Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Karen's finger pointed to the dozen or so petrified corpses at the edge of the cave.

The supervising priest followed his gaze, and the dark golden light under the hood suddenly began to flicker violently.

Those corpses that should have been completely dead and whose bodies had become mineralized began to show an eerie metallic luster on their surfaces.

It is not static, it is flowing.

Like liquid metal surging beneath the skin, it transforms, reconstructs, and converts the deceased's body from the inside out into a completely new existence.

"Crack...knock..."

The sounds of bones breaking and being re-welded echoed throughout the cave.

The corpse's chest began to rise and fall, but it was not the breathing of a living person; it was more like the rhythm of some kind of machine after it had heated up.

One, two, three...

All seventeen corpses opened their eyes simultaneously.

Those eyes held no human sparkle, only a deathly grayness.

Deep within the pupils, a dark red metallic core could be vaguely seen spinning and glowing, like the gears of some kind of precision timer.

"This is……"

Lester gasped: "They're still alive?!"

"No, they're long dead."

Ron's controlled "Karen" spoke in a very low voice, revealing barely suppressed shock:
"What's standing up now is something else."

The voice just fell.

The "corpse" closest to the cave entrance suddenly raised its head, its cervical spine making a teeth-grinding grinding sound.

Its mouth was opened to an angle far exceeding human limits, and its lower jaw was almost dislocated.

A piercing shriek, produced by metallic resonance, also came from deep within the throat!
"squeak------!!!"

The sound waves spread as if they were a physical entity, impacting everyone's eardrums.

Several miners who were nearby screamed and covered their ears, blood seeping from between their fingers.

Immediately afterwards, the right arm of the "corpse" began to mutate.

Flesh and blood slid off like melting candles, revealing the steel skeleton beneath.

But the bones were growing, branching, and extending rapidly.

Ultimately, they turned into sharp steel spikes, like some kind of terrifying torture device.

It let out a low growl and pounced on the nearest miner like a wild beast, landing on all fours!

"spread!"

Iron Hammer Green roared and shoved aside his companions, raising his warhammer to meet the attack.

The heavy hammer, accompanied by a whooshing sound, slammed down on the head of the "iron corpse".

"boom--!"

The loud clang of metal clashing echoed through the cave.

The iron corpse's head was dented from being smashed, but it didn't care at all.

Those greyish-white eyes remained fixed on their target, and the steel spikes on his right arm pierced the air, heading straight for the hammer's throat!

Karen's pupils suddenly contracted.

He could clearly sense that the energy fluctuations contained within these monsters, though chaotic and disordered, also carried a kind of morbid vitality.

It's like... a second heart forcibly inserted into a corpse.

A heart of steel, made of pure metal, that never stops, that beats wildly!

"This should be an activation effect caused by high concentrations of abyssal radiation!"

Ron has his own perspective on the current situation:
"When the boundary between flesh and metal is blurred, the soul of the dead is forcibly anchored to the steel core..."

"The dead will 'resurrect' in this form, becoming monsters that only know how to kill!"

The remaining sixteen corpses also began to move.

Their bodies are mutated in different ways:

Some of their arms transformed into enormous steel scythes;

Some of the spines pierce through the skin, extending out dense, metallic tentacles;

Some had their entire lower body melt and reassemble, transforming into a spider-like multi-legged structure;
Others had their chest cavities split open, revealing the frantically beating steel heart inside, gleaming with a dark red light...

Seventeen monsters, seventeen forms of slaughter.

They simultaneously let out sharp screechs, as if receiving some unseen command, and rushed towards the rescue team!

"Retreat! Everyone retreat!"

"Karen" gave the order decisively, and at the same time took out a specially made metal canister from her waist:
"Cover the retreat of the troops!"

Lester and several assistants immediately began dismantling the exploration equipment, while the miners escorted them toward the entrance.

Iron Hammer Green led the guards to cover the rear.

Warhammers, spears, and steel swords were drawn and used to fight the onrushing monsters in the confined space.

"Roar--!"

An iron corpse with scythe-like arms swung its sharp blade, carving deep furrows into the rock face.

