Chapter 39
Blackrock Mountain wasn't far off in the horizon; its sinister outline quickly filled the horizon. A solitary mountain, pitch black as if scorched by hellfire, it stood in stark contrast to the pale desert surrounding it. Its surface was dotted with massive mine entrances, like hollow eye sockets with their eyeballs gouged out, bottomless and emitting a chilling chill.
The closer we got, the clearer the unnatural energy fluctuations in the air became. It wasn't the violent, tearing sensation of the S-114, but a duller, more orderly low-pitched hum, like the continuous operation of giant machinery deep underground. Spatial perception was severely disrupted, becoming blurry and indistinct, clearly a powerful energy shielding field was at work.
Chen Mengzhou lay behind a sand dune and observed from afar.
The main mine entrance had been completely remodeled, its heavy alloy doors sealed tightly shut. A sturdy fortification stood at the entrance, guarded by at least twenty heavily armed "Scavenger" soldiers, even equipped with surface-to-air energy turrets. The patrols' frequency and routes were meticulously planned, leaving virtually no loopholes.
Attacking by force is tantamount to suicide.
Her gaze swept across the rugged flanks of Blackrock Mountain. A mine of this size couldn't possibly have just one exit. There had to be ventilation holes, maintenance tunnels, or abandoned secondary mines.
She moved patiently around the mountain, her spatial perception like the most sophisticated probe, carefully scanning every inch of the rock wall, looking for weak points or natural gaps in the energy shielding field.
Hard work pays off. In a hidden fold on the mountain's backside, she discovered a narrow, half-hidden crack covered by rubble. A faint current of air emanated from deep within the crack, and the energy shielding field there seemed to be extremely subtle attenuation fluctuations due to geological structural issues.
This is it!
She painstakingly cleared the rubble from the entrance and squeezed sideways. Inside was a narrow, steep, natural crevice extending downward, clearly formed by geological movement, not artificial excavation. The further she went, the more turbid the air became, but the low-pitched humming sound became clearer.
The crack in the rock wound its way down, and it was unknown how far it went underground. Finally, a faint artificial light and the faint sound of human voices appeared ahead.
She reached the end of the crevice silently. Beyond lay a relatively open underground cavern, now occupied by Foundation facilities. Thick energy pipes and ventilation ducts ran along the rock wall, humming. Below was a vast, excavated platform, where several massive, vibrating drilling rigs were at work, emitting a deafening noise. Deeper still, a cave entrance was sealed by a high-intensity energy barrier, making it impossible to see what lay within.
On the platform, dozens of personnel dressed in Foundation work clothes or scavenger uniforms were busy working. At a makeshift command post on the edge of the platform, several people were talking.
Chen Mengzhou's eyes instantly locked onto one of them!
That's... Dr. Adrian!
He actually left Fortress Area A and came to this frontline exploration point in person?! What kind of project was going on here that was so important that he needed to be in charge in person?
Dr. Adrian looked thinner than when he was in the fortress, but his eyes were more fanatical and focused. He was pointing at the data on a three-dimensional projection screen and saying something to a scavenger officer beside him.
"...The depth is approaching the target layer, and the 'resonator' is reacting more and more strongly... We must speed up! 'Dream Weaver' needs more 'raw materials' to stabilize the channel!" Adrian's voice came intermittently through the noise.
Dreamweaver? Raw materials? Stable channel?
What kind of evil plan is this?!
Chen Mengzhou suppressed the urge to take action immediately and continued to listen.
"Doctor, isn't the failure of S-114 enough? Forcibly stabilizing an uncertain space-time channel is too risky! Moreover, the delivery of 'raw materials' has attracted the attention of the hyenas of 'Hounds'..." The scavenger officer seemed a little worried.
"Pay attention?" Dr. Adrian scoffed, his tone tinged with disdain and madness. "S-114 is used to open the 'gate,' which naturally requires enormous energy! But the 'Dream Weaver' is different... it only needs a small, stable 'gap'! Enough for our 'consciousness' to safely project through and peek into the secrets of the 'other side'! What's the point of such a small risk?!"
Projecting consciousness? Peeping into the other side?
Chen Mengzhou was horrified. The Foundation was actually still conducting such dangerous experiments! They wanted to peek into the world behind the door?!
"As for the 'hounds'?" Dr. Adrian pushed his glasses up, a cold gleam in his eyes. "They're just bait to draw fire and scavengers to clear out the garbage. By the time they find that damn S-07, I'm afraid we'll have already succeeded!"
Exploitation! The Foundation has been exploiting "Hound" from the beginning!
At this moment, a researcher came running over, his face full of excitement and nervousness: "Doctor! The 'Dream Weaver' is preheated! The 'raw materials' are in place! We can begin the first consciousness projection experiment!"
"Excellent!" A terrifying light flashed in Dr. Adrian's eyes. "Begin immediately! I want to personally conduct the first attempt!"
He followed the researcher, quickly heading towards the deep cave entrance blocked by the energy barrier. The scavenger officer hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Chance!
Chen Mengzhou's heart was pounding. Was Adrian going to personally perform that dangerous consciousness projection? This was the perfect opportunity to get close to him, obtain intelligence, or even sabotage the equipment!
She carefully observed the structure of the platform and the distribution of people. It would be almost impossible to follow them quietly.
The only option is to force your way in, or... create chaos!
