The information room aboard the Neptune was enveloped in silence. Lin Xian looked at Laine and noticed the man's composed expression. Since Laine had revealed the core of their plan, he must have anticipated that Lin Xian would deduce their true intentions. Although the Infinite was currently docked at Haiyan Island, Lin Xian knew avoiding this trouble wouldn't be easy.

As expected, Laine didn't deny anything. Instead, he directly shared his speculation with Lin Xian. "These anomalies aren't coincidental. It might not just be about the forbidden artifacts—there could be something else." Laine took a deep breath and smiled. "Strange, isn't it? After the Dawn City incident, weird phenomena have been appearing worldwide. The original fog has thickened, and the movements of abnormal entities have become increasingly erratic—Star Abyss No. 8, the Taku Mist, Mount Garland, and the approaching abnormal entities..."

"Tch, and they're all big ones, moving with unnerving coordination, as if targeting something specific," Erica said, turning to Lin Xian. "What do you think, Sword Bearer?"

"Why not speak plainly?" Monica immediately responded. "You're suggesting that the Dawn City incident triggered more aggressive actions from the darkness, and their target is the Sword Bearer, right?"

"There will always be cowards who think that way," Vanessa chimed in. "The Descendants faction would consider him an enemy too, but what does it matter? What options do we have besides running or fighting back?"

Lin Xian's eyes flickered. He fully understood what the Falcon Sea Group was implying. Before setting sail, Monica had mentioned this possibility. After a moment's thought, he turned to Laine and asked, "If you just wanted to leave, there'd be no need to investigate forbidden artifacts or volcanoes. There must be another reason, right?"

"Of course," Laine replied with a smile. "When I first uncovered this crisis, my immediate reaction was to retreat. But interestingly, we learned from the Sanctum's intelligence that your Infinite had entered the ocean route. Lin... I've always wanted to meet you—to see what kind of person this 'savior' really is."

Laine's words sounded casual, but Lin Xian's team immediately sensed something off. "Are you implying this might be connected to us?" KIKI asked.

"Yes, Laine admires Lin greatly," Geddy interjected. "He quickly realized that the forbidden artifacts on Haiyan Island couldn't have appeared by coincidence. That's the real issue here."

"Lin." Laine's expression turned serious as he met Lin Xian's gaze. "You might have many ways to avoid trouble—floating islands, storms, volcanoes, tsunamis. But I must warn you: once you leave Haiyan Island, you'll be entering the vast, open waters of the Pacific. If I were being hunted, I'd be extra cautious."

Lin Xian remained expressionless, picking up on the subtext. He changed the subject. "What exactly is this Sanctum organization?"

"A massive maritime survivor alliance," Erica explained, resting a hand on her hip. "Practically a floating sanctuary city. They have numerous island outposts and a fleet of over a hundred ships. Their flagship is the former Kraken Floating City."

"The Kraken? That sightseeing ship?" KIKI exclaimed. "That thing's been around for millennia—how hasn't it sunk yet?"

Many in Lin Xian's group were familiar with the name. The Kraken Floating City was a massive "oasis" project built decades ago by Randy Shipbuilding Group, touted as the "unsinkable maritime city." With a displacement of millions of tons, it could accommodate over 90,000 people, featuring hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, zoos, casinos, and various tourist attractions, docking at deepwater ports along continental coasts.

In its early days, it wasn't just a famous maritime attraction but even appeared in textbooks. Chu Yan recalled that the cheapest tickets cost just over two thousand—she'd always wanted to visit as a child but never got the chance. Over time, as equipment aged and floating cities and space projects gained popularity, the once-famous maritime city faded from public view. No one expected to hear its name again here.

"Correct. After the Apocalypse Day, it was seized by Wieland's mercenary group," Azrael stated matter-of-factly. "It's an excellent refuge from zombies—spacious like a small city with substantial storage capacity. The Sanctum used it as their core to grow to over 200,000 members. Somehow, they allied with Crimson World and other Descendant factions, targeting other survivors and growing increasingly fanatical."

