Chapter 671: Zero Restricted Zone
The Lord of Cracks isn't just some evil being that only knows destruction and consumption.
It's more like a cosmic seeder or law harvester from a higher dimension.
It tears through the spatial barriers between different dimensions, spreading its essential information particles into the material worlds of lower dimensions.
This way, it infects, assimilates, and ultimately harvests the core energy and life essence of those worlds as fuel for its own evolution and expansion.
And our blue planet, along with the Cradle Heart and Heart of the Tide on the island, are among its main targets for this round of seeding and harvesting.
The so-called Ark Project by those lunatics in the Association, and their crazy attempt to actively open the gateway to higher dimensions and welcome the descent of a god—in The Lord of Cracks' view, they're just a bunch of stupid ants voluntarily opening the granary doors for it, offering up the most delicious sacrifices.
As for that Pandora's Box, its origin and principles are beyond my imagination.
It wasn't accidentally created by the Association's founders.
Rather, when they were analyzing some of the most core super-tech data left behind by Atlantean civilization, they painstakingly replicated this half-finished product based on scattered records about dimensional leaps, karma interference, and law weapons.
Its core isn't any material or energy we know, but a logical singularity capable of temporarily twisting and disrupting the laws of karma.
Once successfully activated, it can forcibly sever all connections between our material world and the higher dimension where The Lord of Cracks exists in an extremely short time.
To some extent, it can reverse the predetermined effects that The Lord of Cracks has already had on our world.
But this reality-defying ability also means it has unimaginable side effects and uncontrollability.
If mishandled, or if the operator's will isn't strong enough, it could trigger a karma chain collapse even more terrifying than The Lord of Cracks' descent.
Even the user themselves might be consumed by the chaotic laws of karma, erased from the river of time and space.
"This is basically a deadly bomb wrapped in honey."
After hearing my simple explanation of Pandora's Box, Finn couldn't help but gasp, his face full of fear.
Gulama, Uta, and the others also looked horrified.
This forbidden weapon involving karma laws and dimensional levels was completely beyond their understanding.
Even the usually calm and steady Olivia had a grave expression after carefully studying the technical data transmitted by the Guide.
"Matthew, this Pandora's Box is too dangerous," she looked at me, her eyes full of worry, "It's like a nuclear weapon without an instruction manual that could explode at any moment. Are we really going to use it?"
I fell silent, equally conflicted inside.
I thought about the Abyssal Evil Eye, about the innocent lives suffering endless torment due to the Rift's arrival, about our dwindling time.
Pandora's Box was our only hope right now.
"We must get it," I took a deep breath, "No matter how dangerous it is, no matter what price we have to pay, we must try."
"If we do nothing, all that awaits us is complete destruction."
With my insistence, after all the Guardian representatives present discussed it together, we finally reached a consensus.
We would send an elite squad, led by me personally, to secretly infiltrate the secret research base mentioned by the Guide and attempt to obtain the forbidden weapon.
The other Guardians, led by Reef, Uta, and Zara, would continue to resist The Lord of Cracks' next attack on Mist Island with all their strength, buying us precious time.
According to key intelligence provided by the Guide, the Association's secret research base sealing Pandora's Box wasn't on the surface of Blue Star, nor in any known deep-sea area.
It was actually located at the Lunar Shadow Ark base on the far side of the moon.
The Association had secretly built it over decades using ancient Atlantean space transmission technology and stealth tech.
There, it was the site where the Association conducted various super-tech experiments.
It was also their ultimate vault for storing everything from Atlantean ruins.
Pandora's Box was sealed in the deepest part of the Lunar Shadow Ark base, in Zone Zero, guarded by an AI defense system.
"Those old guys in the Association really went to great lengths for their crazy Ark Project," after hearing the Guide's introduction, I couldn't help but sneer.
The difficulty of obtaining Pandora's Box from this forbidden place that was like an impregnable fortress was obvious.
The arrow was on the string and had to be released.
We immediately began selecting members for the strike team heading to the Lunar Shadow Ark base.
After careful consideration, Olivia, with her Psionics and deep understanding of Atlantean runes, would be responsible for cracking the various electronic defense systems and program codes inside the base. She was an indispensable technical core for this mission.
Zara, as a descendant of the Atlantean ancestors, had inherited sensing and control abilities related to ancient energy systems in her bloodline.
Perhaps at critical moments, she could help us deal with those unknown ancient defense systems.
As for combat personnel, I only selected Finn and Gulama.
They had the best coordination with me and were the most experienced fighters.
Our operation was more focused on infiltration and outsmarting.
Too many people would make us easier to expose.
From Guardians around the world, I also selected two new allies with special abilities to join.
One was a dwarf engineer who claimed to come from the inner earth world and mastered prehistoric civilization technology, named Torin.
Though short in stature, he was incredibly strong.
He was also skilled in making and cracking various mechanisms and machines, making him the best helper for our infiltration.
The other was a young woman, even more mysterious.
She wore black tight leather armor and always had a silver mask on her face, calling herself Shadow Whisper.
No one knew her origins, but she possessed terrifyingly powerful abilities.
She could manipulate shadows for stealth and assassination.
She knew the Association's internal structure and operating style inside and out.
I suspected she might be the true representative of the conservative faction that the Guide had planted among us.
The seven of us, piloting the once-again strengthened and modified Revelation, left Blue Star and headed toward the far side of the moon.
The journey to the moon went unexpectedly smoothly.
Perhaps because The Lord of Cracks' main energy was focused on how to completely erode and descend upon Blue Star.
Or perhaps the Association's high-level leaders hiding behind the scenes were too busy with the setbacks to the Ark Project and internal power struggles to pay attention.
We didn't encounter any serious resistance or interception and successfully reached the far side of the moon.