Thud!
The Crystal Sound slammed against the inner wall of the obsidian, letting out a dull thud, yet it couldn't budge this absolute defense in the slightest.
"Phew... that was close. Luckily this thing doesn't move too fast."
The Enderman warrior easily hoisted the heavy obsidian cage and strode back to the lab bench.
Experts immediately gathered around with their instruments to test it, finding that although the Crystal Sound was trapped inside,
and was violently crashing around, its unique suction field could actually penetrate the obsidian and continue to affect the outside.
"Perfect."
Steve snapped his fingers.
"Keep it locked up like this. It's a reactor that will never go on strike. Continue feeding it."
The experiment continued.
Despite being in solitary confinement, when faced with the Zombie energy delivered right to its mouth, the Crystal Sound still honestly chose to indulge itself.
The moment the fiftieth Zombie turned into fly ash,
the Crystal Sound trapped in the center of the obsidian suddenly erupted with brilliant light, followed immediately by a dazzling stream of energy splitting off from its body.
Within the cage, it condensed into a solid crystal about the size of a fingernail, emitting a pure white light.
"It dropped."
An Enderman immediately teleported into that narrow grid space,
took out the newly born crystal, and handed it to the detector.
"Extremely high purity. This is the real energy crystals."
The expert nearby looked at the data, but his brow furrowed as he let out a confused sound.
"Strange. According to the energy conservation monitoring just now, the energy it absorbed was divided into three streams."
"This split-off crystal only accounts for the smallest portion of the energy. Another small portion seems to have been consumed by itself, but..."
The expert pointed to the massive energy gap on the screen.
"The largest and most refined portion of energy is being stockpiled within its core and hasn't been released at all. What is it trying to do? Evolve? Or is it nurturing something to spit out later?"
"Who cares what it wants to do."
Steve gave a cold laugh.
"As long as it can produce crystals, it's fine. And it produced one from just fifty Zombies? This efficiency is simply godlike."
One had to know that the highest-efficiency extractor they had currently researched required three hundred Zombies to refine a single crystal, yet this thing only needed fifty.
The efficiency had more than doubled.
At that moment, Steve's gaze swept over the Zombies being transported nearby, and that crazy idea of utilizing traits surfaced in his mind again.
A Tier 4 Corpse King could provide infinite gene extraction through constant recovery and repeated cutting.
So what about this Crystal Sound that ate Zombie energy?
Did it eat the Zombie's life, or the flesh and blood energy of the Zombie?
Steve pointed to a strong Tier 2 Zombie.
"Chop off its two arms and throw them next to the Crystal Sound to test it."
Squelch.
The Enderman's blade fell, and the two severed arms were thrown beside the obsidian cage.
In the next second, a magical scene occurred.
The Crystal Sound didn't reject them just because they were severed limbs. It vibrated slightly, and those two severed arms instantly shriveled and weathered, their energy being absorbed completely without a drop left behind.
Although the total energy couldn't compare to a whole Zombie, it indeed accepted it all the same.
This scene immediately made Steve excited.
"Hahahaha, it worked!"
Steve slammed the table, his voice filled with irrepressible ecstasy.
"Zombies have extremely strong regenerative abilities. As long as the brain isn't destroyed, they can grow back with just a bit of recovery serum. In other words, we don't need to go around the world catching Zombies at all."
"We just need to build a farm, raise those high-tier Zombies, and chop off their limbs every day like harvesting leeks, then throw them to the Crystal Sound."
"This is an infinite energy crystals vein!"
Inside the Command Center, everyone was shocked by this brilliant yet cruel and 'minecraftian' concept of industrialized production.
Infinite Tier 4 Rage Gene.
Infinite energy crystals.
Infinite hosts.
When the three combined, what kind of army would be born?
A godlike undead legion where every member was Tier 4, untiring, and capable of infinite evolution.
"Randy."
Steve turned to look at General Randy, whose face was also flushed with excitement, and spoke with heroic ambition.
"Have the Engineering Department expand immediately. Build me the world's largest fully automated breeding and production base."
"I want this Wasteland to become the first armory for US to conquer the multiverse."
Inside the Command Center, Steve's gaze passed through the screen, looking at that block device undergoing final debugging, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Since mass production of Tier 4 Super Zombies is already on the agenda, passive defense has never been our style. It's time to take the initiative and meet the other overlords of this world."
In the image, a tall and slender Enderman stood quietly, carefully cradling a special block device made of water source blocks and wooden planks.
And in front of him, the terrifying Tier 4 Super Zombie controlled by General Randy was holding an Ender Pearl that emitted a faint green glow.
"Randy, throw the pearl in."
General Randy controlled the Zombie, flicked his wrist, and the Ender Pearl landed precisely into that device.
A magical scene occurred.
