Chapter 158: Chapter 157: Genesis
Shen Feng’s eyes widened. He immediately expanded the message to view its full details, cross-referencing it with related information from that time.
This included records from the police department, hospitals, and other institutions.
A photograph appeared before him. It was a corpse whose face had been obliterated by a gunshot, a mangled mess of blood and flesh, its features unrecognizable.
But from the clothes and the backpack, it was clear this was this world’s "him"!
’No wonder this world’s "him" didn’t step up when the Gray Tide hit. He’d already been assassinated!’
’But who was responsible?’
’The Whisperer? The Purification Society? Or someone else entirely?’
According to the New York Police Department’s classification at the time, the case was treated as a simple robbery-homicide. They claimed all the money on the deceased’s person was gone.
But Shen Feng knew he rarely carried cash, relying mostly on Bitcoin and electronic payments.
It was obvious the NYPD had hastily closed the case, not taking it seriously at all.
After a few culprits were caught, they were sentenced to only two or three years in prison—hardly a severe punishment. Two of them were even released on bail.
After all, he was just an unidentifiable Asian kid, not some noble white person, nor a Black person whose life was deemed more precious.
However, all three culprits died mysteriously within the next six months—either in car accidents, from drug overdoses, or by suicide.
Shen Feng quickly pulled up the hotel’s surveillance footage from that time. He saw three men in tattered jackets sneaking into the room, followed by the sound of a gunshot and the sight of them fleeing in panic.
But upon closer inspection, he immediately realized the footage had been altered. It wasn’t the original data!
Shen Feng then reviewed the police records, other witness testimonies, and some call logs. He quickly pieced together what had happened and a grim smile touched his lips.
There was one small detail.
The culprits all mentioned receiving a phone call before the crime, which was filled with static.
’Clearly, it was Shen Feng’s old friend, the Whisperer.’
’It seems I underestimated the Whisperer’s reach.’
’But how did I expose my identity and attract his attention?’
’Was it in Lincoln City? Or in Wuyou Town?’
’Or maybe at the shooting range in New York?’
So much had happened since he entered the Gray Tide apocalypse. Everything from his original world already felt like a lifetime ago.
But for Shen Feng, that assassination was no longer important.
In the Gray Tide apocalypse, he had obtained something that not only allowed him to protect himself but had made him countless times stronger.
Now that he knew what his enemy would do, he would be ready for whatever they threw at him.
With that, Shen Feng’s consciousness returned to the surface of the Gray Tide. He issued a command to the Salvation Army Warriors:
"Let your consciousness follow my lead. Enter the various network nodes and join me in controlling the Gray Tide to reverse this world!"
At that moment, metallic spheres the size of small hills had risen from the Gray Tide’s surface. These were over a hundred network nodes, like more than a hundred nerve centers.
Shen Feng had also directed the Gray Tide to create several brainwave amplification and external guidance devices, allowing the Salvation Army Warriors to assist him.
Understanding Shen Feng’s words, the Salvation Army Warriors’ expressions turned solemn. They shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!"
The Gray Tide swelled again, this time forming a massive node resembling a central processing unit, with Shen Feng seated at its core.
Then, gathering the consciousness of the hundred-plus Salvation Army Warriors, Shen Feng issued a completely new directive to the Gray Tide.
Every Nanomechanical Insect was created through the constructive ability of a previous generation after it had consumed other materials.
They were not composed entirely of metal; they also contained other elements, and even organic matter.
All Nanomechanical Insects only received three of the most basic, primary commands:
Move, consume, construct.
And now, Shen Feng was about to issue an entirely new command to the whole of the Gray Tide: Deconstruct!
Deconstruct yourselves, and revert to the matter you were before consumption!
The metallic substances would accumulate into mineral deposits, while the organic matter would once again become fertile soil. Plants would flourish again, and in time, forests, grasslands, and even other animals would reappear!
Simultaneously, the interior of the mega-construct began to writhe, initiating a change on the scale of creation itself.
The humans who had been living inside the mega-construct—whether they were descendants of the Salvation Army, the Holy Sanctuary People, survivors from the Gray Tide Graveyard, or the sleepers still in hibernation—were all gently lifted to the surface.
For the first time in years, they saw the sun and felt the breeze on Earth’s surface.
It all felt like a dream, a miracle.
The rivers and lakes that had flowed underground were also brought to the surface.
Earth, which had been silent and dead for so long, seemed to have begun a process of mountain-building accelerated countless times over. It started to emit a deep rumble and tremble unceasingly.
Gale-force winds howled and thunder rumbled, terrifying the survivors who had just arrived on the surface.
But then they discovered that the once-hard metallic ground was steadily growing soft.
The interconnected metal structures were now gradually turning into fine particles of metal and organic matter.
The silver-gray ground was turning into dark brown soil!
Soil!
Soil so fertile you could feel its richness just by clenching it in your fist!
A similar scene was unfolding across the entire surface of the Earth, extending ever deeper.