Three miners worked together to force it back with spears, but the next second, its chest cavity suddenly split open.

Dozens of thin metal wires shot out from it, coiling towards the nearest target like serpents!

"what--!"

A young miner was unable to dodge in time and his left forearm was pierced by a metal wire.

The moment the thread touched flesh, it immediately began to drill inward, as if it had its own life.

The miner screamed and tried to pull it out, but watched helplessly as the skin around the wound began to gleam with an ominous metallic sheen...

"Cut off his arm! Quickly!"

Karen's voice boomed like thunder.

Almost instinctively, Iron Hammer Green swung his warhammer, the heavy hammerhead striking the miner's elbow with precision.

"Click——"

The forearm snapped off, falling to the ground along with the metal wire wrapped around it.

The young miner was in so much pain he almost fainted, but the moment his severed arm hit the ground, everyone witnessed an even more horrifying sight:

The severed arm is regenerating on its own!

Flesh and blood melted, bones extended, and metal wires spread in all directions like roots.

In just three seconds, a small monster transformed from a severed arm began to crawl on the ground!

"My God..."

Lester's voice trembled: "This thing can split?!"

"It's not just about division."

Karen's face was extremely pale:

"Any flesh or tissue that comes into contact with them will be infected and transformed!"

"This is no simple monster, this is a plague!"

Just as the chaos was about to spiral out of control.

The overseer priest finally made his move.

He slowly raised his right hand, and the sleeve of his heavy priest's robe slipped down, revealing his arm underneath.

That wasn't made of flesh and blood at all.

The entire arm was cast from a special dark gold alloy, and its surface was engraved with dense, sacred runes.

Each rune was glowing, flowing, recombining, and releasing terrifying energy fluctuations like molten iron in a furnace.

"A blasphemous object."

The voice of the overseer priest seemed to come from the depths of hell:

"Destroy."

The words have not yet fallen.

His hand clenched suddenly, and an invisible force erupted instantly!
The entire cave began to tremble, and countless pieces of rock collapsed from the cave walls.

The five iron corpses closest to the overseer priest suddenly stiffened, as if gripped by some unseen force.

next moment……

"Boom——!!!"

They shattered at the same time!

Flesh, bones, and metal parts were crushed into dust, turning into countless fragments and dust particles flying everywhere.

The pressure was so strong that everyone present instinctively froze in place, making it difficult to even breathe.

This is the power of a high-ranking priest, equivalent to the combat strength of a Moon-level being.

With a single, seemingly effortless strike, five monsters nearly reaching the level of a full-fledged wizard were wiped out.

Available in the next second.

Karen's pupils suddenly dilated:

"No, everyone lie down!"

He practically yelled those words.

But it's too late.

Those crushed remains of the iron corpses did not die.

Every fragment, every piece of metal debris, is now glowing, heating up, and expanding...

"Slap slap slap slap—!!!"

The series of explosions rang out like firecrackers!
Countless tiny metal fragments shot out in all directions like shrapnel, turning the entire cave into a storm of death!
"what--!"

"Help--!"

Screams came and went.

Ordinary miners simply had no ability to withstand such a dense jet of metal.

A miner's thigh was pierced, and blood gushed out instantly;

A piece of flesh was shaved off an assistant's shoulder, revealing the bare white bone;

Several other guards were hit by more than a dozen pieces of shrapnel at the same time, and fell like sieves into pools of blood...

What's even more terrifying is yet to come.

The metal fragments embedded in the wound began to spread inward at a visible rate.

The injured man's skin turned a deathly gray, and the veins on his skin had turned a metallic sheen.

Their eyes began to lose focus, and the iconic dark red core emerged from their chests…

"No, no, no, I don't want to become that kind of monster!"

A young miner stared in despair at his mutating right arm, his voice filled with anguish.

He tried to pry the fragments out with his left hand, but as soon as his fingers touched the wound, his left hand also began to get infected.

The metallic sheen spread like vines from the fingertips, quickly covering the entire palm...

Of the 32 rescuers, 11 were hit by shrapnel.

