Developing Superpowers in Another World

Chapter 267 – The Technological World Cannot Be Entered

 

“How did you get here? Your equipment… has a relevant department already noticed the existence of this world and sent you to investigate?” the short-haired girl started the conversation.

Tu Ran shook her head.

She actually hoped it was the case.

“Do you want to leave here?” she asked.

“Yes!” all three nodded in unison; this place was simply too terrifying. “Do you have a way to leave?”

“I do, but it carries risks,” Tu Ran replied seriously. “You have now traversed two worlds, and at the connection point between them, we will temporarily call it a door. There are not just two worlds in the universe; currently, three are known, but there may be many more. Countless worlds mean countless doors. Each door leads to a world that may be uncertain. When you open a door, you do not know which world you will face.”

“If it leads to… a world I had previously been to, you would find yourselves in the midst of gunfire.”

Tu Ran believed the Federation government would welcome her this way.

“Gunfire? Is it during a war?” the short-haired girl asked.

Tu Ran replied, “…No, it is specifically targeting…” She hesitated, the word “me” lingering on her tongue, then changed her response. “It targets any species that does not belong to that world.”

“I call it the Second World. Upon entering the Second World, you might not be shot immediately upon exiting. You could potentially survive and be taken to a laboratory, where you would undergo intense interrogation about where you came from, and some highly advanced devices would read your memories.”

“Reading memories?” The girl in the white dress could hardly believe it. “Is there really such a device? Is the technology in the Second World very advanced?”

“Yes. The First World has little chance against the Second World. The rulers of the Second World enjoy colonization, domination, social stratification, and species extermination. If you unfortunate ones end up in the Second World, not only would you be in danger, but you would also expose the situation of the First World, putting it in danger as well.”

The three of them fell silent.

After a long while, the short-haired girl weakly asked, “Can we stay in this world of the Classic of Mountains and Seas forever?”

Tu Ran pressed her lips together. “Can you protect yourselves from being eaten by the alien creatures? The alien species you encountered today is not the most ferocious in this place, nor is it the largest.”

The three felt like crying but had no tears left.

After hearing Tu Ran’s introduction, they felt that their future was bleak, as if there were no world where they belonged.

“What about you? Where are you going? Can we follow you?” The girl in the white dress wiped the tears from her eyes and asked through her sniffles.

Tu Ran firmly shook her head. “No, you cannot. I can only protect you for a short time in this world; I won’t stay here permanently.”

Looking at the confused expressions of the three, Tu Ran sighed deeply. “I’ve told you all this to prepare you mentally.”

“When the next ‘door’ appears, you should leave. You might return to the First World, or you could end up in the technologically advanced Second World. I will leave with you. If luck is on our side, we will return to the First World together. If the luck is very bad… and the situation looks grim, I will do my best to bring you back here.”

“Can we really come back?” the girl in the white dress asked in confusion.

Tu Ran thought for a moment and replied cautiously, “I can’t be certain if the doors connecting each world are the same. The door between the world of the Classic of Mountains and Seas and the Second World stays open for a while after it opens, allowing both entry and exit during that time. If we do end up in the Second World, I can delay the gunfire for a few seconds, giving you enough time to escape.”

She paused for a few seconds, her expression becoming troubled. “However…”

“However, what?” The three of them asked anxiously. This was the best path they had found so far—could there be any more difficulties?

“We would be scattered to different corners of the world of the Classic of Mountains and Seas. This is the rule for the door connecting the Classic of Mountains and Seas and the Second World. It won’t be like when you came from the First World and were placed together.”

The hearts of the three sank to the depths. They had no ability to protect themselves, and if they were really separated, then it would be… over.

Tu Ran looked at them, knowing she still had one method she hadn’t mentioned.

Her “shadow storage” couldn’t keep living beings alive for long without oxygen, but if they could hold their breath for about twenty seconds, that would be enough for her to bring them back.

For now, she didn’t want to reveal her abilities to them. She would wait for the right moment to share that method.

“Do you remember the place where you arrived? Let’s go check there; maybe the door is still open.” Tu Ran stood up.

The three exchanged glances and shook their heads, looking up at Tu Ran with embarrassment. “We were too panicked while escaping and didn’t remember the way.”

“…Alright.” Tu Ran sighed; it was only natural.

“I need to find my companion. Just follow me.”

The three stood up, and the girl in the white dress asked excitedly, “Are there others like us here?”

“Strictly speaking, there are plenty of our kind in this world.”

Before the three could feel happy, Tu Ran’s tone shifted. “The so-called ‘our kind’ here are humans from the technological world, not from the First World.”

The three of them instantly looked disheartened.

“Do you need to tidy yourselves up? There’s a river here,” Tu Ran asked.

The three looked at each other’s dirty appearance and nodded.

They went to the riverbank to wash their faces, while Tu Ran sat beneath a tree trunk by the river, waiting for them.

After a while, the girl in the white dress walked over, shyly asking, “Do you have shampoo or body wash? Soap would work too,” as she struggled with her sticky hair. “Water alone isn’t enough to clean it.”

Tu Ran reached into her clothing pocket and pulled out three packets of shampoo, handing them to her.

“Thank you,” she said before running off.

Watching her leave, Tu Ran retrieved two sets of sportswear from her space and approached to hand them to the others. “Put these on; the dresses are inconvenient.”

Though the three were curious about where she had gotten the clothes, they didn’t question it further and accepted them, expressing their gratitude repeatedly.

With that, the four of them set off.

Tu Ran walked ahead while the other three followed behind, holding the daggers Tu Ran had given them, watching their surroundings with a mix of caution and curiosity.

Along the way, Tu Ran handed each of them a bottle of nutrient solution to replenish their energy.

The girl with short hair, named Li Rui, couldn’t stop praising it. “It tastes great, boosts energy, and is so convenient. It’s truly amazing!”

Tu Ran glanced back at her and smiled lightly. “If you can only afford this kind of nutrient solution every day and can’t afford other food, you won’t think it tastes so good anymore.”

“Ah?” Li Rui was taken aback, holding the bottle tightly. “Is this stuff really cheaper than food? Has the ecological environment of the Second World already collapsed?”

Tu Ran looked at her with admiration and didn’t hold back her praise. “Smart.”

 

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