274: Chaos over takeout orders versus orderly "signing"

The battlefield fell into an eerie stillness.

The "juggernauts" of the "Burning Furnace" suddenly stopped roaring. Those steel bodies, dozens of meters tall, froze midway through their charge as if pressed by an invisible hand. The dark red energy flowing on their surfaces no longer pulsed rhythmically; instead, it churned and writhed restlessly like boiling water, occasionally bursting into clusters of unstable energy sparks. The scarlet optical sensors embedded throughout their bodies—less like "eyes" and more like energy vortexes filled with the most primitive desire to consume—turned in unison toward the same direction.

Behind the hillside, the tray left casually by the clown "Giggle" lay quietly on the scorched earth. The silver lid reflected a faint light under the dim sky, looking like an object forgotten by some noble during an afternoon picnic, completely out of place amidst the surrounding broken armor wrecks and charred ground. However, the aura emanating from the "specially seasoned spicy world devourer energy core" inside the tray was acting like the most enticing poisoned bait, piercing through the smoke and blood of the battlefield, precisely teasing the hunger instinct originating from the "World Devourer" within the "juggernauts."

For them, that aura was a contradiction mixed with extreme temptation and deadly danger—like a wild dog that had been hungry for three days suddenly smelling the scent of top-tier steak mixed with stimulants. Their stomachs spasmed instinctively, saliva secreted crazily, but the remaining animal alertness screamed at every nerve ending: beneath that sweet and greasy aroma hid some kind of wrong, unsettling "impurities."

The defenders of "Gears and Anvil" were also plunged into confusion. One second they were fighting to the death amidst deafening explosions and roars, and the next, the enemy's ace weapons suddenly "crashed" collectively. This abnormal silence was more unsettling than any charge. Inside every bunker, pillbox, and command post, soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, fingers on triggers, but did not know where to aim. The communication channels were dead silent, with only the rustling of electricity, as if everyone had forgotten how to speak at the same time.

Commanders stared fixedly at the tactical screens, where the huge red dots representing the "juggernauts" were motionless. The signal of the pink light gate that suddenly appeared and disappeared, along with the unclassifiable weak signal source (the tray) that appeared after the gate vanished, caused their tactical AI to fall into a logic loop. Several staff officers rubbed their eyes subconsciously; some even secretly pinched themselves—was this a new type of psychological warfare? Or some kind of information interference or holographic projection that they couldn't understand at all, surpassing existing technological levels?

Inside the bridge of the "ranger," Excellence and Evelyn took everything in through high-precision sensors. The two exchanged a glance, both seeing disbelief and a deep sense of absurdity on each other's faces.

"This... what is this supposed to be?" Evelyn released the control stick, rubbed her aching temples, her voice filled with exhaustion and confusion. "A messenger of the 'Lord of the Grand Feast'... traveled across unknown dimensions to this war-torn planet just to deliver 'takeout'? And it even comes with such... such 'distinctive' dish commentary?" Recalling the clown's flamboyant tone and content, she couldn't help but shudder again. "That guy's tone was just like recommending the restaurant's signature dish."

"And the takeout content is actually a 'World Devourer' energy core," Excellence continued, his mouth twitching uncontrollably. Although the "heart-clearing pendant" on his chest no longer sent sharp stabs of pain, the residual, bone-deep coldness, as well as the sweet and greasy presence faintly emanating from the "Invitation" mark under his skin, reminded him every moment that everything that just happened was definitely not a hallucination. "What exactly does He want to do? Is He unhappy that this civil war isn't lively enough, so He personally stepped in to add a spoonful of fierce ingredients to this pot of stew? Or does He think that we 'observers' aren't watching the show enough, so He had to hand over a bucket of popcorn with chili oil?"

His tone carried suppressed anger and lingering fear. Facing the madness of the "World Devourer" or even the "Burning Furnace," he could at least understand their logic—destruction, conquest, plunder; although cruel, the context was clear. But this move by the "Lord of the Grand Feast" completely jumped out of any rational framework, filled with unpredictable malice... or rather, a creepy "casualness" that viewed all things as drama and the joys and sorrows of all living beings as dining pleasure.

"The operating logic of the 'Court of Revelry' has never been something that can be measured by common sense," the voice of "White Elder" came from the base communication channel, deeper and heavier than usual, every word sounding carefully considered. "Its outward expression is often absurd, comical, or even nonsensical, as if all actions are only for pursuing momentary 'fun' or 'dramatic effect.' But beneath that seemingly disordered clamor, the driving core is the most essential absorption and craving for 'emotion,' 'desire,' 'conflict,' and 'dramatic turns.' They are diners at the conceptual level, and all living things are food on the plate. The messenger's appearance this time was by no means a whim. That 'specially seasoned' energy core is the 'key seasoning' He threw down that is enough to stir the entire banquet table."

As if to verify "White Elder's" words, the urgent voice of the "ranger's" detection supervisor rang out: "Energy readings are skyrocketing! Target locked: unidentified object behind the hillside. Its energy characteristics have an 89.7% homology rate with the core energy used by the 'juggernauts' on the battlefield, confirming it is undoubtedly 'world devourer' lineage energy! But the internal structure... is extremely unstable! The energy flow presents multiple vortexes and conflict Nodes, and high-concentration, unknown energy with strong mental interference characteristics has been detected mixed within it! Preliminary spectral analysis shows that this unknown energy carries strong conceptual characteristics of 'pleasure,' 'indulgence,' 'playfulness,' etc., which matches the known power manifestations of the 'Lord of the Grand Feast'!"

The detection supervisor paused, their voice even tighter: "The target energy fluctuation is increasing exponentially! Internal conflict is intensifying! It is expected to reach the structural critical point in 120 seconds! At that time, the following may occur: 1. A violent physical explosion; 2. Large-scale 'world devourer' energy pollution diffusion; 3. An outbreak of unknown 'pleasure' conceptual pollution; 4. A superposition of all the above situations! It is impossible to predict in what form it will erupt, but any form will lead to catastrophic consequences!"

