For the saviors of the Salvation Alliance, the code zz2d14 was even more significant than the name of the president of the Interstellar Federation. Humans loved gossip, and even high-level saviors were no exception. Over the past six months, Huo Li, who had occupied the top spot in the overall standings for decades, and his new boyfriend zz2d14 had taken over the Salvation Alliance forums.

During these past few months, everyone has been talking about how this newcomer pulled Huo Li from first place down to ninth. At the same time, they speculated about how many points Huo Li had given zz2d14. By their calculations, with such brainless indulgence, he should have been able to grant his little boyfriend millions of points in just half a year, right?

When Huo Li suddenly had an incident on Happy Planet and transitioned from a god admired by all to a world-destroying criminal shunned by everyone, the saviors of the Salvation Alliance speculated further. How would this budding boyfriend cope without such a powerful backer? Would he be forced to abandon his high-profile lifestyle and fade into obscurity, or would he find a way to secure another supporter?

So, when more than 2,000 saviors learned from C2001 that the ninth-ranked individual in the Alliance was none other than the scandal-ridden zz2d14, many thought they were hallucinating! Everyone's gaze immediately shifted toward the two figures walking forward, eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary zz2d14's true face.

Xiao Yi paid no mind to the saviors' speculations. He calmly walked toward the front row with one hand in his coat pocket to steady the mini Huo Li and prevent him from moving. When the crowd saw his face, a shared thought sprang into the minds of all present. (No wonder Big Huo was willing to spend so much time on him!)

The boy had lake-blue eyes that sparkled like stars, slightly curled silky black hair, and facial features that blended the pronounced contours typical of Western ancestry with the delicate elegance of Asian heritage. Whether out of disdain or jealousy for the youth's rise, everyone present had to acknowledge that his perfect face was second to none in the entire Salvation Alliance.

After being stunned by the youth's appearance, they immediately noticed an aura emanating from him that was completely different from the 'little white rabbit' they had imagined. Although Xiao Yi's body was only 15 years old, the tailored cut of his suit accentuated his slender physique. His lake-blue eyes swept lightly across the crowd, and a few discerning individuals felt a faint sense of danger. His face showed no trace of panic or timidity; instead, it bore a playful, casual expression as if he were in control of everything. Though time was pressing, his quick strides over the twenty-meter distance exuded an unhurried calmness that belied his superior demeanor.

After taking a seat on the front row, the youth seemed unaware of the commotion he had caused and waited quietly for the meeting to begin. Aliena, dazzling in her fiery red hair and dress, became nothing more than a foil beside him. Only a very few people thought fleetingly. (Hey? Isn't that Huo Li's former subordinate? She's now ranked 10th in the Alliance!) But they quickly brushed it aside.

About 30% of the saviors with sharper intuition felt an unsettling sense of alarm about the black-haired youth. Although Huo Li had earned millions of points for him in just half a year, this only placed him outside the Alliance's top 100,000. One would need at least nine billion points to reach ninth place—an accomplishment that could not be attributed to mere point-brushing. The newcomer's growth over six months could only be described as terrifying.

The remaining 70%, who were less inclined to think deeply, were still secretly disgruntled. When had the top ten of the Alliance become accessible to a sugar baby plaything?

Once the crowd settled, C2001 announced the start of the meeting. Speaking through the microphone, he addressed everyone:

"According to information received from special sources by the main system, Earth's star, the Sun, will be in a violent and unexplained solar flair eruption in 17 hours! At that time, Earth's surface temperature will gradually rise to 200 degrees. If we do not take effective measures within this short period, the mother planet of billions of humans across the galaxy will be completely destroyed. Our mission is not only to ensure the survival of earthlings but also to preserve as much of Earth's forests, lakes, cities, and other life as possible."

As soon as C2001 finished speaking, the hall buzzed with whispers. Most attendees appeared ready to back out of what was clearly a desperate situation.

Meanwhile, inside Xiao Yi's mind, 2d14 had just finished downloading a comprehensive history of Earth. It began enthusiastically lecturing its host: "Master! Did you know that Earth reached its current level of technology over 10,000 years ago? Back then, humanity survived apocalypses caused by pollution, resource depletion, and mechanical rebellion—without the help of the Salvation Alliance! They somehow endured but left the planet completely uninhabitable. It wasn't until fledgling wormhole technology emerged that they began colonizing the galaxy.

It took another thousand years for those who remained to rejuvenate Earth. But by then, anti-technology sentiment among human beings on Earth had become deeply rooted, and they consciously resisted all artificial intelligence and high-energy-consuming technology. As a result, Earth's appearance remained frozen in time since the early days of the technological boom…"

System 2d14 was still obsessively recounting Earth's history to its host when C2001 resumed speaking from the stage:

"The reason the main system appointed me as the leader of this mission is due to my ability to reshape and reposition inorganic matter. Because of this, saviors who have worked with me often refer to me as 'Architect.' My plan is to cover Earth's surface with a layer of reflective mirrors and insulation panels to preserve everything on the planet. However, this must be completed within 17 hours, which makes this an almost impossible task. For this, we require everyone's collective effort!"

