"What do you mean by 'the enemy and I share the same origin'?"

Lin Xian frowned: "Are you suggesting that the power of human abilities and the abnormal entities are the same?"

"That point no longer requires debate." Ding Junyi kept her head down as she typed on the keyboard without looking up: "The discovery of cold dark fundamental particles and the dark energy synchronization data have made our understanding of dark energy increasingly clear. To use an analogy, it's like oxygen on Blue Star—it's the foundation of our life. Similarly, dark energy is the foundation for those abnormal creatures."

"Then did humans gain abilities through mutation influenced by this kind of 'oxygen'?" Lin Xian shook his head: "Although we try to explain it scientifically, the differences between individual ability systems don't seem like random bodily mutations."

"You're right!"

Ding Junyi turned around at this point: "What I mean by 'the enemy and I share the same origin' refers precisely to this."

Lin Xian's expression gradually turned grave.

"Are you suggesting that the ability systems awakened by ability users are traceable, that under certain conditions, they are 'bestowed'?"

Ding Junyi remained silent for a second before speaking: "There's still insufficient evidence currently. This is just a conjecture I've formed after integrating all the data collected so far on disaster plants, Forbidden Artifacts, and the growth data of all ability personnel on the train. I've been thinking—disaster plants are essentially organic matter from Blue Star, while Forbidden Artifacts are random inorganic matter. These special objects can release different properties, making people think only in terms of myths and magical treasures when trying to explain them."

"Forcing scientific explanations might not work either," Lin Xian said.

"I understand what you mean." Ding Junyi adjusted her glasses and stated directly: "The essence of myths is also human fantasy extended from natural phenomena. Looking at it inversely, to awaken those strange materialized powers, does it indicate that civilization has already mastered the power to regulate nature, biology, and physics?"

Lin Xian was momentarily stunned upon hearing this: "Alright, I still don't understand."

Ding Junyi looked at him, her voice cold: "I don't like beating around the bush. My conjecture is that human ability users essentially follow the same logic as the abnormal entities created by the dark mother nests. The evolved crystal lattice of humans can fully utilize dark energy, and the blood crystals of abnormal entities can do the same. In other words, ability users and abnormal entities are the same—both are creatures transformed by dark energy. However, before crystal lattice evolution, humans relied on their own life force and mental power to bear this energy. 99% of people simply couldn't bear it, so their living logic was destroyed by this power, becoming mindless zombies driven by this energy. This also explains why people from the Falcon Sea Group could immediately double their spirit value after crystal lattice evolution—because essentially, this crystal lattice is the blood crystal that humans themselves develop under the nourishment of dark energy!"

"Of course, all of this is currently just my theoretical conjecture, lacking effective experiments and evidence for support. The reason I'm telling you such an unverified conjecture is because this conjecture can effectively and reasonably explain many difficult points in our research."

After listening, Lin Xian's face turned gloomy, and he subconsciously asked: "Which problems?"

"First, the zombie problem. Excluding virus transmission, the characteristic of infinite individual vitality can be explained to some extent."

"Second, the evolution problem. Human adaptation to darkness and mutation is essentially walking on the edge of being transformed by dark energy."

"Third, the crystal lattice problem. This is also a question both you and the Phoenix Society have. Perhaps the Phoenix Society has already had such conjectures and is conducting extensive comparative research."

Lin Xian nodded: "I have indeed thought about this. Humans growing a crystal core inside their bodies... it looks just like the abnormal entities."

He shrugged and looked at Ding Junyi again: "But this still circles back to the initial topic. Sharing the same origin refers to dark energy, so it makes sense that human abilities and evolution are similar to abnormal entities. What's problematic about that?"

"The common origin I'm referring to isn't the 'oxygen,' but the individuals." Ding Junyi walked to the side at this point, the green clothes on her body quickly withering and falling off. She took out a document from beside the bed and tossed it to Lin Xian, then found a set of clothes and slowly put them on: "Look at this."

Lin Xian took it and saw that it was actually confidential documents from the early stages of the Angel Project. He wasn't unfamiliar with them because KIKI had shown them to him back in North Bay.

"I've seen this before—the earliest ability user assessments and investigation reports. The term 'spirit value' comes from this Angel Project, right?"

Lin Xian said while flipping through it: "Ability systems, peak value assessments—the Phoenix Society later improved upon this foundation."

Ding Junyi fluidly put on her clothes, draped a coat over her shoulders, shook her hair, walked back to Lin Xian, opened to a specific page of the document, and pointed to the end.

Lin Xian's gaze fell upon it, his pupils contracting: "Beyond awakening and ability zombies... I've seen this part too. Some ability users reach Titan-level or even higher spirit value peaks immediately after awakening. I once heard from someone in the Night Stalkers organization named Zhou Wuqi—he was like that, and Wen Zhuo too. Many top experts within the Phoenix Society are like this. As for abilities suddenly disappearing..."

Snap. Lin Xian closed the documents and looked at Ding Junyi: "Just say it directly."

