Chapter 79
While a silent cleansing was underway within the alliance, a breakthrough was made in the exploration of the Taoyuan Mirror Sea.
The expedition team, led by Xing Lan, discovered a series of complex energy-guiding structures surrounding the sealed pyramid-shaped building deep within the Mirror Sea. These structures weren't artifacts of an ancient civilization, but rather resembled the technology of the Federation's heyday, though they had undergone some adaptive modifications.
"They tried to forcibly access the core of the 'Reality Stabilization Field,'" Xing Lan reported to Wen Ling and Miao Weizhen over the comms. Her expression was grave in the holographic image, "but they failed. These modifications were crude and only exacerbated the instability of the core. I suspect...the consciousness attacks we encountered earlier might not only be the result of malicious human intervention, but also the result of energy leakage from this failed experiment."
This discovery made the situation clearer - the enemy was not only hiding in the dark and causing sabotage, they were also coveting the power of the "reality stability field" and were likely to possess some key information that they did not yet know.
"Can it be repaired?" Wen Ling asked.
"It will take time and be very risky," Xinglan replied. "Any improper operation could cause the core to completely collapse. We need the top energy engineers and ancient civilization ruins experts to work together."
Miao Weizhen immediately ordered the dispatch of top experts in related fields from the countries of Saijian and Saizhi to form a joint technical team, under the unified command of Xinglan, to fully attempt to repair and stabilize the core. At the same time, he strengthened military vigilance around the Mirror Sea. Han Zhong's fleet constructed a tight defense network in orbit, and any unauthorized approach would be immediately expelled or destroyed.
Just on the third day after the joint technical team started working, an accident happened.
While attempting to activate an auxiliary energy buffer, the team triggered an unknown defense mechanism within the pyramid. It wasn't an attack, but rather a powerful, pure, yet immensely large stream of information, surging out like a flood. It instantly broke through the team's data isolation barrier and directly connected to Wen Ling, who was performing routine maintenance on the Dawn!
"Warning! Unknown high-dimensional information impacts the core!" The alarm sounded throughout the bridge.
Wen Ling didn't even have time to react. He felt an irresistible torrent instantly overwhelm his consciousness.
That's not malice, but too much "knowledge" -
The ancient civilization's understanding of the universe, the record of the "Tide of the Void", the complete schematic diagram of the construction of the "Reality Stability Field", and even the memory fragments of countless individual lives in the last moments... Such a vast amount of information is enough to overwhelm any unprepared consciousness in an instant.
Wen Ling let out a suppressed groan of pain, his body trembled violently, his face turned pale in an instant, and his pupils even showed signs of dilation.
"Cut the link! Force disconnect!" Xinglan screamed on the other end of the communication, his voice filled with panic.
"No! The information flow is too strong. Cutting it off forcibly will cause irreversible damage to His Highness's brain!" Dr. Anthony's voice was trembling.
The command center was instantly in chaos.
At this critical moment, Miao Weizhen, who had been guarding Wen Ling, moved.
He made no attempt to cut off the torrent of information—it was beyond human power to do.
He did something extremely risky, even crazy.
He once again erected a barrier of consciousness, but this time, instead of attempting to block the torrent, he merged his consciousness more deeply with Wen Ling's, transforming the impenetrable barrier into a "river channel" to guide and divert the flow. He transformed himself into a gigantic "buffer" and "filter," actively absorbing most of the information rushing towards Wen Ling.
"Ah--!" Miao Weizhen groaned, veins popped out on his forehead, and his body swayed, but he held on tightly.
Countless messy and complex fragments of information pierced into his consciousness like billions of steel needles, trying to shatter his logic and drown his ego.
His headaches exploded with unprecedented intensity, and dark spots began to appear at the edges of his vision.
But he didn't back down. He gritted his teeth and, relying on his inhuman willpower, forced himself to sort out the information, directing the most dangerous and chaotic parts towards himself, and only passing on the relatively mild and orderly parts to Wen Ling.
