Chapter 396: Curtain-Breaking Device! (10,000)

16:50 in the afternoon, one hour and 7 minutes left until the dark night descends.

The sky was gloomy with intermittent thunderstorms. The various entry passages of Dawn City's No. 1 Wall had already turned into a pot of boiling molten steel.

More than half of the fleets that originally wanted to leave the city had already turned back. Many queuing fleets, forced by the critical situation, had to return to the gathering place again. The danger of leaving the city and rushing in the dark was increasing as time passed.

The passages at the city wall checkpoints in the south, north, and west directions were completely open. Hundreds of thousands of disaster victims from the outer city poured into the city like a tide. The crowd was dense and dark. These survivors stationed in the outer city had a madness for survival burning in their eyes. The dense daily attacks had made them extremely sensitive and fearful. At this moment, the changes in Dawn City, coupled with the spread of information about the Star Abyss crisis, left these people with no choice but to swarm into the city, wanting to obtain the protection of the high walls.

The ragged city streets in the outer city gradually became desolate and bleak. The rain began to get heavier. The original camps and shelters began to be empty, and waste and garbage filled the dilapidated and bloody streets, constantly being washed by the rain.

In the outermost suburbs, there were still some fleets busy packing up their equipment, and the roar of doomsday vehicles was constant.

On the high wall of the No. 1 Wall, tens of thousands of Garrison troops were fully armed. In the guard towers, soldiers held binoculars and looked at the dense crowd like ants below the hundred-meter high wall, which was congested for several kilometers.

At the city gate sluice, Garrison soldiers and various mechs were ready for battle. Every person entering the city had to undergo a dark mark test.

*Beep, beep, beep. *

"Level 1 mark, take them away for isolation!"

"No, my daughter is only... please, I beg you!" a man wearing glasses pleaded.

"As long as there is one mark, a crisis will appear in the entire city. We will also have armed protection in the isolation zone, so please cooperate." The Garrison soldiers shouted to maintain order.

"Then I'll go with her!"

The father didn't hesitate to pick up his daughter, hurriedly handed his luggage to his wife and other companions, and was then taken away by the Garrison amidst his wife's cries.

Under the doomsday, no one knew if this hasty parting would be a final farewell.

Crowded, noisy, crying, the roar of car engines—the several entry passages were like a Shura field at this moment.

The hundred-meter-tall doomsday giant wall was like a city wonder, completely surrounding the entire Dawn City. Every 500 meters, two barrels of the "Thor's Hammer" 120mm electromagnetic railguns stood menacingly. When charging, blue light slithered between the rifling like thunder snakes. As base-mounted weapons, these electromagnetic railguns were several times more powerful than the G-3 electromagnetic railguns. The densely arranged Great Wall-50 base rail-artillery array fired 210mm self-loading damage-inflicting howitzers, with rainwater flowing beneath the pitch-black muzzles.

In addition, various types of heavy artillery, automatic cannons, 1130s, as well as ultra-high-temperature plasma beams on the city wall defense line, large pulse string vibrators, firearm passages, countless isolation nets, plus heavy weapon guard towers built every 500 meters in the outer city, iron wall isolation belts, as well as the air defense network like a sky screen laid out in the city, underground missile systems, and pulse laser sky arrays jointly constructed Dawn City's steel defense line.

The streets of the old city had long since turned into a steel jungle. A large number of doomsday armored vehicles blocked the streets and alleys tightly. Defense nets were pulled everywhere. City streets, buildings, windows, and doors were set up in defensive formations by survivors using various long and short guns.

The atmosphere of tension and fear spread as night approached. On the internal network, it was filled with various negative and desperate news.

【Three Star Abyss encirclements and swallowings, has the doomsday of Dawn City arrived?】

【The dissolution of the Federation government must be related to the Deep Red World. The underground city can't stop the dark night at all, and the high officials are all running away!】

【Many large fleets have run away, and the rest have nowhere to go. What should we do?】

【My god, someone with a Level 5 mark was found in the isolation belt outside the city. It is said that a sky monster appeared near Star Abyss No. 7. It must be S-level!】

【Our world is finished.】

【Everyone unite, hold on through tonight, and we can transfer tomorrow!】

In the Gallagher Black Market alley, Lin Xian's group looked at the chaotic crowd in the surrounding streets, all with solemn expressions.

