They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 309 Higher Dimensions and Mark

This is a dimension that cannot be explained by any known physical laws.

Consciousness was detached from the body and suspended in a deathly void.

Above the sky were not stars, but a gigantic purple planet that filled the entire field of vision.

It floats silently, its surface devoid of land and sea, instead covered with countless enormous eyeballs.

Each of those eyeballs was like an abyss; the moment Zhang Qi's consciousness appeared, they all turned in unison, focusing their attention on him.

That gaze held a complex mix of emotions: a condescending scrutiny, a hint of wonder at the unknown, and a touch of unspoken apprehension…

what is this?
Just as Zhang Qi's thoughts formed on this question, a grand yet icy thought surged into his mind.

It wasn't any language or script he knew, but a direct indoctrination of information, an absolute and unquestionable concept imprinted deep within his soul.

【stop.】

Your actions must not be repeated.

caveat.

A stark warning.

That thought carried an irresistible majesty, like that of a deity.

Zhang Qi felt that his consciousness was like a speck of dust in a storm before this power, and could be completely annihilated at any moment.

Before he could even ponder the meaning behind the warning, a violent, weightless sensation, as if he were falling from a great height, washed over him.

The purple planet and countless eyeballs in the field of vision instantly distorted and elongated, finally shattering into nothingness.

Consciousness crashed back into the body.

"Ho-!"

Zhang Qi suddenly opened his eyes, his chest heaving violently, like a fish thrown ashore, greedily grasping at the air.

His heart pounded wildly beneath his ribs, each beat heavy like a drumbeat.

Before he knew it, cold sweat had soaked through his clothes on his back, clinging tightly to his skin and bringing a chilling sensation.

What was that just now...?

He stared blankly at his right hand.

A few thin, bluish-white streaks of electricity danced and flowed between his fingertips and palms, emitting a barely audible "sizzling" sound.

This is electric current...

Unlike Naruto and One World, it is not an electric current transformed from chakra and primordial energy.

Instead, it is formed by controlling the electrical charges in the air...

And not only that... my body... is different now.

He could clearly feel that his muscle fibers had become tougher, his bones seemed to be denser, and the sound of blood flowing through his veins was stronger and more powerful than ever before.

This is a transformative change, originating from the very core of life.

No wonder it's called... the source of life...

This force acts directly on his genes, optimizing, strengthening, and modifying them; it is an inward evolution.

But if that's all there is to it, why did that being high in an unknown dimension issue a warning to him?

What struck him as even more strange was that the other party had only issued a warning, rather than eliminating him outright.

Given the level of power displayed by that intention, crushing his consciousness should have been effortless.

Is it because...it's impossible? Or is there a price to pay for taking action? Or is it due to his own unique characteristics?
Before I could even process what was happening, a wave of intense, almost convulsive hunger surged from my stomach and instantly engulfed my entire body.

Every cell is screaming, craving a replenishment of energy.

Zhang Qi shook his head, dispelling the lingering sleepiness and fear, then got out of bed and went straight to the food storage cabinet in the corner of the room.

He tore open a package of high-energy compressed biscuits, shoved it almost roughly into his mouth, and began to chew it vigorously…

……

the next day.

Lighthouse, research area, engineering department.

As Zhang Qigang reached the laboratory door, a large, fan-like hand suddenly slapped him on the shoulder, and a familiar voice rang out: "Qigang! I finally caught you!"

He turned around and saw the face of Mark, the Hunter Commander… “Mark?”

Zhang Qi realized that in order to avoid the Devouring Beasts on the ground, the Lighthouse had been suspended in the air all year round.

However, to maintain the engine's operation and the survival of the personnel inside, it is necessary to regularly go to the ground to collect supplies, and this team is the Wilderness Hunters.

"Hey? You seem to have gotten more muscular these past few days?"

Mark said with some surprise, "The feeling in my hand is completely different from before."

"I've been working out lately, do you want me to help you with the 3D model again?"

Zhang Qi dodged the question and cleverly changed the subject.

"Okay, come with me."

Without saying a word, Mark put his arm around his shoulder and walked in another direction.

"Eron, ask my supervisor for leave and tell him I need to go to the Hunters."

Zhang Qi didn't resist, but turned his head and called out to a colleague who was peeking out from the doorway.

"okay!"

After passing through a long, metallic-gleaming corridor, Mark led Zhang Qi to the Hunters' private hangar.

The vast space was filled with the mixed smells of engine oil, metal, and ozone. Several enormous, scarlet heavy-duty machines were being lifted by robotic arms for maintenance and upkeep.

Mark's destination was the largest vehicle in the very center of the hangar—the "Dawn".

"Same as always, those things on the ground are getting more and more troublesome."

"I need you to think of some more ways to improve this thing's power system and range, and also improve its maneuverability."

Mark patted the Dawn's heavy armored hull, producing a dull thud.

Zhang Qi nodded. Over the years, he had provided countless improvement plans for the hunters' equipment, covering almost everything from weapon energy efficiency to the joint sensitivity of the three-dimensional structure.

In return, Mark would bring him back various things he needed from each ground mission—organ samples of the Devouring Beasts, survey data of the ecological environment, and materials from the Old World scattered in the ruins.

This is a tacit understanding that has long been formed between them.

But this time, Zhang Qi had a new idea.

He walked around the Dawn, his fingers lightly gliding over the cold metal surface, then stopped and looked at Mark, his eyes calm and serious.

"Sure. But I have one condition."

"You said."

Mark readily agreed, assuming his friend wanted the corpse of the Devouring Beast again.

"I want to go with you on the next ground mission."

As soon as he finished speaking, the noisy background sounds in the hangar seemed to quiet down for a moment.

Mark's expression visibly changed; the commander's cheerful and easygoing demeanor quickly faded, replaced by an undeniable seriousness.

"No."

"Aqi, stop fooling around."

The ground is teeming with Devouring Beasts. You're a genius researcher, but combat... that's not your job.

"I'm not joking."

"I understand your concerns. You just think I don't have any fighting ability and that I would only be a burden if I went there."

Zhang Qi shook his head; he had anticipated Mark's reaction.

He paused, raised his eyes, and looked directly at his tall and strong childhood friend, a provocative smile on his face.

"So, as long as I prove I have enough fighting power, that's enough, right?"

Mark frowned, not understanding what he was up to.

Zhang Qi took half a step forward, stretched his wrists and neck, and his joints made a series of crisp popping sounds.

"So...how about a fight, Mark?"

"Uh-huh!!"

(End of this chapter)