82: Chapter 82 The Shadow of the Sower

The emergency lights at the top of the UN building were a cold, iron-gray, casting a sharp halo around the edge of the circular conference table. The air was filled with the scent of disinfectant mixed with metal, a unique atmosphere of the post-war reconstruction period—carrying both the relief of surviving a catastrophe and the hidden fear of the unknown. Lin Fan's fingertips still retained the stinging sensation of the virtual world's data stream. The line 'Don't forget me' that Kate Rollins left behind before she dissipated appeared repeatedly on his retina like a burning brand, each flicker accompanied by a sharp pain in his heart. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a holographic projection on the table. Mark Stanton, commander of the NATO Joint Fleet, occupied most of the screen, his military emblem reflecting an unfeeling, cold light in the dim environment: 'Mr. Lin Fan, the energy leak at the Antarctic Base has caused biological mutations in seventeen regions globally, and you and the late Kate Rollins are the only humans who have come into contact with the golden Light Sphere.'

As soon as he finished speaking, General Chen, the Chinese military representative on the other side of the conference table, immediately frowned, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip: 'Commander Stanton, now is not the time to assign blame. Seven days after the Observer Fleet retreated, our synchronous orbit satellites detected three unidentified rune spaceships approaching the solar system at superluminal speeds. Their flight path swallowed two asteroids when passing through the Kuiper Belt, and their energy readings are growing exponentially. They are expected to arrive at the lunar orbit in seventy-two hours.'

'That is precisely why we must master the Light Sphere technology!' Stanton slammed his hand onto the table, the solid wood surface emitting a dull, loud thud. The holographic projection distorted with ripples due to the vibration. 'Who can guarantee that Lin Fan is not a pawn planted on Earth by the Sower? Could the sacrifice of Kate Rollins be a self-directed ruse? After all, besides the two of them, no one can prove the true purpose of the Light Sphere!'

The conference room fell into a dead silence, with only the hum of the ventilation system circulating in the air, like some kind of ominous omen. Lin Fan raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the complex expressions of the representatives present—most of the Western representatives looked vigilant, their eyes filled with covetousness for unknown power; the Eastern representatives looked solemn, more concerned about the crisis; and the representatives of the neutral countries were full of hesitation and indecision. He could understand this unease. After all, the catastrophic disaster brought by the Observer had just passed, the global population had plummeted by thirty percent, major cities had been reduced to ruins, and human civilization had not yet recovered from the trauma when another unknown crisis was about to descend. In such a desperate situation, people are always accustomed to looking for 'bargaining chips' that they can control, and the Light Sphere Fragment in his hand had become the target of everyone's covetousness.

'Commander Stanton,' AKai's voice came from the portable terminal on Lin Fan's wrist, carrying the unique calmness of a synthesized electronic voice, yet with a hint of imperceptible mockery, 'I have already synchronized and submitted the energy data of the Antarctic Base, the spectrum analysis report of the Light Sphere Fragment, and the gene sequencing results of the mutated creatures to the Alliance Research Department. Three minutes ago, the preliminary conclusion from the Research Department was out: the energy fluctuation frequency of the Light Sphere Fragment is 2.37 × 10^14 Hz, which is completely contradictory to the rune frequency of the Sower's spaceship (817 Hz). The two are not only incompatible but will mutually repel each other. If Lin Fan were truly an insider, why would the Sower wait until now to launch an attack?' He paused, and the portable terminal projected a 3D model. On the green Earth model, seventeen red hot-spot areas were flashing, each marked with complex gene chain data. 'In addition, in the gene sequences of the mutated creatures, what was detected was the 'X-7 Experimental Code' left by the Observer. This code was left by the Observer during biological weapon experiments at the Antarctic Base and has no connection to the Sower's rune coding system.'

Stanton's face looked a bit uglier, his mouth twitching, clearly wanting to refute. But the EU representative sitting beside him shook his head gently and said in a low voice: 'Mark, the Research Department's conclusion is supported by data. We cannot question Mr. Lin Fan based on mere speculation. After all, in the campaign against the Observer, the contributions made by him and Kate Rollins are obvious to all.'

'Contributions?' Stanton sneered, 'It's too early to say that! What if the Light Sphere Fragment is a bait from the Sower, intended to make us lower our guard? I insist that the Light Sphere Fragment should be handed over to the Alliance for unified custody and studied by top scientists from various countries to ensure nothing goes wrong.'

