192: Chapter 192 Star Contemplation, Spiderweb Glimmer

The time spent in deep meditation was like sinking into a sunless seabed. Under the constant rhythm of "Star Visualization" and the guidance of the Gatekeeper Beginner Legacy · Mental Chapter》, his consciousness slowly and firmly repaired his shattered body and mind. Pain turned into a background hum, and weakness was replaced by a burgeoning trickle of warmth. When Ling Ye "surfaced" again, the faint light outside seemed to have shifted by a few degrees, and the outlines of the shadows within the Warehouse were slightly different.

He slowly opened his eyes; the exhaustion in them had not yet faded, but there was a bit more clarity born of introspection. His body was still heavy and in pain, but that near-death feeling of collapse and the dizziness from blood loss had weakened. The dull pain in his internal organs remained, but his breathing was much smoother. Most gratifyingly, several major wounds, under the guidance of his "Will" and the effect of his own tenacious vitality, began to itch—a sign that the tissues were beginning to heal. Although the grayish-white cold area on his left arm remained numb, it had not expanded, and there seemed to be an extremely faint warmth trying to penetrate its edges.

His Mental Energy had recovered somewhat; although far from full, it was at least no longer a flickering candle in the wind. The core light of "Star Visualization" was stable, emitting a rhythm of continuous nourishment. Deep within his Soul, the "Ancient Ring" mark remained silent, but that feeling of absolute "dead silence" had lessened, as if it were a dormant volcano still possessing a faint heat within. The "xuanyuan ring" on his right hand still felt cold to the touch, but when he focused his mind to "look inward," he could vaguely perceive an extremely slow, almost imperceptible "flow" of that deep, ghostly light within the ring.

The Legacy knowledge imparted by the Tower Spirit was as if branded deep into his consciousness, clear and usable. Especially the parts regarding Energy Perception, Mental Energy condensation, and the preliminary analysis of "incongruous" information, which elevated his understanding of himself and his environment to a new level. He could now more clearly "feel" the trace of cold, corrosive characteristics belonging to the "abyssal eye" lingering in his wounds (which were being slowly undergoing Purification), and he could also more keenly capture the extremely weak energy flows and information remnants in the air.

He estimated the time. The deep meditation had likely lasted three to four hours. The light outside had not changed much; it might still be daytime, but the exact time was unknown.

First step of short-term goals: deep recovery, partially achieved. Next, it was time to obtain information and search for supplies.

He leaned against the cold wall, stood up with difficulty, and moved his stiff, aching joints. Hunger and thirst struck again, but it was much better than when he had first woken from his coma. He drank the last few mouthfuls of water and ate the last few scraps from the nutrient package.

Now, he needed to explore this Warehouse.

He picked up the crowbar (to serve as both a walking stick and a weapon), tucked the pipe wrench into his belt, and began a cautious, fan-shaped exploration starting from the corner where he had been hiding.

The Warehouse was larger than it had looked from the ventilation shaft, and there was even more clutter piled up. In addition to damaged machine tools, rusted pipes, and rotten wooden crates, he also saw old spare parts boxes marked with the "Dawn City Public Facilities Management Office" logo, stacks of empty burlap sacks imprinted with blurry grain logos, and several overturned metal oil drums emitting a faint smell of machine oil.

This place looked like a comprehensive reserve Warehouse abandoned by the Municipal Government or a factory; it was old, but not entirely disordered. The fresh drag marks and footprints in the dust caught his attention. The traces were chaotic and of varying sizes, seeming to belong to more than one person, and lacked any specific pattern, as if left behind while hastily searching for something or hiding. The traces were very recent, likely left within a few hours or a day before he fell into a coma.

Were they other survivors? Or a search team from the "Cleaning" faction? Or perhaps subterranean creatures (non-derivatives) that had been disturbed by the underground tremors and fled from other areas?

He became even more vigilant, exploring along the direction where the traces were sparse, while keeping an eye out for any potentially useful items.

In a half-open wooden crate marked with the word "Tools," he found a few rusted but barely usable wrenches and screwdrivers, a roll of electrical tape that was almost weathered but could still be torn, and—most importantly—an old, battery-operated high-intensity flashlight with a faint red light indicating its battery level (about one-third)! Although the flashlight was old, it was fully functional, its beam was strong, and it was an invaluable tool in the darkness!

