455: Chapter 452 The Sudden Attack.

[Real World]

Lu Jianchuan held his phone, hesitating for a few seconds before dialing that familiar number.

The phone rang a few times before someone picked up on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Mom, it's me."

There was a second of silence from the other side, followed by a burst of laughter.

"Oh my, you usually don't call, and now you're calling back?" Lu Jianchuan's mother's voice was teasing. "How long has it been since you last called? To call of your own accord this time, there must be something going on."

Lu Jianchuan's father's voice came from nearby: "Wait, he couldn't have run out of money, could he?"

"Oh my, the pauper is back for a raid!" His mother laughed even louder. "It's over, it's over, the bandit is coming to raid us again!"

Lu Jianchuan's mouth twitched.

"Mom, don't say that," he spoke helplessly. "I have a job now; I'm not short on money."

"Give it a rest," his mother said dismissively. "We've seen it on Douyin; those working outside still spend more than they earn and still end up asking home for money. Just say it, how much do you need?"

Lu Jianchuan took a deep breath.

"I don't want money. I just wanted to ask about our family's past."

It went quiet on the other end for a moment.

"What about it?"

"It's just..." Lu Jianchuan weighed his words carefully, "Did our ancestors ever produce any great figures? Like, someone who became an immortal? Or... something like a Thunder God?"

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds.

"Thunder God?" His mother's voice was filled with confusion. "Wait a moment, I'll go ask your grandfather; he happens to be right here."

There was a rustling sound, and then the sound of footsteps fading away.

After a few minutes, his father's voice came over the phone.

"I asked," he said, his tone a bit complicated. "There actually was one. One of our ancestors served as that... whatever Thunder God."

Lu Jianchuan was stunned for a moment.

"Really?"

"While he was called a Thunder God..." his father paused, "his reputation wasn't very good. Later, he was slain as a Rogue Deity by a Daoist."

Lu Jianchuan was dazed after hearing what was said on the other end.

"Ah, so that's how it is..."

His mother's voice rang out again from the other side.

"When are you coming home to visit?"

Lu Jianchuan snapped back to his senses.

"Uh, I'm currently on a business trip," he said. "I'll be back soon, and I'll definitely come see you then."

"Alright, alright." His mother's voice held a hint of helplessness. "Fine, then are we done? I'm hanging up?"

"Okay."

"Sigh, you child..." his mother muttered. "Fine, hang up then."

The call disconnected.

Lu Jianchuan put his phone in his pocket and stood there in silence for a few seconds.

"So it's actually like this..."

He shook his head and pushed open the door to walk out of the room.

In the corridor, Shen Mingyuan was standing not far away, talking to a staff member. Seeing Lu Jianchuan come out, he waved.

Lu Jianchuan walked over.

"What's up?"

Shen Mingyuan nodded to the staff member, who turned and left. He turned to Lu Jianchuan with a complicated expression on his face.

"The interrogation results are out," he said. "That monkey... it took almost no effort at all; he spilled everything. Just like he said, there wasn't a bit of resistance."

Lu Jianchuan nodded.

"So what's the deal exactly?"

Shen Mingyuan leaned against the wall and began to explain.

"The monkey was right; it's pretty much what we thought. That thing—it's similar to Xiao Hui, but not quite the same."

He paused to organize his thoughts.

"Xiao Hui followed the single-consciousness route, merging everyone's consciousness into his own. But that thing is different; it's a true multi-consciousness entity. It calls itself the 'the collective'—many consciousnesses coexisting within the same shell."

Lu Jianchuan's brow furrowed.

"It's promoting itself by saying it wants to lead all living beings to a 'Heaven of Republican Will'," Shen Mingyuan continued. "The will is indeed republican, but as for the heaven part, I don't know. Currently, some animals have chosen to join it, while others, like that monkey, didn't join and chose to keep living their own lives."

"What about the infection mentioned before?"

"The infection is through a special liquid," Shen Mingyuan said. "By pouring that liquid into an opponent's body, it can activate the opponent's evo factor—regardless of the concentration. Even if they didn't originally meet the evolutionary standard, they can be forcibly activated. Then, a very small-scale modification is performed to connect the modified lifeform to its primary consciousness."

He paused for a moment.

"The connection method is supposedly through electromagnetic waves. After the modification, the controlled person can maintain a connection with it via electromagnetic waves, becoming a part of its multi-consciousness the collective."

After listening to Shen Mingyuan, Lu Jianchuan remained silent for a few seconds.

"He really held nothing back," he said. "He told us all the intel? He didn't leave himself an escape route?"

Shen Mingyuan shrugged.

"Who knows what he's thinking?"

Just as he finished speaking, a staff member walked over quickly, looking quite grim.

"You need to return to your country immediately."

Lu Jianchuan turned to look at the man.

"What happened?"

The staff member took a deep breath and spoke rapidly.

"We've already sent the intelligence back. The first place that 'the collective' wants to control is the city you came from—the one in your country."

Lu Jianchuan's pupils contracted slightly.

"What?"

"According to that monkey's confession, they believe that since you came from there and there are so many powerful Evolvers, they'll start there." The staff member paused. "This is a declaration of war from the New Federation; it's their final counterattack."

He looked at Ye Ouyang.

"They studied Mr. Ye Ouyang's cells and mixed that transformation ability with the liquid. In the next step, they plan to use that city to contaminate the entire world's water supply. All life will be modified into a part of that 'the collective'."

Lu Jianchuan's fist clenched tightly.

"Where is that guy's main body?"

"It's already on its way to that city in your country," the staff member said. "We've already sent the information back; your country should have received it by now. Hurry back."

Lu Jianchuan didn't hesitate and turned to walk toward the door.

"Let's go. Prepare immediately."

The others followed quickly.

Lu Jianchuan and the others boarded the plane. As soon as the hatch closed, the engines began to roar. The plane accelerated, lifted off, and soon left the city on the ground behind.

Inside the cabin, everyone sat in their seats, and the atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Ye Ouyang leaned against the window, watching the clouds pass by, and suddenly sighed.

"I didn't expect it to be so fast," he said. "My upgrade isn't even finished yet, and I have to rush back."

Shen Mingyuan nodded beside him but didn't speak. Lu Jianchuan stared out the window, his brow tightly furrowed.

Wei Ziqing leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed, whether he was asleep or thinking, it was hard to tell.

The plane flew steadily, the hum of the engines filling the entire cabin.

Suddenly—

Boom!

A loud explosion came from above, and the entire plane jolted violently. Everyone sat up straight at once, and several gasps were heard in the cabin.

"What's going on?" Ye Ouyang grabbed the armrest.

There were several more loud bangs—thump, thump, thump—as if something was smashing against the fuselage. The plane began to pitch violently, and the overhead luggage compartment snapped open, with several pieces of luggage sliding out.

The cockpit door was pushed open, and a flight crew member leaned halfway out, his face pale.

"Something has hit the plane! More than one!"

Before he could finish, there were several more loud bangs, and the entire fuselage shook. Outside the window, dark shadows flashed by.

Shen Mingyuan stood up, holding onto a seat to steady himself, and looked out the window.

"New Federation." His voice was deep. "It must be them trying to stop us from going back."