“288, let’s start using the Enhancement Fluid now. I’m ready.”
Qiu Yunzheng was currently leaning back on a comfortable, soft sofa. Detection markers from instruments were attached to her hands, ankles, and temples on her head.
According to 288, the enhancement process would take approximately one to two hours, depending on individual physique.
Thinking about her own frail body, Yun Zheng decided to calculate based on the maximum duration. Consequently, Lin Zile arranged a sofa for her.
“Alright, then prepare yourself, Host. It might be somewhat painful. To prevent excessive struggling and potential self-injury during the process, 288 will temporarily take control of your body.”
Before Yun Zheng could even respond, 288 directly controlled the Enhancement Fluid within the System Dimension, pouring it into her mouth out of thin air.
Then, 288 activated the fluid’s effects using the System’s built-in stimulation function, continuously stimulating various acupoints throughout Yun Zheng’s body. This was to unlock her full potential and maximize the absorption of the Enhancement Fluid’s effects, as 288 had discovered that while Yun Zheng’s physique was excessively weak, her mental strength was not only strong but nearly comparable to Gu Hanfeng’s.
It was precisely because of her high mental strength that Yun Zheng had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, with an excellent memory—one of the benefits of strong mental power.
Of course, the observing professors and Gu Hanfeng were momentarily startled by the reagent bottle that appeared out of nowhere, automatically pouring into Yun Zheng’s mouth before vanishing into thin air. However, the surprise was brief.
Thanks to Gu Hanfeng’s prior explanation, they already knew Yun Zheng was bound to an unknown System.
Soon, their attention shifted to the changes occurring within Yun Zheng’s body. They observed her cells rapidly multiplying, dying, and multiplying again—the process accelerating and intensifying.
It was as if the cells were waging war inside her body, a fight to the death.
For Yun Zheng, the sensation was excruciating. She didn’t know whether her cells were dying or not; all she knew was that if this continued, she desperately wanted to die.
Yun Zheng had no idea how painful childbirth might be, but she felt as if every bit of her skin, flesh, and bones were being torn apart, decomposed, and then reassembled.
It was akin to being subjected to death by a thousand cuts, or even worse. If 288 hadn’t temporarily taken control of her body beforehand, Yun Zheng would likely be rolling on the floor in agony, possibly even biting off her own tongue.
The pain was so overwhelming that she couldn’t find words to describe it. Worst of all, she couldn’t pass out and had to endure this torture fully conscious.
To outsiders, the pain wasn’t visibly apparent, but it was somewhat discernible from Yun Zheng’s entire body sweating profusely and beginning to twitch slightly.
However, Yun Zheng was unable to move; the twitching occurred solely due to the intense pain and the accelerated internal cell reproduction, which even her nervous system couldn’t suppress.
The professors present could also see Qiu Yunzheng’s agony, because they noticed that although her eyes remained open, her eyelashes were trembling violently, and tears were streaming down uncontrollably.
Her pupils had even begun to dilate from the overwhelming pain, as if shrouded in a dark haze of suffering.
They all sensed something was wrong with Qiu Yunzheng at this moment. Since she couldn’t move, no normal person could remain completely still under such extreme pain—not even someone like Gu Hanfeng.
Even if they couldn’t perceive exactly how intense the pain was, they could roughly guess from the changes in Qiu Yunzheng’s body shown by the instrument readings.
“What should we do, Professor? Qiu Yunzheng seems to be in trouble.”
Leng Xi, who had been observing nearby, couldn’t help but speak up. She could genuinely feel the girl’s suffering—it was severe. If she continued sweating profusely like this, Leng Xi feared Qiu Yunzheng might die from dehydration first.
Lin Zile was also anxious, but he couldn’t show it. He stepped forward first, reaching out to check Qiu Yunzheng’s pulse.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t. Before he could get within half a meter of her, an invisible air wall repelled him.
“Huh? There’s no way. It seems Qiu Yunzheng is being controlled by the System. There’s an air barrier around her. We can only wait and see for now. Let the medical team stand by outside. Once the air wall around Qiu Yunzheng disappears, get her treated immediately.”
Lin Zile had no choice. He didn’t dare interfere too much with Qiu Yunzheng, afraid that any action he took might plunge her into irreversible danger. For now, they could only hope that the System meant her no harm.
“Enhancement is about to complete.” 8-7-6-…-2-1. Enhancement complete. Releasing control over the host’s body.”
For an entire hour, the professors and Gu Hanfeng could only watch helplessly as Qiu Yunzheng suffered inside the air barrier, powerless to do anything.
“Huff… huff… you… you… you bastard, ahhh, couldn’t you have given me some warning???”
288: Don’t blame me. I don’t know anything. I know nothing at all.
Finally, after the one-sided torture ended, Qiu Yunzheng, realizing she could move again, jumped up and cursed out loud. Unfortunately, since she had little experience arguing with others, the best she could muster was “bastard.”
“Pfft.”
Then, because they saw Qiu Yunzheng was finally safe and lively, cursing with such vigor yet struggling to find stronger words—ending up with just “bastard”—they couldn’t help but laugh.
And, as history often repeats itself, Qiu Yunzheng was embarrassed again, because she suddenly remembered where she was.
This time, Qiu Yunzheng couldn’t hold it together. She raised her hands to cover her face—it was too embarrassing. Aside from the somewhat familiar Lin Zile and Gu Hanfeng, there were four or five other researchers present.
Now, Qiu Yunzheng felt she could not only dig out the Forbidden City with her toes but carve out the entire map of China.
As she sat back down on the sofa, covering her face with her hands, Qiu Yunzheng didn’t notice.
The amusement in everyone’s eyes was growing stronger and stronger.
Helpless, just moments ago everyone had been worried that this young girl would lose her life due to their inability to help, yet the next second she was already full of vitality, completely unaffected by the earlier suffering.
How could they not be overjoyed?
“Ahem, alright. Xiao Zheng, come here and let me check your pulse. Xiao Xi, you go help her with the other examinations. Jun Yi, you go call the medical team outside to come in and examine Xiao Zheng.”
“Yes!”
The named individuals suppressed their laughter and immediately sprang into action.