297: Property, systems and hidden terms

I. Light of Healing and the Sea of Data

The milky white radiance, like liquid warm jade imbued with life, gently and precisely enveloped Excellence, Stardust, and even the scattered fragments of the stone of silence.

This power transcended simple healing; it was more like "existence restoration" at the level of the universe's origin. It did not merely repair tissue damage; it recalibrated material structures at the molecular level, smoothed out spiritual wrinkles at the consciousness level, and even subtly touched upon fine adjustments to the essence of existence.

Excellence felt a strange tingling sensation in his broken arm. It wasn't pain, but rather as if countless precision nanomachines were weaving new crystalline structures at the fracture. The wound on his forehead stopped bleeding, and the damaged skin closed and smoothed over as if time were flowing backward, leaving only a faint, almost invisible silver-white pattern, like some ancient mark.

The sense of collapse deep in his mind, brought on by extreme overexertion, was slowly moistened and mended by a gentle yet firm "Power of Order" warm current, much like parched, cracked earth receiving life-giving rain.

Stardust's recovery process was more visual. Her unnaturally twisted left leg was gently wrapped, stretched, and reset by the milky white beam of light. A subtle "click" sounded from within, marking the recalibration and reconnection of her bionic bones and neural interfaces.

At the deep wound on her forehead that had exposed bone, metal and biological tissue intertwined and regenerated in the light at a speed visible to the naked eye, leaving behind only a shallow silver scar with fine circuit patterns. The data stream in her eyes returned to stability, appearing even more concise and efficient than before; clearly, this repair process had also optimized her cyborg structure.

The repair of the ranger was nothing short of a miracle. Several thicker milky white beams, like the hands of a deity, supported the wrecked hull, shrouding its surface in a flowing silver halo.

Those twisted, torn armor plates moved like liquid metal with memory, slowly wriggling, flattening, and fusing back together. Exposed energy conduits, like living vines, automatically sought out the breaks and docked precisely, with soft blue lights signaling connectivity illuminating their exteriors.

The charring and damage caused by internal explosions were rapidly covered, absorbed, and replaced by a silver, fungal-network-like substance, restoring them to pristine bulkheads and equipment exteriors. The entire repair process was quiet, efficient, and filled with a natural rhythm that transcended technology, akin to "growth."

Even Evelyn's spiritual projection, which had been on the verge of dissipating, re-condensed under the nourishment of the light, becoming more solid and clear than ever, the data-processing light in her eyes flowing unceasingly.

"Unbelievable..." Stardust flexed her fully restored arm, staring at the readings on the main console that had rapidly shifted from blood-red alerts to stable yellow-green states. Even her typically calm voice could not hide her shock.

"This isn't repair; it's 'reconstruction.' At the molecular or even quantum level, it 'overwrites' or 'replaces' the damaged state with a complete one according to a preset 'perfect blueprint.' This technology... even the top-tier psionic regeneration pods of the Harmonic Alliance can only achieve tissue regeneration; they cannot reach such fundamental material and energy reorganization. This is approaching 'rule-level' operation."

"Of course!" Mute's voice, though still weak, had clearly recovered much of its vitality, carrying the pride of "my stuff is just that good," even though this "home's" management system had tried to purge them not long ago.

"What is the heart of silence? It is one of the sealing cores of the gate! It connects directly to a portion of the 'existence rules' at the lowest level of this Silent Corridor! Repairing a bit of material damage and stabilizing spiritual consciousness is as natural as breathing to it. If it weren't for my current loss of permissions and depleted energy, having it demonstrate 'concept endowment' or 'rule imprinting' right now wouldn't be impossible!"

Excellence didn't pick up on Mute's comment; he was more focused on the system that was "collecting data" from him. The feeling of being "scanned" was subtle, like the gentlest breeze brushing over the surface of his consciousness, without forcibly delving into core memories or touching private areas.

The focus of the scan was concentrated on memory fragments of interacting with the gate, using the Power of Order, activating the stone of silence, simulating the "silence tide," and the skirmish with the Heart-Devouring Demon, especially the details of energy reactions, tactical choices, and spiritual confrontation.

It seemed this "temporary emergency response program" was indeed as its "statement" claimed: assessment took precedence over prying.

"Data collection progress: 38%... Associative memory fragment indexing established... Modeling energy characteristics of the Power of Order... Cross-referencing behavioral patterns and energy characteristics of 'Chaos Corruptors' (Heart-Devouring Demon lineage)..." The cold, yet seemingly slightly more "work-focused" rather than purely mechanical synthetic voice, synchronized the progress in Excellence's consciousness.

