Chapter 298: Gao Ta

As they drew closer, the group realized the Gao Ta was not a single tower, but a combination of three prismatic towers.

Each tower used an alloy steel framework, connected to one another by suspension bridges, with their peaks lost in the clouds—standing at least one kilometer tall, over a hundred meters higher than Dubai's Burj Khalifa in the real world.

And unlike the Burj Khalifa, which used 330,000 cubic meters of concrete and 62,000 tons of reinforced steel, this three-in-one tower radiated an eerie sense of disharmony.

Its base area was too narrow, its steel framework too slender, giving the impression it could not support its own height. Moreover, not a single glass window adorned its surface, creating an oppressive feeling unlike anything built by humans.

Around the tower's base stood a ring of metal poles resembling streetlights.

Atop each pole were six large prisms spinning continuously; whenever a mutated monster—whether flying through the air or crawling on the ground—approached, the prisms would unleash intense beams, instantly incinerating the creatures.

Similar to the Prism Towers in Red Alert.

When the players' convoy arrived, the Prism Towers had already slaughtered enough mutated monsters to form piles of corpses like small hills.

Hss—

Upon spotting the convoy, the two outermost Prism Towers simultaneously shut off, clearing a direct path to the tower's base.

"I have a bad feeling."

Bai Ji Xiong took a deep breath. The perfectly timed collapse, the mysterious Gao Ta, and the deliberately deactivated Prism Towers—all reeked of a trap laid to lure them in.

"Agreed."

Li Cheng narrowed his eyes and slowed the vehicle. "It's just like in horror movies, when a dark room door opens automatically—you walk in and get pinned down on a tatami by two beautiful ghosts in skimpy outfits."

Fu Ding Hua Long's mouth twitched. "Is that even a real horror movie?"

"Probably Ju Sheng vs. Jia Zi."

Zhao Zijing casually mentioned it, picked up the radio, and asked other players over the public channel whether they should proceed inside or stop beneath the Prism Towers to assess the situation first.

"My opinion is to wait outside."

The hyena from the Nanmeizhou guild 【Cartel】 said: "This 【Anchored Link】 requires survival for 48 hours—there's still nearly a day and a half left. A collapse has already happened once; another one is unlikely."

He had just farmed a huge amount of experience and in-game currency, and naturally didn't want to risk it again.

"Not so sure."

Camus from the small guild 【The Thinkers】 said: "This 【Anchored Link】 requires survival for 48 hours—there's still nearly a day and a half left.

Given the slaughter field's consistently cruel nature, it's unlikely to let us off so easily.

There might be hidden conditions—like requiring us to enter the tower before a certain time limit to activate or deactivate some switch, or else another collapse will occur suddenly."

Dorian Gray said: "We've barely delayed at all—we came straight here after spending only a few hours in the building. Logically, even if the slaughter field did set a trap, it would grant us some time buffer.

My suggestion is to wait here. Other players will surely arrive from other directions. More hands help."

Once freed from the immediate threat of death, the players immediately split into factions, each holding their own views.

The public channel buzzed with chaotic noise, making Hui Yu shake his head in exasperation. "How can we possibly complete this mission with this swarm of vermin?"

"Hehehe."

At that moment, a low, gravelly voice suddenly crackled through the radio: "If I were you, I'd enter the tower immediately."

The channel fell into dead silence. No one replied.

Inside the vehicle, Li Cheng rubbed his chin and said calmly: "That voice doesn't belong to any player."

Fu Ding Hua Long blinked. "How do you know?"

"Back in the building, I paid attention to everyone's voice timbre and pitch—I memorized each person's voiceprint."

Li Cheng said coolly: "Based on my extensive experience, no one here possesses the ability to mimic voices—altering vocal cords, breath, and resonance to produce different timbres."

Why are you so knowledgeable? Are you a romance scammer or a victim of one?

Ignoring Fu Ding Hua Long's discomfort, after a moment of silence, Dorian Gray asked first: "Who's speaking?"

The voice replied lowly: "I have many titles: the greatest physicist of the 21st century, the inventor who changed the world, the mathematician, the so-called native of this other world, and—Dr. Noah."

Hui Yu sneered. "That's your idea of many titles? Feels less impressive than Da Bing's roles as host, writer, folk singer, bartender, oil painter, leatherworker, silversmith, hand-drum performer, Golden Left Cheek, Zen disciple."

No sooner had he spoken than Hui Yu noticed everyone in the vehicle turning to stare at her. After a pause, she realized: "Wait—did I just accidentally activate the free mic on the radio?"

She quickly pressed the radio button, but somehow pressed the wrong key, amplifying the volume until the public channel filled with nothing but static hiss.

This master-and-pet duo was truly the ultimate oddball pair.

Zhao Zijing's eye twitched. She exhaled slowly, then picked up the radio and asked: "Dr. Noah? Do you know who we are?"

"Of course I know. In fact, I not only know your identities, but also your mission—to survive for 48 hours in this world."

The voice calling itself Dr. Noah said: "To achieve that, you must cooperate with me. Come inside the Gao Ta to talk. The second collapse could come at any moment."

As he finished speaking, a section of alloy flooring beneath the tower automatically opened, revealing a winding tunnel descending underground.

Inside the vehicle, the group exchanged glances. Li Cheng shrugged and stepped on the accelerator, driving the car into the tunnel.

The Information Synthesis Glasses showed that the Gao Ta's construction materials were at least decades ahead of those in the real world; the Prism Towers were pure black tech.

If the other side decided to attack, hundreds of Prism Towers firing lasers simultaneously would leave the players with nowhere to escape.

Seeing Master Pi Fu enter the tunnel first, the other vehicles hesitated briefly, then followed.

The underground structure of the Gao Ta was like the Umbrella Corporation base in Resident Evil—vast and hidden.

After navigating the long, winding tunnel, the convoy arrived at a facility resembling a parking lot, where several identical GOC-standard armored vehicles were already parked—proof that other players had arrived before them.

Zhao Zijing immediately opened her tablet, searched the database for the armored vehicles' serial numbers, and retrieved the IDs of the players who had claimed them.

Ziiii—

Lights flared across the parking lot floor, forming a massive 3D projection of a middle-aged man wearing round-framed glasses: "I am Dr. Noah. It is an honor to meet you all."

Holy shit, Steve Jobs!