Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 438: Not Conquest, But Symbiosis
“You can take a boat there,” Silvermoon said, puzzled.

“A ship?” the worker sighed. “Do you know how far it is from here to Hope Island? Three hundred kilometers! And this sea area is frequently hit by storms; many ships sink every year. More importantly, the cost of transporting supplies by ship is too high; most supplies simply cannot be transported.”

Silvermoon began to understand the city's predicament. Although it had abundant resources nearby, they could not be effectively utilized because of the barrier of the ocean.

“We’ve tried many things,” the worker continued, “building bigger ships, opening safer sea routes, establishing colonies on the islands. But all of them failed for various reasons. In recent years, the city’s population has grown, while resources have become increasingly scarce. If we don’t find a solution soon, this city will decline.”

After saying that, the worker pushed the truck forward, leaving Yinyue standing there alone, lost in thought.

"Is this my trial?" Silvermoon gazed at the distant island. "Reclaiming land from the sea, connecting the mainland to the Island of Hope?"

She walked to the highest point of the harbor, where there was a lighthouse. From the lighthouse, Silver Moon could observe the entire sea more clearly.

This sea area is indeed very wide, stretching for a full three hundred kilometers. But Silvermoon noticed a detail: between the mainland and the islands, it's not entirely deep sea, but rather contains many shoals and reefs. If these natural features could be utilized, the workload could perhaps be greatly reduced.

“But this is still a massive undertaking,” Silvermoon muttered to herself. “Even with my immortal-level strength, filling in three hundred kilometers of sea would be an almost impossible task.”

She recalled Rowan's trial. Rowan's task was to move mountains, but he didn't actually move the entire mountain; instead, he carved a path through it. Similarly, perhaps she didn't need to fill in the entire sea, but rather create a passable road.

“Yes, not land reclamation, but road construction,” Silvermoon’s thoughts gradually became clear, “a passage connecting the mainland and the islands.”

Even for road construction, a distance of 300 kilometers is staggering. Moreover, building roads in the ocean presents far more challenges than building them on land.

Silvermoon began to formulate a detailed plan. First, she needed to survey the topography of the entire sea area to find the most suitable route. Second, she needed to determine the construction method: whether to reclaim land, build a bridge, or a combination of both. Finally, she also had to consider the impact on the marine ecosystem, ensuring that the project did not damage the environment of the entire sea area.

“Let’s take it one step at a time,” Silvermoon took a deep breath, “let’s start with the survey.”

She descended from the lighthouse and walked towards the sea. As an elite member of the Virtual Universe Company, Silver Moon possessed a variety of detection technologies. She released her mental energy and began scanning the seabed terrain.

This process requires immense patience. Every inch of the 300-kilometer stretch of sea needs to be carefully explored. Silver Moon was completely focused, extending her senses into the depths of the ocean.

In her perception, the seabed topography gradually emerged. Just as she had observed before, this area was not entirely deep sea. Extending about fifty kilometers from the mainland, the seabed was relatively shallow, with an average depth of only about fifty meters. Then came a deeper trench, reaching a depth of two hundred meters. Beyond the trench was another relatively shallow area, stretching all the way to the vicinity of Hope Island.

“If we take advantage of this terrain, we can construct in sections,” Silvermoon planned in her mind. “We can fill in the shallow sea areas to create land, and build bridges or undersea tunnels in the deep sea areas.”

But she soon discovered a new problem. This area of ​​the sea was not stagnant; it had strong ocean currents. Directly filling in the land could alter the course of these currents, causing severe damage to the entire marine ecosystem.

"We can't just think about completing the task; we also have to consider the consequences," Silvermoon reminded herself. "The real solution should be sustainable, not at the expense of the environment."

She re-examined her plan. To keep the ocean currents flowing freely, the sea area could not be completely blocked off; instead, sufficient channels had to be left in the design to allow the seawater to flow freely.

“In that case, we can’t simply reclaim land from the sea; we need to build a special structure,” Silver Moon pondered, “that allows people to pass through without obstructing the flow of seawater.”