"The expansion of the extreme night is intensifying. I'm afraid Jinhai will be the first to be affected." Xiang Xiang Ningjing said to Lin Xian at this moment.

Lin Xian immediately said to Xiang Xiang Ningjing: "Sister Jing, you and Qian Dele contact Jinhai, let the United Train and the Firmament Train prepare tonight, and drive into Dawn City at dawn. Now that the Federation is dissolved, no one is in charge of us."

"The communication nodes between Dawn City and Jinhai are controlled by the Federation. They should be in the hands of the Garrison now. Our information may not be able to be sent." Jiang Yun said at this moment.

"Then we'll fly back." Qian Dele said seriously: "There are always more solutions than difficulties. If we don't bring the trains, so many people won't be able to transfer."

Xiang Xiang Ningjing nodded and then said to Lin Xian: "Lin Dui, don't worry, I will think of a way with Qian Dele."

"I'll go handle the Star City Orbital Station and the Silver Star." Jiang Yun also said immediately: "The United Train wants to come in, plus we need to defend. With so many of us, we need a large stronghold."

"Good." Lin Xian looked at Lu Xingchen and Mo Nika: "Then Brother Huo and Mo Nika go assist Jiang Yun and Director Jian and the others. As for the infiltration here, it will just be me, Kiki, Shizhi, and Zhou's people."

"No problem." Mo Nika hugged her chest, her tone quite serious at this moment.

"Don't worry, Brother Lin."

Mo Nika and Lu Xingchen were both experts in large-scale combat. Lin Xian figured that the situation at the Star City Orbital Station might be very complicated. If Jiang Yun took people to confront and seize the vehicle, bringing these two would be more certain.

Seeing Lin Xian's arrangement, Jiang Yun also nodded: "That works too. Then wait for my signal. If there are changes, return to the previous apartment building first. If successful, everyone will rendezvous at the orbital station. There shouldn't be any other survivors there except for the people from the Wen family and Zhou Mingyuan. The large train team will withdraw quickly. Now I estimate only the Silver Star hidden by the Wen family is left."

"Lin Dui, Chu Yan's side and the Night Walker Team Qi are also synchronizing with us." Zhou Jin pointed to the huge underground strategic works passage map of Dawn City that looked like a spider web: "It's best for us to find the important areas separately. Now we are racing against time. In addition to finding the curtain-breaking device, we also need to find the person who connects the mycelium. This person shouldn't be an ordinary person. In addition..."

He said, looking at Lin Xian: "There is also the defense control hub of Dawn City."

Lin Xian said in a deep voice: "Worried that the Deep Red World will control the city's weapons and point the guns at the survivors and the Iron Guard Brigade?"

"Not excluding this possibility. The Federation Council is dissolved. We are not sure who holds the main control of the AI hub. Our Phoenix Society wants to receive Dawn City, and this control must be obtained." Zhou Jin said.

"Then let's act quickly."

Lin Xian immediately arranged for everyone to start acting. Xiang Xiang Ningjing, Qian Dele, Mo Nika, and Brother Huo left with Jiang Yun.

Lin Xian took Kiki, Shizhi, and Zhou Jin's special squad from the underground parking lot of an abandoned building. He directly released dozens of construction drones to perform ground cutting at specific locations, dug out a passage of several meters, and soon drilled to the concrete dome of a large underground works. Then Lin Xian manipulated the drones to cut open a passage directly. A dark void appeared below, and a large military tunnel appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Good guy, your mechanical ability is really heaven-defying for infiltration missions."

The few special squad members beside Zhou Jin were all dumbfounded. The female scout Xiao Yan couldn't help but complain at this moment.

"Is it that mechanical structure defense doors or specific devices are just like nothing to you?" Information expert Li Su asked at this moment.

"Don't talk too much." Zhou Jin scolded in a deep voice, and the few immediately put away their curious tone.

"There are quite a few monitoring and detection devices below here, but I've handled them."

Just as Lin Xian was about to release drones for reconnaissance, a fierce air-piercing sound instantly sounded from the passage below, like a high-speed maglev rail vehicle rushing past. The light flashed and disappeared, followed by the spraying airflow rushing straight out of the hole.

