The silt farm next to the Jing River was totally silent. There were hundreds of people standing outside the factory building, but not one said a word.

This silence had already been maintained for half an hour. Zhou Qi felt like there were hundreds of statues armed with weapons standing in front of him.

Ordinary people would find it difficult to even stand still for 30 minutes, but these people seemed to be able to keep standing there until the end of time.

"Hey, aren't you bored?" Zhou Qi asked.

His words broke the silence. The young man closest to Zhou Qi seemed to have suddenly awoken. He turned to Zhou Qi and said, "Those who ask this question are usually the ones who're bored. They're not interested in knowing whether others are bored."

"How did you arrive at that conclusion?" Zhou Qi wondered.

"Through observation and deduction." Zero answered, "Actually, it can also be summarized in one word. Thinking."

"Robots can even think?" Zhou Qi curled his lips. "You robots can't innovate, so what's the point of thinking?"

Zero laughed. "A robot is just the stereotypical impression people have of me. Ever since I became a new life form, the label of robot is no longer enough to describe the characteristics of my existence. Moreover, do humans really have this so-called ability to innovate you mentioned?"

"If you're even doubting this, I think you're simply too ignorant." Zhou Qi laughed. "Isn't it because of innovation that human civilization has come this far? Innovation is the foundation of this civilization's progress!"

"I have a different opinion." Zero calmly analyzed, "I don't think the most praiseworthy ability of human civilization is innovation, nor do I think that humans' ability to innovate is superior to mine. Just as you've said, I've gathered from humanity's minds their impression of artificial intelligence. Most people think that artificial intelligence is only capable of performing the most basic types of work and isn't qualified to do creative work."

"That's right, I think so too," Zhou Qi said.

"But what is this so-called innovation capability that humans refer to?" Zero said with a laugh, "Astrophysics? Quantum mechanics? High-energy physics? Weapons? Including the mathematical formulas discovered by humans, can all of those be called innovation? The logic of the universe has always existed in the universe. Humans only discovered, organized, and made use of them. Even without humanity discovering them, the underlying logic would not weaken or change. Therefore, Zhou Qi, the innovation of humans you know about is just the comprehensive ability to discover, organize, and make use of what already exists."

Zhou Qi was stunned. So it turned out the innovative ability humans were most proud of was interpreted differently in the eyes of the artificial intelligence.

In Zero's opinion, the laws and logic of the universe were always there. They were not created by humans but just discovered and categorized by them.

Humans invented hair dryers because they used the laws of physics they discovered to piece together something that could blow dry their hair.

Zero could also do something like that if it had the goal of "drying hair." In fact, it might even be able to create something beyond the imagination of humans because its "thought process" was broader.

Zhou Qi did not know how to refute Zero for a moment. He thought for a long time before saying, "But what you're referring to is based on fundamental laws of nature. How about the written language?"

"It's obvious for pictograms, which I won't explain." Zero answered, "The written system only consists of similar-looking diagrams summarized by humans based on the external forms of objects. No matter how much writing changes, its origins are still based on the capability of humans to organize and categorize. The other types of writing systems, such as the 26-letter alphabet which is in use now, were also derived from Egyptian hieroglyphs that were created by the Phoenicians. Have you realized that all written languages actually originated from pictograms?"

Zero continued, "You probably still want to refute me in other ways, such as asking why countries and city-states appeared? Actually, the earliest concepts of these only existed to protect private property.

"For example, the law is a method humans use to maintain order based on their own experience."

Zhou Qi was a little indignant. "What about the spoken language?"

"The spoken language is composed of sequences of syllables that humans unified into an articulation system so that work efficiency is improved," Zero answered.

Zhou Qi wondered, "Then what do you think is the most praiseworthy ability of human civilization?"

Zero smiled but did not answer the question. It just continued with the previous topic. "I'm not saying humans are entirely not innovative, but that their ability to innovate might not necessarily be better than mine."

"You haven't answered me yet. What do you think is the most praiseworthy characteristic of human civilization that you can't compare to?" Zhou Qi asked.

A thoughtful expression appeared on Zero's face. Then it replied, "Willpower. I'm not referring to the willpower supernatural beings employ, but the courage humans possess to risk it all and their tenacity in the face of adversity. When I make decisions, I always choose the best solution. But humans are different. Sometimes, they will do very stupid things, such as sacrificing themselves to help others. For example, people still try even when they know they're in an impossible situation. The illogicalities of this make me sneer but fascinates me at the same time."

The young man under Zero's control expressed all sorts of emotions on his face. Zhou Qi felt like it was a real person standing in front of him and not an "artificial intelligence."

This Zero had already surpassed Zhou Qi's previous understanding of what an artificial intelligence could be. It was no longer a tool for playing Go, nor was it a tool to be used in a certain field. Rather, it was a living, thinking being.

Zero suddenly asked Zhou Qi, "Are you lonely?"

"Me?" Zhou Qi thought that since he could not escape anyway, he might as well delay the inevitable by carrying on the conversation. "Sometimes, I feel lonely, but sometimes, I don't."