"From what we've gathered, the Sanctum has been shrinking in numbers while becoming more elite-focused, specializing in ability evolution and enhancement. They're extremely powerful and have clashed repeatedly with Phoenix Society's Noah City," Haiyan Island added.

*Snap.*

Laine flicked his fingers, and a holographic display projected Haiyan Island's topographic map. "Recently, we've spotted several Sanctum fleets appearing in the waters northeast and southeast of Ningjing Island, frequently making landfall for unknown operations. We obtained intel about the forbidden artifacts from the black market—we believe it's connected to the Sanctum's activities..." He looked at Lin Xian. "And possibly to you all. Lin, we need to be careful."

"Thanks for the warning." Lin Xian examined Laine's markings on the map. "This is very helpful."

"Forbidden artifacts, Crystal Lattice, the Sanctum—be more specific," Monica cut in bluntly. "What kind of cooperation are you proposing?"

Laine shook his head. "Didn't Lin already say it? Forbidden artifacts and Crystal Lattice are secondary to survival. We've been tracking the Sanctum's movements in the city—this might concern us all. Whether we engage them or uncover something, we can proceed as allies."

Lin Xian smiled and handed Laine a specially designed communicator. "Alright. We'll meet on the island later."

"Lin." As Lin Xian prepared to leave, Laine accepted the communicator and added, "At sea, avoid attracting Dark Marks. Otherwise, you'll never know what monsters might emerge from the depths."

Lin Xian nodded. The faceplates of the two power armor squads snapped shut as they took off from the deck, streaking across the distant waters.

In the Neptune's bridge information room, Laine watched through the viewport as Lin Xian's group departed, his expression calm.

"Seems like we didn't achieve much," Geddy remarked. "The Sword Bearer is a mechanical ability user—land, sea, or air vehicles pose no challenge to him. His squad consists of elite ability users. They might be interested in the Crystal Lattice."

Laine waved a hand. "The Crystal Lattice isn't important. If they want information, they can easily obtain it from the Phoenix Society."

Azrael spoke up. "The situation on Haiyan Island might spiral out of control, but all we've done is issue warnings. What's the point if we can't offer concrete cooperation?"

Vanessa chuckled. "You fool. If even you know Haiyan Island is about to blow, they definitely do too. Laine's point is that even if we can't help, extending a friendly warning shows goodwill—at least we won't make enemies of the Sword Bearer."

"Who says we can't help?" Laine turned to face them, his expression grave. "Prepare yourselves. We're landing on the island tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Correct." Laine strode out of the information room without looking back. "If the Sanctum's target is them, that forbidden artifact will manifest tonight!"

...

Skimming low over the waves, Lin Xian felt the air grow oppressive. As he scanned the sea with radar and Haiyan Island drew nearer, he attempted to contact Qian Dele and Ningjing's teams.

"Status report?"

"Weather's turning nasty," Qian Dele replied over the comms from atop a high-rise, peering through electronic binoculars at the black clouds gathering southeast. "Meteorological systems detect the storm expanding rapidly. The island might get hit with rain soon."

*Static...*

Then Ningjing's voice crackled through: "Captain Lin, the city's completely empty. The eastern coastal docking port shows signs of attack..."

On Ningjing's end, countless drones scoured the area while Fire Bro streaked across the sky overhead. Strong winds whipped debris through the ruined cityscape. The once-bustling port looked as if it had been scorched by fire, its massive rail foundations half-submerged in the sea like a kneeling giant.

"Fire Bro reconnoitered the nearest rail segment—it's several kilometers out, and conditions beyond are uncertain... At this rate, our only options are flying or rowing."

Hearing this, Lin Xian's expression darkened. The two squads landed on a hillside overlooking the western coast. Gazing down at the lifeless city below, he fell into thought.

Strange phenomena after the Dawn City defense battle, the "Do Not Resist" message on the defense platform, the metal dice at Taku Deepwater Port, the approaching storm and floating islands targeting Haiyan Island...

