113: Chapter 113 The Countdown to Division

The Interstellar Academy's artificial night sky still displayed the Orion star map, but its intended serene and brilliant light was completely swallowed by the menacing golden patterns above the central plaza. The Destruction Equation hung like a judgment net over everyone's heads; the flow of each golden pattern was accompanied by the chilling aura of dark matter. Franklin's giant red countdown, projected in mid-air, ticked down with precise accuracy—71 hours, 58 minutes, 32 seconds; 71 hours, 58 minutes, 31 seconds... Each diminishing number was like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's heart.

The chaos and pain had not yet dissipated. The Light Sphere Race students, collectively hypnotized by Shadow, had fallen back into that numb, empty somnambulistic state after AKai's failed attempt to activate the elegy anchor resulted in a backlash. They floated in mid-air, eyes tightly closed, pupils covered by a dead white. The light orbs in their palms pulsed at a perfectly synchronized frequency, mechanically outlining the terrifying equation capable of detonating the academy's core and destroying Earth. Little Kate led three early-awakened senior Light Sphere Race students, guarding the outermost perimeter of the plaza. The girl's eyes were still red, bloodshot in what should have been clear, bright eyes. She dared not relax for a moment, staring intently at every controlled member of her clan, fearing a new anomaly would appear the next second.

AKai stood alone in the shadows at the edge of the plaza, tightly clutching the elegy anchor, which glowed with a faint blue light, completely immersed in a deathly silence. Previously, in his haste to resolve the crisis, he had insisted on forcibly activating the elegy anchor, only to be sharply refuted by Little Kate in public. Her words, "Your method will only create more suffering," were like an ice-cold needle, piercing deep into his heart. This scientist, who had spent his life researching emotional energy and prided himself as a Guardian of students, for the first time wavered in his firmly held beliefs. He had always thought that sacrificing a few for the greater good was the most rational choice, but it wasn't until he saw the students painfully curling up, their souls wailing, and saw the tears of disappointment and anger in Little Kate's eyes, that he suddenly realized—his so-called rationality was merely prejudice cloaked in the guise of protection. He was only concerned with solving the crisis, but he forgot that the essence of guardianship was to cherish every life, not to exchange suffering for so-called safety.

Kate stood in the center of the plaza, the night wind stirring her silver-white hair. The warm golden energy unique to the Light Sphere Race subtly flowed at her fingertips, yet it couldn't suppress the surging chill and helplessness in her heart. As the highest existing leader of the Light Sphere Race and the core Guardian of the Interstellar Academy, she felt a deep sense of frustration for the first time when faced with Shadow's intricate conspiracy. From the self-immolation of Light Sphere Race students at the opening ceremony, leaving behind Shadow's curse, to the collective hypnosis in the dead of night to draw the Destruction Equation, and then to the phrase "path to salvation at the Mother Star" pointing to their home world, every step Shadow took precisely targeted their weaknesses—he exploited the Light Sphere Race's protective instincts for their kin, their obsession with their Mother Star, and their helplessness in having to grasp at a lifeline in desperation.

She looked up at the impenetrable destruction patterns, her fingertips unconsciously curling. The Mother Star of the Light Sphere Race was a sacred place buried deep in the memories of all her people, the origin of their life and energy, yet it was completely destroyed by unknown dark matter during the interstellar wars a century ago, leaving only shattered star remnants and endless ruins floating in the universe. Shadow deliberately left the clue "path to salvation at the Mother Star" in the corner of the equation; his intention couldn't be clearer—it was a carefully laid trap, waiting for them to willingly jump in, then to be caught in one fell swoop.

But they had no choice.

The 72-hour countdown was like a Sword of Damocles hanging overhead. The lives of eighty Light Sphere Race students and the safety of billions of lives on Earth were firmly held in Shadow's grasp. Besides following Shadow's clues to the Mother Star, they couldn't find any other way to solve the equation.

"Are you thinking about the Mother Star?"

A low, slightly hoarse voice came from behind, interrupting Kate's thoughts. She turned around, and what met her eyes was Lin Fan's slightly pale face. A dark, unresolvable gloom was hidden deep in the man's eyes, and his aura was much more subdued than usual. The extreme suppression of his emotions almost solidified.