"Be careful, this is a high-speed transport network below." Zhou Jin said at this moment: "This is the highest-level permanent works. Various types of missiles, space-based weapons, and strategic materials can all travel through this network underground. What we see now is still the top layer."

"The transport device that just passed by should be the Federation still dispatching and operating."

Lin Xian sent out drones for lighting reconnaissance with one hand, and began to manufacture suspension ladders with the other, then asked Shizhi: "Did you notice anything unusual?"

Shizhi shook her head.

"That's good."

Then Lin Xian was the first to climb down the excavated passage from the ladder, and then jumped down.

Instantly, a cold and dry breath rushed toward him. The lights unfolded, and what appeared in his sight was a large sealed tunnel, metal structure, with two special maglev connection tracks on the ground. The top of the passage had an advanced axial flow ventilation system, and various dense pipes occupied both sides of the wall. In addition, this permanent works was also full of a large number of fire-fighting systems, all operating automatically.

"There is an underground fixed works nearest to here, enough to accommodate two thousand people in wartime, which is considered a hub system." Lin Xian looked at the time: "Team Zhou, leave that to you. I'll go directly into the Star City Inner Port. These monitors are relatively easy for me to handle."

Zhou Jin nodded and checked the time with Lin Xian: "Good, Chu Yan's squad is at the Twin Towers, they should rendezvous with you in a moment. As long as we connect to the underground hub system, we are likely to find clues. Keep in touch."

After speaking, Zhou Jin took the special squad and left from the step passage beside the passage toward the direction of the A-point fixed works.

There are nearly 10 such works in the entire underground network. Now the clues on Wen Hui and Zhou Mingyuan's side are broken. This underground works is likely the cooperation venue for the Vanguard Plan and the Deep Red World, and it also provides a fast passage for Lin Xian and others to enter the inner city. So now Lin Xian, Zhou Jin, Chu Yan, and Qi Nuo can only act separately, first find a way to hack into the underground information network. If it doesn't work, they can only search carpet-style, and finally concentrate on the Starport and No. 1 Underground City.

After Zhou Jin's squad left, Lin Xian took Kiki and Shizhi to a corner of the passage.

"Are you trying to intercept a transport vehicle?" Kiki asked at this moment.

"Catch a ride." Lin Xian pointed to the direction: "The direction of this passage is to enter the inner port. There will be three turning nodes on the way. If we are lucky, we can go directly to the Starport."

Kiki nodded: "I thought you wanted me to take you flying over?"

"That's not safe." Lin Xian said: "I can't possibly take out all the monitors. In a moment, when another train passes, you take me and Shizhi to follow."

After speaking, Lin Xian raised his hand, and in the Black Star Forge space, three sets of standard Federation tactical power armor used by the Garrison appeared.

"Put these on. First, to cover our tracks, and second, to avoid injury."

"Hmm." Kiki knew Lin Xian's consideration was very thorough. At this moment, she and Shizhi immediately put on the power armor. All three sets of power armor were men's styles. Kiki and Shizhi felt a bit empty wearing them, but fortunately, there was an adaptive lining inside, which could be adjusted. From the outside, it was impossible to tell.

*Whoo! *

At this moment, the air-piercing sound sounded again in the distance of the dark passage. Kiki immediately grabbed the three of them with telekinesis and began to accelerate along the edge of the tunnel.

Soon, a bright light arrived swiftly. Kiki gritted her teeth and rushed forward suddenly. The three of them immediately adhered to the side panel of the maglev transport vehicle. Then Lin Xian took a look, and this was indeed an unmanned transport rail vehicle. There was no one on it, and there was no cargo, just traveling through the tunnel at a very high speed.

The three entered the rail vehicle. Kiki opened the power armor map and found that this transport vehicle was indeed traveling toward the inner city and did not turn.

"No cargo. Is it transporting something from the inside out?"

"It's possible." Lin Xian said at this moment: "The No. 1 Wall is now concentrating on preparing for war. This should be a weapons and ammunition transport line. Of course, it doesn't exclude other functions..."

"This... the dark aura is very heavy." Shizhi, who had been very quiet, spoke at this moment: "Much thicker than outside."

