237: Chapter 236 A Shocking Change at the Peak! A Hidden Arrow Pierces the Sky, the Crisis is Hard to Avert and a New Journey Begins (1)

The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the thick clouds, pouring down like broken gold, spilling onto the curved glass dome of the International Convention and Exhibition Center—the main venue of the Global Energy Summit. It refracted a brilliant, dazzling luster, making the entire building look like a crystal palace suspended in the morning light. Energy experts from countries around the world and officials from various Management Administrations arrived one after another. Staff members in crisp formal attire bustled about, their steps hurried yet orderly, making the final adjustments and preparations before the summit opened. Inside and outside the International Convention and Exhibition Center, security personnel with live ammunition stood tall with sharp gazes, strictly monitoring every entrance, exit, and hidden corner; drones hovering at low altitude flickered with faint red lights, weaving a three-dimensional security net with no blind spots. The air was filled with a tense and solemn atmosphere, silently telling of the extraordinary weight of this summit.

The core members of the Xuanguang Team had long since arrived at the temporary command point on the basement level of the International Convention and Exhibition Center. This was the "nerve center" where they guarded the summit's security and monitored global xuanguang equipment. In this renovated multi-functional conference room, dozens of display screens were arranged neatly. On the screens, operational data from global Mystic Light Energy stations and power supply equipment jumped in real-time. Surveillance footage from inside and outside the International Convention and Exhibition Center was clearly distinguishable, and the real-time scene of the summit's main venue was also presented simultaneously; every detail was under control. Mu Li stood before the main console, his posture still as straight as a pine, though his slightly furrowed brows revealed the gravity in his heart—the old injury on his ankle had not yet fully healed, and it still sent faint, dull pain when he walked. But at this moment, he had long since cast personal pain to the back of his mind. His sharp gaze, like a falcon's, swept across every screen, refusing to let even the slightest abnormality pass.

"Engineer Mu, all operating parameters for the xuanguang equipment are within normal thresholds. The security defense system has been fully activated, and the anti-attack program has been debugged and is on standby." The leader of the Technical Team walked quickly to Mu Li's side, holding a tablet, reporting in a calm tone, his fingertips still retaining the residual warmth from typing on the keyboard.

Mu Li nodded slightly, his gaze still locked on the screen, his voice low and powerful: "Continue to monitor closely. Even the slightest fluctuation in data or the slightest abnormality in the surveillance footage must be reported immediately. In addition, contact the operation and maintenance teams for xuanguang equipment everywhere immediately. Notify them to raise their vigilance, initiate Level 2 alert status, and be ready to respond to emergencies at any time. There must be no slackening."

"Understood!" The leader of the Technical Team did not dare to delay, immediately turning and walking quickly toward the work area to convey Mu Li's instructions and command the team members to strengthen monitoring efforts.

Zhao Gang, dressed in a black combat uniform, walked to Mu Li's side with steady steps and said in a low voice: "Engineer Mu, the security forces inside and outside the International Convention and Exhibition Center have all been deployed. There are three layers of perimeter security and internal stationary guards; there are no oversights. The intelligence department's undercover agents have also successfully blended in with the attendees and staff. They are equipped with covert communication devices. Once any suspicious personnel or abnormal behavior is discovered, they will take action immediately, never giving the enemy any opportunity."

"Good." Mu Li's gaze fell on the real-time footage of the summit's main venue. On the screen, representatives from various countries were dressed in formal attire, taking their seats one by one under the guidance of the staff, their expressions solemn. He spoke slowly, with an unquestionable gravity in his tone: "Remember, our primary mission this time is to ensure the summit proceeds smoothly and to protect the safety of every attendee. Secondly, it is to guard strictly and protect all global xuanguang equipment from being attacked. The Aurora Alliance has long coveted Xuanguang Technology. They will never let this opportunity at the summit pass and will definitely plot in secret. You must be careful and cautious."

"Rest assured, Engineer Mu. I have repeatedly checked the deployment; there will absolutely be no problems." Zhao Gang replied in a deep voice, his eyes full of determination. The xuanguang energy gun in his hand was always on standby, ready to deal with any sudden crisis.

Xia Wan walked over with a cup of warm water, gently touching Mu Li's arm with her fingertips, her tone full of concern: "Drink some water. You haven't had a drop of water since this morning, and you've been standing here staring at the screen the whole time. Your body won't be able to take it. The doctor specifically instructed that your ankle still needs rest and you can't stand for long periods. Quickly find a place to sit for a while."

Mu Li took the warm water, feeling the warmth from the cup, and a sense of tenderness welled up in his heart. He lowered his head to look at the worry in Xia Wan's eyes, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He took a sip of warm water and asked softly: "Is the medical support work on your side all arranged properly?"

