174: Chapter 174 Sea and Sky Fortresses Combined, Black Mist Undergoes a Strange Change!

The hatch of the City Lord Tower's second floor closed.

The cheering outside was blocked by the soundproofing layer, leaving only Yi Chang's rapid breathing.

Chen Chen half-held her and placed her on the edge of the bed. As soon as her feet touched the ground, her knees went weak.

Having held on for too long at the South Gate, with half a snake tail forcibly manifested and then retracted, her stamina had long been drained.

Her black OL uniform was torn beyond recognition, the shirt collar skewed to one side, and the side of her hip-hugging skirt had a long tear, revealing pale silver fine scales on the outside of her thighs.

Those scale patterns were still gently undulating.

Chen Chen lowered his head and took a look.

"Can you still stand?"

Yi Chang bit her lip, the moisture in her ice-blue vertical pupils not yet dissipated, but she still braced herself to reply.

"Yes."

The next second, her ankle twisted, and she crashed directly into Chen Chen's arms.

Chen Chen clasped her waist with one hand.

The high temperature brought by his 197 constitution pressed against her, and Yi Chang's body trembled noticeably.

The instincts of a cold-blooded race were much more honest than her mouth.

She pressed her hands against Chen Chen's chest, wanting to push him away, but as soon as her palms touched those scalding muscles, they uncontrollably gripped tight.

"Lord..."

"You were quite fierce at the South Gate just now."

Chen Chen lowered his head, his palm sliding down her waist, stopping at the faint silver scales.

Yi Chang's breathing became chaotic.

"That was my duty."

"And now?"

She raised her face, her voice lowered.

"Now... it is too."

Chen Chen didn't give her another chance to act tough and pressed her back onto the bed.

Yi Chang's hands were pinned; she struggled once but couldn't break free.

That bit of strength didn't even count as resistance to Chen Chen.

She was a bit annoyed.

"Can't you be a little gentler?"

"You said in front of thousands of people just now that the city was not in chaos."

Chen Chen leaned down.

"I am fulfilling the reward."

Yi Chang's throat rolled gently; she wanted to retort but finally just turned her head away.

"Then... don't break me."

Chen Chen paused for half a second.

"The fusion chamber is on the third floor."

Yi Chang was stunned, then became so angry that her voice cracked.

"Chen Chen!"

Outside.

First floor of the City Lord Tower.

Shen Wanxing was huddled on the sofa holding a blanket, having just washed her hands three times; her fingertips still carried the faint scent of detergent.

She heard the soundproofing light on the second floor turn on and immediately pulled the blanket up to her nose.

"I knew it..."

Su Xiaoqi was gnawing on a Tier 5 meat steak, looked up, and blinked.

"Is Big Sister upgrading again?"

Shen Wanxing's face turned red instantly.

"Don't ask me!"

Jiang Yanxue was leaning against the weapon rack, wiping her blade. Hearing the commotion upstairs, she gave a short laugh.

"The Snake Scale Tribe's deputy city lord has a very stiff mouth. I bet she can't stay stiff now."

Blood Rose leaned against the bar counter, her red hair draped down, lazily swirling her glass.

"It's already impressive that a cold-blooded type has managed to hold out this long against a furnace like Chen Chen."

Jiang Jiuyou sat in front of the sub-command console, her silver-white low ponytail hanging behind her shoulder.

She had been organizing the city defense loss table, but upon hearing this, the tip of her pen paused.

"You know a lot about this?"

Blood Rose laughed brazenly.

"Of course I know. Commander Jiang knows too, right?"

Jiang Jiuyou raised her sidearm; she didn't aim it at her, just spun it around her fingertip.

"Want to test my aim tonight?"

Blood Rose immediately raised her glass.

"Just joking, don't take it seriously."

Shen Wanbing looked up from the data console, the blue light of her concentration ice heart necklace set to low frequency.

"Everyone, be quiet. The Tier 5 corpse materials haven't been fully counted, and the repair plan for the Sea Scale hasn't been decided yet."

Jiang Yanxue sheathed her blade.

"Are you really completely unaffected?"

Shen Wanbing continued tapping on the panel.

"Being affected doesn't stop me from calculating."

Shen Wanxing muttered quietly.

"Big Sister, your ears are red."

Shen Wanbing's fingertips stopped.

The first floor was briefly silent.

Su Xiaoqi chewed the meat in her mouth and vaguely added a blow.

"They really are red."

Shen Wanbing expressionlessly adjusted the Radar refresh rate to the maximum.