The pearl didn't shatter, nor did it trigger a teleportation. Instead, it was lifted by a special Soul Sand Bubble Column at the bottom of the device, floating steadily on the water surface, bobbing up and down in a delicate, untriggered state.
And directly above the pearl, a wooden plank was suspended just millimeters away.
"This is the Ender Pearl Stasis Chamber."
Steve looked at this crude yet rule-bound device, the smile in his eyes deepening.
"In the game, it was originally a life-saving device used to quickly return to town, but in this real world, with a slight modification, it is the most terrifying summoner."
The logic of this device was diabolical to the extreme:
Let an Enderman, who possesses infinite teleportation abilities, carry this stasis chamber containing General Randy's teleportation pearl and sneak behind enemy lines.
Once they encounter an unbeatable strong enemy or reach a strategic core area, the Enderman only needs to lightly flip the mechanism, letting the wooden plank above fall and touch the floating pearl.
Instantly, the Tier 4 Super Zombie General Randy, located in a base thousands of miles away, would ignore space and distance, being forcibly summoned and teleported right onto the enemy's face.
This was equivalent to carrying a nuclear weapon that could be detonated at any time.
Furthermore, if they couldn't win, another stasis chamber belonging to this Enderman would be left back at the base.
As long as the mechanism was triggered back at the base, that Enderman deep behind enemy lines could instantly teleport back with General Randy to save their lives.
"Capable of offense or defense, we can strike wherever we want."
Steve stroked his chin, unable to help but admire his own imagination.
"Turning game mechanisms into something this diabolical... I reckon only I could come up with this."
"Move out."
Having received the order, the Enderman did not hesitate. He clutched the summoning device in his arms, his form flickering as he turned into a purple stream of light, teleporting directly toward the vast wilderness outside the base.
His target was precisely the Thunder Base in the west, based on the coordinates provided by the prisoner named Garry.
Although there was only one Super Zombie now, this tactic was enough to give the legendary Thunder Emperor a little US shock.
In a few hours, when the new Super Zombie rolled off the production line, the deliveries to the other two major bases would also be sent out on time.
Watching everything proceed step-by-step on the screen and seeing that great battle finally come to an end, Steve's nerves, which had been tense for three days, could finally relax a bit.
For these three days, he had stared at the battlefield almost without sleep or rest; even though his body was enhanced, he felt mentally exhausted.
"Perfect. After giving the things to Randy, I'll go home for a good sleep and absorb that Tier 2 Agent while I'm at it."
Thinking of this, Steve stood up and spoke to General Randy, who was still savoring the battle.
"Randy, walk with me outside?"
General Randy, who was in high spirits, had his eyes light up instantly upon hearing this.
If someone else asked him for a walk, he would definitely be busy, but since Steve called him, there was definitely a main course about to be served.
"Could it be another new technology?"
Suppressing his excitement, General Randy nodded immediately.
"Alright, let's go."
The two walked out of the noisy Command Hall one after the other and arrived at a relatively quiet terrace outside the base.
The night breeze was cool. Without wasting words, Steve willed it, and two heavy encrypted documents and two special USB drives appeared in his hand out of thin air.
He handed them directly to General Randy.
"Randy, keep these safe. Also, our strategic focus lately can be placed on that Thunder Base."
General Randy's hands trembled as he took the documents. By the dim light, he saw the large characters on the cover of the first document.
[Electromagnetic Armor and Full Set of Electromagnetic Railgun Application Technology Blueprints]
"Damn."
Even though he was mentally prepared, General Randy still gasped.
Electromagnetic railguns—this was the future weapon dreamed of by militaries of all nations. With this, tank armor and aircraft carrier defenses would be like paper.
However, when he opened the second document and saw the gold-stamped characters, the veteran general, who usually remained calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, had his hand jerk violently.
[Controllable Nuclear Fusion Reactor (Miniature) Complete Technical Data and Core Materials List]
General Randy felt his mind go blank.
Controllable nuclear fusion.
"This..."
General Randy was incoherent with excitement, his eyes turning red. He gripped the document tightly, as if holding the future fate of the USA.
"Good, good, excellent!"
He said "good" three times, his voice trembling.
"With this, why worry about not prospering?! Why worry about not being strong?!"
"Don't worry about Thunder Base. I'll personally arrange for the most elite staff group to watch it. If that Thunder Emperor knows what's good for him, fine; if not, once our Tier 4 Biological Army is built, I'll personally go and crush his Thunder Base."
Steve looked at General Randy, who was as excited as a child, and nodded with a smile.
"By the way, Randy."
Steve said casually, as if remembering something.
"Prepare three doses of that complete-form Enhancement Agent for me. I'll take them back."
Hearing this, General Randy understood instantly; this was definitely for Steve's parents and sister.
