Li Tian didn't hesitate. The service tunnel entrance, shrouded by the last vestiges of pre-dawn gloom, beckoned. He activated the Stealth Field Emitter and slipped inside, the grate clicking silently back into place behind him. The air in the tunnel was stale, heavy with the scent of recycled air and cold metal.
[STEALTH FIELD EMITTER ACTIVE. SPIRITUAL SIGNATURE OBFUSCATION 70%.]
"Li Tian, internal ventilation network accessible," Prometheus's voice was a whisper in his mind. "Follow the tertiary power conduits. They lead directly towards the sub-level data archives."
He moved fast, crawling through the confined space, his movements fluid and silent. The cold metal pressed against his gear, but his spiritual energy flowed, subtly dampening any sound he might make.
He passed automated security nodes embedded in the walls, their optical sensors sweeping the narrow passages, but Li Tian's obfuscated signature kept him invisible to their cold, mechanical gaze.
He reached a vertical shaft, descending into deeper levels. A ladder, slick with condensation, led down into the darkness. He descended quickly, the shaft echoing faintly with the distant thrum of heavy machinery. Below, a faint light pulsed.
"Li Tian, sub-level access point ahead," Prometheus warned. "Security here is quadrupled. Automated sentry guns on fixed positions. Infrared and motion sensors. Two patrol units."
He reached the bottom of the shaft, a heavily reinforced door blocking his path. A soft red light pulsed from a series of embedded sensors along its frame. This wasn't a biometric lock; it was a layered defense.
"Xiaoli, Lira, Jax," Li Tian messaged, his voice low in the mental link. "I'm at sub-level access. Multiple security layers."
"Acknowledged. Initiating Phase Two diversion," Xiaoli's voice came back, crisp and ready. "Targeting auxiliary power grid in Sector Gamma-7. Standby for impact."
Barely a second later, a distant CRUMP rattled the very foundations of the base. The lights in the corridor ahead flickered violently, plunging into darkness, then sputtering back to life, their glow noticeably dimmer. An urgent klaxon blared distantly, then died to a series of frantic, distorted warnings.
"Diversion successful. Sector Gamma-7's auxiliary power grid has suffered a major disruption," Prometheus confirmed. "Localized sensor grid is down. Automated sentries in Sector 4 are offline. You have a 90-second window. Proceed."
Li Tian didn't waste a moment. He pulled out the Data Siphon, its multi-pronged head glowing faintly. He pressed it against a main conduit running beside the door. Spiritual energy surged through him, into the device, and then into the alien network. He wasn't trying to open the door, just to disrupt the sensor array.
[DATA SIPHON ACTIVE. INTERFERING WITH LOCAL SECURITY PROTOCOLS.]
The red lights along the door frame flickered wildly, then died. The heavy thrum of the security mechanisms powering the door shuddered, then went silent. The door remained sealed.
"Prometheus, it's still sealed. My window is closing."
"Li Tian, the spiritual energy surge from the siphon has temporarily overloaded the door's internal locking mechanism," Prometheus explained. "Its primary function is disabled, but its physical integrity remains. Use the Multi-Purpose Disassembler on the manual override panel located top-right. Its internal relays are now vulnerable."
Li Tian moved with practiced efficiency. He located the small, armored panel, no larger than his palm. He drew the Multi-Purpose Disassembler, activated it, and pressed it against the panel. The silent vibrations hummed, eating through the alloys. A click, and the panel sprung open, revealing a tangle of colored wires and exposed circuits.
He chose two wires, guided by Prometheus's immediate projection. A quick twist, a spark, and the heavy door hissed, then began to slide open, revealing a short, dark corridor beyond.
[SUB-LEVEL ACCESS GRANTED.]
He slipped through, the door sealing behind him, plunging the corridor into oppressive silence once more. The air here was colder, denser, carrying the distinct tang of high-grade electronics and stored data.
"Li Tian, central data archives ahead," Prometheus confirmed, a map of the immediate sector appearing in his mind. "Two main chambers. The outer chamber contains general tactical data. The inner chamber holds sensitive research and high-level strategic intelligence."
He reached the first chamber. It was vast, filled with towering racks of glowing data crystals, holographic displays flickering with unreadable data, and banks of humming servers. A single, sleek automated drone, unlike the outer patrol units, glided silently between the racks, its multi-faceted sensors constantly scanning. This was an internal security unit, designed for precision detection.
"This drone uses high-frequency spiritual resonance scanning," Prometheus warned. "Your emitter's obfuscation will be less effective at close range. Its patrol route is predictable. Wait for it to pass the central server array, then move towards the primary terminal."
Li Tian concealed himself behind a towering rack of servers, his spiritual energy focused, drawing deep within himself, making him almost a non-entity. The drone approached, its hum growing louder, its cold light sweeping over his hiding spot.
He felt the probing spiritual resonance, like icy fingers attempting to find purchase on his Dantian. His emitter pulsed, battling against the invasive scan. The drone paused, its sensors focusing on the server rack Li Tian was behind. A critical moment.
He held his breath. Then, with a soft whirring sound, the drone moved on, continuing its programmed route. It had registered nothing.
Li Tian emerged, a ghost in the vast data hall. He moved swiftly, gracefully, towards the primary terminal Prometheus indicated. It was a massive holographic display, glowing with intricate graphs and streams of encrypted data.
He pulled out the Data Siphon. "Prometheus, target: strategic intelligence logs. Prioritize Iron Covenant weaknesses, resource allocation, and anti-cultivator research."
"Acknowledged, Li Tian," Prometheus replied. "Connecting. Initiate spiritual energy transfer. The siphon will require a stable connection to breach their encryption."
Li Tian pressed the Data Siphon against the terminal. He channeled a focused stream of spiritual energy, feeling it surge through the device, then spread into the Covenant's network. It was like feeling his spiritual energy probe and unravel threads of light, breaking down complex digital barriers.
The terminal's holographic display flickered, then began to scroll rapidly, displaying lines of code and data, incomprehensible to the untrained eye, but perfectly legible to Prometheus.
[DATA SIPHON ACTIVE. TARGETING KEY INFORMATION.]
He felt the spiritual energy flowing from his Dantian, a steady river fueling the siphon's work. This was the raw power of cultivation, refined and applied through technology, the Neo-Cultivator's true strength. He was a silent hacker, breaking into the very core of their digital empire.
[DATA ACQUISITION PROGRESS: 10%.]
Suddenly, the drone's hum grew louder. It was returning. Li Tian had only moments. He continued to channel, knowing he couldn't stop now.
"Li Tian, drone's detection protocols are initiating a secondary sweep, focusing on energy fluctuations. Disengage the siphon and conceal yourself, or risk detection," Prometheus warned, its voice devoid of emotion, yet carrying the weight of urgency.
He couldn't risk it. Not yet. He had to get more. He pushed more spiritual energy into the siphon, forcing it to work faster, brute-forcing the connection.
[DATA ACQUISITION PROGRESS: 25%.]
[WARNING: UNUSUALLY HIGH SPIRITUAL ENERGY FLUCTUATION DETECTED BY LOCAL DRONE.]
The drone paused, its single red eye turning directly towards Li Tian. A high-pitched whine began to emit from it, the sound of an alarm being primed.
Li Tian knew he had been made.