After reading Andre Quinn's diary, even the most foolish person could guess what exactly happened on the Providence.
Indeed, what happened on the Helios was just a replay of the tragedy on the Providence.
Lin Xi felt a surge of bitterness in her chest, and her heartbeat grew heavier and heavier.
Andrei was long dead, but the emotions that permeated his diary were so vivid that they seemed to linger in Linxi three hundred years later.
Looking at his own image line by line, Lin Xi could vividly recall the scene before him... He could almost see with his own eyes how the security captain had hidden in this steel fortress that seemed like a sanctuary, watching helplessly as his companions gradually transformed into monsters, and how he himself slowly succumbed to despair.
And all of this is probably because, in the memory he has lost, he also experienced the exact same thing.
In particular, the artificial intelligence named Hal, which Andrei had mentioned countless times, reminded Lin Xi once again of the figure in his hazy memory that had brought him fear and death—the android whose body was even beginning to rot.
Has that guy been doing something similar since 300 years ago?
A deep killing intent surged in Lin Xi's heart.
"Lin Xi? Is there a problem?"
Perhaps because Lin Xi's expression was too unpleasant, after a brief silence, Xavier's worry was transmitted through the mental connection between him and Lin Xi.
Lin Xi slammed the diary shut, then turned to look at Xavier.
He gently shook his head.
"...It's nothing, I just feel... well, the position of captain of a large spaceship seems to have a bit too much risk involved..."
He didn't want Xavier to be too tense because of his emotions, so he deliberately appeared relaxed.
As he spoke, Lin Xi put the diary into his pocket. He planned to study it carefully after he arrived in a safer environment.
...Diaries are a very important source of information.
For some reason, Lin Xi always felt that way.
Similarly, from any perspective, Lin Xi should control his emotions and not be infected by the despair permeating this diary. So he took a deep breath and then rallied his spirits to speak.
"Hmm, let me see what else we can find here?"
As he spoke, he walked to the other side of the locker.
He began checking the other lockers, but found nothing of greater use.
The only thing we can be sure of is that these people must have been in great pain and despair when they died.
Lin Xi couldn't help but sigh. He found a very old-fashioned pulse electron gun in the locker of one of the unfortunate crew members. He turned it on; the gun showed extremely low energy, but it was still functional.
Lin Xi hugged the gun to his chest. Although he had long since transformed into another kind of creature, the human instincts deep within his body still made him habitually seek a sense of security from firearms.
He then began to inspect the other two doors in the room.
Before that, he had easily opened both the outermost metal door and the door leading to the maintenance room.
However, it seems that Lin Xi's good luck in getting things done has now run out.
Lin Xi knocked on the two doors, but they didn't budge; they were locked from the inside. After a careful inspection, there seemed to be nothing that could be easily broken by external force.
That rather suspicious electronic brain has now been abandoned by Lin Xi in the metal-sealed forest outside... Of course, even though that thing is still in Lin Xi's hands, Lin Xi has no intention of continuing to use it.
Lin Xi paced back and forth in front of the two metal doors several times. Undeterred, he knocked on the other metal plates, and the dull echoes proved that there was probably quite solid poured concrete behind the metal plates.
Based on the path they took through the passageway from the entrance to the metal chamber, they were probably deep underground.
There is a high probability that these two metal doors provide direct access to the underground facilities of Project Providence.
Lin Xi stared intently at the two doors and then thought to himself.
Of course, his reason told him that now, his wisest decision should be to turn back—the storm outside might have subsided, and he could take the diary back to the cave that Xavier had carefully prepared (provided, of course, that it had not been destroyed by the storm).
He could study Andrei's diary carefully, make some other preparations, and then explore this magnificent underground facility left behind by the Providence Project three hundred years ago.
Even Xavier and Arthur felt the same way; they didn't really like it here.
Lin Xi turned her head to look at her two familiars. Although it was not very obvious, Lin Xi could still keenly sense that Xavier and Arthur seemed somewhat restless in this place.
Lin Xi's gaze fell on Xavier.
