95: The Abyss of Afterimages and the Battle of Consciousness

Sun Zheng's decision was extremely risky. Entering those afterimages, composed of historical and memory energy, meant projecting one's consciousness into a realm made of pure information and emotion—a place where physical laws did not exist, only direct mental collisions. A slight lapse in concentration could mean losing oneself or being swallowed by the negative emotions contained within the afterimages.

But right now, the fleet was trapped in the Void Corridor, and shield energy was being continuously consumed by the Whispering Shadows. Conventional methods could not break the deadlock. This was the only hope.

On the bridge of the expeditionary vessel, a temporary consciousness connection platform was urgently constructed. Sun Zheng, Shadow, and two other psionic researchers with the strongest mental power would serve as the vanguard. Through the resonance of the glimmer keystone, they would project their consciousness into the densest area of memory afterimages.

"Commander, it's too dangerous! Let us go!" Colonel Falcon advised with concern.

"The keystone is the key to the connection; I must go." Sun Zheng shook his head, his tone brook no argument. "Falcon, the fleet is in your hands. Defend with everything you've got until we return. Buy us time."

Sun Zheng, Shadow, and the other two lay on the connection platform, with the keystones on their chests connected to the amplifier at the center of the platform. As energy was injected, the platform emitted a soft blue light, and the consciousness of the four began to detach from their bodies, shooting like arrows toward the surging sea of light and Shadow outside the viewport.

Buzz—!

The moment their consciousness entered the afterimages, the world spun. All physical senses vanished, replaced by a flood of information and a tide of emotion. They "saw" the towering flames when the Guardian city fell, "heard" the wailing of the civilization before its end, and "felt" the loneliness and resilience of the survivors exiled in the sea of stars.

These memory fragments battered their consciousness barriers like a storm. Sun Zheng held his mind steady, using the light of order from the keystone as a lighthouse to guide the way. Shadow, drawing on his experience dealing with Shadow energy, keenly perceived the discordant source of pollution belonging to the Whispering Shadows.

"This way!" Shadow's consciousness sent out a guide. "That greedy sense of devouring is coming from deep within!"

The four condensed consciousness bodies moved with difficulty through the torrent of memories, avoiding energy vortices filled with negative emotions. The deeper they went, the more fragmented the afterimages became, and the more bizarre the scenes: distorted city outlines, shattered starry skies, and the terrified faces of countless Guardian individuals in their final moments... Finally, at the very core of the afterimages, they saw the source of the anomaly:

A massive vortex made of pure darkness was greedily devouring the surrounding streams of memory light! At the center of the vortex, a pulsating shadow core was faintly visible, radiating an aura identical to the void whisper! It was this core that was controlling the Whispering Shadows outside to attack the fleet and polluting this memory corridor!

"Found it!" Sun Zheng's spirits rose. As long as they destroyed this core, they could cut off the energy source of the Whispering Shadows!

However, as they tried to approach, the dark vortex seemed to come alive, suddenly expanding and extending countless tentacles made of negative memories and chaotic energy to entwine them! Simultaneously, a whispering voice filled with seduction and despair rang out directly in their consciousness:

【Give up... order will eventually return to nothingness... Your struggles are meaningless... Join the eternal tranquility...】

This whisper aimed directly at their deepest fears and exhaustion, attempting to dismantle their will.

"Hold onto your hearts! This is a battle on the level of consciousness!" Sun Zheng shouted, pushing the light of order from the keystone to its limit, forming a protective light shield to resist the erosion of the tentacles and the invasion of the whispers. Shadow and the two researchers also did their best, using their own mental power to fight back.

But the power of the dark vortex was extremely strong; it seemed able to absorb their resistance to strengthen itself. The light shield flickered continuously under the frantic lashing of the tentacles, and the whispering grew louder.

"This can't go on! We must counterattack!" Shadow roared. "Use our memories! Use our hope! Fight its despair!"

Sun Zheng understood instantly. This realm was dominated by information and emotion. The enemy's weapons were despair and nothingness, so their weapons should be hope and existence!

He no longer simply defended, but actively projected his own memories and emotions—the vitality of Earth's recovery, the heat of Mars Base's construction, the trust of comrades fighting side by side, the indomitable struggle of human civilization on the wasteland... These images, full of life and hope, pierced through the dark vortex like swords!

Shadow also projected his determination to step from the Shadows into the light, and the researchers projected their thirst for knowledge and faith in the future.

The light of hope and the darkness of despair collided violently on the level of consciousness! A miracle occurred: when the torrent of emotions filled with hope hit the dark vortex, the vortex's expansion slowed significantly, and those negative tentacles began to become unstable!

"It's working! Keep going!" Sun Zheng's spirits soared.

Working together, the four gathered their firmest will and brightest hope into a brilliant mental torrent, slamming it hard into the shadow core at the center of the vortex!

Boom—!!!

A silent explosion seemed to occur on the consciousness level! The shadow core distorted violently under the impact of the light of hope, finally becoming overwhelmed and shattering with a bang!

With the destruction of the core, the massive dark vortex instantly collapsed and dissipated. The surrounding polluted memory afterimages also seemed to be purified, becoming peaceful once more. Though still fragmented, the evil sense of devouring had vanished.

Almost simultaneously, in the Void Corridor outside, the Whispering Shadows attacking the fleet all let out a shriek, their bodies becoming illusory before finally dissipating like smoke into the darkness.

The pressure on the fleet's shields vanished instantly.

"It's a success!" Colonel Falcon shouted excitedly upon seeing this from the bridge.

Within the consciousness space, the consciousness bodies of Sun Zheng and the others felt a wave of weakness, yet they were filled with the joy of victory. They began to return the way they came.

However, on the way back, Sun Zheng's consciousness was again drawn to a particularly clear memory fragment that had just been purified. It seemed to be a message left by a Guardian Elder in the civilization's final moments:

【... The "origin spark" is not a simple weapon... It is the "seed" of order, the "blueprint" for reshaping... Beware of... "Assimilation"... The true test lies in... "Bearing"...】

The message cut off there, but it sent a shock through Sun Zheng's heart. The origin spark had even deeper secrets? What did "Assimilation" and "Bearing" mean?

Before he could think further, the pulling force of the return journey arrived. The consciousness of the four quickly exited the afterimages and returned to their respective bodies.

Opening his eyes, the normal starry sky was visible outside the viewport. The fleet had successfully passed through the Void Corridor, and the course ahead became clear and stable.