Chapter 56 Optimal Route

"One hour! Map out a lifeline!"

Chen Weiguo's order was like a military pledge, instantly throwing the entire Command Center into a wartime state.

"Intelligence Analysis Department! Immediately perform highest-precision modeling of all 'energy flow maps' within three hundred kilometers of the signal source!"

"Biology Team! Based on the 'Pheromone Threat Level Determination Rules,' divide all areas along the way where 'Native Predators' might appear into red, yellow, and green danger levels!"

"Technology Department! Mobilize all computing power of the 'pangu system'! Perform exhaustive enumeration and optimization of the routes! I don't want 'possibilities,' I only want the 'optimal'!"

Academician Wang stood before the command console, an astonishing energy erupting from his body, which looked thirty years younger.

One command after another was issued from his mouth, clear and swift.

The entire research team, a "scientific legion" composed of Great Xia's top minds, erupted at this moment with a terrifying combat power sufficient to make the world tremble!

Countless experts surrounded their respective screens, their fingers moving on the keyboards so fast they almost left afterimages.

Massive data streams converged, collided, and were analyzed frantically within the core of the pangu system.

The originally chaotic, dark, and unknown "monster intestinal tract" was having its mysterious and terrifying veil peeled away, bit by bit, before them.

"Report! Discovered a main energy channel! Designated 'A7'! This channel is relatively spacious with stable energy flow; it can serve as our main artery!"

"Report! At the 173-kilometer mark of channel 'A7,' a high-density pheromone gathering area was discovered! Threat level determined as 'Yellow'! Speculated to be a nest for some kind of social small predator! We must bypass it!"

"Report! Discovered an abandoned 'nerve conduction cord' pipe! The internal space is narrow but extremely well-hidden, with no signs of biological activity! It can serve as a backup route!"

"Route planning in progress... Option A: follow the 'A7' main channel the entire way. Estimated time: 2 hours 15 minutes. Probability of encountering high-threat targets: 35%."

"Option B: bypass through the abandoned pipe. Estimated time: 3 hours 40 minutes. Probability of encountering high-threat targets: less than 5%."

"Option C: mixed route. Calculating the optimal entry point..."

Looking at the routes being planned and continuously optimized on the screen, Lin Yuan's heart was filled with emotion.

This was the power of the state.

This was collective wisdom.

If he were alone, facing such a death maze, he might not have even been able to take the first step.

But now, this group of lovely and respectable scientists behind him were using their wisdom and sweat to forcibly pave a road to hope for him.

"How am I some chosen one..." Lin Yuan laughed self-deprecatingly in his heart. "At most, I'm just the tool-man responsible for pressing the 'confirm' button."

An hour passed quickly.

"Reporting to the Chief! The final route has been planned!"

Though Academician Wang's face carried a trace of fatigue, his eyes were full of confidence.

He pointed at the winding route marked in gold on the main screen.

"We have named it—the 'path of the sanctuary'!"

"This route is 321 kilometers long. It combines the speed of the main energy channels with the stealth of the abandoned pipes. Over 80% of the route segments are in absolutely safe 'pheromone vacuum zones'."

"We have planned three backup hiding spots and two emergency evasion plans for Comrade Lin Yuan."

"According to the pangu system's final deduction, by following this route, Comrade Lin Yuan will arrive at the target area 15 minutes before the distress signal!"

"And the probability of him encountering an 'extremely high' threat level target has been successfully reduced by us to... below one percent!"

When Academician Wang spoke that final number, the entire Command Center broke into gasps and applause.

In an unknown area of 'high' danger, reducing the risk to below one percent!

This was no longer a simple route planning exercise.

This was a perfect, textbook-level intelligence and information war!

"Good!" Chen Weiguo slapped the table heavily. "Execute according to this plan!"

He picked up the communicator and said to Lin Yuan, "Comrade Lin Yuan, the map for the 'path of the sanctuary' has been sent to your tactical panel. Now, it's up to you!"

"Copy that!" Lin Yuan looked at the 3D map before him—clear, detailed, with even the angle of every corner marked—and his heart was filled with confidence.

"Reporting to the Chief! Academician Wang! The 'ghost' requests departure!"

"Departure approved!"

"Wishing you... a triumphant return!"

With Chen Weiguo's final command,

The black "ghost" that had been dormant in the dark cavern for so long suddenly moved!

It made no sound and emitted no light.

Like a true ghost, it silently glided out of the cavern and plunged headlong into the bottomless dark pipe marked as the "path of the sanctuary"!

Charging into the monster's stomach!

...

The speed of the "ghost" was fast beyond imagination.

Driven by its Miniature Curvature Gravity Engine, it glided silently, almost hugging the inner walls of the pipe.

The surrounding scenery streaked backward at high speed.

The inner walls of those pipes were not smooth. They were covered in various disgusting, tumor-like growths and some dried, asphalt-like black mucus.

The air was filled with a thick, nauseating stench of rot.

Lin Yuan suppressed his discomfort and concentrated all his attention on piloting.

Although the pangu system had planned a perfect route, the actual piloting still needed to be done by him.

"One thousand meters ahead, turn left and enter abandoned nerve cord pipe 'B-13'."

"Caution, the entrance is narrow; reduce speed to 30%."

Li Na's voice, calm and clear, navigated for him through the headset.

"Copy that."

With a thought from Lin Yuan, the "ghost" instantly slowed down from its high-speed cruise.

Then, with a beautiful, non-inertial ninety-degree drift, it accurately ducked into a pitch-black hole beside it that was only about the size of a truck.

The interior of this abandoned nerve cord pipe was indeed narrower and more oppressive.

But by the same token, it was also safer.

The pheromone scanning system showed the surroundings in a safe green.

"Nicely done, Lin Yuan! We've successfully bypassed the first 'Yellow' danger zone," Academician Wang praised.

"Heh, it's nothing," Lin Yuan said smugly.

He felt as if he were playing an ultra-high-difficulty, 3D racing game right now.

Thrilling, yet full of fun.

The subsequent journey was exceptionally smooth.

Guided by the "path of the sanctuary," the "ghost" was like a slippery loach, weaving flexibly through the complex and dangerous digestive system of the giant beast skeleton.

They bypassed one "Yellow" danger zone after another without incident, avoiding group after group of unknown monsters.

Sometimes, Lin Yuan could even see through "High-Dimensional Penetration Scanning" that in the adjacent pipe across a layer of "flesh wall," tens of thousands of monsters like giant cockroaches were crawling frantically.

The densely packed sight made his scalp tingle.

He felt grateful more than once that he had listened to Academician Wang and the others instead of barging in blindly.

Otherwise, with his meager skills, he would likely have become a meal for these monsters long ago.

Two and a half hours later.

"Report! About to arrive at the end of the 'path of the sanctuary'!" Li Na's voice carried a hint of excitement.

"The distress signal strength is increasing rapidly! We are very close to it!"

"Great!" Everyone in the Command Center felt their spirits lift.

Lin Yuan also breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at the green destination getting closer on the map, feeling that victory was in sight.

However, just then!

An anomaly occurred once again!

The "ghost's" alarm system suddenly, without any warning, erupted into a blood-red alarm that was shriller and more frantic than any before!

"Warning! Warning! Warning!"

"Ultra-high intensity space distortion reaction detected!"

"Directly ahead, an unknown high-energy 'Void Devourer' variant has appeared!"

"Warning! The target has locked onto us! 'Spatial Lens Force Field'... has failed!!!"