Now, after day and night efforts by the Biological Research Institute, the complete-form Type I Body Enhancement Liquid had overcome the final mass-production hurdle, and the production line was running at full speed.
Though not yet widespread throughout the army, taking a few doses was simple.
"No problem, I've already got them ready for you."
General Randy waved his hand. Soon, a guard ran over carrying an exquisite low-temperature cold storage box.
Inside the box, three agents emitting a ruby-like luster lay quietly in shock-absorbing foam.
"This is the latest batch, with the most stable effects and no side effects."
General Randy handed the box to Steve and said solemnly.
"Thanks, Randy."
Steve took the box and didn't stay long, turning toward the armored car parked nearby.
"Fred, let's go home."
"Yes, Director."
Fred Jones opened the car door and escorted Steve inside.
The black armored car started slowly and drove steadily toward villa.
The returning black armored car drove steadily through the night.
Steve leaned against the back seat, scrolling through his phone. Headlines of major news apps were, unsurprisingly, dominated by news of the Northwest Desert governance.
[A Miracle! The Mojave turns into the Amazon? Thousands of Acres of Sand-Fixing Forest Formed in a Single Day]
[Federal Forestry Bureau: This is a great breakthrough in biotechnology; desert governance will enter an accelerated era]
Looking at the video of Populus Euphratica and Sea Buckthorn growing at a visible speed under the catalysis of Bone Meal, instantly turning the yellow sand green, the corners of Steve's mouth curled up.
"It seems the effect of Bone Meal is even better than expected. At this rate, perhaps in a few years, the desert will vanish from America's map."
Putting away his phone, the car entered the heavily guarded villa.
It was just past nine, and the villa was brightly lit, exuding warmth.
Steve carried the silver-white low-temperature cold storage box and pushed the door open.
"Brother! You're back!"
In the living room, Stefanie, wearing fluffy red bunny pajamas, was lying on the sofa reading.
Seeing Steve, she immediately dropped her book and hopped up like a cheerful little rabbit.
In the kitchen, Nicole and Stephen heard the commotion and walked out quickly.
"Steve?"
Nicole still held a fruit knife, her face full of surprise and concern.
"Why are you back so soon? Didn't you say on the phone you'd stay at the base for a while? Are you too tired?"
"Mom, things went smoothly and have come to a temporary close, so I came back to see you."
Steve responded with a smile. The murderous aura he held on the battlefield vanished, replaced by the gentleness of a son.
Nicole had sharp eyes and saw the exquisite box in Steve's hand, quickly wiping her hands to take it.
"You're back, that's enough. Why bring things? Haven't eaten yet, right? I will heat something up for you?"
"I've eaten, mom. Don't worry."
Steve changed his shoes and sat on the sofa.
Stefanie immediately leaned in, her big eyes blinking.
"Bro, you've been out for so long. I didn't see you when I came back for the holiday yesterday. I thought I wouldn't see you all week."
"Some urgent matters came up, so I went to handle them."
Steve rubbed his sister's head and asked casually.
"How is it, Stefanie? Are you adjusting to the new school?"
"Yeah, it's pretty good."
Stefanie nodded, her expression turning a bit strange.
"It's just... the principal is too polite. He specifically called me to the office yesterday and told me earnestly not to feel any pressure, and that it's okay if I don't get first place as long as I'm happy. It made me a bit embarrassed"...
Steve chuckled inwardly upon hearing this.
It would be a wonder if you felt pressured; the one who should be feeling the pressure now is the principal.
When his sister went to school, she was being protected in secret by an entire tactical squad of top-tier special forces.
Moreover, these people had all been injected with Enhancement Agents, making every one of them a super-human capable of taking gorrilas apart with their bare hands.
The principal wasn't blind; seeing those bodyguards behind Stefanie who, despite being in plain clothes, had sharp gazes, combined with the immense connections behind this transfer...
...he was probably burning incense and praying to Jesus every day, terrified that this little VIP might get a scratch or a bump at school.
"It's fine, just study at your own pace."
Steve said calmly.
Then, he pointed at the silver case, his expression becoming slightly more serious.
"By the way, mom, open that case."
"What on earth is this? You're being so mysterious."
Nicole muttered as she pressed the open button on the case.
Accompanied by the sound of releasing air pressure, the lid slowly popped open, and a faint chill wafted out.
Inside the black shock-absorbing foam lay three test-tube vials of reagent, as crystal clear as rubies.
"What is this?"
Stephen and Stefanie both leaned in, their eyes filled with curiosity.
This thing looked too sci-fi, like a prop from a movie.
"This is a newly developed vaccine by the state. It greatly improves the human body and cures the common cold."
Steve didn't hide anything and explained directly.
"After drinking it, one's physical attributes will be enhanced in all aspects, by roughly five to six times."
