Lu Chenheng shook his head, his eyes fixed on Wen Shifei who was being pushed away: "First...save her..."
Beacon looked at him deeply and said, "Don't worry, 'Doctor' is our best genetic physician. You will all receive the best treatment. Now, obey orders, warrior!" Her tone was filled with the majesty of a veteran in the battlefield.
Lu Cheneng was eventually, half-forced, led into a well-equipped medical room. The smell of disinfectant stung his nose. Under the bright shadowless lights, a professional medical team quickly tended to his injuries. His left arm suffered a comminuted fracture, multiple penetrating wounds and lacerations, and minor internal bleeding. Even more serious was the continued destruction of his tissues by the surging energy remaining in his body, and the overload damage to his brain chip. Each debridement and suture was accompanied by excruciating pain, but Lu Cheneng gritted his teeth and remained silent, his thoughts completely focused on Wen Shifei next door.
After several hours of intense surgery and energy stabilization treatment, Lu Chen's injuries were temporarily stabilized. A heavy brace was placed on his left arm, and the raging energy within his body was temporarily suppressed (the magic blade was placed within his reach, seemingly helping to stabilize it). He immediately asked to see Wen Shifei.
In another rest room, bathed in soft blue light, Lu Cheneng encountered Wen Shifei. She lay in the life support chamber, her face still pale, but her breathing steady. The deadly blue glow beneath her skin had completely vanished. The various vital signs indicated she was out of danger, though severely exhausted and in a deep, restorative coma.
"The energy within her body... is extremely dangerous, and also very... strange." The "doctor" in charge of her treatment, an old man with white hair but sharp eyes, pointed to the complex energy monitoring diagram next to the life support capsule and said to Lu Chenentang, "It originated from 'Zero', but it seems to have undergone some kind of... benign mutation? That knife... is the key. It's like a gate, or... an anchor point, forcibly absorbing the escaping energy when she loses control, and releasing gentle energy to nourish and repair her when she is weak. Without it, she wouldn't have made it this far."
Lu Cheneng stroked the magic blade placed beside the life support cabin, feeling the warm touch of the handle. The origin and true purpose of this blade became increasingly confusing.
When Lu Cheneng dragged his still-unhealed body and followed the beacon into the true core of the "Lighthouse" - the command center deep underground, he was shocked by the scene before him.
This is no simple refuge! It's a massive, futuristic underground fortress! The dome simulates natural daylight, the streets are neatly planned, and the staggered alloy buildings are covered with vibrant vertical plant farms. A fresh air circulation system brings a refreshing breeze. On the streets, people wear simple work clothes. Though their expressions may be tired, their eyes are filled with hope and determination. Among them are technicians maintaining equipment, soldiers training, and teachers guiding children... This is a miniature civilization, tenaciously surviving in the apocalyptic wasteland! It is the prototype of the "Ark" forged with the blood and wisdom of Wen Shifei and countless rebels!
Inside the command center, a massive holographic screen displayed surveillance footage of the outside world: a distorted lighthouse shrouded in dark blue energy, wandering alienated monsters, the mobilization of the chaebol's "scavenger" forces, the rampage of the Black Snake Gang...a stark contrast to the tranquility within the fortress. Dozens of staff members busied themselves at holographic consoles, various data streams interweaving in the air.
"Welcome to 'New Fire,'" Beacon's voice was filled with pride and heaviness. "This place is the hard work of wandering souls, and it is also the home of all those who refuse to surrender. The information you bring... especially the clues regarding the changes in the 'Lighthouse' and the 'Ark', is invaluable."
Lu Chen's gaze swept across the image of the Tianshu Building on the screen, finally settling on the faint pinprick of light that represented Lu Qingyi's life signal. "My sister is still there," he said, his voice hoarse but firm. "I must rescue her. She's not only my family, but the coordinates of the 'Ark' in her mind may be our only hope against 'Zero' and our true path to survival!"
The beacon was silent for a moment before pulling up a 3D diagram of the Tianshu Building, highlighting the "stasis cell" area deep underground. "That's one of the core nodes of the 'Hive' system, heavily guarded. Lu Qiming imprisoned Miss Lu there not only for control, but more like... 'cultivating' something. A conventional military incursion would have a success rate of less than 1%."
"I have a plan." A weak but firm voice came from the door.
Everyone turned around to see Wen Shifei standing at the door, supported by the "doctor." Her face was still pale, and her steps were unsteady, but her clear eyes had regained their spirit, burning with an unyielding flame.
"Shi Fei!" Lu Chenshang immediately stepped forward to support her.
"I'm fine," Wen Shifei gave him a reassuring smile, her gaze turning to the beacon and holographic screen. "Lu Chenen's brain chip is an early prototype of the 'Hive', possessing extremely high-level permissions. And my ability..." She raised her hand, a faint but controllable arc of blue electricity lingering at her fingertips. "...After this...transformation, I can perceive and guide spiritual energy more subtly, especially the energy field that originates from 'Zero'."
She walked over to the console and pulled up Lu Chenent's chip data model and the Tianshu Building's neural pulse network diagram. "We can conduct a 'neural infiltration'. Lu Chenent will serve as the physical coordinates and mental beacon, while I'll stay on the periphery, using my abilities and the backdoor in his chip to project my consciousness into the 'hive''s neural pulse matrix. Bypassing physical defenses, I can directly locate and 'hack' the stasis cell's independent control system, disarming the blockade and security from within, creating a brief window of chaos. Then, the beacon captain will lead the elite assault team, using this window to conduct a precise physical intrusion and rescue!"
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