The scientists' conclusion, like the cold deep chill of the universe, hung over the conference room.
Parallel universe?
Unable to return?
Either of these two pieces of news was enough to deeply shock anyone.
Mark frowned, his mind racing after the initial shock.
Parallel universe… if it exists, does that mean there are similar counterparts in this universe?
"Wait a minute."
He suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse with urgency.
"Since parallel universes exist, does your world have organizations or forces similar to the Great Old Ones, the Titan Clan, or the GDA?"
Main Universe Mark and the scientists exchanged glances, eventually shaking their heads.
"The GDA exists. It's the Global Defense Agency of Earth. We've always cooperated well with them, and our relationship is good."
Main Universe Mark replied.
"But the Great Old Ones and the Titan Clan... we've never heard of them, at least not within our known universe. There are no records."
Mark's heart sank, but then a glimmer of hope arose.
No Great Old Ones?
What a fortunate universe!
But no Titan Clan either?
No... perhaps it's just a different name?
Or are they hidden deeper?
"The Titan Clan, they are extremely skilled at concealment and spatial technology."
Mark described urgently.
"They are cold, powerful, like cold calculating machines. If we can find their counterparts in this universe, even just similar entities, perhaps they would have a way..."
This was just a conjecture based on a slim hope.
But it seemed to be the only clue for now.
Main Universe Mark looked at the unmistakable urgency and determination in the other Mark's eyes, was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand. I will immediately issue orders to mobilize all of the Empire's intelligence networks and deep-space detection equipment to search the entire known universe, and even unexplored regions, for any signs of a super-civilization that fits your description and might be hidden."
"But this will take time, and... hope is slim."
Mark understood this principle; this was perhaps the only way for now.
In the following days, Mark temporarily remained in the Main Universe.
Under Main Universe Mark's arrangements, he resided in a quiet royal villa, enjoying the highest level of treatment, but his heart was constantly tormented.
He often told the people of the Main Universe about the experiences of his own universe.
The horror of the Great Old Ones devouring stars and corrupting all things, the coldness and calculations of the Titan Clan, the struggles of the GDA and the betrayal of the Alliance, the despair and hope of the Starfire Alliance, and his own battles on the brink of death again and again...
Every story made the listeners in the Main Universe tremble with fear and break out in cold sweats.
They could not imagine that in another universe, such a hellish scene existed.
When speaking of his father, Nolan Grayson, who chose to end his own life when manipulated by the Titan Clan and devoured by the Great Old Ones, Mark's voice inevitably lowered, a trace of imperceptible pain flashing in his eyes.
However, Main Universe Debbie and Mark showed surprised expressions.
"Nolan... sacrificed himself?"
Main Universe Debbie covered her mouth, her eyes full of heartache.
"Child... here, Nolan... he's not dead."
"What?!"
Mark suddenly looked up, his molten gold pupils contracting sharply!
"Yes."
Main Universe Mark interjected, his tone also somewhat complex.
"In the final stage of that Unification War, Father was indeed severely wounded, on the verge of death, but we used all our technology and resources to save his life."
"It's just... his injuries were too severe, and he is still undergoing deep repair and hibernation in a medical pod to this day. It has been many years."
This news exploded in Mark's heart like a clap of thunder!
Father... is still alive?!
In this universe!
An immense, indescribable excitement instantly overwhelmed him!
He didn't even have time to think further; guided by Main Universe Mark, he rushed at top speed to the Empire's highest-level life support center.
At the entrance of the quiet room, filled with precise instruments and with a huge medical pod suspended in the center, Mark suddenly stopped.
The feeling of nearing home, let alone facing a father he thought he had lost forever but was miraculously alive.
His hand on the cold doorknob even trembled slightly, his heart filled with excitement, conflict, and even a hint of fear.
How should he face him?
Just then, a faint yet still steady voice came from within the medical pod, carrying a hint of doubt.
"...Who's at the door? Mark? Your aura feels a bit strange?"
It was Nolan's voice!
Though weak, that familiar tone could not be mistaken!
Mark took a deep breath and abruptly pushed open the door.