"System? Can you hear me?" Excellence tentatively asked in his mind.

"Online. Identification code: S-001, Silent Corridor Core Management System - heart of silence branch, responding to your call. Current execution protocol: Temporary Emergency Response and Assessment Program - Data Collection and Analysis sub-item." The synthetic voice responded immediately, efficient and precise.

S-001? A branch? This naming style carried a clear numbering system and sense of hierarchy. Excellence's heart stirred.

"Regarding what was mentioned earlier, opening read-only access to part of the database..."

"Ready. Once you complete the initial data collection (approximately 41 seconds remaining), you may access the information entries in the authorization list via the temporary secure link currently established. Please note that your permissions are limited to 'information browsing' and 'passive reception'; you cannot perform any form of modification, copying, transfer, or deep structural parsing. Any attempt beyond your permissions will be immediately logged and trigger the corresponding security protocol." S-001 explained meticulously, the terms clear.

The slight touch of data collection stopped quickly.

"Initial data collection complete. Initiating comprehensive assessment analysis process; estimated time: variable, depending on data complexity and current system load. Temporary visitor 'Excellence,' you have been granted browsing authorization for the partial historical and protocol database. Please review the accessible list."

A clear "directory list," as if branded directly into his mind, emerged. The entries were few, but each one precisely hit the points Excellence and the others were most desperate to know:

"Brief Overview of Silent Corridor Architecture and Operating Principles (Non-Technical Core Version)."

"Basic Functional Description of the gate (Sea of Chaos - Order Universe Isolation Boundary) and Maintenance Log Summary for the Last One Thousand Standard Time Cycles."

"Known Energy Characteristic Spectral Library, Behavioral Pattern Classification, and Preliminary Risk Assessment Report for 'Chaos Corruptors' (Heart-Devouring Demon lineage)."

"Work Log Summary of the watchers (Secondary Administrator Mute) (Approximately One Hundred Time Cycles Before Deep Standby)."

"Basic Operating Rules of the Core Management System (Public Portion) and Major Historical Event Records (Abbreviated Version)."

"Deep Protocol VII (Purification and Isolation Ordinance) and its related supplementary clauses, detailed records, and analysis of this triggered event."

This list was practically a "beginner's guide" combined with an "incident investigation report" tailored for them! Especially items 3, 4, and 6, which pointed directly to the core mysteries they had been pursuing all along!

"I want to view the full content of items 3, 4, and 6, as well as the detailed records in item 2 regarding the recent abnormal 'chaotic tides'!" Excellence proposed without hesitation.

"Command confirmed. Retrieving relevant data packets... Retrieval complete. Initiating secure transmission. Please be ready to receive the information stream."

A massive torrent of highly refined and structured information began to flow into Excellence's consciousness in an orderly fashion. At the same time, S-001 seemed to "thoughtfully" enable sharing mode, simultaneously transmitting the same information stream to Stardust, who was in a slightly better state, and to Mute, who had established a weak connection through the stone of silence fragments.

The information unfolded like a starry sky:

Regarding Heart-Devouring Demon: In the "Chaos Corruptor" classification library, Heart-Devouring Demon and its observed derivatives (eye of suffering, "Corrosion Siren," Greedy Aggregate, etc.) were explicitly classified as "Type III - Malignant Concept Parasitic and Assimilation Entities."

Their essence was indeed chaotic intent aggregates naturally derived from the Sea of Chaos, possessing strong "self-existence obsession" and a "tendency to devour/convert ordered existence." After escaping to the Order universe through weak points or abnormal rifts in the gate, they combined with the intense negative emotions (fear, pain, hatred, greed, etc.) and spiritual distractions overflowing from sentient beings, undergoing uncontrollable malignant mutation and proliferation, forming independent, aggressive, and transmissible "information-energy-spirit" trinity pollution entities.

Their core behavioral logic was summarized as: the instinctual drive to "return to the Chaos matrix," and the desire to devour and assimilate all "ordered existence" (especially the Power of Order and the power of silence). They showed extreme greed for heart of silence material (such as the stone of silence), viewing it as a key item to "complete their own defects" or "open a return channel."

