Chapter 207: The Gardener's Whisper and the Crystal Cluster's Guidance

The AI "Gardener's" intermittent message was like a stone thrown into a dead pond, rippling through every heart before falling silent along with the dimming screen. The hall was left with only that emerald seed crystal still emitting a faint yet tenacious glow of life, like the final star in the night sky, reminding them that what had just happened was no illusion.

"Energy critically insufficient…" Lin Mo repeated the most crucial piece of information, his gaze sweeping across the spacious yet undeniably dilapidated ecological dome hall. Withered planting troughs, broken support frames, damaged energy-simulated canopy, and the air circulation system whose air was fresh but clearly lacked staying power—all bore witness to that ancient AI's weakened state. The door of hope had indeed opened, but beyond it lay not a smooth road, but one on the verge of going dark that would require enormous energy to reignite.

"Zero, can you assess the energy threshold required to activate and maintain the basic functions of this ecological unit?" Lin Mo's voice sounded especially clear in the empty hall.

Zero's console hovered beside the half-embedded platform, its data probe still connected to the interface, streams of ghostly blue light flowing ceaselessly. "Attempting to parse the facility's energy network architecture… the structure is complex and has multiple breaks and damage. A preliminary estimate: merely activating the basic life-support systems (including air circulation, temperature regulation, minimum lighting) and keeping the 'Gardener' AI core from entering permanent hibernation will require at least 15% to 20% of the total energy of that stardust crystal you, Lord Lin Mo, previously absorbed."

15% to 20%! Lin Mo's heart sank slightly. The energy contained in that crystal was immensely vast; even one-fifth of it was a staggering figure. Though the fused power within him was strong, it was more a qualitative change—in total quantity it was far from the point of being freely squandered, serving more as a key to his own strength and to channeling external energy. Moreover, Sister Ai Li and Xiang Lingna's injuries and the possible threat of enemies all demanded he reserve sufficient strength.

"As for fully repairing the ecological dome, activating all planting units, and attempting to link to other possibly intact sections of the Ark…" Zero's electronic voice paused, then delivered an even more despairing figure, "the energy required will be astronomical, and the main energy conduit must be located and repaired."

Full repair was, for now, a fool's dream. The pressing task was to hold this stronghold and restore the "Gardener" to basic function—it surely held valuable information about this Ark wreck.

"Is there… any energy source nearby, like that pulse crystal from before?" Xiang Lingna asked weakly. She sat leaning against the platform, her face still pale, and the cracks on her right arm, under the life-glow of the seed crystal, seemed to bring a faint sense of comfort, no longer so searingly painful.

"Scanning range is limited by facility shielding and my own energy level," Zero replied. "But based on the energy flow traces already detected, this ecological unit originally should have had a main energy conduit connecting to the 'Leyline Energy Well' deeper within the Ark, but the line has been severed. In addition, there are several secondary branch lines supplying specific functional zones, most of which are also damaged. The only relatively active faint energy source detected is located in the hall we just passed through—that periodically pulsing crystal—but its energy is leaking severely and is unstable; direct extraction may cause it to collapse entirely."

That crystal was clearly insufficient to support the needs here. The atmosphere once again grew heavy and solemn.

Just then, the crystal-cluster creatures that had been permitted to enter the ecological hall emitted faint "clack-clack" sounds. They seemed to have adapted to the environment here, no longer so restless and uneasy. One of them, slightly larger in size and with a somewhat brighter halo, cautiously approached the seed crystal on the platform—but it did not attempt to touch it. Instead, it circled once, then turned toward Xiang Lingna, raised its short forelimb, and pointed toward a sealed passage entrance on the other side of the hall, while its body's halo began to flash in a regular pattern, emitting beeps of varying length.

Its movements drew everyone's attention.

"It… wants to express something?" Xiang Lingna looked at the little creature with curiosity.

Zero's console adjusted its scanning direction. "The target organism's released pheromone pattern has changed, mixing vague meanings of 'guidance,' 'direction,' and 'energy.' Combined with its pointing behavior, it is inferred to be attempting to indicate a possible energy source or related facility somewhere."

These native creatures truly understood this place better! Though communication was difficult, this was undoubtedly a lead!

"How reliable is it?" Lin Mo asked. Cooperating with unknown creatures required caution.

"Cannot be quantified. But its behavioral pattern is based on a craving for pure energy; guiding us toward an energy-rich area aligns with its need-logic. The risk is that the area may already be occupied by dangerous creatures, or that other unknown traps exist," Zero analyzed objectively.

There was risk, but it was worth a try. Far better than being trapped here waiting for death.

"Sister Ai Li, you stay to protect Priestess Liyana and guard this place," Lin Mo made his decision. "Zero, keep the connection and try to dig more information out of the 'Gardener's' database—even fragments will do. Xiang Lingna, you come with me to take a look. Your arm… might be able to sense more things."

Sister Ai Li silently nodded, settled Priestess Liyana in a relatively comfortable corner beside the platform, and chose a position from which she could see both the entrance and Priestess Liyana. She stood watch like a statue, the shadow erosion beneath her ribs keeping her brow slightly furrowed, but her gaze remained sharp.

