Ten seconds later.
The room stopped falling, the steel plates surrounding it retracted into the walls, the door frame monitor lit up with a green light, and with a crisp "ding," the door opened automatically.
The crowd swayed and twisted, and the sounds of vomiting rose and fell.
"Fun, isn't it?" Eve's laughter echoed from everyone's pockets.
"What a load of fun!" Yin Long, pale-faced, pulled out his phone, stared at the image of Eve on the screen, and said angrily, "You didn't take any safety precautions at all. If someone dies, can you take responsibility?"
Eve sat atop the Honor of Kings icon, her white legs flared, and pouted, "This is the world's safest underwater elevator, with a failure rate of only one in a billion. It's impossible for anyone to die."
"Huh? Wait a minute," Yin Long snapped out of his daze, his eyes widening suddenly, and stammered, "You... how did you get into my phone?"
"Because I'm a supercomputer!" Eve jumped off the King of Glory icon, slamming her little fist against the Douyin icon next to it. "As long as your phone is connected to the internet, I can hack into it."
"Holy crap?"
Not only was Yin Long stunned.
Hu Yanlan, Jiang Sui, and Hu Xiao were also stunned on the spot.
Eve looked at the browser icon with interest and said, "Everyone says that the iQOO phones is the most ruthless at finding scams. Have you tried searching for it?"
"Ahem," Yin Long said, his face flushed, "I am a gentleman, how could I possibly have been searched?"
"I don't believe you, I'm going to check your browser." On the phone screen, Eve quickly walked to the bottom of the phone's built-in browser.
"Damn it!" Yin Long panicked, frantically turning off mobile data and disconnecting his phone from the internet. Sure enough, Eve had vanished. "Phew~ I managed to save my reputation after all that rushing."
However, the next second...
A vulgar and offensive sound rang out.
Hu Yanlan, Jiang Sui, and Hu Xiao instantly cast strange glances at each other.
"What... what's going on?" Yin Long was dumbfounded. His browser opened uncontrollably and automatically played his treasured short videos.
Eve suddenly appeared out of nowhere, waving her little fist and saying triumphantly, "You said you hadn't searched us, but now you've caught us red-handed. Do you admit it or not?"
Yin Long exclaimed in shock, "No... I clearly disconnected the network, how could you still hack into my phone?"
Eve shook her head and said, "Before you disconnected from the internet, I had already turned on your phone's Wi-Fi and connected it to our Time Research Institute's wireless LAN."
"Damn it!" Yin Long was furious and immediately shut down the Wi-Fi. "I, a dignified Champion Emperor player, refuse to believe I can't beat a brat like you."
On the phone screen, Eve made a face and said, "Hey? I turned your data on again."
"Damn it!" Yin Long broke through the defenses, using both hands, "I'll turn off mobile data and Wi-Fi, let's see how you hack in then."
Eve vanished instantly.
"Hmph! You think you can fight me?" Yin Long wiped the sweat from his brow and sneered, "You little brat, you're still a long way off."
Eve's eyes flashed with a sly glint. "And now?"
"No?" Yin Long's eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw dropping to the ground. "My phone isn't connected to the internet."
"Friendly reminder," Eve said with a smile, "The first thing I did after I hacked into your phone was to implant a clone into it."
"That way, I'll still exist regardless of whether you connect to the internet later."
"Therefore, the best way to prevent me from hacking into your network is to shut it down before I do."
"Damn it!" Yin Long was devastated.
Hu Yanlan, Jiang Sui, Hu Xiao, and the others burst into laughter.
"Alright, everyone, follow my instructions to the Time Research Institute. A friendly reminder: don't be scared."
Having recovered, Yin Long walked out the door and said dismissively, "It's just a scientific research institute, what's so shocking about it... Damn!"
Beyond the transparent rectangular glass dome, a majestic steel mountain stands silently on the seabed, its lights gleaming. A terrifying blue whale swims by, appearing as tiny as an ordinary little fish.
"The steel mountain outside the research institute is the world's largest [nuclear reactor]. My mother named it [ Leviathan ]. The institute's energy comes entirely from the Leviathan Nuclear Reactor."
"Theoretically speaking, if the Leviathan Nuclear Reactor were operating at full power, the nuclear electricity it generates could meet the energy needs of a megacity, such as the capital city of Shanghai with a population of 20 million."
"It can be said that Leviathan represents the pinnacle of nuclear power energy, the ultimate achievement in nuclear power technology."
Huyan Lan's heart-shaped diamond pendant trembled as she finally understood where the trillions of RMB needed for Liuli's annual investment went; the cost of such a massive nuclear reactor alone was astronomical.
"The research institute is on the right."
Following Eve's guidance, Huyan Lan and the others entered the Time Research Institute and arrived at a research room. Through the transparent glass, they could clearly see a sophisticated piece of equipment inside.
Like star trails, the power rings encircle a planet-like blue sphere, with the words "[ Imperial Crown ]" painted in gold on its side!
"Time machine!"
Huyan Lan's breathing quickened. Ten years! A full ten years! Liuli had actually created a time machine!
The laboratory security door opened.
" Sister Liuli!" Jiang Sui exclaimed in surprise, throwing herself into the arms of the young woman in the white coat, nuzzling her head against her. "You've become even more beautiful in three years!"
" Suisui too, she's grown into a capable young woman." Liuli's eyes were full of doting affection.
"How has Yaya been these past three years?" Su Sui asked from the side.
"Tch! I'm not telling you." Jiang Sui rolled her eyes.
"Holy crap, is this a time machine?" Hu Xiao leaned closer to examine it, his eyes wide with shock. "It's like a miniature version of Blue Star."
Yin Long tapped the outer shell, half-believing, half-doubting, and asked, "Can riding this thing really take us back to the past?"
"This is why I invited everyone here." Liuli looked at Huyan Lan, her hands in the pockets of her white lab coat, her red eyes gentle, and said, "To allow everyone to witness the first manned experiment of the time machine."
Huyan Lan trembled with excitement.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries...
"Without further ado, let's begin the experiment."
The expressions of everyone present turned serious.
At that moment, the hatch of the Imperial Crown opened, Liuli sat inside, calling out, " Eve, the rest of the work is up to you."
"Understood, Mother." Eve's image appeared on the computer screen, with dense patterns and numbers loading.
" The Imperial Crown has completed its self-check and its nuclear power supply is ready... We are now conducting the first manned time travel test, returning to August 31, 2025."
Huyan Lan into her throat.
A powerful whale roar resounded.
The Leviathan Nuclear Reactor emits a brilliant blue light, a testament to its maximum power output from nuclear energy.
The power rings spun rapidly, and the Imperial Crown emitted a dazzling light.
Ten seconds later.
The power ring slowly came to a stop, the Imperial Crown's light faded, and under the tense and expectant gazes of everyone, the hatch opened, and Liuli, wearing a white coat, stepped out. Her red eyes were filled with tears, and she forced a smile.
"I'm sorry, the time travel experiment has failed."