155: Hibernating "security guards" and emergency evacuation

Having harvested the core database crystal of the ancient starship, the four-person exploration team felt like they were holding a peerless Secret Manual, both excited and anxious. Wen Youyi felt like his brain was a warehouse forcibly stuffed with items; various star navigation charts, energy circuit sketches, and original structural descriptions of the 'Mental Extraction Field' (also known as the spirit net) were rampaging inside. It was only thanks to his past life as a programmer, which had trained him to handle massive amounts of information, that he didn't crash on the spot.

[Boss, are you okay? You look like you've eaten leftovers from last night.] Zhao Iron Pillar asked with concern via the 'Mind Net,' his tone so sincere it made one want to punch him.

[I'm fine, just a bit overloaded with knowledge.] Wen Youyi replied irritably. [Hurry up and see if there are any other 'junk' we can pick up.]

The four continued to grope around in the massive wreckage. With the experience from just now, Wen Youyi tried to project the power of the star core fragment more precisely, scanning the surroundings like a radar. Sure enough, near some broken bulkheads or damaged equipment, he could sense faint energy residues, guiding their direction.

They discovered another relatively intact storage room, inside which were scattered some metal ingots that were neither gold nor jade, shimmering with a faint light. They felt cold and heavy in the hand; clearly, they were no ordinary items. Zhao Iron Pillar, without a word, unleashed his inner human tractor, huffing and puffing as he stuffed them into the extra-large Storage Pouch they had brought.

Hehe, if we take this stuff back to Senior Brother Zhang, he'll surely be able to forge some good gear!

On the other side, Wang Wu and Ying found some small, exquisite tools at a place resembling a workbench. These tools could automatically adhere to certain metal surfaces and seemed capable of extremely fine manipulation of energy.

These things... might be of great benefit to Formation research and Magical Artifact micro-carving. Ying picked up a tool that looked like tweezers but had a soft white light shimmering at the tip, unable to put it down.

Wen Youyi, on the other hand, became interested in a few basketball-sized, silver-gray metal spheres in the corner, their surfaces covered in holes. He brought the star core fragment close and could feel an extremely faint energy cycle inside the spheres.

[This thing... why does it look like a robot vacuum?] He muttered, trying to touch one with his Mental Energy.

The holes on the surface of the silver-gray metal sphere suddenly lit up with blue light, emitting a slight 'hum' sound, and then... it actually floated up, slowly starting to clean up the metal debris on the ground, sucking it into the holes!

[Holy crap! Is it alive?!] Zhao Iron Pillar was startled and almost swung his heavy sword.

[Not alive, it's some kind of... autonomous maintenance unit?] Wen Youyi stopped him, watching this 'interstellar version of a robot vacuum' working diligently with curiosity. Unfortunately, it seemed to only follow the most basic cleaning instructions and showed no reaction to Wen Youyi's attempts to communicate.

[This thing is interesting; let's take it back to study. Maybe we can modify it into an automatic patrol defense Puppet.] Wen Youyi waved his hand and put away the several dormant metal spheres. This trip was truly a shopping spree!

Just as they had gained a bountiful harvest and were preparing to explore deeper, the star core fragment in Wen Youyi's hand suddenly transmitted a rapid, warning-filled throb! At the same time, the anxious voice of Senior Brother Zhang, who was left behind on the 'ark,' came through the 'Mind Net':

[Youyi! Something's wrong! A high-energy reaction is waking up deep in the wreckage! The energy signature... is very dangerous! It's not from the starship itself! Repeat, not from the starship itself!]

Almost at the same time as Senior Brother Zhang's warning arrived, several points of scarlet light suddenly lit up in the dark depths of the distant wreckage! The light was filled with a cold, violent Aura, completely different from the peaceful and ancient energy style of the starship!

[Alert! Unauthorized life activity detected! Confirmed as... 'Reapers' low-Rank cleaning unit (Codename: Scavenger Prototype)... Threat Rank: Medium... Executing clearance protocol!]

A cold, rigid, yet murderous wave of intent swept across the minds of everyone in the exploration team like a cold wind!

'Scavenger Prototype?!' Wen Youyi's pupils shrank! Why was this thing in this godforsaken place? Was it left behind by the 'Reapers' who attacked the starship back then? Had it been in a dormant state all along, only activated when they, these 'unauthorized life forms,' intruded?!

[Run!] Wen Youyi made a decisive decision without any hesitation!

Enemies that could make an ancient starship meet its end, even if they were only the lowest-Rank cleaning units, were definitely not something they could deal with right now! Not to mention, they didn't know how many there were!