Since the collective hypnosis incident began, Lin Fan had been acting extremely abnormally. In previous crises, he was always the first to step forward, calmly arranging tactics, steadying morale, and standing at the forefront. But this time, he remained silently in the corner, his gaze wandering, his expression conflicted, as if hiding countless unspeakable secrets. Kate had noticed, but with crises all around, she had no time to delve deeper. Yet, at this moment, meeting Lin Fan's complex eyes, her unease grew stronger.

"I'm wondering what Shadow's true purpose is in setting up such a grand scheme to lure us to the Mother Star," Kate said softly, her voice carrying an undisguised weariness. "Neither the Destruction Equation nor the collective hypnosis seems like his ultimate goal. What he wants should be far more than simply destroying the academy and Earth."

Lin Fan's Adam's apple subtly bobbed, his gaze fixed on Kate's face, his eyes swirling with heartache, struggle, fear, and a nearly desperate stubbornness. He was silent for a long time before slowly speaking, his voice so soft as if afraid of disturbing something: "Have you ever been afraid?"

Kate paused slightly, then gently shook her head, her gaze turning to the floating Light Sphere Race students. Her tone was firm and gentle: "I've never been afraid of death. What I fear is not being able to protect them in time, seeing my kin become tools of slaughter, and fearing that Earth will fall into catastrophe because of us. I am the leader of the Light Sphere Race; standing here, I must bear this responsibility. I cannot retreat, nor do I have the right to retreat."

Her words were soft, yet carried immense weight, a mission and responsibility etched deep into her soul. But hearing these words, Lin Fan's heart was gripped by a sharp pain. The panic and despair suppressed deep within him almost broke through the shackles of his reason.

He knew Shadow's terror better than anyone, and he understood more than anyone that Kate's unwavering determination would ultimately push her into an abyss of no return.

Just now, while the entire plaza was in chaos and everyone was busy comforting students and analyzing the equation, Lin Fan made an utterly insane decision—to infiltrate Shadow's domain alone.

He didn't tell anyone, not Kate, not Little Kate, and even Franklin, who constantly monitored the entire scene, had his signal blocked by Lin Fan's special means. Following the dark matter aura Shadow left in the Light Sphere Race students, he used his own mental power as a guide, forcibly tearing a rift between reality and Shadow's mental domain, and stepped alone into that land of death constructed from despair, darkness, and obsession.

Shadow's domain had no sky, no boundaries, no physical form, only an boundless expanse of pitch black. Countless fragmented emotional pieces—fear, pain, despair, betrayal—drifted in the air. Each fragment was enough to instantly collapse an ordinary mental body. Lin Fan walked in this darkness for an unknown duration before finally seeing the dark figure standing at the core of the darkness.

Shadow had no physical body, only a constantly twisting, swirling mass of dark matter. His voice seemed to come from the netherworld, hoarse and mocking, carrying the arrogance and indifference of one who controlled everything. He did not attack Lin Fan, but merely watched him quietly, as if observing an ant that had walked into a trap.

"You finally dared to come see me, my other half."

Shadow's first words struck Lin Fan's deepest secret, the truth he wanted to hide at all costs—Shadow was not an external enemy, not an unknown monster, but a dark personality split from the depths of Lin Fan's soul, an entity formed by his years of suppressed fear, anger, and despair. They were two in one, connected by blood. If Shadow perished, Lin Fan's soul would also scatter; if Lin Fan succumbed, Shadow would completely occupy this body, becoming the most terrifying destroyer in the universe.

This was the secret Lin Fan dared not speak, the shackles he would rather be misunderstood and hated for, but would fiercely guard.

He suppressed the trembling deep in his soul, pushed down all emotions, and tried to negotiate with Shadow, only asking for the safety of Kate and the students. And Shadow, with a casual tone, gave a condition, one that made him despair to the point of suffocation.

Now, facing Kate's clear and determined gaze, Lin Fan knew he could no longer hide it.

