Embers Base, Surface Base
"Captain..."
"Understood. The defense system for the Embers Underground Core Zone has been activated."
Benjamin dropped the head of Gang Yan. His intelligent mechanical eyes, equipped with thermal imaging, locked onto the entrance of the Embers Underground Base's core zone, not far ahead. The flickering warning lights around the entrance stretched everyone's shadows long. The heavy alloy gate exuded a suffocating pressure, as if telling Benjamin and his team that if they dared to cross this gate and step into the Embers core zone, a nightmare comparable to hell awaited them.
But now, neither Benjamin nor anyone else would stop. Moving forward was their only option.
In the muddy ruins of the Embers surface base, amidst the rain, Gang Yan's head, thrown by Benjamin, rolled a distance before finally coming to rest in a muddy puddle. Not far away, his previously petrified body had returned to normal, falling heavily with a "thud." Blood flowed from his severed neck, mixing with the falling rain to dye the surrounding puddle crimson. His head, submerged in the bloody water, stared wide-eyed, revealing a clear expression of disbelief. This Embers Star Envoy, renowned for his petrification ability, seemed to be silently lamenting his humiliating exit, one he couldn't believe even in death.
Three Second-Tier Star Envoys plus dozens of First-Tier Star Envoys in a sneak attack. To deal with him with such a luxurious lineup—these damned Association Star Envoys truly thought highly of him.
Noticing Gang Yan's unseeing eyes on the ground, Benjamin curled his lips into an imperceptible sneer. Now, one of Embers' two Second-Tier combatants was gone, and the strongest, Yun Meng, was trapped by Gon in the "arena." The other "cannon fodder" were busy dealing with the beast tide on the coastline...
Undoubtedly, now was the best time for him to enter the Embers base core zone, find that "key," and complete his family's mission.
Although Benjamin had ulterior motives, he kept them hidden. Instead, he used a more grandiose excuse: "justice." The matter of the "key" was a secret of their Iron Dome family; the fewer people who knew, the better. To protect this secret, he could even, at an opportune moment, silence the people around him forever. As an intelligent machine Star Envoy loaded with a [Human Emotion Simulation Program], Benjamin not only knew how to hide his true thoughts but also how to maximize the utilization of those around him.
"Everyone!"
In the rainy night, Benjamin's voice suddenly grew louder, his expression inexplicably agitated. "Embers is one of the dangerous organizations specially marked by the Star Envoy Association. If we can completely eradicate this organization today and rescue the 'innocent' trapped inside, then all of you here will become heroes of the New Federation!"
"So, let's go! Let these guys who play with human lives and disrupt order know this:"
"Victory... always stands with justice!"
Benjamin raised his blood-stained right fist, his resonant voice imbued with a magical allure that echoed for a long time in the rain before finally subsiding. Then, he looked at the emotionally stirred crowd around him and, with an incredibly "resolute" tone and expression, shouted those four words that struck at their hearts.
"Justice... will prevail!"
"Prevail!!!"
Amidst the synchronized shouts of the crowd, they rushed without hesitation into the Embers Underground Base's core zone, which had activated its "Endless Maze" defense mode. As for the dangers they might encounter once inside, most of them no longer cared. Because they felt that what they were doing was now higher than life itself!
Watching this passionate crowd, their eyes gleaming with the light of "justice," Benjamin sneered inwardly. Justice? What a convenient slogan. Because as long as those two words were used, foolish and emotional humans would gamble everything on them. Even if that gamble... was their lives.
Under Benjamin's encouragement, everyone rushed into the Embers base's underground core zone, heedless of the danger. For the justice in their hearts, they feared nothing!
Meanwhile, Chen Kong and the others had just arrived at the western beach and were attempting to destroy the Star Tablet located there...
Embers Underground Core Zone, Quantum Central Control Room
Beep beep beep—!
Inside the Quantum Central Control Room, the sounds of numerous precise intelligent mechanical instruments echoed continuously in the enclosed space. Tendo watched the surveillance screen, where a blond man named "Benjamin" was delivering his passionate "justice" speech with exaggerated gestures. A mocking smile appeared on Tendo's face.