This is a kind of protection that is almost self-sacrificing.
Wen Ling felt the pressure that threatened to tear him apart suddenly ease, his core consciousness preserved. Through his blurred vision, he saw Miao Weizhen's tense profile and slightly trembling body, and instantly understood what he was doing.
"Weizhen..." He wanted to stop it, but found it difficult to even convey his consciousness.
"Don't be distracted," Miao Weizhen's voice rang out from the depths of his consciousness, carrying with it the pain that was suppressed to the extreme and an unquestionable determination, "Sort it out... You can do it... Believe me..."
Wen Ling suppressed the turmoil within him, focused all his energy, and began to channel the vast flow of information, filtered by Miao Weizhen. His mind raced under the extreme pressure, like an overloaded processor, categorizing, understanding, and absorbing the ancient knowledge bit by bit.
It was unknown how long this process lasted. When the last stream of information smoothly merged into Wen Ling's sea of consciousness, he was almost exhausted. And the moment the barrier to his consciousness was removed, Miao Weizhen's body swayed and he fell to one knee, supporting himself with one hand, panting violently, cold sweat soaking his uniform.
"Brother!" Xinglan's exclamation came from the communicator.
"I'm fine." Miao Weizhen's voice was very hoarse. He raised his head and looked at Wen Ling, who was also tired but with clear eyes. After confirming that he was fine, the almost crazy tension deep in his eyes slowly dissipated, replaced by a deeper fatigue.
This accident, though dangerous, brought unexpected rewards. Not only did Wen Ling escape unharmed, but he also found a blessing in disguise, inheriting almost all of the ancient civilization's core knowledge regarding the "Reality Stabilization Field" and the "Void Tide." He gained an unparalleled understanding of how to channel that power.
"I know what to do." Wen Ling looked at Miao Weizhen. Although he was weak, his eyes were filled with unprecedented determination and confidence. "The key to activating the 'Reality Stabilization Field' is not to forcibly control it, but to 'resonate' and 'guide' it. What we need to do is not to control it, but to become a part of it and breathe with it."
Miao Weizhen saw a familiar light in his eyes—the light of a leader, a light that saw through the essence of things. He propped himself up and walked over to Wen Ling, ignoring the concerned looks of the others around him and reaching out to support him.
"Let's get started," he said, his voice still hoarse, but full of complete trust.
After many twists and turns, the Heart of the Mirror Sea finally revealed its final secret to its guardian.
Wen Ling, having inherited ancient knowledge, seemed to have shed his last trace of immaturity overnight. His eyes remained clear, but now possessed a deeper insight into the world. He began to appear more frequently at the Joint Command Center, not as a protected core, but as the true decision-maker.
His theory of "resonance guidance" was validated by Xing Lan and Anthony's team. It was indeed the most accurate, yet also the most difficult, path. It required the guide—Wen Ling—to not only withstand the connection of billions of consciousnesses, but also to achieve a deep resonance with the ancient and powerful core of the "reality stabilization field." The mental burden far exceeded any previous test.
The training intensity increased again.
Wen Ling no longer just passively processed the flow of information. He began to actively "call" the Heart of the Mirror Sea, trying to establish a connection with the power that had been dormant for tens of millions of years.
Every attempt was accompanied by a huge mental shock, and his face was always as pale as paper at the end. Sometimes he even needed Miao Weizhen to half-support and half-hold him to leave the link seat.
Miao Weizhen's worries grew day by day, and beneath his cold protective shell, anxiety burned like a hidden fire. He began to interfere with his training plan more frequently, trying to reduce the intensity and extend the rest intervals.
"He's consumed too much energy," Miao Weizhen said after a training session, looking at the nearly unconscious Wen Ling in his arms. He said to Xing Lan and Anthony with a rare, uncontrollable stern tone, "We must adjust the plan."
