Sha Shige sighed. "Actually, this crystal skeleton has a lot of research value."
Fan Chengying asked, "What kind of research value?"
Sha Shige said, "It's not a normal energy body. Apart from crystal energy, Origin Energy, and poison, it also contains an unknown energy source. Right now, many energy companies on the market are hoping to obtain a sample for research purposes."
Ding Meng knew that he wasn't spouting nonsense. His investigation just now had confirmed that he wasn't lying. "The question is, why would such a crystal skeleton appear here?"
Qingyan explained, "Brother Ding, let me explain it to you this way. This energy source is the reason why this place is able to block outside detection."
Ding Meng said in surprise, "You're saying that this crystal skeleton can block out quantum detection?"
Qingyan nodded and said, "My research results show that this is indeed the case."
Little Rascal slapped his forehead. "No wonder those energy companies are trying to get a sample. Once this energy source is thoroughly researched and put into use, shuttles, spaceships, battleships, and even entire interstellar fleets can become invisible. If such a heaven-defying technology is patented, won't those companies be able to make a fortune?"
Xiao Ai said, "Not necessarily!"
Little Rascal was stunned. "Why?"
Xiao Ai said, "If that's really the case, then the principle behind this energy source isn't as easy to obtain as you think. Besides, there are still many mysteries in this place that we haven't figured out yet."
Ding Meng nodded in approval. He had a few questions right now. First, where exactly was the source of this infectious psychic power?
Second, why would these infected people come here to die?
Why would they come to this cave filled with poisonous liquid instead of other places?
Third, was there really a wormhole in this place?
Ding Meng's gaze suddenly fell on the blood pool. "It seems like we'll have to go down there to figure this out."
"Brother!" Fan Chengying was shocked. "You have to be careful."
This blood pool was undoubtedly connected to the more complex core of the Devouring Realm, but no one dared to go down there, including Fan Chengying, an Origin Energy General.
He was able to resist the poison because the poison in the current environment was still within his tolerance range, but it was hard to say if he went down any further. Moreover, the depths of the blood pool were unknown, so going down recklessly was extremely risky.
Ding Meng waved his hand and said, "It's fine if I go down."
As he spoke, he took off the wristband on his wrist. "Elder Fan, put this on. Go back and ask the military for help in my name. If they don't believe you, send the video message recorded inside and ask the military to evacuate the uninfected civilians from the riot area as soon as possible."
Fan Chengying took the wristband and said hesitantly, "Brother, what do you mean?"
Ding Meng said, "I have a feeling that this is not good. I'm afraid that more and more people will come to die."
Fan Chengying nodded and carefully put away the wristband.
Ding Meng said, "If it's possible, tell your men to retreat as well!"
Fan Chengying hesitated. "Will this … work?"
Ding Meng nodded and said, "Yes, I can. My authorization level is very high. It's the direct authorization of the 819th Air Combat Legion's SSN6L9T1 special class fleet commander."
Fan Chengying had obviously heard of this famous fleet long ago. He couldn't help but take a deep breath. "Brother, I, Fan Chengying, owe you a big favor this time."
Ding Meng smiled. "Elder Fan, you're too polite. I just don't want to have too many casualties. Based on the current situation, the infection will only increase."
Fan Chengying said with a serious face, "Don't worry, I'll tell everyone to retreat as soon as I get up there. Brother, you must be careful. If there's anything wrong, come up and meet up with me."
Ding Meng nodded. Only then did his gaze fall on Shag Ge. Suddenly, he asked a more direct question, "How many people did Sheng Hao Corporation send this time?
Who's in charge of the overall situation? "
Shag Ge and the others' expressions changed. Qing Yan said in surprise, "How … how did you know?"
Ding Meng stretched out his finger and flicked Shag Ge's shoulder armor. "Sheng Hao Corporation is not good enough to send you to your deaths."
Shag Ge's face was full of shock. "Brother Ding, what do you mean?"
Ding Meng sighed. "The material of your armor should have been the material of the seventh generation battle armor. I don't know if Sheng Hao Corporation was too stingy or if they did it on purpose, but they gave you guys the worst quality equipment."
Qing Yan couldn't help it. "I'm from Sheng Hao Corporation. I don't believe it!"
Ding Meng glanced at her and snorted coldly. "Then why can't you even resist the lowest level poison in the Devouring Realm?"
"This …" Qing Yan was stunned.
Ding Meng continued, "I don't know why Sheng Hao Corporation did this, but I've fought with your battle armor before. Trust me."
After saying that, he couldn't be bothered with their shock. He drove the Prototype into the air and dived into the center of the blood pool with a whoosh.
