81: Chapter 81 The Gods Retreat? No, It's an Even More Insidious Plot

"Die?"

Behind that crack piercing through heaven and earth, the cold voice faltered for the first time, as if the concept of "death" was something utterly foreign and absurd to it.

Five billion people across the globe, whether through screens or with their own eyes, held their breath and watched the sky with pounding hearts. On one side was the massive stone gate emitting an evil purple light, representing an unknown god; on the other was the hideous silhouette of the Dingyuan-class interstellar destroyer slowly emerging from the clouds, representing the pinnacle of human technology!

At this moment, time seemed to stretch infinitely.

On the viewing platform, Robert of Texas had already collapsed into his chair, paralyzed with fear, mindlessly muttering, "Crazy... Lin Yun has truly gone mad... He’s actually threatening a god..."

However, there wasn't a hint of tension on Lin Yun's face. He simply looked at the gate calmly, with absolute confidence deep within his eyes.

Because just now, a clear line of data had popped up on the system panel in his mind.

[System analyzing... Target: 'Moon Gate' spatial rift. Energy level: B+.]

[Analysis conclusion: This passage is a one-way high-dimensional projection, not a physical manifestation. Its energy output cannot effectively penetrate 'Pangu-class' plasma shielding.]

To put it bluntly, the opponent had merely opened a "screen share" to talk tough; they didn't even dare to send their true body over!

"It seems you aren't prepared to die," Lin Yun's voice rang out again, tinged with a faint trace of mockery. "In that case, crawl back to your dark corner."

As soon as these words were spoken, the world went into an uproar!

However, an even more jaw-dropping scene occurred.

That purple stone gate, which exuded endless divine might, actually began to slowly close after a full ten seconds of silence! The pitch-black crack in the sky began to mend itself along with it.

"We won? Did we win?"

"Heavens! God Lin actually scolded a god into retreating!"

"Long live the Dragon Kingdom! Long live God Lin!"

After a brief, deathly silence in the square, a mountain-toppling wave of cheers erupted! Countless people embraced and wept; the ecstasy of being pulled back from the brink of doomsday was enough to make anyone lose their composure.

On the gate tower, Elder Chen let out a long sigh of relief, only then realizing his back was soaked with cold sweat. He walked to Lin Yun's side and asked in a raspy voice, "Comrade Lin Yun, they... they just left like that?"

"Left?" A cold sneer curled at the corner of Lin Yun's mouth as he pointed at the crack in the sky that was about to vanish completely. "No, they've just switched to a more malicious way of playing."

The moment his words fell, at the very last second before the crack closed, it suddenly cast down a silver beam of light that was even more solid than the previous pillar!

But this beam did not attack any target; instead, it shot straight into the deepest part of the Earth—the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean!

Boom!

Seismic monitoring stations across the globe issued highest-level alerts simultaneously!

An unprecedented surge of crustal energy erupted from the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Immediately following, a 3D geological map generated in real-time by the Nuwa System was projected into the air in front of Lin Yun.

At the deepest part of the trench, in an area originally covered by thick crust and billions of years of sediment, a piercing red light was now flashing.

"Reporting to Brother Lin!" Xiao Zhang's voice cracked from extreme shock. "According to the deep-scan feedback from the 'Dingyuan', an ultra-high-density metal deposit with a diameter exceeding fifty kilometers has appeared at the bottom of the Mariana Trench!"

On the screen, sets of data that made one's skin crawl popped up frantically.

[Analyzing metal composition... Unknown elements account for 98%... This element possesses perfect energy conductivity and spatial stability...]

[Nuwa System simulation... This material is the only theoretically feasible material for constructing 'Intergalactic Warp Engines' and 'Dyson Spheres'!]

[Estimated reserves... Sufficient to support human civilization across three galaxies!]

Looking at this report, even Lin Yun's pupils couldn't help but contract slightly.

He instantly understood the Moon Gate's overt plot.

They hadn't started a direct war; instead, they had thrown out a "bait" that no civilization could refuse.

This mineral deposit was the only key for human civilization to leap from a planetary civilization to a galactic one! Whoever controlled it controlled the future.

Yet, it just happened to be located in the ten-thousand-meter deep sea, the harshest environment on Earth with the highest mining difficulty.

"They want to watch us kill each other over this bone..." Elder Chen also realized the crux of the matter, trembling with rage. "What a malicious scheme!"

Lin Yun snorted coldly. "Kill each other? They underestimate the current Earth too much."

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the foreign leaders on the viewing platform who wore various expressions. His voice spread clearly throughout the venue via the loudspeakers:

"Now, I announce the second matter."

"Effective immediately, the Dragon Kingdom will unite all of humanity to jointly launch the 'Deep Sea Scavenger' project! The target: the Mariana Trench!"

"Any nation willing to participate in technical cooperation and abide by the 'Human Civilization Community Mutual Aid Treaty' can share the dividends of this civilizational leap according to their contribution!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over those Eagle Sauce governors who had already begun to harbor greedy thoughts.

Lin Yun gave them no chance for internal strife; he put the cake directly on the table and set the rules for sharing it!

However, just then, Xiao Zhang's expression turned solemn once more.

"Brother Lin, something isn't right." He pointed to a spot on the 3D map. "'Nuwa' has scanned a regular, non-naturally formed energy barrier in the center of the mineral deposit."

"Furthermore, three of the probe satellites we just launched over the trench... have lost contact."

Lin Yun's brow furrowed tightly.

A non-natural barrier? Satellites losing contact?

Could it be that someone had already beaten them to that place?

At that moment, Robert of Texas, who had been silent, suddenly seemed to remember something. His face turned pale as he rushed to a Dragon Kingdom diplomat and said tremblingly, "I... I remember now. We, Eagle Sauce... we have a fleet that lost contact half a year ago... Their last coordinates seemed... seemed to be near the Mariana Trench!"

Lin Yun's gaze instantly became as sharp as a blade.

He knew that things were likely not that simple.

"Xiao Zhang, contact our Dragon Kingdom East Sea Fleet immediately. Who is the highest commander?"

"Reporting! The Commander-in-Chief of the East Sea Fleet and Captain of the ten-thousand-ton destroyer 'dinghai-class warship' is Captain Long Ying!" Xiao Zhang quickly pulled up the files. "She is the military's recognized 'Iron-Blooded Rose' and our country's first female commander of an aircraft carrier strike group!"

"Very well." A flash of decisiveness crossed Lin Yun's eyes.

"Connect me to Captain Long Ying immediately."

"Tell her the parade is cancelled. The entire fleet is to enter Level 1 combat readiness!"

"I'm going to the East Sea personally to see for myself... exactly what kind of monsters and demons are hiding in those deep waters!"

"Also, I'll take the opportunity to see if that legendary 'Iron-Blooded Rose' is qualified to be the mother of my eighth child!"