The room remained silent as his words sank in. For most typical abilities—those involving wood, water, fire, or Earth—this mission was hopelessly beyond their scope. Even metal manipulation abilities could only construct small structures, making them inadequate for a project of this scale. Most saviors had abilities focused on combat rather than construction, leaving them ill-suited to help.

Breaking the silence, C001 spoke again. "Programmer, using the model you designed for the reflectors and insulation panels and assuming the full cooperation of Earth's governments and people, how much of the Earth's surface can we cover in 17 hours?"

The man in beach shorts, seated second in the first row, seemed to freeze momentarily. Only the sharp glint in his eyes betrayed his mind's rapid calculations. As he observed, Xiao Yi recognized this as the telltale sign of someone thinking at extraordinary speed.

"It's possible to cover between 0.15% and 1.3% of Earth's surface," the Programmer replied after a pause. "But there are too many variables, so I can't calculate the exact number. Give me a moment."

With that, Programmer reached into his storage space and retrieved a large, outlandish-looking computer. It resembled a modified, oversized desktop from Earth's early technological era. He set it on the table, pulled out a wire, and affixed a patch-like connector to his temple with a decisive snap. From the youth's angle, the monitor displayed a massive, three-dimensional, polygonal shape made up of countless rapidly changing codes and symbols.

"Ah! His brain can be directly connected to the computer!" a newly promoted SS-class savior exclaimed inwardly, unable to hide their amazement. Meanwhile, Xiao Yi thought that programmers really think differently. Even with his intelligence, he can't understand how they think…

After a tense few seconds, Programmer provided his updated analysis. "The most optimistic projection is between 0.55% and 0.83% coverage. This assumes we prioritize areas experiencing direct sunlight when the solar flare begins, optimizing construction with Earth's rotation to maximize coverage."

These numbers weren't just too small to protect Earth's forests and lakes—they weren't even enough to save the 2 billion humans scattered across the planet. Earth's outdated transportation system, which still relies on planes, has made things worse. Without teleportation arrays, it was impossible to coordinate effectively. This was why only Country Z's leaders had made contact with the Salvation Alliance. Even though other countries wanted to participate, they simply couldn't get there in time.

C2001 gave a pointed look at the nine taskmasters in the first row and asked, "Does anyone here have abilities that could help with building the insulation layers? This is humanity's most critical moment, so if you've been keeping your abilities secret, now is the time to speak up."

Xu Yun Cheng hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "My ability is time stagnation. If I adjust the flow of time, I can slow time on Earth to one-third speed and keep it that way for three days."

"2% to 3.5%," Programmer quickly calculated. "The biggest problem isn't time—it's the lack of skilled construction workers. Earth's labor force is too spread out. The pace would speed up if we could hand 70% of the groundwork to humans. But even then, we'd still need at least 100,000 highly skilled workers working non-stop."

"I might be able to solve that problem," Xiao Yi said, bowing slightly as he spoke into the microphone. "I'm a summoner, and the guardians I summon can help with the construction."

"But isn't your ability organic transformation?" C2001 asked, showing his sharp memory for everyone's powers.

"I made a mistake when I filled out the form," Xiao Yi replied as he pulled two members of his guardian army out of his space storage. The winged creatures hovered in mid-air.

Almost immediately, a few people in the audience chuckled mockingly as if watching someone play a childish game.

"What are these two guardians supposed to do for the whole operation?" Programmer in beach shorts added with a smirk.

"Everyone, silence," Xiao Yi interrupted coldly. His serious tone silenced the room instantly. Some even closed their mouths without realizing they didn't need to listen to him at all.

"I can summon more guardians, and I'm fully capable of acting as Architect's assistant. Programmer, send the blueprints for the insulation layers and reflectors to my computer, as well as the construction plans for each city once you've calculated them. Continue your discussions. My guardians need a few minutes to prepare."

With that, the youth took out his teleportation talisman, teleported to the side entrance of the hall, opened the door, and went out.

It wasn't until Xiao Yi disappeared that Programmer found a chance to speak again. "The higher estimate of 10% to 14.3% assumes that all 30 countries on Earth fully cooperate, without any arguments about how much coverage each of them deserves."

Unlike Programmer's indifferent attitude, C2001 let out a visible sigh of relief. As a human himself, he couldn't bear the thought of Earth being destroyed on his watch. Now, he could only hope that Xiao Yi's claim about having enough guardians was true.

"Since no one has better ideas, this is our plan," C2001 announced. "Time is tight. Everyone, please input your abilities and their scopes into your systems. I will assign tasks right away."

As the internal meeting was nearing its end, the mini Huo Li stuffed in Xiao Yi's coat pocket finally saw the light of day. However, it found itself inside a restroom cubicle.

