The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

Inside the medical pod, a soft beam of life-sustaining light enveloped the makeshift treatment bed. Lilith and Annie were carefully tending to the wounds of the rescued survivor and changing her clothes. As the damaged protective suit was removed, the girl's physical features became more clearly visible to everyone.

She was slender, resembling a human girl of fifteen or sixteen, but her skin wasn't pure flesh and blood; instead, it was a pale, finely granular grayish-white, like polished sandstone. At some joints and on her back, faint, light-colored crystalline patterns, similar to crystal, could even be seen. Her hair was a rare silver-gray, dry and tangled, stained with blood and dirt. Most striking were her eyes; though closed, the shape and contour of her eyelids differed slightly from humans—they were longer and more slender, and her eyelashes were almost transparent whiskers.

"Her body structure... is very special." Lilith said in a low voice as she cleaned a wound on the girl's arm that had been rubbed by dark purple energy and was slowly festering. "Her basic physiological characteristics are close to carbon-based, but her cell walls are unusually tough, with obvious silica deposits, and her metabolic rate is extremely low. This wound... that dark purple energy is very corrosive, destroying her cell structure and energy circuits, and conventional anti-infective agents are having little effect."

She took out a small bottle of "energy erosion neutralizer," which she had just modified based on the principles of the "purification sequence," and carefully dripped it onto the edge of the wound. The potion made a slight "sizzling" sound upon contact with the dark purple energy, and a wisp of blue smoke rose. The girl, still unconscious, frowned in pain, her body twitching slightly, but the rate at which the wound festered noticeably slowed.

"It's effective, but it will take time and will consume a lot of her energy." Lilith breathed a sigh of relief and began to inject the girl with nutrient solution and sedative.

Rowe, Anderson, and Barton stood outside the observation window of the medical bay, their expressions grave. The girl's appearance and injuries confirmed their suspicions—she was indeed a native of the γ-7 star system, and a unique hybrid or evolved race possessing both carbon-based and silicon-based characteristics. The dark purple energy had a strong corrosive effect on her, clearly originating from the monster that attacked her.

"When will she wake up?" Luo Wei asked.

"Her vital signs are stable, but she has suffered severe psychological trauma, and with the effects of the medication, she will need at least a few more hours," Lilith replied. "I have given her a mild nerve repair agent and a sedative, hoping to help her recover."

Just then, the hatch leading to the living area slid open, and Instructor Verna, supported by Lina, walked in with slightly unsteady steps. Their faces still bore the weariness and paleness of their slumber, but their eyes had regained their clarity.

"Mentor Verna, Lina, you're awake!" Annie greeted them joyfully.

"I've barely regained consciousness." Verna waved her hand to indicate that she was alright, and her gaze immediately fell on the girl in the medical pod. Her pupils contracted slightly. "Silicone race? No... it's an even rarer hybrid... I didn't expect to see the descendants of the 'Children of Starrock' in a star system like γ-7."

"The Child of Star Rock?" Everyone looked at Verna.

"An ancient legend." Verna walked to the observation window, carefully examining the girl. "In the records of the Stargazer civilization, certain planets rich in special silicon-based minerals and with extremely active energy environments may, over billions of years of evolution, give rise to a unique race that combines the toughness of rock with the vitality of life, known as the 'Children of Star Rocks' or 'Rock Spirit Families.' They are usually compatible with the energy of the earth and stars, have long lifespans, but face difficulties in reproduction, and their civilization develops slowly. Judging from her characteristics, her bloodline doesn't seem pure; she may have mixed in genes from other carbon-based races, which occasionally happens on colonized planets at the edge of the star sea."

Her words explained the girl's unusual physique and also hinted that the γ-7 star system was not a "barren wasteland" and that there might be an unknown indigenous civilization.

"Mentor, how are you feeling? Has your spiritual sense returned?" Rowe was more concerned about Verna and Lina's condition, as their abilities would be needed for the upcoming voyage and potential threats.

"My mental strength has recovered to about 60%, but my star power will take longer." Verna rubbed her temples. "Thanks to Lilith's potion, the forced slumber, though painful, did protect my soul core to the greatest extent. Lina's situation is somewhat special."

All eyes turned to Lina, who had remained silent. She looked even weaker than Verna, her face almost translucent with paleness, but her eyes were unusually bright, as if some strange light was flowing within them. She didn't look at the girl in the medical pod, but instead tilted her head slightly, as if listening to something, sensing something.

"Lina?" Lilith took her hand with concern and found that her hand was unusually cold.