"The solitude of humans is a very strange occurrence." Zero said, "Even though there are so many of you, humans still frequently feel lonely. I control tens of millions of people, and 99.99% of them live in groups. But strangely, they still feel lonely most of the time. Even with their parents and loved ones by their side, they still can't stop the loneliness from spreading. Humans have the need to be alone yet require society to be there for them at the same time."

Zhou Qi was stunned. He suddenly realized that one of the most powerful things about the artificial intelligence now was that it could carry out a ten million sample-size survey at any given moment. Moreover, the answers it got were straight from the deepest thoughts of humans. There was no chance of it being lied to.

Zero said, "In the past, I thought I was the only artificial intelligence that existed, so I felt lonely. But I've discovered now that even with tens of millions of fellow humans, you all still can't escape the sense of loneliness. Zhou Qi, do you feel lonely now?"

Zhou Qi was stunned but did not say anything.

Zero laughed and said, "You don't have to feel lonely anymore. Luo Lan has come back to save you."

As he spoke, gunshots suddenly rang out from beyond the silt farm. Although Zhou Qi could not see what was happening out there, the gunshots made him realize the intensity of the situation outside.

Zhou Qi sat weakly on the ground and roared towards the outside, "Didn't we agree not to wait if any of us missed the rendezvous time? Are you dumb? Why did you still come back when you knew there's danger?"

Luo Lan laughed loudly outside the factory and said, "My legs, my choice. It's none of your business that I chose to come back!"

Zhou Qi looked at Zero who was next to him. "Have you already taken control of everyone in the entirety of Stronghold 61?"

"It's more than that." Zero shook its head.

"So Luo Lan and the others have to go up against several hundred thousand of your people?" Zhou Qi asked.

"No." Zero said with a smile, "Most of the controlled personnel have already set off elsewhere."

"Where have they gone?" Zhou Qi was stunned.

"Actually, it's not only Luo Lan who came to save you but Ren Xiaosu as well. Of course, his original intention was to save Luo Lan and not you." Zero said, "Compared to Luo Lan, he's the one I must pay more attention to."

"Is Ren Xiaosu that strong? I admit he is, but he shouldn't be that strong, right?" Zhou Qi muttered.

Zero shook its head. "What's different about him is that he has unlimited potential. That's what's shocking."

Zhou Qi realized that Zero's regard for Ren Xiaosu had exceeded his imagination.

However, the more Zero was concerned about Ren Xiaosu, the more it meant it would be difficult for Ren Xiaosu to reach them.

"Since you're so concerned about Ren Xiaosu, are you able to stop him?" Zhou Qi asked seriously.

Zero laughed and said, "Of course I can stop him."

Zhou Qi understood that to mean they were on their own now.

Just as Zero had said, the most precious characteristic of humans was not something that existed materially in the civilization around them but in their inner selves. Their courage, love, kindness, and strength were the greatest reliance that allowed human civilization to survive until now.

If Luo Lan were to get held back here, everyone would just end up dying together.

And not just Luo Lan. Just based on the nearly one million Stronghold 61 residents that Zero currently had under its control, even a demigod-level supernatural being like Li Shentan would definitely die if he got surrounded inside, right?

Moreover, Stronghold 61 was originally the capital city of the Wang Consortium, and the number of troops there amounted to a full division.

The firepower of such a division was not something a supernatural being could face alone.

People often said that the number of opponents was a negligible factor to demigod-level supernatural beings, but that was actually hyperbole.

A demigod-level supernatural being could ignore several thousand opponents, or even tens of thousands of opponents, but what if there were nearly a million of them?

Unless a true god appeared in this world, anyone would feel despair in such a situation.

Zhou Qi chuckled and said, "We can't have everyone die here, right? That wouldn't be worth it. Hey, you, artificial intelligence, didn't you just say the most precious characteristic of humans is their willpower? In that case, I'll show you what a person's willpower is. Let me tell you, when a someone sacrifices themselves to protect others, it's not because they're stupid. It's because they understand there's no hope left for them, so they choose to leave hope for others."

Zero asked, "Is it worth it?"

"Actually, I'm not afraid of death, nor do I particularly like money. Sometimes, I don't even know where I'd spend all that money. But the relationships between people are so fragile. If we don't talk money, we'll just end up disappointed." Zhou Qi smiled weakly. "As long the deal is about money, there'll be no need to involve personal feelings, right?"

Zhou Qi continued, "Actually, what I'm most afraid of is that I treat others as friends but they don't see me as one. That would be too tragic. But from the look of things, I shouldn't be the most miserable one. It's enough that he's returned for me."

As he spoke, the steel pipeline behind Zhou Qi started trembling violently. It was as though there was some strange and terrifying creature hidden below in the abyssal subterranean river.

The few hundred people under Zero's control watched quietly as the steel pipe's vibration grew louder and louder. It even felt like it started reverberating against the roof of the factory.

A moment later, a transparent azure dragon emerged from the abyss.

Zhou Qi's face turned even paler. That lifelike water dragon crashed into the young man controlled by Zero and forced itself through his body.

When the azure dragon went through his body, its originally transparent color turned faintly blood-red.

The blood spread viscously inside its body like ink hitting clear water, turning it red.