Xiao Yi looked at the miniature Huo Li in his hand and said, "I just bragged to everyone that I could take on 70% of Earth's construction workload. But after saying that, I realized… if the guardians are all connected by black lines, they'll end up tangled together." His expression turned a little annoyed. "So you'll have to take control and keep it running for at least 54 hours without interruption. At the same time, you'll need to ensure Earth's officials fully cooperate with the Salvation Alliance." The boy blinked his lake-blue eyes expectantly at the figurine.

Palm-sized Huo Li instantly melted under that gaze. His 'boyfriend mode' kicked into high gear, and he nodded seriously, saying, "Xiao Yi, no problem! I can definitely do it!"

The black-haired boy grinned widely. "Great! Then you'll need to change your appearance. Come on, get out of that body!"

.

Three minutes later, Xiao Yi walked out of the conference hall. Seeing the meeting had officially ended via the system in his mind, he headed directly to the plaza outside. Military trucks were lined up in neat rows, unloading construction materials. Observant taskmasters noticed that one of the two guardians floating behind Xiao Yi looked different—it had grown taller and was now wearing a silver mask.

Architect C2001 quickly approached. "Summon as many guardians as you can. We're starting construction immediately. Programmer already finalized the city's construction plans, so we'll begin here. I hope your summoning capacity is as large as you claimed."

Xiao Yi stood silently for a moment before casually waving his hand.

Suddenly, 3,000 winged guardians appeared in the sky above the square.

The soldiers guarding the square were so shocked that they instinctively raised their guns, aiming at the sudden appearance of the army. However, they hesitated upon noticing the guardians' simple dark-blue uniforms, each marked with the words "Salvation Alliance Construction Team." Slowly, they lowered their weapons.

C2001 didn't say much, but the slight redness in his face and his rapid breathing betrayed his excitement. Activating his ability, he made the materials on the nearby trucks float into the air in an orderly fashion. The pieces merged into different shapes, and soon, four massive metal pillars rose from the ground, one in each corner of the square. With the help of his system-provided, max-level earth manipulation ability, C2001 easily created four deep, circular foundations to hold the columns in place. Sheets of glass, pre-cut to 2 by 1.5 meters, were lifted from the trucks. Using liquid metal, they fused mid-air to form enormous mirrors before drifting toward the assembled reflector frames.

Huo Li, now wearing wings and a sleek silver mask, hovered silently behind the black-haired youth. Reading the construction plans on his device over Xiao Yi's shoulder, he used his mental power to command the "Xiao Yi Army," the blue-uniformed guardians. They swiftly flew into the sky to install insulation panels, sealing every tiny gap with heat-resistant adhesive. They also placed movable mirrors in sliding tracks above the insulation layers, securing them with screws. The three thousand guardians worked tirelessly, handling all the tedious and time-consuming tasks with ease.

C2001 glanced at the progress and couldn't help but marvel. The guardians moved so quickly that their screwdrivers left only afterimages. Compared to Earth's human workers, who would need scaffolding just to reach these heights, the guardians' speed was unparalleled. Satisfied, he returned his focus to directing the operation. With the guardians taking care of the heavy lifting, the first line of defense to protect Earth was being constructed at an incredible pace.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yi wandered around the square, looking a bit bored. He walked closer to one of the ancient, red brick buildings from 10,000 years ago but stopped when he noticed his masked guardian wasn't following him. Turning around, he saw Huo Li still hovering in place, fully immersed in the construction work. Smirking, Xiao Yi casually attached a chain to Huo Li's wrist and began leading him around like a floating balloon.

"Why aren't your two guardians working?" Programmer shouted from a distance, his bluntness typical of someone with low emotional intelligence.

Hearing this, one of the guardians joined the construction effort under Huo Li's command, but the other—the masked Huo Li—continued hovering near Xiao Yi's shoulder.

"Why isn't he going too?" Programmer asked, clearly confused.

"I only have one ability right now," Xiao Yi replied, his tone calm and casual. "I need one guardian to ensure my personal safety."

Programmer frowned but persisted. "Didn't the system detect you have another ability? Organic transformation, right? The system can't be wrong."

"Are you talking about this?" Xiao Yi asked. He reached into his storage space and pulled out a cherry, then switched it to his left hand, where it transformed into a grape. "What's the point of that?"

"Oh… okay," Programmer muttered, scratching his head as he walked away.

Xiao Yi chuckled inwardly, speaking to Huo Li through their mental link. "Can you believe he accepted that? Like someone would really try to kill me during a solar apocalypse."

Huo Li suddenly dipped half a meter lower, his voice dropping to a whisper in Xiao Yi's ear. "Xiao Yi, 2,105 meters to the north—one of the guardian was killed while tightening a screw."

The youth's playful smile vanished in an instant. Above him, the massive heat shield panels had plunged the square into near darkness, with only the dim yellow glow of the streetlamps breaking through. The Xiao Yi Army was now working in areas that were out of his sigh