Although Xavier is currently trying his best to open the two tightly closed metal doors for Lin Xi, it is clear from the fact that the large insect is in a tense state, judging from the fact that its elytra have turned a deep red color.
Lin Xi couldn't help but frown. Reluctantly, he slowly walked towards the damaged door they had come from...
Perhaps he really should wait a little longer...
But in just a few steps, Lin Xi suddenly felt as if an invisible hand had forcefully pried open her heart.
"Hmm?"
Lin Xi then turned her head and looked at the metal door on her right.
There had been faint signs even when we were in the metal chamber outside, but at this moment the feeling became even more pronounced.
Something was drawing him in from behind that metal door, beckoning him, and compelling him to seek its existence.
As if guided by some strange force, Lin Xi turned around and returned to the center of the room, standing in front of the arc-shaped control panel.
He had assumed the control panel was probably already broken, given that it was covered in black bloodstains and strange, dried slime.
However, after a closer inspection, Lin Xi was extremely surprised to find that the control panel here was still usable—
This can be seen from the screen projection that appeared after he pressed that button.
Xavier was startled by the sudden appearance of the projection screen and quickly spread his wings to block Lin Xi's path. He then let out a warning cry at the screen.
Lin Xi had to pat it on the shoulder reassuringly before pushing it away.
“It’s alright, Xavier, it’s just a projection screen.”
Lin Xi said, but her eyes were fixed on the line of text on the screen.
He knew very well that his heartbeat had suddenly quickened at that moment.
The suddenly appearing electronic projection displayed a strange grayish-blue color, with occasional streaks and snowflakes flashing across it, likely due to a malfunction in the side projector. Even so, Lin Xi could clearly see the characters flashing on it.
Please enter the access password.
The tiny cursor kept blinking behind the password field.
Well, that does show that the console he's currently operating is indeed a product from 300 years ago.
Access password...
If he could get the access password, he might actually be able to enter the underground facility directly through this control panel and figure out exactly who summoned him here.
...Is it the man who keeps appearing in his dreams?
Just thinking about this made Lin Xi realize that her palms were already sweating a little.
Of course, he knew very well that now was not the time to worry about the truth.
After all, where was he supposed to get the access code to the control panel of the underground facility that had been left over from three hundred years ago?
Unless... oh, unless he has a copy of the former security captain's private diary.
Lin Xi jolted awake, instantly snapping back to reality. He frantically pulled Andre Quinn's diary from his pocket.
He searched through his diary for a while, trying to find Andre Quinn's own birthday and the birthday of his beloved wife Anna.
As a result, all the combinations of these numbers were wrong.
Of course, this is to be expected, since it is the access password.
Almost no one would be foolish enough to use their own birthday as the access password for the control panel of an underground facility... Lin Xi thought to himself.
However, just as Lin Xi was about to give up...
Lin Xi suddenly remembered the photo that Andrei had solemnly pasted on the inside of the locker door.
He blinked, hesitated for a moment, and then pressed the numbers on the dirty button that represented Andrei's and his wife's wedding anniversary.
Welcome back, Captain Andre Quinn.
Several lines of distorted text flashed on the electronic screen.
Lin Xi's deduction turned out to be correct. Right after he entered that simple line of numbers, the underground facility where they were located seemed to suddenly come to life.
The overhead lights flickered briefly before the dim lights suddenly brightened. The stuffy, stale air was slowly drawn away by the slowly operating ventilation system, replaced by cool, filtered fresh air.
Of course, the revitalization of this underground facility is just an illusion.
Lin Xi tilted her head and glanced at the screen projection.
The energy icons in the upper right corner of the screen were all displayed in an odd purplish-red color; if they hadn't malfunctioned, they should have been blood red.
If the numbers marked there are correct, Lin Xi's actions just now only pushed this underground facility to the brink of destruction even faster... Both opening the metal door and restarting the facility were consuming the underground facility's limited energy.
Now, this underground facility is like a person experiencing a final burst of energy before death.
Lin Xi had to seize the opportunity, otherwise, according to his reasoning, the facility would be completely locked down in a few days.
This is not good news.
After all, Lin Xi's current condition is not suitable for exploring a completely new, dangerous, and unknown underground facility.