The report specifically noted that monitoring data from multiple Order universe regions recently showed an abnormal climb in the activity frequency, intensity, and organization of Heart-Devouring Demon, which had a high statistical correlation with the abnormally active cycles of "chaotic tides" monitored on the other side of the gate.

Regarding Mute's work log (before standby): The logs showed that approximately 1,500 standard time cycles ago, "chaotic tides" with regular anomalies and gradually increasing intensity began to appear in the Sea of Chaos on the other side of the gate. Mute, as the then-incumbent the watchers, strengthened daily silence regulation efforts, attempting to maintain balance.

However, about 1,200 cycles ago, an unprecedented, violent "chaotic tide" erupted, exceeding historical peaks and carrying distinct "non-natural disturbance characteristics" (logs described it as "directional" and "maliciously probing"). The focus of this tide's impact was not the gate itself, but precisely aimed at several preset weak points in the Silent Corridor "base" structure and energy network!

To protect the main structure of the gate and the overall stability of the Silent Corridor, Mute had to forcibly overload and call upon the reserve energy of the heart of silence and its own origin for high-intensity confrontation and emergency structural repair, ultimately leading to depleted energy reserves and its own consciousness falling into deep "silent standby" due to overload.

The last entry of the log was filled with exhaustion and deep confusion: "Tide anomaly... seems to have a 'guiding will' behind it? The target is not direct door-breaking, but more like... performing some kind of 'stress test'? Or searching for... system 'vulnerabilities'? The energy signature... contains a hint of indescribable... familiarity? This matter... requires deep investigation..." Since then, it had been a long standby period with only basic system maintenance records.

Regarding "Deep Protocol VII" and this event: This protocol was indeed a product that the core management system iterated, updated, and strengthened on its own based on preset "automated security evolution rule libraries" after Mute entered "standby."

Its core legislative spirit was: in the absence of an active administrator (the watchers), spare no cost to prevent the Silent Corridor from being polluted and infiltrated by "Chaos," or being parasitized, manipulated, or destroyed by external "unregistered high-dimensional information entities."

The list of trigger conditions was exhaustive, including but not limited to: "detection of chaotic corruption information residue exceeding the threshold," "discovery of unauthorized high-dimensional information connection attempts," "monitoring of large-scale, organized energy disturbances with non-silence attributes," etc.

And that key "Supplementary Clause - Extreme Crisis Handling and Value Assessment Plan" was a special channel preset in the system's underlying logic: when the initiator of an "illegal operation" that triggers the purification protocol simultaneously meets multiple "potential positive attributes," such as "carrying new, high-potential Power of Order characteristics," "possessing valid credentials associated with the heart of silence," and "displaying clear and effective confrontational behavior toward Chaos Corruptors," the system could temporarily shelve the default purification process and switch to "observation, assessment, and data collection" mode to avoid misjudging "variables" or "friendly units" that might be beneficial to system stability, while simultaneously collecting data to assess their long-term value and risk.

The priority setting of this supplementary clause was exceptionally high, even capable of temporarily overriding some execution instructions of the main protocol under specific conditions—which was the fundamental reason why S-001's attitude underwent a 180-degree turn after Excellence and the others forcibly initiated "physical access."

"So, we were fished out of the purification list and entered a 'probationary assessment period' because we simultaneously possess 'new Power of Order,' 'old key fragments,' and 'anti-Chaos achievements'?" Excellence summarized, feeling that the logic was both realistic and a bit ironic. This system was quite particular about "performance reviews" and "talent evaluation," wasn't it?

From the perspective of protocol execution logic, it can be understood this way,

S-001 confirmed. "The system's comprehensive judgment is that, although your existence and past behavioral records contain significant... violations and high-risk characteristics (at this point, the system's tone seems to have an extremely subtle, almost 'helpless' pause), in terms of results, you have demonstrated verifiable positive effects on maintaining the local stability of the Silent Corridor and countering the spread of 'Chaos Corrosive Entities'. Therefore, an emergency plan has been triggered, and a deep assessment process has been initiated."

"What are the specific criteria for the assessment? After the assessment, what are the possible outcomes?" Stardust keenly asked the key question.