He packed away the flashlight and electrical tape. Under an overturned parts rack, he also found an emergency thermal blanket that was torn but had its inner aluminum foil layer intact, as well as half a box of matches that had become completely damp and useless. The thermal blanket was better than nothing and could provide warmth.

There was no direct food or water. But in one corner, he found a damaged cast-iron sink that seemed to be connected to external pipes. He twisted the rusted-shut faucet; at first, only rust-colored air sputtered out, but a moment later, a small but continuous stream of slightly murky cold water flowed out!

A Water Source! Although untreated, in this environment, it was nothing short of nectar! He immediately used a relatively clean, broken tin can he had found to catch the water and let it sit to settle. At the same time, he checked the water quality; the Legacy knowledge contained rudimentary methods for identifying "energy pollution" and common toxins. He focused his mind to perceive it; there were only common minerals and rust sediment in the water flow, no cold "incongruous feeling" like that of the "abyssal eye," and no signs of obvious chemical toxins. It was drinkable, but it needed to be boiled or left to settle for a long time.

He greedily drank several large mouthfuls of the settled clear water, and his thirst was greatly relieved. He then washed and filled the remaining water bottle he had on him and a few empty canned food tins he had found.

Next, food. He carefully searched the piles of empty burlap sacks marked with grain logos, but found nothing. However, in an extremely hidden corner of the Warehouse, covered by oil drums and torn canvas, he discovered a "nest" cleverly constructed with bricks and wooden boards, lined with dry rags and newspapers, along with several empty military canned food tins and torn synthetic food packaging bags scattered nearby!

Someone had lived here recently! And it looked like a stronghold for one or several experienced survivors! Those canned food tins and packaging bags were very new, with production dates within the last few months. They had likely stocked up on food but had now left; either they were temporarily out, or they had permanently evacuated due to some reason (earthquake? pollution spread?).

Ling Ye's heart tightened. He carefully checked the "nest" and its surroundings, but no personal items or notes had been left behind. He expanded his search and, behind an overturned metal cabinet next to the "nest," discovered a palm-sized iron box, carefully wrapped in oilcloth and shoved into a crack in the wall.

He carefully took out the iron box and opened it. There was no food inside, only a few things:

A hand-drawn, very rough partial schematic of the Dawn City underground pipe network, highlighting several "relatively safe" hiding spots, Water Source locations, and "dangerous areas" marked with red crosses (one of the red crosses was nearby, labeled "Strange noises, do not approach").

A small pencil stub and a few sticky notes, on which were recorded some dates and short words in crooked handwriting: "Tremors intensifying," "Blue light in the southeast," "Heard footsteps (non-human?)," "Not much food left, need to try my luck at the 'Old Market'," "'Cleaning' faction is catching people, be careful."

An old, knob-operated, palm-sized crystal radio, with an empty battery compartment.

A map! Information! A radio!

A huge haul!

Ling Ye suppressed his excitement and first carefully studied the map. The map covered an area with this Warehouse (labeled on the map as "Old Machine Repair Depot") as the center, with a radius of about one kilometer. It marked several exits that might lead to the surface (mostly marked "suspected blockage" or "dangerous"), several points that might have stable Water Source (including this sink), and two other similar "hiding spots." The "dangerous area" marked with a red cross was located about three hundred meters southeast of the Warehouse on the map, at the intersection of another larger abandoned main drainage pipe; it was labeled "Recent abnormal noises and cold winds, suspected of having something entrenched, do not approach."

This explained the source of the fingerprints and drag marks—the previous occupants were likely forced to leave because they sensed the abnormality in that "dangerous area," or because their food had run out, and due to rumors of the "Cleaning" faction catching people.

The records on the sticky notes also corroborated this and provided a timeline—the most recent record was "three days ago." This meant that at least three days ago, there were still survivors active here. And the records of "tremors intensifying" and "blue light in the southeast" coincided with the runaway of the B7 core and the active time of the "abyssal eye."

As for the crystal radio, if he could find batteries, he might be able to receive broadcast signals from the outside world; even if it was just a few words, it would be valuable intelligence.

