Chapter 336: The Grand Plan: Gifts and a Head Start

Every time Wu Chang enters Underground Shelter No. 88, he can clearly feel the changes here.

It has been less than a month since his last visit, yet the entire style of the shelter has changed.

The previous underground shelter was, after all, in the midst of an apocalypse, so every design was intended for utility.

Whether it was urban infrastructure, vehicles, or mecha designs, the exteriors were exceptionally rugged and angular.

The colors used were mostly deep and gloomy, filled with an air of decadence.

But entering the shelter this time, the sharp angles in the city have clearly decreased, and rounded arcs have begun to increase.

A large number of buildings and urban facilities have been rebuilt, and the application of bright colors on building surfaces has increased, making the city radiate a vitality inconsistent with the apocalypse.

Just like last time, as soon as Wu Chang entered the underground shelter, He Yun sensed his presence and drove a shuttle to pick him up.

Wu Chang sat in the shuttle, glanced at He Yun, who was sitting opposite him in a white lab coat, and said:

"Miss He Yun, it seems you have grasped the essence of my cousin's research."

He Yun looked at Wu Chang with some surprise, "You can see the shadows of that research in the urban planning?"

In her impression, Wu Chang shouldn't be that sensitive to technology.

Wu Chang shrugged and said, "No, I can't tell."

"But I know that if you hadn't made progress with that research, you would still be locked in the lab and wouldn't have the time to pick me up."

Hearing this, the corners of He Yun's mouth lifted, and she narrowed her eyes, smiling as she asked:

"Still jealous that I neglected you last time?"

Wu Chang curled his lip, "I'm just stating facts."

The route the shuttle took to the research institute was different from before; to facilitate movement between the first and second underground levels, He Yun had built a new large-scale passage in the city center.

When heading to the second underground level, Wu Chang could see a large number of shelter residents driving engineering vehicles, passing through the passage in batches to head to the second level.

At first, he thought the construction of the manufacturing base had entered the final sprint and was being rushed.

But upon entering the second underground level, he saw that the planned factory buildings in the manufacturing base had already been completed, and various assembly lines had already been put into production.

Wu Chang looked at the engineering fleet driving into the depths of the second level and asked:

"Where are they going? Expanding the second underground level?"

He Yun said, "No, their mission is to build the third underground level."

"The third underground level?" Wu Chang asked in confusion, "You need that much space?"

The underground shelter is not short on space; the first level can even be divided into suburbs, which is enough to show that the underground shelter has a large surplus of living space.

Even if they started promoting a third-child policy now, given the current population base of the underground shelter, it would take decades to fill up the first level.

Why is He Yun skipping the second level and starting to build the third?

Could it be to accommodate the population of other underground shelters?

He Yun looked at Wu Chang, her tone mysterious:

"The third underground level is not for living, but for a large-scale project, a project even bigger than connecting the Desire Stele to the underground shelter's energy grid."

Wu Chang raised an eyebrow and asked, "Tell me about it?"

Connecting the Desire Stele to the underground shelter's energy grid directly facilitated the plane's ascension; from a macro perspective, it was a major project equivalent to evolving the plane's technology.

A project even larger than that—what does He Yun want to do? Make the plane ascend directly to the third level of the Abyss?

He Yun simply said four words, "Purify the surface."

Wu Chang was stunned for a moment after hearing this. When he first obtained the temporary administrator permissions and entered the administrator's perspective, he had seen the surface of the underground shelter plane.

He still remembered the scene at that time: above the desolate surface covered in ruins, there was a layer of deathly gray dust. That was not simple pollution, but absolute death.

The death of the surface.

For the vast majority of people in the underground shelter plane, obtaining enough energy and stable survival is already the limit of their imagination.

Many who have seen the surface don't even dare to say the words "purify the surface" when praying to the gods, for fear that the gods will reply, "Let's talk about your wish to rule the world instead."

Only He Yun; not only has she not given up hope, but she has already started preparing to do it.

Oh no, this spirit of transforming the world, why does it look a bit cool.

"I can only say, as expected of you."

He Yun smiled and said, "It's all thanks to you. In the process of trying to condense divinity through technology, your cousin conducted many experiments and conjectures, which gave me great inspiration."

