novelhk Page 262
Page 262
Buzz buzz—!
The star core battery trembled violently, its blue-white light flickering erratically. Lin Ye felt a powerful repulsive force, and his arm went numb. He gritted his teeth, concentrating his mind to send reassuring thoughts through the fragments, while carefully guiding the energy beam to slowly pry the star core battery off its fixed base.
This process was extremely mentally taxing, and cold sweat quickly beaded on Lin Ye's forehead. Li Sha watched nervously, gripping her weapon tightly, wary of the debris and wreckage constantly falling from all around and above.
The stress on the left-side support structure has reached a critical point! It may break in three seconds! The sentry suddenly warns.
"Lin Ye! Hurry!" Li Sha shouted.
Lin Ye's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly increased his energy output while using the power of the fragments to forcibly stabilize the restless battery!
Up!
With a low shout, the dangerous radiant star core battery was finally completely stripped away and suspended under the guidance of the energy beam!
Almost simultaneously, a loud cracking sound rang out, and the supporting structure beneath the ancient spaceship's power core completely broke. The massive metal debris crashed into the darkness below with a roar, and a dull echo lingered for a long time afterward.
Lin Ye dared not be negligent and carefully guided the star core battery, slowly moving it towards an area on the inner wall of the cavity that was covered with dense golden crystals—that was obviously the energy interface that Huangya had set up.
"Very good, insert it into the interface." The consciousness of the Wild Fang was filled with approval.
As the star core battery approached the golden crystal, the crystal cluster automatically opened like a blooming flower, revealing a groove perfectly accommodating the battery. Lin Ye manipulated the energy beam, steadily placing the unstable, high-energy crystal inside.
Om-! ! !
The instant the star core battery was embedded in the groove, the entire gastric cavity shuddered violently! An even more dazzling golden light erupted from all the crystals! The thick neural network lit up instantly as if being charged, and the immense energy surged like a flood bursting its banks, rushing along the predetermined circuits to all directions of the Desolate Fang!
Roar--! ! !
A roar that was exhilarating, majestic, and seemed to come from a beast that had been asleep for millennia directly shook the souls of Lin Ye and Li Sha! This roar contained an unparalleled sense of power and catharsis.
Beneath their feet, the entire bio-ship trembled with jubilation, its inner walls pulsed with powerful energy, and the previously dim areas were now fully illuminated.
[Warning! The energy level of the bio-construct Wild Fang has surged dramatically! It has surpassed 300% of the initial reading! And it is still rising rapidly!]
[Multiple systems within the biological construct have been detected as reactivating! These include the power system, defense system, and environmental regulation system...]
[External observation: The T-9 structure's energy membrane strength has significantly increased and is currently being repaired! The effectiveness of attacks from unidentified external ships has been greatly reduced!]
Success! They really did inject the crucial energy into this ravenous behemoth!
Lin Ye and Li Sha exchanged a smile, both seeing in each other's eyes the relief of surviving a disaster and the joy of success.
However, just as the atmosphere eased, another unexpected event occurred!
The star core battery that had just been inserted into the energy interface suddenly developed cracks that expanded rapidly due to its inherent instability and the sudden increase in energy extraction by the Desolate Fang!
"Oh no! The battery is about to give out!" Li Sha screamed.
Blue and white arcs of electricity surged wildly, and a destructive energy surge was about to erupt!
No matter! Huangya's consciousness was filled with unparalleled confidence. This bit of rage would just become my sharp teeth!
Before the words were even finished, the golden biological crystals around the groove embedded in the star core battery instantly multiplied, tightly wrapping and entangling the battery like living creatures, forming a dense golden cocoon! On the surface of the cocoon, countless tiny energy conduits pierced into the battery's interior, frantically drawing in the terrifying energy that was about to erupt!
Chi Chi Chi -!
A blinding blue-white light emanated from the gaps in the cocoon, causing the entire cocoon to tremble violently, as if it were about to explode. But the power of the Wild Fang was superior; the violent energy was forcibly restrained and guided, flowing into the main energy torrent of the ship through the golden neural network. Not only did it not cause damage, but it also made the Wild Fang's recovery momentum even stronger!
