Chapter 338 Echoes of the Old Hole
On the tenth day after the Guanghan Base entered a period of silence, an unusual echo came from the No. 1 old borehole.
That opening had already been sealed shut.
The borehole is 9,100 meters deep.
It was once one of the main wells used by the giant psionic drilling rig to explore the deep lunar crust. Later, due to drill bit obstruction and abnormal low-frequency noise, it was marked in red by Lao Liu and included in the list of wells to be discontinued.
Now, its wellhead is sealed by three layers of titanium steel sealing plates, and a ring of solar condensation layer has been poured on the outside.
Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any more noise inside.
However, the on-duty monitor still saw the waveform.
It was like someone tapping metal lightly with their knuckles at the bottom of a sealed well.
thump.
The monitor stared at the screen, his finger hovering over the alarm button.
He didn't press it immediately.
The Guanghan base has just shut down most of its heavy-duty equipment, and the entire bunker is undergoing noise reduction. Temperature changes in many pipelines could indeed cause structural shrinkage.
He adjusted the wellhead temperature.
normal.
Adjust the pressure on the sealing plate.
normal.
Recall the residual spiritual pressure.
normal.
Only the low-frequency waveform remained in the center of the screen.
A thread as thin as a needle.
He swallowed hard, just about to report it.
The second sound came.
thump.
This time, it was a little heavier than before.
The monitor slammed his hand directly onto the alarm button.
The piercing alarm did not sound.
In silent mode, all loud alarms at the Guanghan Base were turned off, leaving only the red lights on the edge of the control panel lit up one by one.
When Xu Zhao arrived at the monitoring room, his hair was still covered in frost.
She had just returned from the outer shell of the teleportation array, her gloves covered in black powder left from the array's etching.
Which well?
"Old Hole No. 1".
The monitor's voice was dry.
"The two low-frequency echoes were forty-seven seconds apart."
Xu Zhao's face darkened.
"Replay".
The waveform was dragged onto the main screen.
the first time.
thump.
the second time.
thump.
It's very light.
There were no aftershocks.
There was no stratum diffusion.
The sound didn't seem to come from underground; it was more like a sealed-off drilled pipe that had been mistaken for a musical string for a moment.
Xu Zhao stared at it for a few seconds.
"Has the trading halt been loosened?"
"no."
"Are there any cracks in the well wall?"
"no."
"What about the condensation layer of the moon?"
"whole."
Xu Zhao raised his hand and superimposed the frequencies of the two echoes together.
The two lines fit together perfectly.
Her fingers stopped.
"It's not random vibration."
She turned and pressed the internal communication button.
"Chen Ge, come to the monitoring room."
……
Just as Chen Ge arrived, the third sound came.
thump.
This time it's clearer.
Several people in the monitoring room tensed up at the same time.
Chen Ge didn't speak, but stood in front of the screen.
Xu Zhao superimposed the three waveforms.
The three lines look like one line.
"interval?"
"Forty-seven seconds, forty-seven seconds, forty-seven seconds."
Chen Ge looked at the holographic model of the far side of the moon.
"The Black Gate?"
Xu Zhao did not nod immediately.
She dragged the old drill hole locations onto the model.
No. 1 old hole.
No. 2 old hole.
No. 3 old hole.
There are also three sets of relay stations that the deep exploration team drove down before they lost contact.
These points were originally scattered along the edge of the Aitken Basin, appearing to be just fragmented traces left by human exploration.
But when Xu Zhao superimposed the blank area in the center of the black gate, those old holes and relay points fell exactly on the outer edge of several dark lines.
Like fine needles driven into the moon's crust.
Chen Ge's voice was very low.
"It's finding its way through these holes."
Xu Zhao's finger twitched.
The vibration data from the No. 1 old borehole was plotted into a three-dimensional graph.
The thin wave-like streak rose from the bottom of the well, traveled upwards along the sealed borehole pipe, and bounced back at the sealing plate position.
once.
twice.
three times.
"It's in calibration."
No one spoke in the monitoring room.
Xu Zhao continued cutting the data.
"Old holes, probe remnants, and repeater pile remains can all become low-frequency conduction points."
"It doesn't need these things to absorb energy."
