Survivors and Warnings

"Can a stable connection be established?" Radiant Stilllight asked.

"Extremely dangerous. That space's structure is fragile, and the signal source's condition is unknown. The Mimics' warning must also be taken seriously. This is very likely a trap," Harmonic Leaptone cautioned.

Lin Ye pondered. The keywords in the distress signal were far too specific, directly tied to the core crisis they were investigating. The "Formatting Escapee" might possess firsthand information about Antimemetic Erosion, even the Scavenger behind it! The temptation was immense.

But the risks were just as immense. An entity capable of escaping "formatting" might have become something extraordinarily bizarre in essence. The Mimics' warning was even more chilling—did it mean that entity itself could imitate others? Or that something else was imitating it?

"We can't ignore this," Lin Ye finally decided, "but we can't rush in either. Coordinator Xuxi, establish multiple dynamic observation posts around the coordinates. Investigate the approximate state of that interstitial space in the most covert manner possible. Harmonic Leaptone, prepare a highly simplified response signal containing no sensitive information. Its contents should only be: 'Message received. Identify yourself. Further communication may proceed after safety is confirmed.' Send it back using the same encryption method. Radiant Stilllight, prepare emergency procedures to sever the connection and isolate contamination."

He paused, his gaze profound. "I'll personally maintain observance over those coordinates. If anything changes, I'll sense it immediately."

A "mirror" that had narrowly slipped through "deletion," and a mysterious warning from the Mimics. Was this sudden plea for help a hand extended in desperation, or a more cunning lure laid by the Scavenger?

The investigation began with utmost caution.

The preliminary probe of the hidden interstitial space revealed an extremely unstable region with an abnormally "pale" information environment. It lacked the abundant physical parameters of a normal universe,