This was the first time Yang Zicang had seen a physical manifestation of a “Bloodline Circuit. “
But it wasn’t a ring at all.
“It’s truly incredible that the Source of the Holy Spirit can give bloodlines such different forms and functions. “
“I thought you Fogfolk would know more about this than we do, as if these bloodlines were born to belong to you. “
“Hmph, I wish I had never seen them. “
Aili’an Witt suddenly realized it might be time for a break, so she invited him to dine out together:
“By the way, sir, have you arranged for your lodging? “
Seeing her intention to steer the conversation away from the research, Yang Zicang guessed that she might think the major’s assigned task had been completed. So he chimed in:
“The accommodation is no issue, but I’m still very interested in that Blood Shell that attacked me. How about we try using this material to make contact with it? “
“Ah, yes, I’d love to, ” said Alian, who, having read Yang Zicang’s brief file, knew that the Fogfolk’s ability was related to trajectory control. However, the file also noted that it might not necessarily apply to those ‘liquids’ condensed from fine, dense energy needles.
So she hesitated: “We’re still missing one gentleman. He didn’t know you’d be here so soon, so he’s already left the team. “
-｛Distributor February. Di’an begins to follow my experience with eager anticipation.｝
Seeing this, the assistant, Ciel, said, “How about I go fetch Mr. Lu Yang over? “
The name struck him as somewhat familiar. Noticing Yang Zicang’s puzzled look, Ciel explained, “That gentleman is a Resonator of the Radiance Blood. With him, not only can we safely handle these demon-blood materials born from the Radiance Blood, but we can also glean the information resonating from within the crystals. “
“Right now, all we’re missing is someone, or some instrument, that can control these materials, ” Alian added.
“Is that gentleman one of the Fogfolk? ” Yang Zicang said as he sensed his own dwindling fate energy. “Is he… reliable? “
Facing a Blood Descendant, he had to tread carefully.
“Yes, ” Alian said. She thought for a moment, shifted in her seat, then said, “Well, since the Major said in his note that you can be trusted, I’ll be straight with you. That Mr. Lu is just someone we recruited locally. I’ve never let him near this lab. “
Yang Zicang’s heart skipped a beat.
-｛Distributor April gave a “Neutral Review ” of my vigilance.｝
Vigilance? A flicker of suspicion instantly crossed Yang Zicang’s mind.
The woman gazed at Yang Zicang’s fierce, “murderous ” face, a hint of relief in her voice as she spoke:
“We reported this to the General Resource Coordination Bureau precisely because we needed someone who could protect this crystal. “
Yang Zicang desperately wanted to ask if there wasn’t any other blood-vessel bearer around. But seeing Elian start to pack her belongings, he only mused for a moment before speaking:
“Let me try. I’ll see if I can control and sense what’s inside the crystal. “
“Uh? “
“What? Mr. Buchen, are you saying… doyoupossess the ability to sense feedback from the Dusklight Magic Blood too? “
Yang Zicang carefully studied both their expressions, but he still wasn’t sure if this woman was guarding against him, looking for a chaperone to oversee the experiment, or if she truly needed to find someone capable of resonating with the “Dusklight ” bloodline to complete this task.
Perhaps it was a bit of both.
But regardless, his best advantage lay in the fact that everyone here was an ordinary person.
“Just let me try first; it might be more efficient this way. “
-｛Distributor Loki. Tata Mingqi watches my current magnificent prelude with curiosity.｝
Elian’s heart pounded as she watched this man.
“Ha… so Field Officer Shaoye has found us… such a compatible candidate after all. “
She swallowed back the word “versatile. ” Yang Zicang knew this lady had already grown somewhat suspicious of him, but for some reason, she actually set aside the collateral documents, put on the mask herself, zipped up her research suit, and donned a pair of long gloves.
“I’ll assist you. “
“Alright. ” Yang Zicang nodded, putting on the long gloves and a long apron handed over by an assistant.
-｛Distributor Loki. Tata Mingqi is summarizing his experiences.｝
-｛Distributor Tata Mingqi actively lowered his perception of me.｝
Having both geared up, with Cecile’s help, Yang Zicang began injecting this “liquid ” into a specialized container, while recording data on the side.
The data on hardness, crystal habit, and toughness had already been thoroughly tested.
“This time, what we mainly need to look for are the ‘cleavages’ inside, mm, basically the traces of rupture along specific crystallographic planes. Because, based on the energy release, this crystal produces irreversible cracks. “
Yang Zicang nodded. This was a phenomenon he had observed before.
