The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

The silvery-white light passage was not a straight, smooth corridor, but rather a fragment of spacetime that had been forcibly "frozen" and "stabilized." In the perception of the external sensors of the "Hidden Shadow" and Luo Wei and Ai Rui, the "walls" of the passage were flowing, translucent silvery-white energy membranes. Outside the membranes were wildly boiling, color-distorted spacetime turbulence. The dark silver and deep purple light and shadows were like a crazy ocean from another dimension, isolated by an invisible barrier. Occasionally, energy turbulence would crash against the passage walls, stirring up ripples like waves, but the passage itself was as stable as a rock, with constant spacetime parameters and stable gravity inside.

The three-hundred-second time limit hung like a sword of Damocles overhead. The "Shadow" engine was at maximum power, speeding along the straight passage leading into the unknown, towards the increasingly clear outline of the silver-white geometric structure at the end. The scenery outside the porthole flashed by; the passage seemed much longer than it appeared, giving the illusion of traveling through a time tunnel.

Barton gripped the control stick tightly. Although Rowe was primarily in charge of piloting, he remained on high alert, his fighting spirit surging within him, ready to deal with any threat that might infiltrate from outside the passage's "walls." Lilith, meanwhile, quickly checked her equipment, especially the emergency medicines and purification devices for "Order" erosion and "Crystal Devouring" contamination. Her brow furrowed slightly, clearly wary of the "protocol execution zone" they were about to enter.

Ai Rui still held the Star Key in her hands, the light from the rune between her brows subtly echoing the silvery-white glow of the passage. Her "structural vision" pierced through the passage walls, projecting onto the ever-approaching target at the end. It was a standard, sharply edged octahedral structure, entirely composed of a denser, more restrained silvery-white material of the same origin as the passage, its surface smooth as a mirror, without any visible joints, patterns, or energy fluctuations. It silently floated at the center of a relatively empty spherical space at the end of the passage, also stabilized by a silvery-white energy field, like an ancient deity slumbering in a crystal coffin, radiating a silent yet immense presence.

"We're approaching the exit. The space ahead is stable; no defensive fields or signs of life have been detected." Verna's voice came from the "Stargazer," tinged with tension. "The target structure's energy reading... is extremely low, almost dormant. However, its internal structure cannot be scanned; it has extremely strong energy shielding."

"Received. Prepare for contact," Luo Wei responded, while simultaneously maneuvering "Shadow" to decelerate. Finally, it came to a smooth stop about a hundred meters in front of the huge silver-white octahedron.

Upon closer inspection, the structure becomes even more awe-inspiring. Its diameter is estimated to exceed one kilometer, and the surfaces of its eight equilateral triangles reflect the silvery light of the channels, as if radiating light themselves, yet perfectly absorbing all the probe beams. It floats there silently, blending seamlessly with the stable energy field around it, eerily silent.

"The protocol execution zone... is that the inside of this thing?" Patton peered through the porthole at the behemoth.

"It should be. But where is the entrance?" Lilith wondered.

As if in response to their questions, the moment the "Shadow of the Underworld" came to a stop, the Star Keys carried by everyone, as well as the talisman between Ai Rui's eyebrows, simultaneously resonated with a clear pulsation! Immediately afterwards, the smooth surface of the huge octahedron facing them rippled without warning, like mercury spilling onto the ground, rapidly "melting" and concave inward, forming a perfect circular entrance with edges flowing with liquid silver light, its diameter being the same as the "Shadow of the Underworld"!

The entrance didn't lead to the expected darkness or sophisticated instruments, but rather to a straight, spacious passageway also bathed in silvery-white light. At the end of the passage, the outline of an even more complex internal structure could be vaguely seen.

"Entrance open. Passage stable. No danger detected," Verna quickly confirmed.

"Go in." Without hesitation, Luo Wei drove the "Shadow" slowly into the entrance formed by the liquid silver light.

The moment you pass through the entrance, it feels as if you've passed through an invisible, cool film of water. The silver light of the outer passage disappears, revealing a magnificent, spacious, and colossal interior space filled with a sense of futuristic technology and a strange, tranquil atmosphere.

The space is a massive sphere with a towering dome, its diameter estimated to exceed three kilometers. The interior is not entirely hollow; instead, it contains dozens of platforms, pillars, and connecting bridges of varying sizes and shapes, all constructed of a silvery-white material and suspended in mid-air along complex geometric paths. These structures are shrouded in faint, vein-like streams of blue or pale gold energy, creating a three-dimensional, precise, and mathematically beautiful spectacle. The "ground" of the space is a smooth, mirror-like silvery-white material, reflecting the shadows of the suspended structures above. The air is permeated with an extremely thin, inert, yet astonishingly high-quality psychic energy fluctuation, originating from the same source as the "Cradle's" psychic energy, but far more "pure" and "restrained," as if stripped of all emotion and personality, leaving only the most basic, rule-based "existence."

