Xia Chuan, his mind keen with curiosity, turned to the Book of Wisdom.
"If using the gravity ball requires physical strength," he asked, "then what strength does it take to wield the Book of Wisdom?"
"Ah, the Book of Wisdom requires a different kind of strength altogether," the Book of Wisdom replied with a voice like the whispers of ancient sages. "It demands brainpower, a vast and potent force. Each time it is activated, it draws upon immense mental and computational power. Unfortunately, the minds of humans in the miniature world are far too small to wield it easily. A single use would almost burn their brains out. But you, my master, are different. I have never seen such a vast intellect in any creature. Your brainpower far exceeds that of these miniature beings—at least a million times more. With that, you can easily draw upon my power."
Xia Chuan nodded in understanding. In the miniature world, every time a human used world-shaping tools, their vitality would dwindle quickly. The more they relied on such tools, the faster they would perish. But his vast size—surpassing the humans by millions—allowed him to wield world-altering artifacts with ease, without the risk of exhaustion.
"I see," he murmured.
"Master, there seems to be someone approaching," the Book of Wisdom warned.
Xia Chuan raised an eyebrow, sensing the disturbance. He turned swiftly, the weight of the gravity ball in his hands bending space itself. With a single leap, he soared hundreds of kilometers in the blink of an eye, arriving at the cave atop Bailong Mountain in an instant.
Elsewhere, the Search Begins...
"Group leader Qin Changqing, the source of the earthquake is here," a young man in white said, his voice filled with tension.
"What's going on here?" A woman in red frowned. "This place... it looks like an inexplicable force smoothed it out completely. What kind of power could do such a thing?"
The ground beneath their feet told a grim story. A hundred-meter radius had been flattened, the rocks and trees crushed into powder, leaving nothing untouched. It was a scene of devastation unlike anything they had seen before.
"This... this isn't a result of a bomb," a bald man muttered, his eyes wide. "It's far more terrifying than any weapon we know."
"It's the power of a spatial shock," a middle-aged man, the leader of this group and head of the Special Affairs Bureau, spoke up. "When an alien world's passage links with ours, space itself trembles. Before the tunnel appears, there are aftershocks. These shockwaves are capable of wiping out entire cities."
"Space shock?" the others murmured in awe, trying to grasp the enormity of the leader's words.
"Yes, space shockwaves. The appearance of such disturbances is a sign that a spatial tunnel will soon open," Qin Changqing explained. "These aftershocks are powerful enough to devastate the land. What we see here is only a small tremor—if it were a full-scale shock, it could raze cities."
The team stood in stunned silence, feeling the weight of his words.
"Group leader, are you suggesting that these aftershocks are connected to creatures from other worlds?" one of the younger members asked, unable to hide his shock.
"Exactly," Qin Changqing replied, his voice low and serious. "For the past decade, we have witnessed the opening of spatial rifts, connecting us with alien realms. Creatures from these worlds sometimes step through, and they are far more powerful than anything our weapons can handle. Bullets, shells—none of it can harm them."
The team exchanged fearful glances, realizing the magnitude of what they were dealing with. Creatures from other worlds were more terrifying than anything they had known, their powers beyond human comprehension.
"And these intrusions are becoming more frequent. The number of spatial tunnels is increasing, and with each one, more monsters pour into our world," Qin Changqing added, his tone darkening. "Sooner or later, it will become uncontrollable."
A chill swept over the group as the enormity of the situation sank in.
"Could it be that you had us monitoring Bailong Mountain specifically because of a possible spatial tunnel?" one of them asked, connecting the dots.
"Correct," Qin Changqing confirmed. "Before the tunnel appears, there are always signs—spatial aftershocks. By tracking these, we can predict the locations of the tunnels and prepare for them in advance. If we act quickly enough, we can eliminate any alien creatures that emerge, preventing them from wreaking havoc."
His eyes hardened, a cold glint flashing within. "We will leave none of them alive."
The group's resolve hardened in response. The mission was clear: protect their world from these terrifying invaders.
Meanwhile, atop Bailong Mountain...
Xia Chuan stood alone in the cave, a shadow stretching across the stone walls as he contemplated the coming storm. His mind, far more vast than any ordinary mortal's, felt the subtle pull of the space shockwaves, a reminder of the chaos unfolding in the world beyond.
Soon, the powers of the alien realms would reveal themselves. And with them, a battle like no other would begin.
The Book of Wisdom whispered, its voice a mere echo. "Master, the time approaches. Will you choose to intervene?"
Xia Chuan's eyes gleamed with purpose. "Of course. The game is set, and I will not stand idly by."