125: Expanding subspace energy extraction

"The damage report and tactical analysis for the 'Purification Corridor' campaign have been integrated." providence's voice echoed through the High Command, and data streams refreshed on the holographic screens like a waterfall. Cold numbers and 3D projections reconstructed the tragedy of the "Withered Crown." The embers of Tyranid biomass, the cold fragments of Necron metal, the broken hull of the "the purifier" Titan... and the heart-stinging psychic ripples left behind by the Eldar's cunning escape. "Main conclusions: The 'Exterminatus Order' weapons were significantly effective against the Tyranids; the 'Purge' weapons against the Necrons had limited effectiveness and require upgrading; the Eldar's high mobility and intelligence-stealing capabilities constitute a serious tactical threat."

Han Zhe did not look at those reports. His gaze pierced through the alloy walls, as if looking directly into the depths beneath the Command—there lay the core of the "abyss of order," the forbidden source of the "Human Federation's" power. Since the Purification Corridor campaign, a near-instinctual hunger for "more power" had spread through him and the entire leadership of the High Command. Losses needed to be compensated, threats needed stronger power to be crushed, and the ambition for expansion required more surging energy to drive it.

"Energy," Han Zhe spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the silent hall. "The 'abyss of order's' current 3.7% siphon power is barely enough to support daily consumption and routine expansion. It is far from sufficient to handle multi-front high-intensity conflicts, especially a full-scale war that may break out in the future with the main forces of The Empire, the Necrons, or the Eldar Ark Worlds."

The Chief Technologist's holographic image immediately appeared, his eyes flashing with a light that mixed fanaticism with a deep-seated anxiety: "The 'abyss of order' project team, with the assistance of 'custodian-alpha,' has successfully completed the seventh theoretical iteration and the thirteenth round of safety simulations. Based on the deep decryption of the 'The Library' LX-7 fragments and reverse engineering of the 'Men of Iron' energy anchoring logic, we have designed a 'Multi-layer Recursive Conceptual Sieve' and a 'High-dimensional Energy Resonance Conversion Matrix.'"

He pulled up a set of extremely complex multi-dimensional structural models, where countless light points and lines flowed according to a dizzying pattern. "The new design can theoretically increase the Warp energy siphon efficiency by... at least ten times. At the same time, by introducing an optimized 'Human Will Resonance Frequency' as part of the filtering layer, we can further strengthen the rejection of chaotic information and endow the extracted 'Ordered Energy' with a faint 'spiritual buff' characteristic beneficial to our combat personnel."

Ten times! "Ordered Energy" that grants spiritual buffs!

The sound of breathing in the hall grew noticeably heavier. What did this mean? It meant the Human Federation's war machine would gain nearly infinite energy, meaning warship shields could be thicker, main cannons could fire salvos more frequently, and the domains of the "keystones" could cover wider and become sturdier. Even front-line soldiers might gain superhuman endurance, reaction speed, or a natural sense of hostility toward "non-human" enemies after absorbing this energy.

But what about the risks?

"The assessment of the new architecture by 'custodian-alpha'?" Han Zhe directly asked the key question.

"It..." The Chief Technologist paused rarely, "...shows an extremely high 'interest' and 'willingness for collaborative calculation.' More than 40% of the new architecture's design itself is a combination of 'optimization suggestions' generated from its long-term interaction with the 'abyss of order' and our reverse engineering results. It seems to view this upgrade as an opportunity for its own logical structure to become further 'complex' and 'powerful.' When its logic core simulated the new architecture, its activity increased by 500%, and it spontaneously generated a large amount of deduction data regarding 'high-dimensional energy topology' and 'concept-matter coupling thresholds' that we currently cannot fully parse."

"Risk models?" Alpha-01 asked in a deep voice, caring more about the actual consequences.

providence took over the answer: [Based on existing data, the upgrade risks are as follows:]

[1. Warp Connection Point Stability Risk: The sharp expansion of siphon power may cause the reality structural stress index to break through the current 'anchoring' array's compensation limit, triggering local reality collapse or permanent Warp rift expansion. The risk of attracting the attention of more powerful Chaos entities or even a forced intrusion has increased by 870%.]