At the very center of the space, suspended in mid-air, lies a most striking structure—a small, nested, silver-white complex composed of multiple halos and a suspended core, constantly and intricately rotating. At its core is a fist-sized spherical light source emitting a constant, warm white light, surrounded by several layers of slowly rotating metal rings engraved with incomprehensible runes. Between these rings, subtle, arc-like flows of energy silently leap and intertwine. The entire device evokes a strange combination of a "precision clock" and a "star model," radiating the absolute, rational core authority of this "protocol execution zone."

"A high concentration and high stability of the 'Cradle' psionic field has been detected. Its properties are the same as those of the 'Engineering Spark' and the 'Life Spark,' but its state... is extremely 'inert' and 'regular.'" Verna's voice was filled with shock. "The energy utilization efficiency and stability here far exceed any 'Cradle' ruins we have ever seen! Moreover, the flow of time inside the space... seems to be slightly different from that outside, slower inside, about 0.85:1. This is a highly independent, self-sustaining ecosystem... or rather, an 'experimental field.'"

"It's so quiet here... so... empty," Airy murmured, her "structural vision" sweeping over the suspended platforms and structures. "Throughout those platforms and pillars, there are so many... lines and points, but they're all dark, as if they're sleeping. Only the glowing 'sphere' in the middle is awake, yet it's also sleeping... What is it waiting for?"

Just then, the gentle white light from the central nested device slightly brightened. Simultaneously, a calm, clear, emotionless synthesized voice—the same one originating from the previous channel verification—resonated throughout the spherical space, directly entering everyone's minds:

"Welcome to the core area of ​​the 'Chaos-Order Hybrid Threat Response Protocol - Experimental' Execution Zone."

"I am the protocol's auxiliary administrator, codenamed 'Aido-7'."

"Visitor detected carrying a valid activation key (source seed resonance) and some protocol-related elements (chaos suppression derivative resonance). Temporary access granted."

"Current state of the implementation area of ​​this protocol: low-power maintenance mode. Pre-set goals of the protocol: to research, simulate, and reserve theoretical solutions, technical prototypes, and potential suppression methods to deal with the threat of mixed contamination from the 'high-dimensional order side' and 'chaotic derivatives'."

"Since the protocol was sealed, it has been operating for 7,920 standard years. During this period, the external monitoring unit recorded three suspected signs of target threat (order-chaos hybrid) activity, but none of them reached the protocol's preset thresholds for 'direct intervention' or 'full activation'."

"According to the agreement, visitors have the right to access the following non-core areas and databases during the temporary access period:"

"I. Explanation of the protocol's basic architecture and principles."

"Second, some early analysis data and theoretical models for 'order-chaos mixed pollution'."

"Third, three experimental 'inhibition/harmony' device prototypes and their design blueprints that have been sealed and are in an inactive state."

"Fourth, encrypted coordinate indexes pointing to other potentially related 'Cradle' heritage or observation points (requires higher privileges or specific conditions to unlock)."

"Please specify your needs or designated area for access. Warning: Do not touch or attempt to activate any sealed devices, do not interfere with the operation of the core management unit (Aido-7), and do not attempt to crack encrypted information."

The protocol administrator, who calls himself "Aido-7," speaks with clear logic and a wealth of information. This place is indeed a specialized research station and arsenal for the hybrid threat of "Order-Crystal Devourer"! Moreover, it has been operating silently for nearly eight thousand years, and has even detected signs of external hybrid contamination (likely including their encounter in 9-θ-2), but has never activated or intervened because the "threshold" has not been reached.

"We need all the analytical data and theoretical models regarding the 'Order-Chaos Hybrid Pollution,' as well as the design blueprints for those three experimental devices," Lowe quickly requested. "In addition, we need to know the coordinate indices of the other 'Cradle' legacies, and what the conditions are for unlocking higher privileges or specific permissions."

"Requesting data retrieval..." Aido-7 responded. The halos around the central nested device began to rotate slightly faster, and several condensed blue data streams shot out from the device, connecting to specific floating platforms within space. The surfaces of those platforms lit up, displaying complex 3D images and data interfaces.

"Data retrieval complete, transmitted to the designated access terminal (floating platform). Device design blueprints and physical storage locations have been marked."

"Regarding the unlocking conditions for the encrypted coordinate index:" Aido-7 continued in his calm tone, "Condition one: fully activate the execution zone of this protocol and successfully execute a suppression or purification operation against a true 'Order-Chaos Hybrid Contaminant' (verify the validity of the protocol). Condition two: provide complete authentication information for the core chapters of the 'Origin of All Things,' namely the 'Chapter of Harmony' or the 'Chapter of Purification.' Condition three: jointly authorized by at least three surviving members of the Supreme Council of the 'Cradle' civilization."