Xiang Lingna took a deep breath and struggled to stand. The body's weakness and the pain in her arm remained, but the life aura emanating from the seed crystal had restored some of her strength. She looked at the crystal-cluster creature still trying to "guide" the way, and nodded. "I'm ready, Brother Lin Mo."

That crystal-cluster creature seemed to understand their intent, let out a short, brisk clack-clack, and hopped off toward the sealed passage it had indicated. The other crystal-cluster creatures immediately followed, like little guides.

Lin Mo and Xiang Lingna followed closely behind. The passage entrance had originally been sealed by a layer of energy barrier, but perhaps because of the "Gardener's" brief activation, or perhaps because of the stardust authority on Lin Mo's body, the barrier quietly vanished as they approached. Beyond the passage was a downward spiral ramp, also constructed of metal emitting a soft white light, but much narrower than the previous corridors—only wide enough for two to walk abreast. More withered vine traces and some small, already dim indicator runes could be seen on the walls.

That leading crystal-cluster creature was unusually familiar with this place; it didn't even need to hesitate before using its forelimb to tap a slightly protruding brick on the wall at some inconspicuous corner.

With a soft clack, a section of wall slid open silently, revealing a hidden, even narrower maintenance passage entrance! A gust of stale air surged out from within, carrying a faint, peculiar smell like a mix of sulfur and ozone.

"Hidden passage… they understand this place better than we imagined." Lin Mo's gaze sharpened slightly, and he grew several degrees more alert.

The maintenance passage was unusually dim, illuminated only by the crystal-cluster creatures' own flickering halos. Thick dust lay underfoot; on either side were thick, long-since-inactive energy conduits and cable bundles, with many places covered in thick, grayish-white strange spider-web-like substances.

Xiang Lingna's right-arm crystal reacted faintly here again—no longer a strong resonance, but a subtle, directional throbbing, as if reminding her of the direction. At the same time, that cold electronic voice in her mind seemed to try to sound again, but only broken static remained, like a bad signal.

【…backup…maintenance…route…energy…leak…danger…】

The voice was intermittent, making it hard to discern the complete meaning.

They had been winding through this maze-like maintenance passage for about ten minutes when the leading crystal-cluster creature suddenly stopped, emitting a burst of rapid, alert beeps. It pointed toward a corner ahead in the passage, where faint orange-red light, different from the crystal-cluster creatures' halos, could be glimpsed, and the clear sound of liquid dripping—"drip, drip"—came through.

Lin Mo signaled Xiang Lingna to stop, while he himself carefully moved forward, pressed against the cold metal wall, and slowly peeked his head out to observe.

Beyond the corner was a larger pipe-junction node room. In the center of the room, a thick main energy conduit had burst open with a huge gash; orange-red, viscous energy liquid, radiating high heat and a pungent sulfur smell, dripped ceaselessly from the breach, pooling into a small puddle in the inspection pit below, emanating a dangerous glow and heat. And at the ruptured pipe opening, several fist-sized, gorgeous orange-red, semi-transparent crystals had actually condensed—inside them, lava seemed to flow! They were greedily absorbing the leaking energy liquid, emitting steady energy fluctuations stronger than that pulse crystal!

"High-purity solid energy deposits!" Lin Mo said in a low voice, a flash of delight crossing his eyes. The energy contained in these crystals was considerable, and they seemed very stable!

But the next second, his gaze froze. Beside that pooled energy-liquid puddle, three creatures, far larger than the crystal-cluster creatures outside, lay crouched! Their shape resembled pangolins magnified several times over, covered in dull, heavy carapaces like cooled lava, with several clusters of swaying, flame-like orange-red crystal clusters growing on their backs, and a thick tail tipped with a heavy hammer-shaped bone segment. They were sprawled there, lazily absorbing the heat and radiation from the leaking energy liquid—clearly having made this place their nest!

"Energy predators… it seems we're not the only ones who discovered this place." Lin Mo slowly drew his head back, his expression heavy and solemn. These creatures looked like they wouldn't be easy to deal with, and they occupied the only path to obtaining the energy crystals.

Just as he was considering how to respond, a suppressed low cry came from Xiang Lingna behind him.

Lin Mo whipped his head around and found Xiang Lingna staring, deathly pale, into the darkness at the other end of the passage. The crystal on her right arm was trembling slightly, the emerald veins within flashing urgently—no longer guidance, but radiating a strong sense of… warning and revulsion!

"What's wrong?" Lin Mo asked immediately.

"Over there… there's something…" Xiang Lingna's voice carried a tremor as she pointed at that darkness. "It feels very cold… very hungry… a bit like the Doctor's power, but different… it's eating… eating the energy here…"

Lin Mo looked in the direction she pointed, and Zero's console immediately cast its scanning beam toward that darkness.

At the end of the beam, viscous, black-oil-like substances could faintly be seen, slowly and silently spreading along the walls and pipes! Wherever they passed, the metal walls became dull and decayed, and even the faint energy currents in the air were devoured and absorbed! A cold, deathly, greedily devouring aura seeped out from those black substances!

That was… traces of the Devouring Realm's erosion?! Though extremely faint, merely a small remnant, it was indeed present, and was still actively devouring all energy!

Wolves ahead, tigers behind! The energy crystals were within reach, yet blocked by two kinds of dangerous creatures at once!