Thunder Returns

The Concept Furnace was utterly silent.

News of Lin Ye's return had caused only the faintest ripple within the core circles. To the outside world, they still claimed he was in "deep Observance." But in the depths of the network, the undercurrent had already become a raging whirlpool.

Xuxi's coordinator projection solidified, his voice unusually grave. "Tuner, the internal purification efforts of the three civilizations attacked emotionally by the Imitators have been obstructed. The conceptual structures of three elders from the Mindscape Scroll Tribe have collapsed, and they have entered stasis repair. Discordant noise has appeared in the core movement of the Melody Weavers, and we suspect deeper Imitators are lurking within. The most severe case is the Resonance Forest. 'Withered zones' have appeared in their collective consciousness forest, and they are beginning to spread."

Orderly light flowed over Radiant Stilllight's fingertips. "The Imitators struck exactly where it hurt. The trust we built is being turned into poison by them."

Harmonic Leaptone's rhythm was taut. "What's worse, the voices of doubt are beginning to unite. Led by the Lattice Mind Hall, seven civilizations have formally submitted the Risk Reassessment Proposal, demanding a renewed review of the strategy against the Scavengers. They claim... we are dragging the entire network into a war we have no chance of winning."

"No chance of winning?" Lin Ye finally spoke.

His voice was calm, yet the flames of light within the furnace faltered.

He slowly rose to his feet, his invisible presence making space ripple faintly. [Myriad Phenomena Epic: Prototype] appeared in his palm—its radiance now restrained like the deep sea, a chaotic star vortex slowly turning at its center while tranquil silver light flowed around its edges.

"The Prototype has begun digesting the gift left by the Pathfinder fragments. It has seen the cracks