Xia Wan nodded and reported earnestly: "It's all arranged. We have set up temporary medical points on every floor of the International Convention and Exhibition Center, equipped with sufficient first-aid equipment, medicine, and professional medical staff, capable of handling various medical conditions such as sudden trauma and fainting. In addition, I have finished coordinating with the intelligence department. They will inform me of suspicious personnel information in a timely manner, and I will arrange for medical staff to pay special attention to avoid any accidents."

Mu Li looked at her earnest expression, the gravity in his heart easing slightly, and said softly: "Thank you for your hard work, Xia Wan. With you here, I feel at ease."

At nine o'clock in the morning sharp, the Global Energy Summit officially opened. Inside the main venue, the lights were as bright as a starry river. Representatives from various countries took their seats one after another. The scene was silent, with only the melodious background music flowing slowly. The summit host, dressed in formal attire, walked steadily onto the podium and delivered the opening speech in a resonant and infectious voice, detailing the theme of this summit, "Exploring the Future of Energy Together, Building a Security Barrier Together," as well as the subsequent agenda. Subsequently, energy experts and officials from the Management Administration from various countries took the stage one after another to speak, combining the current status of their own countries' energy development to discuss the development difficulties and future trends of the global energy industry. Their words were filled with concern for energy security and expectations for the application prospects of Xuanguang Technology.

Inside the temporary command point, the atmosphere remained tense. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the display screens, their expressions focused and serious. Time passed minute by minute. The xuanguang equipment around the world was operating normally, and various data points fluctuated steadily. Inside and outside the International Convention and Exhibition Center, security personnel stood their posts, and no suspicious personnel or abnormal behavior appeared. But the unease in Mu Li's heart did not dissipate at all—he knew the Aurora Alliance's style of operation too well. They had always been adept at disguise and adept at plotting beneath a calm appearance. Behind this seemingly smooth opening ceremony, there likely hid a crisis capable of overturning everything. "Operation Light-Devouring," these four words pressed on his heart like a giant rock, making him not dare to have the slightest slack.

"Engineer Mu, you've been standing for almost two hours. Do you want to take a break? I'll watch the screens for you. If there's any situation, I'll notify you immediately." Xia Wan looked at Mu Li's slightly weary expression and his subconscious action of supporting his ankle, her heart full of heartache, and she persuaded him softly.

Mu Li shook his head, his gaze still fixed sharply on the screen, his tone firm: "No need, I can still persist. This is the most critical moment. Once I slack off, it might give the enemy an opportunity. We cannot let our guard down."

As soon as he finished speaking, a display screen on the main console suddenly emitted a piercing red alarm sound, breaking the silence in the command point. On the screen, the operational data representing the Mystic Light Energy station in the capital of a country in the Europa Alliance fluctuated violently in an instant. Voltage, energy output, core temperature, and other parameters rapidly deviated from the normal range. The red warning prompts flashed continuously, like a death warrant, instantly tightening everyone's hearts.

"Engineer Mu! This is bad! The Mystic Light Energy station in the capital of the Europa Alliance is under an unknown attack. The operational data is seriously abnormal, and there is a risk of the core system being breached!" The leader of the Technical Team turned pale, his voice carrying a tremor that was hard to conceal, his fingers operating rapidly on the keyboard, trying to stabilize the situation.

Mu Li's face sank instantly, the aura around him turning icy cold, and his tone carried an unquestionable command: "Immediately initiate the anti-attack program! Notify the local operation and maintenance team, have everyone deploy, do everything possible to repair the equipment, and guard the core system. We must not let the enemy breach the energy station!"

"Understood!" The leader of the Technical Team immediately threw himself into intense operations, his fingers flying across the keyboard, and the code on the screen scrolling rapidly. Everyone performed their duties, doing their best to deal with this sudden attack.

However, before the technical staff could complete the full initiation of the anti-attack program, more display screens successively emitted piercing alarm sounds, and red warning prompts spread throughout the command point. Asia, Africa, America, Oceania... xuanguang equipment and Xuanguang power supply equipment across the globe were attacked one after another like lit firecrackers. Operational data was completely out of control, and some equipment had even begun to show warnings of shutdowns and explosions. On the display screens, the dense red alarms pushed the atmosphere of the entire command point to the freezing point. Everyone's faces were filled with anxiety and gravity, and the air was filled with a sense of despair.

"Engineer Mu! The xuanguang equipment across the globe has been attacked simultaneously! The opponent's attack intensity is extremely high, and their technical methods are exceptionally sophisticated. Our anti-attack program is being suppressed tightly and cannot be started normally at all, and the defense system is also being breached continuously!" The Technical Team leader's voice carried a hint of crying, his hands trembling violently due to excessive tension, and the sound of keyboard typing became chaotic.

