127: Young eagles test their wings to break down barriers; old poisons ignite new waves.

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty: Young Eagles Test Their Wings to Break Barriers, Old Poison's Embers Stir New Waves

Ten days after the dark matter crisis at the abandoned factory in the Northwest was resolved, the "Eternal Fledgling Class" of the East Sea Barrier Base welcomed its first cross-district practical lesson—heading to the Civilization Spark Museum to personally touch the fragments of civilization rescued from the ruins of the apocalypse.

Lin Xiaoyu clutched his notebook, following at the end of the line, his eyes filled with awe. Inside the constant-temperature glass cases of the Spark Museum lay yellowed ancient books, broken blue and white porcelain, rust-stained mechanical parts, and even a well-preserved roll of shu embroidery with fine stitches and still-vibrant colors—it was embroidered stitch by stitch by survivors of the Southwest Purification Zone during intervals between the flames of war.

"This is a fragment of 'The Analects,' writings from over two thousand years ago that teach us how to be human and how to get along with one another," Teacher Li Fang explained softly as she stood before the glass case. "Civilization is not tall buildings or advanced technology; it is these principles etched into our bones, the roots passed down through generations."

Ivan Lin leaned in toward Lin Xiaoyu, pointing to a manuscript of an epic from Bear Country. "My grandfather said this is the story of our people, a legend about warriors protecting their homeland. Now, our story will be written together with the story of Huaxia."

Lin Xiaoyu nodded and was about to speak when he was interrupted by a burst of crisp laughter. Several children from the East Sea Base were gathered around an old piano. One girl was softly playing "My Motherland," its melodious tune instantly drawing everyone's attention.

"I can play too!" Ivan Lin's eyes lit up as he squeezed his way to the piano. "My mother taught me folk songs from Bear Country!"

He sat clumsily on the piano bench, his fingers dancing across the keys. Though the rhythm was somewhat unsteady, it carried a simple, rustic passion. Halfway through the piece, Lin Xiaoyu suddenly stepped forward and sat beside him, his hands lightly resting on the keys—two children, one playing a Huaxia melody and the other harmonizing with a Bear Country tune, merged together miraculously. The melodious piano music echoed throughout the entire Spark Museum.

The surrounding children gradually gathered around, some humming along and others clapping softly. The barriers that originally existed between the children of the Five Districts were completely broken at this moment by the music. Teacher Li Fang watched this scene, her eyes welling with tears. "This is the power of civilization; it can transcend regions and differences, connecting heart to heart."

While the children of the Young Eagles Class were feeling the warmth of civilizational heritage in the Spark Museum, the Coast Guard of the Lingnan Coastal Area discovered an anomaly during an offshore patrol.

"Reporting to the command room: at 118° East, 22° North, a large area of anomalous sea has been discovered! The seawater appears dark purple, and strong dark matter energy fluctuations have been detected!" The voice of the Head of the Lingnan Coastal Area carried a hint of gravity as it reached the East Sea Base command room via quantum communication.

Lin Zhou immediately switched the holographic sand table. In the image, a patch of sea near South of the Ranges showed dark purple water spreading like ink, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding clear blue water. The dark matter values on the monitor were soaring at an alarming rate.

"Immediately dispatch Deep-sea exploration robots to dive to the seabed for investigation!" Lin Zhou ordered in a deep voice. "The South of the Ranges Coast Guard is to blockade the surrounding waters; no vessels are permitted to approach. The Northern Territory Defense Line is to dispatch an Amphibious combat squad carrying purification energy equipment, ready to provide support at any time. The East Sea Base research team must immediately analyze the dark matter energy characteristics to determine if they share the same source as the debris from the abandoned factory in the Northwest!"

Once the orders were issued, the Lingnan Coastal Area acted swiftly. Deep-sea exploration robots slowly dived into the dark purple waters near South of the Ranges. The footage sent back by the underwater cameras made everyone gasp—lying on the seabed was the massive, rust-stained wreckage of an alien spacecraft! The surface of the wreckage was covered in dark purple patterns that continuously released dark matter energy. The surrounding marine life had long been infected, turning into bizarrely shaped Mutated Fish Swarms that swam frantically around the wreckage.

"It's Alien spacecraft wreckage!" Dr. Mary said, her expression grave as she looked at the screen. "The energy characteristics are highly similar to the dark matter debris in the Northwest. It should be a probe spacecraft from the Abyss Demonic Realm that crashed in the waters near South of the Ranges years ago and was buried by the sea. It's possible that the wreckage has been exposed due to seabed geological activity, causing the dark matter energy to leak!"

Worse still, data analysis from the exploration robots showed that the dark purple seawater was slowly moving with the ocean currents toward the estuary of the Southwest Purification Zone. If the polluted water flowed into the Yangtze River, the grain-producing areas of the Southwest and the water sources of the Northwest would all face a catastrophic disaster!

"The dark matter energy of the spacecraft wreckage must be completely cleared within 24 hours!" Lin Zhou's voice carried an unquestionable firmness. "Dr. Mary, immediately develop a Decomposition Agent specifically for marine dark matter pollution. Lingnan Coastal Area, mobilize all seawater purification equipment to set up a Purification Barrier around the perimeter of the polluted waters. Northwest Heavy Industry Zone, urgently modify Deep-sea engineering robots to include Dark matter decomposition modules and transport them to Lingnan; the Northern Territory amphibious squad will be responsible for clearing the Mutated Fish Swarms to ensure the safety of the repairs!"

The linkage of the Five Districts was activated once again as a battle to protect the ocean, vital to the nation's survival, quietly began.

