"...Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Lin Xi couldn't help but utter a series of curses.

"Another big problem."

As he spoke, Lin Xi pressed his forehead, feeling as if he had experienced something similar before.

[Frantically fleeing small animals and frantically fleeing humans, an endless escape, teammates disappearing in the gale, the pain of the wind cutting through the surface of the exploration suit...]

Lin Xi recalled the blurry fragments that surfaced in his mind, his mood growing heavier and heavier. It seemed that ever since the Sun God crashed on this planet, his luck had been consistently bad.

Lin Xi looked around. Based on his experience, he knew he had to find a sturdy place to take shelter before a large storm arrived.

However, his luck was as bad as ever today.

They are now located between the ruins of the Apollo and the Xavier Cave.

Lin Xi estimated the distance and realized that even if they abandoned all their supplies and data on the spot and then took off quickly with Xavier's flying ability, it would be difficult for them to get back to the cave before the storm arrived.

Not to mention, just after they discovered the storm was coming, the previously stagnant air had transformed into a fierce gale in the blink of an eye.

After passing through the jungle, the gale quickly became as sharp as a blade.

In this situation, sending Xavier into the air would be tantamount to sending him to his death.

We need to think of a solution.

Lin Xi forced himself to calm down, his gaze quickly sweeping over the surrounding environment.

Lin Xi still held some hope—he was counting on the lush forest surrounding them to provide some shelter.

But reality is cruel.

Lin Xi found the thickest tree in his field of vision, and then he reached out and tugged hard at the "branch". However, as soon as he reached out, he saw the thing he thought was a tree wriggle violently under his palm.

Lin Xi's face turned pale instantly. He then realized that these things that looked like alien plants might not be plants at all... at least, not the kind of plants he thought they were.

Those "trees" felt like soft rubber tubes to the touch.

Undeterred, Lin Xi tugged at the exposed roots of the "big tree" again, and several octopus-like tentacles were easily pulled out of the soil by Lin Xi.

Lin Xi could even hear a faint "sizzling" sound coming from the air.

Meanwhile, the slender, wriggling tree roots in his palm twisted and turned, changing their surface color, before finally shrinking into a soft, sticky mass.

Lin Xi forcefully flung those "tree roots" away, then picked up a stone from the ground and scraped the sticky substance off his palm.

"...Well, it seems we can't count on these trees."

Lin Xi muttered, forcing herself to speak.

His breathing was rapid, as an overwhelming sense of crisis was affecting him and the "He" within him. Whenever his life was threatened, "He's" emotions would become unstable. After discovering that the "forest" he had walked through was filled with similar things, Lin Xi's expression turned grim.

Finally, Lin Xi had to close his eyes and once again use his mental power to search for and observe the creatures on this planet.

He was trying to use the existence of these little things to find a way to escape—just like before.

This was no easy task, after all, in order to escape the deadly storms on this planet, all the small creatures had buried themselves deep underground. Lin Xi had to let his spirit permeate even deeper and denser places in order to barely capture the chaotic souls of those small creatures.

During this process, the sky, which had been displaying vibrant and rich colors just minutes before, turned gloomy a few moments later.

The arrival of the storm darkened the sky to the point of night, and the deadly winds grew even more violent.

The wind whistled through the rough rocks and soft bushes, making indescribable, mournful cries that sounded like the screams of some living creature.

The intense sense of oppression brought by the storm itself made Lin Xi feel terrified.

He was desperate to escape, his instincts telling him he was in mortal danger.

The soft, fleshy "trees" surrounding them swayed violently in the gale, which was terrible because their thick branches had become deadly whips in the wind, lashing everything around them.

If any of the three of them were an ordinary human being, they would likely have their spines broken if they were to walk through such a "forest".

Well, although both Lin Xi and Xavier had undergone further mutations and their bodies were not afraid of this level of whipping, the constantly swirling branches still caused them considerable trouble in their advance.

Lin Xi forcefully brushed aside a "twig" that almost hit his face; he almost wanted to swear.

He had never found the plants on this planet so annoying, and at that moment he missed the lovely trees on Earth.

Fortunately, he was no longer alone. After realizing that something was wrong, Xavier and Arthur naturally stood beside Lin Xi. Their large and sturdy bodies shielded Lin Xi, who still had a half-human body, from most of the gale, which greatly reduced the pressure on him.

His insect limbs are now far more adapted to walking in strong winds than human legs; at least he can insert the tips of his insect limbs deep into the ground.

If it weren't for this, Lin Xi would likely have been blown into the air by the gale because of her small size... Considering the debris that the gale is currently carrying, Lin Xi is certain that it wouldn't be an easy journey.

However, the other two mutants paid a heavy price to cover for Lin Xi.

Even amidst such a fierce wind, Lin Xi could still smell a strong odor—the stench of blood from his own clan.

Lin Xi was certain that Xavier and Arthur's bodies were covered in blood and wounds. In fact, even he, who was well protected, had suffered several deep cuts from the strong wind.

However, in the current situation, no one has the time to take care of their own wounds.

"Go that way..."

After an incredibly difficult investigation, Lin Xi's heart stirred slightly.