"The assessment standard model contains multi-dimensional parameters: the stability and growth potential of the new Power of Order, its compatibility and complementary potential with the silence rule system; the effectiveness of actual response strategies, tactical creativity, and resource utilization rate against 'Chaos Corrosive Entities'; the weight of potential positive or negative impacts on the long-term stability of the Silent Corridor and the gate; and... the logical self-consistency, risk assessment awareness, and principled controllability of behavioral patterns." S-001 listed in detail, "After the assessment is completed, a quantitative scoring report will be generated. Based on the report's conclusions, possible disposal plans include: granting 'temporary assistant' permissions and opening limited system resource support; listing as a 'long-term observation object' with restricted activity scope and strengthened monitoring; or... executing the final purification program according to the original protocol to eliminate uncontrollable variables."

"Final purification program..." Excellence chewed on the word; it was truly cold, official jargon. "Then, what if the assessment results are particularly outstanding? For example, if we can provide key information to help the system understand the abnormal tide, or even have the ability to assist in repairing the core consciousness of Senior Mute?"

S-001 was silent for a moment, seemingly simulating this possibility. "If the assessment report shows 'extremely high positive value' and 'feasible paths', this sub-unit can, based on its authority, request... higher-level temporary authorization, or open deeper resources and permission interfaces, including but not limited to: temporary access rights to the basic adjustment parameters of the gate, free passage permits for some non-core areas of the Silent Corridor, access permissions to deeper (non-core) information layers of the core database, and... attempting to activate dormant communication links with the Main System or other 'associated balance facilities' to report information and request assistance."

"Higher-level authorization? Main System? Other associated facilities?" Excellence and Mute (through fragments) simultaneously caught these information-packed keywords.

"This unit (S-001) is the local core management system for the Silent Corridor - heart of silence sub-unit, responsible for the daily seal maintenance of the gate in this sector, the stability of the Corridor's environment, and basic security monitoring. In the absence of the watchers (secondary administrators), it holds the highest execution authority in this area. However, system architecture records show that there is a higher-level 'main coordination system' responsible for the macro-coordination of operational strategies, resource allocation, and crisis response for multiple units similar to the Silent Corridor (if they exist). At the same time, historical logs contain records of data exchange with other 'balance adjustment outposts' or 'observation Nodes'. Related cross-regional connection and communication protocols have entered a deep sleep or logically disconnected state due to the long-term lack of activation by the watchers, the absence of external instructions, and being in energy-saving mode. Reactivation requires meeting specific prerequisites and obtaining corresponding authorization," S-001 explained strictly.

Excellence and Stardust exchanged a glance, both seeing the turbulent shock in each other's eyes. More than one Silent Corridor? There was a Main System governing them and an interconnected "facility network"? Was the "sector administrator" Mute guarding perhaps just one Node in a vast system?

"Wait!" Mute's voice suddenly rose, full of shock and suspicion, "Main System? Other units? How come I have absolutely no idea? When I took over as one of the watchers, the old guy before me only said, 'Watch this gate, balance the aura on both sides, don't let the noisy disturb the quiet,' and never mentioned anything about a 'headquarters' or 'sister units'!"

"Related macro-architecture information falls within the scope of higher-level management authority. During your tenure, because the status of the gate in this area was stable for a long time, there were no major anomalies in the operation of the Corridor, and no direct instructions or information updates were received from upper-level systems, therefore, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the 'Core Administrator Handbook - Chapter 7 - Information Awareness and Burden Management', to avoid unnecessary cognitive interference and operational complexity, this system information was selectively shielded from you," S-001 stated calmly, as if explaining a mundane workplace regulation.

Mute: "...(A long and stifling silence, as if feeling the deep 'care' and 'protection' from the 'corporate system')"

Excellence tried hard to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth; it seemed that being a "grassroots cadre" like Mute wasn't easy—low authority, high responsibility, and kept in the dark about key information.

"Then, what should we do now to improve our 'assessment score' and strive for better 'internship to full-time' conditions?" Excellence asked about the practical level. Since they were temporarily safe and had the opportunity to obtain more resources and information, he naturally had to strive for the best treatment.

"The system suggests taking the following actions to optimize assessment parameters: First, fully cooperate with subsequent deep consciousness scans and behavioral pattern analysis, providing more clues about the potential origin of the Power of Order, details of the thought processes behind recent key decisions, and summaries and reflections on combat experiences with various 'Chaos Corrosive Entities'. Second, fully utilize existing resources (including the continuous repair support provided by the system) to restore the complete operational and collaborative combat capabilities of you and your team (including the vehicle) as soon as possible. Finally, during the assessment observation period, you can actively apply for or complete some 'auxiliary verification tasks' issued by the system to prove your value, reliability, and willingness to cooperate with actual performance," S-001 provided a clear "performance improvement guide."

