Chapter 356: Living Metal

Chapter 356: The Living Metal

“What does it mean to be alive?”

Huang Meng sprang down from the tank with swift agility, crouching beside Jin Zhong.

At that moment, Jin Zhong had already gathered a handful of silvery‑white metallic powder from the ground, spreading it across his palm.

“What’s the problem?”

Huang Meng stared bewildered at Jin Zhong’s motions; Jin Zhong gave no answer, merely flicking the powder lightly with his fingertip.

Soon, an extraordinary phenomenon began to unfold.

The loose powder far away remained unchanged.

But the grains nearer to them started to drift slowly, drawing together.

Huang Meng watched the transformation in stunned silence; a moment later, a minuscule metal sphere coalesced on Jin Zhong’s hand.

A silver‑gray, smooth, perfectly round metal ball.

Though its volume was tiny, when Jin Zhong rolled it across his hand it instantly attracted the surrounding powder, and its size began to swell.

“This is—”

Huang Meng reached out, taking the sesame‑sized sphere from Jin Zhong’s hand, furrowing his brow as he said:

“Some kind of magnetic powder?”

“Not quite.”

Jin Zhong shook his head slowly.

“If it were magnetic dust, it should draw metal objects.”

“But look—”

Jin Zhong drew a dagger close to the metal ball, yet the ball gave no reaction.

“It’s not a magnet.”

“Then what is it?”

Huang Meng tentatively pinched the sphere, then said:

“Its hardness is extreme—just moments ago it was powder, and now it seems fully fused??”

“Heavy. Small, yet you can feel its weight.”

“You try.”

As he spoke, he handed the metal ball to Jin Zhong.

Jin Zhong weighed it a few times, furrowing his brow as he said:

“It feels heavier than gold.”

“How do you know?”

Huang Meng asked in astonishment:

“You can sense that? Do you have some special ability?”

Jin Zhong gave an embarrassed smile and replied:

“The Mechanical Cult used to dispense stipends in gold, so we’re attuned to weight, but that’s not the point.”

“I’ve never heard of anything denser than gold.”

“When you were studying, did you ever hear of such a thing?”

“Never.”

Huang Meng showed no hesitation.

He had already completed the introductory chemistry course and grasped the basic theories and knowledge.

“It’s not that there’s no element heavier than gold; it’s just that an element heavier than gold doesn’t appear in this form.”

“It could be a new element, but where did it come from?”

“Is it linked to the disaster‑prevention works beneath the Shen City ruins?”

“Or perhaps to the Great Cataclysm?”

Huang Meng volleyed question after question, and Jin Zhong could offer no answers.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke:

“Pursuing this is futile—this thing has already surpassed the limits of our explanation.”

“Take it back to the commander; perhaps they have a solution.”

“We must set out for the Shen City disaster‑prevention base without delay.”

“Time is short; we’ve lingered too long away from Base 011, we must return swiftly.”

“Understood.”

Huang Meng nodded and slipped back into the tank with brisk efficiency.

Though formally superior and subordinate, Jin Zhong’s rich combat and battlefield experience proved invaluable to this interleaved company.

Thus he did not resist Jin Zhong’s counsel.

The unit pressed onward; guided by drones, even without inertial navigation support they still cut the shortest path through the ruins, plunging straight into the area housing the underground disaster‑prevention works.

“Right here.”

Huang Meng pointed to the ground while glancing at his handheld altimeter.

“The altitude’s off. This spot reads 6.4 meters above sea level, but according to Fuxi’s data the entrance to the works should lie on terrain under three meters.”

“The base entrance is completely buried. Fuxi!”

Huang Meng called out, using the cellular network to relay the message; Fuxi’s reply came swiftly.

“I’m here, go ahead.”

“Can we access the underground disaster‑prevention network of Shen City?”

“Unable to connect.”

Fuxi answered again:

“No anomalous electromagnetic signals detected near the works; it’s likely damaged and inoperative.”

“Recommend commencing local excavation; open the main passage before proceeding with further assessment.”

“Understood.”

Huang Meng exhaled a long breath.

A three‑meter‑deep layer of compacted earth—neither too deep nor too shallow.

Digging it by hand would not be an easy task.