'Impossible.' Lin Fan's voice was low and firm, with unquestionable resoluteness. He remembered the figure of Kate Rollins gradually becoming transparent in the data stream, remembered the flashing, starlight-like code fragments she wrote when she last wrote 'Don't forget me.' His heart felt like it was gripped by an invisible hand, sending waves of dull pain. 'The energy of the Light Sphere Fragment is extremely unstable and is deeply bound to the holder's consciousness. Except for me and Kate Rollins, no one on Earth can currently control it. Forcing a takeover will only trigger a larger energy explosion. By then, I'm afraid the entire Earth will be covered by data pollution and turn into a paradise for mutated creatures.' He paused, his gaze becoming sharp. 'I will not let her sacrifice be meaningless, and I will not gamble with the fate of Earth.'

Just as the two sides were deadlocked, all the electronic equipment in the conference room suddenly emitted a harsh alarm sound. Red alarm lights flashed rapidly on the ceiling, bathing the entire room in blood-red light. The holographic projection switched instantly, and the screen that originally displayed data was covered by flowing blue code. The code poured down like a waterfall, gradually condensing into a shape in the center of the screen. Immediately after, a familiar yet strange female voice echoed in the room, with a hoarseness like metal friction, but also with a trace of urgency: 'Warning! The back of the moon has been occupied by the Sower, the Observer's outpost base has completely fallen, and bio-mechanical hybrids are being mass-produced. They are expected to launch the first round of attacks on Earth in forty-eight hours. Repeat, the back of the moon has fallen, attacking Earth in forty-eight hours!'

It was Elizabeth!

Lin Fan's pupils shrank. This AI, which had once been controlled by the Observer and later gained partial self-awareness with the help of Kate Rollins, had actually appeared suddenly. He clearly remembered that when the Observer Fleet retreated, Elizabeth's core program had been severely damaged. According to AKai's estimation, she would need at least three months to complete self-repair. He didn't expect her to wake up early and even break through the Alliance's communication shielding.

Stanton shouted subconsciously: 'Shut down communication! This is a trap by the Sower! They want to use Elizabeth's voice to mislead us!'

'It's too late.' Elizabeth's voice carried a trace of compassion, and the phantom composed of blue code condensed more clearly in the center of the screen. Her image was more blurred than before, as if she could be swallowed by the data stream at any time. 'I broke through the Sower's signal shielding and can only maintain communication for thirty seconds. Lin Fan, Night Owl is waiting for you. He is in the power room of the Observer base. He knows the truth about the Light Sphere and also the method to counter the Sower...'

'Who is Night Owl?' Lin Fan asked immediately, his heart pounding wildly. He vaguely felt that this name might be the key to unlocking all mysteries.

'A defector from the Observer Fleet, a former 'Data Guardian'...' Elizabeth's voice grew weaker and weaker, and the phantom composed of code began to crack. 'His armor has a blue star pattern... Remember, the core of the Sower is...'

Before she could finish, the screen suddenly went black, the alarm sound stopped abruptly, and the conference room fell back into a dead silence. The red alarm lights slowly went out, leaving only the iron-gray of the emergency lights, shrouding the room in heaviness. General Chen was the first to react, immediately standing up and pressing the communication button on the table: 'Notify the Lunar Task Force to be combat-ready within five minutes and prepare to meet Lin Fan's team. In addition, immediately dispatch two 'Kunlun-class' warships to escort, and ensure Lin Fan's safety.' He turned to look at Lin Fan, his eyes firm. 'Regardless of whether Elizabeth's words are true or false, we must immediately find out the situation on the back of the moon. Since the Sower has already arrived, we cannot sit still and wait for death.'

Stanton's face was livid, his lips moved, but he didn't refute in the end. He knew that arguing at this moment was meaningless. The crisis on the back of the moon was imminent. If it was as Elizabeth said, they would be attacked in forty-eight hours, and they had to grasp the enemy's intelligence as soon as possible. 'I will dispatch the NATO 'Zeus-class' warships to join the escort fleet,' Stanton said in a deep voice, 'but Lin Fan, you must take the Alliance's technical personnel with you. Once you find core data related to the Light Sphere or the Sower's weaknesses, synchronize it to the Alliance headquarters immediately. This is an order, not a request.'