"Explosion power model simulation complete!" Another technician reported immediately, speaking very fast. "Based on the current energy intensity and mixed characteristics simulation, if a physical explosion occurs, the equivalent is enough to completely vaporize all matter within a five-kilometer radius, and trigger strong earthquakes and shockwaves, affecting an area of over twenty kilometers! If it happens in the main structure of the 'Sky Ladder' base or the dense area of geothermal energy wells, it will directly cause the collapse of the base's main structure and is very likely to trigger chain geothermal well explosions, forming an uncontrollable super geological disaster! More seriously, the explosion will inevitably lead to a large-scale, high-concentration diffusion of 'world devourer' energy and 'pleasure' conceptual energy. The area will be completely turned into a dead zone for life, and the pollution may spread with atmospheric circulation!"

"White Elder" added heavily: "This object was personally dropped by the messenger of the 'Lord of the Grand Feast,' and it must be stained with its unique 'mark.' Once it erupts, no matter what form of destruction it ultimately presents, the power of the 'Lord of the Grand Feast' will be considered officially 'debuted' in this world. Subsequent developments will completely deviate from the scope of the current internal conflict of the civilization, and may even attract more 'attention' from the 'Court of Revelry' or interference from other high-dimensional existences. The degree of chaos will far exceed the current simple 'World Devourer' energy pollution."

"Damn it!" Excellence finally couldn't help it, punching the nearby metal wall, making a dull sound. This damn "Lord of the Grand Feast"! It was simply a madman playing with fire next to a powder magazine, throwing a firecracker just to hear a bang and watch the excitement, completely disregarding whether this firecracker would ignite the entire warehouse! Regardless of whether this "specially seasoned" core finally explodes, pollutes, or triggers some other mess, this already precarious civilization could forget about having a future!

Just then, the communication of the "sentry-7391b" Node forcefully inserted again. The flat electronic voice now revealed an unprecedented urgency, even carrying a trace of "strictness" almost imperceptible, only present when a high-level AI handles extreme emergencies:

"Alert escalated! Confirmed detection of high-dimensional 'Court of Revelry' conceptual entity (messenger level) violating regulations by directly dropping high-risk 'conceptual pollution source' into a primary civilization war zone! Confirmed target pollution source (specially seasoned world devourer energy core) energy reading has broken through the threshold, entering an irreversible countdown to loss of control!"

"Observer Excellence, the nature of the situation has changed! According to Chapter 3, Article 7 of the 'Pan-Dimensional Civilization Observation and Mediation Council Seventh Sub-bureau Emergency Situation Handling Regulations (Temporary Supplementary Edition),' and all clauses of the 'Special Authorization Plan for High-Potential Observers (A-3: Emergency Disposal of Pollution Sources),' a mandatory Order is now issued to you:"

"Order requirements: Under the premise of ensuring the concealment of the 'Observer,' immediately take all necessary means to perform thorough harmless treatment on this high-risk pollution source! Prioritize ensuring that the target pollution source does not cause diffusive explosions, does not trigger large-scale 'world devourer' energy pollution, and does not cause the spread of 'pleasure' conceptual pollution! The treatment process must maximize the avoidance of exposing your own existence and traces of Council intervention! If concealment and treatment effect cannot be balanced, preventing pollution spread is the first priority, and concealment requirements can be appropriately relaxed!"

"Repeat: Immediately execute the high-risk pollution source harmless treatment Order! This Order authority overrides all your previous 'prohibition of direct intervention' restrictions! Action!"

"Supplementary suggestion: 'pleasure' conceptual pollution has high mental contagiousness and reality distortion properties. When handling, strictly prevent your own consciousness and power from being permeated and polluted by it! It is recommended to use highly pure, stable Power of Order to execute 'conceptual level isolation' and 'micro-structure annihilation' operations!"

"Countdown to loss of control: 105 seconds! Start counting!"

The Order was upgraded! It went from "prevent pollution spread if possible" to "must immediately, unconditionally, and at all costs handle that damn thing"! And it explicitly required "harmless treatment"—it couldn't explode, couldn't leak, it had to be handled cleanly! And it couldn't be exposed, or at least try not to be!

Excellence felt his scalp tingle, and his temples throbbed. The difficulty of this task was ridiculously high! To sneak over under the eyes of both armies (including those "juggernauts" extremely sensitive to energy), and use the Power of Order to perform a "non-invasive dismantling surgery" on a core that was about to explode and mixed with two types of high-risk energy? This was simply dancing a ballet precise to the micrometer on the tip of a knife; any mistake would be catastrophic!

But there was no time to hesitate. The countdown numbers seemed to carry weight, hitting his heart one by one.

"Evelyn!" Excellence turned abruptly, his voice decisive. "Interference plan! Maximum power, coverage interference! Target: paralyze all active and passive detection equipment on the battlefield, especially energy detection and optical imaging systems! Create enough chaos and blind spots for me!"

"Already starting!" Evelyn's hands had long returned to the console, turning into a blur, instructions pouring out like water. "Full-frequency electromagnetic jamming, intensity increased to 180%! Release 'Dazzler' series high-brightness multi-frequency flashbangs, covering 70% of the battlefield airspace! Deploy 'Curtain' class special smoke bombs, no heat source, low radar reflection characteristics, focusing on the target area and surrounding areas! Activate the 'Phantom Dancer' phantom system, synchronously generating high-fidelity energy signal sources and optical false targets in the three secondary areas of B7, C3, and D12! All interference starts synchronously, the expected effective chaos window... is at most thirty seconds! After that, the opponent may activate anti-jamming protocols or backup observation modes!"

