The grammar used by that voice was indeed peculiar, yet the language was universally comprehensible. That voice repeated one sentence three times: "The Kuder is undergoing maintenance. All non-essential personnel must vacate the maintenance bay immediately…"

Inside the Lone Goose, Zhong Yun glanced at the screen before him. To his left, roughly ten kilometers away, a gateway had opened at some unknown moment. Zhong Yun hesitated. When he heard the voice switch back to its original cadence and the surrounding emergency lights flare red, a distinct sense of crisis washed over him. "We're going in," he commanded Xiao Ling, placing absolute trust in his intuition. The Lone Goose transformed into a streak of light, plunging into the gateway. Its speed was staggering; the ten-kilometer distance vanished in the blink of an eye. In that instant, Zhong Yun saw the displayed velocity exceed ten times the speed of sound, yet he felt not the slightest discomfort. Truly worthy of a mecha above the Six-Star level, Zhong Yun mused. Such speed was practically vanishing and reappearing—within a natural star system, no one could possibly keep pace. Moreover, Zhong Yun knew this was still not the Lone Goose's absolute limit.

After leaving the maintenance bay, the gateway sealed shut. Zhong Yun cautiously surveyed his surroundings. He found himself in a long, perfectly straight corridor, which the Lone Goose's scanners revealed to be over a dozen kilometers in length. After a moment's deliberation, Zhong Yun chose not to proceed down the tunnel but waited where he was. He had flown for a long time; they should be close to the base's central area now. Heaven only knew what dangers lurked there. Zhong Yun decided to proceed cautiously, step by measured step. His greatest fear was that this base was still inhabited. Although the Lansen Empire had been destroyed, this fleet had clearly entered the Dead Zone before that collapse. If anyone remained here, they would likely not welcome uninvited guests like himself.

"Welcome to the Transfer Station," the same voice echoed again, its emotionless tone eerily similar to Xiao Ling's. Zhong Yun quietly whispered to Xiao Ling, "Is that voice coming from the base's central mainframe? Can you find an opportunity to hack it and seize control of the base?" "The opposing level is too high. The probability of a successful intrusion is very low," Xiao Ling replied. Just as Zhong Yun felt a wave of disappointment, Xiao Ling continued, "If the source entity can be located, the success rate of the intrusion could be increased."

While the two were speaking, the voice of the base mainframe continued: "You are the first human to arrive at the Transfer Station in ten thousand years." Hearing this, Zhong Yun let out a huge sigh of relief. This statement implied that the station had been without a master for ten millennia. "Although you do not possess Imperial blood, you have been recognized by the Kuder, and in reward for returning the Kuder to the base, you are hereby granted Level One clearance for the Transfer Station, allowing free movement within District One." Zhong Yun relaxed completely. It seemed he wouldn't encounter any immediate danger. "Then which district is this?" Zhong Yun asked after a moment’s thought. "This is District Nine. Only those with Level Nine clearance are permitted to operate here. You will immediately be returned to District One." "Wait—" Zhong Yun hurried to object.

Perhaps Zhong Yun was the first human to enter the Transfer Station in ten thousand years, but even with only Level One clearance, the mainframe displayed remarkable patience. "I have a few more questions," Zhong Yun said, seeing no objection from the voice. "How can I raise my level?" "There are only two paths to increase your clearance level. First, by making contributions to the Transfer Station. Contributions are awarded based on the magnitude of the service, and reaching a certain score will result in a clearance upgrade," the mainframe explained tirelessly. "Can you elaborate on what constitutes a 'contribution'?" Since his ability to leave depended on it, Zhong Yun inquired with meticulous detail. "There are three ways to acquire contribution points: First, maintenance and repair of the Transfer Station; second, extraction of resource minerals; third, the annihilation of nations within the Dead Zone." The last sentence was delivered with palpable menace. So this truly was the Dead Zone. Zhong Yun's eyes lit up. 'Dead Zone' was a term specific to cosmic civilizations; the inhabitants here called it the Star Sea. Connecting this to the base's name—Transfer Station—the answer was almost self-evident. Zhong Yun took a deep breath. Regardless of his assumptions, the most crucial task now was to understand the rules of this place. "What is the second path to raising clearance?" "Your own personal strength. If your strength reaches Level One and you pass my trial, you will possess Level One clearance. This applies sequentially: Level Two strength grants Level Two clearance." Zhong Yun gasped. Doesn't that mean reaching Level Nine clearance requires reaching Yuan Level Nine? Level Six already allowed short-term activity in outer cosmic space (Note 1). Level Nine, which corresponds to Level Ninety in psionic ability, must be comparable to the legendary immortals. Moreover, from his own experience, he knew how arduous cultivation was. He was only at Level Nineteen in psionics. The suffering he endured to reach this level—the nourishment of the World Tree Sap was not something everyone could withstand; only those with immense perseverance could endure it. It had taken him nearly three years to reach Level Nineteen, and breakthroughs were becoming increasingly difficult the higher he climbed. He doubted he would ever reach Level Ninety in his lifetime. A chill settled in Zhong Yun’s heart, but soon, a fierce determination ignited: I must leave this place and return to the Omi Star System. Muttering this several times internally, his mind calmed back to the placidity of still water. "Can this Transfer Station be used to leave this place and return to the outside?" Zhong Yun stared intently at the corridor ahead, as if the mainframe resided there. "Correct." The mainframe's answer sent a surge of emotion through Zhong Yun. After more than a year, he had finally found a way back. How could he not be moved? Taking a deep breath, Zhong Yun tried to keep his voice calm, though a slight tremor betrayed his inner turmoil. "What level of clearance is required to return to the outside? That is, to the Lansen Empire?" After asking, his heart hammered against his ribs, every hair on his body stood on end, and he was intensely nervous. "Level Four."

