154: Chapter 154 Lying in wait in the shadows, awaiting the mantis

Ling Ye no longer hesitated. He retreated quietly, shrinking completely into the shadows of the pipe entrance.

He did not set any traps inside the cave, as that would leave obvious traces.

He chose to set them inside the pipe he was currently in, past a turn about ten meters from the entrance.

Light could not reach here at all, and it was the only way to enter the cave (if the owner returned from this pipe).

He used fiber rope from his backpack, a few small metal rings he had picked up in the Industrial Zone, and loose gravel from the pipe wall to set up an extremely simple but effective tripwire warning mechanism.

Once someone passed by and triggered the rope, the gravel would roll down, creating a slight but clear sound, enough to wake someone sleeping lightly in the silent pipe.

At the same time, the slight displacement of the rope would change the hanging angle of a small metal ring, which served as the visual confirmation marker he had prepared.

After setting up the warning mechanism, he retreated about twenty meters deeper into the pipe. There was a small depression formed by the deformation of the pipe, just enough for one person to curl up and hide.

He cleaned away the dust and cobwebs in the depression, made himself as comfortable as possible, and sat down with his back against the cold pipe wall.

He did not light a fire, did not use any lighting, and even minimized his movements.

He just sat quietly, adjusting his breathing, lowering his body's metabolism to the minimum, like an animal entering hibernation.

Only his "Spiritual Sense" maintained a medium-intensity, continuous external perception, like an invisible spider web, covering the area from the warning mechanism to the cave entrance, as well as the general situation inside the cave.

In the darkness, time lost its meaning. There was only the faint whimpering from the distance, whether it was underground water flow or the wind, and his own slow and powerful heartbeat.

He began to review everything after entering the underground pipe in his mind, thinking about various possibilities.

Who could the cave owner be?

Urban explorer/vagabond: Low possibility. The environment here is too strange (glowing jelly, stagnant pools), and there is equipment like a metal box that clearly does not belong to an ordinary vagabond.

A "Sensitive" or "Fugitive" related to the incident: Escaped from the Oak Street incident or screening, accidentally discovered this place and temporarily hid here.

The metal box might be urgent items they were carrying (such as documents, equipment, or items related to "Anomalies"). If so, their state might be unstable, and they would be hostile to official or "Cleaning" forces.

Peripheral personnel/observation post of the "Cleaning" protocol or related forces: Responsible for monitoring underground anomalies or specific areas; this place is a temporary stronghold.

The metal box is communication or monitoring equipment. If so, the owner is likely well-trained and may have companions or regular contact.

Personnel from "Deep Space Frontier Capital" or similar mysterious organizations: The owner of the Old Factory District, interested in underground secrets, may have set up a secret research point or observation point here.

Something related to the "Heterogeneous Existence" of the Old Factory District...? This thought made Ling Ye shudder.

That glowing jelly and stagnant pool did indeed have a vague similarity to some characteristics of "Anomalies." But there was no strong "sense of discord" in the cave, and the energy fluctuations of the metal box were not of an "erosive" nature.

Cannot be determined. Only waiting remains.

While waiting, Ling Ye did not completely waste his time.

In the absolute darkness and silence, he continued to try to make more precise adjustments and controls over the operation of "Star Visualization" and "Qi."

He sank his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness; the light of that "Ancient Star" seemed more solid and constant than before.

He tried to fuse the Concept of "Stillness" and "Purification" of the "Star Visualization" more deeply with his own obsession of "Gatekeeper," making that starlight seem to carry a hint of solemnity that guarded the portal and repelled all evil.

As for the guidance of "Qi," he paid more attention to its "introversion" and "penetration."

He let that faint airflow not only form a "membrane" on the body surface, but tried to guide it to penetrate into the subtle parts of muscles and bones, for basic nourishment and strengthening, while continuing to sense the faint mark deep in his Soul connected to the "Ancient Ring" and "bone ring," letting the circulation of Qi produce a more harmonious resonance with it.

This process was slow and difficult, but in this extreme quiet and focus, it seemed to have made some indescribable progress.

He did not know how long it had been, maybe a few hours, maybe most of the day. The pipe was always dead silent, with only his own breathing and heartbeat.

Just when Ling Ye almost thought the owner would not return, or had already left from other passages—

Click.

