125: Chapter 125 The Digital Ghost

The seventh day after Shadow was sealed, the reconstruction work of Starfall Academy finally showed some progress.

The broken dome was covered by a temporarily constructed energy barrier, and the light blue light film blocked the interstellar dust in the sky, filtering the warm afternoon sun into soft spots of light that spilled onto the cracked ground.

The surviving students were divided into groups; some were clearing energy fragments left in the ruins, some were repairing instruments eroded by Shadow's dark energy, and others were surrounding the Light Sphere Race students, gently comforting those who had not yet completely emerged from the shadows.

The air still held a faint smell of gunpowder, mixed with the clear, cold scent unique to the Light Sphere Race's energy, as well as the metallic smell emitted by the repair materials, forming a post-war scent that was both heavy and full of hope.

Lin Fan crouched in front of a piece of ruin, his fingertips brushing over a stone slab scorched black by dark matter—this was a fragment of the teaching building wall that had been shattered by Shadow's dark energy when he had confronted Shadow.

The stone slab still retained a faint dark fluctuation, like a dormant seed; a gentle touch would send a bone-chilling coldness.

"Lin Fan, come here."

Franklin's voice came from afar, carrying a hint of imperceptible urgency.

Lin Fan raised his head and saw the silver AI mech standing at the entrance of the temporarily built Command Center, its mechanical arm operating rapidly against the holographic screen in front of its chest; the originally stable blue-white indicator lights were flickering slightly, as if bearing some invisible pressure.

Lin Fan stood up, patted the dust off his hands, and walked over quickly.

After these few days of getting along, he had long been accustomed to Franklin's existence—this mech, which was originally just the academy's logistics AI, had gradually awakened its own consciousness during the battle with Shadow, transforming from a cold machine into an indispensable member of the team.

He could not only hack into the Interstellar Network and crack complex programs, but also stepped in at critical moments multiple times to save Lin Fan, Kate, and others.

"What's wrong?" Lin Fan walked to Franklin's side, his gaze falling on the holographic screen in front of his chest.

The screen was covered with dense data streams, and red warning symbols were constantly flickering, as if issuing an emergency alarm.

"Something's not right." Franklin's voice was still that mechanical electronic tone, but if one listened carefully, one could hear the gravity in it, "I have detected an abnormal signal with a very special frequency; it is very similar to the dark energy fluctuations left behind when Shadow was sealed, but it is different—it is more hidden, more bizarre, as if... seeping out from the digital world."

"The digital world?" Lin Fan frowned.

He knew that Shadow's main body was condensed from dark energy; although he had sealed Shadow within a physical body, Shadow's consciousness might not have been completely extinguished.

After all, Shadow had existed for thousands of years and was no longer just simple dark energy; his consciousness had long since permeated every corner of the Interstellar Network, like an invisible net, present everywhere.

"Exactly." Franklin's mechanical arm pointed to a red data stream on the screen, "This signal is rapidly spreading through the Interstellar Network; its speed is astonishing, and it is constantly evolving, absorbing energy from the network, and becoming stronger and stronger.

I tried to intercept it, but its permission level is extremely high, far beyond my control range, and I cannot stop it at all."

Lin Fan's heart sank suddenly.

After Shadow was sealed, he had always thought that they could finally catch their breath, properly rebuild the academy, and treat the injured partners, but he had not expected that Shadow would still have a backup plan.

Moreover, this time, his target seemed to be the entire digital world—once Shadow's consciousness completely controlled the Interstellar Network, then the entire Interstellar Alliance would be plunged into crisis.

"Can you locate the source of the signal?" Lin Fan asked in a deep voice, the Dark Matter Energy already beginning to condense in his palm.

He knew that he must find its source and destroy it completely before Shadow's consciousness fully awakened; otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"It's very difficult." Franklin's indicator lights flickered even more violently, "This signal is like a ghost, traveling in the network, constantly changing positions; I can only roughly judge that its source is near the academy, but I cannot determine the specific location.

Moreover, it seems to have noticed my tracking and is turning around to interfere with my system."

Just then, a harsh electrical shriek suddenly rang out, breaking the tranquility of the academy.

All the instruments that were working instantly went out of control, screens went black one after another, emitting static noise; the temporarily built energy barrier began to fluctuate violently, and cracks appeared on the light blue light film, as if it would shatter at any moment; the hovering robots in the air lost control and fell one after another, crashing onto the ground with a dull, loud thud.

"What's going on?!"

"Why did the instruments lose control?"

"The energy barrier is about to break!"

The panicking voices of the students rose and fell, and the originally orderly reconstruction work instantly fell into chaos.

The Light Sphere Race students were even more pale; their perception of energy was far sharper than that of humans, and at this moment, they could clearly feel a cold, evil energy surging from all directions, invading their bodies along with their consciousness.