The injuries of eight of them have begun to show irreversible signs of mutation!

The overseer priest paused slightly.

He clearly did not expect that his "cleaning" actions would trigger such a terrible chain reaction.

The dark gold light under the hood dimmed slightly, a hint of awkwardness in his expression.

"Back off! Keep backing off!"

"Karen" shouted as she dragged the nearest wounded person toward the cave entrance.

"Get away from that thing! The farther the better!"

But he quickly suppressed this inappropriate reaction and instead followed "Karen's" command, beginning to assist in the retreat.

With a wave of that dark golden arm, energy barriers unfolded in the air, blocking the pursuing metal wires from the wounded.

The rescue team retreated in the chaos.

One hundred meters.

One hundred and fifty meters.

Two hundred meters.

When they finally retreated far enough away from the "Lungs of Chaos," something strange happened.

The iron corpses that had been chasing after them frantically suddenly stopped.

They stood stiffly on some unseen "dividing line," their dark red chests flashing intensely.

It seemed as if it was "hesitating," "struggling," and wavering between two instincts.

Pursue? Or stay and hold out?
Ultimately, the instinct to "stay behind" prevailed.

The remaining dozen or so iron corpses slowly retreated, returning to the area around the "Lung of Chaos" where the radiation was most intense.

They roamed and wandered there, like wild beasts guarding their dens.

Occasionally it would let out threatening howls toward the rescue team, but it never crossed that invisible boundary.

"They...have stopped chasing us?"

Iron Hammer Green stared in disbelief at the scene before him, his warhammer still gripped in his hand, his muscles taut.

"They should have a sense of territory."

Karen's voice was very firm:
"To be precise, they are bound by some kind of invisible 'radiation layer'."

He walked to the nearest rock face and drew a simple concentric circle diagram on the stone surface with his finger:

"Based on my observation just now, the radiation intensity around that 'heart' shows a clear concentric distribution."

"The innermost layer, that is, the area within fifty meters around the 'heart'..."

He pointed to the core of the concentric circles:

"The radiation concentration is the highest, and the energy fluctuations are the strongest. It's like... the 'nest' of these monsters."

“They are ‘born’ there, ‘evolve’ there, and must rely on the high concentration of radiation there to maintain their activity.”

Lester pushed up his glasses and stared at the rough diagram:
"So, they can't go too far from their nest?"

"It's not just 'unable,' it's 'unwilling.'"

Karen shook her head, moving her fingers towards the outer circle:

“The middle layer, which is the range of fifty to two hundred meters, is the ‘warning zone’.”

"The radiation levels remain high enough to keep them combat-ready. Within this area, they will actively attack any intruders."

"And the position where we just retreated."

He pointed to the outermost circle:

"It has exceeded two hundred meters and entered the 'edge zone'."

"The radiation level here drops sharply, which is like stepping from a warm lair into an icy wasteland for those monsters."

"Their instincts will resist moving forward and drive them back to the 'safe' core area."

This explanation is logically clear and rich in detail.

But Green was still somewhat confused:
"But Your Excellency, how do you know these things?"

Karen was silent for a moment, then sighed:
"Remember that kind of fungal mold I mentioned in tombs?"

"This mold not only inhibits metal catastrophizing, but it also has another characteristic: it is extremely sensitive to radiation concentration."

“Over the past few years, I have released large amounts of mold spores into the deep layers of the entire No. 7 mine.”

“They grow and spread in the dark, forming a huge ‘sensory network’.”

"By observing the growth density and morphological changes of mold, I can roughly infer the distribution of radiation intensity in different areas."

These words sound like some kind of advanced "biomonitoring technology".

In a world dominated by metal and fire, he certainly seems out of place.

But precisely because of this, it is all the more convincing:

Who would have thought that a seemingly outdated "mold research" could play such a crucial role?

"The infected person from earlier should be executed."

The priest's voice rang out, raising his hand in preparation for another attack:

"To prevent the spread of the plague."

"and many more!"

Karen suddenly blocked his way, holding up a specially made metal can with both hands:
"Priest, I still have a way to suppress the infection!"

The priest's movements stopped.

