of essence of order was far from enough. A new source was needed.

"Captain, there is one more thing." Li Mo called up another set of data. "The energy consumption of the principles of civilization defense line is not just the seeds of civilization. After the defense line is activated, it will consume essence of order every moment. The rate of consumption depends on the intensity of the Guixu erosion. If the Gate of Guixu opens completely and the Sea of Nothingness pours in, the consumption speed will reach one thousand units per hour."

Eight million seven hundred and sixty thousand units per year. Lin Zhou's pupils contracted sharply.

"Captain, our essence of order reserves cannot last ten days."

Lin Zhou walked out of the temple and stood on the Wall of Heroes. Golden Scale poked its head out from the Divine Kingdom, the dragon's roar filled with unease. Su Yueyao walked over, moonlight flowing around her.

"Captain, I have seen Li Mo's simulation data. The principles of civilization defense line requires massive amounts of essence of order, and we don't have enough."

"Therefore, we cannot rely solely on essence of order." Lin Zhou turned around, looking at the fifty thousand soldiers below the city wall. "The core of the principles of civilization defense line is not essence of order, but people. Three thousand node guardians—each person is a mobile defense line. Wherever they go, the Fire of Civilization burns. essence of order is just material; people are the Foundation."

"Human will is more enduring than essence of order. Human belief is more firm than guixu energy. Human existence is more real than the Sea of Nothingness."

He walked down the city wall and summoned the entire army.

On the drill ground of the Iron Wall Fortress, fifty thousand soldiers were arrayed. Wang Meng stood at the very front, a battle axe on his shoulder. Qin Qing held the Heavenly Constitution Treasure Seal, Lei Zhan held his shield, and Iron Face was expressionless. Su Yueyao stood beside Lin Zhou, moonlight intertwining with the Fire of Civilization. Golden Scale coiled above the drill ground, its dragon head lowered.

"Brothers, the theoretical model for the principles of civilization defense line has been completed." Lin Zhou's voice was not loud, but it reached every soldier clearly. "After the defense line is activated, it can reduce the speed of Guixu erosion by ninety percent. But the cost is—massive amounts of essence of order."

"We do not have that much essence of order. Therefore, we need another type of energy."

He raised his right hand, the Fire of Civilization burning in his palm.

"Human will. Human belief. Human existence."

"Three thousand node guardians—each person will integrate their own Fire of Civilization into the defense line. Their will is the energy of the defense line. Their belief is the bricks and mortar of the defense line. Their existence is the Foundation of the defense line."

"This is not an Order. This is a request."

The drill ground was silent for a moment. Then Wang Meng raised his battle axe.

"Captain, I will be a guardian!"

"I will!" Qin Qing raised the Heavenly Constitution Treasure Seal.

"I will!" Lei Zhan raised his shield.

"I will!" Iron Face raised the Fire of Justice.

Su Yueyao did not speak, simply pouring her moonlight into Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization.

"I will!" Fifty thousand people roared in unison.

Lin Zhou looked at that sea of fire, his eyes slightly red. "Not fifty thousand people. It is three thousand people. The principles of civilization defense line only needs three thousand nodes, three thousand guardians. The others will be responsible for support."

He walked up to Wang Meng. "You will guard the first node. The position directly facing the Gate of Guixu."

Wang Meng was stunned for a moment. "Captain, isn't that your position?"

"No. My position is in the center. The position directly facing the Gate of Guixu needs the strongest fire to illuminate it. Your Fire of Courage is better suited for it than mine." Lin Zhou placed a golden crystal into Wang Meng's palm—it was a seed of the Fire of Civilization, a special fire seed enlightened by the Civilization: Education divine post, which could fuse with Wang Meng's Fire of Courage.

[Fire of Courage · Gifted to Wang Meng]

- Source: Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization + Civilization: Education divine post

- Quality: Legendary

- Characteristic: After fusing with the Fire of Courage, it can trigger the "Fight to the Death, No Retreat" Domain

- Effect: Friendly forces within range +100% to all attributes, immune to fear

Wang Meng gripped the crystal, and it melted into his palm. His Fire of Courage changed from red to an interweaving of cyan-gold and red, and a war banner appeared in the flames—"Fight to the Death, No Retreat."

Wang Meng knelt on one knee. "Captain, while the node exists, I exist. If the node falls, I fall."

Lin Zhou helped him up. "Not fall, but guard. Guard until the last moment, waiting for reinforcements."

Lin Zhou walked to Qin Qing. "You will guard the second node. The Net of Order needs your Law to maintain it."

Qin Qing nodded, taking the seed of civilization. Her Fire of Justice fused with the seed, turning into an interweaving of cyan-gold and gold. The Heavenly Constitution Treasure Seal glowed, and a line of small text appeared under the seal script "Heavenly Constitution"—"Order Eternal."

