CHAPTER 136 — THE SLAB OF ORIGINS
The facility did not end where the screens went dark. It continued.
Past the research tables.
Past the glass chambers and broken consoles.
There was a corridor at the very back, partially concealed behind a retractable steel partition that had failed to close completely. The metal door was scratched, as if someone had tried to seal it in a hurry.
Long Hao stood before it for several seconds.
The air here felt different.
Heavier.
Not mechanical.
Ancient.
Zehell came to stand beside him.
"You feel that too."
"Yes."
Not like the anchor.
Not like the dragon.
This was deeper.
Older than the Sovereign system.
Colby shifted uneasily behind them.
"If there's another dragon, I'm staying here."
Marek muttered, "You won't."
Long Hao placed his palm flat against the metal partition.
It didn't hum.
It didn't slide open smoothly.
It groaned.
Ancient mechanics resisting movement.
Then it retracted with a grinding echo.
Beyond it—
