Atlas of Heaven and Man

The next day, as the sky gradually brightened, Chen Chuan opened his eyes from a deep meditative state.

He felt that cultivating with special drugs in the blended land seemed to have a better effect than in the Central City.

But it also seemed to entail more risks.

He looked at his second self, where the signs of virtualization were very obvious and deeply entrenched. It seemed that this intrusion was long-lasting, and he didn't know how long it would take to eliminate it.

Cultivating with drugs here required more caution and couldn't be as frequent as in the Central City, especially since he also had combat missions to undertake.

He got up and washed, and was about to go outside for some activity when he suddenly heard a sharp whistle from outside, indicating something was happening.

Sensing this, he changed into the uniform issued to him yesterday and walked out of the dormitory to the open space in the middle of the fortress. He saw the gate of the station opened, and a team of garrisoned soldiers was jogging out, but no vehicles were mobilized.

He knew at a glance that there must be a problem in the nearby area. So, with the salutes of the sentries on both sides, he walked out of the gate. As soon as he got outside, without needing to search, he immediately discovered the anomaly.

On the thick white snow in front, not far from the railway tracks, was a string of huge footprints, each about two or three meters long, deeply embedded, revealing the dark mud below.

Judging from the footprints alone, it looked like some kind of large quadrupedal creature. It came from one end of the railway tracks and extended to where the line of sight couldn't reach. The closest point was only twenty or thirty meters from the fortress wall, almost right next to it.

Several technicians and officers were standing next to the footprints discussing, surrounded by several soldiers. Although they spoke softly, their words clearly reached Chen Chuan's ears.

"Judging by this, is it a big guy?"

"Not necessarily. In the blended land, what you haven't seen doesn't count, and what you have seen can't be taken entirely seriously. So, the footprints might just be footprints, and there might not actually be anything there."

The officer called over a guard from yesterday's shift and asked, "Was there any movement last night?"

The soldier saluted and said, "Reporting, sir, everything was normal last night. I didn't hear anything. These traces were discovered this morning during an outside patrol."

The officer seemed used to it and casually instructed, "Record it and put it in the file."

Chen Chuan stared at the footprints for a while, then turned back.

Because controlling the activity index was the most important thing at the moment, he had directly applied for it during the procedure yesterday, setting the time for eight o'clock in the morning.

He went back, ate something, and met up with two teammates. They arrived at the training room, where the teacher in charge of teaching the breathing technique had already arrived.

This person's surname was Zhai, and he was also a Third Limit fighter, whose identity was a combat guard and instructor within the station.

After the three arrived, he said a few simple words and began to explain the key points.

The breathing technique, as a basic skill, posed almost no difficulty for Chen Chuan and the others. After listening to it once, all three grasped it easily. Next was diligent practice.

Yuan Qiuyuan's attitude towards this teacher was completely different from his attitude towards Tian Yu. He showed great respect. After mastering the breathing technique, he stood up and asked, "Instructor Zhai, besides breathing techniques and drugs, what other ways can we avoid the harm of activation?"

Instructor Zhai said, "Yes, transplanting implants can effectively avoid this. Because the activity level of imitation implants is not high, it's difficult to be activated, so it's widely used. Ordinary garrisoned soldiers here will use combat implants.

Fighters also have corresponding fighting implants. If you need them, we can arrange it. However, matching Third Limit implants takes a long time and requires taking mutated tissue from your bodies. So, even if you submit an application, you'll have to wait for a while."

Yuan Qiuyuan shook his head and said, "I don't need it. I only believe in my own fists and weapons."

Instructor Zhai said, "It's right to stick to your original intention, but we are combat personnel. What will happen in the future is not up to your own wishes, but depends on your enemies.

I've served here for more than twelve years and have seen people whose bodies, limbs, or internal organs have become excessively activated and had to be replaced with implants. More often, they lost a part of themselves in battle. They also went from not accepting it at first to accepting it. Many are still active on the front lines and have become the backbone.

