Chapter 302: Tiangu Tower

"Indeed, this isn't just a simple butler." Kiki landed from the air and stood beside Lin Xian.

Before Kiki's words had even faded, Grace rose from the thick smoke, her holographic projection flickering rapidly before reforming into the likeness of Chu Yan, her tone still cold and flat.

"You have agreed to negotiations and received the terms. Please leave immediately. The zero Su hive is connected to the Tiangu Tower's mycelial root system; a fire would trigger an uncontrollable explosive combustion. According to calculations, your survival rate is 0%."

As if affected by Ning Jing's previous punch, Grace's facial defense shell slightly dented and cracked. Yet Lin Xian and Ning Jing both frowned at the sight—Lin Xian knew the sheer power of Ning Jing's "Strong Queen" punch, capable of shattering the skull of a Winged Demon outright, yet it had barely damaged this robot's face. How incredibly hard was this material?

The mechanical glow in Lin Xian's eyes slowly dimmed. He had already seized control of all of Grace's power components, leaving only the most complex quantum computing core. He tried to touch it—immediately, the mechanical scan vanished like a stone sinking into the sea, leaving him with a sense of helplessness.

Indeed, the greatest productivity isn't the engine—it's the processor. Lin Xian sighed inwardly. But as long as he controlled Grace's entire power system, the robot's threat had diminished greatly. He was now deeply curious about its manufacturing process—it didn't seem to be a product of the Interstellar Military.

"Tell me your Protocol Four, and I'll leave." Lin Xian knew full well that everyone in the survival pods was connected to the mycelial roots, so he'd deliberately let Huo Ge test the waters. Seeing Grace's reaction, he spoke up.

Grace mechanically turned her head, as if puzzled, and looked at Lin Xian.

"Protocol Four: All defense systems of the zero Su center deactivate when the intruder is human. Activate the 'Compromise' protocol: provide all resources through negotiation to secure survival opportunities for Deep Red members."

"Lin Brother, it seems your guess was right." Lu Xingchen clapped his hands and walked over.

"The 'Compromise' protocol is just the final plea for mercy," Ding Junyi spoke up. "This place's security is so tight—those attacks outside were definitely her doing. But you used your mechanical ability to bypass the main gates and corridors directly. From the AI's perspective, there's no other way to stop us, so she's helpless."

Lin Xian nodded: "Better safe than sorry. This place is clearly a secret sanatorium. Let's not waste time. Ning Jie, Bai Bai, Luo Yang."

He turned to Ning Jing: "We split into three groups. You three take the transport train and follow this route to inspect. Kiki, Huo Ge—you take the backup access tunnel above, then return to the train and have the combined train reverse into the freight station entrance. We need to get out of Yijin City as soon as possible. Otherwise, we'll be stuck underground until the next mycelial surge. Thirty hours in the polar night? Anything could happen. Let's leave early and avoid trouble."

Ning Jing nodded: "Alright, let's do it!"

"Wait, what about you?" Kiki, hearing Lin Xian's plan, couldn't help asking.

"I'll stay here with Director Ding to keep an eye on Grace and be ready to support you." Lin Xian said.

The underground facility and this intelligent robot butler with the mysterious woman's face left Lin Xian uneasy, so he decided to stay—first to scan any usable equipment here, second to use his mechanical ability to restrain Grace and see if he could "recruit" this butler onto the Infinite.

Kiki nodded solemnly: "Alright, be careful. I'll go find Sister Chen and the others."

After finalizing the plan, Ning Jing immediately set off with Bai Bai and Luo Yang, taking the password device to first clear the secret rail route, then confirm the locations of the permanent storage depots along the way. If the combined train got trapped underground, those depots' supplies would be vital for resupply.

Meanwhile, Kiki and Huo Ge took the special elevator Grace indicated, ascending steadily. Unlike their descent to the fifth basement level of the pharmaceutical conglomerate, this elevator rose over ten floors before reaching ground level. Above them, a circular automatic door slowly opened, spilling down a torrent of sand and soil. As the elevator rose, they realized they were inside a bank vault.

But the vault was in ruins—decayed, rotting banknotes mixed with mycelial sludge. Even the bolts securing the vault door had been pried loose. Piles of cash lay untouched.

Kiki activated her psychic barrier, lifting Huo Ge as they flew out of the bank through a haze of brown-yellow spores. Outside the street, everything was dim yellow.