"Not only will your strength and speed increase, but it also significantly boosts immunity and delays aging. Many of our soldiers have already taken this. I specifically brought these three back for you from the latest batch."
"En... enhanced by how many times?!"
Stefanie's eyes widened, a look of disbelief on her face.
"Bro, is this for real? Does such a medicine actually exist in this world?"
"It's real."
Steve smiled. To convince them, he stood up and walked to an open space in the living room.
"Watch closely."
Before his voice could fade, his figure vanished from the spot.
Without any run-up, Steve merely tapped his toes. His body blurred into several afterimages across the living room, instantly appearing on the second-floor railing before floating back down silently.
"Hiss..."
The family of three watched, dumbstruck.
"See? This is the effect."
Steve sat back down.
"However, this reagent is currently a top state secret, used only by the military and core researchers. After you use it, remember to keep it a secret and don't show off too much outside."
The three nodded hurriedly.
The way Stefanie looked at Steve had completely changed, filled with adoration.
"Bro, you can even get your hands on something like this. What exactly is your status now..."
She was secretly amazed but was sensible enough not to ask further.
"Alright, stop dazing out. Drink it now while I'm here to watch over you."
Steve urged.
"Okay, I'll go first."
Stefanie was the boldest; she picked up a vial, uncorked it, and downed it in one go.
"It's sweet. Strawberry flavor?"
Seeing their daughter drink it, Nicole and Stephen no longer hesitated, each taking a vial and drinking it.
Soon, the effects began to kick in.
The skin of the three began to flush with a faint red, and their body temperatures rose slightly.
Surges of warm currents coursed through their limbs and bones, strengthening every cell.
Steve sat quietly to the side, ensuring everything went smoothly.
Half an hour later.
"Phew..."
As they exhaled mouthfuls of turbid air, the three woke up from that mysterious state one after another.
"My skin."
Stefanie said excitedly. She rushed to the mirror, looking at her skin which had become as delicate and smooth as mutton-fat jade, so supple it seemed it would break at a touch; she was incoherent with excitement.
"This is more effective than any skincare product. I was a 10 before and now I'm a 12!"
She tried moving her body and felt as light as an unladden swallow.
She gave a light hop.
Her entire body actually shot up three meters high, her head nearly hitting the living room chandelier.
After landing, Stefanie was so excited she threw herself into Steve's arms, hugging him tightly.
"Bro, this is amazing! I feel like I could take on ten people at once. And I feel like my mind has cleared up a lot; those complex math problems from before, I can figure them out instantly now."
On the other side, Nicole and Stephen's sensations were even more profound.
Stephen's once slightly hunched back was now ramrod straight, his chronic leg pain was gone, and his body was filled with inexhaustible energy.
Meanwhile, Nicole touched her cheeks and the corners of her eyes where fine lines had vanished. Looking at the version of herself in the mirror that appeared over a decade younger, her eyes reddened with emotion.
"Old man, look, my white hair is gone."
"Yeah, I feel like I've returned to when I was thirty. And I feel like Harry's and Tom's little brother grew a few inches!"
Seeing his family's heartfelt joy and shock, Steve felt a wave of warmth in his heart.
He fought in other worlds and schemed against the world; wasn't it all for this moment, so his family could have the best protection and longevity in this era of impending upheaval?
The family chatted excitedly about their physical changes until the clock pointed to twelve.
"Alright, no matter how much energy you have, you need to sleep. There's school tomorrow."
Steve laughingly shooed his overexcited sister back to her room.
"Mom, Dad, you should get some rest too."
"Okay, okay, you go to sleep too."
After wishing each other goodnight, the family members returned to their respective rooms.
Once certain his family was asleep, Steve locked his door, sat on the edge of the bed, and with a thought, took out the Tier 2 Superpower Gene Awakening serum from his system inventory.
Under the moonlight from the window, the reagent appeared a deep, eerie blue. Visible white frost swirled around the bottle, and just holding it, he could feel a bone-chilling coldness penetrating his palm.
"I hope to awaken a mental-type ability."
Steve muttered to himself.
His goal was clear: only powerful mental strength could suppress the Ender Dragon.
No longer hesitating, he uncorked the bottle and downed it in one gulp.
Gulp.
The liquid slid down his throat, but in the next second, the chill instantly transformed into an arctic storm.
"Agh!"
Steve couldn't help but gasp.
He felt as if he had swallowed a block of ice; the terrifying cold instantly surged into his limbs.
The temperature in the entire room plummeted, and the water vapor in the air instantly condensed.
Thick frost flowers bloomed on the window glass, and even the bedsheets and quilt were covered in a layer of white frost.
After an unknown amount of time, the cold was gradually absorbed and assimilated by his body.
Steve slowly opened his eyes, and a blue streak of light seemed to flash deep within his pupils.
