135: Chapter 135 A Silent Thunderclap Awaits the Right Moment

The appearance and disappearance of those two points of red light and vital signs were, in themselves, an extremely important signal.

It proved that, besides the overt Municipal Government and the potential Security Department, there was a third (or even more) force that had intervened in the vicinity of the Old Factory District in an extremely covert manner following the anomaly outbreak.

Who were they?

What was their purpose?

Were they friend or foe?

These unknowns were more dangerous than the known threats.

Acting rashly would only expose oneself prematurely, turning one into a "beacon" under the gaze of all parties.

The safest and most rational approach was to continue lying low.

Like the most patient hunter, one had to blend into the environment, using the invisible eyes of "Spiritual Sense" to keep a fixed gaze on the direction of the Old Factory District, letting no new changes slip by.

At the same time, one had to pay attention to every rustle and movement within the community.

Since the other party had appeared, they might act again.

Any subtle traces left behind by them (such as residual energy or information disturbances) might also be captured in subsequent sensing.

Waiting, observing, and analyzing were the correct ways to obtain information, assess risks, and formulate the next strategy.

Ling Ye slowly sat down on the living room floor, his back against the wall, adjusting his breathing to enter a calm state similar to "Turtle Breathing."

His body's metabolism dropped to its lowest point, yet his mind was like a taut bowstring, focusing the vast majority of his "Spiritual Sense" toward the Old Factory District, especially the wall area where the red light had flashed.

The night was deep, and everything was silent.

The community seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, with only the scattered streetlights in the distance emitting a dim, yellow light.

The "cold" scent in the air remained, but it seemed a fraction fainter than in the evening.

The "sense of disharmony" in the direction of the Old Factory District maintained that unstable "pulsation," but neither the intensity nor the frequency showed any outbreaks like the one in the afternoon.

Time passed second by second, tedious and long.

Ling Ye's "Spiritual Sense," like the most precise radar, scanned that area over and over, capturing any hint of unusual energy fluctuations, information ripples, or signs of life.

No red light reappeared.

No suspicious vital signs.

No abnormal electronic signals.

Near that wall, it was as if nothing had truly happened.

But Ling Ye did not lower his guard.

He knew well that, on certain levels, the absence of traces was in itself a kind of trace.

To be able to disappear so cleanly and neatly indicated that the other party was well-trained and had likely used some form of shielding or concealment technology.

He continued to wait patiently, while simultaneously diverting a sliver of his attention to keep watch on other directions within the community.

There was no movement from the Municipal Government engineering vehicles; they seemed to have truly withdrawn.

Occasionally, a returning hovercar would glide through the community, or there would be a bark or two from a dog, only for silence to return immediately.

Around three in the morning, just as Ling Ye felt mentally exhausted and was preparing to take a short rest—Hum!

An extremely slight but exceptionally clear vibration, not coming from his hearing but acting directly upon his "Spiritual Sense," as if some heavy, unnatural "existence" had "trembled" slightly!

The source was the very underground core of the Old Factory District!

Immediately after, that "sense of disharmony" which had been in a state of unstable "pulsation" suddenly churned violently, like a deep pool into which a giant boulder had been thrown!

Cold, chaotic, and erosive energy surged outward like a tide!

Although the intensity was far less than the afternoon's outbreak, the chaos and malice of its "essence" were even more pure!

The "cold" scent in the community air intensified suddenly!

Even from so far away, Ling Ye could feel a slight chill on his skin, as if brushed by an icy brush!

The metal box on the desk containing the black stones also emitted an extremely faint "click," as if something inside was rubbing against something else!

What made his heart tighten even more was that he "sensed" that, beneath the core of the Old Factory District, the abnormal energy, in its violent churning, seemed to have briefly "torn" or "pierced" an extremely tiny weak point in the seal, and a wisp of extremely pure, yet even more dangerous and cold "erosive intent," like a viper's tongue, had suddenly probed upward for an instant!

Although this "probing" lasted less than half a second before being forcibly pushed back by a stronger sealing force (perhaps residual, or perhaps because the "thing" itself was unstable), in that very instant, Ling Ye "heard" a screech that was by no means a physical sound, but one that acted directly on the level of the Soul—a screech filled with pain, anger, and endless greed!

This screech could not be described in words; it was as if death itself, frozen for billions of years, were roaring!

"Urgh!" Ling Ye let out a muffled groan.

Even with his current mental defenses and the foundation of his "Star Visualization," he was left dizzy by this sudden screech that struck directly at his Soul.

The "Ancient Stars" visualized in his Sea of Consciousness swayed violently, their light dimming.

His chest felt stuffy and nauseous, and the "Qi Membrane" on the surface of his skin almost instantly dissipated!

What a terrifying mental shock!

Just a wisp of the aftermath leaking from under the seal had such power!

If one were to face its core directly...

Ling Ye forced himself to endure the discomfort, desperately steadying his mind to re-condense his "Star Visualization" and "Qi Membrane."

He knew that the outbreak and screech from just a moment ago were absolutely no small matter!

It was not just a fluctuation on the energy level, but a brief manifestation of that "thing's" will!

This screech might not be audible to ordinary people, but those like him who possessed "Spiritual Sense," or people like Su Qing or Zhou Ming who might possess special perception, as well as other "sensitives" who might be near the Old Factory District, would definitely be able to sense it!

Sure enough, just as the aftermath of the screech had not yet completely dissipated, Ling Ye's "Spiritual Sense" captured that, in the direction of the Old Factory District, in a patch of shadow about a hundred meters from the wall, that vanished dark van had actually appeared again silently!

Moreover, this time, a tiny disc-shaped device seemed to rise quickly from the roof, rotate once, and then retract rapidly.

They were monitoring!

They had captured the mental outbreak from just now!

Immediately after, in the community, the lights of several households suddenly turned on and then quickly turned off; it seemed some people had been awakened.

In the distance, the faint roar of hovercar engines could be heard, rapidly approaching from the direction of the city!

It wasn't a siren, but the speed was extremely fast!

The authorities had been alerted!

It could be the Security Department, or it could be other emergency departments!

Ling Ye's heart pounded wildly.

The situation was escalating rapidly!

The anomaly outbreaks, each stronger than the last, were nearing the point of exceeding the scope of "low-profile handling"!

He had to make a judgment immediately.

Should he stay in the apartment and wait for the chaos or even official investigations that might follow?

Or...

Just at this moment, the personal terminal on his wrist suddenly vibrated continuously!

It wasn't a message, but a communication request!

Moreover, the caller ID showed an encrypted, hidden number!

Who?!

Su Qing?

Zhou Ming?

The Security Department?

Or... the people in that dark van from just now?!

In the dead of night, after an anomaly outbreak, a call from a hidden number...

Ling Ye stared at the communication request icon, which was flashing continuously and seemed to carry an ominous implication.

His finger hovered above the answer button, hesitating to press it.

To answer, or not to answer?