District One was located at the outermost perimeter of the base. Zhong Yun was sent here. But one should not underestimate District One; its total area was equivalent to five standard natural stars combined—not just landmass, but everything including the oceans. Zhong Yun was the only person in the entire base holding Level One clearance, meaning this vast area belonged entirely to him. Zhong Yun quickly reviewed the composition of District One. The gloom in his heart vanished, completely replaced by excitement and fervor. District One contained manufacturing facilities for every single stage, from the processing of raw materials to the construction of mechas and fighter craft. More importantly, this area was entirely automated with L-series production lines. This meant that with a sufficient supply of raw materials, this place could continuously churn out mechas and fighters for his use. And in the Star Sea, materials were the least scarce resource. From raw source material to finished product, the production line manufactured Three-Star Mechas! How many nations in the intermediate civilization tier possessed such production lines capable of mass-automated creation of Three-Star Mechas? Henceforth, Zhong Yun no longer needed to worry about running out of funds. Any single Three-Star Mecha sold on Freedom Star would fetch an astronomical price—at least relative to intermediate civilization nations. With a constant supply of Three-Star Mechas, Zhong Yun was confident he could even defeat the Aier Nation. Here in the Star Sea, completely unrestrained by the laws of the Great Federation, as long as he could manufacture small intelligent computers and integrate them into the mechas, all commanded by Xiao Ling... The mere thought made Zhong Yun unable to contain his excitement. With these assets, he would fear no nation within the Star Sea. His immediate task was to gather enough raw materials to manufacture as many weapons as possible, allowing him to enact his 'Mecha Swarm Tactic.'