"It just needs to hear what's going on outside."
Chen Ge looked at the few thin needles on the screen.
"Can it be pulled out?"
Xu Zhao was silent for a second.
"Pulling out one is like opening a new road."
Chen Ge understood.
Do not pull it out.
We can't just leave it unattended.
The monitor suddenly spoke, his voice trembling.
"Engineer Xu, there's also a reaction at the No. 2 old borehole."
On the right side of the screen, the second waveform lights up.
thump.
This time, the interval became twenty-three seconds.
Xu Zhao suddenly turned his head.
The third old hole also lit up.
thump.
Then came the abandoned exploration well.
thump.
The first relay stake wreckage left behind by the deep exploration team.
thump.
Red dots lit up on the model of the far side of the moon.
It was as if something was groping for the latch in the dark.
Chen Ge pressed the inter-satellite communication button.
"Kyoto, Hikaru requests the highest access."
……
Kyoto Joint Control Room.
After listening to the report, Wang Mingyuan did not immediately give the order.
He watched the red dots gradually light up on the screen.
Old hole.
Remnant well.
Residual relay pile.
Each one is a trace left by humans on the far side of the moon.
Lin Feng stood to the side, his fingers tapping rapidly.
"It's not energy extraction."
He said.
"It's a coordinate echo."
Wang Mingyuan looked at him.
Lin Feng unfolded the waveform.
"It emits low-frequency pulses from the center of the Black Gate, sweeping outwards along the deep structure of the moon. Natural rock layers will scatter the pulses, but old drill holes will not."
"The walls of old boreholes, the remnants of array patterns, and the metal sealing plates will actually reflect the signal back."
"It's like someone knocking on the wall in the dark."
Lin Feng connected the red dots into a net.
At the very center of the net is the Black Gate.
"The more you tap it, the clearer it becomes about the shape of the outside."
The logistics minister stood to the side without saying a word.
There was another picture in front of him.
Shallow mining areas can still operate.
The high-orbit meteorite capture array has been expanded.
The shielding modification of the teleportation array's outer shell is underway.
The resource supply line has not been broken.
But the net of red dots on the far side of the moon, like a slowly opening eye, looms over all the data.
Wang Mingyuan finally spoke.
"how long?"
Lin Feng knew what he was asking.
"At the current response frequency, it will take nineteen days for the Black Gate to complete its external outline calibration."
"Worst-case scenario?"
"Seven days."
Wang Mingyuan looked at him.
Raymond Lam added another sentence.
"If the old hole isn't treated, it will take seven days."
The air in the conference room grew heavy.
Seven days.
This is not the lunar core siphon that has been simulated for decades.
This is a countdown.
Wang Mingyuan raised his hand and drew three lines on the model of the far side of the moon.
"First, install reverse-phase silent anchors on the outer layer of all old holes."
"Second, do not remove abandoned relay piles; seal them off in place."
"Third, the priority of the teleportation array upgrade is raised to the highest. The exchange of resources between Earth and the Moon will continue, but each activation will not exceed three seconds."
He looked at the military representative.
"The Guanghan base will not be withdrawn."
"Lunar orbit base station enters combat patrol."
The military representative asked in a low voice, "What if the silence anchor fails?"
Wang Mingyuan said, "Then let's blast it."
The logistics minister suddenly looked up.
Wang Mingyuan didn't look at him.
"Only blast the old holes, not the mining area."
"Resource line continues."
"But we can't leave a single needle in the red area on the far side of the moon that can hear what's going on outside."
……
Guanghan Base.
After the order was issued, Ma Cheng led the engineering team to stand outside the No. 1 old borehole.
All the lights around the room were turned down to their lowest setting.
Dozens of engineering cultivators carried the Taiyin condensation tanks on their backs, their footsteps making no sound as they trod on the dark gray moon dust.
The sealing plate of the No. 1 old hole was right in front of them.
Three-layer titanium steel.
A layer of grayish-white frost had formed on the outside.
The fourth echo came from beneath the sealed plate.
thump.
Ma Cheng's lips twitched.
"He's quite polite."
No one laughed.
Xu Zhao stood next to him and opened the construction drawings.
"Do not open the sealed tray."