Mu Li walked quickly to the main console, his gaze fixed on the out-of-control data on the screen, his fingers typing rapidly on the keyboard, trying to intervene manually and forcibly start the anti-attack program. But the opponent's attack was as surging as the tide, and a continuous stream of attack code flooded the system, frantically interfering with the initiation of the anti-attack program. Every attempt ended in failure.

"How could this happen?" Zhao Gang frowned, his tone full of confusion and anxiety, "Our anti-attack program has undergone countless simulation tests and can withstand various extreme attacks. Even the Aurora Alliance shouldn't be able to suppress us easily!"

"It's Deputy Director Li!" Mu Li suddenly stopped his actions, a hint of ruthlessness and regret flashing in his eyes, and he said in a heavy tone, "Although he was captured by us, it's very likely that before he was captured, he had already leaked the core code of our anti-attack program to the Aurora Alliance! That's why they were able to write attack code specifically targeting us, precisely suppressing our anti-attack program and catching us off guard!"

As his words fell, the command point fell into a deathly silence, and everyone's faces instantly turned as pale as paper. Everyone understood that once the anti-attack program was suppressed, the global xuanguang equipment, having lost its defense, would be like lambs waiting to be slaughtered, left to be wantonly destroyed by the Aurora Alliance. And this carefully prepared Global Energy Summit would also become a joke, and might even trigger a global energy crisis.

"Engineer Mu, what should we do now? The anti-attack program can't be started, and the defense system is about to collapse. If this continues, all the xuanguang equipment in the world will be completely destroyed!" A technical staff member shouted anxiously, his eyes full of despair.

Mu Li took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He knew that the more critical the moment, the less he could panic. Any slight mistake could lead to irreversible consequences. He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, his tone firm and steady, gathering everyone's confidence again: "Immediately abandon initiating the original anti-attack program! All members of the Technical Team, split into two groups immediately—one group is responsible for intercepting the opponent's attack code, reinforcing the main control system's defense, and fighting to the death to hold the core data; don't let the enemy breach our command center. The other group, analyze the opponent's attack characteristics and code logic immediately, modify the core code of the anti-attack program specifically, and develop a brand-new emergency anti-attack program, as fast as possible!"

"Understood!" The leader of the Technical Team immediately came to his senses, wiped the cold sweat from his face, and quickly divided the technical staff into two groups, one group responsible for defense and interception, and one group responsible for program development. Inside the command point, dense and orderly keyboard typing sounds rang out again. Everyone was racing against time, giving their all. Sweat slid down their cheeks and soaked their clothes, but no one dared to stop the movements in their hands—they knew that for every second they delayed, the global xuanguang equipment would suffer more damage, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

Xia Wan walked quietly to Mu Li's side, gently holding his hand, transmitting warm strength through her fingertips, and said softly: "Mu Li, calm down. I believe in you, and I believe in our Technical Team. We will definitely be able to develop a brand-new anti-attack program and defeat them. Don't push yourself too hard. Your ankle injury hasn't healed yet."

Mu Li felt the warmth in his hand, and the panic in his heart gradually calmed down a bit. He turned to look at Xia Wan, looking at the determination and concern in her eyes, and nodded gently, his voice softening a little: "Thank you, Xia Wan. With you here, I have confidence. Rest assured, I will be fine."

Just at this moment, the real-time footage of the summit scene suddenly showed an abnormality. The lights in the main venue suddenly flickered a few times, like a candle in the wind, and then went out completely. The entire main venue was instantly plunged into pitch darkness. The sudden darkness plunged the scene into extreme chaos. Screams, crying, the sound of tables and chairs colliding, and the sound of objects falling were intertwined. The originally solemn and dignified summit scene instantly turned into a chaotic battlefield.

"Not good! The Xuanguang power supply equipment at the International Convention and Exhibition Center has also been attacked!" Zhao Gang's expression changed, and he shouted loudly, immediately gripping the energy gun in his hand, "I will take people over immediately to maintain order, protect the safety of the representatives from various countries, and prevent anyone from taking advantage of the chaos to create confusion!"

"Wait!" Mu Li immediately stopped Zhao Gang, his tone heavy as he instructed, "The Aurora Alliance's target is not just the xuanguang equipment. According to the intelligence we previously gathered, they also contacted international terrorist organizations, planning to create terrorist attacks during the summit, take advantage of the chaotic situation, and seize materials related to Xuanguang Technology. When you take people there, you must be careful and cautious. You must maintain order and protect the safety of the representatives, but you must also strictly guard against terrorist attacks. Do not be careless!"

"Understood! Engineer Mu, rest assured, I will definitely protect everyone's safety!" Zhao Gang nodded heavily, immediately leading several elite security guards, and ran quickly toward the main venue, his steps hurried, not daring to have the slightest delay.