“?????? Wait! It’s completed already? You said I needed to finish the development!?? I haven’t even started developing anything!”
Qiu Yunzheng was shocked. Didn’t they say she needed to complete the development? What, just walking through once was enough? Was it really this simple?
“That’s right, Host, it’s completed. What we meant by ‘complete the development’ was just you bringing 288 into the tomb chamber, then having 288’s System collect all the data and video footage. Because if you didn’t bring 288 inside, 288 wouldn’t have permission to enter. Plus, when we entered, 288 released fifty nanobots. Just now, they’ve all been successfully retrieved, so the mission is complete.”
288 was very happy now, because it discovered it had bound the right person. Its Host was really fast—from issuing the mission to completing the data collection, it only took two or three days.
“……”
Qiu Yunzheng fell silent. She had genuinely thought they needed to excavate bit by bit themselves. At the time, she thought that with such a large tomb, no matter how fast they worked, it would still take three or four months.
Now 288 was telling her that this was all it took? Just this?
Thinking of this, Qiu Yunzheng just wanted to cover her face with both hands, because what she had told Gu Hanfeng and the others earlier wasn’t like this at all. This was causing trouble—how embarrassing.
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem somewhere?”
As the group retraced their path back, Gu Hanfeng noticed Qiu Yunzheng’s unusual mood and couldn’t hold back from asking.
“No, it’s nothing. Ahem, I’ll tell you later.”
Qiu Yunzheng’s face was flushed red at this moment. She was truly, immensely grateful that she hadn’t taken off her mask yet.
Otherwise, Qiu Yunzheng felt she would be so embarrassed she could dig out the entire Forbidden City with her toes, emmm.
“So, you’re saying we just needed to walk through once? We don’t need to rush the development anymore? And you don’t need to go down into the tomb again?”
Gu Hanfeng was somewhat surprised, his eyes unable to conceal his confusion.
Mainly because what Qiu Yunzheng had implied earlier was vastly different from what she meant now. Initially, they all thought Qiu Yunzheng needed to participate bit by bit throughout the entire development process.
At the time, both Gu Hanfeng and Commander Yang couldn’t help but feel headaches coming on, because that would have made their job of protecting—or rather, monitoring—Qiu Yunzheng extremely troublesome.
But now Qiu Yunzheng was saying the mission was completed. Several hours had already passed since the mission completion, and they had safely exited and were now resting.
The location where Qiu Yunzheng and Gu Hanfeng currently were was a hidden small room in the military zone, though it was much better than where Qiu Yunzheng had stayed before.
“I misunderstood earlier and didn’t get the full picture. Sorry.”
Qiu Yunzheng felt awkward for a moment, a few shades of crimson creeping onto her pretty face.
Hearing this, Gu Hanfeng nodded and didn’t speak further.
[Ding, data upload complete. Please open the reward box, Host.]
“Hurry up and open it.”
Since Gu Hanfeng had stopped talking, Qiu Yunzheng felt extremely awkward and didn’t show much enthusiasm for the reward the System mentioned.
[Ding! Reward: Gene Enhancement Fluid formula x1. As the host completed the task quickly and excellently, an additional reward of Gene Enhancement Fluid x2 is granted. One portion must be bound to the host and cannot be removed. 288 has already placed the formula and one portion of the fluid into the host’s backpack. The host may retrieve them at any time.]
“!!!”
Qiu Yunzheng was utterly stunned by the reward, sitting rigidly in place. Her entire body tensed up from excessive excitement, her face and eyes brimming with overwhelming ecstasy, her hands clenched tightly.
“?”
Gu Hanfeng was somewhat curious about Qiu Yunzheng’s state. Had the System given a reward? Why was she so agitated?
“Backpack? What backpack? I’m not carrying anything right now. Where is it? Don’t try to fool me, 288.”
Unaware of Gu Hanfeng’s curiosity and confusion, Qiu Yunzheng continued questioning the round egg-like 288 in her mind.
“Host, 288 doesn’t fool people! After you completed the task, you obtained a private backpack. Just think ‘backpack’ silently and it will appear. It’s a dimensional storage backpack. To retrieve anything, just think ‘backpack’ silently and then say the name of the item to take it out.”
288 was quite unhappy with Qiu Yunzheng’s distrust and slander but, considering her genuine lack of understanding, reluctantly explained.
After following 288’s instructions, Qiu Yunzheng indeed saw the backpack and confirmed that it contained both the Gene Enhancement Fluid formula and the finished product.
“Alright, I wronged you. I’m sorry, 288. You’re the best. Surely you’re magnanimous and won’t stay mad at me.”
“Fine, then 288 will be big-hearted and forgive you. Does the host wish to use the Gene Enhancement Fluid now?”
288 was delighted by Qiu Yunzheng’s rare submission. Thinking, “My host, my responsibility—can’t stay angry,” it patted its round egg-like belly and forgave her.
Though, 288, the metaphor you used should probably mean “big-hearted” rather than “big-bellied.”
Qiu Yunzheng mentally gave herself a victory sign, suppressing laughter at 288’s amusing analogy, and gently inquired about the Gene Enhancement Fluid’s effects.
“What does the Gene Enhancement Fluid do? Can you explain it to me? 288 really is the best.”
Well done. The simple-minded 288, swayed by Qiu Yunzheng’s sweet talk and repeated praises of “the best,” became completely disarmed and spilled everything without hesitation.
“Okay, okay, host, let me tell you. Normally, systems don’t explain much about this—it’s usually up to the host to figure it out. As the name suggests, Gene Enhancement Fluid can help repair and strengthen those with genetic defects. Those who use it can achieve greater and better improvements in their abilities. Physical fitness will become three to five times stronger than the original baseline, or even more. It can even enhance the user’s mental power, potentially evolving Abilities.”
As Qiu Yunzheng listened to 288’s explanation, her eyes widened dramatically—one might say they were as big as bronze bells, though that might be an exaggeration.
Anyway, Gu Hanfeng, sitting across from Qiu Yunzheng, saw how shocked she was—her eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets.
“288, what’s the deal with Abilities? And you mentioned ‘mental energy’ earlier—what are the benefits of having high mental energy?”
“Hehehe, since you, host, have asked so sincerely, 288 will graciously enlighten you.”
288 was clearly getting addicted to the act, while Yun Zheng suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, forcing herself to maintain an honored expression.
“Alright, 288, I’m all ears.”