"Currently, none of the above conditions have been met."

The conditions are stringent! Fully activating this protocol zone? That would mean completely awakening this sleeping behemoth, and the commotion would likely be earth-shattering. Providing the core chapters of the "Source Codex"? They only have fragments. Surviving members of the Supreme Council? Even more unlikely.

"What if we only want to obtain a portion of the coordinates, for example, information only about possible, uncontaminated 'Cradle' sparks or shelters?" Verna tried to bargain.

"The information database is encrypted according to threat level and relevance. The coordinates of 'Tinder' and 'Shelter' are high-value information and are encrypted at a higher level. The unlocking conditions are the same as above, or you may need to provide a corresponding, uncontaminated 'Tinder' sample for reverse verification." Aido-7 ruthlessly shattered the illusion.

It seems unlikely that we can obtain the detailed coordinates of other beacons directly from here. However, the existing analytical data and device blueprints are invaluable.

"Download all accessible data immediately," Rowe said to Verna, while walking towards a floating platform displaying "Early Analysis of Mixed Contamination." Barton and Lilith guarded the area between the "Shadow" and the platform, while Irene curiously observed the sealed, "inactive" prototype devices around them—encapsulated in transparent energy cubes flowing with pale gold runes, suspended on specific supports, each with a different shape, some resembling multifaceted crystals, others complex mechanical arms, and still others simply energy clouds constantly shifting their forms.

Data download and browsing proceeded rapidly. Although the analysis data on "order-chaos hybrid pollution" was only from the early stages of research, its depth and perspective still deeply impressed Luo Wei and Verna. The data analyzed hybrid pollution from multiple dimensions, including energy structure, information erosion patterns, rule conflict principles, and life assimilation mechanisms. Many of the viewpoints corroborated their previous experiences and Lilith's research, providing a more systematic theoretical framework. More importantly, the data clearly identified several "common weaknesses" and "unstable nodes" in hybrid pollution, providing crucial evidence for developing targeted tactics in the future.

Verna treasured the design blueprints for the three experimental devices.

Device A: 'Source Seed Resonance Amplification and Directional Purification Array'. Designed to utilize the power of the "Source Seed" to "cover" and "purify" "Order" contamination within a specific area, and to suppress "Crystal Devouring" activity. Its core concept is similar to Luo Wei's "Starfall Finger: Disorder Breaker," but it is more systematic and grand in scale, and includes engineering technology to extend the purification power over a large area and sustainably. Unfortunately, this is a half-finished blueprint, lacking the crucial "energy stabilization circuit" and "range control module" designs.

Device B: 'Chaos Suppression Field Generator'. Specifically designed to create a special energy field capable of greatly suppressing the activity and proliferation rate of "Crystal Devouring" life forms and interfering with their information erosion process. Its principle partially borrows from the "rule suppression" characteristic of the "Order" power, but has been "harmlessly" modified to target only "chaotic" information. This blueprint is relatively complete, but it requires an extremely rare core crystal capable of stably bearing the dual attributes of "simulated order" and "life harmony"—a material even the "Cradle" civilization has not yet obtained in large quantities.

Device C: 'Dynamic Harmonization and Information Stripping Probe'. This is a small, high-precision device designed to act directly on the interior of the mixed contaminant, attempting to "dynamically separate" or "strip" its "order" and "chaos" components, creating conditions for subsequent purification or control. The blueprint is complete, but its actual operation demands an abnormally high level of precision in psionic control and real-time information processing capabilities. Theoretically, only the most elite psionic masters of the "Cradle" civilization, in conjunction with advanced AI assistance, can use it.

The three devices, while conceptually advanced, all faced various technical and material hurdles, making immediate production virtually impossible given their current capabilities. However, the blueprint itself was the key to the future. Verna eagerly recorded and analyzed the information, her mind a whirlwind of technological inspiration.

"Temporary access permission time remaining: 60 seconds." Aido-7's notification sounded.

"Data download complete!" Verna reported.

"Can we take the sealed samples of the device physical objects?" Lilith asked eagerly, looking at the sealed prototypes. These were ready-made physical objects that could be directly studied and perhaps even used to a limited extent!

"It is forbidden to take away any physical sealed device." Aido-7 coldly refused, "However, according to the supplementary terms of the agreement, if the visitor can provide valid, uncontaminated active samples of 'chaos-side derivatives' (crystal-eating bacteria) and 'order-side rule erosion' (static court power), they may apply to obtain some core components or design verification data of the corresponding device for external research."

