130: observation hole
The core laboratory of the Watch Outpost was transformed into a temporary "High-Dimensional Resonance Chamber." This place gathered the Alliance's most cutting-edge technology and most profound power. Dr. Einstein's team, following the protocols provided by the tide of delusion, set up a complex and precise array of instruments, at the heart of which were two "Consciousness Amplification Pedestals" deeply bound to Lin Mo's and Ling Shuang's life signals.
Lin Mo would stand here, fully operating the Genesis Blueprint, using his authority as the coordinates and key to open the "Observation Aperture."
Ling Shuang would stand on the other side, elevating her evolved Stellar Silver Psionic Energy to its peak, using its resonance with the deep will of the life network as a stabilizer and buffer layer.
The principle of the entire process was based on a startling deduction from the tide of delusion theory: the Initial Design Layer was not completely isolated; there existed an extremely subtle "quantum foam-level" penetration between it and the main universe, caused by differences in rule density. Through a sufficiently powerful and specific frequency of rule and consciousness resonance, a microscopic fissure, allowing information to pass through, could be temporarily "opened" at the point of penetration.
This was akin to fishing for secrets in the abyss from a storm-ravaged cliff edge with a single strand of hair. The success rate was slim, yet the risk was enough to shatter the angler's soul.
"All systems final check complete," Einstein's voice echoed in the laboratory, carrying unprecedented tension, "Rule stabilization field maximized, 'tide of delusion' provided weak point coordinates entered. Energy resonance sequence... countdown to activation."
Lin Mo and Ling Shuang exchanged glances. No words were needed; their mutual determination and apprehension were fully understood. They took a deep breath and simultaneously stepped onto the pedestals.
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"Activate!"
Buzz—!!!
An indescribable resonance sound did not propagate through the air but acted directly on space itself, on the vibration frequency of every atom. In the center of the laboratory, at the designated coordinate point, space began to twist, fold, and emit eerie colors not found in the spectrum. Lin Mo felt the Genesis Blueprint's authority being frantically drained, as if it wanted to suck his entire being into the forming singularity. He firmly anchored his consciousness, transforming himself into an absolutely stable "fulcrum."
Ling Shuang's Stellar Silver Psionic Energy, like a warm tide, enveloped Lin Mo's consciousness and permeated the entire resonance chamber, counteracting the rule turbulence, capable of tearing souls apart, caused by the high-dimensional operation. She was connected to the distant "Star Language" Network; the faint wills of billions of lives, like starlight, converged through her into a resilient barrier, guarding this dangerous peek.
The fissure slowly opened amidst struggle; it was not a hole, but more like a distorted, constantly flowing mirror. Behind the mirror, there was no pitch-black void, but rather... a scene that no language could accurately describe.
There was no up, down, left, or right, no matter, no energy, and not even time and space in the usual sense. There were only countless flowing, coldly glowing basic logical codes and mathematical structures, vast as an ocean, self-weaving, evolving, and verifying, forming an ocean composed purely of "Possibility" and "definitions." Was this the "source code" sea of the universe?
Just glimpsing a corner of this "ocean," Lin Mo's consciousness felt intense dizziness and information overload. The amount of information contained within was too vast, too fundamental, far exceeding the limits any living brain could process.
"Hold on!" Ling Shuang's voice rang in his consciousness, carrying the comfort of psionic energy, "Focus, search for 'anomalies'! Liranta's traces! Or... any signs of activity!"
Lin Mo endured the discomfort, focusing his perception, like searching for a specific drop of water in a torrent of data.
He saw the setting process of cosmic constants, saw the initial conditions of physical laws being written, saw "Chaos Variables" (Heart Fire) being carefully implanted like seeds into the soil of rules... He also saw traces of dispute, certain code segments repeatedly modified, leaving imprints of different "programming styles," confirming the existence of the ancient struggle between the Evolution Faction and the Purity Faction.
Then—he saw it!
In the boundless, self-running sea of code, there was a small area that seemed... out of place. The code there was not running coldly, but was enveloped in an extremely faint, yet exceptionally resilient, active glow with "Evolution Faction" characteristics. It was like a small, carefully cultivated "oasis," or perhaps... an unauthorized backdoor program!