"I know."
"High-frequency welding cannot be used."
"Know."
"The anchor bolts must not be allowed to puncture the existing well wall."
Ma Cheng turned to look at her.
"Engineer Xu."
Xu Zhao stopped.
Ma Cheng said gruffly, "Even if you read it again, I won't become Old Liu."
Xu Zhao paused for a moment, then handed him the blueprints.
"Then you come."
Ma Cheng took the blueprints and glanced at them.
"Eight silent anchors, inserted at a 37-degree angle. The outer layer is grouted with lunar grout, and the inner layer is reinforced with anti-phase array patterns to suppress back waves."
After he finished speaking, he turned around and roared:
"Team One on the left."
"Second team, right side."
"Three teams are assembling condenser tubes."
The construction team immediately dispersed.
The Taiyin condenser is connected to the outer edge of the sealing plate.
The grayish-white cold pressure slowly flowed out, forming a very thin layer of frost on the surface of the titanium steel.
The array master lay on the ground, using a hand-held etching gun to carve lines along the sealing plate.
One stroke.
One stroke.
Every stroke was very slow.
No one dared to let the array patterns vibrate.
The fifth echo came from the bottom of the well.
thump.
A young engineering monk's hand trembled, and the etching gun deviated by half a millimeter.
Ma Cheng kicked him in the shin.
"Stay calm."
The young monk gritted his teeth and fixed the thread.
The sixth tone.
thump.
The Taiyin Frost layer on the outer edge of the sealed plate trembled slightly.
Xu Zhao stared at the monitoring screen.
"The reverse anchor is not locked yet."
Ma Cheng did not turn around.
"There are two left."
"quick."
"That's fast enough!"
The seventh echo did not appear at the original interval.
It came ahead of schedule.
thump.
This time, everyone on the ground felt a very slight tremor in the soles of their boots.
Ma Cheng's expression changed.
"Locking in the anchor!"
Eight silent anchors were simultaneously driven into the outer ring of the sealing disc.
There was no loud bang.
Only a dull metallic clanging sound could be heard.
The array pattern lit up, and a grayish-white cold pressure rolled back along the anchor body, like eight hands, pressing down firmly on the old hole.
The eighth note did not come.
The waveform on the monitoring screen was compressed into a flat line.
Xu Zhao stared for ten seconds before exhaling.
"The silence of the No. 1 old hole has been successfully achieved."
Ma Cheng raised his hand and wiped the frost off his face mask.
"Next."
No one is resting.
The No. 2 old hole is three kilometers away.
The echoes there have begun to quicken.
……
Lunar Rail Station No. 1.
The patrol boat flew close to the edge of the far side of the moon.
The main lights were not on inside the boat.
Only the dial glowed with a cold green light.
The captain stared at the shadows behind him.
"The number of red dots below has increased."
The passenger zoomed in.
In the darkness, a faint gray light shone from several areas where sealing work was underway.
Further in, there is that restricted area marked in red.
The short pulse communication at Lunar Orbit Station 1 skipped slightly.
New instructions have been issued from the Guanghan base.
Maintain passive patrolling. Active scanning of black-door areas is prohibited.
The captain looked at it for two seconds.
"receive."
He turned off the active radar and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
The patrol boat glided into the darkness above the far side of the moon.
Behind me was the greyish-white moon.
Ahead lay the deep space, devoid of any echo.
……
Kyoto.
After the first silence anchor was successfully established, no one in the control room showed any signs of relief.
Because there are still thirty-seven red dots on the screen.
Lin Feng looked down at the data.
"It's adjusting the frequency."
Wang Mingyuan looked at him.
Lin Feng magnified the waveform at the center of the black gate.
The originally regular low-frequency pulses are undergoing subtle changes.
After the first old hole was blocked, the black door did not stop.
It went around it.
It started knocking on other holes.
"It's not intelligent behavior," Lin Feng said in a low voice. "At least we can't judge it that way yet."
Wang Mingyuan stared at the changing curve.
"Let's take the worst-case scenario as an example."
Lin Feng remained silent for a moment.
"It's looking for places that aren't blocked."
The court president raised his eyes.
"What if all the old holes are plugged?"
