Meteorite Shadows, Mechanical Killing Array

The grey-black flying ship, like a shadow merging into the starry sky, slid silently toward the periphery of the Meteorite Belt.

The closer it got, the clearer the feedback of abnormal energy fluctuations received by the rule fragment from the star sequence compass became—that intermittent, highly efficient "energy vacuum" phenomenon was like a lighthouse in the dark, guiding the way while also exuding an ominous aura.

The Meteorite Belt, as the name implies, is a vast ruin area composed of countless shattered stars, warship wreckage, and ancient battlefield relics.

Here, gravity is chaotic, radiation is intense, and the environment is extremely harsh.

Apart from a few strange star beasts that survive by devouring radiation and metal debris, and some outlaws hiding from enemies or conducting illegal transactions, few living beings set foot here.

Nightmare parked the flying ship behind a massive, mountain-like warship armor plate at the edge of the Meteorite Belt.

The rule fragment fully deployed, and like the most cautious hunter, it began to scan the dead and dangerous area ahead.

[Environmental Scan: The internal spatial structure of the Meteorite Belt is complex, with a large amount of metal dust clouds and high-intensity radiation zones, which strongly interfere with Divine Sense and energy detection. Multiple weak life reactions (star beasts and exiles) detected.]

[Locking onto source of abnormal energy fluctuations: Located in the Core Zone of the Meteorite Belt, coordinates (XXX, YYY). This area is partially shielded by a high-intensity energy barrier (unknown technology), making it impossible to directly probe the interior.]

[Abnormal energy fluctuation pattern detected: Occurs every 1.7 standard hours, lasting about 0.03 seconds; the range of the energy vacuum is equivalent to a small star instantly extinguishing.]

Once every 1.7 hours, for 0.03 seconds each time?

This frequency and efficiency, precise to an outrageous degree, were definitely not naturally formed!

Nightmare’s eyes were grave.

He had the rule fragment attempt to simulate this energy extraction mode, only to discover that even when he fully activated the nirvana dao seed, he could not achieve such an efficient "devouring" effect without any energy leakage.

This was more like a... highly developed energy harvesting technology that surpassed current understanding.

"rule fragment, attempt to analyze the energy barrier structure and find weak points or information leaks."

[Command confirmed. Analyzing... The energy barrier structure is unknown and does not match any known Formation, barrier, or technological shield. Its energy composition... is suspected to involve the application of Laws from a higher dimension.]

[Weak information leak detected: At the moment each energy extraction is completed, the barrier undergoes an extremely brief (nanosecond-level) structural reorganization, leaking a trace of energy radiation that is (suspected to be) non-Universe constant. Attempting to capture and parse...]

Application of Laws from a higher dimension?

Non-Universe constant?

The sense of alarm in Nightmare’s heart grew stronger.

The warnings of the primal cube and Ector echoed in his mind.

Just as the rule fragment was fully capturing and parsing that nanosecond-level information leak, a sudden change occurred!

Hum—!

An unannounced, ice-cold scanning wave, like mercury spilling onto the ground, instantly covered a vast area with a radius of millions of miles, centered on the source of the anomaly!

This scanning wave was neither Divine Sense nor energy detection; its essence was more fundamental, carrying an absolute, unquestionable sense of "scrutiny," as if it were checking every entry in a database!

Nightmare’s rule fragment stealth mode, under this scanning wave, actually produced a slight, almost imperceptible fluctuation for the first time!

Although it was instantly stabilized by the rule fragment’s self-adjustment, this was enough to prove that the level of this scanning wave was extremely high!

"Have we been discovered?!" Su Wanqing also felt that heart-palpitating scan and looked at Nightmare nervously.

"Not necessarily, but the opponent is very vigilant."

Nightmare’s eyes were cold, and the rule fragment instantly switched to the highest combat readiness state.

The opponent’s technological level far exceeded his estimates.

Almost the next second after the scanning wave swept past!

Chh chh chh—!

Around the massive warship armor plate where Nightmare’s flying ship was hiding, dozens of regular circular holes cracked open in the Void Realm without warning!

From the holes, countless gun barrels instantly protruded, shimmering with a cold metallic luster, their shapes extremely simple and smooth, with deep blue energy veins flowing on their surfaces!

These gun barrels were not physical matter; they were more like a combination of some kind of energy projection and spatial technology!