However, while reason is important, sometimes it is impossible for a person to perfectly control their emotions.
Lin Xi was acutely aware that she was becoming excited.
If he's lucky enough...
Perhaps he can find a spacecraft to return to Earth here before this facility is completely locked down?
Even knowing how foolish his idea was, Lin Xi couldn't bring himself to give up hope. And even if he couldn't find the aircraft, perhaps he could at least unravel the mystery of the man in his dream…
While Lin Xi was lost in thought, her mind filled with conflicting ideas, she kept pondering.
A row of very old operating systems appeared on the screen projection.
Andrei's authority wasn't high, but it was enough for him to open the two tightly closed metal doors in the preparation room.
“I really should thank you, dear Mr. Andrei.”
Lin Xi couldn't help but murmur.
He then manipulated the exceptionally ancient system to open the metal door that he was particularly concerned about.
Behind the metal gate appeared an elevator, and according to the projection screen in front of Lin Xi, Lin Xi knew that this elevator would lead to the outer living space of this underground facility.
At the same time, as the closed metal door opened, the attraction that tugged at Lin Xi's heartstrings became even stronger.
However, on the other hand, the intense sense of disgust emanating from Xavier somewhat calmed Lin Xi's agitated emotions.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Xi turned to look at Xavier and found that every muscle on Xavier's body was taut, and his tentacles were taut and straight, standing up like sharp swords behind his head.
Its forelimbs were curled up, assuming a defensive posture towards the elevator.
"Have you sensed any danger?"
Lin Xi couldn't help but ask.
Upon hearing Lin Xi's question, Xavier seemed to wake up from a dream and turned to look at Lin Xi.
"...I don't know, but...there's a nasty smell there."
"Xavier said, then it slowly retracted its forelimbs, in fact, it didn't understand why it had such a strong reaction," Xavier said.
That feeling of disgust seemed to come from his instinct.
Xavier's attitude made Lin Xi hesitate for a moment.
However, the constantly decreasing energy reserve numbers on the control panel screen were forcing Lin Xi to make a choice as quickly as possible.
He took a deep breath and then carefully examined Xavier.
My initial unease vanished in an instant.
If Xavier were by his side, perhaps he wouldn't need to be so hesitant?
“I want to go inside and take a look. I feel like there’s something waiting for us there.”
Lin Xi said.
"Of course, if you feel there is any danger..."
We can also think of other ways.
Before Lin Xi could finish speaking, Xavier quickly interrupted.
"Okay, I will protect Lin Xi, don't be afraid."
As Xavier finished speaking, Lin Xi inexplicably relaxed a little.
"Then...you have to protect me."
He said.
Then, with a wary mind, he slowly walked into the elevator.
When the elevator doors opened again, Lin Xi found herself in a long corridor once more.
Just like the horrific scene they had witnessed in the preparation room, an exceptionally brutal struggle also broke out in this passage three hundred years ago.
In that short stretch of road, Lin Xi saw at least dozens of skeletons of both alien species and humans.
The space was so cramped that even after they died, their bodies remained tightly entangled together.
Lin Xi stared at the corpses for a while, and he was quite certain that this was not what the man in his dream wanted him to see.
So he forced himself not to focus too much attention on the corpses.
Even Arthur seemed a bit downcast. It would occasionally dart in front of Lin Xi and rummage through the monster corpses. After discovering that the corpses contained only useless bones, it threw them away in dissatisfaction.
But just then, something moved in the shadows.
"Hiss..."
Arthur let out a panicked cry, and then it suddenly jumped up.
Almost simultaneously, Xavier suddenly lunged forward, his scythe-like forelimbs striking with lightning speed the object hidden in the shadow of the skeleton.
"Sizzle..."
Xavier was very fast, and the thing had no way to escape its attack.
Lin Xi heard a piercing scream, and then he saw something the size of a kitten dart out.
Everything happened so fast that Lin Xi subconsciously raised her insect limbs and then stabbed at the thing in mid-air.
Immediately afterwards, he felt as if his insect limbs had pierced something.
