Chapter 57 Caught in the Act
The Explorer 8 lay concealed within a dense asteroid belt, resembling a crouching hunter.
On the bridge's main screen, a complex star map was magnified and finally locked onto an unremarkable asteroid pitted with impact craters.
Scans revealed a massive artificial cavity inside it. The energy signatures matched the residual characteristics of the laboratory tampering signals perfectly, and its exterior camouflage was flawlessly seamless.
"This is the place," Xu Yan's voice was ice-cold.
Inside the bridge, Duan Peng was checking the weapon systems, Wu Mingjie was monitoring the fluctuations of the enemy's peripheral warning network, and Ouyang Nan was repeatedly wiping the energy pistol in her hand, her eyes as sharp as blades. The truth behind her father's disappearance and the anger over the laboratory raid burned within her eyes.
"Defense system scan complete," the covetous stream of consciousness was shared onto the main screen through Xu Yan. "The structure is complex, combining the existing technology of the Blue Star with a large amount of reverse-engineered early Rama technology. But imitation remains mere imitation; there are three logical closed-loop flaws and one energy transmission redundancy design. These are all fatal vulnerabilities."
On the screen, a three-dimensional structural diagram of the base emerged, with its external energy shields, automated turrets, space minefields, and sensor arrays marked and deconstructed one by one.
Jiuyu directly generated a dynamic holographic projection, simulating the optimal breakthrough path—
[The dynamic holographic projection demonstrates technological tactics]
On the spherical energy shield representing the energy shield, three tiny, constantly moving weak points were highlighted in blinking blue.
A tortuous flight route, hugging the shadows of the meteoroids and asteroids closely, was plotted to perfection, neatly evading the optimal firing angles of all turrets.
Against the space minefields, the projection simulated a specialized low-frequency energy pulse capable of temporarily putting approaching sensor mines into hibernation, carving out a narrow, safe corridor.
The entire breach procedure resembled a precise neurosurgery as well as a silent electronic ballet, brimming with the aesthetic combination of technology and wisdom.
"Duan Peng, stick close to the navigation line. Ouyang, prepare the pulse. Mingjie, jam internal communications and create chaos," Xu Yan ordered. "Execute!"
The Explorer 8 glided out of the asteroid belt like a ghost, following the flawless path plotted by Jiuyu. With astonishing precision and silence, it penetrated the layers of defense networks and finally came to rest quietly near a concealed entrance on the surface of the asteroid.
The assault team consisted of Xu Yan, Ouyang Nan, and Duan Peng, clad in combat armor equipped with basic optical camouflage, melting into the shadows of the base entrance like droplets of water.
Wu Mingjie remained aboard the ship to provide technical support and extraction backup.
Utilizing the entrance code and energy signature simulation cracked by Jiuyu, the airtight door slid open silently.
The internal corridors were labyrinthine, the walls covered with display panels flashing encrypted data. In the center, a huge, distorted dark red emblem—the insignia of Redeem—seemed to writhe in the dim light.
They advanced deep into the core of the base swiftly and silently.
The sporadic guards encountered along the way were all brought down swiftly by Duan Peng using precise, silent stun strikes.
Xu Yan continuously deciphered one security door after another. "These defense systems rely on Rama reverse engineering, but they botch the tiger trying to draw a cat; the architecture is rigid, harboring fatal flaws."
His fingers danced across his portable terminal, and heavy alloy doors swung open one after another in response.
Just as they approached the central control room, rapid footsteps echoed from the corridor corner ahead, accompanied by a familiar command whispered in a low voice!
"—Yes, the data has been erased; it is impossible for them to trace—what? Energy resonance anomaly? Impossible—"
That voice!
Ouyang Nan's body stiffened abruptly, and an instant flash of incredulous fury and anguish erupted in her eyes!
She would never forget this voice! During the emergency hearing after the Pioneer disaster, it was this voice that had testified with absolute certainty, classifying her father's discovery as "an accident caused by operational error" and covering up the truth!
"It's him!" Ouyang Nan growled softly, charging out like a leopard!
Beyond the corner, a middle-aged man wearing the uniform of a senior Redeem commander turned around in astonishment—he was precisely that hypocritical "investigator" from years ago!
"Ouyang Nan?! How did you..." The turncoat commander turned pale with fright, instinctively drawing his weapon.
But Ouyang Nan was faster! Instead of firing, she lunged forward with her entire body, using a vicious close-quarters combat technique to knock his weapon away and slamming him hard against the metal wall!
"Why?!" Ouyang Nan pressed her energy pistol fiercely against his jaw, her voice trembling with extreme fury, fire seemingly blazing in her eyes. "My father trusted you so much! Why did you betray him? Why betray the Alliance?!"
Ouyang Nan's fury, anguish, and interrogation struck like physical impact, forming a sharp contrast with the cold muzzle of the gun.
After his initial panic subsided, a distorted expression, blending fear and fanaticism, appeared on the turncoat commander's face.
Duan Peng quickly secured the rear, while Xu Yan stepped forward, calmly sealing off all possible counterattack routes for the enemy.
The corridor echoed with their heavy breathing and Ouyang Nan's suppressed questioning, thick with tension.
"Trust? The Alliance?" The turncoat commander laughed hoarsely, tinged with a hint of madness. "Foolish! You have no idea what the Alliance has been covering up! Those 'ancient civilization heritages' are no blessings—they are shackles! Cages! Redeem is the true liberator! We are merely taking back the power that should rightfully belong to humanity!"
"So you murdered my father? Just for this insane 'liberation'?" Ouyang Nan's finger hovered on the trigger, trembling slightly.
"That was a necessary sacrifice! For a greater purpose..." the commander shrieked hysterically.
At that moment, the terminal on Xu Yan's wrist suddenly blared with an urgent alarm, and Jiuyu's voice sounded synchronously: "Warning! Abnormal energy overload detected! Threat level elevated. Evacuate immediately."
Almost simultaneously, the red lights all around began to flash frantically!
"What?!" The turncoat commander was also stunned; clearly, this was not part of his plan. "No... how can this be..."
"Move!" Xu Yan made a decisive judgment, snatching up Ouyang Nan, who was somewhat drained of strength from shock and fury. "Duan Peng, take him (referring to the turncoat)! We must evacuate immediately!"
"Core energy is about to break through the critical threshold!" Jiuyu continued to sound the alarm.
The group retreated frantically along the path they had come, with Duan Peng dragging the ash-faced turncoat commander roughly behind them.
Behind them, a heart-pounding and intensifying energy hum echoed from deep within the base. The metal corridors began to vibrate violently, and the temperature soared precipitously.
The moment they rushed out of the base entrance and lunged toward the waiting Explorer 8—
An indescribable, massive pillar of light composed purely of energy erupted violently from deep within the asteroid, vaporizing it entirely in an instant!
The powerful energy shockwave blasted the Explorer 8 away violently, its shields flickering erratically.
Inside the bridge, the crew stared with lingering fear at the churning turbulence of energy raging behind them.
The base was gone, along with most of the evidence and the Redeem members inside.
Yet, they had captured the turncoat commander. More importantly, amidst the final chaos, Xu Yan had managed to quickly copy a fragment of encrypted data from the main control room, while Jiuyu had captured an extremely unique fragment of coordinates during that fleeting glimpse of the energy explosion!
Redeem's frenzied self-destruction was meant to cover up its secrets, but it inadvertently exposed an even deeper and more unsettling connection between the organization and the ancient origins of the Interstellar Alliance.