Chapter 73 Golden Light of Merit? This is a steal!
As the white light faded, Zhou Jue found herself once again in the familiar "time travel room" of the base. Before she could even adjust to the change in light, System 001 suddenly emitted a hysterical, piercing roar in her mind!
[Ahhh~! Host! We've struck it rich! We've struck it rich!!]
This was the first time Zhou Jue had ever heard the system act so out of control, with even its electronic voice cracking.
"Calm down, what's wrong?" Zhou Jue asked, frowning.
"It's merit! It's Heavenly merit!" the system explained incoherently. "In the very last moment before your return, the Heavenly Dao of that apocalyptic world bestowed upon you a wisp of golden light of primordial merit! Though it was only a wisp, it represents the world's very origin's recognition!"
Zhou Jue's heart stirred, and she immediately became alert. Sure enough, in her dantian, besides the flowing spiritual energy, there was also a faint but extremely pure pale golden aura. This aura exuded a warm, vast, and supremely righteous feeling, and as her consciousness swept over it, her entire spirit was refreshed.
Moreover, this wisp of merit allowed her to break through to the third level of Foundation Establishment!
[Host, the benefits of this golden light of merit are numerous! First, it can cleanse your soul, making you immune to inner demons on your cultivation path, eliminating bottlenecks, and increasing your cultivation speed by at least 30%!]
Secondly, this thing is the nemesis of all ghosts, evil spirits, and demons! From now on, if you encounter anything like mental pollution, curses, or evil thoughts, they won't be able to get close to you!
[And there's more!] The system brings up the points shop: [Host, you can purchase merit cultivation techniques and cultivate the merit system. In any world you go to in the future, you'll be the "favored daughter" of the Heavenly Dao!]
Zhou Jue's eyes lit up.
This was an unexpected delight! She had only casually saved about a hundred people, cleared out a few threats, and killed off a lot of zombies, and yet this kind of good fortune had come her way? She couldn't help but marvel at how incredibly generous the laws of that world were!
"Xiao Jue, how are you?"
"Is everything alright?" The people outside stood frozen in place when they saw Zhou Jue return, thinking something had happened.
Zhou Jue looked up and saw Chief Zhang, Chen Jianguo, Cheng Gan, Sun Jiuchou, and several key project leaders all standing there, without exception. Each of them wore a look of tension and intense anticipation.
Zhou Jue grinned, opened the door and walked out: "I'm fine! Reporting to the commander, mission successfully completed!"
"Welcome back, Comrade Xiaojue," Commander Zhang said first, his voice steady and powerful.
"I'm sorry to have kept the leaders waiting." Zhou Jue immediately stood up straight.
It turned out that they had calculated the time of her return and were waiting here in advance. This attention warmed Zhou Jue's heart.
The next step was the same extremely rigorous disinfection procedure, from rinsing the exterior of the power armor to disinfecting her entire body. Every step was handled by professionals, with meticulous attention to detail.
Half an hour later, Zhou Jue, who had changed into clean clothes, sat in the highest-level conference room.
"Xiao Jue, tell me about the situation this time." Chief Zhang personally poured her a cup of hot tea.
"Yes." Zhou Jue nodded and began to report.
She succinctly recounted her experiences over the past month. From establishing the "Grass Platform" shelter to blowing up the mutated plants, from resolving the two major threats of "Hive Consciousness" and "Grey Gu" to the reconnaissance results of several large official bases, and then to resolving the "Chilame" and "Titan Industries" shelters.
Although Zhou Jue spoke lightly and did not exaggerate the cruelty of those places, everyone present understood that none of the steps were simple. The dangers that Comrade Xiao Jue encountered in the other world were far greater than they had imagined!
Everyone present felt a mix of emotions. She should have been living a carefree life under their protection, but now she was fighting on the front lines for them. Before everyone could process their emotions, Zhou Jue changed the subject and brought up the most crucial issue.
"Reporting to the commander, I have selected the landing site for the 'two-way stable passage' in the apocalyptic world. It is an uninhabited valley basin with excellent terrain and abundant resources. Now, all we need to do is select the corresponding coordinates on Earth, and the passage can be officially opened."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the conference room quickened their breathing.
A "two-way stable channel"! This means they will have the world's resources as a backup!
“But!” Zhou Jue’s tone turned serious: “I must emphasize the danger of that world. Although the system guarantees that the passage itself is safe and that no dangerous creatures or substances will leak in, once our personnel enter that world, they will face zombies, mutated beasts, and all sorts of out-of-control technological creations. It has become a dark jungle without any laws or order.”
Looking at everyone present, she solemnly said, "Casualties may occur. Therefore, I suggest that the country conduct a comprehensive and prudent risk assessment regarding whether to immediately send personnel in. Are we ready to face a truly apocalyptic world?"
Her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's burning hearts.
Yes, behind the gains lie enormous risks. Every person sent there is a valuable asset to the country, and their safety must be the top priority.
A long silence fell over the conference room as the bigwigs lowered their heads in deep thought, weighing the pros and cons.
Zhou Jue picked up her teacup and quietly awaited their decision. She had provided enough information and advice; the next choice needed to be made by the highest levels of the government.
After a long silence, Chief Zhang raised his head and looked at Zhou Jue with gentle eyes.
"Xiao Jue, how long is your rest period on Blue Star this time?"
Thirty days.
"Okay." Chief Zhang nodded: "We still need to conduct detailed research and preparations regarding the coordinate channel. There's no rush. You've just gone through a high-intensity mission. For the next thirty days, your primary task is to rest well and recover both physically and mentally."
Chen Jianguo, who was standing next to him, chimed in with a smile, "Yes, Xiao Jue, you have no idea how happy our experts were with the supplies you brought back last time! Several special research groups are working around the clock to tackle the problem, and we might see some preliminary results before your rest period ends!"
Hearing this, Zhou Jue's face also showed a genuine smile. Being able to see what he brought back blossom and bear fruit in his own world was an unparalleled sense of accomplishment.
"That's wonderful!" she said excitedly. "I brought back a lot of good stuff this time! There's a complete primary medical pod and its supporting maintenance equipment, as well as a physical sample and technical data on a shape-memory titanium alloy, and also..."
She was about to list the contents of the Starry Sky Box when she noticed that Chief Zhang and Chen Jianguo exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat subtle.
Commander Zhang maintained his gentle smile and said, "No rush, no rush. It's safest to keep the supplies with you for now. We've built several new, higher-standard temperature and humidity-controlled storage facilities for you at the base. The supplies are being replenished constantly and are ready to use at any time. You should rest first; we'll take care of the rest later."
Zhou Jue wasn't stupid. She immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Logically, upon hearing about such a groundbreaking technological creation as a medical pod, they should be eager to conduct research, but their current "unhurried" attitude is quite abnormal.
"Grandpa Zhang!" Zhou Jue's smile vanished, and he asked directly, "Is something wrong?"
Seeing that Zhou Jue had keenly noticed the abnormality, Chief Zhang sighed and stopped trying to hide it.
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