"Su Xiaoqi, tonight's bone marrow soup is halved."

Su Xiaoqi hugged her bowl on the spot.

"I was wrong!"

Midnight.

A system notification popped up on the second floor.

[Unique SS-grade growth affix: Physical Overlimit triggered.]

[constitution +10.]

[agility +5.]

[Current constitution: 207.]

[Current agility: 98.]

Chen Chen's joints cracked softly, and his skin temperature rose another notch.

Yi Chang leaned against the bed, her whole body softened by the heat wave.

The silver scales on the outside of her thighs began to glow.

First, the edges of the scales faded.

Then, the scale patterns retracted into her skin bit by bit.

Yi Chang let out a muffled groan, her legs tensed, and her insteps arched to the limit.

"My legs..."

Chen Chen pressed down on her lower legs.

"Don't move."

Yi Chang was panting heavily, her vertical pupils contracting and dilating.

The remaining silver-gray scale patterns completely faded away.

The lines of her legs stabilized, and her skin temperature was no longer frighteningly low.

The system notification followed.

[beauty causal relationship deepened.]

[Yi Chang bond level increased.]

[Exclusive affix: City Construction Fanatic has undergone a qualitative change.]

[Advanced to: Miracle Creator (Purple).]

[Effect 1: Territory building upgrade speed doubled.]

[Effect 2: All territory buildings automatically gain +15% durability cap.]

[Effect 3: Territory buildings gain slow self-repair ability.]

Chen Chen finished scanning the affix and stopped his palm on Yi Chang's waist.

"Not bad."

Yi Chang was too tired to lift her hand, but hearing these two words, she still braced herself to speak.

"Just... not bad?"

"It's very profitable."

"..."

Yi Chang was so angry she wanted to kick him, but as soon as her leg lifted half an inch, it went soft again.

Chen Chen pulled the blanket over her.

"Sleep."

Yi Chang closed her eyes, her voice much lighter.

"Lord."

"Hmm."

"In the future, don't let Jiang Jiuyou interfere with the city construction permissions at will."

Chen Chen glanced at her.

Even like this, she was still thinking about permissions.

"You two can argue about it yourselves."

Yi Chang was finally satisfied, curled up in the blanket, and added in a low voice.

"I will win."

Next morning.

When Chen Chen arrived at the third-floor expansion bay, Copper Hammer was already waiting at the door with a group of engineering NPCs.

The wreckage of the Sea Scale lay below the Floating City, the broken bow still emitting white smoke.

Mio stood beside the master control interface, maintenance pipelines hanging from behind her shoulders, her expression not very good.

"Let me make this clear first: this ship can move now, but it cannot be dismantled randomly."

Copper Hammer carried a giant wrench and glared at her.

"Do you understand forging?"

Mio raised her mechanical pupils.

"Do you understand nuclear-powered warships?"

Copper Hammer choked.

The gnome Rune Blacksmith hugged the engraving machine and took half a step back.

"You two, don't argue; if it explodes, I can't run fast."

Yi Chang walked in wearing a new black uniform; her steps were still a bit unsteady, but her momentum hadn't dropped.

She slammed the holographic data board onto the table.

"Where are the blueprints for the Floating City dock modification platform?"

Chen Chen took out the SS-grade blueprint from his ring and threw it onto the main console.

Golden patterns unfolded, and the entire expansion bay lit up with construction projections.

[SS-grade Floating City dock modification platform.]

[Can physically anchor large hull to the territory, parallel energy, and perform repairs and upgrades.]

[Target detected: Sea Scale nuclear-powered warship.]

[Territory detected: ghost Floating City.]

[Start fusion modification?]

Shen Wanbing stood by, calculating rapidly.

"Materials are sufficient; use three hundred Tier 5 blood source crystals, forty-two tons of dark silver magnetic storm alloy, six hundred advanced vehicle core, and sea god pollution samples can be used as an adapter."

Copper Hammer's eyelids twitched wildly.

"Six hundred advanced vehicle core? That could buy three Wasteland Inn."

Chen Chen pressed confirm.

"Start working."

Copper Hammer immediately shut up.

"Start! Start immediately!"

Yi Chang took over construction permissions, Mio connected to the Sea Scale master control, and Shen Wanbing was responsible for energy flow monitoring.

All three parties synchronized data.

The next second, the bottom of the Floating City shook.

Twelve dark silver mechanical arms extended from the city's belly and clamped down on the Sea Scale wreckage.

Magnetic tracks unfolded section by section.

