The situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable.
Wu Xiaomi quietly eavesdropped on the conversation behind her.
Miss Nuo and Bai Xiaozhi’s voices were low, but they couldn’t escape the innate perception of a Spirit Conduit.
What a monster—she even guessed the Sequence 72 Mirror Shadow?
“However, the sequence number of Mirror Shadow is as high as 72.” Miss Nuo cast a wary glance at Wu Xiaomi’s back. “Could there really be a strategist who’s reached sequence 72 already…?”
“I remember the last sequence used to break open the Manggu Seal was only 70,” Bai Xiaozhi whispered. “So, wouldn’t that make him… ridiculously powerful?”
“Don’t be deceived by the power of sequence 70. Remember, that sequence requires laying out formations twelve years in advance, plus two live sacrifices before and after use. The conditions for its activation are so harsh that it was only ranked sequence 70.”
Indeed.
“Whether you believe him or not, stop probing him pointlessly.” Miss Nuo continued, “Maintaining the Mirror Shadow consumes a huge amount of Lingyuan. If he’s still holding on this long, his strength must be considerable. He’s currently on our team, so whether we anger him or drain him, it won’t benefit us.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a text box popped up in front of Bai Xiaozhi.
[Private Chat – Miss Nuo: I said those things just to let him lower his guard, to think we gave up probing.
Don’t act rashly from now on; wait for the right moment and strike true.]
With the minds of Miss Nuo and Bai Xiaozhi, how could they not be wary of eavesdropping?
Pretending to whisper was naturally only to lull Wu Xiaomi into a false sense of security.
……
“We’ve arrived.”
They followed the small river all the way to its end.
Just as Wu Xiaomi had said, all rivers ultimately converged at the Central Lake.
“But the water level hasn’t risen. Is there an outlet underwater? Or is it an internal circulation system?”
“It’s self-circulation.” Wu Xiaomi recalled, “Inside the mountain’s core is a massive Rock Heart. The heart pumps water to the summit, where it flows back down, carrying the feather smoke of the Askrel Firewing Birds to nourish the heart.”
“A truly miraculous life system…”
“Exactly. Once a living organism gains the ability to exist and act, it can be defined as life. This mountain has evolved a distinct internal circulation system—only its skin is soil, and its skeleton is rock.”
“Silicon-based life?” The amateur physicist Sir Alei quickly connected the term.
“Not really. Silicon-based life has been proven impossible. Systems built on silanes or siloxanes are fragile and simple, incapable of serving as the foundation for life.” Miss Nuo decisively dismissed the idea.
“What if, as you said, it’s controlled through quantum domain reactions, manipulating its form?” Alei argued stubbornly.
“That would only prove it’s an outward puppet of quantum life, not silicon-based life.” Miss Nuo smiled, rubbing Alei’s head gently. “I admire your curiosity. Come find me for some extra lessons sometime.”
Alei blushed furiously from the head rub.
These discussions were indeed mind-numbing, but fortunately, the topic didn’t drag on for long.
“I have two plans to stop it.”
Wu Xiaomi squatted down and sketched a rough diagram of the lake’s underwater channels.
“The first plan is to use a powerful enough explosion to shatter its heart. Once its core power source is destroyed, it will naturally cease moving.”
“I don’t approve.” Without a doubt, that was Miss Nuo’s veto. “Such a miraculous lifeform would be a pity to kill. We should capture it alive.”
But this time, Wu Xiaomi didn’t agree with her.
“What you want to find are its energy source and how it forms life. That can be achieved even if it’s dead,” Wu Xiaomi said, gently pressing her temple. “Besides, according to my research, it lacks self-awareness—it’s merely a walking machine that mimics life.”
Unlike acid, capturing this creature alive was extremely difficult.
Not to mention the vicious Chicken-footed Bears, even just this creature alone, if not stopped in time, could flatten Feisi City and its surrounding towns.
“Alive and dead are completely different states. After death, its metabolism will stop, making research far more difficult.” Miss Nuo refused to give up. “We must capture it alive!”
“But we can’t capture it alive before it levels Feisi City.”
“Feisi City? Forgive me for being blunt, but to me, this thing’s value far surpasses that of a single city!”
“Hmm… Let’s not be so cold-blooded. We’d become public enemies.” Nurse An stepped in to ease the tension.
Given the current situation, even ignoring moral issues, diplomatic considerations must be taken into account.
The Enforcer was in their team, after all.
“Please forgive my rudeness.” Miss Nuo sighed softly and finally lowered her head.
Though giving up such an interesting research was more painful than death to her, she was not a fool who would recklessly abandon the bigger picture.
“It’s nothing. I’ve met other researchers as passionate about exploration as you.” The Enforcer smiled and shook Miss Nuo’s hand without resentment. “I understand your position.”
……
“Don’t worry. Listen to my second plan.”
Wu Xiaomi smiled.
“The first plan is the safest. Just throw a bomb into the lake and let it sink into the heart. That would quickly resolve the crisis. The second plan is riskier but preserves more research value.”
“How?”
“See? There are six rivers connected to the lake because the heart has six arteries. If we can sever the arteries, we can cut off its mobility while preserving the heart intact.
If we manage to simulate a simple circulation system, we might even keep the heart alive.”
!
“You’re a genius!” Miss Nuo cheered like a little girl.
“I just understand the structure here a bit better.”
“From every perspective, having a professional explorer like you on this mission is a blessing to the Manggu District.” Nurse An expressed high praise.
My sister is amazing, and this brother is equally impressive!
“~”
Wu Xiaomi’s tiny ego swelled with pride.
“Before we begin, everyone record the Firewing Bird’s call. This sound confuses the Chicken-footed Bears, making these terrifying creatures hesitate and not attack—for a short while at least. That’s how I managed to operate back then.” Little Fox Ni once again demonstrated her explorer expertise.
“How did you think of that? Incredible!” Everyone’s respect grew.
This explorer teammate was just too reliable!
Singlehandedly breaking through every risk! Elevating the entire Manggu District!
Without him, who knew how many people would have to die to solve this terrifying crisis!
Thinking back to his confident demeanor in the Trial…
He was truly a godsend teammate!
So cool!
“Ha, it’s a simple coexistence hypothesis. Since the Firewing Birds and Chicken-footed Bears have coexisted for so long without conflict, it was natural for me to think of mimicking the Firewing Birds.”
Alright, enough chatter. Let’s start dividing the tasks.
Because once an artery is severed, the Chicken-footed Bears will rush to aid. So all six arteries need to be cut simultaneously.
Therefore, the six of them had no choice but to split up.
“Splash—”
Just as the mission was confirmed and everyone dispersed,
Wu Xiaomi’s heart twitched violently, almost causing her to fall.
This was bad.
She had been drained of a huge amount of Lingyuan during the storytelling, once again severely overexerting herself.
This meant that if she didn’t immediately seek treatment from the witch, she might…die suddenly at any moment.