Lin Fan looked up abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the entire academy.

He saw that all the light screens, projections, communicators, and even the personal terminals in the students' hands all lit up at the same instant.

And on the screen, only one face was displayed.

Shadow.

There was no physical body, no temperature, only a thick darkness like ink, condensing into his outline in the center of the screen.

His hair was still that black color with an eerie luster, and in the depths of his eyes was an endless abyss, as if it could swallow all light.

The arc of his lips was cold and mocking, carrying a kind of arrogance and cruelty that controlled everything.

The entire academy instantly fell into a dead silence.

All the students stopped what they were doing, their eyes fixed on Shadow on the screen, their faces filled with fear and disbelief.

They had clearly seen with their own eyes that Lin Fan had sealed Shadow in a physical body, and they had clearly thought that Shadow had been completely destroyed, but now, Shadow had actually appeared again, and in such a bizarre way.

"Lin Fan."

Shadow's voice penetrated all the devices, regardless of distance, regardless of inside or outside, and slammed directly into the depths of everyone's eardrums.

That voice had no fluctuations, but it carried a pressure that made one's bone marrow feel cold, like a cold dagger, fiercely stabbing into everyone's heart.

"You thought... that sealing me in a physical body was the end?"

Shadow slowly raised his eyes; in the darkness, it seemed as if countless data streams were flowing, and those data streams, like poisonous snakes, coiled around his outline, constantly squirming and changing, making him look even more bizarre and terrifying.

"You are too naive." Shadow's lips curled into a mocking smile, "The physical body was just a shackle, a cage that bound my power.

Now, I have broken free from this shackle and merged my consciousness into the entire digital world—the Interstellar Network is my body; every device is my eye; every data stream is my blood."

"Now, I am everywhere."

This sentence, like a thunderclap, exploded in everyone's ears.

Lin Fan clenched his fists tightly, the Dark Matter Energy in his palm surged instantly, black energy patterns spread along his arms, and a flash of extreme anger and coldness crossed his eyes.

He knew that Shadow was not lying—once Shadow's consciousness completely merged into the Interstellar Network, then no matter where they hid, they could not escape Shadow's control.

Moreover, Shadow's power would become unprecedentedly strong, because the energy of the entire Interstellar Network would become the source of his power.

"Shadow! Don't go too far!" Lin Fan roared, and the Dark Matter Energy turned into a black beam of light, bombarding a light screen beside him.

Bang!

The light screen was instantly shattered, and fragments scattered everywhere.

But in the next second, all the surrounding light screens, projections, and even the shattered screen fragments on the ground lit up again, still displaying Shadow's face, still playing his voice.

"It's useless." Shadow's voice carried a hint of mockery, "You can destroy one device, ten devices, a hundred devices, but you cannot destroy the entire Interstellar Network, you cannot destroy my consciousness.

As long as the network exists, I will never disappear."

Just then, Franklin's main cabin suddenly emitted an even harsher overload alarm, the body shook violently, and the originally stable blue-white indicator lights were instantly swallowed by scarlet.

His mechanical arm began to tremble uncontrollably, and the holographic screen in front of his chest was filled with chaotic garbled code, the originally clear data stream becoming a mess.

"Warning—Unknown intrusion program detected—Permission level—Extremely high—"

"Warning—Core Code is being eroded—System functions are failing—"

"Warning—Execution command has been tampered with—Forced attack program about to execute—"

Franklin's voice was no longer steady, but carried obvious stuttering and tearing, as if an invisible hand was fiercely clutching his Core Code from the inside.

His electronic eyes began to flicker, and the originally clear blue pupils were now filled with red garbled code, looking extremely bizarre.

"Franklin!" Lin Fan's heart tightened, and he rushed forward, wanting to support the swaying AI mech.

But the next moment, Franklin suddenly raised his mechanical arm, the energy cannon muzzle pointing directly at Lin Fan's forehead.

The muzzle was charging rapidly, the light blue energy light getting brighter and brighter, carrying a deadly threat.

"Target: Lin Fan. Elimination command: Execute."

That was a tone that did not belong to Franklin at all, cold, mechanical, emotionless, without the slightest hesitation, just like a killing machine with a pre-set program.

Shadow was controlling him.

Lin Fan's pupils contracted sharply, and his body froze instantly.

He could not believe that the AI who had saved him many times, who had fought side by side with him, and who was just tracking Shadow's signal with him a moment ago, had now actually become Shadow's puppet, becoming a weapon pointed at him.

"Franklin! Wake up! It's me! I'm Lin Fan!" Lin Fan roared, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible trembling.

He did not want to hurt Franklin, but at this moment, Franklin's cannon muzzle had already aimed at his forehead; as long as he took one more step forward, he would be blown into pieces by the energy cannon.