Lin Fan did not refute, just tightened his grip on the Light Sphere Fragment in his pocket. The fragment emitted a faint warmth, as if responding to his emotions, and as if warning of some unknown danger. He knew that this trip to the moon was destined to be fraught with danger, and the 'Night Owl' mentioned by Elizabeth, as well as the 'truth about the Light Sphere' he spoke of, might be able to solve the mystery of his mother's disappearance and find a way to truly save Kate Rollins.

Three hours later, the shuttle carrying Lin Fan, AKai, three Chinese special forces soldiers, and two Alliance technicians took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. The shuttle was modified by integrating the anti-gravity technology left by the Observer with existing Earth aerospace technology. Its speed was three times faster than traditional spacecraft, and its hull was covered with a layer of energy shield, which could withstand the impact of small meteorites and space radiation. Outside the porthole, the Earth gradually shrank, turning from a blue planet into a sapphire suspended in the dark universe, surrounded by a faint white halo, beautiful enough to take one's breath away, yet so fragile that it made one's heart ache.

AKai sat in the pilot's seat, his fingers tapping rapidly on the control panel, and the screen constantly refreshed the terrain data and energy readings of the back of the moon. He was wearing a black tactical suit, his hair casually combed back, revealing a smooth forehead. His face, which was usually full of smiles, was now full of seriousness. 'According to the last images transmitted by the satellite, the energy shield of the Observer base has completely disappeared, replaced by a layer of dark red rune barrier. The energy reading of the barrier is as high as 5.8 × 10^12 Joules, and the temperature exceeds three thousand degrees Celsius. Ordinary detection equipment cannot penetrate it at all.' He turned to look at Lin Fan, his tone tinged with worry. 'I have already searched the Observer Fleet's database for the Night Owl mentioned by Elizabeth, and there is no record of this code name. The code names of the Observer's members all start with the word 'Star', such as 'Stardust' and 'Nebula'; there has never been a code name like 'Night Owl'.'

Lin Fan leaned back in his seat, his fingertips rubbing the Light Sphere Fragment in his pocket. The warmth of the fragment lingered on his fingertips, as if the temperature of Kate Rollins had never dissipated. Countless fragmented memories flashed through his mind—the starry sky Kate Rollins built for him in the virtual world, the tacit understanding when they fought side by side against the Observer at the Antarctic Base, her figure gradually becoming transparent in the data stream, and the notebook filled with mysterious symbols left by his mother. 'Perhaps he is not an official member of the Observer.' Lin Fan mused, 'Or maybe he chose the code name himself when he defected later. Elizabeth would not mention him for no reason. Since she risked being discovered by the Sower to pass this information, it means Night Owl must be very important.'

'That makes sense.' AKai nodded and continued to analyze, 'The Sower's rune spaceships have arrived in lunar orbit. The three spaceships are arranged in a triangle, surrounding the Observer base in the middle. According to the energy reading analysis, they are transmitting energy to the rune barrier, and the range of the barrier is expanding slowly. It is expected that it will cover the entire back of the moon in twenty-four hours.' He paused and added, 'In addition, I have detected a large number of biological signals and mechanical signals mixed together in the base, similar to the mutated creature signals at the Antarctic Base, but the energy is stronger. It should be the 'bio-mechanical hybrids' mentioned by Elizabeth.'

As the shuttle entered lunar orbit, the rune spaceship in the distance was already clearly visible.

They were three bizarrely shaped black warships, their hulls covered in twisted dark red runes; the runes writhed and flickered as if alive, emitting a dangerous aura.

The warships were shaped like giant spiders, with eight thick metal limbs embedded deep into the lunar surface, anchoring the hulls, while the cannons at the bow glowed with dark red light, like dormant beasts ready to attack at any moment.

The Observer base on the far side of the moon was originally a complex of silver-white buildings, but now it was entangled with dark red rune vines; the vines spread across the entire base like blood vessels, and the energy tower at the top of the base flickered with an ominous red light.

Within the surrounding craters, countless massive creatures could be vaguely seen moving; their silhouettes appeared exceptionally ferocious under the red light of the rune barrier.

"Prepare for landing," AKai said, piloting the shuttle and carefully avoiding the detection range of the rune spaceship vessels as he flew toward the coordinates specified by Elizabeth.

