166: Signs of the Storm and Preparations for "Homeland"

A heavy, oppressive feeling like a storm about to break, like a thick fog quietly spreading, gradually permeated every corner of "Homeland." Although on the surface, the living quarters were still lit with warm lights, laboratory instruments were still blinking rhythmically, and the canteen still emitted the aroma of food on time, a "frequency" that only insiders could keenly perceive had already changed. This change manifested in the smallest details: the brief solidification of smiles when familiar colleagues nodded in greeting in the corridors, the background noise in communicators being cleaner than usual (meaning non-essential communications had been drastically compressed), and even the air delivered by the air circulation system seemed to carry a hint of an unusual, taut silence.

Communications between the higher-ups became unusually frequent and highly concise, with the indicator lights on encrypted lines flickering more busily. Department heads occasionally brushing past each other in the corridors no longer exchanged daily pleasantries, but instead shared quick, grave, and information-dense confirmations and tacit understandings. The footsteps of the security patrol were denser and heavier; they were dressed in fully armed combat gear instead of their usual light guard uniforms, their gazes beneath their helmets sharp as falcons, scanning every shadow and ventilation duct. Some non-urgent, long-term non-core research projects were quietly paused, and the relevant researchers were temporarily reassigned to more critical positions or underwent emergency training. The scales of resource allocation tilted obviously and silently toward defensive fortifications, emergency energy, medical reserves, and the intelligence analysis department.

Intertwined Undercurrents: A Clearly Pointed Threat

Within the massive intelligence network of "Homeland," which resembled underground root systems, multiple streams of information from different channels and levels, after repeated cross-verification and careful analysis, finally pointed to a disturbing, definite conclusion. Morpheus Li, that dangerous coordinator, had clearly succeeded in weaving a web of threats against "Homeland."

This web was intricate and complex, containing:

"Prometheus" Group: Using their public academic exploration and business cooperation status as a cover, they were conducting frequent, seemingly legal personnel transfers and material stockpiling at multiple key Nodes globally. Although their intent was covert, trajectory analysis revealed alarming correlations with the geographic location and supply chain of "Homeland."

Remnant forces of the "Prophet Foundation": These die-hard elements lurking in the shadows had become more secretive and targeted in their activities. They seemed to be using their not-fully-destroyed knowledge and technical reserves regarding anomalous phenomena to prepare for some specific ritual or to calibrate special equipment, their energy signature characteristics similar to several historical capture operations targeting high-sensitivity individuals.

Hired gray-zone organizations: Some mercenaries, information brokers, and hacker groups active in war-torn regions and on the fringes of the law had recently received mysterious offers of unknown origin but with generous commissions, their task requirements consistently pointing to the infiltration, disruption, and pinpoint breaching of high-defense scientific research facilities.

All these scattered fragments, on the massive puzzle of the "Homeland" intelligence analysis department, gradually pieced together a clear, multi-pronged offensive situation map. An attack seemed inevitable; the arrow was on the string. The only remaining suspense was the specific time point, and in what unexpected, combination-punch form the first wave of attacks would arrive.

"Fortress" Status: Highest Combat Readiness Directive

The situation was clear, allowing no wishful thinking. Wang Jianguo chaired an emergency meeting of the "Homeland" Supreme Strategic Decision-Making Committee overnight. The atmosphere in the conference room was so heavy it could almost be wrung out like water; on the giant holographic sand table, dense possible threat paths and defensive Nodes were marked around "Homeland" and its surrounding areas.

Wang Jianguo stood before the sand table, his gaze sweeping over the resolute and calm faces of every core member; his voice was not loud, but carried unquestionable decisiveness as he announced, word by word, the final resolution formed after thorough discussion:

Activate "Fortress" status: Effective immediately, "Homeland" formally enters the highest combat readiness level. All non-essential external communications are reduced to the minimum, limited to channels maintaining basic survival and core intelligence reception. In essence, the entire base will enter a semi-closed operational state, like a medieval Fortress with its drawbridge pulled up and city defenses reinforced, cutting off most tangible and intangible connections with the outside world, relying on its own reserves and internal circulation to cope with the coming storm.

