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"If... if the Dust Remnants can't help us either, or we can't get in touch with them, what should we do next?" Li Sha looked at Lin Ye, her eyes filled with worry.
Lin Ye's gaze fell upon the deep darkness shrouded in nebulae outside the observation window. "We can't place all our hopes on others. Since the fragments of the Light of Origin are key, perhaps... we can try to actively activate its power? Even if it's just a small portion, to stabilize the database, or to recharge the Desolate Fang?"
"The risk is very high." Huangya's consciousness was cautious. "The ancient memory fragments of my race mention that the power of the Light of Origin cannot be used at will. Recklessly activating it may cause unpredictable consequences, and may even... accelerate the activity of that 'abnormal variant' in your database."
Just then, the previously silent "Whisper" system issued a notification:
[A weak dynamic balance of energy flow has been detected between the fragment of the Key of Genesis and the aberrant structure (malformation) of the database. Forcibly disrupting this balance is highly likely to cause the seal to fail. It is recommended to seek intervention from an external stable energy source or to increase the energy level of the fragment to gradually suppress the aberration in a gentle manner.]
It won't work. Lin Ye rubbed his temples. It seemed the power of the fragments was more like a double-edged sword, requiring extreme caution to use.
Suddenly, the sentinel issued a warning: "Weak, intermittent energy pulse response detected! Source location... cannot be pinpointed, appears to be backscattering from multiple nebula dust clumps, signal is severely jammed and delayed."
"Is this the elders' response?" Li Sha asked immediately.
“The signal is too weak and chaotic to be deciphered,” the sentry replied. “However, the basic frequency characteristics of the pulse match the communication pulses of the Dust Remnants with a 62 percent degree of similarity.”
"They received our signal!" Li Sha said excitedly.
“But effective communication may be impossible.” Lin Ye analyzed calmly. “Perhaps it’s because of the distance, perhaps it’s because of the interference from the whisperers, or perhaps… they are in dire straits themselves right now.” He thought of the terrifying henchmen who had been pursuing him.
Just as everyone was analyzing this weak response, another unexpected event occurred!
Woo——!
A deep, resonant hum, seemingly emanating from the depths of the netherworld, pierced through the thick nebula without warning, echoing directly within the Desolate Fang! This sound did not travel through a medium, but acted directly on the spiritual and energy levels!
Lin Ye and Li Sha both felt a sudden pang of fear, their grip on their weapons tightening instantly. The abnormal structure within the database began to vibrate violently again, even disrupting the energy flow within the Desolate Fang!
"Alert! High-intensity, broad-spectrum psychological interference detected!" The sentinel's voice was urgent. "Origin unknown! Attempting to analyze the interference pattern..."
“It’s the Whisperer! It’s found us?!” Lisa’s face turned pale.
“No…it doesn’t seem like it.” Aragaki’s consciousness was filled with intense confusion and vigilance. “This mental interference…is very strange. It’s filled with pain, chaos…and a…faint distress signal?”
Help?
Lin Ye and Li Sha were both stunned. In the depths of this nebula shrouded in the power of the Whisperers, besides them and the Dust Remnants, could there be other beings? And why were they uttering such desperate cries?
"Can you locate the source of the interference?" Lin Ye asked immediately.
"The interference covers an extremely wide area, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact location," the sentry reported. "But the direction of the strongest interference... points to that dying star!"
All eyes were drawn to the ominous red star outside the window.
Could this dying sun be the source of this strange mental interference and distress signal?
Chapter 554 The Lament of a Dying Star
The eerie mental interference originating from the direction of the dying star surged in waves, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, with the pain and confusion mixed in clearly discernible. The faint cry for help was like a candle flickering in the wind, as if it could be extinguished at any moment.
"What on earth is going on?" Li Sha covered her forehead, struggling to resist the discomfort caused by the mental interference. "A star... is crying for help? This is absurd!"
"The universe is vast and full of wonders." Lin Ye stared intently at the red giant star, his eyes sharp. "Whisper, analyze the nature of this mental interference and the state of that star."
[Analysis in progress... The spectrum of the mental interference is complex, containing multiple unnatural frequencies, confirming it as an artificially created or guided mental phenomenon. The target star has entered the late red giant phase, with extremely unstable internal nuclear fusion reactions, and is expected to collapse within the next 10,000 to 100,000 standard years... Wait, an anomaly detected! An unnatural energy source exists within the star! Its fluctuation frequency... is highly consistent with the source of the mental interference!]
