Just as Lind had predicted, Narosh's "Shadow Squad" brought back chilling news after infiltrating the depths of the Shadow Abyss.
Within just a few days, they discovered numerous traces of extraterrestrial evil gods near several known and even newly discovered Shadow Rifts.
These traces take various forms. Some resemble viscous, ever-wriggling and multiplying shadow moss, eroding the void structure of the Shadow Abyss itself. Others are like distorted crystals formed from negative emotions and chaotic information, emitting tempting whispers of corruption. More dangerous are some "Shadow Abyss Aberrations" that seem to possess rudimentary intelligence. They are like native Shadow Abyss creatures corrupted and distorted by the will of an evil god, frantically attacking anything that is not of their kind and attempting to "assimilate" everything they touch into their own.
"Your Lordship, the situation is more serious than we anticipated."
Naraku's voice came through encrypted communication, and even across dimensions, its solemnity could be heard.
"The contamination is not distributed in isolated points, but rather exhibits a trend of...networking. They seem to be using the energy flow of the Shadow Abyss itself to build a hidden 'communication' or 'nourishment' network. Moreover, we have confirmed that at least seven small fissures have been thoroughly contaminated and have become channels for their infiltration into the Prime Material Plane."
The video footage in the report is shocking:
Deep within a crevice in the northern permafrost glacier, the once pristine ice and snow have been stained a murky purplish-black. Several mutated yetis, their eye sockets burning with chaotic soul fire, are driving controlled ice creatures to attack a nearby dwarf tribe.
In an ancient tomb in the western desert, a sleeping mummy, shrouded in shadow, transformed into an immortal aberrant, its spiritual pollution driving the entire oasis's inhabitants into a frenzy of infighting.
Even on a remote island far from the mainland, the local indigenous fishermen worshipped a newly emerged "sea god"—which was nothing more than a multiplying evil god organization that overflowed from a fissure in the seabed, demanding blood sacrifices and transforming its followers into half-fish, half-deformed monsters.
These derivatives of evil gods, which have come to the real world through the rifts, are far less powerful than the former fused gods, but their characteristics of "assimilation" and "distortion," as well as their terrifying corrosive power on native creatures and the environment, are creating chaos and panic in every corner of the continent.
They spread like a plague, silently eroding the fragile foundation of the new order that Linde and others had painstakingly built.
“They are cunning,” Narosh added. “They choose infiltration points that are mostly remote, poorly regulated, or where racial tensions are acute, taking full advantage of the current chaos on the continent. By the time the news reaches Starfire Base, they have often already caused considerable damage.”
Linde stood in the core control room of the Starfire Base. On the huge holographic star map in front of him, new red warning points were constantly being marked by the data transmitted back by Narosh, like blisters spreading on the skin, which was unsettling.
His cold purple eyes reflected the flickering red light, his face expressionless, but the air pressure in the control room was so low it was suffocating.
The technicians held their breath, not daring to make the slightest sound.
“Notify all liaisons,” Lind’s voice broke the silence, calm yet with a metallic quality, “Activate the ‘Spark Charter’ crisis response clause, Level: Cross-regional pollution incident. Share the coordinates, characteristics, and response plans of all confirmed pollution points. Require all parties to immediately clean up any pollution sources identified within their spheres of influence and strengthen monitoring.”
"yes!"
Aster immediately complied and began transmitting information via encrypted channels to elves, orcs, dwarves, naga, and even the human empire.
It is foreseeable that this sudden news will cause a huge uproar at the Xinghuo Base liaison office.
The parties that were just arguing over resource allocation are now forced to confront a common and imminent external threat.
"Regarding the dragons..." Aster asked.
“I will contact Amarselak personally.”
"Linde said. The dragons are most sensitive to fluctuations in the astral plane and dimensions, and their power is a crucial asset in combating such extraterrestrial threats."
After issuing the order, Linde took a step forward, his figure disappearing from the control room and appearing on the edge of a cliff on the outskirts of the base, facing the Howling Abyss.
