Story Reader / Main Story / 28 Polaris Bond / Story
Within the pitch darkness, a tall wall constructed of light and shadow looms, displaying a continuous stream of data and images.
A slender figure stands alone, facing this towering structure.
Huaxu, report the situation.
As of now... there haven't been any notable spikes in Punishing Virus reactions within the former Kowloong Corp's jurisdiction.
Within the former Kowloong Chamber of Commerce's jurisdiction, signals other than the Punishing wavelengths cannot be detected in 64% of the Hexabridge Port areas.
Can we trace the source?
Some relevant information samples were intercepted when the Light Wall was activated.
Out of all the targets taken out by the Light Wall, 84.2% exhibited Punishing biological traits—namely Hetero-Creatures, with 35.7% resembling chordates and 31% resembling arthropods...
Qu faces the towering wall, quietly listening to Huaxu's report.
From one war to another, from steel monsters flashing a red glow to Punishing creatures made of pure "flesh"...
All she has witnessed is parting, crying, death, and ceaseless suffering.
Suffering is meaningless.
Everything now is nothing different from what she saw decades ago.
War never changes.
Apart from that, only 15.7% of the targets eliminated displayed traits of Corrupted inorganic entities—
What about the remaining 0.1%?
These losses were unavoidable when the Light Wall was activated.
Were those people's data scanned?
Scanning is impossible without signal repeaters on the periphery.
Which means their mind data can't be uploaded to Tabula Akasha.
Correct.
...
Before Qu, the outcome outside the trillion-degree energy field of the Light Wall manifests as stark, unfeeling numbers.
Yet behind these numbers lies their tenacious will to survive—even as they opted to confront death.
Then can we trace the source of these "Hetero-Creatures" and Corrupted?
According to the signal detection findings, it's only confirmed that these Punishing entities all came from the ocean beyond the auxiliary city of Hexabridge Port.
The origin of these biologically characterized "Hetero-Creatures" remains unclear.
The report from Heng Ji mentions that these "Hetero-Creatures" exhibit organizational behaviors, a fact also supported by the current battle scenarios.
However, as of now, no leader figure has been detected among these organized Hetero-Creatures.
It's like fighting a war blindfolded.
I will continue to search and deduce any entity that exhibits such traits—
Bzzzz... bzzzz...
The once orderly flow of data and images on the towering wall suddenly flickers and trembles with Huaxu's voice becoming distorted, only to swiftly return to its normal state.
What happened?
Captured an unconventional high-frequency intrusive signal. This signal comprises multiple decoding units and possesses high power, leading to a temporary surge in Huaxu's load, which is now restored to normal.
...Are the cyberattacks against us still happening?
Yes.
How's Tabula Akasha?
Currently, all sectors of Tabula Akasha remain unaffected by the Punishing Virus and cyberattacks, and the surface protective barriers are holding steady.
All units are functioning normally. Huaxu's firewall operates with a separate load, independent of the Tabula Akasha sectors.
If the load gets too heavy, stop the special simulation I requested earlier.
Prioritize the safety of Tabula Akasha and ensure you have enough computing power to maintain its operation.
Understood.
Lady Qu.
With a ripple of azure data fluctuations, Heng Ji, now in a digitized form, appears next to Qu.
Go ahead.
According to reports from outside, following the activation of the Light Wall, those Hetero-Creatures disintegrated into a liquid-like substance and infiltrated the underground of Hexabridge Port.
Were they decomposed by the Light Wall?
In conclusion... yes.
So the wall can only destroy the physical structure of Hetero-Creatures but not the Punishing Virus itself.
This plan instructed by Huaxu seems to have failed.
Hmm...
Qu's dark green hair seems unusually weighty beneath the illumination of the ever-flowing data wall, while her already profound eyes now shimmer with a chilly glow.
What's the next step, Lady Qu?
You may leave for now. Tabula Akasha still needs you to take on some of Huaxu's responsibilities.
I understand, but those people outside are still trapped in Hexabridge Port.
The waterways for the Nighter outside are obstructed as well. If we don't find a solution—
I have my own plan.
...
Understood—
Hold on.
