Kaptain's Interstellar Metaverse Year 110, July 7th.
After laying his grandfather to rest, Shawn couldn't shake the lingering sorrow.
Last night had been restless, and this morning, long before sunrise, he arrived at Kapteyn's Star.
Seated on the observation deck of the Monolithic Palace's second floor, he let the morning breeze ruffle his hair as he gazed at the fading stars in the distance, feeling as if everything he once knew was slipping beyond his reach.
His grandfather's death, caused by the anomalous energy surge of the Zhen Palace Spirit Key, weighed heavily on him. Though it had been an irreversible tragedy, Shawn still felt crushed by the burden of its consequences.
"He did it for me…" he murmured, his voice laced with guilt and grief.
A deep, steady voice broke the silence behind him. "Shawn."
Shawn didn't turn around. He knew who it was, but right now, he didn't want to face anyone.
Mr. King stepped beside him, his gaze fixed on the morning sky. His tone was calm yet resolute. "When I was young, I, too, struggled with choices. Giving up is always easy. But holding on—that's the hardest part."
Shawn finally lifted his head, his eyes clouded with pain and doubt. "What's the point of holding on?" he asked hoarsely. "Even Grandpa…" His voice caught before he could finish.
Mr. King's expression remained firm. "I've lost people, too. People who mattered more than anything. For a time, I wanted to run from it all. But then I realized—their sacrifice wasn't for me to escape, but to grow stronger. Your grandfather gave his life to stop a mistake you made. He chose to bear the consequences so you wouldn't have to. And now, you can't let that choice be in vain."
Shawn clenched his fists, his heart wavering.
Mr. King let a moment of silence pass before he continued, his voice steady. "Perseverance isn't about the outcome—it's about the journey." Placing both hands firmly on Shawn's shoulders, he added, "Do you think your grandfather didn't understand the risk? He saw the danger, yet he didn't hesitate to act. He didn't do it for himself. He did it to protect you, because you are his hope."
Memories of his grandfather flickered before his eyes, but the once-familiar warmth now felt distant, unreachable. His heart ached under the weight of responsibility.
He met Mr. King's unwavering gaze, wanting to argue, to resist—but the words wouldn't come. His throat tightened, his vision blurred.
Two voices battled in his mind. One whispered, You can't do this. The other urged, You have to.
In the end, he simply clenched his fists—forcing himself to accept what he could not change.
Mr. King noticed the small gesture and gave a nod of understanding. With a gentle yet firm tone, he said, "Some answers won't come by sitting here. Let's go—the research lab has new data."
Shawn followed him to the Meta-Spirit Key Control Center, where General Sandy and Secretary General Quinn were already waiting. The room was filled with technicians in light blue uniforms, their faces tense as they monitored data streams and ran calculations.
An elderly scientist with white hair handed a report to Mr. King. His voice carried a trace of exhaustion. "The Spirit Energy Analyzer shows normal readings. The system has passed multiple integrity tests—there are no signs of tampering, and the monitoring framework is intact."
He hesitated before turning to Shawn. "However, the Zhen Palace Spirit Key's energy fluctuations remain unstable. At this moment, we still can't determine an internal cause."
Mr. King flipped through the report, his brows furrowing. "So it's an external interference?"
"There's a strong possibility," another scientist replied. "A separate research team is analyzing external energy waves that might be affecting the Spirit Key."
Shawn listened intently, his mind racing with questions. He lowered his voice and asked Mr. King, "If even the experts can't pinpoint the problem, then what about the Spirit Key system itself…?"
Deep down, his biggest concern was whether the Earth Meta Origin Society had lifted the seal.
Mr. King met his gaze and answered gravely, "The system is intact. But our enemy's methods are far more complex than we anticipated. Your doubts are valid, but the answers will take time."
A while later, in the strategy conference room, a projected graph displayed intricate energy fluctuations.
A technical expert pointed to two overlapping curves on the screen. "These two energy patterns tell an interesting story. The larger one is almost identical to the Zhen Palace Spirit Key's frequency. But this smaller one—this was introduced recently."
Shawn frowned in confusion, but the expressions of the other attendees grew solemn.
The expert continued, "We can now confirm that someone has replicated the Zhen Palace Spirit Key's energy frequency using advanced technology. By employing a Soul Energy Resonator, they've generated false signals—effectively disrupting or even suppressing the Spirit Key's energy output. This could explain why the Zhen Palace Spirit Key malfunctioned in the examination hall."
Shawn's eyes flickered toward General Sandy. "Soul Energy Resonator?"
"Yes," General Sandy confirmed. "It's the device you reported finding secretly installed in the school library."
Shawn's mind raced. "But how did they replicate the Spirit Key's energy frequency?"
Before the exam, the Zhen Palace Spirit Key had never left his possession. Aside from his grandfather, no one else had ever touched it.