"Is it because of the darkness?" Lin Xian frowned and asked.

"I'm not sure, but it's a bit more than other places in the tunnel and the darkness."

Lin Xian raised his head and looked at the pitch-black passage. In the underground works map given by Zhou Jin, this underground network extended as far as the Qilian Mountains and Pingcheng, and it was connected to some underground traffic tracks between cities, but they were all in a blocked state in peacetime, and even more so now. Dawn City even blocked the city's underground tracks, so where did this thick dark aura come from?

A few minutes later, the maglev rail train seemed to start to decelerate. Lin Xian could see some lights in the passage. From the map, they had already entered the inner city.

Sensing that they had entered the internal area, Lin Xian let Kiki take him and Shizhi away from the rail train. The three followed the step passage and walked into a mechanized loading platform.

Instantly, a highly confidential reserve works appeared before the eyes of the few. Countless drones and loading robotic arms were loading ammunition boxes, various types of weapons and equipment, and even large missiles were being hoisted onto the rail vehicles of the transport sequence.

On the platform, there were about dozens of armed sentries patrolling, but these sentries were all wearing standard tactical power armor just like Lin Xian and the others.

This was actually the paint job Lin Xian obtained by scanning Zhou Mingyuan's guards when Zhou Mingyuan visited Mochizuki Shinji at the Silent City. Today, after discovering the underground passage at the recruitment assembly, he started the construction sequence to manufacture this tactical power armor, with the purpose of infiltration.

However, this was Lin Xian's first time performing such an infiltration mission. Facing those heavily armed troops, he was somewhat nervous. Just as Lin Xian was about to take the opportunity to mix in, Kiki suddenly pulled him.

"Garrison power armor has an identification system. Wait for me."

Lin Xian was startled. He hadn't thought of this point.

And at this moment, Kiki was using the mobile terminal to operate quickly, and soon registered a virtual establishment signal for the three people's power armor based on the sentry signals on the platform at this time, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Done."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure." Kiki said seriously: "If you are worried, I can stun them all."

"Handle these dozens, how to solve the tens of thousands above?" Lin Xian was speechless, then straightened his back, learned to hold the pulse infantry rifle in his hand diagonally like those sentries, and said to Kiki and Shizhi: "You two follow me closely."

"Good." Both answered at the same time.

Then Lin Xian took a deep breath. Following a patrol squad, he stepped out from the darkness. Shizhi followed nervously. Lin Xian walked a few steps and looked back, then immediately said: "Shizhi, take bigger steps."

"Oh, oh, good..."

Shizhi was relatively small, and wearing this men's power armor was a bit awkward. She tried to take big strides, which looked quite unusual from the outside.

However, as Lin Xian and the three walked out, other patrolling sentries didn't find anything unusual. I don't know if the identification system Kiki made worked, or if the inside was already a bit chaotic.

Along the way, squads of soldiers kept running past Lin Xian and the three. There were busy figures everywhere, and no one was even seen talking. An extremely oppressive atmosphere permeated.

The three took the elevator all the way to the Starport. No one found anything unusual along the way. But as they got to the upper level of the Starport, there were fewer people. However, at the place where they entered the Dawn City Starport passage, a row of Garrison armored troops stood there, guarding the passage tightly. Judging by that posture, it seemed they didn't allow anyone to pass.

"So many people?" Kiki said in surprise.

"They are all guards protecting the Vanguard Plan. The launch of the Vanguard Plan is imminent. The Starport should be in the highest state of defense now." Lin Xian said at this moment.

"Then what should we do..."

Lin Xian used his mechanical ability to move a monitor overhead, then stood to the side, seeing a group of soldiers escorting a mechanical transport device from afar. On it was placed some kind of ship-borne equipment, so he had a flash of inspiration and immediately let Kiki blast this group of people unconscious with telekinesis, hide them in a storage room, and then the three of them copied the power armor code on their bodies, and transported the mechanical transport device to the passage in a 'theft-for-the-real' manner.

"Stop."

Just as they approached the Starport passage, one of the leading Garrison soldiers stopped them. Lin Xian and Kiki stopped immediately. The nervous Shizhi accidentally took an extra step and almost bumped into Lin Xian.

