Bai Yi returned to the city lord's house and entered the treasure trove.
Inside, he found it brimming with rare minerals. Expensive resources, such as secret silver and gold essence, filled more than half of the treasure trove.
He opened the demon dimension, allowing a vast quantity of space-time stones—each measuring 2 to 2.5 centimeters in diameter—to pour into this space. Before long, a small hill of stones had formed in one corner.
After a week of exploration, he felt a sense of satisfaction. This was now a true treasure trove.
Turning to leave, he considered the size of the demon dimension. It could easily accommodate an entire Tobu City, but Bai Yi couldn't bring all of its resources with him.
The rationale was straightforward: in the event of an emergency that prevented his return to Dongwu City, the city lord's treasure trove could serve as a vital resource, potentially helping the city survive an unforeseen crisis.
Therefore, he retained 50% of his resources in this treasure trove.
Additionally, he would occasionally consume soul minerals, using them for potions or other purposes. These could not remain in Dongwu City.
The minerals acquired by Dongwu City were substantial. Even if Bai Yi only kept half of them, the total was still considerable enough to support any of his current needs.
If all were converted to gold coins, along with the 25% transformation resources seized by Sabo last time and the 70 million space-time stones in the demon dimension, Bai Yi's assets had swelled to a staggering trillion-level figure.
Among these, the contributions from the epidemic were under 100 million, primarily consisting of various materials and minerals.
This was the kind of wealth a prosperous city should possess. As long as he refrained from building Star Sea warships or large-scale gold-level transformation warriors, his resource wealth would only continue to grow.
Entering the laboratory, Bai Yi quickly documented a cutting skill for a material. He then selected tens of millions of large space-time stones from the demon dimension and transmitted this knowledge to Oxi.
Upon confirming that Oxi had received it, he sent the space-time stones to Oxi's assembly line.
While cutting the space-time stones into standard units posed some challenges, it wasn't insurmountable. Whether he sought assistance from Or or Oxi, he knew he needed to work efficiently.
After all, there was no need to sign contracts if the task could be completed without them.
If things went awry, it would be wise to act decisively. In Bai Yi's view, undead creatures were perfectly suited to operate the assembly line.
Boom!
In the depths of the city lord's mansion, a chilling aura of the undead loomed, yet it was completely contained by Hedinger's magic.
From the depths, Bai Yi could vaguely hear a familiar voice cursing, "Damn capitalist, I curse you to hell!"
What a brotherly bond.
Bai Yi exhaled deeply, preparing to transform into his dark side.
He clenched his fists nervously. Without employing the power of the saint, he felt 70% confident he could succeed in the transformation. If he used the saint's power, success would be guaranteed.
However, that power was finite; once depleted, it would not be easily regained unless he undertook a similar quest to find divine artifacts.
He steeled himself mentally, then waved his hand, causing several instruments in the laboratory to vanish.
As he left the laboratory, a complex expression crossed his face. He considered asking Luo Ning about his success rate but decided against it.
He was determined to succeed this time, but divine matters were often unpredictable.
Bai Yi's formidable mental power enveloped the entirety of Dongwu City. After briefing Hedinger and Eric, he sent a message to Luo Ning, Erin, and Diane before slowly fading from view.
When he materialized again, Bai Yi found himself in a valley. Looking around, nostalgia washed over him.
It had been a while since his last visit; the last time he had come was during Bolton's remodeling. Now, Bolton was struggling to keep up. Perhaps the laser cannons from the Star Sea Battleship could be installed, allowing him to still participate in Bai Yi's battles.
Reflecting on this, Bai Yi entered the laboratory. The large screen that once displayed critical data had now failed, leaving only a faint yellow glow.
Bloodstains on the ground marked the remnants of old battles, remnants of his past that signified the beginning of a new life.
He gazed at the spot where the boss template had originally been placed.
Entering the chamber, he noticed the aging microscope still present. However, in Bai Yi's eyes, it was woefully outdated.
With a wave, the microscope vanished.
Utilizing his immense spiritual and magical power, Bai Yi transformed the irregular cave into a square chamber in an instant. The earth was flattened, and the mountain was erased.
As the space expanded to a room measuring 50 meters in diameter, Bai Yi began inscribing alchemical array texts on the newly flattened walls.
Materials were quickly processed into pigments, forming intricate shapes and symbols.
As these engravings integrated into the wall, an aura of righteousness emerged, imbued with sacred energy, causing the cave to shed its mortal remnants.
The malice of dark thoughts was overwhelming, and the negativity was potent. Bai Yi required a sanctified space to suppress these energies and isolate the negative states that might arise.
The transformation of evil could only be contained, not enhanced. If the soul of the saint could not be restrained, it would lead to complications.
With the alchemical engravings continually manifesting, the sacred aura intensified, imparting a sense of submission to justice.
It felt as though a true god had graced this cave at that moment.
As the final alchemical engraving was etched onto the wall, the surrounding surface coalesced into one, and a sensation of confinement enveloped Bai Yi, leaving him momentarily bewildered.
This was a form of sealing science, a technique he had learned from the study of black death and pathogens.
The power of the demon dimension surged forth, summoning various instruments to fill the room. The sealed space was now infused with a scientific aura.
Bai Yi closed his eyes, mentally reviewing the process for Divine Bone X. When he reopened them, he swiftly retrieved the finger bone of the Goddess of Life and a divine stone.
These two items represented righteousness. He needed to transform the divine stone into divine blood and then bind that blood to the finger bone of the Goddess of Life.
This would prevent the finger bone from being tainted by the divine sins of Cersis.
Following that, he would concoct a series of potions to bolster and limit the evil. The preparation time for this transformation would take at least six months.
However, compared to the stability of the legendary dark side, this preparation period felt minimal to Bai Yi.