"Such thick spore mist!"

"Yijin Bank…" Kiki glanced at the faded sign, then checked her phone's map. "This should be Puzhong Square, the center of Yijin. I remember there used to be a tall TV observation tower here."

Gazing at the thick fog, Kiki's face filled with worry. To orient herself, she simply grabbed Lu Xingchen and soared straight upward. As surrounding buildings vanished, a massive tower silhouette appeared in view.

Kiki flew swiftly toward it—but as they drew closer, the more something felt wrong.

At the center of Puzhong Square stood the 468-meter Yijin TV Observation Tower, entirely entwined in mycelial vines. Its steel frame was covered in reddish-brown mycelium, pulsing like veins, releasing fluorescent pulses every few breaths, transmitting bioelectric signals across the entire city's mycelial carpet. From afar, it looked like a bizarre alien tree.

Kiki and Lu Xingchen looked down—and their faces turned pale.

"What… what is this?"

Where the square had once been, over a hundred thousand human-mycelium hybrids were tightly stacked into a human-mycelium root mound. Their lower spines fused with the ground mycelial carpet; their entire bodies' mycelia wove into a single root network, countless strands converging upward, densely entangled around the TV tower like petrified, corrupted tree roots.

"It's like a demon realm from another world," Lu Xingchen said grimly.

"This must be the Tiangu Tower Grace mentioned—maybe even the core of the Star Abyss mycelium!"

Kiki, seeing this, shot upward immediately. Soon, the surrounding spore mist thinned slightly—but the higher they climbed, the darker the vision became, until the TV tower nearly vanished from sight.

"Why can't I see anything?" Kiki looked around. The faint glow of the nightlight fungi had disappeared. Logically, higher up should reveal the city's outline.

She turned her head—and saw Lu Xingchen staring upward, his face grim. Kiki looked up too—and in the next instant, her pupils contracted sharply, her expression turning to shock.

Hundreds of meters above, it wasn't dark clouds—it was a colossal, sky-obscuring fungal cap.

Looking up, the cap stretched at least two kilometers in diameter. Its reddish-brown folds rippled like ocean waves, sending out ripples with every gust. Each fold contained billions of spore sacs, releasing torrents of spore rain in rhythm with the ripples, emitting eerie humming sounds.

The Canopy of Heaven.

Kiki stared, eyes wide, mouth agape: "So… so big a mushroom."

"This is a man-eating mushroom, feeding on humans as nutrients—like a demon!" Lu Xingchen exclaimed in awe.

Kiki looked down at the spore mist, recalling the countless human-mycelium hybrids, then grabbed Lu Xingchen and flew toward the Infinite, muttering: "They've all become fertilizer. And those Deep Red members still dream of parasitizing the mycelial network for eternal life? What fools."

As the two flew beyond the giant fungal cap's range, Lu Xingchen turned back, his eyes filled with complex emotion.

On Ning Jing's side, she, Bai Bai, and Luo Yang were speeding the underground rail train along the hidden route.

The train rumbled through the tunnel, darkness swallowing everything except the train's piercing headlights.

"The deeper underground, the fewer mycelial roots. Clearly, evacuating via the rail is the only option!"

Ning Jing's face was grim. Had they not learned the mycelial activity cycle from Grace, their attempt to clear obstacles and lay new tracks would've been suicide—triggering the Star Abyss mycelium's consumption, and if the polar night drew hordes of strange entities, the entire combined train would have no chance of survival.

"Good thing these mycelia don't emit Dark Markers. Otherwise, it'd be worse," Luo Yang nodded.

"You're right. I suspect these mycelia are a semi-plant, semi-organic form, capable of producing substances for strange entities to consume," Ning Jing said seriously. "In that case, it's essentially a giant beacon."

As she spoke, she glanced back at Bai Bai—and finally understood why Bai Bai said he could sense the presence from all directions. The entire Yijin City was one vast mycelial network.

In the zero Su center, Lin Xian had Ding Junyi scan the surveillance hub for useful data, while he controlled Grace to investigate the surroundings.

"My mechanical motion components seem externally restricted—this appears to be an unknown control-type ability."

Grace stood still, her body trembling slightly, her elevated toes constantly adjusting balance.