"Auxiliary verification tasks? Do you have any now?"

"Based on your current authority, status, and environmental conditions, the following optional task list is generated: Task A: Assist in repairing the microscopic damage to the shell of the heart of silence (caused by your previous 'physical access' operation). You need to use your Power of Order to conduct fine energy guidance, working with the 'silent-state nano-repair gel' allocated by the system. Task B: Conduct a deep component analysis on the captured and partially converted 'gentle chaos reverberation' (rule melody energy) samples, and attempt to reverse-deduce the local 'information entropy' and 'rule tendency' parameters of the corresponding area of the Sea of Chaos at the moment of its formation. Task C: Utilize your existing Resonance connection with the 'silent core' fragments (Mute's consciousness carrier), under system monitoring and protection, to perform a low-intensity, non-invasive 'surface Resonance scan' of the current overall state of the gate, obtaining the latest real-time data such as its energy fluctuation spectrum and structural stress distribution. Task D: Based on all information currently obtained (including database materials and personal experiences), write a preliminary 'Comprehensive Analysis and Development Trend Prediction Report' on the recent abnormal activity of 'Chaos Corrosive Entities', the increased pressure on the gate, and potential correlations, and propose corresponding, logically feasible response strategy suggestions (report quality will be included in the assessment of logical thinking and strategic planning capabilities)."

Good grief, they even arranged "weekly reports," "data analysis," "field operations," and "strategic planning"! The management and assessment mode of this "system" was increasingly looking like a "large organization" with a rigorous structure and standardized processes.

"Are these tasks risky? What are the specific benefits of completing them well?" Excellence was very practical.

"All tasks are within the designed safety tolerances, and the system will provide real-time guidance, risk warnings, and emergency protection throughout the process. Task completion quality and efficiency will be directly converted into 'practical ability' and 'contribution' scores in the assessment report. Accumulated scores will affect the final level of permission granted, the intensity of resource support, and the difficulty and rewards of subsequent tasks. Specific reward details will be dynamically generated based on task completion," S-001's answer was full of the flavor of "distribution according to work" and "performance-linked pay."

Excellence looked at Stardust and Mute (fragments).

"Acceptable." Stardust analyzed quickly, "Task A is an opportunity to repair relationships and demonstrate ability and sense of responsibility. Tasks B and C can obtain first-hand key data about the state of the Sea of Chaos and the gate. Task D is a platform to showcase our information integration, logical reasoning, and strategic planning capabilities. The overall risk is controllable, and the benefits are clear."

"Do it! We must do it!" Mute also seemed to be ignited with some kind of "workplace fighting spirit" (or rather, dissatisfaction with the system withholding information), "Let's boost the KPI first! Let's see how much more this broken system, which hides a pile of secrets, is keeping from us! I worked diligently back then, and yet I was 'medically retired' without even having seen the 'company organizational chart.' I have to vent this frustration!"

"Good, we accept these 'auxiliary verification tasks'," Excellence formally responded to S-001.

"Instruction confirmed. The task list has been loaded into the temporary work queue for you and associated units. Beginning distribution of detailed operation guides, safety protocols, and resource access permissions..."

II. Internship Assessment and Unexpected Discoveries

In the following period, the members of the ranger (plus the Mute consciousness fragments that had regained part of their "employee ID") entered a peculiar state of "half-work, half-recovery." While enjoying the top-tier "medical care" and energy replenishment continuously provided by the heart of silence system (the ship's repair progress bar was steadily advancing), they began to meticulously complete those "auxiliary tasks" according to the "handbook" issued by S-001.

Under the almost harsh and precise guidance of S-001, Excellence manipulated wisps of gentle Power of Order, like the most dexterous tweezers, guiding clusters of silver-white liquid metal that seemed to possess collective intelligence—the "silent-state nano-repair gel"—to fill and fuse the subtle yet glaring crack on the crystal shell of the heart of silence bit by bit. This work tested patience and micro-manipulation to the extreme; it required adjusting the frequency of the Power of Order to a state of perfect Resonance with the repair gel and the material of the heart of silence. Any slight deviation could result in poor repair effects or energy waste. The entire process was like repairing a cosmic-level work of art, requiring complete focus.