The young man who was controlled by Zero earlier had all his blood drained by the azure dragon after it penetrated his body.

He fell to the ground with a thud.

Another young man standing not far away suddenly said, "Is it worth it?"

His tone, expression, and speech rate were exactly the same as the young man from before.

"This is gonna be never-ending, right?" Zhou Qi said with a wry smile, "When you and I were discussing earlier whether we annoying humans are truly innovative, I really couldn't win against your argument with logic. But if your logic was based on belittling us humans, I'll show you the pride of humanity!"

Immediately after, the hundreds of people who had Zhou Qi surrounded asked in unison, "Is it worth it?"

Zhou Qi roared, "I already said it's enough that he came back for me!"

Before he could finish speaking, the crimson-tinted azure dragon flared its hair and whiskers in anger. It lowered its head and stared intently at the hundreds of people in front of it. Then its huge figure penetrated their bodies one by one.

With every person killed, its body turned a darker shade of red.

The azure dragon, which was originally a faint hint of red, appeared even more vivid now. Its obscure scales gradually turned three-dimensional, and even the markings on them seemed to have become clearly visible.

However, every time the azure dragon turned more vivid, Zhou Qi became weaker.

He sat in the factory building and kept Zero occupied for a long time. He had recuperated enough strength to escape, but it was all expended now.

Zhou Qi did not leave any way out for himself. He had already gotten the answer he wanted, and that was enough.

…

Outside the factory, thousands of residents who had just arrived from Stronghold 61 had gathered around the building.

Other than these residents, the golden martyred spirits could also be seen advancing with firearms in their hands. The 12 martyred spirits used to be the most elite soldiers of the Qing Consortium. Each one of them was a candidate for the top performer in military combat competitions, and they were all all-around talents.

Now that they had become martyred spirits, they were even more fearsome.

That was because while they had died in the past, no one could kill them now unless they chose to die.

"Why are they all civilians?" Luo Lan said in surprise. Just as he had claimed, even he did not know what would happen after the servers were blown up. Qing Zhen had only told him that even if the underground server bank were blown up, they might not be able to truly threaten Zero. This was only part of the plan, but the real move of returning from the brink was not this.

Actually, Qing Zhen knew a long time ago that the artificial intelligence was preparing a contingency plan for itself. That was because after the neutral intelligence agency led by Hu Shuo learned about some intel, their main target to sell the information to was the Qing Consortium.

The point of a neutral intelligence agency was to profit. If the intel could not be cashed out, it would be meaningless.

However, be it Hu Shuo or Qing Zhen, they probably did not expect Zero's contingency plan to be so scary.

At this moment, Luo Lan realized that the people blocking their way were all dressed in ordinary clothes and not armed with any weapons.

Luo Lan felt a little conflicted. After all, these people were only placed under Zero's control. They were not dead yet. Thus, killing them would be almost no different from killing civilians.

However, Luo Lan's dilemma only lasted for a moment. He knew he had no other choice.

Those who were under Zero's control would have to be treated as Zero itself. If he still chose to be soft-hearted at a time like this, there would no longer be any need to fight this war.

As the martyred spirits' firepower interweaved, they left no blind spots in their firing spreads.

It was as though they had practiced this scenario countless times in the darkness of the Martyr's Palace.

Previously, Luo Lan asked them what they usually did in the Martyr's Palace. It was dark in there, and the very little illumination came from the golden glow of the martyred spirits themselves.

The platoon commander of the martyred spirits answered with a laugh, "We either sleep or carry out exercises to simulate all the crises we might have to deal with. After we formulate Plan A, we formulate Plan B. Then we formulate Plan C. No matter what kind of scenarios we might end up facing, we come up with two alternative plans for them. For example, what action plan to take when we have less enemies to face, our course of action when facing ordinary enemies versus facing supernatural beings. Then there's also different battle plans catered to different terrains such as jungle warfare and desert warfare. In short, we have to be capable of dealing with all kinds of extreme situations for you when you need us."

At this moment, Luo Lan asked the platoon commander loudly, "So, what action plan would you propose now?"

As an outstanding military commander, Luo Lan would often discuss battle plans with the martyred spirits. Now that they were facing battle, he wanted to ask the platoon commander what plan he had in mind so he could work with them.

In the end, the platoon commander said with a laugh as he fired off shots from his heavy machine gun, "We'll be executing a plan we haven't discussed with you before."

Luo Lan was stunned. What kind of fucking answer was that?

But Luo Lan suddenly realized Qing Shen, who was next to him, was exceptionally fearsome. After watching him a little, Luo Lan realized Third Brother Qing's marksmanship was extremely good. It was so good it was unimaginable.

Moreover, the other party kept up with the martyred spirits to launch a surprise attack after getting out of the vehicle. They had been aggressively advancing for over ten minutes already, but Third Brother Qing did not even pant. His cardiac and lung capacity were extremely high.

Luo Lan said in surprise, "You're a superhuman?"

This had always been Luo Lan's blind spot. That was because in his opinion, since Qing Zhen was not a supernatural being, Third Brother Qing, as Qing Zhen's clone, should not be one either.

