0p0 Chapter 1430 Entrusted with important tasks
Chapter 1430 Entrusted with important tasks
The third day, at dusk.
As the last rays of the setting sun struggled to pierce through the gaps in the broken clouds above, sparingly casting their light upon the edge of the vast basin, the entire Dragon Guardian Ghost City fell into a chilling stillness.
Human voices, animal sounds, sounds of vehicles and horses...
All the noise belonging to living things vanished completely.
The wind, swirling with rags, scraps of paper, and dust, danced in the narrow, deserted "streets," emitting a mournful howl. The once-flowing, sewage-filled ditches were now nothing but dried-up, foul-smelling mud...
Tens of thousands of dilapidated shacks, clinging wildly to the pit walls, haphazardly constructed shelters of rotten wood and rusty iron, now resembled the visceral remains of a colossal beast, their dark doors and windows like empty eye sockets, staring despairingly at the gray sky...
Abandoned broken bowls, tattered shoes, and dirty rag dolls... scattered in the mud and among the pebbles, silently telling the story of past struggles and present complete abandonment.
The air was thicker with the smell of decay and dust; the warmth of life, the stench of sweat, and the whispers of despair had all been swallowed by deathly silence.
A vast and twisted underground world that once housed tens of thousands of desperate souls is now empty, with only the wind wandering through the maze of ruins, uttering a mournful sigh.
On the broken wall, Xiao Ce stood with his hands behind his back, his plain robe fluttering gently in the rising evening breeze. His deep gaze slowly swept over this completely dead ghost city, his face expressionless, as if he were looking at a pile of meaningless rubble.
"All cleared out?"
He asked, his voice unusually clear in the deathly silence.
The figure of the night owl seemed to emerge from the shadows!
He then knelt on one knee and said in a concise and powerful voice, "Reporting to Your Highness, General Han has led the last batch of soldiers to confirm that all known entrances and exits have been sealed off, and there are no living people left inside."
"Commander Yin has sent word that the last batch of migrants has been identified and settled in a temporary camp."
"very good."
Xiao Ce only uttered two words.
He didn't delay any longer and headed in the direction he already knew.
With a swift movement, it headed towards the bottom.
In the chaotic central square underground.
Night Owl followed closely behind, and several elite bodyguards, whose auras were even more restrained and whose movements were almost silent, also quietly appeared, like the shadows extending from the prince.
Xiao Ce's goal was clear: the huge, relatively flat, collapsed stone slab in the center of the square.
Xiao Ce walked to the center of the stone slab, stretched out his slender fingers, and seemingly casually tapped seven rhythmic points on a rock surface that appeared no different from its surroundings, covered with moss and stains.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump thump.
As the last strike landed, a deep and crisp mechanical clicking sound suddenly emanated from inside the massive stone slab!
Click!
If it weren't for the fusion of memories, Xiao Ce would never have known this...
Immediately afterward, under the vigilant and focused gazes of the Night Owl and the Dark Guards, the heavy stone slab, nearly ten feet in diameter, silently sank half an inch downward, then smoothly moved aside, revealing a deep, circular passageway entrance with a cold metallic luster!
The passageway slopes downwards, its bottom unseen. The walls are smooth as a mirror, made of neither gold nor stone, emitting a constant, faint blue light that illuminates the steps.
"Walk."
Xiao Ce stepped in first. Night Cat and the guards followed without hesitation.
Once they were all inside, the huge stone slab above them silently slid back into place, fitting perfectly without leaving a trace, as if it had never been opened.
The path was short and the slope was gentle. At the end was a massive metal gate, smooth as black glass, standing over ten zhang high and nearly five zhang wide, exuding an ancient and cold aura. There were no visible handles or keyholes on the gate, only fine, silver light patterns flowing like the veins of stars.
Xiao Ce walked straight to the door. Three soft beams of light instantly shone from the door:
Iris scanning beam: precisely covering both of his eyes.
Palm print/vital signs scanning beam: Enveloping his right palm.
Mental fluctuation sensing field: An invisible force instantly enveloped his entire body.
The entire process was silent, with only the speed of the light patterns slightly increasing.
"Identity confirmed: Highest authority holder: Xiao Ce. Vital signs match, mental imprint matches... Authority unlocked."
