The crater's location and appearance had changed drastically.
It had been transformed into a flat expanse, upon which stood a dark gray, squat building. It resembled a shell covered in countless patterns, or a hat that had been flattened. Dozens of gaps more than thirty centimeters wide had been left in the roof, periodically spewing white steam and the pungent odor of sulfur, mixed with the rotten-egg stench of Hydrogen Sulfide.
Silver-white Metal Bands extending up from the mountain gathered here, stretching into the building from different directions. Viewed from above, they looked like a giant silver flower in bloom.
Long Mei Er pointed at the building and introduced it. "This is the core. You can think of it as a human heart. It is the source of energy, responsible for transmitting energy through the channels to every node. Let's go inside and take a look."
"Alright." Richard nodded and walked forward with Long Mei Er across the scorching ground, which was nearly fifty degrees Celsius.
Before long, the two entered through the door.
The moment Richard stepped onto the floor inside the building, he felt the soles of his feet heating up even through his boots. The exposed skin on his body rapidly lost moisture, becoming dry and faintly painful. At the same time, the smell of sulfur and Hydrogen Sulfide grew stronger, accompanied by an acidic odor.
Richard guessed that it was likely Sulfur Dioxide released by the volcano, dissolving in moisture inside the nasal cavity and producing Sulfurous Acid.
Frowning, he activated Wandering Energy Elements and formed a pale gray Energy Membrane around his body, isolating himself from the outside environment. Only then did he carefully examine the building's interior.
Inside was a hall-like structure. The floor was paved with two-meter-square bluish stone slabs, and at its