"There's something inside the star!" Lin Ye instantly grasped the key point. "It's not the star itself crying for help, it's something hidden inside it!"
The consciousness of the Wild Fang also expressed shock: "A creation that can exist inside a star... this is far beyond the capabilities of ordinary civilizations. Could it be another ancient ruin corrupted by whispers?"
“A distress signal…” Li Sha pondered, “Could it be, like the Dust Remnants, some trapped civilization or…individual that hasn’t been completely controlled by the whispers?”
This conjecture sent a chill down everyone's spine. If it were true, it might not just be a rescue mission, but rather an opportunity to understand the Whisperers and even find a way to combat them!
"Risks and opportunities coexist," Lin Ye said in a deep voice. "Huangya, in our current state, are we capable of approaching or even entering that star? Even just its outer region?"
Wild Fang paused for a moment, seemingly making a quick assessment: "My active armor has strong resistance to high temperatures and radiation, but in its current state, directly entering the star's atmosphere is still extremely dangerous. Energy consumption will increase dramatically, and... I cannot guarantee that I can effectively deal with potential attacks in that environment. However, if we are just approaching the outer region of the corona for preliminary exploration, we can try."
“Then let’s get closer!” Lin Ye decided. “Sentinel, continue monitoring changes in mental interference and try to establish a clearer communication link, even if it’s just to transmit the simplest information. Whisper, continue analyzing the structure and properties of the anomalous energy source inside the star.”
"Understood." / [Analysis in progress...]
The Wild Fang began to adjust its course, its massive biological hull like a giant whale diving into the deep sea, slowly heading towards the red giant star that exuded an aura of death and misfortune.
As the distance closed, the star appeared increasingly enormous in the observation window, filling most of the field of view. Its dark red surface resembled a boiling sea of blood, with enormous prominences constantly ejected, stretching for hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Even through the armor and energy shield of the Wild Fang, one could feel the terrifying heat waves and radiation pressure emanating from it.
The mental disturbances became clearer and more intense. The agonizing screams seemed to be branded directly into his mind, while the cry for help was like the outstretched hand of a drowning person, desperately trying to grab onto something.
"Signal strength is increasing!" the sentry reported. "Regular information segments detected repeating! Attempting to decipher... Content: ...Cage...Core...Purification...Protocol...Seven......"
The information is fragmented and the keywords are vague.
“Cage? Core? Purification Protocol? Seven?” Lisa struggled to understand these words. “It sounds like… a program or an instruction?”
"Could there be an artificial intelligence trapped inside the star? Is it executing some kind of 'purification protocol,' but something went wrong, so it's calling for help?" Lin Ye speculated. This wasn't impossible; it's not surprising that the artificial intelligence of advanced civilizations possessed complex emotions and self-awareness.
At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
The previously relatively calm (by stellar standards) surface of the star suddenly began to churn violently! A huge, bright spot, far brighter than the surrounding area, rapidly formed and expanded on the star's surface!
"An unusual energy burst has been detected! The intensity has increased dramatically!" the Sentinel issued a stern warning. "Suspected stellar flare, but the energy concentration and properties are not in accordance with natural laws!"
"Is it an attack?" Li Sha asked nervously.
"Uncertain! But the energy is pointing...at us!" Huangya's voice was grave. "Activating maximum power defense! Everyone hold on tight!"
As soon as the words were spoken, an indescribable torrent of energy, a mixture of dark red and pale white, erupted from the bright spot like the tongue of destruction extended from a star, sweeping straight towards Huangya! Its coverage was so vast and its speed so fast that there was simply no time to completely evade it!
"Energy shield overload! The surface temperature of the active armor is rising sharply!" Wild Fang's report came through the violent tremors.
The entire ship emitted a tooth-grinding groan, and the view outside the observation window was completely submerged by a blinding torrent of energy!
"It has found us! And it doesn't welcome us!" Lisa shouted amidst the tremors.
"No...that's not right!" Lin Ye stared intently at the torrent of energy, the light of the fragment of the Key of Creation in his hand becoming scorching again. But this time, what he felt was not pure malice, but a...more complex emotion, mixed with warning, rejection, and...a deeper, more hidden urgency?
"Whisper! Analyze the composition of the energy surge! Is there any intention to cause harm?"