A cold, mechanical voice resonated directly in the minds of everyone in the passageway, not through the air.
The moment the words fell, a deep, resonant hum of energy gathering emanated from inside the massive black metal door.
The silver light patterns flowing on the door suddenly became dazzling, and then flowed and dispersed to both sides as if they were alive!
The door didn't open to the left or right, nor did it rise or fall; instead, it "dissolved" from the middle like ripples in water, revealing a huge entrance with edges gleaming with soft white light!
Just as the door completely "dissolved," an indescribable aura surged out from it!
That was... a pure, cold aura belonging to absolute order and the pinnacle of creation!
The stark contrast with the decaying, lifeless ruins outside the door was like heaven and earth...
Inside was a vast space, and as Xiao Ce and his companions stepped inside, they were greeted by a brightly lit scene.
The view behind the door suddenly opened up.
Even the most seasoned and hardened warriors, including Night Owl and all the bodyguards, couldn't help but experience a sudden contraction in their pupils, a momentary pause in their breathing, and some even instinctively tightened their grip on the weapons hidden beneath their sleeves...
Before us lies an underground space whose size defies description!
Its vastness is as if it has hollowed out the entire mountainside! As far as the eye can see, there is:
Towering into the dome, its height is estimated to be over a hundred feet, stretching horizontally to the horizon, and evenly illuminated by a soft, cold white light of unknown origin.
Countless enormous and breathtaking metal structures rose from the ground, like a sleeping steel forest.
Thick, skyscraper-like energy pipes crisscrossed, shimmering with a ghostly blue or dark red light;
The massive and sophisticated robotic arms, like the limbs of a giant, hang silently or are fixed to a complex base.
Layer upon layer of metal platforms stretched into the distance like a honeycomb, densely covered with countless interfaces and indicator lights whose functions were incomprehensible.
Everywhere you look, there are massive ring-shaped facilities, crystal matrices flowing with liquid light, polyhedral cores slowly rotating in mid-air, and control consoles shimmering with complex holographic star maps...
Everything operates silently, or stands still in quietude, exuding a sense of advanced technology and cold majesty that transcends its time.
At the very center of the space, suspended in the air is a "sphere of light" of incalculable size, composed of pure blue-white energy. It pulsates slowly, like a huge and silent heart.
Countless fiber optic cables of varying thicknesses, shimmering with the light of data streams, extend from its interior, connecting every corner of this massive factory...
The air was cold, dry, and absolutely clean, with only a faint but ubiquitous low-frequency buzzing produced by the operation of high-precision machinery, creating a peculiar "silence."
Here, there is no dust, no sign of life, only perpetually running machinery and flowing energy—the pinnacle of ancient civilization, beyond human reach, hidden deep beneath this filthy ghost town...
Xiao Ce was stunned by what he saw. He had expected this to be an advanced factory, but he never imagined it would be this advanced...
Just as everyone was stunned by the sight before them, a very faint yet exceptionally clear metallic scraping sound came from afar.
Tick…tick…tick…
A figure glided smoothly from behind the nearest towering metal platform...
It is about one and a half times the height of a person, with a smooth human-shaped silhouette, but the lines are simpler...
The entire body is made of lifeless, inorganic, silver-gray metal, with intricate transmission structures visible at the joints.
The head has no facial features, only a smooth oval surface with a deep, blue-glowing crystal "one-eyed" embedded in the center.
Its movement is not a step, but a silent gliding motion with its feet hovering a few inches above the ground, maintaining a constant speed.
The robot glided straight to a stop about three steps away from Xiao Ce. Its single, emotionless, crystalline blue eye swept over Xiao Ce, its blue light flickering slightly.
A clear, steady, and emotionless synthesized voice resonated directly in everyone's minds, not through the air:
"Core Sequence 001, Highest Authority User: Xiao Ce. Identity confirmed. Star Network Hub Sub-Boot Unit G-7, at your service. First official access detected, initiating boot program."
Without any further pleasantries or gestures, the robot G-7 turned its crystalline single eye toward the magnificent underground factory.
A condensed blue beam shot out from it, pointing towards the nearest vast area. There, dozens of enormous, cocoon-like metal structures were arranged, with intricate mechanical skeletons and pipelines vaguely visible inside.
