125: Chapter 125 The Appointment in the Arctic

Connection established.

The Doctor's holographic image appeared in the command center.

The platform behind him had fully risen, and the tetrahedral structure could be seen rotating slowly, emitting a soft blue light.

"Mr. Chen Fan, it seems you've deployed some decent toys," the Doctor smiled. "Unfortunately, in the face of true technology, they are still too primitive."

"Release David and Lei Zhen," Chen Fan said.

"Dr. David is a guest we've invited; he will assist in the final optimization of 'reaper-8'," the Doctor looked at Lei Zhen. "As for Captain Lei... he has already made his choice. Right, Lei?"

Lei Zhen slowly turned his head toward the holographic camera. His eyes were hollow, and his voice was mechanical: "I choose evolution. I choose the new world."

"What did you do to him?!" Chen Fan couldn't help but question.

"Just helped him see the truth," the Doctor said nonchalantly. "Humanity needs leaders, and Captain Lei has the potential to become one. We just... activated that potential."

Chen Fan stared into Lei Zhen's eyes. In the depths of that hollowness, he caught a glimpse of a struggle.

"State your terms," Chen Fan turned to the Doctor.

"The terms are simple." The Doctor's smile faded. "First, stop the production of the antiviral agent and destroy all Key Sequence data. Second, come to the North Pole in person. Join us and become the seventh 'Gardener'."

"Six organizations, six Gardeners," Chen Fan frowned. "Why do you need a seventh?"

"Because your ability is unique." A fanatical glint flashed in the Doctor's eyes. "Amplification of items, creating existences that transcend their prototypes... this is a mutation even the 'Sower' did not anticipate. We need you, Chen Fan. We need you to help us perfect the 'Harvest' tools, and even... create new ones."

Chen Fan fell silent.

Everyone in the command center was looking at him.

"And if I refuse?" he asked.

"Then Lei Zhen will die, David will die, and your satellites will be shot down one by one." The Doctor's voice turned icy. "Then on Christmas Eve, you will watch with your own eyes as 'reaper-8' rains down upon the globe. The antiviral agent you developed won't be produced in time, your robots won't stop the airborne virus, and all your efforts... will come to nothing."

Before the holographic image vanished, the Doctor left one final sentence:

"You have three days to consider. In three days, if you haven't appeared at the North Pole, we will begin clearing the obstacles."

The communication cut off.

The command center fell into a dead silence.

"You can't go," Director Zhao was the first to object. "It's a trap. They want to control you, or... turn you into a second Lei Zhen."

"But if we don't go, Lei Zhen and David will die," Chen Fan's voice trembled. "And the Doctor is right; our current defenses are not enough to stop a global deployment."

Chen Fan didn't immediately state his position. He pulled up the real-time data from star dome 5 and 6—these two deep-space exploration satellites had just entered their intended orbits and begun scanning the Moon.

"Xiao Zhi, Moon scan progress?"

[3% complete. In the Tycho crater region on the far side of the Moon, a high-intensity Stellar Core Energy reaction has been detected. The energy source is located approximately 500 meters underground, shaped like an artificial structure.]

"Are there images?"

[Generating...]

A three-dimensional image of the far side of the Moon appeared on the screen. In the center of a desolate crater, a tiny protrusion looked particularly out of place.

After zooming in, it could be seen as a hemispherical structure, its surface covered in the same geometric patterns as the North Pole facility.

"Magnify the energy readings."

[Energy readings are continuously intensifying. Periodic pulse signals detected, pulse interval: 137 seconds.]

137 again.

"This structure is transmitting a signal?" Chen Fan asked.

[Yes. The signal direction points to two targets: one is the Earth's North Pole, and the second is... a certain coordinate on the outer edge of the solar system.]

Chen Fan pulled up a star map of the solar system. The target location calculated by Xiao Zhi based on the signal direction was marked on the outer edge of the Kuiper Belt—theoretically, there were only sparse icy bodies there; there shouldn't be any artificial facilities.

Unless... "There's a 'Sower' ship there," Chen Fan murmured. "The far side of the Moon is a relay station, the North Pole is the entrance, and the Kuiper Belt is the location of the mothership."

He turned to look at everyone: "The Doctor gave me three days. But during these three days, we don't have to just wait passively."

"What's your plan?" Academician Wang asked.

"A two-front operation." Chen Fan pulled up two mission interfaces. "First, on the surface, I will prepare to head to the North Pole to draw their attention. Second, in secret, we will accelerate the Moon exploration—if there really is a 'Sower' facility on the far side of the Moon, there might be technology we need, or... a weakness."

"It's too risky," Director Li shook his head. "A Moon mission needs at least several months of preparation..."

"So we won't send people." Chen Fan pointed to star dome 5 and 6. "We use the satellites. These two satellites are equipped with Stellar Core Energy Amplification modules; I can activate them remotely to scan the Moon facility and... if necessary, attack."

"But the power of the satellites..."

"Is enough to cause interference." Chen Fan pulled up the calculation data. "If the Moon facility really is a relay station, interfering with it could cut the connection between the North Pole and the Kuiper Belt. At least it could buy us time."

