Star Federation, Tianshu City.
"Strange power, dimensional turbulence."
The old man's murmurs reverberated with gravity, his gaze filled with concern. They were beings capable of rivaling gods, even transcending them in some ways. Their numbers and intentions remained a mystery, yet the aura that had just enveloped the world was unmistakable.
A Federation had angered the anomalies of dimensional turbulence, inciting the wrath of the Lady of the Night.
Fortunately, this was a place where gods were born—ancient gods, new deities, and even malevolent beings all hailed from Xia. Its power was strong enough to prevent these gods from crossing into this realm.
However, as a seventh-level legend, he could sense the world stirring back to life.
To the world, there was no distinction between humans, elves, or dragons. Once its capacity could accommodate demigods, even the most stable Star Federation would face devastation.
That would spell disaster for order itself.
"Have you considered it?" the old man asked.
"Yes," replied a young, cold voice. A white-haired figure stood beside him, eyes fixed on the sky, determination evident in his demeanor. "I plan to pass on the arcane arts and the forbidden spells I've created to the Dawn Federation. If they can share their knowledge, then I, Nor, can do the same."
For five centuries, his unparalleled talent had set him apart among the over three billion intelligent beings on the planet. His sights were never set on the so-called mutation zones or disaster areas. The only entities he aspired to rival were the old figures from four centuries past and the majestic beings that had just materialized beyond the world.
The world's energy levels were recovering, and he felt his own realm loosening. He was confident he could reach the tenth level within five years and achieve the taboo within fifty. Under his leadership, the Star Federation would adopt a defensive posture, preparing to counterattack Xia.
The glory of order would eventually spread to every corner of the New God era!
Chu Ao looked at the half-elf he had raised, relief shining in his once-cloudy eyes. "God" was a heavy word indeed.
Turning with calm authority, he commanded, "Find Unos; the transmission of knowledge can begin."
[Instructions issued. Unos will arrive at your palace in ten minutes.]
Dawn, Tobu Castle.
[City Defense Mecha 186-A has been repaired and continues to provide alchemical protection for Dongwu City.]
As the electronic voice announced this, Bai Yi gathered the remaining super alloys, which exceeded his expectations and were perfect for crafting a Barrett.
These superalloys, produced using solar energy, had a remarkable affinity for this energy source. They displayed resistance to solar blasts at a level three times higher than other materials.
Although manufacturing the gun would be costly, at peak solar energy, the Barrett could even threaten Gold-tier beings. The bullets would need to be crafted from this alloy as well, since other materials would fail under the immense force of solar energy.
With the new energy gun, bullets would be replaced by solar rays.
Bai Yi planned to test it later.
"Repair the city," he instructed an official from the Construction Department before heading toward the City Lord's Mansion.
Ling: [Mr. Bai Yi, the capital is holding an emergency meeting, requiring participation from the four major border towns.]
Bai Yi: [Just project it; I'll watch in real time.]
Zero: [Applying for projection permission. Application approved.]
After swiftly returning to the City Lord's Mansion, Bai Yi dashed into the laboratory.
Diane had stayed in Dongwu City for four days, and aside from the first day when she was absent, Bai Yi had been tirelessly working.
The new workshop director in the basement was extremely busy, polishing not only superalloy raw materials but also precious metals and gold-eating insects.
Bai Yi currently possessed 300 million gold-eating bugs. While this seemed like a large number, when combined, they were only about the size of an ordinary teenager—not even a strong man.
The true terror of gold-eating bugs lay in their minuscule size; overwhelming in number, they could be fatal to any entity below the high-level legendary tier.
Preparing for potential needs, Bai Yi tasked Oshi with polishing them, maximizing his financial resources.
He checked the solar energy compression device, noting the pile of solar crystals accumulating there.
Solar energy, initially light, transformed into liquid energy through alchemical extraction, and upon compression, became crystalline. The resulting solar energy was potent; a ten-meter Solar Tribute could unleash destruction comparable to an intercontinental missile, though its damage would differ.
At this stage, the compression merely enhanced power; it wasn't the limit of current alchemical capabilities. By utilizing pharmaceutical energy, the crystals could be purified back into liquid form.
Currently, one liter of ordinary solar energy could yield only one hundred milliliters of high-purity solar energy. Due to its purity, solar energy became unstable when forcefully compressed. However, by introducing certain inert substances, it could be stabilized into pure solar crystals.
Assuming these solar crystals were used to create a Solar Tribute of equal size, their strength could surpass that of intercontinental missiles, marking the most powerful explosive Bai Yi could produce.
But was this truly the limit?
No. The next step involved placing these crystals into the Demon Dimension, accelerating them 800 times, sealing them completely, and positioning the Heart of the Scorching Sun above them.
Calculations suggested that within five hundred years, these crystals would gradually connect under the Heart of the Sun's illumination, ultimately transforming into a singular substance akin to that found in the sun's core.
If correct, producing a one-meter Sun Salute could obliterate Dongwu City.
However, due to the inert matter, the explosion would be delayed by one second to one minute—a critical flaw.
Yet, with precise timing, even if the White Plague were tethered to an intercontinental missile, it could deliver the warmth of the sun to the enemy.
Bai Yi dispatched the crystals to a designated space within the Demon Dimension for this purpose.
Afterward, he issued an order to the Finance Department to procure more solar energy; one could never have too much of this weapon of mass destruction.
Even if the world barriers could no longer contain the gods, the Heart of the Scorching Sun would transform into a Sun Tribute, positioned above Dongwu City for all to see.
