"How was it? How was it?" Cheng Xiao immediately grinned and sidled up to Zhang Heng, feigning a playful expression of mock-punishment while bombarding him with questions.

Zhang Heng managed a wry smile. "Not much progress really. The gene lock has seen some breakthroughs - I'm probably close to reaching the threshold of the fourth stage now. That antidote definitely works wonders... though it's excruciating process-wise. Nothing new in archery skills either; every day is just an endless cycle of fight-to-die-or-die fights, so many times I don't even get a chance to shoot and have to rely on bullets against the bugs. To sum up, there's been considerable improvement though. My maximum explosive arrow technique can now stack seven arrows together with immense power. Using +3 enchanted arrows amplifies it enough to shatter small mountains. When that airborne leviathan bug was about to escape, I managed to fire a last-second shot from desperation - and indeed pierced the beast directly through its midsection. Unfortunately, I had to soak in regeneration solution for three days straight afterward; it was really close call. The cost of that single arrow was too high despite the power... Though honestly wondering just how powerful the ultimate "Nine Arrows Piercing Sun" technique could be..."

Cheng Xiao gave Zhang Heng's shoulder a forceful slap. "Cut out all this boring stuff! I only want to ask one thing - did you do it? Did you do *it*? For god's sake, are we still speaking the same language here?! Don't act innocent with me."

Zhang Hening burst into laughter as he picked up the green bow Ming Yanwei had flung at Cheng Xiao. "Don't talk so bluntly... Er, not that way. We didn't do anything. Just those several life-or-death experiences in Star River Squad made our relationship somewhat relaxed. Please mind your language and don't make things worse for me."

"Alright then. Let's get serious - did you two have sex on the bug-infested planet?"

"...Do you think I'd answer that?" Zhang Heng chuckled, fingers tightening around the green bow as memories of Star River Squad surfaced. Both had joined the military unit assigned to battle against those bugs. Despite lacking leadership potential, their physical prowess earned them positions - Zhang became a sergeant while Ming was his second-in-command.

The endless battles proved exactly what Wang Xia predicted: in that galaxy-consuming warzone, humans were hopelessly outmatched except through newly developed combat weapons and scarce mech units. The bugs themselves were evolutionary marvels with hundreds of generations advantage, specializing entirely in physical perfection across all species - melee brutes, ranged artillery types, even massive cosmic variants, not to mention their superior command hierarchy.

Total annihilation was the inevitable fate until human science finally caught up. With weapon technologies developing faster than bug evolution rates, humanity now had a slim chance for survival through technological superiority.

Zhang Hening's team entered this desperate phase precisely when things were most critical. Due to their exemplary performances, they were assigned to frontline planets - literal meat grinders where average soldier lifespan barely reached one month. Dozens of thousands died daily even in routine engagements, with major battles causing even higher casualties.

Through countless near-death experiences Zhang and Ming gradually formed bonds. One particularly terrifying incident had her dragged into a cavern by bugs while she was half-dead - Zhang went berserk, channeling his sprite energy to charge in alone and massacre hundreds of creatures inside before collapsing himself. It was then that Ming revived him back out.

Afterward when their unit returned to the carrier for rest, celebrations turned drunken as soldiers were allowed alcohol. Even Ming seemed intoxicated until Zhang helped her back to her room - though no explicit "incident" occurred, it marked a significant breakthrough in their relationship. Drunkenly crying and murmuring incomprehensibly before falling asleep in his arms.

"Too bad time is running out... Zhang sighed wistfully, then muttered: "The final battle will come soon. Even if it takes ten or even a hundred years after that - as long as I'm still alive, I'll keep living on no matter what. Dying or suicide are coward's paths. Only by surviving can we change things; only through life can hope emerge... No matter what, I must live! Must survive the final battle!"

Such vows of survival were common among Zhongzhou Team members - likely inspired initially by Zheng Zha's resolute will to live which gradually motivated others.

Each member carried personal pasts and futures filled with regrets. Death was the most foolish choice in their minds at least, for no one within Zhongzhou desired it.

