After swallowing the fourth pill, Lin Sanjiu slept for a few more hours. When she woke up in a daze, she could feel that her fever had finally subsided.
Her body stopped shivering, and her muscles no longer felt as if they were on fire … She made a hoarse sound from her throat and looked to the side, which had finally cleared up.
She was in a cramped cabin. Other than the single bed that she was lying on, there was only a foldable table and a chair that were connected to the cabin. The room was dyed orange-red by the twilight that shone through the small window.
Apparently, the person who took care of Lin Sanjiu had just left. There was still a half-filled glass of warm water on the table and a dazzling array of medicine boxes. Judging from the color and packaging, these medicines were probably produced in many different countries before the apocalypse. There was also a huge difference between the old and the new ones.
Lin Sanjiu propped herself up with her arms and slowly sat up. However, the moment she sat up straight, she felt dizzy and her vision turned black.
Lin Sanjiu blinked her eyes and waited for the dizziness to subside. Then, she used all her strength to touch her back.
Ever since she blew up her wings in the Mirror Dimension, the roots of the bones on her back had fallen off. Her skin had once again covered the place where her wings used to grow. It was smooth to the touch.
"Mrs. Manas has successfully retracted her wings?"
Lin Sanjiu sat in a daze for a while. She tried to call Mrs. Manas a few times in her mind, but her calls were like stones sinking into the ocean. There was no response.
As the "image" of Lin Sanjiu's subconscious, Mrs. Manas had more or less a connection with her consciousness. Even when Mrs. Manas didn't appear or speak, she still existed in Lin Sanjiu's subconscious. Lin Sanjiu could vaguely sense that Mrs. Manas was always there.
However, this time, the pitch-black sea of consciousness seemed to have swallowed her calls. She couldn't sense Mrs. Manas' presence at all.
Lin Sanjiu gripped the bedsheets subconsciously. She suddenly felt a little scared.
"Where is Mrs. Manas?"
She called out to Mrs. Manas in her mind a few more times. Just as a bead of sweat rolled down her back, Mrs. Manas' voice rang in her mind once again. "You're right, Mr. Manas.
"You... You're awake..."
The sigh of relief that Lin Sanjiu had just let out froze in her chest.
As if the signal was bad, Mrs. Manas's voice sounded intermittently and faintly. It was like a radio wave that was about to disappear. Fortunately, after a few seconds, her voice finally became clear and stable.
"What happened to you?" Lin Sanjiu had never seen Mrs. Manas like this before. She couldn't help feeling a little flustered, "Why can't I sense you just now?"
"Lin Sanjiu," Mrs. Manas sounded unusually serious. She even used a form of address that she hadn't used for a long time, "... Do you know that your condition hasn't been right for the past two days?"
Of course, Lin Sanjiu knew about it. That strange, chaotic, blood-red feeling seemed to be able to drown her again.
"What's going on?" she asked hurriedly.
"I have to make this short. I don't have many chances to show up," Mrs. Manas spoke quickly. "Ever since your body was invaded by the cell fluid that carries Nuwa's higher consciousness, I have been using your higher consciousness to suppress and resist it … Nuwa's higher consciousness is too invasive and I can't expel it. So, I have to deal with it constantly and defend against its attacks … This is also the reason why you didn't feel much of an effect other than growing a pair of skeletal wings."
"No wonder Mrs. Manas doesn't show up often." Lin Sanjiu listened to Mrs. Manas in a daze.
"I don't know what stimulated the combination of higher consciousness and genes. Maybe it was our attempt to reassemble the particles, or maybe it was an immune response from the explosion of the skeletal wings. In any case, Nuwa's higher consciousness became more and more active and harder to control when she was in the mirror space. Finally, you couldn't handle it anymore. Once your emotions and mentality became chaotic, Nuwa's higher consciousness immediately took advantage of the situation and affected your mental state. "
"However, thanks to Rena and Rena, your emotions finally calmed down and your mind wasn't eroded by Nuwa's higher consciousness too much... However, the consequences were far from that simple." Mrs. Manas sighed. She didn't seem to know how to continue the conversation. "Nuwa has already reached her hand into your brain once. Even though she had to pull her hand out now, she has already left a path in your brain. The next time she wants to enter your brain, it will be ten times easier. The disappearance of your skeletal wings was completely unaffected by us. It was all decided by Nuwa's higher consciousness … "
Lin Sanjiu was shocked that an external higher consciousness could decide her appearance at will. She quickly asked, "Can't we do anything?"