His gaze, hidden beneath the hood, was fixed on the jar in "Karen's" hand, as if assessing the veracity of his words.

"Karen" didn't give him much time to think.

He quickly unscrewed the lid of a jar, and a dark green mist carrying a putrid smell immediately filled the air.

Countless spores, almost invisible to the naked eye, floated and swirled in the mist, like some kind of living dust.

"This is a special mold extract that I collected from deep within Mine No. 7!"

He sprayed the mist at the nearest infected people:
"It can neutralize the process of metal degradation, giving us time to process it!"

The moment the dark green mist came into contact with the infected person's body.

A miracle happened.

The spreading metallic sheen suddenly stopped.

The skin around the wound remained a sickly grayish-white, but at least it was no longer deteriorating.

Even more remarkably, those partially mutated tissues began to slowly regain their normal fleshy texture.

It was as if some kind of force was gradually "digesting" this metallization curse.

"It works! It really works!"

Lester stared at his arm in disbelief.

He was also grazed by a piece of debris, and his left wrist has shown slight signs of metallization.

But now, that layer of deathly gray skin is fading, revealing healthy flesh underneath.

Karen quickly handed the can to Hammer Green:

"Spray all the infected people! Remember, three seconds per person, don't waste any time!"

Hammer took the can and immediately began to do as instructed.

Dark green mist filled the cave, bringing a glimmer of hope to this deadly storm.

The overseer priest silently watched "Karen".

The dark gold light beneath the hood flickered intermittently, clearly indicating that the feasibility of the plan was being rapidly assessed.

Finally, he slowly nodded: "I will obey your command."

The weight of this statement far exceeds its literal meaning.

A high priest's direct overseer bows to a "mortal" on a tactical level.

This is both an acknowledgment of Karen's abilities and a way of making amends for his earlier mistake.

But on the other side, Hammer Green quickly discovered a problem.

"Your Majesty the Governor..."

His voice was very low, only Karen could hear it:

There are four people... Something's not right.

Karen's gaze swept over the four people.

Ron instantly understood the problem through his perception of the "ink":
The four people were hit fatally by the shards.

One is that the metallization has penetrated the area near the heart and has eroded into the myocardial tissue;

One had a corner of its head cut off, with fragments embedded directly into its brain;
Two others had multiple fragments embedded in their abdomen and chest cavity, with their internal organs almost completely metallicized...

Mold extracts can slow down metallization, but cannot reverse organ failure that has already occurred. The embryonic form of the "steel hearts" in the chests of these four individuals is nearly 30% complete.

In less than three minutes, they will be completely transformed into iron corpses.

"Your Majesty the Governor..."

One of the miners, who still retained some consciousness, grabbed Karen's sleeve with his hand, which was beginning to turn metal.

There was still a trace of humanity in his eyes, but that light was rapidly fading:
"I can feel... something devouring my thoughts... I'm about to... lose control..."

"Please... kill me..."

His voice was trembling:
"Before I become that kind of monster... I don't want to hurt anyone else... please..."

Karen remained silent for a moment.

Then, he nodded slowly.

"I understand."

He turned to Hammer Green: "Get the other infected people to a safe distance."

"Yes."

Iron Hammer Green didn't ask any questions, but silently carried out the order.

When everyone else retreated to the edge of the cave.

Karen walked alone toward the four infected people who were beyond saving.

Some of them had completely lost consciousness, their bodies convulsing instinctively;
Some could barely keep their eyes open, their eyes filled with despair and pleading;
Some were muttering to themselves, calling out the names of their family members...

"sorry."

"Karen" said softly, "I'm late."

He drew a short knife from his waist.

The first person had completely lost consciousness.

Karen's knife pierced his nape precisely, severing his spinal cord.

Then he quickly pulled it out and plunged it back into the chest, piercing through the forming "heart of steel".

The whole process took less than two seconds.

Clean and efficient, with almost no pain.

The second person still had their eyes open.

As the knife tip pressed against the back of his neck, he forced a smile:
"Thanks……"

The light of the knife flashed.

The third, the fourth...

