Chapter 127: Fractures and Undercurrents
Section 1: The Emergence of Undercurrents
The night in Iron Valley was cloaked in a thick, oppressive fog, like a heavy gray curtain that enveloped the entire city. In the distance, the factories of the Lianyuan Commune emitted a low, persistent rumble, their lights flickering through the mist like the eyes of lurking predators. The air was thick with the scent of rusting metal and engine oil, mingling with an unsettling tension that hung over the city.
Jason stood in a concealed basement, a cramped and dimly lit room where the peeling rust on the walls bore silent witness to the passage of time. In the center of the room was a battered wooden table, strewn with intelligence documents: schematics of the Lianyuan Commune's infrastructure, operational logs of the Needle Shadow Hive, and analysis reports on the Numbering System.
His hands were folded on the table, his gaze calm and piercing. The tactical jacket he wore bore faint scars from past battles, silent testament to the trials he had endured.
"The Lianyuan Commune's tech-faith system is more deeply entrenched than we anticipated," Jason said, his voice low and steady, carrying an air of undeniable resolve. "But we cannot afford to retreat. The stronger the fortress, the more vulnerable it is from within."
Maria sat across from him, her hands folded on the table, her body leaning slightly forward, her eyes revealing a sense of urgency. She wore a black combat suit, her hair tied back, her face showing a hint of fatigue, but her eyes remained as sharp as knives.
"There are cracks appearing within the Lianyuan Commune," she said, her voice low and forceful, carrying a hint of urgency. "Their tech-faith system, though deeply rooted, is not monolithic. The Numbering System has caught the attention of some technicians, and some have even begun to question the power of technology."
Jason frowned slightly, his fingers tapping the table rhythmically, producing a soft "tap, tap" sound. "This is our opportunity," he said, his tone calm, as if everything were under his control. "But we must not be hasty. The technological power of the Lianyuan Commune is not to be underestimated. We need to find the right entry point."
Zhao Mingxuan sat on the other side of the table, a laptop open in front of him, his fingers flying over the keyboard. He wore a white lab coat, his gaze focused and intent, like a precision machine processing vast amounts of data.
"According to the ARGUS system's analysis, the tech-faith system of the Lianyuan Commune can be divided into three layers," he said, adjusting his glasses, his tone carrying a hint of confidence. "The core layer consists of a group of technological elites who are deeply convinced of the power of technology."
---
Section 2: Infiltration and Testing
The dense fog, like a massive gray shroud, enveloped all of Iron Valley. In the distance, the factories of the Lianyuan Commune loomed faintly in the night, the hum of machinery barely audible.
Maria and Jian Ci had changed into the workers' uniforms of the Lianyuan Commune and, blending in with the night shift crowd, silently entered the factory area.
"Watch your surroundings," Maria said in a low voice, her words muffled by the roar of the machines, audible only to Jian Ci.
Jian Ci nodded, his eyes revealing a calm and focused demeanor. As he transported goods, he used his peripheral vision to observe the environment.
The two of them moved cautiously, eventually arriving at the core area of the factory. This was the technological heart of the Lianyuan Commune, and the core control room of the Numbering System was located here.
Inside the factory, the roar of the machines was deafening, and the air was filled with a pungent chemical odor. Workers with expressionless faces moved back and forth among the machines, transporting heavy materials, repeating monotonous and arduous work.
Maria and Jian Ci loitered near the technical area, pretending to inspect equipment. They needed to find technicians who had doubts about the tech-faith and attempt to turn them.
"According to intelligence, the target should be around here," Maria said in a low voice, her eyes revealing a piercing light.
Jian Ci nodded, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding technicians, trying to find any clues from their expressions and movements.
At that moment, a technician wearing a white lab coat caught their attention. He looked to be in his thirties, slender, with a hint of fatigue and confusion in his eyes.
"He looks different," Jian Ci said in a low voice.
Maria nodded, her gaze fixed on the person. "Let's go and take a look."
The two of them pretended to casually approach the person, pretending to be checking the equipment nearby.
"Hello, could you tell me how to operate this device?" Maria asked, pretending not to know.