"Thirty seconds... enough!" Excellence had already rushed to the passage from the bridge to the external airlock. He could only grit his teeth and ignore the anxious remote call from Su Mu coming from the communicator. "Old White, prepare for support on the base side, ready to deal with possible subsequent effects at any time! Evelyn, the moment the interference starts, use the 'Precision Delivery' tractor beam to send me within five meters of the tray, the error must be controlled to the minimum! At the same time, prepare the 'Swift Recovery' beam, the moment I signal, pull me back immediately! Remember the priority: once I confirm exposure, or if uncontrollable anomalies occur during the process, you must immediately activate the emergency jump protocol to evacuate, do not hesitate!"

"Excellence!" Su Mu's voice, thick with obvious tears, cut through the communication channel.

"Trust me, Xiao Mu!" Excellence whipped his head around at the airlock door, forcing a smile into the cabin communicator that he deemed calm, perhaps even a bit roguish—though he knew it must look terrible right now. "I've been drilled by 'Clear Mirror' before; this is just 'dismantling a takeout'!"

With that, he didn't look back and slipped into the airlock. The heavy door closed rapidly behind him, sealing off the light and sound from the bridge.

Almost the moment the door locked, dozens of camouflaged jamming units and decoy launchers on the exterior of the "ranger" quietly opened. The next instant, the entire battlefield felt as if it had been thrown into a boiling pot of oil!

Blindingly intense flashes of pale white, searing red, deep blue, and other colors erupted in succession from various directions, flickering irregularly like out-of-control neon lights. An invisible electromagnetic storm swept outward from the "ranger," instantly drowning all communicators, radars, and scanners that relied on electromagnetic waves in violent noise and garbled data. Dense, greyish-white smoke that emitted no heat signals billowed out, rapidly enveloping a large area and compressing visibility to nearly zero. Meanwhile, in several locations far from the core battlefield, intense energy fluctuations and blurred optical images appeared abruptly, simulating the characteristics of energy weapons charging or high-speed units moving.

"Enemy attack! Omnidirectional jamming!"

"Optical equipment failure! Radar malfunction!"

"Communications interrupted! All squads hold position and defend!"

"High-energy signature detected in Sector B7! Could be a cloaked unit!"

"Moving light and shadow in Sector C3! Watch your flanks!"

The warring parties, already unsettled by the "clown takeout" incident, were caught off guard by this sudden, omnidirectional, and impenetrable jamming, instantly descending into even greater chaos. Commanders roared futilely into communicators filled only with static, while soldiers looked around nervously, seeing only blinding light and thick fog. Even those few "juggernauts" seemed to have their sensors strongly interfered with; their movements became noticeably sluggish and stiff, and the dark red energy flowing over their bodies flickered unsteadily, as if they had lost stable target guidance.

Now is the time!

From the belly of the "ranger," a tractor beam, precisely modulated with energy fluctuations so weak they were almost indistinguishable from the background noise, shot out and struck Excellence, who had already activated his optical camouflage and was perfectly synchronized with the colors and textures of the surrounding environment. An immense acceleration hit him; Excellence, like a stone shot from an invisible slingshot, silently streaked across the sky above the chaotic battlefield, hurtling toward the hillside shrouded in the "curtain" of smoke.

Suspended in mid-air with the wind rushing past his ears, Excellence's mind sank into a state of extreme calm. He no longer deliberately suppressed the Power of Order boiling within him due to tension and a sense of crisis. Driven by his will, a silvery-white radiance flowed out from his body—not flashy, but exceptionally dense—forming a faint halo around him, with the ghostly image of spreading light wings even flickering briefly behind him. But at this moment, this power was not meant for display or destruction, but for the most precise "purification" and "annihilation."

His goal was crystal clear: not destruction, but "neutralization."

Altitude, speed, angle... perfect. The tractor beam gently "placed" him on the scorched earth just over three meters from the silver tray, then dissipated. Excellence landed on his feet without a sound, save for the slight crunch of his boot heels crushing a few charcoal-like clods of earth.

Smoke filled the air, with visibility around him less than five meters. But relying on the Power of Order's keen sensitivity to homologous high-risk energy, he could clearly "see" the tray ahead, and within it, that dark red core pulsing frantically like a heart gestating destruction. The cloying scent of cream mixed with sharp spice, along with that deep, chaotic desire to devour—three distinct yet eerily fused scents rushed toward him, attempting to burrow into every one of his pores.

"Conceptual isolation! Structural disintegration! Order—Zero!"

Excellence roared in his heart, his hands already raised, palms facing each other, pressing out toward the tray. The vast and pure Power of Order was no longer held back; like an invisible silver tide, or perhaps countless, nearly invisible, ultra-fine threads, it gushed out instantly. It didn't strike violently but instead gently yet firmly wrapped around the entire tray and the core inside, forming an absolutely sealed force-field cage.

"Sizzle—crackle!"

The moment the Power of Order made contact with the "world devourer" energy, a fierce confrontation ensued. The dark red energy, like a living venomous snake, frantically rammed and bit at the silvery-white barrier of Order, emitting a teeth-grinding corrosive sound and spraying small sparks of energy annihilation. This was just the beginning; the more troublesome part was that cloying, "revelry"-concept power! It didn't charge head-on like the "world devourer" energy but was instead like the slickest, most penetrative oil, worming its way through the gaps in the barrier constructed by the Power of Order, attempting to contaminate and assimilate Excellence's power, and even tracing the connection of this power to erode Excellence's consciousness in reverse.

In an instant, various absurd, intoxicating, and indulgent thoughts exploded in Excellence's mind: wanting to laugh, wanting to dance wildly, wanting to cast everything aside and join that eternal "Grand Feast"... These thoughts were sweet and seductive, carrying a magic that made people succumb.

The "heart-clearing pendant" on his chest suddenly erupted with an unprecedented, clear radiance, and a bone-chilling sensation rushed straight into his mind, like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, forcefully suppressing those cloying temptations. Excellence bit the tip of his tongue; the metallic taste of blood and the sharp pain snapped his spirit back to alertness. He cast aside all distracting thoughts and fully activated the high-level techniques of "conceptual anchoring" and "structural purification" that "Clear Mirror" had once strictly taught him.

