Chapter 616: Arrangements and Deadlocks Within the Seed Vault
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 616: Arrangements and Deadlocks Within the Seed Vault
"Have I... reached the main hall?"
I surveyed the expansive hall. Corridors stretched out from the massive space, but many sections had already been severed and isolated by spatial barriers.
Walking across floor tiles made of an unknown material, I stopped before a wall. A massive guide map was etched onto its surface, though in the current state of spatial chaos, it was likely useless.
Still, I recorded it. It contained the regional layout of the Seed Vault.
From the map, I could roughly discern how the seeds were preserved. Aside from common cryogenic storage, there was also "living preservation." Consequently, the facility housed large-scale greenhouses and botanical gardens for continuous plant breeding.
Subconsciously, I glanced at the several paths ahead. I hadn't encountered anyone in this area yet.
Reasonably speaking, if it was this easy to get in, then getting out...
I turned back toward the spatial plane I had just stepped through.
Due to spatial discontinuity, the light was fractured and blurred. When I took a step back out, I didn't return to the original exterior, but arrived in an entirely different space.
"Interesting..." I raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. I had heard the space here was chaotic, but experiencing it firsthand was truly fascinating.
When I crossed through this new space again, I didn't return to the main hall.
"Does the space shift this quickly? Or does the passage change the moment someone passes through and the space mends itself?" I waved a hand, churning the space as I crossed again. I kept my hand moving until my entire body was through, preventing the fractured spatial planes from "healing" before I could pass.
This time, I arrived back in the area I had just left.
"Hmm... I think I've found a pattern." Seeing this wondrous phenomenon, I felt a spark of interest to test it further.
However, amidst my fascination, I suddenly noticed something threading through this area, connecting to other places.
"Is this... a mana thread?"
I reached out and plucked the thread a few times. It didn't dissipate. After a closer inspection, I realized it wasn't a simple thread of condensed mana, but a specific spell effect.
It seemed someone else from the Witch Academy had been here. Did they really intend to treat this place like a string-guided labyrinth?
I followed the mana thread to its other end, only to find it branching in the middle of the corridor. Each branch connected to a different spatial cross-section.
That was when I realized something was off.
Could mana threads pass through the planes that divided space?
Logically... they shouldn't be able to.
With that thought, I used my Ley Line Identification Art to probe for information I didn't yet possess. Once the results came back, I nearly laughed out loud.
This was indeed the handiwork of the witches, and their method was... brute-force enumeration!
But there was nothing wrong with that logic.
After all, the spatial volume of a Seed Vault complex was finite. As long as they reached a new area, they would do two things within that space.
First, they would "mark the spatial unit." They treated that specific space as a whole, recorded its contents, and left a mana thread node.
Second, they would leave threads connecting these "nodes," extending them to every accessible spatial cross-section.
One thing to note was that if there were threads on the other side of a spatial cross-section, the threads would bridge the fragile spatial gap within a certain range to form a "pathway."
In essence, they were using mana resonance to solve the problem of spatial fault lines.
Their plan was to set up these measures in every independent space. That way, regardless of where they were or where they wanted to go, they could use this "mana network" woven from threads to find a direct path to another node.
Even if the spaces were constantly shifting, as long as a path existed to that destination, they had a way to get there.
I had to admit, the method was brilliant.
However, it faced many issues. For instance, entering a random space was a matter of probability; covering every space would take a long time and require seamless cooperation.
Furthermore, it wasn't just students from the Witch Academy here. Students from other academies could easily sabotage these constructions. While it was true they weren't witches and couldn't command mana, they had a thousand ways to destroy a spell effect shaped by mana.
Another point was... if they had already been to a place, it should have been picked clean. Why come back?
Or were they doing this simply to ensure every Witch Academy student could find their way out after they finished scavenging?
Or... had the other academies already teamed up with the Witch Academy?
I flicked one of the mana threads. Soon, a "message" left by a minor spell surfaced upon it.
"Please do not destroy the mana threads left by the Witch Academy. This is a massive project to guide everyone out of the labyrinth. If you are lost, try your best to move toward spaces with mana threads and seek out members of the Witch Academy; they will lead you out."
"Heh... I wonder how many people will actually listen." I shook my head and finally chose the passage closest to me.
This area clearly didn't store any seeds. As I stepped into the next space, I was hit by a beam of direct sunlight.
I had come... outdoors!
I looked up at the sun in the sky—the source of the light. Below was a... crowded plantation.
Yes, crowded.
The plants here had all undergone mutations. The most common mutation was "gigantism." This place seemed to have been affected by the Transcendent Origin Crystals; in some areas, I could see crystal clusters spreading. The plants absorbed this transcendent energy and mutated, turning this open-air plantation into a bizarre, "grotesque profusion of blooms."
But if anything was truly eerie, it was the mana threads filling the sky!
This place was like a massive connection hub. From the surroundings to the air above, every inch was filled with irregular spatial cross-sections.
This meant that even if one flew up, they couldn't escape; they would simply enter another space through a spatial fault in the sky.
That was why the mana threads were so exaggeratedly draped across the entire firmament. Fortunately, they didn't obstruct movement, or else this place would have looked like it was caught in a giant "spiderweb."
Moreover, this space was enormous. A place that connected to so many other spaces... would naturally be an excellent resting spot.
Not only were there many passages making it easy to search, but the space was large and offered a view of the sun, removing the oppressive feeling of an enclosed room. Even those who wandered in by mistake would likely consider staying here to wait for rescue.
As I expected... quite a few people had gathered here.
"Another one... Wait, why is it you?"
"Is it so strange for me to be here?" I walked toward the girl who had spoken, not bothering to avoid their gazes.
