Chapter 67

“So, how advanced is the West’s research into superpowers?” Wang Yu asked curiously.

“The West has already classified superpowers into thirteen major categories and five tiers. Although no S-class superhuman has yet appeared in the West, there are already several A-class superhumans.”

“Our country has cultivated only two B-class superhumans at most. This is all classified information—keep it to yourself and don’t mention it to anyone else.” After a moment’s hesitation, Chen Boshi told Wang Yu, then added a warning.

Wang Yu naturally agreed wholeheartedly, but couldn’t help asking about something else:

“Doctor, what was that glowing ball of electricity on your body earlier? Do you have a superpower too?”

“Hah! I’m just a researcher—how could I have a superpower? That’s an ‘ionized force field,’ generated by this passive ionized force field device I’m wearing. The base will issue you one too, later.” Chen Boshi paused, then burst into laughter, pulling a palm-sized silver disc from his waist and handing it over.

“Ionized force field? Has our country’s technology advanced this far?”

Wang Yu, incredulous, took the disc and examined it closely.

Extremely lightweight!

Its surface was unnaturally smooth, with a protruding crystal screen at the center displaying a string of numbers, surrounded by a ring of tiny holes.

“This ionized force field device is an experimental model—high energy consumption, unreliable performance. I carry it only as a precaution, never expecting to actually use it. As for our country’s current technology, due to certain special reasons, we’ve made many groundbreaking advances in recent years—just not known to the general public.”

“Alright, Ding Yu, if you have any other questions, I’ll answer them. But tomorrow, we’ll start questioning you.” Chen Boshi spoke with deliberate meaning.

Wang Yu clearly understood the implication. After thinking for a moment, he asked:

“I want to know—besides me, has anyone else returned from the other world?”

“No. You’re the only one who returned successfully so far.” Chen Boshi replied without hesitation.

“Who were those two men who suddenly attacked us?”

“No proof exists, but who else could it be besides other nations?”

“When can I go home?”

“You can’t leave here for now—at least not until the base finishes analyzing the other world’s data. As you saw, even inside the base, people are willing to pay any price to kidnap you. Outside, the danger is obvious. You don’t want to put your friends and family at risk, do you?” Chen Boshi didn’t hide the truth—he made it clear.

“...Alright, I guess I’ll have to stay here for a while longer. I hope the others wake up soon.” Wang Yu smiled bitterly.

“Hah! If others wake up, your danger will drop significantly.”

“Doctor, is Taiyuan AI extremely valuable?” Wang Yu suddenly changed the subject.

“Taiyuan is among the world’s top-tier AIs—very few can match it. It’s also our nation’s only super-AI. Why ask this?” Chen Boshi frowned.

“Because Taiyuan’s subsystem helped me greatly in the other world. I’ve grown curious about it.”

“Ah, I see. Taiyuan can’t be measured in money—some rare materials used in its construction no longer exist on Blue Star. Even if we found them, we might not be able to rebuild another one.” Chen Boshi explained.

“Alright, I have no more questions. Doctor, prepare some drawing boards and brushes—I’ll sketch out some things now, then describe the full details of my descent into the other world tomorrow.”

Chen Boshi naturally agreed.

“By the way, has ‘Star River’ entered public beta? I want the most advanced gaming pod.” Wang Yu paused, then added an extra request.

“You like the game ‘Star River’?” Chen Boshi fell silent for a moment, then asked with a strange expression.

“Like? I was one of the first internal testers! You mean you play this global game too?” Wang Yu, surprised, asked back.

“I’m a researcher—I play occasionally. Ding Yu, if you truly like this game, listen to me: treat everything inside it as real.” Chen Boshi’s eyes flickered, then he spoke slowly.

“Doctor, what do you mean by that?” Wang Yu was startled and pressed further.

“Your clearance level doesn’t permit me to tell you much. I can only say this: what you learn inside ‘Star River’ might one day prove genuinely useful.” Chen Boshi spoke slowly, his expression grave.

Wang Yu was stunned by these words.

Could playing an interstellar game actually have real-world applications?

Isn’t the game just full of mechs and spaceships? How could any of that be useful in reality?

At this point, Chen Boshi no longer wished to elaborate. He spoke into a button-like communicator on his collar, and soon someone brought in white drawing boards and brushes.

Wang Yu steadied his nerves, picked up a brush, and began drawing the Four Beasts Diagram’s Sixteen Forms right before Chen Boshi’s eyes.

Only the soft “shush-shush” of brush on board filled the room, while Chen Boshi stood behind Wang Yu, watching curiously as the tiny figures gradually emerged on the board…

That night, Wang Yu lay on his bed, eyes closed, appearing motionless in sleep—but inside his mind, he silently spoke:

“Taiyuan, activate overdrive sync mode.”

…Beep. Beep… Overdrive sync mode failed. Mother system detected. System reset and fusion in progress. Completion: 32%. Estimated time remaining: 58 hours, 46 minutes, 29 seconds…

A mechanical, emotionless voice echoed clearly in his mind.

Wang Yu felt a wave of helplessness.

When he used the Golden Touch technique to subdue the knife-wielding man in the suit, he had quickly checked himself.

His bloodline-awakened superhuman body was gone. The cultivation energy he’d spent years refining had vanished. But the immense spiritual power he gained in the other world remained untouched—yet he could no longer sense the celestial qi from the surrounding void, nor perform any spells.

When he tried to enter overdrive sync mode, this is what happened.

Not only did overdrive sync mode fail, but the auxiliary system notified him: mother system detected. System is undergoing reset and fusion.

The first part was understandable—the “mother system” likely referred to Taiyuan AI’s physical core on Blue Star. But what the hell was “reset and fusion”? What would happen after it completed?

Should he tell Chen Boshi and the others about all this?

But if anyone found out he had another Taiyuan system inside his mind—especially one that may have mutated in the other world—what would become of him?

The best outcome would probably be lifelong confinement in the base, studied day and night.

A series of terrifying images flashed through Wang Yu’s mind, his heart sinking.