Stardust utilized the high-precision analysis module that came back online after the ship's repair, combined with the data processing interface opened by S-001, to dig deep into the remaining "rule melody energy" samples that had been absorbed and converted earlier. She attempted to reverse-parse the "information turbulence" patterns, "probability distributions," and the faint "rule tendencies" of the local area of the Sea of Chaos where they were located before being captured by the Silent Corridor from these highly ordered energy structures, much like trying to infer the temperature and humidity of the cloud layer that formed a snowflake from its crystal structure.

Mute mobilized the limited power recovered in the fragments, cooperating with Excellence's Power of Order as guidance and a buffer, to perform an extremely gentle "surface Resonance scan" on the towering gate in the distance. This was like brushing the scales of a sleeping giant beast with the lightest feather, requiring avoidance of all energy Nodes that could trigger defensive reactions, and reading only the most superficial energy flow and structural stress data to provide key indicators for assessing the current health status of the gate.

As for the "strategic report" of Task D, it became the crystallization of the team's collective wisdom. Excellence, Stardust, Mute, Evelyn, and even White Elder participated in the discussion. Combining historical records in the database, their own combat experience, observations of the behavior of the Heart-Devouring Demon, and the newly acquired data on the gate and the Sea of Chaos, they attempted to piece together the full picture of events. The report proposed several bold hypotheses: there might be some kind of preliminary "guiding consciousness" behind the abnormal "chaos tide"; the activity of the Heart-Devouring Demon might be a tentative extension or byproduct of this "guiding consciousness"; the Silent Corridor system itself, in the long-term absence of an administrator, might have developed some unnoticed "defensive loopholes" or "logical blind spots"; and based on this, it suggested action plans in multiple directions, including "active limited counter-testing," "systematic vulnerability troubleshooting," and "attempting to establish emergency contact with the Main System or other units."

This process was by no means easy, especially imposing extremely high requirements on mental focus, fine control of the Power of Order, and information processing capabilities. But they had no choice; they could only view it as a special kind of "pre-job training" and "competency assessment."

Time passed during their focused work (the sense of time inside the "Silent Corridor" remained thin, but S-001 provided a reliable reference timer).

When Excellence finally guided the last drop of repair gel to blend perfectly, and the shell of the "heart of silence" recovered as before, leaving only a silver-white line visible only to the naked eye at a specific angle; when Stardust successfully extracted a set of highly anomalous frequency parameters from the "Rule Melody" that characterized the regular "Resonance peaks" of "Orderly fluctuations" in a certain area of the "Sea of Chaos"; when Mute's scan data showed that although the "Chaos pressure" currently endured by "the gate" was still significantly higher than the historical baseline, it had slightly fallen compared to before, and the overall "structural impedance" of the "silence" seal network showed small but definite signs of positive recovery; when their team brainstormed, revised several times, and finally submitted a logically rigorous, boldly hypothesized, and highly actionable "Preliminary Analysis and Response Strategy Suggestion Report on Anomalous Events"—

S-001's comprehensive evaluation seemed to have entered its final stage as well.

"All auxiliary verification tasks executed. Data collection and in-depth analysis process ended. Initiating final comprehensive evaluation calculation..."

The atmosphere in the cabin was inexplicably stagnant. Everyone (including Mute) couldn't help but feel a sense of tension, as if waiting for a "final judgment" or the "results of a debriefing."

This "report card" would directly determine whether they were "hired" or "dismissed."

The waiting time seemed exceptionally long.

Finally, S-001's voice sounded again. This time, its synthesized voice seemed to contain a trace of an extremely subtle, hard-to-describe rhythmic change, similar to "review complete" or "preliminary satisfaction"?

"Comprehensive evaluation calculation complete. Generating final evaluation report..."

"Evaluation subjects: Excellence (new type of Power of Order carrier - high potential), Stardust (highly logical tactical support and data analysis unit), Evelyn (ship-borne advanced intelligence - stable), 'White Elder' (high-dimensional information symbiote - friendly state), Mute (former sub-administrator - consciousness fragment recovering)."

"Evaluation core conclusion: Potential rating - [High]. Risk rating - [Medium] (controllable). Potential value for stable maintenance of 'Silent Corridor' and 'the gate' system - [Significant]. Logical self-consistency of behavioral patterns - [Good]. Principle controllability - [Meets expectations]."

"Final system ruling: Passed 'Temporary Emergency Response and Assessment Procedure'. Granted 'Temporary Assistant' identity authentication. Synchronously opening the resource support list corresponding to the permission level."

"We did it!" Excellence let out a long sigh of relief, exchanged a smile with Stardust, and could see the relief in each other's eyes.

