129: A mineral vein riot engulfed the forest; a fledgling eagle's cry broke the crisis.

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Two: Ore Vein Riot Swallows the Forest Sea, Fledgling's Cry Breaks the Crisis

On the tenth day after the discovery of the Northern Territory Ancient Creatures, a sudden disaster broke the peace of the Eternal Kingdom.

At three in the morning, the monitors in the Northern Territory Ecological Conservation Area suddenly sounded a collective alarm, their piercing shrieks shattering the silence of the research camp. On the screens, energy levels at the forest core were skyrocketing. A pale gold energy halo erupted from the ground, illuminating the entire forest sea as if it were broad daylight. The ore vein at the crustal fault had rioted without warning!

"Commander! The Northern Territory ore vein energy is out of control! The energy shockwaves have already destroyed three monitoring towers. Trees at the edge of the forest are rapidly withering, and the signals from the Ancient Creatures have vanished!" Chen Ye's voice, tinged with despair, reached the East Sea command room via quantum communication. "Even more terrifying, the ore vein energy is reacting with residual dark matter underground, spawning a massive number of 'Energy Deviants.' They are spreading toward the forest periphery, and everywhere they pass, everything is being corroded to nothing!"

Lin Zhou stood up abruptly, and the holographic sand table instantly switched to the Northern Territory footage. At the forest core, a golden energy pillar shot straight into the sky, and massive fissures opened in the ground. Dark purple Energy Deviants crawled out of the chasms—they resembled spiders, were massive in size, and their bodies were covered in flowing dark purple patterns. They left trails of black smoke as they moved, and any tree touched by these trails instantly turned to charcoal.

Even more critical was that the scope of the ore vein riot was rapidly expanding. It was only 15 kilometers from the Northern Territory Defense Line. Once it breached the defense line, the energy shockwaves would directly impact the energy hub of the Northwest Heavy Industry Zone, triggering a chain of explosions. Meanwhile, the dark purple deviants were spreading toward the Southwest Purification Zone, and the freshwater rivers along the way had already begun to take on an eerie purple hue.

"Activate the highest-level emergency response!" Lin Zhou's voice carried an unprecedented gravity. "All Five Districts enter wartime status!"

Five Districts Linkage: Life and Death Rescue

- Northern Territory Defense Line: All Genetic-enhanced Soldiers are deployed, setting up purification energy barriers at the forest periphery to desperately block the spread of the deviants. Chen Ye leads research personnel in a risky venture into the forest's edge to collect samples of the Energy Deviants, buying time for the development of counter-weapons.

- Northwest Heavy Industry Zone: Immediately shut down the energy hub and urgently deploy all engineering robots equipped with heavy Magnetic Storm Cannons to reinforce the Northern Territory. Simultaneously, modify purification equipment to convert industrial purification energy into combat energy to support the frontline barriers.

- Southwest Purification Zone: Activate the emergency valves of the cross-district water pipelines to cut off river branches that may be contaminated. At the same time, transport all Soil Purifierss to set up a second line of defense in the area bordering the Northern Territory.

- Lingnan Coastal Area: All members of the Coast Guard transition to land combat, carrying portable purification weapons and taking transport planes to the Northern Territory to fill the defense gaps.

- East Sea Barrier Base: Dr. Mary leads a research team to urgently develop a decomposition agent targeting the Energy Deviants. The red alert factories are producing purification energy shells at full speed for airdrop support to the front lines. Meanwhile, Lin Zhou personally leads the red alert core units, taking supersonic transport planes directly to the Northern Territory battlefield.

However, the battle situation was far more severe than imagined. The number of Energy Deviants was growing exponentially. Not only was their defense extremely high, but they could also absorb the golden energy from the ore vein to continuously strengthen themselves. The Purification Rifles of the Northern Territory soldiers could only leave shallow scars on them. When the deviants collectively rammed the purification energy barriers, the barriers emitted a piercing hum, their patterns dimmed rapidly, and they were on the verge of shattering at any moment.

"The barrier can't hold! Requesting backup!" The roar of a frontline soldier came through the communicator, followed by a violent explosion, and the communication signal was instantly cut off.

When Lin Zhou arrived at the Northern Territory Defense Line, he saw a scene of purgatory. More than half of the purification barriers had shattered. Several soldiers were ensnared by the deviants' tentacles, corroded to bone in an instant. In the distance, the forest sea had turned into a burning wasteland. The golden energy pillar continued to rage, and the fissures in the ground grew deeper.

"All personnel, open fire at will!" Lin Zhou drew the Purification Warblade from his waist, golden energy flowing along the blade. "Hold the line! Fight to the death, no retreat!"

The red alert core units immediately joined the fray. The blue electric arcs of the Magnetic Storm Tanks and the golden light of the purification energy shells intertwined with the dark purple patterns of the deviants. The sounds of explosions, roars, and the thunder of weapons shook the heavens and earth. But there were simply too many deviants. The defense line continued to slowly retreat, and the golden ore vein energy was still spawning new deviants as if they could never be fully killed.

