Chapter 268: 274. Chapter 274 Unknown Fluctuation

274. Chapter 274: Unknown Fluctuation

Rest ended.

The micro legion continued its journey.

Returning to this Level 3 Zerg World this time, Lin Ke had only one feeling.

That Sandra had really done a lot of homework, every stop was carefully planned, very targeted.

The first stop was a large Zerg settlement devoid of life, the second stop was a small settlement with only a few Zerg activities.

The third stop was reached quickly, a medium-sized Zerg settlement undergoing great changes.

Failed evolution, successful evolution, evolving—settlements of all three states were considered, and the sampling and testing conducted naturally became more comprehensive.

The mission reports that could be produced naturally became more valid and reliable.

Moreover, unlike last time when accidents always occurred, progress was very smooth.

To the medium-sized Zerg settlement, the Micro Wizard Legion was a real invader.

A battle undoubtedly broke out.

The battle process was very brief and ended quickly.

The micro legion could be described as destroying the rotten and pulling the weak, suppressing the resistance of the medium-sized Zerg settlement in an instant.

Like the previous stop, no casualties were caused, only everyone was knocked unconscious and captured alive.

Sandra immediately summoned the shuttle, transporting all captured Zerg to the "Yunni" and imprisoning them.

What awaited these Zerg were various inspections, tests, and live research.

The inspection, testing, and live research data of these Zerg were the support and embodiment of the authenticity of the mission report.

"Check if the worm eggs still have any abnormalities?"

After arranging the transport, Sandra proactively asked Lin Ke.

"Can."

Lin Ke did not shirk, directly agreeing.

The transport puppets moved all worm eggs discovered by the micro legion to Lin Ke's front.

Lin Ke carefully sensed each one, while calling Flandre and communicating with the origin of the "Small World".

This batch of worm eggs similarly had minute radiation internally; in terms of degree, it was somewhat higher than the previous batch.

Lin Ke truthfully informed Sandra of this discovery.

"Is that so?"

After hearing Lin Ke's account, Sandra pulled up the map of this Level 3 Zerg World and studied it carefully for a long time.

Subsequently, she made changes to the already planned route.

She cancelled the next two stops, drew a direct line, straight to the core of this world's Zerg, where the mother nest was located.

The members of the micro legion, each busy with their own tasks, simultaneously received the route update notification.

After looking, there was not much reaction, they calmly accepted.

In the system of Riverside Academy, the legion commander, regardless of the legion's level or scale, possesses supreme authority.

Members can speak freely during meetings convened by the legion commander, even refute the legion commander's opinion.

But once the legion commander exercises authority and makes a decision, members, even if they have opinions, must retain them and first execute the order.

Unless the legion commander's order causes excessive loss, triggering the legion's dismissal mode.

After receiving the route update notification, the four members of the research group sped up their work.

Two hours later, all sampling and testing work at this medium-sized settlement was completed.

After a brief rest, the micro legion advanced toward the core-mother nest location of this Zerg World.

This is not a short distance.

The micro legion no longer continued to advance by floating steps, but instead rode the all-terrain traffic vehicle newly taken out by Sandra.

Sandra's planned route actually passes through several Zerg settlements.

The closer to the mother nest, the larger the settlement scale.

However, along the way, the further in, the fewer Zerg settlements with vitality.

Lin Ke discovered a common point: the larger the Zerg settlement, the lower the probability of vitality.

This phenomenon aligns with Lin Ke's inference made during his previous mission.

Under stealth mode, the micro legion, advancing rapidly, took more than a day to enter the deep underground, the location of the Zerg mother nest.

During this period, they encountered some resistance of low intensity and also found some relatively useful information.

"This place is empty."

Looking at the empty giant Zerg settlement, Mo Li sighed in Lin Ke's heart, "If we come a bit later, would they have self-destructed?"

Lin Ke did not answer, but carefully sensed something.

According to the Zerg social structure, the four directions southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast of the mother nest each have a giant settlement.

With east as honored, the giant settlement to the east of the mother nest is the ruling clan of this Zerg world.

Where the micro legion currently is, is the giant settlement to the east of the mother nest.

After entering here, the "Small World" became restless, repeatedly emitting tremors of longing.

This proves Lin Ke's inferred radiation source is nearby.

After thinking, Lin Ke approached Sandra and said directly: "I have a premonition that there is something here that can help me; can I stay a while to look for it?"