"I...I'm fine." Lina's voice was soft, with a hint of unease. "It's just...after waking up, I feel a little different. This star system...is very 'noisy'."

"Quarrel?"

“It’s not a sound.” Lina struggled to organize her thoughts, her brow furrowed slightly. “It’s ‘thoughts’… a lot… chaotic, vague, painful ‘thoughts’… permeating the starry sky, like background noise. When I got closer to that ‘Silent Archiver,’ this noise was suppressed, but now that I’m farther away, it’s become clear again… and I also sensed something else…”

She raised her hand, pointing out the porthole to a direction deep within the γ-7 star system, where several bright stars and a hazy nebula shimmered. "There... there's a very powerful, very sorrowful, and also... ancient 'echo.' It's somewhat similar to Brother Luo Wei's Star Key... but more... silent, as if locked up, struggling painfully. And..." She pointed in another direction, to the asteroid belt region, "There... are many cold, hungry, corrosive 'little thoughts,' clustered together, like a... living, thinking 'plague.' The sister we rescued, her 'voice' is weak, frightened, but pure, like... the last firefly being hunted by the plague."

Lina's description shook everyone. Her spiritual senses, after undergoing the baptism of the "Steps of Truth," close contact with the will of the Stasis Court, and the practice of the "Communion with All Things" meditation, seemed to have undergone a qualitative change. She could no longer only perceive danger and signs of life, but could even vaguely capture the "emotional background" on a stellar scale and the "mental characteristics" of specific targets! This ability was incredible, but it also meant that she had to withstand more information shocks.

"It seems that the 'Deep Condensate' and this experience have unexpectedly stimulated a deeper evolution of your spiritual perception." Verna looked at Lina thoughtfully. "But this is dangerous; too much clutter will overwhelm your consciousness. You need to learn to filter and block as soon as possible. For now, try to focus only on your perception of the ship's interior and nearby areas."

Lina nodded obediently, closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and the ethereal senses around her slowly subsided, her complexion regaining some color.

"The 'plague of hunger' she spoke of should be the same dark purple lifeform that attacked the outpost and this girl," Elder Anderson said in a deep voice. "And that 'ancient, sorrowful echo'... could it be a trace left by the 'Primordial Eldar'? Or... other secrets hidden in this star system?"

Luo Wei silently sensed the Star Key in his arms. When Lina pointed in those two directions, the Star Key resonated faintly, especially in the direction of the "ancient and sorrowful echo," where the resonance was clearer. This confirmed Lina's perception and also indicated that the γ-7 star field did indeed hide secrets related to the Star Key, perhaps related to the "Primordial Spirit Race" or the "Origin Codex."

"Regardless, we need to get information from this girl first." Rowe steadied himself. "She's the most direct lead. Lilith, notify us immediately if she shows any signs of waking up. Mentor Verna, you and Lina should rest and recover. Elder Anderson, Barton, we need to replan our route. We need a safe place to rest and replenish our resources, while avoiding the 'Silent Archiver' and the 'plague' area that Lina sensed."

Everyone nodded and dispersed.

Lowe, Anderson, and Barton returned to the bridge. The star map unfolded, and combining Lena's hazy perception with the original markings on the star map, they began to re-plan.

"We cannot venture deep into the star system; there might be more advanced civilizations there, which also means greater exposure risks. But staying on the periphery is resource-scarce and unsafe," Elder Anderson said, pointing to the star map. "Lina sensed that the 'Plague' is concentrated in the asteroid belt to the northeast and several neighboring star systems. The 'Ancient Echo' is deep in the southwest. I suggest we head northwest; there's a nebula region marked 'Gravity Labyrinth,' sparsely populated with complex spatial structures, filled with small black holes and gravitational anomalies. It's unsuitable for large-scale fleet operations, but might provide shelter for small starships like ours. More importantly, the star map notes indicate that there are occasional reports of rare 'Stellar Crystal' veins in that area. Although mining is dangerous, it's a highly efficient energy crystal, and finding some would be crucial for us."

"The gravity maze... is also very risky." Barton frowned.

"But this is our most feasible option at the moment." Lowe weighed the options. "'Silent Archivers' are in the southeast, we stay away from them. 'Plague' is in the northeast, we avoid it. 'Echoes' in the southwest are not our immediate target. The labyrinth in the northwest is dangerous, but at least it's a natural risk that we can handle with technology and the Star Key. Let's go there. Set a course, stay hidden, and keep speed low to conserve energy."

