160: Chapter 160 The Beginning of Reality Manifestation

The dawn in Chaos Valley, for the first time, was without the smoke of gunpowder.

Lin Ye stood in the center of the third line of defense.

The 17-meter gap, which Su Qingyue had sealed at the cost of 30% of her HP, had completely melted. Accumulated water flowed slowly along the edge of the defensive line, reflecting countless fragmented, silver-like glimmers in the morning light.

Outside the defensive line, in the direction of the Cangmang Mountains, the sky revealed the clear cobalt blue unique to the Big Dipper Star Field for the first time in 72 hours.

No dust.

No fishy sweetness of evaporating Yao Beast fluids.

No white steam rising from the cooling vents of guardian type iii mecha after 4 hours of continuous particle rifle fire.

Only the wind.

A wind carrying the scent of soil and grass after melting snow, unique to the early spring in the northern border of the Yan State.

— — —

Behind Lin Ye, 171 surviving members—there were 237 seventy-two hours ago—were cleaning the battlefield.

Mecha wreckage was categorized and marked: those with completely destroyed energy cores were marked red for dismantling; those with intact armor structures were marked yellow for repair; those with functional weapon Systems were marked blue for priority recovery.

At least one member from the Mecha Workshop crouched beside each piece of wreckage.

They used plasma cutters to slice open the chest compartments, retrieved the cooled energy core fragments, and placed them into classification recycling bins.

No one spoke.

Only the humming of the cutters and the dull echo of metal fragments falling into the bins could be heard.

— — —

Zhou Tieshan stood at the edge of the wreckage recovery area.

His right arm—the one reinforced with the giant beast's carapace bone plates, which had blocked 17 charges from the Crystal-Armored Giant Rhinoceros during the 72-hour bloody battle, and had withstood 470% load under the third strike of the Blood Altar guardian—was now wrapped in a new bandage that Yun Qianxue had applied with her last half-roll of emergency medical tape.

The bandage was pure white, without any enchantment.

He looked down at his right arm.

3 seconds.

Then he used his left hand—the one that had held the shield for 17 seconds against the Blood Altar guardian, and after the shield collapsed, had held half a piece of wreckage to withstand 3 more strikes—to press gently on the bandage of his right arm.

He didn't make a fist.

He just pressed it.

— — —

Chu Yunxi stood at the edge of the West Tower's base.

The West Tower had been hit head-on by a Crystal-Armored Giant Rhinoceros in the 31st hour of the 72-hour bloody battle, causing the tower to tilt by 17 degrees, and the alloy railings of the observation deck at the top had completely fallen off.

She stood at the edge of the tower base, 17 meters from the ground.

The morning wind blew from the direction of the Cangmang Mountains, lifting the stray hairs on her forehead that had been soaked with sweat and dried into stiff strands.

She held the arrow she had carved from a fragment of the flame feather bow—the arrowhead was chipped, the shaft was cracked, and it was still stained with dark brown dried bodily fluids from when she pulled it out of the Blood Altar guardian's corpse—up to her eyes.

She looked at it for a long time.

Then she put it into the deepest part of her quiver.

— — —

Chen Hao knelt at the feet of the chaos unit no. 1.

The mecha was half-crouched in front of him in a dormant state, its chest compartment open, with scorch marks at the energy core interface from the forced shutdown when the final 3% power was exhausted.

He used his right hand—the one that had gripped the control ball for 2,820 seconds during the 47-hour extreme load test, had withstood 170% recoil when the particle rifle exploded, and had climbed onto its shoulder to insert the energy core fragment during the Blood Altar guardian battle—to gently stroke the sun symbol engraved on the mecha's left shoulder armor, which read "Hao · Heavenly Court's First Mecha."

The metal surface still held residual warmth.

He felt the edge of the sun symbol and found an extremely fine scratch that hadn't been there before.

It was a souvenir left on the armor surface by the debris splashed up by the shockwave of the Blood Altar guardian's third strike.

He didn't try to polish it.

He just pressed his palm onto that scratch.

3 seconds.

Then he stood up.

— — —

Lu Xinghe sat on the steps of the main hall.

