Chapter 199: Volcanic Eruption

The intruders who planted the bombs quickly broke under the professional and merciless interrogation of "Zhu Long." Yet the information he provided made Qin Feng and Gao Yuan frown.

He was not from any known national power or commercial rival, but a member of an extremist organization called "Jing Shi Hui." This group was small and operated in secrecy, adhering to a twisted doctrine blending environmentalism, anti-technology sentiment, and apocalyptic beliefs. They firmly believed advanced technology was the root cause of Earth's ecological collapse and humanity's moral decay, and were dedicated to "purifying" the world by destroying what they deemed "dangerous" cutting-edge projects.

"Jing Shi Hui" somehow learned of the existence of "New Era" and the "Ling Xiao" platform, viewing them as "nests of technological demons" that must be destroyed. This member was a suicide operative whose mission was to sabotage "Ling Xiao" at all costs.

The trail ended at "Jing Shi Hui." Such an organization, driven by fanatical faith, was like a venomous snake hidden in shadows—difficult to eradicate and impossible to fully guard against.

Qin Feng did not relax his vigilance; instead, he raised the security level of "New Era" and the "Ling Xiao" platform further, especially tightening personnel background checks and physical isolation of core areas. Simultaneously, he ordered the "Zhu Long" intelligence division to fully investigate the behind-the-scenes funding sources and core members of "Jing Shi Hui," determined to root them out completely.

After handling this failed attack, Qin Feng's attention returned once more to the larger issues. The "Ling Xiao" platform, after comprehensive inspection and partial system reinforcement, was ready for its second test—the first short-distance levitation trial. This time, the test location was chosen in a broader, more secure area on the outskirts of "New Era."

Meanwhile, the "Anomalous Phenomena Research" team made a minuscule but strangely oriented breakthrough in analyzing the "White Shadows." They discovered that the fluctuation frequency of the Abnormal Energy Field bore an extremely faint similarity to certain background radiation recorded in several famous global regions known for unexplained phenomena (such as the Bermuda Triangle and certain ancient ruins).

This suggested that the "White Shadows" were not unique to the "Ling Xiao" platform, but rather a widespread, usually unobservable "background noise," merely accidentally amplified or resonated by the platform's powerful energy field.

This discovery added another layer of fog to Qin Feng's understanding of the world.

Just as scientific research and security efforts advanced in parallel, the "Wealth Prediction" function issued a warning unlike any before!

This time, it did not mark a business opportunity, a technical talent, or a potential threat—but a... natural disaster!

A large, flashing red exclamation mark appeared on the map of the South Pacific, precisely locking onto... a submarine volcanic group located approximately three hundred nautical miles east of "New Era" city-state!

【Crisis Alert: Target submarine volcanic group (codename "Nuo Huo Zhi Huan")—crustal activity has sharply intensified, mantle plume energy has abnormally accumulated, and a large-scale eruption is predicted within 71 hours! Eruption level estimated to exceed VEI-6 (massive)! The resulting tsunami will cause catastrophic damage to all waters and islands within an 800-nautical-mile radius! Note: "New Era" city-state lies within the direct impact zone of the tsunami!】

Submarine volcanic eruption! VEI-6 or higher! Catastrophic tsunami!

When Qin Feng saw this message, his pupils contracted sharply!

A VEI-6 volcanic eruption releases energy equivalent to thousands of Hiroshima atomic bombs! The resulting tsunami could reach heights exceeding thirty meters, sufficient to destroy everything along the coast!

Although "New Era" city-state employed advanced floating platform technology and some disaster-prevention design, its survival against such a scale of natural catastrophe remained entirely uncertain!

This was the first time since acquiring the system that Qin Feng faced such a direct, violent threat from natural forces!

This was no longer a game between humans—it was humanity confronting heaven and earth!

"Immediately assemble all geologists, oceanographers, meteorologists, and structural engineers! Activate the highest-level disaster emergency response!" Qin Feng gave the order without hesitation, his voice steady yet carrying undeniable urgency, "Notify all departments of 'New Era' to enter disaster-preparedness mode! Activate all defense protocols!"

The order spread like thunder through the entire "New Era"!

The city-state, still recovering from the bomb attack, plunged once more into high alert! The piercing disaster alarms echoed across the sky!

Experts were rapidly gathered in the Command Center, where Qin Feng shared the "Wealth Prediction" data (after appropriate processing) as top-secret intelligence. Initially, the experts were stunned and skeptical of such precise predictions—but when they retrieved recent satellite remote sensing data and seismic monitoring records from the region, every one of their faces turned grim.

The data, though not as precise as Qin Feng's, all pointed to the same conclusion—the submarine volcanic group was indeed in an extremely unstable active phase, with an extremely high risk of large-scale eruption! The time window also matched the prediction closely!

"Mr. Qin! The situation is extremely critical!" the chief geologist said, his voice dry. "According to our models, the first tsunami wave will reach 'New Era' two to three hours after the eruption! We must immediately begin evacuating non-essential personnel and reinforce the city's structures!"

"Evacuate?" Qin Feng looked at the screen's constantly ticking countdown—70:58:12—and shook his head. "There isn't enough time. The panic and chaos from a mass evacuation could be more deadly than the tsunami itself."

His gaze swept over the tense faces in the Command Center, finally settling on the ocean city gleaming in the sunlight beyond the window.

"We are not evacuating."

Everyone present was stunned.

"Mr. Qin! This is too risky!"

"We must protect 'New Era'!" Qin Feng cut them off firmly. "This is our foundation—we cannot abandon it!"

He stood up, walked to the large sea chart, and pointed his finger at the red-marked volcanic group.

"If disaster cannot be avoided, then we must find a way... to fight it!"

"Immediately calculate the precise path, wave height, and energy distribution of the tsunami!" "Deploy the 'Ling Xiao' platform and all available engineering vessels and resources to construct multiple composite breakwaters around 'New Era'! Use the highest standards—at any cost!" "Activate all city power systems; if necessary, attempt to use reverse thrust to offset part of the impact!" "All 'Zhu Long' teams deploy to assist with reinforcement and maintain order!"

One after another, clear, calm, even slightly insane orders issued from Qin Feng's mouth!

He intended to... directly withstand this volcanic eruption and tsunami!

Everyone in the Command Center was stunned by Qin Feng's bold, nearly insane plan!

But seeing Qin Feng's resolute, confident gaze, a strange sense of confidence and fighting spirit surged within them!

"Yes, Leader!" Gao Yuan was the first to snap to attention. "Understood! We'll begin calculations and design immediately!" "Engineering Department guarantees mission completion!"

The entire "New Era" operated like a precise, frenzied machine, moving with unprecedented efficiency!

Countless prefabricated components, special steel, and buffer materials were rushed to the city's perimeter. The "Ling Xiao" platform was temporarily requisitioned, its immense power and load capacity serving as a mobile platform and lifting core. Massive breakwater skeletons began extending and reinforcing across the sea surface at visible speed...

Everyone knew this was a race against time, a high-stakes gamble against the power of nature!

Qin Feng stood on the top floor of the Command Center, watching the frantic scene below—humanity racing against death—and gazing at the distant sea, still calm yet hiding devastating power.

His eyes held no fear—only a burning, almost incandescent determination.

Volcanic eruption? Tsunami?

Good.

Let him see whether the power of heaven and earth was stronger—or whether his own fate, Qin Feng's, was harder!

He would test whether, beneath this glorious divine wrath, he could protect his own... New Era!