Who would have thought that the Garrison soldier's attention was not on them, but came to the rear, took out a detector, and scanned the device. Then he waved at the three.

"Pass."

*Phew. *

Kiki and Shizhi both breathed a sigh of relief. Then all three passed through the passage smoothly.

"What are they checking? Checking their own things?"

"It should be checking for unauthorized devices mixed in, such as spy drones, wiretaps, or some harmful things." Lin Xian said: "Now the Federation Council is dissolved, and internal conflicts will break out directly. It is normal to have such considerations."

At this moment, when Lin Xian and the others walked out of a ship bridge passage, a spectacular scene appeared before their eyes. In the evening, the gloomy rain of Dawn City seemed to clear up briefly at this moment. The sunset glow shone on a huge starship port. Coming out of the A-17 ship bridge passage where they were, facing them was a giant 'Stellar'-class starship. The 300,000-ton expedition giant beast was steadily docked on the superconducting suspension array of the starship port berth area, mounted by connection robotic arms. Countless mass supply robotic arms were injecting various types of fuel, water resources, and coolant into the starship cabin sections.

Large cargo conveyor belts were transporting yellow standard cargo boxes to the transport rack, and then hoisted into the starship by unmanned robotic arms. On the ship-borne weapon platform, the gamma-ray laser array was constantly rotating and calibrating. Cargo shuttles were hoisting the last batch of ecological cabin modules into the ship's belly. On the white starship, a special number was painted:

【CN-243-Natural Selection】

And this was just one of them in the Starport. In the entire Starport berth area, there were a total of 7 starships docked at this moment, including 6 'Stellar'-class starships of 300,000 tons. In the foremost area, there was also a 500,000-ton 'Distant Star'-class starship docked.

"Natural Selection, it seems this is the only one left performing the final cargo hoisting..." Kiki looked at this magnificent and huge fleet group and couldn't help but exclaim.

"The flagship should be that Distant Star-class!" Lin Xian watched the sunset fall and immediately walked quickly toward the Distant Star-class.

The entire Starport berth area was very large. Just after walking down from the ship bridge passage, a huge personnel phalanx suddenly appeared on the platform not far away, with thousands of people. These people were all wearing uniform starry sky anti-G suits. Looking at them, there were nothing but young and immature faces. The age of all people seemed to be no more than 35 years old. They stood there, and the tension and panic could not be hidden under their firm expressions. Only a man in military uniform standing at the very front of the crowd had a figure as straight as a sword.

This man seemed to be delivering a departure declaration at this moment.

"From this moment on, Natural Selection is both our home and our tomb..."

Lin Xian took Kiki and the two to pass quickly from the berth platform. The man in military uniform did not look back to pay attention to them, and Lin Xian only took a hurried glance, seeing the nameplate on the man's chest, which seemed to be surnamed Zhang.

"Should not be. The intelligence says the captain of the Vanguard is Chu Zhaonan's son, Chu Jing. This should be the captain of this last starship."

Lin Xian said while walking quickly toward the Vanguard in the distance. After entering the Starport platform, it seemed that no one was paying attention to their movements.

"Lin Xian, this starship... seems to have finished loading."

When arriving at the ship bridge passage of that largest Distant Star-class starship, Lin Xian looked up. The giant starship was docked quietly. All connection cabin sections and hoisting ports had been closed. The words 【Civilization Vanguard】 were engraved in black on the ship's body, quiet and solemn. This would be the starship that the Vanguard Plan would use to rush toward the Sky Curtain Giant Curtain first. In a sense, it was also the one with the least leeway, because if the curtain-breaking was not successful, this would be the first starship to crash. In an instant, a feeling of desolation and loneliness welled up from the bottom of Lin Xian's heart.

Lin Xian wanted to laugh at this moment, because he inexplicably felt that he seemed to approve of Chu Zhaonan's plan, but he was also sad for having such a thought, because he himself was one of the humans that this human leader chose to abandon.

"The passage is open. That curtain-breaking device must be on this."

Lin Xian took a deep breath, observed the surroundings, hid the mechanical transport device in a corner of the passage, and then took Kiki and Shizhi to step into the Civilization Vanguard directly from the ship bridge passage.

Passing through the alloy airlock of the ship bridge, the automatic induction lights lit up one by one. The cold white halo extended along the passage, illuminating this steel corridor leading to the starship core.

