Chapter 109 The Moment Before the Final Battle Begins the Operation
Xinglin's consciousness floated in the dark void, surrounded by countless flowing chains of code and data.
There are twelve hours left until the scheduled operation time.
He is conducting the final path simulation.
Although the map of the "Slumber Zone" provided by Zhulong was detailed, a long time had passed, and the main system must have updated its defenses.
Over the past few dozen hours, Xinglin has silently conducted thousands of simulations using energy transmitted from the farm, identifying three possible safe paths.
However, risks still exist.
The biggest variable is the "nightmare" that Zhulong has repeatedly emphasized.
Very little information is available about this gatekeeper. All that is known is that it was once one of the best mission takers, and voluntarily merged with the main system, becoming a guardian without a self, possessing only a vigilant instinct.
Its sensitivity to any abnormal data may be even higher than that of the main system itself.
Xinglin pulled up a blurry data record, a fragment he had reconstructed from a discarded log, which recorded an unauthorized access attempt to the "slumber zone".
The visitor was detected at the third layer of the firewall, and the logging stopped there, leaving only a small line of text.
"Abnormal fluctuations in consciousness detected. Feature match: Nightmare."
Outcome: Completely purified.
In the main system's dictionary, "complete purification" means the permanent erasure of the consciousness entity.
Starfall closes the record.
Every piece of content he deconstructed and every message he obtained repeatedly reminded him of the extremely high level of danger.
Countdown: 11:42:17.
He double-checked all the emergency protocols he had prepared.
Three different levels of camouflage, five emergency escape routes, two data bombs to create chaos if necessary, and... the final self-destruct command.
If it fails, these preparations will at least ensure that the main system cannot trace back to the farm through him.
The bomb he set was specifically aimed at the main system's detection and positioning module, causing irreparable and permanent destruction that would prevent the main system from ever determining the farm's coordinates again.
This was also the last protection he left for Shi Wan.
Thinking of Shi Wan, Xing Lin's consciousness fluctuated slightly.
Through that narrow passage, he could vaguely sense the vibrant life emanating from the farm.
Just now, a particularly bright and joyful emotion surged over her, as if Shi Wan had encountered something especially happy, mixed with a sense of accomplishment, anticipation, and a little bit of smug joy.
Why is she happy?
Are the flowers in Zone 2 in bloom?
Or did Tangyuan do something silly and cute again?
Or... have new animals arrived on the farm?
Xinglin couldn't know the specific details, but this warm emotional energy was continuously replenishing his energy reserves.
This further convinced him that what he was doing was the right thing to do.
Those worlds plundered by the main system, those mission takers who unknowingly became "accomplices," those humans whose lives were drained by extreme emotions... all of this must end.
Countdown: 11:30:05.
Xinglin entered a state of deep silence, beginning its final energy accumulation.
He "looked" at the faint coordinates at the other end of the passage, where there was sunlight, land, growing plants, lazy cats, people working diligently, and a girl who always smiled and tried her best to live her life.
That's enough.
He thought.
To protect such a being, it is worth it no matter how many firewalls we have to cross or how many "nightmares" we have to face.
The data void has returned to silence.
Only the countdown numbers pulsed silently in the darkness.
A desperate, all-or-nothing action in the darkest hour before dawn.
Meanwhile, at the farm, Shi Wan had just finished sketching out a draft of the "One-Day Farm Owner" experience activity and stretched contentedly. Tangyuan jumped onto the table, plopped down in the middle of the sketch, and meowed with its head tilted back.
Shi Wan poked his little head, "You also think I'm a genius planner, right?"
Tangyuan brushed her hand with its tail, gave a perfunctory meow in response, then picked up the cat toy and pushed it next to her, urging her to play with it quickly.
Deep within the data world, the countdown resets to zero.
Xinglin's consciousness suddenly solidified in the void, transforming into an almost invisible ray of light that pierced the most heavily defended dormant zone of the main system along a path that had been simulated thousands of times.
The first layer of firewall has been breached.
He blended into the ocean like a drop of water, disguising himself as the most ordinary system self-test data stream.
All around is a surging torrent of code, each line following a strict trajectory.
Any abnormal fluctuation will trigger an alarm.
The second floor, the third floor...
The core of Starfall is operating smoothly as before, but it consumes a huge amount of energy.
But he could still feel the constant energy support coming from the farm, warm and pure, like a faint light in the dark night, firmly supporting him.
On the fourth level, he began to encounter dynamic verification nodes.
These nodes will randomly request data packets to perform logical self-verification.
Xinglin was prepared, and used the old version of the protocol fragments provided by Zhulong, mixing them into his own forged access code.
The node blinked a few times, then passed.
Fifth floor, sixth floor...
The paths are becoming increasingly complex, and the traps are becoming more and more numerous.
Several times, the scanning beam almost grazed the edge of his consciousness.
Xinglin suppressed its own fluctuations to the lowest level, like an animal entering hibernation.
On the seventh floor, he encountered his first logic trap zone.
The data flow here appears calm and normal, but once you follow the surface path, you will be drawn into an infinite loop, forever trapped in a self-validating paradox.
Xinglin hovered at the edge of the trap, rapidly performing tens of thousands of calculations per second.
Found it.
A nearly undetectable gap: a tiny compatibility gap created when two different versions of a security protocol are used interchangeably.
The window of opportunity was only 0.003 seconds.
