Chapter 346

Mo Yu's ambiguous words as a "concerned citizen" dropped like a depth charge into Xia Wan's heart. She could not tell how much was jest and how much truth hidden beneath his cynical facade. But one thing was certain: the depths of Guixu far exceeded any of the Base's current estimates. And the positions and pasts of Mo Yu and Qin Feng were like icebergs shrouded in mist—only a corner visible.

This realization made her approach the coming expedition with greater caution.

In the final days before departure, the atmosphere within the Base was taut as a drawn bowstring, stretched to its limit. All preparations were complete; the "Hope" Mother Ship lay dormant like a slumbering beast, quietly moored in its dedicated dock, waiting only for the order to break free from gravity and pierce the heavens.

Amid this atmosphere of grim anticipation, subtle, unverifiable yet quietly circulating "rumors" began to spread among the core members of the Star-Chasing operation and a narrow circle of senior officers. These rumors did not come from official announcements or rigorous intelligence analysis; they resembled guesses and fragments pieced together from scattered clues and intuition.

Rumor One concerned the core of the Guixu ruins themselves.

A researcher involved in energy modeling mentioned in private exchanges that, while analyzing the peripheral energy spectra transmitted by Pathfinder One, they had detected an extremely subtle yet seemingly superior "order fluctuation" above all the chaotic energy. This fluctuation was not naturally emitted by the ruins; it resembled more of a… carefully concealed "lock" or "mark." Some boldly speculated that the interior of Guixu might not be entirely a wasteland after civilizational collapse, but might still preserve the core "legacy" of that Ancient Civilization, protected by some powerful mechanism, awaiting the true "key." The location and manner of the massive "red packet" that triggered the chaos also seemed to subtly point toward the source of this "order fluctuation."

Rumor Two concerned the strange "Lizardmen."

An expert in bioenergy, after analyzing enhanced imagery, proposed that the Lizardmen's physiological structure—particularly their high degree of integration with the chaotic energy environment—did not appear to be entirely the result of natural evolution, but bore traces of… artificial modification. Their scale patterns and energy circuits vaguely matched the design schematics of a long-lost, extremely ancient biological weapon. This raised the question: were they naturally evolved Guardians, or the… watchdogs left behind by the destroyed civilization? Or perhaps failed experiments?

Most intriguing, and most concerning to Xia Wan, was the third rumor—about Qin Feng and Mo Yu.

The origin of this rumor was untraceable; it seemed to have leaked from fragments of conversation after a high-level closed-door meeting, or perhaps pieced together from Mo Yu's seemingly casual remarks. The content was vague, yet shocking enough.

The rumor claimed that Qin Feng had once had some kind of "connection" with the destroyed civilization of Guixu in a far distant past—not as simply a "concerned citizen," as Mo Yu claimed, but a deeper divergence concerning path and ideology. Even more obscure suggestions hinted that the "correction" force ultimately summoned by that civilization might have had Qin Feng's shadow behind it. His agreement to and support of the Star-Chasing mission to Guixu was surely not merely to help humanity gain opportunity.

As for Mo Yu, the rumor portrayed him as a "speculator" and "collector" drifting through the cracks of epochs. His interest in Guixu likely centered on certain unique "probability artifacts" or "causality fragments" left by that civilization. The Seven-Colored Dice in his possession was said to be connected to the Ancient Civilization's peak-era research into "Fate Weaving."

These rumors were ethereal, lacking empirical evidence, and did not spark widespread discussion amid the serious preparations; they were more like pebbles dropped into the minds of the informed, creating hidden ripples.

Xia Wan naturally heard these whispers. She could not verify them, nor would she develop any suspicion or resentment toward Qin Feng or Mo Yu. She understood that at their level, their actions followed their own logic and rules—far beyond her current comprehension.

She silently memorized these rumors as another layer of understanding regarding Guixu's complexity.

Whether ahead lay legacy or trap, Guardian or weapon, old grudges or a new game board, she needed only to remember her identity and mission—Tiankong Guardian.

Her task was to ensure the success of the Star-Chasing mission, to secure for human civilization that single thread of hope, and to protect every teammate beside her.

The rest—she would act as circumstances demanded.

At the final core member meeting before departure, all procedures and contingency plans were reaffirmed. Lei Dong delivered the final mobilization speech, his tone solemn yet powerful.

"... The journey to Guixu is uncertain, but I believe that with your courage, wisdom, and the strength we possess, we shall overcome all obstacles and bring back humanity's future!"

After the meeting, everyone returned to their posts for final rest and preparation.

Xia Wan returned to her quarters for her final meditation before departure, adjusting her state to peak condition.

In the deep silence of night, her Personal Communicator received an encrypted message—from Qin Feng.

The message was extremely brief: only four characters.

"Follow your feeling."

Xia Wan stared at those four characters, lost in thought for a long while.

Follow your feeling…

Was this telling her, in Guixu's chaotic environment, to trust her intuition and the innate instincts of the Tiankong Guardian?

She put away the communicator, her gaze passing through the simulated window toward the endless, profound night sky.

Feeling?

She placed her hand over her chest, where the Origin Contract emitted a warm, steady glow.

Good.

Then, let us follow our feeling.