Chapter 175 : Rainy Night Rescue
How should one describe the appearance of Boundless Research Station?
Its design style was very much like the sci-fi space stations Lonis had seen in her previous life—spherical in shape, with a diameter of about 50 meters. More peculiar still, the research station's outer and inner surfaces were separate.
This meant that this research station could move freely through the earth like a sphere. No matter what kind of turbulence it encountered, the internal buildings of the research station could remain stable without any tilting.
However, the research station now seemed to have encountered some anomaly and had completely stopped... It was deeply embedded in the mud, with no trace of light visible.
"Senior Yi Cheng, can you observe the internal situation of Boundless Research Station?"
"Cannot confirm, but I can detect that there isn't a single living human inside."
"Eh?"
Hearing Yi Cheng say this, Bai Ye showed a terrified expression.
However, Yi Cheng's next words reassured everyone considerably:
"But at the same time, I haven't detected any dead humans either. There are probably several life forms inside the research station, but I can't determine their species—they might be monsters, or perhaps biological weapons cultivated by Boundless Research Station."
"In that case, there's not much point in conducting a rescue?"
Elucia pondered, but didn't abandon the idea of investigating: "Well then, Lonis, Suling. You rest inside the ship. Yi Cheng, Bai Ye, you follow me to investigate inside the station."
"Captain Elucia, I will naturally follow your orders."
"Please leave the guidance to Bai Ye."
Neither Yi Cheng nor Bai Ye showed the slightest panic, but this made Lonis somewhat "unwilling."
Because...
A leopard cannot change its spots.
Even after being bullied by Elucia for so long, seeing unknown buildings and secrets always gave Lonis an impulse to investigate, as if she were transforming into the protagonist of a story.
But this time...
"Oh, I didn't expect Lonis would disobey again and try to show off?"
"Uh?"
"Hmph, this time I absolutely won't let you take risks. Stay obediently in the room."
Click!
Elucia actually took out handcuffs from her storage ring and locked Lonis in the room.
Things turned out this way.
Although Lonis knew her combat ability was weak and she might not be helpful, couldn't she at least provide some magic power support to Elucia? Unlike now, being completely confined to the ship like a pet that couldn't weather storms.
However, compared to the past, Elucia seemed more conscientious.
Before leaving, she gave the handcuff key to Suling and instructed Suling to stay honestly in the ship with her, not going anywhere.
......
Thus, only Lonis and Zhou Suling remained on the ship. The pink-haired girl seemed to really embrace the role of "warden," saying to Lonis:
"Mm, Lonis, you're not allowed to run around this time. Everyone is doing very important things, and we can't cause trouble."
"Wuu..."
Lonis blinked in distress and said to Suling:
"Suling, please unlock my handcuffs first. I won't run around."
"Eh? But Sister Elucia specifically instructed that Lonis absolutely cannot go out."
"I swear I won't go out. I'll just move around inside the ship~ Trust me."
Suling was kind after all. Hearing Lonis make such a promise, she prepared to trust her and unlock the girl's handcuffs.
However, just then...
......
"Roooaar!!"
A terrifying sound suddenly erupted from outside the ship.
Hearing such a sound in the dark environment was undoubtedly very frightening. Lonis felt a chill down her back, and her body involuntarily broke out in cold sweat.
Suling also seemed terrified, quickly hugging Lonis... This pink-haired girl's skin pressed tightly against the silver-haired girl, with sweat beads appearing on her forehead.
"Li-Little Lo! What's that sound?"
"I don't know. Probably... some kind of beast?"
The girls were shaken. Suling was also startled and quickly unlocked the shackles on Lonis's hands.
"Li-Little Lo! You stay here, I'll go to the control room to check the situation."
"Eh?"
"Don't worry, I'll... protect you."
Although trembling with fear, Zhou Suling still mustered courage and walked toward the control room.
However...
"Suling, let's go together."
"Little Lo?"
"Isn't this place dangerous? Going together would provide some assurance."
"Mm..."
......
In horror films, girls often die one by one because they split up.
Lonis now didn't plan to repeat such mistakes. She and Suling held hands, like adventure companions, walking nervously toward the control room.
The scene that came into view also stunned them both.
In the distant sky, a huge shadow was soaring at low altitude... That thing looked very much like a jellyfish, except jellyfish couldn't be so large and fly in the sky.
Due to the dense rain clouds, Lonis couldn't see clearly. The massive creature lingered at a certain position for a moment, then slowly drifted away.
"Suling, what is... that?"
"I... I don't know either, but it looks a bit like a Leviathan..."
"Leviathan?"
"Yes, I heard from my sister that it's a kind of demonic hub used by demons to transport monsters. If one appears, it means there might be monsters wandering nearby."
"......"
Lonis fell silent. Would she have to fight such massive things in the future?
With that hundred-meter body size, even if she hacked at it with a sword for a year, she couldn't cut it apart, right?
No wonder Elucia always warned her to be careful. It seemed demons weren't primitive weaklings—they also had war beasts that, like human magic ships, could overturn entire situations.
However, Suling then shouted loudly:
"Little Lo, look over there!"
"Over there..."
"It's a person! She seems to be injured."
"!"
At the edge of a barren hill, a woman was staggering along.
She appeared to be about 1.6 meters tall, disheveled, originally wearing what should have been a white lab coat, but perhaps due to the difficult journey, the entire garment was now tattered.
"Little Lo, we need to help her."
"Wait, Suling. Didn't Elucia say that no matter what happens, we shouldn't leave the ship?"
"Eh?"
"And..."
Looking at the distant woman, Lonis hesitated.
She wasn't refusing to save someone, but she could clearly sense that this woman's condition was somewhat abnormal.
Her gait was obviously stiff, like a zombie.
Too far away to see her facial expression clearly, but she could faintly make out that her skin tone was somewhat bluish.
Somehow, Lonis remembered what Elucia had said about Headhunter Bats... Perhaps this woman had been attacked by Headhunter Bats, her mental state wasn't normal, and she might attack people around her.
So...
"Suling, you stay on the ship."
"Little Lo, wait, what are you going to do?!"
"You prepare medical supplies and bandages. I'm going to try to rescue her."
"!"
In the end, Lonis still didn't follow Elucia's arrangements.
She couldn't stand by and watch humans in distress die.
But before rescuing, she also needed to formulate a plan.