The spatial structure deep within the Mirror Abyss was vastly different from its outer reaches.
If the periphery was a graveyard where memory fragments drifted in disorder, this place was like a meticulously designed archive.
The dawn sailed along the coordinates provided by the mirror shard. No longer surrounded by scattered mirror fragments, it was instead met by layers upon layers of massive, neatly arranged mirror cubes.
Each of these cubes was dozens of times larger than the dawn, their surfaces as smooth as black crystal. Only at specific angles would they reflect the extremely faint glow of data streams.
They were like silent giants suspended in absolute darkness, connected to one another by slender silver fiber-optic cables, through which currents flowed as if they possessed life.
“This structure...” Data streams flashed frantically within Leng Ningxue's icy eyes, yet she remained unable to fully analyze it. “It wasn't formed naturally, nor does it match any architectural style known to the Federation.”
“It is the early handiwork of the Observer Council.” Abraham pushed his wheelchair to the main console, his withered fingers sliding across the navigation screen to bring up a comparison image.
On the left side of the image was a scan of these mirror cubes; on the right was a cross-sectional structure of the former site of the Sky Federation's Supreme Council—the Temple of Reason, known as 'Before the Veil'.
Under Abraham's manipulation, the two images began to overlap.
A startling similarity emerged.
The arrangement of the cubes, the connection nodes of the fiber-optic cables, and even that aesthetic of extreme coldness were identical to the core area of the Temple of Reason.
“As I thought...” A glint of realization flashed deep within Abraham's gray eyes. “The deep layers of the Mirror Abyss are one of the secret data backup centers established by the Council in its early days.”
“The fact that Silent Observer can access this place indicates his clearance within the Council is even higher than we imagined.”
“It's also possible,” Bai Cheng said, staring at the silent cubes outside the window, “that he used his own methods to secretly protect this place.”
“After all, according to the information in the mirror shard, this place stores the original records that the Council deemed 'invalid variables'.”
The dawn slowly approached the coordinate point.
It was a relatively small mirror sphere located at the center of all the cubes.
The sphere was about a hundred meters in diameter, with no connecting fiber-optic cables on its surface. It simply hung there quietly, like the sole ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) pearl in this dark space.
“Mirror Heart Database...” Lu Duo softly read out the text label that appeared next to the coordinates. “Where is the entrance?”
As if in response to her question, the mirror shard in Bai Cheng's hand suddenly floated up on its own.
It drifted toward the observation window, and the moment it touched the glass, the words 'To the Latecomers' on the shard's surface began to glow.
The light passed through the glass and projected into the darkness outside, forming a straight beam that shot precisely toward the mirror sphere.
At the spot where the beam touched the sphere, a circular entrance silently melted open.
A soft white light emanated from within the entrance, creating a sharp contrast with the surrounding cold darkness.
“Prepare to enter,” Bai Cheng ordered.
Zi Yuan's Tide-Breaking Blade Intent enveloped the bow, Blue Bird reduced engine power to the minimum, Leng Ningxue activated a full-spectrum scan, and the life and Pure Heart Domains of Lu Duo and Yu Nian intertwined to form the sturdiest defense.
Like a whale diving into the deep sea, the dawn slowly sailed into the entrance.
The moment they entered the sphere, everyone felt a strange sense of detachment.
It wasn't a spatial transfer, but rather... a slight adjustment on the level of existence.
It was as if they had passed through a filter; certain preconceived concepts attached to the surface of their cognition were briefly stripped away, making their thoughts clearer and more direct.
The interior of the sphere was not a physical space.
Instead, it was a pure white, boundless void.
Countless glowing cubes floated in the void, each only the size of a palm, yet emitting massive fluctuations of information.
These cubes were arranged according to some complex classification logic, connected to each other by slender threads of light, forming a three-dimensional, slowly rotating star chart-like structure.
“This is...” The lightning in Garel's single eye froze from the shock. “All the hidden data...”
“It's not just data.” Abraham's voice carried a certain reverence. “Look at the labels on those cubes.”
On the surface of the cube closest to them, clear text appeared:
【Civilization Possibility Sample-ST-774321-Branch-00472】
【Content: Record of the evolutionary path of the Emerald Sea Spirit Race after choosing to migrate en masse to the edge of the Star Abyss during the War of the Divine Kingdom】
【Status: Deemed low-efficiency evolution (high emotional variables led to a 37% decrease in civilization stability), archived】
Bai Cheng reached out and lightly touched the cube with her fingertip.
The cube instantly unfolded, transforming into a dynamic holographic image:
In the image, the Spirit Race did not stay to defend the Emerald Sea. Instead, before the War of the Divine Kingdom broke out, the entire race migrated to a group of desolate sky islands on the edge of the Star Abyss.
There, they lost the protection of the star track network, but developed a way of life that was completely integrated with nature.
The image played rapidly—the Spirit Race learned to coexist with the chaotic energy within the Star Abyss. Their Emerald Network was no longer limited to plants, but extended into rocks, water currents, and even light.
A thousand years later, this branch of the Spirit Race evolved into a completely new form: their bodies were translucent, capable of exchanging energy with any substance, and their consciousness existed in the form of a collective dream...
When the image reached the three-thousand-year mark, this branch of the Spirit Race even began attempting to communicate with some ancient existence deep within the Star Abyss.
Then, the image came to an abrupt halt.
A line of cold commentary appeared beside it:
【Civilization evolution deviated from the preset trajectory beyond the threshold. Emotional resonance intensity continued to climb, and rational decision-making accounted for less than 15%. Deemed an invalid experimental branch; deletion recommended.】
“Deleted...” Lu Duo's voice trembled. “Just because they chose a different path?”
“In the calculations of absolute rationality, any path that deviates from the optimal solution is a waste of resources,” Abraham said calmly, though something was suppressed in his voice.
“When the Council established this set of evaluation standards, I cast a dissenting vote. But back then, my voice was too weak.”
Bai Cheng withdrew her hand, and the cube closed back up, drifting to its original position.
She looked around.
These countless glowing cubes—each one was a rejected road, a negated possibility, and proof of the existence of lives that had been declared 'invalid'.
“We continue,” Bai Cheng's voice echoed in the pure white void. “Find the records of the Council's early expansion plans.”
The group began to move through the void.
As they passed through each area, they saw more shocking archival labels:
【Civilization Possibility Sample-ST-774321-Branch-10983】
【Content: Record of the path of Rego of Thunder God Island choosing to fight alongside the Lord of the Sky until the very last moment during the War of the Divine Kingdom】
【Status: Deemed excessive sacrifice (individual heroism led to an estimated 42% loss in overall civilization combat power), archived】
When Garel saw this label, the lightning in his right eye flickered violently, but he did not speak, only clenching his fist.
【Civilization Possibility Sample-ST-774321-Branch-20047】
【Content: Record of the path of the First High Priest of Shandora choosing to reveal the secret of the sun core and share it with the entire Federation】
【Status: Deemed excessive risk of information leakage (possibly leading to the collapse of the preset belief system), archived】
Aurora closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
