Chapter 61: Countdown to Annihilation: The Thorn

「9……8……7……」

The cold countdown rang like a death knell in the silent hall. Blood-red warning lights flashed wildly, casting Lin Mo's pale face like a specter. Countless deep weapon emplacements emerged from the alloy ceiling and walls, their humming energy convergence forming a chorus of death, locking entirely onto him alone. The air solidified; even dust halted its drift, leaving only the floating azure geometric shape rotating coldly through the countdown.

"Boss!" Wrench screamed in despair, trying to rush forward but held fast by an invisible energy field.

Copperbeard's mechanical ocular frantically calculated weapon trajectories, his forge hammer clenched until it groaned, yet found no opening. "Damn iron coffin!" he roared.

Sister Ai Li's eyes blazed silver; the Thorn Moon Shield instantly condensed to its limit, attempting to block before Lin Mo. But a stronger suppression field, originating from the Sanctuary's core, slammed down—her gathered power flickered like a candle in the wind, the shield shattering inch by inch! She spat a mouthful of blood, kneeling halfway, her chest's silver scar churning with violet aura.

"Don't… come!" Lin Mo forced the words through clenched teeth. He felt it—the lock wasn't physical, but anchored directly onto the corrupted, polluted Seed of Life deep within his soul! The Sanctuary's highest directive demanded the total purification of this "contamination source!"

「6……5……」

Death's shadow had never felt so real. Detonate the Heart of the Earth Vein? Mutual annihilation? Lin Mo's mind flashed Copperbeard's old suggestion. But seeing his bound companions, Xiang Lingna's terrified, desperate face, Sister Ai Li's stubborn figure struggling to rise—he couldn't.

【Detected……Deep Contamination……Irreversible……】

【Executing……Final Purification……】

The cold electronic voice sounded like the final verdict. At the instant the countdown reached "4," Lin Mo made his choice!

He violently raised his left hand—not to fight, but slammed it onto his own wildly pulsing chest! The power of the 【Seed of Life】 was frantically squeezed and condensed—not for attack, but transformed into a purest, most primordial stream of emerald life-energy, fused with the will of the Thorn Guardian, and driven violently into the "Earth Vein Arbiter" clutched tightly in his right hand!

Hum—!

The dark-gold battle blade erupted in an unprecedented mournful cry! The thorn emblem on the guard, corrupted by dark-purple veins, swirled wildly with four conflicting colors under the cleansing surge of pure life-source! Dark-purple decay and emerald life violently strangled each other at the emblem's center, like two torrents colliding! Lin Mo's body trembled violently, fine blood seeping from all seven orifices—the agony of his soul being torn apart!

"By oath of the Thorn Heart!" he roared, voice thick with blood, "My body may rot! My will shall never perish! The living of this world—I shall protect!"

His roar echoed through the hall, as if triggering some ancient resonance. The floating azure geometric shape abruptly halted its rotation!

【Command……Conflict……】

【Detected……Core Guardian Will……Intensity……Abnormal……】

【Contamination Source……Simultaneously Possesses……Highly Ordered Life Imprint……and……Earth Vein Binding……】

【Logic……Confused……Re-evaluating……】

The countdown inexplicably froze at "3"!

The blood-red warning lights flickered erratically. The weapon emplacements locking Lin Mo flickered uncertainly, emitting static hisses—as if caught in a colossal logical paradox: the "contamination source" they were meant to purge contained the very "Ordered Life Imprint" and "Earth Vein Binding" the Sanctuary's highest directive was sworn to protect!

"Now! Xiang Lingna!" Lin Mo screamed through the agony of his tearing soul, "The Jade… resonate with it!"

Xiang Lingna, stunned by the sudden turn, instinctively poured all her focus into the floating azure geometric shape at the hall's center. The jade-heart fragment on her chest erupted in unprecedented emerald radiance, a gentle yet vast tide of life-energy surging toward the shape. Her pure intent poured forth without reservation:

"Don't hurt Brother Lin Mo! He's good! He's protecting us! Protecting this land! That evil clawed thing… it forced itself in! It's not what he wanted!"

Hum—!

The azure geometric shape received this pure life-impulse and plea for protection. Its surface flared violently, then a soft blue beam shot forth, ignoring spatial distance, instantly enveloping Lin Mo's "Earth Vein Arbiter!"