Lin Feng did not answer immediately.
After a few seconds, he said:
"Then it will continue to extract the lunar core."
"But at least in the short term, we won't be able to hear what's going on outside."
Wang Mingyuan nodded.
"Then let it be deaf."
……
Guanghan Base.
By the time the twelfth old hole was sealed, Ma Cheng's hands had begun to tremble.
It's not fear.
It's too cold.
The condenser tank operated continuously, keeping the surrounding temperature extremely low. A thin layer of frost formed inside the armored joints, making each step feel like a struggle against one's own legs.
Xu Zhao's situation is even worse.
She continuously monitored twelve sets of antiphase array patterns, her eyes bloodshot.
Ma Cheng glanced at her.
"Go back and rest for five minutes."
Xu Zhao shook his head.
"There are still twenty-five mouths to feed."
Ma Cheng cursed.
"If Old Liu were here, he'd definitely yell at you for being reckless."
Xu Zhao looked up at him.
Ma Cheng shut his mouth.
Neither of them mentioned that name again.
Suddenly, the monitor's voice came through the channel.
"The echo from the No. 13 old duct is ahead of schedule."
"interval?"
"Twelve seconds."
"Number fourteen is also available."
"Number 15 is lit up too!"
Xu Zhao suddenly looked at the model on the far side of the moon.
Red dots are lighting up one by one.
It's not based on distance.
It's not based on depth.
It's more like that black door has figured out the location of some of the old holes and has started knocking on them simultaneously.
thump.
thump.
thump.
Low-frequency echoes came from the ground.
It's very light.
Yet it was so neat it made one's scalp tingle.
Ma Cheng slowly tightened his grip on the toolbox handle.
Xu Zhao said in a low voice, "There's no time to seal them off one by one."
Ma Cheng looked at her.
Xu Zhao directly opened all channels.
"All engineering teams, listen up!"
"Abandon single-hole finishing."
"Switch to a regional silence array."
Ma Cheng frowned: "That thing hasn't been tested yet."
"Test now."
Xu Zhao pushed the blueprints onto everyone's helmet screens.
"With the old hole No. 16 as the center, deploy eighty-one Taiyin anchors."
"The entire area together."
Ma Cheng only glanced at it.
"We don't have enough materials."
Xu Zhaodao: "Demolish Expansion Zone No. 3."
Ma Cheng turned around and roared:
"Expansion Zone 3, demolish!"
The person on the other end of the channel paused for a moment.
"Complete demolition?"
"Tear it all down!"
A few minutes later, the titanium steel plates, condenser pipes, and spare array bases that were originally intended to expand the living area were towed to the edge of the far side of the moon by truckloads.
……
The nineteenth hour.
The last Taiyin anchor was lowered into place by the regional silence array.
Xu Zhao personally pressed down the activation symbol.
A grayish-white cold wave spread outwards along the eighty-one anchors, like a cold iron curtain, fiercely covering the shallow old holes on the far side of the moon.
The orderly echoes disappeared one after another.
thump.
thump.
thump.
Finally, only the deepest sound remained.
thump.
It came from the center of the Black Gate.
It felt like a direct hit to everyone's chest.
Xu Zhao swayed and steadied himself on the control panel.
Ma Cheng cursed under his breath.
"You can hear that?"
On the monitoring screen, all the red dots for the old holes went out.
Only in the center of the black gate, that blank area slowly lit up with a dark red glow.
Lin Feng's voice came from Kyoto.
"The old echoes have been suppressed."
"Has the countdown stopped?" Xu Zhao asked.
There was a two-second silence in the control room.
Lin Feng said:
"no."
"But it has slowed down."
On the screen, the new projection results popped up.
[External outline calibration delayed: expected from the 19th to the 26th]
Ma Cheng hoisted the toolbox onto his shoulder.
"Alright."
"I'll try to breathe for as many days as I can."
……
The moon is on the ground.
Black Gate Center.
Dark red fibers clung to the gaps in the black metal, shrinking extremely slowly.
Those old openings leading to the outside world were blocked by layers of icy Yin pressure.
The echo disappeared.
The darkness thickened again.
long after.
In the depths of that dark red, a thin line lit up again.