Somewhere not far away, many organisms are converging in that direction.

Although she didn't know what was there, Lin Xi couldn't care less about anything else in this critical situation.

He grabbed Xavier and Arthur and staggered toward the edge of the woods.

The wind whistled incessantly in his ears, and even under Xavier's cover, Lin Xi still felt a profound terror.

At this moment, time and space seemed to have been cut into fragments and completely shredded by the raging wind, then mixed together in a chaotic mass in a violent manner.

"Slap—slap—"

The fine pebbles, carried by the storm, sliced ​​through several "trees" right before Lin Xi's eyes.

Lin Xi and her group also got cut, but because of the strong wind, Lin Xi didn't even know where she was cut.

The approaching storm made Lin Xi feel increasingly anxious. He had a premonition that this storm would be more cruel and unbearable than the one he remembered.

Yes, storms seem to have become something else on this planet, a massive, insurmountable, and terrifying force.

If he had his own nest and enough followers, he should have been able to breed individuals suitable for this stormy environment as cover, but now he only has...

"call--"

Another sharp whistle of wind.

Lin Xi shuddered. He couldn't understand why he would have such strange thoughts in such a critical situation.

He pressed his abdomen; his skin was smooth, warm, and firm.

Even so, Lin Xi still had a strange... strange feeling.

He always felt incredibly empty inside, and his abdomen was so empty that he couldn't bear it.

What does this foreshadow? Lin Xi dared not think about it too much.

He, Xavier, and Arthur continued their arduous journey.

The only thing that could guide them was Lin Xi's vague intuition. The only good news during this process was that the "trees" that had been clinging to them and causing them considerable trouble were breaking apart bit by bit.

Without those wildly waving "branches," the path forward for Lin Xi and the others was finally a bit quieter.

As they got closer, Lin Xi gradually had a clearer feeling—there was a safe haven somewhere.

They found the place in no time; it was a gentle slope that looked quite flat.

If the fleshy "plants" covering its surface hadn't already been cut into pieces by the gale and swept into the air, Lin Xi probably wouldn't have noticed its existence even if she walked here 10 times.

On the inconspicuous leeward side of the gentle slope, there is a depression that is about to be flattened by the wind.

Brushing away the soft soil, a round metal door, clearly man-made, came into view before Lin Xi.

There was a line of English sign written on the surface of the door.

Lin Xi spotted those words at a glance.

【Providence Project Unit Facility 7654】

Apart from the line of text engraved on the metal plate, the rest of the writing has long since faded away over the past 300 years.

However, this wasn't anything important, since Lin Xi didn't have time to study it at the moment.

He didn't even have time to be surprised by the human creation that had suddenly appeared before him. The instant Arthur brushed aside the dirt, he had already pressed hard on the metal door's switch.

Above that switch is a very old electronic lock.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Xi heard a buzzing sound coming from below the metal door. It turned out that the mechanism behind the metal door could still move.

This made Lin Xi subconsciously take a breath.

But the metallic sound disappeared the next second.

The door remained completely still.

Oh, damn it...

Lin Xi's heart sank immediately.

He realized the problem in a second—the metal door was clearly an underground entrance to some facility, and now it had been locked from the inside.

Three hundred years may have oxidized the metal markings outside the door, but it hadn't rendered the locking system ineffective. Lin Xi suddenly turned his head, looking over Xavier's shoulder towards the direction from which the storm was coming.

That thing looked like a pitch-black expanse that covered the sky and the earth.

It was so close, so very close. The forest they had come from had vanished, and unimaginably massive rocks floated in the air like bubbles. Lin Xi gritted his teeth, staring intently at that spot. Although reason told him it was just a storm, based on what he saw, he almost suspected the storm had swept the entire continent into the air. After all, to him, the boundary between sky and ground had become incredibly blurred. If Lin Xi and the other two hadn't already undergone mutation, they would probably have already died from the oxygen deprivation caused by the wind pressure and the tearing apart of debris.

If there truly is a Grim Reaper in this world, then without a doubt, what Lin Xi is gazing at right now is the very image of the Grim Reaper.

Just when Lin Xi was about to despair, something that Xavier was carrying on his back suddenly flashed twice…

That was the electronic brain that was malfunctioning due to burnt-out components.

If I had to put it in perspective, this story is more like a ghost story.

After all, Lin Xi had already checked this thing before, and it was completely malfunctioning and ineffective.

But now, at this critical moment, the component on the electronic brain that represents the activation switch has lit up once again.

Before Lin Xi could even react to why the tiny light bulbs had lit up, he heard a metallic clanging sound that jolted him wide awake.

He suddenly turned his head to look at the metal door beside him, and was shocked to see that the red glow indicating that the door was locked on the electronic lock had turned green and was now "unlocked".

The next second, the incredibly heavy metal door began to slowly lift upwards.

And so it opened its dark and gloomy interior to the first visitors 300 years later.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Xi and the other two quickly jumped into the metal door.

During this process, Lin Xi heard the sound of countless pebbles hitting the metal door. And because the door was open, the exposed metal bearings made a sound that seemed to be struggling under the heavy wind.