Mute's fragments also flickered a few times, as if having unloaded a heavy burden.

"The permission and resource support list is as follows: Granting permission for limited passage, residence, and basic research activities within the 'Silent Corridor' core control area (with 'heart of silence' as the origin, within a radius of 1,000 standard distance units). Opening 'Assistant Level' access to the 'heart of silence' core database (significantly expanded from the initial list, adding historical event detail archives, brief descriptions of non-core technical principles, full text of some low-sensitivity protocols, and more detailed case analyses of 'Heart-Devouring Demon', etc.). Providing a stable energy supply interface for the 'Silent Corridor' basic environment, capable of continuously providing energy support (non-high-intensity combat level) for the 'ranger' and 'Assistant' units to maintain daily operations and basic research. Authorizing limited use of some non-core maintenance and detection facilities of the 'Silent Corridor' upon advance application and compliance with safety procedures. Upon strict adherence to safety protocols and approval of applications, temporary access to trace amounts of 'silence' rule power is permitted for authorized, low-risk research, defensive, or auxiliary operational experiments. Initiating 'Main System Connection Attempt Protocol (low priority, pending execution)'. While the energy level in this area recovers to stability and the state of 'the gate' shows no obvious deterioration, the system will attempt to organize and send a low-power signal containing the status report of this area and basic information of the 'Temporary Assistant', and open a receiving window to listen for feedback from the 'Main System' or other associated facilities (no feedback time guarantee, protocol cycle is long). Temporarily restoring some system permissions of Mute (consciousness fragment) to 'Standby Administrator - Observer' level, allowing access to some non-core databases of the former sub-administrator, and participating in some low-risk system monitoring and auxiliary operations under the premise of final confirmation by S-001 or Excellence."

This "offer letter" and "benefits package" were far more generous than Excellence and the others' most optimistic expectations!

Not only did they get an official "temporary worker" position and "room and board" benefits, but they also gained deep access to the "internal database," permission to use "experimental equipment," and even started trying to help them "contact the superior department"!

Mute finally recovered a bit of "old employee" face, even if it was just an "observer."

"Thank you for the fair evaluation and authorization, S-001." Excellence said sincerely.

Although the process was full of surprises and risks, this result indeed embodied a certain degree of "fairness" and "opportunity."

"No thanks needed. This is a logical disposal plan generated based on established protocols and evaluation data." S-001 responded, "Please note, your 'Temporary Assistant' identity is not permanently valid. You must accept status reviews and periodic performance evaluations (the system will notify you in advance). If major violations occur during this period, substantial damage is caused to the 'Silent Corridor', or value potential significantly declines in subsequent evaluations, the identity may be downgraded or revoked, and corresponding management measures will be triggered according to the protocol."

"Understood, we will abide by relevant regulations and fulfill our duties." Excellence promised solemnly.

Having clear rules was much better than the boundless unknown.

"Then, what are the preliminary plans or immediate needs of you and your team?" S-001 asked, seemingly having switched to "docking support" mode.

Excellence pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the huge, silent "the gate" outside the porthole, and then falling on the few fragments of "stone of silence" in his hand that were mostly repaired and had a restrained luster.

"First, we need some time to make full use of the resources and databases you provided, let our team's state recover to the best, and systematically digest and integrate all the information obtained so far, using this as a basis to formulate a preliminary, long-term 'Assistance Work Plan'." Excellence said clearly, "Secondly, regarding the 'Main System Connection Attempt', I hope it can enter the execution queue as soon as possible, even if it's just sending a short message. Finally..."

He paused, his eyes becoming sharp.

"I hope to use the unique environment, information resources, and technical support here to launch a more in-depth and systematic special investigation and analysis of the 'Heart-Devouring Demon' and the 'source' or 'will' that may exist behind it, driving the anomalous 'Chaos tides'. I have an intuition that what we encountered before may just be the 'tip of the iceberg' revealed by a larger conspiracy or deeper disturbance. And this 'iceberg' is very likely to have some profound, as-yet-unrevealed connection with the long-term anomalies of 'the gate', some potential problems in the 'Silent Corridor' system, and even the lost contact state of the 'Main System' and other units you mentioned."

S-001 was silent for a few seconds, obviously performing complex logical deduction and risk assessment.