It felt like a dense fog obscured Lin Xian's vision. Though the Infinite's crew numbered only about twenty, he sensed something watching them from the shadows, an oppressive quiet beneath the calm.

"Such a big city, yet not a single zombie..." Shasha parked her Flying Peach and hopped down, adjusting her power armor's scanner to survey the urban area. "Don't you think it's... too quiet?"

"The quieter it is, the more cautious we must be," Monica said. "That Sanctum organization is definitely watching us."

"Lin Xian." KIKI turned to him. "Between underwater volcanoes and abnormal entity hives moving this way, should Fire Bro and I scout the rail route by air?" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel⚑fire.net

Lin Xian looked up as towering cumulus clouds slowly blotted out the sun, casting massive shadows over the cityscape. Summoning Viola from the Black Star Forge, he noted she now wore a specialized flight-capable power armor.

"Viola, conduct high-altitude reconnaissance based on the Falcon Sea Group's intel. Afterward, quickly sweep the ocean route segments between G3-G25 base stations and report back."

[Understood. Should I return immediately if I detect abnormal entity activity?]

Lin Xian nodded. "Yes."

Viola saluted, activated her propulsion systems, and shot skyward with a sonic boom.

"The rails are damaged, and there's trouble above and below the sea. I considered deploying Sky Dome, but something tells me the sky might be even more dangerous."

"So we just wait for Viola to return?" KIKI asked.

"Though the Falcon Sea Group claims the Sanctum is targeting us, I suspect that's not our biggest concern," Monica said, arms crossed.

Lin Xian nodded in agreement. "The volcanoes and floating islands are more pressing."

"And..." Monica met his gaze. "The Bait Agent."

"That's something we can't ignore."

After a moment's thought, Lin Xian said, "We won't be leaving today. While it's still daylight, let's split up and search the city—prepare in advance."

"Only option we've got," Monica conceded.

Lin Xian then divided the city into sectors: Monica's team would sweep the coastal commercial district;

Qian Dele would cover the southeastern industrial port area, linking up with Ningjing's squad;

he, KIKI, and Shiori would investigate Haiyan City's central White Tower District. But first, he sat on the western hillside and, while there was still time, immersed his consciousness into the Black Star Forge to contact Chu Yan.

In Ye Lan's office aboard the Skybreaker Ship, Lin Xian appeared beside Chu Yan in spectral form—a rare occurrence—to consult with Professor Ye.

"Chu Yan and I were just discussing how you'd likely ask about the Crystal Lattice soon," Ye Lan said, her gaze fixed on the empty space beside Chu Yan as if she could see him.

"Does the Phoenix Society consider the Crystal Lattice a hidden danger?" Lin Xian asked.

"It's not that simple," Chu Yan replied. "About a month ago, Crystal Lattice ability users began appearing across the Pacific. We received extensive data from Noah, and both Dawn Center and Phoenix City initiated research. The North American Allied Front immediately organized investigations across major cities in the Americas."

"Lin Xian." Ye Lan's voice was calm. "When you saw the four-character message transmitted from Southern Celestial Gate's photovoltaic array, what did you think?"

"I don't know. It was strange," Lin Xian admitted, puzzled by the sudden question. "Sounded like nonsense."

Chu Yan relayed his response.

Ye Lan nodded. "When dealing with inter-civilizational communications, we exercise extreme caution—just like your connection with Chu Yan to the dark civilization. We never know what information we'll receive... or what price it might exact. The Crystal Lattice is no different."

Lin Xian's eyes narrowed.

Ye Lan continued, "Our Nightwalker Organization has conducted hundreds of Crystal Lattice experiments. Combining data from various regions, our ability research team has compiled extensive findings. The results align with what you'd expect—it represents a breakthrough in human ability mastery. With Crystal Lattice energy storage, ability users can surpass Angel-class and achieve new heights. We've tentatively designated a new classification for those exceeding 30,000 peak values..."

"A new classification?"

"Transcendent-class," Chu Yan answered.