The enormous dark-red star core floated in the deepest reaches of the Withered Star Corridor like the heart of a dying giant.
Its surface was riddled with holes drilled by the Star Devouring Vines, and its internal structure had long been eroded beyond recognition.
Only the very core retained a faint trace of gravitational force, barely maintaining the star core's form and preventing it from collapsing completely.
The life signal Shadow of Guixu had indicated came from a relatively sturdy metallic inner-core remnant at the very center of the star core.
It seemed to have been the last refuge left behind by this planet's ancient civilization, yet it had now become a prison for the surviving members of Mr. Wood Spirit's reconnaissance team.
Ming Xin and Shadow of Guixu transformed into two faint glimmers and easily passed through the massive holes on the star core's surface, plunging deep inside.
The closer they came, the clearer that faint emerald Life Force became, though it also carried the exhausted feeling of a lamp running out of oil.
At last, they reached the metallic inner-core region. A vast spherical space forged from some high-strength alloy appeared before them.
Its surface was covered in dents and corrosion scars left by the Star Devouring Vines' frenzied assaults, yet it had ultimately not been breached.
A heavy blast door was tightly shut. A faint emerald glow seeped through its cracks, the source of that life aura.
Ming Xin placed a hand against the cold metal door. Without exerting any force, the door seemed to have weathered through countless years.
It silently turned into fine metallic dust and drifted away. The sight beyond the door came into view.
The space was not large, and its interior was a wreck. Various life-support devices and instruments lay scattered about,