His consciousness was highly focused, as if divided into thousands of strands, each controlling a thread of the Power of Order condensed to the extreme. These forces were no longer just a barrier but transformed into countless "blades of Order," "probes of Order," and "scalpels of Order," thousands of times finer than a strand of hair, cautiously beginning the most delicate "surgical" decomposition, starting from the outermost, relatively stable structure of the energy core.

This was not destruction by brute force, but a precise stripping, severing, reorganizing, and annihilating, starting from the most microscopic level of energy particle arrangement and conceptual information entanglement. He had to dismantle this highly unstable "chaotic aggregate," which was mixed with two types of high-risk forces, bit by bit into the most basic, harmless, free-floating energy particles, while ensuring that this process would not trigger a chain reaction leading to an explosion.

Time lost its meaning in his extreme focus. Beads of sweat seeped from Excellence's forehead, quickly evaporated by the dry, scorching air around him. His muscles were tense, and the Power of Order poured out like a floodgate opening, yet it was constrained and guided by his astonishing control to perform the most precise operations. He could feel that the violent energy inside the core was being gradually channeled and dismantled, but the deeper he went, the more unstable the structure became, and the more severe the mixing, causing the difficulty of the operation to rise exponentially. The residual energy, having lost its structural constraints, became even more violent, lashing out left and right, ready to completely detonate this fragile balance at any moment.

Inside the "ranger," Evelyn stared fixedly at the multiple screens in front of her: the countdown, Excellence's vital signs, the target energy fluctuation curve, the decay rate of the surrounding jamming intensity... The sweat on her palms almost made the control stick slip. Both the tractor beam and the recovery beam were on high-priority standby, but at this moment, the energy turbulence around Excellence was violent; a forced recovery would very likely cause the power to spiral out of control, resulting in total failure.

"Last twenty seconds! Energy readings reaching peak! Structural collapse critical point!" the detection supervisor's voice was dry and tense.

"Jamming effect decayed to 60%! Some enemy units are starting to attempt to restart backup observation modes!" another monitor reported.

"Nineteen, eighteen, seventeen..." Evelyn counted silently in her heart, her finger hovering over the trigger button for the recovery command, her knuckles white.

On the hillside, Excellence felt as if he were walking on a tightrope spanning a bottomless abyss, and the tightrope was burning furiously. He could almost "hear" the heart-stopping, impending wail of the core shattering. Just a little more, the most critical, most chaotic Node of the core!

"Just... disperse!"

He roared, ignoring his nearly drained body and his soul, which had begun to sting, and transformed the last, most condensed thread of the Power of Order into an invisible "wedge," precisely driving it into the Node deep within the core where the red, gold, and black energies were frantically entangled!

"Pfft—!!!"

The earth-shattering explosion he had anticipated did not occur. That "specially seasoned, mildly spicy version of the world devourer energy core," after being struck by Excellence's "wedge" of Order, was like a pricked balloon, or a cake that had been over-fermented and finally burst, emitting a dull, almost cute, muffled sound that carried a touch of humor.

Immediately following, a bouquet of multicolored energy fireworks, no more than two meters in diameter and brilliantly gorgeous, bloomed from the location of the original tray. The light of the fireworks was soft and not blinding, carrying the cloying scent of cream and a faint, ticklish spiciness, lingering in the air for about two seconds, outlining a dreamlike halo. And at the very center of the fireworks, several lines of large, crooked characters, formed from pure light and shadow as if doodled by a child, appeared clearly:

"The Grand Feast is eternal! Giggle~"

Then, this "firework" and the text, which had no lethality and left only a fleeting visual and olfactory impression, quickly faded and dissipated like water vapor under the sun, leaving no energy residue, not even raising a speck of dust. Disappearing along with them were the silver tray and lid—they, too, seemed to have become part of this "neutralization fireworks show," completely broken down into fundamental particles.

Excellence maintained his posture of pressing his hands out, breathing slightly, the silvery-white light on his body receding like a tide, leaving only a faint halo of exhaustion. He looked down at his feet—except for the shallow footprints he had left when he landed, and the clean ground pushed aside by the aftermath of the Power of Order, forming an irregular circle (in stark contrast to the surrounding scorched earth), it was completely empty. That core, which had nearly triggered a planet-level catastrophe, seemed as if it had never existed in this world.

Just then, the strong jamming that Evelyn had painstakingly maintained finally reached its limit and began to decay rapidly. The blinding flashes stopped, the electromagnetic storm subsided, and the special smoke was gradually blown away by the wind, which carried the scent of gunpowder, that always blew across the battlefield. The commanders and soldiers of the warring parties discovered, in a daze, that the jamming had disappeared, and the world had become "clear" again.

They searched nervously, vigilant for the anticipated attack, but nothing happened. The hillside was empty, with only the scorched earth and scattered debris being stirred by the wind. That blinding light from before, the static-filled screens, the eerie smoke, and the bizarre tray and clown from earlier... everything felt like a sudden, collective hallucination. Only in the air did there seem to remain a faint, cloying scent of cream, and a barely perceptible spiciness that made the nasal cavity feel slightly warm, but this scent was soon covered up by the heavy smell of gunpowder and burning metal.

"Wha... what just happened?"

"Was it the enemy's new jamming weapon? Or... our equipment malfunction?"

"I think I saw a flash, but then again, maybe not..."

"I also smelled a little bit of... cake? Or chili?"

In the communication channels, confused whispers and reports rose and fell, filled with uncertainty. The commanders frowned, and the tactical AI performed a rapid self-check, but the conclusion was that the equipment was operating normally; the jamming signal just now had indeed existed, but its source was unknown, its nature was special, and it had not been accompanied by any substantive attack.