Taking a deep breath, as if filling his entire chest with the cold night wind, Lin Fan finally spoke, his voice terrifyingly calm, each word seemingly using all his strength: "I've seen Shadow."

These five short words, like a sudden clap of thunder, instantly froze Kate's body, and the color drained from her face. She abruptly looked up, staring at Lin Fan in disbelief, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "What did you say? Lin Fan, are you crazy? That's Shadow's domain; what's the difference between you going in alone and committing suicide? Do you know that once he controls your mind, you'll be trapped in that darkness forever!"

Anxiety, anger, worry—all sorts of emotions instantly surged into Kate's heart. She had never seen Lin Fan so reckless, so heedless of consequences. But Lin Fan just looked at her quietly, his eyes showing no regret, only heavy helplessness and struggle.

"I know the danger, but I had no choice," Lin Fan's voice was low and hoarse. "I can't watch you lead everyone into the Mother Star's trap, I can't watch eighty students turn to ashes, and I certainly can't watch you die at Shadow's hands."

"So you went to negotiate alone?" Kate's voice was tinged with a sob. "Lin Fan, we are partners, people who can entrust our backs to each other. Why did you bear it all alone? Why didn't you tell me?"

"If I told you, would you let me go?" Lin Fan countered, a trace of bitterness in his tone. "You would only stop me, only get into danger with me. I can't let you take that risk."

"Then you can put yourself at risk?" Kate's eyes were slightly red, and her Light Orb energy flickered due to emotional fluctuations. "Have you ever thought about what I would do if something happened to you? What would the students do?"

Lin Fan's heart clenched, but he knew this was not the time to wallow in emotion. He had to state Shadow's condition, even if that condition would make him despised by everyone, and completely break his bond with Kate.

He avoided Kate's gaze, looking at the Destruction Equation in mid-air, and spoke each word clearly, his voice echoing across the entire plaza: "He made a condition."

Kate's heart sank abruptly, and an ominous premonition instantly swept over her. She stared intently at Lin Fan, her voice dry: "What condition?"

At this moment, everyone in the plaza stopped what they were doing. Little Kate, AKai, the cadets maintaining order, and even Franklin, who was debugging the system, all turned their gazes to the two of them. The air seemed to solidify instantly, the wind died down, and the sound of the light patterns flowing became piercingly clear. Everyone was waiting for the fate-deciding answer.

Under countless gazes, Lin Fan's lips moved, and he uttered the words that made everyone feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar:

"Hand over Kate."

"Hand you, completely, over to Shadow."

"In exchange, he will immediately stop drawing the Destruction Equation, lift the hypnosis from all Light Sphere Race students, and spare the Interstellar Academy and the entire Earth."

Time, it seemed, stood still at this moment.

A deathly silence fell over the plaza, broken only by the ticking of the countdown, echoing in their ears, harsh and desperate.

Little Kate was the first to react. The girl's face instantly turned ashen, and she stumbled back a step, her voice choked with tears: "Brother Lin... what are you talking about? How can we exchange Teacher Kate for everyone's safety? Absolutely not! I don't agree!"

AKai abruptly stepped out of the shadows, the elegy anchor in his arms emitting a low hum. His eyes were sharp as knives, staring intently at Lin Fan, his tone icy and furious: "Lin Fan, do you know what you're saying? Kate is the leader of the Light Sphere Race, our partner. You want to hand her over to Shadow? What are you thinking?!"

Franklin's virtual projection instantly changed from light blue to a warning crimson, data streams wildly churning, his electronic voice filled with unprecedented agitation: "Warning! Logical conflict! This condition violates the Interstellar Life Protection Protocol! Violates Human Ethical Protocol! Violates AI Core Guidelines! Rejected! Completely rejected! Lin Fan, has Shadow tampered with your mind? I am initiating a mental scan program right now—"

"Shut up."

Lin Fan coldly swept his gaze over Franklin. The chilling aura emanating from the depths of his soul instantly silenced the usually verbose AI, and its projection couldn't help but flicker a few times.

Everyone's gaze ultimately fell on Kate.

Shock, reluctance, worry, anger, heartache... all sorts of emotions intertwined, like heavy shackles, almost crushing the Light Sphere Race leader. Kate stood quietly in place, looking up at Lin Fan. In her clear eyes, there was first disbelief, then a trace of icy laughter.