A few seconds later, the cocoon calmed down, its surface light gradually dimmed, and it eventually stabilized and perfectly merged with the surrounding energy interface. Only the occasional flashes of intense blue light from within proved that the terrifying power it once contained had been completely tamed.
Energy replenishment complete at 17%. Wild Fang's consciousness was satisfied; it had enough for a short-range jump and to activate the basic weapon system.
Short-range jump! Weapon system!
This is undoubtedly a timely help!
Lin Ye! Li Sha! The pursuers outside seem to have detected a dramatic change in the internal energy, and the frequency and intensity of their attacks have increased again! Although the energy membrane has been reinforced, it probably won't be able to withstand the attacks for much longer! The sentry's voice brought another urgent message.
Wild Fang's consciousness instantly turned cold and filled with fighting spirit:
The Destroyer's minions... Since they refuse to leave, then let them become the first meal of the Wild Fang upon its awakening!
Chapter 549 The First Meal
Wild Fang's consciousness swept across the entire ship like a cold meteor shower, and echoed clearly in Lin Ye and Li Sha's minds: "The Destroyer's minions... since they refuse to leave, then let them become Wild Fang's first meal after awakening!"
Before the words were even finished, the entire "stomach sac" cavity, or rather, the current core energy cavity, suddenly trembled! The golden biological crystals around it shone brightly, and the energy surged like a rushing river, roaring along the thick neural network towards the unknown distance.
[Warning! The bio-construct Wild Fang weapon system is activating! High-energy polymerization reaction detected!] The sentinel's voice carried an unprecedented urgency.
"It's about to attack!" Li Sha gripped her weapon tightly, both nervous and excited. "Can we watch?"
Lin Ye had the same thought. He concentrated, trying to communicate with Huangya through the fragment of the Key of Creation: "Huangya, can you let us see what's happening outside?"
…As you wish, the holder of the key…
As soon as Huangya finished speaking, the inner wall of a huge, screen-like biological crystal next to them suddenly lit up, clearly projecting the starry sky outside!
The T-9 construct, which had previously been dull and lifeless, resembling a giant meteorite, now had golden lines illuminating its crisscrossing grooves, as if a sleeping beast had opened its eyes that covered its entire body. The fragile energy membrane had become solid and thick, radiating a stable golden glow, firmly blocking the continuous energy cannon fire from the three black warships, only causing ripples.
The three destroyer warships with thorny eyeball markings seemed to have sensed the unusual changes in their prey. Their attack posture became even more frenzied, and the light from their main cannons charging grew increasingly blinding, clearly preparing to launch a more powerful attack.
"The energy membrane has stabilized! That's great!" Li Sha cheered.
But Lin Ye's attention was focused on several specific areas of the Desolate Fang ship's hull. There were several huge, crater-like bulges that were slowly opening up, revealing deep, spiral-patterned channels inside, where powerful energy was gathering and emitting a low, rumbling sound like the panting of a giant beast.
"What's that? The muzzle of a cannon?" Li Sha noticed it too.
…Taste…the taste of destruction…the consciousness of the Wild Fang carried a hint of cold anticipation.
Suddenly, one of the "craters" erupted with a blinding azure light! A massive torrent of energy, composed entirely of highly compressed plasma and some kind of bio-plasma, burst forth like a dragon emerging from its lair, tearing through the void and shooting at an astonishing speed toward one of the nearest Destroyer warships!
The warship's shields shattered like fragile glass the moment they came into contact with the azure torrent, failing to hold out for even a second! The hull was hit directly, and a blinding white light erupted, completely engulfing it!
There was no violent explosion, only a silent and rapid annihilation! When the white light dissipated, all that remained where the warship had stood were fragments of rapidly cooling and spreading molten metal slag, and wisps of dissipating energy.