Strengthen physical and energy defenses: The multi-layered energy barrier systems in the base's periphery and key internal areas will end their daily power-saving mode and switch to 24/7, full-power standby status, with energy core output raised to the 120% emergency threshold. All automatic and manually controlled defensive weapon systems will complete final pre-battle inspections, ammunition loading, and combat deployment, with operators working in three shifts to ensure they are in a state of immediate readiness at all times. Deep underground core bunkers and emergency evacuation tunnels will complete final safety inspections and replenishment of living supplies, ready at any time to accept non-combatant personnel for refuge.

Comprehensive personnel preparation: All research, logistics, and other personnel not directly participating in defensive operations must familiarize themselves with and practice emergency evacuation plans and refuge routes for their respective areas within one day. Personnel in key positions, including command, intelligence, medical, energy, life support system maintenance, etc., will have all leave cancelled and enter 24-hour rotating standby status to ensure absolute clarity of the command chain and continuous operation of core functions.

The core of the core: Excellence's placement: Centered on Excellence's safety, seven emergency response plans with different focuses (codenamed "Shield" series) have been formulated, covering different scenarios such as holding ground and waiting for reinforcements, moving between multiple points within the base, and emergency evacuation to preset external safe houses in the worst-case scenario. Su Mu and Evelyn are explicitly designated as Excellence's absolute personal bodyguards and emotional anchors in any emergency; the order requires that the three must not be separated under any circumstances, ensuring Excellence not only receives physical protection but also timely psychological comfort, avoiding his abilities spiraling out of control due to panic.

Strict information control and morale maintenance: Internal information flow will be strictly controlled to avoid the spread of false news and excessive panic. But at the same time, the severity of the current threat level will be communicated to all members in an appropriate manner, requiring everyone to abandon illusions, increase vigilance, perform their duties, and emphasize that the survival of "Homeland" is closely linked to the efforts of every member.

Keen Tentacles: Changes in the Eyes of a Child

The silent yet pervasive tense atmosphere inside the base was clearly felt even by someone as slow as Excellence. A child's Perception of the environment is sometimes sharper than the most precise instruments.

He discovered that Su Mu and Evelyn were indeed spending more time with him; they participated in almost every one of his meals, training sessions, and rest periods. But behind their smiles, a flash of gravity he couldn't fully understand would occasionally appear and quickly vanish. Their conversation topics deliberately avoided everything outside, focusing more on his training progress, the books he was reading, and even the growth of tomato seedlings in the Greenhouse; this excessive "normality" actually revealed a hint of the unusual.

Those uncles and aunts in the base he was familiar with, who would always pat his head and stuff him with little snacks, were now walking as if they were carrying the wind, their paces fast and urgent, their expressions serious, even somewhat stern, lacking the usual ease and smiles. Even the Greenhouse, full of life and sunshine, where he liked to go most, was politely told to him as "needing system maintenance recently," suggesting he reduce the number of his visits. A feeling of being surrounded by an invisible wall faintly lingered in his heart.

After dinner, Excellence finally couldn't help it; he tugged at Su Mu's sleeve, looked up, his clear eyes filled with a hint of unease, and asked in a low voice: "Squad Leader, is it... are bad guys coming?"

Su Mu's heart tightened abruptly, as if gripped by an invisible hand, but her face immediately blossomed into a smile that was even brighter and more "exaggerated" than usual. She patted Excellence's shoulder forcefully, her tone relaxed to the point of being deliberate: "What are you thinking about! What kind of mess are you filling your little head with! It's just a routine safety drill and system upgrade with a slightly higher level! Uncle Wang and the others just made a bigger fuss about it! Don't worry, with so many of us here, the base is as solid as a rock, it's very safe!"

Evelyn also immediately and tacitly took over the conversation. Her explanation was more rational, attempting to guide his doubts back onto a "normal" track: "We are testing some new defensive systems and emergency procedures, so everyone will be a bit busier and more tense than usual. You have made great progress in your 'Holographic Sensing' training recently; keeping up this focus is the best support for our work."