Wu Chang asked curiously, "Can you translate that into a language I can understand and tell me simply?"

He Yun said, "Of course, come to the lab with me later, and I will take you to study it carefully."

The shuttle stopped at the central laboratory. Wu Chang looked around and felt that the manufacturing base was a bit deserted.

Not only were there fewer people, but even the area where mecha were originally stored was much emptier.

When he came here before, he could see He Yi training with mecha pilots in the vicinity, but today there was no sign of them.

He asked casually, "Miss He Yun, where is your brother?"

He has now become a Fighting Master, and coming here this time, he also harbored the intention of settling the score.

Now that he has techniques and martial skills, he doesn't believe He Yi can still use him as a sandbag based on stats alone.

He Yun replied, "He took some people out."

"Are those guys who attacked the underground shelter targeting this place again?" Wu Chang asked with a frown.

He remembered that He Yun and her brother had mentioned before that in the underground shelter plane, there was a group of dangerous elements who specialized in attacking underground shelters, and several shelters around No. 88 had fallen victim to them.

They had also targeted Underground Shelter No. 88, and it was precisely under their pressure that the energy demand of the underground shelter surged, leading He Yun to attempt the dungeon ascension plan.

If they came knocking, they would be in for a stroke of bad luck. In the apocalyptic underground shelter, there is no chance to see the sea; if he sent them into the Blind Abyss, they would probably cry with gratitude.

He Yun sensed Wu Chang's meaning and shook her head:

"Cleaning them up is just He Yi's after-dinner exercise. After I used your cousin's technology to strengthen his mecha, those rats couldn't hurt him at all. He has already wiped out eighty percent of the groups that attacked the underground shelter."

"He took people to the surface mainly to collect various samples for me and record surface data. As for what I use them for, you will see soon."

He Yun brought Wu Chang to her laboratory. On her workbench, a cubic container made of metal was floating.

She poured the soil retrieved from the surface into the cubic container and inserted a flower into it. Within a few breaths, the flower withered completely, turned into the same deathly gray color as the soil, and scattered into it.

"The pollution of the surface soil is very serious. The soil contains some kind of unanalyzable component. Once living things are inserted, they will be infected, die, and finally be assimilated into a part of it."

Immediately after, she pressed a button on the console, and energy from the Desire Stele was injected into the metal container.

Under the infusion of energy, the deathly gray in the soil reversed, turning light brown.

This time, when a flower was inserted, it lasted for five minutes before it began to decay, and it took nearly fifteen minutes to wither and die.

More importantly, the withered flower retained its original colors and was not assimilated by the soil.

Wu Chang's eyes widened after seeing this. He saw very clearly that what He Yun was demonstrating to him was not as simple as using energy to kill the polluted parts of the soil.

She was separating the power of faith from the Desire Stele and injecting it into the metal container. The metal container condensed the power of faith into a power similar to divinity, using divinity to purify the soil.

From a certain perspective, the metal box floating on the workbench is essentially a "demigod."

An artificial demigod—this method reminded Wu Chang of the Prime Material Armaments and Disqualified Monsters created by Schultz.

If he was teasing when he said He Yun had mastered the research left by Schultz on the shuttle earlier, it now seems she really has grasped the essence.

In the metal container, he saw not only the shadow of Prime Material Armaments but also He Yun's original "Technological Mysticism."

She not only learned Schultz's things but also perfectly integrated them into her own knowledge system.

More importantly, how many days has it been?

If he were given this amount of time, he wouldn't even be able to finish a semester's required courses. If he were given this brain, wouldn't he be guaranteed a postgraduate spot?

"How did you do it?"

He Yun explained:

"A large part of your cousin's research was studying gods, or rather, a power called divinity."

"This power is very magical. I still don't understand its principles, nor can I explain its existence, but it truly is a power that only gods can possess. Depending on the guidance conditions, it can do almost anything."

"Even the mysterious components in the surface soil will dissipate under its scouring."

Wu Chang's expression became extremely strange. Interpreting the principles of divinity using scientific methods sounds incredible, but for some reason, his intuition told him that He Yun might really be able to do it.

