Fantasy Game: Infinite City

The energy fluctuations in the air grew increasingly intense, and the mental interference became more pronounced. The whispers around him sounded like countless people talking simultaneously, causing dizziness. However, Han Zu's will was extremely firm. The energy within his body circulated rapidly, forming an invisible barrier around him, isolating him from all interference. His perception was enhanced to its limit, allowing him to clearly capture every subtle movement around him, including the footsteps of the Griffin Squad soldiers, the engine sounds of armored vehicles, and the aura of the mutated creatures hidden in the shadows.

At the end of the alley ahead lay the plaza where the clock tower stood. Han Zu stopped at the alley entrance, carefully observing the plaza. Scattered across the plaza were numerous corpses, including those of Griffin Faction soldiers and skeletons of players trapped years ago. Two Griffin Faction armored vehicles were parked at the edge of the plaza, their searchlights illuminating the entire area. The soldiers were divided into two groups: one on guard duty, and the other approaching the clock tower, preparing to explore its interior.

Han Zu's gaze fell on the clock tower's door, which remained tightly shut. The rust and black markings on the door looked particularly eerie under the light. He knew that once the Griffin Faction soldiers entered the clock tower, they would inevitably discover the metal device on the second floor and the tattered research log. At that point, their search for the energy source would be much more precise. He had to find more clues about the energy source before the soldiers entered the clock tower, or at least find its hiding place first.

He quickly scanned the area around the square, searching for a concealed route to the clock tower. Most of the abandoned buildings around the square had collapsed, leaving only broken walls, offering little concealment. However, on the east side of the square, there was an abandoned hotel. The hotel was about the same height as the clock tower, offering a panoramic view of the entire square, and also allowing him to observe the activity inside the clock tower through the hotel's windows.

Without hesitation, Han Zu immediately ran towards the abandoned hotel. His figure moved like an arrow, darting through the shadows surrounding the plaza, avoiding the Griffin Faction soldiers' sight. Soon, he arrived at the hotel entrance. The hotel door was already broken, so Han Zu bent down and crawled inside, quickly climbing the abandoned staircase.

The hotel's interior was similar to the other buildings, covered in dust and rubble, with black energy markings on the walls. Scattered throughout the floors were numerous pieces of hotel furniture and discarded items, with the occasional decaying corpse. Han Zu didn't stop, continuing his ascent until he quickly reached the hotel's top floor.

Most of the rooms on the top floor had collapsed, leaving only a complete terrace. Han Zu walked to the edge of the terrace and, using the railing for cover, looked towards the clock tower. At this moment, the Griffin Faction soldiers had already opened the clock tower's doors and were climbing the stairs, preparing to explore the interior. Han Zu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he inwardly cursed. He had to act quickly, otherwise, once the soldiers discovered clues inside the clock tower, he would be at a disadvantage.

He quickly scanned the area around the terrace and noticed a narrow beam connecting it to the platform at the top of the clock tower. This beam, once the passageway between the hotel and the clock tower, was now rusty and looked extremely fragile, as if it might break at any moment. But it was currently the only route to approach the top of the clock tower.

Without hesitation, Han Zu took a deep breath and leaped from the terrace onto the beam. The beam swayed violently, creaking as if it might collapse at any moment. Han Zu's steps were unusually steady as he quickly walked along the beam towards the platform at the top of the clock tower. Rust from the beam continued to flake off, falling onto the plaza below with a soft thud.

The Griffin soldiers below, unaware of the commotion above, continued their ascent up the stairs. Soon, Han Zu reached the platform at the top of the clock tower, leaped, and landed steadily. Without pausing, he immediately went to the metal rod in the center of the platform, reactivated the contractor's equipment, and began a detailed scan of the rod. He hoped to find more clues about the energy source, or at least its exact location, from the metal rod.

On the contractor's equipment screen, the energy spectrum kept refreshing, clearly displaying the energy characteristics of the metal rod. Han Zu carefully observed the spectrum and suddenly discovered that the energy fluctuations of the metal rod were not isolated, but rather resonated faintly with several residual energy signal points on the city's outskirts. This resonance was extremely weak; it would have been completely undetectable had he not deliberately magnified the spectrum.

"Resonance?" Han Zu's heart skipped a beat. This meant that there was some connection between those residual energy signal points and the metal rod, perhaps they were auxiliary transmission nodes from the energy experiment back then. And the location of the energy source was likely in the central area of ​​these resonance points, or had some special connection with these resonance points.

He immediately operated the contractor's equipment to mark the residual energy points that resonated with the metal rods. The screen showed that there were five such residual points, located in the outer areas of the town's east, south, west, and north, as well as at the clock tower in the town center. These five residual points formed a complete pentagram formation, enveloping the entire town.

"A pentagram formation?" A knowing glint flashed in Han Zu's eyes. Back when Infinite Corporation conducted its energy experiments, it's highly likely that these five locations served as nodes for energy transmission, constructing a massive energy array to stabilize and control the unknown energy source. The clock tower's metal rod was the core node of this array. After the energy source went out of control, the array was destroyed, and the energy from the five nodes began to spread, creating residual energy signals throughout the city.