The pool was naturally filled with so thick that it was almost solid. The Prototype's performance was truly amazing. The surface layer made of bio-technology would absorb the poison the moment it came in contact with it. The System quickly analyzed it and then transformed the surface layer into hardened skin. In other words, the System had turned the metal of the Prototype into the skin of a Flesh-Eater. Of course, it wasn't a real change, but it was adapting to the surrounding poison so that it wouldn't be corroded.
The Prototype was now like an underwater submarine. Because the liquid was too thick, Ding Meng couldn't see anything with his naked eye. Moreover, the Prototype's detection function was now useless. He could only rely on his telekinesis vision to find his way.
The effective range of his telekinesis vision was five kilometers, so it was easy for Little Rascal and the others to map out the underwater terrain. If the blood pool above was the entrance, then below it were countless densely packed tunnels that intersected like the capillaries of a human body. Each tunnel was extremely narrow, and the widest one was only wide enough for two people to pass through. Moreover, from the densely packed tunnels, it was likely that there was more than one place like the blood pool.
Ding Meng's train of thought was to dive deeper. The reason was simple: since the ground was filled with poison, then the source must be at the very bottom.
Little Rascal kept calculating the depth. "Three thousand meters, three thousand five hundred meters, four thousand five hundred meters …"
When he reached five thousand meters, Ding Meng finally felt a trace of fluctuation. Moreover, he was certain that it wasn't a fluctuation of Origin Energy. This fluctuation was extremely strange. It was like a ripple on the surface of a water. When it passed through a person's body, it would cause them to feel a sense of shock, causing their mind to go blank for a moment.
"Infectious telekinesis, confirmed without a doubt!" Xiao Ai usually used this tone to speak, so there was no way she was wrong.
Little Rascal's voice also grew excited. "New target discovered!"
In truth, Ding Meng had also sensed that a dot of light had appeared in front of him. The dot of light gradually transformed into a glowing eye. When he was about three hundred meters away from the glowing eye, a hair-raising scene occurred. The glowing eye flashed red, and an eye flipped out from within.
Ding Meng could be considered to have seen his fair share of bizarre things, but none of them had made him feel more horrified than this one. This eye was indeed a human eye. Just like the eyes of the Flesh-Eating Warrior from before, it emitted a demonic red glow.
The eye was over twenty meters in diameter. Its pupil didn't move, but for some reason, it felt like it was alive and was staring fixedly at him. This feeling was indescribable. Even though Ding Meng's mental fortitude had always been good, he still felt as if a shadow had been cast over his heart at this moment.
"What is this thing?"
Ding Meng also felt a chill run down his spine. This was because the eye was constantly emitting waves of energy. The waves weren't large, and the frequency wasn't high, but it still made him feel uncomfortable.
Xiao Ai spoke without hesitation. "The infectious telekinesis was created by this thing. It's the source."
Little Rascal said, "Strange. It doesn't have the characteristics of a living being, nor is it a carrier, but the energy it possesses is unprecedentedly powerful."
At this time, Ding Meng stopped flying and observed this thing from afar. It had no heat or poison, but from time to time, it would emit ripples in all directions. Moreover, only Ding Meng could detect these ripples.
"It doesn't seem to be hostile!" Little Rascal reminded.
Ding Meng also sensed it. He piloted the Prototype closer. "What is this thing?"
Xiao Ai was silent for a long time. "According to my analysis, it should be some kind of equipment."
"Equipment?" Ding Meng and Little Rascal were both confused. This was clearly a ball of energy. How could it be equipment?
Xiao Ai said, "But that's the result of my calculations!"
As soon as she said this, the eye of light finally changed. It suddenly expanded into a circle of light that resembled a two-way vortex. At the center of the vortex was Ding Meng.
The system also sounded an alarm. "Unknown energy detected. Lock on to this device."
"Not good!" Ding Meng decisively retreated.
As he retreated, the eye suddenly emitted an even more dazzling light, which instantly engulfed the Prototype.
Ding Meng sensed that this light contained an extremely powerful restraining force. It fixed him and the Prototype in place, making it impossible for him to move. It wasn't like he hadn't experienced this feeling before.
Little Rascal cried out in surprise. "This energy … it seems to be Music Shadow Transmission."
Back in Black Gold Base, Xin Jie had used Music Shadow Transmission to teleport Ding Meng away. It was the same feeling he was experiencing now.
Xiao Ai's voice turned cold. "No, it's more advanced than Music Shadow Transmission. It's some kind of teleportation device."
Little Rascal said, "The Devouring World's teleportation formation?"
Ding Meng didn't have time to reply. His vision blurred. Everything around him, including the ghostly eye, warped and distorted. The entire world was plunged into darkness.
This was true darkness. Ding Meng couldn't sense any trace of life around him. It was as if his entire being had fallen into the abyss of the void.
Could this really be a teleportation formation?
This was Ding Meng's last thought.