Chapter 56

Inside the enclosed room, the thick steel plate suddenly turned red, the red color gradually expanding until it melted in the very center, turning into a pool of molten steel.

Wearing a geological exploration suit that was completely out of place, the young man climbed out of the molten steel.

At that moment, Romain Rolland shook off the molten steel that had gotten on him and frowned as he looked at the molten steel at his feet.

"Damn it, the ASA people must have known about 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' to install this thing in the facility."

The process of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" can be roughly understood in two steps:

The first step is to transform the solid into a liquid-like state using supernatural abilities. During this process, the temperature of the solid will gradually increase—this is the reason for the magma pool created on the ground and the molten steel in front of us.

The second step is to control this liquid. At the same time, as long as the supernatural power is maintained, these supernatural power products will not cause harm to the user no matter how high the temperature is.

The time taken for the first step is basically linked to the average density of the object. For loose materials like soil or brittle materials like cement, the action can be controlled almost instantly.

However, if it is steel or crystal, it may be necessary to wait for the supernatural power to heat it until it melts before it can be controlled.

And these people from ASA went so far as to lay steel plates throughout the entire interior of the building!

No, if you think about it carefully, it seems that most government agencies like to bury steel plates in the floor. Some particularly confidential places even use nickel-chromium alloy and then cover the outside with a layer of lead.

This arrangement is to prevent individuals with special abilities from infiltrating or launching surprise attacks.

What's really depraved about the ASA group is that they even replaced the walls with steel.

The ruthless methods were undeniably extremely effective; at least Romain Rolland couldn't just come and go as he pleased at this moment.

After cleaning himself of the molten steel, Romain Rolland rubbed his neck, looked at the unnatural marks on the ground, and then glanced at the camera on the roof.

Moreover, the anomaly will be so obvious that it can be detected by any camera.

Romain Rolland twisted his neck and looked behind him: "So there really is only one person?"

The people who came up behind them were dressed in a way that didn't resemble official military organizations like the ASA or the Gatekeepers at all; they looked more like ordinary young people dressed casually and following the trend.

More importantly, he has a distinctly Chinese appearance.

To some extent, the appearances of people from different countries in the Asian cultural sphere are quite distinctive, each with several unique features, and it's easy to tell them apart after seeing them many times.

Romain Rolland was a man of wide experience, so he recognized him easily.

With a host of other factors added in, it's easy to determine the identity of the person who came.

"Sigh, even Chinese universities have sent people here?" Romain Rolland looked at the young man in front of him and scratched his head. "I really don't think the UN is so important that it requires the two countries to join forces."

Here, Romain Rolland is referring to the whole of Europe as a single country, mainly for convenience.

The young man opposite seemed quite talkative. Romain Rolland naturally picked up the conversation after he began speaking.

"Regarding this—strictly speaking, the gatekeeper also sent someone over."

"Three of the top five have actually come? I'm so flattered..."

China, Russia, Europe, North America, and the Vatican. Although two of them seem a bit out of place, this is indeed the generally accepted world's top five powers.

Of course, it's the unofficial kind.

“The goalkeepers are just there for the fun of it, there’s no need to pay them any mind.” As he spoke, the young man stepped forward and introduced himself in a very familiar manner: “You must be Romain Rolland? I am Xu Zhangxu, courtesy name Yousen. If you don’t want the hassle, you can call me Xu Zhimo.”

Normally, this gesture would just be considered ordinary hospitality. But in this context, it seemed slightly strange.

At the very least, if anyone feels even slightly uncomfortable, it can be considered that he has the upper hand.

However, it's obvious that a seasoned veteran like Romain Rolland wouldn't fall into such a trap.

Looking at Xu Zhimo's smile, Romain Rolland immediately put on an even brighter smile than Xu Zhimo: "Hello, hello, Mr. Yousen, although I have never heard of your name before, I have long admired you."

His first words were in fluent Chinese, proving that he hadn't slacked off at all when he practiced speaking with Pu Songling.

Xu Zhimo: ...I've met my match.

"This guy has a thicker skin than me; he's using all the tricks we used when arguing in elementary school," Xu Zhimo thought calmly.

Just as they were speaking, a violent explosion came from afar.

Feeling that he had lost in terms of thick skin, Xu Zhimo naturally changed the subject: "Hearing that voice, aren't you worried about your companions?"

Romain Rolland did not hesitate, or rather, it's hard to say whether his answer was even thought through.

"I'm not worried at all; I'm more worried about myself than them."

On one side are Dante, Shelley, Christie, Exupéry, and a group of formidable figures; on the other side is Romain Rolland, weak, pitiful, and helpless, sealed away in an iron plate. It's obvious which one is more miserable.

Romain Rolland sighed unconsciously as he internally berated himself, and when he opened his eyes again, they had turned blue.

"Now that we've confirmed the situation over there, shall we begin?"

Xu Zhimo, who was also waiting for information about the outbreak of war on the other side to determine the situation, smiled and said, "That's really direct."

Just as he finished uttering the last syllable, his figure suddenly rushed out, leaving only a faint afterimage in place.

The two of them had been chatting here in tacit agreement, simply to find out what was happening on the other side so they could determine their battle plan.

If one side gains the upper hand on the main battlefield, they can choose a relatively conservative yet aggressive fighting style.

However, now that it has been confirmed that the UN and the coalition here are evenly matched, then on their side... they can only decide the victor on their own.