Zhong Yun recalled the Mercury and Mars from aboard the Jupiter. He immediately summoned Chu Tiange and the others. "I have found a way to leave," Zhong Yun announced as soon as he appeared, dropping a bombshell. For everyone present, leaving the Star Sea and returning to the Omi Star System was their greatest desire. Hearing Zhong Yun's words, they all became ecstatic. "Boss, are you serious?" Zeng Xiaosan exclaimed, almost unable to believe his ears. Aside from the boisterous Xiaosan, the others displayed much stronger composure. While equally surprised, they remained silent, watching Zhong Yun with eyes blazing with hope. Zhong Yun's grave expression told them his words were true! Zhong Yun swept his gaze over every face, red with longing, and a flash of excitement crossed his own heart. He nodded heavily. Several heavy breaths echoed through the room. Even the steadfast Zuo Zhi looked momentarily dazed. Over a year—they had been trapped here for over a year, thinking of home every moment of that time. Now, hope of return was finally in sight; how could they not be stirred? "What do you need us to do?" Among them all, Chu Tiange was the most composed, not due to superior self-control—being an orphan with no dependents other than a few brothers, his longing for home was naturally less intense than others'. Neither was he alone; the other five shared a similar detachment. Hearing Chu Tiange's question, the others snapped out of their excitement, simultaneously harboring a question: How exactly did Zhong Yun plan to get them out of the Star Sea and back to the Omi Star System? Zhong Yun noticed their confusion. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, as if organizing his thoughts. After a moment, he began, "The place we are currently in is the legendary ruins of the gods..." "Of course, this isn't the ruins of some god, but a base constructed by the Lansen Empire..." "The Lansen Empire? The Level Five advanced civilization that was destroyed in a cosmic catastrophe ten thousand years ago?" Zuo Zhi suddenly exclaimed, his expression one of profound shock. Although he had interrupted, Zhong Yun showed no displeasure and nodded. "Yes, that Lansen Empire." Hearing Zhong Yun's confirmation, a glow appeared on Zuo Zhi’s face. The Lansen Empire was the most powerful nation in the last hundred millennia; even after its destruction ten thousand years ago, no other nation had surpassed it. If this was their base, the chances of returning were extremely high. Zhong Yun continued, "Within the base, there is a large-scale spatial jump point. Through that jump point, we can leave this place." At this, everyone’s excitement nearly erupted. They didn't doubt Zhong Yun; he wouldn't be foolish enough to tell such an easily disproven lie. "However..." Zhong Yun introduced a turning point, making everyone tense. "However, the masters of this base will not allow us to use the spatial jump point unconditionally. Jumping back from here requires an immense amount of energy." "What exactly do they want in exchange for sending us back?" Wang Xiao’er couldn't help but ask, though the others would have asked the same question. "They have only one condition," Zhong Yun said, holding up a single finger. "Annihilate half of the nations within the Star Sea." "What?" Zeng Xiaosan was the first to jump up, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Annihilate half the nations in the Star Sea? They might as well tell us to die!" The faces of the others were equally grim. This condition was impossibly harsh. With their twelve thousand people, wiping out a minor power like the Fierce Beast Nation was already taxing; a major power like the Aier Nation was something they dared not provoke. Annihilating half the nations? It was sheer fantasy. Zhong Yun had anticipated their reaction and stated calmly, "I have already agreed." Everyone snapped their heads up, staring at him blankly. For a moment, they were speechless. While they trusted him implicitly, this task seemed utterly impossible. Only Ming Yunyu and Wang Xiao’er showed thoughtful expressions. "Since I agreed to their terms, I must have a significant degree of confidence," Zhong Yun observed everyone’s expression. "The Lansen Empire will provide us with some assistance, giving us the strength to accomplish this task." A wave of relief washed over the group. If the Lansen Empire was willing to help, perhaps the task wasn't hopeless. They had no concept of the Lansen Empire's true power, but Zuo Zhi's extreme reaction upon hearing the name suggested it was an immensely formidable entity. Zuo Zhi frowned. "With the Lansen Empire’s strength, ruling the entire Star Sea wouldn't be impossible. Why make us do the work?" "I don't know," Zhong Yun answered frankly. "Regardless of their motives, as long as they send us back, that is what matters." The others nodded in complete agreement with Zhong Yun’s pragmatic stance. "How many warships is the Lansen Empire preparing to send with us?" Ming Yunyu zeroed in on the critical question. Everyone looked back at Zhong Yun; this detail would determine how much time they had to complete the mission. Zhong Yun scanned the faces, then shook his head. "They will not dispatch a single person. Everything must be done by us." Everyone froze. Their minds felt slightly scrambled. Zhong Yun had clearly stated they would receive aid, but now he claimed they must rely solely on themselves. They were utterly confused. "You mean, they provide the weapons, and we fight ourselves?" Wang Xiao’er was the first to grasp the situation. "Precisely," Zhong Yun said, giving him an appreciative look. "Not only will they not send a single participant to fight, but we must manufacture all the weapons ourselves. They will only provide the manufacturing instruments." "Now, the mission for every single one of us is to gather as many raw ores and materials as possible, and then manufacture as many weapons as we can. Remember: the more raw materials we collect, the more weapons we can forge, and the faster we can go home! Do you understand?" Zhong Yun commanded. "Understood!" everyone shouted back. Zhong Yun nodded and began assigning tasks. Chu Tiange and the other five were to lead the regular soldiers; Zuo Zhi and the others would manage the survivors from the Pearl; Ming Yunyu would oversee the children he had selected. Every single person had to be integrated into the effort. The base mainframe provided over a hundred mining vessels, each dozens of times larger than the Mercury. These mining ships had automated navigation systems and required no crew. The twelve thousand people were divided into one hundred teams, each consisting of 1,200 individuals, who boarded the mining vessels and departed. Once everyone had left, Zhong Yun began his frantic training regimen.

He had not told them the truth. Even Chu Tiange and the others, he did not fully trust. The value of this base was simply incalculable. District One alone housed automated production lines for Three-Star Mechas and fighters. What about District Two? District Three? District Nine? This was a base built by the most powerful nation in the last hundred thousand years. Any power that acquired this place could elevate its national strength by a full tier in a short time. This was the legacy of a civilization at its peak! Although his subordinates were currently obedient, if they discovered the truth—that not a single original base member remained, and that by earning contribution points, they could raise their own clearance, potentially gaining complete control of the base—a terrible temptation would arise. Under such immense gravitational pull, some might risk everything, resorting to murder and seizure. For his own sake, and for theirs, Zhong Yun chose deception.