His star compass—the one that had been broken into seventeen pieces and glued back together, with a 17% error in optical pathways, 0% spiritual power circuits, and a dial that had stopped turning completely—was placed on his lap.

He didn't look at it.

He looked at the sky.

The pale blue shimmering shield above Chaos Valley, formed by the interaction of the leaking Spiritual Qi from the Spirit Gathering Array and the Eternal Star Domain energy shield generator, had been hit head-on by the giant rhinoceros herd 47 times during the 72-hour bloody battle, the energy core had overloaded 11 times, and the backup generator had automatically switched 3 times.

It was still running.

The pulse frequency had dropped from the standard 1.7 seconds/time to 3.1 seconds/time.

That was a sign that the energy core had 17% of its lifespan remaining.

Lu Xinghe looked at the faintly pulsing blue light shield.

3 seconds.

He lowered his head.

With his finger, he carved the first mark on the back of the star compass—on that blank area where no Formation patterns had ever been carved.

It wasn't a Spirit Gathering Array.

It wasn't a defensive array.

It wasn't any Formation he had learned from the System that was driven by spiritual power.

It was his own.

He hadn't thought of a name for it yet.

— — —

Yun Qianxue stood at the entrance of the temporary medical cabin.

The last seriously injured person in the cabin—the captain of the 47th squad of the Azure Dragon Hall reserve team, Rank 44, whose right tibia had been pierced by the fangs of a Berserk Blood Wolf, and whose surgery was completed only 17 minutes before the start of the Blood Altar annihilation battle—had already woken up.

He lay on a simple army cot, looking at the ceiling of the cabin.

Yun Qianxue didn't look at him.

She looked at the green lotus staff in her hand—the head of the staff was shattered, the shaft was covered in cracks, the Flame of Life inside was completely extinguished, and the three crystal petals at the head of the staff were tied back into place with light cyan embroidery thread.

The bottom of the staff rested against the ground.

The path of healing spell casting on the ground—from the defensive line to the bunker, and from the bunker to the defensive line, traveled 217 times—was completely invisible in the morning light now.

It didn't disappear.

It had been flattened by her footsteps.

— — —

Su Qingyue stood beside Lin Ye.

Her left hand—the one that was empty, the hilt remnant long since placed in the deepest part of her Storage Ring, the hand that had pressed onto the surface of the Blood Altar core shield to forcibly freeze it for 3 seconds during the battle with the Blood Altar guardian—hung naturally at her side.

She looked to the north.

The direction of Purple Mountain.

370 kilometers.

— — —

[System Notification: Yan State Defensive Battle · Chaos Valley Battle]

[Final Battle Report · Day 4 11:47]

[Battle Status: Ended]

[Battle Result: Victory (S Rank)]

[Enemy: Primordial Royal Court · Vampire Council Third Legion / Shi Clan Tribe Seventh Battalion / Servant's 31% Will Projection / Yan State Northern Border Beast Tide Main Force]

[Enemy Commander: Blood Prince (Rank 59 Projection) — Defeated]

[Enemy Losses:]

[1. Vampire Elite Guard: 47 (Wiped out)]

[2. Shi Clan Heavy Guard: 31 (Wiped out)]

[3. Blood Altar Guardian: 1 (Killed)]

[4. Blood Altar Core: 1 (Destroyed)]

[5. Blood Energy Conversion Device: 3 groups (Destroyed)]

[6. Yao Beast Pheromone Amplifier: 7 groups (Paralyzed)]

[7. Berserk Blood Wolf: 9,000 (Wiped out)]

[8. Crystal-Armored Giant Rhinoceros: 4,700 (Dispersed)]

[9. Gold-Devouring Ant: 2,300 (Dispersed)]

[10. Servant's 31% Will Projection: Retreated west, status unknown]

[Our Side: Heavenly Court]

[Our Commander: Night Emperor]

[Our Participation:]

[1. Expedition Members: 8]

[2. Remaining Troops: 237 → 171 (66 fallen)]

[3. guardian type iii mecha (First Batch): 3,000 → 1,530 (1,470 battle damage)]

[4. guardian type iii Command Mecha (Second Batch): 47 → 0 (Total loss)]

[5. chaos unit no. 1: 1 → 1 (Energy core dormant / Right arm weapon destroyed)]

[Our Losses:]

[1. Fallen: 66]

[2. Seriously injured: 43 (Out of life danger)]

[3. Lightly injured: 128]

[4. Mecha total loss: 1,517]

[5. Mecha repairable: approx. 470]

[6. chaos unit no. 1: Awaiting repair]

[7. Material consumption: 97%]

[Battle rewards calculating...]