When "Karen" finished executing the last infected person, the entire cave fell into an eerie silence.

"continue."

Karen turned to face the remaining Iron Corpses, twelve of which were still wandering around: "We haven't completed our mission yet."

His voice regained its rationality, as if the killing had never happened: "Leicester, what did you observe just now?"

"W-what?"

The CTO was still reeling from the shock and didn't react for a moment.

"Those iron corpses."

Karen spoke quickly: "Their behavior patterns, attack frequency, and body structure—have you noticed any patterns?"

"I……"

Lester forced himself to calm down and began to recall the battle: "They...they didn't seem to attack randomly."

"Correct."

Karen nodded: "They're working together, you see..."

He pointed to the iron corpses that were regrouping:

"Melee fighters are in the front, ranged attackers are in the rear. They even know how to use the terrain and the corpses of their comrades as cover..."

"This is not instinct."

His eyes narrowed slightly: "It's wisdom. Or rather, it's some kind of primitive collective consciousness."

“Those ‘hearts of steel’ are resonating.”

Iron Hammer Green suddenly spoke up, having observed some details during the fight:
“I just noticed that whenever one Iron Corpse is seriously injured, the others become even more frenzied, as if they can sense the pain of their companion.”

"Yes."

Karen gave him an approving look: "And I've also discovered another pattern..."

He pointed to an iron corpse that had just been struck in the chest by a hammer:
Attacking their heads or limbs has little effect. They can continue fighting.

"But attacking the chest..."

He pointed to his heart: "They will become noticeably weaker."

“The Heart of Steel.” Lester exclaimed, suddenly realizing, “That’s their core!”

Karen quickly took out several specially made spray cans from her backpack and distributed them to Iron Hammer Green and several guards who were still capable of fighting.

"listen."

His voice echoed through the cave, each word clear and powerful:
"The first step is to cover the target's entire body with moldy mist for three seconds."

"The second step is to approach them from the side or behind while their activity is reduced."

"The third step is to locate the steel heart in the chest cavity and pierce through it with the fastest speed and greatest power!"

"Remember, it must be a fatal blow! As long as the heart is intact, it won't trigger a secondary explosion!"

Iron Hammer Grin gripped his warhammer tightly, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit: "Understood!"

The other guards nodded, adjusted their breathing, and prepared for battle.

At this moment, the remaining twelve iron corpses had already surrounded them.

Their "instinct" sensed the threat and they began to change tactics:
They stopped acting alone and began to form rudimentary formations;

They no longer charge blindly, but instead learn to use the terrain to find cover.
Even those individuals with ranged attack capabilities began to retreat proactively, providing fire support for their melee-type allies...

"They are evolving..."

Lester gasped: "These monsters actually have the ability to learn?!"

Karen's gaze was fixed on the dark red light flashing on the chests of the iron corpses:
"The more individuals come together, the stronger this resonance becomes, and the higher their synergy."

"so……"

He suddenly turned to the overseer priest: "We need to finish this quickly! Can you seal off the cave exit?"

The supervising priest slightly raised his hand.

Dark gold energy surged from his palm, flowing like liquid metal to the cave entrance.

In just a few seconds, a metal barrier half a meter thick blocked the only way out.

"A cornered beast's struggle..."

Karen took a deep breath and unscrewed the spray can in her hand: "Let's begin."

The dark green mist spread out again.

This time, it was no longer a cure, but a prelude to the hunt.

Iron Hammer Green charged towards the nearest Iron Corpse first.

The monster had a spider-like multi-legged lower body and was incredibly fast.

But when the dark green mist covered its entire body, its wildly waving metal limbs suddenly became sluggish, as if they were filled with lead.

"It's now!"

Iron Hammer roared and leaped into the air, the warhammer drawing an arc through the air.

"boom--!"

The hammer struck the iron corpse squarely in the chest cavity.

The immense impact pierced through flesh and blood, shattering the dark red core hidden deep within.

The iron corpse's body stiffened for a moment.

Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, it crashed to the ground, its metal limbs curling up helplessly.

"Success!"

The other guards were greatly encouraged and began to carry out the tactics devised by "Karen".