Even those few "juggernauts" seemed to have completely lost their sensing of that "delicious" core. Their scarlet "eyes" scanned the hillside blankly, their energy fluctuations revealing obvious confusion and... a trace of imperceptible irritation? After a brief pause, urged by the even stricter attack Orders reissued by the commanders in the rear, they let out a low growl of apparent dissatisfaction, turning their sensors and cannons back toward the teetering "Sky Ladder" base. Dark red energy surged and flowed across their bodies once more; the overture of destruction seemed to have only been interrupted for a measure, and now it was to continue playing.

The "ranger" seized this final opportunity.

Just as the smoke was beginning to dissipate and everyone's attention was either on self-diagnostic equipment or re-locking onto the "Ladder" base, a faint, multi-scattered, and disguised tractor beam flashed by, pulling Excellence, who was stumbling on the hillside from exhaustion, back into the cabin like a ghost.

The airtight bulkhead closed silently, completely isolating the chaos outside.

Excellence leaned against the cold cabin wall and slowly slid to the floor, panting heavily. Sweat had long since soaked through his inner combat suit, sticking clammily to his skin.

Those few dozen seconds of high-intensity, high-precision energy manipulation and mental confrontation were even more exhausting than going head-to-head with a powerful enemy like "Xuan." It was a triple-limit extraction of mental energy, physical strength, and control.

"Did... did we succeed?" Evelyn's voice came through the internal comms, filled with the exhaustion of someone who had just survived a disaster and a sense of disbelief.

A few seconds later, the Detection Supervisor confirmed in a voice suppressed with excitement: "Target energy signal has completely vanished! Repeat, completely vanished! No explosion shockwaves, residual energy radiation, or signs of 'world devourer' or 'Revelry' conceptual pollution spreading have been detected! Ambient energy readings have returned to normal battlefield background levels!"

He paused, seemingly performing a final verification, before reporting in a more definitive tone: "The high-risk pollution source, 'Custom Spicy world devourer Energy Core,' has been successfully subjected to 'harmless treatment.' Analysis of the treatment method: The target was completely decomposed and annihilated at the microscopic structural level by extremely high-purity Power of Order. The unstable 'Revelry' conceptual energy within, having lost the support of its main structure, was instantaneously released in a very low-intensity form possessing only sensory stimulation properties, causing no actual pollution. Comprehensive evaluation: Treatment result is perfect, meeting the highest standards of 'harmless treatment.' The impact of the treatment process on the environment has been minimized."

"Perfect?" Excellence caught his breath, shook his head with a wry smile, his voice still a bit hoarse. "I nearly 'treated' myself... And what was with those fireworks and those words at the end? 'Lord of the Grand Feast's' after-sales service? Or... Its exclusive logo?" Thinking of that ridiculous "Revelry Eternal! Giggle~," he felt a wave of absurdity and helplessness. He had risked his life to dismantle a bomb, only for it to explode into harmless "fireworks," complete with a signature.

"Likely both, and perhaps even more," White Elder's voice came through, carrying obvious lingering fear and deeper contemplation. "For an existence at the level of the 'Lord of the Grand Feast,' 'pranks' never have just one layer of meaning. That core itself was a 'gift.' Regardless of whether it eventually exploded, caused pollution, or was 'rendered harmless' as it was now, as long as it was 'used' or 'processed,' the concept of 'Revelry' would have left its mark here. Those final fireworks and the inscription were both its 'signature' confirming that its 'work' had been 'appreciated,' and perhaps a form of... disguised 'approval'? Or, perhaps, a playful 'gaze' directed at you, the Observer capable of 'rendering harmless' its 'little gift'?"

The old man's voice became more serious: "Regardless, you prevented an imminent disaster. But being 'glanced at' by the 'Lord of the Grand Feast,' even if only by proxy through a messenger, is by no means a good thing. In the future, whether in this realm or in other missions involving the concept of 'Revelry,' you must be doubly cautious."

At this moment, the communication from the sentry-7391b Node reconnected steadily. The electronic voice returned to that emotionless, flat tone, though if one listened carefully, one could detect a faint trace of "relaxation" following the handling of a complex event:

"Observer Excellence, the emergency treatment directive regarding the high-risk pollution source 'Custom Spicy world devourer Energy Core' has been confirmed as executed."

"Treatment result evaluation: Excellent (A+ grade). The pollution source has been completely removed and rendered harmless, without triggering any secondary disasters or spread of conceptual pollution, meeting the highest requirements of the directive."

"Operational concealment evaluation: Good (A- grade). Although large-scale interference was deployed and caused brief battlefield chaos, the 'Observer's' existence, technological characteristics, and traces of Council intervention were not directly exposed. The enemy identified it as unidentified interference or equipment failure, meeting the minimum exposure standards."

"Self-pollution resistance evaluation: Excellent (A+ grade). Successfully resisted the erosion of the 'Revelry' concept, with no signs of power corruption or mental alienation."

"Comprehensive performance meets the expected standards of the 'Special Authorization Protocol (A-3),' demonstrating excellent crisis judgment, rule application capabilities, and practical skills in handling high-risk pollution."

"Based on the treatment results and the evaluation report, the incident of the 'Lord of the Grand Feast' messenger illegally deploying a high-dimensional pollution source has been recorded in detail and will be synchronized to the Seventh Sub-bureau headquarters event log and the 'Clear Mirror' investigator. The resources consumed during this operation, including but not limited to: Power of Order overload consumption (peak and duration recorded), wear and tear on 'ranger' specific equipment (interference units, decoy flares, special smoke, high-precision tractor/recovery systems), extra energy output, etc., will all be credited to your personal 'Observer' account and calculated according to the 'Council Field Resource Consumption Subsidy Standards (Seventh Sub-bureau Version),' converted into contribution points for reimbursement (the specific amount will be calculated and issued within 72 hours)."