There was a crackling sound, as if an electric current had become unstable. Mrs. Manas's voice became blurry again. This time, Lin Sanjiu felt a sharp pain in her head as she felt her brain acting strangely.
"The only thing we can do now is to defend passively," Mrs. Manas said anxiously after she finally calmed down, "I am the only barrier between your subconscious and Nuwa, so I have to bear the brunt of the attack. That's why I am the most vulnerable … "
Lin Sanjiu clenched her fists tightly as she listened to Mrs. Manas's serious voice, "Before I leave, you must remember something very important. Your [School of Higher Consciousness] is still at the elementary level. When you hear my voice again, if I —"
Her words were cut off.
As if someone had pressed the mute button, Mrs. Manas's voice disappeared without any warning, leaving only a dark silence in Lin Sanjiu's mind.
Lin Sanjiu only came back to her senses after some time. This "important" matter had already sunk into her subconscious along with Mrs. Manas.
"What will happen next time? If Mrs. Manas fails, what will happen to me? "
Lin Sanjiu lowered her head in a daze. Her gaze fell on her hands, and her heart sank.
Her skin was pale due to the loss of blood. Veins could be vaguely seen under her skin. It might be a strange description, but her body was currently lying quietly on the single bed. Lin Sanjiu found it hard to imagine what kind of battle was going on inside her body.
However, she couldn't do anything to help.
Lin Sanjiu sat there in a daze for a while. Eventually, the waves of hunger and weakness pulled her back to reality. She got off the bed and walked out of the crew room.
Dusk had just arrived. Half of the airship was bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun. This was originally a small cargo spaceship, so there wasn't much room for people. They walked along the corridor for a while. After walking along the corridor for a while, Lin Sanjiu found the siblings and Ji Shanqing eating with a few crew members in the crew's canteen.
The bright light, the aroma of food, and the clattering of cutlery brought her back to the world of mortals.
"You're awake! You've been sleeping for more than a day! " Rena's eyes lit up. She quickly walked over and stood on her tiptoes to touch Lin Sanjiu's forehead. Indeed, Lin Sanjiu's fever had subsided. As if she had received a huge boost in morale, she smiled and said, "Come, sit down! I know you probably don't have an appetite right now, but you should eat something … "
Lin Sanjiu couldn't resist Rena's enthusiasm, so she found an empty seat and sat down. The moment she sat down, Ji Shanqing immediately moved his face closer to her.
"What's wrong?" Ji Shanqing was not only quick-witted, but he was also very observant. "Why do you seem a little distracted?"
"Nothing. I'm just not feeling well," Lin Sanjiu answered vaguely. Then, she took the canned fruit juice from Reno.
It had only been a day since they left the island, but Rena and Rena looked much more relaxed. Even their faces had brightened up. They finally looked like a pair of teenagers. Even though Lin Sanjiu was filled with thoughts, she felt a little comforted when she saw the smiles on the kids' faces.
Fortunately, the captain of this ship didn't know anything about the Slaves Training Camp. Hence, they only needed to use the red crystals and they were treated very well. At that moment, there was pumpkin soup, steamed sausage, fried noodles made from instant noodles, and even a plate of beef with egg, which was very rare even in the Twelve Worlds Centrum.
"These fresh vegetables, meat, eggs, medicine …" After Lin Sanjiu took a bite of the beef, her tongue almost melted in its freshness. She couldn't help feeling a little surprised, "Why are there so many of them? Are there many posthumans in the Twelve Worlds Centrum who are still engaged in production? "
The doomsday of Red Nautilus had arrived a long time ago. With its population, there shouldn't be so many resources left before the apocalypse.