The technician was taken aback, then gave a tired smile. "You must be new here. This device is very complex. Let me show you."
He began operating the device. Maria and Jian Ci pretended to watch intently, but their attention was focused on the technician's expressions and movements.
"You look very tired," Maria tentatively asked.
The technician forced a smile. "Yeah, the work pressure has been high lately. After the upgrade of the Numbering System, many things have changed, and we technicians feel a bit lost."
"The Numbering System?" Maria asked, pretending to be curious. "I've heard it's very advanced and can greatly improve the efficiency of the factory."
The technician sighed. "Yes, the efficiency has improved, but I always feel like something is missing. We used to be able to tinker with the equipment ourselves, but now everything is controlled by the system. We are like machines, just executing commands."
Maria and Jian Ci exchanged glances. They realized that this person had doubts about the tech-faith.
"Have you ever thought that there might be a better way?" Maria tentatively asked.
The technician was taken aback, then warily looked around. "Who are you?"
Maria smiled. "We are like you, dissatisfied with the current situation. We believe that the Numbering System is not the only way out."
The technician hesitated, then said in a low voice, "Actually, I've thought about this too. But what can we do? The whole Iron Valley is controlled by these systems. We are just insignificant small people."
"But if we unite, maybe we can change the status quo," Maria said. "We have an organization that is looking for people like you."
The technician hesitated, then nodded. "I can listen to your ideas."
---
Section 3: The Dark Fire Spreads
The underground control room of the Lianyuan Commune was bathed in the blinding red light of the alarm, casting flickering spots of light on the metal walls. Maria and Jian Ci were hiding in the ventilation duct, observing the chaos below through the grille—assassins from the Needle Shadow Hive were slaughtering the on-duty technicians, blood flowing in a stream on the anti-static floor.
"The target is not here," Jian Ci whispered, his throat mic vibrating with subvocal speech.
Maria's iris flickered with data streams in the darkness, the ARGUS system's tactical projection burning on her optic nerve. Six red markers were approaching the control room from three directions, the tactical coordination precision of the Needle Shadow Hive exceeding expectations.
"They're after the core logic unit," she said, adjusting her breathing rate, the nano-fiber woven combat suit automatically conforming to the duct's curvature, "Signal Zhao Mingxuan, initiate the Grey Fox protocol."
Fu Xi Philosophy - Part 1:
"[The crack is the starting point of the collapse of order.]"
Zhao Mingxuan's fingers flew over the ARGUS terminal, the quantum processor interfaced with his spinal cord transforming the entire surveillance network of the Lianyuan Commune into a visual logic maze. At one point, he saw Maria's biological heat signal moving like a ghost in the ventilation duct.
"They're moving towards B-7 area," Zhao Mingxuan whispered into the throat mic, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead. The Fu Xi system's prompt burned on his retina:
"[The spark in the maze needs a guide.]"
He suddenly understood something, his fingers tapping out high-frequency vibrations on the virtual keyboard: "Initiate the Mirror Doll program!"
In the automated workshop of the Lianyuan Commune, hundreds of robotic arms suddenly stopped in unison. The technician with the number #7745—the very technician Maria had turned—trembled as he inserted the neural interface into his temple. His iris began to glow with the same purple-red data stream as Maria's.
"They're looking for me..." #7745's throat emitted inhuman mechanical vibrations, sweat condensing into crystals on the inside of the anti-radiation mask, "But they can't find the real me."
His body suddenly collapsed, and nano-robots oozed from his pores, converging into a silver-gray fluid. At the same time, the three groups of Needle Shadow assassins lunged towards the central control console, only to find the target figure fleeing from a side door in panic.
Fu Xi Philosophy - Part 2:
"[Where reality and illusion intertwine, the path to breaking the deadlock is revealed.]"
Wei Ran's electromagnetic sniper rifle completed its third charge at the clock tower's vantage point. Through the quantum entanglement communicator, he saw Maria's phantom flickering like phosphorous fire in the building's 3D model.
"Found the topology node of the Needle Shadow Hive," Zhao Mingxuan's voice had a metallic quality, "At the intersection of ventilation ducts in the seventh area, three biological signals are forming a triangular formation."
