The private jet soared over the Greenland ice sheet, an endless expanse of interwoven pale white and deep blue below. The polar storms were like invisible colossal walls, dividing the world into isolated existences. Inside the cabin, the air was so thick with tension it felt almost tangible.
[Anchor Alignment: Progress 25%][Fifth Witness P.D.: Handshake Protocol—Verifying]
The words on the screen flickered coldly, like the perpetual chill of the polar regions, seeping into everyone's bones. The drone fleet maintained a fixed distance, their signal lights flashing in a mysterious rhythm, as if performing a silent ritual.
"They're transmitting some kind of data," Wang Jing's fingers danced rapidly across the keyboard. "But it's not an attack command… more like establishing some kind of connection channel."
Li Chenyuan's gaze never left Su Xiaolan. He could sense her trembling, a resonance emanating from the depths of her soul that made her entire body quiver faintly. She still clutched the potato chip bag tightly in her hand, her knuckles white from the strain.
"She needs rest." Li Chenyuan's voice was low and firm, carrying an undeniable protective urge.
Lu Xingze, however, let out a cold laugh. "Rest now? The Ψ system's synchronization is progressing every second. We don't have time."
Just then, Su Xiaolan suddenly opened her eyes wide. Her pupils reflected scenes not of the aircraft cabin—a laboratory deep within the ice sheet, a ghostly blue glow, and… the figure of a woman.
"She's there…" Su Xiaolan's voice was as light as a sigh. "Waiting for us."
Suddenly, all screens flickered simultaneously. A blurred female silhouette gradually sharpened through the snow-like interference. Her voice sounded as if it came from the deep sea, filled with electric static:
"The prisoner… is the true witness…""Zero Station… is not the end, but the beginning…""They lied… to everyone… including Ψ…"
The image cut off abruptly, replaced by a string of complex coordinate data. Wang Jing gasped. "This is… the exact location of Zero Station. Three kilometers beneath the Greenland ice sheet."
Lu Xingze immediately stood up. "Change course now. This is our only chance."
"No!" Li Chenyuan stepped in front of Su Xiaolan. "This is obviously a trap. We know nothing about P.D…"
"We know nothing about Ψ either!" Lu Xingze retorted. "But we do know that if this continues, the entire world will become nourishment for that damned system!"
Su Xiaolan spoke suddenly, her voice weak yet unusually clear: "She's in pain… P.D…. She's been imprisoned there for a long time…"
Her words silenced everyone. Wang Jing pulled up an encrypted file. "Based on the data fragments just transmitted, P.D. might be one of the original programmers. She was declared missing fifteen years ago…"
[Anchor Alignment: Progress 26%][Warning: Verification failed. Physical verification required]
New prompts flashed across the screen, accompanied by a piercing alarm. The drone fleet suddenly began shifting formation, forming a massive arrow pointing north.
"They're guiding us," Wang Jing's voice was filled with disbelief. "And also… protecting us?"
Radar showed another unknown formation approaching from the southeast, clearly less than friendly.
Su Xiaolan slowly stood up, her gaze becoming filled with unprecedented resolve. "We have to go. Not just to stop Ψ, but for the truth."
Li Chenyuan wanted to object, but when he saw the determination in Su Xiaolan's eyes, the words caught in his throat. He understood this was no longer about protection but about respecting her choice.
"Adjust course," Lu Xingze issued the command. "Everyone, prepare yourselves. We might be facing an enemy even more terrifying than Ψ."
The private jet cut through the polar night, flying deeper into the ice sheet. Behind them, the drone fleet escorted them like loyal guards, their signal lights flashing in a red-white-red rhythm, as though an ancient code was slowly being deciphered.
Su Xiaolan leaned against the window. The aurora danced across the sky, shifting into eerie shapes. She gently brushed her fingers over the chip hidden in the crumpled potato chip bag—her fragile talisman—and whispered to herself, "Is this the truth you wanted me to see, Senior?"
Deep beneath the ice, a system that had lain dormant for fifteen years was awakening. And they were flying toward the place that could change everything.
[Fifth Witness P.D.: Physical verification pending][Time until forced synchronization: 3 hours 17 minutes]