I handed over to another world

They shut down the active equipment, but they couldn't shut down the awakened malice emanating from the mine itself.

Meanwhile, in the void, about two hours' flight away from the K-77 Stardust Vein area.

A Raven-Modified high-speed reconnaissance boat with a sharper shape and a matte black radar-absorbing coating is tearing through space at an astonishing speed, leaving only an almost invisible dark blue trail from its engine exhaust.

This was the "Night Owl" team, the advance reconnaissance squad of the "Night Watchers" personally led by Wang Zhe.

Inside the submarine, Wang Zhe and three other team members, all wearing the first-generation enhanced "Klein Bottle" protective suits, were intently watching the holographic tactical screen.

Their protective suits were covered with more stable and refined dark blue geometric patterns than those of the "Candlelight" task force, and beneath their helmet visors were resolute and focused faces that had undergone rigorous mental resistance screening.

"Captain, the active signal from 'Deep Diver VII'... has completely disappeared!"

"The final thing we receive is a confirmation receipt for executing the 'silent protocol'."

"Eagle Eye," responsible for communications and electronic monitoring, reported through the communicator built into the protective suit, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity.

"Passive sensor reading abnormal!"

The "Silent One," responsible for spatial and energy sensing, suddenly spoke. She possessed a perceptual talent similar to Ella's, but focused more on the physical realm. "K-77 mineral vein area... spatial curvature appears... unnatural fluctuations!"

"The intensity is low, but it is spreading! There is a high-energy, unknown spectrum of radiation burst in the core area of ​​the ore vein! The characteristics match the initial outbreak record of the Houtu ship pollution by 17.3%! It is intensifying!"

Wang Zhe's heart sank.

17.3%!

This is far higher than the background noise similarity observed in previous monitoring!
Something has definitely gone wrong!
"Full speed ahead! Arrive at the designated observation point!"

Wang Zhe's voice was cold and hard: "'Panshi', prepare to deploy the 'Shadow' detector cluster, highest concealment mode, passive receiving mode activated."

"Eagle Eye attempts to detect any possible electromagnetic or information leaks, even the faintest noise!"

"The Silent Ones will continue to monitor spatial distortion and radiation changes! Maintain absolute silence and prohibit any active scanning!"

The crowd responded in unison. At this moment, the "Raven-Modified" was like a ghost blending into the darkness, silently cutting into the safety observation point on the edge of the K-77 mine area.

Several "Shadow" detectors, each only the size of a fist and covered with the same wave-absorbing coating, were quietly released and drifted toward the Deepsea VII like dust particles, passively receiving light, weak radiation, and spatial disturbance signals.

The images and data transmitted back at this moment were displayed on the tactical screen of the "Night Owl" team: "Deep Diver VII" was silently suspended, with all external lights turned off, like a steel coffin in space.

However, on the side of the hull closest to the ore vein, especially in the ore processing area, large patches of dark purple stains, resembling those caused by strong acid corrosion, were clearly visible on the alloy armor!
Some areas even showed unnatural softening, twisting, and fine, blood vessel-like protrusions!
Even more alarming, a thick, faintly purple "smoke" was slowly seeping out from several damaged vents and pipe connections.
Or rather, some kind of solidified, abnormal substance!

"'Deep Diver VII'...has been contaminated! The contamination originates from a mineral vein and is spreading within the ship!"

Wang Zhe immediately made a judgment and instantly transmitted the data and preliminary assessment back to the "Candle Dragon" command center through the highest encryption channel.

Chen Lin's icy voice came almost immediately afterward: "Contamination confirmed."

"Night Owl Team, execute the Ashes Plan."

The order was ruthless, but there was no other choice.

"Eagle Eye attempts to establish a one-way information injection channel, using the lowest power logic noise as a carrier and embedding a preset instruction code."

After receiving the order from Chen Lin, Wang Zhe quickly gave instructions to his team members.

A few seconds later, Hawkeye reported: "Channel established successfully! Signal strength is extremely weak, but injection into the bridge main control console redundancy system has been confirmed! Command sent!"

Inside the bridge of the "Deep Diver VII", Captain Wang Hai was almost swallowed up by the whispers and despair in his mind.

Suddenly, on an inconspicuous backup screen on the main control panel, a line of extremely faint green text flickered, like a firefly in the darkness:
[Supreme Order - Red Dragon Society: Contamination confirmed! Execute emergency escape protocol: Alpha! Proceed to A-7 isolation escape pod! Repeat: Alpha! A-7!]

hope!

Wang Hai's eyes gleamed, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, "A-7 isolation escape pod! Quick! Everyone who can move, follow me! Use the Alpha exit!"

