153: Ancient Starships and Civilization Tombstones

The ark, like a weary returning bird, carefully sailed toward the strange, calm area within the chaotic turbulence of the rules.

The closer it got, the stronger the oppression and attraction brought by that faint light became.

It was not dazzlingly hot, but a gentle, constant, cool radiance that seemed to have existed since the dawn of time.

When the ark finally passed through the invisible boundary and truly entered this calm area, everyone inside was too shocked by the scene before them to speak.

What appeared before their eyes was not the imagined energy source or utopia, but a... wreckage so vast it was unimaginable!

It seemed to be the remains of a ship, entirely composed of some unknown metal as dark as the night sky but dotted with countless tiny starlight, silently floating in the Void Realm.

Most of its structure had broken and twisted as if it had experienced an unimaginably brutal collision, leaving only a relatively complete main frame that stretched for thousands of miles, like a dead giant whale of the starry sky.

And that faint light that guided them here was emitted from deep within the wreckage of this giant ship, from a core area that had not yet completely extinguished.

What was even more heart-shaking was that the energy fluctuations emitted by this wreckage were of the same origin as the Star Core in Wen Youyi's hand, yet they were more vast, more ancient, and carried a sense of vicissitude and sorrow that spanned endless time.

"What... is this?" Zhao Iron Pillar opened his mouth wide, looking up at the shadow that blotted out the sky.

"A ship... a starship capable of sailing in the gaps between rules, and perhaps even between stars!" Senior Brother Zhang's voice trembled with the excitement of a researcher seeing an unprecedented miracle.

Ying's eyes were also filled with shock and disbelief: "Legend has it... before the 'Web Weaving' era, there was a glorious interstellar civilization... could this be a creation of that era?"

Wen Youyi felt the fluctuations emitted by the wreckage, which strongly resonated with his Star Core, and a storm surged in his heart.

He had always thought the Star Core was some kind of rare treasure of heaven and earth, but now it seemed it was likely directly related to this ancient starship!

Perhaps the Star Core in his hand was the power core for this type of starship!

The ark slowly approached the wreckage.

The closer they got, the more they could feel that silent heroism and decay.

The huge cracks were like hideous scars, the interior dark and deep, with broken pipes and twisted skeletons vaguely visible.

That faint light came from a relatively closed area deep within the wreckage.

"Energy... the free energy here... is so pure!" Wang Wu suddenly exclaimed.

Everyone immediately sensed that in the Void Realm around this wreckage, a type of extremely thin but exceptionally pure and gentle energy was permeating; it was the afterglow emitted by that faint light!

Although the concentration was very low, for the ark, which was nearly depleted of energy, it was like sweet rain after a long drought!

"Quick! Guide this energy to replenish the Star Core!" Wen Youyi ordered immediately.

Senior Brother Zhang and Ying operated quickly, opening small energy collection ports on the outer wall of the Shelter, greedily absorbing the pure energy around them like a sponge absorbing water.

The dim Star Core at the altar's core, like parched land receiving moisture, began to recover its light at a speed visible to the naked eye; although slow, it was incredibly firm!

Hope had truly appeared!

However, just as everyone was busy replenishing energy, Wen Youyi's gaze was drawn to some blurry carvings on a broken wall of the wreckage.

He maneuvered the ark to approach slowly.

Those carvings were not decorations, but more like a... record left in a hurry.

It used a System of characters and symbols he had never seen before, but under the resonance of Star Core Power, he could actually vaguely understand their meaning!

They were some fragmented, desperate, and unwilling information shards:

[...Seventh Fleet... encountered 'Reapers'... outnumbered...]

[...Seed of Civilization... must never fall into the hands of...]

[...Initiate 'Return to Silence' protocol... disperse... wait for... dawn...]

[...Remember... we... are not... the only... prey...]

"Reapers"... Seed of Civilization... Return to Silence protocol... not the only prey...

These words exploded in Wen Youyi's mind like thunder!

This ancient starship was actually also a victim of the "Reapers"!

They called them "Reapers"!

They were also fighting to protect the Seed of Civilization, yet ultimately could not escape the fate of destruction!

This wreckage floating in the gaps of the rules was not just a ship, but a tombstone of a civilization!

Silently telling the tragic resistance of an era that had long since perished.

Wen Youyi stroked the Star Core in his arms, which was slightly warm from receiving energy, and a sense of sympathetic sorrow and an even firmer anger surged in his heart.

So, they were not the first batch of rebels.

This road was already paved with the bones of predecessors.

(End of chapter)