boyutpedia Page 243
Page 243
The energy of life order? Everyone immediately thought of those "source seeds of life".
Lin Ye took out a Life Source Seed from the box he carried with him. The emerald green seed radiated a warm glow in his palm, and golden light seemed to flow within it. He tried to bring the Life Source Seed close to the energy interface.
A strange scene unfolded. The green light on the surface of the life source seed, as if drawn by an attraction, flowed towards the interface, like a trickle of water merging into it. The patterns at the interface gradually lit up with a soft green light, which quickly spread throughout the entire gate.
"Click...creak..."
The heavy metal door made a smooth, creaking sound from inside before slowly sliding open to reveal the scene behind it.
Behind the door was a control room, slightly smaller than the outer hall. At its center was a semi-circular control console, covered in dust and with a dimmed crystal screen. In front of the console was a massive three-dimensional star map composed of countless hexagonal crystal units; although most of it was dark, a small section flickered faintly, displaying the surrounding star systems. In one corner of the control room were several similarly dusty metal cabinets, one of which had its door slightly ajar, revealing some strange remains inside—resembling both plant fossils and metallic structures.
But the most eye-catching feature is a device in the center of the control panel, clearly added later, its style clashing with the surrounding antique and technological feel. The device is about half a person's height, its base connected to the control panel's energy circuitry, and above it floats a complex structure made of countless light filaments that rotates slowly and continuously, emitting a faint but stable milky-white light.
“This is…” Night Owl was the first to rush in, his eyes fixed on the installed device. “This technology… isn’t from the Creator Clan! This energy fluctuation… is an ‘Order Field’?! But it’s countless times more stable and precise than the crude prototype we designed!”
Lin Ye also walked over. He could feel a strong resonance between the fragment and the rotating light filament structure. He reached out and gently touched the milky white light.
In an instant, a massive flow of information surged into his mind through his arm and was simultaneously displayed on the previously dim crystal screens of the control panel through the fragment sharing connection!
The star map shifted dramatically; previously dim areas lit up, revealing a vaster, yet more fragmented, cosmic panorama. Countless red dots flickered and moved across the star map like a spreading plague, dimming and distorting the light of galaxies wherever they passed. Simultaneously, a fragmented message, imbued with weariness and resolve, flooded into everyone's consciousness:
"...This is 'Watcher' Gadino...The last record of Zeta-73 Outpost..."
"...Void erosion has fully erupted, border defenses have collapsed...The home planet has lost contact..."
"...We have failed...The 'spark' must be kept alive..."
"...Following the 'final directive,' initiate 'Project Ark'...screening, escape..."
...But the 'Ark'...is not the only hope...to observe the appearance of the 'Key' holder..."
...Utilizing 'heritage'...combined with the power of 'life'...reconstructing 'order'...
...This device...is a prototype of an 'order field stabilizer' built based on the 'source of life' and some legacy technologies...it can purify low-intensity erosion and stabilize small spaces..."
...database...download link...coordinates..."
...Be careful...'they'...are searching for the 'key'...the hounds...this is just the beginning..."
...May order...finally...return...
The information flow abruptly stopped there, and the control room returned to silence, with only the still-flickering red dot on the three-dimensional star map and the slowly rotating order field stabilizer emitting light.
Everyone was shocked by this information.
“The Watcher Gadino…the last record…” Trunks murmured, as if a lonely figure appeared before his eyes, holding on in despair, leaving behind a final warning and a glimmer of hope.
“Project Ark… As expected, the Ark that Mirror Lin Ye and those void forces created is just a distorted version or a failed product of this ‘Project Ark’!” Night Owl’s eyes sharpened. “The real Project Fireseed includes much more! This Order Field Stabilizer, and the combination of the ‘Life’ Authority and Legacy Technology that he mentioned!”
Number 18 walked to the control panel and quickly began operating it: "He left a database download link and a coordinate. The coordinates... are very far from here, on the other side of the star map, next to an area marked as 'Absolute Forbidden Zone'. The database is downloading, but the outpost's storage devices are severely damaged; many data packets have been lost or corrupted."
Vegeta crossed his arms, staring at the numerous red dots on the star map, his brow furrowed. "Hmph, the trouble is bigger than I imagined. Is the entire universe almost being devoured by this so-called void erosion? Are those red dots the places that have been invaded?"
