This cave-heaven was not even considered a demiplane, let alone comparable to a truly perfect plane like Earth. In a true plane, all things already possessed a perfect cycle, no longer requiring external power input for reproduction and growth.
Conversely, perfect planes could even feed power back to their core through the reproduction and growth of their beings, thus becoming increasingly powerful.
Bai Cha was not in a hurry to maintain the operation of this cave-heaven. She let the plants wither, shrinking the cave-heaven to the size of a walnut before directly stuffing it into her storage bracelet.
As the floating island suddenly vanished, everyone was immediately removed from the cave-heaven and returned to the seabed. The icy seawater rushed down, starkly contrasting with the warm sunset within the cave-heaven. Everyone shivered from the cold, and before they could even adjust to the seawater, a cacophony of sounds erupted around them, including the clashing of swords, as if a battle was taking place.
"Miss Bai, be careful!"
Gu Mingze's voice rang out, and Bai Cha immediately became alert. She turned her head and saw a colossal missile lunging at her directly from the water. Immediately following was a cold gleam, and a dragon thousands of feet long swept in, devouring the missile in one gulp.
The sound waves of the explosion resonated within the dragon's body. Bai Cha's face turned ashen. How could she not feel that the blue dragon was not an energy construct? It was the fusion of Cang Liu and the Sea Dragon. Cang Liu had actually swallowed the cruiser missile.
Cang Liu's dragon patterns in his left eye were now emitting a brilliant azure light. He was using his full strength. With a shake of his sword, he repelled the enemy before him. Merely touching him would result in the enemy freezing solid.
The sea was already in turmoil. Bai Cha did not know how long Cang Liu, Brother Xiang Nan, had been holding out. Bai Cha suspected that Cang Liu knew something about his past life again and had deliberately not informed her of the external danger.
"This is really getting out of hand," Bai Cha finally lost her patience. "All of you, stop!"
The dark red sea of blood, carrying a bizarre and evil power, appeared even more chilling in the deep sea. The massive blood sea surged like a tsunami, forcefully displacing the surrounding water. The blood sea formed a blood wall, enclosing this area in a vacuum.
Those holding mechanical devices lost buoyancy in the water and fell, rolling onto the blood wall. Only then did everyone fall silent, staring at Bai Cha in shock.
Everyone knew Bai Cha's power, but they also knew that Bai Cha's greatest strength lay in the power of her blood. In the deep sea, her blood would always be diluted by seawater, making the sea the biggest obstacle for Bai Cha. She couldn't possibly control the ocean, could she?
Almost everyone thought this, and thus, armed with heavy weaponry, they felt somewhat fearless.
However, upon seeing Bai Cha now, they realized just how naive they had been. Unbeknownst to them, Bai Cha's power had just undergone an evolution within the cave-heaven.
As the blood sea dissipated and everyone saw the light again, they were shocked to discover that within the mere dozen seconds that had passed, Bai Cha had manipulated a sphere made of blood to directly transport them from the seabed to the shore. A collective gasp escaped their lips, their scalps tingling, their hands gripping their firearms trembling slightly.
Now, they finally felt that their heavy weaponry was likely insufficient.
"Shi Tao, Zhou Min, you're involved too." Bai Cha's voice was chillingly cold. Bai Cha had even saved these two families in the Vortex Secret Realm, yet she hadn't expected them to become adversaries so soon.
"Miss Bai, we suspect you of colluding with foreign spies and having a clandestine relationship with the evil dragon. Please assist us in our investigation." Someone stepped forward, wearing a silver badge on their chest inscribed with the two large characters, "Liu Yuan."
Truly hypocritical. Bai Cha surveyed the scene, seeing many of her old adversaries now colluding. This made Bai Cha chuckle inwardly. She hadn't even had a chance to present evidence of their collusion with spies, yet they were the ones accusing her first.
"Oh, so eager to undermine me? I never expected you to be so hostile towards me even after I saved your people," Bai Cha's lips curved into a cold smile, her words even more cutting. "I just finished your mission, and you're already crossing the bridge and burning it behind you. Truly ungrateful."
"So, colluding with foreign spies? So, you're calling our Miss Athena a spy?" Bai Cha turned sideways and pointed at Athena, a meaningful smile on her face. "Or perhaps you simply can't stand the Shadow faction. After all, we're all sensible people. Do I need to explain what 'investigation' means?"
The expressions of several neutral factions changed instantly. Not only were people from China present, but also individuals from various other countries who wished to meddle.
Thus, Bai Cha had exposed the stakes in front of everyone, speaking so harshly that it was akin to publicly humiliating China on a global stage.
Moreover, Athena's status was different from Bai Cha's. Athena was not just the Shadow; with her perfect appearance and outstanding reaction abilities, she was considered a figurehead by the US, an outstanding diplomat. If Athena were acknowledged as a spy, then relations between China and the US would be irreconcilably damaged.
At this point, not only the neutral factions but even the Light faction looked displeased and remained silent for a long time, unsure how to react.
"Oh? No more words? Shall I remind you who saved your children from the World Crystal in the Vortex Gate back then?" Bai Cha sneered. "And Sky Island, you guys took..."
"Miss Bai, mind your words!" Sweat beaded on Zhou Min's forehead. She truly regretted having nothing better to do than to come here and find trouble with Bai Cha. As a member of the neutral faction, she should have stayed home instead of seeking excitement here.
"Mind my words? Who spoke first?" Bai Cha retorted unceremoniously. "Do you want me to repeat what you said at the very beginning in front of everyone?"