"No... we're just curious. We didn't expect to run into Teaching Assistant Xiao Han in a place like this," the other girl said, her tone shifting noticeably.
"Then it just means we're fated, doesn't it? I heard you're trapped here? Waiting for rescue?"
"Yes, we're stuck. The space here is incredibly chaotic. One wrong step and you could fall into a spatial loop. Plus, dream creatures appear from time to time. If we're not careful, our bodies and consciousnesses might get separated. That's the real trouble."
"I see." I glanced toward where they were gathered. Some people lay motionless on the ground, while others existed only as translucent dream consciousness bodies.
It was a miserable sight.
Presumably, some had been ambushed by dream creatures, and after their consciousness was separated from their body, they had passed through a spatial cross-section, leaving their physical form behind.
Some had found their bodies; others had only encountered consciousness bodies... No wonder they were building such a vast mana thread network. Was it to find separated bodies and minds?
"It seems the predicament you're facing is quite complex."
"It is. So, Teaching Assistant Xiao Han, have you come to lend us a hand?"
"No, I'm just here for fun, and to collect some interesting seeds along the way. If you're willing to give me some rare seeds, I wouldn't mind helping you solve your current problem," I said.
"No, forget it then." The girl shook her head, clearly feeling it wasn't a fair trade.
I was a bit surprised. Their valuation of the seeds here... seemed unexpectedly high. I thought they weren't interested in plant technology?
Did Ninglan Qiuyue lie to me?
No... it could also be a difference in perception or preconceived notions. Or, a more cynical thought: they might even be hiding something from Ninglan Qiuyue.
But there was no point in debating that now.
Furthermore, I had already used the Ley Line Identification Art to acquire the ley line information for the entire Seed Vault. Although the space in this area was constantly twisting and shifting, the ley lines themselves were not severed by it.
Unfortunately, I couldn't plug into the mana thread network they had built. However, using the information from the Ley Line Identification Art, I could use the data generated by their network to construct a "pirated network" of my own.
Since they valued the seeds so much, I had to move quickly. Otherwise, the good stuff would be snatched up, and I'd be left picking through trash.
Since they had rejected my trade, I naturally didn't care about their fate. I turned and left without hesitation.
However, just as I was picking a spot to depart, I spotted a familiar figure.
It was Yu Yuetian.
I had heard from Dongli Yiren that Yu Yuetian had gone out with an exploration team. I hadn't expected her to explore all the way here!
She saw me quickly as well. Or rather, she had noticed me the moment I arrived.
But she didn't speak to me, nor did she move. She simply gave me a nod, a silent acknowledgment.
I responded with a faint, subtle smile. No one noticed our silent understanding.
If she didn't want to rely on my strength, then so be it. I still remembered what Dongli Yiren had told me.
According to Yu Yuetian, this was a trial belonging to her as an ascetic.
Encountering difficulties and danger—that was only natural, wasn't it?
I stepped through a spatial plane that had no mana thread connection. This was a place they hadn't reached yet.
The room was filled with countless display stands, each showcasing different seeds.
However, after checking them one by one, I found that most were... dead seeds.
It seemed a place like a Seed Vault had its share of "vanity projects" in that world too.
After all, these were seeds meant for public display. The true seeds intended to preserve the spark of civilization would surely be kept in special storage areas with strict control over temperature, humidity, and light.
Still, a few seeds with incredibly resilient vitality were still alive. But after reading their descriptions, my interest waned.
Plants used merely to enrich biodiversity didn't have much practical value; they might even become invasive species in another ecosystem.
However... a very small number of seeds had survived the impact of transcendent energy. Such seeds had a high probability of undergoing transcendent mutations. Those were what I was interested in.
Afterward, I broke into several more spaces in succession. I encountered one or two people lost in the labyrinth, but I remained unmoved.
My goal remained clear: collect seeds of value to me.
As for the few isolated individuals I met, I left before they could even ask for help, while others were too proud to speak up.
During this time, I also encountered some dream creatures. In this environment, once they realized I was trouble, they fled quickly. I managed to catch one along the way.
As for why I caught it—to gather information, of course.
A Consciousness Communication Spell could bypass language and communicate directly on a mental level. As long as a dream creature had a consciousness and the cognition to drive its reactions, conversation was theoretically possible.
However, I had underestimated the difficulty of communicating with dream creatures. Their consciousnesses were incredibly chaotic—perhaps the environment of the Primitive Dream Realm had shaped them that way.
But... it was still a good starting point. At least the possibility of communication existed.
And so, I began wandering through the Seed Vault with this dream creature in tow.
I scavenged for seeds while "bonding" with the creature. Though the progress was negligible, it was just something I was doing on the side; I could handle the workload.
Compared to the dream creature, I was more impressed by the layout of the seed exhibition halls.
Designed with clean lines and spatial arrangements, the halls showcased the artistry of architectural design. On the towering seed walls, transparent materials were used to neatly arrange every single seed, creating a beautiful sight.
But... it was merely beautiful.
These seeds were useless. It seemed the real seeds were hidden in more secluded locations.
Carrying the sealed and trapped dream creature, I stepped into yet another unknown area. Upon entering, I was met with pitch-black darkness. Not a sliver of outside light reached this place.
Only a few bioluminescent plants emitted a faint glow.
Following the guidance of the Ley Line Identification Art, I reached out and touched a certain spot. The plants that were still glowing flickered for a moment, then went out.
I shrugged and cleared the root connections within the wall. I waited for the ley energy to surge, and only then did the bioluminescent plants burst into bright radiance.
"Interesting. This is... a basement? Looks like I've found the right place."