Liranta! It must be her! She was indeed here, and she had successfully implanted her own code, imbued with "Possibility," into this absolute domain of "settings"!
Even more chilling, Lin Mo perceived that this "active code" seemed to be attempting to establish some kind of... connection with a vast, dormant entity deep within the sea of code, an entity emanating absolute order and pure essence? Or rather, was it parsing it?
That was... the initial designers of the Purity Faction?! Was Liranta insane? Not only had she trespassed into a forbidden zone, but she was also actively trying to touch that most terrifying existence?!
Just as Lin Mo tried to see more clearly—
!!!WARNING!!! UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS!!!
A cold-to-the-extreme alarm thought, not from the tide of delusion, but originating from the "layer" itself, like ultimate lightning, suddenly feedbacked along the fragile observation aperture!
Crack!
The instrument array in the laboratory instantly overloaded, erupting in dazzling electrical sparks! Lin Mo and Ling Shuang were struck hard, simultaneously thrown from the pedestals, crashing heavily against the buffer wall, blood oozing from their mouths and noses.
The newly opened observation aperture instantly collapsed, and the spatial distortion returned to its original state.
But just before the observation aperture completely closed, Lin Mo captured an extremely brief, encrypted information stream that shot back from that "active code" area. The information stream's target was not them; it was more like an automatic log backup of Liranta's program, fragments of which were inadvertently captured by the observation aperture.
The content of the decrypted information stream sent a chill down the spines of the severely injured Lin Mo and Ling Shuang:
...Phase one fusion experiment... failed. 'Pure Template' rejection reaction too strong.
...Initiating backup plan: Guide 'external variables' (identifiers: Lin Mo / Ling Shuang / Star Language Network) to contact 'Pure Template,' observe interactions, collect conflict data, to optimize 'Final Harmonization Protocol.'
...Estimated 'Pure Template' awakening countdown: [data corrupted]...Reincarnation cleansing protocol preloaded...
Liranta's goal was not to challenge the Purity Faction, nor was it for so-called "efficiency"! She was conducting an extremely dangerous experiment! She treated the Purity Faction designers as test subjects, and them—Lin Mo, Ling Shuang, and even the entire Star Language Network—as catalysts and guinea pigs in her experiment! She wanted to use their inevitable conflict with the Purity Faction to perfect her so-called "Final Harmonization Protocol"!
Her "sowing the seeds of fire," her "astrolabe is not the end," her "beware the dark side of resonance"... all these enigmatic messages pointed to this insane plan! Was she going to sacrifice the entire current universe to realize her ideal "new universe"?!
"We... were all manipulated by her..." Ling Shuang coughed up blood, her eyes filled with incredulous anger and lingering fear.
Lin Mo struggled to sit up, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze unusually calm, even with a terrifying clarity.
"No... not entirely." He looked at Ling Shuang, then at Einstein and Wu Yong, who were rushing to help, "She gave us a warning, albeit in her twisted way. She also gave us... time."
He recalled the vast, dormant state of the Purity Faction designers he had seen during the observation, and the "awakening countdown" marked by Liranta's program.
"She wants to use our conflict with the Purity Faction to perfect her protocol. This means that before she's ready, she won't let the Purity Faction wake up easily, or... she'll ensure it only wakes when our conflict with the Purity Faction is at its most intense."
"This is insane!" Wu Yong growled, "Are we just going to follow her script?"
"Of course not." Lin Mo's gaze was sharp as a knife, "But now, we know the outline of the script. We know who the ultimate enemy is, we know the mastermind's purpose, and we also know... the little bit of preparation time we might have."
He took a deep breath, suppressing the intense pain in his body and his mental exhaustion.
"Liranta wants to be the director, but she forgot... actors have their own will. And we are going to rewrite the ending of this script."
"Notify all core members," Lin Mo's voice carried an undeniable resolve, "Highest-level emergency meeting. We need to re-plan everything. The goal is no longer just defense or exploration..."
His voice echoed in the laboratory, filled with the smell of scorching:
...but to find... a way to slay gods, before the ultimate stage arranged by the 'director' descends."