Wei Ran's pupils suddenly contracted. He saw on the surveillance screen that three assassins in gray jumpsuits were setting up some kind of device, the core of which was a dark red crystal cluster—the signature "Blood Anchor" of the Black Vine Society.
"They're setting up a meme pollution source," Wei Ran adjusted his breathing, the nano-carbon fiber woven muscle fibers began to preheat, "Need to interfere with their quantum entanglement state."
#7745's bionic body suddenly exploded during the chase, and the silver-gray nano-cloud revealed Maria's sneer. The neural interface of the Needle Shadow assassins suddenly received a massive amount of junk information—the Numbering System was reverse-invading their tactical network.
"Welcome to logic hell," Maria's voice echoed simultaneously in the bone conduction headsets of the three assassins. The Fu Xi system's prompt burned on their retinas:
"[When faith begins to doubt itself, fission becomes unstoppable.]"
The leader of the assassins' temple suddenly emitted sparks, his quantum entanglement communicator was being reverse-analyzed by the Numbering System. At one point, he saw the holographic projection on the console reveal the symbol of the Faith Fire—the flame woven from hexadecimal code.
Zhao Mingxuan's iris suddenly turned pure black, the overload alarm of the quantum entanglement communicator exploded in the laboratory. He saw Maria's biological signal suddenly split into seven phantoms, flickering like quantum ghosts in the 3D monitoring model.
"They're using the Numbering System to build virtual mirrors..." his throat emitted non-human vibrations, "Need to provide topological coordinates for Wei Ran!"
The Fu Xi system suddenly projected a three-dimensional holographic map on all terminals—the underground pipe network of Iron Valley transformed into a burning neural network, and the strongholds of the Needle Shadow Hive attached to it like tumors. Jason stood in front of the holographic projection, his fingers piercing a red node:
"Here is the real command center."
Fu Xi Philosophy - Part 3:
"[When logic is embodied as fire, the shadows of the old world have nowhere to hide.]"
A muffled thunderous vibration came from the depths of the Lianyuan Commune, the ventilation pipes in the seventh area collapsed in high-frequency vibrations. When Maria's bionic body reformed in the silver-gray nano-cloud, she saw the Needle Shadow assassins' "Blood Anchor" device began to reverse-charge—they were preparing to destroy everything.
"Zhao Mingxuan!" she shouted into the throat mic, "Activate the Mirror Torrent!"
The entire industrial network of Iron Valley suddenly plunged into darkness. The Numbering System completed self-iteration within 0.3 seconds, temporarily transferring control of all mechanical equipment to the Faith Fire logic unit. The workers were horrified to find that the machines began to weave the Faith Fire symbols on their own.
The final prompt projected by the Fu Xi system burned on Maria's retina:
"[When the dark fire spreads, the new order will be reborn in the ashes.]"
When Maria and Jian Ci escaped the collapsed ventilation duct with the rescued #7745, the lights of the Lianyuan Commune suddenly returned. Zhao Mingxuan's voice came through the communication channel with a metallic echo:
"The Needle Shadow Hive's topology node has been cleared... but traces of the Black Vine Society have appeared."
Jason stood on the rooftop of the stronghold, watching the lights of the Lianyuan Commune light up one after another. The Fu Xi system projected a new prompt on his retina:
"[After the cracks and undercurrents, the new world begins to stir.]"
He gripped the Faith Fire badge hanging from his chest, the metal surface reflecting the lights of Iron Valley's myriad homes. Those light points were quietly moving, gradually converging into the shape of a flame.
---
Section 4: The Dark Fire Spreads
The night sky of Iron Valley was torn to shreds by the red alarm lights. In the automated workshop of the Lianyuan Commune, metal wreckage and nano-clouds intertwined into a chaotic torrent. Maria's bionic body reformed in the collapsed duct, silver liquid metal flowing along the spine, solidifying into a tactical bodysuit with data patterns woven into it.
"The Needle Shadow's topology node has been destroyed by 76%," Jian Ci's voice came through the communicator, with electromagnetic noise. His mechanical prosthesis was dragging the unconscious #7745 from the rubble, alloy fingers detecting an irregular pulse in the technician's neck.
