The biting cold wind, like a sharp ice blade, scraped across everyone's cheeks, leaving bursts of stinging pain. Liam led the team galloping across the ice field, and the ice under his feet made a slight cracking sound. Every step was accompanied by splashing ice chips. The distant Ice Ridge Research Station became clearer and clearer under the dim sky. The complex covered by thick ice was like a giant beast dormant in the extreme cold, exuding a terrifying silence.
"Five kilometers left!" Liam suddenly raised his hand to signal the team to stop. The energy in his body was still surging slowly, and the golden light and black light on the collar were intertwined, but much more stable than during the fierce battle just now. "I can feel that the dark energy fluctuations ahead are getting stronger and stronger, and they are very dense. There are not only energy reactions from aircraft, but also a lot of living energy signals. It should be the main force of the Shadow Organization."
Kane immediately waved his hand, and the security team quickly scattered, forming a vigilance formation to protect Elena, Dr. Gray and Wang. The energy rifles in their hands were already aimed at the front, and the muzzles flickered with faint red light: "Everyone keep your figure low and slow down to avoid being discovered by the enemy. Dr. Elena, Mr. Wang, please analyze the surrounding terrain as soon as possible to see if there is a hidden route that can go around to the side of the research station and avoid the front line of defense."
Wang immediately turned on the portable AI equipment, and a 3D terrain model of the Ice Ridge Research Station quickly appeared on the screen. The outline of the buildings under the ice was faintly visible, and dense red light spots flickered on the model, which were the energy signals of the Shadow Organization: "The main building of the research station is covered by ice more than 20 meters thick. There are three lines of defense at the front, each guarded by at least five Shadow members, and two aircraft patrolling in the air. There is an abandoned ventilation duct on the side, leading to the equipment room on the first basement floor, but the entrance of the duct is blocked by ice, and there are two Shadow members guarding around it."
Elena stared at the screen, frowning slightly, her fingers sliding gently on the model: "The ventilation duct is the only hidden route at present. The 20-meter-thick ice cannot be broken through by force. A frontal attack will only cause unnecessary casualties. Moreover, the main force of the Shadow Organization is gathered at the front, obviously deliberately luring us out. Dr. Gray, you continue to monitor Liam's energy fluctuations to avoid him being stimulated by dark energy again; Liam, Kane, you are responsible for eliminating the guards at the entrance of the ventilation duct, and Dr. Wang and I will take the opportunity to break the ice at the duct entrance and enter the research station as soon as possible."
"Received!" Liam and Kane responded in unison. They looked at each other, and their figures flashed at the same time, sneaking towards the entrance of the ventilation duct on the side. Liam slightly restrained the energy in his body to avoid emitting extra fluctuations. His steps were as light as a ghost, sliding on the ice, making almost no sound; Kane followed closely behind, his energy rifle adjusted to silent mode, his eyes sharply scanning the surrounding environment, alert to any abnormal movement.
The entrance of the ventilation duct was located under an abandoned observation tower, blocked by half-human-high ice. Two Shadow members were leaning against the wall of the observation tower, talking in low voices, and their energy weapons were casually hung on their waists, obviously not expecting anyone to sneak over from the side. Liam's eyes turned cold, his figure suddenly accelerated, and he rushed behind the two Shadow members in an instant. He gathered a faint energy in his hand and gently tapped the back of their necks. Before the two Shadow members could make a sound, they fell softly, and were quickly dragged by Kane into an ice pit behind the observation tower to hide.
"The entrance is cleared!" Kane said softly into the communicator, and at the same time took out the portable ice-breaking equipment he carried and handed it to Elena and Wang: "Hurry up with the ice-breaking, at most five minutes, otherwise the patrolling aircraft in the air will find something abnormal here."
Elena and Wang immediately started the ice-breaking equipment. The harsh roar was suppressed by the sound wave shield turned on by Kane. The ice quickly shattered under the action of the equipment, turning into ice chips all over the sky. The entrance of the ventilation duct gradually revealed - it was a circular entrance with a diameter of less than one meter, dark inside, exuding biting cold air, and a faint dark energy aura spread out along the duct entrance.