"Oh, copying an energy signature isn't difficult," the scientist explained. "As long as the Spirit Key emits energy waves, they can be intercepted and duplicated. The real issue is…" He hesitated, his brows furrowed. "The real issue is the implanted energy spectrum. That requires direct contact."
Shawn opened his mouth to explain, but before he could speak, Quinn stepped in—perhaps to spare him further distress.
"The Zhen Palace Spirit Key was physically handled by someone involved in the AGI-ST Program," Quinn stated. "It showed anomalies immediately after that incident."
"That would explain it." The scientist nodded. "Through direct contact, they implanted a secondary energy signature into the Spirit Key, which allowed them to manipulate Shawn's Soul Energy, trapping him in that artificial time-space. Fortunately, he never provided them with his own Soul Energy signature—otherwise, the consequences would have been catastrophic."
"Unthinkable, you say…?" General Sandy pressed.
"That's what I mentioned the other day," the young expert who had sat with Shawn at the last meeting added. "If Shawn had provided them with his own Soul Energy signature, they could have bypassed the Zhen Palace Spirit Key entirely and gained direct access to our Spirit Key System."
"So that's how it works…" Shawn murmured to himself.
He recalled the final strike from the old man wielding the white sphere—a decisive blow that had shattered Donner and Jolie's ongoing manipulation of the Zhen Palace Spirit Key. Without that intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"Then… could they break into the system through the Gen Palace or Xun Palace Spirit Keys?" Shawn suddenly thought of Jordan and York's Spirit Keys.
"That's not a concern for now," the technical expert responded with certainty. "Those two Spirit Key holders haven't yet gained access to the Spirit Key System themselves. However, things could change if the Earth Meta Origin Society's seal is lifted."
Shawn immediately grasped the implications—once the seal was removed, the members of the Meta Origin Society would be able to establish Soul Energy connections with the outside world and integrate into the Spirit Key System.
A complicated expression crossed his face. After a long pause, he hesitated before asking, "Is it really true that a Spirit Key… can't be copied?" He recalled the pendants worn by Donner and Jolie.
"As we stated last time, a genuine Spirit Key cannot be duplicated." It was the bespectacled female expert who answered, her tone unwavering. Then she added, "However, after extensive discussion, our research team concluded that what they have may be imitations—designed to resemble Spirit Keys, but fundamentally different."
"Then how did they manage to enhance their Soul Energy?" Shawn was still puzzled. Donner and Jolie had both achieved outstanding results in the entrance exams, and it was hard to rule out the possibility that their pendants played a role.
"We can explain that now." The white-bearded expert took over. "Since they were capable of embedding a Soul Energy signature into the Zhen Palace Spirit Key, they could just as easily implant one into those pendants—thereby boosting the wearer's Soul Energy."
The implication was clear: the Soul Energy signatures embedded in Donner and Jolie's pendants were used to enhance their exam performance, while the one implanted in Shawn's Zhen Palace Spirit Key was meant to manipulate him into joining the AGI-ST Program.
"Oh… I see." Shawn exhaled deeply, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "But those imitations… they're almost indistinguishable from the real thing."
"Of course." Quinn smirked, his tone laced with meaning. "After all, Jordan and York provided the original samples."
Mr. King's gaze was cold as he scanned the room. "This is just the beginning. We must find a way to protect the Spirit Keys from interference—before we find ourselves in an even more vulnerable position."
When the meeting concluded, Mr. King called Shawn aside and led him to a quiet office. From a folder, he retrieved a document and handed it over.
"What's this?" Shawn asked warily.
"The official instructions for lifting the Earth Meta Origin Society's seal," Mr. King said calmly. "Isn't that what you wanted?" He paused before continuing. "The key to unsealing it lies in securing the CP-Hub Master's acceptance of the Central Palace Spirit Key."
Shawn froze, staring at Mr. King in disbelief. "You want to grant the Central Palace Spirit Key… to the CP-Hub Master?" His voice carried a note of incredulity.
Mr. King turned to the window, his back to Shawn, his voice deep and measured. "The Earth Meta Origin Society's seal was imposed by generations of Cathay's rulers as a safeguard for their power. The Cathay have always prioritized political stability. Handing the Central Palace Spirit Key to the CP-Hub Master is a logical step—it prevents dissatisfaction among those who still adhere to the old ways."
Shawn fell silent, contemplating the implications. Then, in a low voice, he asked, "And if he refuses?"
Mr. King slowly turned to face him, his gaze heavy with unspoken gravity. "Then we'll have to create the outcome ourselves… but the cost may be far greater than you can imagine."
Shawn took a deep breath, his fingers tightening around the document. He knew there was no turning back—he had been drawn into something far bigger than himself. And this document… this was the key to the next step.
Outside, the sun crept higher, illuminating the horizon. The day had just begun, and the game surrounding the unsealing was officially underway.