Entropy Erosion Cycle: Absolute Zero

Chapter 5: The Path of Entropy's Missteps

The night wind in the wilderness was as cold as a blade, slicing through Lu Shang and Xiao Ya's thin garments. They had been walking relentlessly for nearly an entire day and night, exhaustion clinging to them like heavy shackles, tightening around their limbs. Lu Shang's throat felt as dry as if it were about to catch fire, and Xiao Ya's steps had grown slower, forcing her to frequently ask Lu Shang to pause for rest.

Ever since they had connected the device of the mysterious man in black at the abandoned town, Lu Shang's heart had been weighed down with a profound sense of melancholy. He could not rid his mind of the young lives recorded in the files—lives endowed with great power, yet confined like livestock, awaiting the moment when the entropic counter would reach zero, only to have their final ounce of energy drained away. The thought that Xiao Ya might harbor such a countdown device within her body sent a sharp pang of agony through Lu Shang's chest.

They needed to find a real refuge from the Ouroboros—a place where they could live in safety, a place where they might uncover more about the "corrosion marks" and the "Zero Corrosion Mark." But this world was so vast, where could they possibly find such a sanctuary?

As they were mired in uncertainty, a faint light appeared in the distance. The glow shone starkly in the blackness of the wilderness, like a guiding lighthouse to lost souls, illuminating the way forward.

"Uncle, look, there's a light!" Xiao Ya pointed toward the distant gleam, her voice brimming with hope.

Lu Shang, too, saw the light, and a flicker of hope ignited in his heart. Perhaps there were people there; perhaps they could find some help.

They supported each other as they walked toward the light. As they drew closer, the source of the glow came into sharper focus: a small settlement deep in the wilderness. The settlement consisted of only a few low buildings, surrounded by a high wall, and there were devices that looked like surveillance cameras mounted along the top of the wall.

Lu Shang immediately became alert. To find such a well-guarded settlement in this desolate place was highly suspicious. He didn’t know where they were, nor whether the people inside were friends or foes, but one thing was certain—they had no other options.

They cautiously approached the wall surrounding the settlement. Lu Shang urged Xiao Ya to hide behind a large boulder while he crept closer to the barrier. He examined the cameras on the wall and saw that they appeared to be fully operational. It would be no easy task to slip into the settlement unnoticed.

As he pondered how to proceed, a cold electronic voice suddenly came from the wall: "Warning! Unknown individuals detected approaching. Please immediately state your identities and intentions, or forceful measures will be taken!"

Lu Shang's heart sank. It seemed they had been detected. He took a deep breath and called out toward the wall, "We are just travelers passing through, lost and hoping to find shelter for the night."

After a few seconds of silence, the electronic voice responded, "Please remain where you are. We will verify your identities."

Lu Shang and Xiao Ya stood frozen, surrounded by the eerie quiet of the wilderness, the only sound the rustling of the night wind through the dry grass. The tension in the air was palpable, and Lu Shang felt a rising unease.

After about ten minutes, a metal gate in the wall creaked open, and two figures emerged. The first was a tall man clad in black combat attire, his face concealed by a pair of dark sunglasses, hiding his eyes even in the night. Behind him stood a woman in a white robe, her face obscured by an intricate silver mask, leaving only her cold eyes exposed.

Lu Shang immediately tensed. The two of them looked highly professional and mysterious, but it was the masked woman who exuded an oppressive presence, one that was almost palpable.

"Who are you?" the man in black demanded, his voice low and gravelly, laced with an undeniable authority. "What is your purpose here?"

"We are merely ordinary travelers, lost in the wilderness," Lu Shang replied, trying to sound as sincere as possible. "We were hoping to find a place to rest for the night."

The man in black scoffed, his lips curling into a cynical smile. "Ordinary travelers? In this place, at this hour? Do you expect me to believe that?" His piercing gaze swept over Lu Shang and Xiao Ya, as if attempting to see through their facade.

"We truly are travelers. If you don't believe us, you can search our belongings," Lu Shang said, keeping his voice steady, hoping to avoid arousing suspicion.

The man in black waved a hand, signaling the masked woman behind him. She nodded and slowly approached Lu Shang and Xiao Ya, her icy gaze sweeping over them, as if she could peer straight into their souls.

Suddenly, the woman froze, her gaze fixed on Xiao Ya, who was clutching Lu Shang’s side. Her body trembled ever so slightly.

"She… she…" The woman's voice wavered, her tone laced with disbelief.

The man in black furrowed his brow in confusion. "What is it, Prophet?"

The woman, referred to as "Prophet," did not answer him. Her eyes remained locked on Xiao Ya, her emotions a swirl of surprise, confusion, and a hint of barely concealed excitement.

"You… Where are you from?" The Prophet's voice, this time, was sharper, tinged with urgency.

Lu Shang, feeling both confusion and concern, didn't understand why the woman was fixated on Xiao Ya. Still, he answered truthfully, "We came from the city. For certain reasons, we had to leave."

The Prophet’s body trembled again, and her eyes grew even sharper, as if trying to pierce through Xiao Ya’s very being.

"What is your name?" The Prophet asked softly, her voice quiet but insistent.

Xiao Ya hesitated, her fear evident as she cowered behind Lu Shang, whispering, "I… I’m Xiao Ya."

The Prophet’s face went deathly pale, her body trembling violently, as though she had seen something incomprehensible. She suddenly jerked her head up, staring at Lu Shang with eyes wide in shock and a hint of madness.

"You… You are Lu Shang?!" The Prophet’s voice nearly cracked in her hysteria.