At the end of the passage was a circular central cabin, about two hundred meters in diameter. The cabin wall was embedded with holographic projection panels, which were currently in standby state, glowing with a faint blue light. The ground was laid with anti-static grids, starting from the central cabin and layered. There were 9 decks here, going up and down through the central elevator passage and stairs.

What made Lin Xian feel a bit strange was that they hadn't seen a single person since they came in. So Lin Xian checked the starship's internal deck map and ran toward the direction of the central control room. Passing through a hydraulic seal door, the temperature dropped sharply, and they arrived at a huge hibernation cabin room. On both sides were hibernation cabins arranged like a honeycomb. Looking at them, there were thousands of them. And at this moment, every hibernation cabin was already full of people, looking through the transparent porthole, all were young faces, sleeping peacefully at this moment.

"How did they already enter the hibernation cabins? Are there no other crew members?" Kiki asked in confusion when seeing this scene.

Lin Xian had a strange premonition at this moment, so he hurriedly passed through the hibernation cabin area and arrived at a central control room. After confirming that there was no one around, he immediately used the Black Star Forge to release Grace.

"Grace, help me connect to the starship. I want to check the situation of the entire ship."

A "Distant Star"-class starship could not be simply hacked into by Kiki. To perceive the situation of the entire ship at the same time, it must be completed by a quantum AI like Grace.

Grace, who hadn't seen the light of day for a long time, seemed to have undergone a lot of learning simulations at this moment. She quickly identified the emotion in her tone when speaking to Lin Xian and acted immediately:

【Okay, Captain. I will immediately connect to the central network of this starship.】

On this side, Kiki had already used telekinesis to open the server cabin door of the central control system, and then a few people walked in together. Grace extended her wrist cables to connect to the starship's internal system. A few seconds later, the lights inside the entire starship flickered slightly, and then Grace said to Lin Xian:

【Grace has connected to the 'Civilization Vanguard' central network. Do you need me to take any action?】

"Grace, I need to find a curtain-breaking device. It is used to break the Sky Curtain Giant Curtain. In addition, all logs should also be called out—personnel, launch information, etc. —tell me everything."

【This 'Civilization Vanguard' is currently set for a special formation launch mission. The mission time will start in 16 hours, 46 minutes, and 31 seconds. Launch sequence 2.】

Upon hearing this, Lin Xian's expression changed. Kiki and Shizhi were also extremely surprised at this moment.

"16 hours, tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock?!!" Lin Xian looked at the time, his expression one of disbelief.

This gap from his expectation was too big.

【Yes, all launch preparations for the 'Civilization Vanguard' have been completed. The fusion core hub remains in operation. The human embryo bank has completed the preservation of 500,000 sets of frozen embryos (covering 97% of global genetic diversity). Helium-3 fuel reserve is 1,200 tons, with an estimated endurance of 1,500 years. Ship-borne weapons are online. The civilization repository includes photon hard disks and mechanical optical film backups, completely recording the entire library of human literature/art, including scientific maps from the Stone Age to gravitational wave applications, and the Blue Star biological genetic map (6.5 million species). At the same time, 4,520 crew members in four sets of hibernation cabins have begun to sleep, and there are 2,125 registered crew members in the living cabin. The curtain-breaking device you mentioned, I found in the space science laboratory, a device named (Dark Dark-Corrosion Cell Curtain-Breaking Activation Monitoring Experimental Device), including ultra-pure germanium detectors, high-speed scanning ends of cryo-electron microscopes, biological energy capture traps, and radiation spectrum analyzers, etc. It is speculated that this device is used to monitor the data changes of dark-corrosion cells when used for dark invasion energy conversion.】

Lin Xian was stunned and immediately said: "It should be this."

He immediately used the Black Star Forge to contain Grace again, let Kiki temporarily take over the starship's monitoring system, and then ran toward the direction of the space science laboratory with Kiki and the others.

"So there are already more than 5,000 people on this starship. Where did those people go?"

"Don't know, maybe they are also holding some departure ceremony." Lin Xian didn't have time to think too much at this moment. It was a blessing that no one found them along the way.