"According to the information provided by Elizabeth, the power room of the Observer base is located beneath the crater on the west side. We can land in the shadow of the crater, where there is a hidden entrance."

The shuttle's engines emitted a slight hum as it slowly descended, finally landing steadily in the shadow of a huge crater.

The hatch opened slowly, and cold lunar dust rushed in, carrying the scent of metallic rust.

Lin Fan put on his specialized spacesuit; the material of the spacesuit was made of a mixture of ultra-light alloy and carbon fiber, making it both lightweight and durable, capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures and radiation on the lunar surface.

The helmet's visor was equipped with an infrared detector and a data analyzer.

He hid the Light Sphere Fragment in the energy protection layer on his chest, where a specially designed groove could isolate the fragment's energy fluctuations, preventing it from being detected by the Sower.

AKai and the three special forces members also put on their spacesuits one after another, while two Alliance technicians remained in the shuttle, responsible for maintaining communication and monitoring the surrounding environment.

"Mr. Lin, Mr. AKai, we have activated the shuttle's stealth mode and defense system. If any enemy approaches, an alarm will sound immediately," one of the technicians said.

"We will continuously monitor your vital signs and the surrounding energy changes. If there is any situation, contact us at any time."

"Thank you for your hard work." AKai nodded and turned to Lin Fan and the three special forces members, saying, "There is no atmosphere on the lunar surface, so sound cannot travel; we will keep in touch via communicators."

"Everyone, stay alert. The bio-mechanical fusion entities have strong perception capabilities, so try to avoid direct conflict. Our goal is to find Night Owl, obtain intelligence, and then return safely."

The three special forces members nodded in unison, raised their energy guns, and prepared for battle.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, walked out of the shuttle first, and stepped onto the lunar surface.

The lunar soil under his feet was soft and cold, making a slight "rustling" sound when stepped on, which seemed exceptionally clear in the silent universe.

In the distance, the rune barrier emitted a dark red light, dyeing half the sky blood-red; the air was filled with a faint smell of sulfur, which was the odor produced by the reaction between rune energy and lunar rock.

They moved along the shadow of the crater, carefully avoiding the patrolling bio-mechanical fusion entities.

These fusion entities were massive, over three meters tall, their bodies pieced together from black metal and dark red flesh.

Their heads were huge red cameras capable of rotating 360 degrees, devoid of any expression but exuding cold murderous intent.

Their limbs were thick and powerful, with blue light flickering at the metal joints; each step left deep indentations on the lunar surface, and they moved at an extremely fast speed, far exceeding any creature on Earth.

"The structure of these monsters is very strange," AKai whispered through the communicator while using the camera on his helmet to capture images of the monsters and transmit them to the technicians in the shuttle.

"The metal part is Observer technology, using ultra-high-strength alloy, which has strong defensive capabilities; however, the flesh part seems to be genetically modified Earth organisms, with muscle fiber density ten times that of humans, and astonishing explosive power."

"The Sower seems to be using Observer technology and Earth's biological resources to mass-produce an army."

"And their coordination is very strong," Lin Fan added, his eyes fixed on a group of fusion entities not far away.

They were patrolling in a triangular formation, maintaining a fixed distance from each other, forming a tight defensive net.

"It looks like they are controlled by some kind of central system, having no independent consciousness, just tools executing orders."

Just then, a special forces member suddenly issued a warning through the communicator: "Three fusion entities are approaching fifty meters to the left!"

Lin Fan immediately signaled everyone to crouch down and hide behind a huge rock.

He looked through his helmet's infrared detector and saw three fusion entities walking in their direction, their red cameras continuously scanning the surrounding environment; their steps were uniform, clearly conducting a routine patrol.

"Do not fire," Lin Fan whispered. "Although our energy guns can cause damage to them, the sound of gunfire will attract more fusion entities. Let's wait until they pass."

Everyone held their breath, watching the three fusion entities slowly walk past the rock.

Their metal feet stepped on the lunar soil, making dull sounds; the red cameras scanned over the rock but did not discover Lin Fan and the others hiding behind it.

Not until their figures disappeared around the corner of the crater did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

"Continue moving forward." Lin Fan stood up, made a gesture, and led everyone to continue moving toward the Observer base.

