213: 213. Ninth Inning

"The Helmsman, I will immediately implement all instructions. I will personally oversee the establishment of the Ninth Bureau, the confirmation of the expert list, and the creation of resource channels to ensure everything is foolproof."

The Helmsman nodded, his face etched with weariness, yet his eyes were exceptionally clear: "Go. Remember, highest priority, absolute secrecy. The candidates must be absolutely loyal, reliable, and… have the right mindset. They are not there to supervise; they are there to serve, to learn, and, even more so, to protect."

"Understood!" Lü Chenxing solemnly affirmed, then turned and quickly left the study. He knew that a silent but far-reaching, monumental change had been initiated… Under the highest authority's command, a vast national machinery began to operate around the name "Lu Feng" with unprecedented efficiency and absolute secrecy, moving swiftly and silently.

A special team, codenamed "Candle Dragon," was assembled, its sole mission to ensure the absolute safety of Lu Feng and his core team members.

The team members came from the most elite special forces and security departments. Not only were they exceptionally capable, but more importantly, they were explicitly informed upon receiving their mission that their protected subject was a "cornerstone" vital to the nation's destiny and even civilization itself. Its importance transcended all else, and their duty was one of dedication and guardianship, not control.

At the same time, the Ninth Bureau was rapidly established, with its base located in a top-secret underground facility. Various top-secret announcements began to be issued.

Northwest, a top-secret aerospace propulsion research institute.

Academician Wu Yuefeng, over seventy years old, was presiding over a critical thruster test.

The red indicator light on the encrypted communication line suddenly lit up, and an assistant handed him a document bearing the highest-level security markings.

Academician Wu only glanced at it, his wrinkled hand trembling slightly, then he unhesitatingly gave instructions to his deputy: "You are fully responsible for the subsequent tests. I have a more important mission."

An hour later, he was already on a special plane bound for the imperial capital. Outside the window stretched the vast Gobi Desert, and his heart was filled with the gravity of the unknown mission.

Southwest, a super-deep underground laboratory in a mountain cave.

Theoretical physicist Chu Feng had just recorded a set of data on faint deep-space signals.

A notification of the same level arrived. He did not hesitate, sealing years of accumulated research materials and leaving his team members with only the words "National summons." He was then escorted away by special personnel under the cover of night, heading towards a research field he had never imagined.

Jiangnan water town, a quiet cognitive science research institute at a university.

Professor Zhou, who studied the essence of consciousness, was analyzing electroencephalogram patterns. An urgent notification interrupted his work.

Looking at the familiar highest-level marking, he took a deep breath, realizing that the theories he had dedicated his life to, often considered "fringe" or "philosophical speculation," might soon touch the true core.

He quickly packed his luggage, bid a hasty farewell to his family, and embarked on an unknown journey.

Twenty-seven top experts from over a dozen fields, including theoretical physics, astrophysics, high-energy physics, occultism, ancient scripts, archaeology, cognitive science, and cutting-edge mathematics, arrived consecutively within a day at an underground base on the outskirts of the imperial capital, a location never marked on any map, all under absolute secrecy.

The interior of the base exuded a sense of gravitas, and the conference room was solemn and dignified.

However, no one had any desire to chat, silently awaiting the appearance of the person in charge. When The Helmsman personally appeared before them, all the experts realized the extraordinary nature of the matter.

"Distinguished scholars."

The Helmsman's voice was steady, his gaze sweeping over every scholar present: "Thank you all for answering the call. The agreement you have signed is our nation's highest-level confidentiality agreement. Starting today, the nation has decided to formally establish a brand-new research institution, one that transcends all existing scientific research systems… the Ninth Bureau. You will be the first batch of core researchers for the Ninth Bureau."

Ninth Bureau! A never-before-heard designation, hinting at its transcendent status and mission.

He paused, his tone grave: "Our research direction will go beyond any field you are familiar with. It involves spatial rifts, interdimensional information spillage, non-classical geometric symbols, the supernatural domain, and… warnings possibly related to the survival of civilization."

As soon as his words fell, a wave of suppressed murmuring rose from below the stage.