He looked at Su Qingyue: "Qingyue, while I'm at the North Pole, you will command the Moon mission. Director Zhao will be responsible for ground defense and antiviral agent production. Academician Wang will continue researching the optimization of the Key Sequence."

"And what about you?" Su Qingyue asked worriedly.

"I'm going to the North Pole," Chen Fan said calmly. "But not to surrender, but to negotiate—using myself as a bargaining chip to trade for the safety of Lei Zhen and David, while simultaneously buying time for the Moon mission."

"They will control you!"

"They can try." A dark gold light flashed in Chen Fan's eyes. "My body has already been modified by Stellar Core Energy, my brain has mental protection, and my genes have the 'Resonance Overload' mutation. It won't be that easy for the Doctor to control me."

He paused: "Besides, I must see that 'Polaris Gate' with my own eyes. I must know what the 'Sower' actually wants from humanity."

The plan was finalized.

The three-day countdown began.

On the first day, Chen Fan publicly announced that he would head to the North Pole for "negotiations."

The global media was in an uproar, and governments reacted differently—some praised his courage, some criticized his recklessness, and some secretly contacted Alpha Capital, preparing to secure a position in the "new world."

On the second day, the star dome 5 satellite reached the optimal observation position in lunar orbit and began a deep scan of the far-side facility.

The data sent back was shocking—it wasn't a simple building, but a massive complex covering ten square kilometers, its technology level far exceeding humanity's current capabilities.

Meanwhile, Chen Fan began preparing his equipment for the trip to the North Pole.

He specifically chose a set of protective gear that looked ordinary but had undergone Amplification—unremarkable on the outside, but integrated with life support, communications, defense, and... a miniature nuclear fusion battery on the inside.

On the morning of the third day, the final moment before departure.

Chen Fan stood on the top floor of the Fanxing Technology building, watching the sky brighten in the east.

Su Qingyue stood beside him, silently gripping his hand.

"Promise me, you must come back," she said softly.

"I promise." Chen Fan turned to look at her. "By the time I return, the Human Guardian Alliance should have been established, right?"

"It definitely will be."

Chen Fan took one last look at the city and turned to board the waiting plane.

The plane took off, flying north.

In the cockpit, the pilot reported: "Mr. Chen, we expect to reach the edge of the Arctic Circle in six hours. After that, we'll need to transfer to a specialized snowmobile, and the final stretch must be on foot—the opponent's energy field will interfere with all mechanical devices."

"Understood." Chen Fan closed his eyes to rest, but in reality, he was maintaining contact with the star dome satellites through his amplified phone.

[star dome 5 has locked onto the core area of the Moon facility. Scans show a large number of... biological samples in a dormant state inside the facility. Genetic characteristics have a 99.7% similarity to Earth humans, but multiple non-natural modifications exist.]

[Simultaneously, energy transmission pipes have been detected, the other end of the pipes connected to some kind of... energy storage device. The purity of the energy stored in the device is a hundred thousand times that of the energy within the host's body.]

Biological samples. Energy storage device.

An ominous premonition welled up in Chen Fan's heart.

What was the "Sower" storing on the far side of the Moon? Modified humans? Or... life energy "harvested" from Earth?

Just then, the plane shook violently.

"What's happening?" Chen Fan opened his eyes.

"Abnormal weather ahead!" the pilot shouted. "A blizzard! But the weather forecast clearly said..."

Outside the window, the previously clear sky was suddenly shrouded by rolling dark clouds. Snowflakes weren't falling from the clouds but were swirling up from the ground, forming white tornadoes that connected heaven and earth.

Even more bizarrely, in the center of the storm, in the direction of the North Pole, a blue pillar of light shot up into the sky, piercing through the clouds and reaching directly into space.

In the light pillar, the tetrahedral structure could be faintly seen rising slowly.

"The Polaris Gate... has opened," Chen Fan murmured.

The plane's communication system was suddenly forcibly overridden. The Doctor's voice rang out:

"Welcome to the threshold of a new era, Mr. Chen Fan. Please step off the plane alone; we will guide you into the temple."

"Where are Lei Zhen and David?"

"They are here waiting for you." The Doctor paused. "But a word of warning—you only have ten minutes. In ten minutes, if you haven't entered the range of the energy field, the plane will be torn apart by the storm."

Chen Fan looked out the window. The white tornadoes were closing in on the plane.

There was no way back.

He took a deep breath, stood up, and walked toward the cabin door.

"Tell ground command," he said to the pilot, "to proceed as planned. No matter what happens, the Moon mission must continue."

The cabin door opened, and a piercing cold wind rushed in.

Chen Fan leaped out, landing on the thick snow.

In front of him, the blue pillar of light was like a tower reaching to the heavens; within the light, that massive tetrahedral structure had fully risen, hovering above the ice.

The door had opened.

And the truth behind the door was about to be revealed.

Christmas Eve Countdown: One month and eleven days.

The crucial negotiation for the fate of humanity began in the blizzard of the North Pole.