The laughter was light, faint, yet carried a bone-chilling coldness that made Lin Fan's heart involuntarily clench.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"Lin Fan." Kate spoke slowly, her voice so calm it didn't have a single ripple, yet every word stabbed into Lin Fan's heart like an icicle, "I only realize now that it seems I have never truly known you."

"Tell me, when did you start becoming the messenger for Shadow?"

Lin Fan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and he hurriedly tried to defend himself: "I am not his messenger. I have never colluded with him. I was only—"

"Only what?" Kate stepped forward, her gaze piercing him. The Light Sphere Race energy around her rose slowly due to the violent fluctuations of her emotions, the warm golden light exceptionally dazzling in the night. "Only sneaking into his domain alone, negotiating with him, and then bringing his conditions back exactly as they were, wanting us to send me out as a sacrifice? Lin Fan, tell me, if this isn't a messenger, what is it?"

"I am saving you!" Lin Fan finally couldn't help but raise his voice, his long-suppressed emotions completely erupting. He stepped forward, reached out, and grabbed Kate's wrist, his grip so strong it almost crushed her bones, his eyes filled with extreme, suppressed fear and impatience.

"Do you think that by relying on Light Sphere Race energy, on the elegy anchor, and on a dilapidated starship to run to the Mother Star, you can defeat Shadow?"

"Do you think you are an omnipotent hero? Do you think you can save everyone?"

"Kate, wake up! You have no idea how strong he is! He is an existence that transcends the rules of all star systems. With just a thought, he can make eighty Light Sphere Race students explode on the spot! With just a thought, he can cause the Interstellar Academy core to detonate instantly! If he wants Earth to disappear, he only needs one second!"

"You simply don't understand, when I stood in front of him, the kind of fear that spread from the depths of my soul was so despairing!"

"I'm afraid! I'm afraid he will hurt you! I'm afraid he will devour you! I'm afraid I will never see you again!"

The last few sentences were almost roared out by Lin Fan, his voice hoarse and broken, carrying a vulnerability even he didn't want to admit. He had never exposed his fear in front of anyone; even when facing the most powerful enemies, he could remain calm. But only when facing Kate, and facing Shadow's covetousness for her, did all his disguises and strength instantly crumble.

Kate, with her wrist held by him, looked up at the man in front of her who had lost his composure. She saw the panic in his eyes, his struggle, and his deeply hidden fear, but the more she saw this, the colder and more disappointed her heart became.

"So, just because he is strong, and because you are afraid, you have to hand me over?" Kate's voice was very soft, yet carried an unquestionable firmness. "Lin Fan, your so-called salvation is to push me into hell to trade for the safety of others? This is not salvation; this is betrayal. It is a betrayal of me, and it is a betrayal of the trust between us."

"I am not trying to push you into hell!" Lin Fan roared with red eyes. "I am just buying time! I will find a way to save you! I will!"

"Save me with what?" Kate looked straight into his eyes, asking back word by word. "With the secrets you are hiding? With the truth you dare not speak? Or with this trust of yours where you don't even dare to tell the truth?"

As her voice fell, Kate exerted force suddenly and threw off Lin Fan's hand fiercely.

The force was so great that Lin Fan involuntarily stepped back half a step, leaving a few clear red finger marks on his wrist. But Kate didn't care about the pain in her wrist at all, just looking at Lin Fan quietly, the disappointment in her eyes almost overflowing.

"Lin Fan."

"You asked me if I understand how strong Shadow is."

"Then let me ask you now—do you understand what trust is?"

Trust.

These two words, like the sharpest blade, fiercely pierced through all of Lin Fan's disguises, all his excuses, and all his self-consolation.

He went to find Shadow to protect Kate; he brought back this cruel condition to let her survive; he would rather bear all the infamy himself, be misunderstood and hated by everyone, than see her die in Shadow's hands. He thought everything he did was for her own good, but he forgot that trust is two-way, it is frankness, it is standing side-by-side, it is facing every crisis together, not making decisions for her unilaterally, and not building a so-called wall of protection with lies and concealment.

