"Grace."

This time, he raised his voice.

[I’m here.]

A faint voice echoed deep in Lin Xian’s mind, as if wrapped in ten layers of cotton cloth. It wasn’t Grace’s tone problem; rather, the voice, or this connection, was shrouded by a thick mist.

Lin Xian felt a jolt upon hearing Grace’s voice, but he felt no joy and asked directly,

"Can you contact Chu Yan?"

[Miss Chu Yan tried to contact you through consciousness link 13 minutes ago. The Phoenix Society has an important message to convey to you.]

"What message?"

[The Phoenix Society’s Star Abyss Center has recently suffered several infiltration attacks. The Nightwalker Organization and the North American United Front have dispatched reconnaissance teams, discovering the Descent Faction’s targeted assassination attempt on Chu Yan, aiming to obstruct the Phoenix Society’s control over the South Heavenly Gate. However, the Phoenix Society’s deployment is tight, and it hasn’t been greatly affected. Miss Chu Yan asked me to swiftly relay Phoenix Society Commander Ye Lan’s message to you: The deterrence of the South Heavenly Gate has actual significance, not only in terms of terrestrial firepower, but there exists a factor far more threatening to the Dark Civilization.]

"I guessed it, but I’m facing trouble now, maybe not much time left..."

[Another message, Phoenix Society’s infiltrator within the Descent Faction conveyed that the faction has received an order to eliminate you and Miss Chu Yan. The latest news is that the order has been secretly withdrawn, but it seems not all factions within the Descent Faction have executed this new order, meaning the attack on you might still exist.]

Lin Xian’s gaze sharpened upon hearing this, immediately looking at the black gear in his hand, raising an inexplicable question.

"Is this Taboo Item really what I seized?"

...

On a large island in the Pacific Ocean, among semi-bedrock mountains stands a massive metal base cluster, like some apparatus embedded into the entire island. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Outside this metal complex, numerous drones hover like a submerged swarm, glimmering with metallic cold light in their lowered posture, coexisting with the holographic light screen of gene chain models flowing across the walls. Inside and outside the base, a large number of guards in Power Armor form a strict phalanx, both men and women, all patrolling methodically.

A patrol squad enters one of the metal-walled buildings at this moment, but the interior scene abruptly changes; unlike the steel rock exterior, inside it resembles a vast natural forest, where mosses sprout from metal seams, covering the moss bonsai maintained by an automatic irrigation system; the landscape of various plants and trees echo each other, making this place seem like a hidden paradise.

In a bright circular room, there are no desks, no windows, the surroundings all densely packed with honeycomb-like soundproof materials. In such an environment, there is no environmental noise, even the flow of your heartbeat and blood can be distinctly heard.

The door opens silently, and Chen Yanshu, in a casual jacket, slowly enters. After the door closes behind him, even the sound of his footsteps disappears. He looks at the woman standing in the center of the room’s light, stopping at a distance until the woman opens her eyes from a state of silent listening before speaking.

"Time is running out."

His tone carries a slight urgency, but the words don’t echo in this room, creating an extremely quiet and eerie atmosphere.

The woman turns around, short hair, a trench coat, her face stern, with a look that’s calm yet enigmatic.

Hua Xiaoling.

"I told you, your actions defy the Master’s will, completely foolish with no benefit."

"Hmph, spare me."

Chen Yanshu’s gaze darkens: "Human cunning is known only to us humans; the best way to threaten the Master is direct elimination. Soon you’ll understand how loyal I am to the Master’s descent."

Hua Xiaoling gives a minor smile upon hearing this, her voice calm as she says: "Human cunning is known only to humans, but the Master’s will is known only to the Master. What you see as a threat may not exist for the Master, but your foolishness does exist. Do you intend to sever Lin Xian’s connections with the Taboo Item using a black gear, thinking that’s sufficient to solve the problem, or do you believe the South Heavenly Gate is the real threat?"

Chen Yanshu’s eyes flicker, he responds coldly: "I understand the Master’s will better than you do, and I have my own interpretation. Lin Xian, Sword Holder, South Heavenly Gate—removal of any of these three terms facilitates the Master’s descent. I don’t care about your experiments or philosophical ideas, our Holy Revelation only focuses on the realm of power."

Hua Xiaoling turns away indifferently, saying: "You underestimate Lin Xian, and perhaps, you underestimate the Phoenix Society. Chen Yanshu, the Silver Pocket Watch and Black Gear are your two trump cards for survival and the foundation of your Holy Revelation construction. Giving them to Lin Xian, aren’t you afraid you may never return?"

"Don’t worry."

Chen Yanshu scoffs with a nasal sound: "The black gear traverses the Star Abyss Dimension, but it has the greatest side effect—without my Silver Pocket Watch accompanying it, it spells certain death. I just need to recalibrate the position for containment. Wait a few more minutes, and I’ll have people retrieve the sword holder’s body for you... or maybe it won’t be found."

"Is that so?"

Hua Xiaoling slightly turns her head, with a hint of a smile: "Then I’ll patiently await good news."