333: The Shadow of the Royal Court and the Abandoned Back Door

The "Hidden Dragon" glided silently through the shadows of the star sea like a true Hidden Dragon.

It had been five days since they departed from Guixu. Following the star map left by Galuo, they had already completed most of the journey. Inside the bridge—or more accurately, the cockpit, given that the "Hidden Dragon" was merely a small scout ship—the atmosphere was quiet and somewhat oppressive. The four of them were each attending to their duties: Wen Youyi was responsible for main controls and path planning, Aila monitored all movement in the surrounding space, Senior Brother Zhang was repeatedly calibrating the temporal and vulnerability data, and Zhao Iron Pillar... Zhao Iron Pillar was polishing his heavy sword.

"Iron Pillar, you've been polishing that the whole way," Wen Youyi said, glancing at the rearview screen. "You're about to rub the skin right off that sword."

"I'm nervous," Zhao Iron Pillar replied matter-of-factly. "Just thinking about gouging out the heart of such a massive hunk of iron makes my hands restless. Polishing the sword helps steady my mind."

Senior Brother Zhang pushed up his glasses. "According to Galuo's data, the core area of the Star Devourer 'Dominator' is not a physical structure, but a high-density energy field. Your sword might... not be able to cut through energy."

"Then I'll use this." Zhao Iron Pillar patted a newly hung silver-white cylinder at his waist—it was an "Energy Interference Generator" specially made by the Guixu technical team. It could disrupt the stability of a localized energy field for a short time, with an effect similar to splashing water onto a circuit board.

Aila suddenly spoke: "One light-minute ahead, we are entering the outer security zone of the Star Devourer Royal Court. Suggest activating the Phase Shift Concealer."

Wen Youyi nodded, his fingers tracing a string of commands on the console. A layer of water-like ripples shimmered across the hull's surface, and the entire "Hidden Dragon" began to become translucent, as if merging into the background starlight. This was the most cutting-edge stealth technology of the Sky Patrol, which, combined with the energy-buffering coating provided by Guixu, allowed the ship to be "almost non-existent" under conventional detection.

"Concealer activated, energy consumption is five percent per hour," Senior Brother Zhang reported. "With current energy reserves, we can maintain this for twenty hours at most. If we encounter high-intensity scans, consumption will accelerate."

"The plan is for us to stay inside for no more than three hours," Wen Youyi said. "That's enough."

The "Hidden Dragon" continued forward. Outside the porthole, the starry sky gradually changed—the naturally distributed stars were beginning to be replaced by an unnatural, dark-gold "structure." Initially, there were only scattered space stations and small platforms, but as they went deeper, more and more giant facilities appeared in their view: Orbital Shipyards stretching out like mountain ranges, slowly rotating Energy Collection Rings, and Fleet Anchorages densely packed like honeycombs, where countless Star Devourer ships moved in and out like busy worker ants.

Most striking of all was the massive dark-gold vortex in the distance—the core of the Star Devourer Royal Court, where the "Dominator" resided. Even from this distance, one could feel that heart-palpitating energy fluctuation, like some living behemoth breathing in its sleep.

"Energy readings have exceeded the threshold," Aila stared at the screen. "The spatial structure here has been modified and is filled with the Star Devourers' assimilation energy field. Prolonged exposure to this environment will gradually erode our shields."

"So we have to move fast." Wen Youyi pulled up the detailed topographical map left by Galuo. "Look, that Abandoned Energy Transit Station is... there."

He pointed to an inconspicuous small dot on the star map, about zero point three light-minutes from the Royal Court's core, sandwiched between two large defense platforms like a speck of dust forgotten in a corner.

From the outside, that transit station did indeed look very "abandoned." It was an irregular hexahedral structure about two kilometers long on each side, with a dull grayish-black surface that was completely out of place among the glittering golden Star Devourer facilities. Most obvious was its lack of any energy response—the surrounding Star Devourer network was like a glowing giant web, while it was like a hole in the web.