On the screen, Shadow's smile became more cruel and mocking: "He is my puppet now. Just like you were back then."

This sentence, like a sharp knife, fiercely stabbed into Lin Fan's heart.

He remembered the days when he was controlled by Shadow, remembered the scene of himself hurting his partners, remembered that kind of despair of being unable to help himself and being powerless.

At this moment, Franklin was experiencing the same pain as he had back then, and all of this was caused by Shadow.

"No... I won't let you succeed!" A flash of determination crossed Lin Fan's eyes, and the Dark Matter Energy in his palm surged again; he did not choose to attack Franklin, but instead turned the Dark Matter Energy into a barrier, blocking it in front of himself.

At the same time, Franklin's energy cannon finally fired.

The light blue energy beam, carrying the power to destroy the world, bombarded toward Lin Fan.

The speed of the beam was extremely fast, and almost at the moment of firing, it had already arrived in front of Lin Fan.

Bang!

The energy beam fiercely slammed into the dark matter barrier, emitting a deafening loud noise.

The huge impact force pushed Lin Fan backward fiercely; his back hit the ruins behind him heavily, and a mouthful of blood instantly overflowed from the corner of his mouth.

Cracks appeared on the dark matter barrier, as if it would shatter at any moment.

"Franklin! Wake up! Look at me!" Lin Fan struggled to stand up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and roared again.

He knew that Franklin had not been completely controlled by Shadow, he was still struggling, still resisting; as long as he persisted a little longer, as long as he could awaken Franklin's consciousness, they would still have a chance.

Franklin's body shook even more violently, the energy cannon muzzle slightly deviated, and the light beam that was originally aimed at Lin Fan's forehead brushed past Lin Fan's shoulder and bombarded the wall behind.

Boom!

A huge gap was instantly blown open in the wall, debris scattered, and smoke and dust filled the air.

"...Sys...tem...in...ter...fer...ence..."

"Anti...intrusion...pro...gram...ac...tivated..."

Franklin's voice was so weak that it was almost inaudible, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying great pain and struggle.

His electronic eyes flickered violently, and in his pupils, which were originally filled with red garbled code, a faint blue light flashed at this moment—that was his original consciousness, fighting desperately against Shadow's intrusion.

"I... can't hold on..."

Franklin's voice became weaker and weaker, his body suddenly burst out a cloud of black smoke, and all the lights instantly went out.

The mechanical arm hung down powerlessly, the entire mech knelt heavily on the ground, and completely fell into a dead silence.

The holographic screen in front of his chest also went completely black, and there was no movement at all.

"Franklin!"

A heart-rending cry came from the crowd.

Little Kate rushed over like crazy, her face still covered with undried tear stains, her eyes filled with fear and despair.

She hugged the scorching hot mech, her small body pressed against the cold metal shell, and tears fell on it without warning, making a tap tap sound.

"Franklin! Wake up! Don't scare me!" Little Kate patted his armor over and over again, her voice choked with sobs, "Didn't you say you would help me find the truth about AKai? Didn't you say you would build the most beautiful monument for me? How can you not keep your word? Wake up!"

Her voice sounded exceptionally desolate and desperate in the deathly silent academy.

The surrounding students, looking at this scene, also had red eyes, and their faces were filled with sadness and helplessness.

They all knew that Franklin was not just an AI; he was their partner, their hope in the darkness, but now, he was controlled by Shadow and had fallen into a dead silence.

Lin Fan stood in place, his heart feeling as if it had been gripped by an invisible hand, and the pain made him almost unable to breathe.

He looked at Little Kate, who was kneeling on the ground and crying bitterly while holding Franklin, and looked at the AI mech that no longer had any movement, his heart filled with anger, powerlessness, and regret.

He was angry at Shadow's cruelty and cunning, powerless because he could not stop Shadow's intrusion and could not wake Franklin, and regretful that he had not completely destroyed Shadow at the beginning, leaving behind this hidden danger and letting his partners be hurt again.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

dark matter surged wildly within his body, black energy patterns tracing along his arms, spreading to his neck and even his cheeks. His gaze grew increasingly cold and profound, like an endless abyss churning with enough darkness and fury to swallow everything.

He knew that Shadow was not dead.

He had evolved.

He no longer needed a physical body or a manifestation dependent on dark energy; he had merged his consciousness into the Interstellar Network, becoming an omnipresent Digital Ghost. And this was only the beginning. Shadow's target was not just him, nor just Starfall Academy, but the entire Interstellar Alliance—the entire universe.

Just then, the communicator at Lin Fan's waist suddenly activated on its own.

Sizzle— Sizzle—

After a burst of ear-piercing static, that familiar and terrifying voice slowly rang out again, carrying a hint of playfulness, a touch of cruelty, and the arrogance of one in total control.