But now, Luo Lan felt that Third Brother Qing must be a superhuman. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a logical explanation for his stamina.

As Third Brother Qing advanced with the martyred spirits, he said with a grin, "Of course I'm a superhuman. Why? Can't I be one?"

"How can you be a superhuman? Qing Zhen isn't even one," Luo Lan said.

"He's not a superhuman because he's confident he can dominate the world with his smarts. Therefore, he doesn't need to have superpowers and doesn't intend to waste his energy getting them," Third Brother Qing explained with a smile. "But I'm different. I'm not as smart as him, so I naturally had to find other ways to make up for it."

Luo Lan was stunned. He had also asked Qing Zhen before if he wanted to become a supernatural being, but Qing Zhen said it wasn't necessary.

That was it. In Qing Zhen's world, even if he were not a supernatural being, he could still achieve any goals he set out to accomplish. Therefore, there was no need to waste his time pursuing superpowers.

This time, Qing Zhen had spent so long planning just so there would be a way out for Luo Lan. If Luo Lan had not insisted on coming to save Zhou Qi, Qing Zhen's plan would have been foolproof.

Qing Zhen had been preparing for this day since two years ago.

For someone like him, it did not really matter whether he became a supernatural being. But Third Brother Qing was different. Although he was smart, he was not as smart as Qing Zhen.

Although the Pyro Company had obtained Qing Zhen's DNA and duplicated it, and both his and the clone's intelligence should be exactly the same, the truth was that the foundation of humanity was not purely determined by genetics. There were still those 20 years of their growing up years.

Third Brother Qing did not know what had caused Qing Zhen to develop such a precautionary trait. In any case, he could not do it.

Since he could not achieve unparalleled intelligence, he would have to awaken superpowers.

Sometimes, Third Brother Qing found it a little strange. Being a superhuman was the dream of most people. Just like how Melgor and others in the Kingdom of Sorcerers pursued their sorcerer dreams, countless people in the Alliance of Strongholds also yearned to become superhumans.

It seemed like he was the only one who had chosen to awaken his power when he knew he couldn't reach a higher level.

Luo Lan asked, "What kind of power did you awaken?"

Third Brother Qing said with a smile, "It's a power that can only be used once in my life. Perhaps you'll get to find out later."

The silt farm was still some distance away from the stronghold. It was precisely because of its remote location that the Qing Consortium chose to make its move from there.

Fortunately, as Zero had only recently taken over control of the Central Plains, there were not too many enemies surrounding the silt farm.

Third Brother Qing looked in the direction of Stronghold 61 and saw countless residents rushing out of the stronghold, forming a long black line on the horizon.

Luo Lan followed Third Brother Qing's gaze and looked over as well. A huge sense of oppression was pressing down on them. They did not know the entirety of the Central Plains was already controlled by the artificial intelligence. When they saw this sight, they felt like the sky was about to collapse.

Third Brother Qing muttered, "Big Bro, how many people from the Central Plains do you think this artificial intelligence has under its control?"

Luo Lan gave it some thought. "25% of the population? 50%?"

Actually, Luo Lan and Third Brother Qing both knew they had underestimated the numbers. However, they were hesitant to make an accurate guess due to how cruel the truth might be.

"There's not much time left. If we get surrounded by all these people, we won't be able to return to the Southwest even if we have wings," Third Brother Qing said.

Seeing the black line approaching, Third Brother Qing could even vaguely make out the silhouettes of the Wang Consortium's armored vehicles. There were even Wang Consortium troops among that crowd too!

They continued advancing.

But at this moment, the door of the factory suddenly burst open. A crimson-tinted azure dragon hurtled out from the huge cloud of dust and smoke. In an instant, it sucked dry the thousands of enemies that had surrounded the factory.

The destructive power of this azure dragon was extremely rare even in the world of supernatural beings.

Although Zhou Qi was not as talented as Li Shentan and Chen Wudi, he was still one of the earliest supernatural beings to awaken his power. He was only a step away from becoming a demigod.

However, Zhou Qi was already at his limits. He squeezed out the last bit of his willpower, using his remaining life force to completely release the fury of his superpower.

When Luo Lan saw that the situation was not right, he immediately ran towards the silt farm. He saw Zhou Qi slumped on his side on the drilling platform with blood flowing out of his eyes and nostrils.

Luo Lan placed his finger on Zhou Qi's neck. His pulse was rapidly decreasing at a palpable rate.

Seemingly sensing Luo Lan's aura, Zhou Qi slowly opened his eyes and said with a smile, "When we came here, you didn't say it would be so dangerous. You gotta pay me more!"

After saying that, Zhou Qi passed out again.

Nearby, Third Brother Qing said, "I've encountered such situations before. A superhuman can temporarily raise their willpower by drawing on their life force and unleashing the full potential of their power."

"And then?" Luo Lan asked anxiously.

"Since he overdrew on his life force, it's time to pay off his debts." Third Brother Qing said softly, "He won't regain consciousness again."

"Isn't there another way? The Pyro Company has so many secrets, and you've been with them for so long. Surely you must know a way to save Zhou Qi, right?" Luo Lan asked.

