Chapter 1417: 468. Strive for every minute and second
The B-76 space station is not a standalone entity; it is part of a space naval starbase of the United Bureau known as B.
The structure of base B is similar to the rumored “Dyson Sphere” that encapsulates an entire star.
It uses a dense network of metal corridors, platforms, and suspended thrusters to surround a star in its prime, creating an openwork spheroid that intercepts 60% of the star’s light.
The sunlight blocked by this spherical base is converted by energy facilities with a conversion rate of over 90% into the energy required for computing devices, which in turn is transformed into general-purpose computing power at a 99% conversion rate to drive all the facilities of base B.
From the AI engineers conducting maintenance tasks outside metallic passageways to various deep space detectors calculating celestial gravity, monitoring star gate traffic, searching for abnormal space signals, and even remotely operating unmanned fleets on assignments.
Everything affiliated with base B consumes the computing power produced by the base.
...
Interestingly, the local server group of Metal Creation Group’s headquarters is located in the core area of base B, which is in the B-76 space station.
To be precise, the server group of the local network is the main body of the B-76 space station.
Anyone visiting for the first time would be awed by the towering server banks, which resembled mountain ranges; the liquid cooling pipelines alone had a diameter exceeding 30 meters, making it hard to fathom the amount of computing power such a massive server group would consume every second.
Destroying server groups of this scale is incredibly difficult but also very simple.
Noland Lee discovered through prior investigation that the most vulnerable spot in the B-76 space station was the junction between this station and the nearby ones.
The B-76 connects to nearby stations with semi-fixed space corridors, which don’t generate the thrust to keep the space station floating above the star.
Therefore, blasting the junctions would send the B-76 plummeting towards the star due to gravity, with an ever-increasing acceleration rate, and it would be incinerated by the star within two minutes after the explosion.
The Assassin Angel accepted Noland Lee’s proposal. noveldrama
The entity positioned its own specially crafted extraordinary bombs at the junctions of the stations while in its invisible state.
At the same time, it personally entered the server group, meticulously searching for any trace of the Metal Ancestor Dragon’s will.
After Noland Lee’s sixth contact with a cucumber slice through the ritual, the Assassin Angel, as expected, discovered subterfuge hidden within the server group.
An Extraterrestrial Eternity known as “Hysteric Brain,” had laid a trap in a corner of the server cluster that could ensnare a person in illusions.
Based on the Assassin Angel’s deduction, this “Hysteric Brain” was likely the Extraterrestrial Eternity that had secretly manipulated the Angel Enterprises Alliance behind the scenes to create Artificial Angels.
According to the historical information presented in the “Echo Chip,” the precursor of the “Hysteric Brain” was Angel of Heart – Vaana.
Beyond this, the Assassin Angel also discovered a Metallic Ancestor Dragon Avatar, which was hidden inside a seemingly inconspicuous pipeline of the server group.
The avatar was in a dormant state, quietly lying across a pipeline over two meters in diameter. Using its inherent metal affinities, it had blended into its surroundings nearly undetectably.
Lucky for them, the Assassin Angel was an absolute expert in the field of stealth and detection; otherwise, others, like Noland Lee, may not have been able to discover the existence of this Metallic Ancestor Dragon Avatar.
The Assassin Angel used the “Veil of Different Worlds” to erect a barrier around this avatar, isolating it from the outer world.
As long as the barrier held, the avatar would not be able to detect the explosions occurring beyond it.
“I’m ready here,” the Assassin Angel’s division at the ceremony site asked Noland,
“How are things on your end?”
“The cucumber trio has died 15 times in the past half an hour, and their Soul Strength has clearly diminished a great deal,”
Noland Lee said gravely,
“I estimate that the ritual will cease to sense their souls beginning with the cucumber’s 19th resurrection. Due to the limited time for each contact, I haven’t been able to observe the soul condition of the winter melon and kelp. However, judging by the cucumber’s situation, the state of winter melon and kelp is likely just as dire.”
