Chapter 212: A Fragile Balance and an All-In Gamble

Inside the crystal cavern, the air was thick with gunpowder, energy residue, and a faint, elusive scent of burning, utterly out of place amidst the originally pure energy atmosphere. The brief, fierce battle only heightened the oppressive silence of the present moment. The black ash left behind after the Shadow Stalkers were eliminated slowly dispersed, like ominous embers.

Lingna endured the cold, excruciating pain shooting through her shoulder like countless ice needles, clumsily using her only functional left hand to take out the remaining high-concentration energy gel from her belongings, attempting to apply it to the wound. Upon contact with the corrosive shadow energy, the gel emitted a faint hissing sound, bringing a brief burst of heat that was quickly replaced by deeper cold and numbness; the black patterns still spread slowly and stubbornly beneath her skin, though their speed had slowed slightly. Her face was as pale as paper, her forehead covered in cold sweat, and every breath tugged at the wound with a sharp pain.

Sister Ai Li's condition was equally grim. Old wounds had not yet healed, only to be joined by new ones; the shadow erosion on her ribs and shoulder had clearly worsened under the stimulation of continuous high-intensity combat and emotional fluctuations. The black patterns, like living vines, had already spread to her collarbone, emitting a cold, deathly aura that even lowered the temperature of the air around her. Leaning against the rock wall near the entrance, she closed her eyes to regulate her breath, trying to use her willpower to suppress the terrible power that constantly sought to erode her mind and life, but her slightly trembling fingertips and tightly pressed lips revealed the immense pain she was enduring.

Lin Mo's Heavy Heart sank to its lowest point. He looked at his severely injured companions, then at Liyana, who lay unconscious while a dangerous tug-of-war raged within her body, and finally his gaze fell upon the milky-white crystal tree being constantly eroded. Despair, like the darkness deep within the cavern, threatened to swallow him whole. Powerful enemies surrounded them outside, while internal crises mounted; companions fell one after another, yet they were trapped in a cage that seemed safe but was actually fragile, leaving them with no way forward or back.

Zero's console hovered above Liyana, its azure scanning beams sweeping continuously over her body as data streams refreshed like a waterfall. "Liyana's internal energy conflict is extremely unstable; the activity of the Annihilation Spores has increased by 17.3% due to external stimulation and internal resistance. High-intensity mental barriers are detected on her consciousness layer, autonomously resisting external erosion, but the barrier strength is continuously declining. The energy injection efficiency of the World Tree seed is lower than expected due to the energy conflict."

"The shadow erosion on Sister Ai Li and Lingna continues to worsen; conventional methods can only delay it, not eradicate it. The erosion energy possesses homogenous characteristics, with weak resonance between them, posing a risk of concentrated outbreak."

Bad news came one after another.

Those few crystal cluster beings huddled far away in the depths of the cavern, their halos flickering with fear and unease, too afraid to approach Lin Mo and the others, as if they brought disaster and misfortune.

Was there truly no way?

Lin Mo's gaze turned once more to the eroded crystal tree and the black substance constantly writhing at its roots. Destruction and life, erosion and purification... an extremely risky, almost insane thought gradually took shape in his mind.

"Zero," his voice sounded somewhat hoarse from tension, "analyze feasibility: if I attempt to actively absorb the energy from the eroded area of the crystal tree, what will happen?"

The light on Zero's console suddenly stalled, seemingly shocked by the proposal; the data stream paused for several seconds before resuming its frantic calculations.

"Warning! Risk level of this operation: Catastrophic!" Zero's electronic voice was more urgent than ever before. "The target energy is a highly mixed entity, containing pure ley line energy, inert crystal energy, and highly active Annihilation contamination energy. Forced absorption will likely lead to uncontrolled energy conflict, triggering a chain explosion, or cause the absorber to be completely eroded by the Annihilation energy, transforming into a new pollution source!"

"Then what if... instead of direct absorption, I use my Stardust power as a guide and buffer to channel that mixed energy, particularly the Annihilation energy within it, out?" Lin Mo's eyes grew brighter, the insane thought becoming clearer. "Not drawing it into the body, but channeling it out to attack a target... perhaps those Shadow Stalkers still lingering outside the cavern? Or... the next wave of enemies the Doctor might send?"

Use the tiger to devour the wolf! Use the enemy's power to attack the enemy!