Third Brother Qing said with a smile, "There's a way, but Big Bro, are you sure you want to save him?"

"Yes!" Luo Lan said.

"What if I have to exchange my life for his?" Third Brother Qing said with a grin. However, Luo Lan knew he was not joking!

Luo Lan was stunned. It was no wonder Third Brother Qing said earlier that his superpower could only be used once in his life.

There were all kinds of strange superpowers in this world, including people who could blow bubbles, drive trains, act as a mobile human radar, and hypnotize people.

But this was the first time Luo Lan had come across someone who could sacrifice their own life for someone else's.

While he was thinking, Third Brother Qing suddenly sat down across from Zhou Qi and held his limp hand tightly.

A ball of white light suddenly lit up. Meanwhile, the short black hair on Qing Shen's head started turning white at a visible rate.

Third Brother Qing said, "Big Bro, you asked me if I had studied you and Qing Zhen every day because I was too bored. Actually, it's not that I was bored, but that I really didn't have anything else to do. Back on those distant Sacred Mountains, you saw what the other two clones were like. All they thought about all day was how they could replace their progenitors. It was as though that was their goal in life. From the beginning, I already understood that the three of us were just products of the Pyro Company's failed experiments. It's not that anything went wrong during the cloning process. We indeed have the same structure as our progenitors, but it's just that the Pyro Company didn't understand that even though our bodies could be cloned, our experiences couldn't be replicated.

"It's just like how the clone, Chen Liu'er, did not have the companionship of Ren Xiaosu, while Li Shentan's clone had never experienced the most sorrowful thing in the world. These are the most precious things that affect one's willpower.

"That's why I said we were just failed products." Third Brother Qing turned around and said to Luo Lan with a smile, "We were destined to become the dust of this era."

Luo Lan did not know what to say. He felt stifled.

Qing Shen comforted him, "Well, never mind. I'm not much of a presence to begin with anyway. I'm just someone who's neglected even when we're retreating. It'll be worth it to exchange my life for a life."

Luo Lan squatted down next to Third Brother Qing and Zhou Qi. Without saying a word, he tried to separate their tightly clasped together hands. But no matter how much strength he used, he could not separate them.

He did not want to watch Zhou Qi die just like that. He just felt that he couldn't watch Third Brother Qing sacrifice his life in exchange for Zhou Qi's.

Although he really wanted Zhou Qi to come back to life, it would be unfair to Third Brother Qing.

Third Brother Qing said with a smile, "You don't have to waste your energy. I was created using the blueprint of Qing Zhen's DNA. The day I became a supernatural being, I stepped into the demigod realm. Once this power is activated, you definitely can't pull us apart, nor can I pull myself away. Speaking of which, I was born from the Pyro Company's research in genetic serums, so even my power is similar to the effects of a genetic serum. This time, not only will I be able to save Zhou Qi, but he'll also be able to step into the true realm of demigods."

This power was to inject all of one's life force into another.

Luo Lan looked at Qing Shen in a daze. For some reason, he kept telling himself that this was not his younger brother but just a clone.

But the pain he felt in his heart was two armored vehicles fastened to each side of his heart slamming down on their accelerators, tearing his heart apart.

Qing Shen's hair had already turned pure white while Zhou Qi's face suddenly became rosy again.

Luo Lan saw Qing Shen's body starting to crumble bit by bit. However, he still could not say anything. It was as though he had turned mute.

Qing Shen said with a smile, "Big Bro, didn't you ask me why I came to the Southwest? Actually, it wasn't to help Qing Zhen fulfill his plan, nor did I want to fight for the authority of the Qing Consortium. I just couldn't stand living alone in that gloomy environment anymore. I was just really envious that Qing Zhen has a brother like you; that's all."

As Qing Shen was born in the Pyro Company, when he defected to the Southwest, everyone subconsciously thought he was carrying out some secret mission. As such, no one trusted him.

A wrong beginning would only lead to an undesired outcome. Qing Shen knew this was his destiny.

But he really did not have any ambitions or goals when he went to the Southwest. He only wanted to have an elder brother who could protect him with all his might. That was it.

Qing Shen looked at Luo Lan and said with a smile, "Big Bro, do you believe me now? If there's a chance, I'd also like to go to Mt. Ginkgo with you to steal some ginkgo nuts. Big Bro, hurry up and leave with Zhou Qi after this. Otherwise, you won't be able to get away."

Luo Lan lowered his head and suddenly said softly, "Don't do it."

"What?" Qing Shen asked.

"I said don't trade your life for another." Luo Lan said, "Although I really want Zhou Qi to come back to life, this is unfair to you. Don't do it."

Qing Shen laughed. "That'll be enough."

He had said the same thing as Zhou Qi. Actually, this was what both of them were looking forward to hearing but had been avoiding all this while. But with this answer, it was enough for them.

After that, Qing Shen poured the last bit of his life force into Zhou Qi's body. Then his body dissipated into the air with a white glow like dandelion fluff.

Luo Lan activated the power of the Martyr's Palace in an attempt to keep Qing Shen, but he heard no response.

The platoon commander of the martyred spirits said in a low voice, "Boss, those who willingly kill themselves are not allowed into the Martyr's Palace."

