Chapter 218

The revival of the geopulse energy well was like a potent stimulant injected into a dying ark beast; though far from restored to its prime, the pervasive aura of death and decay had been significantly dispelled. A stable energy supply allowed the remaining infrastructure to resume operation, and the faint light and fresh air brought this desolate place a long-lost, fragile sense of safety.

Lin Mo’s light cocoon still hung silently beneath the energy heart, like a slumbering monarch, absorbing the purest geopulse energy in a timeless transformation. Liyana was carefully moved by Ali and Lingna to a relatively flat platform of energy crystals; her breathing was steady, her complexion no longer ashen, but the dark purple crystal on her forehead, riddled with cracks, remained like a sleeping venomous serpent, emitting faint, unsettling ripples that reminded everyone the threat had not been eliminated.

Gro Na performed a basic repair on her severely damaged power armor, integrating the functional weapon modules into a single unit, standing like a loyal gate guardian at the entrance to the geopulse cavity, her crimson eyes vigilantly monitoring the outer space through the breach. The Doctor’s fleet had retreated a distance, forming a tense standoff with her mixed fleet; minor skirmishes and Shitanxing shots occurred occasionally, but large-scale attacks had temporarily ceased. This calm before the storm was even more unsettling.

Zero’s console, after absorbing some scattered geopulse energy, regained partial functionality; though its glow remained dim, it no longer flickered as if about to die. It continuously scanned internal changes within the ark’s wreckage and attempted to restore communication links with Gro Na ’s fleet, but progress was slow—the ark’s own energy shielding remained formidable.

Lingna’s shoulder wound healed rapidly in the pure energy environment and she could now move freely; she spent most of her time guarding Lin Mo’s light cocoon and Liyana, her eyes filled with worry and hope. Ali’s injuries were the most severe; though the corruption had been purged, multiple fractures and internal injuries required time to heal. She leaned against the wall, eyes closed, using elven breathing techniques to slowly recover, but the furrows on her brow revealed the process was far from easy.

Time passed slowly in this oppressive stillness.

Until a faint, yet distinctly different vibration reached them.

This vibration did not come from external bombardment nor from the energy well’s pulse—it was more like… a crack… originating from deeper, lower layers of the ark? Or perhaps the sound of some restraint being broken?

Uuuu—nnn—

Immediately after, a low, twisted, agonized roar echoed upward, seemingly from the abyssal depths below, traveling faintly through metal structures and energy conduits! The sound bore no resemblance to any known creature—it was a fusion of countless tormented wails and mechanical failure noises, sending chills down spines and unsettling the mind.

“What the hell is that?!” Gro Na sprang to her feet, gripping her battle-axe tightly, eyes fixed on the mirror-smooth floor beneath her feet as if the sound rose from hell’s depths.

Lingna and Ali were jolted awake by the sudden eerie noise, their hearts pounding with inexplicable dread.

Zero’s console flickered violently: “Anomalous low-frequency vibration and energy fluctuation detected! Source: Deepest structural layers of ark wreckage, depth beyond current scanning range. Fluctuation analysis: Highly chaotic, mixed with intense corrupted energy, despairing intent, and… spatial tear characteristics!”

Spatial tear? Could it be…

“It’s the Devourer’s Maw!” Zero’s voice carried unprecedented gravity. “Our prior purification… did not fully eradicate its extended forms… but may have… destroyed its ‘anchor point’ within this region… causing its main force to… escape through some preexisting… spatial fissure… into deeper layers of the ark… or even… other connected dimensions…”

“And the recent vibration and sound… are likely the resonance… from its struggle to break free… or… the complete tearing of a weak spatial node.”

This news sank their hearts once more. Had their brutal battle merely repelled a fraction of the Devourer’s Maw’s power—and possibly even inadvertently opened a path to more dangerous regions? Or worse—had the ark’s interior always contained fissures linking to other perilous dimensions, now reactivated?

“Can you pinpoint the exact location of that fissure?” Gro Na spat. “I’ll go seal it myself!”

“The source is too deep and chaotic for precise localization. But energy flow indicates… the geopulse is spontaneously converging toward that region, as if attempting repair or suppression,” Zero replied. “Additionally, another relatively stable geopulse tributary has activated—the one we previously identified leading to the suspected ‘Ancient Elf Emergency Shelter’ or ‘Backup Bridge Entrance.’”

Zero projected a new energy network map. The spreading, dark red zone representing the dangerous fissure lay at the ark’s deepest level, while a thin but steady milky-white energy stream pointed toward another direction—a region deeper within B-7 unit.

One path led to unknown danger and potentially greater threats (the fissure). The other led to the possible command center and new hope (the bridge).

But could they handle both simultaneously?

Lin Mo slept, depriving them of high-end combat power. Ali and Lingna remained severely wounded. Gro Na must guard the entrance against possible attacks from the Doctor’s fleet. Zero was heavily damaged.

Dividing forces meant dispersion—and vulnerability to being picked off one by one. A choice had to be made immediately.

“We must reach the bridge,” Ali said suddenly, her voice weak yet resolute. She opened her ice-blue eyes, fixing them on the stable energy stream. “Only by gaining control of the ark can we truly understand its condition, close any other fissures, and perhaps… find a way to fully heal Liyana and counter the Doctor. The lower fissure… can only be temporarily suppressed by the geopulse’s own energy.”

Her words were rational and calm, identifying the most critical objective.

Gro Na , though craving battle, understood the stakes and nodded. “Exactly! Once we take control of this damn ship, I’ll ram it straight into the Doctor’s flagship and blow it to hell!”

Lingna agreed as well—she believed finding the command center would help Lin Mo and Liyana.

“The path to the target area has been preliminarily activated by geopulse energy, but the route is long and its condition unknown,” Zero warned. “Given our current state, this journey carries extreme risk.”

“No matter the risk—we go!” Gro Na hefted her battle-axe. “We can’t just sit here waiting for that black sludge to rise again—or for the Doctor to break in!”

Consensus reached. Objective: Follow the geopulse tributary to locate and enter the suspected backup bridge entrance!

As they gathered their gear and prepared to depart, Liyana, who had remained unconscious, suddenly emitted a faint, barely audible moan. Her fingers twitched involuntarily; a weak, emerald glow—her own innate natural energy—flickered like a dying candle at her fingertip, then vanished.

This subtle change did not escape Ali’s notice. She gazed deeply at Liyana, her sense of urgency intensifying. Liyana’s consciousness seemed to be struggling—but time was running out.

The team quickly prepared. Gro Na left behind several functioning automated defense drones to guard the entrance and Lin Mo’s light cocoon, though she knew they might do little good.

The group stepped into the channel illuminated by milky-white energy, leading deeper into the ark. Behind them lay the sleeping Lin Mo, the comatose Liyana, and the unsettling, ever-present resonance of the fissure rising from the abyss.

Ahead lay an unknown passage and a sliver of hope.

What they did not know was that shortly after their departure, the smallest fragment of the World Tree seed husk—once utterly dark and shattered, hovering above Lin Mo’s cocoon—flickered, impossibly faint, like a breath, with a barely perceptible green glow.