One strike! Just one strike! A previously aggressive Destroyer warship with a clearly advanced technology was instantly vaporized!
"Holy crap!" Li Sha's mouth dropped open, and it took her a while to utter two words. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "This...this is too amazing!"
Lin Ye was also deeply shaken. He knew that Huang Ya was very strong after its resurrection, but he did not expect it to be this strong! This destructive power far exceeded his imagination.
[The target Destroyer warship's signal has disappeared.] The sentry calmly reported, [The bio-construct Fang Weapon System's effectiveness assessment...extremely high. Its attack energy attributes include high-dimensional corrosive properties, possessing extraordinary destructive power against conventional shields and ship structures.]
The remaining two Destroyer warships were clearly stunned by this sudden and terrifying counterattack. Their attack abruptly ceased, and they began to make emergency turns, attempting to create distance. Their movements appeared hurried and chaotic, completely devoid of their previous arrogance.
…Trying to escape? …Too late… Huangya’s consciousness, like a cold predator, locked onto a new prey.
The other two "cannons," which had been poised to fire, roared once more! This time, two thinner but faster beams of crimson energy shot out like venomous snakes, precisely targeting the two warships that were turning!
One of the ships reacted quickly, overloading its stern thrusters and narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. However, one of its propulsion wings was grazed by the crimson energy beam and instantly melted off like butter being cut by high temperature. The entire warship immediately lost its balance, spinning and tilting away. Small explosions continued to occur on the hull, indicating that it had suffered severe damage.
The other ship wasn't so lucky; its engine core was pierced directly by a beam of crimson energy! A massive fireball expanded from within, instantly tearing the warship in two. The wreckage continued to fly forward due to inertia, before turning into cosmic dust in a series of even more violent explosions!
In the blink of an eye, of the three attacking Destroyer warships, one was destroyed, one was severely damaged, and one fled!
"Great! Kill them all!" Li Sha excitedly pumped her fist, as if she had done it herself.
Lin Ye also breathed a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxing slightly. At least the immediate deadly threat was temporarily averted.
…Energy absorption begins… Ara-gata’s consciousness arrives.
Several enormous, tentacle-like flexible structures emerged from the surface of the Desolate Fang ship, extending nimbly toward the heavily damaged, out-of-control Destroyer warship and the area filled with debris and the afterglow of energy.
The tips of the tentacles opened, revealing suction cup-like structures that firmly adhered to the wreckage. A powerful suction force was generated, and the warship fragments, dissipated energy, and even the basic particles released from the destroyed warship in space were greedily drawn in and absorbed by these tentacles, and transported back to the Desolate Fang's body through specific energy channels.
Lin Ye could see that the golden crystals on the inner wall of the core energy cavity seemed to have brightened a little more, and the pulsating power was also stronger.
"It...it's eating 'leftovers'?" Lisa's expression was a little strange. "But it seems to be working well."
"...Inferior food...containing impure energy and filled with destructive energy...low conversion efficiency...but...it's better than nothing..." Wild Fang's consciousness held a hint of disgust, but the act of absorbing energy didn't stop at all. "...At least...it can replenish some of the energy consumed in the previous attack..."
Lin Ye understood. Huang Ya had just awakened and was far from being at its peak. The fierce attacks just now must have consumed a lot of energy, so it was instinctive to seize every opportunity to "eat" and replenish itself.
"What about the one that got away?" Li Sha pointed to the bio-crystal screen, at the last Destroyer warship that had become a small dot of light and was desperately accelerating to escape.
…No need to pursue…its signal has been marked…letting it escape…may attract more…prey…” A cunning and cold calculation flashed through Huangya’s mind.
Lin Ye immediately understood Huang Ya's plan. It needed energy, a lot of energy. In its eyes, these Destroyer warships were not only enemies, but also mobile "energy packs." Letting one go was likely to attract more enemies, thereby obtaining more "food."
This is risky, but it aligns with the imposing presence of the ancient behemoth, Wild Fang, and its current urgent need for energy.
