Chapter Eleven: Tracking the Stronghold

The starport’s jump engine emitted a metallic, tearing shriek. The plasma generated by the energy overload exploded outside the porthole into eerie purple flames, as if the cosmos itself were roaring in fury.

The deafening sound reverberated relentlessly within the cramped cabin. Lin Yu gripped the armrests of his seat so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His spine trembled violently with the resonance, nearly dislocating, each jolt like a heavy hammer striking his back.

The military-grade anti-G suit tightened automatically, exerting oppressive pressure like an invisible giant hand gripping his body, making his breathing rapid and shallow. Yet, this pressure sharpened his awareness; each heartbeat was distinctly audible, as if a frantic drum pounded within his chest.

Su Yao’s knuckles whitened as she clenched the control stick. Her hair was tousled by the airflow from the console. On the holographic star map projected by her tactical visor, red dots representing crystal energy fluctuations spread following the Fibonacci sequence, resembling malignant tumors proliferating on the map, relentlessly eroding the calm of this region of space.

Those red dots flickered with a sinister light, as if demonic eyes were spying on everything. As the red points expanded, the star map’s glow grew increasingly piercing.

“The signal source from Beta Centauri’s nebula is too orderly, like a meticulously laid trap,” she said. Her voice, distorted by the roar of the engine, twisted into an electric hum, sounding like whispers from another realm. Her fingertips traced three silver-blue trajectories on the touchscreen, as if drawing mysterious sigils in the dark, each line marked by caution and tension.

“Set course for Aquila Gamma-7. The energy readings there have surged by 300% within two hours. The anomaly has breached the level-three alert threshold. Focus on the energy curve.”

Suddenly, a three-dimensional waveform chart popped up on the holographic display. At the ends of those violently fluctuating curves was a spiral structure reminiscent of the ancient Mayan calendar, as if harboring some ancient and mystical power.

The curves pulsed on the screen like a living entity, whispering untold secrets. Each pulse seemed to warn them. Lin Yu leaned in closer, scrutinizing every detail, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

The investigation ship sliced through the star dust curtain like a silver blade, deftly avoiding hidden reefs and meteor showers. Each evasive maneuver was heart-stopping. The dull thuds of meteors striking the hull echoed intermittently, like the knocking of the grim reaper.

Lin Yu hammered the holographic keyboard at the co-pilot’s station, peeling back layers of the encrypted communication protocols as if unraveling an ancient and enigmatic puzzle. His eyes locked on the screen, missing no detail, his fingers flying so fast they left blurred afterimages.

Suddenly, gibberish poured down like a torrential rain. Characters entangled in quantum states reassembled midair, projecting a three-dimensional star map covering the Orion Arm and the Small Magellanic Cloud. Three crimson points blinked at different frequencies, interlaced with bands of light resembling DNA’s double helix—strange and mysterious.

“Triple signal source!” Lin Yu’s pupils contracted in shock as the tactical analysis module automatically popped up data boxes.

“Apart from Aquila, the spacetime crystal reaction intensities at the other two sites… are sufficient to generate spacetime bubbles with a radius of five light-years. Such energy scales should not exist within the galactic arm!”

The numbers in the data boxes flashed with glaring red light, as if warning of an impending catastrophe. Lin Yu’s heart pounded fiercely; he knew they were about to face an unprecedented crisis.

Su Yao immediately initiated the grouping protocol. The new quantum entanglement communicators glowed coldly in the team’s palms, like holding fragments of frozen hearts. Her tactical visor scanned the team, finally focusing on Lin Yu’s irises. The lenses reflected a rapidly ticking countdown: 00:59.

“Maintain synchronized heart rates for ten seconds. Any abnormal fluctuation will trigger self-destruct.”

Suddenly, she pulled open her collar, revealing a biochip glowing with eerie blue light at her collarbone—like a mysterious mark. “Remember Chen Mo’s last warning—the wolf pack often tears down defenses from within.”

Those words brought to mind the brutal ambush three days ago. The encrypted chip Chen Mo had slipped to him before dying now warmed softly in his pocket, carrying his friend’s final charge.

Images of Chen Mo falling flashed before Lin Yu’s eyes, stirring a surge of grief and resolve. He vowed to complete the mission and avenge his fallen comrade.

