Chapter 398: Digital Undercurrent

"The problem is that digital content can be copied infinitely," Xiao Yuan said dejectedly, "I purify one, and immediately hundreds or thousands of copies spread across the internet. Furthermore, the mechanism by which Life Essence energy acts in the digital world is completely different from the real world."

After a week of intense investigation, the Digital Guardian Squad finally made a breakthrough. They discovered that an emerging tech company named "Xinjie" was the primary source of Void digital content. On the surface, this company operated a video-sharing platform, but its Core algorithm was designed to be capable of spreading specific Void codes.

"This company rose suddenly half a year ago and has now become the third-largest video platform in the country," Xu Feng reported to Lin Xuan, "Most suspiciously, their founder, Chen Mo, has never appeared in public; all business activities are attended by a vice president as a representative."

Lin Xuan decided to go investigate in person. He and Xu Feng went undercover to the tech park where the Xinjie Company headquarters was located, monitoring the company's activities from a cafe in the distance.

"Who is that?" Lin Xuan suddenly noticed a black sedan parked at the company entrance, and a middle-aged man in a formal suit hurried into the building.

Xu Feng activated the identification program: "Li Guoqiang, Vice Minister of the National Ministry of Science and Technology."

Within the next three hours, five more high-ranking government officials and three well-known entrepreneurs entered the Xinjie building one after another. Even more shocking, Lin Xuan discovered through Wood Element perception that all of these people's energy fields carried slight signs of Void Pollution.

"The situation is more serious than we imagined," Lin Xuan whispered, "The Void Devourer has already infiltrated the decision-making level. We need more evidence; I intend to sneak into the company tonight."

Xu Feng said worriedly: "It's too risky; we should gather more strength before acting."

Lin Xuan shook his head: "Time waits for no one. You return to headquarters to prepare reinforcements; I am more flexible acting alone."

When night fell, Lin Xuan bypassed the Xinjie Company's standard security system, using Wood Element energy to conceal his form, and successfully snuck into the office area on the top floor of the building. The decor here was luxurious, yet there were almost no signs of employees working; it was more like a place used to host important guests.

Lin Xuan cautiously searched every room, finally hearing voices outside a conference room in the very back.

"The spread speed must be controlled; too fast will arouse suspicion," an unfamiliar male voice said, "According to the instructions of Lord Yage, we still have two months of preparation time, at which point there will be a global linkage, simultaneously activating all dormant nodes."

Lin Xuan held his breath, carefully observing the interior through the door crack. Seven or eight people sat in the conference room, and at the head was the legendary founder Chen Mo who never appeared—a seemingly ordinary middle-aged man who, apart from those pitch-black eyes, had almost nothing special about him.

After recording the key information, Lin Xuan quietly left the building, preparing to return to headquarters to report the situation. However, just as he was passing through a quiet alley, an accident occurred.

Six Black-Clothed Persons appeared like ghosts, holding special weapons and surrounding him tightly. The surfaces of these weapons flickered with strange Runes, emitting a fluctuation capable of interfering with the operation of Five Elements energy.

"Guardian Lin, I've long admired your name," the lead Black-Clothed Person sneered, his voice carrying a mechanical distortion, "President Chen guessed long ago that you would come to investigate and specially arranged this welcome ceremony."

Lin Xuan quickly entered a combat state, Wood Element energy circulating within his body. However, when he released energy to attack, he discovered that the Wood Element energy had become abnormally sluggish, its power weakened by at least half.

"Weapons specifically targeting Practitioners," Lin Xuan's expression was grave, "It seems you are well prepared."

A fierce alley battle unfolded. Despite his energy being interfered with, Lin Xuan still relied on his rich practical combat experience and powerful physique to repel the attackers one by one. However, when the last Black-Clothed Person fell, Lin Xuan was also covered in wounds, with a deep, bone-reaching gash extending from his left shoulder to his chest.

Staggering back to headquarters, Lin Xuan said with a grave expression to the waiting Xiao Yuan and Xu Feng: "Our identities have been exposed, and the Five Elements City Guardian Network is facing an unprecedented crisis. Even worse, the Void Devourer has already begun final preparations; in two months, they will launch some kind of large-scale operation on a global scale."

"We must notify all Guardians immediately," Xiao Yuan quickly took action, "At the same time, we need to change our strategy; we cannot continue to defend passively."

Wood Element energy circulated within Lin Xuan's body, repairing that deep, bone-reaching wound. This was already the third day, and the speed of the wound's healing was much slower than usual; the weapons used by those Black-Clothed Persons clearly contained special substances that inhibited Five Elements energy.

Xiao Yuan pushed the door open and entered, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup: "Teacher Lin, endure it a little longer; this medicine can accelerate the expulsion of the inhibitory substances in your body."

Lin Xuan took the medicine bowl, his brows slightly furrowed: "Is there any new situation?"

"Xu Feng's Digital Guardian Squad has already established a firewall on the internet, which can temporarily block the large-scale spread of Void codes," Xiao Yuan reported, "But this is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. We are also monitoring the 'Xinjie' company, but since you snuck in last time, their security level has increased tenfold; it is difficult even to get close."

Just as Lin Xuan was about to respond, his communicator suddenly rang. It was Zhou Zhuo.

"Guardian Lin, there is urgent intelligence," Zhou Zhuo's voice sounded somewhat nervous, "Our informant discovered that a Void energy trading network has appeared in the city underground; a black-purple substance known as 'Shadow Crystal' is being sold at high prices on the black market."

Lin Xuan immediately sat up straight: "Specifics?"

"This crystal can temporarily grant ordinary people extraordinary abilities, similar to the level of a beginner Practitioner, but after use, it leaves Void residue in the body. Several recent superpower crimes in the city involved suspects who were ordinary people, yet Void energy fluctuations were detected on them."

Putting down the communicator, Lin Xuan pondered for a moment: "The Void Devourer's infiltration has expanded from the high levels to the bottom levels; this is establishing a complete social network." He looked up at Xiao Yuan: "I must go investigate in person."

"Your wounds haven't healed yet," Xiao Yuan said worriedly, "Let me or Xu Feng go."

Lin Xuan shook his head: "This operation requires someone who can discern the subtle changes in Void energy; I am the most suitable. And this time it won't be risky, just gathering intelligence."

Three days later, Lin Xuan stood in front of the mirror, looking at the unfamiliar "wealthy businessman" in the reflection—he had put on makeup, wore a wig and contact lenses, and his entire temperament had changed. Although the wounds on his left shoulder and chest had not yet fully healed, they no longer affected his movement.