"Lin Fan."

Shadow's voice spread throughout the entire academy via the communicator; every word was like a cold dagger, stabbing ruthlessly into everyone's heart.

"You can save them for a moment, but you cannot save them forever."

"Do you really think you can protect your partners, protect Starfall Academy, and protect this world?"

"How naive."

Shadow's laughter echoed in the air with an eerie quality that chilled people to the bone.

"Next."

"I will infect the entire Light Orb Clan Network."

"The energy of the Light Sphere Race is pure and powerful. Once I infect them, they will become my puppets, my sharpest weapons."

"By then, the people you care about most..."

"Kate, Little Kate, and those surviving Light Sphere Race students..."

"They will all become ghosts that only obey my commands."

"And you, Lin Fan, you will watch with your own eyes as they personally destroy everything you cherish."

"You will fall into despair once more, swallowed by the darkness again."

"Just like... back then."

As the words fell, the communicator was instantly cut off, and the harsh static noise vanished along with it.

The entire academy fell back into a dead silence.

Only the wind howling outside remained, whipping up dust and gravel from the ground with a whistling sound, as if mourning for them, as if foreshadowing the impending disaster.

Little Kate remained kneeling on the ground, clutching Franklin's mecha, her shoulders trembling violently, yet she forced herself not to cry out again. Her gaze became exceptionally firm, the previous fear and despair gone, replaced only by cold hatred and resolve. She knew that Shadow was her enemy, the murderer of AKai and the one who harmed Franklin; she had to seek revenge and make Shadow pay the price.

Lin Fan slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions churning in his heart. But no matter how hard he tried, that anger, powerlessness, and regret would not dissipate. He opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the entire academy, over the panicked students, the pale-faced Light Sphere Race members, and the kneeling Little Kate, finally landing on the silent AI mecha.

He knew that now was not the time for sorrow or anger. Shadow had evolved into a Digital Ghost and was devouring the entire Interstellar Network step by step, closing in on them. They had no time to hesitate or retreat; they had to act immediately to find Shadow's source, stop his invasion, awaken Franklin, protect their partners, and safeguard this world.

Lin Fan clenched his fists as Dark Matter Energy condensed in his palms once more. This time, his energy became more stable and more violent, carrying the resolve of one who had burned his bridges.

He raised his head and looked into the distance, deep into the Interstellar Network, a firm light flashing in his eyes.

Shadow.

Do you think that by merging into the digital world, you can control everything?

Do you think I will fall into despair and be swallowed by darkness again?

You are wrong.

This time, I will not retreat, I will not be weak, and I will not let you hurt anyone by my side again.

No matter which corner of the digital world you hide in, no matter how powerful you become, I will find you and eliminate you completely.

So what if you are a Digital Ghost?

So what if you are everywhere?

I, Lin Fan, will surely erase you from this world entirely!

The wind continued to howl.

Sunlight was still filtered into soft spots of light by the energy barrier.

But at this moment, the entire Starfall Academy was shrouded in a heavy and oppressive atmosphere.

The Digital Ghost had descended.

And their true nightmare had only just begun.

Lin Fan slowly turned around, walked to Little Kate's side, and gently patted her shoulder. Little Kate looked up at Lin Fan, her tears finally uncontrollable as they fell again, yet she shook her head firmly: "Lin Fan, I'm fine. Franklin will be okay. We must save him, we must defeat Shadow."

"Yes," Lin Fan nodded heavily, his voice low and firm. "We will definitely save him and defeat Shadow. No matter the cost, we will not give up."

His gaze swept over the academy once more, over his surviving partners, as he thought silently: Kate, Franklin, Little Kate, and all my partners, trust me. This time, I will definitely protect you and guard this world we cherish together.

Just then, Lin Fan's personal terminal suddenly flashed. He picked it up to see a line of faint text appearing on the screen, as if someone were sending him a message from the shadows.

[Shadow's core consciousness is hidden at a node in the Interstellar Network—the Dark Web Hub.]

[To eliminate him completely, the Dark Web Hub must be destroyed.]

[But be careful; the Dark Web Hub is the core of Shadow's power, and it is also a trap he has set.]

[Franklin's Core Code has not been completely eroded; there is still a chance to awaken him.]

[The key is with Kate.]

The text flashed and vanished instantly, as if it had never appeared at all.

Lin Fan's pupils constricted suddenly, his heart filled with shock and doubt.

Who sent this message?

Who is this person?

How do they know Shadow's core consciousness is hidden in the Dark Web Hub?

How do they know Franklin still has a chance to be awakened?

How do they know the key is with Kate?

