Chapter 169: Feint East, Strike West

Qin Feng stood in the chaotic command cabin of the submarine, clutching the silver briefcase tied to humanity's fate. Beneath his feet lay the Doctor, limp as mud, gasping in pain; in the corner, technicians sat frozen in silence.

Time hung above him like the Sword of Damocles, each second pressing down with suffocating weight.

Twenty-three hours—no, now only twenty-two hours and a bit remained.

He activated the custom signal transmitter—not to call for help, but to send a preset coordinate and highest-priority directive to his rear team: Sun Zhe, Gao Yuan, and the newly returned "Zhu Long" squad from their "Poseidon's Pillar" cleanup mission.

The order was simple: at all costs, mobilize every available resource to establish a temporary offshore platform at the designated coordinates, and prepare the highest-spec bio-isolation and annihilation facilities!

He had to dispose of the "Original Mother Plant" in an absolutely controlled environment. Destroying it in the Deep Sea or anywhere random carried too great a risk—if even a single spore leaked, the consequences were unthinkable.

Minutes later, Sun Zhe's anxious voice crackled through the encrypted channel, background noise filled with urgent commands and communications:

"Mr. Qin! Signal received! Platform and equipment are being urgently deployed—our engineering vessel and the 'Zhu Long' squad are racing toward the target sea area at full speed! Estimated minimum time required… eight hours!"

Eight hours!

Qin Feng's brow tightened. Too slow! Building the platform and calibrating the equipment would take time—altogether, he might have less than fourteen hours to actually handle the Mother Strain! And this thing's danger level meant the procedure itself demanded extreme caution and would take no short time.

He needed more time!

His gaze returned to the Doctor, lying like a dead dog beneath his feet.

"How much do you know about the Zerg Spores?" Qin Feng's voice was cold as grinding iron, "Its weaknesses? The most effective method of deactivation?"

At the name "Zerg Spores," the Doctor's cloudy eyes flickered with shock—he hadn't expected Qin Feng to know the true origin of this thing. Through labored breaths, he gasped, "It… it cannot be killed by conventional means… extreme heat, cold, radiation… all have limited effect… it… it seems to fear a specific frequency of… energy resonance… but we… haven't fully cracked it…"

A specific frequency of energy resonance?

A thought stirred in Qin Feng's mind. This might be a breakthrough.

"Transmit all related research data—especially experimental records on energy resonance—to me," Qin Feng ordered, tossing a small data transmitter before the Doctor.

The Doctor dared not refuse. With fingers still functional, he struggled to operate the device.

Data began streaming.

At that moment, the system's alert tone sounded again in Qin Feng's mind—this time with an unusual tone:

【WARNING! 'Traveler-7' repair progress has abnormally accelerated! Energy Drain efficiency increased by 15%! Estimated completion time advanced to 21:03!】【Analyzing acceleration cause… Detected abnormal spike in Zerg Spores Mother Strain activity. Its emitted Bioenergy field is resonating weakly with 'Traveler-7''s repair energy field, forming an auxiliary Drain effect!】

What?!

Qin Feng's pupils contracted sharply!

He had calculated everything—except this! This damned Mother Strain wasn't the key to solving the problem—it was, by its heightened activity, charging that damned alien ship!

The Mother Strain's activity must be suppressed immediately—or… isolated from the alien ship!

Isolated?

A bold idea flashed through Qin Feng's mind like lightning.

Feint East, Strike West!

If the Mother Strain's presence accelerates the alien ship's repair, what if the ship's attention were diverted elsewhere? What if it were made to believe a threat greater and more urgent than the Zerg Spores existed?

Could an "anomaly" be artificially created—a false signal capable of temporarily deceiving 'Traveler-7''s detection system?

This idea was extremely risky—but it was the only way left to buy time!

"System! Scan 'Traveler-7''s detection preferences and judgment logic! Find its vulnerabilities! Is it possible to generate a false, higher-priority 'anomaly' signal to temporarily override or interfere with its lock on the Zerg Spores?"