Lin Juntian, having once been an upper-class elite with exceptional intellect, learned this firsthand upon entering the "Main God" space. Initially proud yet fragile, he soon recognized his comrades' desperate will to survive - whether through unfulfilled ambitions, desire to return stronger, or simply primal instinct against death's omnipresence in this cyclical world.

His Reality Manifestation skill proved frustratingly unreliable - requiring perfect mental focus and precise visualization for success rates barely above forty percent. When he finally asked Chuxuan about it...

"Reality Manifestation is a causality weapon... one of its manifestations, actually. According to our team's research on causality weapons, their power is immense but so are the restrictions, far surpassing other augmentation attributes."

Lin paled as he realized his limitations weren't just skill-related.

"Not about qualification per se," Chuxuan explained while eating an apple and reviewing notes. "Though gene lock openings do help - like Zero's Line of Sight or Fang Zheng's magic eye which target objects' death points to reverse causality..."

"But with you? Your success rate drops as range increases."

"Same with your Reality Manifestation. Though it's undeniably powerful for an A-grade skill - if utilized properly, potentially reaching AA or even S-grade strength. There's no strongest weapon only strongest individuals. The power ultimately depends on the user's capability..."

Lin furrowed his brows anxiously: "Just tell me how to use this skill!"

"I can explain the mechanics... but whether you'll be able to apply them is another matter entirely."

Chux2 chuckled coldly as he analyzed Lin's case...

"First, we must establish it's a causality weapon - agreed?"

After Lin nodded, Chuxuan continued: "Then understand its nature of reversing causality itself. Want to know its maximum potential? Though uncertain myself, based on skill description and causality weapons' characteristics... there are two likely extremes."

"One is creating ultra-powerful objects like black holes..."

Lin sweated profusely as he wondered if it was appropriate to laugh or cry.

"...The second possibility would be biological creation. With sufficient imagination, you could manifest creatures to fight for you."

But Lin remained unconvinced: "Even a tyrannosaurus might not withstand Zero's magic eye attack..."

"What about creating a fully powered Zheng Zha clone?" Chuxuan sneered. "You underestimate the skill because you're rigid in its applications. This is actually one of the strongest causality weapons, its potency entirely dependent on your imagination and mental focus... yet there are consequences."

"Imagining greater things costs more life force - aging faster," Chuxuan warned grimly. "Without bodily strengthening to match enhanced imagination and concentration, I advise against experimentation..."

Lin sat in his basement later, brooding over these revelations while refusing to die. His current skill level was laughably low given the short time he'd been here.

"Ding Yu" faced similar struggles with his summoned Gigantic God Machine - though capable of devastating attacks by ignoring defenses, the beast often turned violent against its summoner unless perfectly controlled...

After failed attempts, he sought Chuxuan's advice on training with Zheng Zha as a sparring partner. Eventually mastering control through focused mental effort and first-stage gene lock activation.

Meanwhile, Xiaohonglv calculated team strategies while constantly worrying about Zheng Zha's unmeasurable power level in final battle scenarios... ultimately finding solace from the woman he'd recreated from his past life - one who now loved him despite his burdens.

"Whether we win or lose... I'll be with you," she assured, easing his worries before heading to prepare for the inevitable confrontation...

Zhongzhou Team's members were all striving toward final battle readiness. Their cumulative strength had already surpassed expectations in this cyclical universe.

"So it's true - Zhongzhou is stronger than expected," Xiaohonglv murmured as he finally gave up calculations, accepting their fate with resigned determination.

"Then I'll head to Lord of the Rings for training," Zheng Zha announced cheerfully to everyone. "Rest tomorrow and we start final battle preparations!"

Everyone watched him leave except Zhao Yingkong who had disappeared... awaiting his return transformed into an unstoppable force capable of confronting even his own clones in the ultimate showdown.

"Because what I need now is enlightenment, not mere combat," he declared as he looked toward the Main God interface. "The vast open spaces of Lord of the Rings are more suitable for my introspection..."

"Rest assured - this time, I won't lose to my clone again!"