Lin Ye slowly withdrew his hand, digesting the information he had received. His gaze fell on the stabilizer. "The hounds are just the beginning... They are searching for the 'key,' the fragment in my hand." He felt the burden on his shoulders grow heavier, but his eyes became even more resolute. "Gadino left behind a rudimentary method to combat the Void—utilizing the power of the life-source species, combined with creation technology, to construct order. This stabilizer is proof of that. It's countless times stronger than the junk we created."
He looked at the slightly ajar metal cabinet, walked over, and took out the "plant fossils" inside. These remains were cold to the touch, but inside they faintly retained an energy fluctuation that was of the same origin as the source of life, but much older and purer.
“These are…” Night Owl followed and scanned them with his instruments. “They look like… the outer shells of some higher-level life form? Or unfinished products? The energy reaction is very weak, but the quality level is very high.”
"Database download completion rate 78%, unable to be fully recovered," reported No. 18. "Some images have been obtained regarding advanced applications of the Order Field Theory, optimization of life energy conversion efficiency, and... a design segment of a large-scale facility called the 'Purification Matrix.' However, the core part is missing."
"Coordinates? What are the coordinates next to that 'absolute forbidden zone'?" Trunks asked.
On the 18th, the coordinates were projected onto the star map. A solitary point of light, flickering with a faint green glow, appeared at the edge of a star field surrounded by a dense crimson color (representing the erosion of the void), adjacent to a terrifying dark area marked with skulls and crossbones.
“Coordinate identification… code name: ‘Eden’.” Number 18’s voice carried a subtle fluctuation. “Database residual annotation: The last ‘ecological ark’, the lost land of the ‘authority of life’, the guardian of the absolutely forbidden ‘void graveyard’… and… the source of hope.”
Eden! An ecological ark! A lost land where the right to life has been lost!
Everyone understood that this was likely their next destination. There, they might find complete technology, the key to combating the void, or perhaps even greater dangers.
“The Void Graveyard…” Night Owl chewed on the word, his expression grave. “The name itself doesn’t suggest a good place. And this ‘Eden’ is actually guarding it from the side…”
"Whether it's a graveyard or Eden!" Vegeta broke the silence, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. "If we have what we need, let's go get it! Staying here won't solve anything!"
Lin Ye gripped the fragments and the peculiar fossil remnant in his hands, sensing the faint yet resilient fluctuations of life within them. The discovery of the outpost confirmed that their direction was correct, but also pointed to an even more difficult path.
"Gather all the data and samples we can take, especially the data about the 'Purification Matrix' and this 'Order Field Stabilizer'," Lin Ye decisively ordered. "Then we immediately return to the Seventh Shelter. We need time to process this information, repair and enhance our equipment. And then..."
He looked up at the lone green dot on the star map—Eden.
"Let's venture into this 'last ecological ark' and see what this so-called 'power of life' really is!"
Chapter 516 Breakthrough! The Hounds' Encirclement
The air in the outpost's control room seemed to freeze, even colder than the station's interior. The dense red dots on the star map, representing the erosion of the void, and the "Void Graveyard" marker adjacent to the "Eden" coordinates, weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like two giant rocks.
“The last ecological ark…the lost land of the right to life…” Trunks repeated these words, his tone heavy, “It sounds like the last hope, but it also comes with the greatest danger.”
"Hope and danger always coexist." Lin Ye quickly recovered from the shock of the information overload. His sharp eyes swept over the still-operating Order Field stabilizer. "This device left behind by Gadino proves that we're on the right track. The power of the Life Source Seed, combined with Genesis Technology, can fight against the Void. What we need to do now is survive with these 'seeds,' and then go to 'Eden' to find the answers."
“That sounds nice!” Vegeta scoffed, breaking the somewhat somber atmosphere. He pointed at the star map, “Look at these red dots! We’re like picking up a bone from a pack of hungry wolves! ‘Eden’? Let’s think about how to shake off the many more ‘hounds’ that might be following us out there!”
As if to confirm Vegeta's words, the monotonous electronic voice in the control room sounded again, this time with a more rapid frequency:
"Warning! Multiple spatial fluctuations detected approaching! Number... ten... twenty... continuously increasing! Energy signature identification: Void Hound Pack!"
