A day of preparation passed in tense yet orderly fashion.
The Lighthouse's "final comprehensive resupply" was exceptionally generous. Not only was the Orderkeeper's energy core fully charged, but the damaged sections of its hull were perfectly repaired with a special crystalline material, making them even stronger than before. Additional living supplies, high-grade Energy Crystal blocks, several lightweight exploration suits equipped with basic protection and life-support functions, and a portable Watcher Beacon integrated with a Purification Field generator were all delivered into the cabin.
Xuan also downloaded a vast amount of peripheral survey data on the Chaos Echo Zone from the Lighthouse's database, including charts of energy tide patterns and analyses of potential hazards. Though this information could not completely reveal its core secrets, it was enough to help them avoid the most obvious death traps.
Neji used this time to gain an initial grasp of the principles behind constructing the Chain of Order. It was a method that combined one's own energy—whether Source Purification Power or another form of orderly energy—with one's understanding of rules, creating a means of restraint and defense that existed somewhere between matter and energy. It was not intended for direct attack, but for stabilizing oneself, isolating contamination, restraining enemies, and even temporarily "repairing" small-scale disruptions to the rules. Its intricacy far surpassed any formation or restriction he had encountered before, faintly aligning with the Chaos Great Dao's principle of establishing order amid disorder. Though he could not master it in a short time, grasping its most basic applications was enough to handle many situations.
The milky-white Crystal Ring on his wrist also established a deeper connection with the Lighthouse. Beyond its basic permissions, it could actively send one powerful distress signal to the Lighthouse in a crisis and draw upon one reserve of the Lighthouse's