Region merger
Lu Heng returned to the Moonview Valley Shelter.
He didn't rest immediately, but instead gave the Shelter a quick look around. The internal and external defenses were intact, the Rotary Hub Automatic Crossbow Turret and the Heavy Anvil Assault Mech were on standby, the Mechanism Hub Butler was on duty as usual, and the equipment in the Planting Room and the Astrology Room was operating smoothly. There were no abnormalities in the entire stronghold, nor any signs of the Aberrant approaching and spying.
Only after confirming that everything was in order did Lu Heng feel relieved. For days, he had been exploring new territorial forces deep in the Frost Forest and observing the confrontation and game between various lords. His mind had been on high alert the whole time, and the back-and-forth travel had left him physically and mentally exhausted.
He didn't delve too deeply into the power struggles within the forest. After a quick wash and rest to shed the dust of the forest, he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. His nerves, which had been tense for many days, finally relaxed, and he slept peacefully through the night.
The next morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten with a gray glimmer of light, the entire valley was still shrouded in the cold morning mist.
Before Lu Heng could even get up and move around, the survival Wristband on his wrist suddenly lit up with a bright light on its own, and a system announcement popped up abruptly, pinning the entire screen to Global Region top. The cold, mechanical text filled the entire screen, carrying an undeniable sense of Plane rules.
[Global Region Announcement]
[Multiple instances of small-scale World Fragment Plane survival environment collapse detected]
[The number of survivors killed in multiple fragments has exceeded the limit, the Plane's activity continues to decline, and it is on the verge of complete collapse.]
[Activate the Plane Balance Stabilization Mechanism, and enforce the cross -Plane personnel deployment plan]
[All surviving survivors remaining from the dying fragments will be randomly distributed across the Global Region to various highly active, intact Plane.]
[Local terrain, Aberrant territory, resource ecology, Plane rules remain unchanged; only intelligent survivor units are migrated.]
Lu Heng stared at the announcement on the screen, his expression calm, and he saw through the essence of this change at a glance.
This is the Plane of planes.
Those small, resource-poor World Fragment couldn't withstand the continuous struggle for survival. Survivors perished in large numbers, and the Plane of these planes was constantly depleted, bringing them to the brink of collapse. The system abandoned the idea of repairing these fragments and instead chose to directly integrate the remaining survivors, scattering them all into stable, mature Plane to continue the game of survival.
Upon seeing this message, Lu Heng immediately thought of the Frost Forest where he was.
Of all the areas, the Frost Forest was unexpectedly the absolute core territory. Was it because this forest had just absorbed and merged with a small World Fragment that was on the verge of collapse?
After the fusion of fragments, the Frost Forest's Plane origin, resource concentration, and spatial carrying capacity far surpass those of the surrounding areas. Not only does its vegetation territory continue to expand, but it also more easily breeds high-level Aberrant and gives rise to a group of powerful territorial lords. Naturally, it has become the core of the entire region and the core Inner Region for all survivors and Aberrant to compete for resources.
The forest has recently undergone a complete reshuffling of its territories, with new and old forces balancing each other out.
The newly formed Social Bee Swarm and the aquatic apex predator, the Armored Crocodile Turtle, are both newly established lords who have just won territorial wars and gained a foothold.
In addition, a large number of long-established aberration lords also reside deep within the Frost Forest.
New and old powerhouses coexist, each carving out their own territory and checking each other. None of them are easy to deal with, and each faction possesses extremely strong combat power and territorial control. After many days of changes, the ecological pattern of this core forest has just begun to stabilize briefly.
Now, a large number of outside survivors have suddenly parachuted in, creating a variable that disrupts the existing balance.
Lu Heng understood immediately; this area was now truly bustling with activity, and there was definitely something to do.
He remained completely calm and composed.
Moonview Valley is bound by personal access barriers and has its own entry rules. Without his personal permission, neither high-level native Aberrant nor unfamiliar outsiders from afar can set foot in Moonview Valley. If their own base is safe, the only option is to attack with force.
The real, unknown dangers all come from these strangers who have migrated across Plane.
No one knows their original living environment, fighting style, strength, morality, or bottom line.
In chaotic times, the unpredictability of human nature is far more unpredictable than that of ferocious beasts.
No one can predict what choices these newly arrived survivors will make after landing. Will they be cautious, discreetly developing their resources and surviving peacefully? Or will they be ambitious, banding together to plunder resources and ambush scattered survivors?
The Frost Forest, in particular, is rich in resources, making it a prime target for outsiders. If anyone covets the forest's resources or even attempts to seize existing strongholds, the entire region will inevitably erupt into continuous fighting and conflict.
After mentally assessing the pros and cons, Lu Heng reached out and opened the public chat channel on his Wristband.
In just one night, the channel messages exploded, with hundreds of thousands of messages scrolling wildly, and survivors across the entire region were intensely discussing this unprecedented server merge change.
The massive amount of scattered intelligence was continuously collected, sorted, and integrated, making the originally vague and generalized regional map completely clear and distinct.
Lu Heng's Moonview Valley is located on the edge of the Frost Forest, occupying the core Inner Region of the entire Plane.
Centered on the Frost Forest, it connects to four regions with completely different terrains, danger levels, and ecosystems, forming a complete survival map.
The western side is adjacent to the Mist Forest, which is shrouded in thick white fog all year round, resulting in extremely low visibility. The dense and intricate forest provides excellent concealment. This area is home to many stealthy and ambush-type Aberrant, making it suitable for survivors to hide and develop in secret. However, it is also fraught with hidden dangers, and a moment's carelessness can lead to an ambush.
To the east lies the vast, open plain of the Withered Reed Plain, a flat and unobstructed Global Region with no mountains or ravines to provide cover and unobstructed views. This terrain advantage facilitates rapid travel and extensive exploration, but its disadvantages are equally fatal. If one encounters groups of monsters or hostile survivors, there is no room to hide, and a head-on battle is inevitable.
The two high-risk areas on the periphery of the region are places that no one dares to easily venture into.
The Cracked Rock Hills are covered with scattered rocks and cliffs, and natural caves are scattered throughout. The complex and broken terrain makes it an excellent ambush site. Resources are scattered but diverse. It is home to a large number of mixed-species Aberrant all year round, and it is also a high-frequency area for battles between survivors from all sides.
The Blackwater Swamp is a muddy, stagnant pool of water with a dark, blackish hue. The Global Region is a mix of aquatic and terrestrial environments, and amphibious Aberrant congregate there. The mud is full of hidden traps, and even those with considerable strength will find it difficult to escape unscathed if they accidentally get trapped.
The five regions are interconnected, with the core Frost Forest having the best resources and the most powerful players, while the surrounding four regions each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and their risks complement each other.
The channel was filled with panic and endless discussion among the survivors. Some were afraid of being randomly dropped into the Withered Reed Plain, where they would be vulnerable to being surrounded and killed without any cover; some secretly hoped to land in the Mist Forest, where they could survive and develop by relying on the terrain; and many more were terrified of the extreme dangers of the Cracked Rock Hills and the Blackwater Swamp, fearing that they would die as soon as they landed.
Lu Heng observed the panic and commotion on the channel with a cold eye, his expression remaining calm throughout.
Local lords, both old and new, hold sway over their respective territories, making the core forest an extremely dangerous place. Now, a group of ignorant outsiders, willing to do anything to survive, have poured in.
The previously balanced Plane ecosystem has been completely shattered.
This fertile land, born from the fusion of fragments, is about to witness a brutal conflict belonging to a chaotic world.