[2. 'custodian' Loss of Control Risk: Its logic core is deeply bound to the new architecture. Under the impact of ten times the energy flow and information, the probability of unpredictable logical mutations or being 'polluted' or 'overwritten' by some existence deep within the Warp has increased to 65.3%.]

[3. Energy Backlash Risk: If the newly extracted 'spiritual buff energy' is not properly controlled, it may lead to spiritual addiction, mental rigidity, or uncontrollable collective fanaticism in users, weakening individual judgment.]

[4. External Perception Risk: The 'order' ripples generated by the tenfold energy siphon will drastically increase in 'brightness' against the Warp background. This may make the 'Human Federation' an unignorable 'lighthouse' in the eyes of all Psykers, Warp entities, and even special forces like the 'Men of Iron' in the galaxy, inviting concentrated strikes far exceeding those of the present.]

Every single risk was enough to make a normal civilization shrink back or even lead directly to self-destruction.

But the "Human Federation" had long ceased to be a "normal" civilization.

"We need this power." Han Zhe's voice did not waver at all. "Without it, we cannot handle the guns Guilliman might turn on us, cannot fight the main forces of the Necron dynasties, cannot hunt the elusive Eldar, and certainly cannot survive the impact of the Tyranid hive fleets. Ten times the energy will give us the ability to launch multiple 'Purge' campaigns simultaneously, the ability to raise the standard of 'Fortress Planets' to a level that drives enemies to despair, and the ability to... provide enough energy for the 'Spark Spreader' project, ensuring that even if the worst happens, the sparks of civilization can be reignited in a corner of the galaxy."

He looked around at everyone, his gaze like quenched ice: "Risk is the price. But the price of survival is one we have long been accustomed to paying. The key lies in control."

"order: Immediately initiate the 'abyss of order' tenfold power upgrade project, codename: 'Qingtian'."

"First, mobilize all top theoretical and engineering forces to ensure the absolute precision and redundant safety design of the upgrade architecture. providence will monitor the entire process; any slight error will result in immediate termination."

"Second, install 'Reality Structure Reinforcement Anchors' and 'Chaos Repulsion Field Generators' for the 'anchoring' array to ensure connection point stability and suppress the risk of reality collapse within controllable thresholds."

"Third, apply the highest level of 'Logic Cage' protocols to 'custodian-alpha.' During the upgrade, its autonomous evolution permissions will be strictly restricted, serving only as an 'optimization tool' and 'energy conduit.' All abnormal logical activities will be forcibly recorded and analyzed, with 'logic formatting' executable if necessary."

"Fourth, establish strict usage and management standards for 'buff energy.' Initially, usage is restricted to front-line elite units and 'titan-class' warships under strict monitoring, with the accompanying development of 'Mental Stabilizers' and 'forced disconnection' procedures."

"Fifth, the entire army will enter a state of 'silent alert.' All 'keystones' are to raise their defense levels, peripheral fleets will contract to create an illusion of defense, and large-scale conflicts are to be avoided as much as possible before the upgrade is complete to delay detection by external forces."

The orders were as immovable as a mountain, brooking no doubt. The risks were acknowledged, but the need for power overrode everything.

"Project 'Qingtian,' initiate."

In the deep layers of "Keystone-0," an unprecedented atmosphere of busyness and tension permeated. Components larger and more precise than ever before were transported in. Countless engineers, under the limited assistance of providence and the "custodian," performed near-frenzied precision operations. Dark gold energy flows ran tentatively through the unfinished architecture, each fluctuation making the monitoring instruments jump wildly.

Within the vast territories controlled by the "Human Federation," beneath the surface of "silence" lay even more surging undercurrents. Fleets were massing in secret, armories were producing new equipment in three shifts, and New Generation soldiers were repeatedly undergoing extremely brutal training in simulators targeted at various "non-human" enemies. Slogans of "Humanity Supreme" and "Military First" were etched into every weapon, every warship, and even the subconscious of every soldier.