Chapter 173 : Strange Occurrences at Boundless Research Station
"Ahem, you all didn't see anything just now, understood?"
Having bullied Lonis and received magic power replenishment, Elucia had transformed back into her girl form.
But how could they have seen nothing?
Zhou Suling was completely stunned, her small mouth agape, wanting to ask something but not daring to.
Yi Cheng nodded slightly and said: "I have my eyes covered, so naturally I didn't see anything. I didn't see Captain Elucia turn into a little loli, nor did I see Lonis suddenly blush and kneel on the ground."
"You!"
Elucia glared fiercely at Yi Cheng, then snorted coldly: "Time is urgent right now. I don't have time to explain to you all, but in any case, you're not allowed to spread my business around."
......
......
The matter was thus suppressed.
On the other side, the battle between the two beasts on the ground also reached its conclusion... Having been deprived of its senses, the Abyssal Pangolin wandered around like a headless fly, naturally no match for the tentacle monster.
Before long, it was completely strangled by the tentacle monster like it had drunk a bowl of poisonous chicken soup, collapsing to the ground.
At this moment, everyone finally saw what the tentacle monster was protecting.
Under its body was a 12-meter-long escape pod. The cylindrical shape looked much like the return capsules from ancient lunar programs.
However, there was no one inside.
After confirming safety, Elucia docked the magic ship near the escape pod.
The tentacle monster was very quiet and didn't attack the girls... Elucia and Yi Cheng disembarked to investigate the interior of the rescue pod.
"No bloodstains, but there are traces of destruction."
Yi Cheng scanned the escape pod's control room. Through the electronic pulses, she could see many unknown things: "It doesn't look like external destruction, but more like internal destruction."
"Internal destruction?"
"Yes, perhaps small explosives were originally installed inside the escape pod, or maybe someone suddenly activated weapons. But judging from the tentacle monster's condition, what happened seems very much like internal conflict."
"Problems appeared inside Boundless Research Station?"
Elucia pondered, turning to ask: "Yi Cheng, can you sense where the personnel from inside this escape pod went?"
"Unfortunately, the rainwater in the Boundless Lands is too complex, washing away all scents and traces. But at least from my observation, there are no bloodstains here."
"......"
"There are only some dragging marks. It looks like the researchers from the escape pod may have been taken away by someone."
......
Thus, everyone didn't find anything particularly useful in the escape pod.
There wasn't even a log, but in the escape pod's storage room, Elucia discovered a battery. Although half its charge had been used, this battery was exactly the special type needed to awaken Bai Ye.
So...
"Let's go back first. Once we return and awaken Bai Ye, we should understand the situation."
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......
In the living room,
Accompanied by a sound like electrical current connecting, the white-haired girl slowly opened her eyes.
『Functions damaged, repairing... repair encountered problems, activating safe mode.』
The electronic sound faded, and the white-haired girl made a confused sound:
"Where am I...?"
"Bai Ye, hello. I'm called Elucia, and this is my white-stockinged maid Lonis. We're students from Clear Academy, belonging to the pioneer rescue team. Could you please tell me what happened at Boundless Research Station?"
"Rescue team, that's right..."
Bai Ye quickly stood up, seeming to want to tell the girls something.
However, an electric current suddenly emerged from her body. Zap! It made the doll cry out in pain: "Ah, ahh!"
"Bai Ye, what's wrong?"
"Captain Elucia, 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 abilities, so I can't tell what it is..."
Gazing at Bai Ye, Yi Cheng showed a thoughtful expression.
"I understand. Bai Ye, what else can you remember?"
"Things..."
"Yes, anything is fine. Don't rush, don't be nervous. We'll stay by your side and take good care of you."
Hearing Elucia's comfort, Bai Ye's condition improved somewhat:
"I'm a daily household-type service doll. My daily task is to care for the researchers' living needs. I love this work very much and greet everyone every day."
"Is everyone's situation also good?"
"Everyone..."
"Yes, the researchers."
Elucia asked with gentle guidance.
"No, it seems not good... I remember, just a week ago, Dr. Okali's expression was somewhat tense. She told me, 'Bai Ye, I won't be sleeping in the bedroom tonight. Just bring breakfast to the laboratory tomorrow morning'... But the next day, Dr. Okali didn't have breakfast either."
"What did she go do?"
"I'm not clear, but after that, various strange things happened at the research station. First, researchers mysteriously went mad, then the entire institute had unexplained power outages, and various knocking sounds mysteriously came from the underground passages."
"What happened after that?"
"Mm, Dr. Ma Run went to investigate the information. After that, Dr. Okali asked me to... that's right, Dr. Okali asked me to seek support. To report that the research station was attacked by demons!"
"Attack?"
"Yes, it was... ah, ahhh!"
Although Bai Ye wanted to continue narrating, her body suddenly flashed with electric light again.
Seeing this, Elucia didn't force her, just had her rest on the sofa: "Suling, could you please take care of Bai Ye?"
"Yes, please leave it to me. But how do you take care of a doll?"
"Just arrange those stuffed animals around her. Dolls also need care."
......
......
Thus, Bai Ye temporarily resided on the magic ship.
But the mystery still wasn't solved. The only thing that could be confirmed was that demons had once attacked the research station.
This made Elucia seem to remember something key, saying to Senior Yi Cheng:
"Senior Yi Cheng, things are getting interesting now... Demons attacking the research station means the research station was probably conducting some remarkable project."
"Hah..."
"Hmph, you're hiding something from me, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not. Because even I don't know what project Boundless Research Station is conducting."
Yi Cheng sighed lightly.
"Hah?"
"I only know that recently, Boundless Research Station has been executing an S-level experiment called the Tree of Causality Ruins. But I know nothing about the experiment's progress and methods. The school's departure this time was also to transport experiment-related instruments and tools."
"Tree of Causality Ruins experiment? I remember, isn't the Boundless Lands an ancient battlefield... The soil here has been heavily polluted by exotic decay and heavy metals. It's impossible for plants to grow here."
"That's correct, so Boundless Research Station's reports about the 'Tree of Causality Ruins' project have particularly drawn the school's attention."
"......"
"We dispatched the largest transport fleet, along with numerous researchers. If demons heard the news and rushed to destroy it first, that's also possible."
"The timing is too coincidental... Could it be inside-outside collaboration?"
Elucia fell into contemplation, some emotion flickering in her eyes.
"Captain Elucia, this matter involves demons and might be dangerous. If you want to withdraw now, I won't stop you."
"Hmph, using provocation? Yi Cheng, let me tell you, in all my years of life, I've never been afraid of anyone. I'm definitely taking charge of this matter!"
The black-haired girl snorted heroically with determination.