If this hypothesis is correct, then the energy source is likely located in the central area of ​​this pentagram formation, directly beneath the clock tower. This is because, typically, the energy core of an array is hidden beneath its core nodes. Han Zu's gaze fell upon the ground of the clock tower, which was covered with pebbles and black energy markings, showing no apparent abnormalities. However, he could sense a faint energy fluctuation emanating from beneath the ground, remarkably similar to the energy characteristics of the metal rod, only more concealed and difficult to detect.

Just as Han Zu was preparing to further investigate the energy fluctuations beneath the ground, footsteps came from the stairwell. The Griffin Faction soldiers had arrived at the top platform of the clock tower. Han Zu's eyes narrowed instantly. He immediately put away the contractor's equipment, and in a flash, hid behind the railing at the edge of the platform, completely concealing his aura.

"Attention everyone, thoroughly search every corner of the platform, don't overlook any clues," the squad leader's voice rang out, carrying a stern command. The soldiers immediately spread out and began a careful search of the platform, their energy detectors emitting faint beeps as they detected energy fluctuations in the surrounding area. One soldier walked to a metal pole, scanned it with his energy detector, and a strong energy fluctuation immediately appeared on the screen.

"Captain, we've detected a strong energy fluctuation coming from this metal rod," the soldier immediately reported to his squad leader.

The squad leader strode over to the metal rod, carefully examining it while scanning it with his personal terminal. "This should be the transmission device from the energy experiment back then. The power of the energy source likely spread through this metal rod," the squad leader said in a deep voice. "Continue the search and see if we can find any clues about the energy source."

The soldiers continued their search of the platform. Some checked the black marks on the railings, others examined the rubble on the ground, while still others headed towards the stairwell to search other floors. Han Zu hid behind the railing, clearly sensing the soldiers' presence drawing ever closer, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. If the soldiers discovered him, he would have to act immediately, but the distance was too close; any move he made would inevitably reveal his location.

At this critical moment, a sharp alarm sounded from below, accompanied by shouts from soldiers and the firing of energy weapons. The squad leader's expression changed instantly, and he immediately asked into the communicator, "What's going on?"

A chaotic cacophony of sounds, mixed with explosions and soldiers' screams, came through the communicator: "Captain, something's wrong! A large number of mutants have suddenly swarmed in from all sides and are attacking our armored vehicles and sentry squads. Requesting backup! Requesting backup!"

The squad leader's face turned deathly pale. He never expected that the mutants, which had been scattered on the perimeter, would suddenly gather together and attack them. "Everyone, evacuate the platform immediately and go to support the guard team!" the squad leader ordered immediately. The soldiers didn't dare to hesitate and ran towards the stairwell, quickly evacuating the platform.

Han Zu hid behind the railing, listening to the soldiers' footsteps gradually fade into the distance. He stepped out from behind the railing, his gaze returning to the ground. The energy within his body slowly seeped into the ground through his feet, probing downwards. The energy fluctuations beneath the ground became increasingly clear. He could sense that deep beneath the clock tower lay a powerful energy source, the very unknown energy source he was searching for.

A flicker of excitement flashed in Han Zu's eyes. He had finally located the energy source. Next, he needed to enter the clock tower's underground area, find the energy source, uncover the truth behind the "Silent Corridor" instance, and thwart the Griffin Faction's conspiracy. Meanwhile, the battle in the plaza had intensified. The roars of mutated creatures, the firing of energy weapons, and the rumble of armored vehicles mingled together, creating a chaotic carnage. Han Zu ignored the battle in the plaza and turned to walk towards the stairwell, preparing to enter the clock tower and find the entrance to the underground area.

He slowly descended the stairs, encountering several Griffin Faction soldiers hastily retreating along the way. The soldiers were preoccupied with reaching the plaza to provide support and failed to notice Han Zu's presence. Han Zu, with his keen senses, easily evaded the soldiers and reached the first floor of the clock tower. The ground floor was scattered with rubble and discarded mechanical parts, and the black markings on the walls constantly writhing, radiating intense energy fluctuations. Han Zu carefully searched every corner of the first floor, looking for an entrance to the underground area.

Soon, he discovered a hidden entrance in a corner of the first floor. The entrance was sealed by a huge stone slab, covered with rust and black energy markings, emitting faint energy fluctuations. Han Zu stepped forward and gently pushed aside the slab, revealing a narrow staircase beneath. The staircase led deep underground, pitch black, exuding a strong stench of decay and decay, and the energy fluctuations were much stronger than on the surface.

Without hesitation, Han Zu picked up a piece of gravel and threw it down the stairs, hearing no unusual sound. He took a deep breath, leaped down the stairs, and quickly began his ascent. The stairs were steep and narrow, covered in dust and black marks, each step making a faint sound. Han Zu's night vision was fully activated, allowing him to clearly see the environment below. His steps were steady as he rapidly advanced deeper underground, gradually moving away from the chaotic battle on the surface and closer to the unknown energy source.