He roared and, with a dozen or so crew members who were still able to move, stumbled and rushed toward the special compartment deep inside the ship that had independent life support and strong isolation capabilities.

Along the way, they saw purple stains wriggling and spreading on the bulkhead, and in some areas, they could even hear chilling scratching sounds...

As the last crew member rushed into the A-7 escape capsule, Wang Hai immediately locked and activated the strong isolation force field!
A pale blue energy barrier lit up, temporarily isolating the terrifying atmosphere and whispers that permeated the ship.

Through the observation window, they could see the purple "fungal carpet," just like a living thing, rapidly covering the passage and spreading towards the escape pod...

"Report! The A-7 isolation and rescue capsule of 'Deep Diver VII' has been activated! Detected... 12 life signals!"

Hawkeye's voice carried a hint of excitement.

"Pollution is rapidly eroding the ship's hull! The intensity of the core radiation source continues to rise!"

The "Night Watch" team had neither the capability nor the orders to assist the escape pod; their primary mission was to ensure that contamination was contained within the area.

"Raven Starship, retreat to a safe distance!"

"Locate the energy core and pollution core areas of 'Deep Diver 7'."

Wang Zhe's voice was cold and heavy, "Prepare the 'Singularity Bomb'... Set the countdown."

A small device, yet containing destructive power, was activated, and a target was locked.

"President, I request final authorization."

On the "Candle Dragon," Chen Lin stared at the exploration ship being devoured by the purple "living organism" on the screen, and the lone life pod glowing blue, his eyes devoid of any emotion: "Authorize execution, ensure complete destruction." The silent command was given.

A subtle, almost imperceptible spatial ripple erupted within the core of the Deepsea VII.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only absolute darkness that instantly engulfed the ship.

Light, matter, and even the writhing purple pollution were all completely erased and reduced to nothingness in the collapse of a miniature singularity.

Only a fleeting, subtle spatial fold remains in place.

Only that lone A-7 escape pod, gently "pushed aside" by the singularity bomb's precise directional force field before the explosion, floated unharmed in the silent stardust belt, like a small boat that survived a devastating storm.

"The main body of 'Deepdiver VII' has been annihilated!"

"The A-7 escape pod is intact, and life signals are stable. After testing, the source of contamination... has been eliminated," Wang Zhe reported, his voice carrying the sternness of someone who had completed a mission, but also a hint of barely perceptible heaviness.

They saved people, but they also destroyed a ship and the potentially irretrievable lives on board.

"Night Owl Team, retrieve the escape pod, implement the highest level of quarantine procedures, and return to base immediately."

Chen Lin's order came: "After bringing the rescue capsule back, all personnel will be placed in quarantine for observation. The mineral samples brought back... will be sent directly to 'Laboratory Zero'."

"Yes!"

……

In the command center of the "Candle Dragon," the K-77 cursor on the star map had returned to calm, but the void erased by the micro-singularity remained a silent warning imprinted in everyone's hearts.

The A-7 escape capsule was carefully recovered and, along with the precious K-77 ore sample, was directly sent into the layers of "Klein bottle" force fields in "Laboratory Zero".

Wang Zhe and his "Night Owl" team also entered the highest level of quarantine observation period.

The crisis has been temporarily averted, but at a heavy cost, and it has revealed a more terrifying truth: pollution is not an isolated case. Like spores in the universe, it has long been lurking in corners that humans have not yet noticed, especially in areas rich in special energy-sensitive substances.

Passive defense and reactive measures are not long-term solutions.

The encroachment of the warp is like a malignant tumor; if its root cause and a systematic defense are not found, humanity's starships will eventually become floating tombs, and the flame of civilization will be extinguished in ever-shrinking fear.

Chen Lin didn't catch his breath for a moment.

After confirming the safe isolation and sample reception of the "Night Owl" team, he immediately issued a new directive: "Convene an emergency strategic meeting on follow-up operations to 'Silent Seas' and countermeasures against subspace erosion."

Attendees included: Dr. Zhou Kerui, Chief Engineer Lin Han, Special Operations Commander Wang Zhe (remote access during quarantine), Admiral Zhao Zhenbang of the Joint Fleet (remote access), Chief Advisor of the Federal Academy of Sciences (remote access), Director of the Strategic Intelligence Department of the Red Dragon Association, and a number of vice presidents.

An hour later, in the strategic decision-making hall of the "Candle Dragon".

At the center of the enormous circular conference table was a deep star map projection, with the scars of UDF-7243 and the markings of K-77 standing out prominently.