A sound of gravel rolling, extremely slight but magnified countless times in the silence, came from the direction of the warning mechanism!

Immediately afterwards, in Ling Ye's "Spiritual Sense" perception, a life sign was approaching the cave entrance—that is, the location of the warning mechanism—at a slow, cautious, but steady speed from deeper in the pipe (the opposite direction from where he came)!

Not coming out of the cave, but returning from deeper in the pipe! This pipe really had other exits or connections!

Ling Ye held his breath instantly, condensed his "Spiritual Sense" perception to the limit, and at the same time, his body was like a stone blending into the shadows, motionless.

The life sign paused slightly in front of the warning mechanism, seemingly noticing something (the gravel was touched?), but soon continued to move forward and walked into the cave.

Through the blurry outline perception of "Spiritual Sense," it was an adult male figure, with a kind of competence and vigilance in his movements.

His life energy was a bit stronger than an ordinary person, but not much beyond the human category. He was not carrying large items, but there seemed to be something tucked at his waist.

After that person entered the cave, he seemed to stand at the entrance for a moment, scanning the entire cave vigilantly (Ling Ye's "Spiritual Sense" could feel that kind of scrutinizing gaze sweeping over the direction of the pipe where he was hiding, but it did not stay).

Then, he stepped towards that corner—the direction of his "home."

Ling Ye's heart rose. The critical moment had arrived. This person was the owner of the cave. What would he do? Check the metal box? Rest? Or... have other actions?

He focused his "listening," using "Spiritual Sense" to capture the slightest movement in the cave.

The footsteps stopped at the corner. There was a rustling sound, and it seemed the person sat down, possibly on that mossy bed. Then, a slight, weary sigh came.

Then, there was a soft sound of metal friction. Was the metal box opened?

Ling Ye could not "see" clearly, but his "Spiritual Sense" clearly captured that the moment the box was opened, the low-power standby energy fluctuation emitted from it suddenly increased!

At the same time, there was an extremely faint, rhythmic "beep-beep" sound, as if some device had started a self-test or was receiving a signal.

Immediately afterwards, a low, male voice, which had been significantly distorted and encrypted, came from the direction of the box. The sound was not loud, but in the silent cave, Ling Ye's "Spiritual Sense" could barely capture some intermittent words:

"...Nest report... 'Observation point' maintained... Target area (noise)... Barrier status stable... Internal activity frequency (noise)... Increased... No 'the key' related signals found... Requesting next step instructions..."

"Observation point"! "Barrier status"! "the key"!

These keywords exploded in Ling Ye's mind like thunder!

This cave was indeed an observation point! The target of observation was the energy barrier of the Old Factory District and internal activities! And what they were looking for was indeed "the key"!

This person was a peripheral observer for the "Cleaning" protocol or forces closely related to the "Cleaning" protocol!

Ling Ye's heart pounded wildly, but he forcibly suppressed it. He had to hear more!

The low male voice paused for a moment, as if listening to instructions from the other end of the encrypted communication. After ten seconds, the voice sounded again, as if repeating the order:

"...Understood. Continue to monitor the barrier and surrounding abnormal energy readings... Focus on energy residues and life signals in underground pipe networks and abandoned facilities... If any 'Sensitive Individual' or 'Anomaly' is found, report immediately, do not approach without authorization... Stay hidden, change location regularly... The second phase of 'Cleaning' may be advanced..."

The order was clear and cold. Continue monitoring, look for "Sensitive Individuals" (an extension of the screening!) and "Anomaly," report, do not approach. The second phase of "Cleaning" might be advanced!

The communication seemed to be over. The energy fluctuation weakened, and the "beep-beep" sound stopped. The soft sound of the box being closed came.

Then, there was the sound of the person getting up and walking slightly in the cave. It seemed to be checking the water storage, or perhaps simply moving his body. Then, the footsteps came towards the pipe entrance again!

Was he leaving? Or... did he discover something?

Ling Ye's muscles tightened instantly, his spirit condensed to the extreme, like a cheetah ready to strike, or a rock completely integrated into the environment.

The footsteps stopped again at the pipe entrance.

Ling Ye's "Spiritual Sense" could feel that the person's gaze swept over the deep inside of the pipe again, as if searching for something in the darkness.

The air seemed to have frozen.