Damn it!
We arrived at the outer perimeter.
Lin Yu's expression instantly turned grim as he looked at the semi-transparent energy shield that almost covered the entire martial arts hall and crackled with eerie blue arcs of electricity.
He probed the energy shield with the sharp blade in his hand.
In the blink of an eye, the blade turned red and melted.
After observing it, he realized that this thing was completely different from the protective array formations he had in mind.
It is a purely technological product, a high-intensity energy field barrier.
He originally thought it was a cultivation-themed story, where he could try to break the formation with his accumulated knowledge, but forget about the technology-themed one.
This is a purely offensive protective shield; how can you possibly break through it?
Let alone his current cultivation level, even if he were several times stronger, without specialized shield-breaking equipment or sufficient strength, trying to force his way through with his bare hands would be tantamount to suicide.
They thought they could climb over the wall and escape as before, but they didn't expect the martial arts school to activate this level of defense after Zhao Yan caused such a commotion.
"It seems that the world's foundation and technological level are even higher than I expected." Lin Yu was somewhat at a loss for what to do.
Beyond the protective barrier, one could vaguely see the streetlights and blurry building outlines in the distance, seemingly within reach, yet separated into two worlds by this thin blue light curtain.
"Damn it, with all this commotion, no official organization has shown up! Is the world really that chaotic?"
After waiting for a while, Lin Yu wanted to try his luck and see if he could get official help, but the people outside seemed to be used to it and there wasn't a single person in sight.
"We can't force our way in; we must find the energy source or the control node!" Lin Yu forced himself to calm down, his mind racing.
This large protective shield must have a power supply core and a control center.
Where will these people be placed?
They are usually located in places with relatively strong defenses, but where internal operations are not affected.
For example, the basement of the main building.
Lin Yu looked back at the intense energy fluctuations in the core area and hesitated to go any further.
"We can only gamble on whether there are any secondary energy stations."
There's a fierce battle going on at the main building; I definitely can't go there.
"So what if I die? My main body can revive anyway, what's there to be afraid of? Let's do it." Lin Yu (Number Twelve) pumped up his adrenaline and slowly explored the outer perimeter.
The outer area appears relatively empty because most of the manpower has been diverted, but there are still many functional buildings.
Garages, warehouses, training facilities, and even an artificial lake and beach... none of these were his targets.
Time passed second by second.
The battle in the core area intensified, and Lin Yu's heart sank deeper and deeper.
If the energy node cannot be found, and the martial arts school recovers and reorganizes its forces to clear the outer perimeter, he will have no chance of escape.
Just when he was almost in despair, looking at the manhole cover and wondering if this place was a safe bet.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a relatively isolated, unassuming gray building.
The building has no windows, only a few vents and heavy alloy doors, with an inconspicuous emblem above the door that resembles a circuit board pattern.
With a try-it-out mentality, Lin Yu carefully approached to observe.
"Found it!" Lin Yu's eyes lit up instantly.
He could vaguely sense a continuous and stable energy fluctuation emanating from inside the building, subtly echoing the protective shield above his head.
There were two guards at the entrance, dressed in black combat uniforms and exuding a calm demeanor. They were much more elite than the patrol team they had encountered before, and were probably at least at the Peak Profound Comprehension.
Forcing our way in is definitely not an option.
Lin Yu walked around the building for a short distance and found a ventilation duct outlet at the back of the building.
The pipe opening is equipped with an encrypted electronic lock.
But no lock could deter Lin Yu's determination to escape at this moment.
He circulated his internal energy, and with only half a blade remaining in his hand, he stabbed it into the lock cylinder.
With a soft, almost inaudible click, the electronic lock's casing cracked open.
"Good luck." Lin Yu was delighted and quickly turned the switch, and the vent gate slid open silently.
He squeezed in sideways; the space inside the pipe was more spacious than he had imagined.
However, the inner wall was covered with various wires and sensors, so Lin Yu dared not be careless. He focused his attention to the limit and took each step carefully, avoiding the sensing devices.
Until a light appeared ahead and an even louder roar of machinery could be heard.
He cautiously peeked out; below was a huge server room, with rows of energy converters and voltage regulators, each taller than a person, neatly arranged and humming as they operated.
At the center is a circular control console, with several large screens displaying complex energy flow diagrams and parameters.
Three technicians in gray uniforms sat at the control panel, intently watching the screen.
Surprisingly, five martial artists were scattered around the computer room.
Putting aside their strength, their fully armed equipment alone would be enough to give Lin Yu a run for his money.
One of the men standing against the wall was a bald, burly man with bulging temples and a glint of light in his eyes. Lin Yu felt that he might have even reached the threshold of Grandmaster.
Lin Yu's heart sank to the bottom.
Such a large force guarding a small secondary energy station.
He held his breath, suppressed his racing heartbeat, and slowly retreated into the shadow of the pipe.
To force it would be suicidal, and to secretly shut down the energy station is even less likely.
What to do?
Just as he was racking his brains to figure out how to escape, the bald, burly man in the server room suddenly swept his sharp gaze toward the direction where Lin Yu was hiding.
"A little bug has sneaked in. Number Five, go and crush it."
The other four martial artists instantly became alert, their eyes all turning towards Lin Yu.
Lin Yu knew he was in trouble. Without hesitation, he turned and ran wildly inside the pipe.
At the same time, he casually pulled the pin on the last flashbang he was carrying, which he had originally intended to keep as a souvenir, and threw it behind him.
"Watch out!" the bald, burly man shouted sharply, his figure moving like lightning as he punched directly at the pipe above.
"Boom!" The alloy pipe was blasted open with tremendous force, leaving a large hole.
Almost simultaneously, the flashbang exploded inside the pipe, instantly filling that section of the pipe with blinding white light.
"A mere trick!" The bald, burly man sneered, closed his eyes, and turned his head to the side, his powerful protective aura blocking out the intense light and shockwave.
Number Five, skilled in light-footed martial arts, had already darted into the broken pipe like a nimble monkey and given chase.
Lin Yu fled for his life inside the pipe, the sound of wind rushing past him relentlessly.
He knew that in the straight pipe, he could never outrun a master of lightness skill at the Profound Understanding Realm.
He exerted his strength, smashed through the pipe in front of him, and tumbled into the room below filled with thick cables.
The power plant is a complex maze-like building.
"This way!" The tall, thin martial artist's voice followed immediately.
Lin Yu darted left and right, without any direction, wandering aimlessly inside.
By adapting to the terrain, they managed to create a small distance between themselves.
But he soon discovered that the other person was clearly more familiar with the environment than he was.
Before long, several other martial artists also surrounded him from different directions, constantly reducing his room to maneuver.
Lin Yu was cornered.
Five martial artists slowly approached from different directions, surrounding him.
The bald, burly man at the head of the group had a cold look in his eyes. "Kid, you're pretty good at hiding. Daring to mess with the energy station, who sent you? Zhao Yan's accomplice?"
Lin Yu leaned against the cold metal wall, gripping his alloy battle sword, his chest heaving, silent as his mind raced, searching for a way to survive.
"Won't talk? Take him down!" The bald, burly man waved his hand.