I Am Your Natural Enemy

”Dig away.”

Guihai Yidong finished digging, but found nothing. Wen Yan knew exactly what was going on—just as he’d expected.

The entrance in Old Zhao’s basement leading to the Nether Path, although it’s fixed and all the spaces can connect, in reality, even if you dig from below, you just can’t get rid of that passage at all.

It looks like a spot where the spaces overlap, but actually, there’s not the slightest real connection.

Well, now he could finally rest easy.

From now on, from top to bottom, they would wrap up that entrance, fully contained.

Wen Yan glanced down. The more he looked, the more he felt this place was perfect to use as a warehouse. Cordon off some space, and if he stumbled onto anything he couldn’t handle for the time being, or anything dangerous, he could just stash it here.

Also, in the future, if he wanted to experiment with things—like testing a Yang Energy burst—he could do it down here too.

Guihai Yidong had dug dozens of meters underground for him. With this kind of depth plus the structure itself, it ought to withstand his Yang Energy explosion, right?

If not, if he ever tried out some experiment and created too big a ruckus, anyone could sense it—definitely not ideal.

He had a hunch that whatever he was planning next, the commotion would only get louder.

After a cursory inspection, he didn’t even bother asking Guihai Yidong how the hell he finished such a mega project in just three days—so long as the thing was done, all good.

”You built this so fast. Is there any kind of limit?”

Apparently, this wasn’t the first time Guihai Yidong had fielded this question—he answered instantly.

”Even if I die, the core structure won’t have a single issue!”

”That’s badass.”

Now Wen Yan could relax completely and just let Guihai Yidong do his thing.

When they came out, two hours had passed, and Feng Yao’s car stopped in front of Wen Yan’s place. Together, they went to check out how Guihai Yidong’s construction was coming along.

After they left, Wen Yan finally spoke up.

”This can’t be cheap, right? Just the cost of the materials alone can’t be low, can it?”

”It’s not cheap, no.”

”You’re letting him go all out, building something this big—surely it’s not just for the Big Intersection, right?”

”Of course not.”

Wen Yan got it. He knew if it was just for the Big Intersection and just for him, the Scorching Sun Department would never have forked over so much cash so happily—no restrictions, no budget, build whatever he wanted.

He quickly thought it over and said,

”Is it so that Guihai Yidong can advance?”

”Yeah, ordinary structures, regular civilian materials—not enough for him to advance.

The building you wanted is actually something he’s been designing for a long time himself.

From the main structure to ventilation, drainage, power supply—he’s handling it all personally.

It’s just before, he didn’t have the means to build it. Everything before this was pieced together with junk he scavenged.”

As long as this building is finished, even if he can’t advance, it should seriously speed up his progress.”

”Once he advances, what will he become?”

”No clue. But it’ll definitely be something related to construction.”

”Do you guys have something you want him to build? Is that why you’re investing this much in him now?”

”This isn’t much of an investment, come on.” Feng Yao let out a laugh, and immediately pulled a device from his pocket, setting it on the table.

Instantly, Wen Yan’s phone lost its signal, like it got hit by interference, and auto-powered down to a black screen.

”His ability is a bit like MC—you know, the wildest part is that he has a spatial inventory for storing all kinds of materials. Can’t store living things, but construction materials? All in.

As long as the materials are construction-related, there’s basically no restriction. Prefab components are a breeze.

Anything not construction-related—like food, for example—the restriction’s much heavier. He can barely fit any of that in.”

You know what this means?”

Feng Yao pointed skyward, grinning ear to ear.

”It means, every time he goes up, the payload he can carry is at least equal to a hundred rocket launches.

The rebar and concrete he needs to build stuff? Practically costs nothing.

Once he advances further, as long as there’s no skin contact, he’s able to construct things entirely on his own.

So if he wants to build something on the Moon, we’ll send him up ourselves.

With our own tech, trying to build a base on the Moon? Even burning money in a Luxury Furnace wouldn’t be fast enough.

It’s not that we have too much money to burn. It’s that we want to save the real cash—and get a head start.”

”Scorching Sun Department is packed with talent...”

Wen Yan didn’t fully get all this, but he did know—it would save a ton of money.

Thinking of the underground structure, he roughly figured out that Guihai Yidong’s most overpowered trick was that spatial inventory—the single-trip payload alone could rival twenty or thirty space stations’ worth of material.

And the most troublesome, costly part is actually just getting stuff up there.

The biggest constraint is that.

If that barrier could be drastically lowered, Wen Yan didn’t even dare imagine what would come next.

The Scorching Sun Department sure is full of wizards. Just found themselves the ultimate construction donkey, and already they’re plotting to shoot him straight to the stars.

Looked at like this, building Wen Yan a free, soccer field-sized, three-level underground base—compared to the money they’d save down the line and the potential bonuses, not to mention seizing the upper hand...

Spending this kind of cash right now? Totally pocket change, whatever.

”Do lots of people know about this plan of yours?”

”Not many.”

”If not many, why’d you tell me!”

”The General Director said, if you ask, I’ll tell you. If you don’t, I can’t say a word.” Feng Yao grinned, looking just like Cai Qidong.

”...”

Suddenly Wen Yan had a bad feeling about this.

”Okay, I don’t want to know anything else.”

But Feng Yao ignored him, carrying on anyway.

”The General Director said everything you need here, from the main structure to finishing touches, Guihai Yidong will handle it all. He’ll be around here for a while.

To be honest, it might not even be as safe inside the Scorching Sun Department as it is right here with you.

You know how it is—the sanitation and cleaning office is busy tidying up. Gotta stay alert.

He’s vital to the General Director’s upcoming plans.

But we can’t make it obvious that he’s a big deal, or we’d be putting him in more danger instead.

You asked for a secret underground room, so he’s the one we send, for free, to do it up for you.

It’s also the Department’s way of keeping you happy and handing you a little bonus.

Nobody could argue with the arrangement.

And at the same time, it gives him a shot at advancement and lets him hide out somewhere safe—everybody wins.”