Maria's iris flashed with hexadecimal code streams, and the tactical projection of the ARGUS system burned on her retina. Three red markers were gathering on the third floor of the underground B-7 area, and the "Blood Anchor" device of the Needle Shadow Hive emitted an ominous dark red glow in the 3D model.
"They're restarting the meme pollution source," she adjusted her breathing rate, and the nano-fiber woven combat suit automatically fitted the skin, "Zhao Mingxuan, I need you to reverse-analyze their quantum entanglement frequency."
In Zhao Mingxuan's laboratory, twelve holographic screens simultaneously burst into data streams. His spinal nerve interface was overloaded, and the retinal projection of the Fu Xi system burned on his retina:
"[When the dark fire ignites the sea of logic, the tides of the quantum will swallow the coordinates of the old world.]"
"They're using the Black Vine Society's 'Blood Anchor' to build a meme pollution matrix," his fingers traced a shadow on the virtual keyboard, and the quantum processor emitted a high-frequency buzz, "Need to create a logical paradox to interfere with their quantum state."
The laboratory suddenly plunged into darkness. The moment the backup power clicked on, Zhao Mingxuan saw on the surveillance screen that all the robotic arms of the Lianyuan Commune simultaneously swiveled, and the metal joints emitted a blue cold light—the Numbering System was reverse-invading the industrial network.
Maria's tactical suit suddenly revealed a pale gold pattern, as the logic chain of the Numbering System was embodied through the neural interface in her body. The three Needle Shadow assassins were setting up the "Blood Anchor" device in the underground B-7 area, and the dark red crystal cluster pulsed like a heart inside the explosion-proof glass cover.
"They're using the workers' brain waves as a medium for quantum entanglement," Jian Ci's voice came with metallic vibrations. He had already placed #7745 in a safety cabin, and the nano-robots were repairing the damaged nerve synapses of the technician.
Maria's iris suddenly turned pure black, and the logic chain of the Numbering System was embodied as burning code on her optic nerve. "Initiate the Logical Torrent Protocol," her voice echoed simultaneously on all terminals, and the metallic echo resonated in the workshop.
The Needle Shadow assassin leader's temple emitted sparks. His neural interface was being reverse-analyzed by the Numbering System, and his retina suddenly revealed the symbol of the Faith Fire—the flame woven from hexadecimal code burning in the virtual horizon.
Zhao Mingxuan's iris suddenly turned pure black, and the overload alarm of the quantum entanglement communicator exploded in the laboratory. He saw Maria's biological signal suddenly split into seven phantoms, flickering like quantum ghosts in the 3D monitoring model.
---
Fu Xi Philosophy - Part 4
"[When the flames of logic illuminate the dark side of faith, the shadows of the old world begin to burn.]"
The automated workshop of the Lianyuan Commune was filled with the chaos of metal wreckage and nano-clouds. Maria's bionic body materialized in the underground B-7 area, her tactical suit emitting a pale gold pattern, and the logic chain of the Numbering System pulsing like blood vessels under the skin.
"It's over," she said to the assassin leader's temple, and nano-robots poured out from her fingertips.
When the "Blood Anchor" device exploded into blood-colored light dust in the reverse quantum entanglement, the lights of the entire Lianyuan Commune suddenly returned. The workers were horrified to find that the machines were weaving on their own the symbols of the Faith Fire—hexadecimal code flowing like lava on the metal surfaces.
Jason stood on the rooftop of the stronghold, watching the lights of the Lianyuan Commune lighting up one after another. The Fu Xi system projected a new prompt on his retina:
"[When the dark fire spreads, the new order is reborn in the ashes.]"
He gripped the Faith Fire badge hanging from his chest, and the metal surface reflected the lights of Iron Valley's myriad homes. Those light points were quietly moving, gradually converging into the shape of a flame.
Maria supported the unconscious #7745 out of the collapsed ventilation duct. Jian Ci's mechanical prosthesis was collecting the remaining data modules of the Needle Shadow assassins, and nano-robots were analyzing the wreckage of the "Blood Anchor" device.