Annihilating half the nations in the Star Sea was a deliberate inflation of the difficulty. In reality, according to Xiao Ling's calculations, destroying just ten nations comparable to the Aier Nation would be enough to advance his clearance by two full levels. Combined with the level upgrade gained upon reaching psionic Level Twenty, this would precisely equal Level Four clearance. Zhong Yun's exaggeration served as a failsafe, increasing the perceived difficulty to instill a sense of urgency and boost everyone's work efficiency. Before they returned, Zhong Yun must reach Level Twenty. Otherwise, any contribution value earned during their absence would be wasted. Upon reaching a new clearance level, the base contribution score resets to zero. If Zhong Yun failed to achieve Level Two clearance before their return, their entire endeavor would be fruitless. Considering the sheer volume of ore the hundred mining ships would haul back, that represented a significant contribution value that needed to be utilized. Furthermore, achieving Level Two sooner meant entering the next district, where potentially even more advanced weaponry awaited. Thinking this, Zhong Yun intensified his cultivation practice.

Xiao Ling informed him that the progression from Level Nineteen to Level Twenty was a significant hurdle. In the growth of Yuan, there were several such barriers that could not be overcome by simple linear augmentation; in the more abstract terminology, they required opportunity or insight. The fastest method for breakthrough within the base was to find a female also at Level Nineteen for sexual union—and both had to be virgins. Zhong Yun nearly spat out his drink when he heard this. This was evolution, yet it sounded exactly like the Yin-Yang dual cultivation described in Wuxia novels—how bizarre! However, even if this were true, Zhong Yun currently had no woman available for "dual cultivation." Everything depended on himself. He thought with a touch of regret: If only he had successfully courted Weiwei back then, he wouldn't be facing this dilemma now. But there was no medicine for regret in the world. Zhong Yun quieted his racing thoughts and began his cultivation.

Yuan was a profoundly strange substance. It was neither gas nor liquid, nor even a material object. It flowed through the body like a phantom, not confined to meridians as described in martial arts novels, but permeating every part of the physique. It was formless and intangible, moving without resistance, yet Zhong Yun could feel its presence. The increase of Yuan was also a sensation. It became gradually denser; he knew for certain it was growing, but no matter how much increased, its total volume never changed—always the same amount, not a particle more, not a particle less. The growth of Yuan was also mysterious. According to Xiao Ling, Yuan generated naturally within the human body, like a hormone secreted by an organ. Yet, no one knew precisely which organ or part originated it; it seemed to appear from nowhere. Through countless years of development, people had mapped the patterns accompanying Yuan's appearance, creating cultivation methods. However, the fundamental mystery remained unsolved—they knew how, but not why. Yuan cultivation shared similarities with Earth-based spiritual practices: breath control, meditation, and achieving a state of deep absorption.

A sudden thought struck Zhong Yun: Were the cultivation techniques from Earth actually effective? Didn't the abilities gained after possessing Yuan closely resemble those of the legendary immortals? He immediately followed up: If so, could Earth's established cultivation methods still be of use? This idea began to circle relentlessly in his mind. Yet, when he was on Earth, he had never encountered any actual cultivation methods; his knowledge stemmed entirely from novels. But even that wasn't useless; insights gleaned from fiction could still serve as references. For instance, Enlightenment. Weren't the bottlenecks Xiao Ling mentioned in Yuan cultivation precisely the bottlenecks described in Xianxia novels? To break through a bottleneck, sheer brute force practice was insufficient; it required enlightenment. These thoughts flashed like lightning, piercing the fog in his mind. Suddenly, he understood what he had been doing wrong. The Yuan in his body had ceased growing because the quantity was sufficient; a qualitative transformation was necessary to enter the next stage. However, he still lacked a concrete answer on how to achieve this. He sighed, sat on the ground, closed his eyes, and stopped following Xiao Ling's prescribed training methods. Instead, he regulated his breathing, allowing his consciousness to slowly settle until he reached a state of complete oneness with the universe.

(Note 1: Originally, it was written that Level Three clearance would allow flight into outer cosmic space, but considering this would severely imbalance the setting, it has been slightly adjusted; this should not affect the reading.) (To be continued. For future developments, please visit **m for more chapters, to support the author, and to support legitimate publication.)