The white plague's power quickly dismantled the massive Sun Salum. Though a portion of the Sun Crystal was lost in the process, a significant amount remained intact. Bai Yi didn't care about the loss — that kind of bulky artifact no longer suited his needs.
He paused for a moment, then a ripple of spatial energy shimmered around him. In the next instant, his figure vanished, reappearing within Dongwu City.
Instead of heading straight to the City Lord's mansion, Bai Yi went to the residence of the city's financial officer.
"My friend," a familiar voice greeted him with a teasing smile as the door opened, "why are you here at this hour? Let me guess — you've brought me more resources to share? You truly are a generous city lord."
Bai Yi smiled faintly. "Sabo, I need your help to establish a sect dedicated to the Sun."
Sabo blinked. "A sect?" He sighed helplessly, rubbing his temples. "My friend, the Federation already encourages the creation of new faiths — but tell me, what's the point of another one?"
"The scale won't be large," Bai Yi said calmly, ignoring Sabo's complaints. "We just need a group of shallow believers. They can worship the Sun or a Sun God — it doesn't matter. What matters is that every church must enshrine a statue at its center. I need the power of faith to sustain it."
Sabo groaned. "It's three in the morning, and you're still thinking about profit. Truly, you're a model capitalist. I'll do it — but I need funding."
"No money this time," Bai Yi replied, his smile deepening. "However, I did receive some news. If your doppelganger isn't busy, have it investigate something for me."
Sabo's expression changed slightly. "News?"
"If it's true," Bai Yi said, his voice calm but filled with meaning, "then the seas are about to reshape their order — and Federation diplomacy will fall under your jurisdiction."
Sabo's eyes brightened instantly. "The Hai Clan? Are you saying it's related to the sea monsters?"
Everyone knew the sea held countless resources. Every force that had managed to trade with the Sea Folk in history had grown unimaginably wealthy.
The term "Sea Race" was used collectively — without the sea monsters, there were only individual races like mermen, sharkmen, or sea lizardfolk. But with the sea monsters present, they united under one banner — the mighty Sea Race.
Bai Yi leaned forward. "You're Dongwu City's logistics officer. In the eyes of other races, you represent the Dawn Federation. With your reputation, who else is more suited to handle trade with a new race?"
Sabo frowned. Something in Bai Yi's tone made him instinctively cautious. "Is it dangerous?"
"It's only a doppelganger," Bai Yi said lightly. "There shouldn't be any danger… unless you lack the confidence to sever its connection before things go wrong."
Sabo fell silent for a long while before finally nodding. "I can do it — but one of my doppelgangers is very expensive to maintain."
Bai Yi smiled knowingly. "The information is ninety percent accurate. If the sea monsters truly exist, then when they awaken, we can raid their treasure vaults together."
That promise erased Sabo's hesitation. "Deal. Leave it to me."
Raiding treasure troves was something Sabo could never refuse.
"The coordinates are in the Deep Sea Abyss," Bai Yi added, "but be warned — there's a Cursed Lord active in that region. He's said to be able to deceive even divine senses."
Sabo's expression hardened. "That's the land of the Divine Meteorite. Dangerous territory. If we trigger any of its divine rules by mistake, it'll be fatal."
"Then let's split the gains fifty-fifty," Bai Yi said casually.
Sabo grinned. "Deal."
Back in the City Lord's mansion, Bai Yi rubbed his temples. The situation was growing increasingly troublesome.
From what he could piece together, Neptune had protected the sea monsters before his fall, sealing away his divine artifacts and rules in an unknown region. Pusheng wanted those relics — and Charles wanted Bai Yi to fight Pusheng for them.
But Bai Yi lacked information. He could only rely on Sabo to scout things first. That man was becoming increasingly strange — every time he made an offering to an evil god, that strangeness grew. But since it was just a doppelganger, there shouldn't be much risk.
He sighed deeply.
Pusheng and the Ancient Gods — both were troublesome beyond measure. Yet Bai Yi knew conflict with the Ancient Gods was inevitable. After all, the three major Federations existed precisely to prevent the return of that dark era.
The Era of the Ancient Gods had been a nightmare.
The Black Death Pathogen and countless other nightmare worlds were creations of those gods. But in the era of the New Gods, no such nightmares had been born. That alone revealed the truth — mortals had been livestock to the Ancient Gods. No, worse than livestock.
Bai Yi finally understood why Charles called Pusheng "the Birthbringer." Pusheng wasn't a benevolent being — he was a beast in divine clothing.
Still, Charles's projection wasn't without value. Thanks to it, the power of Sun's Praise had exceeded fifty percent — and Instant Sun Lisan could now serve as a genuine trump card.
While studying those projections, Bai Yi noticed something new — in the images, a ninth-tier legend of the Sun Federation had improved Sun's Praise, strengthening it with something unexpected: divine power.
That discovery changed everything. Infusing divine power into Sun's Praise caused its explosion to radiate the aura of divinity — allowing its destructive potential to surpass its natural limits.
And coincidentally, two years ago, the Sun Federation had developed a technology to extract divine power from faith itself.
Putting the thought aside, Bai Yi made his way to the laboratory. Speculation could wait — results could not.