"Can."

Sandra immediately agreed, while announcing to all legion members: "For this mission, aside from completing the required tasks, if there are unexpected discoveries or other pursuits, they can be obtained or achieved on their own, as long as they do not delay the legion's mission."

The legion members were not unfamiliar with this clause.

This is actually the standard rule for otherworld reclamation.

Adapted from that, it fits well enough.

However, in this Level 3 Zerg World, there are not many things useful to wizards to be found.

Having received permission, Lin Ke immediately followed the guidance from the "Small World" and began searching for the radiation source.

Sandra then had the legion members rest on the spot.

Although the journey to the Mother Nest's location had been smooth with no resistance encountered, one cannot guarantee that the area around the Mother Nest is free of Zerg defenses.

One must still conserve energy and enter in the best possible condition.

Mo Li, having nothing to do, did not rest like the others but instead helped Lin Ke search.

The direction was clear, the guidance was precise, and finding the object was not difficult.

The problem was that the area where the radiation source was stored was extremely remote, with winding paths, which is why it took considerable time.

"Stop."

The "Small World" grew increasingly agitated, and in his perception, a different kind of "field" appeared. Lin Ke called out to Mo Li, "You wait here; I'll go and come back shortly."

Even wearing the Protective Life-Support Suit, it is better not to come into close contact with an unknown radiation source.

Who can guarantee that the Protective Life-Support Suit will definitely block the effects of the radiation source?

No one can guarantee that!

Lin Ke walked forward a certain distance, and once he had a clear and specific position, he also stopped.

"Flandre."

Lin Ke softly called in his heart.

"Very well, Master."

Flandre sweetly responded, transformed into a wind elf, darted past the fingernail-sized radiation source, and instantly returned to the "Small World."

As soon as the radiation source entered the "Small World," it was split into two halves.

The heavy and turbid portion remained in crystalline form, sank into the earth, all the way to the core, and on the level of rules, gained a hint of magnetism;

The light and clear portion turned into gas, shot straight through the heavy heavens, and merged into the great sun.

However, before the "Small World" celestial great sun could absorb this wisp of gas,

In Lin Ke's Sea of Consciousness, the celestial structure of the "Great Universe Meditation Method" — primarily formed from the "Sun" that the Wizard World had favored — suddenly inhaled this wisp of gas. His body trembled, and Lin Ke felt that his "Great Universe Meditation Method" "Solar System" had become increasingly closely linked with the "Small World" solar system.

Moreover, faintly, the connection hub was shifting from the two "Earths" corresponding to the "Small World" entity to two "Suns," showing a trend.

"Geocentrism evolving into heliocentrism?"

After muttering an irrelevant remark, Lin Ke gave it no further thought and turned to leave.

The fingernail-sized radiation source was merely tasted, not enough to fill one's stomach.

To truly confirm this trend as real, or to fully realize it, still requires a large amount of radiation sources.

Knowing that this radiation source helps him in this way, he will continue to search for more in the future.

Now, he will not waste others' time.

"Found it?"

Mo Li saw Lin Ke return and asked with concern, "How was it?"

"Found it."

Lin Ke nodded, "The help is significant, but the quantity is too small."

"Look again?"

"No, this settlement has none left. Let's check ahead; if there's still none, we'll return to the Academy Headquarters and think of another way."

"That works."

As they chatted, the two walked toward the legion's rest area.

"Depart."

Sandra saw the two return, asked no further questions, and directly gave the order.

The rule of otherworld reclamation is just like this.

One may do what one wishes, but cannot occupy the team's time.

Therefore, one must adjust one's own state well, balancing personal and team needs.

One must not delay the team's affairs by being busy with one's own.

Lin Ke and Mo Li fully understand this, have no objection, and certainly will not naively think that Sandra is targeting them.

This time, the Micro Legion set out without stopping midway for rest, marching straight to the Mother Nest's location.

However, what met everyone's eyes was a shattered, massive Mother Nest, surrounded by ring after ring of Zerg corpses, densely packed and collapsed on the ground.

From this scene, it is not difficult to infer the cause of death of these Zerg.

For unknown reasons, this Level 3 Brood Mother required a large amount of Life Force, had no other source, and thus could only draw it from these collapsed Zerg on the ground.