[Faction Reputation: +500,000]

[Faction Ranking: 4th → 3rd]

[World Announcement generating...]

— — —

[World Announcement —!!!]

The golden System text, in an unprecedented bold, enlarged, and highlighted font, exploded simultaneously in the center of every online player's vision.

Not the Big Dipper Star Field channel.

Not the Eternal Star Domain channel.

It was server-wide.

[World Announcement: Large-scale battle "Yan State Defensive Battle · Chaos Valley Battle" has officially ended!]

[Battle Result: Heavenly Court · Victory (S Rank)]

[Battle Significance:]

[1. Successfully resisted the million-level beast tide instigated by the Primordial Royal Court]

[2. Destroyed the Primordial Royal Court's Yan State frontline command node "Blood Altar"]

[3. Killed Blood Altar Guardian (Rank 65 Elite) × 1]

[4. Defeated Blood Prince Projection (Rank 59) × 1]

[5. Seized key plot item "blood emperor essence blood" × 1]

[6. Forced the Primordial Royal Court to strategically retreat, Yan State beast tide lifted]

[7. Discovered and confirmed that the prologue of "Dark Turmoil" has started early]

[Battle Rewards:]

[1. Heavenly Court faction members (including peripheral members) gain the title "Yan State Guardian": Reputation +50% in the entire Big Dipper Star Field, damage to Yao Beasts +20%]

[2. Heavenly Court faction leader "Night Emperor" gains the title "Vampire Nemesis": Damage to Vampire players/units +30%, damage taken from Vampire players -15%]

[3. Heavenly Court faction gains one-time special item "Battle Treasure Chest · Legendary" × 3]

[4. Heavenly Court faction reputation +500,000]

[5. Heavenly Court faction ranking increased: 4th → 3rd]

[6. Yan State official garrison and Heavenly Court establish a permanent "Strategic Alliance" relationship]

[7. Unlock subsequent main plot "Purple Mountain · ruthless ones inheritance" "Primal Ancient Mine · Servant's Mystery"]

[8. All server players gain status "Battle Spectator": EXP acquisition +30% within 24 hours]

[Congratulations Heavenly Court.]

[Congratulations Night Emperor.]

[Congratulations.]

— — —

Lin Ye closed the World Announcement.

He looked to the north.

The direction of Purple Mountain.

370 kilometers.

Blood Prince.

Servant.

ruthless ones inheritance.

— — —

He spoke.

His voice was calmer than he expected.

"... 66 people."

The 171 remaining members behind him—237 seventy-two hours ago—did not speak.

But everyone stopped what they were doing.

The cutting guns.

The classification bins.

The maintenance tools.

The stretchers.

The bandages.

Everything was still.

— — —

"Their names," Lin Ye said.

"Engrave them in front of the main hall."

"Not on a Jade Slip."

"On a stone tablet."

"Use that batch of Star-Glow Alloy Type II brought back from the Trial Ancient Star."

He paused.

"Chen Hao."

"Here."

"You carve the inscription."

"Yes."

— — —

[System Notification: You have triggered the construction quest for the faction building "heroic spirit tablet"]

[Construction Materials: Star-Glow Alloy Type II × 500 kg]

[Construction Location: In front of the main gate of Chaos Valley main hall]

[Inscription Content: List of fallen members (continuously updated)]

[Estimated completion time: 72 hours later]

[heroic spirit tablet effects:]

[1. Heavenly Court faction members all stats +3% (Permanent)]

[2. When Heavenly Court faction members die within the Big Dipper Star Field, resurrection time -30%]

[3. Every year on the memorial day for the fallen, all faction members gain status "Heroic Spirit Protection": Damage reduction +20%, lasting 24 hours]

— — —

Lin Ye looked at the notification.

