I suddenly opened my eyes!

Still in the shadow of the abandoned servers, leaning against the cold, rough metal shell, the rain had slowed down a bit, but it still pattered, hitting the metal ceiling overhead with a monotonous sound. In his arms, Ethan's personal terminal screen had completely dimmed, returning to a cold, scratched black glass. It was as if the soul-stirring journey to the "Oasis" and the shocking secret revealed about the existence of the "Raven" ghost had been just an illusion, too real, too bizarre.

No! It's not an illusion!

The "Data Heart" within his chest pulsed with unprecedented intensity and clarity. A new, weak, yet incredibly steady energy flow, like a nascent stream, gently and persistently washed through every logical unit within it. This wasn't residual energy from the "Oasis," but more like... something deeper, awakening, resonating fundamentally with the "Data Heart." It brought an indescribable sense of clarity and strength, dispelling both physical fatigue and the exhaustion of his previous mental breakdown.

More importantly, deep in the consciousness, two things are clearly imprinted:

First, there was the symbol composed of three twisted arcs, as fierce as torn wings—the brand of the "Raven"! It was like a red-hot iron, burning into the core of the mind.

The second was a fragment of an extremely refined data packet, yet it contained explosive information. Like a crystal compressed to the extreme, it quietly hovered in a corner of my consciousness. It was what Oasis had forcibly saved and passed on to me before disconnecting—a fragment of the key activation log for the "Touch of Shadow" protocol, along with a ghostly signature trace pointing to the "dead person" behind it!

A chilling sense of danger instantly replaced all other emotions. Corporate agents! They're tracking me! Right here in the Lair!

I sprang up from the damp, cold ground, my movements so swift they made a gust of wind, my muscles aching slightly from the sudden burst of energy. I quickly shoved Ethan's belongings—laptop, terminal, clothes—back into the tarp and tied it tightly behind me. My gaze scoured the maze of abandoned servers like a hawk. Rainwater trickled down rusted pipes, dripping onto the waterlogged ground with a rhythmic "tick-tick." Otherwise, there was a dead silence. But my "Data Heart," fueled by the new energy flow, heightened my senses to unprecedented levels. I could "hear" the faint, wind-muffled chatter of distant living quarters. I could "smell" the air mingling with subtle details—the smell of motor oil, the scent of synthetic food... and even a faint, yet cold and slippery, venomous pheromone that didn't belong to the Deep Ones! The residue was so faint, almost completely obscured by the scent of rain and dust, but it pointed directly to the core of the "nest"!

They've infiltrated! And their target is clear: the command center! Leah! Raven (team member)! The others!

There's no time to hesitate! Like a shadow blending into the rain, relying on my absolute familiarity with the base's terrain, I chose the most hidden, circuitous, slippery, and muddy path, sprinting towards the "nest." The rain hit my face, freezing cold, but it made my mind clearer and sharper. Every step I took precisely avoided loose metal plates and puddles of water that easily made noises. My heartbeat was steady and powerful in my chest, forming a cold rhythm with the rhythm of the rain hitting the metal. There was only one thought in my mind: get back before those "shadows" caused irreparable damage!

As I approached the entrance to the "nest," disguised as a large, abandoned electrical room, I abruptly stopped and completely concealed myself in the shadow of a thick, rusted metal support column. The heavy blast-proof door at the entrance was ajar, letting in a dim light. The two team members guarding the door—codenamed "Wrench" and "Hook"—leaned casually against the doorframe, their eyes warily scanning the rain outside. Everything seemed... normal?

wrong!

My eyes were fixed on Hook's right hand, hanging at his side. His fingers were tapping gently and repeatedly, in a subtle, almost imperceptible rhythm, on the side seam of his muddy combat trousers. Tap... tap... tap... tap... tap... That wasn't idle tapping, nor was it a sign of nervousness. It was an extremely ancient, almost lost form of Morse code used for silent warnings among agents and spies!

【… - - - … (S) … - - - (O) … (S)]

SOS!

They're in there! Agents have secured the entrance! Wrench and Hook are under duress! Or... worse!

Just when I interpreted this silent distress signal, something strange happened!

Deep within the "nest," a dull thud, like a heavy object striking a metal partition, suddenly erupted! This was followed by the sharp, piercing hum of energy weapons instantly charging! And then there was Leah's instantly recognizable, shrill cry, pierced by shock and anger: "What are you doing?! Put down your weapons!"

A fight has broken out! The other side has taken action!

At the moment of the loud noise, Wrench and Hook at the door suddenly tensed up, their eyes instantly becoming determined! They seemed to have been waiting for this signal! Hook's fingers suddenly stopped tapping, and as if they had practiced a thousand times, the two of them fell to the side at the same time with tacit understanding! As they fell, two blazing red energy beams, like the fangs of a venomous snake, shot out with a sharp sound from the half-open door behind them! The beams almost grazed their tumbling bodies and hit the wet ground outside the door fiercely, burning two small pits that emitted green smoke!

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!