Sample exchange? They do have processed, inert samples contaminated with a mixture of "Order-Crystal Eater" and collected from 9-θ-2 and during the voyage, but "active" samples? That's too dangerous. Moreover, Aido-7 explicitly requested separate samples that are "uncontaminated," "chaotic-side derivatives," and "order-side rule erosion." This means finding pure, uncontaminated original samples of "Crystal Eater bacteria," as well as pure "Order" power samples uncontaminated by "Crystal Eater"—the former is almost legendary, and the latter is the core power of the Silent Court, making them incredibly difficult to obtain.

"Time's up. Temporary access revoked." Aido-7's voice left no room for argument. "Please leave the protocol execution area via the original route. The passage will close in thirty seconds."

The light from the central nested device began to dim, and the data interfaces on the floating platforms quickly faded and disappeared. The passage leading to the entrance remained bright, but clearly it wouldn't last long.

"Go!" Luo Wei gave the order decisively, and the group quickly returned to "Shadow".

Just as the "Shadow" was about to exit the silver-white entrance and return to the outer passage, Aido-7's voice rang out for the last time. Within its calm tone, there seemed to be an extremely faint, almost imperceptible "noise," as if generated after ten thousand years of programming:

"Extended external spacetime turbulence detected... High-energy entity suspected of activity outside the protocol zone... Low feature match... Visitors are advised to... leave as soon as possible."

"May the light of 'evolution' guide you to find the sharp blade against the shadows."

The passage closed silently behind him, transforming back into a smooth octahedral surface. The "Shadow" returned at full speed along the silvery-white passage it had come from. Behind it, the stable spacetime region, and the "protocol execution zone" that had been dormant within it, were once again swallowed and concealed by the raging spacetime turbulence, as if it had never existed.

"Is something outside?" Barton frowned.

"Uncertain, it could be natural turbulence, or something else." Luo Wei controlled "Shadow," and in the final seconds of the three-hundred-second time limit, he burst through the octahedral entrance, returning to the silvery passage. Without pausing, he sped back the way he came. The octahedral entrance behind him quickly "healed," transforming back into a perfect geometric shape.

Only after the "Shadow" safely returned to the "Stargazer" and docked with the starship, and everyone stepped onto the bridge and were once again surrounded by the familiar ship's interior, did their tense nerves relax slightly. But Aido-7's final warning hung like a dark cloud over everyone's hearts.

"Immediately conduct a full ship scan to monitor energy changes in the surrounding spacetime turbulence region!" Luo Wei ordered.

The scan results came back quickly: "The energy activity level in the outer spacetime turbulence region... has increased slightly, but is still within the normal fluctuation range. No clear, organized high-energy entity signals were detected," Verna reported. "It could be spacetime ripples caused by our entry and exit from the passage, or it could be a coincidence."

Hopefully so. But in this perilous universe, any coincidence could be fatal.

"Sorting out the findings, analyzing the data, and integrating the device blueprints into our technology library." Luo Wei rubbed his temples, suppressing his unease. "This exploration has yielded key theories and technological directions for combating the hybrid threat of 'Order-Crystal Devourer,' invaluable. But the path ahead is also clearer—we need to find pure 'Crystal Devourer' samples and 'Order' power samples, we need to complete the device blueprints, and we need to enhance our own strength in order to transform these blueprints into real weapons."

"Furthermore," he glanced at the star map, the coordinates (suspected to be 12-ω-1) he'd obtained from the "Silent Observer" pointing to the "frontline of intervention on the order side," and the more specific strategy for countering the hybrid threat he'd acquired from the "Protocol Implementation Zone," both intertwined in his mind. "Our next objective might need a reassessment. Should we continue pursuing the relatively 'safe' FA-1 (Humanistic Spark), or... risk venturing to that high-risk 'frontline of order,' seeking, right under the enemy's nose, an opportunity to obtain a pure 'order' sample and potentially access the 'Cradle's' final solution (12-ω-1) for dealing with the hybrid threat?"

This is a much more difficult choice. The former is safer, but may not provide a quick and substantial improvement in combating the greatest threat at present. The latter is extremely dangerous, but the rewards could be beyond imagination.

"We need time to process what we've learned and make a final decision," Lowe concluded. "Set a course and return to our previously chosen hiding place for in-depth analysis and rest. Meanwhile, Lina, closely monitor all directions we've passed through, including the perimeter of the 'Agreement Zone' and the 'Ancient Dust Echoes' area, and be alert for any unusual activity."

"yes!"

The Stargazer slowly turned course, towing its hull laden with knowledge, hope, and anxieties, and once again sailed into deep space. The spacetime turbulence behind them gradually receded, but the silver-white "Agreement Execution Zone," and the blueprint for the "Blade" against the shadows contained within it, were deeply imprinted on their journey.

And the shadows of the universe seem to have become even more restless because of their exploration. Could that almost imperceptible warning from Aido-7 be the faintest thunder before the storm arrives?