Fortunately, this squad had set out precisely for the disaster‑prevention base.

Beyond the essential combat gear, they also bore a sprawling octopus‑like multifunctional excavator.

Huang Meng issued the order with decisive resolve; the operator promptly drove the excavator off the flatbed, and the tense digging began in earnest.

The remaining combatants dispersed around the site, establishing a perimeter, while Huang Meng, accompanied by Jin Zhong, crouched beside the pit, bracing against the spray of displaced earth.

‘The deeper we go, the richer the metal dust becomes,’

Jin Zhong intoned gravely:

‘The surface layer bears only a thin veil of powder.’

‘But now, beneath a meter, even the soil’s hue has altered.’

‘Silver‑gray? What a jest!’

‘Even if it were a metallic ore, how could it be so abundant?’

‘In the annals of mining, this would be an unprecedented bonanza, would it not?’

‘Indeed.’

Huang Meng’s countenance grew solemn; I realized that what our squad had uncovered might outweigh the subterranean disaster‑relief installations themselves in value.

A bizarre metal, an anomalous mode of concentration.

It defied all reason, and contradicted the hard‑won knowledge I had crammed at Base 011.

The excavation pressed on.

As the excavator delved deeper, a harsh grinding began to echo.

‘Have we struck stone?’

Huang Meng asked the operator.

‘No—no stone!’

The operator swung the bucket before Huang Meng, then tipped it out.

Several fist‑sized pieces of metal clattered onto the ground; Huang Meng stooped to examine one, his brow instantly furrowing.

‘It’s that kind of metal.’

‘Many—abundant, indeed!’

‘I see it clearly.’

Jin Zhong replied in a low voice.

By then, the excavator had burrowed nearly three meters beneath the surface.

The bucket rang with sharp metallic clangs in the earth, the density of that ‘metal’ growing ever greater.

At last, it had coalesced into a dense stratum of rock‑like layer.

‘We cannot dig further.’

Huang Meng drew a deep breath and decisively halted the operation.

‘We must report this to the commander at once!’ ‘There may be danger below; we need to retrieve this metal and determine exactly what it is!’

Elsewhere, in Shan City.

Chen Jian stared intently at the video streaming from Huang Meng’s side; when he saw the separated metal dust slowly coalesce, a mask of anguish instantly settled upon his face.

‘What on earth is this thing??’

He turned to Lei Jie, who could only shake his head.

‘Our known databases contain no record of such a substance.’

‘It’s most likely a novel material—perhaps a superconductor?’

‘Where did that phrase even come from?’

Chen Jian furrowed his brow and asked.

‘The notion of “coming and going” may not manifest macroscopically—according to the footage, minute metal particles attract each other, and after fusing into a new metallic material they retain a stable character.’

‘It might indeed be a superconductive trait, yet perhaps the intricate structural changes upon fusion extinguish that property.’

‘If we can solve that, achieving superconductivity is not impossible.’

‘The sole question now is where this thing originated and what forces gave rise to it.’

‘I doubt the Shan City folk even know such a material exists; logic suggests they are unaware.’

‘If they did know, they would surely have exploited it.’

‘After all, this is the strongest evidence we have yet linking to the Great Cataclysm.’

‘Before it, even the study of “monsters” pales like a single hair.’

When Lei Jie finished speaking, a strange expression flickered across Chen Jian’s face.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke:

‘There is a paradox here.’

‘If Shan City has already harvested the majority of the disaster‑relief installations’ quantum computers to power the virtual city, they must have visited Shen City.’

‘If they have been to Shen City, how could they have missed this material?’

‘Even without setting foot in Shen City, given the material’s propensity to concentrate, they should have discovered it long ago.’

‘Yet the fact remains—they have not.’

‘So might this phenomenon have only emerged recently?’

‘If it is a recent emergence, it is entirely decoupled from the Great Cataclysm.’

‘Another mystery now bears down upon us—we must not only uncover the truth of the Cataclysm, but also trace the origin of this substance.’

‘…growing ever more complex.’

‘I can’t shake the feeling that this matter has outstripped our capabilities.’

‘Without fundamental physics research, can we truly resolve the Cataclysm’s riddles?’