A physicist known for his rigor couldn't help but speak, his tone tinged with confusion: "Chief, forgive my bluntness, but what you've described… sounds more like the realm of science fiction than a serious scientific research direction. Is this… perhaps… not scientific enough?"

His question represented the sentiments of many hard science experts present.

In the early stages of Xia Kingdom's development, there was once such a period when all scientific research in the entire nation went astray, rushing towards fields like psychic abilities and qigong, with predictable results.

They hit a wall, and even the general atmosphere of the entire nation was led astray.

This period of history could be said to be the dark history of all scientific researchers, something they preferred not to recall.

So when The Helmsman brought up these matters again, everyone's first thought was: Is the nation doomed?

The Helmsman did not explain anything but looked to the side. Just then, the side door of the conference room opened, and a young man slowly walked in, standing beside The Helmsman.

He was too young, with an unremarkable demeanor, forming a stark contrast with the gray-haired, distinguished experts present.

The Helmsman nodded slightly to him, then said to everyone: "This is Mr. Lu Feng. He is the cornerstone of this department's creation, our Ninth Bureau's chief consultant, and the… key to all our upcoming research. All your questions will be answered by Mr. Lu."

The confusion in the conference room reached its peak.

A young man? Chief consultant? Key?

Lu Feng said nothing more, merely casting a calm gaze over the entire room. The next moment, he gently raised his hand.

Silently, the entire conference room, along with everyone in it, seemed to be pulled into a bizarre and fantastical vortex!

The surrounding walls and furniture dissolved like fluid, replaced by a vast, boundless starry sky, with swirling nebulae beneath their feet.

And in the distance, there was a dark rift emitting an ominous aura and constantly seeping out strange symbols!

Those incomprehensible geometric symbols were generated, twisted, and annihilated around them. Before they could react, fragmented and chaotic images assaulted their senses like a tide!

This was not an illusion, but Lu Feng briefly pulling all their consciousnesses into a dream space, into a simulated projection of the rift!

After only a dozen seconds, everything returned to normal. The conference room was as it was, but all the experts present, regardless of age or how firmly they had previously believed in materialism, were now pale and drenched in sweat.

Some of the older experts were gasping for air, exclaiming in terror: "Medicine… medicine… medicine…"

Then they frantically fumbled for quick-acting heart pills or blood pressure medication on their bodies.

Many had to lean on tables to stand steadily, their eyes filled with extreme shock and the bewilderment of a shattered worldview.

The physicist who had previously raised doubts, his lips trembling, could not utter another word.

The firsthand experience, transcending all laws of physics, was more convincing than any words.

"What… what exactly is this?" someone asked in a choked voice.

Lu Feng shook his head: "The answers require your research. That is also why you are here."

The Helmsman's voice rang out again, breaking the dead silence: "Now, does anyone still question the 'scientific nature' of the research direction?"

No one answered.

Everyone's eyes had changed, from doubt and questioning to immense gravity, awe, and a scientist's instinctive fervor for exploration when facing the unknown.

Top-secret documents with steel seals were distributed, containing patterns of the strange geometric symbols overflowing from the rift, and also manuscripts of certain fragmented images.

Just then, an old expert from an archaeological institute, specializing in ancient symbology, suddenly stood up from his seat, his eyes wide, his finger trembling as he pointed at the symbols, letting out a nearly inaudible gasp:

"This… this symbol structure!! I've seen it!!"

He was incoherently excited, "It… it appeared on an eight-thousand-year-old ancient cave in the Kunlun Mountains!! Although incomplete, but… but this kind of geometric beauty and inherent logic that transcends its era… it's identical! How is this possible?! How could primitive people from thousands of years ago have come into contact with… come into contact with something like this?!"

One stone stirred up a thousand waves!

The entire Ninth Bureau conference room erupted in an uproar!

If those were merely elements of the rift existing in consciousness, how could they have appeared in an ancient civilization thousands of years ago?

What did this mean?

Lu Feng gazed at the shifting symbols on the screen, then looked at the greatly agitated old expert, his eyes becoming incredibly profound.

The complexity and seriousness of the situation seemed to far exceed his initial expectations. The secret hidden behind this rift might be even more ancient and perplexing than the apocalyptic vision itself.