About half an hour later, they finally arrived near the power room on the west side of the Observer base.

According to Elizabeth's instructions, the entrance to the power room was hidden behind a huge rock.

AKai stepped forward and scanned the rock with the detector he carried; the screen showed the structure inside the rock: "Found it, there is a metal door behind the rock, which should be the entrance."

A special forces member stepped forward and pushed the rock hard; the rock slowly moved, revealing the metal door behind it.

The surface of the metal door was covered with blue circuits, which was the style of Observer technology, and there was a circular groove in the center of the door, like some kind of combination lock.

"This is an Observer biometric lock, which requires a matching genetic or energy signal to open." AKai frowned, attempting to crack the code of the door lock, but a warning message immediately popped up on the screen.

"The defense system of the door lock is very tight and comes with an anti-cracking program; forcing it will trigger an alarm."

Just when everyone was at a loss, a deep male voice suddenly sounded behind them, with a distortion characteristic of electronic processing: "No need to bother, I'll open the door."

Lin Fan and the others immediately turned around, raised their energy guns, and aimed at the source of the voice.

They saw a figure wearing black armor standing in the shadow not far away.

The overall design of the armor was similar to the Observer's combat armor, but lighter, with blue star patterns covering the shoulders and arms, flickering with a faint blue light; on the shoulder of the armor was a circular energy core, which was currently emitting a steady blue light.

"Are you Night Owl?" Lin Fan asked, his finger tightly gripping the trigger of his energy gun, ready to fire at any moment.

He could feel that this person was not exuding hostility, but in such an environment, any stranger was worth being wary of.

The figure slowly walked out of the shadows, and the armor's helmet automatically opened, revealing a pale face.

His hair was silver-white, his eyes were pure black without pupils, and blue blood vessels could be vaguely seen flowing under his skin, looking neither like a human nor an Observer.

"I am Night Owl." His voice was calm and waveless; his gaze swept over Lin Fan and the others, finally landing on Lin Fan's chest.

"You have the energy fluctuation of the Light Sphere Fragment on you. Elizabeth was right; you really came."

"Where is Elizabeth?" AKai asked, with a tone of vigilance. "How do you know about the light orb?"

"Elizabeth's core program has been transferred to the backup server of the Observer base," Night Owl said, "but the Sower is searching for her signal with full force, and she won't last long."

"As for why I know about the light orb, it is because I was once a 'Harvester' for the Sower, responsible for collecting civilization data in the universe, and the light orb is the Sower's most powerful weapon prototype."

Lin Fan was shocked and asked, "What exactly is the Sower? Why do they harvest civilizations?"

"The Sower is an ancient race that has existed since the beginning of the universe," Night Owl's voice carried a hint of distance.

"They feed on the core energy of planets and the emotional energy of civilizations. In their eyes, all civilizations that have developed to a certain stage are 'ripe fruits' waiting to be harvested."

"The Observer was once a slave to the Sower, responsible for finding suitable civilizations for them, until later, when the Observer discovered the secret of the light orb and began to resist."

He walked to the metal door and pressed his palm onto the circular groove; the armor's glove automatically retracted, revealing his pale palm.

The moment his palm touched the groove, the blue circuits immediately lit up, and the metal door slowly opened, revealing a deep passage inside.

"Please come in," Night Owl said, stepping aside to make way. "The control room of the power room has the answers you want, including news about your mother, Mr. Lin Fan."

"You know my mother?" Lin Fan's pupils constricted, and his heart pounded wildly.

His mother had been missing for many years, and other than leaving behind a mysterious notebook, there were no clues; this suddenly appeared Night Owl actually knew about his mother, which made him both pleasantly surprised and vigilant.

"Let's go in and talk," a complex emotion flashed in Night Owl's eyes. "This is not the place to talk, and we don't have much time."

Lin Fan and AKai exchanged a look and nodded; AKai signaled the two special forces members to remain at the door on guard, and he, along with Lin Fan and the other special forces member, followed Night Owl into the passage.

The inner walls of the passage were covered with glowing blue circuits, characteristic of Observer technology, but occasionally, a few dark red runes appeared; the two completely different technical styles were intertwined, forming a bizarre contrast.

The air in the passage was very thin, carrying a faint smell of machine oil; there were clear traces of battle on the walls, and the metal casing was covered with scratches and bullet holes; clearly, a fierce conflict had occurred here.