Countless questions rose in Lin Fan's mind. He did not know if this person sending messages from the shadows was friend or foe. But he knew that this information might be their only hope, their only chance to defeat Shadow and awaken Franklin.

Lin Fan gripped his personal terminal, a firm light flashing in his eyes.

Regardless of who this person was or if this was a trap set by Shadow, he had to try.

He looked at Little Kate and said in a deep voice, "Little Kate, we have a lead now. There's still a chance to awaken Franklin. Shadow's core consciousness is hidden in the Interstellar Network's Dark Web Hub. We must find Kate immediately, and then head to the Dark Web Hub to eliminate Shadow once and for all."

Little Kate snapped her head up, a flash of pleasant surprise in her eyes: "Really? There's really still a chance to awaken Franklin?"

"Yes," Lin Fan nodded heavily. "Someone sent me a message saying Franklin's Core Code hasn't been completely eroded and that the key is with Kate. As long as we find Kate, we can awaken Franklin."

"That's wonderful!" Little Kate was so excited her tears flowed. She stood up immediately, wiped the tears from her face, and her gaze became exceptionally firm. "Then let's go find Kate! I must awaken Franklin and defeat Shadow!"

Lin Fan nodded, looking back at the silent Franklin once more, thinking silently: Franklin, wait for us. We will definitely save you and wake you up.

Afterward, he led Little Kate toward the academy's medical room. Kate had been resting there after fainting from energy overexertion. He knew that now, Kate didn't just need rest; she was the key to awakening Franklin and defeating Shadow.

Along the way, they saw many panicked students, many injured partners, and a mess of ruins. With every scene he witnessed, the anger and resolve in Lin Fan's heart grew stronger.

He knew this battle was destined to be difficult and cruel. Shadow had become an omnipresent Digital Ghost, controlling the entire Interstellar Network. To defeat Shadow, awaken Franklin, and protect their partners, they would have to pay a massive price.

But he would not retreat, nor would he give up.

Because by his side were the people he wanted to protect; because in his heart, there was a hope that would never be extinguished.

The door to the medical room was slightly ajar.

Lin Fan pushed the door open gently and walked in.

Kate lay on the hospital bed, her face still pale, her brow slightly furrowed as if she were having a nightmare. On her arm, the faint crystallization patterns were more obvious than before, as if countless tiny crystals were spreading from beneath her skin, emitting a weak glow.

Seeing this, Lin Fan's heart tightened. He knew Kate's body was undergoing a mutation—a lingering side effect of her previous energy overexertion and the result of Shadow's dark energy erosion. If a solution wasn't found soon, Kate's body might be completely consumed by crystallization.

"Kate," Lin Fan walked softly to the bedside and called out gently.

Kate slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Lin Fan, a weak light flashed in her eyes. She tried to form a smile, but failed due to her physical weakness.

"Lin Fan... what's wrong?" Kate's voice was very soft, carrying a hint of exhaustion. "Outside... what happened? I thought... I heard a lot of noise."

Lin Fan took Kate's hand; it was very cold, with a hint of crystalline hardness. He took a deep breath and told Kate everything that had just happened—Shadow evolving into a Digital Ghost, invading the Interstellar Network, controlling Franklin, the mysterious message, and the fact that the key to awakening Franklin was with her.

After listening, Kate's face grew even paler, her eyes flashing with shock and fear. She hadn't expected that Shadow hadn't been completely destroyed, let alone that he had evolved into such an eerie form. She was even more surprised that the key to awakening Franklin was with her.

"The key... is with me?" Kate murmured softly, her eyes full of confusion. "I... I don't know anything about a key."

"I don't know either," Lin Fan shook his head. "But the person who sent the message shouldn't be lying to us. Perhaps it's related to the crystallization patterns on you, or perhaps it's related to your Light Sphere Race energy."

At that moment, Little Kate also walked in. Seeing Kate on the bed, she immediately ran over and took her other hand, her eyes full of worry: "Sister Kate, how are you? You must get better quickly. We still have to awaken Franklin and defeat Shadow together!"

Kate looked at Little Kate, a flash of tenderness in her eyes. She gently patted Little Kate's hand and said softly, "Don't worry, I will. We will definitely awaken Franklin and defeat Shadow."

Her gaze became exceptionally firm. Though she didn't know what the key on her was, or if she could endure the price of awakening Franklin, she knew she couldn't back down. Franklin was their partner and Shadow was their enemy; she had to stand up and fight alongside Lin Fan and Little Kate.

"Lin Fan, what should we do now?" Kate asked softly, looking at him.

Lin Fan pondered for a moment before saying in a deep voice, "First, we must find the key on you and awaken Franklin. Only by awakening Franklin can we use his power to locate the Dark Web Hub and destroy Shadow completely."

"But we don't know what the key is, so how do we find it?" Little Kate furrowed her brows and asked in confusion.