"Brother," Xing Lan tried to explain, "This is a necessary process. Brother Wen Ling's spiritual power must reach the threshold to resonate with the Heart of the Mirror Sea..."
"I said, no!" Miao Weizhen interrupted her, tightening his arms and holding Wen Ling even deeper in his embrace. His gesture was filled with unquestionable possession. "Nothing is 'must'. If there is one, it is that he must live."
At this moment, Wen Ling's weak but clear voice sounded:
"Weizhen...let me go."
Miao Weizhen's body stiffened, and he looked down at the person in his arms. Wen Ling had already opened his eyes. Although his deep green eyes were tired, they were extremely firm, even carrying a hint of irresistible majesty.
"This is what I have to bear." Wen Ling gently pushed him away and stood firmly, although her steps were still a little unsteady. "I'm not a fledgling that needs your constant protection, Weizhen. I'm the one who will lead them through the storm."
His gaze swept across the staff in the command center who were holding their breath, and finally returned to Miao Weizhen's face: "You can be my barrier, but you cannot be my shackles."
These words, like a precise dagger, pierced Miao Weizhen's overprotective shell. He looked at Wen Ling, at his thin yet straight back, at the determination in his eyes that matched his own, perhaps even purer. A complex wave of emotions welled up within him—a sting of offense, a deeper worry, but ultimately, it transformed into an almost painful realization.
His Wen Ling was no longer the downtrodden prince who needed his secret protection at Huangquan Rust Port. He had transformed through blood and fire, becoming a true king. And a king is destined to bear the heaviest crown alone.
The surging emotions in Miao Weizhen's eyes finally gave way to a deep silence. He slowly loosened his grip and took a half step back. This subtle movement symbolized a transfer of power and recognition.
"I understand," he whispered, his voice regaining its usual calm, but beneath that calmness lay a more complex emotion. "I will adjust security controls to ensure optimal allocation of training resources."
He no longer tried to stop her, but chose to use his own way to clear all obstacles for Wen Ling's way forward, even if that road was full of thorns.
From that day on, the relationship between the two entered a new phase. Wen Ling took on the responsibilities of alliance leader more proactively, his speeches in parliament carrying greater weight, and his coordination with representatives from various countries became increasingly adept. No longer relying solely on Miao Weizhen's iron fist to maintain internal stability, he began to use his wisdom and personal charm to bridge differences and build consensus.
Miao Weizhen, on the other hand, completely dedicated his terrifying execution and desire for control to assisting Wen Ling. He remained the strongest barrier, defending against external attacks and internal infiltration; he remained the coldest eyes, monitoring all potential dangers. But he no longer sought to confine Wen Ling within his protective circle. Instead, he began to learn how to become the sharpest sword and the strongest shield in the hands of a king.
One night, the two stood on the bridge again, looking out the window at the huge energy network that had begun to take shape and the quiet Taoyuan Mirror Sea in the distance.
"Sometimes," Wen Ling said softly, "I think of my uncle Wen Xunyi. He once had ideals, but was ultimately corrupted by power and only cared about preserving the status quo." He turned and looked at Miao Weizhen, "I must always be vigilant and not repeat his mistakes. Power is for creation and protection, not for clinging to it and enjoying it."
Miao Weizhen looked at his profile illuminated by the starlight and said slowly, "You won't."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Because I will watch over you." Miao Weizhen's voice was low and calm, as if stating a universal truth. "If you get lost, I will pull you back. No matter what method I use."
His words still carried a paranoid possessiveness, but it was no longer the pure desire for control that had characterized them at the beginning. This was a deeper bond, a mixture of absolute loyalty, unbreakable love, and the awareness of a shared fate.
Wen Ling did not feel offended. Instead, she smiled slightly and reached out to hold his hand.
"good."
Beneath the starry sky, the King and his fortress gazed upon a future filled with both challenges and hope. They both knew the final test was approaching, and they were ready.
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