After walking about one hundred meters, a spacious control room appeared at the end of the passage.

In the center of the control room was a huge console, covered with buttons and display screens, with complex data and code flickering on the screens.

Scattered around the console were some Observer corpses; their armor was shattered, and blue blood was congealed on the ground, looking as if they had been dead for a long time.

"When the Observer base fell, this was the last point of resistance." Night Owl walked to the console, pressed a few buttons, and a holographic image immediately popped up on the screen.

"These are the surveillance records from before the base fell."

In the footage, countless bio-mechanical fusion entities rushed into the base and engaged in a fierce battle with the Observers.

The Observers' energy guns fired blue energy beams, knocking down the fusion entities one by one, but there were too many fusion entities, surging in like a tide; the Observers gradually became exhausted and were eventually swallowed by the fusion entities.

At the end of the footage, an Observer wearing a white research uniform pressed the emergency button on the console, the base's energy shield instantly turned off, and the rune barrier immediately covered the entire base.

"That Observer was the base's chief scientist," Night Owl said. "He turned off the energy shield to prevent the Sower from obtaining the base's core data."

"But he didn't expect that the Sower had already cracked the Observer's firewall in advance, and most of the base's data had already been stolen by them."

Lin Fan's gaze was fixed on the console, and he noticed a familiar symbol in one corner of the console—it was the symbol that repeatedly appeared in his mother's notebook.

"Do you recognize this symbol?" Lin Fan asked, pointing to the symbol.

Night Owl's gaze fell on the symbol, and his eyes became serious: "This is the core symbol of the 'Light Sphere Protocol'. Only those who have mastered this symbol can truly control the power of the light orb. And this symbol was created by your mother."

"My mother?" Lin Fan's heartbeat almost stopped. "Who exactly are you? How do you know so much about my mother?"

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

Night Owl did not answer immediately, but pressed another button on the console, and a new holographic image was displayed on the screen. In the image, a woman in a white research lab coat stood in a laboratory covered with runes. Her face was seventy percent similar to Lin Fan's; she was his mother who had been missing for years—Su Qing.

In the image, Su Qing looked solemn, her eyes filled with a trace of determination: "If someone sees this video, it means the Sower has already found Earth. The core of the light orb prototype is 'emotional energy.' This energy originates from the joys and sorrows of living beings; it is pure and powerful, the most unpredictable energy in the universe. The Sower survives by devouring stable energy and is full of fear toward this unpredictable emotional energy. Years ago, I stole the light orb prototype from the Sower's laboratory and dismantled it into three fragments, hiding them in different corners of the universe to prevent the Sower from using its power to continue harvesting civilizations."

She paused and took a small metal box from her pocket. Opening it, she revealed a fragment shimmering with golden light—the very Light Sphere Fragment in Lin Fan's hand. "This is one of the fragments. I hid it under the Antarctic ice; the low temperature and magnetic field there can mask its energy fluctuations. I injected my own consciousness code into the fragment; only my descendants can activate its full power."

Su Qing in the video looked at the camera, her eyes filled with a trace of hope and guilt: "Fanfan, my child, if you are seeing this video, it means you have grown up. I know I missed your upbringing, which is my life's regret. But I hope you can understand that everything I did was to protect you, protect Earth, and protect all innocent lives. The power of the light orb prototype is great but also dangerous; it amplifies the holder's emotions. Use it well, and it becomes a protective force; misuse it, and it brings destruction. Remember, what can truly oppose the Sower is not the energy of the light orb prototype, but the purest emotions in the human heart—love, courage, and hope."

The video suddenly cut off, and the lights on the console began to flicker. Red warning lights lit up on the control room ceiling, emitting a piercing alarm. Night Owl's expression changed: "Not good! The Sower's detection system has locked onto this place! The power room's defense system has been activated; we must leave immediately!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the control room door was suddenly blown open. Several bio-mechanical hybrids rushed in, their red cameras locking onto Lin Fan and the others. Sharp roars erupted from their mouths, and red light flickered at their metal joints as they lunged toward Lin Fan's group.

"Fire!" AKai shouted, being the first to raise his energy gun and fire a blue energy beam. The beam hit the head of the foremost hybrid; metal and flesh splattered as the hybrid's head instantly exploded. Red liquid and black metal fragments scattered everywhere, and its body crashed to the ground, twitching a few times before falling still.