If the sea monsters truly existed, then he would protect them until they could rise again. Once reborn, the ocean would become Dawn's greatest ally — and the three Federations would unite through that connection.
When the Transcontinental Teleportation Array was complete, linking all three orders, the Federation's strength would soar.
For now, Bai Yi's focus was clear: complete Metheus's request, transform the Bone Dragon and the city's defenses, and then turn his gaze outward.
There was much to do.
Meanwhile, public discussions about him online grew louder by the day — though surprisingly few were negative.
Even after his connection to divine evil became public, the people's "filter" still protected him.
Online chatter sounded something like this:
[Divine evil? Oh no, I'm terrified… I think.]
[Wait — it's Bai Yi? Oh! That's different. Look at that divine power — that's clearly our city lord's protective might!]
[Countless watching eyes? Creepy? Nah. It's comforting knowing he's watching over us!]
Among civilians and many new supernaturals, Bai Yi and Diane were considered heroes. After all, affordable smartphones had spread even to the poorest citizens — and the myth of their city lord had spread with them.
Three days later—
[You have crafted Star Core B07. Experience +30,000. Skill Points +1. Bonus Experience +30,000.]
Bai Yi admired the seven-meter-long laser cannon before him — its barrel measured 200 millimeters across. His eyes gleamed with excitement.
This weapon could automatically lock onto targets and fire with extreme speed. Unless an enemy could predict its aim, escape was impossible. Even a third-order legend would fall instantly if struck in a vital spot.
And this was only the lowest-grade ship cannon designed for Starsea Battleships.
He couldn't even imagine how devastating the secondary cannons would be once completed.
After storing the weapon into his spatial ring, Bai Yi went to the courtyard to wait. Moments later, a massive mechanical dragon descended outside the City Lord's mansion.
Bai Yi tossed the ring to Bolton. "Deliver this to Metheus," he ordered, then turned back toward the lab to continue production.
The city had eight walls, inner and outer, each needing four laser cannons. That meant thirty-two Star Cores B07 in total.
He was far from finished.
As for the sea monster investigation, there was still no result — though Sabo had reported three findings:
There were indeed spatial anomalies deep within the sea.
A Cursed Lord resided there — too cautious to approach, likely an evil entity.
The area seemed bound by strange divine rules from the Meteorite's fall, with abyssal forces actively interfering.
Further investigation would take time.
Bai Yi himself had no intention of going there. There was no point in facing Pusheng yet — he couldn't kill him anyway. For now, he could only hope the sea monsters would truly appear.
Three days later, as Bai Yi finished another Star Core, a light flickered on his panel — a new forum post.
Curious, he opened it.
Most games that had been offline for a month would have been quietly delisted by now. But Rise of Dawn was different. Despite the endless complaints and official scoldings, its forum remained lively. Whenever a player announced they'd secured a testing slot, countless others swarmed in with envy and sarcasm.
And now, it was extremely active — all because of one trending post.
Bai Yi frowned. A version 2.0 preview? Already?
He clicked on it. The post was long, explaining player feedback and upcoming updates, followed by three teaser videos.
He opened the first.
For Bai Yi, trailers were little different from prophecies — they always reflected the truth.
The screen flickered to darkness, then light returned.
Blood-red moonlight. A crimson wasteland. Black mist oozing from hell itself.
A cold, regal woman sat upon a throne carried by monstrous corpses. As she passed, the mist parted, revealing demonic forms. Ghosts trailed her steps, fallen angels danced above, and death knights swung their scythes as hellhounds led the march.
The scene shifted — the camera drew closer, and a blinding white light consumed the image.
When vision returned, it was peaceful: flowers, grass, the chirping of birds — and the distant whistle of a steam train speeding across open fields.
A vast city appeared on the horizon — majestic and grand. Then static flickered across the image, like an old television.
The black mist surged again, engulfing Dongwu City.
The fallen angels descended, swords clashing with an unseen foe. Explosions thundered. A beautiful girl appeared, her skeletal army filling the screen until the image cut to black.
Only one line remained:
[Version 2.0: Hell's Guest]
Bai Yi's expression darkened. A hell incursion… led by devils? That many?
He mentally reviewed his assets — Sun Lisan, intercontinental missiles, laser cannons in production… That should be enough.
Unless—
They're not here for me?
His thoughts turned toward the Sea Clan. If so, only Pusheng or Charles could restrain such power. This had to be resolved quickly.
He checked the other two Federation trailers next.
The Sun Federation's update was titled [War of the Evil Gods] — endless battles, collapsing cities, chaos without reprieve.
The Star Federation's update, however, was called [The Great Revival] — a full-scale interdimensional war, with portals opening everywhere as fleets invaded the territories of the Ancient Gods.
The contrast was striking.
Bai Yi chuckled softly. Utterly absurd… but impressive.
Confidence flared in his eyes. "Good. The Star Federation's 2.0… is mine now."
Once the players arrived, he would reproduce everything they'd see — mark every mutation zone, identify every ancient god — and begin the teleportation sequence.
As for the visitors from hell?
He smiled faintly. "If they're coming… then I'll simply kill the boss before the players arrive."
And if that wasn't enough — a few more enhanced Sun Rituals should do. Fifty percent of any conspiracy could be burned away by sunlight.
The rest?
He'd handle it with Sun's Praise.