"According to Galuo's records, this transit station was a trophy obtained by the Star Devourers thirty thousand years ago when they annexed a technological civilization called the 'Stardust Clan'," Aila pulled up the data. "The Stardust Clan's energy System was based on a type of Crystal Resonance Technology, which is completely incompatible with the Star Devourers' devouring energy. The Star Devourers tried to modify it but failed, so they just left it here, retaining only basic spatial anchoring functions to prevent it from drifting away and hitting other facilities."

"So it's just... cosmic trash now?" Zhao Iron Pillar asked.

"It's trash to the Star Devourers, but it's a backdoor for us." Wen Youyi manipulated the "Hidden Dragon" to begin decelerating, cautiously approaching the transit station. "Galuo discovered back then that due to the energy System incompatibility, this transit station was never connected to the Royal Court's main defense network. Its internal monitoring System is still the old Stardust Clan version, and... because of the long-term lack of maintenance, there are many vulnerabilities."

The "Hidden Dragon" slowly drew close to the transit station's surface. At close range, the building looked even more dilapidated—the surface was covered in pits from micro-meteorite impacts, and some external equipment had fallen off, hanging from the hull like broken teeth. Wen Youyi found a spot marked as the "Maintenance Tunnel Entrance," where there was a circular hatch ten meters in diameter. A faint, pale blue cold light, distinctly different from the golden glow of the Star Devourers, seeped through the gap in the door.

"This is the place." He looked at Aila. "Can you hack in?"

Aila had already connected to the transit station's external communication interface—a physical connection, using a Data Probe extended from the "Hidden Dragon" directly into an interface slot next to the hatch. Data streams flashed through her indigo eyes: "Attempting... the Stardust Clan's encryption algorithms are ancient, but the structure is sophisticated. It will take a little time."

While waiting, Wen Youyi observed the surroundings. Not far away, a patrol consisting of five Star Devourer frigates sailed slowly past, their hulls reflecting a cold metallic luster under the starlight. At their closest, the patrol was less than five kilometers from the "Hidden Dragon"—if the concealment System failed, they would be discovered and torn to shreds in the next second.

Fortunately, the concealment System held up. The patrol moved away without noticing anything, disappearing at the edge of their vision.

"Decryption complete." Aila breathed a sigh of relief. "I've obtained level three access. I can open this hatch without triggering the alarm System—although the transit station is independent, any abnormal energy fluctuations would still be captured by the Royal Court's monitoring network."

The hatch slid open silently, revealing a pitch-black passage inside. A stale smell, a mix of metallic rust and dust, wafted out—this indicated that there was still residual air inside the transit station, though it might no longer be breathable.

The "Hidden Dragon" cautiously entered the passage. The hatch closed behind them, sealing out the starlight. The ship's own lighting System turned on, illuminating this corridor that had not been stepped in for tens of thousands of years.

The corridor was spacious, enough for two "Hidden Dragon" ships to fly side-by-side. The walls were covered in a thick layer of dust, but one could see the original material was a type of pale blue crystal plating, the surfaces carved with intricate geometric patterns—that was the artistic style of the Stardust Clan, completely different from the cold, functional design of the Star Devourers. Some walls still held damaged signs with text that was a beautiful, star-map-like curvilinear script.

"Stardust Clan script..." Aila said softly. "According to records, they were a civilization that loved art and mathematics, believing that the laws of the Universe could be expressed through aesthetics."

"And then they got swallowed by the Star Devourers," Zhao Iron Pillar said gloomily.

"So we're going to get some justice for them," Wen Youyi said, maneuvering the "Hidden Dragon" deeper along the corridor.

According to the structural diagram left by Galuo, they needed to reach the transit station's Core Control Room, where there was a physical interface that could directly connect to the Royal Court's internal network—that was a maintenance channel reserved during the Stardust Clan's construction, which the Star Devourers hadn't bothered to modify after taking over.

