Story Reader / Main Story / 28 Polaris Bond / Story
This is a marvel of human engineering.
They excavated a cavern 1200 meters deep without harming the expansive modern city above, reconstructing an "ancient city" with a volume of 22 million cubic meters.
In an era where the world's attention is captivated by the grandeur of deep space, this stands as humanity's most profound and ancient homage to this planet—
Tabula Akasha.
To construct this city, Kowloong expended thousands of years and its rich history to amass its extensive archives, flattening mountains to contribute bricks and mortar.
Millions of tons of steel were used to shape its unyielding backbone, and dozens of perpetual reactors were erected to sustain its ever-burning lights.
This is how it was meant to be—
Don't rush, don't push, don't shove—
Everyone, please cross the passage ahead and evacuate to the lower shelter area through the outer area—
Be careful. Don't stand in the high-pressure water turbine area—
Don't block the evacuation routes during equipment transportation. Hey, I'm talking to you! Where's your supervisor—
The Kowloong crew members continuously shouted through their loudspeakers, guiding the crowd to safety while striving to uphold order.
Some of the members' voices are so hoarse that merely listening to them causes discomfort in one's own vocal cords.
The once-empty ancient passages of Tabula Akasha are currently bustling with people, resonating with noises.
Just a few hundred more, and it will be done.
And that ends the evacuation of the entire Nighter.
In a makeshift shelter made of tattered cloth, Chaofeng wearily walks in and leans against some hastily laid-out blueprints.
According to the blueprint Heng Ji sent over... there's a pipeline layer every twenty meters down from the surface.
Once the surface shelters are full, we'll need to accommodate people there. My crew just went to check; they look like air-raid tunnels but are quite robust. It should be no problem.
We have... fifteen minutes left.
The bright red countdown blazes at the center of the screen. Over an hour has passed on Huaxu's countdown since the Kowloong Crew command retreated into Tabula Akasha.
What's the status in the enemy engagement area? How's the battle line arranged?
It's located in the lower section of the dome toward the two o'clock direction.
Chrome marks out an area on the blueprint of Tabula Akasha.
Thirty minutes ago, Kamui, Camu, Lee, and Lucia initiated a systematic approach to steer the Hetero-Creatures in this direction within the dome's isolation layer.
Given the Nighter's inability to depart, even with the joint efforts of the Nighter, Gray Raven, and Strike Hawk, breaking through the fortified encirclement of Hetero-Creatures from all directions would be highly improbable.
If this Tabula Akasha blueprint is accurate, approximately 400 meters down, there's an engineering tunnel heading toward the northwest of Kowloong, which makes it a potential route to retreat to the mountains. If the surface becomes impassable, we'll need to resort to underground paths.
Chaofeng, dragging his weary body, pushes himself up to inspect the underground engineering tunnel that Chrome indicated, before rising to his feet again.
Alright, let's do this.
Can you... still hold up?
I'm fine, just a bit tired.
Chaofeng pauses momentarily, as if recollecting something, before retrieving an item from his pocket and passing it to Chrome.
It was a Strike Hawk badge.
His expression remains hidden behind the mask.
You all have better skills and more experience in leading battles than we do.
I trust you and [player name] who devised these tactical plans.
Keep this for me. When everything is over, I'll ask it back.
...No problem.
Chrome grasps that outstretched hand.
Everyone, we must complete the evacuation of all civilians within ten minutes.
After that, anyone capable of wielding a weapon, assemble at the engagement area.
Roger!
Of course. This isn't our first time fighting side by side.
Chaofeng nods, lifts the tent flap, and steps outside.
In ten minutes, this place, with the splendor of its history frozen in time, will turn into a new, merciless battlefield.
Think harder, [player name]. Think harder.
What's the plan after the ten minutes?
Unfolding the massive Tabula Akasha blueprint on the table, it feels as though you are brought back to an hour ago...
Captain said only I could handle this... Sigh.
...According to the blueprint, the entire Tabula Akasha takes on a spindle-like shape, and the largest structure is where you currently are, the ancient city, correct? This area also happens to be the most extensive flat space available.
The central region has been dug around 500 meters deeper. These lie beneath what you refer to as the "surface."