Her eyes fell on the huge drilling equipment. These equipments were extremely powerful and were one of the core devices that kept the entire base running!
If something goes wrong with them...
Chen Mengzhou's eyes sharpened, and he slid down silently from the crevice, moving along the shadowed rock wall like a gecko, avoiding the sight of the people below, and quickly approached one of the drilling equipment.
The massive machine roared, emitting intense heat. She found a maintenance hatch, and with a subtle vibration of spatial energy, she forcibly dislodged the internal latch and slipped inside.
Inside was a complex web of pipes and wiring. His spatial perception quickly scanned the area, quickly finding the main energy transmission pipelines and the cooling system nodes.
She took out the only two remaining high-explosive grenades from her backpack, set the delay, and carefully fixed them at the most vulnerable connection.
Then, he quickly exited the maintenance cabin and pounced on another drilling rig like a ghost.
Do the same.
Just as she was about to attack the third device—
“Woo-woo-woo!”
A shrill alarm suddenly sounded throughout the entire underground space!
"There's an intruder! Unauthorized fluctuations in the energy barrier! Drilling platform in Area B!" A hurried shout came from the loudspeaker.
Discovered?! How is it possible?!
Chen Mengzhou looked up suddenly and saw that the scavengers on the platform were instantly in action, their guns pointed in her direction! Countless red dot laser sights instantly locked onto her!
It was that energy barrier! The faint fluctuations she had caused when she passed through the crevice had actually been detected! The monitoring system here was far more sensitive than she had imagined!
There is no time to think at all!
"Fire!"
Da da da da da!!!
A torrential rain of bullets and energy beams poured down on her in an instant!
Chen Mengzhou's body was instantly enveloped by spatial energy, his figure flickering and moving like a ghost amidst the dense web of fire! Bullets grazed his body and struck the drilling equipment, sending up countless sparks!
No stopping! We must rush into that deep cave entrance immediately!
She suddenly threw the third grenade in her hand, which she was about to install, directly at the area where the soldiers were most concentrated!
Boom!!!
Explosions and screams rang out! A small area was temporarily cleared!
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chen Mengzhou increased his speed to the limit and rushed towards the deep cave entrance!
"Stop her!" Dr. Adrian's terrified scream came from the depths!
More scavenger soldiers poured out from both sides of the passage!
Chen Mengzhou's eyes were cold, and the spatial energy in his hands was madly condensed. He no longer dodged, but crashed into the barrage of bullets in front of him!
"Space distortion!"
Bang bang bang!
The trajectory of the bullets fired at her took another strange deflection! Like a twisted phantom, she blatantly broke through the fire blockade, inevitably being scratched by a few stray bullets, bleeding profusely, but she never stopped!
It was about to rush into the energy barrier at the deep cave entrance!
At this moment——
Boom!!! Boom!!!
The two high-explosive grenades she had installed earlier exploded prematurely!
Apparently, someone from the Foundation discovered the grenade and tried to defuse it, but it caused an explosion!
With a deafening roar, two massive drilling rigs suddenly exploded! The terrifying shockwave and flames instantly engulfed everything nearby! Countless parts and debris flew everywhere like cannonballs!
The entire underground space shook violently, the rock ceiling began to collapse, and huge rocks fell down with a loud bang!
"No!! My equipment! My experiment!" Dr. Adrian howled in despair.
Chaos! Absolute chaos!
Explosions, collapses, flames, thick smoke, screams... the entire exploration base was instantly plunged into hell!
Chen Mengzhou was also shaken by the sudden and violent explosion, but she forced herself to steady herself and took advantage of the unprecedented chaos to crash into the energy barrier at the deep cave entrance!
The barrier fluctuated violently, as if it had become unstable due to the external explosion, but it still managed to keep her out!
Damn it!
A fierce look flashed in Chen Mengzhou's eyes, and all the energy in space exploded and concentrated in his fist!
“Break it for me!!”
Buzz!!!
His fist slammed hard into the barrier! The barrier groaned under the weight, rippled violently, and spider-web-like cracks appeared! But it didn't break immediately!
Behind him, the collapsing boulders and the pursuers' bullets were already approaching!
At this critical moment——
The energy barrier at the deep cave entrance suddenly fluctuated on its own, as if there was someone supporting it from inside, and briefly opened a gap that was only wide enough for one person to pass through!
What? !
Chen Mengzhou didn't even have time to think about where this strange help came from. Her survival instinct made her seize the opportunity and slip in!
The second after she entered, the gap in the barrier closed instantly! At the same time, a huge rock fell and slammed into the spot where she had just been!
The inside and outside of the barrier were completely separated in an instant!
Outside there was a hell of explosions and collapses.
Inside... was a brightly lit, yet silent... metal corridor.
The corridor was flanked by tightly closed alloy doors, numbers and status lights flashing on them. The air was filled with a cold, disinfectant-like smell.
Is this where the "Dream Weaver" is?
Who was the one who helped her open the barrier?
Chen Mengzhou leaned against the cold door, breathing heavily, and looked warily at this sudden high-tech corridor that was completely different from the style of the mine outside.
She had a strong premonition.
She seemed to have... entered an area that was more central and more dangerous than she had imagined.
And the person who secretly "helped" her had a very different purpose.
Deep in the corridor ahead, there seemed to be an invisible vortex, waiting for her to step into it.
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