Chapter 544: Another Desert

These two's work is fairly adequate.

Seeing Sui Yang solidify the lighthouse regime and Sui Yue earn the hunters' respect, Sui Bian seemed to mutter to himself, or perhaps to the Red Queen and Bai Hou beside him, a remark.

…

The two AIs that heard Sui Bian's mutter both silently nodded, indicating agreement.

In fact, Sui Bian recently devised a way to project Psychic Gaze, similar to a hologram, in front of him or at any location he wishes.

Thus Sui Bian can display Psychic Gaze inside a secret chamber of the Empire palace, allowing the Red Queen and Bai Hou, via monitors, to help him simultaneously oversee the two thousand recruits in the trial and matters of the primary and multiple universes.

If refined further, the Red Queen and Bai Hou could shoulder some of his workload.

Though this pressure is minor, everyone eventually cannot escape the "Fishing Law"; otherwise, over the past few decades Sui Bian wouldn't constantly have Magnus sit on the Spiritual Energy amplification device for him.

He can even pull his son in to "work" for him, let alone an AI that already serves as his secretary; so assisting his boss is understandable.

As for Sui Bian's sigh, the main reason ties back to his previous life.

The parallel universe Sui Yang and Sui Yue travel to corresponds to an apocalyptic anime he watched and studied in his past life—

"Spirit Cage."

Putting aside the continuity errors caused by technical and budget constraints—like the opening scene where 4068 alarms the spinal bone group and the first‑arriving hunters wield infinite bullets—the work is overall slightly above average.

Nevertheless, the work left Sui Bian deeply unsettled, and he still harbors resentment.

First, that 4068.

That guy caused trouble from start to finish, never having a moment of peace.

Even when the hunters' communications officer warned to clean wounds and blood, 4068, after being injured, paid no heed, muttering a curse before moving on.

This action ultimately disturbed the Mana ecosystem's protective mechanism (breath soil), causing heavy losses to the hunters' squad, yet the guy survived by defying fate and killed Mark??

Secondly, what left Sui Bian speechless was how Charles, who coerced and bribed 4068 to betray, knew that 4068 would coincidentally swap posts with other dustfolk, avoiding a fatal assault by the metamorphic extreme predator (Floral Husk Beast) and also escaping breath soil consumption.

Anyway.

When he surveyed countless universes and discovered the existence of the "Spirit Cage" universe, he intentionally sent recruits to "clean up" the lighthouse.

And Sui Yang and Sui Yue, his "biological" sons, lived up to his expectations, immediately executing 4068 and crushing Charles's skull with a punch, finally resolving his knot.

He relaxed a bit.

Sui Bian glanced at Bai Hou and said, "The Fallen Formation's official members are few right now; place Sui Yang and Sui Yue on the observation list, and after the trial send their files to the Fallen Formation, attempting to induct them as official members."

"Alright."

After briefing Bai Hou, Sui Bian redirected part of his focus onto Earth in the "Spirit Cage" universe.

That female test subject, namely the surface faction of Bai Yue Kui's party, has already sensed the lighthouse's upheaval and the "arrival" of Sui Yang and Sui Yue, and is currently watching.

The "Lord of Light and Shadow" worshipped by the lighthouse masses was actually a higher‑tier extreme predator beyond king level.

In a sense, it represents another evolutionary endpoint of humanity merging into the Mana ecosystem.

Before 2048 in the "Spirit Cage" universe, a multinational conglomerate called Nirvana, while excavating in Antarctica, uncovered a well‑preserved, somewhat "alternative" prehistoric giant beast carcass.

After bringing it back for study, Nirvana discovered the beast's organs and tissues continuously regenerated, offering immense research value.

Consequently, Nirvana handed the carcass to the long‑established "Immortality Project" research team.

Later, the team conducted wild vivisection experiments on the carcass and even cultivated a fabricated brain, the Klotho system.

The old‑society lighthouse was one of Nirvana's possessions.

However, this reckless experimentation backfired severely, causing the deaths of billions of humans.

Sudden wars and geological shifts caused accidents at the Immortality Project's base; the freed test subjects fled, reproduced rapidly, and evolved into the original Mana ecosystem.

This corroborates the "Cycle of Cause and Effect."

Nevertheless, some officials, tycoons, and elite troops boarded colonist ships and successfully continued human civilization on the Moon and Mars.

