Chapter 209: Forced Migration and the Crystal Cluster's Secret Path

The triangular formation of three Sweeper units was like a cold-blooded killing machine, the light gathering at their energy cannons growing ever more blinding, locking Lin Mo and the others firmly in the northwest corner. At the breach in the dropship behind them, shadows writhed, new threats seeming ready to descend at any moment. Through the breach in the dome above, one could even faintly see the shadow of another reconnaissance skiff lowering its altitude, circling like a vulture waiting to deliver a fatal strike.

They absolutely could not be trapped and killed here!

"Gardener! Where does that maintenance passage lead? Is it safe?" Lin Mo spoke at top speed, his gaze fixed on the approaching Sweepers, stardust power once again gathering in his palms, but this time not for a head-on clash—rather to prepare interference and cover.

【Data missing…Passage map damaged…Only known is that this passage was used during the early construction period, theoretically connecting to the main trunk maintenance corridor deeper within the Ark, but conditions along the way are unknown. Safety cannot be assessed.】 The Gardener's answer was still not reassuring.

The unknown was still better than staying here and being focus-fired into slag!

"Sister Ai Li, Xiang Lingna, prepare to move toward that passage entrance! Zero, jam them! Crystal-cluster beings, lead the way!" Lin Mo made his decision in an instant, issuing a string of commands.

Zero's console immediately concentrated all energy into the jamming system, and an invisible, sensor-targeted jamming wave was unleashed in an instant! The crimson sensor glows of the three Sweepers flickered chaotically, their firing accuracy severely compromised; the dense energy beams mostly struck the cover around the group, blasting debris flying!

Those few crystal-cluster beings seemed to understand Lin Mo's order—or rather, they instinctively sensed that passage was the only way out—emitting a few hurried clicks, and without hesitation hopped toward the maintenance passage entrance half-buried by rubble on the other side of the hall, their small frames easily slipping through the gaps in the debris.

"Move!" Lin Mo barked low, his palms thrusting forward violently, a surge of stardust power erupting like a shockwave—not to kill, but to create an intense energy turbulence zone, further disrupting the Sweepers' lock-on, while kicking up dust and debris from the ground to create a brief visual barrier!

Sister Ai Li hoisted Priestess Liyana onto her shoulder, her figure ghost-like as she used the smoke and dust for cover, closely following the crystal-cluster beings toward the passage entrance. Xiang Lingna also forced herself to keep up.

Lin Mo covered the rear, fighting as he retreated, constantly using his stardust light shield to deflect the sporadic energy beams; each block left his arms slightly numb, the expenditure enormous.

Hiss—! An energy beam pierced through the smoke, grazing Lin Mo's shoulder and tearing away a small strip of flesh and skin; the searing pain made him grunt, but his stride did not falter in the slightest.

Finally, the group charged one after another into that maintenance passage entrance. The passage entrance was even narrower than the previous repair passage, requiring them to stoop to enter; inside it was pitch black, giving off an even thicker smell of decay and mustiness.

Sister Ai Li did not hesitate, diving in first. Xiang Lingna followed right behind. At the entrance, Lin Mo condensed one last light shield, taking a full volley head-on; the shield flickered violently, nearly shattering, and using the impact force he leaped backward violently, also diving into the passage!

Almost at the same moment he entered, the three Sweepers had already scattered the smoke and charged to the passage entrance! But their massive frames simply could not fit through this narrow opening; their power claws hacked frenziedly at the metal frame at the entrance, emitting ear-piercing noise, sparks flying, trying to widen the opening!

"They can't get in! Move, now!" Lin Mo shouted; inside the passage it was pitch dark, with only Zero's console and the crystal-cluster beings' halos providing faint illumination.

This passage was even more ancient and dilapidated, the ground uneven, dust thick enough to swallow one's ankles, the air so turbid it was suffocating. But the crystal-cluster beings leading the way seemed unusually familiar with it; they didn't even need to hesitate before choosing a downward-sloping, more concealed side path at the first fork.

"They seem to…really know the way…" Xiang Lingna panted as she spoke; in the darkness, the emerald-green veins in her right-arm crystal seemed to provide a tiny bit of faint vision.

"Follow them! Zero, record the path!" Lin Mo said in a low voice. Now they could only trust these native creatures.

The passage descended all the way, the terrain growing ever deeper; more pipes and cables began appearing around them, many covered in thick, gray-white fungal colonies and cobwebs, some places even requiring hands-and-feet climbing to get through. From far behind, the noise of the Sweepers destroying the entrance gradually grew quieter, finally vanishing entirely, replaced by a more unsettling, deep hum as if from the depths of the Ark's heart, intermittent.

After walking for who knew how long, the leading crystal-cluster being suddenly stopped, emitting a series of somewhat excited ticking sounds. It pointed with its forelimb at an inconspicuous metal plate on the wall ahead, covered in thick fungal colonies.

Zero's scanning beam focused over. "Detected cavity behind…energy readings…anomalous. Not stardust or life energy, but…a stable, inert geological energy signature, similar to…a high-quality crystal vein."

A mineral vein? Inside this Ark?

That crystal-cluster being had already begun rapidly scraping and clearing the fungal colonies off that metal plate with its forelimbs, quickly revealing an ancient, manually operated valve wheel behind it.