The broken hull was forcibly calibrated.

Copper Hammer led people rushing into the lower maintenance platform, his wrench smashing sparks everywhere.

"Don't tilt the left track!"

"Who engraved the rune backwards? Want to send the dock to heaven?"

The gnome jumped on the side.

"That wasn't me! That's the old shrine pattern!"

Mio stared at the Sea Scale structure diagram, speaking rapidly.

"Don't connect the No. 3 power pipeline to the city's main energy; it will backfire!"

Yi Chang immediately changed the order.

"Transfer to the auxiliary ring; the durability cap is covered by the Miracle Creator affix."

Mio paused for a moment.

"Your affix can even cover buildings?"

Yi Chang looked at her.

"Chen Chen gave it to me."

Mio was silent for two seconds.

"Fine, you win."

The modification lasted for a full three hours.

When the last magnetic lock clicked into place, the entire Floating City was enveloped in golden light.

The upper part was the expanded Floating City.

Below, the Sea Scale nuclear-powered warship was locked tightly by mechanical arms and tracks, its broken bow embedded in the dock's main frame, with three main weapon wells facing outward.

The system notification rang throughout the city.

[Sea-air integrated modification completed.]

[Territory form advanced: Sea-air composite fortress.]

[New modules: Floating City dock, naval warfare production line, deep-sea main gun interface, hull automatic repair slot.]

The two thousand people in the city were stunned at first, then burst into cheers.

Iron Wall stood on the city wall, his voice hoarse from shouting.

"Boss is awesome!"

Su Xiaoqi lay on the railing looking down.

"Will we live on the ship from now on?"

Jiang Yanxue carried her blade.

"Accurately speaking, the ship is hanging under our city."

Blood Rose smiled and added.

"Arrogant enough, I like it."

Chen Chen didn't stop.

He took out the SSS-grade Deep Sea Tyrant Heart.

The core was still beating, dark gold patterns spreading in circles.

Everyone around instinctively stepped back.

Shen Wanxing hugged Shen Wanbing's arm.

"This thing looks so fierce."

Shen Wanbing stared at the data, speaking faster.

"Energy level exceeds the existing hub by three times. Once embedded, the Tyrant Totem will undergo a secondary mutation."

Jiang Jiuyou rushed over from the city defense passage, still smelling of gunpowder.

"Risk?"

Shen Wanbing gave the answer.

"It will attract more enemies."

Chen Chen walked toward the energy hub.

"Then let it attract them."

The Deep Sea Tyrant Heart was embedded into the interface.

Boom!

The Tyrant Totem rose from above the city.

The original dark gold human outline became more solid, with a circle of deep-sea patterns appearing behind it.

The oppressive feeling swept across the city.

All members' system panels popped up simultaneously.

[Tyrant Totem reinforcement completed.]

[Experience acquisition multiplier: 400% maintained.]

[New territory passive: Deep Sea Adaptation.]

[Effect: Territory members' action consumption in underwater, humid, and high-pressure environments reduced by 60%.]

[New territory suppression: Tyrant's Pressure.]

[Effect: Within the territory, hostile targets below the Lord's level/tier have all attributes reduced by 20%.]

Many survivors in the city knelt on the spot.

Not because they were pressed down, but because they were too excited.

"My panel has Deep Sea Adaptation!"

"I have it too!"

"We aren't afraid of going into the sea anymore?"

"Following Boss Chen, we can really survive! We can really get stronger!"

The few people who caused trouble at the South Gate last night were tied to pillars, their faces pale.

Watching the whole city cheer and then seeing Chen Chen's back standing before the hub, they didn't even dare to beg for mercy loudly.

Jiang Jiuyou swept a glance at them.

"How to handle them?"

Chen Chen turned around.

"Send them to the dock outer maintenance team."

Iron Wall was stunned.

"Coolies?"

"The most dangerous kind."

Jiang Jiuyou nodded and ordered directly.

"Take them away. Whoever dares to slack off, throw them to feed the Sea Scale pollution cleaning tank."

The few troublemakers' legs went weak on the spot.

The loyalty panel in the city skyrocketed.

Shen Wanbing pulled up the general table.

"Average loyalty of territory members exceeded ninety."

Yi Chang stood beside Chen Chen and let out a soft breath.

"Now, the city can be considered stable."

Just as she finished speaking.

The concentration ice heart necklace suddenly exploded with red light.

Shen Wanbing's expression changed drastically.

She raised her hand sharply and pulled the Radar projection into mid-air.

