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Chapter 276 - 275: Farewell, Elorie

"Why is Elorie at Beitian Academy?" Honglian raised her voice, "You should know she’s a Mechanical Officer from the Dimensional Limit Mechanism, right?"

"Yes, we know. But she was severely injured at the time, barely breathing. If Beitian Academy had turned her away, she would surely have died." You Chi paused, "Besides, we were entrusted by someone else. Her identity had to be secondary."

"By whom?"

"A friend."

Seeing that the other party did not want to discuss further, Honglian did not press on.

In the end, the information she currently had was too little, and she couldn’t yet discern the full situation. But as long as she could see Elorie in person, the trip would not be in vain.

The duo followed You Chi through the bamboo corridor behind Cyan Grass Hall and entered a medical facility. The style here was completely different from the antique buildings out front; the interior was simple and technology-driven, and even close to midnight, many medical staff were still busy. After passing through two airtight doors, they finally found the long-missing team member, Elorie.

She was wearing a surgical gown, half-floating in a transparent glass tank filled with pale yellow liquid, with tubes and signal lines inserted all over her arms, forehead, and spine. Several machines nearby occasionally emitted buzzing sounds, seemingly monitoring her vital signs.

"Turns out the scene I saw was here!" Wang Baihu took a few steps forward, cautiously reaching out to touch the tank, "Can she... hear me speaking?"

"No, medically speaking, she has not woken up yet. After all, she was injured so severely that surviving is already a miracle."

"What kind of injuries?" Honglian asked.

You Chi brought up her examination report on the medical room’s large screen. "Multiple gunshot wounds to the torso, a broken arm, execution-style gunshot to the head, bullet entering the brain..."

The shocking photos in the report left the two stunned.

Such injuries on an ordinary person would have likely led to death five or six times over.

"But she looks almost intact physically..." Wang Baihu wondered.

"That’s naturally owing to our treatment results. The equipment before you is Beitian Academy’s latest research achievement. As long as a person still breathes, it can ensure life preservation and promote wound healing." You Chi sighed, "But the shot to her head was too fatal. Although her body has healed, she remains unable to wake."

Honglian hadn’t expected to see such a result.

She had initially thought the other party was injured by a Demon or suffered from some bizarre ability trap; but in the end, it was a random shooting.

Would the General Captain do such a thing?

She had her doubts.

"But if I didn’t misunderstand, we’re here to talk with Elorie, to find a way to treat her." Honglian frowned, "Looking at the current situation, is this account just a lie?"

"No, she’s just unconscious, meaning her mind isn’t dead." You Chi shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Simply put, Elorie’s brainwaves are still active. Using a special brainwave regulator, you can achieve conscious communication with her." He seriously explained.

"Wow!" Wang Baihu was astonished by Beitian Academy’s technology, "Is this possible now? It feels like future tech!"

"Alone, Beitian Academy can’t handle it; let’s say... we received guidance from a higher power." You Chi smiled, implying, "You must have come here because of him too, to investigate, right?"

The World Ability Center?

Assembling as a consciousness collective, it didn’t choose to partner with the Dimensional Limit Mechanism of Ability Users but secretly cooperates with Beitian Academy?

Honglian couldn’t help but feel a tinge of worry.

Frankly speaking, if it were as they said—Xiao Canong violated discipline and betrayed the mechanism—then reporting directly to the headquarters would put Xiao Canong in hot water. Why did Shixin go to such lengths, starting with an unknown officer?

Could it be that their true aim isn’t merely a General Captain?

"So, who will go?" You Chi asked.

"Can’t both talk with Elorie?"

"Currently, we only have one device; you can take turns using it."

"I’ll go first." Honglian decisively said.

"Hey, wasn’t I the one invited?" Wang Baihu pointed at himself.

"But you didn’t dare act alone, so you sought me, right?" Honglian shrugged, "So it’s perfectly reasonable for me to be ahead of you."

The latter was speechless.

You Chi guided Honglian to lie down, and ceremoniously placed a metal cap full of wires on her head, attaching an IV bottle and heart monitor. "Ready?"

She nodded slightly, indicating no issue.

"Next, just relax and respond to whatever guidance comes to you."

After finishing, You Chi left the room, leaving Honglian and Wang Baihu alone on the site.

"Phew... My acting should have been quite convincing, right?" In the hallway, he stretched and turned to a tall man leaning on the window rail.

The man was indeed his senior, Yue Beifeng.

His senior’s expression was noticeably grave compared to his relaxed demeanor, with a face full of seriousness, "Do you think doing this is really appropriate?"

"What’s the matter?" You Chi asked deliberately.

"What else could it be!" Clearly displeased, Yue Beifeng said, "The entire Beitian Academy is participating in that Chen kid’s play. We’re a medical institution, not a theater. The dean also... actually agreed to such an outrageous request, allowing someone from the Dimensional Limit Mechanism inside."

"You know it was the dean who made the decision. As disciples, naturally, we must follow suit." You Chi chuckled, patting his shoulder, "Besides, apart from you and me, how many others know about this play? Compared to the help Chen Xuan provided Beitian Academy, this bit of return is not excessive."

"But a lie is still a lie, and plays can always be exposed." Yue Beifeng was anxious, "As medical practitioners, we should stay on the right path—"

"I understand." You Chi interrupted, admiring this trait of his senior, "Indeed, to heal and save lives, one should be honest and sincere. However, what Chen Xuan is doing isn’t about that; he’s engaged in combat, his enemy the Dimensional Limit Mechanism. It’s also something the dean hoped to do but lacked the power to. In a sense, he’s fighting on our behalf. Since it’s combat, naturally strategy matters."

Yue Beifeng was silent. After a while, he spoke, "Do you believe he can expel the Dimensional Limit Mechanism?"

"I don’t know," You Chi spoke the truth, "but we lack other worthy expectations, don’t we?"

...

When Honglian reopened her eyes, she realized the spotless, white medical room had vanished. She was lying on the floor of a small compartment, the ceiling scene feeling so unfamiliar.

She jerked upright in a fright.

Where had she come!?

"Are you the guest scheduled for today’s visit?" Someone behind her inquired.

Honglian quickly turned, noticing a beautiful woman she’d never seen before. Her white hair like liquid mercury, her pupils more dazzling than gemstones, "You are..."

"My name is Liuli." The beauty smiled and patted the chair next to her, "Sit. Elorie will be back shortly."

"Elorie... Is she here?"

"Yes, this is her home..."

"Yes, this is her home... and also her Consciousness Space." Liuli propped her single hand on her forehead, repeating from her wireless earphone.

"Consciousness Space..." Honglian murmured, eyes revealing disbelief. Beitian Academy... or rather the World Ability Center, possessed such technology, turning brainwave signals into virtual worlds? Such absurd neurological science level was unheard of!

No wonder the mechanism always wanted to cooperate with Beitian Academy.

"Then what are you to Elorie?"

"I’m one of her memory friends... what am I saying, I’m clearly her best friend!" Liuli suddenly raised her voice.

"Huh?" Honglian was puzzled.

"Sorry, it’s nothing, as her friend, that’s why I’m here." Liuli cleared her throat, pretending nothing happened. Just then, timely knocking sounded from outside. "Oh, it should be Elorie and the others returning; I’ll go open the door."

The others? Honglian was confounded; was Elorie’s Consciousness Space that lively?