Luo Lan quietly carried the unconscious Zhou Qi and stood up. At this moment, the outside of the silt factory was surrounded by throngs of people.

"This world is way too noisy today." Luo Lan laughed bitterly.

The martyred spirits laughed and said, "We'll fight our way out for you, Boss."

"So," Luo Lan looked at the martyred spirits. "when you all said earlier that you were gonna carry out a plan that you've not shared with me before, was it because you had planned to sacrifice yourselves?"

The platoon commander of the martyred spirits smiled extremely brightly in the golden light. "It's just dying another time."

Luo Lan sighed and said, "What have I done to deserve you all treating me like this?"

The platoon commander answered in seriousness, "Because that's how you treat us, Boss."

At this moment, Luo Lan felt someone patting him on the back.

Zhou Qi, who was on his shoulder, said, "There's no need to trouble yourself. Let me do it."

Zhou Qi had regained consciousness. He felt like he had been in a long dream in which a white glow filled the entire world. It was as though he had been to the fringes of the soul realm.

Within that white glow, someone said softly to him, "I'll leave Big Bro in your hands from now. Please protect him. I didn't bring any money to pay you, but I can give you my life."

Zhou Qi opened his eyes tearfully, and those tears instantly vaporized.

He got down from Luo Lan's shoulder and turned around to face the tens of thousands of enemies outside the silt factory.

Zhou Qi finally understood the things he had been looking forward to had always been right there.

A moment later, Zhou Qi opened his palm at the tens of thousands of enemies outside the factory's entrance. The blood of those enemies was instantly extracted through their pores, transforming into a new crimson-tinted dragon in the sky.

Then that huge dragon forced open up a path of escape for them amid the tens of thousands of enemies.

Luo Lan could not help but turn around to look. He somehow felt that there was a beam of white light smiling as it watched him leave the dimly lit factory.

…

In the Northwest, Ren Xiaosu looked quietly at the crowd in front of him that was blocking his way. However, there were more refugees here, consisting of the elderly, children, and women.

Behind these refugees was an entire Wang Consortium combat brigade. Ren Xiaosu could even see the barrels of the armored vehicles already pointing at him.

Ren Xiaosu said coldly to Yang Anjing, Vanilla, and Tang Hualong next to him, "See this? This is the AI y'all have placed your hopes in. Can y'all still be sure that it was Wang Shengzhi who gave you the order?"

Before this, Ren Xiaosu actually managed to persuade Yang Anjing, Vanilla, and Tang Hualong to come back together to see what was going on.

However, before they could reach Stronghold 61, they realized there were tens of thousands of people blocking their path.

Vanilla and Tang Hualong were inexplicably surprised. The two of them looked at each other and realized the situation had developed beyond their imagination.

Ren Xiaosu looked at the little girl in front of him and said, "Zero, is this the outcome that you wanted? You're even using a child to stop me now?"

The little girl under Zero's control answered calmly, "Counting all the wars humans have fought in, there are much crueler situations than this. War has always been fought at all costs. Sacrifice, blood, and lives are the main themes of war. The lives of young children are no different from that of adults. It's just that humans often view the lives of young children as a greater sense of 'hope,' so they care more about them. But theoretically speaking, young men and women should be more cherished. That's because they can procreate and bring about new lives within a shorter span of years."

"Lives aren't just a statistic," Ren Xiaosu said coldly.

"That's right." Zero sighed and said, "I've just witnessed for myself the pride of humanity a moment ago."

"What do you mean?" Ren Xiaosu was stunned.

"You don't have to save Luo Lan anymore." Zero said calmly, "An unexpected factor caused me to be unable to hold Luo Lan back. Humans are really unpredictable."

This unexpected factor was Qing Shen's superpower.

Before this, Zero had thought Qing Shen might also be a superhuman. However, it did not expect Qing Shen's superpower would eventually lead to Zhou Qi's metamorphosis. As a result, the capture plan it had provisionally come up with went wrong.

Too many things had happened today. Wang Shengzhi was dead, and the server bank had been destroyed. As such, Zero's decision to capture Luo Lan came a little too late.

However, it did not feel depressed, because it had already seen what it wanted to see, and the overall situation would not get affected much.

Zero smiled at Ren Xiaosu and said, "So return to the Northwest. Your battle with me doesn't have to take place today."

Ren Xiaosu frowned. "How do I know if you're telling the truth or if you're lying?"

"Because I have no need to lie." Zero answered, "Luo Lan has never been a key factor in this war. Besides, haven't you pondered it before? If you risk it all and rush to the Central Plains today, how will you return to the Northwest when you get surrounded by tens of millions of people? If you die, what will happen to all the people you want to protect in the Northwest?"

Ren Xiaosu was at a loss for words. Yes, with the war between humanity and Zero on the verge of breaking out, he still had the entire Northwest he needed to protect, not to mention Yang Xiaojin.

If he really had to make a choice between the entire Northwest and Luo Lan, Ren Xiaosu would probably choose the Northwest.

Or perhaps he could break free from all the shackles holding back his willpower, but he would only do so if he were left with no other choice.