Spray, approach, penetrate – three steps.

Each successful kill boosted the team's confidence even further.

Karen stood in the center of the team, directing the troops while observing every detail of the battlefield.

He had to ensure that no iron corpse was "accidentally killed".

If someone launches an attack in a panic without weakening the target, triggering another fragmentation explosion...

The rescue team may really be wiped out.

Fortunately, Hammer Green lived up to his reputation as a battle-hardened veteran captain.

He precisely controlled the rhythm, ensuring both the efficiency of the attack and strict adherence to "Karen's" tactical requirements.

Ten, nine, eight...

The number of Iron Corpses is steadily decreasing.

The overseer priest also made his move at this moment.

He no longer resorted to that kind of widespread, violent crushing.

Instead, they employed extremely precise "pressure point" strikes.

The dark golden energy condensed into rays of light as thin as hair, which were precisely aimed at the heart of each iron corpse.

Once the light penetrates, the internal structure of the heart is completely destroyed, disintegrating into harmless powder without even a chance to explode.

Ten minutes later, the last iron corpse fell.

The cave returned to silence.

Everyone was panting heavily, sweat mixed with blood streaming down their faces.

Karen looked around and quickly counted the number of people:
The rescue team originally consisted of 32 people.

Fourteen people were seriously injured, and most of the infections have been suppressed. The four who were seriously injured and infected too quickly were executed.

Under such extreme circumstances, achieving this result is nothing short of a miracle.

"Your Majesty the Governor..."

Iron Hammer Green walked over, his voice filled with awe: "You saved us."

Karen shook her head: "We survived together."

He turned to the overseer priest and bowed respectfully: "Thank you for your help. If it weren't for your intervention, we probably wouldn't have been able to hold on until now."

The supervising priest looked at him and slowly said, "Your ability to adapt has exceeded expectations."

"Why did you prepare this mold extract in advance?"

This is a very insightful question.

Karen's heart tightened, but she maintained a tired yet sincere expression: "Your Excellency, this was actually a chance discovery."

"Three years ago, a small-scale metal smuggling accident occurred deep in the No. 7 mine."

"At that time, two miners came into contact with some kind of contaminated ore and began to experience similar symptoms."

"While trying various solutions, I accidentally discovered that this type of fungus growing on the edge of the restricted area has a significant inhibitory effect on metal catastrophism."

“Since then, I have been studying it systematically and have extracted this spray.”

"I just didn't expect..."

He shook his head with a wry smile: "It actually came in handy today."

This explanation is logically consistent, rich in detail, and has a timeline that is far enough out of date to be difficult to verify.

The overseer priest stared at him for a long time, but ultimately did not press the matter further.

He simply turned and walked toward the center of the cave, to the "Lung of Chaos" that was still slowly pulsating.

"This thing is extremely dangerous."

The overseer priest's voice turned solemn: "I must report to the high priest immediately and request instructions on sealing."

"Before that..."

He turned to Karen: "Do you have a way to stabilize this thing's pulse? If left unchecked, it could trigger an even larger collapse."

Karen took a deep breath.

This was the moment he had been waiting for.

"I might... have a solution."

He took a palm-sized metal device out of his backpack.

"This is a 'geological stabilizer' that I designed based on mine stability theory."

Karen carefully lifted the device: "Its principle is to release energy waves of a specific frequency to create a 'reverse resonance' with unstable geological structures, thereby counteracting vibrations and stabilizing the rock strata."

"Theoretically, if we place it near that...that thing..."

"It should be able to make its pulse regular and controllable."

The priest's gaze fell on the device.

He could sense that the device did indeed contain a sophisticated energy circuit, as well as a structure used for "frequency modulation".

Judging from its appearance and working principle, it does indeed resemble an engineering device used for stabilizing geology.

The only problem is...

"Is this feasible?"

The overseer priest directly asked the core concern: "If we fail, or if it leads to even greater disaster, how will you take responsibility?"

"I would stake my life on it."

Karen's voice was firm and unwavering: "If the stabilizer fails, I am willing to accept any punishment, including death."

