chsdbacks End of Chapter 164
End of Chapter 164
End of Chapter 164
Just then, an urgent voice came through the communication crystal: "Commander Hector! Team B reporting!"
"Traces of activity from the Ring of Ashes have been detected pointing towards Nexus-2!"
"They might be trying to approach us indirectly!"
"Furthermore, near the wreckage of the maintenance unit, a small underground passage entrance, seemingly forcibly opened, was discovered; the traces are very fresh!"
"The people of the Ash Ring may have already infiltrated underground from here, their destination unknown! Requesting instructions!"
As expected, the Ring of Ashes has found other entrances!
Moreover, they may have already gotten there first and entered the ancillary areas or even the interior of Hub-2!
"Order Team B to send a portion of its personnel to attempt to track the underground passage, but focus on reconnaissance and avoid direct confrontation."
"The rest of you, immediately move towards Team A and establish a stronger defensive line around the hub entrance!" Hector ordered immediately, his face grave.
"We need to speed things up."
"Duden, Rowling, do you have a way to break through the barrier to that data storage area?"
Rowling and Duden walked up to the semi-transparent energy barrier.
The barrier appears weak, but its energy structure is extremely robust and connected to the energy system of the entire hall.
"This is protection with higher privileges," Rolin concluded after scanning with the Insight Ring.
"It may require a core access key, or — to remove it from the internal system."
"Internal system—" Duden looked at the huge holographic map and control terminal in the center.
"If we could gain more control of the system, perhaps we could deactivate it remotely."
The two returned to the central control console.
This time, with the precedent of successfully opening the door and the polyhedral crystal used as a secondary access key for authentication, they attempted to interact more deeply with the control system.
The process was still difficult, but it went more smoothly than the first time.
Using the more basic logical symbols deciphered from the Civilization Stone, and in conjunction with Duden's compilation, Rowling attempted to construct more complex query and operation instructions.
After some attempts, they successfully retrieved a partial list of system status and log summaries for this hub.
One log entry caught my attention: "Automatic maintenance protocol interrupted — Unauthorized energy intrusion detected, source: Area K-7 —"
Intrusive Energy Attributes: High Chaos, Strong Corrosiveness (Matches Historical Threat Records) — Local Isolation Protocol Triggered, K-7 Area Connection Channel Blocked —
7
Unauthorized energy intrusion?
High chaos, strong erosion?
Direction of the Star Chart Archive?
Rowling and Duden exchanged a glance, both seeing the chill in each other's eyes.
Ring of Ashes!
They did indeed infiltrate through another entrance, and most likely used that evil energy mixed with corrupting source power to trigger the ruins' automatic defense mechanism!
"We must get a backup of the critical information stored here before they cause more damage or find the core data!" Duden said urgently.
Luo Lin looked at the system list and found the "Data Storage Barrier Control" option, but it was marked "Requires area administrator privileges or emergency access command".
Emergency access order?
He suddenly remembered seeing records in the logs of the Entrance-3 console about maintenance unit disconnection and external threats.
Perhaps—we could try requesting emergency access under the pretext of responding to external threats and ensuring data security?
He told Duden about the idea.
Duden immediately began compiling a more formal emergency data access request message based on this reasoning, which referenced threat log codes obtained from the logs.
This time, the system remained silent for an even longer period after the request was submitted.
It appears to be performing complex permission verification and risk assessment.
Just as everyone was growing increasingly anxious, the console finally responded: "External threat confirmed — Data security protocol priority elevated — Temporary emergency access granted — Data storage barrier being removed —"
hum!
The translucent energy barrier flickered a few times and then disappeared silently!
"Quick! Copy the data as soon as possible!" Hector immediately ordered several Shadow Raven wizards and imperial civil servants carrying large recording equipment to enter the storage area.
The metal cabinets in the storage area automatically slid open their panels, revealing neatly arranged data storage units made of unknown crystalline materials.
Soft light shines through the unit.
The copying work is in full swing.
Lorin also entered the storage area, using the Insight Ring to quickly scan the energy characteristics and information structure of those storage units, trying to find the most core and important parts to copy first.
He noticed that the energy fluctuations of the storage units in a metal cabinet labeled "Star Chart Archive (Core Backup)" had a distant similarity to the feeling he got from the Civilization Stone Tablet, both carrying a sense of describing underlying rules.
Just as the copying work was halfway through, the lights in the entire hall suddenly flickered violently!
At the same time, a glaring red alert popped up on the console: "Warning! High chaotic energy detected breaching the isolation barrier in region K-7!"
"Energy erosion is spreading towards the main power line! It is expected to affect the energy stability of the main control room in 23 minutes!"
Recommendation: Immediately initiate core energy isolation or perform physical removal!
The Ring of Ashes has broken through the defenses!
Moreover, their goal appears to be to sabotage or seize energy lines.
"How's the copying going?" Hector asked urgently.
"The core data copying is 65% complete!" the wizard in charge of the copying reported.
"It's too late!" Hector made a quick decision.
"Stop copying! Take the copied data and evacuate immediately! We cannot be trapped here, nor can we allow the energy system to be damaged, causing the ruins to collapse!"
The command was executed swiftly.
The group carefully packed up the copied data storage modules, quickly withdrew from the data storage area, and retreated towards the entrance.
Before retreating, Rowling took one last look at the central control console.
His mind raced, and he quickly typed in a few commands, inputting a warning message he'd seen in the logs about abnormal energy in the maintenance unit's out-of-connection area. He also included the coordinates of the passage that Team B had discovered the Ash Ring might be infiltrating into, set it as the highest priority alarm, and sent it to the system.
Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder to those who follow, or to the defense mechanisms of the relics themselves.
The team quickly and orderly withdrew from the hub hall, running back along the passage they had come from.
As they burst through the massive archway entrance and returned to the scorching chaos of the Ash Plains, muffled energy explosions and creaking sounds of twisting structures echoed from the depths of the ruins behind them.
Clearly, the destruction of the Ring of Ashes has already had an impact.
"Team B is closing in on us! The outer camp has established a defensive line!" The message came through the communication crystal.
"All personnel, proceed along the planned route and return to the forward base!" Hector ordered.
The return journey was filled with tension.
The team is constantly on guard against Ash Ring members who might emerge from the ruins, or local monsters attracted by the unusual activity in the ruins.
Fortunately, the Ash Ring seemed focused on destroying or searching inside the ruins and did not immediately give chase.
Team B also successfully reunited, bringing more detailed information about the entrance to the underground passage.
After a series of close calls, the joint exploration team finally returned to the forward base, carrying some copied data and exhausted.
The objectives of this joint operation were partially achieved.
The main entrance to Hub-2 was successfully opened, some core data backups were obtained, and the intervention and destructive actions of the Ash Ring were confirmed.
However, the Nexus was not fully explored, the status of the Star Chart Archives remains unclear, and the purpose and gains of the Ash Ring are also unknown.
The subsequent wrangling, intelligence analysis, and formulation of the next countermeasures are matters for the higher-ups.
After a brief report and handover, the Shadow Raven Tower team was the first to return to headquarters via the teleportation array.
When Rowling returned to the analysis department's research lab, it felt like an eternity had passed.
He handed over the copy of the data he brought back to the decryption team led by Duden, and returned to the familiar room filled with books and equipment, exhausted and even more confused.
The monument to civilization still lies quietly in the black stone box.
The grandeur and chaos of the Ash Plains, the precision and crisis of the Ancient Nexus, the treachery and destruction of the Ash Ring—all these impacts were slowly settling in the silent research room.
He needs time to process and extract the true gains and growth that belong to him from those thrilling experiences.