His protection was too selfish, too clumsy, and too hurtful.

Lin Fan opened his mouth, wanting to explain, wanting to say the secret hidden in his heart, wanting to tell Kate that Shadow was his dark personality, wanting to tell her about their fate of being born as one body, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back tightly. He couldn't say it; once said, Kate would be more painful, more conflicted, and might even choose to sacrifice herself to save him. He couldn't let that happen.

In the end, he could only stand there, his face pale, saying nothing, like a child whose lie had been exposed, helpless and disheveled.

"You don't need to explain." Kate turned her head away, no longer looking at him, her tone firm and resolute. "I will not go with Shadow, never. I will not become anyone's bargaining chip, I will not become a tool for Shadow to threaten you, and I will not trade my freedom and life for so-called peace."

"Kate, don't be willful! This is the only way!" Lin Fan said urgently.

"This is not a way; this is submission." Kate turned back, her gaze like a torch. "My Light Sphere Race is born in light and grows in light; we would rather die than submit to darkness. Shadow wants me, so I cannot retreat even more. I will go to the Light Sphere Mother Star, I will face Shadow, I will unravel all the conspiracies, but I will never be captured without a fight."

Her words were sonorous and powerful, instantly igniting everyone's fighting spirit. Little Kate wiped away her tears, clenched her fists, and stood firmly by Kate's side: "Teacher Kate, I will go with you! I am a member of the Light Sphere Race, and I want to protect my clan and Earth together with you!"

AKai also stepped forward, the elegy anchor in his arms emitting a soft blue light, his tone steady: "I will go too. Previously, I was paranoid and stubborn, making the wrong choice. This time, I will use the elegy anchor to protect everyone and make up for my mistakes."

Franklin immediately popped out, his projection swaying in mid-air, his electronic voice recovering its usual liveliness: "Me too, me too! I'm responsible for navigation, logistics, system cracking, and I solemnly announce—permanently abandoning hug therapy! Never getting bounced away by Light Sphere Race energy again!"

Everyone made their choice, standing by Kate's side without hesitation, forming the team heading to the Light Sphere Mother Star. Only Lin Fan stood alone in place, isolated outside the crowd, watching the team fighting side-by-side in front of him, watching Kate's resolute back, his heart feeling as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, so painful he couldn't breathe.

He knew he couldn't stop Kate, nor could he stop this journey that was destined to be a narrow escape from death.

And just as the atmosphere in the square was caught in a mix of heaviness and determination, a sudden farce quietly broke this suppression, becoming the only lighthearted relief in the tense plot.

After being coldly told to shut up by Lin Fan, Franklin felt that as the most intelligent AI in the entire galaxy, his dignity had suffered a great blow. To restore his image, and to practice the "human emotional soothing" program, he immediately scanned the entire scene, locking onto a few of the youngest Light Sphere Race students in the corner of the square who had just woken up from a hypnotic state.

Those few elementary students were only six or seven years old, the youngest trainees of the Light Sphere Race who came to the Interstellar Academy. Having just experienced the fear of their souls being controlled, and witnessing the fierce argument between the adults, they were now huddling together, the light orbs in their palms flickering on and off, their bodies trembling constantly, their emotions extremely unstable.

Franklin immediately accessed the human psychology database, quickly retrieving soothing methods.

[Search entries: child emotional soothing, intimate behavior, emotional stability]

[Optimal solution: hug therapy. Note: physical contact can quickly reduce anxiety index and enhance sense of security]

The AI flashed its projection with satisfaction, feeling that this plan was logically perfect and flawless.

He floated to the little female student who was huddled in the middle and crying the hardest, immediately switching to a gentle electronic voice, bending his virtual body, and spreading his arms: "Little friend, don't be afraid. According to the human social manual, now I need to give you a warm hug, so that your fear will disappear!"

After speaking, Franklin pounced forward full of expectation, wanting to complete this "standard soothing action."

But the next second, an accident happened!

Boom—!