And Earth, abandoned by the old society, sees its surface conditions worsening.

The Mana ecosystem, which devours human souls, emotions, and feelings by the hundred‑million, has birthed individual beings with independent consciousness and intellect—divine‑level extreme predators.

The "Lord of Light and Shadow" who rescued a young Charles is this very creature.

Although Sui Bian resides in the primary universe, he can still precisely locate the Lord of Light and Shadow and sense its thoughts and emotions.

It already regards itself as a deity, a higher being beyond its kind and humanity; its rescue of Charles was merely out of curiosity.

After all, isn't a god's greatest pleasure to toy with living beings?

Watching humanity struggle to survive in the apocalypse while the lighthouse stages endless intrigue, nothing is more entertaining.

Moreover, this creature has already taken notice of Sui Yang and Sui Yue, sending a king‑level extreme predator to test them, apparently to "tease" the two Astate recruits.

'Little thing, pretty fierce.'

Sensing the Lord of Light and Shadow's mental ripples, Sui Bian, with a single thought, remotely erased it across planets and space.

It is a permanent erasure both physically and spiritually, with no chance of any revival.

However, the Lord of Light and Shadow does possess arrogant power; if judged purely by combat strength, it rivals a Tuthmos battalion commander.

That's not an opponent Sui Yang or Sui Yue could handle, so he conveniently eliminated it for his sons.

Even a trial shouldn't truly endanger lives…

Wait a moment.

Sui Bian suddenly wondered if he was meddling too much.

One must know that Astate in the Zero Three universe, whether during the Great Expedition or the Great Rebellion, existed in a self‑sustaining, self‑destructive state.

How could the Zero Three Emperor spare such immense effort to protect his offspring?

Fine…

Sui Bian's brief self‑doubt quickly ended, and he ruled out following the Zero Three Emperor's path.

Even as a counterpart, vast differences remain; anyway, he couldn't stand by while his offspring faced life‑or‑death.

He steadied his mind.

The "Linglong" universe seems to have only Bai Yue Kui remaining, and its ground forces are worth Sui Yang and Sui Yue's attention.

Moreover, even should a clash with Bai Yue Kui arise, those two biological sons would still hold the advantage.

After a moment's thought, Sui Bian instructed the two secretaries beside him: "The trial progress of the Sixteenth Universe (Linglong) is about to finish; I will accelerate the time flow on that side.

Tell A Li An that I will open a Space Gate at the designated location, bring the surviving humans of the Sixteenth Universe back to the main universe, and discard any places not worth developing."

"Understood." The two secretaries replied in unison.

———————

…

A few hours in the main universe.

Several tens of days in the "Linglong" universe.

Under a clear, cloudless sky lies a sparkling blue ocean.

The lighthouse hovers about two hundred meters above the sea, steadily moving along a coastline more than ten kilometres away.

Moreover, judging by its size alone, the lighthouse appears sturdier than before.

Originally suspended beneath the mushroom caps, the pigeon cages—high‑risk dwellings for the dust‑folk—have merged with the main city district, fully forming an aerial metropolis.

At that moment, two transport aircraft with tilting‑wing designs (resembling fish‑eagle transports but without propeller wings) formed a front‑and‑rear formation and swiftly flew away from the coast toward the lighthouse.

When the distance between them fell below one kilometre, the engines of the two transports began to rotate, shifting to a 45° inclined, decelerated thrust.

Immediately thereafter,

The two transports hovered on the east side of the lighthouse, then, as if authorized, entered one by one beneath the mushroom caps onto newly built landing platforms.

They lowered their landing gear.

They came to a steady stop.

The tail hatch opened…

"Awesome! So damn awesome!"

"Having aircraft makes everything convenient!"

Noise and cheers rang out.

The better‑armed scavengers escorted dust‑folk wearing power‑free, ergonomically designed passive exoskeletons that carried supplies, all exiting the transport's cabin together.

Everyone, including Ran Bing who led the team, wore expressions of joy and relief.

Three months have passed since Sui Yang and Sui Yue arrived, and the lighthouse has undergone earth‑shaking changes.

That scouting raid on the military base returned fully loaded: a four‑person main battle tank, six troop carriers each weighing twice as much as the tank, four transport aircraft, and the corresponding power supplies, fuel, ammunition, and so on.