“But what’s most important is we want to see if there’re any special crystalline textures inside, and… possibly existing ‘ethereal fibers.’ “
“Fibers? “
“Mmhmm. That’s something our scientists have hypothesized. The Steffen use these crystals to make projectiles and even to alter beasts; surely, there is a reasonable logic behind it all. “
“Scientists… ” Yang Zicang felt a twinge of awkwardness at the mention of that word.
Alian recited these contents in a matter-of-fact tone.
But soon she shut her mouth, even feeling amazed by Major General Ross’s ability to choose people.
Because the figure now famous in White Violet City, with that ring unfolding across his chest, had actually just used a single metal spoon to lightly stir the “water surface, ” and truly caused an extra, abnormal flow within the liquid that would otherwise have only rippled a few times.
“You… you can actually control the flow of these fine needles?! “
He had only tried to control this “Dark Nutrient Halo Liquid ” material, but the effect turned out to be surprisingly good, with a small portion spinning and flowing within the water.
｛I expand the “Dispatch ” slot to the ten-thousandth rank.｝
With nearly a hundred thousand units of Amplified Chrono being consumed like running water, Yang Zicang quickly reduced the quantity under his control, leaving only a small cluster of “needles ” moving swiftly and sensitively through the water.
“This really tests my control. I’ll start right away. “
｛I begin to finely expand “Musing Night. “｝
Yang Zicang closed his eyes and concentrated his mind, just like when he had tried to break free in the Demon Hero Hall, focusing his psychic energy into the hundreds of “needles ” under his control.
The moment they made contact, it was as if he had entered a new “shell. ” The various tactile sensations perceived by these “needles ” flooded into his mind clearly and densely through the information exchange of “Musing Night. “
It worked after all!
Hundreds of “soft needles ” formed from a substance like liquid water surged toward the irregular crystalline walls of the “Blood Shell ” submerged in the fluid. The moment they made contact, they transformed into streams of energy, vibrating as they extended rapidly deeper inside.
An indescribable sensation surged through Yang Zicang’s mind—countless blurred impressions, as if his consciousness had instantly fractured into hundreds of strands, each receiving a torrent of chaotic information.
But suddenly, the sea of consciousness within his mind churned violently. These disorienting streams of data, under the spirit’s instinctive reaction to the anomaly, were swiftly unified and organized through autonomous condensing.
Yang Zicang was now clearly “seeing ” the entire inner surface condition of the crystal at once. Furthermore, with each new penetration by the needles, his understanding of its internal structure continued to expand and derive.
On the lab bench, Researcher Eilian felt the change in the man’s aura. She watched anxiously at the motionless Yang Zicang.
“Quick, give me a piece of paper. “
Cecily swiftly handed him a notebook. Snatching the pen, he set his wrist in motion and, under the breath-holding gaze of the two women, frantically jotted down everything he witnessed, sparing no details but condensed sentence notes and rough sketches.
Image after image, in simplistic lines, the wailing pen force had transcribing such subjects against tiny scratch strokes flying upon paper.
“This is… “
After just two or three rough sketches, the pure eyes of Researcher Alian were already filled with a divine light, unable to look away. Gradually, Sekhire also craned her neck in amazement, staring motionlessly. They both sensed something incredible from the person before them, the one called the “Hero of White Violet City. “
The testing of the crystal lasted well into the late hours of the night. From the very first recording, Yang Zicang used only a few “needles ” to document the interior of the crystal.
It wasn’t until three in the morning that he finally managed to record the rough data of this block of crystal, which was the size of two fists.
“I forgot to mention the timeline compensation to the Major General… “
After Yang Zicang, whose spirit was somewhat overwhelmed, was taken back to rest by the Section Chief who had been waiting patiently, Sekhire looked at her teacher in disbelief. Alian, still full of energy, immediately began to organize and analyze the data.
“Major General Ross actually knows someone like this… “
“Yes, I heard that this gentleman identified the Steffen people’s conspiracy on the island and proactively approached them to save the Major General’s life. “
“Wow~ ” Selis, who heard this for the first time, felt like she was listening to a legendary hero’s tale.
