Omega sensed its connection with Alpha being completely severed and let out a piercing scream that shook the entire underground space. It was no longer a simple energy fluctuation, but a mixture of anger and a kind of almost biological instinctual panic. All the mimics, regardless of their previous state, seemed to have been injected with a berserk command, completely ignoring their own damage, and rushed towards Maine's team from all directions in a suicidal manner.
"They've all gone mad!" Rebecca yelled, as the plasma bombardment fired continuously, vaporizing swathes of mimics, but more enemies immediately filled the gaps.
The reservoir structure groaned ominously, large chunks of concrete began to fall from the top, and water gushed from the cracks. Energy readings in the area where Omega was located spiked dramatically, far exceeding safety thresholds.
"It's overloading the core!" David stared at the biosensors. "At this rate, the entire structure will collapse!"
Maine's crimson optical lens swept rapidly across the battlefield. Retreat was the most logical option; they had captured an Alpha, and the mission could be considered a partial success. But Osiris' command echoed in his processor: "The Omega's control system has irreplaceable research value for understanding the nature of spacetime."
This is a high-stakes gamble.
"Fire all remaining chaff! Target: Omega!" Maine's voice was firm and decisive. "Sasha, recalibrate the capture device; we're taking it with us!"
"Are you crazy?!" Rita shouted between attacks of a mimic, "We can't possibly capture it before it self-destructs!"
"We have countless cycles to try," Maine responded, "but this is the first time we've truly angered it. Next time, it might completely change our defensive strategy."
Sasha and Kiwi immediately carried out the order, firing all the remaining chaff and flares in the direction of Omega. A series of explosions lit up the depths of the tunnel, and a specially designed electromagnetic pulse temporarily disrupted Omega's energy field.
"The interference is effective, but it will not last more than twenty seconds!" Kiwi reported.
Sasha and Lucy frantically adjusted the parameters of the capture device. "Energy output increased to 120%! Target the largest energy source!"
The device emitted a piercing hum, its overload causing the outer shell to heat up. Lucy's quadrupedal Titan stepped forward, using its body as an additional stabilizing platform.
"Dorio, Rebecca, buy us time!" Maine ordered. "The rest of you, protect the tech team!"
Dorio and Rebecca carried out the order without hesitation. Dorio charged forward, her incendiary gauntlets tracing deadly arcs in the darkness, igniting the approaching mimics one by one. Rebecca, meanwhile, used her plasma cannon to fire precise shots, eliminating the targets that posed the greatest threat to the capture device.
Valerie and Jackie's Iron Guard guards stood at the forefront, their armor already riddled with dents and burn marks left by the mimics attacks. "Armor integrity down to forty-three percent!" Jackie warned.
"Aiming complete!" Sasha shouted. "Fire!"
The specially designed binding net fired from the capture device was larger than ever before, lunging towards the Omega deep within the passage like a living shadow. The energy suppressors on the net emitted a blinding light, clearly overloaded.
Just as the binding net was about to strike, Omega's core erupted with an blindingly bright light. An unprecedented spatial-temporal fluctuation swept through the entire space.
"Ultimate reset protocol detected!" Falco's voice was almost drowned out by the roar of energy. "It's going to erase the entire timeline!"
The binding net successfully made contact with the Omega at the last moment, and the energy suppressor activated. But it was too late; a reset was inevitable.
In the last moment before his consciousness was pulled back to the starting point of the cycle, Maine recorded a crucial piece of data: the suppressed Omega seemed to be experiencing extremely subtle abnormal fluctuations in its reset.
When Maine regained consciousness in the landing craft, he immediately retrieved the record. The data showed that, under the influence of the capture device, Omega's energy signature experienced a 0.03-second disturbance in the instant before the reset occurred.
This seemingly insignificant anomaly may be the key to their victory in the next round.
——
The detailed data from the previous cycle, especially the abnormal energy characteristics of Omega 0.03 seconds before the reset was triggered, was quickly organized and encrypted by the Maine team and sent back to Osiris.
They used the precious initial time after the reset to quickly establish a foothold on the beachhead, conducting regular operations while anxiously awaiting a response.
They didn't have to wait long before the cross-dimensional communication terminal lit up again.
Osiris' synthesized voice came through, carrying a hint of focused concentration after analyzing the data.
"Data received. Omega's energy signature anomaly indicates that when it initiates the Ultimate Reset Protocol, there will be an extremely brief but real vulnerability in the anchoring of its core to the current timeline. Conventional jamming methods cannot effectively exploit this window."
The holographic projection displayed an energy waveform diagram that had undergone in-depth analysis, with the 0.03-second anomaly highlighted and magnified.
"Based on this feature, the decoy warhead has been redesigned, and the new warhead will be able to maximize the energy suppression effect during this window of opportunity. At the same time, in order to counter its possible physical self-destruction or space-warping behavior, I will provide you with two pieces of equipment."
Beside the communication terminal, a dark blue dimensional rift slowly unfolded. Unlike the stability of the teleportation device, this rift appeared more violent and unstable.
Three oddly shaped spherical devices gleaming with a cold metallic luster, and a dark silver cube, were pushed forward in turn.
The crack then closed rapidly, as if it had borne a tremendous load.
"Three stasis grenades," Osiris explained, "will create a highly stagnant spacetime field in a localized area once activated. Any entity within the field will have its physical state and time flow greatly slowed down for approximately twelve seconds. This will create a crucial capture window for you."
"The other one is a disposable dimensional container." Osiris' synthesized voice emphasized "disposable": "It is a simplified replica of my dimensional cube, and its interior is an unstable secondary dimensional space."
Once activated, it can forcibly pull target entities within a certain volume into and lock them within that space.
Note that it can only be used once, and the startup process requires a five-second charging time during which it must not be subjected to severe interference.
Maine stepped forward, picked up a stasis grenade, and found it cold and heavy in his hand.
Sasha and Lucy carefully examined the dark silver cube—a dimensional container with an incredibly smooth surface that reflected almost no light and contained only a simple activation interface.
"The tactical adjustments are as follows," Maine quickly integrated the new equipment into the plan, "The instant the chaff takes effect and Omega enters its vulnerable window, throw a stasis grenade to control its movement. At the same time, activate the dimensional container to collect it before the stasis field expires."
"This requires extremely precise timing," Falco cautioned.
"So we only have one chance." Dorio clenched her fists.
They've experienced too many failures and resets; this time, with direct support from another dimension, they must succeed.
"Everyone, familiarize yourselves with the new equipment parameters," Maine ordered. "In the next cycle, we will directly execute the final capture plan. Pilar, Lucy, you are responsible for activating and aiming the dimensional container."
Sasha, Kiwi, make sure the chaff detonates at the precise moment.
Dorio, Rebecca, you're in charge of throwing the stasis grenades and making sure the technical team has enough five seconds to operate.
The team members immediately sprang into action, conducting simulations and drills around the new equipment.
They knew that Osiris' use of an unstable dimensional rift to directly teleport equipment would inevitably consume a huge amount of resources, which further demonstrated the value of Omega and the priority of this mission.
Maine stared at the dark silver dimensional container, his logic thread rapidly simulating various possible scenarios.
This time, their goal is not merely to break the cycle, but to capture a living sample that may contain the secrets of the essence of spacetime.
The stakes are higher, but the odds of winning are also increased due to the direct support from the Magos.