They appeared silently, and the process of locking onto the target was faster than Divine Sense reaction!

The next moment, dozens of black energy beams, condensed to the extreme, dark in color, and seemingly capable of annihilating light, shot toward Nightmare’s flying ship from all directions like the gaze of death!

Wherever the beams passed, even space slightly twisted, emitting a terrifying aura that decomposed all things!

The attack came too fast!

Too abrupt!

Too precise!

There was absolutely no warning, no precursor of energy accumulation, as if slaughter was just the most ordinary part of their preset program!

"Hmph!"

Nightmare snorted coldly. Although surprised by the opponent's attack method and efficiency, his reaction was even faster!

The moment the gun barrels appeared, the rule fragment had already calculated all attack trajectories and energy compositions!

"Annihilation Domain... Absolute Barrier!"

The grey-black Annihilation Domain expanded violently with Nightmare as the center.

No longer the close-fitting film from before, it transformed into an indestructible spherical barrier, firmly protecting the flying ship within it!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Muffled sounds as dense as rain came!

Those dozens of black energy beams, capable of easily piercing stars, slammed hard against the Annihilation Barrier!

However, this time, the unfailing Power of Annihilation failed to instantly annihilate them as it had before!

Those black energy beams contained a strange Law power with the characteristics of "absolute order" and "material decomposition," stubbornly eroding and impacting the Annihilation Barrier, emitting teeth-grinding friction sounds!

The surface of the barrier rippled violently, and its light dimmed slightly!

Although all attacks were eventually blocked, Nightmare could feel that the energy level of each attack was comparable to a full-strength strike from a Dao Integration Initial Stage Cultivator!

And its energy utilization efficiency was terrifyingly high!

"rule fragment, analyze the attack energy composition and source!"

[Analyzing... Attack energy composition: Highly ordered dark matter energy (suspected to be synthetic). Source: The attack units are suspected to be 'Autonomous Spatial Anchoring Turrets' (tentative name); their main bodies are located in subspace or a higher dimension, attacking through spatial projection, with an extremely high degree of physical immunity!]

[Threat assessment: Single turret threat level: Peak Spirit Transformation to Dao Integration Initial Stage. Cluster attack threat level: Above Late Stage Hedao! It is recommended to prioritize clearing their spatial anchor points!]

Spatial projection?

Physical immunity?

Nightmare’s eyes sharpened.

No wonder the attacks were so bizarre!

It seemed that without finding their main bodies, he would have to face these endless harassing attacks!

He and the rule fragment instantly locked onto the extremely subtle spatial coordinate ripples generated when those gun barrels connected to the main space!

"Found you!"

He pressed his fingers together like a sword, and the rule fragment invoked the Law of space.

The Power of Annihilation at his fingertips condensed highly, turning into dozens of subtle grey threads that seemed capable of severing spatial connections.

Following those spatial coordinate ripples, they traced back upstream and instantly pierced into the subspace level!

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

In the distant depths of subspace, unobservable to the naked eye, came dozens of slight sounds, like bubbles bursting.

Those gun barrel projections that were continuously spraying black energy beams suddenly stiffened, then flickered a few times like images with a poor signal, and completely dissipated into the Void Realm.

The first wave of attacks was neutralized by Nightmare with precise spatial means.

However, the rule fragment’s alarm was not lifted; instead, it became even sharper!

[Warning! Larger-scale spatial fluctuations detected! Second and third waves of attack units are suspected to be activating! Quantity: Over three hundred! Energy reactions continue to strengthen!]

[Warning! High-intensity spatial locking force field detected! The range continues to expand! Suspected to be preventing the target from performing spatial jumps!]

[Warning! Unknown information interference waves detected! rule fragment external communication and some scanning functions are restricted!]

Nightmare looked up and saw that in the surrounding Void Realm, more and denser spatial holes had lit up like stars!

Hundreds of cold gun barrels protruded again, their deep blue energy veins even brighter!

Further away, an invisible spatial barrier with a sense of absolute order was slowly closing, completely sealing off this area!

The opponent clearly did not intend to give him any chance to catch his breath or escape!

This was a carefully laid-out, absolutely lethal trap executed by cold machinery!

Nightmare slowly clenched his fists.

Far from having fear in his eyes, a cold Battle Intent ignited instead.

"It seems that if I don't drag you hiding rats out, I won't be able to investigate in peace."