Dr. Gray walked to Liam's side. On the screen of his monitoring equipment, the energy fluctuation curve was stable and abnormal: "The energy state is very good, and the dark energy is not restless. However, although the dark energy aura in the duct is weak, it is very weird. Try not to use energy easily after entering to avoid being stimulated by the dark energy inside."
Liam nodded, bent down and crawled into the ventilation duct first. The energy in his body surged slightly, and his eyes glowed with a faint golden light, barely able to see the environment inside the duct - the inner wall of the duct was covered with thick frost, full of dust and spider webs, the metal duct under his feet was rusted, and every step made a slight creaking sound, which might collapse at any time. Kane followed closely behind. The security team was divided into two groups: one stayed at the entrance to guard, and the other followed everyone into the duct. Elena, Dr. Gray and Wang walked in the middle of the team, moving forward cautiously.
The ventilation duct was winding and tortuous, like a dark long snake, extending towards the first basement floor of the research station. Everyone walked for about ten minutes, and the duct ahead suddenly became much wider. Faintly, footsteps, conversations, and the roar of machine operation could be heard outside the duct. Obviously, they were already close to the equipment room on the first basement floor. Liam raised his hand to signal the team to stop, held his breath, listened carefully to the movement outside, and his eyes gradually became solemn.
"They are talking about the development of the dark brain chip, saying that they have found the approximate location of the spiritual energy crystal, which is in the geological sample library on the third basement floor, but the door of the sample library is blocked by an energy barrier, which can only be broken with Liam's symbiotic energy." Liam said softly to the people behind him, "There are five Shadow members outside, and two energy monitors. Once we emit any energy fluctuations, we will be discovered by them."
Elena's eyes narrowed, she took out a miniature jammer from her backpack and handed it to Wang: "Start the jammer to shield the signal of the energy monitor. Kane, take two security personnel to eliminate the Shadow members outside. Move quickly and don't leave any traces; Liam, come with me to the equipment room to see if we can find the main control system of the research station and get detailed information about the geological sample library; Dr. Gray, you stay in the duct to guard, and send a signal immediately if there is any abnormality."
Everyone acted quickly. Wang started the miniature jammer, and the indicator light on the screen turned green, indicating that the signal of the energy monitor had been successfully shielded; Kane took two security personnel, gently pried open the vent of the duct, and jumped out. The energy rifle in his hand instantly shot two faint energy beams, hitting two patrolling Shadow members. Before the remaining three Shadow members could react, they were quickly subdued by Kane and the security personnel without making any movement.
Liam and Elena followed and climbed out of the vent. What greeted them was a spacious equipment room - it was full of abandoned instruments and pipelines. Most of the instruments were rusted and scrapped, but there were several brand-new energy equipment running in the corner. The screen was flashing complex codes, which were the equipment used by the Shadow Organization to monitor energy fluctuations and break the sample library barrier. Elena quickly walked to the equipment, her fingers flying across the keyboard, trying to crack the data in the equipment to get detailed information about the spiritual energy crystal and the R&D base.
"No! The signal of the jammer has been cracked!" Wang suddenly shouted into the communicator, his tone full of urgency: "The energy monitor outside has returned to normal, and a lot of footsteps are coming towards the equipment room. It should be the support force of the Shadow Organization!"
Liam's face changed, and the energy in his body surged instantly. The crack on the collar expanded again, with golden light and black light intertwined, emitting a strong energy fluctuation: "Kane, immediately take the security personnel to guard the door and stop them from coming in! Elena, crack the data as soon as possible, we don't have much time!"
Kane immediately led the security personnel to guard the door of the equipment room, his energy rifle aimed at the door, ready for battle; Elena's fingers moved faster on the keyboard, the codes on the screen kept refreshing, and the specific coordinates of the spiritual energy crystal, the method to break the energy barrier, and the layout map of the underground R&D base gradually became clear. At this time, the footsteps outside the equipment room were getting closer and closer, and the aura of dark energy was becoming more and more intense. A new fierce battle was about to break out in this frozen underground equipment room.
What was even more terrifying was that Liam suddenly felt an extremely strong dark energy fluctuation coming from the depths of the duct - that fluctuation was more intense and weird than the dark energy of the scarred man, with an aura that devoured everything, slowly spreading towards everyone, as if a more powerful monster was silently watching their every move in the dark.