Chapter 374: Mobile Energy Warehouse

In the Heaven's Heart Command Center, even a pin drop could be heard.

Everyone stared blankly at the clear figure on the star map that spanned space and was projected directly before them.

It's him!

It's Qin Hao!

He has returned!

Qin Hao's gaze pierced through endless space, sweeping over every person in the Heaven's Heart Command Center.

He saw Luo Lao and Zhang Yunfeng, saw Qian Bowen, saw those familiar or unfamiliar faces.

Finally, his gaze fell upon Qian Yin.

Their eyes met.

Qian Yin felt the longing, worry, and anticipation accumulated over five hundred years erupt at this moment; her eye sockets instantly reddened, her nose soured, and she almost burst into tears.

But she forcibly held it back.

Now is not the time to lose composure.

She simply straightened her back, strained to produce an uglier-than-crying smile toward that distant figure, lips slightly parting, and silently uttered the words she had rehearsed countless times.

"Welcome home."

Qin Hao looked at her, and in his eyes, as still as an ancient well, ripples seemed to appear.

He gave a slight nod, his calm voice resonating directly in everyone's minds.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Qin Hao's voice was very flat, without much emotion.

Yet these simple words made everyone in the Command Center feel a warm current surge through their bodies.

It was the reassuring feeling of having found a mainstay.

No matter how far the Yanhuang Civilization develops, no matter how magnificent the Great Wall they forge, Qin Hao will always be the civilization's most solid cornerstone.

Qin Hao's figure did not linger long; merely taking a step in the void, he instantly crossed the vast distance and appeared on the command platform of the Heaven's Heart Command Center.

The moment he appeared, everyone instinctively straightened their bodies and gave him a salute of attention.

This was a respect that came from the heart.

Qin Hao's gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on two people.

One was Qian Yin.

The other was Nangong Lin, seated on the commander's throne.

He gave Qian Yin a slight nod, his eyes hinting at approval.

Over these four hundred plus years, he had watched Qian Yin's growth. From the concept of the Dimensional Stabilizer,

to the realization of the Great Wall Project, this girl who once followed behind him has truly grown into a top-tier scientist capable of standing on her own.

Afterward, his gaze turned to Nangong Lin.

This girl, possessing spiritual power on par with his, was observing him with a curious yet calm gaze.

In Nangong Lin's perception, the Qin Hao before her was no longer merely a person or a god.

He was like a walking universe—appearing calm, yet containing within him terrifying power capable of creating or destroying worlds.

And Qin Hao was also sizing up Nangong Lin.

He could sense Nangong Lin's vast, ocean-like spiritual power—pure, clean, without a trace of impurity.

"Your talent is excellent." Qin Hao said to Nangong Lin.

Although he was in a charging state during the recent Dimensional Matrix crisis, he perceived it clearly; Nangong Lin's handling of it left him somewhat astonished.

It was not reliance on brute force, but a technique akin to the Dao.

"It is my duty." Nangong Lin's voice remained cool and ethereal; she rose from the commander's throne, bowed slightly, and offered a salute.

Qin Hao said no more; he knew that for people like him and Nangong Lin, excess words were unnecessary.

He turned his body to face Luo Lao, Qian Bowen, and the others.

"Xie Nian, thank you for your hard work."

"This is my duty; just come back!" Luo Lao said, his holographic projection flickering slightly due to emotional fluctuations.

Qian Bowen also nodded repeatedly, tears streaming down his face: "Yeah, seeing you makes everything worthwhile."

Qin Hao did not continue with small talk; he was not someone who liked to dwell on the past.

He slowly raised his right hand.

Everyone's gaze focused on his hand.

Only a ring adorned his middle finger.

That ring was extremely plain, entirely silver-white, with no patterns or gems, looking like the most ordinary accessory.

Given Qin Hao's current status and power, any item appearing on him could not be mundane.

"Is this a spatial ring?" Qian Yin couldn't help but ask curiously.

Qin Hao opened his palm, letting everyone see it more clearly.

"To be precise, it is an energy storage device." He explained concisely.

"An energy storage device?"

Academician Qian Bowen furrowed his brows, carefully observing the ring, yet could not discern its material or structure.

Given your current energy level, what kind of energy storage device could meet your needs?

The others were also puzzled.

As the technological ceiling rises, the energy demand for the things Qin Hao replicates has grown to an astronomical figure.

After charging for several hundred years, it directly absorbed an entire black hole.

Ordinary charging methods, to him, weren't even worthy of being called a power bank.

"Natural black holes have the highest efficiency, but they aren't convenient enough." Qin Hao said calmly, "I need a mobile energy source that can replenish my energy anytime, anywhere."

He looked at Qian Bowen and issued an order.

"I need you to do me a favor and put a hundred thousand next‑generation black‑hole engines in here."

"This method works."

Academician Qian Bowen's eyes lit up.

Putting black‑hole engines into a space ring is indeed a mobile energy depot.

"Then... the internal space of this ring..." Academician Qian said in a questioning tone.

You should know, the volume of a single black‑hole engine is huge.

"Don't worry! It's big enough."

Qin Hao saw the other's doubt, simply took the ring off his finger and lightly tossed it.

The silver ring traced an arc in the air and hovered steadily in front of Qian Bowen.

Qian Bowen took the ring.

He mobilized his mental power to probe the size of the ring's inner space.

He found that its interior spanned a light‑year—let alone a hundred thousand, even ten million would fit with room to spare.

This ring was personally crafted by Qin Hao himself, based on his own understanding of spatial rules.

"Xiao Qin, a hundred thousand is a bit few; I'll get you a hundred million and arrange them into an energy matrix for higher efficiency."

Hearing Academician Qian's suggestion, Qin Hao nodded.

"Then let's finish it as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, it'll only take a day." Qian Bowen said with a smile.

At this moment Qin Hao looked at Luo Lao; in his deep eyes, a solemn expression finally appeared.

He raised the question that instantly tightened everyone's nerves.

"The Great Wall Project is already completed, and I've returned as well."

"Then…"

"Overlord… is probably arriving soon?"

Qin Hao's question was like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing everyone's joy at reuniting.

Inside the Command Center, the atmosphere grew solemn once again.

Luo Lao's smile vanished completely, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.

He gave Qin Hao a heavy nod.

"Yes."

"Based on our continuous observations over the past four hundred plus years and the simulations of the 'Heavenly River' light‑brain, combined with the information you left behind about the 'Overlord'…"

Luo Lao waved his hand, and the holographic star map behind him began to change.

A vaster cosmic panorama unfolded—a dynamic model of the entire Virgo Supercluster.