Area: Core area for weapon forging. Main functions: designing, forging, and assembling individual soldier and squad-level combat units. Currently producible sequence:
The basic model, the 'Xuanjia' powered exoskeleton, enhances the wearer's strength, speed, and protection, and integrates basic life support and battlefield awareness systems. Standard production cycle: 1.2 standard hours/set.
'Shadow Strike' Light Reconnaissance/Infiltration Armor: High mobility, optical camouflage (basic level), sonar, and thermal shielding. Production cycle: 2.5 standard hours/set.
'Rock Solid' Heavy Assault Armor: High protection, integrated with multiple weapon mounts, energy shield generator (external power required). Production cycle: 5.0 standard hours/set.
The beam moved, pointing towards another area filled with giant robotic arms and energy furnaces.
Area: Heavy Weapons Manufacturing Zone. Main Function: Production and assembly of medium to large-scale energy/physical weapon platforms. Currently Producible Sequence:
'Starbreaker' Individual Energy Rifle: A basic particle beam weapon with adjustable output power. Production cycle: 0.8 standard hours/unit.
'Swarm' Miniature Guided Missile Launcher: Saturation Strike/Area Suppression Weapon. Production Cycle: 1.5 standard hours/unit (including basic ammunition).
'Geophysical Oscillator' Prototype: Non-lethal area suppression equipment (you have already experienced its derivative applications). Production Cycle: Due to component complexity, it needs to be calculated separately.
...
The explanation of the G-7 was concise, only stating its most core functions and name.
Xiao Ce's gaze swept over the cold, metallic behemoths and the flowing energy light, his eyes deep and revealing little emotion.
He didn't wait for G-7 to continue introducing other areas, waving his hand to interrupt his explanation.
He simply turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on Yin Pan'er beside him.
Yin Pan'er's eyes were filled with shock, just look at Xiao Ce's expression.
Their tacit understanding was so strong that Yin Pan'er could guess what Xiao Ce was thinking without him even having to say a word.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the pounding in her heart, and met Xiao Ce's gaze. Her beautiful face was filled with unprecedented solemnity as she softly asked, "Your Highness, you... want me to take charge of this place?"
Her voice sounded exceptionally clear in the vast, silent space.
Xiao Ce nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
Yin Pan'er's intelligence and tacit understanding will always be one of the things he admires most.
"Exactly."
Xiao Ce's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight as he said, "This place is the cornerstone of the future of my Xiao Kingdom, and also its greatest secret and reliance. Its importance far exceeds your imagination. It needs to be managed by someone who is absolutely trustworthy, meticulous, and capable of keeping order."
"Besides you, I really can't think of anyone else..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the cold machinery and the flowing river of energy, a barely perceptible urgency in his voice: "I'll be very busy from now on. The Western Federation..."
"Your Highness need not say more."
Yin Pan'er interrupted Xiao Ce's unfinished explanation, her eyes hardening with an unwavering resolve, saying, "Pan'er understands! This crucial place concerns the fate of the nation, Your Highness's grand plan, and even more so..."
The future of countless people on this land. Though my strength is limited, I will do my utmost to protect this place! I will not fail the Prince's trust!
She knew all too well. The value of this armory factory was immeasurable.
It is not merely capable of producing weapons that will revolutionize warfare; it is also a vast treasure trove containing the remains of a lost civilization. Mastering it is tantamount to holding the key to the future!
Xiao Ce entrusted this to her, which was not only a sign of trust, but also a responsibility as heavy as a mountain. She was well aware of the stakes involved and understood the enormous turmoil that would ensue if the information were leaked or mismanaged.
But that's precisely why she was determined to accept. It wasn't just for Xiao Ce, but also for the future they both wanted to achieve.
Seeing the unwavering determination in Yin Pan'er's eyes, Xiao Ce's last shred of hesitation vanished...
He knew Yin Pan'er's abilities well; her wisdom, composure, and ability to manage the overall situation made her the best person to manage the place at the moment. What was even more valuable was her unspoken connection with him.
"it is good..."
A glint flashed in Xiao Ce's eyes, and he uttered only one word, yet it weighed a ton...