"Sizzle—"
A stream of warm, sticky fluid spurted out.
Lin Xi felt nauseous, suddenly raised his insect limbs, and forcefully flung the thing away.
The thing rolled several times in the corner, its body twitched violently, and then it crawled on the ground for a while longer with difficulty.
It tried to return to Lin Xi's side, and Lin Xi involuntarily took several steps back to avoid it.
Then, the thing stopped moving.
It was at this moment that Lin Xi finally saw clearly what it was.
"What the hell is this thing?!"
Aside from swearing, Lin Xi was almost speechless for a moment.
The thing lying on the ground looked like a small mouse. In fact, at the very first moment, Lin Xi really thought he had killed a mouse. After all, the thing had pink and tender skin and a fleshy tail-like organ. Its wrinkled surface was covered with a layer of sticky, semi-transparent mucus.
But after a closer look, Lin Xi knew that it was definitely not a rat, because a rat would not have a face like a human baby.
Strictly speaking, that thing looks more like the embryo of some kind of mammal.
With that layer of mucus, it looks like something that has just been born.
However, in Lin Xi's understanding, an embryo could not grow that big, and an embryo could not move so rapidly.
Lin Xi suppressed his nausea, picked up a bone, and poked at the corpse.
He was about to take a closer look at the monster when an unusual noise made him stop in his tracks.
"Hiss..."
Xavier had already taken a defensive stance and stood in front of Lin Xi before Lin Xi even realized something was wrong.
At the end of the corridor, amidst the layers of alien and human skeletons, countless eyes, like tiny light bulbs, lit up.
Even from this distance, Lin Xi could clearly smell the unique scent emanating from them.
That's the smell of that slimy substance.
Lin Xi didn't know what that thing was, but that didn't stop him from making a judgment: these things were extremely, extremely, extremely troublesome.
"run……"
Lin Xi made a quick decision, forcefully tugged at Xavier, and then turned and sprinted in the opposite direction from where those things were.
Behind him, those embryo-like special creatures surged toward Lin Xi like a tidal wave...
And so, Lin Xi had no idea how long he had been running wildly through the vast underground facility. The things following him were moving so fast and so frantically that they gave Lin Xi no time to figure out where he was.
When Lin Xi finally realized that the movements of the creatures behind him had gradually faded away, he discovered that he had arrived in a completely unfamiliar place.
He didn't know where he was.
To make matters worse, when Lin Xi habitually looked to his side, he found it completely empty...
Xavier and Arthur have both disappeared.
Lin Xi's mind went blank for a moment, and the unprecedented panic almost froze the blood in his veins.
He instinctively wanted to go back and find Xavier and Arthur, but the intricate tunnels and identical metal doors made the place look like a maze.
For a moment, he almost thought he was going to get lost.
"Calm down first, wait to die... In short, calm down first."
Lin Xi said to herself nervously.
He rubbed his face, finally managing to accept the fact that he was separated from Xavier and Arthur.
Then he found himself in front of a heavily guarded room.
The battle here was the most brutal, with countless skeletons covering almost the entire ground. Lin Xi couldn't even move forward without stepping on those brittle and gray bones.
The door to the room was completely deformed, just like the metal door to the previous preparation room. Lin Xi quickly removed the door and walked into the room.
The moment Lin Xi saw the room, she felt a sense of familiarity.
He saw shelves leaning haphazardly, countless documents and petri dishes scattered all over the floor. Projectors and screens, analytical instruments, desks and lab benches, and massive, floor-to-ceiling experimental apparatus.
"A biological laboratory..."
Lin Xi murmured.
He was quite certain that he had arrived at the biological laboratory mentioned in Andrei's diary.
He then found some documents on the ground, and the locations marked on the documents confirmed his guess.
"Damn it..."
Upon realizing this, a thin layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Lin Xi's back.
He suddenly realized that something was wrong. According to his previous guess, he should only be moving around in the outer space of the underground facility, since he had seen Andrei's private access on the projection screen.
He should never have come to the biological laboratory, which should have been located in the core area of the basement. Even the appearance of those monsters now seems quite suspicious.
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