Deep Sea City, Nathatone, was about to see the first shutdown of the massive protective barrier hanging over the ancient city in ten thousand years. The translucent membrane above the city was slowly disintegrating and fading from its apex outward. The spatial layers that blocked outsiders and the countless invisible mazes were failing along with it. As the Great Shield Wall shut down, the enormous vortex directly above the city gradually lost its energy supply. Its edges trembled slightly, then its rotation slowed—but just as the Siren Queen had predicted, the vortex did not disappear. It continued to grow, slowly but inexorably.
Hao Ren led everyone back to the city's surface. (Using the word "surface" in the deep sea felt a little strange.) He looked up at the vortex overhead. The thing exerted an inexplicable psychological pressure, as though it might fall and devour everything at any moment. "We have a month to shut this thing down. I think it'll directly affect my year-end bonus... So, does anyone have a reasonably reliable plan?"
The Data Terminal did not hesitate at all. "Blow it up."
Hao Ren thought for a moment, then reached into the water beside him, grabbed Doudou, and held her up in front of the Data Terminal. "You have thirty seconds to explain yourself. If you can't, you're spending the whole day playing with her."
The Data Terminal shot several meters away with a whoosh. "Put that fish down! I'm not kidding!"
Doudou clapped excitedly. "Not kidding! Not kidding!"
"All right." Hao Ren let Doudou go and allowed the little one to continue swimming laps. Then he looked up at the Data Terminal. "You really plan to blow up this enormous vortex? To be fair, I don't think this thing will obediently dissipate once detonated. It's already accumulated