Upon opening the concealed side door, a relatively narrow passage materialized before them.
This was the maintenance workers’ staff corridor, starkly utilitarian compared to the futuristic exhibition areas surrounding it, with only basic lighting and signage adorning its metal walls.
Somewhat surprisingly, even the ventilation ducts were exceptionally clean, devoid of the expected dust accumulation, suggesting a commendable standard of hygiene.
Chen Ling vetoed Vic’s suggestion of directly breaching the core area from here.
“Vic, I acknowledge your strength, but we know nothing of the core area’s internal structure. A rash intrusion could easily lead us into an ambush, or even… alert the Demon King.”
Her tone was calm and deliberate.
Qi Yue’an concurred.
“Our objective is to gather intelligence, not to engage in direct confrontation. It would be unwise to alert them before we have sufficient evidence and are fully prepared.”
She gestured upwards towards the ventilation grilles.
“The diameter of these ducts is large enough for a person to pass through; perhaps this offers a better alternative.”
Chen Ling nodded, her gaze sweeping towards an inconspicuous terminal interface in the corner of the passage—the control console for the maintenance and cleaning unit.
“We need a map,” she stated succinctly.
The Dreamwalker immediately understood, stepping forward with her computer terminal to connect it.
As she operated it, the screen illuminated, and data streams began to scroll. Indeed, leveraging the “special permissions” triggered when Qi Yue’an opened the side door earlier, they successfully bypassed the basic firewall and delved deep into the system.
Beyond the necessary maintenance programs, the terminal also contained numerous private files left by its previous owner, resembling a digital time capsule.
They quickly browsed through them, and one diary-like entry particularly caught their attention:
“November 11, 2022. Another day spent maintaining the ‘Black Sun’ conduction arm. This behemoth devours enough energy to light up an entire city. I truly wonder what grand purpose the boss intends for it… Still, compared to the days of constantly hiding, this place offers food, lodging, and full benefits. I’m content.”
“…I’ve heard the land beneath us is not simple. The boss apparently ‘excavated’ the entire floating island from somewhere across the ocean, and it seems an abandoned base from the last century is buried beneath. The ‘Black Sun’ was expanded around that pre-existing massive hole… No wonder some corners always feel so eerie.”
“…On duty tonight, I heard strange noises from deep within the ventilation ducts again, like something crawling… Old Wang from the next team says it’s a base horror story, restless spirits of those who died here. Ha, we’re all demon-kind; are we still afraid of ghosts? If we really run into one, who knows who’ll scare whom away… Still, it’s a bit unsettling. Next time, I need to request a partner.”
The diary entries offered everyone a more unsettling insight into the base’s hidden history.
“Found it.”
Shasha’s muffled voice announced as she brought up a complete 3D map of the ventilation system and architectural structure. Following a brief yet efficient discussion, the plan was swiftly finalized:
They would infiltrate the administrative zone, moving through the ventilation ducts to positions above the administrative offices, where they would install miniature listening devices.
Afterward, they would swiftly infiltrate the archives within the allotted time, searching for classified documents pertaining to the true purpose of the “Black Sun,” relic research, and Lin Xiao’s ultimate plan.
Finally, they would endeavor to reach the industrial zone, secretly rendezvous with Ling Ru, who was impersonating Qi Yue’an, integrate their respective intelligence, and then transport all gathered information back to the surface, dispatching it through secure channels to the Global Emergency Organization for higher-level decision-making on subsequent actions.
“Action.”
Chen Ling issued the command.
The team members, one by one, slipped into the ventilation ducts.
The inner walls of the ducts were smooth, and the air circulation system functioned well, producing only a faint hum of airflow.
The journey through here proved quieter and longer than anticipated. They navigated a labyrinth of intricate pipes, where the silence was unnerving. At times, the rooms visible below were shrouded in complete darkness, seemingly abandoned for a long time.
The monotonous scenery brought with it a sense of boredom. As they traversed the confined metal space, Vic, unable to curb her curiosity, whispered to “Youguangyu” ahead of her:
“Hey, your outfit… it’s quite distinctive. What did you do before? You don’t look like a typical magical girl.”
Qi Yue’an, having already prepared her backstory, replied in Youguangyu’s cool, slightly world-weary voice:
“My family has been in the funeral business for generations, also undertaking exorcisms and warding off evil. Later, my family was gone, and I found myself alone. By chance, I became a magical girl, and so I continue to walk the world, slaying demons and purging evil, relying on my ancestral skills.”
She paused, gently stroking her Judge’s robe.
“This attire is my armor, and the manifestation of my conviction.”
