Directly to Heihe (Transformation)

Su Chen's curiosity piqued as he observed the phone icon, now black and transformed in appearance. The entire interface was engulfed in darkness, devoid of the numeric keypad typically used for dialing. Only a round icon in the center of the interface, bearing the word "Dial," remained visible against the backdrop of darkness.

Perplexed, Su Chen wondered, "What does this mean? Are we meant to engage in direct combat?"

In truth, he found himself genuinely curious about the phone's eerie transformation. What had become of the internal hardware? However, he hesitated to disassemble it, fearing that not only would he fail to comprehend its workings, but he would also render the phone useless. Besides, he had much to accomplish, and the research would be time-consuming.

Suppressing his overwhelming curiosity for the time being, Su Chen pressed the dial button.

In an instant, akin to other mystical transformations, the usage of the phone required the expenditure of bodily energy. Su Chen promptly channeled a surge of energy from within him, infusing it into the enchanted phone. The act allowed him to successfully initiate the dialing process.

"Om..."

A peculiar sound resonated.

Upon entering the realm of the magic mobile phone, Su Chen sensed his body's energy dispersing and radiating outwards in concentric circles. The dial area on the screen began emanating animated ripples, reminiscent of signal diffusion.

Riveted by the spectacle, Su Chen couldn't help but entertain a fleeting thought: Could the phone suddenly display an image, featuring the delicate and haunting Sadako crawling out?

Yet, soon enough, a more extraordinary sensation washed over him. His consciousness and perception expanded alongside the boundless energy that flowed out like signals, intermingling with other enchanted artifacts. A single infusion of energy was all it took. The distinction lay in the fact that for the dial and the present state to be sustained, Su Chen needed to continually input bodily energy, ensuring the "energy signals" diffused outward, tirelessly traversing the world of dark energy.

He felt as though his consciousness had multiplied manifold, akin to countless "threads" that ventured into the realm of dark energy, stretching and spreading incessantly. He perceived an entirely different temporal dimension, reminiscent of his experiences when immersed in forging armor or orchestrating the annihilation of colossal, fleshy giants.

However, Su Chen found himself trapped in an unchanging realm of dark energy, unable to perceive anything beyond its mysterious flow. As he ventured further into this abyss of dark energy, his perception grew weaker and weaker, leaving him with an unsettling sense of detachment from reality. The location of his dark energy mobile phone signal eluded him, and he felt a growing frustration at his inability to regain control.

After approximately seven seconds, the animated ripples ceased, and the peculiar buzzing sound faded away. However, a distinct clicking sound followed—the phone was connected.

"..."

Su Chen was taken aback, attempting to speak but finding it surprisingly difficult. It seemed that his thoughts and perceptions, spread far and wide, hindered his control over his own body. It was akin to donning a virtual reality device, where consciousness moved within a simulated space, while the physical body remained in a semi-dormant state, unresponsive to commands.

Struggling to find his voice, Su Chen remained silent for about five seconds. Suddenly, a solemn and formal voice broke the silence, "This is the Yuanliao City General Commander Operation Command Center. Identify your unit. We have no record of your presence..."

Did his call actually reach the head of Heihe County?

Lianhua Village lay at least a hundred kilometers away from Heihe. Su Chen couldn't fathom how his energy-infused consciousness had traversed such a vast distance, almost at the speed of light. If that were truly the case, it would defy human capabilities entirely. He began to suspect that perhaps his "substantial dark energy signal" hadn't traveled far at all, but rather utilized the dark energy system within the space to facilitate communication.

Nevertheless, the fact that the call had connected left Su Chen astounded. He belatedly realized that during the five-second silence, he hadn't truly desired to speak, but the other party had been scrutinizing him.

Uncertain of what to say, Su Chen felt a surge of astonishment as he blurted out, "No, you're not using the equipment from our emergency communication system... How is this possible? Who are you? How did you manage to establish a connection through the perpetual darkness?!"

Su Chen strained to convey his thoughts. He contemplated retracting his expansive perception, but doing so would weaken the communication quality. The phone might even display a disheartening "weak signal" prompt. It dawned on Su Chen that if he withdrew his perception and severed the connection they provided, his energy signal transmitted through the phone would be interrupted, leading to a disconnection.

Was his newfound perception a novel "organ" born from the energy within his body?

Had he become a base station, transmitting wireless signals?

After numerous attempts to test the weakened signal, Su Chen noticed a sudden hush on the other end. It seemed that an important figure had arrived, answering the call with urgency, "Who are you, sir? Are you from Huaxia? Did you manage to connect using civilian equipment? Are you located outside Liao City? As for me, I am Liao Chengdong, the deputy mayor of the Seventeenth Division, currently trapped in Yuanliao City. I implore you to answer my questions."

Though Liao Chengdong's tone appeared composed and steady, Su Chen discerned a glimmer of hope and desperate anticipation beneath the surface.

Determined to find a way to speak, Su Chen strained to open his mouth, yearning to become a speaking base station.

How could he articulate his thoughts?

There had to be a solution...

Perception...

Grasp the perception... the second level...

The energy within his body.

The connection...

Silence.

Silence.

On the other end of the line.

An expectant hush, pregnant with anticipation. Everyone understood the significance of this call, and Liao Chengdong was brimming with excitement.

Observing the other party's hesitation, he promptly spoke up, "I assure you, I'm not deceiving you. We are the military forces trapped in Yuanliao City. If you are situated outside the city, I implore you to maintain this call and urgently contact the nearest relevant department. We are facing a horrific situation. Our troops and supplies are dwindling, while the number of survivors and wounded is escalating... The terror-induced epidemic is rapidly evolving, posing a dire threat to our survival with each passing day... If we aren't under attack from the outside, there might still be a chance to rescue us. We have made a desperate decision, but the odds are slim... If rescue proves impossible, it would be wise to quarantine the surrounding areas of Yuanliao City. We suspect they have intentions beyond targeting just our city..."

Liao Chengdong fretted over the possibility of losing this critical opportunity, unconcerned about the sensitivity of the information. Fearful of an abrupt disconnection, he hurriedly relayed the situation.

However...

In that moment, Liao Chengdong received an unexpected response.

The first word uttered was a laborious "I," as though the other party struggled to speak. Were they inexperienced or unable to articulate properly?

Liao Chengdong's heart sank. Could it all just be a joke ...or someone making prank calls in our current situation? Just that?

Suddenly, the signal distorted, drowned in an onslaught of noise, as if on the verge of disconnection.

Then, in the fleeting moments before the interruption, a somewhat clear but deeply frustrated voice reached Liao Chengdong's ears.

"What happened to my energy? How could it drain so quickly? Damn it..."