'The Deepest Reaches, simply put, is a detention facility used to imprison criminals guilty of heinous crimes or experimental subjects that are difficult to manage. Its existence is not secretive, and I can give you the coordinates directly, but it's not a place anyone can enter right now.'
'I was only responsible for the initial design and construction. I don't know how the Moth of the Fire Chasers intends to modify it. All clearance has been taken from me, but... the creator of a piece of equipment is the one who best knows its flaws.'
The roar of the engine gradually ceased. Lin, wearing no armor but only a helmet, parked the speedboat in the shadow of a small island. He climbed ashore using a grappling line, carefully hiding it and erasing his tracks. Then, he crouched behind a thick, giant tree, cautiously peering out to scout.
The so-called backdoor provided by Vil-V was actually a transmitter to shield the island where The Deepest Reaches was located from the detection system. The detection system she had built was at least two tiers more advanced than the Moth of the Fire Chasers' own. Generally, anyone entering the detection range would be scanned, but Vil-V had intentionally set a single, special frequency within the system that allowed concealment.
Therefore, Lin only needed to find the location of The Deepest Reaches using the coordinates and sail over directly in his modified speedboat.
Lin had taken some simple preemptive measures. The Moth of the Fire Chasers probably still thought he was in his room, but he couldn't keep it hidden for too long. He had to return to headquarters within a day at the latest, or the higher-ups might discover his absence.
Whether viewed from above or at eye level, the island appeared to be ordinary from the outside. According to Vil-V, she had moved the original structure underground, and the entrance would randomly change location at regular intervals. Thus, Lin's first problem was finding the entrance.
"Splash."
The gentle sound of the tide hitting the shore was like the ringing of an ancient temple bell, making one drowsy. After a brief reconnaissance, Lin found no guards and began moving quickly across the island.
The entire island wasn't large, even smaller than the headquarters base. So, it didn't take Lin long to search the whole area.
There were no places that resembled an entrance.
Lin stopped in the center of the island, contemplating while pinching the lower edge of his helmet.
Vil-V hadn't asked for any tangible reward. Her condition for providing help was for Lin to personally solve the various mechanisms and devices within The Deepest Reaches and provide her with a recording of his successful breakthroughs.
Her expression in the dark was unreadable, giving the feeling that she was observing a variable entering a maze she had set up, enjoying the struggles of the player as the author.
Therefore, apart from the initial assistance, Lin hadn't received hints such as what the entrance was, forcing him to expend extra effort.
"Prometheus, have you scanned any hollow structures?"
[Negative. The vegetation above the island shows signs of artificial cultivation, but there are no designs for secret passages or underground tunnels]
"..."
The signs of artificial cultivation meant Vil-V hadn't lied to him. But why couldn't the entrance be detected? Could it be that they used a material that couldn't be scanned, just like those bombs?
Lin looked up while thinking. The midday sun hit his helmet. Lin, who hadn't activated the sun-blocking feature, slightly narrowed his eyes. His deep black pupils were as clear and boundless as a mirror.
"'I love you, and it has nothing to do with you'..." Lin softly murmured the poem. After standing there for nearly half an hour, he took a step and ran towards the place where he first came ashore.
This poem was mistakenly attributed to Goethe, but the actual author was another female poet. Thinking carefully, this itself was a hint: focusing his attention on the island itself, believing this island to be The Deepest Reaches, might be a mistake.
The Deepest Reaches might not be this island at all.
Lin returned to the shoreline where he had come ashore. He crouched behind the cliff edge, observing the changes in the water surface.
After about an hour, the sea surface hadn't changed at all from an hour ago. The gentle breeze and the lapping waves were no different from any other island.
Lin waited patiently. He couldn't risk missing the correct location by searching elsewhere, so he could only gamble that what he was waiting for was the right direction.
Fortunately, his wait was not in vain. After another hour, precisely three hours and three minutes after he recorded his landing, the flow of the water on the surface changed, and a small vortex appeared.
Indeed, since it wasn't within the landmass of the island, it must be in the deep water beneath the entire island.
[Lin, your physical condition does not support an unarmored deep dive]
Prometheus's intelligence was advancing day by day. In just a few days, she was already able to deduce what Lin would do next from his actions and issued a warning.
Lin had chosen not to equip his powered armor this time due to personal preference, only wearing a helmet, essentially being unarmored. The air purification system was not an oxygen tank, and he wasn't carrying diving equipment. Moreover, this was a cold water zone, and naked diving could severely exacerbate his already strained body.
Lin tightly fastened the cuffs of his shirt, tried to expel as much air as possible, took several deep breaths, and said, "Prometheus, record depth."
[Affirmative]
No matter how advanced Prometheus was, she was still an Artificial Intelligence and could not interfere with Lin's decisions; she could only comply with his will.
After inhaling one last breath to maintain air balance, Lin took a deep leap, plunging into the cold, dark sea.
Drowning, struggling, difficulty breathing.
Consciousness sank into boundless darkness. Salty seawater poured in through his nasal cavity. Water pressure squeezed his delicate eardrums. Everything before his eyes seemed to be erased.
The unknown of the deep sea was always the most terrifying psychological oppression for humans.
It felt as though a massive maw lined with internal teeth could emerge at any moment and swallow a person whole.
Lin had already touched the outer wall, but he still hadn't found the entrance. He had to keep descending. On the panel where Prometheus recorded the depth, the measurement had already surpassed the world record for human unarmored diving.
When the pressure reaches a certain level, nitrogen dissolves into the blood. The greater the pressure, the higher the solubility. Humans will be deprived of the necessary oxygen, which could eventually lead to blood vessel blockages and rupture.
Some parts of Lin's body were a sickly blood red, a sign of tiny blood vessels rupturing internally.
But he remained composed, not panicking. Any hint of panic now would lead to death.
A flash of light appeared in his black pupils. Lin abruptly surged into the light ahead.
"Bang!"
Lin was abruptly returned from high pressure to normal pressure. The rapid change in environment caused him to collapse directly onto the ground. He coughed up the last bit of seawater he had inhaled. The reflection on the viewport showed him that the whites of his eyes were laced with frightening blood vessels. The eardrum in his left ear seemed to have ruptured. The sound he could hear became fainter, accompanied by sporadic tinnitus, and a little blood seeped out.
Soon, Lin readjusted his state. He stood up from the ground, looking at the depth recorded by Prometheus. This would make it much easier for him to return here in the future.
His gaze shifted forward.
A long, pitch-black corridor, leading to an unknown destination.