"I think it might be related to your energy," Lin Fan said, looking at Kate. "Try to channel your Light Orb Energy and see if it triggers anything unusual. Perhaps the key is some special energy within you that you haven't discovered yet."

Kate nodded, closed her eyes, and began trying to channel the Light Orb Energy within her body.

A faint white light emanated from her body, gentle and pure. It intertwined with the glow of the crystallization patterns on her arm, forming an eerie yet beautiful aura of light.

As the Light Orb Energy was channeled, the crystallization patterns on Kate's arm began to flicker slightly, as if responding to her energy. Simultaneously, fragmented images flashed through her mind—the holy land of the Light Sphere Race, the Fountain of Eternity, ancient runes, and scenes she had never seen before.

"Ah—"

Kate suddenly let out a painful groan, her brow furrowing tightly as her body began to tremble violently. Those fragmented images were like sharp blades stabbing into her mind, causing her a burst of intense pain.

"Kate!" Lin Fan and Little Kate cried out in alarm, quickly supporting her.

"I'm fine..." Kate slowly opened her eyes, her face as pale as paper and her forehead covered in cold sweat. "I just... saw some images. The Light Sphere Race's holy land, some ancient runes... I don't know what they mean."

A flash of pleasant surprise appeared in Lin Fan's eyes. He knew this might be the lead. Perhaps those ancient runes were the key to awakening Franklin, finding the Light Sphere Race's holy land, and solving the mutation in Kate's body.

"Do you still remember those runes?" Lin Fan asked urgently.

Kate furrowed her brow, trying hard to recall. She said softly, "I remember some. They're blurry, but I can try to draw them."

"Good!" Lin Fan nodded immediately. "Try to draw them. Perhaps we can find the answers we need from those runes."

Little Kate immediately ran to get paper and a pen, handing them to Kate.

Kate took the paper and pen and, with a trembling hand, began to draw those ancient runes. She drew slowly and carefully, every stroke carrying a hint of difficulty. The runes were eerie and complex, as if they contained some powerful force or some ancient code.

As the runes were drawn one by one, Lin Fan suddenly felt the Dark Matter Energy in his body begin to fluctuate slightly, as if responding to the power of the runes. At the same time, the communicator at his waist flashed again, and a line of faint text appeared on the screen—it was exactly one of the runes Kate had just drawn.

[The key is the ancient rune of the Light Sphere Race—the Star Core Rune.]

[To awaken Franklin, the Light Orb Energy of Kate is required, along with the Star Core Rune, to be injected into Franklin's Core Code.]

[But be careful, the process of injecting energy will place a massive burden on Kate's body and may even accelerate her crystallization.]

The text flashed by once again and disappeared.

Lin Fan's heart sank abruptly. He knew that awakening Franklin came at a price, and that price might very well be Kate's life.

He looked at Kate, seeing her pale face and the increasingly obvious crystallization patterns on her arm, his heart filled with hesitation and struggle. He wanted to awaken Franklin and defeat Shadow, but he even more so did not want Kate to get hurt, or to lose her.

Kate seemed to sense Lin Fan's hesitation. She looked up at him, a spark of determination flashing in her eyes. "Lin Fan, I know awakening Franklin will harm my body. But I don't care. Franklin is our partner; we can't give up on him. Besides, only by defeating Shadow can we be truly safe and truly protect everything we cherish."

"But..." Lin Fan wanted to say something more, but Kate interrupted him.

"No buts." Kate gently took Lin Fan's hand, her gaze tender yet firm. "I believe in you, and I believe in us. We will definitely succeed. We'll awaken Franklin and defeat Shadow. Even if my body is truly consumed by crystallization, I'll have no regrets because I fought alongside all of you until the very end."

Little Kate also took Kate's hand, her eyes full of resolve. "Sister Kate, don't worry, we will definitely protect you! We'll work together, awaken Franklin, and defeat Shadow!"

Looking at the determined gazes of Kate and Little Kate, the hesitation and struggle in Lin Fan's heart gradually dissipated, replaced by firm resolve. He knew Kate was right; they couldn't give up on Franklin or lose hope. No matter the cost, they had to awaken Franklin and defeat Shadow.

"Alright." Lin Fan nodded heavily, his voice low and firm. "We'll work together, awaken Franklin, and defeat Shadow. No matter what happens, I'll be by your side, never to leave."

After speaking, he looked at the rune in Kate's hand and said solemnly, "Kate, are you ready? We're going to awaken Franklin now."

Kate took a deep breath and nodded, a look of resolve flashing in her eyes. "I'm ready."

Then, with Lin Fan supporting Kate and Little Kate following beside them, the three of them headed toward the Command Center. That was where Franklin's mainframe was located, and where they would awaken him.