"Additionally, in view of your success in preventing a crisis that could have triggered a star-sector-level chain of pollution, and your outstanding performance during the operation, following preliminary review and reporting by the Node, your basic 'Observer' authority will be slightly upgraded (specific upgrade items will be notified at the time of settlement), along with an additional reward of 1000 personal contribution points (calculated separately from the subsidy, pending settlement)."

"Please ensure you submit a detailed written report of this operation to this Node and the 'Clear Mirror' investigator via a secure link within 12 standard hours. The report must focus on: 1. Specific power manipulation techniques and micro-structural intervention strategies used when dealing with the 'Revelry' conceptual pollution composite; 2. Specific sensations during the resistance to conceptual erosion and feedback on the 'heart-clearing pendant' mechanism; 3. Analysis and speculation regarding the purpose and potential subsequent impact of the 'Lord of the Grand Feast' messenger's actions."

"Now, please continue to execute the routine observation mission for this primitive civilization, 'iron and fire.' Note that the battlefield situation has undergone subtle changes due to the previous interference and the brief stagnation of the 'juggernauts.' The 'Burning Furnace' side seems more agitated as their offensive rhythm has been disrupted."

The communication ended. Excellence listened to that series of evaluations, rewards, and follow-up requirements with mixed feelings. Contribution points and authority upgrades sounded like tangible benefits and were also The Council's recognition of his abilities. But thinking about the heart-stopping, life-and-death process just now, and the "bad taste" of the "Lord of the Grand Feast"—something completely impossible to fathom by common sense and which sent shivers down his spine—he couldn't feel happy at all. Could subsidies and rewards compensate for this mental exhaustion and the pressure of facing an unknown high-dimensional existence? Furthermore, dealing with that thing had consumed a massive amount of energy, and it was hard to say whether the subsidy could even fill the hole created by the "consumption."

He struggled to stand up and walked to the main bridge screen. Evelyn had already pulled up the real-time battlefield footage.

The brief chaos had subsided. The commander of "Burning Furnace" was clearly made suspicious by the series of bizarre events (clowns, dinner plates, strong interference), but the temptation of seizing the "Ladder" base as a strategic objective overwhelmed all anxiety. Under their strict Orders and even threats, several "juggernauts" let out roars even more violent than before, the dark red energy on their surfaces rising like burning flames. They took heavy steps, holding nothing back, and launched a nearly insane all-out assault on the "Ladder" base!

Energy beams poured down like a torrential rain onto the base's already riddled shields, and the humming of the overloaded shield generators could be vaguely "heard" even from this distance. The light of the shields flickered violently, the frequency of alternating light and dark becoming faster and faster; it was clearly on the verge of collapse. The automatic defense turrets on the perimeter of the base were precisely detonated one after another, turning into burning ruins. The ground troops suffered heavy casualties under the crushing weight of the steel giants and the crossfire of accompanying infantry, the defensive lines constantly retreating, and collapse seemed to be just a second away.

Inside the "Ladder" base, one could vaguely see the figures of civilians rushing in panic toward deeper shelters, and the atmosphere of despair seemed to permeate through the screen.

"Are we... still just going to watch?" Evelyn's voice was very low, filled with unbearable pity and a deep sense of powerlessness. Although they had just prevented a more terrifying, high-dimensional disaster, this cruel massacre within the civilization was still playing out according to its predetermined script, with blood staining the earth.

Excellence remained silent, his hands having unknowingly clenched into fists. On the screen, every flash of an explosion, every collapsed fortification, and every tiny figure vanishing in the gunfire pierced his eyes like needles. The "heart-clearing pendant" on his chest sent forth faint, cold pulsations; it wasn't a warning, but rather more like a silent interrogation.

The rules of the "Observer" were cold and rigid, like an invisible shackle binding him to the position of a "bystander." But the operation to handle the "takeout" just now clearly indicated that in "specific situations" involving high-dimensional pollution that could trigger cross-civilization disasters, The Council allowed, and even required, them to intervene. So... what about this war before them? This war, which had become exceptionally brutal due to the "World Devourer" secondary energy drive and which inherently contained a huge risk of spiraling out of control—could it count as another form of "specific situation"?

The communication from "sentry-7391b" just now had only authorized and provided post-action assessment for the pollution source deployed by the "Lord of the Grand Feast"; it had not mentioned a single word of new instructions regarding the civil war of the "iron and fire" civilization.

But...

Excellence's gaze was locked tightly onto those few "juggernauts" that were wantonly venting destruction. On their chests or backs, the energy cores emitting unstable dark red light were clearly visible under the sensor's magnified view. That energy was of the same origin as the "takeout" core he had just processed. Although it looked "cruder" and might be slightly more stable (only relatively speaking), its essence remained the dangerous "World Devourer" secondary infectious energy. These war machines were outputting so crazily at this moment that the load on their cores must be immense. If they were heavily damaged in battle, or if the commander of "Burning Furnace" forcibly overloaded them to achieve a quick victory...

Would it trigger a similar, or even larger-scale, explosion and pollution? Just like what Evelyn had simulated before?

A thought, like a seedling breaking through the soil, grew wildly in his heart, gradually becoming clear.

"Evelyn," Excellence suddenly spoke, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse from the long silence and intense thinking. "Call up all previous scanning data regarding the 'juggernaut' energy cores, combined with the geological structure map of the 'Ladder' base, the energy pipeline distribution map, and the 'World Devourer' energy reaction model we recorded while processing the 'takeout' core. I want you to recalculate, using the most conservative estimates: if the energy core of any 'juggernaut' explodes in the current engagement area—especially if it explodes within the base's core defensive perimeter or above the main geothermal energy wells due to overload or damage—what is the specific probability of triggering a chain of catastrophic consequences? Also, generate the model and range prediction for the pollution spread; be detailed."

Evelyn turned her head sharply to look at Excellence, a flash of astonishment in her eyes, which then turned to understanding, and then to deep worry. But she did not ask a single extra word and immediately executed the Order. Her hands flew across the console again, retrieving data, building models, and inputting parameters. Complex calculation formulas and three-dimensional simulation images scrolled rapidly on the side of the main screen.

