181: "Living" metal deep within the wreckage

The success of the first "renovation" expedition greatly boosted morale.

That piece of metal debris, named "Starting Platform," became their first stronghold within the Starry Sky Debris.

Over the next few days, taking advantage of the occasionally opening windows of the portal (which were stably extended to over a dozen breaths under Senior Brother Zhang's "Resonance Reinforcement"), they conducted several more expeditions.

"explorer" No. 3 was also deployed, equipped with a simple collection tool arm, and began attempting to collect samples from the surroundings.

They brought back some peculiar metal fragments, crystals containing faint Star Power, and even a few parts suspected to be remnants of some kind of Magical Artifact.

Senior Brother Zhang treated them like rare treasures and immediately threw himself into researching these "alien specialties."

"Tsk tsk, the atomic arrangement of this metal is so peculiar. It has an inherent energy damping effect, making it a top-tier Materials for refining defensive Magical Artifacts!"

"This crystal... its internal structure is unstable, but the contained Star Power is very pure. Perhaps it could be made into a one-time use 'Star Bomb'?"

"This part... I can't understand the runes on it, but it feels much more Advanced than what we're currently using!"

The joy of a tech geek is just that simple.

Senior Brother Zhang practically lived in his temporary laboratory, and the clanging sounds mixed with occasional small explosions (failed experiments) became the background noise of the Shelter.

Wen Youyi, meanwhile, kept an eye on the movements within the Qingxuan Sect (those three "Scavengers" were still being run in circles by various "paranormal events") while digesting the environmental data sent back by the "explorers."

He discovered that the area where the "Starting Platform" was located seemed to be just the "suburbs" of this Starry Sky Debris.

Deeper in, those floating wrecks were larger, and the energy reactions were more intense, but at the same time, the sense of danger increased exponentially.

"explorer" No. 2, during a reconnaissance mission to a slightly further area, captured a record of an extremely brief but clear energy turbulence.

The turbulence was not naturally formed; it looked more like it was caused by the movement of some kind of... living creature!

This discovery made everyone nervous.

Could there really be life in that dead, silent debris?

Were they survivors?

Or... some kind of Starry Sky Debris beast that survived by devouring the energy of the wrecks?

"We must find out what that is!" Wen Youyi said in a deep voice.

Unknown life forms meant unknown risks, but they could also mean... new opportunities.

He ordered the "explorer" team to temporarily use the "Starting Platform" as the center to conduct detailed mapping and reconnaissance within a five-kilometer radius, strictly forbidding them from venturing deep into dangerous areas.

One day, when "explorer" No. 3 was collecting mineral samples on a smaller piece of debris, a sudden change occurred!

The "ground" beneath it suddenly began to squirm without warning!

The originally hard metal surface rippled like liquid, and immediately after, several silver-gray tentacles that looked like they were made of mercury shot out from the "ground," wrapping around "explorer" No. 3's mechanical leg like lightning!

"Warning! Encountered unknown attack! Structural integrity damaged by 13%!"

The alarm from "explorer" No. 3 was sent back instantly!

Senior Brother Zhang, who was controlling it from far away in the Shelter, was startled and hurriedly controlled "explorer" No. 3 to struggle fiercely, waving its tool arm in an attempt to cut off those tentacles.

However, those silver-gray tentacles were extremely tough and seemed to have some property of devouring spiritual power, so "explorer" No. 3's attacks had very little effect!

What was even more terrifying was that the small, originally unremarkable piece of debris was now deforming as a whole, with vague outlines resembling facial features appearing on its surface, emitting a cold and hungry mental fluctuation!

"It's alive! That piece of debris is alive!" Ying exclaimed.

Wen Youyi also "saw" this horrifying scene through his mental connection, and his heart was greatly shaken.

It was not an independent creature, but the metal debris itself that had "come alive"!

"Abandon the samples! Break free with full power! Retreat to the platform!" Wen Youyi ordered decisively.

Senior Brother Zhang controlled "explorer" No. 3 to detonate some of its non-essential components, creating a small-scale energy shockwave.

Taking advantage of the moment when the "living" metal was disrupted by the shockwave, it forcibly broke free from the tentacles, powered up to full capacity, and fled back to the "Starting Platform" in a sorry state.

Not until it returned to the platform did the "living" metal seem to lose its target, slowly returning to its original dead and silent debris appearance, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.

"explorer" No. 3 lost one mechanical leg and some external equipment, but its core data and sensors were preserved.

The footage and data it brought back caused an uproar in the "ark" and the Ding Zi Courtyard.

"Metal... has it become sentient?" Zhao Iron Pillar gaped.

"It hasn't become sentient," Senior Brother Zhang pushed up his glasses, analyzing the data with a fanatical look in his eyes.

"It's more like some kind of... intelligent metal with group consciousness and morphological memory! They usually remain in a dormant state, disguised as ordinary debris, and once stimulated by external energy or matter, they are activated to hunt or defend!"

"This thing... dangerous, but it's absolutely a treasure!"

Wen Youyi looked at the characteristics of the "living" metal in the data—toughness, self-repair, energy devouring, morphological changes... This was simply a Materials that an Artifact Refiner would dream of!

If they could control this kind of metal...

"We need to establish new expedition protocols," Wen Youyi said seriously.

"First, stay away from all small, isolated, and unprobed debris. Second, you must carry powerful energy shielding devices when exploring. Third, and most importantly—try to make contact with this intelligent metal!"

"Contact?" Wang Wu was a bit worried.

"Isn't that too dangerous?"

"Risk and reward coexist," Wen Youyi's eyes flashed with the light of calculation.

"Since they are sensitive to energy, perhaps we can try to 'communicate' using specific energy frequencies, just like how we communicate with the Star Core. If we can establish a connection, even if it's just the lowest level of non-aggression, it will be crucial for our development of this 'backyard'!"

He looked at Senior Brother Zhang and Ying: "Old Zhang, Ying, the task of analyzing the mental fluctuation characteristics of that metal and attempting to simulate and compile 'communication signals' is up to you!"

"No problem!" The two said in unison, their eyes filled with the light of researchers.

The exploration of the Starry Sky Debris had entered a more complex and dangerous stage.

But Wen Youyi believed that as long as they operated properly, this seemingly dead and silent "backyard" would surely bring them unimaginable returns.

(End of Chapter)