"It's a very risky strategy," Lin Ye said bluntly. "What if it attracts an enemy we can't handle..."
"...The key holder... need not worry..." Wild Fang replied, "...After a brief meal and rest... Wild Fang will initiate a short-range jump... to escape this graveyard... The Destroyer's pursuit... will not be easy..."
Upon hearing "short-distance leap," Lin Ye and Li Sha both perked up! This meant they finally had a chance to leave this awful place!
Just then, the sentry's voice rang out again, with a hint of barely perceptible relief: "External threat level has been reduced to 'low'. Database energy reserves remain at 0.9%, and the downward trend in internal seal stability... has stopped! Currently stable at 64%."
The crisis is temporarily over!
The two of them, who had been on tenterhooks, could finally relax a little. Li Sha even slumped down on the slightly elastic "ground" woven from neural networks, letting out a long sigh of relief: "Oh my god... I can finally catch my breath! That was really too much!"
Lin Ye also sat down against a warm biological crystal, feeling the steady pulse emanating from the fragment, synchronized with the Wild Fang, and a strange sense of peace spread through him. They had awakened an extraordinary being. Although the future remained uncertain, at least they had a powerful, temporary ally, and hope of leaving this place.
"...The key's holder...and his companions..." The consciousness of the Wild Fang returned, this time with a hint of solemnity, "...Thank you for your assistance...Without the key and courage you brought...the Wild Fang might have perished completely in his slumber...According to the contract...you are the Wild Fang's guests...Now...let us leave this desolate land..."
The light within the core energy cavity was stable and bright, and the flow of energy was smooth and powerful. The colossal star beast beneath their feet, named "Wild Fang," had fully awakened and bared its fangs.
Its first meal seemed to taste pretty good.
Lin Ye and Li Sha's journey will soon embark on with this awakened behemoth, heading towards a vast and unknown sea of stars.
Chapter 550 The Remnants of Dust
The intense weightlessness brought on by the spatial jump violently tossed Lin Ye and Li Sha upwards, then pulled them back down, thankfully the whole process lasted only a few seconds. With a muffled roar, like someone struggling to surface for air from the deep sea, everything around them finally stabilized.
The view outside the semi-transparent "observation window" at my feet has completely changed.
The deathly darkness and the relentless artillery fire vanished, replaced by a magnificent and hazy nebula. In the distance, veil-like interstellar dust, illuminated by an unknown star, painted a dreamlike halo of purple, blue, and red, like an overturned palette. Closer by, meteorites and asteroids of all sizes drifted slowly in the vacuum like silent travelers. In the far distance, a few stars stubbornly pierced through the dust, twinkling.
"We...we really escaped?" Li Sha's voice trembled. She gripped a warm, protruding section of the inner wall beside her tightly until she repeatedly confirmed that there were no more energy beams outside the window. Only then did she let out a long, complete sigh of relief, feeling as if all her strength had been drained, and she almost collapsed. This series of intense escapes, battles, and unexpected events was simply too stimulating for her nerves.
Lin Ye relaxed his tense, aching muscles, leaned his back against the warm and elastic inner wall, and replied briefly, "It's safe for now."
[Confirmed to have exited combat airspace. Has entered the outer region of the 'Dust Remnant' Nebula. Bio-construct 'Wild Fang' status: Moderate damage, energy level 90%, slowly absorbing environmental radiation energy to replenish.]
[Database Status: Energy reserves 0.8%, seal stability 66%, continuing to decline slowly.]
A cold, impersonal notification sounded in his mind, reminding Lin Ye that the crisis was only temporarily averted, and the fundamental problem remained unresolved. The database energy was about to run out, the seal needed energy to maintain, and Huangya, who had just become an ally, also needed a large amount of resources to repair its damage and replenish its losses.
Just then, Huang Ya's noticeably weak consciousness entered their minds: "Jump successful, but the landing point is off by a large margin. We are on the edge of the nebula, still some distance from the nearest resource signal I can sense. I need time to repair the damage and replenish my energy."