Chapter 271: A Golden Miracle

Federation Mine.

The sky was crisscrossed by silver transport ships, linked like a train, dumping loads of ore amid deafening noise.

A heavy aura of Spirit Energy filled the air, with the center of the mine shrouded in a milky mist.

On the roaring conveyor belt, neatly cut cubic ores were swiftly loaded into blue containers.

Perched atop a selected mine, Ming Luo’s eyes burned red as he oversaw the operation with the air of a tycoon.

He would occasionally pick up a dark blue ore from beneath him, caressing it as if it were precious, murmuring softly:

“It’s too much… simply too much!”

“All A-grade, high-quality ore… The Military is going to lose it when they see this!”

He hadn’t slept for three days and nights.

Ever since they dealt with the traitor, all their energy had been devoted to scavenging ore.

As the main objective of this replica, the entire team worked like maniacs, manning the operation 24/7 to watch the workers deliver ore.

With most of the Federation’s might mobilized, the efficiency of this civilization was astonishing—ore was arriving from mines around the globe every minute.

The sheer volume was enough to drive any Awakener in the real world mad.

“Get ready. This afternoon, we’ll wrap up the replica and leave.”

Just as Ming Luo was contentedly toying with a piece of ore, a lighthearted voice suddenly broke in from behind him.

There stood Yenir, who had been missing for two days, with several team members trailing behind.

Hmm?

Taken aback by Yenir’s sudden appearance, Ming Luo quickly jumped down from the mine.

“Leaving so soon?”

“We’ve only been here for three days. According to Federation data, there’s still plenty of high-quality ore on the way!”

“The system permits a month—we’ve just been here for six or seven days!”

A trace of reluctance flickered in his eyes.

They could have left long ago, but who would want to abandon this ‘gold mine’ that Yenir had captured for them?

It was as if the whole world lay at their feet—like a conquered maiden they could do with as they pleased!

If that wasn’t enough, he felt as though he were cheating himself out of something great!

“Do you really think you can carry any more?”

“This quantity already meets the Military’s current needs. We’ll collect more next time.”

“And as long as we coordinate with Lin Rui, there shouldn’t be any issues for an entire year.”

He said this with a calm, confident smile.

Yenir rubbed his tired brow, a flicker of weariness in his eyes.

While Ming Luo and the others monitored the mine, Yenir spent his days gathering intel, evaluating the replica world’s progress and future prospects.

After careful planning and eliminating many of the infected, his simulations were clear: even if disaster struck tomorrow, they could hold on in the short term—and the Federation could keep running. That miraculous golden rooster could at least last another year.

Unlike Ming Luo, who wanted to linger, Yenir had far more important matters to attend to.

“What’s the status on that coastal beast tide? And how are the Inspectors—have they started their withdrawal?”

Fang Hao replied, “What about the system upgrade materials you asked me to find? Did you manage to get them?”

“And what about the team I sent out, including Chen Kailai—have they located that Researcher Sun yet?”

After receiving the design schematics as settlement rewards, he needed to plan the manufacturing materials ahead of time—the technology on them had to be handed over to the Military for testing.

Strength had to be bolstered, and the surrounding Battle Zones required strategic planning…

For Yenir, every moment was precious with so many tasks awaiting him.

Although Spirit Energy Ore was important, it was nothing compared to the other plans.

Seeing Yenir prepare to depart, Ming Luo nodded in regret. In their few days together, Yenir had already won them over; naturally, when he spoke, they followed his lead.

As if struck by a memory, Ming Luo glanced at the dark blue ore in his hand and, with a note of emotion, said:

“Yenir, we truly appreciate you.”

“Thanks to you, everything has gone so smoothly and our harvest is phenomenal.”

“Frankly, I feel ashamed—we did nothing. It was all because of you…”

Ming Luo looked at the young man before him, a mix of gratitude and guilt in his expression.

It all felt like a dream—the results were so extraordinary he could hardly believe it.

Aside from the traitor incident, he’d never even dreamed of such success. In no uncertain terms, Yenir had led them to a miracle! This was the most brilliant triumph the Chinese Military had achieved in years!

“Yes, Yenir.”

“We really appreciate you. I’m sorry—we were too…”

His face flushed red.

A young man who had previously complained about Yenir’s inclusion now felt too ashamed to look him in the eye.

In battle, fighting was someone else’s job; during missions, they were merely fillers.

From beginning to end, aside from menial tasks, they did nothing more than play a background role.

Frankly, they even joked that without them, Yenir could have handled the entire replica alone—more efficiently too!

Amid such stark contrasts, nearly every team member harbored genuine admiration for the young man.

Similarly, another Third-Stage team member wielding a Giant Axe shed his previous silence and earnestly admired Yenir’s profile.

“Yenir!”

“We owe you—sorry for all the trouble and for overburdening you!”

“Honestly, you’re the most extraordinary person I’ve ever seen!”

“There will be more missions ahead. If you give the word, I’ll charge headfirst into any danger!”

Listening to his teammates’ awkward attempts to express their feelings, Yenir simply nodded and offered a warm smile.

Don’t be fooled by how weak these guys may seem in the replica—they were up against the finest Third-Stage enemies from around the globe.

Superior strength that hadn’t yet evolved, numerical disadvantages, and the enemy’s information advantage.

Winning in the Huaxia Battle Zone was nearly impossible.

In truth, as members of the Special Operations Group, any Third-Stage Awakened deployed externally were elite warriors.

Each one could lead a brigade! Frankly, even the weakest among them could take down Xiao Hai—everyone had once been a prodigy!

Yenir didn’t mind maintaining good relations; after all, the Special Operations Group held significant prestige within the Military.

“Alright, everyone, gather as much top-quality ore as you can.”

“Once we stage a final act for Lin Rui and the others, we’ll finish the replica and return to reality!”

Without further ado, Yenir’s gaze turned stern as he looked toward the distant cityscape.

Every detail of the closing work had to be flawless!

This was crucial to his covert hold over this world!