The Great Worm Lich

Upon hearing the question of the black-haired young man next to him, Dulphee strode up the stairs and said with a taut expression, “Doctor, we’ll go to Captain Alansol’s office first. He wants to see you.”

When Zhang Lisheng saw the Atlantis staff officer brought himself to land in front of this familiar office building, the first half of his mood had already relaxed. After hearing Dulphee’s answer, his other half that was still hoisted high also relaxed right away. It would have been even more impossible for him to see the Atlantean Captain, who was at the commander rank in his office.

“Captain Alansol?” Zhang Lisheng, who was following behind Dulphee, was secretly ecstatic, but even so, he calmly maintained his posture and showed a reminiscing look on his face. “I’ve only seen him once. Although his age is not clear, just like the other Atlanteans, I remember that he’s a very graceful gentlemanly elder…”

It was already seven to eight o’clock in the evening, but the military base office building was still brightly lit, with people coming and leaving. Ever since the Atlantean fleet was attacked in the Shrimp World No. 2 and its flagship destroyed, it was widespread for both the Earth soldiers and the Atlantean warriors to work all night.

Dulphee nodded to the officers he was familiar with from time to time as he shuttled in the crowds. As though he did not hear Zhang Lisheng’s informal talk, he silently walked up to an office that one could tell was very spacious just from its external layout alone.

The Atlantis staff officer gently pushed open the unlocked door and strode into the room that was only lit by a lamp, with light footsteps. He walked up to a man whose eyes were tightly shut but whose head was swaying slightly with wave surging whooshing rhythm, with his face hidden in the darkness as he sat on the sofa under the elegant fringed silk curtains. “Sir Alansol, Dr. Zhang Lisheng has arrived.”

“Good, Dulphee. You can just wait outside of the door for a while,” The man stood up and waved his hand casually. At once, the entire office became bright.

“Dr. Lisheng, good evening,” The man was filled with youthful vigor, but wisdom could be seen in his eyes as a sincere smile appears on his radiant face. He greeted Zhang Lisheng with courtesy and said, “I’m delighted to meet you again.”

Unfortunately, the reply that he obtained from Zhang Lisheng was a very stiff one, “I, on the other hand, didn’t wish to see you again, Captain Alansol. That was also why I sneaked back to New York from the foreign world.”

“Doctor, it seems that your misunderstanding towards the Atlantis is too deep,” Alansol was not enraged by the young man’s coldness. Instead, he had a regrettable look on as he said disappointingly, “Of course, as an Atlantean, I can’t blame you for this. After all, your attitude now is something that every Earthling who has moral integrity will have. However, if you think that you’re righteous, please let me remind you of something. Have you thought about Atlantis’ standpoint before?”

“What?” Zhang Lisheng was stunned. He stared at Alansol in confusion and asked.

“Our standpoint, Doctor. “Alansol did not evade his gaze. “Did you think that Atlantis’ fleet, the light barrier separating the Earth and the foreign world, and the machine stopping the space channel from expanding just appeared out of thin air? To rescue Earth and prevent the entire universe from contamination, Atlantis risked having the colonial stars in turmoil and spared no efforts to gather all power. That defense systems of the 100 foreign worlds are like a black hole engulfing the material reserves of our entire civilization. You may not be able to imagine that even the ‘natural light stones’ that are used to open up the children’s ability in our planet have started to be short on-demand now. If this continues, the entire Atlantean civilization will naturally decline and be destroyed, without even the need to be engulfed by the ‘sea monster’ or something…”

“And so now you can tear off the mask of hypocrisy and rob the energy and matter belonging to the Earth?!” Zhang Lisheng interrupted the Atlantean Captain’s tragic statement and said with a blank expression.

“We are not robbing, Doctor. Since Atlantis is fully committed to helping the Earth to resist the invasion of the foreign worlds, we, of course, have the right to develop the foreign worlds as well.”

“This is a robber’s logic, Captain Alansol. A robber’s logic! Earthlings have never asked for your help. Atlantis carried everything out on your own initiative!”

Alansol fell into silence for a moment and sighed deeply. “I don’t know if this is a robber’s logic or not, but I only know that we’re still Earth’s comrades. We’re still willing to help Earth to become more progressive, but Doctor, we must share the foreign worlds with you, for this is the only way Atlantis can continue to exist and develop. If Earth and Atlantis changed their standpoints, let me ask you then, how would you make your decision?”

“Sir, as a scientist, I refuse to think about assumptions that will never happen,” Zhang Lisheng was amazed by Alansol’s eloquence. Purposely putting on a struggling look, he finally said reluctantly.