He instinctively looked at his right hand, only to see that at some point, his entire right arm had been covered in a layer of crystal-clear Frost Armor emitting a chilling aura.
"Is this an ice-type ability?"
Steve frowned slightly and picked up a glass filled with water from the desk.
The chill in his hands released instinctively. In just a split second of contact, the water in the glass didn't even have time to ripple before it was frozen into a solid block of ice.
Even the walls of the glass cracked due to the rapid temperature drop.
"Although this freezing ability is strong, it's not what I wanted. I'm not some Kuzan expy..."
Steve looked at the ice cup in his hand with some helplessness.
He could feel that his mental power had indeed increased a bit, but it still wasn't enough to control the Ender Dragon.
Besides, what's the point of giving me this ice-type ability? He wasn't leaving the base, nor did he need to enter Other World to fight.
"System, there's nowhere for me to use these awakened abilities you're giving me. I don't need to go onto the field myself, do I?"
[Awakened abilities are random. At the same time, abilities have special uses; the host can explore them on their own.]
"Special uses?"
Hearing this, Steve was also slightly stunned. Thinking that everything the system gave him fit the current stage, it seemed there really were things he didn't know yet.
He then stopped studying the ability and focused his attention on the Ender Dragon.
Regarding the Overworld boss, the Ender Dragon, Steve had always harbored great ambitions. That was a real dragon. If it were kept merely as a mascot or an uncontrollable beast, it would be a terrible waste.
Lying in bed, Steve's thoughts began to drift, constructing a grand blueprint for biological cultivation in his mind.
"If I can bring out the Ender Dragon sooner, even if I can't fully control it, I can first study its evolutionary direction..."
"In the future, if I open a Portal to a Fantasy World, could I go there to slay a few true dragons and extract their blood for the Ender Dragon to drink?"
"Turn the Ender Dragon into the Primordial Dragon and call him Ddraig? Then, could I get some Boosted Gear?"
The more Steve thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
"The cultivation method for Overworld NPCs is particularly crucial now. They are the main force for future conquests across the multiverse, so they must be developed with differentiation."
"Zombies will follow the path of genetic modification, creating a monster army by altering their genes."
"Iron Golems will follow the path of material ascension. Once the principle of metal absorption is understood, whatever material is strongest will be applied to them. After all, they are iron lumps; Enhancement Agents are useless on them."
"As for the Endermen, they are natural assassins and also the logistics team. Later, I'll see if I can reverse-engineer their genes to create Enhancement Agents specifically for them. By then, they'll have both teleportation mechanisms and insane stats—wouldn't they be totally overpowered monsters?"
With beautiful visions of a future biological army, Steve gradually succumbed to the waves of sleepiness and fell into a deep slumber... While Steve slept, in another dimension—the World Zeta—the nighttime operations had just begun.
On the outskirts of Thunder Base, within a deep, dense forest.
Purple light flickered, and a slender Enderman appeared out of thin air beneath the canopy of a towering tree.
In his arms, he held the Stasis Pod device containing General Randy's Teleportation Pearl.
"Coordinates confirmed. Safe."
The Enderman looked around, found an extremely well-hidden tree hollow, and carefully placed the Stasis Pod down.
Then, he took obsidian from his inventory and skillfully placed a ring of it around the device.
Having finished this, his figure flashed again as he teleported toward the brightly lit Thunder Base over ten kilometers away. He stopped at a point less than two kilometers from the base walls, hiding in the shadows.
"Go, Night Group One."
With a thought, twelve small dark shadows suddenly flew out from behind him.
Flap, flap.
Those were twelve small creatures, only the size of a head, pitch black with fangs—specifically, Overworld Bats.
These Bats were not wild; they were already controlled by twelve elite US Scouts through a Soul Link.
"Arrived at the designated airspace."
"Received. Night Group One, prepare to enter and scout."
The lead Bat emitted a faint ultrasonic signal over the communication channel and then flapped its wings.
"Let's go."
The twelve Bats seemed to blend into the night, flapping their wings and silently flying toward the massive base.
The Enderman remaining behind quietly went into hiding, acting as a relay station.
Thunder Base, main gate watchtower.
Two Awakened Ones on night watch were smoking, bored out of their minds.
Suddenly, one of them narrowed his eyes and pointed at the pitch-black night sky.
"Hey, Percy, did you see that just now? It looked like some dark shadow flew past. Something feels a bit off."
The other person glanced over, puffed out a smoke ring, and said dismissively.
"I saw it. Isn't it just a few birds? What's the excitement?"
"But..."
"But what? Something that size—if it really were a zombie, I could swat it to death with one hand."
"Don't be so paranoid. This is Thunder Base; what brainless bird would dare come here to act wild?"
"True, I guess I'm overthinking it."
The man scratched his head and leaned back against the wall again.
And just dozens of meters above their heads, the twelve Bats had already silently passed through this first line of defense.
