Chapter 166: A Spider in the Heart and a Mop in His Hand
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System text ghosted across Kent's vision:
Mission Logged: Pocket Gate Recon – Difficulty B+
Primary Objective: Map rune array within 24 h of stabilization.
Secondary Objective: Retrieve ≤ 10 kg relic sample.
Penalty: Diplomatic incident if detected.
Bonus: First mapping of 33-ring submatrix (unknown reward).
He tightened his grip on the yoke. Behind him, the cabin thrummed; ahead, the sky ran starless and wide. "Four days till the gate opens," he thought. "Let's be there first, unseen."
Silent Star sliced northward, as hushed as her name, carrying them into the unknown.
The violet night thinned into a cold dawn haze as Silent Star drifted below the last serrated ridge. Kent, hands steady on the yoke, guided the skimmer along a gorge filled with pine shadows. No patrol beacons flashed, Yanling's inner sentries must still be asleep. Auri perched on the dash, tail-flame dim, eyes bright.