3 seconds.

He closed it.

— — —

[System Notification: Detected that you have been online for 73 hours and 17 minutes consecutively]

[System Suggestion: Log off and rest immediately, your Physical Body is at a critical state of fatigue]

[Forced offline protection will be activated in 15 minutes]

— — —

Lin Ye ignored the notification.

He stood in the center of the third line of defense in Chaos Valley.

The morning light had completely dispersed the dust in the north.

The outline of the Cangmang Mountains clearly emerged at the end of the skyline, with unmelted snow on the ridges, glowing with a cold white light under the cobalt blue sky.

He stood there.

Until the countdown for the 15-minute forced offline protection reached zero.

— — —

[System Notification: Forced offline protection has been activated]

[You will be disconnected in 30 seconds]

[30 seconds]

[29 seconds]

[28 seconds]

— — —

Lin Ye took one last look at Chaos Valley.

The main hall.

Mecha Workshop.

The pilot training camp.

The foundation for the heroic spirit tablet.

The 17-meter gap on the third defensive line—which had been frozen by Su Qingyue for 3 seconds, carved with 47 Formation patterns by Lu Xinghe, and overloaded by him using 47 drops of blood emperor essence blood—was now completely melted, leaving only damp water marks.

He closed his eyes.

— — —

[3 seconds]

[2 seconds]

[1 second]

[0 seconds]

— — —

[You have been disconnected]

[Welcome back to "covering the heavens era" next time]

— — —

Lin Ye opened his eyes.

He lay in the game pod.

On the flexible display screen inside the pod cover, fragments of the System log from the last 3 seconds before logging off remained.

[Neural connection disconnected]

[Consciousness loading into Physical Body...]

[Loading complete]

[Welcome back to the real world]

[Current time: Era Calendar 1972 · Day 324 · 11:47 (Game time) Synchronized mapping]

[Real time: October 7, 2024 · 11:47]

[You have been online consecutively: 73 hours 17 minutes]

[Suggestion: Replenish water, eat, sleep]

— — —

Lin Ye didn't look at the suggestions.

He pushed open the pod cover.

Sat up.

— — —

The rental apartment in the real world was very small.

Seventeen square meters.

A bed, a desk, a chair, a game pod.

On the desk were stacked three unopened boxes of compressed biscuits and bottled water—which he had ordered when he logged off three days ago, and the delivery had been thrown at the door when he entered the Blood Altar battle for the second time, and it remained unopened.

The curtains were drawn.

Outside the window was the overcast sky of Yanjing in October. Lead-gray clouds hung low, filtering the afternoon light into a uniform, shadowless gray-white.

It was very quiet.

No roar of mechas from Chaos Valley.

No screeching of Yao Beasts on the defensive line.

No orange fireballs from the 47 command-type mechas self-destructing on the ruins of the Blood Altar.

Only the faint background music of a popular mobile game from the next room, and the occasional sound of car engines passing on the street below.

---

Lin Ye sat on the edge of the game pod.

He looked at his right hand.

It was an ordinary human hand.

The skin was pale, the knuckles distinct, with thin calluses on the web of his hand—the marks left by four years of holding pens and typing on keyboards in college.

No Chaos markings.

No countdown for a 620% load on his Meridians.

No bloodstains pressed in by a sword hilt.

Just a hand.

---

He made a fist.

No Chaos Divine Power.

No Chaos Heaven Opening.

No Void Step.

Just making a fist.

---

He stood up.

Walked to the desk.

Picked up the bottle of water he had ordered three days ago, still unopened.

Twisted off the cap.

Took three sips.

---

Then he turned around.

Facing the wall—the one that had been directly opposite the game pod since the first day he moved into this rental, covered in the pale blue wallpaper left by the previous tenant.

He raised his right fist.

Not the kind of punch that smashed into its chest armor during the battle with the Blood Altar Guardian.

