Inside the Oak Institute, the atmosphere was heavy and focused, with only the hum of the instruments and the suppressed breathing of the researchers.
The massive heart of the furnace pulsated with an ominous dark red light, like the heart of an underground monster, greedily sucking up the data streams extracted from the core of the "Earthbreaker" mining machine.
Victor Horn stared intently at the several floating light screens in front of him, where a waterfall of data flowed down, carrying an unusual complexity and... heaviness.
His brow was furrowed, and his monocle reflected a cold, fluorescent light.
"What's the data parsing rate?" His voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet shed.
"Reporting to Researcher Horn, the parsing rate is less than 5% of the expected value... but the information density of the data stream itself... far exceeds any ancient artifact we have ever encountered before!"
A young researcher responsible for monitoring the data channels spoke with a trembling mix of excitement and disbelief, "This...this doesn't seem like the data core of a war machine, it's more like...more like a fragment of a complete civilization's...knowledge base!"
This analogy sent a chill down Victor's spine.
He glanced at the massive wreckage on the platform beside him, its cold metal shell gleaming eerily under the arc lights.
Lind Truk... just what exactly does he possess? The sheer amount of information contained within this "mining machine" is enough to dwarf the existing alchemy database of the Principality of Oak!
"Continue! Prioritize analyzing the energy core structure and shield generation principle! Archive other redundant data for now!"
Victor gave the order decisively.
Trying to do too much at once will only lead to failure. The immediate priority is to acquire the most core and direct tactical information. As for the vast "knowledge base," that can be digested gradually once the crucible stabilizes.
However, the heartbeat of the furnace seemed to grow even heavier.
The core temperature reading began to climb at a visible rate, exceeding the yellow zone of the safety warning line and rapidly approaching the dangerous red zone.
"Warning! The core temperature of the furnace has risen abnormally! The cooling system is operating at full capacity, but its efficiency is lower than the increase in heat load!"
A piercing alarm and a cold, synthesized electronic voice sounded simultaneously.
"What's going on? Is the data stream under too much pressure?" Victor asked sternly.
"The data stream... the data stream itself seems to contain some kind of... high-entropy information! It is actively interfering with the furnace's underlying logic operation units, causing a logical dead loop, resulting in a surge of invalid operations and runaway power consumption!"
The technical lead's voice was filled with panic, "It's...it's resisting the analysis! It's like...like it's alive!"
"Impossible! It's just a machine!"
Victor's face was grim. He strode to the furnace control panel. "Immediately inject secondary coolant! Force down the analysis priority! Prioritize stabilizing the furnace core!"
Just as the technicians were frantically executing the instructions, the core of the seemingly lifeless "Earthbreaker" wreckage on the platform suddenly lit up!
It wasn't the stable, ghostly blue light from the previous battles, but an extremely eerie, flickering, deep purple light, like the beating of a living heart!
The frequency of the light increased, accompanied by a deep, unsettling hum, as if something was awakening inside, or... being forcibly activated!
"Abnormal energy fluctuations in the core! Intensity soaring! Exponential growth!" The monitor's voice became shrill and distorted.
"Quick! Sever its physical connection to the furnace! Activate the energy suppression field!"
Victor's pupils contracted sharply as an extremely ominous premonition gripped him.
He realized that this wasn't data overload at all! It was a trap! A deadly contingency plan left behind by Lind Truk in the wreckage!
However, it was all too late.
The deep purple light suddenly contracted to its limit, as if gathering its last bit of power. Then, it burst forth!
Buzz—Boom!
It wasn't a physical explosion shockwave, but a more bizarre and terrifying release of energy!
The piercing alarm was completely drowned out by the roar of the explosion. A violent surge of magical energy, like a beast breaking free of its restraints, slammed outwards, carrying scorching air currents and metal fragments!
"Ugh—!"
The clerk who was closest to the victim only had time to let out a short scream. The moment he tried to raise his arm to block, his right side was instantly engulfed by a purplish-black magical heat current carrying terrifying high temperature!
The fine protective suit melted away like paper, and his entire right arm and shoulder were "melted" like a candle in the horrified gazes of the crowd!
Flesh and bones vaporized and carbonized under extreme heat and magical erosion, filling the air with a nauseating smell of burning.
He screamed and flew backward, crashing heavily into the reinforced glass wall, leaving shocking stains. His fate was unknown.
Victor Horn was also within the epicenter of the explosion.
At the critical moment, he felt an immense force suddenly knock him down from the side!
It's the "Scarlet Wall"!
The dark red steel body, like the most loyal fortress, pressed him down precisely and swiftly, its massive mechanical arms and broad shoulder armor forming a solid triangular protective zone.
Boom!!!
A deafening roar! A violent energy shockwave, mixed with scorching metal fragments, slammed into the back armor of the "Crimson Bulwark"!
Victor could even hear the armor plates groaning under the strain and the ear-piercing scraping of metal twisting! A wave of scorching air rushed in through the gaps, almost suffocating him!
A few seconds later, the aftershocks of the explosion subsided slightly.
Viktor coughed violently from the thick smoke and dust, and struggled to push away the "Crimson Barrier" that was pressing down on him.
The once-cold armor surface was now scorching hot, the back covered with thick charred marks, several armor plates were visibly dented and deformed, and even fine cracks could be seen.
But the main structure remains intact, and the deep red, single-eyed sensor flashes a steady light.
Victor quickly glanced at the scene:
The core area of the Furnace Heart was a mess, with equipment severely damaged and flashing with dangerous electrical sparks; the clerk lay not far away, his right arm completely gone, the wound a horrific charred mess; other researchers either lay on the ground groaning or hid behind cover, still shaken.
"waste!"
Victor muttered a curse under his breath, whether he was cursing the out-of-control furnace or his own momentary lapse in concentration was unclear.
He quickly regained his composure as a researcher and immediately shouted through the communicator:
"Medical team! Immediately! Top priority! Seal off the site! All data! I need all the data from the last three seconds before the explosion! Quickly!"
He staggered to his feet, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, and immediately looked at the center of the explosion—the wreckage of the "Earthbreaker" mining machine.
At this moment, the wreckage had completely disappeared, leaving only a huge, molten crater at the bottom, with dark red molten metal flowing through it, radiating terrifying heat.
Clearly, some self-destruct mechanism in the mining machine's core was triggered, or more likely... it was detonated by their forced analysis!
"The data... the data volume is too large... triggering the protection mechanism... or... a trap?"
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