CHAPTER 179 — DAY FIVE
No one saw it happen.
Not at first.
There was no thunder.
No fissure.
No descent.
The golden lattice across the sky simply shimmered once—
Like a breath held too long finally released.
Then—
The number changed.
Six.
To five.
Every screen across the planet froze for half a second as the update propagated through visual feeds.
Five.
Not flickering.
Not unstable.
Final.
Long Hao felt it before anyone spoke.
The golden mark on his chest ignited.
Not warm.
Not sharp.
Burning.
The crack across its surface widened by a visible margin.
A thin fracture line branching outward like lightning across polished gold.
He staggered slightly.
Ling Yifan caught his arm immediately.
"It dropped."
"I know."
The Vice Dean was already looking at sky-readings.
"There was no node spike."
"No riot escalation."
"No new distortion."
Long Hao forced himself upright.
This was not a response to instability.
This was recalibration.
