Void Jigsaw Puzzle

When Zhong Chenmu regained consciousness, he found that he was still in a virtual form and did not seem to have suffered any harm.

"It seems that he just sent me back?"

To confirm this, he said in his mind: "I will go to the nearest elemental node."

"You are now at the elemental node, the dome of Taibai Star."

"Sure enough! Hydrogen Sa brought me back to Taibai Star! But how did he do it? At that moment just now, I didn't have the slightest chance to react or resist. If he had really wanted to kill me instead of sending me back, I'm afraid I would have become a wronged soul in the universe..."

Zhong Chenmu felt a little scared and lucky.

However, he had originally planned to return to Taibai Star, and Hydrogen Sa's repatriation unexpectedly helped him. He tried to restore his physical form and found that this time it was very smooth.

Zhong Chenmu stood on Taibai Star in his physical form for the first time. He looked around curiously and found himself in a park. The park was lush and green, with fountains gently spraying water. However, there were not many people walking around, so it seemed very quiet.

The park is surrounded by high-rise buildings, whose neon lights and billboards are very conspicuous, creating a scene of debauchery.

“What a quiet place in a bustling city...”

Zhong Chenmu walked back and forth in the park several times, trying to find any traces of the existence of elemental nodes, but found nothing.

"It seems I have to be in virtual form to connect with it. My previous guess was correct..."

Looking at the bustling urban landscape in and around the park, Zhong Chenmu couldn't help but compare it with the Kunlun City he had just visited. In comparison, Taibai Star was obviously more advanced and prosperous.

He knew full well that these landforms on Taibai Star were created by the imaginations of the first people from Wuming City who entered Taibai Star—even including Guo Ling. Therefore, they roughly reflected Wuming City's level of development. Therefore, he could make a rough judgment: Wuming City was more developed than Kunlun City.

But he didn't know why. Comparing the Hydrogen Clan's attitude toward Nameless City with the Helium Clan's toward Kunlun City, the former was clearly very closed, strictly isolating Nameless City from the rest of Taibai Star, while the latter was extremely open, not only ensuring no barriers between Kunlun City and Xumi Star, but also allowing even other clans in other regions of the universe—such as the Hydrogen Clan—to visit without hindrance.

Is it true that closure is more conducive to the development of civilization than openness?

Of course, the complementary effects of conjugate technologies cannot be ruled out. That is, from the moment Wuming City was recreated, it happened to have successfully restored many relatively advanced technologies, such as automobiles, while Kunlun City was only able to retain relatively primitive features. However, judging by the degree of hardship faced by the people, Wuming City's livelihoods were clearly much easier than those of Kunlun City.

When he worked in the library, he could feed his whole family with just that one job. Whether it was Guo Ling or others, most people had enough to support their families with just one job. Although Fan Ting had worked many jobs, it was because she liked to do it, not because she had to make a living. Moreover, the jobs she had done were all serial, not done at the same time.

So, even though Mr. Liang and a group of people believed that Wuming City was collapsing, it seemed that it had dropped from 80 points to 60 points, while Kunlun City had never passed.

Zhong Chenmu thought about it for a long time but couldn't come up with a particularly satisfactory answer, so he decided to give up for the time being.

"Let's go back to Wuming City first!"

......

As the sky gradually darkens, the nightlife of Wuming City is about to begin again.

Guo Ling stood in his office in the Riverside Building, gazing out the window at the bustling Sanduping area. He sighed deeply, recalling the day of his "singularity moment," when he had stood in his former company's office in People's Square, looking out just as he did now. And then he was fired. But if it weren't for that incident, he wouldn't have experienced everything that followed, much less met Zhong Chenmu and the Jigsaw Team. His life might have taken a completely different path.

After the "Return to One" game ended, Wuming City was officially opened. Many people began to enter Taibai Star to explore new possibilities. Some hydrogen people also came to Wuming City out of curiosity, and a two-way flow gradually formed.

For the Hydrogen Clan, the people of Wuming City are very hospitable and eager to learn. They actively ask them for advice in various professional fields, which makes them feel a sense of existence and satisfaction, and therefore they are willing to teach them everything they know.

Guo Ling and the veteran members of the Jigsaw Puzzle Team quickly formed a new entity, still called the Jigsaw Puzzle Team, but much smaller in scope than before. It only brought together Fan Ting, Old Man Liu, Reyue, Huoyue, Guoyue, Fengyue, and others, and naturally brought Zhu Tong with them. He was elected general manager by everyone.