Alian paused her pen, glanced at the clock on the wall beside her, and turned around to say, “It’s getting late now. Hurry up and get some rest. “
“Aren’t you leaving, professor? “
“These are findings I’ve pondered over for a long time. While I still have fresh clarity on them, I want to organize them a bit more before sleeping. “
Sephira glanced at the chaotic mess of graphs and data. “Hmm… it really is a bit messy. Alright, I’ll head off to rest first and come back tomorrow to help the teacher organize the rest. “
Stepping out of the research institute entrance, Sephira, who had put on her thick coat, raised her arms to stretch while standing in the cool breeze of the night, gazing at the stars. Suddenly, she spotted a figure pacing back and forth near the security guard outside the yard.
“Is that Mr. Lu Yang? “
“Yes, it’s me. “
This man in a cap, upon seeing the young lady from the lab approaching with the security guard at the entrance, frowned and asked:
“I heard that the Fogfolk guest who was invited has already arrived at the lab tonight. So why hasn’t he let me participate in probing the data yet? “
Sephira faltered a moment, then, recalling Yang Buchen’s abilities, felt a surge of boldness and said, “We’ve already finished. “
“What! What do you mean? “
“That’s right, we’ve already measured out all that data. I’m sorry for making you wait this long, sir, but rest assured, our lab won’t short you a single cent of your compensation. “
“You! ” Lu Yang pointed at the girl in indignation, then his expression turned skeptical. “Impossible! How could there be someone like that? Are you trying to fool me? Who is he? “
“I’ve already said enough, ” Sephira replied, feeling repulsed by this man’s longstanding gaze that never seemed quite right toward her. She cutely touched the tip of her nose with her finger. “Alright, I need to get some rest now. Don’t wait around any longer, mister; you ought to go home and sleep too. “
……
Yang Zicang stumbled back to the guest room in a daze.
This place was already under strict guard by a squad of soldiers armed with heavy machine guns. With these disk-magazine-mounted guns fixed to the ground, even ordinary Fogfolk with a sense of timing had to think twice before getting close.
In his sleep, Yang Zicang felt his mind filled with irregular, dense, and suffocating crystal walls, packed so tight they were overwhelming. It was as if vague, shadowy figures had chaotically appeared and then fallen into a period of slumber.
In the darkness, faint, barely perceptible wisps of energy slowly scattered over Yang Zicang’s body, radiating out into irregular energy waves.
｛Sleep｝…
｛Mental Depletion｝, ｛Unconsciousness｝…
｛Love… Ether… Go…｝
Slap~
The halo on his chest gave a faint flicker.
“Jiong… jin… ” Yang Zicang unconsciously murmured blurry syllables.
These ripples of energy, disturbed like startled fish, instantly flickered and scattered away with quick, restless motions.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting its glow onto the single metal-frame bed.
“Bad news! “Bam bam bam!
Yang Zicang sat up, rubbing his head, and saw a soldier with three stars on his shoulder pads push open the door, saying, “Sorry, Mist fellow, something terrible has happened. “
“What’s going on? “
Civil hurriedly pushed past him from the corridor, rushed a few steps into the room, and said panickedly to Yang Zicang, who was half-propping himself up on the bed, “The data, the data and the materials— they’ve been stolen! “
“Materials? “
- “That alchemical material—it’s gone missing, along with all the data you recorded last night! ” Sehci’er’s face was streaked with tears.
Yang Zicang immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. He snapped to attention, swung his legs over the bed’s edge, slipping on his shoes while standing up, grabbed his coat, and strode out the door, followed by a large entourage of armed soldiers, their faces burning with indignation.
“What exactly happened? Is Ms. Alian alright? “
“The data was stolen. Everyone in the research center was knocked unconscious. “
The research institute was now surrounded by a massive contingent of troops. Several men who were clearly high-ranking officers stood on the perimeter, personally standing guard.
As for the security guards seen at the entrance yesterday, there was no doubt they were now being closely monitored by the prison guards. Even Sehci’er had unfamiliar armed soldiers sticking to her side, never more than an inch away.
A heavy atmosphere suffocated the entire research center.
“Mr. Yang, you’re here. ” Ms. Alian looked as if she had aged several years overnight.
She sat dejectedly in a chair in the main lab. Beside her were two guards and a gentleman whose exact rank was unknown, but whose demeanor was full of authority.
Yang Zicang glanced back at the armed soldiers who had followed him in. “You don’t think I was the one who did it, do you? “
“Of course not. “
That authoritative gentleman strode over briskly, the air swishing around him, and extended his hand.
“I am Maxim. Of course we know about the great contribution you made last night, and we are deeply aware of the hard work you put in. We already have some preliminary suspects in mind. The reason we asked you to come is to see if you, Mr. Yang, still remember some of the data from last night. We would like to ask you to help us reconstruct some of the information. “
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