The guards below never would have imagined that these Bats, which looked ordinary and even lacked any energy fluctuations, were actually biological reconnaissance drones from Other World.
After flying over the outer wall, the twelve Bats briefly hovered and gathered atop a dark bell tower.
"Outer perimeter breached."
"Proceed with the planned separate actions."
"Team one to the Armory, team two to the Energy Station, team three find the Command Center. Remember, scout only, no contact."
"Disperse."
At the command, the twelve Bats instantly scattered, infiltrating every corner of the massive base.
Meanwhile, inside the distant Fortress Command Center.
The giant screen was divided into twelve high-definition black-and-white night-vision feeds.
These feeds moved rapidly along with the Bats' flight.
Presenting the internal structure of Thunder Base, troop deployments, and even the locations of hidden sentries bit by bit to the eyes of the US military.
"Record coordinates."
"Analyze architectural structures."
"Mark high-threat targets."
Dozens of staff officers sat at computers, their fingers tapping rapidly on keyboards, performing real-time recording and analysis of the transmitted images.
A detailed defense map of Thunder Base was being drawn at an astonishing speed.
The Central High Tower of Thunder Base stood tall in the brightly lit center of the base.
The Bat codenamed Night Three, relying on its tiny size and pitch-black skin that blended into the night, wove through the complex architectural structures.
It flapped its wings at a very low frequency, silently hovering outside the window of a slightly luxurious room on the top floor of the high tower
Through the crack in the window, its pair of small red eyes scanned the room.
No one.
"Move."
Receiving the command, the Bat deftly squeezed through the partially open window crack.
The furnishings inside the room were extremely luxurious: thick carpets, leather sofas, a stark contrast to the desolation of the wasteland outside.
This was clearly the living quarters of a high-ranking official within the base.
The Bat wasn't distracted by its surroundings; it flew directly towards the large office desk in the center of the room.
On the desk, several documents were scattered. Using the faint moonlight, the Bat hovered above, focusing its gaze.
This scene, through the soul link, instantly appeared clearly on the Command Center's large screen at Fortress.
On the cover of the topmost document, several startling large characters were clearly printed.
"Preliminary Analysis Report on the Unknown Eastern Force's Black Monsters"
Beneath this report, the title of another document was faintly visible.
"Indomitus Fortress: Regarding Joint Defense and Resource Sharing"
"Indomitus Base? They want to join forces?"
Inside the Command Center, a staff officer's eyes narrowed, and he immediately gave an order.
"Quick, open it and look at the contents."
Upon receiving the command, the Bat was about to land and use its claws to flip open the document cover.
Just then.
Click.
In the corridor outside the door, a clear and hurried sound of footsteps suddenly came, followed by the sound of a doorknob turning.
"Retreat, someone's coming."
The Command Center's order was even faster than the Bat's reaction.
The Bat instantly abandoned its action of flipping pages, its wings flapping violently, turning into a black shadow, and darting out the window.
It skillfully hooked its hind claws onto the window frame, hanging upside down in the blind spot of the shadow beneath the windowsill.
At the same time, it gently pushed the window back into place with the corner of a wing, leaving only a tiny crack.
The next second.
The heavy wooden door was pushed open, and a tall figure strode in.
The person who arrived was none other than Baldur, the Intelligence Director of Thunder Base and a Fourth-Tier powerhouse.
After hearing Tahlako's account, he immediately summarized an analysis report based on what he said. He was returning now to take the report to the Thunder Emperor.
Upon entering the room, he didn't immediately walk to the desk. Instead, he frowned slightly, his gaze sharp, and instantly swept towards the window.
As a top-tier Fourth-Tier powerhouse, his perception was keen. The moment he entered, he seemed to have sensed an extremely faint disturbance in the airflow.
"Hmm?"
Baldur quickly walked to the window, pushed it open, leaned out, and scanned the night sky and wall outside.
At this moment, the Bat hanging upside down beneath the windowsill felt its heart almost stop beating.
It remained motionless, completely disguised as an ordinary beast commonly seen in this Post-Apocalyptic World.
Baldur's gaze lingered on it for a second.
But he didn't make a move.
In his perception, this was just an unremarkable little Bat, and most crucially, this Bat's body was completely empty.
There were no violent energy fluctuations like those of mutated creatures, nor the decaying death qi of zombies.
"Chirp, chirp..."
The Bat opportunely let out two panicked chirps, flapping its wings a couple of times, seemingly startled by Baldur's sudden appearance.
"Just a beast..."
Baldur withdrew his gaze, and the doubt in his eyes dissipated somewhat. He closed the window and turned to walk back to the desk.
He picked up the topmost "Monster Analysis Report" on the desk, then casually tidied up the several documents about Indomitus' cooperation underneath, muttering to himself,
"Lord Thunder Emperor urgently needs this report; I must deliver it quickly."
