The underground section of the base was in terrible condition—it could practically be called a complete ruin.
This ancient base differed somewhat from the ruins we had seen elsewhere. Though its surface structures had endured wind, sun, and the ravages of time, they were better preserved than the underground section. At the very least, we could still see most of the intact buildings aboveground, and even where some facilities had collapsed, their original forms remained recognizable. The underground section, however, seemed to have suffered the double devastation of geological shifts and forest expansion, leaving it utterly wrecked.
The once broad, deep passageways were now severely distorted. Most of the walls and floors showed signs of warping and cracking. The supposedly corrosion-resistant construction materials did not seem particularly sturdy after all, and we could even see thick plant roots poking through the cracked corridor walls.
Still, it was unfair to blame it for not being sturdy enough. After all, it had not been built from the Empire's all-purpose super-metals. The fact that this base was still standing after tens of thousands of years was already a miracle. At least we could still make out roughly what it had once looked like.
Sandora, in orb form, floated in midair and radiated dazzling golden light. She had completely transformed into a light bulb by now, but Spiritual Spark was not designed specifically for illumination, so I also dragged Alaya out to help light the way. A rather large area around us became as bright as day. On top of that, Alaya's holy power came with air purification and temperature control, making this gloomy, cramped, pitch-black underground passage feel almost pleasant. The three of us continued down a slope that gradually descended underground, observing our surroundings while speculating about what sort of race had