This instantly upgraded the lighthouse's military might from makeshift to proper artillery.

Most importantly, with transport aircraft, scavenging missions are now more convenient and swift, with supplies flowing in from all directions.

Now even the dust‑folk at the lighthouse enjoy three meals a day, each with meat (synthetic canned meat), and look to the future with hope.

Lord of Light and Shadow?

Damn the Lord of Light and Shadow; it is Sui Yang, Sui Yue and Ma Ke's leadership that makes the lighthouse better and better.

When they once endured hunger, the people prayed to a "deity" for salvation; now, well‑fed, they naturally have the energy to contemplate facts and truth.

And the retired elder Mo Gen, plus the reforms and coup that erupted three months ago…

Who would still care?

In short, unwavering trust in Sui Yang, Sui Yue and Ma Ke is enough.

At this moment,

Scavengers and dust‑folk porters hand over a newly gathered batch of canned food to the city defense troops, then head to the armory to shed their gear and prepare for medical inspection.

Inside the lighthouse's command hall.

Still in combat attire, Ma Ke stands on the platform, listening to reports from Mo Cheng, Ai Long, Xue Feng and others on recent matters.

Sui Yang, now wearing a custom black uniform, also stands on the platform, facing a large sealed window and gazing out at the sea, as if detached and uninterested in the discussion.

As for Sui Yue…

That Astate rookie who is too lazy to consider politics is probably at the scavenger base, frantically training a group of teenage backup scavengers.

"Lord of the City." At this point, Jing Nan looks up slightly at Ma Ke, raises his voice and concludes: "Overall, the lighthouse has entered a virtuous cycle.

Moreover, the collected supplies will sustain the lighthouse populace for over three years, and the weapons and ammunition production lines are now fully established."

"Very good." With his hands clasped behind his back, Ma Ke nods lightly, "Maintain the current state, and appropriately increase green food for the dust‑folk."

Having served as city lord for three months, Ma Ke has shifted from a reckless novice to a competent leader.

"Everyone." The ever‑silent Sui Yang suddenly interjects, turns, and faces Ma Ke, Jing Nan and the senior officials, his voice low as he offers his personal view:

"These past three months we have traversed the continent Europe as defined by the old society, surveyed every viable scavenging site, yet must we rely forever on scavenging and gathering?"

"Do you mean… returning to the surface?" Jing Nan attempts to respond.

"Exactly." Sui Yang does not deny, "We should establish outposts on the ground, then gradually form permanent bases.

Moreover, with me and Sui Yue present, any extreme‑devouring beast is no problem; even that Lord of Light and Shadow is no exception."

"Um, an outpost isn't impossible… I… I… I'll go!!"

Mo Cheng was about to speak, but suddenly seemed to see something utterly shocking and stammered.

Not only the newly appointed city defense commander, but also Ai Long, Fei Xue, Xue Feng and the other senior officials reacted likewise.

?

Facing away from the sealed window, Ma Ke and Sui Yang were startled, then both turned and looked toward where everyone was staring.

They saw, at an indeterminate distance from the lighthouse, a colossal Space Gate of golden radiance materializing out of thin air.

Immediately, a Moonlight Goddess‑class vessel, twice the height of Mount Everest, slowly emerged from the Space Gate, as if soaring toward the outer realms of the cosmos.

The previously calm sea, now affected by the self‑gravitating Moonlight Goddess‑class, roiled into turbulent waves, causing the lighthouse to shudder and sway.

Even if it's Ma Ke, he cannot remain as calm as usual.

That's a Moonlight Goddess‑class…

But Sui Yang didn't have much to say, because having been in the Solar System for many years, he's seen too many Lords of Glory and Moonlight Goddesses.

And this ship right before us is precisely one of those belonging to the Forbidden Army.

"Looks like I and Sui Yue have passed our father's trial." Sui Yang muttered to himself quietly.

———————

…

Before the Moonlight Goddess‑class arrives in the 'Spirit Cage' universe, preparing to take Sui Yang, Sui Yue, Ma Ke, and all surviving humanity back to the main universe…

Another time flow is slowed according to the subjective consciousness of the Human Emperor, and likewise it is an Earth desert under apocalypse.

There are six Astate in total, just sent here by their father.

(End of chapter)