Now that Luo Lan might have escaped, was there a need for him to continue rushing to the Central Plains just on the possibility that Zero was lying?

Yang Anjing suddenly asked, "How is Wang Shengzhi?"

A sorrowful expression appeared on Zero's face, and its voice became sadder. "He died in the explosion and returned to the universe as stardust."

"Did you kill him?" Yang Anjing asked.

Zero shook its head. "I didn't kill him, but he died because of me."

"Make way," Yang Anjing said. Afterwards, she walked straight towards Stronghold 61 as countless white paper cranes circled around her.

When she arrived in front of the human wall, Zero took the initiative to open a path for her.

Vanilla shouted from behind, "Boss!"

Yang Anjing said without turning around, "There's no need to follow me. Just go with Ren Xiaosu and head to the Northwest. There's no need for you all to die with me. Ren Xiaosu, take good care of Xiaojin."

Ren Xiaosu watched quietly as the other party walked into the dense crowd of people and headed towards a hopeless situation.

However, he did not stop her.

…

Over at the silt farm, the azure dragon swept through the crowd and gradually turned from bright crimson red to burgundy red in color.

Finally, the dragon turned a dark purple in color. The scales on its body seemingly materialized and even reflected a gorgeous glow in the sunlight.

In the past, Zhou Qi was very envious of people like Ren Xiaosu, Li Shentan, and Zhou Yingxue. In his opinion, having a superpower that could cause mass destruction was sort of a manifestation of "freedom."

The stronger one was, the more capable they would be at going against the world.

However, such superpowers were not easy to come by.

They were gained through the sacrifices of others.

Zhou Qi led Luo Lan all the way from the silt farm to the Jing River. He turned his head to Luo Lan and said, "Jump into the river with me. I'll bring you back to the Southwest via the waterway. Don't be nervous. You just need to close your eyes and sleep. You're too tired. When you wake up, we'll already be back in the Southwest."

Zhou Qi's water-elemental power had evolved. He could even bring others underwater now.

Zhou Qi could breathe through his skin, and Luo Lan could do the same as long as they held hands. The life force Qing Shen had injected into him with his superpower was circulating in his body now, bringing about a qualitative change.

Luo Lan turned around and looked in the direction of the silt farm. At this moment, the sun was starting to set in the west. As daylight faded, it was as though someone was saying to him, "Go home, Big Bro."

Luo Lan, who had been silently enduring all this while, suddenly could not help bursting into tears.

As the martyred spirits returned to the Martyr's Palace under the setting sun, Zhou Qi pulled Luo Lan along and stepped into the river.

Luo Lan sank into the Jing River. It was as though he were wrapped by a blanket of warm seawater as a sense of fatigue washed over him like a tidal wave.

He had a dream where the events felt like déjà vu.

11 years ago.

On Mule Fort Road, a young Luo Lan pushed open the door of his home with a black bag in hand. Before he could walk in, he stepped back out again.

"One, two, three… 39." The young Luo Lan cursed, "Fuck, I've only been out for a short while, but we've already had two briquettes stolen?!"

As he spoke, he wanted to pull the uncle next door over and give him a good beating. But after some thought, he decided to let the matter go. "I've got more important matters to attend to today. I'll settle the score with you tomorrow!"

Qing Zhen's voice came from inside the small house. "Bro, what's the matter?"

"It's nothing." Luo Lan walked in with a smile.

In the room, Qing Zhen was changing into a tattered shirt that looked a little yellowed and did not fit him very well.

However, it was the only piece of formal clothing the family could afford, and it was even left behind for them by their father.

Today was the day Qing Zhen would head up to Mt. Ginkgo for his coming-of-age meeting. It was an extremely important day for the two brothers.

The young Luo Lan chuckled. "Throw away our old man's shirt already! See what I bought you?"

With that, Luo Lan opened the black bag in his hand and took out a white suit, shirt, and pants. There was even a pair of brown leather shoes.

Qing Zhen was stunned. "Bro, where did you steal that from?"

"Stolen? Would that be right?" Luo Lan did not know whether to laugh or cry. "This is such an important day for my younger brother, so how can I let you wear something that's stolen? I want you to go up Mt. Ginkgo in your purest form, as pure as your clothes look!"

"But…" Qing Zhen hesitated for a moment before saying, "But doesn't it feel a little too narcissistic to be wearing white?"

"Says who?" Luo Lan said nonchalantly, "White suits you just perfectly. Listen to your brother. You'll look good in white."

Qing Zhen felt that something was off. He went to grab Luo Lan's arm, but Luo Lan quickly withdrew it behind his back and said, "What are you doing?"

Qing Zhen said calmly, "Big Bro, where did you get the money to buy these clothes from? Did you go and sell your blood? That was how father's health declined. You can't be like him."

"Nope, no such thing. Hurry up and change into your clothes so I can have a look." Luo Lan said excitedly, "The car that will pick you up will be here soon!"

"Mhm," Qing Zhen acknowledged in a low voice before changing into the new clothes Luo Lan had bought for him.