"Miss Lin, it seems like this is your first time here," the captain with the sparse gray beard laughed. The captain, who had a sparse gray beard, smiled. "Although there are people engaged in production, it is far from enough. Besides, it is a waste of time, and there are many variables. The imbalance of supplies in Red Nautilus is not something that happened in a day or two … Most of the posthumans are making use of the opportunity of the world transition to manage their supplies. "
"How do they manage it?" Lin Sanjiu looked at the dishes on the table. Lin Sanjiu was curious. Even the uneasiness that Mrs. Manas gave her lessened a little.
When the siblings heard this, they suddenly coughed and looked at each other. Reno then spoke a little embarrassedly.
"It's like this … You were unconscious, so we didn't have the chance to tell you …" the teenager said, scratching his head. "You know, the day of the transfer is coming soon. Right now, the Progressor Alliance in Red Nautilus only exists in name. Plus, we don't want to go back anymore. Rena and I are planning to sell supplies to survive."
"Selling supplies is very simple," Rena quickly explained, "Six months before the end of the world, you arrive at a human society and start collecting as many supplies as you can. When the time of transfer arrives, you can use your visa to return to the Twelve Worlds Centrum … As long as you know about the consular officer, the risk isn't high. Many people in the Twelve Worlds Centrum do this."
Lin Sanjiu was stunned for a moment. Then, she realized that it was almost time for them to part again.
However, compared to B.Rabbit, Puppeteer and the others who had gone missing, the siblings' choice was much safer and more stable. It was indeed the best choice.
They were born in Red Nautilus, so their lives should be more stable. Lin Sanjiu couldn't let them follow her everywhere and risk their lives.
Lin Sanjiu suppressed the emotions in her heart. Just when she was about to say something, she heard a clang beside her. She turned around and saw Ji Shanqing putting down the glass in his hand. He was expressionless, but he was looking at her with sparkling eyes.
Lin Sanjiu didn't seem to care. She turned her head and asked, "Is it too late to get a visa now?"
"Oh, don't worry," Rena patted Lin Sanjiu's hand comfortingly. "We already got a visa before this happened," Lin Sanjiu nodded.
Even though she couldn't bear to part with the kids, Lin Sanjiu heaved a sigh of relief.
She didn't know if it was because she had eaten some fresh hot food. Lin Sanjiu, who had been worried about Rena and Rena, finally calmed down. Even though she was worried about her teacher, she still had a good night's sleep. When the sky brightened again, the group of people had already landed in Free District without a hitch.
Perhaps it was because they had to travel to and from the Slaves Training Camp, the cargo airship landed quite far away from the center of Free District. As Lin Sanjiu was going to look for B.Rabbit, they received a message from Sayonara. On the other hand, the siblings were going to collect some items that they needed to resell their resources. Hence, they parted even earlier than the teleportation date.
"Be careful," Lin Sanjiu dragged her bandaged body and hugged the two kids tightly. "When I find my friends, we will meet again in Red Nautilus."
The two kids' eyes reddened at the same time. They bit their lips and stood beside Lin Sanjiu for a long time without moving.
"Let's go, let's go," Lin Sanjiu pushed the siblings away like a mother hen chasing away her chicks. "We will have plenty of chances to meet in the future."
The two figures looked very thin and weak due to the torture they had gone through. After they walked for quite a distance, the teenage girl's shoulders suddenly twitched and she buried her head in her arms.
Lin Sanjiu stood in the same spot until she could no longer see them. She only looked away when she felt her eyes getting sore.
With a sigh, she turned her head and met Ji Shanqing's bright eyes.
"What's wrong?" Lin Sanjiu asked in a slightly disinterested tone. "Why are you looking at me?"
"Don't you think it's a little strange?"
"What's strange?"
Ji Shanqing grunted softly and followed Lin Sanjiu, "I will tell you the truth. Don't tear me apart."
"I won't tear you apart. Go ahead, "Lin Sanjiu replied nonchalantly. The grand prize was still young and had never seen anything. Hence, everything he saw was new and interesting. Even though she knew that Ji Shanqing had something to say, she didn't ask him.
