"Our world… is it really about to be destroyed?"
…
This thought arose uncontrollably in countless hearts, and the entire mountain range fell into an indescribable silence.
At this moment, both evolvers and refugees alike felt an overwhelming mix of emotions.
There was reluctance. And there was hope.
In the past, most of them had deeply hated this land.
Radiation had destroyed their health. The harsh environment forced every living being to struggle with all their strength just to survive.
Yet now, watching the sky shatter, endless rain pour down, flooding the world as though it would drown everything, they couldn't help but feel a pang of attachment.
In the end, this was still their homeland.
On the other hand, the "Heavenly God" had reappeared, promising to bring them to a new continent. And that, undeniably, was what they longed for most.
Boom…
Rain hammered the land, crushing buildings, melting snow, toppling trees. Thunder split the skies, lightning flashed across the heavens.
The last traces of civilization on this wasteland were swallowed beneath the floodwaters.
Heaven and earth overturned—a vision of the apocalypse.
Humans and mutant beasts alike shivered in terror, unable to resist in the face of such divine wrath.
Splash…
No one knew how long it lasted, but eventually the entire continent was submerged. Only the tallest peaks still stood above the waters—like the western mountains.
Inside Lishan Dojo, Lin Tuo put the bucket away, instinctively wiping away sweat that wasn't there, and exhaled.
"Yes. That should be intimidating enough."
Flooding the land reduced social complexity—and also served as divine warning, making later management easier.
"Next comes the transfer."
He picked up the large bonsai, briefly placed it into the isolation dome for cleansing, then took it back out.
A faint shhh sounded as the dome's sterilizing effect killed the tiny insects in the pot, leaving the tree unharmed.
Lin Tuo then placed the bonsai on the corner of the long table, near the Evolution Sand Table.
The sand table didn't take up the entire desk; there was space at the edges. By placing the bonsai here, within the sand table's influence, he could avoid unforeseen problems.
Through recent experiments, he had discovered that beyond the visible isolation dome, there was another invisible barrier around the sand table—stretching to the edges of the desk.
It blocked stray insects and particles from entering, while allowing objects he actively placed inside to pass.
It also explained why he had to lean close to speak to the beings inside; his voice couldn't penetrate that barrier from afar.
It was likely also why only he—the "host"—could perceive the sand table at all. Cameras and other people saw nothing there.
"To avoid accidents, it's safest to keep the bonsai inside the barrier. This spot won't interfere with the sand table's operation."
Satisfied, Lin Tuo set the pot down, then fetched a few chopsticks and a spoon from the kitchen.
"Alright. Start with the animals while the hypnosis still holds."
He lowered the spoon into the western mountains.
In the wasteland's western mountains…
The torrential rain had stopped, but the land was now a vast ocean.
Strong winds forced people to huddle on the peaks, clinging to the ground to keep from being blown off.
"Since the new continent has not yet opened, you shall first go to a transfer place."
A thunderous divine voice rolled from the heavens, followed by a strange "flying vessel" descending from the sky.
It was made of unknown material, radiating oppressive might and destructive aura.
Humans, knowing it was the god's power, stayed calm.
The mutant beasts, unable to understand, panicked, collapsing in terror but not daring to resist.
By now, the creatures had already separated by species—humans with humans, beasts with beasts—making Lin Tuo's work easier.
The vessel settled between the peaks. Thanks to their earlier "drill" on the Paper Continent, some beast leaders entered voluntarily, and their clans followed.
"Up."
Lin Tuo carefully lifted the spoon and deposited them into the bonsai.
"To prevent fights, herbivores and carnivores must be separated."
He laid chopsticks across the pot, dividing the land into zones, using his split consciousness to classify the beasts.
Thus, the humans in the wasteland watched the divine vessel appear again and again, taking away groups of creatures before returning.
In the bonsai, Lin Tuo created regions: herbivores here, carnivores divided carefully by predator-prey relationships, humans in their own zone.