The sights along the way were poignant. They passed a massive Energy Regulation Hall, inside which hundreds of crystal pillars were neatly arranged, but most were shattered, with blue energy liquid dried on the floor in strange crystalline patterns. Passing through a living area, they could see broken furniture, scattered personal items, and even a child's toy—a small star made of glowing crystals, lying quietly in an open storage locker.

"Many people once lived here," Senior Brother Zhang pushed up his glasses. "The Stardust Clan might have designed the entire transit station as a Mobile Colony Station."

"Maybe they originally wanted to use this station to escape the Star Devourers," Aila said, "but they didn't succeed."

The Hidden Dragon eventually stopped in front of a massive circular door. The door was carved from a single piece of transparent crystal; even covered in dust, its former exquisite craftsmanship was evident. A line of Stardust Clan script was engraved on the door. After Aila scanned it with a portable translator, it displayed: 'Heart of the Star Sea — Central Control Room.'

"Galuo's marker shows that the network interface is inside here," Wen Youyi said. "Aila, open the door."

Aila operated the Data Probe once more. This time it took longer—the security level of the Central Control Room was clearly higher. It was five minutes before the crystal door slowly opened inward.

The scene inside the control room left all four of them stunned.

This place... was too intact.

Unlike the dilapidated corridors outside, the control room seemed as if time had stood still. The massive ring-shaped console was spotless, and the crystal buttons on its surface were still glowing faintly. Directly ahead was a full curved observation window, through which other structures inside the transit station could be seen, and even the faint light of the dark gold vortex of the Star Devourer Royal Court in the distance. Most striking was the center of the room—there hovered a blue light sphere the size of a basketball, with countless tiny points of light flowing inside like a miniature nebula.

"Is that... the Stardust Clan's central intelligence core?" Senior Brother Zhang said in shock. "It's still running after thirty thousand years?"

Wen Youyi carefully landed the Hidden Dragon on the floor. The four of them put on simple protective suits (the composition of the residual air in the transit station was unknown, so they didn't dare breathe it directly), took their equipment, and stepped out of the ship.

The moment they stepped onto the control room floor, the blue light sphere suddenly brightened. A gentle, mechanical yet somewhat raspy voice echoed throughout the room—speaking the Universal Language, but with a strange accent:

[Detecting... unauthorized lifeforms. Identity... unrecognizable. Threat level... under assessment...]

"Oh no, is there an active defense System?" Zhao Iron Pillar immediately raised his Energy Disruptor.

But Wen Youyi raised his hand to stop him; he noticed that although the light sphere's glow had brightened, it made no aggressive movements. He tried to respond in the Universal Language: "We are not enemies. We came here under the guidance of Galuo Xinghen and need to use the network interface here."

The light sphere fell silent for a few seconds. The points of light flowing inside accelerated, as if performing high-speed calculations.

[Galuo Xinghen... a record exists in the database.] The voice sounded again. [Last access: thirty years ago. The visitor claimed... he would bring 'hope'.]

The light sphere suddenly projected a holographic image—it was Galuo's likeness. The young Sky Watcher officer stood in this control room, speaking to the light sphere: "...If one day, someone comes here with this key, please help them. They are here to end all of this."

In the image, Jialuo held up a small crystal—it was a Sky Watcher officer's identification.

Aila's breath hitched. That was the last visual record of her brother before his death.

The light sphere withdrew the image, and its glow became much softer: [Verification passed. Welcome, friends of Galuo. I am 'Heart of Stardust', the remnant intelligence of this transit station.]

"Remnant?" Wen Youyi caught the word. "There are still... survivors here?"

[No lifeforms survived.] The Heart of Stardust's voice carried a sadness difficult for a program to simulate. [But there are seven consciousness backups that were uploaded to my core before the Star Devourers breached the transit station. They... have been sleeping here for thirty thousand years, waiting for a rescue that was almost impossible to arrive.]

It paused: [But now, you have come. According to the protocol left by Galuo, I can provide you with assistance, but there is one condition—please take those seven consciousness backups and give them a... chance at Rebirth.]

Wen Youyi and Aila looked at each other, then nodded solemnly: "We promise."