She came up with a plan: to build a long bridge with enough space between the piers for the seawater to flow. But how many piers would a 300-kilometer-long bridge need? And how deep would the foundations of each pier need to be? This was an enormous undertaking.

“We must find a more ingenious method,” Silvermoon said, sitting on the beach, watching the waves crashing on the shore.

Just then, a group of dolphins leaped out of the water, tracing graceful arcs in the sunlight. Looking at these vibrant creatures, Silver Moon suddenly had a new idea.

“What if we view this project as cooperation with the ocean, rather than conquest?” Silvermoon’s eyes lit up. “Using the ocean’s power, instead of fighting it.”

She recalled an ancient technology recorded in the Virtual Universe Company's database: bioengineering. Some ancient civilizations had cultivated special marine creatures that could secrete a special substance that could quickly solidify into a solid structure.

“But that’s just a record; I don’t have those creatures in this trial space,” Silvermoon quickly realized the problem, “I have to use the resources I have.”

She re-examined her surroundings. The beach was covered with shells and coral fragments, and the seawater teemed with microorganisms. What if she could utilize these natural resources?
"That's it! Coral!" Silvermoon had a sudden inspiration. "Coral reefs are naturally formed structures by marine life; they're sturdy and don't disrupt the ecological balance. If I could accelerate coral growth..."

It was a bold idea, but Silvermoon thought it was worth a try. She wasn't trying to reclaim land from the sea, but rather to guide the ocean to create its own structure connecting the two places.

Silvermoon began collecting coral fragments and shells from the beach. She used the power of the laws to analyze the structure of these materials and understand their growth mechanisms. Coral polyps build coral reefs by absorbing calcium from seawater and secreting calcium carbonate. This process is inherently very slow, but it becomes possible with sufficient energy and a suitable environment.
“I can use the power of the laws to accelerate this process,” Silvermoon confirmed, “to create an ideal growth environment, allowing the coral to quickly form a natural path.”

But this requires extremely precise control. Silver Moon must select suitable locations on the seabed, arrange energy nodes, create an environment suitable for coral growth, and then guide them to grow along a predetermined route.

“This is much more difficult than forcibly reclaiming land from the sea, but this is the right way,” Silvermoon said, her resolve strengthened.

She took off her shoes and walked barefoot into the sea. The cool water reached her ankles, bringing a comfortable feeling. Silver Moon closed her eyes, extending her consciousness into the depths of the ocean, beginning to feel the life rhythm of this sea.

The ocean is a vast living system, where countless creatures live, reproduce, and die. Every drop of seawater contains the energy of life, and every inch of the seabed is a home for living beings. The Silver Moon can feel this vibrant life force; it is so powerful, so beautiful.

“I have not come to conquer you,” Silver Moon whispered to the ocean. “I have come to seek your help, so that the people on both sides can be connected, and so that life can be better.”

She unleashed her power of law, but this time not to destroy or force, but to communicate and guide. The power of law spread through the seawater, like gentle fingers caressing every living thing. A miracle occurred. The ocean seemed to respond to her call; the coral polyps floating in the water began to gather, drawn by some unseen force, moving towards the path set by the silver moon.

“Yes,” Silvermoon sensed the ocean’s response, “you are willing to help me.”

She began a long and meticulous process. First, she placed energy nodes on the seabed, which would release energy waves of specific frequencies to attract coral polyps. Then, she provided ample calcium and other nutrients to accelerate the coral's growth.

This process requires immense patience and focus. Silvermoon must simultaneously monitor thousands of growth points, ensuring that each coral grows in the intended direction while maintaining balance between the various parts.

The first day has passed, and tiny coral reefs have begun to appear on the seabed. Although still small, they already show a clear direction—extending from the mainland towards Hope Island.

The next day, the coral reef continued to grow, beginning to form a continuous structure. Some small fish and marine life discovered these new habitats and began to gather around them.

By the third day, the coral reef had extended for ten kilometers, forming a preliminary roadbed in the shallow waters. But Silvermoon was also feeling exhausted; this meticulous control had drained her of a great deal of energy.

