NCCnovel Chapter 413 Almost Paid a Huge Price
Chapter 413 Almost Paid a Huge Price
The spherical light bubble formed by the Guardian's force field, like a cautious bubble moving forward in the deep sea of the universe, carried Yuan Bao, silently and steadily sliding towards the edge of that broken liquid metal nebula.
Target: Meteorites whose surfaces shimmer with a peculiar crystalline luster.
As the distance closed, the scene before them became increasingly breathtaking, revealing more clearly the strangeness of this star field.
That enormous silvery-gray nebula, from a distance it looks like shattered glass, but upon closer inspection it is not static.
The "liquid metal" luster flowing inside is actually a stream of countless tiny, strange particles that exist between matter and energy. They entangle and separate at an extremely slow but visible speed, like a viscous fluid on a cosmic scale silently wriggling.
The streams of particles escaping from the edge of the nebula trailed faint silver streaks in the void, intertwining with the slight distortions in space to form a bizarre and dazzling labyrinth of light and shadow.
The shapes of those crystalline meteorites floating on the edge of the nebula are far more complex than they appear when viewed from a distance.
They vary in size, with the smallest being the size of a small car and the largest being comparable to a small house.
The surface is not smooth, but covered with sharp-edged crystal clusters.
These crystals are a deep, dark blue, as if they contain solidified stardust, with tiny specks of light flickering within them.
The surface of the meteorite closest to the nebula is covered with a thin, constantly flowing layer of silvery-gray material, which is clearly "coated" by the particle streams escaping from the nebula.
[The target meteorite has a stable crystal structure and contains unknown spectral energy fluctuations. The surface coating material is highly reactive, suspected to be condensate from a nebula particle stream.] Xiao 9's scan data rapidly updated in Yuan Bao's mind: [Current distance: 1000 meters. Spatial folding intensity has increased; it is recommended to slow down and maintain caution during contact.]
"Received. Activate micro-propulsion mode, reduce speed to minimum. Prepare 'probe'." Yuan Bao was fully focused, his mental energy highly concentrated, like invisible threads wrapped around the control core of the Guardian's force field, carefully adjusting his direction to avoid a visible, rippling spatial fold in front of him.
At the same time, she activated a device prepared in the system space—a remote probe consisting of a high-intensity energy beam and a finely designed acquisition claw at its end.
The light bubble slowly approached the largest crystalline meteorite. As the distance closed to within a hundred meters, every detail of the meteorite became clearly visible.
The deep blue crystal edges refracted a cold and mysterious luster under the cold light of the nebula. The flowing silver-gray coating on the surface, like living liquid metal, slowly "crawled" across the crystal surface.
[Probe in position. Ready to take samples. Target: surface active coating and underlying crystal fragments.] Tip from Xiao 9.
Yuan Bao held his breath, his mind racing. The probe tip shimmered with a steady energy glow, like the most nimble fingers, slowly reaching towards the flowing silvery-gray substance on the meteorite's surface.
Just as the probe tip was about to touch the flowing coating!
A sudden change occurred!
The silvery-gray substance, which had been flowing slowly, suddenly sprang up like a venomous snake that had been awakened!
It stopped flowing and instantly "frozen" and bulged upwards, forming several sharp, metallic spikes that pierced the probe fiercely!
The speed is far greater than the previously observed inert state!
"Watch out!" Yuan Bao's mental alarm bells rang, and his mental power erupted instantly!
Under her mental control, the probe suddenly retracted at an extremely tricky angle, narrowly avoiding the fatal thrust.
However, the tip of one of the silver spikes still grazed the probe's energy shield, bursting into a small, dazzling spark!
[Warning! Probe shield energy loss 5%! Target active substance has highly aggressive and shape-changing capabilities!] Little 9's voice was urgent.
However, the crisis is not over!
The probe's dodge maneuvers and energy bursts were like throwing a boulder into a calm lake.
Inside the disturbed meteorite, the previously slowly flickering, eerie blue light spots suddenly became dazzling! An invisible, icy energy pulse burst outwards from the meteorite's center!
Om-!
Yuan Bao felt as if his mental barrier had been struck hard by a cold iron hammer!
A sharp, intense pain shot through my mind instantly, and I even saw static for a brief moment!
The light membrane of the Guardian's Force Field also fluctuated violently, emitting a low hum that seemed to be struggling under the strain!
What's even more frightening is that this pulse seems to be a signal!
At the same time, the eerie blue spots on the surface of several other previously "quiet" crystalline meteorites also lit up!
Slowly, like awakened behemoths, they began to adjust their posture, their sharp crystal clusters aimed at the guardian light bubble where Yuan Bao was!
At the same time, the particle flow at the edge of the huge broken nebula nearby seemed to have accelerated slightly, and the silvery-gray substance it emitted became more concentrated, like invisible tentacles, beginning to spread towards this area!
[High-energy mental shock! Source: Target meteorite core! Space environment disturbance intensifies! Nebula particle flow activity increases! Other meteorites show signs of hostile targeting! Danger level raised to: High (Red Alert)! Immediate evacuation recommended!] Xiao 9's voice was more solemn than ever before.
