The Ark of Life

Tap-tap! Tap!

The hurried footsteps echoed through the floors. Old Dean Feng Ming was on his way to the underground base.

It was a secret base built beneath the academy, known only to the higher-ups, who alone had permission to enter.

"Old Dean, you're here!"

The base was filled with people wearing gray work clothes. When Old Dean came down, someone who appeared to be the manager stepped forward to speak with him.

"Xiao Li, how is that matter coming along? What's the progress?" Old Dean asked.

Xiao Li nodded and led Old Dean to another place.

He was a genius of the Technology Institute. Some time ago, Old Dean Feng Ming had stationed him here to conduct secret research.

Screech! Whoosh—

The two entered a laboratory. It was not large, containing only a few control consoles, while a huge transparent window occupied the front wall.

Xiao Li and Old Dean walked up to it and looked down through the window.

Unexpectedly, there was an even deeper and larger base beneath the underground base!

"Construction is going smoothly. There haven't been any problems, but..."

Xiao Li hesitated. He looked at the base below, where an indescribably enormous black warship lay.

Old Dean keenly sensed the problem and asked, "But what? What went wrong?"

Xiao Li forced a smile. "It's the activation time. There's no way we can officially activate it by the time you specified. Even after construction is complete, we'll still need to conduct a great deal of testing to ensure the Ark's safety."

At that, Old Dean said nothing more. He merely planted his cane hard against the floor.

After a long while, he slowly said, "Humanity is now divided into fragments, and at the same time, enemies are attacking us from all sides!"

Xiao Li's expression darkened. How could he not know? From the moment Old Dean Feng Ming had asked him to personally handle this matter, he had known that humanity was truly facing the brink of extinction. The Ark Project was a plan initiated single-handedly by Old Dean, with only a very small number of people involved.

Its purpose was to prevent panic!

At such a critical juncture, if the people lost heart and scattered, humanity would truly have no hope of survival! "Isn't there any other way?" Feng Ming said. "We need time, but the enemy isn't giving us any!"

As he spoke, he pressed his head against the window and gazed sorrowfully at the Ark below.

That was the Ark of Life bearing the hopes of all humanity! Li Chengtian had yet to return, and the last thing Old Dean had received from him was a disastrous message.

The Seventy-Two Stone Statues in the Wilderness Area had transformed into Blood Cocoons, and within those Blood Cocoons were Demon Gods from beyond the domains.

After reading it, Old Dean Feng Ming felt wave after wave of wrenching pain in his heart!

The Beast Tide was vast, surging in from every direction. Just dealing with that alone had exhausted the academy's entire strength! And behind it still lurked the Deification Alliance, whose lethal strike could come at any time. Before one wave had even subsided, another had risen. There was also that unknown Demon God, while Li Chengtian was deeply embroiled in the battle against the Demon God. Whether he could return safely was itself a mystery.

Thinking of all this, Old Dean was furious and resentful, and his body began to tremble.

Xiao Li hurriedly reached out to support him and said with concern, "Old Dean, you need to take care of your health!"

As Old Dean's direct disciple, he had studied under Feng Ming since childhood. Now, after several decades, he regarded Old Dean Feng Ming almost like a father.

Old Dean Feng Ming sat in the chair at the control console, took several deep breaths, and calmed himself.

Looking at the Ark's data on the console, he could not help asking, "What steps does the Ark still have left?"

Xiao Li stepped forward and worked at the screen for a while, bringing up several images of the Ark.

"These are the Ark's remaining steps: the defense system, oxygen system, ecological system, and supply system," Xiao Li said.

Old Dean Feng Ming opened each one and examined it carefully.

The Ark's hull was made from Black Gold, currently the most defensive material on Ten Thousand Stars, synthesized through the most cutting-edge technological methods into an entirely new substance.

The hull could accommodate various special defensive devices, and it also possessed an extremely peculiar ability: absorption and conversion! It could completely absorb certain special attacks from enemies and then send them back!

Xiao Li was currently struggling with how to fully integrate the defense system into the hull.

The oxygen system was an extremely important system. Whether several billion humans from Ten Thousand Stars could survive in space until they reached their new home would depend entirely on it!

The development of the oxygen system was Xiao Li's proudest achievement. It could not only store enough oxygen for several billion humans to use for one hundred thousand years, but also convert other gases similar to oxygen into pure, flawless oxygen!

The ecological system was a requirement put forward by Old Dean, because humans would not be the only ones aboard the Ark. There would also be other living creatures.

By moving the ecology of Ten Thousand Stars from the Old World into the Ark, all the creatures aboard would spend less time adapting to life in space.

The supply system was an essential system for maintaining everyone's food supply. Even Advanced War Gods could not avoid eating to relieve the body's hunger.

Although the energy used in Martial Artist Cultivation was everywhere in the universe, it could only restore mental fatigue and cellular thirst. It could not eliminate hunger.

"Xiao Li!"

After reading everything, Feng Ming looked ahead. His eyes were resolute as he said, "Time is limited. We can't delay any longer! We must speed up and finish construction. The front line can't hold out for many more days!"

Just moments ago, his communicator had brought news from the front line.

The Beast Tide was far too numerous. The monsters throughout the entire Wilderness Area were charging toward the Hua Xia City District.

The Martial Artists were suffering severe casualties. Even with the assistance of the seventy-two Beast Emperors, there was no way to reduce the casualty rate. They could only barely keep it from growing further.

Looking at Old Dean's resolute appearance, Xiao Li guessed that perhaps the old man had come up with a solution.

"Old Dean, have you thought of some way?"

If there was a way to speed up progress, that would be ideal. After all, he had witnessed the terror of the Beast Tide firsthand. In just a few short days, he had already lost several of his communication friends!

Old Dean Feng Ming shook his head. "I haven't thought of a way, but from now on, I'll join the construction effort too. I'll work alongside all of you!"

"What?!"

Xiao Li was stunned. The Old Dean's decision was truly difficult for him to believe.

It had been more than twenty years since the old man had moved from the front lines of construction into the background. Now, in his extreme old age, he had picked up a wrench once again!

"Old Dean, your body can't handle high-intensity work anymore!" Xiao Li said anxiously. His two eyebrows were pressed tightly together, making them look as if they had joined into one.

Old Dean reached out and grabbed Xiao Li's arm. The strength transmitted through it left Xiao Li speechless.

In the old man's eyes, he saw the way Feng Ming had once been: spirited and unrestrained, arrogant and unyielding. In the end, he let out a sigh and stopped trying to dissuade him.

"Old Dean, I'll take you down and tell you where we've reached in the construction process..."