[Fire of Justice · Gifted to Qin Qing]

- Source: Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization + Civilization: Law divine post

- Quality: Legendary

- Characteristic: After fusing with the Fire of Justice, it can unfold the "Net of Order"

- Effect: Rule stability within range +100%, guixu energy concentration -50%

Lin Zhou walked to Lei Zhan. "You will guard the third node. The shield wall needs your defense."

Lei Zhan took the seed, his Iron Will fusing with it, turning into an interweaving of cyan-gold and silver-white. The defensive runes on his shield evolved, changing from "Steel Bastion" to "Civilization Bastion"—capable of withstanding a full-force strike from high-tier divine power.

[Fire of Steel · Gifted to Lei Zhan]

- Source: Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization + Bingge Cave combat rule fragments

- Quality: Legendary

- Characteristic: After fusing with the Iron Will, it can unfold the "Civilization Bastion"

- Effect: Defensive power of friendly forces within range +100%, immune to Guixu erosion

Lin Zhou walked to Iron Face. "You will guard the fourth node. Existence determination needs your Fire of Justice."

Iron Face took the seed, his Fire of Justice fusing with it, turning into an interweaving of cyan-gold and white. The determination range of the Fire of Justice expanded from single-target to group, capable of performing existence determination on one hundred units simultaneously.

[Fire of Justice · Gifted to Iron Face]

- Source: Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization + Inspectorate Justice divine post

- Quality: Legendary

- Characteristic: After fusing with the Fire of Justice, it can perform "Group Existence Determination"

- Effect: Enemy presence within range drops by 5% per second

Lin Zhou walked to Su Yueyao. "You will guard the central node. Moonlight needs to illuminate the entire defense line."

Su Yueyao looked at him, silent for a moment. "Captain, what about you?"

"My node is outside the defense line. When the Gate of Guixu arrives again, I will be in front of the gate, blocking the Sea of Nothingness."

Su Yueyao's eyes turned red. "You promised me you wouldn't die."

"I won't die. The Fire of Civilization will not go out." Lin Zhou placed the last seed into her palm—it was a wisp of Origin Fire he had stripped from his own godhead core, which, after fusing with the moonlight, could release an enhanced version of the "Taiyin Purifying Divine Light."

[Fire of Moonlight · Gifted to Su Yueyao]

- Source: Lin Zhou's godhead Origin + Civilization: Education divine post

- Quality: Legendary+

- Characteristic: After fusing with the moonlight, it can release "Taiyin Purifying Divine Light · Civilization Edition"

- Effect: Damage to Guixu faction +10,000%, range diameter of one thousand kilometers

Su Yueyao gripped the seed, and it melted into her palm. Her moonlight changed from silver-white to an interweaving of cyan-gold and silver-white, and a full moon appeared in the flames—a projection of Taiyin Star. Moonlight spirits flew out from the Divine Kingdom, dancing around Su Yueyao with crisp laughter.

The distribution of fire seeds for fifty thousand people lasted for three days and three nights. Lin Zhou lowered the water level of the river of civilization from eighty-five percent to sixty percent, and his godhead integrity dropped from eighty percent to seventy percent. But his eyes remained bright.

On the evening of the third day, the last soldier received a fire seed. Fifty thousand people had all received the strengthening of the Fire of Civilization. Their godhead Ranks had not increased, but their Fire of Civilization was brighter, and their will was firmer.

Lin Zhou stood on the Wall of Heroes, looking at the sea of fire. "Brothers, from today on, the Civilization Guardian Legion is the principles of civilization defense line. Each of you is a mobile fortress. Wherever you go, the Way of Civilization spreads. Your fire is the barrier of the New Universe."

"Three years later, the Gate of Guixu will arrive again. The Sea of Nothingness will surge into the New Universe. But the New Universe will not fall. Because we are here."

"Civilization Eternal!" Fifty thousand people roared in unison.

Golden Scale's dragon roar echoed in the void, the Firewood Sword on the Wall of Heroes hummed simultaneously, and the gaze of the Marshal's statue looked toward the direction of the New Universe. The theory of the principles of civilization defense line was complete; what followed was three years of building the wall. Three thousand nodes, three million units of essence of order, three thousand guardians. Each item was a massive project, but Lin Zhou knew they could do it. Because they were not one person.

Su Yueyao walked to his side and held his hand. "Captain, three years from now, I will stand with you in front of the Gate of Guixu."

Lin Zhou looked at her and was silent for a moment. "Okay."

The two stood side by side on the Wall of Heroes, watching the direction of the New Universe. The Fire of Civilization of one hundred thousand towns was like a sea of stars in the night sky. While the fire remains, the people remain. Civilization Eternal.