85: Chapter Knowledge Beacon

"The final deduction for the 'Severing Tentacle Operation' is complete. Risk-benefit assessment: feasible." providence's cold voice rang out in the top-secret tactical meeting. "There are seventeen critical action nodes, forty-seven contingency plans for unexpected events, and nine evacuation routes. The estimated probability of achieving the predetermined goals is 81.3%. The risk of complete exposure after the operation is below 0.7%. The success rate for framing the Zerg is 52%."

On the star map, hidden paths, precise time points, and simulated trajectories of 'accidental' energy bursts were clearly marked, like a musical score composed by the Grim Reaper, awaiting the moment of performance.

"Execution approved," Han Zhe's voice was resolute. "'Ghost' Fleet, you are authorized to initiate the 'Severing Tentacle Operation'. May knowledge and shadow protect you."

The meeting ended, and the orders were issued. However, just as the 'Nightblade' Squad, the most elite infiltration unit of the 'Ghost' Fleet, began their final equipment checks and neural synchronization, the priority communication interface of the 'keystone' system suddenly lit up with a long-dormant highest emergency signal flag representing the 'beyond the horizon' project—it was from the far gaze!

It wasn't a periodic data packet, but an emergency faster-than-light quantum entanglement pulse! The signal strength far exceeded normal levels; despite the severe attenuation and distortion caused by crossing unimaginable distances, the core message was forcibly deciphered:

[Emergency! Encounter! Coordinates (locked based on supercluster relative reference)! Discovered... Living Civilization Ruins! Repeat, Living Civilization Ruins! Not wreckage, not dormant; there is continuous low-level energy activity and regular information broadcasts! Broadcast content being deciphered... not a distress call, nor a warning, it seems to be... some kind of technical principle exposition and declaration of existence?]

[...Preliminary scans show the ruins are planetary in scale. Structure: highly non-natural geometry, material unknown. The surface features energy patterns highly similar in technical style to the k-73 relic 'Pure Kindling' and 'knowledge prism', but more complex, grander, and... they are currently operating! A stable 'Reality Stabilization Field', isolated from the Warp, has been detected within, with a strength far exceeding our own technology!]

[...Recent battle traces detected around the ruins! Energy residues show that the attackers possessed characteristics of high-degree Chaos contamination! The defender... that is, the ruins themselves, once activated a powerful defensive weapon based on the principle of 'Reality Stabilization', successfully repelling or driving away the Chaos attackers! Slight damage exists on the surface of the ruins, but the main body is intact, and energy activity is stable.]

[...When the 'Prophet' drones attempted to approach for a harmless scan, they triggered the ruins' passive response system! No attack was suffered, but a directional information stream was received! Content... being analyzed... Preliminary judgment: it is some kind of 'identity verification protocol' or 'access permission query'! The information stream contains a large amount of unencrypted, fundamental data regarding advanced technological principles of 'Reality Weaving', 'Concept Stabilization', and 'Warp Isolation'! It seems to be... a public access portal or basic teaching module for that civilization's 'Technology Vault'?!]

[...'far gaze' cannot respond to its 'identity verification', and the information stream has been interrupted. The ruins have returned to silence. However, its 'public' broadcast of technical principle signals continues, with a signal strength sufficient to be captured by civilizations with corresponding receiving capabilities on a supercluster scale.]

[...Inference: This ruin (temporarily named 'The Watchers Library') belongs to an ancient civilization that long ago went extinct or departed, whose technological path shares the same origin as (or may even be the source of) the 'stasis prism'. They left behind this 'Library' seemingly to spread knowledge and technology for resisting Chaos and stabilizing reality to those who come after! Furthermore, it is still automatically operating, still resisting the encroachment of Chaos!]

[...'far gaze' energy reserves can no longer support further in-depth investigation or a long-term stay. Requesting instructions: 1. Attempt to establish limited contact? 2. Exert full effort to record the publicly broadcasted technical data? 3. Evacuate immediately to avoid triggering unknown defense mechanisms?]

[...The situation is urgent, please decide quickly! far gaze, awaiting instructions.]

The information was like a thunderclap, exploding in the command center! A living ancient civilization ruin, still resisting Chaos and actively spreading advanced anti-Chaos technology?! Right there in the Extragalactic void?! And its technological path was of the same lineage as the core 'Pure Kindling', 'Reality Weaving', and 'Concept Stabilization' currently held by the Human Federation, only even more advanced!

This wasn't just a discovery; it was practically... a godsend! A "technological treasure" almost tailor-made to address the threat of Chaos!

"Should 'Severing Tentacle Operation' be suspended?" Alpha-01 asked immediately. Compared to this discovery, the threat of the Ice Thorn Fortress seemed secondary.

"No." Han Zhe's breathing was slightly hurried with excitement, but his gaze remained sharp. "'Severing Tentacle Operation' will proceed as planned; there can be no mistakes. The Empire is our imminent enemy, while 'The Watchers Library'... is our future hope, but distant water cannot quench a nearby thirst. We must first secure our immediate survival space."

He thought quickly and issued orders over the communication channel: "Reply to far gaze: Information received, of vital importance. Instructions are as follows—Priority One: At all costs, record all technical data signals from 'The Watchers Library's' public broadcast on all frequencies! Utilize all remaining 'Prophet' drones and shipboard storage arrays; even if it exhausts their final energy, obtain as much information as possible! Priority Two: Provided that no offensive defenses are triggered, attempt to send a simple 'identity identification code' based on k-73 energy signatures and 'Pure Kindling' basic protocols to see if further response or access permissions can be obtained. But under no circumstances are you allowed to risk approaching or performing any action that could be perceived as an intrusion! Priority Three: After completing the data recording, if energy permits, immediately find the nearest safe area (such as near a previously discovered 'Reality Weak Point') to enter hibernation or a minimum-power drift state to preserve your strength and wait for possible subsequent backup or self-rescue. Your discovery is of immeasurable value. You must... stay alive and bring the knowledge back!"

The command was urgently encoded and sent out through a special faster-than-light quantum channel. It would take time for the signal to traverse the endless void, but it was currently the only way.