Long Yuehong found Jiang Baimian's new suggestion a bit hard to accept:
"Doesn't this mean that the room owner's mental world has become a sieve, and that more terrifying thing can interfere as it pleases?
"He's already an Awakened at the 'Mind Corridor' level…"
According to this, isn't the room owner practically a puppet of that terrifying thing?
"I'm just saying there's a possibility, and it's not very high in reality," Jiang Baimian replied. "Actually, judging from the fake 'Father's' state, if the room owner had been subtly influenced before becoming an Awakened or entering the 'Mind Corridor' without realizing it, he wouldn't have been able to accommodate himself and enter the 'Mind Corridor.' But our understanding of the relevant knowledge isn't sufficient to make a one hundred percent judgment. Maybe there are special circumstances?"
"Yes," Shang Jianyao chimed in this time. "Just like how Awakened normally don't meet in the 'Mind Corridor,' there are always exceptions."
In his context, "Mind Corridor" referred to the corridor covered with a dark yellow carpet, not including the rooms on either side.
Jiang Baimian hummed in agreement:
"If you don't want to give up this room and don't plan to find another place to practice, then stick to the previous approach.
"Uh, try to avoid that strange woman, lest you suddenly stiffen, run into a wall, and then seize the opportunity to take a look at the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh floors.
"These are likely areas that the room owner didn't explore when he first explored the Food Company. Once you enter, his subconscious will inevitably have to retrieve relevant details from his memories to complete the scene, and the corresponding memories will mostly come from his second or even third exploration, experiences that helped him overcome his psychological shadows."
Jiang Baimian said this because the room owner clearly passed out on the third floor during his initial exploration.
"Okay," Shang Jianyao said as he rubbed his temples.
"You want to try now?" Long Yuehong asked, startled.
Shang Jianyao gave him a strange look:
"I just have a headache."
This was a sequela of last night's encounter. Fortunately, it was relatively minor and would get better in a few days.
Listening to their conversation, Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and said:
"Since you have a headache, take a few days to rest first, and then try again after I've applied for and received acceptance into the bionic smart armor adaptation training."
Similar training would definitely have to be done on the surface.
"Why?" Long Yuehong wanted to ask, "Aren't we waiting for Xiao Bai?" but the words changed as they reached his lips.
Jiang Baimian looked at Shang Jianyao and said:
"This psychological shadow has already shown obvious signs of weirdness. If you continue to explore, you might trigger something.
"Although there are many strong people within the company, they definitely won't be able to react immediately, and the place where you live has a high population density.
"Once a 'weird' event leaks out, you are an Awakened at the 'Mind Corridor' level and might not suffer any serious aftereffects, but the surrounding neighbors will be in trouble.
"It's like defusing a bomb in a residential area. Since there are other ways to avoid it, why choose to be reckless?"
Long Yuehong accepted this explanation without hesitation, because his parents, brother, and sister were, in a broad sense, also Shang Jianyao's neighbors.
"Then apply quickly," Shang Jianyao urged Jiang Baimian directly.
The reckless him was always impatient.
Jiang Baimian didn't do it immediately. Her eyes flickered slightly as she said:
"Recall the experience of your body suddenly stiffening, your thoughts freezing, and you running into a wall. Does it feel familiar?"
"'Knowing Past Lives'," Shang Jianyao replied with a look that said, "Isn't this obvious? That's what Di Marco did back then?"
Jiang Baimian raised her hand and pressed the corner of her mouth:
"Indeed, but encountering 'Knowing Past Lives' in one of the five holy Buddhist sites doesn't seem too strange…"
She muttered a few words and began to busy herself.
After Jiang Baimian submitted the application through the internal network, Long Yuehong hesitated and said:
"Should we go see Xiao Bai first today, and then come back and exercise?"
He remembered that today was the day Bai Chen was leaving the intensive care unit and moving to a regular room.
Jiang Baimian was taken aback, then smiled:
"Sure."
She then looked at Shang Jianyao:
"See, see, Xiao Hong is much more thoughtful than you. He even remembers that Xiao Bai is officially out of the observation period today."
"I remember too!" Shang Jianyao retorted, not wanting to be outdone.
"Then why didn't you bring it up?" Jiang Baimian scoffed.
"That would make you lose face, making it seem like you forgot," The cowardly and timid Shang Jianyao always focused on trying to figure out people's hearts.
Uh… Long Yuehong couldn't help but want to examine himself.
Jiang Baimian spat:
"Am I that kind of person? I've always been broad-minded.
"Let's go, don't waste time, or Xiao Bai will already have moved to her new room."
As she spoke, she got up from her seat and strode towards the door.
Just as she stepped out of the room, Jiang Baimian suddenly stopped and looked to the left and right.