The four reacted extremely quickly, turning around and sprinting along the way they came! Zhao Iron Pillar, feeling that they were running too slowly, grabbed Ying, who was slightly slower, threw her onto his shoulder, and took large strides, running with a thundering sound that shook the ground.

The scarlet light behind them was rapidly approaching! It was a mechanical creation about a person's height, resembling a spider, its entire body covered in dark red metal armor. Its eight compound eyes flickered with cruel red light, and it moved extremely fast, navigating the complex wreckage structure as if it were flat ground! Its sharp jointed limbs scraped across the metal floor, making a teeth-grinding scratching sound!

[They're too fast! They're going to catch up!] Wang Wu looked back, his face pale.

Wen Youyi, while running, frantically mobilized the incomplete structural map of this starship that had just been stuffed into his mind.

[Turn left! There's an emergency passage ahead! Hope it works!] He roared, taking the lead and rushing into a relatively narrow passage.

At the end of the passage was a tightly closed bulkhead. Wen Youyi followed the same procedure, pressing his Star Core Power onto the access control. Fortunately, this door seemed to still have enough energy, and it slid open to both sides with a hum.

The four rushed in, and Wen Youyi immediately turned around to try to close the door.

'Creak—' The bulkhead's closing speed was far less smooth than when it opened; it seemed to be in disrepair. Just as it was about to close, a sharp red metal jointed limb 'clanged' and stuck in, jamming the door gap!

[Damn it!] Wen Youyi desperately channeled his Star Core Power. The bulkhead groaned under the unbearable weight, but it could not crush or push away the hard jointed limb. More jointed limbs and scarlet compound eyes appeared outside the door gap!

[Boss, move aside!] Zhao Iron Pillar roared, put Ying down, swung his heavy black iron sword, and his whole body's muscles knotted as earth-yellow spirit power erupted!

[Earth-Splitting Slash!]

The heavy sword carried an Aura capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, slashing fiercely onto the jammed jointed limb!

'Clang—!!!'

A deafening boom echoed in the passage! Sparks flew! The jointed limb was clearly bent by the slash, and dark red liquid (perhaps coolant?) sprayed out! The 'Scavenger Prototype' outside the door let out a sharp hiss!

The bulkhead took the opportunity to slam shut, cleanly severing the damaged jointed limb!

Run! This broken door won't hold them for long! Wen Youyi pulled Ying, who was still a bit dazed, and continued to run forward. Zhao Iron Pillar was almost exhausted from that last strike and was supported by Wang Wu as he followed.

Sure enough, violent crashing and metal tearing sounds came from behind; the emergency bulkhead obviously couldn't hold.

[Senior Brother Zhang! Get ready to receive us! We're coming back! Start the 'ark', warm up the jump!] Wen Youyi called frantically through the 'Mind Net'.

[Understood! Energy replenishment has reached 70 percent! Preparing for jump!]

The four ran for their lives along the route in their memory, with the increasingly close, hair-raising scratching and hissing sounds behind them.

When they finally saw the warm light gate opened by the 'ark,' the nearest 'Scavenger Prototype' behind them had already caught up to within ten meters, its opened front limbs flickering with dangerous energy light!

[Jump!] Wen Youyi roared.

The four jumped into the light gate one after another! Wen Youyi entered last and backhanded the light gate closed!

Almost the moment the light gate disappeared, a scarlet energy ray slammed fiercely into the position of the light gate just now, melting a large hole in the metal wreckage!

Inside the 'ark,' the four collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, still terrified.

Damn it... almost became space junk... Zhao Iron Pillar looked at the dark red spider machines crazily attacking the 'ark's' energy shield outside the light gate and cursed.

[Energy shield strength dropped by 5 percent! Their attack power is very strong!] Senior Brother Zhang reported.

[Ignore them!] Wen Youyi struggled to stand up. [Is there enough energy for a short-range rule jump? Shake them off!]

[Energy reserve is 72 percent! Meets minimum jump requirements! Coordinates set, rule rift 'Undercurrent' zone!]

[Go!]

At Wen Youyi's command, the altar star core erupted with brilliant light again! The 'ark' shook violently, its outer shield bearing the brunt of the 'Scavenger Prototype's' bombardment, and it plunged into the rule turbulence ahead, beginning its bumpy voyage once more.

Leaving that silent tombstone of civilization behind, along with those cold hunters who had been awakened and were faithfully (or rather, rigidly) executing clearance orders from eons ago, in the darkness behind them.

This time, what they took away was not just energy, but the precious heritage of a lost civilization, and... a deeper understanding of the enemy.

(End of Chapter)