Neither Vic nor Shasha, who was beside her, harbored any suspicion. After all, Vic’s own punk-style transformation outfit—a leather bustier paired with a mink fur jacket—also diverged greatly from the elaborate frilly dresses of mainstream magical girls. They all understood that one’s transformed appearance largely reflected their inner essence.
The duct system was an intricate maze. They proceeded cautiously, guided by the map. Occasionally, the pipes would pass through areas clearly abandoned or old storage rooms.
These places, perpetually deprived of sunlight, were steeped in an impenetrable darkness. The air was thick with the scent of rust, dust, and a faint, almost imperceptible, odor of decay. The pervasive silence made one feel as though unseen eyes were constantly scrutinizing them from the shadows, sending shivers down their spines.
As they progressed into a particularly long stretch, the surrounding environment grew increasingly bizarre.
Thick, rusted pipes coiled like colossal pythons, and discarded mechanical devices lay scattered in the shadows like silent skeletons.
Suddenly—
In the darkness, without any warning, pairs of blood-red eyes ignited, brimming with madness and hunger. Immediately afterward, distorted, gaping maws, split to the ears, materialized in the air, emitting silent, agonizing shrieks.
The surrounding duct walls began to writhe and twist as if alive, and their sense of space became disoriented.
“What is that?!”
Vic reacted with lightning speed, her specialized handgun instantly coalescing energy. A searing beam of light shot towards the nearest blood-eyed monstrosity!
However, the beam passed directly through the illusory figure, striking the duct wall behind it, leaving only a charred mark.
She swiftly summoned her massive anti-materiel sniper rifle, and with a roar, the specialized bullet likewise passed through the entity without causing any substantial damage. The elemental magic projectiles Shasha threw also vanished as if into a bottomless pit, merely causing the ethereal shadows to ripple slightly.
“Physical and energy attacks are largely ineffective; they aren’t corporeal!”
Chen Ling assessed calmly, dark magic beginning to surge around her as she prepared to unleash a more potent mental interference ability to force a path through.
“Allow me.”
At that moment, “Youguangyu” Qi Yue’an stepped forward, her voice steady. She drew her ancient longsword, and its blade instantly blazed with the scorching, majestic Hell-Suppressing Flame.
The light from the flames, like a mini-sun, dispelled the surrounding darkness and chill. Its fiercely burning aura of judgment seemed to possess a natural suppressive power over all evil.
The blood-red eyes and gaping mouths, which had been stirring and attempting to lunge, suddenly froze, letting out sharp, painful, silent screams. Their frenzied aura was forcibly suppressed.
“Such filth, born from concentrated resentment and obsession, is best purified by me.”
Her tone was calm, as if stating a simple fact. She brandished the ancient sword in her hand, and crimson flames spread like a wildfire across the land. Wherever they swept, the twisted, blood-red phantoms melted away like ice and snow, dissolving into wisps of green smoke amidst their mournful shrieks.
In mere moments, the passage reverted to its original cold stillness, with only the faint scent of charring in the air as evidence of what had just transpired.
Vic whistled, holstering her gun.
“Cool! The professionals truly are different.”
Chen Ling, having withdrawn her power, merely raised an eyebrow. Based on their secret code, she knew the girl before her was Qi Yue’an in disguise, yet the unique, demon-quelling aura emanating from her was undeniably genuine.
This power, distinct from any known lineage, stood in stark contrast to Chen Ling’s own dark and eerie envy-fueled abilities.
She could only keep a close watch on this Demon Queen, whose trustworthiness remained uncertain, given the multitude of unstable factors surrounding her.
With the crisis resolved, the team continued their journey according to plan.
They cautiously reached the ventilation outlet beneath the administrative zone, successfully installing several miniature listening devices. Afterward, they evaded patrols and stealthily infiltrated their crucial target for this mission—the archives.
The archives were dimly lit, with only emergency indicator lights casting a faint green glow.
Rows of towering filing cabinets stood like silent giants, and the air was thick with the scent of paper and fine dust.
Just as they prepared to split up and search, a figure appeared in the shadows deep within the archives.
The man wore a white lab coat and glasses, holding and perusing a file. According to their intelligence, he was Otto, the Seventh Executive Officer of the Dawn Star Hall, codenamed “Greed,” and known as “the Doctor”!
He seemed to have heard a subtle movement, as he lifted his head, his gaze, sharp behind his lenses, sweeping towards the area where Qi Yue’an and the others were hidden.
At this critical juncture, the archives door was gently pushed open.
Ling Ru, disguised as Qi Yue’an, entered with a composed demeanor, accompanied by Li Yan and Su Qiao.
Her gaze calmly swept across the archives, as if on a routine inspection, placing her precisely within the same delicate space as Doctor Otto and the true infiltrators, who were holding their breath in the shadows.