Fledglings Spread Wings: Breaking the Deadlock

Just as the battle fell into despair, a crucial piece of information suddenly came from the Eternal Fledgling Class at the East Sea Base.

It turned out that after their study tour, the children had been following the Northern Territory Ancient Creatures via quantum communication. After the ore vein riot occurred, Lin Xiaoyu immediately pulled up the tree pattern data previously collected from the forest. Combining this with the ancient rock painting records from the Civilization Spark Museum, he discovered a startling pattern: those spiral tree patterns were not just energy conduction tracks, but also the 'Balance Code' for the ore vein energy. The antler patterns of the Ancient Creatures perfectly matched the tree patterns; it was through its own energy that it maintained the balance of the ore vein.

"Dr. Mary! The Ancient Creature isn't the guardian of the ore vein; it's the ore vein's 'Balancer'!" Lin Xiaoyu's voice reached the East Sea research team through quantum communication. "Its antlers can absorb excess ore vein energy and convert it into gentle, nourishing energy. Now that it's missing, the ore vein has gone out of control! As long as we find it and return it to the ore vein core, the riot can be stopped!"

Dr. Mary immediately checked the data, and it was exactly as Lin Xiaoyu said! The energy fluctuations of the Ancient Creature were perfectly synchronized with the frequency of the ore vein energy. Its existence was the key to the stability of the ore vein energy.

"Finding the Ancient Creature is the key to victory!" Lin Zhou immediately ordered. "All units, contract the defense line and focus on protecting the survival zones at the forest's edge. Meanwhile, have the children of the Fledgling Class use the previously deployed monitoring equipment to locate the Ancient Creature!"

The children went into action immediately. With his superior logical thinking, Lin Xiaoyu analyzed the energy fluctuation data sent back by the monitoring equipment, eliminating interference. Ivan Lin recalled the forest terrain from the study tour and mapped out possible hiding places. The children at the East Sea Base skillfully operated the quantum positioning system to precisely lock onto the energy signal.

"Found it! It's in the underground cave at the core of the ore vein!" Lin Xiaoyu's voice was filled with excitement. "It's trapped by collapsed rocks, and its energy is draining rapidly! If its energy is exhausted, the ore vein will go completely out of control, and there will be no turning back!"

But the ore vein core was now a place of absolute desperation. Fissures crisscrossed the ground, energy shockwaves raged, and countless deviants were entrenched around the cave. Approaching it was as difficult as reaching the heavens.

"I'll go!" Ivan Lin suddenly shouted. "I'm flexible, familiar with the terrain, and I can sense the ore vein's energy. I can avoid the shockwaves!"

Lin Xiaoyu immediately echoed, "I'll go with him! I can analyze the energy fluctuations and help him find the optimal route!"

"No! It's too dangerous!" Teacher Li Fang was so anxious that she was on the verge of tears.

Lin Zhou was shaken as he saw the determined eyes of the children through the communicator. He knew this was the only hope. "Approved!" Lin Zhou ordered in a deep voice. "Frontline units, open fire with everything you have. Create the maximum noise to draw the deviants' attention. Dr. Mary, prepare Miniature Purification Energy Shields for the children. I will personally lead a squad to support you outside the cave!"

Youths Against the Current: Entrusting Lives

Ivan Lin and Lin Xiaoyu put on miniature purification protective suits, carrying portable locators, and slipped into the forest through a gap in the defense line. The fissures in the ground could close at any moment, and golden energy shockwaves brushed past them, causing the energy shields of their suits to emit piercing alarms.

"Follow my analysis, turn left!" Lin Xiaoyu stared at his portable terminal, quickly calling out the route. "There's a deviant 50 meters ahead. Hold your breath; its energy sensing range is limited!"

Ivan Lin nodded, held his breath, and moved slowly against the ground. The massive silhouette of a deviant was not far away, its dark purple tentacles sweeping over the ground, leaving trails of black smoke. The two hid behind a giant boulder, their hearts pounding wildly, not daring to continue until the deviant had slowly moved away.

Along the way, they encountered danger several times. Once, they were blown away by an energy shockwave, and more than half of their suits' energy shields shattered. Another time, they were spotted by a deviant; Ivan Lin used his agility to pull Lin Xiaoyu into a narrow rock crevice, narrowly escaping.

"Only 100 meters left!" Lin Xiaoyu's voice trembled, not from fear, but from excitement. "The cave entrance is right ahead!"

At the cave entrance lurked a "Mother Nest Aberration" far larger than any other. Its body was covered in thick carapace, and countless small deviants crawled out from it. Ivan Lin gripped the miniature purification dagger he carried, his eyes resolute. "I'll draw it away. You take the chance to enter the cave and find the Ancient Creature!"

Before Lin Xiaoyu could object, Ivan Lin rushed out of the rock crevice and threw a miniature purification bomb at the Mother Nest Aberration. The bomb exploded, golden energy bursting forth. The Mother Nest Aberration let out a furious roar and turned to pounce toward Ivan Lin.

