92: Hyperspace Lost and Void Glimpse

The moment the Expeditionary Fleet leaped into Hyperspace, the familiar universe was instantly distorted and stripped away. Outside the viewports were no longer stars, but a kaleidoscopic, unpredictable turbulence of energy. Time and space lost their conventional definitions here; only the fragile bubble maintained by the engines enveloped the hull, hurtling along the preset lane. This was a relatively safe Hyperspace lane constructed based on Order Energy theory, but it was still full of unknown risks.

"Hyperspace jump stable, lane coordinates locked. Estimated arrival at the first navigation beacon is seventy-two standard hours," the Navigator's voice rang out on the bridge of the expeditionary vessel, carrying a hint of tension from entering the unknown.

Sun Zheng sat in the command chair, feeling the slight vibration of the hull. The glimmer keystone on his chest was unusually active in the Hyperspace environment, emitting a soft pulsation as if sensing a kindred presence deep within the lane. He attempted to expand his newly acquired Order Resonance Network; his perception range indeed expanded several times over, but aside from the stable order fluctuations of the lane itself, he captured no other obvious signals.

The initial phase of the voyage was relatively calm. Fleet members performed their respective duties, conducting equipment maintenance, data analysis, and combat simulation training. Shadow led the Marine Squad in tactical drills within the simulation chambers under low-gravity conditions, while scientists rushed to study the massive amounts of data obtained from the Guardian ruins and beacons, trying to find more clues about the Seed Vault and the origin spark.

However, the peace was shattered about forty hours into the flight.

"Warning! Abnormal Hyperspace background fluctuations detected!" the Sensor Officer suddenly reported, his voice urgent. "Large-scale energy turbulence appearing ahead in the lane! Cause unknown!"

On the main screen, the once smoothly flowing energy turbulence became violent, like an ocean caught in a storm, churning up massive vortices and currents.

"Can we evade it?" Sun Zheng asked immediately.

"The turbulence is too vast to evade completely! Forcing a passage will cause engine overload or even hull deconstruction!" the Helmsman steered nervously.

"Slow down! All Order Shields at full power! Prepare for impact!" Sun Zheng ordered decisively.

The fleet's speed plummeted, and the Order Shields flared with light. In the next moment, the violent energy turbulence slammed into the shields!

RUMBLE—!

The entire fleet jolted violently, countless ripples appearing on the shields as energy readings fluctuated wildly. It felt as if countless invisible giant hands were tearing at the hulls.

"Shield strength down to 65%! No Scrin energy signatures detected in the turbulence; it seems more like... a natural phenomenon?" the Engineer reported, his tone filled with doubt. Hyperspace lanes were usually kept stable by the Guardian beacon network; such violent natural turbulence was highly unusual.

Sun Zheng frowned, concentrating his mind to sense through the keystone. Deep within the chaotic energy turbulence, he vaguely captured an extremely obscure yet intensely malicious fluctuation! That fluctuation was not the purple chaos of the Scrin, but a deeper, more ethereal... sense of devouring!

"It's not a natural phenomenon!" Sun Zheng snapped his eyes open. "It's the void whisper! Its power has permeated Hyperspace and is interfering with our lane!"

As if to confirm his words, several pitch-black Shadows that seemed to absorb all light suddenly coalesced within the turbulence! They had no fixed form, like twisted ghosts, silently attaching themselves to the fleet's shields!

Sizzle—!

A tooth-gritting sound of corrosion rang out! The moment the Order Shields came into contact with these dark Shadows, the energy was actually being rapidly devoured and annihilated!

"Shield energy draining rapidly! It can't be replenished! These Shadows are... eating our shields!"

"Open fire! Use energy weapons to drive them off!"

The expeditionary vessel's Phase Prism Cannon fired, beams of white light shooting toward the Shadows. But the moment the beams touched the Shadows, they were mostly devoured as if sinking into the sea, having very little effect!

"Physical attacks are ineffective! Energy attacks are being absorbed!"

More and more Shadows appeared like maggots on a bone, frantically devouring the shield energy. At this rate, the fleet's shields would completely collapse in a few minutes, and the hulls would be directly exposed to the violent Hyperspace turbulence, with unthinkable consequences!

In the moment of crisis, a flash of insight struck Sun Zheng. He remembered the description of the "Order Purification Field" in the keystone's information—it wasn't an attack, but a "dispelling" and "purification" of chaos.

"All ships, adjust shield energy frequency to the keystone resonance band! Synchronize with me!" Sun Zheng roared, fully activating the glimmer keystone and radiating pure Order Energy through the resonance network!

Blue light spread out from him, quickly enveloping the entire fleet. The fleet's shield frequencies adjusted accordingly, reaching harmony with the keystone's energy!

Hum—!

The instant the shield frequency synchronized with the Order Energy, the pitch-black Shadows attached to them seemed to be scorched. They let out silent shrieks, twisting and shrinking violently before finally dissipating completely in the pure blue light!

The surrounding energy turbulence also seemed to be smoothed over by this powerful force of order, gradually returning to stability.

"The Shadows are gone! The turbulence has subsided!" A chorus of relief rang out on the bridge.

Sun Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, cold sweat beaded on his forehead. The exertion just now was immense. He realized that the void whisper's obstruction had already begun, and in a way that was even more bizarre and impossible to guard against.

"Recalibrate the lane and accelerate through this area," he ordered, his gaze grave as he looked into the depths of Hyperspace.

This encounter was merely a warning. The road ahead would surely be even more perilous. And that Seed Vault hidden deep within the nebula had likely already been scouted by the power of the void whisper.