Chapter 244: Cold Trap and Data Abyss

The ventilation duct was filled with the chill of metal and the stench of oil; the narrow space pressed against the chest, each crawl accompanied by a faint, grating scrape that amplified endlessly in the silence, hammering at taut nerves.

Lingna followed the crow’s shadow, moving carefully through the labyrinthine network of ducts, striving to make no extra sound. The “tears” fragment and the newly acquired white jade disc pressed against her skin, sending a faint warmth—her only comfort and source of courage. The wound on her left arm throbbed with every movement, reminding her of reality’s cruelty.

The doctor’s words, as if seeing through everything, still echoed in her mind—“core carrier.” The term coiled like a cold serpent around her heart, bringing icy dread and the terror of being utterly observed, powerless to resist. He knew they had come; perhaps even their exact position now. This path on the scanner, seemingly a hope, was ninety-nine percent a naked trap.

But they had no choice. Below, those “energy sources,” drained of life, their eyes vacant and numb, haunted her like a nightmare. Stopping the doctor, shattering his mad plan, was the only path—even if it led to a mountain of blades and sea of fire.

The crow moved with extreme caution. At every junction or vent, he halted to observe and listen long before proceeding. His scanner screen remained snowed over; the faint signal guiding their route flickered intermittently, like a candle in the wind, leading them toward an unknown abyss.

The mechanical hum around them shifted—no longer the deep, massive thrum of the energy core, but a sharper, denser, more computational buzzing. The air now carried a distinct odor, like ozone and overheated circuit boards.

They were nearing the core of the doctor’s laboratory.

Finally, the crow stopped before an unremarkable vent covered in a fine mesh. He signaled Lingna to be silent, then carefully peered down through the grid.

Below was a relatively small room, resembling a data exchange node or secondary control room. It was packed with dense server racks, indicator lights blinking like stars. At its center stood a solitary console, its screen rapidly scrolling vast streams of data. Most striking was a circular entrance on one wall—an obvious later addition—shimmering with a pale blue energy barrier. Behind it lay a short corridor leading to a heavier metal door bearing the doctor’s personal emblem.

There—the entrance to the doctor’s Project Seven laboratory!

And the endpoint of the scanner’s faint signal? A barely noticeable backup power interface, used for servicing the server racks, tucked in the corner of the room.

Success was within reach! If they could reach this room, perhaps they could use that interface for something—even… find a chance to infiltrate the lab?

Yet the room was not empty. Two technicians in pale uniforms stood back-to-back, busy at the console, seemingly backing up data or running diagnostics. No guards were visible.

Too quiet. Too easy.

The stench of a trap was almost overwhelming.

The crow’s brow furrowed, his emerald eyes filled with doubt and struggle. He glanced at the target so near, then at his scanner, its signal flickering as if mocking him.

Lingna’s heart rose to her throat. She looked at the crow, her eyes asking for the next move.

The crow fell silent for seconds, then his eyes hardened with resolve. He pointed at the two technicians, then at his pulse pistol, making a subdue gesture.

Whether trap or not, they had to try. This was the only chance.

The crow carefully unscrewed the vent’s mesh with his tools, moving so slowly it felt suffocating. Lingna held her breath, time stretching endlessly.

The mesh was removed without sound. The crow slid down like a shadowed panther, landing without a whisper. Lingna followed close behind.

Using the shadows of the server racks, they moved swiftly and silently toward the two unaware technicians.

The crow struck! A precise knife-hand chop to the neck of one man—he collapsed without a sound. Almost simultaneously, his pulse pistol pressed against the back of the other’s skull.

“Don’t move. Don’t make a sound.” The crow’s voice was cold as iron.

The technician froze, his data pad nearly slipping from his grip, terror seizing him.

“Open the maintenance power interface. Disconnect it from the lab’s main system.” The crow ordered, pressing the muzzle harder.

“I… I can’t…” the technician stammered, “that interface… it… it’s a lure! Any unauthorized access triggers the highest-level security alert! The entire defense system activates! We… we’ll all die!”

Of course! A complete trap!

The crow’s face darkened instantly.

Just then—

“Heh… Only now realizing? Too late.”

A calm, mocking voice suddenly echoed from the room’s overhead speaker—the doctor’s voice!

Simultaneously, the room’s only exit—the ventilation shaft they’d descended through and the door to the outside—slammed shut with heavy alloy gates, trapping them completely in the confined space. From the walls, countless weapon ports emerged, glowing with lethal energy, all locked onto them!