A faint mechanical glow flickered in Lin Xian's eyes as he turned to study the robot butler, a masterpiece of engineering. In 2035, the Blue Star Federation enacted the 【Humanoid Robot Control Ordinance】, banning anthropomorphic design in service robots due to ethical and social concerns. After its passage, stocks of all humanoid robot companies plummeted, factories collapsed, and every domestic and service robot was recalled.

Since then, all humanoid robots on the market—except prosthetics—were designed as pure industrial machinery. Whether mechs or powered armor, functionality was the sole priority.

But Grace was a full humanoid robot—her body modeled after a ballerina's graceful form. Her breasts, waist, and elevated toes served no mechanical purpose. This robot was designed purely for aesthetics, in direct violation of the ordinance.

But the problem was—based on her earlier actions, this robot butler possessed formidable combat strength. Her body was made of a material Lin Xian had never seen: "Ultra-Firm Carbon Condensate Alloy." It could be forged into such supple curves while offering immense energy absorption and rigidity—utterly terrifying.

"Who made you? Do you have a human prototype?"

Lin Xian asked Grace.

"I lack information on this matter and cannot answer. If you find my holographic appearance unsuitable, you may authorize me to change or disable the hologram."

"How many people are in this underground research facility? Who are they? What's the plan? Surely you know that?"

"Apologies." Grace's joints strained violently, resisting Lin Xian's mechanical control. "I cannot disclose such information. My duty is to protect the hive center and Deep Red members."

Lin Xian looked at her: "What if this place is gone?"

As Deep Red No. 3 AI, offline version, my quantum volume is 8192, or (2^{13}) computational power. But I have never undergone 'human-in-the-loop' learning. I lack judgment on human emotions, lies, sentimentality, or strategy. I deduce you intend to take me as a trophy. Ha. Ha.

Lin Xian frowned: "So what will you do about it?"

Grace's mechanical eyes locked onto Lin Xian: "Since your entry into the Deep Red Pharma Building, I have implemented the following measures: activated all accessible door locks, released laboratory prisoners, electrified the atrium giant mycelium, activated the zero Su center defense system—all failed. Based on your assessment, my success rate in simultaneously protecting the zero Su center and eliminating you is now infinitesimally below 1%. Taking me will be seen as violating my core protocol to protect the zero Su center and Deep Red members. I will resist. If the zero Su center and Deep Red members are destroyed—meaning my duty is nullified—I will enter sleep mode, awaiting recovery."

"So all that was you," Lin Xian's gaze turned icy as he scanned Grace. He felt utterly at a loss.

He couldn't scan or control her quantum AI brain. After thinking it over, he could only hope Kiki could overwrite her system and bring her aboard. Such immense computational power could solve most of the train's problems—and she had formidable combat strength. This kind of asset was far more valuable than mere supplies.

"Lin Xian."

At that moment, Ding Junyi's voice came through: "Come look."

Lin Xian walked over. Ding Junyi was operating a computer in the surveillance center, her Black Hawk armor's connector plugged in, rapidly pulling up massive volumes of data.

"Look," Ding Junyi pointed at the screen, displaying individual profiles and vital signs of each occupant in the survival pods.

"About 60% of these people are already brain-dead. But their bodies maintain temperature and metabolism due to external cardiopulmonary and oxygen circulation."

"Brain-dead?" Lin Xian frowned. "Is that what she meant by consciousness upload?"

"I don't know if consciousness was uploaded. But their brain tissue has undergone protein denaturation."

Ding Junyi spoke calmly, instinctively reaching to cross her arms—then remembered she was in the Black Hawk armor, her hands sliding uselessly along her waist. She simply shoved them into Lin Xian's pocket.

"What's protein denaturation?" Lin Xian asked.

Ding Junyi looked at him: "It means their brains are boiled."

Lin Xian: "..."

"The human brain is like a Jingmi biological processor. The more intense the computation, the more it overheats. Remember how we were hallucinated in that hall? Faster brain computation creates more realistic scenes and makes time feel faster." Ding Junyi said. "Two hours is enough to overload the brains and psychic energy of several Kuangbao -level abilities to unbearable pain. Imagine."

Lin Xian's gaze drifted to the hive pit beneath the glass wall: "So these people hoped to use the mycelium's properties to enter a hallucinatory sleep—but they likely burned their brains out?"

Ding Junyi shrugged, her tone heavy: "If your brain maintains a pleasure intensity ten times that of sex for five seconds, you'll be ecstatic. But if it lasts five minutes..."

