296: Chapter 296 Choosing Risk

Yellow solid lines wound through the chaotic background of the star map, marking several relatively clear "Vortex Silence Points" along the way that could serve as brief respites and positioning nodes, as well as short, unstable "Gap" windows leading to these "Silence Points" that required precise calculation.

The path required traversing several areas of medium and low-intensity pollution and spatial disturbances; while equally dangerous, at least in the star map projections and the sensing of the key, the degree of danger, its regularity, and the potential ways to deal with it were relatively "predictable" and "plannable".

This path remained filled with challenges and the risk of death, but it provided clear phased goals, estimable energy and time consumption, and a relatively "controllable" range of risk.

More importantly, the destination it pointed to was also that "Anchor-α".

For Ling Ye, this was enough.

A path that, within a desperate situation, could maximize the use of his own abilities, experience, and current resources to approach the final goal in a relatively "controllable" manner was the optimal solution at this moment.

He no longer wasted time.

His gaze swept over the three fragments that had turned into ordinary stones, and upon confirming that no information remained, he immediately poured all his mental focus into making the most detailed preparations for the upcoming Void Realm traversal along the medium-risk path.

The first step was the calculation of the time window.

The star map indicated that to reach the first key node—a relatively stable edge area of an energy vortex located at the quarter-mark of the path, labeled as "Silence Point-β"—it needed to cross a spatial "Gap" that would only open briefly for about 120 seconds after approximately thirty-six standard hours (estimated by the energy cycle within The Shelter).

Missing this window, or entering too early or too late, could result in being swept into unstable turbulent energy or entering the wrong location of the "Gap", causing the subsequent path to deviate completely.

Ling Ye immediately used his fingertips to condense Qi on the smooth floor of The Shelter, carving out a simple time calibration model that combined the weak sensing of time passage from the key mark with the energy cycle laws of The Shelter itself.

He needed to ensure his perception of time was as synchronized as possible with the time standard used by the star map projections.

The second step was energy reserve and state adjustment.

He returned to the core metal plate and began a new round of more targeted energy absorption.

This time, he was no longer pursuing quantity alone, but focusing on absorbing and converting those dark blue energy traits that possessed more "stability", "protectiveness", and "a certain resistance to pollution", and performing a deeper Fusion and optimization with the Order energy of the key, storing it within the key mark and his body as the "primary energy source" and "shield cornerstone" for traversing the Void Realm and resisting pollution and spatial disturbances.

At the same time, he began to try to simulate and mobilize this optimized mixed energy within his body, attempting to construct a layer of close-fitting energy shield on the surface of his body that was more stable, flexible, and possessed the dual characteristics of Order Purification and dark blue "freezing".

This shield did not seek to be overly sturdy, but rather to continuously resist the pervasive, medium-to-low intensity mental pollution and energy particle impacts from the outside with minimal consumption.

For Old Shi, Ling Ye also adjusted the energy supplementation strategy.

While continuing to stabilize and strengthen the isolation layer, he began to attempt to inject small amounts of optimized, more "nourishing" and "gentle" mixed energy into the relatively "clean" areas of Old Shi's body, trying to activate and enhance its own vitality and resistance, which had been severely suppressed by pollution, making the most basic preparations for it to potentially maintain basic consciousness or deal with emergencies during the crossing.

The third step was detailed route planning and contingency plans.

He carefully "reviewed" the star map information for the medium-risk path in his mind again.

He highlighted several nodes requiring special attention: in addition to the first "Gap" window, there were two places along the way marked as "Medium Mental Pollution Tidal Zones" that required adjusting mental defenses in advance; an area with a relatively fragile spatial structure where random micro-spatial rifts might exist, requiring extremely cautious perception and evasion; and upon arriving at "Silence Point-β", the potential need for a brief rest, recalibration of direction, and finding the timing for the next "Gap" window.