He carefully packed away the map, sticky notes, pencil, and radio. Then he searched more carefully around the "nest," hoping to find a small amount of food that the occupants might have missed. Hard work paid off; in a roll of rags, he felt a small piece of compressed biscuit that was as hard as a stone but well-sealed, as well as two small strips of high-energy chocolate, also wrapped in tin foil and equally hard!

Food! Although little, it was enough to sustain him for a day or two!

Ling Ye solemnly packed away these precious supplies. Now, he had water (needing treatment), a small amount of food, tools, lighting, and a map and information. The basic conditions for survival had been greatly improved.

He returned to the corner he had chosen, spread the thermal blanket on the relatively clean floor, and sat down. While slowly chewing a small piece of compressed biscuit (extremely difficult, but it provided real calories), he organized his thoughts.

Information Summary and Situation Analysis:

Self-location: Located somewhere in the Dawn City underground pipe network, specifically the "Old Machine Repair Depot." According to the map, this place was relatively remote but not absolutely safe; there were unknown dangerous areas nearby, and there might be other survivors or "Cleaning" faction activities.

Time elapsed: From the B7 core runaway until now, at least fifteen hours of real time had passed (12 hours of coma + 3 hours of recovery and exploration + ?).

External situation (speculation): The city was in chaos, the "abyssal eye" pollution was spreading but not completely out of control, the "Meltdown" partial execution had caused damage, the "Cleaning" faction was catching people and controlling the situation, and ordinary citizens were plunged into panic and struggling to survive. The southeastern area where he had previously been (Oak Street, Old Factory District, Rust Town) was a heavily affected area.

Self-status: Seriously injured, but out of danger, and in a slow recovery period. The power of the "dual rings" was dormant and needed time to be nurtured. He had obtained preliminary Legacy knowledge, and his survival and stealth abilities had improved.

Short-term threats: Nearby unknown dangerous area ("strange noises"), potential other survivors (friend or foe unknown), possible underground searches by the "Cleaning" faction, and the potential spread of "abyssal eye" pollution.

Short-term opportunities: Possessed a temporary safe stronghold, basic supplies, and map information. Could try to obtain external information via the radio (if there were batteries). Needed to prioritize recovering combat effectiveness, cautiously scout the surroundings, and evaluate the next direction of action.

Revision of the Next Action Plan:

Continued recovery and vigilance: Set up simple early warning devices in the corner (using string and empty cans), conduct moderate meditation to recover, while dealing with the Water Source (settling/finding a heating method), and try to find batteries for the radio (perhaps there were abandoned devices in the Warehouse that could be dismantled?).

Cautious scouting: After his physical strength recovered to about 30% and he ensured the early warning was effective, conduct a more thorough but not reckless search of the Warehouse, looking for potentially missed supplies (such as batteries, medicine, more tools), and investigate the movements in that "dangerous area" (observe from a distance, never approach).

Information acquisition: The primary goal was to obtain batteries and start the radio. Secondly, assuming safety was ensured, consider attempting a tentative scouting mission to another "hiding spot" marked on the map at night (if the Warehouse had day-night light changes) or under extremely cautious circumstances, to see if there were other survivors or clues.

Strength recovery plan: After his injuries stabilized, begin low-intensity physical adaptability activities and Mental Energy training according to the Legacy knowledge. Focus on practicing "Energy Perception" and "Will barrier" to prepare for potential encounters with "abyssal eye" pollution or mental interference.

The plan was set. Ling Ye adjusted the high-intensity flashlight to its dimmest setting as emergency lighting. Then, he entered a deep state of meditative recovery once again, while splitting off a wisp of his consciousness to keep watch for any movement around him.

In the darkness, time flowed slowly once again.

The crumbs of the compressed biscuit dissolved in his stomach, providing calories.

The itching at his wounds continued, bringing hope.

Deep within the "Ancient Ring" mark on his left hand, that dormant volcano seemed to pulse, extremely slowly.

On the cold surface of the "xuanyuan ring" on his right hand, a wisp of ghostly light flowed by, imperceptibly.

Recovery had quietly begun in the most subtle of places.

And outside the Warehouse, in that endless darkness and complex pipe network, certain existences also seemed to have been stirred by the earth-shattering events in the B7 direction not long ago and the subsequent sustained chaos, and began to cast their "gaze" toward this forgotten corner...