Lady Qu?
Document the names of everyone who died in this tragedy, whether they were victims or martyrs.
Yes, Lady Qu.
Then... I'll take my leave.
Heng Ji's figure fades away, leaving Qu alone once more.
You heard it.
With your authorization, the target number of simulations has been adjusted based on current variables...
The adjusted target number of simulations is approximately 1.75x10^45.
Still astronomical.
Compared to the number of possibilities before the reactivation of the Light Wall, the number has diminished by over ten orders of magnitude.
Let's proceed to the next step.
...Are you sure you want to execute this action?
Within the disturbance range of this simulation target, the probability of achieving the desired confidence interval remains below one in 137.
In other words, even among 1.75x10^45 possibilities, achieving the target interval still necessitates an additional one in 137 ideal confidence conditions.
Didn't you see? The Gray Raven Commandant, that Chief, is also here.
[player name] cannot become a simulation variable because they cannot be precisely measured.
On one of the screens on the data wall, that person is displayed.
The last encounter Qu had with this human in person was on the Observatory, only to end in a confrontation.
Let's do what we must.
Before that, I must warn you.
The prime command you previously gave was to prioritize the safety of Tabula Akasha at any expense.
This prime command was not only given to you but to myself as well.
Can I interpret that after opening the protective barriers beneath the inner area, this command still stands?
Yes, Huaxu. It's still the same, for you and for me.
...Understood.
I will still prioritize the safety of Tabula Akasha "at any expense."
Huaxu's voice echoes in Qu's ears, but her profound gaze remains fixed on the screen showing the figure of [player name].
It seems that [player name] survived the seemingly suicide bombing without much harm and is currently guiding the survivors alongside Pulao and Chaofeng toward evacuation in the north port area.
The Hetero-Creatures, with unknown origins, have surged through Kowloong like lightning, extinguishing people's hope for survival.
Everything has happened too fast, way too fast.
Numerous people didn't even have the opportunity to scream before being engulfed by the rushing blood-red tide.
Even the Light Wall proves incapable of entirely eradicating the Punishing Virus, a relentless devourer, as those who altruistically sacrifice themselves to repel it fall one by one.
Countless people, dead or alive, will gather here until the end of the world.
Prepare to send a comms request, Huaxu.
Duheng should still be alive. Contact her. I want to speak with them.
Open the protective barriers beneath the inner area and assign all computing power, excluding that of Tabula Akasha, to protect the people.
Allow entry into Tabula Akasha for anyone willing to do so and for anyone seeking survival.
Additionally, the thing I asked Heng Ji to document must also be completed.
...Voiceprint signature confirmed, Monarch of Kowloong.
Now opening the dome barriers from Renxu A to Renyi T within Tabula Akasha.
In approximately... 12 minutes, the dome barriers within the designated areas will be deactivated, and the rail system will be established.
In 55 minutes, the impact of the Punishing Virus will reach the surface protective barriers of Tabula Akasha.
In 1 hour and 7 minutes, the impact of the Punishing Virus will reach the central protective barriers of Tabula Akasha.
In 1 hour and 46 minutes, the first wave of the Punishing Virus will reach the physical layer of Tabula Akasha.
...Following that...
In 3 hours and 36 minutes, Huaxu's firewall will be breached by the Punishing Virus.
In 4 hours and 52 minutes, Huaxu's computing core will be breached by the Punishing Virus.
In 6 hours and 18 minutes, the logical destruction rate of all sectors in the data layer of Tabula Akasha will reach 50%.
In 6 hours and 23 minutes, the logical destruction rate of all sectors in the data layer of Tabula Akasha will reach the 90% self-termination threshold.
In approximately... 6 hours and 42 minutes, the Tabula Akasha city beneath the former Kowloong Corp will be completely overtaken by the Punishing Virus.
Simultaneously, it will mark the failure of Project Tabula Akasha.
Upon receiving the command, Huaxu promptly projects a prominent countdown on the data wall.
That crimson hue seems to unfold before her eyes once more, where the past, present, and future intertwine in a tapestry of the Punishing Virus, blood, fire, and—
This is...
Sunset for Kowloong.