For every node, he quickly deduced and formulated several simple but feasible action plans and backup schemes in his heart.

This included responses to sudden high-intensity pollution shocks, ways to handle small Void Realm aberrations, replenishment strategies for rapid energy consumption, and even... limited emergency measures he could take if Old Shi's condition deteriorated due to pollution shocks or spatial disturbances during the journey.

Although the plans could not cover every accident, at least they allowed him to maintain a clear head and quick reactions.

The fourth step, and the final one, was the preparation of the "vehicle".

They could not cross the Void Realm with their Physical Body.

Although this wreck of The Shelter was an excellent sanctuary, it seemed to be bound to a deeper, more stable spatial structure (perhaps the original anchor of the "Seventh Observation Outpost") and could not move.

They needed a temporary "vehicle" that could provide basic protection, propulsion, and directional control in the unstable Void Realm.

Ling Ye's gaze fell upon those larger pieces of dark silver metal debris scattered within The Shelter.

These remains were made of special Materials that could resist the erosion of Void Realm energy, and their structures were relatively intact.

He selected the two largest pieces of metal debris whose shapes were closest to "streamlined" or "plate-like".

Then, he began using his fingertips as tools, and the optimized mixed energy as a "welding torch" and "chisel", to carry out a rough but practical modification of these remains.

He shaped one of the larger, thicker pieces of debris into a crude, enclosed "cockpit" prototype that could accommodate two people crouching, leaving only a narrow "observation window" on the front for easy observation and energy manipulation, and etched simple energy patterns inside the "cockpit" to stabilize the internal space, isolate some mental pollution, and enhance the structural strength of the "cockpit".

The other relatively flat piece of debris with sharp edges was modified into a structure similar to a "tail propulsion plate" or "rudder", which he prepared to install behind the "cockpit".

Ling Ye did not intend to rely on complex machinery for the core power and control of the "vehicle".

He planned to use himself as the "engine" and "navigator", combining the Order power of the key mark with the dark blue energy of The Shelter's core to form a crude "propulsion field" and "protective shield" made of mixed energy outside the "cockpit" that could adjust direction, speed, and provide basic protection according to his will.

This required continuous energy output and precise control, consuming a huge amount, but it was the only feasible method under the current conditions.

The modification work lasted for a long time.

When Ling Ye used his last bit of energy to roughly "weld" the "tail propulsion plate" to the main body of the "cockpit" and etched stable energy circuits at the joints, his estimated time calibration model showed that less than eight hours remained until the first "Gap" window opened.

An ugly, crude, dark silver, irregular object that looked like an enlarged, rough metal "coffin", yet could at least provide basic physical shielding and energy guidance, lay quietly in the center of The Shelter.

Ling Ye panted heavily, wiping the sweat from his forehead; the energy in his body had been consumed quite a bit again, but his core reserves were still sufficient.

He glanced at Old Shi, who was still asleep, and then walked to the edge of The Shelter to check the time calibration model he had carved one last time.

He returned to Old Shi's side, gently lifted it up, and used the surviving Materials he had found—relatively flexible, like the outer skin of an energy conduit—to firmly secure it inside the "cockpit" of the "vehicle", in a position close behind himself, ensuring that it would not be injured or fall out due to bumps or shocks during the crossing.

Then, he himself crawled into that narrow, cold metal "coffin", sat in the depression similar to a "driver's seat" reserved at the front of the "cockpit", and pressed his back tightly against the secured Old Shi to provide extra support and cushioning.

Finally, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and pressed his hands onto the two energy input nodes he had pre-etched on the inner wall of the "cockpit", which were connected to the key mark and his own energy circuits.

Energy flowed, and light interwoven with pale gold and dark blue spread rapidly from the nodes to all the energy patterns on the inner wall of the crude "cockpit".

A thin, but structurally relatively stable mixed energy shield, emitting faint fluctuations of Order and "freezing", slowly formed outside the "cockpit".