Chapter 37: Iron Anvil's Will and the System's Counterstrike

The shattered system core fragment radiated an ominous lingering heat in Chen Mo's palm, and the cold, chaotic data stream seemed still trying to erode his will, but the dark golden aura naturally emitted by the Primordial Proof kept it at bay. The data graveyard's dead silence was like thick ink, enveloping the Echo team that had just endured an unconventional brutal battle.

"This place is not fit for lingering," Chen Mo's voice broke the suffocating silence. He carefully stowed the core fragment. "The system node has been destroyed; its core must be sensing it."

As if to confirm his words, the entire underground space suddenly emitted an extremely faint tremor that seemed to originate from deep within the crust! The crystals on the dome that cast a pallid white light flickered violently, their glow erratic, and some unstable piles of metal debris clattered down, stirring up more dust.

"Move!" Chen Mo said without hesitation, leading the team to retreat quickly along the way they came.

The journey back to the surface felt even more oppressive than the way in. The sensation of being watched by an unseen presence resurfaced, stronger and… closer than ever before. It was as if a pair of cold eyes had pierced through layer upon layer of rock, locking onto them.

When they finally burst through the fissure and breathed the dry, cold air of the wasteland again, everyone felt a sudden palpitations. The sky's blood‑red hue seemed deeper, and the streaming data lights grew more active and… aggressive? They were no longer mere background; they resembled living venomous snakes, slithering restlessly through the clouds.

"It knows what we did," Su Yu looked up at the sky, her face pale, her voice trembling slightly, "It's… angry."

Almost the moment her words fell—

【Warning! High‑priority threat units (Chen Mo, Su Yu and their associates) have been confirmed to have destroyed the core facility 'Abandoned Processing Unit Z-73'! Action assessment: Declare war on the 'Purple Corrosion' order! Threat level elevated to 'Extinction Class'!】

【Enforcing the 'Heaven's Punishment' Protocol (partial trial version)! Target area: Eternal Wasteland (the Iron Anvil settlement and a fifty‑kilometer radius around it)!】

【Protocol details: Temporary rule environment adjustments—gravity fluctuations increased by 30%, energy activity suppression by 15%, random spatial fissure generation chance up by 5%, monster spawn frequency and aggression up by 50%…】

【Notice to all Eradication Units and Purification Society organizations: Prioritize eliminating the target, authorized to use any necessary means. Reward payouts are doubled.】

The cold system broadcast was no longer a regional release; it detonated directly in the minds of every "player" on the Eternal Wasteland! Even residents inside the Iron Anvil Fortress who had partially shielded themselves from system interference sensed, to varying degrees, this wave bearing a destructive will.

"Heaven's Punishment Protocol…" Chen Mo chewed on the phrase, his gaze icy. The system's counterstrike came fast and fierce! This was not a simple wanted notice, but a direct alteration of environmental rules, turning their area into a true inferno!

Almost the instant the broadcast rang, everyone felt a change. Their bodies suddenly felt heavy, as if bearing an invisible weight—that was the effect of increased gravity. Mobilizing internal energy became obscure and difficult, like sinking into viscous mud. On the distant horizon, the air began to warp unnaturally, faint purple‑black fissures flashing like scars. Farther away, a chorus of monster roars, wilder than before, rose and fell.

"Back to Iron Anvil, quickly!" Chen Mo growled low, the team pressing forward through the suddenly harsh environment, sprinting full‑speed toward the fortress.

The return route grew unusually arduous. The gravity shift made each step drain more stamina, and the energy suppression prevented Chen Mo from frequently using Shadow Step and Energy Shot, while Su Yu's spiritual perception range was severely narrowed. They faced several waves of monsters that the system forcibly catalyzed—eyes blood‑red, recklessly charging without regard for their own injuries. The battles turned brutally fierce, and everyone sustained fresh wounds.

When the familiar, spiked metal walls of the Iron Anvil Fortress finally came into view, everyone exhaled in relief, yet their hearts sank even deeper.

Above the fortress, the blue‑white energy shield was fluctuating violently, its hue shifting erratically, clearly under immense strain. Outside the walls, scattered monsters catalyzed by the "Heaven's Punishment" Protocol were mindlessly battering the defenses, being sliced away by volleys of wall artillery. Yet the greater threat stemmed from the environmental changes themselves.

"Open the gate! It's us!" Makusi's voice came through the wall's loudspeaker, heavy with unprecedented gravity. The alloy gate slowly opened a slit.

Upon entering the fortress, the oppressive atmosphere was almost suffocating. Pedestrians on the streets were few, most hurrying with worried faces. The furnace flames in the workshop district seemed dimmer by a few shades.

Woke and Makusi immediately stepped forward; seeing everyone's disheveled appearance and solemn expressions, answers formed in their minds.

"You really stirred up a hornet's nest..." Makusi chuckled wryly, shaking his head, pointing at the sky, "'Heaven's Punishment' Protocol… damn, this thing is only mentioned in the oldest alert logs; it's one of the system's ultimate measures deployed against massive rebellions!"

Woke's gaze burned as he stared at Chen Mo: "What did you obtain? Anything that can trigger such a fierce system response must be of utmost importance!"

