192: Energy Storm and the "Shelter" Project

The initial success of the 'Joint Defense Brigade' had significantly boosted the sense of security on 'Hope Platform'. However, the threats within the Starry Sky Debris were far more than just 'Scythe Bugs'.

A few days later, during one 'night' (roughly divided according to the light and dark cycles of the shattered stars), just as most members were resting in the residential area under the dome, a sharp, urgent alarm suddenly rang out across the entire platform!

Wang Wu, who was responsible for monitoring environmental energy, scrambled into Wen Youyi's room, his face deathly pale: 'Youyi! It's bad! A massive energy turbulence is forming! The direction... it's heading right towards us!'

Wen Youyi leaped up, startled, and rushed to the observation port. He saw that in the deep reaches of the starry sky, the once dead, silent darkness seemed to come alive. Countless colorful, distorted bands of light tangled and surged like violent giant pythons. Wherever they passed, even those massive debris were easily torn apart and swept away! The scene was like an apocalyptic storm sweeping across the sea of stars!

"It's a Rule Energy Storm!" Wen Youyi's heart shook violently. He had seen similar records in the ancient starship's knowledge base. This was one of the most terrifying natural disasters in the cracks of the rules, formed by the violent collision and annihilation of rule fragments from different worlds, with power enough to tear everything apart!

"Quick! Initiate the highest emergency protocol! Everyone, get into the underground bunkers! Abandon all surface facilities!" Wen Youyi's voice rang out simultaneously through the 'Mind Net' and the amplification array, filled with unquestionable urgency.

The platform instantly descended into chaos! Members panicked and rushed toward the emergency entrances leading deep underground. Zhao Iron Pillar stood guard at the largest entrance like a door god, shoving the people running over inside one by one.

"Quick! Quick! Quick!"

Wen Youyi organized the evacuation while frantically contacting Senior Brother Zhang via the 'Star Network': "Old Zhang! A Rule Storm! We can't stop it! Is there any way to interfere with or deflect its path?"

[Impossible!] Senior Brother Zhang's voice was filled with despair. [A storm of this scale has an energy level far beyond what we can reach! Trying to resist it head-on is a dead end! The only way to survive is to hide deep enough and in a sturdy enough underground area, or... find a special area that can shield against the influence of the rules!]

A special area? A flash of inspiration struck Wen Youyi! He remembered the giant debris control room he had explored before, which possessed an independent energy core! It seemed to be able to isolate external influences to a certain extent!

"Go to the control room in Area 3! It might be safer there!" Wen Youyi shouted, changing the order.

However, it was already too late! The edge of the energy storm was like an invisible tsunami, already approaching! 'Hope Platform' began to shake violently. The outer defensive fortifications made of 'Flowing Silver' and artificial structures were easily torn apart and swept away like paper! The dome groaned under the unbearable load, and cracks appeared on the transparent crystal covering.

"Abandon the platform! Go straight to the control room! Save as many as we can!" Wen Youyi made a decisive decision, knowing the platform could not be saved.

He pulled up a young member who was paralyzed with fear beside him, and together with Zhao Iron Pillar, Wang Wu, and the others, they braved the energy turbulence that had already begun to seep in, carrying an aura of destruction, and sprinted desperately toward the direction in his memory!

Along the way, they witnessed a heart-wrenching scene. Those once-dead debris were tossed, collided, and shattered in the storm like toys. Some 'Flowing Silver' groups that couldn't dodge in time were swept into the turbulence and instantly annihilated into the most basic energy particles. Even a few panicked 'Scythe Bugs' were torn to pieces amidst their wails.

In the face of this power of heaven and earth, all living beings seemed so insignificant.

Relying on their familiarity with the terrain and their improved cultivation, Wen Youyi and the others managed to rush into the control room entrance, which was half-buried in the debris, just narrowly escaping before the storm completely swallowed the area.

Zhao Iron Pillar used his heavy sword to firmly prop up the twisted and deformed metal door at the entrance, while Wen Youyi fully activated his Star Core, combining it with the remaining energy in the control room to barely prop up a precarious protective shield, resisting the destructive energy seeping in through the gaps.

Outside the control room, there was the roar of rule annihilation and blinding light. Inside the control room were a dozen 'Starfire' members who were still in shock, huddled tightly together, and that suffocating sense of pressure.

I don't know how long it lasted, it felt as long as a century, before the roaring and shaking outside gradually subsided.

When Wen Youyi cautiously withdrew the protection and pushed open the almost ruined metal door, what met his eyes was a scene of devastation.

The area where the original 'Hope Platform' had been was now a large empty space, with only some twisted metal Foundations left. The dome, planting areas, and workshops they had worked so hard to build... all had disappeared. Looking around, the distribution of the surrounding debris had changed drastically, as if rearranged by an invisible giant hand.

The homeland... was destroyed.

A wave of despair and sadness spread among the surviving members. A few young Disciples even began to sob softly.

Wen Youyi looked at the ruins, his heart equally heavy. But he knew that he could not fall at this moment.

"What are you all crying for!" Zhao Iron Pillar roared with red eyes, "We aren't all dead yet! If the homeland is gone, we'll just build it again!"

Wen Youyi took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions, his voice hoarse but firm: "Iron Pillar is right! The fact that we are still alive is the greatest stroke of luck! If the homeland is gone, we can build it again! And..."

His gaze swept over this control room, which, although damaged, had survived the storm, and further away at those giant debris that still stood tall and imposing.

"This storm has also told us that in the Starry Sky Debris, just building on the surface is not safe enough! We must build a stronger, deeper shelter!"

He pointed to his feet, and then to the giant debris in the distance that looked like mountains.

"We are going to build our homeland inside these giant debris! Build it deep enough to withstand a Rule Storm!"

"This storm destroyed our past, but it also gave us an opportunity—an opportunity to build a safer, more powerful New Homeland!"

The surviving 'Starfire' members, looking at Wen Youyi's firm gaze and listening to his powerful words, felt the despair in their eyes gradually replaced by new hope and determination.

Yes, they were still alive! As long as they were alive, there was hope!

Wen Youyi looked at the rekindled fighting spirit of the crowd and said in a deep voice:

"Clean up the site, and take stock of the losses and surviving supplies."

"Our New Homeland construction—the 'Deep Root' plan, starts now!"

(End of chapter)