"So the thing you are going to build on the third underground level is an enlarged version of this metal box?"

He Yun said:

"You can understand it that way."

Wu Chang rubbed his face; He Yun's ceiling seems to be even higher than he thought.

"I have a question. The power of faith contained in the Desire Stele is not infinite. It is temporarily enough to supply the underground shelter, but it is far from enough to purify the surface."

"How do you plan to solve the problem of the power of faith?"

Speaking of the power of faith, He Yun showed a fawning smile and said:

"The project for the third underground level is currently just a prototype. To fully realize it, there are two more things I need your help with."

Wu Chang looked at He Yun helplessly. He Yun had paved the way with so much, and even demonstrated the purification of the surface for him, seemingly just waiting for him to ask this question.

"Speak, what do you want me to do?"

He Yun said:

"First, I want to go to the plane where your cousin is. The birth of technology is closely related to the plane it is in; different living environments and different development histories lead to great differences in the technological theories that are eventually born."

"I must see that plane with my own eyes and systematically study the technology of that world to better understand his research."

Wu Chang clicked his tongue; the first condition alone was tricky. He didn't answer directly but asked:

"What about the second?"

A bit of embarrassment appeared on He Yun's face as she said:

"The second favor is what you just mentioned: the power of faith."

"To obtain the power of faith, one naturally needs to collect faith. I don't understand religion, but you have someone who does. That little girl who is by your side and was born a god—if I remember correctly, her name is Yu Ailin, right?"

"I want to have her come to my world to preach and help me collect the power of faith."

Wu Chang sighed. In fact, when he asked about the lack of the power of faith, he had already guessed that He Yun might do this.

The favor He Yun asked him for was actually the same thing.

That was to merge the Underground Shelter into Ailin's large Divine Kingdom; this was also the purpose of his visit.

It was just that before he could speak, He Yun had brought it up first.

He wore a troubled expression and said:

"There is a way, but you might not be willing."

He Yun said: "What way?"

Wu Chang briefly explained to He Yun the large Divine Kingdom he and Ailin were building, as well as the events that had occurred in several planes recently.

"Just like the Gaomu Kingdom and the Ogre Kingdom, as long as the Underground Shelter is merged into the large Divine Kingdom, the planes within the Divine Kingdom will be interconnected."

"By then, I will be able to take you to my cousin's plane, and I can also let Ailin absorb the power of faith here. However..."

He Yun asked in confusion: "However what? Is she unwilling to come?"

Wu Chang shook his head and said: "It's not her problem; it's your problem. I mentioned earlier that Ailin possesses a very strong infectious influence. I am worried that if she comes to the Underground Shelter, it will affect your status as the leader."

After hearing this, He Yun said indifferently:

"If everyone thinks she is more suitable to be the leader than I am, I can completely yield this position to her."

Wu Chang looked at He Yun curiously; he could tell that He Yun truly did not care.

"This is the territory you have managed for so long. You have poured a lot of heart and soul into this place and taken many risks. If it were snatched away by someone else, wouldn't you feel unwilling?"

He Yun said as a matter of course:

"What I pursue is the end of science, not cowering in an underground space acting as a king. If her arrival can make this place better and also help my research, then that would be just perfect."

"If you need me to, I can even hide the relationship between us so she doesn't find out."

Wu Chang couldn't help but ask:

"Won't you be jealous?"

He Yun looked at Wu Chang with a smile and retorted: "Jealous? Over you, or over the Underground Shelter?"

Wu Chang's thoughts were exposed; he felt a moment of guilt, then followed up with a mix of embarrassment and anger:

"Both."

He Yun walked up to Wu Chang and said slowly:

"I don't like doing meaningless things. You once said that her existence is bound to you. If I say I don't like her, will you give her up for me?"

"Obviously not. And if I really had to make you choose one of two, the one who loses would be me. Instead of putting my attention into a battle I'm bound to lose, it's better to use your guilt to gain an advantage in other areas."

Wu Chang said helplessly: "Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to discuss calculating against me so openly?"

He Yun leaned in toward Wu Chang and asked: "Then, do you feel guilty?"

Wu Chang scratched his head and said: "To be honest, I do, which is why I prepared a gift."