At this moment, when they came to the upper level from the central control room below, they discovered that there were crew members in standard uniforms walking in the work area and passages on these few decks.

Some people looked at them with surprised eyes, but because all three were wearing Garrison power armor and walking neatly, these crew members didn't notice anything unusual, perhaps thinking it was a routine inspection by the Garrison.

Lin Xian and the three nervously came to the space science laboratory, and the metal door here was locked. But because Grace had entered the passage instructions and codes for Lin Xian in advance, the three of them entered directly without any effort.

Walking in, Lin Xian discovered that this was not an ordinary laboratory. In the center was a large white scientific research device, like a large sphere, with countless cables and sensors connected to it.

As soon as they approached, Shizhi immediately said:

"There is a very strong dark aura inside!"

"It's this!" Kiki walked over and saw through a very small observation window that inside the device, a piece of dark-corrosion cells the size of a fist was sealed in a special culture device.

Lin Xian walked over immediately and took a look, his pupils shrinking:

"This is not right. This, there is no mycelium device?"

"Have you scanned it?" Kiki frowned.

Lin Xian nodded. He had immediately used his mechanical ability to scan as soon as he came in. Inside this device were the scientific research instruments Grace mentioned, and there was no mycelium brain-machine device.

"That's strange. Isn't it a curtain-breaking device? Just put a piece of dark-corrosion cells here, and it can break the Sky Curtain Giant Curtain?" Kiki said in surprise.

"Not that simple. The Deep Red World must have already activated the dark-corrosion cells through mycelium, otherwise the movements of the three Star Abysses now cannot be explained." Lin Xian said.

Kiki analyzed at this moment: "Then will there be any other devices? When breaking the Sky Curtain Giant Curtain, will it need to connect to this device to activate?"

"It's possible."

Kiki said with a strange expression: "Lin Xian, do you really want to... connect this... this thing?"

Lin Xian sighed helplessly: "Even if I want to, I don't have mycelium now. How would I have thought that the curtain-breaking device would actually be a piece of dark-corrosion cells that had not been connected to mycelium at all? This is too strange..."

"Then what should we do now?"

"Someone... is coming."

At this moment, Shizhi, who was standing at the door 'keeping watch', said to the two of them in a low voice.

Lin Xian and Kiki exchanged glances and immediately decided decisively:

"Withdraw first, don't alert the enemy. There are still 16 hours until the launch, we still have time to find that dark-corrosion cell that is truly connected to consciousness."

Kiki nodded. Lin Xian was about to leave when he suddenly thought of something. He immediately manufactured a micro-device, placed it in a hidden place under the spherical equipment, and then left the space science laboratory with Kiki and Shizhi.

"What are you doing?" At the passage, a young female scientist with a clean and pretty face wearing glasses looked at the three in surprise.

"Routine inspection." Lin Xian said coldly, then strode past.

"Oh~" The female scientist raised her glasses, looked at the backs of the three, and said nothing.

A few minutes later, Lin Xian and Kiki's group of three pulled the starship's mechanical device again and walked toward the outside of the Starport, preparing to leave.

"Chu Yan, Team Zhou, Team Qi, how is the situation on your side? I am here..."

On the way, Lin Xian walked quickly while trying to contact each squad to synchronize the situation.

At this moment, in the distance of the passage, a man in military uniform with a firm expression walked slowly. His gaze was as cold as a knife, scanning the three of Lin Xian quickly, frowning slightly, seeming to have noticed some unusual things.

Lin Xian and the three saw the other party, immediately stopped, and gave a military salute to this person.

And the other party also naturally returned a military salute, did not stop, and left slowly.

This person had no nameplate, colonel shoulder straps, and his gaze was as deep as a song.

Chu Jing walked out along the passage. The sky outside the Starport was covered by gloomy clouds again, and light rain began to fall.

"Captain Chu."

After entering the Vanguard, a senior adjutant walked over at this moment: "The departure sequence is ready."

"Notify down, from this moment on, the Starport is completely blocked."

"Yes."

Lin Xian contacted Chu Yan, and the two squads came to the closed and abandoned Twin Towers to rendezvous.

Chu Yan combined the information from all sides. After Zhou Jin's squad hacked into the internal network of the underground works, they did find an action log about a confidential plan, but because the underground works had been rebuilt by Dawn City, all the code names inside were replaced, coupled with the lack of some sensitive information, which made them unable to locate the hidden position of the Deep Red World at all.