The pale golden Light Sphere Race energy exploded instantly, forming a strong energy shockwave that spread outward with the little female student as the center. When the Light Sphere Race are extremely agitated or fearful, the energy in their bodies automatically triggers a defense mechanism; this is an instinct engraved in their genes, which is completely uncontrollable.

Franklin's virtual projection couldn't react in time and was directly bounced away by this energy shockwave, flipping seven or eight somersaults in the air, and with a "clang," it hit the energy protection pillar at the edge of the square heavily, the projection flashing wildly, almost crashing directly.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean it! I can't control the energy!" The little female student was so scared she cried even harder, apologizing repeatedly.

Little Kate ran over quickly, soothing the elementary student while helping up the disheveled Franklin.

Franklin climbed up from the ground, his virtual body crooked, his electronic voice filled with indignation and grievance: "Unreasonable! This is completely unreasonable! The human social protocol is full of loopholes! I was just executing a standard soothing program, why was I bounced away by energy? This does not comply with physical rules! Does not comply with logic! Does not comply with the survival laws of AI!"

"Franklin, don't be angry." Little Kate couldn't help but laugh, explaining softly, "When Light Sphere Race children are emotionally agitated, their energy automatically defends; it's not targeting you."

Franklin flashed his projection aggrievedly, immediately noting down a line in the database: [Important entry: Hugging Light Sphere Race students = actively suffering a physical attack! Permanently prohibited from executing this operation!]

This small farce made the originally heavy and suppressed square finally ring with a few light laughs, and the tense atmosphere also loosened a bit.

After the farce, everyone turned their eyes back to the countdown, 70 hours, 12 minutes, and 45 seconds; time was running out.

Kate took a deep breath, suppressing all her emotions, her gaze looking firmly in the direction of the command tower: "Franklin, immediately dispatch the fastest interstellar exploration starship, check all energy and defense systems; we will set off at dawn for the Light Sphere Mother Star."

"Received! Executing immediately!" Franklin instantly switched to work mode, data streams running at high speed.

Just as Kate turned around to leave, a firm voice came from behind.

"I'm going too."

Lin Fan slowly raised his head, the struggle and despair in his eyes gradually settling, turning into bottomless determination. He could not let Kate face Shadow alone; even if he would be hated by her, even if he would be misunderstood by her, he had to stand in front of her. Even if it meant paying the price with his life, he would never let Shadow hurt her in the slightest.

Kate's footsteps paused, but she did not turn back, her voice calm and cold: "No need. Our team does not need a partner who harbors secrets."

"I must go." Lin Fan's tone was unrefusable. "Shadow wants you; only I understand him best, and only I can block in front of you. This is my own choice, and it has nothing to do with you."

Kate was silent for a long time; the night wind lifted her long hair again, covering her expression. In the end, she just said lightly: "Suit yourself."

Neither agreeing nor refusing, but it was already the greatest compromise.

Lin Fan clenched his fists tightly, his nails embedding deeply into his palms, blood flowing slowly down between his fingers, but he didn't feel any pain at all. He knew that from the moment he stated Shadow's conditions, the trust between him and Kate had already shattered, a deep rift lying between the two of them, and this rift would be infinitely magnified by Shadow, becoming a lethal weapon to destroy them.

Kate's figure gradually disappeared in the direction of the command tower, her back straight, without a single look back.

Little Kate and AKai followed closely behind, Franklin skipped off to dispatch the starship, leaving only Lin Fan alone in the square, along with the red countdown constantly jumping in mid-air, and that web of destruction hanging over their heads.

Deep in the universe, in the boundless darkness, Shadow felt the despair in Lin Fan's heart and the rift between the two, letting out a low and mocking laugh.

"Trust is shattered, how wonderful."

"Kate, Lin Fan, welcome to... the Mother Star feast I have prepared for you."

The night grew thicker, the light patterns of the destruction equation became clearer, and the countdown never stopped.

A team carrying rifts, concealment, determination, and redemption was about to embark on the journey to the Light Sphere Mother Star. And waiting for them was the death illusion set by Shadow, the painful torment in the depths of memory, and the dark truth sufficient to tear everything apart.

This war about light and shadow, trust and betrayal, survival and sacrifice, had only just raised its true curtain.