Mist's warning made the atmosphere of the entire network tense up in an instant.
"Are you sure?" Lin Ye asked seriously. "What evidence is there?"
Mist's fluctuations trembled violently. "I perceived their presence deep within the gaps..."
"That presence... was filled with hunger and greed..."
"They are observing us... waiting for the best moment..."
Guanlan immediately mobilized the entire perceptual network of the Observer Civilization to conduct a deep scan.
Ten minutes later, it transmitted confirmation: "Mist is telling the truth."
"We have detected abnormal energy gathering, located at the intersection of multiple dimensions."
"Those energy bodies intentionally hid themselves, but they left traces in the gaps."
"There are at least... twenty-three of them."
"Twenty-three?" the Absolute One's voice grew solemn. "If every single one of them has the strength of a fifth-dimensional existence..."
"No, they are stronger than ordinary fifth-dimensional existences," Primordial Source said. "I recognize that energy signature."
"They are Epoch Predators, predatory entities that specifically appear in the Dark Era."
"They do not belong to any civilization, and they have no fixed form. Their only purpose is to devour the energy and knowledge of other civilizations amidst the chaos."
"Every time after the Dark Era, a large number of civilizations vanish without a trace. That is their handiwork."
Xu Chi asked with a tremor, "Even you know of them, which means they have existed for a very long time?"
"They have existed for at least five eras," Primordial Source said. "Every Dark Era, they grow stronger."
"Because they absorb the essence of countless civilizations."
"And this time, they clearly regard the Hyperconscious Network as their biggest prey."
Wu Wu gave a bitter smile. "We originally wanted to protect the participants in the Dark Era, but instead we made the network an even more obvious target."
"How ironic."