"Traces of the Black Vine Society have appeared," Zhao Mingxuan's voice came through the communicator, with metallic echo, "Their quantum entanglement frequency has a 37% similarity with the Needle Shadow."
Jia's brow furrowed as he stared at the data model on the screen. "The Black Vine Society..." he repeated in a low voice, "Weren't they supposed to be active in the North?"
"According to intelligence, the Black Vine Society has shown activity signs in multiple regions recently," Zhao Mingxuan displayed another set of data, "They seem to be looking for some special resource or technology."
In the central square of the Lianyuan Commune, hundreds of workers gathered. The temporary control of the Numbering System had been returned, but the workers found that the Faith Fire symbols etched on the machines were still clearly visible.
"What did we just see?" a young worker asked in a low voice, his eyes shining with curiosity.
"That's... the Faith Fire?" another worker hesitated to answer, "I've heard it's a new idea that can make our lives better."
The crowd began to whisper. The emergence of the Numbering System, as well as the breathtaking battle just now, made many workers rethink their beliefs.
Maria and Jian Ci stood at the edge of the crowd, silently observing all of this. #7745 had awakened and was being sent to a safe house to recuperate.
"The seeds have been sown," Maria said in a low voice, "But we need more sparks."
Jian Ci nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Someone is coming."
A middle-aged technician wearing a white lab coat approached them, his eyes with hesitation and curiosity. "Are you... the people of the Faith Fire?" he asked in a low voice.
Maria smiled. "We are just a small part of the Faith Fire. The Faith Fire exists in everyone's heart, waiting to be awakened."
The technician hesitated, then said in a low voice, "I... I want to know more."
Jason stood on the rooftop of the stronghold, looking at the lights of the Lianyuan Commune lighting up one after another. The Fu Xi system projected a new prompt on his retina:
"[After the cracks and undercurrents, the new world begins to stir.]"
He gripped the Faith Fire badge hanging from his chest, the metal surface reflecting the lights of Iron Valley's myriad homes. Those light points were quietly moving, gradually converging into the shape of a flame.
"Black Vine Society's appearance is no coincidence," Jason muttered to himself, "They have been looking for something, and Iron Valley may be their target."
The Fu Xi system projected another prompt:
"[When the old order's shadows begin to burn, the new world's silhouette emerges.]"
Jason frowned slightly, pondering the Fu Xi system's prompt. He understood that the victory of the Lianyuan Commune was just the beginning, and a greater challenge lay ahead.
Maria and Jian Ci brought the newly turned technician back to the stronghold. Jason stood in the center of the conference room, the map of Iron Valley's power structure was quietly changing.
"The technological faith system of the Lianyuan Commune has begun to waver," Jason said, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "But we cannot relax our vigilance. The Needle Shadow Hive may retreat temporarily, but they can strike back at any time. More importantly, the involvement of the Black Vine Society makes the situation more complicated."
"What should we do next?" Maria asked.
Jason pondered for a moment, his gaze falling on a certain area of the map. "We need to consolidate the results in the Lianyuan Commune, while preparing to face a greater challenge."
"Greater challenge?" Jian Ci asked.
Jason nodded, his eyes revealing a firm determination. "The situation in Iron Valley is changing. The nine major powers are no longer our main threat. A bigger storm is brewing."
Meanwhile, in a dark corner of Iron Valley, a man in a black trench coat was communicating with the outside world via a quantum entanglement communicator.
"The Needle Shadow Hive's attack has failed," he said in a low voice, "The power of the Faith Fire is stronger than we anticipated."
A fuzzy voice came from the communicator: "The Black Vine Society will not give up. Find that thing at all costs."
"Understood." The man hung up the communicator, looking up at the night sky. The fog was dissipating, revealing the starry sky.
He smiled and disappeared into the night.
The situation in Iron Valley was quietly changing. The technological faith system of the Lianyuan Commune began to waver, and the seeds of the Faith Fire concept were taking root. However, the threat of the Needle Shadow Hive still existed, and the involvement of the Black Vine Society made the situation more complex. The Jason team stood at a new starting point, facing greater challenges and opportunities.
The undercurrents were surging, and the future of Iron Valley was full of unknowns and possibilities.