Zero fell silent again, lost in calculation, the azure light flashing violently. "Theoretically... there is an extremely low success rate. Stardust power possesses the potential to draw in and temporarily bind Annihilation energy. However, it requires extremely precise energy control; any slight deviation will result in self-immolation. Furthermore, the channeled Annihilation energy is highly unstable and difficult to control in direction, potentially causing indiscriminate destruction. At the same time, this act will greatly accelerate the pollution process of the crystal tree's core, possibly rendering this energy node completely useless."

High risk, high reward! It could even lead to mutual destruction!

But this was the only method currently available to break the deadlock, or even strike back!

"Brother Lin Mo! It's too dangerous!" Lingna, hearing their conversation, ignored her own injuries and shouted urgently, "Your power cannot have any more problems!"

Sister Ai Li also opened her eyes, her cold gaze fixed on Lin Mo; although she said nothing, her eyes were filled with disapproval.

"We have no time." Lin Mo took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over his severely injured companions and the unconscious Liyana, his expression becoming unyielding. "The Doctor will not give us a chance to breathe, and Liyana cannot wait. This is the only opportunity; we must take the gamble!"

He walked to the base of the eroded crystal tree, sat cross-legged, and slowly pressed his hands in the air above the writhing black substance. Warm Stardust power began to flow from his body, like cautious tentacles, slowly approaching the cold, deathly Annihilation energy.

"Zero, monitor my status and energy flow throughout; if it goes out of control..." Lin Mo did not finish his sentence.

"Understood. Highest priority emergency intervention protocol is ready, but the success rate is below 15%." Zero's console hovered above his head, all sensors focused.

Lingna and Sister Ai Li's hearts rose to their throats; watching Lin Mo tensely, they barely breathed.

The process was far more difficult and painful than imagined. Stardust power and Annihilation energy seemed like natural enemies incompatible as water and fire; the moment they touched, an intense conflict erupted! Lin Mo's body shook violently, his face instantly turning deathly pale, and a trace of fresh blood even spilled from the corner of his mouth! That cold, deathly erosion sensation, following the energy connection, tried to surge back into his body, bringing pain far exceeding physical injury, striking directly at his soul!

But he gritted his teeth and held on! Relying on his increasingly refined control over Stardust power and his formidable willpower, he carefully adjusted the frequency and intensity of the energy, like walking a tightrope over a ten-thousand-foot abyss, striving to find that one extremely subtle balance point, attempting to "peel" and "lure" the raging Annihilation energy out of the crystal tree, and using Stardust power to wrap and bind it layer by layer!

Time ticked by second by second; veins bulged on Lin Mo's forehead, sweat streamed down like a river, and his body trembled slightly from extreme pain and exhaustion. Yet in his palms, an extremely unstable energy ball, constantly erupting with black-purple lightning within, was slowly taking shape! That energy ball emitted a heart-stopping wave of destruction, frightening the distant crystal cluster beings until their halos nearly went out!

Just as that dangerous energy ball was about to reach its critical point, and Lin Mo was nearing his limit—

Wooooong—!!!

That familiar, vast Ark hum sounded once again! And this time, it did not pass in a sweep, but echoed continuously throughout the entire cavern like a wail!

Immediately following, the entire crystal cavern began to tremble violently! It seemed as if some colossal entity was launching a fierce attack on the remains from outside the Ark! The crystal clusters overhead rattled, and some tiny crystals even began to crack and fall!

"Detected ultra-high intensity energy impact! Source: Outside the Ark! Attack type: Capital ship-level orbital bombardment! Target: The overall structure of the Ark remains!" Zero's alarm screamed to its peak, "Shockwaves are about to reach this area!"

Almost simultaneously, in the direction of the cavern entrance, shadow energy fluctuated violently again! Not just one, but dozens of spatial disturbance points appeared simultaneously! The Doctor had clearly lost patience, deploying true strength: on one hand, applying pressure via orbital bombardment, and on the other, dispatching a massive number of Shadow Stalkers, preparing to break through by force and end the battle in one decisive blow!

Internal troubles remained unresolved, while external threats had arrived! And it was the fiercest general assault!

Lin Mo's eyes snapped open; looking at the extremely unstable light ball in his hand, containing terrifying Annihilation energy, and then at the constantly shaking dome and the shadow tide about to flood the entrance, a flash of desperate madness crossed his eyes!

He did not choose to stabilize that energy; instead, using his last strength, he shoved it fiercely toward the direction of the entrance!

"Taste the bitter fruit you brewed yourselves!"