The intense mental pain made Yuan Bao's vision go black, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
She bit her lower lip hard, forcing herself to stay awake.
The risk list provided by Xiao 9 flashed through my mind instantly—information disturbance, unknown entities!
This crystalline meteorite is not a stable mineral deposit at all; it contains a core with some kind of sensing and defense (or even attack) mechanism!
Is it a "trap" evolved from the main system?
Or was it a captured, unknown creation?
"We can't fight it head-on!" Yuan Bao made a decision instantly.
The Guardian Type I force field is fluctuating violently under multiple pressures, and the energy reading is dropping rapidly!
She endured the dizziness and nausea brought on by the mental shock, and concentrated all her willpower!
"Little 9! Initiate emergency jump! Target: original space node! Coordinates locked! Immediately!" Her thoughts roared.
[Emergency jump protocol activated! Target coordinates locked! Spatial folds forcibly torn apart! Charge...faster!] Xiao 9's voice also carried a sense of tension from operating at its limit.
The Guardian Bubble suddenly burst forth with a blinding white light!
It no longer maintained a stable spherical shape, but under Yuan Bao's extreme control, it twisted and stretched instantly, as if it were being violently kneaded by an invisible hand, trying to forcibly tear open a return channel in the raging spatial turbulence and the ever-spreading nebula particle flow!
Just moments before the light bubble was about to be struck by several sharp spikes condensed from silvery-gray active matter and several cold, dark blue energy rays!
Om-! ! !
The spatial distortion, even more intense and violent than when they arrived, instantly engulfed everything!
Yuan Bao felt as if he had been thrown into a high-speed centrifuge. Before his eyes was no longer a cold star field, but a storm of colors and lines that were spinning wildly and tearing apart!
The Guardian Force Field emitted a piercing shriek, and its energy reserves plummeted at a visible rate!
The mental barrier was teetering on the brink of collapse under the dual pressures of spatial jump and the lingering mental impact!
Excruciating pain, dizziness, nausea, a strong feeling of weightlessness, and a terrifying sense of impending destruction all intertwined!
Yuan Bao's vision blurred, and he almost lost consciousness.
But on the verge of losing consciousness, she seemed to see the warm lights of the villa, Xiao Zhi's sleeping face, and the concerned gazes of her family... That warm power called "Home Light" was like a lighthouse in a dark storm, allowing her last remaining sliver of clarity to firmly grasp the core of control!
"Hold on...get back!" With her last ounce of strength, she poured all her will into the warp beacon and the Guardian's field!
boom! ! !
It felt like breaking through a tough membrane!
After the violent tremors and blinding white light, the chilling cosmic silence and the violent sense of spatial tearing suddenly vanished.
Instead, there is the familiar cool night breeze carrying the scent of grass from the rooftop stargazing terrace of the villa, and the man-made yet incredibly peaceful and tranquil starry sky above.
Pfft!
Yuan Bao's legs went weak, and he could no longer support himself, collapsing heavily onto the cold floor of the terrace.
The light of the Guardian's Force Field flickered a few times like a candle in the wind before going out completely.
Her face was as pale as paper, her forehead was covered in cold sweat, her chest heaved violently, and she was panting heavily, each breath filled with the trembling of someone who had just survived a disaster.
The lingering mental pain and intense physical exhaustion made her almost vomit.
[Emergency jump complete! Successfully returned to the original spatial node!] Xiao 9's voice carried a noticeable sense of fatigue. [Guardian Type I force field energy depleted, core slightly damaged. Spatial core energy reserves reduced to 43%. Explorer Yuan Bao, your mental energy is excessively depleted, and your body is experiencing a strong stress response. Immediate rest and deep recovery are strongly recommended.]
Yuan Bao struggled to lift his head, looking at the familiar and comforting outline of the courtyard and the false yet warm starry sky above. His tense nerves finally relaxed completely.
A wave of intense fear and exhaustion washed over her.
She succeeded and returned alive, but her first exploration of the Weiyang Starfield ended in such a perilous and hasty retreat.
She looked down at her hands, a thought flickering in her mind.
The system space opened, and at the critical moment, the tip of the probe that had retracted urgently was still firmly gripping a small piece of something!
It was a small, fingernail-sized fragment with extremely irregular edges.
One part of it is a deep blue crystal with a faint glow flowing inside, while the other part is covered with a thin layer of silvery-gray active substance that looks like solidified mercury.
At this moment, the silvery-gray substance was as if it were dead, having lost its luster and activity, and clung tightly to the crystal fragments.
This was the only "trophy" she brought back from that dangerous UNS-01 area, almost at a huge cost.
Looking at this cold, eerie fragment containing unknown mysteries, Yuan Bao managed a complex smile with difficulty on his pale face.
There was fear, there was palpitation, but more than anything, there was a burning, clear desire for the secrets hidden deep within the unknown star field, and a determination to conquer it next time, after surviving the ordeal.
This journey has only just begun.