The energy surge is complex, containing high-intensity thermal radiation, particle streams, and unknown energy forms. While possessing destructive power, its energy structure exhibits clear signs of constraint and guidance, suggesting it was not a completely out-of-control outburst. It is speculated that its primary purpose was to disperse rather than completely destroy.
"Is it warning us to leave?" Lin Ye's mind raced. "Why? Is it because we've been marked by the Whisperer, and getting close will endanger it? Or... is its very nature preventing any outsiders from approaching?"
Just then, before the terrifying torrent of energy completely engulfed the Wild Fang, its core seemed to shift slightly at an extremely small angle, almost grazing the edge of the Wild Fang's hull! Although it still caused a violent impact and energy erosion, it did not hit the bullseye!
The Wild Fang barely managed to stabilize itself, with many parts of its armor molten and emitting wisps of energy smoke.
"Warning: Armor damage increased by 15%, energy level dropped to 9%." Huangya's report was tinged with lingering fear.
so close!
Everyone broke out in a cold sweat. If that attack had landed directly, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
After the torrent of energy swept past, the bright spot on the star's surface quickly dimmed, and the mental interference seemed to weaken somewhat, but the distress signal became even fainter.
"Did...did it...show mercy just now?" Lisa looked incredulously at the stars outside the window that were gradually returning to "calm".
Lin Ye took a deep breath, his eyes hardening: "It's not attacking us; it's using this method to warn us of the danger of approaching. But at the same time, it's still crying for help. There must be a huge secret here!"
He turned to Wild Fang and Sentinels: "Record all the data from that energy burst! Especially its energy structure and constraint traces! This may be the key to understanding it, or even communicating with it!"
A dying star that harbors unknown creations within, emits mental interference and distress signals, and can control its own energy to issue precise warnings...
This "Shadow Veil" area was even more eerie and dangerous than they had imagined. And the threat known as the "Whisperers" seemed to have a longer reach and was more deeply hidden than they had anticipated.
Their enemy may not be just those twisted minions and an infected signal tower.
Chapter 555 Whispers from Within a Star
“It showed mercy…” Li Sha repeated, her voice filled with lingering fear and disbelief. “A star, or rather, something inside a star, has its own will and can control the star’s energy to issue precise… warnings?”
This was beyond anything she had ever known. Stars are natural celestial bodies in the universe, behemoths of energy and gravity, ruthless and vast. But the traces of "constraint" contained within that torrent of energy that had just grazed past clearly pointed to a controlled will with a clear intention.
“It’s not showing mercy, it’s precise intimidation,” Lin Ye corrected, his eyes sharp as knives as he stared intently at the red giant star that seemed to have returned to “calm.” “It’s displaying its power, telling us that it has the ability to easily destroy us, but it’s deliberately avoiding a fatal blow. This is both a drive-away and a… demonstration.”
Inside the Araiga's hull, most of the warning lights had been extinguished, but the molten armor and declining energy readings silently testified to the perilous situation that had just occurred. The active armor was slowly repairing itself, emitting a faint hissing sound.
"Energy level 9%, armor damage 15%. At least 12 standard hours are needed for basic energy absorption and armor regeneration. During this period, high-intensity combat or high-speed travel will be extremely dangerous." Huangya's consciousness came through, with a hint of fatigue and solemnity. "Key holder, in our current state, we cannot withstand such an attack again, even if it is just a glancing blow."
Lin Ye nodded to indicate he understood. He looked down at the fragment of the Key of Creation in his hand; the warmth still lingered, as if it had faintly resonated with the "distress signal" from the unknown entity inside the star. "Whisper, have you found any results analyzing the energy structure and constraint traces recorded earlier?"
[Preliminary analysis complete. The core of the energy torrent contains highly ordered psionic guiding patterns, originating from the same source as the non-natural mental interference spectrum. This energy burst has been confirmed as a controlled release, with energy utilization far exceeding conventional technological levels, approaching... the theoretical realm of 'stellar manipulation'. Constraint traces indicate a delay of approximately 0.003 seconds in the energy deflection at the final moment, presumably related to the instability of the control source.]
“Unstable state…” Lin Ye caught this key word. “Combined with that intermittent distress signal that seemed to be about to go out at any moment, the ‘thing’ inside the star is probably in a very bad situation. It has the ability to draw on the star’s power, but it may be in some kind of predicament, or even… a state of being bound.”