Lin Xian frowned involuntarily. Ding Junyi's analogy sent a chill down his spine.

He turned back to Grace: "Is this your idea of security? People are already dead."

Grace remained expressionless, her mechanical voice calm: "I've said before—I view death differently. Consciousness is the core of life; any body is merely a vessel. The human brain, as a consciousness vessel, cannot handle higher computational loads. Replacing the vessel is no different from me replacing my quantum computer hardware. My duty is to protect the physical safety of Deep Red members. Their consciousness cores within the Star Abyss mycelial network fall outside my jurisdiction. Strictly speaking, they are intruders."

"Huh?" Lin Xian was momentarily confused: "So you mean as long as their bodies are alive, it's fine?"

"You can understand it that way. My programming dictates this protocol."

Ding Junyi pulled her hand from Lin Xian's pocket and spoke gravely.

"I understand her meaning. Logically, it's sound."

She looked at Lin Xian: "Digital life via consciousness upload is replication, not resurrection. In biology, this has always been ethically controversial. Research into digital life is strictly regulated."

"Why?" Lin Xian asked.

"Because if you upload your consciousness into another body before death, you yourself are already dead. You won't wake up again. The uploaded consciousness is merely your 'heir.' Let me give you an example: if I copy your consciousness into a clone identical to you, but you're still alive, now there are two of you. Which one is your consciousness heir—and which one is a new person?"

Ding Junyi looked at Grace: "So from her perspective, the replicated consciousness doesn't belong to the Deep Red members under her jurisdiction. Logically, this is entirely correct."

"Yes," Grace replied mechanically.

Lin Xian nodded slowly, his expression somber. He understood Ding Junyi's point: "So those people lying there—no one knows if they'll ever wake up. The Deep Red world doesn't even know if this plan works. They just discovered the mycelium's properties, packaged it as 'eternal life,' and tricked rich people into becoming test subjects."

"Probably," Ding Junyi said. "Maybe their consciousnesses truly exist in the mycelial network—but this form of existence..."

"The flesh is weak, the consciousness ascends. If true, it might be a way to escape the apocalypse," Lin Xian said.

"Alright, you're right."

Lin Xian exhaled, letting out a quiet laugh: "But if not for the mycelium's complications, I'd burn it all down. Might even get a few fake sarira pearls to feed the Hell Black Chrysanthemums."

Boom.

Suddenly, a faint tremor echoed through the zero Su center. Lin Xian's eyes sharpened. "The combined train's arrived. Let's go see."

Having spoken, Lin Xian turned and walked out with Ding Junyi.

But he had taken only two steps when a strange voice suddenly came from behind.

"Lin Xian, you absolutely must not leave the city at this time. I advise you to lie low underground and wait for the next mycelial activity cycle before departing."

Lin Xian stopped and turned around sharply; Grace stood five meters away, her head's holographic projection of Chu Yan fixing him with a steady gaze.

"The corpse drivers of Star Abyss No. 5 appeared in this region during the last tidal cycle. If you act rashly and acquire the Dark Mark, you'll attract them—and you won't escape!"

"What did you say?!" Lin Xian's eyes widened in shock—not just at the information about the corpse drivers, but more so because he now felt Grace didn't seem like a machine at all.

Yet no sooner had he spoken than Grace looked at him with confusion, then reverted to her earlier mechanical, cold female voice.

"I don't understand your meaning. Do you need me to repeat my views on death?"

"Didn't you just tell me about the corpse drivers of Star Abyss No. 5?"

Grace fell silent for a moment, then said: "I detected a keyword-triggered voice command within a system circuit. The instruction was generated 6 hours and 12 minutes ago. The information has been erased. I classify it as malicious intrusion. To ensure system security, I must perform a system reboot."

Hiss.

As she spoke, Grace's facial hologram rapidly faded, and all her mechanical units ceased operation. Lin Xian's mechanical ability detected that she had entered reboot mode.

"What was that just now?" Ding Junyi walked over, puzzled.

Lin Xian frowned, his mind racing.

Six hours and twelve minutes ago, someone implanted a trigger command into Grace—and that voice command was clearly addressed to Lin Xian, meaning the message was meant for him alone.

In other words, someone knew six hours ago that Lin Xian would come here.

But six hours ago, Lin Xian was asleep in the Nightfall Infinite Carriage!

(End of Chapter)