In the waters near South of the Ranges, Coast Guard speedboats patrolled the perimeter of the polluted area. The blue Purification Barrier acted like a massive curtain, trapping the dark purple seawater firmly. Deep-sea engineering robots worked on the seabed, precisely injecting the Decomposition Agent into the core of the spacecraft wreckage according to Dr. Mary's instructions. Amphibious warriors from the Northern Territory, dressed in underwater purification protective suits, engaged in a fierce battle with the Mutated Fish Swarms. The arcs from Magnetic Storm Rifles bloomed underwater, defeating the mutated fish one by one.

However, the dark matter energy of the spacecraft wreckage far exceeded expectations, and the effect of the Decomposition Agent was slow. The dark purple seawater continued to spread slowly. More dangerously, a violent energy fluctuation suddenly came from the core of the wreckage. A massive Mutated octopus burst out from the debris, its tentacles over ten meters long and covered in dark purple scales. Every swing could whip up massive waves, causing the Purification Barrier to shake violently upon impact.

"It's a Mutated Deep Sea Lord!" the Captain of the South of the Ranges Coast Guard shouted. "Its energy intensity is ten times that of ordinary Mutated Organisms!"

The Mutated octopus's tentacles slammed hard against the Purification Barrier, causing the energy patterns on the barrier to dim instantly, looking as though it would shatter. Just then, the Deep-sea engineering robots modified by the Northwest Heavy Industry Zone arrived. The Purification Energy Cannons on their mechanical arms fired instantly, and golden energy beams precisely struck the Mutated octopus's tentacles. The tentacles were instantly scorched black, and it let out a shrill roar.

"Concentrate fire and attack its core!" the Captain of the Northern Territory Amphibious Squad ordered.

The warriors fired simultaneously, with magnetic storm arcs and purification energy beams intertwining as they shot toward the Mutated octopus's head core. The Mutated octopus struggled frantically, its tentacles sweeping out and overturning several speedboats. However, under the combined attack of the forces from the Five Districts, its core was finally pierced. Its massive body slowly sank to the seabed and vanished into nothingness.

With the greatest threat cleared, the Deep-sea engineering robots continued their work, continuously injecting the Decomposition Agent into the spacecraft wreckage. After twelve hours of hard fighting, the dark purple patterns on the surface of the wreckage gradually disappeared. The dark matter values on the monitor finally returned to zero, and the dark purple seawater regained its clarity under the effect of the Purification Barrier.

"Success! The dark matter energy has been completely cleared!" Dr. Mary's voice was filled with excitement.

The crisis in the waters near South of the Ranges was once again resolved through the concerted efforts of the Five Districts. The Coast Guard retracted the Purification Barrier, and speedboats patrolled the clear surface of the sea. The Mutated Fish Swarms were completely cleared, and the spacecraft wreckage on the seabed was thoroughly dismantled by the engineering robots, leaving no hidden dangers behind.

Meanwhile, in the Civilization Spark Museum at the East Sea Base, the children of the Young Eagles Class continued their practice lesson. Lin Xiaoyu and Ivan Lin sat side by side at the piano, playing a piece they had adapted together. The melody contained both the gentleness of Huaxia and the boldness of Bear Country. The surrounding children hummed along, their voices crisp and filled with hope.

Teacher Li Fang looked at the group of children and said softly, "You are the young eagles of the Eternal Kingdom, and in the future, you will hold up this sky. Remember, no matter which settlement zone you come from or what your background is, we are one family. We must help and tolerate each other, protecting our civilization and our home together."

The children responded in unison, "We are one family, protecting the Eternal Kingdom!"

Lin Zhou stood on the command tower, looking at the images of the waters near South of the Ranges returning to calm, and then at the cheerful figures of the children at the East Sea Base, his heart filled with a mix of emotions.

Chen Hao handed over a report. "Commander, the pollution in the waters near South of the Ranges has been completely cleared, and the water quality monitoring at the Southwest estuary is normal. The cross-district educational collaboration of the Young Eagles Class has formed a mature model, and we will welcome the second batch of cross-district students next month. Additionally, the environmental protection equipment upgrades in the Northwest Heavy Industry Zone are 60% complete, and we expect to achieve zero-pollution emissions by next month."

Lin Zhou took the report, his gaze toward the five intertwined stars on the holographic sand table.

The construction of the Eternal Kingdom was still full of trials—the embers of old poison had not faded, and new crises could descend at any time. For young eagles to spread their wings, they must experience the tempering of wind and rain. But every resolution of a crisis and every breaking of a barrier made the connection between the Five Major Settlement Areas tighter and brought the hearts of millions of compatriots closer together.

"Notify all settlement zones," Lin Zhou said into the communicator, "compile the case of the resolution of the South of the Ranges offshore crisis along with the story of civilizational heritage from the Young Eagles Class into promotional materials. Tell all citizens: our home has both the threat of dark matter and the warmth of civilization; it has trials fraught with danger and hope born from working together. As long as our Five Districts are of one heart, following the rules of the basic law and holding onto the belief in civilizational heritage, we will surely allow the Eternal Kingdom to grow strong amidst the wind and rain."

A disciplined response came through the communicator, the voices full of strength.

As the sun set, the golden afterglow spilled over the Titanium alloy monument of the East Sea Barrier Base, and the words "Eternal" shone brilliantly in the light. In the distance, on the sea of South of the Ranges, fishing boats sang at dusk; in the fields of the Southwest, waves of rice rolled; in the factories of the Northwest, machines roared; in the forests of the Northern Territory, birds chirped happily; and in the schools of the East Sea, songs were melodious.