Ding Junyi took a deep breath and looked calmly at Lin Xian: "Do you think there's some connection between an ability user's power disappearing into thin air and a specific abnormal entity being eliminated?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xian's pupils sharply contracted. He immediately gasped, horrified: "Is this what you meant by 'the enemy and I share the same origin'?!"

Ding Junyi slightly turned her head: "If Forbidden Artifacts and disaster plants are singular point diffractions of 'natural phenomena' from some dark world, then human ability users are advanced abnormal entities diffracted onto living individuals of Blue Star. This is completely understandable."

"Understandable?"

"Is this conclusion really that shocking?"

"World-shattering." Lin Xian's face darkened: "If this is true, then all human ability evolution becomes meaningless."

Ding Junyi seemed to anticipate Lin Xian's reaction. She put her hands in her pockets and looked at him in a comforting tone: "Don't be surprised. Actually, if this point can be verified, it would be somewhat good news for humanity."

Lin Xian smiled wryly without sound: "Ability users, especially those after crystal lattice evolution, should now be humanity's greatest reliance against the apocalyptic disasters besides the Interstellar Military and the Emperor Project. Major organizations are desperately trying to make ability users evolve, break through, seek higher limits, attempting to find a way to save human civilization from this direction. Now ability users with 20,000 spirit value can already defeat special-level monsters. Everyone believes that if spirit value reaches 50,000, 100,000, maybe S-level, Corpse Drivers, even world-level entities could be defeated by humans. Now you're telling people that ability users are diffractions of abnormal entities in the human world? Doesn't that essentially mean humanity stands no chance of defeating those monsters in the darkness?!"

Ding Junyi shrugged: "If the theory is confirmed, there are several directions worth considering: 1. If abnormal entities die, ability users' powers disappear—then if ability users die, what effect does that have on abnormal entities? This is extreme thinking. 2. From a game theory perspective, there currently don't exist ability users who can individually handle S-level, Corpse Drivers, or even world-level entities. If point 1 is feasible, then the strategic value of ability users would be immense. 3. From a balance perspective, if ability users and abnormal entities can maintain equivalent strategic deterrence, then wouldn't human technological power become the crucial factor affecting the balance?"

Lin Xian closed his eyes in frustration: "What kind of joke is this? If ability users could maintain equivalent strategic deterrence with abnormal entities, Dawn City wouldn't have fought so tragically."

Ding Junyi focused her gaze on him: "The premise is that the dark civilization knows we've grasped this, that we've mastered countermeasures."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xian immediately opened his eyes, his whole body stiffening. His gaze met Ding Junyi's, and at this moment, it felt like thunder was exploding in his heart!

He slowly stepped back twice, his mind racing wildly. Although what Ding Junyi said was just speculation, the discovery of this viewpoint indeed illuminated countless global mysteries simultaneously. He kept searching his memories, looking back further, and the more he thought about it, the more his scalp tingled.

If what Ding Junyi said was true, then humanity's deterrence against darkness might also be greatly related to this.

"Crescent Moon Plan..."

"Connecting S-level..."

Lin Xian murmured softly, suddenly remembering the experimental logs of crystal lattice cultivation conducted by the Nightwalker Organization that Ye Lan had shown him before entering the ocean orbit.

The list of ability users in those experimental logs were basically people who had broken through the 10,000 peak value after crystallization, indeed achieving the effect of doubling ability peaks or higher as Vanessa had mentioned. However, he also noticed the observation logs under each person's information. There, many people who had undergone crystallization had experienced strange visual hallucinations in the short term, and the reported hallucinations were extremely similar to what Lin Xian had seen through the Corpse Drivers after Dawn City—some came from the dark night, some from the deep sea, basically all abnormal scene images.

Even stranger, some of these people with very high ability peaks had... mutated.

"What they saw weren't hallucinations..." Lin Xian looked at Ding Junyi at this point, his expression extremely grave: "If it's true, then what those ability users after crystal lattice evolution saw might very well be the perspectives of abnormal entities!"

Ding Junyi frowned but didn't speak.

Lin Xian thought of something and turned around sharply, but Ding Junyi stopped him.

"If you cancel Monica's crystal lattice cultivation now, she might die. I know what you're thinking. First, you know this is just my speculation. And if my speculation is correct, then this has nothing to do with crystal lattice evolution anymore, because this diffraction connection formed when they awakened their abilities. Or rather, the abnormal entities found them!"

Lin Xian stopped walking, his gaze changing, and he cursed coldly: "What a trash civilization."

He turned back to Ding Junyi and said: "Director Ding, I think your conjecture is very constructive. You can continue researching along this line of thinking. I have a premonition that following this direction, we might soon gain more understanding about abilities and abnormal entities. Now we must clarify what form this diffraction between ability users and abnormal entities takes—is it one-way or mutual? Does individual evolution of ability users affect abnormal entities? Most crucially, are ability users' deaths truly connected to abnormal entities? All these questions—this might be the real deterrence."

After speaking, Lin Xian took a deep breath: "Perhaps this is also why Hua Xiaoling sought us out. What I don't understand is, we shouldn't have mastered this deterrence."

