Chapter 226: The New Ability on the Verge of Unlocking

"Steam Furnace?"

After hearing the boy’s description, Jing Ruli finally pieced together the chaos unfolding in Steam Capital.

Though the stranded travelers at the station only knew that something major had happened at Steam Furnace—so many Association Stellar Envoys had rushed there urgently—none of them could explain exactly what had occurred.

All they knew was that not long ago, a massive disturbance had erupted from that direction, and some even claimed to have seen a high-tier fighter jet from Quantum Fortress streaking toward Steam Furnace at breakneck speed.

Clearly, something unprecedented had happened.

Now, with this intel and Chen Xing’s strange behavior in mind, Jing Ruli turned to Mei Ling beside her, her eyes alight with excitement.

"Mei Yiyi, is it possible that Xing and her guardian are located in the direction of Steam Furnace?"

Mei Ling closed her eyes, focusing for a moment, then gave a calm nod.

"Yeah. The signal’s crystal clear."

With that confirmation, the glint in Jing Ruli’s sunglasses-wrapped eyes flared.

"I knew she was up to something big!"

She clapped her hands together, voice firm and certain.

"I bet this whole mess is directly tied to her!"

She’d sensed something off about Chen Xing all along—now it was confirmed.

If she hadn’t been hiding something, why would she be rushing straight to Steam Furnace at a time like this?

Driven by overwhelming curiosity, Jing Ruli instantly summoned her Treasured Pillow.

In an instant, a softly glowing, mystical pillow materialized before her.

With a graceful leap, she perched atop it in a classic duck-style seat, settling in with perfect poise.

Then, she casually removed her sunglasses, revealing her dazzling Kazilan Big Eyes, and flashed a radiant, star-worthy smile at the crowd gathered around.

"Everyone, we’ll make up the official Seal photo shoot later! Thanks for your support!"

With that, she soared forward on her Dream Pillow, transforming into a streak of light that vanished beyond the station’s edge—leaving behind a sea of stunned onlookers.

On the other side, Mei Ling watched her hasty departure with a faint, exasperated shake of her head.

The company car had already arrived. But this little troublemaker just had to take her own route again.

Still, she didn’t mind. Let her be.

Without a single extra movement, Mei Ling floated upward and swiftly caught up with Jing Ruli, hovering midair just ahead of her.

As Jing Ruli’s guardian and agent, this Catastrophe-Level Stellar Envoy had long grown accustomed to her charge’s whimsical, childlike energy.

And honestly? She didn’t mind it one bit.

Outside the Brass Tower.

Chen Kong emerged from the Steam Furnace, carrying the unconscious Vivian over his shoulder.

Seeing the scene, Branch Chairman Liam immediately stepped forward.

"Chen Kong, what’s going on inside?"

Chen Kong paused, thoughtful, then shook his head.

"I’m not sure."

Liam’s brow furrowed. Instinct told him Chen Kong was holding back—but in the end, he said nothing more.

He placed a reassuring hand on Chen Kong’s shoulder and dismissed him to rest.

Then, he turned toward the Steam Furnace, deep in thought.

For a fleeting moment, he’d distinctly sensed a faint trace of divine aura leaking from within the furnace.

Though it lasted only an instant, it was enough.

Combined with the recent arrival of Ivan—the high-ranking priest of the Mechanical Deity Cult—it all pointed to one thing:

Ivan had initiated the ritual known as Ritual · Mechanical Divine Descent.

Now, with that divine presence gone, two outcomes were possible:

Either Ivan had succeeded in defeating Tian Dao…

Or Tian Dao had turned the tide and emerged victorious.

Either way, Liam would have to wait until the furnace stabilized before knowing for sure.

For now, the structure was wrapped in an eerie, shimmering force field, visibly undergoing some unknown transformation.

He dared not send anyone in to investigate.

As Branch Chairman, he owed it to his people to act with caution.

Tian Dao Siming had already humiliated the Steam Branch once.

He wasn’t about to let that happen again.

And then there was the new Catastrophe he’d sensed arriving in Steam Capital.

Add in the guardian at Yao Dao’s side, and now the city hosted three Catastrophes.

If he counted Young Master Yu from Wudou Tian Du—who’d passed through not long ago—the total reached an astonishing number.

Such a concentration of power in a single city was rare even among the Seven Floating Cities.

Meanwhile, inside the Steam Furnace.

"I can’t go on anymore… Dannika needs rest!"

Dannika sprawled flat on her back, forming a tiny “big” character, utterly drained, too tired to even lift a finger.

Watching the scene, the Dimensional Audience couldn’t help but tease.

“Dannika’s a certified workaholic! She’s literally burned out her mana pool.”

“Does the Stellar World have child labor laws? This feels like slavery.”

“Liu Ma: Who’s calling me?”

The chat scrolled rapidly, and for a brief moment, the screen zoomed in on the surroundings.

Thanks to Dannika and Tian Dao’s intensive overhaul, the once chaotic furnace was now precisely divided into twelve zones—each corresponding perfectly to the twelve Gear Guardians within.

Though the furnace’s peak forging power had dropped by about 50%, the output had skyrocketed in quality and quantity.

It could now accommodate up to twelve users simultaneously.

This transformation was possible only because Tian Dao now held full control over the furnace’s core systems, allowing him to freely adjust the fundamental rules.

And it was Dannika who had rewritten the entire foundational Law of the facility—without her, such a seamless upgrade would have been impossible.

But the price of this revolution?

Tian Dao had imposed a new rule: Service Fee.

Every future user of the Steam Furnace would have to pay a fee to Tian Dao.

The more people used it, the more he earned.

On the surface, it looked like pure profit-seeking.

But in truth, Tian Dao’s real goal was deeper:

He wanted to bind himself inseparably to the furnace itself.

Protecting him meant protecting the furnace.

Once Grand Councilor·Ainet learned of the new furnace’s existence, he’d weigh the risks and benefits—and inevitably step forward to endorse Tian Dao.

With such a powerful patron backing him, even the Ironcrown Family’s hardliners would think twice before openly opposing him.

And Tian Dao needed nothing more than that.

After resting long enough, Dannika pushed herself up onto her elbows, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as she stared at Tian Dao across the room.

"What are you working on, Tian Dao?"

Tian Dao’s arm was wrapped in faint, shimmering blue currents—thin streams of electricity dancing just a millimeter above his skin, never touching, yet utterly intertwined.

"Nothing much… just experimenting with something new."

Though he didn’t elaborate, the audience at Station 13 saw it clearly on their screens.

A subtle shift had occurred.

“Electricity?!”

“Is Lao Tian unlocking a new ability?!”

“Dude, how does vector control even connect to electricity? Are the Stellar Producers adding new lore again?!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end