And above the dome here, many underground pipelines extend toward the surface of Kowloong. How should I put this... These pipelines are like veins, situated within an isolation layer between the underground dome and Kowloong's surface.
While constructing these artificial strata to substitute rock and soil, they employed a semi-permanent modular encapsulation approach.
You can think of it as a puzzle of steel blocks of different sizes and shapes gradually replacing the deep foundation of Kowloong.
The benefit of this approach is that it maximizes the stability of surface structures and facilitates the excavation of massive underground structures and pipeline assemblies.
The drawback is that once these semi-permanent modular structures are fixed, moving them on a large scale becomes incredibly hard. If they are shifted and reopened, even if resealed, without external sealing and compression, many gaps will appear between the surface and the dome.
It's similar to... taking apart an assembled model and removing all the screws between the pieces. And when you reassemble it, some parts won't align properly, and even if they do, it won't be as secure as it was originally.
This design logic... appears to have been intended for permanent closure once shut.
Wait, this footnote and the design institute code...
Is this blueprint made by Norman Mining Corp? Why would they use such an irreversible and non-replicable construction approach...
That's enough.
Hey, I haven't finished yet, you bookworm—
On the other end, Asimov cut off Teddy's comms.
So you all are inside Tabula Akasha right now?
I thought the Tabula Akasha Asimov mentioned was purely a data project.
And yet, they even managed to build an underground city with the help of Norman Mining Corp...
Anyway, [player name], all the available forces that can serve as reinforcements have been dispatched.
Given the current situation, they can't land anywhere close to Kowloong's ports and the city itself, which is already overrun with Hetero-Creatures. The landing points have to be relatively farther out.
How many people have you evacuated in total?
Hundreds of thousands, huh...
A hint of worry appears in Hassen's eyes.
We haven't traced the source of these Hetero-Creatures either. Everything has been happening too fast.
This battle is entirely on you, [player name].
Commander Nikola and I will do everything in our power to assist, so don't worry about that.
After the incident with Trillard, the Parliament isn't as stubborn in situations like this.
Aside from the issues with the Computing Power Lock and Huaxu, they can't ignore Gestalt either.
When it comes to providing military aid, Gestalt's advice has always received unanimous approval.
However... if the Parliament chooses to deploy the Longinus Arsenal with a significant majority vote, even staunch opposition from Gestalt won't sway the ultimate decision.
At that point, you must retreat.
...
...Even so, you must remain rational, [player name].
Once Tabula Akasha is secured, the next steps will be up to your judgment.
Until then, just let everyone continue "what they should do."
The question lies straight before you—what actions should you take after the ten minutes?
Order a retreat?
Or hold the ground here, wait for reinforcements to break through from the outside, and then launch a counterattack with them?
If, in ten minutes, Hetero-Creatures do breach Tabula Akasha, how should the battle proceed?
Leading thousands of pieces on a 22-million-cubic-meter chessboard, a single misstep could cost tens of thousands of lives.
As the leader of the Corporation and ruler of Kowloong... she should be leading this battle herself.
But since that broadcast declaring the opening of Tabula Akasha, she hasn't appeared again.
An idea strikes you like a bolt of lightning.
If Tabula Akasha was her sole purpose, then the Punishing Virus brought by the Hetero-Creatures would undoubtedly obliterate it.
Nevertheless, she opted to open Tabula Akasha and allow people inside, a decision that contradicts her purpose.
Which means she may have a reason for having to do so, or—
Boom—!!!!
A deep rumble erupts nearby, interrupting your thoughts.
The once bright dome dims slightly, trembling with it.
Northeast direction! According to the scan signals... the final protective barrier has been taken down!
Let's head over too. The four of them should almost be done guiding the Hetero-Creatures.
Another signal is coming through!
The countdown on the giant screen disappears, only to be replaced by a new one:
1:57:46... 1:57:45... 1:57:44...
Hold on! There's movement from the lower levels! This person... why are they emitting a Punishing Virus signal?!
An Ascendant?!
But the signal isn't very strong.
There should be only one individual in Tabula Akasha who exhibits a Punishing Virus signal, albeit not as potent as that of an Ascendant.
Is the chess player... finally entering the game herself?
