Chapter 167

Qin Feng's voice came through the encrypted channel, urgent and grave beyond anything Gao Yuan had ever heard—tinged with a tension he'd never sensed before.

"Gao Yuan! Plan changed! 'Deepsea Technology' remnants are to be handled by 'Zhu Long'—you must ensure Su Yuqing's team evacuates safely! I have something more critical to handle!"

The communication was severed abruptly, leaving only the hiss of static.

Gao Yuan gripped his Gauss pistol tighter, brows knotted. The Leader's voice was wrong—it carried the tone of an event far beyond expectations, perhaps even beyond control. What had happened ten thousand meters beneath the sea to make the Leader so unguarded?

"Something more critical…" Gao Yuan repeated softly, his gaze instantly sharpening. He trusted Qin Feng—unconditionally. Since the Leader had made his choice, all Gao Yuan needed to do was execute the remaining orders perfectly.

"All units, attention! Leader's order: revise operational plan! 'Zhu Long' team, eliminate all remaining resistance on the island and secure all key facilities and personnel! Our primary objective is now: ensure Su Yuqing, Dr. Su, and her team evacuate safely and intact!"

"Received!" "Understood!"

The 'Zhu Long' members hesitated not a moment—they adjusted tactics instantly. Their once stormlike assault became precise and efficient, shifting focus to suppressing remnants and clearing safe corridors.

Gao Yuan seized Su Yuqing, who was still confused and trying to turn back for her data, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Dr. Su, no time! Come with me now! That's an order!"

His grip was strong, his eyes hardened with military iron and absolute authority. Su Yuqing was stunned by the resolve in his gaze—and the growing explosions and gunfire outside—finally relenting. Under the escort of several team members, she followed Gao Yuan along the designated evacuation route.

Sporadic resistance along the way was swiftly eliminated by Gao Yuan's pinpoint shots and 'Zhu Long' team's long-range fire support.

When they burst out of the research center into the relatively open dock area, the stealth assault boat sent to extract them had already silently anchored.

"Hurry! Onboard!" Gao Yuan shielded Su Yuqing and the others as they boarded swiftly.

Then—another anomaly!

Deep within the island, the white research dome suddenly erupted in a violent explosion! A towering fireball rose with thick smoke—clearly, 'Deepsea Technology' had triggered a self-destruct, or some dangerous experiment had gone berserk!

The explosion triggered a chain reaction—the entire island began shaking violently, sections collapsing!

"Get us out now!" Gao Yuan roared at the pilot.

The assault boat's engines roared to life, speeding away from the dock toward the Public Sea.

Standing on the pitching stern, Gao Yuan turned back—'Poseidon's Pillar' was now engulfed in fire and chaos, explosions erupting one after another. The 'Zhu Long' team's figures flickered in the flames and smoke, still faithfully carrying out the Cleanup.

He drew a deep breath of air thick with salt and smoke, forcibly suppressing his worry for Qin Feng's fate, and turned his gaze to Su Yuqing and the others, still shaken.

"Dr. Su, you're safe now," Gao Yuan said grimly. "Now, calm down. Recollect—what happened while you were detained? What else do you know about that glowing fungal colony? Every detail could be critical!"

Su Yuqing's face was pale, her hands trembling slightly, but the scientist's rationality was slowly returning. She looked at Gao Yuan, then at the burning island, her voice trembling with fear yet edged with resolve:

"They… called that fungal colony the 'Original Mother Plant.' They said it was… a 'key.'"

…

Meanwhile, ten thousand meters beneath the sea.

Darkness, cold, crushing pressure pressed in from all sides.

Qin Feng pushed his Advanced Underwater Combat Mastery to its limit, his body moving like a perfect submersible, resisting the terrible pressure as he descended toward the coordinates marked by the system.

The deeper he went, the darker it grew—until all light vanished, swallowed by endless blackness. Only the faint illumination of his Tactical Goggles and sonar imaging outlined the jagged, monstrous seabed below.

The unsettling spatial fluctuation grew clearer—something immense was slowly awakening in the dark, radiating an aura that made the soul tremble.

Finally, at the edge of the sonar image, a massive, alien-shaped silhouette emerged—utterly out of place against the surrounding seabed.

The spindle-shaped object was matte silver-gray, its surface covered in strange, naturally formed streamline patterns—no visible windows or thrusters. It lay motionless on the seabed, over three hundred meters long. The seawater around it subtly warped, as if bent by an invisible field.

A faster-than-light vessel! A 'Star Shuttle' class!

Qin Feng held his breath, slowed his descent, and approached cautiously.

Just as he was about a kilometer from the vessel, an invisible scanning wave swept over his body!

【WARNING! Scanned by unknown probe!】【Analyzing… harmless biological signature and baseline technology level detected.】

Immediately, a cold, emotionless, synthesized voice echoed directly in his mind—in a language he understood:

【Low-tier carbon-based intelligent lifeform detected.】【Lifeform: Human (standard template).】【Technology level: 0.7 (planetary system exploration phase).】【Energy level: Low.】【Threat assessment: Negligible.】【Query: Individual, why are you approaching 'Traveler-7'?】

Traveler-7? That was its name?