With that, he took the document, turned, and strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Click.
The sound of the door locking echoed.
Outside the window, the Bat did not immediately move.
Not until a message came back from another drone Bat, hundreds of meters away, responsible for outer perimeter monitoring.
"Target has left, corridor is clear."
Only then did the Command Center issue a new directive.
"Safe, go in, continue the search."
Ten minutes later.
After confirming that Baldur hadn't unexpectedly returned, the window was quietly pushed open again.
It re-infiltrated.
The Bat landed on the desk. The report about the monsters had been taken, but the remaining documents about Indomitus' cooperation were still there.
Just as it was about to continue flipping through and transmitting the images, its peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of an inconspicuous black metal box next to the pile of documents.
The box was roughly palm-sized, with several extremely complex interfaces on its side, not resembling an ordinary storage box.
"That is..."
Through the screen, the Technical Experts in the Command Center's eyes lit up.
"Judging by the interface standard, it looks like some kind of high-density data storage terminal. Could it be a special encrypted hard drive?"
Steve looked at the box, and a strong intuition suddenly arose in his heart.
At this point in time, placed next to such important documents.
"Stop looking, there's no time to slowly flip through documents and take photos."
The staff officer made a decisive move, a resolute glint flashing in his eyes.
"Whether it's the documents or that box, pack them all up and take them back for us to study slowly."
"Yes."
The Bat received authorization and no longer hesitated.
It extended two claws and grabbed the metal box, which was even larger than its own body, as well as the several documents pressed beneath it.
These items were held firmly beneath it.
Whoosh.
The Bat flapped its wings, clutching this pile of spoils, and directly darted out the window, merging into the vast night sky, rapidly flying towards the teleportation point outside the base.
At the same time.
In the corridor inside Thunder Base, Baldur, who was carrying the documents towards the meeting room, suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.
He stood still, his brows gradually furrowing into a frown.
A strong sense of unease grew wildly within him.
"Something's wrong."
"Definitely wrong."
Baldur suddenly turned around, looking in the direction of his office, his eyes filled with horror.
"This is the Post-Apocalyptic World. Fifty years of viral erosion. All creatures in this world, even underground rats, will more or less be contaminated with some mutated energy or viral aura."
"That Bat..."
He recalled the scene he had just perceived.
That Bat's body was as clean as if it hadn't experienced the Post-Apocalyptic World, without any energy fluctuations.
This was simply an impossible creature to exist in this world full of pollution.
Unless, it wasn't a product of this world at all!
Baldur felt a chill rise within him. His figure transformed into an afterimage, and he frantically rushed towards his office!
Bang!
The office door was violently kicked open by him.
Baldur rushed into the room, his gaze sweeping towards the desk first.
It was empty.
Aside from the desk, the top-secret documents about cooperating with Indomitus Base that were originally there, as well as the black hard drive box containing decades of Crystal Sound's energy fluctuation data and analysis models... all were gone.
"Bastard!"
Baldur let out a roar, and a terrifying aura instantly erupted, shattering all the glass in the room.
That box contained Thunder Base's most core research achievements on Crystal Sound over the past decade.
This included the patterns of Crystal Sound's appearance, its energy frequency, and even unverified control theories.
Although there were backups, they absolutely could not let this fall into the hands of other bases.
"Alarm! Intruder alert! Lock down the entire city."
Following Baldur's shout, a piercing alarm instantly echoed throughout the night sky above Thunder Base.
Countless searchlights swept wildly, and large groups of Awakened Ones rushed out of their barracks. The entire base became completely agitated, like a pot of boiling water.
Inside the Core High Tower, the Thunder Emperor was resting with his eyes closed. The moment he heard the alarm, his eyes snapped open, and purple electricity flickered in his pupils.
Baldur stumbled in, his face pale.
"Lord Zeus, something has happened. A... a Bat invaded my office. It took all the cooperation documents regarding Skydome Base, and that decades-long research data on Crystal Sound."
"What did you say?!"
Zeus suddenly stood up, and the thunder around him exploded, shattering the chair behind him into dust.
"A Bat? It stole something right under my nose? Are you a piece of trash? Why didn't that Bat just steal you, you trash?"
But he was a powerful figure after all; he instantly suppressed his rage, and killing intent boiled in his eyes.
"Immediately mobilize all anti-air forces. Even if it's just a fly, it won't be able to fly out of Thunder Base with my belongings"... In the night sky.
"Mission complete, items secured. Everyone, cover!"
The captain of the Black Night Squad roared through the mental link.
Since they were exposed, there was no need to hide anymore.
Twelve Bats instantly scattered. Except for the one holding the black box, which skimmed the ground shadows and sped toward the Enderman's location,
the remaining eleven Bats all gained altitude, deliberately exposing themselves to the searchlights, and frantically fled in all directions.
