Chapter 32, Anomaly at Boundless Research Station
“Achoo, you didn’t see anything just now, got it?”
Having bullied Lonis again, Elus, with her magical power replenished, had turned back into a young girl.
But how could they have not seen anything?
Zhou Suling was completely stunned, her small mouth agape, wanting to ask something but not daring to.
Meanwhile, Isumi nodded slightly and said, “I covered my eyes, so naturally I saw nothing. I didn’t see Captain Elus turn into a little loli, nor did I see Classmate Lonis suddenly blush and kneel on the ground.”
“You scoundrel!”
Elus glared fiercely at Isumi, then coldly snorted, “Time is short, and I don’t have time to explain, but in any case, you are not allowed to spread my business around.”
…
…
The matter was thus suppressed.
On the other side, the battle between the two exotic beasts on the ground also had a conclusion… Deprived of its senses, the Abyssal Pangolin scurried around like a headless fly, naturally no match for the Tentacle Monster.
Before long, it was as if it had drunk a bowl of poisonous chicken soup, completely strangled by the Tentacle Monster and collapsing on the ground.
At this moment, everyone could finally see what the Tentacle Monster was protecting.
Beneath its body was a 12-meter-long escape pod. Its cylindrical shape was very similar to the return capsule used in ancient moon landing missions.
However, there was no one inside.
After confirming it was safe, Elus docked the Magic Ship near the escape pod.
The Tentacle Monster was quiet and did not attack the girls… Elus and Isumi also disembarked from the ship and scanned the inside of the escape pod.
“No blood, but there are signs of damage.”
Isumi scanned the cockpit of the escape pod, and through the electronic pulses, she could see many unknown things, “It doesn’t look like it was damaged from the outside, but rather from the inside.”
“Damaged from the inside?”
“Yes, perhaps small explosives were installed inside the escape pod, or perhaps someone suddenly activated a weapon. But judging from the Tentacle Monster’s condition, what happened seems like an internal conflict.”
“Is there a problem inside the Boundless Research Station?”
Elus pondered, then turned around and asked, “Isumi, can you sense where the personnel inside this escape pod have gone?”
“Unfortunately, the rainwater in the Boundless Land is too complex, washing away all smells and traces. But at least from my observation, there is no blood here.”
“…”
“There are only some drag marks. It looks like the researchers in the escape pod might have been taken away by someone.”
…
Thus, the group did not find anything particularly useful in the escape pod.
There wasn’t even a log. However, in the escape pod’s storage, Elus found a battery. Although it was half-charged, this battery was exactly the type needed to awaken Bai Ye.
So…
“Let’s go back first. Once we get back and awaken Bai Ye, we should be able to understand the situation.”
——————————
…
In the living room,
With a sound like an electrical connection, the white-haired girl slowly opened her eyes.
“Functionality impaired, repairing… Repair encountered issues, activating safe mode.”
The electronic voice faded, and the white-haired girl let out a confused voice,
“Where am I…?”
“Hello, Classmate Bai Ye. My name is Elus, and this is my white-stockinged maid, Lonis. We are students from C. Academy, belonging to the Vanguard Rescue Team. Can you please tell us what happened at the Boundless Research Station?”
“Rescue team, right…”
Bai Ye quickly stood up, as if wanting to tell the girls something.
However, a burst of electricity suddenly appeared from her body, and with a sizzle, the puppet let out a pained cry, “Ah, ahh!”
“Bai Ye, what’s wrong?”
“Captain Elus, her system seems to have been tampered with.”
“Tampered with?”
“Yes, it seems to have been locked by something. But I don’t have hacking skills, so I can’t know what it is…”
Staring at Bai Ye, Isumi looked thoughtful.
“I understand. Bai Ye, can you remember anything else?”
“Things…”
“Yes, anything is fine. Don’t rush, don’t be nervous, we will be by your side and take good care of you.”
Hearing Elus’s comforting words, Bai Ye’s condition stabilized.
“I, I am a daily household type working puppet. My daily task is to take care of the researchers’ lives. I love this job very much, and I greet everyone every day.”
“And how are everyone doing?”
“Everyone…”
“Yes, the researchers.”
Elus asked coaxingly.
“N-No, it doesn’t seem good… I remember, about a week ago, Dr. O’Kali looked a bit tense. She told me, ‘Bai Ye, I won’t be sleeping in my bedroom tonight. Just send breakfast to the laboratory tomorrow morning.’… But the next day, Dr. O’Kali did not have breakfast either.”
“What did she go to do?”
“I don’t know, but after that, all sorts of strange things happened at the research station. First, some researchers went bizarrely mad, then the entire research institute had an unexplained power outage, and strange knocking sounds were heard from the underground passages.”
“What happened after that?”
“Well, Dr. Marin went to investigate the information. After that, Dr. O’Kali asked me… Right! Dr. O’Kali asked me to seek support. To report that the research station was attacked by the Demon Race!”
“Attacked?”
“Yes, it was… Ah, ahh!”
Although Bai Ye wanted to continue narrating, her body was suddenly hit by electric sparks again.
Seeing this, Elus didn’t force her, just let her rest on the sofa, “Suling, can I trouble you to look after Bai Ye?”
“Mm, please leave it to me. But how do I take care of a puppet?”
“Just place those plush toys beside her. Puppets also need love.”
…
…
Thus, Bai Ye temporarily resided on the Magic Ship.
However, the mystery remained unsolved. The only confirmed thing was that the Demon Race had attacked the research station.
This made Elus recall something crucial, and she said to Senior Isumi,
“Senior Isumi, things are getting interesting now… The Demon Race attacking the research station means that the research station was probably conducting some significant plan.”
“Hoo…”
“Hmph, you’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not. Because even I don’t know what project the Boundless Research Station is undertaking.”
Isumi sighed faintly.
“Huh?”
“I only know that recently, the Boundless Research Station has been carrying out an S-class experiment called the Tree of Origin Collapse. But I have no information about the progress or methods of the experiment, and the school’s departure this time is to transport instruments and props related to the experiment.”
“The Tree of Origin Collapse experiment? I recall that the Boundless Land is a battlefield from ancient times… the land here has been polluted by a large amount of exotic decay and heavy metals; it’s impossible for any plants to grow here.”
“That’s true, which is why the Boundless Research Station’s report on the ‘Tree of Origin Collapse’ project is highly valued by the school.”
“…”
“We dispatched the largest transport team, along with a large number of researchers. If the Demon Race heard the news and rushed to sabotage it first, it’s also possible.”
“This timing is too coincidental… Should it be collusion from within and without?”
Elus fell into thought, her brows hinting at some emotion.
“Captain Elus, this matter involves the Demon Race and might be dangerous. If you want to withdraw now, I won’t stop you.”
“Hmph, is this a provocation? Isumi, let me tell you, in my life, I, Elus, have never been afraid of anyone. I’m taking care of this matter!”
The black-haired girl snorted with heroic spirit, stating with certainty.