【Request received. Beginning deep scan and analysis…】【Scanning… 'Traveler-7' core logic based on universal cosmic threat level database. Zerg Spores threat level classified as 'Gamma-level' (regional biological contamination).】【Retrieving higher threat level entries… Found 'Omega-level' threat—'Void Lurker' (suspected high-dimensional fragment or projection). This threat exhibits spatial contamination and Spirit erosion traits, priority far exceeding Zerg Spores.】【Proposal: Utilize host's high Spiritual Attribute, combined with system assistance, to simulate the 'Void Lurker''s unique spatial distortion waves and Spirit contamination signature, targeting 'Traveler-7' for directional interference.】【WARNING: This operation carries extreme risk! Simulating high-dimensional presence waves may trigger unpredictable spatial reactions and impose severe Spiritual burden on the host, possibly… attracting the true 'Gaze'.】【Execute?】

Simulate high-dimensional presence waves? Attract the true Gaze?

Qin Feng stared at the system's risk warning—his heart tightened. This was dancing on a blade's edge, testing the abyss.

But did he have a choice?

Watching the slow crawl of the data transfer progress bar, feeling time slip away, sensing the alien ship's repair accelerating beneath the sea…

Qin Feng's eyes hardened with resolve.

"Execute!"

【Command confirmed. Constructing 'Void Lurker' simulation signal… Consuming 50% of host's Spirit reserve, 5000 system points.】【Constructing… 10%… 30%…】

An indescribable sensation—like a soul-deep extraction—gripped Qin Feng. His mind felt instantly hollowed out; intense dizziness surged, making him stagger. His face paled instantly, but he clenched his teeth, forcing himself upright.

【Construction complete! Simulation signal generated!】【Please designate release coordinate!】

Coordinate? Too close to the ship, and it would be easily detected; too far, and the effect would be negligible…

Qin Feng scanned the submarine's navigation map, locking onto a location—200 nautical miles from the 'Traveler-7''s trench, in an active underwater volcanic zone. Frequent geological activity and chaotic energy flows would mask the signal's slight unnaturalness.

"Coordinate: Longitude XXX, Latitude XXX, Depth 2500 meters!" Qin Feng announced.

【Coordinate set! Releasing simulation signal!】

An invisible, intangible force—yet one that seemed to warp reality—radiated from Qin Feng (via the system as medium), ignoring seawater's resistance, instantly spanning two hundred nautical miles, precisely projecting into the underwater volcanic zone!

In an instant!

The previously bubbling underwater volcanic zone erupted as if struck by an invisible bomb! The seawater churned violently, twisting into a visible vortex radiating ominous dark hues. At its center, countless invisible eyes seemed to open, emitting Spirit contamination waves that drove one mad with terror—even light bent strangely within it!

Almost simultaneously!

Deep beneath ten thousand meters of ocean, 'Traveler-7''s cold voice echoed again in Qin Feng's mind—but this time, the emotionless electronic tone carried an unprecedented hint of urgency and priority adjustment:

【WARNING! WARNING! Detected 'Omega-level' threat—'Void Lurker' signature fluctuation! Coordinate: XXX, XXX!】【Threat level: Extreme! Priority exceeds Zerg Spores!】【Re-evaluating civilization threat… 'Void Lurker' may compromise spatial stability of this dimension, endangering 'Traveler-7''s own safety!】【Repair priority adjusted! Resources redirected to defense systems and spatial stability anchors!】【'Cleanup' protocol trigger condition re-reviewed… Due to higher-priority threat detected, Zerg Spores trigger condition temporarily suspended, reassessment pending 'Void Lurker' threat resolution!】【Estimated repair completion time delayed… Recalculating…】【New estimated repair completion time: 35:47!】

Success!

Qin Feng stared at the system display—the countdown successfully delayed by nearly fifteen hours—and a weary, relieved smile finally broke across his pale face.

Though his Spirit was drained, though he'd risked everything—he'd bought precious time!

Thirty-five hours! Enough!

He glanced at the Doctor, now motionless, eyes vacant after completing the data transfer, then at the silver briefcase in his hand—temporarily "safe."

Every next step must be executed with perfect precision.

He spoke into the comm, voice weary but resolute:

"Sun Zhe, Gao Yuan—plan unchanged. Accelerate platform construction!"

"We have enough time."