"Request recorded. The special investigation on the 'Heart-Devouring Demon' and the source of anomalous tides is within the scope of duties and capacity expansion direction of the 'Temporary Assistant' and can be included in subsequent formal task planning. The system will provide necessary database cross-retrieval support, risk model prediction, and limited technical consultation for this. Regarding the 'Main System Connection Attempt', it has been added to the pending task list. The current energy level of the 'Silent Corridor' environment is steadily recovering, and the state of 'the gate' is tending towards short-term stability. It is expected that the first low-power, directional status report sending attempt can be made after 72 standard time units."

"As for your team's rest, information integration, and planning needs, it is approved. The overall repair progress of the 'ranger' has reached 78%, and it is expected that all key system recoveries will be completed after 36 time units. During this period, you and your team can freely access the authorized database, move within permitted areas, and use designated research facilities. If there are other reasonable needs, you can apply through this link at any time."

"Thank you very much." Excellence thanked again, and then actively lowered the activity of the link; he needed some space to think alone.

In the cabin, the atmosphere relaxed significantly, but was immediately replaced by a complex emotion.

The relief of surviving, the sense of stability from obtaining an official status and resources, the faint excitement of facing unknown challenges, and the expectation of possibly uncovering more cosmic secrets in the future...

"Are we considered... officially hired as 'outsourced technical personnel' by this 'cosmic-level property management company'?" Stardust rubbed her temples, rarely using a slightly teasing metaphor.

"It's more like 'special talent introduction', signed a temporary contract, has an assessment period, but has dorms, a cafeteria, a data room, and can participate in core project research." Excellence also laughed, feeling that this metaphor was unexpectedly apt, "It's just that the boss (system) is a bit rigid, the assessment is strict, and there is a risk of being eliminated at the bottom."

"Be content, young man!" Mute's voice came, carrying a complex emotion of an "old senior" looking at a "new employee", "When I was a 'regular employee' (the watchers) back then, it was all-year-round without rest (regulating balance), the authority was not high, the blame carried was not small (anomalous tides), and key information was not allowed to be known (Main System). Your 'temporary worker' starting configuration, with support, information, and being able to participate in investigations, is more than a little better than what I had at the beginning!"

"Then we have to 'thank' you, senior, for your 'selfless dedication' and 'accidental standby' back then, which cleared this 'internship position' for us, and this set of... um, quite 'intelligent' and 'procedural' emergency management system." Excellence added with a smile.

"Humph! This system definitely has something weird!" Mute remembered the "old debt" of information shielding again, "When I recover a bit more, I must check its underlying code carefully to see which 'genius' designed so many 'automatic updates' and 'hidden clauses'!"

Everyone chatted easily for a few sentences, and the oppressive atmosphere dissipated a lot.

In any case, the most dangerous stage had passed. They had gained a valuable window for breathing, learning, and accumulation, and were also standing at a position that had never been seen before, able to approach and study one of the ultimate mysteries of the universe.

"Alright, everyone," Excellence clapped his hands, although his body was still a little tired, his spirit had already cheered up, "Seize this valuable 'pre-job training' time. First, fully restore your status, then study the 'employee manual' (database) and 'project archives' (historical records) in depth to understand the basic situation as soon as possible. Afterwards, we will plan our 'first project' in detail—how to carry out the special investigation on the 'Heart-Devouring Demon' and anomalous tides."

Stardust nodded and immediately returned to the main console, starting to efficiently search and classify the vast database newly opened by S-001. Evelyn simultaneously optimized the repair process of the spaceship system and began to pre-allocate computing resources for the upcoming research tasks. "White Elder" was also immersed in the realization of the energy rhythm in the deeper part of this area, as ancient wisdom and new information were blending.

Excellence walked to the porthole again, staring at "the gate" that seemed to be unchanging for ages, yet seemed to be able to stir up monstrous waves at any time, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the warm, restrained "stone of silence" fragments.

Temporary worker is a temporary worker. At least, they now have an official "work permit", can access the core database, can receive "energy subsidies", and have clear "work tasks". Next, it is how to use this identity and resources to pry open more secrets step by step, solve bigger troubles, and at the same time... strive for a more solid foothold and a brighter future for himself and his companions in this complex and dangerous universe.

The "property management work" of this universe is full of unknowns and risks, but this "temporary technical specialist" position seems... full of both challenges and opportunities?

A firm arc curled up at the corner of his mouth.

Since he had already waded into these muddy waters, he had to make a name for himself! And all of this was just the beginning. The real puzzle might be far deeper and more astonishing than what they currently saw.