108: The Web of Billions of Stars

Lin Mo's decision was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread at speeds exceeding light, along the ruleVeins of the "Star Language" Network, reaching every corner known to the Watchers. A special "Alert star language" was compiled; it wasn't the usual life-giving nourishment information, but a calm and clear "Co-investigation Notice" containing the characteristic frequency of "rule rust" and the predicted coordinates of its origin.

When this information was sent from the Watchman Nexus, amplified by logic anchors, and then relayed through countless "star language" nodes, trade wind ships, and even Emerald Passage nodes transformed by the Hymn of Abundance, the entire network seemed like a giant instantly awakened.

In the vibrant Star Language Territory, those nascent civilizations that had initially formed a collective consciousness ceased their tender "rule singing" and focused all their perception on that distant, cold frequency. They might not fully comprehend the nature of the threat, but they could clearly feel the fundamental negation and hostility towards their own existence contained within that frequency. A pure sense of vigilance, based on survival instinct, resonated and amplified among countless individual consciousnesses.

In the distant fringe worlds, young races just touching the power of rules and still stumbling in their infancy, their scientists and prophets received this warning from the depths of space, far beyond their comprehension. Despite their confusion and fear, they chose to trust the source of "star language" that had nurtured their world like a benevolent mother, mobilizing every possible means—from the most advanced deep-space telescopes to the most primitive psionic sensing—to point their antennas of perception towards that marked darkness.

Even the Emerald Passage nodes, domesticated by the Hymn of Abundance and already cosmic wonders, experienced a subtle deflection in their stable rule structures. They were no longer merely energy transfer stations or cradles of life; their massive rule entities themselves transformed into incredibly sensitive "rule lighthouses," providing real-time feedback to the network on any discordant, cold rule fluctuations within their perception range.

This was an incredibly magnificent scene: billions of stars, countless civilizations, and rule lifeforms of various shapes, all for a common goal, weaving their attention, their perception, and their very existence into an invisible, colossal net covering half the universe. This net was not composed of energy or matter, but woven from pure "attention" and "will." Its immense scale and precise coordination surpassed the cold, rigid monitoring network of the "Tide of Delusion" and the purely logical observation system of the Architect.

This was the first time the Possibility network demonstrated its true potential as a collective force.

In the Watchman Nexus, a massive data stream poured in with unprecedented intensity. Einstein's core array operated at full capacity, processing perception reports of various formats and precisions from countless nodes. This data was integrated, compared, and refined, gradually outlining an increasingly clear "signal" within that vast margin of error.

"Signal strength is increasing!" Xiao Li stared at the main control screen, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Third quadrant, coordinate offset Delta-7 to Delta-9 area, multiple independent nodes report abnormal rule background! The anomaly's characteristics match the predicted model of the 'rust' source by 87%!"

The target area was rapidly shrinking.

At the same time, Wu Yong's "Tracker" fleet, codenamed Shadow Chaser, had completed its final assembly. This fleet was small, consisting of only three specially designed ships, but they represented the latest culmination of Watchers' technology. The hulls were covered with mimetic layers that could perfectly simulate rule background fluctuations, the engine systems produced almost no rule ripples, and at their core were ultra-sensitive sensors designed by Einstein, capable of capturing the faintest resonance of the apex of order. They were like three tempered daggers, sharp and concealed, ready to stab into the heart of that darkness.

However, just as the search operation achieved a breakthrough, an unexpected "noise" interrupted.

The source was the "tide of delusion."

It did not comment on the search operation itself, but instead submitted a... "optimization suggestion" to the Watchman Nexus.

The content of the suggestion was a highly efficient "regional rule freezing" plan, based on its in-depth analysis of the logical pattern of the "rust" source (the apex of order fragment). The plan suggested that once the target location was confirmed, there was no need for contact or communication; instead, the "Tide of Delusion" would directly mobilize its network power, in conjunction with the coordinates provided by the Watchers, to implement a super-scale, absolute rule lock on the target area, completely "freezing" the apex of order fragment and its surrounding thousands of light-years into an eternal rule amber, eliminating the threat once and for all.

This plan was cold, efficient, and consistent with the usual style of the "tide of delusion." It even included detailed energy requirement calculations and a success rate assessment of up to 99.98%.

"It... it wants to directly 'bury alive' that fragment, along with everything that might exist in that area..." Ling Shuang's psionic perception sensed the disregard for all potential Possibility within the scheme, making her feel a wave of discomfort.

"From a purely logical and efficiency standpoint, this is indeed the optimal solution," Einstein analyzed objectively. "But the cost is that any primitive life, rule singularities, or even just the 'potential' for future evolution that might exist in that area and have not yet been discovered by us, will be completely stifled."

"We cannot accept that," Lin Mo rejected definitively. "Our duty is to protect Possibility, not to engage in indiscriminate destruction to eliminate a threat. The 'tide of delusion's' plan is old-era thinking. We must try to make contact, try to understand, and even... try to 'heal.'"

He looked at the three Shadow Chaser ships poised for departure. "Our goal is not destruction; it is 'resolution.' Prepare to depart."

Just then, the feedback from the "Star Language" Network reached a peak. Over seven hundred nodes distributed at the edge of the target area almost simultaneously captured a strong, fleeting rule signal—it was the unique rule disturbance generated when the apex of order fragment attempted to conceal itself!

"Lock coordinates!" Einstein immediately reported a precise string of numbers. "Error margin reduced to 0.5 light-years!"

"Shadow Chaser fleet, depart!" Wu Yong gave the order.

The three ships, like ghosts merging into the night, instantly activated their superluminal engines, accelerating towards the newly locked area of space, fraught with ancient threats and unknowns.

Inside the Watchman Nexus, everyone's hearts were in their throats. They had mobilized billions of stars, woven a cosmic-level giant net, and finally cornered the "shadow" that had been hidden for tens of billions of years.

Next would be the moment to confront the shadow.

And in the supreme hall of rules, the geometric projection of the Architect seemed to subtly adjust its "posture." In that cold stream of consciousness, the level of attention had once again increased by an order of magnitude.

What they wanted to see was not just the process of the search, but how these Watchers, born of Possibility, would make this historic first contact with the universe's most ancient "shadow of order."