Chen Lin sat in the main seat, flanked by Zhou Kerui, Lin Han, and General Zhao Zhenbang, an advisor to the Academy of Sciences, Wang Zhe (whose projection background was the pure white wall of the isolation observation room), and the intelligence chief, all connected via high-fidelity holographic projection.

The atmosphere was as heavy as a nebula about to solidify.

"Gentlemen," Chen Lin's voice broke the silence, without any opening remarks, going straight to the point, "'Deep Diver VII' incident proves that the subspace rule contamination represented by the 'Omega Fragment' is not an isolated case."

"It has the characteristics of being latent, environmentally relevant (zero-point sensitive substances), and extremely high infectivity. Its passive defense 'silent sea' mode can only delay, not eradicate."

"Our starships, our civilization, cannot forever cower behind the high walls built of fear. Therefore, there is only one issue today: how to systematically deal with the erosion of the subspace and open up a relatively safe path through deep space for our starships."

"Dr. Zhou, please report on the preliminary findings of 'Laboratory Zero' first."

Zhou Kerui stood up, her face slightly tired but her eyes sharp: "Based on the preliminary comparative analysis of the contaminants in Captain Li Rui's wound, the mineral vein samples brought back by 'Deep Diver 7', and the ship's hull pollution residues, we have confirmed several key pieces of information:
"First, there is the homology. The core information spectrum characteristics of all pollutants are highly consistent, confirming that they are the same 'regular virus' pollution, tentatively codenamed 'purple erosion'."

"Secondly, there is the medium of propagation. 'Purple erosion' has dual characteristics of information state and energy state. Its main propagation path is speculated to be: subspace background information disturbance (whisper) and resonance with specific high-dimensional energy sensitive substances (such as K-77 mineral vein crystals)."

“Active field pulsation detection (such as Dr. Zhang Wei’s behavior) is like ‘knocking on the door’, while areas rich in sensitive substances are like ‘resonance boxes’, which are easily awakened or attract contaminants.”

……

She paused, her tone heavy: "Preliminary conclusion: As long as humanity continues to utilize zero-point energy, explore gravitational lensing, and mine energy-sensitive minerals, it will be difficult to completely avoid subspace background disturbances and the environment where 'purple erosion' may lurk. Current 'island' protection technologies still face the risk of being penetrated when encountering high-intensity or unknown variant contamination."

Lin Han then added in his report: "The in-depth excavation of the black box has yielded groundbreaking discoveries."

“We successfully isolated and amplified the core information fragment of the ‘whisper’ received by Dr. Zhang Wei before she activated the probe. It was not random noise, but contained an extremely distorted, self-circulating logical paradox structure. Its core seems to point to a kind of hungry destruction of ‘order’ and ‘logic’ itself.”

"At the same time, the analysis of the last 'gurgling sound' and impact sound from Captain Li Zheng's recorder showed that it was not a physical impact, but more like... 'information noise' that was emitted when the spatial structure was forcibly 'folded' or 'torn', which is beyond the scope of conventional sound waves. This confirms that 'Purple Eclipse' has the ability to directly distort the local rules of reality."

The intelligence chief pulled up a star map and marked dozens of flashing yellow/orange/red warning dots: "The Strategic Intelligence Department, combining historical data and the latest monitoring network, has initially drawn a 'subspace erosion risk star map'."

“The red high-risk areas here are areas known to be rich in zero-point sensitive minerals or have been reported to have anomalous spatial distortions or information disturbances in the past, including UDF-7243, K-77 and their surrounding mineral belts.”

“The orange warning zone is an area with gravitational lensing anomalies or active subspace background noise, while the yellow observation zone is an area with potential sensitive minerals or is located in a known subspace ‘turbulent’ path. Unfortunately, nearly 30% of the major deep space routes and resource star regions currently used by mankind overlap with medium- to high-risk areas.”

Wang Zhe's projection said in a deep voice: "The formation of the 'Night Watch' force and the development of its equipment are progressing as planned, but the core problem is that the existing protective technology is a shield, and the logic paradox jammer is a spear, but we know too little about the enemy's 'home ground'—the subspace itself."

“We are currently waving torches in a dark forest. The firelight can scare away the beasts that come close, but it may also attract predators that are further away and more powerful. This lack of systematic understanding and early warning mechanism of the subspace environment means that the cost of passive defense and reactive measures will become increasingly high until we can no longer afford it.”

General Zhao Zhenbang's expression was grim: "The fleet can blockade high-risk areas, but the cost will be a huge waste of resources and blockade of shipping routes!"

“If this continues, deep space exploration and resource acquisition will stagnate. We do need offensive solutions, or at least… a method of navigation with predictable risks!”

The crowd was buzzing with discussion, but Chen Lin remained silent on the stage. (End of Chapter)