Chapter 216: Heartbeat Restart and the Cost

In the instant the entrance to the geopulse energy well opened, hope and destruction, like intertwined light and shadow, reached their zenith simultaneously! Pure, vast beams of milky-white energy surged forth like a warm tide, instantly dispelling the cavern’s chill and stillness, even granting Lingna and Ali a fleeting relief from their wounds, while Lin Mo’s depleted starlight energy, like parched earth meeting rain, began spontaneously accelerating its recovery.

Yet, immediately following, came an even more frenzied black flood! The swelling, world-devouring maw, sensing the core energy’s pull, emitted a nearly ecstatic, piercing screech, abandoned all secondary targets, and transformed into a sky-covering black tide, surging wildly toward the gaping entrance! Groona’s towering figure clad in powered armor was instantly swallowed by the terrifying black wave, with only violent bursts of crimson battle aura flashing within it like a lamp struggling in a storm—clearly locked in a desperate, life-threatening battle!

Meanwhile, freed, Liyana locked her icy violet gaze on the entrance, her form becoming a destructive violet streak that ignored all obstacles and charged straight ahead! Wherever she passed, even the milky-white geopulse energy was tainted with an ominous gray hue.

Above, the flagship’s orbital cannon recharged, its blinding energy beam descending like the Sword of Damocles, radiating annihilating power—no longer random bombardment, but precisely aimed at the newly opened, defenseless energy well entrance! Several heavy drones, like moths diving into flame, plunged downward while unleashing dense volleys of fire, sealing off the area before the entrance!

Internal and external threats converged instantly upon this tiny space—life and death hung by a breath!

“Zero!! Max power interference on the orbital cannon! Deflect as much as you can!” Lin Mo roared, hoarse—he knew this was nearly impossible, but they had no choice! Simultaneously, the faintly restored starlight energy within him erupted without reserve—not for attack or defense, but entirely channeled into the ground beneath him, into the force sharing the same origin as the geopulse energy!

“Lingna! Ali! Follow me inside! This is our only chance!” He grabbed the severely wounded Lingna and the nearly collapsed Ali, each by one arm, and charged toward the entrance—shrouded in black tide, violet light, and deathly cannonfire—like moths diving into flame, with no hesitation!

Zero’s console diverted all energy, even overextending its core computational capacity, into a single, hyper-concentrated cobalt-blue beam that shot upward, striking precisely at the side of the lethal orbital beam! Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, the cobalt beam shattered instantly; Zero’s console spewed thick smoke, its glow utterly dimmed, falling to the ground like a stone. But the orbital beam, at last, was minutely deflected by this suicidal strike!

BOOM——!!!!!

The lethal beam grazed the backs of Lin Mo and the two women, slamming violently into the entrance’s edge! The colossal energy explosion shattered vast stretches of energy-crystal walls; the violent shockwave hurled the three like fallen leaves, flinging them inward toward the entrance! The explosive energy clashed violently with the leaking geopulse energy, forming a chaotic maelstrom of unstable forces!

The black tide and Liyana’s violet light also plunged into the entrance at nearly the same moment!

Inside the entrance was not the imagined well-like structure, but an immeasurably vast, boundless underground cavity entirely composed of pure milky-white energy crystals! At its center floated a heart—so immense it defied description—slowly pulsing, as if forged from liquid light and flawless crystal!

The core of the geopulse energy well! Each pulse stirred the entire cavity’s energy into tidal ebb and flow, radiating life-giving vitality and power potent enough to shake the stars!

Yet now, this great “heart” appeared dim, and in certain areas, faint black spots—like vascular blockages—could be seen: ancient, dormant traces of corruption! Clearly, the world-devouring maw’s pollution had long since seeped in silently.

As the black tide and Liyana entered, they were like drops falling into an ocean—but a sea of deadly poison! The black tide surged wildly toward the colossal energy heart, seeking to fully corrupt and devour it! Liyana hovered midair, her forehead crystal blazing with radiant light; she opened her arms, seemingly attempting to forcibly extract the heart’s core energy for her own annihilation spores to absorb!

