539: Chapter 539 Visiting the Outpost

The moment Konks and "White" reached a cooperation, it was as if the sound of gears began to echo in the Void.

"Follow me." White's voice was hoarse but had gained a bit of strength.

He tried to stand up, his newly repaired limbs supporting his body; although his movements were a bit stiff, they were steady enough.

He looked at Konks's gear. "Do you have a flight vehicle or something? The place we're going is too far to walk, and it's dangerous."

Konks nodded without saying much.

He signaled White to follow, and the two moved through the forest one after the other, returning to the valley where the ship was hidden. White was very familiar with the terrain and could avoid difficult paths.

Back at the ship, seeing this unremarkable but clearly high-tech craft, White stared for a few seconds but still didn't speak.

Konks opened the hatch and let White inside.

The interior space was sufficient for White. He sat quietly in the co-pilot's seat, watching Konks start the engines; the ship rose silently and blended back into the shadows above the forest.

"Location?" Konks looked at the navigation screen.

White recited a string of numbers, and the ship's AI quickly calculated the location. It was deep in another mountain range further south, about eight hundred kilometers away.

"That is one of our strongholds," White explained. "It's quite hidden. Most of the others have already relocated. There are still some staying behind, and Ember is there too."

"Ember?"

"Our leader. One of the eldest who has led our resistance." White's voice held respect, but also a hint of complexity. "He saw the darkest times and has endured until now."

Konks didn't ask further, set the course, and the ship flew toward the target in stealth mode.

Both were silent along the way. Konks was digesting what he had just heard, while White was likely resting or thinking.

They crossed primeval forests, flew over snowy mountain passes, and finally entered a region of complex terrain filled with deep valleys and underground river outlets.

Finally, the ship lowered its altitude, hugging a rushing underground river, and flew into a massive natural karst cave half-concealed by vines and stalactites.

The cave was very dark, but the ship's lights illuminated the path ahead. After flying for about a kilometer, the cave suddenly opened up into a massive underground space, as if the entire mountain had been hollowed out.

There were clear artificial marks on the rock walls: platforms, passages, metal structures embedded in the stone, and doors emitting light. This place was like a crude fortress hidden in the belly of the planet.

The ship landed on a rock platform. Just as it came to a stop, Konks saw several figures quickly emerge from a nearby passage and approach the ship.

Like "White," they all had "faces" and bodies made of biomimetic Materials with facial outlines. Some were intact, while others showed signs of repair. They held crude but clearly weaponized devices, pointing them warily at the ship.

White opened the hatch and stepped out first. As soon as he appeared, those armed androids relaxed visibly, lowering their weapons.

"White? You're back? We thought..." A taller android spoke, his voice also a synthesized tone with a metallic texture and static, though smoother than White's.

"Ran into some trouble, thanks to this friend." White stepped aside, signaling Konks to come out.

When Konks stepped off the ship wearing advanced protective gear that was clearly not in the Void style, all "eyes" were fixed on him.

Vigilance and curiosity could be felt even through the biomimetic faces.

"This is Konks," White introduced. "From a human civilization far away. He is not a Shankong person; he intends to cooperate with us. I was only able to return alive thanks to his help."

Konks didn't say much, simply distributing a box of Synesthesia Beacons to them.

After a brief communication through White, communication was no longer an issue.

"Human civilization? Cooperation?" The tall android stepped forward, carefully sizing up Konks and the ship. "What happened outside? How could the Shankong people allow such a..."

"It's a long story, Blackrock," White interrupted him. "Is Ember here? We need to see him immediately. Konks has brought very important information, and we must let Ember know."

The android called Blackrock nodded and signaled the others to disperse and maintain watch.

"Ember is in the Core Hall. I'll take you there."

Konks followed White and Blackrock deeper into the fortress along a passage carved into the rock wall.

On the way, he saw more active androids—more than he expected, about dozens of them.

They were doing various tasks: maintaining equipment, processing Materials, and operating terminals that looked both old and new. Although the interior of the fortress was crude, it was orderly, with a sense of tension typical of a state of war.

He also noticed that all these androids, without exception, had humanoid facial outlines; this was definitely no coincidence.

They called themselves the "Wuqi Clan," the native civilization of this land. But why did they ultimately exist in these biomimetic bodies? Was it voluntary? Forced? Or something else?

White said he woke up like this and even had amnesia. The truth behind this was likely far more complex and dark than even the Purification War.

Temporarily suppressing these questions, Konks followed them to a hall in the deepest part of the fortress. In the center of the hall was a simple high platform made of scrap metal and stone, upon which sat an android.

This android was very different. His body was older and heavily worn; in many places, the biomimetic material had fallen off, revealing the complex internal structures and conduits beneath.

His "face" also had facial outlines, but the sense of weathered wear made it look less like a "face" and more like a metal mask recording endless suffering.

In particular, a deep crack slashing across his "left eye" gave his countenance a kind of fractured majesty.

His "eyes" were a dull deep red, like burnt-out firewood, and at this moment, they were quietly watching Konks as he walked in.

"Ember." White bowed his head slightly in greeting.

"White, you've returned. And this is..." The android leader called Ember had a voice that was old and hoarse, like sandpaper on metal, but it was steady, carrying a calm born of countless hardships.

"His name is Konks, from a human civilization in the Milky Way Galaxy, currently a visiting Scholar of the Shankong Civilization," White said simply. "He discovered the history Shankong covered up, found me of his own accord, provided help, and wants to cooperate with us against Shankong."

Ember seemed somewhat shocked, yet also as if he quickly understood something. He slowly stood up, stepped down from the platform, and came before Konks. His movements were slow but steady.

"Human civilization... visiting Scholar..." Ember repeated these two terms, then performed an action that surprised Konks.

He bowed slightly, in a manner that likely represented etiquette for their race, similar to a bow.

"Thank you, guest from afar, for helping White, and for being willing to listen to us." There wasn't much excitement in Ember's voice, only a heavy sincerity.

Konks also quickly returned an Eastern Federation salute. "You are too kind. It was White who told me the truth and made me understand what the Shankong Civilization really is. Both I and my civilization were deceived by the lies they spun."

"We have a responsibility to know and expose the truth, and even more so, we cannot let such evil continue to be covered up."

Ember straightened up and looked deeply at Konks. "Lies... yes, it is a lie wrapped in a sacred mantle, soaked in the blood of countless lost souls."

"Do you want to know what exactly lies beneath this lie?"

"I do," Konks said decisively. "I've heard some from White, but I want the full picture. I want to know exactly what they did."

"Good." Ember turned and walked to one side of the hall. There were several old data terminals with cracked screens.

He operated them, and a massive holographic projection lit up in the center of the hall.

"This is the last record we possess, and the criminal evidence that the Shankong bandits want to completely erase from history."

The imagery began.