It was a joke. Even a rabbit would bite when cornered, and a dog would jump over a wall when desperate. Bai Cha felt a chill of disappointment, a nascent urge to tear off the facade. However, upon seeing several vehicles and the people alighting from them, exuding an aura of hostility, her momentum suddenly subsided.
"General Gong." Bai Cha's gaze grew colder, but she still addressed the person before her with respect.
This person was Gong Yuechen's father, Gong Tingjian, a man of exceptional achievement. Becoming a General at the age of fifty was an aspiration for countless people. At this moment, however, Bai Cha's heart grew colder.
"Miss Bai, it's merely for cooperation with the investigation." Gong Tingjian's gaze was somewhat evasive. "You are someone who has made outstanding contributions to the country, and we will certainly give you justice..."
"Justice means coming with police cars to put handcuffs on me?" Bai Cha's expression had completely changed. She knew that those from the Light faction had tried repeatedly to apprehend her for investigation, using various means to suppress her. She never expected that the methods used this time would not only be despicable but also send chills down her spine.
More importantly, the people from the neutral faction had actually acquiesced to this.
"You are a high-ranking official of the neutral faction. You couldn't possibly not know what I've done, yet you're acquiescing now? Is this your righteous path? Is this your neutrality? You're nothing but hypocrites." Even Bai Cha felt a surge of resentment at this moment.
"You're taking advantage of my risking my life, my protecting you, and now you're biting the hand that feeds you. Is this how you act?"
Faced with Bai Cha's accusation, Gong Tingjian's face turned pale, then flushed red. He hadn't expected that even with his personal intervention, Bai Cha would show him no respect, instead exposing the scandal in front of people from so many countries.
For many years as a General, everyone had treated him with utmost deference. Now, this eighteen-year-old girl, Bai Cha, was showing him such blatant disrespect. This made Gong Tingjian's heart filled with not only guilt but also an inexplicable rage.
He was a senior, respected figure. Furthermore, who would air their family's dirty laundry like this!
Gong Tingjian's expression turned grim. Just as he was about to reprimand her, he noticed Bai Cha, as if giving up on herself, walking directly towards the police car behind him.
"Master..."
Lucifer also wanted to follow but was forced back by a glare from Bai Cha. Xiang Nan and the others, seeing Bai Cha's gesture of command, could only grit their teeth and endure, their expressions grim.
"Open the door, what are you standing there for?" Bai Cha kicked the door of the police car that was about to imprison her. "I'm giving you a chance to arrest me, don't push your luck."
The few soldiers nearby trembled in fear. They actually felt some sympathy for Bai Cha, but they were ultimately just employees with no authority and could only follow orders. Whether it was Bai Cha or their superiors who were angry, they were all in for a difficult time.
Seeing that Bai Cha was willing to cooperate, they were as if granted a great pardon. One of them stepped forward, holding a pair of silver handcuffs, his arm trembling. He cautiously glanced at Bai Cha, then at Gong Tingjian, almost in tears.
This young man was clearly a new recruit, his face very young and still bearing traces of immaturity. Standing before Bai Cha, he appeared somewhat lost and helpless.
"Gong Tingjian, I'm giving you one last chance. Do you really intend to take me away in this manner?" Bai Cha looked at Gong Tingjian. "Handcuffs, these things are not to be worn lightly."
Wearing them represented a severance of trust. It wasn't that Bai Cha didn't trust them, but rather that they no longer trusted Bai Cha. Handcuffs symbolized sin and stains, and also shame.
Gong Tingjian's expression remained unpleasant. At this moment, he seemed to feel that bringing Bai Cha in this manner with military vehicles and handcuffs was excessive. However, with so many people watching, and Bai Cha having just retorted to him, Gong Tingjian felt his cheeks burning, and for a moment, he was unable to react.
Bai Cha let out a soft scoff. As she raised her eyes, she saw the small soldier in front of her trembling like a sieve. She sighed with a hint of helplessness, not wanting to make things difficult for him. Bai Cha directly extended her hands and said faintly, "What are you afraid of? Once this is over, you'll be fine."
This new recruit was touched. He stepped forward to put the handcuffs on Bai Cha. Bai Cha surprisingly did not resist, cooperating fully and sitting into the car.
"I'm sorry, Miss Bai," the new recruit mumbled softly. He bent down and closed the car door for Bai Cha.
Sorry? This sounded somewhat familiar?
Bai Cha raised an eyebrow. Now, Bai Cha clearly saw the name tag on the new recruit's uniform.
Xiao Zhang.
It was him?
Bai Cha suddenly remembered. A long time ago, before she had resonated with Lucifer, she had encountered this person while on a mission to a fortress to fight a B-class evil dragon.
At that time, this new recruit was a rookie who had just started handling a gun, lying prone on the fortress wall, extremely nervous. When Bai Cha landed on the city wall, she didn't know if she had startled him. Bai Cha remembered that the new recruit had stared at her blankly, his gun dropping.
So much time had passed. The former new recruit was now able to be brought out on a mission by a General like Gong Tingjian, or rather, his progress was exceptionally fast.
Bai Cha chuckled softly, looking at the young man as he sat beside her and started the engine, her mood unexpectedly good.
"I remember you. You were the rookie on the city wall." Bai Cha leaned back against the seat, which reclined slightly, making it comfortable to lean on. It seemed this new recruit had adjusted it beforehand.
"Miss Bai still remembers me?" Xiao Zhang became excited, almost stepping too hard on the accelerator and colliding with the car in front.