Qin Feng's thoughts raced, forcing calm. He attempted to respond with thought: "I sensed anomalous spatial fluctuations here and came to investigate. What are you? Where are you from?"

After a brief silence, the cold voice spoke again:

【Database search… insufficient clearance. Source cannot be disclosed.】【Identity: Traveler-7, interstellar scientific exploration unit (light damage).】【Core directive: Observe, record, execute 'Cradle Protocol' under specific conditions.】【Current status: Auto-repair in progress. Remaining time: 23 hours 17 minutes 08 seconds.】

Scientific exploration unit? Cradle Protocol?

Qin Feng seized the keywords—his unease eased slightly. This didn't sound like a hostile invader.

"What does your 'Cradle Protocol' entail?" he asked cautiously.

【Protocol content: When a native civilization exhibits self-destruction tendencies exceeding 99.9% probability and risks irreversible planetary environmental contamination, initiate 'Cleanup' protocol to reset civilization progression.】

Cleanup! Reset civilization progression!

Qin Feng's heart sank. This so-called "scientific exploration unit" held the power to decide a civilization's fate!

"How is 'self-destruction tendency' determined?" he pressed urgently.

【Criteria: Mass destruction weapon misuse, uncontrolled genetic contamination, artificial intelligence rebellion, high-dimensional entity interference… anomalous biological signal detected… analyzing…】

The cold voice paused abruptly—then its tone shifted, ever so slightly:

【WARNING! Detected genetic signature of 'Zerg Spores' (immature form)! Source: the seas above, coordinates… weak correlation with an individual!】【'Zerg Spores' classified as a 'High-Risk Cosmic Parasitic Contaminant'—extremely aggressive, highly mutative, and capable of infecting the spirit. Their spread constitutes 'uncontrolled genetic contamination'!】【Per Cradle Protocol Section 7.3, confirmed presence of 'Zerg Spores' triggers the conditions for the 'Cleanup' protocol!】【Traveler-7's repair priority has been adjusted! The 'Cleanup' protocol is preparing to initiate! Countdown: 23 hours…】

What?!

Qin Feng was stunned as if struck by lightning!

'Zerg Spores'? That glowing fungal colony from 'Deepsea Technology'? It was an alien parasitic contaminant?! And its mere existence triggered this alien ship's 'Cleanup' protocol!

In twenty-three hours, after repair completes, it will execute 'Cleanup'—reset human civilization?!

No! Not allowed!

"Wait!" Qin Feng nearly shouted. "Those spores didn't spread naturally! They were researched and leaked by humans! We can control them! Eliminate them! Human civilization has not reached self-destruction thresholds!"

【Judgment based on presence of contaminant, not cause of spread.】 The voice remained unshaken. 【Low-tier civilization lacks effective control over 'Zerg Spores.' Probability of spread: 100%. 'Cleanup' protocol irreversible.】

"We can!" Qin Feng's mind raced, searching for any possible argument. "Give me time! I can prove it! I can resolve this contamination!"

【Insufficient justification. Request denied.】【Recommendation: Individual should evacuate the area immediately. Upon 'Cleanup' initiation, planetary biosphere will be formatted.】

Formatting process... Eradicating all life...

A bone-chilling terror, mixed with overwhelming rage, swept through Qin Feng's entire body!

He could not retreat! Behind him lay all of human civilization! Su Wenqian, Gao Yuan, Sun Zhe, the "Zhu Long," countless living souls!

"System!" he screamed internally, "Is there any way?! Stop it! Or... control it!"

【Detected an extremely valuable and highly dangerous non-local entity.】【Option One: Use the 【Replacement Key】 to attempt replacement of its core control permissions. Success rate: Extremely low (below 0.001%), requires immeasurable energy and cost, may cause system collapse or Host death.】【Option Two: Exploit its damaged state to locate physical or logical backdoors for forced intrusion. Requires full unlocking of 【Super Technology】 functionality combined with 【Wealth Prediction】 for risk simulation. Current unlock progress insufficient.】【Option Three: Satisfy its condition of "clearing the source of contamination," causing it to determine the 【Cleanup】 procedure unnecessary. This is currently the most feasible option.】

Clear the source of contamination!

Qin Feng's gaze instantly sharpened!

That's right! If all the "Zerg Spores," including the so-called "Original Mother Plant," are completely eradicated within twenty-three hours—proving humanity can neutralize this threat—perhaps this iron-like "Traveler-7" will alter its judgment!

Deepsea Technology's submarine! Original Mother Plant!

His eyes snapped toward the dark Deep Sea, where the submarine carrying Deepsea Technology's transferred data and the Mother Strain had just vanished.

Originally, because of the alien spacecraft's appearance, he had temporarily let that submarine go.

But now, the situation was utterly different!

The submarine carried not merely evidence of crime, but the key that might save all of human civilization—and perhaps... the fuse to its destruction!

Must obtain it! At any cost!

Qin Feng no longer hesitated. He turned and pushed his underwater thruster to maximum power, ignoring the strain on his body, hurtling like an arrow tearing through darkness toward the submarine's escape route!

Saving lives is urgent!

This time, the ones he would save were all of humanity!