A biting wind whipped at his robes. He gazed down at the bottomless rift filled with chaotic energy, his eyes seemingly piercing through layers of spatial barriers, directly seeing the Shadow Abyss being corrupted.
He slowly raised his hands, his left eye shining brightly like a galaxy, his right eye as silent and still as an eternal night.
It's time for a thorough "debridement surgery".
The power of order from the Light Vein and the power of nothingness from the Shadow Abyss were no longer merely intertwined, but were forcibly fused and compressed by him in a more domineering and "repulsive" way, forming a peculiar energy that shimmered with grayish-white light and seemed capable of annihilating all "abnormalities".
This energy is a "purifying power" that he designed specifically for the "existence" of evil gods, based on his understanding of their "assimilation" nature.
He named it "Purification of Radiance".
"In my name, I define 'purity'."
Lind whispered, his voice like the commandment of a law.
He pushed his hands forward with a sudden burst, and the gray-white [Purification Radiance], like a boulder thrown into still water, silently disappeared into the crack of the Howling Abyss, directly descending into the Shadow Abyss region it connected to.
There was no explosion, no flash.
But in Linde's perception, the Shadow Abyss region covered by the [Purifying Radiance] was undergoing earth-shattering changes.
The writhing shadow moss melted and vaporized instantly, like ice and snow exposed to the scorching sun; the twisted crystals emitted a silent shriek, shattering inch by inch into the most basic energy particles; and the aberrant creatures were as if thrown into strong acid, their bodies rapidly decomposing and annihilating, leaving not even a trace behind.
Wherever the 【Purifying Radiance】 passes, all the “contamination” and “alienation” imposed by external forces that do not belong to the “nothingness” and “end” essence of the Shadow Abyss itself are ruthlessly erased and purified. It is like a huge, invisible eraser, brutally wiping away all the unwanted stains on the canvas.
At the same time, Linde's immense mental power, like countless sensitive tentacles, rapidly spread deeper into the intricate energy network of Shadow Abyss. He was no longer content with passively setting up a network, but actively "scanning" and "clearing mines."
He located and locked onto each contaminated node, then remotely deployed "Purification Glow" for precise strikes.
This is an extremely demanding task; the vastness and disorder of the Shadow Abyss far exceed our imagination.
But Linde's gaze remained unwavering, like the most precise machine tirelessly executing the cleaning procedure.
Driven by his will, a silent yet incredibly fierce purge is unfolding in the Shadow Abyss dimension, a realm inaccessible to the creatures of the continent of Tyr.
Several days later, Naraku sent another message, his tone carrying a hint of relief:
"Your Excellency, the contamination network within the Shadow Abyss has been largely eradicated, and the seven discovered infiltration channels leading to the Prime Material Plane have been permanently sealed by [Purifying Glow]. Cleanup efforts by all parties are underway, and although there have been some losses, the situation is now under control."
Linde slowly withdrew his power, a hint of fatigue flashing in his eyes, but more so a cold sharpness.
He knew this was only a partial victory.
Those extraterrestrial evil gods are like hunters lurking in the darkness; one failure will not make them give up.
As long as the continent of Til exists, and as long as the Shadow Abyss exists, this struggle between infiltration and counter-infiltration may continue forever.
“Establish a long-term monitoring mechanism,” Lind instructed Narosh. “Make the ‘Shadow Squad’ permanent, and have them patrol the Shadow Abyss regularly. Simplify the rune array for [Purifying Radiance] and distribute it to major factions and important strongholds for defense and purification.”
"yes!"
Linde turned around and looked into the distance.
The chaos on the mainland has not yet subsided, internal strife continues, and the shadows from deep space have already been cast.
He created a new order and protected this land, but he also attracted the attention of even more powerful predators.
“Come on,” Lind muttered to himself, a cold smile curving his lips. “No matter where you come from, no matter what form you take, if you want to encroach on my world, be prepared to be ‘purged’.”
His figure stood firm on the edge of the cliff, like a mountain, as if it had become a solid barrier separating the world of order from the endless darkness.
"An evil god?..."
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