Lu Shang’s heart plummeted. He had not anticipated that they would know his name. It seemed that the Ouroboros' pursuit was even more thorough than he had imagined.

The man in black’s expression darkened as he glanced at Lu Shang, suspicion and wariness filling his eyes.

"Prophet, do you know him?" the man in black asked.

The Prophet did not respond immediately, her eyes still fixed on Lu Shang and Xiao Ya, muttering to herself in an unintelligible language.

Just as Lu Shang’s unease grew, the Prophet suddenly extended a hand, pointing directly at Xiao Ya with a fervor that bordered on madness. "She… She is the ‘Child of Resonance’! The key in the prophecy!"

"The Child of Resonance? The prophecy?" Both Lu Shang and the man in black were left stunned, unable to comprehend the Prophet’s words.

Realizing she had revealed too much, the Prophet took a deep breath, regaining her composure before looking directly at Lu Shang, her tone now grave and serious.

"Lu Shang, I know that both of you are gifted individuals, and the Ouroboros is hunting you. If you trust me, come with me. This place might be able to offer you some help," she said, her eyes sincere.

Lu Shang hesitated. He had no idea who this Prophet was or whether her words could be trusted, but they were clearly in dire need of help. Perhaps this settlement, despite its mystery, held a different kind of promise.

"Why should we trust you?" Lu Shang asked cautiously.

The Prophet fell silent for a moment before slowly removing her silver mask. Beneath it was a delicate yet pale face, her eyes clear and profound, as though she could see into his very soul.

"Because our goals align with yours. We are also fighting the Ouroboros," she said, her voice calm and resolute.

Lu Shang looked into her eyes, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope. He decided to take the risk.

"Alright, we’ll go with you," Lu Shang said.

The man in black appeared surprised by the Prophet’s decision but did not object, only nodding silently.

With that, the Prophet turned and beckoned Lu Shang and Xiao Ya to follow her and the man in black into the settlement.

Inside, the settlement looked quite different from what they had expected. The houses were simple, but the streets were neat and orderly. People dressed in white robes moved about with serene expressions.

The Prophet led them to a building that appeared to be the heart of the settlement. At the entrance stood two guards in white robes, who immediately bowed in reverence upon seeing the Prophet.

She nodded and led Lu Shang and Xiao Ya inside. The interior was sparsely furnished—just a wooden table and a few chairs. Strange totems and symbols adorned the walls, exuding an ancient, mysterious aura.

The Prophet gestured for them to sit, and then she did the same, facing them directly.

"Lu Shang, I know you have many questions. I will do my best to answer them," the Prophet said. "But before that, I would like to hear your story, and how you came to be hunted by the Ouroboros."

Lu Shang nodded and began to recount his awakening and subsequent pursuit by the Ouroboros, detailing everything that had led him to this point. When he mentioned Xiao Ya’s awakening and her immense powers, the Prophet’s face again showed signs of surprise.

After a long pause, the Prophet spoke again, her voice low and thoughtful. "It seems everything is unfolding just as the prophecy foretold."

"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Lu Shang asked, bewildered.

"Our settlement is an ancient order, one that has long studied the phenomena of ‘string resonance’ and the powers of the ‘corrosion marks,’" the Prophet explained. "We believe the appearance of these powers is not accidental; it is a manifestation of the universe’s will, signaling the dawn of a new age for humanity."

"However, the Ouroboros seeks to control this power, using individuals like you as tools and resources. This is a direct violation of the universe's will." Her tone grew more intense. "We’ve been searching for someone who could change this, and your arrival may very well be the turning point."

"Us?" Lu Shang looked at Xiao Ya, incredulous.

"Yes," the Prophet affirmed. "Your ability to halt particle vibration is unique, linked to the deepest mysteries of the universe. And Xiao Ya…" She gazed at the girl with tenderness. "Her power, telepathy and mental control, connects directly with the cosmic consciousness. The combination of your abilities may hold the key to unlocking the ‘Zero Corrosion Mark,’ and even rewrite the laws of physics."

Lu Shang and Xiao Ya were stunned, unable to fully comprehend the weight of their role in this grand scheme.

"So… What should we do?" Lu Shang asked.

"First, you need to stay here safely for a while," the Prophet said. "We will protect you and help you understand your abilities. We will also share everything we know about the Ouroboros and the ‘Zero Corrosion Mark.’"

Lu Shang nodded. He understood that they had no other options. This mysterious settlement might indeed be their last hope.

Just then, the door to the hut swung open, and a young man in a white robe hurried inside, a look of concern on his face.

"Prophet, we’ve intercepted a signal from the Ouroboros," he said urgently. "They’re conducting a massive search for someone with vacuum decay abilities and a young mental controller."

The Prophet's face tightened with resolve. The Ouroboros was moving faster than they had anticipated.

"They've found us already?" Lu Shang asked, alarmed.

"Not yet, but their search radius is expanding. We must prepare," the Prophet said.

She turned to face Lu Shang and Xiao Ya, determination burning in her eyes. "Lu Shang, Xiao Ya, it seems we have little time. From now on, you must quickly master your powers. Only then will we have a chance to stand against the Ouroboros and change this world consumed by entropy."

Lu Shang and Xiao Ya exchanged a glance, their eyes now filled with unwavering resolve. The road ahead would undoubtedly be perilous, but they were no longer alone. In this mysterious settlement, they had found new allies, and with them, they had embraced an even greater mission. The gears of the "Entropy Cycle" would begin to turn, slowly but surely, through their efforts.