Lin Yu led the assault team through the purple ionosphere of Aquila Gamma-7. Through the radiation-shielded porthole, the planet’s surface was etched with web-like ravines. Dark red lava flowed sinuously through cracks, like the bleeding veins of the planet, radiating scorching heat.

The detectors screamed alarms, sharp sounds echoing through the cabin. The energy frequencies in the core region perfectly matched those of the spacetime crystals—an eerie resonance beyond human comprehension. Even the ship’s AI emitted error tones, trembling as if in fear.

“All hands prepare for antigravity landing!” Lin Yu set his stun rifle to paralysis mode. His tactical boots magnetically adhered to the hull, but he noticed the nanofiber suit’s temperature regulation system was running frantically—the planet’s surface radiation could melt ordinary alloys within thirty seconds. Danger lurked everywhere.

He felt waves of heat radiating through the suit, as if the next moment would see him liquefied by the intense temperature. His tension mounted.

As the ship descended into a kilometer-deep canyon, a purple dust storm erupted. Frost crystallized instantly on the nanofiber suits at minus 150 degrees Celsius, as if cloaking them in a cold armor. The howling wind whipped the dust storm against the ship with pounding thuds.

The device in Lin Yu’s hand spun wildly. The signal strength gauge smashed through the critical threshold, the pointer locking onto a coordinate deep within the canyon, as if guiding them toward unknown peril.

“Maintain diamond formation. Energy fluctuations… intensifying.”

His breath steamed within the mask, the grip of his stun rifle soaked with sweat. Suddenly, the tactical visor flashed a warning: unknown brainwave frequency interference detected. A wave of unease surged through him. He scanned the surroundings, nerves taut. Every faint sound heightened his alertness.

Two kilometers ahead, an obsidian fortress emerged from the purple mist, like a mysterious dark castle. Its surface shimmered with liquid-metal luminescent patterns, eerily identical to the energy totems found on the relic planet, emanating a dangerous and sinister aura.

At the entrance, bronze-masked sentinels patrolled with particle pulse rifles. The barrels glowed with an eerie blue light, signaling antimatter ammunition. Each beam felt like the scythe of death.

Lin Yu noticed faint mechanical clicks from the joints of these humanoid guards. They were, in fact, precise war machines, ready to unleash lethal strikes. Holding his breath, he carefully observed their patrol patterns, seeking an opening.

He signaled the team to conceal themselves with hand signs and approached the structure using the nanofiber suit’s optical camouflage, each step measured and cautious.

Amid the industrial noise from the ventilation shafts, mingled with the unique high-frequency vibrations of mineral extraction, it sounded like the earth itself was mourning. When he inserted a micro-camera into the duct, the sight froze his blood: hundreds of miners, controlled by neural restraints, were excavating crystal veins. Within those translucent crystals flowed ripples of spacetime, as if imprisoning the secrets of the universe.

The miners’ faces were vacant, eyes hollow, mechanically repeating their labor like walking corpses. At the center of the mine, superconducting transport tubes conveyed the extracted crystals to a dimensional rift device. This was no ordinary mine—it was a spacetime energy refining factory. Even more chilling, dozens of astronaut corpses floated around the apparatus, their suits bearing the insignia of the United Nations Interstellar Exploration Agency, telling a tragic tale.

Anger and compassion filled Lin Yu’s heart. He silently vowed to destroy this abominable place.

“This is Echo Squad. We’ve discovered an illegal spacetime crystal mining base!” Lin Yu transmitted the holographic images in real time, his voice trembling with emotion, as if glimpsing the dawn of victory.

Just as they prepared to withdraw, the hiss of hydraulic mechanisms sounded from behind. Turning, they saw dozens of combat robots deploying web launchers. Their crimson visual sensors flickered in the purple mist like the eyes of death, emanating a cold and deadly aura.

Worse still, the tactical visor indicated all communication frequencies had been completely jammed. Their link to the mothership was severed. A shadow of despair fell over everyone.

Lin Yu tightened his grip on the stun rifle, his gaze resolute. He knew a brutal battle was imminent. No matter what, he would lead his team through the bloodshed to survive.