Not the kind of punch Shi Potian used to hard-clash with the level 70 Ancestor Phantom in the Ninth Trial of the Ancestor Star.

Not the kind of sword attack that used Chaos Heaven Opening to cut through the raging sea of blood at the cost of 47% of his HP.

Just—the most ordinary punch thrown by a 23-year-old youth using all his strength.

---

Boom—!!!

That was not a game special effect.

That was the sound of tearing—the sound of a real, physical world brick structure being hit head-on by kinetic energy 17 times its design limit.

Lin Ye's right fist pierced through the wall.

Not just punched through. It was "pierced through."

From the wallpaper surface to the inside of the brick layer, from the first layer of plaster to the third layer of red bricks, from his knuckles to his wrist—the front half of his entire right arm was submerged inside the wall.

With his fist as the center, the wallpaper radiated 47 fine, radial tear lines.

Wall dust fell down, revealing the red brick layer underneath, shattered into a spiderweb pattern.

The brick in the very center of the brick layer—was completely shattered.

Not cracked. It was pulverized.

Within a circular area about 20 centimeters in diameter, the red brick was pressed into fine powder, mixed with plaster, wallpaper, and the blood seeping from the cut on his hand caused by the brick debris—forming a gray-red paste.

---

Lin Ye pulled his right arm out of the wall.

He looked at his hand.

There was a 3-centimeter scratch on the web of his hand.

Blood slowly dripped along the edge of his palm.

The first drop landed on the floor, making an extremely faint "tap," almost masked by the sound of car engines outside.

The second drop. The third drop.

---

He did not bandage it.

He stood there, looking at the wall.

Looking at the hole in the wall—20 centimeters in diameter, 17 centimeters deep, with edges shattered in a radial pattern.

3 seconds. He walked to the window. Opened the curtains.

---

Yanjing's overcast October sky. Lead-gray clouds. Cars occasionally passing on the street below. Clothes hanging on the balconies of the residential building opposite. The skylight reflected by the glass curtain walls of the CBD in the distance, filtered gray-white by the clouds. Everything was as usual.

---

But Lin Ye knew. It was different.

---

He raised his left hand. Not to make a fist. It was "perception."

The projection of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body in the real world—that wisp of chaos origin source, extremely weak, like a strand of hair, which his consciousness had "brought back" from the virtual neural connection when returning to reality—

Pulsed in his palm. Frequency: 1.7 seconds per beat.

It was perfectly synchronized with the pulse of the game pod's energy core in standby mode. With the melting ice water in the 17-meter gap on the third defensive line of Chaos Valley. With the cooled energy core fragments in the wreckage of the 47 command-type mechas on the ruins of the Blood Altar. With the blood emperor essence blood lying quietly in his game character's Storage Ring.

---

[System Notification: chaos origin source detected in the real world]

[Current activation ratio: 5%]

[Ability realization progress: 5%]

[Realized abilities:]

[1. Physical Body strength: 4.7 times the normal human limit]

[2. Neural reaction speed: 3.2 times the normal human limit]

[3. Chaos Perception: Weak spiritual power fluctuations can be perceived within a 7-meter radius]

[4. Self-healing ability: Epidermal wound healing speed ≈ 7 times that of a normal human]

[5. Power output: Single punch maximum impact force ≈ 1,700 kg]

[Unrealized abilities:]

[1. Chaos Domain (requires >10% realization progress)]

[2. Chaos Heaven Opening (requires >15% realization progress)]

[3. Void Step (requires >20% realization progress)]

[4. Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body complete Legacy (requires >30% realization progress)]

[5. myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo (requires >50% realization progress)]

[Next stage: 10% realization progress unlocks "Global Extraordinary Era · Prologue"]

---

Lin Ye looked at that line of System prompts.

This was not the game interface of "covering the heavens era."

This was—a holographic panel projected directly onto his retina, superimposed with the visual signals of the real world, which only he could see.

