As Wu Tong gazed at the world before him, he felt no surprise—only confusion. The reason was simple: this world was far too small.
Indeed, it was tiny.
From outside the world, Wu Tong could clearly see that its total size was no larger than a single solar system. Every planet within this solar system was real, but beyond it, there was nothing. Only the World Membrane, connected to the endless void, existed here. The stars and galaxies observed by humans within the world were merely projections of the boundless starry sea on the World Membrane, visible to lower-tier worlds.
Beyond the World Membrane was not the magnificent universe imagined by humans, but the ceaselessly eroding Void Energy. After observing the world for a while, Wu Tong dismissed it from his mind. The size of this world didn't matter; he only needed it as a stepping stone to help him gain control over the Douluo World. As long as his goals were met, nothing else was important. Moreover, this world's size was already sufficient to attract the attention of the Douluo World's consciousness. That was all Wu Tong needed to know. Unless absolutely necessary, he had no desire to dwell on other matters.
Life was meant to be lived freely—why overthink things?
Thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Though it seemed like Wu Tong had pondered for a long time, less than a minute had passed in reality. After collecting his thoughts, he began to carefully examine the world that would soon belong to him.
Upon closer inspection, Wu Tong realized the world's state of decay far exceeded his expectations.
"Tsk tsk, this is truly pitiful. Is this what they call a ruined world? It's practically full of holes," he muttered.
The void had already eroded the World Membrane before him, riddled with countless cracks. Just the fissures Wu Tong could observe numbered in the thousands. Some Void Energy had even begun seeping into the world, corroding its civilizations and internal power, aiming to consume it from within and without. This, of course, was a common tactic of the void.
"So, the so-called zombies are caused by this Void Energy, huh? No wonder they appeared without a trace. This isn't science—it's metaphysics."
After carefully analyzing the composition of the Void Energy, Wu Tong noticed similarities to certain particles within the zombies. After further deduction, he arrived at this conclusion.
"Heh, isn't this just handing me victory on a silver platter? The void is quite generous," Wu Tong mused, unable to resist feeling grateful to the void. After all, it had painstakingly eroded the world, only for him to reap the rewards. Such a windfall naturally filled him with joy.
With all doubts resolved, Wu Tong prepared to claim the world without hesitation.
"Hum…"
Following the tutorial provided by the AI Core, Wu Tong flew into the world. The speed of his Divine Sense allowed him to traverse vast distances in an instant. In mere moments, his consciousness made contact with the world.
Contrary to expectations, his soul wasn't shattered by the collision. Instead, it was as if they had always been one. Like a drop of water merging into a river, Wu Tong seamlessly integrated into the world.
...
On the streets.
"Success."
Wu Tong's eyes snapped open as he felt the miniature world sphere in his mind. The moment he fused with the world, its eroded consciousness, like a stray puppy finding its owner, transformed into a streak of light and instantly merged into his Consciousness Sea. There, it took the form of a World Model, floating and undulating.
This model was identical to the world Wu Tong had seen in the endless void, down to the exact locations and distribution of cracks on the World Membrane.
"World Control Authority."
At first glance, Wu Tong intuitively understood what this was—the authority to control the world. As the name suggests, only by possessing this could one truly be called a world ruler. With it, one could act with impunity and omnipotence within the world. Thus, only those with absolute control over this authority could be called the World's Master.
As Wu Tong focused on the World Model, he realized it was a microcosm of the world itself. He could even see his own dazed reflection within it.
Wait…
Himself?
Wu Tong's eyes widened as if he had witnessed something unbelievable.
"How is this possible? Real-time monitoring? Scene projection? Or a higher-dimensional perspective? This is as absurd as watching myself on TV."
Naturally, he sought answers. But before he could voice his questions, the AI Core preemptively explained.
"The World Control Authority can be considered a scaled-down simulation of the world. Through this model, Master, you can observe everything happening within the world. Moreover, this model is a miniature version of the world itself—any changes you make to it will proportionally reflect in reality. Most importantly, if you wish, you can use the model to pack up the entire world and relocate it. With sufficient capability, you can find a new location in the endless void to reestablish the world. In short, this model is the divine tool that allows you to control, modify, and carry the world with you."
"I see."
Wu Tong nodded, as if he had gained new insight. After understanding the World Model's functions, he dismissed the AI Core, sending it back to work. If capitalists deserved to be hanged from lampposts, Wu Tong would undoubtedly be among them.
Once the AI Core was gone, Wu Tong began searching the model for familiar faces. It didn't take long for him to spot Zhang Chulan, Xiao Yan, Theresa, Fu Hua, Zhongli, Rimuru, and others—his fellow group members scattered across the world.
Watching them busy themselves with rescuing survivors or gathering resources, Wu Tong couldn't help but laugh.
"This is hilarious. After all their hard work, my gains still outshine theirs—and I barely lifted a finger."
...
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(End of Chapter)