Chapter 227 – Memories
“She’s really waking up? How is that possible? Just now, there was no sign…” Xie Xinyu hurriedly rushed to the other side of the bed to check the instrument readings, frantically pressing several buttons while keeping an eye on Xi Chunzhi’s movements from the corner of his eye.
Tu Ran was also watching Xi Chunzhi, her palm resting on Xi Chunzhi’s wrist.
Although she still couldn’t read Xi Chunzhi’s memories, she could clearly sense Xi Chunzhi struggling, as if trying to avoid something, desperately attempting to wake herself up.
Finally, after about half an hour of turmoil, Xi Chunzhi suddenly opened her eyes. Her forehead and neck were covered in fine beads of sweat, and she gasped for air, staring up at the ceiling, her fingers trembling.
Tu Ran held her hand, the warmth from her palm passing into Xi Chunzhi’s cold body, helping to calm her down slightly.
Xi Chunzhi turned her head slightly, and the moment she saw Tu Ran, her eyes welled up with tears, which began streaming down her cheeks.
One wave after another.
She remembered everything, including what had happened while she was unconscious.
She knew she had been pulled out of the nutrient pod and taken to an underground lab, where a group of people had cut open the back of her neck to remove something called an “inner core” and had drawn her blood for days on end.
She also knew there were many other pioneers like her nearby, and those pioneers were being dissected and studied. She thought she wouldn’t be able to escape the same fate and had desperately tried to wake up, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t move. She was trapped in her own body, unable to break free.
Helplessly, she watched herself move closer and closer to death, sinking into a deep despair.
Later, she overheard those who were drawing her blood discussing sending her up because Tu Ran had emerged from the Threshold.
She was relieved that Tu Ran had survived the Threshold again, but at the same time, she overheard those same people conspiring to get rid of Tu Ran. She grew anxious, but there was nothing she could do.
She felt the sunlight shining on her body and knew she had left that cold, damp underground laboratory, most likely arriving at the medical department.
When she overheard the nurses talking while caring for her, she knew she had indeed made it to the medical department.
She was relieved to be temporarily free from the danger of being dissected for research, but at the same time, she was worried about Tu Ran’s safety.
Tu Ran had come to visit her.
She had paid an enormous medical bill for her.
She had even touched her arm.
During this time, Xi Chunzhi kept trying to warn Tu Ran, urging her to be cautious of those around her, as the people from the laboratory wanted to kill her.
But she could do nothing.
Tu Ran would check on her every now and then, each time sitting with her briefly before leaving. Xi Chunzhi longed to see her, because it proved she was still alive, that the people from the laboratory had not succeeded.
Then one day, someone with symptoms similar to hers was brought into the ward.
She knew that person must have also had their inner core removed. She wondered why that person had been sent up and instinctively assumed that only the people from the lab would extract a pioneer’s inner core. She thought that person must also have a friend, like Tu Ran, with a high “danger index.”
When all the nurses and doctors from the lab had left, she heard Tu Ran’s footsteps gradually approaching. Then, she felt a pair of cold hands on the back of her neck.
Icy cold.
Tu Ran had found the scar on the back of her neck.
This sudden action made Xi Chunzhi realize that Tu Ran knew about the inner core.
And it happened right after Tu Ran learned about the other person with symptoms similar to hers.
She quickly formed a suspicion: could the inner core of the other comatose person have been extracted by Tu Ran?
Did Tu Ran possess special abilities as well?
She desperately hoped that Tu Ran had special abilities. If that were the case, it wouldn’t be easy for the people from the laboratory to deal with Tu Ran.
She felt relieved.
At the same time, she secretly hoped that Tu Ran, with her special abilities, might find a way to save her.
Although the hope was slim, she held onto it in her heart.
But then she learned that her various body indicators were rapidly declining and would soon fail.
She accepted her fate quickly and calmly.
If she died, Tu Ran’s burden would be greatly reduced.
At least she knew that Tu Ran had special abilities and could survive well.
Whether or not she would be avenged didn’t matter; the forces behind the people in the underground lab were certainly very powerful, and she didn’t want Tu Ran to offend them on her behalf.
Just as she was preparing for death, something unexpected happened. Tu Ran pried open her jaw and fed her something.
The sensation of it melting in her mouth, the feeling of it flowing through her limbs, made her realize it was an inner core.
And the familiar sensation—it was her own inner core from before.
She didn’t know where Tu Ran had found her previous inner core, but she knew the process must have been arduous. Her inner core had been given to the people behind the scenes, and Tu Ran must have investigated many people and taken many risks to find it.
She struggled desperately, trying every possible way to break free from the constraints of her soul with the help of the inner core, and finally opened her eyes.
The moment she saw Tu Ran, her heart was overwhelmed with joy at surviving the ordeal, gratitude and concern for Tu Ran, and the pain of being unable to speak during that time. She couldn’t control her tears.
Tu Ran was stunned.
The only thought in her mind was: How should she comfort Xi Chunzhi?!
In the memories of the original owner, Xi Chunzhi had never cried.
She had been in this body for quite some time, but to be honest, she had hardly seen Xi Chunzhi in person.
Aside from the first night when she had gone home with her, she had been sent to Reigaken State the next morning.
After returning from the mission in Reigaken State, Xi Chunzhi had already gone into the Threshold, and after that, they had continually missed each other.
Her understanding of Xi Chunzhi was entirely limited to the memories of the original owner.
Now that Xi Chunzhi was crying like this, she could only stand there helplessly.
Seeing Xi Chunzhi’s tears soaking the pure white pillow, Tu Ran realized she should pull out a couple of tissues from the box on the table and silently wipe away her tears.
Xie Xinyu, on the other hand, paid no attention to their interaction and focused entirely on the instruments in front of him.
The data displayed that Xi Chunzhi’s body indicators had fluctuated at 5:15.
That was just after he had finished his examination and left.
Clearly, there had been no significant changes before he left.
“Did she show any other changes before you called me?” Xie Xinyu asked Tu Ran.
Tu Ran’s gaze shifted from Xi Chunzhi’s face to Xie Xinyu. He was still studying the data on the machine and had not looked over.
“No, I called you as soon as she moved,” Tu Ran replied lightly. There was no way she would tell him the truth.
Xie Xinyu was puzzled and asked Xi Chunzhi, “Did you have any memories while you were unconscious?”
Xi Chunzhi glanced at Tu Ran and said, “No.”
Her voice was still a bit hoarse. Tu Ran quickly picked up a water cup from the table, propped up her head, and gave her a few sips to soothe her throat.
“Did you experience anything during this time?” Xie Xinyu finally diverted his attention from the instruments and looked at Xi Chunzhi. “Did something stimulate you to wake up suddenly?”
finally ✋🏻😭 Chunzhi awake