[Thank you.] The Heart of Stardust's glow warmed slightly. [Then, please connect your authorization key to the main interface. Galuo implanted a hidden program here back then that can bypass the thirty-seven firewalls of the Star Devourer Royal Court and directly access the core network where the Dominator is located.]

Wen Youyi did as instructed, inserting the master key into a crystal slot on the console. The six fragments on the master key lit up simultaneously, and the Heart of Stardust's sphere erupted with a dazzling blue light. A connection was established between the two, with countless data streams flickering in the air.

[Activating Galuo Program... program response normal.] The Heart of Stardust reported. [Hidden connection channel established. Channel stability: estimated to last four hours. After four hours, regardless of success or failure, the channel will automatically close and self-destruct to prevent reverse tracking.]

"Four hours..." Wen Youyi calculated. "The Dominator's deep self-check begins in thirty seconds; we have three opportunities."

[Additionally,] the Heart of Stardust added, [according to my long-term monitoring, abnormal fluctuations have recently appeared in the Star Devourer Royal Court. The Dominator's energy readings have dropped by zero point three percent over the past seventeen days, which has never happened before. The awakening program Galuo implanted may... have already begun to have a slight effect.]

Wen Youyi's spirits lifted. This was good news—if the Dominator itself was already unstable, their plan's success rate would be much higher.

"Then when do we set out?" Zhao Iron Pillar asked.

[Recommendation: wait for two hours.] The Heart of Stardust said. [In one hour, there will be a large-scale fleet rotation on the outskirts of the Royal Court, and the defense System will have a brief distraction. That will be the optimal time for infiltration.]

The two hours of waiting were exceptionally long.

Wen Youyi checked all the equipment: the master key, the Energy Disruptor, the Emergency Jump Device, and the 'Space Stabilization Anchor' provided by Guixu—this thing could fix a patch of space for a short time, preventing the Dominator from using spatial abilities to throw them into a black hole.

Aila and Senior Brother Zhang repeatedly confirmed the infiltration route and time nodes. Zhao Iron Pillar... was still polishing his sword.

The Heart of Stardust transferred those seven consciousness backups into a portable storage chip and handed it to Aila. "Inside this are all their cultural memories, knowledge, and technology," it said. "Though they are only seven individuals, they represent the last sparks of the Stardust Clan."

Aila solemnly took the chip and placed it in a pocket close to her body: "We will find a suitable place for them to be reborn."

[I believe you.] The Heart of Stardust's glow began to become unstable. [My mission is nearing completion. Thirty thousand years of watching... can finally end.]

It said finally: [There is one more thing I need to tell you. According to my monitoring, deep within the Star Devourer Royal Court, besides the Dominator, there is another abnormal energy source. The fluctuation characteristics of that thing... are very close to the Star People, yet different. Galuo discovered it back then as well, but had no time to investigate. If you have the chance...]

Before it could finish, the light sphere flickered violently and then quickly dimmed. The indicator lights on the console went out one by one—the Heart of Stardust had exhausted its last energy and completely shut down.

The control room fell into darkness, with only the dark gold light of the distant Star Devourer Royal Court outside the observation window, like the eye of a giant beast, watching the place indifferently.

"Time's up." Wen Youyi glanced at the timer. "Everyone, back to the Hidden Dragon. Prepare for infiltration."

The four quickly returned to the ship. The hatch closed, the Hidden Dragon restarted, and the stealth coating on its surface reactivated.

"Ten-minute countdown," Wen Youyi gripped the control lever. "Target: the core of the Star Devourer Royal Court. We're going to perform... heart module surgery on that big guy."

The Hidden Dragon quietly sailed out of the abandoned transit station like a silver needle, piercing toward that dark gold abyss that had swallowed countless civilizations.

What they didn't know was that at the same time they set out, deep within the core of the Royal Court, the existence known as the 'Dominator' slowly opened its eyes, which were composed of pure energy.

In those eyes, for the first time, appeared a clear... confusion.

(End of Chapter)