Chapter 793: Light Curtain Anomaly

Early morning

Outside Observation Point No. 7

A twenty‑person reconnaissance team concealed themselves in the thicket.

Zhao Si lay at the front, staring at the invisible barrier ahead.

The light curtain revealed a faint outline in the night.

It was a vertical, slightly undulating scarlet wall of light.

It extended upward to the cloud layer and outward to the limits of vision on both sides.

But tonight, the light wall's condition was clearly abnormal.

The originally regular pulsation frequency became disordered.

Brightness in some areas flickered on and off.

Irregular ripples occasionally rose on its surface, like a water surface struck by pebbles.

"Record." Zhao Si whispered.

The teammate beside him immediately opened the recorder.

The momentum‑driven camera aimed at the light curtain, capturing every frame of change.

"The fluctuation cycle has shortened by forty percent."

"Energy leakage has increased."

"Structural integrity assessment… has dropped below the critical threshold."

The team member reported the data in a low voice.

Zhao Si fixed his gaze on the darkest patch of the light curtain.

It was about three zhang wide, and the curtain's thickness had visibly thinned.

Through the semi‑transparent barrier, one could faintly see the scene beyond—

A pitch‑black wilderness.

The ground was covered with a purplish‑black moss‑like substance.

In the distance, a faint greenish light moved.

"That is the border of the Qing state." Zhao Si murmured.

He had fought the Qing forces under Yue Fei for many years and had seen similar terrain.

But observing it up close like this was still a first for him.

Suddenly.

The dark patch on the light curtain surged violently.

The surface ripples turned into fierce vortices.

The scarlet light quickly faded.

The center began to become transparent.

"Fall back!" Zhao Si barked low.

The reconnaissance team swiftly retreated twenty steps.

At the moment they withdrew.

The light curtain in that area—split open.

It was not shattered.

But like a piece of cloth being torn open.

A gap about two people wide appeared out of nowhere.

The edges of the gap were unstable energy turbulence.

Scarlet and eerie green light intertwined and flickered.

But inside the gap, there was a relatively calm passage.

Through the passage, the scene beyond could be seen clearly.

Purplish‑black earth.

Twisted vegetation.

Tiny specks of dark energy light floated in the air.

"A fissure…" Zhao Si held his breath.

"It really appeared."

The team members gripped their weapons tightly.

Everyone knew what it meant.

The light curtain now had a passable gap.

Although it was uncertain how long it would last.

But at this moment, stepping directly from the Chen dynasty's territory into Qing territory had become possible.

"Captain, should we…?" a young team member whispered.

Zhao Si raised his hand to stop them.

He stared at the rift, quickly calculating in his mind.

According to the plan, they were only to conduct external observation and limited probing.

Crossing the light curtain was an action for a later stage.

But plans can never keep up with change.

"Recording team, scan the rift data with all your might."

"Structural stability, duration estimate, energy fluctuation spectrum—record everything."

"This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity."

"Yes!"

Three recorders simultaneously aimed at the rift.

The potential-energy probe extended to the edge of the fissure, collecting energy samples.

Data flowed back like a tide.

"The rift's structure is unstable; it is expected to last no more than a quarter of an hour."

"The intensity of the energy turbulence is weakening, reducing passage risk."

"No large life-form reactions were detected on the other side..."

Zhao Si stared at that rift.

He also glanced at the strange metal sheet Chen Wen had given him in his hand.

A normal region lasting three breaths.

Is it enough to pass through the rift, conduct a quick reconnaissance outside, and then withdraw?

The risk is extremely high.

But the intelligence value is immeasurable.

"Wang Wu, Li Qi."

"Present!"

"You two, follow me."

"The others stay on standby, keep communications open."

"If we don't return within a quarter of an hour, or if the rift begins to close..."

"No need to wait; immediately withdraw and report to Look North City."

"Captain!"

"This is an order." Zhao Si's tone was firm and unyielding.

He checked his equipment once over.

The potential-energy armor operated at full power.

Weapons fully charged.

A self-destruct device was secured at his waist.

"Let's go."

The three darted out like leopards.

They rushed straight for that fissure.

As they passed the edge of the energy turbulence, the armor emitted a piercing alarm.

Yuneng Pollution index spiked.

But the potential-energy shield stubbornly resisted the corrosion.

One step.

Two steps.

The three stepped into the rift.

In an instant, the world changed.

The east side of the light curtain was a relatively normal natural environment.

But here—

The air was viscous like liquid, carrying a mixed stench of rot and metal.

The ground was elastic underfoot, as if stepping on some creature's muscle tissue.

The sky was dark red, with no stars, only clusters of gloomy-green light clouds slowly writhing.

"Record environmental data." Zhao Si whispered.

The three quickly spread out, each collecting samples.

Soil.

Air.

Vegetation fragments.

They even captured a few Yuneng light motes from the air, sealing them in special containers.

Time passed minute by minute.

Suddenly, Li Qi let out a low cry.

"Captain, look over there."

Zhao Si followed his pointing direction and looked.

On the distant horizon stood a twisted structure.

That structure was entirely composed of fused biomass and metal, its surface covered with pulsating vessel-like structures.

Atop the structure, a huge gloomy-green crystal slowly rotated.

Beneath the crystal lay a dense hive.

Countless deformed figures writhed within.