Chen Jian set aside his PDA, still looping the video, paused briefly, then said:

‘That is indeed a problem.’

‘Our prior development strategy focused on an industrial framework, aiming merely to solve a simple ‘survival issue.’’

‘But now the threat posed by the monsters has largely been neutralized.’

‘Our principal contradiction has shifted.’

‘The conflict between monsters and humanity has become secondary, while the clash between the Great Cataclysm, its aftershocks, and human survival now dominates.’

‘We must adjust our thinking.’

‘Find Jin Zan and get him moving at once.’

‘Four hours have passed—has he still not located Wang Li’s inscription?’

“I'll go and press the matter.”

Lei Jie nodded decisively.

Chen Jian, meanwhile, picked up the metal fragment that He Shuo had left nearby, and fell into contemplation.

Two hours later, on the outskirts of Base 011.

Jin Zan sat opposite Wang Lizhi, his tone tinged with wonder as he began:

“Finding you lot truly isn’t easy. So this so‑called hibernation—does it really mean everyone has slipped into a dormant state?”

Hearing this, Wang Lizhi smiled faintly, shook his head, and replied:

“Not at all.”

“We merely retreated into various safe houses and hidden underground shelters, temporarily severing our ties to the outside world.”

“In truth, even in that condition we continue to keep watch on the world beyond.”

“We know the Huaxia forces have repelled the Beast Tide, and we even know they have entered the Mountain City.”

“To be frank, this news is simply beyond belief.”

“We spent some time verifying the authenticity of the report.”

“That caused us to lag a step—otherwise it would have been I who reached out to you, not you waiting to contact me.”

“Understood.”

Jin Zan nodded slowly.

“Indeed, it is utterly incredible— even I, upon first hearing the news, thought it merely a piece of hyperbolic bragging.”

“Yet earlier today, our network link with the Mountain City was established, and live video footage has already streamed back to us.”

“Honestly, you might want to take a look yourselves.”

“The Mountain City in the footage is nothing more than an ordinary ruin, indistinguishable from any other.”

“The so‑called ‘Holy City’ is pure nonsense; there is nothing there at all.”

“And, most likely, there is no ‘Ring’ you’re seeking either.”

As the words faded, Wang Lizhi shook his head once more.

“No, whatever state the Mountain City is in bears no relation to what we’re after.”

“However, for more specific and detailed information, I fear I must confer with those Huaxia regiment commanders.”

“This touches upon our deep‑seated interests, so I hope you can understand our need for secrecy.”

“Understood—of course, understood.”

Jin Zan shrugged nonchalantly.

“I’m a newcomer, merely a messenger; I don’t expect, after only two months here, to be drawn into the highest‑level negotiations.”

“I do possess that modest self‑awareness.”

“—as I told you from the start, my sole task is to find you and convey the commanders’ invitation.”

“What you discuss and how you cooperate is entirely your business.”

“Very well.”

Wang Lizhi nodded in satisfaction.

“Working with you remains as pleasant as ever— you should have left the Mechanical Cult and joined the Huaxia forces long ago.”

“I think the same now.”

Jin Zan smiled broadly in agreement, looking every bit the smooth‑talking merchant.

The two raised their cups in a toast, drained the tea, and Wang Lizhi asked:

“So, in the Mountain City, did the Huaxia troops make any concrete discoveries?”

“After all, it’s a mysterious city; surely they didn’t come away empty‑handed, right?”

Hearing that, Jin Zan instinctively scratched his head.

Then, he answered candidly:

“Perhaps there were findings—but the information they’ve shared with us so far is scant.”

“However, I have heard they uncovered a strange metal there.”

“A strange metal?”

Wang Lizhi’s interest was piqued.

“What sort of metal?”

“Hard to describe.”

Jin Zan furrowed his brow, gathering his thoughts, and after a moment replied:

“I’ve heard that metal is alive.”

“Bang!”

As the words hung in the air, Wang Lizhi sprang to his feet.

The chair behind him crashed to the floor, but he had no time to turn back and catch it.

He stared at Jin Zan with incredulous eyes, then, his voice trembling slightly, asked:

“Are you certain?”

“They really discovered… living metal??”

(End of Chapter)