In the front-line areas, this is already the mainstream.

For example, me, the same is true…"

Saying that, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing a muscular arm.

It could be seen that the lower half of his forearm had been replaced with an implant. On the surface, it seemed no different from the original, because it was covered by the skin that had grown over it.

But if you looked closely, you could see some differences.

"This implant is adapted to my mutated tissue. It feels almost the same as before and doesn't hinder my fighting. On the contrary, some aspects are enhanced.

Tian Yu said, "From a conventional distance, it is indeed very far away. However, the world ring is not just a simple existence in reality, because the other world is more inclined to spiritual intrusion. Therefore, it is actually a field isolation zone jointly built by field creatures from various Central Cities.

The three executive officers should know that the location of the Central City is the forefront of the collision between the two worlds. It is a breach between the two worlds, an anchor point for the other world. Therefore, when these field forces resisting the anchor points are gathered together, they tightly block all channels intruding into our world."

As she spoke, she pointed with her pointer, and the projector showed all the Central Cities in the world. Above the Central Cities, there was a huge light representing the field.

"…When these are connected together, it's like this."

Chen Chuan looked up and saw that the light from all the Central Cities was connected to one place, like a shaking band of starlight, swirling back and forth.

"Since all the Central Cities are connected, their presentation in the material world is like a huge ring, which is the origin of the world ring.

However, the presentation of the field on the spiritual level may be completely different. The combination of the two defensive surfaces, reality and spirit, is collectively referred to as the 'ring screen'."

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Speaking of this, she said seriously, "Because the biological field is inclined to the spiritual level, some unique fighters and powerful resonators, with the help of certain special conditions, have a certain possibility of their spirit penetrating this barrier, approaching or reaching the other side.

Therefore, the world ring may be in a very distant place, but in fact, it is by your side."

"Then what exactly are those on the other side of the world ring?"

Yuan Qiuyuan asked curiously from below.

"Executive Officer Yuan Qiuyuan, please raise your hand to ask questions."

Yuan Qiuyuan immediately raised his hand and said impatiently again, "Instructor Tian, what's on the other side?"

Tian Yu said, "This is confidential. The higher-ups strictly prohibit disclosure, and the government and major companies strictly prohibit anyone from crossing the world ring privately, because this kind of behavior is a kind of destruction to the world ring itself."

She put on a serious face, raised her voice, and solemnly reminded, "Executive officers, don't even think about crossing over, because those who have that kind of ability will either be eliminated or co-opted by the government and companies. They will intercept and locate anyone who crosses over arbitrarily.

Once confirmed, a team formed by a joint force of various national governments and companies will come to eliminate them. After confirming the first defense plan, they have the right to eliminate any individuals and forces that exceed this limit without trial."

Yuan Qiuyuan shrugged, "Okay, never mind I asked."

Qin Qingque raised her hand at this time.

"Executive Officer Qin Qingque, what do you want to ask?" Tian Yu's attitude softened a little.

"Our enemy."

Qin Qingque asked seriously, "Since we are here to participate in the defense of the world ring, then please tell me, who is our enemy, and where are they?"

"It seems that the three of you can't wait any longer." A voice came from the side of the podium in the screening room.

Chen Chuan looked up from his seat and saw an officer in uniform and a peaked cap, standing straight, walking out of the side door.

He walked to the front of the podium and saluted the three of them, "I am Ding Mou, a tactical staff officer from the command, ordered to convey the action arrangements to your team."

Yuan Qiuyuan's eyes lit up when he heard this.

Qin Qingque's whole body naturally tensed up and entered a certain state.

Ding Mou looked at Chen Chuan and said, "Executive Officer Chen, because you have just entered here, the higher-ups originally planned to let you rest for two days to familiarize yourself with the environment and the things you need to pay attention to, and then arrange some adaptive tasks for you.

However, an urgent message has just been sent from other stations. Currently, other teams have been transferred to the front to perform tasks. Only your team, which has combat power, is in a free state, so you may have to end the course arrangement early."