Inside the bridge, only the slight hum of the instruments running and the dull, continuous sounds of explosions coming from the distant battlefield via the sensors remained.

A few minutes later, the calculation results were out. Evelyn looked at the final numbers and simulation animation on the screen, her face turning somewhat pale. She took a deep breath, turned to Excellence, and said in a steady but heavy voice:

Recalculation complete. Using the most conservative parameter estimates: if the energy core of any 'juggernauts' explodes within the core defense perimeter (800-meter radius) of the 'Sky Ladder' base, due to the Resonance between its energy and the energy of the geothermal wells, as well as the 'world devourer' residue that may exist in the base's underground structure, the probability of triggering a massive chain reaction of geothermal well explosions is... as high as 71.3%. The explosive yield will far exceed that of a single core explosion, sufficient to completely erase the entire base along with the mountain structure below, and trigger a regional super-earthquake exceeding magnitude ten, with crustal fissures potentially extending hundreds of kilometers away.

Even if the explosion point is luckily not at a critical location, the large-scale spread of 'world devourer' energy contamination alone... according to its energy activity and environmental interaction models, the contamination will rapidly penetrate the soil, water sources, and atmosphere. The Equatorial Plain will become a dead zone within three months and slowly spread globally with wind and water currents. None of the technology currently possessed by this civilization can effectively purify or contain this type of contamination. Global ecological collapse, the probability of civilization survival... simulation results are below 8%.

She paused, then added, "And this is the most conservative estimate. In actual combat, the degree of core overload, the extent of damage, and the explosive yield could all far exceed the model's input values. The probability... will only be higher."

Excellence closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then exhaled slowly. When he opened his eyes again, the hesitation and struggle in them had vanished, replaced by a calm determination.

He reconnected the dedicated communication channel with the "sentry-7391b" Node. This time, his tone was calm, clear, and firm; every word seemed carefully considered:

"sentry-7391b, this is Observer Excellence. Based on the latest continuous observation data of the 'Sky Ladder' base in the 'iron and fire' civilization war zone, the updated dynamic risk assessment model for 'juggernauts' unit energy cores, and the practical data and insights gained from the just-completed successful handling of a homologous high-risk contamination source (the 'Lord of the Grand Feast' delivery), I am now formally submitting a supplementary report and risk assessment warning."

"The report indicates: the 'juggernauts' units deployed by the 'Burning Furnace' faction, driven by 'World Devourer' secondary infection energy, show a significant trend of increasing instability in the current high-intensity combat environment. There is ample evidence that the risk of overload and the probability of uncontrollable energy release (including but not limited to explosions and contamination spread) in the event of damage are rising rapidly."

"If this risk becomes reality, it will highly likely lead to an irreversible, planetary-scale ecological extinction disaster at the 'Sky Ladder' base and its surrounding critical ecological areas. This consequence fully conforms to the definition in Chapter 3, Article 12 of the 'Pan-Dimensional Civilization Observation and Mediation Council Basic Law': 'a major and urgent survival crisis caused by a primary civilization's own development (or misuse of external forces) that is sufficient to endanger the continued existence of its civilization entity.' At the same time, because this crisis involves 'World Devourer' energy, a known variant of a high-dimensional contamination source, it has constituted a clear potential threat to the local stability of the current star sector."

"Furthermore, the source of this risk is highly homologous in energy nature to the homologous contamination incident I just handled, which was illegally deployed by a high-dimensional entity; it can be seen as the manifestation and potential derivation of the same contamination threat on different levels. Successfully handling the former provides a technical basis and emergency action reference for preemptively containing the latter."

"Therefore, I, Observer Excellence, in my capacity as a 'Special Potential Observer' registered under the Seventh Sub-bureau jurisdiction, and based on the extended logic of the combat authorization just obtained for handling high-dimensional contamination sources, formally request to initiate the 'Major Civilization Risk Warning' and 'Preemptive Limited Intervention Assessment' procedures."

"And based on this application, I strongly recommend: while waiting for superior approval for the 'assessment procedure,' given the urgency of the risk and the irreversibility of the catastrophic consequences, I request authorization to immediately take preemptive temporary measures. The objective of these measures is strictly limited to: implementing covert, precise, micro-level interventions on 'juggernauts' energy cores that have been confirmed to be in a high-risk state (such as continuous overload or severe external damage), with the goal of 'induced silence' or 'controllable harmless overload.' This is aimed at eliminating the clear risk of their 'uncontrollable catastrophic release'."

"Principles of the measures: 1. Target only the energy core itself; strictly prohibit any direct physical damage or functional impact on the 'juggernauts' body or any other military units; 2. Maintain maximum operational secrecy to avoid exposing the existence of the 'Observer' or traces of The Council; 3. All actions have the sole purpose of eliminating clear, urgent, and irreversible major disaster risks, and must not interfere with the internal conflict process of the civilization."

"Basis for application: The complete observation data packet uploaded in real-time through the Node, the energy core risk analysis report (including the latest simulation data), and the detailed report on the successful harmless handling of the contamination source deployed by the 'Lord of the Grand Feast'."

"Objective of application: To gain critical time and operational space for potential subsequent 'civilization crisis assessment,' 'technical isolation,' or 'reset plans' through minimized, highly covert intervention, and to prevent the situation from spinning completely out of control due to accidental disasters."

"The above application is pending approval."

Excellence finished speaking and held his breath, waiting. The bridge was pin-drop silent, with only his steady breathing and the sound of instruments running. Evelyn looked at him nervously, then at the unresponsive communication panel. "White Elder" at the other end of the base also remained silent, but the communication channel remained open, clearly also paying close attention.

This time, the Node's response was a few seconds slower than before. When that flat electronic voice sounded again, Excellence keenly sensed a hint of extremely subtle "prudence," similar to what one might feel after complex logical weighing:

"Application received, data packet confirmed. The warning content and supplementary risk analysis have been marked in real-time and forwarded to the Seventh Sub-bureau headquarters duty Arbitration Court and the 'Clear Mirror' investigator."

