Chu Guang’s gaze hardened. “The Torch Church.”

Sun Yuechi nodded gravely. “Yes. When our people arrived again... only an empty shelter remained. We couldn’t take over a site a thousand kilometers away, so we copied part of their data, left the rest in place, and hoped another shelter would one day find it.”

He smiled faintly before sighing, “Looks like my predecessors were right. You not only made full use of that shelter’s resources, but even accomplished the wish they never could, destroying the Hive at the center of Clearspring City.”

At that heartfelt praise, Chu Guang laughed, though soon caught on to another detail in his words. “You mean... you have a Hive too?”

“Yes.” Sun Yuechi nodded and placed a holographic stylus on the coffee table, tapping its button.

A pale-blue projection shimmered into a vast silver ring.

At first, Chu Guang thought it was a schematic of Shelter 70, until a blue planet appeared beside it.

That was a space station!

Judging by the adjacent Earth and space elevator for scale, the ring was enormous, floating like a carousel near the elevator’s terminus, a satellite city in orbit.

“This was the Heavenly Court Space Station as it once looked... and this,” he slid his finger, “Is what it looks like now.”

The projection shifted, the planet and elevator dissolved into light, leaving the ring swallowed by darkness. Crimson tendrils emerged from the void, wrapping around it and filling every corner within.

Seeing Chu Guang’s stunned face, Sun Yuechi continued softly, “Our shelter lies under the sea, where untapped resources are abundant. We had planned to build a seabed settlement for 100,000 survivors, then expand toward the surface, reviving Sunset Province and the southern seas.”

“But plans never keep up with reality. During the Three Year War, Heavenly Court Space Station collapsed along with the space elevator and crashed nearby. The impact rivaled a strategic nuclear strike. Our shelter survived, but our external facilities and unfinished modules were annihilated.”

“Holy crap!” Chu Guang couldn’t help blurting out. Seeing Sun Yuechi stare blankly, he coughed and tried to recover his composure. “Sorry, I was just... surprised. That’s some spectacular luck you got for a space station to crash right into you.”

He couldn’t find the right word to describe an entire space station dropping right on their doorstep!

Shelters were designed to withstand nukes, yes, but he had never heard of one actually being hit by something of that scale. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

They might be the only shelter to ever take a “strategic nuclear strike” head-on.

Sun Yuechi shrugged helplessly. “There are other deep-sea shelters. It just happened to fall on us, nothing we could do. Maybe you’re right, our luck’s terrible... especially since the station happened to host a Hive.”

“When we emerged, a century had passed since the war. The Hive had been breeding underwater for that entire century, turning most of the station into it. We tried salvaging materials for our seabed colony, but the results were minimal. Even with utmost caution, its spawn still caused us plenty of trouble.”

By then, Chu Guang could already guess why he had come, to ask for help eliminating the Hive entangled with the station.

Coincidentally, Chu Guang himself was interested in the space station. So he straightened up and said solemnly, “No problem! Fighting for humanity’s future is our duty. Neutralizing Mutant Slime Mold just happens to be our specialty, we’ll help you take care of it.”

“Thank you. I knew I hadn’t come to the wrong person.” Sun Yuechi smiled gratefully, then looked embarrassed. “But... that’s not the only assistance I’m here to request. Before dealing with the Hive in the Heavenly Court Space Station, we face a more urgent crisis.”

Before Chu Guang could ask, he explained, “Like Shelter 117, we’re also facing internal collapse.”

Chu Guang blinked before a frown formed. “You... didn’t you already leave the shelter?”

“Yes, but the question isn’t whether to leave, it’s what comes after. We’re divided on many issues. After seeing the state of Sunset Province, some of our people began to think human evolution into a higher form might also end the Wasteland Era, even if the Torch Church’s methods are extreme.”

Seeing Chu Guang’s dumbfounded expression, Sun Yuechi’s face twisted between bitterness and shame.

It wasn’t exactly something to be proud of. Still, he tried to explain. “I suppose it’s inevitable. We worked with Shelter 117 for nearly a century, our people naturally sympathized with those who escaped the Torch Church’s grasp...”

“You do know what those lunatics did in Sunset Province, right?” Chu Guang asked grimly.

“I do,” Sun Yuechi said with a bitter smile. “But knowing doesn’t change much. You can inspire unconditional trust. I can only try to persuade dissenters. I think the Torch Church’s methods are too extreme, but some see it as a necessary price. Some even dream of using Torch Church’s technology to become elves of the sea. What can I say to that?”

He sighed before he continued, “The mistake predates me. Most still in the shelter support me, but the division lies in our offshore settlements on the artificial islands.”

“Led by Torch Church sympathizers, they formed a federation and effectively broke away from our control, seeking to join the Torch Church. I’ve used every method I could, yet I can’t stop them from drifting toward them. If they only wanted to destroy themselves, I would let them, but they don’t. They intend to introduce Na Fruit into the ocean.”

After a pause, he looked squarely at Chu Guang. “I had originally planned to seek help from the Great Rift Valley, after all, some Post-War Reconstruction Committee survivors remain there. But on my journey, I heard many tales about you and the New Alliance, and I changed my destination. The wastelanders have no hope left for the Post-War Reconstruction Committee. Many even blame them for this world’s ruin. Yet when they speak of you and the New Alliance, they do so with respect, even if not all of them like you.”

The flattery came so abruptly that Chu Guang had to clear his throat, replying modestly, “Rumors are always exaggerated. Compared to those old survivor factions, we’re still young.”

“But you’ve achieved what they never could, haven’t you? And I didn’t come here on hearsay, I’ve observed your settlement myself. You possess something we lack... not just technology.”

Looking at Chu Guang earnestly, Sun Yuechi said with complete seriousness, “That’s why I want to transfer the administrator’s authority of Shelter 70 to you, including all our surface settlements.”

“Huh...?”

Before he could respond, Sun Yuechi raised his VM and tapped the screen. A pale-blue confirmation window appeared. He pressed the button twice in succession, completing the authorization handover.

As Sun Yuechi exhaled deeply, Chu Guang just stared at the man in utter shock.

Is this guy serious?

Before he could react, the man had already finished the entire process, cheerfully tossing him the keys to Shelter 70.

The procedure was surprisingly simple.Lines of blue text flickered before Chu Guang’s eyes.

[Administrator rights for Shelter 70 have been revoked...]

[New Administrator, please proceed to Shelter 70. Access any terminal connected to the main server to import the passcode and update biometric data to finalize authorization.]

As Chu Guang gaped speechlessly, Sun Yuechi smiled in relief, his tone lighter than before. “I’m sorry to dump this mess on you, but it’s all I can still do. Since you said you would unite everyone... then our future, I’ll leave it in your hands!”