The air in the underground area grew increasingly foul, a stench of decay and stench that made one nauseous. Han Zu rapidly circulated the energy within his body, forming an invisible barrier that isolated him from the polluted air. He descended the stairs for about ten meters, finally reaching the first basement level. The first basement level was a vast space, resembling the experimental base of the Infinite Corporation from years past. The floor was scattered with a large amount of research equipment and discarded documents, while the walls were covered with complex wiring and pipes. Black energy markings, like vines, entwined the walls and equipment, radiating intense energy fluctuations.

Han Zu's gaze swept across the experimental base, his heart filled with shock. The scale here far exceeded his expectations; clearly, the energy experiments conducted here by Infinite Corporation back then were far more extensive than described in the research logs. He walked to a discarded research device, covered in rust and black marks, its screen long since broken and unable to display any content. He gently touched the device with his fingertips, his internal energy seeping into it, sensing the residual energy fluctuations within the device, originating from the same source as the energy fluctuations in the metal rods and beneath the ground.

Han Zu continued exploring the experimental base, carefully searching every corner, hoping to find more clues about the energy experiments. Among a pile of discarded documents, he found several complete research logs, authored by the same person who had previously written the incomplete log. Han Zu quickly flipped through the logs, which detailed the process of the energy experiments from years ago, as well as the situation after the energy source went out of control.

The logs reveal that the unknown energy source discovered by Infinite Corporation was not naturally formed, but rather originated from a meteorite in outer space. This meteorite crashed near the town of Pljevlja and was discovered by Infinite Corporation's researchers. The meteorite contained immense energy, exhibiting strong instability and the ability to interfere with mental processes. Infinite Corporation's researchers brought the meteorite back to the town and established a secret experimental base, attempting to stabilize the meteorite's energy through experiments and apply it to the creation of dungeons.

The experiment initially progressed smoothly. Researchers successfully confined the meteorite's energy at its center using a pentagram energy array and disseminated it throughout the town via five transmission nodes, creating the prototype of the "Silent Corridor" instance. However, this success was short-lived. During one experiment, the meteorite's energy suddenly went out of control, breaking free of the array's restraints. The energy spread throughout the town via the transmission nodes, corroding surrounding life and the environment, causing numerous deaths, and plunging the instance into an abnormal state. After the experiment went out of control, Infinite Corporation attempted to destroy the meteorite, but its energy was too powerful. Destroying it would cause an internal explosion, blasting the entire town into the sky. At that time, Infinite Corporation did not yet possess the vast power it has today, so to conceal their activities, they could only reseal the meteorite deep underground within the experimental base, seal off the entire town, erase related memories, and cover up the truth.

After reading the log, Han Zu suddenly understood. It turned out that the unknown energy source was actually a meteorite from outer space. The Griffin Sect wanted to find this meteorite in the hope of researching a method to control its energy and use its power to enhance their own strength. The anomaly in the instance was the result of the meteorite's energy spiraling out of control and continuing to spread.

He put away his research log and gazed into the depths of the experimental base. The energy fluctuations were strongest there, clearly indicating that the meteorite was sealed within. Han Zu began his ascent deeper into the experimental base. The research equipment along the way grew increasingly dense, the black markings on the walls became more intricate, the energy fluctuations intensified, and the mental interference became more pronounced once again. But Han Zu's will remained steadfast; his internal energy circulated rapidly, resisting all interference, and he moved step by step closer to the meteorite's location.

Deep within the experimental base stood a massive alloy door, its surface covered in intricate runes and black markings, radiating intense energy fluctuations. Clearly, this was the place where the meteorite was sealed. Han Zu approached the alloy door, carefully examining the runes. These runes were originally used by Infinite Corporation to seal the meteorite's energy; now, some were damaged, and energy fluctuations leaked from the broken areas, forming the surrounding black markings.

Han Zu reached out, his fingertips lightly touching the runes on the door, his energy seeping into them. The runes instantly lit up, emitting a faint glow, and the energy fluctuations intensified. He could sense that behind the alloy door lay an extremely vast and violent energy, emanating from the meteorite. Han Zu knew that opening this alloy door would reveal the meteorite that had caused all the anomalies. But he also knew that once the door was opened, the meteorite's energy signal would spread throughout Privria, and the Griffin Faction camp outside the city would surely pinpoint the exact location of the energy source.

"There's a space down here!"

Just as Han Zu hesitated, footsteps approached from the stairwell, accompanied by the sounds of soldiers talking. Han Zu's eyes narrowed instantly. He immediately picked up a nearby piece of abandoned research equipment, crawled inside, then placed it back down and hid inside, completely concealing his presence. The Griffin Faction soldiers had probably also discovered this location; they would soon realize the existence of the underground experimental base and send more people down. Han Zu didn't want anyone to discover his presence, so he decided to remain still and observe how things developed.