"Perhaps you already have." Ding Junyi looked at him, hands in pockets, speaking calmly.

Lin Xian snorted with a laugh: "Strictly speaking, the phenomenon of evolved ability users having visual hallucinations—it seems like there is indeed such a phenomenon on me. Oh no, such an object."

After speaking, Lin Xian turned and left the cabin, immediately heading quickly toward the second ship hull.

Walking through the internal passages of the celestial starship, surrounded by silence, Lin Xian's ears kept echoing with what Ding Junyi had just said. The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. He remembered back when he was still on the Infinite, he had asked KIKI why ability users' powers would suddenly disappear. And as he traveled all this way, Lin Xian hadn't truly seen any ability user experience such a condition—or perhaps he simply hadn't paid attention.

His original intention was to investigate Area 13 Star Abyss in the Pacific, using the images he saw from the gray mist, with the goal of observing the Foundation's actions. The Phoenix Society's extensive external promotion of the Deterrence Era and the Starfire Plan, besides boosting human survivors' confidence, Ye Lan probably also had this idea, which is why she chose to split up with Chu Yan.

But now, looking from another perspective, the Sanctum's attacks on Chu Yan and him might not be entirely just because they were Sword Bearers or because of the Southern Celestial Gate.

Thinking this, Lin Xian's thoughts became complex. He prepared to directly contact Chu Yan through the Black Star Forge. He originally wanted to rest for a few days, but now it seemed the schedule to hurry to South America and ascend to the continent to face the crimson sky needed to be moved up.

Whoosh~

The automatic door of the hibernation chamber opened, cold air rushing out. Lin Xian quickly entered and immediately checked on Monica's condition.

Monica lying in the hibernation chamber currently had stable vital signs, and the painful expression was gone from her face. On her chest, the blood-colored patterns on the crystal lattice cultivation device continuously cycled, and an extremely small but intense dark energy fluctuation pulsed like a heartbeat. Looking at the sleeping Monica, Lin Xian's expression was complex, ten thousand possibilities running through his mind.

Then he directly found a spot beside Monica's hibernation chamber to sit down, focused his consciousness, and entered the space of the Black Star Forge, beginning to call out to Chu Yan.

"Chu Yan, can you hear me?"

After a long time, a low voice finally sounded from deep within the Black Star Forge.

"I can hear you..."

His consciousness sank, quickly linking to somewhere across the ocean. Lin Xian opened his eyes—this was a dilapidated apartment room. The windows were sealed with rusty iron bars, the room long rotten and stinking. A half-hanging curtain cloth emitted an odor. A cold light lamp placed on the floor barely served as a light source. Chu Yan, wearing advanced power armor and a full-face mask, stood by the window, looking outside through a crack.

It was night here!

Chu Yan sensed Lin Xian's arrival and spoke without turning her head: "You really know how to pick your timing."

Lin Xian cleared his throat: "Last time I saw you were on a mission. I originally wanted to wait until you returned to headquarters before contacting you."

"You want to contact Professor Ye?" Chu Yan said: "I'm hurrying back now. The Stargazer laboratory is still testing other communication methods to connect with the Southern Celestial Gate. No breakthroughs yet."

"Did something happen?" Lin Xian immediately frowned.

Chu Yan glanced sideways at him: "The Star Abyss has begun acting abnormally again."

"Accelerating expansion?" Lin Xian asked.

"No." Chu Yan moved aside: "The crimson, accompanied by dark tides, has descended. The areas it covers will no longer see dawn rise!"

Lin Xian frowned and moved over. The moment he saw through the crack, his pupils sharply contracted.

Outside the window was no longer the night as humans know it. Heaven and earth were torn into shreds of crimson and ink-black, sticky storms wrapped in the smell of burning asphalt sweeping across the wasteland, like hell's tongue licking the earth. Steel-frame power line towers twisted into skeletons howling at the sky within the crimson storm. The ground surface continuously exploded, the entire world seemingly enveloped in a tropical storm that could corrode heaven and earth.

Human cities had completely turned into rubble and ruins. On the distant horizon, indescribable shadows stood between heaven and earth, resembling some kind of creature, yet also like giant ghostly deity shadows twisted from crimson, their outlines burning. After watching for a few seconds, dizziness began to set in. One shadow pillar split open at its top into thousands of hexagonal holes, while another extended branches infinitely like a fractal tree, all structures pulsing slowly in violation of physical laws. Lin Xian rubbed his eyes, unsure if he was seeing hallucinations or if the outside world was already distorted.

At this moment, he looked upward toward the sky. In the center of the firmament, the storm's eye resembled a galactic eye from beyond the heavens, a chaotic eye, or perhaps some kind of interstellar creature hidden within dark matter clouds, gazing upon the world.

Seeing this scene, he subconsciously thought of the nebula that looked like an eye in the night sky he had seen outside Hengshan Pass, and simultaneously recalled what was recorded in the Phoenix Society's fire book before.

No. 02, iris-like stellar ring.

"Don't look too long."

Chu Yan's cold voice stopped him. Lin Xian turned back to meet her gaze.

"See? Our world is being devoured!"