However, he insisted that the position of chairman remain vacant because it must be reserved for Zhong Chenmu.

After Taibaixing had a deep conversation with Zhong Chenmu, he brought the news that Zhong Chenmu was still alive back to Wuming City and the Jigsaw Team. Everyone was very excited, but also more looking forward to Zhong Chenmu's early return.

"When will you come back..." Guo Ling muttered to himself.

At this moment, the office door was pushed open.

The visitor did not knock on the door, so he must be someone very familiar.

Guo Ling turned his head and saw a hot woman walking in. It was Huo Yue.

He was stunned: "What's the matter?"

In the final stage of the "Return to One" game, Huoyue was briefly possessed by the Silicon Clan due to Fengyue's infection, and was quickly captured by the Jigsaw Team. After that, he played no role until everything was over.

She was depressed for a while, but as the overall situation improved, she regained her spirits and joined the new Jigsaw team to support Guo Ling in doing some internal management work.

Huoyue blinked and said, "We have a dinner party at Leyou Pavilion tonight. Did you forget?"

Guo Ling then remembered that he had dinner with several of the Gu family's leaders tonight to discuss how to take advantage of the opening-up situation. He had some preliminary ideas, but implementing them would require resources and financial support, which the Gu family had in abundance. Ever since Master Liang was killed by Pu Yue, the Gu and Shen families had become the two most powerful families in the city.

Guo Ling's inspiration came from his first communication with the Hydrogen Clan woman when he entered Taibai Star. Obviously, the Hydrogen Clan woman wanted to enter Wuming City, and before she met him, she must have been in a virtual form. So in that state, she could not enter Wuming City in the same way that people from Wuming City go home. She had to meet people from Wuming City and become a "physical" form before she could enter Wuming City in that way.

He saw a business opportunity. If the Hydrogen Clan wanted to enter Nameless City and experience it up close, rather than just observe it from the outside, they had to first appear in a physical form on Taibai Star. Without encountering someone from Nameless City, they couldn't do this because they were all virtual, appearing only in physical form to those in Nameless City.

This is equivalent to any Hydrogen Clan member who wants to enter Wuming City needing to find someone from Wuming City to act as a "leader" to help them enter Wuming City smoothly. After entering Wuming City, this person can continue to accompany and serve them, acting as a guide and providing one-stop service to the Hydrogen Clan member.

"Hydrogen tribe members are accustomed to having everything done efficiently, quickly, and accurately. This kind of 'scratching the itch' service can actually make them feel novel and gain sufficient emotional value."

Guo Ling is confident that he can convince the Gu family to participate in this matter.

He nodded at Huoyue and said, "If you hadn't reminded me, I would have almost forgotten when we were leaving."

"Right now."

"..."

Guo Ling quickly gathered his thoughts and, under Huo Yue's gaze, quickly tidied up his desk, picked up a few pages of prepared information, put his phone away, and pursed his lips at Huo Yue: "Let's go!"

Looking at Guo Ling's swift and decisive actions and his resolute and handsome expression, Huo Yue couldn't help but sigh softly.

When Zhong Chenmu approached her, hoping her team would surrender quickly to complete the "Reunification" game as soon as possible, she had made a condition: if Wuming City were to open, she needed Zhong Chenmu to help her find her husband. If she couldn't find him, she had to find someone to accompany her. At that time, Zhong Chenmu brought Guo Ling out.

Both of them knew that Huo Yue's request was somewhat sarcastic, and Zhong Chenmu mentioned Guo Ling only as a stepping stone.

However, with the opening of Wuming City and her increasing interactions with Guo Ling, Huo Yue sometimes began to fantasize about what it would be like to be with Guo Ling. Although this man was no longer a young man, he still exuded a youthful vigor and vitality, and his appearance was well maintained, without the sluggishness and greasy look of forty.

However, she also knew that Guo Ling had a beloved wife who was also missing. Finding her was Guo Ling's motivation to join the Jigsaw Team, even risking his life.

Huoyue had no confidence to compete with such a woman. She didn't even dare to think too boldly.

Guo Ling naturally had no idea of ​​Huo Yue's thoughts.

He was walking towards the elevator with a clear mind, still preparing for tonight's dinner.

At this time, his cell phone rang.

Guo Ling took a closer look, was extremely excited, and quickly picked up the phone.

In just one short movement, his hands shook so badly that he almost lost his grip on the phone.

This is Zhong Chenmu’s call.

"You are finally back......"

Guo Ling uttered the first sentence.