"According to Chapter 5 of the 'Pan-Dimensional Civilization Observation and Mediation Council Emergency Situation Classification and Handling Procedures (Seventh Sub-bureau Supplementary Rules)', in cases involving risks associated with homologous high-dimensional contamination where a successful emergency disposal precedent already exists, the Observer may, while waiting for superior approval for the 'Major Crisis Assessment Procedure', take preemptive temporary measures based on field judgment to contain the spread of clear, urgent, and irreversible major disaster risks."

"Based on the data you submitted, the risk model, and your just-completed A+ level contamination handling performance, you are hereby granted temporary operational authority:"

"You are permitted to implement a one-time, covert, and strictly target-limited intervention on 'juggernauts' energy cores that have been confirmed through your observation to have entered a 'high-risk state' (specific judgment criteria are to be determined by you based on real-time data, but the basis for judgment must be recorded). The method of intervention must be oriented towards 'harmless handling' or 'forced silence,' and it is strictly forbidden to trigger large-scale explosions or uncontrollable contamination spread. It is strictly forbidden to cause direct physical damage or significant functional changes to the 'juggernauts' body or any other target. The action must be conducted on the premise of maximum avoidance of exposure."

"This is only a temporary preemptive authorization based on field risks and is not equivalent to formally initiating the 'Limited Intervention Assessment' procedure. Whether to ultimately initiate this procedure, as well as the evaluation of your temporary measures this time, will be decided after the headquarters Arbitration Court and the 'Clear Mirror' investigator have reviewed all reports. All your action processes and energy operation details will be fully recorded and used as important evaluation criteria."

"Warning: This authorization is limited to eliminating confirmed, urgent disaster risks. Any action exceeding this scope, or which leads to exposure or triggers uncontrollable chain reactions, will result in immediate termination of authorization, and you will be held accountable accordingly."

"Do you confirm receipt of this temporary authorization and execution of preemptive measures?"

"Confirm receipt! Confirm execution!" Excellence's reply was without the slightest hesitation.

"Temporary authorization has been recorded and filed. Please carefully gauge the scale and timing of the intervention, Observer Excellence. May the rules be with you."

The communication ended.

Excellence felt a complex emotion welling up in his heart—there was the relief of a weight lifted, the pressure of carrying a heavy responsibility, and a sense of determination in finding a sliver of room for action within the cold rules. This was still dancing within the "rules," still having to be "sneaky," but at least he no longer had to watch helplessly as those "bombs" could detonate at any moment in the most crowded areas without doing anything.

"Evelyn," he turned, his gaze sharp as a knife, "reformulate the action plan, codename: 'Bomb Disposal Expert.' Target: all 'juggernauts' energy cores that are in a state of continuous overload attack or have visible damage to their outer shells. Plan: Use the battlefield energy fluctuations as cover. In the moments between their attacks or when they are taking counterattacks, when their own energy fields are most chaotic, use a highly condensed, extremely subtle 'probe' of Power of Order to intrude from the tiny cracks in the core's shell or the weak points of the energy output interface. Not to destroy, but to induce their internal energy cycle to create a tiny, controllable 'short circuit' or 'vortex,' causing the core to temporarily 'go silent' due to internal energy consumption, or enter a slow, controllable 'overload energy discharge' state, just like poking a tiny, directional vent in a pressure cooker."

He elaborated on his concept: "There are two key points: First, the intervention must be extremely subtle and cannot trigger a violent reaction from the core or an alarm from the 'juggernauts' control system; Second, the timing must be precise, leveraging the 'noise' of the battlefield itself to cover the traces of our 'surgery.' We need to calculate the energy fluctuation cycle and the best entry timing for each target."

"Understood!" A spark reignited in Evelyn's eyes, and she immediately threw herself into work. The "ranger"'s powerful detection and computing capabilities were fully engaged, beginning to lock onto multiple "juggernauts" simultaneously, analyzing their attack patterns, energy output curves, and shell damage, while simulating the intrusion path of the Power of Order "probe" and the possible energy feedback. Complex mathematical models and 3D path diagrams were rapidly generated and optimized on the screen.

"Prepare for action." Excellence walked toward the airlock again. This time, his pace was steadier, his goal clearer, and his mindset calmer. He was not going to play the savior, not going to decide the fate of this civilization, and not even going to directly change the course of the war. He was simply going to fulfill an "Observer"'s preemptive duty, within the scope allowed by the rules, regarding "clear disaster risks"—to dismantle those highly unstable "bombs."

As for what happens after these "bombs" are dismantled—whether the "Burning Furnace" and the "Gears and Anvil" continue to fight to the death with conventional weapons, or call a truce, or whether this civilization can find a way to survive amidst internal and external troubles—that is beyond the scope of his current authorization, and not something he should overstep his bounds to interfere with. All he can do is this: in the eye of the storm, be a silent "Bomb Disposal Expert," and for this world that perhaps still has a glimmer of hope, dismantle those few most unstable detonators.

The "ranger" once again became like a ghost in the deep universe, leveraging the energy turbulence still not fully settled above the battlefield and the gap as both sides refocused their attention on offense and defense, lowering its presence to the minimum, and quietly adjusting its position, like the most patient hunter, slowly approaching those few steel giants that were pouring destruction onto the "Sky Ladder" base.

A new, more dangerous, and more precisely demanding "micro-surgery" was about to unfold behind the scenes of this cruel war stage. And this time, what he had to face was no longer a static, ownerless "gift," but living, raging war machine cores carrying destruction and unstable energy.

In the eye of the storm, the "Bomb Disposal Expert" was in position, his gaze calm, his fingertips seemingly able to feel the faint pulse of those raging energy cores.

And outside, the storm of destruction continued to rage without mercy.