49: Ten-second barrier! The light of life and the flame of sacrifice!

Lin Feng’s command was like lighting the last torch.

Deep within the Deep Blue Fortress, in the core of the energy research area, the prototype of the “Bio-Geothermal Hybrid Energy Core”—a complex structure connected to countless thick energy pipelines and bioreactors—upon receiving the highest authority command and rare catalyst injection, emitted an unprecedented, blinding light, like a dying star!

Violent energy surged wildly within, producing a ear-splitting shriek, as if metal was being torn apart!

“Energy output has exceeded the safety threshold by 300%! 500%! 800%… and it’s still climbing!” The alarm of the monitoring instruments was drowned out by the roar of energy.

“Core structural stress has reached its limit! External containment field is unstable!” The engineer’s shriek was filled with despair.

“Hold on! For Deep Blue! For the Commander’s orders! We must hold on for ten seconds!” Dr. Su Qing’s eyes were bloodshot, staring intently at the wildly fluctuating energy readings and the ten-second countdown on the main console, her fingers a blur on the keyboard as she tried to stabilize this energy behemoth on the verge of complete rampage.

At the same time, above the base’s surface and the sea area where the Iron Rock was located, invisible force field generators were instantly activated by this violent energy!

Buzz—!!!

A visible, pale golden energy shield, like a giant soap bubble, suddenly unfolded the moment before the particle cannon was about to hit!

It was not an indestructible solid, but rather a turbulent barrier composed of countless fast-moving energy particles, covering the area of the command center and hundreds of meters of sea around the Iron Rock!

The shield’s surface shimmered with dazzling light, emitting astonishing heat and radiation that warped the surrounding air!

Just as the shield formed!

Boom!!!!!!!!!!

Two destructive, dark blue particle beams, like spears of judgment thrown by a god, slammed heavily onto the pale golden shield!

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a more terrifying sound of energy annihilation, as if space itself was wailing!

The moment the particle beams contacted the energy shield, they erupted with light billions of times brighter than the sun’s core!

Terrifying energy shockwaves spread wildly in all directions in a ring, instantly pressing a huge crater into the sea surface, which was then lifted by even more violent backfilling waves!

The shield violently fluctuated, twisted, and deformed!

The pale golden light visibly dimmed and thinned at an alarming rate!

Inside the shield, the command center building shook violently, and some non-load-bearing structures instantly collapsed!

The Iron Rock, like a leaf in a gale, was violently tossed up and down by the shockwave, its hull groaning under the strain.

Had the shield not absorbed most of the direct energy impact, it would have been vaporized!

“Report! Shield energy intensity is rapidly decaying! 30%… 20%… 10%!” The shield control officer’s voice was drowned out by the piercing alarms.

“5%! 3%! 1%…!”

The countdown reached zero!

Rumble—!!!!

The underground energy research area was as if a violent earthquake had occurred!

The wildly out-of-control energy finally broke through all restraints!

The bio-geothermal hybrid core prototype completely disintegrated in a deafening explosion!

The violent energy turbulence, like a runaway wild horse, instantly destroyed the entire research area!

Blinding white light and scorching hot air rushed out from vents and passages!

Solid alloy walls were torn and melted like paper!

“Dr. Su!” In the command center’s communication channel, only the last desperate cry from the research area was heard, then the signal cut off, turning into a dead, silent busy tone.

After immense sacrifice, at the cost of the entire research area and possibly all research personnel, including Su Qing, the ten-second shield finally… held!

When the destructive light and shockwaves slowly dissipated, the command center building, though scarred, still stood!

The Iron Rock, despite multiple hull breaches and thick smoke billowing, miraculously did not sink!

Zhao Tiezhu struggled to get up from the control panel, his face covered in blood, but his eyes filled with the wild joy of surviving and endless grief for the fallen!

“We… we survived!” he roared hoarsely.

However, the cost to Deep Blue Fortress was far more than that.

The destruction of the core research area meant that the bio-geothermal energy research and development line suffered a devastating blow and could not recover in the short term.

More importantly, Dr. Su Qing… the key figure who always had the eyes of a mad scientist and brought technological breakthroughs time and again, was likely… gone.

Lin Feng clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, blood dripping between his fingers.

He looked at the glaring red damage marker on the screen representing the research area’s location, his heart twisting in pain.

But he had no time for sorrow!

The Ark fleet was clearly also shocked by this sudden powerful energy shield!

The main cannons of Abyss Fortress 3 and 4 needed to cool down due to overload and could not fire temporarily.

But their Commander quickly reacted, his enraged roar echoing through the fleet channel:

“What the hell was that?! Concentrate fire! Blast them to pieces! All ship cannons! Missiles! Saturation attack! Target: Deep Blue Fortress core area! Destroy it!”

