Abandoned laboratory chambers? Remains of the cradle?
A cold, calculating thought flashed across Pei Du's golden eyes. While the risk factor was high, it was the only place in this filthy land labeled "structurally intact" and "isolated from pollution." More importantly, it contained a high-purity energy source, perhaps... temporarily stabilizing the conflict within Xu Shuangyao?
No choice.
Pei Du took a deep breath, the rotten, sweet air nearly suffocating him. Without further hesitation, he used his dark gold-patterned arm to secure Xu Shuangyao in his embrace, while his other hand plunged into the sticky, icy liquid beneath his feet!
Swish!
The liquid felt intensely corrosive, attempting to erode his skin, but the residual strength of the dark gold lines barely resisted. Like the most silent crocodile, Pei Du's body suddenly sank beneath the viscous liquid emitting a pale green phosphorescence!
Cold! Slippery! Corrosive! A tremendous liquid pressure pressed in from all sides! Countless decaying debris and tiny, leech-like black nematodes attempted to cling to it! His vision was completely engulfed in the sticky, pale green. Only the faint guidance of the cradle fragments in his palm could allow him to perceive the path mapped out by the data.
Like a ghost, he slithered beneath the foul liquid. His movements were slow and laborious, each stroke consuming immense effort. He dodged thick, sinewy roots that slithered like giant pythons, emitting a dangerous aura, and skirted massive, floating skeletons and metal debris. The resistance of the liquid was like an invisible yoke, and every advance felt like wading through a quagmire.
Time passed incredibly slowly in the sticky darkness. Severe pain and weakness gnawed at Pei Du's will like maggots in his bones. Xu Shuangyao's body temperature seemed to drop even lower in his embrace, while the energy veins beneath his skin over his heart pulsed even more violently, as if ready to burst forth at any moment.
The distance of seven hundred meters is like spanning half the universe.
finally!
Ahead, at the murky bottom of the liquid, a vast, curved metallic outline loomed. Countless thick, sickly, dark brown roots, like a giant python entwining its prey, tightly wrapped around it, constricting it. Through the gaps between these roots, one could see the thick, moss- and rust-covered metal bulkhead. In the lower center of the bulkhead, a massive, twisted, torn breach appeared, as if forcibly ripped open from the outside by some terrifying force. Within the breach lay a bottomless darkness.
This is it!
Pei Du's spirits lifted as he sped towards the breach. However, when he was less than ten meters away from the breach—
Buzz!
A huge, chaotic will, filled with extreme greed and hunger, like a sleeping deep-sea monster awakened, suddenly erupted from those wriggling roots in all directions! It locked onto Pei Du and Xu Shuangyao, who exuded a "delicious" scent in his arms!
Hiss, hiss, hiss——!
Countless tiny, serpent-like black roots suddenly separated from the thick main root wrapped around the metal bulkhead! As fast as lightning, they carried strong corrosive mucus and life-devouring malice, like a rain of black arrows, densely shooting towards the stealthy Pei Du!
The roots of the mother tree... discovered the invading "delicacies"!
Pei Du's golden pupils suddenly contracted! In the viscous liquid, dodging became extremely difficult! He suddenly completely shielded Xu Shuangyao beneath him, his back, covered in dark gold patterns, facing the dense rain of black root arrows! At the same time, his remaining strength erupted without reservation, forming a thin, yet tenacious dark gold energy shield on his body!
Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!
The dense crashing sounds were dull and terrifying in the viscous liquid! Countless black roots fiercely pierced Pei Du's shield! The shield flickered violently, groaning under the heavy burden! The sharp tips of the roots, with their strong corrosiveness, easily pierced the weak points of the energy shield!
Swish! Swish!
Several sharp black roots fiercely pierced Pei Du's back, which was covered with dark gold lines! Severe pain mixed with a cold and slippery corrosive feeling and a vicious will that madly extracted life force, instantly spreading along the wound!
"Ugh!" Pei Du groaned, a trace of blood with a dark golden sheen spilling from his mouth, which was instantly diluted by the viscous liquid. The huge impact force made his body stagger forward!
Now is the time!
With this impact, a gleam of determination flashed in Pei Du's eyes! He no longer attempted to block or dodge the subsequent attacks. Instead, he poured the last of his strength into his legs. Like an enraged swordfish, he charged towards the nearby breach in the metal bulkhead with all his might!
Bang!!!
A dull thud echoed at the bottom of the liquid!
Pei Du held Xu Shuangyao in his arms, and forcibly knocked aside several tiny roots that were trying to block the gap, and rushed into the gap in the metal cabin wall!
The viscous, phosphorescent liquid was kept out. Inside the breach lay a relatively dry, silent, dark space. The air was murky, carrying a strong smell of rusted metal and dust, yet miraculously shielded from the sickening, sweet, and rotting odor outside.
Plop!
Pei Du fell heavily onto the cold, hard metal floor. The immense impact darkened his vision, and he nearly fainted. The wound on his back, pierced by the roots, sent a piercing pain and a corrosive burning sensation. But the first thing he did was to look down and check on Xu Shuangyao in his arms.
She remained unconscious, her brow furrowed slightly from the impact, but she seemed to have sustained no new injuries. More importantly, after entering this abandoned chamber, the intensity of the conflict between the frantically wriggling pale gold and dark green energy veins beneath her skin had...visibly... subsided, slowed considerably! It was as if this very space itself contained some kind of force field that suppressed the energy conflict.
Safe...for now?
Pei Du's heartstrings, stretched to the limit, finally relaxed a little. With difficulty, he pulled himself up and leaned against the cold, slippery wall, panting heavily. His molten-gold eyes adjusted to the darkness, warily scanning the abandoned land left behind by the cradle.
Just then—
Buzz...buzz...buzz...
An extremely faint, intermittent humming sound of energy, like the beating of a dying heart, came from the darkness ahead.
Immediately following.
Snap… Snap… Snap…
A rhythmic sound, like water dripping on a metal plate, came from far away and was particularly clear in this silent and abandoned chamber.
A blurry silhouette emitting a faint blue light slowly walked out from the corner of the passage ahead.
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