"An outpost of the Pure State." Zhao Si's face grew grave.

"The distance… is no more than five li."

Too close.

Withdraw after finishing collection. He ordered.

But just then.

The crystal atop the outpost suddenly turned toward their direction.

The eerie green light surged.

"We've been discovered!" Wang Wu cried out.

The crystal fired a scanning beam.

The beam swept across the wasteland, rapidly approaching.

"Withdraw!"

The three turned and rushed toward the rift.

The scanning beam behind them had locked onto them.

A piercing alarm sounded inside the outpost.

Inside the nest, countless deformed figures began to stir.

Zhao Si rushed to the rift.

He glanced back.

At least a hundred nether-energy aberrations were pouring out of the nest.

They moved at extreme speed, limbs on the ground, charging like beasts.

"Quick!"

The three entered the rift one after another.

Just as the last person entered.

The rift began to contract violently.

Energy turbulence surged.

Scarlet and eerie green light collided fiercely.

"Run!"

The three sprinted with all their might toward the east side of the light curtain.

Behind them, the rift closed at a visible speed.

Through the vanishing gap, one could see those nether-energy aberrations already rushing to the light curtain.

They tried to squeeze into the rift, but were torn apart by the violent energy turbulence.

Even the severed limbs of several aberrations were flung over, landing on the soil of the Chen Dynasty's territory.

Those limbs still twitched upon hitting the ground, oozing a purple-black fluid from their broken ends.

The rift sealed completely.

The light curtain returned to its original state.

Only the fluctuations in that region became more intense.

"Go!" Zhao Si dared not linger.

The reconnaissance unit withdrew at full speed.

Less than half an hour after they departed.

On the other side of the light curtain.

A large force of nether-energy cavalry arrived at the outpost.

The leading knight dismounted, inspecting the aberration remains torn apart by the energy turbulence.

He then looked up at the light curtain.

A stream of data flashed across his eerie-green pupils.

"Eastern reconnaissance unit..."

"Confirm intrusion..."

"Report to the Central Capital..."

He turned and mounted his steed.

"Strengthen patrols."

"Kill on sight any abnormality."

The cavalry spread out, beginning to patrol along the light curtain.

East side of the light curtain.

Twenty li out.

The reconnaissance unit halted to rest.

Zhao Si opened his communicator.

"North-Looking City, this is Reconnaissance Team One."

"Report: Passageway Seven has opened a traversable gap, lasting about a quarter hour."

"Our three have successfully crossed, completing preliminary environmental sampling."

"Encountered a Qing State outpost, detected but withdrew successfully."

"Currently safe, en route back."

The communicator received a reply.

"Received. Data uploaded. Return quickly."

Zhao Si closed the communicator and looked at the sample container in his hand.

Inside, the nether-energy light points drifted slowly.

He carefully put away the container.

"These samples might be worth more than our lives."

"All is safe."

The team members nodded.

The group vanished into the pre-dawn darkness.

Look toward North City.

Command Tower.

Chen Wen stood before the light curtain map.

On the map, the data for point seven was updating in real time.

"Rift duration: nine hundred breaths."

"Passage width: two people."

"Energy fluctuation spectrum has been recorded……"

"Environmental sampling data analysis in progress……"

Zhang Cheng stood to the side.

"Your Majesty, this confirms our speculation."

"The light curtain is indeed weakening, and an unstable passage has appeared."

Chen Wen nodded.

"What's the reaction from Qing?"

"The scout team's footage shows the outpost immediately entered alert status."

"Cavalry patrol intensity has increased."

"But…… no further action."

"They are just watching." Chen Wen said.

"They are also calculating."

He looked at the scarlet light curtain on the map.

"The rift won't appear only once."

"As Yuneng activity intensifies, similar passages will become more numerous."

"More and more frequent."

"Until……"

"The entire wall collapses."

Gongsun Sheng hurried in.

"Your Majesty, the preliminary analysis results of the samples are out."

"The Yuneng concentration outside the light curtain is over three hundred times that of the internal measurement."

"The environment has been completely altered, unsuitable for normal life to survive."

"But Qing's modified beings seem to have fully adapted to that environment."

Chen Wen fell silent for a moment.

"If the light curtain disappears."

"Will that environment spread eastward?"

Gongsun Sheng's face grew solemn.

"According to the energy diffusion model…… it will."

"And the speed will be fast."

"Yuneng Pollution will spread like a plague."

"Unless……"

"Unless we have a way to purify it." Chen Wen continued.

"Or, before the pollution spreads over."

"Destroy the source of the pollution."

The hall fell silent.

Everyone understood the weight of those words.

Destroy Qing.

Destroy the Yuneng reaction core.

Destroy the Iron Crow Army.

This is no longer defense.

But offense.

A nation-destroying level offense.

"The intelligence brought back by the scout team is worth a fortune." Chen Wen finally said.

"Issue orders to reward."

"At the same time, order the research team to speed up progress."

"We need to know the time and location of the next rift."

"We need the initiative."

"Yes!"

Everyone received the order and withdrew.

Chen Wen stood alone before the map.

He extended his hand, hovering over the seventh point.

"The rift has already opened."

"Next..."

"It's just a matter of who gets through first."

Outside the window.

The sky was gradually brightening.

But the eastern dawn seemed somewhat dimmer than usual.

It seemed as if an invisible shadow was slowly approaching.