“Then, let us commence the operation now,” the Assassin Angel’s division said, before returning to silence.
Noland Lee turned and walked back into the ritual array.
…
…
Near the entrance of the Illusion Space, within the inner barrier of the Inner Cosmos.
The cucumber trio lay exhausted on the crystal ground like dogs that had been walked tens of kilometers by their owner, sprawled out in all directions.
The Death Steel Soldiers walked over, picking them up roughly off the floor and heading toward the Rainbow Cave Entrance.
“Here we go again…”
“Is there no way to live anymore..”
“Other tasks want money, but yours want our lives…”
Winter Melon and Kelp were listlessly complaining.
Cucumber Slice felt light and unable to muster any strength, merely allowing the Death Steel Soldiers to carry him along.
His head buzzed like a drill, with waves of dizziness hitting him one after another.
In the past, the situation of dying and reviving repeatedly had occurred before, but never had Cucumber Slice felt as weak as he did now.
He estimated that the abnormal smart brain, after forcefully controlling him, had also adjusted some parameters related to perception feedback. That’s why, after multiple resurrections, he found himself in a state of utter weakness.
Taking a deep breath, Cucumber Slice mustered the Spirit and opened the chat group, where he sent out a message:
“Listen to me, someone will come to rescue us later. You two must do exactly as I say.”
“Who’s going to rescue us?”
“How will he rescue us? By pulling the plug?”
“If pulling the plug could save us from this godforsaken place, then Strawberry and the others would have done it long ago…”
Ignoring the moaning of Winter Melon and Kelp in the chat, Cucumber Slice continued typing:
“Once we enter the instance again, the three of us must regroup as quickly as possible; do not act alone. Understand? After I enter the instance, I will spawn at the 3 o’clock direction of the Illusion Screen. You all head toward me, don’t go to the Illusion Screen to participate in that bizarre meeting.”
Trying to shake off their dejected spirits, Winter Melon and Kelp replied in the chat:
“Roger.”
“Got it.”
After 15 prior explorations, the trio had summarized several patterns.
First, upon entering the instance, if one approached the silvery white threads in front, they would be teleported to the meeting site by these threads that were connected to all planets.
Second, by avoiding the silvery white threads and approaching other threads, they could travel between different planets. By not arriving at the meeting place, they naturally wouldn’t die from an overload of information.
Third, the instance had an invisible time limit. Regardless of the method to prolong the stay inside the instance, they would face death after about 6 minutes.
These patterns were summarized with their bloodied lessons.
In other words, the three of them must regroup within 6 minutes; otherwise, it would be very difficult for the GM to rescue them all together.
Whoever fell behind would continuously cycle through death and rebirth.
With increased emphasis, Cucumber Slice sent a voice message, stressing once again:
“You must regroup with me within 6 minutes! Did you hear that clearly? If anyone doesn’t make it, don’t blame me for leaving this place without them!”
Winter Melon and Kelp replied solemnly in the chat:
“Understood, boss!”
“As long as we can get out, not to mention regrouping with you in 6 minutes, even washing up within 6 minutes is no problem!”
“By the way, boss, do you know something?” Winter Melon suddenly asked.
Winter Melon had asked the same question in the past as well.
Since the GM had not given clear permission, Cucumber Slice had never answered Winter Melon’s question directly.
Now, since the GM had decided to rescue all three of them, there was no need to hide anything anymore.
After confirming that the GM agreed to let him share some information, Cucumber Slice was ready with his response.
But before he could say anything, the Death Steel Soldier forcefully threw him, and Cucumber Slice spiraled along a parabola straight into the Rainbow Caves.
A new round of instance exploration had begun.
Right before he said anything else, Cucumber Slice instead said:
“Don’t ask anything; just do as I say. Remember! You have to come over within 6 minutes! After we leave this place, I’ll find an opportunity to tell you what’s going on!”