Beneath the transparent cover of the medical pod, Nolan Grayson lay, connected to various life support tubes.
He looked older and weaker than Mark remembered, but his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle's.
When Nolan saw the Mark from another universe walk in, his eyes instantly filled with immense shock and confusion.
"Mark? You... how could you..."
He clearly also immediately noticed the huge changes in his son's appearance and temperament: the scars, the physique, the accumulated vicissitudes in his eyes, and the occasional flash of ferocity...
Mark walked to the medical pod, thousands of words stuck in his throat, eventually turning into a dry sentence.
"Dad... it's me, but... not entirely."
He told Nolan, as concisely as possible, about coming from a parallel universe and everything that had happened in that universe.
A long silence.
Nolan just looked at him quietly, his eyes, which had experienced countless storms, seemed to see through his soul.
After a long while, Nolan slowly spoke, his voice carrying a sigh and an indescribable emotion.
"...I believe you, though it's hard to believe, but... the feeling in my blood, it doesn't lie, child... you suffered over there."
That simple sentence instantly shattered all of Mark's defenses.
He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.
In this strange universe, facing this father who was both familiar and unfamiliar, he seemed to have reverted to the teenager who longed for his father's approval and care.
That afternoon, father and son, separated by a layer of medical pod cover, had a long and deep conversation.
Mark poured out the pain, confusion, and anger suppressed in his heart, while Nolan listened quietly, occasionally offering a few steady and wise words of guidance.
They talked about war, about responsibility, about loss, about hope...
It filled that long-hidden regret in Mark's heart regarding his father.
During his stay in the Main Universe, Mark spent most of his time on the open-air platform on the top floor of the villa, absorbing the energy of this universe's yellow sun to the maximum extent. He could feel his power rapidly recovering and even becoming stronger than before.
The rest of the time, he either stayed with his Main Universe mother, Debbie, feeling the warmth of rediscovered maternal love, or went to the life support center to accompany his father, Nolan.
During this time, he also unexpectedly learned that Main Universe Mark had married Eve and had a lovely child.
Seeing the happy and gentle smile on Main Universe Mark's face when he held his child, and the love overflowing in Eve's eyes, Mark, while sincerely wishing them well, also felt immense envy and... an indescribable pang of sadness.
This, originally, could have been one of his life paths.
This made him miss his own universe's family and friends even more, and the heavy burden and sense of urgency on his shoulders prevented him from relaxing even for a moment.
However, the search for the Titan Clan or similar civilizations yielded no progress.
The Empire's detectors and intelligence network were like a stone sinking into the sea, with no discoveries matching the description. Hope seemed to be slowly extinguishing.
Just when everyone, including Mark himself, was about to give up on this idea and start considering other possibilities.
A turning point.
It arrived quietly, in a way no one had expected.
It was a seemingly ordinary afternoon, and Mark was on the open-air platform, eyes closed, absorbing sunlight.
Suddenly, he felt the surrounding light dim for a moment, and an extremely subtle but incredibly familiar, cold and vast will swept over him.
He abruptly opened his eyes!
He saw that in the center of the platform, space rippled like water, and a figure emitting a soft yet cold light quietly emerged.
It was a Titan Avatar!
But strangely, the patrolling guards nearby, and the pedestrians on the distant street, seemed completely unaware of this anomaly, continuing with their activities as usual.
Their vision seemed to be cleverly distorted and shielded by some force.
"Titan!"
Mark instantly entered combat mode, energy surging around him, staring at the opponent warily.
"How are you here?!"
The Titan Avatar emitted a flat, emotionless voice that directly impacted consciousness.
"Mark Grayson, your existence is indeed a huge variable and source of disturbance. We detected abnormal planar fluctuations, the source pointing directly to this refuge point we selected. Your arrival was not our wish."
"Refuge point?"
Mark instantly grasped the key phrase.
"You... already knew about this universe? And chose it to hide from the Great Old Ones?"
"Yes."
The Titan Avatar admitted frankly.