[Real World System · First Generation Version]

[Host: Lin Ye]

[Game Character ID: Night Emperor]

[Level mapping: Level 61 (Dragon Transformation Layer 1) → Real comprehensive combat power evaluation: B Rank]

[Current realization progress: 5%]

[Next critical point: 10%]

[Estimated unlock time: 7-30 days (depending on in-game Breakthrough speed)]

---

He closed the panel. Turned around. Walked back to the game pod.

He looked at the silver-white, streamlined game pod, whose standby indicator light was currently pulsing at a frequency of 1.7 seconds per beat.

"covering the heavens era" · Custom Edition.

On the first day the server opened, he bought it with 47,000 yuan from the inheritance left by his parents.

At the time, the seller told him: The upper limit of the neural connection synchronization rate for this game pod is 97%, which is 2% higher than the standard model, suitable for long-term online players.

He didn't tell the seller. He didn't want a 97% synchronization rate. What he wanted was—on the day the boundary between the game and reality blurred, to wake up 0.1 seconds earlier than others.

---

[System Notification: You have a new unread message]

[Sender: Su Qingyue (Real-world communication)]

[Sent time: October 7, 2024 · 11:53]

[Content:]

["Lin Ye."]

["Is there any movement on your side just now?"]

---

Lin Ye looked at the message. 7 seconds. He typed a reply.

["Hmm."]

["A punch."]

["Pierced through the wall."]

---

3 seconds later. Su Qingyue's reply.

["Me too."]

["The refrigerator."]

["Froze and cracked."]

["The door handle of the refrigerator compartment."]

["It broke as soon as I grabbed it."]

---

Lin Ye did not reply. He placed his phone on the desk. Screen facing up. It was lit.

---

He lay back into the game pod. The pod cover closed. Neural connection establishing...

Synchronization rate: 97%.

---

[Welcome back to "covering the heavens era"]

[Current coordinates: Big Dipper Star Field · Yan State · Chaos Valley · Main Hall Third Floor]

[Current time: Era Calendar 1972 · Day 324 · 11:47 (Game Time)]

[You have been offline: 3 seconds]

---

Lin Ye opened his eyes.

The morning light of Chaos Valley slanted in through the east window of the third floor of the Main Hall.

Su Qingyue stood beside him.

Her ice-blue long hair cast a very faint, almost invisible shimmer in the morning light.

She looked out the window. Looking north. The direction of Purple Mountain.

---

"Lin Ye," she said.

"I logged off just now."

"The refrigerator at home."

"The door handle—I crushed it when I grabbed it."

She paused.

"My mother was in the kitchen at the time."

"She saw those ice shards..."

"And didn't say anything."

---

Lin Ye did not speak. He stood beside her.

Outside the window, on the third defensive line of Chaos Valley, 171 remaining members were cleaning up the battlefield.

The hum of plasma cutting guns came from the direction of the Mecha Workshop.

On the foundation of the pilot training camp, the construction team was pouring the last batch of concrete.

In front of the main entrance of the Main Hall, Chen Hao knelt on the ground, using a plasma carving knife to carve the first name onto a piece of Star Brilliance Alloy Type II plate, 2.3 meters long, 1.1 meters wide, and 0.3 meters thick.

[Azure Dragon Hall · Reserve Team · 047 · Chen Chong]

---

"Yanjing," Lin Ye said.

"It's overcast today. I punched through the bedroom wall."

Su Qingyue turned her head. Looked at him. 3 seconds.

"...The landlord will ask you to pay for the damages," she said.

---

Lin Ye did not answer. He looked out the window.

Looking at that Chaos Valley, where all unnecessary sounds had been ground away by the 72-hour bloody battle.

Looking at those figures moving slowly in the morning light.

Looking at that chaos unit no. 1 with its energy core dormant, right arm weapon destroyed, and the sun symbol on the left shoulder armor reflecting cold light.

Looking at the heroic spirit tablet in front of the main entrance of the Main Hall, where the 7th name was being carved.

---

"23 minutes left," Lin Ye said.

"What?"

"The Ten Thousand Races Covenant Arbitration Tribunal. The evidence submission window for the Blood Soul Ring."

He paused.

"Blood Prince planned the beast tide. Violated Article 3, Clause 7 of the Covenant. The evidence is irrefutable."