"We can't rush things; we have to proceed step by step," Silvermoon reminded herself. "This is creation, not destruction; it requires a lot of patience."

The port residents began to notice changes in the sea. Some fishermen were surprised to find strange coral reefs appearing in their familiar waters. These reefs were distributed in a regular pattern, seemingly pointing in a certain direction.

"What's going on?" an old fisherman asked in confusion.

“What’s that outsider girl doing?” someone said, having spotted Silvermoon meditating on the beach. “She’s been standing there for days.”

What is she doing?

"I don't know, but the ocean seems to be changing."

As time went on, more and more people noticed this phenomenon. The coral reefs were growing at a rate far exceeding normal levels, and they were clearly extending towards Hope Island.

"She's building a road," finally someone understood Silvermoon's intention, "a road to the Island of Hope!"

The news quickly spread throughout the port. People began to gather on the beach to watch this incredible spectacle. Some cheered with joy, some shed tears of excitement, and others worried that it might all be a false alarm.

But Silvermoon paid no heed to these external reactions. She was completely immersed in communicating with the ocean, intently guiding the growth of the coral.

As the coral reef extends into the deep sea, Silver Moon encounters new challenges. The water pressure is greater, the currents stronger, and the environment for coral growth more severe. Moreover, at a depth of two hundred meters, even if a coral reef grows, it cannot surface.

“We must change our strategy,” Silvermoon pondered. “In the deep sea, we can’t rely solely on corals; we need other structures.”

She thought of underwater volcanic rocks. There are abundant volcanic rocks on the seabed in the deep sea. If these rocks could be used as a base, and corals cultivated on top, it would be possible to build even taller structures.

Silvermoon embarked on a new endeavor. She used the power of laws to move the rocks on the seabed, stacking them into columnar structures. These pillars rose from the seabed like giant supporting columns. Then, she cultivated corals on the surface of the pillars, allowing them to envelop the rocks and form a composite structure combining organisms and minerals.

This method is much faster than simply growing coral, but it requires much more precise control. Each pillar must be precisely positioned to ensure it can withstand the impact of ocean currents while also providing sufficient passage for marine life.

Yin Yue's mental strength was nearing its limit. Several consecutive days of intense work had left her body and soul utterly exhausted. But she couldn't stop; every minute of delay could mean more danger for Hong outside.

"Persist. We must persist!" Yin Yue gritted her teeth and continued this arduous project.

Day five, day six, day seven. The Coral Road stretches out little by little. It crosses shallow waters and deep seas, drawing ever closer to the Island of Hope.

Along the way, more and more marine life is being attracted. Schools of colorful fish dart among the coral reefs, sea turtles swim around the rock pillars, and even dolphins leap nearby. This artificially guided coral path is becoming a new ecosystem.

“That’s the right way,” Silvermoon smiled weakly, “not destruction, but creation; not conquest, but symbiosis.”

Finally, at dusk on the tenth day, the Coral Road stretched to the shore of Hope Island. Three hundred kilometers of sea were connected by a winding but sturdy coral reef road.

This path is submerged most of the time, only emerging at low tide. However, Silvermoon has intentionally designed some areas above the water level, which can serve as rest stops and viewpoints. The entire path coexists harmoniously with the ocean, facilitating passage for people without disrupting the marine ecosystem.

When the last piece of coral reef was completed, Silvermoon felt a tremendous exhaustion. Her power of law was almost depleted, and her body swayed precariously.

"Finally...it's done." Silver Moon's consciousness began to blur.

Just as she was about to collapse, the warm seawater caught her. The corals she had helped grow, and the creatures that inhabited the reef, seemed to be responding to her sacrifice, protecting her in the gentlest way.

"Thank you, sea." These were the last words Silver Moon uttered before losing consciousness.

When Silvermoon awoke, she found herself lying on the beach of Hope Island. Warm sunlight shone on her, and the waves gently lapped against the shore in the distance.

(End of this chapter)