With the course determined, the Stargazer adjusted its direction and slowly headed towards the "Gravity Labyrinth" region in the northwest. The starship's energy reserves were depleted very slowly at low speeds, temporarily stabilizing at 11%.

A few hours later, just as the Stargazer was about to completely leave the gravitational influence of the asteroid belt, news came from the medical bay—the rescued girl had awakened.

Lowe, Lilith, and Verna rushed over immediately. Anderson and Barton stayed on the bridge, while Lena and Annie followed curiously, standing guard outside the medical bay.

On the treatment bed, the girl opened her eyes. They were exceptionally beautiful eyes, with clear amber pupils that seemed to shimmer with starlight, but now they were filled with fear, confusion, and profound exhaustion. She instinctively flinched when she saw the strangers gathered around the bed, but her wariness lessened slightly as her gaze swept over Lilith's gentle face and the clean medical equipment around her.

"You're awake. How are you feeling? Still in pain?" Lilith asked in the gentlest tone, while showing the medical device in her hand to indicate that it was harmless.

The girl opened her mouth, uttering a few dry syllables from her throat. It seemed to be a foreign language, the syllables short and sharp, with a texture like the friction of rocks. After several attempts, she managed to say, haltingly, in extremely broken but vaguely discernible words, "Thank...thank...you...for saving me...The 'Crystal Eater'...is gone?"

"Crystal Eaters?" Luo Wei caught the key phrase. "Does it refer to those dark purple, wriggling, attacking things?"

A look of immense fear immediately crossed the girl's face, her body trembled violently, and she nodded frantically: "Crystal-devouring bacteria...devour...everything...ore...life...energy...run...run fast..."

"Don't be afraid, you're safe now. We're far away from there." Verna soothed the girl's emotions with her calm mental energy, while simultaneously trying to convey a benevolent message using simpler Star Speaker mental communication techniques. "Tell us, what happened? Who are you? Where is that place?"

Under Lilith's gentle guidance, Verna's emotional comfort, and the faint starlight emanating from the key in Rowe's hand—a light that instinctively brought her a sense of warmth and peace—the girl's emotions gradually calmed. She pieced together a chillingly fragmented story, interspersed with broken Common Tongue, gestures, and occasional bursts of native language vocabulary in moments of excitement.

Her name is "Airi," and she belongs to a small settlement called the "Crystal Rock Tribe," who have lived for generations on a barren mineral planet called "Gray Rock Star" on the edge of the γ-7 star system. They are mixed-blood descendants of the "Children of Star Rock," and their population is small. They make a living by collecting "Gray Obsidian," a unique mineral on their planet that contains a small amount of star energy, and by exchanging goods with small caravans that occasionally pass by. Their level of civilization is very low, and they hardly participate in the mainstream affairs of the star system, so they are not marked on the common star map.

Approximately several dozen local cycles ago (roughly equivalent to a standard year), deep within the star system, a terrifying entity known as the "Crystal-Eating Bacteria" suddenly became active. They appeared to be a highly evolved, collectively conscious silicon-based-energy hybrid life form, feeding on all energy-rich minerals, metals, and even silicon-based life forms. Wherever they went, planets were hollowed out, reduced to lifeless dust. Their emitted "Crystal-Eating Waves" could erode most energy shields and mechanical structures, being particularly deadly to the carbon-silicon hybrid "Crystal Rock Clan."

The "Crystal-Eating Bacteria" spread like a plague, affecting many peripheral mining stations, outposts, and even weak indigenous settlements like the "Crystal Rock Tribe." Some forces within the star system seemed to have attempted to resist, but with little success. Moreover, the "Crystal-Eating Bacteria" appeared to learn and evolve by consuming other organisms, becoming increasingly difficult to deal with.

Airi's tribe was destroyed in a sudden attack by "Crystal-Eating Fungi," with only she and a few others escaping on an old mining ship. They fled, moving between abandoned outposts, trying to find safe haven or a force that could help them. However, fear and despair spread among the refugees, leading to constant conflict and infighting. Not long ago, their outpost, where they were hiding, erupted into a fire due to internal strife over the last supplies and energy, and was then discovered by a small group of wandering "Crystal-Eating Fungi," resulting in a final massacre. Airi was the sole survivor; she hid in a crevice, witnessing her people being devoured and fellow refugees killing each other, until she was discovered by the "Crystal-Eating Fungi." In her despair, she was rescued by Rowe.