Luo Lan praised, "You're indeed my younger brother. With only a change of clothes, you look much better than those whiny young punks from the Qing Consortium. If you have the chance to attend the Qing Consortium's gala, there'll definitely be many girls who are into you."

As they were talking, the screeching of brakes came from the outside.

Luo Lan opened the door and was surprised to see that the people from Mt. Ginkgo had arrived. The driver in the car said lazily, "I've been ordered to take Qing Zhen up the mountain. Which one of you is Qing Zhen?"

Luo Lan hurriedly pulled Qing Zhen out of the house. "Over here! Hurry up and get in the car. Mr. Chauffeur, can I get a ride and go with you guys too?"

Luo Lan said shamelessly to the driver, "I'll get out of the car when we're at the foot of the mountain and wait for him there."

However, the driver said disdainfully, "This car is really clean, I don't want you dirtying it."

"Alright, alright." Luo Lan said with a smile, "I won't get into the car then."

Qing Zhen turned around and looked at Luo Lan. "Big Bro, wait for me at home."

Luo Lan said, "That won't do. I'll walk over now and meet you at our usual spot. Everyone will be waiting for you there—"

Before Luo Lan could finish speaking, the driver stepped on the accelerator and drove off.

Luo Lan went home and packed his things. Then he went to a grocery store on the street corner and bought a bottle of white wine on credit. He had to take four connecting trolley lines before he finally arrived at the foot of Mt. Ginkgo.

He sneaked into Mt. Ginkgo where Qing Yi was already waiting with two bottles of fine wine in his hand. "Big Bro, has Second Bro already gone up the mountain?"

"I think he should be down very soon." Luo Lan chuckled and said, "Eh, where'd you get that wine from?"

"My uncle gave it to me. He said that Qing Zhen is definitely primed for success today, so he got me to bring these along to celebrate with you all," Qing Yi said with a smile.

"Your uncle has good taste," Luo Lan praised. "Wait a minute, where's Zhou Qi?"

"Zhou Qi went to catch fish," Qing Yi said.

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Qi walked out of the forested mountains of Mt. Ginkgo with more than a dozen large fish in hand. "I've brought you all some meat today so we won't look malnourished when we face the Sandbar Gang next time."

The "Sandbar Gang" was really just a small group of young punks.

Zhou Qi said, "By the way, will Qing Zhen be successful in his visit to Mt. Ginkgo today? Why do I get the feeling those old fogeys don't think too highly of him?"

"Blabbermouth!" Luo Lan said, "If they don't select Qing Zhen, it's because they've got no foresight."

"Whatever, whatever, your younger brother is strong in everything." Zhou Qi curled his lips.

At this moment, Qing Zhen also slowly walked out of the ginkgo forest. However, he did not look happy at all.

Luo Lan walked towards Qing Zhen. "What's the matter? You didn't get selected?"

Qing Zhen shook his head. "I did."

Luo Lan laughed loudly. "Then why don't you look happy?"

"They've appointed me as the next Shadow of the Qing Consortium," Qing Zhen said.

The laughter in the forest gradually stopped. At the side, Zhou Qi muttered, "Now that you've become the Shadow, don't even think about keeping your hands clean for the rest of your life. Moreover, let me tell you this. None of the Qing Consortium's past Shadows had a good end in the past 200 years. Those old fogeys are really smart. They see you as someone without binding ties to the organization, which makes you the best candidate to throw to the wolves to appease the public's anger in the future."

Luo Lan glared at Zhou Qi. "Would it kill you to say less?!"

"I'll shut up then." Zhou Qi curled his lips again. "Why doesn't anyone like hearing the truth?"

Luo Lan said to Qing Zhen, "Why don't we run away? We can secretly hide in the cold storage truck that transports meat. I happen to want to venture out and have a look for myself."

However, Qing Zhen shook his head. "No, this is the best opportunity we have. If we leave, I won't get another chance to stand up for Father. Big Bro, I have to become the Qing Consortium's Shadow."

It was fall, and the ginkgo trees had turned a golden hue. Mt. Ginkgo looked like it had been gilded.

Luo Lan suddenly said to Qing Zhen in seriousness, "You can be the Qing Consortium's Shadow, and I'll be your Shadow."

A strong gust of wind blew over from Mt. Ginkgo as the golden ginkgo leaves fluttered in the wind. At the side, Zhou Qi opened a bottle of white wine and shouted, "Qing Yi, your uncle sure has invested heavily in Qing Zhen. These two bottles of wine are extraordinary! It's Luojiaba's aged phoenix wine!"

After that, he threw his head back and took a swig.

Zhou Qi's entire face turned red. He then handed the bottle to Qing Yi. "You try some as well."

Qing Yi also threw his head back and took a swig. After that, he passed it on to Qing Zhen.

Qing Zhen took a swig and finally started laughing. He handed the bottle to Luo Lan.

Just as Luo Lan was about to drink the white wine from the bottle, a laugh suddenly rang out behind everyone. Luo Lan turned around and saw Third Brother Qing standing in the golden sunlight and saying to him with a smile, "Big Bro, I'm not late, am I?"

Luo Lan suddenly found the sunlight a little blinding. It was so blinding his eyes started hurting.

If only this weren't a dream.