After everyone had entered, Lin Xi did not hesitate and forcefully closed the door again.

With the dull thud of the door closing, the originally piercing sound of the wind suddenly became faint and ethereal.

This is reassuring because it means that their current location is very well sealed off—at least for the time being, they don't have to worry about being turned into pieces by the storm.

Upon realizing she was finally safe, Lin Xi's body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground.

He gasped for breath for a while before realizing that he hadn't been breathing due to lack of oxygen during the earlier gale.

It took Lin Xi longer than expected to recover, and he nervously looked around at his surroundings.

He found himself in a very small, metal-filled room: the walls, floor, and ceiling were all made of exceptionally smooth metal. The lighting had long since stopped working, but the green emergency light in the corner was still operational, albeit very dimly lit.

Lin Xi suspects that these emergency lights may become useless in a few years.

Xavier and Arthur huddled close to him, and after confirming that the environment was safe, Xavier hugged Lin Xi first.

"Lin Xi, are you alright?"

He asked with concern.

"I am fine…"

Lin Xi looked at Xavier's arm with some pity, revealing the bone through the deep wounds, and then said.

How are you?

He reached out and pressed on Xavier's wounds, and immediately felt the latter's body tremble violently.

"I'm fine too."

Xavier replied with exceptional sweetness.

Lin Xi involuntarily raised her head and looked into Xavier's eyes.

Those two red compound eyes were frighteningly bright in the dim light...

The previous trek through the storm had left Xavier's body covered in wounds. Several deep cuts ran down its face, and the blood and gaping wounds made this alien creature look even more ferocious and bizarre. But at the same time, it also possessed a unique, bloody, and savage... charm.

Lin Xi's body stiffened slightly. After realizing what he was thinking, he quickly avoided Xavier's gaze and turned his attention to the other wounds on Xavier's body.

On the other side of Xavier and Lin Xi, Arthur looked down at his arms and legs.

It had originally intended to answer Lin Xi's question eagerly, but just as it was about to speak, it suddenly met Xavier's eyes.

The enormous and terrifying king insect was hovering over Lin Xi's shoulder, watching it warily.

Arthur shuddered slightly, and a strong instinct made him immediately shut his mouth.

And so, Arthur curled up, licked his wounds with his tongue, and remained silent.

Lin Xi did not notice this very minor conflict between Arthur and Xavier.

Now that he was out of danger, he had something even more important to consider.

Providence...

Lin Xi recalled the line of words she had seen before entering the secret room.

Then he felt his heart start pounding.

Even back in the ruins of the Apollo, he had already thought of the Providence. Who could have imagined that just a few hours later, he would be standing in the Providence Project facility?

He stood up and paced back and forth in the cramped room, examining every inch of the metal plates, but ultimately found nothing.

There were some marks on the floor, indicating that something might have been placed here before, but now it was empty and there was nothing there.

Even so, just knowing that this is an auxiliary facility of the Providence project is enough to make one waver.

The Providence's immigration program was an exceptionally large and ambitious undertaking.

The amazing ship of wonder, the Providence, was just one part of the plan (albeit a very important one).

Before this, everyone believed that the Providence had failed in the initial stages of landing, but now... take a look at this secret room. It has complete facilities and an electronic control system that has been in operation for 300 years.

This indicates that the Providence did not immediately face a devastating attack after landing; they at least carried out some of their plans.

For example, building some underground facilities on this planet.

Thinking of this, Lin Xi suddenly remembered the little incident when they entered this place.

He rushed back and found the already destroyed electronic brain on the ground.

The thing lay lifelessly in Lin Xi's palm, the scorch marks from the current overload particularly noticeable on the silver chip.

Its previous activation, without any apparent movement, seemed to be merely a dream that Lin Xi had during a moment of tension.

But Lin Xi knew that this thing must have some connection with this place.

It was this electronic brain that activated the underground facility that was built here 300 years ago.

If it weren't for the fact that the storm was so incredibly powerful, beyond the reach of human technology, Lin Xi would almost believe that the man hidden behind the electronic brain had deliberately manipulated the storm and driven it here.

Lin Xi's expression was somewhat grave; he had a bad feeling about this.

The Providence, dating back over 300 years, a strange planet, and a completely alienated self, plus a man who walks into reality from a dream—it all seems to conceal a huge conspiracy.

In a moment of impulse, he raised the electronic brain in his hand and then spoke coldly to the thing in a low voice.

"I don't know what you're thinking, and I don't intend to find out what you're planning. But whatever tricks you're going to play, I'm not going to play along."

"We'll leave here once the storm subsides..."

"If you really intend to have someone assist you in your suicide, try to get another spaceship from Earth."

After Lin Xi finished speaking, the secret room returned to silence.

Lin Xi stared intently at the electronic brain, feeling as if it would start talking to him at any moment.

But after waiting for a long time, the electronic brain looked just like any other normal, discarded electronic component, lying calmly and quietly in his palm.

"Okay, if you like it this way, then enjoy it."

Lin Xi placed the electronic brain in the corner of the secret room furthest from him, and then returned to the other side of the secret room.