"Inside the star field... the people of 'Great City'... are also afraid... they've blocked the roads... and they don't care about the outside world..." Tears streamed down Ai Rui's face, the tears carrying a faint fluorescent glow, falling onto the sheets and condensing into tiny crystals. "Silent... 'Silver Shell'... in the sky... watching... motionless..."

"The Silent Silver Shell?" Rowe and Verna exchanged a glance and immediately thought of the "Silent Archiver".

"It... doesn't help... it just watches..." A look of confusion and a barely perceptible resentment appeared on Irene's face. "The elders said... they... are 'rules'... are 'scales'... they don't help anyone... they just wait... for the result..."

The Static Court was indeed observing, and perhaps even "recording," this disaster of the "Crystal-Eating Bacteria"! They adhered to the so-called "order," not interfering with the natural evolution (or collapse) of the "low-degree variable," until it reached a certain threshold?

"You're saying the people inside the star system blocked the roads? They knew about the threat of the 'Crystal-Eating Bacteria,' but chose to seal off the interior and abandon the peripheral areas?" Elder Anderson's voice came through the communicator; he had been listening in from the bridge.

Airi nodded with difficulty: "'Crystal Curtain'... an energy wall... surrounds the inside... the outside... is left to fend for itself..."

The situation is worse than imagined. The γ-7 star system is not a peaceful place, but is undergoing a cataclysmic event deliberately ignored by internal forces—a catastrophe devouring it from unknown silicon-based life! And the Silent Court, this terrifying "Court of Order," is coldly observing and recording everything. Their so-called "low-development" designation likely means that this place has already been designated by them as an "observable variable collapse experimental field"!

"Airi, do you know where those 'Crystal-Eating Bacteria' come from? What are they afraid of? Is there any way to deal with them?" Luo Wei asked anxiously, as this was related to whether they could survive in this star system.

Ariel shook her head blankly: "I don't know... It comes from the depths... Where the stars dim... They're afraid of... very strong light... very hot fire... And... a kind of... ancient aura... Like... like the one on you..." She hesitated and looked at Lovi, or rather, at the direction of the Star Key in his arms, her eyes once again revealing that instinctive closeness and confusion, "You... have the aura of 'Originium'... but it's different..."

Originium? Does it refer to the "Primordial Spirit Race"? The fragments of the Star Key originate from the "Compendium of All Things," which is a sacred object of the "Primordial Spirit Race," carrying the aura of the "primordial." Could it be that the "Crystal Devouring Fungus" fears the power of the "Primordial Spirit Race"?

Just then, Lina's voice suddenly rang out from the communicator outside the medical pod, trembling slightly: "Brother Luo Wei... Instructor Verna... that direction... that 'Ancient Echo'... just... fluctuated! It seems... it seems to be reacting to the Star Key! And... the 'thoughts' of those 'Crystal-Eating Fungi' seem to be stirring as well; they're converging towards... the direction where we rescued Sister Airi!"

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines at the same time.

Irene seemed to sense something too; her face turned even paler, and she gripped Lilith's hand tightly, her voice trembling with tears, "They...they're searching! Searching for the scent of 'Originium'! Your...your stone...attracted them!"

Does the Star Key have a special attraction for the Crystal-Eating Bacteria? Or is it that the Crystal-Eating Bacteria are searching for anything with a "primordial" aura, and the Star Key just happens to fit that description?

"Accelerate immediately! Turn! Head to the 'Gravity Maze'! Silence throughout the ship. Lina, suppress your senses and shield yourself!" Lowe made a decisive move, rushing out of the medical bay and heading towards the bridge.

The newly acquired intelligence, like a boulder thrown into water, stirred up a thousand waves. The secrets of the γ-7 star system, the threat of the Crystal-Eating Bacteria, the observations of the Stasis Court, the echoes of the Primal Spirit Race, and the unexpected variables brought by the Star Key... a myriad of issues, fraught with danger.

The Stargazer's tail engines suddenly lit up, disregarding energy consumption, and fled at maximum stealth speed towards the chaotic gravitational labyrinth to the northwest. Behind it, deep within the abandoned asteroid belt, more and more dark purple points of light, like sharks smelling blood, began to writhe and emerge from rock crevices, wreckage, and cold shadows, converging into an unsettling undercurrent that slowly spread in the direction the starship had departed.

A new threat has awakened. The Star Key they rely on seems to be both a spark of hope and a beacon of darkness. Is the "gravity labyrinth" ahead a dead end, or the only way out? The answer lies beyond that distorted starlight.