Chapter 899

"Speaking of which, are there no photos of the 'Black Hole Furnace' here?"

"If Miss Alice just uses the camera to transcribe it, couldn't you teleport both of us over?"

"No, I've already checked." Alice shook her head regretfully.

This plan revealed a hint of strangeness from beginning to end.

According to common sense, for an entity that did not possess memetic or anti-memetic hazards, the Foundation would always strive to leave behind some image data, either photos or video recordings.

The current situation was truly rare.

Thinking of this, Alice cast her gaze toward the personal terminal, half-stating and half-inquiring:

"It's very strange; there are many experimental records in text form in the system, but not a single image record of the 'Black Hole Furnace'."

As soon as she finished speaking, "The Wanderer" replied:

【They never existed.】

【This is one of the questions that I have also been doubting.】

【What the 'Black Hole Furnace' actually looks like can only be witnessed by you personally, dear Alice.】

"So, what exactly is the 'Storm Land'?"

"I've never heard of such a place in Antarctica."

【It is a natural barrier formed spontaneously by the natural world, influenced by the singularity within the 'Black Hole Furnace'.】

【If you go to the porthole on the south side, you can vaguely observe it, dear Alice and Christina.】

……

On the massive porthole was printed a very conspicuous three-arrow ring icon, and high-power searchlights pointed toward the distant, gloomy sky.

Standing before the porthole, Alice and Christina gazed into the distance, their expressions solemn.

On the distant horizon, a deep gray hurricane rose from the ground, piercing straight into the clouds.

From time to time, dazzling pale lightning erupted, piercing through the wind wall and instantly illuminating the entire silhouette of the hurricane.

Wind and clouds swirled up the snow that had been frozen on the ground since ancient times, surrounding themselves, shining with a turquoise glow.

From within the storm, violent roars erupted from time to time, accompanied by intense lightning hissing to illuminate the clouds, exposing the silhouettes of certain things inside.

The most peculiar thing was that the storm always kept spinning in place, never moving, as if something had firmly anchored it there.

—A singularity.

Before the laws of physics collapsed, singularities were also incredibly mysterious and complex to humans.

Around the singularity, the laws of physics—along with the concepts of time and space—seemed to lose their meaning.

And such a singularity had been created by the Foundation and preserved near the Antarctic site.

"The 'Storm Land'..."

Alice walked to the window and slowly placed her hand on the glass; a bone-chilling cold followed: "Is its center the 'Black Hole Furnace'?"

Is this mission really not a joke... Alice suddenly felt that those "perverted" missions of the Foundation were somewhat kind and gentle.

At least there was support back then, at least she could use the world's most advanced equipment, and there was that weirdo who would always say "all evil will eventually be brought to justice"...

But now, she could only rely on herself.

Oh, and Christina.

Thinking that she was not alone on the road to the end, Alice's mood suddenly improved quite a bit.

【Yes.】

【That is your destination, the cause and end of everything.】

……

【Antarctic Site Automatic Observation Record】

【Date: Unknown】

【It is unknown how much time has passed since the last record. The record is still located in Antarctica, but the light is much dimmer than the last time.】

【It can be observed that there are more walls made of storms than before, surrounding the area, greatly reducing the observable range.】

【Unlike previous records, no traces of human activity have been recorded inside; it seems they have disappeared for a long time.】

【Accompanied by a pale flash of lightning, the deep gray walls become slightly transparent.】

【It is observed that the periphery is still a world of ice and snow, with no changes compared to the last record.】

【From time to time, lightning brought by the storm breaks away from the spin and strikes the surrounding rocks, melting them. This is the only variable in the ice and snow.】

【Observed several painfully twisted human figures flickering into existence, kneeling on the ground, and then disappearing again.】

【Five times.】

【Observed black liquid seeping from beneath the ground, crystallizing, transforming into translucent hexagonal prisms, and then being shattered by lightning.】

【Three times.】

【Shattered by itself in the wind and snow.】

【Seven times.】

【Observed the ground in the distance shaking.】

【Twice.】

【Observed the ground cracking, followed by flames bursting from the gaps.】

【Once.】

【At the 57th lightning outbreak, two humans were observed in the distance, and they gradually approached the storm wall during the next 33 lightning outbreaks.】

……

After changing the energy, putting on the protective suit, activating the exoskeleton, installing the grappling hook, and picking up a walking stick, Alice and Christina arrived before the storm wall.

Ice particles and sand grains constantly hit them, making a crackling sound.

The storm clouds rotated and condensed slowly and powerfully, circling like a giant beast, as if some unspeakable thing was lurking within, waiting for the two to enter.

Suddenly.

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, like a crack in the night sky, followed by a dull thunderclap that seemed to shake the entire world.

Christina stood beside Alice; although she thought she had prepared herself mentally, facing the violent side of nature and such a behemoth, her heart was full of anxiety and fear.

Just then, "The Wanderer" suddenly sent a message.

【—ANALYZING DATA—】

【Benchmark Time Tick (Huang Shi): 45.2999】

【Dear Alice, dear Christina.】

【Before passing through the storm wall, I need to talk to you.】

【I am leaving.】

Leaving...?

Alice was stunned for a moment; she had never expected "The Wanderer" to "leave."

Its host had long been destroyed, and its entity had turned to ashes along with the Huang Shi site; in every sense, it was insulated from the word "leave."

Then why would it say that?

Alice looked at Christina, who had the same confusion and bewilderment in her eyes.

It seems the mission has to be paused for a moment.

Not long after, the two sat before a cliff.

Before them was an endless frozen sea.

The ocean surface was covered by a thick layer of ice, presenting a serene yet mysterious blue, with ice cracks of varying depths shimmering with silver-white light under the sunlight.

The distant icebergs stood like guardians, reflecting a pale blue light.

On the right, the rumbling sound of the storm wall was incessant, carrying an irresistible majesty.

Alice held the terminal with both hands, feeling uneasy:

"What's wrong? Is there a problem with our current action?"

Did she do something wrong? Or was their future abandoned by "The Wanderer"?

【No.】

【Among the 53,670,003 futures I have observed, the route I am guiding you toward now is the one leading to the best ending, and you are indeed moving toward that ending.】

【However, I cannot accompany you to the end.】

"Why? Have you given up on guiding us?"

Christina's hands, encased in the protective suit, trembled slightly, her pupils full of anxiety.

Even though she hadn't trusted "The Wanderer" much before, when the other party spoke of parting, her heart was filled with panic, her hands wanting to grab onto something, afraid that another familiar existence would leave her. ===== CHAPTER 901 =====