The beam acted like the most precise scanner, focusing on the violently clashing thorn emblem on the guard. Countless invisible blue data streams flashed within the light.

【Deep Scan……Contamination Mark (High-Dimensional Decaying Will Carrier)……】

【Scan……Guardian Will Carrier (Seed of Life/Thorn Imprint)……】

【Analysis……Hybrid State……】

【Conclusion: Contamination is an externally forced implantation; the Guardian Will is primary. Removal of contamination carries an 87.3% risk of carrier collapse. In a state of coexistence, the Guardian Will's suppression efficiency... gradually decays...】

The cold analytical data stream echoed directly in everyone's minds.

【Revised Execution Protocol:】

【1. Maintain Status Quo: Contamination will continue spreading, eventually consuming carrier and bound Earth Vein. Risk Level: Extreme.】

【2. Forced Removal: Probability of carrier (Seed of Life) collapse is 87.3%; probability of Earth Vein Heart losing control is 92.1%. Risk Level: Catastrophic.】

【3. Inject "Order Anchor": Strengthen Guardian Will carrier, enhance suppression efficiency, delay contamination spread. Risk Level: Controllable. Side Effect: Carrier will establish permanent energy link with "Sanctuary Core" (Ark-7 Observation Station).】

No time to hesitate!

"Choose three!" Lin Mo, Sister Ai Li, and Copperbeard roared in unison!

Hum—!

The floating azure geometric shape blazed brightly! A blue energy stream, far gentler than before yet far more refined and concentrated, like a falling galaxy, precisely flooded into the thorn emblem on the guard of the "Earth Vein Arbiter!"

No earth-shattering clash. The blue order-energy acted like the most precise scalpel and strongest suture, tightly winding around the dark-purple corruption veins, binding and compressing them. Simultaneously, vast order-energy surged into the emerald life and dark-gold thorn portions of the emblem, causing their glow to explode—becoming denser, heavier! The entire thorn emblem seemed gilded with flowing blue light; the four colors, harmonized by order, achieved a fragile equilibrium!

Lin Mo felt a cold, boundless force surge into his body—not replacing the 【Seed of Life】, but acting like a solid dam and guided channel, pinning the violent corruption deep within his core! The agony of his tearing soul instantly lessened, replaced by an unprecedented "sense of order"—as if a wild flood had been channeled into a firm riverbed.

【"Order Anchor" injection complete.】

【Contamination suppression efficiency increased to 72.4%. Suppression duration: Unknown (dependent on contamination source activity and carrier will strength).】

【Warning: Permanent energy link established. Carrier status will be real-time fed back to this core. Carrier collapse or contamination exceeding threshold will trigger Final Purification Protocol (irreversible).】

In the cold alert tone, the blood-red warning lights in the hall extinguished completely. The weapon emplacements silently retracted into walls and ceiling. The energy field imprisoning them vanished.

The crisis… temporarily lifted. The cost: Lin Mo's Seed of Life was now irrevocably bound by an invisible chain to this forgotten Sanctuary of the Old World. His condition had become the Sword of Damocles hanging over the Sanctuary.

"Brother Lin Mo!" Xiang Lingna rushed forward first, small hands gripping his cold hand tightly.

Lin Mo wearily pulled a smile, gazing at the central geometric shape—now glowing steadily—the Sanctuary Core, legacy of Ark-7. His gaze finally settled on the holographic projection spot where Engineer Kane had vanished. A data stream labeled 【Highest Authorization: Annihilation Truth (Encrypted)】 floated silently on the main console screen, awaiting its opener.

On the Doctor's main screen, the instant Lin Mo chose the "Order Anchor," it was again drowned in violent snow static. A crimson warning froze:

【Target Carrier connected to unknown Order Energy (Ark-7 Core)!】

【"Root Rot" suppression in progress… Activity reduced!】

【"Annihilation Seed" trigger condition invalidated! Protocol forcibly interrupted!】

【Warning: Major anomaly detected! Re-evaluating threat level…】

The Doctor's finger, hovering over the crimson button, slowly withdrew. On his icy lenses, the snow static reflected—and his lips curled into a faint… almost fanatical smile.

"Order Anchor… Ark Core… a higher-tier experimental specimen… has appeared." He whispered, pulling up another buried file—its title boldly reading: 《Ark-7: Key to Annihilation (Remnant Coordinates Estimated)》.