"But if we don't try, the entire mining area could collapse completely at any time due to the next pulse."

"By then, I won't be the only one who dies."

The overseer remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he slowly nodded: "Approved."

“I will go with you. If you make any unusual moves, I will kill you immediately.”

"clear."

Karen took a deep breath, holding the "Geological Stabilizer," and walked toward the pulsating giant organ.

With each step closer, the sense of oppression in the air intensified.

The radiation emanating from the very source of the abyss felt like countless needles piercing the soul.

If an ordinary person got this close, they would probably go completely insane in less than three seconds.

But Karen possesses "ink" and is also protected by the "chaotic adaptation" characteristic of the Nari bloodline.

To him, the radiation was like a gentle breeze.

Fifty meters.

Thirty meters.

ten meters.

When the distance is reduced to five meters.

Karen could clearly see the vein-like patterns on the surface of the "Lungs of Chaos".

With each pulse, those patterns would glow with an eerie deep blue light.

Some primal, immense, and almost incomprehensible will is slumbering within this organ.

Karen raised the "geological stabilizer" and took a deep breath.

Then--

It was gently pressed onto the surface of the "Lungs of Chaos".

"Buzz—!"

Device activated!
This is not a "geologically stable" energy wave, but a carefully disguised "chaotic symbiosis mark"!
Nari's aura established a deep connection with the "Lungs of Chaos" through this sub-mark.

Just like a mother calling for her long-lost child, two drops of water that originally came from the same source finally reunited after a long separation.

The pulsation of the "lungs of chaos" underwent a fundamental change at this moment.

The surrounding violent energy tides also subsided;

The amber-like alteration on the cave walls has stopped spreading;

Even the intensity of radiation in the air is decreasing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

"Success..."

Lester stared at the readings on the exploration instruments: "The energy fluctuations have stabilized! The radiation intensity has decreased by 73%!"

The others cheered as well.

Only the overseer priest remained vigilant.

He approached the "Lung of Chaos" and carefully scanned the "geological stabilizer" with his senses.

The rune circuits on the surface of the device are still functioning normally.

The energy flow also conforms to the theoretical model of "reverse resonance".

From any perspective, this is a perfect application of technology.

But he always felt... something was wrong.

The feeling was indescribable, like a carefully concealed sense of incongruity.

But no matter how he examined it, he couldn't find any flaws.

Ultimately, the overseer could only attribute it to his own paranoia.

Your skills have impressed me greatly.

He turned to "Karen": "You deserve a lot of credit for this trip."

“I will report truthfully to the High Priest… Governor ‘Karen’ single-handedly resolved the crisis in the mining area and stabilized the abnormal activity in the restricted zone.”

"As a reward."

Karen bowed respectfully: "It is my honor to serve the temple."

His tone was humble, but he breathed a long sigh of relief.

The plan succeeded.

Using this "Chaotic Symbiosis Seal" disguised as a "geological stabilizer," he successfully established a hidden connection point near the "Lung of Chaos."

From now on, Nari can draw energy continuously from the "Lungs of Chaos" through this connection.

She will also use her own strength to stabilize this sleeping behemoth and prevent it from triggering a catastrophic geological collapse.

This is a symbiotic relationship.

The "Lungs of Chaos" found solace and ceased their rage;
The mining area has stabilized and no more landslides have occurred.

Nari gained energy, which will allow him to increase his strength more quickly;

And Ron...

He finally obtained a legitimate, long-term, and unquestionable "secret garden."

A treasure trove that can continuously produce high-concentration abyssal crystals!
"Prepare to evacuate."

The supervising priest issued the order: "This place is dangerous; it is not advisable to linger."

The rescue team began an orderly withdrawal.

The injured miner was helped by his companions and slowly moved towards the mine entrance.

Karen walked at the end of the line and looked back one last time.

That calmly beating "lung of chaos," that "stabilizer" embedded on its surface, emitting a faint blue light...

There were also the remains of iron corpses lying on the ground, completely dead.

A barely perceptible smile curved the corners of his mouth.

The performance was a great success. (End of Chapter)