He Yun asked curiously: "What gift?"

Wu Chang took out the chairman's badge of the Anthem Company, then took out a ring-shaped piece of deep-sea sunken iron, pinned the badge onto the ring, and put it on He Yun as a ring.

"You gave me the Underground Shelter before, and I haven't had anything to give in return. Wear this; you are now a director of my cousin's company. You'll find it useful when we go over there."

He Yun looked at the badge-ring in her hand—to be precise, at the ring itself—and her cheeks flushed slightly as she said:

"Is this hush money you prepared for me?"

Wu Chang asked in confusion: "What hush?"

He Yun blinked and teased: "Hush money for hiding our relationship."

Wu Chang shook his head and said: "I didn't plan on hiding any relationship. I've already done what I've done, what is there to be afraid of admitting?"

Only children make multiple-choice questions; as an adult, of course, I want both.

He Yun looked at Wu Chang in surprise and said: "But in many people's eyes, they would consider your behavior somewhat out of line, including Ailin."

Wu Chang wrinkled his nose and snapped his fingers. The next moment, a title flickering with rainbow light effects appeared above his head.

"Rule Breaker".

He Yun looked up at the top of Wu Chang's head; that line of colorful text somewhat exceeded her understanding.

She could not comprehend what those three characters represented. The strokes that made up those characters seemed to secretly align with the truths of the world, extremely profound.

"Rule Breaker, what does this mean?"

Wu Chang said proudly: "This is proof that the world allows me to be out of line. My existence is for the purpose of violating various rules."

He Yun looked at the Rule Breaker title, smiled, and shook her head. She said: "I think I like the you who is about to break all the rules even more. You just said you've already done what you've done and there's nothing you're afraid to admit, right?"

Wu Chang put away the title with its extremely flashy light effects and answered subconsciously: "Of course."

He Yun leaned close to Wu Chang and asked softly: "What have you done?"

"I..." Wu Chang was momentarily speechless. He stood there with his mouth agape, stunned. That's right, what had he done?

The next moment, He Yun directly blocked his mouth.

After a deep kiss that almost suffocated even Wu Chang, who was a deep-sea variant, he gasped for air and asked:

"No, wait, aren't we being a bit rushed?"

He Yun took a moment to unlock the bedroom's combination lock and said in an ambiguous tone: "You're so flustered, have you not made a move on Ailin yet?"

Wu Chang said: "I am a gentleman."

He Yun pushed hard, shoving Wu Chang backward onto the bed.

"A gentleman, I like that description. Since I can't be by your side all the time like her, then as the one being left out in the cold, stealing a head start should be considered reasonable, right?"

Wu Chang didn't know how to answer for a moment and stammered: "I still advocate for fair competition."

He Yun shook her head, picked up a tablet from the bedside, and opened a research document.

"Fine, since that's the case, then I can only wait for fair competition in the future."

Wu Chang got up, grabbed He Yun's wrist, and laughed dryly: "Actually, it doesn't need to be that fair. After all, I am a Rule Breaker."

In the time that followed, Wu Chang felt as if he had returned to the Lost Continent, watching the state of mind of the Martial Song Star Lord's martial arts.

Every movement led directly to the origin of life. Through this simple yet profound understanding, the theoretical knowledge accumulated over the past twenty-plus years gradually transformed into practical experience, giving him a sense of having attained the Dao in a single moment, where the heavens and earth all opened up.

Practice produces true knowledge. At this moment, he finally understood why Fang Hui was so dismissive of the various insights regarding the "fourth brother" in the dormitory.

So the teacher in class was right: a good memory is not as good as a bad pen; empty learning is not as good as practicing more.

In the great harmony of life, Wu Chang learned a lot on the path of life and became an adult overnight.

Late at night, Wu Chang held He Yun, immersed in a beautiful dream.

He was just preparing to review the knowledge he had just learned in his dream when suddenly the surrounding scene changed, and the plump and firm-bodied He Yun turned into a middle-aged man covered in blood.

Such a drastic change instantly startled Wu Chang awake from his dream.

Bad luck; how is it that every time I come to the Underground Shelter, I run into this guy being hunted down.

(End of chapter)