"Victory always stands with justice?"
Indeed, as an organization, Embers had done its share of unsavory things in secret. But overall, compared to other Star Envoy organizations in the New Federation that committed all sorts of evil, Embers could at most be considered chaotic neutral in the entire New Federation, far from chaotic evil. At the same time, the Star Envoy Association, as the largest and strongest Star Envoy organization in the New Federation, was far from as glorious as they claimed. Tendo felt they could at most be considered lawful neutral, far from lawful good. After all, if Embers had done many unsavory things, had the Star Envoy Association done any less? If the Star Envoy Association were truly as good as they advertised, then this world... wouldn't have so many Star Envoy organizations independent of the Star Envoy Association.
[Current intruder scan completed]
[Second-Tier Star Envoys x3, First-Tier Star Envoys x20]
[Second-Tier Star Envoy scan information as follows...]
[Metal Blast · Benjamin (High-Tier)]
[Clockwork Knight · William (Mid-Tier)]
[Sea Spider · Isaiah (Mid-Tier)]
Looking at the intruder information listed by the "Quantum Central System · Glimmer," Tendo placed his hand in a slot on the control panel.
[Identity authentication passed. Respected S-level Authority Holder · Tendo Simei, what command do you wish to issue to 'Embers AI Central Program · Glimmer'?]
"Lift all weapon restrictions in the underground core zone, shut down all non-weapon power systems except the quantum center, Star Beast research area, and quantum shuttle room."
"Base defense system · Endless Maze efficiency to be maximized, and all Star Beast experimental subjects currently imprisoned in the Star Beast research area to be released after half an hour."
[Warning: Some of the operations you have specified carry significant risk of loss of control. Do you confirm execution?]
"Yes."
Hearing Tendo's affirmative reply, the silent Quantum Central Control Room echoed with the unique cold AI female voice of the "Quantum Central System · Glimmer."
[Acknowledged, Respected S-level Authority Holder · Tendo Simei...]
[Most non-weapon power systems in the core zone are shutting down, dormitory area power off, cafeteria area power system off...]
[Base defense system · Endless Maze efficiency is increasing, current efficiency: 110%]
[Star Beast research area experimental subject release countdown: 29:59]
Under the control of the "Embers AI Central Program · Glimmer," the entire underground core zone began to undergo dramatic changes. First to appear was the continuously improving base defense system—the Endless Maze.
The Embers Base's underground core zone suddenly emitted a massive metallic roar, similar to gears turning. Corridors began to rotate and reconfigure like a Rubik's Cube. The surrounding walls slowly shifted, pushed by many special devices. These movements combined to create the unique phenomenon of the Embers underground core zone: a constantly changing, completely irregular, colossal underground labyrinth. This was the so-called "Endless Maze." After all, when you walk from "Area 1" into "Area 2" and then return the way you came only to find yourself in "Area 11," direction has completely lost its meaning for you, and you are forced to be trapped here. And Tendo's earlier instruction to increase the efficiency of the "Endless Maze" meant speeding up this spatial transformation, from changing every thirty seconds to every fifteen seconds. This would more effectively separate Benjamin and his group. All of this was what Yun Meng had done in the original story, only now it was Tendo.
After some time, looking at the surveillance screen showing Benjamin and his group forced to scatter after passing through several areas, Tendo turned and left the "Quantum Central Control Room."
"There is never any such thing as justice prevailing. Instead, justice is only spoken by the victor."
"Because the dead... cannot speak."
"Also, every place has its own rules. Your uninvited presence has undoubtedly broken the rules of our Embers."
"Since that is the case..."
Tendo stood outside the metal door of the Quantum Central Control Room, looking towards the end of the passage illuminated by the blood-red alarm lights.
"...then use your lives and blood to atone for your impudence this time."
"And this is the unique hospitality of our Embers."
With that, Tendo's figure disappeared into the dim passage. His fading footsteps were like the scythe of death dragging on the ground, low and filled with a chilling aura of demise.