In an instant, countless ship cannon shells, anti-ship missiles, and cruise missiles, like a torrential downpour, rose from the Ark fleet, screaming death as they converged on Deep Blue Fortress, which had just endured the shield’s baptism and had its defense system severely damaged!

“Anti-air firepower full open! Intercept! Intercept them!” Chen Hai’s voice was hoarse with urgency.

The remaining anti-aircraft missile batteries and close-in weapon systems fired wildly!

Countless fireballs exploded in the sky, but the number of missiles was simply too great!

Stragglers continuously broke through the interception, slamming heavily into the base’s docks, warehouses, and even living quarters!

Explosions lit up the sky, and thick smoke billowed!

“We can’t let them bombard us so brazenly!” Lin Feng’s eyes burned with the fire of vengeance.

He suddenly looked towards the port dry dock, “Deep Blue Blade! Can it still move?”

“Commander! Main engine intact! Hull structure moderately damaged! ‘Thunder’ system… completely scrapped!” Captain Chen Hai (also serving as Commander) immediately replied.

“We don’t need ‘Thunder’!” Lin Feng’s voice was decisive, “I want you to charge out! Use your hull, your anti-air missiles, your close-in weapons, to draw their fire! Buy time for the shore defense forces to counterattack! Buy time for the Iron Rock to regroup! Do you dare?!”

Chen Hai looked at the enemy missiles falling like rain on the screen, then at the scarred but still majestic flagship, a look of grim determination flashing in his eyes: “Commander! Deep Blue Blade is ready to sortie at any time! We will use our steel to avenge our fallen brothers!”

“Good!” Lin Feng nodded heavily, “Order! Deep Blue Blade, sortie! Course due east, speed 30 knots! Actively enable all radar and electronic jamming! Turn yourself into the most obvious target!”

“Yes!”

The massive Deep Blue Blade’s engines roared, like a wounded lion, charging out of the protection of its home port without hesitation, facing the overwhelming barrage of fire, and heading towards the Ark’s colossal fleet!

Its massive hull immediately attracted the vast majority of the firepower!

Countless shells and missiles, like sharks smelling blood, turned their direction and swarmed towards it!

Deep Blue Blade’s anti-air missiles sprayed out as if they were free!

The Phalanx CIWS spat out angry tongues of fire!

Weaving a deadly metal storm around the hull!

Missiles were constantly blown up in mid-air, and shells continually struck the hull, erupting in fire and thick smoke!

The hull shook violently, and scars increased at a visible rate!

But it succeeded! Like a giant magnet, it firmly held the bulk of the Ark fleet’s firepower!

The pressure on the shore defense forces drastically reduced, and the remaining shore-based missiles and artillery finally had a chance to organize an effective counterattack, beginning to focus on striking the exposed Ark destroyers and frigates!

On the Iron Rock, Zhao Tiezhu wiped the blood from his face, watching the flagship dancing amidst the hail of gunfire, tears in his tiger-like eyes: “Commander… brothers… hold on!” He roared, giving orders: “Damage control team! Full repair efforts! Main gun reload! Target, that smoking Ark destroyer! Blast it to hell!”

Just as the naval battle descended into an even more brutal stalemate, deep beneath the sea, Gao Qiang, who had just narrowly escaped a frantic anti-submarine attack, received an unexpected encrypted message.

The message came from a Deep Blue reconnaissance submarine lurking on the edge of the battlefield, maintaining silence.

“sea shadow, hidden dragon, this is Sea Eye-3.

Intercepted anomalous deep-sea low-frequency communication signal, not Ark standard!

Source… points to the rear of the Ark fleet!

Signal characteristics… highly similar to the previous Leviathan roar… Repeat, highly similar!

There is a massive biological energy signature in the deep sea rapidly approaching the battlefield!”

Leviathan?! Was it attracted by this unprecedented naval battle? Or… was it enraged by something on the Ark fleet (such as the energy signature of the Abyss Fortress)?

Gao Qiang’s pupils suddenly contracted!

A chill instantly swept through his body.

The addition of this ancient behemoth would be an unpredictable disaster for either side!

He immediately connected to Lin Feng’s highest-level encrypted channel, his voice filled with unprecedented gravity:

“Commander! Sea Eye-3 reports! Leviathan… may be rapidly approaching the battlefield! Direction: rear of the enemy fleet!”

Lin Feng’s heart sank sharply!

He looked at the Deep Blue Blade on the screen, scarred yet bravely fighting in the gunfire, looked at the four Abyss Fortresses in the distance, like limping giants yet still terrifying, and then thought of that deep-sea sovereign capable of tearing apart storms and destroying warships…

This great naval battle, which would decide Deep Blue’s fate, instantly plunged into an even more insane and unpredictable abyss due to Leviathan’s unexpected intervention!