Chapter 1133 - 434: Feeding Ground

2:06 AM.

[Scanning Progress 9%]

Just as Lin Xian had the thought that they might not be able to leave Sea Rock Island tomorrow, the metal dice flipped another number.

"Hey, Lin Xian, look quickly!"

KIKI exclaimed in surprise, "The number on the dice changed again!"

"It flipped to 5 this time, what does that mean?"

Lin Xian looked over and paused for a moment. It was the first time he had caught the change in the metal dice on time. He glanced at the countdown and realized no numbers matched, furrowing his brow.

"It’s not connected, but this thing is definitely being controlled somehow. Otherwise, how would it change like this..."

"What a strange thing." KIKI played with the metal dice using telekinesis. She tried to turn the dice, but at this moment, no matter how she fiddled with it, the metal dice showed no change or reaction.

"It’s not moving again..."

KIKI got excited and immediately summoned the action computer for her power armor: "Alright, I’ll give this a good study."

"How are you going to study it?" Lin Xian asked.

"First, record all the numbers, the time of changes, anything with a pattern." KIKI said, "I think these numbers must represent something; there must be a secret."

Lin Xian nodded: "True, but if it’s not in the mechanical space, this thing will rely entirely on your telekinesis to hold it, or I’ll use my custom electromagnetic arm, which consumes quite a bit of energy."

"I know, if there are no other effects, I’ll place it in the car powered by Infinity; it should be fine. I’ll even ask Director Ding to study it." KIKI assured.

Lin Xian thought for a moment; it was better than placing it in the Black Star Forge, and said: "Be careful with it. If this thing falls, our train will have a hole in it."

"No problem."

After researching for a while, the air became quiet. KIKI couldn’t help but look at Lin Xian who was seriously scanning the device and said hesitantly

"Lin Xian..."

"Hmm."

"Don’t overthink it. I don’t think that countdown is a big problem for you."

Lin Xian raised his eyes; KIKI seemed to be comforting him, but he sensed a hint of tension in her words. He immediately realized that this girl, despite speaking casually, was worried about the unknown countdown concerning him. So he thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I’m not that worried. We used to escape the nights every day; life and death changed overnight. Surviving places like Dawn City, encountering the Dark Civilization, might even be a good thing for me now."

KIKI looked at Lin Xian, her eyes flickering: "I know about your plan with the Phoenix Society. What do you think the Foundation will do next?"

Lin Xian shook his head: "Not very clear. We don’t have much time left. Currently, the Nightwalker Organization, North American Defense Line, and Storm Alliance have united to investigate the Deep Red World and the Foundation. With the Tongshi Device, the 13 Star Abysses already have action plans ready; the true face of the Dark Civilization will only emerge with time. Our investigation into Star Abyss 13 and the Foundation isn’t the main goal."

"I know, the main goal is the Polar region, and along the way, to see if your journey as Sword Holder across the Pacific would prompt the Republican Islands and Star Abyss Sea Area for their Foundation forces. Look, didn’t we already catch some loose ends?"

KIKI floated over, seeing no one around, naturally climbed onto Lin Xian’s lap, pressing against his chest to feel his warmth, whispering softly, "How come I remember you weren’t like this before; always cautious even when I ate a piece of bread, now you’re taking on such a Savior’s cause."

Lin Xian sneered helplessly: "Hey, it’s not about being a Savior. We can’t follow the big group from the Phoenix Society Dawn Center to rescue people slowly. They’ll take two months to reach South America, but if we take the ocean route, it’ll only take half a month to reach the Polar region. Xinghua Heavy Industry is over there; my mechanical superpower can rapidly develop, I’m thinking for myself too, you know."

"Alright, alright, you’re right~"

After she finished, KIKI looked up at Lin Xian and said, "By the way, Chen Yanshu of Holy Revelation mentioned the plan of the Dark Civilization is to unify life into one entity. Do you think he’s referring to the fungal network or something? It made me think of it as soon as I heard."

"Yijin City’s fungal network does have a hint of that embryonic form." Lin Xian said, "It’s similar to the cloud network of human digital consciousness. If life forms become like that, individual existence would lose its meaning."

"Is that how advanced civilizations are born?"

"Not sure..."

"Do you think the two starships that escaped in the Vanguard Plan can reach Far Star?"

"How would I know? Hey, I’m scanning, why don’t you rest for a bit; why so many questions?"

"Oh, I can’t sleep. As soon as I heard your countdown, I felt a bit uneasy..."

"Don’t think too much, just rest for a bit, we might face even bigger troubles next."

"Alright...it’s just a bit hot here, oh dear!"

"What’s wrong?"

"You...you pervert, you’re poking me."

"It’s you who insisted on sitting on me like this!"

"I don’t care!"

"Then don’t move around..."

The night passed quietly as Lin Xian continued scanning. This secret submarine base showed no abnormalities all night. For safety reasons, Ning Jing took Ah Bai to guard the top passage entrance, wary of the abnormal monster behind the flood channel wall outside.

Meanwhile, Lin Xian periodically contacted the Infinity for status updates. KIKI finally succumbed to fatigue and fell asleep clinging to Lin Xian. Using the electromagnetic arm, Lin Xian controlled the metal dice, checking it occasionally. To his surprise, hours passed, and the number on the dice hadn’t changed, randomly deepening Lin Xian’s doubts.

[Scanning Progress 80%]

The giant apparatus before him was the largest single mechanical device Lin Xian had ever scanned. As the blueprint became clearer, Lin Xian’s face grew increasingly grave.

9:25 AM, it was still dawn; the geothermal well remained scorching.

KIKI awoke from deep sleep, blinking drowsily and whispered, "Lin Xian, what time is it?"

After a while, without hearing a response, she immediately sat upright in Lin Xian’s lap, looking at him, only to find Lin Xian’s expression as solemn as water, his forehead marked with sweat besides the fatigue from a night of scanning.

"What’s wrong?" KIKI noticed Lin Xian’s expression, immediately realizing something was off.

[Scanning Progress 100%, Deep-3 Nuclear Thermal Inducer Blueprint acquired]

Lin Xian collected the completed scanning light screen, letting out a long breath, and asked KIKI to rise off him, walking over to the edge of the mechanical arm and gazing at the huge deep well below, speaking dryly:

"This device isn’t for feeding deep-sea abnormal bodies..."

"Then what is it for?" KIKI asked.

Lin Xian shook his head, his expression skeptical and uncertain: "This Earth Core Heat Induction Device releases nuclear heat sources to the surrounding sea area, attracting almost all Southern Sea abnormal bodies here. Isn’t that strange, why feed them when they don’t eat these?"

"Huh?" KIKI hesitated, then thought: "Director Ding said those abnormal bodies carry batteries, operating on absorbed dark energy. The Foundation’s goal might be closely monitoring those monsters, since this isn’t a monitoring center?"

This time Lin Xian turned his head back, looking at KIKI: "You forgot one thing. Their monitoring target is singular."

"Uniga 1!"

KIKI said and widened her eyes, instantly realizing

"Those gathered monsters are for Uniga 1 to consume, this place..."

"Is the monster’s feeding ground!!"