"Damn it! They're really here!" Instead of being afraid, Vegeta revealed an excited and ferocious smile. "Perfect, those guys haven't even warmed up yet!"
"Don't be impulsive, Vegeta!" Lin Ye shouted immediately, his mind racing. "There are too many hounds, and they are extremely resistant to conventional energy attacks. If we fight them head-on, we'll be worn down here! We have to make use of the environment!"
He looked at Night Owl: "Night Owl, immediately download all recoverable data, especially the structural diagram of this outpost and that stabilizer! Number 18, check the stabilizer's energy circuit and output mode to see if we can temporarily enhance its effects or change its application! Trunks, Vegeta, guard the corridor leading to the teleportation chamber; we need an escape route!"
The clear instructions immediately gave everyone the direction.
"Understood!" Night Owl's fingers flew across the control panel as he inserted a portable storage device into the interface. "Data is being exported, and the structure diagram has been obtained! The main power line is down, but the backup line seems to be able to barely support access control and low-power defense in some areas!"
Number 18 was already crouching beside the Order Field Stabilizer, with probes extending from the interface on its arm, connecting to the energy node on the base. "The device has a complex structure, and its core is driven by the energy of the life source species. I can try to guide its energy field to expand outward, forming a temporary 'order barrier,' which might interfere with the hounds' perception and actions, but it will consume a great deal of the energy stored in the device itself, potentially causing it to become completely unusable."
"We can't worry about that now!" Lin Ye said decisively. "It's better than us being destroyed! Get ready immediately! The barrier doesn't need to be too big, just enough to cover our retreat path!"
"Understood." Number 18 responded calmly and began adjusting the energy output parameters.
Meanwhile, outside the control room, a series of sharp, grinding scraping sounds and muffled thuds of energy impacts could be heard. Vegeta and Trunks had clearly engaged the first arriving hounds.
"Too many! They're like a tide!" Trunks' voice echoed through the corridor through the vibrations of his breath. His sword flashed, each swing imbued with concentrated qi, forcing back the charging hounds, but destroying them instantly proved difficult. The sheer number of hounds compensated for their individual weakness; they were fearless, using the properties of their shadow bodies to absorb a significant amount of damage.
"You trash! I'll kill as many as you come!" Vegeta roared, accompanied by an even more violent explosion. Golden energy waves raged through the narrow corridor, instantly vaporizing several hounds. But more hounds immediately filled the gaps, even attempting to infiltrate through the walls and ceiling, their shadowy bodies almost blending into the dim environment.
"No! The corridor is too narrow, we can't move around freely! Their repair abilities seem to be enhanced in swarm mode!" Trunks reported urgently, a scorch mark from erosion already appearing on his arm.
"Data download complete, 90% complete!" Night Owl shouted. "The structural diagram shows there's an emergency maintenance passage that bypasses the main corridor and leads directly to the side of the teleportation room! But that passage requires manually activating the pneumatic door!"
"Number 18! How much longer will the Order Barrier take?" Lin Ye asked as he rushed to the control room door. The fragment in his palm lit up, and an invisible force field of order spread out from him, repelling the two hounds that were trying to ambush Trunks from the side. The hounds that were touched by the force of order let out sharp mental howls, and their movements became noticeably sluggish.
“Thirty seconds! Energy channeling takes time!” Number 18 replied, a rare sight of fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, clearly indicating that this delicate operation was also a great burden for her.
"Vegeta! Trunks! Move closer to me! We'll take turns providing cover and move towards the emergency exit entrance!" Lin Ye ordered, while simultaneously telling Night Owl, "Night Owl, indicate the location of the entrance!"
"It's on the wall to your left, behind that panel with the yellow markings!" Night Owl immediately pointed in a direction.
Although Vegeta was caught up in the killing frenzy, he knew the situation was dire. After smashing a hound to pieces with one punch, he retreated while cursing, "Damn! What a nuisance!" He and Trunks fought their way back and rejoined Lin Ye.
Lin Ye continued to release his Order Field. Although the range was small, it effectively disrupted the approaching hounds, giving Vegeta and Trunks a chance to catch their breath. The three of them exuded an aura that shone brightly in the dim corridor, contrasting sharply with the surging tide of dark hounds.