“The cage…the core…” Lisa recalled the words the Sentinel had deciphered. “Its previous message contained the word ‘cage’! Could it be that it’s imprisoned inside a star? And what is that ‘purification protocol’? Is it a program to confine it, or a mission it’s carrying out?”
The clues are fragmented, but they point to a startling possibility—within the interior of a dying star, lies an unknown entity with immense power, sending out painful distress signals.
“What should we do?” Li Sha looked at Lin Ye, her brows furrowed. “Getting close is too dangerous, but it’s calling for help… and it seems to be reacting to the ‘Light of Origin’?” She pointed to the faintly glowing fragment in Lin Ye’s hand.
Lin Ye pondered, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the warm surface of the fragment. The risk was immense, but the opportunity was equally alluring. An entity capable of manipulating stellar energy, even if it was only a remnant of that power, possessed knowledge and technology that could be priceless. More importantly, it seemed to be on a different side from the Whisperers, perhaps even a victim, which might provide valuable information about the "Whispers of the End."
“We can’t force our way in,” Lin Ye finally decided, his voice steady. “But we can’t just leave either. It’s crying for help, and we might be the only ones who can receive this signal. Huangya, in our current state, can we conduct a more in-depth probe from a relatively safe distance? For example, could we try to scan the star’s internal structure using non-invasive methods?”
“We can try ultra-low frequency gravitational wave detection and deep quantum resonance scanning,” Huangya responded, and the energy flow inside the ship adjusted slightly. “These two methods are relatively covert and are less likely to trigger violent energy reactions. However, they require additional energy, and the scanning accuracy will be affected by the strong radiation from the star itself, so a clear image may not be obtained.”
“It’s better than blindly approaching,” Lin Ye said. “Execute the scan. Meanwhile, Sentinels, continue trying to decipher the information flow in the mental interference, focusing on filtering fragments related to the ‘Purification Protocol’ and ‘Seven.’ Whisper, analyze the scan data in sync, and try to construct a preliminary model of the anomalous energy source inside the star.”
"Understood." The sentry's mechanical voice was crisp and clear.
[In progress...] A whispered, synthesized electronic voice simultaneously sounded.
The Arakawa adjusted its posture, and some undamaged sensor arrays on the hull surface lit up slightly, silently sending invisible detection beams toward the red giant. At the same time, the ship's onboard systems operated at full capacity, processing the continuous mental interference clutter in an attempt to extract useful information.
Time ticked by in tense anticipation. The prominences on the star's surface continued their slow, churning motion, the agonizing screams of mental interference seemed endless, while the faint cry for help flickered stubbornly like a candle in the wind. Li Sha paced anxiously, her gaze frequently sweeping across the enormous red celestial body outside the observation window.
“This feels awful,” she couldn’t help but complain. “It’s like listening to an unseen torture scene, with intermittent cries for help... Should we help it, or should we run away?”
"Help? How can we help?" Lin Ye countered, his gaze never leaving the data scanning interface. "We don't even know what it is or why we're trapped inside. Run? Where can we run to? Don't forget, that 'abnormality' in our database is like a beacon; the Whisperers will come knocking sooner or later. If the things in this star know how to fight the Whisperers, that might be our only chance."
“I understand the logic,” Li Sha sighed, “but this feeling is just too frustrating. We know there’s a big guy suffering, and he might even know important information, but we can only watch from the outside.”
Just then, a whispered notification sound appeared, carrying a rare fluctuation: "[Gravitational wave primary feedback received... abnormal density distribution inside the star... huge cavity structure detected!]"
"A cavity?" Lin Ye and Li Sha both perked up almost simultaneously, crowding towards the main screen. An unnatural cavity inside a star almost certainly indicates the presence of a man-made object!
The cavity is located at the boundary between the star's core and the radiative zone, and its size is... unusually large; preliminary estimates suggest its diameter exceeds that of a planet. High-intensity energy shielding characteristics were detected on the cavity walls, matching the psionic patterns of the previous energy surge with a 92% accuracy.
A planet-sized artificial cavity hidden inside a star! Li Sha gasped, "My God... what kind of civilization could create something like this? Using a star as an outer shell?"
"A change in the information stream repetition pattern has been detected!" the Sentinel reported simultaneously. "The frequency of the 'Purification Protocol' fragment has increased, and it has been associated with new terms: 'Executor,' 'Error,' 'Terminate Loop'... 'Number Seven'!"
Number seven! The previously blurry "seven" is finally clear!