Dididi.
Various instruments whirred to life, and a high-capacity energy conversion device began operating at full throttle. At its core was a high-order solar crystal—more accurately described as a solar nucleus.
This solar nucleus had been transformed over nearly three thousand years under the heart of the scorching sun, following three rounds of enhancement.
The solar energy contained within was immense, and a five-centimeter diameter solar nucleus could power these instruments for a decade.
Bai Yi's focus deepened. He could not afford any distractions. Apart from Luo Ning and Diane, he did not want to be interrupted.
Outside Dongwu City.
Yue Fang materialized at the teleportation tower, his expression devoid of emotion as he stepped out.
The recent reforms had inflicted varying degrees of damage across the four border cities, with Nanling City suffering the least.
In the elven-managed city, civilian pressures remained relatively light.
There were few rebels among the elves; despite responding to the federal pressures, they still yearned for a peaceful era.
Yue Fang paid little attention to his surroundings. After leaving Nanling City, he felt a familiar buzzing sensation within him before soaring into the distance with a burst of speed.
Covering 3,000 kilometers in just two hours, he reached level 50 without encountering danger.
The war two years prior had decimated the mutant and disaster zones near the Federation; only more distant areas remained perilous.
In the familiar black fog, Yue Fang crouched down, noting the stones around him bore signs of explosive destruction.
Reaching out to touch one, he stood up, indifferent, and walked to the edge of an abyss, peering down. The mechanical sounds in his body echoed again as he leaped into the void.
As he traversed the black fog, a city emerged in his view.
Without hesitation, he flew directly toward it, his goal clear: Sin City. He sensed that to achieve ultimate growth, he needed to collaborate with Yang Xiong.
Yang Xiong was a legislator in Sin City, a top-tier expert in all-mechanical transformation, and an exceptionally dangerous mechanical reformer!
As he swiftly navigated the streets, blood-colored fog enveloped him.
Ai: [Evil Spirit Illusion Fog. Given your current capabilities, the only way to penetrate this fog is through Sun Praise.]
Yue Fang remained calm. He had a unique ability: the greater the crisis, the calmer he became. This quality was why he had survived in the city of sin.
"Tsk, little brother, you seem familiar."
A sultry voice called out, and Yue Fang's AI failed to scan the source before a fierce ghost in red approached. "Let my sister take a good look."
An exaggerated expression appeared on Ai Nuan's face. "Isn't this the apprentice taken by the white epidemic? I didn't expect you to grow so quickly. Do you still enjoy Sin City? Want to come back?"
Yue Fang's eyes remained steady. He extended his hand, presenting a monitor he had prepared in advance.
He knew there was safety in Sin City, at least until it threatened the core interests of its legislators.
"What is this? Trying to bribe your sister?"
Ai Nuan's tone was teasing as she accepted the monitor.
Yue Fang's eyes briefly flashed crimson, and the monitor lit up, displaying two clips.
One depicted the war outside Tobu City, and the other showed a scene from a laboratory.
A young man's voice emanated from the monitor: "Look, I never intended to do this. I'll only teach you once."
Surprise flickered in Ai Nuan's eyes as she absorbed the footage.
Yue Fang reached out for the monitor, speaking in a calm tone. "Please return it to me."
His words interrupted Ai Nuan's thoughts. A charming smile returned to her face. "This is your gift to me. Why should I give it back? How about we have some fun? I wouldn't mind getting a little oily. After all, the man in the video seems eager for me."
"Give it back!" Yue Fang's tone sharpened, carrying a hint of threat.
The top-tier silver threatened the top-tier gold, a rare scene indeed.
Ai Nuan's eyes sharpened, a glimmer of murderous intent flashing.
[Do you understand?]
But under the calm male voice that followed, her murderous intent dissipated.
With a playful pout, Ai Nuan relented, "Alright, little brother, this is the last time."
With that, she returned the monitor to Yue Fang and vanished.
Ai: [The feasibility of the plan has increased from 80% to 100%.]
Yue Fang displayed no emotion, though he felt a sense of relief.
His entire body was mechanized, except for his brain, which limited his ability to express emotions unless intentionally done.
He calmly navigated toward the territory of Yang Xiong.
Ai: [Initiating connection to another AI. The other party's AI computing power is exceptionally high, and top-secret data has been automatically stored in the mechanical chip of Nanling City.]
[Chip has been disconnected.]
[AI is being read. 1%... 10%... 15%...]
[Teaching knowledge from Mr. Bai Yi and combat footage has been actively promoted.]
[The other party withdrew AI reading. Would you like to accept the exchange of knowledge? Request has been rejected.]
A series of notifications illuminated Yue Fang's vision just as he arrived at Yang Xiong's territory.
Buzz~
All locks disengaged, and the overwhelming sense of crisis faded.
Yue Fang's spirit felt genuinely uplifted. To grow quickly, he needed strength. While he lacked raw strength, he possessed power.
Bai Yi had become a formidable force. All he needed were some videos and the federal viral, along with exaggerated combat footage from players, to leverage that momentum and engage with the strong in the city of sin.
This approach had already proven successful.
However, it was limited to those within Sin City.
The powerful entities beyond its borders would eliminate him without hesitation if he dared to engage them.
Without a fixed force, he had no concerns and feared no threats.
It just so happened that the legislators of Sin City were unwilling to leave their corrupt domain.
Buzz~
A small orb appeared, floating gently before Yue Fang.
He reached out, touched the orb, and followed its guidance toward the only steel-constructed area in the city of sin.
The mechanized development of the brain domain, combined with Yue Fang's ideas, piqued the legislator's interest.
As long as he refrained from revealing the manufacturing methods for superalloy and Sun Praise, their collaboration would yield fruitful results.
He would become stronger!