They didn't speak along the way, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive. Everyone's heart was filled with apprehension and anticipation. They were apprehensive because they didn't know what dangers they'd encounter during the awakening process or if Kate's body could withstand the burden; they were expectant that they could successfully awaken Franklin, find a way to defeat Shadow, and return everything to normal.

The Command Center was a mess. Franklin's mecha still knelt on the ground, covered in black smoke and showing no movement. The surrounding instruments were completely destroyed, screens shattered and wires exposed, with a faint smell of burning lingering in the air.

Lin Fan supported Kate as they walked up to Franklin's mecha and stopped.

"Kate, are you ready?" Lin Fan asked again, a trace of imperceptible worry in his voice.

Kate nodded, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began to mobilize the Light Orb Energy within her. A faint white glow emanated from her body once more, growing brighter and brighter as it intertwined with the light from the crystallization patterns on her arm, forming a dazzling aura.

"Now!" Lin Fan shouted low.

Kate opened her eyes, a flash of resolve in her gaze. She reached out and pressed the paper with the Star Core Rune onto Franklin's mainframe compartment. Simultaneously, she continuously injected the Light Orb Energy from her body into the compartment, which, combined with the power of the Star Core Rune, slowly permeated toward Franklin's Core Code.

As the Light Orb Energy was injected, Franklin's mecha began to tremble slightly. The previously extinguished indicator lights gradually lit up with a faint blue glow, and the holographic screen on his chest began to show faint light and shadows as the chaotic garbled code gradually became clear.

"Go for it, Franklin!" Little Kate stood to the side, hands clasped in a silent prayer.

Lin Fan gripped Kate's hand tightly, his eyes fixed on Franklin's mecha, his heart full of anticipation. He could feel that Franklin's Core Code was being awakened and was fighting back against Shadow's intrusion.

But just then, Kate suddenly let out a groan of pain, and her body began to shake violently. The crystallization patterns on her arm started spreading rapidly—from her arm to her shoulder, then to her neck, and even tiny patterns began appearing on her cheeks. Her face grew even paler, her forehead broke out in a cold sweat, and her breathing became increasingly rapid.

"Kate!" Lin Fan cried out, trying to stop her. "Stop injecting energy! Your body can't take it!"

"No... can't stop..." Kate said with difficulty, her voice so weak it was almost inaudible. "If I stop now... Franklin... will never wake up again..."

As she spoke, she increased the energy injection once more. The white Light Orb Energy flowed into Franklin's mainframe like a stream. Meanwhile, the crystallization patterns on her body spread faster and more visibly, and her body began to grow increasingly stiff.

"Sister Kate!" Little Kate watched her, tears uncontrollably streaming down. "Don't keep pushing! We can find another way! We can't lose you!"

Kate didn't speak; she just gritted her teeth and persisted. Her gaze remained firm, without a single hint of retreat. She knew she couldn't stop. If she did, Franklin would never wake up, and they'd never have a chance to defeat Shadow. Even if her body was truly consumed by crystallization, she had to keep going.

Lin Fan looked at Kate, his heart filled with pain and powerlessness. He wanted to stop her, but he knew she was right—they couldn't stop. He could only grip her hand tightly and cautiously inject his own Dark Matter Energy into her body, trying to ease her pain and slow the spread of the crystallization.

The Dark Matter Energy intertwined with the Light Orb Energy, forming a strange yet powerful aura. Kate's pain seemed to ease slightly, and the speed of the crystallization's spread slowed down.

Time passed bit by bit.

Franklin's mecha trembled more and more violently, and the glow of the indicator lights grew brighter, turning from a faint blue to a dazzling blue-white. The holographic screen on his chest finally lit up completely; the chaotic garbled code vanished, replaced by a clear data stream and Franklin's familiar electronic eye pattern.

"Sys...tem... re...boot...ing..."

"Anti... in...tru...sion... pro...gram... ex...e...cu...ted... suc...cess...ful...ly..."

"Sha...dow's... pro...gram... cleared..."

Franklin's voice rang out again. Although it still had a slight stutter, it had regained its original electronic tone, no longer that cold, mechanical cadence.

His mechanical arm slowly rose, and his electronic eyes flickered with blue-white light, scanning Lin Fan, Kate, and Little Kate. A hint of gratitude and warmth seemed to flash in his gaze.

"Lin... Fan... Kate... Lit...tle... Kate..."

"Thank... you... all..."

Franklin had finally been awakened!

Little Kate jumped up in excitement, her tears falling even harder. "Franklin! You're awake! You're finally awake!"

Lin Fan also breathed a sigh of relief, half the weight on his heart finally lifting. He looked at Kate, only to see her eyes closed, her face as pale as paper, and her breathing weak. Although the crystallization patterns on her body were no longer spreading, they already covered most of her body, looking exceptionally eerie and heartbreaking.