Ji Shanqing thought for a while and seemed a little worried. He seemed a little worried. However, he decided to trust Lin Sanjiu for once. He chose his words carefully, "I don't know if you noticed, but even though there are quite a lot of resources left in the Slaves Training Camp, the siblings are the only two among all the slaves who are willing to return to their cages."
Lin Sanjiu stopped walking.
"A mature tamed slave would probably not mind returning to the metal cage. However, it is obvious that the two kids are not completely tamed. Compared to the other slaves who hate and fear them, they don't seem to mind the metal cage that much …" Ji Shanqing said as he observed Lin Sanjiu's expression.
"Generally speaking. Humans will try their best to avoid things that will remind them of their tragic memories, let alone returning to the place where their nightmares happened … However, not only did they not avoid it, they even volunteered to stay in the cage for two days. Isn't that strange? "
"What are you trying to say?" Lin Sanjiu's expression had completely turned cold. She glared at her grand prize. "Are you trying to say that they are not slaves but tamers?"
"No, no," Ji Shanqing shook his head quickly. He subconsciously tightened his grip on his belt, "I can tell with one look that they are not tamers … However, after so many things have happened, I think that their attitude is a little too casual. Ah, don't look at me like that. Forget it. I won't talk about these baseless things. However, there is another point that I can't explain."
Lin Sanjiu didn't say anything. Her expression was cold. Ji Shanqing didn't know if she had heard what he said or not.
"When everyone enters the Slaves Training Camp, they will be stripped of their belongings …" Ji Shanqing said cautiously, "But why do they still have visas?"
Lin Sanjiu jerked her head to the side. Her expression was unreadable. She finally lost her patience to listen to him, "What are you trying to say? Maybe they didn't want me to worry or maybe they took it back after the fact. If you are just making wild guesses, don't waste my time! "
Ji Shanqing choked. He seemed to be frightened by her imposing manner. He lowered his head obediently and didn't say anything else. Lin Sanjiu glared at him fiercely before she turned around and walked away without saying a word.
Behind her, the grand prize couldn't help tilting his head slightly. He sighed softly in his heart and followed her.
It seemed that it had just rained in Free District. The ground was wet and the sky had been washed clean. It was a clear blue sky. A few faint clouds floated leisurely in the sky. It was as if they could dissipate at any time and become a sigh beside one's ear.
A few days later, under the same clear blue sky, the siblings had just finished their transfer. They were looking for something with a blank look in their eyes as they walked on this unfamiliar land.
"I feel a little guilty that we didn't tell her the truth," Reno suddenly said softly after the two of them walked for a while without saying a word.
The girl didn't say anything for a long time. Only the side of her face was tense.
The brother and sister fell into silence again.
"She is a rare kind person, but she won't understand." As they walked, Rena suddenly broke the silence without any warning.
Reno let out a long sigh. "I know."
It was as if they couldn't continue the conversation after that. The wind blew from afar and suddenly blew the hair in front of the siblings' foreheads. The monotonous sound of footsteps traveled far.
"Did you see her?" Reno couldn't help asking after a long time.
Rena stopped in her tracks and looked around. "That's strange... We agreed on it. It should be around here..."
"I think she's over there!" Reno narrowed his eyes. He suddenly poked his sister and pointed somewhere not far away.
Rena's eyes widened when she looked in the direction he was pointing.
A well-proportioned woman was standing on the broken bridge in the distance with her back facing them. She was looking at the rolling waves of the sea under the bridge. She seemed to have sensed that someone was coming from behind. She turned her head slightly, revealing her gentle and calm eyes.
There were faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. She gave them a unique smile. It was kind and cold at the same time. (To be continued.)
PS:
I feel like I've finally squeezed out all the awkward parts. It shouldn't be so torturous from now on... The last few chapters have been too painful for me. No matter how I write, it feels a little boring. But there are a lot of things that I have to explain... It's like a long transitional plot... Obviously, you guys feel the same way because my subscriptions keep dropping! Don't explain, I'm not listening!
If you guys don't know who the woman is at the end of the chapter, I will eat myself alive.
Today, I received another coin bank. Hahaha, thank you for washing away all your splendor! I can tell that you're a new reader! Please continue to love me (My article), continue to send me emails, continue not rushing me for updates...
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