Zero: [Members of the parliament are voting on a proposal to increase troops in the border towns.]
Bai Yi: [Support.]
Zero: [Vote cast in favor.]
Bai Yi placed the final batch of solar energy into the compression device and turned to prepare for the manufacture of a more advanced Barrett.
Remembering something, he calmly instructed, "Notify Bato and Yuefang to cease their work in the Armament Department and assist me."
Barto, a technician in Dongwu City, had S-level talent and was currently studying under the director of the Armament Department.
The display of power by the Lady of Night had unsettled Bai Yi. He intended to bring these two alchemy geniuses along to learn from them.
He glanced at the adjacent rooms, planning to connect them. While crafting, he would offer guidance and support for their cultivation.
Having only one alchemy master in Dongwu City was insufficient. The demand for alchemists and mages was too high; he needed to nurture more talent.
As for Yuefang, while he was indeed extreme, like Sabo, he would remain loyal as long as Bai Yi maintained his lead. For instance, if an ancient god offered an Origin Stone to persuade Sabo to rebel, he would hesitate but ultimately refuse.
Bai Yi's talent and the opportunities he provided were far too valuable to trade for a mere Origin Stone.
This was why Bai Yi appointed Sabo as the financial officer. Even if Bai Yi audited the accounts, Sabo would never pocket an extra gold coin unless it was in front of him.
It all came down to protocol: as long as he followed the rules, he would always gain more than if he worked alone.
Zero: [Message sent. Estimated arrival at the City Lord's Mansion within an hour.]
As Bai Yi processed the super alloy, Zero's voice broke through his thoughts: [A letter from the Wonder Guard Brigade with data transmission from the Star Federation is outside the City Lord's Mansion.]
Bai Yi paused, setting aside the super alloy and responding: [Let him in.]
He stepped out of the laboratory to find Wei Luang and an L-shaped modified soldier carrying a large package approaching.
Wei Lu smiled, "I have completed my mission. There are six documents in this package, organized for the city lord."
Wei Lu had been quite busy since joining the Scholars' House, now a one-star scholar. Although he enjoyed some freedom, he often found himself ensnared in discussions about history and technological advancements.
Such a scholarly organization, composed of individuals lacking extraordinary talents, still sought to illuminate the world, with many magical and mechanical ideas proposed by them, later realized by extraordinary beings.
It made sense for the Federation to establish a House of Scholars in every city, treating them as extraordinary individuals.
The Federation would not overlook any talent. Each scholar, if placed in a world without the extraordinary, would be a top expert in their field.
The Guards also assisted Demacia in collecting gold, editing videos, and other tasks, making Wei Lu's role challenging but rewarding. His discussions with the locals enriched his understanding of this world, immersing him in its splendor.
Bai Yi asked with a smile, "What reward do you desire?"
Wei Lu's eyes sparkled with excitement. "If possible, I'd like to use the prop of God's Showcase. Don't worry, Lord City Lord; I won't burden you with the consequences."
Bai Yi paused, then nodded. "Of course, you may use it in the Whispering Legion whenever you wish."
He handed Wei Lu a Magneto machine. "This is a token. You can invoke God's Showcase with this."
After a moment's thought, he added, "But I hope you can wait until tomorrow. I might have something to transfer."
Wei Lu accepted the token eagerly, nodding. "As you wish. I won't disturb you further; just summon me anytime."
Bai Yi watched Wei Lu leave, admiration in his eyes. Turning to the L-shaped modified warrior, he instructed, "Put down your things and return."
"Yes, Lord City Lord."
The three-meter-tall modified warrior complied, setting down his package and departing with heavy steps through the snow.
Bai Yi exhaled in relief as he opened the package in the laboratory. As Wei Lu had described, there were nine stacks of photos, along with a bundle of information encompassing four stacks—totaling six pieces of knowledge.
He examined the materials with anticipation, recognizing that the Alchemist Sage shared his vision.
The documents contained multiple languages interspersed with alchemical inscriptions, effectively obstructing players' translation systems. Understanding these inscriptions required skill points, and currently, no player could decipher them.
Moreover, the Alchemist Sage had taken care to utilize all the inscriptions he had previously employed, even arranging the paragraphs in a familiar manner to aid comprehension—a gesture of consideration that Bai Yi appreciated.
As he scrutinized the most substantial document, he grew serious.
[Manufacturing and Upgrading the A-Series City Defense Armor.]
Sage-level knowledge!
Bai Yi paused, surprise flickering in his eyes as he noted the smallest document, which contained a hypothesis.
[Manufacturing Concepts for the S-Series City Defense Armor and Existing Achievements.]
From this, Bai Yi discerned the sage's ambition; he aimed to breach the taboos of forbidden alchemical knowledge!
The taboos of alchemy and the title of sage were not synonymous. Taboos denoted strength, whereas sage represented knowledge.
For instance, while the White Plague currently stood at lower gold, the sage held mastery in knowledge.
The two complemented each other but were not absolute. Those with sufficient potential, such as alchemy masters or grandmasters, could also venture into forbidden realms.
Reflecting on this, Bai Yi turned to the next piece of knowledge.
[Alchemy Technology: Stable Teleportation Array.]
Surprise lit Bai Yi's eyes as he continued reading.
[Magic Teleportation Array.]
This document bore a hasty quality, possibly added at the last minute, but it signified that the Dawn Federation could now connect all cities.
He pushed on.
[Arcane.]
[Elemental Taboo Magic: Death's Sigh.]
After reviewing the contents, Bai Yi calmly ordered, [Connect to the parliament.]
Zero: [Connected. Projection function enabled.]