"Over there, my lord! That's the group of Bats."
Baldur shouted, pointing at the black shadows scattering in the air.
Zeus' figure flashed, instantly appearing on the top of the tower. Looking at the dozen or so small creatures scattering and fleeing, a cruel sneer curled his lips.
"Trying to run? Playing these tricks in front of me?"
Zzzzt!
He slowly raised his right hand, spreading his fingers. In his palm, a dazzling spherical lightning ball instantly condensed.
"Thunder Judgement!."
Boom!
Zeus didn't deliberately aim; he just loosely clenched his hand.
That ball of lightning instantly burst, transforming into countless dense purple bolts of thunder that, at a terrifying speed exceeding the speed of sound, instantly caught up to the ten Bats responsible for the cover.
There was no suspense.
The ten Bats didn't even have time to scream the moment they touched the lightning.
They were instantly vaporized by the terrifying high temperature, turning into fleeting sparks in the night sky.
Instant kill.
The sole remaining Black Night Captain was severely shaken by this sight.
"Is this the power of a Fifth-Tier Thunder Emperor? The range is actually this vast."
Seeing all his Friends dead, the Black Night Captain knew he couldn't escape.
He could only fly desperately in the opposite direction, attempting to buy even one more second for his data-carrying teammate.
However.
Zzzt.
A bolt of lightning flashed, and Zeus' figure appeared directly in front of him as if through teleportation.
That large hand, wrapped in electrical arcs and swift as lightning, grabbed him tightly in its palm.
"Where is the item?"
Zeus sensed briefly and found that the Bat's claws were empty, and a trace of brutality flashed in his eyes.
"Luring the tiger away from the mountain? Buying time for your comrade? Very good. You can die too."
Zeus didn't even bother interrogating him. With a slight squeeze of his fingers, he crushed the Bat into a paste.
Subsequently, his eyes, flickering with lightning, instantly locked onto the lone survivor still flying close to the ground in the distance.
"Over there."
Zeus stepped on the void, transforming into a thunderous lightning bolt, rushing straight toward his target with world-destroying momentum.
Fortress, Command Center.
"This is bad! Zeus is too fast. The Bat carrying the data is about to be caught."
"The Enderman is still two kilometers away from the rendezvous point."
"Hurry! Immediately prepare the Super Zombie waiting on the front line for teleportation. We need someone to intercept him."
The operators were sweating anxiously, but then they realized a serious problem: General Randy had just gone through a major battle and was resting.
"Who will control it? Should we just find a random special forces soldier to control it?"
Just at this critical moment.
"No need. I'll do it myself."
A calm voice suddenly echoed inside the Command Hall.
Everyone looked up in astonishment, only to see Steve's voice coming from an Overworld npcs used for communication, which was opening its mouth on the screen.
Inside Steve's villa.
Although Steve, lying on the bed, had his eyes closed and his breathing steady, under the modification of the Second-Tier Gene serum, his brain was in a marvelous state of lucid dreaming.
He was surprised to find that since awakening his Ice Element Ability and advancing, his mental power seemed to have undergone a qualitative change.
Even while sleeping, as long as he wished, his consciousness could instantly connect to the World Zeta.
Moreover, his commanding and operating abilities in this state were even sharper than when he was awake.
"Sleep? That's the rest weaklings need. The current me still has a great undertaking waiting to be completed."
Steve chuckled lightly in his dream. Furthermore, he wanted to verify the system's previous statement regarding the Ice Element Ability.
"Command Center, immediately activate the Teleportation Device. I have already connected to the Super Zombie's body."
"Yes, Director!"
Hearing that Steve was taking action personally, everyone felt reassured.
Inside the Biological Research Institute, the thirty-meter tall Super Zombie with wings on its back suddenly opened its eyes.
In those eyes, there was not only scarlet brutality but also a deep, subtle azure blue.
"The usual rule: serums, fill 'er up."
With a thought from Steve, the surrounding Mechanical Arms quickly poured in various serums.
Afterward, with a wave of his hand, he once again stored those dozens of crates of Totem of Undying into his dimensional space.
The dense forest outside Thunder Base.
"Die, you ant."
Zeus' figure had already closed in within a hundred meters.
The Thunder Spear in his hand had already taken shape. Only one strike was needed.
to blast that damned Bat and the box beneath its claws into dust.
Just then.
The Enderman responsible for the rendezvous finally arrived next to the concealed Teleportation Device.
Without hesitation, he instantly teleported into the Obsidian Bunker.
He grabbed the Trough Device where the pearl had been floating, and then slammed the wooden board he had prepared onto it.
Clap.
As the wooden board fell, it precisely touched the Ender Pearl suspended at the top of the bubble column.