And the technician the crow held, his face suddenly twisted into a grotesque, unnatural smile. His eyes rolled back, his voice now a synchronized echo of the doctor’s: “Game over, little rodents. Especially you, ‘key’… it’s time to return to your ‘place.’”

The doctor could remotely control his own staff?!

Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!

Countless energy beams rained down like a storm, covering every corner of the room!

“Take cover!” the crow roared, shoving the controlled technician toward the incoming beams, then grabbing Lingna and diving behind the nearest server rack!

Pfft! The technician was instantly riddled with energy fire, reduced to a sieve.

Intense fire hammered the server racks, blasting metal shards, sparking electricity! Screens shattered, data streams scrambled! The entire room became a hell!

The crow and Lingna were pinned behind the rack, unable to raise their heads. Stray bullets grazed their hiding spot, danger everywhere!

“He’s forcing us out—or killing us here!” the crow gritted his teeth, searching for an opening, but the firepower was overwhelming!

Lingna gripped the white jade disc and the “tears” fragment, desperate. Both seemed to hold protective power, but against such concentrated fire, they wouldn’t last long!

Was this truly the end?

In this moment of despair, her gaze caught a console nearby, its screen shattered by stray fire. Though smoking, its core still hummed—its display stubbornly scrolling fragments of corrupted code and data packets.

And one data packet identifier that flashed past… she felt a strange familiarity. The complex, rhythmically unique coding style… it resembled… Zero?!

A mad thought flashed through her mind like lightning!

Zero’s core data was destroyed—but her fragments… her code… could they still linger in the Ark’s network depths? Like the soul shards in the Hall of Echoes?

The doctor’s network defenses were strong, but now, due to the violent battle and destruction, a minuscule, fleeting glitch had opened in the system.

And the “tears” fragment in her hand held a pure, high-tier energy signal—possibly tied to the World Tree’s origin. Could this signal act as a special “key” or “bait,” attracting and gathering the scattered remnants of Zero’s code?!

No time to hesitate!

Lingna bit her lip hard. Ignoring the crow’s startled gaze, she suddenly lunged from cover and slammed the faintly glowing, dual-hued “tears” fragment onto the smoking console’s data interface!

“Zero—if you’re still there—answer me—!” she screamed with all her strength, pouring every ounce of will, every cry, and the fragment’s primal energy into it without reserve!

Sssssssss!

The moment the fragment touched the interface, a burst of violent energy erupted! The console screen blazed with blinding white light! Countless corrupted codes and broken data streams exploded across the display!

The relentless energy fire paused—just for an instant!

The doctor’s mocking laugh cut off abruptly, surprised by this sudden turn.

The next second, an extremely faint, broken, yet unmistakably familiar electronic voice emerged from the console’s speaker, struggling to coalesce from the depths of the network:

【…Ling…Na…?…Detecting…high-purity…order-energy…signal…】【…Attempting…reconstruction…of…core…protocol…】【…Warning…network…defense…system…locking…position…】

Zero! It was truly Zero—even as a shattered echo!

Lingna’s eyes flooded with tears.

“…Help me…Zero…we need…to disrupt this…” Lingna cried urgently.

【…Understood…permissions…insufficient…but…utilizing…current…chaos…executing…‘garbage-data…flood’…protocol…】【…Hold…on…】

The console’s data stream surged into chaos! Countless meaningless, redundant, error-laden garbage packets erupted like a dam breaking, flooding the lab’s network from the damaged node!

The entire room’s defense system stuttered! Fire became erratic and disordered—some weapons even began firing at each other! Alarms shrieked in disarray! Wall-mounted indicator lights flickered wildly!

The technician’s corpse, controlled by the doctor, twitched once—his white eyes dimmed.

The network paralysis tactic worked! Though only for a fleeting moment!

“Well done!” The crow understood instantly. Seizing this critical instant, he burst from cover, his pulse pistol firing precise shots, disabling the most threatening automated weapons.

“There!” the crow pointed to the other side of the room—the pale blue barrier shielding the lab entrance! “The barrier’s destabilizing too!”

Indeed, the blue energy shield now flickered erratically, as if about to vanish.

This was the only chance!

Both dashed toward the lab entrance!

Just as they reached the unstable barrier—

BOOM!!!

The heavy metal door bearing the doctor’s emblem, from within, was violently shattered open by an indescribable surge of pure energy—dark red and pitch black intertwined!

A cold, furious voice, brimming with absolute will, exploded from behind the door like thunder:

“Enough!!!”