As Ding Lang spoke, an image appeared on the large display screen for all to see. In the pitch-black void, a small red dot glowed in the distance.
This wasn't a real photograph but a computer-generated image based on data transmitted by a probe.
Ding Lang explained, "Due to the vast distance from our world, there's a slight delay in the probe's transmissions. This image is approximately an hour old. Given the probe's speed, it should be very close to that red dot by now."
"Of course, considering the possibility of hostile alien life forms, our first approach will be covert observation. The probe activated its Invisibility Mode when transmitting this image an hour ago. If necessary, the device can self-destruct to ensure our position remains undetected."
Ding Lang's expression turned expectant as he waited for further transmissions from the probe. In the generated images, the red dot steadily grew larger.
As Ding Lang continued observing, around the twenty-minute mark, he suddenly noticed something was off. The crimson object didn't appear to be spherical, contradicting the expected shape of a World Bubble. It was highly probable that this wasn't another world at all!
"No!" Ding Lang muttered to himself. If this red thing wasn't a world, then what could it be?!
Its size rivaled that of an entire world, and it continuously radiated heat, which had initially led Ding Lang to mistake it for a World Bubble.
But at this point, halting the probe's operation was clearly too late. By the time Ding Lang saw this image, the probe was likely already extremely close to the strange object!
As time passed, more and more images were generated, gradually revealing the true nature of the crimson entity: a humanoid creature with wings sprouting from its back and four limbs.
Across the crossroads, the expressions of the live-streaming onlookers gradually shifted from excitement and anticipation to bewilderment and confusion.
Suddenly, Ding Lang announced, "We've got live footage now..."
Earlier, due to the immense distance, they had been limited to using special detection methods. But now that they were close enough, they could capture live video. Ding Lang extended his right hand, swallowed hard, and pressed the play button.
In the pitch-black expanse of the Cosmic Sea, a colossal creature, its body a deep crimson-purple hue, was curled into a ball, seemingly napping. The sheer scale of this scene was breathtaking.
To put it in perspective, it was like if, in Evernight's previous life, someone had used a telescope to observe the solar system and discovered a planet-sized "infant" nestled between Venus and Mercury, hugging its knees in slumber.
Ding Lang marveled, "Unbelievable! Could such a creature truly exist in the Cosmic Sea? No matter—our detection device is equipped with the most advanced stealth modules. Once it identifies the entity as a living organism, it will automatically evade detection. The creature won't be able to find us..."
But before he could finish his sentence, the colossal being in the video abruptly opened its eyes and locked its gaze directly at the "camera"—or, more precisely, at the detection device's location.
Finally, a slick, slithering sound seemed to ring in Ding Lang's ears. In the video, a tentacle suddenly appeared from nowhere and latched directly onto the camera.
Szzzz~
The video cut off abruptly. Afterward, the probe never transmitted any further data, clearly having met with disaster.
Ding Lang remained silent for a long moment before saying, "It seems the Cosmic Sea isn't as safe as we initially believed. I'll shut down all other probes immediately. This damaged probe was very far away, so this incident shouldn't affect our world. But I'll still take full precautions."
With that, the live broadcast ended. Evernight resumed using her ability to accelerate memories, causing the surrounding crowd to flicker rapidly. Roughly a month later, when Evernight stopped accelerating, the entire intersection was deserted, and air raid sirens wailed incessantly throughout the city.
Evernight and Heinrich looked up to see a colossal shadow looming across what should have been the azure sky. A massive eyeball peered down at the world, its gaze sweeping across the landscape like a hunter sizing up prey in a cage.
Heinrich couldn't help but remark, "That thing... it looks just like the Moon."
This world, lacking the enhanced World Barrier, allowed the eyeball to easily pierce its original defenses and directly invade.
But before the eyeball could make any further moves, a thunderous rumble erupted from all around them. Evernight turned to see hundreds, perhaps thousands, of rockets erupting from the ground and soaring skyward—a truly awe-inspiring sight.
During this period of accelerated memories, Evernight's jellyfish had been far from idle. It had already located Ding Lang in an underground facility, where he stood with a grim expression, barking orders: "Launch all the Elemental Rending Bombs modified with the Native Membrane Modification!"
The so-called Native Membrane Modification allowed these rockets to pierce the World Barrier unscathed, much like the earlier aircraft. The Elemental Rending Bomb was conceptually similar to the Elemental Reactor invented by Melly in Okhema.
However, Okhema possessed the Century Gate, so Melly hadn't considered the delivery method. This world, on the other hand, had extensively researched how to transport such a superweapon, resulting in a design similar to the nuclear weapons of Evernight's previous life.
Then, Evernight and Heinrich watched as over a thousand Magitech Nuclear Weapons shot skyward, pierced the World Barrier, and scattered to target the giant eye from all directions.
Nuclear weapon fire coverage!
—!!!
In that instant, sound and light seemed to lose all meaning. Evernight raised her black umbrella to shield herself from the blinding super-luminescence from above, while Heinrich immediately cast a spell—Sixth-Level Transmutation School Magic, Elemental Transformation—temporarily transforming himself into a Fire Elemental Creature. Afterward, he couldn't help but marvel, "Truly astonishing... this weapon."