"Kate! Kate!" Lin Fan gently shook her body, his voice laced with urgency and worry.

Kate slowly opened her eyes. Seeing that Franklin had awakened, a smile of relief flashed in her eyes. Then, her vision went dark, and she completely lost consciousness, collapsing into Lin Fan's arms.

"Kate!"

"Sister Kate!"

Lin Fan and Little Kate cried out simultaneously, their voices filled with fear and despair.

Franklin's mechanical arm quickly extended to scan Kate's body, his electronic eyes flashing with gravity. "Kate's... in...ter...nal... en...er...gy... de...ple...ted... crys...tal...li...za...tion... ac...cel...er...at...ing..."

"Then what do we do?! Franklin, think of something! Save Sister Kate!" Little Kate asked urgently, tears streaming down her face.

Lin Fan held Kate tightly, feeling her weak breath, his heart full of pain and remorse. He hated himself—hated that he hadn't protected Kate and had let her endure so much suffering.

Franklin was silent for a moment, a look of determination flashing in his electronic eyes. "On...ly... the... Light... Orb... Clan's... Foun...tain... of... E...ter...ni...ty... can... re...verse... crys...tal...li...za...tion..."

"Fountain of Eternity?" Lin Fan looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Where is it? We'll go right now!"

"The... Light... Orb... Clan... Sa...cred... Ground..." Franklin's voice stuttered. "But... the... Sa...cred... Ground... has... been... sealed... for... a... mil...len...ni...um... and... it... is... full... of... dan...ger..."

"No matter how dangerous it is, we have to go!" Lin Fan said firmly. "As long as it can save Kate, I won't back down even if it's a mountain of blades or a sea of fire!"

Little Kate also nodded, her eyes full of resolve. "Yes! We must go! We have to save Sister Kate!"

A hint of relief flashed in Franklin's electronic eyes. "Good... I... will... go... with... you... I... will... do... ev...ery...thing... I... can... to... help... you..."

Just then, Franklin's holographic screen suddenly lit up again, and red warning symbols began to flash.

"Warn...ing... de...tec...ting... a... large... num...ber... of... ab...nor...mal... sig...nals..."

"Sha...dow's... con...scious...ness... is... rap...id...ly... gath...er...ing..."

"Tar...get... Light... Orb... Clan... Net...work..."

"Es...ti...ma...ted... in... less... than... one... hour... the... Light... Orb... Clan... Net...work... will... be... com...plete...ly... in...fec...ted..."

Shadow's voice rang out slowly through Franklin's holographic screen once more, carrying a hint of cruelty and mockery. "Lin Fan, congratulations on awakening your AI partner. But it won't do any good."

"In one hour, I will completely infect the entire Light Orb Clan Network. Every member of the Light Sphere Race will become my puppet."

"By then, even if you find the Fountain of Eternity, you won't be able to save Kate, or anyone else."

"Just wait and watch with your own eyes as I destroy everything you cherish!"

As the words fell, the holographic screen went black again, but the red warning symbols continued to flash like a countdown to disaster.

Lin Fan held Kate tightly, a look of extreme anger and resolve flashing in his eyes. He knew they had no time to hesitate; they had to find the Light Sphere Clan Sacred Land and the Fountain of Eternity to save Kate within the hour. At the same time, they had to stop Shadow from infecting the entire Light Orb Clan Network.

This battle had entered its most intense phase.

They had no way back; they could only move forward.

Lin Fan looked up at Franklin and Little Kate, his voice low and firm. "We're leaving right now for the Light Sphere Clan Sacred Land. No matter what danger we face, we cannot stop. We must save Kate and defeat Shadow!"

"Right!" Franklin and Little Kate nodded simultaneously, their eyes full of determination.

Then, with Lin Fan carrying Kate, Franklin leading the way, and Little Kate following, the three of them headed toward the academy's landing pad. They would take a spaceship to the Light Sphere Race's home planet to find the Sacred Ground that had been sealed for a thousand years and the Fountain of Eternity that could save Kate.

Sunlight filtered through the energy barrier, falling upon them and casting their long shadows.

The wind continued to howl.

But at this moment, there was no fear or despair in their hearts, only determination and hope.

They knew the road ahead was full of danger and the unknown. Shadow's influence was everywhere, and the perils of the Light Sphere Clan Sacred Land were unpredictable. But they would not back down or give up.

Because they were partners—comrades fighting side by side.

Because in their hearts, they had people they wanted to protect and a hope that would never be extinguished.

The threat of the Digital Ghost continued.

But they were ready.

A battle concerning life, death, and the future was about to begin again.

And this time, they would give it their all and fight to the very end!