The Second Door

Comoé Primeval Rainforest.

This rainforest, covering a total area of 150,000 square kilometers, remains nearly 70% unexplored by humans to this day. Due to the sheer variety of highly venomous insects, even the local tribes dare not set foot within its depths.

However, along the border adjacent to Ghana, several construction teams belonging to Atlas are working at a feverish pace.

Thanks to the towering trees and the outer perimeter blockade maintained by armed mercenaries, even the local government is unable to get close enough to catch a glimpse of the construction.

Furthermore, since this area has been acquired by Atlas as private territory, and Atlas possesses military strength that supersedes that of the local government, the construction progress is steadily pushing deeper into the rainforest.

If one were to follow the construction teams' trajectory—advancing rapidly toward the northwest—one would eventually reach the heart of the Comoé Rainforest.

At first glance, this region appears no different from any other place untouched by humanity; towering trees and dense foliage blanket the ground, remaining unchanged throughout the seasons.

Yet, dozens of meters beneath this very area:

"Attention all personnel, prepare yourselves. Repeat, attention all personnel, prepare yourselves. The second space gate is about to open. Advance team members, please report to the SG-002 sector.

Attention all personnel, please..."

The broadcast announcement echoed through the vast space.

The ruins, originally constructed from granite bricks, have now been expanded and renovated by Atlas into a more spacious underground base.

The Engineering Department has meticulously planned out living quarters, laboratories, training zones, and energy facilities, making it almost a small underground town.

On the southeast side of the base, there is a tunnel with a diameter of ten meters. Coupled with the already-laid tracks, it is not hard to guess that the Atlas construction teams intend to dig a "subway" directly to the Ghana border beneath this rainforest.

And only Atlas would spare no expense, disregarding returns, to undertake this kind of national-level construction.

Although this underground ruin has long since lost its original appearance, the Engineering Department has preserved the load-bearing stone pillars that burn with golden flames, as well as the altar located in the very center.

On the north side of the base lies the first space gate, which resembles a mirror of liquid mercury. Heavy trucks are constantly moving between Universe 01 and the main universe.

Although Universe 01 no longer requires excessive attention, Atlas continues to dispatch various personnel to infiltrate it. The investigators who first integrated into that society even took the opportunity to establish an Atlas branch.

The main business of the company branch is to utilize the price differences between different universes and eras to conduct cross-border trade, maximizing profits while gradually radiating Atlas's influence from a single universe to the multiverse.

As for the secondary mission, it is to locate high-value individuals in different universes, make contact, and attempt to recruit them.

For example, Dr. Henry Carter, who had deep research into Mimics but was dismissed as a lunatic—the disheveled, unkempt doctor from the movie Edge of Tomorrow.

Faced with the high-paying offer from the Atlas branch, and with the Mimic threat already neutralized, Dr. Carter chose to join gladly. He has currently passed the assessment phase and has been transferred to the R&D Department under Wang Zhaofeng.

And at this moment.

Following the broadcast prompt, the warning lights placed in every conspicuous location began to flash, putting the entire base into a state of emergency.

Personnel surged through various areas, corridors, and passageways, while an armed team clad in sealed, pressure-regulated combat suits boarded an open-air shuttle, rushing toward the vicinity of the first space gate.

Once the vehicle arrived at the outer waiting area and came to a halt, the armed personnel quickly jumped off. Four members equipped with mechanical exoskeletons were responsible for carrying large equipment crates.

Looking toward the central altar:

Sui Yang, now changed into a black suit, stood upon the altar, gazing down at the skull carving that represented the purity of humanity.

He then raised his left hand, splayed his fingers, and used the index finger of his right hand—or rather, his fingernail—to forcefully slash across his left palm.

Drip, drip.

The fresh red blood dripped slowly at first, then flowed in a torrent, consciously flowing into the crevices of the carving. In an instant, a blood-colored skull appeared before Sui Yang's eyes.

BOOM!!

A golden radiance erupted, filling the entire underground base.

The second gate frame, covered in soil and moss-ridden stone crevices, also ignited with golden flames.

The moment the flames burned at their fiercest, the radiance flared once more, forcing everyone present, save for Sui Yang, to involuntarily close their eyes.

After a moment.

The light dissipated.

When everyone opened their eyes again, they discovered that the soil and stone bricks within the second gate frame had been replaced by a shimmering, mercury-like mirror surface.

"Attention everyone, green light, green light, the second space gate has been opened," the broadcast reminded everyone at the right time. "Please have the advance team proceed immediately to Universe 02 to scout the situation on the other side while constructing a wired communication base station."

In truth, there was no need for the broadcast to remind them; all personnel had already reached their respective posts, prepared to explore Universe 02.

Sui Yang walked slowly to the edge of the altar, watching the advance team of fewer than twenty people step through the space gate one by one, until all their figures were swallowed by the "mercury."

"Hoo... ha... hoo..."

Because of the sealed mask, the sound of breathing was exceptionally clear.

The mask also featured a built-in HUD. In the top left corner was a circular mini-radar, displaying nearby movements detected by dynamic sensors and marking comrades nearby as green dots.

The top right corner displayed the heart rate and the text "Sergeant Gary 'Roach' Sanderson," along with some real-time data.

As for Sergeant Sanderson, nicknamed "Roach," he stood with his comrades before the second space gate, letting the rippling, lake-like or sea-like halo of light shine upon them.

Upon hearing the broadcast reminder, a deep-voiced command came through their communication channel: "Soap, Ghost, Roach, you three go through the gate first."

"Copy that, let's move."

Hearing this, Sanderson stepped forward, quickly closing the distance until he was only two fists away from the mercury-like mirror.

"Hoo... ha!"

After taking a few deep breaths, his heart rate climbed slightly. Sanderson and his two comrades took another step forward until their visors and fields of vision were completely enveloped and saturated by the "mercury."

Fortunately, it only took the blink of an eye for him and his two comrades to pass through successfully.

At the same time, the "mercury" rapidly receded from the center of his visor toward the top and sides, restoring his vision. And before him...

Was a rainforest.

However, it was completely different from the Comoé Primeval Rainforest outside the ruin base, or any other rainforest on Earth.

Every giant tree within his sight was at least a hundred meters tall, and all the surrounding flowers and plants seemed a size larger. Most importantly, Sanderson felt as if he had become "lighter."

Glancing at the data feedback on the right side of his visor, one item displayed the text "Gravity: Approximately 8G," confirming his suspicion that he had become "lighter," and also confirming...

They had arrived on another planet.