"So we still have 16 hours?" On the high building, Chu Yan and Lin Xian's squad looked at the gloomy rain filling the city, exchanging information.

It was about to get dark.

"Strictly speaking, we have more than 16 hours." Lin Xian said with rain stains on his face: "It's just that after the Vanguard Plan is launched, it's basically impossible for us to find the person who connected to the S-level, or the person who activated this dark-corrosion cell. Of course, it is also a plan for us to connect to the S-level with mycelium ourselves."

"Connect yourself, is there still time?" Chu Yan asked back.

Lin Xian immediately said: "Don't we have a piece of dark-corrosion cells in our hands?"

"That and the one used by the Deep Red World to activate come from the same S-level body." Chu Yan said: "You forgot, that Gray Mist Messenger?"

"What does that have to do with it? Can't we get the same information this way?"

After Lin Xian finished speaking, he was suddenly stunned, and instantly reacted to something.

"Wait, Gray Mist Messenger, that dead S-level aberrant entity..."

"What's wrong?" Chu Yan looked at him.

"I've always been curious about the purpose of the Deep Red World recycling this S-level aberrant entity's corpse?" Lin Xian asked questioningly: "Logically speaking, didn't they already obtain the action brain cells and cultivate them in the Star Abyss?"

"Because living dark-corrosion cells are not just used by the Deep Red World to study and transform the effects of dark invasion. The real purpose is to connect to the darkness through mycelium." Chu Yan said.

Lin Xian's expression tightened: "But connecting to the darkness is the goal, and it lacks a process."

"What process?" Kiki asked questioningly at this moment.

"Resurrecting the S-level action brain!" Lin Xian suddenly remembered the huge biological experimental colonization device under the Jinhai Ring Star Factory. He had always been curious why the Deep Red World equipped a dead aberrant entity with suppression devices and restraints.

Because if this aberrant entity couldn't move itself, this device wouldn't have any meaning, and the mycelium connection wouldn't have any effect either.

"Chu Yan, do you remember that the information you obtained from Zhou Mingyuan and Wen Hui mentioned that Dawn City was transporting large mechanical devices?"

"That's right."

"If it's starship equipment, what's so strange about that? Starships are being built every day. Could the large mechanical devices they mentioned be something else?!"

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Chu Yan looked at him and said.

Lin Xian's face sank: "Is there a possibility that the Deep Red World needs to cultivate a complete S-level action brain to perform mycelium connection, and a piece of dark-corrosion cells has no meaning at all? This is why dark-corrosion cells need to be cultivated on living biological tissues, and it is also the reason why they recycled the corpse of the Gray Mist Messenger, because they want to cultivate an action brain on its main body, and then perform mycelium connection!"

"You mean, they are preparing to resurrect an S-level?" Kiki said in surprise.

Chu Yan looked puzzled: "Why would Dawn City allow them to do this?"

Lin Xian suddenly remembered something: "Kiki!"

"What's wrong?!"

"Replay the log information on the Vanguard just now, no, it's the launch sequence information!"

Kiki immediately took out the mobile terminal at this moment: "'Civilization Vanguard' is currently set for a special formation launch mission. The mission time will start in 16 hours, 46 minutes, and 31 seconds. Launch sequence 2."

"Launch sequence... 2? Why is it 2? I always felt something was wrong. If the Vanguard is not the first sequence, then what is the first sequence?"

In an instant, countless thoughts condensed and became clear.

Dark-corrosion cells growing on living tissue, recycling the Gray Mist Messenger, A-level colonization experiment under Jinhai, mycelium brain-machine device, dark connection, Sky Curtain Giant Curtain, curtain-breaking device, Star Abyss movement, Dawn City transporting ultra-large mechanical devices...

At this moment, Lin Xian looked at the rain curtain that was gradually turning dark and said in a deep voice.

"If there is only a piece of dark-corrosion cells on the Vanguard, and not an action brain, then it means that at this moment, somewhere, there is an ultra-large S-level that has undergone flesh-and-blood colonization and action brain resurrection..."

"That is the real curtain-breaking device!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 397 =====