The existing mega-constructs were all continuously deconstructing themselves, transforming from cold metal structures into land that could support life.
At the same time, mountain peaks rose and deep valleys appeared.
A surface that was too flat would also be unsuitable for survival, so Shen Feng and Jingwei worked to restore the famous mountains and great rivers of Earth from memory.
Some of the Gray Tide did not deconstruct directly. Instead, following the various blueprints Shen Feng and Jingwei had obtained from the servers, it formed vast factories and precision machinery.
Each massive factory was a complete industrial system, left for the surviving humans to develop.
The plant seeds left by Arthur Seldon were gathered, and a portion of them were sown in the area near the Salvation Army members.
A day later, the only patch of Gray Tide left on the entire planet was the one-kilometer-radius area where Shen Feng and the Salvation Army members were located.
Everything around them had turned a dark brown color after the deconstruction.
The Gray Tide parted, and Shen Feng walked out. He looked at the now dusky brown earth, a great weight lifted from his shoulders.
Perhaps because the Gray Tide’s deconstruction had produced water vapor, dark clouds had now gathered in the sky. They collided with one another, creating rumbling thunder and flashes of lightning.
Then, raindrops began to fall. It started as a light sprinkle but quickly turned into a downpour, soaking the land.
The Salvation Army Warriors also emerged from the Gray Tide, cheering joyfully in the rain, their faces filled with delight.
After this rain, many plants would sprout from the ground. This place might gradually become a forest.
"You’ve all worked hard," Shen Feng said with a smile, standing in the rain.
After a full day and night of coordination, the Salvation Army Warriors were physically exhausted, but their spirits were higher than ever.
The Salvation Army Warriors glanced at one another, then stood at attention in unison, facing Shen Feng.
The one at the front stepped forward from the group, saluted Shen Feng, and announced loudly:
"Nick, Brigade Commander of the Salvation Army’s Sixth Brigade!"
Immediately after, another man stepped forward and saluted Shen Feng.
"Vasily, Battalion Commander of the Salvation Army’s First Brigade, Third Battalion!"
Then came the other Salvation Army Warriors, one by one.
"Li Tongchen, Battalion Commander of the Salvation Army’s Fourth Brigade, First Battalion!"
"Salvation Army, Third Brigade..."
"Salvation Army, Fifth Brigade..."
"Salvation Army, Te—"
Over a hundred Salvation Army Warriors saluted Shen Feng in turn.
The vast majority of them were not professional soldiers, and their salutes weren’t perfect, but in Shen Feng’s eyes, it felt as if a fire was burning in his chest.
Soon, they had all finished their salutes. They looked at Shen Feng with fervent eyes, awaiting his address.
Although the cold rain fell and soaked them, it could not extinguish the fire in their hearts.
In a daze, many of them felt as if they had returned to that time in the game, on the hillside by the cornfield, when they first met their Commander.
Shen Feng’s gaze swept across their weathered yet resolute faces, ravaged by hardship, and he spoke slowly.
"I am your Commander, and yet... I am not. I come from an adjacent Parallel World. The ’me’ of this world died a long time ago."
Hearing this, everyone present looked as if they had been struck by lightning.
And yet, in that same instant, many of them believed him. It was the only way to explain why the Commander hadn’t appeared when the Gray Tide erupted, and why he had suddenly shown up now to save the world.
Grief and confusion filled their eyes. For a moment, they didn’t know what to do.
Shen Feng continued:
"My original intention in founding the Salvation Army was to inspire more people to stand up and join me in saving human civilization, in saving the entire world. Now, that goal has been achieved. You have all done very well. I am proud of the Salvation Army, and I believe that if this world’s ’me’ were still alive, he would be proud of you too."
"I will soon be returning to my own world. This world... I entrust it to all of you. You no longer need a Savior. You yourselves are your own saviors!"
"I believe that when we meet again, this world will have restored its civilization and regained its former glory! Perhaps one day, I will need your help as well..."
Hearing that Shen Feng was about to leave, they couldn’t help but show their reluctance to see him go.
Although they were physically much older than the young man before them, at this moment, they felt as if they were facing a long-lost father they had finally found.
But in the next moment, they would have to part again.
Shen Feng chuckled and said, "What’s wrong? My heroes, this world needs you. Don’t let me down... Besides, I’m just a regular high school student, you know."
This bit of teasing immediately sent everyone into a fit of laughter.
A thousand unspoken words caught in their throats, transforming into laughter born of relief. They laughed until tears streamed down their faces, laughed as if a great weight had been lifted, laughed with a newfound sense of hope.
Shen Feng once again scanned the faces of these resilient warriors and barked:
"Salvation Army, assemble!"
’From now on, you’re on your own.’
"Yes, sir!" they answered in unison, standing solemnly at attention.
’Don’t worry. We made a promise long ago.’
The rain poured down in sheets as a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.
The sound was like the roar of a dragon.