Excellence looked at them and blinked. He didn't completely believe it, but he could feel the deep intention behind their words—the desire to protect him and not let him worry. He chose to trust them and nodded forcefully: "Oh, I see. I will train hard!"

Silent Contributions: The Power of Innocence

After realizing something was "unusual," Excellence silently tried to inject a bit of lightness into this tense environment in his own way, contributing his own strength.

He would offer those tense, patrolling guard uncles a silly, sunny smile without a hint of gloom, or a "Thank you for your hard work, Uncle!" At first, the guards would be stunned, but then a barely perceptible softness would melt onto their serious faces, and some would even nod in response, looking slightly clumsy.

With Su Mu's help, he would tinker and make a few plates of cookies that barely held their shape but tasted okay, then carefully share them with the intelligence analyst aunts on the night shift or the engineer uncles whose eyes were red from staring at monitor screens. The adults who received the cookies would often have surprise, emotion, and even a hint of firmness—reminded to protect this innocence—flash in their eyes.

He even paid more attention when practicing "Holographic Sensing" to capture and discern any faint "dissonance" in the environment—such as the extremely subtle abnormal vibration of a ventilation duct interface, or an imperceptible momentary fluctuation in the energy field of a certain area. Once he found something, he would immediately report it to Evelyn or the patrol team with a serious face. Although nine out of ten times it was confirmed to be a false alarm caused by the instrument's own fluctuations or small animals wandering in, his dedication and vigilance made the adults feel warm and comforted, in addition to smiling helplessly.

Fortress Under the Night: The Final Tranquility

Night had completely shrouded the mountains, and "Homeland," like a giant beast with all its muscles tensed, lurking in the darkness, stood quietly in the belly of the mountain. The exterior was seamlessly camouflaged, while the interior was brightly lit, every system operating efficiently and silently, full of a sense of power waiting to be unleashed.

In the command center, Wang Jianguo stood like a rock before the huge circular monitoring screen wall. On the screen, scattered dots of light represented sensors and monitoring probes everywhere; terrain maps of the mountains, intensity distributions of energy barriers, real-time personnel locations... massive amounts of information flowed like a waterfall, while his gaze was sharp as a falcon's, not missing any subtle abnormal flicker. His very existence was the anchor for the entire "Homeland."

In Excellence's room, decorated with childlike fun yet also hiding secrets, the atmosphere was completely different. Su Mu and Evelyn accompanied him, one on his left and one on his right. Under the soft bedside lamp, Su Mu was reading a light adventure storybook to Excellence in her voice, which was not exactly melodious but full of emotion; Evelyn sat quietly to the side, seemingly flipping through a magazine casually, but all her senses were in a state of high alert, like the most sensitive radar, scanning every change inside and outside the room. They were deliberately creating a last, precious tranquility and warmth before the storm arrived.

Excellence finished washing up, put on his pajamas, and crawled into the covers. Before closing his eyes, he quietly reached under his pillow and took out two things: one was the smooth, warm black stone that Evelyn had given him, which was said to help balance energy; the other was the knitted glove Su Mu had clumsily but wholeheartedly knitted for him one night, which still had a tiny hole at the finger. He placed these two things side by side by his pillow, within arm's reach, as if this way he could draw double the sense of security and courage from them.

He closed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting soft shadows on his cheeks, and silently, repeatedly recited in his heart: "I'm not afraid... I have Squad Leader... I have big sister Evelyn... I have Uncle Wang... I have everyone..."

The storm clouds were already pressing low, so heavy it was hard to breathe. The aura of a decisive battle silently permeated and condensed in the deathly silent mountains. Every member of "Homeland," from the supreme commander to the lowest-level logistics personnel, was at their posts, like gears in a precision clock, tightly meshed and ready to go. In their eyes, there was tension and gravity, but more so a kind of firmness forged by hardship and the determination to protect "Homeland."

And in the center of this impending, destined-to-be-tragic storm, that boy still in the process of growing up, his small boat that had not yet fully matured, what kind of baptism and transformation would it experience in these monstrous waves? All the suspense, all the hopes and fears, were pinned on that unknown dawn about to be illuminated by the fires of war and choices. The long night is long, but dawn will eventually come.