The energy heart, sensing this ultimate threat, accelerated its pulse violently, emitting a powerful repelling wave—the milky-white energy tide surged like an angry tsunami, crashing against the black tide and Liyana!

The black tide was pushed back and dissipated, yet replenished endlessly. Liyana’s external dark-purple energy was continuously purified and dissolved, yet she stubbornly siphoned minute traces of pure energy; her forehead crystal grew brighter, and her annihilation aura intensified!

Lin Mo, Lingna, and Ali crashed hard onto the smooth energy-crystal floor, their wounds worsening. Lin Mo struggled to lift his head, seeing this despairing scene, his heart sinking to its lowest point. Even the geopulse energy well itself seemed unable to fully purge this deeply entrenched corruption!

Was there truly no way?

Just as he was about to surrender, his gaze suddenly fixed on the dormant black spots on the energy heart’s surface, then on the black tide and Liyana frantically battling the energy tide—a mad, nearly suicidal thought surged again!

Purification! Required a stronger, internal purification force! And the strongest purification force here was the geopulse energy itself! But it was blocked by these dormant stains!

“Send me… to it! To the heart!” Lin Mo roared at Lingna and Ali, who supported him, his eyes blazing with resolve.

“Lin Mo brother! What are you going to do?!” Lingna felt a terrible premonition.

“No time to explain! Trust me!” Lin Mo’s tone brooked no argument.

Ali gave Lin Mo a deep look, said nothing, and with her last strength, joined Lingna in supporting him as they struggled toward the cavity’s center, where the energy conflict was fiercest. The energy tides battered them constantly; every step forward was excruciating.

Groona now burst through the entrance as well, her powered armor heavily damaged and caked in black slime, yet her battle spirit remained fierce; she roared as she charged into the black tide, relieving pressure on Lin Mo and the others.

At last, they reached the base of the energy heart! Here, the pressure was so immense it nearly choked the breath from them.

Lin Mo looked up at the great, slowly pulsing, scarred heart above him, his eyes filled with complex emotion—awe, sorrow, and above all, unyielding determination!

He violently broke free from Lingna and Ali’s support, summoning his final strength, and leapt upward—deliberately throwing himself into the most violent surge of milky-white energy rising from the heart’s pulse!

“By the name of starlight… summon the light of myriad worlds… aid you… cleanse the dust!” Lin Mo cried his final shout. His body seemed to melt within the tide, his skin cracking with countless fissures—blood barely seeped out before being purified by the energy! Yet he abandoned all defense, becoming a conduit, pouring without reserve his own starlight energy—fused with multiple primordial sources and carrying a trace of creation’s nature—back into the energy heart!

He would use his own power as a spark to ignite the dormant purification force of the geopulse energy well—even if this process first consumed him!

ZZZZ—!!!!!

The entire energy cavity shuddered violently! The energy heart, as if injected with the strongest stimulant, halted its pulse for a breath—then began pulsing with unprecedented, frenzied intensity!

Thump! Thump-thump-thump!

Like war drums pounding! Like stars exploding!

An incredibly brilliant milky-white light, tinged with faint gold, erupted from within the heart—like a supernova, instantly engulfing the entire cavity!

The dormant black spots, under this ultimate purification light infused with starlight properties, melted away like snow beneath the sun!

The surging black tide shrieked in agonized terror, like grease thrown into a steel furnace, vast swathes evaporating and being purified!

Even Liyana was violently flung back by this sudden, indiscriminate ultimate purification light; her dark-purple energy was instantly purged by half, and she screamed in agony, her forehead crystal dimming, the cold violet in her eyes forcibly suppressed, flickering briefly with a familiar emerald green and confusion!

The purification light swept through all!

And Lin Mo, serving as the energy fuse and conduit, at the core of this radiant explosion, felt his consciousness, soul, and every single cell being torn apart, disintegrated, purified by the terrifying energy…

The price… is finally due…

This was his final thought before losing consciousness.