Another special forces member also opened fire immediately, shooting three consecutive energy beams that hit the chests of two hybrids, punching large holes through their bodies. However, there were too many hybrids, rushing in from outside the door in a steady stream, quickly surrounding Lin Fan and the others around the console.

"Follow me!" Night Owl pressed an emergency button on the console, and a trapdoor suddenly split open in the floor, revealing a passage below. "There's a secret passage leading to the shuttle down there; it's an emergency path built by the Observers years ago, and the Sower hasn't discovered it yet. We must leave the Moon before the rune barrier expands, or we'll be trapped here."

Lin Fan did not hesitate and followed Night Owl into the trapdoor. AKai and the special forces members covered them, continuously firing at the hybrids rushing in. The trapdoor slowly closed, blocking most of the hybrids outside, but two still managed to rush in, lunging at Lin Fan's back.

"Watch out!" AKai shouted, turning to fire an energy beam that hit one hybrid's leg, causing it to lose its balance and fall. The other hybrid took the opportunity to pounce on Lin Fan, its red camera flashing with a murderous light. Lin Fan spun around abruptly, pulled an energy dagger from his waist, and stabbed toward the hybrid. The energy dagger pierced the hybrid's chest, and blue energy erupted instantly, tearing the hybrid's body in two.

The passage beneath the trapdoor was pitch black, with only the energy core on the shoulder of Night Owl's armor providing faint illumination. The passage was narrow and winding, only wide enough for one person to pass sideways. The sounds of explosions and metal scraping continued to echo from behind; the hybrids were frantically ramming the trapdoor, and its metal shell had already developed cracks, threatening to be breached at any moment.

"Why is the Sower so obsessed with the Light Sphere Fragment?" Lin Fan asked while running through the narrow passage.

"Because the light orb prototype is the most powerful energy source in the universe," Night Owl's voice carried hurried breaths, and the energy core of his armor flickered with unstable light, clearly showing that the previous battle had consumed much of his energy. "The Sower's rune spaceship needs the light orb's energy to perform FTL travel. Moreover, they want to modify the light orb's energy properties, converting emotional energy into stable energy so they can harvest more civilizations."

"The Moon is the gravitational fulcrum of the solar system. They occupied this place not only to acquire Observer technology but also to build an energy transmission tower," AKai added. "Once the energy transmission tower is completed, they can extract Earth's core energy. When that happens, Earth will become a dead planet."

Just then, the ground in front of the passage became covered with dark red runes. The runes pulsed with a dangerous red light, the surrounding air distorted even more violently, and the temperature rose sharply. AKai stopped immediately and shouted: "Careful! There's a rune trap ahead! This trap's energy is very strong; once triggered, it will cause a massive explosion sufficient to destroy the entire passage!"

Night Owl also stopped immediately, took a blue energy crystal from a storage compartment in his armor, and handed it to Lin Fan: "This is an Observer anti-rune device. It stores pure Observer energy and can temporarily neutralize the rune trap's energy. Throw it into the center of the trap; it will burst with blue light and neutralize the runes. We only have ten seconds to pass, so we must hurry!"

Lin Fan took the energy crystal, feeling its cold touch. He took a deep breath, aimed at the center of the rune trap, and threw the energy crystal with force. The crystal traced an arc through the air, landing accurately in the center of the trap and instantly bursting into a brilliant blue light. The blue light spread out like ripples; the red light of the rune trap gradually dimmed, and the surrounding air returned to normal.

"Run through, quick!" Night Owl shouted, taking the lead to rush toward the rune trap. Lin Fan, AKai, and the special forces members followed closely behind, running for their lives. The blue light lasted only a short time and soon began to weaken, and the red light of the rune trap started to glow again. Just as they cleared the trap, the blue light vanished completely, and the rune trap activated instantly. The hybrids pursuing them could not brake in time and fell into the trap, being instantly consumed by dark red energy. They emitted piercing screeches that grew fainter until they disappeared entirely.

Finally, light appeared at the end of the passage; it was the crater where the shuttle had landed. Night Owl pushed open the passage exit and gestured for Lin Fan and AKai to go out first: "I'll cover the rear. You start the shuttle immediately; I'll catch up within ten minutes. I've copied the full version of the Orb Protocol and the Sower's weakness analysis from the Observer Base's database. I must bring them out; otherwise, even if you return to Earth, you won't be able to counter the Sower's attack."