"The physical constants of this universe are relatively stable, and its civilization development trajectory has the highest compatibility with our calculated safety model, making it an ideal place for observation and seclusion."
"Your accidental intrusion has brought the entropy increase variable of your original universe, which could contaminate this universe's timeline and lead to unpredictable catastrophic consequences. We must send you back."
Although the Titan's tone was still cold, the amount of information was immense!
They were indeed hiding here!
And they were eager to send him back, afraid that he would bring the trouble of the Great Old Ones over?
"You have a way to send me back?"
Mark suppressed his excitement and asked coldly.
"Based on inverse calculations of the planar coordinates remaining from your fall, and our understanding of the weak points of this universe, we can attempt to construct a temporary shuttle passage."
"But this requires cooperation and energy supply from this universe's indigenous technology."
The Titan Avatar replied.
"We will provide technical blueprints and coordinate guidance."
A turn of events!
Hope had appeared in this way!
Main Universe Mark, upon learning the situation, was shocked and wary of the Titan Clan's sudden appearance and their cold attitude.
But to help his other self return home, he immediately mobilized all of the Empire's top scientists and resources to fully cooperate with the Titan Clan's provided technical blueprints, which far exceeded their current technological level, and began building a massive and complex planar shuttle.
During the construction, the Mark from the other universe was not idle either.
He used his authority to quietly collect and duplicate a large number of advanced weapon designs, special alloy formulas, and some miniaturized high-energy source device technologies from the Main Universe.
He even secretly entered the Imperial armory and "borrowed" some physical samples.
All of this was to bring back to his own universe to enhance the combat power of the Alliance and Earth!
The time for farewell finally arrived.
The huge planar shuttle, like a complex metal behemoth, stood in the center of the Royal Starport.
Energy hummed within it, signaling that the passage was about to open.
Many high-ranking officials, scientists, and Debbie pushing Nolan's medical pod from the Main Universe came to see him off.
Mark walked up to Main Universe Mark, and the two identical but temperamentally distinct men looked at each other.
Mark extended his hand and heavily thumped the other's chest, his eyes filled with complex emotions, which finally coalesced into one sentence.
"...Protect them, cherish everything you have now."
Envy was evident in his words.
Main Universe Mark nodded, his gaze solemn.
"I will, and you too... take care."
Mark then tightly embraced Main Universe Debbie and Nolan in the medical pod, thousands of words ultimately turning into a single phrase.
"...Thank you, goodbye."
Without further hesitation, he resolutely turned and stepped into the shuttle's hatch.
A colossal beam of energy shot skyward, tearing through space, forming a constantly rotating, dazzling passage.
The shuttle slowly ascended, eventually disappearing into the passage.
The passage then rapidly closed.
The people of the Main Universe looked at the sky, which had returned to calm, feeling as if they had lived through an eternity.
The experiences during this period were even more fantastical than the most bizarre interstellar legends.
Meanwhile, Main Universe Mark, after seeing off the Titan Avatar, returned to his office alone.
He spread his palm, holding an extremely tiny piece of nanomaterial paper, almost the same color as his skin.
Mark had quietly slipped it into his hand during their final embrace.
He shone a specific spectrum of light on it, and a short message appeared on the paper.
"Beware of the Titans, untrustworthy, do not rely."
Only the simplest, most primitive method of information transmission could maximize the chance of avoiding the surveillance and interception of a high-level civilization like the Titan Clan.
Main Universe Mark looked at the message, his pupils contracting slightly.
He recalled the Titan Clan's cold, emotionless demeanor, and their eagerness to send Mark away...
The warning from his other self was by no means groundless.
He was silent for a moment, then his eyes sharpened, and he pressed his communicator, issuing an order in a cold and resolute voice.
"Highest classified clearance, mobilize all deep cover agents, use every means, secretly investigate all information regarding high-level hidden civilizations, and all recent anomalous cosmic energy fluctuations."
"Remember, absolute secrecy. Report any findings directly to me!"
The war in another universe might be temporarily distant, but the undercurrents in this universe might have just begun to stir.
And Main Universe Mark had quietly raised his guard.
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