"Twenty seconds!" reported No. 18.
The hounds seemed to sense their intentions, and their attack became even more ferocious. Several particularly strong hounds even merged together, forming a larger, shadowy agglomeration that pounced with suffocating pressure!
"Get out of my way!" Vegeta gathered all his strength and unleashed a powerful punch. The massive golden beam of light instantly engulfed the shadow aggregate, triggering a violent explosion. The entire corridor trembled, and the lights flickered wildly.
Before the aftershocks of the explosion had even subsided, Number 18's voice rang out: "Barrier of Order, activate!"
Om-!
Centered on the control room, a soft, milky-white halo instantly spread out, sweeping across the entire area like ripples on water. The Void Hounds touched by the halo suddenly stiffened and slowed, their shadow energy evaporating violently as if encountering its nemesis, emitting dense hissing sounds. Their mental screams were filled with pain and chaos.
"It works!" Trunks exclaimed in delight.
"Hurry! The barrier won't last much longer!" Number 18 rushed out of the control room, still holding the stabilizer core in his hand, which was now dull and cracked—it was indeed broken.
"Go!" Lin Ye took the lead and rushed to the left wall as instructed by Night Owl. The fragment flashed with light and forcibly destroyed the lock behind the panel. A hidden air pressure door slid open, revealing a narrower passage filled with pipes.
The five quickly filed in. Vegeta entered last, and with a backhand ki blast, he blasted the entrance to the passage, temporarily blocking the pursuers.
The passage was pitch black, illuminated only by the glow of the energy and aura emanating from the group. Behind them came the muffled thud of hunting dogs crashing into the collapsed entrance, and their still-unyielding howls, weakened by the barrier of order.
"This way! Follow me!" Using the newly downloaded structural diagram, Night Owl quickly navigated through the complex network of pipes.
Everyone's heart was heavy. They had just obtained crucial information, and now they were trapped in such a desperate situation. The appearance of the hound pack meant their whereabouts were completely exposed, and the road ahead would inevitably be filled with more bloodshed and slaughter.
"Damn it, I'll remember this!" Vegeta wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth caused by the shockwave of the explosion, his eyes gleaming even brighter. "When we get to that 'Eden,' I'm going to get some really good stuff and come back to slaughter all these bastards!"
Lin Ye didn't turn around, but clenched his fist. The senses from the fragments pointed to the passage ahead, the direction of the teleportation room they had come from.
We must go back! Back to the Seventh Sanctuary, digest our gains, and increase our strength! Then, we'll head to "Eden"!
The sounds of impact behind us grew louder and louder; clearly, the hounds were trying to dig a path.
Their time is running out.
Chapter 517 Sacrifice and Choice
The emergency maintenance tunnel reeked of engine oil and metallic dust; the narrow space allowed only one person to barely pass through. Five people lined up and moved quickly, guided by the night owl. The sounds of hunting dogs digging and ramming behind them grew ever closer, like a death knell.
"How much further?" Lin Ye asked in a deep voice, his senses extending backward with all his might, wary of the moment the pursuers broke through.
"Go through that intersection ahead, then turn right, and you should see the emergency door leading to the side of the teleportation room!" Night Owl spoke quickly, the screen of the instrument in his hand flickering faintly, displaying a complex pipeline diagram.
Suddenly, the entire passageway shook violently, the metal pipes overhead groaned under the strain, and dust fell in a flurry.
"Oh no! They're almost through! They're accelerating!" Trunks' expression changed. He could feel the spatial fluctuations coming from behind becoming unusually violent and intense.
"Faster!" Number 18 urged calmly, even using a small amount of thruster energy to carefully accelerate in the confined space.
Just as they were about to reach the intersection, a deafening explosion came from behind!
Boom!
At the entrance that Vegeta had blasted open, rubble and metal fragments flew everywhere. A huge, twisted claw, formed from the fusion of countless hound shadows, suddenly reached in and grabbed at Vegeta at the back of the group with a destructive aura!
"You're asking for it!" Vegeta roared, turning around and unleashing a full-power flash cannon!
The blazing golden light and the dark giant claw collided violently, the surge of energy nearly bursting the narrow passage! The powerful shockwave pushed Lin Ye, Trunks, and the others in front of them, causing them to stumble.