Chapter 81: Resonance Overture, the Undercurrent Approaches

The aftereffects of killing a "miniature" Ruin Hunter Dog lingered in the Resonance Camp for several days. Everyone looked at Chen Mo and Hui Jin as if they were witnessing a deity descend, and even Kaiwen's "microwave‑radio bastard" became considerably more appealing.

"Did you see that? Technology changes destiny!" Kaiwen strutted as if walking sideways, bragging to anyone he caught about how crucial his jammer was, though anyone with eyes could tell that it was ultimately Chen Mo and Hui Jin's "metaphysics bo" that solved it.

Chen Mo had no time for that; he and Hui Jin plunged headfirst into studying that "rule Resonance" state. After a few days, both had lost a layer of flesh, but their eyes shone terrifyingly bright.

"No, it's still lacking something," Hui Jin massaged his throbbing temples, the Pure Fire at his fingertips alternately coalescing and dispersing, "Last time it was an emergency outburst; now we're deliberately simulating it, and it always feels a layer away."

Chen Mo felt the same. In that state, his Primordial Origin rule and Hui Jin's Pure Fire seemed to undergo a marvelous chemical reaction, magnifying their power, yet in hindsight it was like seeing flowers in fog—hard to grasp the essence.

"It's like resonating with the same piece of music, but we haven't found a score to play together," Chen Mo analogized.

Su Yu entered carrying two bowls of Ning Shen Grass tea, and laughed at the remark, "Then just practice more; skill comes with familiarity. It's certainly stronger than each of us playing our own tune before."

The comment was indeed practical. Even without actively achieving that deep Resonance, merely the basic coordination of rules and Pure Fire fortified the camp's Definition Firewall by more than one tier and reduced its consumption. This gave them more energy to devote to other matters.

For example, analyzing the massive data Kaiwen copied from the Rust Eroded Canyon observation station.

This task was chiefly handled by Li Siwen and the partially recovered Han Qing. Han Qing's calm and tactical mind complemented Li Siwen's meticulous logic. After several sleepless days of sorting, they presented a shocking discovery.

"Captain, look at this," Li Siwen turned the terminal screen toward Chen Mo, showing a complex relational diagram and some fragmented communication logs, "Inside the Ark, there are indeed serious disagreements, one could even say… a split."

The diagram clearly showed that the military units clashing with the Resonance Camp and nearby survivors were mainly those belonging to the "Purification Faction." The dangerous Ruin experiments were conducted by another research department called the "Evolution Faction." The two sides were in fierce competition over resources and ideology.

"More importantly," Han Qing pointed to the decrypted content of an encrypted communication, "the 'Evolution Faction' appears to be secretly carrying out a project called 'Prometheus,' aimed at… 'actively guiding and controlling a small‑scale Ruin tide.'"

"They're crazy?!" Kaiwen, who had just entered, heard this and instantly flared up, "A Ruin tide?! Can that thing even be 'guided'? If it's mishandled, the entire area could be erased at the rule level! Are they trying to drag everyone into a collective end?!"

Chen Mo's expression grew solemn: "What's the goal? What do they intend to do with that power?"

Li Siwen pulled up another document: "Based on fragmented intel, they may intend to use the Ruin tide's power to forcibly 'purify' all unstable 'low‑entropy perturbation bodies'—that is, us survivors and the internal 'Purification Faction'—and then, on a wholly 'pure' wasteland, reshape order according to their ideals."

The office fell into dead silence. This was even more terrifying than the Ark simply wanting to eliminate them; it was a bunch of idealistic lunatics wielding dangerous technology!

"We must stop them!" Su Yu declared resolutely.

"The problem is, how to stop them?" Zhang Yang scratched his head, "We don't even know where their old lair is."

"Here," Han Qing marked a spot on the map. It was a vast area known as the 'Silent Plain,' once the site of a massive radio‑telescope array in the old era. "Multiple indirect clues and energy‑flow analyses point there; the core facilities of the 'Prometheus' project are likely hidden beneath that ruin."

The objective was clear, but the pressure grew. They would no longer face scattered outposts, but likely a heavily guarded main base equipped with terrifying technology.

"We need more forces," Chen Mo said gravely, "We alone aren't enough."

The previously silent Wang Hu suddenly spoke in a hoarse, guttural tone, "Up north… the people of the 'Stone Hammer' tribe, we encountered them a few days ago while hunting; they were also robbed by the white‑clad ones… and lost lives."

The Stone Hammer tribe is a nearby mid‑size survivor group renowned for hunting and forging, with a fierce demeanor.

"Also the 'Water Ghost Gang' in the eastern marshes," Zhang Yang added, "Those guys are slippery but well‑informed, and they've had conflicts with the Ark as well."

Han Qing nodded, "We can try to make contact. Even if we can't coordinate actions, at least we can exchange intel and distract the Ark."

At that moment, Kaiwen let out a surprised "eh" and pointed to an almost invisible data node on the relational diagram marked 'destroyed': "This thing… I think I've seen a similar low‑level code structure somewhere before…"

He lunged to his console, his hands flying over the keyboard, pulling up an extremely ancient, fragmented code snippet. "This is… I dug this out of deep junk files in the Qingrang Ecological Station database, didn't pay attention at the time… Look at this logic loop!"

Li Siwen leaned over to look, his complexion shifting slightly, "It bears resemblance to the architecture of the 'Prometheus' project's core module! But it's even… older and more stable."

Chen Mo's mind sparked, "Qingrang… Luo Ya civilization… Could the Ark's 'Evolution Faction' be trying to restore and warp Luo Ya technology that resists the Ruin?"

The speculation sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the know. Using the concept of a guardian shield to forge a slaughtering sword?

"Perhaps… we can start from this angle," Su Yu mused, "If we can locate a more complete Luo Ya Legacy, we might uncover a weakness in the 'Prometheus' project and even… turn their equipment against them."

Hope seemed to gain another path, yet the road ahead remained riddled with thorns.

After the meeting, Chen Mo walked alone to the edge of the test field. The potatoes had sprouted pale‑purple flowers, and the scent of Ning Shen Grass grew richer. He crouched, his fingers gently brushing the tender petals, feeling the faint yet resilient life force within.

Su Yu silently approached his side.

"Feeling a lot of pressure?" she asked softly.

Chen Mo didn't turn, his gaze still fixed on the blossoms, "Hmm. The opponent becomes clearer and more terrifying. It feels like pushing an ever‑growing stone; a slight slip and you'd be crushed to dust."

"But beyond the stone, there could be a better place, right?" Su Yu also crouched, standing beside him, looking at the green, "At least now we know where the stone is, how to apply force, and we have a group willing to push the stone together."

Chen Mo turned his head, gazing at Su Yu's side profile softened by moonlight; the weight in his heart seemed to lift a bit. He smiled, plucked a tiny potato flower, and tucked it into Su Yu's hair.

"You're right."

"No matter how big the stone, it still has to be pushed."

"And also…" He stood, looking toward the Silent Plain, his eyes reigniting with resolve, "Who crushes whom, it's still uncertain."

At that moment, Kaiwen shouted and sprinted over clutching the terminal, "Captain! Captain! Look! That ancient code hides a coordinate! A coordinate that was encrypted multiple times and nearly completely overwritten! It points… points south! To a region marked on old maps as a 'high‑radiation zone'!"

A new clue quietly emerged amid the fresh crisis.

South, radiation zone, hidden Luo Ya relics?

Or another dangerous trap?

The Resonance Camp's journey has once again added unpredictable variables. Yet, whatever happens, they have no choice but to keep moving along this road riddled with thorns and hope.