---

Su Qingyue looked at him.

"Do you want to submit it?"

Lin Ye did not answer immediately. He took the Blood Soul Ring out of his Storage Ring.

The dark red crystal rotated slowly in his palm. In the built-in mission log, the Blood Prince's voice authorization record was still playing in a loop.

["Chaos Valley must be broken."]

["Do not let any Human Race members leave that defensive line alive."]

---

He put it back into his Storage Ring.

"...It's not time yet," he said.

Su Qingyue did not ask why. She just looked at him.

---

"When the Blood Prince's projection was defeated and retreated," Lin Ye said.

"He said he wouldn't lose next time."

"He said, Purple Mountain, ruthless ones inheritance, the remaining 69% of the Master's will."

"He didn't say when. But he must be racing against time."

---

He paused.

"If we submit the evidence now."

"Primordial Royal Court gets sanctioned."

"Blood Prince gets suspended for 30 days. What happens after 30 days?"

"He can still enter Purple Mountain."

"He can still awaken the Master."

"He can still—win back the advantage we gained in Chaos Valley, bit by bit."

---

Su Qingyue was silent. 3 seconds.

"...So," she said.

"We won't submit it. We—"

"Will go directly to Purple Mountain."

---

Lin Ye did not answer. He looked out the window.

Looking north. The direction of Purple Mountain. 370 kilometers.

---

[System Notification: You have triggered the main storyline "Purple Mountain · ruthless ones inheritance"]

[Current stage: Blood Prince has entered the outskirts of the Purple Mountain core area ahead of schedule]

[Recommended strategy time: Within 7 days]

[Recommended team level: ≥ Level 60]

[Recommended team combat power: ≥ 90,000]

[Current squad average level: Level 56]

[Current squad average combat power: 78,000]

[Gap: 12,000]

---

Lin Ye closed that line of prompts. He looked at Su Qingyue.

"72-hour bloody battle. We won. But 66 people are gone."

He paused.

"So. Next time. Purple Mountain. Don't let anyone else be left behind."

---

Su Qingyue looked at him.

Her ice-blue eyes were as calm as a glacier lake that had not thawed for ages.

"...Okay," she said.

---

Outside the window.

The morning light of Chaos Valley brightened.

On the northern skyline, the outline of the vast mountain range was slowly being swallowed by the clouds.

The direction of Purple Mountain. 370 kilometers.

---

[System Notification: You have been online for 73 hours and 20 minutes]

[Detected that the real-world body has entered deep sleep mode]

[Neural connection stability: 100%]

[Recommendation: Continue game]

---

Lin Ye did not close the prompt.

He stood by the window.

Standing in the morning light of the 4th day of Chaos Valley.

Standing on the last page of the second volume.

---

In the distance.

In front of the main entrance of the Main Hall.

Chen Hao's plasma carving knife carved the 17th name on the Star Brilliance Alloy Type II plate.

[Vermilion Bird Hall · Arrow Tower Maintenance Workshop · 017 · Lin Shuang]

---

Further away.

Northern border of Yan State.

Eastern foothills of the vast mountain range.

Ruins of the Blood Altar.

The wreckage of the 47 command-type mechas was still slowly cooling.

The residual heat of the 47 energy core fragments was being carried away by the early October spring mountain breeze.

The 47 final commands sent before self-destruction were still lying quietly at the very bottom of Lin Ye's unread list on his communication terminal.

[47-1972-10-07]

[Content: "Fight the seventh level for us."]

---

Lin Ye pinned that command to the top.

---

[Volume 2 · Big Dipper Contention · First Exploration of Forbidden Areas]

[End]

---

[Volume 3 Preview]

[Ancient Star Road · Ten Thousand Races Contention]

[Real Extraordinary Era · Officially Descends]

[Global Forces · Reshuffling]

[How will Lin Ye lead the Blue Star civilization—]

[Step onto the Ancient Star Road, rule the ages alone.]

---

Outside the window.

The morning light of the 4th day of Chaos Valley.

Finally completely dispersed the dust in the north.