"Many people are watching Li Zhizhuan and the others now, so it's not very safe for you to go over. However," Feng Weiguo paused, "you are the initiator of the auxiliary mecha project after all. If you don't show up, it wouldn't be right..."
"How about this, I'll make arrangements and find some security guards to escort you."
Jing Mingqiu was stunned for a moment, "Bringing security guards, wouldn't that be a bit too ostentatious?"
"Don't worry, this is also a statement, telling foreign powers that we have discovered their scheme, are prepared, and should make them stop obediently..."
Feng Weiguo quickly explained, then told Jing Mingqiu the hospital where Li Zhizhuan and the others were, and hung up the phone.
Listening to the busy signal in the receiver, Jing Mingqiu looked at the ceiling and muttered to himself.
"Politics is so damn complicated! I'd rather be a normal college student, do a few tasks when I have nothing to do, and improve my system level..."
At 3:30 PM, the freshman military training at Dongyang City University of Science and Technology officially entered its final phase.
Many teachers and students gathered on the playground, reviewing the freshman formations. The large stage in the middle of the playground had been completed, and Mo Ruixue and others were backstage, making final preparations for the upcoming performance.
Jing Mingqiu took the opportunity to slip out. Escorted by three burly security guards, he arrived at Dongyang City Central Hospital. After passing through heavy security, he reached the ICU on the third floor and saw several people lying inside, their fates unknown.
"Doctor, what is their condition now?" Jing Mingqiu found the attending physician and inquired about the condition of Li Zhizhuan and the others.
The doctor shook his head, "Not very good. The external injuries have been mostly dealt with. We've done our best to save their lives. Due to the anesthesia, they are all in a deep coma."
"This!" Jing Mingqiu quickly pressed, "When will they wake up?"
The doctor sighed, his brow furrowed, "They were suffocated for too long, and their brains suffered irreversible damage. Even after the anesthesia wears off, the chances of them waking up are very slim."
Hearing this, Jing Mingqiu's face instantly turned somber. With the system, no matter how high-end the machine, he was confident in repairing it, but with brain injuries, he truly had no way.
Wait, it seems there might be a way!
A bold idea suddenly flashed through Jing Mingqiu's mind. Humans, in essence, were composites of cells. Through the cooperation of cells with different structures, various functions were achieved.
If that were the case, why couldn't the human body be treated as a machine?
To verify if this idea was feasible, Jing Mingqiu threw a scan at himself.
After a brief delay, a new system interface appeared before Jing Mingqiu.
【Scanning in progress】
【Name: Human (Carbon-based life form)】
【Genetic structure: Large number of useless genes, excessive duplication (optimization recommended)】
【Support frame: Calcareous structure, insufficient strength, insufficient toughness, practically no regenerative ability, (replaceable and upgradeable)】
【Energy absorption system: Low-grade penetration system, low absorption efficiency, extremely limited absorption range (comprehensive reconstruction, overall correction)】
【Processing hub: High energy consumption, insufficient information storage capacity...】
【Upgrade plans have been generated, please choose:】
【One: Flesh is weak, ascend through machinery.】
【Two: Genetic optimization, sequence recalibration.】
【Three: Soul and body unified, spiritual essence overflowing.】
【...】
The massive number of modification plans, totaling over a thousand pages, made Jing Mingqiu ecstatic. However, when he was about to carefully select one, he discovered that many plans were locked and could only be unlocked by increasing his system level.
After removing the unlocked plans, only two upgrade options remained for Jing Mingqiu to choose from.
The first option: Flesh is weak, ascend through machinery.
This option was simple and direct. Since the strength of human flesh and blood was limited, it would be replaced with more advanced mechanical organs.
The second option: Genetic optimization, sequence recalibration.
This was slightly more complex. Humans had evolved step by step, and to adapt to the environment, humans had many genes that had lost their function. Moreover, on the principle of "if it works, it works," their various organs were not perfect.
Genetic optimization mainly involved removing these inactive genes and adjusting gene expression to enhance the strength of human organs.
Jing Mingqiu stared at these two options. After hesitating for more than ten seconds, he finally made his choice.
Only children made choices; adults wanted both.
He would first get a mechanical stomach so he wouldn't have to worry about indigestion and stomachaches, and then optimize his genes to increase the length of various parts of his body.
After discovering that the system could improve his physical strength, the gloom brought about by the foreign powers' assassination instantly vanished.
Jing Mingqiu put on a protective suit and entered the ICU ward. After a glance, he threw a few scans, confirmed they were not in mortal danger for the time being, and left the hospital with peace of mind.
Escorted by the three security guards, Jing Mingqiu had just returned to school when he immediately received a call from Mo Ruixue.
"Mingqiu, we're about to start our performance. Where are you?"
Jing Mingqiu quickly explained, "Xue'er, I had something to do just now and went out. I've just entered the school gate."
"Mmm," hearing this, Mo Ruixue's mood instantly soured, "The school gate is very far from the playground. I wanted you to help me record it. It's definitely too late now."
Jing Mingqiu's confident voice came from the receiver, "Not necessarily, Xue'er. You perform well, and I promise I will record the entire process of your dance."
Mo Ruixue asking Jing Mingqiu to help record was not treating him as a tool.
For large programs like the freshman gala, the school would arrange for someone to record the entire event, so there was no need for someone to record it with a phone again.
Even with Jing Mingqiu's high-pixel phone, it was hard to justify. No matter how high the pixel count of his phone was, could it be compared to a professional camera?
Mo Ruixue simply wished for the dance she had meticulously rehearsed to be seen by the person she liked.
Jing Mingqiu did not guess the young girl's subtle thoughts, but he would do his best to fulfill what the person he liked wanted.
He took out his phone, which was encased in a silver protective shell, and gently tapped the shell.
The all-metal protective shell deformed, and after more than ten seconds, it transformed into an octopus-like drone.
With the whirring sound of its blades cutting through the air, the drone turned into a silver lightning bolt and instantly appeared above the stage.
At this moment, the previous act had just finished, and Mo Ruixue and the others had already come onto the stage and taken their positions.
The drone, transformed from the phone case, extended a camera, quickly scanned the area, and then captured Mo Ruixue's figure in the center of the stage.
Then, controlled by the built-in program, it began to lock on and track, recording the entire process of Mo Ruixue's dance.
Five minutes later, Jing Mingqiu finally arrived at the playground. Mo Ruixue's dance was nearing its end. After a simple bow and curtain call, Mo Ruixue strode off the stage and rushed to Jing Mingqiu, hugging his arm tightly, her face full of aggrieved complaint.
"Jing Mingqiu~ You're late, I've already finished dancing..."