It forcibly drained at least an estimated hundred thousand Zerg into desiccated corpses.

The Zerg social structure has a saying of supremacy and priority.

Wanjia supreme, Mother Nest priority.

As long as the Wanjia issues an order, all Zerg swarms must obey;

As long as the Mother Nest has a need, the swarms that sustain it must unconditionally comply.

Therefore, these desiccated Zerg corpses offered no struggle or resistance, dying peacefully.

Sandra was not surprised by this scene; she seemed to have known it all along.

That makes sense.

For Sandra, returning to this Level 3 Zerg World this time was merely to complete her unfinished task.

Not even mentioning the three additional targets proposed last time.

What mother nest, what method to control the Zerg, what method to strengthen the Zerg—all were cast from the mind.

On the contrary, Mo Li has similar needs.

"Let's begin."

After looking for a while at the mother nest she once wanted to obtain, Sandra couldn't help but lose interest, wanting to finish this mission as soon as possible.

Lin Ke keenly sensed Sandra's change in demeanor, said nothing, and went on patrol and vigilance by himself.

On the surface, there seems to be no danger here.

The more so, the more vigilant we must be.

Under the cover of the reconnaissance and combat teams, the four members of the Research Group quickly began their work.

Even though accustomed to bloody scenes, the impact of this strange sight of ten thousand Zerg willingly sacrificing themselves before our eyes is still strong.

It makes people unconsciously want to stay away.

Each one, while ensuring quality, pushed their hand movements to the fastest.

"Lin Ke, there's a problem."

Mo Li's voice echoed in Lin Ke's heart, immediately sharing the anomaly sensed by the "God-Eater Insect" hatchling with Lin Ke.

It is a peculiar wave, very faint, very hard to perceive.

Being within the range of this wave, one unconsciously generates the desire to leave this place.

Moreover, one does not feel that this thought is problematic.

The effect is very similar to the cognition wizardry of a True Spirit Wizard.

"Hmm."

Lin Ke responded lightly.

He also sensed the anomaly, but not as detailed and specific as what the "God-Eater Insect" hatchling perceived.

Having suffered from cognition wizardry before, how could Lin Ke not specifically enhance related warning and defensive capabilities?

He had just patrolled around the broken mother nest, seeking the source of the anomaly.

Mo Li then reminded: "The source might be hidden inside the mother nest."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ke looked up at the spherical mother nest with a diameter of about 60 meters.

Even though now damaged, its internal area is still considerable.

Moreover, the internal structure of the Zerg mother nest resembles a beehive, winding and twisting, like a maze.

Entering to explore would be the worst option.

After thinking it over, Lin Ke decided to kick the ball out and found Sandra.

He first deployed the Anti-Eavesdropping Rune Barrier, then used the True Spirit Wizard's 2nd Ring wizardry "Mind Secret Communication Technique" to tell Sandra: "There is a problem inside the mother nest, continuously emitting a special wave urging us to leave."

The "Mind Secret Communication Technique" is the upgraded version of the 1st Ring wizardry "Mind Message Transmission," similarly allowing only one-way transmission.

After hearing this, Sandra nodded slightly, indicating understanding.

Lin Ke withdrew the Anti-Eavesdropping Rune Barrier used as a smoke grenade.

Sandra did not act rashly, but instead contacted the "Yunni" in outer space via a special method, intensifying surveillance of the mother nest deep underground.

At the same time, she preheated the combat system, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

After doing these, Sandra gestured to Gerald.

Gerald understood, silently adjusting his position and that of his teammates, preparing defenses against the broken mother nest.

Under Mo Li's guidance, the Research Group worked normally, yet kept drifting farther from the broken mother nest.

Lin Ke and Gerald led the combat team, stationed at the outermost perimeter in a ring formation, shielding the Research Group and the two dedicated reconnaissance personnel behind them.

Including Sandra, all members of the Micro Legion completed emergency adjustments in an extremely short time.

After adjusting the Legion's position and completing all preparations, Sandra waved her hand.

The reconnaissance personnel immediately controlled numerous fist-sized Detection Wizard Artifacts, penetrating deep into the mother nest for close-range surveillance.

The unknown presence hidden inside the mother nest, emitting the expulsion wave, sensed the Micro Legion's movement, realized its exposure, and ceased hiding.

The atmosphere unconsciously grew tense.

It seemed a great battle was about to erupt.