Along the edge of the entire level-2 map, the black mist wall was compressing.

The speed was frighteningly fast.

"Chen Chen."

Her voice was tight.

"System judges regional difficulty imbalance."

[Regional difficulty adaptive transition triggered.]

[death black mist entered ultimate berserk mode.]

[Map edge shrinkage speed: 50 km/h.]

[Warning: Underground cracks and deep-sea fissures detected infiltrating synchronously.]

On the hologram, it wasn't just the black mist advancing from all sides.

Below the ground, in the seabed cracks, black mist was also rising.

Iron Wall's face turned white.

"This thing can come from below too?"

Mio and the High Priestess rushed into the hub room almost simultaneously.

Mio held a black box data board in her hand.

"Bad news."

The High Priestess followed up.

"There is also news that we can survive."

Chen Chen looked at them.

Mio projected the data into mid-air.

"The Sea Scale black box parsed the coordinates of the Deep Sea Royal Court's core treasury."

The High Priestess pointed to the center of the coordinates.

"There is something inside called the Sea-Stabilizing Needle."

Shen Wanbing immediately searched.

"Pseudo-artifact fragment?"

Mio nodded.

"Yes. It can pin down space and sea areas, propping up the black mist infiltration. As long as we get it, the Floating City can establish an absolute safe zone."

Jiang Jiuyou looked at the Radar and suddenly spoke.

"There is more trouble."

Shen Wanbing simultaneously zoomed in on the outer scan.

From three directions, dense vehicle signals were approaching the Floating City.

Each group exceeded ten thousand people.

The public channel was full of noise.

"Ahead is Chen Chen's city!"

"The black mist is coming! If you don't want to die, rush in!"

"They have shields, ships, and resources!"

"Seize the city! Seize the women! Seize a way to live!"

Iron Wall gripped his weapon.

"Is this the other three major alliances?"

Shen Wanbing nodded.

"The black mist drove them over."

Jiang Jiuyou drew her sidearm, her ice-blue pupils suppressing fire.

"They brought heavy artillery and will enter firing range soon."

The red light of Level 1 combat readiness lit up from the city wall all the way to the City Lord Tower.

Above the Floating City, the Tyrant Totem pressed down with dark gold light.

Below the city, the Sea Scale wreckage was held by twelve mechanical arms, and the three main weapon wells were still cooling down.

The black mist advanced from the edge of the map.

The underground cracks were also emitting black smoke.

On the outer Radar, three massive vehicle groups were approaching.

The survivors in the city who had just eaten the Tier 5 experience light rain were still excited, but after seeing the red dots on the holographic screen, all the excitement vanished.

Iron Wall stood on the city wall, his voice hoarse.

"Twenty thousand vehicle signals in the north!"

"Even more in the west!"

"There are also some in the southeast!"

Jiang Jiuyou stood in front of the fourth-floor sub-command console, her silver-white low ponytail already half-loosened.

She hadn't closed her eyes for thirty consecutive hours.

The Sea Scale auxiliary gun array, the Floating City firepower network, the Ghost Fortress Fleet Link, and the outer patrol vehicles—all permissions were pressed onto her side.

The adjutant handed her a cup of water.

"South Gate No. 3 turret reconnected to power."

"Do not integrate the Sea Scale port-side auxiliary gun into the automatic fire control; that pipeline was just repaired, and overloading it will cause an explosion."

"Iron Wall, don't let the new formation get too close; the black mist isn't a monster; it disappears if you get close."

Iron Wall responded at the top of his lungs over the communication.

"Received!"

The next second, the adjutant reported urgently.

"Commander Jiang, there is unrest among the newly incorporated survivors in the outer circle; some people say they want to open the gates and let the three major alliances in!"

Jiang Jiuyou's fingertips paused.

She closed her eyes, suppressing the surging dizziness.

"Where is Yi Chang?"

"Suppressing at the South Gate."

"Send Jiang Yanxue over."

"Yes!"

Just as the adjutant turned around, the Pilot Tower door opened.

Chen Chen walked in carrying a bowl of high-tier bone marrow soup.

The adjutants in the tower immediately stood straight.

"Lord!"

Chen Chen glanced at the data on the console.

Shield energy replenishment 72%.

Sea Scale main gun pipeline cooling 64%.

The three major alliances were ten kilometers from the boundary, seven minutes left.

He placed the soup bowl by Jiang Jiuyou's hand.

"Everyone out."

The adjutants looked at each other, no one dared to ask more, and they left quickly.