“Let me ask you something that you’ve experienced before then. What has actually happened in World 30009? Will those spacecraft that destroyed Atlantis’ battleship pose a threat to Earth? Please tell me honestly for the safety of both of us.”

“It’s the resurrection of the gods, Captain Alansol. The god who ruled the Hellfire Sea in ancient times has awakened from its eternal sleep…” Zhang Lisheng deliberately hesitated for a while and finally heaved a long sigh. Then, he proceeded to tell the fabricated lie he once said to the commander of the federal army on the Wizard Li Island. Of course, this time, the story was more detailed.

When the young man was halfway through the story, a hasty knocking sound suddenly resonated on the door outside the office.

As soon as the sound resonated, Alansol gestured Zhang Lisheng to pause and said with a smile, “It must be General Joss. please wait, I will open the door.”

The Atlantean captain opened the door as he said. A slightly fat, medium-sized, old man who looked like an amiable black farmer, but actually had three silver stars on his shoulders that gave off a stern demeanor was standing outside the door. As expected, it was indeed the commander of the New York military base.

Alansol smiled at the black old man and said, “Good evening, General Joss. I know that you’d arrive soon without any need to inform you specifically.”

“Captain Alansol, this is my territory after all, isn’t it?” Joss shrugged and held his cap. He strode into the room, and when he saw Zhang Lisheng, he opened his arms amiably and made a hugging posture, “Oh, Dr. Lisheng, I’m so happy to see you. Thank you for everything you have done for the federation.”

“It’s not only for the federation but also for Earth, General,” Zhang Lisheng saw that the New York military base’s commander’s attitude towards the Atlantean captain seemed to have changed subtly. Secretly glad in his heart, Zhang Lisheng hugged him and replied in a low voice.

“Yes, for the Earth, Doctor,” Joss nodded with deep feelings. Without warning, his expression changed as he said thoughtfully, “You’re entrusted by the federal government and the First Fleet of Atlantis to explore the Shrimp World No. 2. Now that both parties are here, you can tell us the results now.”

“I was halfway through this conversation with Captain Alansol already…” Zhang Lisheng was stunned, seemingly a little tired. However, when he saw Joss’ determined expression, he sighed. “Alright, General. I’ll repeat it. Well, I’ve already stated the results of the first phase of the exploration in writing, so I’ll start from the part after I returned to Wizard Li Island, which took place four months ago…”

Now that the young man repeated the lie for the third time, he became much smoother. Sitting on the sofa, he finished the entire story in one breath and tiredly leaned back on the backrest. “That’s it. Judging from the tribe’s situation, Wizard Li’s god only put the target of the offensive on the foreign world’s mainland now; it has no interest in Earth at all. If we don’t take the initiative to provoke him, there won’t be any dangerous situation at all. Of course, it’s still necessary for us to raise our alert. Any strange things can happen in this crazy age.”

“Doctor, did the native god not find the world passage?” After listening to Zhang Lisheng’s statement, Alansol pondered for a moment before asking.

“I don’t know a god that should only exist in fantasy has that kind of power in reality, whether it’s omnipotent like God the Father or has strong emotions and desires but bellicose and mentally retarded like Odin or Zeus, so I can’t make any judgment of what it knows and what it doesn’t know,” Zhang Lisheng shrugged and said.

“So, do you know how many spaceships that have destroyed the Atlantis battleship had he created?” Alansol frowned and asked.

“You mean the divine creation?” Zhang Lisheng thought for a moment and shook his head. “I can’t be sure of the specific number, Captain Alansol, but there should not be many of these creations. Otherwise, the Wizard Li’s god would have occupied the entire Shrimp World No. 2 long ago.”

“It’s not necessary, Doctor; perhaps the gods on the Shrimp World No. 2’s mainlands have also resurrected and have also mastered equally horrifying power and formed a new balance,” Joss, who had been silent all this while suddenly interjected, causing the Atlantean captain’s face to become even gloomier.

“I don’t know, General. I only saw the changes in Wizard Li tribe. I’m sorry,” The young man continued to play dumb,

“I don’t blame you, Doctor; you’ve done enough,” Joss comforted Zhang Lisheng and turned his eyes to the Atlantean captain before saying in a deep voice, “Captain Alansol, looks like you have to raise the level of the Shrimp World No. 2. I’m afraid a foreign world that may erupt with the war of the gods will have to be raised to level four or even five.”

“Indeed,” Alansol nodded and looked at Zhang Lisheng before saying sullenly, “If what Dr. Lisheng said is true, then World 30009 would, of course, have to be transferred to the list of worlds that should be sealed.”