Xinglin's consciousness transformed into a sharp streak of light, passing through the gap the instant it opened.
Eighth floor, ninth floor...
We are getting closer and closer to the core area of the dormant zone.
Xinglin could sense that the density of surveillance cameras around him was increasing exponentially.
The main system attaches even more importance to this area than some core databases.
This confirms Zhulong's guess that something important is indeed hidden here.
He stopped on the tenth floor.
Ahead lies a strange, silent data zone.
There was no flowing code, no scanning beam, and not even basic system background radiation.
Like the absolute calm within the eye of a typhoon.
But Xinglin's subconscious told him that this place was more dangerous than anywhere else he had been before.
He didn't hesitate for long, but quickly made a decision and released the pre-prepared "bait".
Several data fragments, disguised as abnormal fluctuations, were thrown into different locations within the silent zone.
One second, two seconds...
Suddenly, the silent zone came to life.
Countless dark red data tentacles emerged from the void, precisely pouncing on each decoy, instantly crushing and devouring them.
Its speed was astonishing, and its attack pattern carried a pure and insane desire for destruction.
This must be a nightmare.
Xinglin observed calmly.
The Nightmare's attack paused for an extremely brief moment the moment all the bait was removed, an instinctive relaxation as it confirmed the threat was gone.
Right now.
Starfall compressed all traces of its existence to the limit, and began to advance in reverse along the data vortex generated when Nightmare reclaimed its mimicry tentacles.
Eleventh floor, breakthrough!
He entered the core buffer zone of the dormant area.
The scene here is breathtaking.
Countless points of consciousness floated in the void like specimens, some bright, some dim, and some almost extinguished.
They are encased in transparent data cocoons, connected to a dense network of energy conduits.
Xinglin rapidly scanned these consciousnesses.
Most of them are unfamiliar, but occasionally you can see some fragments with the old version of the quester's mark.
He was searching for the three names mentioned by Zhulong: Bailing, Tiebi, and Doctor.
Time is running out.
Nightmare will soon notice the anomaly, and the main system's periodic scans will soon cover this area.
His consciousness rapidly swept across rows of data cocoons, analyzing those faint identifying information.
no……
no……
This isn't it either...
Found it.
In a secluded corner, extremely faint but familiar fragments of identification flicker within two adjacent data cocoons.
That was a unique encrypted signature used in the older version of the Tasker Protocol.
Lark, Iron Wall.
But there were no doctors.
They are indeed still "alive," although their consciousness is shattered and in a deep freeze.
Just as Xinglin was about to approach, the entire dormant zone suddenly began to shake violently!
A piercing alarm went off at the data level.
Unauthorized access detected!
Coordinates: Core buffer zone of the dormant area!
Threat Level: Highest!
Initiate the cleanup protocol!
Nightmare's dark red mimic tentacles surged in from all directions, more numerous, faster, and more frenzied than before.
At the same time, the main system's direct scanning beam also locked onto this area!
The core computing power of Starfall instantly surged to its limit.
There's no time left.
He immediately made a decision, condensing 70% of his stored energy into two tiny data keys and shooting them at the two data cocoons.
The moment the key strikes the cocoon wall, it silently merges in, beginning the process of awakening and decryption from within.
He used all the remaining energy to activate the emergency protocol.
Five disguise programs activated simultaneously, fleeing in different directions to attract the attention of the nightmare and the main system.
Two data bombs detonated at critical path nodes, causing massive chaos.
Meanwhile, Starfall's main body followed the most dangerous but also the shortest path, directly piercing through the Nightmare's attack network and rushing towards the outer edge of the Sleeping Zone.
Dark red mimic tentacles frantically coiled around him, each contact violently draining his consciousness energy.
The main system's scanning beam relentlessly pursued him, locking onto his trajectory like a searchlight.
The energy is decreasing rapidly.
30%……25%……20%……
The warm energy flow emanating from the farm became exceptionally clear at this moment.
Shi Wan's smile, Tangyuan's slurping sounds, blooming flowers, the morning sunlight...
Those images flashed through his mind.
We can't stop here.
For those futures that are still waiting.
Xing Lin suddenly unleashed his last bit of power, like a shooting star, tearing a fleeting gap in the Nightmare's attack web.
Charge out!
At the same time, on the farm.
Shi Wan was leisurely checking on the growth of the hydrangeas in the second area.
The Endless Summer jasmine, with its overall bluish-pink hue, bloomed into a large, beautiful ball of flowers, just like its name suggests.
Suddenly, the cat head bracelet on her wrist became hot, so hot that she almost screamed.
Immediately afterwards, a strong feeling of palpitation washed over me.
An inexplicable panic, as if something extremely important was breaking apart and shattering.
She clutched her chest, her face turning pale.
"President Shi?" Chen Xi keenly sensed something was wrong and quickly walked over.
The mountain wind also pricked up its ears, emitting a low, warning whistle.
Even Tangyuan jumped off Shanfeng's back, circling around Shi Wan's feet anxiously and meowing incessantly.
"I...I'm fine." Shi Wan took a few deep breaths, and the palpitation slowly subsided, but the burning sensation of the bracelet was still there. "I probably didn't sleep well last night."
As she spoke, she subconsciously looked up at the sky.
The sun was shining brightly, and the sky was cloudless.
But a vague unease settled over her.
Xinglin...Are you alright?
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