88: Abyss Awakening and Emergency Response

The images and energy readings transmitted from the Mariana Trench caused the temperature on the bridge of the "hope" to plummet to freezing. The terrifying silhouette rising from the Abyss, woven from tiberium crystals and black flesh, radiated chaos and malice that even surpassed the scrin capital ship encountered previously.

The "void whisper"... it is using Earth, this "Anchor Point," to try and shape a temporary avatar, or open a more stable channel!

"Immediately contact the 'Abyss' Exploration Team! order them to evacuate the trench area at all costs!" Sun Zheng roared into the communicator, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest. That team, which had just activated the Beacon, was right at the epicenter of the disaster!

However, the communication channel only contained harsh static and intermittent, terrified shouts:

"Co... Commander! Down there... something is coming out! Giant... tentacles... Ah—!"

The communication abruptly ceased, and the signal source vanished completely.

"The Abyss Exploration Team... is out of contact." The Communications Officer's voice was heavy and sorrowful.

Sun Zheng slammed a fist onto the control panel, his knuckles white. Another elite squad had sacrificed themselves! And the disaster had only just begun.

"Earth Orbit Monitoring Station report! Global tiberium veins activity is spiking drastically! Crustal movement is abnormal! Tsunami warnings are appearing in multiple coastal regions!"

"Emergency distress signals received from Earth Survivor Settlements! They observed the ocean turning black and ominous purple auroras appearing in the sky!"

Bad news followed one after another. Earth, the cradle of humanity, was rapidly sliding into the Abyss of destruction.

"Commander, we must act immediately!" Colonel Falcon urged, "If that thing fully surfaces, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Sun Zheng forced himself to calm down, his mind racing. Directly attacking the rising monster? Leaving aside its extremely high energy level, a rash attack might trigger a more violent energy burst, or even accelerate the arrival of the "void whisper." Moreover, Earth's environment and the survivors would also be affected.

"We can't fight head-on." Sun Zheng's gaze was sharp. "We need to figure out what exactly it is, and how to stop it, not just destroy it."

He recalled the words of the Watcher Elder, and the fragmented information about the "Order Purification Field" contained within the glimmer keystone.

"Falcon, order the 'hope' and all available ships to immediately proceed to Earth orbit, establish a blockade, and monitor the Abyss anomaly, but strictly forbid preemptive attacks!"

"At the same time, send the highest level alert to all Earth Survivor Settlements, guiding them to evacuate urgently toward inland and high-altitude regions!"

"Contact the Mars Base and the 'wind chaser' at the Oort Cloud, synchronize the situation on Earth with them, and ask if they have relevant countermeasures or findings!"

orders were issued one by one, and the fleet immediately sprang into action.

The 'hope' engaged its engines fully, changed course again, and led several mobilized frigates, speeding toward Earth orbit. En route, Sun Zheng entered the homeworld space again, attempting to find answers from the glimmer keystone.

This time, when he focused his thoughts on the "Abyss Mutation" and "Order Purification," the keystone's reaction was exceptionally strong. A clearer fragment of information about constructing a "Large-Scale Order Stabilization Field" flooded into his mind. This Stabilization Field was not an offensive weapon; rather, by amplifying Order Energy, it forcibly suppressed and purified chaotic energy within a specific area, similar to a "disinfection" or "sedative" effect.

"Perhaps... we could try building a global Stabilization Field in Earth orbit to temporarily suppress the monster's activity and buy time to find a fundamental solution?" After exiting the space, Sun Zheng immediately discussed his idea with Falcon and the Chief Scientist.

"Theoretically, it's feasible, but the energy requirements are enormous!" the Chief Scientist analyzed. "With our current technology, even if we exhaust the energy of the 'hope' and all ships, we could only maintain a short-term Stabilization Field covering a partial area, not globally."

"What if... we combine the five Solar System Beacons that were just activated?" A gleam flashed in Sun Zheng's eyes. "The five Beacons are now resonating with my keystone. Can we use the keystone as a relay to remotely guide the Order Energy from the five Beacons, concentrating it in Earth orbit to construct a more powerful Stabilization Field?"

This idea was extremely bold, involving ultra-long-distance energy guidance and precise control; the risk was extremely high. If control was lost, it could cause irreversible damage to the Beacons themselves.

But for now, there seemed to be no better alternative.

"Start the simulation calculations immediately! Evaluate the feasibility!" Sun Zheng commanded.

Just as the technical team was working intensely on the calculations, the 'hope' arrived in Earth orbit. Looking down from space, the sight of Earth was heart-stopping: large swathes of the ocean displayed an ominous dark purple color, especially in the Mariana Trench area, where a massive, whirlpool-like dark region was continuously expanding, with something vaguely visible writhing within. tiberium veins across the globe emitted an eerie luminescence, as if responding to the call of the Abyss.

"Commander! The simulation results are out!" the Chief Scientist reported, his tone a mix of excitement and tension. "Theoretically, it is feasible! But it requires extremely precise energy control and synchronization! And... we need a powerful energy focus point located in Earth orbit to serve as the core of the Stabilization Field!"

An energy focus point? Sun Zheng looked at the blue planet outside the viewport, and a thought struck him.

"The Moon!" he blurted out. "The Moon Base 'Guanghan Palace'! The Ancient Ruin Core there, along with its natural resonance with the keystone, can serve as the most ideal energy focus point and amplifier!"

"Immediately adjust the plan! Use the Lunar Ruin as the core, the keystone as the guide, converge the energy of the five Beacons, and construct the Earth Order Stabilization Field!" Sun Zheng made his final decision.

A grand project, a race against time concerning the survival of Earth, thus began!

The 'hope' and the frigate fleet stood ready in Earth orbit, monitoring the Abyss.

The technical team remotely connected to the Moon Base and began adaptive modifications to the Ruin core.

Sun Zheng, meanwhile, concentrated his mind, attempting to establish a deeper energy connection with the five distant Beacons.

Everyone's hope was pinned on this unprecedented plan.

However, just as preparations were underway, the sensors monitoring Earth transmitted even worse news:

In the center of the Mariana Trench's dark whirlpool, an immense tentacle, constructed entirely of tiberium crystals, slowly extended out of the ocean, pointing straight toward the firmament!