Thanks to his recent hunts and conversations with Huaxi, his classifications were precise.
"Yes, this should work. Each area has water access… they'll be fine for now."
It was only a transfer station. A few days of confinement would be enough before relocation.
"Now… the humans."
With the beasts settled, Lin Tuo breathed easier. Humans, with intelligence, were the simplest to handle.
When the vessel descended again, the masses of humans, organized by the three great factions, were already in neat lines.
Lin Tuo felt a warmth in his heart.
"So well-behaved…"
Moved, he transferred the hundreds of thousands of wasteland humans into the transfer station.
"So this… is the transfer place the god spoke of?"
As they stepped out of the vessel, onto this strange new land, awe filled their hearts.
"The sky here… it's so strange…"
At the front, an executive of the Burning Flame Company gazed upward, bewildered by the boundless, luminous heavens.
The bonsai pot, compared to them, was unimaginably vast.
Just as humans on Earth cannot perceive the planet's curvature with the naked eye, they could sense the light but not its source. The rim of the flowerpot was already their distant horizon.
"Boss! Look! A giant tree!"
Among the Doomsday Floaters, a powerful evolver cried out in shock.
The middle-aged woman leading the group also froze.
Before them stood a colossal tree, taller than mountains, branches spreading across the sky, blotting out the heavens.
"Beyond the boundary, beneath the World Tree… no shadow at noon, no sound in the call, at the center of heaven and earth…"
The veteran evolver murmured ancient legends.
"Could this be… beyond the boundary? The dwelling of the gods?"
Similar thoughts arose in others' minds.
Even in the wasteland, fragments of myth had survived. They knew instinctively this was not their old world. Coupled with tales of the boundary and divine realms, the conclusion was obvious.
"So this is… the land where we will stay?"
At the edge of a chopstick "ridge," the leader of the Grey Mountain Group crouched, scooping a handful of warm sand, letting it flow through his fingers.
He could sense it clearly—this land was untainted.
Trembling, he stood, and in the distance spotted a shimmering lake beneath the giant tree.
Some had already rushed to it, kneeling by the shore, cupping the water in their hands. Their eyes lit up as they drank, and they shouted:
"This is first-grade water! No—purer than first-grade water!"
In the wasteland, nearly all water was polluted, foul, and toxic. First-grade distilled water was rare and precious.
But here was an entire lake.
At the cry, countless refugees ran to the shore, raising joyous shouts so loud even Lin Tuo could hear them.
"What are they yelling about now…"
Shaking his head, he checked the bonsai carefully—no issues. He noted the time, planning to feed them later.
Anything he tossed in would last them a long while anyway.
"Yes… looks like the transfer is complete."
He bent down to check the western mountains. The wasteland was empty now, save for the glass cover still on the ground.
He picked it up, preparing to withdraw his split consciousness—then froze.
"Wait. Someone's missing…"
Switching awareness—
In the mountains, his avatar's eyes regained focus. He scanned the desolate snowfields. All was silent.
He hurried across a lonely ridge, soon arriving before a familiar metal gate.
The snow here hadn't melted.
Under the dark sky, before the frozen steel door, sat a small figure, alone in the snow, clutching a rifle, sobbing softly.
Huaxi…
Lin Tuo's heart clenched. He rushed over, climbing to her side. The sound of her crying grew clearer.
"Why are you crying?" he asked gently.
The girl stiffened, then turned suddenly, wide-eyed with tears.
"You… I… I thought you left me behind…"
Lin Tuo was speechless for a moment. He squatted, wiping the freezing tears from her cheeks.
"Why didn't you come? The glass dome wasn't sealed. There were gaps."
Sniff… Huaxi wiped her nose hard, choking back her sobs.
"You… you told me… to wait here… for you."
"…"
Lin Tuo fell silent, then gave a helpless smile, ruffling her messy hair.
"Yes. So I came back."
(End of Chapter)