Chapter 178: Merge 2

Liam continued observing the distortion that had appeared between the two worlds, waiting for another fluctuation to occur. However, after several minutes of careful observation, nothing unusual happened, and the space gradually returned to its previous state, leaving him with nothing but the memory of that brief response.

’Was that a reaction, or did something simply interfere with the connection?’

He couldn’t be certain, and that uncertainty irritated him more than he expected. Nevertheless, Liam had learned from his previous experiments that forcing an answer before understanding the underlying phenomenon often produced more problems than solutions, so he decided to continue monitoring the merger instead.

The next several hours passed quietly.

Liam shifted his attention toward the connection’s outer boundaries, examining the invisible structures that had begun linking his planet to the other world.

Unlike the earlier distortions, these connections had become considerably more stable, and he could now maintain his perception through them for longer periods without experiencing the same abrupt interruptions.

He carefully extended his consciousness through one of the connections.

This time, the images did not disappear immediately.

Beyond the unfamiliar landscape, Liam discovered enormous stretches of land separated by rivers and mountain ranges, with faint traces of life scattered throughout the environment.

The details remained blurry, but the sheer scale of the world became apparent as his perception moved farther away from the initial point of contact.

’It’s bigger than I expected.’

That alone was enough to make him reconsider several assumptions.

If the other world possessed a comparable planetary structure, its geographical scale and environmental conditions might influence the merger in ways he had not yet accounted for.

More importantly, the presence of life meant that the connection was not simply a means of expanding his territory, but a potential bridge between two independently developed ecosystems.

Liam withdrew his consciousness slightly and examined the surrounding space.

The connection remained stable.

He then began making small adjustments, allowing the link to expand while carefully observing the resulting changes on both sides. Each adjustment produced a subtle shift in the surrounding energy, and although some fluctuations appeared unpredictable, none had yet developed into anything dangerous.

For the time being, the experiment was proceeding smoothly.

However, Liam soon noticed something unexpected.

When he focused on the distant landscape, he discovered that the energy surrounding certain regions behaved differently from the rest. It was faint, almost indistinguishable from the background, yet it possessed a consistency that suggested the phenomenon was not entirely natural.

He concentrated on one of those regions, attempting to determine its source.

Before he could gather sufficient information, the connection trembled.

The distant landscape blurred, and his perception was pushed backward as though something had disturbed the space through which he was observing. Liam immediately stopped expanding the connection, preventing the disturbance from spreading any further.

’Again?’

He waited for the distortion to disappear before attempting another observation, but the unusual energy remained difficult to distinguish from the surrounding environment. Whatever had caused the interference, it was either too distant for him to identify or operating through principles he had not yet encountered.

Liam wasn’t particularly concerned about the setback.

In fact, it gave him another reason to continue the experiment.

A completely empty world would have offered little more than additional land and resources, but a world capable of producing unfamiliar phenomena presented possibilities he had barely begun to consider. Whether those possibilities would prove beneficial or troublesome remained to be seen.

For now, he needed more information.

As Liam continued his observations, he eventually shifted his attention toward the civilizations inhabiting his planet.

The pantheons were continuing their usual activities, while the kingdoms below remained occupied with their own affairs. Some regions were experiencing rapid development, while others were still recovering from previous conflicts, and the contrast between them reminded Liam that his planet was far from a unified civilization.

He wondered how those societies would react when the merger progressed far enough for its consequences to become impossible to ignore.

Would the kingdoms attempt to investigate the unfamiliar phenomena, or would the pantheons interpret them as signs of a greater power?

Either possibility seemed plausible.

Liam briefly considered informing the pantheons about the situation, but ultimately decided against it.

The connection was still unstable, and explaining a phenomenon he barely understood would only invite unnecessary questions, especially from those who might attempt to investigate it themselves.

Instead, he continued observing.

Then, another fluctuation caught his attention.

This time, it originated from the connection itself rather than the distant world beyond it. A faint ripple spread through the invisible boundary, causing the surrounding energy to shift before settling into a new arrangement.

Liam carefully examined the change.

The connection had grown slightly stronger.

Although the increase was small, it was enough to confirm that the process was advancing without requiring his constant intervention. The two worlds were gradually becoming linked, and the connection appeared capable of stabilizing itself once certain conditions had been met.

’So I don’t need to keep adjusting everything manually.’

That was a welcome discovery.

He would still need to monitor the process, but allowing the connection to develop naturally would free him to focus on other matters. After all, his responsibilities extended far beyond this single experiment, and there were numerous developments across his planet that deserved his attention.

Liam withdrew his consciousness from the distant boundary and gazed at the world below.

The familiar continents stretched beneath him, carrying the countless lives and civilizations he had watched develop over the years. From this height, their conflicts appeared insignificant, yet he understood that each kingdom possessed its own ambitions, fears, and reasons for struggling to survive.

Sooner or later, those lives might intersect with the inhabitants of another world.

The thought lingered in his mind as he watched the clouds drift across the surface.

For the moment, nothing had changed enough to disturb the ordinary lives of his planet’s inhabitants, and Liam intended to keep it that way until he understood what awaited them beyond the connection.

However, he had no intention of abandoning the experiment.

The other world held too many unanswered questions, and the faint signs of unfamiliar energy suggested that its mysteries might extend far beyond its geography.

Liam turned his attention toward the connection once more.

’Let’s see what you have to offer.’

The invisible boundary continued to expand, slowly drawing the two worlds closer together.

And somewhere beyond that growing connection, the other world remained silent.