"It seems like…it's going to open this?" Xiang Lingna said, somewhat uncertain.

Lin Mo stepped forward and tried turning the wheel. The wheel was heavily rusted; he nearly used all his strength before, amid ear-piercing metal-grinding sounds, slowly turning it.

Creak…clank…

A wall that had appeared intact suddenly caved inward, then slid open silently, revealing a gap barely wide enough for one person to pass through! A gust of cold air carrying a strange energy aura surged out from within, instantly dispersing the turbidity inside the passage.

Behind the gap was not the imagined passage or room, but a vast, unbelievable underground crystal cavern!

The cavern had no visible end; growing in all directions—up, down, left, right—were countless enormous natural crystal clusters of various shapes! These crystals were not transparent, but displayed various deep colors—eerie blue, dark purple, blazing red, ink green…They grew silently, with what seemed like flowing radiance slowly moving within, emitting a soft and steady glow that illuminated the entire cavern like a dream! The thick, almost tangible inert energy aura permeated the air; one breath of it made one feel one's spirit lift!

And most astonishing of all, one could see many crystal-cluster beings quietly perched on these enormous crystal clusters, their body halos and the crystals' light reflecting off each other, as if conducting an energy exchange. On the cavern floor, one could even see some tiny, newborn crystal-cluster beings, only the size of a fingernail, slowly growing!

This place…was actually the nest of these crystal-cluster beings! Or rather, their "nursery" and energy source!

"Incredible…inside the Ark, such a natural energy cavern has actually been nurtured…" Lin Mo was awestruck by the sight before him. Although the energy contained in these crystals was inert and difficult to use directly, its total quantity was astonishingly vast!

That leading crystal-cluster being emitted happy clicking sounds, hopped into the cavern, and merged with its kindred. The other crystal-cluster beings, at their arrival, merely flickered their halos slightly, showing no hostility, seemingly having already accepted their presence.

"Perhaps…we can take shelter here temporarily…" Xiang Lingna looked at this serene and beautiful cavern, slightly relieved.

However, Zero's console issued a warning: "Detected that the cavern's energy field has an extremely strong shielding effect; external scanning will have difficulty detecting it. But at the same time, our external communications and signal transmission will also be greatly weakened, nearly cut off."

This was a safe haven, but it also meant being cut off from the world.

Just then, Lin Mo's gaze was drawn to a certain sight deep in the cavern. In the center surrounded by countless colorful crystal clusters, there was a relatively open area. There stood an unusually enormous, pure milky-white crystal pillar, its form…faintly resembling a tree without branches or leaves! The trunk was straight, the roots twisting and burrowing deep into the ground.

And at the foot of this "crystal tree," the soil displayed a bizarre scorched-black color, out of place with the energy-rich surroundings. Some viscous, asphalt-like black substance was clinging to the roots of the crystal tree like a festering sore, slowly, stubbornly spreading upward! Wherever it passed, the pure crystal became dim and lost its luster!

The erosion of the Devouring Realm's Maw! It had actually spread here too! Even gnawing at the energy core of this cavern!

"What is that…" Xiang Lingna also saw that unsettling sight, a familiar disgust emanating from her right-arm crystal.

Lin Mo slowly walked toward that crystal tree; the closer he got, the more he could feel the energy fluctuations contained within that milky-white crystal—originating from the same source as stardust power but more ancient and weighty. At the same time, he could more clearly feel the cold, deathly devouring desire emanating from that black erosion.

Just as his palm was about to touch the eroded roots of that crystal tree—

【Warning! High concentration of annihilation pollutant detected!】 The Gardener's voice suddenly came through indirectly via Zero's console, as if the cavern's shielding could not completely block its faint connection with the Seed, 【Target object: suspected 'Earth-Vein Energy Crystallization Primordial Body'…extremely precious…being polluted…】

Earth-vein energy crystallization? Could this cavern be related to the Ark's earth-vein energy well?

【Recommendation: Immediately remove the pollutant! Otherwise the entire crystal cavern's energy source will be polluted, the crystal-cluster ecosystem will perish! But removal requires…World Tree life energy or equivalent purification power…】

World Tree life energy…Lin Mo and Xiang Lingna's gazes simultaneously turned to each other, then back to that eroded crystal tree.

Xiang Lingna gritted her teeth, stepped forward, raised that crack-webbed right arm, and tried to activate the emerald-green veins within. A faint life radiance lit up, shining on that black erosion.

Hiss…

Black smoke rose; the erosion recoiled like a living thing, but still clung stubbornly, even attempting to split off a wisp that, like a black venomous snake, wound back along the life energy Xiang Lingna was emitting!

Xiang Lingna cried out in alarm, hastily retreating, her face going pale. "No good…it's too stubborn…my power isn't enough…"

Lin Mo immediately stepped forward, his stardust power transforming into a barrier, severing that wisp of black thread that had attempted to counterattack. It seemed that, to purify this place, they would either need to find more World Tree seeds, or…Priestess Liyana would need to awaken.

This safe haven, it seemed, also concealed a crisis that could not be ignored.

And what they did not know was that, not long after they entered the cavern, inside that narrow maintenance passage, several blurry, twisted figures composed of shadow were silently sliding along the path they had just traversed; crimson electronic eyes flickered once in the darkness, then melted back into the shadows and vanished.