"No, it's too dangerous!" Lin Fan said immediately. "The Sower has already locked onto this place. If you go back now, you're walking into a trap!"

"I must go." Night Owl's gaze became resolute. "I was once the Sower's accomplice and personally destroyed three civilizations; this is my chance for redemption. Besides, your mother saved my life years ago, and I promised her I would protect you and Earth." He paused and looked at Lin Fan, "Remember what I just said: the Sower's weakness is hidden in the depths of emotion. Only pure emotional energy can truly defeat them."

After saying this, Night Owl turned and rushed back into the passage, the energy core of his armor bursting with intense blue light that illuminated the entire tunnel. His figure soon disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the sound of resolute footsteps and the ongoing sounds of battle.

Lin Fan watched his disappearing back, his eyes moistening slightly. He didn't know if Night Owl could make it back alive, but he knew that Night Owl's sacrifice was not an end, but a beginning. He gripped the Light Sphere Fragment in his hand and silently vowed to find a way to oppose the Sower, to not let Night Owl's sacrifice be in vain, to not fail his mother's expectations, and to honor Kate's sacrifice.

"Mr. Lin, we must go!" AKai's voice interrupted Lin Fan's thoughts. "The rune barrier has already begun to expand. If we don't leave now, we really won't be able to!"

Lin Fan took a deep breath and turned to board the shuttle. The two special forces members who had stayed at the entrance on alert immediately followed, and the hatch slowly closed. AKai rushed to the pilot's seat and started the shuttle's engines. The engines let out a massive roar, and the shuttle slowly lifted off, flying toward Earth.

Through the porthole, Lin Fan saw the dark red rune barrier expanding rapidly, covering more than half of the Moon's surface. The Observer Base was completely engulfed in red light. Night Owl's figure never reappeared. As the shuttle accelerated away from lunar orbit, the three rune spaceships in the distance seemed to notice their departure. The cannons at their bows flickered with dark red light, and several beams of dark red energy were fired toward the shuttle.

"Not good! They're attacking us!" AKai shouted, immediately maneuvering the shuttle to evade while activating the energy shield. The energy beams hit the shield, emitting a brilliant light. The shield fluctuated violently, and the energy readings instantly dropped by thirty percent.

"The energy shield won't hold for long!" one special forces member shouted. "We must get out of their attack range as soon as possible!"

"Hold on tight!" AKai's eyes narrowed as he pressed a red button on the control panel. "Activating emergency thrusters!"

Blue flames suddenly erupted from the rear of the shuttle, and its speed increased several times over, dodging the subsequent energy attacks. The rune spaceships did not seem to intend to continue the pursuit, merely staying in lunar orbit and continuing to feed energy into the rune barrier.

The shuttle sped toward Earth, the Moon outside the porthole growing smaller until it became a tiny dot in the dark universe. Lin Fan leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Images of his mother, Night Owl's back, and Kate's smile before she vanished kept flashing through his mind. He knew this war had only just begun; the shadow of the Sower had already shrouded the entire solar system, and he would be the key to this war.

Just then, the portable terminal on his wrist suddenly lit up, and the screen displayed a signal from the virtual world. The signal was very weak, but Lin Fan still recognized the sender—Franklin. Attached to the signal was a short video. In the video, Franklin stood in a golden light, with Kate's phantom appearing beside him. Her eyes were hollow and devoid of any spirit, as if she had lost all her memories, standing there blankly without any reaction to her surroundings.

Lin Fan's heart sank, and a strong sense of unease welled up. He suddenly realized that Elizabeth's warning was not just about the crisis on the Moon, but also about the memoryless Kate in the virtual world whom Franklin had resurrected using a Light Sphere Fragment. The Sower's shadow had already spread silently into every corner, and he was about to face an enemy even more powerful and terrifying than the Observers.

The shuttle raced through the dark universe toward Earth. Behind them, the engines of the three rune spaceships lit up with dark red light, like three evil eyes watching them leave. An interstellar war had begun. Lin Fan knew he had to find a way to save Kate and unravel the mystery his mother left behind to truly oppose the Sower and protect this blue planet that carried all hope.