Chen Mo produced the shattered system core fragment. Upon seeing it, Woke's eyes widened instantly, as if he had glimpsed a priceless treasure; he quickly fetched a specially made isolation box and carefully placed the fragment inside.

"A physical fragment of rule code… My god… This could advance our understanding of the 'System' by a huge leap!" Woke's fingers trembled with excitement, but his expression darkened again, "However… under the 'Heaven's Punishment' Protocol, Iron Anvil's energy consumption spikes dramatically, and the shield may not hold for long. Moreover, the rule changes will cause many of our devices to malfunction…"

As if to confirm his worries, a muffled explosion and a gasp echoed from deep within the fortress! It was the energy core sector!

"I'll go check!" Makusi's expression shifted, and he turned and ran.

Chen Mo looked at Woke: "Master, is there any way to counter the 'Heaven's Punishment' Protocol? Or… weaken it?"

Woke furrowed his brows, rapidly calculating on the tablet in his hand: "'Heaven's Punishment' is an embodiment of the system's permissions; direct opposition is almost impossible. Yet… it is not without cost. Such a wide‑scale rule alteration inevitably consumes massive energy and relies on a stronger 'rule anchor' for sustenance. If we could locate the anchor that upholds the 'Heaven's Punishment' in this area and destroy it…"

Just as he spoke, the Primordial Proof in Chen Mo's hand emitted a clear signal again; this time, it pointed not toward a specific direction but… beneath his feet? More precisely, the fortress itself?

Su Yu also seemed to sense something; she closed her eyes, letting her spiritual energy slowly seep downward.

"Below the fortress… there's something…" she murmured, "massive… ancient… it's 'resisting'… resisting the 'Heaven's Punishment' rules… it's… protecting this place…"

Woke, hearing Su Yu's words, was first stunned, then as if recalling something, slapped his head hard: "Right! The foundation of Iron Anvil! This fortress is built upon the wreckage of a Pioneer‑class research vessel Ark, the 'Durable'. The core of the 'Durable'… that half‑melted Reality Stabilizer Anchor… it's still barely operating below! It's offsetting part of the 'Heaven's Punishment' effect!"

Hope reappears!

"Take us to the core!" Chen Mo said immediately.

Led by Woke, they passed through successive guards and entered the deepest part of the fortress, a sector sealed by a massive alloy door. Beyond the door lay a huge compartment; at its center stood a tangled mass resembling a gigantic metal tree root—most of it melted and deformed, yet still flickering with a faint blue arc, emitting a strained low hum. This was the remnants of the 'Reality Stabilizer Anchor'.

At this moment, the Anchor was locked in a fierce clash with the invisible 'Heaven's Punishment' rules; tiny electric sparks burst from its surface intermittently, clearly at its limit.

"It won't hold much longer…" Woke said mournfully.

Chen Mo approached the Anchor and could clearly feel the clash of two massive forces. One was the cold, ruthless system power attempting to subsume everything under its rules; the other was a stubborn, ancient will of guardianship, the last defiant spirit of a civilization.

He lowered his head, glanced at the Primordial Proof in his hand, and sensed once more the power within him that stemmed from the Primordial Blood.

A thought rose in his mind.

He stepped forward, pressed his palm onto the molten metal surface, and gradually infused the power within him that shared the same source as the Primordial Proof.

"Chen Mo! What are you doing? That's too dangerous!" Su Yu shouted.

Woke's eyes widened too, but he soon wore a contemplative expression.

The instant Chen Mo's power touched the Anchor—

"Buzz!!!"

The Anchor jolted violently! The previously weak blue arc suddenly brightened! A stabilization field far stronger than before radiated outward from it, unable to fully dispel the 'Heaven's Punishment' but clearly weakening its rule‑suppressing force. The energy shield above the fortress steadied considerably.

Effective! The power of Primordial Origin can strengthen the Ark's remnants, countering the System's rules!

However, Chen Mo let out a muted groan, his face turning pale as he felt his own power draining rapidly. This confrontation was a huge burden for him as well.

At that moment, Su Yu also stepped forward, placing her hand on the Anchor, merging her pale‑blue spiritual power into it. Her 'Observer' permission seemed to better coordinate the power transmission, easing Chen Mo's strain.

Han Qing, Zhang Yang… all members of the Echo team silently stepped forward, placing their hands on Chen Mo and Su Yu, or on other parts of the Anchor. Their power was slight, but everyone's will converged, forming a faint yet resilient barrier.

Woke watched the scene, his aged eyes a bit moist; he also stepped forward, pressing his calloused hand onto it, drawing upon his lifetime of knowledge to try optimizing the Anchor's output.

The will of Iron Anvil, at this moment, manifested concretely through these unyielding people.

Outside the fortress, 'Heaven's Punishment' still raged. Inside, a flame fueled by Primordial Origin, anchored on the Ark's wreckage, and stoked by everyone's will, burned stubbornly.

The system's backlash is indeed terrifying, but once the spark of resistance is lit, it is hard to extinguish.

Chen Mo lifted his head, and through the thick metal bulkhead, seemed to see the icy 'System' will hanging high above the heavens.

This war is far from over.