"Get in there, quick!" Ivan Lin shouted while running.

Lin Xiaoyu suppressed his tears and rushed into the cave. Deep inside, the Ancient Creature was trapped by collapsed rocks. The golden patterns on its antlers were dimming, and its breath was weak. Lin Xiaoyu immediately pulled out his terminal and contacted Dr. Mary: "I've found it! It's fading fast!"

"Immediately connect the Miniature Energy Transmitter to its antlers!" Dr. Mary's voice came through. "We will transmit the purification energy from the East Sea Base to it via satellite to help it recover its strength!"

Lin Xiaoyu operated quickly, connecting the terminal to the Ancient Creature's antlers. Golden energy flowed steadily into the creature's body through the terminal. The patterns on its antlers gradually lit up, and its amber eyes slowly opened.

Meanwhile, outside the cave, Ivan Lin had been pushed to a dead end. A tentacle from the Mother Nest Aberration had ensnared his leg, and his protective suit was instantly corroded. Intense pain shot through him, but he gritted his teeth, repeatedly stabbing the deviant's carapace with his miniature purification dagger.

"Hold on!" Lin Xiaoyu's voice came from the cave. "It's awake!"

A beam of golden light burst from the cave as the Ancient Creature broke free from the rocks, its antlers radiating a dazzling brilliance. It let out a long roar toward the Mother Nest Aberration. A golden energy wave instantly spread out, and the Broodmother's carapace shattered as its body turned into nothingness. The surrounding smaller deviants, under the illumination of the golden energy, dissolved rapidly like snow meeting the warm sun.

The golden energy pillar at the ore vein core gradually retracted, the fissures in the ground stopped expanding, and the energy fluctuations returned to stability.

Lin Xiaoyu rushed out of the cave to find Ivan Lin collapsed on the ground. The wound on his leg was emitting black smoke, but he was grinning. "We did it."

Lin Xiaoyu rushed over and helped him up, tears streaming down his face. "We did it."

The Ancient Creature walked over to the two of them and lowered its head. The golden light from its antlers enveloped them, and the wound on Ivan Lin's leg slowly healed under the nourishment of the light.

The End: Dawn

The deviants on the battlefield had all been cleared by the Ancient Creature's energy, and the ore vein riot had completely subsided. The soldiers of the Five Districts watched the Ancient Creature as it slowly walked toward the ore vein core, putting down their weapons and showing smiles of relief after surviving the catastrophe.

Lin Zhou walked to the two children, knelt down, and gently patted their shoulders. "You are the heroes of the Eternal Kingdom."

Ivan Lin scratched his head and smiled bashfully. Lin Xiaoyu looked up, his eyes shining with a determined light. "We only did what had to be done."

Dr. Mary's research team arrived shortly after to monitor the ore vein, confirming that the energy had returned to stability. Chen Ye looked at the forest sea, which was regaining its vitality, and remarked with emotion, "It was the children who saved the Northern Territory and the entire Eternal Kingdom."

When the news reached the Five Major Settlement Areas, millions of compatriots were ecstatic. Through quantum communication, they saw the silhouettes of the two youths who had gone against the current, the desperate stand of the Five Districts' soldiers, and the harmonious coexistence of Ancient Creatures and humanity.

As the sun set, the golden afterglow spilled over the forest sea of the Northern Territory. The Ancient Creature stood at the ore vein core, the light from its antlers soft and warm, nourishing the entire forest. Lin Zhou stood on the heights of the defense line, watching the soldiers of the Five Districts assist each other in clearing the battlefield and the children cheering at the edge of the forest, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.

Chen Hao handed over a report. "Commander, the ore vein energy is stable, and the deviants have been entirely cleared. Ivan Lin's wound has healed with no lingering effects. The children of the Fledgling Class have become role models for all citizens."

Lin Zhou nodded, his gaze fixed on the five intertwined stars on the holographic sand table. This crisis had brought the Five Districts closer together, deepened the concept of harmony between humanity and nature, and allowed the power of the younger generation to officially take the stage of the Eternal Kingdom.

"Notify all settlement zones," Lin Zhou said into the communicator. "Engrave the process of resolving this ore vein crisis onto the Titanium Alloy Monument at the East Sea Base. Let all citizens remember: the 'eternity' of the Eternal Kingdom does not rely on the strength of a single person, but on the united stand of the Five Districts, the wisdom of civilization inheritance, and the courage of the younger generation. As long as we have hope and fight side by side, there is no crisis we cannot overcome, and no home we cannot protect."

A uniform response came through the communicator, voices filled with strength.

The forest sea of the Northern Territory regained its tranquility. Birds chirped on the branches, and reindeer herds wandered through the woods. The soldiers of the Five Districts bid each other farewell in the sunset, promising to fight side by side again. The children of the Fledgling Class gathered together, looking at the distant Ancient Creature, their eyes filled with awe and hope.