Chapter 408: Array Eye Core, Welcome to My Home Field

"Xiao Yuan, you lead the team to guard the Gugong Wood Element Array Eye; Zhou Zhuo is responsible for the Tiantan Fire Element Array Eye; Xu Feng, you guard the Jinrong Zhongxin Gold Element Array Eye; Elder Wu Qian and Li Shibo will respectively guard the CCTV Building Water Element Array Eye and the Aoti Zhongxin Earth Element Array Eye."

Xiao Yuan raised a question: "What about you?"

"I will act as a mobile force, ready to reinforce the most dangerous position at any time," Lin Xuan replied, "while monitoring the energy balance of the entire Urban Great Array. Once I detect abnormal fluctuations, I can make adjustments immediately."

After the division of labor was determined, each team acted immediately, heading to their respective defensive positions. The guardians carried specially made Energy Stabilizers and communication equipment, prepared for a long battle.

Lin Xuan gave a final instruction: "Remember, guarding the Array Eye is the primary mission. Even if you face a strong enemy, do not leave the defensive range. Before the Summer Solstice Day, the Array Eye must remain intact; this is our last line of defense."

The expected attack came faster than imagined. At dusk, three days before the Summer Solstice Day, all five Array Eyes were attacked almost simultaneously.

At the Gugong, Xiao Yuan was adjusting the Array parameters on the square in front of the Taihe Hall, ensuring that the Wood Element Energy could flow smoothly. Suddenly, her Wood Element perception captured an abnormal fluctuation—more than a dozen figures were approaching from all directions, and they exuded clear characteristics of Void Energy.

"Alert!" Xiao Yuan issued a warning to the team members through the communicator, "At least fifteen enemies are approaching, all equipped with high-level Star Brain equipment."

More than a dozen people dressed in black combat uniforms appeared from the corner towers and corridors of the Gugong. Purple light flickered on their temples; that was the mark of the specially made "Star Brain" equipment. Even more shocking was that they were condensing black-purple energy orbs in their hands, clearly already able to skillfully utilize Primary Void Energy.

Xiao Yuan quickly activated the Defense Array, and a bright green energy barrier formed around the Taihe Hall. The first wave of attacks from the Black-Clothed Persons slammed into the barrier, stirring up ripples of energy.

"They are stronger than ordinary Practitioners," Xiao Yuan said to her team members, "but they also lack technique. Focus on the Array defense, do not fight them head-on."

Under her command, the guardians utilized the power of the Array to engage in a fierce battle with the Black-Clothed Persons. Wood Element Energy and Void Energy collided among the ancient palaces, stirring up flashes of light.

The battle situation at the Tiantan was even more intense. As the Fire Element Array Eye, the Tiantan contained powerful purifying power and was one of the Array Eyes most threatening to the Void Energy. The team led by Zhou Zhuo faced a fierce attack from nearly twenty high-level "Star Brain" users.

"Hold the Array Eye Core!" Zhou Zhuo shouted, while simultaneously releasing a Fire Element barrier to temporarily block the enemy's advance. But sweat was already seeping from his forehead; he was clearly consuming a lot of energy.

The attacks of the Black-Clothed Persons became increasingly ferocious, and several of them even displayed Void abilities beyond the primary level—capable of short-distance spatial travel to break through conventional defenses. A Black-Clothed Person suddenly appeared behind Zhou Zhuo and struck his back with a palm.

Zhou Zhuo let out a muffled groan and spat out a mouthful of blood, but he still insisted on controlling the Array. "Cannot fall," he gritted his teeth and persisted, "the Array Eye cannot be lost."

Just at the most critical moment of the situation, an aged and majestic voice came from deep within the Tiantan: "Evil demons, how dare you be so presumptuous here!"

An old man with white hair and a white beard walked out from the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. He looked like an ordinary old man, walking with a limp, but with every step he took, a circle of fiery red energy ripples appeared on the ground. This was an old Practitioner who had lived in seclusion for many years, the original guardian of the Tiantan.

The old man formed seals with his hands, and a scorching torrent of Fire Element swept across the battlefield. The Black-Clothed Persons let out painful howls, and the "Star Brain" equipment on many of them was scorched by the high temperature and lost its function. With the help of the old man, Zhou Zhuo's team stabilized the situation and successfully guarded the Fire Element Array Eye.

At the Jinrong Zhongxin, the challenge Xu Feng faced was different from the others. As a technology expert rather than a powerful Practitioner, his fighting style relied more on wisdom and technology.

The Jinrong Zhongxin building possessed the most advanced electronic system in the entire city. Xu Feng used this advantage to set up dozens of energy traps inside the building in advance. When the Black-Clothed Persons entered the building, Xu Feng activated these traps through the central control system.

"Welcome to my home field," Xu Feng said softly, while pressing the start button.

Instantly, all the lighting systems in the building went out, replaced by specially made high-frequency strobe lights capable of interfering with the normal operation of "Star Brain" equipment. At the same time, energy conductors hidden in the walls and floors were activated, forming a massive energy circulation system specifically designed to absorb and Zhuanghua Void Energy.

The Black-Clothed Persons fell into chaos; the Void Energy they relied on became unstable in this environment and even began to backfire on the users. In less than ten minutes, all the invaders were subdued, and Xu Feng successfully guarded the Gold Element Array Eye.

The battles at the CCTV Building and the Aoti Zhongxin were equally intense, but under the leadership of the two senior Array Elders, the guardians successfully repelled the enemy's attacks. However, these victories came at a price—every team had members injured, and the Array energy was also heavily depleted.

When the first wave of attacks ended, Lin Xuan summoned the heads of the five teams for an emergency meeting via the communication network.

"This is just the beginning," Lin Xuan said with a grave expression, "Yage is testing our defensive capabilities, and a larger attack is coming. Each team must immediately add auxiliary Arrays around the Array Eyes while accelerating the fusion progress of the main Array."

He turned to Xu Feng: "How is the deployment of the countermeasures?"

Xu Feng shook his head: "The situation is not optimistic. Star Technology has pushed a new firmware update, patching the vulnerabilities we were exploiting. Currently, the effective coverage has dropped to less than 30%."

Lin Xuan was preparing to make the next deployment when the communicator suddenly rang. It was Wang Kai, the student who had once been controlled by the "Star Brain" and later purified by Lin Xuan.

"Teacher Lin! I have discovered important intelligence," Wang Kai's voice was full of urgency, "Star Technology is secretly transporting a large number of 'Void Cores' to a base in the suburbs. According to my investigation, that is Yage's secret base, and this batch of 'Void Cores' is likely the key material for the 'Global Synchronization Project'!"

Lin Xuan immediately asked for details: "Are the transport route and time confirmed?"

"Midnight tonight, taking the eastern highway, the destination is a hidden facility deep within Zijin Lake," Wang Kai replied, "I managed to sneak into the transport team's preparation meeting. They value this cargo very much and have equipped it with a large number of bodyguards, all of whom are high-level 'Star Brain' users."

This news plunged Lin Xuan into deep thought. Intercepting this batch of "Void Cores" was undoubtedly an important opportunity to weaken the enemy's strength, but it also meant that the Urban Great Array would temporarily lose his support.