"What's wrong?" Long Yuehong asked, feeling inexplicably nervous.
Jiang Baimian laughed it off:
"I suddenly remembered something. Let's deal with it when we get back."
Then, she chose the correct direction.
Shang Jianyao stroked his chin behind her and smiled.
…………
Twelfth floor of the underground building, inside a certain research institute.
Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and Long Yuehong lined up at the observation window and greeted Bai Chen inside.
After they had done this, the researcher in charge spoke up:
"The various reactions inside the patient's body have stabilized. The next step is a period of self-repair.
"Theoretically, there will no longer be any risk of gene collapse, but as you know, there may be exceptions to anything…"
"There is no exception to the fact that humans will eventually die," The honest Shang Jianyao immediately retorted.
Then, he brought up his own problem:
"'Eternal Humans' are the exception!"
"How many years has it been? Who knows if 'Eternal Humans' will experience cognitive decline in a few hundred or thousand years…" Shang Jianyao began arguing.
The researcher's forehead twitched. He pretended that this guy didn't exist and said to Jiang Baimian and Long Yuehong:
"In short, the patient will have to stay for a while to receive a lot of supportive care until her body has fully recovered. I told you this after the surgery."
"Did you say about a month at the time?" Long Yuehong asked proactively.
The researcher nodded:
"That's normal, but your companion's modifications include 'enhanced self-repair abilities.' The effects produced in the past few days have been very obvious. Coupled with the various rehabilitation methods we provide, she should be able to completely return to normal in two weeks or even less."
"Can she still be considered a normal person?" Shang Jianyao interjected in the midst of his argument.
Everyone fell silent.
This question was really difficult to answer.
After completing the formalities, Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and Long Yuehong waited at the entrance of the intensive care unit, watching as the institute's personnel wheeled Bai Chen out.
Clapping sounds could be heard as Shang Jianyao applauded.
Not only did he applaud, but he also shouted loudly:
"Welcome back!"
Bai Chen closed her eyes, feeling the urge to pretend not to know this guy.
Long Yuehong volunteered to help push the hospital bed.
After arriving at the regular ward, Jiang Baimian smiled:
"Xiao Bai, do you want to try getting out of bed and walking a few steps?"
This had already been permitted.
"Okay," Bai Chen replied, already tired of lying down.
Jiang Baimian immediately reached out to support her companion.
Watching Bai Chen move little by little with relatively unsteady steps, Long Yuehong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled sincerely.
After a while, seeing that the visiting time was coming to an end, Jiang Baimian informed Bai Chen that the team would be going out for training one day in the near future.
"Don't worry, we're scheduled to go out in the afternoon, stay on the surface for one night, and return the next morning. We won't leave you alone and lonely," Jiang Baimian joked.
Bai Chen hummed in agreement:
"Okay."
Jiang Baimian saw this, moved her eyebrows slightly, and didn't say anything more.
On the way back to the 647th floor, she sighed with emotion:
"Don't be fooled by Xiao Bai's strong exterior. She doesn't care too much about many things, but deep down, she has soft and fragile places.
"I was clearly just joking, but she took it very seriously. This shows that she really doesn't want to be alone anymore and has unconsciously become reliant on her companions…"
Long Yuehong opened his mouth, but then fell silent.
When they returned to the Old Task Force's office, he finally mustered the courage to speak:
"Team Leader, I want to stay for a longer period."
"Have you decided?" It was not Jiang Baimian who asked with a serious face, but Shang Jianyao.
Long Yuehong took a breath and said:
"I've decided.
"While my abilities can still barely keep up, I'll stay for a longer period."
Jiang Baimian nodded slowly:
"No matter what your reasons are, I believe you've thought it through carefully.
"Since that's the case, then…"
She immediately broke into a smile:
"Welcome back to the team!"
Long Yuehong's eyes welled up as he replied loudly:
"Yes, Team Leader!"
After calming down a bit, he quickly asked:
"Should I also apply for bionic limb transplants, gene modification, and Awakening experiments?"
After speaking, he remembered that he didn't seem to have that many Contribution points.
He was the one who had helped his parents exchange for a large room and had lived luxuriously for a while.
Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and said:
"There's no need for bionic limbs. Your mechanical arm is excellent.
"As for gene modification and Awakening experiments, you can try, but not now. Your physical condition is far from optimal.
"When the time comes, if you don't have enough Contribution points, I can lend you some. I usually sponge off my parents anyway."
"Mm-hm," Long Yuehong nodded repeatedly.
…………
Two days later, in the afternoon, the remaining members of the Old Task Force, who had been approved, took two sets of military exoskeletons and the Chameleon-series bionic smart armor they had seized, left Pangu Biology, and arrived on the grey soil surface.
ps: Asking for monthly votes in the last few hours of September~